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Firefox has their own improved javascript engine in the works.

No. Of course Slashdot only posts the sensationalist bullshit to sell ads, not the subsequent rebuttals.

Keep getting your Microsoft news from Slashdot though, nothing better than shaping your opinions through sponsored FUD.

No. Of course Slashdot only posts the sensationalist bullshit to sell ads, not the subsequent rebuttals.

Keep getting your Microsoft news from Slashdot though, nothing better than shaping your opinions through sponsored FUD.

As usual the Ars Technica review shines compared to the others.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070826-clearing-the-air-bioshock-does-not-contain-a-rootkit.html

I don't like DRM either.

However, I followed these steps carefully and had one of the best gaming experiences of my life.

Pay attention, it gets tricky:

1) I paid for the game.
2) I installed it on my PC.
3) Was wildly entertained, more than my $ worth.

Too bad your panties are so easily wadded because you missed out.

2. Does it run on Linux?

Yes, although only the Windows download is available so far.

3. Does it support Plugins?

Yep.

4. Does it phone home and notify Google of important statistics, like what web pages I view, what ads I click, what products I buy, etc.

I'd assume not. But I'm sure if it does someone will figure it out by examining the traffic.

Too bad an infrastructure like that would never get off the ground as all the advertisers scream bloody murder, and the Washington cronies that are beholden to them will cave in yet again. Kind of like how they've tried time and again to work around PVRs skipping their commercials.

Openhand were involved with OpenMoko (their window manager matchbox was being used), but since then OpenMoko has dropped matchbox and shifted to Enlightenment Link: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080522-openmoko-linux-mobile-phone-ditches-gtk-gets-qt-and-e17.html. So for now, they are not involved with OpenMoko. Although their clutter, matchbox and poky projects are being used at many places.

The reason the internet is so slow in the US, as compared to other countries, is becoming clear.

Broadband would be faster if we didn't have to route it all through the CIA, NSA, FBI, GOP, etc. :-)

OSS developers get funding because companies think their free software benefit them

I may be overly cynical, but I would suspect that the only time a company contributes to an OSS project is when it wants some form of control over it: benevolence doesn't really come into it, nor does a subscription to Free Software ideals.

Take Apple: as closed and proprietary as Microsoft, if not more so, yet they contribute to OSS. In fact, take Microsoft, who now sponsor the Apache Software Foundation.

I suppose my point is that perhaps instead of asking whether companies should subsidise OSS, we should be asking whether OSS should want companies to subsidise it.

According to this article, they're looking into P4P - for better or for worse. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080828-its-official-comcast-starts-250gb-bandwidth-caps-october-1.html

Opera sells mobile version of their browser. Mozilla gets craploads of cash from Google, I guess for using G as the default search engine... there's this "search bar" with G pre-selected and AFAIR you get a co-branded start page when you install FF if it's not packaged by a 3rd party (Ubuntu for example changes it). 85% of Mozilla's $66.8M revenue came from Google in 2006.

According to Ars Technica, sites with proper HTML information will display in standards mode, and sites without will not. There's a button at the bottom that allows you to switch between the two. I have to say, I like IE8. It won't make me switch from Opera, but it's much speedier to use than IE7, and I'll probably find myself using it instead of Firefox whenever I come across a website that doesn't work in Opera. (Which is rare, and whenever that happens and I launch Firefox, it prompts me if I want to update, which gets annoying).

Actually, if you've bought an OEM copy of Windows and installed it on an existing computer or a VM, then you've probably violated the EULA and should have paid 3x over the odds for a "full retail" copy. No incentive to cheat the system?

OEM Windows is only supposed to be sold as a bundle with a new PC (in the UK* resellers often insist that you buy at least a hard drive or a motherboard before they'll sell you an OEM copy), you are obliged to install it on that hardware, to which you must attach the license sticker, and cannot transfer the license to another machine.

I think the only part of the above that's true is the non-transferable limitation of OEM Windows. A seller can sell OEM Windows without "a new PC" and not violate the seller's EULA. A buyer can buy and install OEM Windows on non-bundled hardware without attaching the license sticker.

• Ars Technica - Buying OEM versions of Windows Vista: the facts
• [H]ard|OCP - Microsoft OEM Licensing FAQ

From Microsoft's OEM Builder FAQs:

• Q. The current System Builder license states that I may distribute an operating system license with a "non-peripheral hardware component". What hardware components are considered "non-peripheral"?

  A. A non-peripheral hardware component is a hardware component that is considered to be essential to running a computer system, and includes components such as memory, internal devices and drives, mice, keyboards, and power supplies. Examples of components that are not considered essential are external modems, networking devices, cameras, printers, and scanners.

So Microsoft says sellers can bundle a $2 mouse with OEM Windows and be compliant with the seller's EULA. If you shop around, you'll find online stores that bundle a $1 audio cable with a $1 "instant rebate." As for the buyer's EULA, quoted from the Ars Technica article:

• Can I buy OEM?

  Yes, you can. Microsoft licenses OEM software to "system builders," which the license defines as "an original equipment manufacturer, or an assembler, reassembler, or installer of software on computer systems" (emphasis added). You can install software on computers, right?

  When asked, Microsoft says that OEM software is not intended to be installed by end users. Off the record, Microsoft spokespeople have told me that the big concern in Redmond is for Joe Newbie. They don't want inexperienced users buying OEM software, but the fact of the matter is that anyone can buy OEM versions of Windows.

  Truth be told, Microsoft is not opposed to the practice. Rather, the company says that people who purchase OEM software will simply be expected to abide by the terms of the licensing agreements.

Also, the definition of a "new computer" (regarding the "non-tranferable" OEM limitation) seems to be "new motherboard," but replacing a "defective motherboard" is okay. From Microsoft:

• Q. Can a PC with OEM Windows XP have its motherboard upgraded and keep the same license? What if it was replaced because it was defective?

  A. Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on your customer's computer and the end user may maintain the license for the original Microsoft® OEM operating system software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of the motherboard. An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a "new personal computer" to which Microsoft® OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created and the license of new operating system software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do NOT need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC.

No. Dell is interested in profit, and why sell an OS that's both more expensive and in less demand than what they currently have? now, they *might* have thought about it had Apple offered to license them OSX for less than what they pay for Windows OEM licenses, but given how long it took them to offer Linux (which is not only free, but with higher demand in the business sector), the odds aren't that high either.

Michael Dell says you are wrong. See this article, published in June 2005, that is three years ago when Apple sold half as many computers as they sell now:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050616-5002.html

You act as if Apple wanted to contribute back to KHTML. You were on Slashdot for that year-long debate. You have a short memory. But don't let facts stop you.

That's a good one - care to actually read that article? Next you'll blame Apple for the KDE-Krew locking the code to X11 and Qt. Guess why Nokia used the cleaned up Webkit code instead of KHTML for their browser?

You act as if Apple wanted to contribute back to KHTML. You were on Slashdot for that year-long debate. You have a short memory.

But don't let facts stop you.

...all it requires is that you throw out 12 USC 1201.

No, I don't think the DMCA would apply.

Remember, Lexmark was smacked down for trying to claim that their bundling arrangement between printers and toner constituted a DMCA-protected "access control" for the software inside the printer. The court found that, since the software in the printer was available in the clear to anyone who owned the printer, the "access" was granted by purchasing the printer, not by installing an authorized toner cartridge.

Likewise, once you buy a disc containing OS X, you have access to all the code stored on that disc. The access control is your purchase of the disc, not the interaction between the disc an an Apple-branded computer.

Actually, I copied the reply link to a different browser, and replied from there.

I remained signed in, with Firefox, but have a variety of other browsers to choose from, since I verify that my XHTML/CSS works as expected in them when I implement page layouts. Generally, though, if a page renders properly in Firefox, it'll render similarly in everything other than IE.

Hopefully IE8 delivers on its promises to finally support standards, because supporting Internet Explorer and all of the things it cannot render correctly (especially in CSS) is rather annoying. Although, even if it does, since most Windows users are slow to upgrade their software, I imagine that IE7 will be like IE6, and we'll still have to support it for years to come. I hope that it sends a different User-Agent string if it is set to use "render like IE7" mode, though.

On the contrary, Verizon has intentionally shunned Android and went with the LiMo Foundation.

References?

Here.

The other articles you likely read are now old.

I left Verizon and went with my wife's T-Mobile account for two reasons: the one you mentioned about Verizon closing out everything they can to squeeze money out of their customers, and T-Mobile's founding support of the Open Handset Alliance.

Perhaps it is time the browser can 'render' video natively as well, with standard codecs.

Take a look at the HTM5 video tag, which is already supported in Safari and coming to Firefox.

What 'standards' to support, and are supportable, is the catch.

Right. The state of various codecs is pretty sad right now.

That is: Apple is likely to just support whatever QuickTime does, but QuickTime will only include formats that Apple has licensed. They haven't had their lawyers look over the open formats (Theora, Vorbis, Dirac) to make sure that there's no risk of some submarine patent -- of some company just waiting for one of these formats to get popular, so they can start trolling.

On the other hand, Firefox really can't afford to license anything, so they'll probably only support open formats. Hopefully, they'll make it easy to plug things in, and on Medibuntu, I hope to see proper x264 support.

But the net result is, with the video tag as is, you're still going to be forcing people to install some sort of plugin, unless Apple does something really surprising.

Verizon isn't backing Android, they're backing Linux mobile. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080515-verizon-picks-linuxbut-not-androidfor-mobile-platform.html

Right... The Ars Buyer's Guide.

So hardware guides are post worthy now?

Then let me submit the Ars System Guide ... every time they update it!

So hardware guides are post worthy now?

Then let me submit the Ars System Guide ... every time they update it!

So hardware guides are post worthy now?

Then let me submit the Ars System Guide ... every time they update it!

So hardware guides are post worthy now?

Then let me submit the Ars System Guide ... every time they update it!

So hardware guides are post worthy now?

Then let me submit the Ars System Guide ... every time they update it!

So hardware guides are post worthy now?

Then let me submit the Ars System Guide ... every time they update it!

Nvidia are getting very scared now that ATi are beating them senseless.

Nvidia is really feeling the pinch with ATi taking up the higher end of the market (pro-gear/high end HD) and intel suring up the lower end (GMA, etc). Nvidia pretty much are stuck with consumers buying their middle of the line gear (8600/9600).

When you aim high you tend to hurt real when you fall from grace, the whole 8800 to 9800 leap was abysmal at best unlike their main competitor who really pulled their finger out to release the 3xxx & 4xxx series.

I guess you're referring to AMD/ATI's successful HD 4000 launch about a month ago, but you also seem to be omitting NVIDIA's GTX 200 series. At the high end (non-workstation), the GTX 280 outperforms the HD 4870. The $550 HD 4870 X2 (released about two weeks ago) outperforms the $450 GTX 280, but consumes a heck of a lot more power.

Also, NVIDIA seems to have been beating AMD/ATI senseless for years. According to Jon Peddie Research, for total graphics chips, NVIDIA had 31.4% market share in Q2 2008 vs. AMD's 18.1%. In Q2 2007, NVIDIA had 32.5% and AMD had 19.5%.

For notebook GPUs, NVIDIA led AMD 23.6% to 17.9% in Q2 2008, and 27.0% to 17.4% in Q1 2008. For "graphics add-in boards", NVIDIA led AMD 65% to 35% in Q1 2008.

The "leap" from NVIDIA 8000 series to 9000 series (which was hardly "abysmal") is more appropriately compared to ATI's leap from HD 2000 series to HD 3000 series. NVIDIA's 8000 series was better than ATI's HD 2000 series. ATI responded with the slightly improved (but well-priced) HD 3000 series, and NVIDIA countered with their 9000 series and price cuts to 8800GT/GTS, which drove down the prices of ATI's best-performing cards even more.

Until AMD released the HD 4000 series a month ago, AMD couldn't produce cards that could compete with NVIDIA's $400+ cards. After the successful HD 4000 launch, NVIDIA was forced to slash prices, but this is a very recent develpment. Personally, I'd choose an ATI card over NVIDIA now, but AMD/ATI has been getting whipped by NVIDIA for years.

Some errors in your post.

You don't need to join apple's development connection to sell apps for mac. (Iphone is a different story). There used to be 3rd party compilers for mac (metroworks), but since its gcc now. Xcode development platform is free.

Eclipse development works on mac as well.

Full visual studio is not free, and is quite pricy.

I do manly linux development but there is a good article on ars about mac development worth checking out:

http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/what-microsoft-could-learn-from-apple.ars

I have noticed a trend away from open systems (mac/linux/pc) to closed ones (Nintendo , Xbox, iphone etc... ) which require "blessing" of a company to sell software for the device. This is probably a reaction to piracy.

No, Intel has been very clear that it is targeting games, even saying "we will win" about them, see this interview with an Intel VP.

NVidia is on the defensive for the simple reason that it needs to be. Not because Intel has a product that threatens NVidia, but because Intel is using classic vaporware strategies to undermine NVidia (and AMD/ATI). Intel is basically throwing around promises, and by virtue of its reputation a lot of people listen and believe those promises. With 'amazing Intel GPU technology just around the corner', some people might delay buying NVidia hardware. NVidia is trying to prevent that from happening.

A recent journal article on ArsTechnica points to an Intel blog on Larrabee: http://arstechnica.com/journals/hardware.ars/2008/05/01/larrabee-engineer-on-personal-blog-larrabee-is-all-about-rasterization Curious.

and Yet...

It will still be slower for sustained transfers than Firewire 400.

USB 3.0, using an early implementation, was demoed at 369MBps at IDF. Firewire 400 is around 49MBps, right?

The most important part, did they finally make it non CPU intensive?

As other comments have noted (and TFA), yes. The Firewire vs. USB flamewars will need to change their arguments for the next generation.

I always make a habit of using usb ports on a PCI card for devices that I plug in & out often

Note that legacy PCI (133MBps) doesn't have enough bandwidth to fully utilize USB 3.0, which was demoed at 369MBps at this week's IDF. (Someone said their goal is 425+, but I can't remember the link.) Even first-generation PCI Express x1 slots (250MBs) don't have enough bandwidth. You'll need at least first-gen PCIe x4 or second-gen PCIe x1 to continue your habit with USB 3.0.

Actually it doesn't work on kids either. They sent some similar crap out to my oldest nephews school last year,and he handed me one to show me when I went to pick him up. When I asked him and his friends(most of which were females,I swear that boy's a magnet for them) thought about it they all said in unison "Greedy Pigs!". I just smiled,wiped a fake tear away,and said "What wonderfully smart little subversives you are! I'm so proud!".

The simple fact is today's kids are not only smart,but cynical as hell. They also have iPods. When I went to pick up my nephew it was an equal mix of iPod,Creative,and Sandisk MP3 players,so rich and poor all had 'em. They see that to buy songs on iTunes it would cost 40K to fill it up so no wonder so many of them share files. And instead of trying to find ways to make it more affordable for kids,what does the RIAA do? One of their own with a straight face gets on the stand and says ripping your OWN CD isn't fair use. So it isn't like they have been sneaky with their greed. They see these companies making record profits,yet the price never seems to go down,why should they care if the greedy bastards get ripped off?

I personally am quite happy the new generation is so cynical. They don't believe ANYTHING just because someone in authority says it is so. It is nice to see the newer generations seem to have a lot more wolves and a lot less sheep. Maybe their lack of gullibility will help turn it around when they get old enough to get their own power. But as always this is my 02c,YMMV

Wired sucks. Ars has it as well.

My twenty dollar Nokia doesn't drop calls, nor have service interruptions, or any of the other problems the iPhone has.

Neither does my updated iphone 3G. *shrug*

Maybe this problem isn't as widespread as the some of the FUD-slinging media would like you to think? Hell, even the Ars Technica article (which is infinitely better than the one in the summary) says:

While it doesn't seem like the issue is very widespread, it's a pretty major one, even if it only affects a handful of users.

My apologies, it was Ars Technica who did the review, and then re-reviewed it.

Link: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/playstation-3-blu-ray.ars/1

The crap linked article doesn't even get the version number right - I recommend reading ars techinca's take (the amusingly named Hope you didn't plan to actually make calls on iPhone 2.0.2) or even Apple insider.

I for one welcome our new haha overlords.

Found it!

Intel Macs have made up the majority of the Mac internet user base since nearly a year ago.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/11/05/intel-macs-overtake-ppc-macs-in-october

Actually, Net Applications shows PPC dropped below half of Mac users nearly a year ago. Some big consumer sites I've talked to recently say PPC is now around 25% of Macs hitting their servers, and dropping quickly.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/11/05/intel-macs-overtake-ppc-macs-in-october

Also, Silverlight 2 is supported on Windows 2000, it's the NBCOlympics.com web site that doesn't support it.

http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/resources/install.aspx?v=2.0#sysreq

You would think it wasn't affected, but the truth of the matter is Talk Radio is also required to pay a per listener fee to Soundexchange for broadcasting over the Internet. It's slightly lower, but still required. The thought process is they might play music that is commercial. Given RIAA logic, that means they must pay all the time.

That is why NPR fought so hard to prevent the higher Royalty Rates. They knew it would kill the growing Internet side of their broadcast.

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=370346
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070320-npr-fights-back-seeks-rehearing-on-internet-radio-royalty-increases.html

I ran two Internet Radio stations myself. I have already shut one down and I am debating shutting the second one down. The whole situation makes me sick at my stomach. I use to love music, but not any more.

The headline for this ars article focuses on the ps3 gaining ground, but what is amazing is how dominant nintendo has become. It just doesn't make sense for any developer to ignore what is going on and I think we are going to see some phenomenal developments for the wii in every aspect.

Any good guides out there?

Good HTPC guides usually aren't updated as often as the "general" system guides (bugdet, midrange, high end) and they usually aren't "cheap," but they can have useful info about what hardware to consider.

• Tech Report's April 2008 system guide: The Couch Potato Mk. 2 and The Couch Potato Mk. 2 Alternatives
• Ars System Guide: HTPC edition (April 2008)
• ExtremeTech:Build a Windows Vista Home Theater PC (September 2007)

Since the HTPC guides aren't very cheap or up-to-date, I also recommend Tech Report's and Ars Technica's "general" system guides. Tech Report has an "Econobox" section and Ars Techinica has a "Budget Box" section.

• Tech Report's Summer 2008 system guide
• Ars Technica System Guide: May 2008 Edition

I'd like to put together a small format PC for this sort of thing. Alas, I can't use a cheap tower, it needs to be one of those small form factors that can fit in an entertainment center. I'd like to spend as little as possible

I don't know if the In Win BK Series (Mt. Jade) is small enough, but it's pretty small, cheap, quiet (if you use Intel), and flexible. I'm only checking Newegg, but Newegg has the BK623 for $59.99 + $17.50 shipping and the BK636 for $59.99 + $9.99 shipping, both with 300W power supplies (Fortron Source, according to some reviews).

For your entertainment center, note that the footprint of a BK6xx case (323mm x 276mm) is "equal" to the footprint of a Sony PS3 (325mm x 274mm), but the BK6xx is about 1.7 inches taller and is not "wedge-shaped" like the PS3.

So it's not "tiny," but it's compatible with all those cheap HTPC microATX motherboards (integrated graphics, HDMI, FireWire, digital audio out, etc) and it accepts a standard 5.25" desktop optical drive, 3.5" desktop hard drive, and 4 full-height expansion slots (for HDTV tuners).

Also note that the case's unique cooling system, which uses no case fans other than the CPU's fan (intake) and the power supply's fan (exhaust), only works efficiently with motherboards using Intel chipsets and an Intel retail CPU with its stock heatsink/fan. So that eliminates good, cheap HTPC chipsets like the AMD/ATI 780G and the NVIDIA 3200. Boards based on Intel's new G45 chipset are starting to arrive at Newegg, though.

There are several reviews of the BK Series on the Googleweb and In Win's BK Series product page has a "Reviews" tab (favorable only, I'd guess).

Any good guides out there?

Good HTPC guides usually aren't updated as often as the "general" system guides (bugdet, midrange, high end) and they usually aren't "cheap," but they can have useful info about what hardware to consider.

• Tech Report's April 2008 system guide: The Couch Potato Mk. 2 and The Couch Potato Mk. 2 Alternatives
• Ars System Guide: HTPC edition (April 2008)
• ExtremeTech:Build a Windows Vista Home Theater PC (September 2007)

Since the HTPC guides aren't very cheap or up-to-date, I also recommend Tech Report's and Ars Technica's "general" system guides. Tech Report has an "Econobox" section and Ars Techinica has a "Budget Box" section.

• Tech Report's Summer 2008 system guide
• Ars Technica System Guide: May 2008 Edition

I'd like to put together a small format PC for this sort of thing. Alas, I can't use a cheap tower, it needs to be one of those small form factors that can fit in an entertainment center. I'd like to spend as little as possible

I don't know if the In Win BK Series (Mt. Jade) is small enough, but it's pretty small, cheap, quiet (if you use Intel), and flexible. I'm only checking Newegg, but Newegg has the BK623 for $59.99 + $17.50 shipping and the BK636 for $59.99 + $9.99 shipping, both with 300W power supplies (Fortron Source, according to some reviews).

For your entertainment center, note that the footprint of a BK6xx case (323mm x 276mm) is "equal" to the footprint of a Sony PS3 (325mm x 274mm), but the BK6xx is about 1.7 inches taller and is not "wedge-shaped" like the PS3.

So it's not "tiny," but it's compatible with all those cheap HTPC microATX motherboards (integrated graphics, HDMI, FireWire, digital audio out, etc) and it accepts a standard 5.25" desktop optical drive, 3.5" desktop hard drive, and 4 full-height expansion slots (for HDTV tuners).

Also note that the case's unique cooling system, which uses no case fans other than the CPU's fan (intake) and the power supply's fan (exhaust), only works efficiently with motherboards using Intel chipsets and an Intel retail CPU with its stock heatsink/fan. So that eliminates good, cheap HTPC chipsets like the AMD/ATI 780G and the NVIDIA 3200. Boards based on Intel's new G45 chipset are starting to arrive at Newegg, though.

There are several reviews of the BK Series on the Googleweb and In Win's BK Series product page has a "Reviews" tab (favorable only, I'd guess).

Ever hear of the anal log hole?

Does that mean Sensenbrenner is a "Log Cabin Republican"?

Ever hear of the anal log hole?

It's even trickier: Universal recently argued that there is effectively no such thing as Fair Use and that any use is potentially infringement.

The reason? They want to avoid liability for being sued over frivolous lawsuits. If Fair Use is inherently questionable, then they can sue anyone they want whenever they want without consequence while they stick ordinary people with huge legal fees and no chance of recovering them from the people who dragged them into court in the first place. The whole point, of course, is simple intimidation.

Per Ars, a 100,000 machine bot net was shut down recently. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080814-police-nab-shadow-creators-force-botnet-to-commit-suicide.html