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"Gates' vision - a wave of smartphones that can act as ubiquitous, cheap computers"

The sterility of the 'vision' is quite staggering in its banality. I guess that's the reason Microsoft (and Intel) helping the OLPC project didn't turn out so well:

One Laptop Per Child - Production Delays Caused By Microsoft, Intel?

Intel: doing the dirty on OLPC

Education Government Incentive program

"We recognize the critical importance of helping emerging markets build healthy and legal PC ecosystems and clearly the answer is having Windows be a core component."

"Until all the details of the program have been developed, it is important that we have a way to address large PC purchases that involve low-cost/no-cost competitors in the education (and Government) sectors, especially in emerging markets."

The question at hand is whether the software is free, which it is if you obtain it via the download link found here. Whether you can install it legally on non-apple hardware or not is not relevant to the context but since you asked; doing so is in breach with their EULA and at least in the US courts have reached the conclusion that even selling Hackintosh friendly hardware is illegal when done in the manner that Psystar used to do when they provided the OS asa bundle together with their hardware. http://www.lockergnome.com/osx...

For desktops, sure. For laptops, which is the majority of Apple sales, your most common points of failure are the motherboard and the DC jack, so if anything the average Apple laptop will last longer because of the Magsafe port.

You must have a PPC or 32-bit Intel Mac. It sucks, but unless Intel loses their minds and goes 128-bit, I think anyone who buys their hardware now is safe. I have a MBP that's going on 5 years old and it's running Mountain Lion just fine.

Oh wow Alex being a FOSSie and throwing insults, surprise surprise. Hey here is a video of RMS you'll find enlightening and as a public service allow me to post some facts (with links, which of course you can NEVER provide) to give those that aren't sucking GNUoolaid some information about the product you keep championing blindly like a Moonie following his master.

How about a nice kernel exploit? Or how about the guy that wrote EEEBuntu saying Ubuntu sucks? which considering they are the current savior of Linux kinda tells you something.

How sad was it that even when a bug was spreading through OSX there were writers pointing out that's no reason to torture yourself with Linux , after all even a virus ridden OSX actually runs which is more than most distros LOL! But hey, you can always tell them they can fix it otherwise they don't need that right? LOL! And I noticed you just couldn't fricking resist screaming "Nigger!" which in FOSSie is done by screaming PaidMicrosoftShill, hey you think you could throw in one more FOSSie cliche please? Then I'll have a FOSSie Flush ROFL!

But if you didn't have cliches and your pathetic attempts at insults why then you might have to have an independent thought and realize what everybody knows that even when MSFT put out a universally reviled OS you STILL got curb stomped, does that give you ANY clues? or all they all brainwashed by those black choppers that have been following you? Hell when the Chinese were given the choice of your "free OS" or pirating Windows they chose the latter even if it meant staying on XP and using IE fricking 6, LOL! Does that ring ANY bells? A smart person would say "what are we doing wrong the other guy is doing right?" but a FOSSie who is just like a Moonie in that they blindly follow, instead says "Its all a conspiracy! They are all shills keeping the masses from true salvation!" and then you wonder why we all laugh at you because you DON'T Listen, you DON'T learn, and Torvalds could take a big steaming dump and hand it to you and you'd thank him for his generous gift. So enjoy that fresh bitchslapping loony, enjoy the fact that the world really doesn't care...but I do, I enjoy slapping you, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

See this is why I love to LMAO at the FOSSies, they are so "There is but one true god!" they can't even think, its like a cross between village idiot and conspiracy nut, all rolled into one!

You want some fresh bitch slapping? Be careful what you wish for FOSSie, how about a nice kernel exploit? Or how about the guy that wrote EEEBuntu saying Ubuntu sucks which considering they are the current savior of Linux kinda tells you something. But why don't you say "Use Distro X" and then have the balls to name the X so i can show its just as big a POS, huh? BTW frankly everyone has stop giving a fuck about your OS, you aren't even newsworthy anymore really. Now its all Win 7&8, OSX&iOS, and of course Android which just shows what happens when a company bitch slaps the community and takes it away from them, why it actually fucking runs!

How sad that even with a bug spreading through OSX there are writers pointing out that's no reason to torture yourself with Linux , after all even a virus ridden OSX actually runs which is more than most distros LOL! But hey, you can always tell them they can fix it otherwise they don't need that right? LOL! And I noticed you just couldn't fricking resist screaming "Nigger!" which in FOSSie is done by screaming PaidMicrosoftShill, hey you think you could throw in one more FOSSie cliche please? Then I'll have a FOSSie Flush ROFL!

But if you didn't have cliches and your pathetic attempts at insults why then you might have to have an independent thought and realize what everybody knows that even when MSFT put out a universally reviled OS you STILL got curb stomped, does that give you ANY clues? or all they all brainwashed by those black choppers that have been following you? Hell when the Chinese were given the choice of your "free OS" or pirating Windows they chose the latter even if it meant staying on XP and using IE fricking 6, LOL! Does that ring ANY bells? A smart person would say "what are we doing wrong the other guy is doing right?" but a FOSSie who is just like a Moonie in that they blindly follow, instead says "Its all a conspiracy! They are all shills keeping the masses from true salvation!" and then you wonder why we all laugh at you because you DON'T Listen, you DON'T learn, and Torvalds could take a big steaming dump and hand it to you and you'd thank him for his generous gift. So enjoy that fresh bitchslapping loony, enjoy the fact that the world really doesn't care...but I do, I enjoy slapping you, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

See this is why I love LMAO at the FOSSies, they are so "There is but one true god!" they can't even think, like how you at the very first sentence threw an insult and then dared to get butthurt when i slapped your dumb ass down.

You want some fresh bitch slapping? Be careful what you wish for FOSSie, how about a nice kernel exploit? Or how about the guy that wrote EEEBuntu saying Ubuntu sucks which considering they are the current savior of Linux kinda tells you something. But why don't you say "Use Distro X" and then have the balls to name the X so i can show its just as big a POS, huh? As for why the older ones? frankly everyone has stop giving a fuck about your OS, you aren't even newsworthy anymore really. Now its all Win 7&8, OSX&iOS, and of course Android which just shows what happens when a company bitch slaps the community and takes it away from them, why it actually fucking runs!

How sad that even with a bug spreading through OSX there are writers pointing out that's no reason to torture yourself with Linux , after all even a virus ridden OSX actually runs which is more than most distros LOL! But hey, you can always tell them they can fix it otherwise they don't need that right? LOL! And I noticed you just couldn't fricking resist screaming "Nigger!" which in FOSSie is done by screaming PaidMicrosoftShill, hey you think you could throw in one more FOSSie cliche please? Then I'll have a FOSSie Flush ROFL!

But if you didn't have cliches and your pathetic attempts at insults why then you might have to have an independent thought and realize what everybody knows that even when MSFT put out a universally reviled OS you STILL got curb stomped, does that give you ANY clues? or all they all brainwashed by those black choppers that have been following you? Hell when the Chinese were given the choice of your "free OS" or pirating Windows they chose the latter even if it meant staying on XP and using IE fricking 6, LOL! Does that ring ANY bells? A smart person would say "what are we doing wrong the other guy is doing right?" but a FOSSie who is just like a Moonie in that they blindly follow, instead says "Its all a conspiracy! They are all shills keeping the masses from true salvation!" and then you wonder why we all laugh at you because you DON'T Listen, you DON'T learn, and Torvalds could take a big steaming dump and hand it to you and you'd thank him for his generous gift. So enjoy that fresh bitchslapping loony, enjoy the fact that the world really doesn't care...but I do, I enjoy slapping you, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Oh and Microsoft doesn't need shills, they have YOU. Its batshit loony tunes like YOU that make the entire community look like retarded basement trolls, its YOU that gives everyone the fodder for all the "Linux is for lusers" jokes, because you sound like a religious whacko. Frankly all any Microsoft or Apple rep has to do is show posts like yours and say 'you would want you company de

The domain names MyCleanPC.com and DoubleMySpeed.com are both owned by a company called CyberDefender, a known spyware vendor.

Locker Gnome

Having read some of those back magazine adverts, you could pay $65 for a disk cleanup tool, and find that someone has just sent you the command line program to format the disk.

I find I have to say something because someone somewhere may follow the links and give it a try. The obviously stupid first post just advertises a piece of junk from a known spyware vendor named CyberDefender.
The following link will give you a pretty clear idea: http://help.lockergnome.com/general/Avoid-Clean-PC--ftopict65244.html

This software is junk. Registry scanners/cleaners are junk (unless you mean a GOOD antivirus product scanning for virus related entries). The registry has no firm rules how it is to be used so there is no automated way to clean it.

There is no single magic bullet to remove a malware infection. The closest thing to a magic bullet (at this time) is a removal tool called "ComboFix" from a site called BleepingComputer.com, and it is free. It won't remove everything and it sometimes may remove a file used by a program but it is saved as a file in its quarantine. Run it in safe-mode with networking and it might get you out of an expensive jam.

I call bullshit. Microsoft spent from 2001 to 2004 working on Longhorn and then tossed out 100% of the code they wrote. At that point they took the Windows Server code base and started working on Vista.

To Quote Jim Allchin, Micorosfts architect of Vista.
http://help.lockergnome.com/linux/News-Jim-Allchin-Longhorn-Vista-Pig-Rise-Linux-Challenge--ftopict386763.html

"I must tell you everything in my soul tells me that we should do what I called plan (b) yesterday. We need a simple fast storage system. LH [Longhorn] is a pig and I don't see any solution to this problem. If we are to rise to the challenge of Linux and Apple, we need to start taking the lessons of 'scenario, simple, fast' to heart. Jim"

Microsoft lost 3 years on Vista because they had to start over from scratch.

As GROUP POLICY CAN STOP UNSIGNED DRIVER INSTALLS!

In fact, I'd use it in combination with the bcdedit commandlines I noted can help on the same level too!

(& WFP would protect vs it, and then Windows itself also SIGNALS you're in "TEST MODE" as well indicating something's "wrong" if you're not doing that kind of thing (like when doing driver dev work too!))

---

Configure Driver Signing Through Group Policy Editor:

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/windows/2006/03/27/configure-driver-signing-through-group-policy-editor-xp-2/

* Thus - You can even BLOCK IT from taking place @ this level also...
---

"Layered-Security vs. it is also available via bcedit commandlines (in more modern Windows variants VISTA onwards), or, in boot.ini work in Windows Server 2003/XP/2000:

---

On the subject of bypassing unsigned driver installs http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2306598&cid=36694960 I posted this method, days ago, vs that!

PERTINENT QUOTE/EXCERPT:

---

"Should the rootkit/botnet maker alter currently does for this "blended threat tech" rootkit/botnet?

Well - You can stop unsigned driver loads & installs, this way, via a .bat batchfile, or .cmd command script (or even a logon script for those amongst you that are networkers):

ADD THESE 2 LINES TO LOGON SCRIPTS or .bat/.cmd scripts to run @ machine startup:

---

bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions

bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF

---

** That will stop ANY unsigned driver installation bypass used by malware/botnet/rootkit makers attempting to use drivers in their malwares!" - by APK on Friday July 08, @11:11AM (#36694960)

---

Yes - There's also other ways to implement it as well, such as a scheduled task if one wishes, or a network machine level or domain level admin wishes...

*** The nicest part here? Well - Windows "warns you" when you enter this mode for UNSIGNED DRIVER INSTALLATION! SO, if a rootkit tries to install such a driver, you will be "signalled" of it occurring.

(I know this, because when I've built filtering drivers, it says in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, above the clock "TEST MODE" when unsigned drivers are allowed during testing of device drivers!)

APK

P.S.=> Always more than 1 way to "skin a cat", & also take away his "9 lives" & his coming back again, too... so-to-speak, lol!

... apk

GROUP POLICY CAN STOP UNSIGNED DRIVER INSTALLS & so can bcedit in "layered security fashion" along with it!

In fact, I'd use it in combination with the bcdedit commandlines I noted can!

(& WFP would protect vs it, and then Windows itself also SIGNALS you're in "TEST MODE" as well indicating something's "wrong" if you're not doing that kind of thing (like when doing driver dev work too!))

---

Configure Driver Signing Through Group Policy Editor:

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/windows/2006/03/27/configure-driver-signing-through-group-policy-editor-xp-2/

* Thus, You can even BLOCK IT from taking place @ this level also for installing a rootkit driver in the 1st place...

---

And?

Yes - Layered security vs. it is also available via bcedit commandlines (in more modern Windows variants VISTA onwards), or, boot.ini work in Windows Server 2003/XP/2000:

---

On the subject of bypassing unsigned driver installs http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2306598&cid=36694960 I posted this method, days ago, vs that!

PERTINENT QUOTE/EXCERPT:

---

"Should the rootkit/botnet maker alter currently does for this "blended threat tech" rootkit/botnet?

Well - You can stop unsigned driver loads & installs, this way, via a .bat batchfile, or .cmd command script (or even a logon script for those amongst you that are networkers):

ADD THESE 2 LINES TO LOGON SCRIPTS or .bat/.cmd scripts to run @ machine startup:

---

bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions

bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF

---

** That will stop ANY unsigned driver installation bypass used by malware/botnet/rootkit makers attempting to use drivers in their malwares!" - by APK on Friday July 08, @11:11AM (#36694960)

---

Yes - There's also other ways to implement it as well, such as a scheduled task if one wishes, or a network machine level or domain level admin wishes...

*** The nicest part is here?

Well - Windows "warns you" when you enter this mode too!

(I know this, because when I've built filtering drivers, it says in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, above the clock "TEST MODE" when unsigned drivers are allowed during testing of device drivers!)

APK

P.S.=> Always more than 1 way to "skin a cat", & also take away his "9 lives" & his coming back again, too... so-to-speak, lol!

... apk

GROUP POLICY CAN STOP UNSIGNED DRIVER INSTALLS!

In fact, I'd use it in combination with the bcdedit commandlines I noted can (& WFP would protect vs it, and then Windows itself also SIGNALS you're in "TEST MODE" as well indicating something's "wrong" if you're not doing that kind of thing (like when doing driver dev work too!))

---

Configure Driver Signing Through Group Policy Editor:

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/windows/2006/03/27/configure-driver-signing-through-group-policy-editor-xp-2/

* You can even BLOCK IT from taking place @ this level also...
---

Layered security vs. it is also available via bcedit commandlines (in more modern Windows variants VISTA onwards), or, boot.ini work in Windows Server 2003/XP/2000:

---

On the subject of bypassing unsigned driver installs http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2306598&cid=36694960 I posted this method, days ago, vs that!

PERTINENT QUOTE/EXCERPT:

---

"Should the rootkit/botnet maker alter currently does for this "blended threat tech" rootkit/botnet?

Well - You can stop unsigned driver loads & installs, this way, via a .bat batchfile, or .cmd command script (or even a logon script for those amongst you that are networkers):

ADD THESE 2 LINES TO LOGON SCRIPTS or .bat/.cmd scripts to run @ machine startup:

---

bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions

bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF

---

* That will stop ANY unsigned driver installation bypass used by malware/botnet/rootkit makers attempting to use drivers in their malwares!" - by APK on Friday July 08, @11:11AM (#36694960)

---

Yes - There's also other ways to implement it as well, such as a scheduled task if one wishes, or a network machine level or domain level admin wishes...

** The nice part is here?

Well - Windows "warns you" when you enter this mode!

(I know this, because when I've built filtering drivers, it says in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, above the clock "TEST MODE" when unsigned drivers are allowed during testing of device drivers!)

APK

P.S.=> Always more than 1 way to "skin a cat", & also take away his "9 lives" & his coming back again, too... so-to-speak, lol!

... apk

Installs, easily & Windows WARNS YOU of "test mode" when one's installed to bypass signed drivers checks - I know this from building & testing filtering drivers in fact:

---

Configure Driver Signing Through Group Policy Editor:

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/windows/2006/03/27/configure-driver-signing-through-group-policy-editor-xp-2/

You can BLOCK it even happening vs. rootkits like this one OR others like it that try to install bogus drivers as this one did in hello_tt.sys!

(In fact... Using GPEDIT.MSC &/or SECPOL.MSC this way is in my "layered-security guide" for Windows -> http://www.bing.com/search?q=%22HOW+TO+SECURE+Windows+2000%2FXP%22&go=&form=QBRE & has been for YEARS now (since 2007))

---

AND, Again - This can also as a "layered security defense" here too vs. unsigned drivers installations along with the bcdedit commandlines I showed in my post I replied to here as well! See my post parent to this one...

---

(Once more - Group Policy can too, LAN/WAN wide if needed & iirc, it's ON BY DEFAULT too - but it would adversely affect those who develop device drivers - you might be 'forced into' making another usergroup is all, for devicedriverdevs is all... @ most!)

However - The nicest part is here?

Well once more - Windows "warns you" when you enter this mode using UNSIGNED DRIVERS!

(I know this, because when I've built filtering drivers, it says in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, above the clock TEST MODE when unsigned drivers are allowed during testing of device drivers!)

* Once more/Again? "Here endeth the lesson..."

APK

P.S.=> Quoting my fav. hero as a boy here, from classical Greek Mythos, in AKhilleus (Greek spelling of Achilles), son of Peleus (when middle names are usually those of the father or grandfather = APK, lol!):

---

"Is there no one else? IS THERE NO ONE ELSE??" - Achilles, son of Peleus, portrayed by Brad Pitt in the classic 2004 film, TROY here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP74aJBbIoY

---

Play it from 2:50 onwards, for the "FULL EFFECT" (lol) & "Absolutely LIVE!"

(For what I feel I've done to this rootkit, & others like it via my techniques, lol, since "Boagrius" was "so bad" & "indestructable" like this rootkit/botnet was alleged to be, and to my naysayers here also, easily!)

... apk

Installs, easily & even Windows WARNS YOU of "test mode" when one's installed to bypass signed drivers checks - I know this from building & testing filtering drivers in fact:

---

Configure Driver Signing Through Group Policy Editor:

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/windows/2006/03/27/configure-driver-signing-through-group-policy-editor-xp-2/

You can BLOCK it even happening vs. rootkits like this one OR others like it that try to install bogus drivers as this one did in hello_tt.sys!

(In fact... Using GPEDIT.MSC &/or SECPOL.MSC this way is in my "layered-security guide" for Windows -> http://www.bing.com/search?q=%22HOW+TO+SECURE+Windows+2000%2FXP%22&go=&form=QBRE & has been for YEARS now (since 2007))

---

AND, this can also (as a "layered security defense" here too vs. unsigned drivers installations):

---

In fact?

I already posted this DAYS ago here on /., regarding this rootkit, & on the subject of bypassing unsigned driver installs

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2306598&cid=36694960

PERTINENT QUOTE/EXCERPT:

---

"Should the rootkit/botnet maker alter His rootkit/botnet's design to protect the registry area driver init. section for hello_tt.sys as well as the bootsector as he currently does for this "blended threat tech" rootkit/botnet?

Well - You can stop unsigned driver loads & installs, this way, via a .bat batchfile, or .cmd command script (or even a logon script for those amongst you that are networkers):

ADD THESE 2 LINES TO LOGON SCRIPTS or .bat/.cmd scripts to run @ machine startup:

---

bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions

bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF

---

* That will stop ANY unsigned driver installation bypass used by malware/botnet/rootkit makers attempting to use drivers in their malwares!" - by APK on Friday July 08, @11:11AM (#36694960)

---

Yes - There's also other ways to implement it as well, such as a scheduled task if one wishes, or a network machine level or domain level admin wishes...

(Group Policy can too, LAN/WAN wide if needed - but it would adversely affect those who develop device drivers - you might be 'forced into' making another usergroup is all, for devicedriverdevs is all... @ most!)

However - The nicest part is here?

Well - Windows "warns you" when you enter this mode using UNSIGNED DRIVERS!

(I know this, because when I've built filtering drivers, it says in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, above the clock TEST MODE when unsigned drivers are allowed during testing of device drivers!)

* Once more/Again? "Here endeth the lesson..."

APK

P.S.=> Quoting my fav. hero as a boy here, from classical Greek Mythos, in AKhilleus (Greek spelling of Achilles), son of Peleus (when middle names are usually those of the father or grandfather = APK, lol!):

"Is there no one else? IS THERE NO ONE ELSE??" - Achilles, son of Peleus, portrayed by Brad Pitt in the classic 2004 film, TROY here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP74aJBbIoY

Play it from 2:50 onwards, for the "FULL EFFECT" (lol) & "Absolutely LIVE!" for what I feel I've done to this rootkit, & others like it via my techniques, lol, since "Boagrius" was "so bad" & "indestructable" like this rootkit/botnet was alleged to be, and to my naysayers here also, easily!

... apk

As I originally noted was most likely possible, here:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2282088&cid=36740882

Guess what? I was right yet again:

GROUP POLICY CAN STOP UNSIGNED DRIVER INSTALLS!

In fact, I'd use it in combination with the bcdedit commandlines I noted can (& WFP would protect vs it, and then Windows itself also SIGNALS you're in "TEST MODE" as well indicating something's "wrong" if you're not doing that kind of thing (like when doing driver dev work too!))

---

Configure Driver Signing Through Group Policy Editor:

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/windows/2006/03/27/configure-driver-signing-through-group-policy-editor-xp-2/

---

* Fact is, My last few posts have "done in" your GIANT "book sized" post, with ease, as per usual! This one only adds the "icing on the cake"!

Topping off GIANT BLUNDER/FAIL, in your stating I said TcpView &/or ProcessExplorer are for "detecting rootkits" & I NEVER EVEN STATED or IMPLIED THAT! Not once

Fact is - I explicitly stated, and had proof of that much quoting myself here as well:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2282088&cid=36731660

(You did yourself in, nobody else, IN YOUR TRYING TO PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH THAT I NEVER SAID EVEN ONCE or EVEN IMPLIED!!!)

Face it - "U FAIL"...

APK

P.S.=> Ah, yes... you KNOW I just GOTTA say it: This? This was just "too, Too, TOO EASY - just '2EZ'", always is... vs. noob amateurs like cbiltcliffe!/quote)... apk

Maybe they've added a second camera on the iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 does indeed have a front-facing camera called the "FaceTime camera". Several Android-powered phones also have a front-facing camera.

So that should only leave three major platforms.

Which are they? Remember that IE and other Windows-based browsers can be considered two separate platforms since IE dropped NPAPI support way back in version 5.5 SP2. I still count Windows ActiveX, Windows NPAPI, Mac OS X, Linux, iPhone 4, and Android.

Personally, I've never seen a need for a webcam in a web browser, aside from [...] video chat

You haven't seen a need because nobody has made a demonstration of what a webcam in a web browser can do, and nobody has made such a demonstration because neither Google nor anybody else has yet offered a webcam plug-in for all sites to use apart from Adobe. I'm sure there are more creative minds than myself who can think of applications for a webcam other than video chat.

Looking for a non-anonymised link to the Android story (Seriously why would you put an anonymising proxy into your submission link for a public website?) I found this which indicates iPad had the issue around a year ago too (Princeton apparently figured that one out too, those guys are on the ball). I assume Apple much have fixed pretty quick.

iPrism (my company's nanny of choice), blocks the site as an annonymiser. And what the hell kinda URL *is* net.princeton.edu.nyud.net anyway?

Here's the link to Princeton's web site: http://www.net.princeton.edu/android/android-stops-renewing-lease-keeps-using-IP-address-11236.html

And it appears the iPad has a similar problem: http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2010/04/16/princeton-explains-network-issues-for-ipad-users-and-has-banned-the-devices/

Odd that they're both doing something so similar. Wonder if they use the same base DHCP code.

White-walling a facebook account: deactivate the account upon exiting facebook. "This action will clean the account of all postings and only allow posting on your wall when you activate the account once again." from here

How does smaller number of users leaving FF in favor of Chrome equate to Mozilla struggling? They seem to be doing great. If they started having unprofitable quarters, perhaps someone could say that Mozilla is struggling, but not because they've lost some amount of usage share. In fact, I think they have more users and are making more profit than ever. (The usage share can drop even as they gain more users because there are more people using the Internet every month.) They're hardly struggling.

As I've said, I've tried this. Firefox's memory use tops 200 MB after two weeks. Other browsers go over 200 MB in a few days. I'm not attacking you, just stating for the record that I cannot see a problem. Perhaps on your computer that problem exists. Do not assume that every other Firefox user in the world sees the same problem. I do not. If you don't believe me, look at any number of memory tests that show Firefox using less memory than other browsers: 1 2 3 4, and many more!

Several years back I posted an article on LockerGnome. Entitled "What is your definition of an I. T. Professional," I think it is highly relevant to this discussion. I.T. is a new profession in the history of the world, and in it's definition, not unlike legal, religion, accounting, even medical (if you want to argue the value of human life, try getting free medical treatment). I've worked for lawyers, doctors, accountants, and even clergy, and although I might not want to be associated with any of them, I feel I. T. professionals deserve recognition AS professionals. I. T. people make companies run, they create and run the systems that generate revenue, while the antiquated business people take credit. Without the I. T. people, the business people would be doing business on paper. That article is here: http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2007/08/06/what-is-your-definition-of-an-it-professional/ But business doesn't want this. They want to keep the I. T. people down. They think all we do is type, and I've actually heard, "Can't you type faster?" Obviously that person was so inadequate as to even understand the depth of out knowledge or what we really do. They think we are just the geeks that they belittled in school, and we kept laughing and saying it's OK. It is in fact business that is antiquated. Take meetings for example. Meetings are a throwback to days before telephones, when business HAD to call people together to disseminate and gather information. That they still cling to this is simple proof of their obsolescence. Getting back to the topic at hand, and that is, "What to do when responsibilities spiral," the answer to that will come when I. T. is recognized as a profession. I took a job as a programmer, and ended up being Network Admin and Webmaster and even computer-builder. Yes, I should have been paid more. Another way we get conned into more responsibilities is when we are asked to give of our personal lives. If an I. T. person carries a pager and thus cannot be free to live their life, cannot have drinks at dinner for fear of being paged, well that I. T. person should be paid for all his time, THE SAME WAY that a lawyer would demand a retainer for merely being available. We need the lawyers to do their job and PROSECUTE those responsible when companies LIE TO CONGRESS and ask for more H1B visas when so many I. T. People are out of work. Limit the number of people in the field and the value will return. I'd like to say we need a national union but ... well, there actually is a limit to the flames I wish to create.

Just Google for it.

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2009/04/13/microsoft-says-vista-windows-7-are-the-most-secure-os-ever/

They make those statements all the time.

Why aren't the cops there getting customers lists from McColo and going after the fraudsters?

      Because the police are far too busy going after the real criminals to waste time with legitimate fraudsters.

In the Snow Leopard vs. Windows 7 article, I ran across this gem:

By way of contrast, Microsoft has made the decision in Windows 7 to strip out many of the extras in Windows. For example, Windows Movie Maker and Windows Mail -- both very good programs -- shipped with Windows Vista, but will not ship with Windows 7.

That's because they're in the Optional section of Windows Updates on Windows 7, bundled as "Windows Live Essentials."

It's not hard to miss, seeing as it's the only entry in the Optional section (because although Virtual PC and XP Mode are also optional, but they're still release candidates).

Windows 7 does include a usable backup program -- finally -- but it's not up to the standards of Time Machine.

Also, why is Previous Versions not mentioned here? It's not new either, Windows Vista had the Previous Versions functionality.

"But what do you get in hardware? All sorts of things. For example: Magsafe connects don't exist on ANY PC laptops. Neither do any PC laptops have unibody cases."

First, we were discussing the Mac Mini not MacBooks. I'm not building my own laptop.

"A pen with a built in clock and a can opener isn't better than a good quality pen."

Your implying the pen with the built in clock is inferior as a writing instrument and projecting that inferiority on the PC I choose. You are assuming the components used in my PC are inferior quality to those in the Mac, and that is where your argument fails.

I can use the same components that Apple uses (aside from the pretty case) and still build my PC for less. So again, the difference in price has nothing to do with the hardware specs or quality and everything to do with OS X and the aesthetics.

"A good tool is a pleasure to use, is reliable, and has a solid company behind it offering excellent support."

The PC I am currently using is 4 years old and the only problem I have had is the DVD drive. It cost me $22 to replace it versus the $99 for the external SuperDrive or the $119 for the Lacie external drive. (I don't have a Mac, so I don't know what the actual service charge for replacing the internal drive would be from Apple, but you can order an official internal Superdrive here for $179 ON SALE!!!!)

Perhaps you should read this article, this website or maybe cruise through the Apple forums. Just because Apple products cost more does not mean they inherently last longer or run better. They still have problems just like all PCs.

Apple has a few black eyes over the years for how they have handled their customer support as well.

"I think it compares more with the luxury car market. You pay more for a car that will last longer, look nicer, and run better. It's the same thing with computers. Apple only sells premium models so I know any Apple product I buy will be high quality."

Perhaps you should read this article, this website or maybe cruise through the Apple forums. Just because Apple products cost more does not mean they inherently last longer or run better. They still have problems just like all PCs.

"Last year's Mac hasn't devalued the way last year's PC has because people know the Mac isn't going to need replaced every other year."

Really? PCs need to be replaced "every other year"?
I think the high resale value of Macs have more to do with the fact that Apple can sustain their inflated price point because they are the only ones selling their product. PC vendors on the other hand have competition to think about and must adjust their pricing accordingly.

A quick Google search shows Symantec products are not much different: Norton - From Symantec - Problems, Problems, Problems..

Or, Multiple serious problems with symantec endpoint 11 - Please help.

Or, Norton Internet Security 2009 has caused me problems. (Norton.com is owned by Symantec, of course.)

You know there are problems when Symantec provides a Removal Tool.

Mine is the Logitech G15, and yes, the not_having_that_bloody_'double'_delete_key was a factor, as were the not-rearranged home/end/pgup/pgdn keys and the presence of the insert key in its normal position.

I frequently use shift+insert to paste (especially in places where CTRL+V fails) and will not put up with a keyboard where it was removed.

And don't even get me started on the 3-by-3 arranging of F-keys that I've seen on some recent keyboards.

I like my keyboard as it is. The one key I absolutely never ever use is that windows/menu key on the right (next to right-CTRL), but it doesn't bother me enough to even ponder its removal.

If the keyboard manufacturers want to add value to the keyboard, they can feel free to add multimedia buttons at the top, which I can use or ignore. (Preferably they'd agree on an industry-wide standard for them and then use that on all keyboards, so I don't have to relearn the buttons every time.)

lets see, my datsun, which i traded a broken laptop for, was advertized as getting 41 mpg, with later models claiming 50 mpg. And there is a recent confirmed case of someone achieving 61.53 mpg.

My old 78 scout diesel got in the low 20's MPG, which was pretty damm good for a three ton brick on wheels. I expect my project of dropping a 6.2 diesel into another 78 to get similar results based on the specs of the CUCV pickups

these are all 30-35 year old vehicles.

There are a few modified and custom built vehicles getting decent mileage, but nothing stock.

Let me know when 75 mpg is considered to be terrible. Then I'll start to get excited..

I guess some kiddie that didn't know that IE was determined to
be unsafe by ppl smarter than the morons modding me Troll.

Go back to high school kiddies.

http://www.lockergnome.com/chrisshort/2007/01/18/ie-unsecure-for-over-9-months-in-2006-firefox-nine-days/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=avg8+disable+notification

and then:

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2008/08/03/remove-avg-8-notification-area/

Wow. Google is failing me at the moment, but rest assured it happened. It was what moved the KOTOR 2 release up. LucasArts completely closed shop, and laid off their employees. There was an internal development team doing pre-production on KOTOR 3, among other products that were laid off. The facility closed, and LucasArts reopened internally within ILM.

http://www.lockergnome.com/game/2004/11/02/lucasarts-layoffs/

Amazingly enough, Google isn't finding much on it now.

Here you go,enjoy. I haven't needed grammar checking so I haven't tried it,but installation sounds pretty simple. Hope you sister likes it!

And rehashed in an article on lockergnome.

Your suggestion that music should be "sold" by subscription is interesting. This is what satellite radio is doing for the most part, and somewhat successfully. It is interesting to consider how many companies would suffer bankruptcy if it were suddenly universally not illegal to share copies of digital information.

Lets consider a moment a world where people pay only to receive new content via subscription. That would mean that software would no longer be sold, except to those who paid to have improvements made. It would virtually eliminate most of the software companies, or at least their business models, as we know them today. What would it leave in it's wake?

Honestly, I was not even aware that there were still wifi coffee shops that you had to pay for internet access. Is that a Bay Area thing? In the Fort Collins CO area, most coffee shops I have been around have free wifi with no time limits.

Seriously.. small shops have been doing this for years. DSL is down in the $20/month range and a wireless router is cheap. I suspect that the administrative overhead of managing a system like this one for Starbucks is not really worth the effort. Starbucks may have made their money on the T-Mobile deal, but I doubt it. IIRC, it was a $500 mill contract. And, a quick websearch shows a series of price cuts.

Here's one from 2003:

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/1855971

"In the original story regarding the price drop, Starbucks New Ventures Director Lovina McMurchy is quoted as saying that even the busiest Starbucks shops get about 20 Wi-Fi devices on the network per day. While T-Mobile doesn't release cost information for providing the hotspot, the revenue generated from so few customers is probably not enough to cover costs of a high speed line -- the T-Mobile Hotspots are served by costly T1 lines -- and the revenue sharing between T-Mobile, Starbucks, and HP, which provides some software for the services."

http://www.lockergnome.com/mobile/2006/03/09/t-mobile-answers-the-cries-of-starbucks-owners/

"All the mom-and-pop coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi. In fact, most everyone does except Starbucks. The Seattle-based coffee house gets its hotspot piped in by T-Mobile. It's been reported for years that store managers at Starbucks has been complaining to upper management for a while about losing business because customers don't want to pay for their Internet after forking out $4 on a foo-foo drink."

Here's my favorite:

http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/23/fonbucks-wifi-starbucks-ent_cx_mc_0226fonbucks.html

"FON, a community WiFi provider headquartered in Madrid, Spain, is offering wireless Internet access to Starbucks' latte-sipping surfers for just $2 a day--versus the $10 users pay to sign onto the 5,100 T-Mobile hotspots at U.S. Starbucks (nasdaq: SBUX - news - people ).

Just how does FON plan to steal away Starbucks Internet users? By offering FON wireless routers, also known as "La Foneras," free to anyone who lives above or next to a Starbucks. The routers, which usually cost $40, split an Internet broadband connection into two wireless signals--one for personal Internet use and the second for public use, which can be accessed by anyone within range for $2 per day. The routers' owners get to pocket half of the sign-on fee, and FON takes home the rest."

What are you talking about? The notion of IE standards mode has been around for years, even back when it WAS the most "standards-compliant" browser out there (and even that term is iffy). Standards mode is not something the users have to enable; it's enabled by specifying a proper DOCTYPE in HTML pages; in other words, something web developers do to mark their page as being written according to standards, so it will be rendered according to standards.

You're partially right. Developers will have to insert an IE8-specific flag into their html to make IE8 operate in standards mode, but the user won't have to do anything so my point is invalid. Here's some FAQ:

For compatibility purposes IE8's rendering engine defaults to "quirks" or "standards" mode. Site developers will need to insert a new opt-in flag to request the page to render using "IE8 standards mode."

Since many sites will still have to support IE6 behavior, my guess is many people won't bother. At least I can get my standards-compliant page to look right on IE8 by inserting a vendor-specific tag into my code. I find it disturbing that they call the default "standards mode" and the mode that actually complies with web standards "IE8 standards mode"...

And you can't honestly tell me that they don't have a valid point about different types of standards.

I'm not saying that they don't have a point, I just found it disturbing that this article about IE8 adhering to actual web standards was laced with anti-standards rhetoric. I think it is great that IE8 passes the ACID2 test, and especially that it apparently happened as a side result of them working on standards compliance (even if a web page has to have a special tag to use this mode) and not because they had this one goal in mind. My complaint was about the tone of the article. While they are working on this "IE8 standards mode", it is clear that their main focus is "not breaking the existing web", i.e. maintaining compatibility with IE6 rendering quirks.

well, they can't even design a power-off button without five years of committees, meetings, and focus groups.

To be fair to Microsoft programmers, they weren't just trying to design a power-off button. They were told to design a power-off button that wouldn't work with Linux, a much harder task.

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/linux/2007/06/18/ dual-monitors-with-ubuntu

Could somebody using one of these crooked ISPs check to see if they're rewriting referral links to sites like Amazon? I stayed at a hotel years ago which was stealing credits like this. It looke like Kazaa was doing this too. The reason I bring it up is that, if they're scummy enough to inline ads, they're scummy enough to try this. And if they are trying it, it would seem like an easier lawsuit to win, because it's very clearly theft.

Hey, that's not fair. He fixes PCs & tinkers & stuff. ;-)

Your right. I'm full of shit.
There is no smart phone virus threat.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,3918 2753,00.htm
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/mobile/2005/04/20 /smartphone-viruses-52-and-counting
http://itvibe.com/news/3072/

Oh wait.. there is and it was trivially easy to find news about the threat.

An SDK makes it easy to write lots of cool stuff too. You have to weigh the benefits vs the risks.

Having an SDK makes it easy to develop software.
Viruses are software and are developed so having an SDK makes it easier to develop them.

It's simple logic man. Maybe you haven't gotten to that point in school yet.

The Air Canada vs. Westjet case involved computer espionage and a former employee who kept access to Air Canada's computer system. The result cost Westjet millions. The settlement left no doubt that what Westjet and its employees did was illegal. Illegal, as in someone could end up in jail, that kind of illegal. http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/news/2006/05/29/w estjet-accepts-blame-settles-with-air-canada-in-es pionage-case/

Yes they change their tune quite often. I remember the claim to be for 2012, though:
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/news/2002/10/31/t oyota-to-sell-only-hybrid-autos-by-2012/

MediaSentry is the software that detected the sharing of files and provided the initial IP address that was used to subpoena the account information. It's list of files available and the IP address of the computer that was sharing them is central to the case. In Florida, drunken driving cases have been thrown out because the manufacturer of the breathalyser wouldn't disclose the source code or internal workings. I think the defendant should have a right to inspect the MediaSentry source code. Otherwise they could A) purposely make it output certain (or random) numbers or B) have a bug in their application that would lead to improper identification. I don't think this guy even actually used MediaSentry, he was simply provided with logs from MediaSentry that were accumulated by someone else.

I think Midway's in it as more than a distributor.

Today, though, the developer announced that it is no longer self-publishing Middle-earth Online, which has since been renamed The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Instead, Turbine has joined forces with Midway Games, which will now copublish and distribute the fantasy PC title, set for release later this year.

Turbine, Inc. announced today that Midway Home Entertainment Inc. (a subsidiary of Midway Games Inc. NYSE: MWY) will co-publish (along with Turbine) and distribute The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar in North America.

I think it's difficult to even suggest that Vista offers a "pretty face". A large number of bloggers have written about the rather poor appearance of Windows Vista.

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/2006/10/26/ vista-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly/
http://pinderkent.blogsavy.com/archives/56
http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/02/27/windows-vista- im-breaking-up-with-you/

And it's not like Microsoft was unaware of the problems. We had people pointing out many of the visual flaws throughout the development process:

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5231. asp
http://www.siliconvalleysleuth.com/2006/01/the_tru th_about.html

They'll shoot it down.

So, free software is geeky, useless, childish and no one cares? What an ignorant flame disguised as a thoughtful and informed reflection.

Your response is not exactly the epitome of reasoned debate. Where did you get childish and useless from? He never said either of those things. He merely said that the general public does not care about Linux, which is true. He also said that people who are mature about this, rather than spouting ridiculous OS zealotry without taking note of the actual point (true of EVERY OS, not just Linux, though you are a prime example), realise that people will gravitate to using what they find most useful, regardless of how 'free' it is. No-one is asking you to choose between what is 'free' and what is useful. They are asking you to choose whatever you find does what you want to do properly.

That isn't always Linux, and you know that - which is why you're having a hissy fit. If you were trying to prove that Linux users aren't childish, a point that was never made or even hinted at, you defeated yourself rather rapidly. I find it of some small amusement that you inadvertantly proved a point that no-one made.

How about this - true freedom is being free to choose the OS and software I want to use, when I like. Oh, and Firefox leaks like a sieve and crashes too, even on Linux, to the point where someone had to release a leak monitoring plug-in. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's not a Windows-only issue. Anyway, some people want some performance out of their browser rather than the "anything but IE" choice, which is why I use Opera. The Opera browsing experience is far superior, in my extensive experience, to both IE and Firefox and is (shock) closed source.

Proprietary, closed source solutions are sometimes better than open source solutions and vice versa.

In light of this information, it is obviously the duty of every red-blooded geek to fight back by stealing free porn from any hotel which uses this system.