Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Du Jour - Talks, Upgrades, Salaries
Jeff writes: "CNN is reporting 'In a dramatic move, the new judge in the Microsoft case Friday ordered the government and the software maker into five weeks of intensive settlement talks, until Nov. 2.'" Other MS submissions coming in today: USAToday discovers the new upgrade scheme, designed to milk every last cent out of those who've locked themselves into Windows; tech-report.com goes a bit more in depth on the same subject; ZDNet hoists the black flag; MS discusses its plans to control how you compute (by the way, the license agreement for Windows Media Player now allows Microsoft to disable any software on your computer - you do read those license agreements, don't you?); Gates got $666,000 last year but won't have to apply for welfare just yet.
660
Approximate number of the Beast
666.0000
Number of the High Precision Beast
/666
Beast Common Denominator
(-666) ^ (1/2)
Imaginary number of the Beast
6.66 e3
Floating point Beast
1010011010
Binary of the Beast
1/666
Reciprocal of the Beast.
Best Slashdot Co
(*shakes from fear realizing that probably a large number of people out there are eating this garbage up as if it were as natural as poop.*)
Go Lakers!
Here's our opportunity....guys...if Linux is ever to be a viable operating system (at least to Corporate America) - it needs to take advantage of this....
CFO's do listen with their wallets...make Linux EASY to use, even at the expense of some of the more configurable options...and secure, and you'll see it become a viable file/web server in the market...I laugh when I hear people griping about MS service packs and a kernel has to be recompiled every week.
Follow the cue of Linux embedded devices...easy for users and admins.
----------
ah honey, we're all resplendent - Bill Mallonee
Anybody want to post contact info for those of us who whould like to help H4H migrate? (You know, it could count for my community service hours...)
I'd rather have someone respond than be modded up.
"the license agreement for Windows Media Player now allows Microsoft to disable any software on your computer "
Make sure you're not running Windows Media Player on the same computer that handles granny's life support.
Though if that computer is running windows, she's in trouble anyway.
-J5K
The libertarian solution to the failures of capitalism is to apply more capitalism til the failures are fixed.
Meanwhile the WinXP is already released in late Aug (from the announcement, at least) and go into the market by the end of October. Is it to late to settle at Nov 2? By the time, M$ has gotten a fresh new cash from the sales. Correct me if I'm wrong. I hope DoJ is aware of this...
Meanwhile, there is another article here.
--
Error 500: Internal sig error
http://www.habitat.org/getinv/
Outdoor digital photography, mostly in New Engl
Did anybody else get this? This is like that shopaholic girlfriend/significant other/wife that explains how she saved money by spending hundreds of dollars at a sale. Sheesh!
now is an "optimal time" to settle the case out of court and that they could strike a deal "if everybody is reasonable and acting in good faith."
Good faith? Microsoft? US Government? I wonder what colour the Blue Screen of Death is in her world?
--
E_NOSIG
This may be off-topic, but....
I keep seeing references to MS license agreements, but I can't figure out how to see them online. Do I have to buy the product before I can see the licenses???
One might think that an online version would be an easy way to let people read them before slitting the shrinkwrap.
Oh, but then they might not buy it?? I think I begin to see... .
-John Van Voorhis
Rant warning...
People, this is no longer news. This just proves that everybody trusts Big Brother because Big Brother is always Watching Us and Caring For Us. To prove my point: How many people use the phrase Big Brother who have never read 1984 by George Orwell?
How many people know that George Orwell was just his pen name?
Democracy sounds like a good idea: the will of the majority has to be the right thing. Even though the majority is wrong it's still right.
Microsoft is right. Open Source is unamerican. The American Way is to make as much money as possible by screwing as many people as possible. Ignorance is now a virtue.
C'mon America! Microsoft is tarnishing your reputation! Stand up, show us that you care about something other than yourselves.
Heck, I should talk, I come from South Africa. At least we only pretend to be leaders in stupidity.
But his real compensation is in mortal souls and the eternal suffering of mankind, not salary. People put too much emphasis on paychecks, but often things like job satisfaction, such as that derived from torturing and humiliating the offspring of Yahweh, and perks, such as being legion and hanging with Elizabeth Hurley, are more important than the money.
There are also other ways to make money on the side. I mean, the South Park guest appearances alone... The Exxon and Republican endorsement deals... Plus, $666K is better than 35 pieces of silver. (adjusted for inflation)
I swear, as soon as my employer stops paying for my software I'm going to take a stand. Golldurnit.
When the action against Microsoft first started, my thought was that it was typical -- the government was taking action after the time when it was most needed.
It was my opinion then, and is still my opinion, that the market would take care of Microsoft, just like it had with IBM (the previous 800-lb gorilla of the computing world). The government could try to stop Microsoft, but the market would ultimately do a better job.
Now we see statements like:
Q.E.D.
In time (no, I have no idea how long), Microsoft will be just a player in a new computing world. I don't know what the new world will be, or who its biggest player will be. If I did, I'd be buying stock like crazy.
Computers are useless. They can only give you answers. -- Pablo Picasso
Yeah, yeah, Apple is as much a business and corporate entity as Microsoft, and as such cannot be trusted any more than Microsoft...
:)
Yet if you evaluate the Mac platform, here's what it offers:
Good (not great) compatibility with the Windows universe, without succumbing to Microsoft
Great UI, Install, and useability
Great hardware, if a bit expensive for said hardware
Good (not great) with the GNU universe. It's BSD, first and foremost, so some allowances have to be made
About the only market it isn't able to compete strongly in is games, which Linux has issues with, if for different reasons. Macs + OS X can work with the server space, desktop workstations, development, scientific computing, graphics, office work, and web work.
Caveat, though, is that there is still a very strong reliance on the Classic environment, hopefully to go away very soon as more apps are developed and ported into the Carbon and Cocoa environments.
Still, all the Linux people can probably drop right into a Mac and OS X fairly easily
GPL Deconstructed
"Linux must be this..." "Linux must be that..."
The reason most of us are drawn to this particular OS is because of all the different flavors to choose from. Let Corel or Red Hat make their "standard" Corporate Distro, and the rest of us will use Slackware to learn and play, and Debian for our personal projects. The PPC geek will run yellowdog, &c, &c.
Standardizing Linux will make it the new Windows. This is the most frustrating thing about Linux zealotry: Linux should NOT replace Windows! It should compete with it -- be different from it.
Screwdrivers and wrenches are separate tools for a reason.
ms
"No fingers. Just thumbs."
why 666k? shouldn't 640k be enough for anybody?
I lost my concept of community when my community lost all concept of me.
The proof is in the pudding: eventually, a giant becomes its own worst enemy, disconnected from the customers it wishes to profit from. My predictions on MS losing its dominance in the next 10 years seems to get more and more likely, because as MS gets richer, others get poorer, until they can't afford /anything/ but a free solution, or cracking what they can't afford.
How do you keep customers if you seem inclined to keep them poor, disempowered, and bitter?
"Old man yells at systemd"
Please... for the love of God. Document your OS programs as if you were speaking to retards. Make little pretty diagrams. Make installation instructions for the layman. If GUI, then have tooltips. Make a tutorial. Even a flash demo with instructions....
Just document. Any documentation is better than none, but unfortunatly, in OSS none is often what is to be found.
-Kraft
Live and let live
Habitat for Humanity is considering the free Linux operating system. But because Microsoft is so dominant, it will be difficult for firms to switch. Windows runs 92% of PCs. Its Office software has better than a 90% market share, Gartner says.
What do you all think about that? I'm not extremely familiar with Linux, I haven't had the time to get really deep into it like I would prefer because here at work we're forced into using MS2000 and I hardly use my computer at home. From what I've heard, it shouldn't be difficult to switch, and once they do, life will be much easier, not to mention less expensive. With the economy the way it is, I wouldn't be surprised if MS did itself in on this one, we may see a fundamental switch in the way OS is viewed if some big time executives get the hint that by using LInux instead of MS, you can save 1.5 million per year and maybe hire back some of the people you layed off...
~ now you know
There really isn't an Apple Tax, WRT the usual "Microsoft Tax" argument: You're buying first party equipment. It's part and parcel of the system that Apple is selling.
The Microsoft Tax refers to third party vendors forced to pay Microsoft for selling a system, whether or not Windows is included. So most include it because they're already paying for it.
It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
Wow. So they can automatically put stuff on your computer that will disable software they don't like, and potentially take away your ability to play "Secure Content."
This is pretty intrusive, as things go. I, for one, would prefer in general that nothing gets installed on my computer that I don't specifically authorize.
Note that there seems to be a corrolary effect here. If they are sending stuff to your computer, your computer is really reaching out to their systems, and potentially is providing identifying or other information to them. Scary.
But of course the scariest bit is the "use other software" clause. It's not even qualified! By this reading, they can disable any other piece of software on your computer! Fear.
Of course, it is in the digital rights section of the agreement, but I'm not sure if that forces the "any other software" clause to be software relating in some way to digital rights.
- target
dingdingdingdingding!!!! We have a winner!
It's of no use to switch to an alternative that can't interoperate with the De Facto standard everybody and your mother is using. There is no and cannot be a positive feedback loop like the one MS currently holds with its offerings of products and OS for the likes of linux, BeOS, *BSD, MacOS, etc., etc..
There will be no killer app for linux, no developer focus on the Mac and no interest in niche OSes simply because MS is too entrenched and ubiquitous to make an alternative attractive. For an alternative to become viable MS would have to practically fall on its own sword and even with its current licensing trend it is obvious that is not happening. I mean honestly how much money is MS losing because Habitat for Humanity may ditch for linux?
So no, all those "whiners" don't have a choice unless they want to live in a vacuum. This is why monopolies are bad. This is why we have anti-trust laws.
I don't want knowledge. I want certainty. - Law, David Bowie
I have to say, I have never seen anything like this, ever.
.NET makes it even more evident.
I honestly think that over the next 20 years, we will see Microsoft's control rise to such a level that not even the US government can oppose them on any level. I mean, they are able to manipulate entire markets. With the flick of a switch, they alone can bring things to a complete halt. With the deprecation or removal of an API, they can put people out of business, or send companies into bankruptcy.
The introduction of
Microsoft... this company... in 20 years will control everything important. They already control 95% of the desktops. They will control almost all messaging. They will control almost all authentication. They will control almost all digital rights management.
Taking down Microsoft after they have such a level of control and we have such a level of dependence would be like us dropping our cars and going back to horses and wagons -- not going to happen.
Honestly, its time for people to wake up before its too late. Do not support this behemoth anymore. Its not about a simple anti-trust case.
This is about one company controlling the most fundamental mechanisms upon which the entire world depends.
And THAT is extremely dangerous.
Not really.. on Macs, the OS is part of the bundle, period. Apple hardware, Apple OS. You can call it an Apple Tax, but that's like saying "they made me buy a battery with my picturebook--i paid the sony tax."
While open source is laudable, the problem is that it confuses "free beer" with "freedom", i.e., "gratis" with "free". This is unfortunate. IMHO, we need to think hard about a system that provides "freedom", but does not restrict a programmer from earning a fair wage.
One possible solution, which I've encountered resistance talking to Congress people on the hill is to add an "optional" expiration date on a copyright, and allow the source code to be submitted via electronic media.. Thus, when you submit your copyright you can optionally choose to limit your copyright to N years. Further, the copyright office could "hold" the source code and make it public on the date that the copyright expires.
Americans *love* stats. What would happen if "copyright term" ended up as one of those columns? And "open source at end of copyright term" was another column? In this way we could compete not only on features and price, but also *when* our software becomes public domain. This is a simple solution, backward compatible, and can be implemented by the copyright office without legislation. It just requires the media to notice that copyright doesn't have to last forever and that making one's code open source can be part of the license agreement.
Maybe we can turn the tables on the "capitalists" by creating a new form of competition... competition for the change in software, competition for when software becomes public property.
Best Wishes! Clark
P.S. For an alternative idea, which is much larger in scale (but may not work as well), you may want to read Distributed Copyright and my letter to Judge Jackson on May 23, 2000. It may not be perfect, but it has some ideas that you and others may want to build upon.
I work for a software company. Now, my employer (and many other companies such as Veritas, 3COM, and others) has two different revenue streams. The first is from license sales. The second (bigger, dependable, easily forecasted) chunk of our revenue comes from yearly renewable support contracts, which happen to include access to the latest version of our software. This is fairly common practice.
Microsoft has found itself in a position enviable to most software companies. The biggest competition it faces is from older versions of its own software. So they're doing the obvious thing and removing themselves from the competition.
The advantages to Microsoft are obvious. Immediate cash gain, better sustainable revenue, faster phase-out of old product.
Do I like it? In the short term, no. It's expensive as hell and my budget as a partially microsoft shop has taken a huge hit. But in the long term, it removes one of my great annoyances.
It's a complete pain in the ass to have to check the license trail on a typical windows system. Say a computer shipped with Windows '95. I took that '95 license, applied it against another computer when I replaced the windows '95 box (assume non-OEM license), then appied an NT4 upgrade license, followed by a Win2k upgrade license.
That leaves me with 3 different pieces of paper to be accountable for on a moment's notice. Under the new system, I simply need to have the original operating system license, and a software assurance certificate. The advantage to me from a clerical standpoint is obvious.
This doesn't make it all better in the short term, but as a shop that frequently upgrades to the latest and greatest, it will save me lots of time in the long haul.
Even Jesus hates listening to Creed.
- Isn't opening a Pandora's Box supposed to be a bad thing?
- Who the hell would buy a book that they could only read on Tuesdays?
It seems they're thinking too much about what they can do, and not enough about what they should do.-sk
It's easy to standardize what a corporate PC looks like--just install the same distro on all of them. The only thing then remaining is standardized communication between them and any non-Linux machines. If only we had some kind of RFC process to standardize network communications and if only Linux software followed those standards....
324006
Can someone please explain how regulating an abusive monopoloy like Microsoft hurts the economy?
Can someone please explain the linkage that this Judge sees between the WTC attack and allowing Microsoft to continue its crime spree?
Microsoft and the Microsoft Tax is, in fact, a drag on the economy. Microsoft was fairly successful at making millions of dollars for a few of their share holders and employees. Other than that, they pay no taxes and only leach money from the economy and corporations that they have enslaved on the upgrade treadmill.
What products does Microsoft make that aren't commoditized and couldn't easily be replaced? None.
The only hope that we have now, once this Judge and the DOJ have capitulated is that the States will seek redress of this case. Perhaps companies like AOL will take it upon themselves to file legal action following this settlement debacle. Also, the US legal system will be looking rather pathetic after the EU and places like Korea crack down while Microsoft skates in the States.
Most everything else in the IT world is standardized: ethernet, for example. Usually the format wars settle down and one clear winner emerges. This need not happen completely with linux, but significant economies of scale would emerge if it did somewhat, because it would be one hell of a lot easier to support. Easy techsupport == corporate adoption.
sulli
RTFJ.
I just double checked my windows update today and saw there was a new patch available. I applied it to all my Windows 2000 machines and I have a (temporarily) secure server platform with one of the best GUI's out there and unmatched hardware & software support. Not to mention a built in web browser that never crashes, and didn't require any lengthy downloads. And I don't have to worry about losing precious support, since Microsoft is in no danger of going out of business anytime soon.
Frankly, I like windows 2000, and until something better comes along, I'm going to stick with it.
(Before you mod this as flamebait reread the parent message. Then mod both messages as flamebait)
"But there is another option. Companies, like individuals, have the power to disobey. An embargo of Microsoft products, of buying them, licensing them, paying fees due or any other action that puts money in Microsoft's bank account, would do the trick."
Which I do. I use Linux. The problem is, I also use Windows on an equal basis, and there is simply no reason in my mind why I shouldn't. If I want to run the plethora of programs coded into binaries for Win32, I use Windows. If I'm just browsing the internet, or listening to music, I use Linux. It's just the way things stand.
This all or nothing attitude is what kills the Open Source movement. I for one want a "get my cake and eat it too" mandate. I will use Linux, but the zealots are ignored at this point.
How many of you remember when Scully left Apple and Micheal Spindler was large and in charge?
He stood in front of the assembled masses and said "We are committed to maintaining high shareholder value."
Microsoft is now doing exactly what Apple did. Microsoft is working to maximize its cash flow, and that means taking as much as they can from the pockets of its customers. Doing anything BUT this might subject them to shareholder lawsuits.
Just like IBM once did. And Apple once did. Both companies had a crash and burn phase, and have had a rebuilding phase. Microsoft is now heading to the crash and burn phase. They will eventually rebuild, as they are a cash rich company.
If it was said on slashdot, it MUST be true!
where did the author see the note about the Win Media Player being able to shutoff other software? Looked through the eWeek article, didnt see it.
/. Book Review when I get done. The last chapter is titled 'MS Loses Even If It Wins' Book is about 400 pages, and I'm about 250 through it. Should be interesting...)
Even still, such a thing as arbitary software shutoff would of course be illegal.
Analogy: I own a Ford F1 pickup and a Saturn. Let's say I use the Ford to go to the furniture store to pickup my new couch. GM can't shutoff my Ford because I didnt use the Saturn. Such an act would be anti-competitive. Doesnt matter to GM that the couch wont fit in the Saturn.
Translation: I have a RealVideo clip I wish to view. If MS were to have WMP arbitrarily shutoff RealPlayer, it would be anticompetitive because people wont be able to use RP over WMP. Doesnt matter to MS that WMP doesnt support RealVideo.
Of course, this is MS, who's already been found an illegal monopoly etc etc (twice!). Lastly, IANAL.
(ot: I am reading a book right now on the whole antitrust case. I'm planning on a
The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
The whole phrase "digital rights management" is a BS term if I ever heard one. It's all about use restrictions. They only call them "rights" because it's a nice feel-good term, even though it doesn't describe the technology at all. Just replace "rights" with "restrictions" and the quotes read much more easily and honestly:
This will open a Pandora's box," he said, promoting the idea of "elaborate restrictions." These, he said, could move the concept of buy-once restrictions to time-based restrictions -- "you can make it so the user can, say, only read this book on Tuesday" -- or location-based restrictions.
From Webster's dictionary (www.m-w.com):
"Main Entry: Pandora's box
Function: noun
Etymology: from the box, sent by the gods to Pandora, which she was forbidden to open and which loosed a swarm of evils upon mankind when she opened it out of curiosity
Date: 1579
: a prolific source of troubles"
And this is how their own "Director of worldwide marketing" describes it.
No Media Player for me!
sulli
RTFJ.
it's nice to think the market will do to MS what it did to IBM, but you must remember that with IBM viable alternatives which functioned *identically* to IBM's product were available.
with MS there is no 'windows clone' to switch to, the only way that the market could take care of MS is by switching to another product, and right now there is nothing. linux is not what most people need. i doubt it ever will be.
...dave
Think different? I'd be happy if most people would just think...
ZDNet sure is being tough here. They sure are making a *bold* stand here. When I followed the link the Microsoft Ad for Office XP in the *middle* of the page took up more space than the damn article.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."
The truth is, the new upgrading scheme might become a boon for other "movements", including Open Source. IT directors will see the new scheme and make one of two choices:
1.) Follow it, and receive the "discounts" incurred with every 2-year upgrade.
2.) Not purchase anything.
This is different than previous licenses, where "not purchase anything" meant skipping an upgrade cycle. If Microsoft penalizes IT directors for skipping a cycle by charging more for the next cycle, IT directors will simply skip that one too. They aren't stupid. They will wait until they have enough money to purchase the latest and greatest upgrade, and move everyone at that point (at a much longer base than every 2-3 years).
"Locked in" means absolutely nothing. In fact, if this plays out logicially, the opposite will come true.
My boss used to say that the best way to fight silly rules is to follow them to the letter.
I hope Microsoft continues to piss people off. The more absurd and draconian the licenses are, the better. It will convince people to look elsewhere.
The reason people stick with Microsoft is because its easy. The more difficult Microsoft makes things for their customers, the better it is for the alternatives. This is the downfall of monopolies.
This trial crap is just a rear-guard action. I say let Microsoft go completely. Given all the shit they try to pull, they'll hang themselves. The court system is just drawing all this out. If the public gets smacked, they'll smack back hard.
The only thing I wish the government would do is force Microsoft to reveal all its agreements with venders. The public hates the perception of a conspiracy against them.
They need to suffer blowback!
I'm done with windoze entirely. The only place I'm still stuck using it is at a customer site that I work at. Of course I have the option of using my laptop and dialing up the net at 28.8k or suffering with windoze and using their T1 to the net.
But at home, I have built all but two of my systems from scratch. The first one was a complete 486 system that was my first computer that I bought, and the other is a sun ultra 10 that I just picked up.
If I had to pay a "tax" on an OS, I'd rather pay it to anyone other than Micro$oft.
"If you insist on using Windoze you're on your own."
(Adding to the discussion of how to make Linux better)
RPM is great (unless you're trying to compile version 4), but Linux really really really needs (in addition to Office compatibility, a great browser and a great desktop) a standard setup program that will work on most, if not all, versions.
I'm aware of Debian and apt-get, etc. (and those are great) But there should also be a "double-click setup.exe" process of installing programs on Linux, and a similarly easy way of uninstalling them, with NO ERROR MESSAGES ABOUT MISSING VERSIONS OF SOME OBSCURE 9k LIBRARY FILE OR HAVING VERSION 1.07 OF A PROGRAM WHEN THE NEW PROGRAM WANTS VERSION 1.08!!
ALL required libraries should be included with every setup archive. Period. Sending people (even developers) out on the Internet in search of some library is the fastest way to make using Linux very irritating.
Then, perhaps we could have Installshield for Linux, which would be awesome, especially if it worked with apt and apt-get. ^^
Just another $0.02
"I wonder what colour the Blue Screen of Death is in her world?"
I think brown is the color of blue viewed through rose-colored glasses.
Regular people are starting to see that this whole monolpoly thing really isn't a good idea.
Maybe so, but people still want to be able to use the software they know: Outlook, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, Word, PowerPoint. I'm not saying that it's good software, just that many, many businesses have gotten themselves reliant on it. When pro-Linux people talk about the monopoly, the angle is always "If people don't use Windows, they'll use Linux." But this isn't necessarily how things will work or even what people want. If anything, the Macintosh looks like the more reasonable alternative.
You see, in the universe I am from, we too have organizations called ZDNET and Microsoft. However, in my universe, ZDNET has always been anxious to please Microsoft any way they could, to the point of fawning over any MS release.
Reading the link from the article, I see things are different in this universe - I cannot imagine stronger commentary against Microsoft. If anybody can give me pointers on how to get back home....
On second thought, my credit cards work, my Slashdot account works, and this universe seems to be just a bit better. Maybe I'll stay.
www.eFax.com are spammers
That said, Microsoft seems to be simply protecting its file format. They can only affect software that can read protected WMA files (which, at this point, only includes Media Player). It would be silly to assume, especially in a lawsuit-driven atmosphere like copyright infringement, that Microsoft would allow other software to visibly change/take over rights management from the OS. Just think if record companies started getting into a lawsuit war with Microsoft!
Bottom line: it's their file format, not an open one, people. They are free to control it however they wish. If you don't like it, don't use it.
Orwell quote: "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face. Forever".
Not well known is that the details of "1984" come primarily from Blair's job at the British Ministry of Information during WWII, translating scripts into the 1000-word vocabulary of Basic English for transmission to British colonies.
Look.. I'm not exactly a big supporter of Microsoft, but this brand a blatantly inflammatory rhetoric is just childish.
USAToday discovers the new upgrade scheme, designed to milk every last cent out of those who've locked themselves into Windows.
Translation: Microsoft will be charging for significant upgrades.
And why shouldn't they? They spend time and money creating the upgrades...aren't they justified in trying to recoup some or all of that cost, so they can continue to offer product upgrades in the future? Micosoft is a business, same as any other. They stay in business by making money. That doesn't make them evil. If you happen not to like how they go about doing things, then you use Linux, which many of us do..myself included. Its as simple as that. Theres no point in demonizing a company for doing the exact same thing YOU would be doing in their shoes.
MS discusses its plans to control how you compute (by the way, the license agreement for Windows Media Player now allows Microsoft to disable any software on your computer - you do read those license agreements, don't you?)
Translation: Microsoft wants users to have a solid, consistant computing platform, rather than a disorganized assembly of argumentative standards that disrupt, aggrevate and annoy most users.
Ugh..More fear-mongering. You'll notice it says "disable" and not "uninstall", by the way. Disabling other products is a common practice. RealPlayer, Netscape, IE, all engadge in this. So, of course they're trying to "control how you compute".. So are we. Thats the whole purpose of an operating system. Again, don't demonize another party for something you engadge in as well. Now, the next topic -- Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player is a Microsoft product, designed to work with other Microsoft products. That includes the underlying OS. If something gets in the way of its task, it has a right to remove that "thing" so it can perform correctly. After all, by choosing installing WMP, you're basically inferring that you want to use it, are you not? Why else would you want to install it, unless you wanted it to run? This is the whole point of an 'upgrade' in the first place. You are replacing something that either does not work (or doesnt work well enough) with something that does work. So what are you really complaining about here? Sensical, consistant design? Admittedly, its a heavy handed approach, but XP is an OS for beginners that dont want to worry about how things are internally. They just want them to work. Period. And is that so wrong? Isn't that what we all want for Linux, ultimately, as well?
Like I said.. I dont like Microsoft all that much either. But I know an unfair criticism when I see it. Laying that sort of fearmongering onto a captive audience several hundred thousand wide is not only childish but terribly irresponsible, IMHO.
Cheers,
Bowie J. Poag
Where do you want to go today?
Better make up your mind quick, your license expires in 10 days.
Hammer of Truth
What's to stop Microsoft from performing random audits of home users for pirated software? And then making an example of them to scare other people into not pirating MS products? They keep doing this to smaller and smaller companies, what's to stop them from going to home users?
Outdoor digital photography, mostly in New Engl
It's just not that simple for most companies.
Back in the mid '90's when larger companies (+500 users) were migrating from either terminals or Netware or both, the options were Win 3 or Apple.
At that point in time MS was not the company it is today. MS was just another vendor. Who new things would end up like this? And now years later it is massively entrenched. (And no Mac OS6 & 7 were not viable on an enterprise desktop).
Today we have more options. Both OSX and Linux are viable alternatives on the desktop. However the key really is an office package that can gracefully handle *eight years* worth of documents, spreadsheets, databases and such. Star/Open Office just isn't quite there yet. What are you going to port the 18472 Access databases floating in you organization to? Apache, PHP and MySQL? C/C++ and MySQL or Oracle? Either way the development costs would be huge.
Spend some time in a 3000+ user environment. Migrating from MS products to another platform is a *massive* undertaking (no to mention the user training issues and costs involved).
From an exec's point of view: I can take it in shorts and play the MS game, it will cost me 10-20% more than it did last year but it things will be pretty much business as usual. Or I can migrate my entire userbase to another less costly and restrictive alternative that at a minimum cost to my IS organization of around 100 hours per user to migrate (including training and document/data conversion).
Now tell me - what are you going to do? Like I said, it's just not that simple.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - BF
...But just when are people going to realize they DO NOT have to put up with this BS? (Skip to the end for something that's not redundant.)
I love how the ZD Net article is titled: "Time to stand up to Microsoft" (and right plop in the middle of the article is an advirtisement for "Windows Solutions"). It's utterly absurd.
Linux and other free OS solutions are WITHOUT A DOUBT usable in a business setting. They are proven to be largley inexpensive, relatively easy to deploy, don't have seat/use restrictions, and show better performance records.
Duh.
I'm preaching to the choir here, but I think it's important to proliferate this message to as many people through as many channels as possible. CLEARLY, corporations who feed Microsoft are still uneducated that free software solutions aren't "low quality" just because they don't cost money.
(Original thoughts follow.)
What causes people and businesses to constantly whine about how much Windows sucks? Meanwhile, they constantly shell out the bucks to pay for new/more copies of it, all the while completely ignoring the free software alternatives. Do they think the situation is ever going to improve?
I know it sounds rash, but it is not possible for any largely used, proprietary solution to "improve". Proprietary solutions involve one controlling body. It's a tyrrany, not a democracy (as people are complaining that Microsoft "does not listen"). ONLY free software will get better because it is not driven by greed and profit alone. Greed snowballs and gets bigger and poses more influence on the product. That's the Microsoft case.
The longer they last, the more greedy they will become, the more money they will want to suck up. Unless there's no money there to consume, the beast will only get stronger and bolder.
Why bother.
Wow. Was this a ZDNet article... or a /. post? =)
"I am an Adept of Tantric VAX."
We all have let them get away with this for too long. Say what you will about IBM 20 years ago, but they actually supported their software products *gasp*! There was no "It's fixed in the next version" or "We don't support that anymore (even tho it's only 3 years old)" garbage.
The gubmint investigating is not going to do anything but waste more money. We have allowed MS to get away with this monopolistic abuse for far too long. We need to rediscover the customer mindset that insists on getting what we pay for, and that includes support. We need to re-think the reasons for making software purchases and no longer accept being treated like second-hand citizens.
The only real solution - outside of a breakup which seems more and more unlikely - is to vote with our feet. Individual and business customers who buy Microshaft products need to make a statement that the old MS way of doing business is no longer acceptable. We need a big company or two to REFUSE to upgrade and INSIST on getting support for products we've already bought. Either that or switch platforms
The last hope may be the continuing states' lawsuits against the evil empire. And other nations' efforts as well. A nice big lawsuit or two by some major players wouldn't hurt. As long as the Fed's findings of fact stand we may yet get some satisfaction.
On a side note, the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans came out yesterday. Billy Boy still ranks #1, although last year he was listed as having $63 billion and this year he's down to $54 billion. That means Emperor Gates lost $9 billion in the last year. Oh, how my heart bleeds for him.
I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war.
(Nov. 21, 1864 letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Companies have made huge investments in technology, and if they have standardized on one platform it is difficult to get them to change. But this may be the push that is needed. What Linux and Apple people must do is calculate and show how an initial investment in another system now will ultimately be far cheaper then sticking it out. If they can show that the one-time cost will be negated in a matter of months or years, their market share may increase quickly, as now is a rare time when management is actually considering alternatives. If you think about it, a few months ago many would have laughed at warnings that Microsoft was planning such a money scheme. They aren't laughing now.
One interesting thing mentioned in the USA Today article was at the end.
Its Office software has better than a 90% market share, Gartner says.
One of the biggest things MS has over the corporate market is its productivity software, Office. Over and over again, that is cited as one of the things that has little competition in the minds of CTOs. However, they forget that there is a fully functional, very polished and current version available for Mac OS and soon Mac OSX. Unless they have a specific program they must run on Windows, a switch may be cheaper in the long run. And now is the big chance for StarOffice and other Linux suites. If they can move fast enough, and create a viable alternative that is polished and compatable with MS Office, they may be able to convince companies to make the switch.
we will see Microsoft's control rise to such a level that not even the US government can oppose them on any level
Personally, I'm hoping that the US government grows so small that they won't be able to regulate ANYTHING regarding the "free" market...
Think about it, if you removed all of the regualtions on industry today, it would be FAR easier to start a competing business... If it didn't cost millions in taxes (in addition to the "normal" corporate taxes, I have to match all of my employee's payments to the feds and social [in]security), [gov't] licenses etc., it would be easier to compete with those who are already established...
The way I see it, it's not anti-control / anti-trust, rather, the government is more often than not PROTECTING those with established large market-share, more like anti-competition... Have YOU tried to start a business lately?
That that is is not that that is not. That that is not is not that that is.
I've thought about tinkering w/Linux before, but this latest iteration of MS bullying just might get me going...
Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
http://itx1001.cybercentral.com/itx1001/web/gues t/ Session.do?action=display&id=201
If any of you are going to the Gartner thing in Florida next week, this seminar will give you way too much info on MS's new licensing.
IBM wants to bury the hatchet in MS' collective head over what they did to them over the years. Just because they derive revenue from MS on the desktop doesn't mean that they derive all their revenue from that. In fact, the desktop's not where they get the big cash from- it's servers and solutions. Guess what? When they're selling lots of Linux answers on Z/Series machines, etc. they're going to be on the Linux bandwagon for a while- one source tree for the customer's apps, many platforms to scale to and expect it all to largely work out of the box.
This is a dream for IBM.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
So everybody that wants to listen to their CD and transfer the songs to a MP3 player will be able to do so. Those people using Windows and Windows compatable products won't see a need to switch. No big deal. They'll keep using Windows.
A co-worker just had his first encounter with a region coded DVD. Couldn't find it in the US so he bought it from the UK. He wasn't happy that his DVD player wouldn't play the disc but out of the 10 people at the lunch table not a one cared. It was an "oh well" to all of them and nobody was interested when I tried to explain why it happened.
I think the same thing is going to happen with Windows. A bunch of annoyances that just aren't big enough for the average user to give a rip about. (No pun intended.)
I don't want knowledge. I want certainty. - Law, David Bowie
Up until now, MS tactics have been to act like Vikings . . . ruthlessly plunder and pillage everything in the IT landscape until there's nothing left but Vikings and land. Now that everything has been pillaged, though, MS has to change to an agrarian model. Now instead of pillaging us they're going to herd and farm us for their living. Can you say "Mooo?"
Profs to all the MS sheep out there who've been lapping up every chunk of puke blowing out of Redmond for the last couple of decades. Thanks for the tyranny.
- Hail to our fearless misleader! Fool speed ahead!
What is the definition of malfeasance? How bad does a license need to be, before agreeing to it causes one to be guilty?
Or is there some reason why this doesn't apply?
The previous licenses were bad, but this one makes me feel as if it would be a criminal offense to agree to it. I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know. Would the crime be in deciding to buy it, in placing the purchase order, or in agreeing to the license? If I'm told to install it, and have written documentation of the order, then who would be guilty?
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
There is a large number of clueless people still driving Buicks, which I consider a POS car. Is it my job to go tell them there are alternatives (when, for their purposes, the Buick works fine)? No. Since when are computer mavens "required" to tell others what is "right and wrong"? Another disappointing, and annoying, activist viewpoint.
Microsoft offers the NT 4 Option Pack as a free download. Among other things, this update adds Internet Information Server 4.0, the last version of IIS released for Windows NT. You can find the download page here, but you'll notice that Microsoft couldn't be bothered to package the files into a self-extracting archive. Consequently, you'll have to separately download all 52 files. Or you could always just upgrade to Windows 2000, which has IIS 5.0 built in (nudge, nudge).
I ran in to this thing about a month and a half ago when rebuilding a NT 4.0 server for a client. This was one thing to really piss me off in addition to everything else that day. In my rage I sent an e-mail to bill@microsoft.com with the URL of the offending page and attached a copy of WinZip. Ofcourse all I got was a bot inresponse.
Oh well I tried.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
MacOS won't run too well on the hardware that runs Windows. But Linux will (this from a Linux/PPC user ;)
But at least on the Mac you can run lots of the same sofware as on Windows (e.g. Photoshop, Filemaker Pro). Linux would be a much, much bigger change for most people.
Female Prison Rape in NY
I really do not understand the problem here. If you don't like the product, don't use it. If you don't like the price to upgrade, don't upgrade. Billy boy is not holding a gun to your head! Your world will not end if you are not using the latest MS product. Quit whining about a situation in which you have complete control over what happens to you!
In addtion to the Windows, Office, and Exchange upgrades that Microsoft is trying to make mandatory, they have instituted a similar scheme covering a product over which they have much more control. By "expiring" MCSE certification for hundreds of thousands of users, they are trying to force people to upgrade to Windows 2000 or Windows XP certification. This provides instant revenue from people paying to take tests and buy test prep books, but it also dovetails nicely with the software upgrade scheme.
Forcing MCSE upgrades creates a pool of people qualified to support the new software that companies are forced to purchase. They actually have the leverage to force IT people to learn new software so companies will have people qualified to install and manage the new stuff, thereby removing one of the biggest roadblocks to constant upgrading.
Don't forget that Friday is Hawaiian shirt day.
MS is working to market itself and it's format to the Music and Movie industry. They can't very well market themselves as a product that dis-allows "PIRACY" if their product allows other products to circumvent a "secure" format. The use of "secure" in this case is a wide open word that reduces the need to constantly redefine the EULA every time a new format pops up or MS rebrands one of their products. MS is also attempting to fall into the Napster-microscope-in-the-ass-lawsuit-fiasco. Think about if MS allowed for the playing of "secured formats" that someone didn't have a license for despite the fact that they had technology to stop this. The music and movie industry would be all over them trying to sway judges to get 100% compliance or shut the company down. Again this goes right back to the CYOA policy that most companies keep, because there are other companies out there gunning for any chance to take them out (AOL/TW, Oracle, Sun) digging through trash, scouring EULA's, decompiling code hoping to find some little "Sun sux!" or "if(appName.equals("AOL")){BSOD();}".
"Do not be swept up in the momentum of mediocrity." - anon
Profits are not affected by share price. it's the other way around..
the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning
Bill Gates makes $666,000. Literal meaning: Bill Gates makes a lot of money. Expressed meaning: Bill Gates is satan. Definitely a different meaning, and somewhat opposite, in fact.
ok then your [sic] infringing on my copyright! Could you as [sic] me next time before STEALING my comments for your own?
In other words... not only will the Supreme Court rule on measures to prevent future violations, they'll also rule that Microsoft must go back in time and prevent the past violations as well. Hey, that's what she said: "...prevent not just past violations..."
Most firms will see costs rise 33% to 107%, research firm Gartner says. A company with 5,000 desktops will see its 3-year upgrade cost for Microsoft Office, for instance, jump from about $900,000 to $1.5 million, it says.
In other words, total cost of ownership is less than that of free operating systems such as Linux and *BSD. What a bunch of bull. I believe companies with a large number of computers should put together a dedicated "software team" composed of hackers and admins. (Ones with some real skills.) This team would install and administer free operating systems & software AND contribute to the projects as well. This, I believe, would yield a LOWER cost of ownership than using this Microsoft rubbish. The added advantages would be: enormous reduction in viruses and other compromises; custom features can be implemented; complete control over the system; no more fears of audits; easy and inexpensive compliance with license agreements (companies actually spend big dollars on license management software when using a lot of commercial software); many other benefits.
There are a lot of (angry) chief information officers out there," says Steven Steinbrecher, CIO for California's Contra Costa County.
Good. Maybe now, the damn suits will finally realize that it doesn't pay to spend a lot on buggy, crappy software, no matter how glossy the sales presentation is.
Other companies subscribing to Microsoft's "Open" or "Select" volume-licensing programs also complained about the change in licensing but requested anonymity. Several recounted similar stories about Microsoft pressuring them to upgrade Office versions more frequently. "They kept bringing up the BSA (Business Software Alliance) and insinuating about software audits," said one technology manager. "We got the message, all right: Upgrade to Office XP or else."
Maybe the Supreme Court should rule that Microsoft must change its name to Mafiasoft, to better reflect their business practices.
Unfortunately, Windows XP is starting to show some disturbing trends_namely, adding stuff that doesn't really need to be part of an operating system.
Really?! Gee, I didn't notice that the OS had a bunch of non-OS features! Why, even ITS always had a web browser built into the kernel!
Customer: I have a problem with Windows.
Me: Someday, you will learn that you can't win with Windows. Until then, may God save your soul.
Did anyone else get a M$ ad in the "hoists the black flag" article? Here I was reading about how Microsoft's monopolistic practices were making the world a horrible place and right in the center of the page is an ad touting Office XP's "Features you need, when you need them"
I find it rather humorous that you can't use microsoft software to create a webpage that disparages the company, but you can use their copyrighted promotional material (I am assuming M$ has copyrighted it's advertisments) on a site that does just that.
"Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos!"
Why should I bother to read all these agreements when:
1) They are printed to be intentionally difficult to read.
2) They are not intelligible to anyone not schooled in the twisted, mangled version of the English language they are written in.
3) I can't afford to pay a lawyer to interpret them for me every time.
4) I would probably still miss the sentence that negates all my rights.
Edward Burr
Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.
For desktop OSes? Besides Linux, there's also the Mac platform.
And with the Mac platform, you can keep using Office without the worry or threat of Microsoft dominance on the desktop OS influencing media distribution or gaming, though you may have to consider Apple's Quicktime...
I know, I know, some people don't *want* to switch desktops...
Then there's other Office products too...
GPL Deconstructed
1) It's a one-time cost versus an on-going cost
2) Users should not be creating access databases. Unless you have _really_ technical users, they should just keep that info in spreadsheets and not delude themselves into thinking that they are database developers.
3) Some technologies (such as PowerPoint) tend to limit productivity more than enhance it. This would be an excellent time to outlaw such programs.
4) You could begin simply by mandating StarOffice for all _new_ installations or any upgrades. Don't move anyone, don't even change OSes, just make new purchases go to StarOffice. Then, perhaps, you might do the same thing for Operating Systems. It doesn't have to be a single step.
Engineering and the Ultimate
This is great news. I've had a theory about the inevitable doom of Microsoft for some time now, and it seems to be holding up.
Let's look at the facts:
This creates an interesting dynamic. Microsoft needs to make more money, but they already have really fat margins and a monopoly. Solution? Charge their existing customers more money. Since consumers purchase according to a cost/benefit tally, Microsoft must convince consumers that the benefit of paying more money for upgrades outweighs the costs.
Inevitably, the continually increasing cost will outweigh the benefits. That's what you're seeing now. Windows 2000 is "good enough", and people just don't want to pay any more. Microsoft is trying to force people to upgrade, and people are starting to consider alternatives with a better cost/benefit ratio. End result? Linux and MacOS will thrive because they are more affordable alternatives. The Microsoft monopoly will eventually fade away and Unix will inherit the earth.
This
If Microsoft crashed and burned, the government could pick up the most significant source code during the bankruptcy sell-off and turn it over to the people.
...)
(... and there'd be free sex and ice cream for everyone
Ben "You have your mind on computers, it seems."
This sort of reminds me of the PBS evolution series. Dinosaurs rules the Earth, but there were small mammals at the same time. When conditions changed, the Dinos were no longer able to survive, but the mammals survived and eventually prospered.
If it wasn't clear Dinos==companies that rely too much on microsoft, mammals==companies that use free/open software.
JET Program: see Japan, meet intere
If you want to stop giving any penny to micro$oft before they take over the internet, take a look at all the companies you can boycott.
Some examples are NCompass, Commerce one, Audible, Corel, LinkExchange, Hitachi, Firefly, Dreamworks, Hotmail, WebTV, Realnames, Verisign, CompUSA, Keen, Radioshack, Expedia, Akamaï, Concentric, WebMD, Nextel, Portugal Telecom, Qwest, Apple, RealNetworks, Comcast, NBC, UUNET.
I also suggest that you read the 12 steps to stop using M$. Very thorough, a MUST.
Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are made stupid by education. Bertrand Russel
Good for you.
There is no media codec that 6.4 won't play that is handled by 7.1 or 8. MS would like you to think so.
Since I refuse to touch wma with a ten foot pole, about the only reason I can think of for even wanting to use MP 7.1 or 8 are 'skins'. Oh, and they have better playlist capabilities. Thank you, but I'll stick with the smaller, faster 6.4, especially since I watch all of my anime fansubs in fullscreen mode anyway.
The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
Uhhh... Wine?
I think there are still copies of Win4Lin floating around out there. But isn't it a little slow? I also understand that Connectix is making Virtual PC for Linux.
The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
\me Dons flame-resistant flash suit
Linux is not ready for the desktop (yet)
Until StarOffice is a viable replacement for Office (which it's not, although I have very high hopes for 6.0), Linux must be relagated to the realm of engineers and backoffice work. Still, that's a pretty good place to *start* if you ask me. But there's a problem: you want to have Linux (or *BSD; I'm no zealot) in the server room and slowly migrate it out to the desktops. But you might wind up breaking some things that people want. Like Exchange and Active Directory.
AFAIK, there is no "one-stop" replacement for Exchange like Apache is for IIS. If you're doing the whole "shared calendar and contacts" thing, I've yet to hear about something that can beat it. I've heard people say "Oh, just hack something together using LDAP" but that's not good enough. Corporate types want a "stable and proven solution", not something their geeks cranked out in the course of a month.
And while Netscape does have a Directory Service it isn't as "User Friendly" as AD is. As companies discover how useful a Directory service can be there will be more of a demand for them, but (again, AFAIK) only MS makes the service available to the Desktop user in a clean and consistent fashion.
So we need to both fix the desktop and the back office in order to beat MS. It's a hard task, and a lot to ask for, but I can't wait to see it done.
-- "I am disrespectful to dirt. Can you not see that I am serious!"
If you're really serious about helping Habitat For Humanity, find the local affiliate closest to you, and call them to offer your help in migrating away from Windows. I'd bet that they need people who'd to come in and do the work, not just talk about it...
Internet Explorer was unable to link to the Web page you requested. The page might use standard HTML or CSS.
This kind of head-in-the-sand response is exactly why making headway is so difficult. Tell that to a CEO and he'll say, "okay, thanks, buh-bye." It's a pointless response -- it's basically saying, "we can't fix it, so we'll just criticize how you run your company." It gets you nowhere.
Again, a response that will never work -- like saying, "we can't help, so just stop using that software." It won't happen. Happily in this case, I suspect that many developers use PowerPoint for presentations, so few would make such an inane suggestion to a CEO or CTO.
My Greasemonkey scripts for Digg &
You know I constantly see how Linux isn't a "viable" alternative, but no one can tell me why.
.doc files.
Most people in businesses use a PC to do very few things:
Read
Write documents.
Read/write email.
Browse the net.
Play music.
Fiddle with a spreadsheet program.
Maybe create a presentation.
Work with some accounting software.
Interface with a database or mainframe.
Etc.
Linux does all of the above just fine.
The only thing Linux doesn't do well is play games and you shouldn't be playing games at work anyway.
Been using Linux at work as a desktop OS for over 3 years. Most business would find they really can switch to Linux on the desktop once they take a good look at the apps they use to run their businesses.
Then once they factor in the costs, the increased stability and security, and the knowledge that no one can ever take Abiword, GnuCash, Gnumeric, etc away from them(they will always be free), Linux suddenly becomes a lot more attractive.
Most commercial programs already do this (with a shell script). The problem comes when you try to use a binary rpm on a system that is different from the one it's designed for. Source rpm's rarely have any problem. Neither do statically linked files.
I think I've also run into an executable that unpacked itself into a directory, and then ran a shell script to install itself. I can't remember whether or not I decided to trust it, so if I did it worked out ok.
Of course, a lot of times somebody makes a stupid assumption about what libraries are available, but do you really think that the equivalent never happens under windows? It's a bit less common, as commercial entities try to test their products, DOS routines tend to be single files, *.jar files are know by everybody to require the jre to be installed, etc. But it happens when you run a non-dos program from a hobbyist that doesn't have some automatic packaging utility installed. You may not notice it if you are running a compatible system. Or he may change the dlls on you, and some totally different program will stop working. It may be months before you notice, and when you do, how do you tell what the problem is?
I think a nice shell script around apt-get would be nice. Or some development of Red-Carpet that doesn't replace the logon files. (Well, more accurately, that doesn't allow a updating program to replace the logon files.) Or some development of Mandrake Updater. Or of Red Hat Up2date. Apt-get may be a better base, but others have been working in the same general area.
For that matter, even Corel Linux had a nice shell to wrap around apt-get. And that's most of what it takes to make it user friendly. That and a better classification scheme, so you can find what routine you need to start with.
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
I'd love to never deal with Windows ever again. I don't have that option as long as lots of *other* people keep using it, unless I want to shut myself off from the outside world and never work with others.
Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.
With the deprecation or removal of an API, they can put people out of business, or send companies into bankruptcy.
MSFT has already done that sort of thing already, at least with 3D rendering APIs, and of course, to Netscape.
Industry analysts acknowledge this sort of thing. Go here, and look for the Dan Kuznetsky quote:
.The old Software Publishers Association knew about it. They issued a white paper on the topic. Read pages 12 to 15 of that document for an older view of the problem.
Heh heh.
Many large retailers such as Best Buy will not accept a return of an opened product such as Windows XP because they believe that you probably took it home and burned it.
Do you like German cars?
Actually, telling people how they can use technology effectively IS what an IT department is supposed to be doing. If your users are using applications incorrectly, it is the CIO's fault for either a) buying software without adequate business reasons or b) not training users adequately on the software being purchased. If they can be trained to create real databases in Access, they can create them anywhere, even if the tools aren't as pretty.
It is also a consultant's/CIO's job to analyze what is costing a business money in terms of its practices. Most companies spend stupid amounts of money on needless PowerPoint presentations. Scott McNeily foudn 9Gigs of PowerPoint presentations on the server, and had PowerPoint abolished. The next 3 quarters were record-setting profit-wise. Not necessarily cause and effect, but it shows how much it drains productivity.
I'm not saying "screw the user", I'm saying "train the user properly or don't give them the tool".
Engineering and the Ultimate
I use the Zone Alarm personal firewall. Since streaming sucks, I've told Zone Alarm to not allow Media Player access to the network. No auto-updates for me.
That's one great reason to use Linux, or another Open Source OS.
Sure, you can do that. You'll be leaving behind a lot of media and content, though. Or do you know of a better media player (on ANY OS)?
python -c "x='python -c %sx=%s; print x%%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))%s'; print x%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))"
Let Microsoft price itself out of business if they want to.
Frankly, as a personal user of Windows, I can care less whether or not corporate users get sweetheart deals by buying in bulk. Hell, maybe if they paid the same price for Windows XX that I did each upgrade, then maybe the price for everyone else would be less. (then again, maybe not)
Sure Habitat for Humanity could take it in the shorts, but under the new pricing scheme (yeah, it's a scheme) they STILL will pay less than I do.
Here's an idea: Maybe I should incorporate in order to get a better deal out of M$...
144l. ph34r my 133t l3g4l 5k1lz!
here's an excerpt from the page:
Launch Period Extended
In response to customer requests, the Launch Period for the introduction of Microsoft's new Licensing 6.0 programs and Software Assurance, along with the availability of Upgrade Advantage, have been extended to February 28, 2002. Details include:
Open License 5.0 & 6.0 customers can enroll their non-current licenses in Software Assurance by purchasing the existing Upgrade Advantage (UA) offering before March 1, 2002.
Open License customers can obtain up to 2 years of UA coverage for that license when purchased under a new Open License authorization number.
Select License 5.0 customers can enroll their non-current licenses in Software Assurance by purchasing the existing Upgrade Advantage (UA) offering before March 1, 2002.
Select License customers can obtain up to 2 years of UA coverage for that license by signing a new Select License 5.0 agreement before October 1, 2001.
Open License and Select License customers will be able to enroll their installed base of current licenses, including Windows 2000 Professional, Office XP suites, the Windows 2000 Server family, and the .NET Enterprise Servers, through Software Assurance between October 1, 2001, and February 28, 2002.
Software Assurance and License & Software Assurance (L&SA) will be available beginning October 1, 2001 through the Open License and Select License programs, replacing the Version Upgrade (VUP), Product Upgrade (PUP), Competitive Upgrade (CUP), and Language Upgrade (LUP) license types.
Enterprise Agreement 6.0 and EA 6.0 Subscription for customers with at least 250 PCs will also be available starting October 1, 2001, and will automatically include the benefits of Software Assurance.
l ectLicense!!!!
EnterpriseAgreementSoftwareAssuranceOpenLicenseSe
Wow! I'm glade i'm not in charge of understanding this dribble!
-Jon
this is my sig.
Found this link in a ZDNet TalkBack forum, of all places. A down-and-dirty expose of the real truths (they claim) behind the entire Microsoft history. Includes a long list of everyone who's sued M$, etc. Very enlightening...
Anyone that doubts Microsoft's coding abilities should check out this book.
*hint of sarcasm*
I pledge allegiance to the flag...
of the Corporate States of America...
It's clearly the responsibility of the govt to ensure a healthy marketplace. One way it can do this is with breaking up monopolies when they become abusive.
As for your whack-a-mole analogy it makes no sense. It's inevitable that in a free market economy one company will win. It will dominate and crush all other companies and form a monopoly which will then turn around squeeze the customers who have no choice. This is a natural byproduct of any free enterprise environment. If the govt does not whack that mole the mole will harm the consumer.
To claim that you should not quash monopolies because other ones will re-appear is to claim that you should not put out fires because other beuildings will burn too. Or that you should not arrest criminals because more criminals will pop up.
Everything has consequences. Fixing things have consequences just as not fixing them has consequences. I am sure you are not advocating sitting on your ass and not doing anything because what you do might have unintended consequences are you?
War is necrophilia.
They will stop you like they stop all their other competitors.
1) They make their customers agree to not buy anything from you. If their customers buy anything from you they lose the ability to buy MS products.
2) They get patents on stuff you make and sue you thereby bankrupting you.
3) They make whatever you make and give it away for free, not only that but they make everybody who has any MS product take that product as well.
4) They file frivolous suits against you and bankrupt you.
5) They lobby legislature to make what you are doing illegal.
6) They simply kill you (via third parties of course). If none of the above work I am sure you could die in an unfortunate accident of some sort.
War is necrophilia.
In the ZDNet article:
along comes a new one that substantially outperforms what went before
What the hell has he been smoking? I want some!
Washington, DC: It's like Hollywood for ugly people.
Female Prison Rape in NY
Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. The "saying something is wrong is wrong" argument cannot even be taken seriously because it disappears up its own ass in a puff of contradiction.
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old way;
give a way os/software w/'puter, sell upgrade for $49.95, crash 'puter & corrupt files reload os/software+each update repeat until digusted then buy full version for $249.95!
new way;
- use passport on the web for ID,
- use Hailstorm for rights management of content,
- use reader to get EULA rights to disable any software on users 'puter,
- push idea of software as service,
- use Hailstorm/.NET to regulale rights to software,
now everyone has to rent software result constantrevenue stream, automaticaly deducted from your credit card/checking account. It's slowly getting to the point where MS software won't work unless your connected to the net, a lot of features are gone without a net connection in place. Soon MS won't work period without being connected;
I read infrastucture a internet connection to microsoft, the computer is the net after all. how else are you going to start the clock running? This way they will have a constant way of checking for valid licenses all ready they are bullying business users into purchasing MS licenses rather than using existing OEM licenses, performing "software license audits' on premises ect. (what happens when the liceince for a product for which you have a competative upgrad for expires?) OEM licienses are a dead end for them, why should a home user upgrade machines when they are so powerfull that they are basicaly a one-time purchase now? No go after businesses with licienses and use rights management to identify targets. Just like drugs, the price goes up after you are addicted.
Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
last year she was afraid to even touch a computer.
There really isn't a lot of admisitering that has to be done more than once tha's any harder the in Widows. More and more hardware just jumps in, even stuf I couldn't get running in winows 95A.
In short unless your trying to do something exotic, Linux is just a little different, and a lot of times a lot easier. Ther's no reason to be afraid of being a newby anymore. The ability to realy destroy a Linux machine is alot harder to come by than the ability to destroy a windows machine.
Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
Ah, but it's not that simple, either. For a start, according to an article in a trade magazine last month (Computing Weekly in the UK, if memory serves), the figure is measured in 100s of % (this based on a survey of those making the purchasing decisions). That's a little more than the 10-20% you mentioned! Further, there is no guarantee whatsoever that this will not change adversely once you're locked in.
If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
Absolutely. I'm a Windows developer who has been in the process of switching religions for the last six months. My biggest beef with the OSS world is the incredibly poor documentation. Sometimes I get the impression that no one in the OSS world knows how to properly document software.
If you want an example of how to do things right, look at MSDN and learn from them. The biggest problem is the lack of sample code and commands.
Don't tell me in general terms "to do this, you have to do this, this, and this". Provide sample code so I can see exactly what you mean. If I can't just cut and paste the command and do some minor editing for my specific circumstance, you're not finished documenting, friends.
And don't give me any horseshit arguments about how you're so elite you don't need sample code. It's not about dick measuring, it's about wasting time. Maybe your time isn't valuable to you, but mine is, and I don't need to spend half an hour fucking around with various permutations of syntax just because you couldn't spend one minute to add a line of a sample code to your document.
It more like the other way around, trading mules for automobiles. The limits closed source propriatory software place on modification and interoperability make M$ junk difficult to use and expire without offspring.
Everyday, I run into yet another roadblock trying to work with this trash. Today's massive pain is a scheduling program that is not reflected in people's calenders! GRRRR! Massive amounts of work are wasted as each and every member of this company has to manually update their calenders while work schedules change. In a free world, the programs would have been modified to talk to each other. Other pains of NT include drivers that MS refuses to port back, an crippled single screen GUI, inconsistent interface, and complete lack of privacy and security.
The damb is broken, and MS can't do a thing about it. They've had ten years to make things work and failed. Their greed has frustrated users, vendors and developers. Viable and free alternatives are available, it's only a matter of time before the tricle becomes a flood and MS is forced to compete.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
It you think that's frustrating, just try getting a USB device to work under NT. Or try making Outlook interoperate with anything custom and in house. Or try to maintian VB junk. Or, you get the picture. When you don't have source the problem has no solution.
You have exadurated Debian problems. I have yet to have any of the kind you refer to, and I've never run into a problem that could not be fixed.
GNORPM is pretty close to point and click. Web find still works great. Debian's dselect seems to work better, however.
It's only going to get better. The more the merrier! I'm looking forward to great patches contributed by "The Cat".
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
Well, when you consider that their Office Suite monopoly is just as strong, or possibly even stronger than their desktop OS monopoly, getting out from under just one of them isn't that great of a solution. Until other office suites can read and write MS Office files, MS has a strangelhold on business data. The alternative of converting to a different format would be extremely expensive. Thus Microsoft gets to keep raising prices and business has to keep paying only because it would be even more expensive to switch than to upgrade.
It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds. - Captain Hammer