Slashdot Mirror
W3C Seeks Feedback on VoiceXML
jdaly writes: "Today, W3C announced that VoiceXML 2.0 has been issued as a first public Working Draft. Press materials went across various wire services. Rather than send simply a press release here, W3C would like to give more specific information of interest to Slashdot readers. Of note is a section from the "Status of the document" section of VoiceXML 2.0 draft:
"This document seeks Member and public comment on both the technical design and the patent licensing issues arising out of the disclosure and licensing statements that have been made. Our decision to publish this first public working draft has been made to secure early comments from the community, but does not imply that all questions of patent licensing have been resolved or clarified. They must be resolved or work on this document in W3C will stop.
As things stand at the time of publication of this specification, implementations conforming to this specification may require royalty bearing licenses for essential IPR. Further information can be found in the patent disclosures page. The patent policy for W3C as a whole is under wide discussion. A set of commitments by all participants in the Voice Browser Activity to royalty free is a possibility for the future but has NOT been made at time of publication."
As IPR issues are important to Slashdot readers, we are striving to make this information available to them as soon as possible. W3C strongly encourages those with an interest in this specification to consider using the comment list, www-voice@w3.org, which is archived. There is no deadline for comments on a first public Working Draft.
Regards, Janet Daly, W3C"
Linux, Macintosh Or Windows?
Stability is critical in an OS. Stability is what ensures your computer will be working when you need it to work, vs. having to pay for a technician to come in and fix it. Based on my experiences with all three platforms, Windows is by far the most stable platform, with Macintosh ranking just behind and little known BSD following in third. I would say that Linux might be the next most stable OS after Windows, MacOS, and BSD.
This ranking alters slightly when considering the hardware layer. Inherently the most stable OS, Windows is still new and is not compatible with all the hardware available. The manufacturer of Macintosh - Apple - owns, designs and builds its own computers. This makes them inherently the most stable in the long run. Compare this to Linux, which just handles the software. It is the hardware manufacturers' and other software programmers' responsibility to make the Linux platform stable.
Unfortunately, because there are so many programmers trying to make the program stable from their own vantage point, Linux is an unstable OS. The best example I can come up with is having 1,000 plumbing companies come in and plumb a different part of a new house. Each company has its own way of doing things and the pipes, fittings or fixtures may just not work together smoothly. In the end, the owner might have a bunch of leaks. This is definitely a good way to describe what will happen with Linux.
The ease of use winner is the Windows, hands down. The reason I say this is the amount of time I have to take explaining something to someone on each platform. Windows is made to be easy and friendly. Macintosh follows in second and Linux is a distant third. The reason for Linux being so far behind is that it is UNIX-based. To install programs in Linux, you have to drop out into the command environment and type in arcane UNIX-based commands. Another good indicator of ease of use lies in networking PCs together. Linux, again, requires in-depth understanding, while Macintosh takes some understanding, and Windows takes the least. In the end, I can put a Windows PC on a network in about 10 minutes, while a Macintosh may take 30 minutes and a Linux box would take at least one to two hours.
Software and hardware availability is the actual crux of the issue. Again, let's go back to the OS layer. Because each OS speaks its own language, software programs that have been designed for one OS will not work on another. A program made for Linux, for example, will not work on a Windows-based PC (no big loss: I was unable to find anyLinux-based application that I would want to run that didn't have a better Windows alternative).
Now, there are plenty of "ported" software titles available. A ported software program is one that was made on one platform and then translated for use on another. Ported programs allow us to use documents created in a program on one platform with the same program on another platform. Here is an interesting tidbit: Microsoft Word was originally developed for the Macintosh and subsequently ported for use on DOS and then Windows.
Back to the primary issue of hardware/software availability. Windows wins this one hands down because of the sheer number of software titles available, with the Macintosh coming in second. The Mac lacks the specialty software titles, but it has equivalent hardware availability. Linux is a distant third. Linux hasn't been recognized by the major hardware/software vendors, due to it's "hobbist OS" background. That recognition would help by driving major corporations to port their programs and hardware over to the Linux platform. Currently, software and hardware corporations just don't want to waste their time on an operating system that is quickly being forgotten about.
In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women!-H.Simpson
Crisp
"Core overlay!" - Vic
Who cares about that? There's more important news: IBM is running commericals for Linux!
Download an mpeg at this address and read a great article about it here. It really is a terrific and funny commercial.
Sure, it sucks that i have to post this as a comment, but Slashdot won't accept the submission. So mod me up -- i'm not being a karma whore; i'm at 50 already. I just want to get the word out.
--
Mod up a post Rob doesn't like and you'll never mod again
what does a penis bird look like exactly? And is the penis hooked?