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Windows XP Embedded
Embedded Geek writes: "Embedded Systems Programming has a piece
about Microsoft organizing its employees to advocate their embedded products in online newsgroups (part of "a new culture at Microsoft" making "an effort to shed the company's reputation as an incommunicative giant.") This is coordinated with Microsoft's launch of Windows XP Embedded at their Embedded Developers' Conference (the countdown clock on their homepage says Wednesday but the launch party is Thursday)." News.com notes that this will be used in slot machines and ATMs. Insert obligatory free-money joke.
Wanted: Internet browser. Microsoft is seeking qualified and motivated individuals to browse the net and read Usenet news. Must possess abilities with WWW and NNTP technologies as well as verbal and written communication skills.
Hell, I know some people who would probably jump at the opportunity to browse the net and get paid for it. (Well, at least have it as part of their job description. :) )
QNX's outdated monolithic kernel cannot compare with the colorForth-based microkernel architecture used in embedded XP.
QNX might have more marketing dollars than Microsoft, but the better product will win eventually.
Wait a minute - NNTP isn't a Microsoft protocol. Surely there must be some mistake here?
Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and
At least five times a week, I see some sort of windows based kiosk type device screwing up.
Recently:
The information terminals at MCI Center (they have never worked properly, to my knowledge- they are always off, talkatively crashed, or frozen.)
Newer Allfirst ATMs (which all use Windows 2000.)
The terminals at the Baltimore Convention Center (the OS keeps forgetting it has a touchscreen, oops.)
If I know what's running on something, that generally means I've seen it crash! The only Linux-based device I saw having problems was a group of web terminals at a New Jersey Turnpike rest area. But they were in a pretty deplorable state from all points, and those were just glorified PCs anyway (one was reporting a keyboard failure at the BIOS, no surprise since it seemed that someone had heavily worked it over with an ice pick)
What we call folk wisdom is often no more than a kind of expedient stupidity.-Edward Abbey
Why do you want to support microsoft's corperate policy of monopoly maintainence and slowed innovation. They've stated that the best way to control your business environment is to dictate the pace of innovation (both slower and faster).
I mean you seem like a nice guy, but you do realize that Microsoft want's to control software universe and be the gateway to your wallet, dont you? Do they really need your help? You seem like a bright guy.
People say you have to separate the company from the employees - that MS has really nice, bright employees. I think you can say that the employees who avidly support Microsoft's world-domination strategy (Ok, maybe the janitors in redmond dont quite grasp that point) should maybe be held responsable (ethically) for their complicity in it. I pray (wish, hope) that MS will fail in their global domination strategy. And I hope talented people dont further their evil ways.
there is one ATM network for all banks, managed by an independent group. They are all in color, and some talk and everything. They all used to run OS/2, and there was never a problem, but now they've switched to NT.
Boy, you wouldn't believe the things I've seen popping up on the screen. Everything from "driver failed to load" from "multimedia is on, press ok to continue"! hehehehehe! (how do you press ok on an ATM?)
Oh, and, of course, blue-screens galore!
Next thing you know, the money comes out before you even put in the card...
shana
Heck neither have I (We usually call 'em ATMs on the Western side of the Big Swamp). But I have seen plenty of BSODed flight info displays at airports and other places.
Hmm... I wonder. I've seen a few photos of prominent BSOD displays pop up from time to time (here and on other web sites). Anyone know of a web site that specializes in those? Could be good for a laugh.
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