Slashdot Mirror


Updated Slashdot Advertising Policy

In response to increased advertiser demand, we have decided that we will post one story a day paid for directly by our advertisers. These paid "Slashvertisements" will appear daily amidst the normal stories you read here. Our first Slashvertisement is for our sister site, ThinkGeek , stuff for smart masses. From Linus' Autobiography to 42" Plasma Screens and Caffeine Products Galore, ThinkGeek has everything you need, except love. But enough of their gift certificates could bribe your way to that too! And check out their current exciting specials!. Also at the request of our advertisers, anonymous posting has been disabled. If you are interested in reaching quality demographics using Slashvertisements for your company, or just have questions about the new ad policy, email Hemos.

40 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. First Slashvertisement! (by Microsoft) by roguerez · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's have a close look at the costs involved when running a Linux system.

    An important factor in Linux' cost is its maintenance. Linux requires a *lot* of maintenance, work doable only by the relatively few high-paid Linux administrators that put themselves - of course willingly - at a great place in the market. Linux seems to be needing maintenance continuously, to keep it from breaking down.

    Add to this the cost of loss of data. Linux' native file system, EXT2FS, is known to lose data like a firehose spouts water when the file system isn't unmounted properly. Other unix file systems are much more tolerant towards unexpected crashes. An example is the FreeBSD file system, which with soft updates enabled, performance-wise blows EXT2FS out of the water, and doesn't have the negative drawback of extreme data loss in case of a system breakdown.

    According to Linux advocates, an alternative to EXT2FS would be ReiserFS. Unfortunately, ReiserFS is still in beta stage. This means it is not intended for production use (although according to many Linux advocates this shouldn't be a problem, which makes me wonder how (little) valuable they find your data).

    The other proposed 'solution', EXT3FS, is nothing more than an ugly hack to put journaling into the file system. All the drawbacks of the ancient EXT2FS file system remain in EXT3FS, for the sake of 'forward- and backward compatibility'. This is interesting, considering that the DOS heritage in the Windows 9x/ME series was considered a very bad thing by the Linux community, even though it provided what could be called one of the best examples of compatibility, ever. When it's about Linux, compatibility constraints don't seem to be that much of a problem for Linux advocates.

    Back to Linux' cost. Factor in also the fact that crashes happen much more often on Linux than on other unices. On other unices, crashes usually are caused by external sources like power outages. Crashes in Linux are a regular thing, and nobody seems to know what causes them, internally. Linux advocates try to hide this fact by denying crashes ever happen. Instead, they have frequent "hardware problems".

    The steep learning curve compared to about any other operating system out there is a major factor in Linux' cost. The system is a mix of features from all kinds of unices, but not one of them is implemented right. A Linux user has to live with badly coded tools which have low performance, mangle data seemingly at random and are not in line with their specification. On top of that a lot of them spit out the most childish and unprofessional messages, indicating that they were created by 14-year olds with too much time, no talent and a bad attitude.

    I could go on and on and on, but the conclusion is clear. Linux is not an option for any one who seeks a professional OS with high performance, scalability, stability, adherence to standards, etc.

  2. Enough with the April Fools already by adamwright · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Please, please stop! :)

    1. Re:Enough with the April Fools already by aozilla · · Score: 5, Funny

      Subscribe. Subscribers aren't forced to see the April Fools' jokes.

      --
      ok then your [sic] infringing on my copyright! Could you as [sic] me next time before STEALING my comments for your own?
    2. Re:Enough with the April Fools already by Pxtl · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Do you get the feeling that this is kinda like *them* trolling *us*? Wierd.

  3. WHAT THE FUCK? by kypper · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anonymous posting has been disabled due to advertiser's request? Are you insane?!?

    Part of the beauty of slashdot is the ability to post your view without getting lambasted for it. I'm not a 'fp!' or 'you're a retard, Taco' kind of AC when I do, but sometimes I think things need to be said without my name attached.

    Oh, and I guess you can't bash corporations anymore like you did. What's next, eliminating any poster who isn't in keeping with the various advertisers? God, shut slashdot down before subjecting it to this.

    1. Re:WHAT THE FUCK? by cruelworld · · Score: 4, Funny

      And in other news both Duke Nukem Forever and Diakatana 2 have been released today!!!

      What are the odds?

    2. Re:WHAT THE FUCK? by PM4RK5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Happy april fools day, everybody. Even though anonymous posting has been disabled today (as I see right now), I'd put money this is just a joke.

      Just my two cents.

    3. Re:WHAT THE FUCK? by nebby · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You have no right to anonymity. That's the funniest April Fools Joke yet!

      --
      --
    4. Re:WHAT THE FUCK? by Alien54 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Slash is probably due to be purchased by Fucked Company, who has received additional money from investors, as seen in this report on Yahoo.

      --
      "It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
    5. Re:WHAT THE FUCK? by jgerman · · Score: 3, Funny

      I forget how much fun it is every year to see newbies post outrageously on the April Fools articles.

      --
      I'm the big fish in the big pond bitch.
    6. Re:WHAT THE FUCK? by 1155 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "never joke about our rights."

      Slashdot was never a right. It's more of a privelage of your isp's connection.

  4. Jon Katz... by smagruder · · Score: 4, Funny

    will have a field day with this. And he'll actually believe this and all the other stories today.

    Watch out for his upcoming corporatism-gone-amok rant.

    --
    Steve Magruder, Metro Foodist
  5. The sad thing is... by wiredog · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It's believeable. If this had been posted tomorrow, or yesterday, rather than today, would anyone have been surprised?

    If you get DDJ, read the Swaine's Flames column on Slashdot's New Business Model.

  6. Re:Slashvertisements... will they be flagged as su by caferace · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...will this be left to the wits of the /. reader?

    You've shown how this wouldn't matter anyway. .

    Happy 4/1. :)

  7. The last castle has fallen by El_Smack · · Score: 5, Funny

    And I thought I was safe from ever reading the words "Feminine Itching" on /.

    Well, it was a good ride while it lasted. :)

    --


    There are 01 kinds of cars in the world. The General Lee, and everything else.
    1. Re:The last castle has fallen by augros · · Score: 3, Funny

      well thank gosh for april 1st. but because of your post i DID read the words "feminine itching" on /. and i am not taking it lightly.

  8. Thank God by slyfox · · Score: 5, Funny

    About time we had real ads, not these wimpy little banner ads and stuff. Go Slashdot!

    Oh, uh, April 1st? Nevermind.

  9. Yeah, right by sab39 · · Score: 3, Funny

    If *I* was slashdot and planning on implementing a major and obviously controversial new policy, I don't think I'd pick April 1st as the day to roll it out ;)

    The question will be, how many poor suckers will swallow the bait :)

    Stuart.

  10. now this would have been funny if... by 1g$man · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...it were a Microsoft advertisement.

  11. No love by notCNE · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Something tells me that Hemos is going to be wondering where the big influx of flamemail came from.

    --

    Christopher N Emmick
    A good man, a better nerd.
    1. Re:No love by CmdrTaco · · Score: 5, Funny

      Especially considering Hemos is in Japan this week, and probably sleeping right now!

      --
      Pants are still optional, but recommended for you.
  12. Ahh, such a wonderful day! by RavenDarkholme · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ahh, the joys of April 1 on Slashdot: where the stories ARE the trolls! Nice one guys. heheh

    I do have to feel sorry for Hemos, though: hopefully his spam filter is on full-blast to catch the flak from this story. Wonder how he's going to pay CmdrTaco back? Perhaps with a story about selling Karma points with CmdrTaco's email address as the contact? :-)

    1. Re:Ahh, such a wonderful day! by sulli · · Score: 3, Funny
      April 1 on Slashdot: where the stories ARE the trolls!

      .. and this is different from the norm how? :-)

      --

      sulli
      RTFJ.
  13. That's not all! by kypper · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bush signed the Kyoto Agreement and is personally pleging 20 thousand to the wildlife federation in Alaska

  14. I'm amused by Lord+Omlette · · Score: 5, Funny

    but I can't tell what I'm more amused by!

    1. The anonymous button really is missing.
    2. CmdrTaco posted Hemos' email so that's where all the flames will go.
    3. Anticipating how Hemos will get back @ CmdrTaco. (Note to Hemos: don't disappoint your loyal fans!)

    --
    [o]_O
  15. This is a new policy? by duffbeer703 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm shocked. I thought slashdot has been doing this for ages.

    --
    Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
    1. Re:This is a new policy? by PlaysWithMatches · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'm shocked. I thought slashdot has been doing this for ages.

      Where on earth would you get that idea?
      --

      Mozilla's a nice operating system, but it needs a better browser.
  16. Stop... no.... by Lethyos · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's the worst Slash-dot
    day of the year!
    With geeks belly-aching
    and everyone telling you
    "a-hundred to one!"
    It's the worst Slash-dot
    day of the year!

    There'll crapping and trolling
    With dumb jokes a-flowing
    And avian-I-P!
    With a thousand and one posts
    Reminding our hosts
    It's 'oh four 'oh one!

    It's the worst Slash-dot
    Day of the year!
    You'll think we're in hell
    When you can't really tell
    You gulliable nerd!
    It's the worst Slash-dot
    Day of the year!

    --
    Why bother.
  17. Re:Crying Wolf by sphealey · · Score: 3, Insightful
    After having to figure out which stories are real and which stories are April Fool's jokes in my half asleep state, I must say this one has me confused. If it's real, then April Fool's day isn't the best time to post it. If it's a joke then "ha ha".
    None of the A.F. jokes this year are very good in and of themselves, but the way they are being scattered among the real stories is a masterful job of creating confusion. For example, I know that there actually are super-toilets in Japan as described in the story below, but is the submitted story real or fake? Hard to tell; hard to tell.

    sPh

  18. Slashvertisements - An Unmitigated success! by hillct · · Score: 5, Funny

    Posted by CmdrTaco on Monday April 02, @11:13AM
    from the tightening-our-belts dept.

    Well, folks, it started as an April fools joke, but we got such a positive response by companies such as Microsoft, eeger to spread FUD throughout the slashdot community, that we have decided to implement this new advertising strategy imediately. Thank you for your cooperation. Any converns should be addressed to me directly.

    --CmdrTaco

    --

    --Got Lists? | Top 95 Star Wars Line
  19. Posted By an Anonymous Coward by 9633 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Really now cmdrtaco. You guys have taken this April 1st thing too far.

  20. No Love? by "Zow" · · Score: 5, Funny
    ThinkGeek has everything you need, except love.

    Does that mean they've stopped selling "Sandra: The tech support doll"?

    1. Re:No Love? by sharkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yep. Taco is getting married. Kathleen found out that he was personally performing "Quality Assurance Testing" on each Sandra sold, and pressured ThinkGeek to stop selling that sort of merchandise.

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  21. Re:Come one come all! by Pxtl · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can see it now: a new deal - 100 mod points, $100 - protect your interests and your articles! Yes, here at Craaaazzzzzzyyyy Taco's, everything must go, go, go!!

    And if you become our sponsor right now you'll get this fabulous one time only special bonus, auto-unmoddable-fp's for a month!!!

    Yes, come to Slashdotland and memebomb the geeks!

    Slashdot: Stuff for sale. Stuff that's modded.

  22. Good Way To Test A Big What-if... by GeekLife.com · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They've been thinking about trying the no-AC idea for awhile now...What better way to test it out than to put it in as a big joke on 4/1?

    No one can justifiably get mad, but they still get to test out if there are less posts, view the overall quality of posts, and generally assess the pros and cons of the idea.

  23. No love? by mutende · · Score: 3, Funny
    ThinkGeek has everything you need, except love.

    Thus spake Paul:

    If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

    There you go...

    --
    Unselfish actions pay back better
  24. Re:at least you can tell what the infomercials are by Ford+Fulkerson · · Score: 5, Funny

    You will easily be able to spot the ads because the ads don't have spelling mistakes in them.

    --

    Somewhere in the heavens... they are waiting.
  25. Oh please oh please oh please by Our+Man+In+Redmond · · Score: 4, Funny

    seeing as how I have moderator points today, can I moderate this

    mod minus one
    for you this time --
    no sense of rhythm
    and no sense of rhyme

    Oh wait, I just posted to this thread, never mind.

    --
    Someone you trust is one of us.
  26. Not entirely bad, but not good either by ColGraff · · Score: 4, Funny

    Questions: Will we be able to post comments in slashvertisements as with normal news stories? Will they be clearly marked as ads? If so, they could actually be sort of fun - we could post rebuttals to the ads, make jokes about them, etc. The only problem would be if the editors modded down such posts in order to unfairly present the impression that slashdotters all love the product being advertised.

    I have to say, I'm not going to miss the anonymous cowards. The only thing that troubles me, though, is that they are not being banned to make slashdot better. They are being banned because the advertisers want to see - probably - who is saying what, so they can market to them better.

    Are the new changes going to keep me from reading slashdot? No, of course not - but I can't avoid thinking we're losing a little bit of specialness here.

    One last thought: if the advertisers are paying to post stories, might they also pay to keep stories about why their products are bad from being posted? And will Taco say no to that?

    --
    I'm the stranger...posting to /.
  27. Oh. My. God. by alexburke · · Score: 3

    In response to increased advertiser demand, we have decided that we will post one story a day paid for directly by our advertisers. These paid "Slashvertisements" will appear daily amidst the normal stories you read here.

    Hmm. Okay, maybe I can handle this.

    Our first Slashvertisement is for our sister site, ThinkGeek , stuff for smart masses. From Linus' Autobiography to 42" Plasma Screens and Caffeine Products Galore, ThinkGeek has everything you need, except love. But enough of their gift certificates could bribe your way to that too! And check out their current exciting specials!.

    Come on. Don't just paste the ad copy into the story. Make it sound interesting.

    Also at the request of our advertisers, anonymous posting has been disabled.

    Okay, that's bullshit. Slashdot is NOT Slashdot without ACs and the ability to post anonymously. Lots of good information has been posted anonymously, including people posting information we find really interesting that could cost them their job.

    If you are interested in reaching quality demographics using Slashvertisements for your company, or just have questions about the new ad policy, email Hemos.

    Slashdot has now completely sold out. Period.

    No ACs, and advertisements mixed in with real articles. Without even so much as an "Advertisement" icon (or, therefore, a way to filter them out).

    Rusty, I'm coming back. Sorry for ever doubting you.