Slashdot Mirror
More Looks At Far-Off 'Longhorn'
b17bmbr writes "According to eWeek, the first builds are out, with an SDK. The Register notes: 'Microsoft builds leak regularly, Microsoft knows this, and Microsoft knows that the wider the distribution of the software, the faster it's going to spread all over the internet...The timing is impressive for an alpha build of a product that is not scheduled to hit the streets for another two years, and which could quite easily stretch to three.' Methinks this is just vaporware." And Cleverone writes "Several days before PDC 03' attendees will obtain their copy, screenshots of the new build have already made their way to the net. For those inquisitive few, the build stamp is 6.0.4051.0."
It's Windows XP, but with an obnoxiously larger clock and sidebar! Great! /me predicts the biggest flop since Win ME.
Since when has this country used intellectual elite as a pejorative term?
There *is* a Linux tax - it's called TIME; as in time to dick around with stuff that should "Just Work."
The "Palladium" Digital Restrictions Management scheme will have *nothing* to do with preventing viruses, worms, and especially not spyware, adware or any other corporate-sponsored malware. No, this is for Don Jack Valenti (who seems to be on the verge of abdicating for his "made man" Billy Tauzin) and whoever's running the RIAA this week. The authors of spyware and adware are certainly able to afford the super-spiffy certificate to allow it to run. And most people who will be running Longhorn will probably let someone's self-signed pseudo-certificate slide too, so the writers of the Longhorn-era Melissas and I Love Yous and SoBigs will have nothing to fear.
What "Palladium" *will* do is prevent you from all the little nasty things that the BSA, RIAA and MPAA want to bust you for. Like "stealing" music (the RIAA could give you a master class in how to steal music, they've been doing it to musicians since the Jazz era) and swapping fansubs and warez and whatever other digital contraband people pass each other. "Palladium" will also probably make matters difficult for legit file swapping and legit home-production of music/movies. Yes, it does exist.
"Palladium" will probably also make it harder to do backups and restores of your data, too. You might have to vet a restore of your data by a Microsoft nanny before they let you have access to it again. Who the hell knows what else.
But don't be confused: this is not for you. Microsoft cares not a whit about end users unless they are Fortune 500 corporations.
Considering how much improvement has been going on with Linux on the desktop, and even MS apologists will have to admit that we've gone way beyond the days of fwvm. KDE and GNOME are both very, very usable and are being continuously improved. Maybe when Longhorn finally arrives it will basically be irrelevant. One can only hope.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
Well I am a newbie Apple OSX/G5 owner...
Checking the site (IE screenshot) with Apple Safari (Basically Apple/KDE joint browser) I got shocked...
Check that page... http://www.apple.com/safari/
They stole whole simple GUI (just 2-3 buttons) concept...
You my friend are a spineless ass whore.
Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.