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Why Microsoft Should Fear Bandwidth

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the something-to-think-about dept.

Mike writes "Microsoft should fear increasing bandwidth to the consumer more than any other single factor as a threat to their monopoly. The average user has no desire to be the sysadmin of their machine(s), and telcos and cable companies would be glad to take this task from them -- for a nominal fee, of course, as application service providers. The PC as we know it probably only has a decade or so left."

12 of 605 comments (clear)

  1. first! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    first!

    1. Re:first! by repruhsent · · Score: -1, Troll

      # Please try to keep posts on topic.
      # Try to reply to other people's comments instead of starting new threads.
      # Read other people's messages before posting your own to avoid simply duplicating what has already been said.
      # Use a clear subject that describes what your message is about.
      # Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated. (You can read everything, even moderated posts, by adjusting your threshold on the User Preferences Page)

      abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

      Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday January 02, @11:10AM
      from the something-to-think-about dept.
      Mike writes "Microsoft should fear increasing bandwidth to the consumer more than any other single factor as a threat to their monopoly. The average user has no desire to be the sysadmin of their machine(s), and telcos and cable companies would be glad to take this task from them -- for a nominal fee, of course, as application service providers. The PC as we know it probably only has a decade or so left."

      ( Read More... | 7 comments )
      The Care and Feeding of Open Source Software
      Software
      Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday January 02, @10:21AM
      from the something-to-read dept.
      An anonymous reader writes "You might find The Care and Feeding of FOSS (Free Open Source Software) interesting. This article debunks a lot of the myths and misunderstandings about the open-source software development process."

      ( Read More... | 23 comments )
      Games: Carmack Discusses Delay of Q3A Source
      First Person Shooters (Games)
      Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday January 02, @09:24AM
      from the hate-when-that-happens dept.
      Time Doctor writes "John Carmack moved to a blog format, and updates everyone with his thoughts on graphics and why licensing delays the (still) inevitable Quake 3: Arena source, when it was expected before the end of 2004."

      ( Read More... | 79 comments | games.slashdot.org )
      Linux: Debian 3.0r4 Released
      Debian
      Posted by michael on Sunday January 02, @08:11AM
      from the it's-better-with-debian dept.
      SeaFox writes "The Debian group has released an update to the 'Woody' distribution of the popular Linux/GNU OS. From the site: 'This is the fourth update of Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 (codename woody) which mainly adds security updates to the stable release, along with a few corrections to serious problems. Those who frequently update from security.debian.org won't have to update many packages and most updates from security.debian.org are included in this update.' But the question on everyone's mind is probably when the current Testing branch, featuring much more up-to-date packages, will be named the new stable release."

      ( Read More... | 82 comments | linux.slashdot.org )
      Comparing Codecs for 2004
      Graphics
      Posted by michael on Sunday January 02, @05:02AM
      from the CGA-is-all-anyone-should-ever-need dept.
      MunchMunch writes "Popular encoding/guide/news site doom9.org has just put up its codec shoot-out for 2004, comparing 3ivx 5.0, Divx Fusion 5.9 (prerelease 6.0), Nero Digital Main Profile and High Profile, RealVideo 10, On2 VP6, VideoSoft's VSS, Xvid 1.0, MS's WMV9 and, last, newcomer Jomingo's HDX4. The comparison covers the speed, accuracy, target-file-size-adherence and other aspects of the codecs -- but also lets you compare yourself via high- and low-bandwidth framegrabs of each codec with a nice zoomable image-swap script."

      ( Read More... | 111 comments )
      Science: Cassini Shows Close Up of Iapetus
      Space
      Posted by michael on Sunday January 02, @02:02AM
      from the looks-rocky dept.
      dazza101 writes "The Cassini spacecraft passed within 72,000 kms of the Saturn moon Iapetus yesterday, taking a series of spectacular images of this intriguing moons rugged surface. An excellent prelude to what promises to be one of the major stories of the new year, the plunge of the Huygens probe into Titan's atmosphere on January 24."

      ( Read More... | 115 comments | science.slashdot.org )
      Inside the Shadow Internet
      Softwa

    2. Re:first! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Just die... seriously! Just go ahead and kill yourself like a man! Here, someone even made a guide for you! http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=ma nly_suicide

  2. Hey Taco, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Slashdot sucks.

  3. a blog entry?! by kennedy · · Score: 0, Troll

    so now a gay-ass blog entry will get you on the front pge of slashdot?!

    these are dark days.

  4. Why Doesn't Slashdot... by the_mad_poster · · Score: 0, Troll

    ... fear astroturfing retards?

    --
    Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!
  5. Re:I'll believe it.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Hooray, computers for retards!

    Hopefully they designate a small area of the internet for these people as well, so they can stop plaguing us.

    Say what you will about AOL, but at least it kept most of the morons in a little corral.

  6. Re:I'll believe it.... by deesine · · Score: -1, Troll

    They'll need much more than just "a small area of the internet for these people". The "retards" are still the majority of computer users. You should get out more often.

    --
    damaged by dogma
  7. Enter The Matrix by PyrotekNX · · Score: 0, Troll

    Let's face it folks, big companies are running scared over the organization of the internet. It brings content of all sources, it links millions of people together that wouldn't know each other in any other circumstance.

    This free society is something that the megacorporations can't stand. The reason, it breaks up their monopoly.

    Billions of dollars a year are spent to keep us (the proles) entertained (I use that term loosely). The internet is the perfect place for independant authors, musicians, artists, and the average person to share their ideas.

    These are the same companies lobbying for copyright laws, anti-piracy raids, and other laws pertaining to free speech, especially on the internet.

    It's a sad sight when the average citizen will support their captors. Most people have never lived outside their mindcage long enough to realize that they are imprisoned by the media cartels. They will fight tooth and nail to protect their thoughts that were instilled by these same media moguls. The truth is that they are afraid to think for themselves. If they have to think for themselves then they could make a mistake and have nobody to blame for their actions besides theirself.

    The media content whores want us to become centralized in a computer matrix so they can have a monopoly over content. At the same time drain our wallets like a leech on a festering wound.

    The power is now in our hands, if we allow this to happen to ourselves, then you are at the mercy of the enemy. Just because some people will support it doesn't mean you have to.

  8. LOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I can't stop laughing. I guess anyone with the slightest half-baked idea can get a cover story on Slashdot. Let me see what I can pull out of my ass for the next story :)

  9. Re:The big get bigger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    ...I don't see it as a reason to see Microsoft to not be a prominent part of that.

    I see many reasons for Microsoft not to be a part of that! Start with the fact that they are convicted monopolists! Then, then...

    Fuck it! Ain't that enough? They are convicted monopolists! There is is no reason that they should ever be allowed to "compete" again!

  10. Re:The big get bigger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    when car's were expensive

    "cars".

    downtown's thrived
    killing downtown's everywhere

    "downtowns".

    Microsoft to not be a prominent part

    "not to be".