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Microsoft Finally Ships $8,999 Surface Hub (eweek.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from eWeek: Surface Hub, originally slated to ship last September and later missing its January 2016 release deadline, is finally being delivered to Microsoft's business customers, announced Brian Hall, general manager of Microsoft Devices Marketing, on Friday. The touch-enabled Windows 10-powered device, available in a 55-inch and a massive 84-inch model, features built-in cameras, a microphone array, Bluetooth, WiFi, motion sensors and near-field communications (NFC). It runs Skype for Business, Office and OneNote, providing an integrated collaboration experience, and at least with the 84-inch model, an expansive canvas for interactive presentations and virtual meetings. With the Surface Hub, Microsoft is making an aggressive push into the conferencing and collaboration market currently dominated by Cisco, Citrix and Polycom. "I couldn't be more proud to announce this milestone for our team, customers, and partners. We can't wait to see what people, teams and businesses will do with Surface Hub," said Hall in a March 25 announcement.
I can totally understand your views regarding the modding system, which to me, as a newbie, seems to be both bizarre and (as you correctly note, ineffective). After just a few weeks as a registered user, my observation would be that too much modding is taking place based on the identity of the poster or on the childish nature of a comment, not on whether it adds to the discussion. Unfortunately, however, I am not sure that I can agree with your proposed remedy. For I g all users to post as AC might partially solve one problem, but it will create a much bigger one. Visibly named users brings a degree of accountability. Whilst there will always be those intent on disruption who will use burner email addresses, I think that more use of registration may help to keep people respectful. There are plenty of places on the web to visit if you just want to be abusive to other people... So how about this... Hand out mod points using whatever bizarro system is in use today, but give registered users an unlimited number of "critique points". A "critique point" can be spent to challenge mod points granted "badly" by another moderator. If, as a moderator, you get a certain number of negative critique points, or a number in a window of time, then you lose your modding privilege for say 30 days. Lose them 3 times and they are gone for good. A little power, like a little knowledge, is a dangerous thing. Maybe the above might make /. more of a community again?