It may not be the case for everyone, but my first programming language was C, and I learned it on Windows. I got along just fine, but found most things much easier when I switched to Gentoo Linux. In retrospect, switching from Windows to Gentoo when I was 15 might have been silly, but I liked the system better and enjoyed understanding how everything works. That's just me. Sorry for the lack of details, but it's just a general thing.
A good patent system is good for the inventor. It allows him to protect his invention. However, I don't think anyone will argue that the system is terrible and this isn't happening.
A no patent system is a more capitalist system which would benefit the consumer. Ideally (though marketing likes to screw this idea over) the version of any given invention that had the most quality (read: best quality/money ratio) would be the most popular. Companies capable of making and marketing a quality product would thus be motivated to invent, not so much the individual.
Either way, software patents are a terrible idea. They, at least, should be eliminated.
"A love letter from [insert famous actress/model] with an attached word document! That's obviously for me and not suspicious at all... I better open it!"
No, the licenses don't limit that, and I don't think they should. However, I don't support much of the military action that goes on in the world and using something developed for the good of computer users, people, everywhere to carry out acts that are arguably not so doesn't sit well for me. That said, they are free to use it within the constraints of the license and I don't have a reason to protest it. Just because I don't support it doesn't mean they can't do it, and protesting it is silly; protesting the war is more worthwhile.
Linux users are 100% locked into what? Most Linux software is open-source and will compile on other *nix operating systems. A smaller percentage of that software has a win32 or Mac version or fork. The proprietary software for Linux (Flash, hardware drivers, I almost said Java, etc.) was Windows or Mac software originally. Much Linux software can be compiled for other architectures too... so I'm not even locked into using an x86... I could switch to an PowerPC if I wanted, and could find a decent PPC-based laptop. Put all that together and I could by a PowerPC-based machine, put FreeBSD on it and STILL keep using almost all the software I use. Obviously this isn't true for every Linux user, but I think I just smashed your 100% idea. Find a Windows or Mac user that can tout that and call me.
There will never be a unified package management system. [to the general public] Stop asking. There are too many incompatibilities between naming conventions and versioning between various systems. Let each distro do things how it wants to. Let it make its system work well. If worse comes to worse install from source. Stop thinking like a Windows user; the system has its advantages, however every distro has chosen the system it likes best and will not start doing things the way other distros do just because you want compatibility.
Linux isn't ready for the desktop. I have no problem admitting that. However, it is completely ready for my desktop. It just isn't ready for everyone's needs. My grandmother would have no more problem using Linux than using she does using Windows, as long as I set it all up for her. And don't be all "well you're a linux geek and you were needed set it up," as I also needed to set up her win95 machine that she used up until last year, and her XP machine she uses now. She lives in California... me in Canada, and regularly calls me to get me to explain her how to fix things. Here is where I could either use ssh to solve the problem or VNC to make guiding her easier. But no, she uses Windows due to fear of change (which she openly admits) and I'm stuck trying to guide her through "the printer thing" as her printer "doesn't want to do anything" and a "thing keeps popping up" telling her "something." On the other hand, there is lots of software missing for the Linux platform. Everyone quickly mentions games. Either way, I've been running Linux on the desktop since I was 16 and have never had a problem I couldn't solve with a little googling.
Pressuring a democratic country to do anything is ridiculous. Sure, if we were a brutal military dictatorship that ate babies then I'd be fine with you pressuring our government to do something like... say, not eat babies but we can do things ourselves thank you very much.
Gmail has contextual ads beside the email. The "ticker-like item" is customizable to display whatever you want. Though gmail will continue to add the odd ad in there, you can simply disable the whole thing in settings. The contextual ads are there they are non-intrusive and they are not forcing the "ticker-like item" ones on you.
I get the point though, free services have ads. Gmail's just happen to be way less intrusive than the other competitors services.
Slashdot Mirror
It may not be the case for everyone, but my first programming language was C, and I learned it on Windows. I got along just fine, but found most things much easier when I switched to Gentoo Linux. In retrospect, switching from Windows to Gentoo when I was 15 might have been silly, but I liked the system better and enjoyed understanding how everything works. That's just me. Sorry for the lack of details, but it's just a general thing.
Oh, what works for open source doesn't apply to the business world. Gotcha.
Might as well just use links/elinks/lynx.
Hee hee. You said SCO.
A good patent system is good for the inventor. It allows him to protect his invention. However, I don't think anyone will argue that the system is terrible and this isn't happening. A no patent system is a more capitalist system which would benefit the consumer. Ideally (though marketing likes to screw this idea over) the version of any given invention that had the most quality (read: best quality/money ratio) would be the most popular. Companies capable of making and marketing a quality product would thus be motivated to invent, not so much the individual. Either way, software patents are a terrible idea. They, at least, should be eliminated.
I hope it matches your heartbeat to the beat of the song you're listening to.
Things get commercialized. If there's a profit to be made, it'll happen. As long as the licensing stays GPLish I'm totally okay with it.
You are all off-topic. Where the hell are the moderators?
Gentoo.org
"A love letter from [insert famous actress/model] with an attached word document! That's obviously for me and not suspicious at all... I better open it!"
No, the licenses don't limit that, and I don't think they should. However, I don't support much of the military action that goes on in the world and using something developed for the good of computer users, people, everywhere to carry out acts that are arguably not so doesn't sit well for me. That said, they are free to use it within the constraints of the license and I don't have a reason to protest it. Just because I don't support it doesn't mean they can't do it, and protesting it is silly; protesting the war is more worthwhile.
I thought Canada was a state...
Your numbers are wrong. Windows ME was a downgrade.
Linux users are 100% locked into what? Most Linux software is open-source and will compile on other *nix operating systems. A smaller percentage of that software has a win32 or Mac version or fork. The proprietary software for Linux (Flash, hardware drivers, I almost said Java, etc.) was Windows or Mac software originally. Much Linux software can be compiled for other architectures too... so I'm not even locked into using an x86... I could switch to an PowerPC if I wanted, and could find a decent PPC-based laptop. Put all that together and I could by a PowerPC-based machine, put FreeBSD on it and STILL keep using almost all the software I use. Obviously this isn't true for every Linux user, but I think I just smashed your 100% idea. Find a Windows or Mac user that can tout that and call me.
There will never be a unified package management system. [to the general public] Stop asking. There are too many incompatibilities between naming conventions and versioning between various systems. Let each distro do things how it wants to. Let it make its system work well. If worse comes to worse install from source. Stop thinking like a Windows user; the system has its advantages, however every distro has chosen the system it likes best and will not start doing things the way other distros do just because you want compatibility.
1: Offtopic... where are the moderators?
Linux isn't ready for the desktop. I have no problem admitting that. However, it is completely ready for my desktop. It just isn't ready for everyone's needs. My grandmother would have no more problem using Linux than using she does using Windows, as long as I set it all up for her. And don't be all "well you're a linux geek and you were needed set it up," as I also needed to set up her win95 machine that she used up until last year, and her XP machine she uses now. She lives in California... me in Canada, and regularly calls me to get me to explain her how to fix things. Here is where I could either use ssh to solve the problem or VNC to make guiding her easier. But no, she uses Windows due to fear of change (which she openly admits) and I'm stuck trying to guide her through "the printer thing" as her printer "doesn't want to do anything" and a "thing keeps popping up" telling her "something." On the other hand, there is lots of software missing for the Linux platform. Everyone quickly mentions games. Either way, I've been running Linux on the desktop since I was 16 and have never had a problem I couldn't solve with a little googling.
Actually, the first rule of quantum computing is you do not talk about Fight Club. Duh.
Pressuring a democratic country to do anything is ridiculous. Sure, if we were a brutal military dictatorship that ate babies then I'd be fine with you pressuring our government to do something like... say, not eat babies but we can do things ourselves thank you very much.
Hmm... I don't remember recompiling my kernel to play cds. Come to think of it, I've never recompiled my kernel to add support for anything.
Gmail has contextual ads beside the email. The "ticker-like item" is customizable to display whatever you want. Though gmail will continue to add the odd ad in there, you can simply disable the whole thing in settings. The contextual ads are there they are non-intrusive and they are not forcing the "ticker-like item" ones on you. I get the point though, free services have ads. Gmail's just happen to be way less intrusive than the other competitors services.
or Half-Life 2 and Garry's Mod for a more recent example.