As someone who actually USED Rhapsody (and NOT a pirated copy) as a desktop OS for several months, I feel more qualified to talk than most of you.
1) It's based on a Mach kernel. That's not gonna change. Of course, you CAN build Linux on top of a Mach kernel; Apple did that.
2) On top of that, it has a bunch of BSD utilities. The source for many of these WAS available on Apple's FTP site. Y'all should look before you gripe.
3) The core OS is simply not gonna be Open Source.
4) Imho, MacOS X Server is really a *light* server because it's not GUI-optional. With all that CPU sucked up in prettiness, it's simply going to nullify any difference (real or imagined) between a G3 and a Px at the same clock speed. Sorry Apple.
5) I think Apple's decision to kill Rhaptel was ill-advised and heinous. This *should* be a new Apple that isn't backstabbing its developer community.
6) Despite all this, it's cool, I want it, I will probably buy it anyway.
_Deirdre
Hi. My name's Leo, and I like Word. ("Hi, Leo.")
on
Microsoft-Compaq-BeOS
·
· Score: 1
You're right. Word 5.1 for Mac was the last, best version. But what the fsck did Word 4 (also Mac) need with a fscking screen saver?
As for office software, I use WordPerfect. I actually think I prefer 7 to 8 but I'm using 8.
I will never again *buy* a MS product of any flavor, but I will cheerfully continue to use my ancient copies of Word and Excel on the Mac until I find something I want to convert all those files to (and until I have enough accrued vacation time to do so).
_Deirdre (Linux, BeOS, MacOS and MacOS X Server user)
Oh you guys are so silly. The idea came from userfriendly (http://www.userfriendly.org), specifically the strip at http://www.userfriendly.org/cartoons/archives/98de c/19981203.html
I like the idea except that I think the vendor isn't necessarily the one at fault. Why does everyone, who doesn't USUALLY believe MS propaganda, believe that the OEM is liable? We've seen no evidence.
If I get no satisfaction today (I expect I won't), I will be one of the people spearheading the class action suit.
_Deirdre
Microsoft owes you nothing...
on
Refund Day
·
· Score: 1
You don't KNOW that the vendors know the provisions of the EULA.
Consider, for a moment, that the OEMs know NOTHING about the EULA. They never agreed to it. Then who is supposed to refund the $?
For example, my EULA came in a shrink-wrapped brick showing only the cert of authenticity #. I would consider it a reasonable defense if they knew nothing about the refund M$ offered the end user since that offer is made directly FROM M$ to the end-user via the EULA.
_Deirdre
I smell lawsuit! ...but not against MS
on
Refund Day
·
· Score: 1
How could something authored by Microsoft and called "End User License Agreement" (aimed at the end user; note that "agreement" is a synonym for "contract" in many cases) NOT be a contract between Microsoft and the end user?
It only has anything to do with the OEM if they've agreed to those terms. I don't have any evidence that they have.
_Deirdre
I smell lawsuit! ...but not against MS
on
Refund Day
·
· Score: 1
> It would, indeed, be reasonable to bring a suit > against Toshiba, Dell, Compaq, Gateway, et al., > but the EULA gives no basis for including MS as > a defendant. Oh, yeah, take this with a grain of > salt since IANAL.
Wrong! The EULA is a contract between Microsoft and the End User. In fact, that's part of the TITLE (End User License Agreement = contract between Microsoft and the End User). A contract cannot bind a third party (such as the OEM) to action without their consent (and valuable consideration to them from Microsoft).
This is what the OEMs have been saying: our contract with MS has no provisions for a refund. I.e., "*we* are not the ones liable for this refund that MS promised."
For this reason, I think taking the issue direct to Microsoft is appropriate.
The difference between the "dumb ass California people" and you is that we got off our butts to do something. If you think a mail/telephone campaign works better, ORGANIZE IT!
This is the open source community. That means if you want something done and it's not being done the way you like it, you are free to change that.
Let me put it this way: in buying a machine with Windows, and finding it difficult to buy one without (putting it together notwithstanding), this points out to the Justice Department how little real "choice" we have.
Besides, this is something Microsoft *offered*. The EULA specifies to return it for a refund. That's what we're doing. What's wrong with that? I for one will donate the $ to one of the free software groups.
Speaking of Open Source, I almost fell over in my chair a couple of weeks ago when a sales rep told me that they used Ghostscript in their (wickedly expensive but wicked fast) printers because it was open source.
In trying to track down a problem, their programmers have looked at the output and are working on a fix. Try that with Adobe. Not.
So, if any of you are looking for high-volume printers with immense duty cycles (repeat after me: a million pages a month), and some cool people (from my limited experience), look at:
Many *finishes* however, combust at much lower temperatures!
I would *not* use polyurinate (as the rec.ww folks refer to it) for this due to the possibility of toxic fumes. Probably a light shellac would be best.:)
They're still 90% beige. Can we find some cool cases that *aren't* primarily beige or black? I've seen these cases in person, btw. Why pay a $50 premium for only a little style (debateable) and color? Because that's how much extra these puppies cost. I'd rather get two beige cases and some paint.
Probably not (load MP3s from Linux). There is a guy who has done it for the MPman (from the command line). I just bought a Rio and will be snarfing from that project to make the Rio Linux-friendly. If anyone else is interested in helping, please email me.:)
Slashdot Mirror
As someone who actually USED Rhapsody (and NOT a pirated copy) as a desktop OS for several months, I feel more qualified to talk than most of you.
1) It's based on a Mach kernel. That's not gonna change. Of course, you CAN build Linux on top of a Mach kernel; Apple did that.
2) On top of that, it has a bunch of BSD utilities. The source for many of these WAS available on Apple's FTP site. Y'all should look before you gripe.
3) The core OS is simply not gonna be Open Source.
4) Imho, MacOS X Server is really a *light* server because it's not GUI-optional. With all that CPU sucked up in prettiness, it's simply going to nullify any difference (real or imagined) between a G3 and a Px at the same clock speed. Sorry Apple.
5) I think Apple's decision to kill Rhaptel was ill-advised and heinous. This *should* be a new Apple that isn't backstabbing its developer community.
6) Despite all this, it's cool, I want it, I will probably buy it anyway.
_Deirdre
You're right. Word 5.1 for Mac was the last, best version. But what the fsck did Word 4 (also Mac) need with a fscking screen saver?
As for office software, I use WordPerfect. I actually think I prefer 7 to 8 but I'm using 8.
I will never again *buy* a MS product of any flavor, but I will cheerfully continue to use my ancient copies of Word and Excel on the Mac until I find something I want to convert all those files to (and until I have enough accrued vacation time to do so).
_Deirdre (Linux, BeOS, MacOS and MacOS X Server user)
Wow, you newgrouped one of my fave newsgroups. We're not worthy!
_Deirdre (also a BeOS user)
Of course, the "whole enchilada" keynote speaker is Bill Gates. What an interesting bash this is turning out on being....
_Deirdre
I have six computers at the moment:
3 lintel desktops -- built
1 mac desktop -- bought
1 netwinder -- bought
1 compaq lintel notebook -- bought
Even as an established geekess, I'm running 50/50.
About pressing for a refund for Windows from these lamers. :)
_Deirdre
Oh you guys are so silly. The idea came from userfriendly (http://www.userfriendly.org), specifically the strip at http://www.userfriendly.org/cartoons/archives/98de c/19981203.html
_Deirdre
I like the idea except that I think the vendor isn't necessarily the one at fault. Why does everyone, who doesn't USUALLY believe MS propaganda, believe that the OEM is liable? We've seen no evidence.
If I get no satisfaction today (I expect I won't), I will be one of the people spearheading the class action suit.
_Deirdre
You don't KNOW that the vendors know the provisions of the EULA.
Consider, for a moment, that the OEMs know NOTHING about the EULA. They never agreed to it. Then who is supposed to refund the $?
For example, my EULA came in a shrink-wrapped brick showing only the cert of authenticity #. I would consider it a reasonable defense if they knew nothing about the refund M$ offered the end user since that offer is made directly FROM M$ to the end-user via the EULA.
_Deirdre
How could something authored by Microsoft and called "End User License Agreement" (aimed at the end user; note that "agreement" is a synonym for "contract" in many cases) NOT be a contract between Microsoft and the end user?
It only has anything to do with the OEM if they've agreed to those terms. I don't have any evidence that they have.
_Deirdre
> It would, indeed, be reasonable to bring a suit
> against Toshiba, Dell, Compaq, Gateway, et al.,
> but the EULA gives no basis for including MS as
> a defendant. Oh, yeah, take this with a grain of > salt since IANAL.
Wrong! The EULA is a contract between Microsoft and the End User. In fact, that's part of the TITLE (End User License Agreement = contract between Microsoft and the End User). A contract cannot bind a third party (such as the OEM) to action without their consent (and valuable consideration to them from Microsoft).
This is what the OEMs have been saying: our contract with MS has no provisions for a refund. I.e., "*we* are not the ones liable for this refund that MS promised."
For this reason, I think taking the issue direct to Microsoft is appropriate.
_Deirdre
The difference between the "dumb ass California people" and you is that we got off our butts to do something. If you think a mail/telephone campaign works better, ORGANIZE IT!
This is the open source community. That means if you want something done and it's not being done the way you like it, you are free to change that.
_Deirdre
Let me put it this way: in buying a machine with Windows, and finding it difficult to buy one without (putting it together notwithstanding), this points out to the Justice Department how little real "choice" we have.
Besides, this is something Microsoft *offered*. The EULA specifies to return it for a refund. That's what we're doing. What's wrong with that? I for one will donate the $ to one of the free software groups.
_Deirdre
Come to the events. As the SVLUG says, "if you don't like the news, make some of your own."
If there's not an event in your area, model it after the existing ones. Show up, make a difference.
Thanks.
_Deirdre (coordinator for Orange County, CA, see http://www.deirdre.org/rebellion.html)
Doh! See my web site: so we can get some presidents (i.e. $) back.
http://www.deirdre.org/rebellion.html
If you are making this happen in your area, please email me so we can get you on a list with other coordinators. :)
_Deirdre
xaudio works *fine* on a netwinder, I'm happy to say. :)
The implementation for the ARM chips uses fixed-point math.
_Deirdre
What do you think Benoit Mandelbrot was working on when he *named* fractals? That's right...network transmission failures. ::sigh::
_Deirdre
Speaking of Open Source, I almost fell over in my chair a couple of weeks ago when a sales rep told me that they used Ghostscript in their (wickedly expensive but wicked fast) printers because it was open source.
In trying to track down a problem, their programmers have looked at the output and are working on a fix. Try that with Adobe. Not.
So, if any of you are looking for high-volume printers with immense duty cycles (repeat after me: a million pages a month), and some cool people (from my limited experience), look at:
http://www.ati-usa.com/
_Deirdre
Thank you, you gave me a very good idea for what to do with my ailing PowerMac 6100 that's had overheating problems. :)
_Deirdre
Many *finishes* however, combust at much lower temperatures!
:)
I would *not* use polyurinate (as the rec.ww folks refer to it) for this due to the possibility of toxic fumes. Probably a light shellac would be best.
_Deirdre
They're still 90% beige. Can we find some cool cases that *aren't* primarily beige or black? I've seen these cases in person, btw. Why pay a $50 premium for only a little style (debateable) and color? Because that's how much extra these puppies cost. I'd rather get two beige cases and some paint.
_Deirdre
Probably not (load MP3s from Linux). There is a guy who has done it for the MPman (from the command line). I just bought a Rio and will be snarfing from that project to make the Rio Linux-friendly. If anyone else is interested in helping, please email me. :)
_Deirdre