Oh yes, just what I'm salivating over--even more poorly designed nagging from my OS. With history not on the side of Microsoft on this one ("There are unused desktop icons on your desktop", worlds worst grammar suggestions, and ridiculously stupid paper-clips), why on Earth would you even give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt that they'd be able to implement an unused services dialogue with any elegance?
Well considering you couldn't get the simple fact that OS X Leopard only costs $129.99, how are we supposed to take the rest of your comments seriously?
Seriously, this is the root of many of Microsoft's problems. They need to stop bolting on poorly-designed "features" and work on reliability and functionality.
Exactly my first thought. If you ask me what 20 features Microsoft should include I'd say they should work on stability and ease-of-use and forget the other 18 until they get those two right. Forget offering 100 features that work 10%. Include 10 features that work 100%. That seems to be the new paradigm (kudos to OS X).
Ebay is trying to move away from 'auction' and towards 'online store front'. Meh.
I stopped using eBay two years ago once the online stores overtook the individual sales. Try searching for used drum gear, and IF you can get past the 50 or so posts from stores listing their "auctions" for retail price, you "might" find a deal in the form of used gear from a fellow drummer.
Try working in the world of Top Secret government training. "Sure I can develop realistic, engaging Flash simulations of your software if you hire me. A sample? Errm, I know this is gonna sound flaky, but I can't actually show you any of my work..."
Actually, Apple is in Austin. The campus here focuses on iPhone/iTunes and customer service, I believe. I've applied so many times there as an Instructional Designer, I think I have a macro setup on my keyboard to send my resume...
Better yet, I actually saw criticism of the iPhone 2.0 today because it doesn't connect to digital tv sources in Japan. Uh....ok? Good thing Austin isn't in Japan?
While everything you state is true, the original claim was that any computer with an IP address qualifies as being connected to the Internet. The fact that an infected computer can infect other machines on a local network has NOTHING to do with the Internet, nor does that provide proof that "nothing is not connected to the internet", as fm6 opines.
companies that pull stuff like Comcast would simply go out of business.
Not true at all. Tell Joe Q. Public that you offer high-speed Internet for $25 a month less than the competitor with the small detail like "we limit your P2P activity", Mr. Public takes the cheaper offer. Comcast can afford to offer the service for cheaper, because they are throttling the bandwidth (or whatever technical cost-cutting method they introduce). If anything, I could see how this could actually lead to MORE customers (just not savvy customers). Most Americans are cheap and there are more Internet users that have never even heard of P2P than users who actually use P2P.
That's why this is one of the few... VERY FEW cases where government is needed to step in and say, "you can't do that."
I was thinking the same thing. My gut instinct was let a company impose whatever rules they want and leave it up to the consumer to choose. Then I remembered a time in our history where "companies" where allowed to not sell something to somebody because they were black, or jewish (for example only).
Considering Microsoft's first contract for DOS was awarded in 1981, and the Falklands took place in 1982, I don't think it had anything to do with Microsoft at all. Otherwise, I agree with the sentiment of your post. There's a reason most of the Intelligence agencies (snide WMD remarks aside) only use Windows for administrative tasks.
BSODs occur when you go to the Lifetime Fitness gym and their gigantic looping touch screen displays are displaying, well, giant blue screens of death. Look, the only reason this article has any merit is because it is grounded in anecdotal truth. EVERYONE can relate to the problems that he laid out, even if they are exaggerated, (or like in the train case, not even verified as a Windows problem).
I really love it when people dismiss any criticism of Windows as "anecdotal". The term BSOD came about because of how frequently we have all experienced it (and the fact it happened in the middle of a Bill Gates demo didn't hurt, either).
Since when does adding a laptop computer to a network give you Internet access? We have three networks at work, and only one has the physical capability to connect to the Internet. Are you sure you aren't one of those management people the article is griping about?;-)
So tell me, why hasn't FISA been ruled unconstitutional in the 30 years it has been in existence? Is it maybe because it isn't unconstitutional? I'm pretty sure it must have been challenged at least once in thirty years, and I'm pretty sure it is still in existence, so to claim it violates the 4th Amendment means you think you are smarter than the Supreme Court?
I'm still pondering my seemingly paradoxical stance, and I'm 38. I think I can chalk it up to being raised in Oregon, where even "conservative" people can tend to be way more liberal than, say, somebody in Georgia. Again, I don't like labels and nobody is either this OR that...there is a continuum. I think there are terms that better match my position. I've heard "Rino", or Repbulican in Name Only and South Park Republican (which definitely fits since that is my favorite tv show). I've also heard that I may be a "blue dog" democrat.
How about FISA, which has been deemed a legal exception (perverse interpretation?) to the 4th Amendment since 1978. Until a court deems FISA unconstitutional, it remains, well, constitutional. Why is that so hard for everyone to grasp? EVERY amendment has had legal challenges and exceptions and it is in the hands of constitutional lawyers to determine the legality of each. In the end, neither your opinion nor mine really matters, as neither of us are judges who can determine the constitutionality of the issue. That's my gripe with this entire thread. You guys are computer geeks, not constitutional lawyers (well, some of you might be constitutional lawyers, but mostly just opinionated geeks).
Big time NO. That's the liberal part of my Republicanism.
big government? yes
Government has its role, yes. Big is a relative term.
imperialistic, continuous wars? yes
Loaded terminology on your behalf invalidates the entire statement. But yes, I am for US use of military around the globe when needed.
government imposed creationism? yes
Not as long as I'm alive. Maybe you didn't get the part where I said, although I'm a Republican, I am somewhat liberal.
dictating what a woman isn't allowed to do with her own body? yes
Since I'm pro-choice, you seem to be wrong again.
crushing any individual freedoms or pesky amendments in the bill of rights which get in the way of our corporate masters? yes
Again, loaded, but I'll concede I do favor the compromises outlined in this bill over the iron-clad adhesion to YOUR interpretation of the constitution.
So it seems that in your alternate reality world, everything is black-and-white, when in my very real world, the political spectrum runs on a continuum.
Slashdot Mirror
Here's a couple "features" I'd add right away (stolen right from OS X). /
Ability to rename an open file.
Ability to move an open file.
File names update their position in a file list immediately when moved/changed without need to F5 update
Ability to apply a user-defined color label to file names (red are in progress, blue are original/backups, etc.
Elegant and uniform application installer
Elegant "force quit" that actually, I don't know, works?
Fast user switching
NOT taking forever to turn off? I'll give a pass on booting up, but a computer should turn-off within seconds, not 1/2 a minute
Get rid of the stupid letter drive dependancies, and stop making the desktop such an "illogical" place to store files and executables
Enforce consistent dialogue and window behavior, regardless of 3d party application
And the list could go on, but those are my usual responses to people who don't think Windows has UI issues.
..Self Destruct Button? How fitting.
"Self Destruct Button is not responding. Please tell Microsoft about this problem. Send Error Report / Don't Send".
Oh yes, just what I'm salivating over--even more poorly designed nagging from my OS. With history not on the side of Microsoft on this one ("There are unused desktop icons on your desktop", worlds worst grammar suggestions, and ridiculously stupid paper-clips), why on Earth would you even give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt that they'd be able to implement an unused services dialogue with any elegance?
Ditch all but 3 versions. Home, pro, and corporate is good enough.
One version...$129.99. Seems to work for the competition.
Well considering you couldn't get the simple fact that OS X Leopard only costs $129.99, how are we supposed to take the rest of your comments seriously?
Seriously, this is the root of many of Microsoft's problems. They need to stop bolting on poorly-designed "features" and work on reliability and functionality.
Exactly my first thought. If you ask me what 20 features Microsoft should include I'd say they should work on stability and ease-of-use and forget the other 18 until they get those two right. Forget offering 100 features that work 10%. Include 10 features that work 100%. That seems to be the new paradigm (kudos to OS X).
Ebay is trying to move away from 'auction' and towards 'online store front'. Meh.
I stopped using eBay two years ago once the online stores overtook the individual sales. Try searching for used drum gear, and IF you can get past the 50 or so posts from stores listing their "auctions" for retail price, you "might" find a deal in the form of used gear from a fellow drummer.
I agree strongly with your post. I don't think I want to work for a company who can't see the value in hiring me after a 15 minute chat.
Try working in the world of Top Secret government training. "Sure I can develop realistic, engaging Flash simulations of your software if you hire me. A sample? Errm, I know this is gonna sound flaky, but I can't actually show you any of my work..."
Actually, Apple is in Austin. The campus here focuses on iPhone/iTunes and customer service, I believe. I've applied so many times there as an Instructional Designer, I think I have a macro setup on my keyboard to send my resume...
Better yet, I actually saw criticism of the iPhone 2.0 today because it doesn't connect to digital tv sources in Japan. Uh....ok? Good thing Austin isn't in Japan?
While everything you state is true, the original claim was that any computer with an IP address qualifies as being connected to the Internet. The fact that an infected computer can infect other machines on a local network has NOTHING to do with the Internet, nor does that provide proof that "nothing is not connected to the internet", as fm6 opines.
companies that pull stuff like Comcast would simply go out of business.
Not true at all. Tell Joe Q. Public that you offer high-speed Internet for $25 a month less than the competitor with the small detail like "we limit your P2P activity", Mr. Public takes the cheaper offer. Comcast can afford to offer the service for cheaper, because they are throttling the bandwidth (or whatever technical cost-cutting method they introduce). If anything, I could see how this could actually lead to MORE customers (just not savvy customers). Most Americans are cheap and there are more Internet users that have never even heard of P2P than users who actually use P2P.
That's why this is one of the few... VERY FEW cases where government is needed to step in and say, "you can't do that."
I was thinking the same thing. My gut instinct was let a company impose whatever rules they want and leave it up to the consumer to choose. Then I remembered a time in our history where "companies" where allowed to not sell something to somebody because they were black, or jewish (for example only).
Considering Microsoft's first contract for DOS was awarded in 1981, and the Falklands took place in 1982, I don't think it had anything to do with Microsoft at all. Otherwise, I agree with the sentiment of your post. There's a reason most of the Intelligence agencies (snide WMD remarks aside) only use Windows for administrative tasks.
I'm not that old (38), but I shudder to think how awful elevators must have been in the 80s, without computer control and all...
Require job applicants to show their Microsoft certifications during a job interview?
BSODs occur when you go to the Lifetime Fitness gym and their gigantic looping touch screen displays are displaying, well, giant blue screens of death. Look, the only reason this article has any merit is because it is grounded in anecdotal truth. EVERYONE can relate to the problems that he laid out, even if they are exaggerated, (or like in the train case, not even verified as a Windows problem).
I really love it when people dismiss any criticism of Windows as "anecdotal". The term BSOD came about because of how frequently we have all experienced it (and the fact it happened in the middle of a Bill Gates demo didn't hurt, either).
Since when does adding a laptop computer to a network give you Internet access? We have three networks at work, and only one has the physical capability to connect to the Internet. Are you sure you aren't one of those management people the article is griping about? ;-)
You can't expect people to just up and leave software that they're familiar with.
Yes, because it is such a steep learning curve to learn a new e-mail client and word processor technologies vary wildly from product to product?
Being a slave to the quirks and idiosyncrasies of shoddy Microsoft products has NEVER been a good justification to continue to use Microsoft products.
So tell me, why hasn't FISA been ruled unconstitutional in the 30 years it has been in existence? Is it maybe because it isn't unconstitutional? I'm pretty sure it must have been challenged at least once in thirty years, and I'm pretty sure it is still in existence, so to claim it violates the 4th Amendment means you think you are smarter than the Supreme Court?
I'm still pondering my seemingly paradoxical stance, and I'm 38. I think I can chalk it up to being raised in Oregon, where even "conservative" people can tend to be way more liberal than, say, somebody in Georgia. Again, I don't like labels and nobody is either this OR that...there is a continuum. I think there are terms that better match my position. I've heard "Rino", or Repbulican in Name Only and South Park Republican (which definitely fits since that is my favorite tv show). I've also heard that I may be a "blue dog" democrat.
How about FISA, which has been deemed a legal exception (perverse interpretation?) to the 4th Amendment since 1978. Until a court deems FISA unconstitutional, it remains, well, constitutional. Why is that so hard for everyone to grasp? EVERY amendment has had legal challenges and exceptions and it is in the hands of constitutional lawyers to determine the legality of each. In the end, neither your opinion nor mine really matters, as neither of us are judges who can determine the constitutionality of the issue. That's my gripe with this entire thread. You guys are computer geeks, not constitutional lawyers (well, some of you might be constitutional lawyers, but mostly just opinionated geeks).
legislated morality? yes
Big time NO. That's the liberal part of my Republicanism.
big government? yes
Government has its role, yes. Big is a relative term.
imperialistic, continuous wars? yes
Loaded terminology on your behalf invalidates the entire statement. But yes, I am for US use of military around the globe when needed.
government imposed creationism? yes
Not as long as I'm alive. Maybe you didn't get the part where I said, although I'm a Republican, I am somewhat liberal.
dictating what a woman isn't allowed to do with her own body? yes
Since I'm pro-choice, you seem to be wrong again.
crushing any individual freedoms or pesky amendments in the bill of rights which get in the way of our corporate masters? yes
Again, loaded, but I'll concede I do favor the compromises outlined in this bill over the iron-clad adhesion to YOUR interpretation of the constitution.
So it seems that in your alternate reality world, everything is black-and-white, when in my very real world, the political spectrum runs on a continuum.
The original FISA of 1978 is illegal. The fourth amendment makes no exceptions.
I seemed to miss the Supreme Court ruling that says FISA violates the 4th amendment. Perhaps you could provide a citation?