"It is possible that these miscreants somehow collaborate or at least are aware of each other's 'products.'"
Well, no shit, Sherlock. Guess they must have Internet connection too, then...
With all the resources at Microsoft's disposal, you'd have thought that they'd have come up with a specific fix. Yes, I'm aware that regularly-patched machines are better protected, but the evidence is clear that many people don't do that; (and not just the pirates, either).
If Ms supplied something that detected/removed/protected against up&down, (free, with no 'Genuine Advantage / Validation' bs), then I'm sure pretty soon all the media would link to that & the sheeple would rush to download & install... How about it, Redmond?
Why use Android on a netbook? Will we get the same vibrant community that the Asus Eee PC has - with many custom Linux distros available, most a vast improvement on the crap that Asus ships them with - with HP & Adroid?
They just like to buy toys, and nobody questions them about wether they really need something, and nobody ever tests them to make sure they really use it...
Well, in the case of nukes, I guess we're all pretty glad that they're using supercomputers to test them now, and that they never 'really used' them...
"The surge in "Buying Power" was an accidental extension of credit to the customers' accounts. Actual funds were not deposited therein. After the error was discovered, the mistaken credit was withdrawn. However, not before some executed trades on the lines of credit, including including one guy who bought over $1 million in shares. The company then acted to reverse the errors, saying on their blog, "Except in a very small number of egregious and fraudulent cases, customers will not be responsible for losses (or gains) incurred for trades in excess of their buying power."
Wonder how they define "egregious and fraudulent"? *removes tinfoil hat, reaches for lawyer*
FTA: 'After a year of software development and testing, the team and faculty consultant Sebastion Fischmeister demoed their bionic foosball superstars in January 2009 at the university's Senior Design Symposium to a positive reception.'
The worm infected international banking systems, zeroed all overdrafts for people with a net worth less than 250K USD by netting the amounts against accounts owned by people such as Bill Gates, AIG and banking bonus-receipiants and others. It simultaneously wiped out national debts of the USA and other countries by netting against Chinese and Arab nation sovereign wealth funds.
Wealth previously locked up in secret bank accounts in Switzerland and elsewhere was transferred 50% to GM and other struggling companies, 50% to charities involved in fighting poverty, famine and disease in LDCs.
Unconfirmed reports were received of nuclear facilties in North Korea, Iran, Pakistan and elsewhere 'melting down harmlessly towards the earth's core'...
More proof, if any were needed, that NASA is totally clueless about external communication & PR. Any kind of PR pro would have predicted this - its not like it has never happened before in public naming competitions and even elections.
So, suck it up guys. As another poster has pointed out, play the game and make it work for you.
What I cannot understand, though is why, in these cash-strapped times, they did not auction the name off? Could have raised some much-needed funds.
Misleading your customers - even by omission - is just bound to be counter-productive in the medium term. Or even - in this age of virtually instant communication - the very short term.
If you can't justify selling your product, with all its features and restrictions, then you've got a serious problem with your business model. Oh wait...
Urm, no. There's lots of business models; for exmple, the one I'm on (in France) accumulates 'points' related to my consumption (monthly fees) then lets me upgrade to a new 'phone. Depending on thetype of phone and the number of points i have, I may have to add some cash.
Of course the catch is that I have to agree to keep my subscription for the next 12 months. So, really the same as getting a 'free' phone with a new line, (also very cmmon in Europe)
"Ubuntu Netbook Remix is optimised to run on a new category of affordable Internet-centric devices called netbooks. It includes a new consumer-friendly interface that allows users to quickly and easily get on-line and use their favourite applications. This interface is optimised for a retail sales environment."
Wonder what that last bit means? It flashes 'buy me now!!!! 50% discount!!!' on the screen?
"A remix is a 'respun' version of Ubuntu built for a specific purpose. Although Canonical has encouraged community projects to use this terminology for some time, this is the first time that Canonical has used it. We are using it to differentiate from an 'Edition' which we consider a complete version with daily builds suitable for the average user with no additional work beyond installing the CD."
"All of the initial Ubuntu Netbook remixes combine optimisations from the Moblin project for Intel® Atomâ processors and it is specially designed for netbooks. Intel and Canonical are working to create a new computing experience across a rapidly expanding category of portable devices."
Some truth in that, but if your market has already been hugely cannibalised, (before you even get to it) then it's small comfort to say, "look, my product is better".
Also, I was in China recently with the boss of a major multinational which develops and sells complex electromechanical industrial products. He showed me two products; one made in their 'state of the art' factory in Europe, the other a Chinese copy. He asked me to spot the difference. I could not.
His reply; "It's easy. Hook 'em up and the Chinese one works". Ouch.
NVIDIA's position was inevitably weakened when ATI & AMD got into bed. No way AMD is not going to ride to the rescue of NIVIA, and indeed probably cannot (in terms of market share).
Intel is taking calculated risks with both AMD & NVIDIA, but in the medium term has surely to be working hard to get out of the various cross-patenting agreements, by developing its own tech.
In the interim, one way to maximise revenue is to make sure that most of the chips on the Mobo are from Intel. Goodbye NVIDIA. Since because of antitrust Intel probably cannot buy them out, they'll just bleed em white.
In my direct experience, they are highly-skilled in copying/ripping off and even building on/improving on original ideas. Note: This is for stuff which is often already trademarked, registered and patented.
So, I'd suggest getting some VC/angel financing and professional help, and patent your idea to hell and back in major markets before doing anything else. OK, they'll take a huge chunk of the eventual gain, but 50% of something is a lot better than 100% of nothing.
I co-wrote 'Never Gonna Give You Up', which Rick Astley performed in the eighties, and which must have been played more than 100 million times on YouTube - owner Google. My PRS for Music income in the year ended September 2008 was £11.
I've had that damn song forced upon my ears for most of my life. I deserve restitution, he owes me £11!
Exactly. Just because lots of people viewed the video, (and I'm sure he dragged that number out of his ass), does not mean they liked/would pay for it.
So if they don't like Google's proposed deal, how about letting people vote for clips? Click to share the ad revenue generated by this page with the...well, who? Should be the song's author & the performing artist, I guess. The trick would be to also allow people to vote songs down; just bacause I stumbled across a clip does not mean I agree to share the ad revenue my visit is generating for Google. So, hate the song? Vote it down for no cash.
I don't see how the various trade associations could complain, since this is pretty much how the market works today.
> I co-wrote 'Never Gonna Give You Up', which Rick Astley performed in the eighties, and which must have been played more than 100 million times on YouTube - owner Google. My PRS for Music income in the year ended September 2008 was £11.
Translation: I did some work back in the 80's, and I still want collect paychecks from it.
Not reliable enough. I suggest that this important resource be backed up to punched cards. This would also enable handy comparisons in units that us oldies understand, such as ELOCs (Equivalent Library of Congress). I'd calculate it myself, but seem to have mislaid my slide rule...
Reminds me of a study done long ago, when calves were kept in small pens in the dark to make 'white' veal. Whilst many people found this rather shocking, supporters claimed that it was OK since the calves 'did not know better'.
The researchers rigged up a light with a time switch, and a button that the calves could press to turn the light back on when it automatically switched off after a few minutes. The calves quickly learned to switch the lights on, and showed a marked preference for them staying on.
Could cows, mice and men just naturally prefer lighted conditions? If so, would make one wonder about the usefulness of this study.
Slashdot Mirror
"It is possible that these miscreants somehow collaborate or at least are aware of each other's 'products.'"
Well, no shit, Sherlock. Guess they must have Internet connection too, then...
With all the resources at Microsoft's disposal, you'd have thought that they'd have come up with a specific fix. Yes, I'm aware that regularly-patched machines are better protected, but the evidence is clear that many people don't do that; (and not just the pirates, either).
If Ms supplied something that detected/removed/protected against up&down, (free, with no 'Genuine Advantage / Validation' bs), then I'm sure pretty soon all the media would link to that & the sheeple would rush to download & install... How about it, Redmond?
[censored]
BTW, the HP article linked to is hosed.
Try: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123852934905974845.html
Why use Android on a netbook? Will we get the same vibrant community that the Asus Eee PC has - with many custom Linux distros available, most a vast improvement on the crap that Asus ships them with - with HP & Adroid?
Sorry to reply to my own post - of course they sued them. How could I forget Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Apologies.
They just like to buy toys, and nobody questions them about wether they really need something, and nobody ever tests them to make sure they really use it...
Well, in the case of nukes, I guess we're all pretty glad that they're using supercomputers to test them now, and that they never 'really used' them...
It's true, we're doomed, I tell you!!!
*reaches for tinfoil hat*
More seriously, original post is here. They're claiming it was a mistake in a feed...
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ca37sl
An abstract...
"The surge in "Buying Power" was an accidental extension of credit to the customers' accounts. Actual funds were not deposited therein. After the error was discovered, the mistaken credit was withdrawn. However, not before some executed trades on the lines of credit, including including one guy who bought over $1 million in shares. The company then acted to reverse the errors, saying on their blog, "Except in a very small number of egregious and fraudulent cases, customers will not be responsible for losses (or gains) incurred for trades in excess of their buying power."
Wonder how they define "egregious and fraudulent"?
*removes tinfoil hat, reaches for lawyer*
cargo-cult pseudoscience
I'm not sure that's appropriate...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
FTA: 'After a year of software development and testing, the team and faculty consultant Sebastion Fischmeister demoed their bionic foosball superstars in January 2009 at the university's Senior Design Symposium to a positive reception.'
Guess Beckham et al. are safe for a while...
Having had close family members suffer from loss of vision, this is great news.
Whilst all illness is distressing, loss of or diminished vision is very tough to bear or watch.
I'm glad that 'science', which is so decried these days, is also being seen (sorry) to deliver.
Nice one. Hope the ankle gets better soon.
Good point. Mod up guys. Shame they can't, but probably a good thing...
The worm infected international banking systems, zeroed all overdrafts for people with a net worth less than 250K USD by netting the amounts against accounts owned by people such as Bill Gates, AIG and banking bonus-receipiants and others. It simultaneously wiped out national debts of the USA and other countries by netting against Chinese and Arab nation sovereign wealth funds.
Wealth previously locked up in secret bank accounts in Switzerland and elsewhere was transferred 50% to GM and other struggling companies, 50% to charities involved in fighting poverty, famine and disease in LDCs.
Unconfirmed reports were received of nuclear facilties in North Korea, Iran, Pakistan and elsewhere 'melting down harmlessly towards the earth's core'...
Damn, wish that was not an April Fool...
More proof, if any were needed, that NASA is totally clueless about external communication & PR.
Any kind of PR pro would have predicted this - its not like it has never happened before in public naming competitions and even elections.
So, suck it up guys. As another poster has pointed out, play the game and make it work for you.
What I cannot understand, though is why, in these cash-strapped times, they did not auction the name off? Could have raised some much-needed funds.
Agree. But why? It's just so foolish.
Misleading your customers - even by omission - is just bound to be counter-productive in the medium term. Or even - in this age of virtually instant communication - the very short term.
If you can't justify selling your product, with all its features and restrictions, then you've got a serious problem with your business model.
Oh wait...
Urm, no. There's lots of business models; for exmple, the one I'm on (in France) accumulates 'points' related to my consumption (monthly fees) then lets me upgrade to a new 'phone. Depending on thetype of phone and the number of points i have, I may have to add some cash.
Of course the catch is that I have to agree to keep my subscription for the next 12 months. So, really the same as getting a 'free' phone with a new line, (also very cmmon in Europe)
Find out more here:
http://www.canonical.com/projects/ubuntu/unr
Selected quotes:
"Ubuntu Netbook Remix is optimised to run on a new category of affordable Internet-centric devices called netbooks. It includes a new consumer-friendly interface that allows users to quickly and easily get on-line and use their favourite applications. This interface is optimised for a retail sales environment."
Wonder what that last bit means? It flashes 'buy me now!!!! 50% discount!!!' on the screen?
"A remix is a 'respun' version of Ubuntu built for a specific purpose. Although Canonical has encouraged community projects to use this terminology for some time, this is the first time that Canonical has used it. We are using it to differentiate from an 'Edition' which we consider a complete version with daily builds suitable for the average user with no additional work beyond installing the CD."
"All of the initial Ubuntu Netbook remixes combine optimisations from the Moblin project for Intel® Atomâ processors and it is specially designed for netbooks. Intel and Canonical are working to create a new computing experience across a rapidly expanding category of portable devices."
Wintel is dead, long live Buntel?
Some truth in that, but if your market has already been hugely cannibalised, (before you even get to it) then it's small comfort to say, "look, my product is better".
Also, I was in China recently with the boss of a major multinational which develops and sells complex electromechanical industrial products. He showed me two products; one made in their 'state of the art' factory in Europe, the other a Chinese copy. He asked me to spot the difference. I could not.
His reply; "It's easy. Hook 'em up and the Chinese one works". Ouch.
NVIDIA's position was inevitably weakened when ATI & AMD got into bed. No way AMD is not going to ride to the rescue of NIVIA, and indeed probably cannot (in terms of market share).
Intel is taking calculated risks with both AMD & NVIDIA, but in the medium term has surely to be working hard to get out of the various cross-patenting agreements, by developing its own tech.
In the interim, one way to maximise revenue is to make sure that most of the chips on the Mobo are from Intel. Goodbye NVIDIA. Since because of antitrust Intel probably cannot buy them out, they'll just bleed em white.
In my direct experience, they are highly-skilled in copying/ripping off and even building on/improving on original ideas. Note: This is for stuff which is often already trademarked, registered and patented.
So, I'd suggest getting some VC/angel financing and professional help, and patent your idea to hell and back in major markets before doing anything else. OK, they'll take a huge chunk of the eventual gain, but 50% of something is a lot better than 100% of nothing.
I've had that damn song forced upon my ears for most of my life. I deserve restitution, he owes me £11!
Exactly. Just because lots of people viewed the video, (and I'm sure he dragged that number out of his ass), does not mean they liked/would pay for it.
So if they don't like Google's proposed deal, how about letting people vote for clips? Click to share the ad revenue generated by this page with the...well, who? Should be the song's author & the performing artist, I guess.
The trick would be to also allow people to vote songs down; just bacause I stumbled across a clip does not mean I agree to share the ad revenue my visit is generating for Google.
So, hate the song? Vote it down for no cash.
I don't see how the various trade associations could complain, since this is pretty much how the market works today.
> I co-wrote 'Never Gonna Give You Up', which Rick Astley performed in the eighties, and which must have been played more than 100 million times on YouTube - owner Google. My PRS for Music income in the year ended September 2008 was £11.
Translation: I did some work back in the 80's, and I still want collect paychecks from it.
Paid for it? He should be shot for it.
What's your credibility to suggest anything at all when you have to come to (of all places) Slashdot for advice?
Well, actually over the years I've got plenty of helpful advice from /.
Not reliable enough.
I suggest that this important resource be backed up to punched cards.
This would also enable handy comparisons in units that us oldies understand, such as ELOCs
(Equivalent Library of Congress).
I'd calculate it myself, but seem to have mislaid my slide rule...
One of my friends has a 'remote' program on his smartphone. He uses it to change channels on TVs in shop windows, bars etc.
Amusing, for a short while.
Now if they started selling an iWhatever with the ability to change red signals to green...
Reminds me of a study done long ago, when calves were kept in small pens in the dark to make 'white' veal. Whilst many people found this rather shocking, supporters claimed that it was OK since the calves 'did not know better'.
The researchers rigged up a light with a time switch, and a button that the calves could press to turn the light back on when it automatically switched off after a few minutes. The calves quickly learned to switch the lights on, and showed a marked preference for them staying on.
Could cows, mice and men just naturally prefer lighted conditions? If so, would make one wonder about the usefulness of this study.