A console who's sole purpose for existing is to play games doesn't need to (a) be a general purpose computing system and (b) contain anything particularly sensitive. It can dispense with operating system security.
The thing is that neither (a) nor (b) are true, anymore.
Even last-gen consoles* are, in fact, general purpose systems. It's no coincidence they could run Linux and, even not counting Linux, they had software that could do much more than what had to do in the games, such as web browsers and drivers for the hardware you could connect on the USB ports.
The moment they have web browsers and a hard disk and they can have a keyboard and mouse, you're gonna be able and/or willing to surf the web, and with that comes your ability to download data you don't want other people to be accessing to that same hard disk.
* except, maybe, the Gamecube, on which I won't comment because of my lack of knowledge on the subject.
SPOILER: If you're driving an auto, you're also wasting the kinetic energy as heat, only in the engine/drivetrain and not the brakes.
The only way you wouldn't do that, would be hitting the clutch and/or putting the car in neutral in a car with a manual transmission, and you'd still waste SOME energy as heat due to air/rolling resistance. That isn't always a good idea, since your braking distance will increase a lot, since you're not doing any engine-braking.
And then there's the issue of you slowing down without "telling" the guy behind you are slowing down, which isn't really a good idea, for obvious reasons, i.e. the tailgaters you describe.
As much as I like the concept of Free Software, you are dead wrong. MS would lose quite a bit of money if they released Windows under the GPL.
While you are right that they could sell Windows under the GPL, you forget to mention that anyone who bought it and wanted to subsequently distribute it, could copy it and sell it or give it away, thus lowering the value of the software to 0. What Microsoft could then do, is to sell support, but I hear that they're not too good at that, although I've never had any contact with MS support, to be honest.
As another point, Microsoft would have to release the source code to the Windows API under the GPL which... guess what? It's the same license of a concurrent implementation (Wine), which would then stop having to guess how the functions are really supposed to behave, thus reducing the incentive to have Windows even more, over time.
So, even though releasing Windows (the version doesn't matter) under the GPL might expand their market opportunities, it kills the market they already have, and, as such, it isn't such a good idea for them.
It's easy to imagine a better package manager than apt. Apt, with concurrent download and install comes to mind. I mean, if it builds a dependency graph, why does it need to download everything, then install everything?
I mean, downloading is I/O (namely, network) bound and decompressing/installing can either be I/O bound, often in a different device, or CPU bound, so why not do both at the same time?
You know, there are people who actually like cars. To them, they are a passion, something more than just a means to get from A to B. You may find it strange, but to them, a sports car's roaring engine is actually a beautiful sound.
I happen to agree with them.
Though I'll agree that for daily driving, all you need is some econobox and, in that case, no engine noise is definitely best.
Just saw this, the other day, and I wonder how truthful it is.
It's a totally creepy video of a dog's head with some gizmo replacing it's body. Obviously, it crossed my mind that it probably is fake, but I've seen a lot of sources stating otherwise, so I really don't know what to think.
Please ignore everything I've said... I've been pretty Reply-happy today (don't feel like studying), and assumed your comment was in response to mine, since it was so close to it.
Oh, well, dumb me. The comment appeared immediately below mine, so I didn't even read the title. I wasn't upset, anyway. Over time, I've learned not to take the Internet too seriously. LOL, reading that last sentence again, it makes me sound really old.
FUD? I just said "I can't reproduce this bug". I never had any love for Microsoft, even though I like some of their products (Visual Studio comes to mind, for example, even though there are good open source alternatives).
Concerning my grammar, I've already explained myself in another post.
And to get my own house in order, I'd have to get my own house first.;)
Why, thank you! Now, I don't see how something like saying I can't reproduce the bug which this whole article refers to is irrelevant. As for incomprehensible, I'll admit that it is, since Slashdot got rid of the paragraphs I had in it, because I forgot to choose to post the comment as plain text AND preview it. I also let some grammatical mistakes slip through, but bear in mind that English is not my mother language. Furthermore, I wasn't flaming anything or anyone in any way, nor can I see how one would think that I was.
And last, but not least, I don't need welcoming: I've been here for a while. Well. at least almost as long as you.
I recently bought a laptop with Vista, and I've already uninstalled stuff after the last patch Tuesday. So, what the hell is the submitter talking about?
P.S.: Before the flamewars start, first thing I did was install Ubuntu so I could dual boot. I use Vista only for: a) the occasional game and b) my university's wireless network, since, as of this time, I couldn't get the box to connect (authentication issues). I'll elaborate on this if someone wants me to.
Titanic's CG is just fine if you look at the big picture. However, some details are pretty awful. The models were awesome, sure, but just try re-watching the first birds-eye view of the ship and check the people's movements: they look like freaking robots walking, and there's no excuse for that. Skeletal animation was already beyond that point when Titanic came out.
'Cause cars now are heavier due to having more safety features.
That said, a TDI Golf (or Rabbit, depending where you live in) is a great choice. I think they still do that kind of mileage, added weight and all.
Slashdot Mirror
The thing is that neither (a) nor (b) are true, anymore.
Even last-gen consoles* are, in fact, general purpose systems. It's no coincidence they could run Linux and, even not counting Linux, they had software that could do much more than what had to do in the games, such as web browsers and drivers for the hardware you could connect on the USB ports.
The moment they have web browsers and a hard disk and they can have a keyboard and mouse, you're gonna be able and/or willing to surf the web, and with that comes your ability to download data you don't want other people to be accessing to that same hard disk.
* except, maybe, the Gamecube, on which I won't comment because of my lack of knowledge on the subject.
SPOILER: If you're driving an auto, you're also wasting the kinetic energy as heat, only in the engine/drivetrain and not the brakes.
The only way you wouldn't do that, would be hitting the clutch and/or putting the car in neutral in a car with a manual transmission, and you'd still waste SOME energy as heat due to air/rolling resistance. That isn't always a good idea, since your braking distance will increase a lot, since you're not doing any engine-braking.
And then there's the issue of you slowing down without "telling" the guy behind you are slowing down, which isn't really a good idea, for obvious reasons, i.e. the tailgaters you describe.
...I'd like to die, too. That game sucks!
As much as I like the concept of Free Software, you are dead wrong. MS would lose quite a bit of money if they released Windows under the GPL.
While you are right that they could sell Windows under the GPL, you forget to mention that anyone who bought it and wanted to subsequently distribute it, could copy it and sell it or give it away, thus lowering the value of the software to 0. What Microsoft could then do, is to sell support, but I hear that they're not too good at that, although I've never had any contact with MS support, to be honest.
As another point, Microsoft would have to release the source code to the Windows API under the GPL which... guess what? It's the same license of a concurrent implementation (Wine), which would then stop having to guess how the functions are really supposed to behave, thus reducing the incentive to have Windows even more, over time.
So, even though releasing Windows (the version doesn't matter) under the GPL might expand their market opportunities, it kills the market they already have, and, as such, it isn't such a good idea for them.
There's a video you might want to see.
I've looked, briefly, for something that debunks it, but I haven't found anything. Though I haven't tried really hard, to be honest.
But Windows does benefit from X-Box.
More DirectX games are good for both platforms, so they benefit from each other,
Following that line of reasoning, one could say they shouldn't pay for phone service, either.
Hell, the Government lets corporations exist, why whould it pay for any goods or services they provide?
See where I'm getting at, here?
The kind of God who failed to license humans under the GPL.
It's easy to imagine a better package manager than apt. Apt, with concurrent download and install comes to mind. I mean, if it builds a dependency graph, why does it need to download everything, then install everything?
I mean, downloading is I/O (namely, network) bound and decompressing/installing can either be I/O bound, often in a different device, or CPU bound, so why not do both at the same time?
You know, there are people who actually like cars. To them, they are a passion, something more than just a means to get from A to B. You may find it strange, but to them, a sports car's roaring engine is actually a beautiful sound.
I happen to agree with them.
Though I'll agree that for daily driving, all you need is some econobox and, in that case, no engine noise is definitely best.
Just saw this, the other day, and I wonder how truthful it is.
It's a totally creepy video of a dog's head with some gizmo replacing it's body. Obviously, it crossed my mind that it probably is fake, but I've seen a lot of sources stating otherwise, so I really don't know what to think.
Either way, it's just plain sick.
Man, I hate you. Now I can't stop laughing!
How the hell can we play that, nowadays?
...if you live in a somewhat flat city. Unfortunately, that's not my case.
Let's hope they come. I'm not holding my breath, though.
And now I've replied to the wrong person *sigh*. I think I'll just stop.
Please ignore everything I've said... I've been pretty Reply-happy today (don't feel like studying), and assumed your comment was in response to mine, since it was so close to it.
Oh, well, dumb me. The comment appeared immediately below mine, so I didn't even read the title. I wasn't upset, anyway. Over time, I've learned not to take the Internet too seriously. LOL, reading that last sentence again, it makes me sound really old.
FUD? I just said "I can't reproduce this bug". I never had any love for Microsoft, even though I like some of their products (Visual Studio comes to mind, for example, even though there are good open source alternatives).
;)
Concerning my grammar, I've already explained myself in another post.
And to get my own house in order, I'd have to get my own house first.
Why, thank you! Now, I don't see how something like saying I can't reproduce the bug which this whole article refers to is irrelevant. As for incomprehensible, I'll admit that it is, since Slashdot got rid of the paragraphs I had in it, because I forgot to choose to post the comment as plain text AND preview it. I also let some grammatical mistakes slip through, but bear in mind that English is not my mother language. Furthermore, I wasn't flaming anything or anyone in any way, nor can I see how one would think that I was.
And last, but not least, I don't need welcoming: I've been here for a while. Well. at least almost as long as you.
I recently bought a laptop with Vista, and I've already uninstalled stuff after the last patch Tuesday. So, what the hell is the submitter talking about? P.S.: Before the flamewars start, first thing I did was install Ubuntu so I could dual boot. I use Vista only for: a) the occasional game and b) my university's wireless network, since, as of this time, I couldn't get the box to connect (authentication issues). I'll elaborate on this if someone wants me to.
Titanic's CG is just fine if you look at the big picture. However, some details are pretty awful. The models were awesome, sure, but just try re-watching the first birds-eye view of the ship and check the people's movements: they look like freaking robots walking, and there's no excuse for that. Skeletal animation was already beyond that point when Titanic came out.
'Cause cars now are heavier due to having more safety features. That said, a TDI Golf (or Rabbit, depending where you live in) is a great choice. I think they still do that kind of mileage, added weight and all.
Does anyone else find it ironic that a library, of all organizations, is (supposedly) exercising its IP rights?
It might just come true...