Back in the days (early 80's)when Microsoft was a REAL company, competing in a free market, Programming languages were what it did, and did well.
Operating systems came later - The various DOS's (MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR-DOS) were all pretty much interchangeable, and it was only really with MS Windows 3.0 that a differentiation appeared. Windows 1.0 was a joke and 2.0-086 was only a bit better.
And the application software was even later on - I used word for windows 1.0 and it sucked, even by the standards of the time. it was the 97 release that started to dominate
So even twenty+ years on, its the development tools that are built on a pretty solid foundation, both conceptually and (I suspect) in the code base, everything else is built on an indifferent (at best) legacy. It still shows
I believe this is only true in the US, I've never seen low speed rated tires anywhere else - Certainly here in the UK I've never seen a new (of course you can fit cheap tyres if you want, but most dealers wont do it) with tyres rated at less than the maximum speed of the car - mine has 150 mph tyres and the car probably wont go over 130.
US laws used to be crazy - When I lived there (1980's) most cars had 85mph speedometers so you didn't have clue what speed you were doing... Somehow that was meant to make things safer.
"Even worse, they have then tried to force a US-based model for phone subscription services on the rest of the world, where such practices don't exist."
It gets dumber than that, I admin the mobile phones for the company I work for - Several of our Execs want Iphones - Still can't get them on an O2 business account - You can only get one on the very specific consumer accounts, so we would have to:
* cancel the existing contracts on those numbers,
* allow the transfer of the numbers to personal accounts of the employees
* To protect company interests we'd want to obtain (legally non-enforceable ) agreements that the employees would release the numbers back if they leave / get fired.
* Then they have to set up private accounts, and expense them.
Any problems or issues the company cannot use our customer service contact - iphones are separate.
Surely This in principle is a good thing, (practice may be a different issue.)
If CF is going to be done at all it has to be done well, otherwise it is worthless.
Almost anything could in principle end up in court, only if its just the guy you fired for porn surfing who sues you for it. so even if licensing is not required, the basic principles need to be understood a lot better - in any case technicians working under the supervision of someone with a license, who is accountable for what they do, is fine.
As I see it there are three basic areas that are required
* Understanding the technical issues (computer geek stuff)
* Understanding what is required to make a solid legal case. and laws of evidence etc (legal/PI stuff)
* Signing up to, and adhering to a professional / ethical code of conduct (often the most important part in any profession) - Key point here is that if you don't act honestly and ethically (Think RIAA etc..) you lose your license and find a different profession to work in.
Take out any part of this and it is worthless. But if this is done sensibly it can only be good.
Absolutely, so this would not require actual subsidy, even a reduced tax level would make it economically pretty viable for us.
And I'm sure that low gas taxes in America won't last forever. It hurts at first, but its the only way to change behavior. Right now the incentive to drive an economical vehicle in the USA is minimal unless you have a 100 mile commute. Petrol driven cars are increasingly obsolete in Europe - CO2 based taxation has meant that, for company car drivers at least, its pretty much all diesel. so while prices are higher here, we probably pay about the same per mile.
"Almost nobody, anywhere, ever had a CP/M Manual. I don't doubt it is slightly possible you had one, but it's not likely."
I have to call Bullshit on this oe.
I had three different CP/M machines (Kaypro, BBC Micro add-on box, and I can't remember what the other one was) They all came with very complete manuals, even including driver sections of code, ASCII tables and all kinds of stuff that even then was seldom needed.
Copying the operating system wasn't really an issue, since the hardware address map was never fully standard - driver sections of the code were always customized.
Basic point, back then paper was cheap, hardware wasn't. - A typical CP/M machine was a couple thousand dollars or more at 1980 prices. - not too far off the cost of a cheap car.
iPhones will be on sale elsewhere in the world within a few months at most
since most markets won't accept hard-locked phones, and some countries legally prohibit selling them, There will be no shortage of unlocked iPhones on the world market by Christmas. If there is a demand they will certainly get imported into the USA.
Fair Comment, But everyone understands the concept that Knives are sharp. It is a "feature" of being a knife.
Random chance of exploding is not a necessary feature of being a computer, and if it is I certainly don't recall it being mentioned in the Ads.
(Just checked the Dell web page - Currently unavailable, They are obviously adding details of the exploding / firestarting features as I write.)
People can only make sensible decisions if they are properly informed. A whole industry exists to prevent this, so blaming individuals rather than manufacturers is not reasonable. - Which is not to say you should waste too much sympathy on people who can't be bothered to try.
"I have to say that this seems normal behavior for any phone company the world over. I've never had the full features of any phone I've ever owned from many carriers in several countries."
That is exactly the point, in most countries you don't have to buy the phone from the airtime provider. - You can, and they give financial incentives to do so for consumers [Businesses usually just get a hardware credit to buy whatever they want with or keep] but since its not obligatory there is no way a crippled product would be viable.
This is more or less true, In the schengen agreement countries, ( basically all the old EU countries except Britain) there are no controls at all. some places there are road tolls, Bridge tolls, tunnel tolls (France - Italy though Mont Blanc) so you have to stop there. Some places there are bends in the road where the Border control used to be, so you may have to slow down to 60 or so. I have Driven all the way (its only about 15 miles or so) across Holland on the E40 from Germany to Belgium without even slowing down to the speed limit.
On the Tax issue:
Having lived in the US (where the Tax includes Defence, Highways and all the corrupt politicians money can buy), Britain (where we get adequate Health care, more support for education and slightly better retirement) and spent a lot of time in 'progressive Europe' (where they get the works) I reckon that the higher tax countries are much better value for everyone apart from the very well off (i.e Family income well over $150k or equivalent). Of course its those guys that make the rules. Why middle income Americans bang on about high taxes has always been a complete mystery to me.
US companies have always felt free to rip off trade marks that belong to companies without strong legal rights in the US.
Obviously Bud/Budweiser/Budvar was the highest profile one although this is now semi-settled.
Bacardi still sell a knock-off of 'Havana Club' rum in the US only, where the Cuban owned trade mark (licensed to Pernod Ricard for use Cuba and the rest of the world) is not recognized
All this has to do with power, not any moral imperative, In China enforcement is weak and the market operates 'freely' as one would predict. In any case aren't slashdot readers meant to be against copyrights, patents, and all that 'regulation' stuff?
Slashdot Mirror
Back in the days (early 80's)when Microsoft was a REAL company, competing in a free market, Programming languages were what it did, and did well.
Operating systems came later - The various DOS's (MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR-DOS) were all pretty much interchangeable, and it was only really with MS Windows 3.0 that a differentiation appeared. Windows 1.0 was a joke and 2.0-086 was only a bit better.
And the application software was even later on - I used word for windows 1.0 and it sucked, even by the standards of the time. it was the 97 release that started to dominate
So even twenty+ years on, its the development tools that are built on a pretty solid foundation, both conceptually and (I suspect) in the code base, everything else is built on an indifferent (at best) legacy. It still shows
I believe this is only true in the US, I've never seen low speed rated tires anywhere else - Certainly here in the UK I've never seen a new (of course you can fit cheap tyres if you want, but most dealers wont do it) with tyres rated at less than the maximum speed of the car - mine has 150 mph tyres and the car probably wont go over 130.
US laws used to be crazy - When I lived there (1980's) most cars had 85mph speedometers so you didn't have clue what speed you were doing... Somehow that was meant to make things safer.
If you have trouble getting onto the site, just take a break, and have a nice refreshing cup of Not Tea
"Even worse, they have then tried to force a US-based model for phone subscription services on the rest of the world, where such practices don't exist."
It gets dumber than that, I admin the mobile phones for the company I work for - Several of our Execs want Iphones - Still can't get them on an O2 business account - You can only get one on the very specific consumer accounts, so we would have to:
* cancel the existing contracts on those numbers,
* allow the transfer of the numbers to personal accounts of the employees
* To protect company interests we'd want to obtain (legally non-enforceable ) agreements that the employees would release the numbers back if they leave / get fired.
* Then they have to set up private accounts, and expense them.
Any problems or issues the company cannot use our customer service contact - iphones are separate.
Simple. Unsurprisingly we haven't gone for it...
Surely This in principle is a good thing, (practice may be a different issue.)
If CF is going to be done at all it has to be done well, otherwise it is worthless.
Almost anything could in principle end up in court, only if its just the guy you fired for porn surfing who sues you for it. so even if licensing is not required, the basic principles need to be understood a lot better - in any case technicians working under the supervision of someone with a license, who is accountable for what they do, is fine.
As I see it there are three basic areas that are required
* Understanding the technical issues (computer geek stuff)
* Understanding what is required to make a solid legal case. and laws of evidence etc (legal/PI stuff)
* Signing up to, and adhering to a professional / ethical code of conduct (often the most important part in any profession) - Key point here is that if you don't act honestly and ethically (Think RIAA etc..) you lose your license and find a different profession to work in.
Take out any part of this and it is worthless. But if this is done sensibly it can only be good.
How many more of these till it starts getting funny ag
Absolutely, so this would not require actual subsidy, even a reduced tax level would make it economically pretty viable for us.
And I'm sure that low gas taxes in America won't last forever. It hurts at first, but its the only way to change behavior. Right now the incentive to drive an economical vehicle in the USA is minimal unless you have a 100 mile commute. Petrol driven cars are increasingly obsolete in Europe - CO2 based taxation has meant that, for company car drivers at least, its pretty much all diesel. so while prices are higher here, we probably pay about the same per mile.
In world pricing models, This is viable now.
Pretty much anywhere in the world except the USA $4/gallon would be a bargain.
we're paying around £1/litre in the UK now, which works out pretty close to $8/gallon
"Almost nobody, anywhere, ever had a CP/M Manual. I don't doubt it is slightly possible you had one, but it's not likely."
I have to call Bullshit on this oe.
I had three different CP/M machines (Kaypro, BBC Micro add-on box, and I can't remember what the other one was) They all came with very complete manuals, even including driver sections of code, ASCII tables and all kinds of stuff that even then was seldom needed.
Copying the operating system wasn't really an issue, since the hardware address map was never fully standard - driver sections of the code were always customized.
Basic point, back then paper was cheap, hardware wasn't. - A typical CP/M machine was a couple thousand dollars or more at 1980 prices. - not too far off the cost of a cheap car.
iPhones will be on sale elsewhere in the world within a few months at most
since most markets won't accept hard-locked phones, and some countries legally prohibit selling them, There will be no shortage of unlocked iPhones on the world market by Christmas. If there is a demand they will certainly get imported into the USA.
Fair Comment, But everyone understands the concept that Knives are sharp. It is a "feature" of being a knife.
Random chance of exploding is not a necessary feature of being a computer, and if it is I certainly don't recall it being mentioned in the Ads.
(Just checked the Dell web page - Currently unavailable, They are obviously adding details of the exploding / firestarting features as I write.)
People can only make sensible decisions if they are properly informed. A whole industry exists to prevent this, so blaming individuals rather than manufacturers is not reasonable. - Which is not to say you should waste too much sympathy on people who can't be bothered to try.
"I have to say that this seems normal behavior for any phone company the world over. I've never had the full features of any phone I've ever owned from many carriers in several countries."
That is exactly the point, in most countries you don't have to buy the phone from the airtime provider. - You can, and they give financial incentives to do so for consumers [Businesses usually just get a hardware credit to buy whatever they want with or keep] but since its not obligatory there is no way a crippled product would be viable.
This is more or less true, In the schengen agreement countries, ( basically all the old EU countries except Britain) there are no controls at all. some places there are road tolls, Bridge tolls, tunnel tolls (France - Italy though Mont Blanc) so you have to stop there. Some places there are bends in the road where the Border control used to be, so you may have to slow down to 60 or so. I have Driven all the way (its only about 15 miles or so) across Holland on the E40 from Germany to Belgium without even slowing down to the speed limit.
On the Tax issue:
Having lived in the US (where the Tax includes Defence, Highways and all the corrupt politicians money can buy), Britain (where we get adequate Health care, more support for education and slightly better retirement) and spent a lot of time in 'progressive Europe' (where they get the works) I reckon that the higher tax countries are much better value for everyone apart from the very well off (i.e Family income well over $150k or equivalent). Of course its those guys that make the rules. Why middle income Americans bang on about high taxes has always been a complete mystery to me.
US companies have always felt free to rip off trade marks that belong to companies without strong legal rights in the US.
Obviously Bud/Budweiser/Budvar was the highest profile one although this is now semi-settled.
Bacardi still sell a knock-off of 'Havana Club' rum in the US only, where the Cuban owned trade mark (licensed to Pernod Ricard for use Cuba and the rest of the world) is not recognized
All this has to do with power, not any moral imperative, In China enforcement is weak and the market operates 'freely' as one would predict. In any case aren't slashdot readers meant to be against copyrights, patents, and all that 'regulation' stuff?