Well, Russia is a former socialist country, but Microsoft continues to spread socialism: there is one and only one OS, basically the same for a scientist and for a housewife. It is controlled by a single vendor (Party), is promised to deliver happiness for everyone using it and is supported by a massive amount of propaganda which claims any other ideologies inferior and is conveniently silent about its own deficiencies. Iron Curtain is in place to prevent people fleeing (vendor lock), dissidents are punished (OEM deals) and so on.
Besides, computer literacy is IMHO very low in CIS countries because of piracy. Sure, everybody has the latest and the most expensive software available, but that's it. People don't look for alternatives especially if these are free which is perceived as low quality. So we have a great number of people who have XP Professional Corporate Edition, use Photoshop solely for red-eye-reduction, type notes in MS-Word but don't know how to insert a page break (these people are the loudest to bitch about OOo if they are forced to use it). Hell, I've seen scientific papers written in MS-Word with formulas written down by hand because no one knows about LaTeX!
PowerOff, Sleep and WakeUp are pretty much standard keys. In KDE I am able to configure the behavior of those keys depending on my current power profile. See no reason why it shouldn't be configurable in Windows at least with third-party programs. But well, if someone thinks that pulled away keys look geeky...
I use it for switching keyboard layouts. Much more convenient with Caps Lock than with Ctrl-Shift or Alt-Shift (damn you Windows for not allowing Caps Lock to toggle layouts!).
You're right, got carried away reading the discussion:) As for hardware manufacturers -- that's what competition is good for. Even when the profit is minimal, you still better get it before your competition does. EEE made a very good profit for Asus, now everyone want a slice of that cake too. Besides, components are getting cheaper all the time, if you sell en masse, you still get good returns. Maybe though, lucrative market is the market where people are still ready to buy -- especially in these tough times.
Well, it's software. Even if you get $0,01 per copy you're still better off than if you wouldn't be in this market at all. Remember, an additional copy still comes to no additional cost. Perhaps though it is lucrative as in "lose this market to Linux and it will be the beginning of the end". So even paying OEM's to install Windows could be profitable because such move secures desktop OS monopoly further.
What about SDRAM? I am unlikely to get 1Gb of those at a reasonable price -- they aren't that common anymore. Besides, why bother? All I could salvage for my aunt's pentium-4-1,4-GHz-based-PC from various dead computers was 640 Mb SDRAM (2x256+1x128). The PC itself is a throwaway thing. With Linux on board she gets a PC which has more flashy effects than both Vista and 7 combined (and that's with 64Mb Geforce-2 card), is much more secure (and faster due to the lack of antivirus) and has a more advanced GUI (multiple desktops, Alt-dragging/resizing, mouse buffer etc.) than its Windows counterparts regardless of their OS version. And don't even get me started on remote maintenance. As for companies -- they'll stick to the currently used OS for as long as it gets anyway. Some will migrate to MacOS, very few -- to Linux-based solutions, but the majority is hooked so they'll stay on Windows and Internet Explorer.
Compared to Windows where you have to install flash, java and a codec pack manually (not to mention all other software like office suite, decent browser etc.)? I have set up Linux for all my family members, they use it with close to no problems. I strongly doubt though that they would be able to set up Windows correctly either. So from this point of view Linux isn't harder to use. But it is sure as hell much easier to maintain for me.
Besides, you can easily count to 12 -- you have 12 phalanx on your hand if you count them with your thumb (three on each finger thumb excluded). That way you can count up to 144 if you use both hands wisely.
IRDA and remote controllers work differently. I wanted to use my laptop's IRDA for the remote controller only to find out that it is not possible. IRDA's that support remote controllers are rare IIRC.
>And a percentage drop in population corresponds to a very real percentage drop in total GDP. Fewer consumers, fewer producers, and slowed growth and achievement. But GDP per capita will raise and that's a good thing (for the survivors). Each individual will get more eventually.
To be fair, bluetooth audio wasn't simple in Linux (and I know what I'm talking about, I've been using a bluetooth headset for some years with Linux now). First you had to use snd-bt-sco driver with btsco program, you couldn't avoid some console work, had to explicitly start btsco to make it work. But it did work pretty stable, however. Then, around bluez-3, they have started using ALSA for bluetooth, you had to put your dongle ID in.asoundrc and you were in trouble using Skype on 64-bit systems (at least so was I, had to copy some libs from 32-bit chroot to make it work). Only about a month ago, with pulseaudio-0.9.15 and blueman project it has become possible for me to set up and use my headset the easy way, exactly as I want it to work, and that's without knowing its ID, without console fiddling and so on. You turn it on and pulseaudio reroutes earlier chosen sound streams to the headset, even if it's already playing. I can pick up/end twinkle calls with headset's button, blueman's killer feature for me. Skype on my 64-bit system has trouble with it though, but they promise a fix soon (doesn't matter for my family because we use SIP with ekiga/twinkle anyway). Of course, there has been bluesoeil for Linux, but I haven't used it.
>Ok, so tell us how many of your 'friends' would stop being your 'friend' if you stopped providing free tech support.
None, to my knowledge. I don't have friends who call me only if they have problems with their PCs, there are always more shared values and interests behind such a relationship.
>Sure people like to help people, so tell us how many of your acquientences would do your taxes, fix your boiler, fix your washing machine and mow the lawn, all for free?
Some friends of mine have helped me with moving recently, and one of them even provided space in his basement for some boxes that I took to my new place some time later. Sure, I could hire a service for it and rent some place at a warehouse (and if I follow your logic, I *should* do this), but friends have agreed to help. And we've spent the whole Saturday moving my stuff around. I have some acquaintances (;) ) who may give me some basic legal advice. On the other hand, they may not. I may ask for help, but I'll never demand it.
Come on, what's so bad in helping others if you have knowledge and, most important, time? That's how a society works, people help people. Sure, there will be some random asshole now and then who'll exploit others willingness to help, but that still doesn't mean that helping others is a bad thing. You can't defy help only for questionable job security nor can you rely only on the money to build a society upon -- at the end of the day everyone might need some help. One cannot compare paid support to enthusiasts directly -- the latter often provide better help and insights but may refuse to help you at all if you can't behave yourself or if you demand help in a rude way. Thumbs rule is the same as with Linux forums/mailing lists -- do at least basic search before you start asking and think before you write. Enthusiasts love to solve problems, but they hate repeating the same shit over and over. As for creating a community -- the company has to be either very open or extremely popular.
P.S. I don't repair neighbours/friends Windows PC's too, not even if they offer me to pay for it -- it's the same boring routine over and over. I do offer Linux installation and support for no charge case they want to check it out.
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Well, Russia is a former socialist country, but Microsoft continues to spread socialism: there is one and only one OS, basically the same for a scientist and for a housewife. It is controlled by a single vendor (Party), is promised to deliver happiness for everyone using it and is supported by a massive amount of propaganda which claims any other ideologies inferior and is conveniently silent about its own deficiencies. Iron Curtain is in place to prevent people fleeing (vendor lock), dissidents are punished (OEM deals) and so on.
Besides, computer literacy is IMHO very low in CIS countries because of piracy. Sure, everybody has the latest and the most expensive software available, but that's it. People don't look for alternatives especially if these are free which is perceived as low quality.
So we have a great number of people who have XP Professional Corporate Edition, use Photoshop solely for red-eye-reduction, type notes in MS-Word but don't know how to insert a page break (these people are the loudest to bitch about OOo if they are forced to use it). Hell, I've seen scientific papers written in MS-Word with formulas written down by hand because no one knows about LaTeX!
PowerOff, Sleep and WakeUp are pretty much standard keys. In KDE I am able to configure the behavior of those keys depending on my current power profile. See no reason why it shouldn't be configurable in Windows at least with third-party programs. But well, if someone thinks that pulled away keys look geeky...
Why didn't you turn them off in software?
I use it for switching keyboard layouts. Much more convenient with Caps Lock than with Ctrl-Shift or Alt-Shift (damn you Windows for not allowing Caps Lock to toggle layouts!).
Computer repairman doesn't get paid for clicking. He gets paid for knowing where to click, a knowledge his customers usually lack.
Nothing, but you have to keep in mind that this feeling is mutual.
Even if it's planting a seed that will grow into a tree that will eventually become the MS coffin -- it's still a good thing.
You're right, got carried away reading the discussion :)
As for hardware manufacturers -- that's what competition is good for. Even when the profit is minimal, you still better get it before your competition does.
EEE made a very good profit for Asus, now everyone want a slice of that cake too.
Besides, components are getting cheaper all the time, if you sell en masse, you still get good returns.
Maybe though, lucrative market is the market where people are still ready to buy -- especially in these tough times.
Well, it's software. Even if you get $0,01 per copy you're still better off than if you wouldn't be in this market at all. Remember, an additional copy still comes to no additional cost.
Perhaps though it is lucrative as in "lose this market to Linux and it will be the beginning of the end". So even paying OEM's to install Windows could be profitable because such move secures desktop OS monopoly further.
Normally, you don't have to pay to get root access to your system.
What about SDRAM? I am unlikely to get 1Gb of those at a reasonable price -- they aren't that common anymore. Besides, why bother?
All I could salvage for my aunt's pentium-4-1,4-GHz-based-PC from various dead computers was 640 Mb SDRAM (2x256+1x128). The PC itself is a throwaway thing.
With Linux on board she gets a PC which has more flashy effects than both Vista and 7 combined (and that's with 64Mb Geforce-2 card), is much more secure (and faster due to the lack of antivirus) and has a more advanced GUI (multiple desktops, Alt-dragging/resizing, mouse buffer etc.) than its Windows counterparts regardless of their OS version. And don't even get me started on remote maintenance.
As for companies -- they'll stick to the currently used OS for as long as it gets anyway. Some will migrate to MacOS, very few -- to Linux-based solutions, but the majority is hooked so they'll stay on Windows and Internet Explorer.
Compared to Windows where you have to install flash, java and a codec pack manually (not to mention all other software like office suite, decent browser etc.)?
I have set up Linux for all my family members, they use it with close to no problems. I strongly doubt though that they would be able to set up Windows correctly either. So from this point of view Linux isn't harder to use. But it is sure as hell much easier to maintain for me.
And after that you need Russians when your Prussian or French Cavalrymen get out of control.
And then the winter comes and only Russians survive.
That is exactly why motivated NSA professionals were easily able to penetrate the Linux system of the winning team. Wait, what?
Besides, you can easily count to 12 -- you have 12 phalanx on your hand if you count them with your thumb (three on each finger thumb excluded). That way you can count up to 144 if you use both hands wisely.
>Boars have fists in your area ? Where are you hunting, Tchernobyl ?
Wall Street.
>The catch, you ask? You won't be certain your data is there until you look...
Also known an Schroedinger disk.
Goats can walk, silly! :-P
That's weird -- your sig implies that you are not a Mac user...
IRDA and remote controllers work differently. I wanted to use my laptop's IRDA for the remote controller only to find out that it is not possible. IRDA's that support remote controllers are rare IIRC.
>And a percentage drop in population corresponds to a very real percentage drop in total GDP. Fewer consumers, fewer producers, and slowed growth and achievement.
But GDP per capita will raise and that's a good thing (for the survivors). Each individual will get more eventually.
To be fair, bluetooth audio wasn't simple in Linux (and I know what I'm talking about, I've been using a bluetooth headset for some years with Linux now). .asoundrc and you were in trouble using Skype on 64-bit systems (at least so was I, had to copy some libs from 32-bit chroot to make it work).
First you had to use snd-bt-sco driver with btsco program, you couldn't avoid some console work, had to explicitly start btsco to make it work. But it did work pretty stable, however.
Then, around bluez-3, they have started using ALSA for bluetooth, you had to put your dongle ID in
Only about a month ago, with pulseaudio-0.9.15 and blueman project it has become possible for me to set up and use my headset the easy way, exactly as I want it to work, and that's without knowing its ID, without console fiddling and so on.
You turn it on and pulseaudio reroutes earlier chosen sound streams to the headset, even if it's already playing. I can pick up/end twinkle calls with headset's button, blueman's killer feature for me.
Skype on my 64-bit system has trouble with it though, but they promise a fix soon (doesn't matter for my family because we use SIP with ekiga/twinkle anyway).
Of course, there has been bluesoeil for Linux, but I haven't used it.
>Ok, so tell us how many of your 'friends' would stop being your 'friend' if you stopped providing free tech support.
None, to my knowledge. I don't have friends who call me only if they have problems with their PCs, there are always more shared values and interests behind such a relationship.
>Sure people like to help people, so tell us how many of your acquientences would do your taxes, fix your boiler, fix your washing machine and mow the lawn, all for free?
Some friends of mine have helped me with moving recently, and one of them even provided space in his basement for some boxes that I took to my new place some time later. Sure, I could hire a service for it and rent some place at a warehouse (and if I follow your logic, I *should* do this), but friends have agreed to help. And we've spent the whole Saturday moving my stuff around. ;) ) who may give me some basic legal advice. On the other hand, they may not. I may ask for help, but I'll never demand it.
I have some acquaintances (
Come on, what's so bad in helping others if you have knowledge and, most important, time? That's how a society works, people help people. Sure, there will be some random asshole now and then who'll exploit others willingness to help, but that still doesn't mean that helping others is a bad thing.
You can't defy help only for questionable job security nor can you rely only on the money to build a society upon -- at the end of the day everyone might need some help.
One cannot compare paid support to enthusiasts directly -- the latter often provide better help and insights but may refuse to help you at all if you can't behave yourself or if you demand help in a rude way. Thumbs rule is the same as with Linux forums/mailing lists -- do at least basic search before you start asking and think before you write. Enthusiasts love to solve problems, but they hate repeating the same shit over and over.
As for creating a community -- the company has to be either very open or extremely popular.
P.S. I don't repair neighbours/friends Windows PC's too, not even if they offer me to pay for it -- it's the same boring routine over and over. I do offer Linux installation and support for no charge case they want to check it out.