Most good free software (and a lot of bad) is included in the main Linux Distributions. Do you really see someone paying good money to buy something they already have for free?
When you compare Amsterdam to other Cities in Holland, and some in Belgium, then I'm afraid it is a joke. Also, let me clear up a few points you made. I'm not puritanical in the least, and I am certainly not a tourist.
Just because you approve of something (or don't disapprove of it) doesn't mean that you should want to see it everywhere. I like heavyweight boxing, but would also be the first one to shit myself if a spontaneous boxing match broke out in front of me at the railway station.
I've lived in The Netherlands for 5 years, and Belgium for 3 years before that, which kind of rules out the tourist thing, and I've seen many more Dutch Cities that Amsterdam. A trip to Utrecht, Haarlem, Maastricht, or any one of a number of other cities and towns would certainly back up my opinion that Amsterdam is a toilet.
I must admit though, I do like the idea that you seemed surprised that someone in a coffeshop would be friendly. It's impossible to be anything other than friendly after a few joints (if you rule out the being sick option, that is).
Like Bill Hicks said,
"When a fight breaks out at a football match you know it's alcohol that's causing it, because with pot, it's a physical impossibility. You would just get the following;
'Hey Buddy!'
'Hey What?'
'Hey'
'Hey'"
And one more thing; I'm not from a place as intolerant as America, and I've never been there, so I couldn't tell you the difference between someone from there and me.
Marijuana is NOT legal in Holland. Once again for the slower ones at the back. Marijuana is NOT legal in Holland.
It is decriminalised. This means that while not legal, people caught using it will not be prosecuted, and licensed traders can supply it.
Being decriminalised, however, means that it can be made fully illegal in an instant, without consulting parliamant, the Queen or the public.
Also, while you don't see a nation overrun with potheads, you do see fairly large sections of Amsterdam full of hash bars, piss, and hookers (Holland other famous leniency). This makes this once beautiful city little more than a joke. It also means that while not many Dutch people are potheads, the majority of tourists go to The Netherlands for only one reason.
The first release candidate was just such a thing, but they found a show stopper, fixed it, and made a separate release candidate. That's why the final release date was pushed back.
Seriously, I agree with you. I too am an immigrant, but in the Netherlands. Here if you have the required skill set (and IT is fine), then you get a 35% tax reduction for the first 10 years of living. I also get paid more than most Dutch people before the tax reduction takes effect;-)
Back to the point. I am totally in accordance with you view that it is unfair that immigrant labour should be paid less, but I disagree with your point that these companies couldn't afford to pay the full market rates.
This made life very tough on Sun, Oracle, Microsoft and IBM. The last thing they needed was having to pay $40-$100 an hour for programmers.
You've got to be joking. How on earth is it tough for the companies you list, when the CEOs (or ex-CEOs) of two of them are the two richest men in the world?
Perhaps getting rid of some of the overpaid managers would help a company better than cutting back on the people who work for a living.
I find it rather strange that Microsoft should be backing this, considering that their case was really rather non-technical. It was more about business practices than actual technical minutæ.
The DeCSS on the other hand would be much more deserving of this kind of court, as it would take someone who actually understands computing to, at least to some degree, make any sort of informed decision.
Slashdot Mirror
Most good free software (and a lot of bad) is included in the main Linux Distributions. Do you really see someone paying good money to buy something they already have for free?
Can any /.'ers think of anything that needs writing, but nobody wants to?
Bug-free Windows?
I stand corrected.
Apparently it's powered by Energizer Bunnies.
Back in the seventies Nasa made beautiful, functional and sturdy spacecraft which would work for many years without fail.
These days we get probes that are so blind that they crash into planets.
When you compare Amsterdam to other Cities in Holland, and some in Belgium, then I'm afraid it is a joke. Also, let me clear up a few points you made. I'm not puritanical in the least, and I am certainly not a tourist.
Just because you approve of something (or don't disapprove of it) doesn't mean that you should want to see it everywhere. I like heavyweight boxing, but would also be the first one to shit myself if a spontaneous boxing match broke out in front of me at the railway station.
I've lived in The Netherlands for 5 years, and Belgium for 3 years before that, which kind of rules out the tourist thing, and I've seen many more Dutch Cities that Amsterdam. A trip to Utrecht, Haarlem, Maastricht, or any one of a number of other cities and towns would certainly back up my opinion that Amsterdam is a toilet.
I must admit though, I do like the idea that you seemed surprised that someone in a coffeshop would be friendly. It's impossible to be anything other than friendly after a few joints (if you rule out the being sick option, that is).
Like Bill Hicks said, "When a fight breaks out at a football match you know it's alcohol that's causing it, because with pot, it's a physical impossibility. You would just get the following; 'Hey Buddy!' 'Hey What?' 'Hey' 'Hey'" And one more thing; I'm not from a place as intolerant as America, and I've never been there, so I couldn't tell you the difference between someone from there and me.
Marijuana is NOT legal in Holland. Once again for the slower ones at the back. Marijuana is NOT legal in Holland.
It is decriminalised. This means that while not legal, people caught using it will not be prosecuted, and licensed traders can supply it. Being decriminalised, however, means that it can be made fully illegal in an instant, without consulting parliamant, the Queen or the public.
Also, while you don't see a nation overrun with potheads, you do see fairly large sections of Amsterdam full of hash bars, piss, and hookers (Holland other famous leniency). This makes this once beautiful city little more than a joke. It also means that while not many Dutch people are potheads, the majority of tourists go to The Netherlands for only one reason.
I was wondering that myself. Nice to have the Karma, though.
Well, I'm actually using FreeBSD
The first release candidate was just such a thing, but they found a show stopper, fixed it, and made a separate release candidate. That's why the final release date was pushed back.
You posted this story before I could get my copy. Now I'll have to wait for ages until the Slashdot effect wears off.
And of course, RMS (or GNU/RMS to give him his full name) is not one for the semantics.
I thought I'd take a minute and toot my own horn Nice if you know the yoga.
That's four words.
This could become VERY interesting.
Won't it be a problem if the companies are merged in the US, but not in Europe. Seems kinda wierd...
It's not so much about licensing, but rather showing how using KParts will allow integration and communication between multiple applications.
It's merely a mention of what CAN be done and not what WILL be done.
All open source applications have to end in 'illa' and being with either 'k' or 'gn'.
So, when do we get our first 'killa' application?
This is a geek meeting. It will be all big fat guys (or pale skinny guys).
Seriously, I agree with you. I too am an immigrant, but in the Netherlands. Here if you have the required skill set (and IT is fine), then you get a 35% tax reduction for the first 10 years of living. I also get paid more than most Dutch people before the tax reduction takes effect ;-)
Back to the point. I am totally in accordance with you view that it is unfair that immigrant labour should be paid less, but I disagree with your point that these companies couldn't afford to pay the full market rates.
True. Then he would only be worth a couple of billion, rather than 50.
I really don't know how he would make ends meet.
That's exactly my point.
It's the same as these adverts you see telling you to stop pirating Microsoft software, because it takes money away from deserving programmers.
Jesus, if I could have my profits damaged so I only had a few billion in the bank, then I'd be pretty pissed off too.
This made life very tough on Sun, Oracle, Microsoft and IBM. The last thing they needed was having to pay $40-$100 an hour for programmers.
You've got to be joking. How on earth is it tough for the companies you list, when the CEOs (or ex-CEOs) of two of them are the two richest men in the world?
Perhaps getting rid of some of the overpaid managers would help a company better than cutting back on the people who work for a living.
If it's Perl, then you don't need the semi-colon, as it's the last line in the while block.
I find it rather strange that Microsoft should be backing this, considering that their case was really rather non-technical. It was more about business practices than actual technical minutæ.
The DeCSS on the other hand would be much more deserving of this kind of court, as it would take someone who actually understands computing to, at least to some degree, make any sort of informed decision.