Objectively speaking, Windows vulnerabilities have verifiably cost American business and American government (not to mention American private citizens) TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS in the past decades. No other operating system has such a poor track record. For a person to be outraged over such a situation, perhaps is properly characterized as lacking objectivity. I guess it all depends on your own perspective. I shall attempt to remember that expressing outrage over reprehensible conduct will deprive me of this elusive "objectivity".
I would be interested in seeing such studies. I probably can't evaluate them properly, but I would still like to see them. I'll go out on a limb here: Islamic society has strong anti-porn laws? Those folk just keep multiplying!! And, Latin America?
If, as you say, you ARE aware of what life outside the US borders is like, then you MUST be aware that most Americans are truly UNAWARE. I'm an American veteran. I've traveled pretty extensively. I can tell my family and freinds what I saw of life in Djibouti, or any of dozens of other cities. They DO NOT COMPREHEND. Americans, in general, are ignorant, and prefer to stay that way. That, my freind, is a simple fact of life. Reality must not be allowed to impinge on their perceptions of the world.
Microsoft's crime is not being successful, but in unfair business practices which led to the failure of competing companies. Ask Sun Java about Microsoft's JVM. Microsoft broke the law, violated contract agreements, and did everything within their power to outright steal Sun's intellectual property. When all that failed, Microsoft attempted to subvert Sun's market by creating their own Java Virtual Machine - again, with stolen ideas and code that belonged to Sun. Go ahead, cheer for a bunch of criminals. It tells us about you.....
Sorry, that is an ignorant statement. For starters, go to Dell, or Compaq and try to order a NO-OS computer. Then try to order a Linux computer. Then try to order a Solaris computer. Just try it. The reason for the lack of competing operating systems lies in the monopolistic, competition stifling conduct that Microsoft has employed over the past decades. Go on, order a Dell with Digital Research operating system installed. Then, come back and check my sig. To deny that Microsoft enjoys a monopoly is simple ignorance. Debating the reasons Microsoft enjoys that monopoly will surely help to cure that ignorance.
"Sex is bad" would help to reduce the population. "Violence is good" would also help to reduce the population. It's obvious. Politicians are tired of all the whining, sniveling voters who demand so much of their time and energy. So, get those voters to stop having babies, and start killing each other off. It's a win-win situation - for game makers and politicians, anyway.;)
The average Mom or Dad works about 5 to 10 hours to make 50 bucks TAKEHOME pay. The average kid wants about 2 to 10 new games every month. Do the math. Game makers look at the wealthier end of the demographics, and price their entertainment accordingly. They need to look at the REST of America. Hell, look at the REST OF THE WORLD!! And, they wonder why games are pirated? Childish amusements shouldn't cost a parent a major fraction of their take home pay. (as an aside, few games are original today - they just keep upping the video overhead, and making minor changes to games that are twenty years old)
"how much longer before we see a variation of this on our real-world car windshields"
The average idiot on the highway already has to many distractions. Note that cell phone use is being made illegal in many areas, due to accidents attributed to cell phone use. Now, you want a web browser on windshields? Duhhh. An automobile is a means of transportation. Transport yourself, and when you get where you are going, you can browse, play games, listen to music, call a freind, whatever. Autos need to be stripped to bare bones essentials, so that the average American idiot doesn't WANT to live in his car, wasting energy and polluting the environment.
Ahhhh - the usual liberal response. "Violence is violence, and it serves no useful purpose." Although you don't say so here, I suppose that "Violence never solved anything." Having raised three sons, I have "investigated" the use of corporal punishment. Pain is indeed a teaching mechanism - in fact, a quite valuable teaching mechanism. Discarding that teaching tool as "barbaric" hobbles parents, teachers, even government. One might note that the United States has one of the highest crime rates in the world - even discounting such trivial government BS as arrests for possession of natural substances. (cannabis) Note that I DO NOT advocate "abuse". Corporal punishment should be meted out sparingly, not as a standard response every time an adult is even mildly irritated at a child's conduct.
Two swats. Confiscate the phone, to be returned at the end of the school year. After school detention for two weeks. Case closed. Any more problems, two more swats. Corporal punishment changes attitudes quickly, and efficiently. No need of a councillor, shrink, analyst, or whatever. Americans are to pussified to swat their children, so they deserve this sort of circus.
Right finger? That would be the pinky finger on the right hand? No. That pinky finger is about useless. Lazy as can be. It will only follow if the other three fingers wrap themselves around something first. Stupid pinky. That's something I would have liked to ask Darwin about..........
And, how much time, money, and headache have you spent in the past year, trying to prevent or cure viral infections on your Microsoft machine? Oh, I know, there are free AV's. They can be set up to do everything automagically. You're not out any money, and you're only out the hour or so spent downloading and setting up your AV. Problem is - it doesn't always work. Corporations have lost many BILLIONS in the last decade, because Microsoft systems are insecure. As for me, Debian's default installation is secure against almost every exploit on the internet today. Almost, I say. Nothing is perfect. But, it's safe to say, if every corporation in America switched to Debian or some other unix like operating system, they would save TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS within the next decade. Refute that, my freind.
Eh. Being modded a troll ain't no big thing. There should be two seperate troll ratings. Those who post meaningless nonsense filled with vile words get one type, and those who post unpalatable truths get the other type. I've been modded down multiple times, simply for stating an obvious truth. Good thing I'm not Hindu, or I'd take this karma thing seriously, right? Instead, I just ROFLMAO @ whichever nitwit modded me. Oh wait - I have 5 mod points to use!!! Mwauha-ha-haaaaa!!!
"I suspect any unwillingness is due to laziness rather than inability." Which is exactly the point. People ARE lazy, and they are quite happy for Bill Goats or his successor to do all of their thinking. They are more than willing to put up with idiotic non-functioning security measures which are advised by lackwit "experts", because the alternative would require them to exercise the grey matter they carry around on their shoulders. If people WEREN'T lazy, America wouldn't be the most obese nation on earth......
""here's a computer - train it yourself." The burden has been shifted towards the user. That's not progress in my view."
In my view, that IS progress. The real progress will be realized when more than 20% of computer owners realize that accepting other people's word for their security is just plain STUPID!! People need to study and understand not that Windows is insecure, but WHY Windows is insecure. And, even on Windows, operator stupidity is the most common reason.
Uhhhh, you point to Ballmer as the reason for slowing growth? There are articles floating around the web, in which a few people PREDICTED this happening. The dates they used were 2010, and I think 2012. They pointed to history: no company has stayed in the Fortune 500 (or it's equivalent) for more than x number of years. They pointed to changing technologies. Face it - Windows ain't improving so very much these days, as it did in the early days. They pointed to other reasons, as well - INCLUDING stockholders losing focus on what Microsoft does. Within a few years - 5? 8? 10? Microsoft will be out of the software business, and into the investments business, according to those people. Microsoft is experiencing "natural" growing pains, as corporations go. I don't like Ballmer or Gates either one, but let's not blame Ballmer for things that are not hs fault.
"How would you fix that computer? (Can't even run a crack to disable the limit...if the cracking program counts as an 'application'.)" In such an instance, one would edit the registry - OFFLINE! to disable all the crapware, as well as autostarting programs. After which, one could boot into safe mode, run spybot, spywareblaster, and hijackthis, uninstall the trash virus scanner, and install something like Avast, double check that Avast is the only autostart item, then reboot to do a virus scan.
If there is any wisdom at all in limiting the number of apps, this MIGHT make sense. I believe that I could get by running a bunch of MS apps, and only 3 non-MS apps. Being required to shut something down just to open up microsoft's own calculator would be the absolute shits..... Final analysis though, it seems MS is happy to help keep the third world in the dark ages (as opposed to our own enlightened dork ages). But, MS would still be shooting themselves in the foot. They have been quoted more than once as saying they would rather see pirates stealing Windows, than using alternative operating systems. People who need a useful system, and would rather not pirate, WILL switch to something else when faced with these restrictions.
Yes, but - today, a Linux box setup as a gateway would be all a WFW machine would need for internet access, correct? I'm tempted to set up my old K7 box, install Win3.11, and try it out. It's a long time since I've played some of the games and stuff I have archived......;)
Uhhhh. First, I'm not typical to any group of people. Now that I've admitted that - I've used a lot of email programs over the years. (NOT OUTLOOK!) I fought hard to teach the wife how to use them, while avoiding Yahoo and AOL offerings. We eventually settled on something that was easy, but reliable, and used it for a long long time. But, Gmail today is sweet. There is really no setup to speak of, the server is reliable, spam filtering is in place and works well, and there is almost no administration burden. Once a month or so, I search out the little bit of spam that leaks through, flag it as spam, then delete it. I don't lose my mail if/when I decide to reformat. The ONLY functionality that I don't have, is the ability to read my mail when offline - but if I bothered to use an add-on, I could synch my mailbox for use offline. Webmail seems so much better, than the headaches I have dealt with in the past. My bandwidth usage isn't a concern, or I might feel differently - there are only 5 members in my family, and no business usage.
Adequate? Now I understand. The guys with teeny weenies are always trying to see what the other guy has. *makes mental note not to use restroom at the same time as the profane wannabe*
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Objectively speaking, Windows vulnerabilities have verifiably cost American business and American government (not to mention American private citizens) TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS in the past decades. No other operating system has such a poor track record. For a person to be outraged over such a situation, perhaps is properly characterized as lacking objectivity. I guess it all depends on your own perspective. I shall attempt to remember that expressing outrage over reprehensible conduct will deprive me of this elusive "objectivity".
I would be interested in seeing such studies. I probably can't evaluate them properly, but I would still like to see them. I'll go out on a limb here: Islamic society has strong anti-porn laws? Those folk just keep multiplying!! And, Latin America?
If, as you say, you ARE aware of what life outside the US borders is like, then you MUST be aware that most Americans are truly UNAWARE. I'm an American veteran. I've traveled pretty extensively. I can tell my family and freinds what I saw of life in Djibouti, or any of dozens of other cities. They DO NOT COMPREHEND. Americans, in general, are ignorant, and prefer to stay that way. That, my freind, is a simple fact of life. Reality must not be allowed to impinge on their perceptions of the world.
Uhhh - because you don't like the terms he uses, you discount the truth of the story? Your loss, not his.
Microsoft's crime is not being successful, but in unfair business practices which led to the failure of competing companies. Ask Sun Java about Microsoft's JVM. Microsoft broke the law, violated contract agreements, and did everything within their power to outright steal Sun's intellectual property. When all that failed, Microsoft attempted to subvert Sun's market by creating their own Java Virtual Machine - again, with stolen ideas and code that belonged to Sun. Go ahead, cheer for a bunch of criminals. It tells us about you.....
Sorry, that is an ignorant statement. For starters, go to Dell, or Compaq and try to order a NO-OS computer. Then try to order a Linux computer. Then try to order a Solaris computer. Just try it. The reason for the lack of competing operating systems lies in the monopolistic, competition stifling conduct that Microsoft has employed over the past decades. Go on, order a Dell with Digital Research operating system installed. Then, come back and check my sig. To deny that Microsoft enjoys a monopoly is simple ignorance. Debating the reasons Microsoft enjoys that monopoly will surely help to cure that ignorance.
"Sex is bad" would help to reduce the population. "Violence is good" would also help to reduce the population. It's obvious. Politicians are tired of all the whining, sniveling voters who demand so much of their time and energy. So, get those voters to stop having babies, and start killing each other off. It's a win-win situation - for game makers and politicians, anyway. ;)
The average Mom or Dad works about 5 to 10 hours to make 50 bucks TAKEHOME pay. The average kid wants about 2 to 10 new games every month. Do the math. Game makers look at the wealthier end of the demographics, and price their entertainment accordingly. They need to look at the REST of America. Hell, look at the REST OF THE WORLD!! And, they wonder why games are pirated? Childish amusements shouldn't cost a parent a major fraction of their take home pay. (as an aside, few games are original today - they just keep upping the video overhead, and making minor changes to games that are twenty years old)
"how much longer before we see a variation of this on our real-world car windshields" The average idiot on the highway already has to many distractions. Note that cell phone use is being made illegal in many areas, due to accidents attributed to cell phone use. Now, you want a web browser on windshields? Duhhh. An automobile is a means of transportation. Transport yourself, and when you get where you are going, you can browse, play games, listen to music, call a freind, whatever. Autos need to be stripped to bare bones essentials, so that the average American idiot doesn't WANT to live in his car, wasting energy and polluting the environment.
Ahhhh - the usual liberal response. "Violence is violence, and it serves no useful purpose." Although you don't say so here, I suppose that "Violence never solved anything." Having raised three sons, I have "investigated" the use of corporal punishment. Pain is indeed a teaching mechanism - in fact, a quite valuable teaching mechanism. Discarding that teaching tool as "barbaric" hobbles parents, teachers, even government. One might note that the United States has one of the highest crime rates in the world - even discounting such trivial government BS as arrests for possession of natural substances. (cannabis) Note that I DO NOT advocate "abuse". Corporal punishment should be meted out sparingly, not as a standard response every time an adult is even mildly irritated at a child's conduct.
Two swats. Confiscate the phone, to be returned at the end of the school year. After school detention for two weeks. Case closed. Any more problems, two more swats. Corporal punishment changes attitudes quickly, and efficiently. No need of a councillor, shrink, analyst, or whatever. Americans are to pussified to swat their children, so they deserve this sort of circus.
No. I suspect that you are another illegal alien. May I see your green card? ;)
Right finger? That would be the pinky finger on the right hand? No. That pinky finger is about useless. Lazy as can be. It will only follow if the other three fingers wrap themselves around something first. Stupid pinky. That's something I would have liked to ask Darwin about..........
And, how much time, money, and headache have you spent in the past year, trying to prevent or cure viral infections on your Microsoft machine? Oh, I know, there are free AV's. They can be set up to do everything automagically. You're not out any money, and you're only out the hour or so spent downloading and setting up your AV. Problem is - it doesn't always work. Corporations have lost many BILLIONS in the last decade, because Microsoft systems are insecure. As for me, Debian's default installation is secure against almost every exploit on the internet today. Almost, I say. Nothing is perfect. But, it's safe to say, if every corporation in America switched to Debian or some other unix like operating system, they would save TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS within the next decade. Refute that, my freind.
Uhhh - see my sig. Truth to microsoft bashing? Just ask Digital Research, they can explain it to you better than anyone here can.
Eh. Being modded a troll ain't no big thing. There should be two seperate troll ratings. Those who post meaningless nonsense filled with vile words get one type, and those who post unpalatable truths get the other type. I've been modded down multiple times, simply for stating an obvious truth. Good thing I'm not Hindu, or I'd take this karma thing seriously, right? Instead, I just ROFLMAO @ whichever nitwit modded me. Oh wait - I have 5 mod points to use!!! Mwauha-ha-haaaaa!!!
"I suspect any unwillingness is due to laziness rather than inability." Which is exactly the point. People ARE lazy, and they are quite happy for Bill Goats or his successor to do all of their thinking. They are more than willing to put up with idiotic non-functioning security measures which are advised by lackwit "experts", because the alternative would require them to exercise the grey matter they carry around on their shoulders. If people WEREN'T lazy, America wouldn't be the most obese nation on earth......
""here's a computer - train it yourself." The burden has been shifted towards the user. That's not progress in my view." In my view, that IS progress. The real progress will be realized when more than 20% of computer owners realize that accepting other people's word for their security is just plain STUPID!! People need to study and understand not that Windows is insecure, but WHY Windows is insecure. And, even on Windows, operator stupidity is the most common reason.
Uhhhh, you point to Ballmer as the reason for slowing growth? There are articles floating around the web, in which a few people PREDICTED this happening. The dates they used were 2010, and I think 2012. They pointed to history: no company has stayed in the Fortune 500 (or it's equivalent) for more than x number of years. They pointed to changing technologies. Face it - Windows ain't improving so very much these days, as it did in the early days. They pointed to other reasons, as well - INCLUDING stockholders losing focus on what Microsoft does. Within a few years - 5? 8? 10? Microsoft will be out of the software business, and into the investments business, according to those people. Microsoft is experiencing "natural" growing pains, as corporations go. I don't like Ballmer or Gates either one, but let's not blame Ballmer for things that are not hs fault.
"How would you fix that computer? (Can't even run a crack to disable the limit...if the cracking program counts as an 'application'.)" In such an instance, one would edit the registry - OFFLINE! to disable all the crapware, as well as autostarting programs. After which, one could boot into safe mode, run spybot, spywareblaster, and hijackthis, uninstall the trash virus scanner, and install something like Avast, double check that Avast is the only autostart item, then reboot to do a virus scan.
If there is any wisdom at all in limiting the number of apps, this MIGHT make sense. I believe that I could get by running a bunch of MS apps, and only 3 non-MS apps. Being required to shut something down just to open up microsoft's own calculator would be the absolute shits..... Final analysis though, it seems MS is happy to help keep the third world in the dark ages (as opposed to our own enlightened dork ages). But, MS would still be shooting themselves in the foot. They have been quoted more than once as saying they would rather see pirates stealing Windows, than using alternative operating systems. People who need a useful system, and would rather not pirate, WILL switch to something else when faced with these restrictions.
Yes, but - today, a Linux box setup as a gateway would be all a WFW machine would need for internet access, correct? I'm tempted to set up my old K7 box, install Win3.11, and try it out. It's a long time since I've played some of the games and stuff I have archived...... ;)
Uhhhh. First, I'm not typical to any group of people. Now that I've admitted that - I've used a lot of email programs over the years. (NOT OUTLOOK!) I fought hard to teach the wife how to use them, while avoiding Yahoo and AOL offerings. We eventually settled on something that was easy, but reliable, and used it for a long long time. But, Gmail today is sweet. There is really no setup to speak of, the server is reliable, spam filtering is in place and works well, and there is almost no administration burden. Once a month or so, I search out the little bit of spam that leaks through, flag it as spam, then delete it. I don't lose my mail if/when I decide to reformat. The ONLY functionality that I don't have, is the ability to read my mail when offline - but if I bothered to use an add-on, I could synch my mailbox for use offline. Webmail seems so much better, than the headaches I have dealt with in the past. My bandwidth usage isn't a concern, or I might feel differently - there are only 5 members in my family, and no business usage.
Adequate? Now I understand. The guys with teeny weenies are always trying to see what the other guy has. *makes mental note not to use restroom at the same time as the profane wannabe*
Your name is as funny as - a hernia? a ruptured disk? dysentery? Sorry, I missed the humor....