They need to follow up with another album priced at the "regular" amount and see if they still make as much or more than they would have before - but it would also be interesting to see how many people buy.
Unbelieveable. Forgot to check the result of the copy operation eh? So basically this is a catastropic defect for people who deal with very large media files to and from remote stores or people who deal with virtual machine images.
Back in the day when I used to use my mac I dropped a directory (A) into another directory (B) but there was an existing directory (C) with the same name as (A). The finder asked me something, I clicked OK. I was dismayed to find that the dialog had asked me "Would you like to replace directory C, with A?" - Why on earth would that ever be the default option for a directory move? From the users perspective you aren't really moving the directory, the intention is to move the files, thus the sane response would be to merge A with C not replace it.
Comapre the list... it's almost as long as leopard's and yet the application base is far larger on windows - it's probably 10% of the total applications listed on those pages. In addition why would anyone expect that a none updated Firewall/IDS program or AV program would work with vista? Some of the apps listed there are from 2000 - 2001 how many mac apps still work from OS 9?
This list of problems is almost as staggering as Vistas issues. What's most interesting is that a number *Applications* don't work with Leopard.
At least Microsoft values backward compatibilty. Arguably Vista's internals changed significantly more than Leopard yet MS managed to maintain almost complete backward compatibility with old programs.
I mean, Photoshop 7 doesn't work with Leopard!?
Of course, what little hardware Mac has available is also having issues according to that list.
Better hope your hardware partners update their drivers!
I'd say activation and WGA work pretty well. But that's just me;)
Steam is a questionable solution. They are "just games" and it keeps me from having to put a CD in the drive which is really the only benefit. I was a little miffed now that they want to install a windows service to support the crap. If it were anything mission critical i'd cry donkey balls on it.
we've had about 25 years to figure this out. and i've not seen anything easier than windows activation and wga in a while. it's largely unobtrusive. i have had other products that need activation and they were far more obtrusive, especially when something went wrong.
i think music/video drm is another issue altogether, and i think that there is really no reason for drm to exisit.
As a child poster pointed out - Microsofts revenue continues to accelerate. Perhaps this attributed to activation, perhaps not it would require unfettered access to MS and all that goes on to determine if this were the case. Or perhaps it is becuase MS's profit margin continues to increase with every copy of XP sold. I wonder why they are so quick to EOL it lol.
Another poster pointed out winzip - which i think is a prefect example. I've used it for years but there was no compelling incentive to get a serial for it. i did however buy a copy a few years ago "just because". if there were activation or expiry i would have bought it long ago because i use it all the time.
Sure, things get cracked. In many ways it's the handgun argument. Ban guns, but the criminals will still have them because well, they are criminals. Then what would the poor defenseless masses do?
I'm pretty sure though that activation has changed the way people aquire software. Over time though, we all end up accumulating serials. then we all get upgrades at reduced prices. very few actually pay for a brand new off the shelf copy of the OS. Windows also does not really "cost" as much as it does on the shelf.
"pirates" - i think that this requires a broader look at who these people are. from an economic standpoint these are people whose time is worth the risk and effort of downloading questionable copies of vista or xp or office and following questionable steps to recieve free software. have you actually tried to pirate this stuff? i don't think it is as easy as you think it is. i rely on the computer much more than most for their day to day activities so i don't mind paying for it.
i don't see any reward in getting some spyware ridden cd image on some site that i just spent ten hours looking for or some infected zip file with one dll that i need to replace.
there is also the question: if the pirates actually had to pay would they use it? that is to say how many of the people pirating are not really pirates in the sense that MS would not receive revenue from the because the cost was simply too high. this is actually much more relevent to the closely related DRM discussions; how much of the supposed "lost" revenue is really "made up". sure you can count downloaded songs and say they are worth X. the reality is though that the people downloading them have to be able to afford them before they are worth X. e.g. a 12 year old with a thousand songs probably does not have the economic capacity to purchase all of that music. so if they actually had to pay for it - they would only own 100 songs.
i touched on this earlier but i will reiterate; i think that you trivialize the process of finding, installing and cracking vista and, xp or any other software. then you must also maintain that software in it's cracked state. it's not easy and it's not trivial. you run the constant risk of the carpet being pulled out from under you. based on the the first vista crack that i found a "time reset activation" crack, i can see how wga could easily be modified to determine how long activation has been pending, and act accordingly. MS is probably tracking that already. its just a matter of time before they decide to do something about it.
I think the bottom line is activation is not as bad and painful as it's made out to be. It's easy if you actually bought the software. It's a pain if you did not. In a few cases people have issues, i found myself in that position a few weeks ago and it really wasn't an issue. It's not like MSFT wants to know exactly why you are re-actviating. It's actually easier than it used to be in XP - I guess the guy that wrote the article has forgotten about that.
"There's no denying that Windows Activation has a serious image problem. Not only is it inconvenient and cumbersome, but it creates a very strong impression in the user's mind that Microsoft doesn't really want to give you the software you paid for."
Entering a serial number is inconvenient and cumbersome?
Vista will give you 30 days to activate after the installation - you don't need to supply the serial number right away. This also allows you to update all your drivers before you get going. That's actually way more convenient than the XP experience. As far as hardware changes go - it's only slightly more time consuming than the online version of the activation and requires a quick 5 minute phone call. I've had far worse experiences calling other major manufactures. The guy on the phone was helpful and it took 5 minutes. So as far as feeling that MS doesn't want to give me the software I paid for I'd say that is inaccurate.
Realistically, if you sell the most used OS in the world do you think that you are going to just trust everyone to properly license their product?
Activation is not something limited to windows as well - there are a number of other products that use this technique for curbing piracy.
Some of which Vista already has - and some of which aren't relevent because they are part of products that will never come bundled (read free) with Vista due to legal intervention.
Although some of the animation sdk updates are pretty cool.
the xbox is primarily a game console - that is its core focus. as people explore their consoles more - they find that there are added features such as media center, or downloadable video and content. the console focus doesn't change but we get more for our money now.
so it's not like msft is going out and creating a set top box - they are creating a game console that can act as a set top box - as well as a game console. as we move into the future they can release new features via network updates.
the xbox is versitle. at the moment it can play on demand content, movies, games and be used for communication such as messenger it can also video chat, and audio chat. it will continute to become more versitle with the addition of an HD-DVD drive.
the xbox is a sleeper really. all that is needed in the future is a push by msft either marketing or software to convert current xbox users to the other features.
the ubiquitousness and openness of the xbox is also a huge selling point as well.
to say that the xbox is competing with the ps3 is probably not accurate - the ps3 is catching up. judging by the current state of things the ps3 has a long road ahead to catch up.
also - sony continues to alienate their user base by couching a "price drop" with a feature removal - the loss of ps2 support.
KAV should not alter the files on the system on which it resides. Does it remove the crap that it puts on the files after you uninstall it? Probably not, and then you are left with a bunch of files that are larger than needed and have useless information attached to them.
In general I dislike AV software because it's so invasive. This is just another example in the way that your system can get hosed by installing the crap.
KAV should maintain it's own source of information about system state independent of any hooks available in the file system. I mean, what's stopping a malicious user from changing the data in the file attributes and messing with KAV, or using that information to defeat the AV software? KAV is a guard for the system, it's probably best to hold the guards knowledge in secret instead of sprinkling it for all to see.
Yeah, I'm not excusing MS here - this seems like a trivial item to sort out. Chances are there are not a ton of customers asking for it and they are just trying to keep complexity down in SP1. But still...
Lol the TFA is FUD. Read the HOTFIX notes which explains that the issue is with Windows OLE (NOT part of the kernel) and files that utilize extended attributes. Note that the crappy AV product adds extended attributes to all of your files (which i'm sure speeds up every file operation on your PC), thus with a kapersky infected computer - you are assured to have the problem. With "normal" files it's unlikely you will have this issue. Media files and the new office files are more likely to pose a problem than your standard files.
The article does not state clearly wether physical memory is a constraint.
I'm using 1.09G W/ Trillian 4 Alpha, Winamp, VS.NET, IE, PowerPoint w/ 26 slide deck open, and outlook running. I don't really consider that atrocious for a next generation OS.
To comprare Skype is able to use ~ 32 - 46 kbps for sending full motion video @ 15 fps. Using h.264 one should see similar capabilities. While I'm not 100% certain the, iPhone can use the highest compression methods for h.264 because it's video decompression is all hardware based. Given the screen sizes and fudging with the frame rates you can get a pretty good experience. 32 - 46 kpbs is well within reach for EDGE - it's just that you need dedicated hardware to achieve this to get decent battery life. It's also a lot easier to make this scenario work for on demand content - than live streaming video.
Slashdot Mirror
They need to follow up with another album priced at the "regular" amount and see if they still make as much or more than they would have before - but it would also be interesting to see how many people buy.
Portble hot plate for cooking
Good to see Linux is sane too... :)
Unbelieveable. Forgot to check the result of the copy operation eh? So basically this is a catastropic defect for people who deal with very large media files to and from remote stores or people who deal with virtual machine images.
Back in the day when I used to use my mac I dropped a directory (A) into another directory (B) but there was an existing directory (C) with the same name as (A). The finder asked me something, I clicked OK. I was dismayed to find that the dialog had asked me "Would you like to replace directory C, with A?" - Why on earth would that ever be the default option for a directory move? From the users perspective you aren't really moving the directory, the intention is to move the files, thus the sane response would be to merge A with C not replace it.
Whatever.
Comapre the list... it's almost as long as leopard's and yet the application base is far larger on windows - it's probably 10% of the total applications listed on those pages. In addition why would anyone expect that a none updated Firewall/IDS program or AV program would work with vista? Some of the apps listed there are from 2000 - 2001 how many mac apps still work from OS 9?
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20071030122926454
This list of problems is almost as staggering as Vistas issues. What's most interesting is that a number *Applications* don't work with Leopard.
At least Microsoft values backward compatibilty. Arguably Vista's internals changed significantly more than Leopard yet MS managed to maintain almost complete backward compatibility with old programs.
I mean, Photoshop 7 doesn't work with Leopard!?
Of course, what little hardware Mac has available is also having issues according to that list.
Better hope your hardware partners update their drivers!
It works in a lab but the real question is how well does this perform in the real world...
All your data belong to us.
You are now on the way to destruction.
It is still an improvement over win2k3.
Check out the section on file transfers. It's considerably faster than Win2k3.
The button does what you configure it to do. The other options are available on the right arrow.
I'd say activation and WGA work pretty well. But that's just me ;)
Steam is a questionable solution. They are "just games" and it keeps me from having to put a CD in the drive which is really the only benefit. I was a little miffed now that they want to install a windows service to support the crap. If it were anything mission critical i'd cry donkey balls on it.
we've had about 25 years to figure this out. and i've not seen anything easier than windows activation and wga in a while. it's largely unobtrusive. i have had other products that need activation and they were far more obtrusive, especially when something went wrong.
i think music/video drm is another issue altogether, and i think that there is really no reason for drm to exisit.
lol, yeah, just a few posts ;-)
As a child poster pointed out - Microsofts revenue continues to accelerate. Perhaps this attributed to activation, perhaps not it would require unfettered access to MS and all that goes on to determine if this were the case. Or perhaps it is becuase MS's profit margin continues to increase with every copy of XP sold. I wonder why they are so quick to EOL it lol.
Another poster pointed out winzip - which i think is a prefect example. I've used it for years but there was no compelling incentive to get a serial for it. i did however buy a copy a few years ago "just because". if there were activation or expiry i would have bought it long ago because i use it all the time.
Sure, things get cracked. In many ways it's the handgun argument. Ban guns, but the criminals will still have them because well, they are criminals. Then what would the poor defenseless masses do?
I'm pretty sure though that activation has changed the way people aquire software. Over time though, we all end up accumulating serials. then we all get upgrades at reduced prices. very few actually pay for a brand new off the shelf copy of the OS. Windows also does not really "cost" as much as it does on the shelf.
"pirates" - i think that this requires a broader look at who these people are. from an economic standpoint these are people whose time is worth the risk and effort of downloading questionable copies of vista or xp or office and following questionable steps to recieve free software. have you actually tried to pirate this stuff? i don't think it is as easy as you think it is. i rely on the computer much more than most for their day to day activities so i don't mind paying for it.
i don't see any reward in getting some spyware ridden cd image on some site that i just spent ten hours looking for or some infected zip file with one dll that i need to replace.
there is also the question: if the pirates actually had to pay would they use it? that is to say how many of the people pirating are not really pirates in the sense that MS would not receive revenue from the because the cost was simply too high. this is actually much more relevent to the closely related DRM discussions; how much of the supposed "lost" revenue is really "made up". sure you can count downloaded songs and say they are worth X. the reality is though that the people downloading them have to be able to afford them before they are worth X. e.g. a 12 year old with a thousand songs probably does not have the economic capacity to purchase all of that music. so if they actually had to pay for it - they would only own 100 songs.
i touched on this earlier but i will reiterate; i think that you trivialize the process of finding, installing and cracking vista and, xp or any other software. then you must also maintain that software in it's cracked state. it's not easy and it's not trivial. you run the constant risk of the carpet being pulled out from under you. based on the the first vista crack that i found a "time reset activation" crack, i can see how wga could easily be modified to determine how long activation has been pending, and act accordingly. MS is probably tracking that already. its just a matter of time before they decide to do something about it.
I think the bottom line is activation is not as bad and painful as it's made out to be. It's easy if you actually bought the software. It's a pain if you did not. In a few cases people have issues, i found myself in that position a few weeks ago and it really wasn't an issue. It's not like MSFT wants to know exactly why you are re-actviating. It's actually easier than it used to be in XP - I guess the guy that wrote the article has forgotten about that.
I tend to think that you could make a case that activation has in fact aided the growth of MS's bottom line with those numbers.
Of course they have continued to add new products and services.
"There's no denying that Windows Activation has a serious image problem. Not only is it inconvenient and cumbersome, but it creates a very strong impression in the user's mind that Microsoft doesn't really want to give you the software you paid for."
Entering a serial number is inconvenient and cumbersome?
Vista will give you 30 days to activate after the installation - you don't need to supply the serial number right away. This also allows you to update all your drivers before you get going. That's actually way more convenient than the XP experience. As far as hardware changes go - it's only slightly more time consuming than the online version of the activation and requires a quick 5 minute phone call. I've had far worse experiences calling other major manufactures. The guy on the phone was helpful and it took 5 minutes. So as far as feeling that MS doesn't want to give me the software I paid for I'd say that is inaccurate.
Realistically, if you sell the most used OS in the world do you think that you are going to just trust everyone to properly license their product?
Activation is not something limited to windows as well - there are a number of other products that use this technique for curbing piracy.
Some of which Vista already has - and some of which aren't relevent because they are part of products that will never come bundled (read free) with Vista due to legal intervention.
Although some of the animation sdk updates are pretty cool.
nah and here is why.
the xbox is primarily a game console - that is its core focus. as people explore their consoles more - they find that there are added features such as media center, or downloadable video and content. the console focus doesn't change but we get more for our money now.
so it's not like msft is going out and creating a set top box - they are creating a game console that can act as a set top box - as well as a game console. as we move into the future they can release new features via network updates.
the xbox is versitle. at the moment it can play on demand content, movies, games and be used for communication such as messenger it can also video chat, and audio chat. it will continute to become more versitle with the addition of an HD-DVD drive.
the xbox is a sleeper really. all that is needed in the future is a push by msft either marketing or software to convert current xbox users to the other features.
the ubiquitousness and openness of the xbox is also a huge selling point as well.
to say that the xbox is competing with the ps3 is probably not accurate - the ps3 is catching up. judging by the current state of things the ps3 has a long road ahead to catch up.
also - sony continues to alienate their user base by couching a "price drop" with a feature removal - the loss of ps2 support.
Yeah, it was called AltaVista and it worked well before they sold out and started tinkering with the results.
KAV should not alter the files on the system on which it resides. Does it remove the crap that it puts on the files after you uninstall it? Probably not, and then you are left with a bunch of files that are larger than needed and have useless information attached to them.
In general I dislike AV software because it's so invasive. This is just another example in the way that your system can get hosed by installing the crap.
KAV should maintain it's own source of information about system state independent of any hooks available in the file system. I mean, what's stopping a malicious user from changing the data in the file attributes and messing with KAV, or using that information to defeat the AV software? KAV is a guard for the system, it's probably best to hold the guards knowledge in secret instead of sprinkling it for all to see.
Just about every microsoft product ships with an SDK at launch, ususally before launch.
You have to also wonder why it wasn't designed as an SDK/API to being with.
Yeah, I'm not excusing MS here - this seems like a trivial item to sort out. Chances are there are not a ton of customers asking for it and they are just trying to keep complexity down in SP1. But still...
Lol the TFA is FUD. Read the HOTFIX notes which explains that the issue is with Windows OLE (NOT part of the kernel) and files that utilize extended attributes. Note that the crappy AV product adds extended attributes to all of your files (which i'm sure speeds up every file operation on your PC), thus with a kapersky infected computer - you are assured to have the problem. With "normal" files it's unlikely you will have this issue. Media files and the new office files are more likely to pose a problem than your standard files.
The article does not state clearly wether physical memory is a constraint.
Yeah - no. DWM.exe uses 32M of memory.
I'm using 1.09G W/ Trillian 4 Alpha, Winamp, VS.NET, IE, PowerPoint w/ 26 slide deck open, and outlook running. I don't really consider that atrocious for a next generation OS.
Better to understate than overstate :) Especially
Over all, it's pretty awesome to be anywhere and be able to download a 20 mb file in a reasonable amount of time.
It's pretty amazing how far we've come in 10 years.
To comprare Skype is able to use ~ 32 - 46 kbps for sending full motion video @ 15 fps. Using h.264 one should see similar capabilities. While I'm not 100% certain the, iPhone can use the highest compression methods for h.264 because it's video decompression is all hardware based. Given the screen sizes and fudging with the frame rates you can get a pretty good experience. 32 - 46 kpbs is well within reach for EDGE - it's just that you need dedicated hardware to achieve this to get decent battery life. It's also a lot easier to make this scenario work for on demand content - than live streaming video.