Give me a break. Of course climate change is happening. Look at California, Spain, Greece, and other places. They are turning into deserts. Year after year more fires, and more arid. It is changing the land at a local level. Other places like Canada are get more tornado's and they are getting more tail ends of hurricanes.
The question of whether or not it is man made in my opinion is quite irrelevant since we don't even have plan regardless of the cause. The big issue right now is how to deal with climate change? What are we doing to secure our water supplies? Or our essential resources...
I always make the argument, what if China decided one day to the next that 300 million (about a quarter of their country) decided to go for a walk and moved to the US via Alaska. Do you really think anybody could stop 300 million people? Answer NO! So in other words the US could double in population and there is not a DAMM thing the US could do about it!
In other words you could never defeat China! Face those facts and life gets simpler.
In 1953 when IBM introduced the first computer, who made it work? Ah yes a team of programmers who customized...
When UNIX was first introduced who made things work for your business? Customizations...
When...
Want to see the future? Look at IBM... They have been around over a hundred years, while all of the other companies have disappeared. Look at the latest balance sheets of IBM, cash rich cow! IBM is a "serious playa". And what do they make their money off? Services and customization.
My point is that IBM is a company that adapts to the times. They build what the client wants. And the clients wants customizations. Sure IBM is on the cloud computing bandwagon, no reason for them to not be. After all more customization money for them. After all, who would not want a "private cloud", which is sort of contradictory, no?
The real money will be in the ones who know how to customize the cloud... Oh wait IBM, yes?
>MS was founded by expert poker players. They haven't used all their strong cards yet.
They have already misplayed their cards... It used to be version 3 of anything MS would succeed... Does not work anymore, and people are loathe to say it.
No, I will not upgrade my XP... At least right now the odds are against it.
Let me tell you about something we did...
We used to run Windows 2000 server. And then one day we needed to install it on new hardware. Did not work. So I got the idea and said, why not create a VMWare partition and install Windows 2000 on it and run exclusively Linux servers...
That was 3 years ago! And we still run Windows 2000 server. Recently they tried to install Windows 2008 Server as a virtualized server OS and it sucks completely... But the positive experience with the desktop making us to think about shifting to Linux on the desktop.
Right now the traders have 2 Windows machines and 1 Linux desktop machine. Thus far no problems...
But what we do know right now is that whatever desktops they need, if it involves a native Windows installation it will be the cheapest version with the work horse being Linux.
I called Microsoft a Zombie corporation (and warned several months ago that MSFT earnings would suck even though most traders were optimistic) and have a neutral rating on them. BTW I am not making this stuff up. I happened to have started in the tech industry (still write quant code to this day), but moved to quant/algo trader/junior trader.
The real problem with Microsoft is that its operating system division is dragging down the entire corporation. Windows 7 is not great. I upgraded a Vista machine (HP tablet) and have to say, not bad, but I only upgraded because Vista was so bad. Would I upgrade my XP machines? NOT A CHANCE!!!
I also use Linux and have to say I am very impressed. Perfect? Nope, but very usable. I actually now prefer the Ubuntu fonts to read. Quite nice.
Apple, and Linux are going to devour Microsoft. The cycle has truly started. And once Chrome gets rolling Microsoft is going to have its hands full.
Look at the reality:
1) IIS cannot and has not beat Apache (even after a complete decade). The fact that a product can beat Microsoft is not widely talked about by Microsoft. Notice how Microsoft stopped talking about its IIS?
2) IE is getting stomped! You cannot deny it, but IE is getting beat by Firefox, Chrome (my preferred) and somewhat Safari.
3) Microsoft has completely lost the mobile business and is getting pulverized by the likes of Apple, Palm, and RIMM. Even Nokia has smelt the direction of the wind with the new N900. They know what is happening and are positioning themselves.
4) Java is STILL around. It used to be Microsoft could come out with a development language or environment and the world would bow to Microsoft. Java is still kicking and arguably is doing very well standing its own ground.
Microsoft has some major issues and Windows 7 will show that things will not work...
When the stock market sniffs the lack of Windows 7 follow through MSFT is going down! Right now the market is divided hence its stock price just keeps rolling around treading water. But when that balance sheet keeps grinding down MSFT is done! I am thinking you will probably be able to pick MSFT shares around the low teens next year.
Normally it would be a bit higher, but the selling will be relentless as people will want to get out of their positions (incl the MSFT employees)
How do you solve this?
1) Fire Ballmer and top management 2) Make a base Windows OS open source (no frills). Not for Linux trumping purposes, but if the Windows OS horse dies the entire corporation goes down...
Windows has become a yolk for the entire Microsoft corporation... In the past it was a blessing, now its a curse...
Even with the unlocked iPhone you have to keep relogging into the f***g device...
Here I am in Switzerland and there are two providers: Orange, and Swisscom. Swisscom refuses to unlock the device at any cost. Orange sells you an unlocked device, but the operator very carefully said, "be careful it is not all you think it is."
So I called Apple and asked what gives?
Every time you switch SIM card you need to relogin into itunes to reregister your device.
I asked, oh you mean everytime you put in a new card, once right?
WRONG!!! No everytime you switch SIM cards you need to relogin... Otherwise the iPhone will not work.
This is completely bogus and is why I am buying a Nokia N900 and not iPhone. In fact I have not yet bought a smartphone because each smart phone outside of the N900 seem to have one lock in or another.
Worsening water crisis? Water is a closed loop system. You don't "loose" water.
And in contradiction to yourself, trees are actually responsible for helping create water. Ever seen a desert with trees? Nope...
Trees, and vegetation create part of a water cycle where they will store and release water thus creating a moist climate. When you have no trees or vegetation then water has no cycle. You then get the desert torrential rains that come and go, but don't really help.
The problem with this scenario is that marketing helps in the initial, but it does not help in the long term...
Marketing can make caviar from crap. Seriously they can. BUT if EA keeps producing crap people will realize it is not caviar, but crap. Then to make it caviar again you need more marketing. It is a never ending race.
Had they not made crap in the first place then they would not have to spend that much on marketing.
While marketing is needed, the best marketing is when people tell other people that they should buy the product.
Here is an example; Heinz Ketchup. I have lived throughout Europe, and North America, and there is no way I will buy anything but Heinz Ketchup. Yes they have a marketing campaign, but Heinz does do a pretty good job making ketchup. They don't take their clientel for granted. With marketing Heinz could expand. Another example; nutella, Coke, Pepsi, etc...
You have that in all industries where the few make large amounts of money that the rest don't.
But as the anonymous coward said the real problem here is that the few drive the whole group.
Show me the engineer or scientist that is making 30 mil per movie? Really I want to see that engineer or scientist...
Think about Linus, he could be equated to the Nicolas Cage at least in the industry. Is Linus making 20 mil whenever he farts? Or what about all of the other techies in the industry? Do they make millions?
ANSWER NO! And that is the problem. The winners of the tech industry don't even come close to what athletes or actors make. And that is the problem.
Why on earth would anyone outside of sheer interest work in tech? There was hope of making absurd amounts of money in the dot net bubble, but we all know what happened there.
Actually that is cynical and I beg to differ here. Obama is actually right on the mark. The green revolution is important and we need it. Not because of global warming. I really could not give a rats ass about that since it is already too late. Read National Geographic about 4 years ago they had a climate article where they said that they noticed climate change happened like a flick of the switch, but bounced back slowly. They were of the opinion that the switch has probably already been flicked.
So why green revolution? Because the heat waves, droughts, storms, etc will cause upheaval and if we have technology to deal with this new reality we as a human race will survive. The green revolution is about using other forms of energy, and becoming more efficient. Both of these things are great steps forward regardless of climate change...
And now you have a radar detector, detector, detector... or a radar detector evader...
What is common? Only the idiots will be caught and those that don't want to be caught wont be caught and we will use technology to show how good it is to catch the idiots that would probably self-destruct anyways...
While I tend to agree with you, the issue here is that Nokia is not exactly a company that can't market. If this were say Samsung, then maybe you have a point.
I own Nokia shares and let me tell you I am bleeding! But I have not given up hope. And right now I am looking for a smart phone. And this is THE PHONE!
I wrote a blog entry where Nokia is about to tap into something that all of the other vendors are missing.
Imagine a world where your phone is your server. Imagine for a moment where your server is your life and tagging everything as you go along. Imagine for the moment where the phone would sync with the telco and distribute your data. THIS IS BLOWOUT THINKING!
The iPhone and Pre can't do this because they don't allow server processes. The Android could do this, but Nokia is targeting this 100%. From what I see Nokia is creating a cloud of mobile devices. Android assumes your data is somewhere in the cloud. I personally would prefer having my cloud in my pocket and letting others access it.
I know with this new Nokia device I will use it as my life and blood. That's where I will store my documents, etc, etc.. And when I need it on the road? Its there. Don't like the screen size, Wow, I remote window into the device...
We are about to embark on a new computing platform and I am for it...
Europeans snobby? How can you say something like that? Do you even understand what a European is? Obviously not since you are probably living in America and you are fat and lazy...
Yes I live in Europe, but grew up in Canada and the states? Does that make me fat, lazy, and snobby?
With a fingerprint we have always had doubt because it could be planted.
But with technology and DNA we are 100% sure! Well you get the idea, right? We trust technology so much that common sense goes out the window and hence if the beeping gadget on the floor says true, well then it must be true!
Sorry while the stock market as the appearance of gambling its not quite the same.
Here are differences:
1)
If I put down a dollar in a casino I either win or loose, its a binary. If I put down a dollar in the stock market I have the choice of getting my money back at a later point in time at a loss or gain. It is not binary.
2)
If I bet on red I have odds that red might win. If I buy a stock based on analysis X I have a probability that I can go home with a gain at my discretion.
3)
Casinos work on randomness Stock markets are not random. They appear random and to the layman seem random, but are not random.
If you had put your money in the stock market in the last 9 years you would have lost. Ok how about the last 20 years? You would have made money. If you had shorted you would have made money. If you had sold premium you would have made money. The list goes on...
People who say think that there is only one way to make money in the stock market. In fact there are many ways, you just have to know what to do and when.
You are right the stock market is a speculation... BUT there is a big difference... You can beat the house. In a gambling institution you can't beat the house!
Please explain to me how this is applied to Las Vegas, Atlantic City and all of those other "legal" gambling institutions throughout America?
Last I remember you show up with money in a gambling locale and they will let you loose it quite quickly...
This is about the fact that the American government does not control the monies... Nothing more nothing less... I wish everybody could be honest about that!
The problem is not content... The problem is fun...
I grew up with defender, robotron and after a while I just stopped playing video games. I always wondered why? Then one day while in Redmond, Microsoft threw a gala and rented out an arcade for us. All games were free and we could play whatever we wanted.
What happened? The games that promoted social interaction were red hot! This was around 99, and in those days there were only a few games. The one I played was car racing where six booths were side by side and you raced against your friends. It was a lot of fun...
Then I looked around and I saw pools tables and other games where people got to interact. And that made me wonder if there are not two sorts of games;
1) Time killers a'la pop-cap... 2) Social games where the game are the people.
It has been a while since I have been playing games, but I wonder are there games where the object is not to kill computers, but duel each other? I mean a sort of turf war, paint ball? Think of the success of Second Life... Completely social...
I get tired of this... "I watched this as a kid and it was good and this new stuff well..."
MOVE ON!!!! I watched the original TOS, and original Battlestar Galatica, and want to know something. I prefer the new ones. Even TNG is showing its age now. As we evolve socially certain things are tacky and cliche. Sure it is fun to watch, but you have to jump over those odd moments.
Take James Bond, which I have never been a fan of. The latest one Quantum Solace I loved! Many Bond folks said, "gag gag..." Just like how I am uncomfortable with the new Star Trek movie. But at the end of the day I say, let's see how these folks did this and maybe I will like... Keep the mind open for change and you just, just maybe, might enjoy it...
Your iPhone example is an interesting example against you. Yes the iPhone has completely changed the market. But how much has it changed the market in terms of dollars. Not much... In terms of dollars the iPhone has changed the bottom lines of Apple, AT&T, and a few other people.
This is the problem, because the absolute dollar amounts are piddly when compared to the overall market it is not that relevant for the little guy. The mobile market is a playground for the big boys.
Go back to 1980's. At that time ANYBODY could start up a company and hope for some clients. There was no multi-national corporation breathing down your neck since they did not exist. Look at the case study of Microsoft, Lotus, Apple, Borland, etc. These guys went from nowhere to somewhere. These days in the IT industry that is simply not possible.
After Microsoft there has been no small time 3 person shop who could challenge Microsoft in dollar terms. Redhat is not an example because their revenue is piddly for the amount of time it has taken for them to get where they are. 10 years later they are barely a billion dollar company. Compare that to Microsoft, and other PC players in the 80's.
With energy, food, etc there is still quite a bit of room to play and express yourself. There are many small time players running wind farms, building solar cells, running fish farms, etc. You have no big time competitors because it does not make sense for the big multi-national corporation.
Slashdot Mirror
Climate change a farce?
Give me a break. Of course climate change is happening. Look at California, Spain, Greece, and other places. They are turning into deserts. Year after year more fires, and more arid. It is changing the land at a local level. Other places like Canada are get more tornado's and they are getting more tail ends of hurricanes.
The question of whether or not it is man made in my opinion is quite irrelevant since we don't even have plan regardless of the cause. The big issue right now is how to deal with climate change? What are we doing to secure our water supplies? Or our essential resources...
Actually people completely underestimate this...
I always make the argument, what if China decided one day to the next that 300 million (about a quarter of their country) decided to go for a walk and moved to the US via Alaska. Do you really think anybody could stop 300 million people? Answer NO! So in other words the US could double in population and there is not a DAMM thing the US could do about it!
In other words you could never defeat China! Face those facts and life gets simpler.
And it is written by somebody who is really good at this...
http://edgeperspectives.typepad.com/about.html
This guy "influenced" the author.
Look at his CV. I doubt this man has done anything BUT do some Strategyery (as GWB would say).
In 1953 when IBM introduced the first computer, who made it work? Ah yes a team of programmers who customized...
When UNIX was first introduced who made things work for your business? Customizations...
When...
Want to see the future? Look at IBM... They have been around over a hundred years, while all of the other companies have disappeared. Look at the latest balance sheets of IBM, cash rich cow! IBM is a "serious playa". And what do they make their money off? Services and customization.
My point is that IBM is a company that adapts to the times. They build what the client wants. And the clients wants customizations. Sure IBM is on the cloud computing bandwagon, no reason for them to not be. After all more customization money for them. After all, who would not want a "private cloud", which is sort of contradictory, no?
The real money will be in the ones who know how to customize the cloud... Oh wait IBM, yes?
Wow... Americans took an entire decade on what the rest of the world has already been doing...
NOW its news...
Give me a freaken break!
>MS was founded by expert poker players. They haven't used all their strong cards yet.
They have already misplayed their cards... It used to be version 3 of anything MS would succeed... Does not work anymore, and people are loathe to say it.
No, I will not upgrade my XP... At least right now the odds are against it.
Let me tell you about something we did...
We used to run Windows 2000 server. And then one day we needed to install it on new hardware. Did not work. So I got the idea and said, why not create a VMWare partition and install Windows 2000 on it and run exclusively Linux servers...
That was 3 years ago! And we still run Windows 2000 server. Recently they tried to install Windows 2008 Server as a virtualized server OS and it sucks completely... But the positive experience with the desktop making us to think about shifting to Linux on the desktop.
Right now the traders have 2 Windows machines and 1 Linux desktop machine. Thus far no problems...
But what we do know right now is that whatever desktops they need, if it involves a native Windows installation it will be the cheapest version with the work horse being Linux.
I work in the financial market....
I called Microsoft a Zombie corporation (and warned several months ago that MSFT earnings would suck even though most traders were optimistic) and have a neutral rating on them. BTW I am not making this stuff up. I happened to have started in the tech industry (still write quant code to this day), but moved to quant/algo trader/junior trader.
The real problem with Microsoft is that its operating system division is dragging down the entire corporation. Windows 7 is not great. I upgraded a Vista machine (HP tablet) and have to say, not bad, but I only upgraded because Vista was so bad. Would I upgrade my XP machines? NOT A CHANCE!!!
I also use Linux and have to say I am very impressed. Perfect? Nope, but very usable. I actually now prefer the Ubuntu fonts to read. Quite nice.
Apple, and Linux are going to devour Microsoft. The cycle has truly started. And once Chrome gets rolling Microsoft is going to have its hands full.
Look at the reality:
1) IIS cannot and has not beat Apache (even after a complete decade). The fact that a product can beat Microsoft is not widely talked about by Microsoft. Notice how Microsoft stopped talking about its IIS?
2) IE is getting stomped! You cannot deny it, but IE is getting beat by Firefox, Chrome (my preferred) and somewhat Safari.
3) Microsoft has completely lost the mobile business and is getting pulverized by the likes of Apple, Palm, and RIMM. Even Nokia has smelt the direction of the wind with the new N900. They know what is happening and are positioning themselves.
4) Java is STILL around. It used to be Microsoft could come out with a development language or environment and the world would bow to Microsoft. Java is still kicking and arguably is doing very well standing its own ground.
Microsoft has some major issues and Windows 7 will show that things will not work...
When the stock market sniffs the lack of Windows 7 follow through MSFT is going down! Right now the market is divided hence its stock price just keeps rolling around treading water. But when that balance sheet keeps grinding down MSFT is done! I am thinking you will probably be able to pick MSFT shares around the low teens next year.
Normally it would be a bit higher, but the selling will be relentless as people will want to get out of their positions (incl the MSFT employees)
How do you solve this?
1) Fire Ballmer and top management
2) Make a base Windows OS open source (no frills). Not for Linux trumping purposes, but if the Windows OS horse dies the entire corporation goes down...
Windows has become a yolk for the entire Microsoft corporation... In the past it was a blessing, now its a curse...
Even with the unlocked iPhone you have to keep relogging into the f***g device...
Here I am in Switzerland and there are two providers: Orange, and Swisscom. Swisscom refuses to unlock the device at any cost. Orange sells you an unlocked device, but the operator very carefully said, "be careful it is not all you think it is."
So I called Apple and asked what gives?
Every time you switch SIM card you need to relogin into itunes to reregister your device.
I asked, oh you mean everytime you put in a new card, once right?
WRONG!!! No everytime you switch SIM cards you need to relogin... Otherwise the iPhone will not work.
This is completely bogus and is why I am buying a Nokia N900 and not iPhone. In fact I have not yet bought a smartphone because each smart phone outside of the N900 seem to have one lock in or another.
Worsening water crisis? Water is a closed loop system. You don't "loose" water.
And in contradiction to yourself, trees are actually responsible for helping create water. Ever seen a desert with trees? Nope...
Trees, and vegetation create part of a water cycle where they will store and release water thus creating a moist climate. When you have no trees or vegetation then water has no cycle. You then get the desert torrential rains that come and go, but don't really help.
http://members.optusnet.com.au/benjamink/Water/TheWaterCycleWebQuest.htm
The problem with this scenario is that marketing helps in the initial, but it does not help in the long term...
Marketing can make caviar from crap. Seriously they can. BUT if EA keeps producing crap people will realize it is not caviar, but crap. Then to make it caviar again you need more marketing. It is a never ending race.
Had they not made crap in the first place then they would not have to spend that much on marketing.
While marketing is needed, the best marketing is when people tell other people that they should buy the product.
Here is an example; Heinz Ketchup. I have lived throughout Europe, and North America, and there is no way I will buy anything but Heinz Ketchup. Yes they have a marketing campaign, but Heinz does do a pretty good job making ketchup. They don't take their clientel for granted. With marketing Heinz could expand. Another example; nutella, Coke, Pepsi, etc...
You have that in all industries where the few make large amounts of money that the rest don't.
But as the anonymous coward said the real problem here is that the few drive the whole group.
Show me the engineer or scientist that is making 30 mil per movie? Really I want to see that engineer or scientist...
Think about Linus, he could be equated to the Nicolas Cage at least in the industry. Is Linus making 20 mil whenever he farts? Or what about all of the other techies in the industry? Do they make millions?
ANSWER NO! And that is the problem. The winners of the tech industry don't even come close to what athletes or actors make. And that is the problem.
Why on earth would anyone outside of sheer interest work in tech? There was hope of making absurd amounts of money in the dot net bubble, but we all know what happened there.
Actually that is cynical and I beg to differ here. Obama is actually right on the mark. The green revolution is important and we need it. Not because of global warming. I really could not give a rats ass about that since it is already too late. Read National Geographic about 4 years ago they had a climate article where they said that they noticed climate change happened like a flick of the switch, but bounced back slowly. They were of the opinion that the switch has probably already been flicked.
So why green revolution? Because the heat waves, droughts, storms, etc will cause upheaval and if we have technology to deal with this new reality we as a human race will survive. The green revolution is about using other forms of energy, and becoming more efficient. Both of these things are great steps forward regardless of climate change...
Can I use yours as answer... Quite nice... Really logical...
First there was radar...
Then came a radar detector...
Then came a radar detector detector...
And now you have a radar detector, detector, detector... or a radar detector evader...
What is common? Only the idiots will be caught and those that don't want to be caught wont be caught and we will use technology to show how good it is to catch the idiots that would probably self-destruct anyways...
Its a phone...
Look at the image where it says: IMEI Address
This is:
Short for International Mobile Equipment Identity, a unique number given to every single mobile phone, typically found behind the battery.
While I tend to agree with you, the issue here is that Nokia is not exactly a company that can't market. If this were say Samsung, then maybe you have a point.
I own Nokia shares and let me tell you I am bleeding! But I have not given up hope. And right now I am looking for a smart phone. And this is THE PHONE!
I wrote a blog entry where Nokia is about to tap into something that all of the other vendors are missing.
Imagine a world where your phone is your server. Imagine for a moment where your server is your life and tagging everything as you go along. Imagine for the moment where the phone would sync with the telco and distribute your data. THIS IS BLOWOUT THINKING!
The iPhone and Pre can't do this because they don't allow server processes. The Android could do this, but Nokia is targeting this 100%. From what I see Nokia is creating a cloud of mobile devices. Android assumes your data is somewhere in the cloud. I personally would prefer having my cloud in my pocket and letting others access it.
I know with this new Nokia device I will use it as my life and blood. That's where I will store my documents, etc, etc.. And when I need it on the road? Its there. Don't like the screen size, Wow, I remote window into the device...
We are about to embark on a new computing platform and I am for it...
Europeans snobby? How can you say something like that? Do you even understand what a European is? Obviously not since you are probably living in America and you are fat and lazy...
Yes I live in Europe, but grew up in Canada and the states? Does that make me fat, lazy, and snobby?
Actually it is worse than that!
Here is why...
With a fingerprint we have always had doubt because it could be planted.
But with technology and DNA we are 100% sure! Well you get the idea, right? We trust technology so much that common sense goes out the window and hence if the beeping gadget on the floor says true, well then it must be true!
This has always worried me...
Sorry while the stock market as the appearance of gambling its not quite the same.
Here are differences:
1)
If I put down a dollar in a casino I either win or loose, its a binary.
If I put down a dollar in the stock market I have the choice of getting my money back at a later point in time at a loss or gain. It is not binary.
2)
If I bet on red I have odds that red might win.
If I buy a stock based on analysis X I have a probability that I can go home with a gain at my discretion.
3)
Casinos work on randomness
Stock markets are not random. They appear random and to the layman seem random, but are not random.
If you had put your money in the stock market in the last 9 years you would have lost. Ok how about the last 20 years? You would have made money. If you had shorted you would have made money. If you had sold premium you would have made money. The list goes on...
People who say think that there is only one way to make money in the stock market. In fact there are many ways, you just have to know what to do and when.
You are right the stock market is a speculation... BUT there is a big difference... You can beat the house. In a gambling institution you can't beat the house!
Please explain to me how this is applied to Las Vegas, Atlantic City and all of those other "legal" gambling institutions throughout America?
Last I remember you show up with money in a gambling locale and they will let you loose it quite quickly...
This is about the fact that the American government does not control the monies... Nothing more nothing less... I wish everybody could be honest about that!
The problem is not content... The problem is fun...
I grew up with defender, robotron and after a while I just stopped playing video games. I always wondered why? Then one day while in Redmond, Microsoft threw a gala and rented out an arcade for us. All games were free and we could play whatever we wanted.
What happened? The games that promoted social interaction were red hot! This was around 99, and in those days there were only a few games. The one I played was car racing where six booths were side by side and you raced against your friends. It was a lot of fun...
Then I looked around and I saw pools tables and other games where people got to interact. And that made me wonder if there are not two sorts of games;
1) Time killers a'la pop-cap...
2) Social games where the game are the people.
It has been a while since I have been playing games, but I wonder are there games where the object is not to kill computers, but duel each other? I mean a sort of turf war, paint ball? Think of the success of Second Life... Completely social...
Just wondering...
I get tired of this... "I watched this as a kid and it was good and this new stuff well..."
MOVE ON!!!! I watched the original TOS, and original Battlestar Galatica, and want to know something. I prefer the new ones. Even TNG is showing its age now. As we evolve socially certain things are tacky and cliche. Sure it is fun to watch, but you have to jump over those odd moments.
Take James Bond, which I have never been a fan of. The latest one Quantum Solace I loved! Many Bond folks said, "gag gag..." Just like how I am uncomfortable with the new Star Trek movie. But at the end of the day I say, let's see how these folks did this and maybe I will like... Keep the mind open for change and you just, just maybe, might enjoy it...
Your iPhone example is an interesting example against you. Yes the iPhone has completely changed the market. But how much has it changed the market in terms of dollars. Not much... In terms of dollars the iPhone has changed the bottom lines of Apple, AT&T, and a few other people.
This is the problem, because the absolute dollar amounts are piddly when compared to the overall market it is not that relevant for the little guy. The mobile market is a playground for the big boys.
Go back to 1980's. At that time ANYBODY could start up a company and hope for some clients. There was no multi-national corporation breathing down your neck since they did not exist. Look at the case study of Microsoft, Lotus, Apple, Borland, etc. These guys went from nowhere to somewhere. These days in the IT industry that is simply not possible.
After Microsoft there has been no small time 3 person shop who could challenge Microsoft in dollar terms. Redhat is not an example because their revenue is piddly for the amount of time it has taken for them to get where they are. 10 years later they are barely a billion dollar company. Compare that to Microsoft, and other PC players in the 80's.
With energy, food, etc there is still quite a bit of room to play and express yourself. There are many small time players running wind farms, building solar cells, running fish farms, etc. You have no big time competitors because it does not make sense for the big multi-national corporation.