SCO is now concentrating on allowing businesses to create "biztones for quick distribution of business information, tied to business applications.
What is their core business again?! So the "lawsuit" business model didn't work, now they're jumping on the ringtone bandwagon? Sheesh, Daryl, cut to the chase and launch sco.xxx!
However, the Register raises a valid point: the EFF does not have a good track record.
Now, that *could* be because our rights in the US are being so violated that it is a long uphill battle and the EFF is fighting the good fight. But, it could also be that the EFF isn't doing the best job they could.
I don't know which is which--I have not followed all of the EFF cases closely. However, the few briefs I have read by the EFF do sometimes make me wonder.
For what it's worth, the Register article was inflamatory to be sure, but hidden in the vitrol is a valid question, well worth asking: is the EFF doing the best job they could be doing?
I'm platform agnostic, owning both a Mac which I love and a PC that I, well, use.
However, I've recommended countless systems to countless clueless family members over the years and I can tell you with near certainty:
The confusion of a two-button mouse has never once outweight the price differential when deciding to purchase a PC over a Mac.
Never, not once ever, have I had a friend or relative say to me, "Well, I find that two button mouse on the PC just so confusing... could I buy a one button mouse to replace it?"
I have, however, had people say, "That Mac looks great, and it sure was easy to use... but I can get the PC so much cheaper."
So really, most people could give a sh*t about one vs. two button mice.
Most people, that is. However, those who do care *tend* to be advanced users who actually do want a two-button mouse. I agree with all the poster's who've said, "Just buy one!". In fact, I have a very nice Logitech two-button wheel mouse that I use with the Mac. It works great, context menus and all.
The problem--and this is a problem--is with laptops. I have a PC desktop and laptop. I have only a Mac desktop. I *would* buy a Mac laptop. In fact, I *want* to buy a Mac laptop. But I won't, because of the mouse issue.
My PC laptop, as irritating as it can be, has both a track point and a track pad. It has two buttons for each, and also a handy scrolling feature to mimic a wheel mouse. And you know what? I use them, without having to carry an extra mouse. And yes, having to carry an extra mouse is a big deal to me. I spend too much to get laptops that are really, really, small and lightweight for a reason.
The bottom line is that two button mice have been standard on PCs for ages. Hell, even my grandmother knows what a wheel mouse is. They've also been standard on Unix workstations for ages. Even Amigas!
Apple could easily introduce a two-button mouse, and just make both buttons do the same click by default--advanced users could change the settings in preferences. Then, no confusion to novice users--it won't matter which button they click. But big advantage to advanced users. And those who want an anachronistic one-button mouse could buy the Apple "Classic" iMouse.
It's simply about giving consumers more choices. I appreciate Apple's committment to beauty in industrial design. I just wish they would appreciate my wishes as a consumer who buys their products.
I had the *craziest* call one night, and I wasn't even working support! I was an admin at an ISP, in the office late patching some servers. The phone rang, and I was expecting my gf, didn't think to look and see what line it was, and accidently answered the support line.
It was a hysterical woman who was upset because she suspected her husband was having an on-line affair in a chat room! She wanted to know if I would help her install something to log his chat activity. I was pretty stunned...
I suggested that maybe she should talk to a marriage counselor or a divorce attorney instead.:)
When I got my first cable modem, I had the abosolute worst customer service from the provider... the damn thing would lose service almost daily, but the problem was actually with their routers and DNS... I can't tell you *how* many conversations I had that went like this:
"Did you reboot the cable modem."
No...
"I need you to pull the power, wait 30 seconds, and reconnect it."
The problem isn't with the modem. I can ping the modem from my end, and traceroute shows traffic is going out and dying at your router.
"Has the modem come back on yet? What lights are on?"
Yeah, it back. All the lights are on. They are blinking quick quick quick slow slow slow quick quick quick.
"Hmmmm. I think you might have a defective modem, I can't see it on my end."
Can you get past the router? I think it's a router problem.
"Would you like me to send out a technician to swap out the modem."
Man, people, lighten up... I mean, do you use a microwave? No you don't. You use a Microwave Oven, which uses many microwaves to heat your coconut flavored love oil. Sheesh.
I don't want to pay for morons who don't RTFM either... HOWEVER...... the reason people _stopped_ reading the manuals in the first place is that most of them would be worth more if they were printed on toilet paper. The manual to PhotoShop is so good that there are hundreds of books that people spend good money on to learn how to use it...
I speak from experience when I say that Comcast can bite me. They were the provider in my area too, and when I finally got fed up with service outages, poor picture quality, and ever increasing price hikes, I signed up with DirecTV and have never looked back.
I had a Tivo before, with Comcast, and I never had any problems with it. But when I switched to DirecTV I picked up a DirecTivo and I've been *very* happy with it. We use the old Tivo on our second tuner in another room, but the DirecTivo can record two signals at once, while you are watching a previously recorded show (which as someone else mentioned, is damn nice!). It also integrates seemlessly with the program guide and PPV, so recording anything is a cinch.
As for picture quality, I live in Chicago, home of snow and thunderstorms, and aside from when my _power_ has been out, I've *never* lost the satellite signal or had a problem with reception. In fact, the picture looks 1500% better than Comcast ever did.
I don't know how DirecTV currently stacks up against Dish, but as far as satellite vs. cable goes, I say satellite all the way, and tell the cable mofos to stick the cable you know where...:)
I was hoping "Off the Shelf" meant something different... I'm sure that the RIAA would have a cow with this, but I'd love it...
A store that stocked CDs and the MP3 versions of the albums... I buy the "CD" on-line and get instant MP3s of the album I now *own*. Then they can slow boat the CD to me any ol' way... instant gratification, I have the CD that I wanted anyway, I don't have to rip it when I get it, and I get instant gratification.
I really don't understand the gripe with a paper audit... why not model them after POS credit card machines... you vote on a touch screen, the printer prints out a ballot. You keep the yellow copy for verification, and the white copy is submitted as your official ballot. Seems *really* easy to me...
All of Russia was plunged into total darkness tonight, when their Mars plant transmission lines were accidently severed by an orbiting Soyuz rocket piloted by a joyriding Lance Bass.
The idea would be obvious to a thoughtful undergraduate student. Actually *doing* it, on the other hand, is an impressive feat.
I don't think the idea would have been so obvious to an undergrad in *1957* or *1964* which is when the patents were filed... it's not the patent holders fault these patents weren't actually granted until 1987 and 1992.
More ineptitude on behalf of the USPTO, however, not because of the reasons you state; I don't think this patent was necessarily "obvious" then, even though it might be now.
Actually, it came with a new machine I bought. But I went through this with the *last* upgrade. I had *just* purchased a machine and upgraded to 10.1.x when out comes Jaguar... and Apple charged me full price. I'd had the machine less than 3 months. That's B.S.
So people shouldn't buy software they need _now_ because something better *might* be released six months from now??! Sheesh.
Interesting comparison comes from world of chess, where the reconrding of moves can _not_ be copyrighted (because nobody could then play those moves again), but the comments on those moves (like in a book) _can_ be.
Well, hell! Then all we have to do to be in compliance is delete all the damn comments!:)
For me, I'm happy being alone at times...not only alone but unreachable.
Apparently, then, the only difference between me and you is that I learned how to use the power switch on my phone. There is an alternate technique as well called "leaving it at home".:)
You know, I do often agree with some of what Nielsen has to say, but how can you trust a "useability" expert with such horribly designed sites??? Aesthetically *and* functionally, nngroup.com and useit.com *suck*......welcome to the web of 1995... I'm not saying flashy is good, I'm saying we've become "smart media consumers" when it comes to the web, and UI should evolve as well.
Slashdot Mirror
SCO is now concentrating on allowing businesses to create "biztones for quick distribution of business information, tied to business applications.
What is their core business again?! So the "lawsuit" business model didn't work, now they're jumping on the ringtone bandwagon? Sheesh, Daryl, cut to the chase and launch sco.xxx!
...there is a company who tracks data about what you buy, and uses it to make recommendations on other things you might like? Holy Sh*t!!
First, I am NOT a lawyer--yet. I'm a law student.
However, the Register raises a valid point: the EFF does not have a good track record.
Now, that *could* be because our rights in the US are being so violated that it is a long uphill battle and the EFF is fighting the good fight. But, it could also be that the EFF isn't doing the best job they could.
I don't know which is which--I have not followed all of the EFF cases closely. However, the few briefs I have read by the EFF do sometimes make me wonder.
For what it's worth, the Register article was inflamatory to be sure, but hidden in the vitrol is a valid question, well worth asking: is the EFF doing the best job they could be doing?
I'm platform agnostic, owning both a Mac which I love and a PC that I, well, use.
However, I've recommended countless systems to countless clueless family members over the years and I can tell you with near certainty:
The confusion of a two-button mouse has never once outweight the price differential when deciding to purchase a PC over a Mac.
Never, not once ever, have I had a friend or relative say to me, "Well, I find that two button mouse on the PC just so confusing... could I buy a one button mouse to replace it?"
I have, however, had people say, "That Mac looks great, and it sure was easy to use... but I can get the PC so much cheaper."
So really, most people could give a sh*t about one vs. two button mice.
Most people, that is. However, those who do care *tend* to be advanced users who actually do want a two-button mouse. I agree with all the poster's who've said, "Just buy one!". In fact, I have a very nice Logitech two-button wheel mouse that I use with the Mac. It works great, context menus and all.
The problem--and this is a problem--is with laptops. I have a PC desktop and laptop. I have only a Mac desktop. I *would* buy a Mac laptop. In fact, I *want* to buy a Mac laptop. But I won't, because of the mouse issue.
My PC laptop, as irritating as it can be, has both a track point and a track pad. It has two buttons for each, and also a handy scrolling feature to mimic a wheel mouse. And you know what? I use them, without having to carry an extra mouse. And yes, having to carry an extra mouse is a big deal to me. I spend too much to get laptops that are really, really, small and lightweight for a reason.
The bottom line is that two button mice have been standard on PCs for ages. Hell, even my grandmother knows what a wheel mouse is. They've also been standard on Unix workstations for ages. Even Amigas!
Apple could easily introduce a two-button mouse, and just make both buttons do the same click by default--advanced users could change the settings in preferences. Then, no confusion to novice users--it won't matter which button they click. But big advantage to advanced users. And those who want an anachronistic one-button mouse could buy the Apple "Classic" iMouse.
It's simply about giving consumers more choices. I appreciate Apple's committment to beauty in industrial design. I just wish they would appreciate my wishes as a consumer who buys their products.
I'm certain that the mayor only wants what is best for our city. Like a casino. And besides, what our mayor wants, our mayor gets. Although, usually in the middle of the night when no one else can stop him.
I had the *craziest* call one night, and I wasn't even working support! I was an admin at an ISP, in the office late patching some servers. The phone rang, and I was expecting my gf, didn't think to look and see what line it was, and accidently answered the support line.
:)
It was a hysterical woman who was upset because she suspected her husband was having an on-line affair in a chat room! She wanted to know if I would help her install something to log his chat activity. I was pretty stunned...
I suggested that maybe she should talk to a marriage counselor or a divorce attorney instead.
When I got my first cable modem, I had the abosolute worst customer service from the provider... the damn thing would lose service almost daily, but the problem was actually with their routers and DNS... I can't tell you *how* many conversations I had that went like this:
:)
"Did you reboot the cable modem."
No...
"I need you to pull the power, wait 30 seconds, and reconnect it."
The problem isn't with the modem. I can ping the modem from my end, and traceroute shows traffic is going out and dying at your router.
"Has the modem come back on yet? What lights are on?"
Yeah, it back. All the lights are on. They are blinking quick quick quick slow slow slow quick quick quick.
"Hmmmm. I think you might have a defective modem, I can't see it on my end."
Can you get past the router? I think it's a router problem.
"Would you like me to send out a technician to swap out the modem."
Yes, yes I would.
Man, people, lighten up... I mean, do you use a microwave? No you don't. You use a Microwave Oven, which uses many microwaves to heat your coconut flavored love oil. Sheesh.
:)
And I thought *I* was pedantic!
I don't want to pay for morons who don't RTFM either... HOWEVER... ... the reason people _stopped_ reading the manuals in the first place is that most of them would be worth more if they were printed on toilet paper. The manual to PhotoShop is so good that there are hundreds of books that people spend good money on to learn how to use it...
I speak from experience when I say that Comcast can bite me. They were the provider in my area too, and when I finally got fed up with service outages, poor picture quality, and ever increasing price hikes, I signed up with DirecTV and have never looked back.
:)
I had a Tivo before, with Comcast, and I never had any problems with it. But when I switched to DirecTV I picked up a DirecTivo and I've been *very* happy with it. We use the old Tivo on our second tuner in another room, but the DirecTivo can record two signals at once, while you are watching a previously recorded show (which as someone else mentioned, is damn nice!). It also integrates seemlessly with the program guide and PPV, so recording anything is a cinch.
As for picture quality, I live in Chicago, home of snow and thunderstorms, and aside from when my _power_ has been out, I've *never* lost the satellite signal or had a problem with reception. In fact, the picture looks 1500% better than Comcast ever did.
I don't know how DirecTV currently stacks up against Dish, but as far as satellite vs. cable goes, I say satellite all the way, and tell the cable mofos to stick the cable you know where...
I was hoping "Off the Shelf" meant something different... I'm sure that the RIAA would have a cow with this, but I'd love it...
A store that stocked CDs and the MP3 versions of the albums... I buy the "CD" on-line and get instant MP3s of the album I now *own*. Then they can slow boat the CD to me any ol' way... instant gratification, I have the CD that I wanted anyway, I don't have to rip it when I get it, and I get instant gratification.
I really don't understand the gripe with a paper audit... why not model them after POS credit card machines... you vote on a touch screen, the printer prints out a ballot. You keep the yellow copy for verification, and the white copy is submitted as your official ballot. Seems *really* easy to me...
... will be *overjoyed* when Coke pulls up in an H2 with $1M in gold to give him in exchange for a Coke can in the pile in his shopping cart...
Seems like the perfect application to me...
I can see the headlines now:
All of Russia was plunged into total darkness tonight, when their Mars plant transmission lines were accidently severed by an orbiting Soyuz rocket piloted by a joyriding Lance Bass.
Ah, that does indeed make i different. A weasel like that should be strung up by his thumbs.
The idea would be obvious to a thoughtful undergraduate student. Actually *doing* it, on the other hand, is an impressive feat.
I don't think the idea would have been so obvious to an undergrad in *1957* or *1964* which is when the patents were filed... it's not the patent holders fault these patents weren't actually granted until 1987 and 1992.
More ineptitude on behalf of the USPTO, however, not because of the reasons you state; I don't think this patent was necessarily "obvious" then, even though it might be now.
Actually, it came with a new machine I bought. But I went through this with the *last* upgrade. I had *just* purchased a machine and upgraded to 10.1.x when out comes Jaguar... and Apple charged me full price. I'd had the machine less than 3 months. That's B.S.
So people shouldn't buy software they need _now_ because something better *might* be released six months from now??! Sheesh.
So, having just purchased Jaguar, I can certainly expect there to be no upgrade pricing for Panther?
:)
Ah Apple, shoving it up loyal customer's bums for over 20 years...
Interesting comparison comes from world of chess, where the reconrding of moves can _not_ be copyrighted (because nobody could then play those moves again), but the comments on those moves (like in a book) _can_ be.
:)
Well, hell! Then all we have to do to be in compliance is delete all the damn comments!
Bingo... the 'yo' boys will be able annoy me from 20 blocks away... yay for new technology!
...smart landlords! So now I can live in buildings that are smarter than the people who own them... *sigh*
Who reads the f'cking manual??!
For me, I'm happy being alone at times...not only alone but unreachable.
:)
Apparently, then, the only difference between me and you is that I learned how to use the power switch on my phone. There is an alternate technique as well called "leaving it at home".
You know, I do often agree with some of what Nielsen has to say, but how can you trust a "useability" expert with such horribly designed sites??? Aesthetically *and* functionally, nngroup.com and useit.com *suck*... ...welcome to the web of 1995... I'm not saying flashy is good, I'm saying we've become "smart media consumers" when it comes to the web, and UI should evolve as well.