The following is left as an exercise to the reader: 1. Please list all the linux file systems avaliable.
2. Please list all the linux file systems avaliable with read/write support in both linux and windows.
3. Please add up the total amount invested by various corporations in the development of the file systems listed in #1.
Please don't forget that although you may use differently tweaked filesystems between servers and desktops, there is a great deal of overlap. Linux as a desktop system may not be popular (yet. I use nothing but Linux on my desktops). Linux is *quite* popular as a server OS, as is Unix, and the two share quite a few filesystems. IBM, Sun, SGI, SuSE, Redhat, Novell, Mandriva, Google, and a variety of smaller tech laboratories spend a ton of money on filesystem research, very little of which ever finds its way to Windows.
Well, given that they have roots in the same codebase, and google/sun don't break the OpenDocument support from OpenOffice.org, OpenOffice.org IS the offline version.
Notice that google sells google appliances right now?
These provide search technology for your intranet.
Think google appliance with a Java-based Office suite, search technology, wi-fi support (with auditing), Webmail, POP3mail, integrated mapping, and address technology.
They sell you one of these boxes, and anything on your network with a web browser has access to all of these services.
There are really 2 ends to google marketing. One is ad-based revenue from consumer targeted products. One is contract revenue from large organizations purchasing search technology.
Most google innovations should see their ways into both products, and the 'googleboxes', the systems they sell on a contract basis to large organizations will maintain an organizations privacy.
The world needs a standard-based easily parsable well-explained document format. We have one now, brought to you by the good people at OASIS.
Use KOffice. Use OpenOffice.org. Use StarOffice. Use Google's Web-based office. Use IBM's Workplace. Use IBM's Lotus suite. Or Abiword. Or any number of utilties that develop OpenDocument support.
When you have a standard-based document format everyone wins, and your data ALWAYS remains accesible. Especially if it is XML in a ZIP where you can access the plain-text of your document in cominbation with zipped versions of the assets in your document.
Everyone wins, that is, except for bloated, monopolistic (MS)Office vendors.
Google is a for-profit business getting a free ride on public land. It has no business being outside the cities jurisdiciton. They are paying RENT. That RENT will be spent on improving NASA's local facilities. Google does NOT own the land, so that improvement does not benefit Google. based on the governments desire to pay for its own reckless spending
Yes, the city wants to actually ensure a modicum of a retirement plan for its employees. Greedy bastards, just give them some empty refrigerator boxes and a Weber grill. I'm quite familiar with two small cities local politics, and I was appalled at the wastefulness and idiocy in decision making. If the city is out of money, I'm 100% certain its because of sweetheart deals with a road construction contractor, garbage hauler, or retarded cable franchises. Period.
The city has jackshit to do with the NASA/Google facility. They are completely independent. NASA/Google doesn't use any of the cities resources, and as such, there is NO reason NASA/Google should pay for any of them.
And who do you think pays for NASA, dumbass? I sure as *hell* know that it doesn't come from the Santa Clara County Property taxes. Those go towards schools, roads, and other such municipal tasks FOR local residents. That's why the LOCALS pay them, not out-of-state individuals, or federals. So it's the responsibility of the employees (and the other country residents) to make up for Google not paying taxes? That's crap. You don't get it, do you. Ask yourself *why* you pay local taxes: For Police. For Fire Protection. For road construction. For schools. NASA has already PAID for these things in their territory. Although the NASA facility lies within Santa Clara County, it doesn't actually use any county facilities-- it relies upon its own resources. Why should they have to pay twice? Why should Google have to pay twice; its already paying NASA, who then uses a portion of that rent to cover costs incurred by Google.
How, exactly, is Google costing Santa Clara County *ANYTHING*?
Why the fuck should google pay for *any* of the local politics?
Because the rest of us fucking have to, that's why. Think with your head, not your socialist e-peen. I don't pay Santa Clara County taxes, even though I may occasionally use a Santa Clara County service. See, I don't *live* in that county, even though I may occasionally visit it. I get use of the Police, and Fire Department, merely by passing through. Should I attach a property tithe to my local tax bill as well, and earmark that for everywhere in the U.S. I might visit?
NASA doesn't HAVE to pay taxes. Why? Because they don't use any county services. They are self-contained. Why should Google bear the burden of NASA's costs AND the counties?
Oh, because the county's taxes are greater than NASA's costs? Could that be because the county squanders its money in efficency, useless projects?
Go cry somewhere else. Like any other financial transaction, it doesn't make any sense to toll some organization for something you aren't getting. Google doesn't get shit from the county if it locates its facility within a NASA facility. It's retarded to believe that they should owe the county anything.
As far as NASA/Google are concerned, the county is a separate entity, and they do not interact with them
A lot of work and tax dollars went into securing that land and providing public transit. Doing all that for freeloaders was never part of the plan.
According to Nasa, they provide public transit on the property, police & fire, local construction. About the only thing they *don't* is consumer goods-- this means the Googleheads will be *shopping* at whatever local Santa Clara malls exist; and they'll be paying sales tax, too.
The only entity that spends money for local services on the property is NASA. That's federal money; when was the last time your local county property taxes went to pay for space research?
Oh; right, never.
Google's paying rent to NASA, most likely more than enough to satisfy any of costs incurred by Google's usage of the property. This is a win for Google. This is a win for NASA. This doesn't cost Santa Clara a dime, because NASA pays for all the local services.
Why the fuck should google pay for *any* of the local politics?
You: "We switched to OpenDocument because our primary customer, the EU, requires our communications to be submitted in that ISO format"
Boss: "Oh; WTF is Joe doing with software that can handle it?"
You: "MS Office doesn't handle that format."
Boss: "Joe EU. I'll call him instead"
You: "No need, just save as "MS Word", or use Export to PDF. By the way, if you send it as a PDF, he probably won't be able to figure out how to end it."
Boss: "Really? He can't change it? Hehe. Nothing but PDF for me!"
Make 'Joe' look like hes in the wrong, and make it look like your new format gives you power over the people you are communicating with. Then the boss will firmly be in your camp. Never underestimate a PHB on a power trip.
The two or three people, like the EU government and all the EU contractors, or the state of Massachucettes, or Malaysia, or China, or 1/2 of the latin american countries.
Yeah, one or two people run all those organizations.
OS-neutrality is NOT a good argument to stick with MS formats.
Really. Seriously.
Also: What I think is needed, and what I have proposed to the Norwegian Government, is that the government, together with the EU, hold a public competition where anyone can submit their contributions to an open document format. This also gives Microsoft an option to contribute. However, the stakes are also very high for Microsoft, because the winning format will be made mandatory for use throughout the public sector of the EU.
This has already been done. Microsoft is a member of OASIS. The EU has specifically encouraged MS to contribute whatever they would like to see in a document format to OASIS. Furthermore, the OASIS format is an open format.
I don't know about the format being that immature for spreadsheets-- OpenOffice.org Calc is not so bad.
And, how can you compare that to WordML and ExcelML? They have 0 real world testing.
If governments adopt open formats, app writers will support them. If the EU specifics OpenDocument, iWork will follow soon.
It's painful, but sticking with MS proprietary stuff is NOT the answer to platform neutrality.
You might be happier if the new Office XML formats become the standard. But that excludes us Linux users indefinitly. We don't get MS Office for Linux.
Better to make a switch to a *real* open standard, and fix the problem of no standards based apps for the Mac platform, than stick with the monopoly supported vendor standard.
The modern day equivalent of the 'Renaissance man' is someone with indepth knowledge in a few areas, and a broad, highly conversant vocabulary with excellent critical thinking skills capable of comprehending the basics of other areas of knowledge rapidly, and developing sophistication in whatever area of expertise is necessary at the given time within a short period of study.
Strangely, that's not terribly different from the Renaissance man of days past. Ever wonder why they had *huge* personal libraries? It was so that whenever they were presented with a field of study they weren't familiar with, they would immediately start consulting texts on the subject, developing an average level of knowledge within a few days.
That's possible today, too. It's always been impossible to be a true expert on everything. Human knowledge grew past the confines of one mind ~10,000 years ago. What you can do, however, is build up expertise in as many areas as interest you, and develop the capabilities to get 'up-to-speed' rapidly.
What amazes my the most is the total lack of interest kids have in how their computer works. Most kids who call themselves hardcore gamers these days don't even know what an AGP Slot is much less an Interrupt. I guess we have Dell to thank.
I'm 24, and this pisses me off to no end.
It bugs the *hell* out of me when people pretend to know something about this, but won't educate themselves to a minimal degree.
It bugs the *hell* out of me when 'hardcore' gamers, who spend 20+ hours a week playing video games, won't figure out what type of ram they should use in their systems, can't do a simple upgrade by themselves (read, take the system to BestBuy for a ram upgrade), and accept system 'problems' as natural 'cruft' that builds up between reformats.
Come on! It takes less time to put a ram chip in your machine than to drive the damn thing to best buy! Keeping ram standards straight (DDR, SDR, various speeds, DIMM, SIMM, RIMM, SoDIMM) it FAR easier than, say, mastering a trade profession in World of Warcraft, or perfecting your counterstrike techinque.
It practically makes me foam at the mouth when people 'prefer' to have the 'professionals' at a compusa or bestbuy perform services on their machine, because DIY is 'not as reliable'.
Maybe I'm just bitter. I feel that if you spend a *lot* of time working on something, you should know about it. I drive my car around, but I don't spend a lot of time with it; as such, I'm not a car expert. I can change my own oil, I can do basic maintenance. But I don't think I could replace the engine.
Anyone who considers themselves a 'poweruser' should develop basic knowledge of the parts of a computer. The difference between video card ram and main system ram. Knowledge of why a geforce 6200 with 128 Mb of ram is inferior to a Geforce 6800 GT with 128 Mb of ram. If you aren't conversant in this kind of stuff, don't expect me to respond well if you question my explanations.
I have no problem spendings _hours_ trying to explain various aspects of computing in laymans terms to people with little or no knowledge. I find it enjoyable to educate people willing to learn.
I foam at the mouth when a self-proclaimed 'poweruser' reinterates a flawed or misinterpted explanation he got from the local bestbuy drone about graphics card performance, or the superiority of the Windows printing system over the OS X printing system. Worse, its impossible to argue with these people, since they don't know enough of *ANYTHING* to actually respond to what you say, or understand it.
I know quite a bit about computers and electronics in general, and I try to approach nearly everything with an open mind. I've often been corrected (yes, on Slashdot, too), and I'll change my tune when I'm shown the truth.
I have no respect for people with less knowledge AND more arrogance than me.
True story: My computing illiterate cousin was complaining about how my internet was so much slower than his.
Cousin: "I can download every video on this site in 5 minutes! Obviously, your linux isn't internet compatible, or your internet connection sucks. Why can't you just use Windows, my computer NEVER downloads this slow."
Me: "Oh really? 300 megs of data in 5 minutes, on a 4 Mbit connection. That's unpossible! Let's see... 4/8=.5 MBps maximum transfer, with no overhead. 300/.5= 600 seconds, = 10 minutes. Minimum. Not to mention stuff like the site being slow, or other people using the connection, or all kinds of factors"
Cousin: "I don't care about your facts! I know the truth! I'm not interested in all that stuff! I just download it, and its WAY faster!"
Me: "It's physically impossible to download it faster than 10 minutes. Can't be done. Do you want me to explain why?"
Cousin: "No. I don't care. Mine works faster, that's all I care about. Maybe you should try windows."
The Massachutes policy decision is actually *very* pratical. It doesn't specifiy any particular standard, it merely requries that ALL state documents be distributed in an open, non-patent encumbered fully-documented standard, avaliable to all.
Massachucettes has *NOT* selected any particular standard. What they've done is prohibited government offices from utilizing proprietary formats for document interchange. They've understood that proprietary formats, be it MS, Wordperfect, or whatever, locks them into a particular vendor, and slants the market by forcing consumers that do business with the government to work with that standard.
By enforcing an 'open-standard' rule, Massachucettes allows *anyone* to compete for these contracts, and allows people working with the state to use *any* software to work with these formats.
Microsoft has three options: 1) Make MS XML formats truly free-- This means freely license their patents associated with their XML formats, as well as fully document the format, as well as eliminate any license restrictions that make their formats GPL-incompatible. Basically, they need to go the OSS route, or the public domain route. 2) Implement the OpenDocument format. This is a free format. The only implementation cost is programmer hours, and given that it is fully documented it really wouldn't take that long. Certainly less time than it takes to maintain, say, Wordperfect filters, or Wordstar filters. 3) Bitch and moan. Lobby. Hope that the government sticks with MS proprietary garbage.
If you are agreeing with the article author, its because he has effectively distorted your view of the discussion. Microsoft easiest option is to simply make their own formats free. If they did that, Massachusetts would be able to certify their format as legitimate for use by the state. If MS decides to continue to hold the patent stick, and maintain a license that is not truly open, then Massachusetts will NOT certify that format as a universal, open format.
Quite frankly, all they have to do is remove the non-sub-licensing restriction from their license, and add a 'all MS patents associated with these formats are freely licensed in perpetuity' clause. It's not like that would deprive them of defensive patent protection, rather, it provides them the ability to bludgeon someone they don't like with patents. Think GIF; google for poision pill patents.
This must be a new troll, I haven't seen it before.
Im still finding thr Mac desktops lagging behind Windows IMHO (not starting a flamewar here) Finder cant seem to browse directories containing large numbers of files, Its Impossible to navigate the GUI mouseless unlike windows which can be ALt-Tab's, Shift-Tab'd etc. Really the most important part they need to fix is the system preferences... cmon even windows XP you can just gor RUN-compmgmt.msc , Run-devmgmt.msc and RUN-lusrmgr.msc... In system preferences, though handy, needs to be brought upto standard... and SHOKE HORROR... maybe managing some other parts of the OS Thats the problem with closed souce, everyones beavering away at there little bit and no one is managing the big picture.
Hmm.... Definitely troll-ish, but not very reusable. 2/10.
Security patches will break a bunch of features necessary to AJAX applications.
Microsoft will not permit browser-based office suits, ever.
If AJAX doesn't get broken on IE6, you can be assured that it will not work properly on IE7.
I can see it now, "IE's not done till AJAX doesn't run!"
Think I'm paranoid? Microsoft developed a free browser (IE), and *never* sold it, spending hundreds of millions on development in order to plow the mere possibility of browser apps running in an OS independent Netscape.
They've done it once already; to protect the validity of that extermination effort, they'll have to do it again.
Most likely, this is what the IE7 'rebirth' is about. More eyecandy, less compatability, and prevent XUL/AJAX/any-browser-based dynamic software from working properly.
Require the *latest* IE7 for everything (office updates, MSN, etc. . ), and do your best to drive the other apps out of the market place. If necessary, pay large organizations NOT to switch to firefox.
AJAX is one of Microsofts nightmares. Expect it to get crushed.
Oh, by using a patch with an opensource software that 'restricts' DVD playback?
Does anyone use bytecode interpreted truetype fonts?
Oh, that's by a patch to the freetype2 project.
What about GIFs? Does anyone remember that debacle?
How, pray tell, do you think the OpenOffice.org people are going to open up MS Office Open XML files when MS has specifically said, "This cannot be used with GPL software."
What about the distributions? Notice that SuSE requires you to download all kinds of things to build certain features. Like Acrobat, Nvidia drivers, and all manner of codecs? Sure, its automatic. But they blame the user if they "mistaken" use the protected code in a territory that doesn't permit it.
This is simple. Limewire will continue to contain all the same code as before. It's a GPL project. Question is, what happens to their paid version? Since they can no longer distribute binaries that actually *DO* anything, whats going to happen now?
Limewire with protection against non-DRM media makes little sense. It *might* work with Windows and WMA files. It could possibly work on OS X with iTunes files (but that doesn't make sense: you *bought* the dang song over the internet already, why would you need to download it *again*?", and it will *never* find anything to work with on Windows.
Limewire, as software, since its GPL will go on. Limewire as a company? I have no idea. I can't imagine a working business model.
Yes, right now, there are only 5 applications that support OpenDocument.
Yes, right now, those applications do not have a lot of marketshare.
Pray tell: How many applications support MS Office Open XML? How much marketshare do those applications have?
Oh, thats right, the answer it 0, and 0.
OpenDocument will always be better supported, and right now, OpenDocument has more marketshare.
Will this change with the release of Office 12? Maybe-- My guess is all your customers will continue to use DOC.
Will this change with the adoption of OpenDocument by the European Union, and various governmental organizations in the U.S.? Absolutely. You *do* realize that much of the economic activity in Europe requires working with the government.
Microsoft itself will be forced to submit documents to the EU in ISO-approved OpenDocument. Hilariously, Microsoft will have to use OpenOffice.org to do so.
The amount of work would be quite a lot, especially if they wished to make said plug-in proprietary.
Also, I imagine that MS would try to break this plug-in quite a bit.
It's much more likely that someone would make a separate go-in between filter program.
If you are going to use a separate program, however, you might as well run OpenOffice.org to do you conversion. You could have an OpenOffice.org java/macro program that did exactly that. Drop the file on your openoffice.org converter, have openoffice.org launch MS office with that file.
Easy to build, quick to implement, and free, except for the developer's time (maybe an hour or two) to put it together.
At that point, however, you'll probably have people using MS office for basic tasks just start using OpenOffice.org. "I'm already opening in it in OpenOffice, and I'm only changing a few words-- I'll just save it in here. I'll save MS Office for the big jobs."
Also, with the coming of Office 12, I imagine that many users will actually prefer OpenOffice.org. Compare the OpenOffice interface to the Office 12 interface, then compare it to Office 2003/XP/2000/97/95.
Which one is closer? Which one appeals to you as the 'natural' upgrade path.
Worse, you'll have to run add-in software for converting DOC files to WordML (OfficeML) files. MS says they'll be releasing converters for that purpose. But that begs the question: Use MS filters for DOC files, and OpenOffice.org for ODT files, and MS Office 12 for the actual work?
Or just switch to OpenOffice.org for everything?
Small departments/individuals will use OpenOffice.org. Medium department/organizations can use either OpenOffice.org or StarOffice (with pro support) Enterprises can use IBM's Workplace enterprise document management solution.
The OpenDocument 'platform' is much better positioned to take over the government market that Office 12. It's really not even funny, and with Sun & IBM working together, theres a ridiculous amount of lobbying power.
MS versus OpenOffice.org foundation? MS wins in terms of procurment trickery.
MS versus OpenOffice.org, Sun AND IBM? Magic 8-ball says, "Outlook not so good".
1. OpenOffice.org (read, Sun's Proxy) is one of the forces behind OASIS, but by no means the main force. There are quite a few heavyweights, both vendors and customers. Here's a list: Vendors: Adobe (Framemaker, Distiller) Arbortext (Arbortext Enterprise Publishing System) Corel (Word Perfect) IBM (Lotus 1-2-3, Workplace) KDE (Koffice) SpeedLegal (SmartPrecedent enterprise document assembly system); both product and company later changed names to Exari. Sun Microsystems / OpenOffice.org (StarOffice/OpenOffice.org) Customers: Boeing (complex, large documents) National Archive of Australia (retrieve documents long after development) New York State Office of the Attorney General (both) Society of Biblical Literature (large, multilingual documents)
IBM really is planning to make a big play for the enterprise office market. This is not an OpenOffice.org product---this is IBM's Workplace product. If anything, IBM is a MUCH, MUCH bigger dog than Sun.
Furthermore, I believe OASIS gave the EU two opportunites for input. You are seriously misrepresenting things if you believe OASIS=OpenOffice.org
2. The OpenDocument restrictions are simple. 1. You can't patent any aspects of the specification. 2. Anything you contribute to the standard must be offered Royalty-free, with no other stipulations. 3. Any copyrights you hold on *anything* you want included in the specification must be licensed to OASIS under a perpetual, transferrable, sub-licensible, royalty-free license.
Did you even _read_ the license agreement you linked to me? Do you realize that the only thing prohibited by that license is trying to prevent companies other than your own from using the format?
This is quite a contrast to the MS Office Open XML license. When I think of MS XML's license, I think of GIF. As far as I'm concerned, until MS gives up their patents on the MS XML schemas, they are a patent poison pill.
3. Furthermore, the MS XML schema excludes GPL licensed products. That's a big problem--- OASIS formats, and a truly 'free' format, would do not such thing.
Slashdot Mirror
Huh?
Say, what?
The following is left as an exercise to the reader:
1. Please list all the linux file systems avaliable.
2. Please list all the linux file systems avaliable with read/write support in both linux and windows.
3. Please add up the total amount invested by various corporations in the development of the file systems listed in #1.
Please don't forget that although you may use differently tweaked filesystems between servers and desktops, there is a great deal of overlap. Linux as a desktop system may not be popular (yet. I use nothing but Linux on my desktops). Linux is *quite* popular as a server OS, as is Unix, and the two share quite a few filesystems. IBM, Sun, SGI, SuSE, Redhat, Novell, Mandriva, Google, and a variety of smaller tech laboratories spend a ton of money on filesystem research, very little of which ever finds its way to Windows.
Well, given that they have roots in the same codebase, and google/sun don't break the OpenDocument support from OpenOffice.org, OpenOffice.org IS the offline version.
Notice that google sells google appliances right now?
These provide search technology for your intranet.
Think google appliance with a Java-based Office suite, search technology, wi-fi support (with auditing), Webmail, POP3mail, integrated mapping, and address technology.
They sell you one of these boxes, and anything on your network with a web browser has access to all of these services.
There are really 2 ends to google marketing. One is ad-based revenue from consumer targeted products. One is contract revenue from large organizations purchasing search technology.
Most google innovations should see their ways into both products, and the 'googleboxes', the systems they sell on a contract basis to large organizations will maintain an organizations privacy.
That's why we need OpenDocument. Period.
The world needs a standard-based easily parsable well-explained document format. We have one now, brought to you by the good people at OASIS.
Use KOffice. Use OpenOffice.org. Use StarOffice. Use Google's Web-based office. Use IBM's Workplace. Use IBM's Lotus suite. Or Abiword. Or any number of utilties that develop OpenDocument support.
When you have a standard-based document format everyone wins, and your data ALWAYS remains accesible. Especially if it is XML in a ZIP where you can access the plain-text of your document in cominbation with zipped versions of the assets in your document.
Everyone wins, that is, except for bloated, monopolistic (MS)Office vendors.
Google is a for-profit business getting a free ride on public land. It has no business being outside the cities jurisdiciton.
They are paying RENT. That RENT will be spent on improving NASA's local facilities. Google does NOT own the land, so that improvement does not benefit Google.
based on the governments desire to pay for its own reckless spending
Yes, the city wants to actually ensure a modicum of a retirement plan for its employees. Greedy bastards, just give them some empty refrigerator boxes and a Weber grill.
I'm quite familiar with two small cities local politics, and I was appalled at the wastefulness and idiocy in decision making. If the city is out of money, I'm 100% certain its because of sweetheart deals with a road construction contractor, garbage hauler, or retarded cable franchises. Period.
The city has jackshit to do with the NASA/Google facility. They are completely independent. NASA/Google doesn't use any of the cities resources, and as such, there is NO reason NASA/Google should pay for any of them.
And who do you think pays for NASA, dumbass?
I sure as *hell* know that it doesn't come from the Santa Clara County Property taxes. Those go towards schools, roads, and other such municipal tasks FOR local residents. That's why the LOCALS pay them, not out-of-state individuals, or federals.
So it's the responsibility of the employees (and the other country residents) to make up for Google not paying taxes? That's crap.
You don't get it, do you. Ask yourself *why* you pay local taxes:
For Police. For Fire Protection. For road construction. For schools. NASA has already PAID for these things in their territory. Although the NASA facility lies within Santa Clara County, it doesn't actually use any county facilities-- it relies upon its own resources. Why should they have to pay twice? Why should Google have to pay twice; its already paying NASA, who then uses a portion of that rent to cover costs incurred by Google.
How, exactly, is Google costing Santa Clara County *ANYTHING*?
Why the fuck should google pay for *any* of the local politics?
Because the rest of us fucking have to, that's why.
Think with your head, not your socialist e-peen. I don't pay Santa Clara County taxes, even though I may occasionally use a Santa Clara County service. See, I don't *live* in that county, even though I may occasionally visit it. I get use of the Police, and Fire Department, merely by passing through. Should I attach a property tithe to my local tax bill as well, and earmark that for everywhere in the U.S. I might visit?
NASA doesn't HAVE to pay taxes. Why? Because they don't use any county services. They are self-contained. Why should Google bear the burden of NASA's costs AND the counties?
Oh, because the county's taxes are greater than NASA's costs? Could that be because the county squanders its money in efficency, useless projects?
Go cry somewhere else. Like any other financial transaction, it doesn't make any sense to toll some organization for something you aren't getting. Google doesn't get shit from the county if it locates its facility within a NASA facility. It's retarded to believe that they should owe the county anything.
As far as NASA/Google are concerned, the county is a separate entity, and they do not interact with them
Pull your head out of our posterior.
A lot of work and tax dollars went into securing that land and providing public transit. Doing all that for freeloaders was never part of the plan.
According to Nasa, they provide public transit on the property, police & fire, local construction. About the only thing they *don't* is consumer goods-- this means the Googleheads will be *shopping* at whatever local Santa Clara malls exist; and they'll be paying sales tax, too.
The only entity that spends money for local services on the property is NASA. That's federal money; when was the last time your local county property taxes went to pay for space research?
Oh; right, never.
Google's paying rent to NASA, most likely more than enough to satisfy any of costs incurred by Google's usage of the property. This is a win for Google. This is a win for NASA. This doesn't cost Santa Clara a dime, because NASA pays for all the local services.
Why the fuck should google pay for *any* of the local politics?
Boss:
You: "We switched to OpenDocument because our primary customer, the EU, requires our communications to be submitted in that ISO format"
Boss: "Oh; WTF is Joe doing with software that can handle it?"
You: "MS Office doesn't handle that format."
Boss: "Joe EU. I'll call him instead"
You: "No need, just save as "MS Word", or use Export to PDF. By the way, if you send it as a PDF, he probably won't be able to figure out how to end it."
Boss: "Really? He can't change it? Hehe. Nothing but PDF for me!"
Make 'Joe' look like hes in the wrong, and make it look like your new format gives you power over the people you are communicating with. Then the boss will firmly be in your camp. Never underestimate a PHB on a power trip.
The two or three people, like the EU government and all the EU contractors, or the state of Massachucettes, or Malaysia, or China, or 1/2 of the latin american countries.
Yeah, one or two people run all those organizations.
Build it, and they will come.
OS-neutrality is NOT a good argument to stick with MS formats.
Really. Seriously.
Also:
What I think is needed, and what I have proposed to the Norwegian Government, is that the government, together with the EU, hold a public competition where anyone can submit their contributions to an open document format. This also gives Microsoft an option to contribute. However, the stakes are also very high for Microsoft, because the winning format will be made mandatory for use throughout the public sector of the EU.
This has already been done. Microsoft is a member of OASIS. The EU has specifically encouraged MS to contribute whatever they would like to see in a document format to OASIS. Furthermore, the OASIS format is an open format.
I don't know about the format being that immature for spreadsheets-- OpenOffice.org Calc is not so bad.
And, how can you compare that to WordML and ExcelML? They have 0 real world testing.
If governments adopt open formats, app writers will support them. If the EU specifics OpenDocument, iWork will follow soon.
It's painful, but sticking with MS proprietary stuff is NOT the answer to platform neutrality.
You might be happier if the new Office XML formats become the standard. But that excludes us Linux users indefinitly. We don't get MS Office for Linux.
Better to make a switch to a *real* open standard, and fix the problem of no standards based apps for the Mac platform, than stick with the monopoly supported vendor standard.
Don't worry, technology will save you to.
;-)
;-)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8656746/
'The "Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) 5," can let a person who can barely do an 176-pound leg press handle 397 pounds.'
Combine that with new erectile disfunction drugs, and you too can can have insane fetish sex
By the way, Mod parent up, for really funny
The modern day equivalent of the 'Renaissance man' is someone with indepth knowledge in a few areas, and a broad, highly conversant vocabulary with excellent critical thinking skills capable of comprehending the basics of other areas of knowledge rapidly, and developing sophistication in whatever area of expertise is necessary at the given time within a short period of study.
Strangely, that's not terribly different from the Renaissance man of days past. Ever wonder why they had *huge* personal libraries? It was so that whenever they were presented with a field of study they weren't familiar with, they would immediately start consulting texts on the subject, developing an average level of knowledge within a few days.
That's possible today, too. It's always been impossible to be a true expert on everything. Human knowledge grew past the confines of one mind ~10,000 years ago. What you can do, however, is build up expertise in as many areas as interest you, and develop the capabilities to get 'up-to-speed' rapidly.
What amazes my the most is the total lack of interest kids have in how their computer works. Most kids who call themselves hardcore gamers these days don't even know what an AGP Slot is much less an Interrupt. I guess we have Dell to thank.
I'm 24, and this pisses me off to no end.
It bugs the *hell* out of me when people pretend to know something about this, but won't educate themselves to a minimal degree.
It bugs the *hell* out of me when 'hardcore' gamers, who spend 20+ hours a week playing video games, won't figure out what type of ram they should use in their systems, can't do a simple upgrade by themselves (read, take the system to BestBuy for a ram upgrade), and accept system 'problems' as natural 'cruft' that builds up between reformats.
Come on! It takes less time to put a ram chip in your machine than to drive the damn thing to best buy! Keeping ram standards straight (DDR, SDR, various speeds, DIMM, SIMM, RIMM, SoDIMM) it FAR easier than, say, mastering a trade profession in World of Warcraft, or perfecting your counterstrike techinque.
It practically makes me foam at the mouth when people 'prefer' to have the 'professionals' at a compusa or bestbuy perform services on their machine, because DIY is 'not as reliable'.
Maybe I'm just bitter. I feel that if you spend a *lot* of time working on something, you should know about it. I drive my car around, but I don't spend a lot of time with it; as such, I'm not a car expert. I can change my own oil, I can do basic maintenance. But I don't think I could replace the engine.
Anyone who considers themselves a 'poweruser' should develop basic knowledge of the parts of a computer. The difference between video card ram and main system ram. Knowledge of why a geforce 6200 with 128 Mb of ram is inferior to a Geforce 6800 GT with 128 Mb of ram. If you aren't conversant in this kind of stuff, don't expect me to respond well if you question my explanations.
I have no problem spendings _hours_ trying to explain various aspects of computing in laymans terms to people with little or no knowledge. I find it enjoyable to educate people willing to learn.
I foam at the mouth when a self-proclaimed 'poweruser' reinterates a flawed or misinterpted explanation he got from the local bestbuy drone about graphics card performance, or the superiority of the Windows printing system over the OS X printing system. Worse, its impossible to argue with these people, since they don't know enough of *ANYTHING* to actually respond to what you say, or understand it.
I know quite a bit about computers and electronics in general, and I try to approach nearly everything with an open mind. I've often been corrected (yes, on Slashdot, too), and I'll change my tune when I'm shown the truth.
I have no respect for people with less knowledge AND more arrogance than me.
True story: My computing illiterate cousin was complaining about how my internet was so much slower than his.
Cousin: "I can download every video on this site in 5 minutes! Obviously, your linux isn't internet compatible, or your internet connection sucks. Why can't you just use Windows, my computer NEVER downloads this slow."
Me: "Oh really? 300 megs of data in 5 minutes, on a 4 Mbit connection. That's unpossible! Let's see... 4/8=
Cousin: "I don't care about your facts! I know the truth! I'm not interested in all that stuff! I just download it, and its WAY faster!"
Me: "It's physically impossible to download it faster than 10 minutes. Can't be done. Do you want me to explain why?"
Cousin: "No. I don't care. Mine works faster, that's all I care about. Maybe you should try windows."
I was not happy.
No, I think you've been brain washed :-)
The Massachutes policy decision is actually *very* pratical. It doesn't specifiy any particular standard, it merely requries that ALL state documents be distributed in an open, non-patent encumbered fully-documented standard, avaliable to all.
Massachucettes has *NOT* selected any particular standard. What they've done is prohibited government offices from utilizing proprietary formats for document interchange. They've understood that proprietary formats, be it MS, Wordperfect, or whatever, locks them into a particular vendor, and slants the market by forcing consumers that do business with the government to work with that standard.
By enforcing an 'open-standard' rule, Massachucettes allows *anyone* to compete for these contracts, and allows people working with the state to use *any* software to work with these formats.
Microsoft has three options:
1) Make MS XML formats truly free-- This means freely license their patents associated with their XML formats, as well as fully document the format, as well as eliminate any license restrictions that make their formats GPL-incompatible. Basically, they need to go the OSS route, or the public domain route.
2) Implement the OpenDocument format. This is a free format. The only implementation cost is programmer hours, and given that it is fully documented it really wouldn't take that long. Certainly less time than it takes to maintain, say, Wordperfect filters, or Wordstar filters.
3) Bitch and moan. Lobby. Hope that the government sticks with MS proprietary garbage.
If you are agreeing with the article author, its because he has effectively distorted your view of the discussion. Microsoft easiest option is to simply make their own formats free. If they did that, Massachusetts would be able to certify their format as legitimate for use by the state. If MS decides to continue to hold the patent stick, and maintain a license that is not truly open, then Massachusetts will NOT certify that format as a universal, open format.
Quite frankly, all they have to do is remove the non-sub-licensing restriction from their license, and add a 'all MS patents associated with these formats are freely licensed in perpetuity' clause. It's not like that would deprive them of defensive patent protection, rather, it provides them the ability to bludgeon someone they don't like with patents. Think GIF; google for poision pill patents.
This must be a new troll, I haven't seen it before.
... cmon even windows XP you can just gor RUN-compmgmt.msc , Run-devmgmt.msc and RUN-lusrmgr.msc ... In system preferences, though handy, needs to be brought upto standard ... and SHOKE HORROR ... maybe managing some other parts of the OS Thats the problem with closed souce, everyones beavering away at there little bit and no one is managing the big picture.
Im still finding thr Mac desktops lagging behind Windows IMHO (not starting a flamewar here) Finder cant seem to browse directories containing large numbers of files, Its Impossible to navigate the GUI mouseless unlike windows which can be ALt-Tab's, Shift-Tab'd etc. Really the most important part they need to fix is the system preferences
Hmm.... Definitely troll-ish, but not very reusable. 2/10.
Next!
Security patches will break a bunch of features necessary to AJAX applications.
Microsoft will not permit browser-based office suits, ever.
If AJAX doesn't get broken on IE6, you can be assured that it will not work properly on IE7.
I can see it now, "IE's not done till AJAX doesn't run!"
Think I'm paranoid? Microsoft developed a free browser (IE), and *never* sold it, spending hundreds of millions on development in order to plow the mere possibility of browser apps running in an OS independent Netscape.
They've done it once already; to protect the validity of that extermination effort, they'll have to do it again.
Most likely, this is what the IE7 'rebirth' is about. More eyecandy, less compatability, and prevent XUL/AJAX/any-browser-based dynamic software from working properly.
Require the *latest* IE7 for everything (office updates, MSN, etc. . ), and do your best to drive the other apps out of the market place. If necessary, pay large organizations NOT to switch to firefox.
AJAX is one of Microsofts nightmares. Expect it to get crushed.
/giggle
You go, AC!
Or, what if I signed up for those online movie services like starz on demand, or other similar upcoming services?
What about Tivo & Netflix's rumored offering?
Build the bandwidth, and they will come!
Not Dolphins.
Sea bass. With 'frick'en' laser beams on their head.
Their kept in a medium sized room with a small rock ledge in the middle, and curiously inattentive guards.
Sorry, this story has got me laughing like a nut. Everything about it is comic.
Come to think of it, I want a killer dolphin. I could keep it in my pool, and feed it belligerent small children, and terrorists.
Killer Dolphins of Doom = The American Dream!
Sorry, it sounds appropriate.
I, for one, welcome our new Dolphin overlords!
How do you all play DVD's on Linux?
Oh, by using a patch with an opensource software that 'restricts' DVD playback?
Does anyone use bytecode interpreted truetype fonts?
Oh, that's by a patch to the freetype2 project.
What about GIFs? Does anyone remember that debacle?
How, pray tell, do you think the OpenOffice.org people are going to open up MS Office Open XML files when MS has specifically said, "This cannot be used with GPL software."
What about the distributions? Notice that SuSE requires you to download all kinds of things to build certain features. Like Acrobat, Nvidia drivers, and all manner of codecs? Sure, its automatic. But they blame the user if they "mistaken" use the protected code in a territory that doesn't permit it.
This is simple. Limewire will continue to contain all the same code as before. It's a GPL project. Question is, what happens to their paid version? Since they can no longer distribute binaries that actually *DO* anything, whats going to happen now?
Limewire with protection against non-DRM media makes little sense. It *might* work with Windows and WMA files. It could possibly work on OS X with iTunes files (but that doesn't make sense: you *bought* the dang song over the internet already, why would you need to download it *again*?", and it will *never* find anything to work with on Windows.
Limewire, as software, since its GPL will go on. Limewire as a company? I have no idea. I can't imagine a working business model.
Apple already makes Pages, a wordprocessor.
I suspect it will support OpenDocument, but that's just mean.
OpenDocument support will make the OS X 'ecosystem' an easier sell to governments.
Put up or shutup.
Yes, right now, there are only 5 applications that support OpenDocument.
Yes, right now, those applications do not have a lot of marketshare.
Pray tell: How many applications support MS Office Open XML?
How much marketshare do those applications have?
Oh, thats right, the answer it 0, and 0.
OpenDocument will always be better supported, and right now, OpenDocument has more marketshare.
Will this change with the release of Office 12? Maybe-- My guess is all your customers will continue to use DOC.
Will this change with the adoption of OpenDocument by the European Union, and various governmental organizations in the U.S.? Absolutely. You *do* realize that much of the economic activity in Europe requires working with the government.
Microsoft itself will be forced to submit documents to the EU in ISO-approved OpenDocument. Hilariously, Microsoft will have to use OpenOffice.org to do so.
Some could write such a plugin.
The amount of work would be quite a lot, especially if they wished to make said plug-in proprietary.
Also, I imagine that MS would try to break this plug-in quite a bit.
It's much more likely that someone would make a separate go-in between filter program.
If you are going to use a separate program, however, you might as well run OpenOffice.org to do you conversion. You could have an OpenOffice.org java/macro program that did exactly that. Drop the file on your openoffice.org converter, have openoffice.org launch MS office with that file.
Easy to build, quick to implement, and free, except for the developer's time (maybe an hour or two) to put it together.
At that point, however, you'll probably have people using MS office for basic tasks just start using OpenOffice.org. "I'm already opening in it in OpenOffice, and I'm only changing a few words-- I'll just save it in here. I'll save MS Office for the big jobs."
Also, with the coming of Office 12, I imagine that many users will actually prefer OpenOffice.org. Compare the OpenOffice interface to the Office 12 interface, then compare it to Office 2003/XP/2000/97/95.
Which one is closer? Which one appeals to you as the 'natural' upgrade path.
Worse, you'll have to run add-in software for converting DOC files to WordML (OfficeML) files. MS says they'll be releasing converters for that purpose. But that begs the question: Use MS filters for DOC files, and OpenOffice.org for ODT files, and MS Office 12 for the actual work?
Or just switch to OpenOffice.org for everything?
Small departments/individuals will use OpenOffice.org.
Medium department/organizations can use either OpenOffice.org or StarOffice (with pro support)
Enterprises can use IBM's Workplace enterprise document management solution.
The OpenDocument 'platform' is much better positioned to take over the government market that Office 12. It's really not even funny, and with Sun & IBM working together, theres a ridiculous amount of lobbying power.
MS versus OpenOffice.org foundation? MS wins in terms of procurment trickery.
MS versus OpenOffice.org, Sun AND IBM? Magic 8-ball says, "Outlook not so good".
Err... I think you are quite mistaken
1. OpenOffice.org (read, Sun's Proxy) is one of the forces behind OASIS, but by no means the main force. There are quite a few heavyweights, both vendors and customers. Here's a list:
Vendors:
Adobe (Framemaker, Distiller)
Arbortext (Arbortext Enterprise Publishing System)
Corel (Word Perfect)
IBM (Lotus 1-2-3, Workplace)
KDE (Koffice)
SpeedLegal (SmartPrecedent enterprise document assembly system); both product and company later changed names to Exari.
Sun Microsystems / OpenOffice.org (StarOffice/OpenOffice.org)
Customers:
Boeing (complex, large documents)
National Archive of Australia (retrieve documents long after development)
New York State Office of the Attorney General (both)
Society of Biblical Literature (large, multilingual documents)
IBM really is planning to make a big play for the enterprise office market. This is not an OpenOffice.org product---this is IBM's Workplace product. If anything, IBM is a MUCH, MUCH bigger dog than Sun.
Furthermore, I believe OASIS gave the EU two opportunites for input. You are seriously misrepresenting things if you believe OASIS=OpenOffice.org
More information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument
2. The OpenDocument restrictions are simple. 1. You can't patent any aspects of the specification. 2. Anything you contribute to the standard must be offered Royalty-free, with no other stipulations. 3. Any copyrights you hold on *anything* you want included in the specification must be licensed to OASIS under a perpetual, transferrable, sub-licensible, royalty-free license.
Did you even _read_ the license agreement you linked to me? Do you realize that the only thing prohibited by that license is trying to prevent companies other than your own from using the format?
This is quite a contrast to the MS Office Open XML license. When I think of MS XML's license, I think of GIF. As far as I'm concerned, until MS gives up their patents on the MS XML schemas, they are a patent poison pill.
3. Furthermore, the MS XML schema excludes GPL licensed products. That's a big problem--- OASIS formats, and a truly 'free' format, would do not such thing.