A sizeable proportion of malware is installed piggybacking on legitimate apps (eg Kazaa) or as a trojan (eg lots and lots of those little systray apps).
In what way is any of that MS's fault? Even with a 100% bug-free OS (which is all-but impossible), there is *nothing* MS could do to prevent users from installing software. I'll give you that IE bugs, etc, are responsible for a lot of malware infections, but by no means all of them.
Exactly what I was going to say. There's absolutely nothing in that post that constitutes flamebait.
This place is really going downhill; time was, you could have a reasoned, rational discussion. That's getting harder and harder all the time these days, unfortunately.
On your second point, it seems to me that were the company to be shut down, the higher levels of management would simply walk into another ridiculously highly paid job, while the rest of the company would have a much, much harder time. Combine that with the fact that it's the upper levels of management that are ultimately responsible, and you have a grossly unfair punishment. You'd put secretaries, janitors, etc out of work for something they have absolutely no control over, and almost certainly even no knowledge of until it's too late.
As another poster commented, you don't lock up an entire family because one member broke the law. This would be more like locking up the entire family *except* the one that broke the law...
Up until a decade or so ago, my parents had a TV that had lasted them for about 20 years (and may actually have been second hand). It finally died (as all things must), and since then, they're on their second or third replacement.
It's Taco. He has something of a history of not seeing the point - eg the iPod, which he described as "lame" when it was first released.
It's not entirely his fault though - most new technologies and techniques get slammed here. This is unusual in that none of the +5 rated comments (currently) are negative.
most companies don't pirate software that is critical to their infrastructure
I can't speak for most companies (but I suspect that you can't either), but I've certainly known a few to pirate critical apps, even ones they could legitimately charge clients for, rather than spend even a few hundred dollars in licensing fees, just because they could. There was no way they'd be caught (short of being ratted our), so they did it. Sometimes the license was literally $500 - $1000 USD that they could've charged the client, on a project costing > $500,000 in total, but they still pirated it.
The title makes it sound as though Wal-Mart's suppliers are resisting the slowing of the introduction of RFID, while the truth is quite the reverse - that the slow-down is happening because of supplier resistence, not despite it.
Quoted out of context - he said "Nothing is free, except true charity".
Free (as in beer) software is charity. It takes time and effort to create, yet is offered for zero monetary cost (and often without any other strings attached, at least for use) - that's charity.
3) The company doesn't guarantee that when they send it, it will arrive.
To be fair to them, that last one isn't as bad as it may sound - unless they're delivering it themselves they can't really guarantee it. If they're sending it by mail or courier, it's up to the firm that's actually devilering it to guarantee delivery, surely.
That said, I've never seen that sort of disclaimer before either...
Anyone "bright" enough to buy anything from Microsoft in the first place is hardly going to...
c) Be able to fill out any sort of form...
Well, I have a degree in Physics and am currently employed as a Senior Programmer, and I bought the copy of XP Pro that's running on the machine I'm using right now, but you're probably right, it's a wonder I manage to walk, talk and breathe at the same time.
Across the span of years assholes like Gates, Jobs, and Ellison
You lost me right there. You may not agree with the way in which they conduct business or develop software, but there is absolutely no need for such petty name calling. All it does is detract from your argument and make you appear immature.
So, you write an entire technology stack off because of one shitty application?
Here's an anecdote right back at you - at work, I usually have multiple browser windows/tabs open, multiple editors, terminal sessions, Outlook, Word, Excel, etc, and JBuilder running our web app under WebLogic. No appreciable slow down at all, everything's as responsive as you could wish.
Re:A little too far?
on
Revising the GPL
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
The vast majority of people don't play DVD's on their computers (yet).
Well, I can only speak for myself and my family, but I'm one of those that don't play DVDs on any of my PCs, and that's for the following reasons:
1) my DVD player is hooked up to a 32" widescreen TV in my front room; my PC is hooked up to a 19" monitor in the office 2) my front room is equipped with two comfortable sofas, while my office is equipped with a chair that, while perfectly acceptable, is no sofa
The only time a (non-software) DVD goes in my DVD-ROM drive is when I want to burn a copy so my daughter doesn't damage the expensive original. Other than that, why would it? Why would I want to watch it on a smaller screen in less comfortable surroundings?
I see one crappy bit of software (I've had to use InterActual's player before, unfortunately) and a stupid decision concerning a licence combining to provide a shitty user experience.
When this is the norm, come back and say you told me so. Until then, just complain to the people responsible for this crap; if enough people do so and mean it, they'll either see the error of their ways, or go bust; either way is a win.
So, a post advocating breaking the law is Insightful?
Look, if you insit on violating the IP rights of others, or supporting that violation (whether explicitly or implicitly, eg by modding up this sort of comment), then don't complain when someone takes GPLed code, modifies it, then releases it without making the source available.
You can do that with the current system, just by eliminating timezones and standardising on GMT.
The problem with that is that while it'd be fine for me (in London), other people would suddenly have to adjust to getting up at say 2am GMT rather than 9am local time. No, it wouldn't make any practical difference, but it would require changing the way you think, and *that* is the biggest problem of all.
Seriously, changing the way that hundreds of millions of people measure time just to make the lives of a few thousand coders a little easier is insane.
No bikes were stolen or harmed in the making of this hack. They are all back in service, although they can be driven by the hackers without paying the fee. A very elegant hack indeed.
And still an unauthorised use of somebody else's property. If you borrow something without asking once or twice, and return it as you found it, you'll probably be let off. Do it too often, and you will be prosecuted.
Here, though, it's even worse - as the bikes are for rental, they're depriving the owners of the chance to make money. This is no different to walking in to a Blockbuster or similar and walking out with a couple of DVDs without paying. Even if you do return them later, it's still wrong, morally and legally.
If in doubt just bring a biro along to the shop with you can cross out anything you don't agree to, that's how contract work isn't it?
Yes, then you hand the amended contract back to the entity you're negogiating with, they read through the changes, and either accept or reject them, counter offer, etc.
What doesn't happen is that you get to unilaterally cross out stuff you don't like. To alter the Windows EULA, for example, you'd have to negogiate with MS's legal office.
Slashdot Mirror
A sizeable proportion of malware is installed piggybacking on legitimate apps (eg Kazaa) or as a trojan (eg lots and lots of those little systray apps).
In what way is any of that MS's fault? Even with a 100% bug-free OS (which is all-but impossible), there is *nothing* MS could do to prevent users from installing software. I'll give you that IE bugs, etc, are responsible for a lot of malware infections, but by no means all of them.
Exactly what I was going to say. There's absolutely nothing in that post that constitutes flamebait.
This place is really going downhill; time was, you could have a reasoned, rational discussion. That's getting harder and harder all the time these days, unfortunately.
On your second point, it seems to me that were the company to be shut down, the higher levels of management would simply walk into another ridiculously highly paid job, while the rest of the company would have a much, much harder time. Combine that with the fact that it's the upper levels of management that are ultimately responsible, and you have a grossly unfair punishment. You'd put secretaries, janitors, etc out of work for something they have absolutely no control over, and almost certainly even no knowledge of until it's too late.
As another poster commented, you don't lock up an entire family because one member broke the law. This would be more like locking up the entire family *except* the one that broke the law...
Up until a decade or so ago, my parents had a TV that had lasted them for about 20 years (and may actually have been second hand). It finally died (as all things must), and since then, they're on their second or third replacement.
Don't be a twat. If the evidence supports it, take it like an adult.
It's Taco. He has something of a history of not seeing the point - eg the iPod, which he described as "lame" when it was first released.
It's not entirely his fault though - most new technologies and techniques get slammed here. This is unusual in that none of the +5 rated comments (currently) are negative.
most companies don't pirate software that is critical to their infrastructure
I can't speak for most companies (but I suspect that you can't either), but I've certainly known a few to pirate critical apps, even ones they could legitimately charge clients for, rather than spend even a few hundred dollars in licensing fees, just because they could. There was no way they'd be caught (short of being ratted our), so they did it. Sometimes the license was literally $500 - $1000 USD that they could've charged the client, on a project costing > $500,000 in total, but they still pirated it.
The title makes it sound as though Wal-Mart's suppliers are resisting the slowing of the introduction of RFID, while the truth is quite the reverse - that the slow-down is happening because of supplier resistence, not despite it.
Quoted out of context - he said "Nothing is free, except true charity".
Free (as in beer) software is charity. It takes time and effort to create, yet is offered for zero monetary cost (and often without any other strings attached, at least for use) - that's charity.
3) The company doesn't guarantee that when they send it, it will arrive.
To be fair to them, that last one isn't as bad as it may sound - unless they're delivering it themselves they can't really guarantee it. If they're sending it by mail or courier, it's up to the firm that's actually devilering it to guarantee delivery, surely.
That said, I've never seen that sort of disclaimer before either...
Anyone "bright" enough to buy anything from Microsoft in the first place is hardly going to...
c) Be able to fill out any sort of form...
Well, I have a degree in Physics and am currently employed as a Senior Programmer, and I bought the copy of XP Pro that's running on the machine I'm using right now, but you're probably right, it's a wonder I manage to walk, talk and breathe at the same time.
Arrogant condescending twat.
If only I had time to sleep 8 hours a day...
But you do have a point - he's not allowed for the time spent sleeping, and 30% is a reasonable estimate.
Across the span of years assholes like Gates, Jobs, and Ellison
You lost me right there. You may not agree with the way in which they conduct business or develop software, but there is absolutely no need for such petty name calling. All it does is detract from your argument and make you appear immature.
So, you write an entire technology stack off because of one shitty application?
Here's an anecdote right back at you - at work, I usually have multiple browser windows/tabs open, multiple editors, terminal sessions, Outlook, Word, Excel, etc, and JBuilder running our web app under WebLogic. No appreciable slow down at all, everything's as responsive as you could wish.
proprietary = freedom of programmer's employer
No; the GPL is copyright the FSF, so you cannot create a derivative licence without their permission.
Done.
The vast majority of people don't play DVD's on their computers (yet).
Well, I can only speak for myself and my family, but I'm one of those that don't play DVDs on any of my PCs, and that's for the following reasons:
1) my DVD player is hooked up to a 32" widescreen TV in my front room; my PC is hooked up to a 19" monitor in the office
2) my front room is equipped with two comfortable sofas, while my office is equipped with a chair that, while perfectly acceptable, is no sofa
The only time a (non-software) DVD goes in my DVD-ROM drive is when I want to burn a copy so my daughter doesn't damage the expensive original. Other than that, why would it? Why would I want to watch it on a smaller screen in less comfortable surroundings?
I see one crappy bit of software (I've had to use InterActual's player before, unfortunately) and a stupid decision concerning a licence combining to provide a shitty user experience.
When this is the norm, come back and say you told me so. Until then, just complain to the people responsible for this crap; if enough people do so and mean it, they'll either see the error of their ways, or go bust; either way is a win.
So, a post advocating breaking the law is Insightful?
Look, if you insit on violating the IP rights of others, or supporting that violation (whether explicitly or implicitly, eg by modding up this sort of comment), then don't complain when someone takes GPLed code, modifies it, then releases it without making the source available.
cram 15 minutes of commercials before a movie you paid $12 to see
Actually, that'll be the cinema doing that.
You can do that with the current system, just by eliminating timezones and standardising on GMT.
The problem with that is that while it'd be fine for me (in London), other people would suddenly have to adjust to getting up at say 2am GMT rather than 9am local time. No, it wouldn't make any practical difference, but it would require changing the way you think, and *that* is the biggest problem of all.
Seriously, changing the way that hundreds of millions of people measure time just to make the lives of a few thousand coders a little easier is insane.
No bikes were stolen or harmed in the making of this hack. They are all back in service, although they can be driven by the hackers without paying the fee. A very elegant hack indeed.
And still an unauthorised use of somebody else's property. If you borrow something without asking once or twice, and return it as you found it, you'll probably be let off. Do it too often, and you will be prosecuted.
Here, though, it's even worse - as the bikes are for rental, they're depriving the owners of the chance to make money. This is no different to walking in to a Blockbuster or similar and walking out with a couple of DVDs without paying. Even if you do return them later, it's still wrong, morally and legally.
why is it always the crappy companies that do so well
Because crappy or not, they clearly give the customer what they want. If they didn't, they'd never make any money.
If in doubt just bring a biro along to the shop with you can cross out anything you don't agree to, that's how contract work isn't it?
Yes, then you hand the amended contract back to the entity you're negogiating with, they read through the changes, and either accept or reject them, counter offer, etc.
What doesn't happen is that you get to unilaterally cross out stuff you don't like. To alter the Windows EULA, for example, you'd have to negogiate with MS's legal office.