Well, from my own experience, users do care about laptop parts being proprietary and expensive. They just are currently in the process of caring AFTER they go bad.
I work at http://freegeek.org/, which mostly focuses on rebuilding computers for volunteers and community use, but also sells a good amount of computer equipment. And one of the most commonly asked for items is laptop parts, which we don't often have. But lots of people who buy laptops thinking about how awesome they are, don't have the money to pay for parts and repairs. Of course, I am only in a position where people come to me with failures, but from what I have heard, it is often enough.
Anyway, I do have to say, for most people, 1000 dollars for a new laptop, or even 500 dollars, is not a trivial amount of money. I am sure that there are many people who can spend that type of money, but for a lot of people (including myself), I can't spend 1-3 months rent on a laptop. If it is because of a small problem, like the inability to change keyboards. I think eventually consumers will realize that it would be much easier if things like the keyboard and screen were made to be interchangeable.
It is harder to custom configure notebook computers, so they had to be manufactured in advance
I think that this might have to do with the shift to the laptop market. A shift that I am not convinced is permanent. And if the shift to the laptop is permanent, there will have to be changes. This might seem like an overly harsh judgement, but to me the major reason for adopting laptops is sex appeal. Most people who want laptops seem to be impressed by how sleek they look, and by how cool it is to hang around in a coffee shop with a laptop. I know there are plenty of people who need laptops for their jobs, but I still think the majority of people are looking at them as an accessory. And most of these people don't know what they are getting into, because after a year or so, when the proprietary screen cracks, or the proprietary power supply goes dead, or any of the other little pieces no longer work, people are very surprised that they have to spend time and money searching for a replacement.
I think that as the laptop market matures, and people have this happen, there may be some demand to standardize laptop parts. This will change both how easy it is to custom make laptops, amongst other things.
I checked the quote before I posted, but then forgot it...but I guess, even trying for cheap humor on Slashdot, I couldn't make myself write something as stupid as "send an internets to me"
The problem with a "no servers" policy is that "server" doesn't really mean anything. A server is a computer that somehow serves information to another computer. Which includes every computer on the internet. There is no actual difference between a "client" and a "server". Even if a client computer is just sending a request to an e-Mail server, it is still serving data.
And it is not just a pedantic point. While it might seem like a computer that is only sending e-Mails is clearly a client, and not a server, what if you set up your e-Mail client so that it could automatically return e-Mails when it got them? And what if those e-Mails had attachments of files? You've just set yourself up as a "server".
I don't think there is any good technical or legal definition of what a "client" and "server" computer are.
I think that Microsoft is the new IBM. For a long time, IBM was the name in computing. They designed the standards, and everyone else followed. For several reasons, IBM lost the position of getting to dictate the computer market. But IBM is still around, and still making 100 billion a year or something like that. But they no longer dictate the market.
I think Microsoft dictated computer trends through most of the 90s and into the early years of this decade, but I think they are no longer dictating, they are just a large, maybe the largest player. They will still be around, making lots of money, but they won't get to decide things.
Microsoft cornered the desktop market at least ten years ago. And since then, they have not managed to repeat their success anywhere else. For the amount of money and brand awareness they have, they have not managed to repeat their success in either the server market or the home electronics market. And their desktop market, although it hasn't been directly affected by Linux, has been indirectly affected to a great degree. As long as there are other options out there, they can't just control the market, they have to make a meaningful product. And Vista just isn't meaningful. It will go over, but it will be a warning to them in the future.
I think my best goatse.cx memory is showing it to a guy who seemed to be the crude, dirty type and who had spent much much time on the internet's dark corner, and him responding "I have to go throw my hard drive in clorox"
But they are too easy to be found. For example, you could probably turn most of the stories on the front page of Slashdot into goatse.cx jokes if you wanted. Wal-Mart begins massive push for HD-DVD...Microsoft finds home for barcode...and of course, the hundred million mile pipe organ. All are open to goatse.cx jokes.
I thought blogosphere was invented ironically, and was thus a great faux-buzzword.
I usually change it further, into "blogotubes" or "tubosphere", and then ask people devoutly pecking away at their laptops in coffeeshops whether they are "tubosphering"
Slashdot Mirror
I heard they have hammers.
China and Afghanistan have a border, too!
I am glad that society is through with stereotyping Asians as hard-working, modest and law abiding.
"andwecanrunitalloffaninevoltbattery" ...dude
Well, from my own experience, users do care about laptop parts being proprietary and expensive. They just are currently in the process of caring AFTER they go bad.
I work at http://freegeek.org/, which mostly focuses on rebuilding computers for volunteers and community use, but also sells a good amount of computer equipment. And one of the most commonly asked for items is laptop parts, which we don't often have. But lots of people who buy laptops thinking about how awesome they are, don't have the money to pay for parts and repairs. Of course, I am only in a position where people come to me with failures, but from what I have heard, it is often enough.
Anyway, I do have to say, for most people, 1000 dollars for a new laptop, or even 500 dollars, is not a trivial amount of money. I am sure that there are many people who can spend that type of money, but for a lot of people (including myself), I can't spend 1-3 months rent on a laptop. If it is because of a small problem, like the inability to change keyboards. I think eventually consumers will realize that it would be much easier if things like the keyboard and screen were made to be interchangeable.
It is harder to custom configure notebook computers, so they had to be manufactured in advance
I think that this might have to do with the shift to the laptop market. A shift that I am not convinced is permanent. And if the shift to the laptop is permanent, there will have to be changes.
This might seem like an overly harsh judgement, but to me the major reason for adopting laptops is sex appeal. Most people who want laptops seem to be impressed by how sleek they look, and by how cool it is to hang around in a coffee shop with a laptop. I know there are plenty of people who need laptops for their jobs, but I still think the majority of people are looking at them as an accessory. And most of these people don't know what they are getting into, because after a year or so, when the proprietary screen cracks, or the proprietary power supply goes dead, or any of the other little pieces no longer work, people are very surprised that they have to spend time and money searching for a replacement.
I think that as the laptop market matures, and people have this happen, there may be some demand to standardize laptop parts. This will change both how easy it is to custom make laptops, amongst other things.
I am sure that even without the NASDAQ, SCO can sell stock other ways. We can perhaps expect to be getting this e-Mail many times very soon:
.50 cents. TARGET PRICE :$22.50!
Br3ak!ng NEWS! Great NEW STOCK P1CK! SCO corp is posed to go thru the roof when it wins LAWSUIT! CURR#NT PRICE:
What are you taking?
I almost am missing DXM. The blood sugar drop sucks, but realizing quite clearly that the universe is a joke is worth it.
I checked the quote before I posted, but then forgot it...but I guess, even trying for cheap humor on Slashdot, I couldn't make myself write something as stupid as "send an internets to me"
So with this newer, faster internet, when your staff sends you an e-Mail at 10 AM Friday, you don't have to wait over the weekend to get it?
Since this is Slashdot, shouldn't you use some slurs for certain technical subcultures, like Mac users?
Oh, looking again, you did mention "fags"
Where would Slashdot be without hate speech?
The problem with a "no servers" policy is that "server" doesn't really mean anything. A server is a computer that somehow serves information to another computer. Which includes every computer on the internet. There is no actual difference between a "client" and a "server". Even if a client computer is just sending a request to an e-Mail server, it is still serving data.
And it is not just a pedantic point. While it might seem like a computer that is only sending e-Mails is clearly a client, and not a server, what if you set up your e-Mail client so that it could automatically return e-Mails when it got them? And what if those e-Mails had attachments of files? You've just set yourself up as a "server".
I don't think there is any good technical or legal definition of what a "client" and "server" computer are.
Its almost a tie between "teleteaching" and "telemedicine", but I think "teleteaching" wins.
At least it wasn't "e-teaching", or, (the horror, the horror...) e-teleteaching.
So if they are putting all their effort into this, how long do I have to wait for Bahamut Lagoon II?
Like your signature says, you should be modded -1 Wrong for denigrating the greatness that was FFVII.
I think that Microsoft is the new IBM. For a long time, IBM was the name in computing. They designed the standards, and everyone else followed. For several reasons, IBM lost the position of getting to dictate the computer market. But IBM is still around, and still making 100 billion a year or something like that. But they no longer dictate the market.
I think Microsoft dictated computer trends through most of the 90s and into the early years of this decade, but I think they are no longer dictating, they are just a large, maybe the largest player. They will still be around, making lots of money, but they won't get to decide things.
Microsoft cornered the desktop market at least ten years ago. And since then, they have not managed to repeat their success anywhere else. For the amount of money and brand awareness they have, they have not managed to repeat their success in either the server market or the home electronics market. And their desktop market, although it hasn't been directly affected by Linux, has been indirectly affected to a great degree. As long as there are other options out there, they can't just control the market, they have to make a meaningful product. And Vista just isn't meaningful. It will go over, but it will be a warning to them in the future.
20 minutes...the time between SCO lawsuits, and the time between smoking crack and then needing to smoke it again.
Coincidence?
I think my best goatse.cx memory is showing it to a guy who seemed to be the crude, dirty type and who had spent much much time on the internet's dark corner, and him responding "I have to go throw my hard drive in clorox"
Yeah, it stays with you for a while...
But they are too easy to be found.
For example, you could probably turn most of the stories on the front page of Slashdot into goatse.cx jokes if you wanted. Wal-Mart begins massive push for HD-DVD...Microsoft finds home for barcode...and of course, the hundred million mile pipe organ. All are open to goatse.cx jokes.
Or else you could use gmail paper:
http://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/more.html
I also noticed that the title was "welcome to the blogosphere", which reminded me of the Guns n Roses song "welcome to the jungle"
"Welcome to the blogosphere we've got your disease..."
I think we should have a contest to see what other G'n'R songs can be remade to be about the intertubes.
I thought blogosphere was invented ironically, and was thus a great faux-buzzword.
I usually change it further, into "blogotubes" or "tubosphere", and then ask people devoutly pecking away at their laptops in coffeeshops whether they are "tubosphering"
But that is just me.
What is the new testing version?
And is it up yet?
I have been running Feisty for months now! I want to move on!
Starting with the fact that someone will have to do lots of miles to kilometers.