The interesting thing is that the iTunes UI seems to make sure that it does not match the claims in the patent. Eg. claim 1 and 2 are about being able to select from at least two of the three categories 'arist' 'composer' and 'song'. This you cannot do in iTunes using the browser. Then claim 3 implies that the song starts as soon as you select it, iTunes does not do this.
It actually looks like Apple knew about this patent and in a very subtle way made the iTunes UI deviate from it.
Linux is always free, where and whenever you use it. This is the whole idea of GPL'ed software. You are thinking about free as in beer, but that is not the point.
Free as in your choice to do with it is also what matters in corporate settings since it allows you to break away from forced upgrades, tie ins, allows you to reuse old hardware better and allows you to adapt the software to your needs (to increase your competetiveness) without any obligations.
We have not forgotten anything. You may have forgotten love for free (not as in beer) software. I have used linux since version 0.99, just upgrading to 2.6.0, and have seen it evolve over the years. It is probably the most sincere software product out there, written and maintained by dedicated people, who genuinely are proud of, and have fun in what they are doing. Just follow the kernel mailing list discussions.
Others have already commented on the SCO stock price. I think you are forgetting that the stock market speculators and many business people just do no understand free software. Anybody thinking that if SCO wins they can collect any money at all is truely clueless. They will certainly not get any money for the 60 or so machines I admin AND they will continue to run linux! They just do not understand that you can write good software for the fun of it and give it away and make some money on supporting it (or let others make money by supporting it, if you happen to be more interested in moving on).
This whole thing is just a gamble thing for clueless business people who we should just ignore, they will become more irrelevant as linux's market share rises. Also don't forget that the volumes in which SCO stock trades are not very high, we are not talking about a lot of money for professional speculators. Until this is over we should just have fun in using and programming for linux and enjoy the freedom to look at, change and enhance the source code.
The one positive thing this has brought us is that apparently a moloch like IBM has found it possible to change and have decided instead of simply buying SCO to fight it.
Not only that. But the XBox is (we think) sold with a loss. What I don't understand is why Microsoft, with all the money they have, can't sell the XBox with a slightly larger loss AND pay the Mexican workers a decent salary AND guarantee them decent working conditions. In countries like Mexico (and China) a dollar extra does count.
Anyway I think the main problem with globalization is that good jobs are transformed into bad jobs and that lower skill jobs disappear in countries like US and Western-Europe. Leaving behind a large unemployable work-force.
BTW: the XBox is mostly made in China where working conditions are even worse and salaries are even less. I think the US version is only assembled in Mexico.
In fact Flextronics has recently moved production of the X-Box to China. Where wages are even lower then in Mexico and labor law is even more of a joke. This is how the price drop of the X-Box was payed for.
Literally you have blood on your hands when you buy an X-Box!
Slashdot Mirror
The interesting thing is that the iTunes UI seems to make sure that it does not match the claims in the patent. Eg. claim 1 and 2 are about being able to select from at least two of the three categories 'arist' 'composer' and 'song'. This you cannot do in iTunes using the browser. Then claim 3 implies that the song starts as soon as you select it, iTunes does not do this.
It actually looks like Apple knew about this patent and in a very subtle way made the iTunes UI deviate from it.
Linux is always free, where and whenever you use it. This is the whole idea of GPL'ed software. You are thinking about free as in beer, but that is not the point.
Free as in your choice to do with it is also what matters in corporate settings since it allows you to break away from forced upgrades, tie ins, allows you to reuse old hardware better and allows you to adapt the software to your needs (to increase your competetiveness) without any obligations.
We have not forgotten anything. You may have forgotten love for free (not as in beer) software. I have used linux since version 0.99, just upgrading to 2.6.0, and have seen it evolve over the years. It is probably the most sincere software product out there, written and maintained by dedicated people, who genuinely are proud of, and have fun in what they are doing. Just follow the kernel mailing list discussions.
Others have already commented on the SCO stock price. I think you are forgetting that the stock market speculators and many business people just do no understand free software. Anybody thinking that if SCO wins they can collect any money at all is truely clueless. They will certainly not get any money for the 60 or so machines I admin AND they will continue to run linux! They just do not understand that you can write good software for the fun of it and give it away and make some money on supporting it (or let others make money by supporting it, if you happen to be more interested in moving on).
This whole thing is just a gamble thing for clueless business people who we should just ignore, they will become more irrelevant as linux's market share rises. Also don't forget that the volumes in which SCO stock trades are not very high, we are not talking about a lot of money for professional speculators. Until this is over we should just have fun in using and programming for linux and enjoy the freedom to look at, change and enhance the source code.
The one positive thing this has brought us is that apparently a moloch like IBM has found it possible to change and have decided instead of simply buying SCO to fight it.
Not only that. But the XBox is (we think) sold with a loss. What I don't understand is why Microsoft, with all the money they have, can't sell the XBox with a slightly larger loss AND pay the Mexican workers a decent salary AND guarantee them decent working conditions. In countries like Mexico (and China) a dollar extra does count.
Anyway I think the main problem with globalization is that good jobs are transformed into bad jobs and that lower skill jobs disappear in countries like US and Western-Europe. Leaving behind a large unemployable work-force.
BTW: the XBox is mostly made in China where working conditions are even worse and salaries are even less. I think the US version is only assembled in Mexico.
In fact Flextronics has recently moved production of the X-Box to China. Where wages are even lower then in Mexico and labor law is even more of a joke. This is how the price drop of the X-Box was payed for.
Literally you have blood on your hands when you buy an X-Box!