Slashdot Mirror


User: war4peace

war4peace's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
4,051
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 4,051

  1. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: 1

    Well, let's say you try to sell a Linux-based distro to a large organization. They WILL ask a lot of questions, and one of them would very likely refer to how the kernel is named. Maybe they will find the joke funny. Maybe they won't. You can bet on the former, but if the latter happens, you risk losing large sums of money.

    Yes, I know Linux is already used in many large corporations, but maybe the rather childish naming convention is one reason why it's not used by more companies.

  2. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: 1

    It definitely worked for me. Didn't say it was easy, or quick. But now I can refrain from snapping back when someone snaps at me. Among other things, of course :)

  3. Re:Accidentally apropos Freudian slip? on Book Review: Eloquent JavaScript: a Modern Introduction To Programming · · Score: 1

    "Read blow for the rest of Michael's review."

    I interpreted it as "Michael's review is blow, thou have been warned!"

  4. Re:safe mode on Apple Sued For Man's Porn Addiction · · Score: 1

    I would mark you as Informative. Every day :)

  5. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: 0

    You'd be wrong, but then again, you seem to know everything... again, typical behavior I would expect...

  6. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    See, you're missing the point. My comment is not about behavior strictly within the context of naming a specific kernel release. Quite the contrary, it's about a general behavior applied by a technically-focused community, which is also reflected and shown within the context of kernel naming.

    Eroding MS dominance is (also) being done by attracting MS developers into a Linux world. By telling them "Are you some dumbfuck MS shill?" (see below an anonymous reply to my OP) you will only manage to aggravate them.

    Linux community is largely perceived as an elitist bunch of dudes who fart in the general direction of pretty much anyone else. They are perceived as egocentric, aggressive, hard to talk to, intolerant, etc. Just look at all the comments here, they're comprised of attacks and swearing and witty shitty comments. Yours was one of the least aggressive comments, a thing which I respect and prompted me to try to explain again.

    I've sent repeated messages to Linux community over the years, trying to tell them time and again that they need to work on their behavior. They have the technical skills, the knowledge, the products. They really do. But in the end, it's their attitude which limits their market share. It's their unwillingness to mature (business-wise).

    Here, I'm going to expose my (simplified) restaurant analogy, which was part of my speech on market shares some time ago:
    When I go to a restaurant, I am looking for: good food, good employees behavior, cleanliness and location.
    If the restaurant is too far away (location), I will make an effort and travel there if the other features are compensating. Translated in IT: hard to reach in terms of availability (e.g. limiting license).
    If the food is average, I will go there if the other features are compensating. Translated to IT: there are some small bugs or it's a little bit slower that other products.
    If the behavior of the employees is bad, I will avoid it, the other features will NOT compensate, no matter how good they are. The food might be great, even the best, but if the waiter yells at me or the chef swears at me for putting extra salt onto the dish, then I will never go there. Translated to IT: developer attitude, product maker attitude, etc. If I report a bug and get a reply saying "use this workaround, you worthless piece of shit" or if I ask a question and get "RTFM retard" - we're done.
    Finally, if it's dirty, I'm off. Translated to IT: horrible naming conventions, mind-numbing file system structure, half-assed GUI, unintelligible documentation. No other features can compensate it.

    Think of this as you wish, but I really think that attitude and dirtiness are the single two things that's stopping Linux from storming the MS dominance and crushing it fully. Android got it right to some extent and look where it is right now. They picked their target, understood it and molded onto it so that it feels like a warm cloth instead of an itchy rag.

    If anything, I want Linux to better itself, because I like it (and use it for specialized tasks). Am I asking too much if I want the Linux community to stop cussing and antagonizing their would-be customers? Your choice.

  7. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While not strictly a developer, I am doing technical stuff (statistics, reporting, Business Intelligence). My customers are sometimes needing explanations and I simply can't make those explanations simple enough, because my behavior is defined by how much I understand and know in this area.

    The gap between purely technical and layman language is what prompted the creation and large scale adoption of high level programming languages, for example. It's easier to (generally) work in C than ASM, and easier to (generally) work in WYSIWYG HTML editors (e.g. Dreamweaver) than in lathe HTML text filed directly.

    I learned to value a "middleman" which can talk to both customers and developers and provide the link between them without pissing all off. Jokingly, I call them "human code interpreters". But I value them as such.

  8. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: 0

    Humorless by your definition - again, a behavioral syndrome.
    There's a lot of science specific jokes nobody else gets. Are they funny for a few people? Sure. Are they funny for everyone else? Not at all.
    The behavior issue: "If it's funny to me and my colleagues, but not to you, you're humorless". This does not apply to the subject of this article, it's representative for a general mindset.

  9. Re:what? on Linux 3.11 Officially Named "Linux For Workgroups" · · Score: -1, Redundant

    hence why it's a bad idea to name it like that. For people unfamiliar with Linux, but familiar with Windows, this is exactly what they take out of this: that Linux finally reached the level Windows was, 20 years ago.

    This is definitely a symptom of the Linux mindset: they don't care (or don't understand) that they need to keep it simple and explicit if they want to get out of the niche and reach the larger crowd of potential customers. It's the reason development doesn't talk directly to customers, as good business practice. They speak different languages.

  10. Re:Duh. on Current Doctor Who Warns Against Facebook · · Score: 1

    You only know it's about the show AFTER you read the summary. The title doesn't tell you that at all.
    Sadly, I am not really familiar with the show either :)

  11. Re:Duh. on Current Doctor Who Warns Against Facebook · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Funny as it sounds, I read the title as "Doctor, who warns against Facebook" - so I read on thinking it was about an actual doctor warning against Facebook for some weird health reason.
    So it should have sounded as "Current Doctor Who who warns..." :)

  12. Re:Surrogate versions? Andy Warhol said it best. on Current Doctor Who Warns Against Facebook · · Score: 1

    Judging by the rate at which EVERYONE creates accounts on Facebook or Twitter, soon enough (few years) you could be famous for NOT using it.

  13. Re:CEO Level on Maybe Steve Ballmer Doesn't Deserve the Hate · · Score: 1

    I've seen worse, much worse. Maybe you were awfully lucky :)

  14. Re:Just like the bullshit generator on Say What? Wading Through the Nonsense In Microsoft's Re-Org Memo · · Score: 2

    Believe it or not, I have that bookmarked and I throw a phrase from there in meetings every now and then just for kicks. Nobody ever dares say anything. They'd look stupid if they say "I don't understand that" and are afraid to mess up if they make a positive comment.

  15. CEO Level on Maybe Steve Ballmer Doesn't Deserve the Hate · · Score: 1

    Every man makes mistakes, that's for sure. But we're talking CEO-level here, which means "best of the best". Any small mistake that would otherwise pass unnoticed or with minimal impact at lower levels would turn into a disaster if you're a CEO.

    Ballmer can be a good manager, even a good VP. But CEO is a different league.

    It's the difference between driving a car or a plane: if you flip the car lights switch instead of honking, it's no biggie, but if you drive a plane with 300 people and pull out the landing gear too late, there's going to be dead people littering the airport runway.

  16. Re:QA is not the problem on Upside-Down Sensors Caused Proton-M Rocket Crash · · Score: 1

    Theoretically, any geometric irregularity. Take SIM cards or SD Cards, for example. Put a notch somewhere and bang, you can't mount it in any other position.

  17. Re:Cherry picking on iOS 7 Beta 3 Now Available For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch · · Score: 1

    So I'm proving an existing issue and you're countering with a highly unlikely (yet possible) issue?
    Good job.

    Android's exploits can and will be fixed. iPhone's Bluetooth Stack issue won't.

  18. Re:OMG, it still looks the same on iOS 7 Beta 3 Now Available For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch · · Score: 1

    Yes, iOS 6 can pair with SOME OBD-II dongles, those which are certified (or designed to be compatible or whatever). I have 4 such devices and only one is seen by the iPhone (the most expensive one, obviously).

  19. Re:OMG, it still looks the same on iOS 7 Beta 3 Now Available For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch · · Score: 1

    Nope.
    It's a design issue.
    Tried with two iPhones, a brand new iPhone 4 and a jailbroken iPhone 4 and both exhibited the same issue. They simply don't see devices that are discoverable by pretty much anything else.

  20. Re:OMG, it still looks the same on iOS 7 Beta 3 Now Available For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch · · Score: 1

    ODB II devices are Bluetooth. Many car sound systems are Bluetooth.
    Phone-to-phone file sharing is much easier through Bluetooth than through wireless. Same for contact sharing.
    Not to mention some MP3 players, remote control systems (for PCs and media players) and yeah... headphones.

  21. Re:OMG, it still looks the same on iOS 7 Beta 3 Now Available For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch · · Score: 3, Insightful

    One thing that's VERY important to some people:

    Bluetooth Stack implementation.

    At work, I pulled my HTC Desire S, fired Bluetooth and could see 17 devices around me. Some laptops, some mobile devices, some headphones and one specialized device. My colleague's iPhone 4 could see none. You can't pair an iPhone with a laptop and seamlessly transfer data between them.

    When the iPhone:
    - can't see headphones;
    - Can't pair with laptops;
    - can't pair with OBD II devices

    Then it's partly useless, and I don't need a castrated device.

  22. That's being dealt with by BOINC projects.
    What, did you really think they were looking for aliens and folding proteins? Ha!

  23. Unfortunately for you, I don't carry encrypted stuff, Omar. Have fun :)

  24. What, if I realize that my online activity IS tracked no matter what, should I engage in a time-wasting battle against forces beyond my control?
    Um, no. I have better things to do, such as working to support my family.
    I'm trying to think of something that the Average Joe does online AND doesn't want the government to know, and can't come up with anything.
    Furthermore:

    1. People are dumb enough to make lots and lots of information public without passwords or anything. I've been browsing some DC++ networks and found people who shared their entire C: drive, including My Documents folder, which contained scanned ID cards, scanned SSN documents, etc.
    2. My country's recent history involves secret services busting people's homes, throwing them to jail and so on. Thousands have died because they were spied on. we learned how to hide, avoid the storm, blend in. As such, the fact that governments spy on me is in my DNA, so to speak. it's something I always expected. This comes as no surprise to me.
    3. We also learned, as people, from point #2, that yelling "But I don't want to!" solves nothing. So good luck with your endeavor, I'm simply going to not be involved.

    I also respect those who try. However, i think there are bigger problems the world has, bigger than that. I choose my battles carefully and take part in those ones I have a chance to win.

  25. I won't. I don't care at all. My electronic activity is mostly gaming-related. Apart from work-related stuff, I sent exactly 6 e-mails last month, I had a few phone calls with my wife and mother-in-law, plus a conversation on Skype with my sister.
    The NSA can keep those records; it's a waste of space IMO. But it's their space, paid for by the Average Joe (not me, I don't live in the USA).