Your fathers Windows PC is, I am assuming, running XP (if not, upgrade to XP or scrap windows and run Linux or something). If so, it will happily auto-update itself for security fixes including SP2 with the in-built firewall. This is enough to stop any unauthorised inbound traffic with _no_ additional software. Antivirus can be covered off with one of several FREE AV products (personally, I use Grisofts AVG) - these also AUTOMATICALLY update themselves! To eliminate spyware, install AdAware, Spybot or MSAS. Finally, install Firefox.
If he still can't keep the system clean then I'd be inclined to suggest he stop downloading dodgy crap from porn sites.
Of course, there is the alternative theory which goes something like this:
Despite the best efforts of our "elected" representatives! Saying that, it is changing - the introduction of the photo driving license a few years ago started a ball rolling. I've still got my old paper one but the address is wrong (my parents place) but I'm not planning on getting it corrected despite the possible fine because the replacement _has_ to be a photo one.
As chance would have it I was actually at Microsoft's UK campus today and one interesting piece of information that was mentioned was Microsoft's long-term OS strategy which is to release a new full OS refresh every 4 years with a "feature upgrade" every 2 years between releases.
This means that Windows Server 2003 is due a "feature upgrade" this year (XP had one last year in the form of SP2), with the XP replacement due in 2006 and Longhorn server in 2007. WinFS is likely to be included in a "feature upgrade" to Longhorn sometime in 2009.
Therefore, the chances of WinFS being available for 2000, XP or Windows Server 2003 is unlikely particularly in light of the fact XP mainstream support is due to end next December (2006) and Windows 2000 support actually officially ends in June this year! (see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh; %5Bln%5D;LifeWin
The main reason for the WinFS delays, they stated was that they made the decision that its features would also benefit several other key products such as SQLServer and Exchange and the integration with these products/developer teams was worth the delay.
I think it is critical at this point to note that not only does said sandwich have to contain cucumber but that the crusts must also have been removed.
2. I don't have the figures to hand, not am I inclined to go trawling around looking for them - the CO2 example I gave was really just an example of the scale of things. Both the US and Russia stand out in the figures as producing significantly more CO2 than anywhere else.
3. The goods figure I quoted claims to include "industrial supplies and materials, in capital goods, and in consumer goods". I'm not an economist so can't claim to be an expert but it sounds like this is a trade deficit (physical things [im|ex]ported) rather than the more wooly budget one. If anyone cares enough they can follow my original link and see for themselves...
You're entitled to think what you like. Being right is a different matter entirely.
In response to your points:
1. The US population is a fraction under 300 million people (source: CIA World Factbook). The world population is around 6.3 billion people (source: CIA World Factbook). The US population is therefore around 3% of the world population which, in my book at least, makes it a relatively small fraction - consider that India and China between them account for 2.3 billion people - over a third of the worlds population!
2. You are right, it is not only the US. If you look at the figures for CO2 emissions, you will find that the US accounts for around 36% of all emissions (source: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) - far higher than their 3% of the population would attest to. In fact, it is double what the next largest polluting nation (Russia) emits. You will find that the figures for other pollutants are similar.
3. The US currently has a huge budget deficit. According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the deficit for goods (i.e. tangible things rather than services) was:$150.8 billion (source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis). Contrary to your comment, this would suggest that the US imports far more than it exports.
If you actually take 5 mins to read what Microsoft are allegedly trying to claim ownership of (see here) then you will find that the first paragraph of the "ROYALTY FREE PROTOCOL LICENSE AGREEMENT" states:
"Licensee desires a license from Microsoft, under any applicable intellectual property rights that Microsoft may have, to implement the Protocol(s) for which the applicable box(es) are checked on Exhibit A, and to use the corresponding Technical Documentation (as defined below) for that purpose. Licensee understands and acknowledges that licenses from other third parties may also be required to use that Technical Documentation or implement those Protocols. "
As you will see, Microsoft (in this case at least) is licensing on a royalty-free basis any IP that they may have in any of these protocols. They clearly state that other licenses from 3rd parties may be required (including I would imagine GPL/BSD licenses) and even give hyperlinks to all of the relevant RFC documents and/or other vendor sites.
The only reason we are even discussing this is because the eWeek article repeats a claim that one person (Larry J. Blunk) believes that might be the case. One persons belief that something might be so is hardly justification for claiming that MS are about to patent the whole internet.
Doing what? If you actually GO AWAY AND READ THE ARTICLE you will notice that it's one guys conjecture based on something he found on Microsoft's website. Nowhere does it say that Microsoft are claiming the entirety of these protocols for themselves (and I doubt they would). There is a good chance that Microsoft do own some algorithms for something related to these protocols. As an example, while it is unlikely that MS can claim DNS as their own "invention", they may well have some patents relating to Dynamic DNS and its integration with their Active Directory stuff.
Microsoft is still a tiny minnow in the IP/patent space. If you want to see the shark, look no further than IBM. Every major IBM event I've been to in the last few years (and that's quite a few!) make a big thing out of the fact IBM are the no. 1 patent holder in the world.
I wish people would stop jumping to conclusions! The author of the original document states that there is no mention of specific patent numbers so we don't know that Microsoft think they have any rights to the core TCP/IP, DNS or any other protocols.
As one of the first followups states, however:
"Keep in mind that even though the core protocols haven't changed that much, actual TCP/IP deployments have drastically changed since the early 80s. Efficient packet forwarding algorithms (which are necessary in Gigabit networks and beyond) are certainly subject to patents today."
There is nothing to stop Microsoft (or IBM or anyone else for that matter) developing such algorithms and patenting them. Before you all go off on your anti-Microsoft tirades, please make sure you have all the facts and not just conjecture!
Russia 17,075,400 sq km, (6,592,846 sq miles) Canada 9,330,970 sq km, (3,602,707 sq miles) China 9,326,410 sq km, (3,600,947 sq miles) United States 9.166,600 sq km, (3,539,242 sq miles) Brazil 8,456,510 sq km, (3,265,075 sq miles) Australia 7,617,930 sq km, (2,941,283 sq miles) India 2,973,190 sq km, (1,147,949 sq miles) Argentina 2,736,690 sq km, (1,056,636 sq miles) Kazakhstan 2,717,300 sq km, (1,049,150 sq miles) Sudan 2,376,000 sq km, (917,374 sq miles)
Of this list, I'd say all but Australia, Canada and the US could arguably be considered "developing" countries.
I take it you've never been to Europe? We may have had a "silly" war in the 1940's but the vast majority of Europe survived relatively unscathed. My local pub for instance has existed around twice as long as the USA.
[Large portions of Western Europe were bombed to the stone age during WWII]
Large portions? I don't think so. Even Germany which was particularly badly hit has a wealth of historic cities.
[The US has cities that date back to the original colonies and their infrastructure is just about as old]
Most US cities were developed into their current guise during the 1950s with the invention of the motor car and the simultaneous distruction of the public transport infrastructure by the wholesale asset stripping by companies such as Ford and GM.
[Add that to the fact that we have laws which protect history to the detriment of progress in some cases]
There are more historic (say 200 year old +)buildings in the average English town than in the entire USA! And despite our best efforts through the 60's and 70's, legislation exists which protect these buildings (See here)
Slashdot Mirror
What? You've met the parent poster too?
If he still can't keep the system clean then I'd be inclined to suggest he stop downloading dodgy crap from porn sites.
Of course, there is the alternative theory which goes something like this:
You are talking out of your ass.
I call bullsh*t.
See my previous post on this.
As did I!
Anyone who has spoken to Microsoft in the last few months will already have heard this "news"...
Despite the best efforts of our "elected" representatives! Saying that, it is changing - the introduction of the photo driving license a few years ago started a ball rolling. I've still got my old paper one but the address is wrong (my parents place) but I'm not planning on getting it corrected despite the possible fine because the replacement _has_ to be a photo one.
Particularly entertaining is the fact that the article is sponsored by... none other than HP!
As chance would have it I was actually at Microsoft's UK campus today and one interesting piece of information that was mentioned was Microsoft's long-term OS strategy which is to release a new full OS refresh every 4 years with a "feature upgrade" every 2 years between releases.
s tanding/pillars/default.aspx
; %5Bln%5D;LifeWin
This means that Windows Server 2003 is due a "feature upgrade" this year (XP had one last year in the form of SP2), with the XP replacement due in 2006 and Longhorn server in 2007. WinFS is likely to be included in a "feature upgrade" to Longhorn sometime in 2009.
Both Avalon and Indigo are likely to be available for current Windows platforms (2k3 and XP) although WinFS is, as widely publicised already, not going to be available even for the release of Longhorn.http://msdn.microsoft.com/Longhorn/under
Therefore, the chances of WinFS being available for 2000, XP or Windows Server 2003 is unlikely particularly in light of the fact XP mainstream support is due to end next December (2006) and Windows 2000 support actually officially ends in June this year! (see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh
The main reason for the WinFS delays, they stated was that they made the decision that its features would also benefit several other key products such as SQLServer and Exchange and the integration with these products/developer teams was worth the delay.
Definitely go with Trend if you don't mind paying! The best free one I think is AVG (www.grisoft.com)
I had a 4MHz PC in about 1990. It was a Tulip machine with an NEC V20 processor running at (iirc) 4.88MHz with a whole 20MB hard drive...
A fraud.
I think it is critical at this point to note that not only does said sandwich have to contain cucumber but that the crusts must also have been removed.
Yes. HTH HAND
2. I don't have the figures to hand, not am I inclined to go trawling around looking for them - the CO2 example I gave was really just an example of the scale of things. Both the US and Russia stand out in the figures as producing significantly more CO2 than anywhere else.
3. The goods figure I quoted claims to include "industrial supplies and
materials, in capital goods, and in consumer goods". I'm not an economist so can't claim to be an expert but it sounds like this is a trade deficit (physical things [im|ex]ported) rather than the more wooly budget one. If anyone cares enough they can follow my original link and see for themselves...
You're entitled to think what you like. Being right is a different matter entirely.
In response to your points:
1. The US population is a fraction under 300 million people (source: CIA World Factbook). The world population is around 6.3 billion people (source: CIA World Factbook). The US population is therefore around 3% of the world population which, in my book at least, makes it a relatively small fraction - consider that India and China between them account for 2.3 billion people - over a third of the worlds population!
2. You are right, it is not only the US. If you look at the figures for CO2 emissions, you will find that the US accounts for around 36% of all emissions (source: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) - far higher than their 3% of the population would attest to. In fact, it is double what the next largest polluting nation (Russia) emits. You will find that the figures for other pollutants are similar.
3. The US currently has a huge budget deficit. According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the deficit for goods (i.e. tangible things rather than services) was:$150.8 billion (source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis). Contrary to your comment, this would suggest that the US imports far more than it exports.
If you actually take 5 mins to read what Microsoft are allegedly trying to claim ownership of (see here) then you will find that the first paragraph of the "ROYALTY FREE PROTOCOL LICENSE AGREEMENT" states:
"Licensee desires a license from Microsoft, under any applicable intellectual property rights that Microsoft may have, to implement the Protocol(s) for which the applicable box(es) are checked on Exhibit A, and to use the corresponding Technical Documentation (as defined below) for that purpose. Licensee understands and acknowledges that licenses from other third parties may also be required to use that Technical Documentation or implement those Protocols. "
As you will see, Microsoft (in this case at least) is licensing on a royalty-free basis any IP that they may have in any of these protocols. They clearly state that other licenses from 3rd parties may be required (including I would imagine GPL/BSD licenses) and even give hyperlinks to all of the relevant RFC documents and/or other vendor sites.
The only reason we are even discussing this is because the eWeek article repeats a claim that one person (Larry J. Blunk) believes that might be the case. One persons belief that something might be so is hardly justification for claiming that MS are about to patent the whole internet.
Sorry :) What the heck was I thinking. Somehow I completely forgot this was /.
Can you let me down now?
Doing what? If you actually GO AWAY AND READ THE ARTICLE you will notice that it's one guys conjecture based on something he found on Microsoft's website. Nowhere does it say that Microsoft are claiming the entirety of these protocols for themselves (and I doubt they would). There is a good chance that Microsoft do own some algorithms for something related to these protocols. As an example, while it is unlikely that MS can claim DNS as their own "invention", they may well have some patents relating to Dynamic DNS and its integration with their Active Directory stuff.
Microsoft is still a tiny minnow in the IP/patent space. If you want to see the shark, look no further than IBM. Every major IBM event I've been to in the last few years (and that's quite a few!) make a big thing out of the fact IBM are the no. 1 patent holder in the world.
I wish people would stop jumping to conclusions! The author of the original document states that there is no mention of specific patent numbers so we don't know that Microsoft think they have any rights to the core TCP/IP, DNS or any other protocols.
As one of the first followups states, however:
"Keep in mind that even though the core protocols haven't changed that
much, actual TCP/IP deployments have drastically changed since the
early 80s. Efficient packet forwarding algorithms (which are
necessary in Gigabit networks and beyond) are certainly subject to
patents today."
There is nothing to stop Microsoft (or IBM or anyone else for that matter) developing such algorithms and patenting them. Before you all go off on your anti-Microsoft tirades, please make sure you have all the facts and not just conjecture!
Erm. Where did you get that from?
The top 10 largest countries by land mass are:
Russia 17,075,400 sq km, (6,592,846 sq miles)
Canada 9,330,970 sq km, (3,602,707 sq miles)
China 9,326,410 sq km, (3,600,947 sq miles)
United States 9.166,600 sq km, (3,539,242 sq miles)
Brazil 8,456,510 sq km, (3,265,075 sq miles)
Australia 7,617,930 sq km, (2,941,283 sq miles)
India 2,973,190 sq km, (1,147,949 sq miles)
Argentina 2,736,690 sq km, (1,056,636 sq miles)
Kazakhstan 2,717,300 sq km, (1,049,150 sq miles)
Sudan 2,376,000 sq km, (917,374 sq miles)
Of this list, I'd say all but Australia, Canada and the US could arguably be considered "developing" countries.
(Source)
I take it you've never been to Europe? We may have had a "silly" war in the 1940's but the vast majority of Europe survived relatively unscathed. My local pub for instance has existed around twice as long as the USA.
[Large portions of Western Europe were bombed to the stone age during WWII]
Large portions? I don't think so. Even Germany which was particularly badly hit has a wealth of historic cities.
[The US has cities that date back to the original colonies and their infrastructure is just about as old]
Most US cities were developed into their current guise during the 1950s with the invention of the motor car and the simultaneous distruction of the public transport infrastructure by the wholesale asset stripping by companies such as Ford and GM.
[Add that to the fact that we have laws which protect history to the detriment of progress in some cases]
There are more historic (say 200 year old +)buildings in the average English town than in the entire USA! And despite our best efforts through the 60's and 70's, legislation exists which protect these buildings (See here)
I'm afraid I have to disagree. Any country which can elect Bush *must* have a very dense population indeed...
Looking at the results of the US election, maybe not letting the people choose which idiot^W leader they should have is a good thing :)