RIP Harry. As with many others I spent many a night wearing out old paperbacks with his name on the binder.
One of the set of novels that has not been mentioned is his Edan series. A very good series that Harry put some serious effort into. Not as much 'fun' as some of his other work but very good sci-fi.
I'm striving to find reverence to your post as a child to mine. Never did I mention Apple. If anything my post could be an example of how MS implemented the XBOX, which had nothing to do with Apple. Nor did I really talk about hardware or software in terms of what they want to sell.
I can only assume Apple shills modded you up. Grats.
I hate Apple as much as the next guy, possibly more so, but atleast they know how to make a good UI.
Hate would be a bit of a strong word for my feelings about Apple but my main disagreement is that they know how to make a good UI without qualifying that statement.
Their iOS I think is done pretty well but their desktop UI is nothing great at all. It is functional sure but I think the Windows UIs overall have done a better job when it comes to getting things done. (Throw the old Gnome/KDE into the mix as well as what I think good for working OSes. Along with the odd use for Fluxbox etc.)
Now I likely have a bias given that I have worked much more with the latter UIs over Apple's desktop UI, but I have worked with it.
You just got nailed by some MS shills because you are totally right.
MS is doing it by the MS book. 1. See someone else make a lot of money/capturing a market doing something. 2. Scramble to make a plan/software/hardware to enter the market. (Note I did not say make money.) 3. Enter market dumping a ton of resources in exchange for a some of the market share but no promise of profits. 4. Stay in market while continuing to put in their own resources. 5. Maybe...big maybe profit at some point if the income can ever dig them out of the amount spent on the overall project.
Hence why anyone with a bit of IT knowledge will not shift to such models save for throwaway accounts. (And will try, often in vein, to do the same for our users/friends/family. When it does not work, hey at least we tried.)
And the kicker is that ISPs offer webmail too. So it is not like users even need give that up by using an account that they pay for and thus will have a direct line to some sort of support.
Now as for social media sights...well that is a whole other can of worms. The only way I see a solution for that is not to play. (Yeah yeah, bring it all you social media junkies. I've got karma to spare.)
FTFY. The success of the iDevices has been no less than 3 important features with consumer orientated hardware:
1. Hardware done well. Not perfect mind you but done well. It looked good, felt good in the hand, and did not break so much that their PR/Risk Management team could not spin it away.
2. OS/UI done well. For end users who wanted to just do stuff rather than tweaking a bunch of things their OS/UI Apple catered to them. Add to this their Walled Garden that provided more of the same type of experience, and again this implementation was not perfect but not so bad that it was a net negative, end users liked it.
3. A very slick marketing campaign that only aided their price point giving ownership access to the 'Apple Club'. (Something that Apple had already been working on for years with their PCs.)
And I could be missing a few things here as well but my point is that Apple did a number of things right. Pointing to just one thing and saying 'that was it' does not really tell the story.
That is your opinion. You may think that forcing change on people for the sake of change is ok but I did not need, require, or ask for that change. I was working just fine with the old drop-down menus. The ribbon menu format slows me down.
And it is not because the ribbon menu format is different. It is because it is not better for me. Ok, for some people it might work better but not for me. And thus when you remove an option for the sake of change you did the wrong thing.
Because this is/. I'm going to give a car analogy. What if all the car manufacturers decided to replace steering wheels with yokes. It does the same thing basically right? But you say I like my wheel, give it back to me. Tough, you take the yoke now and you like it. Everyone will get used to it right?
I'll just add too these two great posts one other point.
The sociopaths/masters will always seek to setup (and or subvert if the system is in place to hold them in check) a system that will self reenforce their own positions. AND their own egos.
By which I mean not only their power structure, control of resources (money)/control of power (politics)/control of information (media), will be at their command. But that they will feel entitled to that control. That they deserve to be in control and if they were not the would would burn.
And lets face it, most people become filthy rich via luck or hereditry, they DO NOT work any harder than the guy who cleans their corporate bathroom.
This is the issue. You would not believe the sense of entitlement that the rich in the US have. And they enforce that by isolating themselves from the rest of the populace. It's a vicious cycle.
What I've also seen is that those in power often times want to be surrounded by people that they like and can hang out with. So say you have someone who is average at doing whatever job needs to be done but will pall around with the boss vs someone who is very good at their job but prefers a much more business like relationship. Guess which person tends to get the job?
Further that type of selection does something else for the boss, it makes them look good. Its pretty easy to beat out average people day to day but if you are having to work with someone who is as smart or smarter than you well then that is actual work!
Employers say that they want good people but in reality that tends not to be the truth. Sure it can and sometimes does happen but due to a lot of social reasons it often times does not.
Because what I've observed is that Conservatives are currently just spouting propaganda, ie just making stuff up and or spinning the facts. (Example Fox News)
It is pretty clear to a lot of us that MS has suffered what all other major corporations have, the stratification of their management. When you are told, paid, and treated like you can do no wrong then dammit you can do no wrong.
Being an independent contractor I can say that when I tell such execs that they are wrong about something I can see their eyes light up with anger. How dare I correct them. But then they realize they can't abuse me like they do their other employees and its a crap shoot as to if they are going to listen to me then. If they don't well I just double my fee and work around it.
However I much prefer to work at my normal rate and work with people. It not only lets me work better but my work product also tends to be better in such an environment.
Thank you. I'm quite sure that there are more corps that are giving money to our bought politicians than just MS but they sure are one of them.
The problem is Google should have just fessed up fully the 1st time this came up and then at least they could say look, we told you everything and we are sorry!
Instead they entered risk management too early and tried to cover up things. Well sorry Google you have a lot to learn about that vs the big boys from MS and others. If you want to break the rules you better learn how to fight dirty.
Wow, back peddle some more. Remember, you are backing up this statement:
It's your responsibility to figure out if the story is too good to be true.
No, that is wrong. The responsibility is those who have the information to disclose it properly. Not for some investors to have access to information that others do not. It is called Insider Trading and it is illegal.
It is, and say it with me, what happens when we let out representative government be controlled by those with the most money. It is human nature to look out after yourself, and those who you personally (that word is important) care about, before all others.
I have hope that we can ultimately fix what has happened to us, and not just us in the US either. But it is going to be a long hard fight with many setbacks along the way I'm sure.
Old content driven, highly scripted, highly time controlled, ads you can't block or skip while live, we drive the narrative money.
VS
New internet you go where you want, sandbox type choice for the user, ads are there but can be dialed down at the user end, DIRECTLY sells stuff to people, lets people connect in multiple ways, old we drive the narrative content still there but also many many other points of view.
Or even better yet how the DNC has turned on even the sitting president's message vs Romney. With Citizens United the cash is now just going to take over what little was left of our say in how laws are written and passed. Remember people we are in a REPRESENTATIVE government by in large. Certainly the parts that count most.
Slashdot Mirror
RIP Harry. As with many others I spent many a night wearing out old paperbacks with his name on the binder.
One of the set of novels that has not been mentioned is his Edan series. A very good series that Harry put some serious effort into. Not as much 'fun' as some of his other work but very good sci-fi.
We all know what Win8 is a direct response to.
Or you know maybe Android?
I'm striving to find reverence to your post as a child to mine. Never did I mention Apple. If anything my post could be an example of how MS implemented the XBOX, which had nothing to do with Apple. Nor did I really talk about hardware or software in terms of what they want to sell.
I can only assume Apple shills modded you up. Grats.
I hate Apple as much as the next guy, possibly more so, but atleast they know how to make a good UI.
Hate would be a bit of a strong word for my feelings about Apple but my main disagreement is that they know how to make a good UI without qualifying that statement.
Their iOS I think is done pretty well but their desktop UI is nothing great at all. It is functional sure but I think the Windows UIs overall have done a better job when it comes to getting things done. (Throw the old Gnome/KDE into the mix as well as what I think good for working OSes. Along with the odd use for Fluxbox etc.)
Now I likely have a bias given that I have worked much more with the latter UIs over Apple's desktop UI, but I have worked with it.
Really? Pure semantics there.
You just got nailed by some MS shills because you are totally right.
MS is doing it by the MS book. 1. See someone else make a lot of money/capturing a market doing something. 2. Scramble to make a plan/software/hardware to enter the market. (Note I did not say make money.) 3. Enter market dumping a ton of resources in exchange for a some of the market share but no promise of profits. 4. Stay in market while continuing to put in their own resources. 5. Maybe...big maybe profit at some point if the income can ever dig them out of the amount spent on the overall project.
Use my paid for ISP email that has actual accountability. Duh?
Hence why anyone with a bit of IT knowledge will not shift to such models save for throwaway accounts. (And will try, often in vein, to do the same for our users/friends/family. When it does not work, hey at least we tried.)
And the kicker is that ISPs offer webmail too. So it is not like users even need give that up by using an account that they pay for and thus will have a direct line to some sort of support.
Now as for social media sights...well that is a whole other can of worms. The only way I see a solution for that is not to play. (Yeah yeah, bring it all you social media junkies. I've got karma to spare.)
First to go to mass market done right.
FTFY. The success of the iDevices has been no less than 3 important features with consumer orientated hardware:
1. Hardware done well. Not perfect mind you but done well. It looked good, felt good in the hand, and did not break so much that their PR/Risk Management team could not spin it away.
2. OS/UI done well. For end users who wanted to just do stuff rather than tweaking a bunch of things their OS/UI Apple catered to them. Add to this their Walled Garden that provided more of the same type of experience, and again this implementation was not perfect but not so bad that it was a net negative, end users liked it.
3. A very slick marketing campaign that only aided their price point giving ownership access to the 'Apple Club'. (Something that Apple had already been working on for years with their PCs.)
And I could be missing a few things here as well but my point is that Apple did a number of things right. Pointing to just one thing and saying 'that was it' does not really tell the story.
...(and now everybody is used to).
That is your opinion. You may think that forcing change on people for the sake of change is ok but I did not need, require, or ask for that change. I was working just fine with the old drop-down menus. The ribbon menu format slows me down.
And it is not because the ribbon menu format is different. It is because it is not better for me. Ok, for some people it might work better but not for me. And thus when you remove an option for the sake of change you did the wrong thing.
Because this is /. I'm going to give a car analogy. What if all the car manufacturers decided to replace steering wheels with yokes. It does the same thing basically right? But you say I like my wheel, give it back to me. Tough, you take the yoke now and you like it. Everyone will get used to it right?
It is kinda bullshit, can we agree on that?
Because the profit motive of Usenet was not to spy on people, but as a value added service by ISPs to get you to buy the service.
Facebook's and Google+'s profit motive IS spying on you.
I'll just add too these two great posts one other point.
The sociopaths/masters will always seek to setup (and or subvert if the system is in place to hold them in check) a system that will self reenforce their own positions. AND their own egos.
By which I mean not only their power structure, control of resources (money)/control of power (politics)/control of information (media), will be at their command. But that they will feel entitled to that control. That they deserve to be in control and if they were not the would would burn.
Shhh, the machine is at work. All your facts and logic will only mess it up.
And lets face it, most people become filthy rich via luck or hereditry, they DO NOT work any harder than the guy who cleans their corporate bathroom.
This is the issue. You would not believe the sense of entitlement that the rich in the US have. And they enforce that by isolating themselves from the rest of the populace. It's a vicious cycle.
And clean drinking water.
And food that is safe to eat.
And roads and bridges.
And law and order. (Not the TV show, but come to think of it, hell yeah because of our society we get awesome stuff like Law & Order on TV!)
And clean air, clean beaches, clean everything!
And...
It is called a surplus when you are talking about governments. And we actually had one in recent history.
But then we decided to go shopping at the war and tax cuts for the ultra rich shop.
What I've also seen is that those in power often times want to be surrounded by people that they like and can hang out with. So say you have someone who is average at doing whatever job needs to be done but will pall around with the boss vs someone who is very good at their job but prefers a much more business like relationship. Guess which person tends to get the job?
Further that type of selection does something else for the boss, it makes them look good. Its pretty easy to beat out average people day to day but if you are having to work with someone who is as smart or smarter than you well then that is actual work!
Employers say that they want good people but in reality that tends not to be the truth. Sure it can and sometimes does happen but due to a lot of social reasons it often times does not.
Please cite your sources.
Because what I've observed is that Conservatives are currently just spouting propaganda, ie just making stuff up and or spinning the facts. (Example Fox News)
It is pretty clear to a lot of us that MS has suffered what all other major corporations have, the stratification of their management. When you are told, paid, and treated like you can do no wrong then dammit you can do no wrong.
Being an independent contractor I can say that when I tell such execs that they are wrong about something I can see their eyes light up with anger. How dare I correct them. But then they realize they can't abuse me like they do their other employees and its a crap shoot as to if they are going to listen to me then. If they don't well I just double my fee and work around it.
However I much prefer to work at my normal rate and work with people. It not only lets me work better but my work product also tends to be better in such an environment.
Real cash needed so that your farm does not end up like this.
Thank you. I'm quite sure that there are more corps that are giving money to our bought politicians than just MS but they sure are one of them.
The problem is Google should have just fessed up fully the 1st time this came up and then at least they could say look, we told you everything and we are sorry!
Instead they entered risk management too early and tried to cover up things. Well sorry Google you have a lot to learn about that vs the big boys from MS and others. If you want to break the rules you better learn how to fight dirty.
Wow, back peddle some more. Remember, you are backing up this statement:
It's your responsibility to figure out if the story is too good to be true.
No, that is wrong. The responsibility is those who have the information to disclose it properly. Not for some investors to have access to information that others do not. It is called Insider Trading and it is illegal.
It is, and say it with me, what happens when we let out representative government be controlled by those with the most money. It is human nature to look out after yourself, and those who you personally (that word is important) care about, before all others.
I have hope that we can ultimately fix what has happened to us, and not just us in the US either. But it is going to be a long hard fight with many setbacks along the way I'm sure.
Old content driven, highly scripted, highly time controlled, ads you can't block or skip while live, we drive the narrative money.
VS
New internet you go where you want, sandbox type choice for the user, ads are there but can be dialed down at the user end, DIRECTLY sells stuff to people, lets people connect in multiple ways, old we drive the narrative content still there but also many many other points of view.
Andddddddd, fight!
Or even better yet how the DNC has turned on even the sitting president's message vs Romney. With Citizens United the cash is now just going to take over what little was left of our say in how laws are written and passed. Remember people we are in a REPRESENTATIVE government by in large. Certainly the parts that count most.