The problem isn't the user interface, however, but the fact that it keeps changing.
I'm curious if there has been any study to back this up, because I doubt it's correct (even if it is a minor factor).
Personally, I'm not a hardcore Office user; I only use Office occasionally. I've been beta testing 2007 and I'm amazed at all the features that have existed in Office for years but I never knew existed. It's extremely easy to use for me, but maybe that's because I'm not married to the old UI. I also use monitors with at least 1400x1100ish resolution so the extra real estate it uses is not an issue. On that note MS is simply making (IMHO good) use of new hardware.
Can we please just have an option to use "classic mode" when you first start Word: "Click here if you're afraid of change or using an outdated system". At least this doesn't negatively affect those of us who want to move forward.
There are already bots playing against unsuspecting people at the online casinos. I'm not sure how much AI is involved, but apparently they play better than most humans.
It is important to note that: A) Most humans are horrible at poker. As a result these bots are very beatable by a decent player. B) Most of these bots aren't cheating (e.g. taking over a table and sharing card information), although most sites prohibit their use.
And what is the justification to remove VBA support from MS Office for Mac?
VBA is essentially going away in favor of extensibility via.NET. If there is any cost to continue supporting VBA on the Intel Mac then I can see why it would be be discontinued.
Finding a job that pays more than minimum wage in all this turmoil is very difficult and you should be thankful you got one.
That's exactly what corporate stakeholders want you to think. It keeps your compensation package low and retention high because you're content with simply having a job in the first place.
Last time I checked, Microsoft was convicted of being an illegal monopoly, Apple wasn't. Different rules apply to each category.
Their monopoly is legal; they were convicted of abusing a monopoly. You don't get to make up the rules either. The rules are in fact fairly complicated. There is no inherent "right or wrong" when it comes to how Microsoft is supposed to package their products. A lot is subjective when it comes to antitrust. It all centers around what's best for the customer. There may be a point where Apple's bundling could be anti-competitive. I personally hope not because I believe in minimal government involvement.
I think gambling is a tax on people who are bad at math...
This is OT but this kind of comment is made at least once per gambling newstory and I feel compelled to dispell this myth. Gambling is not inherently negative sum. Otherwise casinos wouldn't be raking in millions on gambling. But on a given day they are not guarunteed to win. Many casinos take a loss in the short term. The point is that they are, for the most part, making *good* gambles. The people playing games the the casinos are, for the most part, making *bad* gambles. There are many people who are good at math who gamble and who regularly make good gambles at the expense of someone else making a bad gamble. The popular game where this happens the most right now is Texas Hold'em poker (and many other poker games). There are other games as well, including certain forms of stock trading. So, while it's fair to say, "The lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math", it's not fair to say the same about gambling in general. The casinos are very good at math which is why they make so much money gambling.
Do you really need 24/7 access to gambling? Do you really need chocolate? This has nothing to do with need, it's about freedom to do what we want.
many of them are there solely to rip you off of your hard earned dollars As are most businesses. The State rips off several orders of magnatitude more with the lottery than even the worst online casino game.
I've seen many friends who have wrecked their lives with gambling, and have come damn close to wrecking my own.
I'm sorry that you and many others lack the discipline to enjoy gambling, but please do not impose your problems on the millions who enjoy this activity from the comfort of their own homes. Actually, I can't anymore because in WA State it's now considered a felony. So much for freedom.
Show me raw, tangible statistics pitting Agile methodologies against other more traditional approaches, like "waterfall".
In a day of poor software quality, missed project deadlines, and failed software projects, show me the raw, tangible statistics that waterfall and other traditional methodologies are better than no defined methodology at all.
The point I made is clear, but as an aside you actually can find statistics for a lot of different methodologies (including Scrum and XP). Being that software projects are so complex and dynamic by nature, it's very difficult to accurately correlate these statistics. This is why theory is so important in our industry. Sometimes it's all we've got. Which is not to say that we shouldn't strive towards quantification - we just have to be very careful how we approach it.
This is not XP. For every task added to the bucket, one must be taken out. Either that, or the schedule changes. Blindly adding new tasks every iteration is not what Agile is about.
Listening to programmers bitch about documentation is like listening to a bunch of carpenters bitch about architectural plans.
No, it's actually quite different. It's more like listening to a bunch of carpenters bitch about writing documentation about the architectural plans. You see, programmers by nature don't like duplication. That's what writing Word docs is. We've already got the detailed docs - it's written in a language suitable for the domain (e.g. C++, C#, Ruby, etc.). Then we've got to do it again. I'm not saying that some form of abstracted documentation is a bad thing. But to document the entire system on a detailed level twice in two different languages is wasted effort. Agile isn't about lack of discipline. It's about focusing that discipline towards more useful activities.
Now if you set up a snipe shot of $100 for that auction, the same kid comes along, bids $15 and leaves happily seeing his bid the highest. You win the auction and get the item for $17.
You still don't understand proxy bidding. The parent did an excellent job explaining it. Reread the parent and think about how your contention, particularly the section emphasized, does not make sense.
Ok, let's say I feel like paying $20 and bid $20 early. Then some newbie retard (ebay is full of them) comes and says, "Hmm, that guy thinks it's worth $20, so I'll pay $25". Ok, I've now just lost the item.
I'm amazed at how many posts there are like this one (I don't mean to pick on parent specifically here). Proxy bidding is not that complicated. If you feel like paying $20 for the item you will lose to someone who feels like paying $25 for the item. This is the case with any auction regardless of the timing of the bids.
The funny part is the number of nay-sayers here that have zero clue as to the amount of penetration that linux has.
Linux is absolutely number one in integrated items. Most mp3 players at the home component level to many pocket units run linux. most DVD players sold run linux, most PVR's run linux, Commercial security pvr's run linux, almost all SIP phones are linux based.... the list goes on and on and on.
The funny part is the number of linux supporters here that have zero clue as to what profit means. The companies mentioned here are a great example of how linux could be making money but is not. That is, these companies are not paying license fees for each product sold, even though a non trivial part of their product is based on linux. Sure, they may pay a nominal support fee to RH or IBM for initial development, but this is nowhere near the volume required for "cash cow" status. All of the hard work that Linus and other contributers have put into linux are going towards cost reductions for these companies. In return, the linux community gets nothing while the executives and shareholders of these companies are rewarded for the increase margin in their mp3 players, PVR's, and other products. You're right, the list goes on and on of people making more money on their products because they don't have to pay for linux. But make no mistake, *linux* is not making the money here.
Actually, parent was quite correct since even a brief investigation into the history of the labour movement and subsequent changes to labour laws show the statement to be true. Why don't you go see what pithy statements you can make in Latin regarding ignorance of history?
Maybe the parent is wrong about a particular logical fallacy (not to mention history), but a logical fallacy is still being made. Just because Unions of the past may have given us great things does not mean that they are beneficial today.
...property owners have always been, are, and always will be, a true privledged class.
While some are lucky and get things handed to them on a silver platter, most work and plan for their future. No one is discriminated against when it comes to real estate. The only factors are finances and credit; two things in which you have virtually complete control over. Your bitterness against those who think ahead and buy real estate are unwarrented. The same goes for your bitterness against those capable of commanding above average salaries. No one owes you anything. Some of us get dealt crappy cards in life, some of us get dealt great cards, but most of us get dealt the same cards. It's what you do with those cards that count. Whining about the few that got lucky will only keep you below the status quo. My family immigrated from a 3rd world country with litterally the clothes on their backs. Instead of whining about the rich American landlords "bleeding" them for their money, they worked smart, hard and became landlords themselves.
Free speech is essential for freedom. Anonymity is essential for free speach. I can not excercise free speech if I'm worried about the government recording everything I say. When I am engaged in some form of private communication my privacy is my freedom. Whether Franklin originally wrote it or not, I will proclaim: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Yes, it is Microsoft's fault because they used illegal business practices to get that monopoly.
No they did not. Microsoft was accused for abusing an existing monopoly for strong arming OEMs and for bundling IE (the latter I think is competitor jealousy but the former is truely anti-competitive IMHO). Nevertheless, when Windows 95 hit stores there were people waiting in line for HOURS waiting to buy the product. Consumers chose Windows.
No, the problem is that Microsoft has been allowed to offer Windows XP N for the same price as the standard version of Windows XP. That's why nobody's interested.
So when people are offered a choice between one free media player and another, they choose Microsoft?
The percentage of the total number of jobs in this space is quite small -- less than 5%.
Today. This is because we are still learning how to properly train utilize offshore resources. Distributed software development is in its infancy. As methodolgies mature this percentage will grow. If I have a smart and passionate student to guide I would guide them clear of the software development career path. It pays good (but not great) today, but its future is uncertain.
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The problem isn't the user interface, however, but the fact that it keeps changing.
I'm curious if there has been any study to back this up, because I doubt it's correct (even if it is a minor factor).
Personally, I'm not a hardcore Office user; I only use Office occasionally. I've been beta testing 2007 and I'm amazed at all the features that have existed in Office for years but I never knew existed. It's extremely easy to use for me, but maybe that's because I'm not married to the old UI. I also use monitors with at least 1400x1100ish resolution so the extra real estate it uses is not an issue. On that note MS is simply making (IMHO good) use of new hardware.
Can we please just have an option to use "classic mode" when you first start Word: "Click here if you're afraid of change or using an outdated system". At least this doesn't negatively affect those of us who want to move forward.
There are already bots playing against unsuspecting people at the online casinos. I'm not sure how much AI is involved, but apparently they play better than most humans.
It is important to note that: A) Most humans are horrible at poker. As a result these bots are very beatable by a decent player. B) Most of these bots aren't cheating (e.g. taking over a table and sharing card information), although most sites prohibit their use.
And what is the justification to remove VBA support from MS Office for Mac?
.NET. If there is any cost to continue supporting VBA on the Intel Mac then I can see why it would be be discontinued.
VBA is essentially going away in favor of extensibility via
I think you are missing the whole point of F/OSS. The prize is buried on the website and is not the reason that people want to do this.
It's not a prize if everyone recieves it regardless of merit.
Well, as long as forever goes with Microsoft (The VS2003 toolchain didn't take long to disappear).
I wasn't aware that releasing a new version of a tool meant that the tool "disappeared".
Finding a job that pays more than minimum wage in all this turmoil is very difficult and you should be thankful you got one.
That's exactly what corporate stakeholders want you to think. It keeps your compensation package low and retention high because you're content with simply having a job in the first place.
Last time I checked, Microsoft was convicted of being an illegal monopoly, Apple wasn't. Different rules apply to each category.
Their monopoly is legal; they were convicted of abusing a monopoly. You don't get to make up the rules either. The rules are in fact fairly complicated. There is no inherent "right or wrong" when it comes to how Microsoft is supposed to package their products. A lot is subjective when it comes to antitrust. It all centers around what's best for the customer. There may be a point where Apple's bundling could be anti-competitive. I personally hope not because I believe in minimal government involvement.
I think gambling is a tax on people who are bad at math...
This is OT but this kind of comment is made at least once per gambling newstory and I feel compelled to dispell this myth. Gambling is not inherently negative sum. Otherwise casinos wouldn't be raking in millions on gambling. But on a given day they are not guarunteed to win. Many casinos take a loss in the short term. The point is that they are, for the most part, making *good* gambles. The people playing games the the casinos are, for the most part, making *bad* gambles. There are many people who are good at math who gamble and who regularly make good gambles at the expense of someone else making a bad gamble. The popular game where this happens the most right now is Texas Hold'em poker (and many other poker games). There are other games as well, including certain forms of stock trading. So, while it's fair to say, "The lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math", it's not fair to say the same about gambling in general. The casinos are very good at math which is why they make so much money gambling.
Do you really need 24/7 access to gambling?
Do you really need chocolate? This has nothing to do with need, it's about freedom to do what we want.
many of them are there solely to rip you off of your hard earned dollars
As are most businesses. The State rips off several orders of magnatitude more with the lottery than even the worst online casino game.
I've seen many friends who have wrecked their lives with gambling, and have come damn close to wrecking my own.
I'm sorry that you and many others lack the discipline to enjoy gambling, but please do not impose your problems on the millions who enjoy this activity from the comfort of their own homes. Actually, I can't anymore because in WA State it's now considered a felony. So much for freedom.
Windows CE is NOT a real-time operating system, no matter what Microsoft claim.
I'm much more apt to trust publications, case studies, and third party reviews than I am to trust an unsubstantiated claim.
Show me raw, tangible statistics pitting Agile methodologies against other more traditional approaches, like "waterfall".
In a day of poor software quality, missed project deadlines, and failed software projects, show me the raw, tangible statistics that waterfall and other traditional methodologies are better than no defined methodology at all.
The point I made is clear, but as an aside you actually can find statistics for a lot of different methodologies (including Scrum and XP). Being that software projects are so complex and dynamic by nature, it's very difficult to accurately correlate these statistics. This is why theory is so important in our industry. Sometimes it's all we've got. Which is not to say that we shouldn't strive towards quantification - we just have to be very careful how we approach it.
This is not XP. For every task added to the bucket, one must be taken out. Either that, or the schedule changes. Blindly adding new tasks every iteration is not what Agile is about.
Listening to programmers bitch about documentation is like listening to a bunch of carpenters bitch about architectural plans.
No, it's actually quite different. It's more like listening to a bunch of carpenters bitch about writing documentation about the architectural plans. You see, programmers by nature don't like duplication. That's what writing Word docs is. We've already got the detailed docs - it's written in a language suitable for the domain (e.g. C++, C#, Ruby, etc.). Then we've got to do it again. I'm not saying that some form of abstracted documentation is a bad thing. But to document the entire system on a detailed level twice in two different languages is wasted effort. Agile isn't about lack of discipline. It's about focusing that discipline towards more useful activities.
Now if you set up a snipe shot of $100 for that auction, the same kid comes along, bids $15 and leaves happily seeing his bid the highest. You win the auction and get the item for $17.
You still don't understand proxy bidding. The parent did an excellent job explaining it. Reread the parent and think about how your contention, particularly the section emphasized, does not make sense.
Ok, let's say I feel like paying $20 and bid $20 early. Then some newbie retard (ebay is full of them) comes and says, "Hmm, that guy thinks it's worth $20, so I'll pay $25". Ok, I've now just lost the item.
I'm amazed at how many posts there are like this one (I don't mean to pick on parent specifically here). Proxy bidding is not that complicated. If you feel like paying $20 for the item you will lose to someone who feels like paying $25 for the item. This is the case with any auction regardless of the timing of the bids.
The funny part is the number of nay-sayers here that have zero clue as to the amount of penetration that linux has.
Linux is absolutely number one in integrated items. Most mp3 players at the home component level to many pocket units run linux. most DVD players sold run linux, most PVR's run linux, Commercial security pvr's run linux, almost all SIP phones are linux based.... the list goes on and on and on.
The funny part is the number of linux supporters here that have zero clue as to what profit means. The companies mentioned here are a great example of how linux could be making money but is not. That is, these companies are not paying license fees for each product sold, even though a non trivial part of their product is based on linux. Sure, they may pay a nominal support fee to RH or IBM for initial development, but this is nowhere near the volume required for "cash cow" status. All of the hard work that Linus and other contributers have put into linux are going towards cost reductions for these companies. In return, the linux community gets nothing while the executives and shareholders of these companies are rewarded for the increase margin in their mp3 players, PVR's, and other products. You're right, the list goes on and on of people making more money on their products because they don't have to pay for linux. But make no mistake, *linux* is not making the money here.
Our unemployment is currently at ~4.7%. That's the 2nd or 3rd lowest that it's been for over 3 decades.
We are NOT seeing a rise? Huh?
Click on 5y insted of 1y. We're still *down* even though we're trending up.
Actually, parent was quite correct since even a brief investigation into the history of the labour movement and subsequent changes to labour laws show the statement to be true. Why don't you go see what pithy statements you can make in Latin regarding ignorance of history?
Maybe the parent is wrong about a particular logical fallacy (not to mention history), but a logical fallacy is still being made. Just because Unions of the past may have given us great things does not mean that they are beneficial today.
...property owners have always been, are, and always will be, a true privledged class.
While some are lucky and get things handed to them on a silver platter, most work and plan for their future. No one is discriminated against when it comes to real estate. The only factors are finances and credit; two things in which you have virtually complete control over. Your bitterness against those who think ahead and buy real estate are unwarrented. The same goes for your bitterness against those capable of commanding above average salaries. No one owes you anything. Some of us get dealt crappy cards in life, some of us get dealt great cards, but most of us get dealt the same cards. It's what you do with those cards that count. Whining about the few that got lucky will only keep you below the status quo. My family immigrated from a 3rd world country with litterally the clothes on their backs. Instead of whining about the rich American landlords "bleeding" them for their money, they worked smart, hard and became landlords themselves.
Privacy is not essential for freedom
Free speech is essential for freedom. Anonymity is essential for free speach. I can not excercise free speech if I'm worried about the government recording everything I say. When I am engaged in some form of private communication my privacy is my freedom. Whether Franklin originally wrote it or not, I will proclaim: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Yes, it is Microsoft's fault because they used illegal business practices to get that monopoly.
No they did not. Microsoft was accused for abusing an existing monopoly for strong arming OEMs and for bundling IE (the latter I think is competitor jealousy but the former is truely anti-competitive IMHO). Nevertheless, when Windows 95 hit stores there were people waiting in line for HOURS waiting to buy the product. Consumers chose Windows.
No, the problem is that Microsoft has been allowed to offer Windows XP N for the same price as the standard version of Windows XP. That's why nobody's interested.
So when people are offered a choice between one free media player and another, they choose Microsoft?
John Dvorak should have left 10 years ago.
Why? He continues to make a salary that you may only ever dream about. His type of journalism pays *very well*.
The percentage of the total number of jobs in this space is quite small -- less than 5%.
Today. This is because we are still learning how to properly train utilize offshore resources. Distributed software development is in its infancy. As methodolgies mature this percentage will grow. If I have a smart and passionate student to guide I would guide them clear of the software development career path. It pays good (but not great) today, but its future is uncertain.