Um, you didn't RTFA, I take it. It will be supported fully by Windows Vista, with some support on XP via a back-port (at some point in the future) or the underlying WinFX technology. So, in reality, they are just going to strap it onto the next version of the Windows juggernaut, and hope that that by itself with be sufficient to overtake Flash. Personally, I don't see that working out in the short term - Flash is just too widespread and well-known now to be shifted that easily.
One feature he mentioned that was a big one for the next version of photoshop, and something they were having a lot of trouble with, was Layer Filters. Much like the Adjustment Layer, you can apply a filter on a layer and turn the effects of the filter on and off. It's more than the LayerEffects because those are limited to drop shadows and glows and the like, where LayerFilters let you apply a blur or noise or even KPT and third-party filters.
That sounds like the sort of thing that might persuade me to upgrade from Photoshop 7 - I just hope that they test it with enough 3rd-party filters to ensure it actually works in practice...
I just wish they would bite the bullet, and build more integration between Illustrator and Photoshop, rather than insisting on keeping each separate.
...but why is there a 'Compare prices on Mozilla' link in the Related Links slashbox for this story? The page it links to would be pretty tiny, I imagine...:)
Amazon UK has Nov 16th as the release date. Hopefully by the time my pre-ordered copy arrives, the Steam servers will have recovered from the initial onslaught of activations. Of course, if a lot of the people threatening to not buy the game now make good on their words, it'll be plain sailing for me. Sweet.:)
-MT.
A fertile ground for copyright violation...
on
Photoblog Revolution
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· Score: 1
Over at deviantART there is a regular stream of reports of 'ripping' - taking someone else's photos and passing them off as your own - in the forums and elsewhere. It's not just amateur photographers who are finding their work being ripped, a lot of professional photographers are being targetted as well. Unfortunately, the culprits are hard to trace down, and the sites that host them are often slow to take action, if they even bother. The only solution, it seems, is to put a large, visible watermark on your pictures, ALL of them - and even then some particularly boneheaded individuals still go and rip them...
I'm not too bothered about the eye-candy side, I'm just hoping the gameplay and narrative sides of the game live up to the original Half-Life. If they do, then I'll be a happy camper.
The latest from Amazon UK is that it will be available from 1st November. It was being reported as 3rd September up until yesterday. (Needless to say, I've got a pre-order in with them).
Looks like we're going to a agree to disagree on this one. Frankly, I think that they've got enough on their plate keeping their existing cash cows going, repairing the damage caused by the poor security and reliability of their products, and trying to avoid further scrutiny of their affairs by authorities around the world. Trying to diversify into an area so far outside of their field of expertise seems to me to be a pretty daft thing to be even contemplating right now. But it appears that I've not swayed you, so I'll leave you to fear the worst.
Nah, I can't see this happening. Too many obstacles in the way - shareholders (who'll be wanting their dividends), developers (who'll be wanting their salary packages shored up), the financial regulators, the DOJ (have to pay for all that oversight), the other banks, plus the competition (again!)
I think you are taking an overly pessimistic view. Microsoft may have a hold on the interface between some of the banks and their customers (although, as I outlined before, that number is probably a lot less that it was), but unless Microsoft were somehow able to persuade both the banks and their customers that it would be a good idea to move to a new transaction system based on 'Palladium' - a very long shot, given that it would mean buying new hardware all round - I don't see their leverage as being that good.
Also, it would appear that any new sugar-coating is going to be held back until Longhorn is ready, and again that will be a tough sale given that for many people it will mean throwing away existing PCs. I have a feeling that the cash mountain will probably be more of a hillock by that time...
Well, I bank online with Smile, and their secure account access works just fine with Firefox.
I think you may be basing your assumptions on the 'v1' online banking systems that a lot of banks initially put together. If you go and check again, I suspect you will find that the majority of banks that offer online services, and certainly those with the most computer-owning customers, have now moved to much more browser-neutral models - if enough people who don't use IE or a PC make a fuss about, and (importantly) threaten to take their custom elsewhere, the banks will do the right thing.
As for your idea about a 'Bank of Microsoft', that might just have worked 3-4 years ago, but now, with Microsoft's image tarred by security scares, they would probably command even less trust than the existing banks!:)
No, you got it wrong - you're supposed to install SP2 and bash Microsoft for producing insecure, buggy software.:)
Look on the bright side, at least on Slashdot you don't have to actually see the editors. From what I've heard, this may well be a good thing...:D
-MT.
Re:If you are a programmer, the problems are obvio
on
Latest SP2 News
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· Score: 1
OK, now we've got something to discuss.
The problems are obvious if you are a programmer. If you are a programmer, the problems are so obvious that you may fail to mention them. Microsoft has known for years that their Command Line Interface has not been updated to the standards of the OS. Yet they continue to put out tools that ignore the new standards, as they did in the case discussed in this Slashdot story.
The Win XP Command Line Interface is not fully integrated. The lack of integration of the CLI is extremely serious. In some cases, there are commands that take you inside 16 bit code, where the OS loses control. There are many, many bugs. For example NET USE LPT1: [printer share name] does not work for users with limited rights. Not only does it not work, it fails in several ways that show that there are multiple problems. This was reported months ago, but it has not been fixed.
I think that the problems stem from the command line, and the DOS heritage that it represents, being shoved behind the scenes where most users will not see it, as well as being sealed inside its own little virtual machine for the most part. Slowly but surely, as Windows 9x gave way to 2000/XP, and in turn to 2003 Server, the gap between the command line environment and the rest of the Windows subsystems has gotten wider and wider, either because nobody though to try and reintegrate the two, or because they assumed nobody other than a few power-users and admins bothered with the command line anymore.
To be honest, a complete overhaul is required - a lot of the old DOS utilities are redundant at best, downright dangerous if misused.
Microsoft knew there was a problem, but did nothing. There is another extremely serious problem here. Microsoft programmers knew that the information is cached (See the story.), and that the method of caching introduces a bug, yet they did nothing about it. (If you are a programmer, it would be impossible not to notice.) That is something I've seen many, many times: Microsoft accepts code that everyone can see is not finished.
*shrug* So no change there, then, in spite of all the talk about improving security and fixing bugs in Microsoft code over the last few years. No disagreement with you there.
When was the last time you went to an important meeting and said nothing? This is an example of problems with Slashdot moderation. When was the last time you went to a meeting or a party, and said nothing? Generally, if there is a discussion that is important to you, you will want to contribute. This Slashdot story is of interest only to people who understand Window XP and security risks. But moderators cannot moderate stories of interest to them. They must moderate stories in which they have so little interest that they have nothing to say. That's how my great-grandparent comment could be modded down as "Off Topic", and the "Microsoft bashing" reply is +5 Funny.
Sadly, a majority of Slashdot users (and moderators) understand neither Windows XP nor security.:(
Another problem with Slashdot moderation is that by covering issues about games that are of interest only to players and spectators, and not programmers, Slashdot attracts people who have no real interest in computing. Look at the beginning comments of most Slashdot stories. Many of the comments are from people who have no interest in the story, but are trying to be funny. Humor is wonderful, but not at the expense of the quality of the discussion.
And the trolls, mustn't forget the trolls - another fine Slashdot tradition...:)
Sorry if I appear to be rushing this, it's nearly time for me to pack up and go home. Talk to ya again some time.
-MT.
Re:It is not bashing to discuss real problems.
on
Latest SP2 News
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· Score: 1
If you're going to discuss real problems, please do. But the vague, generalised statement you made earlier is not going to advance the conversation very far.
-MT.
Re:In general, Microsoft seems sloppy.
on
Latest SP2 News
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· Score: 1
I would think it's cheaper and more efficient for them to let their customers to find the bugs.
Microsoft have been implementing that system for some time now.:)
-MT.
Re:'Flaws' Not that big of a deal
on
Latest SP2 News
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· Score: 0, Redundant
They're working on a fix for this - Microsoft Clue for Users*:)
-MT.
* Pronounced with a silent L.
Re:In general, Microsoft seems sloppy.
on
Latest SP2 News
·
· Score: 4, Funny
Great, someone used Sweeping Microsoft Generalisations #423 and #587, and gets modded up as Funny.
Come on, guys, if you're going to bash the Beast of Redmond, at least put some effort into it!
Not likely. Specially if MS refuses to release IE for other platforms.
Well, I think it fair to IE will remain a Windows-only show for the forseeable future. Ironically, they could have implemented a lot of improvements already, if the Mac and IE teams at Microsoft had found it in themselves to cooperate and share ideas. As it is, they've got enough on their plate now just to make the product more secure and standard-compliant, without having to worry about cross-platform portability.
I'm in the same boat, and I'm now reading Slashdot using Light Mode.
As this site is the only one that gives me any problems due to HTML, I'm inclined to think this has more to do with Slashdot than it does Firefox. I would most certainly not choose to return to using IE just so I can enjoy all the pretty icons and slashboxes (and the occasional 503 error, of course!)
No, I think you must have misread that. It should say 'security holes that we've known about for ages, but haven't been arsed to fix because no one had come forward with an exploit'.
The 'new' security holes are like the above, except that they were fixed in the previous version and were inadvertantly re-opened by a bored Microsoft intern.:)
Slashdot Mirror
Um, you didn't RTFA, I take it. It will be supported fully by Windows Vista, with some support on XP via a back-port (at some point in the future) or the underlying WinFX technology. So, in reality, they are just going to strap it onto the next version of the Windows juggernaut, and hope that that by itself with be sufficient to overtake Flash. Personally, I don't see that working out in the short term - Flash is just too widespread and well-known now to be shifted that easily.
-MT.
That would be the Alpha Test.
:)
The Beta Test begins when it is released.
-MT.
Those are not problems... those are features! :)
-MT.
Oh joy, another 'sploit vector into Windows.
Well, if they are really commited to writing secure code in their new software, then your fears should be unfounded...
-MT.
One feature he mentioned that was a big one for the next version of photoshop, and something they were having a lot of trouble with, was Layer Filters. Much like the Adjustment Layer, you can apply a filter on a layer and turn the effects of the filter on and off. It's more than the LayerEffects because those are limited to drop shadows and glows and the like, where LayerFilters let you apply a blur or noise or even KPT and third-party filters.
That sounds like the sort of thing that might persuade me to upgrade from Photoshop 7 - I just hope that they test it with enough 3rd-party filters to ensure it actually works in practice...
I just wish they would bite the bullet, and build more integration between Illustrator and Photoshop, rather than insisting on keeping each separate.
-MT.
...but why is there a 'Compare prices on Mozilla' link in the Related Links slashbox for this story? The page it links to would be pretty tiny, I imagine... :)
-MT.
Amazon UK has Nov 16th as the release date. Hopefully by the time my pre-ordered copy arrives, the Steam servers will have recovered from the initial onslaught of activations. Of course, if a lot of the people threatening to not buy the game now make good on their words, it'll be plain sailing for me. Sweet. :)
-MT.
Over at deviantART there is a regular stream of reports of 'ripping' - taking someone else's photos and passing them off as your own - in the forums and elsewhere. It's not just amateur photographers who are finding their work being ripped, a lot of professional photographers are being targetted as well. Unfortunately, the culprits are hard to trace down, and the sites that host them are often slow to take action, if they even bother. The only solution, it seems, is to put a large, visible watermark on your pictures, ALL of them - and even then some particularly boneheaded individuals still go and rip them...
-MT.
I'm not too bothered about the eye-candy side, I'm just hoping the gameplay and narrative sides of the game live up to the original Half-Life. If they do, then I'll be a happy camper.
-MT.
The latest from Amazon UK is that it will be available from 1st November. It was being reported as 3rd September up until yesterday. (Needless to say, I've got a pre-order in with them).
-MT.
Looks like we're going to a agree to disagree on this one. Frankly, I think that they've got enough on their plate keeping their existing cash cows going, repairing the damage caused by the poor security and reliability of their products, and trying to avoid further scrutiny of their affairs by authorities around the world. Trying to diversify into an area so far outside of their field of expertise seems to me to be a pretty daft thing to be even contemplating right now. But it appears that I've not swayed you, so I'll leave you to fear the worst.
-MT.
Nah, I can't see this happening. Too many obstacles in the way - shareholders (who'll be wanting their dividends), developers (who'll be wanting their salary packages shored up), the financial regulators, the DOJ (have to pay for all that oversight), the other banks, plus the competition (again!)
-MT.
I think you are taking an overly pessimistic view. Microsoft may have a hold on the interface between some of the banks and their customers (although, as I outlined before, that number is probably a lot less that it was), but unless Microsoft were somehow able to persuade both the banks and their customers that it would be a good idea to move to a new transaction system based on 'Palladium' - a very long shot, given that it would mean buying new hardware all round - I don't see their leverage as being that good.
Also, it would appear that any new sugar-coating is going to be held back until Longhorn is ready, and again that will be a tough sale given that for many people it will mean throwing away existing PCs. I have a feeling that the cash mountain will probably be more of a hillock by that time...
-MT.
Someone mod this guy's post up some more - funny as heck, and on-topic!
-MT.
Well, I bank online with Smile, and their secure account access works just fine with Firefox.
:)
I think you may be basing your assumptions on the 'v1' online banking systems that a lot of banks initially put together. If you go and check again, I suspect you will find that the majority of banks that offer online services, and certainly those with the most computer-owning customers, have now moved to much more browser-neutral models - if enough people who don't use IE or a PC make a fuss about, and (importantly) threaten to take their custom elsewhere, the banks will do the right thing.
As for your idea about a 'Bank of Microsoft', that might just have worked 3-4 years ago, but now, with Microsoft's image tarred by security scares, they would probably command even less trust than the existing banks!
-MT.
No, you got it wrong - you're supposed to install SP2 and bash Microsoft for producing insecure, buggy software. :)
:D
Look on the bright side, at least on Slashdot you don't have to actually see the editors. From what I've heard, this may well be a good thing...
-MT.
OK, now we've got something to discuss.
:(
:)
The problems are obvious if you are a programmer. If you are a programmer, the problems are so obvious that you may fail to mention them. Microsoft has known for years that their Command Line Interface has not been updated to the standards of the OS. Yet they continue to put out tools that ignore the new standards, as they did in the case discussed in this Slashdot story.
The Win XP Command Line Interface is not fully integrated. The lack of integration of the CLI is extremely serious. In some cases, there are commands that take you inside 16 bit code, where the OS loses control. There are many, many bugs. For example NET USE LPT1: [printer share name] does not work for users with limited rights. Not only does it not work, it fails in several ways that show that there are multiple problems. This was reported months ago, but it has not been fixed.
I think that the problems stem from the command line, and the DOS heritage that it represents, being shoved behind the scenes where most users will not see it, as well as being sealed inside its own little virtual machine for the most part. Slowly but surely, as Windows 9x gave way to 2000/XP, and in turn to 2003 Server, the gap between the command line environment and the rest of the Windows subsystems has gotten wider and wider, either because nobody though to try and reintegrate the two, or because they assumed nobody other than a few power-users and admins bothered with the command line anymore.
To be honest, a complete overhaul is required - a lot of the old DOS utilities are redundant at best, downright dangerous if misused.
Microsoft knew there was a problem, but did nothing. There is another extremely serious problem here. Microsoft programmers knew that the information is cached (See the story.), and that the method of caching introduces a bug, yet they did nothing about it. (If you are a programmer, it would be impossible not to notice.) That is something I've seen many, many times: Microsoft accepts code that everyone can see is not finished.
*shrug* So no change there, then, in spite of all the talk about improving security and fixing bugs in Microsoft code over the last few years. No disagreement with you there.
When was the last time you went to an important meeting and said nothing? This is an example of problems with Slashdot moderation. When was the last time you went to a meeting or a party, and said nothing? Generally, if there is a discussion that is important to you, you will want to contribute. This Slashdot story is of interest only to people who understand Window XP and security risks. But moderators cannot moderate stories of interest to them. They must moderate stories in which they have so little interest that they have nothing to say. That's how my great-grandparent comment could be modded down as "Off Topic", and the "Microsoft bashing" reply is +5 Funny.
Sadly, a majority of Slashdot users (and moderators) understand neither Windows XP nor security.
Another problem with Slashdot moderation is that by covering issues about games that are of interest only to players and spectators, and not programmers, Slashdot attracts people who have no real interest in computing. Look at the beginning comments of most Slashdot stories. Many of the comments are from people who have no interest in the story, but are trying to be funny. Humor is wonderful, but not at the expense of the quality of the discussion.
And the trolls, mustn't forget the trolls - another fine Slashdot tradition...
Sorry if I appear to be rushing this, it's nearly time for me to pack up and go home. Talk to ya again some time.
-MT.
If you're going to discuss real problems, please do. But the vague, generalised statement you made earlier is not going to advance the conversation very far.
-MT.
I would think it's cheaper and more efficient for them to let their customers to find the bugs.
:)
Microsoft have been implementing that system for some time now.
-MT.
They're working on a fix for this - Microsoft Clue for Users* :)
-MT.
* Pronounced with a silent L.
Great, someone used Sweeping Microsoft Generalisations #423 and #587, and gets modded up as Funny.
Come on, guys, if you're going to bash the Beast of Redmond, at least put some effort into it!
-MT.
Not likely. Specially if MS refuses to release IE for other platforms.
Well, I think it fair to IE will remain a Windows-only show for the forseeable future. Ironically, they could have implemented a lot of improvements already, if the Mac and IE teams at Microsoft had found it in themselves to cooperate and share ideas. As it is, they've got enough on their plate now just to make the product more secure and standard-compliant, without having to worry about cross-platform portability.
-MT.
I'm in the same boat, and I'm now reading Slashdot using Light Mode.
As this site is the only one that gives me any problems due to HTML, I'm inclined to think this has more to do with Slashdot than it does Firefox. I would most certainly not choose to return to using IE just so I can enjoy all the pretty icons and slashboxes (and the occasional 503 error, of course!)
-MT.
Direct3D is a subset of DirectX.
:)
DirectX is the industry standard, where industry = everything within Microsoft's control.
No, I think you must have misread that. It should say 'security holes that we've known about for ages, but haven't been arsed to fix because no one had come forward with an exploit'.
:)
The 'new' security holes are like the above, except that they were fixed in the previous version and were inadvertantly re-opened by a bored Microsoft intern.
-MT.