As an aside the major map company in Japan (Zenrin) can provide detailed maps with household names(usually given by residents with permission) (restricted acccess for fire compnaies, ambulances, etc but is generally more widely available), and building shapes (for 3d car navigation maps of downtown areas, 2d maps for most all of Japan seen Google at the most detailed view level). It would be really interesting/scary if Google got the name database as well and integrated it into the Japanese search engine.....
I'd add one other problem that often gets lost in the technical discussions on Ajax and that is readability for the disabled. For example a page reader for the blind. I haven't run any trials in this area, but I imagine that trying to put any page with Ajax through a page reader would be a near impossible task.
In the past, I have been asked to help develop one of these systems but was busy on other projects so I had to turn them down. Think interactive ordering system combined with upselling the menu, advertising, party style trivia games or puzzle games, music videos, sports, news etc. With the adverts and so on, it's another revenue stream that allows the restraunt to lower prices and draw in even more of the young target market .
There was a story on the local news (NHK) the other day about how Japanese manufacturers have been moving highly skilled, key manufacturing back to Japan and out of China. The main reason given was being tired of teaching the locals how to run their plants and processes only to see them run off to set up and become competitors. This is especially a concern given the low priority given to intellectual property by the government in China.
It wouldn't really surprise me to see something like this happening to software R&D in the near future either.
I saw Steamboy a few weeks ago and had a great time. I didn't have much problem understanding it but a Japanese coworker of mine complained that the use of amature voice actors made the dialog sound garbled and harder to follow. Occasionally the dialog did sound stilted and awkward especially the grandfather, James Loyd Steam.
Without giving anything away, I enjoyed the treatment of science and it's place in society. However, I must say I was surprised with some of the more Luddite tendencies evident in the film. The "technology" in the film was plainly ridiculous (which after Otomo's other films is not all that surprising) but all in all, great film. Definitely go see it.
Summerizing this Japanese article, the issue is that the OEM contracts contain a clause disallowing the filing of complaints about against Microsoft software. The main part that seems to have rankled is that Microsoft is believed to have improperly included software developed by Japanese manufactures(Fujitsu, NEC, etc). By being forced to agree to the clause in the contract however, they are unable to file a complaint against Microsoft.
This is where the monopoly bit comes in. Because Microsoft has an OS monopoly the makers have no other choice than to include the OS on their machines, which in order to do so forces them into sign the contract. All of which rubs up against various Japansese antitrust and trade laws.
Slashdot Mirror
As an aside the major map company in Japan (Zenrin) can provide detailed maps with household names(usually given by residents with permission) (restricted acccess for fire compnaies, ambulances, etc but is generally more widely available), and building shapes (for 3d car navigation maps of downtown areas, 2d maps for most all of Japan seen Google at the most detailed view level). It would be really interesting/scary if Google got the name database as well and integrated it into the Japanese search engine.....
I'd add one other problem that often gets lost in the technical discussions on Ajax and that is readability for the disabled. For example a page reader for the blind. I haven't run any trials in this area, but I imagine that trying to put any page with Ajax through a page reader would be a near impossible task.
In the past, I have been asked to help develop one of these systems but was busy on other projects so I had to turn them down. Think interactive ordering system combined with upselling the menu, advertising, party style trivia games or puzzle games, music videos, sports, news etc. With the adverts and so on, it's another revenue stream that allows the restraunt to lower prices and draw in even more of the young target market .
This is old tech in Japan. The VICS-FM system has been available navigation systems in Japan since at least 1998....
Just some wild speculation but...
Perhaps Sun just wants to end the suit right away so that they are more attractive to potential buyers?
There was a story on the local news (NHK) the other day about how Japanese manufacturers have been moving highly skilled, key manufacturing back to Japan and out of China. The main reason given was being tired of teaching the locals how to run their plants and processes only to see them run off to set up and become competitors. This is especially a concern given the low priority given to intellectual property by the government in China.
It wouldn't really surprise me to see something like this happening to software R&D in the near future either.
link
Without giving anything away, I enjoyed the treatment of science and it's place in society. However, I must say I was surprised with some of the more Luddite tendencies evident in the film. The "technology" in the film was plainly ridiculous (which after Otomo's other films is not all that surprising) but all in all, great film. Definitely go see it.
Be sure to lube up before bending over....
Summerizing this Japanese article, the issue is that the OEM contracts contain a clause disallowing the filing of complaints about against Microsoft software. The main part that seems to have rankled is that Microsoft is believed to have improperly included software developed by Japanese manufactures(Fujitsu, NEC, etc). By being forced to agree to the clause in the contract however, they are unable to file a complaint against Microsoft.
This is where the monopoly bit comes in. Because Microsoft has an OS monopoly the makers have no other choice than to include the OS on their machines, which in order to do so forces them into sign the contract. All of which rubs up against various Japansese antitrust and trade laws.
can you say unlimited money laundering?