It's not about preinstall. It's about the fact that M$ deliberately includes an outdated & mangled (something like 5 years now) version of Java to make it look bad.
Java and Linux are threat to microsoft, so it's good for M$ when another frustrated users curses 'that fu**ing java' again when it crashes on microsoft's ancient runtime.
I run Windows XP, and recently switched from IE 6 and the Microsoft JVM, to Mozilla and the Sun JVM. Since doing so, I have discovered lots of Java applets around the web do not work on the Mozilla/Sun combo, where they do on IE. And although the majority of applets do work on Moz/Sun, the JVM takes frickin' ages to load for the first time.
That's the fundamental difference, of course. WLAN = Short distance, fast, cheap. Cellular = Long distance, slow(er), quite expensive. (Charged per megabyte, usually.)
WLAN just doesn't have the range. A 3G or even GPRS cell can cover many miles, WLAN hasn't a hope of ever getting that range omnidirectionally. (Is that a word?)
And, by using this "secure DRM", you feel that you also have the right to dictate to the purchaser the exact terms and conditions that they are allowed to use your book under? Things like not being able to print the book, not being able to copy it from device to device, the book becoming unavailable after X days?
Or how about not being able to make a copy identical to the original to give to all your friends for free?
Remember, copying a real book for someone else is still illegal, and justifiably so, IMHO. The
only reason you don't get special designs of book that are intentionally
difficult to copy is because books are already difficult to copy! Ripping
apart a book and photocopying every page is time-consuming and hard work, and
the copy ends up nothing like the original - and you deface the original in the
process.
Non-DRM e-books, unlike real books, are amazingly easy to copy, just a couple
of clicks will send an identical copy winging its way to your friends,
and the original is untouched. If you really wanted to copy a DRM e-book, you
probably could, crackers are usually on the ball with these things, however,
it's time-consuming and hard work... just like trying to copy a real book!
This is why DRM is needed - to make it just as difficult to make an illegal
copy of digital data as it is for hard copy data.
Meaning 4 of "subjective" from the handy-dandy dictionary on my desk says "peculiar to a particular individual". Therefore, which OS is cheapest depends on who you are, and by extension, what you're doing.
Completely subjective
on
Linux Is Cheaper
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
I never understood the X is cheaper than Y argument. Surely, it must depend on what you're using your OS for, how many servers you're running, etc?
I have no doubt that Linux is cheaper in a lot of situations, but I am also sure that Windows, or indeed any other OS, is cheaper for some things.
The popular discussion site for fans of open source software will
disclose that it's perilously close to bankruptcy and needs to make all Slash
code proprietary in order to survive. Slashdot regulars will rebel, and some
will attempt to set up alternative discussion sites -- but Slashdot's founder,
Rob Malda, will sue under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to prevent any
copycat sites. When readers accuse the site of monopolizing all the vital
discussions of the various ways of
cooling your computer with liquid nitrogen, Justice Department officials
will threaten prosecution of Sherman antitrust violations. But Slashdot will
prevail, after hiring David Boies, litigator to the stars.
That's a bad example. GIF is limited to 256-colours, and will make any photographic image look crap, JPEG or no.
As it happens, JPEG is actually very good at handling re-compressions, and you can re-compress a JPEG many times before significant degredation occurs.
However, your point still stands, you can't do this with MP3 and Ogg. So don't! Re-rip those CDs instead.
How is one supposed to control this thing? The P800 doesn't actually have any buttons, it's just one giant touch screen, and the eMame home page is strangely unforthcoming.
Otherwise, it's a great idea, old arcade games like Pac-man are an excellent way to kill time on the bus, train, etc.
Thank you for your interest in Movielink. We want you to take part in the powerful Internet movie rental experience that Movielink delivers, but it is presently unavailable to users outside of the United States.
Slashdot Mirror
Prey is coming true
It's not about preinstall. It's about the fact that M$ deliberately includes an outdated & mangled (something like 5 years now) version of Java to make it look bad. Java and Linux are threat to microsoft, so it's good for M$ when another frustrated users curses 'that fu**ing java' again when it crashes on microsoft's ancient runtime.
I run Windows XP, and recently switched from IE 6 and the Microsoft JVM, to Mozilla and the Sun JVM. Since doing so, I have discovered lots of Java applets around the web do not work on the Mozilla/Sun combo, where they do on IE. And although the majority of applets do work on Moz/Sun, the JVM takes frickin' ages to load for the first time.
That's the fundamental difference, of course.
WLAN = Short distance, fast, cheap.
Cellular = Long distance, slow(er), quite expensive. (Charged per megabyte, usually.)
WLAN just doesn't have the range. A 3G or even GPRS cell can cover many miles, WLAN hasn't a hope of ever getting that range omnidirectionally. (Is that a word?)
And, by using this "secure DRM", you feel that you also have the right to dictate to the purchaser the exact terms and conditions that they are allowed to use your book under? Things like not being able to print the book, not being able to copy it from device to device, the book becoming unavailable after X days?
Or how about not being able to make a copy identical to the original to give to all your friends for free?
Remember, copying a real book for someone else is still illegal, and justifiably so, IMHO. The only reason you don't get special designs of book that are intentionally difficult to copy is because books are already difficult to copy! Ripping apart a book and photocopying every page is time-consuming and hard work, and the copy ends up nothing like the original - and you deface the original in the process.
Non-DRM e-books, unlike real books, are amazingly easy to copy, just a couple of clicks will send an identical copy winging its way to your friends, and the original is untouched. If you really wanted to copy a DRM e-book, you probably could, crackers are usually on the ball with these things, however, it's time-consuming and hard work... just like trying to copy a real book! This is why DRM is needed - to make it just as difficult to make an illegal copy of digital data as it is for hard copy data.
Google is your friend
But, I do know that any of the MPEG formats are going to be playable for a long, long time to come. (Look how long MPEG-1 has lasted.)
However, if you're after something more like DivX, then XviD is like DivX, but also GPL!
Surely that would be a Tolkien Ring.
Meaning 4 of "subjective" from the handy-dandy dictionary on my desk says "peculiar to a particular individual". Therefore, which OS is cheapest depends on who you are, and by extension, what you're doing.
I have no doubt that Linux is cheaper in a lot of situations, but I am also sure that Windows, or indeed any other OS, is cheaper for some things.
There can be no one perfect solution.
Uh, yeah.
As it happens, JPEG is actually very good at handling re-compressions, and you can re-compress a JPEG many times before significant degredation occurs.
However, your point still stands, you can't do this with MP3 and Ogg. So don't! Re-rip those CDs instead.
Otherwise, it's a great idea, old arcade games like Pac-man are an excellent way to kill time on the bus, train, etc.
Oh no, this never happens on OS X.
Buy a Mac? Use Linux?
:)
Uh... disable autoplay? Come on, not tricky, this one.
I posted a story on Kuro5hin a while back about the insanity of "audiophile" digital cables.
Thank you for your interest in Movielink. We want you to take part in the powerful Internet movie rental experience that Movielink delivers, but it is presently unavailable to users outside of the United States.
They obviously didn't pay CmdrTaco to endorse this product.
O'Neill! Two L's!
(I bet no-one gets that joke.)
Beats wires...
However, BabelFish translates Japanese, and Google doesn't.
Here in the UK, whenever I see someone on a bus or train with headphones on, 90% of the time it's connected to a MiniDisc player.
It lets us calculate the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
Sort of. If you buy an Orange SPV when it comes out, you get a promotional tarrif that allows unlimited internet access, but only for 6 months.
I think what the actually mean is, up/down/left/right/click. Which is really only two and a half dimensions.