Autodesk is rapidly becoming a software rental company. Owning an AutoCAD license outright is possible, but upgrade pricing is more than their subscription pricing and every release you fall behind basically doubles the fee to upgrade. Once you are about 3 releases behind your permanent license reaches its "end of life" and is no longer upgradable, so you are forced to relicense the program at full fee if you want the latest version. Sometimes you are forced into the latest version by industry pressure. AutoCAD no longer writes to R14 format, only R12 DXF! So for the thousands and thousands of R14 users out there, open your cheque books and get with the program! Get new software! Stay current! Relearn (or ignore) the exciting new features. Oh, and you'll need new hardware too...
What Autodesk are very, very good at is making money. They will not give up their upgrade gravy train, nor grant any rights to consumers that would disrupt that revenue stream. To keep their user base in line they have introduced the subscription model for upgrades. Skip subscription for a year or two and try to get back on and you'll be up for each year you skipped PLUS late fees. Stay on the subscription-go-round and you get a brand spanking new release every year, complete with MAJOR bugs and bloatware features like.NET integration. But guess what? You can only register and use the current version, so if it's out, you get it, and HAVE to use it. Too bad it may be bug-ridden and s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w-w, let alone not work properly with your customisations.
To placate customers who are irrate at being force to use the current version, Autodesk graciously allow subscription clients to license the immediate previous release, but only while it remains the immediate previous release. Once a new release is out, you have to move up to the next previous release (which may or may not work with your customisations, etc.) If you require the use of any previous release they will, at their sole discretion, grant you temporary licenses to use a previous release (usually for 3-6 months at a time).
And they wonder why piracy and abuse of their licensing is rife...
>>That would first require that Dreamweaver be available on Linux, wouldn't it?
Only in the same way that MS Office would first need to be available on Linux for there to be any OSS competition for it. Ummmm... I can think of at least one reasonably significant OSS project that competes with MS Office on Linux despite there being no MS Office port to Linux (yet!)
Being based in Utah does not necessariliy mean SCO/Caldera are "Mormon" any more than being based in Rome means you're "Catholic."
Pathetic.
I know one thing: as a "Mormon" and a user of Open Source software, I am flat out disgusted by SCO/Calerda's blatant greed and petty-minded stupidity. I hope they go down in flames.
If this is so, and I know about the corefonts site, then Microsoft has been distributing these fonts in clear violation of their own agreement with the foundries, which stipulates that the fonts are only licensed for use on a Microsoft OS. Period. I don't know if the corefonts guys realise this or not, or if they're just bending the rules in a grey area. I don't really care, but I thought the legalities were interesting.
I agree with the comment below about poor quality screenshots. I don't get excited over fuzzy, out-of-focus screenshots. This makes it all to easy to hide aspects of the interface that won't sell well, like crappy screen fonts.
With Microsoft's recent withdrawal of the free web fonts, I have to wonder how OEone is going to surmount this particular hurdle easily. And before you start ranting about how the Microsoft EULA allows these fonts to be freely distributed if in their original packaged form, so therefore the fonts will be and still are available, I noticed an article in The Register where the actual license granted to *Microsoft* by the foundaries to use the fonts is only valid if the fonts are used in a *Windows* OS. Any other use is illegal, which is probably the main reason Microsoft withdrew them as free downloads. They weren't being used, nor could they be guarranted to be used only on Windows, which violates Microsoft's license to use and distribute the fonts.
It appears that OEone has solved this particular, ongoing and nagging Linux problem, I guess. I hope. Here's wishing...
I don't know if this is possible or not, but a song with a repeated segment would likely have repeated data in it, or else the filesize would be too small to be a valid mp3 (if the data looped, for instance), so could this be detected and flagged as a possible bogus file?
Probably not, as you would have to download the file first to verify if it has repeated data.
Perhaps we can develop a header field to identify valid files and just assume the rest a potentially bogus.
There is a "rosette" pattern of perforations on the top of the base unit, and a ring of closely spaced slots around the base, under the bottom lip. A single fan draws air from the base trough the top of the unit cooling all internal components. The fan, according to the Apple website, runs at about the same db level as the hard-drive (~25db) so it should be very quiet.
I trust that this provides adequate cooling and depending on the environment the iMac is used in, won't get fouled by dust and crap, as packing all that kit into such a small package means the chances it will clog up over time are quite high. At least in my beige box there's room for that crap to accumulate without adverse effects to my components.
They reused shots for economic reasons, as all sci-fi shows do from time to time, even B5. I agree that they did this too often in BSG. Each episode of BSG cost over a million bucks. To this day it is still one of the most expensive shows, on a per episode basis, ever aired. They only made 24 episodes despite a large and loyal fanbase.
Yes, and I have considered the possibility that this "leak" may well have been a carefully staged event that would give M$ leverage to go after OSS projects. As you say, they could tie up certain key OSS projects in mindless legal wrangling, and effectively destroy the projects--all this on the (unproven) suspiscion that there is M$ code in the projects.
I believe this is potentially a carefully contrived plot to "release" M$ source covertly, claiming it was "stolen", in the hopes of destroying the OSS threat to M$ domination.
As support for this view, does anyone really imagine that M$ develop their nearest and dearest on Winboxen? Nah, for sure they use some *NIX, because they know their cash cows are full of holes and they want to _protect_ their crown jewels at all costs. Therefore, anything of value is safely locked away from every wannabe haxor in the world. No way could anyone get the code.
Ergo, M$ are responsible for the leak and OSS needs to be very careful.
...that Macromedia's continued success, particularly in the burgeoning web graphics market, is having a big impact on Adobe's bottom line. Anyone else agree?
Hollywood survives on HYPE. Nothing in Hollywood bears close examination. How many times did you see Tom Cruise pull 12G full 'burner turns in Top Gun, and not even raise a sweat? How many times does Arnie pump out what must be 2 ton of lead in a few minutes? Where *does* he carry all that ammo? And his gun *never* seizes up either;-)
Hollywood has to sell an image. The image must be razzy, flashy, fast'n furious. Reality can take a back seat, baby (Oh behave!) When it comes to computers, Hollywood plays on the sheer ignorance of 99% of viewers. That's why the Net sucked so badly for those with hackerish tendancies, but the great unwashed loved it. If objectively assessed, The Matrix wasn't too accurate either, but I still loved it, 'cause it tried really hard (plus it was filmed in good ol' Oz).
I try not to look too hard at the movies. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief to enjoy the spectacle. Ask me a week later to describe what I saw, chances are I'll be quite vauge about it. I don't enjoy seeings things I do know about protrayed stupidly, but hey! That's show business:-)
Patents can be secured for an indefinate period of time as long as the holder or his/her appointee reapplies to the patent office to renew it. Patents only lapse when the holder fails to renew after a set period of time. I believe Unisys will continue to renew their patents as long as they continue to make enough from them to justify their renewal.
Are you supporting the development of an alternate GUI system for Linux, ie the Berlin Project? It seems to me that X is falling behind other OS GUIs and its age is beginning to show. XFree86 release 4 may be the shot in the arm X needs to keep its momentum up, but we don't know when we'll see it. Key technologies such as TType and direct rendering to hardware need to come to Linux in a compatible and robust manner, and they need to come soon. Any thoughts?
I'm interested to know why the forthcoming Intel 64 bit processor will happily compile and run Linux but won't run Win64. I find this highly amusing (I'm still giggling), but I wanna know why and how M$ has got it all wrong:-) What is is that makes Linux run 64bit apps, but causes Win64 to fail? Any insights a layman would appreciate would be most helpful. Thanks.
Check out Episodeii.com for heaps more E2 fan related info.
Cheers,
Bullfrog
PS. Palpatine becomes the Emperor. Just go read the forward of an original Star Wars novel, which also mentions that Leia's mother was called Padme, if I remember correctly.
Slashdot Mirror
Autodesk is rapidly becoming a software rental company. Owning an AutoCAD license outright is possible, but upgrade pricing is more than their subscription pricing and every release you fall behind basically doubles the fee to upgrade. Once you are about 3 releases behind your permanent license reaches its "end of life" and is no longer upgradable, so you are forced to relicense the program at full fee if you want the latest version. Sometimes you are forced into the latest version by industry pressure. AutoCAD no longer writes to R14 format, only R12 DXF! So for the thousands and thousands of R14 users out there, open your cheque books and get with the program! Get new software! Stay current! Relearn (or ignore) the exciting new features. Oh, and you'll need new hardware too...
.NET integration. But guess what? You can only register and use the current version, so if it's out, you get it, and HAVE to use it. Too bad it may be bug-ridden and s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w-w, let alone not work properly with your customisations.
What Autodesk are very, very good at is making money. They will not give up their upgrade gravy train, nor grant any rights to consumers that would disrupt that revenue stream. To keep their user base in line they have introduced the subscription model for upgrades. Skip subscription for a year or two and try to get back on and you'll be up for each year you skipped PLUS late fees. Stay on the subscription-go-round and you get a brand spanking new release every year, complete with MAJOR bugs and bloatware features like
To placate customers who are irrate at being force to use the current version, Autodesk graciously allow subscription clients to license the immediate previous release, but only while it remains the immediate previous release. Once a new release is out, you have to move up to the next previous release (which may or may not work with your customisations, etc.) If you require the use of any previous release they will, at their sole discretion, grant you temporary licenses to use a previous release (usually for 3-6 months at a time).
And they wonder why piracy and abuse of their licensing is rife...
Bullfrog
Ummmm, thanks...
Errr...
Mmmmm...
(Mods, this is -5000 Off Topic, BTW)
Probably not!
>>That would first require that Dreamweaver be available on Linux, wouldn't it?
Only in the same way that MS Office would first need to be available on Linux for there to be any OSS competition for it. Ummmm... I can think of at least one reasonably significant OSS project that competes with MS Office on Linux despite there being no MS Office port to Linux (yet!)
If you find a better thing, switch to it.
All you have to do is program it to say "What?", "I don't understand," and "Where's the tea?" and who'd know the difference?
Being based in Utah does not necessariliy mean SCO/Caldera are "Mormon" any more than being based in Rome means you're "Catholic."
Pathetic.
I know one thing: as a "Mormon" and a user of Open Source software, I am flat out disgusted by SCO/Calerda's blatant greed and petty-minded stupidity. I hope they go down in flames.
Perhaps you are referring to the now infamous Hoffman forgeries?
Mark Hoffman was a skilled forger who killed people to cover his tracks. His "documents" were no such thing.
And this has hardly been out of the news for anyone that cares to know...
Bullfrog
Hey! The scrollbar doesn't work! ;-)
Bullfrog
No, it was in real life. It was a business associate of Hyrum W. Smith, inventor of the Franklin Dayplanner.
Bullfrog
I bet one of the developers was Dr Evil.
He's now working on a compact version... called MiniBelt.
Bullfrog
If this is so, and I know about the corefonts site, then Microsoft has been distributing these fonts in clear violation of their own agreement with the foundries, which stipulates that the fonts are only licensed for use on a Microsoft OS. Period. I don't know if the corefonts guys realise this or not, or if they're just bending the rules in a grey area. I don't really care, but I thought the legalities were interesting.
Bullfrog
I agree with the comment below about poor quality screenshots. I don't get excited over fuzzy, out-of-focus screenshots. This makes it all to easy to hide aspects of the interface that won't sell well, like crappy screen fonts.
With Microsoft's recent withdrawal of the free web fonts, I have to wonder how OEone is going to surmount this particular hurdle easily. And before you start ranting about how the Microsoft EULA allows these fonts to be freely distributed if in their original packaged form, so therefore the fonts will be and still are available, I noticed an article in The Register where the actual license granted to *Microsoft* by the foundaries to use the fonts is only valid if the fonts are used in a *Windows* OS. Any other use is illegal, which is probably the main reason Microsoft withdrew them as free downloads. They weren't being used, nor could they be guarranted to be used only on Windows, which violates Microsoft's license to use and distribute the fonts.
It appears that OEone has solved this particular, ongoing and nagging Linux problem, I guess. I hope. Here's wishing...
Bullfrog
I don't know if this is possible or not, but a song with a repeated segment would likely have repeated data in it, or else the filesize would be too small to be a valid mp3 (if the data looped, for instance), so could this be detected and flagged as a possible bogus file?
Probably not, as you would have to download the file first to verify if it has repeated data.
Perhaps we can develop a header field to identify valid files and just assume the rest a potentially bogus.
There has to be a way around this.
Bullfrog
there is no sig
There is a "rosette" pattern of perforations on the top of the base unit, and a ring of closely spaced slots around the base, under the bottom lip. A single fan draws air from the base trough the top of the unit cooling all internal components. The fan, according to the Apple website, runs at about the same db level as the hard-drive (~25db) so it should be very quiet.
I trust that this provides adequate cooling and depending on the environment the iMac is used in, won't get fouled by dust and crap, as packing all that kit into such a small package means the chances it will clog up over time are quite high. At least in my beige box there's room for that crap to accumulate without adverse effects to my components.
Bullfrog
They reused shots for economic reasons, as all sci-fi shows do from time to time, even B5. I agree that they did this too often in BSG. Each episode of BSG cost over a million bucks. To this day it is still one of the most expensive shows, on a per episode basis, ever aired. They only made 24 episodes despite a large and loyal fanbase.
Bullfrog
Yes, and I have considered the possibility that this "leak" may well have been a carefully staged event that would give M$ leverage to go after OSS projects. As you say, they could tie up certain key OSS projects in mindless legal wrangling, and effectively destroy the projects--all this on the (unproven) suspiscion that there is M$ code in the projects.
I believe this is potentially a carefully contrived plot to "release" M$ source covertly, claiming it was "stolen", in the hopes of destroying the OSS threat to M$ domination.
As support for this view, does anyone really imagine that M$ develop their nearest and dearest on Winboxen? Nah, for sure they use some *NIX, because they know their cash cows are full of holes and they want to _protect_ their crown jewels at all costs. Therefore, anything of value is safely locked away from every wannabe haxor in the world. No way could anyone get the code.
Ergo, M$ are responsible for the leak and OSS needs to be very careful.
Frogboy
...that Macromedia's continued success, particularly in the burgeoning web graphics market, is having a big impact on Adobe's bottom line. Anyone else agree?
Simple!! Office 2000 will become Office 2000 version 2, yadda yadda yadda
Peace
Bullfrog
For what it's worth, here is MHO:
;-)
:-)
Hollywood survives on HYPE. Nothing in Hollywood bears close examination. How many times did you see Tom Cruise pull 12G full 'burner turns in Top Gun, and not even raise a sweat? How many times does Arnie pump out what must be 2 ton of lead in a few minutes? Where *does* he carry all that ammo? And his gun *never* seizes up either
Hollywood has to sell an image. The image must be razzy, flashy, fast'n furious. Reality can take a back seat, baby (Oh behave!) When it comes to computers, Hollywood plays on the sheer ignorance of 99% of viewers. That's why the Net sucked so badly for those with hackerish tendancies, but the great unwashed loved it. If objectively assessed, The Matrix wasn't too accurate either, but I still loved it, 'cause it tried really hard (plus it was filmed in good ol' Oz).
I try not to look too hard at the movies. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief to enjoy the spectacle. Ask me a week later to describe what I saw, chances are I'll be quite vauge about it. I don't enjoy seeings things I do know about protrayed stupidly, but hey! That's show business
That's about 2 cents worth...
Bullfrog
Patents can be secured for an indefinate period of time as long as the holder or his/her appointee reapplies to the patent office to renew it. Patents only lapse when the holder fails to renew after a set period of time. I believe Unisys will continue to renew their patents as long as they continue to make enough from them to justify their renewal.
Alan,
Are you supporting the development of an alternate GUI system for Linux, ie the Berlin Project? It seems to me that X is falling behind other OS GUIs and its age is beginning to show. XFree86 release 4 may be the shot in the arm X needs to keep its momentum up, but we don't know when we'll see it. Key technologies such as TType and direct rendering to hardware need to come to Linux in a compatible and robust manner, and they need to come soon. Any thoughts?
Alan,
:-) What is is that makes Linux run 64bit apps, but causes Win64 to fail? Any insights a layman would appreciate would be most helpful. Thanks.
I'm interested to know why the forthcoming Intel 64 bit processor will happily compile and run Linux but won't run Win64. I find this highly amusing (I'm still giggling), but I wanna know why and how M$ has got it all wrong
Bewdy, stone the bleedin' crows, you bonza ripper, fair suck of the sav, flammin' unreal and that's great mate :-)
TRANSLATION:
I highly approve of this development in Australian telecommunications.
Check out Episodeii.com for heaps more E2 fan related info.
Cheers,
Bullfrog
PS. Palpatine becomes the Emperor. Just go read the forward of an original Star Wars novel, which also mentions that Leia's mother was called Padme, if I remember correctly.
What's so incedible about being misquoted by a newspaper?.....