Same here... However, I'm European. Basically confirming the story. TiVo and similar simply doesn't exist here, so the only alternative is hard-disk based recorders (without the service like with TiVo), but those are really expensive compared to a simple DVD+R recorder. (Mine does only DVD+R, but that's okay.)
You must be the closest living slashdotter I know. That said: try at your own risk. She is a sharks sister.
she's also got a special kind of humour that has pushed most of my former friends off.
Not sure if it's the same kind, but many people find me absolutely arrogant and unkind when they meet me. It takes time to realise that I'm just making fun. Some of my friends have the same problem.
You don't need dialogue with irrational nutcases. If you could have rational dialogue with them you'd already have shown that their beliefs are irrational. It's sad really...
That one doesn't ring a bell... I did play one called "Castle" (Not the wikipedia article, which is about a 1991 game which I also know, but the one I talk about is B/W ASCII) You essentially walked around a castle, finding stuff, battling monsters, etc...
As for Ports Of Call: I loved that thing! I played it with my brother for hours. Is there an open source version of that game? If not, I just might be inclined to start a project. (Even though I don't remember the details)
For me it was an ASCII game called "Beast". On an IBM PC (I think), back when my dad was called to an emergency at the bank he worked and mom was not at home and a babysitter could not be found. So, he took me with him.
I also spent countless hours making ASCII art on a OS/360 terminal (I think it was OS/360, not sure). Well, I wouldn't call it "art", since I was like 8 years old. If not younger.
Oh, but I am in a special case. I live in Europe and when I lose my job, I can count on one year 80% of my current salary. That should be time enough to find a new job, don't you think? I have been contributing for 10 years to that system. So, if I lose my job I am not going to feel bad to collect money for doing nothing.
So, no, for me this risk does not exist. (Unless, I quit, then I'm on my own and get squat. Which is fair, I think.)
I posted this, because many people seem to equate "Free" (as in speech) software with "free" (as in beer, or gratis) Software. The FSF is clear on the issue, and as such the link was completely on topic. I can imagine that you release speciality software opensource. Your clients buy it, and get the source. A bit like a guarantee when you get run over from a bus. However, they have no intention to help their competition and as such won't give away the source to others. You yourself, only give away the source on demand... exactly as the GPL allows.
The GPL isn't as communist as many think. In a small market, it gives your customer certainty that the product can live on if you stop supporting it (Hire programmers, fork, 3rd party support), however they won't distribute themselves because it would give a competitor an advantage.
The comptetitor can get the source, but only if they become your client. As such, as a software provider you have won.
I can't be the only one except RMS to have understood that, really?
Finally, there is also consultancy for your own project. You need help installing it? You want a feature? Hand over the cash!
No, I haven't done it. Mainly because I'd rather not be my own boss. The payoff is high, but so are the risks. I'd rather be a wage-slave and let my boss bear the risks.
The kids don't play with word processors or spreadsheets - they use them as tools to help them with curriculum work
Hahahaha.... *pinches away tear"
Are you from this world? Well, I hope so because that's really not my experience and I was a ICT teacher. The curriculum of those lessons were basically a "how to use word" sessions. I'm glad for you that the educational system in your country is better.
But, do believe me: very few kids are going to voluntary write their history projects on a computer. They'd rather play online games.
No, I'm not sorry... I speak five languages fluently. I'm actually pretty proud about that. The "Sorry", there was more colloquial. Like in "Sorry, to interrupt you, but...". It doesn't really mean you're sorry, it just is a polite way to say something that others might not like or comprehend. I mean, we're on a forum where they often only speak and write English and that badly, on top of it.
Actually, you're not supposed to say stuff like that. However, when talking amongst teachers there was always the sentiment "they'll find a way to get it". To me that means piracy, and if that's the stance of the teachers, it means they condone it.
Besides, I left teaching. For many reasons, this is but one of them.
Oh, I am not naive. I do believe it's negotiations. I do not think that MS is going to give out freebie computers, though. Which the Khaed (544779) seemed to imply.
Face it, 10 year olds aren't very interested in playing with a word processor or spreadsheet.
Mod up.... I've been a teacher for 13 year olds, and that was to be teached (word/excel) is completely disconnected with what they expect from computers. Even 16 year olds have troubles grasping the idea of styles (in word processing, which was on the programme). Not because it's complex but because their papers extend to 3 pages max. Creating styles is complete overkill. You can repeat and repeat that it will be useful for their Masters Thesis in 7 years, but they're 16, they don't think in those timespans.
No, it wouldn't be feasible. I tried teaching some HTML with notepad at the end of the year to some kids. The programme was done, and as such I could do whatever I wanted. Opening and closing tags? Syntax? Forget it. Sure, I probably explained it wrong. It most certainly is my fault, but do not expect a 13 year old to understand computer syntax unless they already have a nerdy core. (I wrote Pascal when I was 13)
Slashdot Mirror
Same here... However, I'm European. Basically confirming the story. TiVo and similar simply doesn't exist here, so the only alternative is hard-disk based recorders (without the service like with TiVo), but those are really expensive compared to a simple DVD+R recorder. (Mine does only DVD+R, but that's okay.)
You don't need dialogue with irrational nutcases. If you could have rational dialogue with them you'd already have shown that their beliefs are irrational. It's sad really...
Thanks for the ports of call link. Will definitely check it out, once I got a bit time!
ROTFLMAO.... You're right of course. Hey, I was 8... I have in my own professional life never touched an OS/360. I should have known though.
The internet is a truly wonderful place.
You should meet my mom.... She has laser-eye, able to align anything to the nanometre. ;-)
That one doesn't ring a bell... I did play one called "Castle" (Not the wikipedia article, which is about a 1991 game which I also know, but the one I talk about is B/W ASCII) You essentially walked around a castle, finding stuff, battling monsters, etc...
As for Ports Of Call: I loved that thing! I played it with my brother for hours. Is there an open source version of that game? If not, I just might be inclined to start a project. (Even though I don't remember the details)
Ooooh, Wikipedia of course has an article on Beast. Good times!
For me it was an ASCII game called "Beast". On an IBM PC (I think), back when my dad was called to an emergency at the bank he worked and mom was not at home and a babysitter could not be found. So, he took me with him.
I also spent countless hours making ASCII art on a OS/360 terminal (I think it was OS/360, not sure). Well, I wouldn't call it "art", since I was like 8 years old. If not younger.
Oh, but I am in a special case. I live in Europe and when I lose my job, I can count on one year 80% of my current salary. That should be time enough to find a new job, don't you think? I have been contributing for 10 years to that system. So, if I lose my job I am not going to feel bad to collect money for doing nothing.
So, no, for me this risk does not exist. (Unless, I quit, then I'm on my own and get squat. Which is fair, I think.)
I said the same about Compact Flash. Mainly because it's technically the same as an IDE disk. See where it got me in a world that is mainly SD now...
I posted this, because many people seem to equate "Free" (as in speech) software with "free" (as in beer, or gratis) Software. The FSF is clear on the issue, and as such the link was completely on topic. I can imagine that you release speciality software opensource. Your clients buy it, and get the source. A bit like a guarantee when you get run over from a bus. However, they have no intention to help their competition and as such won't give away the source to others. You yourself, only give away the source on demand... exactly as the GPL allows.
The GPL isn't as communist as many think. In a small market, it gives your customer certainty that the product can live on if you stop supporting it (Hire programmers, fork, 3rd party support), however they won't distribute themselves because it would give a competitor an advantage.
The comptetitor can get the source, but only if they become your client. As such, as a software provider you have won.
I can't be the only one except RMS to have understood that, really?
FSF view on selling software
Also: Software as a service
Finally, there is also consultancy for your own project. You need help installing it? You want a feature? Hand over the cash!
No, I haven't done it. Mainly because I'd rather not be my own boss. The payoff is high, but so are the risks. I'd rather be a wage-slave and let my boss bear the risks.
Are you from this world? Well, I hope so because that's really not my experience and I was a ICT teacher. The curriculum of those lessons were basically a "how to use word" sessions. I'm glad for you that the educational system in your country is better.
But, do believe me: very few kids are going to voluntary write their history projects on a computer. They'd rather play online games.
At the risk of saying "me too"... I do exactly the same. Want MS Office? Pay. Want PhotoShop? Hand over the money. etc....
... Which he mentions in his own post ...
Now this is useful information. Thanks! And I rely on a harddisk in an USB enclosure for my nightly backups. Ouch!
No, I'm not sorry... I speak five languages fluently. I'm actually pretty proud about that. The "Sorry", there was more colloquial. Like in "Sorry, to interrupt you, but...". It doesn't really mean you're sorry, it just is a polite way to say something that others might not like or comprehend. I mean, we're on a forum where they often only speak and write English and that badly, on top of it.
Actually, you're not supposed to say stuff like that. However, when talking amongst teachers there was always the sentiment "they'll find a way to get it". To me that means piracy, and if that's the stance of the teachers, it means they condone it.
Besides, I left teaching. For many reasons, this is but one of them.
Oh, I am not naive. I do believe it's negotiations. I do not think that MS is going to give out freebie computers, though. Which the Khaed (544779) seemed to imply.
Because supplying CDs with Vista is cheap. Buying a 700£ computer *per seat* able to run Vista is not.
No, it wouldn't be feasible. I tried teaching some HTML with notepad at the end of the year to some kids. The programme was done, and as such I could do whatever I wanted. Opening and closing tags? Syntax? Forget it. Sure, I probably explained it wrong. It most certainly is my fault, but do not expect a 13 year old to understand computer syntax unless they already have a nerdy core. (I wrote Pascal when I was 13)
HTML is way more simple than LaTeX.