Somewhere else, someone mentioned that it would become a huge target. Well, as if the Space Shuttle on a launch pad, filled with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen wasn't a target?
The very target market for this type of thing is probably the market that's abandoning the use of watches. Especially that thing. I heard of a poll last week that said that the "young adult" market generally isn't using watches to tell time anymore. The only upside is that they will get watches as a fashion accessory. I really don't think that Fossil qualifies. If it looked fashionable, metal with decent gold or silver plating, then maybe it would have had a better chance.
Next let's quote Bill Gates, "640K should be enough for anyone."
You aren't quoting Bill Gates. You are quoting an urban legend.
Frankly, while I think expecting a computer to have a ten year useful life is a big stretch, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a computer to have at least five years of useful life. My dad's computer is a cast-off dual Xeon 500MHz, made in 1998. Granted, it has a 10k RPM SCSI drive (which it was designed for) and 1GB of RAM in dual channel setup, the system was spec'd to allow 4GB in 8x512MB chips.
As it is, I really think that the people that are demanding of their computers comprise a minority of purchasers, cast-off systems should serve well as a hand-me-down or a simple Internet system.
Johansen could end up selling a lot of hardware for Apple.
Apple will snarl and bite yet another hand.
That would be true if the other services were relevant enough to push iPod sales. They weren't even relevant enough to push PlaysForSure devices, so I would go with "no".
Anyone that thinks Apple is consumer friendly is an idiot.
I think you confused consumer and competitor. Their customer service ranks the highest in Consumer Reports and such surveys. They don't have to help their competitors if they don't think it helps them.
Please don't be an ass. Unfortunately, you did exactly that about five times over with your post.
It's easy for most other people to understand that what is meant is that you don't need to buy separate internet service to use their VOIP service. Why one would buy VoIP from a cable provider and not get Internet, I'm not totally sure.
Also, using IP doesn't have to mean Internet. It's easily possible to make wide area IP network without that network ever routing their data over the internet, and at some point, that data would go over the phone networks. That said, those networks may be internet by now.
The operating systems would probably have to be modified to make sure that it spreads its writes around evenly. I know there is a concept of "wear leveling", but I think in order for that idea to full its promise, it shouldn't involve a lot of files that aren't rewriten often along side with a lot of files that are rewriten often. Otherwise, it's effectively just "wear leveling" the free space + often changed files. Swap files are of particular concern, those files currently don't seem to change block locations.
The image may be copyrighted, but the image contains the trademark. I know IP law can be confusing, but I don't think this part is so hard to understand.
I'm sure that's not an easy thing to do given Slashdot's high standards. Usually, the confusion is often just bafflement over why it was posted in the first place.
Also, I've ignored Roland so long that I didn't realize he's posting for ZDNet now. I lost hope for Slashdot's editorial staff, I guess I really can't count on ZD to keep the riffraff editors away from them either.
Compared to OS X, where if a setting is incorrect such that a program doesn't start or run properly (which doesn't happen to me, yet), if I have to, I can blow the preferences file for that program and the program can rebuild it. It's a lot quicker than fixing a crapload of registry keys.
Or if an installer or uninstaller bombs, leaving registry settings behind, among other things. Most OS X programs don't need an installer or uninstaller - they can leave some benign tracks, generally a preferences file and such, but they don't involve registry keys, stray third party library files in the system directory or anything like that.
The mini uses the Yonah chip, with a notebook chip socket. It will work with early Merom chips. There will be no Kentsfield counterpart that uses that socket.
The problem is that they are supposed to be protected because they take down videos when they get a take-down notice. They also have a system that tries to prevent similar files from being re-uploaded.
So why does an app or a library have to care how many CPUs or cores the PC has? Surely that's the job of the OS?
Yes and no. Programs can split the hard work across several threads and all of those threads will be managed by the task scheduler regardless of how many cores there are. The hard part is making an algorithm that can split the heavy processing work to multiple threads, that threading has to be programmed. If the program has all the hard work in one thread, then it's not going to use more than 100% of one CPU, 50% each of two CPUs, etc.
No. There probably won't be a quad core chip that will go in an existing iMac or Mac mini because the sockets are different, and future quad core notebook CPUs will use a different socket for faster FSB.
You don't void your warranty for upgrading a Mac or any other computer. Your "friends" are wrong about this, at least in the US, because it would violate the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
The only way you void your warranty is if in upgrading your computer, you damage it or the parts you add damage the computer. Any damage you do is not covered, but anything else should still be covered.
I think what they are buying is the customer base and the name. If it's like Alienware & Dell, they will probably appear to be separate, they even said that the most they will offer is purchasing power, it looks like Alienware still has separate marketing, which is a good idea.
Good. I'm fine with one last major repair mission. There won't be a replacement to the Hubble and it is the only decent telescope for some wavelengths, those that the atmosphere absorbs which no ground telescope can touch. The Webb won't really be a replacement.
I must say, I really like that Sony Digital Living System. While the disc changers look really nifty, I think it's also unfortunate that it still relies on optical disc changers when all that data can be on a hard drive with much less physical space taken. I wish that type of system was available five years ago.
Slashdot Mirror
24MB is good for about four minutes of QVGA H.264 video. So no, it's not really worthwhile. If you are lucky, you might fit about six songs on it.
The linked "article" mentions no expansion slots.
Yes, because NASA researchers are researchers, not armor installers.
No, because that would mean space junk.
Somewhere else, someone mentioned that it would become a huge target. Well, as if the Space Shuttle on a launch pad, filled with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen wasn't a target?
I don't think that's the biggest problem.
The very target market for this type of thing is probably the market that's abandoning the use of watches. Especially that thing. I heard of a poll last week that said that the "young adult" market generally isn't using watches to tell time anymore. The only upside is that they will get watches as a fashion accessory. I really don't think that Fossil qualifies. If it looked fashionable, metal with decent gold or silver plating, then maybe it would have had a better chance.
Next let's quote Bill Gates, "640K should be enough for anyone."
You aren't quoting Bill Gates. You are quoting an urban legend.
Frankly, while I think expecting a computer to have a ten year useful life is a big stretch, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a computer to have at least five years of useful life. My dad's computer is a cast-off dual Xeon 500MHz, made in 1998. Granted, it has a 10k RPM SCSI drive (which it was designed for) and 1GB of RAM in dual channel setup, the system was spec'd to allow 4GB in 8x512MB chips.
As it is, I really think that the people that are demanding of their computers comprise a minority of purchasers, cast-off systems should serve well as a hand-me-down or a simple Internet system.
Johansen could end up selling a lot of hardware for Apple.
Apple will snarl and bite yet another hand.
That would be true if the other services were relevant enough to push iPod sales. They weren't even relevant enough to push PlaysForSure devices, so I would go with "no".
Anyone that thinks Apple is consumer friendly is an idiot.
I think you confused consumer and competitor. Their customer service ranks the highest in Consumer Reports and such surveys. They don't have to help their competitors if they don't think it helps them.
They aren't necessarily a giveaway but the net profits are slim.
Please don't be an ass. Unfortunately, you did exactly that about five times over with your post.
It's easy for most other people to understand that what is meant is that you don't need to buy separate internet service to use their VOIP service. Why one would buy VoIP from a cable provider and not get Internet, I'm not totally sure.
Also, using IP doesn't have to mean Internet. It's easily possible to make wide area IP network without that network ever routing their data over the internet, and at some point, that data would go over the phone networks. That said, those networks may be internet by now.
The operating systems would probably have to be modified to make sure that it spreads its writes around evenly. I know there is a concept of "wear leveling", but I think in order for that idea to full its promise, it shouldn't involve a lot of files that aren't rewriten often along side with a lot of files that are rewriten often. Otherwise, it's effectively just "wear leveling" the free space + often changed files. Swap files are of particular concern, those files currently don't seem to change block locations.
One more possibility I've read is that they might not have the documentation together in one neat file such that an outside developer can use it.
The image may be copyrighted, but the image contains the trademark. I know IP law can be confusing, but I don't think this part is so hard to understand.
Most confusing /. story blurb evar.
I'm sure that's not an easy thing to do given Slashdot's high standards. Usually, the confusion is often just bafflement over why it was posted in the first place.
Also, I've ignored Roland so long that I didn't realize he's posting for ZDNet now. I lost hope for Slashdot's editorial staff, I guess I really can't count on ZD to keep the riffraff editors away from them either.
"We gave the word mob a bad name!"
How do you figure?
Compared to OS X, where if a setting is incorrect such that a program doesn't start or run properly (which doesn't happen to me, yet), if I have to, I can blow the preferences file for that program and the program can rebuild it. It's a lot quicker than fixing a crapload of registry keys.
Or if an installer or uninstaller bombs, leaving registry settings behind, among other things. Most OS X programs don't need an installer or uninstaller - they can leave some benign tracks, generally a preferences file and such, but they don't involve registry keys, stray third party library files in the system directory or anything like that.
The mini uses the Yonah chip, with a notebook chip socket. It will work with early Merom chips. There will be no Kentsfield counterpart that uses that socket.
The problem is that they are supposed to be protected because they take down videos when they get a take-down notice. They also have a system that tries to prevent similar files from being re-uploaded.
Maybe that won't stop some jokers though.
duel cpu
Are you ASKING the chips to fight? Sheesh.
So why does an app or a library have to care how many CPUs or cores the PC has? Surely that's the job of the OS?
Yes and no. Programs can split the hard work across several threads and all of those threads will be managed by the task scheduler regardless of how many cores there are. The hard part is making an algorithm that can split the heavy processing work to multiple threads, that threading has to be programmed. If the program has all the hard work in one thread, then it's not going to use more than 100% of one CPU, 50% each of two CPUs, etc.
There's one addendum I should make - Apple's warranty won't cover the parts that weren't bought through Apple.
But what I'm really saying is that you don't automatically void your warranty if you upgrade your computer.
No. There probably won't be a quad core chip that will go in an existing iMac or Mac mini because the sockets are different, and future quad core notebook CPUs will use a different socket for faster FSB.
You don't void your warranty for upgrading a Mac or any other computer. Your "friends" are wrong about this, at least in the US, because it would violate the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
The only way you void your warranty is if in upgrading your computer, you damage it or the parts you add damage the computer. Any damage you do is not covered, but anything else should still be covered.
I think what they are buying is the customer base and the name. If it's like Alienware & Dell, they will probably appear to be separate, they even said that the most they will offer is purchasing power, it looks like Alienware still has separate marketing, which is a good idea.
Well, that would be great if you wanted to pay $1400 for a 32GB drive.
Good. I'm fine with one last major repair mission. There won't be a replacement to the Hubble and it is the only decent telescope for some wavelengths, those that the atmosphere absorbs which no ground telescope can touch. The Webb won't really be a replacement.
I must say, I really like that Sony Digital Living System. While the disc changers look really nifty, I think it's also unfortunate that it still relies on optical disc changers when all that data can be on a hard drive with much less physical space taken. I wish that type of system was available five years ago.