I've seen two web services demos. One by a Borland guy using Delphi 6 when that was new (a little over a year ago IIRC) and the other by an MS guy using C# about 2 months ago. The Borland guy put together things that worked and did it quickly and impressively. The MS master kept fooling with his own equipment, groping to figure out how to change the font so the audience could see the demo. He couldn't. The demos went downhill from there. He couldn't accomplish more than a third of diddly compared to the Borland guy.
I've never used Delphi or C# but I fail to how C# could be inferred as beeing inferior or poorer than Delphi based on this experience of yours.
It sounds like the problems you hilighted were more to do with the individual programmer rather than the language itself.
As the author points out, and as others of us have stated repeatedly: the GPL isn't viral, it's recursive. I've got lots of non-GPL software on my home system, and none of it has ever "caught" the GPL.
Personally I think "viral" is a slightly better name for this - for the sole reason that if a small amount (say 4 lines) of GPL code enters your 100,000 line application then it's licencing spreads (to infect - if you like) throughout the other 99,996 lines.
That is where I assume the idea of "viral"ness comes from. It's not jumping from one application to another, more spreading throughout the entire of one application. Any code that it touches must also be GPL.
Although as someone else pointed out, "viral" does sound evil, but it's a better (and more accurate) name than some of the alternative suggestions.
I don't have a problem with paid listings, as long as they don't mess with the search order based on how much the companies pay. The Yellow Pages don't put the highest paying customers all in the front of the book with no regard to what you're looking for.
Something which is often overlooked. About 6 months ago I did a search on Google(.co.uk) for "Nex II" as I was looking at purchasing one.
The first paid listing was to advancedmp3players who were selling it for the cheapest price in the UK.
There have been several other occasions where I've found paid for listings very useful - but you're right, they must be kept seperate and clearly indicated that they are paid for.
I say let Sony and Microsoft ignore the 'kids games' and let the master do what he shall.
I agree. However to provide a bit of balance it is worth pointing out that at one time, Nintendo used to be king of the console market.
Now they are in third place. They've even dropped behind the one console manufacturer that has no experience in the console market, doesn't have as many quality games, is twice the size and is twice the cost (Microsoft).
How is their ShareAlike License different from GPL? ShareAlike license -- the one you get if you click just the "sharealike" option when selecting licenses.
And if it is not, what was the need to create another license with the same conditions?
Unlike the GNU GPL, Creative Commons licenses are not be designed for software, but rather for other kinds of creative works: websites, scholarship, music, film, photography, literature, courseware, etc.
Do you think those people are paid by Amazon or some company? Do you trust them?
Ask yourself this question, what does the website have to gain if the review is favourable?
In the case of Amazon, you purchase something from them. Therefore it wouldn't be too cynical to suggest that they'd rather people submit good reviews than bad ones.
I tend to disagree with this. I think it is safe to assume that a majority of the people in the US will always take the 'free' alternative if they can get away with it with ease. People says that "If the music industry let me pay $.50 per song to download in a unrestricted format, I would pay instead of steal" and while some would, most would still get their music from kazaa.
You are right. As Microsoft now understand with their battles with Linux, "you can't beat free".
I remember the days of the Sinclair Spectrum and £1.99 tape games (approx $2.98) and yet the copying and distribution of those games was still rife simply because you couldn't beat free.
One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered OS/2 community when CmdrTaco confirmed that OS/2 market share has dropped yet again, now down to less than a fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming close on the heels of a recent Slashdot survey which plainly states that OS/2 has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. OS/2 is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.
You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict OS/2's future. The hand writing is on the wall: OS/2 faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for OS/2 because OS/2 is dead. Things are looking very bad for OS/2. As many of us are already aware, OS/2 continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.
If the sender agrees to pay that cost, it acquires a token that it includes in the message/call and the message/call is accepted.
This is already happening in the UK (and most of Europe) for phone calls. It's called making the person who makes the call pay for it.
Yes, I know there are 101 issues about why this couldn't really happen in the US however it means that this sort of thing is rare and if I ever get called by a telemarketeer they pay for the whole call. Which is nice.
Geesh, the Palm m100 lets you do this in it's memo app...
Have you actually tried to do this in a meeting?
The screen estate is so small you have to flip between multiple screens. In one 15 minute meeting I'd got 10. Thats just stupid.
Secondly the processor is so woefully underpowered that as soon as you start using the pen really fast (as in, this guy is speaking and I need to get the notes down almost as quick fast) then the quality gets very poor and curves start coming out as jagged lines because the processor can't keep up.
Thirdly the resolution is rather poor so often small writing is just plain unreadable. However if you make it bigger, you lose even more screen estate for diagrams.
So yes, the Palm did do it first. However thats not much to brag about when you can't actually use it for anything more than a couple of words written at a fairly sedate speed.
By bundling those for windows, people will have less reasons to switch to one of those free OSes. Of course, there are still reasons, but there is one less.
Whilst this is a valid point and true, one of the biggest problems with the Slashdot mentality (and I'm not suggesting that you have this, because I don't know you and your comment seemed well balanced) is that there is this misguided belief that everyone on the planet is unhappy with Windows and would change it at the drop of the hat.
This isn't really the case. There are plenty of people (millions) who are just fine and happy about Windows and don't really care about moving. They see Windows as an enabler to other productivity applications and as long as it's enabling (which it does pretty well) then they have no reason to move.
So the question ultimately is:
Do you want to show these people the alternatives out there and accept they possibly aren't going to move from their closed OS?
Or do you want to avoid doing such a thing and accept that they may never ever see any open alternatives?
Given that it's been repeatidly pointed out that Microsoft couldn't trademark the name "Windows" I'd be interested to see the letter.
ie. Was it a "friendly" request that they consider changing their name or did they actually threaten them with something?
If it was the former, then it's up to the owner of that product to decide whether or not he/she would like to change. If it's the latter, then MS are definately pushing the boundaries.
Mind you, seems to be a completely silly thing to get upset about, after all, "Windows Blah" implies "Blah for Windows" - so I really can't see the point in asking for a name change.
I tried saving my spam for awhile just for giggles, but seeing that file grow to 100+ megs made me so angry I had to delete it. Currently getting ~200 spam every day, and now often they attach images so they are 100k+. Yay Internet!
First they get rid of Jon Katz, now CmdrTaco is filtering his emails - as soon as Timothy starts checking for dupes we'll have to start finding new ways to take the piss:o)
The "Sincere Choice" group (Bruce Perens et al) are pushing for greater adoption of Open Source. "Software Choice" is (as far as I can tell) pushing for, what appears to be, the best solution for the problem - irrespective of it's licence.
This, to me, seems to be the most sensible thing. You don't go and purchase a TV, Video or DVD system without doing the research and finding out what suits you. You look at the facts, you look at what you want and you pick what is best for the situation.
So, if a closed source solution is the best one, then hell why can't they go for it? I don't know many people who deliberately pick an inferior product unless they have very strong moral or cash-flow problems.
Sure, people will point out that people should be using open file formats, the ability to look at the code and the freedom (as in speech) of it all.
They are right. But even when you apply the ideals of Software Choice to Open Source - it should (unless it's really really appallingly bad) still come out smelling sweeter BECAUSE OF THESE VERY FREEDOMS THAT IT GIVES.
I was always told, use the best tool for the job. If OSS advocates are getting worried about a group of companies advocating picking the best tool for the job, then I would like to know what they're worried about. OSS stuff should be able to stand up to this sort of criteria.
If a product still looks crap (even after all the benefits that come with OSS licencing) against something closed and propriatory, then maybe it's time to realise that it quite well could be crap?
(if of course, Software Choice have changed their tack - then feel free to mod me into oblivion)
This could be an interesting way to avoid Microsoft tax. Provide the computer with a plug in hard drive and then sell them the HD seperately.
Because the PC has no HD, it has no OS and no tax can be paid. The users then simply purchase the HD (with stuff preloaded) and drop it right in. You could just provided them with the HD to install themselves, but that would require users opening up the computer - which could cause complications and also end up with warranty issues.
Of course, the far better way would be to get rid of this pointless MS tax in the first place - but until that happens, this is as good a start as any.
(subnote: Can anyone point me to a resource that describes the history of this MS tax, how it came about and why? I'm not really up on the whole thing)
It picked up my IP address. Fair enough. I'm not running through an anonymous proxy.
2. Hidden tracking files (cookies)
It couldn't list any of my cookies.
3. Exposed Clipboard
This was a little scary. It picked up what was in my clipboard and displayed it.
4. Hack and Exploit Vulnerability
Sophos immediately popped up a message telling me it had detected 'Troj/Codebase-A' in my temporary internet files. A window appeared with some HTML telling me that file:///c:/winnt/win.ini had moved. But nothing else.
I couldn't open the click here links, the links below that didn't work and MSN wasn't giving out my contacts.
5. Browser and Operating System
Big deal. It got them from the HTTP_USERAGENT. I'm not totally paranoid - I don't mind people knowing what browser I use.
6. Geographical location
Middlesex, England, GBR. Well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad but not exactly something to get worried about. Wonder why it thought Middlesex though?
7. Your network
This took the piss. It's just a traceroute from them to the IP address that they determined in the first test. It's not much of a big deal.
I run Internet Explorer 5.50.4919.2200. Sure, I don't doubt that IE has it's problems - but the stuff that Anonymiser is shreaking about is generally not that big a deal and flagged only so they can sell their products.
Until we get exploits that are roaming rampant in the while are that are actually harming users personal files (as opposed to having the possibility of harming users personal files) then Joe Sixpack isn't going to change.
It's a case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it". From Joe's point of view, it isn't broke - so he won't do anything about it. He's not experienced all this stuff that people talk about, so why change?
Until something nasty comes along, wipes his "My Documents" folder and then totals his operating system - he'll happily use Internet Explorer.
People don't protect their home until they've been burgled, the don't protect their car until it's been stolen. It's all reactive - not proactive.
Until these 1001 security issues stop becoming potential exploits and become actual exploits hitting hundreds and thousands of users a day - then no-one is going to change.
(disclaimer: I know Code Red could be put into this category, but then again, it didn't wipe anyones personal files did it?)
(another disclaimer: This is a combination of mine and other comments from my original thread here... ignoring the AC who obviously didn't get my point)
However, if you want to read slashdot on your phone or PDA then I (very biasedly) recommend using Avantslash which provides you with all the content and non of the other rubbish.
Works pretty well through Googles HTML->WAP convertor too. If you've got a WAP browser installed, then click here to see it.
In Opera, engineers have solved the scrolling problem with something they call "small-screen rendering," in which HTML code is "massaged," von Tetzchner says, "so that it can fit on the screen." The results are intriguing; by examining the structure of the page, the browser produces a small-screen version that includes all the important content but requires only vertical scrolling.
Am I the only one that thought that this wasn't particulary unque? Hell, Lynx has been doing it with text for ages and AvantGo (with "display tables" turned off) does exactly the same thing.
Whilst the Opera guy may think that the browser war is hotting up (he's wrong, MS have won, everything else is relegated to the niche position and always will be - there are far too many Joe Blow users out there), they are definately onto a winner in the mobile arena.
Oh finally, for those that don't know, Sendo are not a well known manufacturer of mobile phones here in the UK. The reason being is that they don't sell under their own brand. Their business model is to create cheap network operator branded phones and for that, they do pretty well.
Slashdot Mirror
I do. Although some of these aren't technically brilliant - just good to watch:
Have fun.
Yes.
Otherwise they wouldn't have invested the time, effort and money into producing such a thing.
(Come on, you don't need an MBA to figure this one out)
I've never used Delphi or C# but I fail to how C# could be inferred as beeing inferior or poorer than Delphi based on this experience of yours.
It sounds like the problems you hilighted were more to do with the individual programmer rather than the language itself.
Personally I think "viral" is a slightly better name for this - for the sole reason that if a small amount (say 4 lines) of GPL code enters your 100,000 line application then it's licencing spreads (to infect - if you like) throughout the other 99,996 lines.
That is where I assume the idea of "viral"ness comes from. It's not jumping from one application to another, more spreading throughout the entire of one application. Any code that it touches must also be GPL.
Although as someone else pointed out, "viral" does sound evil, but it's a better (and more accurate) name than some of the alternative suggestions.
However big, fast and/or powerful your computer is Adobe Photoshop will always take an age to start up.
Something which is often overlooked. About 6 months ago I did a search on Google(.co.uk) for "Nex II" as I was looking at purchasing one.
The first paid listing was to advancedmp3players who were selling it for the cheapest price in the UK.
There have been several other occasions where I've found paid for listings very useful - but you're right, they must be kept seperate and clearly indicated that they are paid for.
Try reading the article. Points 10, 9, 7, 6 and 4 in particular. I'd hardly call them games.
P.S. - you can't really mod me down for being off topic, this whole damn story is off topic.
If I had mod points I would have done :o)
I agree. However to provide a bit of balance it is worth pointing out that at one time, Nintendo used to be king of the console market.
Now they are in third place. They've even dropped behind the one console manufacturer that has no experience in the console market, doesn't have as many quality games, is twice the size and is twice the cost (Microsoft).
Food for thought.
ShareAlike license -- the one you get if you click just the "sharealike" option when selecting licenses.
And if it is not, what was the need to create another license with the same conditions?
Unlike the GNU GPL, Creative Commons licenses are not be designed for software, but rather for other kinds of creative works: websites, scholarship, music, film, photography, literature, courseware, etc.
There is a pretty good FAQ too.
Ask yourself this question, what does the website have to gain if the review is favourable?
In the case of Amazon, you purchase something from them. Therefore it wouldn't be too cynical to suggest that they'd rather people submit good reviews than bad ones.
You are right. As Microsoft now understand with their battles with Linux, "you can't beat free".
I remember the days of the Sinclair Spectrum and £1.99 tape games (approx $2.98) and yet the copying and distribution of those games was still rife simply because you couldn't beat free.
One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered OS/2 community when CmdrTaco confirmed that OS/2 market share has dropped yet again, now down to less than a fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming close on the heels of a recent Slashdot survey which plainly states that OS/2 has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. OS/2 is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.
You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict OS/2's future. The hand writing is on the wall: OS/2 faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for OS/2 because OS/2 is dead. Things are looking very bad for OS/2. As many of us are already aware, OS/2 continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.
etc.etc.etc. You get the idea :o)
This is already happening in the UK (and most of Europe) for phone calls. It's called making the person who makes the call pay for it.
Yes, I know there are 101 issues about why this couldn't really happen in the US however it means that this sort of thing is rare and if I ever get called by a telemarketeer they pay for the whole call. Which is nice.
Have you actually tried to do this in a meeting?
The screen estate is so small you have to flip between multiple screens. In one 15 minute meeting I'd got 10. Thats just stupid.
Secondly the processor is so woefully underpowered that as soon as you start using the pen really fast (as in, this guy is speaking and I need to get the notes down almost as quick fast) then the quality gets very poor and curves start coming out as jagged lines because the processor can't keep up.
Thirdly the resolution is rather poor so often small writing is just plain unreadable. However if you make it bigger, you lose even more screen estate for diagrams.
So yes, the Palm did do it first. However thats not much to brag about when you can't actually use it for anything more than a couple of words written at a fairly sedate speed.
First isn't necessarily better.
Whilst this is a valid point and true, one of the biggest problems with the Slashdot mentality (and I'm not suggesting that you have this, because I don't know you and your comment seemed well balanced) is that there is this misguided belief that everyone on the planet is unhappy with Windows and would change it at the drop of the hat.
This isn't really the case. There are plenty of people (millions) who are just fine and happy about Windows and don't really care about moving. They see Windows as an enabler to other productivity applications and as long as it's enabling (which it does pretty well) then they have no reason to move.
So the question ultimately is:
Do you want to show these people the alternatives out there and accept they possibly aren't going to move from their closed OS?
Or do you want to avoid doing such a thing and accept that they may never ever see any open alternatives?
ie. Was it a "friendly" request that they consider changing their name or did they actually threaten them with something?
If it was the former, then it's up to the owner of that product to decide whether or not he/she would like to change. If it's the latter, then MS are definately pushing the boundaries.
Mind you, seems to be a completely silly thing to get upset about, after all, "Windows Blah" implies "Blah for Windows" - so I really can't see the point in asking for a name change.
Awww. CmdrTaco has finally installed a filter.
First they get rid of Jon Katz, now CmdrTaco is filtering his emails - as soon as Timothy starts checking for dupes we'll have to start finding new ways to take the piss :o)
Before you mark me as a troll, here me out.
The "Sincere Choice" group (Bruce Perens et al) are pushing for greater adoption of Open Source. "Software Choice" is (as far as I can tell) pushing for, what appears to be, the best solution for the problem - irrespective of it's licence.
This, to me, seems to be the most sensible thing. You don't go and purchase a TV, Video or DVD system without doing the research and finding out what suits you. You look at the facts, you look at what you want and you pick what is best for the situation.
So, if a closed source solution is the best one, then hell why can't they go for it? I don't know many people who deliberately pick an inferior product unless they have very strong moral or cash-flow problems.
Sure, people will point out that people should be using open file formats, the ability to look at the code and the freedom (as in speech) of it all.
They are right. But even when you apply the ideals of Software Choice to Open Source - it should (unless it's really really appallingly bad) still come out smelling sweeter BECAUSE OF THESE VERY FREEDOMS THAT IT GIVES.
I was always told, use the best tool for the job. If OSS advocates are getting worried about a group of companies advocating picking the best tool for the job, then I would like to know what they're worried about. OSS stuff should be able to stand up to this sort of criteria.
If a product still looks crap (even after all the benefits that come with OSS licencing) against something closed and propriatory, then maybe it's time to realise that it quite well could be crap?
(if of course, Software Choice have changed their tack - then feel free to mod me into oblivion)
Because the PC has no HD, it has no OS and no tax can be paid. The users then simply purchase the HD (with stuff preloaded) and drop it right in. You could just provided them with the HD to install themselves, but that would require users opening up the computer - which could cause complications and also end up with warranty issues.
Of course, the far better way would be to get rid of this pointless MS tax in the first place - but until that happens, this is as good a start as any.
(subnote: Can anyone point me to a resource that describes the history of this MS tax, how it came about and why? I'm not really up on the whole thing)
I did. With IE. Here is what happened:
1. Your IP address
It picked up my IP address. Fair enough. I'm not running through an anonymous proxy.
2. Hidden tracking files (cookies)
It couldn't list any of my cookies.
3. Exposed Clipboard
This was a little scary. It picked up what was in my clipboard and displayed it.
4. Hack and Exploit Vulnerability
Sophos immediately popped up a message telling me it had detected 'Troj/Codebase-A' in my temporary internet files. A window appeared with some HTML telling me that file:///c:/winnt/win.ini had moved. But nothing else.
I couldn't open the click here links, the links below that didn't work and MSN wasn't giving out my contacts.
5. Browser and Operating System
Big deal. It got them from the HTTP_USERAGENT. I'm not totally paranoid - I don't mind people knowing what browser I use.
6. Geographical location
Middlesex, England, GBR. Well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad but not exactly something to get worried about. Wonder why it thought Middlesex though?
7. Your network
This took the piss. It's just a traceroute from them to the IP address that they determined in the first test. It's not much of a big deal.
I run Internet Explorer 5.50.4919.2200. Sure, I don't doubt that IE has it's problems - but the stuff that Anonymiser is shreaking about is generally not that big a deal and flagged only so they can sell their products.
(mind you the clipboard one was a little spooky)
It's a case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it". From Joe's point of view, it isn't broke - so he won't do anything about it. He's not experienced all this stuff that people talk about, so why change?
Until something nasty comes along, wipes his "My Documents" folder and then totals his operating system - he'll happily use Internet Explorer.
People don't protect their home until they've been burgled, the don't protect their car until it's been stolen. It's all reactive - not proactive.
Until these 1001 security issues stop becoming potential exploits and become actual exploits hitting hundreds and thousands of users a day - then no-one is going to change.
(disclaimer: I know Code Red could be put into this category, but then again, it didn't wipe anyones personal files did it?)
(another disclaimer: This is a combination of mine and other comments from my original thread here ... ignoring the AC who obviously didn't get my point)
I use my Palm Vx as an organisor. Sure, the palm doesn't sync Outlook contacts properly, but KeyContacts solves that.
Apart from that, if you have AvantGo installed then you can get TV listings, Film Listings and even read Slashdot on the go.
Useful for train and tube travel.
Nice.
However, if you want to read slashdot on your phone or PDA then I (very biasedly) recommend using Avantslash which provides you with all the content and non of the other rubbish.
Works pretty well through Googles HTML->WAP convertor too. If you've got a WAP browser installed, then click here to see it.
Am I the only one that thought that this wasn't particulary unque? Hell, Lynx has been doing it with text for ages and AvantGo (with "display tables" turned off) does exactly the same thing.
Whilst the Opera guy may think that the browser war is hotting up (he's wrong, MS have won, everything else is relegated to the niche position and always will be - there are far too many Joe Blow users out there), they are definately onto a winner in the mobile arena.
Oh finally, for those that don't know, Sendo are not a well known manufacturer of mobile phones here in the UK. The reason being is that they don't sell under their own brand. Their business model is to create cheap network operator branded phones and for that, they do pretty well.
You posted this in the thread announcing a new release. Irony on Slashdot at it's best :o)