I get you point, but what if the device just does the things that i want it to do? My TV has (at least I've read it in a forum) a Linux-based OS in there to do the menus.
But i can't install any arbitrary app that I want.
Is it crippled? maybe. But it does the thing that i want from it (watching TV) so its ok for me.
Same with my iPhone/Xbox/PS/... They do the things that i want them to do.
Would they be able to do even more? Yes! They could run any arbitrary application. Do I need them to to so? No, they do the things they are supposed to do. Would it be better if they were unlocked? Yes.
So what does/. thinks? -) Block all unsigned Firmware, locking out the hacker community for the sake of "security"? -) Allow hacks and custom firmware? (with the possibillity of security issues) -) think: my Firmware will never have any bugs, i'll put in a ROM (with the risk of recalling the HW when a serious issue is found)
That's only because the tools that you mention don't put any copyrighted content that they haven't given permission for others to distribute into what those tools produce.
What about the fonts from Office?
Someone has to have the copyright on Arial, Times new Roman,...
So in some way, i *am* distributing copyrighted material with a printed.doc(x) File
(the Word license most likely says that this is ok...)
You know, I always thought it would be a good idea to ship PC's without the OS loaded. If the end user had to set up the OS it would force them to learn the basics...But that's why I'm an ex-tech support asshole I guess.
you mean just like cars are sold without the software installed?
I'm just now installing the software on my new camera to "learn the basics"
dont think so: Installing a OS is not learning the basics. how to use it properly is learn the basics
Lets look at Word 95 that hast "Microsoft" as a non-standard Text in the title bar Or the new Open dialogue that came in some version and later was made the default in Windows. Or hacks like (some?) Office 2003 on Win XP that made the documents of the MDI apps appear as separate "Apps" in the Task bar.
So: i wouldn't read anything into this. the ribbon is comming in Windows 7 to some apps and most likely in Windows 8 to the rest of them.
"having your personal music integrated into a title, a 'natural' gesture multitouch interface, and a single online store that sells games, media, and video.""
sure sounds like the iPhone/iPod touch with the iTunes Store, doesn't it?
Windows XP's Supported time is about to expire (and move to extended support where only security updates are issued)
Does this in any way change this? Windows 7's Mainstream support will at least continue till 2014 (Release Date + 5 years) and extended support will end 2019 (+10 years), long after XP.
With XP available as "Classic" does this change anything in this aspect?
Propably not, since its not "part of Windows 7", but only an optional download.
There are some other questions: wil i need 2 AV solutions like normal VMs, or is one enough? can Windows 7 access the files inside the XP machine? (or is it seamless like OS X's classic where no "Virtual disc" exists?)
The update check *has* to run on a sperate thread and not block the application.
just think about the user feedback when the app take ages to load (bad Internet connection, server down, whatever) because the app delays the start until the update check is done.
therefore the update check cannot be finished before the rest of the app works.
Why do we need GoogleUpdater anyway? OK, you could make a case that security updates, especially for 'critical' apps like Chrome, should be 'pushed', but what's wrong with doing that the way other people do, namely checking for an update when you run the program?
checking for a security update when the app is already running can be to late, see my other post.
Google Updater should run only when a program supplied by Google is running.
So think about this scenario:
A product has a security issue tha can be exploited remotely (lets say (and this is hopefully not a real exploit, but something like this could theoretically happen)
Google earth has an issue with KMZ files (buffer overflow, whatever) user gets a kmz file opens it --> exploit can do its thing.
It is now useless that Google Earth would display "there is an important security update available".
therefor: it is important to patch the apps *before* opening it.
please note: that is not specific to the google updater, but every app that only checks for updates while it runs.
Why would I intentionally saddle myself with a phone that has fewer features - ALOT fewer - than my current Softbank model? A model that's 1.5 years old now?
I had a "smartphone" a view years ago that had pretty much everything: GPS, web browser, UMTS,... But nothing was usable. it was expensive, slow, confusing, huge, crashed constantly and had a poor battery life.
I've switched to a "dump" phone that can do one thing: make phone calls (and Sync with my Computer)
So (for me) more features are not important. it has to have the right features and those have to work.
(and no, i wont buy an iPhone anytime soon, because its plans are way to expensive)
Slashdot Mirror
but its not even close to having a meaningful catalog here in Austria, Europe.
most likely the next Meego
(Or if its more lucky the next Firefox OS or Ubuntu Phone)
No Apps => Noone buys it
please show me the passage. I have read it (really) and havent seen it.
I get you point, but what if the device just does the things that i want it to do?
My TV has (at least I've read it in a forum) a Linux-based OS in there to do the menus.
But i can't install any arbitrary app that I want.
Is it crippled? maybe. But it does the thing that i want from it (watching TV) so its ok for me.
Same with my iPhone/Xbox/PS/... They do the things that i want them to do.
Would they be able to do even more? Yes! They could run any arbitrary application.
Do I need them to to so? No, they do the things they are supposed to do.
Would it be better if they were unlocked? Yes.
What about Safari 4 with its fast JavaScript engine?
could be. i bought my HDMI cables from amazon.de without shipping costs for 2-3EUR/cable (i just linked to the first cable Iâ(TM)ve found)
As long as a cheap standard HDMI cable works and i dont have to buy a special-sony/MS/... cable its ok.
Suggestion to anyone who is travelling overseas with a phone on roaming mode. Turn off ALL internet access. It will save you hundreds!
That was actually the default setting in my iPhone 3GS. you have to turn data roaming explicitly on, if you want it
Are you really saying that 3 hours is a "good" thing?
I would consider it poor. (except for some really low-end stuff)
So what does /. thinks?
-) Block all unsigned Firmware, locking out the hacker community for the sake of "security"?
-) Allow hacks and custom firmware? (with the possibillity of security issues)
-) think: my Firmware will never have any bugs, i'll put in a ROM (with the risk of recalling the HW when a serious issue is found)
See http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/firmware_hardware/aluminumkeyboardfirmwareupdate10.html
(from http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1322813&cid=28910311 )
Our virus scanner at work once decided that *all* .vbs and .xml files are bad and deleted them as soon as the were accessed.
That's only because the tools that you mention don't put any copyrighted content that they haven't given permission for others to distribute into what those tools produce.
What about the fonts from Office?
Someone has to have the copyright on Arial, Times new Roman,...
So in some way, i *am* distributing copyrighted material with a printed .doc(x) File
(the Word license most likely says that this is ok...)
If anyone is interested, i've filed a bug some time ago about this and it has been duplicated to #6594811
You know, I always thought it would be a good idea to ship PC's without the OS loaded. If the end user had to set up the OS it would force them to learn the basics...But that's why I'm an ex-tech support asshole I guess.
you mean just like cars are sold without the software installed?
I'm just now installing the software on my new camera to "learn the basics"
dont think so: Installing a OS is not learning the basics.
how to use it properly is learn the basics
Office allways did its own way in GUI widgets.
Lets look at Word 95 that hast "Microsoft" as a non-standard Text in the title bar
Or the new Open dialogue that came in some version and later was made the default in Windows.
Or hacks like (some?) Office 2003 on Win XP that made the documents of the MDI apps appear as separate "Apps" in the Task bar.
So: i wouldn't read anything into this. the ribbon is comming in Windows 7 to some apps and most likely in Windows 8 to the rest of them.
"having your personal music integrated into a title, a 'natural' gesture multitouch interface, and a single online store that sells games, media, and video.""
sure sounds like the iPhone/iPod touch with the iTunes Store, doesn't it?
I doubt that they will make a "Apple iWii"
Windows XP's Supported time is about to expire (and move to extended support where only security updates are issued)
Does this in any way change this?
Windows 7's Mainstream support will at least continue till 2014 (Release Date + 5 years) and extended support will end 2019 (+10 years), long after XP.
With XP available as "Classic" does this change anything in this aspect?
Propably not, since its not "part of Windows 7", but only an optional download.
There are some other questions: wil i need 2 AV solutions like normal VMs, or is one enough?
can Windows 7 access the files inside the XP machine? (or is it seamless like OS X's classic where no "Virtual disc" exists?)
That has an other problem:
The update check *has* to run on a sperate thread and not block the application.
just think about the user feedback when the app take ages to load (bad Internet connection, server down, whatever) because the app delays the start until the update check is done.
therefore the update check cannot be finished before the rest of the app works.
Why do we need GoogleUpdater anyway?
OK, you could make a case that security updates, especially for 'critical' apps like Chrome, should be 'pushed', but what's wrong with doing that the way other people do, namely checking for an update when you run the program?
checking for a security update when the app is already running can be to late, see my other post.
Google Updater should run only when a program supplied by Google is running.
So think about this scenario:
A product has a security issue tha can be exploited remotely (lets say (and this is hopefully not a real exploit, but something like this could theoretically happen)
Google earth has an issue with KMZ files (buffer overflow, whatever)
user gets a kmz file
opens it
--> exploit can do its thing.
It is now useless that Google Earth would display "there is an important security update available".
therefor: it is important to patch the apps *before* opening it.
please note: that is not specific to the google updater, but every app that only checks for updates while it runs.
Why would I intentionally saddle myself with a phone that has fewer features - ALOT fewer - than my current Softbank model? A model that's 1.5 years old now?
I had a "smartphone" a view years ago that had pretty much everything: GPS, web browser, UMTS,...
But nothing was usable. it was expensive, slow, confusing, huge, crashed constantly and had a poor battery life.
I've switched to a "dump" phone that can do one thing: make phone calls (and Sync with my Computer)
So (for me) more features are not important. it has to have the right features and those have to work.
(and no, i wont buy an iPhone anytime soon, because its plans are way to expensive)
I just want to manage *all* Firefox plugins from within Firefox, not only those that are in my profile
Why shouldnt this be allowed?
Just FYI: the RFE to remove those addons was marked WONTFIX by mozilla, because "they should be removed by the Installer that put the files there".
IMO it has to be possible to remove them from the Add-On manager.
So, what do you consider a spoiler for a video game
Bugs and unfair sequences in the game that have to repeated very often to get through it.
and how do they affect your enjoyment of the game?
I personally have decidet that i will never buy a game on release date anymore. I'l wait a couple of months and see what other gamers say about it.