"I can't come up with anything else in the entire marketing world where marketers knowingly introduce a flawed or inadequate product [and] it helps grow your user base."
Talk about silly nonsense. In previous marketing terminology, this was called "last year's model." Marketers have ALWAYS used product improvements as a basis for selling essentially the same product again. My '06 Honda Odyssey has newfangled headlamps. Big whoop. Was the previous model "inadequate" because it had a different type?
Beta is simply about calling something "free but use at your own risk." It's better for software companies than releasing Version 1.0 for free, because you can NEVER go back to charging for it once you do that. Ask Netscape.
I don't understand the arguments in these comments. We run more Linux AND Windows servers than ever before. Both platforms are more solid and more useful than ever (RHL9, RHEL3/4 and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise). Microsoft's policies and treatment of its customers isn't great. The Linux distro vendors do much better, IMO. But, Windows Server is actually quite useful today. This being said, it's far easier to do many network-related things on Linux (open source application servers, primarily), and Microsoft licensing costs keep creeping up, so we tend to do it in Linux first. But if there's an application we need that runs on Windows, I'm not afraid. We know how to skin that puppy, too.
At last, I saw excellent coverage of this issue all over the media. There was even a NPR segment on it!
Personally, I emailed Sony/BMG, informing them that I would purchase not one single Sony/BMG offering, whether on CD or via iTunes, until January 2007. I said that I would reconsider at that time, provided they responded appropriately. It looks as if they have. By 1/2007, if they don't try to pull anything stupid like this again, I will resume buying their stuff. But, they have 14 months before they get another penny for me for pulling this stunt.
Absolutely - there is ALWAYS AC-DC conversion
on
Data Centers And DC Power
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· Score: 2, Informative
As long as you're feeding a site with AC (this is the only efficient way to transmit it from the Hoover dam to some farm in Iowa), then at some point, there is conversion from AC to DC before it gets to the circuits of any computer system.
Where there *could* be some benefit is where you have larger, more efficient converters very near the point of use. If you figure each power supply inside each box is 50% efficient, but a single big one is 75%, then you reap a net benefit (totally rhetorical - I have no idea how efficient they are).
Now, even if there isn't an efficiency gain, there are two other reasons to do this, which is entirely why telcos do it (not to save power). First, telco equipment has to run when utility power is lost. Every switch is powered off DC that comes straight from BATTERIES. There is no loss in service if AC power is lost, because the batteries are already in use. This explains why you can use your POTS line even during a brief power outage. We have such a box sitting in a machine room in attached building.
Secondly (and perhaps more germane to the concept of DC in non-telco datacenters), telco equipment is often housed in locations that have poor environmental controls. By positioning the not-so-efficient AC-to-DC conversion hardware away from the sensitive electronics, you reduce the heat load in the climate-controled space. This alone makes some sense for the direct DC feed concept.
If your "stack" isn't entirely open, then you are at the mercy of a closed set of APIs. If Microsoft wishes to put you out of business, they simply need to change the API and deny you any information about the new API. You only get around this with open platforms.
Exactly! I love the whole "oh yeah well screw you right back" approach. But, my hope is that they will realize that this approach is essentially masturbatory, and will go on to do exactly as you suggest - let's find some way to make money by pleasing our customers...
Game the game! Perhaps this will help the rest of the "entertainment industry" (HBO is one of the few actually entertaining networks these days) understand that there is no way to prevent "piracy" via technical means. There is always a way around any technical "problem" (in this case, BT). By practicing this sort of act, it seems that at least some people at HBO will come to understand this. The only way to win the game, is to provide an easier, BETTER alternative. iTunes is proving this, for example. No, it doesn't stop MP3 trading, but it makes money DESPITE illegal file trading.
It's a simple rule to get your "discovery" hyped. Take an old, established technology (in this case, software agents) and tie it to a media-friendly term ("worms").
This is not new. Distributed software agents are tried and true. We're using one, and it's working out rather well. Of course, there are countless shell scripts and such that provide similar utility. Ours happens to be able to propagate at our command.
Drug companies don't like this kind of science (i.e.. that actually gets to the science behind the illness). Antibiotics are a few bucks for an entire course. They want you on chronic meds, not "cured."
I'm a big fan of Sun datacenter stuff. It's great. Except it's entirely not what will get them to the desktop. We love the Sun Rays (esp. the cheapo 1g), except that they're limited to Solaris, and only recently, certain flavors of Linux. Unfortunately, people aren't quite ready to run Linux.
However, if Sun/Google (Snoogle?) can create compelling "web office," they just might have something there. I just have to run a browser. Then, if they could "rent" me a grid to provide the horsepower, storage and five-nines infrastructure, then we have something to talk about. Sure, "supercomputer" applications are fun, but they represent just slightly over 0% of our needs. An "office apps farm" is another story, altogether...
Oh, I absolutely understand the DIFFICULTY. This is the point of the movement - to simplify sales tax rules, so that the argument that "it's too hard to collect" is no longer apropos. This is EXACTLY the right tract for states to take. There are no arguments about the CONSTITUTIONALITY of the taxes. They're fighting the SCOTUS FINDING that it was too "onerous" to collect. It's the same idea behind the FLAT TAX Income Tax (except I disagree with it because it's regressive).
So you idiots arguing that it's WRONG or UNCONSTITUTIONAL can shut up. The only thing new is that they're going to render the "onerous" argument moot.
For years, there was a myth that online sales were "cheaper" because you didn't pay sales tax. Rather, the truth is that states, counties and municipalities were being cheated out of collecting legal sales and use taxes.
If you don't like sales tax, then fight your local/state sales and use taxes on principal. But as long as 7-11 down the street has to charge it, why should a company that's in another state be exempt?
Slashdot Mirror
He's the one staring at YOUR shoes.
Thank you, I'm here all week. Try the lobster.
"I can't come up with anything else in the entire marketing world where marketers knowingly introduce a flawed or inadequate product [and] it helps grow your user base."
Talk about silly nonsense. In previous marketing terminology, this was called "last year's model." Marketers have ALWAYS used product improvements as a basis for selling essentially the same product again. My '06 Honda Odyssey has newfangled headlamps. Big whoop. Was the previous model "inadequate" because it had a different type?
Beta is simply about calling something "free but use at your own risk." It's better for software companies than releasing Version 1.0 for free, because you can NEVER go back to charging for it once you do that. Ask Netscape.
not when the code maintainer was notified of it. Basically, M$ says "oh, here's a bug" then whammo, an exploit. Still sucks to be them...
you won't be able to implement Microsoft's great new idea.
"he needed killin'" is a perfectly legitimate defense of prosecution.
(yup, I'm a native Texan, so screw all y'all)
I don't understand the arguments in these comments. We run more Linux AND Windows servers than ever before. Both platforms are more solid and more useful than ever (RHL9, RHEL3/4 and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise). Microsoft's policies and treatment of its customers isn't great. The Linux distro vendors do much better, IMO. But, Windows Server is actually quite useful today. This being said, it's far easier to do many network-related things on Linux (open source application servers, primarily), and Microsoft licensing costs keep creeping up, so we tend to do it in Linux first. But if there's an application we need that runs on Windows, I'm not afraid. We know how to skin that puppy, too.
We have a few of these, and while they're qute dandy, we could use an Opteron boost for our VMWare servers.
I for one, welcome our Fishspeaker overlords.
At last, I saw excellent coverage of this issue all over the media. There was even a NPR segment on it!
Personally, I emailed Sony/BMG, informing them that I would purchase not one single Sony/BMG offering, whether on CD or via iTunes, until January 2007. I said that I would reconsider at that time, provided they responded appropriately. It looks as if they have. By 1/2007, if they don't try to pull anything stupid like this again, I will resume buying their stuff. But, they have 14 months before they get another penny for me for pulling this stunt.
As long as you're feeding a site with AC (this is the only efficient way to transmit it from the Hoover dam to some farm in Iowa), then at some point, there is conversion from AC to DC before it gets to the circuits of any computer system.
Where there *could* be some benefit is where you have larger, more efficient converters very near the point of use. If you figure each power supply inside each box is 50% efficient, but a single big one is 75%, then you reap a net benefit (totally rhetorical - I have no idea how efficient they are).
Now, even if there isn't an efficiency gain, there are two other reasons to do this, which is entirely why telcos do it (not to save power). First, telco equipment has to run when utility power is lost. Every switch is powered off DC that comes straight from BATTERIES. There is no loss in service if AC power is lost, because the batteries are already in use. This explains why you can use your POTS line even during a brief power outage. We have such a box sitting in a machine room in attached building.
Secondly (and perhaps more germane to the concept of DC in non-telco datacenters), telco equipment is often housed in locations that have poor environmental controls. By positioning the not-so-efficient AC-to-DC conversion hardware away from the sensitive electronics, you reduce the heat load in the climate-controled space. This alone makes some sense for the direct DC feed concept.
Charles
Sorry, but open source players don't care enough about the stuff that makes Apple successful - polish and design.
Quite true. This is why there are efforts to create "open" forms of BIOS (as well as efforts to create very closed forms).
If your "stack" isn't entirely open, then you are at the mercy of a closed set of APIs. If Microsoft wishes to put you out of business, they simply need to change the API and deny you any information about the new API. You only get around this with open platforms.
It started with a book that begins "In the Beginning..." and ends with all sorts of funky stuff involving beasts with 7 heads...
There are the iPod, iPod nano and iPod shuffle. It just so happens that the biggest ones also play video.
Exactly! I love the whole "oh yeah well screw you right back" approach. But, my hope is that they will realize that this approach is essentially masturbatory, and will go on to do exactly as you suggest - let's find some way to make money by pleasing our customers...
Game the game! Perhaps this will help the rest of the "entertainment industry" (HBO is one of the few actually entertaining networks these days) understand that there is no way to prevent "piracy" via technical means. There is always a way around any technical "problem" (in this case, BT). By practicing this sort of act, it seems that at least some people at HBO will come to understand this. The only way to win the game, is to provide an easier, BETTER alternative. iTunes is proving this, for example. No, it doesn't stop MP3 trading, but it makes money DESPITE illegal file trading.
It's a simple rule to get your "discovery" hyped. Take an old, established technology (in this case, software agents) and tie it to a media-friendly term ("worms").
This is not new. Distributed software agents are tried and true. We're using one, and it's working out rather well. Of course, there are countless shell scripts and such that provide similar utility. Ours happens to be able to propagate at our command.
some guy's blog.
Seriously, this is in its 14th minute. Blogging will go the way of the vanity website with BLINK tags...
I started to read the article, but couldn't wrap whatever language in which it was written around my brain. "Bloggers" need to work on their writing.
Drug companies don't like this kind of science (i.e.. that actually gets to the science behind the illness). Antibiotics are a few bucks for an entire course. They want you on chronic meds, not "cured."
I'm a big fan of Sun datacenter stuff. It's great. Except it's entirely not what will get them to the desktop. We love the Sun Rays (esp. the cheapo 1g), except that they're limited to Solaris, and only recently, certain flavors of Linux. Unfortunately, people aren't quite ready to run Linux.
However, if Sun/Google (Snoogle?) can create compelling "web office," they just might have something there. I just have to run a browser. Then, if they could "rent" me a grid to provide the horsepower, storage and five-nines infrastructure, then we have something to talk about. Sure, "supercomputer" applications are fun, but they represent just slightly over 0% of our needs. An "office apps farm" is another story, altogether...
Heh. Seriously, though, they're welcome to create their own.
Oh, I absolutely understand the DIFFICULTY. This is the point of the movement - to simplify sales tax rules, so that the argument that "it's too hard to collect" is no longer apropos. This is EXACTLY the right tract for states to take. There are no arguments about the CONSTITUTIONALITY of the taxes. They're fighting the SCOTUS FINDING that it was too "onerous" to collect. It's the same idea behind the FLAT TAX Income Tax (except I disagree with it because it's regressive).
So you idiots arguing that it's WRONG or UNCONSTITUTIONAL can shut up. The only thing new is that they're going to render the "onerous" argument moot.
For years, there was a myth that online sales were "cheaper" because you didn't pay sales tax. Rather, the truth is that states, counties and municipalities were being cheated out of collecting legal sales and use taxes.
If you don't like sales tax, then fight your local/state sales and use taxes on principal. But as long as 7-11 down the street has to charge it, why should a company that's in another state be exempt?