What if we changed the scenario a little bit. Imagine that 50% of the world is using Mozilla on Linux (or even that there is a large body of non-technical using Open Source Software). Say that a bug was revealed that allowed a website to maliciously delete data from a user's Linux/Mozilla installation. In the Open Source world, this bug would probably be patched very quickly, probably more quickly than MS would. However, keep in mind that you average non-technical user is not going to be checking for frequent patches. When someone (who should be more responsible) releases code to exploit that hole, you have potential average users who may be losing very valuable data. Are these users getting what they deserve? The point is that no one should be helping the script kiddies screw up other people's machines. If you believe in that then you're not a productive part of the technology community.
Watch out for these companies. My girlfriend canceled her Verizon contract and paid the early termination fee b/c she had a bad deal. Six months later and she has had credit agencies coming after her b/c Verizon says she never paid. These collectors are rediculous and it has required her to open cases with BBB and a couple different state AGs.
You are missing the point. If I start a company tomorrow it will need some capital to get going. There very, very few businesses that you can go into and start producing and selling immediately. There are even fewer businesses that you can enter and make a profit instantly. Most new businesses lose money for a time while they make capital expenditures and get their product developed and marketed. These new businesses also have to get funding from their founders, investors, family, or whoever. So really, there is not much difference between MS taking a loss in a new market like video game consoles and me starting my own console company and losing money.
That being said, there are laws in the US against price dumping. Price dumping is intentionally undercutting your competition to put them out of business. I believe it is pretty hard to prove. However, in the console market, MS is certainly not undercutting b/c they are still higher priced than Nintendo and the same as Sony. Microsoft has been forced to this price point by competition.
They are reporting it as a loss...in that division. They even reported to the SEC that way(which is where the numbers came from). Lots of companies work that way. And...Microsoft in the past did not have to break out their revenues this way...they made the change on their own. Probably to push those loss making divisions to get profitable now that they are exposed.
My understanding is that the rules in Belgium apply to products which are also produced in Belgium. So, if I sold cheese at a loss the law would apply. However, since the consoles are designed and produced in other nations and have no direct competitors in Belgium (or anywhere else int he EU for that matter) that the law would not apply.
I'm wondering if the Pulitzer Prize committee is reading Slashdot because this post should be highly considered. Look at the following quotes:
...Microsoft is trying to act responsible and all by fixing...
...they also plan to force security updates for older versions of Windows down peoples throats...
Hopefully we can look forward to more posts containing phrases like "I reckon" and "Y'all" to appear on Slashdot soon. Not to mention that there isn't even anything new in this post at all that has been discussed ad nauseum on Slashdot already.
That is not say that WinXP and Windows.NET Server 2003 aren't on the same code-base. In fact, they are from the same code base. Even though server is skipping Longhorn, the Longhorn technology will still be integrated with the next server release.
I have the T68m, the original T68. The phone is a real beauty, but be aware that it has poor reception. I have T-mobile and a friend of mine has ATT and the T68i and neither one of us has been happy with it. However, the usability of the phone is great and I love the 5-way mouse.
That's fine, I am a strong believer that you should not do business with a company or individual that you do not agree with. My real point here was that this story is flamebait itself:
Sadly, it runs windows so no one will actually want to use one for real work
I think that there are much more intelligent arguments that you can use. When you step out and make arguments that are not well thought out, it pretty much ruins anything else that is said.
It is hard to take this post seriously when all it does is bash Windows. It is fine not to like you Windows, but you don't have to make it that using Windows is the crime of the century.
The point I was making was not that the settlement was perfect, but rather that the courts and gov't having "some" level of control over MS made them weaker. No doubt that Microsoft's competitors will want to complain to hopefully prompt action from the oversight group and courts. It is in their interests.
The thing is, whether you like Microsoft or not, if you are there competitor you know that this settlement and court case makes them weak so you batter them every chance you get. The settlement says that Microsoft can charge royalties for the protocols and they are doing that. The settlement did not say that Microsoft had to GPL the protocols.
That may be true, but that isn't going to change this guy's stand. Godzilla has probably been trademarked for at least 50 years (not that i've checked) and Mozilla has probably not even been in use for 10 years. That being said, Godzilla will certainly have the advantage in regards to time...Mozilla will need to prove that it doesn't actually infringe.
Is anyone really going to care if the XServe has the ability to run Linux? I really don't see the XServe as having that much value unless you really, really want to run Linux on a PowerPC rack-mounted server. The fact is that the XServe runs a bunch of IDE hard drives which would seem worthless for any real-world applications without any sort of RAID. What kind of business needs 480 Gb of non-fault tolerant disk space? In the end, why not just run on Intel or AMD hardware that will have much better software support.
Please define "greedy." According to Apple [apple.com], the fee is exactly $0.00 for the license to use the name and logo (you can even apply on-line and save the cost of a stamp):
I think he was referring to Apple being greedy in the past. I believe that prior to this announcement, using the name FireWire cost the OEMs $1-2 per product.
Here is what the author had to say about himself at the end of the paper:
Foon, AKA Chris Paget, first started programming on a ZX81 at the age of 4. He's been working with computers for longer than most of the bosses he's had. After extending a BBC B to include an ADC capable of filling the machine's memory in less than 2 seconds and scaring the cleaners with automated voice warnings when they entered his room, he got bored and moved onto PC's and Windows, where the majority of his skills lie. Able to program in 23 languages on 14 platforms, Foon takes an average of 3 days to learn a new programming language. He's currently available as a freelance security consultant - his CV is available on request.
I never said that IBM did only Outsourcing. Yes, IBM does do some other types of activities considered as consulting. However, PwC certainly has a much stronger foothold in the strategy consulting market which is one marketst that originally drove consulting. However, PwC, Accenture, Cap Gemeni E&Y, and the other former "Big 5" are certainly not the equals of strategy's old guard like McKinsey, Bain, BCG, or Booz Allen. I think the differentiation of these consulting markets really goes back to the image of various types of consulting. Often, IT consultants have looked down on outsourcing practices and strategy consultants have looked down on the IT constulants.
And, by the way, a list of practices on a website does not always tell the real story of what is beign done.
There has, for a while, been a debate about exactly what constitutes consulting. IBM does a lot of outsourcing deals (which Accenture is also entering) and some people don't consider that consulting. However, the Accenture's and PWC's of the world do a lot more of the traditional strategy consulting that IBM doesn't do much.
If he's right the open source model could spread to other forms of creative work where the output is information or culture (music production comes to mind).
Open Source Music Production...so, are we talking about a bunch of "We are the World" records?
Not even close. NT4 to Win2K was probably the biggest and best OS upgrade that Microsoft has ever put out. That is probably why Win2K is going to remain MS's best selling OS for some time to come (see the end of this article: http://news.com.com/2100-1001-944270.html?tag=fd_t op). A more appropriate comparison of user's outraged over and upgrade was Win98 to Win98 SE.
While ending AT&T's monopoly on phone service in the 80's has been great for the telecom industry, there is certainly a lot to be desired. What I'm wondering is if the ability to sue the Baby Bells will end up being a vehicle to change the fundamental way they operate or if it will just be a means for class-action lawyers to pad their pockets and their client's pockets.
If you look at a lot of the third party class-action antitrust suits coming against Microsoft right now, many of them are just after cash. If people sue the Baby Bell's for cash the only thing we will get are worse service and bankrupt phone companies...Can you imagine the service getting any worse?
This makes me almost start to believe the US government actually could do a better job running ICANN...but then again I doubt anyone would stand for it...
Slashdot Mirror
What if we changed the scenario a little bit. Imagine that 50% of the world is using Mozilla on Linux (or even that there is a large body of non-technical using Open Source Software). Say that a bug was revealed that allowed a website to maliciously delete data from a user's Linux/Mozilla installation. In the Open Source world, this bug would probably be patched very quickly, probably more quickly than MS would. However, keep in mind that you average non-technical user is not going to be checking for frequent patches. When someone (who should be more responsible) releases code to exploit that hole, you have potential average users who may be losing very valuable data. Are these users getting what they deserve? The point is that no one should be helping the script kiddies screw up other people's machines. If you believe in that then you're not a productive part of the technology community.
Watch out for these companies. My girlfriend canceled her Verizon contract and paid the early termination fee b/c she had a bad deal. Six months later and she has had credit agencies coming after her b/c Verizon says she never paid. These collectors are rediculous and it has required her to open cases with BBB and a couple different state AGs.
You are missing the point. If I start a company tomorrow it will need some capital to get going. There very, very few businesses that you can go into and start producing and selling immediately. There are even fewer businesses that you can enter and make a profit instantly. Most new businesses lose money for a time while they make capital expenditures and get their product developed and marketed. These new businesses also have to get funding from their founders, investors, family, or whoever. So really, there is not much difference between MS taking a loss in a new market like video game consoles and me starting my own console company and losing money.
That being said, there are laws in the US against price dumping. Price dumping is intentionally undercutting your competition to put them out of business. I believe it is pretty hard to prove. However, in the console market, MS is certainly not undercutting b/c they are still higher priced than Nintendo and the same as Sony. Microsoft has been forced to this price point by competition.
They are reporting it as a loss...in that division. They even reported to the SEC that way(which is where the numbers came from). Lots of companies work that way. And...Microsoft in the past did not have to break out their revenues this way...they made the change on their own. Probably to push those loss making divisions to get profitable now that they are exposed.
My understanding is that the rules in Belgium apply to products which are also produced in Belgium. So, if I sold cheese at a loss the law would apply. However, since the consoles are designed and produced in other nations and have no direct competitors in Belgium (or anywhere else int he EU for that matter) that the law would not apply.
Hopefully we can look forward to more posts containing phrases like "I reckon" and "Y'all" to appear on Slashdot soon. Not to mention that there isn't even anything new in this post at all that has been discussed ad nauseum on Slashdot already.
That is not say that WinXP and Windows .NET Server 2003 aren't on the same code-base. In fact, they are from the same code base. Even though server is skipping Longhorn, the Longhorn technology will still be integrated with the next server release.
Maybe the author of the parent post lives in Australia...
I have the T68m, the original T68. The phone is a real beauty, but be aware that it has poor reception. I have T-mobile and a friend of mine has ATT and the T68i and neither one of us has been happy with it. However, the usability of the phone is great and I love the 5-way mouse.
I think that there are much more intelligent arguments that you can use. When you step out and make arguments that are not well thought out, it pretty much ruins anything else that is said.
It is hard to take this post seriously when all it does is bash Windows. It is fine not to like you Windows, but you don't have to make it that using Windows is the crime of the century.
The point I was making was not that the settlement was perfect, but rather that the courts and gov't having "some" level of control over MS made them weaker. No doubt that Microsoft's competitors will want to complain to hopefully prompt action from the oversight group and courts. It is in their interests.
The thing is, whether you like Microsoft or not, if you are there competitor you know that this settlement and court case makes them weak so you batter them every chance you get. The settlement says that Microsoft can charge royalties for the protocols and they are doing that. The settlement did not say that Microsoft had to GPL the protocols.
CNN = AOL Time Warner = Big Microsoft competitor
But of course, this is the media so they would never be biased.
That may be true, but that isn't going to change this guy's stand. Godzilla has probably been trademarked for at least 50 years (not that i've checked) and Mozilla has probably not even been in use for 10 years. That being said, Godzilla will certainly have the advantage in regards to time...Mozilla will need to prove that it doesn't actually infringe.
Is anyone really going to care if the XServe has the ability to run Linux? I really don't see the XServe as having that much value unless you really, really want to run Linux on a PowerPC rack-mounted server. The fact is that the XServe runs a bunch of IDE hard drives which would seem worthless for any real-world applications without any sort of RAID. What kind of business needs 480 Gb of non-fault tolerant disk space? In the end, why not just run on Intel or AMD hardware that will have much better software support.
I think he was referring to Apple being greedy in the past. I believe that prior to this announcement, using the name FireWire cost the OEMs $1-2 per product.
I never said that IBM did only Outsourcing. Yes, IBM does do some other types of activities considered as consulting. However, PwC certainly has a much stronger foothold in the strategy consulting market which is one marketst that originally drove consulting. However, PwC, Accenture, Cap Gemeni E&Y, and the other former "Big 5" are certainly not the equals of strategy's old guard like McKinsey, Bain, BCG, or Booz Allen. I think the differentiation of these consulting markets really goes back to the image of various types of consulting. Often, IT consultants have looked down on outsourcing practices and strategy consultants have looked down on the IT constulants.
And, by the way, a list of practices on a website does not always tell the real story of what is beign done.
There has, for a while, been a debate about exactly what constitutes consulting. IBM does a lot of outsourcing deals (which Accenture is also entering) and some people don't consider that consulting. However, the Accenture's and PWC's of the world do a lot more of the traditional strategy consulting that IBM doesn't do much.
Take a look at Microsoft's ASP.NET. Even that is highly dependent on using JavaScript on the client-side.
While ending AT&T's monopoly on phone service in the 80's has been great for the telecom industry, there is certainly a lot to be desired. What I'm wondering is if the ability to sue the Baby Bells will end up being a vehicle to change the fundamental way they operate or if it will just be a means for class-action lawyers to pad their pockets and their client's pockets.
If you look at a lot of the third party class-action antitrust suits coming against Microsoft right now, many of them are just after cash. If people sue the Baby Bell's for cash the only thing we will get are worse service and bankrupt phone companies...Can you imagine the service getting any worse?
This makes me almost start to believe the US government actually could do a better job running ICANN...but then again I doubt anyone would stand for it...