"About five years ago, Linux was starting to get known by most people in the computer field, but was still not catching on big. It was at a point where you could run it on decent hardware and have a machine that was every bit as nice, and then some, as an Intel box running OpenServer 5.0.x. I told my bosses then that this was going to be the up and coming thing. "
Wow are you ever a slow adopter...
This was apparent back in 1995, even to the SCO folks in biz.sco.general.
"The "ideology" of information as a property right is a recent fiction,"
Actually the ideologogy of information as a property right being a recent fiction is the fictional part.
Copyright started as a solution to a problem.
"Capitalism is a means to manage scarcity, and it is very good at it, but artifically creating scarcity just so that capitalism may be applied is like shooting people to create a demand for hospitals:"
Obviously you don't understand the issues involved.
"Greenspan is saying everything that has been said on Slashdot and other venues: the laws are unbalanced towards hyper-regulation, and there's an "untamed" frontier trampling IP rights totally unaffected by the hyper-regulation."
Part of the impression I received from the transcript was that he was questioning whether our IP enforcement had enough teeth. He talks about bottling up the court systems as a problem and the uniform nature of law.
Oh, Greenspan is definately critical of certain aspects of IP law, but he's definately not part of the anti-copyright slashdot crowd.
"No property deed is allowed to claim this house and the land out yonder as a valid description"
You've obviously never seen land deeds before.
Older ones often refer to trees, snow banks and other markers that are no longer there or difficult to differentiate 100 years later.
There's a whole industry built up that does nothing but survey and validate titles. You pay them a fee every time you buy and sell property... no way around it, the fees are pretty much mandated by law.
But you're right that the intention of the title is to be as specific as possible, it's just hard to do that when the land is ever changing.
"fair.org is a liberal organization that operates under the guise that if is for "fair" reporting. Their lies and spin are not worth the time of day."
Interesting. At least they've got some facts to back up their statements, which is more than I can say for the morons complaining about a liberal media.
"Reasonable people will conclude that in fact, fair.org is not really at all."
I guess I don't consider neo-conservatives to be reasonable, since they are unwilling to do fact checking on their own biases.
I'm very encouraged to see the Mono project succeed.
I used Linux for years, but I've found I much prefer the fullness and depth of services that are offered by Windows, so it has been my platform of choice for several years now. That being said, there have been a few instances where it would be nice to write a small piece of software which was cross-platform.
It's nice to see you understand the realities of the computing world and are willing to take customers into account when building solutions.
"I prefer Fox over the ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN, because at least fox will put both sides on to argue their points, and not SLANT the news to the right as much as the left will SLANT the news to their extent."
LOL http://www.fair.org/extra/0108/sources.html
"I've been conservative all my life."
Now what's that mean? I'm a conservative too, but I believe in dialog, discussion and balanced policy.
The reason why Sun has not submitted Java to any public standards body is because they would no longer be in control of validating whether an implementation conforms to the standard.
What's that mean? It means Microsoft could write a version of Java and run it through the standards body and have it stamped "Approved by ISO as Standard Java" or whatever.
That's what Sun doesn't want to happen.
"Microsoft is starting to appear as a reasonable and responsible company and Sun appears as stumbling around in the dark."
Sun is stumbling around in the dark. Their marketing strategy has become... "Well we're not Microsoft." They've lost whatever technical leads they once had, and now try to appeal to emotions to get business.
Emotions and business do not make strong partners over the long haul. McNealy needs to step down from Sun.
I actually started off as a EE, and my father is an MSEE. I have a reasonable understanding of what that means.
Software Development is not Engineering, and I'm not certain it can be.
There has been this long struggle in the software development world to apply engineering concepts to programming. Some of these have been successful, but most have not. This engineering focus is what drove the Waterfall development method. Identify requirements, specifications and then start building and arrive with a finished product. This can work if people know exactly what they want up front, or as someone once put it "Writing software from specifications is a lot like walking on water, it's really easy if they're frozen."
Well that doesn't work for software for consumers or business users, and the newer development methodologies keep that in mind. The newer iterative processes seem to take the waterfall approach and break it down into smaller waterfalls, or more like going through a series of locks along the river. Engineer each part, make sure that works then move to the next. Ok, that's been a bit more successful.
Now the latest trend is one of Agile Development(think XP). The reality being you can't really know what the whole system will look like until you get further down the development path so just take what you can as you go along. That has it's own share of problems, but it's more flexible to changing user requirements.
I once heard someone explain the problem of Software Development like this...
Engineers are hired to design a bridge. They ask where the bridge will sit, how many cars and trucks should it be capable of moving and so forth. Then they study the location and create models to understand how strong the bridge should be to handle the job.
Software on the other hand is a bit more nebulous. You ask where it will be used, and you get something of an answer. You ask how many users will use it, and you get a wild guess. You ask how it will be used, and they sort of know. It's a lot like trying to design a railroad bridge to go over the Missouri River only to find out that the endusers have tried to deploy it across the Grand Canyon and now want to land 747's on it.
Or as someone else said... "Software has to adapt to change. That's why we call it software and not hardware."
In many ways Software Development is more difficult than Engineering.
I'm a little bit puzzled. I have a BSCS and you claim I am just a programmer. Yet from the rest of your description of your SE degree you've described what CS means.
"IMO, Microsoft would benefit by issuing public release candidates for new OS versions and patches."
Umm... they do.
For new OS versions it's called the Customer Preview Program. They've been doing this since at least Win95. In addition there are thousands involved even earlier in the process with the beta.
For servicepacks, the distribution is a bit more limited and they only go out to beta members as well as partners and such. Windows 2000 SP4 Beta Invites Sent
Hotfixes are more difficult, because they suffer from rapid release. They're rolled up into service packs, which then go through the public testing process.
But the second reason was the Software Bundle. For $1795 you got the computer, but you also received copies of WordStar(with MailMerge!), Supercalc and Microsoft BASIC. At the time the software bundle alone was worth over $1,000.
That was a new concept in the industry at the time and contributed largely to the intial success of the machine.
My first experiences with computers was with a CP/M system my father bought as a home computer back in 1982. The Morrow MD-2, it was a competitor to Osborne only it was a more traditional desktop case rather than a portable. Computers were a heck of a lot simpler back then, although not nearly as useful.
I'm a little bit confused by this frustration with introducing Tomcat, because it was my understanding that one of the primary motivators for using Java is it's platform independence. Since your company already uses BEA, and therefore assumably has support licenses in place for this... why would you feel the need to add Tomcat into your environment in addition?
It's far easier for a corporate IT shop to support one style of technology rather than say 3 or 4.
Although admittedly we're running into that problem here. We buy third party products and companies and thus far I know we have JBoss, Oracle and BEA running in various places. I had a similar conversation several weeks ago with a developer who is convinced he wants to bring Tomcat into our environment. I can't understand why since we already have these other options, and besides our Oracle contract is an enterprise licensing deal so it'd be no extra cost to his team.
Sometimes I really don't understand developers. Are you trying to make the best technical decision, or are you just motivated by familiarity or ideology?
Most software that I buy today is really in effect Shareware, as I first obtain the trial copy to see what it does. If it does what I need done, I then go out and purchase it.
There are two programs which I have found absolutely invaluable over the years, and paid the Shareware fees.
One is Ultraedit, as mentioned. The other is filesync
"No, but seriously, smog is bad because it's a health hazard right here and now, not because it might potentially contribute to a change in the Earth's climate which is more likely to happen anyway."
I'm sure the civilizations that have fallen over the past 9,000 years due to deforestation and other changes to their environment all held the same opinion.
I don't know about global warming, but I do know that the things which we do to our environment have very real consequences. Soil erosion is a very real problem. Elimination of plant life and wetlands, replacing them with concrete jungles and storm sewers has contributed greatly to flooding. As has the building of dikes, which has helped the water to drain down ever faster.
We can always choose to do nothing about the destruction of our environment. I've yet to be convinced that is the right course.
Slashdot Mirror
"About five years ago, Linux was starting to get known by most people in the computer field, but was still not catching on big. It was at a point where you could run it on decent hardware and have a machine that was every bit as nice, and then some, as an Intel box running OpenServer 5.0.x. I told my bosses then that this was going to be the up and coming thing. "
Wow are you ever a slow adopter...
This was apparent back in 1995, even to the SCO folks in biz.sco.general.
"The "ideology" of information as a property right is a recent fiction,"
Actually the ideologogy of information as a property right being a recent fiction is the fictional part.
Copyright started as a solution to a problem.
"Capitalism is a means to manage scarcity, and it is very good at it, but artifically creating scarcity just so that capitalism may be applied is like shooting people to create a demand for hospitals:"
Obviously you don't understand the issues involved.
"Greenspan is saying everything that has been said on Slashdot and other venues: the laws are unbalanced towards hyper-regulation, and there's an "untamed" frontier trampling IP rights totally unaffected by the hyper-regulation."
Part of the impression I received from the transcript was that he was questioning whether our IP enforcement had enough teeth. He talks about bottling up the court systems as a problem and the uniform nature of law.
Oh, Greenspan is definately critical of certain aspects of IP law, but he's definately not part of the anti-copyright slashdot crowd.
"No property deed is allowed to claim this house and the land out yonder as a valid description"
You've obviously never seen land deeds before.
Older ones often refer to trees, snow banks and other markers that are no longer there or difficult to differentiate 100 years later.
There's a whole industry built up that does nothing but survey and validate titles. You pay them a fee every time you buy and sell property... no way around it, the fees are pretty much mandated by law.
But you're right that the intention of the title is to be as specific as possible, it's just hard to do that when the land is ever changing.
"fair.org is a liberal organization that operates under the guise that if is for "fair" reporting. Their lies and spin are not worth the time of day."
Interesting. At least they've got some facts to back up their statements, which is more than I can say for the morons complaining about a liberal media.
"Reasonable people will conclude that in fact, fair.org is not really at all."
I guess I don't consider neo-conservatives to be reasonable, since they are unwilling to do fact checking on their own biases.
Thank you Miguel!
I'm very encouraged to see the Mono project succeed.
I used Linux for years, but I've found I much prefer the fullness and depth of services that are offered by Windows, so it has been my platform of choice for several years now. That being said, there have been a few instances where it would be nice to write a small piece of software which was cross-platform.
It's nice to see you understand the realities of the computing world and are willing to take customers into account when building solutions.
"I prefer Fox over the ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN, because at least fox will put both sides on to argue their points, and not SLANT the news to the right as much as the left will SLANT the news to their extent."
l
LOL
http://www.fair.org/extra/0108/sources.htm
"I've been conservative all my life."
Now what's that mean? I'm a conservative too, but I believe in dialog, discussion and balanced policy.
i.e. no O'Reilly, and not the Republican party.
Wow... I actually got modded down for suggesting someone look at a technical decision from something other than an emotional standpoint.
How illogical is that?
"So, in conclusion, I'm not sure which is better. "
Only because you've been confused by emotional arguments. Once you get past those and focus solely on the technical side, the answer is easy.
Java is a proprietary language.
The reason why Sun has not submitted Java to any public standards body is because they would no longer be in control of validating whether an implementation conforms to the standard.
What's that mean? It means Microsoft could write a version of Java and run it through the standards body and have it stamped "Approved by ISO as Standard Java" or whatever.
That's what Sun doesn't want to happen.
"Microsoft is starting to appear as a reasonable and responsible company and Sun appears as stumbling around in the dark."
Sun is stumbling around in the dark. Their marketing strategy has become... "Well we're not Microsoft." They've lost whatever technical leads they once had, and now try to appeal to emotions to get business.
Emotions and business do not make strong partners over the long haul. McNealy needs to step down from Sun.
The answer is: No.
Next question?
I actually started off as a EE, and my father is an MSEE. I have a reasonable understanding of what that means.
Software Development is not Engineering, and I'm not certain it can be.
There has been this long struggle in the software development world to apply engineering concepts to programming. Some of these have been successful, but most have not. This engineering focus is what drove the Waterfall development method. Identify requirements, specifications and then start building and arrive with a finished product. This can work if people know exactly what they want up front, or as someone once put it "Writing software from specifications is a lot like walking on water, it's really easy if they're frozen."
Well that doesn't work for software for consumers or business users, and the newer development methodologies keep that in mind. The newer iterative processes seem to take the waterfall approach and break it down into smaller waterfalls, or more like going through a series of locks along the river. Engineer each part, make sure that works then move to the next. Ok, that's been a bit more successful.
Now the latest trend is one of Agile Development(think XP). The reality being you can't really know what the whole system will look like until you get further down the development path so just take what you can as you go along. That has it's own share of problems, but it's more flexible to changing user requirements.
I once heard someone explain the problem of Software Development like this...
Engineers are hired to design a bridge. They ask where the bridge will sit, how many cars and trucks should it be capable of moving and so forth. Then they study the location and create models to understand how strong the bridge should be to handle the job.
Software on the other hand is a bit more nebulous. You ask where it will be used, and you get something of an answer. You ask how many users will use it, and you get a wild guess. You ask how it will be used, and they sort of know. It's a lot like trying to design a railroad bridge to go over the Missouri River only to find out that the endusers have tried to deploy it across the Grand Canyon and now want to land 747's on it.
Or as someone else said... "Software has to adapt to change. That's why we call it software and not hardware."
In many ways Software Development is more difficult than Engineering.
I'm a little bit puzzled. I have a BSCS and you claim I am just a programmer. Yet from the rest of your description of your SE degree you've described what CS means.
LOL! You seriously believe this nonsense.
Tell ya what, instead of predicting the future why don't you tell us all when they're actually successful?
I'm so very tired of Linux losers hyping up their failed crap.
"IMO, Microsoft would benefit by issuing public release candidates for new OS versions and patches."
Umm... they do.
For new OS versions it's called the Customer Preview Program. They've been doing this since at least Win95. In addition there are thousands involved even earlier in the process with the beta.
For servicepacks, the distribution is a bit more limited and they only go out to beta members as well as partners and such. Windows 2000 SP4 Beta Invites Sent
Hotfixes are more difficult, because they suffer from rapid release. They're rolled up into service packs, which then go through the public testing process.
Interesting. I see no problems.
It's very likely something specific to your machine, most likely a video driver issue.
Working? They're asking for handouts, and they don't offer anything concrete in return other than warm fuzzies.
"Can I be on the occupied Iraq new currency designing committee?"
Too late, the Bush Dinar has already been designed.
"Goes to counteract all those nay-sayers who say "RMS and the FSF are communists!" No, they're not communists. "
The FSF putting out a call for donations suddenly proves they aren't communists?
I don't get it, where is the logic in that?
The first reason is the obvious portability.
But the second reason was the Software Bundle. For $1795 you got the computer, but you also received copies of WordStar(with MailMerge!), Supercalc and Microsoft BASIC. At the time the software bundle alone was worth over $1,000.
That was a new concept in the industry at the time and contributed largely to the intial success of the machine.
My first experiences with computers was with a CP/M system my father bought as a home computer back in 1982. The Morrow MD-2, it was a competitor to Osborne only it was a more traditional desktop case rather than a portable. Computers were a heck of a lot simpler back then, although not nearly as useful.
"Office Depot has neither the knowledgeable staff of CompUSA"
Ok, I'm convinced this guy is just trolling.
Anybody who uses the words knowledgeable, staff and CompUSA in the same sentence doesn't expect to be taken seriously.
"Office Depot, Staples, and OfficeMax have traditionally had very high prices and very limited selections for computer hardware anyway. "
Check out the prices of network patch cables at CompUSA and then compare to Office Depot. Then tell me who has higher prices.
I generally avoid CompUSA because they are too high priced and don't offer any service to justify the pricing.
Yeah, dumb consumers always get in the way of product sales.
Please ignore the sarcasm.
I'm a little bit confused by this frustration with introducing Tomcat, because it was my understanding that one of the primary motivators for using Java is it's platform independence. Since your company already uses BEA, and therefore assumably has support licenses in place for this... why would you feel the need to add Tomcat into your environment in addition?
It's far easier for a corporate IT shop to support one style of technology rather than say 3 or 4.
Although admittedly we're running into that problem here. We buy third party products and companies and thus far I know we have JBoss, Oracle and BEA running in various places. I had a similar conversation several weeks ago with a developer who is convinced he wants to bring Tomcat into our environment. I can't understand why since we already have these other options, and besides our Oracle contract is an enterprise licensing deal so it'd be no extra cost to his team.
Sometimes I really don't understand developers. Are you trying to make the best technical decision, or are you just motivated by familiarity or ideology?
Most software that I buy today is really in effect Shareware, as I first obtain the trial copy to see what it does. If it does what I need done, I then go out and purchase it.
There are two programs which I have found absolutely invaluable over the years, and paid the Shareware fees.
One is Ultraedit, as mentioned.
The other is filesync
Shareware is far from dead.
"No, but seriously, smog is bad because it's a health hazard right here and now, not because it might potentially contribute to a change in the Earth's climate which is more likely to happen anyway."
I'm sure the civilizations that have fallen over the past 9,000 years due to deforestation and other changes to their environment all held the same opinion.
I don't know about global warming, but I do know that the things which we do to our environment have very real consequences. Soil erosion is a very real problem. Elimination of plant life and wetlands, replacing them with concrete jungles and storm sewers has contributed greatly to flooding. As has the building of dikes, which has helped the water to drain down ever faster.
We can always choose to do nothing about the destruction of our environment. I've yet to be convinced that is the right course.