No, "linux" was the correct word to use in the question, not "Novell" precisely because "Novell is a flavor of linux".
The point is that there would have to be some Windows functionality missing in the other linux distros, or there'd be nothing Novell could add to their distro to make it more vulnerable to MS patents.
It affects it only if MS has functionality described in their patents that non-Novell distros don't have and Novell adds that functionality to linux. Note that if non-Novell distros already implement the patented functionality, they can already be sued by MS.
So what functionality do you believe Windows has but Linux doesn't?
Bosses often do things that don't make any sense to their subordinates. Sometimes you just don't have all the facts to understand it and other times he's just nuts.
Either way, you're likely to encounter this sort of scenario for your entire career unless you work for yourself (in which case your customers will drive you crazy instead).
Just make sure you don't lose your job over Slashdotters' version of political correctness.
I think that's why some UNIX folks are so hidebound to the tools they already use - they don't want to cram additional command line options in their aging brains.
"The security advisory says that the vulnerability relates to the way VBScript interacts with Windows Help files when using Internet Explorer, and could be triggered by a user pressing the F1 key after visiting a malicious Web site using a specially crafted dialog box."... except on Tuesdays.
It's been 8 weeks since Terry Childs' trial has started. Tonight on Dateline we will talk extensively about the trial and everyone even remotely connected to it, but true to our format, at the end of the hour you won't know if he's innocent or guilty because the trial isn't over.
We will only learn the truth over the course of future Dateline episodes and when we are finally done with the story you'll still wonder if he's guilty or innocent.
"That's exactly one of the issues checked exceptions are meant to deal with - if the exception-throwing behavior of code you call changes, you get notified during compilation so that you can update your own code (either by handling the new exceptions, or passing them on). That's not bad, that's good!"
Handling exceptions deep down in the call chain is almost always the wrong thing to do, so in the scenario where an exception is added it's caught at the highest level. So it's not really a problem.
"One thing I hate about C# is that it won't even let me optionally specify each function's exceptions."
Sure you can, unless you are under the mistaken impression that "specify" is the same as having the compiler check for it. Most specifications can't be checked by the compiler even in Java.
But if you do want a "compile-time" check you can use attributes as CLRxLint does. Obviously that isn't as convenient as having it built-in.
if he's trying to communicate or just challenge the system. If it's the former, he should upload a video that can't be removed on the basis of copyright fair use or not. If it's the latter, well, he's made his point by being censored.
I agree to the extent that compatibility is an important selling point and it also limits their ability to change their OS.
I'm not so willing to concede that the registry is an example of a design flaw. You have to consider the design within its context. For an explanation of why the registry was created and a discussion for and against it see http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/11/26/6523907.aspx
I guess there's a reason they call their site "folklore.com". While the author may have worked at Xerox at one time (installing copiers perhaps) it's clear that he never used a Xerox Alto.
Nobody who worked with an Alto would say that Smalltalk "had a three-button" mouse. Smalltalk was just a programming environment, not hardware.
The comparison should really be application to application regardless of the open/closed commercial/non-commercial categories. There's no inherent relationship between these categories and security.
Slashdot Mirror
No, "linux" was the correct word to use in the question, not "Novell" precisely because "Novell is a flavor of linux".
The point is that there would have to be some Windows functionality missing in the other linux distros, or there'd be nothing Novell could add to their distro to make it more vulnerable to MS patents.
It affects it only if MS has functionality described in their patents that non-Novell distros don't have and Novell adds that functionality to linux. Note that if non-Novell distros already implement the patented functionality, they can already be sued by MS.
So what functionality do you believe Windows has but Linux doesn't?
"as recommended by the manual" my "correctly expressed" response is I'm unemployed "you insensitive clod!".
Bosses often do things that don't make any sense to their subordinates. Sometimes you just don't have all the facts to understand it and other times he's just nuts.
Either way, you're likely to encounter this sort of scenario for your entire career unless you work for yourself (in which case your customers will drive you crazy instead).
Just make sure you don't lose your job over Slashdotters' version of political correctness.
Actually, that's not true. MS was anti-lobbying until their competitors had a long conversation with the DOJ.
Then they realized that entering the political arena had become part of the game and they had to play it.
I think that's why some UNIX folks are so hidebound to the tools they already use - they don't want to cram additional command line options in their aging brains.
that some people still have time to waste at work. On the other hand, they got some free publicity out of it.
"The security advisory says that the vulnerability relates to the way VBScript interacts with Windows Help files when using Internet Explorer, and could be triggered by a user pressing the F1 key after visiting a malicious Web site using a specially crafted dialog box." ... except on Tuesdays.
It's been 8 weeks since Terry Childs' trial has started. Tonight on Dateline we will talk extensively about the trial and everyone even remotely connected to it, but true to our format, at the end of the hour you won't know if he's innocent or guilty because the trial isn't over.
We will only learn the truth over the course of future Dateline episodes and when we are finally done with the story you'll still wonder if he's guilty or innocent.
"That's exactly one of the issues checked exceptions are meant to deal with - if the exception-throwing behavior of code you call changes, you get notified during compilation so that you can update your own code (either by handling the new exceptions, or passing them on). That's not bad, that's good!"
Handling exceptions deep down in the call chain is almost always the wrong thing to do, so in the scenario where an exception is added it's caught at the highest level. So it's not really a problem.
"One thing I hate about C# is that it won't even let me optionally specify each function's exceptions."
Sure you can, unless you are under the mistaken impression that "specify" is the same as having the compiler check for it. Most specifications can't be checked by the compiler even in Java.
But if you do want a "compile-time" check you can use attributes as CLRxLint does. Obviously that isn't as convenient as having it built-in.
"The two goals are not mutually exclusive, it is quite possible he is trying to do both."
My point is that they were mutually exclusive in practice (OK, HAL probably knows what he said).
How would you know somebody had a "good reputation" on Slashdot?
Unless of course it's a new government program to bomb another country into oblivion in which case you don't even have to put it in the budget.
Perhaps you meant to say "perfectly secure" rather than "more secure".
"Your friends are not trusted sources."
Right. Instead you should trust strangers on Slashdot.
"They should have kept the registry API hidden and not allowed apps to write their shit all over the place"
Sure, cause the last thing you want applications to do is store configuration information in the application configuration database.
if he's trying to communicate or just challenge the system. If it's the former, he should upload a video that can't be removed on the basis of copyright fair use or not. If it's the latter, well, he's made his point by being censored.
Had you fully read my comments you'd know that I already discussed the "biggest strength and weakness" of Windows (as did Bert64 before me).
Unix/Linux has its configuration problems too.
I'm actually more interested in the fate of folks around here than these obscure guys.
No. Both design flaws and bugs can sometimes be fixed without impacting operation/compatibility and sometimes they can't.
But we weren't talking about the consequences of a fix, just whether it can be done.
I agree to the extent that compatibility is an important selling point and it also limits their ability to change their OS.
I'm not so willing to concede that the registry is an example of a design flaw. You have to consider the design within its context. For an explanation of why the registry was created and a discussion for and against it see http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/11/26/6523907.aspx
I guess there's a reason they call their site "folklore.com". While the author may have worked at Xerox at one time (installing copiers perhaps) it's clear that he never used a Xerox Alto.
Nobody who worked with an Alto would say that Smalltalk "had a three-button" mouse. Smalltalk was just a programming environment, not hardware.
HP sold a touch screen computer in 1983 and people have been downloading programs for many years.
Obviously Apple couldn't follow Jobs' advice and re-invent their own phone since they didn't have one of their own.
The comparison should really be application to application regardless of the open/closed commercial/non-commercial categories. There's no inherent relationship between these categories and security.
I think there is a political issue which disproportionally elevates the importance of security - it's a talking point against Windows.