Just to let you know... Starting August 5th... I will not be coming into work for a week or two because of... personal reasons. If it is an emergency and you need me to come in... do not expect me to be showered, well fed or able to adapt to bright lights.
It's true to the idea of free software (everything from the source, man!) and a joy to upgrade
Personally... I can't stand building from source... yes building from source may result in a faster binary which is custom tailored to my system... but building can be a nightmare in terms of time! Recently I built kDevelop 3.0.4 from source and it took 3 hours and 45 min... all because I could not find a suitable RPM for my system.
The only reason I can still write at all legibly (slightly less then a doctor) is because I use a PDA stylus... just using my thumbs? I might as well swear off ever using a pen or pencil in future.
or at least know that the source has been availible to a thousand examining eyes, so to speak, and no one has raised the alarm.
Oh come on, that's a pretty specious argument. Just because the source is available to examining eyes does not mean people have availed themselves to it and have ensured line for line security.
Your comment is not unlike saying "Microsoft software is inherently more secure then open source software because no one is able to read its code and find bugs in it."
How I miss those days... walking towards the time clock, thinking of what I'd do the next day, punching out and moving onto personal things for the evening and not having work come to mind until the next morning just after I punched in.
When one is a salary man, a bit more is expected, within reason (which is the key).
While I doubt anyone will read this due to the lateness of this post, I still must do so.
Lemme just say first... I am something of an expert on digital television... it is my job.
Digital TV is for the most part based on the ATSC standard, which in turn is based on the ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard (AKA "Generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information: Systems".
Our enemy though, is the "Redistribution Control" As defined in ATSC Standard A/65B, now for a quick overview...
Within 13818, a stream of data (the transport stream is made up of packets who's length is always 188 bytes, within the first 4 bytes of the transport packet there is a field known as the PID which helps a decoder to know what is in a stream.
100 dollars worth of hardware could easily build a part which would demodulate an 8vsb signal on one end and pass the contained transport stream into a FPGA for instance who's sole job would be to do basic processing of the transport stream's EIT's to see what PID carry's the Redistribution Control (RC). Once the PID is detected, locating packets which carry it would be a simple task. Finally, once a packet is found to be carrying an RC, the FPGA would restamp the PID of the packet to 1FFF (the PID of a null packet who's payload is ignored by the decoder) then finally pass the stream to a modulator which would create the signal your decoder would receive and bada bing bada boom! No more Redistribution Control!
Sad thing is... I work with hardware everyday which would be capable of doing this... but even with my employee discount it's still far out of my price range. Of course such a device (as described above) would be illegal as it's only real use would be to bypass a copy control mechanism.
That assumes I remember to run Windows Update... Why do I have to do it myself Microsoft! I want automatic and forceful patch downloading and installation! Sure, you could throw in an extra DRM patch here or there... but I don't care, I'm lazy!
Have you ever ported an application from one platform to another?
I'm currently doing so, working with an app that was designed for easy porting from the ground up by using wxWidgets. The theory is that you simply write your app to use wxWidgets and no platform/compiler dependant calls... and you're all set, as simple as a recompile else where.
Problem is that I am running into numerous bugs both in the IDE I'm using, the compiler as well as even wxWidgets, KDE and GTK. Some are documented, others are not.
And this is me trying to port an app designed for such a transition. See my blog (in sig) for a couple of rants related to the impossible time I am having with what should be a straightforward and easy process.
Besides, even if porting was always relatively simple, the benefits of doing so may not be worth the effort. Just because there are potential customers does not mean that they will become actual customers.
Funny thing... if you actually read what I said you'd notice that I was actually calling you one... but with a few extra words.
I was discussing much of this with a co-worker today... unlike a bigot, I can accept that for some inconceivable reason, people like and use linux and it's related wares.
I make my feelings on the case quite clear... I hate linux!, and often when I do so I give explanations for it, much more then just a quick witted insult... similar to your comment in your original post.
How many software houses are going to want to support their application running under an unsupported operating system?
Oh yes, they can clearly say "We do not support running _____ under Linux, do so at your own risk" but that does not prevent the inevitable calls and e-mails, asking for support, hoping that an answer exists or worse... that they did not read the warning.
If Wine were perfect and could handle ANY Windows app then yes, it might be advantageous for a publisher to sell to Linux users for use under Wine... but lets face it, it's not perfect, it can't handle all apps.
The best way to avoid support for something is to prevent it. My favorite example, VMware... ever try to install VMware inside of a VMware VM? The install shield says no, saying that it is not supported. Period. And with that go any possible support issues down the line of someone having problems which could be caused by such a setup.
Also, when I said unauthorized distribution I did not mean 'piracy' I meant (and said) use under an unsupported/unauthorized operating system.
I'm forced to wonder if an application developer could put enough logic in their code to prevent it's running under Wine. It'd be an interesting attempt to prevent 'unauthorized' distribution of their product if they only authorize it's use under Windows.
I have... but I'm rather sick of the constant MS bashing from a group of people who seem to have nothing better to do, who have their ideas of right and wrong, good and bad, etc... thatoften directly contradict their other deeply held beliefs.
If that was his concern then he'd be better off in blocking all bots from traversing certain folders rather then specific bots. It's more likely that he's just a Microsoft hating person who hates anything MS related and thinks that doing so would 'screw' them over the same way that he think using linux does... or mozilla or any other non Microsoft product.
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Just to let you know... Starting August 5th... I will not be coming into work for a week or two because of... personal reasons. If it is an emergency and you need me to come in... do not expect me to be showered, well fed or able to adapt to bright lights.
Sincerely,
Your groveling employee.
It's true to the idea of free software (everything from the source, man!) and a joy to upgrade
Personally... I can't stand building from source... yes building from source may result in a faster binary which is custom tailored to my system... but building can be a nightmare in terms of time! Recently I built kDevelop 3.0.4 from source and it took 3 hours and 45 min... all because I could not find a suitable RPM for my system.
I've always had horrible handwriting.
The only reason I can still write at all legibly (slightly less then a doctor) is because I use a PDA stylus... just using my thumbs? I might as well swear off ever using a pen or pencil in future.
Last I checked /. was not about software piracy, please take your warezing rear elsewhere or by a legit copy with a legit key.
or at least know that the source has been availible to a thousand examining eyes, so to speak, and no one has raised the alarm.
Oh come on, that's a pretty specious argument. Just because the source is available to examining eyes does not mean people have availed themselves to it and have ensured line for line security.
Your comment is not unlike saying "Microsoft software is inherently more secure then open source software because no one is able to read its code and find bugs in it."
Ahh the words of an hourly worker.
How I miss those days... walking towards the time clock, thinking of what I'd do the next day, punching out and moving onto personal things for the evening and not having work come to mind until the next morning just after I punched in.
When one is a salary man, a bit more is expected, within reason (which is the key).
Since when is grey hair hazardous to your health? I've been going grey since 17 and I'm as healthy as I ever was!
Most theatres do... although only if you leave well before the end.
I did... is that so bad?
Except for the fact that recent RPM's are near impossible to get with out paying... which is a small part of why I am so against linux these days.
While I doubt anyone will read this due to the lateness of this post, I still must do so.
Lemme just say first... I am something of an expert on digital television... it is my job.
Digital TV is for the most part based on the ATSC standard, which in turn is based on the ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard (AKA "Generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information: Systems".
Our enemy though, is the "Redistribution Control" As defined in ATSC Standard A/65B, now for a quick overview...
Within 13818, a stream of data (the transport stream is made up of packets who's length is always 188 bytes, within the first 4 bytes of the transport packet there is a field known as the PID which helps a decoder to know what is in a stream.
100 dollars worth of hardware could easily build a part which would demodulate an 8vsb signal on one end and pass the contained transport stream into a FPGA for instance who's sole job would be to do basic processing of the transport stream's EIT's to see what PID carry's the Redistribution Control (RC). Once the PID is detected, locating packets which carry it would be a simple task. Finally, once a packet is found to be carrying an RC, the FPGA would restamp the PID of the packet to 1FFF (the PID of a null packet who's payload is ignored by the decoder) then finally pass the stream to a modulator which would create the signal your decoder would receive and bada bing bada boom! No more Redistribution Control!
Sad thing is... I work with hardware everyday which would be capable of doing this... but even with my employee discount it's still far out of my price range. Of course such a device (as described above) would be illegal as it's only real use would be to bypass a copy control mechanism.
Watch as I now get flamed and modded down...
I agree with you! Closed source software has its places, just as open source software does.
If I recall they announced this product at CES... in February... shame it took em so long to speak of it again.
Bah! That assumes I ever got around to installing XP (which I haven't).
I'm a 2000 fan myself... maybe one of these days I should install a SP or two to get the auto update features a later ones brought.
In all seriousness I should say that I use Windows Update religiously and do not have the auto update feature running (I despise it)
That assumes I remember to run Windows Update... Why do I have to do it myself Microsoft! I want automatic and forceful patch downloading and installation! Sure, you could throw in an extra DRM patch here or there... but I don't care, I'm lazy!
Have you ever ported an application from one platform to another?
I'm currently doing so, working with an app that was designed for easy porting from the ground up by using wxWidgets. The theory is that you simply write your app to use wxWidgets and no platform/compiler dependant calls... and you're all set, as simple as a recompile else where.
Problem is that I am running into numerous bugs both in the IDE I'm using, the compiler as well as even wxWidgets, KDE and GTK. Some are documented, others are not.
And this is me trying to port an app designed for such a transition. See my blog (in sig) for a couple of rants related to the impossible time I am having with what should be a straightforward and easy process.
Besides, even if porting was always relatively simple, the benefits of doing so may not be worth the effort. Just because there are potential customers does not mean that they will become actual customers.
Funny thing... if you actually read what I said you'd notice that I was actually calling you one... but with a few extra words.
I was discussing much of this with a co-worker today... unlike a bigot, I can accept that for some inconceivable reason, people like and use linux and it's related wares.
I make my feelings on the case quite clear... I hate linux!, and often when I do so I give explanations for it, much more then just a quick witted insult... similar to your comment in your original post.
See a near by post which addresses what you've said.
One word: Support.
How many software houses are going to want to support their application running under an unsupported operating system?
Oh yes, they can clearly say "We do not support running _____ under Linux, do so at your own risk" but that does not prevent the inevitable calls and e-mails, asking for support, hoping that an answer exists or worse... that they did not read the warning.
If Wine were perfect and could handle ANY Windows app then yes, it might be advantageous for a publisher to sell to Linux users for use under Wine... but lets face it, it's not perfect, it can't handle all apps.
The best way to avoid support for something is to prevent it. My favorite example, VMware... ever try to install VMware inside of a VMware VM? The install shield says no, saying that it is not supported. Period. And with that go any possible support issues down the line of someone having problems which could be caused by such a setup.
Also, when I said unauthorized distribution I did not mean 'piracy' I meant (and said) use under an unsupported/unauthorized operating system.
I'm forced to wonder if an application developer could put enough logic in their code to prevent it's running under Wine. It'd be an interesting attempt to prevent 'unauthorized' distribution of their product if they only authorize it's use under Windows.
I have... but I'm rather sick of the constant MS bashing from a group of people who seem to have nothing better to do, who have their ideas of right and wrong, good and bad, etc... thatoften directly contradict their other deeply held beliefs.
It seems an earlier post of mine summed up what you said quite well.
Who said anything about MS lobbyists?
If that was his concern then he'd be better off in blocking all bots from traversing certain folders rather then specific bots. It's more likely that he's just a Microsoft hating person who hates anything MS related and thinks that doing so would 'screw' them over the same way that he think using linux does... or mozilla or any other non Microsoft product.
...why?
Why prevent a spider from crawling your page?
Just because it's associated with Microsoft?