While it is true that Apple sells the hardware for more than the sum of the parts; Apple hardware costs more because it goes through more quality control and has better design. Neither of those comes cheap, and they are appreciated by people who appreciate such things.
You have a point with design, but Apple notebooks are manufactured by the same ODMs (Quanta, mainly) that manufacture PC notebooks.
When you buy a Mac, you are buying a Lexus. It's a luxury product - the entire experience is controlled to Apple's exacting standards, from the slick packaging to the styling of the product. Even the boot-up experience is uniquely "Apple".
If you care about that experience, buy an Apple. There's nothing wrong with Apple. And there's nothing wrong with Lexus. But don't fool yourself into thinking that the hardware is somehow fundamentally different. Particularly now that Apple has switched to x86.
"is a time service that transmits from Boulder Colorado"
As a resident of Fort Collins, CO and (now) Boulder, CO, let me clarify:
WWV transmits from Fort Collins, CO on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. You need a shortwave radio to pick it up (though, in the Fort Collins area, you can pick it up on a crappy AM radio tuned to the upper end of the band).
NIST is located in Boulder, CO, and it serves as the frequency and time reference for the atomic clocks in Fort Collins.
WWVB is also transmitted from Fort Collins, CO, providing a digital time service for radio-synchronized clocks. If you care about having the right time, these are a cheap way to get it.
"No, he doesn't. That's exactly the point of all of this. If he knew what sells, he wouldn't have been blindsided by the success of Google's business model"
To be honest, everyone was broadsided by Google's success, even Google itself. You're talking about an entire industry that almost wrote online advertising off as a revenue stream - that Microsoft did not see Google making it work indicates only that they were as blind as the rest of us.
If he comes up with another couple of billion at the end of the day, it will be because he successfully stole other people's ideas, cheated, or broke the law - the same way he got the first 40
Microsoft is, and always has, innovated. We're talking about the company that invented AJAX, the company that brought us the first decent CSS implementation in a browser, the company that made console gaming online a success, the company that redefined the IDE.
Microsoft's innovation isn't necessarily about radical new ideas. But neither is Google's. Micosoft buys or copies a product, but then improves on it in terms of integration and usability. Few would argue that Trident is still a Spyglass product. Or that SQL Server is still a Sybase product.
It's all part of a software ecosystem that makes a very compelling solution for business. The Linux community is just beginning to realize that having the software is not enough - it has to be integrated. Novell gets this, and that is why they are and will continue to be successful in the server market.
For those of us who want wireless broadband today, Sprint and Verzion both offer 1x EV-DO (about 512k, 200-300ms latency) in the US for about $60. There aren't any bandwidth caps, but you probably get cut off if you download 80GB.
No, it's funny how you wrap things around. Microsoft values their users more than they value some weak ideology about their code. Case in point - Microsoft has released the source for Windows to governments and other major institutions because their customers wanted it.
Anyone can get the Windows CE source code, if they want. Microsoft accommodated their customers by releasing the source. The Linux developers need to accommodate developers by allowing them to keep their source closed.
All of these complaints are frankly bull. Microsoft somehow manages to release security patches without breaking the driver model. They manage to make major changes to the kernel, like the numerous changes to the memory manager in Windows XP, NX support in XP-SP2, or the many changes in Windows Vista, without breaking the driver model.
It's not either-or. Yes, you have to tread lightly when you have a specification to follow. But that's the point. Imagine if IEEE refused to standardize 802.11b because they need to be able to update it for "future security fixes".
after straightening out more than a couple whisker-thin pins on my Athlon 64 CPUs
If you are straightening pins, you're not being nearly careful enough. Socket 754 pins are considerably beefier than, for example, socket 468, and few people complained about Pentium 4 Northwood being easy to damage.
LGA is more about better electrical connectivity than preventing bent pins. Remember that most CPUs go into OEM systems, which are aseembled by people who are much better at inserting CPUs that you are.
While AMD and IBM make technically superior chips, they simply don't have the mass manufacturing capability to compete with Chipzilla
Perhaps not for the entire industry (though, according to AMD reports, with Fab 36 and Chartered online, they will be able to supply as much as 50% of the x86 market in 2006), but AMD has more than enough capacity for Apple.
Remember, AMD was capable of 50 million dies in 2005, and it looks like they may be able to double that in 2006.
I use the word "broadband" in quotes, because it's a relative word. In the US, compared to dialup, it's broadband. Compared to what folks on other continents get, it's narrow.
I don't really know whether you are just anti-American or really that uninformed. Verizon offers 30Mbps through FIOS, Charter offers 50Mbps through cable, and SBC offers 24Mbps ADSL2+.
Personally, I'm on 100Mbps ethernet. We're hooked into Qwest's and Level3's backbones using OC-12s.
And, you know what? I still don't use the connection to download TV over the internet. Like most people, I have a TV.
Of course alternatively, you could build the OS so that spyware can't install itself silently and start phoning home.
Do not make the mistake of believing that your platform is immune.
Spyware works on any platform because users are stupid. Almost any user will gladly reveal their administrator password if promised "free screensavers". At that point, all of the access control in the world won't help you.
No operating system that allows the user to take control of their system is immune from spyware. There are always users who will give spyware whatever permissions it needs to install.
First, Microsoft is announcing this anti-spyware will be free. I'm wondering how could they charge for it? Spyware basically is malware takes advantage of a poorly architected Windows environment, n'est-ce pas? I would think it unseemly to manufacture a product that has deficiencies, then sell a product to protect against those deficiencies. (Oh, you want air in those tires? We have an addon, called valve-stems which, for now, we're offering for free.)
No, it isn't. While Spyware has used "drive-by-downloads" and other Windows flaws to install itself in the past, today's spyware is almost universally bundled with software that the user downloads and installs. Web toolbars, screensavers, background utilities, file sharing products, and other shareware is frequently loaded with spyware.
Spyware can be written for any platform. What's to stop spware from modifying your.bashrc? Or your GNOME session?
Add to that the fact that most software is installed as root, and there is no limit to the damage that spyware-infected software could do. Even your Kernel and bootloader aren't safe.
Spyware is a problem that can affect any platform. While some spyware is undoubtably based on Windows flaws, spyware bundled with software can affect any platform.
"Video acceleration. Full MPEG decoding (not just iDCT+MC offload) for MPEG2, like the Unichrome video chips do. Full H.264 decoding is even more important, given its growing popularity and huge CPU requirements."
God forbid you have to use your CPU to do video decoding. My Athlon 64 2800+ has no problem pumping through H.264 at 1280x720 at a high bitrate. Really, what's wrong with software decoding?
If you really care that much, NVIDIA's 7-series cards and ATI's Radeon X1K series cards can decode H.264 in hardware.
"Open Source drivers, with full functionality. Good Linux support, enabling all the important hardware functions of the card would be a great start."
Not going to happen. Both NVIDIA and ATI drivers have 3rd-party licensed code. They are contractually obligated not to release the source.
Silent operation. Loud cooling fans are a no-go for me."
The 6800's cooling solution is pretty decent. There are many fanless cards if you require absolute silence.
"HDTV output - Good support for standard HDTV (1080i/720p) resolution & synch rates. Support for DVI / VGA / and Component outputs."
Most modern ATI and NVIDIA cards, including the 6800GS, include HDTV output through component video. DVI and VGA are standard features on almost every card sold today.
"Decent 3D support - enough to handle the 3D acceleration being used in GUIs, and basic gaming."
Even the 6200 has more than enough performance to handle 3D GUI acceleration.
"They've just introduced some new S3 Chrome boards that are roughly comparable to the GEForce 6800 line, but are priced around $150."
Wrong. The S3 Chrome 27 competes with the GeForce 6600, not the 6600GT or 6800.
Note that VIA's "benchmarks" compared the S3 Chrome 27 to the GeForce 6600, not the GeForce 6600GT or GeForce 6800, both of which are considerably faster. The 6600 is a sub-$100 value card.
Note also that VIA's "benchmarks" are full of errors. There is no such thing as a GeForce "FX" 6600.
The Chrome 27 is no competition for the GeForce 6800 or even the GeForce 6600GT. Even VIA's own benchmarks indicate that it is not. And, at $150, it's not a good value at all.
That technology will probably be in Via's motherboard chipsets soon, at an even lower price.
Performance of integrated graphics has always and will always suck compared to any discrete solution. You cannot, with today's technology, do fast graphics on a shared, high-latency, low-bandwidth memory bus.
"Notice that it has less pixel pipes. There are 4 blocks of 4 on a 6800 series chip, and one of those is disabled. However, the chip is clocked faster. My guess is they have found that they are still having a number of chips that one of the four blocks will fail on, espically at higher speeds. Ok so just make a new line of cards that only has three active at a higher speed and sell it. Gamers are happy, and you get to use more of your production capacity."
Not true. While early GeForce 6800s were indeed 6800GT parts with a disabled quad, the NV41 (which the 6800GS is based off of) is a native 12-pipe part. It is also a native PCIe part, unlike NV40.
Cramming 30+ kids into a classroom for hours on end with a teacher who doesn't necessarily know the material they're supposed to be teaching (let alone effective teaching methods) is absolutely not the best way to teach kids. It is a waste of time. A huge waste of time. I don't have all the solutions, but I do know that there must be better ways to teach than the school system most countries have right now.
You make a lot of assumptions about a system that you seem to know very little about. Assuming that every school system is broken is a foolish assumption to make. It's far more wise to look at the institutions that work and try to figure out what makes them work.
Moreover, not everyone learns the same way. While it would be excellent to talor the education of every student individually, in the real world, there is not nearly enough time, manpower, or expertise to provide a personalized curriculum to every student.
As a college freshman, I often find myself missing the direct and prompt feedback, more interactive teaching, and tighter focus of the high school environment.
"AMD *could* easily meet Apple's projected demands, they are *in the process of building another huge fab*"
Your information is out of date. Fab 36 opened on October 14.
"Intel can be relied upon to not screw up the supply chain at least"
Not the case. Intel had huge problems delivering 90nm parts early on. They also had huge problems with Prescott at higher steppings - note, for example, the absence of 3.8GHz Prescotts.
Trust me, insane quantities of bandwidth are overrated. I regularly get 50Mbps to Akamai sites (local mirror on campus), 30Mbps to other universities (Internet2) and around 10-20Mbps to everywhere else. In reality, the connection doesn't "feel" any faster than the 4Mbps Comcast service I had before.
Macromedia chose On2's VP6 codec (On2 is the company that donated VP3 to the OSS community - it's now known as Theora) because of patent and other considerations.
"The fact they consider Firefox an afterthought is a good indication that they're going to lose the online search/portal wars to Google."
Well, seeing as the Live.com/Start.com/MSN/VirtualEarth teams have been very responsive and committed to bringing support to a platform that competes with their product, I'd say that Firefox is more than an afterthought. Live.com already works with Firefox. And full support is forthcoming.
Slashdot Mirror
While it is true that Apple sells the hardware for more than the sum of the parts; Apple hardware costs more because it goes through more quality control and has better design. Neither of those comes cheap, and they are appreciated by people who appreciate such things.
You have a point with design, but Apple notebooks are manufactured by the same ODMs (Quanta, mainly) that manufacture PC notebooks.
When you buy a Mac, you are buying a Lexus. It's a luxury product - the entire experience is controlled to Apple's exacting standards, from the slick packaging to the styling of the product. Even the boot-up experience is uniquely "Apple".
If you care about that experience, buy an Apple. There's nothing wrong with Apple. And there's nothing wrong with Lexus. But don't fool yourself into thinking that the hardware is somehow fundamentally different. Particularly now that Apple has switched to x86.
Why yes, I give my admin password out on request!
You would be amazed at what most users will do for music, porn, wallpapers, or screensavers.
Mac OS isn't immune to this kind of crapola - at least not for the average user.
"is a time service that transmits from Boulder Colorado"
As a resident of Fort Collins, CO and (now) Boulder, CO, let me clarify:
WWV transmits from Fort Collins, CO on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. You need a shortwave radio to pick it up (though, in the Fort Collins area, you can pick it up on a crappy AM radio tuned to the upper end of the band).
NIST is located in Boulder, CO, and it serves as the frequency and time reference for the atomic clocks in Fort Collins.
WWVB is also transmitted from Fort Collins, CO, providing a digital time service for radio-synchronized clocks. If you care about having the right time, these are a cheap way to get it.
"No, he doesn't. That's exactly the point of all of this. If he knew what sells, he wouldn't have been blindsided by the success of Google's business model"
To be honest, everyone was broadsided by Google's success, even Google itself. You're talking about an entire industry that almost wrote online advertising off as a revenue stream - that Microsoft did not see Google making it work indicates only that they were as blind as the rest of us.
If he comes up with another couple of billion at the end of the day, it will be because he successfully stole other people's ideas, cheated, or broke the law - the same way he got the first 40
Microsoft is, and always has, innovated. We're talking about the company that invented AJAX, the company that brought us the first decent CSS implementation in a browser, the company that made console gaming online a success, the company that redefined the IDE.
Microsoft's innovation isn't necessarily about radical new ideas. But neither is Google's. Micosoft buys or copies a product, but then improves on it in terms of integration and usability. Few would argue that Trident is still a Spyglass product. Or that SQL Server is still a Sybase product.
It's all part of a software ecosystem that makes a very compelling solution for business. The Linux community is just beginning to realize that having the software is not enough - it has to be integrated. Novell gets this, and that is why they are and will continue to be successful in the server market.
For those of us who want wireless broadband today, Sprint and Verzion both offer 1x EV-DO (about 512k, 200-300ms latency) in the US for about $60. There aren't any bandwidth caps, but you probably get cut off if you download 80GB.
Why the hell does no one get this:
This is a satellite communication system. Not 3G cellular.
Immarsat has latency that is considerably worse than even GPRS, and it's surprisingly expensive.
Comparing it to GPRS is stupid.
"Now were only 2 years behind Korea, Japan, and the rest of the 3G world!"
Of course, this isn't at all related to 3G mobile phone systems, which we have had for over four years (CDMA2000 1xRTT qualifies).
But, hey, it's a joke aimed at the US, and this is Slashdot - never let facts get in the way.
It's funny how you warp things around.
No, it's funny how you wrap things around. Microsoft values their users more than they value some weak ideology about their code. Case in point - Microsoft has released the source for Windows to governments and other major institutions because their customers wanted it.
Anyone can get the Windows CE source code, if they want. Microsoft accommodated their customers by releasing the source. The Linux developers need to accommodate developers by allowing them to keep their source closed.
All of these complaints are frankly bull. Microsoft somehow manages to release security patches without breaking the driver model. They manage to make major changes to the kernel, like the numerous changes to the memory manager in Windows XP, NX support in XP-SP2, or the many changes in Windows Vista, without breaking the driver model.
It's not either-or. Yes, you have to tread lightly when you have a specification to follow. But that's the point. Imagine if IEEE refused to standardize 802.11b because they need to be able to update it for "future security fixes".
If you don't like it, then you can go use something with better driver support, like Windows.
Guess what? 600 million people do just that, every day. And that's not going to change until the attitude of the Free Software community changes.
after straightening out more than a couple whisker-thin pins on my Athlon 64 CPUs
If you are straightening pins, you're not being nearly careful enough. Socket 754 pins are considerably beefier than, for example, socket 468, and few people complained about Pentium 4 Northwood being easy to damage.
LGA is more about better electrical connectivity than preventing bent pins. Remember that most CPUs go into OEM systems, which are aseembled by people who are much better at inserting CPUs that you are.
While AMD and IBM make technically superior chips, they simply don't have the mass manufacturing capability to compete with Chipzilla
Perhaps not for the entire industry (though, according to AMD reports, with Fab 36 and Chartered online, they will be able to supply as much as 50% of the x86 market in 2006), but AMD has more than enough capacity for Apple.
Remember, AMD was capable of 50 million dies in 2005, and it looks like they may be able to double that in 2006.
I use the word "broadband" in quotes, because it's a relative word. In the US, compared to dialup, it's broadband. Compared to what folks on other continents get, it's narrow.
I don't really know whether you are just anti-American or really that uninformed. Verizon offers 30Mbps through FIOS, Charter offers 50Mbps through cable, and SBC offers 24Mbps ADSL2+.
Personally, I'm on 100Mbps ethernet. We're hooked into Qwest's and Level3's backbones using OC-12s.
And, you know what? I still don't use the connection to download TV over the internet. Like most people, I have a TV.
Of course alternatively, you could build the OS so that spyware can't install itself silently and start phoning home.
Do not make the mistake of believing that your platform is immune.
Spyware works on any platform because users are stupid. Almost any user will gladly reveal their administrator password if promised "free screensavers". At that point, all of the access control in the world won't help you.
No operating system that allows the user to take control of their system is immune from spyware. There are always users who will give spyware whatever permissions it needs to install.
First, Microsoft is announcing this anti-spyware will be free. I'm wondering how could they charge for it? Spyware basically is malware takes advantage of a poorly architected Windows environment, n'est-ce pas? I would think it unseemly to manufacture a product that has deficiencies, then sell a product to protect against those deficiencies. (Oh, you want air in those tires? We have an addon, called valve-stems which, for now, we're offering for free.)
.bashrc? Or your GNOME session?
No, it isn't. While Spyware has used "drive-by-downloads" and other Windows flaws to install itself in the past, today's spyware is almost universally bundled with software that the user downloads and installs. Web toolbars, screensavers, background utilities, file sharing products, and other shareware is frequently loaded with spyware.
Spyware can be written for any platform. What's to stop spware from modifying your
Add to that the fact that most software is installed as root, and there is no limit to the damage that spyware-infected software could do. Even your Kernel and bootloader aren't safe.
Spyware is a problem that can affect any platform. While some spyware is undoubtably based on Windows flaws, spyware bundled with software can affect any platform.
"Video acceleration. Full MPEG decoding (not just iDCT+MC offload) for MPEG2, like the Unichrome video chips do. Full H.264 decoding is even more important, given its growing popularity and huge CPU requirements."
God forbid you have to use your CPU to do video decoding. My Athlon 64 2800+ has no problem pumping through H.264 at 1280x720 at a high bitrate. Really, what's wrong with software decoding?
If you really care that much, NVIDIA's 7-series cards and ATI's Radeon X1K series cards can decode H.264 in hardware.
"Open Source drivers, with full functionality. Good Linux support, enabling all the important hardware functions of the card would be a great start."
Not going to happen. Both NVIDIA and ATI drivers have 3rd-party licensed code. They are contractually obligated not to release the source.
Silent operation. Loud cooling fans are a no-go for me."
The 6800's cooling solution is pretty decent. There are many fanless cards if you require absolute silence.
"HDTV output - Good support for standard HDTV (1080i/720p) resolution & synch rates. Support for DVI / VGA / and Component outputs."
Most modern ATI and NVIDIA cards, including the 6800GS, include HDTV output through component video. DVI and VGA are standard features on almost every card sold today.
"Decent 3D support - enough to handle the 3D acceleration being used in GUIs, and basic gaming."
Even the 6200 has more than enough performance to handle 3D GUI acceleration.
"They've just introduced some new S3 Chrome boards that are roughly comparable to the GEForce 6800 line, but are priced around $150."
Wrong. The S3 Chrome 27 competes with the GeForce 6600, not the 6600GT or 6800.
Note that VIA's "benchmarks" compared the S3 Chrome 27 to the GeForce 6600, not the GeForce 6600GT or GeForce 6800, both of which are considerably faster. The 6600 is a sub-$100 value card.
Note also that VIA's "benchmarks" are full of errors. There is no such thing as a GeForce "FX" 6600.
The Chrome 27 is no competition for the GeForce 6800 or even the GeForce 6600GT. Even VIA's own benchmarks indicate that it is not. And, at $150, it's not a good value at all.
That technology will probably be in Via's motherboard chipsets soon, at an even lower price.
Performance of integrated graphics has always and will always suck compared to any discrete solution. You cannot, with today's technology, do fast graphics on a shared, high-latency, low-bandwidth memory bus.
"Notice that it has less pixel pipes. There are 4 blocks of 4 on a 6800 series chip, and one of those is disabled. However, the chip is clocked faster. My guess is they have found that they are still having a number of chips that one of the four blocks will fail on, espically at higher speeds. Ok so just make a new line of cards that only has three active at a higher speed and sell it. Gamers are happy, and you get to use more of your production capacity."
Not true. While early GeForce 6800s were indeed 6800GT parts with a disabled quad, the NV41 (which the 6800GS is based off of) is a native 12-pipe part. It is also a native PCIe part, unlike NV40.
"I was naively waiting to read about a $100 gpu that performed well enough to play today's games at lcd resolutions."
6 00_ddr2/
You might be interested in the GeForce 6600 DDR2, which, incidentally, was also released today:
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/xfx_geforce_6
Cramming 30+ kids into a classroom for hours on end with a teacher who doesn't necessarily know the material they're supposed to be teaching (let alone effective teaching methods) is absolutely not the best way to teach kids. It is a waste of time. A huge waste of time. I don't have all the solutions, but I do know that there must be better ways to teach than the school system most countries have right now.
You make a lot of assumptions about a system that you seem to know very little about. Assuming that every school system is broken is a foolish assumption to make. It's far more wise to look at the institutions that work and try to figure out what makes them work.
Moreover, not everyone learns the same way. While it would be excellent to talor the education of every student individually, in the real world, there is not nearly enough time, manpower, or expertise to provide a personalized curriculum to every student.
As a college freshman, I often find myself missing the direct and prompt feedback, more interactive teaching, and tighter focus of the high school environment.
"AMD *could* easily meet Apple's projected demands, they are *in the process of building another huge fab*"
Your information is out of date. Fab 36 opened on October 14.
"Intel can be relied upon to not screw up the supply chain at least"
Not the case. Intel had huge problems delivering 90nm parts early on. They also had huge problems with Prescott at higher steppings - note, for example, the absence of 3.8GHz Prescotts.
Wow! ADSL2 at 24Mbps. It's not like any US provider offers ADSL2 at 24Mbps.
s /HighSpeedInternetForHome.asp
Well, actually:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/52221
And if you want fiber to your house:
http://www22.verizon.com/FiosForHome/channels/Fio
Trust me, insane quantities of bandwidth are overrated. I regularly get 50Mbps to Akamai sites (local mirror on campus), 30Mbps to other universities (Internet2) and around 10-20Mbps to everywhere else. In reality, the connection doesn't "feel" any faster than the 4Mbps Comcast service I had before.
Wrong wrong wrong:
i deo-codec-in-flash-8.html
http://www.kaourantin.net/2005/08/quest-for-new-v
Macromedia chose On2's VP6 codec (On2 is the company that donated VP3 to the OSS community - it's now known as Theora) because of patent and other considerations.
"My copy is 24 seconds away from downloaded ;)"
Pathetic. My copy downloaded in 2.92 seconds at 1701KB/s.
"Microsoft just doesn't get it."
10 billion a year says that they do.
"The fact they consider Firefox an afterthought is a good indication that they're going to lose the online search/portal wars to Google."
Well, seeing as the Live.com/Start.com/MSN/VirtualEarth teams have been very responsive and committed to bringing support to a platform that competes with their product, I'd say that Firefox is more than an afterthought. Live.com already works with Firefox. And full support is forthcoming.