Reactor control systems and monitoring systems should be as simple as possible. Problem is analog meters human operators and knobs and rocker switches aren't sexy.
they'll start with a company that uses AIX, Dynix and Linux
omg! they'll sue IBM again!
No, they'll find a small or financially hurting IBM customer. Then they will settle for an undisclosed fee (where SCO gives financially hurting company a plane ticket to a news conference and a press release to put out). They'll do this a few times.
Their hope is that:
* The media will try the case and most users will lay down. * They will get away with the trial by surprise strategy. * IBM will be represented by the same people who represent the EFF.
The minute things go badly, heads will roll at SCO and this whole thing will be a misunderstanding. That's why it's critical that we start documenting actual dammages as a result of SCO's actions.
Here is the best answer I know to SCO's attempt to collect license fees:
I'm afraid I can't pay your license fee as I do not use your SCO Unix product. Should I ever use your software, I will purchase it through my local SCO authorized partner.
Very Sincerely, __________________
P.S. Your legal department is horrible at sales and marketing. They don't exactly inspire me to want to do business with you.
When the rule was made IM was regarded as the next killer application. The fear was that IM was going to replace email and AOL would corner the market. Reality was IM is a usefull utility.
AOLs current problems have nothing to do with IM clients. They did well in the modem era because they had a easy to use product that was well marketed. AOL has done a great job fscking up the transition to broadband. Plus TimeWarner already had an online service prior to the merger... Roadrunner...
This article could pass for fiction! Wow. Maybe the real problem here is executives who will use any scapegoat to elude being held responsible for foisting a floppo-pu movie on the public.
My old man used to say "The more commercials for a movie, the worse it will be."
RMS seems more and more wise every year. He hit the nail on the head on DRM and non-free software. Right now it seems the cost benefit works in non-free software's favor... but this is changing.
The problem with IT admins, in my opinion, and I will probably be flamed for this, is that they're IT admins.
No, you are right and should be modded up. What goes in the classroom and in the office should be two different things. If our schools thought teaching computing ment something other than teaching MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint then it would matter. Reality is that most educators can't do much more than email and bad PrintShop newsletters and posters.
I really take exception to articles that try to write off decision making as "lemming effect". It's a trash-can excuse. Let's look at the brutal facts of reality:
1) Enterprise Software Availability favors Wintel. 2) The dominant use of computers in american schools is NOT IN THE CLASSROOM. It is in the school/district office and on the teacher's desk. 3) Teachers are poorly equiped to manage technology assets. IT managers do that. Single platform lowers cost for IT managers. 4) Outside design and AV, Apple is at best on equal footing with Wintel. 5) The internet works fine on either platform. You might say it even works better on Wintel thanks to MS embrace and extend. 6) Price != TCO (total cost of ownership).
Having sold wintel to companies ranging from mom&pop to SBC, Coke and FedEx I think I'm qualified to point a few things out:
Software is god. Usually software requirements drive hardware requirements. Perception is more enterprise stuff runs on wintel. Reality: many enterprise apps are bad ports of stuff writen for other platforms. Also: vendors typically appear to charge a little less for their wintel software and make up the difference in gold and platinum support contracts that are just a part of the deal on their AS/400 or Unix versions.
Strategic IT Purchases are Political. With the exception of very small companies, IT platform decisions are not usually made by the CIO. The CIO and IT managers act as advisors as the CFO or Controller, CEO and other executives make a committee decision. The result is that decisions are made based on sizle, perception and consultant's advice more that anything. Believe me - you aren't hearing Gartner, Bearing Point, Accenture whispering "Buy Apple" in anyone's ear.
Most Wintel v. Apple (or Unix) decisions are about should we switch to Wintel. That's right. Most of the time it works like this: CEO and CFO tell IT to get rid of Apple (except for the marketing VP's staff) and Unix. The IT team has to then decide to 1) fight for keeping Unix and possibly loose job and 401K vesting or 2) Manage a glorious rollout project that will result in more $$$ at the next place.
Perception v. Reality is not in Apple or Linux favor in the board room. Right now, MS has done an amazing job of teaching their vendors to sell "low total cost of ownership (TCO)." TCO basically says when you buy take into account all the costs associated with the purchase over the life of the product. While reality is that Apple and Linux systems require lower headcount and generate less downtime, most TCO models assume that the IT department will remain the same size and require more educated errrr expensive people. They also don't factor in software upgrades.
Future Development is to be on wintel. Many companies claim that they are moving future development to Wintel for their package. Buyers see this as validation that the world is changing to their point of view.
Salesmanship. Disclaimer: there are some really smart, dedicated and professional salespeople in the Apple and Linux world. The brutal facts of reality are that most Apple and Linux reps are good geeks but not good salespeople. This statement does not apply to IBM.
Your case is about a copy protection scheme and a product that breaks it. Its a contributory infringement case. This is apples versus rutabegas and does not apply at all here. Not even in principal.
I've owned about eight ATI cards at home, starting with the EGA Wonder. It was doing 800x600 years before VESA standards existed. That EGA is still fuctional today. I agree on the software side that they could use a little work, but on the hardware side, I have yet to have thier gear quit on me.
This thing will be the rage in education fairly quickly. This thing ups the ante from 1970s tech and would be great for teaching how computer archetecture works. Plus, it will be fun to see what people create.
I've often wondered why someone doesn't buy rights to the old Amiga or Atari ST and make an digital electronics trainer out of them...
As a result outdated hardware would just be tossed
Apparently, their stuff isn't that outdated. Just another example where Accenture or another consulting firm decided attacking customers. If Cisco ever got after me for buying used, do you think they'd have even a smell of a chance of getting me to buy new?
but it doesn't excuse you from the rules per detention, Detention is a waste of time. Educators should not have the power to use "mini-jail" time for discipline. It's a bad tool and it simply doesn't work. When I was in school, I got in trouble for hoisting a beer keg into a second story classroom. I figured I would get in real trouble. Guess what I got? One week of detention! Do you know how my social and sex life benefited from the incident?
Lesson learned: Crime pays, especially when the punishment is sitting around reading Moby Dick after school.
By pricing their extortion (er... license) at $699.00, they are hoping to drive business to their slave masters (er... buddies).
That's possible, but not likely. Microsoft is very competitive, but they are not the pure evil organization that the community here portrays them as. They are at worst, semi-evil. MS has more to gain by having a healthy Linux out there:
* Linux has hurt Sun badly. * MS has included (the right way, not by theft) open source components in their OS (IP Stack in NT, FTP client, etc...). * Linux has singlehandedly attacked the low end of mid-range computing vendors. Why buy high end Unix workstations and servers when you can buy Linux? * Linux has not made the crossover to the desktop. Windows is the perfect client for a Linux server right now.
More likely, SCO is trying to set a precident so that they can make money by attacking other non-commercial and popular products. For example, Apache, Postgress and MySQL, Free BSD, PHP and so on are all more likely the real targets.
What fascinates me is that lawyers are becoming very audacious in these "reverse class action" attacks where they are bringing claims against THOUSANDS of defendents at once. I'm not sure the courts will accept it. But if it's works the other way (thousands of plaintiffs against a few defendents), why not?
There's also the possibility that SCO really think they will win in court. This is usually the motivation behind most incredibly stupid lawsuits.
Because SCO is acting in a way that will destroy their ability to collect future revenues if the courts rule in their favor, this whole thing probably is not about licensing anyway. Their pricing for licenses is about three times higher than their competition (MS)
* Take on the epitome of a blue chip corporation. * Piss off people who wrote 1/2 of the utilities and software used on unix systems * Take a dump on Sharp, one of the world's largest consumer electronics companies. * Finally, attempt to hold up the US Government.
I really hope SCO enjoys the same treatment that other enemies of the government have recieved like, say Afghanastan or Iraq.
The problem with most companies is they spend six years figuring out what the best option is for the bad hire. You really have two choices:
*Find somewhere in the company where they fit. *Terminate.
Most managers never get this and live with the problem employee for years. It sucks to fire people but it sucks more to lay people off who are doing good work. And thats what happens if you don't deal with the situation with extreme speed.
My point is this: make sure your people are all the right people. All the time. Make corrections immediately when that's not the case. Don't get caught up in trying to build a foolproof system. Just get the fools out of the system.
Re:You Have Freedom for All Speach or You have Non
on
Linking Dangerously
·
· Score: 1
Don't be too sure about the answer to either of those... it may well turn out that supporting Bush's foreign policies will have been to support policies that result in far more American deaths than Al Q'aeda could ever achieve in its most ambitious dreams.
Last I looked, the US bodycount for the entire Iraq conflict is less than, for example, the Maine accident of 1898.
Having a strong military and the spine to use it has kept our country independent and prosperous for several centuries. If you think that being weak and wimpy will stop our nation's enemies, I think you'll be joining Nevil Chamberlin in getting "peace for our time."
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Reactor control systems and monitoring systems should be as simple as possible. Problem is analog meters human operators and knobs and rocker switches aren't sexy.
they'll start with a company that uses AIX, Dynix and Linux
omg! they'll sue IBM again!
No, they'll find a small or financially hurting IBM customer. Then they will settle for an undisclosed fee (where SCO gives financially hurting company a plane ticket to a news conference and a press release to put out). They'll do this a few times.
Their hope is that:
* The media will try the case and most users will lay down.
* They will get away with the trial by surprise strategy.
* IBM will be represented by the same people who represent the EFF.
The minute things go badly, heads will roll at SCO and this whole thing will be a misunderstanding. That's why it's critical that we start documenting actual dammages as a result of SCO's actions.
Here is the best answer I know to SCO's attempt to collect license fees:
I'm afraid I can't pay your license fee as I do not use your SCO Unix product. Should I ever use your software, I will purchase it through my local SCO authorized partner.
Very Sincerely,
__________________
P.S. Your legal department is horrible at sales and marketing. They don't exactly inspire me to want to do business with you.
When the rule was made IM was regarded as the next killer application. The fear was that IM was going to replace email and AOL would corner the market. Reality was IM is a usefull utility.
AOLs current problems have nothing to do with IM clients. They did well in the modem era because they had a easy to use product that was well marketed. AOL has done a great job fscking up the transition to broadband. Plus TimeWarner already had an online service prior to the merger... Roadrunner...
Couldn't this money be spent in a better way?
I couldn't agree more. This is a dilbert solution to a problem... er... databases... we like databases.
How about funding mental health, drug rehab or even just a good ol' fashioned block grant to the states.
Or maybe hire a couple more US Attorneys to go after real criminals er... CEOs.
This article could pass for fiction! Wow. Maybe the real problem here is executives who will use any scapegoat to elude being held responsible for foisting a floppo-pu movie on the public.
My old man used to say "The more commercials for a movie, the worse it will be."
Yes.
Is Dean using the interet?
Yes, in the same way the dotcom people did and the Wincash people did before them.
RMS seems more and more wise every year. He hit the nail on the head on DRM and non-free software. Right now it seems the cost benefit works in non-free software's favor... but this is changing.
The problem with IT admins, in my opinion, and I will probably be flamed for this, is that they're IT admins.
No, you are right and should be modded up. What goes in the classroom and in the office should be two different things. If our schools thought teaching computing ment something other than teaching MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint then it would matter. Reality is that most educators can't do much more than email and bad PrintShop newsletters and posters.
I really take exception to articles that try to write off decision making as "lemming effect". It's a trash-can excuse. Let's look at the brutal facts of reality:
1) Enterprise Software Availability favors Wintel.
2) The dominant use of computers in american schools is NOT IN THE CLASSROOM. It is in the school/district office and on the teacher's desk.
3) Teachers are poorly equiped to manage technology assets. IT managers do that. Single platform lowers cost for IT managers.
4) Outside design and AV, Apple is at best on equal footing with Wintel.
5) The internet works fine on either platform. You might say it even works better on Wintel thanks to MS embrace and extend.
6) Price != TCO (total cost of ownership).
Having sold wintel to companies ranging from mom&pop to SBC, Coke and FedEx I think I'm qualified to point a few things out:
Software is god. Usually software requirements drive hardware requirements. Perception is more enterprise stuff runs on wintel. Reality: many enterprise apps are bad ports of stuff writen for other platforms. Also: vendors typically appear to charge a little less for their wintel software and make up the difference in gold and platinum support contracts that are just a part of the deal on their AS/400 or Unix versions.
Strategic IT Purchases are Political. With the exception of very small companies, IT platform decisions are not usually made by the CIO. The CIO and IT managers act as advisors as the CFO or Controller, CEO and other executives make a committee decision. The result is that decisions are made based on sizle, perception and consultant's advice more that anything. Believe me - you aren't hearing Gartner, Bearing Point, Accenture whispering "Buy Apple" in anyone's ear.
Most Wintel v. Apple (or Unix) decisions are about should we switch to Wintel. That's right. Most of the time it works like this: CEO and CFO tell IT to get rid of Apple (except for the marketing VP's staff) and Unix. The IT team has to then decide to 1) fight for keeping Unix and possibly loose job and 401K vesting or 2) Manage a glorious rollout project that will result in more $$$ at the next place.
Perception v. Reality is not in Apple or Linux favor in the board room. Right now, MS has done an amazing job of teaching their vendors to sell "low total cost of ownership (TCO)." TCO basically says when you buy take into account all the costs associated with the purchase over the life of the product. While reality is that Apple and Linux systems require lower headcount and generate less downtime, most TCO models assume that the IT department will remain the same size and require more educated errrr expensive people. They also don't factor in software upgrades.
Future Development is to be on wintel. Many companies claim that they are moving future development to Wintel for their package. Buyers see this as validation that the world is changing to their point of view.
Salesmanship. Disclaimer: there are some really smart, dedicated and professional salespeople in the Apple and Linux world. The brutal facts of reality are that most Apple and Linux reps are good geeks but not good salespeople. This statement does not apply to IBM.
Your case is about a copy protection scheme and a product that breaks it. Its a contributory infringement case. This is apples versus rutabegas and does not apply at all here. Not even in principal.
I've owned about eight ATI cards at home, starting with the EGA Wonder. It was doing 800x600 years before VESA standards existed. That EGA is still fuctional today. I agree on the software side that they could use a little work, but on the hardware side, I have yet to have thier gear quit on me.
Without patents, you get to stand on their shoulders.
The person being stood on has a bad view.
This thing will be the rage in education fairly quickly. This thing ups the ante from 1970s tech and would be great for teaching how computer archetecture works. Plus, it will be fun to see what people create.
I've often wondered why someone doesn't buy rights to the old Amiga or Atari ST and make an digital electronics trainer out of them...
As a result outdated hardware would just be tossed
Apparently, their stuff isn't that outdated. Just another example where Accenture or another consulting firm decided attacking customers. If Cisco ever got after me for buying used, do you think they'd have even a smell of a chance of getting me to buy new?
but it doesn't excuse you from the rules per detention,
Detention is a waste of time. Educators should not have the power to use "mini-jail" time for discipline. It's a bad tool and it simply doesn't work. When I was in school, I got in trouble for hoisting a beer keg into a second story classroom. I figured I would get in real trouble. Guess what I got? One week of detention! Do you know how my social and sex life benefited from the incident?
Lesson learned: Crime pays, especially when the punishment is sitting around reading Moby Dick after school.
Novel understands that they should not kill their golden-egg laying goose, even though it doesn't lay that many eggs any more.
Legacy products can be very, very profitable. Good call Novell.
By pricing their extortion (er... license) at $699.00, they are hoping to drive business to their slave masters (er... buddies).
That's possible, but not likely. Microsoft is very competitive, but they are not the pure evil organization that the community here portrays them as. They are at worst, semi-evil. MS has more to gain by having a healthy Linux out there:
* Linux has hurt Sun badly.
* MS has included (the right way, not by theft) open source components in their OS (IP Stack in NT, FTP client, etc...).
* Linux has singlehandedly attacked the low end of mid-range computing vendors. Why buy high end Unix workstations and servers when you can buy Linux?
* Linux has not made the crossover to the desktop. Windows is the perfect client for a Linux server right now.
More likely, SCO is trying to set a precident so that they can make money by attacking other non-commercial and popular products. For example, Apache, Postgress and MySQL, Free BSD, PHP and so on are all more likely the real targets.
What fascinates me is that lawyers are becoming very audacious in these "reverse class action" attacks where they are bringing claims against THOUSANDS of defendents at once. I'm not sure the courts will accept it. But if it's works the other way (thousands of plaintiffs against a few defendents), why not?
There's also the possibility that SCO really think they will win in court. This is usually the motivation behind most incredibly stupid lawsuits.
SCO needs to remember this:
Parasite Rule #1: DONT KILL THE HOST
Because SCO is acting in a way that will destroy their ability to collect future revenues if the courts rule in their favor, this whole thing probably is not about licensing anyway. Their pricing for licenses is about three times higher than their competition (MS)
Without the shakedown they can't afford the fight.
It's a raid the ammo bunker for supplies strategy.
And the US Government prints money... SCO just hit the self destruct button.
SCO's board are idiots. Let's see:
* Take on the epitome of a blue chip corporation.
* Piss off people who wrote 1/2 of the utilities and software used on unix systems
* Take a dump on Sharp, one of the world's largest consumer electronics companies.
* Finally, attempt to hold up the US Government.
I really hope SCO enjoys the same treatment that other enemies of the government have recieved like, say Afghanastan or Iraq.
The problem with most companies is they spend six years figuring out what the best option is for the bad hire. You really have two choices:
*Find somewhere in the company where they fit.
*Terminate.
Most managers never get this and live with the problem employee for years. It sucks to fire people but it sucks more to lay people off who are doing good work. And thats what happens if you don't deal with the situation with extreme speed.
My point is this: make sure your people are all the right people. All the time. Make corrections immediately when that's not the case. Don't get caught up in trying to build a foolproof system. Just get the fools out of the system.
Don't be too sure about the answer to either of those ... it may well turn out that supporting Bush's foreign policies will have been to support policies that result in far more American deaths than Al Q'aeda could ever achieve in its most ambitious dreams.
Last I looked, the US bodycount for the entire Iraq conflict is less than, for example, the Maine accident of 1898.
Having a strong military and the spine to use it has kept our country independent and prosperous for several centuries. If you think that being weak and wimpy will stop our nation's enemies, I think you'll be joining Nevil Chamberlin in getting "peace for our time."