I have seen many cheap laptops on on-line that run GNU/Linux natively for a hundred dollars or less. Admittedly they look like toy laptops, so the chromebooks seem overpriced for what you are getting. I suppose the Chromebook is targetted to those who think themselves not technologically sophisticated. I bought my first computer in 1996 (IBM Thinkpad, running Windows 3.11) and second one in 2006 (HP Running windows XP). The latter got infected fast enough. Initially, all I wanted was something to browse the web, listen to music/watch movies, and do word processing. When the machine got a virus, my high school aged brother installed Ubuntu. This was how I got into doing other things like audio editing, learning the command line, graphic design, business applications and more--all through opensource technology. Previously I thought this not possible because I could not afford the software and cracked ones were too unreliable. GNU/Linux opened the possibilities for me. So I am a bit concerned when people who consider themselves unsophisticated deliberately get a device that is so limited. More options should be availble should the user learn to want more from her machines...
With crappy Windows software, you might as well leave your machine off. Windows is digital colonialism, after all. However, use the BSD's/GNU/Linux and the like and you allow people to develop their own commerce. You know that old cliche, give people food you make them beggers, teach them to fish and they get their dignity.
I thought the Chinese embraced the penguin! What about Asianux and Red Flag Linux?!? I thought the Chinese took a stand and made GNU/Linux their national distro. Come on China, harness that considerable population power to boost the kernel! Download http://www.asianux.com/ pour a cup of ginseng tea and install. I can't believe the Chinese are still stuck on Windows.
Some post tirades against religion, citing it as the source of all evil with equal vehemence as the religious cite secularism as such. The fact is people, especially those in power, use (whatever) ideology to justify their actions and firm their grip. Enough states throughout history with "Christian" values did things that make the Saudis seem tame. Same with those who have "anarchist" or "communist" or whatever atheist-based values. Read about Stalin, Lenin, Polpot, Orwell's lovely "Homage to Catalonia". Atheists can be just as nasty a bunch because they are human. I love Albert Camus, but also Thomas Merton. Though it is unpopular to say it, Islam is beautiful, but there are people who pervert it. For instance, women have more rights than men. The way you see men behave in so-called countries, you would never believe it. But then, being an occidental, I know that women here were only considered human in the last 100 years. Previously, they were considered chattel with no right to vote! Woman in Arab civilizations had autonomy, ran businesses, and had citizenry power. We tend to get into dangerous territory when we think we have a monopoly on "truth" instead of self-questioning. Perusing a few books by Chomsky will inform that Americans are no less guilty of such attrocities. Israelis are every bit as nasty as much of their Arab neighbours. Deep down, this is about power, not faith and ideology.
I love this comment! Yes, Apple has ENOUGH money to pay their workers well. Enable Apple workers to make commission. Not that I buy Apple, because they exploit workers. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/activate/2011/09/201194144739197637.html
Apple give it from the back AND the front. Nice. Pay your workers you cheap rich old monsters.
Do you really think they are learning those things? Honestly?
Enquiring minds should have the right to learn what they want to. The programs and curriculums at school are not always the best. Have you not read 'Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman'? You will know MOST school textbooks are not worth the paper it is printed on. Sure not every kid wants to know how a computer works, but if a kid wants to, she should not be considered a law breaker by wanting to do so WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT DRM IS ABOUT.
So get real. Give the kids non-DRM, which SHOULD be the public standard anyway.
Where do these idiots come from?
Only as Apple in their "good" graces permit, within the parameters they set. Now what if the child wishes to understand the device they are using? That violates the Apple DRM. Hence, that "educational" tool becomes one of oppression.
The Ipad is DRM. The kids cannot study, share or modify the code or freely run the programs as they wish. The kids are beholden to whatver rules Apple imposes. A better route would be an open device that allows for an understanding of how it works along with innovation. Consequently, generations of dependant users are not encouraged to understand and improve things. I prefer generations of innovators, thinkers, who share ideas, challenge and improve. Give the kids access to the source, let them root the thing. The devices should run libre software and made locally. Do you want Islaves or Thinkers? Rewarding oppression does not do much good for the world either. Apple's labour policies leaves a lot to be desired. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/activate/2011/09/201194144739197637.html The third world has better devices, like the One Laptop Per Child http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_per_Child that runs the opensource Sugar OS. Heck, places like China, India, and South America have the right idea. They use devices that run LIbre software. Why is it that the US is taking the worst route possible? On everything?
You are in a very sorry state if you cannot walk a mile--I promise you, you will feel much better if you walk rather than drive. Please leave the car in the garage. I'll walk wiith you and keep you company. Further, if you cannot find what you want to rent, rent something else. I can give you suggestions. My shop still has a good selection. I like the walk out to the shop. In fact, I like walking in general. With DVD's, I like the commentaries and bonus scenes. If I really want the movie, I buy it. My choice is to avoid netflix. Though I do love Crunchyroll, even though I rent Anime DVD's. My Anime shop is a 45 minute walk, each way. I stop at a coffee shop close by and pick up some groceries. So I guess I compromise...
Blackberry makes good business devices. I prefer their tactile keypads over a touch screen any day. However, I found it weird when kids and casual users were getting BB phones. Suddenly BB was trying to be all phones to all people. BB gained traction because the business world saw their devices as a useful tool. They ought to focus on that market instead of trying to gain bigger market share. If you try to be all things to all people, you will get nowhere. Stick with the business crowd, make apps and tools useful to them. I don't care if Justin Bieber, Drake or Beyonce uses BB devices and neither should Blackberry. However, if Bernanke, Buffet, or Kim Shannon uses it--that means something--and that is who BB should care about and focus on. Let the kids and celebs use the other phones to play with.
I still go to my local video store to rent movies or buy the DVDF/Bluray. I get commenataries, extra scenes and can watch it whenever I want. Eventually, Netflix deletes stuff from their libraries. What do we do with a movie we want to see again later? Some cloud services I do use, like Crunchyroll. But I much rather get the DVD set.
Simply allow the user to install her favorite version of GNU/Linux or the BSD's. Maybe even pre-install GNU/Linux or a BSD first. Heck, even Minux. Instead of having landfill, you would be able to recover some of your costs.
For antitrust, spying on their users, putting back doors in their software and cloud products, forcing non-Windows uers to pay the Windows tax (Even though the EULA says we don't have to have it, they put the onus on manufacturers who do not honor the refund policy, thereby conveniently denying us our rights), giving kickbacks to manufacturers, for implementing insecureboot, for providing a substandard operating system, for inhibiting competition at every turn...this is just for starters,
The motto of Google engineers was supposed to be 'don't be evil', but Google is an unwieldy monster that is putting Microsoft to shame. Android was supposed to be GNU/Linux based, but it is teaching the Windows OS a few things about DRM. Anyone for a machine that runs a free libre operating system?
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They got voted in, so you have to deal with it. Your ilk voted for Bush for TWO terms. Pot calling the kettle black. 'nuff said.
Who happens to be into dinosaurs.
I have seen many cheap laptops on on-line that run GNU/Linux natively for a hundred dollars or less. Admittedly they look like toy laptops, so the chromebooks seem overpriced for what you are getting. I suppose the Chromebook is targetted to those who think themselves not technologically sophisticated. I bought my first computer in 1996 (IBM Thinkpad, running Windows 3.11) and second one in 2006 (HP Running windows XP). The latter got infected fast enough. Initially, all I wanted was something to browse the web, listen to music/watch movies, and do word processing. When the machine got a virus, my high school aged brother installed Ubuntu. This was how I got into doing other things like audio editing, learning the command line, graphic design, business applications and more--all through opensource technology. Previously I thought this not possible because I could not afford the software and cracked ones were too unreliable. GNU/Linux opened the possibilities for me. So I am a bit concerned when people who consider themselves unsophisticated deliberately get a device that is so limited. More options should be availble should the user learn to want more from her machines...
With crappy Windows software, you might as well leave your machine off. Windows is digital colonialism, after all. However, use the BSD's/GNU/Linux and the like and you allow people to develop their own commerce. You know that old cliche, give people food you make them beggers, teach them to fish and they get their dignity.
I thought the Chinese embraced the penguin! What about Asianux and Red Flag Linux?!? I thought the Chinese took a stand and made GNU/Linux their national distro. Come on China, harness that considerable population power to boost the kernel! Download http://www.asianux.com/ pour a cup of ginseng tea and install. I can't believe the Chinese are still stuck on Windows.
Will they launch Gundam's or Zaku's? "I...am...a...Gundameister!"
A few down, a few billion left. Who will win? Orca's or Skynet?
Time for the exegisis.
It's an attempt to block Linux/BSD/whatever.
Here, you better start with this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fateful_Triangle You need to work on your bigotry.
That's right, we can bomb Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia into a feminist state. It's logical.
Some post tirades against religion, citing it as the source of all evil with equal vehemence as the religious cite secularism as such. The fact is people, especially those in power, use (whatever) ideology to justify their actions and firm their grip. Enough states throughout history with "Christian" values did things that make the Saudis seem tame. Same with those who have "anarchist" or "communist" or whatever atheist-based values. Read about Stalin, Lenin, Polpot, Orwell's lovely "Homage to Catalonia". Atheists can be just as nasty a bunch because they are human. I love Albert Camus, but also Thomas Merton. Though it is unpopular to say it, Islam is beautiful, but there are people who pervert it. For instance, women have more rights than men. The way you see men behave in so-called countries, you would never believe it. But then, being an occidental, I know that women here were only considered human in the last 100 years. Previously, they were considered chattel with no right to vote! Woman in Arab civilizations had autonomy, ran businesses, and had citizenry power. We tend to get into dangerous territory when we think we have a monopoly on "truth" instead of self-questioning. Perusing a few books by Chomsky will inform that Americans are no less guilty of such attrocities. Israelis are every bit as nasty as much of their Arab neighbours. Deep down, this is about power, not faith and ideology.
Socrates drank the poison.
I love this comment! Yes, Apple has ENOUGH money to pay their workers well. Enable Apple workers to make commission. Not that I buy Apple, because they exploit workers. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/activate/2011/09/201194144739197637.html Apple give it from the back AND the front. Nice. Pay your workers you cheap rich old monsters.
Do you really think they are learning those things? Honestly? Enquiring minds should have the right to learn what they want to. The programs and curriculums at school are not always the best. Have you not read 'Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman'? You will know MOST school textbooks are not worth the paper it is printed on. Sure not every kid wants to know how a computer works, but if a kid wants to, she should not be considered a law breaker by wanting to do so WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT DRM IS ABOUT. So get real. Give the kids non-DRM, which SHOULD be the public standard anyway. Where do these idiots come from?
Only as Apple in their "good" graces permit, within the parameters they set. Now what if the child wishes to understand the device they are using? That violates the Apple DRM. Hence, that "educational" tool becomes one of oppression.
The Ipad is DRM. The kids cannot study, share or modify the code or freely run the programs as they wish. The kids are beholden to whatver rules Apple imposes. A better route would be an open device that allows for an understanding of how it works along with innovation. Consequently, generations of dependant users are not encouraged to understand and improve things. I prefer generations of innovators, thinkers, who share ideas, challenge and improve. Give the kids access to the source, let them root the thing. The devices should run libre software and made locally. Do you want Islaves or Thinkers? Rewarding oppression does not do much good for the world either. Apple's labour policies leaves a lot to be desired. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/activate/2011/09/201194144739197637.html The third world has better devices, like the One Laptop Per Child http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_per_Child that runs the opensource Sugar OS. Heck, places like China, India, and South America have the right idea. They use devices that run LIbre software. Why is it that the US is taking the worst route possible? On everything?
Oh dude, stay the hell away from Amazon http://stallman.org/cgi-bin/site-search.cgi
You are in a very sorry state if you cannot walk a mile--I promise you, you will feel much better if you walk rather than drive. Please leave the car in the garage. I'll walk wiith you and keep you company. Further, if you cannot find what you want to rent, rent something else. I can give you suggestions. My shop still has a good selection. I like the walk out to the shop. In fact, I like walking in general. With DVD's, I like the commentaries and bonus scenes. If I really want the movie, I buy it. My choice is to avoid netflix. Though I do love Crunchyroll, even though I rent Anime DVD's. My Anime shop is a 45 minute walk, each way. I stop at a coffee shop close by and pick up some groceries. So I guess I compromise...
Blackberry makes good business devices. I prefer their tactile keypads over a touch screen any day. However, I found it weird when kids and casual users were getting BB phones. Suddenly BB was trying to be all phones to all people. BB gained traction because the business world saw their devices as a useful tool. They ought to focus on that market instead of trying to gain bigger market share. If you try to be all things to all people, you will get nowhere. Stick with the business crowd, make apps and tools useful to them. I don't care if Justin Bieber, Drake or Beyonce uses BB devices and neither should Blackberry. However, if Bernanke, Buffet, or Kim Shannon uses it--that means something--and that is who BB should care about and focus on. Let the kids and celebs use the other phones to play with.
I still go to my local video store to rent movies or buy the DVDF/Bluray. I get commenataries, extra scenes and can watch it whenever I want. Eventually, Netflix deletes stuff from their libraries. What do we do with a movie we want to see again later? Some cloud services I do use, like Crunchyroll. But I much rather get the DVD set.
Simply allow the user to install her favorite version of GNU/Linux or the BSD's. Maybe even pre-install GNU/Linux or a BSD first. Heck, even Minux. Instead of having landfill, you would be able to recover some of your costs.
For antitrust, spying on their users, putting back doors in their software and cloud products, forcing non-Windows uers to pay the Windows tax (Even though the EULA says we don't have to have it, they put the onus on manufacturers who do not honor the refund policy, thereby conveniently denying us our rights), giving kickbacks to manufacturers, for implementing insecureboot, for providing a substandard operating system, for inhibiting competition at every turn...this is just for starters,
The motto of Google engineers was supposed to be 'don't be evil', but Google is an unwieldy monster that is putting Microsoft to shame. Android was supposed to be GNU/Linux based, but it is teaching the Windows OS a few things about DRM. Anyone for a machine that runs a free libre operating system?
Besides Apple, Intel, and every social networking site and cloud service provider.