Tell me about it. I can't believe that someone is surprised that Microsoft wouldn't trumpet their competitors out loud. I might talk with my business partner about who we're competing against, but I don't go around mentioning competitors to clients.
Sorry kids, but if you want Linux out there, you're going to have to do a bit more PR yourself instead of relying on Microsoft!
I work in an office with a few graphic designers who love the new Photoshop features that are added with each release. Seriously, they come back from seminars raving -- and these aren't droids, they're intelligent and talented professionals.
I know you call a lot of those high-end features "bloat", but Adobe is catering to the professionals who use this software endlessly in their jobs, know that Adobe delivers, and will pay for it (because it's effectively earning them thousands).
It's not worth it to these people to try some freebie (if cost was the factor, wouldn't they just go to Corel or PSP?) that leaves them playing catch-up in features from the very start?
And with Adobe's new Creative Suite, it's quite affordable to get Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign for under AUD$1500 (USD$1k).
For consumers, it's a different story, but if they didn't want the bloat, then there are tonnes of budget options around with more trusting names than The Gimp. Can you imagine parents finding that link in their kids' start menu? Hah.
"Courts have ruled that in a public area, you have no expectation of privacy," said Walker.......data will be destroyed every three months.
It could certainly be worse (cameras trained on houses, tracking citizens everywhere), but at least they've checked the legality and given that data will be held for 3 months, it will realistically be used for short-term checks with regard to theft, rather than on-going surveillance of an individual.
Still, the town averages 2 or 3 burglaries a year, and I have to wonder if a network of cameras tracking cars is really an economical solution. The article notes that the thefts have involved jewellery -- if they're stealing diamonds, I wish them luck trying to sell them and get a decent price!
Can we change ROTFLMAO and all similar expressions to SOAC(PIMU)SBAPC*?
Because I really don't believe that anyone actually sees a moderately funny item on the internet and promptly falls off their chair, only to proceed with the action of "Rolling on the Floor".
Actually, ROTFLMAO is a bit like eBay respondents writing "AAAAA++++++++" just because someone successfully shipped them a fucking product. If the package arrived and you weren't overcharged, then that's an A.
Save the AAAAA++++++++ for when they send their hot wife over to personally deliver the package in her bikini and then have her proceed to fuck your brains out.
OK?
Good.
Back to eBay...
* Sitting On A Chair (Probably In My Underwear), Slightly Bemused, And Perhaps Chuckling
Microsoft often hold patents for defensive purposes, though. In which case, it's better off in their hands than in those of a company desperate for cash?
I believe that Google's popularity as a search engine increased by way of word of mouth from cluey computer users (not necessarily geeks, but people that install their own hardware, muck around with applications and that sort of thing) who consistently received quality search results in a time when the previous kings (altavista, yahoo, etc) were starting to become bloated and returning rubbish.
I know that many people I know now rely on Google without ever using another search engine because they've found out that it's what I use, or I've recommended it.
Linux will likely follow the same path, and so (as is obvious) success will come when Linux strongly meets the needs of prosumers, advanced computer users, etc. So, you're right -- hardware support is essential. Flawless support of digital cameras is essential.
It's great for some here to say that people will become turned off Windows because of spyware and worms, but I suspect they'll turn to their advanced pals and learn about SpyBot and AdAware before they strip their machine bare, try to choose or locate a new operating system and take the plunge into learning how it works.
Because, the fact is, with Windows Update, SpyBot, AdAware, a virus checker like AVG, and commonsense, Windows is pretty decent, and definitely "good enough" for the majority.
I'd be surprised if this was happening with Linux OS companies though. If you catch something like Oprah's Christmas show where she gives out cell phones, gourmet food, homewares and the like, all for free, you'll realise that it's because she's marketing it to affluent women with not only money to burn, but an interest in burning it.
Why would a company give away t-shirts and gadgets to a crowd of guys (income judgements aside) who are interested in a product that is essentially free?
For the most part, the return just isn't there.
That said, this is a lot of generalising. Fact is that the typical geek has money, but they're often smart enough to spend it carefully.
Free gear is great, but I think that expecting to receive it in this situation is a bit hopeful!:(
Will they get their single format? Every provider will have their own format/agenda to push. Some will want DRM, others will have alternatives, users will want more freedom, geeks will want the freedom plus more freedom, etc.
And I still don't see people paying for it all. I haven't bought a CD in 5 years. Most people I know went through their big CD-buying years in their late teens, and most of these people don't have the credit cards required to buy up big at online music stores. Sure, I'd bet that stores have features allowing parents and relatives to set up accounts with $50 to splurge on music as a gift, but that's still not a way for kids to easily take their cash from flipping burgers and spend it impulsively on music.
Are (m)any artists releasing MP3-laden CDs to physical music stores and selling them there?
Are the RIAA looking anything BUT greedy when they take away the physical cost of producing an actual CD and liner-notes, and then want to increase the price of a music track online?
Or maybe it's all in the marketing. I work online day in and day out, and I've never even considered buying music online. I just do without. My girlfriend listens to a lot of new/pop music as it comes out, and the first thing she'll say to me with regard to it is something like "Hey, can you download x for me?". The marketing of online music sales must be at a pretty low level on radio stations and television (zilch in Australia).
I run my own business so my resumé has been irrelevant for the last 5-6 years, but I'm quite confident that the following are important:
Networking is the key. Even if it's done online, hook up with the right people and you'll get work. This goes for job hunters, freelancers, you name it.
Concentrate on a few key skills. I get sent resumés all the time claiming that people are pros with about 10 different skills, and I don't believe it. Even if you *are* a wonderkid with experience all over the place, tailor your CV to each job and focus your pitch. It's about personal branding.
Be reliable. One of my clients keeps turning to me and paying me my full rates (rather than what I charge to get a contractor to do data entry) because, as he says "if I pay you, I know it's just going to get done properly. I can't trust x", where x is an unreliable contractor of his own. If you get a reputation for *just getting stuff done properly* with minimal fuss, word will spread.
Who's the target here? If kids are making the decision to roll out OO in schools, then by all means go with the demented bird, but if you're trying to sway Principals or MS-happy IT staff, then you might want to choose something that suggests professionalism, reliability, and easy for kids to use.
The retarded bird says unprofessional, flaky, and unattractive.
The competition was surely a great idea to get awareness up amongst kids, but I wouldn't run around with that bird as a letterhead to managers of schools and boards representing schools.
You'll note that delivery/shipping is free. To me, that suggests the inclusion of a hyperspace drive. And in that case, anything under a few million is a bargain, even if you're only teleporting barbie dolls across the planet!
Think Pink is a bizarre brand of clothing with a semi-cult following in Slovenia. Pinkerton can expect a lawsuit, and some abusive phone calls in a language he (probably) cannot understand!
I'm at the Linspire.com site. Where on the frontdoor does it even tell me what CNR is? I work with computers every day and I've never heard of it. How will every day, potential customers have a clue?
Hell, now I'm on the CNR tab and I still don't know what it means. Is it a name of a shop? Why do I want a shop with my operating system?
The quality Linux distros need to distance themselves from this amateur confusion ASAP.
The screenshots are terrible. Is linspire a professional product? With which companies/OS is it trying to compete?
I thought that Linux UI had got beyond this stage?
And the problem is barely with the fact that they've virtually screenshot-copied from iTunes, but with the fact that the rest of the simple presentation elements (lists, titles, etc) are really poorly displayed. There's no alignment for example (something that would give it a lot of clarity), or spacing (visual simplicity, eases the user). It's the UI equivalent of a ransom note -- bits and pieces cut from elsewhere.
I understand that this is a commercially sold operating system. If they want to improve the UI of these products, I believe that I could do a better job!
If Linspire get sued, will anyone feel sorry for them? The parade of ridiculous names continues. What's next? Lmail and a LLawsuit from Google?
That said, is there a point with UI design where the (near-enough) best has been met, and all that can be done is to replicate that with minor changes? Should the fact that one group of designers found that best first stop others from also discovering and using it?
I've looked at the screenshot of Lphoto and they are dreaming if they think that Apple will look at that and feel threatened (a couple of button similarities aside). How do these companies start so strongly (background image of title bar is nice, for example), and then finish it in such an ugly fashion. Who are they paying to design a professional product? It looks cheap and nasty.
It's the same in Australia. The Bushrangers of times past are reasonably well known (Ned Kelly being one) criminals in Australia.
A friend of mine was busted by detectives for tricking some guy on IRC into accepting an EXE and running it. He then got his ISP login and that to various porn sites the guy was a member to. He was eventually busted sponging off the guy's net account.
When it made the newspaper (small story) he was clearly portrayed as basically a smart kid looking for a challenge. Nothing overly negative.
Slashdot Mirror
Breaking news: Multi-billion dollar company Sun shuts down; decision based entirely on comments from a message board.
Tell me about it. I can't believe that someone is surprised that Microsoft wouldn't trumpet their competitors out loud. I might talk with my business partner about who we're competing against, but I don't go around mentioning competitors to clients.
Sorry kids, but if you want Linux out there, you're going to have to do a bit more PR yourself instead of relying on Microsoft!
I work in an office with a few graphic designers who love the new Photoshop features that are added with each release. Seriously, they come back from seminars raving -- and these aren't droids, they're intelligent and talented professionals.
I know you call a lot of those high-end features "bloat", but Adobe is catering to the professionals who use this software endlessly in their jobs, know that Adobe delivers, and will pay for it (because it's effectively earning them thousands).
It's not worth it to these people to try some freebie (if cost was the factor, wouldn't they just go to Corel or PSP?) that leaves them playing catch-up in features from the very start?
And with Adobe's new Creative Suite, it's quite affordable to get Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign for under AUD$1500 (USD$1k).
For consumers, it's a different story, but if they didn't want the bloat, then there are tonnes of budget options around with more trusting names than The Gimp. Can you imagine parents finding that link in their kids' start menu? Hah.
It could certainly be worse (cameras trained on houses, tracking citizens everywhere), but at least they've checked the legality and given that data will be held for 3 months, it will realistically be used for short-term checks with regard to theft, rather than on-going surveillance of an individual.
Still, the town averages 2 or 3 burglaries a year, and I have to wonder if a network of cameras tracking cars is really an economical solution. The article notes that the thefts have involved jewellery -- if they're stealing diamonds, I wish them luck trying to sell them and get a decent price!
Can we change ROTFLMAO and all similar expressions to SOAC(PIMU)SBAPC*?
Because I really don't believe that anyone actually sees a moderately funny item on the internet and promptly falls off their chair, only to proceed with the action of "Rolling on the Floor".
Actually, ROTFLMAO is a bit like eBay respondents writing "AAAAA++++++++" just because someone successfully shipped them a fucking product. If the package arrived and you weren't overcharged, then that's an A.
Save the AAAAA++++++++ for when they send their hot wife over to personally deliver the package in her bikini and then have her proceed to fuck your brains out.
OK?
Good.
Back to eBay...
* Sitting On A Chair (Probably In My Underwear), Slightly Bemused, And Perhaps Chuckling
Microsoft often hold patents for defensive purposes, though. In which case, it's better off in their hands than in those of a company desperate for cash?
The path of Linux is the path of Google.
I believe that Google's popularity as a search engine increased by way of word of mouth from cluey computer users (not necessarily geeks, but people that install their own hardware, muck around with applications and that sort of thing) who consistently received quality search results in a time when the previous kings (altavista, yahoo, etc) were starting to become bloated and returning rubbish.
I know that many people I know now rely on Google without ever using another search engine because they've found out that it's what I use, or I've recommended it.
Linux will likely follow the same path, and so (as is obvious) success will come when Linux strongly meets the needs of prosumers, advanced computer users, etc. So, you're right -- hardware support is essential. Flawless support of digital cameras is essential.
It's great for some here to say that people will become turned off Windows because of spyware and worms, but I suspect they'll turn to their advanced pals and learn about SpyBot and AdAware before they strip their machine bare, try to choose or locate a new operating system and take the plunge into learning how it works.
Because, the fact is, with Windows Update, SpyBot, AdAware, a virus checker like AVG, and commonsense, Windows is pretty decent, and definitely "good enough" for the majority.
I'd be surprised if this was happening with Linux OS companies though. If you catch something like Oprah's Christmas show where she gives out cell phones, gourmet food, homewares and the like, all for free, you'll realise that it's because she's marketing it to affluent women with not only money to burn, but an interest in burning it.
:(
Why would a company give away t-shirts and gadgets to a crowd of guys (income judgements aside) who are interested in a product that is essentially free?
For the most part, the return just isn't there.
That said, this is a lot of generalising. Fact is that the typical geek has money, but they're often smart enough to spend it carefully.
Free gear is great, but I think that expecting to receive it in this situation is a bit hopeful!
Will they get their single format? Every provider will have their own format/agenda to push. Some will want DRM, others will have alternatives, users will want more freedom, geeks will want the freedom plus more freedom, etc.
And I still don't see people paying for it all. I haven't bought a CD in 5 years. Most people I know went through their big CD-buying years in their late teens, and most of these people don't have the credit cards required to buy up big at online music stores. Sure, I'd bet that stores have features allowing parents and relatives to set up accounts with $50 to splurge on music as a gift, but that's still not a way for kids to easily take their cash from flipping burgers and spend it impulsively on music.
Are (m)any artists releasing MP3-laden CDs to physical music stores and selling them there?
Are the RIAA looking anything BUT greedy when they take away the physical cost of producing an actual CD and liner-notes, and then want to increase the price of a music track online?
Or maybe it's all in the marketing. I work online day in and day out, and I've never even considered buying music online. I just do without. My girlfriend listens to a lot of new/pop music as it comes out, and the first thing she'll say to me with regard to it is something like "Hey, can you download x for me?". The marketing of online music sales must be at a pretty low level on radio stations and television (zilch in Australia).
I think the step of resigning is the means of profitting. i.e., 1. start linux distro, 2. quit linux distro, 3. profit...
Yeh, a Wi-Fi system that warns you when your wife comes within 50 metres...
I run my own business so my resumé has been irrelevant for the last 5-6 years, but I'm quite confident that the following are important:
Networking is the key. Even if it's done online, hook up with the right people and you'll get work. This goes for job hunters, freelancers, you name it.
Concentrate on a few key skills. I get sent resumés all the time claiming that people are pros with about 10 different skills, and I don't believe it. Even if you *are* a wonderkid with experience all over the place, tailor your CV to each job and focus your pitch. It's about personal branding.
Be reliable. One of my clients keeps turning to me and paying me my full rates (rather than what I charge to get a contractor to do data entry) because, as he says "if I pay you, I know it's just going to get done properly. I can't trust x", where x is an unreliable contractor of his own. If you get a reputation for *just getting stuff done properly* with minimal fuss, word will spread.
Is that what they're going to do?
I wouldn't bet money that that's their plan, but it would surely be in their best interests!
Who's the target here? If kids are making the decision to roll out OO in schools, then by all means go with the demented bird, but if you're trying to sway Principals or MS-happy IT staff, then you might want to choose something that suggests professionalism, reliability, and easy for kids to use.
The retarded bird says unprofessional, flaky, and unattractive.
The competition was surely a great idea to get awareness up amongst kids, but I wouldn't run around with that bird as a letterhead to managers of schools and boards representing schools.
You'll note that delivery/shipping is free. To me, that suggests the inclusion of a hyperspace drive. And in that case, anything under a few million is a bargain, even if you're only teleporting barbie dolls across the planet!
So, did you end up with the discounted iPod or the mini? This is a crucial situation! What if the iPod doesn't match your gold cell phone!? ;)
If I updated the sig, would as many people click it?
Think Pink is a bizarre brand of clothing with a semi-cult following in Slovenia. Pinkerton can expect a lawsuit, and some abusive phone calls in a language he (probably) cannot understand!
I'm at the Linspire.com site. Where on the frontdoor does it even tell me what CNR is? I work with computers every day and I've never heard of it. How will every day, potential customers have a clue?
Hell, now I'm on the CNR tab and I still don't know what it means. Is it a name of a shop? Why do I want a shop with my operating system?
The quality Linux distros need to distance themselves from this amateur confusion ASAP.
A few cans of Red Bull: $10
Tacky glowing mouse-pad: $30
Quality sunglasses: $100
Watching your gaming opponents struggling to cope with the multi-coloured glare from your mousing surface? Priceless.
Mastercard? For all the things that even self-pimping Slashdot posts on a slow day can't convince you to buy.
The screenshots are terrible. Is linspire a professional product? With which companies/OS is it trying to compete?
I thought that Linux UI had got beyond this stage?
And the problem is barely with the fact that they've virtually screenshot-copied from iTunes, but with the fact that the rest of the simple presentation elements (lists, titles, etc) are really poorly displayed. There's no alignment for example (something that would give it a lot of clarity), or spacing (visual simplicity, eases the user). It's the UI equivalent of a ransom note -- bits and pieces cut from elsewhere.
I understand that this is a commercially sold operating system. If they want to improve the UI of these products, I believe that I could do a better job!
If Linspire get sued, will anyone feel sorry for them? The parade of ridiculous names continues. What's next? Lmail and a LLawsuit from Google?
That said, is there a point with UI design where the (near-enough) best has been met, and all that can be done is to replicate that with minor changes? Should the fact that one group of designers found that best first stop others from also discovering and using it?
I've looked at the screenshot of Lphoto and they are dreaming if they think that Apple will look at that and feel threatened (a couple of button similarities aside). How do these companies start so strongly (background image of title bar is nice, for example), and then finish it in such an ugly fashion. Who are they paying to design a professional product? It looks cheap and nasty.
It's the same in Australia. The Bushrangers of times past are reasonably well known (Ned Kelly being one) criminals in Australia.
A friend of mine was busted by detectives for tricking some guy on IRC into accepting an EXE and running it. He then got his ISP login and that to various porn sites the guy was a member to. He was eventually busted sponging off the guy's net account.
When it made the newspaper (small story) he was clearly portrayed as basically a smart kid looking for a challenge. Nothing overly negative.
I think the fact that it's sitting here with 15 comments rated 2 or higher says something about how appropriate it is for the users of this site.
The original poster wasn't bagging the efforts of the LUG, but more so the Slashdot editors for approving it.
I guess they have a decision -- promote the ideals in which they believe, or serve their users?