Ok, you aren't going to become rich trying to make proprietary software that competes with MS or Oracle, since that's already an occupied market and people looking for alternatives to the big companies are looking at open source software.
But, there is plenty of other software for niche markets where a proprietary company can still make an impact. The realm of OSS is expanding all the time, but they're not filling the niche markets yet, at least not completely. Also, you miss the fact that a lot (maybe most) software is written for a client, not written and then sold to a client.
There are also just two manufacturers of commercial aircraft in the world, but that doesn't have anything to do with the number of software firms we can support.
The barriers to producing software are very low; a single person can do it (not something like an office suite, but something simpler). The don't need a huge factory floor, etc. Besides, software is often a service, not a product.
A more appropriate example might be restaurants. Sure, you've got the big conglomerates like McDonalds, Pepsi/Pizza Hut/KFC/Taco Bell, but then you've got mid-sized chains like AppleBees, small chains with 10 restaurants in a city, and then single family places who run a restaurant on the ground floor and live above it.
If you want a quick cheap meal like you've had 1000 times before, you may go to McDonalds. If you want something out of the main stream with wine and personal service, you may go to the Italian bistro down the street.
It's the same with software. If you want an office suite, go to MS. If you want payroll software, SAP or PeopleSoft. If you want someone to design a web application for you, you'd be crazy to go to a large company, even if they *would* take your business. Go find a local shop and pay them.
As a user, I can install any application I want in my own directory. There are lots of malicious things a user-priviledged program could do, like send e-mails to everyone in my mozilla address book. There are also lots of things it can't do.
I'm speaking from a linux point of view; I would guess the Mac is similar.
They have three choices:
1) Hire new developers to learn the mozilla code and make the changes, then release them to the public (since it is GPL)
2) Hire existing mozilla developers to work for Nokia to make the changes
3) Contract with the existing developers to get what they want done.
3) is the perfectly logical choice. 1) involves a lot of start-up time. 1) and 2) involve a commitment by Nokia to keep those people on the payroll or severance if they don't work out. In 3) Nokia just drops the contract if it doesn't get the results it wants.
Looks nice, doesn't it? Actually, the food is pretty bad. Anyone can call dogfood "tips of beef in asian spices," but it's still dogfood.
They just switched independant contractors and, from what I can tell on my monthly visits, got worse. Envy the buffalo, the forests, etc. But don't envy the food.
Exactly. Typewriters had a shift lock key long before computers existed. But, off the top of my head legal documents and titles of chapters are the only things I can recall seeing in all caps.
Knoppix should be what they include. Probably most in their target audience would not want to commit to installing linux on a machine just to try it out. Either they have one they use at work or they have a live disk as their first introduction.
Maybe you could claim Linux is "gaining ground" compared with Unix, if by "gaining ground" you mean "continuing to increase its dominance." But saying Linux is gaining ground on Microsoft in HPC is like saying an increased defense budget for the U.S.A. will help it gain ground on the military might of Botswana.
We've had a couple of these at work too, and they also stopped working (probably the original model).
In addition, I've never found that I can get decent control from one of these like with a mouse, trackball, or touchpad. (But I haven't practiced as much either.) Coarse clicking can be pretty quick, but fine clicking (like a text link) takes a bit of patience to get the cursor right where you want it.
Definitely try it before you plunk down $100 for it.
I wanted to do this too. I settled on a Logitech RF keyboard and a RF trackball. The trackball isn't integrated, but it sits nicely on a knee or arm of the couch. These aren't bluetooth, but maybe by now they are (mine are several years old).
Another benefit for me is that the PC hooked to the HT system is my main PC, so the keyboard moves easily between the desk and the couch; they trackball and a wireless mouse are both hooked up via USB and I just grab whatever one I want.
In his first article he made one comment I thought was strange, something about Linus not crediting people enough. Anyone have more thoughts on that? I've only casually followed the history of Linux, but I always understood that Linux was written because Linus was frustrated with Minix, but I also seem to recall him saying Linux (early versions) weren't as good as Minix or GNU. Reading those ancient posts, I always felt Linus was quite deferential.
It looks to me like the only piece of info needed to register is an e-mail address. With people here capable of supplying thousands of e-mail addresses each, I think you're looking for abuse.
Normal automotive batteries are lead acid batteries. The batteries in hybrids are NiMH, I believe. I'd be interested to know how the recycling characteristics of various batteries stack up.
The bad precedent (if you consider it one) is already set. When you buy a used car, even from a private party, you have to pay the sales tax (usually when you license the car).
Talk of "double taxation" is bogus; all money is taxed many, many times as it makes its way around the economy. Tax policy should be about "fair," not buzzwords. In my opinion, if you have the disposable income to buy a boat, used or not, you should pay tax.
I won't get into "Why worry about the $30 you're spending for Windows" and just say that, in my experience, Vaio's are not the easiest/best to install linux on. My latest excercise was an R505 with the "Docking" platform that attaches to the laptop via Firewire. A nice little machine, but very difficult to get everything working with Linux. (Mandrake, actually, which has good hardware detection). I used another Vaio before that, and that one was not a snap either, from the Linux perspective.
...that I don't want a phone with any of those features. I want a phone that a) doesn't sound like crap b) lasts a few days on a charge c) functions as a bluetooth access point for my PDA/Laptop d) doesn't cost more than $150
The Pentium Pro (pre-Pentium II) is the 686. The Pentium 4 is different enough from the P3 that it's really a new processor too. They stick with Pentium because it's a very well established brand name.
The Athlon in a K7, Opteron and Athlon64 are K8, but AMD isn't calling it the Octathalon either.
You are partially correct. If you read the GPL and and GPL FAQ, you will see that if you offer binaries for free download, you MUST offer the source for free download too.
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But, there is plenty of other software for niche markets where a proprietary company can still make an impact. The realm of OSS is expanding all the time, but they're not filling the niche markets yet, at least not completely. Also, you miss the fact that a lot (maybe most) software is written for a client, not written and then sold to a client.
The barriers to producing software are very low; a single person can do it (not something like an office suite, but something simpler). The don't need a huge factory floor, etc. Besides, software is often a service, not a product.
A more appropriate example might be restaurants. Sure, you've got the big conglomerates like McDonalds, Pepsi/Pizza Hut/KFC/Taco Bell, but then you've got mid-sized chains like AppleBees, small chains with 10 restaurants in a city, and then single family places who run a restaurant on the ground floor and live above it.
If you want a quick cheap meal like you've had 1000 times before, you may go to McDonalds. If you want something out of the main stream with wine and personal service, you may go to the Italian bistro down the street.
It's the same with software. If you want an office suite, go to MS. If you want payroll software, SAP or PeopleSoft. If you want someone to design a web application for you, you'd be crazy to go to a large company, even if they *would* take your business. Go find a local shop and pay them.
I'm speaking from a linux point of view; I would guess the Mac is similar.
That's a step in the right direction, but with the page dated Feb 2004 and it including "all updates until October 2003" it's of limited usefulness.
Yup, they are everywhere and about $0.80/hr if I recall correctly. I saw lots of Starcraft and FPS being played, not so much actual internet use.
1) Hire new developers to learn the mozilla code and make the changes, then release them to the public (since it is GPL)
2) Hire existing mozilla developers to work for Nokia to make the changes
3) Contract with the existing developers to get what they want done.
3) is the perfectly logical choice. 1) involves a lot of start-up time. 1) and 2) involve a commitment by Nokia to keep those people on the payroll or severance if they don't work out. In 3) Nokia just drops the contract if it doesn't get the results it wants.
Looks nice, doesn't it? Actually, the food is pretty bad. Anyone can call dogfood "tips of beef in asian spices," but it's still dogfood. They just switched independant contractors and, from what I can tell on my monthly visits, got worse. Envy the buffalo, the forests, etc. But don't envy the food.
Uh, yeah, no one is producing these and it is a French company who is pushing it. Definitely a product of the American mindset.
Exactly. Typewriters had a shift lock key long before computers existed. But, off the top of my head legal documents and titles of chapters are the only things I can recall seeing in all caps.
Knoppix should be what they include. Probably most in their target audience would not want to commit to installing linux on a machine just to try it out. Either they have one they use at work or they have a live disk as their first introduction.
Maybe you could claim Linux is "gaining ground" compared with Unix, if by "gaining ground" you mean "continuing to increase its dominance." But saying Linux is gaining ground on Microsoft in HPC is like saying an increased defense budget for the U.S.A. will help it gain ground on the military might of Botswana.
In addition, I've never found that I can get decent control from one of these like with a mouse, trackball, or touchpad. (But I haven't practiced as much either.) Coarse clicking can be pretty quick, but fine clicking (like a text link) takes a bit of patience to get the cursor right where you want it.
Definitely try it before you plunk down $100 for it.
Another benefit for me is that the PC hooked to the HT system is my main PC, so the keyboard moves easily between the desk and the couch; they trackball and a wireless mouse are both hooked up via USB and I just grab whatever one I want.
In his first article he made one comment I thought was strange, something about Linus not crediting people enough. Anyone have more thoughts on that? I've only casually followed the history of Linux, but I always understood that Linux was written because Linus was frustrated with Minix, but I also seem to recall him saying Linux (early versions) weren't as good as Minix or GNU. Reading those ancient posts, I always felt Linus was quite deferential.
It looks to me like the only piece of info needed to register is an e-mail address. With people here capable of supplying thousands of e-mail addresses each, I think you're looking for abuse.
You've apparently never looked at really good bikes.
Normal automotive batteries are lead acid batteries. The batteries in hybrids are NiMH, I believe. I'd be interested to know how the recycling characteristics of various batteries stack up.
Talk of "double taxation" is bogus; all money is taxed many, many times as it makes its way around the economy. Tax policy should be about "fair," not buzzwords. In my opinion, if you have the disposable income to buy a boat, used or not, you should pay tax.
I won't get into "Why worry about the $30 you're spending for Windows" and just say that, in my experience, Vaio's are not the easiest/best to install linux on. My latest excercise was an R505 with the "Docking" platform that attaches to the laptop via Firewire. A nice little machine, but very difficult to get everything working with Linux. (Mandrake, actually, which has good hardware detection). I used another Vaio before that, and that one was not a snap either, from the Linux perspective.
Yup.
...that I don't want a phone with any of those features. I want a phone that
a) doesn't sound like crap
b) lasts a few days on a charge
c) functions as a bluetooth access point for my PDA/Laptop
d) doesn't cost more than $150
The Athlon in a K7, Opteron and Athlon64 are K8, but AMD isn't calling it the Octathalon either.
I might also choose to go to a place with Wi-fi instead of staying in my office or at home because I can get work done that way.
Point is, Wi-fi at all restaurants, etc., will increase business for all of them. By how much? Who knows.
You are partially correct. If you read the GPL and and GPL FAQ, you will see that if you offer binaries for free download, you MUST offer the source for free download too.
But aside from that, can you honestly claim the seagull is any less professional than Clippy or the stupid Windows XP puppy?