"...don't use IE to look at porn or download illigal stuff/cracks/ etc, and youll genrally be fine."
Yeah, tell that to my wife's 83 year old mother who is constantly getting her laptop infected, and she'll kick you ass all over town.
By the way, what dream world do you live in where you actually believe the foolish statement you made?
And I really think your silly question should have been, "Why am I under the impression that Firefox users think that "their" browser is the best".
I've used Firefox since it's original name (been so long, can't recall), and I've never touted it as the best browser, but it certainly has many useful extensions that the others lack.
I'm a programmer at a public radio station and "they" (station management) won't install a fellow programmers music database for him, so he just called me asking for me to "hack" it for him and install his database.
Nothing a little flash distro of Puppy LINUX can't do.
All fixed, and nobody's the wiser (because our sys op isn't exactly a pro).
"Imagine a non-tech person wants to browse the web, use it as an ebook of sorts to read RSS feeds (which your average user can do with TOO much trouble), watch youtube and just haul it around the house more like an electronic magazine than a computer. S/he would probably pick something that already knows how to use so all they need to figure out is how to hook it to the net and get going."
I don't need to imagine it, everyone that I know that has purchased an Eee PC, is using it just like you say, and none of them are tech oriented, and they have had no problem figuring it out on their own without Windows.
One of my non tech buddies connected to his home wireless router and uses his Eee PC all over the house, and at night he goes to wireless access cafe's and writes magazine articles, and sends email with it.
Thats funny... all my friends are looking for your "Linux learning curve" while happily using their Eee PC's, totally ignorant that they are missing a peak computing experience but not using Windows
And you hardly seem like an average user.
And I also call BS on the RSS feed thing, most regular users haven't a clue.
"But I would argue that 90% of the people who bought this machine would have been better served by buying a $399 Acer 14" notebook during a sale at Best Buy.
Argue away, but everyone that I know with an Eee PC already had a laptop, and wanted a small computer instead of a 5 to 7 pound brick to haul around.
Everyone of us is over 50 and we have no problem with the so called "tiny" screen.
Many young people today seem to think that bigger is better, when it's clearly not.
"Movies? Yes, they play great off USB thumb drives..."
Really?
Before I installed a 2 Gig chip, I watched Das Boot with subtitles, and my Eee PC displayed occasional frame drag, and the sound track was slightly off as well.
This off of a 4 Gig memory stick with decent transfer rates, and will play movies on my other PC's without these issues.
So admittedly, I'm skeptical about you're being able to watch movies without any problems with the "stock" 512 Megs of memory.
I do however, use my Eee PC to stream the music for both of my radio shows with the included media player, and it worked wonderfully with the "stock" 512 Megs of memory.!
According to your friend, "the Windows-equipped $499 laptops outsell the Linux-equipped $399 laptops 5 to 1."
Your friend is coming from the Microsoft centric world, so of course he's going to say that.
But look at whats really happening here.
One out of five laptops that your friend sells now have LINUX on them instead of the Windows operating system.
So it looks to me that Windows is losing market share in this sub group of portable computing.
And for the life of me... I can not understand why anybody would need Windows on an Eee PC, it works just fine out of the box with LINUX.
Five folks that I know have purchased an Eee PC since seeing mine, and all of them were diehard windows users who have adapted quite easily to the Eee PC's "easy" LINUX operating system.
Of course... on mine I've already installed 2 gigs of ram, and enabled the advanced desktop, and BERYL.
I signed up for the Tsunami Harddisk Detector project, but don't know if they are related.
"Thanks for your interest in the Tsunami Harddisk Detector project. We are currently installing the system on a world wide basis. To keep the system in a stable state, further installation is an incremental process.
We have put you on our mailing list and will inform you as soon as we can make the software available to you.
Best regards, Michael Stadler
____________________
www.ninsight.at
"
So I sent off an email asking about spyware, etc., and got this back.
"Thanks for your request. The software doest not contain any kind of malware. It will be sponsored by travel agencies, but they only show little images of advertisements. That's all. At the moment we are still testing the software and will be making it available to you as soon as possible.
Regards, Michael Stadler
On 9/26/07, Talkischeap wrote: "Greetings,
I'm very interested in obtaining your "new" Tsunami Harddisk Detector software.
I live on the Northern California coast (near Mendocino) and this is definitely earthquake country.
However... I AM a bit concerned that your software is sponsored by advertisements, and ask you if it contains ANY:
* Spyware
* Adware
* Viruses
* Trojans
* Rootkits
* Malware
* Anything else invasive
And if it doesn't, then I'm definitely interested, and please place me on your "waiting list" for a copy."
So this appears to be a different project, but both of them are pretty nifty.
Of course... the "tin foil hat" types will quickly realize that this has the capabilities to track your comings and goings (i.e. Your daily routine).
I thought that, "phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust".
Crap, now I have to listen to them all over again, in stores (not legal, but "everyone" small does it), in public, everywhere, aaarrrggghhh.
And the fashion world will take heed, and design clothing, and "asscessories" for the mass to consume.
Yum! Buuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrp!
And I even liked The Beatles music, but there are worlds of unheard music "out there" that goes unlistened to, because people are afraid to listen to something thats not "familiar" to them.
"I didn't read TFA of course, but if this happens in California or Britain or some crazy liberal place like that, even YOU can't hit trespassers..."
Yeah, well I live in CA, and I've been threatened by gang members in my own yard, and I have an ax handle ready to go for the next time it happens on my property.
The police do nothing to stop it in my small town, so I could care less if it's illegal, or the consequences of being tried by my peers after the fact.
It has to stop, and I'm not afraid to do it, our town is becoming overrun by human shit.
Looks to me that it's already happening, via the web based apps, and web storage/"back up", etc..
Beyond that, many caps can be made by hand with fairly common materials (my dad had an electronics "start up" in 1959), and solid state hard disks are finally coming down in price.
Yes, SSD's don't last forever, but I'm sure that some inventive souls will find ways around all the "paper tiger barriers" you mention.
Besides, everything will change in a few decades anyhow, so why worry now, and just do it, and keep your eyes open for more appropriate tech to come along that can be "adapted" to the task.
I have one good friend who's a Ham also, but the rest of 'em around here in Mendoland are so narrow focused on emergency comm, and militaristic regimen, that we can't relate at all.
Oh, I'll be there in an emergency (already have been), but otherwise, no, I have other things to do, like tinker with my new Eee PC.
Slashdot Mirror
"...don't use IE to look at porn or download illigal stuff/cracks/ etc, and youll genrally be fine."
Yeah, tell that to my wife's 83 year old mother who is constantly getting her laptop infected, and she'll kick you ass all over town.
By the way, what dream world do you live in where you actually believe the foolish statement you made?
And I really think your silly question should have been, "Why am I under the impression that Firefox users think that "their" browser is the best".
I've used Firefox since it's original name (been so long, can't recall), and I've never touted it as the best browser, but it certainly has many useful extensions that the others lack.
Interesting article.
I'm a programmer at a public radio station and "they" (station management) won't install a fellow programmers music database for him, so he just called me asking for me to "hack" it for him and install his database.
Nothing a little flash distro of Puppy LINUX can't do.
All fixed, and nobody's the wiser (because our sys op isn't exactly a pro).
OK, I've got it now...
Thanks to all of you who felt compelled to point out the flaw in my argument.
Never mind that the numbers weren't truly germane to my point.
"Though if that's the best argument you can come up with, you shot yourself in the foot instead."
You are absolutely correct, life got real busy round these parts and I couldn't/can't formulate a meaningful response, so I should have just shut up.
Apologies all around, to anyone still following this dead end thread.
Guess I'm human like everyone else here?
Good point, guess we all better stick with whats easy then, huh?
"But anyone who says -- and believes -- that this is not a Microsoft world is deluding himself."
And that delusional comment makes you a Microsoft fanboi.
"We all live in Microsoft centric world."
Speak for yourself Windows lover.
I have 2 Macs, 11 PC's and an Eee PC, and only two PC boxes run Windows, all the rest run LINUX.
I'm sure that I'm not alone here.
So perhaps you meant to say that you live in a Microsoft centric world, because I sure don't.
And your post has nothing to do with the point I was making, you sound like a Microsoft fanboi to me.
"Oh, I have EeePC and the Xandros is definitely worse than XP would be."
I call BS on that, make a point and back it up, don't throw stones and run.
I have no problems using my Eee PC, wireless and all.
"Imagine a non-tech person wants to browse the web, use it as an ebook of sorts to read RSS feeds (which your average user can do with TOO much trouble), watch youtube and just haul it around the house more like an electronic magazine than a computer. S/he would probably pick something that already knows how to use so all they need to figure out is how to hook it to the net and get going."
I don't need to imagine it, everyone that I know that has purchased an Eee PC, is using it just like you say, and none of them are tech oriented, and they have had no problem figuring it out on their own without Windows.
One of my non tech buddies connected to his home wireless router and uses his Eee PC all over the house, and at night he goes to wireless access cafe's and writes magazine articles, and sends email with it.
Thats funny... all my friends are looking for your "Linux learning curve" while happily using their Eee PC's, totally ignorant that they are missing a peak computing experience but not using Windows
And you hardly seem like an average user.
And I also call BS on the RSS feed thing, most regular users haven't a clue.
"Can anyone verify the presence of a VGA port?"
Why yes, it does, and it drives my 19 inch wide screen LCD monitor at it's native resolution just fine.
"But I would argue that 90% of the people who bought this machine would have been better served by buying a $399 Acer 14" notebook during a sale at Best Buy.
Argue away, but everyone that I know with an Eee PC already had a laptop, and wanted a small computer instead of a 5 to 7 pound brick to haul around.
Everyone of us is over 50 and we have no problem with the so called "tiny" screen.
Many young people today seem to think that bigger is better, when it's clearly not.
"Movies? Yes, they play great off USB thumb drives..."
Really?
Before I installed a 2 Gig chip, I watched Das Boot with subtitles, and my Eee PC displayed occasional frame drag, and the sound track was slightly off as well.
This off of a 4 Gig memory stick with decent transfer rates, and will play movies on my other PC's without these issues.
So admittedly, I'm skeptical about you're being able to watch movies without any problems with the "stock" 512 Megs of memory.
I do however, use my Eee PC to stream the music for both of my radio shows with the included media player, and it worked wonderfully with the "stock" 512 Megs of memory.!
According to your friend, "the Windows-equipped $499 laptops outsell the Linux-equipped $399 laptops 5 to 1."
Your friend is coming from the Microsoft centric world, so of course he's going to say that.
But look at whats really happening here.
One out of five laptops that your friend sells now have LINUX on them instead of the Windows operating system.
So it looks to me that Windows is losing market share in this sub group of portable computing.
And for the life of me... I can not understand why anybody would need Windows on an Eee PC, it works just fine out of the box with LINUX.
Five folks that I know have purchased an Eee PC since seeing mine, and all of them were diehard windows users who have adapted quite easily to the Eee PC's "easy" LINUX operating system.
Of course... on mine I've already installed 2 gigs of ram, and enabled the advanced desktop, and BERYL.
Loads of fun, and no Windows involved.
I signed up for the Tsunami Harddisk Detector project, but don't know if they are related.
"Thanks for your interest in the Tsunami Harddisk Detector project. We are currently installing the system on a world wide basis. To keep the system in a stable state, further installation is an incremental process. We have put you on our mailing list and will inform you as soon as we can make the software available to you. Best regards, Michael Stadler ____________________ www.ninsight.at "
So I sent off an email asking about spyware, etc., and got this back.
"Thanks for your request. The software doest not contain any kind of malware. It will be sponsored by travel agencies, but they only show little images of advertisements. That's all. At the moment we are still testing the software and will be making it available to you as soon as possible. Regards, Michael Stadler On 9/26/07, Talkischeap wrote: "Greetings, I'm very interested in obtaining your "new" Tsunami Harddisk Detector software. I live on the Northern California coast (near Mendocino) and this is definitely earthquake country. However... I AM a bit concerned that your software is sponsored by advertisements, and ask you if it contains ANY: * Spyware * Adware * Viruses * Trojans * Rootkits * Malware * Anything else invasive And if it doesn't, then I'm definitely interested, and please place me on your "waiting list" for a copy."
So this appears to be a different project, but both of them are pretty nifty.
Of course... the "tin foil hat" types will quickly realize that this has the capabilities to track your comings and goings (i.e. Your daily routine).
Wow... not only are you naive, you're just lucky that you haven't had this happen to you.
Unless you're a kid, then give it time, and it will happen to you, or someone you know.
Oh yeah it will...
One just needs to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, with an angry law enforcement officer, and then you lose, no matter how "nice" you are.
Oh goodness!
You have a blog, and a real opinion about politricks and everything, gosh, golly.
I didn't know...
Now I realize how you can be so "high and mighty" without the cred.
BAH!
"Feeding the troll... ugh..."
Right back at ya!
Nowhere in my post do I say that "music (is) mutually exclusive", thats your judgment.
And it sure looks to me that you have a thing against "Zombie John Lennon", so quit trowing stones, glass house boy.
BTW, your knee jerk throwaway implication about my being an anti-mainstream hipster" couldn't be farther off the mark.
My non-mainstream radio shows have been well received by listeners since 1979, you are talking out your ass.
Damn...
I thought that, "phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust".
Crap, now I have to listen to them all over again, in stores (not legal, but "everyone" small does it), in public, everywhere, aaarrrggghhh.
And the fashion world will take heed, and design clothing, and "asscessories" for the mass to consume.
Yum! Buuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrp!
And I even liked The Beatles music, but there are worlds of unheard music "out there" that goes unlistened to, because people are afraid to listen to something thats not "familiar" to them.
"I didn't read TFA of course, but if this happens in California or Britain or some crazy liberal place like that, even YOU can't hit trespassers..."
Yeah, well I live in CA, and I've been threatened by gang members in my own yard, and I have an ax handle ready to go for the next time it happens on my property.
The police do nothing to stop it in my small town, so I could care less if it's illegal, or the consequences of being tried by my peers after the fact.
It has to stop, and I'm not afraid to do it, our town is becoming overrun by human shit.
"Why buy a Eee PC when I can get a Dell cheapie of the moment with 12X the power at the same or LESS price."
What, aside from the fact that the Dell PC is tediously "normal" as compared to an Eee PC?
How about that the Dell PC is HUGE as compared to an Eee PC?
Or how about that the Dell PC is considerably HEAVIER as compared to an Eee PC?
Q: What part of portable computing do you get with a cheapie Dell laptop?
A: None of it!
Apparently, you don't quite grasp the concept of "portable computing" do you?
Oh, and with the cheap ass Dell, one doesn't have pretty girls coming up to you to chat you up about your "cute" computer.
That... alone... makes it all worth it!
My wife isn't too happy about that last part though.
Cowardly troll boy said: "Sounds like those things aren't mutually exclusive."
Thanks for sharing that it runs in your family, but we all can surmise that from your callow comments.
"Sounds like 7 years ago you had no idea how to build a decent computer..."
Sounds like you're quite an arrogant asshole...
I'll say somethings not right there, I loaded Puppy on a 1 Gig USB drive, and tried it on my 7 year old homebuilt, and it was way slower than even XP.
Jerky mouse, freezing up, crashing, it brought back the days of Win98SE.
I thought it was because the USB load was "experimental".
I'll try DSL, or some other lighter weight distro and see what happens.
"if the general purpose computer went away?"
Looks to me that it's already happening, via the web based apps, and web storage/"back up", etc..
Beyond that, many caps can be made by hand with fairly common materials (my dad had an electronics "start up" in 1959), and solid state hard disks are finally coming down in price.
Yes, SSD's don't last forever, but I'm sure that some inventive souls will find ways around all the "paper tiger barriers" you mention.
Besides, everything will change in a few decades anyhow, so why worry now, and just do it, and keep your eyes open for more appropriate tech to come along that can be "adapted" to the task.
"what's stopping you from reaching for Extra?"
Interest...
I have one good friend who's a Ham also, but the rest of 'em around here in Mendoland are so narrow focused on emergency comm, and militaristic regimen, that we can't relate at all.
Oh, I'll be there in an emergency (already have been), but otherwise, no, I have other things to do, like tinker with my new Eee PC.
So just start a solar/wind/hydro/? powered wireless world wide net.
The Peoples Net
Using off the shelf hardware (solar), it would be a one time cost of (US) $500.00 - $1000.00 to set up self powered node.
I'm shooting from the hip on the costs here, but I used to install solar/hydro, so I'm prolly close.
And the deep cycle batteries would have to be replaced after 5 - 8 years (with good maintenance, if wet cells).
But that would be a truly non centralized network.
Amateur Packet Radio works in a similar way, as I recall (but I'm a lowly Tech, so I can't know anything).