I am not very knowledgeble about the SCO case (didn't feel like reading their entire 90-something page, filed complaint), but from what I have read on/. as well as the letter that SCO published to dissuade Linux end-users from using Linux, I can say that I have a fair amount of info to make a hypothesis.
Due to the current downturn of the economy, companies like Amazon are taking any means necessary in order to secure their market share. Amazon is using questionable tactics of pattening EVERYthing in sight.
We have lately seen that Microsoft has been loosing a (small, but yet significant) portion of their market share to Linux. And the SCO case fired up not TOO long ago.
Something smells fishy here: is it possible that Microsoft is secretly backing the SCO case? Maybe in hopes of dissuading companies from switching to Linux by using the argument that Linux infringes on the Unix Sys V copyright?
Plus: everything that has been going on with the music/movie industry and p2p filesharing has got a lot of people (tech/non-tech alike) thinking about copyrights.
Maybe through the SCO case, Microsoft is hoping to win their market share back.
What do you slashdotters think? A valid hypothesis, or easily discredible?
While I was outraged when first reading the story, my mind was changed by a comment that a/. user made.
While it is true that any kind of backgound check, whether it is a criminal record check, a credit check or your routine drug test, does impose on your privacy, there is a simple question you should ask yourself:
How would I like someone, wacked out on crank, in desperation for more money in order to purchase crank with, perforate me in my own, lowly cubicle with an Armalite AR-10 Carbine-gas powered semiautomatic?
I think the answer to this question is obvious.
This is why companies do background checks. While the criminal record check can be advocated using arguments such as, "We are protecting the rest of our staff from the criminal-likes of you," a credit check basically protects the company (theft wise), which in turn also protects its employees, meaning you. So, unless you have something to hide, as previously mentioned on/., go ahead and let them dig through your closets for those unpaid utility bills!
A lot of used items, some of which can be as old as two years or as young as two months, can be found for extremely low prices either on the internet through auction sites/used retailers or better yet, through friends. I have been using used hardware for the better part of my computer career simply because, as a student with little or no income, I have not had the opportunity to buy the latest-and-greatest. I cannot say that everything I own is used, but nothing I own I bought when it just came out onto the market.
People I know are usually against the idea of buying outdated technology, but I look at it this way: If I cannot come up with a justifiable cause for buying the latest technology, why buy? Why not get something half as fast or one generation older for about half to less than half price? Here is an analogy: if you plan to buy a car to commute to work, would you buy a brand new car? Would you buy a BMW or a V8 Mustang? NO, you would probably buy a used economy-class vehicle, something like an older Toyota Corolla or a Honda Civic.
Again, if you plan to surf the web, listen to music, word process and do basic computer tasks you don't really need a dual gigahertz G4, you need an iMac. But if you plan to edit video, work with graphics, play games only then is getting a faster machine a reasonable decision.
Buying anything is a matter of buying what you need at the price you want to spend. Now buying what you want...that is a different story.
Before you switch to Mac, you should ask yourself: Do I really need a Mac? Or does my PC do everything that my future Mac can do plus more? *evil grin*
First of all I don't think that Despair has a solid case against email users. It would be like Dodge suing everyone who uses the word "Different" in their emails or on their websites. Despair does, however, have a case against anybody who uses )-: in their logos on websites or anywhere else.
But I think a lot of people are missing the point. If they were to attempt to sue seven million users, think of how much traffic that would bring their website. It's like justifiably spamming seven million people. Even though Despair might loose the case and loose a bunch of money, they ultimately will bring quite a lot of people to their website - who are potential costumers for their merchandise.
Slashdot Mirror
I am not very knowledgeble about the SCO case (didn't feel like reading their entire 90-something page, filed complaint), but from what I have read on /. as well as the letter that SCO published to dissuade Linux end-users from using Linux, I can say that I have a fair amount of info to make a hypothesis.
Due to the current downturn of the economy, companies like Amazon are taking any means necessary in order to secure their market share. Amazon is using questionable tactics of pattening EVERYthing in sight.
We have lately seen that Microsoft has been loosing a (small, but yet significant) portion of their market share to Linux. And the SCO case fired up not TOO long ago.
Something smells fishy here: is it possible that Microsoft is secretly backing the SCO case? Maybe in hopes of dissuading companies from switching to Linux by using the argument that Linux infringes on the Unix Sys V copyright?
Plus: everything that has been going on with the music/movie industry and p2p filesharing has got a lot of people (tech/non-tech alike) thinking about copyrights.
Maybe through the SCO case, Microsoft is hoping to win their market share back.
What do you slashdotters think? A valid hypothesis, or easily discredible?
first post...sorry couldn't resist...
pocketdemon
While I was outraged when first reading the story, my mind was changed by a comment that a /. user made.
/., go ahead and let them dig through your closets for those unpaid utility bills!
While it is true that any kind of backgound check, whether it is a criminal record check, a credit check or your routine drug test, does impose on your privacy, there is a simple question you should ask yourself:
How would I like someone, wacked out on crank, in desperation for more money in order to purchase crank with, perforate me in my own, lowly cubicle with an Armalite AR-10 Carbine-gas powered semiautomatic?
I think the answer to this question is obvious.
This is why companies do background checks. While the criminal record check can be advocated using arguments such as, "We are protecting the rest of our staff from the criminal-likes of you," a credit check basically protects the company (theft wise), which in turn also protects its employees, meaning you. So, unless you have something to hide, as previously mentioned on
pocketdemon.
Why not buy used?
A lot of used items, some of which can be as old as two years or as young as two months, can be found for extremely low prices either on the internet through auction sites/used retailers or better yet, through friends. I have been using used hardware for the better part of my computer career simply because, as a student with little or no income, I have not had the opportunity to buy the latest-and-greatest. I cannot say that everything I own is used, but nothing I own I bought when it just came out onto the market.
People I know are usually against the idea of buying outdated technology, but I look at it this way: If I cannot come up with a justifiable cause for buying the latest technology, why buy? Why not get something half as fast or one generation older for about half to less than half price? Here is an analogy: if you plan to buy a car to commute to work, would you buy a brand new car? Would you buy a BMW or a V8 Mustang? NO, you would probably buy a used economy-class vehicle, something like an older Toyota Corolla or a Honda Civic.
Again, if you plan to surf the web, listen to music, word process and do basic computer tasks you don't really need a dual gigahertz G4, you need an iMac. But if you plan to edit video, work with graphics, play games only then is getting a faster machine a reasonable decision.
Buying anything is a matter of buying what you need at the price you want to spend. Now buying what you want...that is a different story.
Before you switch to Mac, you should ask yourself: Do I really need a Mac? Or does my PC do everything that my future Mac can do plus more? *evil grin*
First of all I don't think that Despair has a solid case against email users. It would be like Dodge suing everyone who uses the word "Different" in their emails or on their websites. Despair does, however, have a case against anybody who uses )-: in their logos on websites or anywhere else.
But I think a lot of people are missing the point. If they were to attempt to sue seven million users, think of how much traffic that would bring their website. It's like justifiably spamming seven million people. Even though Despair might loose the case and loose a bunch of money, they ultimately will bring quite a lot of people to their website - who are potential costumers for their merchandise.
Thanks,
Pocketdemon