As for the alpha testing thing, as far as I know, Dave Scherer has been really busy preparing for the festival, so he never got around to setting up any alpha testers online. Hopefully now we'll have more time. Sorry for the inconvenience.
We're still calling it an alpha (6.5 to be exact), but it is and always has been fully playable. The one we currently release on the page has had the playability removed (sorry), but eventually we will have some sort of playable demo (don't ask me when). The version at the IGF was the playable version, so we were judged on it. Hope this clarifies things a bit.
The really sad thing, though, is that we accept the fact that the applications we use to view a simple html page would actual take more than a meg of memory. They're web BROWSERS... its not that complicated.
Our browser choice is either bloatware or something that crashes every 5 minutes. As a consumer I'm nonplussed, as a developer I'm ashamed.
Sorry... the complaint that one browser sucks an extra 6 megs when both are WAY to heavy for healthy was too annoying to pass by. I don't necessarily mind 20+ megs.. I just want some value for the consumption. The current feature set in both browsers is pretty lame for that kind of consumption.
The thing that has to be remembered about the current trial is that it is already over.
On day one of the trial, the DOJ presented his Billness with a very embaressing collection of "smoking e-mails". In short, they were telling his Billness "we know *exactly* what you have been doing and we have already decided on the *exact* number of teeth that we are going to punch out of your useless lieing mouth, so if your smart, you won't wate our time with useless BS..."
The DOJ already knows the extent of M$ criminal activities. The trial is simply being held as a pre-arranged media event to demonstrate to all of the hoplessly neieve "Microsoft true believers" that the DOJ is justified when they finally get around to nailing his Billness up to a tree. Events that have occured since the begining of the trial arn't relevent - the trial is about M$ activities over the last four years, not whats happened since the trial began.
The outcome of the trial was pretty much decided before it had even begun. The DOJ just hasn't told the rest of us yet.
My aplologies for the poor grammer and spelling, it's just that if I use the preview, it trashes my post ( yes, this is *definatly* beta right now ).
What if IBM had this package in a box scheme along with - UDB (AKA DB2) - Visuage Age suite - Lotus Notes (Dominos) - e.commerce - well the list is very long i guess !
I bet Microsoft have no future in corporate IT Departments!
Well, Dell started out with Linux on servers - pretty much invisible on the web site ordering thingy. Now we actually got a listing on the OS options for two workstations. I figure this is pretty good. Fsck Dell's motive. This is a good poke in the eye for MS. If this helps MS in the DOJ trial - which I doubt - it can't counteract the blatant self-destructive stuff MS has already done in that venue.
I see this as a good step in the right direction. Let's see what kind of response it gets. Quite frankly, if I had the money to order one of the 410 or 610 boxes now, I would, no hesitation.
BTW, Hendrix and beer at 6 am on a Saturday do wierd things to your mind.
Eccles wrote: > Look, almost no one who uses Linux now would > use it. We've chosen Linux for its power, > reliability, etc. -- not for a Windows > interface. Current users aren't going to > switch.
Too right.
But imagine this: Microsoft decides to switch its entire OS development to MSLinux. Why? Because they get a stable Window98/NT with only a fraction of the development costs. Think of the money they can make off that... Once the apps are on MSLinux there's no need for 98/NT, and they get to effectively merge them, just like they've tried to but failed, for free.
Now imagine that Microsoft 'encourages' computer sellers to bundle MSLinux instead of Win98. Assuming they can manage it, which is by no means sure cos the sellers won't like it, then they've got the home market by the balls. There's no need for people to actually switch from Windows to MSLinux - it's forced on them.
Home market share 2004:
MSLinux 85% Win98/95/3.1 10% Linux 3% Other 2%
As far as I can see, the only difficult bits are getting the apps and, more importantly IMO, the games, ported, and persuading people to bundle MSLinux instead of Win98. If they conquer these problems, they've won.
oh well...ill wait the 3 extra days for my tickets which i already have reserved:)...one of the benefits of being good friends with the theater projectionists.
Seriously, the keyboard is definitly spill proff; but by no means is this input device 'jerk-able'. Sure it obiliterates stuff getting between the keys, where the most damaging stuff occurs, but thats all it does. And this is mainly the reason why this keyboard is non-jerkable. No one in their right mind 'tuggs' directly over one's keyboard. Sooo, if a company were to make _THE_ jerk masters keyboard it would have to be truly a one handed design. It would have to be in the shape of a hand or something ergonomic, and the number of keys would have to be cut in half or quaters, and any extra keys would have to be accessable via multiple shift keys (i.e for numbers hit x-shift, for letters hit y-shift). Hell just for overkill include a touchpoint (think pad pointer device) on the keyboard! Something like this would be rather awkward, but it dosent hurt to dream i guess...
There are two central pgp key servers. The first is ldap://certserver.pgp.com. The second is http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371. Either of these can be set to be automatically accessed by PGP6+ programs when an unknown key is found. There is a web interface to request a key as well, http://www.nai.com/products/security/public_keys/l ookup_key.asp
125 is the lefthand logo key, 126 is the righthand logo key and 127 is the menu key. (Coincidentally, this is a handy setup, uses the left key to go back one screen, and the right key to go right one screen, and uses the menu key for a logout button)
Charging more for just Linux is rediculous, especially when you consider that all of the hard drives they stick into the machines are all cloned from a master drive image somewhere. Thus once you have the image, copies are no harder or easier to make than for Windows installed drives.
However, pre-installing Linux means that hardware has to work with Linux. This means no win-modems and the like and I would expect a higher cost here. But Dell said the extra $99 was for the Linux "installation" which means they're just ripping off the consumer.
Not only that, but Spielberg and many other directors were impressed by this that they wont be releasing a movies within anywhere from 1 week to 2 months after SWI comes out... And for all of you who say it is going to be a dissapointment, how do you know? I believe that it will live up to many and most SW fans and to those who aren't... You tell us that every director has ups and downs and I agree, yet can multiple directors (say about 5-10) of them be wrong? Or is it just that you don't like or can't comprehend SW so you do your natural reaction... Just talk like its no real big deal. If you do, you better wake up.
Early 2000 - Microsoft releases MSLinux (TM) 1.0, retailing at 100USD. MSLinux includes a window system that runs as a kernel module and emulates the Win98 UI. The window system completely replaces X and is started at boot time (no console-only mode). MSLinux also includes a set of copyrighted libraries that implement the Win32 API and DirectX. These libraries require the use of the MS window system and store configuration options in a system registry. MS software for Linux (including Office) only runs on MSLinux. Microsoft launches a developer program to encourage companies to port Windows apps to MSLinux using these libraries. Large numbers of developers, including many game companies, sign up. A similar developer program is launched to encourage hardware companies to write MSLinux drivers for their products. Visual C++ for Linux application wizards and tutorials produce programs that require MSLinux. Microsoft press releases emphasise how MSLinux is far more suited for businesses and home users than other Linux distros. They also inist that the proprietary window system and libraries are essential to make Linux 'fun' and easy to use. Sections of the non-computing media hail MSLinux as 'Linux for the people'.
Early 2001 - 70% of mass-market consumer software and 90% of games for Linux require MSLinux. Most hardware products include MSLinux drivers.
Late 2001 - 95% of Linux distros installed on home machines are MSLinux. Non-computing media frequently refers to Linux when they mean MSLinux.
Where do you want Linux to go today?
-------------------------------
Sorry if I've got any technical stuff wrong, I don't know that much about it (Could you implement a GUI as a kernel module?).
I don't believe in this, but could it be that they waited for people to hack it for free, so they can buy or get the technology for free? Seems like 3Com techs are no good. Hmmmm.
Really? I love my PalmV. I don't drive a SUV. I'm a unix sysadmin. I don't think I've ever played golf (besides miniature golf). Yeah, it was expensive, but now I can fit in the front pocket of my jeans. The slim size actually allows me to make much more use of it than I did my PalmPersonal. I haven't decided yet if I'll try upgrading it to 8mb ram, as the battery issues haven't been quite worked out yet. --- Donald Roeber
Inaccurate. Early on Microsoft had a demo for what was called MS Write. What a lot of people don't know is that the ST was originally going to be a Windows (long before any version had shipped on the PC) system. It was a bid to make a Mac that was truly 'for the rest of us' in pricing. Redmond was already getting frustrated with Apple's inability to appreciate the mass market where application developers would have a field day. After it became apparent that Windows wasn't going to materialize in time for Atari's needs they went over to Digital Research for GEM running over CP/M 68K. The early demo of MS Write was a standalone bit of code written entirely to the metal since there was no OS yet. People remembered that demo though, and never stopped asking MS for the real thing, ignoring the fact the most of the WYSIWYG elements of GEM on the ST were still unimplemented. The users were desparate for recognition from a 'serious' brand name. (Sound familiar?) MS eventually delivered MS Write but by that time the platform was in serious decline in most markets with piracy driving away developer interest and stopping those who had already tested the water from offering new versions i.e. Word Perfect.
Slashdot Mirror
Posted by Ian Dale:
You can play it in Windows too.
Posted by Ian Dale:
Thanks.
Posted by Ian Dale:
As for the alpha testing thing, as far as I know, Dave Scherer has been really busy preparing for the festival, so he never got around to setting up any alpha testers online. Hopefully now we'll have more time. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Posted by Ian Dale:
We're still calling it an alpha (6.5 to be exact), but it is and always has been fully playable. The one we currently release on the page has had the playability removed (sorry), but eventually we will have some sort of playable demo (don't ask me when). The version at the IGF was the playable version, so we were judged on it. Hope this clarifies things a bit.
Posted by Kastern:
your'e right. why $99? you can just go get it for free! What a bunch of losers
Posted by bumr:
The really sad thing, though, is that we accept the fact that the applications we use to view a simple html page would actual take more than a meg of memory. They're web BROWSERS... its not that complicated.
Our browser choice is either bloatware or something that crashes every 5 minutes. As a consumer I'm nonplussed, as a developer I'm ashamed.
Sorry... the complaint that one browser sucks an extra 6 megs when both are WAY to heavy for healthy was too annoying to pass by. I don't necessarily mind 20+ megs.. I just want some value for the consumption. The current feature set in both browsers is pretty lame for that kind of consumption.
Posted by AnnoyingMouseCoward:
For the most part, I agree with your sentiment.
The thing that has to be remembered about the current trial is that it is already over.
On day one of the trial, the DOJ presented his Billness with a very embaressing collection of "smoking e-mails". In short, they were telling his Billness "we know *exactly* what you have been doing and we have already decided on the *exact* number of teeth that we are going to punch out of your useless lieing mouth, so if your smart, you won't wate our time with useless BS..."
The DOJ already knows the extent of M$ criminal activities. The trial is simply being held as a pre-arranged media event to demonstrate to all of the hoplessly neieve "Microsoft true believers" that the DOJ is justified when they finally get around to nailing his Billness up to a tree. Events that have occured since the begining of the trial arn't relevent - the trial is about M$ activities over the last four years, not whats happened since the trial began.
The outcome of the trial was pretty much decided before it had even begun. The DOJ just hasn't told the rest of us yet.
My aplologies for the poor grammer and spelling, it's just that if I use the preview, it trashes my post ( yes, this is *definatly* beta right now ).
Posted by Olaimi:
..
What if IBM had this package in a box scheme along with
- UDB (AKA DB2)
- Visuage Age suite
- Lotus Notes (Dominos)
- e.commerce
- well the list is very long i guess !
I bet Microsoft have no future in corporate IT Departments!
Cheers
Posted by mackgaAThome:
Well, Dell started out with Linux on servers - pretty much invisible on the web site ordering thingy. Now we actually got a listing on the OS options for two workstations. I figure this is pretty good. Fsck Dell's motive. This is a good poke in the eye for MS. If this helps MS in the DOJ trial - which I doubt - it can't counteract the blatant self-destructive stuff MS has already done in that venue.
I see this as a good step in the right direction. Let's see what kind of response it gets. Quite frankly, if I had the money to order one of the 410 or 610 boxes now, I would, no hesitation.
BTW, Hendrix and beer at 6 am on a Saturday do wierd things to your mind.
Posted by scarter:
I am not a lover of Linux, but I might just install it for these games....
Posted by timmymagic:
Eccles wrote:
> Look, almost no one who uses Linux now would
> use it. We've chosen Linux for its power,
> reliability, etc. -- not for a Windows
> interface. Current users aren't going to
> switch.
Too right.
But imagine this: Microsoft decides to switch its entire OS development to MSLinux. Why? Because they get a stable Window98/NT with only a fraction of the development costs. Think of the money they can make off that... Once the apps are on MSLinux there's no need for 98/NT, and they get to effectively merge them, just like they've tried to but failed, for free.
Now imagine that Microsoft 'encourages' computer sellers to bundle MSLinux instead of Win98. Assuming they can manage it, which is by no means sure cos the sellers won't like it, then they've got the home market by the balls. There's no need for people to actually switch from Windows to MSLinux - it's forced on them.
Home market share 2004:
MSLinux 85%
Win98/95/3.1 10%
Linux 3%
Other 2%
As far as I can see, the only difficult bits are getting the apps and, more importantly IMO, the games, ported, and persuading people to bundle MSLinux instead of Win98. If they conquer these problems, they've won.
Where do you want MSLinux to go today?
Posted by Assmodeus:
:) ...one of the benefits of being good friends with the theater projectionists.
oh well...ill wait the 3 extra days for my tickets which i already have reserved
Posted by Pushkin:
Seriously, the keyboard is definitly spill proff; but by no means is this input device 'jerk-able'. Sure it obiliterates stuff getting between the keys, where the most damaging stuff occurs, but thats all it does. And this is mainly the reason why this keyboard is non-jerkable. No one in their right mind 'tuggs' directly over one's keyboard. Sooo, if a company were to make _THE_ jerk masters keyboard it would have to be truly a one handed design. It would have to be in the shape of a hand or something ergonomic, and the number of keys would have to be cut in half or quaters, and any extra keys would have to be accessable via multiple shift keys (i.e for numbers hit x-shift, for letters hit y-shift). Hell just for overkill include a touchpoint (think pad pointer device) on the keyboard! Something like this would be rather awkward, but it dosent hurt to dream i guess...
Posted by InControl:
l ookup_key.asp
There are two central pgp key servers. The first is ldap://certserver.pgp.com. The second is http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371. Either of these can be set to be automatically accessed by PGP6+ programs when an unknown key is found.
There is a web interface to request a key as well, http://www.nai.com/products/security/public_keys/
Posted by jeremycrabtree:
/usr/lib/kbd/keytables for the .map file that is apporpriate for your locale. (us.map for me)
:)
Okay, Here are the steps...
For the console:
1) look in
2) Add something like the following:
keycode 125 = Decr_Console
keycode 126 = Incr_Console
keycode 127 = F21
string F21 = "exit\n"
125 is the lefthand logo key, 126 is the righthand logo key and 127 is the menu key.
(Coincidentally, this is a handy setup, uses the left key to go back one screen, and the right key to go right one screen, and uses the menu key for a logout button)
For X11:
1) Open or create ~/.xmodmaprc
2) Add the following:
keycode 115 = F20
keycode 116 = F21
keycode 117 = F22
115 is the lefthand logo key, 116 is the righthand logo key, and 117 is the menu key
3) Then add the following to ~/.Xclients, ~/.xsession, or ~/.xinitrc ; depending on which one you use
xmodmap ~/.xmodmaprc
4) Assign F20, F21, and F22 to whatever you want.
Side note: Is there any way to attach an ADB keyboard to a PC? Maybe an ADB to PS/2 convertor, if such exists?
(I have an Apple IIgs and LOVE the keyboard, and thought it might be cool to try it with my PC
Posted by PasswdIs ScoreOne:
Charging more for just Linux is rediculous, especially when you consider that all of the hard drives they stick into the machines are all cloned from a master drive image somewhere. Thus once you have the image, copies are no harder or easier to make than for Windows installed drives.
However, pre-installing Linux means that hardware has to work with Linux. This means no win-modems and the like and I would expect a higher cost here. But Dell said the extra $99 was for the Linux "installation" which means they're just ripping off the consumer.
Posted by Bobafett32:
Not only that, but Spielberg and many other directors were impressed by this that they wont be releasing a movies within anywhere from 1 week to 2 months after SWI comes out... And for all of you who say it is going to be a dissapointment, how do you know? I believe that it will live up to many and most SW fans and to those who aren't... You tell us that every director has ups and downs and I agree, yet can multiple directors (say about 5-10) of them be wrong? Or is it just that you don't like or can't comprehend SW so you do your natural reaction... Just talk like its no real big deal. If you do, you better wake up.
Posted by FascDot Killed My Previous Use:
/. to delete comments but not OK for the FSF to ask programmers to use a particular license?
No, just plain ethical.
BTW, why is it OK for
Posted by timmymagic:
Early 2000 - Microsoft releases MSLinux (TM) 1.0, retailing at 100USD. MSLinux includes a window system that runs as a kernel module and emulates the Win98 UI. The window system completely replaces X and is started at boot time (no console-only mode). MSLinux also includes a set of copyrighted libraries that implement the Win32 API and DirectX. These libraries require the use of the MS window system and store configuration options in a system registry. MS software for Linux (including Office) only runs on MSLinux. Microsoft launches a developer program to encourage companies to port Windows apps to MSLinux using these libraries. Large numbers of developers, including many game companies, sign up. A similar developer program is launched to encourage hardware companies to write MSLinux drivers for their products. Visual C++ for Linux application wizards and tutorials produce programs that require MSLinux. Microsoft press releases emphasise how MSLinux is far more suited for businesses and home users than other Linux distros. They also inist that the proprietary window system and libraries are essential to make Linux 'fun' and easy to use. Sections of the non-computing media hail MSLinux as 'Linux for the people'.
Early 2001 - 70% of mass-market consumer software and 90% of games for Linux require MSLinux. Most hardware products include MSLinux drivers.
Late 2001 - 95% of Linux distros installed on home machines are MSLinux. Non-computing media frequently refers to Linux when they mean MSLinux.
Where do you want Linux to go today?
-------------------------------
Sorry if I've got any technical stuff wrong, I don't know that much about it (Could you implement a GUI as a kernel module?).
Posted by FascDot Killed My Previous Use:
Who won in the "Originality" category?
Posted by FascDot Killed My Previous Use:
So what if they recreate WINE? How does that "destroy Linux"?
Posted by NJViking:
There's no way in hel I'd try to see Star Wars on opening night. May watch it a week after it vomes out. The movie theatres will be a mob scene!
-NJV
Posted by Bocharn:
I don't believe in this, but could it be that they
waited for people to hack it for free, so they can buy or get the technology for free?
Seems like 3Com techs are no good.
Hmmmm.
Posted by DonR:
Really? I love my PalmV. I don't drive a SUV. I'm a unix sysadmin. I don't think I've ever played golf (besides miniature golf). Yeah, it was expensive, but now I can fit in the front pocket of my jeans. The slim size actually allows me to make much more use of it than I did my PalmPersonal. I haven't decided yet if I'll try upgrading it to 8mb ram, as the battery issues haven't been quite worked out yet.
---
Donald Roeber
Posted by NBrazil:
Inaccurate. Early on Microsoft had a demo for what was called MS Write. What a lot of people don't know is that the ST was originally going to be a Windows (long before any version had shipped on the PC) system. It was a bid to make a Mac that was truly 'for the rest of us' in pricing. Redmond was already getting frustrated with Apple's inability to appreciate the mass market where application developers would have a field day. After it became apparent that Windows wasn't going to materialize in time for Atari's needs they went over to Digital Research for GEM running over CP/M 68K. The early demo of MS Write was a standalone bit of code written entirely to the metal since there was no OS yet. People remembered that demo though, and never stopped asking MS for the real thing, ignoring the fact the most of the WYSIWYG elements of GEM on the ST were still unimplemented. The users were desparate for recognition from a 'serious' brand name. (Sound familiar?) MS eventually delivered MS Write but by that time the platform was in serious decline in most markets with piracy driving away developer interest and stopping those who had already tested the water from offering new versions i.e. Word Perfect.