Although I agree that that labeling something "beta" shouldn't be a near indefinite get-out-of-jail-free card, in their partial defense, they ARE still restricting access to GMail to invitation only. I'd say that's fairly responsible of them...
Taken from http://gmail.google.com/gmail/help/about.htm l#sign up
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I believe the reason why MS wouldn't want non-xbox users playing with xbox users is because they want to keep cheating out of xbox live. By allowing an untrusted client, such as a PC, to play, they would risk ruining the "experience" of an XBox live user, who is paying for a cheat-free online service. That is also their (stated) reason for not allowing modded XBoxes onto their network. If people want to play online vs non-xbox users, or with modded xboxes, they could use something like Gamespy Arcade, I believe.
I'm not saying that there is NO way to cheat on XBox live, nor am I saying there will NEVER be a way to cheat on XBox live, but I don't think that cheating a problem at the moment, and they are trying to keep it that way.
"Real men" choose Electrical/Computer Engineering over CS if they have the chance (then again, not all schools have a Computer Engineering department). Its nice to have a formal understanding on HOW your computer works (beyond the 0's and 1's). But then again, Comp Eng can be overkill for most jobs...
CS is definitely 10x harder than CIS/MIS, but Comp Eng is 10x harder than CS =)
Slashdot Mirror
Taken from
http://gmail.google.com/gmail/help/about.ht
$107 million US =
r s/ story/0,10801,91916,00.html?from=story_kc
14,267 Indian programmers (for 1 year)
http://www.computerworld.com/careertopics/caree
Actually, it is not a tree. It is a type of grass.
I believe the reason why MS wouldn't want non-xbox users playing with xbox users is because they want to keep cheating out of xbox live. By allowing an untrusted client, such as a PC, to play, they would risk ruining the "experience" of an XBox live user, who is paying for a cheat-free online service. That is also their (stated) reason for not allowing modded XBoxes onto their network. If people want to play online vs non-xbox users, or with modded xboxes, they could use something like Gamespy Arcade, I believe.
I'm not saying that there is NO way to cheat on XBox live, nor am I saying there will NEVER be a way to cheat on XBox live, but I don't think that cheating a problem at the moment, and they are trying to keep it that way.
"Real men" choose Electrical/Computer Engineering over CS if they have the chance (then again, not all schools have a Computer Engineering department). Its nice to have a formal understanding on HOW your computer works (beyond the 0's and 1's). But then again, Comp Eng can be overkill for most jobs... CS is definitely 10x harder than CIS/MIS, but Comp Eng is 10x harder than CS =)