Hehe, I'm just imagining MS not doing that. "Windows 98 is really much better than Windows 2005! You mustn't upgrade NOW! And all for zero price - you can't get a better offer than that. Just think of all the features you'll keep by not upgrading! And your current version is far more stable!"
The presence thing could be done by continually sending zero-width characters (I can't think of a good one at the mo - some extended character or something) (Or a character followed by backspace or something)
By formatting, do you mean like bold, underlined, etc? Personally i find this annoying, and haven't found anyone that thinks otherwise.. heh, imagine html-formatted talk:)
The calander checker, well... you could send like control words or something..hmm..
I have a talk system setup as an answering machine, so if there is nobody there, it asks you to leave a message..
But like you said- why bother.
Actually I kinda like it - It involves you actively trying to talk to someone, which for me reduces the amount of idle chat (and allows me more time to idle-chat on/. heh).
It is a proven fact that before computers and phones, 100% of affairs started out via "innocent" talking face-to-face with people.
I urge people in relationships to stop talking to anybody else - even those of the same sex (just in case). People will hate be at first, but won't be able to complain since they can't talk to me.
Like I said, 90% of programmers don't work on off-the-shelf software (statistic from ESR's book)
Basically, think of it this way - Is there really going to be a point when everything has been coded? It is unlikely for the foreseeable(sp?asdf) future. Talent is hard to come by, and will always be on demand.
It could be argued that for the majority of the 90%-not-offshelf-software jobs, it doesn't matter if the software developed for them is open-sourced or not. So why not make it OS? You aren't going to run out of work.
Does it really make sense for society to have competing teams developing against each other, not sharing each others research?
The kde-gnome war is an interesting counter-example, but they still share knowledge etc - just trying different routes.
Its hard to tell about intelligence, but you have to agree that genetics certain does help/hinder.
Perhaps there are ways to motivate people other than money. Linux develops quite well, not because of money, but, according to esr, ego (which is as good a reasoning as any).
Doh! I forgot to mention a major point, if you want a non-ethics/philosphical reason, that only 10% of computer jobs are making off-the-shelf software. Its a point brought up by ESR in that book I mentioned.
OpenSource increases the human race's knowledge and wealth. For some of us, that is important.
Why am I here? I don't know, but I do want to make a difference in at least a small way. I feel that writting proprietry software doesn't exactly increase the world's knowledge. What do I do once I can earn enough money to feed my family? After all, that isn't exactly a huge cost. For some, the answer is just keep trying to make more, and more. Until you end up at Bill Gates with $8 Billion in his personal bank account (Or however much it is).
If you are serious, go read Cathedral and Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond. ESR focuses a lot less on ethics etc than Richard Stallmen, and since ethics tends to get people squimish, I recommend you read ESR - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, even if you don't agree with his writting.
Several years ago I did this for MS Visual Studio (I was young and nieve okay!:)
The box just contained a card, which I had send off to Ireland iirc, along with lots of proof that I was a student (letter from teachers etc) and then waited a month and then I got it:)
It actually turned out to be more expensive to get the student version! This was because they didn't include the manuals in the student version, but did in the full version. The cost of the manuals + student copy totalled up to above the cost of the full version.
To include the driver needed? Interesting - could be done almost automatically (If someone could write a script which took a card description, googled for it, found the latest drivers for all OS's, and included a link to it.)
I have saved many a video card by reflashing it. Anyone have a video card that is totally broken? Doesn't work any more? Try just reflashing it. Put it in a machine, along with another card (so you can see what you are doing) and then download the bios from the manufactorers website, and download - hey presto a working card again.
Actually our university got the highest points in terms of research. It means that our lecturers are (generalising) not that good at lecturing, but are good in knowledge. That suits me okay tho.
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Hehe, I'm just imagining MS not doing that. "Windows 98 is really much better than Windows 2005! You mustn't upgrade NOW! And all for zero price - you can't get a better offer than that. Just think of all the features you'll keep by not upgrading! And your current version is far more stable!"
You boast about it took someone an _hour_ on the phone to kill up a mistake you made?
I sure hope you refunded their phone costs plus whatever it costs for an hour of work.
There's a good little capitalist! Your government will be proud of you. :)
You can if you don't disturb anyone, and its your own property.
Try to think of an example where
a) You own something
b) But you aren't allowed to do something with it, even in your own property, and it doesn't affect anyone else.
The presence thing could be done by continually sending zero-width characters (I can't think of a good one at the mo - some extended character or something) (Or a character followed by backspace or something)
:)
/. heh).
By formatting, do you mean like bold, underlined, etc? Personally i find this annoying, and haven't found anyone that thinks otherwise.. heh, imagine html-formatted talk
The calander checker, well... you could send like control words or something..hmm..
I have a talk system setup as an answering machine, so if there is nobody there, it asks you to leave a message..
But like you said- why bother.
Actually I kinda like it - It involves you actively trying to talk to someone, which for me reduces the amount of idle chat (and allows me more time to idle-chat on
It is a proven fact that before computers and phones, 100% of affairs started out via "innocent" talking face-to-face with people.
I urge people in relationships to stop talking to anybody else - even those of the same sex (just in case). People will hate be at first, but won't be able to complain since they can't talk to me.
The main advantage of bluetooth is that it is low power. Wireless gobbles up battery.
Seems to be working? It has some pretty major disadvantages - capitalism is not a perfect system, and america is hardly a good example.
But you haven't answered why you think it is good for society to have ppl work against each other - you just gave it a name.
Like I said, 90% of programmers don't work on off-the-shelf software (statistic from ESR's book)
Basically, think of it this way - Is there really going to be a point when everything has been coded? It is unlikely for the foreseeable(sp?asdf) future. Talent is hard to come by, and will always be on demand.
It could be argued that for the majority of the 90%-not-offshelf-software jobs, it doesn't matter if the software developed for them is open-sourced or not. So why not make it OS? You aren't going to run out of work.
Does it really make sense for society to have competing teams developing against each other, not sharing each others research?
The kde-gnome war is an interesting counter-example, but they still share knowledge etc - just trying different routes.
Its hard to tell about intelligence, but you have to agree that genetics certain does help/hinder.
Perhaps there are ways to motivate people other than money. Linux develops quite well, not because of money, but, according to esr, ego (which is as good a reasoning as any).
I didn't mean "why do u deserve the money more" but rather "What do you need more money than everyone else for?"
You don't gain intelligence - you are born with it.
What, two minutes before you've finished the previous one?
If they don't do it, they would get a profit of $0.
Wouldn't that cause the shareholders to be upset either way?
"steal from the intelligent by ensuring they don't make enough money"
Enough money for what?
Even if they got huge tax benefits out of it, good PR, and the total benefits were above what the donations costs?
Doh! I forgot to mention a major point, if you want a non-ethics/philosphical reason, that only 10% of computer jobs are making off-the-shelf software. Its a point brought up by ESR in that book I mentioned.
OpenSource increases the human race's knowledge and wealth. For some of us, that is important.
Why am I here? I don't know, but I do want to make a difference in at least a small way. I feel that writting proprietry software doesn't exactly increase the world's knowledge.
What do I do once I can earn enough money to feed my family? After all, that isn't exactly a huge cost. For some, the answer is just keep trying to make more, and more. Until you end up at Bill Gates with $8 Billion in his personal bank account (Or however much it is).
If you are serious, go read Cathedral and Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond. ESR focuses a lot less on ethics etc than Richard Stallmen, and since ethics tends to get people squimish, I recommend you read ESR - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, even if you don't agree with his writting.
MS roads too :)
Heh, just found this - Our uni's take on MS:
t ry /Microsoft.html
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/software/jargon/html/en
In cambridge? Jeeez. I'm at manchester - half the staff would leave imediately if they named a building after bill gates.
We have cool buildings - like Kilburn (The guy who made the Baby machine, and used CRT's to store memory and stuff).
Several years ago I did this for MS Visual Studio (I was young and nieve okay! :)
:)
The box just contained a card, which I had send off to Ireland iirc, along with lots of proof that I was a student (letter from teachers etc) and then waited a month and then I got it
It actually turned out to be more expensive to get the student version! This was because they didn't include the manuals in the student version, but did in the full version. The cost of the manuals + student copy totalled up to above the cost of the full version.
Boy, was I pissed off when I found that out.
I prefer the idea of having a database of pci.id -> URL - then it can be kept uptodate etc
Something like extend:
http://pciids.sourceforge.net
To include the driver needed?
Interesting - could be done almost automatically (If someone could write a script which took a card description, googled for it, found the latest drivers for all OS's, and included a link to it.)
I have saved many a video card by reflashing it.
Anyone have a video card that is totally broken? Doesn't work any more? Try just reflashing it.
Put it in a machine, along with another card (so you can see what you are doing) and then download the bios from the manufactorers website, and download - hey presto a working card again.
:)
Actually our university got the highest points in terms of research. It means that our lecturers are (generalising) not that good at lecturing, but are good in knowledge. That suits me okay tho.