Even if they do keep money on the side to use to pad their estimates in the future, it can't continue forever. Granted, it may last them another ten years, but they also have to keep raising the price on their software, and that's what's going to get them.
Take Office for instance. It costs around $250. (I'm too lazy to look up the actual prices.) StarOffice, from a reputable company (regardless of your opinions of them, they are reputable in the business world;) ) sells an Office Suite on par with that for ~1/4th the price. Even if only some of Microsoft's customers defect each year, they will have to keep raising software prices, and eventually they will be pricing themselves out of the market. (If they aren't doing it already.) At that point, they will have to use more and more of their "cookie jar" money to pad their estimates, and it will run out just as quickly.
What Microsoft, imho fails to realise is that they can't just keep doing things the way they have been. The old maxim "The bigger they are, the harder they fall" is true for monopolies as well as giants.
I know it's a beta program, but it seems to me that a file of that size automatically favours those with broadband, and leaves us dial-up users hoping against hope the phone doesn't disconnect in the middle of the night...
According to the story, they are using the Crusoe chips because they don't require active cooling, unlike Intel or AMD chips.
Discounts for multi-seat purchases?
on
StarOffice 6.0
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· Score: 3, Interesting
Does anyone know if there will be discounts for multiple purchases? Ie, if a company has 1,000 users that they want to switch to Star Office 6.0, will Sun give them a discount, say to $50 per seat? (Granted $76 is cheap, but corporations are always looking to save that extra buck.)
I see that there is a Star Office Now program (here), but that looks to be for vendors.
If Sun makes it so that large companies can get an even further discount, it would seem to me that they'd get even *more* people switching, which could only be a Good Thing (tm).;)
A lot of dotcoms did digital projections for their clients... and if we use my company as a comparison, they could have saved $12,700 if they could have had two projectors for $300.
Now, they only had two projectors... imagine how many some of the bigger dotcoms must have had, and how much money could have been saved had this been out earlier!;)
How long til M$ offers their own version of this?
on
RealNames Closing Shop
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· Score: 1
And how much time will elapse before RealNames has brought another anti-trust suit...?;)
Why would Micro$oft cancel the contract? Do they not need redirection based on keywords anymore? Or did the programmer they keep in the basement all of a sudden figure out how to make IE redirect based on keywords without RealNames?
I didn't even know this was possible...
on
RealNames Closing Shop
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· Score: 2, Informative
I've been using computers for twenty years, and Windows since 3.0, but I didn't even know it was possible to just type keywords into the IE address bar... I wonder how many people out there did?
Granted, I use Netscape a lot more now, but still...
It is good to see stories like this. Since the government (and it doesn't matter which party it is) doesn't seem really all that interested in anything other than their "International" Space Station, it will take private sector people to get us where we should be in terms of the advancement of space flight.
And to see that there is at least one geek involved (Mr. Carmack) makes it all the more reassuring. Of course, I suspect that they're all geeks, but I don't know the credentials of anyone else in the story.;)
To make it that much worse for Oracle, IBM has just ousted them as the number one seller of database software. To put that in further perspective, they are losing market share to Micro$oft as well! The company is downplaying it, of course, and no word from Mr. Arroga^H^H^H^H^H^H Ellison yet.
Ooh, ya got me on that one... I never said his opinion was less valid, just that one person's experiences can lead to different conclusions. Furthermore, there was an "And if you're not..." clause to that that you ignored.
And New Yorkers are conceited because they have reason to be. You can keep "calling us" on it, but that will never change. It's not the Greatest City on Earth (TM) for no reason you know.;)
...a plague of coders descended on Hawaii, eager to get at the caffeine and turn it into code!
Now the Hawaii ag folks have to figure out how to get rid of all the coders. An anonymous source in the state government was quoted as saying "Actually, we're thinking of holding them, and not releasing them. We are going to corner the geek market, and then make a fortune charging other states by the hour."
There is no word from the Whitehouse at this time regarding the swarm of geeks descending on Hawaii, but the President is expected to make a short statement later this evening.
I used to live in NY, in Westchester, so I can commiserate. (I also worked in NYC, so I can commiserate with the $11 as well.) However, having moved to California, movie tickets are cheaper now, so I can see movies multiple times and still pay the rent.;)
Cost to see it on opening day: $7.50. Cost to see it the next day at a matinee: $5.00. Cost to see it today at a matinee: $5.00. Cost to see it tomorrow at a matinee: $5.00. Cost to see it again tomorrow evening with my girlfriend: $7.50.
Seeing kick-ass Spider-Man movie five times in four days: PRICELESS.:)
First, are you a New Yorker? If you're not, you don't quite know just what it was like to be on the island that day. If you do, I am surprised at how bitter you are.
Second, if you have a problem with the "post 9/11 edits", you're missing a big point. In order to accurately portray NYC now, you can't have the buildings there. It is quite unfortunate (I lost two friends, I know), but it is still true. Besides, the world got enough coverage of the gruesome happening on the news - we can cherish the memories of friends and loved ones we lost, but we don't need to be reminded every five seconds like we were on the news for two months.
Third, while you seem to have this negative image of all "Hollywood" people, I stood on line to give blood that day behind some of New York's finest actors and actresses, standing in line to help just like every one else. They weren't asking for attention, just to help.
Fourth, what is wrong with patriotism? You have a problem with it because people have re-realised what it means to be patriotic? Where were you two years ago crying about a lack of patriotism in this country?
Fifth, no one is suggesting that we applaud fake heroes. In case you missed it, there were plenty of New York's Finest, and New York's Bravest, in the movie. And that 'you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us' was always true; the rest of the country didn't know it as well as we NYers, but hey, behind that gruff exterior lies a heart of generosity. It always has.
The moon is too often overlooked...
on
Lunar Power
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· Score: 1, Redundant
From what I've read of the responses so far, a lot of you are missing the point.
For starters, you missed the fact that he suggested mining the moon for the materials needed to build the photovoltaic collectors. That means that the only thing that needs to be put on the moon are some ships carrying parts for a mining operation. (We put ships there thirty years ago with much crappier technology!) It's not all that infeasible, though obviously expenses for space missions tend to rise higher than expected.
Secondly, unlike an orbital space station or orbital photovoltaic collectors, the moon itself requires no energy to be kept in orbit. So there is no need to expend fuel or energy keeping things up in space, since the moon does that already.
I know the immediate response to this will be that there are stationary earth orbits. That is true, but the items in them are still subject to the varying conditions of space (solar wind, micrometeors, etc.), whereas something firmly anchored on the moon is not likely to face those problems to the same degree. (Does anyone remember the solar storm that knocked out those communications satellites a while back?)
Thirdly, the use of the term "microwaves" refers to a section of the spectrum, not the same type of rays used in your oven in the kitchen. They are already used in power transmission here on earth, with no reported cases of harm to any form of life.
With the ability to remotely control a user's computer built into Windows XP in order to provide "tech support", isn't a good portion of the world already vulnerable to a well-written worm? See "Remote Assistance" at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation / eatures.asp.
I read your review of the Sharp Zaurus. You mentioned that you clicked the synchronise button and nothing happened... did you disable the Windows XP firewall? If I remember correctly, XP has a "personal firewall" built-in, and since the Zaurus synchs over IP, XP might be "protecting" you from your own device. I've had the SL-5000D (the developer's version) for months now, and have had no problems synching with Windows (granted, it's 98SE, not XP) or Linux.
While I do tend to be an evangelist over Linux, I will admit that this review will prejudice people against a really cool device. The real problem (as is usually the case, unfortunately) is that Microsoft once again has screwed something up, and it is other products and companies that are suffering.
As for the size, I also notice that you didn't compare it to any of the other prominent WinCE handhelds out there. When was the last time you touched a Casio E-xyz? Compared to those things, the Zaurus is a small device. It's easily 80% of the size of the Casio E-115 I have, and I don't think the E-125 is any smaller. I do agree about the battery, though, and that is an area where the Zaurus could use significant improvement. However, since you're a technology reviewer, you must know that it's rather redundant to talk about battery technology at this point, since very few devices have batteries that actually last any useful amount of time.
As for the number of programs, the beauty of it running Linux (which I think you missed), is that it will be able to run all Linux programs. And, if I recall correctly, someone is working on a Palm compatibility layer, which would allow the Zaurus to run Palm Apps. (That may have just been developer list chatter, but if it actually happens, that eliminates that big problem right there.) Furthermore, if you had checked any of the other sites (www.zauruszone.com is a good example) there are at least a hundred applications for the Zaurus already. That's not too bad for a device that's only been on the market a few days, and shows a good example of just how devoted the developer community for the SL-5000D has been. Furthermore, since it has Java, it opens the market to Java developers to write programs as well. (This fact is completely absent from your review.)
Thank you in advance for the time you took to read this, I hope you'll reconsider your review.
...and will be suing Blizzard for damages. While no immediate figures were given, it is said that the head Orc mentioned in a press release that "all his people would be without land or job", and that "Blizzard would have to account for the loss of all potential conquerings, and any and all potential earnings his people might therefore derive from said conquerings".
Slashdot Mirror
Even if they do keep money on the side to use to pad their estimates in the future, it can't continue forever. Granted, it may last them another ten years, but they also have to keep raising the price on their software, and that's what's going to get them.
;) ) sells an Office Suite on par with that for ~1/4th the price. Even if only some of Microsoft's customers defect each year, they will have to keep raising software prices, and eventually they will be pricing themselves out of the market. (If they aren't doing it already.) At that point, they will have to use more and more of their "cookie jar" money to pad their estimates, and it will run out just as quickly.
Take Office for instance. It costs around $250. (I'm too lazy to look up the actual prices.) StarOffice, from a reputable company (regardless of your opinions of them, they are reputable in the business world
What Microsoft, imho fails to realise is that they can't just keep doing things the way they have been. The old maxim "The bigger they are, the harder they fall" is true for monopolies as well as giants.
I think that Han Solo will take one look at Jar Jar Binks and blow his head clean off with his laser pistol. Anyone else?
...so how long until the Feds are also in this guy's backyard making sure that it's not used (or copied) for terrorist training?
(Yes, I know he's in Australia, but when has that stopped them before?)
Say, by mail for a shipping and handling charge?
I know it's a beta program, but it seems to me that a file of that size automatically favours those with broadband, and leaves us dial-up users hoping against hope the phone doesn't disconnect in the middle of the night...
According to the story, they are using the Crusoe chips because they don't require active cooling, unlike Intel or AMD chips.
Does anyone know if there will be discounts for multiple purchases? Ie, if a company has 1,000 users that they want to switch to Star Office 6.0, will Sun give them a discount, say to $50 per seat? (Granted $76 is cheap, but corporations are always looking to save that extra buck.)
;)
I see that there is a Star Office Now program (here), but that looks to be for vendors.
If Sun makes it so that large companies can get an even further discount, it would seem to me that they'd get even *more* people switching, which could only be a Good Thing (tm).
I was just kidding, no trolling involved. ;)
A lot of dotcoms did digital projections for their clients... and if we use my company as a comparison, they could have saved $12,700 if they could have had two projectors for $300.
;)
Now, they only had two projectors... imagine how many some of the bigger dotcoms must have had, and how much money could have been saved had this been out earlier!
And how much time will elapse before RealNames has brought another anti-trust suit...? ;)
Why would Micro$oft cancel the contract? Do they not need redirection based on keywords anymore? Or did the programmer they keep in the basement all of a sudden figure out how to make IE redirect based on keywords without RealNames?
I've been using computers for twenty years, and Windows since 3.0, but I didn't even know it was possible to just type keywords into the IE address bar... I wonder how many people out there did?
Granted, I use Netscape a lot more now, but still...
It is good to see stories like this. Since the government (and it doesn't matter which party it is) doesn't seem really all that interested in anything other than their "International" Space Station, it will take private sector people to get us where we should be in terms of the advancement of space flight.
;)
And to see that there is at least one geek involved (Mr. Carmack) makes it all the more reassuring. Of course, I suspect that they're all geeks, but I don't know the credentials of anyone else in the story.
To make it that much worse for Oracle, IBM has just ousted them as the number one seller of database software. To put that in further perspective, they are losing market share to Micro$oft as well! The company is downplaying it, of course, and no word from Mr. Arroga^H^H^H^H^H^H Ellison yet.
...you could probably turn four of these into table legs!
;)
Of course, while that would save space and money, having to take your table apart every time you needed to fix or swap something would be a PITA.
Ooh, ya got me on that one... I never said his opinion was less valid, just that one person's experiences can lead to different conclusions. Furthermore, there was an "And if you're not..." clause to that that you ignored.
;)
And New Yorkers are conceited because they have reason to be. You can keep "calling us" on it, but that will never change. It's not the Greatest City on Earth (TM) for no reason you know.
...a plague of coders descended on Hawaii, eager to get at the caffeine and turn it into code!
Now the Hawaii ag folks have to figure out how to get rid of all the coders. An anonymous source in the state government was quoted as saying "Actually, we're thinking of holding them, and not releasing them. We are going to corner the geek market, and then make a fortune charging other states by the hour."
There is no word from the Whitehouse at this time regarding the swarm of geeks descending on Hawaii, but the President is expected to make a short statement later this evening.
Little did you know that she bought me a ticket for my birthday... so I only have hers to pay for. :-P
I used to live in NY, in Westchester, so I can commiserate. (I also worked in NYC, so I can commiserate with the $11 as well.) However, having moved to California, movie tickets are cheaper now, so I can see movies multiple times and still pay the rent. ;)
Let's see... $114 million...
:)
Cost to see it on opening day: $7.50.
Cost to see it the next day at a matinee: $5.00.
Cost to see it today at a matinee: $5.00.
Cost to see it tomorrow at a matinee: $5.00.
Cost to see it again tomorrow evening with my girlfriend: $7.50.
Seeing kick-ass Spider-Man movie five times in four days: PRICELESS.
And I thought *I* was cycnical...
First, are you a New Yorker? If you're not, you don't quite know just what it was like to be on the island that day. If you do, I am surprised at how bitter you are.
Second, if you have a problem with the "post 9/11 edits", you're missing a big point. In order to accurately portray NYC now, you can't have the buildings there. It is quite unfortunate (I lost two friends, I know), but it is still true. Besides, the world got enough coverage of the gruesome happening on the news - we can cherish the memories of friends and loved ones we lost, but we don't need to be reminded every five seconds like we were on the news for two months.
Third, while you seem to have this negative image of all "Hollywood" people, I stood on line to give blood that day behind some of New York's finest actors and actresses, standing in line to help just like every one else. They weren't asking for attention, just to help.
Fourth, what is wrong with patriotism? You have a problem with it because people have re-realised what it means to be patriotic? Where were you two years ago crying about a lack of patriotism in this country?
Fifth, no one is suggesting that we applaud fake heroes. In case you missed it, there were plenty of New York's Finest, and New York's Bravest, in the movie. And that 'you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us' was always true; the rest of the country didn't know it as well as we NYers, but hey, behind that gruff exterior lies a heart of generosity. It always has.
From what I've read of the responses so far, a lot of you are missing the point.
;)
For starters, you missed the fact that he suggested mining the moon for the materials needed to build the photovoltaic collectors. That means that the only thing that needs to be put on the moon are some ships carrying parts for a mining operation. (We put ships there thirty years ago with much crappier technology!) It's not all that infeasible, though obviously expenses for space missions tend to rise higher than expected.
Secondly, unlike an orbital space station or orbital photovoltaic collectors, the moon itself requires no energy to be kept in orbit. So there is no need to expend fuel or energy keeping things up in space, since the moon does that already.
I know the immediate response to this will be that there are stationary earth orbits. That is true, but the items in them are still subject to the varying conditions of space (solar wind, micrometeors, etc.), whereas something firmly anchored on the moon is not likely to face those problems to the same degree. (Does anyone remember the solar storm that knocked out those communications satellites a while back?)
Thirdly, the use of the term "microwaves" refers to a section of the spectrum, not the same type of rays used in your oven in the kitchen. They are already used in power transmission here on earth, with no reported cases of harm to any form of life.
Just thought I'd clear those things up.
With the ability to remotely control a user's computer built into Windows XP in order to provide "tech support", isn't a good portion of the world already vulnerable to a well-written worm? See "Remote Assistance" at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation / eatures.asp.
Sure, he may be trying to make it so that Linux won't interoperate with Windows, but maybe he's just trying to get revenge for being tricked?
I read your review of the Sharp Zaurus. You mentioned that you clicked the synchronise button and nothing happened... did you disable the Windows XP firewall? If I remember correctly, XP has a "personal firewall" built-in, and since the Zaurus synchs over IP, XP might be "protecting" you from your own device. I've had the SL-5000D (the developer's version) for months now, and have had no problems synching with Windows (granted, it's 98SE, not XP) or Linux.
While I do tend to be an evangelist over Linux, I will admit that this review will prejudice people against a really cool device. The real problem (as is usually the case, unfortunately) is that Microsoft once again has screwed something up, and it is other products and companies that are suffering.
As for the size, I also notice that you didn't compare it to any of the other prominent WinCE handhelds out there. When was the last time you touched a Casio E-xyz? Compared to those things, the Zaurus is a small device. It's easily 80% of the size of the Casio E-115 I have, and I don't think the E-125 is any smaller. I do agree about the battery, though, and that is an area where the Zaurus could use significant improvement. However, since you're a technology reviewer, you must know that it's rather redundant to talk about battery technology at this point, since very few devices have batteries that actually last any useful amount of time.
As for the number of programs, the beauty of it running Linux (which I think you missed), is that it will be able to run all Linux programs. And, if I recall correctly, someone is working on a Palm compatibility layer, which would allow the Zaurus to run Palm Apps. (That may have just been developer list chatter, but if it actually happens, that eliminates that big problem right there.) Furthermore, if you had checked any of the other sites (www.zauruszone.com is a good example) there are at least a hundred applications for the Zaurus already. That's not too bad for a device that's only been on the market a few days, and shows a good example of just how devoted the developer community for the SL-5000D has been. Furthermore, since it has Java, it opens the market to Java developers to write programs as well. (This fact is completely absent from your review.)
Thank you in advance for the time you took to read this, I hope you'll reconsider your review.
Or is it the last first post?
...and will be suing Blizzard for damages. While no immediate figures were given, it is said that the head Orc mentioned in a press release that "all his people would be without land or job", and that "Blizzard would have to account for the loss of all potential conquerings, and any and all potential earnings his people might therefore derive from said conquerings".