There was no damned reason to go from Win2k to WinXP, but many did.
Most people didn't go from Win2k to WinXP; they either went from Win9x, or its their first computer.
... or maybe you've forgotten all the ads for new business machines with WinXP that also offered "downgrade rights" to Win2k, because businesses didn't want to switch?
Heck, I know some people who are still running Win98 - they've recently gotten a new box (it has XP on it) and they want me to install linux on it. Why? Because its just as easy to use as XP, has more features, and doesn't need a virus scanner, whereas Vista will always be broken compared to a real system. Its already over 4 years late, and the competition hasn't been standing still.
Too bad he wasn't more honest and said "just STEAL your ideas from everyone else and call it a Unix operating system" You're all nothing but fucking thieves!
Well, you've been stealing ideas about communication - you've stolen most of the alphbet, some punctuation, even some html formatting codes, to create your post. Couldn't come up with something original? To use your own words, "You're nothing but a fucking thief!"
Kahnawake Mohawk Council also reserves the right to establish licensing of, and regulation/monitoring for specific industries (such as on-line gaming) to ensure that fair, equitable and ethical business practices are maintained throughout.
They've even set up a native gaming commission, all in accordance with US law, even though they're in Canada:
http://www.mohawk.ca/kgc.php
Kahnawake Gaming Commission
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, established on 10 Ohiari:ha/June 1996 pursuant to the provisions of the Kahnawake Gaming Law, MCR No. 26/1996-97 (the "Law"), is presently comprised of three members appointed by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. The members of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission are: Alan Goodleaf, John K. Diabo and David Montour.
Expect to see other native communities on both sides of the border emulating this model.
Kahnawake Mohawk Council also reserves the right to establish licensing of, and regulation/monitoring for specific industries (such as on-line gaming) to ensure that fair, equitable and ethical business practices are maintained throughout.
Not even the Mafia wants to tangle with the Mohawks, so forget about the government shutting them down.
I know exactly how you feel. As an IT equipment addict, I've spent a fortune on new hard drives, new monitors, CPUs' RAM etc. in the past year alone. When they've finished with gambling hopefullt they'll ban IT sales next. Oh, and then everything else. Won't someone please think of the consumers?
... and after that, maybe they can ban food. I must be addicted, I have to eat several times a day! Obviously not everyone is similarly addicted - look at Celine Dion - she not only can't sing, she obviously doesn't eat, either!
Not all of it will go offshore. You can expect a lot of Indian reserves to set up server farms on Indian-controlled land. This way, even if the credit card companies are forced to stop allowing online deposits, there's nothing to stop anyone from going to the local reserve and swiping their debit card, or having a friend who lives nearby deposit some cash.
Well yeah, but what eprcentage of people don't get Windows pre-installed? 1%? I don't see your point.
The buying market has matured; everyone I know buys from small white-box builders; they don't "get Windows for free".
The problem then was that the applications sucked compared to their Windows equivalents
... whereas nowadays the common applications are "good enough" under linux for most people. Alternatively, they continue to use an older version of, say, Office, because it still does the job for them.
there was the issue of games.
Most people don't use their machine primarily for games. For them, even after Microsoft stops selling XP in 2 years, they won't care. The few times they'll want to play a game they'll continue to use their old, outdated, "obsolete" copy.
you are making the big (and common) mistake of assuming that people have security at the top of their list when evaluating an OS or application
Other's don't even know what a browser is, let alone an operating sytsem.
They're a small minority nowadays.
Back when a computer cost $4,000.00, DOS was $50.00, a very small "added cost" - 1.25%. Fast forward to when a decent computer was $2000, Windows was $75.00, 3.75% - again, a very small "added cost", but creeping up. When Windows 95 came out, a decent computer was still a couple of grand, but now the OS had crept up to $100 - 5%. Still not enough "added pain" to make a real difference. 5 years ago, a decent computer was $1500, and XP Pro was an additional $150 - now 10% of the cost.
Today, you can slap together a computer that would eat the lunch of anything made 5 years ago for $500.00. XP is an additional 30%.
Trow in the cost of a copy of Office, and you can buy a second computer instead. Go retail pricing and its even worse.
Microsoft has only 2 real profit centers - Windows and Office. Both products are long in the tooth, and it doesn't look like the next version of either is going to be offering any "must have" features. By the time Microsoft tries to force everyone to, by no longer offering XP (January, 2009), linux will be a lot further along than it is now. That's why Vista isthe beginning of the end as far as Windows is concerned. The competition continues to constantly improve, while Microsoft won't be offering much, if anything, new.
They know this. Hence their recent forays into WGA - to be able to remotely deactivate Windows when its no longer supported. Since they won't be supporting it in 2 years, they'll no longer be giving out activation codes if you have to re-install because of a hardware failure, a virus, or other reason. Of course, there are already ways of getting the latest updates without having to install WGA, and of permanently shutting off registration on naked installs; people who have to legitimately re-install are going to use them, and then say "F.U." to ever buying from Microsoft again.
We've already seen this happen once - the people who bought Millenium, then asked for a downgrade to Windows 98 because ME was crap, and were refused. How many of these people, who never pirated anything before, are running a pirated copy of XP nowadays because they feel Microsoft shafted them?
Its going to be the same with the end of XP. Microsofts' activation scheme is going to force them to "turn to the dark side"... and we all know that "once you go black, you never go back".
I agree, most people look at things like this:
ease of use (people are lazy)
cost
... insert any number of other factors...
somewhere much lower - security
Ease of use means that they aren't going to upgrade to something that means they have to relearn everything - and XP to Vista is not going to score points in that department. Since they're going to have to re
With the caveat that you have to install the engine yourself and there is absolutely no support - unless of course you want to count support as asking your buddy at work who likes to work on cars to help you, and waiting a few days before he has the time.
Most people who don't get Windows pre-installed have to install it themselves. Also, there is absolutely no support from most resellers after 90 days, and what crap support you get is limited to "oh, you have too many viruses - we'll have to charge you for reformatting and reinstalling."
Just grab an ubuntu live cd and stick it in the box. No installing, Ditto with Xandros. They both work fine on plain vanilla hardware - and if your hardware isn't plain vanilla, you'll probably have just as many problems with Windows than linux at this point. Oh, wait - that't not true - you won't have to worry about all those Windows viruses.
*yawn* People like you were saying the same things when XP came out. What happened?
Well, lets see - linux was harder to install than Windows then, whereas linux is now EASIER to install. That's a big difference.
Also, office suites for linux weren't genrally available, whereas now they support official standards (ODF) that microsoft is having a hard time with.
Then there's the whole virus issue - its a safe bet that Vista will be even more prone to malware, given the constant rejuggling its undergone. Microsoft has had to admit to the EC that even they don't really understand their own code any more. NOT a good thing...
Add to that the obvious money grab with the different versions of Vista, and no features that make it a "must-have", and Vista is going to be the beginning of the end...
Re:If all most of them are doing is surfing the ne
on
Deploying Windows Updates?
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Hah! Another bad car analogy.
If your current car has an engine that doesn't run properly, requires a lot of maintenance, and periodic expenditures for a new, buggier engine every few years to that same manufacturer, and someone else is offering you a free new engine, with free upgrades, and the chance to try it, again at no risk, you're going to try it.
In this case, ther are plenty of live DVD/CDs that give people a chance to kick the tires, so instead of having to throw out the whole "car", you can just replace the engine, free of charge. Because that's what most libraries are looking at over the next 3 years - upgrading both hardware and software (they won't be able to buy XP even if they want it, and Vista won't run on their current hardware), or switching to linux/bsd/whatever.
XP is the end of the line for Microsoft. Vista is alreasy shaping up to be both a support nightmare (too many versions, too many rewrites, too much hardware required for a decent "user experience", too many features cut, too many intentional holes in the "new security model", too much maintenance, too much money when compared to the competition). Remember, linux live DVDs are already good enugh for libraries and schools and anyone else who wants to surf the web, and they're only going to get better.
If most of those computers are "pubic access" to surf the net and check webmail, just dump Windows for any one of the major linux distros. Cheaper, easier to maintain, less prone to malware. SuSE also lets you create local repositories for updates, so you can just download them once and roll them out.
register the disc to that particular game console, then wipe out verification data so the disc would be rendered unreadable in other PlayStations
register the disk to that particular game console - attack # 1 - if the registration data is saved on the console, disabling the write function works.
If the registration data is saved to the disk, attack # 2 - re-write the verification data to the disk, and delete the registration data
registration data that isn't unique would allow people to share disks - attack # 3 - mond the boxes so they all give the same registration data.
There's NO foolproof scheme, and Sony should learn that. Even a dna sample won't work - "Here, you want to play my disk - here's a strand of my hair for the dna checker"
You have defended the use of Microsoft software as a proper practice for people who have security concerns, all the time using Mac OSX yourself.
Hypocritical?. Yes.
Trolling? Probably.
Uninformed and simplistic? Considering that you can't even understand a plain english explanation of how traffic fines subsidize other police operations in MANY jurisdictions, and that without those fines they'd have to lay off cops in non-traffic areas, its either wilful ignorance or more trolling.
As for all the hand-waving about politicians, I'm quite happy to let the malware do its darwinian weeding out of those who are dumb enough to use Windows. I've said as much. The idea of fining people would be to their benefit, to encourage them to switch quicker, rather than endure more frustration. It would also highlight the problem that much quicker, and give the slackers at Microsoft more motivation to dump the Windows core for something better. That you think I should contact politicians shows your naiveté in believing that politicians really have an informed opinion in the first place when it comes to IT. They don't.
In fact, the darwinian approach is what's happening... malware and viruses are driving more and more people into the non-Windows world. For many people, XP will be their last Windows version, and they'll buy their next box as a plain vanilly beige no-OS box. Within a year or two you'll be able to assemble a complete laptop from off-the-shelf components as cheaply as you can order one pre-assembled. At that point, Windows will begin to lose significant "guaranteed" market share from the lack of tie-in between desktops and laptops.
"Look at the conviction rates. As close to zero as you can get. Heck, look at the number of people charged. Not all that many, are there."
Clueless mac fanboi replied:
Which brings me back to my original question: interesting, but do you have any evidence of this?
Yo can easily disprove me - show us evidence, any evidence, that there are lots of people being charged. Oh, right, the few that ARE charged make headlines because its so F*CKING RARE! Res ipso loquitor.
ActionScript, Ajax, ColdFusion, CSS, Flash, HTML, JavaScript, Linux, MySQL, OpenOffice.org, OS X, Perl, PHP, RoR, Ruby, Ubuntu, XHTML, XML
What are you trying for "Buzzword 2.0" compliance?
And I notice not a SINGLE PIECE of Microsoft software. Gee, guess you're being hypocritical saying that people shouldn't be to blame if they don't switch from Windows, while you have.
So, hypocrite, name me ONE good piece of Microsoft Software. Just ONE. One that the competition doesn't do better, or one that you can't get a "good-enough" free replacement for.
Jesus H Christ, you really ARE one clueless whatever... Jean Charest? He's the new "Joe Who?"
Jean Charest is SUCH a lame duck. He is in absolutely no position to do anything. He is so ineffective that he's just a joke. He never makes the news, because he never DOES anything, and he can't DO anything because he's already seen in everyone's eyes as a political failure. Even his supporters admit that he's not exactly high-profile. You can go months without seeing him in the news. Literally a care-taker until such time as the party replaces him. Having him support your project is the kiss of death. Better to have the Parti Québecois behind it - at least they'll TRY to do something.
Stephen Harper is too busy trying to get his nose further up Bush's arse while trying not to give that impression. There's no way he would try to do anything against a Republican Party contributor.
The Grey House (It used to be white, but the current occupant has so tarnished its image - maybe Canada should burn it down again... before we have to accept the next wave of draft dodgers)... see the Republican Party contributor bit.
I wish the malware authors more and jore success - they'll "fix" the ecosystem much quicker than any of your proposals. By driving people away from Microsoft, they're doing the world a big favour. It's like the bullshit with Mafia Boy - the claims for billions of dollars of losses weren't true - quite the contrary. Companies like Yahoo! and CNN actually made a profit, because of the increased page views as people followed the news. The kids lawyer was stupid - he should have subpoenad the server log summaries for the previous 12 months. They would have shown an overall INCREASE in traffic even after the attacks are removed from the analysis.
Activex could be removed today. Sure, it would break things, but tough shit - its a broken technology. There is no excuse for keeping it, never mind allowing it on the next generation of systems. That's intentional - because its one of the few things that keeps people locked into apps that require it, and thus locked into Windows.
People who, after being wared and warned and warned, persist in being stupid, deserve any Darwin Awards the net hands out. The sooner every Windows box is turned into a spambot, the sooner everyone will switch. The internet is supposed to route around damage by design, and that will eventually include Windows clients, since people will switch rather than "upgrade" to Vista. Vista is Microsofts' biggest blunder to date. Even Moore's Law won't save it.
As for the rest, you're obviously incapable of reading. A good example is the whole police force thing. Whe EVEN THE GOVERNMENT ADMITS TICKETS ARE A NET PROFIT CENTER, that they rake in more than it costs for enforcement, you just show that you're either too stupid, too stubbourn, or just trolling. A real troll would do a better job, so I have to pick "too stupid". And unless you've been living in a cave, you'd know that many police forcs have staff assigned ONLY to traffic. They have whole DIVISIONS only for traffic enforcement.
1.
If someone is stupid enough to reply to the nigerian scams, or "we need to reconfirm your account information, plese enter your user name and password", they've already proven they shouldn't be near a computer, same as you wouldn't let a kid play with the stove. You don't need a license to use either one, but you do need some brains.
2. No, we have NOT established that the end user can do everything in their power. Quite the contrary, we've established that most users don't want to take ONE LOUSY HOUR to junk their old system and learn a new one. They're lazy, and they deserve to hae their pockets picked continuously until they buy a clue.
3. They refuse to close the activex hole, despite almost 2 decades of warnings (this was WAY before the internet became popular - when it went under another name). Part of the reason is that activex works only under windows. But as I said, just look at the latest hole they've intentionally introduced into Vista.
4. You HAVE had problems with Explorer displaying the REAL extension. You just haven't noticed it. Do some reading. Ditto with the task list. Better yet, go to the library and take out a few books. Not all the info is on the net, kid.
5. WGA. 'nuff said.
6, 7. I said fines subsidize the running of the police force, not that it pays for whole police force. It MORE than pays for the cost of the system of fines. Ditto with any system fining people who let their machines be used as spambots - the fines would MORE than cover the cost of running the fine system, and the balance could be used for ther purposes. In the case of the local police, both they AND the government hae admitted it in the press. What more proof do you need.
Oh, right... Wiondow fanbois don't want proof OR common sense - thats why they continue to throw good money after bad on Windows. They think that as long as Microsoft patches something within a year or so, its okay, because, after all, its Microsoft.
But you CAN fine people for using a bot-infested box.
If that's the sole criterion, then there is no "cost for system compliance". the responsibility is on the end user. Either
keep your Windows box clean
move to something more robust
pay the fine over and over until you finally give up and do #2
Evidence - Activex. Read about it.
More evidence - Windows File Explorer doesn't properly report the true extension of many files. This is intentional, and a huge flaw.
More evidence - the task list doesn't report all tasks. Another intentional flaw. In both the Explorer and Task list, there is code to check each name and decide "do I show this as it really is, or do I obfuscate it/hide it"
As for the "police fines" bit, just ask your local municipality. We had a work-to-rule campaign by the police force a couple of years ago, and the financial loss was enough to force the government back to the bargaining table. Tickets and fines subsidize your local police. If you don't know this, you're obviously not too well-informed with regards to politics, because police financing is a political, not economic, issue.
Running Windows when there are free alternatives that are readily available IS contributory negligence, and wilful ignorance. Neither one is a defense. Everyone knows that Microsoft only makes crap software. Name ONE good piece of Microsoft software. Just one.
The real issue as to malware is that Microsoft's software is defective intentionally. Look at the latest hole they're introducing into Vista on purpose. F*cktards.
And yes, traffic tickets, including speeding, generate more revenue than they cost in terms of manpower, so the system of fines is a profit center. Look at the reports of the impact on costs every time police stop issuing fines when they're on a work-to-rule campaign.
As for calling (202) 456-1414, you've got the wrong country. I'm not an American. And I do spend time promoting linux usage among everyone I come into contact with. Got my ubuntu cd pack from shipit.com, and I'm handing them out.
Slashdot Mirror
There was no damned reason to go from Win2k to WinXP, but many did.
Most people didn't go from Win2k to WinXP; they either went from Win9x, or its their first computer.
Heck, I know some people who are still running Win98 - they've recently gotten a new box (it has XP on it) and they want me to install linux on it. Why? Because its just as easy to use as XP, has more features, and doesn't need a virus scanner, whereas Vista will always be broken compared to a real system. Its already over 4 years late, and the competition hasn't been standing still.
Too bad he wasn't more honest and said "just STEAL your ideas from everyone else and call it a Unix operating system" You're all nothing but fucking thieves!
Well, you've been stealing ideas about communication - you've stolen most of the alphbet, some punctuation, even some html formatting codes, to create your post. Couldn't come up with something original? To use your own words, "You're nothing but a fucking thief!"
(actually, you're JAW - Just Another Wanker)
f this were workable solution, it would already be happening
Its already being done by these people: http://www.mohawk.ca/default.php
If you check the "policies" section, they allow gambling sites:http://www.mohawk.ca/policies.php
They've even set up a native gaming commission, all in accordance with US law, even though they're in Canada: http://www.mohawk.ca/kgc.phpExpect to see other native communities on both sides of the border emulating this model.
The Indians already run internet casinos http://www.mohawk.ca/policies.php
Not even the Mafia wants to tangle with the Mohawks, so forget about the government shutting them down.
I know exactly how you feel. As an IT equipment addict, I've spent a fortune on new hard drives, new monitors, CPUs' RAM etc. in the past year alone. When they've finished with gambling hopefullt they'll ban IT sales next. Oh, and then everything else. Won't someone please think of the consumers?
Not all of it will go offshore. You can expect a lot of Indian reserves to set up server farms on Indian-controlled land. This way, even if the credit card companies are forced to stop allowing online deposits, there's nothing to stop anyone from going to the local reserve and swiping their debit card, or having a friend who lives nearby deposit some cash.
Well yeah, but what eprcentage of people don't get Windows pre-installed? 1%? I don't see your point.
The buying market has matured; everyone I know buys from small white-box builders; they don't "get Windows for free".
The problem then was that the applications sucked compared to their Windows equivalents
there was the issue of games.
Most people don't use their machine primarily for games. For them, even after Microsoft stops selling XP in 2 years, they won't care. The few times they'll want to play a game they'll continue to use their old, outdated, "obsolete" copy.
you are making the big (and common) mistake of assuming that people have security at the top of their list when evaluating an OS or application
Other's don't even know what a browser is, let alone an operating sytsem.
They're a small minority nowadays.
Back when a computer cost $4,000.00, DOS was $50.00, a very small "added cost" - 1.25%. Fast forward to when a decent computer was $2000, Windows was $75.00, 3.75% - again, a very small "added cost", but creeping up. When Windows 95 came out, a decent computer was still a couple of grand, but now the OS had crept up to $100 - 5%. Still not enough "added pain" to make a real difference. 5 years ago, a decent computer was $1500, and XP Pro was an additional $150 - now 10% of the cost.
Today, you can slap together a computer that would eat the lunch of anything made 5 years ago for $500.00. XP is an additional 30%. Trow in the cost of a copy of Office, and you can buy a second computer instead. Go retail pricing and its even worse.
Microsoft has only 2 real profit centers - Windows and Office. Both products are long in the tooth, and it doesn't look like the next version of either is going to be offering any "must have" features. By the time Microsoft tries to force everyone to, by no longer offering XP (January, 2009), linux will be a lot further along than it is now. That's why Vista isthe beginning of the end as far as Windows is concerned. The competition continues to constantly improve, while Microsoft won't be offering much, if anything, new.
They know this. Hence their recent forays into WGA - to be able to remotely deactivate Windows when its no longer supported. Since they won't be supporting it in 2 years, they'll no longer be giving out activation codes if you have to re-install because of a hardware failure, a virus, or other reason. Of course, there are already ways of getting the latest updates without having to install WGA, and of permanently shutting off registration on naked installs; people who have to legitimately re-install are going to use them, and then say "F.U." to ever buying from Microsoft again.
We've already seen this happen once - the people who bought Millenium, then asked for a downgrade to Windows 98 because ME was crap, and were refused. How many of these people, who never pirated anything before, are running a pirated copy of XP nowadays because they feel Microsoft shafted them?
Its going to be the same with the end of XP. Microsofts' activation scheme is going to force them to "turn to the dark side" ... and we all know that "once you go black, you never go back".
I agree, most people look at things like this:
Ease of use means that they aren't going to upgrade to something that means they have to relearn everything - and XP to Vista is not going to score points in that department. Since they're going to have to re
With the caveat that you have to install the engine yourself and there is absolutely no support - unless of course you want to count support as asking your buddy at work who likes to work on cars to help you, and waiting a few days before he has the time.
Most people who don't get Windows pre-installed have to install it themselves. Also, there is absolutely no support from most resellers after 90 days, and what crap support you get is limited to "oh, you have too many viruses - we'll have to charge you for reformatting and reinstalling."
Just grab an ubuntu live cd and stick it in the box. No installing, Ditto with Xandros. They both work fine on plain vanilla hardware - and if your hardware isn't plain vanilla, you'll probably have just as many problems with Windows than linux at this point. Oh, wait - that't not true - you won't have to worry about all those Windows viruses.
*yawn* People like you were saying the same things when XP came out. What happened?
Well, lets see - linux was harder to install than Windows then, whereas linux is now EASIER to install. That's a big difference.
Also, office suites for linux weren't genrally available, whereas now they support official standards (ODF) that microsoft is having a hard time with.
Then there's the whole virus issue - its a safe bet that Vista will be even more prone to malware, given the constant rejuggling its undergone. Microsoft has had to admit to the EC that even they don't really understand their own code any more. NOT a good thing ...
Add to that the obvious money grab with the different versions of Vista, and no features that make it a "must-have", and Vista is going to be the beginning of the end ...
Hah! Another bad car analogy.
If your current car has an engine that doesn't run properly, requires a lot of maintenance, and periodic expenditures for a new, buggier engine every few years to that same manufacturer, and someone else is offering you a free new engine, with free upgrades, and the chance to try it, again at no risk, you're going to try it.
In this case, ther are plenty of live DVD/CDs that give people a chance to kick the tires, so instead of having to throw out the whole "car", you can just replace the engine, free of charge. Because that's what most libraries are looking at over the next 3 years - upgrading both hardware and software (they won't be able to buy XP even if they want it, and Vista won't run on their current hardware), or switching to linux/bsd/whatever.
XP is the end of the line for Microsoft. Vista is alreasy shaping up to be both a support nightmare (too many versions, too many rewrites, too much hardware required for a decent "user experience", too many features cut, too many intentional holes in the "new security model", too much maintenance, too much money when compared to the competition). Remember, linux live DVDs are already good enugh for libraries and schools and anyone else who wants to surf the web, and they're only going to get better.
They've been around for a couple of years now ... its - as they say - "The new site is under construction" Neowin's been around since 2000.
Look at the page views in the forums http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showforum=89
Yesterday's "AutoPatcher XP June 2006" announcement http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?s=cb19fcf468 bcd977d13b309c7a176c4d&showtopic=471109 already has over 150,000 reads.
Or do a search here on slashdot for comments about autopatcher: http://slashdot.org/search.pl?tid=&query=autopatch er&author=&sort=1&op=comments and read what others have to aay.
Lots of people here are already using it.
http://autopatcher.com/
Most of the library computers I've heard of are locked down so people can't just "bring their own data" so as to prevent problems with malware.
BTW: I guess you missed the reference to "pubic access" aka surfing for pr0n on the net :-)
(since someone has to say it ...)
If most of those computers are "pubic access" to surf the net and check webmail, just dump Windows for any one of the major linux distros. Cheaper, easier to maintain, less prone to malware. SuSE also lets you create local repositories for updates, so you can just download them once and roll them out.
FTFA:
- register the disk to that particular game console - attack # 1 - if the registration data is saved on the console, disabling the write function works.
-
If the registration data is saved to the disk, attack # 2 - re-write the verification data to the disk, and delete the registration data
-
registration data that isn't unique would allow people to share disks - attack # 3 - mond the boxes so they all give the same registration data.
There's NO foolproof scheme, and Sony should learn that. Even a dna sample won't work - "Here, you want to play my disk - here's a strand of my hair for the dna checker"To do this, they need to be able to set the laser to write as well as read. One wire snipped and the laser is read-only. Play on.
You have defended the use of Microsoft software as a proper practice for people who have security concerns, all the time using Mac OSX yourself.
Hypocritical?. Yes.
Trolling? Probably.
Uninformed and simplistic? Considering that you can't even understand a plain english explanation of how traffic fines subsidize other police operations in MANY jurisdictions, and that without those fines they'd have to lay off cops in non-traffic areas, its either wilful ignorance or more trolling.
As for all the hand-waving about politicians, I'm quite happy to let the malware do its darwinian weeding out of those who are dumb enough to use Windows. I've said as much. The idea of fining people would be to their benefit, to encourage them to switch quicker, rather than endure more frustration. It would also highlight the problem that much quicker, and give the slackers at Microsoft more motivation to dump the Windows core for something better. That you think I should contact politicians shows your naiveté in believing that politicians really have an informed opinion in the first place when it comes to IT. They don't.
In fact, the darwinian approach is what's happening ... malware and viruses are driving more and more people into the non-Windows world. For many people, XP will be their last Windows version, and they'll buy their next box as a plain vanilly beige no-OS box. Within a year or two you'll be able to assemble a complete laptop from off-the-shelf components as cheaply as you can order one pre-assembled. At that point, Windows will begin to lose significant "guaranteed" market share from the lack of tie-in between desktops and laptops.
I wrote:
Clueless mac fanboi replied:
Yo can easily disprove me - show us evidence, any evidence, that there are lots of people being charged. Oh, right, the few that ARE charged make headlines because its so F*CKING RARE! Res ipso loquitor.
From your profile:
What are you trying for "Buzzword 2.0" compliance?
And I notice not a SINGLE PIECE of Microsoft software. Gee, guess you're being hypocritical saying that people shouldn't be to blame if they don't switch from Windows, while you have.
So, hypocrite, name me ONE good piece of Microsoft Software. Just ONE. One that the competition doesn't do better, or one that you can't get a "good-enough" free replacement for.
Just ... one ...
BTW - you still haven't named ONE good piece of Microsoft software.
And anyone who thinks coldfusion is hot shit really needs to buy a clue.
Jesus H Christ, you really ARE one clueless whatever ... Jean Charest? He's the new "Joe Who?"
Jean Charest is SUCH a lame duck. He is in absolutely no position to do anything. He is so ineffective that he's just a joke. He never makes the news, because he never DOES anything, and he can't DO anything because he's already seen in everyone's eyes as a political failure. Even his supporters admit that he's not exactly high-profile. You can go months without seeing him in the news. Literally a care-taker until such time as the party replaces him. Having him support your project is the kiss of death. Better to have the Parti Québecois behind it - at least they'll TRY to do something.
Stephen Harper is too busy trying to get his nose further up Bush's arse while trying not to give that impression. There's no way he would try to do anything against a Republican Party contributor.
The Grey House (It used to be white, but the current occupant has so tarnished its image - maybe Canada should burn it down again ... before we have to accept the next wave of draft dodgers) ... see the Republican Party contributor bit.
I wish the malware authors more and jore success - they'll "fix" the ecosystem much quicker than any of your proposals. By driving people away from Microsoft, they're doing the world a big favour. It's like the bullshit with Mafia Boy - the claims for billions of dollars of losses weren't true - quite the contrary. Companies like Yahoo! and CNN actually made a profit, because of the increased page views as people followed the news. The kids lawyer was stupid - he should have subpoenad the server log summaries for the previous 12 months. They would have shown an overall INCREASE in traffic even after the attacks are removed from the analysis.
Activex could be removed today. Sure, it would break things, but tough shit - its a broken technology. There is no excuse for keeping it, never mind allowing it on the next generation of systems. That's intentional - because its one of the few things that keeps people locked into apps that require it, and thus locked into Windows.
People who, after being wared and warned and warned, persist in being stupid, deserve any Darwin Awards the net hands out. The sooner every Windows box is turned into a spambot, the sooner everyone will switch. The internet is supposed to route around damage by design, and that will eventually include Windows clients, since people will switch rather than "upgrade" to Vista. Vista is Microsofts' biggest blunder to date. Even Moore's Law won't save it.
As for the rest, you're obviously incapable of reading. A good example is the whole police force thing. Whe EVEN THE GOVERNMENT ADMITS TICKETS ARE A NET PROFIT CENTER, that they rake in more than it costs for enforcement, you just show that you're either too stupid, too stubbourn, or just trolling. A real troll would do a better job, so I have to pick "too stupid". And unless you've been living in a cave, you'd know that many police forcs have staff assigned ONLY to traffic. They have whole DIVISIONS only for traffic enforcement.
1. If someone is stupid enough to reply to the nigerian scams, or "we need to reconfirm your account information, plese enter your user name and password", they've already proven they shouldn't be near a computer, same as you wouldn't let a kid play with the stove. You don't need a license to use either one, but you do need some brains.
2. No, we have NOT established that the end user can do everything in their power. Quite the contrary, we've established that most users don't want to take ONE LOUSY HOUR to junk their old system and learn a new one. They're lazy, and they deserve to hae their pockets picked continuously until they buy a clue.
3. They refuse to close the activex hole, despite almost 2 decades of warnings (this was WAY before the internet became popular - when it went under another name). Part of the reason is that activex works only under windows. But as I said, just look at the latest hole they've intentionally introduced into Vista.
4. You HAVE had problems with Explorer displaying the REAL extension. You just haven't noticed it. Do some reading. Ditto with the task list. Better yet, go to the library and take out a few books. Not all the info is on the net, kid.
5. WGA. 'nuff said.
6, 7. I said fines subsidize the running of the police force, not that it pays for whole police force. It MORE than pays for the cost of the system of fines. Ditto with any system fining people who let their machines be used as spambots - the fines would MORE than cover the cost of running the fine system, and the balance could be used for ther purposes. In the case of the local police, both they AND the government hae admitted it in the press. What more proof do you need.
Oh, right ... Wiondow fanbois don't want proof OR common sense - thats why they continue to throw good money after bad on Windows. They think that as long as Microsoft patches something within a year or so, its okay, because, after all, its Microsoft.
... and if he hadn't posted thw windscreen part, he would have had a lot of people going.
hint for the next time - magnets work better.
But you CAN fine people for using a bot-infested box.
If that's the sole criterion, then there is no "cost for system compliance". the responsibility is on the end user. Either
keep your Windows box clean
move to something more robust
pay the fine over and over until you finally give up and do #2 Evidence - Activex. Read about it.
More evidence - Windows File Explorer doesn't properly report the true extension of many files. This is intentional, and a huge flaw.
More evidence - the task list doesn't report all tasks. Another intentional flaw. In both the Explorer and Task list, there is code to check each name and decide "do I show this as it really is, or do I obfuscate it/hide it"
As for the "police fines" bit, just ask your local municipality. We had a work-to-rule campaign by the police force a couple of years ago, and the financial loss was enough to force the government back to the bargaining table. Tickets and fines subsidize your local police. If you don't know this, you're obviously not too well-informed with regards to politics, because police financing is a political, not economic, issue.
Running Windows when there are free alternatives that are readily available IS contributory negligence, and wilful ignorance. Neither one is a defense. Everyone knows that Microsoft only makes crap software. Name ONE good piece of Microsoft software. Just one.
The real issue as to malware is that Microsoft's software is defective intentionally. Look at the latest hole they're introducing into Vista on purpose. F*cktards.
And yes, traffic tickets, including speeding, generate more revenue than they cost in terms of manpower, so the system of fines is a profit center. Look at the reports of the impact on costs every time police stop issuing fines when they're on a work-to-rule campaign.
As for calling (202) 456-1414, you've got the wrong country. I'm not an American. And I do spend time promoting linux usage among everyone I come into contact with. Got my ubuntu cd pack from shipit.com, and I'm handing them out.