Or they could just do what I did and make sure the Auto-Update feature is on. I just have it set to notify me when a new update is available and I update it myself. You can also set it to install the updates automatically. The very thing you suggest Windows do to help people keep up to date on patches has been in Windows for well over a year.
"but it's also important to consider why so many Windows users are still running old versions: it costs a lot to upgrade Windows and it's a lot of work to get most your data and settings copied onto the new system"
That or (believe it or not) what they're using is working well enough to not necessitate an upgrade. Not everyone is trying to run the latest software, and for them, Windows 98 may be perfectly acceptable for what they're using thier PC for.
I'd love to see this guy run a side-by-side comparison of modern software running on six-year-old versions of Mac OS and Linux, and see if he has any stability issues.
I suspect, though, that this guy is just some geek with an axe to grind with Microsoft, who needed to use outdated cliches to prove his 'point'.
On the contrary, spyware, worms, and viruses all require some sort of human interaction (or lack thereof) to manifest themselves on a PC or network.
Spyware - user installs the application.
Worm - user not keeping up to date with AV definitions and/or Microsoft OS updates.
Virus - see Worm, user opens unknown attachment.
And do the same flaws that allow viruses and worms to manifest themselves not also allow spyware to be installed without the user's consent?
I think there's more in common between worms, viruses, and spyware than people here realize or acknowledge. While Microsoft and dumb users bear some of the blame for allowing these things to get on PC's, the one most responsible for it is whoever wrote the code.
Most slashdotters direct much wrath towards the makers of spyware, adware, and malware in general, because they are a pain in the ass that inconvenience users.
However when someone writes a virus that inconveniences users, almost everyone here blames Microsoft and not the writer of the virus.
Seeing how there is almost no difference between the two, why are spyware publishers lambasted but virus writers given a free pass, and in many cases, lauded as champions against the evil Microsoft Empire?
"We learned how dice rolls determined the outcome of battles, among other amazing history facts."
Whippersnapper!! Back in MY day, we didn't have fancy computers to simulate battle-deciding dice rolls! We didn't have "interactive" history programs! We played RISK, and had to roll the dice OURSEVES! And that's the way we liked it!
What does this have to do with Mozilla? As many have pointed out, they're switching their development boxes from Solaris to Linux. This has nothing to do with what browser they code their software to run (best) on. And lets not forget that Linux != Mozilla.
Chances are they're going to do things the way they've been doing them for a while: develop on *nix, test on MS.
"Do you honestly think they'll check with me before they raid my home, seize my computer, and file a lawsuit?"
Well for starters, if they raided your home and seized your computer, you could press charges for tresspassing, buglary, and probably a whole other assortment of crimes and misdemeanors. The RIAA is not a law enforcement agency, and don't conduct "raids".
Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the RIAA or their efforts at preserving their business model through legislation. I'm just tired of the vast majority of people who (unlike you) have no legitimate reason to download thousands of mp3's, and then try to justify it as some sort of protest against the industry. They are every bit as insincere as the RIAA has been.
"Last time I checked, I was well within the bounds of 'fair use'"
Yes, it is, and the RIAA has actually affirmed that on multiple occasions.
"Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech"
A very separate issue from their lawsuits...
"...and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme"
They aren't going to sue you for downloading/ripping tracks from CD's you've paid for.
"You can't claim everyone that uses P2P is a pirate"
And that's why the RIAA is going after individuals who they believe are 'pirating' music. What's wrong with them going after individuals who are illegally distributing music they don't have lisense to?
STOP ILLEGALLY DOWNLOADING MUSIC YOU HAVEN'T PAID FOR!
And don't feed me that line of bullshit that you (or your 'friends') download music to protest/boycott the RIAA.
A real boycott would mean that you don't buy, download, or in any other way consume their product. That tells the RIAA that as long as they keep up with their nonsense, you don't want their product.
On the other hand, when you download music you haven't paid for, all you're saying is that
no matter what the RIAA does, you still want their product.
That's not a boycott nor is it a protest. That's just called wanting shit for free. So tell me, are you a protester or a freeloader?
Your solution to stop corporations from (for lack of a better description) owning ideas is to remove the one law preventing them from trampling REAL innovators? You do realize, don't you, that if there were no patent laws, a corporation would be able to copy the ideas that inventors work hard to come up with, and produce the invention without having to compensate the inventor for the idea. Can I have some of what you're smoking?
Let's just say I'm not one of those people who see a toaster and go "Oh sweet, installing Linux on that toaster would make it a better, more useful gadget!"
Re:Its like.... magic hardware.
on
Open Source Hotspots
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· Score: 2, Insightful
"unlike the stupid prefab access points that just sit there..."
If by "just sit there" you mean "do their job without wasting your time trying to get your brand new Wi-Fi card working on a 486" then I think I'll take the prefab any day.
Not that I have anything against people playing around with this kind of thing, just when they claim that it's "easy" or "free".
"Would you take one if someone was giving it away for free?"
Not if I knew that person had stolen it. In this case, the stolen Segway isn't an entirely accurate analogy (because you can't physically steal digital music), but then, neither was yours.
Of course, by hook or by crook, Microsoft has established itself as a de-facto standard in much of the world. On the other hand, China doesn't seem to want much co-operation/participation from the rest of the world.
Slashdot Mirror
What was the last piece of hardware or software that you installed on a Windows box that required you to use regedit to get it working?
...for functionality.
Not sure that's quite an analogy you want to make to attack Microsoft. After all, Italian dressing tastes best when it's shaken up.
Pour it on your salad without shaking it up, when it's all nicely layered, and you'll have salad that is oily and flavorless. Kind of like Linux.
Or they could just do what I did and make sure the Auto-Update feature is on. I just have it set to notify me when a new update is available and I update it myself. You can also set it to install the updates automatically. The very thing you suggest Windows do to help people keep up to date on patches has been in Windows for well over a year.
The patch is six weeks old. At what point does it cease to be Microsoft's problem and become the PC owner's?
It is not Microsoft's responsibility to make sure you have installed the latest patches and are exercising proper precautions.
That or (believe it or not) what they're using is working well enough to not necessitate an upgrade. Not everyone is trying to run the latest software, and for them, Windows 98 may be perfectly acceptable for what they're using thier PC for.
I'd love to see this guy run a side-by-side comparison of modern software running on six-year-old versions of Mac OS and Linux, and see if he has any stability issues.
I suspect, though, that this guy is just some geek with an axe to grind with Microsoft, who needed to use outdated cliches to prove his 'point'.
I'd venture a guess that an overabundance of features in MS Office is what probably brought users to OO.o in the first place.
I'm sticking with OpenOffice.org for now. Just MHO.
Are Slashdot subscribers are exempt from this fee?
Spyware - user installs the application.
Worm - user not keeping up to date with AV definitions and/or Microsoft OS updates.
Virus - see Worm, user opens unknown attachment.
And do the same flaws that allow viruses and worms to manifest themselves not also allow spyware to be installed without the user's consent?
I think there's more in common between worms, viruses, and spyware than people here realize or acknowledge. While Microsoft and dumb users bear some of the blame for allowing these things to get on PC's, the one most responsible for it is whoever wrote the code.
Most slashdotters direct much wrath towards the makers of spyware, adware, and malware in general, because they are a pain in the ass that inconvenience users.
However when someone writes a virus that inconveniences users, almost everyone here blames Microsoft and not the writer of the virus.
Seeing how there is almost no difference between the two, why are spyware publishers lambasted but virus writers given a free pass, and in many cases, lauded as champions against the evil Microsoft Empire?
Whippersnapper!! Back in MY day, we didn't have fancy computers to simulate battle-deciding dice rolls! We didn't have "interactive" history programs! We played RISK, and had to roll the dice OURSEVES! And that's the way we liked it!
Rewarding murderers, rapists, and child molesters with a lifetime of food, shelter, and medical care at taxpayer expense is even more wrong.
Chances are they're going to do things the way they've been doing them for a while: develop on *nix, test on MS.
Well for starters, if they raided your home and seized your computer, you could press charges for tresspassing, buglary, and probably a whole other assortment of crimes and misdemeanors. The RIAA is not a law enforcement agency, and don't conduct "raids".
Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the RIAA or their efforts at preserving their business model through legislation. I'm just tired of the vast majority of people who (unlike you) have no legitimate reason to download thousands of mp3's, and then try to justify it as some sort of protest against the industry. They are every bit as insincere as the RIAA has been.
Yes, it is, and the RIAA has actually affirmed that on multiple occasions.
"Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech"
A very separate issue from their lawsuits...
"...and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme"
They aren't going to sue you for downloading/ripping tracks from CD's you've paid for.
"You can't claim everyone that uses P2P is a pirate"
And that's why the RIAA is going after individuals who they believe are 'pirating' music. What's wrong with them going after individuals who are illegally distributing music they don't have lisense to?
But I do so more out of a lack of interest in music than in protest of the RIAA. But then you haven't refuted anything I've said anyway.
And don't feed me that line of bullshit that you (or your 'friends') download music to protest/boycott the RIAA.
A real boycott would mean that you don't buy, download, or in any other way consume their product. That tells the RIAA that as long as they keep up with their nonsense, you don't want their product.
On the other hand, when you download music you haven't paid for, all you're saying is that no matter what the RIAA does, you still want their product.
That's not a boycott nor is it a protest. That's just called wanting shit for free. So tell me, are you a protester or a freeloader?
Your solution to stop corporations from (for lack of a better description) owning ideas is to remove the one law preventing them from trampling REAL innovators? You do realize, don't you, that if there were no patent laws, a corporation would be able to copy the ideas that inventors work hard to come up with, and produce the invention without having to compensate the inventor for the idea. Can I have some of what you're smoking?
Let's just say I'm not one of those people who see a toaster and go "Oh sweet, installing Linux on that toaster would make it a better, more useful gadget!"
If by "just sit there" you mean "do their job without wasting your time trying to get your brand new Wi-Fi card working on a 486" then I think I'll take the prefab any day.
Not that I have anything against people playing around with this kind of thing, just when they claim that it's "easy" or "free".
Correct.
"Would you take one if someone was giving it away for free?"
Not if I knew that person had stolen it. In this case, the stolen Segway isn't an entirely accurate analogy (because you can't physically steal digital music), but then, neither was yours.
I wouldn't really expect an open standard from the government that brought us Tiananmen Square.
Not saying it's right, just how it is.