In the situation you describe, not patching is indeed the user's fault, and no one elses.
Lots of people don't change the oil in their car in a timely way. Whose fault is that? Who pays for that? But most people know there is maintenance required. Why do people think there is no maintenance required with computers?
This slashdot story is written rather poorly. For example you could have explained why it is a bad thing for computer owners. Only the statement alone looks a bit too little.
You have to wait for the second posting of this news, at least. Just be a little patient.
Ethics...smethics. The best thing about Debian is that they take a good hard look at the legal aspects of each software package so that you don't have to. If something is in Debian main then you can be pretty sure that someone with a clue has taken a gander at the license, and that is a big deal.
The OpenBSD folks do the same thing. It's a nice feeling to have a distro where they're serious about making sure no one else can dictate what can be done with a piece of the system--especially a critical piece. Take ipf, for example. They dumped Darren Reed's ipf in favor of a home-grown pf, all because of some licensing snakiness. And how many of us would figure that out?
I'm waiting for the OS that hides every technical detail from the user.
It's there. It's the toaster. Only, you don't know it's a high-powered computer, all the technical details have been hidden. Why do you think it toasts? It's the P4!
Corporations do run the country, bud. Hate to break it to you. How often does your representative "represent" you over a large corporation? Never. They have lobbyists and lots of money to contribute. We have a voice and the innate ability to vote for whichever candidate has the most money. Either way corps. win.
And where do corps get all their money? From all _your_ contributions (aka "shopping").
Yes, and it's also worth remembering that we are always blowing our own horn about being the "leader of the free world" and being morally outraged at others' sins. We set a high standard (with our words) for everyone else's behaviour--we ought to behave that well, at least.
Culturally, Americans have a hard time with empathy, particularly for other cultures. This may be related to the utter ignorance of other cultures, but even within the US, people have a a hard time relating to those outside their immediate peer group.
Most Americans don't have passports. Many Americans love their country conditionally: it's "the greatest!" That's nationalism, we're always comparing ourselves with others and saying how great it is here. Patriotism means you love your country, and you can understand an Iraqi loving Hussein and Iraq. _Of course_ we Americans don't--he's Iraqi. But we are amazed that Iraqis love their leader and their country. We think they should wish to be Americans.
The USA has been behaving like an empire at least since WWII. In the western hemisphere, add about 100 years to that.
Yeah, at least since 1861. OK, includes the US-Mexican war of 1848, too. Or maybe the war of 1812 which was really a land-grab of Canada. Also, think "Manifest Destiny" and "Monroe Doctrine", very empire-like.
They need good advice from technical experts & some knowledge on their own part of the technical issues that will effect costs is helpful but ultimately not really their concern.
I think what they really need is to know that they won't come in to work in the morning to find Richard Stallman huddled sleeping under their desk, all because they chose Linux.
I think that HP is planning to use various members of the Sopranos cast in a new ad campaign for HP's linux offerings.
Picture this: Tony Soprano working on his finances on a windows box. Crash. He flips his lid, and yells to one of his flunkies, "WhadoIgotta do to get any work done around here? I want somethin' stable, I want somethin' secure, got that?" And the flunky answers (trembling), "that would be Linux on HP". Then later he's talking to his shrink and he's telling her about how he just flipped out and destroyed several windows computers. "I hate Bill Gates, what's a man supposed to do? But I'm OK, I replaced the computers with HP boxes running Linux."
My own beliefs, as a realist, are that
1. big business and the wealthy are only interested in accumulating more wealth, and preferably with the least amount of effort
Business seeks more profit (Repubs swim in this pool). The State seeks more power (Dems swim in this pool). Individual consumers seek more value/choice/whatever (the pool is full of junk by now).
Do you really think that when you email Mr. Bush at the white house, that little voice says "You've got mail" and he turns round in his chair to click on it?
BTW- did anyone read the latest Wired (print) on the music biz? If thier predictions were correct they'd be lucky to get only 6% decline. But then, take Wired predictions with a grain of salt, and have a laugh reading this chestnut:
Heh. If they'd done the same for say, 1930, it'd be a different story. Things are bad, and they got a _lot_ worse in the next 15-20 years. Then they got better. Then they got worse. Etc.
Slashdot Mirror
Batteries can last, and they go bad quickly. The have memory, they have no memory. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Lots of people don't change the oil in their car in a timely way. Whose fault is that? Who pays for that? But most people know there is maintenance required. Why do people think there is no maintenance required with computers?
You have to wait for the second posting of this news, at least. Just be a little patient.
The OpenBSD folks do the same thing. It's a nice feeling to have a distro where they're serious about making sure no one else can dictate what can be done with a piece of the system--especially a critical piece. Take ipf, for example. They dumped Darren Reed's ipf in favor of a home-grown pf, all because of some licensing snakiness. And how many of us would figure that out?
No, but it seems like several lifetimes already.
It's there. It's the toaster. Only, you don't know it's a high-powered computer, all the technical details have been hidden. Why do you think it toasts? It's the P4!
Slavery is Freedom.
Ignarance is Strength.
And now: Rubbish is Art.
Next the court will be telling us that dogs are people too.
And where do corps get all their money? From all _your_ contributions (aka "shopping").
Because a nice tone makes for a more civilized world, you absolute idiot moron.
Refining his shareware nag screen, no doubt.
Yes, and it's also worth remembering that we are always blowing our own horn about being the "leader of the free world" and being morally outraged at others' sins. We set a high standard (with our words) for everyone else's behaviour--we ought to behave that well, at least.
Let's set up a nice place for spammers on an island somewhere. Then, one nuke. Very clean.
IANAL, but (insert advice that sounds good to you).
Most Americans don't have passports. Many Americans love their country conditionally: it's "the greatest!" That's nationalism, we're always comparing ourselves with others and saying how great it is here. Patriotism means you love your country, and you can understand an Iraqi loving Hussein and Iraq. _Of course_ we Americans don't--he's Iraqi. But we are amazed that Iraqis love their leader and their country. We think they should wish to be Americans.
Yeah, at least since 1861. OK, includes the US-Mexican war of 1848, too. Or maybe the war of 1812 which was really a land-grab of Canada. Also, think "Manifest Destiny" and "Monroe Doctrine", very empire-like.
I just love these Nationalistic Pissing Contests.
So, they stopped believing that Bill Gates is God!
I think what they really need is to know that they won't come in to work in the morning to find Richard Stallman huddled sleeping under their desk, all because they chose Linux.
Picture this: Tony Soprano working on his finances on a windows box. Crash. He flips his lid, and yells to one of his flunkies, "WhadoIgotta do to get any work done around here? I want somethin' stable, I want somethin' secure, got that?" And the flunky answers (trembling), "that would be Linux on HP". Then later he's talking to his shrink and he's telling her about how he just flipped out and destroyed several windows computers. "I hate Bill Gates, what's a man supposed to do? But I'm OK, I replaced the computers with HP boxes running Linux."
Business seeks more profit (Repubs swim in this pool). The State seeks more power (Dems swim in this pool). Individual consumers seek more value/choice/whatever (the pool is full of junk by now).
They want it easy for other parties (such as telcos) to set up streaming to a variety of clients. Such as mobile phones.
which was in reply to:
Are you using WindowsXP, MacOS 10.2, (insert Distribution here)Linux, or your old personal favorite... Sun?
Sheesh, are we now not even reading the comments before replying to them?
Isn't that what the VP's for?
Heh. If they'd done the same for say, 1930, it'd be a different story. Things are bad, and they got a _lot_ worse in the next 15-20 years. Then they got better. Then they got worse. Etc.