I hear you. Somehow Microsoft and Google working together on a browser does not inspire confidence for me. Wonder if they have entered into a "data sharing" agreement (scary thought!)
Good point about the "bad story a day" for Apple. Makes me wonder if there are more or less negative stories per day on Microsoft or Apple nowadays...which is strange considering that this is slashdot (!)
Note that it is possible to set up sync infrastructure yourself to keep all your information (passwords, bookmarks, history, open tabs, etc) on your machines. See here for a walk-through. I strongly doubt Google would allow you to do something like this with their browser since it contravenes their business model- almost entirely built around tracking you.
This might be what happens when engineers are in charge of branding (?) No disparagement, but these names are going to be extremely confusing for the average person. Perhaps folks in marketing are needed after all (!)
Great post, I'd give you a mod point if I had any right now. Information and experience showing that there are no perfect choices. More and more, I feel this is a general case in computing.
On point. I see us heading into a two-tiered mobile phone system: is you can pay a lot for your hardware (Apple) you are less "monitized" and can have more control over your information. If you don't pay a lot, you are the product (Google and partners). Its a sad state of affairs, and one that suggests not much room for a mid-tier: the Android side will degenerate into a race to the bottom, price-wise.
Sadly, the same applies to general computing these days also, with MS adopting the "google model". You have to pay to escape this through $ (again, Apple) or technical skill (managing MS Windows or installing Linux).
It seems like very significant effort will be needed to integrate the services, so the question to me is why undertake that effort. Increased and integrated data collection on users seems very likely to be part of the reason. The comment above that indicates "That is probably "good enough" for facebook's social graph and combined with other data harvesting efforts ad targeting" is spot on I think.
They are not doing all this work for no reason. But I would be interested to read what others reasons might be.
I agree with GP- frequency probably the most important factor leading to reduced interest. A good arguement can be made about quality, but this is the same franchise that somehow survived Episode I...
This makes sense, and I can see that inefficiency would be a nuisance- thank you for replying. I did not use Windows 7 heavily, so the change to 10 was as noticeable to me. However, the few times I interacted with 8 and 8.1 - the schizophrenic UI problems in those were very noticeable.
Serious question for the Slashdot readership, which is generally knowledgeable about "tech".
How do Google and Facebook stack up in terms of tech that they have introduced to the world?
My guess is that google has produced more technologies that have been picked up and used by others. They also failed to become a big "social media" player (google+ going away soon). So one might argue that they are a bit of a tech/media hybrid.
Extra credit: how do those two compare with other "tech" companies of the past. Examples: Kodak, Ford, Bell labs, etc?
I was just thinking.. isn't this the sort of "functionality" that was installed by various Java(TM) plugins years ago? And for which the same plugins were condemned for being insecure? Seems like a poor idea to bundle this with the browser now..
you can't ask a vendor to sell you a one time license and then keep everything up to date forever.
This is a good point, though the comparison with MacOS is probably not straight-forward. Apple sells you hardware and then provides you the software to run it.. for a long time (usually). The difference is that Microsoft was sold software licenses from the start (this was their innovation compared to the older model, more like Apple's today) and it seems that is the business that is changing.
Slashdot Mirror
I know, right? I am starting to think this company is not very reliable!
Price? Looks just like an offering from another computer company named after fruit, but costs much less.
At least that is my guess.
I hear you. Somehow Microsoft and Google working together on a browser does not inspire confidence for me. Wonder if they have entered into a "data sharing" agreement (scary thought!)
Good point about the "bad story a day" for Apple. Makes me wonder if there are more or less negative stories per day on Microsoft or Apple nowadays...which is strange considering that this is slashdot (!)
Note that it is possible to set up sync infrastructure yourself to keep all your information (passwords, bookmarks, history, open tabs, etc) on your machines. See here for a walk-through. I strongly doubt Google would allow you to do something like this with their browser since it contravenes their business model- almost entirely built around tracking you.
touche! One day we may speak of old "Ma Google".
.. is that TV running MS Windows??
This might be what happens when engineers are in charge of branding (?) No disparagement, but these names are going to be extremely confusing for the average person. Perhaps folks in marketing are needed after all (!)
Great post, I'd give you a mod point if I had any right now. Information and experience showing that there are no perfect choices. More and more, I feel this is a general case in computing.
On point. I see us heading into a two-tiered mobile phone system: is you can pay a lot for your hardware (Apple) you are less "monitized" and can have more control over your information. If you don't pay a lot, you are the product (Google and partners). Its a sad state of affairs, and one that suggests not much room for a mid-tier: the Android side will degenerate into a race to the bottom, price-wise.
Sadly, the same applies to general computing these days also, with MS adopting the "google model". You have to pay to escape this through $ (again, Apple) or technical skill (managing MS Windows or installing Linux).
I've had it! I'm taking all the memory out of my machine to increase its security. Hold on, brb!
for those unfamiliar with that age-old scam...
It seems like very significant effort will be needed to integrate the services, so the question to me is why undertake that effort. Increased and integrated data collection on users seems very likely to be part of the reason. The comment above that indicates "That is probably "good enough" for facebook's social graph and combined with other data harvesting efforts ad targeting" is spot on I think.
They are not doing all this work for no reason. But I would be interested to read what others reasons might be.
I agree with GP- frequency probably the most important factor leading to reduced interest. A good arguement can be made about quality, but this is the same franchise that somehow survived Episode I...
Add to this, I read that China offered Musk permenent residency (citizenship?) recently.
or a return to local purchased copies! DVD anyone?
This summary makes little sense.
This makes sense, and I can see that inefficiency would be a nuisance- thank you for replying. I did not use Windows 7 heavily, so the change to 10 was as noticeable to me. However, the few times I interacted with 8 and 8.1 - the schizophrenic UI problems in those were very noticeable.
Just curious, why did you prefer 7 o 10? I don't do most of my computing in Windows, but find 10 to be pretty good..
Just want to add that Mr. Ageh probably remembers encyclopedias on dozens of disks in a changer, "tech" that was supposed to be the future. We know how that panned out. My experience tells me he is right on the money.
Serious question for the Slashdot readership, which is generally knowledgeable about "tech".
How do Google and Facebook stack up in terms of tech that they have introduced to the world?
My guess is that google has produced more technologies that have been picked up and used by others. They also failed to become a big "social media" player (google+ going away soon). So one might argue that they are a bit of a tech/media hybrid.
Extra credit: how do those two compare with other "tech" companies of the past. Examples: Kodak, Ford, Bell labs, etc?
I'll take my answers off the air..
My observation is that governments around the world, at all levels, are great at making pronouncements, less great at accomplishing the stated goals. Recent example, note EU not on track: According to the UN, most major polluters are not on track to meet their Paris goals.
In addition to the EU, Rwanda also launched a climate change mitigation plan today Rwanda launches national plan for Paris Agreement on climate change
Another day, another set of cheap pronouncements.
I was just thinking.. isn't this the sort of "functionality" that was installed by various Java(TM) plugins years ago? And for which the same plugins were condemned for being insecure? Seems like a poor idea to bundle this with the browser now..
you can't ask a vendor to sell you a one time license and then keep everything up to date forever.
This is a good point, though the comparison with MacOS is probably not straight-forward. Apple sells you hardware and then provides you the software to run it.. for a long time (usually). The difference is that Microsoft was sold software licenses from the start (this was their innovation compared to the older model, more like Apple's today) and it seems that is the business that is changing.
This.. appears to capture the situation perfectly. Samsung will be dropping the headphone jack next, I guess...