Actually, I think you're missing or at least misstating the issue. The current hearings are only supposed to address basically ONE thing: what should be done now that MS has been found guilty of monopoly abuse in the Java / Browser wars.
The states are arguing that the proposed settlement will result in future abuses (and they argue that this will happen, not just that there is some slim, hypothetical possibility).
MS and friends are arguing that the proposed settlement provides adequate safeguards.
The states would like to look at how the proposed settlement will or won't prevent MS from doing in current & future markets what it has done several times in the past.
I certainly agree with this being a very subjective article. In addition, it is a little disturbing that it seems to conflate "proficient" with "confident".
The article gives no indication that people's assertion that they were confident about their ability to use technology was reflected in their actual abilities.
I've known cocky high-school gamers who could replace a disk or install software from CD without hesitation or problem. But ask them how a programming language works and you see a bewildering mental model.
On the other hand, my 70 year old father would never claim to be an expert, yet has (successfully) patched the Linux kernel on his PC and is learning the basics of scheme to work with Gimp.
I guess I'd just be careful about surveys that ask people how smart they are and then take the answers at face value.
What we need is a browser plugin that would look over my shoulder, watching for banner ads (or links that looked like banner ads). Then a companion daemon would tickle the ad to give it a warm fuzzy feeling that it was indeed loved by users the world over.
Banner ads' hit rates would become more attractive and I'd just be paying a small bandwidth tax. And if we could move that to a server someplace....
But I'd probably end up getting annoying cease and desist letters. Oh well.
Many posters have suggested giving bogus information to the different Passport-esque services. I can imagine there being a point where I have a number of "Passports", each with different names & details. Then when I go to buy from or visit a site, I'll need to select from a list of who I want to seem to be and supply credentials to validate the choice.
MS clearly has too much clout in this Administration to allow that to happen. On the other hand, MS&c might claim something similar: that SAs who don't promptly apply patches and/or improperly lockdown servers are guilty of same.
Only a step from that to requiring that all end users agree to use XP (as the only sure way to ensure that everyone has current software). I'm sure they can work a requirement to use Passport in there somehow.
But then my mother always said I worried too much. So nevermind.
The problem is not so much that Linux is more difficult to use.... The problem is more that it's
perceived to be more difficult to use.
Actually, some of that perception is quite accurate. Getting Linux to run with my winmodem, ISP, printer, not to mention the kids games, was a chore. It was a fun chore (for me), and I'm delighted with KDE, but Windows does make it real easy for the average guy to get setup and running.
> [an average user] doesn't understand the
> price/quality tradeoffs.
I don't think it is as simple as price/quality tradeoffs. My modem & printer were quite happily recognized by Windows, but getting them to work with SuSE 7.2 has been a... er... challenge. The price / quality tradeoff worked with Windows, not with Linux.
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about Linux and find KDE with StarOffice good enough for what I need to do. But plug-n-play it ain't (always).
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, I think you're missing or at least misstating the issue. The current hearings are only supposed to address basically ONE thing: what should be done now that MS has been found guilty of monopoly abuse in the Java / Browser wars.
The states are arguing that the proposed settlement will result in future abuses (and they argue that this will happen, not just that there is some slim, hypothetical possibility).
MS and friends are arguing that the proposed settlement provides adequate safeguards.
The states would like to look at how the proposed settlement will or won't prevent MS from doing in current & future markets what it has done several times in the past.
I certainly agree with this being a very subjective article. In addition, it is a little disturbing that it seems to conflate "proficient" with "confident".
The article gives no indication that people's assertion that they were confident about their ability to use technology was reflected in their actual abilities.
I've known cocky high-school gamers who could replace a disk or install software from CD without hesitation or problem. But ask them how a programming language works and you see a bewildering mental model.
On the other hand, my 70 year old father would never claim to be an expert, yet has (successfully) patched the Linux kernel on his PC and is learning the basics of scheme to work with Gimp.
I guess I'd just be careful about surveys that ask people how smart they are and then take the answers at face value.
What we need is a browser plugin that would look over my shoulder, watching for banner ads (or links that looked like banner ads). Then a companion daemon would tickle the ad to give it a warm fuzzy feeling that it was indeed loved by users the world over.
Banner ads' hit rates would become more attractive and I'd just be paying a small bandwidth tax. And if we could move that to a server someplace....
But I'd probably end up getting annoying cease and desist letters. Oh well.
Many posters have suggested giving bogus information to the different Passport-esque services. I can imagine there being a point where I have a number of "Passports", each with different names & details. Then when I go to buy from or visit a site, I'll need to select from a list of who I want to seem to be and supply credentials to validate the choice.
So much for single sign-on!
MS clearly has too much clout in this Administration to allow that to happen. On the other hand, MS&c might claim something similar: that SAs who don't promptly apply patches and/or improperly lockdown servers are guilty of same.
Only a step from that to requiring that all end users agree to use XP (as the only sure way to ensure that everyone has current software). I'm sure they can work a requirement to use Passport in there somehow.
But then my mother always said I worried too much. So nevermind.
A.M.
Actually, some of that perception is quite accurate. Getting Linux to run with my winmodem, ISP, printer, not to mention the kids games, was a chore. It was a fun chore (for me), and I'm delighted with KDE, but Windows does make it real easy for the average guy to get setup and running.
If They can start injecting "legitimate" trader's IPs into the blacklists, the value of the lists would be considerably reduced!
> [an average user] doesn't understand the
... er... challenge. The price / quality tradeoff worked with Windows, not with Linux.
> price/quality tradeoffs.
I don't think it is as simple as price/quality tradeoffs. My modem & printer were quite happily recognized by Windows, but getting them to work with SuSE 7.2 has been a
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about Linux and find KDE with StarOffice good enough for what I need to do. But plug-n-play it ain't (always).