* Building of credit history. The longer you have credit card accounts in your credit profile (assuming you pay them off or at least pay on time) the better your credit score. This lets you borrow money at a lower rate when you realy have to - say a mortgage.
This is a lie perpetuated by the credit card industry. You simply need credit cards with reasnoable limits, and you need to use them for about 6mo. to establish revolving debt.
After that they only hurt your credit score if their balance is nonzero at the exact moment the balance is reported 5-7 days prior to you checking your credit score.
Or wifi can be set up in an apt complex as a complimentary service. Or in a business as a complimentary service. Or in a house, as a complimentary service.
Assuming a webpage is public is exactly as illegal as assuming wifi is public.
I 100% agree./usr is a complete mess that only made sense 10 years ago. Though I'd really prefer not to see osx style "no shared libraries - everyone uses their own." I rather like the efficiency of shared libraries.
I saw this yesterday and was considering if it would as the next pc for my parents. I don't think so - for one reason, powerpoint. But my folks might be a little unusual with that requirement. I also wonder if my dad could sync his palm to it.
Then we'd need to make sure that their printers are going to work all right. And I'd probably need to teach them how to use new software for printing photos. The more I think about it, as much as I hate to say it, the less I think it would work. Seriously, how many times are we going to fall for this?
Stop modding "I thought about getting my parents this - but it doesn't have [insert MS technology here]" posts up.
I in fact did not describe DRM. I don't know how you see that, I described copy protection. I have installed commercial software on Ubuntu through repositories, and it works fine (note, they didn't even expect this level of copy-protection, they just had runtime key checks)
Adobe is not going to ship Photoshop through a distro repository until someone like Amazon is doing their own distro with support for credit card payments in AZpkg, copy protection, maybe even DRM and all the other crap that (justifiably) makes most Linux users wince. Why not? Seems a quite reasonable distribution model to me. A quick hack would require a valid CD key before you download PS (the CD key would come from a website purchase). The installer would prompt you for the CD key and check it against the server. Then the CD key would be used to encrypt the download and the deb would be sent to you. Copy-protection at runtime has never been the operating systems job, and never will be. Of course this would be done against a "commercial software" repo server, as this extra processing can't be done on the standard mirrors (Adobe would kick in a few cents per download to offset the cost of running the server). DRM isn't required, and it's nonsense that you think they would expect anything more than a one-time encrypted file to help increase the barrier (note this is much harder to copy than a DVD to an average user).
There is no technical or business problem with making this work when it becomes common to distribute commercial software to Ubuntu.
PS: This would either cut down on piracy of PS (which I think might actually be the most pirated software on the planet), or at least make it a trivial bit easier for people to buy it who would have otherwise pirated it.
Pulls down an application, extracts it and runs it, and voila, said application is now registered with the OS and can be used for handling that file type.
This is not, nor has it ever been true in Windows. The installer has been an integral part of registering the application since windows 95. The only exceptions I can think of to this rule are uTorrent and Putty (which properly use the registry to save it's settings while only needing a single executable), but uTorrent doesn't automatically associate.torrent files - you need to do it by hand in Explorer.
"The Eee PC is theoretically fast enough to run Windows XP, which is great news for those of us without beards."
This is not the quote of a professional review. This is what I would expect to read in a slashdot post written by a astroturfer or a troll. CNet has become increasingly worse, but now I think it may have jumped the shark into tabloid land. I can't believe any competent editor allowed this drivel through, and even worse a professional writer thought it was acceptable if it wasn't put there by one of the editors.
I think it might be time for/. to stop linking to CNet. At least, ones with Rory Reid, Jason Jenkins, and Shannon Doubleday involved in any way.
Not really, a device driver database client with a "does this work?" query that updates a database automatically is what is needed. See Ubuntu and their Device Database that they are currently building for an example of a way to actually get this information.
Asking people to fill out a wiki is way too much work, and doomed to be inaccurate. Most people will go, edit one thing, then never visit it again. The core members that 'clean' up the wiki won't have access to their hardware, and will never be able to evaluate their claim.
Graphic designer UI's without sever oversight turn into Vista/Word 2007. Don't trust a graphic designer to do anything more than make pretty static images unless you're allowed to veto him later and/or plan on doing extensive real usability testing.
I found little point in mentioning the few countries I know where consumers buy Windows in any quantity (most all in England, some percent much less than 100% in Germany, some percent I don't know Australia, probably a large percent in Canada). I'm sure there are even more countries, but I haven't seen them and that list is dwarfed by the countries I have direct or indirect knowledge of rampant piracy (Mexico, all of SA, every country I've read about in Africa, Eastern Europe, Russia, Israel, India, China, Taiwan, probably Korea but they don't even care enough about Windows to have mentioned it)
And yes, most consumers in the US either have a valid windows license or think they do and were swindled by their OEM. Teenagers who pirate windows are an extreme minority. It doesn't really hurt that it's almost impossible to buy a computer without a legal install of Windows here.
However, I know for a fact that that in many other countries white box computers never come with valid software licenses. Also, I have found it true that the vast majority of people I've met and countries I've visited have looked past piracy to the point it's socially normal.
But, since you seem so full of yourself, perhaps you can defend why I'm, "self-centred, arrogant, ignorant"
No. The reason is very simple. Everywhere but the US, Microsoft exists in the market because of piracy. I doubt they expect to have a bunch of people buying XP. On the other hand, I bet they do expect a bunch of people pirate XP.
Microsofts biggest fear is people will learn that computers don't have to be based on windows. Once that happens, they can't sell licenses to business and government, because the people won't only know windows so the businesses won't get it.
As of now the OOXML standard has been implemented by zero applications. Should microsoft fail to bribe their way into fast track status, a technical committee will be making radical changes to the standard. But even without that, Word 2007 has several showstopping bugs to claim standards compliance should the current draft be made into a standard.
Slashdot Mirror
* Building of credit history. The longer you have credit card accounts in your credit profile (assuming you pay them off or at least pay on time) the better your credit score. This lets you borrow money at a lower rate when you realy have to - say a mortgage.
This is a lie perpetuated by the credit card industry. You simply need credit cards with reasnoable limits, and you need to use them for about 6mo. to establish revolving debt.
After that they only hurt your credit score if their balance is nonzero at the exact moment the balance is reported 5-7 days prior to you checking your credit score.
Until physical books come with an electronic version, "ebooks" are never going to work.
Sean
Or wifi can be set up in an apt complex as a complimentary service. Or in a business as a complimentary service. Or in a house, as a complimentary service.
Assuming a webpage is public is exactly as illegal as assuming wifi is public.
Sean
Uhm, did you just claim that sum of absolute differences is a pointless instruction? ...
Sean
um, is the riaa astro-turfing slashdot? I keep seeing very short rebutals of this form.
Sean
I concur with everything you said.
Too bad the linux kernel guys will never address their ends of these issues.
Sean
I didn't say any of that. I said the subpoena's should stand up to due process challenges if they are valid.
If they aren't, then they won't.
I don't see how this has anything to do with me liking copyright infringement.
Sean
I 100% agree. /usr is a complete mess that only made sense 10 years ago. Though I'd really prefer not to see osx style "no shared libraries - everyone uses their own." I rather like the efficiency of shared libraries.
And after they prove it in court, through due process, they can get that information.
Not before.
As it says in the constitution of the USA. Not the corporate charter of the RIAA.
Then we'd need to make sure that their printers are going to work all right. And I'd probably need to teach them how to use new software for printing photos. The more I think about it, as much as I hate to say it, the less I think it would work. Seriously, how many times are we going to fall for this?
Stop modding "I thought about getting my parents this - but it doesn't have [insert MS technology here]" posts up.
Sean
"Essentially, the FTC wants the ability to impose fines that are not directly tied to consumer loss or company profit."
I can see this ending very well for the consumers.
More to the point, why would you want to login as root?
Sean
Yea, actually I do expect that items are accurately represented during a sale.
I would have called the police if I were in this guys position. It's amazing what a badge does to move the return process along.
Sean
Mod parent down. He has either never explored educational software on Linux, or is a troll/astroturf.
I learned how to type in dvorak perfectly well using a typing tutor on Linux. Ubuntu comes with a whole menu entry devoted to Education.
Sean
I in fact did not describe DRM. I don't know how you see that, I described copy protection. I have installed commercial software on Ubuntu through repositories, and it works fine (note, they didn't even expect this level of copy-protection, they just had runtime key checks)
Sean
There is no technical or business problem with making this work when it becomes common to distribute commercial software to Ubuntu.
PS: This would either cut down on piracy of PS (which I think might actually be the most pirated software on the planet), or at least make it a trivial bit easier for people to buy it who would have otherwise pirated it.
Sean
Windows user:
This is not, nor has it ever been true in Windows. The installer has been an integral part of registering the application since windows 95. The only exceptions I can think of to this rule are uTorrent and Putty (which properly use the registry to save it's settings while only needing a single executable), but uTorrent doesn't automatically associatePulls down an application, extracts it and runs it, and voila, said application is now registered with the OS and can be used for handling that file type.
Sean
"The Eee PC is theoretically fast enough to run Windows XP, which is great news for those of us without beards."
/. to stop linking to CNet. At least, ones with Rory Reid, Jason Jenkins, and Shannon Doubleday involved in any way.
This is not the quote of a professional review. This is what I would expect to read in a slashdot post written by a astroturfer or a troll. CNet has become increasingly worse, but now I think it may have jumped the shark into tabloid land. I can't believe any competent editor allowed this drivel through, and even worse a professional writer thought it was acceptable if it wasn't put there by one of the editors.
I think it might be time for
Sean
Not really, a device driver database client with a "does this work?" query that updates a database automatically is what is needed. See Ubuntu and their Device Database that they are currently building for an example of a way to actually get this information.
Asking people to fill out a wiki is way too much work, and doomed to be inaccurate. Most people will go, edit one thing, then never visit it again. The core members that 'clean' up the wiki won't have access to their hardware, and will never be able to evaluate their claim.
Sean
(something better left to graphics designers)
Graphic designer UI's without sever oversight turn into Vista/Word 2007. Don't trust a graphic designer to do anything more than make pretty static images unless you're allowed to veto him later and/or plan on doing extensive real usability testing.
Sean
I found little point in mentioning the few countries I know where consumers buy Windows in any quantity (most all in England, some percent much less than 100% in Germany, some percent I don't know Australia, probably a large percent in Canada). I'm sure there are even more countries, but I haven't seen them and that list is dwarfed by the countries I have direct or indirect knowledge of rampant piracy (Mexico, all of SA, every country I've read about in Africa, Eastern Europe, Russia, Israel, India, China, Taiwan, probably Korea but they don't even care enough about Windows to have mentioned it)
And yes, most consumers in the US either have a valid windows license or think they do and were swindled by their OEM. Teenagers who pirate windows are an extreme minority. It doesn't really hurt that it's almost impossible to buy a computer without a legal install of Windows here.
However, I know for a fact that that in many other countries white box computers never come with valid software licenses. Also, I have found it true that the vast majority of people I've met and countries I've visited have looked past piracy to the point it's socially normal.
But, since you seem so full of yourself, perhaps you can defend why I'm, "self-centred, arrogant, ignorant"
Every single person I know in Israel and Eastern Europe has pirated windows. Everyone I know in China has pirated windows.
Anecdotal? Yes.
Thing is, none of them know anyone that bought windows.
In America everyone I know bought windows.
Sean
No. The reason is very simple. Everywhere but the US, Microsoft exists in the market because of piracy. I doubt they expect to have a bunch of people buying XP. On the other hand, I bet they do expect a bunch of people pirate XP.
Microsofts biggest fear is people will learn that computers don't have to be based on windows. Once that happens, they can't sell licenses to business and government, because the people won't only know windows so the businesses won't get it.
Sean
As of now the OOXML standard has been implemented by zero applications. Should microsoft fail to bribe their way into fast track status, a technical committee will be making radical changes to the standard. But even without that, Word 2007 has several showstopping bugs to claim standards compliance should the current draft be made into a standard.
Sean
You are an astroturf. Please mod correctly.
Sean