Well... (insert thoughtful southern pause)... Us real nice redneck boys don't have any problem understanding one another. Maybe you could take a language course like Pimsleur or Berlitz. Wonder if they offer "Southern"...
(and, no - "tabling" something means to drop it down here too)
The MS Patent cited here describes a mechanism for writing applications using HTML.
The mozilla framework provides a mechanism for writing applications using (but not limited to) HTML. (The most notable example is the mozilla browser. The framework - you see - was used to create an application that just happens to be a browser / email / news / irc client.)
I think you'll see these two have a lot in common.
The mozilla framework provides a mechanism for writing applications using a handful of text files and optionally one or more binary files (XPCOM DLL components most likely written in C++ plus assets like JPEGs and PNGs). These text files may be XML (in the form of RDF, XUL, DTD, or XHTML) or Javascript.
The MS patent discussed here serves the same purpose and is implemented in very much the same way.
In the case of Mozilla, "chrome" refers to the browser's controls - button, navbars, panels, etc. These can be replaced or extended to the point of producing an application that has nothing to do with rendering web pages.
First, please read the patent. Second, know that mozilla-the-browser and all of its counterparts like firebird are written in XUL as XUL chrome. They can interact with the user without downloading content from a web server. You can write your own stand-alone application as a collection of chrome files using XUL, Javascript, and XPCOM components (aka DLLs).
-rick
If you feel strongly about this, then come up with a design that achieves binary compatibility between different compilers with different runtimes. You've already got the NSPR.
It's not that this issue is being ignored, it's just not an easy one to fix. The bulk of the developers for Windows are using Microsoft tools while the bulk of the GNU C++ developers are using Linux. The path of least resistance has - so far - lead around the issue above.
The same problem might exist for other platforms that are fortunate enough to have multiple compiler suites available.
But please, don't brow-beat the issue - get up and do something about it.
It's cross platform at the *source code* level.
Is that so hard to understand? Do you expect XPCOM modules compiled under MSVC to run on Mac OS X?
-rick
It's all about features. If you code your driver for the lowest common denominator then you end up with a a very plain device driver. Sure it's useable, but does it support plug-and-play or any of a dozen incremental improvements offered by newer versions of Windows? The Windows 2K and XP folks will expect your driver to support all the nifty keen features that M$ promised to them.
Even differences between 2K and XP are significant. I tried "downgrading" from XP to 2K on a late-model laptop only to find that the video driver was XP only - the vendor did not support 2K for that model. Ouch. I was stuck in a VGA windows 640 x 480 pixels x 16 colors until I could move back to XP. In my case, the common denominator approach (bare VGA mode) was less than satisfactory.
"The module versioning issue is really a pain compared to say windows where a vendor can release drivers that he knows will pretty much work across multiple versions of windows."
I can see you've never written a device driver for Windows. Microsoft DDK (device driver kits) are specific to each Windows version. Subsequent versions almost always break something.
-rick
Yes - they can charge you to view your own credit report. That's a service they provide. You can request a free copy if you have been recently rejected when applying for credit. The company declining to extend you credit will generally issue a letter stating what, if any, credit bureau was used in scoring your credit application.
-rick
That's exactly how Stefan Puffer got indicted in Houston Texas last year. He provided a demonstration of an insecure county wireless system in front of a newpaper reporter and a county IT employee.
He was later no-billed by the county but I'm sure his attorney's bill was a few $$$.
-rick
This isn't the same as repossing a car. Just because the company owes you money, doesn't mean you can walk in and start seizing assets. You can however get a judgement, in which case a sheriff or constable gets to walk and seize assets.
If the company goes through bankruptcy and there are other creditors involved, the judge will make you stand in line with the other creditors. You'll all be feeding from the same dead carcass.
Finally, if the IRS is owed money, they may cut in to the head of the line.
If a bankruptcy judge learns that you have this company's assets in your possession, they may very well demand that you turn the asset over to the conservator or receiver of the company's assets.
Slashdot Mirror
Ever heard of the "Zero Tolerance" laws aimed at drug trafficers back in the 1980's ?
Ever been to a Seized Property Auction ??
-rickHey, thanks Malc ... I learned something.
-rickWell ... (insert thoughtful southern pause) ... Us real nice redneck boys don't have any problem understanding one another. Maybe you could take a language course like Pimsleur or Berlitz. Wonder if they offer "Southern" ...
(and, no - "tabling" something means to drop it down here too)
-rickI just read the patent ... it looks like a description of read-modify-write in the context of a CDROM.
Prior art? Yep. Easy to prove/defent in civil court? Nope.
-rick
The MS Patent cited here describes a mechanism for writing applications using HTML.
The mozilla framework provides a mechanism for writing applications using (but not limited to) HTML. (The most notable example is the mozilla browser. The framework - you see - was used to create an application that just happens to be a browser / email / news / irc client.)
Gee, sounds an awful lot alike to me.
-rick
The mozilla framework provides a mechanism for writing applications using a handful of text files and optionally one or more binary files (XPCOM DLL components most likely written in C++ plus assets like JPEGs and PNGs). These text files may be XML (in the form of RDF, XUL, DTD, or XHTML) or Javascript.
The MS patent discussed here serves the same purpose and is implemented in very much the same way.
In the case of Mozilla, "chrome" refers to the browser's controls - button, navbars, panels, etc. These can be replaced or extended to the point of producing an application that has nothing to do with rendering web pages.
-rick
You can use XHTML as part of a chrome application. You don't have to use XUL but it is more flexible to use for this purpose. -rick
Alternatively, Mozilla can submit XUL to W3C I think they did that a few years back. Sadly, it didn't get very far.
-rick
First, please read the patent. Second, know that mozilla-the-browser and all of its counterparts like firebird are written in XUL as XUL chrome. They can interact with the user without downloading content from a web server. You can write your own stand-alone application as a collection of chrome files using XUL, Javascript, and XPCOM components (aka DLLs).
-rick
I read the patent. I've written XUL applications using Mozilla. The claims covered by the patent are functionally the same to XUL chrome. -rick
you mean Chinese immigrant?
"Hello Mr. Takamoto ..."
If you feel strongly about this, then come up with a design that achieves binary compatibility between different compilers with different runtimes. You've already got the NSPR.
It's not that this issue is being ignored, it's just not an easy one to fix. The bulk of the developers for Windows are using Microsoft tools while the bulk of the GNU C++ developers are using Linux. The path of least resistance has - so far - lead around the issue above.
The same problem might exist for other platforms that are fortunate enough to have multiple compiler suites available.
But please, don't brow-beat the issue - get up and do something about it.
-rickIt's cross platform at the *source code* level.
Is that so hard to understand?
Do you expect XPCOM modules compiled under MSVC to run on Mac OS X?
-rick
It's all about features. If you code your driver for the lowest common denominator then you end up with a a very plain device driver. Sure it's useable, but does it support plug-and-play or any of a dozen incremental improvements offered by newer versions of Windows? The Windows 2K and XP folks will expect your driver to support all the nifty keen features that M$ promised to them.
Even differences between 2K and XP are significant. I tried "downgrading" from XP to 2K on a late-model laptop only to find that the video driver was XP only - the vendor did not support 2K for that model. Ouch. I was stuck in a VGA windows 640 x 480 pixels x 16 colors until I could move back to XP. In my case, the common denominator approach (bare VGA mode) was less than satisfactory.
-rick-rick
The brits like throwing in an extra vowel here and there. Color vs. colour, etc. -rick
Is that old enough? I think I've still got one sitting in a very used 286-12 or 386SX-16. -rick
http://www.ddj.com/articles/1991/9110/
-rick
Yes - they can charge you to view your own credit report. That's a service they provide. You can request a free copy if you have been recently rejected when applying for credit. The company declining to extend you credit will generally issue a letter stating what, if any, credit bureau was used in scoring your credit application.
-rick
Didn't Sun release their Java Browser "Hot Java" at about that time? -rick
Do we really want out kids growing thinking that living life in front of a camera is normal?
-rick
That's exactly how Stefan Puffer got indicted in Houston Texas last year. He provided a demonstration of an insecure county wireless system in front of a newpaper reporter and a county IT employee. He was later no-billed by the county but I'm sure his attorney's bill was a few $$$. -rick
I'd say that's a very liberal interpretation.
This isn't the same as repossing a car. Just because the company owes you money, doesn't mean you can walk in and start seizing assets. You can however get a judgement, in which case a sheriff or constable gets to walk and seize assets.
If the company goes through bankruptcy and there are other creditors involved, the judge will make you stand in line with the other creditors. You'll all be feeding from the same dead carcass.
Finally, if the IRS is owed money, they may cut in to the head of the line.
If a bankruptcy judge learns that you have this company's assets in your possession, they may very well demand that you turn the asset over to the conservator or receiver of the company's assets.
IANAL, bah!
-rick