Say, I've got an idea... let's make some data format that will be really useful that we can make some money off of. But, wait - it gets better. We'll initially give it away for free for a year or two... or at least until it gets really popular....and then...BAM! - we'll start hitting people up for money when they really are dependant on the data format.
This is absolutely crappy. There should be laws forbidding people from changing the terms of a license for a data format once they've released it publicly. Or at least something saying "if you don't ask for royalties from a data format initially when it's released, then you can't ever ask for royalties"....something like that, anyway. jpg, gif, mp3..some greedy as!*ole always has to ruin things..
I can tell you why this is bad.
1) This is not an appropriate settlement for an ANTI-TRUST suit. Doing this will only strengthen Microsoft's monopoly on things. Who cares if they lose a billion dollars? They'll make that up in no time. By giving Windoze-computers to school-kids, they will be pushing their software on even more people, teaching them that this is the "only way" to use computers - via Microsoft products. This settlement is NOT a settlement - it's a win-win situation for Microsoft. Settlements involve comprimise, and this is just a sneaky attempt by Microsoft to avoid comprimise and actually significantly benefit from this situation.
2) It's pretty tasteless from a political standpoint. Any judge with political aspirations would have a hard time saying "no" to an offer like this. After that, he/she could be easily targeted in future campaigns. "What, you don't like kids? You don't want to help the poor?" and so on. Don't think this is true? Then why would Microsoft pick a settlement proposal so wildly irrelevant to an anti-trust suit. I'm certain this political dimension was considered as well.
3) What's a billion dollars worth of computers and Microsoft software really worth to Microsoft? Assuming that they a) include only their own software and b) give the computers to these schools at consumer market prices, the real cost of these computers could be what portion of their proposed value? half? a quarter?
To hell with that company. At this point, I am simply disgusted by it's tactics, both now and in the past. They're trying to extend their monopoly with a facade of good will.
not what you're looking for, but proftpd is nice
on
A Better FTP?
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· Score: 1
I don't think proftpd has many of the things you're looking for, but it's certainly the best ftp server I've used. You might be able to get some use out of it until you find something better, at least.
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hey, great idea - the soviets had that idea, too - now there's millions of awful buildings spread across the former soviet block....
Man, not another buzzword.... I really hope this one doesn't stick, or else I'll have Yoda kicking my ass for downloading mp3s, too...
Say, I've got an idea... let's make some data format that will be really useful that we can make some money off of. But, wait - it gets better. We'll initially give it away for free for a year or two... or at least until it gets really popular....and then...BAM! - we'll start hitting people up for money when they really are dependant on the data format. This is absolutely crappy. There should be laws forbidding people from changing the terms of a license for a data format once they've released it publicly. Or at least something saying "if you don't ask for royalties from a data format initially when it's released, then you can't ever ask for royalties"....something like that, anyway. jpg, gif, mp3..some greedy as!*ole always has to ruin things..
I can tell you why this is bad. 1) This is not an appropriate settlement for an ANTI-TRUST suit. Doing this will only strengthen Microsoft's monopoly on things. Who cares if they lose a billion dollars? They'll make that up in no time. By giving Windoze-computers to school-kids, they will be pushing their software on even more people, teaching them that this is the "only way" to use computers - via Microsoft products. This settlement is NOT a settlement - it's a win-win situation for Microsoft. Settlements involve comprimise, and this is just a sneaky attempt by Microsoft to avoid comprimise and actually significantly benefit from this situation. 2) It's pretty tasteless from a political standpoint. Any judge with political aspirations would have a hard time saying "no" to an offer like this. After that, he/she could be easily targeted in future campaigns. "What, you don't like kids? You don't want to help the poor?" and so on. Don't think this is true? Then why would Microsoft pick a settlement proposal so wildly irrelevant to an anti-trust suit. I'm certain this political dimension was considered as well. 3) What's a billion dollars worth of computers and Microsoft software really worth to Microsoft? Assuming that they a) include only their own software and b) give the computers to these schools at consumer market prices, the real cost of these computers could be what portion of their proposed value? half? a quarter? To hell with that company. At this point, I am simply disgusted by it's tactics, both now and in the past. They're trying to extend their monopoly with a facade of good will.
I don't think proftpd has many of the things you're looking for, but it's certainly the best ftp server I've used. You might be able to get some use out of it until you find something better, at least.