It doesn't matter that google didn't use the name to capitalize on their success, it matters that the two names are nearly identical and thus could be confused . It devalues the worth of this other company's trademark because now anytime someone refers to their g-mail, people aren't always going to be sure just which gmail the person is talking about (if they're even aware of this other gmail).
So, if I were to come out with a game system called the "X-box" this would be entirely okay by your interpretation of trademark law? Because Microsoft's system is called the "Xbox", which is obviously entirely different, right?
Get real, trademark law protects your trademark from all other marks which are mistakenly similar, not just identical.
They innovate very little, and hardly improve on their tools to make life for users easier.
Paypal, and to a lesser extent, eBay both have some problems with tech support, but I still take issue with the above statement. eBay was a very innovative idea which is why it became so successful. Paypal was a great idea, but it did have some competitors when it was coming up, so there must have been something about its interface that users preferred.
As for continuing innovation, to prevent fraud, eBay has had to continually change to prevent users from fraud. Paypal does likewise, and in fact, their agressive fraud protections are usually what people have problems with when they use paypal. And honestly, when compared to other online credit card gateways, they aren't much worse. Other gateways will freeze your account and other such things as well.
Paypal expands its core features as well. For instance they've recently began a program they call "Website payments pro" which allows web programmers to use paypal like a traditional online merchant account gateway, but for a fraction of the cost.
Now, I'm not trying to make out these two companies as shining examples of the best way to do online business. They're not. There are a lot of things I don't like about them. The thing is though, at this point, they're the best we've got. Most paypal alternatives have the same problems and less features (a few have some extras though, they're worth looking into, depending on your needs) and most eBay alternatives don't have the userbase and don't have any particular features over eBay and have more vulnerability to fraud.
Like many articles about BSD, this one will surely have a ton of comments along the lines of "Oh no, companies don't want to give away their code, so they're all going to use BSD licensed software and the world is going to end!". This arguement is, in almost all cases, bullshit. Why? Because usually it's not the operating system that matters so much as the software on top of it, and Company X has just as much control of their own program with Linux as with BSD (or Windows, etc.). Most products do not require significant changes to the OS, if any at all, and even in those products that do, far more of the products value comes from the company's own software.
That's bull really. I can do the GPL zealotry bit like the best of them, but most of the cool hacks with wireless devices do not come as a result of kernel changes released by companies. Most of them come from the fact that these devices simply are small, cheap systems that are able to run linux.
Very true, but free wi-fi access points also cost money to setup and there are enough of those around. I'm not saying that those are proof that something like this will take off, I think it's at least possible.
Yes, " As for the semi-colon, it's not necessary because in PHP, like many languages, it's used as a statement seperator, not a statement terminator. This means that the last statement in a script (or code block) does not need a semi-colon after it. That script will run just fine.
I'll bet it makes lousy toast. You know, the kind with BCBs all over the place.
Before someone replies to the parent saying that he spelled PCB wrong, he didn't. He was talking about BCBs, "Blackened/Burnt Circuit Boards", an obvious result from putting a computer in a toaster.
BCBs can also result from using special components such as LERs (Light Emitting Resistors) and SEDs (Smoke Emitting Diodes).
This just proves how ahead of its time Amiga was. The Video Toaster came out in 1990. Now, 15 years later, someone finally puts another system on a toaster and it doesn't even have video! Maybe another 15 and the world will catch up.
I've always felt that the fact that there are two major free *nix desktops is a real detriment to normal people adopting free OSes. I mean, to average computer users (i.e. my mom) the desktop _is_ the OS, a linux system running KDE and the same system running Gnome are two different systems entirely to people like this. I've never heard people talk about this as a reason why some people are hesitant to adopt FOSS OSes but it seems to me like it's a big one. I mean, if you're teaching the system or providing help desk support, you're dealing with two different beasts when walking a user through KDE vs. through Gnome.
User:How do I do XYZ? Tech:Well, which desktop are you using? User:...I'm running linux... Tech:Yeah, umm... what I mean is, uh, are you using KDE or Gnome? User:Huh?
Now don't get me wrong, from my perspective as a geek, I understand why things are the way they are entirely, and the difference between using Gnome and using KDE aren't that big of a deal to me. I just think it's useful to look at it from the perspective of general users and worth considering.
but where is my 802.11b convertor for Carrier Pigeon IP? I'm tired of having to sit next to the window for these birds, I want to sit on the other side of the room!
Slashdot Mirror
Satellite communications can be two-way. Transmitting is ass slow, compared to receiving, but you can still do it with some sattelite services.
It doesn't matter that google didn't use the name to capitalize on their success, it matters that the two names are nearly identical and thus could be confused . It devalues the worth of this other company's trademark because now anytime someone refers to their g-mail, people aren't always going to be sure just which gmail the person is talking about (if they're even aware of this other gmail).
So, if I were to come out with a game system called the "X-box" this would be entirely okay by your interpretation of trademark law? Because Microsoft's system is called the "Xbox", which is obviously entirely different, right?
Get real, trademark law protects your trademark from all other marks which are mistakenly similar, not just identical.
Clever artificial hand leads to unclever jokes. Interesting.
Isn't this old news? Luke had one of these by the end of Empire and that came out in 1980!
Furthermore, the events depicted in star wars happened "A long time ago" so they must be even older than that.
As for continuing innovation, to prevent fraud, eBay has had to continually change to prevent users from fraud. Paypal does likewise, and in fact, their agressive fraud protections are usually what people have problems with when they use paypal. And honestly, when compared to other online credit card gateways, they aren't much worse. Other gateways will freeze your account and other such things as well.
Paypal expands its core features as well. For instance they've recently began a program they call "Website payments pro" which allows web programmers to use paypal like a traditional online merchant account gateway, but for a fraction of the cost.
Now, I'm not trying to make out these two companies as shining examples of the best way to do online business. They're not. There are a lot of things I don't like about them. The thing is though, at this point, they're the best we've got. Most paypal alternatives have the same problems and less features (a few have some extras though, they're worth looking into, depending on your needs) and most eBay alternatives don't have the userbase and don't have any particular features over eBay and have more vulnerability to fraud.
Well, it's the same thing with grades in school. There are 100 percentage points, but most grades are between 60 and 100.
Like many articles about BSD, this one will surely have a ton of comments along the lines of "Oh no, companies don't want to give away their code, so they're all going to use BSD licensed software and the world is going to end!". This arguement is, in almost all cases, bullshit. Why? Because usually it's not the operating system that matters so much as the software on top of it, and Company X has just as much control of their own program with Linux as with BSD (or Windows, etc.). Most products do not require significant changes to the OS, if any at all, and even in those products that do, far more of the products value comes from the company's own software.
So stop it people, the sky isn't falling.
That's bull really. I can do the GPL zealotry bit like the best of them, but most of the cool hacks with wireless devices do not come as a result of kernel changes released by companies. Most of them come from the fact that these devices simply are small, cheap systems that are able to run linux.
Very true, but free wi-fi access points also cost money to setup and there are enough of those around. I'm not saying that those are proof that something like this will take off, I think it's at least possible.
Yes, "
As for the semi-colon, it's not necessary because in PHP, like many languages, it's used as a statement seperator, not a statement terminator. This means that the last statement in a script (or code block) does not need a semi-colon after it. That script will run just fine.
I WIN! I AM MORE PEDANTIC! YAY!!
BCBs can also result from using special components such as LERs (Light Emitting Resistors) and SEDs (Smoke Emitting Diodes).
This just proves how ahead of its time Amiga was. The Video Toaster came out in 1990. Now, 15 years later, someone finally puts another system on a toaster and it doesn't even have video! Maybe another 15 and the world will catch up.
Just to make it clear, this guy didn't prove something was flawed in their system, so much as the courts didn't bother to find an expert witness.
19 Million Amps, eh? Now all they need is 19 million guitars and the whole planet can rock out.
I've always felt that the fact that there are two major free *nix desktops is a real detriment to normal people adopting free OSes. I mean, to average computer users (i.e. my mom) the desktop _is_ the OS, a linux system running KDE and the same system running Gnome are two different systems entirely to people like this. I've never heard people talk about this as a reason why some people are hesitant to adopt FOSS OSes but it seems to me like it's a big one. I mean, if you're teaching the system or providing help desk support, you're dealing with two different beasts when walking a user through KDE vs. through Gnome.
...I'm running linux...
User: How do I do XYZ?
Tech: Well, which desktop are you using?
User:
Tech: Yeah, umm... what I mean is, uh, are you using KDE or Gnome?
User: Huh?
Now don't get me wrong, from my perspective as a geek, I understand why things are the way they are entirely, and the difference between using Gnome and using KDE aren't that big of a deal to me. I just think it's useful to look at it from the perspective of general users and worth considering.
Wiflyer: $150
20ft phone cord: $5
Yeah, I think I can do without spending 30 times as much.
but where is my 802.11b convertor for Carrier Pigeon IP? I'm tired of having to sit next to the window for these birds, I want to sit on the other side of the room!
Because it costs $700 plus like $80/month for the cell service.
Nuts. Somebody has already registered windowsvistasucks.com. Registered three days ago, even!
I read the headline to this article and I just couldn't figure out what a Firefox toolbar was, let alone why Yahoo would release one.
Perhaps a better headline would be "Yahoo toolbar beta for Firefox"