Apple makes most of the money on iPods. The iTunes business is to make ipods more attractive
If Apple is charging $.99 a song and not making a profit and Real can charge $.49 a song and not go out of business, then either
a) Real is selling at a lost to get market share b) Apple is making more of a profit than they acknowledge, or
c) Real negotiated better licensing contracts than Apple did
David Brin recently sent me an amusing idea for celebrity casting for LOTR.
As opposed to those non-celebrities who were actually cast in the LOTR movies... Ian McKellan, Elijah Woods, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom....
To make this explanation less confusing, you might say the Universe is in three dimensions what the Earth's surface is in two.
This might be getting at what I don't understand. On the surface of a globe, if I travel along the x-axis long enough I come back to where I started. In space though, the surface of the globe does not stop me from going into the volume of the object, so that would imply I could get to a point on the other side of the structure in two ways: either travel along the x-axis long enough or, the quicker route, cut through the middle. Is this correct?
It also seems like if I stand on the surface of the globe and stretch my hands straight up and start flying in that direction, that I would head infinitely away from the globe. That suggests the globe space-topology is itself in a space-topology, because I'm leaving the globe topology behind and entering another space. Is this a logical outcome of the 3-d topology model that's being discussed? If so, how is the infinity problem this implies handeled?
Systems tend towards some kind of equilibrium. Before global capitalism, America was a somewhat closed system. The cost of goods and the cost of labor was more or less in check. Over time, laws were introduced and investments were made to gradually improve our standard of living. Environmental standards improved our neighborhoods, investment in infrastructure was great, schools were well-funded (although people in some states might not agree with this), and worker safety laws have continuously improved for a century.
These standard of living improvements come at a cost. Our system supports it because we have been a closed system gradually improving itself over the course of a century.
Under global capitalism, we are suddenly thrown into competition with countries that do not have anywhere near the standard of living we do. Workers have fewer rights, which are expensive, healthcare and benefits are not shouldered by the employer, infrastructure is older, more dangerous, and more polluting, and the threat of lawsuits is very low. As a result, the entire cost of living and earning power of workers in those countries is vastly less.
As a system, capitalism will seek equilibrium. My guess is, the global economy will force us Americans to lower our standard of living and our earning power, and it will increase the standard of living of poorer countries. The middle class in America will probably continue to shrink, as middle class workers find jobs paying less and less. Wealthy Americans who own companies (or large stock in companies) will be the only ones Americans who really benefit from a global economy.
I also recently revisited the website of a company I used to work for. It was a small to mid-size consulting company. I was happy to see they had postings for over 20 developer positions, until I looked closer and saw all but 2 of those positions were in India. The 2 in the US were for Senior Project Lead/Architects.
Why hasn't the company that has gobbled up any novel software and made it part of the operating system never attempted to make anti-virus software part of its system? I'm not saying I have ever liked their model of embrace and embed, but why haven't they done that in an area where it really would be logical and useful?
Things like this make the news because they ARE important to the groups they represent. Society at large cares because it affects the "general impression" people have of that group. For the same reason, negative news about groups also make headlines.
Some people who react negatively to positive publicity about other groups feel threatened by those groups.
I can see downloading source for a specific program I'm intersted in and compiling it. Configuring and compiling an entire Linux distro is a pain though. For some users, this might be prohibitive.
Per the GPL, could someone download the source, compile it, and distribute the binaries for free of that same distribution?
SpiderMan hit the screens with practically no expectations.
Star Wars has an immense fan base, is very much a known entitiy, and is an ongoing saga. There are huge expectations for each Star Wars movie.
Worse, Star Wars suffers not only from high expectations but from wrong expectations. Many people want it it be something like an adult action/sci-fi movie. On the other hand, I think Lucas wants the movie to be aimed more at the under-12 crowd.
Convenience is precisely my objection to the name "GNU/Linux". It's a mouthfull and does not roll off the toungue.
If it had originally been known as GNU/Linux, I bet it would have been shortened by now to just Linux.
That being said, I think it is important that Stallman be acknowledged for his contributions. Tovald has gotten a huge amount of credit for his part. He undoubtedly gets even more attention because "Linux" sounds so much like his name. Outside observers will easily remember "Linus created Linux". When it comes to invention, we usually prefer to acknowledge the person who is there for the Eureka moment and not all the people whose shoulders lifted them to that moment. "Linux" would not be anything it is today without Stallman.
Ah yes... but did they have the wisdom and connections to turn it into a newstory covered by cnn and picked up by slashdot.
Is activation part of licensing?
on
Borland Backs Down
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
How does activation relate to licensing?
I have JBuilder 5, and every time I have to install it on a new computer, I have to activate the installation with JBuilder's website, or I continue to get an annoying message telling me I must do so. It's not too hard to imagine this feature deactivating my installation in some future version of JBuilder (ala XP, Citrix, and probably others).
If Borland were to go out of business, what would happen to my product and the activation requirement? Would I never be able to install it on a new machine?
Slashdot Mirror
Apple makes most of the money on iPods. The iTunes business is to make ipods more attractive
If Apple is charging $.99 a song and not making a profit and Real can charge $.49 a song and not go out of business, then either
a) Real is selling at a lost to get market share
b) Apple is making more of a profit than they acknowledge, or
c) Real negotiated better licensing contracts than Apple did
It's hard for me to look at their product. Their site doesn't seem to work in Firefox.
David Brin recently sent me an amusing idea for celebrity casting for LOTR.
As opposed to those non-celebrities who were actually cast in the LOTR movies... Ian McKellan, Elijah Woods, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom....
So that's what happened in Florida in 2000.
In other news: Canada does everything right, America does everything wrong.
I am not typically an apologist for America, but is there ever anything good to say about this country?
Kodak is sinking and needs management change.
Since they are adopting the SCO business model, they might consider Darl. I hear he might be on the market soon.
To make this explanation less confusing, you might say the Universe is in three dimensions what the Earth's surface is in two.
This might be getting at what I don't understand. On the surface of a globe, if I travel along the x-axis long enough I come back to where I started. In space though, the surface of the globe does not stop me from going into the volume of the object, so that would imply I could get to a point on the other side of the structure in two ways: either travel along the x-axis long enough or, the quicker route, cut through the middle. Is this correct?
It also seems like if I stand on the surface of the globe and stretch my hands straight up and start flying in that direction, that I would head infinitely away from the globe. That suggests the globe space-topology is itself in a space-topology, because I'm leaving the globe topology behind and entering another space. Is this a logical outcome of the 3-d topology model that's being discussed? If so, how is the infinity problem this implies handeled?
Congratulations on your move to a profession known for its maturity and exemplary hygene.
Obligatory Simpsons quote:
Bill Gates: I didn't get rich writing checks. <Says to thugs:> Now buy him out boys.
<Thugs break pencils, tip over desk.>
Quit letting the Marketing Department write the episodes.
Systems tend towards some kind of equilibrium. Before global capitalism, America was a somewhat closed system. The cost of goods and the cost of labor was more or less in check. Over time, laws were introduced and investments were made to gradually improve our standard of living. Environmental standards improved our neighborhoods, investment in infrastructure was great, schools were well-funded (although people in some states might not agree with this), and worker safety laws have continuously improved for a century.
These standard of living improvements come at a cost. Our system supports it because we have been a closed system gradually improving itself over the course of a century.
Under global capitalism, we are suddenly thrown into competition with countries that do not have anywhere near the standard of living we do. Workers have fewer rights, which are expensive, healthcare and benefits are not shouldered by the employer, infrastructure is older, more dangerous, and more polluting, and the threat of lawsuits is very low. As a result, the entire cost of living and earning power of workers in those countries is vastly less.
As a system, capitalism will seek equilibrium. My guess is, the global economy will force us Americans to lower our standard of living and our earning power, and it will increase the standard of living of poorer countries. The middle class in America will probably continue to shrink, as middle class workers find jobs paying less and less. Wealthy Americans who own companies (or large stock in companies) will be the only ones Americans who really benefit from a global economy.
I also recently revisited the website of a company I used to work for. It was a small to mid-size consulting company. I was happy to see they had postings for over 20 developer positions, until I looked closer and saw all but 2 of those positions were in India. The 2 in the US were for Senior Project Lead/Architects.
[EJBs are] the bad apple that risks spoiling the whole J2EE barrel
I thought that was Swing.
Why hasn't the company that has gobbled up any novel software and made it part of the operating system never attempted to make anti-virus software part of its system? I'm not saying I have ever liked their model of embrace and embed, but why haven't they done that in an area where it really would be logical and useful?
If China's search can compete, unfairly or fairly, it won't be a mere arms race - only good can come of this.
But will they compete, or will they block Google from the country once their search engine is large enough?
If someone successfully sues them in court, do they have to pay back what they already collected from other companies?
Things like this make the news because they ARE important to the groups they represent. Society at large cares because it affects the "general impression" people have of that group. For the same reason, negative news about groups also make headlines.
Some people who react negatively to positive publicity about other groups feel threatened by those groups.
See what competition can do....
I can see downloading source for a specific program I'm intersted in and compiling it. Configuring and compiling an entire Linux distro is a pain though. For some users, this might be prohibitive.
Per the GPL, could someone download the source, compile it, and distribute the binaries for free of that same distribution?
SpiderMan hit the screens with practically no expectations.
Star Wars has an immense fan base, is very much a known entitiy, and is an ongoing saga. There are huge expectations for each Star Wars movie.
Worse, Star Wars suffers not only from high expectations but from wrong expectations. Many people want it it be something like an adult action/sci-fi movie. On the other hand, I think Lucas wants the movie to be aimed more at the under-12 crowd.
the operating system I conveniently call "Linux"
Convenience is precisely my objection to the name "GNU/Linux". It's a mouthfull and does not roll off the toungue.
If it had originally been known as GNU/Linux, I bet it would have been shortened by now to just Linux.
That being said, I think it is important that Stallman be acknowledged for his contributions. Tovald has gotten a huge amount of credit for his part. He undoubtedly gets even more attention because "Linux" sounds so much like his name. Outside observers will easily remember "Linus created Linux". When it comes to invention, we usually prefer to acknowledge the person who is there for the Eureka moment and not all the people whose shoulders lifted them to that moment. "Linux" would not be anything it is today without Stallman.
How about "Stallman Linux"?
Ah yes... but did they have the wisdom and connections to turn it into a newstory covered by cnn and picked up by slashdot.
How does activation relate to licensing?
I have JBuilder 5, and every time I have to install it on a new computer, I have to activate the installation with JBuilder's website, or I continue to get an annoying message telling me I must do so. It's not too hard to imagine this feature deactivating my installation in some future version of JBuilder (ala XP, Citrix, and probably others).
If Borland were to go out of business, what would happen to my product and the activation requirement? Would I never be able to install it on a new machine?