Didn't Hotmail have some brouhaha awhile back where the fine detail of the EULA basically said they OWNED any email/IP that went through their service?
Re:RC is the new pre-alpha?(Score:2) by hawaiian717 (559933) on Thursday September 06, @03:13PM (#20498069) (http://www.quanterium.com/)
I trust no one is going to claim that "one feature missing" = RC. Microsoft did exactly that with the Vista release candidates. As I recall, Vista RC1 was released with the disclaimer that it wasn't feature complete, either.
Not that I'd accept "Microsoft did it" as an excuse. Hell, Microsoft has always done that with shipping product, not just the RCs.;-)
Looking at all this legal mumbo-jumbo (going through the chronology etc) makes me realize there was actually some sort of upside to just having it out with knives...
...That's sort of what I was thinking, except for a minor detail or 3;..on ~98% of all machines in existence, that issue with a buggy screenmode/display would not exist....98% of Windows users would be just as flummoxed why they were stuck at 640x480, 16 colors, and be so screwd if they had to install XP from scratch.
(98% being strictly a number pulled from my ass, but it's likely close)..and the other 2% of Windows users would hit Google and find the drivers or the fix just as Eugenia did. They might even use a Knoppix CD to do it.
WHEN things go pear shaped under Windows, the same troubleshooting techniques/sequences occur as under Linux. Folks who can actually fix one likely could deal with the other.
The mechanics of fixing things differ, what usually "blows up" differs, but the same skills are used. (Under Linux it's (almost) ALWAYS user error, my bad, jacking with things without having a backup copy of a config file first, deleting stuff (rm is quite serious about its job))
Having said that, and working on both since Win3.1 and ~ Linux Kernel 1.13 on Slackware, if I have something "blow up" (VERY rare under Linux, not quite so rare under WinXP, but not too bad), the chances of actually FIXING Linux in a few minutes vs a forced reinstall are MUCH better, ~10:1 vs Windows.
Happy Mandra.. Mandriva user for many years now, and still haven't found joy in Ubuntu, despite repeatedly trying. It's OK. It's just not at the same level as Mandriva IMHO,and usually has SOMETHING I absolutely require that's just flat unavailable or only in some 2 year old version... and will not build due to dependency hell, which in spite of what you hear, apt is not the ultimate cure of... urpmi has worked MUCH better for me over time.
The MAIN issue is that preconfigured systems will be known to be fully Linux compatible.
Probably the best choice for Dell would just support ONE current distro of the Ubuntu type, or pehaps Mandriva which is a bit less anal about using binary blobs.
This allows ALL supported hardware to work out of the box, and virtually guarantees that ANY modern distro will work on all the hardware in the box, if the user chooses to reinstall.
Overly Critical Guy said: "...It's not thinking users are stupid when you don't provide the overwhelming configurability that messy interfaces like KDE provide."
I think the GNOME developers are idiots for reinvernting one of the worst features of Windows, the registry.
gconf-editor is WAY too close to using regedit for mys stomach, is an abomination, and the whole concept should be hurled into the sun.
This really isn't intended as a troll, but since the first GNOME betas I regularly gave it a shot on new RH, then Fedora releases..., and SOMETHING would crater within 5 minutes, usually taking down X11. (This went on for YEARS)
GNOME has surely gotten ~stable by now, but now when I try it, something about the UI (that is a royal *itch to change) usually pisses me off, and I'm back to XFCE or KDE in less than an hour.
I still TRY it, but it seems to be going backwards usability wise.
Perhaps I'm not their target demographic. (Full time Linux user since 1994, starting with Slackware.)
Personally, I use 2 identical 8G partitions for the system (/,/usr) and stuff that I want to have always consistent (/home,/mythtv ) live on different partitions.
This allows for easy "snapshots" via partimage, of the working systems, and the backups can be restored on either system partition.(partimage will not restore to a smaller partition, even if the data fits)
"Fixing" lilo typically consists of (at worst) booting a Knoppix disc, manually mounting the partition, cd there, "chroot." and running lilo, possibly having to change the target drive in the lilo.conf. (depends on where you put the restore image)
SUSE is very nice, the only 2 reasons I go with Mandriva are the package selection is MUCH better under Mandriva (easy urpmi rocks) and my machine (relatively) feels filled with molasses under SUSE, never could figure out why.
I have been a "Linux on the desktop" user since ~1993... But I'm still only an advanced user, It's just a tool. (Sorry to the Ubuntu folks, it just isn't all that, yet)
After trying _everything_, I always end up back on Mandrake......Now known as Mandriva.
TIP: Esp. if are installing on old/weird hardware, do an install from the Mandriva-ONE-KDE CD.
This installs a basic system, then google for "easy urpmi" and get all your sources configured right. Also has Nvidia and ATI drivers built in. Works nice.
The only issue I have with it is if the gvmt has access to the database, you might find yourself being jacked up and you car/house torn apart as they search for your "hidden" weapon.
I personally have little/no use for handguns. Shotgun preferred up close.
I am a HUGE fan of the Swiss method of gun control though.
The NRA could do an end run around the whole issue by holding a "training and weapons certification" drive. (And become more useful to it's then probably growing membership)
Don't liscence the weapon, train the user.
Well regulated militia == Well trained "Army of One" (TM) ???
ALmost modded you up, but feel I must agree in text.
I remember running Slackware _and_ X11 on a WHOLE 4Mb, 486DX33 machine, and it rocked.
I remember upgrading my A3000 to run NetBSD 1.0 and Linux (1.13 (???)) (tarballs only in those days)
All systems were smooth and totally usable.
Having said that, Linux has one major advantage for projects like this: It is designed to be modular, and what you don't need can be easily stripped out, even by an advanced user, much less a programmer.
CE probably has the same ability, but at what level of granularity? At what cost if you want to do CE apps? Maybe for profit?
If the machines don't come with SOME kind of open/Free programming enviroment, it seems a bit of a waste, as all they'll end up being is AIM clients and such.
"Very few companies really care if they can modify the software themselves, especially if it works. You're confusing businesses for hobbyists again."
You're confusing "works" again. I don't think it means what you think it means.
Converting all those nasty Unix boxes to Windows back in the day took many an IT department from a part time job for one engineer to a full time job for 20 monkeys. Been there. Done that.
MOST "software" is written in house, for in house use. People seem to forget that.
With Windows, you get to play roulette with the OS, and you have precious little control. (how is THIS update going to hose our system..???)
This has been interesting. Thanks for playing, Mr. Ballmer.
Slashdot Mirror
Didn't Hotmail have some brouhaha awhile back where the fine detail of the EULA basically said they OWNED any email/IP that went through their service?
Maybe I'm just delusional again...
IR reflecting film for the whole windshield?
Is there any on the market that's transparent enough in the visible spectrum?
(If they can't see the driver either, it'll be hard to prove a ticket)
Smoking probably reduces the probability you'd live long enough to develop alzheimers.
Seriously.
Reminds me of the old Doom mod where all the monsters were Barney...
The Law of Unintended Consequences effects the intelligent as well as the stupid fairly equally. ;-)
I do, on MY schedule.
I'd love to watch several shows in prime time, but my boss would be pissed at me sitting in the breakroom all evening...
by hawaiian717 (559933) on Thursday September 06, @03:13PM (#20498069)
(http://www.quanterium.com/)
I trust no one is going to claim that "one feature missing" = RC.
Microsoft did exactly that with the Vista release candidates. As I recall, Vista RC1 was released with the disclaimer that it wasn't feature complete, either.
Not that I'd accept "Microsoft did it" as an excuse. Hell, Microsoft has always done that with shipping product, not just the RCs.
:-)
I was actually thinking knives would be more efficient overall.. Think cost to society.
Look at all those motions, imagine what all that lawyering up costs us all, (Inclucing actual costs of running the court system)
Looking at all this legal mumbo-jumbo (going through the chronology etc) makes me realize there was actually some sort of upside to just having it out with knives...
Distracting?
Without links, it' annoying.
...That's sort of what I was thinking, except for a minor detail or 3; ..on ~98% of all machines in existence, that issue with a buggy screenmode/display would not exist. ...98% of Windows users would be just as flummoxed why they were stuck at 640x480, 16 colors, and be so screwd if they had to install XP from scratch.
..and the other 2% of Windows users would hit Google and find the drivers or the fix just as Eugenia did. They might even use a Knoppix CD to do it.
(98% being strictly a number pulled from my ass, but it's likely close)
WHEN things go pear shaped under Windows, the same troubleshooting techniques/sequences occur as under Linux. Folks who can actually fix one likely could deal with the other.
The mechanics of fixing things differ, what usually "blows up" differs, but the same skills are used. (Under Linux it's (almost) ALWAYS user error, my bad, jacking with things without having a backup copy of a config file first, deleting stuff (rm is quite serious about its job))
Having said that, and working on both since Win3.1 and ~ Linux Kernel 1.13 on Slackware, if I have something "blow up" (VERY rare under Linux, not quite so rare under WinXP, but not too bad), the chances of actually FIXING Linux in a few minutes vs a forced reinstall are MUCH better, ~10:1 vs Windows.
Happy Mandra.. Mandriva user for many years now, and still haven't found joy in Ubuntu, despite repeatedly trying. It's OK. It's just not at the same level as Mandriva IMHO,and usually has SOMETHING I absolutely require that's just flat unavailable or only in some 2 year old version... and will not build due to dependency hell, which in spite of what you hear, apt is not the ultimate cure of... urpmi has worked MUCH better for me over time.
The MAIN issue is that preconfigured systems will be known to be fully Linux compatible.
Probably the best choice for Dell would just support ONE current distro of the Ubuntu type, or pehaps Mandriva which is a bit less anal about using binary blobs.
This allows ALL supported hardware to work out of the box, and virtually guarantees that ANY modern distro will work on all the hardware in the box, if the user chooses to reinstall.
Great, some genius patented the Miller Cycle again, but now with direct injection...
Sorta like anything "with a web interface" seems patentable again.
Overly Critical Guy said:
"...It's not thinking users are stupid when you don't provide the overwhelming configurability that messy interfaces like KDE provide."
I think the GNOME developers are idiots for reinvernting one of the worst features of Windows, the registry.
gconf-editor is WAY too close to using regedit for mys stomach, is an abomination, and the whole concept should be hurled into the sun.
This really isn't intended as a troll, but since the first GNOME betas I regularly gave it a shot on new RH, then Fedora releases..., and SOMETHING would crater within 5 minutes, usually taking down X11.
(This went on for YEARS)
GNOME has surely gotten ~stable by now, but now when I try it, something about the UI (that is a royal *itch to change) usually pisses me off, and I'm back to XFCE or KDE in less than an hour.
I still TRY it, but it seems to be going backwards usability wise.
Perhaps I'm not their target demographic. (Full time Linux user since 1994, starting with Slackware.)
Excellent points.
/usr) and stuff that I want to have always consistent (/home, /mythtv ) live on different partitions.
." and running lilo, possibly having to change the target drive in the lilo.conf. (depends on where you put the restore image)
Personally, I use 2 identical 8G partitions for the system (/,
This allows for easy "snapshots" via partimage, of the working systems, and the backups can be restored on either system partition.(partimage will not restore to a smaller partition, even if the data fits)
"Fixing" lilo typically consists of (at worst) booting a Knoppix disc, manually mounting the partition, cd there, "chroot
SUSE is very nice, the only 2 reasons I go with Mandriva are the package selection is MUCH better under Mandriva (easy urpmi rocks) and my machine (relatively) feels filled with molasses under SUSE, never could figure out why.
I have been a "Linux on the desktop" user since ~1993...
...Now known as Mandriva.
But I'm still only an advanced user, It's just a tool.
(Sorry to the Ubuntu folks, it just isn't all that, yet)
After trying _everything_, I always end up back on Mandrake...
TIP:
Esp. if are installing on old/weird hardware, do an install from the Mandriva-ONE-KDE CD.
This installs a basic system, then google for "easy urpmi" and get all your sources configured right. Also has Nvidia and ATI drivers built in. Works nice.
Bravo, AC, my thoughts exactly ;-)
Someone mod parent up...
I think this is an obtuse way of saying:
Yay for Ethanol!
The only issue I have with it is if the gvmt has access to the database, you might find yourself being jacked up and you car/house torn apart as they search for your "hidden" weapon.
I personally have little/no use for handguns. Shotgun preferred up close.
I am a HUGE fan of the Swiss method of gun control though.
The NRA could do an end run around the whole issue by holding a "training and weapons certification" drive. (And become more useful to it's then probably growing membership)
Don't liscence the weapon, train the user.
Well regulated militia == Well trained "Army of One" (TM) ???
ALmost modded you up, but feel I must agree in text.
I remember running Slackware _and_ X11 on a WHOLE 4Mb, 486DX33 machine, and it rocked.
I remember upgrading my A3000 to run NetBSD 1.0 and Linux (1.13 (???))
(tarballs only in those days)
All systems were smooth and totally usable.
Having said that, Linux has one major advantage for projects like this:
It is designed to be modular, and what you don't need can be easily stripped out, even by an advanced user, much less a programmer.
CE probably has the same ability, but at what level of granularity?
At what cost if you want to do CE apps? Maybe for profit?
If the machines don't come with SOME kind of open/Free programming enviroment, it seems a bit of a waste, as all they'll end up being is AIM clients and such.
"Very few companies really care if they can modify the software themselves, especially if it works. You're confusing businesses for hobbyists again."
You're confusing "works" again.
I don't think it means what you think it means.
Converting all those nasty Unix boxes to Windows back in the day took many an IT department from a part time job for one engineer to a full time job for 20 monkeys. Been there. Done that.
MOST "software" is written in house, for in house use.
People seem to forget that.
With Windows, you get to play roulette with the OS, and you have precious little control.
(how is THIS update going to hose our system..???)
This has been interesting.
Thanks for playing, Mr. Ballmer.
"...If Windows was OPEN and FREE, companies wouldn't give two shits about free software, and Linux would be hosed and unusable."
There, I fixed that for you.
You almost made some good points, AC.
Windows is still a cesspool I choose not to swim in whenever possible.
I'll bite.
Actually, most folks who run Linix/*BSD/whatever don't do it due to Windows costing money.
Having an OS that doesn't suck is priceless.
Using Windows drives me nuts.