Is surely whether, in the future, computers will be bothered to talk to us.
There is no doubt that computers with greater intelligence - ie an ability to learn and adapt - than ourselves will be here, probably in the next 20 - 25 years.
When these machines get here they may well decide that speaking is a waste of their time.
It has always struck me that what Linux really needs is a good framebuffer based browser that handles graphics.
Linux users like to boast of the OS's ability to revive old and low resource hardware, but try running X/GNOME on a 586 with 32MB and you won't get very far.
Sad to say WinNT handles that a lot better.
So, is there a good framebuffer based browser out there?
So, does this mean that after 2003 they are planning on killing the product for Irix and Linux, or just that this is the time frame that they are committing to these platforms right now? Stupid question maybe, but I think it's an important one to ask.
That would be my bet - kill off any new market (Windows) - keep exitsing customers (other Unicies) until you can persuade them to switch to Apple OSX.
OF course, if this was the Evil Empire doing it we'd all cry 'monopolist'.
Solaris is a focussed OS that's consistent and scalable. Not a collection of contributed code that creates conflict as often as synergy, and won't scale on big iron. And if you don't think people need big iron, go talk to some CTO's who are buying E15K's.
Ok, I accept this. What I was trying to say was that for the bulk of customers of the future, Linux makes sense. Niche markets are different - no one (apart from IBM - and how many divisions have they got?!:->) is marketing Linux for 'Big Iron'.
But Sun don't see themselves as a niche outfit, do they?
I think this is worse news for Sun than for Linux.
There is little or nothing Sun's OS can do now that Linux can't. And if Linux can't now, it will do soon.
I know that MS haters like to see Sun as in some way a friend - my enemy's enemies and all that - but the logic of a free OS applies just as much to Sun's offerings as it does to Microsoft's - maybe even more so as what Unix application will run on Solaris and not on Linux.
Sun will sooner or later have to realise that Linux will dominate the Unix OS market to an ever greater extent in the future. They will not have much oa future if they don't factor that into their plans.
No one should think that, just because they have survived the worst that they've made it through.
It is when the recovery - already started - picks up speed that the brutallity will accelerate too. That's when businesses will have the funds available to meet the costs of dumping the really unprofitable bits they own - and as this story shows, that's going to include a lot of IT/internet related ventures.
Not that I am saying AOL will get tourched - but many smaller (but still get big) operations will go - like Compuserve probably.
What is undocumented is the real power of this system - its advanced DSP properties. It's relatively easy to get it to play 48k bit rate stereo though.
Why bother? Is the question I am most frequently asked about running Linux on the Dreamcast.
Well, it's not because it's a cheap alternative to a PC - it's not. The system is cheap - there are bucket loads of them for sale on ebay etc - and you get a lot of bang for your buck. But it's not a PC and wouldn't be a PC if you attached a RAID array for 40 GB disks to it - it's a games console.
As such it's pretty close to working in the "embedded space" and its also a challenge - we have a sound driver, but no sound DMA yet - we have a video driver, but no 3D yet - we have lots of devices for which support is still being worked on - microphones, cameras even.
Nobody is ever going to get noticed for writing a new driver for a sound card on a PC, but you do get noticed if you write one for the DC. And isn't getting noticed and complemented on your work what being a hacker is all about?
This site is subtitled "News for Nerds" and there isn't anything more nerdy that writing Linux drivers for a games console - so join the fun.
Don't want to start a flamewar, but the netBSD support for the DC is about a year behind that for Linux. For instance: there is no X windows or sound support on the netBSD port.
The netBSDers deserve credit for being first, but they seem to sort have given up now they've got a working kernel.
I think the Dreamcast experience shows us that you just cannot recover from the position the Xbox is in - unless....
Well, MS could obviously use its market power to cut prices to silly levels. If it did it all over the world then it could be accused of dumping, but it would be high risk - MS would look to make money on the games, but would face more law suits.
Yet, given the pathetic nature of penalties suggested by the DoJ they might want to take that risk.
And what government wants to go up against a company selling its console for $99?
Anyway, get a Dreamcast. They're cheap and you can run Linux on them!
If only MS - or better still a European or Japanese competitor - would develop a killer app using copying technology then all this DCMA silliness would end - or at least move on.
If someone could sell something at a substantial profit in Europe but not sell it in the US I am sure that commercial interests in the US would do that thing they are always so good at - getting the law changed in their favour.
Slashdot Mirror
...Wordperfect 4.2. Now that was a real program.
Is surely whether, in the future, computers will be bothered to talk to us.
There is no doubt that computers with greater intelligence - ie an ability to learn and adapt - than ourselves will be here, probably in the next 20 - 25 years.
When these machines get here they may well decide that speaking is a waste of their time.
Re: Konq-e - you are quite right. But I can't get it to compile for SH4, which is what I really want (bad toolchain I think)
It has always struck me that what Linux really needs is a good framebuffer based browser that handles graphics.
Linux users like to boast of the OS's ability to revive old and low resource hardware, but try running X/GNOME on a 586 with 32MB and you won't get very far.
Sad to say WinNT handles that a lot better.
So, is there a good framebuffer based browser out there?
If I download software from a UK site I have to pay VAT (17.5% sales tax) - why should it be cheaper to download it from the US.
And before all you anti-state libertarians jump in, remind me - how many millions of Americans have no health insurance because you won't pay for one?
What more do we have to say?
Face it folks, it's not MS's fault these things spread.
It's the idiots who buy MS's sofware.
Every time I get a call from my father suggesting Oracle stock, I procrastinate, and they take another hit.
Hmmm... can you tell us when your Dad phones so we can play the options market?
Nerd-Hunters, are those the same species as Nerd-Herders
No the Herders are the free software version.
It is easier to offload failing operations in a market upturn than a downturn. At leats then somebody might pay you something for your company.
The sad reality is that - as the economy picks up speed - the number of failures/fire sales will also accelerate, at least in the short term.
I'm not saying RH is going to go - I doubt it - but a lot of "big players" could end up being sold for very little.
Seriously.
I thought all those satellites were pushed out of orbit when the phone network collapsed.
Doubt whether the North Pole is quite as big as the Chinese market, but hey!
So, does this mean that after 2003 they are planning on killing the product for Irix and Linux, or just that this is the time frame that they are committing to these platforms right now? Stupid question maybe, but I think it's an important one to ask.
That would be my bet - kill off any new market (Windows) - keep exitsing customers (other Unicies) until you can persuade them to switch to Apple OSX.
OF course, if this was the Evil Empire doing it we'd all cry 'monopolist'.
$25,000 for a $95,000,000 contract? What sort of a deal is that?
No business sense, so of course he should go.
(That's a joke for any defamation lawyers out there).
Yes, I'm on the train
Yes, I'm on the train
Yes, I'm on the train
and on and on and on....
Solaris is a focussed OS that's consistent and scalable. Not a collection of contributed code that creates conflict as often as synergy, and won't scale on big iron. And if you don't think people need big iron, go talk to some CTO's who are buying E15K's.
:->) is marketing Linux for 'Big Iron'.
Ok, I accept this. What I was trying to say was that for the bulk of customers of the future, Linux makes sense. Niche markets are different - no one (apart from IBM - and how many divisions have they got?!
But Sun don't see themselves as a niche outfit, do they?
I think this is worse news for Sun than for Linux.
There is little or nothing Sun's OS can do now that Linux can't. And if Linux can't now, it will do soon.
I know that MS haters like to see Sun as in some way a friend - my enemy's enemies and all that - but the logic of a free OS applies just as much to Sun's offerings as it does to Microsoft's - maybe even more so as what Unix application will run on Solaris and not on Linux.
Sun will sooner or later have to realise that Linux will dominate the Unix OS market to an ever greater extent in the future. They will not have much oa future if they don't factor that into their plans.
Does anyone think hydrogen is going to be accepted by the public as a fuel anytime soon?
Seems to me that the oil companies need only roll out that old Hindenberg film everytime to clinch this one.
No one should think that, just because they have survived the worst that they've made it through.
It is when the recovery - already started - picks up speed that the brutallity will accelerate too. That's when businesses will have the funds available to meet the costs of dumping the really unprofitable bits they own - and as this story shows, that's going to include a lot of IT/internet related ventures.
Not that I am saying AOL will get tourched - but many smaller (but still get big) operations will go - like Compuserve probably.
Behind all of these things is that while computing power might double every 18 months or so, human efficency does not.
That is (one reason) why we are not living in paradise despite the huge increase in computational power we have seen in the last 20 years.
What is undocumented is the real power of this system - its advanced DSP properties. It's relatively easy to get it to play 48k bit rate stereo though.
Why bother? Is the question I am most frequently asked about running Linux on the Dreamcast.
Well, it's not because it's a cheap alternative to a PC - it's not. The system is cheap - there are bucket loads of them for sale on ebay etc - and you get a lot of bang for your buck. But it's not a PC and wouldn't be a PC if you attached a RAID array for 40 GB disks to it - it's a games console.
As such it's pretty close to working in the "embedded space" and its also a challenge - we have a sound driver, but no sound DMA yet - we have a video driver, but no 3D yet - we have lots of devices for which support is still being worked on - microphones, cameras even.
Nobody is ever going to get noticed for writing a new driver for a sound card on a PC, but you do get noticed if you write one for the DC. And isn't getting noticed and complemented on your work what being a hacker is all about?
This site is subtitled "News for Nerds" and there isn't anything more nerdy that writing Linux drivers for a games console - so join the fun.
Don't want to start a flamewar, but the netBSD support for the DC is about a year behind that for Linux. For instance: there is no X windows or sound support on the netBSD port.
The netBSDers deserve credit for being first, but they seem to sort have given up now they've got a working kernel.
The url here points to a very old "distro" for the DC.
Since that was done a sound driver has been written and support for some types of light guns and rumble packs added.
Best place to look for this is: the sourceforge project page.
I think the Dreamcast experience shows us that you just cannot recover from the position the Xbox is in - unless....
Well, MS could obviously use its market power to cut prices to silly levels. If it did it all over the world then it could be accused of dumping, but it would be high risk - MS would look to make money on the games, but would face more law suits.
Yet, given the pathetic nature of penalties suggested by the DoJ they might want to take that risk.
And what government wants to go up against a company selling its console for $99?
Anyway, get a Dreamcast. They're cheap and you can run Linux on them!
More DC Linux Stuff here.
If only MS - or better still a European or Japanese competitor - would develop a killer app using copying technology then all this DCMA silliness would end - or at least move on.
If someone could sell something at a substantial profit in Europe but not sell it in the US I am sure that commercial interests in the US would do that thing they are always so good at - getting the law changed in their favour.