Go to a Linux gathering (LinuxWorld, etc.) count the number of people using Intel/AMD laptops with Linux vs. iBooks and Powerbooks. I am sure for portable connection (untill we get some decent wireless drivers) OSX seem to rule mobile computing.
I try to get at least one significant holiday project done, recently these have been additionas and/or improvements to my website. Usually I also ge a few 'round-to-its accomplished too (empty that box from the last computer show, clear off ofne of my 'leaning towers of stuff' before the become the 'collapsing tower of stuff' (missed on one already, drat!)
Also a little bit of introspection around new years to direct my next year.
I say all this to underline the fact that renters do not pay property taxes. Consequently, the people who should be paying taxes for software are the ones who actually 'own' the software, like Microsoft or Adobe (which is a dumb idea anyway, because it's essentially providing a way for the state government to tax something in unlimited supply -- unlike property or cars which have physical limitations to their quantity).
Look at all the money that could be had from the RIAA and MPAA as they pubically advertise thier right of ownership of creative property.
Given the test will be cnducted without US oversight I would think that there would be a problem with it being valid for FDA approval. Who's to say the comany branch ina country that does not have US laws produced the drug and applies the test according to US standards.
I'm thinking the outsourcing may be more of a coarse drug test to weed out the more harmful drugs and thier effects before investing in US testing (and potential lawsuits) for FDA approval.
Consumers will realize if they can't copy (to some other medium) or if either one angles them in DRM, that it just isn't worth it.
AFAIK, both of them drown in DRM features and there's no real buzz for them outside some in the video-phile community, DVDs will prevail - they are good enough and neither new offering offer killer must-have features for the majority of people.
I agree
I remember reading a discussion like this a few years back... about some wierd new format horning on something that provided superior quality and had a much larger installed base. It was about DVD replacing videodiscs. Back then they were griping about the lousy lossy compression of the DVD and the less vibrant digital compressed audio as compared to the analog of laserdisc.
We all know what happened, DVDs offered bonus features, multiple languages, smaller size at first and much lower cost down the road.
I'm not going to say whether or not either will flop but what it came down to for DVD over videodisc was the user had a better experience with DVD than with LD and the quality was not as much of a factor for the general consumer. This war will be no different, they will look at thier DVD player, and the newer choices and ask themselves which one offers me more and are either worth putting out the extra $$. Since the disc sizes are the same I would assume people would be more open to backward compatibility (being able to play thier DVDs they already have) and would have to offer something more than what present DVDs are able to offer today (DVD ROM is a computer feature, so I would not think that is a factor).
So, what does Blue Ray and DVD-HD HAVE that is above the capabilities of playing a DVD movie and having a menu of options?
Not all indiginous plants require higher humidity which could alter the eco system around the roadways by forcing out the native plants that thrive upon less humidity.
Added humidity in colder climes could contribute to road damage do to added ice forming on the roadways (didn't think of ice, thanks!)
I guess your education comes from something less than California's
's not about the interface per se, it's about usability.
For the study to work right envision an environemnts you want to test, 'home', 'work' and 'school'. From that make a list of specific tasks that people would use in those environemnts would typically perform. such as:
Home:
Send and Recieve Emails
Browse the Internet, play movie previews, shop on-line, etc.
Play some games
Create greeting cards and stuff.
Music w/on-line sites and portable players
Photos, Home Video
School:
Internet
On-Line Courses
Email
Chat
Word Processing large douments
Wi-Fi
Working on the go (live distro?) and porting documents to other machines
Work:
Email
Word Processing
Presentation
Spreadsheet
Groupware
maybe some DTP
Work with a PIM, sync to Palm or PocketPC, etc.
Exchanging data with outside Windows/Mac users
Most of the above will be a breeze but parts will be a total pain, especially creating cards (no PrintShop like apps for Linux), Playing Games, On-line Coursework, music services, watching previews, etc.
Depending on how much you want to face the truth you can have some geek to methodically choose and preconfigure the hardware, cards and packages to make the process all pretty or you can just present them with a computer and a distro set, and let the excitement begin. I'd go with the latter, because I DO like Linux and think we could and should do better.
I would think there is a siginificant environmental impact if they became really popular with highr humidity in large traffic corridors. Not sure of the effects but probably would affect the flora as well as possible increase of road deterioration.
As far as 'going back' to the steam age, aren't most poer plants (with the exception of hyfroelectric and wind) employ steam to drive thier generating dynamos?
Two things I can think of right off hand, Right click to install fonts (font files have icon and thumbnail previews in file manger), use the file manager to create thumbnail galleries.
Also lots of cool K apps, like K3B, KBear, Quanta, Kwikshow, Kwrite, Khex Edit, etc.
Mouse cables die (especailly Apple ones), seen more "system freezes" (because the mouse doesn't move) due to a a pinched mouse cable. Replace the mouse, no problem. Replace expensive Apple mice with cheaper ones with 2 buttons and a scroll wheel, users will be happier.
Many reported network problems are coming from another source. User A's computer locks up the network, and A ignores it, user B reports thier computer is locked up. User A restarts computer in frustration and every thing is fine again until the next time. Techie never knew about user A's problem.
Don't rule out Word or Excel as not being a cause of any problems.
USB device problem? Might be a problem with your printer, had one where the keyboard and mouse were seemingly dead, it was the printer locking up the bus communication.
If you are a geek who wants a simplified user interface use Gnome.
If you are a user who wants a more productive Interface use KDE.
----
My opinion, I find Gnome limiting in what I can do, I enjoy the KDE experience more. BUT as KDE has many more features some of them need to be refined/finished. On both more documentation would be nice.
Not just because I am a Commodore fan, this book, On The Edge: the Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore is turning out to be a really good read with a lot of inside history from many Commodore employees including Check Peddle, Dale Luck, Bil Herd, and RJ Mical.
A lot more adventure and excitement than I had expected. Also gives a different (sometimes flattering sometimes not) of Apple, Atari and Radio Shack.
> Code for free
Some people like coding, even on stuff they don't get paid for.
> Submit it for free
There are people that like showing off and/or contributing to a good idea.
> Lose your intellectual property to GPL
You don't loose your intellect, and it's more like you protect your property from not being accessible also you don't loose your idea, you can use it whenever you want, just that YOU retain the rights to what you do.
> Gain no recognition except if you are Linus, RMS, etc.
Like Bill Gates will give you props on the Windows Box for coding that new multi-million making new Audio Codec? Under the GPL your credits and source are required to stay with the code, and there are more notable names in the FOSS field, but I guess you are those one name (Bill Gates) kind of guys.
> Gain no money (thx to point 1 and 2)
Have something real on your resume besides certificates with a bunch of letters (especially if it is a high profile project or popular idea), demonstrate you know how to code and retain the right to do such coding. In a lot of employment clauses you actually loose your rights to code at what you do best whenever you like.
Have better programs as you have contributed in fixing bugs or adding features, so you can do your work better.
Give grandma an opportunity for less viruses and loosing her personal information while surfing the internet.
Make a free alternative to computer applications that have been around for DECADES to force 'innovative' companies to get past milking thier dead (cash) cow OS and office suite and actually start doing something... innovative.
> Have no life (since you still need a paying job to live)
a) I take it you don't like computers, do you?
b) You have a very limited definition for 'living'
c) You have just enough brains to hold down a job and little else.
Hey, you 5,000 developers, why don't you do a bunch of Microsoft Windows coding and propoganda for us* (for free) and we in turn will employ a handfull of you for all your combined effort. Now get started!
* all entries and innovation become the property of Microsoft.
Holographic storage has been touted for about a decade, I recall posting about an article I read about it on my Commodore 64 BBS. Back then the proposed storage medium was something like a photographic slide. I'm sure the prototypes of all this stuff exist but to make it robust enough for a non-lab environment is a problem either that there are problems with mas poducing the recording medium.
I'm sure there were some big fat checks involved somewhere in there (call it consulting fees, other associated deals, etc.) and that Symantec, Microsoft and others were obliged to "partner" with them in this matter. It's not about us it's merely business, what they did was to keep or better thier market position for ther sources of revenue.
Now you have to think that if MS and co have had done thier homework to make this work for such a time, that Vista probably bad been enabled for such things as well.
I had recently been hoping Vista would be a 'Good Thing' for those I have to help with broken violated Windows systems, but now I'm really thinking that may not be the case any more.
Sony, Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, you all have some 'splainin to do!
I think the Mr. Miller did a great job. These videos lets the PHBs see that OOo isn't some evil totally different featureless thing, it does work similar to Word, Excel, PP and many other similar programs.
It being basic is a fine start, I think they would fit in for the novice and the experienced to get a feel for OOo. Around our office this is what most staff need to know.
I agree with another poster that if communities have access to the technique used to create thier own screenshot videos, we would see some really good and abundant open training videos (it would make a great college project kids!)
That hoax with windows and removing the teddy bear file (some java component IIRC) has made rounds around the office at least twice and not within a short time span either, even the old hoaxes get a new life now and again...
Larry
Slashdot Mirror
Go to a Linux gathering (LinuxWorld, etc.) count the number of people using Intel/AMD laptops with Linux vs. iBooks and Powerbooks. I am sure for portable connection (untill we get some decent wireless drivers) OSX seem to rule mobile computing.
I can just imagine hearing the guy in the next cubicle at H&R Block, "Woo hoo! I just completed a +5 1040A. Level 2 here I come!"
Yeah, EPs are cool.
Also a little bit of introspection around new years to direct my next year.
Look at all the money that could be had from the RIAA and MPAA as they pubically advertise thier right of ownership of creative property.
I'm thinking the outsourcing may be more of a coarse drug test to weed out the more harmful drugs and thier effects before investing in US testing (and potential lawsuits) for FDA approval.
Here is a related axiom: "Programming is debugging a blank sheet of paper."
Then they'd solve a lot of thier own problems.
AFAIK, both of them drown in DRM features and there's no real buzz for them outside some in the video-phile community, DVDs will prevail - they are good enough and neither new offering offer killer must-have features for the majority of people.
I agree
I remember reading a discussion like this a few years back... about some wierd new format horning on something that provided superior quality and had a much larger installed base. It was about DVD replacing videodiscs. Back then they were griping about the lousy lossy compression of the DVD and the less vibrant digital compressed audio as compared to the analog of laserdisc.
We all know what happened, DVDs offered bonus features, multiple languages, smaller size at first and much lower cost down the road.
I'm not going to say whether or not either will flop but what it came down to for DVD over videodisc was the user had a better experience with DVD than with LD and the quality was not as much of a factor for the general consumer. This war will be no different, they will look at thier DVD player, and the newer choices and ask themselves which one offers me more and are either worth putting out the extra $$. Since the disc sizes are the same I would assume people would be more open to backward compatibility (being able to play thier DVDs they already have) and would have to offer something more than what present DVDs are able to offer today (DVD ROM is a computer feature, so I would not think that is a factor).
So, what does Blue Ray and DVD-HD HAVE that is above the capabilities of playing a DVD movie and having a menu of options?
Added humidity in colder climes could contribute to road damage do to added ice forming on the roadways (didn't think of ice, thanks!)
I guess your education comes from something less than California's
For the study to work right envision an environemnts you want to test, 'home', 'work' and 'school'. From that make a list of specific tasks that people would use in those environemnts would typically perform. such as:
Home:
- Send and Recieve Emails
- Browse the Internet, play movie previews, shop on-line, etc.
- Play some games
- Create greeting cards and stuff.
- Music w/on-line sites and portable players
- Photos, Home Video
School:- Internet
- On-Line Courses
- Email
- Chat
- Word Processing large douments
- Wi-Fi
- Working on the go (live distro?) and porting documents to other machines
Work:- Email
- Word Processing
- Presentation
- Spreadsheet
- Groupware
- maybe some DTP
- Work with a PIM, sync to Palm or PocketPC, etc.
- Exchanging data with outside Windows/Mac users
Most of the above will be a breeze but parts will be a total pain, especially creating cards (no PrintShop like apps for Linux), Playing Games, On-line Coursework, music services, watching previews, etc.Depending on how much you want to face the truth you can have some geek to methodically choose and preconfigure the hardware, cards and packages to make the process all pretty or you can just present them with a computer and a distro set, and let the excitement begin. I'd go with the latter, because I DO like Linux and think we could and should do better.
Let's just forget the embrace thing, we'll just muddy the market by extending.
As far as 'going back' to the steam age, aren't most poer plants (with the exception of hyfroelectric and wind) employ steam to drive thier generating dynamos?
Two things I can think of right off hand, Right click to install fonts (font files have icon and thumbnail previews in file manger), use the file manager to create thumbnail galleries.
Also lots of cool K apps, like K3B, KBear, Quanta, Kwikshow, Kwrite, Khex Edit, etc.
Many reported network problems are coming from another source. User A's computer locks up the network, and A ignores it, user B reports thier computer is locked up. User A restarts computer in frustration and every thing is fine again until the next time. Techie never knew about user A's problem.
Don't rule out Word or Excel as not being a cause of any problems.
USB device problem? Might be a problem with your printer, had one where the keyboard and mouse were seemingly dead, it was the printer locking up the bus communication.
If you are a geek who wants a simplified user interface use Gnome.
If you are a user who wants a more productive Interface use KDE.
----
My opinion, I find Gnome limiting in what I can do, I enjoy the KDE experience more. BUT as KDE has many more features some of them need to be refined/finished. On both more documentation would be nice.
In spite of those KDE is still my choice.
A lot more adventure and excitement than I had expected. Also gives a different (sometimes flattering sometimes not) of Apple, Atari and Radio Shack.
Some people like coding, even on stuff they don't get paid for.
> Submit it for free
There are people that like showing off and/or contributing to a good idea.
> Lose your intellectual property to GPL
You don't loose your intellect, and it's more like you protect your property from not being accessible also you don't loose your idea, you can use it whenever you want, just that YOU retain the rights to what you do.
> Gain no recognition except if you are Linus, RMS, etc.
Like Bill Gates will give you props on the Windows Box for coding that new multi-million making new Audio Codec? Under the GPL your credits and source are required to stay with the code, and there are more notable names in the FOSS field, but I guess you are those one name (Bill Gates) kind of guys.
> Gain no money (thx to point 1 and 2)
Have something real on your resume besides certificates with a bunch of letters (especially if it is a high profile project or popular idea), demonstrate you know how to code and retain the right to do such coding. In a lot of employment clauses you actually loose your rights to code at what you do best whenever you like.
Have better programs as you have contributed in fixing bugs or adding features, so you can do your work better.
Give grandma an opportunity for less viruses and loosing her personal information while surfing the internet.
Make a free alternative to computer applications that have been around for DECADES to force 'innovative' companies to get past milking thier dead (cash) cow OS and office suite and actually start doing something... innovative.
> Have no life (since you still need a paying job to live)
a) I take it you don't like computers, do you?
b) You have a very limited definition for 'living'
c) You have just enough brains to hold down a job and little else.
Hey, you 5,000 developers, why don't you do a bunch of Microsoft Windows coding and propoganda for us* (for free) and we in turn will employ a handfull of you for all your combined effort. Now get started!
* all entries and innovation become the property of Microsoft.
COWBOYNEAL
I'd vote for that too, mainly because I think it more accurately portrays long term travel in space, it's gonna be boring and not very pretty.
Ddn't people say that about JPEGs and other media files? If it involves a Windows player, there's a way...
Holographic storage has been touted for about a decade, I recall posting about an article I read about it on my Commodore 64 BBS. Back then the proposed storage medium was something like a photographic slide. I'm sure the prototypes of all this stuff exist but to make it robust enough for a non-lab environment is a problem either that there are problems with mas poducing the recording medium.
Now you have to think that if MS and co have had done thier homework to make this work for such a time, that Vista probably bad been enabled for such things as well.
I had recently been hoping Vista would be a 'Good Thing' for those I have to help with broken violated Windows systems, but now I'm really thinking that may not be the case any more.
Sony, Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, you all have some 'splainin to do!
It being basic is a fine start, I think they would fit in for the novice and the experienced to get a feel for OOo. Around our office this is what most staff need to know.
I agree with another poster that if communities have access to the technique used to create thier own screenshot videos, we would see some really good and abundant open training videos (it would make a great college project kids!)
That hoax with windows and removing the teddy bear file (some java component IIRC) has made rounds around the office at least twice and not within a short time span either, even the old hoaxes get a new life now and again... Larry