What specifically are you looking for software to do? My experience with Insurance software is quite out of date, but I remember a contact manager, datebook, a general accounting package with a very small amount of customisation, and a program to dial into the national headquarters and sync data. Oh, and a few scripts to tie it all together. Is that the sort of stuff you're thinking of? If it's anything like what I've seen it wouldn't take very many man-hours really.
Spoken like a true software developer. Take this advice with a grain of salt -- rampant optimism is a common trait among programming professionals.
That said, I think of this trait as a defense mechanism similar to what mothers experience when they think back on their last childbirth. If you had a perfectly clear recollection of how the last one went, be it pregnancy or a software project, you'd never want to go through another.
Also, it demonstrates the need for talented project managers to make sense of optimistic estimates. Good project managers are as rare as good developers and have just as much value to making a deadline.
Actually, I'm assuming he has business sense. A hit to the company's margins in terms of lost Linux server sales is a far more dependable economic force than warm fuzzies related to an alternative-OS. Again, Dell may enforce the Windows tax throughout their product line but they know a good percentage of those Win32 installations are getting razed by a Linux distribution once they reach the customer. Preventing that Linux installation is going to be preventing a sale.
Don't underestimate the economic momentum Linux has achieved, particularly on the server side of things.
Seems to me that such a step on Phoenix's part will only guarantee themselves a smaller percentage of the market.
The number of beige boxes that are sold to be Linux servers is not a trivial number. If you're Michael Dell, are you going to sell boxes that can't be installed with Linux?
Even if Dell doesn't offer the greatest support for Linux, they know in their hearts that a good portion of those boxes are getting fresh installs of Linux once the reach their destination. Microsoft can merely bend market forces, it can't altogether break them.
You missed the main point it seems. They are NOT interested in hosting discussions that involve eroding of intellectual property rights.
Except a discussion of open source licenses is extremely relevant to the topic of intellectual property rights. Look at the claims of GNU Public License proponents:
Prevents innovation from being stiffled (by preventing such licensed software from becoming coopted in a proprietary product).
Leads to higher quality software (through peer-review and improvements from the community).
Protects developers' rights (the original developer can decide to sell non-GNU rights to certain users).
These are exactly the claims that proprietary developers are making regarding IP rights (althought the mechanisms in paranthesis would certainly differ). Furthermore, open source is steeped in modern IP law -- the GNU Public License could not exist without it.
Apparantly, it was an interesting race. The California team, originally a favorite to win, suffered an energy crisis midway through the race. They then appealed to the Federal Government to compel other nearby cars to sell them enough power to cross the finish line. The Washington and Colorado teams have submitted formal protests against this tactic.
Microsoft will not stop developing IE, so it's not going to sit still. Suggesting otherwise is ignorant. While Netscape was the original impetus behind the extension of HTML into the ugly juggernaut it has become today, Microsoft has not been asleep either.
Nice troll though.
Actually, I don't think the parent post was intended as a troll. The point of it was that, when you tie an application to the OS, people are only going to be able to upgrade that app as often as they upgrade their OS.
How often is that? Check your parent's system -- is it still running Win 9x? Hmm...they probably know that using an upgrade program is going to screw up their settings. And reinstalling from scratch is going to remove their settings completely. So what to do if your OS is working fine but you want a better web browser?
Consider Mozilla and Opera. Most of the new features offered by these browsers are usability features like tabbed browsing and gestures. What 's to offer with HTML features? Text of Blinking +2? Even if MS has an army of programmers emulating these features, if you have to upgrade your OS, how many people are going to do this between computer purchases?
That explains why I debug so fast! I have many eyes. At last count I had 27! (Some of them are in the back of my head though, which means they can only debug things behind me).
What percent of the US marketshare does BMW have? And would you call BMW a shitty company for selling so few cars?
While I believe there's some truth to what you're saying, I see one point where this analogy breaks down.
BMW isn't trying to convert gas companies over to refining proprietary gasoline that only runs in BMWs.
Apple, on the other hand, needs third-party developers providing applications for their systems. These developers -- or, rather, their bean counters -- are going to consider the size of the user base to which their product can be sold. If the task of porting or developing an application doesn't pan out for enough software companies, this makes owning an Apple less of an advantage.
By that reasoning, kids who print just need to be smarter. If they spend less time thinking about the answer, they'll have more time to write out their answers.
Wouldn't kids who print have more time to consider their answer? Consider that it's only the physical process which takes up the extra time, rather than the sapping of brainpower away from the problem.
Personally, I've found taking my time with reading and composition (I'm not a speed-reader or writer) leads to more thoughtful answers, as the thinking doesn't stop when the pen hits the page.
It's not as if you're asking the consumer to switch from 8-track to CD formats. Both mp3 and ogg are simply codecs, which make up a small portion of any software-based player. A single program could play a dozen different formats. In fact, XMMS does this already.
So why is a killer-app needed? Didn't need a killer-app to see PNG files in my browser. People will listen to whatever format their music arrives in. It's the music distributors who decide on the codec and they are very much concerned about patent liability.
Slashdot Mirror
What specifically are you looking for software to do? My experience with Insurance software is quite out of date, but I remember a contact manager, datebook, a general accounting package with a very small amount of customisation, and a program to dial into the national headquarters and sync data. Oh, and a few scripts to tie it all together. Is that the sort of stuff you're thinking of? If it's anything like what I've seen it wouldn't take very many man-hours really.
Spoken like a true software developer. Take this advice with a grain of salt -- rampant optimism is a common trait among programming professionals.
That said, I think of this trait as a defense mechanism similar to what mothers experience when they think back on their last childbirth. If you had a perfectly clear recollection of how the last one went, be it pregnancy or a software project, you'd never want to go through another.
Also, it demonstrates the need for talented project managers to make sense of optimistic estimates. Good project managers are as rare as good developers and have just as much value to making a deadline.
Actually, it's a reference to Niven's and Pournelle's The Mote in God's Eye.
Do you have that Steve Miller song "Big Ol' Jet Had a Light On?"
Yeah, it's over there next to Madonna's "Dress you up in nylons."
Don't forget Mr. Mister's "Carry a Laser".
Funnily, starting out a comment with the word that you want to be modded up with seems to actually get it modded with that label.
Flamebatingly, that doesn't always seem to be the case.
You're assuming that Dell has a heart.
Actually, I'm assuming he has business sense. A hit to the company's margins in terms of lost Linux server sales is a far more dependable economic force than warm fuzzies related to an alternative-OS. Again, Dell may enforce the Windows tax throughout their product line but they know a good percentage of those Win32 installations are getting razed by a Linux distribution once they reach the customer. Preventing that Linux installation is going to be preventing a sale.
Don't underestimate the economic momentum Linux has achieved, particularly on the server side of things.
Seems to me that such a step on Phoenix's part will only guarantee themselves a smaller percentage of the market.
The number of beige boxes that are sold to be Linux servers is not a trivial number. If you're Michael Dell, are you going to sell boxes that can't be installed with Linux?
Even if Dell doesn't offer the greatest support for Linux, they know in their hearts that a good portion of those boxes are getting fresh installs of Linux once the reach their destination. Microsoft can merely bend market forces, it can't altogether break them.
you're all n00bs, because your UID has 6 digits
Yeah, whatever, Mr. Fivey Digits.
*looks hopingly into the audience for recognition*
Cue sound of crickets chirping.
That's great news. Now I no longer have to use my serial mouse with Gentoo.
Since when has it been the purpose of advertising to disseminate facts?
You're refering to holes in Apache, not Linus
I think Linus's holes are of concern only to Linus and his physician.
Except a discussion of open source licenses is extremely relevant to the topic of intellectual property rights. Look at the claims of GNU Public License proponents:
Prevents innovation from being stiffled (by preventing such licensed software from becoming coopted in a proprietary product).
Leads to higher quality software (through peer-review and improvements from the community).
Protects developers' rights (the original developer can decide to sell non-GNU rights to certain users).
These are exactly the claims that proprietary developers are making regarding IP rights (althought the mechanisms in paranthesis would certainly differ). Furthermore, open source is steeped in modern IP law -- the GNU Public License could not exist without it.
So what's their next excuse?
Using the British definition of the word "pants" (underwear/briefs) this proposition seems EVEN LESS sensible!
So is this to say you've never gone commando?
Apparantly, it was an interesting race. The California team, originally a favorite to win, suffered an energy crisis midway through the race. They then appealed to the Federal Government to compel other nearby cars to sell them enough power to cross the finish line. The Washington and Colorado teams have submitted formal protests against this tactic.
Microsoft will not stop developing IE, so it's not going to sit still. Suggesting otherwise is ignorant. While Netscape was the original impetus behind the extension of HTML into the ugly juggernaut it has become today, Microsoft has not been asleep either.
Nice troll though.
Actually, I don't think the parent post was intended as a troll. The point of it was that, when you tie an application to the OS, people are only going to be able to upgrade that app as often as they upgrade their OS.
How often is that? Check your parent's system -- is it still running Win 9x? Hmm...they probably know that using an upgrade program is going to screw up their settings. And reinstalling from scratch is going to remove their settings completely. So what to do if your OS is working fine but you want a better web browser?
Consider Mozilla and Opera. Most of the new features offered by these browsers are usability features like tabbed browsing and gestures. What 's to offer with HTML features? Text of Blinking +2? Even if MS has an army of programmers emulating these features, if you have to upgrade your OS, how many people are going to do this between computer purchases?
the blue one was to go back to the dream world
Well then, keep a stock of NyQuil gelcaps on hand for the trick-or-treaters. That oughta send 'em back to dream world.
To win at business, you must perform better than your competition. Better. Stronger. Faster.
Little. Yellow. Different. Better.
So the #1 patent wasn't "business model where sexual favors are exchanged for goods or favors"?
That explains why I debug so fast! I have many eyes. At last count I had 27! (Some of them are in the back of my head though, which means they can only debug things behind me).
Well, as they say, hindsight is 20/20.
What percent of the US marketshare does BMW have? And would you call BMW a shitty company for selling so few cars?
While I believe there's some truth to what you're saying, I see one point where this analogy breaks down.
BMW isn't trying to convert gas companies over to refining proprietary gasoline that only runs in BMWs. Apple, on the other hand, needs third-party developers providing applications for their systems. These developers -- or, rather, their bean counters -- are going to consider the size of the user base to which their product can be sold. If the task of porting or developing an application doesn't pan out for enough software companies, this makes owning an Apple less of an advantage.
By that reasoning, kids who print just need to be smarter. If they spend less time thinking about the answer, they'll have more time to write out their answers.
Wouldn't kids who print have more time to consider their answer? Consider that it's only the physical process which takes up the extra time, rather than the sapping of brainpower away from the problem.
Personally, I've found taking my time with reading and composition (I'm not a speed-reader or writer) leads to more thoughtful answers, as the thinking doesn't stop when the pen hits the page.
Yeah, but MY way is...oh, wait, it's not funny anymore, is it?
Or I want button installed on my phone that will kill whoever is on the other line.
Hopefully this button isn't close to the call waiting button. Take the following scenario:
"Mom? I'm getting a call on the other line, can you hold a sec?"
BZZZZZZT
"Er, Mom, you still there? Mom?"
So why is a killer-app needed? Didn't need a killer-app to see PNG files in my browser. People will listen to whatever format their music arrives in. It's the music distributors who decide on the codec and they are very much concerned about patent liability.
To anyone living outside the US it's non-existent.
BZZZZT! I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
While I was living in England the Cartoon Network was available on cable. Dexter's Laboratory, Pinky and the Brain, the whole lot.