Sorry, not to sound like a troll, but... How in hell is Microsoft dying? If you look at the recent Nasdaq downturn, it's Linux companies that are taking a hit. Is Linux dying, then?
Microsoft is not evil nor ruthless. They're attributed these qualities because they're on top, but to get to the top, you only need to be the best at what you do. Microsoft took computer code, and envisionned it as a product, to be marketed and sold appropriately. Business-wise, it's a brilliant strategy, and doesn't involve screwing anybody. That vision of the world of software will keep on going, and is the real issue here.
And judging by the market, at least one of these visions is taking a serious credibility hit.
I haven't played with my Mindstorms in a little while... I guess they're getting lonely. Last thing I did was a short-term memory buffer using neural networks, to map the room in 2D... Didn't quite work. Nor did the fully mechanical Enigma machine... I think my ideas are better and grander than my building skillz!
Where have I been? Switching jobs, working my ass off trying to launch a company, dating an incredibly beautiful and bright woman... You'd post to Slashdot often if you were me?:)
Any such thing as a secret sid nowadays? Would you care to drop me a note by email and let me know where the action's at? I miss the Old Boys Club...
No, and neither can you patent the idea of posting a stupid 'Can I patent something ridiculously common' joke. It's been done to death before by better karma whores than you, and it qualifies as prior art in my book.
Wow. You'd think all we did in the eighties was buy stuff. I may remember all these brand names, and they may have marked my childhood by way of being there; but to say all these wonderful products were my childhood... I think not. They neither defined me nor altered the course of my life.
Many of these 'places like Africa' you talk about don't even have electricity, and you want to give them PDAs? To turn them into global capitalist countries brought to compete against such noble adversaries as China and the USA?
Dude, you got a strange set of priorities. Try living in the real world, sometimes.
Ok, I'm gonna talk a language that not many Slashdotters relate to, but it needs to be said.
What's happening to the wireless companies is the same thing that's happening to all the dot-coms: the venture capitals are getting fed up with seeing their money thrown to the winds, and they're starting to demand return on their investments.
From a commercial point of view, wireless is perfectly viable. It can be marketed and sold no problem. But the companies that are trying to build these are the same ones that lived on venture money for two years. It's the venture capitalist's fault, really: they bought into the hype so much, they gave away money without thinking.
Regardless of technological problems (there's always technological problems, and you just have to throw manpower at them), what you need is a vision and a business model.
Until these companies stop acting like teenagers getting free lunch money from their benevolent parents, and start planning ahead, keeping their growth in synch with their vision of the market, and constructing intelligent, sensible business approaches and revenue models, the thing is never gonna get off the ground.
It seems to me all those hip CEOs who managed to live off somebody else's money for the duration of the Internet business boom are trying to do so again by throwing in the word 'wireless'. Well, tough luck, guys. The investors are up to your game.
Once again, people mistake the 'medium' (comics) for one of the genres it carries (superhero stories). You're perfectly right in mentionning people like Dan Clowes or Chester Brown; I would like, for one, to see a movie, any movie, capable of approaching their minimalist approach to details. I don't think movies are capable of doing that.
I think Unbreakable's approach to comics is downright condescending. It's basically saying, 'Comics are childish and stupid, but let me show you what a REAL artist can do with that kind of story.' If you take a look at more superhero-oriented comicbook stories like The Watchmen, Unbreakable pales in comparison to an oeuvre that is richer, denser, more thought-provoking, and has more symbolism and better pacing. It's that simple.
It's not like Sony pushed the marketing of the PS2 in North America. The thing hyped itself into a frenzy. Contrast this with TPM... See what I mean?
Frankly, THE Dave Barry didn't have much to say about this. I guess that's what you get with name recognition: the right to state obvious facts like it was humor.
Today's bit of useless knowledge: Iron Chef Italian (Kobe) did make ice cream once (actually, the Iron Chefs do it often, but this once sticks in my mind). He made (get this) FISH ice cream. The tasters hated it and told him so. He apologized. And promptly lost.
Congratulations, EvlG. You're the first one to get the +5 "Stating-the-so-painfully-obvious-it's-the-convers ation equivalent-of-a-kick-in-the-balls-with-a-vinegar-c overed-steel-cap-boot" moderation score. I hope that was karma whoring, because if it was the feeling that you had a worthwhile and honest opinion to share with the rest of us that motivated you to hit "Submit", then your brain would probably be more useful as a doorstop.
I think you meant Mission to Mars. M2M was that other atrocious sci-fi movie that came out recently. Mars Attacks! was a clever comedy by Tim Burton which, although not universally liked, certainly doesn't deserve to be tossed in the "atrociously bad" movie heap.
True; between this article, and the 'Help Gore and Bush answer our questions' articles, it seems that the editors have undertaken the task of turning everybody into a troll.
Yeah. It's called a pool hall. It usually attracts college students looking for watered down albeit cheap bear, and $2 sluts. Not much parallel processing power there.
The fact that the Slashdot editorial staff were fooled by what is too painfully obvious to even be called a hoax? Or the Slashdot regulars who cannot figure something false unless it's spelled up front to them with a 'It's funny. Laugh.' tag?
Slashdot Mirror
There's plenty of carbon and water around here, and I have yet to discover any sign of life...
Microsoft is not evil nor ruthless. They're attributed these qualities because they're on top, but to get to the top, you only need to be the best at what you do. Microsoft took computer code, and envisionned it as a product, to be marketed and sold appropriately. Business-wise, it's a brilliant strategy, and doesn't involve screwing anybody. That vision of the world of software will keep on going, and is the real issue here.
And judging by the market, at least one of these visions is taking a serious credibility hit.
No kidding? Are they world records?
I look forward to the 'L4st P0st!!!!!!!' flood...
With VA Linux stock going from 138 to 8 in a year, is Andover (sorry, OSDN) next? Will Slashdot survive the popping of the Linux market bubble?
I haven't played with my Mindstorms in a little while... I guess they're getting lonely. Last thing I did was a short-term memory buffer using neural networks, to map the room in 2D... Didn't quite work. Nor did the fully mechanical Enigma machine... I think my ideas are better and grander than my building skillz!
Where have I been? Switching jobs, working my ass off trying to launch a company, dating an incredibly beautiful and bright woman... You'd post to Slashdot often if you were me? :)
Any such thing as a secret sid nowadays? Would you care to drop me a note by email and let me know where the action's at? I miss the Old Boys Club...
Sorry dude. You're truly barking up the wrong tree. Ask anyone around here who knows me. Relax... Pleasing everyone is just a waste of time.
No, and neither can you patent the idea of posting a stupid 'Can I patent something ridiculously common' joke. It's been done to death before by better karma whores than you, and it qualifies as prior art in my book.
Wow. You'd think all we did in the eighties was buy stuff. I may remember all these brand names, and they may have marked my childhood by way of being there; but to say all these wonderful products were my childhood... I think not. They neither defined me nor altered the course of my life.
I am NOT making this up. Honest.
Transmeta
Many of these 'places like Africa' you talk about don't even have electricity, and you want to give them PDAs? To turn them into global capitalist countries brought to compete against such noble adversaries as China and the USA?
Dude, you got a strange set of priorities. Try living in the real world, sometimes.
What's happening to the wireless companies is the same thing that's happening to all the dot-coms: the venture capitals are getting fed up with seeing their money thrown to the winds, and they're starting to demand return on their investments.
From a commercial point of view, wireless is perfectly viable. It can be marketed and sold no problem. But the companies that are trying to build these are the same ones that lived on venture money for two years. It's the venture capitalist's fault, really: they bought into the hype so much, they gave away money without thinking.
Regardless of technological problems (there's always technological problems, and you just have to throw manpower at them), what you need is a vision and a business model.
Until these companies stop acting like teenagers getting free lunch money from their benevolent parents, and start planning ahead, keeping their growth in synch with their vision of the market, and constructing intelligent, sensible business approaches and revenue models, the thing is never gonna get off the ground.
It seems to me all those hip CEOs who managed to live off somebody else's money for the duration of the Internet business boom are trying to do so again by throwing in the word 'wireless'. Well, tough luck, guys. The investors are up to your game.
I think Unbreakable's approach to comics is downright condescending. It's basically saying, 'Comics are childish and stupid, but let me show you what a REAL artist can do with that kind of story.' If you take a look at more superhero-oriented comicbook stories like The Watchmen, Unbreakable pales in comparison to an oeuvre that is richer, denser, more thought-provoking, and has more symbolism and better pacing. It's that simple.
Frankly, THE Dave Barry didn't have much to say about this. I guess that's what you get with name recognition: the right to state obvious facts like it was humor.
Today's bit of useless knowledge: Iron Chef Italian (Kobe) did make ice cream once (actually, the Iron Chefs do it often, but this once sticks in my mind). He made (get this) FISH ice cream. The tasters hated it and told him so. He apologized. And promptly lost.
Congratulations, EvlG. You're the first one to get the +5 "Stating-the-so-painfully-obvious-it's-the-convers ation equivalent-of-a-kick-in-the-balls-with-a-vinegar-c overed-steel-cap-boot" moderation score. I hope that was karma whoring, because if it was the feeling that you had a worthwhile and honest opinion to share with the rest of us that motivated you to hit "Submit", then your brain would probably be more useful as a doorstop.
You obviously have a lot of misplaced faith in Hollywood.
I think you meant Mission to Mars. M2M was that other atrocious sci-fi movie that came out recently. Mars Attacks! was a clever comedy by Tim Burton which, although not universally liked, certainly doesn't deserve to be tossed in the "atrociously bad" movie heap.
There's a word for people like you. Actually, two: anal retentive.
True; between this article, and the 'Help Gore and Bush answer our questions' articles, it seems that the editors have undertaken the task of turning everybody into a troll.
Yeah. It's called a pool hall. It usually attracts college students looking for watered down albeit cheap bear, and $2 sluts. Not much parallel processing power there.
Wait. You know a PHB that provides his employees with an unwanted pool table? Talk about different standards...
The fact that the Slashdot editorial staff were fooled by what is too painfully obvious to even be called a hoax? Or the Slashdot regulars who cannot figure something false unless it's spelled up front to them with a 'It's funny. Laugh.' tag?