The phrase in question was "Though Jack Valenti proved he could stump with the best good ol' southern gentleman, deriding his intelligence before offering sweeping proclamations, the majority of the discussion was surprisingly consumer-friendly.
"
I balk at the notion that any discussion with Jack Valenti could ever constitute something referrable as consumer friendly. He works assiduously against the interests of consumers: it is the thing that drives him. If the author believed that there was anything consumer friendly about the conversation, then he was snowed, pure and simple.
It's nice to know that you're so easily snowed by Jack Valenti. This "consumer friendly" individual you seem so impressed by is the same man who is Congressional testimony in 1982 declared about the VCR: "I say to you that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone." (1, 2) I'm confused; when exactly was the last serial murder conviction for a VCR? Or a PVR? DVD burner?
I'm full time on OS X now (BBEdit, Photoshop, etc.) but I still haven't "upgraded" to Office v. X.
Admittedly, most of my writing has been text based. I also have AbiWord set up under XDarwin/XFree86 if I need it (I'm waiting to try OpenOffice, as soon as goes from Developers build to beta). I've considered AppleWorks. And I have Office under OS 9 if I'm desperate.
I can't justify spending $270 for an upgrade for this. I never used Office enough to warrant those sort of numbers.
I assume that queries as to whether he'll be burning up his fuel out here alone or, in case of accident, whether we should give his wife his love and nothing more would also have provoked a blank stare.
The main component of fax spam laws (IANAL) is that spammer is costing you money (paper and ink) and ties up your resources (fax line).
Email spam costs you money (phone costs required to stay on longer to download spam, hosting cost increases because your mailbox is loaded down with spam) and ties up your resources (your mailbox).
If the law doesn't get extended soon legislatively, someone on a dialup should file a class action suit to try and judicially establish the concept.
Windowing system, fonts, drivers, hardware, software, support: Those were his issues. All of them are addressed by the Mac.
All of the power of a *NIX system (with the underlying tools if you so desire) with the best UI around. Truly beautiful fonts (with Quartz), hardware is all plug and play (I've never had five minutes problems setting up any piece of hardware on a Mac), the software he wants/needs, and lots of support (www.macslash.org, www.macosxhints.com, www.macfixit.com, www.apple.com).
written, it will be promptly vilified by the RIAA and NARAS (and the MPAA because they always like to attack anyone/anything that might peripherally affect them), but mainstream media will ignore it because it isn't as sexy a story as "pirates on the Internet" (Arghh, matey). Oh well, I shouldn't let facts get in the way. The industry doesn't.
With Microsoft embedded in your toaster, fridge, et. al., you won't be able to open source any of them. And if your appliances hear you talking about such things, well, I don't even want to THINK about what they might do.
Where did I say "the only thing"? You have access to the Linux/UNIX, you also have the Mac apps, you have an incredibly consistent, well thought out interface in Aqua (which is adjustable to tastes), you have command line whenever you want it. You even have PC apps if you purchase VPC.
As for description of the G4 $3000 overpriced and underpowered, you can get a 1Ghz Dual G4 PowerMac for $2700. Find me a comparable PC deal.
And Mandrake on your PC is an experience, but hardly a comparable one (even with your PS/2 3-button wheel mouse). Even you know that.
Well with OS X you have to access to almost all of the Linux/BSD software you're used to. You have command line and/or GUI tools for ripping/mixing/etc. And that's not even mentioning iTunes (which is free with the Mac).
As for the three button comment: Oh, please. What, are you Cmdr Taco? It COMES with a one button mouse. You can BUY or USE your own three button mouse as long as it's USB. I do (I have a Logitech with the scrollwheel).
Finally, as to your modding everything: If that's how you want to spend your time. If you'd prefer spending your time doing things to your system instead of doing something you want with your system, go right ahead.
See my response up the page here to someone trying to find parallels between Apple and Microsoft.
More importantly, while PCs have always been not as a relatively open platform vis-a-vis hardware, the whole point of this is that that is no longer going to be the case.
It is the PC chipmakers, Intel and AMD, who are in league with Microsoft on this plan. Motorola either wasn't invited, or declined to join. Mod all you want, but don't touch that chip that controls the DRM on your machine, or you're circumventing and you'll go to jail.
As for the "lot more sofwtare", how many programs do you actually use? You got 15 spreadsheets?
As for games, they are newer on a PC. And soon, you'll have to register with Microsoft every time you want to play them (for your safeties sake).
Let's see: Apple creates an OS based on Open Source software which they have continued to contribute to (Darwin)
Microsoft steals OS components from non-GPL sources and never admits it (TCP stack from BSD)
Apple develops software to assist you in ripping your CDs, mixing them to your liking and burning them onto new CDs or DVDs (iTunes)
Microsoft "patches" software while changing the EULA to allow them to automatically shut off ANY software you might be running that they feel violates their interpretation of DRM (Media Player)
Hardly seems like parallel tracks to me.
Another reason to go to Apple and OS X
on
Coursey on Palladium
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· Score: 2, Informative
I didn't see Apple or Motorola listed at all in the list of "partners" involved at trying to foist this plan on the world.
That's the thing about this that I don't understand. I could suggest that in this climate of widespread corporate malfeasance (Xerox, Worldcom, Tyco, Imclone, Enron, etc.), the extremely petty and stupid nature of this lawsuit might reflect poorly on them.
That's the best explanation I can come up with. Does anybody else know their actual reasons for buckling? It's so uncharacteristic of a company that has the money to stop fighting even when they're completely wrong.
One of the major points of this is that 2600 was under no obligation to ask Ford. Freedom of speech allows them to point it to them if they so desire.
And Ford didn't need to ask 2600 to stop pointing it at them. As others have pointed out, Ford could have stopped people from seeing their site after typing in that domain with extraordinarily little effort.
So it is obvious that Ford was NOT trying to protect it's business. It was NOT trying to protect it's image. It WAS trying to create a whole new set of corporate rights by asserting that nobody could point/redirect to their site without their express consent. Fortunately (in a rare occurence lately) a court was sensible and recognized how very wrong Ford was and dismissed the suit. My shock is that Ford gave up. They're wrong, but that ususally doesn't stop corporate America.
I was always under the impression that Winona got her celebrity by... acting. And while she's received unwanted publicity with her alleged illegal acts, I'd be hard pressed to consider her worthy of inclusion of a list like Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone and John Gotti.
Has anyone ever done a survey of what percentage of Microsoft Office users fit into the category of "power" users; i.e. consistently using what most consider the obscure tools/scripts/functions?
I don't use Word much and I personally probably approach 5% of the potential functionality. I just recently was sharing a Word doc that I had added comments with (using their functionality for, not just writing them in). None of the recipients knew how to find my comments and they wanted to know why I had hilited some words (mousing over the hilite brings up my comment).
Oh good: you either plug your tooth in overnight to recharge the battery, or you have to go to the dentist every month for a replacement. And everytime there is a "new, better" model, going in to get your tooth replaced. Why not just make it a denture that you can take out and recharge (while cleaning)?
Another question: how exactly do you "pick up"? Or is it always on? Just think of the pleasant sounds you'd be broadcasting while you ate, drank, belched, and possibly regurgitated. Not to mention even more private activities.
Monopolist Microsoft have again decided to illustrate their unbridled power (even before finishing closing arguments in their antitrust case) by declaring that they will remove support for Java on future versions of the Windows OS.
Why, you ask? "The decision to remove Microsoft's Java implementation was made because of Sun's strategy of using the legal system to compete with Microsoft," Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan said in a statement. Cullinan said the company will temporarily support Java "to minimize any potential disruption among our customers."
But is Microsoft admitting that they are punitively trying to harm Java and Sun? No, of course not. Microsoft claims that the settlement they signed when they were found to have created Java tools to intentionally fool programmers into writing incompatible code forces them to drop Java support.
How, you ask? "The settlement agreement between the companies prevents Microsoft from making any changes -- including any security fixes -- to our Java implementation after January 1, 2004," Cullinan said. "We will not put our customers or Windows at risk so you can anticipate that there will be no Java in Windows from that point forward."
One of the antitrust penalties proposed by the states would force Microsoft to carry support for Java. Now why do you suppose they would have suggested that?
Read all about it here (free registration required).
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I balk at the notion that any discussion with Jack Valenti could ever constitute something referrable as consumer friendly. He works assiduously against the interests of consumers: it is the thing that drives him. If the author believed that there was anything consumer friendly about the conversation, then he was snowed, pure and simple.
By the way, they're trading at 4.42, down 0.08. Their 52 week high was all of 5.67, their 52 week low as 0.80.
It's nice to know that you're so easily snowed by Jack Valenti. This "consumer friendly" individual you seem so impressed by is the same man who is Congressional testimony in 1982 declared about the VCR: "I say to you that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone." (1, 2) I'm confused; when exactly was the last serial murder conviction for a VCR? Or a PVR? DVD burner?
This report was already entered by al3x at 4:16 am this morning on Kuro5hin.org.
Admittedly, most of my writing has been text based. I also have AbiWord set up under XDarwin/XFree86 if I need it (I'm waiting to try OpenOffice, as soon as goes from Developers build to beta). I've considered AppleWorks. And I have Office under OS 9 if I'm desperate.
I can't justify spending $270 for an upgrade for this. I never used Office enough to warrant those sort of numbers.
I assume that queries as to whether he'll be burning up his fuel out here alone or, in case of accident, whether we should give his wife his love and nothing more would also have provoked a blank stare.
Email spam costs you money (phone costs required to stay on longer to download spam, hosting cost increases because your mailbox is loaded down with spam) and ties up your resources (your mailbox).
If the law doesn't get extended soon legislatively, someone on a dialup should file a class action suit to try and judicially establish the concept.
All of the power of a *NIX system (with the underlying tools if you so desire) with the best UI around. Truly beautiful fonts (with Quartz), hardware is all plug and play (I've never had five minutes problems setting up any piece of hardware on a Mac), the software he wants/needs, and lots of support (www.macslash.org, www.macosxhints.com, www.macfixit.com, www.apple.com).
written, it will be promptly vilified by the RIAA and NARAS (and the MPAA because they always like to attack anyone/anything that might peripherally affect them), but mainstream media will ignore it because it isn't as sexy a story as "pirates on the Internet" (Arghh, matey). Oh well, I shouldn't let facts get in the way. The industry doesn't.
The refrigerator door won't open for any of those organic, "open source" vegetables (they might be viral).
The microwave will transmit details on everything you reheat to Microsoft, to "ensure proper authorization".
What most worries me is your oven's Blue Screen/Flame of Death.
With Microsoft embedded in your toaster, fridge, et. al., you won't be able to open source any of them. And if your appliances hear you talking about such things, well, I don't even want to THINK about what they might do.
As for description of the G4 $3000 overpriced and underpowered, you can get a 1Ghz Dual G4 PowerMac for $2700. Find me a comparable PC deal.
And Mandrake on your PC is an experience, but hardly a comparable one (even with your PS/2 3-button wheel mouse). Even you know that.
As for the three button comment: Oh, please. What, are you Cmdr Taco? It COMES with a one button mouse. You can BUY or USE your own three button mouse as long as it's USB. I do (I have a Logitech with the scrollwheel).
Finally, as to your modding everything: If that's how you want to spend your time. If you'd prefer spending your time doing things to your system instead of doing something you want with your system, go right ahead.
More importantly, while PCs have always been not as a relatively open platform vis-a-vis hardware, the whole point of this is that that is no longer going to be the case.
It is the PC chipmakers, Intel and AMD, who are in league with Microsoft on this plan. Motorola either wasn't invited, or declined to join. Mod all you want, but don't touch that chip that controls the DRM on your machine, or you're circumventing and you'll go to jail.
As for the "lot more sofwtare", how many programs do you actually use? You got 15 spreadsheets?
As for games, they are newer on a PC. And soon, you'll have to register with Microsoft every time you want to play them (for your safeties sake).
I don't see how this fits the category of "Offtopic".
Microsoft steals OS components from non-GPL sources and never admits it (TCP stack from BSD)
Apple develops software to assist you in ripping your CDs, mixing them to your liking and burning them onto new CDs or DVDs (iTunes)
Microsoft "patches" software while changing the EULA to allow them to automatically shut off ANY software you might be running that they feel violates their interpretation of DRM (Media Player)
Hardly seems like parallel tracks to me.
Seems another reason to switch
That's the best explanation I can come up with. Does anybody else know their actual reasons for buckling? It's so uncharacteristic of a company that has the money to stop fighting even when they're completely wrong.
And Ford didn't need to ask 2600 to stop pointing it at them. As others have pointed out, Ford could have stopped people from seeing their site after typing in that domain with extraordinarily little effort.
So it is obvious that Ford was NOT trying to protect it's business. It was NOT trying to protect it's image. It WAS trying to create a whole new set of corporate rights by asserting that nobody could point/redirect to their site without their express consent. Fortunately (in a rare occurence lately) a court was sensible and recognized how very wrong Ford was and dismissed the suit. My shock is that Ford gave up. They're wrong, but that ususally doesn't stop corporate America.
Somebody would complain because it didn't have three buttons.
I was always under the impression that Winona got her celebrity by ... acting. And while she's received unwanted publicity with her alleged illegal acts, I'd be hard pressed to consider her worthy of inclusion of a list like Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone and John Gotti.
I don't use Word much and I personally probably approach 5% of the potential functionality. I just recently was sharing a Word doc that I had added comments with (using their functionality for, not just writing them in). None of the recipients knew how to find my comments and they wanted to know why I had hilited some words (mousing over the hilite brings up my comment).
People for the Ethical Treatment of Robots
Another question: how exactly do you "pick up"? Or is it always on? Just think of the pleasant sounds you'd be broadcasting while you ate, drank, belched, and possibly regurgitated. Not to mention even more private activities.
Why, you ask? "The decision to remove Microsoft's Java implementation was made because of Sun's strategy of using the legal system to compete with Microsoft," Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan said in a statement. Cullinan said the company will temporarily support Java "to minimize any potential disruption among our customers."
But is Microsoft admitting that they are punitively trying to harm Java and Sun? No, of course not. Microsoft claims that the settlement they signed when they were found to have created Java tools to intentionally fool programmers into writing incompatible code forces them to drop Java support.
How, you ask? "The settlement agreement between the companies prevents Microsoft from making any changes -- including any security fixes -- to our Java implementation after January 1, 2004," Cullinan said. "We will not put our customers or Windows at risk so you can anticipate that there will be no Java in Windows from that point forward."
One of the antitrust penalties proposed by the states would force Microsoft to carry support for Java. Now why do you suppose they would have suggested that?
Read all about it here (free registration required).