Not trolling, but I am asking out of curiousity. What is the problem of this leakage ? This should not be helping virus writers or such miscreants much as there are source code available for linux and so many other softwares. if that was the case linux and other open source softwares would have been targetted a lot. And microsoft says their code is definitely on par with linux. Now if you say, its their intellectual property, anyway its protected by patents and copyrights. Its not going to appear tomorrow in some competeting alternatives just because it was leaked. The only REAL problem is , if the microsoft source code is of very poor quality and contain a lot of bugs, then virus writers or crackers could make use of it and exploit it. But I will not have much sympathy for them in that case.
What would have changed if Netscape had continued to sell their browser? Fewer people using Windows? Hardly. A less powerful browser platform? Not really: the browser never could be the operating system.
Let me disagree with you here. What holds users in to windows platform is not the tecnical superiority or anything like that . Its a few things like browser, office , games etc. Either there is no good counterparts in the open source alternatives for these or they are locked out by specific proprietory formats or add ons. In the case of browsers, its plugins. In the case of office its.doc format mainly. So browser (along with a few other applications) was and still IS an important thing which keeps microsoft with its huge market share.
Firefox is an amazing product and personally I love it a lot and use it exclusively. But I dont think it will capture significant market share anytime soon. I think these proprietory plugins are what preventing users from switching to firefox(or mozilla). Joe user cannot download and install those plugins to get his job done. He is too lazy/scared to do that. Untill and unless there is an acceptable remedy for this proprietory craps, things are not going to change IMHO. I would love to be proven wrong though. But still kudos to mozilla project for coming up with such a wonderfull product.
You are correct in this with regard to the latest virus but not always. One of the recent virus( was it sobig ? I forgot actually) DID NOT need the attachment to be opened . You had to open the mail ONLY. So I dont think your argument would be correct in that case. Also, when I said virus in my post , I should have said virii and worms. I dont think vulnerability to worms are equal in both platform.
It was reported that the latest virus incurred a loss of about 30b dollar globally. At this backdrop, I am just wondering do these consultacny firms like Gartner and all include the cost of fighting virus and the loss incurred by them while calculating the TCO ?
Actually when I read your post, I found myself in it. I have been using linux exclusively for more than 4 years(for both work and home). I am very happy with it also. I just can't stand windows. I used to wonder why people(even slashdotters) would stick with windows ? then I realised that there was something wchich I never go after and for these people its something without which they cannot live. Its GAMES. This is the single most important thing holding many people from migrating to linux IMHO. I have not played any game for more than a minute ever in my life. I am not underestimating games. I am just saying that there are people like me who love linux and spend their life with it without playing any game.
>> Well, if 99% of alleys were filled with drug pushers, and 99% of the people who used the alleys were drug pushers, then yes, i'd be supporting shutting down alleys.
Let me ask you something. If 98% of alleys were filled with drug, what would be your response? what if its still down to 50 or 40% ? Who set this limit ? Any technology is abused with varying degree. Even google is misused heavily. That doesn't mean that google should be shutdown. Any technology, if it has a legitimate use, should be allowed. The danger is that if Kazaa is shutdown because 99% of people use it for copyright infringment, tomorrow same logic would be applied for something with 90% copyright infringment and next day with something even lesser. So where will this end ? Last, this 99% crap itself is wrong. As far as I understand a substantial chunk of p2p network is used for porn sharing. So I dont think its anything even closer to 90%.
>> The BBC write biased pro Linux stories, nobody here attacks them when they do, they applaud them.
This is NOT just a biased story. This is actually equating a community with criminals without any proof or fact to back up. Its far more serious than just being biased in one's opinion. I dont think many slashdotter would applaud when somebody is unjustifiably treated as criminals.
>> The "all men are created equal under god" thing doesn't seem to be working that well in the US either.
I know things are not working perfect in US. But atleast THEORETICALLY people are same and they dont have any special privilege endowed BY BIRTH. Both the persons you have mentioned (Bush and Gates) have done some work and effort to become what they are today(I absolute despise the actions of these 2, but thats not the issue here). Now tell me what has Queen done to become what is she today? what has Charles done to become what is he today ? Absolutely nothing !. So there *IS* a different between the two conditions. Monarcy even in its most diluted form , is a shame to democracy.
>>When you see what kind of a person can get elected as a president, monarchy no longer sounds as such a bad idea.
I hate Bush perhaps more than any other slashdotter. But telling that monarchy is a better idea because of such an idiot is american president is highly ridiculous and baseless. Bush and any other american citizen are equal infront of the law. They dont get any special privileges because of their BIRTH(atleast legally) unlike the "queen". Actually its a shame that a country like Briton which boasts of democracy and such values still carry monarchy. Monarchy and democracy(or even justice) are mutually exclusive. Democracy is meaningless when somebody acquire some privileges just because of their birth. There is a lot of problem with US and their politics and I disagree with them a lot. But still people ARE equal atleast in theory. Where in Briton they are not so even in theory. I am genuinely surprised that in this modern time also, such parasitic entities are tollerated by the people.
Even XML microsoft used WAS standard based. Everything they take from the standard and open architecture. The only problem is that they make a little (but significant) twist(e.g Active directory with LDAP and kerberos). So at the end of the day, its not much different than the classic proprietory craps. Now patents make it even more difficult as interoperability is effectively blocked leagally. I am not saying you shouldnt use C# or CLI . What I am saying is just because they are based on open standards *NOW* doesn't mean that they will remain to be.
>> My question is when will the RIAA start running out of money to do this sort of thing
You have to define what do you mean by "RIAA". If you mean the shareholders(of the individual firms), then "yes" they would get screwed by all these. But who cares ? the top brass who take all these decisions will have absolutely no problem . They will pull as much money as possible by all means and get out of it when the ship starts to sink. Even though Enron was the shining example of this practice, other corporate firms are not much different. Actually RIAA is a bunch of idiots who survive on such crazy law suites and associated media blizzard. Without such things the very existence of RIAA and these idiots are questionable.
>> What are they gonna due, sue the computer? LOL!
Actually they would, if they could. Throughout their history, they have been fighting technology and trying to stop it. Even though they are suing human beings actually they are trying to stop technology from destroying their outdated and crappy business model. But as Victor Hugo had said, You can stop an invading force but can never stop an idea whose time has come.
But in the case of FOX news, its the highest degree and simply unacceptable for most of the people. You can see many articles(or comments) which support microsoft in slashdot. You can also see many articles which criticize US actions in Iraq but almost none in FOX. Thats the difference.
DISCLAIMER: I am living in a country next to saudi for more than 2 years.
I am sorry to tell you that your assumptions and understandings are WRONG in a big way. First all these gulf countries are EQUALLY tyrannical. In saudi, its more conspicuous because its the biggest. Bahrain is the smallest of all these countries and believe me for this, its EQUALLY tyrannical. In none of these countries you cannot utter a word against these regimes. You dont have any freedom to express your views openly. The rule is a classic blend of monarchy and feudelism. Members of the royal families just share the country themselves. Its the same in Saudi, Bahrain , Kuwait and all the gulf countries. There is NO difference in the magnitude in any country including Kuwait. You know what ? Iran, a country which is offen treated as a tyranny, has MANY of these rights granted to the people . Its not ruled by some royal families. Nobody is taking the wealth away from people because of his family status or any other status(religion or anything). You have access to the books and magazines which widely criticize the governments and even Islam(needless to say these are not possible in other gulf countries). There is protest going on against the government. I am not saying things are perfect in Iran. But the level of freedom, democracy and other values are far more and better in Iran than any other gulf countries. Its a fact which the western media conveniently forget and ignore. Look at Turkish government. Its the same. They are Islamic but they are in synchrony with freedom and other progressive values(ofcourse in the limited Turkish setup and military constraints). Islam is a religion followed by people of these countries. Its a fact. And they want it to be there in their life. Unlike people in the western countries, they think their reliogion as something comprehensive and applicable to every aspect of life. Just because people in the western countries are not like this, doesnt mean that everyone is like that. Its a myth that what is going to come in these brutal dictatorship regimes are worse than this. Because there is no fact to substantiate this claim and any country which has gone away from these dictatorship regimes (e.g Iran) has more freedom and more democracy. And the more people stick with Islam(or any othe religion) its better as all the religions are preaching good things only.
Actually even the predictions with content too go wrong mostly. You remember all those predictions last time ? like Bruce scheiner had predicted "Major cyber attack" ? Meta group's prediction that Microsoft would come up with linux version of some of their software? I can go and and on with the list of predictions by well knowng guys and firms that went HORRIBLY wrong. Ofcourse some of their "predictions" get hit also(like "there will be windows in the desktop next year also"). Actually I am surprised that at the end/begining of every year slashdot and other news site spend a lot of time for these craps. These predictions are something like a "routinely bullshit" done of every year.
If that is the case , then the companies wouldn't be going there in the first place. Now regarding the quality of the softwares, its better not to talk about it. US companies like Microsoft have been producing notoriously inferior software in many aspects. So was there any issue about it? if the quality of softwares produced as a result of outsouring is "inferior" then customers will look for alternatives. Perhaps they will end up in insisting "made in US" softwares. What I really cant understand is what happens to the "free market mantra" of these guys when it comes to outsouring ? Let the market decide everything right?.
>> But SUN machines look cool. I especially like the mousepads that come with them. Really, Sun makes the best mousepads I've ever used, no questions asked.
Yesssss, I would second it. It makes perfect sense to shower thousands of dollars on servers for the beauty of mousepad.
>> Noticing a pattern here... Ironically enough, these improvements are likely to help develop the software for those that Israel considers to be their enemies (the Arab world and Persia, being Iran and parts of Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan).
Actually you make a very valid point. One of the best (and most underrated) benefit of Free software is the collaborative nature and the community built around it. Look at what happened with KDE recently . Some Iranians made use of what is basically a European/German project. I dont know of many things in which Germans and Iranians cooprate in a grass root level. Certainly open source is not a panacea for peace or anything like that, but the cooperation and association in the field of open source development without borders surely will help people bring closer.
>> What M$ will end up doing is waffling on the price down the road somewhere and try to schmooze Israel into coming back to them.
Even if that happens also, microsoft will be the loser in the long term. The significance of these issues are actually the price pressure and discount pressure it exerts on Microsoft. When Microsoft "schmooze Israel in to coming back" with steep discounts and other incentives, others are bound to demand the same from Microsoft. And this is what going to create problems for Microsoft. In the long run, its going to have a devastating effect on their mind boggling bank balance. At that time alternatives like Free softwares can expect a far fairer competition from Microsoft.
Slashdot Mirror
Not trolling, but I am asking out of curiousity. What is the problem of this leakage ? This should not be helping virus writers or such miscreants much as there are source code available for linux and so many other softwares. if that was the case linux and other open source softwares would have been targetted a lot. And microsoft says their code is definitely on par with linux. Now if you say, its their intellectual property, anyway its protected by patents and copyrights. Its not going to appear tomorrow in some competeting alternatives just because it was leaked. The only REAL problem is , if the microsoft source code is of very poor quality and contain a lot of bugs, then virus writers or crackers could make use of it and exploit it. But I will not have much sympathy for them in that case.
What would have changed if Netscape had continued to sell their browser? Fewer people using Windows? Hardly. A less powerful browser platform? Not really: the browser never could be the operating system.
.doc format mainly. So browser (along with a few other applications) was and still IS an important thing which keeps microsoft with its huge market share.
Let me disagree with you here. What holds users in to windows platform is not the tecnical superiority or anything like that . Its a few things like browser, office , games etc. Either there is no good counterparts in the open source alternatives for these or they are locked out by specific proprietory formats or add ons. In the case of browsers, its plugins. In the case of office its
I've installed this browser on several family members PC's that I support, and they all say never realized that other browsers were available
That comment can be applied to most of the IE users also. They never realize that other browsers are available
Firefox is an amazing product and personally I love it a lot and use it exclusively. But I dont think it will capture significant market share anytime soon. I think these proprietory plugins are what preventing users from switching to firefox(or mozilla). Joe user cannot download and install those plugins to get his job done. He is too lazy/scared to do that. Untill and unless there is an acceptable remedy for this proprietory craps, things are not going to change IMHO. I would love to be proven wrong though. But still kudos to mozilla project for coming up with such a wonderfull product.
You are correct in this with regard to the latest virus but not always. One of the recent virus( was it sobig ? I forgot actually) DID NOT need the attachment to be opened . You had to open the mail ONLY. So I dont think your argument would be correct in that case. Also, when I said virus in my post , I should have said virii and worms. I dont think vulnerability to worms are equal in both platform.
It was reported that the latest virus incurred a loss of about 30b dollar globally. At this backdrop, I am just wondering do these consultacny firms like Gartner and all include the cost of fighting virus and the loss incurred by them while calculating the TCO ?
Actually when I read your post, I found myself in it. I have been using linux exclusively for more than 4 years(for both work and home). I am very happy with it also. I just can't stand windows. I used to wonder why people(even slashdotters) would stick with windows ? then I realised that there was something wchich I never go after and for these people its something without which they cannot live. Its GAMES. This is the single most important thing holding many people from migrating to linux IMHO. I have not played any game for more than a minute ever in my life. I am not underestimating games. I am just saying that there are people like me who love linux and spend their life with it without playing any game.
>> Well, if 99% of alleys were filled with drug pushers, and 99% of the people who used the alleys were drug pushers, then yes, i'd be supporting shutting down alleys.
Let me ask you something. If 98% of alleys were filled with drug, what would be your response? what if its still down to 50 or 40% ? Who set this limit ? Any technology is abused with varying degree. Even google is misused heavily. That doesn't mean that google should be shutdown. Any technology, if it has a legitimate use, should be allowed. The danger is that if Kazaa is shutdown because 99% of people use it for copyright infringment, tomorrow same logic would be applied for something with 90% copyright infringment and next day with something even lesser. So where will this end ? Last, this 99% crap itself is wrong. As far as I understand a substantial chunk of p2p network is used for porn sharing. So I dont think its anything even closer to 90%.
>> The BBC write biased pro Linux stories, nobody here attacks them when they do, they applaud them.
This is NOT just a biased story. This is actually equating a community with criminals without any proof or fact to back up. Its far more serious than just being biased in one's opinion. I dont think many slashdotter would applaud when somebody is unjustifiably treated as criminals.
>> The "all men are created equal under god" thing doesn't seem to be working that well in the US either. I know things are not working perfect in US. But atleast THEORETICALLY people are same and they dont have any special privilege endowed BY BIRTH. Both the persons you have mentioned (Bush and Gates) have done some work and effort to become what they are today(I absolute despise the actions of these 2, but thats not the issue here). Now tell me what has Queen done to become what is she today? what has Charles done to become what is he today ? Absolutely nothing !. So there *IS* a different between the two conditions. Monarcy even in its most diluted form , is a shame to democracy.
>>When you see what kind of a person can get elected as a president, monarchy no longer sounds as such a bad idea.
I hate Bush perhaps more than any other slashdotter. But telling that monarchy is a better idea because of such an idiot is american president is highly ridiculous and baseless. Bush and any other american citizen are equal infront of the law. They dont get any special privileges because of their BIRTH(atleast legally) unlike the "queen". Actually its a shame that a country like Briton which boasts of democracy and such values still carry monarchy. Monarchy and democracy(or even justice) are mutually exclusive. Democracy is meaningless when somebody acquire some privileges just because of their birth. There is a lot of problem with US and their politics and I disagree with them a lot. But still people ARE equal atleast in theory. Where in Briton they are not so even in theory. I am genuinely surprised that in this modern time also, such parasitic entities are tollerated by the people.
I may not like Bill Gates and the way his company acts, but I have to give credit to a man who can admit his mistakes. It's not an easy thing to do.
Really ?? Please go a bit down and see what is he saying about google
Mr Gates claimed that Microsoft was better on the 80% of common queries, although Google was "pretty good" as well.
Now tell me what does this 80% include ?
>> I use C# and the CLI , theyre ECMA specified.
Even XML microsoft used WAS standard based. Everything they take from the standard and open architecture. The only problem is that they make a little (but significant) twist(e.g Active directory with LDAP and kerberos). So at the end of the day, its not much different than the classic proprietory craps. Now patents make it even more difficult as interoperability is effectively blocked leagally. I am not saying you shouldnt use C# or CLI . What I am saying is just because they are based on open standards *NOW* doesn't mean that they will remain to be.
>> there's no clause that limits them to using it, so I can only see this helping people
Yes, there IS . They are called proprietory and closed formats. Doc format is a small example only.
>>In reality, if you asked George Bush who SCO is, he probably wouldn't know
George Bush doesn't know anything. But the people who controll him knows EVERYTHING. And thats what matters.
>> My question is when will the RIAA start running out of money to do this sort of thing
You have to define what do you mean by "RIAA". If you mean the shareholders(of the individual firms), then "yes" they would get screwed by all these. But who cares ? the top brass who take all these decisions will have absolutely no problem . They will pull as much money as possible by all means and get out of it when the ship starts to sink. Even though Enron was the shining example of this practice, other corporate firms are not much different. Actually RIAA is a bunch of idiots who survive on such crazy law suites and associated media blizzard. Without such things the very existence of RIAA and these idiots are questionable.
>> What are they gonna due, sue the computer? LOL!
Actually they would, if they could. Throughout their history, they have been fighting technology and trying to stop it. Even though they are suing human beings actually they are trying to stop technology from destroying their outdated and crappy business model. But as Victor Hugo had said, You can stop an invading force but can never stop an idea whose time has come.
>> ALL news sources of some degree of bias.
But in the case of FOX news, its the highest degree and simply unacceptable for most of the people. You can see many articles(or comments) which support microsoft in slashdot. You can also see many articles which criticize US actions in Iraq but almost none in FOX. Thats the difference.
DISCLAIMER: I am living in a country next to saudi for more than 2 years.
I am sorry to tell you that your assumptions and understandings are WRONG in a big way. First all these gulf countries are EQUALLY tyrannical. In saudi, its more conspicuous because its the biggest. Bahrain is the smallest of all these countries and believe me for this, its EQUALLY tyrannical. In none of these countries you cannot utter a word against these regimes. You dont have any freedom to express your views openly. The rule is a classic blend of monarchy and feudelism. Members of the royal families just share the country themselves. Its the same in Saudi, Bahrain , Kuwait and all the gulf countries. There is NO difference in the magnitude in any country including Kuwait. You know what ? Iran, a country which is offen treated as a tyranny, has MANY of these rights granted to the people . Its not ruled by some royal families. Nobody is taking the wealth away from people because of his family status or any other status(religion or anything). You have access to the books and magazines which widely criticize the governments and even Islam(needless to say these are not possible in other gulf countries). There is protest going on against the government. I am not saying things are perfect in Iran. But the level of freedom, democracy and other values are far more and better in Iran than any other gulf countries. Its a fact which the western media conveniently forget and ignore. Look at Turkish government. Its the same. They are Islamic but they are in synchrony with freedom and other progressive values(ofcourse in the limited Turkish setup and military constraints). Islam is a religion followed by people of these countries. Its a fact. And they want it to be there in their life. Unlike people in the western countries, they think their reliogion as something comprehensive and applicable to every aspect of life. Just because people in the western countries are not like this, doesnt mean that everyone is like that. Its a myth that what is going to come in these brutal dictatorship regimes are worse than this. Because there is no fact to substantiate this claim and any country which has gone away from these dictatorship regimes (e.g Iran) has more freedom and more democracy. And the more people stick with Islam(or any othe religion) its better as all the religions are preaching good things only.
Actually even the predictions with content too go wrong mostly. You remember all those predictions last time ? like Bruce scheiner had predicted "Major cyber attack" ? Meta group's prediction that Microsoft would come up with linux version of some of their software? I can go and and on with the list of predictions by well knowng guys and firms that went HORRIBLY wrong. Ofcourse some of their "predictions" get hit also(like "there will be windows in the desktop next year also"). Actually I am surprised that at the end/begining of every year slashdot and other news site spend a lot of time for these craps. These predictions are something like a "routinely bullshit" done of every year.
>>Except that they can't
If that is the case , then the companies wouldn't be going there in the first place. Now regarding the quality of the softwares, its better not to talk about it. US companies like Microsoft have been producing notoriously inferior software in many aspects. So was there any issue about it? if the quality of softwares produced as a result of outsouring is "inferior" then customers will look for alternatives. Perhaps they will end up in insisting "made in US" softwares. What I really cant understand is what happens to the "free market mantra" of these guys when it comes to outsouring ? Let the market decide everything right?.
>> But SUN machines look cool. I especially like the mousepads that come with them. Really, Sun makes the best mousepads I've ever used, no questions asked.
Yesssss, I would second it. It makes perfect sense to shower thousands of dollars on servers for the beauty of mousepad.
>> Noticing a pattern here... Ironically enough, these improvements are likely to help develop the software for those that Israel considers to be their enemies (the Arab world and Persia, being Iran and parts of Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan).
Actually you make a very valid point. One of the best (and most underrated) benefit of Free software is the collaborative nature and the community built around it. Look at what happened with KDE recently . Some Iranians made use of what is basically a European/German project. I dont know of many things in which Germans and Iranians cooprate in a grass root level. Certainly open source is not a panacea for peace or anything like that, but the cooperation and association in the field of open source development without borders surely will help people bring closer.
>> What M$ will end up doing is waffling on the price down the road somewhere and try to schmooze Israel into coming back to them.
Even if that happens also, microsoft will be the loser in the long term. The significance of these issues are actually the price pressure and discount pressure it exerts on Microsoft. When Microsoft "schmooze Israel in to coming back" with steep discounts and other incentives, others are bound to demand the same from Microsoft. And this is what going to create problems for Microsoft. In the long run, its going to have a devastating effect on their mind boggling bank balance. At that time alternatives like Free softwares can expect a far fairer competition from Microsoft.
>> Are you sure about this?
w .islam101.com/quran/maududi/i096.htm
Actually "read" is also correct. See the following links for example
http://www.meem.freeuk.com/Alif.html
http://ww