I see where your coming from, but this isn't an OSS project. The complaints about selection are valid to a degree, after all as a Linux user I already do have some good DRM-free alternatives available to me:
So I think its safe to say that Linux users have quite a few choices available to them, some of which seem to have both good prices *and* a good selection. Personally, I'm not complaining about the selection at Medion, but all this noise about being the only Linux friendly, DRM-free store seems a little disingenuous (but hey, its the holiday, so its probably good marketing!).
Since I buy ZERO music containing DRM limitations I hope they do suceed in ramping up their selection while continuing to support the Linux platform (emusic used to even have a working Linux download manager...but last time I checked it was too out of date to run on modern systems so it right-click/save-as).
And the thing that brings me back is always the apps. The kernel is transparent for the most part but the quirks and advantages of the UI and the applications can make or break the experience.
If all my favorite apps are available for Windows XP and all my friends use Windows XP with my recommended apps, even if they like them, whats the incentive to switch?
We can create the best user experience possible, but once its ported, its all up to the kernel to sell the OS. And users don't care about the kernel, they just want to use their apps.
I know we can't stop GPL software for being ported by willing parties, but as part of the community I wouldn't recommend doing this ourselves.
One argues with that starry eyed kind of scientific idealism (not that I'm faulting him, it takes somethings outlandish belief to make things like this even start to happen) while the other argues that because no one in the past has done it, why should we believe that someone will now.
Both seems like sort of extremes at either end, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle (probably in the lower quadrant).
Life extension would be probably harder to argue against, and with a little luck, what will begin to be achieved within our lifetimes.
Personally, I'd settle for a few more years and better overall health. Dementia, Alzheimer's, clogged arteries, heart problems, weakening bones all seem like unnecessary indignations for our eldest and wisest (and me!).
Have you ever seen the amount of data a packet analyzer puts out? Most ISP's will either outright block ports associated with P2P programs or throttle them (but prefferably: neither).
Besides, click-through licenses aside, that would be something of a privacy issue. Like a lawsuit.
Blockbuster lately, but network programing is increasingly finding its way into the DVD market. Of course it doesn't help that most downloaded TV programs are stripped of commercial. You know their advertisers don't care that you missed West Wing, they only care that you missed their expensive advertising spot(s).
Because its a senseless limitation. Digital > Analog > Digital from a digital device? Its also needlessly lossy, but I think inconvenience is probably the main one.
Ok, I feel inadequate. How much for those counseling services?
Can you still get Skype as a stand alone?
on
Skype + Kazaa = ?
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· Score: 1
Then who cares. Their adding a lot of users to their userbase who were alreading using Kazaa and if the rest of you are interested in using it you can get the (adware-free) stand alone version.
A better approach would be the Windows UBCD. Before I came across that a Linux live cd was the slickest thing since sliced bread. But for fixing broken Windows PC's, this is the best tool I've seen.
You get networking support and a ton of your favorite, trusted tools for diagnosing and repairing just about anything (and some you've never heard of yet probaby). Of course to top it all off you build it with your own applications (like a password recovery program) and make this a pretty industrial strength recovery cd suited for you.
I know thats flip, but they're not even trying to hide it anymore. And all this has a cost you and your family pays. If I was a corporation you can bet I'd be making damn sure this czar was on my dinner list.
you haven't been working with very many of your friends computers yet. Since I've been taking networking classes I've had the pleasure of working on a number of friends computers (and their friends and families computers). Do you realize how many people a) are afraid to update to sp2 (because of media sensationalism mostly, some because their using pirated copies) b) don't have any idea you *would* need to update (my wife for example).
Its easy to get on some podium and talk about how stupid it is not to UOA (updated often and alway) but the real world doesn't quite work that way. And to top it all off you've get worms that can spread in the time it takes to configure internet conectivity just to download the updates and it starts to dawn on you how much trouble this stuff can be for non "computer people" (honestly, do you know how to slipstream your installation disk or burn copies of updates to manually install?).
There are more unpatched copies out there then you think. And even the ones that do patch often are already infected (if you've ever seriously tried to pull a particularly nasty BHO, you know even a good tech person can have trouble getting a grip on it).
If so you already know what it would be like.:) br
The UI and its...inconsistencies is going to be one of the hardest things for any OSS projects I've seen is going to have to get over (if competing with more singularly visioned software is what you want to do).
Mod me whatever you want, but I'm am sick to death of hearing OSS users whine about closed source drivers.
Nvidia has excellent support for Linux whether you like their policy or not. If you want opensource drivers you can reverse engineer them your goddamned self. But to be honest, if your that much of a OSS zealot you should start by engineering and manufacturing your own OPEN HARDWARE PLATFORM and stop worrying about what Nvidia is doing.
Wine is the name of the opensource project (that started the whole thing).
Then theres a fork of Wine made by Codeweavers called Crossover Office (and originally Crossover Plugin). The Codeweavers product is aimed at (you've already guessed if you don't know) office/productivity software support, like Microsoft Office, Dreamweaver, Windows Media Player and more recendly iTunes. Codeweavers gives their improvements back to the community (I'm not sure Transgaming does).
Of course the product we are talking about here is TransGaming's Cedega, which is yet another fork from the original Wine project (was previously called WineX). They of course support games, directx and proprietary safedisk copy protection schemes.
Both products apparently try to avoid stepping on eachothers toes (so to speak). And both products approach licensing very differently (after forking from Wine proper, Transgaming had a bit of scandel about not giving back, old story).
Personally, I think its pretty funny loading up IE or Word under Linux. Its also pretty nice being able to use Photoshop and Dreamweaver without having to dual boot.
I think the important thing is that most of that isn't pro-level. Not in a snotty elitist sense, but in a business sense. Thats good software you've pointed out and I've used most of it. But its good in the sense that its nice that someones taken the time to make it available.
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Since I buy ZERO music containing DRM limitations I hope they do suceed in ramping up their selection while continuing to support the Linux platform (emusic used to even have a working Linux download manager...but last time I checked it was too out of date to run on modern systems so it right-click/save-as).
And the thing that brings me back is always the apps. The kernel is transparent for the most part but the quirks and advantages of the UI and the applications can make or break the experience.
If all my favorite apps are available for Windows XP and all my friends use Windows XP with my recommended apps, even if they like them, whats the incentive to switch?
We can create the best user experience possible, but once its ported, its all up to the kernel to sell the OS. And users don't care about the kernel, they just want to use their apps.
I know we can't stop GPL software for being ported by willing parties, but as part of the community I wouldn't recommend doing this ourselves.
One argues with that starry eyed kind of scientific idealism (not that I'm faulting him, it takes somethings outlandish belief to make things like this even start to happen) while the other argues that because no one in the past has done it, why should we believe that someone will now.
Both seems like sort of extremes at either end, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle (probably in the lower quadrant).
Life extension would be probably harder to argue against, and with a little luck, what will begin to be achieved within our lifetimes.
Personally, I'd settle for a few more years and better overall health. Dementia, Alzheimer's, clogged arteries, heart problems, weakening bones all seem like unnecessary indignations for our eldest and wisest (and me!).
Have you ever seen the amount of data a packet analyzer puts out? Most ISP's will either outright block ports associated with P2P programs or throttle them (but prefferably: neither).
Besides, click-through licenses aside, that would be something of a privacy issue. Like a lawsuit.
This? Not that I've ever used that before!
Seriously though, I'm scared..but I like your plugin idea.
Are the ones who decided to do that attacks. Lycos just had an idea, it takes computer users to implement it (or not).
I always thought spyware was things like keyloggers that spouses/places of work/strange government entities might put in place to spy on you.
But they seem to be talking about ad-ware mostly, which would be searching for a different type of maleware entirely.
Blockbuster lately, but network programing is increasingly finding its way into the DVD market. Of course it doesn't help that most downloaded TV programs are stripped of commercial. You know their advertisers don't care that you missed West Wing, they only care that you missed their expensive advertising spot(s).
Because its a senseless limitation. Digital > Analog > Digital from a digital device? Its also needlessly lossy, but I think inconvenience is probably the main one.
Then...beer saves lives?
Ok, I feel inadequate. How much for those counseling services?
Then who cares. Their adding a lot of users to their userbase who were alreading using Kazaa and if the rest of you are interested in using it you can get the (adware-free) stand alone version.
Or elderly parent living with you? A typical family includes more then a single parent who doesn't purchase from telesales calls.
A better approach would be the Windows UBCD. Before I came across that a Linux live cd was the slickest thing since sliced bread. But for fixing broken Windows PC's, this is the best tool I've seen.
You get networking support and a ton of your favorite, trusted tools for diagnosing and repairing just about anything (and some you've never heard of yet probaby). Of course to top it all off you build it with your own applications (like a password recovery program) and make this a pretty industrial strength recovery cd suited for you.
I know thats flip, but they're not even trying to hide it anymore. And all this has a cost you and your family pays. If I was a corporation you can bet I'd be making damn sure this czar was on my dinner list.
you haven't been working with very many of your friends computers yet. Since I've been taking networking classes I've had the pleasure of working on a number of friends computers (and their friends and families computers). Do you realize how many people a) are afraid to update to sp2 (because of media sensationalism mostly, some because their using pirated copies) b) don't have any idea you *would* need to update (my wife for example).
Its easy to get on some podium and talk about how stupid it is not to UOA (updated often and alway) but the real world doesn't quite work that way. And to top it all off you've get worms that can spread in the time it takes to configure internet conectivity just to download the updates and it starts to dawn on you how much trouble this stuff can be for non "computer people" (honestly, do you know how to slipstream your installation disk or burn copies of updates to manually install?).
There are more unpatched copies out there then you think. And even the ones that do patch often are already infected (if you've ever seriously tried to pull a particularly nasty BHO, you know even a good tech person can have trouble getting a grip on it).
If so you already know what it would be like. :)
br The UI and its...inconsistencies is going to be one of the hardest things for any OSS projects I've seen is going to have to get over (if competing with more singularly visioned software is what you want to do).
Mod me whatever you want, but I'm am sick to death of hearing OSS users whine about closed source drivers.
Nvidia has excellent support for Linux whether you like their policy or not. If you want opensource drivers you can reverse engineer them your goddamned self. But to be honest, if your that much of a OSS zealot you should start by engineering and manufacturing your own OPEN HARDWARE PLATFORM and stop worrying about what Nvidia is doing.
No one owes you anything. OSS is a choice.
:0
But "the people" don't get you elected.
They may cast the votes, but think of it as a big rich sorority party where regular citizen aren't invited.
Wine is the name of the opensource project (that started the whole thing).
Then theres a fork of Wine made by Codeweavers called Crossover Office (and originally Crossover Plugin). The Codeweavers product is aimed at (you've already guessed if you don't know) office/productivity software support, like Microsoft Office, Dreamweaver, Windows Media Player and more recendly iTunes. Codeweavers gives their improvements back to the community (I'm not sure Transgaming does).
Of course the product we are talking about here is TransGaming's Cedega, which is yet another fork from the original Wine project (was previously called WineX). They of course support games, directx and proprietary safedisk copy protection schemes.
Both products apparently try to avoid stepping on eachothers toes (so to speak). And both products approach licensing very differently (after forking from Wine proper, Transgaming had a bit of scandel about not giving back, old story).
Personally, I think its pretty funny loading up IE or Word under Linux. Its also pretty nice being able to use Photoshop and Dreamweaver without having to dual boot.
He could always just cave in and set it up to paintball them.
That way it would be sort of cruel *and* (just a little bit) funny (as opposed to just cruel..and deadly).
Maybe thats not really a good idea. o_O
Wait, I hear the venture capitalists calling!
I think the important thing is that most of that isn't pro-level. Not in a snotty elitist sense, but in a business sense. Thats good software you've pointed out and I've used most of it. But its good in the sense that its nice that someones taken the time to make it available.
I was just trying to be helpful. You, are and asshole.
Open source isn't the end all and be all. If your determined to avoid perfectly good software based on philosophical beliefs, try a SIP based product.
Or, as a previous post suggested, teach your self to program. One way or another, its going to happen sooner or later.