This is the problem with the dual personalities of Microsoft. You know that if you use their open source and make a good profit you could end up being sued for not having licenced the patents covering the technology.
Avoid at all costs. At least until their get their split personality syndrome under control.
This research paper gives the botnet people some more ideas on where their weaknesses are.
It's like a security researcher turning up at the underground base of an evil tyrant and finding a way in then writing a publicly available paper on where his defenses are weak.
It's a highly niche market device and not many non-geek users will want one without a camera.
Also, it's big and not exactly attractive. I owned a dev unit for a while before losing interest in trying to program it. It wasn't a very refined device, casing was a bit flimsy. On the whole quite quirky.
Of course it will appeal to some, but it would need to look and perform as well as an iPhone 3G to capture mass market support.
It's a shame the KOffice people can't get together with Open Office and blow Microsoft Office out of the water.
Do we really need two or more office alternatives? I know it can often be frustrating working for these projects and forks have occurred numerous times (XFree86/Xorg) when project leaders have been unwilling to change the software.
Lets not forget the wonderful Itanium processor which was supposed to replace X86 and be the next gen 64-bit king.
How could Intel have got it so wrong? as Linus said "they threw out all of the good bits of X86".
It's good to see however that Intel have now managed to product decent processors now the GHz wars are over. In fact it's been as much about who can produce the lowest power CPU. AMD seem to just have the edge.
While I can understand that they're looking for water and getting as much information for a future human mission to Mars, there's other places which could be more interesting such as Europa.
The mission to Europa was canned which is a shame.
1. Patents and IP laws were intended to help the small inventor or startup company protect their ideas. Problem is these laws are often used by patent holders who have no product.
2. Media companies use the laws to stop fair use. eg. Singing along to your favourite song and publishing that to YouTube gets you sued?
You do wonder if they need some proper test strategy to test regression etc..
Also, I wonder if the Linux kernel can carry on expanding or if it's time for the form of the kernel to change.
I know people like the monolithic kernel, but lack of change does not promote new techniques. Doesn't have to be a microkernel or have to fit in any existing box.
But the FOSS model only works when people are glad to put their time and effort it and have their work accessible to all, not have it hijacked and made proprietary.
Ballmer has no vision other than a Microsoft world. Competitors products are seen by him as evil and he won't let his kids even use them (iPod for example).
Not buying Microsoft isn't a crime, it's called choice. I know Microsoft would rather there wasn't choice but we're not living in the early 1990s anymore.
Time to go Steve, you're too emotional and too blinkered.
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This is the problem with the dual personalities of Microsoft. You know that if you use their open source and make a good profit you could end up being sued for not having licenced the patents covering the technology.
Avoid at all costs. At least until their get their split personality syndrome under control.
This research paper gives the botnet people some more ideas on where their weaknesses are.
It's like a security researcher turning up at the underground base of an evil tyrant and finding a way in then writing a publicly available paper on where his defenses are weak.
There's two ways of looking at Microsoft alternatives. Firstly if they're cheap some people will think it's because they're not worth paying for.
Alternately some users won't try out the software if it expensive.
The average user does not need Microsoft Office for features, it's all about compatibility.
And how will this deal with the rapidly depleting fossil fuel supplies?
This sends out the wrong message, that we can continue on unchanged.
Big company releases defective product to get a foot in the door. Hardly anything new?
Typical of Microsoft, thinking of themselves rather than the people who have to use their product.
You were told to do something by a manager and didn't do it. I think you will get a warning and next time you will get fired.
Whatever your beliefs, you have to do things at work when you are told to or find another job.
Software patents may stifle innovation and competition, but if you work for the company that has all the patents then surely your job is safer?
Nope.
It's a highly niche market device and not many non-geek users will want one without a camera.
Also, it's big and not exactly attractive. I owned a dev unit for a while before losing interest in trying to program it. It wasn't a very refined device, casing was a bit flimsy. On the whole quite quirky.
Of course it will appeal to some, but it would need to look and perform as well as an iPhone 3G to capture mass market support.
It's a shame the KOffice people can't get together with Open Office and blow Microsoft Office out of the water.
Do we really need two or more office alternatives? I know it can often be frustrating working for these projects and forks have occurred numerous times (XFree86/Xorg) when project leaders have been unwilling to change the software.
I think you'll find ribbon (it's actually called Fluent User Interface) is liked and disliked in fairly equal amounts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluent_(user_interface)#Criticism
Microsoft knows that less confident computers users will find it confusing and the staff retraining courses can be quite lucrative.
Just like I'm sure there's people running old DOS apps I'm sure someone still uses ICQ. Of course they'll most likely be using an official client.
I stopped using ICQ about 2003, the spammers started to use it more.
Still, it was notable for having offline messages long before MSN and AIM did.
People who go out of their way to stand out from the crowd and try to look different are obviously going to get lambasted when they do things wrong.
The takeup rate on spam is extremely low, much lower than paper based junk mail.
However the damage to your image is vast, I would never buy from a company that spammed me and I'm sure there's many others who won't either.
Lets not forget the wonderful Itanium processor which was supposed to replace X86 and be the next gen 64-bit king.
How could Intel have got it so wrong? as Linus said "they threw out all of the good bits of X86".
It's good to see however that Intel have now managed to product decent processors now the GHz wars are over. In fact it's been as much about who can produce the lowest power CPU. AMD seem to just have the edge.
While Java is good for many things, low cost embedded devices don't typically run Java. It's not the best language for real time systems.
The media giants seem to think that downloads are more important than terrorism, drugs and firearms.
If only those crimes were treated with the same amount of severity by the politicians.
While I can understand that they're looking for water and getting as much information for a future human mission to Mars, there's other places which could be more interesting such as Europa.
The mission to Europa was canned which is a shame.
Then you can work out the cure?
Problems I can see:
1. Patents and IP laws were intended to help the small inventor or startup company protect their ideas. Problem is these laws are often used by patent holders who have no product.
2. Media companies use the laws to stop fair use. eg. Singing along to your favourite song and publishing that to YouTube gets you sued?
Saying Vista sells with new PCs is like saying people want junk mail because they choose to have a letter box.
I'm sure this kid was arrested due to someone in the Police being a member.
Initially Vista was prone to security by obscurity. It is now however well researched by the makers of malware and it's business as usual.
Lightpens never caught on, a shame really as I like the idea.
Problem is back then the screen technology was poor, low res and curved.
You do wonder if they need some proper test strategy to test regression etc..
Also, I wonder if the Linux kernel can carry on expanding or if it's time for the form of the kernel to change.
I know people like the monolithic kernel, but lack of change does not promote new techniques. Doesn't have to be a microkernel or have to fit in any existing box.
But the FOSS model only works when people are glad to put their time and effort it and have their work accessible to all, not have it hijacked and made proprietary.
Vista is DRM and restriction overload and doesn't sell. Zune barely sells now, it's not even available in the UK.
Good luck Microsoft. Customers buy features not ball and chains.
Ballmer has no vision other than a Microsoft world. Competitors products are seen by him as evil and he won't let his kids even use them (iPod for example).
Not buying Microsoft isn't a crime, it's called choice. I know Microsoft would rather there wasn't choice but we're not living in the early 1990s anymore.
Time to go Steve, you're too emotional and too blinkered.