Well, I must assume then that Commissioner Mario Monti couldn't be French then, or the EU would have surrendered by now.
Microsoft could really shaft the EU by charging exorbitant fees for software they hold near monopolies on just to punish them. Microsoft could say, transport yourself to Linux, it is free after all.
The big concern I see, is not so much local laws dealing with internet transactions, but when the transactions apply internationally.
There are also questions of jurisdiction. If you buy something from a company in Mexico, which is a subsidiary of a US company, but they outsource their credit collection to a group in Canada, and you are a resident of the U.K., which country's courts does the company use to seek redress against you if you fail to live up to your contract?
Isn't there a downside to this as well. Engineers can develop cool toys, but sometimes have a tone deaf ear for exactly what non-geek consumers want.
Cell phones being so ubiquitous these days, you do need to reach out into the market for somebody who is never going to bother knowing, or caring, what is under the hood.
The fact that the telcos business model may be outdated it not my concern.
Propose a business model that pays for repairing pipe that will supercede the current model, and we have no argument. We are going to pay for it one way or another, period. Higher telephone, cable bills will be the likely result, but there is no free lunch. Beer is free, but not the beer nuts.
Ok. Everybody gets wired up. Everybody learns that it is cheaper to make calls over the internet. What exactly do the phone companies do then? You can't exactly ask them to follow the Linux model.
The obvious solution is going to be a transmission tax on VoIP calls. Cheaper than the old way, but it will begin to cost you money. Hate them you might, but the phone companies have real expenses in physical property, technical services, and customer service. They need to get paid. It will be less than they are used to, but they won't be giving it away for free much longer.
Like many Linux advocates, he speaks about the software in emotional terms. "Connectivity and literacy" equals "equality and liberty," he said.
Microsoft regards such talk as too dramatic and distracting. It is software, after all, not war, company officials said. It is far more productive in their view to talk about the technical aspects of Windows vs. Linux.
I wonder if Steve Ballmer ever got that memo. Microsoft is a fun loving peaceful company. They only assimilate on accident, because they are trying to build a world of equality, fluffy clouds, and little bunnies.
editors note...
Fluffy clouds-tm and little bunnies-tm is copywrited by Microsoft-TM. Do not use, or we will hunt you down and kill you.
Ahab McNealy was entertaining for a while, but enough is enough. He needs to regroup, realize that as odeous as Microsoft is, he needs to focus his energy elsewhere for the time being.
The Great White Whale will still be there, fat and bloated, and will have it's justice eventually.
Tilting at windmills can be fun, but after a while it begins to effect the rest of your business.
How many days of play did most of us get out of that game. Well, those of us that are old enough anyways.
I have bought $50 games on 6 CD's that have bored me to tears after a few hours. I often find myself playing real.com games like diamond mine and alchemy as opposed to the latest greatest bloatware on the shelves.
Perhaps if a company would attempt to actually make the game enjoyable as opposed to just pretty, the industry would be doing better.
Is this article suggesting that the tech industry is not important to politicians anymore because they have less money in petty cash to grease the congress critters with in this election cycle?
I suppose you are also going to tell me that congress allows 181 Fortune 500 companies loopholes so they don't pay any federal taxes just because these corporations fill up their war chests.
That is if you don't bother to read through your license agreement first though before the install. Did you know that Bill Gates owns your left kidney now?
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Microsoft could really shaft the EU by charging exorbitant fees for software they hold near monopolies on just to punish them. Microsoft could say, transport yourself to Linux, it is free after all.
There are also questions of jurisdiction. If you buy something from a company in Mexico, which is a subsidiary of a US company, but they outsource their credit collection to a group in Canada, and you are a resident of the U.K., which country's courts does the company use to seek redress against you if you fail to live up to your contract?
Cell phones being so ubiquitous these days, you do need to reach out into the market for somebody who is never going to bother knowing, or caring, what is under the hood.
Propose a business model that pays for repairing pipe that will supercede the current model, and we have no argument. We are going to pay for it one way or another, period. Higher telephone, cable bills will be the likely result, but there is no free lunch. Beer is free, but not the beer nuts.
The obvious solution is going to be a transmission tax on VoIP calls. Cheaper than the old way, but it will begin to cost you money. Hate them you might, but the phone companies have real expenses in physical property, technical services, and customer service. They need to get paid. It will be less than they are used to, but they won't be giving it away for free much longer.
Batteries not included.
How bummed would everyone be if Holograms were switched on at the same time, as they had the ability to reject you.
Holographic Barbara Bush saying you weren't her type could create some pretty wicked psychic scars.
There goes Will Wheaton, showing off again. That bastard. I thought Picard got rid of that young twerp once and for all.
Like many Linux advocates, he speaks about the software in emotional terms. "Connectivity and literacy" equals "equality and liberty," he said.
Microsoft regards such talk as too dramatic and distracting. It is software, after all, not war, company officials said. It is far more productive in their view to talk about the technical aspects of Windows vs. Linux.
I wonder if Steve Ballmer ever got that memo. Microsoft is a fun loving peaceful company. They only assimilate on accident, because they are trying to build a world of equality, fluffy clouds, and little bunnies.
editors note... Fluffy clouds-tm and little bunnies-tm is copywrited by Microsoft-TM. Do not use, or we will hunt you down and kill you.
How about a Baysian Filter, to filter out Bay and Pat Buchanan.
Let this be a lesson to everybody. If you uncap your pipe to get speedier access to a naked woman, you end up paying for it in the long run.
Hey, my old computer still has Windows 98SE, and it is still leaking RAM going on 4 years now.
The Great White Whale will still be there, fat and bloated, and will have it's justice eventually.
Tilting at windmills can be fun, but after a while it begins to effect the rest of your business.
I have bought $50 games on 6 CD's that have bored me to tears after a few hours. I often find myself playing real.com games like diamond mine and alchemy as opposed to the latest greatest bloatware on the shelves.
Perhaps if a company would attempt to actually make the game enjoyable as opposed to just pretty, the industry would be doing better.
Is that some strange Linux indoctrination film?
Don't give them ideas! They may "innovate" there too.
I suppose you are also going to tell me that congress allows 181 Fortune 500 companies loopholes so they don't pay any federal taxes just because these corporations fill up their war chests.
Nothing is new under the sun.
Stop the world. I want to get off!
That is if you don't bother to read through your license agreement first though before the install. Did you know that Bill Gates owns your left kidney now?
If you have to ask how much it costs, ya can't afford it. ;)
No Blue Screen of Death? No individual user licenses? No aborted installs? No minesweeper? Who actually would use this newfangled thing?