Or it could be that peoples expectations have changed.
Technology progresses, there is constant advancement. After Windows 95, there was 98, which was better, but 2000 was the real deal, stabled, rock solid as long as you didn't poke it too much. XP was initially a step back, heaps of issues, slower, but new features, over time the issues got resolved and turned it into a solid reliable OS. I've been using XP as non-admin for a long time now, and time between reinstalls is in years for me.
Vista on the other hand, is a step back, heaps of issues, but no significant features! That final part is the real issue, if Vista had shipped with all the features that were initially promised, the performance hit might have been justifiable.
Maybe think outside the box for a second and really look at what you are asking...
You plan to transfer _mission critical files_ over an unreliable link. Maybe you should provide a _mission critical link_? You know, a leased line with a backup? If you can't justify the cost, it probably isn't mission critical.
From my experience the experienced tech employees from developing economies are unwilling to implement, let alone master the 'boring' details of tech process and methodology' let alone their less experienced colleagues.
America doesn't hold a monopoly on incompetence you know.
Oddly one one has raised the most simple of issues at the heart of all software development, the reality that the majority of software development is with the resolution of a wicked problem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_problem, problem where you can only get the input parameters by solving the problem first), this is in stark contrast of other engineering disciplines, with System Engineering being the only one that comes at all close.
When you look at the various engineering disciplines, they problems they are trying to solve may be complex and difficulty, but fundamentally the input parameters and expected output are known. Not to be trite but there are only so many ways to build a bridge.
Or you could put it in terms they will listen too, 'If we don't release our changes we are breaking the license agreement and exposing ourselves to a lawsuit'.
$50k in closed source license or using OSS and releasing our fixes back which others can use (and have the bonus of us not needing to have our own private build).
May I suggest you pick your allegiance of employer more carefully next time, at the companies I have worked at, there wasn't even an issue of releasing back to the community, it was a given. Your best bet is speaking with actions by looking elsewhere if you feel strongly enough.
Hmm so it sounds like they released/leaked what amounts to a demo, maybe company's could start getting back into the habit of releasing _realistic_, _representative_ demos of games. It would be nice, then I wouldn't need to get a pirated copy just too try and see if it sucks (which it usually does).
Having read over the list I can tell you with absolute certainty that the common user will not care for one specific reason:
None of the items listed affects them directly.
Computer security for the common goo does not interest the average user one bit, ultimately the responsibility falls of the developers of the compromised software for not designing the software in a safe and secure way. In my home I run ALL PC's on limited user accounts, this should have been made standard 8 years ago when the push for security came about. The unwillingness to enforce this of most fundamental security provision highlights that:
As well as the average user, developers don't care about security either.
I currently use a fork (http://ykhwong.x-y.net/) that allows you to run zipped up games and all writes go to a temp dir, means forever consistent images but is a slight nuisance to setup.
Yet if you look at London, you still have a "universally slow and underfunded, usually with heavy subsidization by the local government." public transport system... Ohh and it ain't cheap.
Yes you need base numbers, but thats just a minimum requirement, from there its up to the implementation.
You can set IE to high security mode by default and disable Flash, etc. Doing so breaks much of the web but is more secure.
And for some reason breaks local networking as well, nice one MS.
That as side, the fact that Vista still shipped with admin as user configuration baffles me. I'm a software developer and have been running XP with LUA (limited user accounts) for years now and am baffled by the complete lack of commitment by Microsoft. The decision to drop LUA as default is baffling, as well as the requirement of Visual Studios to require admin rights (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa972193.aspx).
The tools provided to resolve issues with existing software are mediocre at best and considering MS commitment to backwards compatibility, significantly under promoted. The concept of securing Windows without addressing everything running as admin issue (which has now changed to, 'check box to run as admin') is just a little insane.
All I can say it, provide tool to developers and user that highlight programs that violate the most basic security principle and provide answers for potential work a rounds, outing the offenders is the only way to get this resloved.
Would your father ask you to get him a car that lasts 15 years?
I hate to say it, but lasting the designed life span of computer parts (2 years) seems to be a challenge as of late, and buying quality doesn't seem to gain much.
The failure rates now days have been getting a bit long in the tooth.
As a full time developer I can tell you that I need as much RAM as I can get, my main development box is running the following with ram usages, which is a usual workday:
1Gb 2xIDE (one for client side project one for server side) 1Gb Oracle 1Gb Tracing tools. 0.5Gb SQL development IDE's 1Gb 3xApp servers 1Gb Other (email, web, word docs, modeling tools etc) 0.5Gb OS
Total 6Gb/8Gb
Now if I can add a 8Gb ram disk to that, it would significantly improve productivity (complete rebuild takes 5min).
Just because your needs are trivial never assume that others aren't.
Slashdot Mirror
Not running as Admin will stop most malware/viruses dead in there tracks.
Combined with using on-demand scanners for the odd suspicious file and you'll be fine.
The detection rate on popular AV software is shockingly bad from what I have seen when using Virustotal.
Or it could be that peoples expectations have changed.
Technology progresses, there is constant advancement. After Windows 95, there was 98, which was better, but 2000 was the real deal, stabled, rock solid as long as you didn't poke it too much. XP was initially a step back, heaps of issues, slower, but new features, over time the issues got resolved and turned it into a solid reliable OS. I've been using XP as non-admin for a long time now, and time between reinstalls is in years for me.
Vista on the other hand, is a step back, heaps of issues, but no significant features! That final part is the real issue, if Vista had shipped with all the features that were initially promised, the performance hit might have been justifiable.
Maybe think outside the box for a second and really look at what you are asking...
You plan to transfer _mission critical files_ over an unreliable link. Maybe you should provide a _mission critical link_? You know, a leased line with a backup? If you can't justify the cost, it probably isn't mission critical.
The right tools for the job people... Jez!
From my experience the experienced tech employees from developing economies are unwilling to implement, let alone master the 'boring' details of tech process and methodology' let alone their less experienced colleagues.
America doesn't hold a monopoly on incompetence you know.
All I have to say is 'Citation Needed' Mr Nayar.
Oddly one one has raised the most simple of issues at the heart of all software development, the reality that the majority of software development is with the resolution of a wicked problem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_problem, problem where you can only get the input parameters by solving the problem first), this is in stark contrast of other engineering disciplines, with System Engineering being the only one that comes at all close.
When you look at the various engineering disciplines, they problems they are trying to solve may be complex and difficulty, but fundamentally the input parameters and expected output are known. Not to be trite but there are only so many ways to build a bridge.
I'd agree, GetDataBack (NTFS) has recovered some seriously f*cked HDD's my clients have brought in. It might be slow but it gets the job done.
Or you could put it in terms they will listen too, 'If we don't release our changes we are breaking the license agreement and exposing ourselves to a lawsuit'.
$50k in closed source license or using OSS and releasing our fixes back which others can use (and have the bonus of us not needing to have our own private build).
May I suggest you pick your allegiance of employer more carefully next time, at the companies I have worked at, there wasn't even an issue of releasing back to the community, it was a given. Your best bet is speaking with actions by looking elsewhere if you feel strongly enough.
Ignorance is bliss.
Do you really think they will bother with someone who obviously has just nearly grasped the ability to turn the 'hard drive' on?
Honestly, what fantasy world do you live in?
Hmm so it sounds like they released/leaked what amounts to a demo, maybe company's could start getting back into the habit of releasing _realistic_, _representative_ demos of games. It would be nice, then I wouldn't need to get a pirated copy just too try and see if it sucks (which it usually does).
Having read over the list I can tell you with absolute certainty that the common user will not care for one specific reason:
None of the items listed affects them directly.
Computer security for the common goo does not interest the average user one bit, ultimately the responsibility falls of the developers of the compromised software for not designing the software in a safe and secure way. In my home I run ALL PC's on limited user accounts, this should have been made standard 8 years ago when the push for security came about. The unwillingness to enforce this of most fundamental security provision highlights that:
As well as the average user, developers don't care about security either.
I concur, nothing like showing a fresh grad the realities of IT by making him document a network without assistance.
On another note, if you ever expect some form of job mobility or flexibility, theres nothing like saying 'heres the documentation, cya'.
I think you hit the nail on the head why Java adoption on the desktop sucks. Its as if the concept of a stand alone executable is an alien idea.
If anybody is to blame for the failure of Java on the desktop, its not any external party but Sun itself.
Porn?! Who would have thought, surely not on the internet!
Going by the mortality rate (I think its like 4%) being an astronaut is more dangerous than being a solider on active deployment at the moment.
No guts, no glory I say :).
Yup, DOSBox is the best :).
BTW what is this .app packaging?
I currently use a fork (http://ykhwong.x-y.net/) that allows you to run zipped up games and all writes go to a temp dir, means forever consistent images but is a slight nuisance to setup.
So your THAT GUY who is always talking on the phone on the bus, next time that phone is out the window buddy!
Oddly London is like that, but I blame the Taxi mafia :P (no one drives in London).
Yet if you look at London, you still have a "universally slow and underfunded, usually with heavy subsidization by the local government." public transport system... Ohh and it ain't cheap.
Yes you need base numbers, but thats just a minimum requirement, from there its up to the implementation.
In all seriousness, if you want a modern Duke Nukem experience, try Duke Nukem 3D: High Resolution Pack (http://hrp.duke4.net/).
Hey at least it shipped :P
Processes vs Threads...
I'm pretty certain that the usual 40-60 pages I have open are going to blow the memory if each runs in its own process.
Wow, I think thats the fastest slashdot'ing I have ever seen...
You can set IE to high security mode by default and disable Flash, etc. Doing so breaks much of the web but is more secure.
And for some reason breaks local networking as well, nice one MS.
That as side, the fact that Vista still shipped with admin as user configuration baffles me. I'm a software developer and have been running XP with LUA (limited user accounts) for years now and am baffled by the complete lack of commitment by Microsoft. The decision to drop LUA as default is baffling, as well as the requirement of Visual Studios to require admin rights (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa972193.aspx).
The tools provided to resolve issues with existing software are mediocre at best and considering MS commitment to backwards compatibility, significantly under promoted. The concept of securing Windows without addressing everything running as admin issue (which has now changed to, 'check box to run as admin') is just a little insane.
All I can say it, provide tool to developers and user that highlight programs that violate the most basic security principle and provide answers for potential work a rounds, outing the offenders is the only way to get this resloved.
Would your father ask you to get him a car that lasts 15 years?
I hate to say it, but lasting the designed life span of computer parts (2 years) seems to be a challenge as of late, and buying quality doesn't seem to gain much.
The failure rates now days have been getting a bit long in the tooth.
As a full time developer I can tell you that I need as much RAM as I can get, my main development box is running the following with ram usages, which is a usual workday:
1Gb 2xIDE (one for client side project one for server side)
1Gb Oracle
1Gb Tracing tools.
0.5Gb SQL development IDE's
1Gb 3xApp servers
1Gb Other (email, web, word docs, modeling tools etc)
0.5Gb OS
Total 6Gb/8Gb
Now if I can add a 8Gb ram disk to that, it would significantly improve productivity (complete rebuild takes 5min).
Just because your needs are trivial never assume that others aren't.
More interested in Firefox 3.1 JavaScript speed!