Perhaps it's not a serious bug at first examination...but someday an exploit is discovered, and it becomes a VERY serious issue. With open software, there is no burying. If it's there, it at least CAN be found, even if it isn't immediately. Closed software depends on the goodwill of the software manufacturer, where there often is none.
The problem is that there is very often little vested interest in fixing bugs in closed software...if it can be covered up, then so be it. In open software, there's always a reason, even if it is just to keep people from pointing at your code and laughing.
Universal Service? Ha! That's the biggest misnomer in the world. It doesn't go to Universal Service for anything but billion-dollar Chicago/New York/Los Angeles school districts to buy roomfulls of Cisco routers they will never use. The whole program shoudl be taken out and euthanized...and the tax abolished forever. It's do-gooders like this that have ruined this country by producing a nanny state that really doesn't do anything but line people's pockets.
This just goes to show how far these corporations and individuals are willing to go to maintain their monopolistic control of what they have. It is worse than the railroads of the 1800's and the Standard Oils of the 1900's...I do not in the least doubt they will do anything, including murder, to maintain their way of life.
FORM A UNION
It worked for GM workers who faced similar situations back in 1937. Stick together and they can't stop you...but then again, in this world where everybody is out for themselves, you've probably screwed.
"3000-1000 mgt warheads"
So you are saying 3 to 1 gigaton warheads? Detonate those anywhere near the atmosphere, and you won't have any orbital platforms to worry about...nor will you have much of an earth to worry about. Although that would certainly fit with MAD...
Now maybe Bush can get around to doing some of the things that he thought might not get him re-elected during the first term...lets see. Iran, North Korea, ummm...who else? Also...anybody else see what oil prices are doing?
Exactly. Microsoft and closed-source people carry on about "support" and things of that nature...when most of that support is non-existant (lets hear it for Windows 98!) or costly (any sort of closed support is not cheap.) With a community-based model, at least you have a large group of people that are not motivated by profit and competition...and more than willing to help. Many times, with open-source applications, you get to talk to the programmer of the application him/herself. When's the last time you got to talk directly to the programmer of a particular part of Windows? Short answer...you CAN'T. Closed-source companies create a veil of authenticity around themselves by creating "support"...when that support is often times worse than nothing.
E-Rate is a scam and a government boondoggle from the collective liberal euphoria of the first Clinton administration. Millions are lost to corruption, and the paperwork is mind-boggling. It is corporate welfare at its worst. It should be instantly destroyed and replaced with a single-form block grant.
Well "blame" is perhaps a difficult word to use in this instance, but I would say that the very people that are probably swarming to fix the problem now had a vested interest in something like this happening. The billable hours must be racking up at an astronomical rate.
On the Linux question...what is Microsoft's opinion of Legacy DOS apps once Longhorn comes around? It might not look so bad to switch things over to Linux then...
Well, in my experience, the local DMV (Illinois) uses all DOS-based apps running in windows on XP Professional...My point is that the consultants are probably to blame for this whole mess, and now will charge even more to fix what should have been prevented. Linux didn't enter into my equation. Although now that you mention it, it's a good idea.
I've dealt with tons of software in my career, which is education. This is SOP for most closed-source companies. If there is a security hole of some sort, be prepared to be unwarned about it until someone drives a hacking semi through it, and then be prepared to shell out big $$$ for the next "upgrade" that fixes it.
As opposed to the general "closed source" software method of finding bugs/security holes by accident, sweeping them under the rug, and hoping nobody finds them?
Any education-related grant application makes a huge effort to require schools and libraries to be "CIPA" (Children's Internet Protection Act) Compliant. There are certifications, forms, checkboxes, all manner of things to make sure you are using some sort of filtering. The problem is that the filtering requirements are a joke. Most S&L's put on some commercial package that filters by a small list of sites. I can, within 30 seconds, demonstrate how easy it is to get around things like this. Filtering does not work. But since filtering has been deemed "Good", the government shoves it down everybody's throat.
I work in education, and never has a truer article come along in my memory. Schools are not here for teaching students; they have become self-perpetuating job-producers for people unable or unwilling to pursue "hard" jobs. Incompetent teachers are protected by unions and simultaneously given raises just for existing. Billions of dollars are poured down the drains of "technology" and "special education" with little or no accounting and rationale for them. In short, though, you will never change the system now. It is too entrenched. Much like the governmental system in general, it now feeds off itself. Try to run for President saying that you will dismantle the Education system...it's similar to saying you're going to get rid of Social Security. It is so entrenched in society's collective mind that it will never change without a revolution.
Exactly...this kind of thinking keeps those currently in economic power where they are...open source is about empowering a completely different set of people. If Open Source becomes the dominant form of software, certainly the total money pile for software will still be there...it will just be distributed much, much differently than now (i.e. Microsoft has 99.9 percent of it.)
What a sad day when even taking over someone's machine can be done point-and-click style. Seemed so much more personal when you just had a remote shell.
Do I have to Google EVERYTHING for you?
Here's a Link for you. There it is, Firewire 800 in a PC, available pre-installed. And look at that, it's $1600. Available with a 30" LCD monitor if you want. It's one of a dozen manufacturers that do it. My point is that you CAN get a PC with or without Firewire 800...go to your local corner computer shop and they'll build you one with a 30" LCD and Firewire 800, too. Blind zealotry that the other poster spoke of is not an excuse, it's a fact. You helpfully ignore that a PC can be gotten with any amount or lack of equipment you want...and Apples are Apples, no more, no less. I don't dis any Apple product or user...but when you make statements like Firewire 800 not being available on a PC, you shoot yourself in the fruit.
That was, in a blurry way, my point. There are literally thousands of PC manufacturers/assemblers out there. If you want it pre-installed, you can get it. Apple is the ONLY game in town for Apples, and if you want it pre-installed and Apple doesn't offer it, well then you're out of luck. Conversely, if you DON'T want it, you're out of luck there too.
Slashdot Mirror
Insert Comment about star systems slipping through your fingers...
Perhaps it's not a serious bug at first examination...but someday an exploit is discovered, and it becomes a VERY serious issue. With open software, there is no burying. If it's there, it at least CAN be found, even if it isn't immediately. Closed software depends on the goodwill of the software manufacturer, where there often is none.
The problem is that there is very often little vested interest in fixing bugs in closed software...if it can be covered up, then so be it. In open software, there's always a reason, even if it is just to keep people from pointing at your code and laughing.
Universal Service? Ha! That's the biggest misnomer in the world. It doesn't go to Universal Service for anything but billion-dollar Chicago/New York/Los Angeles school districts to buy roomfulls of Cisco routers they will never use. The whole program shoudl be taken out and euthanized...and the tax abolished forever. It's do-gooders like this that have ruined this country by producing a nanny state that really doesn't do anything but line people's pockets.
A camel is a horse designed by a committee
This just goes to show how far these corporations and individuals are willing to go to maintain their monopolistic control of what they have. It is worse than the railroads of the 1800's and the Standard Oils of the 1900's...I do not in the least doubt they will do anything, including murder, to maintain their way of life.
Won't someone please think of the children?
ANOTHER place to outsource US jobs!
FORM A UNION It worked for GM workers who faced similar situations back in 1937. Stick together and they can't stop you...but then again, in this world where everybody is out for themselves, you've probably screwed.
"3000-1000 mgt warheads" So you are saying 3 to 1 gigaton warheads? Detonate those anywhere near the atmosphere, and you won't have any orbital platforms to worry about...nor will you have much of an earth to worry about. Although that would certainly fit with MAD...
Now maybe Bush can get around to doing some of the things that he thought might not get him re-elected during the first term...lets see. Iran, North Korea, ummm...who else? Also...anybody else see what oil prices are doing?
Exactly. Microsoft and closed-source people carry on about "support" and things of that nature...when most of that support is non-existant (lets hear it for Windows 98!) or costly (any sort of closed support is not cheap.) With a community-based model, at least you have a large group of people that are not motivated by profit and competition...and more than willing to help. Many times, with open-source applications, you get to talk to the programmer of the application him/herself. When's the last time you got to talk directly to the programmer of a particular part of Windows? Short answer...you CAN'T. Closed-source companies create a veil of authenticity around themselves by creating "support"...when that support is often times worse than nothing.
E-Rate is a scam and a government boondoggle from the collective liberal euphoria of the first Clinton administration. Millions are lost to corruption, and the paperwork is mind-boggling. It is corporate welfare at its worst. It should be instantly destroyed and replaced with a single-form block grant.
Well "blame" is perhaps a difficult word to use in this instance, but I would say that the very people that are probably swarming to fix the problem now had a vested interest in something like this happening. The billable hours must be racking up at an astronomical rate. On the Linux question...what is Microsoft's opinion of Legacy DOS apps once Longhorn comes around? It might not look so bad to switch things over to Linux then...
Well, in my experience, the local DMV (Illinois) uses all DOS-based apps running in windows on XP Professional...My point is that the consultants are probably to blame for this whole mess, and now will charge even more to fix what should have been prevented. Linux didn't enter into my equation. Although now that you mention it, it's a good idea.
I'm sure the "fresh software" will be provided free of charge to the state...
I've dealt with tons of software in my career, which is education. This is SOP for most closed-source companies. If there is a security hole of some sort, be prepared to be unwarned about it until someone drives a hacking semi through it, and then be prepared to shell out big $$$ for the next "upgrade" that fixes it.
As opposed to the general "closed source" software method of finding bugs/security holes by accident, sweeping them under the rug, and hoping nobody finds them?
Any education-related grant application makes a huge effort to require schools and libraries to be "CIPA" (Children's Internet Protection Act) Compliant. There are certifications, forms, checkboxes, all manner of things to make sure you are using some sort of filtering. The problem is that the filtering requirements are a joke. Most S&L's put on some commercial package that filters by a small list of sites. I can, within 30 seconds, demonstrate how easy it is to get around things like this. Filtering does not work. But since filtering has been deemed "Good", the government shoves it down everybody's throat.
I work in education, and never has a truer article come along in my memory. Schools are not here for teaching students; they have become self-perpetuating job-producers for people unable or unwilling to pursue "hard" jobs. Incompetent teachers are protected by unions and simultaneously given raises just for existing. Billions of dollars are poured down the drains of "technology" and "special education" with little or no accounting and rationale for them. In short, though, you will never change the system now. It is too entrenched. Much like the governmental system in general, it now feeds off itself. Try to run for President saying that you will dismantle the Education system...it's similar to saying you're going to get rid of Social Security. It is so entrenched in society's collective mind that it will never change without a revolution.
Exactly...this kind of thinking keeps those currently in economic power where they are...open source is about empowering a completely different set of people. If Open Source becomes the dominant form of software, certainly the total money pile for software will still be there...it will just be distributed much, much differently than now (i.e. Microsoft has 99.9 percent of it.)
What a sad day when even taking over someone's machine can be done point-and-click style. Seemed so much more personal when you just had a remote shell.
Do I have to Google EVERYTHING for you? Here's a Link for you. There it is, Firewire 800 in a PC, available pre-installed. And look at that, it's $1600. Available with a 30" LCD monitor if you want. It's one of a dozen manufacturers that do it. My point is that you CAN get a PC with or without Firewire 800...go to your local corner computer shop and they'll build you one with a 30" LCD and Firewire 800, too. Blind zealotry that the other poster spoke of is not an excuse, it's a fact. You helpfully ignore that a PC can be gotten with any amount or lack of equipment you want...and Apples are Apples, no more, no less. I don't dis any Apple product or user...but when you make statements like Firewire 800 not being available on a PC, you shoot yourself in the fruit.
That was, in a blurry way, my point. There are literally thousands of PC manufacturers/assemblers out there. If you want it pre-installed, you can get it. Apple is the ONLY game in town for Apples, and if you want it pre-installed and Apple doesn't offer it, well then you're out of luck. Conversely, if you DON'T want it, you're out of luck there too.
OOOOOoooooh! Shiny Firewire 800! Not like you could BUY a PC Firewire 800 card for a PC or anything...