[OS] developers of the project can simply reject the ideas because they don't need them (open source is like scratching an itch). A commercial company on the other hand would take missing features seriously
Strange, my experience has been the opposite. Several of my suggestions have been implemented in free software. So far I have yet to receive any communication from the several proprietary developers I've sent feature requests to -- not counting the canned responses.
Several of my ideas have also been rejected by developers of free software. Mostly because "that's not what I want this program to do" (as one developer put it). I have to say I respect that. In some cases it might also result in better applications than blindly implementing everything clients ask...
Not saying anything is wrong with UNIX or Linux, but lets face it.. Windows and Mac OS X rule the desktop.
Sorry, but Windows and Mac are not ready for the desktop until they have decent music players. They'll never be viable alternatives for Joe Sixpack before that happens.
Amen, brother. I'd mod you up, but I don't have the points. I'll chime in instead...
I got tired of CDs lying around the apartment and bit the bullet -- ripped everything and searched for good jukebox software. amaroK was the best of all that I tried, by far. Some features that are important for me: Group By -listings help manage the ~5500 songs, quick searches are really nice when I want to find a specific artist or song, dynamic mode is great when I don't want to micromanage the playlist, the (relatively) clean interface means other people instinctively know how to use it.
I know some people have had stability problems, but not me... The machine has been up 212 days now, and I have restarted amaroK at most once a month.
Oh, sure it's distributable... if you're not interested in what the license says. Then again, what do I know: maybe Suse really does refrain from distributing all other software that might replace any function of the Java VM.
My thoughts exactly. Then again, the author uses Openoffice as an example of a simple application -- his definition of simple being similar to Microsoft Office. The logic is... undeniable.
...as long as the site responds, of course. No offence, but I wouldn't bet my money on http://www.ifaves.com/ being there for, let's say, five years...
You're running that open source software on your own servers with 0.00$ per year? Your sys admins must be really cheap... Otherwise your list is pretty convincing.
Yes it does, I've got three "Wallace & Gromit" movies and "Reservoir Dogs" on my device right now.
The bad news is that the device is not powerful enough to play anything close to the native resolution of the screen... You'll have to downsample to something like 256*144 (as 16:9) or 320*192 (as native 15:9) if you want to look at 25 frames per second. The good news is that movies looks surprisingly good even at those resolutions and the screen is really good.
Sure. I was just commenting on the "rise in value" the original parent speculated. My point was that MP3 players aren't more valuable than cash and watches, when traded for crack (or whatever the poison is theses days).
I haven't seen second hand music players sold around here, but even if they were, I'd say the price the robber would get would be about 30$.
The computer is the only valuable thing -- he might get a few hundred for it.
Even those figures might be too high, think for yourself: Does he have the accessories (recharging devices, etc)? Does he know how to show what the things do? Does he even know what kind of a computer/player it is (memory, processor, etc)?
OOo on the 100$ laptop? Maybe not. Abiword? Definitely.
I've got the Nokia 770 here. I'd say it's fast enough (or at least close) for the stuff the 100$ computer was meant to do, and has quite a lot of features that won't be needed there (like very small size and a 225 ppi screen). It does cost ~350 but there are additional differences which probably even the scales:
they've mentioned that they're going to use a considerably cheaper lcd (don't know the details)
they are going to produce millions of devices at one go (compared to probably thousands of 770s))
they are 2-3 years later in the game -- components will be cheaper.
So the question is what kind of jobs will be available to them as young adults? I'd assumed that they would be unskilled labor, or maybe skilled factory jobs at best. Learning IT skills probably wouldn't help there. But maybe there will actually be white collar jobs being outsourced to the degree that IT skills will actually be needed among the poor.
I'm not entirely convinced that the 100$ laptop is a good idea, but... No-one is arguing that all of the people in underdeveloped countries will be doing IT work in 30 years -- but don't kid yourself: A lot of them will. They will do to India what India is currently doing to the western world.
These people might be poor, but not because they're lazy or stupid. Many are poor only because they haven't been given a proper chance. Multinational companies (or people with money anyhow) will give them that chance if it looks profitable to them. Fractionally better IT skills might be what makes it profitable...
Well, you do seem to be an expert in burnt-out, blip-on-the-radar operating systems (check the url)...
I still dislike the off-the-cuff exaggerations: If Ubuntu and Linspire have dropped "everything good about Debian", it should be easy for you to list, let's say "ten best things Linspire and Ubuntu dropped", shouldn't it?
I'd say that has a lot to do with what you're accustomed to and what your workflow is like, not with linux being more difficult. As a counterpoint to yours, I can tell you that I dread the times I have to use a Windows machine, because my productivity always drops (by a small, but noticeable amount) and I get irritated as hell since I can't do things my way...
1. Ahh, language problem -- I didn't know the difference of a corporation and a company in english. You are right of course.
2. Well, I do believe that just about any stakeholder theory can be based on shareholder value... Keeping your employees happy may increase shareholder value and so on. Stuff that isn't easily converted to shareholder value (like protecting the environment) should be regulated, in my opinion -- stakeholder theories just don't seem to work there in practice.
I would hardly consider paying to ensure that a product from which your company derives a significant amount of value continues to be actively developed to be a 'moral' decision. It seems to me to be a fairly simple business decision.
...which is why I didn't object to that in any way.
There is a big difference between 'maximising shareholder value' and 'maximising shareholder value today at the expense of shareholder value tomorrow.'
Well, no. Value today includes the value tomorrow (just discounted).
Completely false. They are permitted by law to be amoral in some respect, they are not required to be. A corporation can choose to act in a moral fashion.
Huh? That's bull.
If management makes a "moral decision" knowing it will lower shareholder value, the shareholders may sue (and win). So, yeah, companies are required to act amorally as long as it's best for their shareholders.
Dear friend, herein lies the indelible mark of your misunderstanding of the free software _Movement_
That's a little condescending, isn't it? Especially as you seem to misunderstand the legal restrictions companies operate under... If I understood you correctly you think that companies have a moral obligation to support free software that they use. That would clearly be against the interests of shareholders, and makes the company liable.
It's fine to lambast Sun for making a bad business decision (as in, the plane tickets would have generated shareholder value), but implying that they should pay because it's morally right, is surreal. Saying "but it's just pocket change for them!" even more so.
As long as you perceive it to be THEIR problem, linux and OSS will never be what it can be in the corporate space.
You know what? Free software could survive without "the corporate space". Companies that cannot distinguish skills and ponytails, on the other hand, will be eaten alive by competition that can...
Might take a while, but those are the rules, mr Anonymous.
LeonGeeste, "trying to help" is not the same thing as "being good at helping" or "succeeding at helping". That is not a difficult concept, and I think you actually do understand it but just want to argue... Those people truly tried, and used their time hoping it would benefit you. What did you do? You acted argumentatively and did not respect their work at all.
Look at the comments in this thread. Look at the moderations you're getting -- of course it's possible that all of these people are wrong, and you alone are right, but maybe you should consider the alternative too.
And the only support I got in the forums was, "you idiot, why didn't you [perform precaution mentioned nowhere in the install instructions]".
That is demonstrably false[*]. People honestly tried to help you. While some people did get frustrated because of your tone, no-one called you names like that. My take on this as an outsider (I'm not a regular at ubuntuforums and I didn't take part in the thread) is that you provoked people who tried to help you and refused to do what they suggested.
It's ok to say that "Distro X sucks cause it didn't work for me". Badmouthing volunteers who try to help is not.
Azureus, which has an attractive interface (looks good to Linux newcomers)
Either you are high, or we just have very, very differing opinions. Azureus, while a very featureful program, is a user interface nightmare especially for a new user... The amount of bells and whistles is staggering. Gnome Bittorrent may look boring, but it does the job (for the casual downloader, that is) quite well.
Slashdot Mirror
Several of my ideas have also been rejected by developers of free software. Mostly because "that's not what I want this program to do" (as one developer put it). I have to say I respect that. In some cases it might also result in better applications than blindly implementing everything clients ask...
I got tired of CDs lying around the apartment and bit the bullet -- ripped everything and searched for good jukebox software. amaroK was the best of all that I tried, by far. Some features that are important for me: Group By -listings help manage the ~5500 songs, quick searches are really nice when I want to find a specific artist or song, dynamic mode is great when I don't want to micromanage the playlist, the (relatively) clean interface means other people instinctively know how to use it.
I know some people have had stability problems, but not me... The machine has been up 212 days now, and I have restarted amaroK at most once a month.
Oh, sure it's distributable... if you're not interested in what the license says. Then again, what do I know: maybe Suse really does refrain from distributing all other software that might replace any function of the Java VM.
I know that Google requires mentors to be running an active and viable open source or free software project - maybe that was the catch?
My thoughts exactly. Then again, the author uses Openoffice as an example of a simple application -- his definition of simple being similar to Microsoft Office. The logic is ... undeniable.
Being a monopoly isn't illegal. Being anti-interoperability isn't illegal. Being both at the same time may very well be illegal.
...as long as the site responds, of course. No offence, but I wouldn't bet my money on http://www.ifaves.com/ being there for, let's say, five years...
You're running that open source software on your own servers with 0.00$ per year? Your sys admins must be really cheap... Otherwise your list is pretty convincing.
The bad news is that the device is not powerful enough to play anything close to the native resolution of the screen... You'll have to downsample to something like 256*144 (as 16:9) or 320*192 (as native 15:9) if you want to look at 25 frames per second. The good news is that movies looks surprisingly good even at those resolutions and the screen is really good.
Sure. I was just commenting on the "rise in value" the original parent speculated. My point was that MP3 players aren't more valuable than cash and watches, when traded for crack (or whatever the poison is theses days).
- The cell phone gets locked so that's worthless.
- I haven't seen second hand music players sold around here, but even if they were, I'd say the price the robber would get would be about 30$.
- The computer is the only valuable thing -- he might get a few hundred for it.
Even those figures might be too high, think for yourself: Does he have the accessories (recharging devices, etc)? Does he know how to show what the things do? Does he even know what kind of a computer/player it is (memory, processor, etc)?Not a goldmine, I'd say.
I've got the Nokia 770 here. I'd say it's fast enough (or at least close) for the stuff the 100$ computer was meant to do, and has quite a lot of features that won't be needed there (like very small size and a 225 ppi screen). It does cost ~350 but there are additional differences which probably even the scales:
I'm not entirely convinced that the 100$ laptop is a good idea, but... No-one is arguing that all of the people in underdeveloped countries will be doing IT work in 30 years -- but don't kid yourself: A lot of them will. They will do to India what India is currently doing to the western world.
These people might be poor, but not because they're lazy or stupid. Many are poor only because they haven't been given a proper chance. Multinational companies (or people with money anyhow) will give them that chance if it looks profitable to them. Fractionally better IT skills might be what makes it profitable...
I still dislike the off-the-cuff exaggerations: If Ubuntu and Linspire have dropped "everything good about Debian", it should be easy for you to list, let's say "ten best things Linspire and Ubuntu dropped", shouldn't it?
I'd say that has a lot to do with what you're accustomed to and what your workflow is like, not with linux being more difficult. As a counterpoint to yours, I can tell you that I dread the times I have to use a Windows machine, because my productivity always drops (by a small, but noticeable amount) and I get irritated as hell since I can't do things my way...
2. Well, I do believe that just about any stakeholder theory can be based on shareholder value... Keeping your employees happy may increase shareholder value and so on. Stuff that isn't easily converted to shareholder value (like protecting the environment) should be regulated, in my opinion -- stakeholder theories just don't seem to work there in practice.
3. Agreed. I'm amazed this doesn't happen more.
If management makes a "moral decision" knowing it will lower shareholder value, the shareholders may sue (and win). So, yeah, companies are required to act amorally as long as it's best for their shareholders.
It's fine to lambast Sun for making a bad business decision (as in, the plane tickets would have generated shareholder value), but implying that they should pay because it's morally right, is surreal. Saying "but it's just pocket change for them!" even more so.
Might take a while, but those are the rules, mr Anonymous.
By the way, do you have any references for that "internal linux distro"?
Look at the comments in this thread. Look at the moderations you're getting -- of course it's possible that all of these people are wrong, and you alone are right, but maybe you should consider the alternative too.
It's ok to say that "Distro X sucks cause it didn't work for me". Badmouthing volunteers who try to help is not.
* http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=122473