The reason there is so much legacy code about is because that code has been around for some years, is proven and is bug free.
The slashdot article assumes that because of this the code may benefit from change. In fact the exact opposite is the case. Change introduces bugs and costs money, so I cannot see this happening.
I used an old P4 1.7 I had lying around... rather than investing in a new piece of hardware you might find it easier to just use something old. It appears you don't want to do anything too computational.
I installed Ubuntu 6.10 Desktop on the box. Troubles I had : Not beiong able to download a version of the distro that would install. It is a big download, and the MD5's never matched. When this happens, the install will just hang in the middle. I ended up getting a disk by mail. The other issue I have is that it keeps forgetting my DNS servers. I don't know why (yet).
I've been a Windows guy since 1995. Ubuntu isn't as intuitive as Windows no matter what anyone says, however it is by far the best attempt made by a Linux distro yet. I'll stick with Windows on my Laptop and Ubuntu on a server in the back room (they talk to each other nicely).
There are lots of new features in the new operating systems that may be useful in an Anti Virus product (the example you give). While they are not used now, they may be in the future. Why should microsoft limit themselves to using only technology that existed 7 years ago?
How do you know the product works perfectly on Win2000? Just cause it looks like it doesn't mean it does...
Slag off Oracle and its security record, and then back down without giving a reason. It is OK to slag off Oracle but when you back down it is OK not to give reasons?
Weak.
That said, perhaps he took the sensible line and told Oracle about any flaws he may have had, they will fix them and the consumer wins.
Would be my choice. I've been playing video games for years, but when I played that game (nearly 10 years ago now?) It moved things to a whole new level. When I first got out onto open spaces of Hyrule field and heard the cool music and saw the sun setting it was pretty good as far as video games go. Little touches like the music when the sun rises etc. I haven't had a go on Twilight Princess yet (Wii comes out here in about a week).
That said there are plenty of other games other than video games. You can't beat a game of cards with friends.
If you haven't travelled, get your buzz from seeing other cultures before little things get too difficult.
What is it about Slashdot that attracts people who can't read and don't listen, trolls who decide they're right by the amount of abuse they can deal out?
Fact : Enterprises don't like open source because it has been insecure, isn't proven, is developed by possibly dubious people and doesn't have the features they need. End Fact.
Deal with it. Abusing people doesn't change the fact!!:)
Yup, good point. Usually if you are using, for example, Oracle then you have some leverage with the company though since they don't want to lose the business, and it isn't unusual in the business world to add liability clauses as a condition to winning that business. Its not all in the license.
There are real security issues with client facing products such as Microsoft Windows and IE etc. Back end products that are generally hidden behind lots of firewalls etc have a different range of issues with different priorities.
Again... just because you think MS's product is poor doesn't make Open Source any better.
Yeah, I've posted in the Oracle security FUD front page news on this. Its not a major issue with Oracle. You should read the post (check my other posts) but basically, Oracle back end servers are generally hidden behind so many firewalls that it doesn't matter, grater insecurity comes about from having client applications leaving usernames and passwords in freetext somewhere on the system than by buffer overflows etc. and there are greater security issues in all databases such as SQL Injection, rather than exploits.
Security is more than just patches and exploits etc.
Your argument is crap though - saying that a product is crap because it has issues doesn't make your product any better. A very common fallacy on Slashdot.
The reason why enterprises don't like open source is because they HAVE been insecure and less feature laden. Anyone can write a database. It takes skill and $$$ however to write a secure database with enterprise features such as failover, 100% availabilty, hot backups, massive scalabilty over the planet, full support, and even more have had all these features PROVEN.
Being nearly there doesn't cut it at all. Being proven does. I wouldn't put my multi billion $ business on the line with some piece of free software developed by who knows with what agenda and debatable level of quality... I'll pay for something, and have support and a legal avenue if it falls over.
The Oracle database certainly has its share of security holes. But so does every piece of software. So what.
Whilst some parts of the Oracle Server can be exposed to clients, in my experience in Oracle (for 10 years) generally a back end Oracle Server is hidden so far within the data centre behind so many firewalls that it would be hard to get near it.
What causes issues is that generally Oracle userids and passwords are stored in freetext somewhere in order to access the database by an application. This is not an Oracle issue, this is an implementation issue. Any exploits around elevated privileges after login could be alleviated by securing this better on the client side.
It would be more helpful to highlight more commonly raised issues such as the one above and SQL injection. But of course this is less newsworthy and sensationalist.
I have no idea what you are on about. WMP11 plays media, hasn't refused anything I throw at it. I don't see ads either. I don't know what you use it for but I use it to play media. Why should it do something else other than that? WMP11 seems to be faster than WMP10, and has a better user interface.
So you're waffling on about DRM in your last paragraph. I don't use MS DRM, so it doesn't worry me. Neither does 90% of anyone else I suspect. So what you are going on about is nothing really. It is just an improved media player.
I'm not a microsoft fanboy at all but WMP11 is a hell of a lot better than your article makes out, and certainly a lot better than WMP10. Stop with the bias already! Is it too hard for Slashdot to be unbiased about product??? Honestly, I've enjoyed Slashdot in the past, but it really sucks quality wise at the moment.
This is a slow news day isn't it? Still, kitten searches are all good.
Look, somebody probably reported the Google Images header as a phishing website. Microsoft have probably since removed it from their phishing database. I'm sure they're refining the phishing technology so that websites require multiple reports before they enter the phishing database as we speak.
But you kiddies can release all the conspiracy stories you want.
I'm a developer and whilst I understand the point of view that IE is not standards oriented, the fact is that you're missing the whole point in that end users like IE, its really easy to use, and don't give a toss about the fact that it isn't standards compliant. All they care about is that web sites work in it, which they do.
Web Developers can bitch all they want about standards etc, but the fact is that all Microsoft are worried about is backwards compatibility, which is the 100% correct way to go. Deal with it! Microsoft build products with the end user in mind. Web Developers are not the mass market end users.
What would happen if Microsoft decided to start making the browser entirely standards compliant? A number of websites would stop working. You guys would moan about Microsoft again, saying how it was all their fault anyway. No change there, no incentive for Microsoft. Microsoft would lose market share because they made their browser the same as everyone elses. Theres no money to be made because you are the same as everybody else. Again, no incentive for Microsoft.
I think you guys should get a reality check, and stop thinking that Microsoft should be impressing you somehow.
Disclaimer. I am a developer, not for Microsoft, and I work on developing, recommending and implementing software based on open source products.
Amen to that. I am a big fan of PL/SQL Developer, and recommended it over TOAD at our site a few years ago and we've never looked back.
I'll still be looking at this Oracle product though to see how good it is, but its got a hard act to follow.
I think technically oriented people may prefer online downloads, but I still prefer to go down to the local record shop and buy a CD, along with the artwork, bonus DVD's etc. I can play that in my car stereo, and on my home stereo (without wireless links etc).
When it comes to my iPod, I'll rip the CD I have.
That, or the quality of the music being produced is slipping, or is being aimed at markets that don't have a propensity to buy iPods.
Mr. Jobs was very careful to cover this. He said the iPod was still all about music. He knows that the video isn't going to cut it in todays HD world. He also knows that movies and TV shows are generally one watch deals, whereas music is listened to over and over again. He has even gone so far as downplaying the video aspect, not calling it the video iPod, but just the iPod. I personally would go as far as to say that video may never be popular on portable devices. Just how popular were those tiny TV's that looked like transistor radios? Not popular at all.
Apple made money by licensing the iTunes technology to Motorola, as well as agreeing to promote and launch it. The limitations of the device that Motorola chose to put the technology in, as well as the limitiations imposed by the carrier made the device not really that useful. End of story.
Slashdot Mirror
The reason there is so much legacy code about is because that code has been around for some years, is proven and is bug free.
The slashdot article assumes that because of this the code may benefit from change. In fact the exact opposite is the case. Change introduces bugs and costs money, so I cannot see this happening.
I used an old P4 1.7 I had lying around... rather than investing in a new piece of hardware you might find it easier to just use something old. It appears you don't want to do anything too computational.
I installed Ubuntu 6.10 Desktop on the box. Troubles I had : Not beiong able to download a version of the distro that would install. It is a big download, and the MD5's never matched. When this happens, the install will just hang in the middle. I ended up getting a disk by mail. The other issue I have is that it keeps forgetting my DNS servers. I don't know why (yet).
I've been a Windows guy since 1995. Ubuntu isn't as intuitive as Windows no matter what anyone says, however it is by far the best attempt made by a Linux distro yet. I'll stick with Windows on my Laptop and Ubuntu on a server in the back room (they talk to each other nicely).
... may well consider spending some of its billions buying out critical patents?
There are lots of new features in the new operating systems that may be useful in an Anti Virus product (the example you give). While they are not used now, they may be in the future. Why should microsoft limit themselves to using only technology that existed 7 years ago?
How do you know the product works perfectly on Win2000? Just cause it looks like it doesn't mean it does...
Slag off Oracle and its security record, and then back down without giving a reason. It is OK to slag off Oracle but when you back down it is OK not to give reasons?
Weak.
That said, perhaps he took the sensible line and told Oracle about any flaws he may have had, they will fix them and the consumer wins.
Would be my choice. I've been playing video games for years, but when I played that game (nearly 10 years ago now?) It moved things to a whole new level. When I first got out onto open spaces of Hyrule field and heard the cool music and saw the sun setting it was pretty good as far as video games go. Little touches like the music when the sun rises etc. I haven't had a go on Twilight Princess yet (Wii comes out here in about a week).
That said there are plenty of other games other than video games. You can't beat a game of cards with friends.
If you haven't travelled, get your buzz from seeing other cultures before little things get too difficult.
What is it about Slashdot that attracts people who can't read and don't listen, trolls who decide they're right by the amount of abuse they can deal out?
:)
Fact : Enterprises don't like open source because it has been insecure, isn't proven, is developed by possibly dubious people and doesn't have the features they need. End Fact.
Deal with it. Abusing people doesn't change the fact!!
Yup, good point. Usually if you are using, for example, Oracle then you have some leverage with the company though since they don't want to lose the business, and it isn't unusual in the business world to add liability clauses as a condition to winning that business. Its not all in the license.
There are real security issues with client facing products such as Microsoft Windows and IE etc. Back end products that are generally hidden behind lots of firewalls etc have a different range of issues with different priorities.
Again... just because you think MS's product is poor doesn't make Open Source any better.
Yeah, I've posted in the Oracle security FUD front page news on this. Its not a major issue with Oracle. You should read the post (check my other posts) but basically, Oracle back end servers are generally hidden behind so many firewalls that it doesn't matter, grater insecurity comes about from having client applications leaving usernames and passwords in freetext somewhere on the system than by buffer overflows etc. and there are greater security issues in all databases such as SQL Injection, rather than exploits.
Security is more than just patches and exploits etc.
Your argument is crap though - saying that a product is crap because it has issues doesn't make your product any better. A very common fallacy on Slashdot.
The reason why enterprises don't like open source is because they HAVE been insecure and less feature laden. Anyone can write a database. It takes skill and $$$ however to write a secure database with enterprise features such as failover, 100% availabilty, hot backups, massive scalabilty over the planet, full support, and even more have had all these features PROVEN.
... I'll pay for something, and have support and a legal avenue if it falls over.
Being nearly there doesn't cut it at all. Being proven does. I wouldn't put my multi billion $ business on the line with some piece of free software developed by who knows with what agenda and debatable level of quality
The Oracle database certainly has its share of security holes. But so does every piece of software. So what.
Whilst some parts of the Oracle Server can be exposed to clients, in my experience in Oracle (for 10 years) generally a back end Oracle Server is hidden so far within the data centre behind so many firewalls that it would be hard to get near it.
What causes issues is that generally Oracle userids and passwords are stored in freetext somewhere in order to access the database by an application. This is not an Oracle issue, this is an implementation issue. Any exploits around elevated privileges after login could be alleviated by securing this better on the client side.
It would be more helpful to highlight more commonly raised issues such as the one above and SQL injection. But of course this is less newsworthy and sensationalist.
But thats my 2 cents.
I have no idea what you are on about. WMP11 plays media, hasn't refused anything I throw at it. I don't see ads either. I don't know what you use it for but I use it to play media. Why should it do something else other than that? WMP11 seems to be faster than WMP10, and has a better user interface.
So you're waffling on about DRM in your last paragraph. I don't use MS DRM, so it doesn't worry me. Neither does 90% of anyone else I suspect. So what you are going on about is nothing really. It is just an improved media player.
I'm not a microsoft fanboy at all but WMP11 is a hell of a lot better than your article makes out, and certainly a lot better than WMP10. Stop with the bias already! Is it too hard for Slashdot to be unbiased about product??? Honestly, I've enjoyed Slashdot in the past, but it really sucks quality wise at the moment.
This is a slow news day isn't it? Still, kitten searches are all good.
Look, somebody probably reported the Google Images header as a phishing website. Microsoft have probably since removed it from their phishing database. I'm sure they're refining the phishing technology so that websites require multiple reports before they enter the phishing database as we speak.
But you kiddies can release all the conspiracy stories you want.
Why would Apple announce consumer products at the WWDC???
I live in New Zealand. Microsoft doesn't have dev shops here. Save your conspiracy theories for wherever you come from.
I'm a developer and whilst I understand the point of view that IE is not standards oriented, the fact is that you're missing the whole point in that end users like IE, its really easy to use, and don't give a toss about the fact that it isn't standards compliant. All they care about is that web sites work in it, which they do.
Web Developers can bitch all they want about standards etc, but the fact is that all Microsoft are worried about is backwards compatibility, which is the 100% correct way to go. Deal with it! Microsoft build products with the end user in mind. Web Developers are not the mass market end users.
What would happen if Microsoft decided to start making the browser entirely standards compliant? A number of websites would stop working. You guys would moan about Microsoft again, saying how it was all their fault anyway. No change there, no incentive for Microsoft. Microsoft would lose market share because they made their browser the same as everyone elses. Theres no money to be made because you are the same as everybody else. Again, no incentive for Microsoft.
I think you guys should get a reality check, and stop thinking that Microsoft should be impressing you somehow.
Disclaimer. I am a developer, not for Microsoft, and I work on developing, recommending and implementing software based on open source products.
... and structure of someone who is still alive and see how close they get.
This eWeek story is about nothing. Please don't encourage them by posting links to it.
Every software maker there is will fix bugs or patch holes without disclosing them. The story is obviously some green journalists first attempt.
Amen to that. I am a big fan of PL/SQL Developer, and recommended it over TOAD at our site a few years ago and we've never looked back. I'll still be looking at this Oracle product though to see how good it is, but its got a hard act to follow.
I think technically oriented people may prefer online downloads, but I still prefer to go down to the local record shop and buy a CD, along with the artwork, bonus DVD's etc. I can play that in my car stereo, and on my home stereo (without wireless links etc).
When it comes to my iPod, I'll rip the CD I have.
That, or the quality of the music being produced is slipping, or is being aimed at markets that don't have a propensity to buy iPods.
Its largely spherical with flares shooting out. Can I have some money?
Mr. Jobs was very careful to cover this. He said the iPod was still all about music. He knows that the video isn't going to cut it in todays HD world. He also knows that movies and TV shows are generally one watch deals, whereas music is listened to over and over again. He has even gone so far as downplaying the video aspect, not calling it the video iPod, but just the iPod. I personally would go as far as to say that video may never be popular on portable devices. Just how popular were those tiny TV's that looked like transistor radios? Not popular at all.
Apple made money by licensing the iTunes technology to Motorola, as well as agreeing to promote and launch it. The limitations of the device that Motorola chose to put the technology in, as well as the limitiations imposed by the carrier made the device not really that useful. End of story.