"another loss to the open source community, this gaim developer now will be too busy in meetings, 20% free time and other google things. the gaim developement will stall."
Are you seriously crying over the fact that the guy will now have more than enough drachmas to buy himself food now? If anything, his hiring by Google ensures that he'll be working on Gaim even more now.
Has Firefox stalled with Google hiring some coders? Sheesh, its not like Microsoft hired Linus all of a sudden.
"This would be great if it somehow sped up development of webcam support in Gaim in Linux. Or even webcam support in some new Goolge IM client for Linux. Asking people to use netmeeting is sortof a pain especially if they are behind firewalls."
Speaking of webcams, why doesn't anyone take Trillian to task over its failure to connect to webcams using Yahoo Messenger? Universal IM client my azz.
"I didn't realize Porsche sold VW off. Isn't that new Porsche SUV built on the same frame as the Toureg in the same factories?"
I just meant that Porsche is trying to get VW back...which they've been separate since...the end of WWII? A few weeks back, Porsche brought its stake in VW up to 20% and indications are they want more. They are citing savings in components, economies-of-scale logic. The same logic used by Daimler to justify the acquisition of Chrysler half a decade ago.
"From the header of the fucking article : "Time Warner's chief executive has denied reports that it may be about to sell a stake in its America Online (AOL) unit to Google and Comcast."
Yeah, and Steve Jobs at Apple said they wouldn't market a flash-based iPod yet they later brought out the Shuffle and the Nano. Jobs also spoke out against an iPod Video model, but now all the new iPods do video. Shall I mention the two-button mouse?
"Perhaps they're realising that Google Talk didn't do all that well, so they're staking a claim in AIM? Can't see any reason other than that, AIM is the only thing AOL has to offer which is even remotely useful."
AIM, ICQ, AOL Search, AOL Music, Moviefone, MapQuest, DigitalCities, WinAMP, the AOL Browser (switching it), the recently acquired WebLogs Inc., etc. etc. etc.
"AOL is like the kiss of death. Time Warner found this out the hard way. About the only thing going for it is it's IM tool and that is not enough of a reason to buy this."
More like Time Warner was the kiss of death for AOL. TimeWarner still has not paid off on the synergy promised by the original Time and Warner Communications *merger* of 1989...followed by acquiring Turner Broadcasting in the mid 90s.
AOL *merged* with Time Warner to get access to Time Warner Cable, but the plan failed. AOL should have been able to launch a decent online music service but was hampered by Time Warner's Warner Music Group (now 80% controlled by moron Edgar Bronfman & cohorts).
So how exactly did AOL ruin TimeWarner? It was obviously the other way around. Besides, a little cooking-of-the-books at AOL pales in comparison to what has been done by the Warner Bros. Pictures division since its inception (as with the rest of Hollywood). They still claim they haven't made a profit off 1989's "Batman".
"This is like Rolls-Royce being "in talks" with Ford to see if they can send each other customers. But it's stupid: Rolls-Royces are bought by a more sophisticated kind of customer, while Ford goes for broader appeal. It's really pointless to think there's significant overlap."
Ford owns Jaguar, Aston Martin, (Range) Rover, and Volvo.
VW owns Lamborghini. Porshe is trying to reacquire VW.
"Surely their interest would be in Microsoft not acquiring AOL and slashing Google's revenue stream by replacing the "AOL" (read Google) search service with their own."
*Retaining the Google relationship with AOL Search.
*Gaining control of AOL Instant Messenger & ICQ to strengthen GoogleTalk.
*Using the AOL brand to sell wifi service to Joe Sixpack.
*Gaining control of WinAMP to continue development for Google's own purposes or to sacrifice it to Apple with an iTunes partnership deal.
*Switching the AOL browser to the Gecko rendering engine to aid standards compliance on the web and weaken Microsoft's interests.
*DigitalCities integration.
*MapQuest integration with the GoogleMaps service.
*Gaining Moviefone...perhaps directly challenging Fandango which TimeWarner did not have the stomach to do.
Yeah, its a little bit more important than how it is being reported in the trades, me thinks.
"Maybe Google is only in talks to drive M$ crazy and make them pay too much. We know that Balmer personally hates Google. That might be expected to make M$ behave irrationally with regard to their negotiations with TW."
I don't believe that. How does it benefit Google for Microsoft to drop $5 billion on a partnership with TimeWarner that sees them acquiring AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, and kicks Google off the AOL Search Page? $5 billion is chump change for Microsoft. It does not financially impact them...in fact, their stock would probably climb on news of such a combo.
On the other hand, I can see Microsoft trying to manipulate this to get Google to burn through money in acquiring a stake in AOL. However, Google is trying to do the partnership along with Comcast to lighten their financial burden/responsibility.
It is in Google's best interest to acquire this stake.
"Seriously in the long run it doesn't matter who (if any of the two) wins, the fact that there is competition now will hopefully mean better products, innovation and hopefully an overall better deal for the consumer."
I seriously hope Google does buy a large chunk of AOL from Time Warner. Historically, Warner Communications favored 50% co-ownership deals and even tried to sell 50% of Atari Inc. back around 1980 to IBM. Investing in AOL would not only be wise, but a defensive move against further incursion into Google's main business by Microsoft. For example, a Google led AOL would have the courage to switch the main AOL web browser over to Firefox (something Time Warner is too scared to do). If they were smart, they'd do it like the current version of Netscape...default to the Gecko rendering engine, but if the browser detects non-compliant code favoring IE, the browser renders using the IE engine. But what Google could do differently is have the browser auto-report the site back to Google, which could lower the rankings of that webpage in Google's search database unless the site owners recode their page using standard practices. In less than two years, you'd see IE specific webpages a part of history and it would severely weaking Microsoft's influence on the net. Google/AOL could continue this dual rendering engine practice until 2009, when the AOLTimeWarner/Microsoft agreement ends, or sooner if the IE specific pages disappear en masse before that date.
And that's just a small piece of what a piece of AOL would mean to Google. I'll leave the other posters to ponder the impact acquiring AOL Instant Messenger and ICQ would do for Google Talk.
"If you've watched it and don't like it, fine, but if you're just looking at the name and mocking it... stop."
No, I'm pointing out what I find unbelieveable that "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" are the two most popular recorded programs according to the TiVo stats, which jives with the B.S. Nielsen statistics. I am dismayed at that. Very dismayed. I would've thought that supposedly less-popular programming would rank higher than what TiVo reports.
At least Battlestar Galactica and Nip/Tuck have higher TiVo stats than the Nielsen basic cable stats report.
"Yeah, there are some great opportunities here. Imagine new Firefly episodes as iTunes exclusives. Being able to vote with our wallets instead of our Neilsen boxes can correct the fundamental flaws of existing ratings methods that force nearly everything to the lowest common denominator."
Arguably, TiVo should have corrected the Nielsen deficiencies, but apparently too many owners allow their wives to record *Desperate Housewives* and thus the statistics confirm the B.S. that the Nielsens have spun for 50 years.
It should be noted that the BBC allowed the new *Doctor Who* to be made available on Sony PSP UMD format - but only in Europe - just as with the DVD release.
If you'd like to rattle up the online Doctor Who fanbase, join Outpost Gallifrey (www.gallifreyone.com) and share your opinion about watching NewWHO on your iPod.
"I bet if HBO can be persuaded to offer their shows on the iTMS (iTunes Media Store, now, I suppose), sales at the Store would skyrocket."
HBO is too busy sending out cease & desist letters to the BitTorrenters downloading *Rome* and *The Cathouse* to be bothered with such a rational idea.
"ABC has LOST and Desperate Housewives up for $1.99 in itunes right now..."
Too bad the BBC were too stupid to go in on the ground floor and offer *Doctor Who* for commercial download here in the States through iTunes. You'd think they'd have a clue considering they hosted this presentation via videofeed in the U.K., but alas, no clue.
Way to let the fan base down, Beeb. Or is it dweeb?
"The flat earthers won't accept the new species because it doesn't fit into their narrow view of history. It has nothing to do with the facts. Even if DNA is found that is not from a modern human it won't end the debate. I doubt finding a live one would completely end the issue."
Kinda reminds me of all this current talk about Neanderthals being shorter than homo sapiens back in the day, yet when I was taking anthro back in the 90s, the Neanderthals were portrayed as towering over homo sapiens.
Bah, one day, they say eggs are bad for your health. The next, they are good for you!
"What is the religious answer to this? Do they contend that these were a failed first protoype of later man? Someone give me an argument to go on..."
I don't think there is one. "The sons of god married the daughters of men" in Genesis speaks of descendents being giants and corrupt. No real mention of dwarves in that text to my knowledge. Of course, there is plenty of references to dwarves and elves in folk religion.
Although if one views *Noah* (or whatever his true Sumerian/Babylonian name was) as a survivor of the flood of Atlantis - supposedly around 12,000 years ago - then that makes this all the more interesting.
Religion/mythology is pretty interesting if you chuck the dogma.
"People talking out of their ass with no idea what they're saying get modded up to +5, and all the replies below him pointing out how wrong he is don't. A lot of the decent ATI cards, and all of the Hauppauge cards (that I know of) run with Linux.Just because you either a) bought a crappy card, or b) have no idea how to get Linux running, or c) are a Microsoft fanboy does not mean that you have to order a "specialized Linux supporting card."
I love how people like you who are criticizing my post don't have the ballz to post with your Slashdot user name.
I merely pointed out that ATi is a very popular DVR card option, but ATi does not officially support Linux so it is a pain in the azz to use it as such...which is a shame since the ATi Wonder HD card works great under Windows. As for the "specialized Linux supporting card," I am referring to the HD card favored by many MythTV supporters which is the one used in the Systm (www.systm.org) vidcast a few months back. And that one does qualify as "specialized" under the circumstances.
"How many lawsuits will Microsoft have to settle before it well.... stops having any money left?"
That truly won't happen until businesses, government agencies, and Joe Blow stop buying Dell computers. If more people bought Apple Macs, and/or built their own PCs and installed Linux, Microsoft's magic cash machine would dry out a lot quicker than every new company we hear about filing a lawsuit against Redmond & Co.
"If Apple had 90% of the market share and pushed vendor lock-in, then yes, we could talk about. Not only that, but the record is clear that Microsoft has used its operating system components to damage the competition. I know of no company that claims Apple cut their throats. Perhaps you could provide some examples."
Just for arguments sake, had Apple not bought them, the Konfabulator people might take issue over the widgets in OS X 10.4 Tiger.
And yes, I understand the whole Desk Accessories argument as well. We had them also in Atari ST land back in the day as well. But widgets are a wee bit different than desk accessories.
Slashdot Mirror
"another loss to the open source community, this gaim developer now will be too busy in meetings, 20% free time and other google things. the gaim developement will stall."
Are you seriously crying over the fact that the guy will now have more than enough drachmas to buy himself food now? If anything, his hiring by Google ensures that he'll be working on Gaim even more now.
Has Firefox stalled with Google hiring some coders? Sheesh, its not like Microsoft hired Linus all of a sudden.
"This would be great if it somehow sped up development of webcam support in Gaim in Linux. Or even webcam support in some new Goolge IM client for Linux. Asking people to use netmeeting is sortof a pain especially if they are behind firewalls."
Speaking of webcams, why doesn't anyone take Trillian to task over its failure to connect to webcams using Yahoo Messenger? Universal IM client my azz.
"I didn't realize Porsche sold VW off. Isn't that new Porsche SUV built on the same frame as the Toureg in the same factories?"
I just meant that Porsche is trying to get VW back...which they've been separate since...the end of WWII? A few weeks back, Porsche brought its stake in VW up to 20% and indications are they want more. They are citing savings in components, economies-of-scale logic. The same logic used by Daimler to justify the acquisition of Chrysler half a decade ago.
"From the header of the fucking article : "Time Warner's chief executive has denied reports that it may be about to sell a stake in its America Online (AOL) unit to Google and Comcast."
Yeah, and Steve Jobs at Apple said they wouldn't market a flash-based iPod yet they later brought out the Shuffle and the Nano. Jobs also spoke out against an iPod Video model, but now all the new iPods do video. Shall I mention the two-button mouse?
There's a lesson to be learned in that.
"Perhaps they're realising that Google Talk didn't do all that well, so they're staking a claim in AIM? Can't see any reason other than that, AIM is the only thing AOL has to offer which is even remotely useful."
AIM, ICQ, AOL Search, AOL Music, Moviefone, MapQuest, DigitalCities, WinAMP, the AOL Browser (switching it), the recently acquired WebLogs Inc., etc. etc. etc.
"AOL is like the kiss of death. Time Warner found this out the hard way. About the only thing going for it is it's IM tool and that is not enough of a reason to buy this."
More like Time Warner was the kiss of death for AOL. TimeWarner still has not paid off on the synergy promised by the original Time and Warner Communications *merger* of 1989...followed by acquiring Turner Broadcasting in the mid 90s.
AOL *merged* with Time Warner to get access to Time Warner Cable, but the plan failed. AOL should have been able to launch a decent online music service but was hampered by Time Warner's Warner Music Group (now 80% controlled by moron Edgar Bronfman & cohorts).
So how exactly did AOL ruin TimeWarner? It was obviously the other way around. Besides, a little cooking-of-the-books at AOL pales in comparison to what has been done by the Warner Bros. Pictures division since its inception (as with the rest of Hollywood). They still claim they haven't made a profit off 1989's "Batman".
"So, are you a swinger too? not that I am interested.."
:)
But Microsoft is the ugly old rich guy that nobody wants to play with so he has to sit back and watch. Wow, interesting allegory to Steve Ballmer.
"This is like Rolls-Royce being "in talks" with Ford to see if they can send each other customers. But it's stupid: Rolls-Royces are bought by a more sophisticated kind of customer, while Ford goes for broader appeal. It's really pointless to think there's significant overlap."
Ford owns Jaguar, Aston Martin, (Range) Rover, and Volvo.
VW owns Lamborghini. Porshe is trying to reacquire VW.
Your analogy is moot, me thinks.
"Surely their interest would be in Microsoft not acquiring AOL and slashing Google's revenue stream by replacing the "AOL" (read Google) search service with their own."
*Retaining the Google relationship with AOL Search.
*Gaining control of AOL Instant Messenger & ICQ to strengthen GoogleTalk.
*Using the AOL brand to sell wifi service to Joe Sixpack.
*Gaining control of WinAMP to continue development for Google's own purposes or to sacrifice it to Apple with an iTunes partnership deal.
*Switching the AOL browser to the Gecko rendering engine to aid standards compliance on the web and weaken Microsoft's interests.
*DigitalCities integration.
*MapQuest integration with the GoogleMaps service.
*Gaining Moviefone...perhaps directly challenging Fandango which TimeWarner did not have the stomach to do.
Yeah, its a little bit more important than how it is being reported in the trades, me thinks.
"Maybe Google is only in talks to drive M$ crazy and make them pay too much. We know that Balmer personally hates Google. That might be expected to make M$ behave irrationally with regard to their negotiations with TW."
I don't believe that. How does it benefit Google for Microsoft to drop $5 billion on a partnership with TimeWarner that sees them acquiring AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, and kicks Google off the AOL Search Page? $5 billion is chump change for Microsoft. It does not financially impact them...in fact, their stock would probably climb on news of such a combo.
On the other hand, I can see Microsoft trying to manipulate this to get Google to burn through money in acquiring a stake in AOL. However, Google is trying to do the partnership along with Comcast to lighten their financial burden/responsibility.
It is in Google's best interest to acquire this stake.
"Seriously in the long run it doesn't matter who (if any of the two) wins, the fact that there is competition now will hopefully mean better products, innovation and hopefully an overall better deal for the consumer."
I seriously hope Google does buy a large chunk of AOL from Time Warner. Historically, Warner Communications favored 50% co-ownership deals and even tried to sell 50% of Atari Inc. back around 1980 to IBM. Investing in AOL would not only be wise, but a defensive move against further incursion into Google's main business by Microsoft. For example, a Google led AOL would have the courage to switch the main AOL web browser over to Firefox (something Time Warner is too scared to do). If they were smart, they'd do it like the current version of Netscape...default to the Gecko rendering engine, but if the browser detects non-compliant code favoring IE, the browser renders using the IE engine. But what Google could do differently is have the browser auto-report the site back to Google, which could lower the rankings of that webpage in Google's search database unless the site owners recode their page using standard practices. In less than two years, you'd see IE specific webpages a part of history and it would severely weaking Microsoft's influence on the net. Google/AOL could continue this dual rendering engine practice until 2009, when the AOLTimeWarner/Microsoft agreement ends, or sooner if the IE specific pages disappear en masse before that date.
And that's just a small piece of what a piece of AOL would mean to Google. I'll leave the other posters to ponder the impact acquiring AOL Instant Messenger and ICQ would do for Google Talk.
"If you've watched it and don't like it, fine, but if you're just looking at the name and mocking it... stop."
No, I'm pointing out what I find unbelieveable that "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" are the two most popular recorded programs according to the TiVo stats, which jives with the B.S. Nielsen statistics. I am dismayed at that. Very dismayed. I would've thought that supposedly less-popular programming would rank higher than what TiVo reports.
At least Battlestar Galactica and Nip/Tuck have higher TiVo stats than the Nielsen basic cable stats report.
"Yeah, there are some great opportunities here. Imagine new Firefly episodes as iTunes exclusives. Being able to vote with our wallets instead of our Neilsen boxes can correct the fundamental flaws of existing ratings methods that force nearly everything to the lowest common denominator."
Arguably, TiVo should have corrected the Nielsen deficiencies, but apparently too many owners allow their wives to record *Desperate Housewives* and thus the statistics confirm the B.S. that the Nielsens have spun for 50 years.
"Hell... I'd pay 4.99 per episode for the new Doctor Who. Are you listening BBC/Apple?"
Even better, why don't you (and others) tell Apple directly?
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html
It should be noted that the BBC allowed the new *Doctor Who* to be made available on Sony PSP UMD format - but only in Europe - just as with the DVD release.
If you'd like to rattle up the online Doctor Who fanbase, join Outpost Gallifrey (www.gallifreyone.com) and share your opinion about watching NewWHO on your iPod.
"I bet if HBO can be persuaded to offer their shows on the iTMS (iTunes Media Store, now, I suppose), sales at the Store would skyrocket."
HBO is too busy sending out cease & desist letters to the BitTorrenters downloading *Rome* and *The Cathouse* to be bothered with such a rational idea.
"ABC has LOST and Desperate Housewives up for $1.99 in itunes right now..."
Too bad the BBC were too stupid to go in on the ground floor and offer *Doctor Who* for commercial download here in the States through iTunes. You'd think they'd have a clue considering they hosted this presentation via videofeed in the U.K., but alas, no clue.
Way to let the fan base down, Beeb. Or is it dweeb?
"If only they could find some DNA sound like a clone of these little fellas would make some great servants being established tool makers and all."
:)
Do you really want to put all the Wal*Mart employees on the welfare rolls again? Don't overturn the apple cart!
"The flat earthers won't accept the new species because it doesn't fit into their narrow view of history. It has nothing to do with the facts. Even if DNA is found that is not from a modern human it won't end the debate. I doubt finding a live one would completely end the issue."
Kinda reminds me of all this current talk about Neanderthals being shorter than homo sapiens back in the day, yet when I was taking anthro back in the 90s, the Neanderthals were portrayed as towering over homo sapiens.
Bah, one day, they say eggs are bad for your health. The next, they are good for you!
"What is the religious answer to this? Do they contend that these were a failed first protoype of later man? Someone give me an argument to go on..."
I don't think there is one. "The sons of god married the daughters of men" in Genesis speaks of descendents being giants and corrupt. No real mention of dwarves in that text to my knowledge. Of course, there is plenty of references to dwarves and elves in folk religion.
Although if one views *Noah* (or whatever his true Sumerian/Babylonian name was) as a survivor of the flood of Atlantis - supposedly around 12,000 years ago - then that makes this all the more interesting.
Religion/mythology is pretty interesting if you chuck the dogma.
"People talking out of their ass with no idea what they're saying get modded up to +5, and all the replies below him pointing out how wrong he is don't. A lot of the decent ATI cards, and all of the Hauppauge cards (that I know of) run with Linux.Just because you either a) bought a crappy card, or b) have no idea how to get Linux running, or c) are a Microsoft fanboy does not mean that you have to order a "specialized Linux supporting card."
I love how people like you who are criticizing my post don't have the ballz to post with your Slashdot user name.
I merely pointed out that ATi is a very popular DVR card option, but ATi does not officially support Linux so it is a pain in the azz to use it as such...which is a shame since the ATi Wonder HD card works great under Windows. As for the "specialized Linux supporting card," I am referring to the HD card favored by many MythTV supporters which is the one used in the Systm (www.systm.org) vidcast a few months back. And that one does qualify as "specialized" under the circumstances.
That does not make me a Microsoft fanboi.
Point of fact, I use my trusty TiVo.
So suck it, anonymous coward.
"Hauppauge. Newegg. Idiot."
So said the spineless online coward. Newegg is obscure to Joe Average in comparison to Best Buy or CompUSA. I stand by my previous statement.
"Just for arguments sake, had Apple not bought them, the Konfabulator people might take issue over the widgets in OS X 10.4 Tiger."
Yikes, I meant *Yahoo* where I typed *Apple* instead. My bad...
"How many lawsuits will Microsoft have to settle before it well.... stops having any money left?"
That truly won't happen until businesses, government agencies, and Joe Blow stop buying Dell computers. If more people bought Apple Macs, and/or built their own PCs and installed Linux, Microsoft's magic cash machine would dry out a lot quicker than every new company we hear about filing a lawsuit against Redmond & Co.
"Microsoft finally learns the same hard truth we've all learned: once you've touched RealPlayer, THEY NEVER GO AWAY."
So, you are equating Real Player with herpes?
In that case, which is more effective, the Windows Remove Installed Programs feature or Valtrex?
"If Apple had 90% of the market share and pushed vendor lock-in, then yes, we could talk about. Not only that, but the record is clear that Microsoft has used its operating system components to damage the competition. I know of no company that claims Apple cut their throats. Perhaps you could provide some examples."
Just for arguments sake, had Apple not bought them, the Konfabulator people might take issue over the widgets in OS X 10.4 Tiger.
And yes, I understand the whole Desk Accessories argument as well. We had them also in Atari ST land back in the day as well. But widgets are a wee bit different than desk accessories.