And I love how every individual with an ingrained, uneducated Linux user stereotype feels compelled to comment about how insignificant we must be because we don't have a billion dollars.
Why don't you roll the clock back, put me in Bill's position where there is no pre-existing competition and the computer world was in its infancy and see if I couldn't make a buck or two. I probably wouldn't make as much money because of something that could be best described as "questionable" business practices.
Yes, I'll agree that the man is intelligent. He also happened to find himself in the right place at the right time.
By the way, I'm 26. I don't live with my parents. In fact, I OWN my own house. And last time I checked my closet, no black trenchcoats. And last time I checked my bookmarks, no EddieBauer.com in sight. Think I'm the odd man in the Linux crowd? I doubt it.
Why don't you come back when you aren't whining yourself, and add something constructive to the conversation.
Microsoft will go where the money is. Let's assume that tomorrow morning everybody gets out of bed and comes to the conclusion that Linux beats Windows without question. Microsoft wants to survive, and Microsoft isn't stupid. If the market moves to Linux, then they'll employ some spin doctors to minimize the amount of public-image-fallout from actually offering a Linux product.
While that scenario won't happen, there is one I _can_ imagine. Microsoft has a great deal of influence with hardware and software companies. I could see them exercise their influence in an attempt to gain an indirect foothold within the Linux software world. That's how they've always done things. They take control over some aspect of an emerging technology, and use that to reinforce their poduct line and their business objectives. It'll be a little more difficult to accomplish with Linux because of the nature of open source, but there are already closed source programs for Linux available for sale. It's reasonable to think that such offerings will continue to grow as the Linux user base grows. Could an opportunity arise in the future that could give Microsoft a foothold? I think it's possible especially when you consider that making Linux "ready for the desktop" means that people uninterested in open versus closed source will be the majority of software buyers. Will Mirosoft ever have total control over the Linux software world? No.
Ok, I can see your reasoning. However, I would classify most of those as indirect marketing to the consumer. It would be interesting to see a priority list for advertisers. What advertisement effect is most important to them? Band recognition? Product recognition? Viewer perception of product quality? Viewer perception of product image (is it cool, sexy, ugly, etc)?
The reason I'd say the three items you mentioned are indirect is because of two things: 1. People are habitual. If a consumable product meets their basic needs, then they'll tend to purchase it repeatedly with little or no reinforcement. For example, how many advertisements for bread have you seen? I'd be willing to bet you still purchase the same brand every time you go shopping. I do not remember the source, but I had read an article that termed that behavior "brand loyalty". The same thing goes for a lot of products (cookies, milk, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc.)
2. I've always felt that once the consumer makes a decision to buy an item, the usefulness of the item itself is a much more powerful persuasive force than the purchase satisfaction created through commercials. Then again, perhaps I don't fit in the normal consumer model. It wouldn't be the first time...
Well, there's another case he missed. What if they already bought the product/service? Are they expecting the consumer to like watching the commercial repeatedly simply because they bought that car/movie/razor? I know I don't want to sit through the commercials for products I already own, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So if the (lack of) popularity for a particular brand is measured in the number of commercials skipped, then your data set is flawed; the numbers are meaningless.
I understand there's the side-benefit of name recognition (it being relentlessly pounded into your sub-conscious), but like you said, that split-second to decide to skip performed that function. You realized what the product was and who makes it.
I have to agree with the poster... I just don't see what it gains them.
Ummmm... is it just me, or does it look like they ripped off a bunch of Apple's cases? Take a look at the Linux PC link...
Maybe that's why they can sell it for less... they got the cases at a 5-finger discount?
If you have any sort of online posting/review process where the students can view and critique an essay or other assignment, it would probably be wise to allow for anonymous posting and response.
The critique portion being anonymous is simple. If someone wants to point out negative aspects of the assignment, they don't have to worry about the other students thinking they are a "teacher's pet" or just being malicious. Once the novelty of posting anonymously wears off, you should start getting some honest feedback. Of course, you'll need some mechanism to prevent responses that don't fit within guidelines set forth at the beginning of the course.
The anonymous nature for the author is, perhaps, not as necessary. It would allow a student who is below the average level of ability to escape being branded as "slow". Some teachers in my past felt that embarassment was a powerful motivating force. I don't think I agree with that. Embarassment is always associated negatively. Why would anyone think a negative emotion would encourage a positive reaction? Maybe that's just me...
You could also throw in a few "fake" anonymous essays along the way. Perhaps they would reinforce or remind the students of topics covered a week or two ago, or possibly introduce a new topic coming in the next couple of classes.
It seems to me that the article may have been written to play on society's existing perceptions of what a computer gamer is. You even mention that stereotype on one of your posts at another board. Something to the effect that watching X number of hours of television is ok, but using the same number of hours at a computer seems to turn you into a loser. I agree, that's a double-standard and it's wrong.
Let's take a look at your posts on slashdot though. I see a similar theme with your characterization of slashdot readers. No, I don't spend all day reading the message boards. In fact, I'm an ASIC designer/verification engineer for Hewlett-Packard. I too leave applications open for "downtime" when I can take a break and scan the boards. I understand you're angry with the results of the article, but then you lash out at slashdot readers for commenting.
Let's look at that now. What information did the readers have access to? As far as I know, unless they played AO, all they knew about was the article. Are you going to question their judgement if that was their only source of information? Then you jump on slashdot and assault the posters for not being endowed with the psychic ability to know the ins-and-outs of your personal life. Instead of ranting, perhaps you should have posted a well-thought out response that laid out the situation in detail; similar to the letter to the NYT editor you posted on another board. However, you decided to bash the posters, resorting to the stereotypes associated with "nerds" and "geeks" from a high school era, even claiming that you beat them up then and socially reject them now. Remind me to tell you to never consider a career in politics.
Your post above seems to be a poor attempt to cover up the extremes you exhibited in your first post. I have dealt with people in life who feel they can make whatever negative comments they like and get away with it by smiling or giggling after they say it. I get that impression with all your attempts at smileys "j/k of course" type statements. That only works for the the very naive. I am not naive, and I would wager a great deal of money that a large number of slashdot readers are not that naive either.It makes us believe that you have not changed your perceptions, and are simply trying to save face.
I'm also a little suspicious of your posts here as compared to other boards. The other boards' messages seem fairly well thoguht out (though lacking in specific detail and are repetitive). Here, you've shown a level on par with the fourth-grade spelling and grammar you accuse the article's author of. So, are these messages on the other boards your own work, or were they written by your wife or someone else for you to bolster the image you wanted to portray (that of a calm, intelligent, and articulate individual who was horribly wronged). I have to say, the fact that you submitted to your anger when you posted here is strong evidence they were written on your behalf, and the posts here are a more accurate reflection of your personality.
I hope you'll also take note that I did not resort to name-calling or throwing insults as part of this post. That is how reasonable people go about discussing a subject.
P.S. Yes, I run Linux. Yes, I take pride in being knowledgable about computers and how they operate. "Geek" and "nerd" are just labels society has placed on people that share my interests. I have no more control over those labels than you had over the content of the article. Simply because I'm not walking around with a picket sign protesting the use of those names does not mean I have less worth as a human being.
Slashdot Mirror
And I love how every individual with an ingrained, uneducated Linux user stereotype feels compelled to comment about how insignificant we must be because we don't have a billion dollars. Why don't you roll the clock back, put me in Bill's position where there is no pre-existing competition and the computer world was in its infancy and see if I couldn't make a buck or two. I probably wouldn't make as much money because of something that could be best described as "questionable" business practices. Yes, I'll agree that the man is intelligent. He also happened to find himself in the right place at the right time. By the way, I'm 26. I don't live with my parents. In fact, I OWN my own house. And last time I checked my closet, no black trenchcoats. And last time I checked my bookmarks, no EddieBauer.com in sight. Think I'm the odd man in the Linux crowd? I doubt it. Why don't you come back when you aren't whining yourself, and add something constructive to the conversation.
Microsoft will go where the money is. Let's assume that tomorrow morning everybody gets out of bed and comes to the conclusion that Linux beats Windows without question. Microsoft wants to survive, and Microsoft isn't stupid. If the market moves to Linux, then they'll employ some spin doctors to minimize the amount of public-image-fallout from actually offering a Linux product.
While that scenario won't happen, there is one I _can_ imagine. Microsoft has a great deal of influence with hardware and software companies. I could see them exercise their influence in an attempt to gain an indirect foothold within the Linux software world. That's how they've always done things. They take control over some aspect of an emerging technology, and use that to reinforce their poduct line and their business objectives. It'll be a little more difficult to accomplish with Linux because of the nature of open source, but there are already closed source programs for Linux available for sale. It's reasonable to think that such offerings will continue to grow as the Linux user base grows. Could an opportunity arise in the future that could give Microsoft a foothold? I think it's possible especially when you consider that making Linux "ready for the desktop" means that people uninterested in open versus closed source will be the majority of software buyers. Will Mirosoft ever have total control over the Linux software world? No.
Ok, I can see your reasoning. However, I would classify most of those as indirect marketing to the consumer. It would be interesting to see a priority list for advertisers. What advertisement effect is most important to them? Band recognition? Product recognition? Viewer perception of product quality? Viewer perception of product image (is it cool, sexy, ugly, etc)?
The reason I'd say the three items you mentioned are indirect is because of two things:
1. People are habitual. If a consumable product meets their basic needs, then they'll tend to purchase it repeatedly with little or no reinforcement. For example, how many advertisements for bread have you seen? I'd be willing to bet you still purchase the same brand every time you go shopping. I do not remember the source, but I had read an article that termed that behavior "brand loyalty". The same thing goes for a lot of products (cookies, milk, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc.)
2. I've always felt that once the consumer makes a decision to buy an item, the usefulness of the item itself is a much more powerful persuasive force than the purchase satisfaction created through commercials. Then again, perhaps I don't fit in the normal consumer model. It wouldn't be the first time...
Well, there's another case he missed. What if they already bought the product/service? Are they expecting the consumer to like watching the commercial repeatedly simply because they bought that car/movie/razor? I know I don't want to sit through the commercials for products I already own, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So if the (lack of) popularity for a particular brand is measured in the number of commercials skipped, then your data set is flawed; the numbers are meaningless.
I understand there's the side-benefit of name recognition (it being relentlessly pounded into your sub-conscious), but like you said, that split-second to decide to skip performed that function. You realized what the product was and who makes it.
I have to agree with the poster... I just don't see what it gains them.
Ummmm... is it just me, or does it look like they ripped off a bunch of Apple's cases? Take a look at the Linux PC link... Maybe that's why they can sell it for less... they got the cases at a 5-finger discount?
If you have any sort of online posting/review process where the students can view and critique an essay or other assignment, it would probably be wise to allow for anonymous posting and response.
The critique portion being anonymous is simple. If someone wants to point out negative aspects of the assignment, they don't have to worry about the other students thinking they are a "teacher's pet" or just being malicious. Once the novelty of posting anonymously wears off, you should start getting some honest feedback. Of course, you'll need some mechanism to prevent responses that don't fit within guidelines set forth at the beginning of the course.
The anonymous nature for the author is, perhaps, not as necessary. It would allow a student who is below the average level of ability to escape being branded as "slow". Some teachers in my past felt that embarassment was a powerful motivating force. I don't think I agree with that. Embarassment is always associated negatively. Why would anyone think a negative emotion would encourage a positive reaction? Maybe that's just me...
You could also throw in a few "fake" anonymous essays along the way. Perhaps they would reinforce or remind the students of topics covered a week or two ago, or possibly introduce a new topic coming in the next couple of classes.
It seems to me that the article may have been written to play on society's existing perceptions of what a computer gamer is. You even mention that stereotype on one of your posts at another board. Something to the effect that watching X number of hours of television is ok, but using the same number of hours at a computer seems to turn you into a loser. I agree, that's a double-standard and it's wrong.
Let's take a look at your posts on slashdot though. I see a similar theme with your characterization of slashdot readers. No, I don't spend all day reading the message boards. In fact, I'm an ASIC designer/verification engineer for Hewlett-Packard. I too leave applications open for "downtime" when I can take a break and scan the boards. I understand you're angry with the results of the article, but then you lash out at slashdot readers for commenting.
Let's look at that now. What information did the readers have access to? As far as I know, unless they played AO, all they knew about was the article. Are you going to question their judgement if that was their only source of information? Then you jump on slashdot and assault the posters for not being endowed with the psychic ability to know the ins-and-outs of your personal life. Instead of ranting, perhaps you should have posted a well-thought out response that laid out the situation in detail; similar to the letter to the NYT editor you posted on another board. However, you decided to bash the posters, resorting to the stereotypes associated with "nerds" and "geeks" from a high school era, even claiming that you beat them up then and socially reject them now. Remind me to tell you to never consider a career in politics.
Your post above seems to be a poor attempt to cover up the extremes you exhibited in your first post. I have dealt with people in life who feel they can make whatever negative comments they like and get away with it by smiling or giggling after they say it. I get that impression with all your attempts at smileys "j/k of course" type statements. That only works for the the very naive. I am not naive, and I would wager a great deal of money that a large number of slashdot readers are not that naive either.It makes us believe that you have not changed your perceptions, and are simply trying to save face.
I'm also a little suspicious of your posts here as compared to other boards. The other boards' messages seem fairly well thoguht out (though lacking in specific detail and are repetitive). Here, you've shown a level on par with the fourth-grade spelling and grammar you accuse the article's author of. So, are these messages on the other boards your own work, or were they written by your wife or someone else for you to bolster the image you wanted to portray (that of a calm, intelligent, and articulate individual who was horribly wronged). I have to say, the fact that you submitted to your anger when you posted here is strong evidence they were written on your behalf, and the posts here are a more accurate reflection of your personality.
I hope you'll also take note that I did not resort to name-calling or throwing insults as part of this post. That is how reasonable people go about discussing a subject.
P.S. Yes, I run Linux. Yes, I take pride in being knowledgable about computers and how they operate. "Geek" and "nerd" are just labels society has placed on people that share my interests. I have no more control over those labels than you had over the content of the article. Simply because I'm not walking around with a picket sign protesting the use of those names does not mean I have less worth as a human being.