Indeed, I also use a whole bunch of others and dvdpricecheck.co.uk is worth a look.
It's more that a series like 24 (which I quite enjoyed) I might want to see once, and mostly will see it on TV, and if I miss an episode would want to see it as and when it suits me.
The thing is, the average slashdotter isn't the mass market. And right now, the broadband uptake is about 50%.
I think someone smart in TV land has recognised that maybe there's an opportunity rather than being a total arse about it.
I'm terrible at missing TV shows, and I don't download them, but if someone said to me that I could get last night's show, ad free for something sensible (eg less than £1), I'd do it. I've missed loads of stuff because I refuse to pay something like £40 ($70) for a box set.
I actually want multiple computers, each serving a purpose. My PC may be the one I do "programming" on, and the others may be pre-programmed, but very flexible (phone, PVR, DVD player, whatever).
What happens if you want to do some work on the PC and someone else in the house wants to watch a DVD? Buy 2 PCs?
You also have to be careful about how much you put in one machine, and the exponential degree of failure that gets introduced.
The other thing is how cheap separate devices are to have built now. DVD players cost about £25 (
What I do want is interfacing. I'd like a PVR box that can hook up to the web and set to record a program whilst sitting on the other side of the world via a browser. I want it all to work independently, and yet together.
Doesn't life constantly show that distributed small units (whether humans working in a capitalist/free market society or the internet) work better than single large things?
When did anyone predict that it was going to happen over a short time frame? No-one did. Maybe the press have talked it up, but as far as I know, most of the scientists were talking about it over a long period of time.
What happens with most home PC buyers? They pop to the big electronics store or go online and buy their PC, plug it in, set up their dial-up settings and go.
Whoops! You just put an unpatched machine on the internet that's liable to be attacked in what period of time? Of course, it may be that you've got XP SP2. How many people at home get themselves a firewall put on straight away, or a set their users up to ensure that for everyday use that they don't risk getting spyware?
I've recently met someone who has stopped using his PC because he got a virus and just doesn't know what to do with it (in fact he went and got a new one).
Linux doesn't help in this area, really, except that right now, most installs are either being done by geeks for themselves, or have geeks involved with them. Also, the distros generally encourage you out of using admin login.
I know people using Linux on their desktops, and they're happy. If anything, the fact that it's easy to add or remove virtually the whole OS makes it better for "Mum Computing" than Windows.
The other thing is that if you polled people about "gaming", you'd end up with quite a high figure.
Now, take away something like solitaire/tetris/old school games and you'll see that percentage drop pretty rapidly. Then, take out people who will settle for old games or a fairly limited choice of games.
I wonder what the percentage of hardcore PC gamers is now?
And, the biggest and best sites just don't seem to do all this shit.
Look at Amazon, Ebay, BBC and Google - they just work. They hardly have any gizmos or surprises, they are very simple (even the background as white is simple).
The thing I think (and I've seen this with GUI programmers as well) as CV/skill chasing - I know people who've rewritten code to use some feature that was unneccessary, just to play around with a programming feature.
In many ways you are right. And to be honest, a lot of people just take OSS and give nothing back. I know they can, but it's like the old fable about everyone putting something into the soup.
I've said it to friends of mine - give $5 to Mozilla or OpenOffice.org - look how much they are improving your life, and it's far more than $5.
I'd love to say here "well, if people have OSS, they may be spending the difference on charitable donations", but I don't believe that. They'll just buy more crap instead. You have given me an idea though - to give a portion of my saving using OpenOffice.org from my company to a charity each year.
All that said, there may well be benefits for countries trying to get out of poverty. They do need software to run their governments, and maybe if they can save some money on software, or maybe run things better with it, they can serve their people better. Also, if they, instead of paying for a foreign company to look after something, get a local guy to tweak it, that improves their local skills, and therefore, the local economy.
The biggest gain of free software is a global one though. It may help people have more access to technology, including in the west. It may help children get better educated, and have a better understanding of the world.
There are lots of small things we can all do right now. Going to a shop a mile away? Walk instead of starting up the car. Next car, get something more efficient. Take a train on a long journey. Don't do journeys you really don't need to. Work from home instead of commuting. Car share. Cut back your lifestyle. Buy stuff produced locally (like food and beer) and cut down on people transporting it. Get your house insulated. Turn off your monitors/TVs when you aren't using them.
I'm no saint. I don't do all these things, but there's some food for thought there.
Slashdot Mirror
It's more that a series like 24 (which I quite enjoyed) I might want to see once, and mostly will see it on TV, and if I miss an episode would want to see it as and when it suits me.
People find inspiration in the strangest of places.
I think someone smart in TV land has recognised that maybe there's an opportunity rather than being a total arse about it.
I'm terrible at missing TV shows, and I don't download them, but if someone said to me that I could get last night's show, ad free for something sensible (eg less than £1), I'd do it. I've missed loads of stuff because I refuse to pay something like £40 ($70) for a box set.
Perhaps he was worried that he would suddenly crash at some point?
I then spent about half a day reinstalling everything to get it to where it was including patches etc.
If my DVD player goes belly up, I throw it in the bin and get another. I don't want a days work to get my DVD player working.
What happens if you want to do some work on the PC and someone else in the house wants to watch a DVD? Buy 2 PCs?
You also have to be careful about how much you put in one machine, and the exponential degree of failure that gets introduced.
The other thing is how cheap separate devices are to have built now. DVD players cost about £25 ( What I do want is interfacing. I'd like a PVR box that can hook up to the web and set to record a program whilst sitting on the other side of the world via a browser. I want it all to work independently, and yet together.
Doesn't life constantly show that distributed small units (whether humans working in a capitalist/free market society or the internet) work better than single large things?
The separation of client from server is valuable to the world. It creates truly open competition.
When did anyone predict that it was going to happen over a short time frame? No-one did. Maybe the press have talked it up, but as far as I know, most of the scientists were talking about it over a long period of time.
I bet there was a time when there was a powerful horse breeders lobby.
In most cases, the science they base their arguments on is weak.
I invite anyone here to show me some decent science papers that take the contrary argument to be scrutinised.
Whoops! You just put an unpatched machine on the internet that's liable to be attacked in what period of time? Of course, it may be that you've got XP SP2. How many people at home get themselves a firewall put on straight away, or a set their users up to ensure that for everyday use that they don't risk getting spyware?
I've recently met someone who has stopped using his PC because he got a virus and just doesn't know what to do with it (in fact he went and got a new one).
Linux doesn't help in this area, really, except that right now, most installs are either being done by geeks for themselves, or have geeks involved with them. Also, the distros generally encourage you out of using admin login.
I know people using Linux on their desktops, and they're happy. If anything, the fact that it's easy to add or remove virtually the whole OS makes it better for "Mum Computing" than Windows.
Now, take away something like solitaire/tetris/old school games and you'll see that percentage drop pretty rapidly. Then, take out people who will settle for old games or a fairly limited choice of games.
I wonder what the percentage of hardcore PC gamers is now?
Is there a Vinnie Jones mod?
Look at Amazon, Ebay, BBC and Google - they just work. They hardly have any gizmos or surprises, they are very simple (even the background as white is simple).
The thing I think (and I've seen this with GUI programmers as well) as CV/skill chasing - I know people who've rewritten code to use some feature that was unneccessary, just to play around with a programming feature.
I can well imagine some OSS projects being based in certain patent-free countries, and developers outside making anonymous contributions.
It's the equivalent of someone taking a can and some beer and creating a patent for "canned beer".
I've said it to friends of mine - give $5 to Mozilla or OpenOffice.org - look how much they are improving your life, and it's far more than $5.
I'd love to say here "well, if people have OSS, they may be spending the difference on charitable donations", but I don't believe that. They'll just buy more crap instead. You have given me an idea though - to give a portion of my saving using OpenOffice.org from my company to a charity each year.
All that said, there may well be benefits for countries trying to get out of poverty. They do need software to run their governments, and maybe if they can save some money on software, or maybe run things better with it, they can serve their people better. Also, if they, instead of paying for a foreign company to look after something, get a local guy to tweak it, that improves their local skills, and therefore, the local economy.
The biggest gain of free software is a global one though. It may help people have more access to technology, including in the west. It may help children get better educated, and have a better understanding of the world.
Actually, I'm probably unusual for doing it.
They've been going for well over a decade in the UK, and maybe much longer.
In some ways, some of those things I suggested are cost-neutral, or even provide a saving at a small effort.
Light railways cost a lot of money and lack the flexibility of buses.
I'm not from the USA. I am from the UK who have signed up. We also have taxes on fuel to encourage less car use.
not so far... but I persevere. To be honest, I don't find many word docs around.
I'm no saint. I don't do all these things, but there's some food for thought there.
In the UK, you get grants for insulating your home, and the insulation investment pays back in about 5-10 years.