I'm just responding to the original quote that stated that Microsoft are innovators. I completely realise that you don't have to innovate to be successful. Microsoft prove it. However I disagree that innovation isn't important. I'd personally prefer to work at a company that recognises intrisic value in actually coming up with something new and not just rehashing and re-marketing others ideas. But then I'm an engineer not an accountant.
Microsoft didnt invent SQL, MSSQL is just another SQL server. no innovation here. C#.. that would be microsoft's copy of Java, just differenet enough to avoid blatant plagiarism claims. I'll give you that C# is somewhat more C++ish, however Bjarne Stroustrup invented C++, not Microsoft, so yet another copy basically.
>> "Microsoft has become a clumsy, uncompetitive innovator"
I'd agree with clumsy and uncompetitve, but innovator? lol. Sorry no.
Microsoft hasn't innovated anything truly new in decades, except maybe the marketing dept changing a few colour schemes or finding new ways to screw customers.
In fact can anyone think of anything technically innovative that Microsoft ever put their name on, that wasn't originally bought, copied, 'embraced', assimilated, or blatantly stolen from some other company? I can't.
Does anyone else also think its entirely too coincidental for the progress of the new cybersecurity bill, that a large scale hack of a giant US company (Google) was supposedly perpetrated by a comunist country a mere couple of weeks before the bill goes before the house?
>>> I could set some tasks that require Excel spreadsheet calculations. Or I could set some web quests where students search for information online.
OK firstly what is it you teach again? Chemistry or Computing? If this is your plan it sounds like computing to me.
Secondly, Excel specifically? Really? You're teaching them computing skills specific to a single commercial software product and computing platform?
Try and avoid teaching skills (especially computing skills)that are too specific, and that are bound tightly to a commercial product. If you really have to teach that stuff in a Chemistry course at all, then at least use Open Source.
Most companies I've ever work for especially in the US think its OK to put their employees in conditions you wouldn't keep an animal in. If you want people to feel good about working there then the first thing is to make the office a nice environment to be in. Get rid of dehumanising things like cubes, dress codes for people that never face clients, institutional wall and floor colours, and especially kill that horrible strip lighting that most offices use. Get some plants, shared spaces with comfortable furniture and as much natural daylight or eyestrain-friendly lighting in the place as you can.
This is dissapointing because UbiSoft are one of the few remaining PC games companies that haven't been bought by EA. Ubisoft truly missed an opportunity to differnetiate and scoop sales from EA by NOT using any DRM. I guess Ubisoft will fold soon because no-one at all is stupid enough to buy anything with this amount of restrictions.
I guess the UbiSoft execs are using piracy as a convenient excuse for poor sales, when in fact most Ubisoft titles are mostly crap to begin with. As far as I can remember, there really has only ever been one really good UbiSoft game (Far Cry).
Its very ironic that DRM this restrictive will ensure piracy of Ubisoft games becomes the norm so the Ubisoft execs will be proved right in one sense, that piracy of their products is so high that it indeed justifies their excuse to have DRM. Their own self-righteousness will ensure they never accept that they actually made it happen.
Totally agree. As a Brit now emigrated to the US, I am still nostalgic of my home town and am very sad that the free and peaceful country of my childhood has been raped, pillaged and murdered. I feel really sad for my family that still live there. At least I don't have to live through the sad demise in person.
>> a much wider range of usage, such as '[detecting] theft from cash machines, preventing theft of tractors and monitoring antisocial driving,'
Ahh the truth will out. Has there been an country-wide epidemic of tractor thefts recently? Is it practical to use an aircraft that can't hover to surveil ATMs? I think not. Now guess which one they REALLY want drones for.
I really can't imagine that our wonderful police would generate all those lame excuses just to cover up that they really just want drones as yet another way to generate even more revenue from drivers that momentarily stray over already devisively low speed limits. Surely not.
When will the police actually go after real criminals instead of finding new and devious ways to repeatedly bully soft targets like us road users?
From the title I was looking forward to the news that I could DL the opensource software, get my PC hooked up to a robot arm and a webcam, and have it do my appendectomy.
Ask the owner how you can make your the company policy flexible enough that it works for him too. There's all sorts of hidden messages in that question.
People really are very shallow and most Apple product owners fall for the marketing hype that showing off an I-something is a way of making themselves appear more 'cool'.
Once they implement DRM, the BBC becomes just another commercial company. This should mean the TV licence goes away, however I bet nothing will change.
I also expect the BBC are already planning a tiered service they can charge extra for, that allows you to once again record shows like you (legally) can now for free.
I also imagine that whatever DRM they choose will assume/require Microsoft Windows for PC-based solutions, so us Linux/Mythbox users are screwed by the BBC yet again.
>> So, I come in, and wait around for the release. Around 4:30, they finally got the build to work!
Dude if you're a contractor you need to think differently than a salaried employee. You bill by the hour so should view that day as easy money.
>> I missed out on a team building excursion with a majority of the group
You're lucky you got invited. Again stop thinking like a permie. Most companies I've contracted at make it clear that as a contractor you're not a part of the family so don't get 'permie perks'.
>> Maybe these guys are out of touch, they worry about latency.
There's nothing 'out of touch' about concerns over latency.
My cox cable internet service can download big files really fast but it has terrible latency. As an avid Unreal Tournament player I would happily trade half of my massive bandwitdth for a few milliseconds less latency to get an overall increase in gaming performance. UT doesn't generate much traffic at all but it is very time sensitive.
IT seems ISPs have a blind spot about gaming, their whole campaign is always about how fast you can download giant media files, which doesn't really bother me at all. I can't tell you how annoying it is though to be killed in-game by another player who has time to run up and shoot you before they even appear on your screen.
Yeah its deifnately a chiken and egg thing. Linux needs to be well supported to become mainstream, but mass-market HW manufacturers and developers won't bother to support it until it is mainstream.
I was in Dennys at the weekend and couldn't help listening to a conversation that was taking place on the table behind me. Some woman was proud of her new netbook that she had to buy because her old laptop had too many windows virusses to run (fast) any more. Clearly she was one of those people that surf everywhere and click yes to everything.
I had the revelation that she actually represents nearly all 'normal' people (us techies definately aren't normal). Most 'normal' people have already been conditioned by companies like Microsoft, Dell and Apple to view laptops as appliances, not something user-maintainable. Many people can't even differentiate between hardware and OS.
Also, most people are already familiar the windows environment, and also don't like change. Even a slightly different desktop menu layout or whatever is enough to make them feel uncomfortable enough to not want to go further. Just a new version of Windows represents a significant learning curve to these people. I mean most people still use IE for christ sake even after all the warnings and free alternatives one mouse-click away. They just want their PC to plug and play. When it runs slow, in their ignorance they prefer to throw it away and blow $1500 on another laptop rather than change their behavior or just learn about their PC.
These are most consumers, and if we want them to adopt Linux we have to take their natural behavior and all their preconceptions into account.
The only way to get desktop Linux to the majority is to beat Microsoft at being able to plug in any hardware or application and have it just work, which means getting hardware manufacturers and app developers to stop blindly developing stuff for Microsoft-based OS only. As long as hardware suppliers don't provide Linux drivers and, for example, games developers still use DirectX and not OpenGL, Linux will never be in a position to reach the public consciousness, even though its technically and intrinsically better. Linux has clearly already won that war but obviously thats not enough as still no mass migration from Windows to Linux desktop that we'd all like to see.
The thing is, most people still have never heard of Linux. We need to stop hoping people will join our community just because its technically better, and start spending money on advertising.
Linux needs to be shoved into the public perception through the TV and media at least as hard and frequently as Microsoft do with their products. Advertising is the only way that desktop Linux will ever get to critical mass, which it needs to do so that its obvious to all HW and SW manufacturers that they will quickly loose out if they continue to only target Windows. Furthermore 'Normal' consumers need to at least know that Linux exists before they can try it.
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I'm just responding to the original quote that stated that Microsoft are innovators. I completely realise that you don't have to innovate to be successful. Microsoft prove it. However I disagree that innovation isn't important.
I'd personally prefer to work at a company that recognises intrisic value in actually coming up with something new and not just rehashing and re-marketing others ideas. But then I'm an engineer not an accountant.
Microsoft settled a suit with Wang Labs over patent infringement code portions of OLE which is also the heart of Microsoft's ActiveX
Microsoft didnt invent SQL, MSSQL is just another SQL server. no innovation here.
C#.. that would be microsoft's copy of Java, just differenet enough to avoid blatant plagiarism claims. I'll give you that C# is somewhat more C++ish, however Bjarne Stroustrup invented C++, not Microsoft, so yet another copy basically.
Dunno what _you_ mean by high-end computers, but of the top 500 super computers, 446 run some flavour of linux, only 5 run a Microsoft OS.
Reference:
http://www.top500.org/stats/list/34/osfam
>> "Microsoft has become a clumsy, uncompetitive innovator"
I'd agree with clumsy and uncompetitve, but innovator? lol. Sorry no.
Microsoft hasn't innovated anything truly new in decades, except maybe the marketing dept changing a few colour schemes or finding new ways to screw customers.
In fact can anyone think of anything technically innovative that Microsoft ever put their name on, that wasn't originally bought, copied, 'embraced', assimilated, or blatantly stolen from some other company? I can't.
Does anyone else also think its entirely too coincidental for the progress of the new cybersecurity bill, that a large scale hack of a giant US company (Google) was supposedly perpetrated by a comunist country a mere couple of weeks before the bill goes before the house?
Nuclear reactors are old school since Steorn had their live working demo of Orbo, an overunity engine just this weekend.
>>> I could set some tasks that require Excel spreadsheet calculations. Or I could set some web quests where students search for information online.
OK firstly what is it you teach again? Chemistry or Computing? If this is your plan it sounds like computing to me.
Secondly, Excel specifically? Really? You're teaching them computing skills specific to a single commercial software product and computing platform?
Try and avoid teaching skills (especially computing skills)that are too specific, and that are bound tightly to a commercial product. If you really have to teach that stuff in a Chemistry course at all, then at least use Open Source.
Most companies I've ever work for especially in the US think its OK to put their employees in conditions you wouldn't keep an animal in.
If you want people to feel good about working there then the first thing is to make the office a nice environment to be in.
Get rid of dehumanising things like cubes, dress codes for people that never face clients, institutional wall and floor colours, and especially kill that horrible strip lighting that most offices use. Get some plants, shared spaces with comfortable furniture and as much natural daylight or eyestrain-friendly lighting in the place as you can.
This is dissapointing because UbiSoft are one of the few remaining PC games companies that haven't been bought by EA. Ubisoft truly missed an opportunity to differnetiate and scoop sales from EA by NOT using any DRM. I guess Ubisoft will fold soon because no-one at all is stupid enough to buy anything with this amount of restrictions.
I guess the UbiSoft execs are using piracy as a convenient excuse for poor sales, when in fact most Ubisoft titles are mostly crap to begin with. As far as I can remember, there really has only ever been one really good UbiSoft game (Far Cry).
Its very ironic that DRM this restrictive will ensure piracy of Ubisoft games becomes the norm so the Ubisoft execs will be proved right in one sense, that piracy of their products is so high that it indeed justifies their excuse to have DRM. Their own self-righteousness will ensure they never accept that they actually made it happen.
I think I'd rather have Hitlers Germany than Orwell's 1984, which is what the UK is fast becoming.
Is this really what my grandad fought to defend with is life in world war 2?
Totally agree. As a Brit now emigrated to the US, I am still nostalgic of my home town and am very sad that the free and peaceful country of my childhood has been raped, pillaged and murdered. I feel really sad for my family that still live there. At least I don't have to live through the sad demise in person.
>> a much wider range of usage, such as '[detecting] theft from cash machines, preventing theft of tractors and monitoring antisocial driving,'
Ahh the truth will out. Has there been an country-wide epidemic of tractor thefts recently? Is it practical to use an aircraft that can't hover to surveil ATMs? I think not. Now guess which one they REALLY want drones for.
I really can't imagine that our wonderful police would generate all those lame excuses just to cover up that they really just want drones as yet another way to generate even more revenue from drivers that momentarily stray over already devisively low speed limits. Surely not.
When will the police actually go after real criminals instead of finding new and devious ways to repeatedly bully soft targets like us road users?
From the title I was looking forward to the news that I could DL the opensource software, get my PC hooked up to a robot arm and a webcam, and have it do my appendectomy.
Warming isn't just global, its universal!
Ask the owner how you can make your the company policy flexible enough that it works for him too.
There's all sorts of hidden messages in that question.
People really are very shallow and most Apple product owners fall for the marketing hype that showing off an I-something is a way of making themselves appear more 'cool'.
YouTube et al to switch to Ogg instead.
Once they implement DRM, the BBC becomes just another commercial company. This should mean the TV licence goes away, however I bet nothing will change.
I also expect the BBC are already planning a tiered service they can charge extra for, that allows you to once again record shows like you (legally) can now for free.
I also imagine that whatever DRM they choose will assume/require Microsoft Windows for PC-based solutions, so us Linux/Mythbox users are screwed by the BBC yet again.
>> So, I come in, and wait around for the release. Around 4:30, they finally got the build to work!
Dude if you're a contractor you need to think differently than a salaried employee. You bill by the hour so should view that day as easy money.
>> I missed out on a team building excursion with a majority of the group
You're lucky you got invited. Again stop thinking like a permie. Most companies I've contracted at make it clear that as a contractor you're not a part of the family so don't get 'permie perks'.
Yeah I've been playing Unreal Tournament for years. A few years ago 35ms latency was normal, now I'm lucky to find a server faster than 150ms.
>> Maybe these guys are out of touch, they worry about latency.
There's nothing 'out of touch' about concerns over latency.
My cox cable internet service can download big files really fast but it has terrible latency.
As an avid Unreal Tournament player I would happily trade half of my massive bandwitdth for a few milliseconds less latency to get an overall increase in gaming performance. UT doesn't generate much traffic at all but it is very time sensitive.
IT seems ISPs have a blind spot about gaming, their whole campaign is always about how fast you can download giant media files, which doesn't really bother me at all. I can't tell you how annoying it is though to be killed in-game by another player who has time to run up and shoot you before they even appear on your screen.
Yeah its deifnately a chiken and egg thing.
Linux needs to be well supported to become mainstream, but mass-market HW manufacturers and developers won't bother to support it until it is mainstream.
I was in Dennys at the weekend and couldn't help listening to a conversation that was taking place on the table behind me. Some woman was proud of her new netbook that she had to buy because her old laptop had too many windows virusses to run (fast) any more. Clearly she was one of those people that surf everywhere and click yes to everything.
I had the revelation that she actually represents nearly all 'normal' people (us techies definately aren't normal). Most 'normal' people have already been conditioned by companies like Microsoft, Dell and Apple to view laptops as appliances, not something user-maintainable. Many people can't even differentiate between hardware and OS.
Also, most people are already familiar the windows environment, and also don't like change. Even a slightly different desktop menu layout or whatever is enough to make them feel uncomfortable enough to not want to go further. Just a new version of Windows represents a significant learning curve to these people. I mean most people still use IE for christ sake even after all the warnings and free alternatives one mouse-click away. They just want their PC to plug and play. When it runs slow, in their ignorance they prefer to throw it away and blow $1500 on another laptop rather than change their behavior or just learn about their PC.
These are most consumers, and if we want them to adopt Linux we have to take their natural behavior and all their preconceptions into account.
The only way to get desktop Linux to the majority is to beat Microsoft at being able to plug in any hardware or application and have it just work, which means getting hardware manufacturers and app developers to stop blindly developing stuff for Microsoft-based OS only. As long as hardware suppliers don't provide Linux drivers and, for example, games developers still use DirectX and not OpenGL, Linux will never be in a position to reach the public consciousness, even though its technically and intrinsically better. Linux has clearly already won that war but obviously thats not enough as still no mass migration from Windows to Linux desktop that we'd all like to see.
The thing is, most people still have never heard of Linux. We need to stop hoping people will join our community just because its technically better, and start spending money on advertising.
Linux needs to be shoved into the public perception through the TV and media at least as hard and frequently as Microsoft do with their products. Advertising is the only way that desktop Linux will ever get to critical mass, which it needs to do so that its obvious to all HW and SW manufacturers that they will quickly loose out if they continue to only target Windows. Furthermore 'Normal' consumers need to at least know that Linux exists before they can try it.