If it were possible for someone to legally place a toll boothe at the bottom of your driveway and charge you a dollar every time you want to drive anywhere regardless of the fact they do not contribute to the road, the driveway or yourself how long before someone would do so?
The answer is less than a New York minute.
Now someone can place a toll boothe for the use of an international standard, and despite the fact they probably did not contribute to that, then do you blame them for doing so?
It is blatantly obvious that some laws need changing, however, as long as the toll booth owners have the ears of the legislators the problem needs to be passed to the voters.
Don't get me wrong - I am a Linux user not a BSD one - but I know a lot of administrators who prefer the BSD family over the Linux one.
I wonder if BSD would benefit from changing to a similar development model as Linux. There sem to be relatively few active BSD developers, and although they do a good job, they must have a bad time trying to keep up with the latest hardware and technologies available.
An unsung hero. His motive to make the world a better place.
To be fair to westerners, many Open/Free Source Developers are coding for the same motives. I hope that brilliant Afghan will not have to face up to these idiotic IP patent attacks that is happening over here.
The Council of Ministers decision on pro-patents under the Irish Presidency has been one of the most undemocratic decisions ever taken here (Europe).
A vote in the European Parliament not long before had REJECTED US style software patents, much to support of the vast majority of their constituents.
The ONLY people interested in promoting Software Patents here are a few (not all) of the large corporations (Microsoft, Nokia) and, of course, the IP lawyers, and some relatively influential (unfortunately) politicians and civil servants who have been duped. The VAST majority of others who are aware of this are dead against it. To make the message clear, excuse the shouting...
WE DO NOT WANT SOFTWARE PATENETS HERE.
Software patents are not in force here yet, hopefully they will not be but there is an enormous fight on our hands to prevent it.
Maybe the scene where the Wormtoungue throws the Palantír at the fellowship - one of my favourite scenes from the book - filmed but sadly cur from the film....
The article is an irrelevance and does not deal with the real issues of security.
If a sysadmin is lazy and security unaware, he will ALWAYS be cracked into and exploited regardless of the OS system used, Windows Linux whatever. At the same time if he is vigulant and security aware he will unlikely to be seriously cracked and his systems will be stable, again regardless of the OS involved.
What I have found is that managing Linux properly is a lot easier and cheaper than managing the Windows OS's properly due to the better OS design in philosophy and security, and attitude of the OS maintainers.
I think MS's plan was to try and replace HTML with XAML and Avalon - it probably still is - so they were not going to invest in technology that they were(are) going to try and kill and which they thought(think) will die.
However - I think they are making a mistake in that philosophy (if it IS there philosophy), in so far as much if they try and forceably tie people down to their platform then corporates and government departments will rebel against microsoft. Some already are - there will be more. Also if FireFox/Mozilla becomes the standard browser it could lead the way to a migration away from the Windows OS.
Microsoft have made mistakes concerning the global village paradigm before - I think they are doing it again now.
I welcome this statement of co-operation, but it is only a very small step in the right direction, and it will do little good and have hardly any effect.
Spammers will always find a way to spam so long as there is money in it. If that money is denied them they will stop. "CAN-SPAM" acts need to be changed to "CANT-SPAM" - and internationally at that - and spammers need to be hit where it counts - in their bank balance.
However - I do not see the above happening. All countries need to participate and co-operate, not just the ones involved in the press release, do you really see THAT happening? Also legislation NEEDS to be passed that the US have already shown they cannot - and most other countries will not dare to try - not good for the future there.
I suppose we will have to get used to the usefulness of Email becoming more and more diluted, of the endless race between anti-spam software and spammers getting round it and so on. I think we will still have the internet and inboxes getting clogged up with that rubbish for some time yet - if not from now on in.
This kind of restriction seems pointless to me. The casual user who wants to copy a show/film for a friend to see will use VCR type recording anyway. The only people who will want to redistribute the digital signal will be criminals who - not being well known as maintainers of laws - are likely to have outlawed equipment.
All in all the only people this will harm are the legitimate paying customers. How long can a business model last that pisses of the people who pay the wages?
Well - not quite - King Canute ordered the tide not to come in as a demonstration to his sycophantic admirers that he did NOT have power over nature.
Though the Chinese Government now trying to maintain such control over it's population is fighting a losing battle. Control WAS just about possible before the prolification of IT for the masses, but now the Chinese Government is trying to stop the tide. There is NO WAY to keep up such control on modern communications. Even with auto-text-pattern matches and auto-calling-of-the-local-police, all the participants need to do is use code words!
I think we can expect the Chinese Government, in the next couple of years, in effect throw in the towell and permit uncensored communication to occur. If they do not the populus will have found ways round it anyway. Then what - who knows... I hope not another Tiananmen Square.
GNOME did this before Microsoft did I seem to recall. The date of the Patent Application is 2001 - I do not know if GNOME did this then. I am surprised if the concept was not published prior to Microsoft's application though.
POSIX isn't a kernal. It's a standards specification.
Agreed. I stand corrected. I meant of course operating systems implementing the POSIX Kernel, which Linux is one.
POSIX isn't a kernel. It's a standards specification.
Yes - and NT 3.5 was meant to be largely POSIX compliant too, however, that soon went to pot when Microsoft put all sorts of rubbish in the kernel (like the Windowing System) and removed a lot of the POSIX stuff to cater for this.
Hmm - The POSIX kernel has long been superior top the Microsoft ones, especially in the days of 95/98/ME. To say Linux is "catching up" there is a joke.
In the article he points out the differences between the two, highlighting where he thinks Windows Kernel lead the Linux one, but he forgets to mention where the Linux one leads Windows - especially in the areas of stability and security - I wonder why?
Also - he is mentioning the fact the windowing in the kernel suggesting that the only advantage of it not being is the ability for remote operations. My question would be is why do I need windowing features in a kernel that is being used as a server?
On a final note he seems to be recognizing that Linux competes with MS Windows at all levels, at the desktop as well as server. A mistake on his part?
The vast majority of the most used generic Windows apps have Linux equivalents now - in particular OpenOffice.org is a good-enough drop in replacement for MS-Office, Mozilla.Firefox is better than IE, Evolution is comparable to most of the features of outlook and Mozilla/Thunderbird/Lots of others is more than good enough for Outlook Express and so on.
Where legacy gets a real problem (for moving to Linux) is the small specialist-apps a lot of the SMEs have that only run on Windows. These often are a simple specialist accountancy package and so on. As the Wine API becomes more and more complete in creating a working API - and it does not matter if it is a bit old - the more of these sites can be converted to linux. The more that happens the more apps will be ported to native Linux.
Wine and so on is a LOT more than a simple "Look Ma - Windows on Linux" exercise. Although it does not replace the MS-Windows environment totally - it is not designed to - it enables greater migration to Linux - and the more that happens the less Linux adoption will rely on having to run MS Applications.
This is great news, not only for the projects involved, but for FOSS in general.
Also this is consistent with the Open Source Paradigm. Where it is in the interests of companies to improve the software, and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages of them not being exclusive. It is this philosophy, in my opinion, that will beat proprietary software models such as Microsoft, and it is these companies that are key in stopping those who want to halt the advancments of FOSS using idiotic patents and other invalid IP arguments.
There IS something to be said for ESR's and others policy of always encrypting Email using PGP. What this judgement could well have done is simply pronote that concepty.
It is also stupid. Those who are already sending out emails regarding dodgy things are probably already encrypting the email. What this is doing is getting all sorts of other people to do the same thus making it more difficult for the law-enforcers to identify the GENUINE dodgy emails.
My congratulations to the Justice Department - this excuse deserves a prize! Although it is common for people to make excuses that bare no relation to reality, but rarely they show such imagination as this!
This paces the Justice Department on par with Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, the recently retired Iraqi Information Minister in it's inovation of repartee in the face of fact!
I hope they do not copyright this reason as it is so good I think I will use it (if I can) when the circumstances arise.
Didn't any of these people know enough to think that no reports are magically sent to Microsoft when you e-mail someone?
The CEO of the company was(is) not technical. From memory, what he said was that there was no cost to forwarding the email and a potential (no matter how small) financial gain so why not? - There ended up being a credibility cost of course but that was not high as it turned out.
The others I think followed in his footsteps to "suck up" to him. Company politics and all
Did the company go down in flames?
No - It had (has) a good software product and now I believe no. 1 in it's market! All goes to show....
We got this in the Software company I was working with at the time. The laughable thing is that my CEO fell for this, and because he did a VP, the head of Implementation and Training did too then our head of support did to - all forwarding the Email to our customers!
As you can imagine it did our credibility no good whatsoever.
It is not just ignorant housewives and naive schoolkids who fall for these hoaxes...
This is a temporary order by the judge and I'm sure once he has a chance to understand the technical and logistical issues the correct decision (non-portability of ipv4 addresses) will be made.
Hmm - I hope so. You seem to have a lot more faith in the US legal system than I do.
If Microsoft is willing to open up its technologies and allow others to use them, then I see no problem with that. It isn't automatically part of a massive War on Linux.
You honestly think Microsoft would be doing this if Linux was NOT taking a significant share of the market? I don't think so.
OK - It may not be a knee-jerk reaction to Linux in trying to get market share back and to keep Linux out - but I share as anything would not want to put money on that...
This, and the recent news of the Thailand XP Startup Edition seems to be a direct response to a rise of Linux.
It is significant that Microsoft seems to be losing the lead on where things are going now. They are recting to Linux rather than leading the IT market.
I know they are doing this to keep Linux out and to try and get people hooked on XP - but it does not work like that any more. I have just replaced a customer's Outlook Express with Mozilla's Thunderbird - the transission went smoothly - and although the (non technical) person has never used Thunderbird before the training took about two minutes!
I think these strategic decisions of Microsoft are a turning point. Microsoft cannot kill Linux. If they want to keep their current markets they are learning that they need to do it on Linux's terms - ie - give the customer reliable cheap working software that does not involve paying a big "Microsoft Tax".
I think we have seen the value of Microsoft's software, and it's revenue, take a downward turn. I am expecting the trend to continue.
Slashdot Mirror
If it were possible for someone to legally place a toll boothe at the bottom of your driveway and charge you a dollar every time you want to drive anywhere regardless of the fact they do not contribute to the road, the driveway or yourself how long before someone would do so?
The answer is less than a New York minute.
Now someone can place a toll boothe for the use of an international standard, and despite the fact they probably did not contribute to that, then do you blame them for doing so?
It is blatantly obvious that some laws need changing, however, as long as the toll booth owners have the ears of the legislators the problem needs to be passed to the voters.
Things do not look good.
I wonder if BSD would benefit from changing to a similar development model as Linux. There sem to be relatively few active BSD developers, and although they do a good job, they must have a bad time trying to keep up with the latest hardware and technologies available.
His luggage lands in Africa somewhere...
To be fair to westerners, many Open/Free Source Developers are coding for the same motives. I hope that brilliant Afghan will not have to face up to these idiotic IP patent attacks that is happening over here.
A vote in the European Parliament not long before had REJECTED US style software patents, much to support of the vast majority of their constituents.
The ONLY people interested in promoting Software Patents here are a few (not all) of the large corporations (Microsoft, Nokia) and, of course, the IP lawyers, and some relatively influential (unfortunately) politicians and civil servants who have been duped. The VAST majority of others who are aware of this are dead against it. To make the message clear, excuse the shouting...
WE DO NOT WANT SOFTWARE PATENETS HERE.
Software patents are not in force here yet, hopefully they will not be but there is an enormous fight on our hands to prevent it.
Maybe the scene where the Wormtoungue throws the Palantír at the fellowship - one of my favourite scenes from the book - filmed but sadly cur from the film....
The judges are simply spoilt for choice here. It would cost a fortune to manufacture the number of awards needed...
If a sysadmin is lazy and security unaware, he will ALWAYS be cracked into and exploited regardless of the OS system used, Windows Linux whatever. At the same time if he is vigulant and security aware he will unlikely to be seriously cracked and his systems will be stable, again regardless of the OS involved.
What I have found is that managing Linux properly is a lot easier and cheaper than managing the Windows OS's properly due to the better OS design in philosophy and security, and attitude of the OS maintainers.
THAT to me is what is relevant.
However - I think they are making a mistake in that philosophy (if it IS there philosophy), in so far as much if they try and forceably tie people down to their platform then corporates and government departments will rebel against microsoft. Some already are - there will be more. Also if FireFox/Mozilla becomes the standard browser it could lead the way to a migration away from the Windows OS.
Microsoft have made mistakes concerning the global village paradigm before - I think they are doing it again now.
Spammers will always find a way to spam so long as there is money in it. If that money is denied them they will stop. "CAN-SPAM" acts need to be changed to "CANT-SPAM" - and internationally at that - and spammers need to be hit where it counts - in their bank balance.
However - I do not see the above happening. All countries need to participate and co-operate, not just the ones involved in the press release, do you really see THAT happening? Also legislation NEEDS to be passed that the US have already shown they cannot - and most other countries will not dare to try - not good for the future there.
I suppose we will have to get used to the usefulness of Email becoming more and more diluted, of the endless race between anti-spam software and spammers getting round it and so on. I think we will still have the internet and inboxes getting clogged up with that rubbish for some time yet - if not from now on in.
All in all the only people this will harm are the legitimate paying customers. How long can a business model last that pisses of the people who pay the wages?
Though the Chinese Government now trying to maintain such control over it's population is fighting a losing battle. Control WAS just about possible before the prolification of IT for the masses, but now the Chinese Government is trying to stop the tide. There is NO WAY to keep up such control on modern communications. Even with auto-text-pattern matches and auto-calling-of-the-local-police, all the participants need to do is use code words!
I think we can expect the Chinese Government, in the next couple of years, in effect throw in the towell and permit uncensored communication to occur. If they do not the populus will have found ways round it anyway. Then what - who knows... I hope not another Tiananmen Square.
GNOME did this before Microsoft did I seem to recall. The date of the Patent Application is 2001 - I do not know if GNOME did this then. I am surprised if the concept was not published prior to Microsoft's application though.
Agreed. I stand corrected. I meant of course operating systems implementing the POSIX Kernel, which Linux is one.
POSIX isn't a kernel. It's a standards specification.
Yes - and NT 3.5 was meant to be largely POSIX compliant too, however, that soon went to pot when Microsoft put all sorts of rubbish in the kernel (like the Windowing System) and removed a lot of the POSIX stuff to cater for this.
In the article he points out the differences between the two, highlighting where he thinks Windows Kernel lead the Linux one, but he forgets to mention where the Linux one leads Windows - especially in the areas of stability and security - I wonder why?
Also - he is mentioning the fact the windowing in the kernel suggesting that the only advantage of it not being is the ability for remote operations. My question would be is why do I need windowing features in a kernel that is being used as a server?
On a final note he seems to be recognizing that Linux competes with MS Windows at all levels, at the desktop as well as server. A mistake on his part?
I know they had made a lot of cars, but that many?
Where legacy gets a real problem (for moving to Linux) is the small specialist-apps a lot of the SMEs have that only run on Windows. These often are a simple specialist accountancy package and so on. As the Wine API becomes more and more complete in creating a working API - and it does not matter if it is a bit old - the more of these sites can be converted to linux. The more that happens the more apps will be ported to native Linux.
Wine and so on is a LOT more than a simple "Look Ma - Windows on Linux" exercise. Although it does not replace the MS-Windows environment totally - it is not designed to - it enables greater migration to Linux - and the more that happens the less Linux adoption will rely on having to run MS Applications.
Also this is consistent with the Open Source Paradigm. Where it is in the interests of companies to improve the software, and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages of them not being exclusive. It is this philosophy, in my opinion, that will beat proprietary software models such as Microsoft, and it is these companies that are key in stopping those who want to halt the advancments of FOSS using idiotic patents and other invalid IP arguments.
It is also stupid. Those who are already sending out emails regarding dodgy things are probably already encrypting the email. What this is doing is getting all sorts of other people to do the same thus making it more difficult for the law-enforcers to identify the GENUINE dodgy emails.
This paces the Justice Department on par with Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, the recently retired Iraqi Information Minister in it's inovation of repartee in the face of fact!
I hope they do not copyright this reason as it is so good I think I will use it (if I can) when the circumstances arise.
Agreed!
Didn't any of these people know enough to think that no reports are magically sent to Microsoft when you e-mail someone?
The CEO of the company was(is) not technical. From memory, what he said was that there was no cost to forwarding the email and a potential (no matter how small) financial gain so why not? - There ended up being a credibility cost of course but that was not high as it turned out.
The others I think followed in his footsteps to "suck up" to him. Company politics and all
Did the company go down in flames?
No - It had (has) a good software product and now I believe no. 1 in it's market! All goes to show....
As you can imagine it did our credibility no good whatsoever.
It is not just ignorant housewives and naive schoolkids who fall for these hoaxes...
Hmm - I hope so. You seem to have a lot more faith in the US legal system than I do.
You honestly think Microsoft would be doing this if Linux was NOT taking a significant share of the market? I don't think so.
OK - It may not be a knee-jerk reaction to Linux in trying to get market share back and to keep Linux out - but I share as anything would not want to put money on that...
It is significant that Microsoft seems to be losing the lead on where things are going now. They are recting to Linux rather than leading the IT market.
I know they are doing this to keep Linux out and to try and get people hooked on XP - but it does not work like that any more. I have just replaced a customer's Outlook Express with Mozilla's Thunderbird - the transission went smoothly - and although the (non technical) person has never used Thunderbird before the training took about two minutes!
I think these strategic decisions of Microsoft are a turning point. Microsoft cannot kill Linux. If they want to keep their current markets they are learning that they need to do it on Linux's terms - ie - give the customer reliable cheap working software that does not involve paying a big "Microsoft Tax".
I think we have seen the value of Microsoft's software, and it's revenue, take a downward turn. I am expecting the trend to continue.