An interesting development on the Patent issues is the latest battle between Xerox and Palm.
Xerox won the day as far as Infringement is concerned, however the appeal court "agreed with Palm's argument that the lower court failed to find out if Xerox's patented technology was indeed unique." and ordered that portion back to the trial court.
If Xerox looses the validity of the Graffiti patent it will set a much needed precedent and pave the way for future legal strategies in dissputes.
Attack the Patent rather than defend non Infringement.
Read how MS office comes to Linux Servers or how Microsoft collects data on installed competitive software on your machine. This goes on while they proudly display that they are not collecting any "Personal Data".
As you might know there will be no support for x86-64 in the upcoming Windows Server 2003. This was made public here a few days ago.
I find this real hard to understand from a strategic viewpoint. (Maybe they are just late and do not want to hold up 2003). If indeed they have been strongarm'ed (bad joke) or something by Intel. It seems to me they are forcing a Linux / Opteron attack precisely where they want to go themselves. The middle tier server market.
With no immediate support from Windows what other choice is there for AMD than to embrace the only credible OS for their chip, Linux. They want to position Opteron against Xeon but the volume is not there initially so what else can they do than make special deals for Linux based servers. Now, this will hurt Dell as a Intel only supplier. Dell can not afford to loose momentum so either they have to get huge discounts from Intel, or embrace AMD. Either way it's bad long term for both Intel and Microsoft.
Once the middle tier market is gone to linux, they can kiss.Net goodbye. Just look at the Webserver market. No "innovations" from MS, since forever. Why?, because of Apache. They can't find traction for an embrace and extend strategy with 26% share. Same for.Net once the middle tier market is gone.
Not supporting AMD's x86-64 is like trying to corner an amimal thinking it wil not strike back. Strange.
I find it pretty insulting when people try to imply that NASA and Boeing are being anything but absolutely forthcoming about information
I don't think it's NASA nor Boeing that is the problem per se. It's NASA perceived as a government body, and Boeing as a Government contractor that generate the mistrust. Rightly so by the way. Mistrusting government will give you better odds at being right than trust. Sad state of affair.
NASA should get back in the business of pushing the envelope, as should the US Postal Service.
If that is the case then why hasn't the server version also been pushed back?
Precisely because it does not need MS Windows, Linux is all that this chip needs to be successful. Or maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to say.
The reference to Barton is because 1. It is performing better than expected 2. Has to hold the fort on the desktop until MS and / or Opteron is ready.
AMD chose to launch the Server version of x86 first as they do not need MS for that. Second, any heat / speed problem can better be handled in a server environment. (Both Power4 and Itanium are power hungry monsters)
Anyway it is probably a bit of both and the strategy chosen by AMD seems prudent. Launcing Opteron without x64 windows being ready would sink AMD.
It is precisely MS that is causing delay, therefore the server version of x64 is being launced in April with SUN / IBM / NewiSys as initial launch partners.
We all know this is just the journalist being ignorant but the the Meme has value. Intel is hardcore business and having PHBs thinking that Intel has committed resources to a Linux Chip is worth quite a lot.
The irony is that AMD actually is a bit close to this as present time, with the x64 for desktop being delayed due to MS not ready. The initial OS for the chip is Linux. (AIX??)
There is the old Ezra and the new Nehemiah. The latter uses full speed FP (Ezra runs a half the processor speed = reason for being so slow on most benchmarks)
If it is upgradable this might be a pretty good deal after all. The CPU sells for $35+ or so.
Heh, i dont know about others on slashdot, but recently ive found myself coming to the limits of what is "fun" with the x86 arch, and have been looking for other architectures to play with
Same here. I bought a 500Mhz Alpha a few month ago just to play with. That is why I ran into SRM. When I first saw it I thought how clever and wondered why nobody had thought about putting this on a standard pc/ x86 machine.
Coming from a windows world a few years ago I had the same feeling when I tried Linux / Unix the first time.
There must be a lot of other stuff out there that could usefully find its way to "normal" workstations.
is just FUD trying to keep customers from buying right now.
I agree with you but you forgot one word. competitor
The line should read:
is just FUD trying to keep customers buying from a competitor right now.
That is by the way one of the reasons Apple can keep a much better track record on new product releases. They are to a major extend competiting against itself, at least in the short term.
There are many clever and motivated people out there
This is the #1 reason Linux et al will achieve the famed world domination in the not too distant future.
It is like a rite of passage for the best and the brightest. Look at the cost benefit ratio to your CV (cost measured in time, benefit measured in getting a desirable job) of having some of your code accepted into a key high profile OSS. There is no better way to spend your time. This will secure that the very best this world has to offer will add value to OSS. No corporation however rich can match that. No one.
There is currently 1000+ people working on the various aspects of the Linux kernel. (source IBM) How can anyone organization match that. It is like NASA in the 60's or the Manhattan project during later part of WW2.
The idea of MS innovating its way out of this is silly. Innovations will arrise at the grassroot level and continue to rise to the level the initial idea merits. Attracting the skills needed at the appropiate levels thru a natural selection process from an endless pool of talents.
This has nothing to do with the general "popularity" of Linux
Go over here and look at the breath of software that has become available for the Zaurus in a very short timespan.
Most of this is a port of already existing software made for other platforms. The reason is the underlaying Linux kernel. Had the Zaurus been based on QNX even with QT support we would not have seen near the amount of SW. (Check the nifty Audrey based on QNX as an example of the latter)
Slashdot Mirror
Easy Bro, I just patched and recompiled my kernel in preparation for a recursive stunt using this technology.
2.6 will be released April 1, at 10.32 CST.
There is at least 500 systems from NewiSys already delivered as test to various clients, incl MS so that is not the issue. Something else is going on.
Xerox won the day as far as Infringement is concerned, however the appeal court "agreed with Palm's argument that the lower court failed to find out if Xerox's patented technology was indeed unique." and ordered that portion back to the trial court.
If Xerox looses the validity of the Graffiti patent it will set a much needed precedent and pave the way for future legal strategies in dissputes.
Attack the Patent rather than defend non Infringement.
Too lazy to send in a story.
I find this real hard to understand from a strategic viewpoint. (Maybe they are just late and do not want to hold up 2003). If indeed they have been strongarm'ed (bad joke) or something by Intel. It seems to me they are forcing a Linux / Opteron attack precisely where they want to go themselves. The middle tier server market.
With no immediate support from Windows what other choice is there for AMD than to embrace the only credible OS for their chip, Linux. They want to position Opteron against Xeon but the volume is not there initially so what else can they do than make special deals for Linux based servers. Now, this will hurt Dell as a Intel only supplier. Dell can not afford to loose momentum so either they have to get huge discounts from Intel, or embrace AMD. Either way it's bad long term for both Intel and Microsoft.
Once the middle tier market is gone to linux, they can kiss .Net goodbye. Just look at the Webserver market. No "innovations" from MS, since forever. Why?, because of Apache. They can't find traction for an embrace and extend strategy with 26% share. Same for .Net once the middle tier market is gone.
Not supporting AMD's x86-64 is like trying to corner an amimal thinking it wil not strike back. Strange.
Look at this story today about Sun using Mobile Opterons in their new Blade offering.
Sure it can.
His initial offer was a red herring!
If he were indeed offering a colored fish of the genus Clupea it would have been stated differently.
Interesing enough the literal meaning of Begging the question you are talking about came after the idiom.
It means :
"to assume something that hasn't been proven as a basis of one's argument,"
"Wine is not good because it is open source", or "Microsoft's compilers are bad because it is closed source", are examples of Begging the question.
I don't think it's NASA nor Boeing that is the problem per se. It's NASA perceived as a government body, and Boeing as a Government contractor that generate the mistrust. Rightly so by the way. Mistrusting government will give you better odds at being right than trust. Sad state of affair.
NASA should get back in the business of pushing the envelope, as should the US Postal Service.
Precisely because it does not need MS Windows, Linux is all that this chip needs to be successful. Or maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to say.
The reference to Barton is because 1. It is performing better than expected 2. Has to hold the fort on the desktop until MS and / or Opteron is ready.
AMD chose to launch the Server version of x86 first as they do not need MS for that. Second, any heat / speed problem can better be handled in a server environment. (Both Power4 and Itanium are power hungry monsters)
Anyway it is probably a bit of both and the strategy chosen by AMD seems prudent. Launcing Opteron without x64 windows being ready would sink AMD.
It is precisely MS that is causing delay, therefore the server version of x64 is being launced in April with SUN / IBM / NewiSys as initial launch partners.
We all know this is just the journalist being ignorant but the the Meme has value. Intel is hardcore business and having PHBs thinking that Intel has committed resources to a Linux Chip is worth quite a lot.
The irony is that AMD actually is a bit close to this as present time, with the x64 for desktop being delayed due to MS not ready. The initial OS for the chip is Linux. (AIX??)
Well, ask yourselves why the "stunt" seems to work. It must have hit a nerve somehow.
Now if only the local watering hole would take a hint.
There is the old Ezra and the new Nehemiah. The latter uses full speed FP (Ezra runs a half the processor speed = reason for being so slow on most benchmarks)
If it is upgradable this might be a pretty good deal after all. The CPU sells for $35+ or so.
More infor on Via C3 chip here
Galileo Galilei
That is why Word is part of their productivity suite.
Just think what you could do if you got a copy, or Linus.
Same here. I bought a 500Mhz Alpha a few month ago just to play with. That is why I ran into SRM. When I first saw it I thought how clever and wondered why nobody had thought about putting this on a standard pc/ x86 machine.
Coming from a windows world a few years ago I had the same feeling when I tried Linux / Unix the first time.
There must be a lot of other stuff out there that could usefully find its way to "normal" workstations.
This nifty thing has been available on the Alpha machines for 10 years or so.
These domains are just a revisit of deceptive sites that uses common misspellings. Like amason.com
I agree with you but you forgot one word. competitor
The line should read:
is just FUD trying to keep customers buying from a competitor right now.
That is by the way one of the reasons Apple can keep a much better track record on new product releases. They are to a major extend competiting against itself, at least in the short term.
Take this crap elsewhere
This is the #1 reason Linux et al will achieve the famed world domination in the not too distant future.
It is like a rite of passage for the best and the brightest. Look at the cost benefit ratio to your CV (cost measured in time, benefit measured in getting a desirable job) of having some of your code accepted into a key high profile OSS. There is no better way to spend your time. This will secure that the very best this world has to offer will add value to OSS. No corporation however rich can match that. No one.
There is currently 1000+ people working on the various aspects of the Linux kernel. (source IBM) How can anyone organization match that. It is like NASA in the 60's or the Manhattan project during later part of WW2.
The idea of MS innovating its way out of this is silly. Innovations will arrise at the grassroot level and continue to rise to the level the initial idea merits. Attracting the skills needed at the appropiate levels thru a natural selection process from an endless pool of talents.
Go over here and look at the breath of software that has become available for the Zaurus in a very short timespan.
Most of this is a port of already existing software made for other platforms. The reason is the underlaying Linux kernel. Had the Zaurus been based on QNX even with QT support we would not have seen near the amount of SW. (Check the nifty Audrey based on QNX as an example of the latter)
There is a detailed discussion of this in the Linux Kernel Traffic from the Jan 22-27 issue.