What comes to UAC, it's the correct direction, but lots of Windows userbase is general audience which would get annoyed with such in Linux and other OS too. Atleast it's there now, and those who dont like it can disable it.
The idea behind UAC is a good thing: prompt the user to reauthenticate before performing a system administrative task. However, the way UAC does it, at least by default on systems I've seen, doesn't seem very intuitive. Instead of just prompting you for your password, it pops up a dialog asking you to allow/deny. Then it tells you to press ctrl-alt-delete to get to the secure desktop. Then it asks you to allow/deny again, then asks for your password. Then it takes you back to your main desktop to complete the task.
In Linux, it just pops up a dialog asking for your password (or root's password depending on what distro you're using) and then completes the admin task.
The Guest account isn't the one doing the wiping. The account that runs the login process (I assume that is Admin) is the one doing the wiping before letting the Admin account finish logging in to the local console.
Perhaps a stupid question, but when you posted that reply, did you hit both 'Preview' and 'Submit'? There have been a few occasions where I'd type a comment on Slashdot, hit 'Preview' and while that's loading (sometimes it takes a minute) I'd read the next few comments. I sometimes forget to scroll back up to hit 'Submit' and remember several minutes later.
For a lot of us to do what we use our computers to do, running anything other than Windows is a matter of convenience or personal preference, but running Windows is a requirement.
I get along just fine with Ubuntu as the only OS on my main PC. I'm debating switching to OpenSolaris, but either way, I don't even have Windows installed natively. (I did install Windows 7 RC under VirtualBox just to see what it looked like. I only logged into it twice for a bout 10 minutes)
The ONLY thing that I need Windows for is the headless computer in my basement that hosts our MagicJack. So far I can't get that thing to run properly in Linux (and XP under VirtualBox under Linux doesn't count).
And Christians are so quick to believe that Christmas is such an innocuous subject and yet would be up in arms if the school play or carols dealt with another religion. They don't want to see a school play depicting the miracle of the lamp oil that should have lasted only 1 night but lasted 8 nights (the basis for Chanukah) and they don't want their kids learning songs about dradles. Why should students and parents from other religions be forced to see plays and sing songs about Christmas when they're not allowed to see plays and sing songs about their own religion?
I've sometimes wondered about the origins of Christmas. I guess it's something for me to think about as my kids are opening their Christmas presents around the Christmas tree this year...
Re:You have no seen the science?
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A Geek Funeral
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· Score: 1
I don't need Google to tell me that I don't want second-hand smoke pouring into my lungs.
One ought to be able to buy used software for the value of thrift to those who ordinarily cannot afford it. This should apply to CDs, DVDs, Video Games, MP3 files, PDF books, etc. If the original owner does not want it anymore they can sell it for a reasonable price to someone else.
Agreed. If I buy something, use it for a while, and no longer want/need it, I should be able to sell it even at a reduced price. I can buy a book for $100, read it 5 or 6 times, take notes on it, lend it to a few friends, read it again. Then when I'm done, I can sell it at a yard sale. The book would be sold at a cheaper price because it is used. It's damaged in some way (binding is broken, pages bent, text highlighted, etc.)
Software should be the same way. Buy software on a CD, use it for a while, sell it. You're not selling the software, including all rights to the software. You're just selling your only copy of it. Just like a book, you're selling your copy of the book, not the content/rights of the book itself. As long as you're not making a profit on it, it shouldn't be a problem. Although you could make a profit selling a car or even other items. Would Ford stop you from selling an F-150 for $5,000 more than you paid for it?
Re:Do we need the anti-smoking jab
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A Geek Funeral
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No, you are expected to say "excuse me, could you smoke elsewhere? The smoke really bothers me." Or is actually interacting with someone such a burden? Will his saying "No, I don't think so" traumatize you?
Treating others as individuals worthy of interaction is a sign of maturity and strength; weakness is expecting others to get you what you want.
Of course I can ask the person to smoke elsewhere. I just think that if smokers know the health issues of smoking, they should be courteous enough to not smoke around other people in the first place, unless they know that the other people won't mind.
I shouldn't have to ask you to stop breathing smoke onto me any more than I should have to ask you to stop punching me or to stop cutting my arm with that box cutter. Sure, the punching and cutting present a more immediate danger, but all 3 have a negative effect on my health.
If you smoke, you should do it away from others who may not want the effects of it.
Re:Do we need the anti-smoking jab
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A Geek Funeral
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The dangers of cheeseburgers are also well known, but I don't hear families whose loved ones die of heart disease feel the need to get on soapboxes when people die of heart disease. Why is Mickey-D's acceptable, and Marlboro's worth offering advice on?
I realize people get a lot of slack when a family member dies, and should. But I can certainly understand why smokers get a bit tired when complete strangers feel the need to offer off-the-cuff advice against smoking (as if smokers didn't realize it's unhealthy).
Hamburgers only affect your own physical health, not the rest of us. When you smoke, we breathe it in. There's a difference. I don't want your second hand smoke.
Re:Do we need the anti-smoking jab
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A Geek Funeral
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· Score: 1
First, I'm not arguing for or against smoking. I'm arguing against you (or anybody else) being able to tell somebody how they live their life. It's none of your business.
Second, the "smoking doesn't impact only the smoker" argument is bullshit. Especially when you're not arguing to outlaw smoking, but only to tax them.
Sure is disappointing you couldn't figure this out: the simplest way to avoid second hand smoke is to not hang around people who are smoking. Problem solved.
It's none of my business how you live your life, unless the way you live your life affects me. If I'm at my kid's soccer game watching him run the ball down toward the goal and you light up a cigarette, should I be expected to move my seat to avoid your second-hand smoke, and possibly miss my kid scoring the winning goal? Maybe you should just not light up at all. I like my clean air thank you.
I simply don't hang around people who smoke. If someone I'm hanging around does decide to light up, I will go do something else, if I'm able to. If I'm walking down a crowded street, and smokers walk by, I guess I can hold my breath for a bit, but it might not be long enough to get through the smoke cloud. Why should I be expected to do that just so you can enjoy your cancer stick?
If mobs of FOSS people ran around malls handing out Linux CDs, "Joe Public" would likely avoid them like the plague, but if these same CDs showed up in "Joe's" mailbox, he may be more willing to check it out... maybe. It seemed to work for America Online. AOL also had advertisements going on TV/radio, so at least "Joe" knew somewhat what AOL was for when he saw the CD in the mail.
So instead of running around in public trying to shove FOSS software down people's throats, the community could come up with some TV/radio ads and get them aired. Some of this has already been done, but not too widespread yet. Get the public hearing about this "Linux" thing, and then brochures show up in the mail with a CD included.
Yeah I know about Wine, but VirtualBox is a LOT slicker.
Maybe VirtualBox is a lot slicker, but it also results in a lot of overhead that is not always necessary. Why run an entire second operating system on top of your native operating system just to run a Windows application or two if those same applications can run under Wine? VirtualBox is more useful if you're actually using the guest OS as another computer, e.g. if you're setting the guest and host OS's to network with each other for something.
I have a Macintosh Performa at home with System 7.5.x on it. Sadly though, the hard drive is not being recognized. The System CD boots fine, but it claims there is no hard drive when clearly there is one. If I can get ahold of another hard drive, I could be using System 7.5.x in all of its glory!!
Ah, a car analogy. It's more like this: You go to the Honda dealership and take a look at their 2010 models and purchase a vehicle. You discover that the engine has a serious flaw in it and ask Honda for a fix. Honda refuses because that engine is based on an 8 year old engine design. Except in this case, instead of a Honda you bought a brand new netbook and instead of an engine it came with a new copy of Windows XP.
Well that's not Microsoft's fault. Why should Microsoft be forced to patch a 10+ year old OS just because some OEMs are still selling new hardware with XP on it? Microsoft can still sell licenses for XP 'as is' as long as OEMs understand that the OS is 'broken'. It's up to the OEMs whether they want to use it, or 'upgrade'.
To my knowlege, Red Hat no longer supports old versions of it's OS (prior to version 7??). If you find a laptop with an unsupported version of Red Hat Linux on it, and find it's broken, would you demand Red Hat to provide a patch, or demand the laptop manufacturer provide a supported version of the OS?
Granted, the situation can get difficult with some Military systems that could be in production for 20+ years. What will happen in 18 years when there are still networked weapon systems out there running WindowsCE 4.2? Upgrade to Windows Mobile 25?
Well I'm not saying we should teach elementary students how to install Solaris or write bash scripts or configure the init system of Linux. Yes, stick to the basics, but students can learn how to create a document in OpenOffice under Linux or whatever word processor Solaris has, as well as Word in Windows.
Kids absorb things like a sponge when they're young. They can learn how to play music on a Sony CD player just as well as on any other brand of stereo. Why can't the same be done on a computer? Why does it always have to be a PC with whatever version of Windows is installed?
If you give them more of a variety in the beginning, they'll learn better how to do basic things on any computer, not just "where's the big blue E for the Internet?"
Wrong. Children learn to work on the platform that's mostly used in Businesses today, giving them the necessary skills to obtain a job.
Why should our children only be taught how to use and interact with Microsoft Windows? What happens when your child goes into the real world and gets a job at a company that doesn't only use Windows, or gets a job in a Windows shop that later decides to migrate some systems to another OS?
Wouldn't it be better if our children get taught about computers through a variety of platforms? Have some classes on a Mac, some on Windows, Linux, Solaris, etc. Teach our kids how to use a computer, not a specific operating system.
It specifically excludes music you've purchased from being listed as illegal in the explanation if you pick the choice it doesn't want you to pick. The only thing I see wrong with their explanation is that it excludes legitimately "free" music such as stuff released into the public domain or under something like a Creative Commons license, but for the most part their definition is perfectly acceptable to the target audience (non-technical DoD users).
If I steal something from you, you don't have it anymore. That's what stealing is. If I download data from your computer, whether music, secret data, or the latest Ubuntu ISO image, you still have that data. So therefore I didn't steal it from you. In all but the Ubuntu case, I would have committed perhaps other crimes like copyright infringement, but certainly not stealing.
Real multitasking is being able to read while pouring a cup of tea. (for example)
I can multitask certain things. As a matter of fact, while I am typing this response, a coworker just stopped by to talk to me and I am listening to what they have to say. I can contnu tot ype this messge efectivley
Why not just pack an old 286 or 386 laptop (with AC adapter and no battery) instead of a new netbook? Old systems seem to last longer if properly stored. The hard drive will hold a lot less data, but you could pack multiple hard drives. Maybe even open the capsule every now and then to backup/restore the data just in case.
You are not alone. I also do not carry cash (very often). I almost never carry coins. One problem with credit cards is the threat of card skimmers. Of course this threat also exists on any other device that accepts cards like ATMs.
Instead of meters that take credit cards, why not use a system similar to EZPass or others that are used to automate toll plaza payments so you don't have to stop at the booth. Put the device in your car and when you park at a meter, press a button on the device and it will 'pay' the quarter or whatever fee it is for an hour at that meter. Give the meters maybe a 5 foot range so other drivers aren't paying your meter or you aren't paying theirs.
This would essentially be the same as paying actual coins, but you don't have to carry coins with you. Just park your car and press a few buttons for the desired amount of parking time. Authorities can still check for expired meters, or have the meters perhaps networked so they can send out an alert.
The meters would still have to have coin pay as a backup since not everyone carries an "EZMeter" transmitter in their car, yet.
I failed to mention I have two daughters. They are 3 and 1 right now, but I can only imagine the torture they'll put me through when they learn to work together to drive me crazy.
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There's nothing wrong with separating the graphical desktop from the commandline. Unix does it. Linux does it.
What comes to UAC, it's the correct direction, but lots of Windows userbase is general audience which would get annoyed with such in Linux and other OS too. Atleast it's there now, and those who dont like it can disable it.
The idea behind UAC is a good thing: prompt the user to reauthenticate before performing a system administrative task. However, the way UAC does it, at least by default on systems I've seen, doesn't seem very intuitive. Instead of just prompting you for your password, it pops up a dialog asking you to allow/deny. Then it tells you to press ctrl-alt-delete to get to the secure desktop. Then it asks you to allow/deny again, then asks for your password. Then it takes you back to your main desktop to complete the task.
In Linux, it just pops up a dialog asking for your password (or root's password depending on what distro you're using) and then completes the admin task.
The Guest account isn't the one doing the wiping. The account that runs the login process (I assume that is Admin) is the one doing the wiping before letting the Admin account finish logging in to the local console.
Should be able to. I've never heard of Slashdot deleting comments, but maybe they do. Strange indeed.
Perhaps a stupid question, but when you posted that reply, did you hit both 'Preview' and 'Submit'? There have been a few occasions where I'd type a comment on Slashdot, hit 'Preview' and while that's loading (sometimes it takes a minute) I'd read the next few comments. I sometimes forget to scroll back up to hit 'Submit' and remember several minutes later.
For a lot of us to do what we use our computers to do, running anything other than Windows is a matter of convenience or personal preference, but running Windows is a requirement.
I get along just fine with Ubuntu as the only OS on my main PC. I'm debating switching to OpenSolaris, but either way, I don't even have Windows installed natively. (I did install Windows 7 RC under VirtualBox just to see what it looked like. I only logged into it twice for a bout 10 minutes)
The ONLY thing that I need Windows for is the headless computer in my basement that hosts our MagicJack. So far I can't get that thing to run properly in Linux (and XP under VirtualBox under Linux doesn't count).
And Christians are so quick to believe that Christmas is such an innocuous subject and yet would be up in arms if the school play or carols dealt with another religion. They don't want to see a school play depicting the miracle of the lamp oil that should have lasted only 1 night but lasted 8 nights (the basis for Chanukah) and they don't want their kids learning songs about dradles. Why should students and parents from other religions be forced to see plays and sing songs about Christmas when they're not allowed to see plays and sing songs about their own religion?
I've sometimes wondered about the origins of Christmas. I guess it's something for me to think about as my kids are opening their Christmas presents around the Christmas tree this year...
I don't need Google to tell me that I don't want second-hand smoke pouring into my lungs.
One ought to be able to buy used software for the value of thrift to those who ordinarily cannot afford it. This should apply to CDs, DVDs, Video Games, MP3 files, PDF books, etc. If the original owner does not want it anymore they can sell it for a reasonable price to someone else.
Agreed. If I buy something, use it for a while, and no longer want/need it, I should be able to sell it even at a reduced price. I can buy a book for $100, read it 5 or 6 times, take notes on it, lend it to a few friends, read it again. Then when I'm done, I can sell it at a yard sale. The book would be sold at a cheaper price because it is used. It's damaged in some way (binding is broken, pages bent, text highlighted, etc.)
Software should be the same way. Buy software on a CD, use it for a while, sell it. You're not selling the software, including all rights to the software. You're just selling your only copy of it. Just like a book, you're selling your copy of the book, not the content/rights of the book itself. As long as you're not making a profit on it, it shouldn't be a problem. Although you could make a profit selling a car or even other items. Would Ford stop you from selling an F-150 for $5,000 more than you paid for it?
No, you are expected to say "excuse me, could you smoke elsewhere? The smoke really bothers me." Or is actually interacting with someone such a burden? Will his saying "No, I don't think so" traumatize you?
Treating others as individuals worthy of interaction is a sign of maturity and strength; weakness is expecting others to get you what you want.
Of course I can ask the person to smoke elsewhere. I just think that if smokers know the health issues of smoking, they should be courteous enough to not smoke around other people in the first place, unless they know that the other people won't mind.
I shouldn't have to ask you to stop breathing smoke onto me any more than I should have to ask you to stop punching me or to stop cutting my arm with that box cutter. Sure, the punching and cutting present a more immediate danger, but all 3 have a negative effect on my health.
If you smoke, you should do it away from others who may not want the effects of it.
The dangers of cheeseburgers are also well known, but I don't hear families whose loved ones die of heart disease feel the need to get on soapboxes when people die of heart disease. Why is Mickey-D's acceptable, and Marlboro's worth offering advice on?
I realize people get a lot of slack when a family member dies, and should. But I can certainly understand why smokers get a bit tired when complete strangers feel the need to offer off-the-cuff advice against smoking (as if smokers didn't realize it's unhealthy).
Hamburgers only affect your own physical health, not the rest of us. When you smoke, we breathe it in. There's a difference. I don't want your second hand smoke.
First, I'm not arguing for or against smoking. I'm arguing against you (or anybody else) being able to tell somebody how they live their life. It's none of your business.
Second, the "smoking doesn't impact only the smoker" argument is bullshit. Especially when you're not arguing to outlaw smoking, but only to tax them.
Sure is disappointing you couldn't figure this out: the simplest way to avoid second hand smoke is to not hang around people who are smoking. Problem solved.
It's none of my business how you live your life, unless the way you live your life affects me. If I'm at my kid's soccer game watching him run the ball down toward the goal and you light up a cigarette, should I be expected to move my seat to avoid your second-hand smoke, and possibly miss my kid scoring the winning goal? Maybe you should just not light up at all. I like my clean air thank you.
I simply don't hang around people who smoke. If someone I'm hanging around does decide to light up, I will go do something else, if I'm able to. If I'm walking down a crowded street, and smokers walk by, I guess I can hold my breath for a bit, but it might not be long enough to get through the smoke cloud. Why should I be expected to do that just so you can enjoy your cancer stick?
If mobs of FOSS people ran around malls handing out Linux CDs, "Joe Public" would likely avoid them like the plague, but if these same CDs showed up in "Joe's" mailbox, he may be more willing to check it out... maybe. It seemed to work for America Online. AOL also had advertisements going on TV/radio, so at least "Joe" knew somewhat what AOL was for when he saw the CD in the mail.
So instead of running around in public trying to shove FOSS software down people's throats, the community could come up with some TV/radio ads and get them aired. Some of this has already been done, but not too widespread yet. Get the public hearing about this "Linux" thing, and then brochures show up in the mail with a CD included.
Anyone can hack an etch-a-sketch. Just shake the thing and all your data is GONE!
I think you mean that you're being a "Grammar [REDACTED IN GERMANY]"
Your censorship script isn't working. I'm not in Germany and your post is still being censored here.
Yeah I know about Wine, but VirtualBox is a LOT slicker.
Maybe VirtualBox is a lot slicker, but it also results in a lot of overhead that is not always necessary. Why run an entire second operating system on top of your native operating system just to run a Windows application or two if those same applications can run under Wine? VirtualBox is more useful if you're actually using the guest OS as another computer, e.g. if you're setting the guest and host OS's to network with each other for something.
I have a Macintosh Performa at home with System 7.5.x on it. Sadly though, the hard drive is not being recognized. The System CD boots fine, but it claims there is no hard drive when clearly there is one. If I can get ahold of another hard drive, I could be using System 7.5.x in all of its glory!!
Ah, a car analogy. It's more like this: You go to the Honda dealership and take a look at their 2010 models and purchase a vehicle. You discover that the engine has a serious flaw in it and ask Honda for a fix. Honda refuses because that engine is based on an 8 year old engine design. Except in this case, instead of a Honda you bought a brand new netbook and instead of an engine it came with a new copy of Windows XP.
Well that's not Microsoft's fault. Why should Microsoft be forced to patch a 10+ year old OS just because some OEMs are still selling new hardware with XP on it? Microsoft can still sell licenses for XP 'as is' as long as OEMs understand that the OS is 'broken'. It's up to the OEMs whether they want to use it, or 'upgrade'.
To my knowlege, Red Hat no longer supports old versions of it's OS (prior to version 7??). If you find a laptop with an unsupported version of Red Hat Linux on it, and find it's broken, would you demand Red Hat to provide a patch, or demand the laptop manufacturer provide a supported version of the OS?
Granted, the situation can get difficult with some Military systems that could be in production for 20+ years. What will happen in 18 years when there are still networked weapon systems out there running WindowsCE 4.2? Upgrade to Windows Mobile 25?
Well I'm not saying we should teach elementary students how to install Solaris or write bash scripts or configure the init system of Linux. Yes, stick to the basics, but students can learn how to create a document in OpenOffice under Linux or whatever word processor Solaris has, as well as Word in Windows.
Kids absorb things like a sponge when they're young. They can learn how to play music on a Sony CD player just as well as on any other brand of stereo. Why can't the same be done on a computer? Why does it always have to be a PC with whatever version of Windows is installed?
If you give them more of a variety in the beginning, they'll learn better how to do basic things on any computer, not just "where's the big blue E for the Internet?"
Wrong. Children learn to work on the platform that's mostly used in Businesses today, giving them the necessary skills to obtain a job.
Why should our children only be taught how to use and interact with Microsoft Windows? What happens when your child goes into the real world and gets a job at a company that doesn't only use Windows, or gets a job in a Windows shop that later decides to migrate some systems to another OS?
Wouldn't it be better if our children get taught about computers through a variety of platforms? Have some classes on a Mac, some on Windows, Linux, Solaris, etc. Teach our kids how to use a computer, not a specific operating system.
It specifically excludes music you've purchased from being listed as illegal in the explanation if you pick the choice it doesn't want you to pick. The only thing I see wrong with their explanation is that it excludes legitimately "free" music such as stuff released into the public domain or under something like a Creative Commons license, but for the most part their definition is perfectly acceptable to the target audience (non-technical DoD users).
If I steal something from you, you don't have it anymore. That's what stealing is. If I download data from your computer, whether music, secret data, or the latest Ubuntu ISO image, you still have that data. So therefore I didn't steal it from you. In all but the Ubuntu case, I would have committed perhaps other crimes like copyright infringement, but certainly not stealing.
Downloading != stealing.
Real multitasking is being able to read while pouring a cup of tea. (for example)
I can multitask certain things. As a matter of fact, while I am typing this response, a coworker just stopped by to talk to me and I am listening to what they have to say. I can contnu tot ype this messge efectivley
Why not just pack an old 286 or 386 laptop (with AC adapter and no battery) instead of a new netbook? Old systems seem to last longer if properly stored. The hard drive will hold a lot less data, but you could pack multiple hard drives. Maybe even open the capsule every now and then to backup/restore the data just in case.
You are not alone. I also do not carry cash (very often). I almost never carry coins. One problem with credit cards is the threat of card skimmers. Of course this threat also exists on any other device that accepts cards like ATMs.
Instead of meters that take credit cards, why not use a system similar to EZPass or others that are used to automate toll plaza payments so you don't have to stop at the booth. Put the device in your car and when you park at a meter, press a button on the device and it will 'pay' the quarter or whatever fee it is for an hour at that meter. Give the meters maybe a 5 foot range so other drivers aren't paying your meter or you aren't paying theirs.
This would essentially be the same as paying actual coins, but you don't have to carry coins with you. Just park your car and press a few buttons for the desired amount of parking time. Authorities can still check for expired meters, or have the meters perhaps networked so they can send out an alert.
The meters would still have to have coin pay as a backup since not everyone carries an "EZMeter" transmitter in their car, yet.
I failed to mention I have two daughters. They are 3 and 1 right now, but I can only imagine the torture they'll put me through when they learn to work together to drive me crazy.