Assuming you are a US citizen. Doesn't this idea bother you... or any other/. reader? Even if you are not a US citizen (I'm not trying to exclude).
The tone of the article and responses I've read so far seems so indifferent to the base principle...
People get so upset when one says "We will tag and track the products you buy".
First homeless people, then if things work out who will be next? Am I missing something?
Please tell me this is a joke! If this really happened it would be a very sad day. Homeless or not we are all American citizens and have rights! I can't imagine this ever happening...
What are you talking about?!? So off topic! I am an american living in Tehran and OSS is something that no one cares about here. Why should they. The software market is an embargo because of the fact that Iran has NO international copyright laws.. NONE! So, they can sell what ever they want at software stores (there are many) at $2 USD per disk and that's the rate. On the shelves you will find Windows XP ($2 USD) and Redhat ($2 USD) right next to each other. No one buy s the Redhat, why should they? All the consumer here knows is that Windows is easier to use. ISP's are not that advanced here yet. They sell cards that offer 2, 5, 10, 20 hour blocks of time (for home users). AND the ISP's always recommend windows ONLY! Why that is, I'm not sure. The Mullah's LOVE an uneducated population and that's what they have. The growth of the internet using population is low and will remain low due to government policy. (Am I all over the board yet?)
Oh, I bought a brand new Dell Insipron here and it only cost me $800 USD. Smuggled, maybe. But computers here are very inexpensive and everyone I know has a recognisable named system.. So in that I also disagree with the article....
"""An example: for Valentine's Day, you can buy a yellow colored man-made diamond, visibly indistinguishable from a natural one, for $4,000 per carat.""""
Yellow is the worst quality of Diamond!!! Blue is the finest.. and by the way.. The US has THE most expensive diamond market in the world!
I use a dish for both TV and Internet since where I live there is no other option. I've tried several configurations and the all suffer from the same problems.. Snow, Rain, and Birds! (Damn those birds)
For TV it just causes bad reception but for Data it can really cause havoc...
I have a sugesstion.
If you are like me and have migrated from Windows to Linux then you should give Wine a try.. You see, All I found that I really needed were a few key windows apps (Outlook, Photoshop, Illustrator.. etc.) Wine takes a lot of patients and hard work at first to get the apps running correctly (recompiled several times, a learning curve I guess) but, if you persist it works great. Very fast. RARELY crashes the app.(once about every couple of weeks) It's even better than the Crossover office plugins that cost money. I found that I did not need the Windows desktop.. Just the apps. After all.. I'm very happy with the Gnome desktop;-)
"That supports the notion that Microsoft has a clear monopoly in the OS market. Which does mean they have to play by different rules in the other software markets."
MS has no market here. It's pirated software. I couldn't buy a legal copy even if I wanted to. MS can not even ship software here if I ordered it online. People simply choose Windows because it's easier to use. I ask a couple of people who have software stores how much linux they sell. The answer was sometimes but when people learn what they have to do to get their digital cameras to work.. they come back for windows.
"On the other hand, it could be that no one's paying 4000 toman for RH 9 because they can download it for free... "
I thought about that but if you consider that 99% of conectivity here is 56K... I don't think that would be the case..
All in all, it's the purest example of consumer choice that I have ever experienced
I AGREE 100%
There are places in this world that do not have international copy right laws.. Places that Linux and Windows XP sit on the same shelf in a software store and cost the same damn price.. Know what... No one touches the linux stuff. I don't know exactly why but seems to me it a clear example of consumer choice. After all, the cost is the same and the availabilty is the same. Windows is easier to use than linux, at least for the average user.
BTW.. this place is right here in Tehran.. 4000 toman ($5 USD) for Windows XP and 4000 toman for RH Linux 9 at any software store in the city.. and there are many.
How do you figure that "developing" countries have these old machines with little memory? I have a couple of computers and one of them is a PII 300. I can't find additional memory for it here (in Iran). All I can get is the latest and greatest stuff. In New York however, As of a year ago I could still buy a P 100 off the shelf down on 14th street. Because we live in developing countries we don't have that legacy stuff. It's all new (and cheap too). For example, We have never had analogue or celular mobiles.. It's all GSM. The infrastructure here is brand new and growing.
PS. My P4 Dell with 1 Gig of RAM runs Gnome very well and the box only cost me $800 USD 650,000 Toman, new!
As far as I can research, Numbers have always been left to right. If I write 10,202 in farsi, long form. I would write (In farsi of course, right to left) Dah hezar o divist o doh (translation: ten thousand and two hundred and two).
If I write it numerically I would write 10.202 (In Aribic characters, of course).
So, yes. The logic is the same as English.
Yes but if I write 10,256 in farsi it reads 10,256.
Only Text is writen right to left. Numbers are not!
In other words, There is no difference between latin
and arabic when numbers are concerned
You gave a very creative answer though.
the real reason for the big-endian / little-endian dicotomy in modern day computers may be related to Oceanic tidal shift.
So right!
I have the same story to tell whenever the issue is Linux vs. Windows.....
Here in Iran we have the perfect example of "proof of choice" If I walk into any software store I can get Linux or Windows XP for less than $2 USD. However, No one buys Linux. People choose the product that does what they want with the maximum of ease. In the current Application environment Windows is the OS of choice. MS simply makes an easy to use product.
Sure NAT routing is easy for anyone. If the average user is using a typical consumer product like a Dlink home DSL/ Cable router. Just read the instructions on one of those things. "Plug it in, Go to http://192.186.0.1 in your browser, Login, follow the web wizard...." In fact these products have to make it easy. The average user is stuck with 1 IP from their provider.
Farsi is Right to Left, except numbers which are left to right.
But that really does'nt matter...
Here in Iran there are no international copyright laws. At the software store in Tehran I can buy Rehhat linux 9 and Windows XP with a farsi localized pack each for less than $2 USD. No one buys Linux here! There is no compeling reason to. Windows is an easier product to use for most people. Besides, by popular demand, the computer speaks English. If you can't understand even a little written english (as most people here do.) You'd be lost in any OS.
What about the Chinese ministry of technology? They have commited in thier decission to use OSS and dump MS. MS has been losing markets ever since they decided to go after the top sector of the server market. MS uses the same approch for for all of their customers big or small and they are finding out that it doesn't work. Here in Iran we have no international copyright laws. I couldn't buy MS legally even if I wanted to! It's interesting to see though, that at every software store here you can buy RH linux 9 and Windows XP each for about $2 USD and still no one even touches the linux. My point: If MS didn't play consumer/ end user tactics with Corp./ Government buyers, then MS would not have these problems. After all, and like it or not... MS makes good products.
We are getting it here in Tehran. Because of government policies, opperation any type of communications company is very costly. The cost is passed along to the consumer. Async 384K is about 500,000 Toman = 600 USD per month. Based on average per capita income here, that would be about $1000 (New York City dollars per month.) Being from the US.. I must have my broadband at any cost!
Security... What Security. It's Public hype! Nothing more. I live in Iran. Here, Anyone can get into the US for about 10- 20 thousand USD. Do you think that that is too much for a student to pay? Most likely so... but a trained terrorist organization would pay. My point: The security that needs to be done is in foriegn inteligence NOT billions in computer systems at home.
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Assuming you are a US citizen. Doesn't this idea bother you... or any other /. reader? Even if you are not a US citizen (I'm not trying to exclude).
The tone of the article and responses I've read so far seems so indifferent to the base principle...
People get so upset when one says "We will tag and track the products you buy".
First homeless people, then if things work out who will be next? Am I missing something?
Please tell me this is a joke!
If this really happened it would be a very sad day. Homeless or not we are all American citizens and have rights! I can't imagine this ever happening...
I've cracked my own box with it many times...
What are you talking about?!? So off topic!
I am an american living in Tehran and OSS is something that no one cares about here. Why should they. The software market is an embargo because of the fact that Iran has NO international copyright laws.. NONE! So, they can sell what ever they want at software stores (there are many) at $2 USD per disk and that's the rate.
On the shelves you will find Windows XP ($2 USD) and
Redhat ($2 USD) right next to each other. No one buy s the Redhat, why should they? All the consumer here knows is that Windows is easier to use.
ISP's are not that advanced here yet. They sell cards that offer 2, 5, 10, 20 hour blocks of time (for home users). AND the ISP's always recommend windows ONLY! Why that is, I'm not sure.
The Mullah's LOVE an uneducated population and that's what they have. The growth of the internet using population is low and will remain low due to government policy. (Am I all over the board yet?)
Oh, I bought a brand new Dell Insipron here and it only cost me $800 USD. Smuggled, maybe. But computers here are very inexpensive and everyone I know has a recognisable named system.. So in that I also disagree with the article....
"""An example: for Valentine's Day, you can buy a yellow colored man-made diamond, visibly indistinguishable from a natural one, for $4,000 per carat."""" Yellow is the worst quality of Diamond!!! Blue is the finest.. and by the way.. The US has THE most expensive diamond market in the world!
I use a dish for both TV and Internet since where I live there is no other option. I've tried several configurations and the all suffer from the same problems.. Snow, Rain, and Birds! (Damn those birds) For TV it just causes bad reception but for Data it can really cause havoc...
I have a sugesstion. If you are like me and have migrated from Windows to Linux then you should give Wine a try.. You see, All I found that I really needed were a few key windows apps (Outlook, Photoshop, Illustrator.. etc.) Wine takes a lot of patients and hard work at first to get the apps running correctly (recompiled several times, a learning curve I guess) but, if you persist it works great. Very fast. RARELY crashes the app.(once about every couple of weeks) It's even better than the Crossover office plugins that cost money. I found that I did not need the Windows desktop.. Just the apps. After all.. I'm very happy with the Gnome desktop ;-)
"That supports the notion that Microsoft has a clear monopoly in the OS market. Which does mean they have to play by different rules in the other software markets." MS has no market here. It's pirated software. I couldn't buy a legal copy even if I wanted to. MS can not even ship software here if I ordered it online. People simply choose Windows because it's easier to use. I ask a couple of people who have software stores how much linux they sell. The answer was sometimes but when people learn what they have to do to get their digital cameras to work.. they come back for windows. "On the other hand, it could be that no one's paying 4000 toman for RH 9 because they can download it for free... " I thought about that but if you consider that 99% of conectivity here is 56K... I don't think that would be the case.. All in all, it's the purest example of consumer choice that I have ever experienced
I AGREE 100% There are places in this world that do not have international copy right laws.. Places that Linux and Windows XP sit on the same shelf in a software store and cost the same damn price.. Know what... No one touches the linux stuff. I don't know exactly why but seems to me it a clear example of consumer choice. After all, the cost is the same and the availabilty is the same. Windows is easier to use than linux, at least for the average user. BTW.. this place is right here in Tehran.. 4000 toman ($5 USD) for Windows XP and 4000 toman for RH Linux 9 at any software store in the city.. and there are many.
How do you figure that "developing" countries have these old machines with little memory? I have a couple of computers and one of them is a PII 300. I can't find additional memory for it here (in Iran). All I can get is the latest and greatest stuff. In New York however, As of a year ago I could still buy a P 100 off the shelf down on 14th street. Because we live in developing countries we don't have that legacy stuff. It's all new (and cheap too). For example, We have never had analogue or celular mobiles.. It's all GSM. The infrastructure here is brand new and growing. PS. My P4 Dell with 1 Gig of RAM runs Gnome very well and the box only cost me $800 USD 650,000 Toman, new!
As far as I can research, Numbers have always been left to right. If I write 10,202 in farsi, long form. I would write (In farsi of course, right to left) Dah hezar o divist o doh (translation: ten thousand and two hundred and two). If I write it numerically I would write 10.202 (In Aribic characters, of course). So, yes. The logic is the same as English.
Yes but if I write 10,256 in farsi it reads 10,256. Only Text is writen right to left. Numbers are not! In other words, There is no difference between latin and arabic when numbers are concerned You gave a very creative answer though. the real reason for the big-endian / little-endian dicotomy in modern day computers may be related to Oceanic tidal shift.
So right! I have the same story to tell whenever the issue is Linux vs. Windows..... Here in Iran we have the perfect example of "proof of choice" If I walk into any software store I can get Linux or Windows XP for less than $2 USD. However, No one buys Linux. People choose the product that does what they want with the maximum of ease. In the current Application environment Windows is the OS of choice. MS simply makes an easy to use product.
Loved the LCD Tv over the stove.. Does anyone there cook? Grease and heat, Yuk.
Sure NAT routing is easy for anyone. If the average user is using a typical consumer product like a Dlink home DSL/ Cable router. Just read the instructions on one of those things. "Plug it in, Go to http://192.186.0.1 in your browser, Login, follow the web wizard...." In fact these products have to make it easy. The average user is stuck with 1 IP from their provider.
Farsi is Right to Left, except numbers which are left to right. But that really does'nt matter... Here in Iran there are no international copyright laws. At the software store in Tehran I can buy Rehhat linux 9 and Windows XP with a farsi localized pack each for less than $2 USD. No one buys Linux here! There is no compeling reason to. Windows is an easier product to use for most people. Besides, by popular demand, the computer speaks English. If you can't understand even a little written english (as most people here do.) You'd be lost in any OS.
What about the Chinese ministry of technology? They have commited in thier decission to use OSS and dump MS. MS has been losing markets ever since they decided to go after the top sector of the server market. MS uses the same approch for for all of their customers big or small and they are finding out that it doesn't work. Here in Iran we have no international copyright laws. I couldn't buy MS legally even if I wanted to! It's interesting to see though, that at every software store here you can buy RH linux 9 and Windows XP each for about $2 USD and still no one even touches the linux. My point: If MS didn't play consumer/ end user tactics with Corp./ Government buyers, then MS would not have these problems. After all, and like it or not... MS makes good products.
We are getting it here in Tehran. Because of government policies, opperation any type of communications company is very costly. The cost is passed along to the consumer. Async 384K is about 500,000 Toman = 600 USD per month. Based on average per capita income here, that would be about $1000 (New York City dollars per month.) Being from the US.. I must have my broadband at any cost!
If you use wine (or rely on it like I do) What out for Fedora. the new caching system makes wine useless.
Security... What Security. It's Public hype! Nothing
more. I live in Iran. Here, Anyone can get into the US for about 10- 20 thousand USD. Do you think that that is too much for a student to pay? Most likely so... but a trained terrorist organization would pay. My point: The security that needs to be done is in foriegn inteligence NOT billions in computer systems at home.