Driving a car and having internet access are really not the same and the analogy that you've proposed is flawed. If someone steals your car, locked or unlocked, runs some people over and uses it as a getaway car in a robbery, the police are not going to take away your driver's license. At least not where I live.
Cars are not complicated devices to operate. Yes we get instruction, but the skills learned are manual rather than mental and most have ample opportunity to improve their skills everyday. If cars were more complicated, say if driving was equivalent to flying a plane on instruments only, then a lot more training would be in order.
This brings us back to computers. Basic computer use is not difficult and most adults can get a properly configured computer connected to the internet, browse the web, and send/receive email. Beyond that, securing one's computer is a technical and arcane skill that Joe Six-pack and Jane Home-maker don't have and no amount of whinning is likely to change that.
Zombies, spyware, adware, trojans, viruses, etc. don't bother me. I secure my boxes and don't generally engage risky behaviors. Also, I made $70 last night cleaning adware off a newb's computer.
While I'd like to see MS come out with a version of Office for Linux, I don't think we'll see it as long as the applications and OS lines are under the banner of the same company.
MS still doesn't quite know what to do with the emerging markets of Asia and the more undeveloped nations. Most of their potential customers in those countries are happy using pirated versions of MS software and don't have the cash nor the hardware to run the latest offerings from Redmond.
The author of the article is positing that for many in developing nations, the Office on Linux could be an attractively affordable solution. Couple a low or no-cost linux desktop OS with a version of Office on Linux and MS should be able to make some in roads in new markets that can't afford their current offerings.
Unfortunately for MS, their products are already in those nations in the form of pirated software. But, will customers in those countries be willing to pay for products they're using for free now? I'm guessing no.
What would be curious is to see if MS could keep such a product out of the North American and European markets. At this time, one of the major bars for many organizations in migrating to Linux on the desktop is their investment in Office. While there are alternatives to MS Office, none of them are perfect.
A Linux version of Office could help many companies decide to migrate to Linux. Once those companies are on Linux many of MS's products will look a lot less attractive. Also, once they've taken the plunge with Linux how many will dump Office in favor of an Open Source alternative such as OpenOffice.org?
Big deal. Why don't they feature a race of villianous robotic trashcans called the Dallecks, Dahlex, or something similar? It's like claiming the Tolkien estate has the rights to elves and dwarves.
By the time you make the last payment for an over-priced beast like that, your box will be worth about what you're paying per month. At $4799 and $144 a month, you're looking at 33 months to pay the beast off.
Dude! It's not 1997 anymore. Jobs don't grow on trees. Quitting your job because you don't care for the constraints of the project is pretty boneheaded these days.
Re:Bouncing hardware (and other questions)
on
Running for Geeks
·
· Score: 1
I'm pretty sure that the drive in the mini iPod is actually a CompactFlash Hitachi Microdrive. In otherwords, solid state. You'd have to be bouncing pretty hard to make it skip.
I've got a 14" CRT (purchased in 1995) on my firewall box. It's turned off most of the time and I really wouldn't want to have to look at it for a significant stretch of time anymore. When I need to do some quick administration I could boot a workstation and SSH into it, but turning the CRT is a lot faster.
One issue I see with choosing LCD panels over CRT displays is that of lifespan. It's not uncommon for a CRT to outlive it's "useful" lifespan. I've acquired several older CRTs this way from my previous employer.
15" CRTs that were deemed too small for desktop use, old-skool 21" CRTs that had too much screen curvature and were simply too big compared to newer 19" and 21" CRTs (that were also a fraction of the cost). All of these CRTs are four to eight years old and still functioning.
Comparing this with what my experience has been with LCD panels is that they have failure rates higher than that of CRTs. I've seen this mostly with notebook screens. This comparision isn't entirely fair, as notebooks receive considerablly more abuse than a desktop+CRT. However, LCD panels have backlights (usually a miniature florescent bulb) that will burn out eventually. On notebooks, these backlights are integrated into the panel itself and are not replaceable parts by themselves. I don't know if this is the case with desktop LCD panels, but I suspect it is.
So the question is, how does using LCD panels vs. CRTs really impact the environment considering failure rates and manufacturing defects?
So, instead of tossing that old computer, I should set it up as an mp3 | print | file | firewall | game | whatever server. That way instead of poluting the environment I can waste more electricity!
You're wrong. Most of the worms that are big in the news these days require the assistance of an end user, usually by clicking on an attachment in an email message. Other posters have mentioned that some users will go as far as detaching and running worms when their email application doesn't allow vbs scripts to be launched from the email application.
I can corroborate this. I've worked with cleaning a user's PC after they've been warned about a particular worm and they ran it anyway to see what happens. With that level of foolishness, there is little you can do except try to train your end users and inform them of the severity of the problem.
"If a script kiddie can create a virus that infects millions of computers, a team of trained biologists can certainly create a virus that can infect millions of humans."
Sure, except that the computers are more or less equivalent to being in the same room all at the same time. Especially deadly virii (biological and technological) are also there own worst enemy when it comes to spreading. A dead host doesn't make for a very good carrier.
I haven't paid for any version of Windows since I bought the Win95 Upgrade and I have access to every version from 95 on. Now, I'm not suggesting that you use pirated software, but you gotta know somebody that can burn you a spare disk.
Some friends and I met at a McDonalds before heading in to the concert next door. I was a little hungry and purchased a Big Mac and a coke. I ate the burger slowly and talked with my friends. I noticed that the burger wasn't as hot as I would have liked and somewhat . . . watery. I looked down, not having really looked at what I was eating, having paid more attention to my companions, and noticed that the burger was uncooked in the middle. It had been thawed and browned up on the outside, but the inside was still quite red and bloody.
I spit out the bite I had just taken and took the un-cooked burger up the counter and showed it to the woman who had taken my order. She actually looked more grossed out than I did. She offered me another burger (I wasn't really hungry anymore), then a coupon for a burger at a time of my choosing (no thanks, might not be back here for awhile), and finally my money back (so I could get a meal at someplace safe).
Slashdot Mirror
Driving a car and having internet access are really not the same and the analogy that you've proposed is flawed. If someone steals your car, locked or unlocked, runs some people over and uses it as a getaway car in a robbery, the police are not going to take away your driver's license. At least not where I live.
Cars are not complicated devices to operate. Yes we get instruction, but the skills learned are manual rather than mental and most have ample opportunity to improve their skills everyday. If cars were more complicated, say if driving was equivalent to flying a plane on instruments only, then a lot more training would be in order.
This brings us back to computers. Basic computer use is not difficult and most adults can get a properly configured computer connected to the internet, browse the web, and send/receive email. Beyond that, securing one's computer is a technical and arcane skill that Joe Six-pack and Jane Home-maker don't have and no amount of whinning is likely to change that.
Zombies, spyware, adware, trojans, viruses, etc. don't bother me. I secure my boxes and don't generally engage risky behaviors. Also, I made $70 last night cleaning adware off a newb's computer.
How are you going to work if the power goes out, Mr. Smarty Pants?
. . . then they'll have less money to spend on other things like negative TV ads.
While I'd like to see MS come out with a version of Office for Linux, I don't think we'll see it as long as the applications and OS lines are under the banner of the same company.
MS still doesn't quite know what to do with the emerging markets of Asia and the more undeveloped nations. Most of their potential customers in those countries are happy using pirated versions of MS software and don't have the cash nor the hardware to run the latest offerings from Redmond.
The author of the article is positing that for many in developing nations, the Office on Linux could be an attractively affordable solution. Couple a low or no-cost linux desktop OS with a version of Office on Linux and MS should be able to make some in roads in new markets that can't afford their current offerings.
Unfortunately for MS, their products are already in those nations in the form of pirated software. But, will customers in those countries be willing to pay for products they're using for free now? I'm guessing no.
What would be curious is to see if MS could keep such a product out of the North American and European markets. At this time, one of the major bars for many organizations in migrating to Linux on the desktop is their investment in Office. While there are alternatives to MS Office, none of them are perfect.
A Linux version of Office could help many companies decide to migrate to Linux. Once those companies are on Linux many of MS's products will look a lot less attractive. Also, once they've taken the plunge with Linux how many will dump Office in favor of an Open Source alternative such as OpenOffice.org?
Something tells me the Palestinians have more to fear than the invasion of their privacy.
Big deal. Why don't they feature a race of villianous robotic trashcans called the Dallecks, Dahlex, or something similar? It's like claiming the Tolkien estate has the rights to elves and dwarves.
I'm running Gentoo as well. We'll just see how fast OO.org launches if it ever finishes compiling you insensitive clod!
By the time you make the last payment for an over-priced beast like that, your box will be worth about what you're paying per month. At $4799 and $144 a month, you're looking at 33 months to pay the beast off.
Is it really necessary to have a link to Slashdot in a Slashdot article?
At least now maybe those pesky plants will quit putting out so much of that troublesome oxygen I keep hearing about.
Dude! It's not 1997 anymore. Jobs don't grow on trees. Quitting your job because you don't care for the constraints of the project is pretty boneheaded these days.
I'm pretty sure that the drive in the mini iPod is actually a CompactFlash Hitachi Microdrive. In otherwords, solid state. You'd have to be bouncing pretty hard to make it skip.
I've got a 14" CRT (purchased in 1995) on my firewall box. It's turned off most of the time and I really wouldn't want to have to look at it for a significant stretch of time anymore. When I need to do some quick administration I could boot a workstation and SSH into it, but turning the CRT is a lot faster.
One issue I see with choosing LCD panels over CRT displays is that of lifespan. It's not uncommon for a CRT to outlive it's "useful" lifespan. I've acquired several older CRTs this way from my previous employer.
15" CRTs that were deemed too small for desktop use, old-skool 21" CRTs that had too much screen curvature and were simply too big compared to newer 19" and 21" CRTs (that were also a fraction of the cost). All of these CRTs are four to eight years old and still functioning.
Comparing this with what my experience has been with LCD panels is that they have failure rates higher than that of CRTs. I've seen this mostly with notebook screens. This comparision isn't entirely fair, as notebooks receive considerablly more abuse than a desktop+CRT. However, LCD panels have backlights (usually a miniature florescent bulb) that will burn out eventually. On notebooks, these backlights are integrated into the panel itself and are not replaceable parts by themselves. I don't know if this is the case with desktop LCD panels, but I suspect it is.
So the question is, how does using LCD panels vs. CRTs really impact the environment considering failure rates and manufacturing defects?
So, instead of tossing that old computer, I should set it up as an mp3 | print | file | firewall | game | whatever server. That way instead of poluting the environment I can waste more electricity!
You're wrong. Most of the worms that are big in the news these days require the assistance of an end user, usually by clicking on an attachment in an email message. Other posters have mentioned that some users will go as far as detaching and running worms when their email application doesn't allow vbs scripts to be launched from the email application.
I can corroborate this. I've worked with cleaning a user's PC after they've been warned about a particular worm and they ran it anyway to see what happens. With that level of foolishness, there is little you can do except try to train your end users and inform them of the severity of the problem.
d00d! It's Jennie's number!
"If a script kiddie can create a virus that infects millions of computers, a team of trained biologists can certainly create a virus that can infect millions of humans."
Sure, except that the computers are more or less equivalent to being in the same room all at the same time. Especially deadly virii (biological and technological) are also there own worst enemy when it comes to spreading. A dead host doesn't make for a very good carrier.
Maybe we could all just use your mother as a spam filter.
My work around for this assinine law would be to. . . um. . . buy a car in a different state.
I haven't paid for any version of Windows since I bought the Win95 Upgrade and I have access to every version from 95 on. Now, I'm not suggesting that you use pirated software, but you gotta know somebody that can burn you a spare disk.
Btw, what is this Win98Lite that you speak of?
Excuse me. Someone is knocking at the door. . .
Never underestimate the bandwidth of a stationwagon packed full of CDs traveling at 55 mph!
Ask and ye shall receive! http://members.fortunecity.com/pcmuseum/windows.ht m
You could have googled for it. . . .
Some friends and I met at a McDonalds before heading in to the concert next door. I was a little hungry and purchased a Big Mac and a coke. I ate the burger slowly and talked with my friends. I noticed that the burger wasn't as hot as I would have liked and somewhat . . . watery. I looked down, not having really looked at what I was eating, having paid more attention to my companions, and noticed that the burger was uncooked in the middle. It had been thawed and browned up on the outside, but the inside was still quite red and bloody.
I spit out the bite I had just taken and took the un-cooked burger up the counter and showed it to the woman who had taken my order. She actually looked more grossed out than I did. She offered me another burger (I wasn't really hungry anymore), then a coupon for a burger at a time of my choosing (no thanks, might not be back here for awhile), and finally my money back (so I could get a meal at someplace safe).
In his next article he'll write about this Apache daemon that you can install to serve "webpages" just like on the "Internet".