Which means that you have to leave your 400watt computer on all night to have this scheduled to defrag your 300GB hard drive. God forbid that this becomes a task that automatically happens on the next boot if the end user happens to turn off their machine. On top of downloading updates and defraggin in the background, Vista seems like a workhorse.
"My brand new computer is really slow and all I did is turn it on."
I forgot about the driver signing. That sucks and that means no cheapo web cams, etc...
The other thing I read (or misread, someone please elaborate) is that an installation of Vista will be tied to the motherboard so a dead motherboard means a new license, not a reactiviation as it is currently. This puts the burden of a new license on the OEM warranty fulfillment and crap for the retail DIYers.
The bird's eye view is neat but the interface (for the bird's eye) is just as bad as yesterday's map program interface. The Zoom 'feature' sucks too. I guess MS figured that we need to see a 'zoom' so we feel like we are 'zooming'
Other than that and the old images, it's useful and I'm glad to se they're thrown their hat in the ring.
I guess I'm gonna haf to feed this fraidy cat troll...
XP IS XP. Show me where XP isn't XP. There is 1 service pack build, period. Unlike the earlier versions, 1 for NT workstation, 1 for NT server, 1 for Win95, 1 for 98, 1 for 98se, 1 for ME.
Requirement for the software state that it will run on Windows XP. XP includes Home, Pro, Tablet, MCE.
The Core OS was stated by Microsoft to be exact except for networking, user accounts and minor network tools like RDP and such thus bringing 'extra value' to business customers and the need to up the price another $100. Their support team stated before XP went gold that applications designed for Xp home would work for XP Pro. The one difference were device specifics which included Tablet Edition and you can't get around that.
Secondly, there's no way I'm going to tell a company that they need to spend $2000 on a workstation that will do nothing but basically be a thin client, hence the need for a $600 PC was far too much overkill. There are $400 solutions as well. It's requirements are 1- be able to get on the network 2- Run a custom app
WinXP-MCE coundn't do #2.
FYI, they're still running WinME as a client machine.
Third, There is no way I would tell a family person to run anything written by Microsoft because cheap is almost always more expensive in the long run. Anyone who has dealt with Microsoft Operating Systems knows the long term payoff for time drains you.
The danger (if you want to call it that) is that not only does the consumer have to pay attention (which is impossible) to the hardware, they have to pay attention to the software as well.
A few weeks back I recommended that a small business I regularly consult for purchase a cheap system to replace a failing one. They asked 'does it matter what kind?' and I said really, the cheapest will do for your needs. I anticipated just a cheap Xp Home edition but there was a special for XP MCE that he bought. Needless to say, the software only works on XP home or Pro, not MCE (custom network print pricing application). I installed it just to try it and it wouldn't work. I really don't know why because I thought XP was XP (although the differences are known, this isn't on a domain model so it really shouldn't matter).
What really disturbed me on this that I was under the impression that MCE was only to be sold on premium hardware with media capabilities, not a run of the mill cheap edition with no external video support. The system had media card readers and a DVDR but no external video support. It was the Sony RB50 that Fry's had for around $600.
The problem I have is when there is the basic edtion that only runs 3 programs which is entirely crippleware. It actualy costs more to add that cripple feature in it than it does to develop a backend to serving applications on an operating system. Make it so DirectX isn't able to be installed (which I think is the case) or no media player (oh wait, the media player is part of the operating system) or remove some basic programs that most users take for granted like defrag, or make it 1 user only, or no wireless, etc... Theres alot of stuff to not have on a basic edition. I would probably buy the basic edition if it were available in the states as $50 is a easy number to part with for an OS that will not have a forced upgrade for 5 years.
Re:competition with PC games, then and now
on
Flashback NES
·
· Score: 1
Even Apple Computers were called PC's before Jobs wanted the term dropped as of Lisa and the first Macintosh.
Did you see this line? People get the -buy an electronic device, -buy content for that device, -hit play.
HIT PLAY That's what your average consumer does. And the content providers know it which is why WE have to sit through force fed ads of upcoming releases.
I know a well-to-do individual that has money to burn and buys just about any DVD out, widescreen or fullscreen. Doesn't matter, just the one he grabs first. He hits play and doesn't really know of 'special editions' or deleted scenes. He also just spent $5,000 on a plasma display and has no HD content for it.
I comment Microsoft for XP Pro and Home editions but the UI is too similar. The Home should be more MS Bob like (joking) or really just a simpler interface. They tried but not good enough. Outlook Express has too many features on Home, IE has too many bells and whistles, explorer in general is way too confusing.
Parent post as well as the first line in my post: There are still millions of homes that do not have computers at all;
iPod counts as an appliance device. It Apple how long to come up with one? Where do you get that I have something against Apple or Microsoft? I'm not against the computer OS makers, just that their UI is too complicated for the masses. Apple got it right with the iPod. Microsoft while partly responsible for issuing rebates so that people could get computers in their home near Y2K (remember the $400 computer with a $400 rebate with a 2 year dial-up service commitment?), they are also responsible for catering to their brand only and not some standard that everyone can use but that is what makes a company successful so I can't fault them on that.
I think we lost 4 years of web development because of the amount of manpower wasted on ActiveX.
There are still millions of homes that do not have computers at all;
I don't even think that computers are important in the traditional sense. They are too complicated for the average consumer. Devices that eliminate the horrible computing UI that just perform simple tasks are what the masses need.
Look at how DVD has replaced VCR's in the media player sense. People get the -buy an electronic device, -buy content for that device, -hit play. A good bit of the VCR's sold were just that, players even they had the record feature. A lot of people that did record on VCR's recorded at the time they were watching becuase that's the concept they know, get it as it's happening.
Remember those Internet appliances at Y2K? They required a monthly subscription and still too complicated for the end user and not really a reason for the common person to use it.
People get iPod. The extra step required to get their music on it is a self-educational step they're willing to take. Really a computer isn't needed for that. A network appliance with an Internet connection and iTunes interface is all that's required.
Take digital photography today, that's the barrier that will bring or self-educate the end user to the electronig age. The ability to instantly share photos and experiences. Kodak and Flickr and other photo outfits have the right idea about setting up a shared space for users to share photos (although I disagree with the requirement for a viewer to have to sign up). People who didn't know how to program their VCR do understand how to use Kodak's interface and share photos.
I believe that Microsoft and Apple are the reason that computing or computing devices aren't really in more homes. The term 'computer' sounds like you have to be smart to know how to use it. The same people that bought NES and Playstations with their Disney VHS tapes don't buy computers because there are too many choices. For MS and Apple to keep the computing angle going (their livelihood), they've abandoned the appliance market.
People would just be fine with an Internet Browser, and a way to organize their photos. Pre Y2K when digital photography didn't have the market it has now, we all knew that those expensive appliances would fail. If there is going to be a $100 laptop, why not a $100 screen with basic OS and can handle simple networking and external storage?
I'll add that I hate IE as a web developer. I use PNG transparencies and I have the javascript code that fixes it for IE. If an IE user has JS turned off, too bad.
My CSS has a few '!important' declarations with/* This is because IE is garbage */ right next to it.
I am of the tinkering crowd and built a synthesizer at age 18 that was inspired by the Moog design. Radio Shack has nothing the serious tinkerer needs. They have a few components but nothing really useful. Your industrial radio shop or electronic component warehouse has more but those places are not convienent to get to when you don't have a car and get dropped off at the mall when you're 12 years old.
Fine if you're print monospace or whatever font the printer has and dont forget about the images as well. PDF is PS with embedded fonts and images. That's how PDF is exactly the same across platforms.
Then how do you propose that magazine printers and regular print shops get their files to print that also have proper color specs, PS settings, vector art?
Quark is too inconsistent. Can't send a v6 file to a printer using v7 etc... InDesign has gotten better but still not across the board (and an Adobe product so no thank you - PDF is not an Adobe product)
Go back to camera shots and plate seperation taking weeks to make spreads?
Or is it that you are annoyed how browsers tank the CPU when opening up the PDF?
Slashdot Mirror
Apple doesn't keep saying the same thing.
For 4+ years, Microsoft has stated that Security is Priority One. BS because they wouldn't bundle WMP or IE if they were serious.
Which means that you have to leave your 400watt computer on all night to have this scheduled to defrag your 300GB hard drive.
God forbid that this becomes a task that automatically happens on the next boot if the end user happens to turn off their machine.
On top of downloading updates and defraggin in the background, Vista seems like a workhorse.
"My brand new computer is really slow and all I did is turn it on."
This needs to be on a big poster in the computer departments of the retail chains that will peddle this crap.
Right above the Apple section.
I forgot about the driver signing. That sucks and that means no cheapo web cams, etc...
The other thing I read (or misread, someone please elaborate) is that an installation of Vista will be tied to the motherboard so a dead motherboard means a new license, not a reactiviation as it is currently.
This puts the burden of a new license on the OEM warranty fulfillment and crap for the retail DIYers.
But MS is part of the media cartel and it's easy to hate Microsoft because they're evil.
The bird's eye view is neat but the interface (for the bird's eye) is just as bad as yesterday's map program interface.
The Zoom 'feature' sucks too. I guess MS figured that we need to see a 'zoom' so we feel like we are 'zooming'
Other than that and the old images, it's useful and I'm glad to se they're thrown their hat in the ring.
Same reason why Billy Gates doesn't want his software freely distributed.
I guess I'm gonna haf to feed this fraidy cat troll...
XP IS XP. Show me where XP isn't XP. There is 1 service pack build, period. Unlike the earlier versions, 1 for NT workstation, 1 for NT server, 1 for Win95, 1 for 98, 1 for 98se, 1 for ME.
Requirement for the software state that it will run on Windows XP.
XP includes Home, Pro, Tablet, MCE.
The Core OS was stated by Microsoft to be exact except for networking, user accounts and minor network tools like RDP and such thus bringing 'extra value' to business customers and the need to up the price another $100. Their support team stated before XP went gold that applications designed for Xp home would work for XP Pro. The one difference were device specifics which included Tablet Edition and you can't get around that.
Secondly, there's no way I'm going to tell a company that they need to spend $2000 on a workstation that will do nothing but basically be a thin client, hence the need for a $600 PC was far too much overkill. There are $400 solutions as well. It's requirements are
1- be able to get on the network
2- Run a custom app
WinXP-MCE coundn't do #2.
FYI, they're still running WinME as a client machine.
Third, There is no way I would tell a family person to run anything written by Microsoft because cheap is almost always more expensive in the long run. Anyone who has dealt with Microsoft Operating Systems knows the long term payoff for time drains you.
The danger (if you want to call it that) is that not only does the consumer have to pay attention (which is impossible) to the hardware, they have to pay attention to the software as well.
A few weeks back I recommended that a small business I regularly consult for purchase a cheap system to replace a failing one. They asked 'does it matter what kind?' and I said really, the cheapest will do for your needs. I anticipated just a cheap Xp Home edition but there was a special for XP MCE that he bought.
Needless to say, the software only works on XP home or Pro, not MCE (custom network print pricing application). I installed it just to try it and it wouldn't work. I really don't know why because I thought XP was XP (although the differences are known, this isn't on a domain model so it really shouldn't matter).
What really disturbed me on this that I was under the impression that MCE was only to be sold on premium hardware with media capabilities, not a run of the mill cheap edition with no external video support. The system had media card readers and a DVDR but no external video support. It was the Sony RB50 that Fry's had for around $600.
The problem I have is when there is the basic edtion that only runs 3 programs which is entirely crippleware.
It actualy costs more to add that cripple feature in it than it does to develop a backend to serving applications on an operating system.
Make it so DirectX isn't able to be installed (which I think is the case) or no media player (oh wait, the media player is part of the operating system) or remove some basic programs that most users take for granted like defrag, or make it 1 user only, or no wireless, etc... Theres alot of stuff to not have on a basic edition.
I would probably buy the basic edition if it were available in the states as $50 is a easy number to part with for an OS that will not have a forced upgrade for 5 years.
Even Apple Computers were called PC's before Jobs wanted the term dropped as of Lisa and the first Macintosh.
Isn't SED supposed to be the be-all get-all tech for display?
In addition to $.99 each. People won't waste $50.00 on a one-time use media.
Criminal Attorney and false alarm on the gaydar.
I thought the original Unreal had a neat story or back story at least. Neater than Half Life.
Did you see this line?
People get the -buy an electronic device, -buy content for that device, -hit play.
HIT PLAY
That's what your average consumer does. And the content providers know it which is why WE have to sit through force fed ads of upcoming releases.
I know a well-to-do individual that has money to burn and buys just about any DVD out, widescreen or fullscreen. Doesn't matter, just the one he grabs first. He hits play and doesn't really know of 'special editions' or deleted scenes.
He also just spent $5,000 on a plasma display and has no HD content for it.
I comment Microsoft for XP Pro and Home editions but the UI is too similar. The Home should be more MS Bob like (joking) or really just a simpler interface. They tried but not good enough. Outlook Express has too many features on Home, IE has too many bells and whistles, explorer in general is way too confusing.
Parent post as well as the first line in my post:
There are still millions of homes that do not have computers at all;
iPod counts as an appliance device. It Apple how long to come up with one?
Where do you get that I have something against Apple or Microsoft?
I'm not against the computer OS makers, just that their UI is too complicated for the masses.
Apple got it right with the iPod.
Microsoft while partly responsible for issuing rebates so that people could get computers in their home near Y2K (remember the $400 computer with a $400 rebate with a 2 year dial-up service commitment?), they are also responsible for catering to their brand only and not some standard that everyone can use but that is what makes a company successful so I can't fault them on that.
I think we lost 4 years of web development because of the amount of manpower wasted on ActiveX.
There are still millions of homes that do not have computers at all;
I don't even think that computers are important in the traditional sense.
They are too complicated for the average consumer.
Devices that eliminate the horrible computing UI that just perform simple tasks are what the masses need.
Look at how DVD has replaced VCR's in the media player sense.
People get the -buy an electronic device, -buy content for that device, -hit play.
A good bit of the VCR's sold were just that, players even they had the record feature.
A lot of people that did record on VCR's recorded at the time they were watching becuase that's the concept they know, get it as it's happening.
Remember those Internet appliances at Y2K? They required a monthly subscription and still too complicated for the end user and not really a reason for the common person to use it.
People get iPod. The extra step required to get their music on it is a self-educational step they're willing to take.
Really a computer isn't needed for that. A network appliance with an Internet connection and iTunes interface is all that's required.
Take digital photography today, that's the barrier that will bring or self-educate the end user to the electronig age. The ability to instantly share photos and experiences.
Kodak and Flickr and other photo outfits have the right idea about setting up a shared space for users to share photos (although I disagree with the requirement for a viewer to have to sign up). People who didn't know how to program their VCR do understand how to use Kodak's interface and share photos.
I believe that Microsoft and Apple are the reason that computing or computing devices aren't really in more homes. The term 'computer' sounds like you have to be smart to know how to use it.
The same people that bought NES and Playstations with their Disney VHS tapes don't buy computers because there are too many choices.
For MS and Apple to keep the computing angle going (their livelihood), they've abandoned the appliance market.
People would just be fine with an Internet Browser, and a way to organize their photos. Pre Y2K when digital photography didn't have the market it has now, we all knew that those expensive appliances would fail.
If there is going to be a $100 laptop, why not a $100 screen with basic OS and can handle simple networking and external storage?
I'll add that I hate IE as a web developer.
/* This is because IE is garbage */ right next to it.
I use PNG transparencies and I have the javascript code that fixes it for IE. If an IE user has JS turned off, too bad.
My CSS has a few '!important' declarations with
I am of the tinkering crowd and built a synthesizer at age 18 that was inspired by the Moog design. Radio Shack has nothing the serious tinkerer needs. They have a few components but nothing really useful. Your industrial radio shop or electronic component warehouse has more but those places are not convienent to get to when you don't have a car and get dropped off at the mall when you're 12 years old.
Setting up your first PDF/x1A is cumbersome but it is so well worth it.
The rips we used to send to require images to be external before PDFx
Fine if you're print monospace or whatever font the printer has and dont forget about the images as well. PDF is PS with embedded fonts and images.
That's how PDF is exactly the same across platforms.
Then how do you propose that magazine printers and regular print shops get their files to print that also have proper color specs, PS settings, vector art?
Quark is too inconsistent. Can't send a v6 file to a printer using v7 etc...
InDesign has gotten better but still not across the board (and an Adobe product so no thank you - PDF is not an Adobe product)
Go back to camera shots and plate seperation taking weeks to make spreads?
Or is it that you are annoyed how browsers tank the CPU when opening up the PDF?
PDF is free as in speech and beer. The specs are published and free and nobody has to pay Adobe to use it.
Fonts aren't free (few are freely given).
You might want to ask these companies how much they pay Adobe to create PDF tools ($0).
http://pdflib.com/
http://activepdf.com/
http://www.fastio.com/
http://www.openoffice.org/
If Adobe folds up tomorrow, PDF will survive.