Axiomas
Google != Evil thus Google Desktop Search = Good
Library PC = 1 "pubuser" account
Hotmail = only visible on screen, not saved.
GDS makes index of Hotmail mails on library PC.
Situation.
So, Bill goes to the library, picks the PC in the corner (so no one can sneek up behind him to read his emails), logs on to Hotmail to check emails. After reading email, Bill logs off, closes the browser and goes home. Mark (Bill's boss) comes in, takes same PC, types in "hotmail.com" and finds Bill's private emails.
I always thought Wikipedia got started when Larry at Nupedia noticed how lengthy the process of writing and evaluating an article was, and he wanted to have some results sooner than later. In the general mailing lists, he got bugged because of the non-existence of articles, when the site was already active for several months. Then the idea for an encyclopedia that everyone could write was brought up (but I'm not so sure this did result in Wikipedia). Or did I forget something?
I notice now that Nupedia no longer exists, sadly.
Actually we have such a system (in Belgium), which the EU wants to be shut down.
A new driver starts his insurance carreer with 11 points out of a possible 22, higher being worse. Every year, one point gets deducted. However, for each accident one causes the points go up 5. The difference between someone having 1 point and one having 22 points is in the insurance price: 450 euro for the 1 point, 1400 (or more) for the 22 points. You cause accidents, you pay more.
Of course, region, make, engine, gender and such change the price too.
Even though Bill Redmond had no non-compete with Pepsico, for example, an Illinois federal court enjoined him for five months from performing particular kinds of work for the Gatorade/Snapple division of Quaker Oats.
To start with, you don't need to agree with me, because opposing thoughts may enlighten the idiot.
I didn't want to say they were going to use the money to fight anyone right now, or that they are in danger of going bankrupt. And I am aware that they have no debts, no activated costs, and very healthy records. That doesn't mean building a war chest is a bad idea. I can't -and we can't- rate the size of this money bag. Although, if the gov (a US judge or the EU Commission) asks them for say 10 bn $$, they have it at hand.
Moverover, it has become increasingly more difficult for MS to invest in new business, with the US government and the EU Commission looking at every action they take.
Will we miss MS if it goes out of business? Probably not. We'll be using their products for the foreseeable future, and then there'll be 'competitors' stepping into the vast hole they left. It may even be a good idea to shut down MS to get a diverse but incertain IT industry.
"making products better"
make that "Making their products better" for clearness.
They are trying to dictate where people are going, true. Doing that, they miss opportunities (so they are doing it!?), which makes them miss The Internet, the Search Engine Battle. What happens? They miss the opportunity, people go elsewhere (Netscape - Google) and then MS have to work harder to get by.
What Microsoft is doing is right. They have profits and invest those profits to get more profits.
MS now has 50 billion USD, but "in their place" I'ld do the same. This money is a war chest to be able to fend off sudden changes in the industry, invest quickly in new opportunities, and to be sure they won't have a cash problem any time soon. It's not stupid, it is smart.
The only real problem we might have with Microsoft is their conservative nature. They are innovating, and making products better. But they also missed some opportunities because they were too conservative. They didn't see the internet coming, XML, open source,... and so on. This is their biggest problem. A more liberal and open attitude towards what is happening 'out there' would be good. And this exactly may slowly be happening. Future will tell us.
I don't know what you guys do to your Windows machines, honestly. I work on WinXP all day, weeks long with no crashes. The last crash I had was a faulthy update of some critical software. The PC I'm using now currently has a uptime of 17 days (I am asked to reboot now and then for automated software updates, which happen during boot-up).
We make and support Windows Software, so that explains the undisputed use of this OS for our machines. In previous work-experiences, I've had uptime of 90 days on W2K, with a power failure wrecking my record-attempt... (Construction workers cut the cable in the street - they didn't know it was there)
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Here's the problem:
Axiomas
Google != Evil thus Google Desktop Search = Good
Library PC = 1 "pubuser" account
Hotmail = only visible on screen, not saved.
GDS makes index of Hotmail mails on library PC.
Situation.
So, Bill goes to the library, picks the PC in the corner (so no one can sneek up behind him to read his emails), logs on to Hotmail to check emails. After reading email, Bill logs off, closes the browser and goes home. Mark (Bill's boss) comes in, takes same PC, types in "hotmail.com" and finds Bill's private emails.
I always thought Wikipedia got started when Larry at Nupedia noticed how lengthy the process of writing and evaluating an article was, and he wanted to have some results sooner than later. In the general mailing lists, he got bugged because of the non-existence of articles, when the site was already active for several months. Then the idea for an encyclopedia that everyone could write was brought up (but I'm not so sure this did result in Wikipedia). Or did I forget something?
I notice now that Nupedia no longer exists, sadly.
Actually we have such a system (in Belgium), which the EU wants to be shut down. A new driver starts his insurance carreer with 11 points out of a possible 22, higher being worse. Every year, one point gets deducted. However, for each accident one causes the points go up 5. The difference between someone having 1 point and one having 22 points is in the insurance price: 450 euro for the 1 point, 1400 (or more) for the 22 points. You cause accidents, you pay more. Of course, region, make, engine, gender and such change the price too.
To start with, you don't need to agree with me, because opposing thoughts may enlighten the idiot.
I didn't want to say they were going to use the money to fight anyone right now, or that they are in danger of going bankrupt. And I am aware that they have no debts, no activated costs, and very healthy records. That doesn't mean building a war chest is a bad idea. I can't -and we can't- rate the size of this money bag. Although, if the gov (a US judge or the EU Commission) asks them for say 10 bn $$, they have it at hand.
Moverover, it has become increasingly more difficult for MS to invest in new business, with the US government and the EU Commission looking at every action they take.
Will we miss MS if it goes out of business? Probably not. We'll be using their products for the foreseeable future, and then there'll be 'competitors' stepping into the vast hole they left. It may even be a good idea to shut down MS to get a diverse but incertain IT industry.
"making products better"
make that "Making their products better" for clearness.
They are trying to dictate where people are going, true. Doing that, they miss opportunities (so they are doing it!?), which makes them miss The Internet, the Search Engine Battle. What happens? They miss the opportunity, people go elsewhere (Netscape - Google) and then MS have to work harder to get by.
What Microsoft is doing is right. They have profits and invest those profits to get more profits.
... and so on. This is their biggest problem. A more liberal and open attitude towards what is happening 'out there' would be good. And this exactly may slowly be happening. Future will tell us.
MS now has 50 billion USD, but "in their place" I'ld do the same. This money is a war chest to be able to fend off sudden changes in the industry, invest quickly in new opportunities, and to be sure they won't have a cash problem any time soon. It's not stupid, it is smart.
The only real problem we might have with Microsoft is their conservative nature. They are innovating, and making products better. But they also missed some opportunities because they were too conservative. They didn't see the internet coming, XML, open source,
I don't know what you guys do to your Windows machines, honestly. I work on WinXP all day, weeks long with no crashes. The last crash I had was a faulthy update of some critical software. The PC I'm using now currently has a uptime of 17 days (I am asked to reboot now and then for automated software updates, which happen during boot-up). We make and support Windows Software, so that explains the undisputed use of this OS for our machines. In previous work-experiences, I've had uptime of 90 days on W2K, with a power failure wrecking my record-attempt ... (Construction workers cut the cable in the street - they didn't know it was there)