It's an interesting aspect of the IT industry that, even more than in other industries, the winner wins. The most popular (insert application, OS, etc.) tends to grow at the expense of the others. Whatever your feelings on M$, most people buy Windows because it is the operating system, they use Winzip because it is the file compression utility, they search using Google because it is the search engine, and they use Spamhaus for the same reason. There have been plenty of well researched articles suggesting that the OS monoculture is dangerous and one of the reasons for the number of virii. Similarly, as you point out, the position of Spamhaus in the market leaves us vunerable.
However, what we do about it is another matter. Look how hard it is to persuade the world that there are alternatives to Windows. I wish I had the answer but I don't
I don't normally reply to AC posts, and, as this is a 'me too' post it will probably be modded redundant, but...
I can back up the AC's statement. I work for an IT multinational and our e-mail servers run close to the edge. If we were to see a significant increase in e-mail levels, be it x4 or x10, or even x2, our e-mail system would grind to a halt. We, along with every organisation have become totally dependant on e-mail. For example, one of our customers requires that financial information it sent to the Bank of England by close of play every day. It is sent using (encrypted) e-mail. A delay of a few hours would give us major headaches. And yes, we could use alternative methods but it would take some time to put these in place.
If the preditions came true it would be bad for us.
The important point is that the US didn't kick their ass back in the day. It could be reasonably argued the the US had far more reasons for invading Lybia than it ever had for invading Iraq (forgetting cynical explanations involving oil) but instead they held back. It is precisely this kick their ass and that will sort it out A-Team attitude that has led the US into the mess that is Iraq. I hear that the US is now destined to be there until 2010 at least.
The recent history of Lybia is an example of how protracted negotiation with 'terrorist' regimes can result in a positive outcome. For many, many years Muammar Gaddafi was seen as the ultimate bad guy, worse even than Saddam Hussain. Now he's, if not exactly one of the good guys, not part of the axis of evil.
If Iraq is a classic example of 'how not to do regime change' then Lybia is a classic example of 'how to do it right'.
Hmm... I know she got caught up in Katrina but her excuse for not appearing is a bit lame. If you're being sued in court then I strongly advise you to appear, preferably with legal representation. She had her chance, blew it (or knew she was guilty as sin), and now must face the consequences.
And I don't think most people would want to play in a truly fully protected sandbox
Change that to
And I don't think most/.ers would want to play in a truly fully protected sandbox
and I'll totally agree with you. However, mom and pop will be sold on the 'added security', and whomever makes the decisions about what OS to use on the thousends of PCs throughout the organisation I work for will love it to bits.
I don't see why you limit it to the tech industries. Almost by definition the qualities needed to rise to the top include an ability to 'bend the rules' to achieve results. It's like finding out that a politician is a power hungry bastard; what did you expect. After all, if it weren't like that we wouldn't need all those industry watchdogs.
There is a deep and bitter irony when the money that Branson pledges comes, in part, from promoting cheap air flight Mind you, he owns trains as well so I suppose it balances.
This has more insight than it maybe looks at first glance. Here, in the UK, the 60's pirate boom was driven by the rise of the cheap transistor radio. Suddenly there were plenty of people who had a requirement for broadcast popular music that the established channels were not meeting. The pirates filled the gap until the establishment changed to meet it (Wonderful Radio 1!!).
Now we have a new era with a new medium. The consuming public demand/expect that their requirements are met. The interesting question is whether the established media is as reactionary as in the 60's or whether they can meet the needs that the pirates meet.
DC offers little more than a few pages of previews. One occasionally hears rumblings, but DC seems to be a little on the web-phobic side, to look at their actions.
Marvel continues to waffle. They stepped back from their web comics, then returned to them with a strategy geared more towards promotion of upcoming collected editions. Their initiative of late have been establishing a wiki and instituting some editorial blogs. On the other hand, Marvel also issued a survey about attitudes towards digital downloads, including questions on how much the consumer would be willing to pay for one. So with Marvel, they're definitely thinking about it, if not jumping to action.
So, it looks like, as with the music industry, the established players are scared/hesitating over using these new web tube things, whilst the smaller independants are stealing a march on them. Apart from the one's mentioned, UF must be every geek's favourite example of how to make a living from offering a web comic.
When I was a young man, back in the sixties, we were sure that our new music was just about the art, not like those money grabbing bands of the fifties. The bands we loved did it for love peace and acid maaaan, and of course for the music. My how we cheered when the fences came down at the rock festivals.
Plus ca change.....
I also toured with the Danmed, and 999, neither of whom could be called 'hair' bands - and they were just like all the rest, and if you're going to suggest that Bob Dylan is not an artist - you're going to find you're in a minority there. As for artists having an mp3 on their web page, that's called a 'loss leader', give away one song and the punters will buy the rest.
Most artists are all for free music. Most artists want thier music to reach as many people as possible. The main reason for all of this is the record industries and the Metallica wannabe bitches. The artist makes most of the money from the live shows. Granted they make money from cd sales but when compared with live shows it is barely anything.
Can you back up this assertion? From my experience as a roadie back in the 80s, working with many major acts (Van Halen and Bob Dylan amoungst others) most musicians are in it for the money and the women. To quote Jerry Garcia (in spirit, even if I haven't got the right words)
Fuck the 'People's Music', where were the people when I was spending all my time learning to play
and even John Lennon sang 'Imagine no posessions' sitting at a top of the range piano in a luxury house.
* National Research Council of Canada (see also Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics),
* Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France (see also CNRS/INSU ), and
* University of Hawaii (see also UH/IfA ).
and the average gas mileage of a new, light-duty vehicle was 21 mpg
My J reg Mercedes 190 is renown as a gas guzzler and gets 30mpg. If I were looking for a new car I wouldn't dream of looking at anything that got less than 35mpg. OK, so I know we have bigger gallons (20 fl oz vs 16 fl oz) but, from a UK perspective, 21mpg is only achieved by buying an SUV, and, if you want to buy a Chelsea tractor, pay the price.
When it comes to book banning (and indeed controlling what others say and think) then both sides of the political spectrun have a poor record. Here in the UK 'liberal' means slightly left of centre and encouraging free thought. I like to be described as a liberal, it shows my hippy ideals haven't completely gone!
Meanwhile, back on the actual list, the sort of books that feature are those which displease the religious right, there's a couple of sex-ed manuals and one which appears to sugest that homosexuality is (horrors!!!) normal.
Oh, more on Fortunately I think that crap has died out
This is the top ten challenged in 2005
The "10 Most Challenged Books of 2005" reflect a range of themes. The books are:
* "It's Perfectly Normal" for homosexuality, nudity, sex education, religious viewpoint, abortion and being unsuited to age group;
* "Forever" by Judy Blume for sexual content and offensive language;
* "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger for sexual content, offensive language and being unsuited to age group;
* "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier for sexual content and offensive language;
* "Whale Talk" by Chris Crutcher for racism and offensive language;
* "Detour for Emmy" by Marilyn Reynolds for sexual content;
* "What My Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones for sexual content and being unsuited to age group;
* Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey for anti-family content, being unsuited to age group and violence;
* "Crazy Lady!" by Jane Leslie Conly for offensive language; and
* "It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families" by Robie H. Harris for sex education and sexual content.
Note that our old friend, The Catcher In The Rye' is still there.
Slashdot Mirror
However, what we do about it is another matter. Look how hard it is to persuade the world that there are alternatives to Windows. I wish I had the answer but I don't
I can back up the AC's statement. I work for an IT multinational and our e-mail servers run close to the edge. If we were to see a significant increase in e-mail levels, be it x4 or x10, or even x2, our e-mail system would grind to a halt. We, along with every organisation have become totally dependant on e-mail. For example, one of our customers requires that financial information it sent to the Bank of England by close of play every day. It is sent using (encrypted) e-mail. A delay of a few hours would give us major headaches. And yes, we could use alternative methods but it would take some time to put these in place.
If the preditions came true it would be bad for us.
Surprise (c.f. Terry Pratchett - Theif of Time)
The important point is that the US didn't kick their ass back in the day. It could be reasonably argued the the US had far more reasons for invading Lybia than it ever had for invading Iraq (forgetting cynical explanations involving oil) but instead they held back. It is precisely this kick their ass and that will sort it out A-Team attitude that has led the US into the mess that is Iraq. I hear that the US is now destined to be there until 2010 at least.
If Iraq is a classic example of 'how not to do regime change' then Lybia is a classic example of 'how to do it right'.
I don't see why you limit it to the tech industries. Almost by definition the qualities needed to rise to the top include an ability to 'bend the rules' to achieve results. It's like finding out that a politician is a power hungry bastard; what did you expect. After all, if it weren't like that we wouldn't need all those industry watchdogs.
There is a deep and bitter irony when the money that Branson pledges comes, in part, from promoting cheap air flight
Mind you, he owns trains as well so I suppose it balances.
Now we have a new era with a new medium. The consuming public demand/expect that their requirements are met. The interesting question is whether the established media is as reactionary as in the 60's or whether they can meet the needs that the pirates meet.
When I was a young man, back in the sixties, we were sure that our new music was just about the art, not like those money grabbing bands of the fifties. The bands we loved did it for love peace and acid maaaan, and of course for the music. My how we cheered when the fences came down at the rock festivals. Plus ca change.....
I also toured with the Danmed, and 999, neither of whom could be called 'hair' bands - and they were just like all the rest, and if you're going to suggest that Bob Dylan is not an artist - you're going to find you're in a minority there. As for artists having an mp3 on their web page, that's called a 'loss leader', give away one song and the punters will buy the rest.
You can't roll joints on the back of a CD - mind you, you can't snort coke off an album cover so maybe it depends on your drig of choice.
Only pretty women in open top sports cars. Watch those macho boys go!
- Galaxy - lots of stars spread over a vast area - low average density
- Black hole - one star compressed into a relatively small area - high average density
Easily confused then.When it comes to book banning (and indeed controlling what others say and think) then both sides of the political spectrun have a poor record. Here in the UK 'liberal' means slightly left of centre and encouraging free thought. I like to be described as a liberal, it shows my hippy ideals haven't completely gone!
Meanwhile, back on the actual list, the sort of books that feature are those which displease the religious right, there's a couple of sex-ed manuals and one which appears to sugest that homosexuality is (horrors!!!) normal.
This is the top ten challenged in 2005 Note that our old friend, The Catcher In The Rye' is still there.
Well, err...
It tells you what other people are using. By this logic I should be driving a Ford Mondeo (and using Windows on my PC!)