So first they say:
"Well you see sir it's like this. If you read the EULA that came with your copy of Windows Vista Home edition you will see that....."
And then they say:
"Now if you'll tell me your copy of Vista's licence key, I'll add you to our database of machines to refuse when your next Windows Genuine Advantage check runs. Thank you kindly and have a nice day. Muahahahaha"
This is why FM radio is not exactly a big selling feature on MP3 players over here (well it's not in the US either considering the popularity of the iPod, but in the UK if someone launches a device with built in FM the first response is 'what no DAB?')
I knew there was a reason why I didn't care that the Zune has an FM radio built in. That and the generally poor selection of music on UK FM Stations.
I'd hardly say that they're a vanishing breed. Rather, it seems to me that they're a *growing* breed, Nevermind the occasional beige-box company offering naked PC's in certain markets for short periods of time (last one I saw was from Dell I think).
It may be that this is the case in the US but my personal experience in the UK when I bought a custom box a while back was somewhat different. The place I bought mine said it was more or less the last one they would ship because of EU regulations about build processes. On that basis there was no money in it for them. This may be a few years back but it's a different position to the one your in, which is much better IMHO.
[snipped]
Just to get back on topic, I can say that while I don't use one, I do like the Mac and I like how OS-X looks (what little I've seen anyway). I can't imagine Apple selling their systems in any other way than as a computer and an OS in a single inseperable package; something just doesn't seem right about the idea of Apple going the way of the beige-box market.
That's my view. As soon as they stop selling OS X with a mac, they run the risk of becoming just another box shifter. They also throw away the advantage they have over control of what goes into a box that OS X has to support. And that could lead to the same stability and driver availability problems that seem to bedevil the Windows and Linux worlds respectively. Though Vista seems to be trying to address stability and Ubuntu looks to be pretty good in terms of support.
Re:Part of the ongoing feud with the Rails camp?
on
You Call This Agile?
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
I'll say it if I want to cocky, and in this instance, I don't.
Joel has a blind spot. Doesn't make him a bad person.
Re:Part of the ongoing feud with the Rails camp?
on
You Call This Agile?
·
· Score: 1
Joel has a lot going for him, he runs a successful business, he writes well and a lot of his opinions are well thought out and presented.
IMHO though he's very anti-agile, and particularly anti-xp, and some of his comments are just presented as canon without any backing. A while ago, for example, he had a rant about not doing up-front design. No reasons why he felt this was wrong were presented, just that it's wrong. If he'd presented some reasoning for his stance I could understand it, but there was no backing at all.
Very disappointing.
Except that even with that fact, people do know they're buying a Dell computer with a Microsoft operating system. That's one box, two companies. No single vendor integrated system here.
Ah yes, I take your point.
Re:Apple still sells systems
on
Leopard Vs. Vista
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
When the IBM PC was introduced, the whole "system" idea was almost completely forgotten by the general public. In 2006, when you say "computer" most people think "I buy a box from someone and install an OS from someone else on it".
They do? Most people buy a PC from Dell or PC World or Currys and it comes with Windows on it. Installed, with a set of recovery disks that reinstall it. PCs bare of an OS seem to me to be a rapidly vanishing breed.
No, not your bad. Unless your jerking my chain:)
Windows ME was a total dog of an OS that bought very few, if any, benefits over 98 second edition and if anything was far less stable. So getting a $130 refund was a major result considering it was probabaly worth absolutely nothing.
Though for some reason the company I work for has moved my Temporary Internet Files directory out of my profile and into the Windows directory. Which seems an odd thing to do.
That software isn't a problem. That software can be removed. What might be considered a problem is a webcam in every computer. Some companies don't like that.
I'm not too sure about the webcam part. A company I worked with last year was spending an absolute fortune on limited access video conferencing to avoid spending even more money on corporate travel.
Err, they didn't. It's part of the OS which is all upgradable - there have been three minor version releases since the original version, each bringing performance and stability improvements.
IMHO that's not a problem. I installed the ported GPE apps, but then found that the PIM functions on my mobile phone are more than adequate for what I want to do, and the free Outlook synch software that Nokia provide for that works perfectly well - now if only Apple could learn from that and support the 6320 I'd be in heaven:(
As a device for browsing, watching video, reading e-mail (this needs some work) and general geekiness, the 770 is the equal of the Palm or PocketPC platforms and in some cases (browsing) far exceeds them (again IMHO).
OK it needs some work, but there have been two new software releases in the month I've had mine (with each providing speed improvements), the Nokia developers are responsive and the third party stuff is appearing at a steady rate.
I do agree that 128ROM/128RAM woould have been a better setup from the start, RAM does tend to run out rather quickly and one of the downsides of a decent browser on a small device is that websites treat it like a PC and open new windows all over the place, punt flash down the wire to you and do all sort of funky stuff that you're really not interested in.
Having said all that, I like it and it's replaced my iPaq 4700 in daily use.
"Fact: In the spring of 1998, mailboxes of US scientists flooded with packet from the "Global Warming Petition Project," including a reprint of a Wall Street Journal op-ed "Science has spoken: Global Warming Is a Myth," a copy of a faux scientific article claiming that "increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have no deleterious effects upon global climate," a short letter signed by past-president National Academy of Sciences, Frederick Seitz, and a short petition calling for the rejection of the Kyoto Protocol on the grounds that a reduction in carbon dioxide "would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind."
The sponsor, little-known Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, tried to beguile unsuspecting scientists into believing that this packet had originated from the National Academy of the Sciences, both by referencing Seitz's past involvement with the NAS and with an article formatted to look as if it was a published article in the Academy's Proceedings, which it was not. The NAS quickly distanced itself from the petition project, issuing a statement saying, "the petition does not reflect the conclusions of expert reports of the Academy."
The petition project was a deliberate attempt to mislead scientists and to rally them in an attempt to undermine support for the Kyoto Protocol. The petition was not based on a review of the science of global climate change, nor were its signers experts in the field of climate science. In fact, the only criterion for signing the petition was a bachelor's degree in science. The petition resurfaced in early 2001 in an renewed attempt to undermine international climate treaty negotiations."
I'd rather trust the Iraqi minister of propaganda than the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine.
Slashdot Mirror
It took me a while to get it, but it's the diner scene at the finish.
And then they say:
"Now if you'll tell me your copy of Vista's licence key, I'll add you to our database of machines to refuse when your next Windows Genuine Advantage check runs. Thank you kindly and have a nice day. Muahahahaha"
I knew there was a reason why I didn't care that the Zune has an FM radio built in. That and the generally poor selection of music on UK FM Stations.
I'd hardly say that they're a vanishing breed. Rather, it seems to me that they're a *growing* breed, Nevermind the occasional beige-box company offering naked PC's in certain markets for short periods of time (last one I saw was from Dell I think).
It may be that this is the case in the US but my personal experience in the UK when I bought a custom box a while back was somewhat different. The place I bought mine said it was more or less the last one they would ship because of EU regulations about build processes. On that basis there was no money in it for them. This may be a few years back but it's a different position to the one your in, which is much better IMHO.
[snipped]
Just to get back on topic, I can say that while I don't use one, I do like the Mac and I like how OS-X looks (what little I've seen anyway). I can't imagine Apple selling their systems in any other way than as a computer and an OS in a single inseperable package; something just doesn't seem right about the idea of Apple going the way of the beige-box market.
That's my view. As soon as they stop selling OS X with a mac, they run the risk of becoming just another box shifter. They also throw away the advantage they have over control of what goes into a box that OS X has to support. And that could lead to the same stability and driver availability problems that seem to bedevil the Windows and Linux worlds respectively. Though Vista seems to be trying to address stability and Ubuntu looks to be pretty good in terms of support.
Joel has a blind spot. Doesn't make him a bad person.
Joel has a lot going for him, he runs a successful business, he writes well and a lot of his opinions are well thought out and presented. IMHO though he's very anti-agile, and particularly anti-xp, and some of his comments are just presented as canon without any backing. A while ago, for example, he had a rant about not doing up-front design. No reasons why he felt this was wrong were presented, just that it's wrong. If he'd presented some reasoning for his stance I could understand it, but there was no backing at all. Very disappointing.
Ah yes, I take your point.
When the IBM PC was introduced, the whole "system" idea was almost completely forgotten by the general public. In 2006, when you say "computer" most people think "I buy a box from someone and install an OS from someone else on it".
They do? Most people buy a PC from Dell or PC World or Currys and it comes with Windows on it. Installed, with a set of recovery disks that reinstall it. PCs bare of an OS seem to me to be a rapidly vanishing breed.
Nice.
If I had any mod points to give, you'd get them
No, not your bad. Unless your jerking my chain :)
Windows ME was a total dog of an OS that bought very few, if any, benefits over 98 second edition and if anything was far less stable. So getting a $130 refund was a major result considering it was probabaly worth absolutely nothing.
$130 for Windows ME? It's just as well they didn't pay what it was worth isn't it.
Though for some reason the company I work for has moved my Temporary Internet Files directory out of my profile and into the Windows directory. Which seems an odd thing to do.
That software isn't a problem. That software can be removed. What might be considered a problem is a webcam in every computer. Some companies don't like that.
I'm not too sure about the webcam part. A company I worked with last year was spending an absolute fortune on limited access video conferencing to avoid spending even more money on corporate travel.
Do some apps still store work files in one of the temp directories?
Which can be more than a little difficult to interpret correctly...
Err, they didn't. It's part of the OS which is all upgradable - there have been three minor version releases since the original version, each bringing performance and stability improvements.
If I had any Mod points, you'd get them.
IMHO that's not a problem. I installed the ported GPE apps, but then found that the PIM functions on my mobile phone are more than adequate for what I want to do, and the free Outlook synch software that Nokia provide for that works perfectly well - now if only Apple could learn from that and support the 6320 I'd be in heaven :(
As a device for browsing, watching video, reading e-mail (this needs some work) and general geekiness, the 770 is the equal of the Palm or PocketPC platforms and in some cases (browsing) far exceeds them (again IMHO).
OK it needs some work, but there have been two new software releases in the month I've had mine (with each providing speed improvements), the Nokia developers are responsive and the third party stuff is appearing at a steady rate.
I do agree that 128ROM/128RAM woould have been a better setup from the start, RAM does tend to run out rather quickly and one of the downsides of a decent browser on a small device is that websites treat it like a PC and open new windows all over the place, punt flash down the wire to you and do all sort of funky stuff that you're really not interested in.
Having said all that, I like it and it's replaced my iPaq 4700 in daily use.
Oh shit. Consider the whole lot retracted
From:
"Fact: In the spring of 1998, mailboxes of US scientists flooded with packet from the "Global Warming Petition Project," including a reprint of a Wall Street Journal op-ed "Science has spoken: Global Warming Is a Myth," a copy of a faux scientific article claiming that "increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have no deleterious effects upon global climate," a short letter signed by past-president National Academy of Sciences, Frederick Seitz, and a short petition calling for the rejection of the Kyoto Protocol on the grounds that a reduction in carbon dioxide "would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind."
The sponsor, little-known Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, tried to beguile unsuspecting scientists into believing that this packet had originated from the National Academy of the Sciences, both by referencing Seitz's past involvement with the NAS and with an article formatted to look as if it was a published article in the Academy's Proceedings, which it was not. The NAS quickly distanced itself from the petition project, issuing a statement saying, "the petition does not reflect the conclusions of expert reports of the Academy."
The petition project was a deliberate attempt to mislead scientists and to rally them in an attempt to undermine support for the Kyoto Protocol. The petition was not based on a review of the science of global climate change, nor were its signers experts in the field of climate science. In fact, the only criterion for signing the petition was a bachelor's degree in science. The petition resurfaced in early 2001 in an renewed attempt to undermine international climate treaty negotiations."
I'd rather trust the Iraqi minister of propaganda than the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine.
Well it works quite well with my Stowaway and a simple additional driver. Support's works better than the Stowaway drivers on my iPaq 4700.
Microsoft DRM is only a problem if you use WMA or Microsoft Reader.
For music I use unprotected AAC from iTunes rips played by betaplayer (or whatever it is now).
For books I use eReader with the eReader DRM which is based on the credit card you bought with and your name.
No problems with either.
Do you mean an Autogyro - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro ?
The small helicopter like machine that James Bond uses in you only live twice IIRC.
As long as they don't forget twhat is their core business, Google will be fine.