I remember when the levy first came out - a lot of larger retail stores, like "London Drugs" and Staples figured it would make people stop buying blank media, so they started paying it for the customers. In my area, blank media is priced about the same as it is in most stores across the border, so I don't think the stores ever stopped paying the levy.
Blizzard to Join Forces With Activision
We're pleased to announce that along with the other companies that make up Vivendi Games, we are merging with Activision to form a new global entertainment organization called Activision Blizzard (pending shareholder and regulatory approval). Similar to our previous arrangement, Blizzard Entertainment will now operate as a division of this new organization.
There will be no changes to our games, our websites, our personnel, or our day-to-day operations as a result of the deal. However, this combining of resources will benefit all of the companies involved and will further strengthen Blizzard's ability to continue delivering high-quality content for our players around the world for many years to come.
Then how come my laptop, installed with a trial of said program over six months ago, still plays DVDs? I definitely haven't installed any other codec packs, as all the thing does is play movies when I'm on the road.
...isn't free, and Microsoft has to pay in order to include it in Windows. Not a lot, mind you, but they have to pay 'per copy sold'. As such, they only include it in Home Premium and Ultimate, the editions that have Media Center. On any other SKU, just download a 30-day trial of a DVD Player, install it, and forget. Even after the trial expires, the codec doesn't.
...right around the same time as Vista SP1, if not sooner. XP SP3 is also in Release Candidate Status, and (based on my testing, anyways), is *almost* totally ready for release. A few minor things to take care of, but it's looking really good.
...MS didn't label the firewalls default settings as 'Block all incoming connections', just 'On'. If you turn on 'Block all incomming connections', it does just that and everything from file sharing to basic network functions are crippled, as intended.
In fact, when you do a Custom Install Without Format, setup 'automagically' moves "C:\Documents and Settings" (or "C:\Users" if the old install is Vista), "C:\Program Files", and "C:\Windows" (change drive letters as needed) to C:\Windows.Old. Given, it doesn't copy everything back to the new install, but if that's what you want, do an Upgrade.
...the main reason I want to run a VM is to use existing Operating Systems that are written for x86 hardware, and I'm willing to bet that's also the main reason others use VMs, too. If you change the architecture of the HyperVisor, now you have to write OSs for that, and say hello to another seven versions of Windows plus thousands of additional *nix and *bsd distros.
Take a look - Windows Desktop Search is *different* from the Windows Search index already in Vista. Different products, and Desktop Search is still something that can be installed.
Also, upon closer inspection, none of the XP boxes seem to have it, either.
I can't even see it in the Optional Updates on Vista, at home or at work - The organization I work for consists of 18,000+ employees at various sites world-wide, and I've yet to see or here anything about this from anyone at the various sites I deal with.
I'm a Windows user (no jokes, please), and have occasionally dipped in to a Linux distribution, but I've never looked at Kernel Memory Usage. What is the standard memory usage for a Linux Kernel, just so I have something to compare with the numbers mentioned in TFA?
Very funny, we never would have thought of it, etc....
Actually, it is pretty amusing, but the joke is spoiled by the fact that Microsoft recent merged all of the Windows beta programs (since there are three at the moment) in to a single site/program. Much easier to keep track of, especially because most if not all of the testers belong to the Vista SP1 and Server 2008 betas anyways.
...for getting 'unusual' and 'Pamela Anderson' in the same sentence using 'boobs', three words which normally only go together with the word 'large' added.
...most of those 'l33t' languages are now seen for what they are, and people who use them are being ridiculed.
Now if only I could get my mother to stop trying to 'unthaw' the turkey before dinner. Thawing it would be much more effective than trying to cook a frozen-solid bird.
I'm a trainer at a call center, and I rarely work less than 50 hours per week, more depending on what/who I'm training and when. If I'm lucky, I get a morning shift - if not, my class finishes at midnight.
Really, it is. If this were to be taken seriously and go a head, it would be in their best interests to stop selling software in Europe. And while most/. readers would probably jump for joy if that happened, think about the ramifications for consumers and the software industry. As much as most people hate Windows, in a lot of regards it is a necessary evil.
Sure, the chances of either happening are slim, but you never know.
"Gather round children. For the legend, of El Chupanibre
-He creeps and crawls in the midnight hush
Silent as low-flow toilet flush-
-Watch your step, 'cause sooner or later
He'll eat you whole, and half your alligator-"
...I ask the sales person to take the amount of the rebate off the price. They are argue that they can't, and when I go to leave they just end up getting authorization from their manager. I get the rebate, instantly, and without the tax worries (I live in BC, so I know your pain).
And if they try to call my bluff, I grab a flyer and go to one of the other stores in town to get a 'price match', in which I get them to factor in the rebate. So far I've been lucky and haven't lost yet!
I think you may have hit the nail on the head when you say "updates". Remember, "Microsoft Update" has the ability to pull updates for other, already installed Microsoft apps, not just Windows. Chances are, your server pulled them because Microsoft made these updates available for already installed clients. Try actually doing those updates on a naked-install of Windows and see what happens. Then post screenshots!
Technically, they're already doing it anyways with the Start Search and Windows Desktop Search, as is Google in serveral areas, just not from an ad perspective (although many people already believe both are using that without user knowledge/consent). In terms of this, though, I fully expect it to be exploited in a variety of different tools and ways, but I'm still highly-doubtful them doing it on an OS-integration level, unless it is a free (as in beer) ad-sponsored version of Windows (which I personally don't like the idea of).
Slashdot Mirror
No way to verify it passes Acid2?
I remember when the levy first came out - a lot of larger retail stores, like "London Drugs" and Staples figured it would make people stop buying blank media, so they started paying it for the customers. In my area, blank media is priced about the same as it is in most stores across the border, so I don't think the stores ever stopped paying the levy.
Heh, for a second I thought, "Did he change anything"? It looked so real!
Provides some details. From their front page:
Then how come my laptop, installed with a trial of said program over six months ago, still plays DVDs? I definitely haven't installed any other codec packs, as all the thing does is play movies when I'm on the road.
...isn't free, and Microsoft has to pay in order to include it in Windows. Not a lot, mind you, but they have to pay 'per copy sold'. As such, they only include it in Home Premium and Ultimate, the editions that have Media Center. On any other SKU, just download a 30-day trial of a DVD Player, install it, and forget. Even after the trial expires, the codec doesn't.
...right around the same time as Vista SP1, if not sooner. XP SP3 is also in Release Candidate Status, and (based on my testing, anyways), is *almost* totally ready for release. A few minor things to take care of, but it's looking really good.
...MS didn't label the firewalls default settings as 'Block all incoming connections', just 'On'. If you turn on 'Block all incomming connections', it does just that and everything from file sharing to basic network functions are crippled, as intended.
In fact, when you do a Custom Install Without Format, setup 'automagically' moves "C:\Documents and Settings" (or "C:\Users" if the old install is Vista), "C:\Program Files", and "C:\Windows" (change drive letters as needed) to C:\Windows.Old. Given, it doesn't copy everything back to the new install, but if that's what you want, do an Upgrade.
...the main reason I want to run a VM is to use existing Operating Systems that are written for x86 hardware, and I'm willing to bet that's also the main reason others use VMs, too. If you change the architecture of the HyperVisor, now you have to write OSs for that, and say hello to another seven versions of Windows plus thousands of additional *nix and *bsd distros.
Take a look - Windows Desktop Search is *different* from the Windows Search index already in Vista. Different products, and Desktop Search is still something that can be installed.
Also, upon closer inspection, none of the XP boxes seem to have it, either.
I can't even see it in the Optional Updates on Vista, at home or at work - The organization I work for consists of 18,000+ employees at various sites world-wide, and I've yet to see or here anything about this from anyone at the various sites I deal with.
I'm a Windows user (no jokes, please), and have occasionally dipped in to a Linux distribution, but I've never looked at Kernel Memory Usage. What is the standard memory usage for a Linux Kernel, just so I have something to compare with the numbers mentioned in TFA?
...be reactive, instead of proactive?
I for one applaud the '+Funny' modding overlords.
Very funny, we never would have thought of it, etc....
Actually, it is pretty amusing, but the joke is spoiled by the fact that Microsoft recent merged all of the Windows beta programs (since there are three at the moment) in to a single site/program. Much easier to keep track of, especially because most if not all of the testers belong to the Vista SP1 and Server 2008 betas anyways.
Just like other replies, SP3 will still contain IE 6, although with a new tag of "SP3" as opposed to "SP2" as one would expect.
...for getting 'unusual' and 'Pamela Anderson' in the same sentence using 'boobs', three words which normally only go together with the word 'large' added.
...most of those 'l33t' languages are now seen for what they are, and people who use them are being ridiculed.
Now if only I could get my mother to stop trying to 'unthaw' the turkey before dinner. Thawing it would be much more effective than trying to cook a frozen-solid bird.
I'm a trainer at a call center, and I rarely work less than 50 hours per week, more depending on what/who I'm training and when. If I'm lucky, I get a morning shift - if not, my class finishes at midnight.
Seriously, if only my students in those classes were cockroaches.
Really, it is. If this were to be taken seriously and go a head, it would be in their best interests to stop selling software in Europe. And while most /. readers would probably jump for joy if that happened, think about the ramifications for consumers and the software industry. As much as most people hate Windows, in a lot of regards it is a necessary evil.
Sure, the chances of either happening are slim, but you never know.
Nowhere in TFA does it mention what information he claims it collects, or how it collects it. Until I see some details, I'm calling BS on this.
"Gather round children. For the legend, of El Chupanibre
-He creeps and crawls in the midnight hush
Silent as low-flow toilet flush-
-Watch your step, 'cause sooner or later
He'll eat you whole, and half your alligator-"
"Crocodile."
"Whatever."
...I ask the sales person to take the amount of the rebate off the price. They are argue that they can't, and when I go to leave they just end up getting authorization from their manager. I get the rebate, instantly, and without the tax worries (I live in BC, so I know your pain).
And if they try to call my bluff, I grab a flyer and go to one of the other stores in town to get a 'price match', in which I get them to factor in the rebate. So far I've been lucky and haven't lost yet!
I think you may have hit the nail on the head when you say "updates". Remember, "Microsoft Update" has the ability to pull updates for other, already installed Microsoft apps, not just Windows. Chances are, your server pulled them because Microsoft made these updates available for already installed clients. Try actually doing those updates on a naked-install of Windows and see what happens. Then post screenshots!
Technically, they're already doing it anyways with the Start Search and Windows Desktop Search, as is Google in serveral areas, just not from an ad perspective (although many people already believe both are using that without user knowledge/consent). In terms of this, though, I fully expect it to be exploited in a variety of different tools and ways, but I'm still highly-doubtful them doing it on an OS-integration level, unless it is a free (as in beer) ad-sponsored version of Windows (which I personally don't like the idea of).