Why would it be so hard to have a "choose a browser, firefox, ie, opera, 'other'" during the install?
Which browsers make the list? Why? Who decides? This would have to be written into the installer. Its not like they can't just go download what they want because at this point, they have no browser at this point.
The resulting actions of others is also not relevant. If I steal a gun and sell it to someone who then sells it to a 3rd person, am I responsible for the actions of the 3rd person?
Everyone in the immediate vicinity dialed 911 on their cell phones and got put in a queue
Are you saying that the 911 provider for the cell service is likely to put you in a queue, or that the mass number of cell phones caused a queue? If you mean it caused it, then at least one person who called got through.
There are some cases where a land line is not readily accessible. I have called 911 on a cell several times and have never been queued. One time was to report a hit + run. I was on the line reporting the current position of the guy as we followed them (I don't think they realized we were). After about 5 minutes, the police were pulling him over.
If you read the article, the bug was a result of coding error. My take on the brief description is they added a handler to an object that lost reference. The handler was never removed. That means the object was still in scope because it was tied by the event handler, and therefore is never garbage collected.
I don't see anything about closing the web or stomping on the little guy or anything like that. Where's that coming from?
This is Slashdot. You must be new here. Anti-Microsoft sentiment is worth an extra +1. Claiming Microsoft eats baby penguins is worth another +1. Backing up your statements with proof or facts is worth an extra +1 but is purely optional.
The presence of a feature provides an excuse for its usage
DRM is a vendor-use feature. If you do not use it, then the vendor will not be able to sell its product to you. This is a digital rights/beliefs issue, not a technical one. There have been plenty of articles here with iTunes switching to DRMless MP3s. If the vendors keep to that route, then the feature is irrelevant (if you keep wearing your tinfoil hat). Clippy used to be part of Office, but that didn't stop many from turning it off.
Notice how with a disk full of software you still don't end up with 50 icons in the systray, and applications popping up various notifications and trying to get your attention.
I think you trust and install too many web based spyware applications. I agree a lot of applications like to stick stuff there, but I also tend to disable the tray portion or not install them.
I'm not only talking about Windows, but various programs that popup message boxes when they want to get updated. This is a consequence of having no package manager.
Regardless of the source, is it acceptable or not acceptable to update without notifications? We had a good week of articles on stealth updates, yet you advocate the elimination of notifying the user of system changes.
The GPL doesn't need to be a clickthrough, as it's not an EULA. So no reason to show it in an installer.
This is not a flaw of Vista, but a difference in the software business models. If more 3rd party commercial applications were available for Linux, then they also would have the same legalese.
I make money by improving GPL licensed software.
Just another business model. Selling a product vs selling a service. If you make a good enough software product, you can leave it alone and sell it as-is with little additional work. If you sell a service, then as soon as you stop working, you stop making money.
So you will be unable to purchase media that uses it (legally). Talk to the vendors. They are the ones who use it.
* It doesn't popup message boxes when it wants to get updated.
So it either updates without your permission, or doesn't update
* It doesn't require an antivirus which slows down performance, and constantly pops up message boxes announcing gleefully how it now can detect 3 viruses more.
3rd party. Talk to the AV makers.
Here's what I want: Win2K with kernel improvements, DX10 and all that. No DRM, no Aero, no activation, no interface changes.
Wait, i thought we're supposed to complain about too many versions of Windows. You want more.
* Installing programs doesn't require clicking through legalese, and refusing offers to register. They install, no questions asked.
Commercial license vs GPL or no license. Some of us have jobs and like getting paid for our work.
Here is a good question, of all the Microsoft partners who suddenly joined the Working Group how many can elucidate on Microsoft's OOXML standard and the serious issues which have been brought up by its opponents?
Agreed. This is another thing that the article doesn't make clear.
Are they voting on a standard for use industry wide for cooperation and competition, or is the objective of the group to vote all other companies out of business?
At least it is some sort of standard. It would at minimum be better than a closed encrypted mess. I haven't fully followed this issue, but if one is voted in, does that mean no other document standard can be introduced and used?
Heh, a better question would be, if a Microsoft partner voted against Microsoft's proposal (its not a standard yet), will they remain a Microsoft partner?
I don't have the full details of the partner program, but the requirements for joining include x certified employees, y customer reviews, and the yearly fee (there is some other stuff depending on the type of partner). I don't know the full agreement, but I don't remember any section requiring us to vote in favor of any Microsoft proposal, bow to Gates, or to sacrifice a penguin on a ritualistic alter each morning.
Who paid?. Microsoft partners pay money to Microsoft for licenses. Was a discount offered or money exchanged?
If a community is full of Christians and they vote along their beliefs, does that mean the church controls the city?
Considering the market share of Microsoft products, is it possible that there would be more technical companies aligned with them than others? Do you think Microsoft and all of its partners should only have 1 vote? If a Microsoft partner voted against the standard, what happens to that vote?
Big MS buys smaller companies to show up on vote day
Does the article say they paid the companies to go? I can't find that anywhere in the article and that is a very important question. If not, then 23 individual companies dropped a few thousand dollars of their own money to have a say at it.
One would think that SIS would not accept new companies to participate in the vote since they haven't been part of the earlier discussions and meetings. But according to SIS they didn't see any problem that new companies wanted to take part in this vote without prior notice. So what happened here is that Microsoft gather together a bunch of loyal partners that would vote yes to their standard without any questions.
Did Microsoft pay their fee? If yes, then they stuffed the box. If not, then 23 companies with a common interest with Microsoft joined an organization to vote for something in their own interests.
Slashdot Mirror
Try 5: ???
Try 6: Profit!!!
Hold 0.1 Libraries of congress
(10 TB = 1 LOC: http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/how_big.htm)
The resulting actions of others is also not relevant. If I steal a gun and sell it to someone who then sells it to a 3rd person, am I responsible for the actions of the 3rd person?
Are you saying that the 911 provider for the cell service is likely to put you in a queue, or that the mass number of cell phones caused a queue? If you mean it caused it, then at least one person who called got through.
There are some cases where a land line is not readily accessible. I have called 911 on a cell several times and have never been queued. One time was to report a hit + run. I was on the line reporting the current position of the guy as we followed them (I don't think they realized we were). After about 5 minutes, the police were pulling him over.
I prefer 132.
If you read the article, the bug was a result of coding error. My take on the brief description is they added a handler to an object that lost reference. The handler was never removed. That means the object was still in scope because it was tied by the event handler, and therefore is never garbage collected.
Poor programming can be done in all languages.
I for one welcome the fries with our new alien overlords.
Do not fear the on-topic troll. You should only fear the on-topic goat.cx page.
New technology comes out that can be used for terrorism. How will {celebrity_name} be affected?
If I ever see a Slashdot article like this, I quit.
DRM is a vendor-use feature. If you do not use it, then the vendor will not be able to sell its product to you. This is a digital rights/beliefs issue, not a technical one. There have been plenty of articles here with iTunes switching to DRMless MP3s. If the vendors keep to that route, then the feature is irrelevant (if you keep wearing your tinfoil hat). Clippy used to be part of Office, but that didn't stop many from turning it off.I think you trust and install too many web based spyware applications. I agree a lot of applications like to stick stuff there, but I also tend to disable the tray portion or not install them.
Regardless of the source, is it acceptable or not acceptable to update without notifications? We had a good week of articles on stealth updates, yet you advocate the elimination of notifying the user of system changes.This is not a flaw of Vista, but a difference in the software business models. If more 3rd party commercial applications were available for Linux, then they also would have the same legalese.Just another business model. Selling a product vs selling a service. If you make a good enough software product, you can leave it alone and sell it as-is with little additional work. If you sell a service, then as soon as you stop working, you stop making money.
In Soviet Russia, Dragonfly spots you!
Not so fast. As a Microsoft partner, I am required to eat baby penguins for breakfast. More Penguins = more baby penguins = more Microsoft partners.
In Soviet Russia, IPs log you!
(ROT13) Gung'f n terng vqrn. V fubhyq rapelcg nyy bs zl fynfuqbg zrffntrf gbb.
Now go to your room and think about what you did wrong.
In Soviet Russia, wheelchair controls you!
If a community is full of Christians and they vote along their beliefs, does that mean the church controls the city?
Considering the market share of Microsoft products, is it possible that there would be more technical companies aligned with them than others? Do you think Microsoft and all of its partners should only have 1 vote? If a Microsoft partner voted against the standard, what happens to that vote?