"Too bad it doesn't make it right or at the very least legal."
(IANAL) Last I checked, the behavior was underhanded, but not illegal. It could be construed as monopolistic behavior, except they don't have a monopoly in the Search business.
It makes the hit counts on their servers go up, which is something they can use to fuel the argument that IIS is better than Apache/thttpd/etc.
Also, if you are a "decision maker" who uses MSN Search, you'll see IIS everywhere. It will influence your opinion: you'll think it is more ubiquitous than it is.
This just in, The Yankee Group uncovers the truth behind the PHP name, in a report commissioned by Microsoft (MSFT). Laura Didio is the analyst who made the startling break through:
"Over the course of a study into the roots of PHP, we discovered that several Psychology sites use the software. That got me thinking," She commented. "See, Psycology has a 'ssss' sound at the beginning, and yet it starts with a 'P'."
Soon after her statement, she put on a tinfoil hat and ran out of the room. Screaming "They're out to get me! God, save me from Groklaw! Pleeeaaase!"
So, what is the mysterious epiphany she had? "Pspawn Hof Psatan". In a related story, Microsoft updates it's Get the Facts (tm) campaign...
Don't forget to rinse and repeat. You should also test the results across several servers. And then get someone to verify your results, with a completely different bunch of servers...
"ya know, I think we ought to favor IIS because IIS (insert some lame justification here)."
Maybe... "ya know, I think we ought to favor IIS because IIS is our product"?
So the father sat down with him and watched Black Hawk Down, completely uncensored.
So, by the same token, I should teach my kids the "perils of drug use" by leading them around a crackhouse? (exaggerated)
I don't think so. I'd like to think there are better ways to communicate with one's children other than by scaring the shit out of them. (Then again, a 10 year old might think that BHD was the best movie he'd ever seen.)
I think (not being a parent) that the conversation is a good idea, as well as monitoring your children. However, the V-Chip for games is rather Orwellian sounding. I'd rather give them some latitude, and allow them to make their own mistakes.
(Then again, I don't have children. And of course, this is all in the assumption that they do not exhibit "erratic" behavior, or the inabiltiy to differentiate entertainment from reality.)
Ease of use isn't as important as reliability and integrity
Tell that to my manager. We run an all-windows (except for 1 AIX box, which is running a lotus backend) network here, solely because it is "easier to use".
Also, one of my roommates is working towards a degree in MIS. All he knows is windows. All he learns (in school) is windows. And he won't even give Linux a chance.
I belive business applications would include Exchange/LDAP/Email Servers, Application Servers, Office, Web servers, etc. etc. (lumped in the enterprise servers).
Knowing that, Exchange is much easier to set up than LDAP+Email, & Office is preferred to K-/Star-/Open-Office by most businesses.
I personally think Apache makes a better webserver, but many businesses like IIS better. Not only does it have a simpler install, but you can code the whole thing in ASP, which integrates nicely into all of their other MS stuff.
Plus, "Everyone knows Windows"... and it's practically all that managers learn about in school.
streaming media from your computer to your TV
Well, no. You save the video onto the HDD of the PC, then stream it from the computer to the TV.
You have no right to say anything, nor does anyone else.
From Wikipedia: The Ninth Amendment, particularly when taken in conjunction with The Tenth Amendment, emphasizes that the Bill of Rights is not a grant of rights from the government to the people, but a reminder that it merely enumerates some of the most important powers not granted to the government.
Because the Constitution is a document describing the powers of government, the language it uses will be government-centric. We do have those rights, specifically because the government cannot regulate them. (Unless, of course, everyone goes batshit and amends that out of the US Constitution, but that's another matter entirely.)
Also, most of the rights it affords citizens may not be abridged by state governments either. (Amendment 14, Section 1). Of course, that's only if you interperet the Constitution by the word and letter.
But then again, our government hasn't ever worked for us. Even when our nation was in its infancy, we had problems and arguments over the document. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had entirely different views on what the constitution said--and they both wrote it. Alexander Hamilton (and, of course, the almighty dollar) eventually won that one.
There are a great many religious people who believe--as the individual I replied to does--that somehow he has the "right" to share his beliefs about his idea of my "lifestyle."
They do have the right to share their beliefs with you... so long as you mean "speak of". It's one of those freedoms that the constitution grants us.
However, I agree that people should be able to impose their religious beliefs on you. Because that's another freedom we have: the freedom to choose our beliefs, and not have them unjustifiably oppressed. (Which is something our bible-banging government seems intent on doing).
As far as my opinion of the whole matter goes: "Gay is cool, just don't hit on me".
"Redrawless windows" - When moving windows around, you don't have to worry about flicker. At all.
Then, on top of all of that is bragging rights. Me: "Oh, yeh... I thought it'd look neat to have my buttons sparckle when I mouse over them" Them: "How did you get it to look so crisp? Oh! Dude, when you move the window the computer doesn't slow down either!" Me: "Oh, that's the pixel shaders." Them: "Wait, you have a pixel shaded desktop?" Me: "Heh. And you said Linux sucked."
Then, after finding out it's linux, they'd call it a horrible misuse of resources... and then I get to say "And Windows isn't?" Hardy har har.
Breaking the 4th wall of Massives has been on the agenda of many developers for the past several years. It usually takes the form of "how can we get them to play when they are not in the game".
However, this is a perfectly legitimate practice. The largest text MUD in existence (forget the name. Starts with an A, I think) has been doing it for years.
X11 is the standard that X clients and servers use to communicate. What you are thinking of is XFree86, which for all intents and purposes is dead/dying/bad.
The XGL desktop extensions are currently being designed with usability in mind. The developers are attempting to do 2 things: 1) Make the desktop seem more real to a user 2) Decrease or entirely remove graphical lag from the system. This is already apparent within x.org's work. The windows slide around seamlessly (with the Composite & XDamage extensions loaded).
Adding the "wavy windows" code into it makes windows seem more like real objects, and thus immerse the user more.
I agree with your opionion that the interfaces are currently pretty bad, but they are constantly improving (insert obligatory KDE/Gnome/Freedesktop.org reference here). And of course, with great 3D power comes even greater responsibility to use it correctly. And there will be people who abuse it.
And now for something completely different.
While I see 3D desktops (3DD) to be interesting theoretically, they have yet to find practical uses. Many times this is because they break the 4th wall, and thus seem less real to users. We havn't found the proper way to use the technology provided to us.
However, it is also my opinion that if we keep trying different things, we will eventually stumble onto the right track. How long it will take is debatable.
Both archetectures are incorrect. I think it would be best to use a hybrid approach. Isolate the stuff that "needs to be in the kernel" from the stuff that doesn't.
The stuff that doesn't need to be in the kernel (e.g. USB device drivers, and I don't mean OHCI/etc support, I mean the driver for my joystick) can be extracted from it, and placed in userspace.
Then, the stuff that needs to be there (Filesystem support, disk drivers, net code, etc) can stay there, and live happily. This is the way several other OS's work:
MS Windows
BSD Dragonfly
OSX
Now, OSX and Firefly are mainly hacks over BSD. When I say a hybrid, I mean a non-hackish hybrid. Linus has this thing about making sure it's done "the right way"... I'd hope he could see to it this would.
Not that it doesn't present problems. It would require a massive overhaul to the whole system, every system would need to be categorized as "in" or "out"... but it does have its benefits:
Different systems could have many of their drivers outside of the kernel, inside a separately maintained project.
Feature creep may increase, but it would be largely isolated to out-of-kernel areas.
It may present an opportunity to clean up more of the kernel interfaces. (Major re-works normally do).
The interface of the userland products could maintain a consistent driver interface for companies to code drivers to. (One of several reasons why many manufacturers don't release drivers is because it is difficult to hit a moving target. Even now, the kernel developers are planning on yet another driver overhaul).
Bitch at the software vendors, it's their fault. I'd be almost willing to suggest they do it on purpose.
I know I shouldn't comment on this, but Microsoft is a software vendor.
Slashdot Mirror
AKA The cybercrimes section of the DOJ.
I stand corrected :)
"Too bad it doesn't make it right or at the very least legal."
(IANAL) Last I checked, the behavior was underhanded, but not illegal. It could be construed as monopolistic behavior, except they don't have a monopoly in the Search business.
It would be more "like Ford making their seats more comfortable to other Ford owners".
E.g. Completely trivial. (Besides, who would buy a ford anyway?)
For a few more reasons.
It makes the hit counts on their servers go up, which is something they can use to fuel the argument that IIS is better than Apache/thttpd/etc.
Also, if you are a "decision maker" who uses MSN Search, you'll see IIS everywhere. It will influence your opinion: you'll think it is more ubiquitous than it is.
This just in, The Yankee Group uncovers the truth behind the PHP name, in a report commissioned by Microsoft (MSFT). Laura Didio is the analyst who made the startling break through:
"Over the course of a study into the roots of PHP, we discovered that several Psychology sites use the software. That got me thinking," She commented. "See, Psycology has a 'ssss' sound at the beginning, and yet it starts with a 'P'."
Soon after her statement, she put on a tinfoil hat and ran out of the room. Screaming "They're out to get me! God, save me from Groklaw! Pleeeaaase!"
So, what is the mysterious epiphany she had? "Pspawn Hof Psatan". In a related story, Microsoft updates it's Get the Facts (tm) campaign...
Don't forget to rinse and repeat. You should also test the results across several servers. And then get someone to verify your results, with a completely different bunch of servers...
Then, of course, patent the process.
He could say "assuming Google indexes 1 page every 1/100 of a second".
While less ambiguous, I really don't think it matters. He was trying to "bust a myth", not imply "Google can index only one page at a time...".
"ya know, I think we ought to favor IIS because IIS (insert some lame justification here)."
Maybe... "ya know, I think we ought to favor IIS because IIS is our product"?
So the father sat down with him and watched Black Hawk Down, completely uncensored.
So, by the same token, I should teach my kids the "perils of drug use" by leading them around a crackhouse? (exaggerated)
I don't think so. I'd like to think there are better ways to communicate with one's children other than by scaring the shit out of them. (Then again, a 10 year old might think that BHD was the best movie he'd ever seen.)
I think (not being a parent) that the conversation is a good idea, as well as monitoring your children. However, the V-Chip for games is rather Orwellian sounding. I'd rather give them some latitude, and allow them to make their own mistakes.
(Then again, I don't have children. And of course, this is all in the assumption that they do not exhibit "erratic" behavior, or the inabiltiy to differentiate entertainment from reality.)
Ease of use isn't as important as reliability and integrity
Tell that to my manager. We run an all-windows (except for 1 AIX box, which is running a lotus backend) network here, solely because it is "easier to use".
Also, one of my roommates is working towards a degree in MIS. All he knows is windows. All he learns (in school) is windows. And he won't even give Linux a chance.
It all depends on the application...
"wtf is a business application"
I belive business applications would include Exchange/LDAP/Email Servers, Application Servers, Office, Web servers, etc. etc. (lumped in the enterprise servers).
Knowing that, Exchange is much easier to set up than LDAP+Email, & Office is preferred to K-/Star-/Open-Office by most businesses.
I personally think Apache makes a better webserver, but many businesses like IIS better. Not only does it have a simpler install, but you can code the whole thing in ASP, which integrates nicely into all of their other MS stuff.
Plus, "Everyone knows Windows"... and it's practically all that managers learn about in school.
streaming media from your computer to your TV
Well, no. You save the video onto the HDD of the PC, then stream it from the computer to the TV.
Unfortunately, when you try to "beat the simple fact...into the skulls" of someone/somepeople, they are less likely to listen.
You have no right to say anything, nor does anyone else.
From Wikipedia:
The Ninth Amendment, particularly when taken in conjunction with The Tenth Amendment, emphasizes that the Bill of Rights is not a grant of rights from the government to the people, but a reminder that it merely enumerates some of the most important powers not granted to the government.
Because the Constitution is a document describing the powers of government, the language it uses will be government-centric. We do have those rights, specifically because the government cannot regulate them. (Unless, of course, everyone goes batshit and amends that out of the US Constitution, but that's another matter entirely.)
Also, most of the rights it affords citizens may not be abridged by state governments either. (Amendment 14, Section 1). Of course, that's only if you interperet the Constitution by the word and letter.
Of interesting note is the way that the Supreme Court decided to interpret the 9th amendment.
But then again, our government hasn't ever worked for us. Even when our nation was in its infancy, we had problems and arguments over the document. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had entirely different views on what the constitution said--and they both wrote it. Alexander Hamilton (and, of course, the almighty dollar) eventually won that one.
Whoops. Sorry about that. (And thanks for noting the mistake.)
There are a great many religious people who believe--as the individual I replied to does--that somehow he has the "right" to share his beliefs about his idea of my "lifestyle."
They do have the right to share their beliefs with you... so long as you mean "speak of". It's one of those freedoms that the constitution grants us.
However, I agree that people should be able to impose their religious beliefs on you. Because that's another freedom we have: the freedom to choose our beliefs, and not have them unjustifiably oppressed. (Which is something our bible-banging government seems intent on doing).
As far as my opinion of the whole matter goes: "Gay is cool, just don't hit on me".
You have to remember that often (possibly not in your case), the techies don't make decisions... Management does.
And, according to Management, we live in the World of Windows. So, they'll see it as "A Good Thing (tm)" then demand we install it on everything.
Yeh. That too.
My point is still valid though. Eye candy can be used to improve the usability of a system. A few more examples that your post made me remember:
Transparency & "Z Buffering" of windows- Makes them seem more like they are in "the background", which brings better highlighting to your main window.
Scaling the desktop down to fit in the pager, with live updates.
Properly antialiased fonts (taken directly) - increases readability & decreases eye strain.
"Redrawless windows" - When moving windows around, you don't have to worry about flicker. At all.
Then, on top of all of that is bragging rights.
Me: "Oh, yeh... I thought it'd look neat to have my buttons sparckle when I mouse over them"
Them: "How did you get it to look so crisp? Oh! Dude, when you move the window the computer doesn't slow down either!"
Me: "Oh, that's the pixel shaders."
Them: "Wait, you have a pixel shaded desktop?"
Me: "Heh. And you said Linux sucked."
Then, after finding out it's linux, they'd call it a horrible misuse of resources... and then I get to say "And Windows isn't?" Hardy har har.
That was rather rambly.
Well, back to work.
Breaking the 4th wall of Massives has been on the agenda of many developers for the past several years. It usually takes the form of "how can we get them to play when they are not in the game".
However, this is a perfectly legitimate practice. The largest text MUD in existence (forget the name. Starts with an A, I think) has been doing it for years.
X11 is the standard that X clients and servers use to communicate. What you are thinking of is XFree86, which for all intents and purposes is dead/dying/bad.
Does that meant that in the future, the script kiddies will be able to fly through my system like superman?
The XGL desktop extensions are currently being designed with usability in mind. The developers are attempting to do 2 things:
1) Make the desktop seem more real to a user
2) Decrease or entirely remove graphical lag from the system. This is already apparent within x.org's work. The windows slide around seamlessly (with the Composite & XDamage extensions loaded).
Adding the "wavy windows" code into it makes windows seem more like real objects, and thus immerse the user more.
I agree with your opionion that the interfaces are currently pretty bad, but they are constantly improving (insert obligatory KDE/Gnome/Freedesktop.org reference here). And of course, with great 3D power comes even greater responsibility to use it correctly. And there will be people who abuse it.
And now for something completely different.
While I see 3D desktops (3DD) to be interesting theoretically, they have yet to find practical uses. Many times this is because they break the 4th wall, and thus seem less real to users. We havn't found the proper way to use the technology provided to us.
However, it is also my opinion that if we keep trying different things, we will eventually stumble onto the right track. How long it will take is debatable.
Both archetectures are incorrect. I think it would be best to use a hybrid approach. Isolate the stuff that "needs to be in the kernel" from the stuff that doesn't.
The stuff that doesn't need to be in the kernel (e.g. USB device drivers, and I don't mean OHCI/etc support, I mean the driver for my joystick) can be extracted from it, and placed in userspace.
Then, the stuff that needs to be there (Filesystem support, disk drivers, net code, etc) can stay there, and live happily. This is the way several other OS's work:
- MS Windows
- BSD Dragonfly
- OSX
Now, OSX and Firefly are mainly hacks over BSD. When I say a hybrid, I mean a non-hackish hybrid. Linus has this thing about making sure it's done "the right way"... I'd hope he could see to it this would.Not that it doesn't present problems. It would require a massive overhaul to the whole system, every system would need to be categorized as "in" or "out"... but it does have its benefits:
Bitch at the software vendors, it's their fault. I'd be almost willing to suggest they do it on purpose. I know I shouldn't comment on this, but Microsoft is a software vendor.