But these drives are not just faster, they're also higher capacity.
Point well taken... Overall, you're probably getting a 1:1 increase for your money. (Or maybe you're getting more bang for the buck by spending more when you consider all things). But I think that people like you and me can see the value in the high end drives. That's a given.
But my next door neighbor, for example, asked me for advice on buying a notebook that would let him surf/email/type in his living room wirelessly. I recommended getting the cheapest machine from HP / Dell / Whoever because high-end components aren't going to do anything significant for him. I guess I'm assuming that most consumers are like my neighbor, and not like us.
most laptop manufacturers persist in saving a buck by outfitting their units with a low-end, low-cache, low-capacity, low-spindle-speed HDD.
Well, they're saving an average of 111 bucks in these examples. The "low-end" model is about 35% of the cost of the others (on average).
Now look at the performance differences. WorldBench is clocking the more expensive drives as only 30% faster (on average) than the "low-end" drive.
My own conclusion: yes, you're getting a performance boost if you pay more... But it's definately not a 1 to 1 ratio. In fact, for the money, the "low-end" drive is the best solution. So... Why do "most laptop manufacturers persist in saving a buck (or 111 bucks)? Because it's a better choice for the average consumer! Believe me... If Company A started selling only expensive drives, their market would go niche (like Alienware), and most people would purchase a "lower-end" machine.
repeatedly warned for surfing the internet on company time
If this was a problem, why in the world didn't they simply block outbound port 80 from the local NAT address (192.168.0.dumbass-that-won't-get-to-work) -> 255.255.255.255/0?
You can do this type of thing on any SOHO firewall, surely they had this ability.
Underdog, fiscally maybe, but money was never the driving factor for OSS. In terms of a usable, alternative, stable, easy to use OS, Linux is definately no longer an underdog. (IMHO).
Using this logic:
- All home prices go up because some people do home improvements
- The minimum wage keeps increasing because the baby boomers are getting older
- The average lifespan of a human keeps increasing because we're evolving into a superhuman race of mutant beings, of which the Q continuum fears greatly.
I agree to a point. Targeting a Gilmore Girls audience is way too specific. But do you really believe a Tech audience is just as slim? I think there's a HUGE market for a true tech channel.
TechTV was steadily growing in viewers and sponsorship while G4 was steadily declining. Viacom bought TechTV JUST for its viewers, not for the shows. That's why Call For Help, The Screen Savers, Fresh Gear, etc. were phased out. G4 is back on the decline now that TechTV viewers are getting sick of Sarah Lane et al.
I, for one, ditched G4 right after they killed TechTV. IMHO, Leo and Patrick and Kevin have much better and creative shows now. (Uh, minus Martin Sargent, who's a tool).
And you know, if you went looking and somehow found a PHP app that for *needed* Linux, or a UNIX environment to work on for whatever reason, you should have your ass flamed, just for being smart enough to find the power button, but too stupid to read a README.
LOL, thanks for helping to prove my point. =)
Oh, come on, now. None of the above could possibly be true...
This is a nice touch too... Maybe I should say, "Oh, come on! You couldn't have possibly had a good support experience! I've had bad ones! So that must mean you have too! LIAR!" =)
How come you don't look for help on the other side?
I see your point, and I often search for help on both sides...
What would be, say, Microsoft's reaction if you asked them for help on plugging your Windows box in a mixed network using Samba?
To be fair, that would be like going directly to RedHat or SuSE for help, which I don't. We're talking about the community, so I end up going here and here and here.
Especially in the light of Microsoft's intentional changing (i.e. breaking) the SMB, so that it wouldn't work with Samba.
Do you have something to support this? I'm not being sarcastic... Is it generally accepted that MS broke SMB for this purpose?
Let's face it... more often than not, it's the clash of religions.
Gnome has, with it's "more is less" focus achieved, IMO, a better new user experience than KDE.
Look on the bright side... I a couple years, when KDE 0wn3rs the desktop and Gnome is out of business, the flame wars will be over. j/k =P
As a serious response, I think a big part of how a person adopts a desktop preference is based on their personality. I, for example, am the type of person that goes into a store, grabs a pair of jeans, looks them over and says, "these'll do", and leaves without looking at anything else. I was introduced to KDE first... It worked and I had no problems... 3 years later, do I want to learn how to use Gnome? Not really, because like I said, KDE works for me and I have no problems.
My point (if I have one)... From what I can see, most distros tend to default to a KDE installation (even though both are available), and there are a lot of people like me out there. I'm sure I'm be a Gnome guy had that been the first linux desktop for me to use.
FTFA: Is OSS any good? Yes. Not perfect, but better than closed source in some respects and worse in others.
In my line of work (system administration in a medium sized business) I'm often having to integrate closed source and open source solutions (or at least make them play nice). I like a lot of Microsoft's products. I also like a lot of OSS. But I find that (generally) whenever I look to the OSS community for help integrating the two solutions, I'm met with resistance or flat out rudeness.
For example, if I'm seeking help with getting samba working nicely in a mixed environment or figuring out how to run a PHP app on a windows box, I get responses like, "Just ditch XP, d00d, it sux", and "Apache is better than IIS".
I think if the community, in general, could adopt the idea quoted in TFA, a "newbie's perceived difficulties" with the OSS community would be drastically different.
FTFA"As the Intel-AMD lawsuit drags on, there's no telling what kind of picture the documents it brings to light will eventually paint about the computer industry."
Every time I see these antitrust lawsuits "drag on" in the news, I wonder how much of the cost of these fights gets passed onto us, the consumer? It must cause a ripple effect when Company A sues Company B which impacts Companies C, D, etc. in terms of attorney fees, internal audit, research, and strategic analysis. Are we footing the bill?
Still, if you want to dislodge M$ and have far greater desktop penetration, you need to have a standard to which various vendors can write.
I guess this is the idea I'm questioning. Is Novell/IBM/Oracle/HP/'s goal to "have far greater desktop penetration"? I don't see that. The server/networking environment is the bread and butter for these companies. I think their goal is to get an easy to install, point and click, stable distro for their servers which also gives the System Admin the ability to tweak and customize on a green screen to their heart's content. I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE being able to drop into root and play on my production systems. (j/k). But seriously, the ability to mold the environment for your individual needs is something I can only do in Linux. The desktop? I don't see that as a big concern. We pay $99 for an OEM copy of XP. It's the SQL Server / Windows Server 2003 / Visual Studio licenses that kick our a$$.
Those are just the apps off the top of my head. And I work in the manufacturing industry, so my scope is even limited in that respect. I'm sure there are other companies running Windows only apps.
Again, you're comment was probably in jest... At least I hope so! =)
Mysql and postgresql are mysteriously missing from SuSE after the acquisition
I wouldn't worry too much. Although I don't have data to support this, I believe that the majority of SuSE supporters are running either MySQL or PostgreSQL in their environments.
Could Novell/Oracle really afford to have the thousands of enthusiests jump ship? These people provide the majority of the technical support and development to OpenSuSE. If they did exclude two of the highest profiled RDMSs, it would be the end of SuSE. Period.
Work together on a single distribution of Linux if you want to get rid of Microsoft
I don't think their goal is to get rid of Microsoft, per say. When you buy an automobile, you have the choices ranging from sedans to minivans to heavy duty trucks. Does the Ford F350 really "compete" with a Honda Civic? Does a person purchase a vehicle and decide between the two of those? Not for the most part. For the most part, I've seen IT professionals pick the right tool for the job. When I need to deploy a Microsoft solution, it's usually because it's the best fit for the job. When I need to deploy and Linux solution, it's usually because it's the best fit for the job.
IMHO, there are very few instances where and educated IT professional could actually have to compare a MS or OSS solution in the same way a car buyer would compare a Ford F350 and Honda Civic.
Slashdot Mirror
But these drives are not just faster, they're also higher capacity.
Point well taken... Overall, you're probably getting a 1:1 increase for your money. (Or maybe you're getting more bang for the buck by spending more when you consider all things). But I think that people like you and me can see the value in the high end drives. That's a given.
But my next door neighbor, for example, asked me for advice on buying a notebook that would let him surf/email/type in his living room wirelessly. I recommended getting the cheapest machine from HP / Dell / Whoever because high-end components aren't going to do anything significant for him. I guess I'm assuming that most consumers are like my neighbor, and not like us.
most laptop manufacturers persist in saving a buck by outfitting their units with a low-end, low-cache, low-capacity, low-spindle-speed HDD.
Well, they're saving an average of 111 bucks in these examples. The "low-end" model is about 35% of the cost of the others (on average).
Now look at the performance differences. WorldBench is clocking the more expensive drives as only 30% faster (on average) than the "low-end" drive.
My own conclusion: yes, you're getting a performance boost if you pay more... But it's definately not a 1 to 1 ratio. In fact, for the money, the "low-end" drive is the best solution. So... Why do "most laptop manufacturers persist in saving a buck (or 111 bucks)? Because it's a better choice for the average consumer! Believe me... If Company A started selling only expensive drives, their market would go niche (like Alienware), and most people would purchase a "lower-end" machine.
repeatedly warned for surfing the internet on company time
If this was a problem, why in the world didn't they simply block outbound port 80 from the local NAT address (192.168.0.dumbass-that-won't-get-to-work) -> 255.255.255.255/0?
You can do this type of thing on any SOHO firewall, surely they had this ability.
Last time I checked, Linux is still and underdog.
Underdog, fiscally maybe, but money was never the driving factor for OSS. In terms of a usable, alternative, stable, easy to use OS, Linux is definately no longer an underdog. (IMHO).
You don't need an ally. Just build a better widget! How do you think Google, Linux, etc. came from being an underdog?
Pac, Biggie, Proof... How many gangstas gotta die before these turf wars end?
Using this logic:
- All home prices go up because some people do home improvements
- The minimum wage keeps increasing because the baby boomers are getting older
- The average lifespan of a human keeps increasing because we're evolving into a superhuman race of mutant beings, of which the Q continuum fears greatly.
No wonder I couldn't figure it out! Gimme a second... Okay...
Be sure to drink your Ovaltine
Aw man!
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
I agree to a point. Targeting a Gilmore Girls audience is way too specific. But do you really believe a Tech audience is just as slim? I think there's a HUGE market for a true tech channel.
TechTV was steadily growing in viewers and sponsorship while G4 was steadily declining. Viacom bought TechTV JUST for its viewers, not for the shows. That's why Call For Help, The Screen Savers, Fresh Gear, etc. were phased out. G4 is back on the decline now that TechTV viewers are getting sick of Sarah Lane et al.
I, for one, ditched G4 right after they killed TechTV. IMHO, Leo and Patrick and Kevin have much better and creative shows now. (Uh, minus Martin Sargent, who's a tool).
And you know, if you went looking and somehow found a PHP app that for *needed* Linux, or a UNIX environment to work on for whatever reason, you should have your ass flamed, just for being smart enough to find the power button, but too stupid to read a README.
LOL, thanks for helping to prove my point. =)
Oh, come on, now. None of the above could possibly be true...
This is a nice touch too... Maybe I should say, "Oh, come on! You couldn't have possibly had a good support experience! I've had bad ones! So that must mean you have too! LIAR!" =)
How come you don't look for help on the other side?
I see your point, and I often search for help on both sides...
What would be, say, Microsoft's reaction if you asked them for help on plugging your Windows box in a mixed network using Samba?
To be fair, that would be like going directly to RedHat or SuSE for help, which I don't. We're talking about the community, so I end up going here and here and here.
Especially in the light of Microsoft's intentional changing (i.e. breaking) the SMB, so that it wouldn't work with Samba.
Do you have something to support this? I'm not being sarcastic... Is it generally accepted that MS broke SMB for this purpose?
Let's face it... more often than not, it's the clash of religions.
Agreed. =)
Whereas when you look to Microsoft for help integrating the two solutions, they're all flowers and roses?
I don't go directly to MS for help. Just like I don't go directly to RedHat or SuSE for help. I go here and here and here.
Linux is *not* user friendly, and until it is linux will stay with >1% marketshare.
Remember from 1st grade? The packman ">" always eats the bigger number...
Gnome has, with it's "more is less" focus achieved, IMO, a better new user experience than KDE.
Look on the bright side... I a couple years, when KDE 0wn3rs the desktop and Gnome is out of business, the flame wars will be over. j/k =P
As a serious response, I think a big part of how a person adopts a desktop preference is based on their personality. I, for example, am the type of person that goes into a store, grabs a pair of jeans, looks them over and says, "these'll do", and leaves without looking at anything else. I was introduced to KDE first... It worked and I had no problems... 3 years later, do I want to learn how to use Gnome? Not really, because like I said, KDE works for me and I have no problems.
My point (if I have one)... From what I can see, most distros tend to default to a KDE installation (even though both are available), and there are a lot of people like me out there. I'm sure I'm be a Gnome guy had that been the first linux desktop for me to use.
FTFA: Is OSS any good? Yes. Not perfect, but better than closed source in some respects and worse in others.
In my line of work (system administration in a medium sized business) I'm often having to integrate closed source and open source solutions (or at least make them play nice). I like a lot of Microsoft's products. I also like a lot of OSS. But I find that (generally) whenever I look to the OSS community for help integrating the two solutions, I'm met with resistance or flat out rudeness.
For example, if I'm seeking help with getting samba working nicely in a mixed environment or figuring out how to run a PHP app on a windows box, I get responses like, "Just ditch XP, d00d, it sux", and "Apache is better than IIS".
I think if the community, in general, could adopt the idea quoted in TFA, a "newbie's perceived difficulties" with the OSS community would be drastically different.
FTFA"As the Intel-AMD lawsuit drags on, there's no telling what kind of picture the documents it brings to light will eventually paint about the computer industry."
Every time I see these antitrust lawsuits "drag on" in the news, I wonder how much of the cost of these fights gets passed onto us, the consumer? It must cause a ripple effect when Company A sues Company B which impacts Companies C, D, etc. in terms of attorney fees, internal audit, research, and strategic analysis. Are we footing the bill?
Gentlemanly or sarcastic?
Gentlemanly. My grammer and spelling is poor, as I'm a product of the American public school system. =)
And, sorry for nitpicking, but is per se .
I don't mind at all, thanks, it probably would help my case if I didn't spell like a 10 year old. =)
Still, if you want to dislodge M$ and have far greater desktop penetration, you need to have a standard to which various vendors can write.
I guess this is the idea I'm questioning. Is Novell/IBM/Oracle/HP/'s goal to "have far greater desktop penetration"? I don't see that. The server/networking environment is the bread and butter for these companies. I think their goal is to get an easy to install, point and click, stable distro for their servers which also gives the System Admin the ability to tweak and customize on a green screen to their heart's content. I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE being able to drop into root and play on my production systems. (j/k). But seriously, the ability to mold the environment for your individual needs is something I can only do in Linux. The desktop? I don't see that as a big concern. We pay $99 for an OEM copy of XP. It's the SQL Server / Windows Server 2003 / Visual Studio licenses that kick our a$$.
So you have people at your company who spend all their time gaming?
LOL, I know you're probably joking... But here it goes anyway. We currently implement Windows for the following:
- Lotus Notes Client
- Macola Progression
- ACT! Premium for Workgroups
- AutoCAD Mechanical
- Macromedia Studio
Those are just the apps off the top of my head. And I work in the manufacturing industry, so my scope is even limited in that respect. I'm sure there are other companies running Windows only apps.
Again, you're comment was probably in jest... At least I hope so! =)
Mysql and postgresql are mysteriously missing from SuSE after the acquisition
I wouldn't worry too much. Although I don't have data to support this, I believe that the majority of SuSE supporters are running either MySQL or PostgreSQL in their environments.
Could Novell/Oracle really afford to have the thousands of enthusiests jump ship? These people provide the majority of the technical support and development to OpenSuSE. If they did exclude two of the highest profiled RDMSs, it would be the end of SuSE. Period.
Work together on a single distribution of Linux if you want to get rid of Microsoft
I don't think their goal is to get rid of Microsoft, per say. When you buy an automobile, you have the choices ranging from sedans to minivans to heavy duty trucks. Does the Ford F350 really "compete" with a Honda Civic? Does a person purchase a vehicle and decide between the two of those? Not for the most part. For the most part, I've seen IT professionals pick the right tool for the job. When I need to deploy a Microsoft solution, it's usually because it's the best fit for the job. When I need to deploy and Linux solution, it's usually because it's the best fit for the job.
IMHO, there are very few instances where and educated IT professional could actually have to compare a MS or OSS solution in the same way a car buyer would compare a Ford F350 and Honda Civic.
... Job seekers have been putting ONLY their best accomplishments on their resumes
... Advertisers are STAGING their product photo shoots
... etc