I agree. And that is the funny thing. It is easier for XP users to move to KDE 3.5 than to move to Vista. And likewise it is easier for Office 2000/2003 users to move to OpenOffice than to Office 2007. Microsoft loves to write articles about "total cost of ownership" where they claim you'd have ridiculous training budgets to train people how to use free software, while they assume users automatically know how to use Microsoft apps, and thusly don't need training.
These days, the opposite is becoming reality. It costs more to train users on newer Microsoft apps.
It is by definition a criminal decision. The EU courts ruled they broke the law, and thusly committed a crime. They issued a punishment in the form of a fine.
Civil cases by definition are judgments on damage, not based on breaking the law. For instance, in OJ's civil trial, the issue wasn't whether or not he broke the law, but rather whether or not he damaged the Goldman family. He was asked to pay damages, but not punished for committing a crime as they did not find him guilty in criminal court.
The EU ruling again was that they broke the law, not that they damaged any company or individual specifically, or a group of them in a class-action suit.
I asked how you hope to explain how that isn't a criminal decision.
You insist I wasn't even referring to the EU case. That is trolling. The EU case is the larger and more prominent case. It is the one that is still being reviewed, with additional fines.
Most people don't even know of the US case. When you insisted that I was somehow backpedaling and not even referring to the EU case in the first place, you were just picking a fight and trolling.
The party rallied around him pretty quickly even though he is young and arguably inexperienced. Most of his opponents within the party went from criticizing him in the primaries, to standing behind him later. I don't know if he made promises to them, or he was just wants to take care of them for taking care of him.
Either way, he has been taking major players in Washington, and giving them jobs. He promises the cabinet would be new faces, and not typical Washington politicians, but that is exactly what he is doing. And maybe he has to make friends early.
It only makes me wonder, when you spend literally years campaigning, that perhaps you should plan out your cabinet early on, and have time to research these guys. Once in office, you want to assemble a cabinet early and get to work. How much time do you have for lengthy background checks?
It should also be noted that Daschle said initially he wouldn't resign over the tax charges, and that Obama said he still stood behind him despite the tax charges. There was some speculation that he changed his mind later because there was more dirt that might come out. Who knows.
My big question with Daschle is that he isn't a laywer, and he claims that he isn't a lobbyist, and Obama promised not to appoint lobbyists, but the tax scandal was part of 2 million dollars in salary (plus perks) given to him by a law firm that specializes in lobbying.
What exactly was Daschle doing for the firm as a non-lawyer and non-lobbyist that he was paid 2 million plus perks?
Please read the full post where I said Obama probably doesn't know the guy very well, and probably has no connection to his perjury.
The point is however, that so long as the issue continues to blow up, it will continue to create bad PR.
After all, there is a slight chance that Obama did have some knowledge that Blagojevich and his wife were both on the take. Burris apparently lied about not knowing. Obama was cleared of wrongdoing before any investigation was done, or any facts came out. Literally, the day it came out that charges were being pressed against Blagojevich, prosecutors said they wouldn't look into Obama.
However, because the two did work together, there are those that will make accusations. Obama had very slight connections to Ayers, but it was enough for people to use it against him.
His appointees, like the CIO, are more direct connections. Obama is responsible to appoint the right people. My initial post didn't suggest innocence or guilt. I merely wanted to point out, that Obama better hope his CIO is clean otherwise it will look bad for him.
I love that I get modded troll for DEFENDING the guy and saying he hasn't been arrested yet.
It is just common sense that if Obama's appointees are charged with corruption, that isn't good PR for him. How is that trolling to say Obama better hope he is clean?
Ideally, you put it on your initial image when you image computers. But we also have Altiris which can push packages out to every computer. Deploying the software is actually quite easy.
The Helpdesk manager said he is concerned that it would be harder to support because it is another app. I asked him how many calls he gets per day to convert documents that people can't open, or how difficult it is to support varying versions of MS Office?
Even as a SysAdmin, I get people asking me how to use Excel or Word daily. And as someone who pushes FOSS, I've never heard a complaint from friends or family, for whom I've installed OpenOffice. Honestly, for the average user, all the basic functions are either the same as in MS Office, or intuitive.
It is only power users who really know Excel that will struggle to relearn those tasks in Calc.
As for Outlook, there are nicer solutions like Zimbra, Thunderbird, etc. Gmail hosting is also pretty nice. But prying away people's familiar e-mail app is not easy in a corporate environment.
How is a government court saying you broke the law, and issuing a fine not a criminal proceeding? Civil cases deal with damaged parties. They didn't award damages. The levied a fine for breaking the law. When you break the law, you commit a crime, and thusly the basis for criminal proceedings.
That is four appointees tied to corruption issues, so the CIO would be the fifth if that were the case.
Then, there is the Blagojevich scandal, which the media was adamant from day 1 that Obama had no knowledge about, and zero possible connection. The media can't know that for certain. Obama may very well be innocent there, but there is a perception of stigma regardless.
Now Obama's replacement, Burris may be charged with perjury and there are calls for him to resign.
Again, Obama probably doesn't know Burris very well, and had no control over whether or not Burris perjured himself, but none of this is good PR.
This could be unrelated. He hasn't been arrested yet. However, there does seem to be an early stigma on Obama's appointees and corruption. Obama better hope this guy is clean.
Except for most of the suits I've dealt with at my last two companies. We keep talking about the need to save money and cut costs, so we lay people off. When I show them articles how IBM saved over 100 million dollars last year migrating more Windows systems to Linux, they balk at the notion. We literally use everything from Office 97 to 2007 here, and we can't share documents internally. We had a big crisis when departments couldn't work together on a budget, because no one could open each other's files.
I suggested OpenOffice to several execs, and not a single one would consider moving away from Office. It is just unthinkable. They keep insisting they want everyone on the same version of Office (and we have Mac users with Mac Office) but they won't buy new Office 2007 licenses for everyone. They want a solution that is free, but they are terrified of free software.
Instead, they'll cave and buy more Office 2007 licenses, and fire more people to make up the difference.
They were found guilty of anti-trust violations with penalties enforced for their transgressions. The sad thing is that the whole thing is a joke. Bundling IE isn't really a crime. Bundling WMP isn't a crime. However, the Halloween Documents suggest there were serious illegal, anti-competitive practices at play that no one ever really hit them for.
I'm not opposed to paying for a game, but I just went to the website, and it says it is a free game, except pretty much the only links on that website are to put money in my wallet to pay for the free game. There are no descriptions, no screenshots, no guide, etc.
If I was going to try an MMO, I'd like one with a little depth of gameplay, one that I can enjoy by myself as much as in a group, and one that I can also run in Linux. Ideally, Star Wars: The Old Republic will run in Wine or have a Linux client, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.
The same reason the Wii is the best selling console right now. The casual market is bigger than the hardcore market. My girlfriend at the time hated games, but absolutely loved The Sims.
The Sims is the best selling PC game of all time, and there isn't much there in the way of content or gameplay. The users create it for themselves. Same with The Sims 2, and Spore. Then there is Second Life. So that market can work.
Isn't Planeshift completely free? I've always wondered how good the game is. The screenshots look decent. The engine is GPL. There are no upgrades or micropayments. The game is just 100% free. I keep getting tempted to install it (especially since they have native Linux clients, including 64-bit clients) except I try to avoid most MMOs on principle.
I'm at work, and not at home to check. However, it isn't a speed issue. I've tried underclocking them to DDR2800, adjusting the voltage, etc. And I'm using Kingston HyperX, and I've also tried swapping with my GSkill from my other desktop.
There are people running 4 sticks of DDR2 1066 with no problem, but when I started to Google, I realized I wasn't the only one with this problem. Two different sets of memory, and two different mobos, and the same problem? Yet AMD is convinced it can't be them?
Even better, when I called in, they cut me off at 5 seconds, wouldn't listen to my problem and insisted that the processor can in no way be responsible for any memory related issues, despite housing the memory controller.
That sure sounds like they know about the issue, and are going out of their way to deny it.
I haven't swapped it out yet, but I'm using a brand new 650W PSU, and I ordered a new 750W PSU to try. However, that became a lower priority when I was told directly on the AMD forums it is a known issue, and then Foxconn, Biostar and ASUS all said the same thing.
The AM2+ boards start at $60, and DDR2 800 and DDR2 1066 is also pretty cheap. You can get similar performance with an AMD rig for considerably less money.
I've been fighting with mine for over a month. The motherboard will see 4 sticks of DDR2 1066, but I can't much past POST before the computer locks up. I can't even run memtest. I sent back the mobo and the proc. I've swapped out the memory as well. I try a different brand of mobo, and still I can't run 4 sticks of memory.
Finally someone mentions on the AMD forums that there is a known defect with the processor affecting some customers where you can't run more than 2 sticks of DDR2 1066. I find a statement on Asus's website recommending you only run 2 sticks. Foxconn tells me they know about the defect, and so does Biostar.
I call AMD and ask if they're working on it, and if eventually I can get a warranty replacement that works. The AMD rep immediately cuts me off and insists that a memory problem can't be related to their processor. I point out the memory controller is in the proc, and they keep insisting I bought the wrong mobo. So I told them I used both a Foxconn and Biostar mobo. They insist I must have cheap off-brand memory. I bought Kingston, but I also tested Gskill.
They keep insisting that Kingston isn't on the authorized vendor list, and that no one supports Kingston memory. I'm about to laugh. AMD kept insisting up and down they know for a fact that memory problems just can not be related to them in any way shape or form. They're not winning me over with the argument that their product is infallible.
The proc runs amazingly fast for the price, but with customer support like that, I'm damned temped to send the proc back and build a more expensive Intel rig and never buy AMD again.
I agree. And that is the funny thing. It is easier for XP users to move to KDE 3.5 than to move to Vista. And likewise it is easier for Office 2000/2003 users to move to OpenOffice than to Office 2007. Microsoft loves to write articles about "total cost of ownership" where they claim you'd have ridiculous training budgets to train people how to use free software, while they assume users automatically know how to use Microsoft apps, and thusly don't need training.
These days, the opposite is becoming reality. It costs more to train users on newer Microsoft apps.
It is by definition a criminal decision. The EU courts ruled they broke the law, and thusly committed a crime. They issued a punishment in the form of a fine.
Civil cases by definition are judgments on damage, not based on breaking the law. For instance, in OJ's civil trial, the issue wasn't whether or not he broke the law, but rather whether or not he damaged the Goldman family. He was asked to pay damages, but not punished for committing a crime as they did not find him guilty in criminal court.
The EU ruling again was that they broke the law, not that they damaged any company or individual specifically, or a group of them in a class-action suit.
I asked how you hope to explain how that isn't a criminal decision.
You insist I wasn't even referring to the EU case. That is trolling. The EU case is the larger and more prominent case. It is the one that is still being reviewed, with additional fines.
Most people don't even know of the US case. When you insisted that I was somehow backpedaling and not even referring to the EU case in the first place, you were just picking a fight and trolling.
The party rallied around him pretty quickly even though he is young and arguably inexperienced. Most of his opponents within the party went from criticizing him in the primaries, to standing behind him later. I don't know if he made promises to them, or he was just wants to take care of them for taking care of him.
Either way, he has been taking major players in Washington, and giving them jobs. He promises the cabinet would be new faces, and not typical Washington politicians, but that is exactly what he is doing. And maybe he has to make friends early.
It only makes me wonder, when you spend literally years campaigning, that perhaps you should plan out your cabinet early on, and have time to research these guys. Once in office, you want to assemble a cabinet early and get to work. How much time do you have for lengthy background checks?
It should also be noted that Daschle said initially he wouldn't resign over the tax charges, and that Obama said he still stood behind him despite the tax charges. There was some speculation that he changed his mind later because there was more dirt that might come out. Who knows.
My big question with Daschle is that he isn't a laywer, and he claims that he isn't a lobbyist, and Obama promised not to appoint lobbyists, but the tax scandal was part of 2 million dollars in salary (plus perks) given to him by a law firm that specializes in lobbying.
What exactly was Daschle doing for the firm as a non-lawyer and non-lobbyist that he was paid 2 million plus perks?
Please read the full post where I said Obama probably doesn't know the guy very well, and probably has no connection to his perjury.
The point is however, that so long as the issue continues to blow up, it will continue to create bad PR.
After all, there is a slight chance that Obama did have some knowledge that Blagojevich and his wife were both on the take. Burris apparently lied about not knowing. Obama was cleared of wrongdoing before any investigation was done, or any facts came out. Literally, the day it came out that charges were being pressed against Blagojevich, prosecutors said they wouldn't look into Obama.
However, because the two did work together, there are those that will make accusations. Obama had very slight connections to Ayers, but it was enough for people to use it against him.
His appointees, like the CIO, are more direct connections. Obama is responsible to appoint the right people. My initial post didn't suggest innocence or guilt. I merely wanted to point out, that Obama better hope his CIO is clean otherwise it will look bad for him.
I love that I get modded troll for DEFENDING the guy and saying he hasn't been arrested yet.
It is just common sense that if Obama's appointees are charged with corruption, that isn't good PR for him. How is that trolling to say Obama better hope he is clean?
Ideally, you put it on your initial image when you image computers. But we also have Altiris which can push packages out to every computer. Deploying the software is actually quite easy.
The Helpdesk manager said he is concerned that it would be harder to support because it is another app. I asked him how many calls he gets per day to convert documents that people can't open, or how difficult it is to support varying versions of MS Office?
Even as a SysAdmin, I get people asking me how to use Excel or Word daily. And as someone who pushes FOSS, I've never heard a complaint from friends or family, for whom I've installed OpenOffice. Honestly, for the average user, all the basic functions are either the same as in MS Office, or intuitive.
It is only power users who really know Excel that will struggle to relearn those tasks in Calc.
As for Outlook, there are nicer solutions like Zimbra, Thunderbird, etc. Gmail hosting is also pretty nice. But prying away people's familiar e-mail app is not easy in a corporate environment.
How is a government court saying you broke the law, and issuing a fine not a criminal proceeding? Civil cases deal with damaged parties. They didn't award damages. The levied a fine for breaking the law. When you break the law, you commit a crime, and thusly the basis for criminal proceedings.
Now you're just trolling.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/02/03/washington/AP-Obama-Killefer.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/opinion/03tue1.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/us/politics/05richardson.html
That is four appointees tied to corruption issues, so the CIO would be the fifth if that were the case.
Then, there is the Blagojevich scandal, which the media was adamant from day 1 that Obama had no knowledge about, and zero possible connection. The media can't know that for certain. Obama may very well be innocent there, but there is a perception of stigma regardless.
Now Obama's replacement, Burris may be charged with perjury and there are calls for him to resign.
Again, Obama probably doesn't know Burris very well, and had no control over whether or not Burris perjured himself, but none of this is good PR.
The EU case is the big one. The government found they broke the law, and fined them for doing so.
Yes it is. They were found guilty of breaking the law. It was in a criminal court, and they were convicted. What part of that do you not understand?
This could be unrelated. He hasn't been arrested yet. However, there does seem to be an early stigma on Obama's appointees and corruption. Obama better hope this guy is clean.
France completely switched to the Euro years back. I was there. The article even mentions it was Euros. But I should expect people on /. to RTFA.
Except for most of the suits I've dealt with at my last two companies. We keep talking about the need to save money and cut costs, so we lay people off. When I show them articles how IBM saved over 100 million dollars last year migrating more Windows systems to Linux, they balk at the notion. We literally use everything from Office 97 to 2007 here, and we can't share documents internally. We had a big crisis when departments couldn't work together on a budget, because no one could open each other's files.
I suggested OpenOffice to several execs, and not a single one would consider moving away from Office. It is just unthinkable. They keep insisting they want everyone on the same version of Office (and we have Mac users with Mac Office) but they won't buy new Office 2007 licenses for everyone. They want a solution that is free, but they are terrified of free software.
Instead, they'll cave and buy more Office 2007 licenses, and fire more people to make up the difference.
They were found guilty of anti-trust violations with penalties enforced for their transgressions. The sad thing is that the whole thing is a joke. Bundling IE isn't really a crime. Bundling WMP isn't a crime. However, the Halloween Documents suggest there were serious illegal, anti-competitive practices at play that no one ever really hit them for.
I'm not opposed to paying for a game, but I just went to the website, and it says it is a free game, except pretty much the only links on that website are to put money in my wallet to pay for the free game. There are no descriptions, no screenshots, no guide, etc.
If I was going to try an MMO, I'd like one with a little depth of gameplay, one that I can enjoy by myself as much as in a group, and one that I can also run in Linux. Ideally, Star Wars: The Old Republic will run in Wine or have a Linux client, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.
The same reason the Wii is the best selling console right now. The casual market is bigger than the hardcore market. My girlfriend at the time hated games, but absolutely loved The Sims.
The Sims is the best selling PC game of all time, and there isn't much there in the way of content or gameplay. The users create it for themselves. Same with The Sims 2, and Spore. Then there is Second Life. So that market can work.
Isn't Planeshift completely free? I've always wondered how good the game is. The screenshots look decent. The engine is GPL. There are no upgrades or micropayments. The game is just 100% free. I keep getting tempted to install it (especially since they have native Linux clients, including 64-bit clients) except I try to avoid most MMOs on principle.
It won't post with defaults. Foxconn suggested upping the voltage to 2.1 if I want to run 1066 sticks, and I've tried that as well.
I'm at work, and not at home to check. However, it isn't a speed issue. I've tried underclocking them to DDR2800, adjusting the voltage, etc. And I'm using Kingston HyperX, and I've also tried swapping with my GSkill from my other desktop.
There are people running 4 sticks of DDR2 1066 with no problem, but when I started to Google, I realized I wasn't the only one with this problem. Two different sets of memory, and two different mobos, and the same problem? Yet AMD is convinced it can't be them?
Even better, when I called in, they cut me off at 5 seconds, wouldn't listen to my problem and insisted that the processor can in no way be responsible for any memory related issues, despite housing the memory controller.
That sure sounds like they know about the issue, and are going out of their way to deny it.
I haven't swapped it out yet, but I'm using a brand new 650W PSU, and I ordered a new 750W PSU to try. However, that became a lower priority when I was told directly on the AMD forums it is a known issue, and then Foxconn, Biostar and ASUS all said the same thing.
Please cite a benchmark where the 940 (3Ghz Phenom II X4) performs worse than the 2.6 GHz i7. I'd really like to see it.
The AM2+ boards start at $60, and DDR2 800 and DDR2 1066 is also pretty cheap. You can get similar performance with an AMD rig for considerably less money.
I've been fighting with mine for over a month. The motherboard will see 4 sticks of DDR2 1066, but I can't much past POST before the computer locks up. I can't even run memtest. I sent back the mobo and the proc. I've swapped out the memory as well. I try a different brand of mobo, and still I can't run 4 sticks of memory.
Finally someone mentions on the AMD forums that there is a known defect with the processor affecting some customers where you can't run more than 2 sticks of DDR2 1066. I find a statement on Asus's website recommending you only run 2 sticks. Foxconn tells me they know about the defect, and so does Biostar.
I call AMD and ask if they're working on it, and if eventually I can get a warranty replacement that works. The AMD rep immediately cuts me off and insists that a memory problem can't be related to their processor. I point out the memory controller is in the proc, and they keep insisting I bought the wrong mobo. So I told them I used both a Foxconn and Biostar mobo. They insist I must have cheap off-brand memory. I bought Kingston, but I also tested Gskill.
They keep insisting that Kingston isn't on the authorized vendor list, and that no one supports Kingston memory. I'm about to laugh. AMD kept insisting up and down they know for a fact that memory problems just can not be related to them in any way shape or form. They're not winning me over with the argument that their product is infallible.
The proc runs amazingly fast for the price, but with customer support like that, I'm damned temped to send the proc back and build a more expensive Intel rig and never buy AMD again.