Is it world domination? Or is it something even more evil? Will Google dethrone Microsoft?? Will Batman & Robin Save The Day... To find out, watch the next expisode
Okay, leave aside speculation to that affect. Steve Ballmer must definately note that as of now Google is the best search engine out there, and that MSN Search has a long way to go. No matter how much it piggybacks on Windows with Microsoft's support.
As a matter of fact *every* new service by Google has been appreciated (though quite a few of them are in beta) - GMail, GoogleNews, GDS, GoogleMaps, Froogle, etc... ad infinitum. These services will take time to come out of beta, true (Google is not giving *any* indication of when Gmail will be public, even after one successful year in operation) but hopefully they will remain free with minimal ad-support.
Google's text ads are unobstrusive, and people are making money with Adsense. In stark contrast, Microsoft's heavily-ad-ridden services (except search) are getting paid everyday (more useful everyday, ha!). Just compare using Hotmail with Gmail
US/Canada users wouldnt enjoy 250 MB space if it wasn't for Gmail.
Steve should know when to keep his mouth shut, Consumers know better
PS: The author is no vociferous Linux zealot. In fact the author *likes* Microsoft in certain aspects
Hosing it down may not be a viable solution due to non availability of water on the moon. You cant go about carrying water or any other fluid from earth for the purpose.
There are a lot of inhospitable terrain on the earth as well, but we do work around that
Maybe civilisations on the moon could start off by demarcating certain space for building a city, and then "bulldozing" the terrain - generally using a ground levelling technique
The article talks about the moon being inhospitable for civilization due to dust, but IMO but there are many other factors excluding dust.
Despite that however, if earthings decide to start civilisations on the moon, dust is not going to be their #1 problem to fix. Things can happen in a phazed manner (if at all)
I am not advocating any Browser/OS combo. My emphasis is on generic driver issues with linux, and the non-availability of linux drivers from the hardware manufacturer.
LiveCD distros use quite a lot of generic drivers with a one size fits all (Or maybe a set of generic sizes) approach. The problem shall not be with instertig the cd and waiting for 30 seconds, it will be configuring the internet connection (clearly stated, that the internet will be the users existing internet connection - everyone isn't on DHCP btw, so configuring that will definately require some understanding) or hardware detection issues.
If the bank has a CD only approach to online banking, it will leave other customers who are unable to use the cd because of these problems and the inability to fix them due to their newbie status, in a lurch. And maybe they will bank with somebody else then.
I'm not saying it cannot be done / absolutely. Im just stating that it will take a VERY LONG time to come around
Let us face it. Banking services are public domain, they aren't necessarily used by someone who is Linux-Friendly (read geeky). Well, Linux has evolved over a period of time, and getting easier to use. But still it isn't as popular it should be.
Knoppix is definately impressive, it autodetects a wide variety of hardware and auto-loads drivers, detects your hard-disk partitions and mounts them automatically, etc... But what if the Knoppix CD is unable to auto-load drivers for someone who has new hardware? True, the system booted thusly is only meant to access the banks website with firefox included in the cd (It will of course be a custom distro) - but given the possibility that the new hardware is a Wireless Network Card or a WinModem - the users only means of accessing the internet, The whole scheme will collapse upon itself. The bank will have to set-up a cd pressing dept and keep continually mailing CDs with updated driver sets (Okay, it can be a request only feature as well)
Or if due to some reason the system cannot successfully boot itself with the CD. The helpdesk will have loads of issues if that happens?
Your Average Mom has a lot of trouble getting used to computers with a relatively user-friendly OS like Windows XP, accessing the internet, online banking. Banks put in a lot of resources trying to 'train people' on how to use their Online Transaction Portal. Telephone helpdesk executives also end up training quite a lot of people on computing basics first, leave aside the actual banking portal. In such a scenario, I think the bank will hava a huge problem training un-geeky users on setting up their Modem/Static IP on NAT (Many ISPs use simple UTP cabling for a MAN - it just reguires configuring your ethernet adapter to ISP supplied values and then run a special ISP supplied authentication app for loginng in. What if that app is Win32 only?). There could be endless problems
Secondly, forcing someone to use Linux+Firefox for a purpose which could technically be done with any browser+os combo, is just what people hate some banking/e-commerce sites for (the ones which do not follow web-standards, but abide by MS Standards). Except, that it would be a different browser & different OS - but the esame thing essentially
I think, it will be a looong time before this comes around
Offtopic, I guess:
I agree Gmail, is the slickest webmail experience. The idea is you basically create a set of basic labels (home/work/personal/etc...) and label every incoming mail that comes, and then 'archive it' - it is equivalent to filing it in a folder, except for the fact that one message can have more than one label and be in more than one'folder' at the same time.
For more, check Gmail's help and getting started sections
Slashdot Mirror
I, for one, welcome our new machinegun sentry robot overlords.
> What's the goal of this new complex?
Is it world domination? Or is it something even more evil? Will Google dethrone Microsoft?? Will Batman & Robin Save The Day... To find out, watch the next expisode
Slashdot isn't what it used to be. Sigh
All this is fine, but do they run Linux?
But the real problem starts is when everyone will be told by BSA/MPAA/etc that "BitTorrent in any shape or form is illegal".
-- what have you been smoking? That will never happen.
Seriously, what is Steve Ballmer smoking?
Okay, leave aside speculation to that affect. Steve Ballmer must definately note that as of now Google is the best search engine out there, and that MSN Search has a long way to go. No matter how much it piggybacks on Windows with Microsoft's support.
As a matter of fact *every* new service by Google has been appreciated (though quite a few of them are in beta) - GMail, GoogleNews, GDS, GoogleMaps, Froogle, etc... ad infinitum. These services will take time to come out of beta, true (Google is not giving *any* indication of when Gmail will be public, even after one successful year in operation) but hopefully they will remain free with minimal ad-support.
Google's text ads are unobstrusive, and people are making money with Adsense. In stark contrast, Microsoft's heavily-ad-ridden services (except search) are getting paid everyday (more useful everyday, ha!). Just compare using Hotmail with Gmail
US/Canada users wouldnt enjoy 250 MB space if it wasn't for Gmail.
Steve should know when to keep his mouth shut, Consumers know better
PS: The author is no vociferous Linux zealot. In fact the author *likes* Microsoft in certain aspects
Maybe the Nazis find the video "offensive" as it has topless males. The Nazis are homophobic, but no one knows it.
Stop hitting on the guy now. Slashdot (read Ubuntu/Linux Lovers) have already had their revenge by getting Mathhews site /.ed
;) Picked on Ubuntu Did Ya?
Poor fella
Hosing it down may not be a viable solution due to non availability of water on the moon. You cant go about carrying water or any other fluid from earth for the purpose.
There are a lot of inhospitable terrain on the earth as well, but we do work around that
Maybe civilisations on the moon could start off by demarcating certain space for building a city, and then "bulldozing" the terrain - generally using a ground levelling technique
The article talks about the moon being inhospitable for civilization due to dust, but IMO but there are many other factors excluding dust.
Despite that however, if earthings decide to start civilisations on the moon, dust is not going to be their #1 problem to fix. Things can happen in a phazed manner (if at all)
I am not advocating any Browser/OS combo. My emphasis is on generic driver issues with linux, and the non-availability of linux drivers from the hardware manufacturer.
LiveCD distros use quite a lot of generic drivers with a one size fits all (Or maybe a set of generic sizes) approach. The problem shall not be with instertig the cd and waiting for 30 seconds, it will be configuring the internet connection (clearly stated, that the internet will be the users existing internet connection - everyone isn't on DHCP btw, so configuring that will definately require some understanding) or hardware detection issues.
If the bank has a CD only approach to online banking, it will leave other customers who are unable to use the cd because of these problems and the inability to fix them due to their newbie status, in a lurch. And maybe they will bank with somebody else then.
I'm not saying it cannot be done / absolutely. Im just stating that it will take a VERY LONG time to come around
Let us face it. Banking services are public domain, they aren't necessarily used by someone who is Linux-Friendly (read geeky). Well, Linux has evolved over a period of time, and getting easier to use. But still it isn't as popular it should be.
Knoppix is definately impressive, it autodetects a wide variety of hardware and auto-loads drivers, detects your hard-disk partitions and mounts them automatically, etc... But what if the Knoppix CD is unable to auto-load drivers for someone who has new hardware? True, the system booted thusly is only meant to access the banks website with firefox included in the cd (It will of course be a custom distro) - but given the possibility that the new hardware is a Wireless Network Card or a WinModem - the users only means of accessing the internet, The whole scheme will collapse upon itself. The bank will have to set-up a cd pressing dept and keep continually mailing CDs with updated driver sets (Okay, it can be a request only feature as well)
Or if due to some reason the system cannot successfully boot itself with the CD. The helpdesk will have loads of issues if that happens?
Your Average Mom has a lot of trouble getting used to computers with a relatively user-friendly OS like Windows XP, accessing the internet, online banking. Banks put in a lot of resources trying to 'train people' on how to use their Online Transaction Portal. Telephone helpdesk executives also end up training quite a lot of people on computing basics first, leave aside the actual banking portal. In such a scenario, I think the bank will hava a huge problem training un-geeky users on setting up their Modem/Static IP on NAT (Many ISPs use simple UTP cabling for a MAN - it just reguires configuring your ethernet adapter to ISP supplied values and then run a special ISP supplied authentication app for loginng in. What if that app is Win32 only?). There could be endless problems
Secondly, forcing someone to use Linux+Firefox for a purpose which could technically be done with any browser+os combo, is just what people hate some banking/e-commerce sites for (the ones which do not follow web-standards, but abide by MS Standards). Except, that it would be a different browser & different OS - but the esame thing essentially
I think, it will be a looong time before this comes around
Offtopic, I guess: I agree Gmail, is the slickest webmail experience. The idea is you basically create a set of basic labels (home/work/personal/etc...) and label every incoming mail that comes, and then 'archive it' - it is equivalent to filing it in a folder, except for the fact that one message can have more than one label and be in more than one'folder' at the same time. For more, check Gmail's help and getting started sections