Yeah....and then Marilyn Monroe was murdered by J Edgar Hoover, the Martians really are watching us, the NSA can tap any phone in the world and the government is an evil oppressive force that keeps extensive records on the number of times you visit the bathroom..
What a load of BS....
Let's face it....it was Gates who made MS, for better or worse.
As a hardcore MacOS developer, I am quite willing to admit that Quicktime isn't the greatest of standards, but it makes my job a lot easier. The player and browser plug-ins leave a lot to be desired, but the Quicktime Extension, a library with the Quicktime core, is an invaluable and time-saving tool for any multimedia MacOS developer. I could write an Mp3 player that utilises Quicktime in 20 minutes, and incorporate an groovy GUI if you add another coupl'a hours.
So, all in all, I don't think Quicktime is something that Windows or Linux users could want. Quicktime belongs in MacOS, and I regret that Apple decided to port to the MS whoredom.
I just love seeing people plaster their ignorance in regard to PowerPC/MacOS computers all over Slashdot.
When you buy that 1500 dollar Mac you're getting a a whole lot more than you get with a 900$ PC...you get a high-quality sound card, speakers, a ShadowMask ultra-quality monitor, netcard...and best of all you get MacOS, which to tell you the absolute truth from my own personal experience, is certainly more stable, more convenient and better to develop for than Windows 9x or NT.
Quake 2 wasn't ported to MacOS by John Carmack, by the way.
I frequently waste my time replying to fanatic Mac-haters here on Slashdot. I think that most people who write these kinds of comments have no idea what they're talking about. In all likelihood they've never worked in MacOS or owned a Mac.
The fact remains that Apple has survived through years of bad management and faulty business decisions because they, as a company, have inspired intense customer loyalty that rivals that of Linux. Now, I don't know about you folks, but I KNOW that a company that makes "crappy" products does not inspire "intense customer loyalty"...
I am a developer for the MacOS platform, although I use LinuxPPC and SuSE PPC too. The MacOS computer culture is friendly and rich, especially when you think of the fact that Apple users are a small minority.
Apple Computers are, on the whole, good value for money...but look at it this way: in most cases you are paying for using "NOT-Windows". Linux is a clever operating system, but what many fail to perceive is the fact that it is not appropriate for computer-illiterate people. KDE and Gnome are nice, but they both lack the simplicity of Windows and MacOS.
So please try to muster some respect for a company that has throughout the history of computers usually been at the front of innovation and originality in the business. Think before you write, don't write before you think.
Fascism is also generally associated with the stifling of free speech in an authoritarian state governed by a single leader or party,where the people are kept in check by oppression at the hands of armed forces or by state-controlled and sanctioned propaganda.
Mr. Katz is obviously very much for banning anonymous posts. I find that to be the stifling of free speech...
People should learn to stand on their own feet. They only get tougher by learning stuff on their own.
As for women, I think you will find that the interests society encourages are the ones that a GREAT majority will pursue. Women generally do like gossip, dolls(when children), sentimental movies...and men generally like action movies, sports, automobiles, mechanisms and...finally computers. I'm not saying every woman fits the stereotype, but all too often they do.
As for what a MacOS geek is doing on Slashdot, your MacOS geek happens to be a LinuxPPC user. I merely find MacOS a more fruitful platform to develop for (no offence to you Linux fanatics out there).
Well, I DO heartily agree....the subject says it all. I never promised there'd be anything interesting about my reply? What did you expect? An essay? Well, I wrote a pretty long comment, its a bit below this one...
Jon Katz, why do you keep on writing these articles about hostility on the Internet. They are NOT well received. I'd like to, if I may, point out some facts:
The Internet is in most respects genderless. I have no idea whether any of the posters on Slashdot are female, or if they are white or black or Asian. How can I discriminate when I don't have anything at all to go upon?
Hostility, as I pointed out in a previous comment, is found in the real world in the same proportions as it is on f.e. Slashdot. It's there, it's part of human life, and I don't want to miss it. I like hearing EVERYTHING that EVERYONE has to say about the topic at hand, not just someone like you, who posts goodie-goodie Mr. Niceguy articles.
Your suggestion that there should be an introduction area for new users is absolutely ridiculous. There IS nothing to learn. You read, you post or you don't. It is the job of the newcomer to adapt to his enviroment, not vice versa.
I was offended, and yes, I mean offended, by your suggestion that anonymous posts be restricted. Already, anonymous posts start with the rating 0, which I find bad enough. But banning people from posting anonymously will inevitably stifle freedom of speech and, as you so masterfully put it, prevent some people from posting, for fear of retribution (flame, hate mail) on hand of irate Slashdot readers.
Slashdot is a community, and all those within the community have rights, even the jerks. It's a fine line between freedom and law, but I find your ideas somewhat fascist.
Katz, please keep in mind that your fancy, overly dramatic phrases and your excellent use of the English language may earn you respect from some Slashdotters, but not from others. I hope there are enough people with sense here on/.to realize that your last three articles is nothing but an over-exaggerated outlet for frenzy because a few flamers out there decided to target you.
There is a vast gap between verbal abuse and physical violation of children!!! If people can't take verbal abuse, then something is seriously wrong with them.
In a public forum like Slashdot, I belive that EVERYONE has the right to post EVERYTHING he wants. And I'm not FORCED to read it, I visit Slashdot of my own free will. If you can't take a little verbal abuse or foul language you don't belong in a free spech forum.
If people can't take criticism and hostility they shouldn't be online. In fact, they shouldn't be engaging in any sort of social encounters. This is a part of life.
As to veterans not helping new users, I believe this to be good. Three years ago I knew nothing of the Internet, Web, IRC, Hotline or anything else Net-related, or for that matter computer-related. Nobody would volunteer any help, so instead of giving up like a loser, I just learned by myself. Today I'm a programmer on the MacOS platform. I run a server and a website (http://www.soth.zoneit.com) on it. I spend large amounts of time online, and I don't think that hostility in the Internet community is really a problem. It's much the same everywhere. You're respected for different things on the Net, though: Your skill with the English language, your computer skills, general IT knowledge...and so on.
As for women, I can understand perfectly why they don't care to post on male-dominated sites such as Slashdot. Their interests are most propably in different fields, and they prefer discussions with people that share their hobbies (i.e. most propably other women). It's no different than in real life.
By the way, Jon, I'm wondering, what is an MS-Word using non-geek doing on Slashdot? You always write these long, dramatic articles about human suffering and sociological problems that you blow completely out of proportions.
Where there are people, there are jerks. Online is no different than any other place.
Of course. So will I...I go and see practically every fantasy film, just to support the genre, which I find fascinating. D&D looks like it'll be OK...but my expectations aren't too great. But Jeremy Irons is cool as hell as an evil Archmage.
Amazing...I wonder if TSR is getting a cut. Anyway, why don't they just stick to making "fantasy" movies, instead of taking a lousy trademark and branding the film with it, in hope that the geeks will come running to see it...=)
I'm part of a MacOS developer group, and we've had our website on a subdomain of zoneit.com for three years, and it has never, at least to my knowledge, been down.
Another thing, if you want free webspace with a subdomain, check out www.freeservers.com. You get your own subdomain MyName.faithweb.com or something similar. There's one annoying banner you have to tolerate, but if you pay $5 a month you can get rid of it. I've used this to set up a number of sites.
I want something to be quite clear. I'm not saying that this is a good thing....I'd like to see lots of women in the computer industry. But the fact is that when it comes to technical matters, women are discouraged from pursuing careers in them. Therefore, men will be in the majority.
Of course, social conditions may change...and society may become more tolerant of women in technology. But that won't be for a while. Change takes a lot of time.
Sure, there's a female geek here and there. I don't know what it's like in the States, but where I come from about every other male of age 13-20 takes an intense interest in computers and computer games.
I agree with you, we need those female geeks! Now, computer nerds are no more losers than anybody, and shouldn't have any more problems hustling than anybody else...but chicks that share a hobby with you make for far more fun. =)
I did not say that there would be no women in the computer industry. However, I think they will be rare. Computers will be a male-dominated field, just like automobiles, gadgets....
There are always social deviants, exceptions from the rule. In other words, people who go against the norm....but I think that women will be a rare sight in the industry....
As for my opinions on this, I don't really have one. Of course, women have every right to make their way in this business. But the question is "Will they want to?". Women in technology is unorthodox and generally not encouraged by society as a whole.
If you want a cool case, you should definitely get one of Apple's new G4s. The graphite looks even better in real life than on the pictures....and the hardware in side is very impressive too....=)
I think it is fairly obvious that women will play little part in the computer revolution that is rocking the foundations of Western society. Computer interest started with men, and while a great deal of males are technically savvy, women are generally encouraged as a whole to be ignorant of technical matters. I don't think I know a single female computer "nerd"...girls are discouraged from taking an interested in computers. I see no reason to think that this will change in the near future...men will dominate this technological field, as they dominate every other field.
"Well, it's actually very simple. I sit down infront of a Mac. I try to use it. It's slow, annoying, and lacking a disk drive. I therefore exclaim loudly, "This computer sucks!" and go about my business."
The MacOS may not make the utmost use of the great hardware Apple makes, but it is hardly "annoying" to any professional user. The lack of a floppy drive merely demonstrates that your computer use is obviously limited to out-dated and clumsy technology. If you wanted a floppy drive, you should have stuck with a Wintel box or gotten an external one. I presume you have an iMac....now, I am a developer for the MacOS platform, and I'll tell you this: The MacOS is an extremely developer-friendly platform, well suited to multitasking. I'm not too fond of the iMac, though....but then again, it's just an extremely successful Apple marketing ploy. If you want a real Mac, get a tower...like those tempting G4s.
And by the way, I find it inappropriate to present an ill-founded personal opinion to the Slashdot reader community....maybe you should vent your frustration on somebody else....=)
Looks like the high and mighty United States has a Linux competitor....but seriously, I can't say I blame China's government for dumping Windows. They're showing a lot more sense than most Western governments.....=)
That comment of yours sure taught me never to underestimate human stupidity. Your comment was based on little or no knowledge, powered by ignorance. Apple makes excellent computers, excellent hardware and use superior processors. It's a shame the PPC isn't an industry standard. I wonder on what you base your assumption that Apple makes crap computers.
Now, I happen to be the owner of an Intel Machine and a Mac, and comparing Windows and MacOS is a joke. In every aspect, MacOS is better looking, more convenient and more stable....in fact, MacOS is propably the best consumer OS out there. I use LinuxPPC and Suse Linux, each on my respective machines, and what I think the majority of Linux-frenzied Slashdot readers seem to fail to notice is that THERE IS NO WAY Linux can become a consumer standard. Just setting up Linux can be a major problem if you're a John Doe with little or no knowledge of computers. Therefore, I think making derigotary comments about MacOS is inappropriate, especially since you're propably a Windows user.
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah....and then Marilyn Monroe was murdered by J Edgar Hoover, the Martians really are watching us, the NSA can tap any phone in the world and the government is an evil oppressive force that keeps extensive records on the number of times you visit the bathroom..
What a load of BS....
Let's face it....it was Gates who made MS, for better or worse.
As a hardcore MacOS developer, I am quite willing to admit that Quicktime isn't the greatest of standards, but it makes my job a lot easier. The player and browser plug-ins leave a lot to be desired, but the Quicktime Extension, a library with the Quicktime core, is an invaluable and time-saving tool for any multimedia MacOS developer. I could write an Mp3 player that utilises Quicktime in 20 minutes, and incorporate an groovy GUI if you add another coupl'a hours.
So, all in all, I don't think Quicktime is something that Windows or Linux users could want. Quicktime belongs in MacOS, and I regret that Apple decided to port to the MS whoredom.
Hey, buddy..
I just love seeing people plaster their ignorance in regard to PowerPC/MacOS computers all over Slashdot.
When you buy that 1500 dollar Mac you're getting a a whole lot more than you get with a 900$ PC...you get a high-quality sound card, speakers, a ShadowMask ultra-quality monitor, netcard...and best of all you get MacOS, which to tell you the absolute truth from my own personal experience, is certainly more stable, more convenient and better to develop for than Windows 9x or NT.
Quake 2 wasn't ported to MacOS by John Carmack, by the way.
I frequently waste my time replying to fanatic Mac-haters here on Slashdot. I think that most people who write these kinds of comments have no idea what they're talking about. In all likelihood they've never worked in MacOS or owned a Mac.
The fact remains that Apple has survived through years of bad management and faulty business decisions because they, as a company, have inspired intense customer loyalty that rivals that of Linux. Now, I don't know about you folks, but I KNOW that a company that makes "crappy" products does not inspire "intense customer loyalty"...
I am a developer for the MacOS platform, although I use LinuxPPC and SuSE PPC too. The MacOS computer culture is friendly and rich, especially when you think of the fact that Apple users are a small minority.
Apple Computers are, on the whole, good value for money...but look at it this way: in most cases you are paying for using "NOT-Windows". Linux is a clever operating system, but what many fail to perceive is the fact that it is not appropriate for computer-illiterate people. KDE and Gnome are nice, but they both lack the simplicity of Windows and MacOS.
So please try to muster some respect for a company that has throughout the history of computers usually been at the front of innovation and originality in the business. Think before you write, don't write before you think.
Fascism is also generally associated with the stifling of free speech in an authoritarian state governed by a single leader or party,where the people are kept in check by oppression at the hands of armed forces or by state-controlled and sanctioned propaganda.
Mr. Katz is obviously very much for banning anonymous posts. I find that to be the stifling of free speech...
Great comment! The topic says it all
People should learn to stand on their own feet. They only get tougher by learning stuff on their own.
As for women, I think you will find that the interests society encourages are the ones that a GREAT majority will pursue. Women generally do like gossip, dolls(when children), sentimental movies...and men generally like action movies, sports, automobiles, mechanisms and...finally computers. I'm not saying every woman fits the stereotype, but all too often they do.
As for what a MacOS geek is doing on Slashdot, your MacOS geek happens to be a LinuxPPC user. I merely find MacOS a more fruitful platform to develop for (no offence to you Linux fanatics out there).
Well, I DO heartily agree....the subject says it all. I never promised there'd be anything interesting about my reply? What did you expect? An essay? Well, I wrote a pretty long comment, its a bit below this one...
Jon Katz, why do you keep on writing these articles about hostility on the Internet. They are NOT well received. I'd like to, if I may, point out some facts:
The Internet is in most respects genderless. I have no idea whether any of the posters on Slashdot are female, or if they are white or black or Asian. How can I discriminate when I don't have anything at all to go upon?
Hostility, as I pointed out in a previous comment, is found in the real world in the same proportions as it is on f.e. Slashdot. It's there, it's part of human life, and I don't want to miss it. I like hearing EVERYTHING that EVERYONE has to say about the topic at hand, not just someone like you, who posts goodie-goodie Mr. Niceguy articles.
Your suggestion that there should be an introduction area for new users is absolutely ridiculous. There IS nothing to learn. You read, you post or you don't. It is the job of the newcomer to adapt to his enviroment, not vice versa.
I was offended, and yes, I mean offended, by your suggestion that anonymous posts be restricted. Already, anonymous posts start with the rating 0, which I find bad enough. But banning people from posting anonymously will inevitably stifle freedom of speech and, as you so masterfully put it, prevent some people from posting, for fear of retribution (flame, hate mail) on hand of irate Slashdot readers.
Slashdot is a community, and all those within the community have rights, even the jerks. It's a fine line between freedom and law, but I find your ideas somewhat fascist.
Katz, please keep in mind that your fancy, overly dramatic phrases and your excellent use of the English language may earn you respect from some Slashdotters, but not from others. I hope there are enough people with sense here on
I HEARTILY AGREE WITH YOU!!!!
There is a vast gap between verbal abuse and physical violation of children!!! If people can't take verbal abuse, then something is seriously wrong with them.
In a public forum like Slashdot, I belive that EVERYONE has the right to post EVERYTHING he wants. And I'm not FORCED to read it, I visit Slashdot of my own free will. If you can't take a little verbal abuse or foul language you don't belong in a free spech forum.
I never read the rating 0 posts anyway....=)
If people can't take criticism and hostility they shouldn't be online. In fact, they shouldn't be engaging in any sort of social encounters. This is a part of life.
As to veterans not helping new users, I believe this to be good. Three years ago I knew nothing of the Internet, Web, IRC, Hotline or anything else Net-related, or for that matter computer-related. Nobody would volunteer any help, so instead of giving up like a loser, I just learned by myself. Today I'm a programmer on the MacOS platform. I run a server and a website (http://www.soth.zoneit.com) on it. I spend large amounts of time online, and I don't think that hostility in the Internet community is really a problem. It's much the same everywhere. You're respected for different things on the Net, though: Your skill with the English language, your computer skills, general IT knowledge...and so on.
As for women, I can understand perfectly why they don't care to post on male-dominated sites such as Slashdot. Their interests are most propably in different fields, and they prefer discussions with people that share their hobbies (i.e. most propably other women). It's no different than in real life.
By the way, Jon, I'm wondering, what is an MS-Word using non-geek doing on Slashdot? You always write these long, dramatic articles about human suffering and sociological problems that you blow completely out of proportions.
Where there are people, there are jerks. Online is no different than any other place.
Of course. So will I...I go and see practically every fantasy film, just to support the genre, which I find fascinating. D&D looks like it'll be OK...but my expectations aren't too great. But Jeremy Irons is cool as hell as an evil Archmage.
Amazing...I wonder if TSR is getting a cut. Anyway, why don't they just stick to making "fantasy" movies, instead of taking a lousy trademark and branding the film with it, in hope that the geeks will come running to see it...=)
I'm part of a MacOS developer group, and we've had our website on a subdomain of zoneit.com for three years, and it has never, at least to my knowledge, been down.
Another thing, if you want free webspace with a subdomain, check out www.freeservers.com. You get your own subdomain MyName.faithweb.com or something similar. There's one annoying banner you have to tolerate, but if you pay $5 a month you can get rid of it. I've used this to set up a number of sites.
Why did I get moderated down again....?
I want something to be quite clear. I'm not saying that this is a good thing....I'd like to see lots of women in the computer industry. But the fact is that when it comes to technical matters, women are discouraged from pursuing careers in them. Therefore, men will be in the majority.
Of course, social conditions may change...and society may become more tolerant of women in technology. But that won't be for a while. Change takes a lot of time.
Sure, there's a female geek here and there. I don't know what it's like in the States, but where I come from about every other male of age 13-20 takes an intense interest in computers and computer games.
I agree with you, we need those female geeks! Now, computer nerds are no more losers than anybody, and shouldn't have any more problems hustling than anybody else...but chicks that share a hobby with you make for far more fun. =)
I did not say that there would be no women in the computer industry. However, I think they will be rare. Computers will be a male-dominated field, just like automobiles, gadgets....
There are always social deviants, exceptions from the rule. In other words, people who go against the norm....but I think that women will be a rare sight in the industry....
As for my opinions on this, I don't really have one. Of course, women have every right to make their way in this business. But the question is "Will they want to?". Women in technology is unorthodox and generally not encouraged by society as a whole.
If you want a cool case, you should definitely get one of Apple's new G4s. The graphite looks even better in real life than on the pictures....and the hardware in side is very impressive too....=)
I think it is fairly obvious that women will play little part in the computer revolution that is rocking the foundations of Western society. Computer interest started with men, and while a great deal of males are technically savvy, women are generally encouraged as a whole to be ignorant of technical matters. I don't think I know a single female computer "nerd"...girls are discouraged from taking an interested in computers. I see no reason to think that this will change in the near future...men will dominate this technological field, as they dominate every other field.
"Well, it's actually very simple. I sit down infront of a Mac. I try to use it. It's slow, annoying, and lacking a disk drive. I therefore exclaim loudly, "This computer sucks!" and go
about my business."
The MacOS may not make the utmost use of the great hardware Apple makes, but it is hardly "annoying" to any professional user. The lack of a floppy drive merely demonstrates that your computer use is obviously limited to out-dated and clumsy technology. If you wanted a floppy drive, you should have stuck with a Wintel box or gotten an external one. I presume you have an iMac....now, I am a developer for the MacOS platform, and I'll tell you this: The MacOS is an extremely developer-friendly platform, well suited to multitasking. I'm not too fond of the iMac, though....but then again, it's just an extremely successful Apple marketing ploy. If you want a real Mac, get a tower...like those tempting G4s.
And by the way, I find it inappropriate to present an ill-founded personal opinion to the Slashdot reader community....maybe you should vent your frustration on somebody else....=)
Looks like the high and mighty United States has a Linux competitor....but seriously, I can't say I blame China's government for dumping Windows. They're showing a lot more sense than most Western governments.....=)
That comment of yours sure taught me never to underestimate human stupidity. Your comment was based on little or no knowledge, powered by ignorance. Apple makes excellent computers, excellent hardware and use superior processors. It's a shame the PPC isn't an industry standard. I wonder on what you base your assumption that Apple makes crap computers.
"Apple Couldn't right a decent OS if they tried."
Now, I happen to be the owner of an Intel Machine and a Mac, and comparing Windows and MacOS is a joke. In every aspect, MacOS is better looking, more convenient and more stable....in fact, MacOS is propably the best consumer OS out there. I use LinuxPPC and Suse Linux, each on my respective machines, and what I think the majority of Linux-frenzied Slashdot readers seem to fail to notice is that THERE IS NO WAY Linux can become a consumer standard. Just setting up Linux can be a major problem if you're a John Doe with little or no knowledge of computers. Therefore, I think making derigotary comments about MacOS is inappropriate, especially since you're propably a Windows user.
Hey, this one deserved a score of 5. =)
I don't think any other country in the world puts up with such a horrible amount of silly lawsuits. So why does America?