The big OEM's *already* have the option to bundle Firefox/Opera/etc. as their default browser (Firefox would certainly be a big improvement over all the other useless crapware and adware they bundle with most off-the-shelf computers these days). Pretty much none of them do (that I know of). The EC doesn't want to give the OEM's the option of installing an alternative browser (they already have it), they want to TAKE AWAY their option of leaving IE as the default browser (as they pretty much all do now). I don't see how that benefits the consumer in any way. It just seems like a spiteful jab at MS and a double-standard that they don't apply to Apple, Canonical, etc.
...Or those of us who still like to build our own systems, or those small scale non-Dell/non-HP computer makers who don't have any special deal with MS.
I know this is/., where everyone just loves to bash MS at every opportunity. But the EC is way out of line on this one.
First of all, the old "bundling a browser with your OS is unfair" argument is a relic from the 90's, when browsers were still a bit of a novelty. But it's 2009. *EVERY* OS comes bundled with a browser now--Apple, Ubuntu, everyone. Forcing MS not to bundle a simple default browser with their OS isn't leveling the playing field, it's forcing them to play with a disadvantage over everyone else. Including a default browser with your OS today is no more remarkable than including a default media player, or calculator, or text editor, etc. How would you even GET to the Firefox website to install it if you didn't have IE included with a fresh Windows install (this isn't 1996--most people don't keep install discs for their browsers anymore).
Secondly, what exactly is MS supposed to do if NOT bundling their browser isn't even enough for the EC? Are they supposed to have Steve Ballmer commit seppuku? Announce they're going out of business? Drop to their knees and give handjobs to all the EC commissioners? If even a move that will put them at a serious disadvantage in competing with Apple and Linux isn't enough--then *WHAT EXACTLY IS*?
At this point the EC isn't helping the consumer, they just seem like they're being spiteful. They whole thing seems more like a grudge than a public service.
We actually had to put up a new outdoor antenna for her so she would get a clean signal. We still hear periodic complaints from her about that "eyesore."
Ha, first thing we tried. This is a woman who is stubbornly resistant to ANY new tech (she won't even let us put in an air-conditioner, and will not use a microwave). She informed us that her ancient TV works just fine and made it clear we would have to pry it from her cold, dead hands.
I'm not afraid of the switch tomorrow. I've already spent the last few months getting repeated phone calls from my grandma complaining about the funny new box we put on her TV so she can still get her damn Judge Judy.
The last one was the best. Grandma called up and informed me that her new remote was broken. So I called my cousin, who drives over to her house and finds that the "broken" remote is the result of grandma having put a fucking doily on top of the box (blocking its IR receiver). I shit you not.
The problem with decrying this as a pandemic is that the word "pandemic," try as WHO might to pretend it's just a technical term for any worldwide disease outbreak (even minor ones) is a VERY loaded term for the general populace. This is just the kind of thing that panics people and makes them behave irrationally (just like they did in 1976), and it's irresponsible. WHO should not be using the same term for this minor outbreak as the horrific pandemics (yes, the REAL pandemics). The panic they could incite is most likely going to cause way more harm than the disease at this point.
The 1918 pandemic happened during a time when sanitation (particularly in the cities, where it was most prevalent) and medical knowledge of disease were complete shit compared to the developed world of today, during a war that had exposed millions of people worldwide to even more unsanitary conditions, in close quarters. This little disease outbreak (and likely no disease outbreak ever again) can compare to that, because our circumstances are too different (outside of the 3rd world, at least). And, idiot, the word "pandemic" doesn't ACTUALLY mean anything--it's a vague and recently-invented word that epidemiologists (looking for grant money) came up with to describe an epidemic that involves a worldwide spread. And, even in that purely artificial sense, I am using it correctly (or maybe you're too stupid to know that the Black Death also spread to the Middle East and Asia?).
Compared to REAL pandemics like the black death, the 1918 flu pandemic, etc. they are REALLY screaming wolf on this one. I think WHO is more interested in covering their asses than giving useful information. If they're not careful, they're going to set off a panic like the "pandemic" of 1976 (that led to more deaths from the inoculations than the disease).
I stay away from Apple as much as possible for this sort of thing. The typical Apple move is to offer "DRM-free" music on iTunes, but only offer it in aac format (still mostly only supported on iPod's), as opposed to Amazon and others who use the almost universally supported mp3 format.
Real world exploration often invovles stumbling across some nutball's pot field. If Ned Beatty has taught us nothing else, it's that real nature is a brutal bitch with no hearthstone to fall back on.
I'm a sandbox/explorer kind of gamer and would much rather do stuff like this than engage in lame-combat-with-the-millionth-generic-NPC or go on let-another-fetch-quest. I really wish more MMO's would reward exploration. WoW should throw in a bunch of these hard to get to places and have a contest to see who can get to them first on each server (with no hints or maps) or have more quests involving such exploration. As it is, I get more pleasure out of Bethesda games like Oblivion and Fallout 3 than I do out of most MMO's. You've got this big world, why not encourage players to explorer, instead of just fight and fetch?
It might be useful to acknowledge what software DOES actually support ODF--including pretty much all of the more popular office and word processing suites [from Wikipedia]:
Adobe Buzzword
AbiWord (Users of Windows installations must first download and install Import/Export Plugins)
It's sad that we live in a MMO gaming world where everyone who isn't a rude, ruthless prick of a griefer is derided as a "carebear." Some of us play games to actually have fun, you know. Not all of us are anti-social outcasts looking to take our anger out on the world.
People with professional jobs tend to romanticize the appeal of working-class jobs (the movie "Office Space," which ends with the burned-out hero finding happiness in a construction job, is a classic example). But, having been on both sides of the equation, I can say that no matter how burned-out you are on your professional job, it's still likely MUCH better than any working class job. Working class and manual labor jobs SUCK. They're (for the most part) mind-numbing, foot killing, back-breaking, spirit-killing, hard fucking work. You may not like having to wear a tie and put up with douchebags all day. But imagine having to bust your ass all day surrounded by a bunch of guys who are not only douchebags, but also borderline illiterate. They're no sitting down and taking a time-out on a job like that, either (no matter how much your feet hurt).
I agree that Sony's demo was impressive, but you're jumping the gun on the 360 a bit. Adam Sessler at G4 got a hand-on demo and said that it did indeed deliver on its promises. Of course they're both ripping off Nintendo at this point, but Nintendo's hardware has never appealed to me as a serious gamer.
Ha, I met way more griefers on WoW than I ever did on Guild Wars. And if you ever want to visit griefer central, try out EVE sometime (also with a monthly charge).
It all comes down to the maturity of the crowd, and immature teenagers and assholes don't have any problem affording $15 a month.
Slashdot Mirror
To extend your odd serial killer analogy: So it's still okay to allow Apple to murder, since they haven't killed as many people yet?
The big OEM's *already* have the option to bundle Firefox/Opera/etc. as their default browser (Firefox would certainly be a big improvement over all the other useless crapware and adware they bundle with most off-the-shelf computers these days). Pretty much none of them do (that I know of). The EC doesn't want to give the OEM's the option of installing an alternative browser (they already have it), they want to TAKE AWAY their option of leaving IE as the default browser (as they pretty much all do now). I don't see how that benefits the consumer in any way. It just seems like a spiteful jab at MS and a double-standard that they don't apply to Apple, Canonical, etc.
...Or those of us who still like to build our own systems, or those small scale non-Dell/non-HP computer makers who don't have any special deal with MS.
I know this is /., where everyone just loves to bash MS at every opportunity. But the EC is way out of line on this one.
First of all, the old "bundling a browser with your OS is unfair" argument is a relic from the 90's, when browsers were still a bit of a novelty. But it's 2009. *EVERY* OS comes bundled with a browser now--Apple, Ubuntu, everyone. Forcing MS not to bundle a simple default browser with their OS isn't leveling the playing field, it's forcing them to play with a disadvantage over everyone else. Including a default browser with your OS today is no more remarkable than including a default media player, or calculator, or text editor, etc. How would you even GET to the Firefox website to install it if you didn't have IE included with a fresh Windows install (this isn't 1996--most people don't keep install discs for their browsers anymore).
Secondly, what exactly is MS supposed to do if NOT bundling their browser isn't even enough for the EC? Are they supposed to have Steve Ballmer commit seppuku? Announce they're going out of business? Drop to their knees and give handjobs to all the EC commissioners? If even a move that will put them at a serious disadvantage in competing with Apple and Linux isn't enough--then *WHAT EXACTLY IS*?
At this point the EC isn't helping the consumer, they just seem like they're being spiteful. They whole thing seems more like a grudge than a public service.
Okay diehard MS bashers, flame away.
LOL, no LEGAL alternatives.
We actually had to put up a new outdoor antenna for her so she would get a clean signal. We still hear periodic complaints from her about that "eyesore."
Ha, first thing we tried. This is a woman who is stubbornly resistant to ANY new tech (she won't even let us put in an air-conditioner, and will not use a microwave). She informed us that her ancient TV works just fine and made it clear we would have to pry it from her cold, dead hands.
I took a lot of guts to crack DVD encryption, but it takes even MORE guts to take on Apple. Those guys will sue someone who even looks at them funny.
Sadly, there are no non-DRM'ed alternatives. The downloaded stuff is the only other option and it has even *WORSE* DRM.
I'm not afraid of the switch tomorrow. I've already spent the last few months getting repeated phone calls from my grandma complaining about the funny new box we put on her TV so she can still get her damn Judge Judy.
The last one was the best. Grandma called up and informed me that her new remote was broken. So I called my cousin, who drives over to her house and finds that the "broken" remote is the result of grandma having put a fucking doily on top of the box (blocking its IR receiver). I shit you not.
I love my HDTV. But it's a demanding love.
The problem with decrying this as a pandemic is that the word "pandemic," try as WHO might to pretend it's just a technical term for any worldwide disease outbreak (even minor ones) is a VERY loaded term for the general populace. This is just the kind of thing that panics people and makes them behave irrationally (just like they did in 1976), and it's irresponsible. WHO should not be using the same term for this minor outbreak as the horrific pandemics (yes, the REAL pandemics). The panic they could incite is most likely going to cause way more harm than the disease at this point.
The 1918 pandemic happened during a time when sanitation (particularly in the cities, where it was most prevalent) and medical knowledge of disease were complete shit compared to the developed world of today, during a war that had exposed millions of people worldwide to even more unsanitary conditions, in close quarters. This little disease outbreak (and likely no disease outbreak ever again) can compare to that, because our circumstances are too different (outside of the 3rd world, at least). And, idiot, the word "pandemic" doesn't ACTUALLY mean anything--it's a vague and recently-invented word that epidemiologists (looking for grant money) came up with to describe an epidemic that involves a worldwide spread. And, even in that purely artificial sense, I am using it correctly (or maybe you're too stupid to know that the Black Death also spread to the Middle East and Asia?).
It has a very short nuculear half-life.
Compared to REAL pandemics like the black death, the 1918 flu pandemic, etc. they are REALLY screaming wolf on this one. I think WHO is more interested in covering their asses than giving useful information. If they're not careful, they're going to set off a panic like the "pandemic" of 1976 (that led to more deaths from the inoculations than the disease).
In honor of the U.S. President who did so much to advance our respect for science.
I stay away from Apple as much as possible for this sort of thing. The typical Apple move is to offer "DRM-free" music on iTunes, but only offer it in aac format (still mostly only supported on iPod's), as opposed to Amazon and others who use the almost universally supported mp3 format.
Real world exploration often invovles stumbling across some nutball's pot field. If Ned Beatty has taught us nothing else, it's that real nature is a brutal bitch with no hearthstone to fall back on.
I'm a sandbox/explorer kind of gamer and would much rather do stuff like this than engage in lame-combat-with-the-millionth-generic-NPC or go on let-another-fetch-quest. I really wish more MMO's would reward exploration. WoW should throw in a bunch of these hard to get to places and have a contest to see who can get to them first on each server (with no hints or maps) or have more quests involving such exploration. As it is, I get more pleasure out of Bethesda games like Oblivion and Fallout 3 than I do out of most MMO's. You've got this big world, why not encourage players to explorer, instead of just fight and fetch?
It might be useful to acknowledge what software DOES actually support ODF--including pretty much all of the more popular office and word processing suites [from Wikipedia]:
That doesn't sound like "no one" to me.
It's sad that we live in a MMO gaming world where everyone who isn't a rude, ruthless prick of a griefer is derided as a "carebear." Some of us play games to actually have fun, you know. Not all of us are anti-social outcasts looking to take our anger out on the world.
People with professional jobs tend to romanticize the appeal of working-class jobs (the movie "Office Space," which ends with the burned-out hero finding happiness in a construction job, is a classic example). But, having been on both sides of the equation, I can say that no matter how burned-out you are on your professional job, it's still likely MUCH better than any working class job. Working class and manual labor jobs SUCK. They're (for the most part) mind-numbing, foot killing, back-breaking, spirit-killing, hard fucking work. You may not like having to wear a tie and put up with douchebags all day. But imagine having to bust your ass all day surrounded by a bunch of guys who are not only douchebags, but also borderline illiterate. They're no sitting down and taking a time-out on a job like that, either (no matter how much your feet hurt).
You had *couches*?
I agree that Sony's demo was impressive, but you're jumping the gun on the 360 a bit. Adam Sessler at G4 got a hand-on demo and said that it did indeed deliver on its promises. Of course they're both ripping off Nintendo at this point, but Nintendo's hardware has never appealed to me as a serious gamer.
Into the sunlight?!?!? No frickin' way, man!
Ha, I met way more griefers on WoW than I ever did on Guild Wars. And if you ever want to visit griefer central, try out EVE sometime (also with a monthly charge).
It all comes down to the maturity of the crowd, and immature teenagers and assholes don't have any problem affording $15 a month.