I'll wait for Linux 3.11 for Workgroups in that case, thank you oh so very much.
Though I guess this gives us the approximate timeline for the 3.0 version - because we know that Linux 95 must soon follow.
89 more years to go, 89 years...
Actually, besides the fact that multi-core has been supported for ages, I can't currently imagine what kind of changes exactly would warrant the 2.8 or 3.0 re-labeling.
Even an improved graphics scheduler that's allegedly so amazing in Vista (read about it here a day or two ago) is just another switch, just like the kernel scheduler.
Melissa adds that the extra 39 minutes does make a difference, "[you] feel like [you're] getting more work done."
Wasn't it that the optimal duration of a day for humans is somewhere around 25 or 26 hours?
I always try to maximize my awake time; as Pitr would say, Sleep, she is for the weak.
And now for one truly scary detail:
"We've all become acutely aware of the importance of water conservation, minimizing our garbage output, and generally behaving in a way to minimize our environmental impact."
Why is this scary? Well, consider this:
The crew bakes bread, makes a batch of cheese or yogurt, waters the "crops" (spouts and lettuce they are growing), re-fuels the generator, washes a bit of laundry by hand and prepares home cooked meals to add some spice to the day and the meals.
Currently finding out what have I done wrong during my Gentoo install and thinking up ways to re-arrange my keyboard in Linux.
However, Macs are still viewed as excessively expensive.
Anyway, it wasn't exactly Vista that made me cash out for a Mac. It was the fact that a good laptop without Windows was nearly impossible to find, especially after the ThinkPad I had been aiming at was sold out. And I'm not paying for an OS I'm not about to use.
First of all, 2007 is halfway over; so far, I haven't seen major user migrations towards Linux, and I highly doubt I'll see any by the end of the year.
People dissatisfied with Vista pre-installed on their laptops don't install Linux; they return the laptops and demand XP.
Yes, it would be nice to see more people using Linux. And more people will start using Linux. Not, however, enough for us to justly call 2007 the Year of Linux.
Businesses still depend on Windows-based solutions, and many have signed pacts with the Devil and can't back out easily. Games are still not written with Linux in mind. Major commercial software products are mostly still unavailable on Linux.
Not until I see e.g. Photoshop and some WoW-equivalent (in popularity, not gameplay) games running natively on Linux will I even begin to think about the Year of Linux.
And to make one point clear: I like my apps open. I don't program, but it gives me a nice, fuzzy, secure feeling.
I also like to play a game from time to time - and when I do, I don't think much about software freedom and open source.
I don't need to opt out; I just send a code to deactivate it, and each and every provider gives you the list of their codes for most common operations.
Here, if people want to leave you a message when you don't pick up the phone (or just prefer not to talk to you), they send a text message. I don't know a single person who uses voicemail. Ever.
So, basically, deleting cookies (which some people have done automatically when they close their browser window) is circumventing a technological measure.
What's next? Next thing you know, no more cleaning the/tmp on reboot; I bet something could be circumvented that way.
Or use the Slashdotter Firefox Plugin, which isn't compatible with D2. It's ability to hide threads I'm not interested in far outweighs any advantages of the new layout. I also like the reply (no more typing in <blockquote>) feature, and various AJAX features.
What do you mean, incompatible?
I seem to be running D2, and I have Slashdotter enabled...
However, living in a country with a telecommunications monopolist (growing weaker now, but still a bloody monopolist) spending millions on advertising and at the same time overcharging us for the services rendered, I learned one thing: I pay for that advertising.
If they didn't waste money on advertising, their product might be cheaper. If the advertising is very intrusive, it is very expensive. And it's the buyers of the product who pay for it.
From what I'd understood, Internet2 is a fundamentally different network - first of all, it is not de-centralized like the Internet; add the fact that AFAICT it is not (yet) open to general public, and despite the name, it doesn't seem to be a replacement.
Granted, I may be missing some important points, as Internet2 doesn't exist in Croatia, but whatever... I don't mind the development of different networks; may the best and fastest one (both in transmission and wide deployment) win.
Actually, marketing such as you see on TV only works insofar that you and/or your product get the air time instead of someone else.
Advertising is like an arms race; everyone is doing it (and spending way too much on it) just because everyone else is.
People in general respond negatively to advertising. However, it is generally true that a bad reaction is better than no reaction at all; even if they're annoyed by a commercial, people are still more likely to buy a product they'd heard about (or of) in a commercial than a product they'd never even heard of before.
Furthermore, since everyone is doing it, people are annoyed more or les equally by all companies, so the negative effect (annoyance) is diminished/shared, while the positive effect (people hearing about your product) is retained.
Basically, if everyone stopped playing the advertising game... nah, sorry, it would start all over again. Same dealers, new suck^Wplayers.
Let me put this in as plain terms as possible: saving in a different format than the default one is what Joe User calls an "advanced feature", or sometimes simply "whut?" - unless a format is the default format in a certain program, hardly anyone will ever save documents in it.
People do not think about formats until they cannot open a file, and even then, understandably, they consider it all a nuisance.
ODF has been gaining ground in the EU and in other parts of the world, whereas OOXML has to start from a dead stop. It's only asset is the marketing power of MSFT behind it, but that may not be enough.
However, it is still MS Office that is the most widely used office program, and at least here in Croatia, where nearly all software for private use - barring pre-installed Windows[1] - is still pirated (the businesses feel a moderate fear from the BSA, but that's about it), that means that the bestest and latest version of Office will be adopted, if in no other way, then by school kids, and therefore their parents as well.
Luckily, the fact that the BSA is a real threat means that (small) businesses will be very reluctant to migrate from Office 97 or 2000 to a new version, which costs oh, about the average month's pay. Per computer.
All in all, in order for ODF to become more widely accepted, at least in Croatia, all we FOSSies should do is approach the people we know are pirates and, uh, present OpenOffice.org as a viable alternative to fines and prosecution. It's high time we adopted some of our opponents' methods. </evil>
If they don't want viruses coming in, install virus scanners or don't allow executables to be run from user drives... and have the machines re-image on a regular basis.
Or, as the GP suggested, use a more secure system.
Of course, no system is absolutely secure, but I feel that here we're dealing with stupidity, not malice - dumping Windows and Windows viruses seems like a foolproof plan to me. (Of course, nothing ever is foolproof.)
If they don't want sensitive data going out, banning media isn't going to stop some bonehead from using a floppy or emailing it to himself (or putting it on a "secret" part of his webpage).
Or using the camera on his mobile phone to make some screenshots. (I still can't believe that somebody took the time to take pictures of and then post the whole of Harry Potter.)
And while this is going on, the media will be reporting on it - the same media that HP went out of their way to alienate. The same media that HP depends on to print its press releases.
Well, unlike Paris Hilton, HP is a big advertiser, too: that means that yes, their press releases will still be printed. And yes, their products will still be evaluated as fairly as before (which says almost nothing), though I guess some could start criticising their huge, bulky printer drivers and accompanying software.
I do admit, a media boycott would sound nice, but it isn't going to happen. What would be even better, though, is detailed reporting on the case, with comments, analyses etc. That, however, depends on how big an advertiser HP really is in a particular paper/magazine, i.e. whether the journalists or editors are bought or scared.
The media are powerful; all that remains to be seen is whether HP managed to create themselves a powerful enemy.
What will ultimately be the result of these suits? I don't want to guess at this point; corporations seem to be getting away with all kinds of things these days.
That's why I, for one, am so glad that these journalists refused to settle. Unless you stand up to them, they'll just keep on acting as bullies.
And just wait until people start noticing that Opera also blocks ads - built-in, as far as I know. So these guys are lying, which in turn proves it's just an anti-Firefox campaign.
Furthermore, all we have to do is spread the word that there are Firefox extensions which allow you to identify as any other browser available. So Grandma, if you see this page, just click here and reload and don't you worry about a thing.
Slashdot Mirror
Here, fixed it for you.
I'll wait for Linux 3.11 for Workgroups in that case, thank you oh so very much.
Though I guess this gives us the approximate timeline for the 3.0 version - because we know that Linux 95 must soon follow.
89 more years to go, 89 years...
Actually, besides the fact that multi-core has been supported for ages, I can't currently imagine what kind of changes exactly would warrant the 2.8 or 3.0 re-labeling.
Even an improved graphics scheduler that's allegedly so amazing in Vista (read about it here a day or two ago) is just another switch, just like the kernel scheduler.
You do know that you can set keywords for individual packages as well, don't you?
It does take a little more effort when initially building the system, but it's well worth it.
Wasn't it that the optimal duration of a day for humans is somewhere around 25 or 26 hours?
I always try to maximize my awake time; as Pitr would say, Sleep, she is for the weak.
And now for one truly scary detail:
Why is this scary? Well, consider this:
They're training Fremen!
So when do we send people to Mars?
And do we send politicians first?
Another proof for the FSM!
RAmen!
Actually, I did get myself a MacBook Pro.
Currently finding out what have I done wrong during my Gentoo install and thinking up ways to re-arrange my keyboard in Linux.
However, Macs are still viewed as excessively expensive.
Anyway, it wasn't exactly Vista that made me cash out for a Mac. It was the fact that a good laptop without Windows was nearly impossible to find, especially after the ThinkPad I had been aiming at was sold out. And I'm not paying for an OS I'm not about to use.
I'm sorry, did I say I played WoW?
I can afford neither the subscription nor the time required.
However, it is one of the most popular games AFAIK; try to read the text in parentheses as well.
First of all, 2007 is halfway over; so far, I haven't seen major user migrations towards Linux, and I highly doubt I'll see any by the end of the year.
People dissatisfied with Vista pre-installed on their laptops don't install Linux; they return the laptops and demand XP.
Yes, it would be nice to see more people using Linux. And more people will start using Linux. Not, however, enough for us to justly call 2007 the Year of Linux.
Businesses still depend on Windows-based solutions, and many have signed pacts with the Devil and can't back out easily. Games are still not written with Linux in mind. Major commercial software products are mostly still unavailable on Linux.
Not until I see e.g. Photoshop and some WoW-equivalent (in popularity, not gameplay) games running natively on Linux will I even begin to think about the Year of Linux.
And to make one point clear: I like my apps open. I don't program, but it gives me a nice, fuzzy, secure feeling.
I also like to play a game from time to time - and when I do, I don't think much about software freedom and open source.
Deleting your cookies (doable in Firefox by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Del) and cleaning up your registry is also not designed to allow circumvention.
However, circumvention seems to be an added benefit to all of these methods.
But hey - if any of this goes to court, it'll be fun to watch. Especially to me, since the DMCA means nothing in Croatia.
Damn.
You could circumvent the method by switching users, too.
Which means the so-called technological method isn't at all effective.
When I grow up and learn Finnish, I'm moving to Finland.
Well, aren't I glad I live in Europe.
I don't need to opt out; I just send a code to deactivate it, and each and every provider gives you the list of their codes for most common operations.
Here, if people want to leave you a message when you don't pick up the phone (or just prefer not to talk to you), they send a text message. I don't know a single person who uses voicemail. Ever.
So, basically, deleting cookies (which some people have done automatically when they close their browser window) is circumventing a technological measure.
What's next? Next thing you know, no more cleaning the /tmp on reboot; I bet something could be circumvented that way.
What do you mean, incompatible?
I seem to be running D2, and I have Slashdotter enabled...
I do see your point.
However, living in a country with a telecommunications monopolist (growing weaker now, but still a bloody monopolist) spending millions on advertising and at the same time overcharging us for the services rendered, I learned one thing: I pay for that advertising.
If they didn't waste money on advertising, their product might be cheaper. If the advertising is very intrusive, it is very expensive. And it's the buyers of the product who pay for it.
I really think consumers must be masochists.
From what I'd understood, Internet2 is a fundamentally different network - first of all, it is not de-centralized like the Internet; add the fact that AFAICT it is not (yet) open to general public, and despite the name, it doesn't seem to be a replacement.
Granted, I may be missing some important points, as Internet2 doesn't exist in Croatia, but whatever... I don't mind the development of different networks; may the best and fastest one (both in transmission and wide deployment) win.
Just you wait. I bet the Coca-Cola Company is already making arrangements to paint their logo all over Mars surface.
Unlike the Moon, no need for Russians to paint it red beforehand, either.
*shudder*
Actually, marketing such as you see on TV only works insofar that you and/or your product get the air time instead of someone else.
Advertising is like an arms race; everyone is doing it (and spending way too much on it) just because everyone else is.
People in general respond negatively to advertising. However, it is generally true that a bad reaction is better than no reaction at all; even if they're annoyed by a commercial, people are still more likely to buy a product they'd heard about (or of) in a commercial than a product they'd never even heard of before.
Furthermore, since everyone is doing it, people are annoyed more or les equally by all companies, so the negative effect (annoyance) is diminished/shared, while the positive effect (people hearing about your product) is retained.
Basically, if everyone stopped playing the advertising game... nah, sorry, it would start all over again. Same dealers, new suck^Wplayers.
Let me put this in as plain terms as possible: saving in a different format than the default one is what Joe User calls an "advanced feature", or sometimes simply "whut?" - unless a format is the default format in a certain program, hardly anyone will ever save documents in it.
People do not think about formats until they cannot open a file, and even then, understandably, they consider it all a nuisance.
Right.
Hey, these are what? ten, twelve years old?
A number of years indeed.
However, it is still MS Office that is the most widely used office program, and at least here in Croatia, where nearly all software for private use - barring pre-installed Windows[1] - is still pirated (the businesses feel a moderate fear from the BSA, but that's about it), that means that the bestest and latest version of Office will be adopted, if in no other way, then by school kids, and therefore their parents as well.
Luckily, the fact that the BSA is a real threat means that (small) businesses will be very reluctant to migrate from Office 97 or 2000 to a new version, which costs oh, about the average month's pay. Per computer.
All in all, in order for ODF to become more widely accepted, at least in Croatia, all we FOSSies should do is approach the people we know are pirates and, uh, present OpenOffice.org as a viable alternative to fines and prosecution. It's high time we adopted some of our opponents' methods. </evil>
[1] If I mean a plural, should I say Windowses? ;)
Or, as the GP suggested, use a more secure system.
Of course, no system is absolutely secure, but I feel that here we're dealing with stupidity, not malice - dumping Windows and Windows viruses seems like a foolproof plan to me. (Of course, nothing ever is foolproof.)
If they don't want sensitive data going out, banning media isn't going to stop some bonehead from using a floppy or emailing it to himself (or putting it on a "secret" part of his webpage).Or using the camera on his mobile phone to make some screenshots. (I still can't believe that somebody took the time to take pictures of and then post the whole of Harry Potter.)
Well, unlike Paris Hilton, HP is a big advertiser, too: that means that yes, their press releases will still be printed. And yes, their products will still be evaluated as fairly as before (which says almost nothing), though I guess some could start criticising their huge, bulky printer drivers and accompanying software.
I do admit, a media boycott would sound nice, but it isn't going to happen. What would be even better, though, is detailed reporting on the case, with comments, analyses etc. That, however, depends on how big an advertiser HP really is in a particular paper/magazine, i.e. whether the journalists or editors are bought or scared.
The media are powerful; all that remains to be seen is whether HP managed to create themselves a powerful enemy.
What will ultimately be the result of these suits? I don't want to guess at this point; corporations seem to be getting away with all kinds of things these days.That's why I, for one, am so glad that these journalists refused to settle. Unless you stand up to them, they'll just keep on acting as bullies.
And just wait until people start noticing that Opera also blocks ads - built-in, as far as I know. So these guys are lying, which in turn proves it's just an anti-Firefox campaign.
Furthermore, all we have to do is spread the word that there are Firefox extensions which allow you to identify as any other browser available. So Grandma, if you see this page, just click here and reload and don't you worry about a thing.