But when will they decide that Bill is too old and turn him into an animated character like the Menards guy (or the Empire Carpet guy, if you know them)?
These machines need to be patched because, ultimately, they will get connected to a network (whether local or Internet). Then, when the unpatched, unprotected systems are exposed they can catch bugs.
They end up with Internet access for ease of troubleshooting and remote support.
Likely an even greater risk to the security of most such machines is that they are likely using the same passwords today that were being used when the machines were first deployed. Even if they were switched from the default values, any employee exposed to these machines could still have record of the passwords. I worked in a bookstore 19 years ago. I was a co-manager and I had the combination to the safe. I remember the combination, and know someone else who ended up working there. It's the same safe and the same combination after all these years.
Because the people who implemented these solutions were not IT people. They're skilled in their fields, but usually have only a marginal understanding on contemporary issues in networking and network security. To them, having the machines net-facing is just a convenience so that they can connect and address issues without dispatching someone to the location.
But you're assuming that all p2p sharing is done without the consent of the other party or the content owner. If I use p2p tools to share forms, documents, and media created by and for an organization with which I serve, then I should be able to use these tools for such file transfers rather than needing to host a server that will keep all the files online and require me to defend (or pay for) the storage location.
Just because some people use prybars to break into cars and buildings does not mean that all prybars should be outlawed. They are simply a tool, and they have a lawful purpose. P2P software is simply a tool with a lawful purpose--the dissemination of information/data without a central server--and should not be outlawed because some people use it for unlawful purposes.
For those of us with ADD, that 8.5 hour figure isn't accurate. For the ADD mind, email can mean one of two things. It's either:
1) business as usual (we're still getting things done and may even be more productive when our minds get these wonderful little rabbit trails), or
2) we get absolutely nothing important done (so that 8.5 hour figure would actually refer to weekly productive time.
Then again, for a minority of the ADD crowd (myself included), Slashdot takes the place of email in serving as that uber-stimulus that actually helps keep me running at peak efficiency.
Ah, but rememeber that in the time before the oceans swallowed Atlantis, that men fought over the mystery of steel--a technology known only by the Cimmerians until they were destroyed by Thulsa Doom and his snake-worshipping cult!
"I try to live a good clean life by learning all I can and nurturing my body and spirit. I'm afraid that I will not be able to become part of your community as I find it sick. Sick in mind body and soul. Why your people deem it necessary to use the language that they do I can never understand. Women, children and people of faith will never be able to learn what you have to impart because of the filth you are tending in this rank garden. Please stop sending me email."
I know there's a good chance that you'll never read this, because of all the filth you see around it, but I must write it. I don't know what faith you claim, but it seems as if it is only for those who are good enough. I guess it would be wrong for you to walk on the streets without soundproof earplugs, because someone might drop an f-bomb in your vicinity. I also guess you must keep your eyes closed most of the time, so you don't accidentally see something evocative or inappropriate.
I, too, am a person of faith, but my faith does not teach me to hide away from those who act in ways that do not align with my beliefs. On the contrary, my faith teaches me that I am to be a light in a dark world, by living the life that God has given me in a manner that is grateful to him for all he has done for me. My faith teaches that God has adopted me as a son because I trust him and accept they payment he made for my very life. As a son, I am grateful. Yet I also understand that those who have not yet accepted his gift, which leads to adoption, cannot be expected to live by the same standard to which I have been called to live. In fact, the messiah himself, when self-righteous religious leaders asked why he hung out with drunks and prostitutes, replied by saying that healthy people don't need a physician (telling them, indirectly, that they, who claimed to be righteous, did not need him while those "sinners" around him needed him there).
If you truly are a person who is carrying the light of God, why would you not want to be part of this community? Don't you believe that they need to hear his message? I don't expect my peers in the technology field to share my desire to keep my communications clean, because they do not share my faith. I hope that my interactions with them--a group of intelligent, witty, and (usually) well-meaning people--will help to demonstrate that not all people who claim the name of Christ, the messiah, feel it is their purpose on this earth to beat them over the head with doctrine, accusations, and slurs. I hope that in some way, someone will see my witness here (or on the other sites you likely would also consider "sick in mind body and soul") and say, "Wow, there's one of those Christian nut-jobs who isn't like the others I've encountered...I wonder if there really could be something to what he believes."
And yes, I know that making these comments here are likely to open me and my beliefs up to criticism and open disdain, but I will not be ashamed of the good news that I have received: that Jesus (Y'shua), the Christ, who though innocent of any wrongdoing, suffered execution in the place of me and all of mankind to appease the wrath of God (for God is both just and loving), so that we could be reconciled with God, and was vindicated when he was raised from death to life, so that all who believe this good news and in faith turn away from their sins and toward a loving God will also partake in that resurrection and be heirs of life without end in the presence of God. This I believe, regardless of how much anyone else derides me or my Lord. Yet I will not look upon those who will respond in such a way as horrible people, or people deserving of God's anger. Rather, I see them as people in need of mercy and grace--people who do not realize the depth of God's love for them, and for whom I can only hope for the best.
~HikingStick~
Great. Now I can imagine digging through my junk drawer looking for a USB drive with "The Dirty Dozen" on it. It's just something else that will end up going through the laundry.
Apart from the geek factor, this is probably one of the dumbest ideas for movie distribution since animations made by flipping large stone tablets. Give us movies via download or stream. No more tapes to warp, disks to scratch, or dongles to lose.
LOL...I did not see it from that angle. I was more thinking that the brat with the loud mouth may simply have viewed his backside as something nice with which to attract the fairer sex!
I can't believe the number of replies that tell this guy he's out of his mind asking this question with a $600 figure in it. Not every IT shop in the world is a large shop. Heck, there are loads of places that don't even have a clue what they've invested in IT, since they cobbled it together over a period of years.
I just joined a midsized manufacturing firm because they want me to establish an IT department. They realized that they needed someone to deal with the technology who knows how to look at it long-term, but that doesn't mean that they can fund everything that needs to be done right away. If I were this guy (and I am, in some ways--see below), I would do whatever you can right now for $600, and let management know that it is only a bandaid. They need to be made to understand that not funding a proper solution is likely to cost them big dollars in gear replacement and downtime. Let them know how long it will take to purchase and deploy replacement gear, and ask them to estimate how much money they will lose due to that downtime. What they would lose will likely be far more than you will need for any solution.
The place where I'm working doesn't have a dedicated server room. The twin racks are standing in the corner of a long high-wall office space that designed to house two employees. It's only indirectly air conditioned, and the gear throws off so much heat that you can feel it from three feet away. The fan noise is so loud that the office staff tend to close the door to the room (cutting off the air flow). They have the rack fans venting into the attic, but the attic has no outside vents (tin roof, no openings, because they had too many problems with leaks in the past), so the attic can only take on so much vented air. Much of it escapes back into the room, since the vent hood does not seal on top of the rack.
There are three 1U PowerEdge servers, a 48-port switch that is nearly maxed out, an 24 port switch for the servers, home runs, and a few key workstations, and a legacy switch of unknown use (it predates the guys who kept the network running before I got there, and nothing is labeled). There are also two mid-tower servers, two LCD displays (thankfully, no CRTs!), a KVM, and the requisite UPS units. They didn't mount all of the gear properly, so the three switches are basically stacked on the bottom shelf of one rack, and all of the 1U servers are right on top of each other, too. Segments of the network have gone down numerous times since I started, and most instances appear tied to heat.
No brainer, you say. Just have them build a proper enclosure, you say. I've been working that angle for three months. I have one officer who wants all the servers in the attic (where the ambient temperaturs is already around 35C/95F) where they have the telelcomm gear and our firewall (they warned me that the voicemail system needs to be rebooted periodically, especially on hot, sunny days). I have another officer who wants to relocate the whole lot into non-heated and non-cooled area of the building that shows signs of significant rodent traffic. I'm sure the servers would be just the kinds of vacation spot the mice would love. Their cash flows are significant, and they're even building a new shop and office addition, but they didn't plan for any IT expense in the process. I tried to get a single high-wall office in the new office space, but no dice.
Fortunately, my directly up-line has been willing to listen and is starting to understand how critical this issue is. We have an ERP program installed, and when the network goes down almost nothing can get done (apart from what was already in the pipeline). He's starting to realize that, though they are paying me good money, I'm losing most of my time to issues that would be non-issues if they front some money now. This thread came at a perfect time for me, since I'm stil trying to figure out what type of cooling system to pitch as part of my current proposal--one that is getting some traction--to build me a double
A good paddling on my backside did me good when I was younger. Pain is a powerful teacher, and I've never heard of anyone dying from a welt on his bum.
No. All any good commedian needs is a set up. Taco's not the commedian. He's providing the setup. Read the other responses. That's where you find the comedy!
I think that this last post indicates clearly that we (Americans) are an overly litiguous society.
I must come to defense of society at large and disagree with you. All the final post indicated is that some spoiled little brat with a very litigous father thinks that tantrums and litigation are the key to success. That child (no matter how old) is due for a rude awakening.
If he were mine, he'd learn that his bum isn't just for looking nice in shorts.
"If I don't want people to see me I can go inside but if I don't want people to read me you won't get rid of my posts? [epletive deleted]!! you have to or youll get a call from my dads lawyer buy Friday and then hell will rain down on you.
Sadly, sir or madam, your logic is flawed. You state that you can go inside if you don't want people to see you. In fact, if you were already outside, people could already see you. If you wanted not to be seen, then you would need to have never ventured out in the first place. Following that logic, if you did not want people to "read [you]", then you never should have posted to a website that is publicly accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.
I'm assuming you must have posted something about which you are now embarassed, or something which you feel that, if linked to your real world identity, might impede your chances of getting into a top notch school. If so, it's time to ponder the words of the Great Philosopher: "Tough crap." I'm sure you local four year school is a wonderful institution. I'm sure they'd be glad to have your daddy donate a new porta-potty for the athletic field.
Now, IANAL, but I must caution you that the words of your message could come back to haunt you.
"DO WHATS RIGHT AND GET RID OF ME!!!"
Actively seeking someone to "get rid of you" might provide a reasonable defense if someone decides to respond to your request. Thankfully, most Slashdot readers are too civil to consider carrying out such a heinus act. I should also caution you that soliciting a hit on yourself may be illegal in some jurisdictions and is definately frowned upon by college admissions panels and insurance adjusters.
Even if local governments and schools ditched their Microsoft licensing, they would not have enough funds available t bring on staff who could configure and maintain the FOSS resources, much less provide training or support. Schools are often getting discount licensing deals either directly through Microsoft, through purchasing low-cost refurbished computers that come with the OS installed (and the Computers for Schools style refurbishers often get donated or discounted software from Microsoft), or by sticking to their OEM-licensed hardware much longer than most businesses would hold on to similar machines. In the larger districts, there may be significant dolalrs involved, but it still would not be enough once you look at wages PLUS benefits PLUS taxes.
I've been with companies that have transitioned from one paid platform to another, and the secondary costs (like lost productivity and training) always far outran projections (if they allocated for them at all). I love the FOSS movement, but do us all a favor and spend some extra tims studying the business side of the equation and you will see it is no longer a simple decision. Most companies are not willing to wait five, ten, or more years to recoup the cost of the transition through license fees they wouldn't be paying.
And while I risk venturing off-topic, I now work in a manufacturing environment where the primary production systems (ERP program and specific manufacturing systems) are only designed for a Wintel environment. If I were to take my shop down the primrose path of FOSS, we'd either need to hire a small army of coders and possibly replace much of our Wintel-based equipment (at a cost for the equipment alone that would far exceed the cost of adding three full-time people to my IT team and paying them above the going rate for the next 5+ years), or go back to using paper, pencils, and hand tools until the interoperability issues are addressed. Dang, but we'd be able to surf the web, create documents, and get email without paying for Microsoft licensing!
1) We create software.
2) Software is used in medical devices.
3) We forego QA and industry best practices for software development.
4) Something goes wrong.
5) We get sued AND we lose (to the five-nines sure).
6) Change #1 to "Update resume".
SLIDE B
1) We create software.
2) Software is used in medical devices.
3) We follow industry best practices for software development and have a solid QA program.
4) Something goes wrong (yes, it still happens).
5) We get sued.
6) Our controls and best practices are a reasonable defense.
Re:Another morbidly obese "programming" book
on
Bash Cookbook
·
· Score: 1
You're forgetting that not all people share your preferred learning style. Some will thrive off the cheat sheet. Some need to review cocepts and other abstract pieces of information. Those who are auditory learners, like me, tend to subvocalize everything we read, so the so-called "wordy" texts are often the ones that are easiest for me to digest (assuming they are written in a conversational style).
If a cheat sheet is your m.o., then I'd venture a gues that your a kinesthetic (someone who learns best in a hands-on environment). Most people have a primary style preference, but also function well in one or more other methods of learning. There are some, however, who are only able to "get it" when they learn in accordance to their primary style.
What about those with genetic conditions, or other conditions of uncertain causation (like Lupus), who did nothing of their own to bring on the illness(es)? They'll be scored worse than the healthy and perhaps those who stay off the medical grid (though one should remember how tough it is to get credit when you are older if you have no credit history or a short credit history, so those who want to avoid the grid should beware).
Your positions suggests vanity. You are currently blessed with good health and are able to exercise and care for yourself, which undoubtedly help maintain your health and stave off some conditions. I hope you'll never need to experience chronic illness, but, unless you do, you might just continue through life conviced how much better you are because you care for yourself. I feel sorry for you. Youth and health only last so long. We all die. Some of us just come to terms with it earlier in life.
Isn't is a matter of perspective? The RIAA sees this guy as a "big gun", but the legal scholars' briefs may make him cannon fodder. The shades of meaning were clear to this reader.
How is the bot cheating any more than cruise control? Do cops claim you're cheating by using a system to keep your vehicle at a set speed? You set it to maintain a specific speed, but then you take control again (using the terms suitable to WoW) during "the interesting parts", like when you come upon other traffic, when you enter a town, or when you simply want to take full control for a while.
The big difference I see is using bots like this to gold farm or do other things for profit. If you are just wanting to start a new character and get past a lot of the grind that is so repetitive and lame (especially after you've manually leveled up a character or two), then I say go ahead.
Blizzard needs to decide which action will ultimately preserve their player base--allowing or disallowing the bots--and then live with the consequences. While WoW has a legendary reputation in the MMO field, if they start losing veteran players who are tired of the grind, they will need to reassess their business model and their terms of service.
Slashdot Mirror
But when will they decide that Bill is too old and turn him into an animated character like the Menards guy (or the Empire Carpet guy, if you know them)?
These machines need to be patched because, ultimately, they will get connected to a network (whether local or Internet). Then, when the unpatched, unprotected systems are exposed they can catch bugs.
They end up with Internet access for ease of troubleshooting and remote support.
Likely an even greater risk to the security of most such machines is that they are likely using the same passwords today that were being used when the machines were first deployed. Even if they were switched from the default values, any employee exposed to these machines could still have record of the passwords. I worked in a bookstore 19 years ago. I was a co-manager and I had the combination to the safe. I remember the combination, and know someone else who ended up working there. It's the same safe and the same combination after all these years.
Because the people who implemented these solutions were not IT people. They're skilled in their fields, but usually have only a marginal understanding on contemporary issues in networking and network security. To them, having the machines net-facing is just a convenience so that they can connect and address issues without dispatching someone to the location.
The optional battery might be as thick as a NYC phone book.
But you're assuming that all p2p sharing is done without the consent of the other party or the content owner. If I use p2p tools to share forms, documents, and media created by and for an organization with which I serve, then I should be able to use these tools for such file transfers rather than needing to host a server that will keep all the files online and require me to defend (or pay for) the storage location.
Just because some people use prybars to break into cars and buildings does not mean that all prybars should be outlawed. They are simply a tool, and they have a lawful purpose. P2P software is simply a tool with a lawful purpose--the dissemination of information/data without a central server--and should not be outlawed because some people use it for unlawful purposes.
For those of us with ADD, that 8.5 hour figure isn't accurate. For the ADD mind, email can mean one of two things. It's either:
1) business as usual (we're still getting things done and may even be more productive when our minds get these wonderful little rabbit trails), or
2) we get absolutely nothing important done (so that 8.5 hour figure would actually refer to weekly productive time.
Then again, for a minority of the ADD crowd (myself included), Slashdot takes the place of email in serving as that uber-stimulus that actually helps keep me running at peak efficiency.
Ah, but rememeber that in the time before the oceans swallowed Atlantis, that men fought over the mystery of steel--a technology known only by the Cimmerians until they were destroyed by Thulsa Doom and his snake-worshipping cult!
Conan is still remembered!
I know there's a good chance that you'll never read this, because of all the filth you see around it, but I must write it. I don't know what faith you claim, but it seems as if it is only for those who are good enough. I guess it would be wrong for you to walk on the streets without soundproof earplugs, because someone might drop an f-bomb in your vicinity. I also guess you must keep your eyes closed most of the time, so you don't accidentally see something evocative or inappropriate.
I, too, am a person of faith, but my faith does not teach me to hide away from those who act in ways that do not align with my beliefs. On the contrary, my faith teaches me that I am to be a light in a dark world, by living the life that God has given me in a manner that is grateful to him for all he has done for me. My faith teaches that God has adopted me as a son because I trust him and accept they payment he made for my very life. As a son, I am grateful. Yet I also understand that those who have not yet accepted his gift, which leads to adoption, cannot be expected to live by the same standard to which I have been called to live. In fact, the messiah himself, when self-righteous religious leaders asked why he hung out with drunks and prostitutes, replied by saying that healthy people don't need a physician (telling them, indirectly, that they, who claimed to be righteous, did not need him while those "sinners" around him needed him there).
If you truly are a person who is carrying the light of God, why would you not want to be part of this community? Don't you believe that they need to hear his message? I don't expect my peers in the technology field to share my desire to keep my communications clean, because they do not share my faith. I hope that my interactions with them--a group of intelligent, witty, and (usually) well-meaning people--will help to demonstrate that not all people who claim the name of Christ, the messiah, feel it is their purpose on this earth to beat them over the head with doctrine, accusations, and slurs. I hope that in some way, someone will see my witness here (or on the other sites you likely would also consider "sick in mind body and soul") and say, "Wow, there's one of those Christian nut-jobs who isn't like the others I've encountered...I wonder if there really could be something to what he believes."
And yes, I know that making these comments here are likely to open me and my beliefs up to criticism and open disdain, but I will not be ashamed of the good news that I have received: that Jesus (Y'shua), the Christ, who though innocent of any wrongdoing, suffered execution in the place of me and all of mankind to appease the wrath of God (for God is both just and loving), so that we could be reconciled with God, and was vindicated when he was raised from death to life, so that all who believe this good news and in faith turn away from their sins and toward a loving God will also partake in that resurrection and be heirs of life without end in the presence of God. This I believe, regardless of how much anyone else derides me or my Lord. Yet I will not look upon those who will respond in such a way as horrible people, or people deserving of God's anger. Rather, I see them as people in need of mercy and grace--people who do not realize the depth of God's love for them, and for whom I can only hope for the best. ~HikingStick~
Great. Now I can imagine digging through my junk drawer looking for a USB drive with "The Dirty Dozen" on it. It's just something else that will end up going through the laundry.
Apart from the geek factor, this is probably one of the dumbest ideas for movie distribution since animations made by flipping large stone tablets. Give us movies via download or stream. No more tapes to warp, disks to scratch, or dongles to lose.
LOL...I did not see it from that angle. I was more thinking that the brat with the loud mouth may simply have viewed his backside as something nice with which to attract the fairer sex!
I can't believe the number of replies that tell this guy he's out of his mind asking this question with a $600 figure in it. Not every IT shop in the world is a large shop. Heck, there are loads of places that don't even have a clue what they've invested in IT, since they cobbled it together over a period of years.
I just joined a midsized manufacturing firm because they want me to establish an IT department. They realized that they needed someone to deal with the technology who knows how to look at it long-term, but that doesn't mean that they can fund everything that needs to be done right away. If I were this guy (and I am, in some ways--see below), I would do whatever you can right now for $600, and let management know that it is only a bandaid. They need to be made to understand that not funding a proper solution is likely to cost them big dollars in gear replacement and downtime. Let them know how long it will take to purchase and deploy replacement gear, and ask them to estimate how much money they will lose due to that downtime. What they would lose will likely be far more than you will need for any solution.
The place where I'm working doesn't have a dedicated server room. The twin racks are standing in the corner of a long high-wall office space that designed to house two employees. It's only indirectly air conditioned, and the gear throws off so much heat that you can feel it from three feet away. The fan noise is so loud that the office staff tend to close the door to the room (cutting off the air flow). They have the rack fans venting into the attic, but the attic has no outside vents (tin roof, no openings, because they had too many problems with leaks in the past), so the attic can only take on so much vented air. Much of it escapes back into the room, since the vent hood does not seal on top of the rack.
There are three 1U PowerEdge servers, a 48-port switch that is nearly maxed out, an 24 port switch for the servers, home runs, and a few key workstations, and a legacy switch of unknown use (it predates the guys who kept the network running before I got there, and nothing is labeled). There are also two mid-tower servers, two LCD displays (thankfully, no CRTs!), a KVM, and the requisite UPS units. They didn't mount all of the gear properly, so the three switches are basically stacked on the bottom shelf of one rack, and all of the 1U servers are right on top of each other, too. Segments of the network have gone down numerous times since I started, and most instances appear tied to heat.
No brainer, you say. Just have them build a proper enclosure, you say. I've been working that angle for three months. I have one officer who wants all the servers in the attic (where the ambient temperaturs is already around 35C/95F) where they have the telelcomm gear and our firewall (they warned me that the voicemail system needs to be rebooted periodically, especially on hot, sunny days). I have another officer who wants to relocate the whole lot into non-heated and non-cooled area of the building that shows signs of significant rodent traffic. I'm sure the servers would be just the kinds of vacation spot the mice would love. Their cash flows are significant, and they're even building a new shop and office addition, but they didn't plan for any IT expense in the process. I tried to get a single high-wall office in the new office space, but no dice.
Fortunately, my directly up-line has been willing to listen and is starting to understand how critical this issue is. We have an ERP program installed, and when the network goes down almost nothing can get done (apart from what was already in the pipeline). He's starting to realize that, though they are paying me good money, I'm losing most of my time to issues that would be non-issues if they front some money now. This thread came at a perfect time for me, since I'm stil trying to figure out what type of cooling system to pitch as part of my current proposal--one that is getting some traction--to build me a double
But with all the windows, my house is actually hotter than my home wiring closet during the summer!
A good paddling on my backside did me good when I was younger. Pain is a powerful teacher, and I've never heard of anyone dying from a welt on his bum.
No. All any good commedian needs is a set up. Taco's not the commedian. He's providing the setup. Read the other responses. That's where you find the comedy!
I must come to defense of society at large and disagree with you. All the final post indicated is that some spoiled little brat with a very litigous father thinks that tantrums and litigation are the key to success. That child (no matter how old) is due for a rude awakening.
If he were mine, he'd learn that his bum isn't just for looking nice in shorts.
Sadly, sir or madam, your logic is flawed. You state that you can go inside if you don't want people to see you. In fact, if you were already outside, people could already see you. If you wanted not to be seen, then you would need to have never ventured out in the first place. Following that logic, if you did not want people to "read [you]", then you never should have posted to a website that is publicly accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.
I'm assuming you must have posted something about which you are now embarassed, or something which you feel that, if linked to your real world identity, might impede your chances of getting into a top notch school. If so, it's time to ponder the words of the Great Philosopher: "Tough crap." I'm sure you local four year school is a wonderful institution. I'm sure they'd be glad to have your daddy donate a new porta-potty for the athletic field.
Now, IANAL, but I must caution you that the words of your message could come back to haunt you.
Actively seeking someone to "get rid of you" might provide a reasonable defense if someone decides to respond to your request. Thankfully, most Slashdot readers are too civil to consider carrying out such a heinus act. I should also caution you that soliciting a hit on yourself may be illegal in some jurisdictions and is definately frowned upon by college admissions panels and insurance adjusters.
So the title for each slide could be ROI. Nice!
Even if local governments and schools ditched their Microsoft licensing, they would not have enough funds available t bring on staff who could configure and maintain the FOSS resources, much less provide training or support. Schools are often getting discount licensing deals either directly through Microsoft, through purchasing low-cost refurbished computers that come with the OS installed (and the Computers for Schools style refurbishers often get donated or discounted software from Microsoft), or by sticking to their OEM-licensed hardware much longer than most businesses would hold on to similar machines. In the larger districts, there may be significant dolalrs involved, but it still would not be enough once you look at wages PLUS benefits PLUS taxes.
I've been with companies that have transitioned from one paid platform to another, and the secondary costs (like lost productivity and training) always far outran projections (if they allocated for them at all). I love the FOSS movement, but do us all a favor and spend some extra tims studying the business side of the equation and you will see it is no longer a simple decision. Most companies are not willing to wait five, ten, or more years to recoup the cost of the transition through license fees they wouldn't be paying.
And while I risk venturing off-topic, I now work in a manufacturing environment where the primary production systems (ERP program and specific manufacturing systems) are only designed for a Wintel environment. If I were to take my shop down the primrose path of FOSS, we'd either need to hire a small army of coders and possibly replace much of our Wintel-based equipment (at a cost for the equipment alone that would far exceed the cost of adding three full-time people to my IT team and paying them above the going rate for the next 5+ years), or go back to using paper, pencils, and hand tools until the interoperability issues are addressed. Dang, but we'd be able to surf the web, create documents, and get email without paying for Microsoft licensing!
You hit the nail on the head--why not standardize on charging via USB port?
SLIDE A:
1) We create software.
2) Software is used in medical devices.
3) We forego QA and industry best practices for software development.
4) Something goes wrong.
5) We get sued AND we lose (to the five-nines sure).
6) Change #1 to "Update resume".
SLIDE B
1) We create software.
2) Software is used in medical devices.
3) We follow industry best practices for software development and have a solid QA program.
4) Something goes wrong (yes, it still happens).
5) We get sued.
6) Our controls and best practices are a reasonable defense.
You're forgetting that not all people share your preferred learning style. Some will thrive off the cheat sheet. Some need to review cocepts and other abstract pieces of information. Those who are auditory learners, like me, tend to subvocalize everything we read, so the so-called "wordy" texts are often the ones that are easiest for me to digest (assuming they are written in a conversational style).
If a cheat sheet is your m.o., then I'd venture a gues that your a kinesthetic (someone who learns best in a hands-on environment). Most people have a primary style preference, but also function well in one or more other methods of learning. There are some, however, who are only able to "get it" when they learn in accordance to their primary style.
What about those with genetic conditions, or other conditions of uncertain causation (like Lupus), who did nothing of their own to bring on the illness(es)? They'll be scored worse than the healthy and perhaps those who stay off the medical grid (though one should remember how tough it is to get credit when you are older if you have no credit history or a short credit history, so those who want to avoid the grid should beware).
Your positions suggests vanity. You are currently blessed with good health and are able to exercise and care for yourself, which undoubtedly help maintain your health and stave off some conditions. I hope you'll never need to experience chronic illness, but, unless you do, you might just continue through life conviced how much better you are because you care for yourself. I feel sorry for you. Youth and health only last so long. We all die. Some of us just come to terms with it earlier in life.
Had the married person not been responding to such an ad, there would have been no immediate cause for dissolution.
The fact that the married person was responding to the ad implies that there were already issues in that marriage.
If people wouldn't choose to do immoral things, they wouldn't suffer the consequences of them coming to light.
Isn't is a matter of perspective? The RIAA sees this guy as a "big gun", but the legal scholars' briefs may make him cannon fodder. The shades of meaning were clear to this reader.
How is the bot cheating any more than cruise control? Do cops claim you're cheating by using a system to keep your vehicle at a set speed? You set it to maintain a specific speed, but then you take control again (using the terms suitable to WoW) during "the interesting parts", like when you come upon other traffic, when you enter a town, or when you simply want to take full control for a while.
The big difference I see is using bots like this to gold farm or do other things for profit. If you are just wanting to start a new character and get past a lot of the grind that is so repetitive and lame (especially after you've manually leveled up a character or two), then I say go ahead.
Blizzard needs to decide which action will ultimately preserve their player base--allowing or disallowing the bots--and then live with the consequences. While WoW has a legendary reputation in the MMO field, if they start losing veteran players who are tired of the grind, they will need to reassess their business model and their terms of service.