Or is it choosing to use a Cao.SiO2 slag with blown air to purify it? Surely an idea as specific as the last one is worthy of a patent?
No, not in itself. Sure, it's a good idea, and you're right to be proud of it.
However, just because you thought of it first doesn't in itself mean you should be the only one who can have that thought. Now, if you're the first one to think it and you also use it, that's another thing entirely.
Suppose a patent troll had that thought first. They're not doing anything with it, just sitting on the patent. Now you are verboten to have a good idea, for no good reason. Would you still say the same?
Last time I checked, knowing how to compile a kernel does NOT make someone a "hardcore user"
It does on debian. On gentoo, it's pretty much the standard. Also, we rival an XP install on the number of reboots required. "Oops, I need lm_sensors. Silly me."
It can be installed in one click too, so it would be great for this kind of thing (although i don't actually suggest we try that, it would make people think linux was just a virus or something).
That's a stupid idea anyway. Linux is about choice. We only take the willing:)
That's why I doubt it can get enough contributors to make a difference.
As always, there is another solution: Let the US sink to wherever they feel comfortable, move to another country with no patent laws, and live happily ever after. Of course, said plan fails if you're in the US and don't want to move, and the new country should be heavily guarded against such tendencies...
However, given the current situation, I personally think this is the most viable route. Unless of course Obama turns out to be smarter than his campaign contributors.
Troll me if you want, but ask yourself: is a system where ideas can be monopolized, livable? It's not the idea, but the implementation, that adds value and takes work to achieve.
Also, take into account the fact that Free Software has no jurisdiction. People from all over the world are contributing, and they're not going to stop because one country acts stupid.
Well, With WUBI, I hear it's a pretty nice install and they can still dual boot, so if it just installed itself that way and set it as the default, people could at least see it, and then if they paid attention at boot they could pick windows instead. Heh.
Does it resize partitions? Most Windows boxes I've seen have one big partition cover the whole drive. Does it copy the home directory over to the new system? How about multiple users? And other files? How much space does it claim? What if the home directory is larger?
I've always thought it was strange how KB articles can get to have some really complicated actions, yet they can't just give you a script to do what they're telling you to do.
And then they have the nerve to tell us Linux is complicated.
When people click on something like that and nothing happens, they just assume it can't be fixed, not that the tool itself is broken.
I assume it's malware and respond appropriately, i.e. laugh when I'm on Linux, and disconnect physically, reboot in safe mode, and scan for malware on Windows.
Did the industries scheme to demonize copyright infringement backfire? If they scream piracy at everything, then the word piracy will dilute until it doesn't really mean anything.
This might already have happened.
Good. Then I'm going to the fridge to pirate myself something to eat.
Be careful what you wish for. Do you really want people getting "free" computers that are as restrictive as the "free" cell phones they push at people? It would be the *death* of mainstream Linux.
No but windows does have BSD code in it. Specifically ftp.exe and some zlib code.
Which is exactly the reason for all the BSD vs GPL holy wars.
GPL is about the freedom of the code: "I've shown you the code, if you use it, show your code to anyone who wants it". BSD is about the freedom of the software: "Hey, I wrote this. Use it."
Regarding Windows:
GPL: "Oh noes! They closed the source!" BSD: "Cool, they're using my stuff! At least they got *that* part right."
Go to a job interview, they could have a resume, letters of recommendation, supervisor comments, phone numbers, etc already on file. No more wasted paper or wasted time filling out the same info on different forms.
Go to a hospital, they could already have the meds you're on, anything you're allergic to, and any afflictions you currently suffer from along with symptoms, last blood pressure reading, x-rays, etc -- even if you've never been there.
Enlist in the military, they'd need things for that, including competencies, education, etc.
Likely this would result in employers having your medical record, the military having your CV, and hospitals your supervisor comments.
Where would you store all that data? Who would authorize accesses? Why not just give them a CD containing the needed info?
Also, the paperwork has one important aspect not covered by computers: the paper trail. Logs can be tampered with, a piece of paper signed by your doctor/employer/whatever in your safe can not.
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Or is it choosing to use a Cao.SiO2 slag with blown air to purify it? Surely an idea as specific as the last one is worthy of a patent?
No, not in itself. Sure, it's a good idea, and you're right to be proud of it.
However, just because you thought of it first doesn't in itself mean you should be the only one who can have that thought. Now, if you're the first one to think it and you also use it, that's another thing entirely.
Suppose a patent troll had that thought first. They're not doing anything with it, just sitting on the patent. Now you are verboten to have a good idea, for no good reason. Would you still say the same?
it wouldn't be so much as to get Linux users as it would be to show MS the dangers of relying on something like this.
Still, it would be a huge PR blow for Linux as a whole. Why not just sacrifice something crappy, like NetBSD?
(Yeah, yeah, I know. But the would be users don't. To compensate, we could offer to sell them a toaster. Win-win.)
Last time I checked, knowing how to compile a kernel does NOT make someone a "hardcore user"
It does on debian. On gentoo, it's pretty much the standard. Also, we rival an XP install on the number of reboots required. "Oops, I need lm_sensors. Silly me."
"I'm always right. This time I'm just even more right than usual." - Linus Torvalds
Don't worry, I'll find a way.
Sincerely, Nature
I choose later. Preferrably after I'm dead.
Tell that to your grandchildren.
a known-good Windows disk image
Umm...
It can be installed in one click too, so it would be great for this kind of thing (although i don't actually suggest we try that, it would make people think linux was just a virus or something).
That's a stupid idea anyway. Linux is about choice. We only take the willing :)
That's why I doubt it can get enough contributors to make a difference.
As always, there is another solution: Let the US sink to wherever they feel comfortable, move to another country with no patent laws, and live happily ever after. Of course, said plan fails if you're in the US and don't want to move, and the new country should be heavily guarded against such tendencies...
However, given the current situation, I personally think this is the most viable route. Unless of course Obama turns out to be smarter than his campaign contributors.
Troll me if you want, but ask yourself: is a system where ideas can be monopolized, livable? It's not the idea, but the implementation, that adds value and takes work to achieve.
Also, take into account the fact that Free Software has no jurisdiction. People from all over the world are contributing, and they're not going to stop because one country acts stupid.
Well, With WUBI, I hear it's a pretty nice install and they can still dual boot, so if it just installed itself that way and set it as the default, people could at least see it, and then if they paid attention at boot they could pick windows instead. Heh.
Does it resize partitions? Most Windows boxes I've seen have one big partition cover the whole drive. Does it copy the home directory over to the new system? How about multiple users? And other files? How much space does it claim? What if the home directory is larger?
We need some serious thinking to make this work.
(Side note: Firefox thinks "resize" is a typo.)
I've always thought it was strange how KB articles can get to have some really complicated actions, yet they can't just give you a script to do what they're telling you to do.
And then they have the nerve to tell us Linux is complicated.
A kbase entry with a "fix it" button for when my network card is not working.
Ouch. You hit my sweet spot right there.
I remember all too well the fresh XP installs and my broken driver CD.
"Hmmm, the network driver is hosed. I know, I'll look it up on Goo... AAARRRRGGGHHH!"
This seems like a great thing to try to hack. 5 bucks to the first one who gets the "Fix It" button to download and fire up an Ubuntu installer.
Sounds good for irony, but realistically, it would suck. Imagine a metric shitload of fresh Ubuntu users searching for drive C:.
However, it raises an interesting question: do we have good utilities to make migration easier?
When people click on something like that and nothing happens, they just assume it can't be fixed, not that the tool itself is broken.
I assume it's malware and respond appropriately, i.e. laugh when I'm on Linux, and disconnect physically, reboot in safe mode, and scan for malware on Windows.
Well, the thread is about a commercial OS containing open source code, so I guess we can assume distribution.
+1 Pedant, though
Did the industries scheme to demonize copyright infringement backfire?
If they scream piracy at everything, then the word piracy will dilute until it doesn't really mean anything.
This might already have happened.
Good. Then I'm going to the fridge to pirate myself something to eat.
Do we really have to use this word? It's not like they're going to be upset about getting poeole to view their ad.
Be careful what you wish for. Do you really want people getting "free" computers that are as restrictive as the "free" cell phones they push at people? It would be the *death* of mainstream Linux.
Still much to learn, you have. Read up on GPL3.
They would have to resort to one of the BSDs.
My parents loved me enough to allow me to make the choice whether to keep my foreskin.
Now, that is religious freedom.
Funny...most doctors call circumcision a health related choice not genital mutilation or religious freedom.
Whose choice?
Call it what you want, cutting off a part of you is mutilation.
Did you ever think "Hey, if I cut my ear off, I won't have to wash behind it anymore!"? Try it.
OMG, I just found my new naming convention. Thank you soooooo much! Brilliant, just freaking brilliant.
Please don't. Unless you want your boxes to go down a lot.
Very few people care anymore about avoiding wasted code, tightening up resources and optimization.
200 Mb is not even bloat anymore.
I bet you can do a Gentoo install with X and xpdf on a 200 Mb partition. (Not counting of course the 1G temporary space for compiling.)
This is why Windows will lose on the netbooks.
http://xkcd.com/84/
No but windows does have BSD code in it. Specifically ftp.exe and some zlib code.
Which is exactly the reason for all the BSD vs GPL holy wars.
GPL is about the freedom of the code: "I've shown you the code, if you use it, show your code to anyone who wants it". BSD is about the freedom of the software: "Hey, I wrote this. Use it."
Regarding Windows:
GPL: "Oh noes! They closed the source!"
BSD: "Cool, they're using my stuff! At least they got *that* part right."
Go to a job interview, they could have a resume, letters of recommendation, supervisor comments, phone numbers, etc already on file. No more wasted paper or wasted time filling out the same info on different forms.
Go to a hospital, they could already have the meds you're on, anything you're allergic to, and any afflictions you currently suffer from along with symptoms, last blood pressure reading, x-rays, etc -- even if you've never been there.
Enlist in the military, they'd need things for that, including competencies, education, etc.
Likely this would result in employers having your medical record, the military having your CV, and hospitals your supervisor comments.
Where would you store all that data? Who would authorize accesses? Why not just give them a CD containing the needed info?
Also, the paperwork has one important aspect not covered by computers: the paper trail. Logs can be tampered with, a piece of paper signed by your doctor/employer/whatever in your safe can not.
In the land of CYA it can be important.