On non-Microsoft operating systems( like Linux ) you are going to be doing less "fixing" and more handholding in the configuration side. Unlike Windows, it's much much more difficult for the OS to eat itself up and if anything, the support you'd be giving your friends would be to enhance the experience instead of fixing the same broken registry/etc just to get it working again.
This is big issue because there is indeed a Microsoft economy of companies making millions off fixing broken Microsoft Windows systems. These companies don't like the idea of a computer OS that keeps working and working...
But wouldn't it be nice if all that extra money went to improve life and work instead of just getting it back on track again?
Look at how the CSX Rail company uses Microsoft Windows to run it's track signalling system. Surely a mission critical system with public safety involved. Yet they used Windows and atleast once, it was taken offline by a Windows worm.... This supposedly simple technology is getting used in places it does not belong because "it's what everyone else is using". Also, it still looks to me like the MSBLast worm could have slowed down the First Energy network enough to cause the warning system to overflow it's message queue and fail. They never said what brought about the condition which caused the software bug to show up at the same time as MSBlast was having its fun...
In the works of Bob( Reboot ), "This is bad, very bad." IMO.
I recall, from a cloudy memory that never serves me well, of that faithful day.......... There I was sitting at my admin desk of Thirst Energy when over a one hour period, I started to notice the network traffic starting to spike. It first started coming in from outside but then the inside systems just about all started flooding the network. There was this guy in the closet with a GE Repair patch on his uniform and I heard him screaming at the system he just couldn't get going again. I could not get network access to the firewalls any longer and because they were in the other building, I just figured it would all fix itself eventually. Or there would be a patch from Microsoft or something like that so me the the GE guy decided to go to lunch. When we got back, it was still messed up so we just shot the breeze for a few minutes longer. Until... BANG. There were these very loud bangs, or clangs, like some huge relays were getting tripped. And then the lights went out. Me and the GE guy decided it would be best if we just got out of there til things settled down.
What was really interesting was when three weeks later, this guy from the front office and anther guy in an expensive suit walks up to me and asks about the network during the "event". I told him I could pull the security logs and firewall longs since I saved those when the systems came back up 3 days later. They didn't want the logs or anything but were very interested in the fact that the network traffic spiked and we found the MSBlaster worm all over the place. The notebook the spiffy looking guy was using had what looked like the word "MICROSOFT" embossed on it's cover but it was hard to see.
That's the last I heard from them and I heard that the guy from the front office was suddenly retiring off some inheritance or something.
So that's what I remember... or was it a dream???;-)
The power meter is running backwards here as I write. 100% solar powered with grid-tied solar power system. Less than 10 year payback and upto 25 year life expectancy of the system.
Only problem with the grid-tie system is that the electric company insists the system shut off if their power goes off. ie, no help in a blackout. But I'll be working on fixing that.;-)
Come on now, even asking if Microsoft is turning a corner in it's shady history is laughable. Geesh. This is going to be used for PR purposes and obviously has no effect on it's persistant protection of the Windows monopoly other than to ride the wave of the advantages of appearing to support open standards and open source.
Remember XML? Boy, they held that flag way up high and then went and patented their XML....
Finally, someone else sees this. I've seen for years how MSFT signs contracts with companies it needs software of information from. They usually end up with the product one way or another and the original owner attempts court action. Microsoft drags it out long enough that the other company has no more income and must settle for pennies on the dollar for what the technology would have been worth.
Cringely takes this up to the monopoly cases and class actions but it's the same game. This is why I've been saying, since the mid 90's, that any company that works with Microsoft is on the road to distruction. Sure, you might find one or two companies that were bought out and survive within the walls of their Redmond offices but most are just crushed and their bones just tossed out with the trash.
I still can't believe Sun Microsystems tried to use another legal document to settle with Microsoft. Look at all the stuff Sun and Microsoft agreed to. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! They should have just taken the $$$ and walked away. IMHO.
We'll see how the public goes for this( if they have a choice on Windows ) but it sounds like an on-demand Radio or wireless jukebox( http://freshmeat.net/projects/musicstorm/ ).
Why go with MSFT stuff when the current players let you play your music AND have it too? Another thing to look for is if Micrsoft will put up roadblocks for the current MP3 players regarding licensing WMA playback.... Will HP be forced to backoff of their iPod plans?
Time will tell what kind of club MSFT will start swinging to get OEM's to use it's latest 'invention'.
How did their last, legal, "agreement" go? How about almost every company Microsoft signs "agreements" with and isn't a full fledged MSFT follower?
Sun should have taken the money and walked away. Now, Sun is supposed to get the EU to back off, raise it's hand when the DOJ asks how signed up for MSFT's IP licensing and to a few other dances....All the while, Sun is supposed to be pushing Linux( Java Desktop ) and Solaris?????
This looks like more bad business on Sun's part. They'll be back in court or out of business and either way, Microsoft will wins because:
1) They'll have had Sun to help reduce pressure from the EU and US/DOJ
2) Distracted Sun by thinking it will get it's software to interoperate with Microsofts and Sun will lose more customers while gaining few->none.
3) Microsoft might get access to some of Sun's Java code too and that might help with some migrations from J2EE to.Nyet
Another brain stem thinker I see. Look, did I say put your collection of WHATEVER next to a computer and tell me what one looks more valuable? NO, I said put "a CDROM"....
It's all about perception. Very very few go out and purchase hundreds or thousands of $$ of music when they purchase their player. Did you get a free player with your last Britney Spears CD purchase?
Funny how all the things you list above are content related except for that "software vs computer" part.....
Pretend for a minute that we should believe Bill this time. If the physical player(hardware) is to be free, why not the software player too? Isn't the OS just a mechanism to enable the player software to play content files? MS Office is just a means to create content.... Hey, Bill says all software should be free! And especially on their operating system because the player is "part of the operating system"......
Regardless, history has shown that Bill G. has no vision and is not one to look to for direction. Unless you are into marketing. It's the smaller companies, that they crush to protect their precious Windows, which lead the way. So when Bill speaks, why listen. IMHO.
Take your average Joe/Joan and see how they react to either free software or free hardware. I'll bet that their eyes will open wide at the thought of free hardware and not much to free software. The reason is that the vast majority of the worlds population consider physical objects as valuable.
Put a CDROM next to a computer and tell my what one looks more valuable.
Sorry Bill, you really only got DOS right( questionable ) and have been riding on that coat tail ever since. Great job marketing though, but unfortunately, much of THAT has been illegal....
This "hack" is just a way to used the remote control and display of the Squeezebox to control a PC's video playback. This is not really news worthy IMHO since the advantage of the Squeezebox is that you are not near your PC and can play your MP3's still. If you've got a PC connected to your TV, use the TV display to control the video for goodness sake. It'll be right there in front of you and far easier to see and use since there are many remote PC controllers already out.
BTW, a Sharp Zaurus can play SAMBA mounted directories over WiFi. Shoutcast could feed the audio stream and external speakers to amplify the sound...
Remember, more and more people are walking around talking into wireless or wired headsets while talking to their phones. And more and more people are seeing this. Though it still looks funny and can get a chuckle, it's getting accepted.
IMO, talking to the computer won't be too far off though the "smooth" conversation you mentioned is way off in the future. For now, there'll be niche markets for this kind of MultiModal Browser IBM and Opera are providing.
BTW, this is already available for the Sharp Zaurus 5600 and has been since late last year. It's pretty cool.
What was also cool was if you installed a 2nd sound card, you could have cause/effect actions based on speech input. With only one sound card, there was no playback when you had voice navigation active. For the fun of it, I had a bunch of A.C. Clarks 2001/HAL responses set for system sounds. It was kinda eerie then I'd tell the computer to do something and when it didn't understand, it's say, "Sorry Dave, I can't do that."
The WorkplaceShell was, and still is, the most incredible desktop I've ever seen or developed for.
yes, this was available late last year and I did install it. Because the Zaurus 5600 had Intels broken XScale CPU(PXA250), it wasn't all that fast until a user patched the kernel such that the 5600 is not as fast, or faster, than the 5500.
Now the speechML and Opera7 work pretty darn good. You can even edit or write your own web pages to create your own talking and listening web pages.
BTW, OS/2 had voice enabled web navigation back in 1996 with a customized Netscape Navigator. The whole desktop and all application menues were voice navigatable too.
This could restrict Disneys customer base considerably. MSFT does not have a very good record or marketshare for those small devices and unless MSFT ports it's DRM to the other OS's, this will be a partnership for the WindowsPC only. IMO.
Remember, the current champions of the consumer electronics space( Japan ) are all moving to GNU/Linux for those devices. The PalmOS( PalmOne and Sony ) still outsell MSFT/PocketPC by over 60%(IIRC). Not to mention this is after MSFT losing $$ at it's Mobile Unit for it's entire 8 year history( neg ~$.8 Billion annually ).
So what's the big deal if they don't track the data to the individuals? It may mean that we start seeing more of what we like and less of what we don't like.
Now, if only we could pay the "unregulated" cable companies for just the channels we want and not all those that we don't, I'd be REALLY happy.
Finally, someone else thinks this is PR and nothing more.
I can see them removing the HD to reduce costs and going to PPC instead of Pentium to reduce cost/heat but like you said, 3 Power PPC's??? These are the ones with dual cores IIRC, so that would be effectively 6 CPU's!
Then they must have got some kind of sweet deal with ATI if all of this is going to cost less than $100 to manufacture( with a $199 retail price ) in order for this to NOT be another money losing sale.
This kind of stuff reminds me of the 3 years leading up to the release of Windows 95. Like THAT was a great OS... NOT! It did stall the industry for 10 years so Microsoft could finally get NT on the Desktop. It's original plan BTW, but 10 years late.
Until it's shown that Sony blocks movie houses from showing films from competing production houses, produces faked evidence to be used in front of a Federal Justice, attackes it's competitors by publishing statements that their competitors are communists, etc.... I'm still trusting Sony over Microsoft at this point.
Look at this example you give of Sony's BAD behavior , then look at Microsofts anti-competitive behavior. Tooting your own horn is one thing but cutting the wires of your competitors horn is a whole different thing. IMO.
I would trust Sony over Microsoft any day of the week/year/decade/etc to provide a level playing field for game developers. And THAT is what will generate great games. Not purchasing the game companies and forcing them to write games for their console and theirs only. ie, owning the game development industry for the console.
Look at the PC sector, Microsoft has been using it's ownership of the platform( the OS ) to gain more and more of the application development base.
No, it's just their SOP. Most likely it's just the PR that's getting released early. You know, publish all kinds of lies in an attempt to stall purchases of existing, and better, systems until they can release the beta for sale to the public. NT 3.1, Bob, Windows 95, etc, etc, etc.
But aren't the "Smarter Retailers" moving to Linux POS systems and back ends?;-)
Maybe the internal name is more descriptive. Something like "Locked-in Retailing Initiative".
It does look more and more like Microsoft is attempting to become an services company. You can look at IBM's work in RFID and it makes sense but when you look at Microsoft getting into it I have to ask, "Is it such a good thing and do they really have the customer in mind?" I mean, EVERYTHING they have every done has been done to protect the MS Windows product/monopoly by creating MS Windows-only based API's, "standards", etc.
And have all the Windows developers gone away so that Microsoft must now also provide the integration service too?
Like I said, the Smarter Retailing people are moving to open systems and away from prioprietary/lock-ins. IMHO.
LoB
Spirit rover finds shell casing from Nuke
on
The Future of NASA
·
· Score: 1
And the Martians killed their planet 1000 years ago by doing the same thing. Building space based weapons systems for continential protectionism. Doah!
Funny how this comes out after Microsofts latest "we are all about the customer" speech related to online music... Remember, Microsoft is about choice. And Apple iTunes/iPod limits choice.
I think Microsoft wanted this shut down ASAP and with the least amount of press. IMHO, they should have been forced to pay for a full blown recall of Windows XP.
Slashdot Mirror
On non-Microsoft operating systems( like Linux ) you are going to be doing less "fixing" and more handholding in the configuration side. Unlike Windows, it's much much more difficult for the OS to eat itself up and if anything, the support you'd be giving your friends would be to enhance the experience instead of fixing the same broken registry/etc just to get it working again.
This is big issue because there is indeed a Microsoft economy of companies making millions off fixing broken Microsoft Windows systems. These companies don't like the idea of a computer OS that keeps working and working...
But wouldn't it be nice if all that extra money went to improve life and work instead of just getting it back on track again?
LoB
Look at how the CSX Rail company uses Microsoft Windows to run it's track signalling system. Surely a mission critical system with public safety involved. Yet they used Windows and atleast once, it was taken offline by a Windows worm.... This supposedly simple technology is getting used in places it does not belong because "it's what everyone else is using". Also, it still looks to me like the MSBLast worm could have slowed down the First Energy network enough to cause the warning system to overflow it's message queue and fail. They never said what brought about the condition which caused the software bug to show up at the same time as MSBlast was having its fun...
In the works of Bob( Reboot ), "This is bad, very bad." IMO.
LoB
I recall, from a cloudy memory that never serves me well, of that faithful day.......... There I was sitting at my admin desk of Thirst Energy when over a one hour period, I started to notice the network traffic starting to spike. It first started coming in from outside but then the inside systems just about all started flooding the network. There was this guy in the closet with a GE Repair patch on his uniform and I heard him screaming at the system he just couldn't get going again. I could not get network access to the firewalls any longer and because they were in the other building, I just figured it would all fix itself eventually. Or there would be a patch from Microsoft or something like that so me the the GE guy decided to go to lunch. When we got back, it was still messed up so we just shot the breeze for a few minutes longer. Until... BANG. There were these very loud bangs, or clangs, like some huge relays were getting tripped. And then the lights went out. Me and the GE guy decided it would be best if we just got out of there til things settled down.
;-)
What was really interesting was when three weeks later, this guy from the front office and anther guy in an expensive suit walks up to me and asks about the network during the "event". I told him I could pull the security logs and firewall longs since I saved those when the systems came back up 3 days later. They didn't want the logs or anything but were very interested in the fact that the network traffic spiked and we found the MSBlaster worm all over the place. The notebook the spiffy looking guy was using had what looked like the word "MICROSOFT" embossed on it's cover but it was hard to see.
That's the last I heard from them and I heard that the guy from the front office was suddenly retiring off some inheritance or something.
So that's what I remember... or was it a dream???
LoB
The power meter is running backwards here as I write. 100% solar powered with grid-tied solar power system. Less than 10 year payback and upto 25 year life expectancy of the system.
;-)
Only problem with the grid-tie system is that the electric company insists the system shut off if their power goes off. ie, no help in a blackout. But I'll be working on fixing that.
LoB
Come on now, even asking if Microsoft is turning a corner in it's shady history is laughable. Geesh. This is going to be used for PR purposes and obviously has no effect on it's persistant protection of the Windows monopoly other than to ride the wave of the advantages of appearing to support open standards and open source.
Remember XML? Boy, they held that flag way up high and then went and patented their XML....
Again, it is Microsoft.
LoB
Finally, someone else sees this. I've seen for years how MSFT signs contracts with companies it needs software of information from. They usually end up with the product one way or another and the original owner attempts court action. Microsoft drags it out long enough that the other company has no more income and must settle for pennies on the dollar for what the technology would have been worth.
Cringely takes this up to the monopoly cases and class actions but it's the same game. This is why I've been saying, since the mid 90's, that any company that works with Microsoft is on the road to distruction. Sure, you might find one or two companies that were bought out and survive within the walls of their Redmond offices but most are just crushed and their bones just tossed out with the trash.
I still can't believe Sun Microsystems tried to use another legal document to settle with Microsoft. Look at all the stuff Sun and Microsoft agreed to. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! They should have just taken the $$$ and walked away. IMHO.
LoB
We'll see how the public goes for this( if they have a choice on Windows ) but it sounds like an on-demand Radio or wireless jukebox( http://freshmeat.net/projects/musicstorm/ ).
Why go with MSFT stuff when the current players let you play your music AND have it too? Another thing to look for is if Micrsoft will put up roadblocks for the current MP3 players regarding licensing WMA playback.... Will HP be forced to backoff of their iPod plans?
Time will tell what kind of club MSFT will start swinging to get OEM's to use it's latest 'invention'.
LoB
How did their last, legal, "agreement" go? How about almost every company Microsoft signs "agreements" with and isn't a full fledged MSFT follower?
.Nyet
.....
Sun should have taken the money and walked away. Now, Sun is supposed to get the EU to back off, raise it's hand when the DOJ asks how signed up for MSFT's IP licensing and to a few other dances....All the while, Sun is supposed to be pushing Linux( Java Desktop ) and Solaris?????
This looks like more bad business on Sun's part. They'll be back in court or out of business and either way, Microsoft will wins because:
1) They'll have had Sun to help reduce pressure from the EU and US/DOJ
2) Distracted Sun by thinking it will get it's software to interoperate with Microsofts and Sun will lose more customers while gaining few->none.
3) Microsoft might get access to some of Sun's Java code too and that might help with some migrations from J2EE to
4)
IMHO.
LoB
Another brain stem thinker I see. Look, did I say put your collection of WHATEVER next to a computer and tell me what one looks more valuable? NO, I said put "a CDROM"....
It's all about perception. Very very few go out and purchase hundreds or thousands of $$ of music when they purchase their player. Did you get a free player with your last Britney Spears CD purchase?
Funny how all the things you list above are content related except for that "software vs computer" part.....
Pretend for a minute that we should believe Bill this time. If the physical player(hardware) is to be free, why not the software player too? Isn't the OS just a mechanism to enable the player software to play content files? MS Office is just a means to create content.... Hey, Bill says all software should be free! And especially on their operating system because the player is "part of the operating system"......
Regardless, history has shown that Bill G. has no vision and is not one to look to for direction. Unless you are into marketing. It's the smaller companies, that they crush to protect their precious Windows, which lead the way. So when Bill speaks, why listen. IMHO.
LoB
Take your average Joe/Joan and see how they react to either free software or free hardware. I'll bet that their eyes will open wide at the thought of free hardware and not much to free software. The reason is that the vast majority of the worlds population consider physical objects as valuable.
Put a CDROM next to a computer and tell my what one looks more valuable.
Sorry Bill, you really only got DOS right( questionable ) and have been riding on that coat tail ever since. Great job marketing though, but unfortunately, much of THAT has been illegal....
LoB
LoB
The title of this should be changed to read
blah...Hacked to CONTROL the play of video
This "hack" is just a way to used the remote control and display of the Squeezebox to control a PC's video playback. This is not really news worthy IMHO since the advantage of the Squeezebox is that you are not near your PC and can play your MP3's still. If you've got a PC connected to your TV, use the TV display to control the video for goodness sake. It'll be right there in front of you and far easier to see and use since there are many remote PC controllers already out.
BTW, a Sharp Zaurus can play SAMBA mounted directories over WiFi. Shoutcast could feed the audio stream and external speakers to amplify the sound...
LoB
Remember, more and more people are walking around talking into wireless or wired headsets while talking to their phones. And more and more people are seeing this. Though it still looks funny and can get a chuckle, it's getting accepted.
IMO, talking to the computer won't be too far off though the "smooth" conversation you mentioned is way off in the future. For now, there'll be niche markets for this kind of MultiModal Browser IBM and Opera are providing.
BTW, this is already available for the Sharp Zaurus 5600 and has been since late last year. It's pretty cool.
LoB
What was also cool was if you installed a 2nd sound card, you could have cause/effect actions based on speech input. With only one sound card, there was no playback when you had voice navigation active. For the fun of it, I had a bunch of A.C. Clarks 2001/HAL responses set for system sounds. It was kinda eerie then I'd tell the computer to do something and when it didn't understand, it's say, "Sorry Dave, I can't do that."
The WorkplaceShell was, and still is, the most incredible desktop I've ever seen or developed for.
LoB
yes, this was available late last year and I did install it. Because the Zaurus 5600 had Intels broken XScale CPU(PXA250), it wasn't all that fast until a user patched the kernel such that the 5600 is not as fast, or faster, than the 5500.
Now the speechML and Opera7 work pretty darn good. You can even edit or write your own web pages to create your own talking and listening web pages.
BTW, OS/2 had voice enabled web navigation back in 1996 with a customized Netscape Navigator. The whole desktop and all application menues were voice navigatable too.
This could restrict Disneys customer base considerably. MSFT does not have a very good record or marketshare for those small devices and unless MSFT ports it's DRM to the other OS's, this will be a partnership for the WindowsPC only. IMO.
Remember, the current champions of the consumer electronics space( Japan ) are all moving to GNU/Linux for those devices. The PalmOS( PalmOne and Sony ) still outsell MSFT/PocketPC by over 60%(IIRC). Not to mention this is after MSFT losing $$ at it's Mobile Unit for it's entire 8 year history( neg ~$.8 Billion annually ).
Bad move for Disney IMHO.
LoB
So what's the big deal if they don't track the data to the individuals? It may mean that we start seeing more of what we like and less of what we don't like.
Now, if only we could pay the "unregulated" cable companies for just the channels we want and not all those that we don't, I'd be REALLY happy.
LoB
Finally, someone else thinks this is PR and nothing more.
I can see them removing the HD to reduce costs and going to PPC instead of Pentium to reduce cost/heat but like you said, 3 Power PPC's??? These are the ones with dual cores IIRC, so that would be effectively 6 CPU's!
Then they must have got some kind of sweet deal with ATI if all of this is going to cost less than $100 to manufacture( with a $199 retail price ) in order for this to NOT be another money losing sale.
This kind of stuff reminds me of the 3 years leading up to the release of Windows 95. Like THAT was a great OS... NOT! It did stall the industry for 10 years so Microsoft could finally get NT on the Desktop. It's original plan BTW, but 10 years late.
There's nothing here. Move along. Move along.
LoB
Until it's shown that Sony blocks movie houses from showing films from competing production houses, produces faked evidence to be used in front of a Federal Justice, attackes it's competitors by publishing statements that their competitors are communists, etc.... I'm still trusting Sony over Microsoft at this point.
Look at this example you give of Sony's BAD behavior , then look at Microsofts anti-competitive behavior. Tooting your own horn is one thing but cutting the wires of your competitors horn is a whole different thing. IMO.
LoB
I would trust Sony over Microsoft any day of the week/year/decade/etc to provide a level playing field for game developers. And THAT is what will generate great games. Not purchasing the game companies and forcing them to write games for their console and theirs only. ie, owning the game development industry for the console.
Look at the PC sector, Microsoft has been using it's ownership of the platform( the OS ) to gain more and more of the application development base.
Anybody over Microsoft at this point. IMHO.
LoB
and check those analyst's checking accounts for blips of increased income when these things get published. ;-)
LoB
No, it's just their SOP. Most likely it's just the PR that's getting released early. You know, publish all kinds of lies in an attempt to stall purchases of existing, and better, systems until they can release the beta for sale to the public. NT 3.1, Bob, Windows 95, etc, etc, etc.
LoB
But aren't the "Smarter Retailers" moving to Linux POS systems and back ends? ;-)
Maybe the internal name is more descriptive. Something like "Locked-in Retailing Initiative".
It does look more and more like Microsoft is attempting to become an services company. You can look at IBM's work in RFID and it makes sense but when you look at Microsoft getting into it I have to ask, "Is it such a good thing and do they really have the customer in mind?" I mean, EVERYTHING they have every done has been done to protect the MS Windows product/monopoly by creating MS Windows-only based API's, "standards", etc.
And have all the Windows developers gone away so that Microsoft must now also provide the integration service too?
Like I said, the Smarter Retailing people are moving to open systems and away from prioprietary/lock-ins. IMHO.
LoB
And the Martians killed their planet 1000 years ago by doing the same thing. Building space based weapons systems for continential protectionism. Doah!
;/
BTW, this is Monday morning joke.
LoB
Funny how this comes out after Microsofts latest "we are all about the customer" speech related to online music... Remember, Microsoft is about choice. And Apple iTunes/iPod limits choice.
I think Microsoft wanted this shut down ASAP and with the least amount of press. IMHO, they should have been forced to pay for a full blown recall of Windows XP.
LoB