Well, one major difference is Google's continuing commitment to openness. They let you get your data. You can take your business elsewhere. Microsoft is notorious for trying to lock their customers into their products and services. Google doesn't do that.
Microsoft will provide access to your data, while you pay, too. The original point seems to imply that with Google, you have the ability to opt-out, to up and leave with your data, due to their openess. I have no argument with this - they are open, and you can export your data.
The point I was making, that has nothing to do with service contracts, is that when you give up direct control of an application, it can change, at any time. The ability to export data can be changed, it can be removed.
If MS roll out an update that may potentially impact your infrastructure, you do have the ability to do limited-tests first - something you lose when direct control of the application is taken out of your hands.
I'm still a little unclear how your "FUD first, think later" response deals with this issue.
I'll repeat again : I like Google, I use a lot of their applications - but I'm under no illusion who's in control - whether I pay them a service contract or not.
Microsoft is notorious for trying to lock their customers into their products and services. Google doesn't do that. ... but the problem is, with them hosting it, they can take it away - any time they want.
I'm a big Google fan, I use a lot of their applications - but I fully appreciate the tables can change at any time.
... which is something I've always wondered - but sadly never researched into.
If I've got two files, totally different - let's say one's an mp3 track, and one's a game ISO - what are the odds that the same, heck, 100k of binary data (exactly the same) occurs in both files? Based on what Parent's saying, this paper describes it. (Not RTFA - will do later). As long as your hashing prevents collisions, you can then pull that 100k of data from whatever source you like, and plug it into your download. Interesting.
Please Mod parent up for being one of the few to actually RTFA instead of automatically assuming the kids would be rounded up and shot for passing the time-limit.
I think (and hope) future movie discs will have even more commentary tracks, and extras. I may well be in the minority here - but when I buy a DVD, 99 times out of 100, I have no interest in the extras and commentary. I buy it to watch the movie. That 1 time out of 100, I'll buy the collectors edition.
Used it this very day to do some coursework. Very flexible system, and the ability to draw shapes, give them an identify, and even add pictures to it, makes it a very simple, quick and easy way of customizing map data. You have the ability to then make it public or keep it private as per other Google ventures.
How apt - my current biggest problem is addressed on/.
I rang my ISP ( Homecall - http://www.homecall.co.uk/ ) to ask why I was having problems accessing my web-host to do Uni work - I knew my host was fine, as someone was testing my software and connecting to the db just fine. Also, my MSN was randomly cutting out, and randomly dropping messages (No "Message couldn't be delivered, simply got 'lost' on the network - VERY annoying). Turns out I'd broken the Fair Use policy, which had recently been decreased to 1 gig a MONTH during peak-time. The contract states they didn't need to notify users of a change, either. Real kick in the teeth, especially as I have 4 courseworks to do, and 1 part-time job web-devving, in the next 2 weeks - I've been put on the shit server for - yep, 2 weeks.
How should I get my coursework done, now that I've been blacklisted? The Customer Rep suggested a local library - this is with me paying £30 a month for a phone / net package.
I was pissed - very pissed. It would cost me £120 to break contract now, so I'm pretty much shafted from all angles.
Charles Manson was quoted as saying "If anyone ever downloaded movies of mine without paying me, I'd rip out their liver, and gouge out their eye balls."
The industry responded with:
"We were criticized for not being aggressive enough,"
The UN would cencor it, China would propagandize it, France would tax it, and Britain would botch it technically.
Exactly, why settle for only one of those outcomes when you can have all four?
I can't argue - there will always be a certain degree of "I'm doing it because I can". But then again, even in these circumstances - they are learning how a commercial software program works, and I imagine, assuming they get good with it, they will one day have it on their CV. Their reasons for cracking it in the first place are, to a degree, irrelevant - because they go on to learn the program. That will mean one more seat-license for $CommercialSoftwarePackage, sometime in the future.
As for OS vs commercial within the classroom - my Uni mainly teaches Java, and used a different IDE each year of the degree scheme. When students got to use Visual Studio, generally they leapt at the chance, because they were tired of only ever half-learning an IDE. Maybe if we'd started with eclipse in the first year, there'd be more people interested - instead, I would suggest a number of the coders will go on to be.Net developers.
Having an MSDNAA license certainly went a long way in helping this, too.
Find a vendor who doesn't offer a student discount. Oh, you don't want the crippled student version? It does everything you need to pass the course, so don't use that watermark on every page to justify stealing the full edition.
I thought you were all about ramming Open Source solutions down our throats, whether we wish to use them or not?
But now we can offer those people a safe, legal and effective alternative.
So please point me in the direction of the Flash, Director, 3ds Max, and Photoshop Open Source equivalent. You know, something that's used in industry and would actually be worthwhile learning. I'm not objecting on the grounds that I don't want to use Open Source, I'm saying that tools of equivalent educational quality in these areas are lacking, to my knowledge. I also appreciate that in some areas, Open Source has software of equal or greater educational value. I'm not into using a tool simply because it's OS, or simply because it's proprietary. I am, however, keen on learning the best tool for the job, to expand my skill set and increase the value of my CV. I suspect this attitude isn't all that rare.
Don't you even try justifying it either.
The article's about Jeff Raikes's position on this, not mine. He seems willing to accept that short term piracy can lead to longer term profits. He's happy. I'm happy. And you're being anally retentive, to quote yourself. If you want more people to use Open Source, you'd do well to remember the saying about honey and vinegar. Rather than being the anally retentive ambassador of Open Source, surely you'd win more fans to the cause by other means? And I'm not flaming, I'm pointing out that if you truly do want to get more people into Open Source, a change of angle might well pay off - as twisting peoples arms, and saying "You have no choice but to use Open Source", will lead to people saying "Sod that, I'll download the proper version".
If big business, at least on the quiet, is 'understanding' of this type of piracy, as it apparently is, then it might be better to find a different tactic to "You Have No Other Choice - Use Open Source"
Just to add to my post, for fear of being marked troll - as a student, I've long argued piracy is good for the various companies. I'm just doing a module at Uni on various Macromedia and Autodesk tools - and to do so, I know of 'some students', who have pirated the various programs.
If said students then become proficient in their use, when they've got their degrees, they become skilled workers, trained in the use of specific tools, and often in positions to influence company purchase. Thus, piracy in the short term can be profitable in the long term - Microsoft being a prime example.
And yes, where there are suitable Open Source tools for the job, great. Firefox, PHP, MySQL, yadda yadda. However, with no offense intended, please don't give me Gimp when I ask for Photoshop.
What I really appreciate is the care and attention the various release groups spend on all the little details, like removing pre-movie ad's and anti piracy crap-a-thons.
Oh... oops.
I set my Mom up with an old laptop. I managed to get XP running reasonably well on a P3 600Mhz Toshiba with 128 MB RAM.
She surfs the net using Firwfox, she can watch movies, using VLC, via our wireless file store, and she can play Solitaire. Everything she wants in one box.
The next generation of "DRM Operating Systems" cannot support general purpose computing. Pretty much the only way to guarantee that DRM will work is for such a computer to not allow ANY non-DRM compliant software while DRM content is playing.
Sounds a lot like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing
Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft will provide access to your data, while you pay, too. The original point seems to imply that with Google, you have the ability to opt-out, to up and leave with your data, due to their openess. I have no argument with this - they are open, and you can export your data.
The point I was making, that has nothing to do with service contracts, is that when you give up direct control of an application, it can change, at any time. The ability to export data can be changed, it can be removed.
If MS roll out an update that may potentially impact your infrastructure, you do have the ability to do limited-tests first - something you lose when direct control of the application is taken out of your hands.
I'm still a little unclear how your "FUD first, think later" response deals with this issue.
I'll repeat again : I like Google, I use a lot of their applications - but I'm under no illusion who's in control - whether I pay them a service contract or not.
I'm a big Google fan, I use a lot of their applications - but I fully appreciate the tables can change at any time.
... which is something I've always wondered - but sadly never researched into. If I've got two files, totally different - let's say one's an mp3 track, and one's a game ISO - what are the odds that the same, heck, 100k of binary data (exactly the same) occurs in both files? Based on what Parent's saying, this paper describes it. (Not RTFA - will do later). As long as your hashing prevents collisions, you can then pull that 100k of data from whatever source you like, and plug it into your download. Interesting.
Please Mod parent up for being one of the few to actually RTFA instead of automatically assuming the kids would be rounded up and shot for passing the time-limit.
I may well be in the minority here - but when I buy a DVD, 99 times out of 100, I have no interest in the extras and commentary. I buy it to watch the movie. That 1 time out of 100, I'll buy the collectors edition.
Used it this very day to do some coursework. Very flexible system, and the ability to draw shapes, give them an identify, and even add pictures to it, makes it a very simple, quick and easy way of customizing map data.
You have the ability to then make it public or keep it private as per other Google ventures.
How apt - my current biggest problem is addressed on /.
I rang my ISP ( Homecall - http://www.homecall.co.uk/ ) to ask why I was having problems accessing my web-host to do Uni work - I knew my host was fine, as someone was testing my software and connecting to the db just fine. Also, my MSN was randomly cutting out, and randomly dropping messages (No "Message couldn't be delivered, simply got 'lost' on the network - VERY annoying). Turns out I'd broken the Fair Use policy, which had recently been decreased to 1 gig a MONTH during peak-time. The contract states they didn't need to notify users of a change, either. Real kick in the teeth, especially as I have 4 courseworks to do, and 1 part-time job web-devving, in the next 2 weeks - I've been put on the shit server for - yep, 2 weeks.
How should I get my coursework done, now that I've been blacklisted? The Customer Rep suggested a local library - this is with me paying £30 a month for a phone / net package.
I was pissed - very pissed. It would cost me £120 to break contract now, so I'm pretty much shafted from all angles.
...the car was far more intelligent than Pamela Anderson... .. but had much smaller bumpers than Pam.It's taken out of context.
Charles Manson was quoted as saying "If anyone ever downloaded movies of mine without paying me, I'd rip out their liver, and gouge out their eye balls."
The industry responded with:
"We were criticized for not being aggressive enough,"
The UN would cencor it, China would propagandize it, France would tax it, and Britain would botch it technically. Exactly, why settle for only one of those outcomes when you can have all four?
Yum! I'll order a couple of those.
That's not true. I connected my local swimming pool to the mains voltage to test the theory - after that, they all floated.
I can't argue - there will always be a certain degree of "I'm doing it because I can". But then again, even in these circumstances - they are learning how a commercial software program works, and I imagine, assuming they get good with it, they will one day have it on their CV. Their reasons for cracking it in the first place are, to a degree, irrelevant - because they go on to learn the program. That will mean one more seat-license for $CommercialSoftwarePackage, sometime in the future.
.Net developers.
As for OS vs commercial within the classroom - my Uni mainly teaches Java, and used a different IDE each year of the degree scheme. When students got to use Visual Studio, generally they leapt at the chance, because they were tired of only ever half-learning an IDE. Maybe if we'd started with eclipse in the first year, there'd be more people interested - instead, I would suggest a number of the coders will go on to be
Having an MSDNAA license certainly went a long way in helping this, too.
I shall certainly give it a go - many thanks for the heads up. :)
Find a vendor who doesn't offer a student discount. Oh, you don't want the crippled student version? It does everything you need to pass the course, so don't use that watermark on every page to justify stealing the full edition.
I thought you were all about ramming Open Source solutions down our throats, whether we wish to use them or not?
But now we can offer those people a safe, legal and effective alternative.
So please point me in the direction of the Flash, Director, 3ds Max, and Photoshop Open Source equivalent. You know, something that's used in industry and would actually be worthwhile learning. I'm not objecting on the grounds that I don't want to use Open Source, I'm saying that tools of equivalent educational quality in these areas are lacking, to my knowledge. I also appreciate that in some areas, Open Source has software of equal or greater educational value. I'm not into using a tool simply because it's OS, or simply because it's proprietary. I am, however, keen on learning the best tool for the job, to expand my skill set and increase the value of my CV. I suspect this attitude isn't all that rare.
Don't you even try justifying it either.
The article's about Jeff Raikes's position on this, not mine. He seems willing to accept that short term piracy can lead to longer term profits. He's happy. I'm happy. And you're being anally retentive, to quote yourself. If you want more people to use Open Source, you'd do well to remember the saying about honey and vinegar. Rather than being the anally retentive ambassador of Open Source, surely you'd win more fans to the cause by other means? And I'm not flaming, I'm pointing out that if you truly do want to get more people into Open Source, a change of angle might well pay off - as twisting peoples arms, and saying "You have no choice but to use Open Source", will lead to people saying "Sod that, I'll download the proper version".
If big business, at least on the quiet, is 'understanding' of this type of piracy, as it apparently is, then it might be better to find a different tactic to "You Have No Other Choice - Use Open Source"
Just to add to my post, for fear of being marked troll - as a student, I've long argued piracy is good for the various companies. I'm just doing a module at Uni on various Macromedia and Autodesk tools - and to do so, I know of 'some students', who have pirated the various programs.
If said students then become proficient in their use, when they've got their degrees, they become skilled workers, trained in the use of specific tools, and often in positions to influence company purchase. Thus, piracy in the short term can be profitable in the long term - Microsoft being a prime example.
And yes, where there are suitable Open Source tools for the job, great. Firefox, PHP, MySQL, yadda yadda. However, with no offense intended, please don't give me Gimp when I ask for Photoshop.
Interesting view - shaft them, then they'll come to us! The Open Source movement adopt the Microsoft mantra?
What it needs is two added cradles - one for a keg, one for a Zune. Then it coudl squirt beer across the room.
What I really appreciate is the care and attention the various release groups spend on all the little details, like removing pre-movie ad's and anti piracy crap-a-thons. Oh... oops.
And to add to that, the basic Web N Walk T-Mobile package in the UK works just fine with Google Maps.
I set my Mom up with an old laptop. I managed to get XP running reasonably well on a P3 600Mhz Toshiba with 128 MB RAM. She surfs the net using Firwfox, she can watch movies, using VLC, via our wireless file store, and she can play Solitaire. Everything she wants in one box.
That would have been the best idea, IMHO. A DMCA take-down notification to the host of the MPAA - oooo, I'm getting tingley.
The next generation of "DRM Operating Systems" cannot support general purpose computing. Pretty much the only way to guarantee that DRM will work is for such a computer to not allow ANY non-DRM compliant software while DRM content is playing. Sounds a lot like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing
Ah ha! So this explains OOXML - backward compatible with every version of Word, ever. They intend to use it on tombstones!
It comes with an extra Windows Media Player skin...