There's a big difference there. That was a unique bargain worth queuing for. These are just mass produced, standard priced phones that you can buy anytime over the next few years.
Actually, Linux computers are the closest thing to Linux you're going to get off the shelf. Netbooks, some Dells. Also if you order from PC builders you can easily get Linux out of the box with anything.
If you're really smart, you buy your 27" monitor separately rather than built into a computer that's going to be obsolete in a couple of years.
Don't know what it's like where you are, but here we have to first go to an appropriate shop, then fill out forms etc. I tried to make the same argument you're making years ago, but considering the places that our offshore workers go, buying SIMs for each person in each place is just a lot of unnecessary overhead and complication. Switching the SIMs is also just a waste of time, and having to coordinate extra numbers for each place would suck. If it's for personal use for one holiday then fine, but it makes no sense for businesses.
I think it must go further than that. A coworker today was wondering why Facebook recommended as a friend a person that we recognise the name of from within our company, but in an overseas branch. They have no Facebook friends in common. He's never sent or received mail from her on a personal account (he's obviously signed up to Facebook on one of those accounts), never given Facebook any clue as to his work email or even the place he works. I was thinking there must be a simple explanation, but maybe there are more devious things afoot, like scanning Hotmail contacts when the friend finder is used, and linking together two people from someone else's Hotmail account?
Well, one difference is that what Google's products do do, they do well:) I ignored Chrome at first, but once adblock came out for it and I gave it a real chance, I liked it far better than Firefox, no need to even mention IE 7 and up *shudder*. Even just looking at the basic page layout, it's almost identical to how I used to set out Firefox whenever I set up a new computer, and then when you add built in features like bookmark and extension synching between machines it's a no brainer. I only started using Gmail seriously last year as well, but it is a much better interface than Hotmail.
I think in today's online and open sourced world there isn't going to be the same chances for Google to become complacent as there was for MS way back then, unless they somehow get a monopoly on the cloud services area.. which doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon.
With Android, Google have a nice platform to push ads via ad supported apps (which I'm guessing all use a standard advertising API, though I haven't looked into it), and their built-in browser doesn't support extensions, so no ad block. I've tried other browsers, but even Dolphin HD just doesn't have as nice of an interface as the built-in browser.. and Opera was worse than either. May have to look around again just to see what's what.
With the other random side projects, I think in a lot of cases Google are just doing it for the geeky awesomeness of it, rather than to always having some aim to profit. Not sure they have much way to benefit monetarily from inventing the Go programming language for example. Unfocused R&D isn't that great from the shareholders' viewpoint, but I suppose the insights and experience the developers gain from that stuff may help make Google's directly profitable projects more useful. But like I said, I think they just do things for fun sometimes. That's the impression they give off anyway, even if some of it is just an act.
Believe it or not, people are sometimes amazed, and occasionally offended by the things which I have the capacity to simply not notice. Take for example my HDTV. Something I look at an awful lot. I never noticed that it had a silver strip running along the bottom of it. I thought that most people wouldn't, but my flatmate thinks I'm crazy. He's very into matching up the colours, reflective qualities and such of his gadgets.. whereas I really couldn't care less. I care about features. Having things look nice is pleasant, but as long as the design doesn't detract from functionality (say having a day-glo bezel on a monitor probably wouldn't be very pleasant, though I still think I'd just filter it out) I don't mind too much.
I've also had times where there is stuff in the hallway and I walk around it for days or weeks without realising what it is. Which is usually only after I end up walking into it in the dark. I know one time it was our hoover. In fact it's probably always the hoover. I never use that one though, we have a Roomba and a hand hoover.. but I digress...
I agree that the feel of a place is important though, and a lot of that may be subconscious.
Fuck em. They don't have any idea how to create a successful business, or they'd be investing in themselves instead. If they want a return, the best thing they can do is keep their noses out.
My desk isn't that tidy. Sure, I'll clear it out every so often if I'm asked, or I'm moving desk, but I barely even notice my office environment. I do notice noise big time, but not clutter.
My home folder though, that's pristine:) I like to keep my code as clean as I can too - with varying degrees of success, but occasional moments of insight..
Yeah, because that's just so convenient and a great use of your time on a business trip, especially when you have to switch SIMs around often, which on top of that PITA means you don't even have the same number all the time. RIM have shown what's possible. There shouldn't be any need to move backwards.
Well, I only saw other people using it this year. I ran some Google searches and there is an example of someone using it in 2001 though. Whatever, have to take the first post moments as they come.
I was thinking more choose a category and get a table or chart comparing something like 5-10 processors at a time. Basically just like the roundups that these sites do from time to time, but automatically generated and user customisable what price range or other features they want to filter by. Useful page though.
Why do you "need" two sticks? Is that an actual requirement? Genuinely interested, not trying to be awkward. If you're referring to the timing boost you get by using two sticks, isn't that negated on most mobos when you put in 4 RAM sticks because of the extra overhead (either in power or just address space, I can't remember..).
I generally don't find CPUs too confusing as they don't change toooo often, but graphics cards I just stopped trying to keep up with years ago.
When I bought a card recently I just googled "x-card vs y-card", hwcompare.com was generally the top result. It has lots of automatically generated pages which compare benchmarks of one card vs another. If you made a site similar to that for comparing CPUs/mobos within certain categories or price ranges then you might make some money from advertising revenue, especially since those people are out to buy new hardware anyway.
I used to run 2 XP VMs on the same machine without problem (Ubuntu host). That machine doesn't have the latest VB on it though, probably still on 3.something.
"Hey guys, what do you want to do today.. analyze the deep mysteries of the universe, pushing science and technology 50 years further beyond what we were expecting to be able to do anytime soon, or watch Kung Fu Panda?"
"Quit joking around Tim - run Skynet.sh to hack into Pixar again and download Toy Story!"
Even professional footballers can't predict their opponents moves reliably, so I don't get why you think the reason I can't is just because I haven't played enough. I do think I was especially bad at just going straight for the ball though rather than waiting to see what the opponent is going to do, and I'd be more tactical these days, but I don't really have an interest in trying any more.
Note that it's just team sports. I wouldn't mind playing in a team on a quiz or something like that, that's generally fun.
I'd rather use inductive charging from a proper solar charger if getting rid of cables was my main goal. I don't want to have to leave my phone out for 12 hours in the sun every day just to get enough charge to use it.
You think Microsoft sits around thinking about whether the cloud will force the adoption of open-source or closed-source software
Probably. Microsoft hate open source. Well, they hate any form of competition in fact, and basically just try to destroy anything that might try to oppose them. Try looking at some of the memos released during their anti-trust investigation, or witness Steve Ballmer desperate to "fucking kill Google" (good luck with that, Steve).
I'm not sure what you mean about MS not reinventing the wheel. They've been reinventing their user interfaces a lot recently. Often turning them into less usable messes (at least in the default views). It's also important to reinvent systems every so often to remove the cruft that has accumulated over time. I'm not sure how much of that they've done with Windows 7, but I know they at least removed some legacy stuff from the Win16 days by now.
Open vs closed is not "antiquated", it's just one side of things. Proprietary vs standardised is another. Company owned vs outsourced is another. Local vs remote is another. Single server or "cloud" is another. We will keep considering all of these things and choose what is most appropriate for our own situations rather than trying to make everything black and white.
Slashdot Mirror
There's a big difference there. That was a unique bargain worth queuing for. These are just mass produced, standard priced phones that you can buy anytime over the next few years.
Why?
Actually, Linux computers are the closest thing to Linux you're going to get off the shelf. Netbooks, some Dells. Also if you order from PC builders you can easily get Linux out of the box with anything.
If you're really smart, you buy your 27" monitor separately rather than built into a computer that's going to be obsolete in a couple of years.
Don't know what it's like where you are, but here we have to first go to an appropriate shop, then fill out forms etc. I tried to make the same argument you're making years ago, but considering the places that our offshore workers go, buying SIMs for each person in each place is just a lot of unnecessary overhead and complication. Switching the SIMs is also just a waste of time, and having to coordinate extra numbers for each place would suck. If it's for personal use for one holiday then fine, but it makes no sense for businesses.
I think it must go further than that. A coworker today was wondering why Facebook recommended as a friend a person that we recognise the name of from within our company, but in an overseas branch. They have no Facebook friends in common. He's never sent or received mail from her on a personal account (he's obviously signed up to Facebook on one of those accounts), never given Facebook any clue as to his work email or even the place he works. I was thinking there must be a simple explanation, but maybe there are more devious things afoot, like scanning Hotmail contacts when the friend finder is used, and linking together two people from someone else's Hotmail account?
Well, one difference is that what Google's products do do, they do well :) I ignored Chrome at first, but once adblock came out for it and I gave it a real chance, I liked it far better than Firefox, no need to even mention IE 7 and up *shudder*. Even just looking at the basic page layout, it's almost identical to how I used to set out Firefox whenever I set up a new computer, and then when you add built in features like bookmark and extension synching between machines it's a no brainer. I only started using Gmail seriously last year as well, but it is a much better interface than Hotmail.
I think in today's online and open sourced world there isn't going to be the same chances for Google to become complacent as there was for MS way back then, unless they somehow get a monopoly on the cloud services area.. which doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon.
With Android, Google have a nice platform to push ads via ad supported apps (which I'm guessing all use a standard advertising API, though I haven't looked into it), and their built-in browser doesn't support extensions, so no ad block. I've tried other browsers, but even Dolphin HD just doesn't have as nice of an interface as the built-in browser.. and Opera was worse than either. May have to look around again just to see what's what.
With the other random side projects, I think in a lot of cases Google are just doing it for the geeky awesomeness of it, rather than to always having some aim to profit. Not sure they have much way to benefit monetarily from inventing the Go programming language for example. Unfocused R&D isn't that great from the shareholders' viewpoint, but I suppose the insights and experience the developers gain from that stuff may help make Google's directly profitable projects more useful. But like I said, I think they just do things for fun sometimes. That's the impression they give off anyway, even if some of it is just an act.
Believe it or not, people are sometimes amazed, and occasionally offended by the things which I have the capacity to simply not notice. Take for example my HDTV. Something I look at an awful lot. I never noticed that it had a silver strip running along the bottom of it. I thought that most people wouldn't, but my flatmate thinks I'm crazy. He's very into matching up the colours, reflective qualities and such of his gadgets.. whereas I really couldn't care less. I care about features. Having things look nice is pleasant, but as long as the design doesn't detract from functionality (say having a day-glo bezel on a monitor probably wouldn't be very pleasant, though I still think I'd just filter it out) I don't mind too much.
I've also had times where there is stuff in the hallway and I walk around it for days or weeks without realising what it is. Which is usually only after I end up walking into it in the dark. I know one time it was our hoover. In fact it's probably always the hoover. I never use that one though, we have a Roomba and a hand hoover.. but I digress...
I agree that the feel of a place is important though, and a lot of that may be subconscious.
Creationists? ;)
Fuck em. They don't have any idea how to create a successful business, or they'd be investing in themselves instead. If they want a return, the best thing they can do is keep their noses out.
My desk isn't that tidy. Sure, I'll clear it out every so often if I'm asked, or I'm moving desk, but I barely even notice my office environment. I do notice noise big time, but not clutter.
My home folder though, that's pristine :) I like to keep my code as clean as I can too - with varying degrees of success, but occasional moments of insight..
Yeah, because that's just so convenient and a great use of your time on a business trip, especially when you have to switch SIMs around often, which on top of that PITA means you don't even have the same number all the time. RIM have shown what's possible. There shouldn't be any need to move backwards.
Well, I only saw other people using it this year. I ran some Google searches and there is an example of someone using it in 2001 though. Whatever, have to take the first post moments as they come.
Would iT help iF iSaid iSorry?
They stole my word! Sweet
Well actually, for international roaming plans you still can't beat Blackberry AFAIK. But I certainly don't want one. Nor do I want an iPhone.
Someone really needs to start some decent competition for the roaming costs thing.
I was thinking more choose a category and get a table or chart comparing something like 5-10 processors at a time. Basically just like the roundups that these sites do from time to time, but automatically generated and user customisable what price range or other features they want to filter by. Useful page though.
Why do you "need" two sticks? Is that an actual requirement? Genuinely interested, not trying to be awkward. If you're referring to the timing boost you get by using two sticks, isn't that negated on most mobos when you put in 4 RAM sticks because of the extra overhead (either in power or just address space, I can't remember..).
I generally don't find CPUs too confusing as they don't change toooo often, but graphics cards I just stopped trying to keep up with years ago.
When I bought a card recently I just googled "x-card vs y-card", hwcompare.com was generally the top result. It has lots of automatically generated pages which compare benchmarks of one card vs another. If you made a site similar to that for comparing CPUs/mobos within certain categories or price ranges then you might make some money from advertising revenue, especially since those people are out to buy new hardware anyway.
Get use to poverty, food shortages, riots and general decay
It's not like you all haven't played Fallout. Now you get to play the Massively Multiplayer version!
I used to run 2 XP VMs on the same machine without problem (Ubuntu host). That machine doesn't have the latest VB on it though, probably still on 3.something.
"Hey guys, what do you want to do today.. analyze the deep mysteries of the universe, pushing science and technology 50 years further beyond what we were expecting to be able to do anytime soon, or watch Kung Fu Panda?"
"Quit joking around Tim - run Skynet.sh to hack into Pixar again and download Toy Story!"
More like "Hello Multiverse"
Even professional footballers can't predict their opponents moves reliably, so I don't get why you think the reason I can't is just because I haven't played enough. I do think I was especially bad at just going straight for the ball though rather than waiting to see what the opponent is going to do, and I'd be more tactical these days, but I don't really have an interest in trying any more.
Note that it's just team sports. I wouldn't mind playing in a team on a quiz or something like that, that's generally fun.
I'd rather use inductive charging from a proper solar charger if getting rid of cables was my main goal. I don't want to have to leave my phone out for 12 hours in the sun every day just to get enough charge to use it.
You think Microsoft sits around thinking about whether the cloud will force the adoption of open-source or closed-source software
Probably. Microsoft hate open source. Well, they hate any form of competition in fact, and basically just try to destroy anything that might try to oppose them. Try looking at some of the memos released during their anti-trust investigation, or witness Steve Ballmer desperate to "fucking kill Google" (good luck with that, Steve).
I'm not sure what you mean about MS not reinventing the wheel. They've been reinventing their user interfaces a lot recently. Often turning them into less usable messes (at least in the default views). It's also important to reinvent systems every so often to remove the cruft that has accumulated over time. I'm not sure how much of that they've done with Windows 7, but I know they at least removed some legacy stuff from the Win16 days by now.
Open vs closed is not "antiquated", it's just one side of things. Proprietary vs standardised is another. Company owned vs outsourced is another. Local vs remote is another. Single server or "cloud" is another. We will keep considering all of these things and choose what is most appropriate for our own situations rather than trying to make everything black and white.