Maybe he doesn't like stating the obvious? Like, "There are almost no alternatives that offer the same price, fast and inexpensive delivery, quality, and level of customer service." Or are you just arguing for the sake of argument?
I doubt the right to own and operate a computer is protected under the constitution. Firearms are specifically menmtioned and teven that is not a sure thing in some states.
Here is a "troll" that posts a well reasoned, gramatically correct comment. Then he adds a link to an article that explains his premise in detail. I would like to see a well reasoned, gramtically correct explantion of the reasoing that led this to be modded a troll.
Sounds like a frustrating experience that you had.
Bottom line do you want an affordable computer that probably won't need tech support. If it does then by buying the cheap computer you know support is going to be problematic. Everyone that buys more than one Dell probably knows this.
Or do you want to buy IBM or HP with a 24x7 on-site service contract? (Those are the only two I could think of that even offer that kind of support.)
This is probably the best support they think they can offer at the price. I would be interested how people are treated at the different tiers of support that they purchased.
I bought one Dell desktop with on-site warranty. In 30 mins i had a ticket. The next day a guy came over and replaced everything except the Ca's and drives. It worked perfectly (problem, would not shutdown from ME without a hang.
Had one server, never needed support. Hard drive went bad 4 years later.
Three Laptops. All with three year warranty. One sent back twice. One sent back once and one sent back three times. Each time with a minimum of hassle and a postage paid box on my door the next AM, computer back in 3 days (counting shipping.) Fixed right every time.
So if you buy the extended support I would say they kick ass. If you get standard support I'd say average to better than average.
Then again Intel, Microsoft, Dell, Sony, Comcast, nVidia, HP, Google,Adobe (fill in the blank) all suck because they are big companies that make a profit. I am sure it isn't by selling a decent product at a decent price. It must be becuase of unfair competetion against competing superior lower priced products.
--- Waiting for my troll and/or flame-bait email to arrive...
So for $600 or $700 plus expenses nVidia could have this bug fixed for their Linux drivers. They must be shortsighted in not taking you up on your offer to sign an NDA and go out and fix them up real quick.
1) Who says they are going to "botch it?" They get better DRM with each iteration.
2) In the case of replaced hardware all the software would have to do is be connected to the net, and ask for username and password to the account at Activision that has their account info for all 16 games they bought. That would not bother hardly anyone.
3) Not flawed. it is probable that they WILL sell more games by reducing the amount of piracy going on. You have no inkling of how to begin to compute the cost benefit analysis of this, they do however.
4) That is a statement based on what? Not letting people use your software for free is going to make you unpopular with whom? The people that weren't buying it anyway? I have news, many people that now download free software would happily pay for the software if they had to and would not begrudge the company. I respect people that stand up for themselves and don't let people take advantage of them. don't you?
My man each small victory chips away one stroke at a time. I would be willing to bet that proportionally less computer users download music after Napster than before. This is taking into account total number of users, bandwidth, storage, and those type of factors.
If you make it illegal _enough_ it will for all intents and purposes dry up. Yes, there will always be somebody running SSH tunnels, and TOR routers, etc. Hell, I do it for fun just to see if I can figure it all out.
But when Joe six-pack can't figure it out or perceives there is a legitimate threat of receiving a fine, it will for all intents and purposes be dead.
Psst, let me let you in on a secret. The entertainment industry didn't catch on to the technology as fast as the 95th percentile techno geeks. But they WILL spend their BILLIONS until they win. If this means buying politicians, buying mega-cool DPI gear, watermarks, bandwidth limits, traffic shaping, ad infinitum, they can and will.
It'll be the 95th, then the 96th and then 97th percentile-rs that will be able to defeat it until the five "illegitimate" downloaders left in their double binded cell will only be saving 20% on their entertainment purchases.
But hey that's better than nothing.:-)
--- Waiting for my troll and/or flame-bait email to arrive...
You make a statement completely devoid of any facts nor even briefly outlining your line of reasoning. If it matches up with the majorities mores it gets modded up. If it doesn't, no matter how well reasoned or supported, it is likely to get modded down.
Maybe they could add some type of automated modding process using Bayesian filters. That would save people from reading anything they don't agree with in the first place. It would leave a lot more time to go install Linux, or steal music, or to muse over whether Bill Gates is the anti-christ after all and how Microsoft has basically ruined the world.
--- Waiting for my troll and/or flame-bait email to arrive...
I get 850 kB/s from Comcast all day long for days on end. That is where I have it capped. If I let it run unlimited then I fluctuate from 0 to 1800 kB/s then back down like a big sine wave.
This is quick 4NT batchfile psueudo array routine. But I don't think I am the average Windows user. Could I handle Bash, uh duh. Why would I want to? when I have TONS more flexibility with Windows. If I really need Linux I can always fire it up in VMWare
Average user is not doing what you said. Average user is reinstalling on top and most of the time everything will be just like he left it before the reinstall.
First smart post supporting Linux in this thread. But, not yet and maybe never. Saying things are going where you want to see them get isn't necessarily the same as reality.
Ridiculous. Another attempt to take a Windows strength and turn it into a weakness with unsubstantiated comments that on their face are obviously false.
The average parent could place a Vista disk in a brand new computer (with a brae drive) and end up on the Internet with fully functioning graphics. Not necessarily true with many Linux distros, especially if the can't figure out all the LILO options on the live CD.
Not that the average parent would need to since Windows is going to come pre-installed on anything they buy anyway. Upgrading is not an issue, because upgrade means buying a new computer that has the new version of Windows that they want.
The average user does not mass rename files. The average user does not start and dtop service from CLI or from the GUI snap in. The average person doesn't copy files much, they occaisonally drap smething to their USB key or burn a CD or DVD. And even if they did do any of these (withg the exception of a mass file rename) the GUI is just as good.
Ridiculous. The vast majority of Windows users have never used a command prompt, and they never will. Since the vast majority of users have never used it that means it is not required, indispensable or needed for the average user.
More rationalization. You want to know why Linux will never be ready for the desktop? Because, the people who use, develop, promote Linux, have the same mindset as the last two posters (insightful as they are.)
Instead of keying in on the strengths of Windows (ie not needing the CLI) just keep focusing on it's weaknesses. If that doesn't work turn one of it's strengths into a weakness during discussion. That will get Linux ready for the average Windows user to migrate to.
Now name me one thing that the average Windows users need to use the CLI for. While you are at it make a list of your top 10 Linux apps and compare them to my top Apps. Which do you think interests the average user more.
Outlook 2007 and/or Office 2007 Money 2008 Quickbooks Turbo Tax Rome Total War Call of Duty 4 Picasa2 Music IP Mixer Cyberlink Power DVD Azeureus AI Roboform
Linux is free. That's a plus for a very few people. Most people expect to pay for things that work well for them. I don't care how bulletproof Linux is (which it was after I spent a week tweaking the damn thing after doing endless research in amateur supported forums,) if you can't run fun, easy to use, mainstream apps on it then it doesn't matter.
When something breaks I sometimes I want to figure it out. Other times I want to whip out a credit card and talk to someone in India and get it sorted out. One thing about Microsoft support, you get your money back if it is their fault or if they can't get it fixed.
Anyway, this could go on for ever. Start with what I wrote above. When you get that all that working the way the vast majority of people expect, Linux will be ready for the desktop.
Ok, lets take it a little farther. Let's say that it did progress to the point where a nuclear exchange between China and the US became probable. They have such a limited capability that they know damn well that we would be minimally affected and they would be incinerated.
Furthermore, I am not so sure that we wouldn't strike first and basically take all of their nuclear weapons off the table pre-emptively. Lastly, I would not be so sure of how ineffective our missile defense system really is. Hell we were fielding stealth fighters for 15 years before anyone knew about them.
This is why no rational government in the foreseeable future will challenge the US militarily. There is an on going threat from religious fascism and terrorists. Even at that, we have done a pretty good job of setting them back on their heels for the past 8 years. Damn that Bush for preventing terrorist attacks on the country he was sworn to defend.
By the way you may have noticed I do not lean toward the anti-American sentiment that seems to be so prevelent on this forum. I am sure some one with that is uncomfortable with the facts will mod me down again.
Right. You just said what I said in a "non-flamebait" "untroll-like" manner. I didn't state the obvious of why we don't, or can't, destroy the entire population of an enemy. I thought that was implied.
They only thing I disagree with is the number of Chinese you would need to kill. I think 20% of their adult male population would make them fold. Point being, if it was 300 million it wouldn't be that much harder. At that point it would be more of a mop up seqarch and destroy mission. Any true resistance would long have been crushed.
I am sure this will get modded down since it is obviously a troll message.
Are you another one of those "nobody is as smart as I am" asshats that think they really know what's going on in the world. More unsubstantiated bullshit.
The US has not had their rear kicked, ever. Did we choose for political reasons, mostly because of people like you no doubt, in the last three wars to not kill every living thing in the country and destroy every structure, yep. Could we have, yep.
We could destroy the country of Iraq in a matter of days. We could destroy China in a matter of weeks. This is without nukes. Can you and the rest of the world stand to see 150 million Chinese stacked up like cord wood? Probably not.
Get a clue buddy. The rest of the world is so over matched by our armed forces there is nothing to discuss. Our government makes it seem like there is a legitimate threat so that we can continue to have the overwhelming superiority we enjoy.
Now, you are probably somewhat smarter than you come off as and a little less smart than you think you are. Take a step back, deep breath, concentrate. Question: No holds barred if the mission were to wipe every Iraqi citizen and building off the face of the earth, we would get "our asses kicked like in the last three wars."
If they need people with a clue then you might be out in the cold.
You make assumptions based on nothing of substance. You assume that the people in charge of the military do not have "a clue." Your politicians may not have a clue about some things, but the average flag officer in the military definitely has a clue about how to use his resources to accomplish his mission.
You have no idea what policy they have made yet alone if it is bone headed or not. You waded in with your uninformed opinion based on an unsubstantiated statement made at the end of a Slashdot posting.
Slashdot Mirror
Maybe he doesn't like stating the obvious? Like, "There are almost no alternatives that offer the same price, fast and inexpensive delivery, quality, and level of customer service." Or are you just arguing for the sake of argument?
I doubt the right to own and operate a computer is protected under the constitution. Firearms are specifically menmtioned and teven that is not a sure thing in some states.
Lying is always an option when one is caught breaking the law.
Here is a "troll" that posts a well reasoned, gramatically correct comment. Then he adds a link to an article that explains his premise in detail. I would like to see a well reasoned, gramtically correct explantion of the reasoing that led this to be modded a troll.
Sounds like a frustrating experience that you had.
Bottom line do you want an affordable computer that probably won't need tech support. If it does then by buying the cheap computer you know support is going to be problematic. Everyone that buys more than one Dell probably knows this.
Or do you want to buy IBM or HP with a 24x7 on-site service contract? (Those are the only two I could think of that even offer that kind of support.)
This is probably the best support they think they can offer at the price. I would be interested how people are treated at the different tiers of support that they purchased.
I bought one Dell desktop with on-site warranty. In 30 mins i had a ticket. The next day a guy came over and replaced everything except the Ca's and drives. It worked perfectly (problem, would not shutdown from ME without a hang.
Had one server, never needed support. Hard drive went bad 4 years later.
Three Laptops. All with three year warranty. One sent back twice. One sent back once and one sent back three times. Each time with a minimum of hassle and a postage paid box on my door the next AM, computer back in 3 days (counting shipping.) Fixed right every time.
So if you buy the extended support I would say they kick ass. If you get standard support I'd say average to better than average.
Then again Intel, Microsoft, Dell, Sony, Comcast, nVidia, HP, Google,Adobe (fill in the blank) all suck because they are big companies that make a profit. I am sure it isn't by selling a decent product at a decent price. It must be becuase of unfair competetion against competing superior lower priced products.
---
Waiting for my troll and/or flame-bait email to arrive...
So for $600 or $700 plus expenses nVidia could have this bug fixed for their Linux drivers. They must be shortsighted in not taking you up on your offer to sign an NDA and go out and fix them up real quick.
1) Who says they are going to "botch it?" They get better DRM with each iteration.
2) In the case of replaced hardware all the software would have to do is be connected to the net, and ask for username and password to the account at Activision that has their account info for all 16 games they bought. That would not bother hardly anyone.
3) Not flawed. it is probable that they WILL sell more games by reducing the amount of piracy going on. You have no inkling of how to begin to compute the cost benefit analysis of this, they do however.
4) That is a statement based on what? Not letting people use your software for free is going to make you unpopular with whom? The people that weren't buying it anyway? I have news, many people that now download free software would happily pay for the software if they had to and would not begrudge the company. I respect people that stand up for themselves and don't let people take advantage of them. don't you?
Does that twisted logic apply to plasma TVs at WalMart as well?
My man each small victory chips away one stroke at a time. I would be willing to bet that proportionally less computer users download music after Napster than before. This is taking into account total number of users, bandwidth, storage, and those type of factors.
:-)
If you make it illegal _enough_ it will for all intents and purposes dry up. Yes, there will always be somebody running SSH tunnels, and TOR routers, etc. Hell, I do it for fun just to see if I can figure it all out.
But when Joe six-pack can't figure it out or perceives there is a legitimate threat of receiving a fine, it will for all intents and purposes be dead.
Psst, let me let you in on a secret. The entertainment industry didn't catch on to the technology as fast as the 95th percentile techno geeks. But they WILL spend their BILLIONS until they win. If this means buying politicians, buying mega-cool DPI gear, watermarks, bandwidth limits, traffic shaping, ad infinitum, they can and will.
It'll be the 95th, then the 96th and then 97th percentile-rs that will be able to defeat it until the five "illegitimate" downloaders left in their double binded cell will only be saving 20% on their entertainment purchases.
But hey that's better than nothing.
---
Waiting for my troll and/or flame-bait email to arrive...
OK, I get it.
You make a statement completely devoid of any facts nor even briefly outlining your line of reasoning. If it matches up with the majorities mores it gets modded up. If it doesn't, no matter how well reasoned or supported, it is likely to get modded down.
Maybe they could add some type of automated modding process using Bayesian filters. That would save people from reading anything they don't agree with in the first place. It would leave a lot more time to go install Linux, or steal music, or to muse over whether Bill Gates is the anti-christ after all and how Microsoft has basically ruined the world.
---
Waiting for my troll and/or flame-bait email to arrive...
I get 850 kB/s from Comcast all day long for days on end. That is where I have it capped. If I let it run unlimited then I fluctuate from 0 to 1800 kB/s then back down like a big sine wave.
Well I use 4NT so I guess I am one of the guys you never needs cmd.exe that you are talking about.
http://www.jpsoft.com/
This is quick 4NT batchfile psueudo array routine. But I don't think I am the average Windows user. Could I handle Bash, uh duh. Why would I want to? when I have TONS more flexibility with Windows. If I really need Linux I can always fire it up in VMWare
---------4nt batchfile sample
setlocal
do l = 1 to 3
set store%l=%@eval[%l+10]
enddo
set store*
do x = 1 to 3
echo %[store%x]
enddo
More crap.
Average user is not doing what you said. Average user is reinstalling on top and most of the time everything will be just like he left it before the reinstall.
First smart post supporting Linux in this thread. But, not yet and maybe never. Saying things are going where you want to see them get isn't necessarily the same as reality.
Let's live in the here and now.
Not true. Almost anyone can slap a Vista CD in a bare metal box and get it up and running. Your statment is unsubstantiated bullshit.
Ridiculous. Another attempt to take a Windows strength and turn it into a weakness with unsubstantiated comments that on their face are obviously false.
The average parent could place a Vista disk in a brand new computer (with a brae drive) and end up on the Internet with fully functioning graphics. Not necessarily true with many Linux distros, especially if the can't figure out all the LILO options on the live CD.
Not that the average parent would need to since Windows is going to come pre-installed on anything they buy anyway. Upgrading is not an issue, because upgrade means buying a new computer that has the new version of Windows that they want.
Next!
No it's the fault of the amateur developers who make up the bulk of the programmers who write the apps that are available.
Next!
Wrong. OpenOffice does not open the latest Microsoft Office files. Interoperability is a huge issue for the average user.
Next!
The average user does not mass rename files. The average user does not start and dtop service from CLI or from the GUI snap in. The average person doesn't copy files much, they occaisonally drap smething to their USB key or burn a CD or DVD. And even if they did do any of these (withg the exception of a mass file rename) the GUI is just as good.
Next!
Ridiculous. The vast majority of Windows users have never used a command prompt, and they never will. Since the vast majority of users have never used it that means it is not required, indispensable or needed for the average user.
More rationalization. You want to know why Linux will never be ready for the desktop? Because, the people who use, develop, promote Linux, have the same mindset as the last two posters (insightful as they are.)
Instead of keying in on the strengths of Windows (ie not needing the CLI) just keep focusing on it's weaknesses. If that doesn't work turn one of it's strengths into a weakness during discussion. That will get Linux ready for the average Windows user to migrate to.
Now name me one thing that the average Windows users need to use the CLI for. While you are at it make a list of your top 10 Linux apps and compare them to my top Apps. Which do you think interests the average user more.
Outlook 2007 and/or
Office 2007
Money 2008
Quickbooks
Turbo Tax
Rome Total War
Call of Duty 4
Picasa2
Music IP Mixer
Cyberlink Power DVD
Azeureus
AI Roboform
Linux is free. That's a plus for a very few people. Most people expect to pay for things that work well for them. I don't care how bulletproof Linux is (which it was after I spent a week tweaking the damn thing after doing endless research in amateur supported forums,) if you can't run fun, easy to use, mainstream apps on it then it doesn't matter.
When something breaks I sometimes I want to figure it out. Other times I want to whip out a credit card and talk to someone in India and get it sorted out. One thing about Microsoft support, you get your money back if it is their fault or if they can't get it fixed.
Anyway, this could go on for ever. Start with what I wrote above. When you get that all that working the way the vast majority of people expect, Linux will be ready for the desktop.
Ok, lets take it a little farther. Let's say that it did progress to the point where a nuclear exchange between China and the US became probable. They have such a limited capability that they know damn well that we would be minimally affected and they would be incinerated.
Furthermore, I am not so sure that we wouldn't strike first and basically take all of their nuclear weapons off the table pre-emptively. Lastly, I would not be so sure of how ineffective our missile defense system really is. Hell we were fielding stealth fighters for 15 years before anyone knew about them.
This is why no rational government in the foreseeable future will challenge the US militarily. There is an on going threat from religious fascism and terrorists. Even at that, we have done a pretty good job of setting them back on their heels for the past 8 years. Damn that Bush for preventing terrorist attacks on the country he was sworn to defend.
By the way you may have noticed I do not lean toward the anti-American sentiment that seems to be so prevelent on this forum. I am sure some one with that is uncomfortable with the facts will mod me down again.
Right. You just said what I said in a "non-flamebait" "untroll-like" manner. I didn't state the obvious of why we don't, or can't, destroy the entire population of an enemy. I thought that was implied.
They only thing I disagree with is the number of Chinese you would need to kill. I think 20% of their adult male population would make them fold. Point being, if it was 300 million it wouldn't be that much harder. At that point it would be more of a mop up seqarch and destroy mission. Any true resistance would long have been crushed.
I am sure this will get modded down since it is obviously a troll message.
Are you another one of those "nobody is as smart as I am" asshats that think they really know what's going on in the world. More unsubstantiated bullshit.
The US has not had their rear kicked, ever. Did we choose for political reasons, mostly because of people like you no doubt, in the last three wars to not kill every living thing in the country and destroy every structure, yep. Could we have, yep.
We could destroy the country of Iraq in a matter of days. We could destroy China in a matter of weeks. This is without nukes. Can you and the rest of the world stand to see 150 million Chinese stacked up like cord wood? Probably not.
Get a clue buddy. The rest of the world is so over matched by our armed forces there is nothing to discuss. Our government makes it seem like there is a legitimate threat so that we can continue to have the overwhelming superiority we enjoy.
Now, you are probably somewhat smarter than you come off as and a little less smart than you think you are. Take a step back, deep breath, concentrate. Question: No holds barred if the mission were to wipe every Iraqi citizen and building off the face of the earth, we would get "our asses kicked like in the last three wars."
Take your time, give it some thought.
If they need people with a clue then you might be out in the cold.
You make assumptions based on nothing of substance. You assume that the people in charge of the military do not have "a clue." Your politicians may not have a clue about some things, but the average flag officer in the military definitely has a clue about how to use his resources to accomplish his mission.
You have no idea what policy they have made yet alone if it is bone headed or not. You waded in with your uninformed opinion based on an unsubstantiated statement made at the end of a Slashdot posting.
No way the Army would let the Air Force use their free videogame to distribute something that would benefit the DoD.