If critical technology like this is going to be developed in an open source model, then a significantly different development strategy is going to have to be adopted. The 'thousands of eyes' cry is certainly applicable, but the state of open source projects where anyone can contribute a change that looks like a good idea has to be changed
I wonder whether an open source project in which changes have to go through a rigorous review/regression testing etc process can really survive, I can only see the participants getting bored and going back to work on some project that is more welcoming to quick hacks.
Regardless of how you regard the 'facts' presented in this analysis of the microsoft stock prices, the sudden jumps and dips of almost all the tech stocks in the last couple of months on the slightest hint of news have had to have made you look up.
The analysis comes out like this: the stock market, and the tech stocks in particular, are due for a catastrophic crash. It's interesting to note that a couple of tech stocks have recently made it into one of the major stock indices in recent weeks (days?). Ask yourself what the end result might be if a these tech stocks tumbled, taking the market with them. After all, what is a market crash but a coordinated loss of confidence.
While discussing some of the more interesting points of the industry with a friend, a relevant point came up. Before the last two major stock market crunches, the major signs have been reduces speculation by the bigger (better informed?) trading houses, and share trading instead being thrown in the face of the common small investors.
Not only have we see this happening, but the recent sudden promulgation of small on-line trading places might well use the technology to achieve its own downfall.
Of course we would! Fortunately we're safe, there are many signs that would indicate this fate was about to befall us:
1. Abandonment of technical unix projects in favour of UI stuff with 'popular appeal' 2. Increased insularity of the kernel development list with the 'average user' actively discouraged from knowing about development kernels. 3. `Because it's cool' shall become the primary reason for anybody to use linux. 4. Those that frolic and hop shall detonate with great concussions!
Hmm. All I can suggest is that people should start to keep a/very/ close eye on any sheep in the vicinity.
I'm curious how the various distributions are going to encourage commercial ventures into the currently rather fragmented linux world. Most vendors are taking the stance that if only one or two of the more popular linux distributions are catered for, then people who want the applications will happily use these distributions.
We've all seen the many and varied claims to following the linux file system standard, but it has fallen short of making things easy to move between distributions. What's going to happen between vendors in the future?
With all the noise recently of modern computers being able to brute force commercially used software (DES for example), a quick look around shows lots of old and weak systems in widespread use. What do you predict the field of cryptography will look like in the medium term (5-10 years) both in terms of available technology and what's likely to be in widespread commercial use?
While I'm sure your average slashdot reader is only going to compile C or C++ code and run their latest game or webwidget on thier linux boxes, at my place of work, the majority of usefulness for alpha clone machines is running Digital Unix binaries. Specifically binaries which have been compiled on DU boxes using not only the quite good C/C++ compilers, but also the *stunningly* good (in comparison to anything free) FORTRAN 77 and existant (unlike free stuff) FORTRAN 90 compilers.
Having these very well developed products available on clone machines will make life very very much nicer for these applications.
In summary. Not all the world's a desktop box compiling GNOME bits. Compaq remember where their income from the Alpha platform boxes actually used to come from.
Slashdot Mirror
Now if only the US had regulated the level of bribes... er... political contributions, then perhaps this could be a way to bankrupt Microsoft...
I wonder whether an open source project in which changes have to go through a rigorous review/regression testing etc process can really survive, I can only see the participants getting bored and going back to work on some project that is more welcoming to quick hacks.
Open source isn't a magic bullet.
Regardless of how you regard the 'facts' presented in this analysis of the microsoft stock prices, the sudden jumps and dips of almost all the tech stocks in the last couple of months on the slightest hint of news have had to have made you look up.
The analysis comes out like this: the stock market, and the tech stocks in particular, are due for a catastrophic crash. It's interesting to note that a couple of tech stocks have recently made it into one of the major stock indices in recent weeks (days?). Ask yourself what the end result might be if a these tech stocks tumbled, taking the market with them. After all, what is a market crash but a coordinated loss of confidence.
While discussing some of the more interesting points of the industry with a friend, a relevant point came up. Before the last two major stock market crunches, the major signs have been reduces speculation by the bigger (better informed?) trading houses, and share trading instead being thrown in the face of the common small investors.
Not only have we see this happening, but the recent sudden promulgation of small on-line trading places might well use the technology to achieve its own downfall.
The irony of it all.
1. Abandonment of technical unix projects in favour of UI stuff with 'popular appeal'
2. Increased insularity of the kernel development list with the 'average user' actively discouraged from knowing about development kernels.
3. `Because it's cool' shall become the primary reason for anybody to use linux.
4. Those that frolic and hop shall detonate with great concussions!
Hmm. All I can suggest is that people should start to keep a /very/ close eye on any sheep in the vicinity.
B>
We've all seen the many and varied claims to following the linux file system standard, but it has fallen short of making things easy to move between distributions. What's going to happen between vendors in the future?
With all the noise recently of modern computers being able to brute force commercially used software (DES for example), a quick look around shows lots of old and weak systems in widespread use. What do you predict the field of cryptography will look like in the medium term (5-10 years) both in terms of available technology and what's likely to be in widespread commercial use?
While I'm sure your average slashdot reader is only going to compile C or C++ code and run their latest game or webwidget on thier linux boxes, at my place of work, the majority of usefulness for alpha clone machines is running Digital Unix binaries. Specifically binaries which have been compiled on DU boxes using not only the quite good C/C++ compilers, but also the *stunningly* good (in comparison to anything free) FORTRAN 77 and existant (unlike free stuff) FORTRAN 90 compilers.
Having these very well developed products available on clone machines will make life very very much nicer for these applications.
In summary. Not all the world's a desktop box compiling GNOME bits. Compaq remember where their income from the Alpha platform boxes actually used to come from.