Seems to me that if all you need to do to get full access to anyones computer (anyone running Windows that is) is a Microsoft made device; that is a serious security flaw.
If you don't like windows then dont use it. Vote with your money. But If you want to play games and have to use windows... then don't whine about 'lack of choice' - your choice is to support windows so you can play your childish games. I do feel it is my right as a consumer to "whine" about the fact that those that develop the games I like don't develop them for the platform I like. And further more as I said in a post above; I disagree with the the statement that you "vote with your money" because; to repeat myself; you can only "vote" if there are candidates that you "agree" with. When there is no candidate you are in effect forced to make a choice between lesser evils. I do not see why it is a problem that I make it known that I would like more candidates to "vote" for.
Of course I could make the choice to not play any game that only runs under Windows, you are right there. But then what would I do with the time I have between trolling forums and watching p0rn?
my point is... if you're going to criticize one company for their practices, you have to criticize all of them that have the same practices, otherwise you're a discriminating hypocrite. I do feel that going off and criticizing other companies in a discussion about Operating Systems would be entirely off point. However there is no excuse for misbehaving whatever your product or service is.
So... if you're far from perfect, work on being better YOURSELF before criticizing others. No bod is perfect, so stop pretending you are. Perhaps you should have read my post. I do not in anyway claim to be perfect, in fact I open acknowledge my faults (of which there are many). I do not know why you feel I am pretending to be perfect and if I gave you that impression I apologize. All I wanted to convey was that even though I am not perfect and in no way all knowing it is still my right to criticize the wrong doing of corporations and institutions (and politicians). Though it should be said that when it comes to politicians, because they are individuals (unlike corporations), I only criticize when I feel that they are behaving falsely or in a way that is against the best interest of the people they have been elected to serve.
but that doesn't make you more qualified to whine about big buisness - you still live in (and support) a capitalist society and system. First of all I live in a Social Democracy (or whatever meaningless classification applies). Of course there are many capitalistic aspect of the political and economical system of my nation; some of them good; some of them bad. However it is a bit unfair to claim that just because I live in a "capitalist society" that I support it AND that I have no right to complain about practices that I view as unfair, unethical or not in the public interest.
Everyone have a right to whine about Big Buisness (to use such a term); because that is part of Free Speech. And I will claim that it is also your duty as a citizen of a democratic state to speak up against those things you think are wrong. Be it the practices of corporations, politicians or anything else.
I will agree with you that it is our duty as consumers to use our coin to enforce our convictions, and I will be the first to admit that my record is far from perfect. But I make an effort to learn about how things are produced and managed; so I can make better and more informed decisions in the future. While at the same time using my voice to speak against the practices I disagree with. If you disagree with how your government spend your taxes you are free to criticize. I do not believe that using Windows automatically means that you support their practices. I use Windows to play games, once I can play the games I want under Linux I will, until then I am unfortunately stuck with Windows.
You say that we vote with our money, and to a certain extent that is true. But there are few perfect choices, and it is, to repeat myself, our duty and right to point this out. Because if there are no perfect choices we are forced to chose the lesser evil, even when that is not what we want. So voting with our money is not a totally viable alternative. My criticism of DirectX, or whatever protocols are to blame, is that it is a standard owned my Microsoft (or maybe I am wrong) and that most games are made for it makes it harder for me as a consumer to play the games I want on the OS of my choice. Which was the heart of what I tried to say in the last post.
Indeed. I don't know that much about programing gaming applications; but apparently using DirectX is the direction of choice (unless there is something I have misunderstood).
I feel that closed standards such as DirectX is not in the best interest of consumers/users and that the ability of companies like Microsoft to in effect enforce a continuing monopoly by using and abusing the (badly regulated and organized) patenting laws is undemocratic, unproductive and not in the best interest of society.
I currently run Ubuntu and XP, but I would wipe XP in an instant if I could run Fallout 3, Europa Universalis and the Total War series under Linux without much hassle. (And I reckon I am not the only one running XP solely for running game applications).
Should perhaps also note that I do not consider myself very computer savvy. I can install and update Ubuntu (though I am still learning); and I can take a computer apart and put it back together again (so more savvy than most). But that is the limit of my interest. I want a clean nice low resource OS for surfing, gaming and handling my image manipulation needs (yes I like to scan stuff I draw). But so far I feel the need to use Linux for mostly anything and XP for gaming.
I'd suggest to you (honestly) - that if all your gf really does is youtube, mail & chat, then she'd be much better off on Ubuntu than windows. Or possible Mac, it is still more user friendly then Ubuntu. (Don't flame me I prefer Ubuntu myself, but Mac OS looks very slick and fancy).
But Ubuntu itself could develop specs for developers that required basic intros, wizards, etc for introducing and explaining the simple but non-obvious stuff to new users. Conversion rates would then skyrocket. I hope so. I hope they do and I hope you are right. But as someone pointed out in another thread a few days/weeks (I have a loss concept of time) ago; Microsoft has a BIG advantage. They are preinstalled on mostly every computer sold. And considering that "most" customers (like my parents or siblings) are unable to even install Windows; I really don't think they will change to Linux until they can get it with their computer.
However, making it more user friendly is of course always a step in the right direction and yes this kind of "test by newbie" (no offense); should be standard after every change and tweak really.
Just because you're not watching TV, doesn't mean you will be doing something productive. Maybe you would be reading a book instead. Is that really any more productive? Not really, but it is healthier apparently. I remember reading that reading or playing games (like chess) could decrease the likely hood of dements caused by old age. While TV, or other forms of passive entertainment, did not.
Of course since I "remember" reading about it, it's not really reliable information because I've watched more TV in my life then I can account for. Tried to find url to the data on this; but I forgot the url for goodle (or what's it called).
I forgot to make a link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corporation
The movie/book might not be entirely objective, or cover all bases as well as it should, but I thought it would be relevant in reference to the debate about giving corporations "the rights of a mortal man" as the previous poster wrote.
Yes, it is our fault but not for the reason you give. It is our fault because we give corporations, an immortal entity, the rights of a mortal man. Worse, because those corporations have no motivation beyond greed, they wield their power to feed that greed even to the detriment of real people. I agree whole heartedly. Though I reckoned I had covered that when I wrote "Then again I guess that is consumers/citizens faults in the first place for not insisting that regulations are enforced unconditionally; and to ensure that those regulations are fair and in the interest of the people and the individual first and foremost.";)
Political Will comes from the people, when the people do not speak up the Will to resist the manipulations of lobbyists is minimal. Lawyers and marketing work hand in hand to perpetuate the fantasy that corporations need to be protect and given special license to act in whatever way they see fit. Corporations, yes I generalize now, will not hesitate to subvert or change any law they see as a treat to their bottom line. Fierce regulation need to be in place and, as I said earlier, be enforced in all cases. If not, they will continue to test the boundaries that are in place and stretch those to the limit to get as much profit for their investors as possible.
What is needed is a Government for the People By the People; where the people have good solid oversight over all the actions taken, laws enacted, appointments made; and the background for these decisions. If the Governing body is not transparent then it can not be trusted to be just or democratic. All decisions made behind closed doors are suspect, though in some cases it is justified for the public good; however "for the public good" is a concept that can all to easily be abused by those hungering for power and wealth.
Problem is. If we avoid products made by companies that use unethical, unmoral or borderline illegal means of production, marketing or just trying to maintain a monopoly situation; there really wont be too many products left for us to buy.
Then again I guess that is consumers/citizens faults in the first place for not insisting that regulations are enforced unconditionally; and to ensure that those regulations are fair and in the interest of the people and the individual first and foremost.
Unfortunately the music industry comes across as one industry that has grown fat on not only screwing its own customers; but on screwing over many of its own artists to. And they has used some of the vast quantities of money that has passed through their accounts to "inform" (influence) political decisions, in relation to the music industry, for decades.
No! No! We are not screwing our customers to maximize profits!
Basic principle of greed you try to do as much that is legally and ethically grey; and then deny it until you are finally dragged kicking and screaming into court.
The point as I understand it is that the machine notes when there is a drop in activity in the part of the brain responsible for whatever action you are preforming. A drop in brain activity increases the Likelihood of an error, but it does not say exactly when or how; just that the subject is no longer fully focused on the task and therefor errors will occur.
Or perhaps it is just that people that stay put tend to have more children than the ones that travel about. Thus the influx of "new" gene material is insignificant compared to the continued spread of the current gene pool (the one contained within a geographical area, language or culture).
My point is that if the people themselves do not try to become better informed and then start asking though questions, and acting upon their convictions, there will never be a political will to make the real changes required. And greedy people only succeed in manipulating the system because people are too timid, or too caught up in their own situation, to actually make an effort to speak up against what they see as injustice.
Maybe if all the people that complained about the indications that the Bush administration has been greedy and unethical actually went out and actively tried to get them indicted. Perhaps then a serious investigation could take place to uncover exactly what has been done by whom; and prosecute any wrong doing.
However, just venting a bit now and again on forums or to friends or co-workers; is just as bad as ignoring the problem or pretending it doesn't exists. As long as people continue to stick their head in the sand and pretend nothing is their responsibility; nothing is exactly what will happen.
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Seems to me that if all you need to do to get full access to anyones computer (anyone running Windows that is) is a Microsoft made device; that is a serious security flaw.
That and filtering through all the p0rn (seriously we need some sort of superduper computer to organize it all for easy access).
Since no one else seems to have mentioned it yet; blah blah blah it's the birth of Skynet (this time with an improved graphical interface).
Of course I could make the choice to not play any game that only runs under Windows, you are right there. But then what would I do with the time I have between trolling forums and watching p0rn?
So... if you're far from perfect, work on being better YOURSELF before criticizing others. No bod is perfect, so stop pretending you are. Perhaps you should have read my post. I do not in anyway claim to be perfect, in fact I open acknowledge my faults (of which there are many). I do not know why you feel I am pretending to be perfect and if I gave you that impression I apologize. All I wanted to convey was that even though I am not perfect and in no way all knowing it is still my right to criticize the wrong doing of corporations and institutions (and politicians). Though it should be said that when it comes to politicians, because they are individuals (unlike corporations), I only criticize when I feel that they are behaving falsely or in a way that is against the best interest of the people they have been elected to serve.
I realize that I digressed from the subject of the original Post and I apologize.
Everyone have a right to whine about Big Buisness (to use such a term); because that is part of Free Speech. And I will claim that it is also your duty as a citizen of a democratic state to speak up against those things you think are wrong. Be it the practices of corporations, politicians or anything else.
I will agree with you that it is our duty as consumers to use our coin to enforce our convictions, and I will be the first to admit that my record is far from perfect. But I make an effort to learn about how things are produced and managed; so I can make better and more informed decisions in the future. While at the same time using my voice to speak against the practices I disagree with. If you disagree with how your government spend your taxes you are free to criticize. I do not believe that using Windows automatically means that you support their practices. I use Windows to play games, once I can play the games I want under Linux I will, until then I am unfortunately stuck with Windows.
You say that we vote with our money, and to a certain extent that is true. But there are few perfect choices, and it is, to repeat myself, our duty and right to point this out. Because if there are no perfect choices we are forced to chose the lesser evil, even when that is not what we want. So voting with our money is not a totally viable alternative. My criticism of DirectX, or whatever protocols are to blame, is that it is a standard owned my Microsoft (or maybe I am wrong) and that most games are made for it makes it harder for me as a consumer to play the games I want on the OS of my choice. Which was the heart of what I tried to say in the last post.
Indeed. I don't know that much about programing gaming applications; but apparently using DirectX is the direction of choice (unless there is something I have misunderstood).
I feel that closed standards such as DirectX is not in the best interest of consumers/users and that the ability of companies like Microsoft to in effect enforce a continuing monopoly by using and abusing the (badly regulated and organized) patenting laws is undemocratic, unproductive and not in the best interest of society.
I currently run Ubuntu and XP, but I would wipe XP in an instant if I could run Fallout 3, Europa Universalis and the Total War series under Linux without much hassle. (And I reckon I am not the only one running XP solely for running game applications).
Should perhaps also note that I do not consider myself very computer savvy. I can install and update Ubuntu (though I am still learning); and I can take a computer apart and put it back together again (so more savvy than most). But that is the limit of my interest. I want a clean nice low resource OS for surfing, gaming and handling my image manipulation needs (yes I like to scan stuff I draw). But so far I feel the need to use Linux for mostly anything and XP for gaming.
However, making it more user friendly is of course always a step in the right direction and yes this kind of "test by newbie" (no offense); should be standard after every change and tweak really.
Of course since I "remember" reading about it, it's not really reliable information because I've watched more TV in my life then I can account for. Tried to find url to the data on this; but I forgot the url for goodle (or what's it called).
I forgot to make a link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corporation
The movie/book might not be entirely objective, or cover all bases as well as it should, but I thought it would be relevant in reference to the debate about giving corporations "the rights of a mortal man" as the previous poster wrote.
Political Will comes from the people, when the people do not speak up the Will to resist the manipulations of lobbyists is minimal. Lawyers and marketing work hand in hand to perpetuate the fantasy that corporations need to be protect and given special license to act in whatever way they see fit. Corporations, yes I generalize now, will not hesitate to subvert or change any law they see as a treat to their bottom line. Fierce regulation need to be in place and, as I said earlier, be enforced in all cases. If not, they will continue to test the boundaries that are in place and stretch those to the limit to get as much profit for their investors as possible.
What is needed is a Government for the People By the People; where the people have good solid oversight over all the actions taken, laws enacted, appointments made; and the background for these decisions. If the Governing body is not transparent then it can not be trusted to be just or democratic. All decisions made behind closed doors are suspect, though in some cases it is justified for the public good; however "for the public good" is a concept that can all to easily be abused by those hungering for power and wealth.
The longer they manage to keep the law at bay the greater chance that whatever "evidence" remains is distorted, manipulated or just outright deleted.
Problem is. If we avoid products made by companies that use unethical, unmoral or borderline illegal means of production, marketing or just trying to maintain a monopoly situation; there really wont be too many products left for us to buy.
Then again I guess that is consumers/citizens faults in the first place for not insisting that regulations are enforced unconditionally; and to ensure that those regulations are fair and in the interest of the people and the individual first and foremost.
Unfortunately the music industry comes across as one industry that has grown fat on not only screwing its own customers; but on screwing over many of its own artists to. And they has used some of the vast quantities of money that has passed through their accounts to "inform" (influence) political decisions, in relation to the music industry, for decades.
No! No! We are not screwing our customers to maximize profits!
Basic principle of greed you try to do as much that is legally and ethically grey; and then deny it until you are finally dragged kicking and screaming into court.
The point as I understand it is that the machine notes when there is a drop in activity in the part of the brain responsible for whatever action you are preforming. A drop in brain activity increases the Likelihood of an error, but it does not say exactly when or how; just that the subject is no longer fully focused on the task and therefor errors will occur.
Doesn't everyone just use Facebook for staying in touch with people you don't care about these days anyhow?
Or perhaps it is just that people that stay put tend to have more children than the ones that travel about. Thus the influx of "new" gene material is insignificant compared to the continued spread of the current gene pool (the one contained within a geographical area, language or culture).
Not to mention that 70.000 years ago is 63.988 years before God created the Earth.
Quick! Someone point out the inherent hypocrisy in me complaining about this on a forum ;)
My point is that if the people themselves do not try to become better informed and then start asking though questions, and acting upon their convictions, there will never be a political will to make the real changes required. And greedy people only succeed in manipulating the system because people are too timid, or too caught up in their own situation, to actually make an effort to speak up against what they see as injustice.
Maybe if all the people that complained about the indications that the Bush administration has been greedy and unethical actually went out and actively tried to get them indicted. Perhaps then a serious investigation could take place to uncover exactly what has been done by whom; and prosecute any wrong doing.
However, just venting a bit now and again on forums or to friends or co-workers; is just as bad as ignoring the problem or pretending it doesn't exists. As long as people continue to stick their head in the sand and pretend nothing is their responsibility; nothing is exactly what will happen.