Surprisingly enough, I'm finding the exact opposite to be true.
I've talked at length about how I deploy an entirely Microsoft-enabled enviroment for my college. 600+ machines, all running XP and Office 2003. 24 servers, all 2000/2003. A pretty typical Microsoft-enabled environment really.
However, I've personally just gone down the Linux route for my work laptop, and I'm giving projects like Edubuntu serious consideration for older, non-Vista compliant hardware.
I have no doubt that companies with ££££s to throw around will buy new machines that are pre-loaded with Vista, and they'll inevitably begin the Vista rollout come SP1. But big business is not everything; I know many of my fellow network managers in education are giving serious consideration to OSS solutions.
We're educating the business people of tomorrow, and if they are introduced to OSS at a younger age, I think we'll see some interesting changes somewhere down the line.
My bread and butter in daily life is Network Management (although some idiot gave me the job title of Director of ICT Strategy as well...), but you make an interesting point. I've moving towards to a non-Windows enviroment for personal use, and probably a Linux-based environment for work use.
But my college uses Microsoft. XP / Offce are the basics of what I support / install / repair.
When Vista arrives, it is inevitable that I'll be rolling it out college wide.
And big business? Well, they'll be doing the same. A lot of the functionality we've been seeing plugged into Vista (not this Glass and New Improved Solitaire! rubbish) has been directed towards business.
Vista will not flop. It'll be pre-installed of every new machine come February 2007; the Microsoft Tax ensures a healthy install base. As for business, I think they'll transition mid-2007, at the latest, when we see the first service pack.
I'm holding off as long as I can; the XP migration wasn't a major hassle, but I know from previous experience that major rollouts can be a pain in the backside. But I'll move accross eventually, because the 'powers that be' will request we migrate to Vista and Office 2007.
Well, I have to admit, after my initial posting, I did have a think about IP addresses. The problem, as I see it, is that I don't take any massive steps to cover my IP address or hide. But, if I wanted to, I could get round having the IP address linked to me.
Hell, with wi-fi spreading around in an unsecured state (I get 4 networks in my bedroom), it is entirely possible to have an online life without ever getting connected using your own phone line / cable.
I'm a techy, and I tend to think of technical solutions to problems. But here the technology is introducing a huge swathe of problems right from the start. I welcome any proactive attempts to deal with problems, but I'm dubious if this system will bring real results.
Just pretend they are kid and wait for the creep to pounce on you.
Certainly an interesting way of dealing with the situation, but wouldn't this be covered by entrapment? Not that I'm meaning to sound dismissive, but baiting a trap is normally frowned upon.
I have three seperate accounts I use to log into MSN Messenger's services, via passport.
Only one of them contains any personal information about me. The other two, which are in use most often, are full of completely bogus information.
Hypothetically speaking, where exactly would any online 'police service' get in such a situation? I think this has the potential to be a good idea, but I'm curious to see how many resources are going to be thrown behind this, given how easy it is to enter completely false data from the word go.
Would my message get heard if I blew up a bus? Sure.
Would it get my message taken seriously? Maybe.
Would blowing up a bus get other people to join my cause? Doubtful.
As far as I'm concerned, every day that I try to use the democratic process to get my message heard, is another day that I'm sticking my middle finger up at the terrorists, because I'm refusing the be cowed into silence.
People don't care anymore, they're fearful and spineless, and are more than willing to give up their rights these days.
I'm trying, in my own way, to do something about this. I talk to friends and family. I talk to people at work. I tell them, as best I can, why we need to hold onto our freedom. I'm passionate about living, and I do everything I can. I write to my MP. I engage people in debates to try and raise awareness of the issues at hand.
And after 4 years, I've come to the same conclusion as you. People just don't care, and I'm not sure what I can do about it. I feel an Ask Slashdot coming on...
Not sure of that front, but I'm running stock Cisco 350s / 1200s / 1242s across my wireless network, and to cope with the 60s construction (they don't build schools like they used to!) I've got everything turned up to the highest power setting. I think that makes it 100mw for the 350s, which is what the US versions are capable of.
You'd think, but the truth is that thanks to LLU (local loop unbundling) we've got telecos fighting to get 8mb+ broadband through our phone lines. Hell, they're giving it away as part of the television / cable / satalite service.
No need for another infrastructure if you ask me; wireless might be nice to public places, but to the home, I really can't see the need right now.
I should probably state that I'm in the UK, before we carry on further down this road; we've already got a 3G rollout that appears, so far, to work pretty damn well.
But I maintain my original points. You and I quite rightly agree that broadband will soon be available at a handset level. Portable, always on (dependant on coverage?) broadband. And if I've got broadband with me, I don't need a 'phone' anymore. I just need a portable device with a suitable chip in it; a covergence device (PDA+antenna+sim?).
I don't think any of the mobile carriers will screw up VoIP, but I still think we'll pay for it somewhere along the line. Skype might be free, but when you get stuffed for data charges it'll all add up I'm sure.
With VoIP quality getting better, faster and cheaper, unlimited phone service anywhere-anytime is sure to come.
Not if Verizon or any other mobile carrier has anything to do with it! As has been discussed before, VoIP is a pretty scary idea for mobile companies. If everyone starts using VoIP instead of making phone calls (which essentially subsidise the rest of their data plans) then I'll wager good money that data charges will go through the roof.
Can you quote a source for this fingerprint gathering in schools please?
I would be indirectly responsible for introducing the techology behind such a program in my school / college, and I certainly haven't heard anything... but you've got me kinda worried.
Well, that wasn't too tough and I guess work can wait a bit longer; BBC News article discussing the new black market in schools in the UK. I found it quite interesting, hope someone else does as well.
Y'know, some of these kind of practices produce some surprising results in the real world. Whilst you or I probably look on slightly bemused, this kind of behaviour in schools can produce some interesting quirks.
Here in the UK, there has been a similar kind of healthy food drive. Although parents are not given the levels of oversight seen here, fast food and vending machines are quickly becoming dirty words.
However, in some cases children are fighting back in rather funny ways. In one school (I'd find the link if I wasn't late for work!) a group of children started buying snacks, cans of fizzy drink and chocolate from a local wholesaler, and then sold them on to children during break time and lunch.
Expect to see something similar happen here; and make a note of the kids that start doing it, because they might just be the kind of people we see doing well in the business world in a few years time. Of course, it'll cause this prepay system to fall apart and be branded a failure as well, which is probably no bad thing.
You make a good point; if this is genuine act, and it does carry through as suggested, we should praise Microsoft. It won't excuse them from any wrong doing, but we should commend them for actually doing things right. For some, it won't be enough until Microsoft ceases to exist, but I certainly don't toe that particular line.
I've been accused before (on here at least) of being slightly over-zealous when it comes to network security. I tend to lock machines down to prevent users installing their own software. Then again, I am responsible for student coursework and student records, some of which we have to keep for 20 years under government guidelines. I have a duty to protect that data; I'm wise to most the current threats, but Vista will (in my opinion) be a minefield to start with.
Deployment wise, I'm not sure that Vista will be a nightmare. Far from it, I agree with you that all the indications we've had so far suggest a decent piece of software of that front. However, the security aspects of Vista apparently leave a lot to be desired, especially with regards to spyware, viruses and the like.
Ok, I run a network in education, but I can imagine Network Mangers banging their heads into walls already. I think I've got my network locked down enough to cover most of the bases, but seriously, can anyone really say they are looking forward to rolling out Vista across an entire network? I understand network / computer security companies have a vested interest in showing there is a need for their product, but they are not the only ones suggesting Vista is going to be a nightmare.
Well, I've got 22049 songs in my collection. Most of these game straight from my CD collection, which used to total over 1000 albums and compilations. As a point, I live in the UK, and most CDs I have I purchased before the price wars started here; new CDs used to set me back over £15 ($23?).
Now whilst I'll readily admit I barely listen to a lot of this stuff anymore, there are occasions when I suddenly want to listen to something, even if it is for all intents and purposes rubbish.
Mid-90s dance cheese might seem a bit naff now, but at 3am with some mates, never under-estimate the value of reliving crazy times with bad music!
Not wishing to sound like a nay-sayer, but what happened to Microsoft's last handheld device, the Origami?
Anyone?
Exactly, not much at all. I'm rather skeptical at this point to be honest. The only hardware that has an MS-badge on that I've found to be any good has normally been developed elsewhere and brought in and rebadged.
Personally, I am quite happy managing my inbox myself. I judge for myself how important an email is likely to be, based on previous correspondance with that person. Important people get their own folders, and the email is routed to that location via filtering. Simple.
I'm always wary of solutions that claim to understand something and display it for me in the 'correct' order. I think I'm likely to know what is important and devise a solution that is personal to me.
There is also the fact that my needs from a particular email source may change during the week. If I'm shopping for new servers one week, I'll definately make a point of viewing mailshots from my suppliers. Next week, when I'm after a printing solution, a different group of suppliers will take preference.
Still, I despite my reservations, I might give one of these a try; they do sound interesting to play around with. But to mess with an old quote, you can pry my Inbox from my cold dead fingers;)
In all honesty, no, I can't see Bush and Co. being brought to justice by the EU. When it comes to the US Goverment, Europe is split. There is no way a consensus could be reached by the EU when the UK supports US actions, and other states really couldn't care less. Only France and possibly German would really get behind the idea of taking on the US.
Of course, it is nice to sit here and hypothesize about who might do what, but in reality I don't think there will ever be a time that the US would seriously consider letting Presidents be tried elsewhere. There are, apparently, some advantages to being a global hyperpower.
Slashdot Mirror
Surprisingly enough, I'm finding the exact opposite to be true.
;)
I've talked at length about how I deploy an entirely Microsoft-enabled enviroment for my college. 600+ machines, all running XP and Office 2003. 24 servers, all 2000/2003. A pretty typical Microsoft-enabled environment really.
However, I've personally just gone down the Linux route for my work laptop, and I'm giving projects like Edubuntu serious consideration for older, non-Vista compliant hardware.
I have no doubt that companies with ££££s to throw around will buy new machines that are pre-loaded with Vista, and they'll inevitably begin the Vista rollout come SP1. But big business is not everything; I know many of my fellow network managers in education are giving serious consideration to OSS solutions.
We're educating the business people of tomorrow, and if they are introduced to OSS at a younger age, I think we'll see some interesting changes somewhere down the line.
Well, I hope so...
My bread and butter in daily life is Network Management (although some idiot gave me the job title of Director of ICT Strategy as well...), but you make an interesting point. I've moving towards to a non-Windows enviroment for personal use, and probably a Linux-based environment for work use.
But my college uses Microsoft. XP / Offce are the basics of what I support / install / repair.
When Vista arrives, it is inevitable that I'll be rolling it out college wide.
And big business? Well, they'll be doing the same. A lot of the functionality we've been seeing plugged into Vista (not this Glass and New Improved Solitaire! rubbish) has been directed towards business.
Vista will not flop. It'll be pre-installed of every new machine come February 2007; the Microsoft Tax ensures a healthy install base. As for business, I think they'll transition mid-2007, at the latest, when we see the first service pack.
I'm holding off as long as I can; the XP migration wasn't a major hassle, but I know from previous experience that major rollouts can be a pain in the backside. But I'll move accross eventually, because the 'powers that be' will request we migrate to Vista and Office 2007.
Well, I have to admit, after my initial posting, I did have a think about IP addresses. The problem, as I see it, is that I don't take any massive steps to cover my IP address or hide. But, if I wanted to, I could get round having the IP address linked to me.
Hell, with wi-fi spreading around in an unsecured state (I get 4 networks in my bedroom), it is entirely possible to have an online life without ever getting connected using your own phone line / cable.
I'm a techy, and I tend to think of technical solutions to problems. But here the technology is introducing a huge swathe of problems right from the start. I welcome any proactive attempts to deal with problems, but I'm dubious if this system will bring real results.
Just pretend they are kid and wait for the creep to pounce on you.
Certainly an interesting way of dealing with the situation, but wouldn't this be covered by entrapment? Not that I'm meaning to sound dismissive, but baiting a trap is normally frowned upon.
I have three seperate accounts I use to log into MSN Messenger's services, via passport.
Only one of them contains any personal information about me. The other two, which are in use most often, are full of completely bogus information.
Hypothetically speaking, where exactly would any online 'police service' get in such a situation? I think this has the potential to be a good idea, but I'm curious to see how many resources are going to be thrown behind this, given how easy it is to enter completely false data from the word go.
Would my message get heard if I blew up a bus? Sure.
Would it get my message taken seriously? Maybe.
Would blowing up a bus get other people to join my cause? Doubtful.
As far as I'm concerned, every day that I try to use the democratic process to get my message heard, is another day that I'm sticking my middle finger up at the terrorists, because I'm refusing the be cowed into silence.
People don't care anymore, they're fearful and spineless, and are more than willing to give up their rights these days.
I'm trying, in my own way, to do something about this. I talk to friends and family. I talk to people at work. I tell them, as best I can, why we need to hold onto our freedom. I'm passionate about living, and I do everything I can. I write to my MP. I engage people in debates to try and raise awareness of the issues at hand.
And after 4 years, I've come to the same conclusion as you. People just don't care, and I'm not sure what I can do about it. I feel an Ask Slashdot coming on...
Well known Microsoft supporter has a few bad words to say about Apple.
Ok, so which part of 'News for Nerds' does this come under?
Now, if he'd have said Leopard was the way forward, *that* would be news.
Not sure of that front, but I'm running stock Cisco 350s / 1200s / 1242s across my wireless network, and to cope with the 60s construction (they don't build schools like they used to!) I've got everything turned up to the highest power setting. I think that makes it 100mw for the 350s, which is what the US versions are capable of.
You'd think, but the truth is that thanks to LLU (local loop unbundling) we've got telecos fighting to get 8mb+ broadband through our phone lines. Hell, they're giving it away as part of the television / cable / satalite service.
No need for another infrastructure if you ask me; wireless might be nice to public places, but to the home, I really can't see the need right now.
I should probably state that I'm in the UK, before we carry on further down this road; we've already got a 3G rollout that appears, so far, to work pretty damn well.
But I maintain my original points. You and I quite rightly agree that broadband will soon be available at a handset level. Portable, always on (dependant on coverage?) broadband. And if I've got broadband with me, I don't need a 'phone' anymore. I just need a portable device with a suitable chip in it; a covergence device (PDA+antenna+sim?).
I don't think any of the mobile carriers will screw up VoIP, but I still think we'll pay for it somewhere along the line. Skype might be free, but when you get stuffed for data charges it'll all add up I'm sure.
With VoIP quality getting better, faster and cheaper, unlimited phone service anywhere-anytime is sure to come.
Not if Verizon or any other mobile carrier has anything to do with it! As has been discussed before, VoIP is a pretty scary idea for mobile companies. If everyone starts using VoIP instead of making phone calls (which essentially subsidise the rest of their data plans) then I'll wager good money that data charges will go through the roof.
You've obviously never lived in Wales or Scotland ;)
Can you quote a source for this fingerprint gathering in schools please?
I would be indirectly responsible for introducing the techology behind such a program in my school / college, and I certainly haven't heard anything... but you've got me kinda worried.
Well, that wasn't too tough and I guess work can wait a bit longer; BBC News article discussing the new black market in schools in the UK. I found it quite interesting, hope someone else does as well.
Y'know, some of these kind of practices produce some surprising results in the real world. Whilst you or I probably look on slightly bemused, this kind of behaviour in schools can produce some interesting quirks.
Here in the UK, there has been a similar kind of healthy food drive. Although parents are not given the levels of oversight seen here, fast food and vending machines are quickly becoming dirty words.
However, in some cases children are fighting back in rather funny ways. In one school (I'd find the link if I wasn't late for work!) a group of children started buying snacks, cans of fizzy drink and chocolate from a local wholesaler, and then sold them on to children during break time and lunch.
Expect to see something similar happen here; and make a note of the kids that start doing it, because they might just be the kind of people we see doing well in the business world in a few years time. Of course, it'll cause this prepay system to fall apart and be branded a failure as well, which is probably no bad thing.
Up until the last line, I would've sworn blind you worked for a certain company from Redmond ;)
You make a good point; if this is genuine act, and it does carry through as suggested, we should praise Microsoft. It won't excuse them from any wrong doing, but we should commend them for actually doing things right. For some, it won't be enough until Microsoft ceases to exist, but I certainly don't toe that particular line.
I've been accused before (on here at least) of being slightly over-zealous when it comes to network security. I tend to lock machines down to prevent users installing their own software. Then again, I am responsible for student coursework and student records, some of which we have to keep for 20 years under government guidelines. I have a duty to protect that data; I'm wise to most the current threats, but Vista will (in my opinion) be a minefield to start with.
Deployment wise, I'm not sure that Vista will be a nightmare. Far from it, I agree with you that all the indications we've had so far suggest a decent piece of software of that front. However, the security aspects of Vista apparently leave a lot to be desired, especially with regards to spyware, viruses and the like.
Ok, I run a network in education, but I can imagine Network Mangers banging their heads into walls already. I think I've got my network locked down enough to cover most of the bases, but seriously, can anyone really say they are looking forward to rolling out Vista across an entire network? I understand network / computer security companies have a vested interest in showing there is a need for their product, but they are not the only ones suggesting Vista is going to be a nightmare.
Well, I've got 22049 songs in my collection. Most of these game straight from my CD collection, which used to total over 1000 albums and compilations. As a point, I live in the UK, and most CDs I have I purchased before the price wars started here; new CDs used to set me back over £15 ($23?).
Now whilst I'll readily admit I barely listen to a lot of this stuff anymore, there are occasions when I suddenly want to listen to something, even if it is for all intents and purposes rubbish.
Mid-90s dance cheese might seem a bit naff now, but at 3am with some mates, never under-estimate the value of reliving crazy times with bad music!
Not wishing to sound like a nay-sayer, but what happened to Microsoft's last handheld device, the Origami?
Anyone?
Exactly, not much at all. I'm rather skeptical at this point to be honest. The only hardware that has an MS-badge on that I've found to be any good has normally been developed elsewhere and brought in and rebadged.
Personally, I am quite happy managing my inbox myself. I judge for myself how important an email is likely to be, based on previous correspondance with that person. Important people get their own folders, and the email is routed to that location via filtering. Simple.
;)
I'm always wary of solutions that claim to understand something and display it for me in the 'correct' order. I think I'm likely to know what is important and devise a solution that is personal to me.
There is also the fact that my needs from a particular email source may change during the week. If I'm shopping for new servers one week, I'll definately make a point of viewing mailshots from my suppliers. Next week, when I'm after a printing solution, a different group of suppliers will take preference.
Still, I despite my reservations, I might give one of these a try; they do sound interesting to play around with. But to mess with an old quote, you can pry my Inbox from my cold dead fingers
In all honesty, no, I can't see Bush and Co. being brought to justice by the EU. When it comes to the US Goverment, Europe is split. There is no way a consensus could be reached by the EU when the UK supports US actions, and other states really couldn't care less. Only France and possibly German would really get behind the idea of taking on the US.
Of course, it is nice to sit here and hypothesize about who might do what, but in reality I don't think there will ever be a time that the US would seriously consider letting Presidents be tried elsewhere. There are, apparently, some advantages to being a global hyperpower.