Posts by Em 8 publicly visible posts • joined 9 Jun 2008
I remember a few years ago UK2 were the lowest of the low when it came to hosting. It seems they've tidied up their image quite nicely since then.
After reading some reviews I recently took a punt by using their 'cloud' (I hate the term!) service at vps.net and I have to say their support seems top-notch.
I only hope they manage to keep it as with big companies like this they can switch direction on customer service at the blink of an eye.
Well done UK2.
But Apple should think about making a play. 'Why?' you scream out (probably only thinking of Apple as a consumer business)? Well, let me explain:
1. Apple has an array of server products Xserve, XSAN, etc.
2. Apple has slowly been improving and extending its offerings to businesses. Traditionally focussed at smaller businesses, the server products are now supporting ever features that will appeal to larger organisations - e.g. better virtualisation support, system management software.
3. Apple is a 'sexy' company with a lot of marketing capital behind it. Compare it with Sun who have a lot of developer mind-share (from Java) and clearly lots of clever brains (ZFS). Sun could benefit from the Apple image and Apple could benefit from inheriting the smart technologies at Sun.
4. Apple and Sun have a good relationship - look at ZFS, commitment to support Java, etc.
5. Sun does have mature experience in mobile systems learnt from JavaME. Their strategy may not have been perfect but there is still some neat lessons Apple could benefit from.
6. We can see that the iPhone is supporting more and more corporate technologies (remote deactivate, central configuration and support for Exchange Push). This, coupled with increased demand of Mac workstations from business users is creating interest from IT departments to consider Macs more fairly in comparison to traditional server technologies (Windows).
Making a play for Sun, Apple would inherit some clever people who can improve the core OS X and add clever new technologies. They could also gain instant credibility in dealing with businesses - a direction they're already slowly moving towards.
Oh, and Apple has over $16bn in the bank and from past executive comments, acquisitions are likely when the right opportunities come up.
If companies like Microsoft and other large corporations are prepared to offshore jobs to locations where costs are lower, why can't they accept people will buy software in countries where it is cheaper?
Such companies lose all credibility when they selectively back the effects of globalisation and I think its about time that they were shamed in public for it.
If an Indian development house can get a particular piece of software for a significant discount, then that actually results in them having slightly lower operating costs. Of course, if you then look to your own home country and see developers who have had to pay more for your own software, you might have to accept that their operating costs are higher.
BMW, Lexus, Porsche and I'm sure others have had this feature on their cars for years. For example, the Lexus SC adjusts audio levels depending on whether the convertible hood is up or down and based on cabin noise. BMWs do it based on speed. Porsche cars (with the Bose upgrade) do it based on internal noise.
The only thing 'new' here is they've shifted the logic and sensor into their device but I'm sure that alone doesn't make it an non-obvious innovation.
I don't think its fair to call these guys trolls. After all, they have a business that has been licensing this technology as viable product and gave good-faith demonstrations of it to the likes of Intel / Dell / HP.
To me a troll would be where someone is granted a patent or buys a patent where its obvious that the won't be making a real product but they want to extort from existing users of the 'patent'.
Isn't the underlying problem a matter of driver attention and skill - both things that can be remedied to a degree by better and ongoing training?
It amazes me that much of the new capabilities afforded to us by advancements in technology are used for the purposes of telling people what they can or cannot do (and in turn, policing and enforcing such activities) instead of using technology to bypass the problem altogether.
If someone cannot hold a hands-free phone conversation whilst paying due care to the road then in my book they are just not able to multi-task to a level that most (well most people I know) can. Instead of penalising them, why not try offering them computerised training tools to assist them in managing tasks better?
Ultimately, improving driver ability will make drivers better equipped to respond safely to travel conditions whilst taking away the right to do certain specific activities has a dumbing-down effect on driver ability.
Labour want everyone to be 'employed' or a super-exec. They don't want such a thing as a one-man-band with his Limited company.
Its all a load of rubbish, if someone isn't getting fully employee benefits then they are not employees. They're paid more for the added risk of being on next to no notice and the time involved in finding new contracts during which time they earn nothing.
Somehow Nu Labia believe these people should be taxed like everyone else even though they don't get the same benefits like everyone else.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
