Posts by A. F. Fero

KDE 4.3 promises polish, polish, polish

@Michael Fremlins

Tip: all computers it work better if you plug them in first,

I think you'll find the tablet you are using is an etch-a-sketch

Is Apple plotting a search of its own?

It all help overturns Computing == MSFT

As with Firefox, As with Google advertising Google Docs, Apple v Google slowly but surely helps "it doesn't have to be Microsoft" gain popular mindshare, which is good for everyone.

Alternatively, the Apple search engine will just return results for the nearest Apple Store, iTunes and iPhone, which is surely all Apple users want? :)

Microsoft's Windows 7 price gamble - and why it's flawed

Linux return rates

In a generally interesting article...

it was disappointing that the long since debunked "more Linux netbooks returned" story had been reasserted

similarly with the suggestion that netbooks were insufficiently powerful for Linux. I happily stream video on an Acer Aspire one, I don't edit it, what more power do I need?

MP asks UK.gov: Why are you still using IE6?

@Number6

Can you give more details regarding what doesn't work? I'm compiling a list

TechCrunch dubs Linux a 'big ol’ bag of drivers'

wrong focus, stunted analysis

first off -does anyone have a full specification for 'chrome the os'? it might not come with the 5,000 applications few people use, a la openSUSE, but I'll bet it will come with more than a browser.

secondly, it's generating a lot of publicity and attaching new credibility aka marketing to Linux based systems.

it's revving up something that Canonical started

I wish them well, because if it's good for them it's also good for us, as we all reap the benefits of competition in mass market computing.

Google's vanity OS is Microsoft's dream

Summer of Code

Google has been sponsoring FOSS development for years. I have no idea why they choose to do it, but I don't have to worry its all GPL stuff.

KDE including KOffice, Gnome, X, Wine etc., have all benefited from this.

They have been watching it all for a long time and know quite a bit about the kernel IIRC.

Hardware manufacturers sell Google a lot of kit, so it will be a difficult customer to kiss off, if that's what's happened elsewhere

If the competition remains an illusion then there is still no competition and that isn't Google's problem. Google seem to (what do I know?) tread carefully with their main market to defend against the accusations of anti-competitive activity that er, "others" continually insinuate.

It could be that they're just having a bubble because they've got loads of money and annoying people that try and annoy them is something that only costs loose change

Thing is, it's not our money and it can't do any harm. May even turn out to be Canonical on steroids. ((open)SUSE since 1998, myself)

Rory Cellan-Jones had just finished off his Radio 4 piece with "ah but Windows 7 will be out quite soon" but he seems to miss the point - Microsoft _need_ to both sell Windows 7 and for it to be not that great else they won't be able to sell you Windows 8 - and FOSS is given away.

Eventually market dynamics will kick-in, it sort of happened with the unplanned extension of Windows XP sell-by-date and reduction in price.

Steve Ballmer was right FOSS is a cancer - in that it is very difficult to control its growth or once you think you've "sorted" it, to know whether or where it's going to pop out next.

For parallels, look at the once mighty Kodak. Gone are the days when everywhere you looked it was yellow.

FWIW