* Posts by deegee

87 publicly visible posts • joined 3 Aug 2009

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Alabama judges take hard line on dildos

deegee

Religion: Yes; but ancient scriptures: No

@adnim 10:26 - No doubt

"that religion has something to do with this law"

@AC 15:19 - Religions and forbidding sex

"I have wondered why many religions try and stop people having sex"

Anyone who actually cares to research this in the original scriptures (ancient language required), or by using common-sense and removing the sod in the current common "bibles", will find that it actually says in many passages that sex between husband and wife is a good thing that is to be done as often as possible.

The "control" over sex goes back to the early religious leaders enforcing control over their subjects. The common "religion" concepts of sin, hell, eternal suffering, are all man-made fear controls and are not part of the original writings or are not in the same context as how they are used today.

Studying the ancient writings and languages for thirty years provides a stark contrast to common religious notions.

Microsoft purges AutoRun from older Windows

deegee
WTF?

tsk tsk

Well wtf is everyone doing plugging-in or inserting 'unknown' content into their USB/CD/DVD drives?

Other than the few retail apps that I have bought/buy, I never plug in unknown content.

This is like surfing to unknown sites.

Microsoft throws $1m open-source party

deegee
Alert

More pie please...

Well, to me this looks like MS is recognizing the market sector of open-source software and the ability to charge for support thereof. Other companies are doing so with open source.

So if MS can get people to contribute applications to their open source platform, in the future maybe even roll their own Linux-based OS distro, then MS can be the company who has "their" open-source distro and software deployed into corporations, competing with the likes of Novell, RedHat etc. And while the software is free, there is also paid support, which equals more pieces of the pie and both a wider grasp by MS and additional income.

If they do this right and proper, they probably figure they may have both Windows Server and Linux-based Server OS's.

Word nemesis: Microsoft deliberately 'destroyed' our business

deegee

What did you expect?

Welcome to the world of big business i4i.

Perhaps a less-nebulous patent may have been a better choice.

Man remanded for extreme porn offences

deegee
Stop

@AC 13:21

"Are you suggesting we should we put a ban on all forms of internet porn?"

Noooo! Not my pr0n!

If it weren't for masturbation, I wouldn't get any excercise at all...

;-)

Windows 7 versus Snow Leopard — The poison taste test

deegee
FAIL

@AC 7:51

"Try mounting an ISO in Windows without third party software. Oh, that's right, WINFAIL."

uh... you better check again... Microsoft has a Windows tool for mounting ISO. So you DON'T require anything "third-party". So I guess that's YOUFAIL. :-)

I'm always surprised at so much Mac fanboi false information posted here...

deegee
Happy

Some misled comments as usual...

Good although not too indepth article. Felt a bit like the author was walking on egg-shells at times though (didn't want to rock the boat or fan the flaming?) :-)

@By Ty

Check the fanboi-ism at the door please. :-)

@Giles Jones

Cubase on Windows imho is garbage, however.

I've been doing audio/video for over two decades and I've never had issues with any of the Windows audio packages or hardware. Currently 94-channel fully-digital fully-automated console connected to multiple PCs running audio/video with unlimited tracks and hardware/software samplers and effects. Used to do it pro part-time, now its just a [expensive] hobby.

@Raymond Cranfill

"Apple hardware is often the platform that shows of Windows at its best"

But if I assemble the same hardware as what a Mac has, Windows will run equally as well, and at half the cost. Most computer stores other than the few big "brand-name" ones will custom your kit with whatever hardware you want, all pre-installed and tested.

@John Sanders

Win7 isn't just a "rebranded" Vista. And it doesn't require "high end" hardware.

FYI: I'm running W7RC x86 right now on an Atom 330 system with 2GB RAM and it runs fast and smooth (even better than Ubuntu and Kubuntu).

@ AC "4 desktops"

In W7 simply use the "Show Desktop" button on the taskbar right. Or as mentioned by others, use the available desktop managers.

@ Mad Hacker

Is W7 faster than XP at what? :-)

The systems I have are: XP Pro, 2x Server 2003, Vista x86, Vista x64, W7RC/Kubuntu.

W7RC is on my slowest system (Atom 330), and I honestly have to say that I like it the most of all OS's I use (other than the non-customizable Windows Explorer toolbar!). Dual-booting Kubuntu and W7, and W7 noticeably outperforms it.

FYI: for the Mac Fanbois... I have been looking at getting myself a Mac for a few years, but because it will just be a secondary system to me I haven't wanted to spend that much. And yes it will be secondary because of the software I run.

@Simon 81 "32 or 64"

Depends on your hardware. The current MacBook Pro supports up to 8GB RAM.

If you have less than 4GB of RAM I would go with 32-bit. The memory footprint will be slightly smaller. If you have 4GB+ or are upgrading later then x64 for sure.

I've ran both W7 x86 and x64 and you won't see any real speed difference, just more memory available for 64-bit apps and 32-bit apps that are compiled LargeAddressAware or C# apps with "any platform", etc.

Will Intel's Braidwood threaten SSD uptake?

deegee
Thumb Down

@Brian 62

"After it burns out, the answer is: so what? Most people are replacing computers much more quickly than 5 years, and even if they didn't, performance would just revert back to "normal", non-cached variety."

Better check those stats again, you will find that most companies and casual users don't upgrade that often. And this "feature" sure isn't going to be a $1 cost to add. If mobos using this cost 30% more, and it lasts for 3 to 5 years (depending on write endurance, write amplification, etc.), then it is a waste for anyone but enthusiasts.

"Most motherboards also have a soldered battery to keep the CMOS alive, and eventually those fail too."

Yeah, but replacing a $1 battery is cheap. And when it dies you don't lose system performance.

deegee

@Ken Hagan

Yeah, but DRAM can be re-read/written millions of times in its lifetime, NAND only 10k's...

Who wants to keep replacing their "RAM" every year because it "died"?

IMHO THAT is the issue here.

They should just leave this in SSD drives and let the power-users use SSD for their OS/boot drive.

deegee

Time is not on your side...

Unless I totally misunderstood the article... ;-)

Where will the benefit and performance be after ~five years of use when the flash cache is dead? Assuming 10k cell write endurance, a 1.2 to 2.0+ write amplification, etc. If all disk I/O is cached, it isn't going to last long. And the smaller the cache, the faster it will die.

GTA maker coughs up $20m for 'hot coffee' sex

deegee
Thumb Down

A real joke

Any lawsuits against TT/RSG should have been dropped and the parents of any "children" playing GTA should have been thrown in jail instead.

The game was rated M for Mature.

To quote the ESRB from their site:

"MATURE

Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language."

M may have Sexual Content people...

The stickers on the game also often say "strong sexual content, partial nudity".

I have GTA4 on my XBox360 which is also rated M 17+, and when audio is on you can hear the number of children playing the game is very high. Almost every game I connect to there is at least one kid somewhere between 10 and 13 playing it, which is easy to tell since his testicles haven't dropped yet... err... his voice hasn't changed yet.

I guess that parents shouldn't be bothered with actually looking after little Johnnie though, that's what lawsuits are for.

TT should be able to counter-sue any parent who purchases the game for their kids that are underage.

FSF launches Windows 7 anti-upgrade letter campaign

deegee

@AC

"As Linux dominates the supercomputing lists, runs Google and Amazon, is widely used across all sectors (contrary to some opinion)..."

Google and Amazon are two specific and rare examples when considering the entire OS install base worldwide. Two specific massive data centers versus millions of desktops. I don't think anyone here is arguing (at least I never have) that Linux does have a use in specific Server, Edu, Gov, etc. scenarios. I do disagree with you completely that Linux is widely used "across all sectors", you had better do your research on that one.

The point of the FSF letter was to try to turn F500 companies with all of their servers and desktops over to open software. Linux in its current state, while usable and stable, has issues that impact its feasibility for widespread deployment into every server and desktop market. And unfortunately these issues are mostly caused by the community itself.

Too many distros; too many UIs; too many inconsistencies in the interface (single-click here, double-click there); too many half-finished apps and too much code-rot; too many people in the community abandoning one app for another (look at the proposed AppCenter for Ubuntu, another package manager to add to my system leaving even more deprecated managers to rot on my computer); and on and on... and I use and love Kubuntu, but so many things that the community hangs on to and does really bug me that they are so short-sighted.

The extra 10% that MS and Apple put into the "usability factor" and "polish" makes all the difference in the world, and makes it worth the $100. One example I can give you is the interface response in KDE: start a torrent, run one or two other apps doing stuff, then try editing text or working on file management -- the cursor is pausing and jumping all over. I get this in Kubuntu on my dual-core hyper-thread, the exact same computer booted into Windows 7RC does not do that at all. With Windows, each interface control is threaded so that this does not occur.

I use Kubuntu, but I current cannot do without a system with Windows on it (or dual-booting which I don't prefer as it takes too long to cycle). Issues with current file compatibility, no support for certain things, often makes Linux a pain to use.

By dividing themselves up into so many little groups going in their own direction, the community is wasting human resources and time which could be spent on making a single distro into a real competitor. This won't change until the community changes.

deegee
Grenade

wow, everybody sure likes me :-)

I see @deegee replies... :-)

Sorry, it would take me too long to reply to each comment individually.

The facts are people, there is more free software for Windows than Linux, there is a wider variety of hardware and software support for Windows, etc.

You can argue all you want, but the fact is that overall Linux is not a better platform when ALL things are considered. And any corporate CTO, IT, etc. worth half his salt will know this.

Check out SourceForge (~50/50), CodeProject, or just google it, and I guarantee you will find more free applications and code for Windows on a wider variety of application levels than for any other platform out there.

Re: all the thrashing I got regarding Linux source.

Let's say I have a small company with 5000 XP desktops running Office and SQL doing document and data processing, and 5 2k3 file servers. The hardware can be Dell or whoever you prefer.

Name me 1 (one) plausible, common, often-encountered reason why I would ever require the source code for the OS's. And I don't mean some made-up cr*p.

What "little problem" am I going to fix in an app like Word or Excel, let alone in the OS kernel? C'mon, put your code where your mouth is.

And even if you did come up with one half-crazy example, show me any regular office worker or joe-IT person who will be able to successfully patch anything in a Linux Kernel without years of prior coding experience.

The "oh but someone else in the community may have already coded it" is totally lame. If it is a common serious OS bug, then no doubt MS has addressed it; if it was a feature request for the apps, then use Office macros/scripts or for anything a bit more involved download the FREE VSExpress and throw whatever simple utility you need together in VB or C#.

Everyone in the Windows community seems to get along fine without the OS source code. I don't see corporations grinding to a halt because they don't have the OS source, and I've never seen that point listed on any feature request by companies looking to buy.

Since so many of the Linux-fanbois are stuck on OpenOffice, well you can get that for Windows as well. Most of what is available on Linux is also available on Windows also for free. So if I'm stuck on 'have-to-have' OO, then I pay $50 per workstation to get Windows OEM on it and run OO. I have a better OS with more overall support and a better GUI and user experience, and I can still run OO. And down-time is a non-issue for any good corporate structure regardless of OS, so don't bother trying that in the Linux vs Windows.

For the typical Linux comeback of "what can Word do as a wordprocessor that any other wordprocessor like OO can't, it's just text". Office has other apps as well...

Regarding the comment about the Linux apps getting tested before put into the distro. Is that supposed to also mean that it is good software? Sorry, but at least 90% of all of the Linux software I have looked at in more than 15 years of working with Linux is pure cr*p. I'm not saying that it is bad code or algorithms, I'm saying that the developer(s) need to learn about usability.

I agree that this does also happen on Windows apps, but my point is that this is a non-discussion as it is meaningless.

Regarding the comments of "I/my xxx switched to Ubuntu and now it loads and runs much faster than Windows".

This is not proof of anything... maybe in your specific case it was faster, that doesn't mean it will be for everyone else. I dual-boot W7RC and Ubuntu on an Atom 330 MiniCube system dedicated to surfing. Ubuntu is almost unusable on this since the UI is so terribly slow. W7 using its Aero acceleration is easily 4x faster. And looks better. And has more features.

"Free" is not free if the installation/deployment/maintenance is more time on Linux than on Windows. Time = Money. The Linux community so badly needs to learn this.

I'm not a newb people, I've been doing corp. IT and software dev for the last 15 years and before that I did 15 years of IC and hardware design, assembler OS development, embedded systems, HDA, etc. (yes, I'm an old guy)

The main software that I have been using on my desktops for the past few years are: MSOffice, 3DS Max 200x, Adobe Audition, CorelSuite, VisualStudio 200x (yes, all legal copies).

If any Linux person can show me free or even cost Linux platform software that is equal or better than all of these for features and usability, I'll not only switch completely to Linux, but I'll send them $1000.

If not, then STFU and GTFO because you just proved my point from my earlier post that you had flamed (I stated that Linux is limited on what you can do with it). Feel free to go up and read it again.

Two of the main reasons why Linux will never grow to a large user adoption are: the community is stuck on "free" and GPL so the majority of software developers won't touch it; the community is spending too much time and resources re-inventing the wheel over and over as each little dev group releases "their" version of this-or-that with the net result that forward movement takes years/decades.

I am not against Linux, I currently have it on one of my desktops, and have used it on previous systems as well over the years. It's use for me has been slowly retired to secondary basic desktop surfing as it has been easier and cheaper simply to move all other desktops and servers to Windows.

deegee
Megaphone

This type of idiocy will only push corporations away

@COG +1

Linux has a LONG way to go before it can ever "Replace [ing] all your desktop systems with GNU/Linux".

Sorry to the Linux crowd, but Windows and OSX are years ahead, especially in usability. You won't get any mass exodus from Windows/OSX until you provide a comparable platform.

The only people that I recommend Linux distros to are home desktop "enthusiasts" who want to do nothing but surf, email, run OpenOffice and GiMP. There literally is nothing else you can do with it other than specialized educational/gov stuff or web/file servers, and most corporate desktops do not fit into those categories.

And for corporate desktops OO is NOT MSO and doesn't even compare.

Linux devs needs to get their head out of the GNU and actually create some desired applications if they wish to increase their share. Sending around letters like the FSF did is just really lame.

"Investing in Microsoft's Windows 7 will only get you more stuck and more dependent on them..."

And Ubuntu for example would be different how?...

"... Linux doesn't tie you into the Microsoft treadmill because the raw code is openly available so that you or third parties can keep systems going and not rely on one company."

Yeah, and I know lots of IT people who have nothing but free time to modify/compile custom code all of the time. :-/

This is so totally stupid I just can't fathom it. "We be hackerz., so should u..."

Most corporations are not going to hire a $100k+/yr programmer on-staff. Time is money, it's way cheaper to invest in Windows than to spend days hacking linux code.

Snow Leopard security - The good, the bad and the missing

deegee
Stop

This is about security, not Mac vs PC

This article is about OS security, not a platform war. :-)

Any measures that any platform can use to reduce the methods hackers can use is always good. It is foolish to think that anyone is protected from all hacks just because they use a specific OS.

Apple shouldn't be attacked for not implementing this specific technique, perhaps they have their reasons. But any prudent user knows that you can never be too careful these days.

Regarding rebooting (and Windows).

I turn off all of my systems at the end of every work day, regardless of OS (XP, Vista x86 and x64, 7RC, 2003 and Kubuntu). I don't always do the same things each day on every computer so there is no reason to simply sleep the computer. Some of the computers I only use once a week for a few hours. And I'm never that childishly impatient that I can't wait 30 seconds for bootup in the morning.

And my off-site Internet Server which is running Server2003 runs 24:7:365 and maybe gets rebooted 3 times a year at most, so all this Windows hate is totally unfounded.

Linux guru: interface innovation is the challenge

deegee
Thumb Down

The penguins just don't get it...

All of this talk about "don't change the interface" and "keep the CLI because [FOR ME] it is faster" etc...

And you wonder why Linux is not being adopted rapidly or more widespread?

The fact is that the average user does NOT want to have to deal with that archaic hassle. There are more average people and users out there than there are IT people and admins, and the average person does NOT want to become an admin. Faster means nothing if you have to learn dozens or hundreds of silly-worded cryptic command strings.

Have you ever wondered why most people don't program the clock on their VCR/DVD? Now you expect these same people to learn and use archaic CLI?

Did any of you even read the article or understand what this is about?

If any of you were using computers back when the GUI started to take over on numerous platforms, removing the use of CLI was one of the main pushes from the entire industry due to massive complaints by all users of the old cryptic DOS-like systems.

And if you are all trying to tell me that Linux is so much faster than Windows and OSX, then why does it take too long for a GUI to load so you need to use the CLI instead?

@Cameron Colley

"You may not use the command line on Windows but enough of us admins do"

I'm a corporate IT person managing three corporations in two cities. There is no reason why I should be forced to use a cmd interface to get things done on a desktop or server computer.

Three or four clicks through ControlPanel or AdminTools to get to what I want via GUI is not that big of a deal, and it makes training, telephone support, etc., considerably easier and faster.

deegee
Go

other issues first

I agree that Linux does imho require some serious interface redesign, but I feel there are more pressing matters:

- I should NEVER have to use a command-line for ANYTHING. It is so 1980's. This is the 21st century already. Computers are supposed to make my life easier. I don't want to have to memorize piles of ancient archaic text cmd garbage or look it up whenever it is needed. I will admit that Linux has been getting better over the years, but it is taking way too long to get over this.

On Windows desktop and server OSs I'm lucky if I have to go to a prompt twice in one year, everything can be done in dialogs, where it belongs. And this is for over 10 years already with Windows.

- The OS file system layout and naming is terrible. There should not be dozens of folders with obscure three and four letter names to them, filled with dozens of three and four letter files (slight exaggeration to make a point).

To some degree XP, but moreso Vista and 7, have got this correct [better]. Long folder and file names, and the entire drive folder layout from root down is more logical and cleaner.

I can hear the Linux fanbois screaming at this one... :-)

- I should not have to worry about issues with every distro and every build if I want to install/use/upgrade software etc. Linux-fanbois like to flame MS for the number of Windows versions and SKUs, but truth be told the Linux marketplace is worse and needs a cleanup (which will never happen though).

Regarding the UI, if Linux wants to actually do something new and better, they need to leap beyond Apple and Microsoft by at least 5 to 10 years and move into a fully-accelerated fully-3D interface. I was hoping MS would push this way with 7, but alas they did not, only adding a few changes over Vista (albeit welcomed changes).

As a software developer and lead programmer with previous OS development experience, concepts for a full 3D interface is something I have discussed many times with a small group of peers, but it is out of the range of my bank-account to develop.

deegee
Pint

@Goat Jam

"So, please try and refrain from trolling forums with your lies about installing apps under linux"...

And you say this after the garbage [and lies] you posted about installing apps under Windows?

You sir need to come up from under your troll-bridge and be flogged. :-p

Fujitsu-Siemens pulls a Sony with Windows 7 virtual switch off

deegee
FAIL

Not that big of a deal...

I have yet to find much _documented_ XP software that doesn't work on Vista or 7, and personally have found nothing with any issues running on all three OSs.

@Piloti "Bugger windows"

Wine? Seriously? I've been watching Wine for a long time hoping to maybe make use of it.

Maybe you should go take a look at the software compatibility db on the Wine site to see ALL of the software that DOESN'T work on Wine. I guarantee that Win7 will run substantially more software successfully than Wine will.

And please don't make me list ALL of the common software on the Windows platform that just is not available on Linux. :-/

Apple sneaks malware protection into Snow Leopard

deegee
Megaphone

Let's all pretend to be adults...

I just wish that the Mac-ophites would grow up and admit that their OS isn't 100% bullet-proof and isn't perfect.

I use mostly Windows OS computers, and I don't go around with this faked false religion that my computer's hardware or software is from the gods. I have had virtually no issues with any computer hardware and OS for decades, regardless of platform. The issues have almost always been third-party issues or the idiot at the keyboard.

Be a man (or woman) for once and be honest. It won't kill you.

Trading in The Pirate Bay bidder stopped over deal funding

deegee

@AC and @Shakje re: Adobe PS et al

I AM 100% correct. Look it up, and not on a pirate wiki. Read a little before you post that what I stated is wrong because it is NOT.

Just because you can't afford the license to use the software so you pirate a download to use does not void the fact that software is LICENSED FOR USE. If you do NOT purchase a license and you use the software, that is a license loss. Since each license has a set value, that is a set monetary loss.

It cost the software developer [as much as] $millions to develop, plus market, package, distribute. Software companies make their income from the licenses sold, not the CD media. Unlicensed copies in use = income loss.

I don't care how you spin this, these are all crap bogus arguments and have nothing to do with the fact that the software in use is not licensed: "I can't afford the expensive license", "Adobe/MS/whoever are the devil", "I'm only going to use it until I get enough money to buy it", "the pirated copy allowed me to learn the software so I got a job using it", etc., these are still all piracy and are an unlicensed use of the software.

They are lame excused purported by pirates in an attempt to justify their actions.

Check out "software license" on Wikipedia. Maybe ask an adult or someone who knows about these things.

deegee
FAIL

@Winkypop (Freetards)

Re: #1.

Gee this works well with CD/DVD copy protection, doesn't it -- it just gets cracked. Duh. :-/

Re: #3.

For some types of product piracy it IS a "loss". I wish the "freetards" and pirates would get an education before posting wrong information and spreading this garbage.

For example Software is licensed. When you buy a copy you may own the media, but you don't own the software. You are purchasing a license to use it. So if you did not purchase a license to use the software then you do not have any right at all to actually use it. And your use of the unlicensed copy is a definite provable loss on licensing payments.

If you are simply a software hoarder and only collect everything imagineable but never actually install it and use it, then it is not a loss. But if you do actually use the unlicensed software then it is a loss.

Use requires a license payment. Unlicensed use = a license payment loss.

Do you understand yet?

I've had a few friends over the years who do pirate various things, such as music or software, and then when they get an IP of their's ripped off whether it be music (if they are in a band) or images (if a photog), etc., they whine about it. I always tell them to STFU or GTFO because now they know what it is all about.

Linux chief challenges Microsoft to pony up on patents

deegee
Pint

dunno...

Personally, I don't feel that MS (or anyone) should agree to give up all [software] patents. Protection for specific inventions should not be thrown away casually.

What should happen is that software patents should have a stricter narrower definition.

And those current patents that then fall outside of this (including existing MS ones) should be removed.

Seeking web security, exploit operators prefer Firefox

deegee
Pint

ie for me, see?

There is nothing [much] wrong with IE security if you set it up properly.

The problem is just that it is configured out-of-the-box with mediocre security settings, and too many people install every useless plugin that pops up a prompt on their screen.

Tweak up the default security level, add your pr0n domains into the restricted sites zone, kill [disable] the useless plugins, run your user account as standard user, ...

One thing I wish MS would do with IE's right-click "Open in new tab/window" is add "Open in new tab in restricted zone".

Regarding the other browsers, FF is my second. GC is just too thin. And O simply runs horrible on my Atom surfing system.

Microsoft warns of 'irreparable harm' on court's Word injunction

deegee
Megaphone

could go either way

For anyone who has actually taken the time to look into this further, it is an interesting case.

What gets me is the nebulous patent that was filed.

Firstly, XML is already open, so no one should be able to patent anything regarding XML unless it is a significant technological change.

Secondly, so i4i couldn't patent their use of XML itself so they came up with a patent for "a method for deconstructing actual document content from the document structure"... doesn't that sound like CSS or a miriad of other "document-content" systems?

Thirdly, it would seem that MS and i4i have had previous encounters regarding this years ago. But in reading a lot of the background it feels to me too much like i4i stretched the bounds of what should be patent-able purposefully because they had a feeling that MS would like to use similar techniques in their software. i4i saw a possible future opportunity perhaps?

Lastly, to those who are saying "just use OO" -- OO is crap, get over it. Talk about the "way back machine" to software from decades past. It may be fine for home/SOHO, but OO seriously needs some major work before it can ever be a contender for business and corporate use. I would deploy WordPerfect Office long before OpenOffice. The biggest licensors of office suites are corporate/gov/etc., not your typical home Ubuntu/OO user.

Bug exposes eight years of Linux kernel

deegee
FAIL

fanboiz

Funny how everything always turns into OS vs OS and fanboi's post as anon with all of their garbage (from both sides).

I will agree that the more recent distros are getting better, easier to deploy and use etc. With personally over 10 years playing with linux distros, I recently installed the latest Ubuntu on my new Atom mini system and it was easy. Not as easy as Win7, but still ok.

However, the bottom line is that most people want an easier to use OS and until Linux and their fanboi community realizes that from both the casual user to the IT user, Linux is more of a hassle overall. "Just Works" is only true if all you are doing is installing the distro from CD, anything else is usually a major pain compared to Win/Mac. It's fine if your requirements are only a desktop surfing system or a mail/web server, but there is little else you can do with it, short of specific vertical market or specialized use (educational, scientific, etc.).

Comments like "my linux-box is behind a firewall/nat" so this bug won't affect my os-of-steel is utter bunk. I can put a windoze-box behind as well and it will be just as secure.

Opera chief warns on equal access to Windows services

deegee
Thumb Down

@Anon "Anti-competitivism"

Sorry, but _you_ need to grow up and learn. You might want to read up on corporations and practices and check out what other corporations in other sectors do and get away with.

MS is a corporation, they are not a person, hence they do not have to play by what we would call human moral and empathetic guidelines. Corporations are designed to do [mostly] one thing - make profit. ALL corporations are like this, all corporations do this.

I have some news for you, if it were not for Microsoft, we would not be where we are right now in computer technology. At the dawn of the PC age, IBM sure wasn't thinking of the average joe-desktop with their computer prices and technology and marketing strategies. MS is large enough to provide technologies, api's, libraries, development tools, so that we have computers at the level that they are. If MS had never existed and we were stuck with Linux and OpenGL, we would be years behind where we are now.

Do you not think for a second that Intel vs AMD do the same things against each other? Or ATI vs NVidia? Or other non-computer-sector corporations? Corporate espionage, buy-outs, market competition, etc., have all long been here before MS was even started, and are just as prevalent in every other corporate sector. There are mega-corporations in other sectors but I don't hear you bashing their practices.

MS is just taking the same advantages that every other corporation does. Why should they have their hands tied behind their backs while other corporations do not?

What about Autodesk? They have bought out much of their competition and own all of the popular 3D applications and the largest market share and set market prices absurdly high, why aren't you screaming at them?

Or Apple and their tactics with their iPod/iPhone/iTunes/AppStore?

Or maybe you just hopped onto the "let's all hate MS" bandwagon.

There is nothing at all stopping you from creating a competing OS or applications and beating MS. Other companies have done it before. If you don't believe me, look at MS Money vs Simply/QuickBooks as only one example.

Welcome to corporate commercialism.

In this specific case, Opera is simply trying to get the government to shoe-horn them into another corporation's insides, which is wrong on many levels. If Opera can't take the competition, they should get out of the market.

This entire idea that its ok to be of the mind that "[MS] Goliath is big, let's throw rocks at him" while [Opera] David is actually being an arsehole himself, is wrong and dangerous.

If they can't even make a good browser, do you want their technology used in important areas of your OS? Not me.

deegee
FAIL

MS disciples?

I think not. This is just common sense. Even non-MS-pundits will agree that Opera is being stupid and trying to see how far they can push their anti-MS sentiment for personal gain in the shadow of the EU rulings.

Just look at the other statements made by Opera and you can see that they are self-serving whiners.

For those who don't understand the inner working of Windows, I wrote software that uses the core comm libraries in Windows to perform http requests etc. This did NOT require that I use or launch IE, or any browser. MS does the same with their core access code. Is MS supposed to let another company change or replace core OS code? That is just stupid and dangerous.

I mostly do corporate IT for a living, and whenever I present my clients with choices for upgrades: MSO vs OO vs WPO and IE vs FF vs GC vs O, guess who they choose?

It is usually because MS releases a more stable, more interface compliant, more integrated application. And they don't do it by "cheating".

Just look at the MS Money vs Simply/QuickBooks race: MS lost. The other products were more popular and better. There are cases of other MS apps meeting the same fate.

If Opera wants a larger share of the browser race, they should make a better browser.

On my surfing system (Atom) I have GC, IE, FF and Opera installed. I use IE with FF as #2.

Opera is basically useless because it takes 4x longer (20s!) to launch than either IE or FF, and its interface is terrible. I use IE and FF because they are better browsers - period.

deegee
WTF?

What?

What a load of horse apples. von Tetzchner is a smeg-head.

Not only does he want all browsers on Windows, but now access to all of MS's web services?

Does he even realize that you don't use your browser to get to Windows Update in Vista or 7?

"Microsoft is a big bully and I want all of their technology... waaahh!"...

Enough is enough, someone needs to tell him to sod-off.

Texan judge outlaws Word

deegee

Bogus patent

From everything I've been able to find out regarding this on the 'net, it looks like the awarded patent is badly done. So the fault should lie with the patent office.

It's like trying to patent serial connecting mice ten years after everyone has been freely using them.

Top vendors flunk Vista anti-virus tests

deegee
Thumb Down

@jason 7 -- FAIL

If a PC is configured and then closed to any additional software installs, and is never used for Internet access, then how is it going to get trojans? They magically get passed through the air like the flu?

You don't know what you are talking about.

For one example I have an HTPC sitting in my living room that does nothing but play TV and movies, and a closed development computer that only has three high-end applications installed and is never used for anything else.

Tell me how those will get viruses?

I'm confident enough to wager you a $million bucks on your challenge.

If you want to put your money where your mouth is, I'll send you my address so you know where to send the cheque...

deegee
Pint

Not really new news...

We all know that Windows boxes get more malware/virus attacks/variants, we also all know the reasons why.

But Linux users shouldn't sit too comfy, as their market slowly grows so will the attacks -- just look at Apple of late. A large percentage of the holes are in third-party code/apps, and no OS is 100% safe from this.

MS just needs to educate their end-users into not using an administrator level account for everyday and interweb surfing use.

Personally I don't run AV/AS on most of my systems, Linux or Windows, simply because I don't allow surfing the net or email retrieval on them, and I've never had a problem in decades with my so-called unprotected computers. Most AV is too expensive and their [false sense of] "security" is always "too late" since their def updates are always way behind the threat releases.

Apple fixes critical Mac holes triggered by image files

deegee

Here we go again...

I'm not a fanboi of any OS since I use more than one...

But as soon as Mac [or Linux] has the same install-base as Windows, AND it maintains the same low exploit/attack rate that it currently enjoys right now, then I'll agree that it is a "more secure" OS.

Microsoft under threat from Linux - it's official

deegee
WTF?

Too much linux-lies

It would really be a nice change if the Linux community would quit getting into the same silly lies as many of the Mac users also do on these "vs Wintel" discussions. They don't have anything positive or truthful to contribute so they just start flinging mud.

This whole "MS fail -- Vista fail" is just garbage. Did you ever consider that if you are having crashing or other issues with Windows that it is your own fault? That you are quite possibly doing something stupid? I see Linux newbies posting on Linux forums with problems and the attitude that so many Linux "gurus" give them is that it is their fault because they did something stupid -- well it goes the other way as well when you are on a Wintel box.

I stopped doing consumer-oriented IT work years ago because I was tired of average-joe people causing all of their own problem.

I have been a hardware and software developer for almost three decades now (originally IC design, embedded systems, robotics, data acquisition), and I have been managing large networks for three corporations with four offices since 1995. In those past 14 years, their up-time has been 99.99% with only 3 hours downtime total [!!] due to one failed PS in a server -- that's 24:7:365 running Windows OS's. Anyone who is getting less than that with MS OS's needs to seriously examine their technical knowledge or fire their IT.

And personally I use mostly Windows, and I never have these issues that these so-called Linux users have with their Wintel boxes. Just stay away from installing sh*t software on your system or f*king around with stuff that you don't understand on the OS. :/

I've also been using Linux for over 10 years now. I am on my third box with Linux (the one I'm currently typing this on is dual-boot Ubuntu 9 and Windows 7), so I'm not a Wintel-only user.

Ubuntu is WAY slower than Windows 7 in overall usability, since Aero's accelerated GUI flys past Ubuntu (this box is my Internet surfing Intel Atom system with GMA950 which Gnome just crawls under but Win7 Aero is fast). There is almost NOTHING for high-quality Linux software available in the area of work that I do, so I HAVE to HAVE Wintel boxes here to run the software that I need.

FYI the Win7 install was WAY easier to do than Ubuntu when I built this system (no dvd -- it's usb boot only).

@asdf

If small to large software companies could make a decent profit writing apps for Linux THEN IT WOULD HAVE MORE SOFTWARE. Your post is entirely contrary to the entire real truth about the current state of Linux software.

Personally I WISH I could get a lot of the software I want and need on Linux, it would probably be cheaper for one thing. The truth is that you [currently] just CANNOT.

Sure, it's fine if you are into specific server or database deployments or just use OpenOffice and surf or if you want to roll your own software, but your average user doesn't want to or have the time to write everything they need.

I'm not a fanboi for any OS. Since 1980 when I first got into computers I have used numerous OS's and platforms. I use my computers as tools to get my work done. And Windows just covers more bases and does it easier [I didn't say "better"] -- that's a fact. Wintel is far from perfect, but if it can do more of what the majority of people want, then that is the platform that they will choose, even if they have to pay a few hundred bucks to get it.

So if you want to post your "Linux is perfect - Wintel is evil" then please go elsewhere since it is not the truth.

deegee

Linux Home Basic

Well, in my opinion Windows is still the best desktop and server OS by far, and will be for at least another few versions (read: decades). The continual Vista-bashing is just ill-founded, I've been using Vista HPx64 for about two years on one of my workstations and it is just fine, there are a number of things in it I even like over XP. As an IT it is also in two of the corporate locations I maintain, and it has been completely without issues.

IMHO the big competitor for the PC desktop is distros such as Ubuntu, which will continue to slowly grow in percentage up to a point. However, they will never have a large percentage of the general public popularity for two reasons: 1. they will never be supported by small to large software developers because the GPL/free ideology doesn't pay for the development of the software let alone any profit, the MS model of software development even for freeware and shareware is significantly better at only a small investment of purchasing at least one OS; 2. the community doesn't understand that the average end-user doesn't want to fiddle with learning all of the linux-geek command hassles su-su-sudo-oh-oh...

That being said, distros like Ubuntu will continue to gain some roads into the low-end PC market, simply because vendors/retailers can sell the low-end $400 boxes either at a lower price or at a higher margin by throwing away the per-system cost of Windows and putting a free distro on it. Even if a Windows 7 OEM license were as little as $50, that increases the price of the low-end boxes.

If MS is really concerned about the free Linux kernel distros, then along with Windows 7 for the standard users they should start selling XP Home retailed at $19.95 and OEM at $4.95 -- Ubuntu and the others would all but disappear on the desktop market.

If MS continues to not provide a low-end alternative world-wide and still retail the low-end XP/Vista/W7 OS at $125+, the Linux-based free OSs will continue to have a market.

Blade Runner tops sci-fi movie poll

deegee
Alien

My top choices would probably be...

The Matrix (seen it more than 70 times theater and dvd) "dodge this"

BladeRunner TDC (one of my fav movies even when it was originally released)

Dune

Stargate

Aliens

followed by in any order:

AI

Aeon Flux

Alien

Hitchhikers Guide

I Robot

Star Wars

Star Trek Zero

War of the Worlds (TC version)

...

Apple profits up 15 per cent (again)

deegee
Alert

Geez

@Dana W and @Kevin B and @ Anon-Thu 30th

Please post something other than bashing and false information. While there are many Wintel users who do bash Macs, "reverse pc racism" and false information on your part doesn't help matters or contribute to actually enlightening society -- try taking the high-road some time.

All of this "PC's crash -- PC's don't work -- Mac's are superior" garbage gets real old real fast.

One platform is no better than the other when all things are considered using common sense (which isn't so common any more) -- there are some differences but all are tools for a purpose.

I have been doing Corporate IT since 1995 for three corporations with 99% Wintel-based networks, servers and workstations, with over 99.99% 24:7:365 up-time (approx. 3 hours downtime in 15 years across all 3 corps. and that was a server ps failure) -- because the suits trust me to have complete control over how the networks are managed -- and I know what I'm doing (15 years of hardware design, embedded systems, etc. before doing IT).

For my own computer use I assemble and maintain all of my PCs which include Windows and Linux boxes -- and guess what? No AV, no BSODs, virtually no hardware issues in decades. Some crap third-party software and a few failing hardware components but those plague all platforms.

Maybe you need to start associating with someone who actually knows how to set up and maintain a Wintel box properly and you won't have all of these issues. Or take the time to learn it yourself.

Yes, a person is required to know at least a bit about how to properly install and configure and operate a Wintel system, just like you need a Mac-head or a Linux-guru to successfully use those platforms. And don't give me the typical "Macs are so easy you don't need to know anything about computers" drivel -- we all know that is bunking sod.

All three platforms are good, all three are capable of getting the job done, all three are just as solid and secure as the other.

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