Somehow, I'm not too surprised that M$ tried something like that. It's just a shame that the penalty was so small.
Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
Maybe they will steal software that actually works, now if they could only steal another operating system.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
They don't need to, Linux is free.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"...if they could only steal another operating system."
Haven't you ever wondered why Windows looks a lot like MacOS?
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
[ May 14, 2002, 12:58: Message edited by: Sol System ]
Posted by DeadCujo (Member # 13) on :
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: They don't need to, Linux is free.
So is Windows. :\
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Wow... thanks for that link, Sol. A very interesting letter there.
I admit that I'm not all that familiar with the difference between free open-source software, licensed open-source software, and all the other permutations of proprietary and GNU programs. In that respect, I think that the article was very informative.
One of the most interesting points, IMO, was the argument that proprietary software by its nature can not verify its claims to be better at performing tasks, or to be more secure, etc -- precisely because the source code is kept private.
It makes me appreciate all the more the decision to use UNIX as the foundation for Mac OS X, too. Although I never really considered UNIX to be an "advanced" system because of its lack of a modern graphical interface, obviously it's a very capable program -- else why would a fair portion of computers, especially web servers, be using it? And why are there so many more Windows viruses proliferating across the 'Net, but only a handful of Mac and UNIX viruses?
Suffice to say, it's nice to see that not everyone is rolling over and accepting The Microsoft Way�.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, let's not go too far in our praise of UNIX, which is certainly a capable operating system, but is also dark and terrible and, as Umberto Eco puts it, is the cabbalistic old testament lurking silently behind the stern protestantism of the PC world (represented at the time of the metaphor's creation by DOS) and the catholic floweryness of Apple.
While we're on the subject of operating systems, I should probably dig up the (exceedingly obvious and by now probably in bad taste) essay that is such a favorite of mine, but I'll leave that for later.
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
quote:Haven't you ever wondered why Windows looks a lot like MacOS?
and haven't you wondered why MacOS looks a lot like the original Xerox GUI? everyone steals from everybody. Apple is no more of an OS innovator than Micosoft, and probably less of one.
--jacob
Posted by U//Magnus (Member # 239) on :
Except that Steve Jobs probably swears more than Bill Gates.
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
heh, i'm sure he does.
Posted by Vice-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
So Steve has the swear words while Bill gets the billions of dollars... isn't that somewhat unfair? Posted by FTA (Member # 417) on :
Hell, MicroShaft didn't even register the GIF Construction Set they used to create their rotating world logo, which I don't see on their homepage anymore.......
Maybe it was used in court and they had to get rid of it.....
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: [QB]And why are there so many more Windows viruses proliferating across the 'Net, but only a handful of Mac and UNIX viruses?[QB]
Because more people use Windows. It's got nothing to do with Microsoft software being more vunerable. It's the same reason why IE is targetted by hackers more than Netscape. It's more popular. If you want to write a virus, do you write it to target 90% of users, or the other 10%?
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
That argument might hold up, except for the fact that Macs are definitely known to be more secure. That's why the US Army switched over to an all-Mac network, because it's got better security.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, I don't know Macs from monkeys, but there are a number of...vulnerabilities unique to Windows.
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
Monkeys don't come in a variety of fruit-themed colours. Or at least, no monkeys that I know of.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
well, they should...
Posted by MaGiC (Member # 59) on :
Used a MAC for the first time last week. It was like learning a foreign language.
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