Somehow, I'm not too surprised that M$ tried something like that. It's just a shame that the penalty was so small.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Cartman: They don't need to, Linux is free.
So is Windows. :\
-------------------- Picard: Mr. Crusher, what's our maximum speed this week? Wesley: [checking manual] Uh, 9.4, sir. Picard: Very good. Take us to Warp 9.8 then. Wesley: Aye, sir. Warp 9.2 it is.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
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�.
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
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.
Registered: Mar 1999
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EdipisReks
Ex-Member
posted
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.
posted
So Steve has the swear words while Bill gets the billions of dollars... isn't that somewhat unfair?
-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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posted
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.....
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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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%?
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
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.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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