TFA even tells you how to turn off Facebook's ability to use your location data.

Choices. Knowledge. I believe it's still opt-in. Is it not?

Heh. My actual thought after going to their website ("I wonder if it's really cheap"): Whoa! $144 per year for that? No way!

I guess my cheap-butt ways saved me yet again from a hack worse than death. Or not.

That is all I had to say to you other than, "well said."

Well, the "wanna-be" accusation plus the fact that you clearly don't yourself know that Luddite is capitalized gave you away as a troll and I won't take your bait other than to correct some other misinformation that user puto didn't already correct. I'd hate for some other person to read your post and perhaps write off modelers on the word of someone like yourself who clearly does not know what they are talking about.

Whether or not I understand why a tube amp is used is irrelevant. The modeler was recommended to me by several people including a professional session guitarist. The particular model I use does a damn fine job of modeling not just my amp of choice, but also several others, if I so desire. Moreover, setup is a simple cable to the snake vs an amp plus cab (though, TBH, both of my amps are single cab/amp combos) plus mike plus stand. You are allowed to disagree, but it's not just me you're disagreeing with.

We actually still have a land line - mostly because the math worked us towards DSL and it's really cheap with truly unlimited minutes.

I am impressed with no car in L.A. - I've only heard that the options there aren't great. I certainly see people texting. OTOH, I lived in NJ for many years and used to see people reading the newspaper, shaving, or putting on makeup while flying down the Garden State Parkway at 75 mph...

Even with our dumb phones, we forbade texting at the dinner table with two teenagers. With one about to go to college, I'm prepared to have to change my thinking about smart phones.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply!

We've stuck with Verizon because they still have a signal in places nobody else does. But, just as you noted about the data plans, even this is beginning to change as people start putting up cells out in the country. So, as our contract end gets near, I will take your advice and look elsewhere.

Speaking as someone the rest of you might consider a Luddite because I have a feature phone (it's a Samsung with a touchscreen, I don't know the model), the devil's in the details of what the carriers require of you to connect the phone to their network.

Verizon requires you to have a data plan to even use (e.g.) an iPhone. Even if you never use the data service. If Verizon considers your phone a "Smart Phone", they require you to have and pay for a data plan to use it. My understanding is that the other carriers have the same policy. The people that are buying these phones are paying these monthly fees.

If you knew me, you'd know I'm not really a Luddite. For example, when I play my guitar, I don't play with a tube amp, but use a device that models a tube amp that is then plugged directly into a P.A. I pay for said device (a Line 6 HD 500) with the money I save by not paying for a data plan. I prefer to say I'm frugal.

Also, what others have noted: It's Gartner. Seriously?

'Not sure why you felt the need to be snarky.

I asked if it was "honest" as opposed to asking if it was "true." I wonder if they intend for people to infer that my statement is true. That is all.

"No longer are there different kernels for Windows 8, Windows Phone or Windows RT"

Umm, is this honest? If I buy any tablet running Windows 8 now, I can now run any Windows application on it?

Bullshit Politician-speak: "reporters lack the ability to properly analyze"

Bullshit Politician-speak: "We have to protect our phoney baloney jobs here, gentlemen!"

I have to admit, that was my first thought as well. :)

Meant to add: It *may* let them get of the A/D D/A business, pushing digital into the home. I.e.: While the network itself is digital, it's analog to your house.

OTOH, they may still leave this leg analog, but I can't imagine why. Vonage et al certainly do IP/DSL for you.

I don't think there have been any analog phone networks in any developed countries for many years. Nice Reuters. You should know better.

I believe they mean to change from a switched (digital) telephone network to an IP network. The telephones in your office are probably IP phones.

"shielding developers and systems engineers from political nonsense and red tape"

Yup, plus shielding users and clients from those of us whose interpersonal skills aren't as great as we think they are.

Sometimes, though, this same role can be filled by a Team Leader who actually does have great people skills.

ObAnecdote: I had a coworker and friend who was a great developer but who always managed to get people mad at him. He was so oblivious to this fact that he'd occasionally comment about how well he got along with users and customers. One day, he came in laughing about the previous night's Big Bang Theory, telling us how clueless Sheldon was because he pissed everyone off and had no idea he was doing it. Yeah, he was that oblivious. And our manager protected many users from him.

Which hell did you have in mind that is so plainly spoken of as a "real place"? Sheol (Hebrew for the grave)? Hades (Greek for the grave)? Tartarus (not forever, not for people)? Gehenna (trash heap outside Jerusalem)?

Yes, those are all spoken of as "real places". None of them are plainly a "place where people go to live forever while they're being tortured", which is what "...much of what modern Christendom believes about hell..." and which is derived from Dante et al and not from the Bible.