Why should MS support their competition? Why don't you Linux whiners develop your own "integrated set of application programming tools for creating compelling applications, content, and video for every possible audience"?

Absolutely. I've been involved in development of several major Java desktop apps and this is always the take of most of our Windows user set - things don't look, feel or act quite "right".

Absolutely. This is not for the normal processors we all know and love, nor is it any good for javascript or python etc. Compilers for C++, C#, java etc. on normal CPUs all have pretty ferocious optimizers already. Not that an attentive human programmer can't make much more of a difference, usually.

Both of the referenced articles are utter nonsense. The purported change of search engine pointed at the Windows file indexer, not the Internet search. The most likely explanation by far is that the Google toolbar mis-fired its warning on initialization after an upgrade. The facts and illustrations in the article support this. As for the "previous time" the company has beeb "caught", this has already been shown to be http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/05/microsoft_update_quietly_insta.html/ (read the comments) completely false as well. I am really sick of this site's propensity for publishing any ridiculous attack on Microsoft as if it were gospel. None of the headline authors seem to have any critical thinking skills whatever. I have enough morons in my life without having to wade through them for tech news.

It seems like the OP is trying to justify his or her own existence - face it, you can't escape self-interest no matter what your side is in a political discussion. The secretive government agencies just might have some data that justifies their paranoia. There are methods which could come with estimates as to how true that is. But the blatant opinion of the OP and quite a few of the replies is hardly any more authoritative.

Maybe because Plex is Mac-only.

In my experience, Zinc doesn't get in the way of WMC at all. I used Link Studio from Greenbutton.org to create a link to Zinc under More Programs, so I can even launch it with the remote from within MCE. FWIW Zinc also has a launcher for MCE in it, haven't tried it though.

I have really been liking Zinc - very smooth operation, plus it looks so cool. Since I can use Zinc to access Hulu (and it does a pretty good job of runing Hulu - maximizing when it can, letting me pause and skip and so forth with the remote) and so many other sources, I see no need for Hulu Desktop. My Media Center bliss is nearly complete... If only it would aggregate Justin TV (a nice source which could really use a UI makeover)

A computer consultant advocating Windows is like a doctor advocating a healthy lifestyle. Stop twisting reality to fit your fundamentalist preconceptions.

Yes, Linux is way primitive when it comes to synchronization technology, as in other areas. Windows has a history of providing more-or-less effective solutions for this out of the box, going back at least to the My Briefcase feature of Windows 95. Now there are Offline Files, Live Sync, Sync Center, and even a more consumer-level gadget called Sync Toy. Another example of how much time you can waste trying to use Linux for serious business use.

Did the OA really say the system would generate 30 kWh / year? (It did not.) So without more information I don't think anyone can pull a real cost/benefit analysis out of their ass.

TFA said that the same store is using rainwater for toilet flushing and solar panels on the roof. Doesn't sound so "faux" to me.

Take the Microsoft MSCE courses as often as you can afford to. You learn a lot and have the certification to put on resume.

How much of the available water will be permanently dispersed by this experiment? What will be the effects of a 6-mile-high explosion on any water-bearing subsurface features? It seems to me that NASA is making establishing a permanent human presence on the moon harder by this rather sophomoric stunt.

The US Government spends Billions on research of every conceivable kind, including batteries and biomedical. I should know, it pays my bills. The ignorance of the OP would be astounding if this were not /.