Yes exactly. Turn on any music channel and you will see. Lots of overgrown kids. They're not 15 to 20 anymore, yet they all dress and behave like, I'd say 10 to 15.

By and large, these people are not what I consider as representative "middle-aged persons" (age-wise, yes; as representatives, no). They just make kids (or idiots) of themselves. It's just role-playing. Or maybe it's the Peter-Pan syndrome. I don't know. But most middle-aged persons you meet, work with and live with everyday don't look or behave like this, or do they ?

Kids don't give a damn about what the middle-aged-pricks say. "The main route by which culture is transferred" is TV.

It's surely cheaper

These studies are fraud !!!

Yes, agreed. And I use lots of popular, free software everyday, that have grown as free alternatives to commercial systems. But they don't get Nobel prizes or awards for "technical innovation", even though sometimes should. Take python for example - a pet project also, released to the public also, but not copying any existing system or idea. This is my idea of innovation.

So. let me restate the question - how is Linux a technology innovation ?

PS thanks to whoever modded my post as "Troll" - you've put a smile on my face for the rest of the day :-)

I'm not sure what you mean, Barbara (but thanks for the award anyway). I don't like Windows that much - but I'm happy that it "just works". And every new piece of equipment or application that I'd like to use - I'm also pretty sure it will "just work". I ran the installer 1000 times to get (close to) 1000 working Windows installations - for myself, other people, and clients. Installed a few other systems also - yes, linux too. I managed to get a working router installation, but a fully usable linux desktop system - never. And I don't think I'm a computer illiterate (people asked me many, many times about help with computers, and they were usually satisfied; apart from the one or two guys who decided to install linux and I just couldn't help them to play a dvd without choking or to exchange data with a cellphone - just some trivial examples)

Well, one could count the times you used the word 'idiot' to clearly tell what you think of yourself (it's subconcious, you know). Maybe it is idiot-friendly (you should know) but most of the times something just doesn't work right - at least not without much fiddling NOT at the user (errm, sorry... idiot) level. Or maybe it should be more idiot-friendly if that means normal people (not only supa hypa geeks) could then be able to use it and install things like they do on commercial systems (and yes, I've used more than one without issues, and without comments like Yours - I guess it's part of the social "innovation" and when I read a comment like yours I'm perfectly fine with never having to deal with linux again or with people like You).

PS sorry for the multiple usage of the i-word. Just wanted to make sure that You understand.

And how is Linux a "technology innovation" ? I could barely even install it a few times (and probably could not install it or get it to work more than a few times). I propose that the next award should go to Bill Gates for the Windows Installer (which I probably used a thousand times to install and deploy a working Windows OS).

Am I getting it right, that plug&play and other features of Windows which simplify users' lives are NOT innovation, but editing config files, compiling drivers (after editing the source to include that certain device id) and whatnot, ARE innovations ?

Actually, reminds me of that green chick that young Kirk dated in the newest Star Treek reboot. Must be that I like that type...

And I thought it's the science fiction authors who predict what scientists have in store for the future and not the other way around (which is: a scientist needs to read a science fiction novel first for clues on what is possible to invent). Now it seems that sf writers are indespensable to science and they do half of the work needed to accomplish an invention - they to the design work, while the scientists do the implementation part.

SO, maybe it's about time to consider changing the genre's moniker ?

The web pages on my screen are already dark, because I use a plugin for the Firefox browser which has this to say in the description field:

"Changes color combination for energy saving on CRT monitors"

And no, I'm not using a CRT and neither do I care how much power does my display drain to display a web page. It's just that I find green text on black easier on the eyes.

No I'm not, Steve ;-P

The system is also able to collect any kind of data from the connected sensors and send them automatically and wirelessly to the manufacturer. It's called "automatic updates" these days, but it's just another name for eavesdropping.

You mean it's the Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything else ? Hmm, tricky...

"In general teachers did not make creative use of the technology" namely the one technology that's between their ears (in their heads). Or maybe it's something that can be attributed to teachers in general ? A creative teacher would be able to use an OLPC, a bulldozer, or a stick from a tree in creative ways to enhance the education process. A non-creative teacher is a non-teacher.