Sure, but that equal market fragmentation would mean that people would start to think in terms of full interoperability, and then a fourth, all-inclusive OS—or other abstract layer that spans all the them—would be created.

Pretty sure I just prognosticated the advent of web apps.

I know of two separate "geeks," coworkers in IT, who both switched from iPhones to the Nexus One. Just this morning, one of them ordered the other to put his brand new iPhone 4 back in the box (he hadn't even turned it on yet) and had me show off my Nexus One again. It resulted in a conversion, and he'll be returning the phone tonight, he claims.

As hard as it is for some people to accept that geeks use iPhones, it does happen. Increasingly less due to Android, though, it would seem.

the reporters have filed their stories in Googled Docs instead of Microsoft Word.

Since when is Google Docs considered free and/or open source software? I thought most of the free software movement agreed that cloud-based solutions were a big threat to software freedom. RMS must be rolling in his—er, make that Ben Franklin....

1779, from Fr. crétin (18c.), from Alpine dialect crestin, "a dwarfed and deformed idiot" of a type formerly found in families in the Alpine lands, a condition caused by a congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones, from V.L. *christianus "a Christian," a generic term for "anyone," but often with a sense of "poor fellow." Related: Cretinism (1801).

Yes, definitely. But most motherboards these days, even old ones, tend to support booting to USB devices. That means you can often flash from a USB drive as long as you configure it right. (I keep a specially formatted stick in my bag for just such cases, so I can just toss on the right drivers and plug it in.) But really, the problem is with BIOS. Let's just transition to EFI already, can't we?

And because I'm sure someone's going to reply and chastise me, I'll ask upfront: what are some EFI-like projects, i.e. BIOS replacements, that are free and open?

Ever try Iron? There's also a Chromium-based browser actually called Stainless, as you suggest, but I believe it's Mac OS X only. Iron is Windows only.

Yeah, I don't see anything Insightful, Informative, Interesting, or even Funny about his blog post. Still waiting for CmdrTaco to authorize the use of Slashdot mod points across the entire internet.

no file downloads, no porn, no webmail etc. We monitor usage in co-ordination with blocking software

I would never work for such a company. It blows my mind how anyone would. It must be that because of all the click-through EULAs, we're conditioned to dismiss any legal stipulations and just figure, "Eh, it'll probably never happen to me." And largely, that is true. (I'm speaking mostly of Americans when I reference this dismissive attitude.)

I see all the time driving 70 MPH on the 55 MPH-speed limit Interstate, or driving through red lights. Who watches the watchers? Oh yeah, that would be nobody. Oh, don't worry though, I'm sure they're browsing "responsibly" and don't need watching.

Well, I do work as a sysadmin, so naturally I fall into that category. But I sure as hell haven't ever policed anyone for checking their Gmail, for Christ's sake. The only time I've ever had to confront anyone about porn usage was in a computer lab, so it was not staff perpetrating. What a staff member does in their office is none of my damn business. It's up to their supervisor to make sure that they remain productive, and I doubt anyone cares if they eat peanut butter sandwiches, or listen to Wagner, or watch goat sex on YouTube while they maintain their output.

Affordances, affordances, affordances. Choice can still be incredibly restrictive.

I think the idea here is to provide attractive functionality at a disguised cost. Once Apple switched over to Intel processors, anyone could run Windows on their Macs. But hardly anyone did, because who wants to reboot so often?

This will be touted the same way: "Keep your Windows apps!" But in the end, everyone will wind up using Google Docs, Gmail, etc. And that's just how Google wants it.

Hi, you must not be new here!

I don't know what about "could be just about anything" isn't frightening to you when it refers to software that the government mandates be put on your computer.

One word: kdawson.

The only reason I have comcast again is because unfortunately when i moved FIOS wasn't available for my Apartment Complex.

I am not chastising you, but have you considered something like 4G wireless or tethering a 3G smartphone connection? I'm just trying to think critically, given that we all hate Comcast, and plan for how best to react to this situation.

Personally, I'm in center city Philadelphia, and I get 16Mbps/1.5Mbps for $30/month. Suits my needs pretty well, so I'm still feeding the devil.