As usual, Microsoft finds a way to rip of its customers, again and again and again.... The amazing thing is, people still keep falling for it!!

Just try it mother fuckers!

The potential for abuse of this thing is off the charts. I mean, its even named: PedoHelmet. Problem comes with a complimentary teddy bear.

Are they serious with this? Who cares? It's CD. Software. We're not talking about underwear people. Get over it! As long as the CD is not damaged or unplayable, then who really cares?

As a DB admin myself, I find these "Us vs Them" arguments to be ultimately pointless. A company will choose a database based on the application's needs. If "immediate consistency" is needed they will choose a standard relational database. If "eventual consistency" is acceptable, the company may opt for one of the other "not-so-relational" databases. The fact that there are other options is actually a good thing. The "old guard" needs to find the positives and embrace change, or run the risk of being left behind in an evolving world of technology.

And since it only runs on Windows, its just more reason send Microsoft some more money! Oh wait! I LOOKED at an ASP page earlier. I think I owe Ballmer another quarter....

What about it?

Are you sure that the intent is to obfuscate? There's no other possibility? Maybe shrinking the size of the file transferred to increase performance?

Fine. I'll buy that. But that's a "functionality" thing, not really a "proprietary vs open" thing. Your average user doesn't know or care about that stuff. All they care about is whether or not the website works the way its supposed to.

I think its more along the lines of "WTF now??" It's expasperation... an emotional response to something so utterly stupid and irrelevant that it makes us angry enough to respond. It doesn't help in the long term, but it is relieving in the short term.

It's getting to the point that RMS just spouts crap to be heard. Most website developers use java script to get some functionality working, and java script is the easiest to do so. There is (usually) no intent to do harm, or take over your computer, or lie to you, or stalk your grandmother. The developer just wants to deliver the site to its users complete with certain functionality. Why would you want to run your own version of its java script? This is such nitpicking crap that its not worth reading.

Woohoo!!! Go for it TomTom!! Don't put up with their crap!

Who's running that Choru$$ company? Is it Steve Ballmer?

The people that are jumping up and down about Linux not gaining market share simply don't get Linux. It's like market analysts trying to analyze a block party, not realizing that its a block party not a stock exchange. Linux is not about market share. It's about creating an OS that works. If people like it, they use it. If they don't like it (or don't understand it), they use something else. There is no marketing plan. There is no "market expansion". There is no "competition". People who want it, use it. People who want to make it better, develop for it. People who don't, don't. That's it. Even Linus himself said that the destruction of Microsoft will be a totally unintended side effect. Yes, he was be sarcastic, and he was only talking about one company, but it's basically true. There was no intention of competing with anybody. Anyone who tries to make it out to be simply doesn't understand how Linux came about, why it still exists, and how it will continue to grow and thrive despite other people's warnings of "not gaining market share".

Excuses. Nothing more than excuses. If you really, really wanted to get it working, you would find a way. How important is it to you? The link you are looking for is on Google. Search for it.

Sounds like you gave up too easily.