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Comment Why Continue to Develop So Many Differnt Versions (Score 1) 133

Why does FreeBSD continue to develop two different versions rather than concentrate on making on superior product? They are years behind *nix and a decade behind Microsoft when it comes to drivers, wireless support and printer support. It just defies logic that they spread their all ready meager resources between to products rather than concentrate on making on superior product.

Comment Re:Hurrah? (Score 1) 143

They are still running 5+ year old linux_base-f10. You would have thought by now they would have updated it. Check out their base system installations. Virtually all of them are old versions. You would have thought for a new release, they would have updated their application.

Submission + - Caixa Econômica Federal Turns to Microsoft Solutions for Cost Saving (technet.com)

Pigskin-Referee writes: Caixa Econômica Federal Turns to Microsoft Solutions for Cost Savings and Improved Interoperability

Established in 1861, Caixa Econômica Federal is not just a bank, it’s an institution that impacts the lives of millions in Brazil. The 100% public company has a key role in promoting urban development and social initiatives across country, giving priority to sectors such as housing and public services and contributing significantly to improve the lives of citizens, especially those of low income.

Recently, Caixa was looking to significantly revitalize its IT solutions to support growth, accelerate decision making, and take advantage of the transformative benefits of cloud solutions and mobile integration. At the same time, they needed to ensure new technologies would work well with existing IT investments, including open source software.

Caixa decided to implement a robust suite of Microsoft solutions, including Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, and Office, to better support its 118,000 employees and 3,000 branches. Now Caixa is realizing a broad range of efficiency improvements – from streamlined communications to enhanced mobile productivity to significant cost savings.

In one year there have been impressive results, including the migration of 140,000 mailboxes, almost 40,000 desktops running Windows 8, and 100,000 users migrated from ISA Sever to Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) Server using Microsoft Reputation Services (MRS).

Employees and management alike are pleased with the improved functionality and business agility. “I believe this will revolutionize the way we work at Caixa,” said Marcelo Xavier, IT Consultant at Caixa.

Caixa’s new Microsoft solutions integrated well with their existing IT, including some legacy and open source solutions, such as OpenLDAP, Expresso Email, Apache web server and PostGreSQL.

Caixa is representative of a broader trend of previously open source customers embracing Microsoft technologies, or a mix of Microsoft and open source solutions. We’re fortunate to regain their business, as organizations have seen Microsoft investing heavily in work with open source vendors and communities, in supporting standard document formats like ODF, in building rich integration with Linux on the desktop and the server, and in mainstreaming the new stack of web standards like HTML5. They like that we have made a commitment to ensure our technology works well with others, combined with the overall platform value we deliver.

Submission + - Microsoft released Office Mobile for Android phones. (google.com)

Pigskin-Referee writes: Microsoft Office Mobile is the official Office companion optimized for your Android phone. You can access, view and edit your Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint documents from virtually anywhere. Documents look like the originals, thanks to support for charts, animations, SmartArt graphics and shapes. When you make quick edits or add comments to a document, the formatting and content remain intact.

Submission + - Microsoft has announced the retirement of the TechNet Subscriptions service (microsoft.com)

Pigskin-Referee writes: Those who qualify for TechNet get access to nearly all of Microsoft's software (Office for the Mac being a notable exception), with a limited number of license keys for each application. Microsoft's recently announcement stated that TechNet users could buy or renew a one-year subscription through Aug. 31.

Microsoft hasn't specifically stated that software piracy is the root cause of TechNet's demise. But there's no doubt that a significant number of TechNet subscribers have abused the service. In truth, the program has been rife with petty-level pirating for all of its nearly 20 years.

Back in the early days, packs of TechNet CDs arrived in the mail. It was like manna from the mother ship. And those CDs got passed around.

Today, TechNet's many offerings are simply downloaded as easily copied and shared ISO files. For the most part, the downloads are managed through a sort of honor system. That makes it easy for some subscribers to game the system — i.e., download genuine copies of Microsoft software along with perfectly legitimate keys and then either give the software to family and friends or sell it at the local flea market. Undoubtedly, a few unscrupulous PC resellers sold systems with free TechNet software keys — and charged their customers "discounted" application fees.

Submission + - Supreme Court upholds DNA swabbing of people under arrest (nbcnews.com)

Pigskin-Referee writes: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the police practice of taking DNA samples from people who have been arrested but not convicted of a crime, ruling that it amounts to the 21st century version of fingerprinting.

The ruling was 5-4. Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative, joined three of the court’s more liberal members — Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — in dissenting.

The five justices in the majority ruled that DNA sampling, after an arrest “for a serious offense” and when officers “bring the suspect to the station to be detained in custody,” does not violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches.

Submission + - Supreme Court Rules For Monsanto In Patent Case (huffingtonpost.com)

Pigskin-Referee writes: WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has sustained Monsanto Co.'s claim that an Indiana farmer violated the company's patents on soybean seeds that are resistant to its weed-killer.

The justices, in a unanimous vote Monday, rejected the farmer's argument that cheap soybeans he bought from a grain elevator are not covered by the Monsanto patents, even though most of them also were genetically modified to resist the company's Roundup herbicide.

Justice Elena Kagan says a farmer who buys patented seeds must have the patent holder's permission. More than 90 percent of American soybean farms use Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" seeds, which first came on the market in 1996.

Comment What if Microsoft had pulled this "bullshit" (Score 1) 299

First of all, this is old news. Secondly, has it occurred to anyone that if Microsoft had pulled this stunt, the resident "Slashdoter's" would have been up in arms crying over the inhuman policy of a tyrannical corporate entity. However, since it is Google, who personally I believe is far more evil than Microsoft, the posts are mostly low keyed and benign in nature.
Firefox

Submission + - Mozilla Firefox browser upgrade taken offline due to vulnerability (bbc.co.uk)

Pigskin-Referee writes: The latest version of Mozilla's Firefox browser has been taken offline after a security vulnerability was discovered.

Users who had upgraded to version 16 were advised to downgrade to the previous safe release until Firefox developers released a fix.

The vulnerability allowed "a malicious site to potentially determine which websites users have visited", Mozilla said.

The non-profit company said that only a "limited number of users are affected".

The download had been taken off-line within a day of its initial release, the organization's UK spokesman said.

Comment Re:There are no Facts (Score 1) 1469

<quote><p>I wouldn't be so sure his flawed understanding of rape and conception is his motivation for opposing abortion in the case of rape.</p><p>I understand women can get pregnant from a rape, but still think abortion in the case of rape should be outlawed. The child is still a life and isn't responsible for the rape. Therefore, the child doesn't deserve to be punished with death for a crime he or she didn't commit.</p></quote>

I am going to assume you are a male and therefore would never be put into the position of having to carry an unwanted pregnancy resulting from a rape to term. The entire question of abortion should be left to women since they are the only sector of the human race that actually has to perform that chore. If men and not women were the ones to become pregnant, the legality of abortion would never have been questioned.

Comment Re:Give it away for free (Score 0) 330

<quote>Last I read, they were making a lot of money selling operating systems. It's their bread and butter. They're already also making a lot of money selling other things, so why change a formula that is successful? I think most linux users and definitely most osx users are using the other operating systems for reasons other than the cost of the OS license, so I wonder how many new users a move like that would really attract.</quote>

While there is no doubt some truth in your statement regarding "OS X", the vast majority of Linux users that I know are using it primarily because they either cannot afford to purchase a full MS License or are socialist and believe everything should be handed to them sans payment of any kind. If Microsoft were to sell its operating systems for a token amount, say $25 or $50 it would cut a huge hole through the *.nix user base.
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft unfurls patent lasso, snares Linux servers (theregister.co.uk)

Pigskin-Referee writes: Microsoft’s crusade to lock Linux companies into patent protection deals has netted Redmond’s first service provider.

Amdocs Software Systems is paying Microsoft to license undisclosed Redmond patents in a deal that "provides mutual access to each company’s patent portfolio".

The deal extends to the Linux servers running in Amdoc’s data centres, with the unidentified boxes receiving a licence under Microsoft’s patent portfolio. Specific terms of the deal were not announced, including how much Amdocs will pay Microsoft.

Until now, Microsoft has focused its efforts on device makers whose systems run Android Linux – HTC, General Dynamics Itronix, Onkyo Corp and Velocity Micro – in addition to Acer, ViewSonic and Casio. To our knowledge, this is Microsoft’s first strike at the server market. Amdocs specialises in customer and network management and service delivery systems for operators such as cable TV companies.

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