I tried to remember the last time I bought a discrete sound card. Then I remembered. It was back when I paid $20 for Open Sound System aka OSS/Linux because I couldn't seem to correctly compile support in the kernel for my shiny new soundblaster 16.

In short..... a really really long time ago

So, they took photos with the webcam and even admit those photos include children. If even one of those children is in a state of undress, they took that picture and shared it with their franchisees, they should be busted for manufacture and dissemination of child pornography, because you know if that child did the same thing, those are the charges they would face.

Have they ever been to a school? I'm sure any school in the country has a surplus of cockroaches they can send back to the company.

and I almost forgot....it's the desktop of my five year old daughter as well... although I've heavily configured it for her....

http://postimg.org/image/kgh357wuv/

I think someone would have to go a long way to top the polish and reliability of OpenSUSE. Every time I try another distro, I always find what it lacks compared to OpenSUSE. Hands down, it's the only distro for me.

Ok... two observations:

1. Ain't nobody got time for that!

2. Who, reading this article on slashdot, would not find a way to plugin and use their electronics while camping for an entire week?

In all my years of having girlfriends and frequenting slashdot, I've never had a girlfriend that TALKED! Occasionally they whistle, but that's escaping air from a leak and you have to buy another. You could plug her with duct tape, but that's just sick. I'll have to check around and see if I can find one of these new models for myself!

Thank God my hearing isn't worth a crap and I don't have yet another thing to geek over.

As long as Frank Sinatra doesn't sound like Donald Duck, I'm cool with it.

I have one of the Gateway 6971 all-in-ones. I paid the $15 or whatever to get the Windows 8 upgrade. My computer before this one was a 24 inch iMac I'd had for 5 years. I have to say that I don't regret the change at all. When it comes to reading a website, I'm more likely to reach up and scroll than even use the scroll wheel on the mouse. When I'm playing music or watching videos, I don't have to be sitting at my computer desk. All I have to be able to do is touch the screen. The article is right. It complements the mouse and keyboard and allows for more relaxed use of the computer.

There are several reasons why I've chosen proprietary in the past over open source. There are reasons why I'm running Mac OS X instead of Linux, and why I use the Gimp instead of Photoshop.

First, the price of the software has something to do with it. I can't see spending $100 or more on a piece of software unless it's the OS itself. This is a what I do when I'm not at work, not a paying job. So, if it's a question between a free Gimp, where things are often hard to do, some features are missing, etc. and hundreds for Photoshop, there is no question. I go with free because proprietary isn't affordable.

But, if it's the choice of a sub-$100 program and open source, there are several factors:

1. Does the software have the features I'm looking for RIGHT NOW?

I'm not talking about developers talking about adding the features. I'm not talking about poorly implemented features that they promise to get working well in the future. Can the software do what I want it to do right now? If the proprietary version I'm trying to communicate with is using a protocol and your software is using an outdated/works sometimes or with interaction on their behalf protocol....are you really an option?

2. How does the software LOOK?

Sit down and look at open source vs. proprietary solutions sometimes. Open source software often looks like a flashback to the 80s, while the proprietary is clean, crisp and beautiful. Fonts and UI add to your everyday enjoyment.

3. How easy is it to use vs. proprietary?

I don't want to learn a special scripting language to use a piece of software. I don't want to go through 10 steps to accomplish what I can in one with the proprietary solution. I don't want to have to google and then edit text files to accomplish what reading a prompt and clicking or checkmarking cïan do in a proprietary solution.

These things are all worth money to me. As long as they are, there will be cases where I chose proprietary over open source. I'm not a long bearded, hawaiian shirt wearing activist screaming "Free as in beer". I'm a person who uses his computer to do things and enjoy himself. The easier it is to do those things and the more pleasurable the experience, the more I enjoy myself.

Pshhhh haven't you heard? Gravity is just a theory....