If fast acceleration is necessary for some reason, then it's not unnecessary. I'm not sure I see the problem you have with it.

IMO, it's not even that, it's the "I'm Rich" iPod app for cars.

They actually do name it correctly, at least in some states, "Unnecessary show of acceleration."

Bullshit.... everything on their desk is a product, from the books to the pens, pencils, and scissors. What you're suggesting is they shouldn't even use computers at all then, because they are "products." Do you even stop to think about what you're writing before press "submit"?

Perhaps you missed the part where I said "not exclusively." They should be learning a variety of different products, and that you point to one in particular and suggest that's what they should be learning only shows your bias. If they learn on a variety of products, then they don't fall into the UI trap that was discussed several days ago on Slashdot - they learn to look around the menus and find what they want instead of rote memorization of one product.

How is making a favorable business arrangement "cheating?" Did they commit fraud somehow?

They don't need to. I'm not a fan of MS, but the school system would be doing their students a disservice if they didn't teach them to use MS products. I'm not saying exclusively, but learning anything else would be completely useless for the vast majority of the students who will end up using MS products anyway. I know, I know - it could change in the future, and I hope it does, but it's the reality of today.

You're being pedantic about it; if Harry Shearer is bringing enough value to Fox for him to paid $300k an episode, then he "deserves" it the same way a star athlete, who generates millions of dollars for his team's franchise, "deserves" the exorbitant salaries they make.

"Deserves" is really otherwise a very subjective term - and just because you don't think someone "deserves" something doesn't mean they don't, so it's pointless to argue about it.

I don't understand why people keep repeating this... so what? My dad is 85 and still runs his own accounting business. Some people are perfectly capable at that age, some aren't; Shearer obviously is.

Then why didn't he walk away? He ended up coming back and taking the same deal they were offering (him and everyone else). I get he has his talk show which, I would presume in his mind, is actually worthwhile compared to doing the Simpsons, so if he just wants to keep busy and have a positive impact, he'd have quit the Simpsons and just done his show. For the record, at 20 episodes, you're talking about the difference between 6 and 9 million (he accepted the $300k an episode, down from $450k). Unless you're a billionaire, you don't walk away from $6M/year for a few weeks worth of voice work.

It's not about the quantity of voices, it's about how much air time each voice gets. All of those characters are secondary, and all of them combined usually do not amount to what Homer or Bart says in any given episode. Dan Castellaneta does just as many voices, including Homer, and took the $300k deal, because no matter how much money you have or make, you don't walk away from $300k for a day or two of voice work times 22 (or so) episodes a year.

He finally accepted the same contract as everyone else. When he realized Fox would do the show without him, suddenly $300k an episode for a few hours of voice work seemed worth not losing.

Give it up - anyone that won't accept a market based explanation of why people get the salaries they get is hopeless.

I gave my parents a Tivo, and they gave it back because it was too complicated. Now they've got the DVR that comes with Comcast... and I just have to laugh, because otherwise I'd shoot myself.

Yes and no... in reality, people would have kept right on using MS Office, but perception is reality - software companies, like MS, think they have to keep "innovating" in order to stay ahead. If they sit still, someone will pass them by... it's not true in this case, but that's the perception. It IS true w.r.t. the OS, but that doesn't mean the GUI needs to drastically change.