No. AOL bought Netscape after they decided to open source their browser

What do you think of Slashdot beta?

Using the on-screen keyboard!

However, my point was that the Surface was supposed to be the best of both worlds (tablet and laptop) when it's actually the worst of both worlds.

e.g. you want to use it as a laptop, you have to have it on a flat table, you can't use it like that on your lap, or on an uneven surface like in bed (sometimes I might get a call in the middle of the night, it's easier to pick up the laptop and work from the bed).

If you want to use it as a tablet, you then have the problem of interacting with the desktop, some settings are still in the old control panel, others are in a metro style interface. Trying to use desktop style apps with the touchscreen is frustrating.

Microsoft should have promoted the idea that apps should have a desktop mode (optimised for keyboard and mouse) and a metro mode (optimised for touch). Have apps display in Metro mode when out and about, but have the ability to switch to desktop mode if you dock the device.

Those who are using the device as a tablet should never have to interact with the desktop, but sometimes at the weirdest moment you try and change a setting and up pops a desktop app.

We also know how frustrating it is the other way round too. If you're using Windows 8.1 on a computer, it can be very annoying if a Metro app pops up and takes over the screen.

It's Adobe that dropped support for Flash on Android.

In the end it's a good thing. It's a massive battery drain and if both iOS and Android don't support it then there"s less use of it for needless purposes.

The Nexus 7 is a great tablet, but if you're talking about a full size iPad you should compare to the Nexus 10.

In the UK there's also the Tesco Hudl which is another Android tablet which has managed to combine cheap with reasonably capable. It's close enough to stock Android (it has a few Tesco customisations) that I was pleasantly surprised by it and are happy recommending it to those who would even consider the Nexus 7 too expensive. I prefer it to the Kindle Fire devices.

You're right about the bulkiness of the Surface. The one we have in the office looks like a floor tile when the keyboard cover is closed.

I'd avoid any of these compromise tablets like the surface. I've used them (at work) an they really combine all the disadvantages of a tablet with the disadvantages of a laptop, they're the worst of both worlds.

For example, you can't use the keyboard cover of the surface unless it's on a flat surface. Personally I often use my laptop in bed, which needs a solid keyboard.

The surface has a mix of Metro and desktop UI, I ended up getting frustrated when trying to manipulate the desktop UI I ended up plugging in a mouse.

Some of the control panel items are in Metro, others are Windows Classic.

Microsoft have not shown a good history in updating their consumer devices, for example most Windows Phone 7 devices could not be updated to WP 8.

So you're saying Apple are not allowed to improve their connectors? They had the 30 pin adaptor for at least 8 years before replacing it for something better. No other manufacturer has used the same connector for that long.

If there was no Apple Maps then there'd be no fully featured Google Maps on iOS.

Prior to Apple Maps being launched Google Maps on iOS didn't feature turn by turn navigation or a bunch of other features.

When Apple Maps was released Google then released a fully featured maps product on iOS.

So there was a few months of pain, but in the end we were better off on iOS as Apple releasing their own maps forced Google to implement the maps features they were keeping for Android.

That said, in the UK I actually prefer Apple maps now. One thing I hated about Apple Maps in iOS 6 was they coloured all the UK roads incorrectly (UK maps have traditionally used certain colours to represent certain types of roads, and Google Maps used to respect this), now the new Google Maps colours the roads incorrectly and Apple Maps iOS7 uses the correct colours (blue for motorway, green for primary route, etc).

Doesn't mean it's any good. Windows is still the biggest selling OS and I'm sure mcdonalds doesn't make the best hamburgers.

I've used iPads, the popular Android tablet and the Kindle series and I think the kindle offers a poor experience.

If someone in the UK asked me to recommend a cheap tablet I'd recommend Tesco's Hudl (not sure if it's available elsewhere under a different name). Best midrange device is a Nexus 7. Above that I still think the iPad is the best but the gap with the Nexus is small and mostly personal preference.

Reading posts like this remind me why I'm glad I collect miles (aka Avios) with British Airways rather than Lufthansa (M&M = Lufthansa Miles and More). As a BA Gold I can change my miles bookings free of charge up until 24 hours before my flight.

I'm currently in Prague at the moment, decided I want to get a later flight back tomorrow so logged in and switched my booking.

There's a reason why those who are not fans of Lufthansa call their scheme Miles and Less. It's one of the least generous schemes out there.

If this is like the Kindle Fire I'd suggest people stick with Roku:

- The Kindle Fire has stuck a worse UI over Android than even Samsung managed with Touchwiz
- As Amazon wants you to use their store over Google Play it also means you lose out on Google Maps, Chrome, etc
- It's the only tablet I know where you need to pay to remove ads from the lock screen.

- Regular Android tablets and the iPad already have access to Amazon content, so there's no reason to buy a device that makes it difficult to get content anywhere else.

I can't see a Kindle TV box being any better.

As long as your not viewing this through the beta site, posts like these remind me of the early days of Slashdot.

CmdrTaco was a big fan of Enlightenment when /. was first launched and he had written some software for it so we always used to receive updates about new releases. I think that's how I first heard about Slashdot as I was searching for info on Enlightenment and found the site. I had a friend who was a big fan of Enlightenment but I ended up going with WindowMaker because I thought it was more efficient and fitted my working pattern better.

I also remember when Slashdot let you just type in a name, rather than registering ('Anonymous Coward' still existed but only if you didn't bother to enter something in the name box), once registration was introduced it took me a while to decide whether I really wanted to register, otherwise I'd have had a 3 digit UID.

Don't most NY cops only have a 30 minute working time followed by a 2 hour donut break. They can use that time to charge the batteries.

Everything runs badly on a Windows Phone®

Fuck Beta?

I've tried fuckbeta.slashdot.org - I recommend that as the starting point on /., makes the logs send a message.