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Comment: Re:Yes (Score 5, Insightful) 614

by Ferzerp (#43661119) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Why Won't Companies Upgrade Old Software?

This is an easy assumption to make, but it isn't always the truism you're making it out to be. Many software packages are highly specialized. There may only be a handful of options available that perform their function. Many of them may be difficult and far more expensive than you realize to upgrade, may have been abandoned, may have been ruined by "improvements" during upgrades, etc. When a piece of software is integral to a business, and there is no simple upgrade path, sometimes the cheapest (and *correct*) option is to stay on an "outdated" platform. Often, mitigating the issues with the old systems are cheaper than upgrading the software (if that is even possible).

Facebook

Canadian Official Escorted From House For Others' Facebook Comments 205

Posted by Unknown Lamer
from the computers-are-hard-ok dept.
New submitter zayyd writes "The CBC reports that publicly-elected Gerry Rogers, member of the Provincial Government for Newfoundland and Labrador, 'has been removed from the house of assembly for refusing to apologize for comments made by other users on a Facebook group of which she had been added to as a member.' Rogers was unwillingly added to a Facebook Group which included comments of death threats aimed at Premier Kathy Dunderdale from other users. From the article: 'Dunderdale said her government understands how Facebook groups work, and she said it is up to every MHA to monitor the comments posted on Facebook groups to which they belong.' Facebook's policies for Groups are somewhat clear, even if they don't actually answer the question of 'Can I prevent people from adding me to a new group?'"
Businesses

Dell Signs Agreement To Cap Icahn's Share Ownership 70

Posted by Unknown Lamer
from the dude-you-might-buy-a-dell dept.
itwbennett writes "As previously reported on Slashdot, activist investor Carl Icahn made a proposal to buy Dell for $15 per share. Now, as part of the review process of potential offers to take Dell private, the company's board of directors has approved an agreement with Icahn that would cap the amount of shares owned by the activist investor. Under the agreement, Icahn and affiliated entities 'have agreed not to make purchases that would cause them to own more than 10 percent of Dell's shares,' Dell said in a statement. Also as part of the agreement, Icahn has agreed not to enter into agreements with other shareholders to jointly own more than 15 percent of Dell's shares." From the press release: "The Special Committee believes that granting the limited waiver to Mr. Icahn while capping his share ownership will maximize the chances of eliciting a superior proposal from Mr. Icahn while at the same time protecting shareholders against potential accumulation of an unduly influential voting interest." Looks like Michael Dell has some serious competition for Dell.

Comment: Re:Can someone remind me why this is sinister? (Score 4, Insightful) 297

by Ferzerp (#42541717) Attached to: Texas State Rep. Files 2 Bills To Ban RFID In Schools

One need not be a religious nut to see the danger in indoctrinating children to accept this level of location tracking, even if it is only within the confines of a school, it still opens the door to more by creating a generation of individual's who are less averse to privacy invasion due to familiarity.

Comment: Re:I don't know why /. does not understand Google. (Score 1) 240

by Ferzerp (#42496911) Attached to: Google Backs Down On Maps Redirect

Why do people just make things up as you've done here?

Using the built in browser, browsing to maps.google.com redirected to just the generic search page. Google was refusing to serve up the webpage to windows phone users. This has nothing to do with APIs accessing google maps. They blocked the phones' browsers entirely.

Comment: Re:so what if they're minors? (Score 1) 423

by Ferzerp (#42012447) Attached to: Website Calls Out Authors of Racist Anti-Obama Posts

Amusing that you try to equate a resistance to the erosion of freedom as a loony position.

Respect is earned. None of the current elected officials in the US have done anything in particular to earn my respect. In fact, I think that the whole system is problematic because I feel that anyone who seeks out a position of that much power is by definition unsuited to possess power. The only people who I feel that would not misuse it are those uncomfortable having it.

Sadly, this is an unworkable system and a utopian dream.

You may try to dismiss anything I may say as the ramblings of a militant religious nutjob (which is thoroughly laughable because none of what you tried to characterize me as in your ad hominem fits), but I will defend your right to make such moronic dismissals just the same.

Comment: Re:so what if they're minors? (Score 1) 423

by Ferzerp (#42010027) Attached to: Website Calls Out Authors of Racist Anti-Obama Posts

There's some pretty severe cognitive dissonance in your post. Limiting our ability to criticize our elected officials does exactly what your claims that criticizing our elected officials does. That is makes us "[look] like one of those Middle Eastern countries with shelled out buildings and rubble filled streets."

When you start promoting the stripping of freedoms as something that makes a state a better place, it is time to take a step back and evaluate exactly what it is you believe.

Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet, you can't win. -- Robert Heinlein, "Time Enough For Love"

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