Journal: Vista/Windows 8 Hype Log. 1
All the usual hype is flowing about Vista 8. This mostly means that Vista 7 was a failure, but I decided to log it for laughs. Vista 7 did not sell as well as Vista did and Vista 8 won't sell any better than Vista 7. Vista failure has really killed Microsoft. The upgrade inevitability myth is six feet underground, tra
Comment: Microsoft Responds as Story Gets Out. (Score -1) 2
HTC and Microsoft have a long history of technical and commercial collaboration, and today’s agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercial arrangements that address intellectual property,
They had nothng to say about the news that Microsoft is officially a patent troll.
+ - Microsoft Makes 5x from Android as Windows Phone-> 2
"A rough estimate of the number of HTC Android devices shipped is 30 million. If HTC paid $5 per unit to Microsoft, that adds up to $150 million Android revenues for Microsoft. Microsoft has admitted selling 2 million Windows Phone licenses (though not devices.) Estimating that the license fee is $15/WP phone, that makes Windows Phone revenues to date $30 million.
Link to Original Source
Comment: It's Microsoft, Watson. (Score -1) 125
I wonder why Slashdot does not tag stories about Windows malware with "Windows". I know why ComputerWorld and other publishers that deal with WE and take Microsoft advertising money are cowed and don't Call Out Windows. Slashdot should be better than that.
Comment: It's Microsoft, Watson. (Score -1) 125
Journal: Windows in Decline, as More than 1 in 3 PCs Ship Without 7
As the Linux Foundation wins new friends and influences people, sharp reporters at PCWorld notice that Windows sales as a fraction of PCs shipped are in a steep and accelerating decline. Woody Leonhard of Infoworld does the math on Microsoft's numbers,
Comment: Microsoft's use of patents against free software. (Score -1) 7
Thanks, Joe, for such amazing display of hypocrisy. Readers can tell for themselves what I wrote above and what they think about me if they care to make that an issue. People interested in the astroturf account jwilcox154 should visit my troll zoo. It is interesting that this account and the AC still follow me so closely though I have only posted in Slashdot a few times over the last two years.
Florian is not a normal Slashdot user. I have put together this time line of Microsoft patent extortion against free software and this analysis of Florian Mueller's defense of the same. Florian tries to portray Microsoft's use of patents as "cooperative" rather than exclusive. To do this he uses the term "livable" and spins any case where Microsoft cooperates with a rival as a case of common cause and beliefs. The above 16 stories in less than a year and Florian's defense of software patents speak for themselves.
Journal: What is Florian Mueller telling Slashdot? 7
Comment: corrupt wireless (Score -1) 4
US spectrum auctions are inherently corrupt and are a bad idea even if they were not. Google made one attempt to buy spectrum but was quickly out done by incumbents that conspired to keep them out by running up any bids made. Even if it were possible to prevent collusion, a highest bidder wins system will always lead to unreasonable prices.
The solution is an immediate deregulation of all spectrum because licensing is not necessary. See David Reed's Open Spectrum notes for more information.
+ - Oil companies patent trolling on energy again-> 1
Link to Original Source
+ - President Decrees Formation of IP Cops-> 1
From the article:
"To ensure that the Administration does its best to protect these innovations and creative products, today the President issued this Executive Order, which establishes a Cabinet level Senior Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee comprised of the heads of the Departments responsible for intellectual property enforcement, including the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Agriculture and USTR. The Executive Order also establishes the Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from the agencies responsible for designing and carrying out the Administration’s strategy for stopping intellectual property theft."
Gotta love that doublespeak."
Link to Original Source
+ - Why are mobile plans so expensive in the US?-> 4
Here is why:
On AT&T you pay $69.99/month for an unlimited voice plan plus $25.00/month for a 2GB data plan.
In Austria you can get a plan with 2010 minutes, 1000 SMS and 2GB per month for 25€ ($34) on Orange.
On Verizon you pay $50 for 1GB of mobile data with a prepaid plan. In Austria you get 1GB for as low as 4€ ($5.50).
Why is there such a huge difference between USA and Europe?"
Link to Original Source
+ - Steve Ballmer's desperate flight to Helsinki ->
Link to Original Source