What does it matter if it was microsoft or not? They didn't break in via the database.

Why not ask the question, what was the webserver software and who made the website that allowed them to break in?

I agree completely.

How is this different than any previous RC or Beta release? This is not news at all. In fact the title "Windows 7 RCs Shut Down To Force Updates" is very misleading. It does not force an update. Its forcing the user to either buy it or reinstall what they had previous.

And for the love of god, why would anyone want a crack to run a beta version past its time limit anyway?

Because you received physical damage from the soup directly and they did not follow the regulations set forth by the government.

I think there are far better examples of false advertising than software. Can I sue Vince because my Shamwow doesn't soak up my spilled beer from beneath my carpet in real time?? Oh wait, maybe beer wasn't on the list of approved substances?

"Think how stupid the average person is, and then remember that half the fucking people out there are dumber than that." - George Carlin

There are ignorant and there are idiots. How many times have you told a user "Don't click that". And 10 minutes later they do it anyway. Is this ignorant or stupidity?

I wonder why I haven't ever had a rootkit on my Vista install of 2 years old.

My god man, where do you work? Best Buy? And the ratio of loonix machines to M$ machines is?

Point being, the OS is as secure as the device between your ears allows it to be. How is the 'rootkit' getting onto the machine? From my experience fixing windows installs, a quick look at the browser cache and finding "ClickMe_LoveYou.exe" tells me where the security problem really is.

Then ask yourself, would "ClickMe_LoveYou.exe" run on your linux install? This may have to do with the low infection rate of linux installs.

The flip side to that is

The free linux software is one piece of software listed multiple times for multiple distributions and/or versions that require you to recompile your kernel.

But yes, I do agree that the overwhelming majority of windows 'free' software is not free. Rarely do I find a free piece of software that is even worth installing. Companys/Individuals that do market software like this, I never return to.

Most times, you do get what you pay for.

I use the browsers on all of our servers. I have never seen a reason not to. I will use them for updates, fixpacks, and the MS Knowledge base and such. No, I don't sit at my servers and browse the net or even slashdot. :-)

It makes me wonder what kind of websites all the admins who claim to never use a browser on a server are visiting... hmmmm

Although I see your argument, I disagree somewhat. There is no need to 'farm' gold at all. The only 'need' for gold is repair bills. Having a bank full of gold isn't going to make you compete better in the guild.

Playing the auction house is a more advanced part of the game which I do enjoy. There is absolutely no 'need' for a new player to even step foot in the auction house. Level 1-80 can all be done very easy without every purchasing a single item.

There are those they say "But I need that item" or I "need to farm gold" to even play the game. This is so untrue on all levels. What most of these players mean is "I want the best of everything and not have to work for it". I don't begrudge you of that at all. You pay your fee and want to play the game your way. In that case, go buy your gold. I know many people that have for a variety of reasons.

I think a lot of blame gets put on the game developers for gold sellers. In fact, the reason there is such a market is there are people that just don't have the time or patience to earn it themselves. They pay their subscription fee and expect to play end game content without the little extra time it takes to earn it. This market will always exist.

Certainly you could, but I would assume your speed is capped at the lowest tier, although I could be wrong.

Another thing to think about is the $75 cap. I wouldn't be surprised at all if your net is shut off once the cap is reached.

I must agree, but a decade is pushing it. Any blue screens I have seen have been from nVidia or Creative drivers, or overclocking just a little too far. Not Microsoft's fault.

Yea, I am a long time customer of MicroChip. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. And for what it's worth, you can get C, Pascal, and Basic compiler IDEs from mikroe.com optimized for all their microcontrollers.

No PVP at this time, however NASA will be announcing at NasaCon 2010 the much anticipated Moonbase Arena Season 1 where astronauts fight for fame, glory, and moondust.

Really, with the economy the way it is and so many states having huge budget deficits, I believe this is only the start of the crazy taxes politicians will come up with.

Perhaps the best solution that politicians should consider is cut spending instead of trying to pull more money out of the private sector. Isn't that what ordinary citizens are expected to do when they receive a pay cut? Aren't politicians representatives of us ordinary citizens?

Go to the Dept of Labor's website. Pull down the numbers for private sector jobs vs government jobs.

Jan 2008-Jan 2009
Government Jobs Created: 148,000
Civilian Jobs Lost: 3,648,000

Anyone see an issue here?

sigh

nVidia is NOT suing. Intel is.

I might disagree with this. nVidia did not file suit, Intel did. I sincerely question that either company is 'scared' of the other. Fact is, Intel is the leader of CPUs and nVidia is the leader of GPUs. In some twisted fashion, they do need each other. No where does this article state that Intel won't sell a new license to nVidia. I am sure such a license is expensive and that is probably the reason why the two have disputed over it. Why pay for something that you think you already own?

The 'looser' of the case isn't going to go home crushed and start to ask for a bailout. Neither side is scared. Both have strong products and I do believe respect each other. Just typical business where the only people that profit are the lawyers.