Comment Re:What about Apple? (Score 1) 274
They've done dozens of events at Apple Stores, including the huge Apple store about 100 metres from this Microsoft store.
Comment Re:Based on Ubuntu (Score 1) 274
"free enough to be distributed with the Linux kernel sources"
the firmware files are typically under a license that prohibits modification and even redistribution.
Comment Re:Linux, Linux, Linux, Linux (Score 1) 274
> A desktop os needs a browser (Firefox), text editor (vim), office suite (OpenOffice), PDF reader (evince), window manager (kde), etc
Browser: GNU Icecat, text editor: emacs, office suite: GNOME Office, PDF reader: GNU PDF, window manager: GNOME.
Ubuntu Community Manager: RMS's Post Seems a Bit Childish To Me 529
spacenet writes "As a response to RMS speaking out against Ubuntu about its privacy-violating integrated Amazon search results, which he considers to be spyware, Ubuntu Community Manager Jono Bacon has addressed RMS's statements. In his reply, Jono claims that Stallman's views on privacy do not align with Canonical's, that some of his statements are worded in order to 'generate fear, uncertainty, and doubt about Ubuntu' and that 'it just seems a bit childish to me.' The comments on the post itself are well worth a read."
Comment A solution (Score 2) 260
I found its actually hard to get a machine that's decent these days, unless you're prepared to put up with a bit of crap.
The solution is to build your own custom laptop -- http://www.avadirect.com/gaming-laptop-configurator.asp?PRID=25095
If you go for the "VISIONTEK Killer" wireless card, it has an Atheros chipset, so you can distro-hop to your hearts content. They also ship it with no OS if you like.
Richard Stallman: 'Apple Has Tightest Digital Handcuffs In History' 515
jrepin points out a discussion with Richard Stallman in which he talks about how the Free Software movement is faring in light of companies that have been successful in the long term with very different principles, like Microsoft and Apple. Stallman had this to say:
"I would say the free software movement has gone about half the distance it has to travel. We managed to make a mass community but we still have a long way to go to liberate computer users. Those companies are very powerful. They are cleverly finding new ways to take control over users. ... The most widely used non-free programs have malicious features – and I’m talking about specific, known malicious features. ... There are three kinds: those that spy on the user, those that restrict the user, and back doors. Windows has all three. Microsoft can install software changes without asking permission. Flash Player has malicious features, as do most mobile phones. Digital handcuffs are the most common malicious features. They restrict what you can do with the data in your own computer. Apple certainly has the digital handcuffs that are the tightest in history. The i-things, well, people found two spy features and Apple says it removed them and there might be more. When people don’t know about this issue they choose based on immediate convenience and nothing else. And therefore they can be herded into giving up their freedom by a combination of convenient features, pressure from institutions and the network effect."
Comment Re:Who cares? (Score 4, Interesting) 330
Rip it all and then use something like beats to figure out the audio fingerprinting and correctly tag things for you.
Comment Finding fuel (Score 1) 55
Why does Microsoft need poop to power their datacenter?
The MS management should know that there is plenty of fuel: Bob, Clippy, Windows NT, Windows Millenium, Windows 8...
Comment Re:adapting (Score 1) 547
If you press stop twice, then hit play, you can generally skip that stuff.
Comment Re:Simpler, more permanent (Score 1) 540
Actually, most cows have an ear-tag that has a number, barcode, and RFID.
Why bother the kids with subdermally insertion; just staple a tag on their right ear!
Comment Corporate Money (Score 2) 627
Here's an idea:
1. Take the money from the companies
2. Deposit it in a bank
3. Take out money to donate (anonymously) to people and groups that are fighting against the companies that are trying to grease your hand
4. Feel good about yourself and keep on sticking it to the companies
Comment Re:Do unto others (Score 1) 480
Sadly, many people treat others poorly.
Too bad that the assailants doesn't realize that they are assaulting themselves.
Comment Overclocking Raspberry Pi (Score 1) 92
Does this mean that the Raspberry Pi can bake itself?
Bring On the Decentralized Social Networking 238
Frequent contributor Bennett Haselton writes: "The distributed-social-networking
Diaspora Project recently announced that their software will be
released as open source. I don't know if Diaspora specifically will be the Next Big Thing in social networking, but I hope that social networking moves to a decentralized
model within the next few years, where anyone can set up and run a hub to administer profiles for themselves and their friends or clients, and where profiles can interact with
each other in a distributed fashion instead of on a centralized system like Facebook."
Read on for Bennett's thoughts on how that model could work.
Comment OCD vs. Backups (Score 0) 386
Look, the quantity of backups you have on phones, computers, RAID arrays, at work, at home, thumb drives, etc looks like a case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. I am NOT a psychiatrist, but I've been treated for it. I'd suggest that you see a psychologist or psychiatrist and see if you manifest OCD symptoms. If you do, get it treated! If you don't, go on vacation and unwind. Putting your business before yourself is the wrong way to live.
Now I need to read the next story on
