Hopefully they were just being FACEtious.

• If you like solving problems...
• If you like looking at sample code...
• If you like learning new techniques...
• If you have a need to prove your smarts...
• If you program in multiple languages and like to compare them...
• If high performance gets you all sweaty...
• If functional programming doesn't turn you on...

Take a look at Project Euler

Well there was a time when M$ was considered an "Open Systems" company because it worked hard to ensure the O/S ran multiple hardware vendor offerings and was not locked in to the proprietary IBM solution. M$ even used this in their marketing speak to claim they were looking out for us and protecting us from the monopolistic power of IBM. How ironic. IBM tried to lock in a proprietary solution with OS/2 but failed. Now IBM no longer calls the shots on the PC bus architecture.

Unfortunately corporate America was fixated on IBM as the real "business" solution so the superior Apple solution couldn't get more market share.

So M$ got market share because of their openness then protected it with monopoly power and got away with it for quite some time. I expect a slow erosion of their market share with the relentless presence of open systems solutions. Of course they would not have been able to maintain their market if they had not been delivering a decent solution. They wouldn't be around if they stuck with character based MS/DOS.

Competition is good.

How is it that Apple fanboys and so many /.ers are missing the big picture and main point? Do we need to review computing history to establish the fact that openness wins? That open source software running on a multitude of hardware platforms is a winning hand? Do we not understand why Linux is a success?

The Android O/S has already been made to run on a variety of smartphones and laptops and even full servers. Android is even being used on discreet single purpose devices like music players. And with the smartphone we are witnessing a disruptive platform, a full blown computer in a "new" smaller format. More people are going to be buying these computer devices than "regular" computers. For many it will even displace the need for a "regular" computer. The rate of adoption amongst a variety of devices is greater for Android now than it was for Linux at this chronological stage.

Openness wins. Apple will be in a battle it cannot win. What we're seeing is somewhat analogous to the PC and mini-computers and mainframes. Apple might as well be trying to sell DEC/VAX servers. But an even more disruptive event is taking place... The separation of the phone device from the network service providers who will now have to compete on service. It's coming to this... Do you want to change to a more competitive phone network offering? Click here on your open systems device which we support.

Any more, investing is more about sensing the collective mood of Wall Street than it is about evaluating the viability of an enterprise. If those mood sensing devices were networked and one could hack into them to judge the mass psychology of the street it would be a very powerful investment device.

Nokia, the world's largest handset mfgr is getting into netbooks and Dell, the world's largest PC mfgr is getting into handsets. As a developer I need to know who's going to win the battle. I am in serious need of a cystal ball...

I've been trying to psych myself up and jump in to Android development with both feet but that means getting back in to Java, the SDK and the Android way. I can apply myself to learn and master any language but I want to understand the future before I drink the Koolaid. Google went to great lengths to create a secure sandbox in order to appeal to the security conscious carriers but the Maemo openness is more appealing. Does Maemo have a chance against the Android juggernaut?

Scarcity is the mother of all horror flicks

Where does this rabbit hole end?

Inscription for the statue of bondage.