I think the issue is that there was a line, and it got crossed. Once you cross it once, it becomes easier to cross, because hey it wasn't so bad last time.

Then, if you are put in relative isolation (enough for "group think" to take over) then it becomes easier still because you are validated for crossing it (dude we just saved lives by crossing the line...besides the "bad" guys are crossing it)

And this continues until you really can't even remember why you crossed it the first time, but there is so much danger out there you don't have time to really contemplate it, either. Until one day you realize that you are looking in the mirror each morning at someone who has become a stranger.

But by then it is too late...to challenge it now would precipitate an identity crises that isn't nearly as much fun as seeing yourself as the hero of the world.

Sorry to go off topic, but I logged out and stayed out during the proposed boycott period. When I came back everything was back to normal with nary a peep about the beta. I assume we won? Ever since then I have been quite curious as to what happened and if Slashdot gave an official statement.

Following the old adage that the problems we face can't be solved by the same level of thinking that created them, don't hold your breath waiting for the government to figure out how to clean up a mess it created.

Maybe bar hopping is not the best plan.
Oh and Protip: Never set your wallet/purse down in a bar.

I usually try to stay on-topic, but this is a deserved exception.

I logged in, perused some of my old comments just for nostalgia and will be logging out for at least the remainder of the proposed boycott period.

I just wanted to say that it has been awesome being part of the Slashdot community. You guys are awesome. I have lost track of how much I have learned about different topics that I never would have learned were it not for participating in Slashdot discussions.

I hope to see you on the other side...with Beta existing only as a memory of an epic fail.

I once had to remove all the copy codes on all the copiers in the building because apparently the CFO was incapable of memorizing a 5 digit number...I wish I were making this up.

It will be a revelation to senior management.

They will in fact need reports such as this to recognize the reality that all us IT workers have known for years. See, the fact that you don't understand that is why you are likely not in senior management :)

Agreed.

When talking to execs, I refer to IT as an investment in competitive advantage. Get the lead to the sales person quicker, that's competitive advantage. "One customer view" is a competitive advantage. Allowing people to work remotely to have some semblance of work/life balance is competitive advantage.

But since this is hard to quantify, and seeing a payroll "expense" number (IT staffing cuts) go down is easy...guess what they often choose.

Not only that, but I would venture that the install base for 6.5 is large enough and will be around long enough that this is still relevant. I just migrated a 4.0 farm to 6.5, and year before last in training for 6.0 there were several participants still on older farms. Once working (and my experience is that 4.0 and 6.5 work well) these things tend to "linger" for a while.

I'll probably pick this book up because I doubt I have seen my last 6.5 farm

That is true. YMMV but in my case, over time (for reasons I don't fully understand) is that I found I could successfully play fewer and fewer PS2 titles (my stepsons had a STACK of PS2 games, thus the decision to go PS3 rather than Xbox360) over time. While I can't prove it was firmware updates, the only thing that changed was the firmware.

Also note that in some cases, if you had a unit with the hardware emulation but the unit broke (even under warranty) you could end up with a replacement unit that didn't have it. So even that was taken away from some people.

The primary point being that for me personally after my experience with the PS3 There will never be a PS4 in my home. And yes I realize that Sony doesn't give a crap what I think...I can assure you that over the years they have driven that point home.

That is true, but that is not the only functionality they removed. Also removed was backwards compatibility for PS2 games which was a HUGE selling point for the PS3 Considering the install base and game sales of the PS2.

Sony can say whatever they want now, it simply doesn't matter. They have lost a trust that you simply can't earn back overnight. Then put the data breach on top of that and of course they have to do or say whatever they can to generate interest.

I am confident in saying that more than 0.001% of their user base remembers these things.

FTA:

My take away from this is that while the historical hiring they did was "best candidates available" they realized that there were things they could do to expand the hiring pool that may change how many of the "best candidates available" are women.
Not surprising to see a company try to improve their hiring practices.

Doesn't mean they are going to discriminate against men.

And apparently what MS doesn't understand is that the best way to get someone to chose option B rather than option A is to create and demonstrate more value in B rather than A. Otherwise consumers may choose the "third way" which is to drop MS altogether and buy a Mac/Linux machine.

And building upon this point, I think their fatal mistake was in this case, for MANY users, there is no scenario in which a UI designed for smaller mobile devices can present more value than a proven UI design for laptop/desktops. For people who do more than just consume content (content creators, office worker types etc) the Win7 desktop UI experience IS the most value to them. And there is NOTHING in the new UI that changes that.

While I haven't used a Mac in some time, I have people around me that do. I notice that the Mac UI gives a "traditional" desktop experience and is fundamentally different that the UI experience on an idevice. I can't help but think that is intentional and that Apple figured out something that MS either has yet to learn or has forgotten.

I don't think they have any plans to wiggle out of it. This "always on" setup is by design:

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/ea-wont-green-light-any-single-player-only-games-2012095/

So the engineers were REQUIRED to do something that made it "social" and thus needing to be always online.

Can't believe none of the Yahoo leadership has seen this:
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-09-15/