I regret to inform you that you have woefully underestimated it. The actual retail rate offered to consumers is closer to $2200 US per gallon. Sources: internet-ink.com, cbc.ca. This $14 million fine is only worth like, seven thousand gallons, or less than 200 oil barrels of ink.

We can bust on Microsoft all day and all night, and they deserve it, but the fact that their ability to find and fix these problems has greatly increased is a good thing. Software is incredibly complex, and no software more complicated than "10 GOTO 10" is free from the potential of security problems. Microsoft's QA has gone downhill in recent years, but now it's getting better apparently (even if it's after the fact). They are not going away, so this makes all our lives better.

I wrote a file searching utility in C++ about 30 years ago. About 15 years ago I ported it to Python and found it to be faster than using the Windows directory enumeration APIs, and I've been using that ever since. It just searches filenames, but that's all I need.

"NOTE: Experiences vary by region." says to me that Microsoft doesn't even know what their changes will do.

Yeah, but that will happen with your Kodak scooter and Bell and Howell Fire extinguisher too, which are the same exact products

Sometimes I just want to look for stuff made by brands I want because I'm doing something somewhat professional and need the name brand to not be SHJWEHAS or I'll get made fun of relentlessly. Its the cost of being accepted and getting work sometimes. You over pay for the hammer to communicate something to the other people you're swinging it with. I don't like it, but I can't change it.

Ugh, I agree with you in general, but forks that go in mouths.... of ... kids... You don't care what those things are made of ? At all? Thats where you lose me. But I'll buy a flash light or screw driver from WE*(H(*@#!HUW#QEUGHGFSWUIHSGE for $5 delivered same day.

I mean thats the honest truth. They would just take the money. There really aren't industries that competitive where they would gain a whole lot of market share if they could charge lower interchange fees. It would make a difference on the margin for small struggling businesses. Its one of those things where they look at costs, and see the large number next to processing fees and try to figure out ways of not paying it. They're doing the same with electricity, wages, costs of products they sell, taxes, etc. Its just what companies do: Maximize revenue/profits, minimize costs.

Da fuq are you on about? What is the product I can buy or service I can get?

I mean is it news for nerds? Not really.

Is it par for the course for slashdot? Yup.

Yell at the cloud, I won't stop you.

No, No no. Silly people who think they understand things. The money is charged to the merchant, yes thats true. However, you with a rewards card get charged the same price as Joe Schmoe who does not have a rewards card. You are paying less because you get the reward. Joe Schmoe is getting screwed. So get the rewards you can so you pay lower prices.

I checked his videos, that argument is somewhat flawed. The Starlink market isn't limited to the home consumer market. It includes commercial, government, and military contracts. Ships at sea and planes in the air are using it. Drone aircraft can use it. It can be the backhaul for a cell network in rural areas. A town/village can share a Starlink connection, so it's not just individuals paying for a connection. There's also Starlink Roam for people on trips.

Some cell phones now have emergency SOS satellite communication. Starlink could use similar technology to connect/find rental vehicles if they go outside a cell network.

It's questionable if the market can sustain multiple competitors, though. There are some countries that won't allow Starlink due to paranoia, but China might be building a censorship-friendly version just for them.

Here's the thing you have to balance.

Piracy => getting near unlimited stuff for free screwing those that created it.
Non piracy => paying for limited stuff that sometimes can be taken away from you if its drm locked.

It would seem the ethical choice would be

Hybrid piracy => paying for limited stuff, but also pirating it if drm locked.

You pay for the items to keep incentivizing things you like, and you get to keep your purchases.

Can they factor a number larger than 21 with QC yet?

Perhaps they could take a clue from software from 40+ years ago and make top-posting a configurable option.

But Microsoft has pretty much completely given up on making their software configurable for user preferences.

Hey, I resemble that remark.