People keep bringing me new computers with Linux preinstalled, and asking me to install Windows. It breaks my heart, but it's not my computer, and I know Linux is tough for a desktop user. Thinking of it, indeed, what could motivate a typical user to keep Linux on his desktop? Most desktop users want web browsing (ok apart from ActiveX), MSN messenger (sort of OK linux, but not all the features), games (terrible on linux), MP3 stuff (quite Ok)

ok, i admit it - linux use isn't growing much. what do you suggest? apps installed according to user profiles? games in all installs? catering more to the hordes of casual users, such as facebook-and-instant-messengers-and-games, who need only a couple of better apps really? creating linux-only software, with licenses that prevent running it on windows? there has to be a case, a reason, for running linux on a desktop, and there isn't one, not for the user. price just isn't cutting it - most people just don't pay for their software, making it effectively cost the same as linux - nothing.

I've been reading the Hackintosh and osx-86 sites. Wonder if I could somehow use those in the cybercafe. It's not Windows, which is boring, and it's not Linux, which is hard. Some users would find it interesting. I would too. It would also make the time trackers more difficult to deal with, don't know if I could get clients for windows, mac, and linux for any manager...

http://streetcomputing.yuiseki.net/ Japanese street hacker bloggers decide there's not enough kids addicted enough to computers, like themselves, and decide to take to the streets with their computers to promote net addiction. Equipped with tents, sushi, netbooks, laptops, and cellphones, they camp out everywhere they can and just geek it on the streets. -- street computing NOW!!! ----- Hi, everyone. I'm yuiseki. Today, I will introduce you to "Streetcomputing" -- that is fusion of geek computer culture and urban street culture. emobile, laptop and netbook allows us to walk round at city with the Web. - http://streetcomputing.yuiseki.net/

Say Equifax, or some other place that has most everyone's name, SSN, phone, address, and some other stuff, gets their entire database leaked and mass-mailed.

What would happen?

Would the financial system crash? Or does everyone get a new SSN and life goes on?

What a relief. My /. karma rating has improved today.

I feel like a true accepted netcitizen of the /. empire.

Now when are we having elections for the /. netsenate?