* Posts by W. Anderson

504 publicly visible posts • joined 21 Feb 2008

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Sure is wild that Apple, Google app store monopolies are way worse than what Windows got up to, sniffs Microsoft prez

W. Anderson

Unclear article point

Whatever areas that Apple and Google have failed in with their App stores, has no relevance to what Microsoft did or did not do twenty years ago or even now. This "misery loves company" syndrome used as excuse by very many USA companies to excuse their own terrible behavior is ridiculous.

I resent the fact that Microsoft will not let me download many third party applications from the vendors site if same application is available through the Windows App store, where I must register with Microsoft before such download.

Another peeve is Windows 10 preventing my third party veridied downloads from installation, especially when such applications are direct competition to Microsoft. Even attempting to install Mozilla Firefox was interrupted several times by Microsoft insisting that I examine Edge browser more closely instead.

Microsoft enjoys a 90+ % desktop PC market share Internationally - so what!, that's old news, and has no bearing on quality, reliability or security of Windows over Apple MacOS or Linux by comparison.

The article is therefore of no real technical enlightenment.

Snapping at Canonical's Snap: Linux Mint team says no to Ubuntu store 'backdoor'

W. Anderson

Snapd becoming Canonical dominator

In the past six months I had had serious problems with Snap as well as Snap packages on latest openSuSE Linux distributions that I use daily as primary desktop for personal and business, that I never have with Flatpaks.

It appears that Canonical is continuing it's vice grip of unliateral, maybe dictatorial control on the development of Snap to the benefit of Ubuntu, but to the detriment of groups like Linuxmint, and all other non-Ubuntu based Linux distributions - like CentOS/Redhat, Suse/openSuSe, Solus, Arch/Manjaro, PCLinuxOS, etc, that are pushing Flatpak as a truly cross-distro application solution that works equally well and non-problematic for all. .

This bad behavior of Canonical has started manifesting itself in other areas as well.

Too Bad.

Everything OK with Microsoft? Windows giant admits it was 'on the wrong side of history' with regard to open source

W. Anderson

The deceitfulness ofMicrosoft

On the day that Brad Smith was speaking at Columbia University, New York City in early 2000s, I was unfortunately not able to attend, literally traveling with moving vans to my new home in outer New Jersey.

I never forgot however the disparaging, denigrating terms that Smith and his boss Steve Ballmer used to describe not only Linux itself, but all those involved in the development, maintenance and distribution of Linux.

Mr. Smith's statements of regret fall on deaf ears, since he declared quite belligerently and publicly that Linux infringed Microsoft software patents, threatening litigation against all those involved, but "never once" put forth any corroborating credible legal evidence to support such claim.

Worse yet, Microsoft sought and received "Platinum " membership in the Linux Foundation, yet as the company's Chief Legal Counsel never retracted it's threat or sought to explain why this charge remains un-recinded at Microsoft legal office.

Most readers of The Register will most likely not be fully aware of just how draconian and oppressive Microsoft became in attempting to thwart any efforts of hardware vendors to promote, pre-install or even test compatibility of Linux on their computer systems and supposedly forced large corporations like Boeing to pay for thousands of computer purchases with Windows only to remove and replace with Linux themselves.

There are literally dozens of stories of similar such tyrannical behavior by Microsoft to Windows hardware clients, even threatening companies like IBM with withholding all Windows configuration and development for their platforms if Linux is adopted as optional default Operating System (OS).

Fortunately my memory, and grasp of "facts" concerning Microsoft position of "Embrace, Extend and then Extinguish" for Linux - which continues to this day, has not diminished and neither Brad Smith nor Microsoft has taken any concrete, verified non self serving actions - not statement - to prove otherwise.

BoJo buckles: UK govt to cut Huawei 5G kit use 'to zero by 2023' after pressure from Tory MPs, Uncle Sam

W. Anderson

Inevitable USA ass kissing

There is no question that it was/is reasonable to be suspicious of Huawei in it's relationship to the Chinese Communist Party, but the whole issue always came back to fact that GCHQ closely examined Huawei communications services in the UK, and with new stance of Boris Johnson administration of allowing only "periphery" 5G services from Huawei, one can challenge the Tory party and others for being mentally tainted by dysfunctional Trump administration into following Trump's demands that UK bow to almost every US proclamation, no matter how unreasonable and without supporting facts.

Why is not the UK government concerned about American national Security Agency (NSA) spying - supposedly for terrorism, but decidedly for Industrial espionage as well - on Britain, and other allies for more than fifty years as was shown by exposure of US National security documents via Edward Snowden in 2013 and even more recently. Trump is desperate and anxious to distract from the horrible job being done by his cult administration in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and every other catastrophe of governance he has exuded during his three years in office.

I do not understand why the UK incessantly and blindly follows the Yanks in everything they tell Brits they must do. There is a litany of technological disasters the UK has had in embracing terrible Microsoft technologies and other American companies' products and services, without evidentiary reason, and it should stop.

Every year for the past three decades I have witnessed Brits, Europeans and every other nation for that matter being denigrated by vast amounts of Americans when it receives any foreign comment or criticism, no matter how constructive, as an ungrateful gesture since "US alone saved the planet in World War II".

Want proof, just watch every USA produced movie about the War, from John Wayne epics forward?

Huawei is not "the"enemy. Ignorance and stupidity are. The company, it's actions and services need constant and scrupulous evaluation and examination to satisfy UK and other western nations it is acting within regulations, laws and using good technological practices.

Huge if true... Trump explodes as he learns open source could erode China tech ban

W. Anderson

Trump's ignorance bespeaks a national intelligence deficit

Even if part or most of this exchange between Trump and his advisors are true, it remains plausible that no-one in that room has any intelligent or cogent idea what "Open Source Software" really is, particularly because they all use term "..give away" as if Open Source Software is "owned" by some corporation or government. Hot Sauce for his Chicken wings, that's another issue.

I have been in professional technology consulting and solution provision for more than twenty five years, specializing in Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) which has a definitive description on Wikipedia, and still, to this date most of those in technology especially involved with Microsoft Windows all their careers have no concrete concept what-so-ever of the true nature of FOSS, and could not articulate it even if you were to pay them.

Such is the general ignorance of a significant part of most societies, particularly in North America, whether technology users, politicians or average business owners, even though FOSS is infrastructure for most every bank, Financial Stock Exchange, NASA, all largest technology firms - Microsoft (yes), Google, Facebook, Twitter, IBM, Yahoo, most of USA Fortune 1000, national rail systems, US Defense Dept, Supercomputer research, Artificial Intelligence,Aerospace Industry, universities, etc, etc.

Fortunately the opposite is mainly true for Europe and many countries in Asia, where FOSS is mandated for several government regulations in Education and public services. Maybe it's because they use the Metric system - :), which is only explanation on earth that I can conclude for these jurisdictions being so much more ahead of USA, and more generally advanced in STEM/technology - like for Math, Engineering, Science and acceptance of Truth and Climate Change - and as a civilization compared to USA.

Long after Linux, Windows Server Containers finally arrive on Microsoft's Azure Kubernetes Service

W. Anderson

Only a Matter of Time

One can be assured that as soon as Microsoft achieves "full parity" of Azure Hyper-V Kubernetes with that of Linux - not if but when, expect that Microsoft will brick the superior functionality of the Linux implementation - with subtle bugs, performance slowdowns, etc, so that the current strong preferences for Linux will swing, even if less noticeably, toward Microsoft implementation to point that Linux will be the also-ran preference.

Remember the - "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish" mantra of Microsoft has never left the camp. Most current techies under 50 -60 years of age, and Microsoft worshipers with little or no good knowledge of Microsoft's in-bred distaste for not being in total and oppressive control, particularly against Linux or any other threatening technology do not fully understand the proven and documented subversive methods in Microsoft's madness.

Finally – news that something is guaranteed to be healthy and well looked-after for the next six months. That something is Windows 10 1709

W. Anderson

Microsoft is beginning to Sound like Donald Trump

I am running openSuSE Leap 15.1 as enterprise grade desktop and server, and for last 12 months- even till today has not experienced one major problem with updates and upgrades.

Microsoft on the other hand has experienced nothing but problems, both with all latest Windows 10 updates of patches for patches, and with security fixes for Windows 7, even for enterprises with subscription for such Windows version.

Like the obvious flaws in convoluted and confusing positions and non-actions coming out of the White House for this health pandemic, likewise remains the bumbling tech behemoth that never gets it's act together but always comes up smelling roses even when falling in it's own poop.

It has been reported by credible Tech media and experts in major tech firms that the Russians are eager and starting to take advantage of weaknesses in Windows 10 of workers by the tens of thousands being sent home to operate by remote access.

Even earlier in TheRegister story highlighted the significant additional costs related to such remote access practice in requirement of Enterprise subscription fees and special security configuration of Windows based remote worker PCs.

Small businesses, organizations, for example of fifty or less workers cannot afford such substantial additional financial outlays, which is never put to this category of Windows subscribers, who are most vulnerable to Russian hacks.

Only in USA can a large corporation be so loved by it's slavish citizens for producing inferior technology, which is also causing the nation to suffer double infliction by Covid-19 and Windows 10 virus pandemics.

HPE celebrated diversity on International Women's Day not with pictures of its own staff but stock images of models

W. Anderson

Large corporate crassness - as usual

Technology information readers in both UK and USA, as well as other nations, must know, once and for all that the large behemoths of technology industry, mostly from USA have never shown sensitivity and compassion, much less corporate policy and practice to ensure against sexism, racism and white male preference.

It has been disappointing to witness, after more than twenty five years in professional technology very little concrete and positive change in areas most needed.

The only hedge against this continued sick posture is the rise of women and minority own business as well as elevation of these groups to highest levels of executive power in corporations like HP, Oracle, Microsoft, Google and the rest.

I hope my grand-daughters - senior corporate attorney, executive International law firm administrator and an aspiring International speaker and environmental scientist take the mantle of executing such necessary changes permanently, so the the world can continue down path of better stewardhip.

Total Inability To Service User Pulls: GitHub wobbles with a good old Thursday TITSUP

W. Anderson

Now Windows based?

Since Microsoft purchased and now controls Github, did the company switch over it's infrastructure technology to Windows Server?

This is likely the cause if such switch took place, as did happen with Hotmail after it was purchased by Microsoft from Yahoo, which ran the e-mail service for years on FreeBSD without problems.

How the US-China trade war is felt stateside: Xilinx trims workforce after lucrative Huawei sales pipe blocked

W. Anderson

Gross ignorance, naivete and bigotry displayed amoung many Americans

The continued suggestion that USA/American firms should unilaterally take over Ericsson and Nokia and pay them what pittance Bill Barr deems appropriate is ludicrous on it's face, and particularly dangerous in intimation that USA is International dictator, from which the reactions of most Americans would suggest is acceptable.

As earlier comments clearly note, the USA spied on foe AND friends - industrial espionage, anyone? for fifty years through Crypto AG, and combining this knowledge with similar espionage revelations from official NSA documents exposed by Edward Snowden and even now most all Americans with whom I have discussed topic, even some in professional technology, are quite ambivalent - and even proud - that USA is shown as totally bigoted and destructive in it's policies and practices under the Trump Administration against any and all other countries and corporations.

There's got to be Huawei we can defeat Chinese tech giant, thinks US attorney-general. Aha, let's buy stake in Ericsson and Nokia

W. Anderson

Elephant in the Room

It is incredulous that US Attorney General Bill Barr would suggest that the USA can and should unilaterally decide to purchase - or just take over control of Finnish Nokia and Swedish Ericsson in order to provide 5G services in USA as alternative to Huawei.

Even if those companies decided to sell themselves to a USA entity, it is entirely likely that the venture will go south just like Nokia's Mobile division sale to Microsoft. The bottom line will be monopoly of American nationwide 5G service with the absolute minimum financial expenditure possible - meaning very, very little or no Research and improvements to bring 5G service in line with reliability and performance to that of Huawei.

How is that the "greatest nation in the world" (sic) cannot itself develop or produce competitive 5G service? Even Verizon mobile originally was licenses/purchased from UK Vodafone.

Plus, no-one stops to question the US Trump administration in how they can thwart Huawei without one iota of proof of company spying or wrong doing, when the US Federal government National Security Agency (NSA) is "documented" via Edward Snowden revelations of official NSA documents that USA spied on their closest allies, even smartphones of heads of state in name of International tterrorism.

Furthermore, NSA insidiously collected reams of confidential information from foreign companies that was forwarded to USA private corporations, that is clearly defined under International Law as illegal "Industrial Espionage".

So much for USA bigoted and "holier-than-thou" dictatorial attitude exhibited against every other country and peoples on this earth.

Amazon to ask court to block DoD's $10bn early Valentine's date with a Microsoft JEDI

W. Anderson

Microsoft software catastrophe

I am fully aware, from credible media posts from several sources that the Trump Administration blocked Amazon from securing a bid on any Defense Department or any other US Government Federal Government contract "Just because" Trump himself has become/is mentally unbalanced by articles in the Washington Post - owned by Jeff Bezos, who also is principle shareholder in Amazon.

Completely sick and infantile attitude by Trump, as usual.

Amazon may have obtained some excellent technical reasons in it's objections to the Microsoft deal today, January 14, 2020 - with headlines announcements on every major USA TV and print media of US National Security Agency (NSA) - for first time ever - publicly disclosing a severe vulnerability in Microsoft Operating Systems (OS) software, having roots in the company's OS cryptographics functionality being broken, allowing all sorts of hackers into controlling the entire software infrastructure.

Even under a Trump Administration strict mandate, the US Defense department would be completely brain dead to proceed with such a critical contract award for Microsoft proven crappy software.

AMD rips covers off 64-core Threadripper desktop monster, plus laptop chips, leaving Intel gesturing vaguely at 2021

W. Anderson

Re: AMD must be more broad in software support

This commenter is basically very ignorant about the technology industry in regard financial earnings.

The US Defense department alone just awarded a 10 plus billion dollar contract for Cloud Computing, which at this time is almost 100 % Intel server based. The vast majority of earnings for IBM, Oracle and other technology behemoths is in Intel data center servers . Wall Street and all USA/International Banking and Stock Exchange earnings reports for all major companies spell this out.

In what country is this person living? Even if they resided in North Korea, or Bangladesh, Myanmar or other less sophisticated, developed nation they would know this.

TheRegister needs to attract more informed readers.

W. Anderson

AMD must be more broad in software support

As n ardent AMD CPU subscriber for my personal computers and small business servers in 1990s and early 2000s, I am pleased that AMD can now offer chipset that are proven superior to anything from Intel.

However the concerns for me and many of my clients now seems to be that the company has geared all it's development towards the Microsoft Windows realm almost exclusively, thus eliminating significant adoption in the technology spheres where almost all the implementation, and therefore sales are Intel based - like Data Centers, Cloud Computing infrastructure, Supercomputing research for medical, aerospace, defense and climate change, web hosting and Mobile telecommunications data centers that all deploy Linux or BSD UNIX-like (*NIX) software.

Even in the area if graphics and 3-modeling, I am aware that "every" major animation studio now use Linux design workstations instead of Apple MacOS and even set up their rendering farms on Linux instead of Windows server - at least according to three of these large animations companies' official statements, and confirmed public knowledge that most all animated movies from Toy Story1 through 4, the Shrek series to Avatar and beyond use Linux, not Windows.

Even NASA, Airbus and Elon Musk's SpaceX company use non-Windows almost exclusively in their engineering, design and programming software models.

Why then is AMD so hung up on Microsoft Windows? - except maybe for Gaming base, which will never bring the company to substantial earning, especially in the industries mentioned above. Note: Microsoft Azure is 64% plus Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) based, including *NIX verbally enunciated by company tech executives during a SuSE Linux Expert Days conference in NYC in early and again in late November 2019.

Financial success has and always will be in enterprise and government sales, not niche enclaves.

W. Anderson

As n ardent AMD CPU subscriber for my personal computers and small business servers in 1990s and early 2000s, I am pleased that AMD can now offer chipset that are proven superior to anything from Intel.

However the concerns for me and many of my clients now seems to be that the company has geared all it's development towards the Microsoft Windows realm almost exclusively, thus eliminating significant adoption in the technology spheres where almost all the implementation, and therefore sales are Intel based - like Data Centers, Cloud Computing infrastructure, Supercomputing research for medical, aerospace, defense and climate change, web hosting and Mobile telecommunications data centers that all deploy Linux or BSD UNIX-like (*NIX) software.

Even in the area if graphics and 3-modeling, I am aware that "every" major animation studio now use Linux design workstations instead of Apple MacOS and even set up their rendering farms on Linux instead of Windows server - at least according to three of these large animations companies' official statements, and confirmed public knowledge that most all animated movies from Toy Story1 through 4, the Shrek series to Avatar and beyond use Linux, not Windows.

Even NASA, Airbus and Elon Musk's SpaceX company use non-Windows almost exclusively in their engineering, design and programming software models.

Why then is AMD so hung up on Microsoft Windows? - except maybe for Gaming base, which will never bring the company to substantial earning, especially in the industries mentioned above. Note: Microsoft Azure is 64% plus Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) based, including *NIX verbally enunciated by company tech executives during a SuSE Linux Expert Days conference in NYC in early and again in late November 2019.

Financial success has and always be in enterprise and government sales, not niche enclaves.

Microsoft engineer caught up in sudden spate of entirely coincidental grilling of Iranian-Americans at US borders

W. Anderson

Continued blatant discrimination

There is no question that USA border forces need to check and double check those passing into the country, even from Canada. However, since the Iranian origin of both husband and wife were well documented, and the husband worked for Microsoft which is significantly more easily verifiable, there is little reason to suspect that a check would take an inordinate amount of time or effort.

Furthermore, readers must remember that USA immigration/Border Patrol have exercised blatant discrimination for decades, even in recent past when Mo Farah, 2012 British Olympics champion, leading a UK government sponsored International Public Relations tour passing through USA was alone held at USA border because of his ancestry - of being born in Somalia. Of the more than 16 other western nations on the tour, the UK contingent did not experience such poor treatment or attitude in any other country.

Note that Farah's family brought him to UK at age eight, and neither he nor his parents have ever returned to that country.

Also note that Farah was the only person of colour in the British contingent, was the team leader and none of the other team members were held in custody.

I understand that even those Americans that closely follow International sports like the 2012 Olympics in London, would unlikely have an inclination to know about or remember Mo Farah as ultimately the most successful track athlete of the games, especially not being American, and non-white in that instance.

What is not but should be considered more closely is the culture and negative attitude here in USA of anti - any other country, culture or ethnicity that is not born of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant ancestry, no matter the circumstances.

This is recorded fact! - not any personal opinion

W. Anderson

A nasty pattern of discrimination however!

There is no question that USA border forces need to check and double check those passing into the country, even from Canada. However, since the Iranian origin husband and wife were well documented, and the husband worked for Microsoft which is significantly more easily verifiable, there is little reason to suspect that a check would take an inordinate amount of time or effort.

Furthermore, readers must remember that USA immigration/Border patrol have exercised blatant discrimination for decades, even in recent past when Mo Farah , 2012 British Olympic champion , leading a UK government sponsored Pub Relations trip passing through USA was alone held at USA border because of his ancestry - of being born in Somalia.

Note that Farah's family brought him to UK at age eight, and neither he nor his parents have ever returned to that country.

Also note that Farah was the only person of colour in the British contingent, was team leader and none of the other team members were held in custody.

I understand that even those Americans that closely follow International sports like the 2012 Olympics in London, would unlikely have an inclination to know about or remember Mo Farah as ultimately most successful track athlete of the games, especially not being American, and non-white in that instance.

What is not considered more closely is the culture and negative attitudes here in USA of anti - any other country, culture or ethnicity that is not born of White Anglo-Saxon protestant ancestry, no matter the circumstances.

This is recorded fact! - not any personal opinion

Two can play that game: China orders ban on US computers and software

W. Anderson

John Oates is a little behind the curve in regard having good or factual knowledge of Chinese Software technology.

Since a significant proportion of Microsoft's Cloud solution is Linux and other Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) based - more than 68% according to public, official statements by Microsoft software executives, and most all of international banking, stock exchanges, Web/networking infrastructure, AI research, Medical research, aerospace and defense research, transportation, et al is Linux and FOSS based, the Chinese are not at any serious disadvantage.

Linux based laptop and desktop operating system (OS) technology has reached par and even gone substantially beyond Microsoft Windows 10 - to the point that Microsoft has implemented Linux subsystems and even produced the company's own Linux distribution. This is without mentioning ChromeOS that runs Chromebooks with Linux kernel that now powers more than 53% of all USA school systems and is directly available to China, as well as any other country.

Americans and their British dupes need to get a grip on reality in accepting that Western nations, particularly the USA no longer control the bulk of critical technology industries.

Yeah, yeah, PCs are dead? Ask Texan Mick and his Dell empire if that's the case

W. Anderson

Windows malware catastrophe causes Dell adultery.

What is interesting about Dell's robust "PC" Sales in comparison to weak Server sales they are experiencing - in comparison to competitors' robust Server/Data Center sales, is that the plague of Ransomeware malware that is ravaging the USA is attributed directly to Microsoft Windows "ONLY", so Dell's fortunes on edge computing may very well be a contributing agent of this Cyber Security cancer.

Possibly one reason Dell is 'partnering with Google to provide "Enterprise Grade" Chromebooks as hedge against epidemic of attacks through their 'until now' favourite Redmond OS, along with offering Ubuntu Linux "pre-installed" on several more laptops and desktop PCs.

That is, until Microsoft clamps down harshly on their adultery.

'Not productive for our business'... Michael Dell urges end to US-China tariff tit-for-tat spat

W. Anderson

It has been ascertained Yesterday - August 26 that there was no such telephone communications from Chinese government to Donald Trump in regard "China wanting to make a deal" on Trade and Tariffs. This was a blatant lie from Mr. Trump, and unfortunately markets are reacting to false information, which can only exacerbate any trade talks that may occur between nations.

In the long run, USA will lose significant global business as companies like Huawei transition to RISC-V Chipsets, and non-American software - Windows and Android Mobile OS, to Linux / BSD UNIX-like more broadly and Sailfish and other proven Mobile software.

Unfortunate the Trump administration and a substantial proportion of US citizenry have long been delusional on "software" technology like Linux that is created and moved immediately at will, thinking that Microsoft still ruled the world. Even the Internet as we know it may change with China, Russia and others like Iran, North Korea, Cuba, some Central and South American countries and several African countries moving to such new Internet model that is incompatible with Western DARPA developed communication infrastructure.

Chaos is at hand, and no one knows how to deal with it, particularly USA administration.

Still fewer Windows 10 devices out there than Instagrammer Kylie Jenner has dollars

W. Anderson

Quantity versus quality propaganda

For generations, the concept of quantity and/or size has been put forth - particularly in USA, as more important criteria, even most important criteria than that of quality, and in some cases initial or long term value.

Years ago Chevrolet produced more Chevy Cavalier cars than did Honda for the Accord, yet no sane or knowledgeable person would ever conclude that the Cavalier was better than the Honda accord, by any measure.

Unfortunately, just as millions of Americans, and some in other countries blindly and nonsensically accept - without rational thinking the disjointed political philosophies and false concepts of those whom they wish to follow, millions of Windows 10 users "automatically" think that Windows 10 is superior just because of the 800 million number, and even parrot that figure as world’s greatest achievement.

Hackers, whether nefarious characters or even governments will continue to exploit the severe security and reliability weaknesses in Windows 10 or Server, simply because Microsoft and Bill Gates are American icons, and that no other desktop Operating System (OS) comes anywhere near 800 million users - which in most cases has little relevancy in intelligent, business or technological decision making on choice of using Windows 10.

Android and Apple iOS tablets have jointly replaced billions of Windows desktops in every area of technology (desktop type ) use, which Windows fanatics and dupes do not wish to talk about or recognize as reality.

IBM so very, very sorry after jobs page casually asks hopefuls: Are you white, black... or yellow?

W. Anderson

Re: Race Obsessed

Unfortunately the harsh reality of racism in USA is not on your side.

First the excuse that blacks are racist against whites. Disdain for racist attitudes and actions against oneself by whites cannot in any description in English language be describes as reverse racism which is a false argument and lame excuse from white Americans.

Furthermore, a credible, comprehensive International/USA study released about two and half years ago revealed, that - "Germany after Nazism and South Africa after Apartheid had made significantly more progress toward true Equality, NOT tolerance, than had the USA in more than one hundred and thirty five years"".

The study did not cover issues of economics, nor did the study proclaim that either Germany or South Africa had achieved any level of racial nirvana, just "greater progress".

W. Anderson

Race Obsessed

Unfortunately the USA remains obsessed by racial divide, and it therefore does not matter how strong are corporate policies and practices put in place to try override this divide, there will always be prejudices expressed since it is not possible to eliminate racism - no matter how Herculean the effort.

Besides which, it is unrealistic for any sane person to expect great progress in racial equality after hundreds of years of slavery and racial animus against Native Americans, including Eskimos, Latinos and Asians.

IBM cannot be immunized from that factual histry and present. Racism is part of American DNA.

Want to spin up Ubuntu VMs from Windows 10's command line, eh? We'll need to see a Multipass

W. Anderson

backward concept

The clear case has never been made for installing Linux or a Linux subsystem "inside" Windows 10 as the convoluted process as described above leaves everything to be desired.

On the other hand, installing Linux as a "dual boot" in it's own parttion on a Windows 10 computer has proven to be simpler and significantly more efficient and reliable than the nonsense explained in this article.

The whole concept of Linux "inside" Windows is cogently noted by statement from an IBM Fellow some years ago as (paraphrasing) "building a stone or brick house (Libux) on a wood or twigs foundation (Windows). Nonsensical in it's core precept".

Windows only users certainly need to get a life.

Microsoft's 2018, part 1: Open source, wobbly Windows and everyone's going to the cloud

W. Anderson

Re: The flaws in Intel's silicon?

Yes, but Microsoft even made a cock-up of the Spectre and Meltdown fixes via Operating System (OS) software, as clearly explained and declared by Linus Torvalds, since Linux did not, nor does notcontinue to experiences the failures of Windows in that regard.

So much for having Intel to blame for all the Windows catastrophes.

W. Anderson

Re: Microsoft disasterous year, again

I have substantial UNIX/Linux experience, and even represented SuSE Linux out of Germany before it was purchased by an American company.

However that does not, nor can it be translated by any stretch of imagination as being more expert with Linux kernel that the "creator" of Linux - Linux Torvalds, especially as a dreaded Microsoft engineer that cannot solve Windows perpetual catastrophes.

Microsoft dupes continue to astound as completely ignorant and disconnected with reality in regard many aspects of technology, particularly and clearly in case like this.

W. Anderson

Microsoft disasterous year, again

What is so intriguing about this story and several others on Microsoft in last 6 months or so, is that in one article about Microsoft developing System tools for Linux (strange), which Linus Torvalds thought was presumptuous since Redmond never had deep expert experience on any critical Linux kernel issues, one commenter chose to deride Linus as less knowledgeable about Linux than Microsoft Senior software developer of Linux system Tools.

Even when I challenged this commenter about the logic and sheer gall of thinking that a Microsoft engineer knew more about Linux than the creator and maintainer of Linux kernel, he blew his stack and declared Microsoft as best Operating System (OS) developer on earth.

By coincidence, withing a few weeks new Windows 10 1809 update crashed hundreds of thousands of computers, and the fix to fix the fix did same some weeks later. it was even a repeat disaster performance a few weeks after that. So much for the complete lack of competence of Microsoft - in year 2018 or anytime before to be the best in software technology.

Microsoft dupes however remain loyal ignoramus-es, much like Donald Trump supporters.

Microsoft Surface kicks dust in face of Apple iPad Pro in Q3

W. Anderson

Recently I visited the Microsoft Store on 5th Avenue and 53rd street in New York City, USA, and at least two salespersons indicated that the Huawei Mate Notebook is their best seller, even over the Surface Pro. Shows how reality can be harsh for Microsofties.

I am aware that I can also install Linux easily on the Huawei Mate Notebook, which is an enticing thought for replacing my current device.

W. Anderson

Like a Ferrari than only runs on 20 Octane gas

Windows 10 has been an absolute disaster, recently in update/upgrade fiasco , myriad problems with Edge breakage and many other severe issues over the past year, even past two to three years.

Therefore no matter what great features the article writer may attribute to Microsoft Surface (hardware) as compared to Apple iPad, the Microsoft brand remains unworthy of praise as superior to any competition.

There is an old saying in most western societies that proves true in every case - "A chain is only as strong as it's weakest Link" and Microsoft Windows - on any platform is thus a weak link.

Amazon announce that it sold more Chromebooks in the past three Thanksgiving to Christmas shopping seasons than every brand and model of Windows computers combined". Furthermore 53 plus percent of US school systems chose Chromebooks over Windows Surface/PCs and with newly announce feature of ChromeOS now able to simply install and run Linux applications, Windows frailty and thus Surface tablets look even less appealing.

Microsoft points to a golden future where you can make Windows 10 your own

W. Anderson

Welcome option

This offering would be welcome for me since I do not use any Microsoft specific applications on my Windows 10 Laptop, preferring instead to use a plethora of better quality and more reliable and Secure Free/Open Source Software (FOSS).

Plus I get familiarity of these FOSS applications on the Linux "Dual Boot" partition on my computer.

SUSE and Microsoft give enterprise Linux an Azure tune-up

W. Anderson

SuSE demise?!

As a long time commercial reseller of the venerable SuSE Linux Enterprise edition, I was elated when the ownership reverted back to a non_Microsoft affiliated, controlled or unduly influenced independent entity, and now this reversion to Microsoft cooperation bodes ominous for a SuSe that could and has made significant advances in performances and enterprise sales with SAP, Ericsson and other large European and Asian corporations clientsfor their infrastructure technologies.

SuSE has also worked extensively with several Openstack based Cloud Computing solutions providers.

Make no mistake, Microsoft will go to no end, irrespective of time or costs to envelope any significant Linux threat or competition, and co-opting is just one of their bags of worm tricks.

There are no circumstances that I would deploy Suse Enterprise server tuned for Azure, or any other Microsoft technology, none of which we support or use.

Linux 4.18 arrives fashionably late while Zorin OS shines up its Windows

W. Anderson

More options are some times very good

As a twenty year plus Linux and BSD UNIX-like user and professional technologist, I applaud Zorin for their efforts as offering another option - Linux distribution/version for moving more common computer users away from the horrendous Windows ecosystem - whether XP/Win-7/8 or Windows 10.

I have installed Zorin -11 and 12 on business clients' desktops, who were instantly comfortable with the familiarity to previous Windows 7 desktops, and felt more secure in the option of purchasing - very reasonably priced - technical support.

In many cases, Zorin or Linuxmint users at the start, will move on to trying other more technically oriented Linux or a BSD distributions, once they are bitten by the superiority - in every sense - of Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) Operating System (OS) bug.

Microsoft will ‘lose developers for a generation’ if it stuffs up GitHub, says future CEO

W. Anderson

Microsoft Wins against multi-platform and FOSS development

For every credible, world class developer whose target is "platform agnostics" that Microsoft dismisses to make Github more Windows/Microsoft centric and thus moves to another developer base, Microsoft will gain ten Windows/Microsoft software only developers to ultimately make Github its 100% Microsoft replacement developer community.

Microsoft only developers do not give a rat's anus about cross-platform development or any other non-Microsoft based development (like FOSS), so they will flock to their heroine's feet in a flash.

Just look at abysmal adoption of and move to (overwhelmingly popular) Eclipse multi-platform developer environment by Microsoft only developers, even as it offered significant developer advantages to those said developers.

Cheap-ish. Not Intel. Nice graphics. Pick, er, 3: AMD touts Ryzen Pro processors for business

W. Anderson

Microsoft priority for "business" ryzen flawed

While an ardent AMD supporter in the past, I cannot continue such trend with new Ryzen chips that are quirky running business Linux distributions - Ubuntu, Redhat and SuSE, while the company bends over backward for Microsoft - re: "supports Microsoft's Windows 10 Enterprise Security.", and never mentions efforts to provide "similar/equivalent" first class support for Linux, even on server lines.

I realize that Microsoft Windows desktops dominate that space, but Linux Servers completely swamp Windows servers in every respect - performance/flexibility, sales - particularly Server farms, reliability and security, not to mention 'compulsory' Docker Container support, so there is no Godly reason for AMD to neglect Linux in their concentrated effort just to kiss Microsoft's butt.

Fork it! Microsoft adds .NET Core 3.0 including Windows Desktop apps

W. Anderson

Microsoft becoming Donald Trump

This article is one of the very few technology articles ever read that is totally confusing and disjointed as regards road map and plans for Microsoft going forward.

Just yesterday thje company announced Aps for Apple iOS and Android that "supposedly" provides a "Windows-like" experience for users of those mobile devices.

Cannot Microsoft understand that they "LOST OUT" in Mobile /Social Media computing and large data center worlds and every week more and more Linux, BSD UNIX-like and other Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) is being integrated into Azure Cloud and Windows 10 desktop.

I cannot believe the reports - even from credible tech media - that Microsoft now has it's own Linux distribution.

What's Next, Windows 10 or 11 or 12 discovered running exclusively on their new Linux base?

The company is sick, and needs to see a shrink!

Fresh docs detail 10-year link between Geek Squad informers and Feds

W. Anderson

Amateur detectives

It is bad enough than many of Geek Squad technicians are 'amateur' at best in technical capability, so a $$money incentive from FBI would therefore be easy to get results that may not and probably will not be legitimate.

How will Geek squad pimp on user of a Chromebook where any data is stored on remote servers, and therefore inaccessible to Geek squad technicians.

This reality sounds so ridiculous as to be fiction, which is is not.

Huawei guns for Apple with Mac-alike Matebook X

W. Anderson

One omre incredible option, would be nice!

Just one more incredible option would be nice. Choice of Windows 10 or any one of the professional, full function Desktop Linux distributions - like SuSE, Redhat or Ubuntu - that offer (full) corporate support and updates/upgrades.

While IBM, Google, Oracle and many other large corporations, as well as governments and enterprises in Europe and elsewhere do use significant amounts of Linux desktop, a solid offering from Huawei to savvy end users would be nice.

Dell's Linux laptop is incomplete, with little or no hardware support from Dell comparable to that for Windows.

Kentucky gov: Violent video games, not guns, to blame for Florida school massacre

W. Anderson

Re: I know what trump is thinking

The writer of this comment is "obviously" an American or American gun mentality sympathizer.

As is clearly explains in dozens of other comments, many other countries that are "so-called" developed nations do not have this ridiculous mass murder of innocent citizens (children) problem.

Many if not most Americans always extrapolate any very negative situation at home to be equivalent to or better than bad situations in other countries undergoing civil war, terrorism or complete chaos - just like what's happening in good 'ole USA.

The convenient saying of "Misery Loves Company" is appropriate for crass excuses from Americans, claiming they live in "Greatest nation on Earth", is "Exceptional" (I guess meaning better than any other) and "with Freedom and justice for All". (sic)

W. Anderson

Reality Check

The governor of Kentucky must have forgotten that most of the "violent " video Games that he refers to have AR15 type "mass killing Assault Rifles as primary weapon, the same as used by the Florida school shooter and most of the other hundreds of mass killings/murders in USA in last two or more decades.

Just how effective would violent games be as an inspiration to all these nut cases for carrying out mass murder, if they could not "easily" get their hands on anything other than a switch-blade or broom handle as weapons?

When USA State Governors and Congressional politicians are idiotic, supporting a totally dysfunctional President of the country, what chance do sane citizens have against violence by crackpots.

Dell soups up low-end Data Domain deduper

W. Anderson

What software runs this Dell storage?

I would be curious to know what software technology Dell used for this Storage technology, since it is generally understood that ZFS is the indisputable OS File System, and large capacity storage software like Ceph are the standard, while Dell is predominantly a Windows software only vendor.

Yay, it's power play day: Conaway prays USA says 'no way' to Huawei

W. Anderson

Return of stupid American paranoid thinking on technology

These new Congressional Bills demonstrate the idiocy of thinking here in the USA regarding bans against Huawei, ZTE and other Chinese companies that the USA "think" (but not know) may covertly send technology information to Beijing, at the same time "knowing" that the USA National Security Agency (NSA) "actually" and illegally (by International Laws) spied on friend and partner Democracies and every one else, to the exclusive benefit of USA only, including for Industrial Espionage.

What is the USA going to do if Canada, "most of" European countries, Australia and major Asian nations adopt any one or more of Huawei or ZTE technologies for their governments' official communications technology platforms? Will the USA refuse to communicate with these jurisdictions, unless they adopt USA only technology?

Idiotic thinking here in USA is spreading faster than the actual adoption of Chinese communications technologies by major and thousands of smaller American corporations and organizations.

What to do?

Security hole in AMD CPUs' hidden secure processor code revealed ahead of patches

W. Anderson

What about Sparc and Power chips?

None of the many articles published on the Intel Meltdown and Spectre chip bugs, and now this story on AMD CPU bug have indicating any research or questioning similar type bugs in Oracle SPARC chips as well as the IBM designed Power8 and Power9 CPUs.

This is amateur and incomplete reporting at it;s most egregious, and the complete story on all possible major CPU designs, irrespective of "popularity" or how famous the USA company standing is needs to be examined.

All the AIs NVMe, says IBM: Claims POWER9s + InfiniBand brainier than COTS

W. Anderson

Unprejudiced software support is good reason for IBM consideration.

One thing IBM is doing right is providing "complete and strong" support for Redhat, Suse Enterprise and Ubuntu Linux on Powr9 servers, that both HP and Dell omit, directing customers get any Linux support from Linux vendors instead..

In past year, several small businesses, including a three location Pharmacy, a small private college (two thousand students), and an International Trading organization were strongly discouraged by both HP and Dell business sales teams form using Linux on their servers, even denigrating use of Linux in comparison to Windows Server, for which these companies partner with Microsoft.

What better reason to purchase from vendor/Manufacturer that supports best solution for client.

Microsoft Surface Book 2: Electric Boogaloo. Bigger, badder, better

W. Anderson

Re: Great Handware, but!

You miss my point.

A stable, strongly supported and advanced Linux distribution was the intent. Arch was an example.

CentOS, openSuse and Ubuntu/Debain base are viable distributions that are infinitely more powerful, reliable, more secure, flexible and scalable than "any" iteration of Windows, including latest windows 10X, and both Free/Open Source Software.

And before the Micro-dupes wade in about easy to use, intuitive Graphical User Interfaces, that argument against Linux has long "died, a horrible death", based on "facts and reality"

W. Anderson

Great Handware, but!

No doubt the new Microsoft SurfaceBooks 2 is an impressive piece of hardware.

However, since all computer hardware is just an anvil without "good or excellent" software, the Surfacebook is at a disadvantage by running Windows 10, 11 or whatever.

The Apple MacOS is significantly superior to Windows in Power, Reliability, and scalability, not to mention many of the latest Linux distributions that overwhelm Windows in every sphere of comparison.

Don't forget, Linux runs NASA Mars and Moon landing equipment, as well as the organizations infrastructure, Boeing, Airbus and SpaceX technology departments, "All" fastest Supercomputers on earth, all graphical departments of major Movie studios, Asian Rail systems and just about any technology computing tasks requiring the most and best capability.

Maybe Microsoft would be better served by running e.g Arch Linux "natively" on Surfacebook for "best Value" overall.

Lap-slabtop-mobes with Snapdragon Arm CPUs running Windows 10: We had a quick gander

W. Anderson

Continued suport for Microsoft crap software!

These companies seem to become more desperate in attempting to keep Windows Mobile relevant in the age of Android and Apple iOS, and soon resurgent Linux Mobile OS.

Whether they will succeed, even minimally is anyone's guess, but I would not put my money or trust in Microsoft OS software.

All the Ransomeware, Viruses, Trojans and Worms belong to Microsoft OS. Do governments and countries really want to continue down this path of Cyber destruction?

AMD, Intel hate Nvidia so much they're building a laptop chip to spite it

W. Anderson

Screwed Again?

Just when AMD appeared to be getting it's act "almost" together - licking Microsoft's anus at the expense of full Linux compatibility and operation is the block buster impediment, they move to get screwed by Intel AGAIN!!.

Once Intel has a complete understanding, full technical specifications and grasp of AMD's Radeon GPU technology, the partnership will dissolve - in about 12 - 15 months, and Intel will announce and produce their own Radeon killer that may, or may not compete fully with Nvidia.

In any case, such development will surely put AMD in last place AGAIN.

US Congress mulls first 'hack back' revenge law. And yup, you can guess what it'll let people do

W. Anderson

stupider and stupider

Those two members of US Congress and many others in both House (of Representatives) and Senate are just as daft as their President to put forth such stupid, unenforceable Bill.

THE US CIA, FBI, Department of Defense, European and Asian security agencies, nor any of the top technology companies in the world cannot prove - without question and with full verification - who hacked them, how in God's name is an individual or and other entity going to bring about a legitimate counter-hack result.

The idiocy of Donald Trump is apparently rubbing off very quickly and completely onto Republican law makers.

Computers4Christians miraculously appears on Ubuntu wiki

W. Anderson

An Open Source "Operating System" has no direct technological connection to any religion.

C4C maybe in breach of FSF License policy by calling their OS "Christian OS", when in fact it is correctly Lubuntu (Ubuntu based) configured for "Christians" terms and uses.

Even then, if Arian Nation, Skin heads and White Supremists use this OS as "Christians", how does this speak to the image of Christian Religion.

I am confident that if Muslim "Jihadists" terrorists configured Ubuntu for their perspective and teachings of Islam with an "Jihadist OS", then Christians and US/UK governments would be all over Canonical (owners of Ubuntu) about denouncing use of Ubuntu under such terms.

Paris nightclub red-faced after booze-for-boobs offer exposed

W. Anderson

Limit to blaming bar staff

While to offer of free drinks for popping boobs may have a tait of sexism for most, the female making complaint could not, and any circumstances blame rthe bar should the participating women drink excessively, since these women are responsible for their own behavior., whether exposing their tits for Free drink or over indulging.

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