Posts by Eadon
2399 posts • joined Monday 3rd August 2009 06:33 GMT
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Re: Change the f*cking record @Eadon
@Flatpackhamster I added the caveat - "for the most part"
In any case, the respondents to my comments do not use technical or engineering arguments (they simply attack me personally, often with much hostility), and when an attempt to tackle engineering points is made, then the pro-MS gang come up with school boy mistakes (or misinformation) such as counting vulnerabilities is the way to measure security.
That is irrefutable. Simplest explanation is astroturfer activity.
MS ulterior motive for its weird UI
MS were (are) worried about LibreOffice (and similar) essentially doing anything most businesses need, so MS brought in the Ribbon interface to get people "hooked" on that, so MS can say, hey, you need to train people to use "LibreOffice" because it does not have a ribbon.
BUT - suddenly the world goes mobile (!) and the ribbon becomes a liability! This is because the ribbon is fiddly, takes up a lot of screen real estate and has controls that require precise mouse control. The ribbon is not designed for fingers on a screen use.
Microsoft are all over the place - on the one hand they've gone minimalist with Metro - but on the other hand they have the Ribbon that is the opposite of minimalist. (maximalist?). Office 7 is trying to make a maximalist UI (ribbon) into a minimalist one (Metro). It's like trying to make an elephant into a mouse and compromising on a baby elephant or a beaver :)
My Little Pony burger
I quite like the idea of a My Little Pony burger myself.
But I tell thee this, I'd not want my horse steak contaminated by McDonalds burger, that stuff makes you sickly and fat (Allegedly)
Re: IMHO, MS Office 13 has a largely anti-productivity UI
@TonyJ,
The ribbon does make some things more discoverable, that's true, and I would have no complaints if they had a toggle option between ribbon and toolbar/menu.
However, I find that the ribbon also makes some things *less* discoverable. That's because some commands always seem to elude me in the ribbon, they're not where you think they should be, and I go hunting around clicking on tabs and looking at ribbon buttons. This takes longer than scanning menus.
I'm about as geeky and technical as they come. And the ribbon is hard to use for me in general compared to toolbars and menus because it takes more fishing about and is all too often fairly counter intuitive.
A curious thing though. The ribbon is a nightmare for a touch interface, and what we see in Office 2013 seems to be a very uneasy compromise between touch and ribbonyness. The only way to make a ribbon interface touch friendly is to make it big, and that swallows up precious mobile gadget screen real estate. Ooops!
OFFICE FAIL.
Re: Off topic: Astroturfing
@FrankAlphaXII - au contraire - the even richer irony has evidently escaped you!
Fast connections
China mandates fibre, no messing about! Why can't Europe?
Six months?
Six months, even if true, is still insane. The guy have been given a medal - the outrage is that research is not open access in the first place. Academia used to be about freedom and sharing, but it's becoming increasingly corporate and secretive. Worse it's using lawyers to sue people over IP. Universities are becoming patent trolls.
IMHO, MS Office 13 has a largely anti-productivity UI
MS Office has a kind of weird UI that is part Metro / part Google Docs copy / part Ribbon. I am dreading having to use it, the ribbon alone is a hindrance to productivity. (Compared to, say, LibreOffice with menus and toolbars)
To my pro-MS friends, that's my personal subjective opinion, yours may be different, and that's fine. So live with it.
Re: Ms Fail?
Choice is, buy a MS computer and live with the inevitable infections, or install AV, that steals your CPU cycles and memory and thrashes your disk to death. Then get infected anyway sooner or later, when AV misses some trick that the virus-writers have created.
Virus writers write viruses to evade the very AV systems that are supposed to be protecting your system. When they succeed, you are at their mercy.
Elephant in the room - only Windows needs AV.
What people overlook is that it's 2013 - only Microsoft systems need virus protection. MS can't fix the issue without breaking apps, so it's constantly having to rely on anti-virus software.
Anti-Virus software is a whack-a-mole to prevent someone infecting your Windows installation. The entire windows security system is unprofessional and not fit for purpose. People accept it because they are used to it.
No doubt some @AC's will come along and make up some misinformation/ fallacies that involve conflating viruses with malware and trojans.
Re: Change the f*cking record @Eadon
@AC who says, "Microsoft's code has fewer vulnerabilities than most competitors these days..."
That's exactly what I mean, when the pro-Microsoft camp here are not engineers nor are they technical for the most part. Are you saying that Microsoft's code is more secure than Apple's? Than Google's? Than Linux code? You're wrong. MS relies on security by obscurity and they are constantly having to patch *critical* vulnerabilities. Don't just stand there, patch and reboot!
As for "fewer vulnerabilities" is often comparing Windows, An OS, with a Linux distro, that includes all the apps, such as LibreOffice etc.
And one critical vulnerability, where just using Windows on the web can get you infected can be worse than a thousand minor vulnerabilities that require a user to jump through complex hoops.
So counting vulnerabilities is not the correct way to measure security. This is why I come here, to give engineering counterpoint to all the Pro-MS astroturfers.
Re: Change the f*cking record @Eadon
I make a point based on logic and engineering. The respondents simply attack my character. The register really needs to crack down on these rather banal personal attacks.
Re: Overcrowded Market
@km123 you say, "The latest version of Ubuntu 12 just about runs on my Dual core Centrino Duo laptop"
Unless something pathological is wrong, if you change your window manager to something like XCFE or E17 - then you will find your Ubuntu will run absolutely fine on low spec hardware, without much reduction in functionality (depending on what you like).
If you use a heavyweight window manager that has lots of eye candy, that will slow you down, but people like eye candy and expect it.
Cheers
Big data
The temptation to store huge quantities of data increases every year. compounded by the big data revolution whereby you can just chuck stuff on a big disk then query it with map reduce / hadoop, for data mining purposes. Not so efficient but then again, nor is carefully designing database schemata that can quickly become obsolete sometimes the best strategy either (over engineering). It all depends on what the data will be used for and how valuable it is. And of course how much there is and how fast you need to query it. Devils lurk in the details of course.
Re: Change the f*cking record
Why the ill-tempered bad manners? Weird.
Re: Off topic: Astroturfing
@Uwe Dippel - Astroturfing here is a huge problem. If you go to reviews of servers, the engineers will point out that Windows has massive downsides compared to a well-engineered system such as Linux. The shills get involved and downvote the engineers. Some of them post as AC (but a smaller number using genuine handles) and, instead of debating the facts, instead they post personal attacks.
Many of the pro-Microsoft commenters write extremely nasty insults, in their unpleasant desperation to smear the engineering guys.
Also, the completely clueless remarks made by the Pro-Microsoft shills, about windows being more secure, etc etc are voted up, as are the comments that contain nothing but ad hom attacks and straw man attack fallacies.
This comment will, of course, become self-fulfilling as everyone gamely votes me down :D (I am always right).
Re: Android?
Windows 8 Embedded is a joke.
Re: Overcrowded Market
@km123 - back in 2000 Linux was faster than Windows. Linux has *always* been faster than Windows. Installation was not as easy in those days due to lack of hardware support but that problem has gone away. Another problem that went away was RPM hell - package managers fixed that. So now Linux is almost perfect, really, as an OS. Only power management needs improving.
To say Linux was slow is a misunderstanding or a lie. Now, of course, Linux even faster, but even back then it was fast. Torvalds has never written anything slow (or permitted slowness into the kernel) . One thing is for sure, Win2000 ran faster than Win 7 and Win 8 do today, but Linux has always been faster than Win 2000 - this is not a my word vs your word exaggeration, but fact, look it up on the net.
Ad spend on mobile - Microsoft FAIL.
Microsoft is stuck with desktop ad revenue with Bing. Meanwhile Google have once again trumped MS, and to a lesser extent, Apple, by taking over the Mobile market. So most searches and Ads will garner Google some ad revenue.
That's scary but it's also audacious, Google are nothing if not visionary. They were overshadowed by Jobs but they've done excellently at predicting / creating the mobile market.
Meanwhile, MS has a $2 billion losses per year white elephant around its neck, called Bing, which is going nowhere fast, and certainly nowhere near mobile (aside from a few crumbs here and there left over from Google's and Apple's dinner plate).
The more one examines mobile, the more the failure of Microsoft to be a player in this space looks serious for MS. It's a double whammy - revenues from contracts/kit/services and revenue from Ads. On a related subject, MS are not getting the valuable "big data" from mobile users either, which puts it in a worse position to compete.
Flame away pro-MS AC's, but I'd love to see you find fault with my logic.
Skype will become an increasingly worrying security hole now MS owns it.
Now it's owned by Microsoft it will become increasingly riddled with security holes. MS just don't seem motivated to write secure code, their modus operandi is to ship as fast as they can and worry about bugs in later patches.
Re: Overcrowded Market
@km123 - you're stuck in the Windows world. All the innovation is being done by Linux, Android, iOS and OSX.
In other words by the UNIX guys do the innovation. Microsoft do nothing but copy what those guys are doing (and patent troll them).
Re: But what of the
I give you Spock!
Android?
Why are they putting Android on here, rather than Linux? I guess it's to appeal to a different market from the Raspi.
One thing's for sure, for all those Pro-MS guys here, I have a question. If Win 8 is so fast, why aren't MS releasing this type of product?
To answer my own rhetorical question - Bloat. MS struggled to squeeze windows on Notebooks... (and when they did, they killed the market).
Bubble universes
The more we are locked into online sites such as FB, the more we exist in bubbles, aware only of what the likes of FB, Google, etc want to tell us, and they want to tell us what we want to hear.
Sadly this has a sycophantic effect on us, to reinforce our world view. Scary really. A REAL social network that did not filter might seem relatively harsh to most, a step outside of the comfort zone.
In any case, we are living in bubbles and with HMV and its like vanishing, it's harder to find what is outside of those bubbles - scary indeed. Particularly for people on the outside, independent artists, who may have trouble breaking into the bubble.
Iron man smugness
Is it just me that finds the smug geezer that plays Iron man to be somewhat annoying?
Maybe it's just me, but I prefer my engineers to be geeky, not "kool".
Agenda
The agenda of the politicians is to disarm the population, and to reduce freedoms. That's what has to be critical here, the corrosion of the very constitution that is there to prevent politicians acting corruptly.
Distros - quickie analysis
Fedora is a kind of bleeding edge distro for the more geeky / adventurous.
Ubuntu has lost its way with this Gnome 3 / windows8 disease of UI dumbing down: the accursed Unity UI (though Unity does have some strong points, and, being linux, it's easy to change your UI to something else).
Linux Mint seems to be the new Ubuntu - user friendly and does everything out of the box.
The gnome 2 fork, Mate is excellent. I might give E17 a spin at some point and KDE is looking good again.
ANY of these distros pre-installed on desktops/laptops with fair pricing would sell well! The year of Linux on the Desktop depends on when MS loses its iron-grip on the OEMs. Of course ANdroid is also poised.
Corporate tax dodgers
I wonder how much our personal tax could be cut if these foreign companies that profit from us are made to pay their tax.
Bah!
Strings attached
Still, a bit open is better than 100% closed.
Re: Open source vs proprietary
It's closed source though.
Re: Linux is the best OS
@AC and Mike Hock
As no one seems to understand the nature of computing, nor is able to refute my points, then it is legitimate to make the points I make, which, incidentally, are far more diverse then you make out. Your tactic is to attack me instead of refuting the points that I make. It's a cheap shot. That counts double for the AC sniveling cowards.
Re: Gnome???
I too tried Gnome 3 - on a Fedora distro, the one before this one - wanting to like it too. But I gave up and returned to - and installed - Linux Mint instead. Which I am v happy with!
gov copying china
Censoring the web.
Re: "Spend more time with his family"
At a certain level, you're not usually officially fired unless there is a public scandal.. About the closest to it you can get is Sinofky getting fired over Win 8.
Microsoft Stores execs must be worried then ;-)
Imagine what Apple top brass would do if their stores were deserted and sold bugger all, like Microsoft's stores.
Copyright law needs fixing
It has for too long been made too powerful by "MAFFIA" lobbyists such as the RIAA and MPAA. Now this is leading to suicides based on copyright of science research done using pubic money.
In the entertainment industry, for example, copyright law has already led to countless legal extortion claims against file sharers who are told to cough up $3K or be ruined. As it stands copyright law is abused by large corporations that use the RIAA, MPAA and the like to do their dirty work, to prevent bad PR.
Win 8 death star causes mass destruction
Evil Windows 8 Operating System destroys entire desktop market and drives everybody mad with one single deadly launch!
Beware Darth Balmer, who will "f*cking kill" the Google The Hutt
Send in the Jedi Androids to save the Galaxy with their open source Linux Sabres!
Bankers
Maybe they see an opportunity for pushing Dell towards Linux and Android desktops. Whoever takes the plunge first might make it big.
There is more money in Android these days.
Re: Open source vs proprietary
An architect would need to take a more complex view than having ticks in 2 of those 3 boxes. The problem domain might decree one or more of those boxes are mandatory, plus there may be overriding factors.
That software is open source is an increasingly important advantage as more techies become aware of those advantages and managers too realise the relative reduction in risks and costs.
Linux is the best OS
Yes, this is something of a fanboi post, but I give reasonable engineering pointers.
There is no doubt about this. Firstly it is open source, a huge advantage. Secondly it is technically excellent, wit the likes of IBM, Redhat and a plethora of huge technology companies developing for it. The second point wouldn't be so meaningful were it not for the third point - the excellent quality control provided by Torvalds.
Linux was always better than Windows, the latter being essentially a toy operating system. But that's fun now is that although Linux continues to improve, Windows, in many ways, is undergoing dumbing down and degradation - see Windows 8 / Metro.
My personal fave is Linux Mint as it does more out of the box than Fedora, which is constrained by insane US software patent and other pathological laws.
Alternate reality
I just made a comment, and, at time of writing not only did AC's agree with me, they put forward insightful and excellent comments. Goes to show that not all AC's are pro-MS shills.
Open Source culture vs Corporate culture
Corporations will often have an agenda, and put a lot of stuff into projects that might not be as generically coded as they could be.
This is why open source projects need powerful leaders, such as Torvalds, who can keep a balance between short term adhock corporate requirements and generic requirements (which in the long term benefit corporations in any case).
Re: I shouldn't post this, but it's too tempting...
@I ain't Sparticus or Knowledgable - Very funny Spartacus. But the only reason Linux isn't ruling the desktop is that MS makes sure OEMs do not install it, using their monopolistic leverage.
10% of the population buy expensive Macs to escape this.
2% go to the trouble of installing Linux.
But the machines only come with Windows (except Macs). An exception was the wildly popular Linux on Notebooks - until MS killed that too by tellign OEMs not to put Linux on Notebooks.
Re: How bad can it be?
Sorting out privacy? Sounds like an Orwellian euphemism if ever there was one! What does that mean??? Sorting out privacy?
Re: Whatever it is, itl rape your privacy that little bit more
@JDX - that's naive. It's not just useful things they do with your data.
FB product
A Fune?
Re: Excellent!!!
@Streaky - you told true and they voted you down.
Re: This will change things
@Dave 126 - 0D refers to a point - which a buckyball approximates to, relative to nano tubes (line) and graphene (sheet). I guess you're the one that should be reading, and may I recommend archimedes over plato for geometry.
"Internet Explorer isn't that bad nowadays" - Yes it is.
IE is still bad, always has been, always will be bad. Microsoft are unable to write good software, history teaches this much. Despite being the browser that comes with Windows - people prefer the alternatives and go to the trouble of seeking and using them. The market has spoken.
Web developers say that they develop sites for generic browsers, then have to spend half as much time again getting them to work with IE. IE is just bad.
Bullshitometer
2 years to fix bug, says someone at a "penetration testing software" vendor.
Why do journalists on a techie blog print this type of crap?
