Kris Carlson's Weblog

Microsoft Sucks

Another clear example of why Microsoft Windows sucks. A quote from an article at C|Net this morning: "Although Microsoft hopes to ship a test version of WinFS in late 2006, it could be several more years before the revamped storage mechanism finds its way into Windows Server." For the love of God! Can nobody see just how absurd this statement is. MS "hopes" to ship a "test" version of WinFS in "late 2006"? Today is Dec. 30th, 2004. Oh, My, God!! Oh, and it will not be part of Longhorn. lol. They are idiots at MS. Releasing an unfinished product is the status quo for MS. It's just a marketing push to make more money. Soon they will announce that MS will no longer "officially" support Windows 2000. Five year cycle for them.

Why do people keep buying their crappy OS? MS Office is pretty good, but Windows is plain and simple shit. MS Office runs on Mac OS X. In fact, it was written for Mac before Windows. Come on people, wake-up.

Commentary: War in Iraq

Wow! I thought Americans had forgotten why we are staying the course in Iraq. After reading Thomas Friedman's article I was left feeling ...patriotic. The truth is not so simple. It is a worthy cause to free Iraq. And I support it. But face it, we are there for the same reason Sadam was. That's right, Oil. It's the same reason we got involved in Desert Storm: Oil. I didn't want to believe it at first, but I have come to believe it is the largest reason we are in Iraq. Not the only reason, mind you, but the largest.

Mobile Viruses

It was quite refreshing to read an article at EARTHtimes.org this morning about the threat of software viruses in mobile phones. I've often wondered why I didn't hear more about this kind of activity, since so many people have cell phones. One of the best cell phone comanies, if not the best, Nokia, got some press. "F-Secure points out that a large number of such attacks were targeted on smartphones that used the Symbian operating system. Nokia is one of those companies whose products use the OS." Which brings me to the reason for this post.

As a friend of mine puts it "There are two ways to have the tallest building in town. The first is to go around tearing down all the buildings that are taller than yours. The second is to build yours the tallest." So with the first you will upset a lot of building owners; and with the second you harm noone and end up with a taller building than had existed before. OK, so the way I see it is, companies like Nokia are working to build the tallest buildings; and the virus writers are the ones trying to tear down buildings that are larger than theirs.

My cousin thinks these virus writers should be jailed. Well, that's a little drastic. There are two sides to the virus argument. One says, we get better software in the long run. The other says, business can lose a lot of time and money as the result of a virus infection. So if you're trying to build the tallest building in town, wouldn't you want someone to point out the structural weaknesses in your building before you get it completed? Think about it.

Inexpensive Linux Laptop, Wake-Up Sun

It appears Walmart and Linspire have announced the offering of an inexpensive laptop computer with a Linux based Operating System on Monday, Dec. 20th, 2004.  With the Walmart machine at their disposal, Linspire should be able to flood the market with these machines; and possibly have newbies running Linux instead of MS Windows.

The press seems to be eating this one up.  A few links to articles: LinuxInsider, Tom's Hardware, eWeek, CNet News.com, Google Search.  Yes sir, the press is pumping this one and that should make for interesting sales figures.  Now here is where other Software Companies can seize an opportunity.

Sun Microsystems has announced they will be making the source code to their popular Operating System Solaris, a open to the public under an open source license... soon.  Currently you can download the Operating System for free for Sparc, x86, and AMD Opteron chipsets.  That's all fine, but if you've ever tried to install Solaris on an inexpensive computer you will find that Solaris has very little in the way of hardware driver support.  That might change with the open sourcing of the OS, but it will take time.  In the meantime Sun has a HUGE opportunity to get their OS "out there" with this partnership of Walmart and Linspire.  It's real simple.  Sun will buy some of these Balance laptops (and maybe some other machines offered at Walmart) and write the damned hardware drivers so geeks like me can get Solaris running on an inexpensive machine.  It's real simple, and cost effective. 

Marine Biology in Miami

Hey Phil G, If your friend likes warm weather and lots of hot babes, then he can study biology (best marine biology) at The University of Miami.  I would think with perfect SAT's he could get in with a scholarship.  Wouldn't hurt to check it out. University of Miami and Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

No Accountability and The Need For Competition

The State Of The Web.  How is it that in a, supposed, free society, cable companies are allowed to have their own little niche monopolies.  What follows is a letter I recently received from my ISP about my current service.  Basically telling me I have no choice.  There is no other Broadband provider in this area.  They have been doing this for years with their Cable TV service.  I didn't really care about that because I didn't watch a lot of TV anyway and the Broadcast Service provided enough for me.  But the Internet!  These cable companies are out of control.  What to do.  They have bought legislation that gives them their monopolies.  TV I can understand, but not Internet.  It's too important now.  This kind of crap will not last for long.

December 1,2004         ;

Dear Charter Communications Customer,

On November 1st, 2004 Charter introduced new service levels and a new pricing structure for our high-speed Internet service. The high speed Internet service you currently receive is no longer offered. Our new offerings are:

384k service:      $39 99 a month

3MB service:      $49.99 a month

In order to receive the highest residential speed available, please call today and subscribe to our 3MB package. This package includes parental e-mail controls, junk mail filters, 10 mailboxes and Internet security software. If you wish not to subscribe to this package, your account will automatically be moved to the 384k service for $39.99 a month, effective January 1, 2005.

You are an important customer to us and we want you to receive the best value for your money. In appreciation for your continued business, we have created a special promotional package for you.

Option #1: Our Top Value Package for $79.99

By upgrading to this package, you will receive our highest residential Internet speed available, 3MB, and our Biggest Value Package for only $79.99 per month for the next 12 months. That's a savings of more than $350 and you get to enjoy:

•  Charter's Top 70, including all your local broadcast channels, a digital receiver,

interactive program guide, and 45 commercial free digital music channels

• Over 20 great premium channels including multiple screens of HBO, Cinemax,
Showtime, The Movie Channel, STARZ! and Encore

•  Our fastest residential Internet speed of up to 3MB which includes parental e-mail
controls, junk mail filters, 10 mailboxes and Internet security software

This price is guaranteed through December 31st, 2005*. No contracts, no equipment to buy, 7/1-hniuL-lacai pngtnmpr service, and the best all digita.1 movie price availabl&r- —     ——————

Option #2: Bundle any other Charter Cable TV service with your high-speed Internet
service and get a $10 discount.

When you combine your current Charter High-Speed Internet service with other Charter Cable TV services, you will receive a $10 discount off your high-speed Internet service**. That's a savings of $120 annually.

To take advantage of these offers, please call 1-800-826-3115 today.
Thank you,

Charter Communications

*Effective December 31 st, 2005, the regular rates will apply, currently $39.99 for 3MB service and $68.99 for the Biggest Value Package. Modem rental additional.  """Certain restrictions apply. Products and services may vary by area.

I encourage you to voice your opinions.  George Bush commented about the need for broadband and how he was going to do something to make it more affordable and accessible to every American.  What happened with that rhetoric?

The Web Does Not Discriminate

Yes, if you are an idiot you can have a voice anyway. That's what the web offers. A often-times faceless, nameless place for the grifter, moron, buffoon, sleaze, pornographer, and all sorts of bottom dwellers to congregate and feed. It's also a place where intellectuals, academics, free thinkers, and a lot of "top-feeders" can gather and exchange ideas and get unrestricted feedback. So who is who and what is what? It's like the wealthy neighborhood that blocks streets to reduce traffic by their posh surroundings. The gated communities. The ghetto. The projects. Who wants to go there anyway? They are only interesting to niche markets. Now how about the free and open societies? Is it not they who flourish the most? Yes there is the occasional grift, rape, robbery, driveby shooting (and who are they? few innocents there), etc.. But are they not the places where free thinkers gather and the elite of society exchange their ideas freely and with alacrity? Let us not forget how this "Internet" got started and why.

Think about it before you decide to block traffic to your website because you don't agree with someone elses opinion.

War Is Hell

There is an interesting article at CNN today about a soldier shooting to death a badly wounded Iraqi teenager. Before I comment let me make my position clear about this particular incident. From the evidence, it seems the soldier was wrong. So I am not defending his actions.

War is an ugly business. I am reminded constantly of Sherman's March from the American Civil War. I quote from a website http://www.shermansrevenge.com/ about Sherman's March: "It is not a story of glorious battles and thousands of dead and wounded on bloody fields of valor.  It is the story of how in times of war horrendous and militarily-unjustified things can happen to defenseless civilians and private property." We place young, albeit well trained, men into incredibly stressful and hostile environments and ask them to make rational decisions when a fraction of a seconds indecision could cost them their lives, and/or the lives of their fellow soldiers. Then, when they make a mistake, we charge them with murder and throw them in prison. That's just great.

Cell Phone Users Are Ignorant

How many people know how Europeans buy and use cell phones? How many times have you seen a cell phone you would like to use but your current provider doesn't support that particular phone; and you're locked into a 2 year agreement? C'mon people get with it. We need to get educated and tell these companies what we want. Pressure them until they listen. Read Jose's Blog entry about cell phone useability in the USA. Read and be enlightened.