Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
MS was showing old hardware with their OS as cheaper than Apple's. Still clinging to this myth? I guess it's as comforting to McFans as a pair of fuzzy slippers, but, as was shown here long ago, the HP in question is not even two months old. Their cheaper ad requires comparing bottom of the barrel hardware to Apple's. No. Once again, their ad merely points out that if you need a portable machine on a budget, you can get a PC but you can't get a Mac because no such box exists. This is a very real-world situation, no matter how many times you guys cry foul. I will again ask the question that no one answers: Why is there no Apple laptop for those on a budget? It's clearly not impossible to build such a box, so there has to be some other reason. What is it? Too many Mac-owning busboys and homeless people (to use Tom's characterization of typical PC owners) would ruin the meticulously crafted image? If everyone could buy a Mac, the brand would cease to be cool? What is the reason? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
The requirements were artificially contrived to exclude a very good and appropriate computer that Apple does make that competes with the 8-pound laptop. Right, the need to be able to take the machine with you is unbelievably artificial. How ridiculous. Nobody in the real world needs to take their computers with them, ever. Are you laughing when you write this claptrap? Seriously. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
I don't care what the budget buyer's want; I want a good laptop computer, and Apple has models that appeal to that. Well, there ya go. The fact that budget buyers exist and are not served by Apple is sorta the whole point, isn't it? Whether you care about them or not? FYI, the budget buyers don't care what you want, either. One thing they do know is that they can't have a Mac laptop even if that's what they really want. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
Apple does not choose to build laptops good for only a year or two. My wife's ibook circa 2004 is still going strong as is my 2006 Macbook Pro. At work they have to cycle out their Dell laptops every two years - cheaper than keeping them in repair. Anecdotal evidence. I've got my own. I have inexpensive laptops that are older than your 2004 iBook. They work fine. My sister has a ancient cheap Win95 laptop that she uses every day. It works fine. Most of the people I know replace PCs not because they don't work but because they want newer generation machines that are bigger and faster. To say that Apple is incapable of building a less expensive machine that won't last more than a year or two is a sad commentary on its engineering skills. But I don't believe this for an instant. They are perfectly capable of doing this; they choose not to. Why that is, I couldn't tell you. I *can* tell you that Apple appears to love its per-unit profit margin. How else to explain the $700 price difference between 1.6GHz Air and the 1.86GHz Air? The extra quarter-GHz and replacing the SATA drive with an SSD costs $700? Please. That's a buck more than Lauren paid for her whole computer. Seems like this could be more telling in terms of why there's no affordable Mac than any concern you have about Apple's ability to build a decent machine for less money. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
My point is that Lady Shopright COULD have had a Mac laptop, IF she hadn't wanted to pay a Wal-Mart discount price for a fancy, premium new machine. Which is pretty unrealistic--if she had done 5 minutes' worth of research on the Net, she would have known that. No need for even a pretend visit to the Apple Store. Constance, this really doesn't strike you as criticizing a TV commercial for being a TV commercial? They are that they are. They make their points visually. The shot of her walking away from the Apple store empty-handed was a great visual. Would anything she did on the net have as much effect? They're both plausible, so why use the option that wouldn't show as well? Why would they do that? If you ran the ad agency making this commercial, would YOU do that? Does any of this affect the truthiness of its basic point, that if you need a laptop with a decent size screen and you have only a thousand bucks, you're out of luck with Apple because they don't make one? Isn't that factually accurate? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
And that is my Point! MS is only advertizing themselves as the alternative for people on a tight budget. Let's crow to the heavens and rejoice! Thou tomb stone shall read: None were cheaper than him! Not sure why everybody keeps bringing up irrelevant examples about cars when the talk about computers; is that a microsoft thing? No, it was an attempt to illustrate the logical fallacy you keep using. Apparently it didn't take. As Steve said, these two statements are not equivalent: What you claim the ad says: Only if you are on a budget should you buy a Windows laptop. What the ad actually says: If you are on a budget, you can only buy a Windows laptop. These are NOT the same. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
I don't see any other message in their ad. Just MS is cheaper, so buy a laptop with Windows if you can't afford more. Do they make another point that I missed? There's no validity to your assumption that one ad is supposed to show all possible reasons for doing something. Here's an old Apple ad that I picked more or less at random: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz78v4euRd0 Using your logic, the Apple ad is saying that only reason to buy a Mac is that it's faster. You're sticking the word only where it doesn't belong. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
Few ads from MS come to my attention. So, okay Chris, does MS have other ads out? Uh, yes? The 4-1/2 year-old girl capturing, enhancing, and emailing pictures to granny with a few clicks? Other little girls making panoramas and such? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] 60 Minutes story on deadly computer virus
Anyone see the 60 Minutes piece Sunday on the deadly computer virus sweeping the world? The story suggested that there is some reason to think it might be activated in millions of computers by its creator on April 1 to do harm or create mischief. Any thoughts about how serious this might be and what we should be doing about it, if anything? Keep computers turned off tomorrow (April 1)? This short answer comes from F-Secure: Q: I heard something really bad is going to happen on the Internet on April 1st! Will it? A: No, not really. The longer answer is, if your Windows is even moderately up-to-date in terms of patches, you're fine. The vulnerability was patched last October (MS08-67). You can check your Windows Update history to be sure. If you really want to get all warm fuzzy, run Windows Update, and then run one of the free checkers. There are lots of them, listed here: http://tinyurl.com/cg9loc If that's busy, here's are a couple of them: http://tinyurl.com/8nbwux (Symantec) http://tinyurl.com/65a2um (F-Secure) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] First Place? [Was: Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
Xbox lost out to Wii. Well, now this is a really interesting conclusion. We (wii?) have both, and there is no comparison. Except for the wiimotes, which really are pretty cool, Xbox is superior in *every* respect. As in blows it away. Side-by-side with the Xbox's HD graphics, the Wii looks like a Commodore 64. The gameplay is smoother and more responsive, and there's no comparison in the sound. This is not me, certified MS lapdog, speaking; it's my kids, who could care less about who made the boxes. The Wii sits untouched. I don't even know if it still works; nobody cares. You certainly can't be talking about features/specs, because, if you were, I'd have to assume that you have no idea WTF you're talking about. Full details at http://tinyurl.com/23okra, but here are a few goodies (and believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg): Xbox Wii --- CPU 3.2 GHz PowerPC w/3 729MHz IBM Broadway dual-threaded cores Clock500Mhz 243Mhz System RAM 512MB64MB Video RAM512MB24MB Best video res 1080p480p Video bandwidth 21.6 GB/sec 3.9 GB/sec HDMI Yep Nope (obviously) Storage Up to 120GB HD 512MB flash Digital audioDolby 5.1Nope Plays DVDs Yep Nope Well, you get the idea. So, the only way you could *possibly* say that Xbox lost out to Wii is in terms of sales. Wii does sell more. Of course, it is cheaper. So, let's summarize. Two companies produce machines with the same basic function. One box has superior specs, better reviews, and higher customer satisfaction ratings. The other one is cheaper and sells more. Which machine does Tom think is the winner? Hey, it's the one that sells more! Hmmm. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Well, if she started out her quest [for a laptop] with a set of inflexible requirements that the real world might not be able to meet--including parts of the real world like computer stores--she's limited her options and determined the outcome of her shopping trip before she's even started. It's like saying, I want a flawless one-carat stone, but I require that the ring should cost no more than $100. Guess what? You're getting cubic zirconia! Constance, wanting a laptop for under $1,000 is neither unreasonable nor impossible. The parts of the real world that are unable to meet her requirements are not computer stores but Apple stores. As to cubic zirconia, the analogy doesn't hold because, your personal opinion of it notwithstanding, her HP is not a fake computer. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
Macintosh machines do cost more than Windows machines of the same basic physical size. Steve, congratulations on being the first to even come close to acknowledging reality. You follow it up with the inevitable But..., yet this is a good first step in the twelve-step program for MFBs. :) People are different from one another. This is the key sentence in your reply, I think, and a point that the Mac fans here ignore. The position appears to be that anyone who doesn't see things their way is, by definition, a moron. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
I'm more worried that WIN7 has reached the pin the old feature on the new OS stage. This is where the other units at M$ get a whack at adding back old things that mess up the OS. No, Win 7 has been feature-frozen for a long time. Nobody has added anything of any significance to it for months, nor will they be doing so before release. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
As someone who spends 90% of computing time on W-XP, but prefers Apple (and has for my own compute time), I find your WFB rants a bit disingenuous. I don't spend near as much maintaining my OS X computer as the company spends on this W XP laptop. You just come off sounding ignorant to someone who sees plenty of both platforms. Mark, it's not about preference. It's not about which is better. It's not about capabilities, maintainability, long term cost, or overall degree of shininess. In fact, it's not about opinion of any kind. Note that not one of the WFBs anywhere in this thread has said that Lauren's laptop is better than, say, a MacBook. What it IS about is whether or not you can get a laptop at all if you only have $1,000 to spend. I don't see why this is so difficult for McFans to understand. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
For this class of computer Apple has a better idea and it is the 20-inch iMac. Jeff is right, this whole thing is too funny for words. The idea of carting a 20 iMac to class or Starbucks, along with the 20-foot orange extension cord required to plug it in somewhere, well, stop it, you're killing me. I should be paying for this, it's better than Seinfeld. The only thing I can think of that might be funnier would be to watch her trying to set that thing up on her tray table on a Southwest flight to LAX. Talk about your reality distortion fields. You keep persisting with the it has to be brown argument. This is a false way to stack the deck. You keep persisting with the it has to be shiny argument. This is not only a false way to stack the deck, it leaves poor little Lauren with no computer. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters] Puhleze stop
I've been using Macs since 1988 I'm ready to put gaff tape over all of the Apple logos on every computer I own. I'm ready to send an award to the advertising agency that created this infamous advert. It gets an A++ for effectiveness even if it never sells a single extra copy of Windows. It made the Mac users on this list and probably elsewhere on the net look like absolute idiots for their frothing at the mouth response to the advertisement. Well done Microsoft! Bravo. This comes as close as I think anyone will to the response I had been hoping for: I think the Mac OS is much better than Windows, and it seems a shame that Apple can't or won't find a way to make a portable box for it that more people can afford. That's really all that was necessary. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Constance, if she only has $1,000, she only has $1,000. 20-inch iMac is $999 at the Apple Online Store today. Right on the home page. You really just don't seem to get that you can't take your iMac to class or on a plane, do you? Is it THAT difficult a concept? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
You are the one who are not being honest. Nobody, but a weightlifter, carries around a laptop that is that bulky and that heavy. This rather skirts the fact that hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of not-weightlifters do this every day, don't it? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Speaking only for myself I start with a list of: 1. What capabilities I need. 2. What capabilities I want. 3. What capabilities would be nice. That is exactly the point. You don't start off saying I need a laptop. You start with capabilities and needs. Yes, and if your needs include taking your computer to class or on the road, the very first conclusion one might reach is iMac is not the solution. Please point out what solution to this set of needs Apple provides: - I need to take my computer to class. - I need a decent-size screen and a real keyboard. - I can afford $1,000 and no more. Less would be real nice. We're all waiting. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
Vista works better and sucks less though :) If true, which I doubt, it undeniably requires more PC resources and support. Resources yes, support no. And Win7 adds some very nice features while using significantly fewer resources. Marcio's new system was clearly plenty big to run Vista, so that was not really an issue. May I ask how much time you've spent with Vista SP1 and Win7? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
Will I be able to install Windows Vista or 7 on the top of it? Or I will have to start from scratch if I decide to move the these OSs? MS says that you will be able to purchase an upgrade from XP to Win 7, but you'll have install it on a clean system, i.e., remove XP first. I've heard of people doing a direct XP to Win7 upgrade, but I think it's a very bad idea. I'd strongly recommend that you remove XP and start fresh. You do have the option of doing a double in-place upgrade (XP-Vista-Win7), but I think that a clean start is a much better approach. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
Thanks, but can I put Vista on the top of the XP Home? Yes, but it's not necessarily the best practice. It's almost always a good idea to start fresh with a new OS when possible. Things inevitably get messed up as you use a system for day-to-day work. When you upgrade in place, some portion of these things will simply pack up and move along with the new OS. Doing a fresh install cleans everything up. You have an advantage because your system is nearly new, but still I do not think it's a bad idea to perform a clean installation. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
Of course, with MS's $billions to spend on propaganda we may just be decieved about Win7. I would wait for Win7 SP2. Of course the millions who are using it for daily work may just be deceiving themselves, too. Why not just add M$ Sux to your signature and be done with it? It would save you a lot of typing. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Safeway?? They should be going to Giant where it is cheaper still. And Wegman's is yet cheaper (and way better). Actually I get some food stuffs at Target which is half Giant. Yes, but it's difficult to find truffle butter at Target. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] OT: Grocery prices [WAS: Laptop Hunters]
Wegman's is hit or miss for me. If it is on sale it's cheaper but for many things it is more. Actually, WRC4 in DC did a comparison shop--admittedly a couple of years ago--and found Wegman's to be the cheapest of the big grocery chains for a pretty basic shopping cart. No truffle butter. Of course, the particular items you buy a lot could be cheaper at Giant or whatever. But taken as a whole, Wegman's tends to be cheaper on items that they all stock. (Although, in the interest of honesty, I must say that I end up spending more because they have so much great stuff that no one else DOES stock.) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Fine. But they still wouldn't sell her what she wanted. A laptop with a 17' monitor for less than $1K She could have bought an iMac with a 20-inch screen for $1099 by flashing her college ID. That is so close that the difference is mere quibbling. Just won't give up, eh? You seem to always omit one of her requirements, accidentally I am sure. She specified a laptop. Last I checked, iMac was a desktop. Not very convenient for carrying to her busboy classes at the community college. Not to mention that even at $1099 it's $400 more than what she eventually bought. Hardly mere quibbling. Can you get a 17 laptop from Apple for $1000? Yes or no? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Beta Software Warning [Was: One more question...]
The product has not shipped. Anyone using it for daily work has a daily job as a beta tester or is an out and out idiot. The extremes you go to as a MS lap dog are amazing. Telling people to do their daily work with beta software is unconscionable. Folks do not do this! Anyone who can read will know that I didn't suggest this. I merely pointed out that your claim that all we have to go on is MS propaganda is ridiculous because a huge number of people ARE using it on a day-to-day basis. That you managed to morph this into a recommendation that people install it now is truly amazing. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Beta Software Warning [Was: One more question...]
Then you would agree that anyone who does their daily work with beta software is an idiot. Step two: Would you act on any recommendation provided by an idiot? This is too ridiculous to even warrant a response. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Not cool enough [was re: Laptop Hunters]
I know all the mac heads drive around in their Bentley's and put their nose up at those who can only afford a Toyota or heaven forbid... *gasp* a Hyundai It was a Kia, Mike, and suggestion appeared to be, if you don't have enough for a Beemer just don't drive at all. So stop making stuff up. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
A laptop (also known as a notebook) is a personal computer designed for mobile use small enough to sit on one's lap. And MP3 players must be brown. An unusually bizarre comment, even for you. You are saying that laptops do NOT have to be small enough to sit on one's lap? People buy PC laptops because PC desktops are so dorky. Apple provides MORE CHOICES. A different class of machine that is both cool and not expensive. MS artificially excluded this entire class of computer and then foisted off the lie that Lauren had more choices. Such BS. She should have bought the 20-inch iMac. Friday evening I saw a woman with one on the Metro (no it was not turned on). Speaking of things artificial, I'd love to see all those smart, discriminating students who take notes in class on their 20 iMacs. I hope all the classrooms have plenty of outlets. And extension cords for all. Since you decline to answer the yes or no? question that has been posed more than once, we're all going to take this apparent suggestion that people take desktops to class as a tacit admission that $1,000 big screen Apple notebooks do not exist. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Tell the truth. A real person would have bought the iMac with a much larger 20-inch screen and the software needed to get work done. Tell the truth. You're unable to admit that real people might want or need a laptop because that would require you to finally answer the question, which you simply cannot bring yourself to do. You've pointedly refused to notice that you can't take your fab iMac to class, to Starbucks, or on Metro. Well, I guess you can, if all you want to do is wave it around, hoping that people will admire your shiny (though unusable) machine, and whisper to each other about your wealth of common sense. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
May I ask how much time you've spent with Vista SP1 and Win7? None. Professionally, I can't change an OS on the fly. ... Can you show me one instance where a major American or for that matter a worldwide corporation has adopted Vista? We weren't talking about either of these. The discussion was about the initial OS installation on a new, personal machine. You said that XP, unlike Vista, actually works, and you implied that Win 7 lacks new features. Neither of these is accurate, since Vista SP1 works fine, and Win 7 has significant new features. This made me wonder how much actual experience you had with them. So, with all due respect, None wasn't really a surprising answer. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
OK, but it was an honest answer. Yes, it was. I don't think I said Vista didn't work, you may have read that into the text. If so, I apologize. That's how I read this: WinXP is really an old and tired looking OS at this point. Maybe. But it actually works and it doesn't suck. In a thread about installing Vista, that kinda sounded like you were saying that Vista DOES suck. As far as 7, I'm not prepared to discuss what new features it may have. What are they, specifically? Libraries, major task bar improvements, jump lists, improved less intrusive UAC, multi-touch support, improved speech handwriting recognition, sensor biometric support, HomeGroup networking, Troubleshooter, improved boot time shut down time, accelerators, lots of behind-the-scene improvements in things like parallel processing on multicore machines. Lots and lots of lesser stuff too. Most importantly, Internet Spades, Backgammon, and Checkers have been restored. It's not a huge change like Vista was, but a lot of the new features are very nice. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] One more question...
I can see where you could read that message. Sorry, I'll be more careful. The question, I think, was about going from a working XP installation to a Vista installation. Well, I think your response was actually to someone who said that Marcio would have been better off to get a Vista machine to begin with, but I understand your meaning, so, fair enough. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
An astute observation. You are absolutely correct. The ad agency did some editing to make it appear as though she entered the store, but failed to notice that in their attempt to deceive the viewer, they deceived themselves instead. For heavens' sake, everyone, this isn't a documentary, it's a TELEVISION COMMERCIAL. There's nothing here that TV ads haven't been doing for fifty years. It may surprise y'all to learn that the Mac girl didn't actually hurl a sledgehammer into a giant screen in 1984, that MS didn't actually spend ALL of its money on marketing Vista rather than improving it, and that John Hodgman doesn't actually hide in a pizza box to trap unwary college students. The basic fact it presents WRT Mac appears to be accurate. Can you walk into an Apple store and walk out with a big screen laptop for $1,000, or not? (Anyway, the video is inconclusive as to whether or not Lovely Lauren went into the Mac store. Is it possible that Balding Guy walked into AND OUT OF the Mac store at the same time as Lauren? Yes or no? Maybe he's a stalker or an O'Reilly producer.) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Ah, he said new...spose those are the 'new' old models. Well new to him. The refurbs are even cheaper. But irrelevant to the ads, of course, as all must agree. A Mac Mini is not a big screen laptop. Lauren can't haul it back and forth to her busboy classes at the community college. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
No obvious deception there as opposed to the MS ad. FWIW, ads are not SUPPOSED to be intentionally deceptive As I noted earlier, the Mac ad showed MS spending ALL of its money marketing Vista and NONE of it improving Vista. This is obviously not true. So, the Mac ad was intentionally deceptive, was it not? There are even laws that apply to that. Without studying these laws, I feel pretty confident in saying that they would apply to deceptive or false claims, not to staging. If the basic MS claim is accurate (and it is--you can't get a big screen laptop in an Apple store for $1000), it's a huge leap to imply that there's something that is actually illegal about the ad. If there is, then Justice (or whoever is supposed to be enforcing these laws) has really fallen down on the job because the overwhelming majority TV commercials must be illegal. In point of fact, that Mac ad was much closer to being deceptive than the MS ad. The claim it made was factually false, while the MS claim is true. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
MS didn't actually spend ALL of its money on marketing Vista rather than improving it, Are you sure? It really do think that one is true. Oh, please. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
It was an ADVERTISEMENT. And anything goes in the ole USA. In Britain the nasty old government will actually order advertisers to stop running deceptive ads. Probably happens in a lot of other civilized countries too. I thought you guys were joking. You fanbois are seriously trying to say that the ad is deceptive on some significant level because the girl may not have physically walked into the Apple store--which you can't even prove--despite the fact that its product claims are accurate? You actually believe that the British government would force MS to stop running this ad for that reason? Unless you're joking, this is beyond silly; it is pathetic. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
So the brits stopped the Apple ads? Several. I don't remember which ones. I think they were mostly picking on iTunes. On the other hand the EU fined MS something like $750,000,000. Oh, I never realized that that had to do with deceptive advertising. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Those Windows haters over at PCMagazine weigh in with... Fact-checking Microsoft's Latest Anti-Apple Ads www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2344017,00.asp They point out that the DV7 she bought was an old laptop. I guess one should not go to Best Buy looking for the latest in technology. Someone should add a voice over to this ad pointing out all the buying mistakes this girl made. It would be very educational. Regrettably for your point, PC Mag is wrong. The laptop she purchased released on 2/1/09. So unless PCM's laptop lead analyst considers anything released more than 55 days ago to be old, it's wrong. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
To repeat an earlier post: If I'm given $15,000 and I can't buy a BMW, but I can buy a Kia then the Kia is obviously better? Excellent job of totally missing the point of the ad. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
She didn't walk into the store, she's an actress, she bought a crappy laptop, you can get a headless Mac Mini for $500, etc, etc. All dancing daround the ONE pertinent fact: you can't buy a 17 Mac laptop for under $1,000. I'm wondering how much more of HEY! LOOK OVER THERE! the Mac camp can come up with. I can't wait. As for she bought a crappy laptop, that conveniently ignores the whole point of the ad, which is choice. There are plenty of other 17 PC laptops for under $1,000. Buy.com alone lists 20 of them. This compares to zero Apple products in that category. (Incidentally, if I were doing the sort of nitpicking that the glitterati are doing, I'd probably mention that in 45 of the 50 states she couldn't walk out of the Apple store with even a 13 Mac for her $1000, much less a 17 one. Here is MD it would be close to $1,060 with tax. But that would indeed be nitpicking, wouldn't it?) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows 7 *user* reviews [Was: Office 2007]
If I understand things correctly, all of these marvelous new ways of keeping track of data files requires indexing the files No, indexing has nothing to do with libraries. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows 7 *user* reviews [Was: Office 2007]
I understood libraries couldn't do more then aggregate folders not file types. I didn't mean to imply that libraries aggregate by file type. Just the opposite, really. Instead of containing all pictures or videos or whatever, they would contain everything related to your collection of lemurs or your annual six weeks in Gstaad, regardless of file type. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows 7 *user* reviews [Was: Office 2007]
This sort of data storage arrangement has always seemed to me to be the wrong way to go. The first thing that I do when I set up a new computer is arrange storage of data files by topic (content), not by data type You can organize libraries any way you want. It's just a collection of folders that appears as a single object in Explorer (and any program that has been updated to understand them). * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters - and Silverlight
I went to the Microsoft website this week for information. It turned out to be in a Silverlight video. Silverlight doesn't run on the Mac I was using. MS has cooperated with Flip4Mac to replace Windows Media Player, yet their Silverlight doesn't run Are you saying that Silverlight's Mac plugin doesn't work? I hadn't heard that. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows 7 *user* reviews [Was: Office 2007]
Right...but I still have to sort them. I want a system that can analyze tags so when I open a folder labeled 'industrial' I get all my music that is tagged as such no matter where it is. We spend time tagging photos, tagging music...tagging docs and windows still does nothing with those. OK, right. That is true. I wish they had done something with tags, too. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
She wanted a Mac. She went first to the Mac store. I wish I could visit your imaginary world some day. Does Mrs. Butterworth fix you breakfast every day, saying Good morning, dear! And a lovely one it is, too! * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Then you must explain why she first went to the Apple Store. It is obvious that she truly, truly wanted a Macintosh All right, she did originally, because someone told her they were shiny. But when she tried one she hated it. She detested it. And all the Geniuses in the store were laughing at her and making fun of her car and her clothes. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Change isn't always good (or always bad)
Intuitive is just another word for, in with the new, same as the old. Yes. Not long ago I was engaged in a blog comment war about climate change and one of the critics said, The global warming alarmists refuse to engage in the debate, that's how I know it's a hoax. Since climate scientists consistently respond at length and in detail to GW critics, the decoded meaning of that comment was, The global warming alarmists refuse to agree with me, that's how I know it's a hoax. I see this as the sort of same thing (less sinister, to be sure). Change isn't always good can be decoded as I spent months or even years memorizing where in this convoluted thing the commands I need are, so changing it is bad even if the changes make it easier to use in the long run (not to mention benefitting NEW users). Reviewing the posts here, you'll find that very few are saying that the new interface is bad per se; the comments really come down to annoyance at having to invest some time learning the new organization. And that is understandable--but, in my view, counterproductive in the long term. (For the sake of completeness: there are other comments about Office being bloated in general, etc., but that's a different issue. I'm talking about the changed user interface, which was the original topic.) Another way to put it is that Change isn't always good also means Change isn't always bad. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Change isn't always good (or always bad)
The Global Warming alarmists etc. I used this as an analogy, not as a call for a new topic of discussion. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Change isn't always good
you'd see right on the Home tab to the left in big size Paste, Cut, Copy, etc. All right out in the open, not hidden away behind menus. I can't imagine what would be easier for novices. Yes, Cut/Copy/Paste is a great example of something that is far more obvious in 2007 than in earlier versions yet is still judged hard to find. It isn't hard to find at all--it's the first button group in the first ribbon, and it's big. It's just not where it used to be. I think one poster said that MS should have included an option to use the old interface, and *that* strikes me as a very reasonable observation. They could have done that but frozen it, providing access to new features only via the new interface. That would have allowed for a smoother transition. But I honestly don't get what amounts to a you can't change anything, ever view of the user interface. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Change isn't always good
Lots of things become hidden in plain sight. It happens all the time. Since I always use the keyboard shortcuts for these functions, and occasionally the menu, I have no idea what the toolbar (ribbon) button for cut, copy, paste look like. Most icons are not intuitive to me on first use. Look for the icons labeled Cut, Copy, and Paste. :) (But if you always use keyboard shortcuts, why do you care? They haven't changed in forever.) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
7 sounds like it is a much better upgrade. (They worked all the bugs out, but then why charge folks for your screwup?) Well, all this was worked out for Vista SP1, which *was* free. While Mike is generally right about most things other than politics, I disagree with him that Win7 is just a Vista update. I think there's quite a lot more to it than that. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
Only if you already owned Vista. Right, I understand this. I was just pointing out that MS did fix Vista at no charge. The net result is the same either way: either you paid for Vista and got the free update; or you pay for Win7 and get Vista, the free Vista update, and all the new Win7 stuff. I'm not quarreling with your decision, just the statement that MS shouldn't be charging for a fixed version of Vista. They're not. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Climate Change Models
At the risk of starting a whole new debate, I did want to disagree with this bit. At least one of the models is available for download. Right, I also wanted to disagree with it (actually, with pretty much all of it), but we did just have a political kerfluffle here. If anyone wants to yak about it, you're welcome at my own little blog: http://justweirdstuff.blogspot.com And www.realclimate.org is a great site that's run by actual climate scientists. They know what they're about, and the comments are always interesting (and relatively flame-free). * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
Let us add the statement not yet. Right now XP is still available, for just over $100.00 from vendors. (OEM) Vista SP1 Upgrade is available from Vendors for about $125.00. How much is 7 going to cost out the gate? Will Vista drop in price? I suspect not. XP has not dropped appreciably in price since the advent of Vista. Well, I guess this is going nowhere. The price increase is a price increase, not a charge for fixing Vista. They already did that, and they didn't charge for it. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Laptop Hunters
Their primary point is that you should get a Windows PC because it is cheap. Nice spin, but no, their primary point is having a choice. On her $1,000 budget she could choose between many PCs, or she could take the one Mac, which didn't fit her requirements. If I wanted cheap I would get a $300 netbook running Linux. Hard to believe that the store she went to wasn't selling any of those. Let me know when you find one with the 17 screen she wanted. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows 7 *user* reviews [Was: Office 2007]
The Libraries folder seems pointless. It's just a rehash of some of the folders in Username (My Pictures, My Music, My Documents, and My Videos). No, no, libraries are way different from My Documents etc. You're just seeing the default. They are folder aggregates, not folders, so if you have pictures in 20 different folders, you can see them all in one view. Plus, you can create your own libraries, and you control what folders make up each library. So you can make up a library for anything, not just pictures, documents, etc. You could make a library for all of the files (of whatever type and wherever they are) of everything related to a particular project and see them all as if they were in one folder. It's a nifty feature and well worth spending a little time exploring. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] What a pain... Sad.
Frequently it told me You have insufficient internal resources. Save your file and close Organizer. Yes, I still use Lotus Organizer 5 for my appointments. This really sounds like a bug in Organizer more than any real lack of resources in your PC. Might be time to find something new. There's a similar bug report from IBM here: http://tinyurl.com/djzfqr, but it doesn't sound exactly like what you're seeing. The IBM solution, by the way, is basically a variation on a very old joke: Patient: Doc, it hurts when I do this! Doctor: Don't do that anymore. Pay the receptionist on your way out. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Change isn't always good
MS is consistent in it's mediocrity and the public's opinion is also notably consistent. Office 07, Vista, Explorer. Needlessly confusing, bloated, slow... Do you have any data to confirm that the public thinks this, particularly of Office, which is what we're talking about? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Change isn't always good
I can't say I have ever heard anyone who prefers MS's latest offerings over their earlier ones other than the security aspects.Many people put up with them ... but that's about it. OK, so what you have is from your own experience only, and exclusively with people who used older versions. You don't have any data to back up your claim that the public thinks Office 2007 is confusing, bloated, and slow, which is what I wanted to know. One other point is that, from what you said, you have little or no experience with what new users, starting fresh with 2007, think. It's possible that the ribbon interface is far more intuitive and easier to use for them--your experience doesn't appear to provide that perspective. don't demand that everyone else just doesn't know what they like... or what works best for them. Looked over my messages, did not find any demand like that. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
I expected the same reaction from both my wife and my boss when they were first faced with the new layouts. Oddly, neither of them said a thing to me or even asked my help with anything. In both cases it was months later when I thought to ask them if they were having any trouble and neither were. Apparently, now that people have more screen real estate, it makes more sense to use ribbons than to hide things behind layers of menus. I think you made a huge mistake relenting right away and saddling her with a 10 year old version of the program. Soon she won't be able to open any documents people send her. I know in my wife's case pretty much all the stuff she gets now is in the new format. I wasn't going to say anything, but since you did: I agree with this completely. The ribbon interface is a little disconcerting the first time (or first few times) you use it, but it very quickly becomes second nature, and I find it easier to work with overall. MS research has confirmed this to be true for most users in a quite lot of consumer testing, and Office 2007 consistently gets higher overall UX (user experience) ratings than the earlier versions. Contrary anecdotal evidence from some members of this list notwithstanding, the ribbon interface is very well-liked. I just think of the ribbons as dynamic menus. In essence, the top-level menu structure changes to best serve whatever you happen to be doing at the moment. Whether you're working with references, page formatting, mailings, or whatever, everything you need is right in front of you, not buried in a menu somewhere. And, as you note, Office 2007 defaults to XML output (.docx, .xslx, .pptx), which the older versions can't open. I'd guess that 90% of the documents I get from others are XML at this point; correspondents would have to convert them for me if I didn't have 2007. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
The F1 key is very useful, but remember some of us are trying to be productive, and when you constantly have to hit the F1 key to figure out soemthing that you knew how to do on the old system, it gets old, and frustrating and you get rid of it. Constantly? That's what I don't get. I used help a half dozen times, max. After that it's -more- productive because the stuff you need 95% of the time is right there. A little effort at the beginning gets paid off very quickly. I really think the resistance is more to change than anything else. Sometimes one has to invest a little before earning a lot. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
Is this true for _all_ kinds of users, e.g. basic users (produce/edit only simple documents), intermediate users, and advanced users (use all sorts of bells and whistles in the application? Is this true for both folks who spend all day working with Word documents, and those who use Word once a month or less? If you know where all the features you need are located in the old program, and use Word only once a month (e.g., as the secretary of some board to prepare minutes, or whatever), the time taken to get used to the new interface is a huge requirement. Most good applications have the option of using a legacy interface for the application. Well, nothing is true for all users. :) I certainly didn't see any huge investment in figuring out the new interface. It seemed pretty simple to me. I mean, what is it, really? It amounts to a powerful custom toolbar for each major area of functionality. That seems sensible. The inference from the messages here seems to be that because there are old users, the interface of a product can't change, even though new users are coming online constantly. I don't get it, to be honest. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Office 2007
A dumb way to do it. Rather a shame that actual users don't agree with you. Must...reeducate...users... * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] CanSecWest
It happens the same as it happens in every OS, errors in code. Exploits written to take advantage of the errors That's true, but still the quote was pretty interesting. It didn't get much of a response here, so I wonder if it got sort of buried in the larger excerpt: The things that Windows do to make it harder [for an exploit to work], Macs don't do. Hacking into Macs is so much easier. You don't have to jump through hoops and deal with all the anti-exploit mitigations you'd find in Windows. Doesn't exactly comport with the conventional wisdom, but it's hard to argue with someone who seems to do this more or less as a living. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] CanSecWest
So we don't really know if the crack is significant or not. Or if the person quoted above is being overly dramatic in his estimation of the ease of cracking Mac OS X. Roger, I don't disagree with anything you said, except for that last sentence: since hacking appears to be the guy's raison d'etre, and since he has hacked both Windows and Mac systems, I don't think we can really call it estimation. I wouldn't quibble if that were rephrased as, Or if the person quoted above is being overly dramatic about how easy it is to crack OS X. It's just the word estimation, really. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] CanSecWest
I noticed this quote in your link: Before I could even pull my camera out, it was over within 2 minutes-and Charlie (coincidentally also last year's first winner of the day) is now the proud owner of yet another MacBook, and $5,000 from the Zero Day Initiative. Actually, it didn't take nearly that long. According to ComputerWorld: Charlie Miller, a security researcher who hacked a Macintosh in two minutes last year at CanSecWest's PWN2OWN contest, improved his time today by breaking into another Macintosh in under 10 seconds. After that, Miller said, I did a few things to show that I had full control of the Mac. (I await my education as to why none of this matters, which I assume will be forthcoming shortly.) Safari, IE 8 and firefox all taken down easily by the same guy who took Apple down last year. So far chrome is the only left standing, although that seems to be more from lack of trying then anything. They are supposed to take cracks at the mobile market next, that should be more interesting. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Silly but important question...
Many thanks... I am looking for this folder Favorites and I can´t find it. I have C: and D:. Please advise Marcio If you are running XP, it should be C:\ Documents and Settings\username\Favorites. For Vista, it's C:\Users\username\Favorites. (Actually, in Vista you can just type Favorites in the Windows Explorer address bar--I don't remember if this works in XP.) Or you can use one of the other methods that were mentioned in the replies. It might be easiest to use Import and Export (under the File menu) in Internet Explorer. You would export Favorites (as a file) from your old system and then import the file on your new system. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Google Voice
Word is that Google Voice (formerly GrandCentral) will be launching within a couple of weeks. It looks very, very cool (and free for domestic use). The idea is you have one phone number, which you pick, that you give out to everyone (business AND personal). Using caller ID, it will ring any of your phones based on rules that you set up online. Even if you change your real numbers, the Google number stays the same (one number for all your phones, for life). It can transcribe voice mail, record conversations, route text messages to your cell, tell you who's calling before you decide to answer, and provide custom per-caller greetings. It can block individual callers' numbers, and it has a telephone spam filter that can identify and block telemarketers based on community input. It can send voicemail notifications via email, and you can listen to the voicemail from your computer. Pretty nifty stuff. http://tinyurl.com/bpwypk http://www.grandcentral.com/howitworks * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Google Voice
Like so many other new things (Twitter, Facebook), I'm going to have to be convinced. I already have a single phone number. Can this thing automagically ring a cell phone if you're in the car, the home phone when at home, and the work phone when at work? The site doesn't have all the details yet, but it does appear that you can have it ring wherever you want. I assume that you would need to tell it where you are going to be, so I don't know if that qualifies as automagically. Or perhaps there is a schedule. I don't know. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Google Voice
Soon enough, Google will know where you are. You're assuming that they don't already. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Relinquishing copyright on Wikipedia photo
Your attitude implies that it's OK to steal someone's work. It's not OK, nor is it legal. Has your work ever been stolen? Mine has, and it's a legal mess to try to get compensation. Just in case the original poster misses your note: I believe that his Why not? was referring to the photo being shot at an angle. I don't think he was talking about the copyright issue. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Silly but important question...
I am changing computers. Finally will retire my old Compaq. I like to save the Favorites file to use it in the IE in the new computer. Where do I find the file to save it? How to install in the new IE? Many, many thanks Favorites isn't a file, it's a folder. Look for it under your user folder (same place as My Documents). Just transfer its contents to the Favorites folder on your new system. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Wolfram Alpha
This is pretty interesting, if it actually works. It doesn't simply return documents that (might) contain the answers, like Google does, and it isn't just a giant database of knowledge, like the Wikipedia. It doesn't simply parse natural language and then use that to retrieve documents, like Powerset, for example. Instead, Wolfram Alpha actually computes the answers to a wide range of questions -- like questions that have factual answers such as 'What is the location of Timbuktu?' or 'How many protons are in a hydrogen atom?', 'What was the average rainfall in Boston last year?', 'What is the 307th digit of Pi?', 'where is the ISS?' or 'When was GOOG worth more than $300?' http://tinyurl.com/aegawx * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Wolfram Alpha
Actually Google is already doing something close to this. You can put queries of that type into Google Spreadsheets and it often does return an answer. Really? Google Spreadsheets can tell me the average rainfall in Boston last year or where the ISS is right now? Meanwhile, I hear that Live Search is about to undergo another name change. The hope is that the right combination of letters will suddenly make it popular. You just can't stop yourself, can you. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Wolfram Alpha
Well now I have to agree with Tom on this one...although I lack his hope that any combo of letters will make it successful. Meanwhile, I hear that Live Search is about to undergo another name change. The hope is that the right combination of letters will suddenly make it popular. You just can't stop yourself, can you. Yeah, I don't disagree with what he says, just the need to attach something about MS to any message. A reply isn't official unless it contains an irrelevant MS slam. It's like a signature or something. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] GreenBrowser Is Bursting With Browser Tab Features
the first sentence of the write up says it is based on IE code I've seen similar statements in a couple of write-ups, and something doesn't sound right. Since IE is proprietary, how could GreenBrowser could be based on it? My hunch is that what they actually mean is that GB uses the MSHTML rendering engine, which is the same one that IE uses. MSHTML isn't IE, it's just a Windows component that IE (and a lot of other software) uses to render HTML. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Firefox
A report by Secunia finds the vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox greatly outnumbered those in Internet Explorer, Apple Safari and other browsers in 2008 Now, don't anyone (yes, you) get all silly sarcastic about WFBs and so forth. I use Firefox. I just thought it was interesting. http://tinyurl.com/dmq4yw The report does go on to say that Mozilla reacts to issues faster than MS. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] security and who is to benefit - was: [CGUYS] Firef
10.4 is the old version? He'd have to travel through time to have looked at reports for 10.5 Darn, I forgot he works for Microsoft, so he definitely would. However, the rest of us are not living in the past and have been running X.5 for the last 15 months. I got a fortune cookie today: Wise man always checks date of article before writing of impossibile things * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] 4 New OSs to Challemge Win 7
Gosh, I knew I was on to something when I suggested that Win 7 was a terrible choice for netbooks This is an odd commentary, considering that the article talks almost exclusively about XP (Old school XP in a tiny machine does not work., etc.) As you are no doubt aware from your extensive experience with Win 7, its desktop is quite different from the XP desktop, which is what most of the complaints are about. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] 4 New OSs to Challemge Win 7
This is an odd commentary, considering that the article talks almost exclusively about XP (Old school XP in a tiny machine does not work. So you predict that MS will contiune to supply XP even after Win 7 starts shipping? Or is this just another mindless defense of all things Microsoft? Say what??? Where on earth does this come from? How could anyone possibly interpret what I said (which you quoted) as predicting that MS will continue to supply XP? I guess this is just another one of your fave straw man arguments, Rush. Trying to win a discussion by refuting something I didn't say? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] 4 New OSs to Challemge Win 7
From those who have run win 7 on a netbook, it is definitely faster then vista on the same hardware, the question will end up being how hamstrung will MS make the netbook version of 7? To be fair however, it's not as if these netbooks are being installed with full blown linux either, most are dumbed down versions to run just a few programs. True enough. I just thought that using this article to slam Win7 was kinda weird, on account of its being about XP. After playing with a netbook, I'll keep my full sized laptop and ipod touch and skip the mid level netbook class. No argument there. It's all a matter of what you need. Me, I needed something that was easy to travel but had a keyboard, i.e., a netbook. Your needs are undoubtedly different. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Netbook survey [was: Apple and Netbooks]
1. Do you have a netbook? Which one? Size? Dell Mini 9, 9, 1GB RAM, 16GB SSD. 2. What software and features do you use most? Do you need to print? Open Office, Firefox. Printing no problem via network printer on WLAN. 3. Pros and cons of your netbook? Pros: Small, easy to travel, good batt life, rugged (no moving parts). Cons: None that are particular to this machine (as opposed to the speed and capacity issues that come with any netbook). This obviously is not a pocketable machine, so I guess that would be a con for your criteria. But I don't particularly need to carry it in a pocket, and I do need a real keyboard, so this isn't a con for me. 4. Recommended or not? Sure, as long as you know that a netbook can do what you need it to do. If you need to administer a big database or edit videos, get something else. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MS: The Ass [Was: MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux]
For instance: Software giant Microsoft laid off 1,400 workers last month. Yesterday, the company acknowledged that -- oops! -- it actually overpaid severance to some of those workers. The unemployed workers found this out recently in a letter from Microsoft, which was sitting on cash reserves of $8.5 billion last month and is demanding repayment of the extra severance within 14 days. A company that asks for an overpayment to be returned is an ass? In any event, MS withdrew the demand. The workers can keep the money that they didn't earn. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux
B) Not so very long ago you mentioned that you couldn't use (or knew people who couldn't use) Vista because it did not support certain legacy apps that you (or they) need. But now, no rational system designer needs to support 8.3? B) Still defending Vista? Unbelievable! I think even MS itself has given up on that dead horse. I think you must start beating the drum for Windows 7 if you expect to earn your 59¢. Look at the question. Where, exactly, did you spot this defense of Vista? Nicely done, though. By claiming that the question I asked about 8.3 filenames was *really* a defense of Vista, you avoid having to choose between your two conflicting positions. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Anyone for 8.3? [Was: MS Sues TomTom for Using Linu
In fact, yes. I have two apps that I use every day that have not been updated in many years but still do exactly what I want with no fuss. Details? Do the apps have names? If you will pardon me, based on your past history I don't put any stock in your vague assertions. These apps are essential, irreplaceable, and will not work without an 8.3 file name? One of them is a utility that I wrote in the 80s and that still does exactly what I want in exactly the way I want it. There is no replacement product that does exactly what I want in exactly the way I want it. I know a number of other people who are also still using it. I'm not going to waste my time updating it until I have to because it works. The second one is none of your damn business. Neither is the third one, which I didn't mention because I only use it a few times a week. Whether this satisfies you, I neither know nor care; you asked if anyone was using any 8.3 apps and I answered. Or are you just too lazy to upgrade? To this I can only quote one of your own posts: Stop being a jerk. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux
Digital Research was created in the 70's to market CP/M, and should hold the first patent for that convention... if they had the foresight to patient such a benign aspect of their creation! The article doesn't say specifically, but I strongly suspect that the patents are not on 8.3 filenames per se. I suspect that the patents have to do with the mechanisms by which an OS with long filenames supports legacy software that only understands 8.3 names. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux
Why would any rational system designer think they still need to support 8.3? A) Relevance to the MS lawsuit, please? B) Not so very long ago you mentioned that you couldn't use (or knew people who couldn't use) Vista because it did not support certain legacy apps that you (or they) need. But now, no rational system designer needs to support 8.3? Pick a side, any side. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux
Apparently MS thinks Linux belongs to them too. http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2009/02/does_microsof ts_1.html Regardless of the merit of the suit, MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux is a thoroughly misleading description of it, based on your link. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux
Regardless of the merit of the suit, MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux is a thoroughly misleading description of it, based on your link. The story uses the phrase implementation of Linux I wrote using Linux. Yes, I was definitely misleading. Probably criminally. Now ignoring the story and making strange semantic arguments, that's not misleading at all. That is double plus good. I pointed out that the article doesn't say what you claimed. I can certainly see where you, fact-challenged as you are where MS is concerned, would find this to be a strange semantic argument. They are -NOT- suing TT for using Linux. Or for using an implementation of Linux. They are suing for alleged patent violations. That is not by any stretch of anyone's imagination equivalent to MS Sues TomTom for Using Linux. Now, unless I say something first, you are going to try to paint me as having said that I approve of the suit. So here it is: I don't. Based on what little information is actually in the article, it seems very foolish,. But your summary of it was wrong. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Google Accused of Massive Coverup
It is interesting to see how other's see us: computer geeks possessing vast resources with unlimited possibilities. Is there anything beyond our capabilities? The best discoveries we keep to ourselves... http://www.pcworld.com/article/160011/google_sinks_atlantis_discovery_b uzz.html It wouldn't surprise me. Google already doctored the areas that show the Apollo moon landings (as IF) in Google Moon. Just go to http://www.google.com/moon/ and see for yourself. Those astronauts are SO fake. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows Vista download
He may have had an image backed up somewhere that he could download. But AFAIK MS doesn't sell the OS via download. Actually, they do. I assumed that he was looking for a free replacement copy, which is why I mentioned MSDN etc., but MS does sell Vista for downloading here: http://tinyurl.com/cg4qku * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows Vista download
Mark Minasi mentioned in his last newsletter that he 'downloaded' Vista Premium SP1 to repair his computer on the road. Does anyone know where that might be? He probably has a subscription to MSDN or something similar. I'm not aware of any other way to download Vista without paying for it. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Redefining history [was: Taxes and good life]
Ding! You win the prize for the obvious - the bills threatened the availability of abortion without consequences and had to be opposed - even if this meant tolerating infanticide Why are you ignoring the fact that this infanticide was already illegal? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Redefining history [was: Taxes and good life]
Ding! You win the prize for the obvious - the bills threatened the availability of abortion without consequences and had to be opposed - even if this meant tolerating infanticide Why are you ignoring the fact that this infanticide was already illegal? Infanticide is legal? Wouldn't that come under the homicide label? Of course it does. It's homicide. That's the point. But it doesn't fit with the vision of Obama-as-the-Antichrist, so it's ignored. It doesn't even matter that the state AG's office (and the AG is anti-abortion, by the way) also said that it was already illegal. The conservatives appear to think that if they repeat Infanticide is legal in Illinois enough times, it becomes true. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Redefining history [was: Taxes and good life]
You would think, but no, not in the cases in question. The issue related to failed abortions that resulted in the live delivery of an infant. Absent intense medical care this child would die. In most cases this child would probably die anyway. These children were not being given any care, life saving or even palliative care as the intent had been their death all along. You keep saying this, but you provide no evidence that it ever happened. One more time: I have found one case where it was *alleged* to have occurred, but two separate investigations, including one by the office of the anti-abortion Attorney General, found no evidence to support the allegations. A state spokesman said that the alleged events would have been illegal had they occurred. Do you feel that you understand Illinois law better than the state Attorney General does? Can you explain why his office would investigate the allegations if they weren't illegal? The fact is, you just keep stating without any documentation that (a) this happened and (b) it was legal. Saying these things over and over does not make them true. As an aside, this all relates to the legal definition of personhood. To be a homicide the victim has to be a person. That is the principle reason that most on the pro abortion side fight any effort to recognize the personhood of a child in the womb. The implications are obvious. Indeed, and this invalidates the rest of what you've been saying. The infants in question are no longer in the womb, are they? Once a child has been born alive, it is a person by anyone's definition. The fact that this occurred during an abortion is wholly irrelevant. That makes it homicide, and quite illegal. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Redefining history
Oil, coal and gas will eventually be replaced as primary energy generation sources when other energy sources become either economically (I'm looking at you, solar) or technologically (fusion) viable and also as consumers increase demand for alternative energy sources This is correct in terms of economic theory; the problem is that it isn't forward-looking. As long as oil prices remain low, there's little incentive for the private sector to invest a lot of capital in alternative sources, especially in carbon-neutral alternative sources. By the time there is sufficient incentive, it may be too late. Last summer's high prices had no natural cause. They were created by speculation, not by supply/demand issues--in fact, supply was up and demand was down. My understanding (and this is something that I've heard but haven't researched) is that, with prices back down, already the ratio of efficient to inefficient vehicle sales has dropped, and people are driving more. Consumer memory appears to be very short. Given this situation, it's entirely possible that, if left to market forces only, development of alternatives won't come in time to avoid some very nasty consequences. This is why government support for research might not be a bad thing; one of the functions of good government is to support things like this when it's necessary and the private market isn't going to cut it. It just has to be smart enough to avoid foolishness like ethanol, hydrogen, and biodiesel. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
