"Jerry McBride" wrote in message
news:f6opv4xbuf.ln2@supertux.my.domain...
>
> It just proves, people know about microsoft. They know just how bad it is
> and no amount of putting "lipstick on a pig" is going to change that.
>
It only proves that you really have to hate Microsoft in order to pay any
attention to Mandravia.

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:43:32 -0400, DFS wrote:

> Doug Mentohl wrote:
>
>> “we shall pay for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shall replace
>> it by Windows afterward.”
>>
>> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/...steve-ballmer/
>
> [Sore] loser.

You show your dishonesty.



--
Rick

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:54:22 -0400, Keith Windsor wrote:

> "Doug Mentohl" wrote in message
> news:fgcnmh$sd9$1@news.datemas.de...
>> “we shall pay for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shall replace
>> it by Windows afterward.”
>>
>> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/...steve-ballmer/
>>
>>
> For starters, the Nigerian kids were never getting a OLPC, they were
> going to get an Intel Classmate PC running Mandriva.
>
> While you might consider this to be "sabotage" others would call this a
> business deal. Business deals get made every day in every corner of the
> globe. Ballmer is certainly very good at making deals.

Yes, Ballmer and Microsoft are very good at making business deals that
sabotage the competition and many times break laws.

>
> Besides, why do care? Isn't the goal of this to get laptops into the
> hands of the poor children. They aren't being denied laptops. And
> getting laptops to poor children is the objective, isn't it?

They will be locked into software that is tied to Microsoft formats and
Microsoft's prices.



--
Rick

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:48:59 -0700, The Ghost In The Machine wrote:

> In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Doug Mentohl
> wrote
> on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:15:29 +0000
> :
>> Keith Windsor wrote:
>>
>>> isn't the goal of this to get laptops into the hands of the poor
>>> children ..
>>
>> No the goal of the deal is to prevent Mandriva/OLPC getting onto
>> computers of poor children, else why didn't Ballmer financially support
>> the OLPC ..
>
> Is it? Are you *certain*? Niger is one of the most corrupt African
> countries known (it is tied for #138 in the 2006 transparency list with
> Cameroon, Equador, and Venezuela) out of 163 (occupied by Haiti).
>
> http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781359.html
>
> (For the record, the US is tied for 20th; we could do better.)
>
> While OLPC's stated goal is laudable (putting a laptop in the hands of
> children), one wonders if we wouldn't have been better off (FSVO
> "better") simply going the easy route and buying stock laptops from
> known manufacturers such as Dell, Acer, and such, putting Home Basic or
> Starter thereon, and shipping them.

What alternative power sources do those have? What networking
alternatives do they have? .. and what OS would they run?

>
> That would have accomplished the stated goal, in a very expedient
> fashion. Whether it's in the best interests is far from clear, mostly
> because the best interests are not always aligned with the stated goals.

No, it wouldn't. The XO would still have been less expensive and run OSS.

>
> (The best interest, in this case, appears to be education. Laptops can
> either further education, or be a distraction.)

Quite true.

>
> There are also issues regarding poor children in the US of A, as well.
> Does OLPC help them, or should they simply get Windows-based laptops,
> furthering the Microsoft Monopoly?

The US is not a third world nation.

>
> Stay tuned; the answers lie ahead in our next exciting episode...
>
> --
> #191, ewill3@earthlink.net
> Useless C++ Programming Idea #23291:
> void f(item *p) { if(p != 0) delete p; }





--
Rick

skydweller wrote:
> DFS wrote:
>
>> Doug Mentohl wrote:
>>
>>> “we shall pay for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shall
>>> replace it by Windows afterward.”
>>>
>>> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/...steve-ballmer/
>>
>> [Sore] loser.
>
> These are the people we're dealing with:
>
> http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/bl...a_the_cor.html
>
> Given the sequence of events, it's not a stretch to think some
> currency changed hands here.

Tell it to [H]omer: currency went from a corrupt foreign oil firm to his
greedy hands. In between was the exploited native population.

And when you have proof MS or Intel bribed government officials to buy
WinTel systems, come back to the party. Absent that, it's best not to bleat
like a cola idiot - you might give people the wrong impression.



> I for one wouldn't be gloating over such a "victory".

Not gloating about MS winning or Linux losing - in fact, all this talk about
$200 OLPC and laptops for the 3rd world is silly - but I'm always happy to
see a loser like Doug "10 year old emails are my thang" Mentohl eat ****.
If I'm being honest...



> There is a significant PR risk to Microsoft should
> this get publicized outside of the geek community.

Negative Microsoft PR is the official pastime of cola idiots and Linux
lusers. Their 2nd favorite pastime involves dominant women and diapers.



> Have a nice day.

You too. I know you mean that.

amicus_curious wrote:

> It would seem to me that is what everyone has been asking for, i.e extreme competition ..

In other words ****ing over OLPC type projects in the third world ..
must do evil ...

See this comic strip about a evil software megacorporation. Without
clicking on the URL guess which one automatically comes to mind ...

You should write for them .. 'extreme competition' .. haa, haa, haaaaaA

http://www.ubersoft.net/comic/hd/199...l-difficulties

It looks like you're ****ing over your partners - again ...

http://www.ubersoft.net/comic/hd/199...ffice-supplies

Doug Mentohl had de volgende lumineuze gedachte op 01-11-07 15:26:
> �we shall pay for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shallreplace
> it by Windows afterward.�
>
> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/...steve-ballmer/
>

What strikes me in this unexpected deal is the implicit weakness of
Microsoft.

If indeed MS took the initiative to change the nigerians' minds, it must
have been very important to them to get these 17,000 computers on
Windows. Such an enormous business, for whom 17,000 licenses is just
peanuts, cannot tolerate that a very small business succeeds in getting
a contract because it may bring new customers later. MS must see this
minuscule contract (compared to what it is used to) as a threat!! This
implies a recognition of Mandriva's excellence.

Erik Jan

After takin' a swig o' grog, Erik Jan belched out this bit o' wisdom:

> Doug Mentohl had de volgende lumineuze gedachte op 01-11-07 15:26:
>> ?we shall pay for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shall replace
>> it by Windows afterward.?
>>
>> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/...steve-ballmer/
>
> What strikes me in this unexpected deal is the implicit weakness of
> Microsoft.
>
> If indeed MS took the initiative to change the nigerians' minds, it must
> have been very important to them to get these 17,000 computers on
> Windows. Such an enormous business, for whom 17,000 licenses is just
> peanuts, cannot tolerate that a very small business succeeds in getting
> a contract because it may bring new customers later. MS must see this
> minuscule contract (compared to what it is used to) as a threat!! This
> implies a recognition of Mandriva's excellence.

Or maybe Sweaty fell victim to a "Nigerian scam"

--
Tux rox!

amicus_curious wrote:

>You are just being deliberately obtuse. If you have XP and have been
>listening to the gloom and doom about security, you see the claim that Vista
>is the most secure Windows yet as a benefit.

Erik Funkybreath says that security is binary, so what's the
difference? Perhaps you two fsckwits should hash-out your
differences.

In any case, even if Visduh is more secure than XP, it's also
quantitatively inferior than XP in many ways, and can hardly be called
an improvement overall. Indeed, overall, it's a steaming turd.

"chrisv" wrote in message
newspemi3t8ivbhi911jhmkkd6qvbelag4enc@4ax.com...
> amicus_curious wrote:
>
>>You are just being deliberately obtuse. If you have XP and have been
>>listening to the gloom and doom about security, you see the claim that
>>Vista
>>is the most secure Windows yet as a benefit.
>
> Erik Funkybreath says that security is binary, so what's the
> difference? Perhaps you two fsckwits should hash-out your
> differences.
>
> In any case, even if Visduh is more secure than XP, it's also
> quantitatively inferior than XP in many ways, and can hardly be called
> an improvement overall. Indeed, overall, it's a steaming turd.
>
You say that, but you must be chagrined to realize how much farther ahead
Windows is commercially versus Linux. How does it feel to be beaten out so
badly by a steaming turd?

DFS wrote:

> skydweller wrote:
>> DFS wrote:
>>
>>> Doug Mentohl wrote:
>>>
>>>> “we shall pay for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shall
>>>> replace it by Windows afterward.”
>>>>
>>>> http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/...steve-ballmer/
>>>
>>> [Sore] loser.
>>
>> These are the people we're dealing with:
>>
>> http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/bl...a_the_cor.html
>>
>> Given the sequence of events, it's not a stretch to think some
>> currency changed hands here.
>
> Tell it to [H]omer: currency went from a corrupt foreign oil firm to his
> greedy hands. In between was the exploited native population.
>
> And when you have proof MS or Intel bribed government officials to buy
> WinTel systems, come back to the party. Absent that, it's best not to
> bleat like a cola idiot - you might give people the wrong impression.
>

Proof? Get real. This is Nigeria; apparently you can't cross the street
there without making a "donation". Either Mandriva lowballed the ministry
of education, or someone over there figured out that he could get a better
black market price with Windows on the boxes. If any Nigerian children
ever see these boxes, I'll eat broccoli.

>
>
>> I for one wouldn't be gloating over such a "victory".
>
> Not gloating about MS winning or Linux losing - in fact, all this talk
> about $200 OLPC and laptops for the 3rd world is silly - but I'm always
> happy to see a loser like Doug "10 year old emails are my thang" Mentohl
> eat ****. If I'm being honest...
>
>
>
>> There is a significant PR risk to Microsoft should
>> this get publicized outside of the geek community.
>
> Negative Microsoft PR is the official pastime of cola idiots and Linux
> lusers. Their 2nd favorite pastime involves dominant women and diapers.
>
>
>
>> Have a nice day.
>
> You too. I know you mean that.

--
This message brought to you by your Department of Redundancy Department

[H]omer espoused:
> Verily I say unto thee, that Doug Mentohl spake thusly:
>> Keith Windsor amicus_curious wrote:
>>> "Doug Mentohl" wrote in message
>
>>>>> What is/was Nigeria paying for Mandriva Software? ..
>>
>>> What makes you think that Nigeria is paying for Microsoft software?
>>> ..
>>
>> It's a question dumbass, what is it Nigeria is paying for Microsoft
>> software.
>
> My guess would be $3, based on this:
>
> http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130953/article.html
>
>> If it's a non-zero number then Nigeria are paying for it.
>
> Well it's a fairly safe bet that they're not getting it for nothing.
>
>> I wonder what is Microsofts motive in unnecessarly duplicating the
>> software on the Classmate PC ..
>
> Need you ask?
>
>> http://www.classmatepc.com/classmate-pc-whatis.html
>
>

Worse than that, though. If they are unlucky enough to end up with
windows, Bill and Melinda get to watch copyright violation rise and
rise, and can hope to cash in later sometime.

The greatest financial reason for using a free software stack is that
the whole stack can be free of licensing costs. In the Microsoft world,
it's not free of costs.

From a bribery perspective, though, there's too little value in the
chain to bribe people with, so the most corrupt poor countries will
stick with Microsoft because they have deep enough pockets to bribe
with.

--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
| Cola faq: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/ |
| Cola trolls: http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/ |
| My (new) blog: http://www.thereisnomagic.org |

Doug Mentohl espoused:
> amicus_curious wrote:
>
>> It would seem to me that is what everyone has been asking for, i.e extreme competition ..
>
> In other words ****ing over OLPC type projects in the third world ..
> must do evil ...

Apparently, the only organisations Microsoft can compete with now are,
.... wait for it...

**********
CHARITIES!
**********

That is hardly competition. That is profiteering. And it's revolting.

>
> See this comic strip about a evil software megacorporation. Without
> clicking on the URL guess which one automatically comes to mind ...
>
> You should write for them .. 'extreme competition' .. haa, haa, haaaaaA
>
> http://www.ubersoft.net/comic/hd/199...l-difficulties
>
> It looks like you're ****ing over your partners - again ...
>
> http://www.ubersoft.net/comic/hd/199...ffice-supplies


--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
| Cola faq: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/ |
| Cola trolls: http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/ |
| My (new) blog: http://www.thereisnomagic.org |

After takin' a swig o' grog, Mark Kent belched out this bit o' wisdom:

> Doug Mentohl espoused:
>> amicus_curious wrote:
>>
>>> It would seem to me that is what everyone has been asking for, i.e extreme competition ..
>>
>> In other words ****ing over OLPC type projects in the third world ..
>> must do evil ...
>
> Apparently, the only organisations Microsoft can compete with now are,
> ... wait for it...
>
> **********
> CHARITIES!
> **********
>
> That is hardly competition. That is profiteering. And it's revolting.

And it is laughable.

Ballmer's sweating like an indoor sprinkler system.

Microsoft is certainly having trouble competing against Google, too.

If there's any company that can take Microsoft out, it is Google. And
they won't have to invoke the DOJ to do it.

If the Google phone is able to supplant the desktop as a net-access
device in the minds and wallets of most people, Microsoft's core
consumer business is toast.

That's a big "if", though, at this time.

--
Tux rox!

On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:05:31 GMT
Linonut wrote:

> And it is laughable.
>
> Ballmer's sweating like an indoor sprinkler system.
>
> Microsoft is certainly having trouble competing against Google, too.
>
> If there's any company that can take Microsoft out, it is Google. And
> they won't have to invoke the DOJ to do it.
>
> If the Google phone is able to supplant the desktop as a net-access
> device in the minds and wallets of most people, Microsoft's core
> consumer business is toast.
>
> That's a big "if", though, at this time.

Nokia could also have a huge effect. If they were to release things
like the N800 at a much smaller price, with a VDU and USB connectors,
even if it's capable of just VESA then it's going to have a huge
effect. No need for a windows license to check mail etc, all
communication in a single place.

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Linonut

wrote
on Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:05:31 GMT
:
> After takin' a swig o' grog, Mark Kent belched out this bit o' wisdom:
>
>> Doug Mentohl espoused:
>>> amicus_curious wrote:
>>>
>>>> It would seem to me that is what everyone has been asking for, i.e extreme competition ..
>>>
>>> In other words ****ing over OLPC type projects in the third world ..
>>> must do evil ...
>>
>> Apparently, the only organisations Microsoft can compete with now are,
>> ... wait for it...
>>
>> **********
>> CHARITIES!
>> **********
>>
>> That is hardly competition. That is profiteering. And it's revolting.
>
> And it is laughable.
>
> Ballmer's sweating like an indoor sprinkler system.
>
> Microsoft is certainly having trouble competing against Google, too.
>
> If there's any company that can take Microsoft out, it is Google. And
> they won't have to invoke the DOJ to do it.
>
> If the Google phone is able to supplant the desktop as a net-access
> device in the minds and wallets of most people, Microsoft's core
> consumer business is toast.

I wouldn't bet on that happening unless Google makes a deal
with an aircard company, allowing an arbitrary notebook to
get on the Web using Google's operating system. Not sure
how Google's OS actually gets loaded onto the laptop,
admittedly; best I can do is a fairly conventional ISO,
with an OS that automatically recognizes FAT or NTFS,
moves the user's data[*] out of the way, installs itself, and
makes the user's data accessible in the new OS.

That would be neat for other desktops, too, admittedly.

>
> That's a big "if", though, at this time.
>

Very. But who knows what's afoot? I sure don't.
[*] assuming the user's data is not stuck deep in the OS
portion. Of course it's easy to move the
directory 'Documents and Settings' into ~/Desktop, though
there might be many switchover issues.

--
#191, ewill3@earthlink.net
Linux makes one use one's mind.
Windows just messes with one's head.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

ed espoused:
> On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:05:31 GMT
> Linonut wrote:
>
>> And it is laughable.
>>
>> Ballmer's sweating like an indoor sprinkler system.
>>
>> Microsoft is certainly having trouble competing against Google, too.
>>
>> If there's any company that can take Microsoft out, it is Google. And
>> they won't have to invoke the DOJ to do it.
>>
>> If the Google phone is able to supplant the desktop as a net-access
>> device in the minds and wallets of most people, Microsoft's core
>> consumer business is toast.
>>
>> That's a big "if", though, at this time.
>
> Nokia could also have a huge effect. If they were to release things
> like the N800 at a much smaller price, with a VDU and USB connectors,
> even if it's capable of just VESA then it's going to have a huge
> effect. No need for a windows license to check mail etc, all
> communication in a single place.
>

Well, I've been saying for some time that I think the desktop is dead,
and I remain convinced of this. Mass mobility will replace it for most
people. There will still be some desktops around, but not in the numbers
they are now. Servers are things like the exicto bubba running debian,
adsl modems are routers are things like the Linksys WRT54GL running
white russian linux (they're great - try one!), terminal devices are a
Nokia N800 running maemo/debian, or a PS3 running ubuntu/debian or a red
hat variant. An Asus EE pc with ubuntu, or a dell laptop with ubuntu,
or an OLPC running linux provide all kinds of "in between" machines. An
openmoko 1973 running linux is a great phone, or maybe a motorola A680
running linux.

At no point, now, do you really need a desktop for anything for most
people.

--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
| Cola faq: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/ |
| Cola trolls: http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/ |
| My (new) blog: http://www.thereisnomagic.org |

On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 09:43:50 +0000
Mark Kent wrote:

> Well, I've been saying for some time that I think the desktop is dead,
> and I remain convinced of this. Mass mobility will replace it for
> most people. There will still be some desktops around, but not in
> the numbers they are now. Servers are things like the exicto bubba
> running debian, adsl modems are routers are things like the Linksys
> WRT54GL running white russian linux (they're great - try one!),

Interesting, I was not aware of White Russian Linux. White Russia is
Belarus, incidentally, I wonder if that's of any consequence.

> terminal devices are a Nokia N800 running maemo/debian, or a PS3
> running ubuntu/debian or a red hat variant. An Asus EE pc with
> ubuntu, or a dell laptop with ubuntu, or an OLPC running linux
> provide all kinds of "in between" machines. An openmoko 1973 running
> linux is a great phone, or maybe a motorola A680 running linux.
>
> At no point, now, do you really need a desktop for anything for most
> people.

Hum, I like to work from two 19" TFTs, with four virtual desktops. No
one will ever take that away from me.

If the Nokia N* can give me the virtual desktops, keep my keyb/mouse
then I'll be ok I guess, bring the Mhz war back!

On Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:50:02 GMT
ed wrote:

> On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 09:43:50 +0000
> Mark Kent wrote:
>
> > Well, I've been saying for some time that I think the desktop is
> > dead, and I remain convinced of this. Mass mobility will replace
> > it for most people. There will still be some desktops around, but
> > not in the numbers they are now. Servers are things like the
> > exicto bubba running debian, adsl modems are routers are things
> > like the Linksys WRT54GL running white russian linux (they're great
> > - try one!),
>
> Interesting, I was not aware of White Russian Linux. White Russia is
> Belarus, incidentally, I wonder if that's of any consequence.
>
> > terminal devices are a Nokia N800 running maemo/debian, or a PS3
> > running ubuntu/debian or a red hat variant. An Asus EE pc with
> > ubuntu, or a dell laptop with ubuntu, or an OLPC running linux
> > provide all kinds of "in between" machines. An openmoko 1973
> > running linux is a great phone, or maybe a motorola A680 running
> > linux.
> >
> > At no point, now, do you really need a desktop for anything for most
> > people.
>
> Hum, I like to work from two 19" TFTs, with four virtual desktops. No
> one will ever take that away from me.
>
> If the Nokia N* can give me the virtual desktops, keep my keyb/mouse
> then I'll be ok I guess, bring the Mhz war back!


Just saw this on /.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.../11/04/1317226