: technoblag :

profit margins, lol

mrsli — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:13:40 +0000

The wire is buzzing this morning with some big news. Let’s start off with a little Apple smackdown before moving into the latest Microsoft attempt to synthetically increase profit margins.

Psystar has officially won its first major anti-trust suit against Apple. A judge has ruled that Psystar may continue its countersuit actions. This is a boon to hardware companies and, regardless of what Apple would like to believe, a boon to them as well. They are essentially being forced to enter an alternative market and we can only hope to see a universal version of OS X sometime soon.

[Slashdot via Computer World]

In the spirit of helping that right along, Microsoft has announced that the starter version of Windows 7 will be limited to a maximum of two concurrently running applications based on the “average user.” You read that correctly. Microsoft is attempting to increase their profit margins by crippling their cheapest version of Windows 7. This is an obvious attempt to drive up the price of netbooks by pushing users towards a minimum of Windows 7 Home Premium.

[Slashdot via PC Pro]

Lastly, in my daily trolling of Slashdot (not twitter trolling, I promise), it looks like The Woz will be on the next season of Dancing With The Stars! Finally, watchable reality television.

[Slashdot via BBC]

technobabble, post-superbowl

mrsli — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:03:48 +0000

In true geek fashion, I took little interest in the Superbowl, tuning in mainly for commercials. I did manage to catch the amazing Steelers play. But reset assured, fellow nerds, I still have no idea who was involved and likewise, who the MVP was for the game.

Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging after the break.

Unfortunately for women everywhere, The View continues its tradition of an overwhelming dedication to the worthless political correctness to the point of almost mental retardation. Today’s upset? Wii Fit calling our precious snowflakes obese. I think Demafer may have taken it a little far with the politics, since Elisabeth does seem to stray too far from Wii Fit specifically or even use the words “liberal” or “devil,” but damn, how disconnected from reality can one show get? The world may be flat, they wonder. Wonder away.

[Via Defamer]

In we’re-all-probably-screwed ~~fud~~ news, Demonoid’s nameservers were down all day yesterday. All three of them. I’d like to know how that even happens, considering Demonoid owns their own nameservers. Three nameservers all going down at once? Something seems fishy to me. Word around the campfire is that Demonoid is back on its feet today, but that gave me a but of a scare.

dear assfaces

mrsli — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:01:47 +0000

Not a lot of interesting news to discuss lately (in my mind), so I’ll bring you this instead:

It looks like there’s a new law coming that would require cell phones to “click” when snapping a photo, with no way to disable the feature. I’d like to know who drafted this and how they managed to miss the infinite possibilities to completely bypass the law without risking any charges. None of which require a full sized camera.

[Slashdot via Techfragments]

daddypants

mrsli — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:54:14 +0000

Question, internet: What the hell is this and why doesn’t it do anything?

Daddypants

through no-colored glasses

mrsli — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:22:26 +0000

From a minimalists point of view, the “hecticity” of the world seems fraught with “inefficiency.” I try to apply my principles to everyday life but sometimes even I get caught in the manusha of “things.” AJAX and Web 2.0, PHP and Python, it all comes down to delivery. Do we deliver correctly? When you rely too much of budding technofads, sometimes it’s forgotten that we take in information at our own “pace.”

I have to say I’m somewhat displeased with the idea of blogging under someone else’s control. Of course if anyone writes the checks, I’d much prefer WordPress to the “alternatives.” I would like fancier dates, though. “January 22nd, 2009″ just doesn’t have the same ring as “22nd of January, 2009.” But that’s a limitation imposed for security purposes. So who am I to gripe? Therefore, I won’t.

Perhaps later I’ll branch off on my own. Still, I need to get back into the swing of blogging before I start wasting money on it. Again. Writing always be my primary focus on Technoblag – not necessarily covering the “news” – because that’s what I want to do. I want to feel an obligation to this blog. Don’t bother trying to change my mind, I’m not changing it. Just give up now. It’s over before you’ve even begun.

At the core, however, this is still “just another blog” and, sadly, more than likely will go nowhere but my own eyes, maybe a few friends’ eyes. But when I was getting flak for knowing the English language better than my high school peers, well, I had to do something. I’m not entirely sure why I waited five years to do it, but thems the breaks, as the kids “say.”

ramble, ramble

mrsli — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:45:43 +0000

It’s cold outside today. Or at least what Floridians call cold. The annoying sort of cold that doesn’t quite let you dress comfortably. Unfortunately my rugby jersey and Dickies jacket do nothing for my hands and nose, but there’s not a whole lot I can do about it, so we deal.

On the wire this morning, is Microsoft trying to improve its image? Signs point to no, but Windows 7 points to maybe. Yet have I dove in, VirtualBox’s shortcomings notwithstanding, I can’t say I find myself too interested in this latest addition to the Windowverse. Perhaps Obama has inspired a change in old ways, and Microsoft could be no exception. Time will tell.

In security news, details have begun to emerge on the 2006 Congress cyberattacks. Oh it pains me to use that word, but being dramatic is why I make the big bucks. Or Big Bucks™. Fingers point to China, but I’ve seen Stand Alone Complex. We know it was the Japanese.

Ok, that was pure speculation based on a cartoon. But it was funny, right? …right?

Onto a lighter side, sort of, but no less important: Pandora is beginning to test the proverbial waters of inline advertising by adding commercials breaks to their – and this is just one sad sack blogger’s opinion – wonderful service. Though I must say, ads on Pandora just make Soma FM look more and more attractive. I can’t say I’m not jealous of Soma’s popularity, considering an advertising campaign of pure word-of-mouth, that much is certain. But I can’t help but wonder how Pandora’s advertising venture will play out with the free accounts like myself. Big surprise, I’m broke. Oh, and thanks for the recommendation, Wil^[ref]. I’m going to continue to pretend that you know who I am.

In other news, I have class to attend. Stick with me, perhaps I’ll brighten your day tomorrow.

this is it

mrsli — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:34:20 +0000

Don’t get scared, now. First post, and not one of noticeable impact. Perhaps later, when I’m rested, more aware, will I begin my path to becoming a better writer.