patrick.net

Why do you care, the only effect on you will be a reduction in the amount you have to pay your household staff.

You forget that GC just lost his shirt in gold derivatives... ;-)

As soon as software became avaialble for $99, though, I stopped. I mean, you can get the basic version of MS office with a new Dell for like $149 or thereabouts. Why would anyone pirate it when the real thing is so cheap?

Absolutely.

Why pay for marginal MS bloatware?

Why use it?

Wow, you must make more money that Ha Ha, I sure bet he is envious. Amazing that you find the time to post your pearls of wisdom here; shouldn't you be out reformulating strategy with Bill? Hey while visiting his house you should consider giving him an upper tanker.

Joe,

Did you make a lot of money from your adventure? If so, that is quite an adventure. Of course, no near as dangerous as bootlegging liquor.

You forget that GC just lost his shirt in gold derivatives…

Ahh yes, but it was a fake Hermes, as he is so rich any shirt he wears has to be the real deal, pitty those poor saps that now have his fake Hermes shirt.

surfer-x,

I am janitor at MSFT. But they pay good benefits. I like my job.

GC-

What adventure? I can't recall having an adventure or making a lot of money. I would have liked to have done either one.

Of course, no near as dangerous as bootlegging liquor.

you sir are in the wrong field, I think any major university would give you a full professorship judging from the wide ranging topics you are expert in. Stunning. I feel blessed, and not by that heathen Jeebus, but Shiva, the one true god. How did you get to be such a renaissance man? I imagine the universities you hold degrees from reads like a who's who in education. Hurry and write more as I hang on every syllable.

I have to defend MS software. It does make a lot of things more convenient and easy to use. A lot of Open Source affectionados and advocates are resentful bunch of people.

I heard a story that at an open source conference, most attendees whipped out their laptops running Windows, Powerpoint, and Outlook. That was 4-5 years ago.

Things might have changed a little bit. As the open source guys have been furiously playing a catch-up game. But we shall see. Vista is awesome, so is Office 2007. The delay is troublesome. But things will eventually work out.

PP, I do see why a lot of shops prefer Linux-based solutions for their servers and backend apps. But I believe things will change to MS' favor.

In the server space, Linux has essentially been taking market shares from traditional Unix. The market share for Windows servers has steadily grown.

Let us just keep a fair and cool mind. Don't get too emotional on religious wars.

Joe,

I thought you said you pirated DBASE when it was selling for $999. So I presumed that you made a lot of money from that. It's OK. I am not representing the company. I am just a poorly paid desk jockey.

If I mis-understood you, I apologize.

I have to defend MS software. It does make a lot of things more convenient and easy to use. A lot of Open Source affectionados and advocates are resentful bunch of people.

I like MS because I am a big fan of Bill Gates (not because of his wealth). I am under the impression that he is a generous person.

PP,

He is. Armen to that.

I don't like conspicuous consumption, or over consumption in general. I think it it tacky, wasteful and hard on the enviornment. I also think that by over consuming, you are indirectly taking from people who don't have enough, by pushing up the price.

I know this attitude is pretty rare and might even be considered un-American.

"Live Simply That Other's May Simply Live"

But on the other hand, if I am going to by a new bookcase, I see nothing wrong with buying a heirloom quality one, like a Stickley or Micheals or even an antique.

This is one of the main things that my wife and I fight about. She is constantly buying crap she finds at garage sales and on Craig's list and I am constantly having to get rid of it. At least she doesn't buy new crap.

I also find lots of good furniture just sitting on the sidewalk. I have a great old turn of the century desk that I found on the sidewalk. Tiger oak, dovetail joints, really solid and someone just threw it out. It needs to be refinished but still...

In the server space, Linux has essentially been taking market shares from traditional Unix. The market share for Windows servers has steadily grown.

One only needs to watch the seminal Simpson's episode "Das Bus" to understand the Microsoft business model.

Be a Dear and explain to us Microsoft’s pricing strategy on back orifice. I am especially interested in reductions offered if the client whips out a copy of RedHat. Someone as profoundly intelligent as yourself should never confuse ruthless business practices with good product. Mosey on over to slashdot and look up what happens when the Microsoft salesman comes calling and you utter "open source".

I respect Gates and he is giving his money away, but his pitbull Ballmer I can do with out.

I respect Gates and he is giving his money away, but his pitbull Ballmer I can do with out.

No comment.

SQT Says:

> What exactly is the criteria for a McMansion?

I've always wanted to know if there is a difference between a "McMansion" and a "TractMansion"

Whenever I think "McMansion" or "TractMansion" I always picture the Belcourt neighborhood in Newport Beach (where an old girlfriend's parents lived):

http://www.dreamhomes.us/Home118283.html

surfer-x,

You are being rude and callous. I want you to take a deep breath behave properly.

I don't know what you are talking about w.r.t. Simpsons. I don't watch TV.

Regarding the pricing and sales practices by MS, can you point me to the actual links? I do not read slashdot and is incapable of navigating through the myriad of opinions.

GC-

Oh, no, I made a copy of the $999 dBase for myself. I didn't sell copies to anyone, I wouldn't have done that.

FAB,

I'm not sure I'd call $5M McAnything. It takes some real wealth to afford that, even with the most exotic NAAVLP loan you can imagine.

Of course, for $5M I'd just assume have some horses and land between me and the greater fool.

MSFT, ORCL, and earlier dBase, FoxPro, Paradox, Clipper and all the rest of them used to practically encourage developers to "pirate" their stuff (at least illegally develop for clients whether or not they bought an appropriate developers license or joined their developers networks, etc.). The thinking, which proved right, was that proliferation of their technology would yield greater licenses from the companies that hired all these ISVs and lone guns. Compare that to the likes of ParcPlace, DigiTalk or the various great Apple development platforms which took steps to prevent unauthorized development. Who remembers Argos now? But you can still find friggin Foxpro jobs on CL.

The thing is, it really is a McMansion -- look at it, it looks just like a $150k KB McMansion in Texas, albeit a well-built one.

Newport Beach is a mighty nice neighborhood, though. I'd sure love to live there, too, even if the houses look like that.

So maybe it's the difference between an InandOutMansion and an McMansion. Still fast food, but much higher quality.

LOL! That pretty much sums it up!

I want you to take a deep breath behave properly.

Wow one comment about smooth skin and a person is branded a pedi......

You are being rude and callous.

From the likes of you, I consider this an honor. Godbless you tiny tim.

Jimbo,

I also like very old furniture. They are very well made (of good, solid wood). One can see excellent craftsmanship and attention to details. The furniture made these days, I mean ones in the mid range, are cheap and exhibit shoddy workmanship. The low-end stuff, you know what you are getting. The high-end stuff, you know you get excellent quality. The mid-range stuff offers the least value and is there for one purpose only: To rip off the suckers.

But you know, you can go to Asia and buy well-made furniture for a fraction of the price you would pay in US.

But if you are rich, you can get top-grade things anyway.

X,

I'm keeping a watchful eye, against my [probably not] better judgement.

So maybe it’s the difference between an InandOutMansion and an McMansion. Still fast food, but much higher quality.

I may lose all "food" credibility over this but I prefer McDonald to In and Out.

So maybe it’s the difference between an InandOutMansion and an McMansion. Still fast food, but much higher quality.

I must admit that this is a great line, even though Randy H had personal gripes against me.

I don’t like In and Out french fries, so I guess I lose credibility with you.

Huh? I do not like their french fries either.

I much rather have a Fillet-O-Fish.

Peter P,

you're not alone, I also prefer Fillet-O-Fish to In and Out.

I prefer McDonald’s french fries.

Same here. But I do not eat much fries.

you’re not alone, I also prefer Fillet-O-Fish to In and Out.

That is what I usually eat there after breakfast time.

How does McDonald's decide the price of their burgers? I used to head down LA by driving, and the closer you are to urban center, the cheaper the burger price becomes. If you are stuck in some main stop center along I-5, they charge you an arm and a leg for the same thing.

For example, Chicken burger (or whatever burger with chicken patty in it) costs 89-99 cents when you leave San Jose, it soars to 1.29 in San Luis Obispo, and reaches the height of around 1.59 an hour north of Bakersfield.

It's funny, the McDonald's accross from the (former) World Trade Center in NY charged close to $8.00 for a Crispy Chicken Sandwhich Value Meal in the mid-90's. The very same meal in Chicago's financial district was $4.85.

I guess they charge whatever the market will bear.

You guys are so funny. You’re talking about french fries?!?!

I mean Freedom Fries. :)

New thread: The Perfect House

Apple Pie Rocks … (Twice)

I am hungry. ;)

Joe Schmoe,

In Chicago McD's had to compete with Billy Goat's.

I prefer all in-n-out offerings to all McD offerings (Yes, even over the precisely engineered McD fries. In-n-out fries taste more authenic because they're fresh.

However, I'm still going against that Newport Beach McMansion. No $5M estate should be placed that close to the street. It looks like a monstrous McMansion...kind of a funny concept, a McMansion mansion.

Great tips, Bap33 - thanks!