Comments

• Le

  2008-08-07 15:43:22

  India Patent Draft meeting summary below...
  
  https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22704397&postID=2789103135646761098
  
  In favour of patents at the meeting
  
  1. Microsoft 2. Symantec 3. Infosys 4. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) were representing the above.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2008-08-07 16:46:46

  Thanks for this! I'll bring that up later.

• twitter

  2008-08-07 18:26:15

  Beware of M$ designed tests, they tend to disqualify free software the same way an Olympic sprinter might be disqualified from a wheelchair race. Datamation's Matt Hartley knows a few things but he still sees the world through a Window user's eyes and has strange demands. I'll go through a few of them.
  
  Backup dominates the minds of people who are used to software that fails them constantly. In the nine years I've used GNU/Linux, I've never lost a file to software or hardware failure. Backup tasks are also much easier, because you only have to worry about well segregated data and settings. K3B and grsync are all the average user needs to guard important files. Good networking and redundancy built into file systems and formats has protected me better than any automated utility on flimsy systems ever did.
  
  He should try out KPPPOE and Kdialup before complaining about missing options for services few people need anymore. Most people connect through routers that deliver dhcp which almost all GNU/Linux distributions handle more intuitively than Windows. His points about wireless chipsets are on the mark, but careful selection or a $40 card fixes that problem.
  
  He should be careful when he says that Vista supports more printers than Cups or does so better because you get a CD in the box. Non free printer support is only good when you buy a whole new system but quickly fails while free software support gets better. Once again, all in one devices are primarily a Windows user concern because Windows does not provide tools for a paperless office. GNU/Linux, thanks to long standing network and pdf print output is much further down that road. Scanners and faxes, like Windows itself, are moribund but a camera or kooka, kfax and print to fax will save the day when you need to do business with Windows users.
  
  When you step back and look objectively, you see that Windows itself fails most of the tests that Windows users demand from GNU/Linux and that GNU/Linux is a clear winner. It is amazing that anyone would think GNU/Linux has install problems when most distributions ship on a Live CD that shows the user exactly how their hardware performs and comes with a complete software stack that installs in 15 minutes. Windows installs are laughably more difficult and pot luck. Complaining about a few missing "extras" M$ has thrown into Vista only makes sense to those willing to part with hundreds of dollars for a text editor. Then there's system security, durability and the whole upgrade cycle. You will have to buy a new computer to get Vista and it may not be as Capable as advertised. GNU/Linux runs well on old hardware and better on new. Vendors like Asus, Dell, IBM and Lenovo have done well selling GNU/Linux but have big support headaches for Vista.
  
  Finally, there's Vista's DRM. OEM divers are useless when your OS intentionally degrades the quality of your music and videos, forces you to watch commercials and prevents you from recording programs you like. Contrary to the M$ party line, these things don't improve user security or even prevent "Piracy", they simply annoy th user. M$ can rebrand Vista and show people beautiful advertisements but users will still overwhelmingly reject software that so limits them. No amount of "perception management" will sell Vista. The proof is in satisfaction studdies. GNU/Linux and Mac users overwhelmingly love their systems. Windows users loath their computers.

• Linux

  2008-08-08 04:56:58

  http://mm.ilug-bom.org.in/pipermail/linuxers/Week-of-Mon-20080804/064347.html
  
  and while we were asleep three patents have been granted to Microsoft by the indian patent office.
  
  Just reading the initial brief tells me it this a journalled fs coupled with some seek n sort. http://210.210.88.164/patentgrantedSearch/displayApplication.asp?application_number=0743/DEL/2000
  
  This one looks like DRM but could be SSH http://210.210.88.164/patentgrantedSearch/displayApplication.asp?application_number=IN/PCT/2002/01056/DEL
  
  And this one hashes of loaded modules in mem to check that there is no trojan module. DRM? AV? http://210.210.88.164/patentgrantedSearch/displayApplication.asp?application_number=IN/PCT/2002/01297/DEL

• Roy Schestowitz

  2008-08-08 05:34:03

  Thanks for that. I accumulate some more information about swpats and I will post something about it later today.