Post
287 - Hard disk space conundrum

I’m running out of hard disk space; It has come to a point I never thought I would get to a mere eight months ago: I am contemplating removing Windows to make more space for music.

It’s quite a nice feeling for some reason.

I think what I shall probably do, if anything, is to backup my data and re-install Windows on a vfat partition; meaning that I can use the free space on the disk from Linux. It would give me another 10GB or so, enough to be going on with.

Read More…

Post
288 - On the utility of Windows

Further to the previous post, a conversation:

somewhere ostern: Well you could get rid of windows, but it is absolutely essential for, err…

somewhere ostern: Nothing really

delusional: viruses?

somewhere ostern: Yes

somewhere ostern: You won’t be able to download the latest virus patches without windows

Post
285 - null

I actually laughed out loud when I read this headline:

**Microsoft UK plans ‘open and honest’ Linux debates **

Microsoft have a well known history of being open and honest about competitors — or their lack of openness and honesty. I seem to remember the last advert I saw promoting Microsoft software over Linux was comparing the cost of a normal PC server running Windows and a Linux mainframe computer. Not exactly a like for like comparison; rather than apples and oranges it is more like apples and small family hatchbacks.

Read More…

Post
286 - null

This is A Very Bad Thing.

Software patents are worthwhile for worthwhile things. Last year the EU decided on changes to limit software patents in Europe that would have had an effect of limiting trivial patents that actively stifle innovation; the direct opposite effect patents are aiming to achieve. Now it would seem that a redraft of the European software patents bill has pushed many of the items that were decided **against** back into the bill, making it much more similar to the American style of software patenting.

In America, all sorts of crazy software patents exist. A notable one last year was one for embedding media in webpages, such as Flash movies. The company was fortunately defeated, but the very fact that this patent was granted when there was obvious prior use of the patented item from years before the patent was filed illustrates the madness of the situation.

Read More…

Post
286 - Software patent badness

This is A Very Bad Thing.

Software patents are worthwhile for worthwhile things. Last year the EU decided on changes to limit software patents in Europe that would have had an effect of limiting trivial patents that actively stifle innovation; the direct opposite effect patents are aiming to achieve. Now it would seem that a redraft of the European software patents bill has pushed many of the items that were decided against back into the bill, making it much more similar to the American style of software patenting.

Read More…