Windows 8’s new start screen would likely not affect my workflow a great deal, as I typically run applications by banging the Windows key and typing the name of the program I want to start (this works for me under GNOME 3 and Windows 7 alike). Microsoft’s policy of restriction is what is absurd. They […]

In an effort to avoid demise, RIM is now complying with the Indian government’s spying demands with added vigor. While it previously argued that its Blackberry services were not designed to permit even lawful interception, they have now proven that this is not the case, and that the implementation is simple. On top of this, […]

Microsoft is making the same old mistake. A competing product with proprietary features that will work for some people, but not everyone – the philosophy here will be to make Outlook.com your go-to place for communication. Will you be able to video chat with a GMail user? No. Why? Because it’s technically impossible? No, because […]

Quick note to those experiencing gadget lust after Apple WWDC and Google I/O: In the UNIX world, root is the most common term for the user in total control of a system. Root is the owner of /, the root of the filesystem, the namespace within which UNIX operates. Apple’s and Google’s devices are based […]

Digital technology is reinventing our whole world, in service of you and me. It’s free enterprise on steroids. It’s bypassing the gatekeepers and empowering each of us to invent our own civilization for ourselves, according to our own specifications. This quote alone inspires me – that’s how I feel about computers and their limitless capabilities, […]

The new “Retina MacBook Pro” is an attractive machine,  but it does come with a big caveat. A lot of users wisely order the base configuration of a notebook from the manufacturer, and subsequently upgrade its memory and storage capacity using aftermarket parts. This is done to avoid the massive price markup the OEM places […]

While we’re basking in the afterglow of Apple’s WWDC keynote and their demonstration of truly transcendent integration between its devices via its various cloud services, it’s important to take a step back and reflect on why the cloud is a bad idea. From the article: I can’t speak to the merits of the lawsuit; the […]

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz says the contract with American Mug and Stein is only the beginning. “There are hundreds of East Liverpools around the country today,” he says. “These towns have been left for dead. And even though it’s more expensive to manufacture this mug in the U.S. than it would be in China or […]

If the computer were to end up and remain in the hands of a small elite, e.g. of a dictator, [the computer’s] power will make the common man powerless and utterly submissive. And this tyranny will be introduced under the guise of the advancement of human well-being. — Prof. Dr. ir. H. van Riesen, 1956

Red Hat yesterday defended its decision to collaborate with Microsoft in forcing Linux users to pay a $99 fee to install custom kernels as the “best thing for its users”. In truth this is a delusional position to take – the best thing for users is to pressure the software/hardware industry to avoid obvious situations […]