Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 11th Jun 2010 21:27 UTC
"Microsoft has fixed the distribution scope of a toolbar update that, without the user's knowledge, installed an add-on in Internet Explorer and an extension in Firefox called Search Helper Extension. Microsoft told us that the new update is actually the same as the old one; the only difference is the distribution settings. In other words, the update will no longer be distributed to toolbars that it shouldn't be added to. End users won't see the tweak, Microsoft told Ars, and also offered an explanation on what the mystery add-on actually does."
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Member since:2007-11-23
RE[3]: Comment by marcp
by darknexus on Sun 13th Jun 2010 02:31
in reply to "RE[2]: Comment by marcp"
Member since:2008-07-15
Hmm, that's a good point. Should I mention I don't use *any* proprietary software just to make sure my rights are satisfied. And by *any* I mean *none*, because I always try to choose from the liberal licenses, like ISC, BSD. GPL, etc.
Interesting. Does that mean you've never used an ATM machine? How about gone to the doctor? Or flown on an airplane? I take it you don't drive a car either, or ride on any other type of motor vehicle for transport?
I really hate when people say they *only* ever use one certain type of product or license, because in reality that's not true. Just about everything is powered by software these days, and a good majority of it will never be free as it takes time and paid experts in the respective fields to develop. Sort of a bigger picture when looked at that way, eh?
RE[3]: Comment by marcp
by nt_jerkface on Mon 14th Jun 2010 22:24
in reply to "RE[2]: Comment by marcp"
Member since:2009-08-26
Hmm, that's a good point. Should I mention I don't use *any* proprietary software just to make sure my rights are satisfied.
Well you must use an abacus then because most hardware is hard encoded with proprietary software.
If you want a fully open source computer then you'll have to go to the garage and build one from scratch. That way you can fully meet the rights that Stallman sanctimoniously declared for you while on the crapper.
Features
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/24/13 17:26 UTC
So, the Xbox One disaster continues. Microsoft's policy for dealing with the used games market has reportedly leaked - and it's a clear and direct attack to destroy the used games market. Prices for used games will be set at the retail value of a new game, and retailers have to hook into Microsoft's computer systems and comply with Microsoft's terms and conditions.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/21/13 21:38 UTC
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/20/13 11:29 UTC
The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/18/13 21:33 UTC
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
Linked by David Adams on 05/16/13 4:23 UTC
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/11/13 21:41 UTC
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/08/13 14:22 UTC
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/02/13 15:28 UTC
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/29/13 21:06 UTC
Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/24/13 22:24 UTC
They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.More Features »
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Member since:
2006-12-05
By agreeing to Microsoft's EULA to be "allowed" to use their OS in the first place you would have probably waived that right... so you'd be screwed if you wanted to sue. You'd be forced to go to Plan B, stop using their products. Don't you just love how Microsoft weasels their massive monopolistic corporate ass out of everything? And of course, Microsoft is not the only company to do so, not even close, just to make that clear. But they were certainly one of the first to jump on this proprietary/licensed software idea and make it common.
Edited 2010-06-12 18:23 UTC