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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: Hodgkinson on June 20, 2008, 08:00:05 PM

Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Hodgkinson on June 20, 2008, 08:00:05 PM
As shown on BBC2 this Friday.

What do you folks make of it? ;-)
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: trekiej on June 20, 2008, 08:28:52 PM
I can see Mike Myers dancing around singing " on the BBC!"
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: motorollin on June 20, 2008, 08:34:33 PM
I love that song! :lol:

Edit -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa8TyF6lo80

--
moto
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: trekiej on June 20, 2008, 09:00:37 PM
@motorollin:  I could not find it. I did find " a hard luck life" with Myers.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Terse on June 20, 2008, 09:01:52 PM
Quote

trekiej wrote:
@motorollin:  I could not find it. I did find " a hard luck life" with Myers.


I loved that one.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: AmigaHeretic on June 20, 2008, 10:09:34 PM
Speaking of Myers, I miss those years of SNL.

Hardly see it anymore though.  There are funny bits I catch here are there like...

Cork Soakers (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5939431440827939318) Which was brilliant!

...but even that was 4 years ago now. :-o  Time flies by!  Hardly recognize anyone on there anymore if I do catch it though.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Hodgkinson on June 20, 2008, 10:57:31 PM
 :-?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: trekiej on June 20, 2008, 11:07:22 PM
@AmigaHeretic:
R O T F L
 :roflmao:
I will have to say that I am sorry to the poster of this thread. I have not seen the show on BBC. If I was at home, I could see it on Satellite.
So tell us about it.
 
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Hodgkinson on June 21, 2008, 11:21:46 AM
:-)

The show basically described:
-How Bill Gates rose up in the world of software
-Their marketing tactics (E.g., How shipping IE with their OS helped to kill of Netscape, etc)
-How Microsoft got clobbered from the US for it
-How Bill's PC never crashes :-D  :crazy:
-How they're trying to get into the internet business
-And how Microsoft could be undermined by the "cloud" (E.g. Working in cyberspace).

All the way through it’s an interview with Bill himself.

Personally I recon Microsoft has tipped a balance with consumers. I mean, look at schools today. They're all teaching students how to use M$ Office and, to a far lesser degree, M$ Windows (Well, most people call them "Computers" so those people tend to be oblivious to the fact that you could run Linux, etc. No-one ever mentions alternatives ). That’s one hell of a marketing campaign, if I ever saw one (Heh, I can think of other names for forced biased marketing, too)

This means that people will be inclined to buy and use Windows in later life because of it. And because so many people are using Windows, for compatibility and problem-solving, everyone else uses Windows. And everyone writes software for Windows. And because there's so much software for Windows, more people use it. :madashell:
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Tension on June 21, 2008, 11:26:49 AM



"There`s nothing nasty about Bill Gates, and there`s nothing nice about Steve Jobs"


One of my favourite quotes ever.

10 points for the first one who remembers who said it...
... without using google!!!



 :-D
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: hektic on June 21, 2008, 03:19:28 PM
Was it chuck peddle from his old commodore days?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: ZeBeeDee on June 21, 2008, 07:12:19 PM
You did :lol:

Quote

Tension wrote:
"There`s nothing nasty about Bill Gates, and there`s nothing nice about Steve Jobs"
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: sdyates on June 21, 2008, 08:10:04 PM
Sure, until there is a paradigm shift which is likely to come from somewhere unexpected... and after we will say, of course, why did it not happen sooner...

I think the greates threat to the company is dwindling sales... if competition can cut into its keymoney makers like office and it has trouble gaining new markets, it would spell a slow death. No one ever say worldcom going under either... I predicted that one and was laughed at...

Assume MS does go under, someone else will pick it up and focus on the OS keeping that going: however, during this time innovation will suffer a little, letting the competition OSes gain ground.

This is how I see it. No empire lasts forever, no one...
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Homer on June 21, 2008, 08:32:24 PM
Quote
This is how I see it. No empire lasts forever, no one...


Jeez, sdyates, still got the hump after the tauri destroyed your plan for domination of the universe eh  :lol:
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: sdyates on June 21, 2008, 09:46:24 PM
lol - ok, I was in the moment ;)
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 21, 2008, 11:07:04 PM
Bugger. I forgot this was on. I always forget to watch stuff on the BBC.

Don't suppose anyone recorded it and can send me a copy?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 21, 2008, 11:10:27 PM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
Bugger. I forgot this was on. I always forget to watch stuff on the BBC.

Don't suppose anyone recorded it and can send me a copy?


iPlayer?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 21, 2008, 11:12:04 PM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
Bugger. I forgot this was on. I always forget to watch stuff on the BBC.

Don't suppose anyone recorded it and can send me a copy?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/b00c6sdc.shtml?src=ip_mp
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 21, 2008, 11:28:47 PM
Whats iPlayer got to do with anything?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 21, 2008, 11:31:27 PM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
Whats iPlayer got to do with anything?



http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/b00c6sdc.shtml?src=ip_mp

If you click this link you can watch the show, on the BBC iPlayer site...
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 21, 2008, 11:44:05 PM
Oh.

Not that I can actually watch it because it says I must enable JavaScript.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 21, 2008, 11:47:25 PM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
Oh.

Not that I can actually watch it because it says I must enable JavaScript.


?!?! What on earth are you using?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 12:14:28 AM
What do you mean by what am I using? If you are refering to my web browsing facilities I am using Opera 9 on a PC with an internet connection which won't be very fast until next month.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 22, 2008, 12:17:30 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
What do you mean by what am I using? If you are refering to my web browsing facilities I am using Opera 9 on a PC with an internet connection which won't be very fast until next month.


As long as your connection is at least 1meg, you won't have a problem...
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 12:27:15 AM
It is 128k at the moment and hopefully going up to about 2m next month, but that doesn't solve the JavaScript issue, and also the fact that web based video which requires Javascript to be on (especially long videos) are strictly forbidden on all my computers anyway.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 22, 2008, 12:34:39 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
It is 128k at the moment and hopefully going up to about 2m next month, but that doesn't solve the JavaScript issue, and also the fact that web based video which requires Javascript to be on (especially long videos) are strictly forbidden on all my computers anyway.


Ok, yeah, 128k is too slow... Perhaps you should get a cheap MacMini or  something so you can run Javascript :-?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 12:47:17 AM
My PC runs JavaScript perfectly well.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 22, 2008, 12:51:06 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
My PC runs JavaScript perfectly well.


Yes, but you seem to have, wisely in my opinion, chosen to disallow Javascript to run on it... If you run a nice secure operating system system then you can allow Javascript again and enjoy all that the internet allows...
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 12:55:50 AM
My current OS is already very secure. I do not generally run JavaScript on any system. Security doesn't come into it.

Enjoyment doesn't really come into it either. JavaScript can be useful sometimes, but has a tendancy to make site much worse, and alot slower these days. Nothing to do with enjoyment.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 22, 2008, 01:04:02 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
My current OS is already very secure. I do not generally run JavaScript on any system. Security doesn't come into it.


Then I'm honestly at a loss...

Quote

Enjoyment doesn't really come into it either. JavaScript can be useful sometimes, but has a tendancy to make site much worse, and alot slower these days. Nothing to do with enjoyment.


You have to be crazy... Javascript was the best thing to happen to the internet since html... You will find yourself increasingly isolated if you don't embrace new technologies... the web is going to get much more Javascript heavy, not less...  And when I say enjoy, I simply mean use... how do you use the vast array of services offered for free by many companies without Javascript?
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 01:06:50 AM
What kind of services offered by what companies?

Only thing I can think of except for some forums where JavaScript comes in handy is ebay which seems to function perfectly fine without it.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 22, 2008, 01:26:38 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
What kind of services offered by what companies?

Only thing I can think of except for some forums where JavaScript comes in handy is ebay which seems to function perfectly fine without it.


Well lets start with iPlayer... where you can watch any BBC program you might have missed in the last week... Since I assume you pay your TV license, this is a service you have paid for an should take advantage of... then you wouldn't need to have someone record the show on to tape (20 century technology!!!)  and sending it to you via the post... this is not a modern way to live!

How about Gmail? I use it all the time, 6gigs free storage, and I can get my Emails anywhere in the world... also has a built in chat service with video...

How about social networking sites? Facebook, myspace?

How about YouTube? One of the single most useful sites on the internet...

My god, the list is endless!
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 02:01:05 AM
I have no desire to watch any long TV programme in a web browser. If something is important I will record it onto a video tape and arrange to do this in advance. This has the advantage of not having to use the computer and I can keep the recording for a very long time if necessary. I don't pay a TV license currently, but even if I did, it would be soe I can watch the TV. I couldn't give a toss about the websites run by TV companies. I only use the BBC site for weather which can easily be obtained from other sites or from Ceefax, or just by watching the TV.

Gmail works fine without Javascript (I have used it fine on my 030 A1200), but I use it in MS Outlook about 98% of the time so it's web interface doesn't matter. I intend to switch to another service soon though as I want my email address to use the domain name that I own. I use Google's chat service over BitlBee in any IRC client, along with MSN and AIM. I am not having extra programmes open for these since 95% of my online chat is on IRC.

Never used Facebook. No need. I gave up on Myspace after I thought, 'what the hell am I keeping this page up for when it's primary use is for Hodgekinson to leave me a message on the odd occaision when he can email me instead'. It's only other use was for people from school to call me a {bleep}. I no longer have any use for such sites and will not have any use for them in the forseeable future.

As for YouTube, other than about 10 music videos that I have wanted to look up over the last year or so, I do not use it either. I am yet to find a video which is good or useful or has some relavence to me. And the quality of YouTube videos is absolutely {bleep} and they cannot be downloaded to watch later. Any videos which I make will not be put on youtube as I do not want anything which I put effort in to be amongst a big pile of crap on someone elses website. Nor do I want someone else to decide what player it will be played in (i.e. flash) nor do I want to have someone else dictate the quality of the video. How YouTube is 'useful' I don't know.

That just about clears everything up.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: bloodline on June 22, 2008, 02:13:07 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
I have no desire to watch any long TV programme in a web browser. If something is important I will record it onto a video tape and arrange to do this in advance. This has the advantage of not having to use the computer and I can keep the recording for a very long time if necessary. I don't pay a TV license currently, but even if I did, it would be soe I can watch the TV. I couldn't give a toss about the websites run by TV companies. I only use the BBC site for weather which can easily be obtained from other sites or from Ceefax, or just by watching the TV.


But if you own a TV then you need a license... that is the law...



Quote

Gmail works fine without Javascript (I have used it fine on my 030 A1200), but I use it in MS Outlook about 98% of the time so it's web interface doesn't matter. I intend to switch to another service soon though as I want my email address to use the domain name that I own. I use Google's chat service over BitlBee in any IRC client, along with MSN and AIM. I am not having extra programmes open for these since 95% of my online chat is on IRC.

Never used Facebook. No need. I gave up on Myspace after I thought, 'what the hell am I keeping this page up for when it's primary use is for Hodgekinson to leave me a message on the odd occaision when he can email me instead'. It's only other use was for people from school to call me a {bleep}. I no longer have any use for such sites and will not have any use for them in the forseeable future.


Hmmm.. you sound popular... :-?

Quote

As for YouTube, other than about 10 music videos that I have wanted to look up over the last year or so, I do not use it either. I am yet to find a video which is good or useful or has some relavence to me. And the quality of YouTube videos is absolutely {bleep} and they cannot be downloaded to watch later.


Actually they can be downloaded.. but then I use a Mac, perhaps you can't on Windows I've never tried...

And there is a High quality setting in your account, but since you don't use Javascript I doubt you've ever seen the settings page...

Quote

Any videos which I make will not be put on youtube as I do not want anything which I put effort in to be amongst a big pile of crap on someone elses website. Nor do I want someone else to decide what player it will be played in (i.e. flash) nor do I want to have someone else dictate the quality of the video. How YouTube is 'useful' I don't know.

That just about clears everything up.


Ok, fine... you missed a TV show... you claim to keep missing TV shows made by the BBC (which if I understand correctly, you legally have no right to watch)... The BBC offer a service that allows you to watch these programs if you miss them... But you choose not to use this service and still complain... I must say you are a very strange person.

Anyway, welcome to the 21st Century, I hope things aren't to scary for you!
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: jmbattle on June 22, 2008, 02:38:47 AM
Might I suggest you use Firefox with the the NoScript extension.  This will allow you to browse the net without worrying about pop-ups, advertising, and the potential security exploits.

Then, when you do encounter a website that requires Javascript enabled to function correctly, you can either allow the domain/sub-domain temporarily, or add it to a white list for future visits.

The BBC's news website is among the best available, while iPlayer (which I would love to be able to use over here), leads the way in online streaming.

Regardless, I downloaded the programme from a UK TV torrent website a couple of days ago, and found it to be rather interesting.  Die-hard Amiga fans will undoubtedly disagree, however Bill's decision to donate billions of dollars to charity cannot be ignored.

Cheers,
James
x
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 02:43:27 AM
I never said that there arn't any other residents here that don't pay the TV license. The TV license for these premises is paid.

The reason I forget to watch stuff on the BBC is because I always watch ITV in the evening and my rubbish short term memory prevents me from remembering to change channels so I just switch it off as normal.

Things like iPlayer are not very good for me alot of the time anyway as I watch and record the TV in locations that do not have fast internet connections but do have excellent Television/VCR facilities. e.g. I may record something at home on monday so I can take the tape to one of these locations and watch it on tuesday. I can then keep the recording to watch 10 years later.

The BBC may provide a service to watch programmes that have been on but that is only useful for those who can use it.

Downloading youtube videos - I know it is possible but it requires special software.
I cancelled my youtube account about a year ago. And flash is still a crappy video format, regardless of whether it can be high quality or not. And it will never fix the issue of my own videos being among everyone elses {bleep}. Which obviously isn't related to watching videos which are already on youtube but it has been suggested to me to put stuff on youtube in the past.

I sound popular? I might be popular, but that doesn't have anything to do with social networking sites. I don't see why that is needed when i talk to everyone on forums and on IRC.

I think you need to remind yourself about when the 21st century actually started.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: steve30 on June 22, 2008, 02:46:10 AM
Quote
Might I suggest you use Firefox with the the NoScript extension. This will allow you to browse the net without worrying about pop-ups, advertising, and the potential security exploits.

Then, when you do encounter a website that requires Javascript enabled to function correctly, you can either allow the domain/sub-domain temporarily, or add it to a white list for future visits.


I will remember that in case I ever do use firefox, but I much prefer Opera so I don't bother normally. I find it very easy to just switch Javascript on as and when it is needed. It takes 3 key presses.
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: CSixx on June 22, 2008, 03:08:03 AM
Quote

steve30 wrote:
I watch and record the TV in locations that do not have fast internet connections but do have excellent Television/VCR facilities.



You missed the show, you wont watch it online because of the big scary javascript requirement, and noone else here still uses VHS.

Sounds like you are screwed...

Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: adolescent on June 22, 2008, 05:34:56 AM
TV license?  :lol:
Title: Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World
Post by: Hodgkinson on June 22, 2008, 10:01:42 AM
Hmmm. This isn't what I had planned...

BTW, have a look at Zamzar - An easy way to download videos from the internet and convert them at the same time. You can even upload your own files for conversion. Totally free.
Quote

Never used Facebook. No need. I gave up on Myspace after I thought, 'what the hell am I keeping this page up for when it's primary use is for Hodgekinson to leave me a message on the odd occasion when he can email me instead'.

Fair enough ;-)
I hardly even use Myspace these days, either.