Thread: M$ and their $

  1. #1
    Registered User major_small's Avatar
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    M$ and their $

    looky here:
    A license for removable solid state media manufacturers to preformat the media, such as compact flash memory cards, to the Microsoft FAT file system format, and to preload data onto such preformatted media using the Microsoft FAT file system format. Pricing for this license is US$0.25 per unit with a cap on total royalties of $250,000 per manufacturer.
    straight from the horses' mouth
    what do you think about this?
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  2. #2
    &TH of undefined behavior Fordy's Avatar
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    Big deal...

  3. #3
    Just one more wrong move. -KEN-'s Avatar
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    Smart move on Microsoft's part. What's the big deal?

    "LOL M$$$ makez mony therfor theire eval!!! lolololalwl!!![axqfa"

  4. #4
    Much older and wiser Fountain's Avatar
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    The first FAT file system was developed by Microsoft in 1976. That system was based on the BASIC programming language and allowed programs and data to be stored on a floppy disk. Since that time, the FAT file system has been improved upon multiple times to take advantage of advances in computer technology, and to further refine and enrich the FAT file system itself.

    Sooooo why would anyone not want a part of this? Are you saying (as people on this site say about Windows) that they are probably crap/crash prone? Give it up, this one seems to actually belong to MS..........
    Such is life.

  5. #5
    Board Conservative UnregdRegd's Avatar
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    It's actions like these that make me proud to be an American, a citizen of a country where big-time for-profit corporations actually have rights and a say in government. I think we should respect Microsoft's shock-and-awe'ing ability to recognize another way to turn a profit for itself without having contributed anything new to society.

    I see the so-called free software movement's (how's it free if it doesn't know a corporation's love in the form of restrictive EULAs and software patents?) struggle to provide an alternative to what Deus Mercatus (God the Market) has already graciously provided us. Removable solid state media manufacturers will not use anything like ext2 because they would have to pay just as much to provide a nonfree ext2 driver for Windows!

    Were you expecting me to chide Microsoft for pursuing its own self-interest?
    I am a programmer. My first duty is to God, then to nation, then to employer, then to family, then to friends, then to computer, and finally to myself. I code with dignity, honor, and integrity.

  6. #6
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    I am glad they are doing this. To all your microsoft haters on the bandwagon look at this as them making more money so they can maybe hire more people to make better stuff. This probally won't change much anything but it's an excuse. I have no problems with much anything microsoft has done. So you hate windows? Well use linux. Don't buy microsofts software if you don't like them. It's as simple as that.

  7. #7
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    Its their technology so its their right to profit from it. If you make something cool, patent it, sell it, and license it. If you make enough cool things, you might become as rich as MS.

    25 cents a unit is a joke too. Its a good move by MS.

  8. #8
    i want wookie cookies the Wookie's Avatar
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    most people use aol instant messenger

    and instead of using msn messenger, you can still use gaim/trillian/jabber etc to connect to the msn network

    you dont have to use windows media player, you can use winamp, or whatever other players are out there

    you can use netscape for browsing the net

    and whatever else.

    theyre only a monopoly because everything else is crap(pier than ms). if people had GOOD and workable alternatives, they would use them. like winamp, its a GOOD alternative to WMP, so people use it. some people happen to like WMP so they use that

    its all about choice. youre not forced to use anything. MS is a business, and they do what businesses do

    im not saying theyre not wrong on a moral/ethical level, but logically, theyre not doinga nything wrong

    they're a monopoly because we made them one.

  9. #9
    Just one more wrong move. -KEN-'s Avatar
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    Originally posted by Brian
    Microsoft probably have enough money to hire every programmer in the world. They don't want to.

    If you're the average computer user, you don't have a choice. Microsoft is a monopoly. If you hate Windows, you're $$$$ed. The only alternatives don't have all the software you want to use, and they are often difficult to use.

    Microsoft don't need to make good software. They realise this. All they need to do is keep making more and more windows-only software and services (Messenger, Media Player) etc, to kill the competition and lock you into their platform.

    Want to use an alternative to Messenger? You can't. All your friends use messenger, and they won't move because all their friends use messenger. I know, you can use gaim, etc. But microsoft is constantly making steps (so far unsuccessfully) to lock out third party MSN clients.

    Want to play the latest game? You can using WineX if you want to waste cycles converting windows api so you can watch your computer melt 2 frames per second out of it.

    This FAT thing is just Microsoft stretching its monopolistic muscles. They found a way to make money, because FAT is their patent, and every device uses FAT because every device uses Windows CE.

    Some websites even force you to use internet explorer to use them.

    There is no choice.
    what.

    Most of my friends use AIM, so I use AIM. Or GAIM. Or Trillian. Whatever. Anyway, it's their network, and they can lock whoever they want out of it. Also, I do believe that there are media players out there that can decode WMP9 files.

    The game thing is stupid. Something like 80% of home computers run on Windows, so the game companies market to windows. A few make Linux and Mac versions, but they realize that there's not much money to be had there.

  10. #10
    Registered User TravisS's Avatar
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    This, and pretty much everything else about MS, doesn't even come close to the whole software patents in Europe issue. If you want to complain about something, complain about that.

  11. #11
    Banal internet user
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    Originally posted by Brian
    Some websites even force you to use internet explorer to use them.
    I've never been forced.

    And who cares about the games... Microsoft wins, oh well! A real gamer doesn't give a nut about the OS they play on, it's about the game. Aww, poor MS-hating babies.

  12. #12
    Much older and wiser Fountain's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Brian
    Submitting to opression is worse than being forced.



    And I suppose a real golf player doesn't give a nut about the club he uses.

    BUT, nobody actually feels forced, even the ones who hate MS.

    The golf player would use the BEST club, that is compatible with the course. Thus he would use the MS club.
    Such is life.

  13. #13
    Banal internet user
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    Originally posted by Brian
    And I suppose a real golf player doesn't give a nut about the club he uses.
    That's a really stupid cpmparison.

    I prefer to think of it as the alcoholic not caring about which bar he's in, just as long as he gets drunk.

  14. #14
    Mayor of Awesometown Govtcheez's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Brian
    Submitting to opression is worse than being forced.
    What website forces you to submit to such horrible oppression?

  15. #15
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
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    The only problem I have with using the FAT system is that there are better FS's out there...sure FAT is fine, but if im going to plug in a usb stick, i want to move stuff quickly, search it quickly, and have fewer data errors...I'd even like to see them put NTFS on there...any journalising FS for that matter. Of course I dont think that would be pertinent on the smaller drives, but the ones that are 256, 512, 1 gig...those i'd like a journaling system on.
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