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Re: [LUG] OT: Chrome Books - opinions...?

 

On 13/05/11 16:38, Grant Sewell wrote:
On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 10:53 AM, tom<tompotts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
As far as I can tell there are all the tools you need for free to do almost
whatever you want in computing. There are two ways to make money out of you:
1) provide a service. For me this would be connectivity, a web server and
associated storage.
2) Or do what google, ms, apple et all are trying to do - keep you ignorant
and provide 1/2 service - one that doesnt encourage you to actually learn
about computers and what they can do and how to use them so they can charge
you for the privilege of using your 21st century technology to emulate a
victorian office.
The problem, as I see it, is that not everyone wants to "learn about
computers and what they can do" when all that they want is to have
something that resembles a letter in some capacity.
I understand that - but the recipient would be probably be better off with an electronic version - see next comment
The only docs you should ever write are emails or possibly web pages.
Spreadsheets are like programming without the last 30 years of software
engineering experience added and should never be used in enterprise.
Really?  So my Mother would have been better learning about
programming and software engineering just so she could process her
yearly accounts?
No - she could have used a free package to do that. And if companies could get their computer systems to send me an xml or other open standard formatted version of my receipts/invoices rather than a 'pretty' PDFinF then it could just go straight into my account package rather than me having to type it in! Proprietary standards make life really hard - documents/paper are a proprietary standard - it needs something else other than my computer.
Facebook should be a small app on your webserver that allows you full
control of YOUR data that you can allow friends to connect into.
So you're advocating that everyone should have their own webserver?
Who's going to foot the bill for this?  Is everyone required to learn
how to manage their own webserver?

You used to get one with your BB setup . And managing one can be really easy these days - easier and more effective than protecting your data on facebook. What always amazes me is that there is practically nothing in good software engineering practices that does not have a very close parallel in good office/home/business management - the only downside to making the effort of learning these practices is heightened exasperation levels.

<snip>
Tom te tom te tom



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