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Bullshit

marco.org

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Re: Bullshit

#141

Post by statictype »

Bud wrote: post #129
statictype wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

RAM from Apple is certainly expensive enough that almost no one recommends it. They also tend to nickle-and-dime you on accessories like converter cables.

So basically, you are griping because Apple hasn't chosen to be a mass seller of RAM upgrades who keeps large stocks and is willing to sell it for very small profit margins. Heard of damning with faint praise? I'd say this amounts to praising with faint damn.

Whatever. I was just pointing out that Apple sells things that are much more expensive than what you get elsewhere. If you choose to read more into it than that, then go ahead and knock yourself out.

Re: Bullshit

#142

Post by statictype »

KeithMajhor wrote: post #128
statictype wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

RAM from Apple is certainly expensive enough that almost no one recommends it. They also tend to nickle-and-dime you on accessories like converter cables.

"Their products are deliberately engineered to make it painful to seek affordable alternatives when you need new parts." Some of apples products have RAM directly soldered to the motherboard. This has legitimate engineering trade-offs. Of the ones that don't do this: Are there any that deliberately void compatibility with alternatives. It looks like most of their cables have alternatives too. Their stuff is expensive…

Yes, sorry - I missed that part of the point. You can get usually get cheaper alternative accessories.

Re: Bullshit

#143

Post by jballanc »

nl wrote: post #114
KeithMajhor wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In all seriousness. What does "open" even mean? I've noticed that no one is saying "open source". Not that I know what that really means either. Android isn't developed in the open they just release the source code. That's the only real difference from Windows 7. So is this all just relative to the phone market? It's "open" as far as phones go? I get the feeling "open" is not something you can be . It's a continuum.…

Android is Open Source[1], which has a real definition[2] that means something. You can fork it, and create your own distribution (as Amazon has shown). It is open in other ways, too - Android phones can load applications from sources other than the Market (unless that feature has been disabled by your carrier - which goes back to the first point). Most Android phones have a sdcard slot, too, which allows you to get…

Out of curiosity, would you call OS X "open"? You can find enough of the source for OS X to create a booting OS here: http://opensource.apple.com/ . Obviously, this isn't all of OS X, but then not all of the Android OS is "open" either.

I'm not trying to be contrarian, but I think the people criticizing Adroid for not being "open" are primarily picking on precisely the vagueness that you have highlighted. There are ways that Android is "open" that really matter...to you. For other people, there are ways that Android is not "open" that really matter. Just ask Stallman, for example.

Re: Bullshit

#144

Post by p0wn3d »

Remember back in the 70's and 80's before cable TV? We only had channels 3,6, and 7. We loved TV but couldn't stand the commercials every 5 minutes. The internet has turned into one big TV commercial. Websites are now 10% content and 90% ads. It is so sad that we let this get out of control. Don't get me started on social networking and how they exist to be the big TV commercial to make boatloads of cash.

Re: Bullshit

#145

Post by jballanc »

Only one I really take issue with is:

> Nobody wants a [popular new product category that Apple doesn’t make yet].

To be honest, when you hear that from an executive at Apple, I believe they are being sincere. You have to understand that Apple does not think of the iPhone as "a cell phone that plays music" or the iPad as "a tablet computer" or the MacBook Air as "a netbook". Yes, this is parsing things rather finely, but if you think that doing so is somehow irrelevant, then I would assert that you don't understand Apple and the way they do things.

Re: Bullshit

#146

Post by chc »

jsavimbi wrote: post #116

You'd be surprised at the number of people who use Twitter for the sole purpose of following their favorite chelebrities, ergo interacting with brands. I'm going to put my toe in the water and assume the same applies to Facebook.

Celebrities may have brands built around them, but they are not simply brands. I know a lot of people who spend a significant amount of time talking to celebrities on Twitter, and they tend to draw that distinction too: If they perceive the celebrity is an interesting person, they'll interact. But if the celebrity just seems to be presenting a "brand," they're much more passive, because interacting with a brand tends to feel hollow.

Re: Bullshit

#147

Post by jemfinch »

potatolicious wrote: post #59
jemfinch wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"A really long time"? Seriously--I know it's been a busy year--but the nine months (from February 2011 to November 2011) during which Android was being used in certain tablets without being open sourced hardly qualifies as "a really long time", especially in comparison to operating systems which have never been open.

I'm not sure how your'e able to say nine months isn't a long time (especially in this industry!) with a straight face. Also, I subscribe to a pretty liberal interpretation of "open source", and "source will be downloadable at an undetermined date in the future, if we feel like it" really doesn't qualify. There is, of course, the colloquial expectation of open - the implication that Google has never shied away from is…

Six months passed between the announcement of the iPhone and its release. More than a year passes between each iPhone generation. 9 months, even in the mobile world, is just not "a really long time", and we're talking about a version of Android that only ran on tablets (which was, incidentally, why its source wasn't released on schedule).

Calling Android "open" is not just "technically" correct. It's really true: you can download the source to Android and build your own versions. Cyanogen does this. Amazon does this. Multiple handset manufacturers do this. Anyone can do this, and many do.

Re: Bullshit

#148

Post by Terretta »

statictype wrote: post #141
Bud wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So basically, you are griping because Apple hasn't chosen to be a mass seller of RAM upgrades who keeps large stocks and is willing to sell it for very small profit margins. Heard of damning with faint praise? I'd say this amounts to praising with faint damn.

Whatever. I was just pointing out that Apple sells things that are much more expensive than what you get elsewhere. If you choose to read more into it than that, then go ahead and knock yourself out.

They also sell things, like the Macbook Air or iPad, that are much less expensive than what you get elsewhere (when you try to get an equivalently spec'd device).

Given that their devices cost less, I can forgive them the convenience cost of an in-store RAM upgrade when they're helping my Mom upgrade RAM or HDD in her beloved 15" Macbook from years ago that still works a treat. Most customers are not really the NewEgg type.

To grandparent's point about costs of low turnover stock, these parts cost more for much better reasons than Jiffy Lube oil costs more, yet most people prefer Jiffy Lube except mechanics or DIYers.

Re: Bullshit

#149

Post by Terretta »

rfergie wrote: post #79
Pheter wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it works, which is why they do it.

I work with some brands on trying to measure this and in many cases I'm not sure it does work. The typical process works like this: 1. Brand creates facebook page 2. People who really, really love the brand connect with the page. 3. The brand observes that people who have connected with them on social media are excellent customers. 4. The brand tries to increase the number of connected users by offering promotions an…

You should write this up and submit a link.

Re: Bullshit

#150

Post by ootachi »

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #131
makomk wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Android's "openness" doesn't include the ability to actually modify the software running on your device, which means that on its own it's useless to everyone except hardware manufacturers. It's only on the rare occasions when those manufacturers actually choose to do more than is required on them and open up their hardware to modifications that "openness" is of any value at all.

I don't really get what you're saying here. Some Android devices have locked bootloaders, but that doesn't affect the openness of AOSP. If anything, you're making an argument for GPLv3 which would require Android OEM's to allow for open bootloaders and (S-OFF (htc)). But I can assure you, my Galaxy Nexus is running a CM9 alpha that I built from source last night.

Replace "some Android devices" with "the vast majority of Android devices". That is Marco's point.
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