CharlotteTheHarlot

OK, long story: ... Thanks, very helpful! EDIT: While we're mentioning TechBroil, I have to quote his opening thought in his latest post: PS4 Wins ... That sentence really nails it. After the Sony CD audio DRM fiasco this has got to be the most amazing turn of events in a long while.

You want to know why they hate distribution media? It is because it remains the last impediment to the complete destruction of private property and completes Microsoft's transition to a company that sells information one electron at a time. Microsoft has been on this mission since the very beginning of the 16-bit PC era when x86 hardware and software began to look like a big winner compared to the previous 8-bit x80 era. Many people were scratching their heads wondering how Microsoft could make a go at this "Software business". In order to make money they would need to find a way to patent and protect easily reproducible "recipes" ( where the product is created from someone elses private property, only the "idea" is transmitted ). Logical people figured out that they would need to completely rewrite the notion that you cannot patent something like this because you cannot enforce people from NOT making themselves a peanut butter + jelly sandwich that you invented or singing "Happy Birthday" which you wrote without paying you a license fee. This was a common discussion at the time on company intranets and the early USENET about Microsoft as they were unique with no hardware, only a virtual product. The new PC era temporarily made the argument moot for the PC universe because the main form of transmission of ideas was distribution media ( unlike the networked big iron world ). Ownership of this media could not be questioned, so Microsoft set on their endless push for "you only license the contents" and many have bought into that nonsense ( it is still a recipe, once located on YOUR hard disk it is only re-arranged storage bytes and amounts to a set of instructions for your CPU ). But they have been consistent in this notion 24/7/365 for over 30 years now. They have gotten courts to establish this "you only license it" as normal, building precedents upon precedents, and have gotten many fanboys to parrot the concept to the point of normalcy. Now, as the Internet is finally effective as a distribution mechanism ( the dial-up era was not for most ) they are simply moving to the final stage. Kill private property leaving them as another media company like Ma Bell, Cable, Satellite, all the entertainment networks, etc. The goal is subscription methodology, not unlike a drug dealer that gets you on the hook with free or low-cost samples in order to ensure permanent business. At the end of the day there is no private property, only virtual stuff. They want to be one of the main players in this field, and might be the only one after enough failures and mergers. btw Formfiller, being new to that forum I see lots of references to TMR and Pogson and Dr. Loser and Olderman, but what is the backstory to them? What are they and what connects them all? EDIT: typo(s)

Images seen in forums at The Verge ( made by others, not me ) where the commenters are having fun tweaking butt-hurt resident fanboys A poem for the Xbox One defenders ( Microsoft Tribe Forum at The Verge 2013-06-11 ) ( Image Source ) Using the famous song by the "Police". That's enough for some cry-babies to suggest the thread be removed. Later they step into the "First they came for ..." historical meme. Fanboys really dislike Nazi analogies ... WTF is wrong with you MS ??? ( Microsoft Tribe Forum at The Verge 2013-06-14 ) This one is in response to a tweet to @XboxSupport that asks "What if I travel a lot?". One reply apparently from Microsoft was "You will be able to play when you return home. I travel with an Xbox 360 for road gaming". I thought this one was hysterical ... ( Image Source ) EDIT: clarity

Time for a chronological review of the tumultous campaign for Microsoft's NextBox. I'm pretty sure this is not what they expected. However, why wouldn't they expect this considering they had already experienced well over a year of deafening criticism of Windows 8 and Metro. Stupid is as stupid does. Naturally this is NOT all-inclusive! It is merely the tip of the iceberg that Captain Ballmer keeps crashing the SS Microsoft into again and again. These here are mostly articles I posted or meant to post and also some were posted by other members. For each of these there are probably another two dozen corresponding articles on other tech news sites, and a hundred discussion forums. It's been quite a wild ride, and it began shortly after the Windows 8 launch and Sinofsky's exit. What will the next seven months bring? And who shall Microsoft alienate next? The XboxFiles ( The Truth Is Now Out There ) ... Kinect could police who watches films at home ( EuroGamer 2012-11-06 ) Microsoft Patent Lets Hollywood Watch You with Camera ( Tom's Hardware 2012-11-06 ) In Microsoft patent, Kinect watches you ( NeoWin 2012-11-07 ) Xbox Live service down for Xbox 360, Windows 8 and more [update] ( NeoWin 2013-01-30 ) Rumor: next Xbox to block used games with one-time activation codes ( TechSpot 2013-02-06 ) GameStop: Gamers won't buy next Xbox if it blocks used games ( NeoWin 2013-02-08 ) Xbox co-founder says the last five years have been painful to watch ( TechSpot 2013-02-13 ) Former Microsoft Xbox team member slams current state of Xbox 360 ( NeoWin 2013-02-13 ) EA exec: It's unlikely 'next Xbox' will play Xbox 360 games ( NeoWin 2013-02-13 ) Microsoft claims no involvement in raid of hacker who leaked next-gen Xbox info ( NeoWin 2013-02-23 ) Microsoft axes Xbox Live Gold Family pack, doesn't love your offspring ( NeoWin 2013-03-08 ) Microsoft stops offering Xbox Live Gold Family Packs without warning ( Geek.com 2013-03-08 ) Analyst: PS4 and next-gen Xbox games will cost $70 ( NeoWin 2013-03-11 ) UPDATED: Xbox Entertainment Awards blighted by security breach ( MCV 2013-03-19 ) Microsoft's Xbox Entertainment Awards website hit with security breach ( NeoWin 2013-03-19 ) Microsoft confirms 'high-profile' employee Xbox Live accounts hacked ( The Verge 2013-03-19 ) Microsoft team members targeted in Xbox Live account attacks ( NeoWin 2013-03-20 ) Xbox 'Durango' XDK leak "confirms" always-online, mandatory HDD installs, required Kinect 2 ( NeoWin 2013-03-19 ) Xbox 'Durango' leak claims console is 'always connected,' games must be installed to hard disk ( The Verge 2013-03-20 ) FUD alert: "always connected" Xbox 720 rumors are mostly paranoia ( TechSpot 2013-03-20 ) 1600 Microsoft Points offered to UK residents affected by website error ( NeoWin 2013-03-22 ) Report: Next Xbox Will Be Always-On, Games Run off HDD] ( Tom's Hardware 2013-03-24 ) Microsoft: Xbox SmartGlass can be used "to spy on your kids" ( NeoWin 2013-03-28 ) More rumors pop up on Microsoft's "always on" next Xbox ( NeoWin 2013-04-04 ) Microsoft creative director on always-on console: #dealwithit ( TechSpot 2013-04-05 ) Microsoft Studios creative director debates 'always on' game console stance ( NeoWin 2013-04-05 ) Microsoft creative director: 'I don't get the drama' over 'always-on' Xbox rumors ( The Verge 2013-04-05 ) Microsoft Xbox gaffe reveals cloudy arrogance. ( No, we're not all online all the time ) ( UK Register 2013-04-05 ) Microsoft issues statement apologizing for employee's Twitter comments on next-generation Xbox ( The Verge 2013-04-05 ) Snarky Microsoft Director Tweets Support for Always-On Consoles ( Maximum PC 2013-04-05 ) Microsoft employee on rumored Xbox Internet requirement: “#dealwithit” ( Ars Technica 2013-04-05 ) Microsoft apologizes for employee's 'inappropriate' Twitter comments ( NeoWin 2013-04-05 ) Next Xbox to feature AMD processor, not compatible with 360 titles ( TechSpot 2013-04-09 ) Xbox music free streams will be monetized by TargetSpot ( NeoWin 2013-04-10 ) Microsoft Studios employee departs company following Twitter comments ( NeoWin 2013-04-11 ) Rumor: Next Xbox won't be 'always-on', will launch alongside 'Xbox TV' ( NeoWin 2013-04-17 ) Rumor: Blu-ray Licensing May Delay Next Xbox ( Tom's Hardware 2013-05-05 ) Xbox One: Three ways it could affect PC gaming ( PC Gamer 2013-05-21 ) Xbox One won't be backwards compatible with Xbox 360 games ( NeoWin 2013-05-21 ) Microsoft: We don't think people will be confused by Xbox One's name ( NeoWin 2013-05-22 ) Xbox One Used Game Fee Has Gamers Raging While Angry Joe Fights Back ( Cinema Blend 2013-05-22 ) Microsoft's Xbox head: 'If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards' ( The Verge 2013-05-22 ) Microsoft (still) won’t focus on the “traditional desktop PC game” ( PC Gamer 2013-05-23 ) Microsoft on Xbox One: Backwards compatibility is "really backwards" ( NeoWin 2013-05-23 ) Microsoft is Confident Xbox One Won't Have Quality Issues ( Tom's Hardware 2013-05-23 ) No 'Red Ring Of Death'-style disasters for Xbox One, says Microsoft ( NeoWin 2013-05-24 ) Microsoft files complaint over XboxOne.com domain ( NeoWin 2013-05-24 ) Rumor: Microsoft and publishers to get money from Xbox One used game sales [update] ( NeoWin 2013-05-24 ) Microsoft: Reports about Xbox One used games "inaccurate and incomplete" ( NeoWin 2013-05-24 ) Xbox One rumor round-up: what was correct? ( NeoWin 2013-05-25 ) EDITORIAL: What has me excited, disappointed and curious about Xbox One ( NeoWin 2013-05-25 ) Microsoft Disables Comments For Xbox One Videos Following Harsh Criticisms ( Cinema Blend 2013-05-25 ) Xbox One reportedly will be region-locked (NeoWin 2013-05-27 ) New Port on Xbox One Controller Makes it Incompatible with Current Gaming Headsets ( Tom's Hardware 2013-05-28 ) Microsoft: Xbox One's Kinect to have privacy options ( NeoWin 2013-05-28 ) Microsoft analyst says Microsoft should sell off Xbox and Bing ( NeoWin 2013-05-28 ) Microsoft says it is listening to negative feedback about Xbox One DRM ( NeoWin 2013-05-30 ) Microsoft preparing response to Xbox One DRM concerns ( NeoWin 2013-06-01 ) Microsoft: Used Xbox One disc games can be given to friends, with restrictions ( NeoWin 2013-06-06 ) Microsoft Will Let You Resell Xbox One Games — But Publishers May Not ( Wired 2013-06-06 ) Xbox One must connect online every 24 hours for gaming, offline gaming restricted ( NeoWin 2013-06-06 ) New Xbox by NSA partner Microsoft will watch you 24/7 ( Daily Caller 2013-06-07 ) Xbox One: The Internet shows us how we are all Xbone’d ( VentureBeat 2013-06-07 ) Xbox One Privacy Concerns Debunked. No Big Brother-style snooping, sorry ( Thurrott 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft: Xbox One owners are in control of Kinect privacy settings ( NeoWin 2013-06-07 ) Poll: Did Microsoft's Xbox One DRM announcements change your opinion of the console? ( NeoWin 2013-06-07 ) Xbox One will force gamers to stay online after all ( TechSpot 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft Finally Clarifies Online and Used Games Policies, Xbox One Must Go Online Every 24 Hours ( Tom's Hardware 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft Xbox One: No Internet? Big Problem ( PC Magazine 2013-06-07 ) Redditor claims MS employees monitoring Reddit; making positive posts about the Xbox1 ( NeoGAF 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft Contractors Are Manipulating Comments About Xbox One On Reddit, Says Redditor ( Business Insider 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft "Up-Voting" Positive Comments on Reddit? ( Tom's Hardware 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft denies allegation it hired contractors to post positive Xbox One comments on social networks [update] ( NeoWin 2013-06-08 ) The Xbox One used game policy: a 'Start menu'-style issue - EDITORIAL ( NeoWin 2013-06-08 ) Microsoft announces Xbox One on sale November for $499 ( TechSpot 2013-06-10 ) E3 audience offended by "rape joke" at Microsoft Xbox One event ( CBS News 2013-06-11 ) E3 2013: Microsoft apologizes for rape joke made during press conference ( NeoWin 2013-06-11 ) Microsoft: If you have no internet, get an Xbox 360 ( NeoWin 2013-06-12 ) Microsoft defends the Xbox One's used game policy ( NeoWin 2013-06-12 ) Microsoft exec says gamers without Internet can stick with Xbox 360 ( TechSpot 2013-06-12 ) Microsoft's Mattrick Advises Gamers with Shaky Internet to Stick with Xbox 360 ( Maximum PC 2013-06-12 ) Microsoft Says If You Don't Have Internet: Get Xbox 360, Not Xbox One ( Tom's Hardware 2013-06-12 ) E3 2013: "Microsoft, you have some splainin to do!" - EDITORIAL ( NeoWin 2013-06-12 ) Anonymous Xbox engineer explains DRM and Microsoft's Xbox One intentions ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) 94% Of Gamers Favor PS4 To Xbox One, According To Amazon Poll ( CinemaBlend 2013-06-13 ) Six reasons the PC is winning E3 ( PC Gamer 2013-06-13 ) E3 2013: Anti-DRM game developer CD Projekt on Xbox One's used disc features ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Nintendo disagrees with Microsoft's DRM policies ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Acer: Windows Phone 8 is 'a great OS... but no-one knows about it' ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Manufacturers reportedly ignoring Windows Phone due to OS fees... and Nokia ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Has the Xbox One 'alienated the entire military'? ( NeoWin 2013-06-14 ) E3 2013: Xbox One pre-order terms include 'no class action lawsuits' clause ( NeoWin 2013-06-14 )

94% Of Gamers Favor PS4 To Xbox One, According To Amazon Poll ( CinemaBlend 2013-06-13 ) Currently 21,501 to 1,240. Poll: Did Microsoft's Xbox One DRM announcements change your opinion of the console? ( NeoWin 2013-06-07 ) This contrasting poll was from a week ago at NeoWin. Just check out the mind-twisting choice of answers! Even with that little trick, still 47.3 % said that: Yes, I view it more negatively Six reasons the PC is winning E3 ( PC Gamer 2013-06-13 ) Good article IMHO. Partly about E3 and Oculus Rift, but more a philosophical rant about PC's versus Consoles. This is a non-Zealot site of course, fanboys don't get cut a lot of slack round these parts. E3 2013: "Microsoft, you have some splainin to do!" - EDITORIAL ( NeoWin 2013-06-12 ) E3 2013: Anti-DRM game developer CD Projekt on Xbox One's used disc features ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Nintendo disagrees with Microsoft's DRM policies ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Acer: Windows Phone 8 is 'a great OS... but no-one knows about it' ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Manufacturers reportedly ignoring Windows Phone due to OS fees... and Nokia ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) Has the Xbox One 'alienated the entire military'? ( NeoWin 2013-06-14 ) More indications of discontent in the Empire, concerning both Xbox and WP. And these are only the ones seen at NeoWin in the past 48 hours. And I probably missed a few ( a little distracted vacuuming up water from all these frickin storms! )

Full title of that article just for the record ( this MSFN thread has a nice time-capsule effect, so when skimming down through the posts the headline makes it easy to tell what was in the news that day ) ... Anonymous Xbox engineer explains DRM and Microsoft's Xbox One intentions ( NeoWin 2013-06-13 ) We should point out that this one is a rumor and is probably 50/50 that it was forged in a clever PsyOp operation. I agree! Steam-Envy. You coined it first. IBM-envy, Apple-envy, Google-Envy, Sony-envy, Steam-envy ... it's all still a mental illness and is apparently contagious because it spread from the Fathead chair-thrower to seemingly every remaining Softie that didn't quit or was forced out.

Microsoft has released a new commercial, 'Windows Everywhere' ( NeoWin 2013-06-12 ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS6r8QgLfLk Here's the thing. It's actually a cool commercial visually ... but .... it is false advertising ... in the worse way. You see they use very flash effects on the Metro tiles, the very effects that they have denounced and done away with in real life allegedly to "save energy". BTW when this plain appearance started showing up in the betas I actually suggested they should be using these flashy transition effects, or at least have them available, along with options for all other possibilities like gradients, colors, icon selection, etc. It should exceed the effects on Android, not lag behind them. This is the logical progression for "Windows" advancement from where we were recently, to today, not this insane regression. One commenter mentioned how cool these effects would be and naturally a MetroTard takes a dump on the idea demonstrating his MicroStockholm Syndrome ... ~sigh~ You 'Tards always had the option to make your system and display as retarded as you wanted to. What kind of mental illness is it that forces you to insist on spreading your lack of taste and aesthetics onto others?

Amazing arrogance. I don't think Microsoft has a single person there who should be allowed in front of a camera. Here is the full title of the NeoWin article ... Microsoft: If you have no internet, get an Xbox 360 ( NeoWin 2013-06-12 ) ... which is atrributed to Microsoft's head of Xbox, Don Mattrick. I'll quote a pretty good commenter in the thread ... Freedom and privacy are just not understandable concepts to some of those MicroZealots and MetroTards in those comment threads. Here is the same story covered at three non-Zealot sites. The comments, as expected, are not so pleasant for the Microsoft Empre ... Microsoft exec says gamers without Internet can stick with Xbox 360 ( TechSpot 2013-06-12 ) Microsoft's Mattrick Advises Gamers with Shaky Internet to Stick with Xbox 360 ( Maximum PC 2013-06-12 ) Microsoft Says If You Don't Have Internet: Get Xbox 360, Not Xbox One ( Tom's Hardware 2013-06-12 ) EDIT: added artcles

This deserves to be displayed here ... Xbox One Game Setup Flowchart! 2021 x 1912 pixels, 477 KB ... Credit to an anonymous poster at TechBroil! The source article is at this blog post ... Xbox One: The Internet shows us how we are all Xbone’d ( VentureBeat 2013-06-07 ) EDIT: extra comment ... I just noticed that stupid Opera is not supplying horizontal scrollbars within this "spoiler" for some reason. Bug report? Why bother. ~sigh~ Just paste the image URL into a blank tab and you will get the horizontal scrollbars This is a very funny graphic actually. Everytime I look at it I find something new that cracks me up ... Has it been 24 hours? #dealwithit!

E3 audience offended by "rape joke" at Microsoft Xbox One event ( CBS News 2013-06-11 ) E3 2013: Microsoft apologizes for rape joke made during press conference ( NeoWin 2013-06-11 ) Okay, I have to defend them this time. This is CBS and a bunch of kooks on Twitter making a big mess out of nothing. Two people were playing a video game, male and female, and the audience is taking their back and forth banter seriously. Way too seriously. They are projecting all kinds of thoughts, including rape and misogyny into the gaming conversation. In a way though, Microsoft managed to pull a fail out it anyway. Their first apology ( yes, there are two, and that always spells trouble ) was just fine. But then after these creepy onlookers projected their own deviant fantasies onto the two players in-game discussion, Microsoft came back again. This time throwing the guy overboard ... I honestly don't know who is dumber, the Softies or the perverted onlookers. They are playing a violent video game called "Killer Instinct" beating each other mercilessly and the comments are what they choose to notice? EDIT: removed weird stray chars at end of post, added article

That's the beauty of market competition! Sony isn't exactly guilt-free when it comes to DRM crap (remember the rootkit they put in some of their CDs about eight years ago?), but maybe they've learned their lesson, and in any case Microsoft's arrogant "my way or the highway" stance has given them a huge opening and they're driving right through it. Almost makes me want to go out and buy a PS4 (when they come out) just to fatten up their sales numbers relative to the Xbox One's. --JorgeA Looks like they added another positive ... Yoshida: 'PS4 is region free' [update] ( Joystiq 2013-06-11 ) E3 2013: PS4 will be region free; pre-orders now live ( NeoWin 2013-06-11 ) Which means that they are maintaining or slightly improving upon their previous stance on this. But it is another clear jab at restrictions in general. In summary I guess it will mean that Microsoft will court developers that are DRM heavy and Sony will court those that are not. Or put another way, Microsoft is the DRM friendly system. The ball is now in Microsoft's court. Just how badly will they mess this up? Right about now Ballmer has broken an office room full of chairs and I suspect we'll learn of their next epic fail shortly.

Wow. That dude is some piece of work. He is like the Devil's Advocate. No position is too untenable to argue for. Perfect employee for NuMicrosoft. I know I've said it before but I don't know where you get the patience to deal with some of these types. I'm betting you either have a bunch of kids or are a elementary school teacher ( don't reply, especially these days, I don't need or want the information, but dealing with lots of kids might prepare one adequately for the lunacy in some of these forums )

Good point. For many years I never would have thought of being this critical of Microsoft ( up until the Vista RTM ). At that time Sony was clearly the worst player in the PC universe and the rootkit scandal sealed the deal. In fact, that sony DRM was really whacked by none other than Mark Russinovich of System Internals. See Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far from 2005. That date really marks a period right before everything went upside down. Windows XP was obviously still King but the Vista betas were coming out. Microsoft hadn't yet turned to the darkside. Sony was nailed by Mark but correctly backtracked and removed it from the distribution media and also released a targeted scrubber for use on your PC to remove it's traces ( interesting story here too, the first one didn't work ). Then Sony turned against their so-called "vendor" who wrote that bit of code! Class action lawsuits and settlements and complete ridicule of their reputation was the price of this for Sony. Was Microsoft noticing any of this? Maybe. Maybe not. When this went down, Microsoft was already working on the DRM for Vista, and as we just learned this week, were jumping in bed with the government. They also swallowed up System Internals around this time, which includes Mark, so now I seriously wonder if it was to shut him up or at least keep him busy while they proceeded with the new DRM schemes baked into the operating system, not to mention government spying, stuff that Mark might just notice. Today it's not that crazy a stretch of logic, although back then it never crossed my mind. Mark had a followup to that Sony article called: More on Sony: Dangerous Decloaking Patch, EULAs and Phoning Home. Phoning home? EULAs? DRM? Are we still talking about Sony, or Microsoft and Windows, and Xbox now? Needless to say, that pro-consumer innocent era ended when Microsoft eventually decided to attack their own user base in revenge for not loving Vista. The Mojave Experiment failed and that set the stage for everything since. Microsoft decided they had to try harder. Not at making a better product, but try harder at marketing it and ramming it down our throats and convincing us that we're doing it wrong. Maybe if they just pour more money into astroturfing it will work next time.

Me too, but I just generally like keyboards as first choice. I still have a bunch of keyboards I heavily modified back in the day. Pulled off the "Windows" and extra keys, put handles on the sides, added LED's etc. I even have a couple where I pulled out the 1, 3, 7, 9 and surrounding keys from the "keypad" section leaving the arrow plus sign configuration. It is a good shape, the angles are a nice touch, kinda like an F-117 Stealth Fighter. Using the requisite automobile parlance, it is like comparing a Lamborghini with a Winnebago. Naturally the aerodynamic effects or radar signature (*) will be difficult to measure in most living rooms, so we have to leave it at preferred taste. It is odd that so many Xbox MicroZealots are going out of their way in those threads to call it ugly. Subjective or not, I don't see how a plain square is "better looking" than a faceted one. Maybe they have Windows 8 flat GUI and squared Windows on their brain. Agreed. Planned obsolescence is evil, especially when designed to make you buy stuff all over again. And those fanboys that have become brainwashed and cheer for and demand planned obsolescence are simply pathetic. The best idea of all would not involve emulation, but some hard work. It could be done by adding a separate PowerPC chip to the motherboard or on a daughter-board ( add-in card ). If they really want to think outside the box a hybrid CPU could be fabbed having a PowerPC core on the Die or some other combination. In fact, such a development will probably come around when they add an ARM core to an x86 CPU, maybe 4 x x86 with 2 x ARM or similar. This would be very practical for developers and end-users, bridging the gap of the current choose-one-or-the-other mentality. One could imagine three or four different architectures on a CPU ( X86, PPC, ARM, Itanium ). Naturally this would then throw the ball right back at Microsoft and others to write a good operating system and software rather than trying to pick our hardware for us. EDIT: (*) unlike on the Lamborghini, the angles on the F-117 have nothing to do with aerodynamics, but are all about shrinking the radar visibility.

Barnes & Noble Offers Deep Discounts on Nook HD and HD+ for Father's Day. Save up to $120! ( Maximum PC 2013-06-10 ) Sprint announces Vital, a $100 Android smartphone with some power ( TechSpot 2013-06-10 ) Samsung announces budget-themed Galaxy Ace 3 ( NeoWin 2013-06-10 ) Early build of Intel's phone UI "Obsidian" shown off in video ( NeoWin 2013-06-10 ) Upcoming 7-inch Android Tablets Could Dip Below $100 ( Maximum PC 2013-06-11 ) More random examples of the huge problem that Microsoft faces. These articles appear daily, and there are dozens each week describing low-priced products flooding each and every form-factor of computing and communication device. So why bother mentioning them? It's simple. Microsoft moved into the "mobile market" out of desperation because "they had to do something", and this is what the MicroZealots tell us. However, common sense tells us that there is no way they can compete on this scale because their boundless Apple-envy which in their minds ( and in the minds of their MicroZealot enablers ) fancies them on the boutique high-end of the spectrum with big profit margins. What they have in their minds does not match reality. The real world has blew right past their Apple-envy dreams and is busy pushing product into the hands of people everywhere while Microsoft pursues their crazy path of alienating the majority of their customers chasing a fleeting fad consisting of a decreasing quantity of potential customers. For example, now there are stories of other phone makers talking about releasing a WP model. The MicroZealots cheer, but once again they miss the big picture. They will carve up that small potential customer base and Nokia will be the one that pays the price, not Microsoft. This is a slow motion train-wreck and it is all because the company that is based around Seattle might as well be based on the moon. Or Pluto. They are that far out of touch. So once again Ballmer, this is what you destroyed Windows for? EDIT: added article

This is the PlayStation 4 ( Neowin 2013-06-10 ) PlayStation 4 is used-game friendly, has no online authentication ( Neowin 2013-06-10 ) The PlayStation 4 to cost $399, available this holiday season ( Neowin 2013-06-10 ) Karma again. Sony set the trap with the PS4 teaser earlier this year, then Microsoft thought they could one-up them with their more fleshed-out announcement of Xbox One later but they over-reached by miles with all the DRM and Kinect and high price and other lockdown restrictions, and Sony springs their trap by under-cutting every one of them. Those NeoWin articles are in the order posted and they show the chronology of the reactions by the MicroZealots ( BTW, why would NeoWin Windows-centric commenters have so much emotionality invested into Xbox unless they were actually MicroZealots more than Windows zealots ? ). Anywho, the reactions over there on those consecutive threads are a marvel of MicroPsychology. As each announcement hit the web, their mental well-being slid further and further into the crapper. The comments are wonderous. In the minds of MicroZealots Sony now sits right next to Apple and Google as demon spawn from he!!. By the numbers, IMHO there are four separate categories that Sony just Xboned Microsoft ... Price Used Games Friendly No Online Authentication Appearance ... They undercut them by $100 on Price, and those middle two: Used Games Friendly and No Online Authentication are absolute killers and means that Sony was actually listening to all the controversy swirling about lately while Microsoft played deaf and dumb. The most bewildering thing is that in all those categories you can read countless NeoWin comments trying to challenge and minimize their importance, reeking of monumental denial and desperation. Now for the 4th category Appearance. This is very subjective I'll admit, but when Microsoft showed a plain square box that could almost be a "flat" Metro tile, they set the bar so low that almost any creativity would be sufficient to defeat it. Here they are, side by side. Personally I have no love for either company whatsoever. But I have to say that on first-glance aesthetics, I will give it to the Playstation ... Further commentary from non-MicroZealot sites will appear below ... Sony PlayStation 4 hardware revealed at E3, priced at $399 ( TechSpot 2013-06-10 ) EDIT: typo(s)

In English, please? --JorgeA He means that Sony just kneecap'ed Microsoft bigtime. Articles are just hitting the sites. Be back soon.

Whoops, my bad! But I know you're in there somewhere. P.S. so am I

Very interesting story that got lost in the vortex of spying news. I first saw this mentioned at TechBroil, I suspect Formfiller deserves the credit for finding it. Redditor claims MS employees monitoring Reddit; making positive posts about the Xbox1 ( NeoGAF 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft Contractors Are Manipulating Comments About Xbox One On Reddit, Says Redditor ( Business Insider 2013-06-07 ) Microsoft "Up-Voting" Positive Comments on Reddit? ( Tom's Hardware 2013-06-07 ) A first-hand account of astroturfing right inside Microsoft's Redmond campus ... Naturally Microsoft denies this ... Microsoft denies allegation it hired contractors to post positive Xbox One comments on social networks [update] ( NeoWin 2013-06-08 ) However ... The fact that they noticed this story in less than 24 hours, and responded to it kind of proves that the story is true. If you read through the Reddit thread you will see that the posters went after the Softies, forcing them to respond to accusations of astroturfing. Naturally this would be noticed in Redmond where the astroturfing originated. Why else would they bother responding to some obscure "conspiracy-theory" in some random forum? And contrast that to the countless forum discussions occurring worldwide over Windows 8 and other controversies that they have no official response too. Case closed!

Important Update to the big news of the past few days ... NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I do not expect to see home again' ( UK Guardian 2013-06-08 ) NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Identified, and Interviewed ( Maximum PC 2013-06-09 ) I am really uncomfortable mentioning the bloke's name, but he did self-identify on the record. I suppose it was inevitable. This is one person's shoes I would not want to be in right now. Now get ready for these two, because they are gonna be real hard to believe ... Through a glass starkly: PRISM and BLARNEY are good things ( Ken Hess ZDNet 2013-06-07 ) The real story in the NSA scandal is the collapse of journalism ( Ed Bott ZDNet 2013-06-08 ) Unabashedly cheering for the complete destruction of any semblance of privacy for the citizenry. The first article by Ken Hess deals with the government vacuuming up and analyzing all this raw data, and the author is completely rationalizing and cheerleading every single action. No, I am not kidding. Aside from a handful of Congressman and the President, no-one outside of the spook community has drank this much kool-aid. The comments make for a great read because the hapless author spends a lot of time responding to incredulous readers. The 2nd article is penned by the infamous Ed Bott, and his focus is once again on ... wait for it ... exonerating Microsoft ( and allegedly the other members of the gang of nine ) as usual. Specifically he engages in the most extreme form of OCD by obsessing over edits made to the Washington Post article, changes that in his mind let his beloved Microsoft ( and allegedly the other members of the gang of nine ) completely off the hook. I've seen this movie before, it was called Vista. Back when Microsoft was exposed facilitating DRM into the operating system ( which approximated the hardware DRM already cooked into the firmware of consumer electronics like DVD players ) he was the point man shamelessly defending Microsoft and demonizing Peter Gutmann. This piece is exactly like a flashback to his embarrassing 6+ year old Everything you've read about Vista DRM is wrong (Part 1). The comments are almost interchangeable. And now for something completely different ... Ricin Suspect Was Tracked Via Mail Scanners ( The Smoking Gun 2013-06-07 ) This pertains to the crazy threatening letters recently sent to some famous people. But there is a very important low-tech tie-in to the spying stories. The perp has been caught and the methods used help to illustrate the extent of government spying, or more specifically, the enormous raw data collection that is underway ... Furthermore, the perp is apparently a D-List hollywood actress that appeared in among other things "The Walking Dead" as an anonymous zombie. But that is really beside the point. We now know that all comm is being vacuumed up and analyzed, all mail is photographed, there are eyes in the sky, and Lord knows what else. It's a Brave New World! EDIT: typo

Great graphic. Boils it down nicely. Glad to see that all the worldwide government regulators are on the job protecting the consumer.

It sounds like you have decided on a laptop, this limits the screen size considerably. I don't know if you ever used a large screen but it allows more information available to be displayed at a time, and also allows you to crank up the font size if your eyes are less than optimal. So I would immediately look for the biggest screen available. If money were not a big consideration I would be looking at higher quality 17+ inch Toshiba laptops with lighted keyboard and good reputation, photo ( I have no stock in them, but have used a few, and there are certainly others besides Toshiba ).The point is that Life is far too short to always be using technocrap. But note that there are such things now called AIO ( all-in-one ), photo, which can almost be compared to laptops because of the lack of wires everywhere, they are not foldable and travel worthy but they are far from immovable around the house. If the laptop decision matrix demands true portability ( cars, airplanes, whatever ) then AIO is not a choice. If you only plan to shuffle it around the home, it might be a good option because you can get even larger screens. The operating system decision is personal when considering the difference between Windows 7 and 8. The first question is what do you know about 8? There is a legendary thread here called Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions ( not too mention everywhere else on the internet ) that will illustrate every bad thing about it. However, if you want to use a touchscreen with an OS that approximates a cellphone interface, then by all means do it. It gives you the option to not only use a mouse and keyboard, but also push things around on the screen with your finger. As far as availability, a laptop or AIO with Windows 7 will be much harder to come by ( though Toshiba and high-end manufacturers will probably have some laptops at least ), but the vast majority will ship only with Windows 8. If you decide to go with touch and Windows 8 you will still have a usable desktop, but it will not look like Windows 7 or XP, because they have pulled away most of the visual effects from recent years. Theming is not the same as it was in XP and I think the flattening of the visuals and whitewashing of Windows removes the clear and crisp delineation between desktop objects, making it less friendly to my older eyes. But that's just me. Probably of most importance they have completely removed the Start Button and the now 18-year old Start Menu. Here are a couple of images of what to expect if you launch it and go to the "desktop" ... If you are so inclined you can actually add back some of the things Microsoft ripped away: Ways to get back the Start Menu/Button in Win8. Windows 7 itself is quite a change from Windows XP, so either way you will have a little shock. The main difference is that on Windows 8 the Start Menu is no longer a failsafe fallback for those familiar with it. So it comes down on the choice of operating system I guess. But most importantly of all, have your wife also look at images and read some comments first before deciding. You don't want to get served divorce papers because you brought home the wrong operating system!

Okay I see now. It was that first comment I made that got you going. "A perfectly sterile forensic PE tool should leave nothing on the target system without prompting." I didn't really mean anything critical of any of our commenters by it, and especially nothing at all was meant at Joakim ( important forum member and author of some important NTFS utilities ). Notice I never used those more precise words "volatile" or "read-only" which you have utilized. My use of the term "sterile" was figurative, perhaps from having spent far too much time in hospitals lately, and was meant to paint a picture ( admittedly not a good one ). As such you can realize I wasn't attempting clinical precision, just an observation which I can now see thanks to your definitions, is incorrect. For the record, I obviously do NOT want read-only ( and obviously "sterile" ) because being able to edit the registry and files offline is critically important. I just want any changes to be approved by the user, which precludes breadcrumbs left in secret. I don't know what ERD or DaRT was aiming for, all I can say is I don't like it ( the breadcrumbs ). But compared to the other stuff out there they still come out miles ahead. And I do appreciate those definitions of forensic tools as you listed them, and I do bow to your superior knowledge on this. Anyway, if we come up with a list of useful tools we can now use those precise definitions to describe their strengths and failings I suggest a a sub-definition further defining forensic tools that are volatile that do not leave traces, and another for those that do. Perfect read-only tools are obviously a completely separate category unto themselves and includes stuff that only allows gathering of data, copying to external media, but making no changes whatsoever to the patient, even outside of the proper file system. "Sterile" was clearly a bad choice of words for all these scenarios because a completely sterile doctor could still take a completely sterile scalpel and jab a hole in the patient's liver.

Makes you question everything we know, doesn't it? For example, just take simple password security. The problem, what we believe is their strength against current computer power as opposed to what is actually possible by No Such Agency who are equipped under a black budget with innumerable computers that we can assume can be reconfigured into endless massively parallel arrangements using algorithms that are so secret we cannot begin to imagine. Methods from World War II and earlier are just now being talked about, the Cold War stuff is semi-secret, anything since the 1960's should be taken with a grain of salt. I expect about another 100 years before it is discussed what is now occurring today with regards to capabilities and methods. if you ever tried brute force cracking passwords that you yourself designed, you get an idea of how unstable this security can be, especially with length and charset. In the early days there were some DOS tools but then a wave of Windows programs using various known methods arrived. They will process at certain "attempts per second" and it is interesting to go back and try the same exact software and passwords against newer CPUs. I have some I messed around with since the 4.77 MHz era ( earliest PC's ) until the 3+ GHz single core systems, a greater than thousand-fold growth once you factor in improved architecture and overclocking. People got entirely too comfortable with the old "it will take 500 years to crack this..." as expected. But then some unexpected things happened that IMHO should have reset those expectations accordingly. Variations like dictionary attacks and other 3D strategies, the use of multiple threads and processors, and the extraordinary abilities of using the GPU or several in tandem ( or thousands ) has wiped out that predictability now. It's probably true that for every CPU bought for government spying, they buy 1000 GPUs. No, check that. It is very likely they have their own fabs and just bang out the chips they need to leave no trail for regular people to spot. This means they have unlimited processing power, and all those lists of supercomputer ratings and such are just distractions. Therefore if you hand them a scrambled password or message I think it is logical to assume they will crack it as quickly as you desire it, and not just because of the raw processing power. You have to assume that significant research goes into the quirks of ferreting out password lengths, maximum length and allowed chars ( these are defining limitations of so many "secure" places ), and just by getting this info routes a given cracking job into a different optimized set of processes. I expect that even greater effort has already been expended on characterizing the details of every known encryption algorithm and ultra-refined processes are probably set up for deciphering each and every one of them. What is scary is that things like NTFS encryption and RSA and many others like PGP have been around for a long time, decades, and that is truly an eternity in the cryptographic world. And after all this, there are things we cannot even think of. Consequently I wouldn't bet my life on anything really being secure against them - the government. I personally believe they can crack anything, but they might not even have to if Microsoft or others just handed over the keys to the front door and the back door. Therefore you can put me down into the category of 'people can keep no secrets from the government, only from each other'. This is not to say we should put stuff in the clear! Making strong passwords will thwart most people and companies. So for cloud storage using combinations of several encryptions can approach impossibility for snooping by anyone ( probably even Microsoft ) except the government. This is IMHO naturally.

Very good. I like that analogy. Since a crystal like that can separate "white" light into its constituent colors or wavelengths, the white light represents a mixed stream of communications and the individual colors are the specific ones that they pull out. It would seem they got lucky with that name. Or not