Views from the Ivory Tower
By Ted Bade - April 2007
Virtualization woes - Microsoft Corp. is always in the forefront of doing its best to make things hard for Apple and Macintosh computers. Now that Macs use Intel chips and there are a variety of ways to allow them to run Windows as well as MacOS X, Microsoft has come up with a means of limiting how this works.
According to several sources, the Licensing Agreement that comes with both the Home and Home premium edition of Vista ban the use of this software in virtualization engines. A virtualization engine would be a program that lets you run Windows on your Macintosh at the same time as you use MacOS X, that is creating a virtual computer.
These two versions are both the least expensive versions of Vista as well as ones that would be most likely purchased by people who would want to use virtualization. What Microsoft is saying here is, we don’t want you to buy a Mac and then buy Windows as an afterthought to run a few programs. If you want to do this, we want you to pay for an expensive version.
This doesn’t mean there aren’t less expensive options open for Mac users. I don’t think the virtualization clause affects using Vista with a program like BootCamp, where the machine becomes A PC (with all its faults) to allow a Mac user to run Vista. It also doesn’t affect a program like Crossover Mac that doesn’t require any version of Windows. What it does affect is the very popular program Parrallels which allows a Mac user to run any variety of Windows and the MacOS X at the same time.
My question here is, what are they trying to prove? Do they not want to sell copies of Windows? It is not like people who buy the home edition of Windows are getting anything special. Most likely they need to run some program that isn’t written for MacOs X or they moved from the Windows world and don’t want to upgrade every piece of software right away. Perhaps they are thinking that if they make it expensive enough, people will dump their Macs and buy a Windows only machine. I hope we find that they are mistaken. It just might cause fewer people to buy copies of Vista. Perhaps going instead with pirated versions or settling with Linux or just buying Mac versions of everything they want and learning to live without a particular program until the Mac version comes!
We knew it, but we finally have evidence - Some one released a copy of an internal Microsoft Memo that discusses hurting Apple and the Macintosh by not releasing Microsoft Office back in 1997 when things were going poorly for Apple. It is the kind of dirty business one expects from Microsoft.
I have no idea if this document (http://macnn.com/rd/72568==http://edge-op.org/iowa/www.iowaconsumercase.org/122106/PLEX0_6060.pdf) is real or fiction. Read it yourself and see what you think.
DOT trying to ban Microsoft? - The US Department of Transportation (commonly called the DOT) recently stated they are considering banning the use of Vista and certain Microsoft products. In an article found at this location (http://blogs.business2.com/beta/2007/03/us_government_b.html), they point out that the US DOT has decided to not move to Vista and instead research moving to either MacOS X or to Linux.
There is a lot of controversy as to whether this means anything or not, but I look at it like a first step. At least someone has actually said they might move away rather then upgrade.
By the way, the source article associated with the above blog entry can be found by visiting: http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197700789.
Apple making waves in the music industry - As usual, now that Apple has put buying digital music into the mainstream, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the whole matter. It seems everyone, including Steve Job is complaining about Digital Rights Management. Over in Europe they are constantly battling Apple’s DRM policy.
I have always enjoyed getting an import CD, that is a version of a CD that wasn’t created in the US and not controlled by the RIAA. Companies in Europe deal with selling music in a less controlled way then we are forced to in the US. An artist might choose to include two different versions of a particular piece or release different versions of the same set of songs on two different CDs. By bringing the Apple Music store to Europe, Apple had unwittingly brought the rules and regiments of the US RIAA there as well, and apparently they don’t like it. Mostly it is about the DRM. Sure they blame Apple for trying to sell iPods by require a iPod be used to listen to musing containing their DRM. Perhaps at one time that was the major reason for making the protected music work only on an iPod. But I think we are well past that now. The iPod is the largest selling digital music player, it is easy to use, pretty dependable, and the coolest thing one can find! Apple doesn’t need to pus the iPod, people demand it.
I wish the people in Europe a lot of luck in getting the DRM removed from digital music. It is an annoyance to everyone. Not because I plan to trade music, but because it limits how I use the music I do own, I have complained before about how I cannot play any of the music I bought from the Apple Music Store through my Tivo to my stereo system, although I can play any of the music I ripped from CDs myself. It also prevents me from burning audio CDs using a program like Toast which can add features to an audio CD.
Recently the Wall Street Journal said that Apple has become an unexpected power broker of music. This is because the means record labels have used to promote a particular group is to publicize the group in a variety of ways such as playing it on the radio, and posters and promotions with music stores. With the Apple Music Store being so popular, Apple now also has the ability to promote a particular artist. They can place information strategically on their web site, so people searching to buy will easily find the music. Recording companies find it hard working with Apple on this.
Apple apparently doesn’t follow the “rules” of traditional music retailing. From reading the article I get the feeling that the WSJ writer believes that Apple promotes music that is not fully in the mainstream. I guess this annoys the traditional music industry, probably because they are loosing control of sales. Apple also trades promotional space for concessions from the artist such as exclusive releases, special discounts, and interviews for their customers. Yup, they are shaking up the traditional music industry.
Dump the mouse - use your brain - According to a recent article, there is a company that is developing a means of controlling a computer with brain waves. According to the article (found by visiting: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070309/tc_afp/usitgameconferencebrain), sensors are placed on the users head, they measure the user’s mood and this is translated by hardware to data that performs some action. This device is being marketed as a toy controller. In the article they mention a demo with a person tuning on and off a Star Wars Light saber using this controller.
Apparently the technology for doing this has been around for a while, but has been very costly. NeuroSky (http://www.neurosky.com/), the company developing this device say they have figured out how to reduce the cost to around $50 USD.
There was no mention in the article about the controller being brought directly into the computer world, but I expect we will see that soon. Perhaps as a method for people who cannot use a mouse for various reasons. I might also expect the people at the Wild Divine project to possible incorporate a device like this into their games of relaxation and meditation. In any case, I think it is a cool thing and would lone to try one out myself!
Power from Radio Waves - While we are speaking about interesting technology, I also read of another very interesting item. A device that can charge a rechargeable device using radio waves! From what I can tell, the company Power Cast, (http://www.powercastco.com/) is developing a device that can “harvest” radio waves and uses this energy to charge the battery in a portable device. (Go to the web site above and watch the movie!)
Their device consists of a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter transmits a powered radio wave and the receiver converts this to energy that chargers your portable device. While their equipment works on a specific frequency, my imagination goes wild thinking about the possibilities....
This is a thing from Science Fiction novels. Rather then sending energy via wires, it is send via radio waves. With all the radio waves we are bombarded with on a daily basis, I find it a really cool concept that there might be a way to convert them into usable power! While I don’t think their device will convert every radio wave, I can definitely see someone developing a device that will harvest popular radio waves! I wonder what it will do to reception?
It sounds like a cool idea. A truly portable device that doesn’t even need to be plugged in to charge!
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