Very good points brought up by all.

The Java issue with M$ has been going on for quite a while, as a mac user it's always been fun to watch M$'s next step. Remembering bits and pieces, M$ basically tried to re-do java in their own way .... and got caught ... now you got .NET ... so why would M$ support JAVA? They got what they needed.

Much like pumping $150 million into Apple. They got more than their money's worth probably.

@gimp/sketch

True Adobe's products are great for what they do. If you're a professional I wouldn't use less. But being honest GIMP and Sketch are more than great for most people. I have one friend that sort of benefits by using Adobe's PS and iLL. I've meet professionals in town who could live off gimp/sketch though, too.

GIMP and sketch might never be Adobe but ... for their price and level already attained, you gotta admit that they're pretty decent.

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ughh ... this thread got jacked .... sorrry

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

Yeh, they are GREAT products. But who buys this software anymore? The only reason people buy that kind of software now is if they are using it to make a profit.

As far as the whole .net thing goes. That's total bullshit. I mean Java is way more powerful than any language that MS supports in that dumb package, except for C++. And the whole "visual" thing, doesn't go down very well. Java was designed in such a way that Sun made it internet-ready without even noticing it. Just the way that it handles security issues and stuff like that. Java applets that could be loaded onto an internet page, and give you sport updates, stock quotes, the time, count the number of visitors.

About 6 years ago we truly stepped into the computer age. 486's disappeared, then came the P100's, then the P200's and in the past 4 years they have gone from 200 Mhz to 2.2 GHz (i believe this is the highest). Now we are embarking into the "information technology age" where we are all bent on using the internet to get information out to people at faster speeds and make a nice profit doing it.

And now with the other jump of internet programming to put dynamic content on the net, for example the personalization on this board. You login and you write your posts and log out. When I look at the internet and how far it has come in the past few years I think "WOW", the possibilities are endless.

I think that when you get to the point where you can even order your groceries online without even setting foot into a supermarket, THAT IS PROGRESS. But who knows I could be wrong and all this "convenience" could be our undoing. After all the internet can smash all barriers of personal interaction completely, and all we will be is a whole bunch of people staring at a computer screen all day chatting and doing work over the internet.

It's pretty scary when you think about it, how far we have come and how far we can still go. When talking to someone in Japan is as easy as the click of a button, and a translator over the internet changes his japanese text to english so that I can read it, we have the world at our finertips and I believe that that is what the internet is all about. It's not what everyone says, it isn't a "community" it is a meeting place, a meeting place for the entire world.

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Anyways, I have said too much, that is kinda a rant there, when you can go from talking about the .net studio being bullshit to your views on the internet you have crossed that fine line, from response to rant. Still I would enjoy it very much to read about what you guys think so just post it in this topic, I think we have nailed down the whole "Another Microsoft Security Hole" thing. Heh.

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Crapshoot70 (this isn't my real name)
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I don't like anyone...but everyone LOVES me
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AKA...The Post Pirate

nice rant

lolol I live in Japan!
ahh that would be soooo nice. automatic translators.

1 new line of cell phones sort of does this ???? the commerical has it speaking in English, I'm not sure if it's voice activated (ie ... hello -> "konnichiwa", eat -> "Would you like something to eat?" type) or if it's menu driven with select boxes. My iMode has it to accept a name by voice and then automatically dials so, I'm assuming the first idea is probably how it works.

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

Yeh I heard that they were working on that...you live in Japan tho, that is pretty much the technological research giant in the world. Japan is making things, that the US, Canada, and the UK haven't even thought up yet.... I wanna travel to Japan one day and see what it's all about...you think I should QooQ?

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Crapshoot70 (this isn't my real name)
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I don't like anyone...but everyone LOVES me
--
AKA...The Post Pirate

Definitely! that is if you can stand airplanes.

I've always thought that traveling to other countries is always good for people. It helps to see a different part of the world, although, you might be unsatisfied with where you live when you come home.

If you're really into tech goodies Tokyo is the place. Stores and stores of goodies line the streets, well not all over the city but in centralized shopping districts.

Osaka does well too for tech goodies. With the plus that Kyoto is just a simple train ride away and you can even hagle prices in Osaka which is a bit more difficult in Tokyo.

Don't let the high prices scare you. Hotels and toy purchases are by far the most expensive.

cheers!

sorry for jacking the thread

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

Hmm how does the ...yen is it? compare with the Canadian dollar...I will buy all my shit live there for like a year and then bring it all home just so that i don't look suspicious...shhh.

Yeh i heard its a nice place but apparently polution is really bad is that true? I like to travel, I go out west to the canadian rockes and go skiing and snowboarding, nice place...FERNIE kicks ass, its in one of the interiors.

Anywayz, yeh I am doin the ibiza thing this summer with a couple of friends just to chek it out...gotta love clubbin :). Well alot better than what i am used to, toronto is just a busy city with lots of bars...some shit is fun to do but it gets overplayed quickly.

BTW should i take like an introductory Japanese course or something b4 i go or does that not matter?

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Crapshoot70 (this isn't my real name)
--
I don't like anyone...but everyone LOVES me
--
AKA...The Post Pirate

hmmm Canadian dollar not sure but recently the yen is sitting at around 124 to 1 US$

@introductory course.
To get your feet wet and to enjoy some parts definitely a plus. Not needed really if you stick to Osaka and Tokyo. Depends on how long you want to stay. Work is pretty limited to English teaching and hard core programming/movie - animetation design.

@polution
Tokyo is pretty bad. I heard if you bike through town you'll be covered in soot.

@outdoors
Sapporo and Hokkaido are great for outdoor activites, skiing/boarding, rafting mountain, hiking and such but horrible for a true Japan adventure.

@purchases
TVs and Radios are on a different frequency. Although, burning devices are really easy to get.

ibiza?

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

Ibiza is pretty much the clubbing capital of the world...check it out if you like trance music from the UK and like to attend clubs regularly. Trance is always something that calms my nerves when I do programming cuz I don't somke or anything.

What you mean TVs are on a different frequency...I can't buy a TV there then bring it back home???

Also what can 124 yen get you in JAPAN? And could i buy computer hardware there and bring it home...all the goodies like digital cameras, and flat screen LCD monitors and stuff?

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Crapshoot70 (this isn't my real name)
--
I don't like anyone...but everyone LOVES me
--
AKA...The Post Pirate