This week had some interesting things in it. In Sweden, they think they can stop piracy by sending The Pirate Bay to court, Apple faced its first Mac sales slow down in like forever but they’re still high on customer satisfaction, and we wondered if a cat an agree to an EULA. This week’s my take is from Jordan “weildish” Spencer Cunningham, and is about winter.
The big news this week has been the trial between the entertainment industry and The Pirate Bay, the torrent website. It started on Monday, but on Tuesday already it became clear the prosecutors had little understanding of bittorrent technology and were forced to drop half of the charges, resulting in a major win for The Pirate Bay.
Apple had also seen some bad news and some good news. After disappointing sales in January and the possibility of a year-over-year drop in sales for the first time in six years, the company also had some good news: they once again scored high on customer satisfaction, together with ASUS and Acer.
And where would our week in review be without netbook news? Freescale announced they would like to use Android for their netbooks, and say they’re aiming for half of the market. In addition, netbook sales in Europe have risen sharply, further confirming they they aren’t just a fad. Speaking of netbooks – if it’s up to Psion, we are no longer allowed to call them so. Since we still haven’t received a cease and desist letter: netbook! Netbook! Netbook! Netbook! Netbook!
We also wondered if your cat can agree to an EULA, whether consistency is something more than just looks, and if resorting to FUD hurts the alternatives to Microsoft.
As said, this week’s My Take is not by me (Thom Holwerda) but by Jordan “weildish” Spencer Cunningham.
My Take: On Winter
In short, I love and hate Winter. I’m always excited beyond reason for the first snowfall of the season and for the Christmas holidays to begin. Christmas was always my most favorite of holidays, whether for reason of being with family and friends more, for the lack of schooling during the season, the overall heightening of good will amongst all, or simply the exchange of gifts. The fact that Winter and Christmas almost go hand in hand for the month of December always helped me love the season. Also, I have always thought snowfall to be one of the most beautiful natural things to witness. This always gets me through December loving everything about Winter.
After the beginning of January, on the other hand, Winter turns from a delightful, warm-and-fuzzly-feeling season to a stale and dank period where the air is dry, the snow is hard, and the natural gas bill gets old. Where I live, the winters are generally constituted of less snow and more bitter cold (at least these days due to the drout that we’ve been in and out of for over a decade). What snow that remains after January is usually dirty and crusty. The valley where I live also traps pollution in itself during the winter, causing nasty inversions that collect pollutants until a storm blows them out; those inversions can often last for weeks, sometimes endangering certain people’s health. This nasty phase of Winter always lasts until around March or even close to April, and it’s simply no fun whatsoever: the Monday segment of the year. A year or so ago, it was even supposed by one of our local newspapers to bring about depression in some individuals, especially those trapped under the cloud of inversion (versus those who lived higher in the mountains above the trapped pollutants).
On the up side, the mountains offer some of the most beautiful scenery in the world when covered in snow, even despite the city obscuring them.
All in all, I enjoy Winter (mainly because of Christmas) up until the wee hours of January, which I then begin complaining cantankerously about it and writing disparagements on websites that have nothing to do with the weather until it feels like Spring is upon us again. What I wouldn’t give to rent a little cottage near the equator from January to March.
In our mid winter (Brisbane Australia) we have daytime temperatures of about 20C and a night time minimum of about 10C. Very nice. However we have about three continuous months of very humid 30C+ days in Summer.
In our mid winter (Brisbane Australia) we have daytime temperatures of about 20C and a night time minimum of about 10C. Very nice. However we have about three continuous months of very humid 30C+ days in Summer.
I’m quite jealous. We have about -20C in the winter, +25 to +30 in the summer..
You sort of miss the seasons after a while though. Here (Manila) we have two season: Hot and Hotter.
What’s the winter thing all about?
Considering the internet is global and it’s not winter throughout the world, how is this relevant to an operating system news site?
For the record, I drove to the shop with the roof down and a t-shirt on this morning.
Edited 2009-02-22 12:34 UTC
I’m into the fourth month of cold, where it’s unpleasant to be outdoors. Technology has allowed humans to live where they don’t belong. I fear the day when my forced air heating fails and stops pumping warm air into my house, to keep me from freezing.
Hurry Spring!
Sorry, southern hemisphere and tropical OSAlert readers, for the out of season thoughts. I can confirm, however, that the vast majority of OSAlert readers do, in fact live in the temperate region of the northern hemisphere. So it’s tyranny of the majority.
Democracy
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I’m curious what city he’s talking about in ‘My Take’ – anyone know?
For the record I love the winter as well… living in Tucson, AZ we get more desert than anything, unless we go up Mt. Lemon, where it can be 100F in Tucson but a nice 65 up the Mt.
Here’s my addition to the “beautiful snow covered mountain” pics:
http://nixwizard.net/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=975
Not only curious, but also rather anoyed the author didn’t stop to think that most of us will not know his place of recidence.
JAL
I can’t say for sure, but I live in Salt Lake City, Utah and he does mention that the are the Wasatch Mountains. The trees, rooftops, and mountains look a lot like what you would see here. I am almost certain that I recognize that mountain range. Although it’s entirely possible that it’s in Colorado as well. Hopefully he clues us in.
Edited 2009-02-23 13:17 UTC
Yes, It’s Salt Lake City.
I had included the name of my city originally as I was writing my disparagements against winter, but then decided to leave that out because I didn’t think anyone would particularly care. Now I see I was wrong.
Anyway, David’s right– this is the Salt Lake City region (specifically West Jordan, though that means little to most people).
For the record, the weather is getting much nicer this week. I’m definitely looking forward to Spring.
Well, I wasn’t even sure what continent you were on, it’s always nice to have some background
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Me too. I’m fed up with this cold, rainy wheather over here (= Netherlands).
JAL
See a doctor, get prescriptions, hit the UV lights, go skiing!
Stop whining!
Whether they like it or not. The Pirates are a phenomena and they simply can’t stop them.