steven n.

About

Username
steven n.
Joined
Visits
119
Last Active
Roles
member
Points
1,240
Badges
1
Posts
1,229

Reactions

890Like0Dislike54Informative

  • M1 Mac mini catapulted Apple to number one in Japanese desktop PC market

    steven n.steven n.
    blastdoor said:
    The price/performance/volume and per watt of the mini means that for some use cases, buying a ton of them and putting them in a server rack might make a lot of sense.

    For my own purposes the biggest hang up is the lack of a FORTRAN compiler. Next time I’m in the market to replace my Linux box, I’ll seriously consider 4 minis  if they continue to be this competitive and the compiler issue is resolved.
    What about Abstoft's FORTRAN compiler? Likewise, I think GCC (with the gfortan option) can compile FORTRAN code.
    watto_cobrajony0

  • Jony Ive donates $129,000 to UK tree-planting effort

    steven n.steven n.
    coolfactor said:
    Everything helps, but for a millionaire, I think this is a small donation to a big problem.

    Now there needs to be pressure against GAS STATIONS to become green spaces. Every station's canopy should be a green roof by law.



    All big problems are hundred to thousands of little problems. If all you are doing is sitting in your chair virtue signaling how others should be doing more, then you are one of those little problems.
    muthuk_vanalingamequality72521fastasleepRayz2016jony0

  • Epic Games wanted a special deal for 'Fortnite' on the App Store

    steven n.steven n.
    ITGUYINSD said:
    qwerty52 said:
    This new fact confirms what there is behind Epic’s shouting and crying about Apple’s monopoly and about absence of freedom in AppStore.
    Money, money and ones again money!
    There really wasn’t any question about it. If Epic could have shown they have been damaged by paying Apple 30%, then they might have a point in this lawsuit. What they have shown is that Apple made them a lot of money and took care of the hosting, billing and bookkeeping for Fortnite for 30% of billions. 

    Those poor bastards. 
    Hosting?  Apple doesn't host the game servers.  They host the server where a tiny app lives that Apple forces Epic customer to download from.  That's it.  Once downloaded, Apple's job is done.  Why should Apple get 30% for "billing and bookkeeping" when Epic is perfectly capable of doing that itself if not for the fact that Apple forces them to go through Apple and pay 30%?  I wonder how many bookkeepers in the companies of the world get 30% of the companies revenue (not profit, but gross revenue)?  I'd venture a guess of practically NONE.

    To be fair, Epic should charge $1.99 for the app, and Apple gets 30% of that.  Then, all the IAP's are through Epic payment systems since Apple has nothing to do with that.  
    Highly uneducated post. Apple basically gives away the entire dev toolset away for free ($100/year is basically free to Epic).

    Apple maintains the security, the platform and the hardware. Apple CREATED the platform Epic makes most their money from.

    you could argue the 30% should be less but it is highly uneducated to argue 0%.  
    aderutterspock1234pscooter63watto_cobra

  • Epic's Tim Sweeney said he would have taken special deal with Apple

    steven n.steven n.
    InspiredCode said:
    Apple may win this round, but it feels like Apple should try to get in front of antitrust issues before it is too late.

    The bi-partisan coalition of senators on the antitrust committee think the approximately 80% profit margins on AppStore fees is evidence of rent seeking and want to regulate the store. With the Biden administration also onboard, it feels like it is just a matter of time. The fact that Apple provides services seems to be a major reason regulators do not want to treat them like a game store.

    Other parties are preparing their own antitrust trials in both the US and the EU that I think may have stronger cases. I’m not pro-regulation, so I would really like to see Apple get in front of this on their own terms. If they fail to, I hope the least blunt instrument as possible is used to regulate the store.
    The problem is the 80% profit margin is a blatant lie and a made up number. Truth never did stop a politician though.
    spock1234williamlondonwatto_cobra

  • TSMC plans new chip factory with Sony in western Japan

    steven n.steven n.
    danox said:
    The previous US presidency started this drive to invite industry back to the country. But why was this started so late? I mean, the shit was already deep into the fan, and building a functional manufacturing industry takes a very long time. Naivism; underestimating China? Fear of confronting China?
    A lot of people naively thought that if we built up China’s economy and made China a rich nation, then China would naturally become a democratic country because the people would demand it. Unfortunately, as China is getting richer, the government is becoming even more authoritarian. Oops!

    Except American industries didn't go to China.   They went to Japan and South Korea 40-50 years ago -- THEN, in later decades, they migrated to China.   But, Americans are just now catching on....
    In the 80s, American car buyers were forced to buy thrift Japanese cars due to high gas prices. Detroit suffered a lot. US government coerced Japan to manufacture cars in US. The result is Japan economy stagnated since then. Their companies set up plants all over the world. Samsung also manufacturing electronics in China now. This is a global thing. China just happen to be the better place to do manufacturing. This is pure business. Unfortunately there are many people trying to use politics to influence business. And this is authoritarian. 

    The Japanese, Germans, and the Koreans currently make better cars in all price ranges, performance, fit and finish…My last American car was a Ford Mustang.
    I would say that was true until Tesla came along. They are a serious threat to VW Group, GM, Ford and Toyota. 
    thtrussw

  • Crappy situation: Woman dives into outhouse muck to fetch Apple Watch

    steven n.steven n.
    My mom used to swing in the outhouse as a kid. She lost her shoe once and my grandpa made her retrieve it (it was a new pair).
    watto_cobra

  • EU proposes sweeping regulations on Big Tech, hefty fines for noncompliance

    steven n.steven n.
    prismatics said:
    It is not a threat in itself. If Apple, Facebook & co play nicely, nothing will happen.
    Except I have to download a maps app, messaging app, email app, a books app, a music app, an AppStore app (how I do that without an AppStore app is beyond me), a weather app, a news app, a stock app and a browser app all before I can use my device.

    This is the EU saying, “we don’t know how to compete on equal footing so we will legislate the US to death”. Why the EU thinks they are entitled to 10% of global revenues and not 10% of EU revenues is beyond me.  Oh wait. I know why. The EU is so narcissistic they think THEY ARE the world market.  

  • New Galaxy Note 7 fire raises worries Samsung didn't fix battery problems

    steven n.steven n.
    It's interesting Samsung SDI indicated they did not believe the Note 7 issues were not battery related but circuit design related. Might be true 

  • Apple captures more than 103% of smartphone profits in Q3 despite shrinking shipments

    steven n.steven n.
    rogifan_new said:
    This headline is stupid. You can't capture more than 100% of something.
    I agree 110%. :-)

    by combing losses with profit, it could lead to some whacky numbers in the future. For example, if the industry gets disrupted and Apple's profits fall substantially and every other company looses money, Apple could capture 10,000% of the profits. It even gets whackier if The industry as a hole looses more money than Apple earns. Then Apple could make -250% of the profits while the other companies, that all lost money, would calculate to positive values. 

    but 103% of the profits make good click bait headlines. 
    rogifan_newsingularity

  • Apple CEO Tim Cook calls US tax code outdated and 'awful for America'

    steven n.steven n.
    Prof_Peabody said:
    Stop the presses!  "Famous Rich Guy Thinks Taxes are Bad!"  "Wealthiest Company in the History of Human Existence, Wants a Tax Break!"  

    Has there ever been a billionaire who didn't think the tax laws were bad or outdated?  
    Sounds like another bleeding heart liberal thinking free rides are needed for the "in rich".