News Stories

[SaintessHeart]

Microsoft launches "cloud" version of Office

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp launched a fully online version of its popular Office suite of applications on Tuesday as it looks to extend its customer base and beat back rival Google Inc.

The new service, called Office 365, is available as a test from Tuesday in 13 countries, and will be on sale on a subscription basis worldwide next year.

Combining some of Microsoft's existing cloud-based services, it will be available through most browsers, including Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Inc's Safari and Google's Chrome, and can be used on mobile devices such as Research in Motion Ltd's BlackBerry and Apple's iPad.

That means customers can get access to Office programs like Outlook e-mail, SharePoint websites and simplified versions of Word and Excel without installing software, from virtually anywhere. Customers get access to more features when the software is also installed.

The move strikes a blow against rival Google, which has had some success with its Google Apps service, which provides a low-cost, Web-based alternative to Microsoft's traditional Office software for $50 per user per year.

Microsoft will offer the service to small companies with fewer than 25 employees for $6 or 5.25 euros per user per month.

For larger companies and government organizations, prices will start from $2 per user per month for basic e-mail. A fuller "professional" version will cost up to $27 per user per month.

Office is one of Microsoft's biggest money-earners, alongside its Windows operating system. The unit that makes Office accounted for almost 40 percent of the company's profit last year.

The new service was announced by Kurt DelBene, the new head of the Office business since the beginning of this month. He took over from Stephen Elop, who left to lead phone maker Nokia last month.

Shares of Microsoft were down 3.1 percent at $25.01 on Nasdaq, while Google fell 1.7 percent to $607.14.

Why pay for an alternative when there is something you can get for free?

[Tsuyoshi]

I also find it funny that this application will be available in one of Google's own products. So much for trying to beat out the competition

[ganbaru]

Canada dennies arresting suspect in death of Hamas millitant:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1764494/
I wouldn't be surprised than if a suspect was arrested, he wad been shipped back to Israel within 24 hour

[Tom Bombadil]

Originally Posted by Tsuyoshi

China has never been known for having a completely capitalist mindset. Even now, more than just a few Chinese people are in support of communist trade practices (note: this is different from socialist ideals) and it'll be a long while before they decide to forego communism entirely. One of my old workmates from China was quite outspoken about that. Their economy is still trying to adapt to the new system because people there are reluctant to move away from the old ways eastablished by Mao. If they can find a reason to monopolize a certain part of the industry, they will, and this was one of them.

I agree with most of what you said except that I'd replay Mao with Deng. Mao basically left the nation at the brink of collapse. Deng is the one who ushered in the hybrid model of capitalism+ national control of the key sectors. I wish current leaders of China are as open minded. In certain areas (like press freedom) we are kind of going backward. I don't like the extreme nationalism that is surfacing among some people either.

[Tsuyoshi]

Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil

I agree with most of what you said except that I'd replay Mao with Deng. Mao basically left the nation at the brink of collapse. Deng is the one who ushered in the hybrid model of capitalism+ national control of the key sectors. I wish current leaders of China are as open minded. In certain areas (like press freedom) we are kind of going backward. I don't like the extreme nationalism that is surfacing among some people either.

I mentioned Mao because he was the one that established the communist trade practices in China, most of which still exist today, some of which were strengthened by Deng. If anything, Mao was the one who started it all.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil

I agree with most of what you said except that I'd replay Mao with Deng. Mao basically left the nation at the brink of collapse. Deng is the one who ushered in the hybrid model of capitalism+ national control of the key sectors. I wish current leaders of China are as open minded. In certain areas (like press freedom) we are kind of going backward. I don't like the extreme nationalism that is surfacing among some people either.

Think of it as a political opposite : what the government presents to people as a threat would result in a collectivly similar perception to fear. It is called social engineering - Bush Jr did the same to Americans after 9/11 and you can see the Islamophobia mixing with hardcore nationalism.

Honestly speaking, I don't think you should worry too much about that. China's recent move to unpeg the yuan a little pretty much shows that economics will probably push them rethink their form of governance, unless they already have an economic version of NKVD in place.

[flying ^]

Originally Posted by Jinto

Your comparison is not exactly relevant if you are not fascinated by total war (and total disregard of international rules of engagement). I mean its not that person alone, but there are other figures with similar rhetoric:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...18-503544.html

My initial post could also have included this link... but wasn't available at that time.

Originally Posted by Hooves

We should not take examples from East Germany of how they deal with immigration... Even if it might keep our borders a little more secure, it will only lead to something even worse in the nearby future.

This is a better example

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.html

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by flying ^

This is a better example

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.html

Originally Posted by article

Of the Mexicans who live here, an estimated 85 percent are here illegally.

I call bullshit. Of course this is from 2006...

[flying ^]

Originally Posted by Kamui4356

I call bullshit. Of course this is from 2006...

of course its kinda dated... but the template provided on how the operation was executed is better than taking cues from germans

[SeijiSensei]

20-year-old criminology student becomes chief of police in Chihuahua, Mexico

This young women earned my admiration as soon as I heard her story. She is certainly one of the bravest people I've seen in recent years. I only hope she can survive long enough to help the victims of Mexico's drug wars. I wish the US was not so much to blame in the horror that envelops Senorita Valles Garcia and the people she's pledged to defend. Our market for drugs fuels the bloodshed while our casual attitude toward dangerous weapons arms those shedding that blood.

[sa547]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

20-year-old criminology student becomes chief of police in Chihuahua, Mexico

This young women earned my admiration as soon as I heard her story. She is certainly one of the bravest people I've seen in recent years. I only hope she can survive long enough to help the victims of Mexico's drug wars. I wish the US was not so much to blame in the horror that envelops Senorita Valles Garcia and the people she's pledged to defend. Our market for drugs fuels the bloodshed while our casual attitude toward dangerous weapons arms those shedding that blood.

In that dangerous neighborhood, she could be the next female, living Buford Pusser if she knows and fights her way through. May her tribe increase.

[justsomeguy]

Uganda newspaper publishes hit list of 100 homosexuals
Apparently, while Africa was not tolerant of homosexuality in the first place, a visit by American Christians caused the Ugandan government to attempt to pass a law making homosexuality a capital crime. The bill failed after international outcry, but the publicity it generated caused violence to persist.

[killer3000ad]

98.2% in favour of R18+ classification for games, Aussie gov rolls eyeballs and mutters something about "silent majority"

Ok ok, so let me get this straight, they opened up the issue of R18+ label to the public last year and 98.2% of submissions supported the idea of R18+ classification. At the moment, if a game is refused classfication it's the equivalent of a ban since retailers can't sell a game with no classification. Now that the opinion went against what they REALLY want, they ignore the opinion of people like me who went to the trouble of writing in, and talk about the views of the "silent majority" who didn't effing write in.

Totally f*cking bullshit.

And don't get me started on how the gov still wants to go ahead with the mandatory internet filter.

For an example of classification fiasco in Australia, L4D2 was refused classification, and Valve took out limb dismemberment, persistent bodies, blood spatters and zombie riot cops before they got an MA15+ rating, resulting in a neutered Australian version.

[bladeofdarkness]

Originally Posted by killer3000ad

98.2% in favour of R18+ classification for games, Aussie gov rolls eyeballs and mutters something about "silent majority"

Ok ok, so let me get this straight, they opened up the issue of R18+ label to the public last year and 98.2% of submissions supported the idea of R18+ classification. At the moment, if a game is refused classfication it's the equivalent of a ban since retailers can't sell a game with no classification. Now that the opinion went against what they REALLY want, they ignore the opinion of people like me who went to the trouble of writing in, and talk about the views of the "silent majority" who didn't effing write in.

Totally f*cking bullshit.

And don't get me started on how the gov still wants to go ahead with the mandatory internet filter.

For an example of classification fiasco in Australia, L4D2 was refused classification, and Valve took out limb dismemberment, persistent bodies, blood spatters and zombie riot cops before they got an MA15+ rating, resulting in a neutered Australian version.

F-ing Michel Atkinson.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by killer3000ad

98.2% in favour of R18+ classification for games, Aussie gov rolls eyeballs and mutters something about "silent majority"

Ok ok, so let me get this straight, they opened up the issue of R18+ label to the public last year and 98.2% of submissions supported the idea of R18+ classification. At the moment, if a game is refused classfication it's the equivalent of a ban since retailers can't sell a game with no classification. Now that the opinion went against what they REALLY want, they ignore the opinion of people like me who went to the trouble of writing in, and talk about the views of the "silent majority" who didn't effing write in.

Totally f*cking bullshit.

And don't get me started on how the gov still wants to go ahead with the mandatory internet filter.

For an example of classification fiasco in Australia, L4D2 was refused classification, and Valve took out limb dismemberment, persistent bodies, blood spatters and zombie riot cops before they got an MA15+ rating, resulting in a neutered Australian version.

Ah, thoses gouvernements, ignoring the majority and the specialist when it fit their ideas

[Xellos-_^]

but people, you have to think of the children.

[flying ^]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

but people, you have to think of the children.

well, George Carlin has 3 words to say about them

[ganbaru]

African Union asks UN for air and naval blockade of Somalia
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1767687/
I wouldn't be surprised than that conflict will go as long as Afghanistan ... while being forgoted by almost everyone.

[Roger Rambo]

Originally Posted by killer3000ad

98.2% in favour of R18+ classification for games, Aussie gov rolls eyeballs and mutters something about "silent majority"

Ok ok, so let me get this straight, they opened up the issue of R18+ label to the public last year and 98.2% of submissions supported the idea of R18+ classification. At the moment, if a game is refused classfication it's the equivalent of a ban since retailers can't sell a game with no classification. Now that the opinion went against what they REALLY want, they ignore the opinion of people like me who went to the trouble of writing in, and talk about the views of the "silent majority" who didn't effing write in.

Totally f*cking bullshit.

And don't get me started on how the gov still wants to go ahead with the mandatory internet filter.

For an example of classification fiasco in Australia, L4D2 was refused classification, and Valve took out limb dismemberment, persistent bodies, blood spatters and zombie riot cops before they got an MA15+ rating, resulting in a neutered Australian version.

How exactly did Australia end up so pansy assed when it was colonized by so many convicts?

[Hooves]

Originally Posted by killer3000ad

98.2% in favour of R18+ classification for games, Aussie gov rolls eyeballs and mutters something about "silent majority"

Ok ok, so let me get this straight, they opened up the issue of R18+ label to the public last year and 98.2% of submissions supported the idea of R18+ classification. At the moment, if a game is refused classfication it's the equivalent of a ban since retailers can't sell a game with no classification. Now that the opinion went against what they REALLY want, they ignore the opinion of people like me who went to the trouble of writing in, and talk about the views of the "silent majority" who didn't effing write in.

Totally f*cking bullshit.

And don't get me started on how the gov still wants to go ahead with the mandatory internet filter.

For an example of classification fiasco in Australia, L4D2 was refused classification, and Valve took out limb dismemberment, persistent bodies, blood spatters and zombie riot cops before they got an MA15+ rating, resulting in a neutered Australian version.

98.2% say yes, while 1.2% say no... Yet they still want the votes of the "silent majority" which will make absolutely no difference compared to those numbers? What exactly is the point? There is either gonna be no response from the silent majority, or it will only boost the no (if they actually say that) by 1.6% which will make it 2.8%, which overall is slaughtered by the 98.2%...