From what I understand the wind generally blows west over there.
Untrained conscripts undersupplied and given almost no direction? Yeah, every bit that stupid and more.
From what I understand the wind generally blows west over there.West to east trade winds.....
Untrained conscripts undersupplied and given almost no direction? Yeah, every bit that stupid and more.Why would anybody attack a nuclear power plant?
Is anybody this stupid?
This is quite old data, but if Russia already pirates ~73% of the software used there, then I think your point has long since passed.As an IT guy by trade, this one interests me. Will it suddenly be considered to be "OK" to pirate Microsoft software in Russia now that you can't buy it legally? Or, will it cause Russian IT folks to start using open source alternatives instead?
Either one of these options could really hurt the US software business. Once you come up with a free alternative to a Microsoft/Oracle/Adobe/whatever product that works "good enough", it's going to be really hard to get that business back.
Once you come up with a free alternative to a Microsoft/Oracle/Adobe/whatever product that works "good enough", it's going to be really hard to get that business back.
This is quite old data, but if Russia already pirates ~73% of the software used there, then I think your point has long since passed.
Edit: updated with more recent estimates 59% piracy rate: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1145116/software-piracy-rate-forecast-in-russia
It would be hilarious if Microsoft does do that. But, I'm pretty sure I've heard that Russia has been trying to move away from Microsoft. Here is a homebrew operating system their army supposedly uses:Sure, piracy has always been a big problem for Microsoft. I'm just curious what the response would be if Russia suddenly decided that pirating the software was legal (because, screw you Microsoft and your mostly US shareholders, that's why!), and even the companies who were legitimately purchasing the software stop doing it. Does Microsoft retaliate by trying to remotely deactivate systems?
Given their hacking talents, they can probably just crack their Windows install anyway....
Losing what business? Russia has to be a tiny part of Microsoft's overall revenue. If anything, maybe MS cares about losing Azure revenue, but I don't know how much Russian firms are spending on AWS/Azure/GCE etc.Apparently Microsoft is planning to suspend selling new products to Russia:
Microsoft suspends new sales in Russia - Microsoft On the Issues
We are announcing today that we will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia. In addition, we are coordinating closely with the US, the EU and the UK, and we are stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanction decisions.blogs.microsoft.com
As an IT guy by trade, this one interests me. Will it suddenly be considered to be "OK" to pirate Microsoft software in Russia now that you can't buy it legally? Or, will it cause Russian IT folks to start using open source alternatives instead?
Either one of these options could really hurt the US software business. Once you come up with a free alternative to a Microsoft/Oracle/Adobe/whatever product that works "good enough", it's going to be really hard to get that business back.
The cynic in me wonders if the "West" is scrambling to help Ukraine because they didn't expect them to last this long either.
Biden and Blinken were sooooooooo on this. The satellite shots of the build-up of soviet troops and armament were shown virtually daily on TV news for weeks. It was CLEAR to me that the invasion was coming. Russia said it was exercises and they had no intention to invade but that was bullshit. They aren't that rich a country where they can afford to do shit like that just for whatever. They had every intention to invade and it was clearly hugely dangerous. Also, Biden's administration was openly and repeatedly warning for IIRC at least a couple of weeks that Russia was conjuring propaganda, instigating machinations to falsely accuse Ukraine for whatever in an effort to justify the invasion. Biden's administration set the stage for a unified extra-Russia response to the unprovoked invasion. It was clear even before the invasion that Russia's intention is to absorb Ukraine back into Russia, pure and simple. Aleksandr Dugin's Foundation of Geopolitics, the playbook of the Kremlin for policy, has this as just one of Russia's ambitions.I think this is definitely part of it.
I think the two main reasons the West is united is because the Biden administration did excellent by sharing top US intelligence data for some time which telegraphed Putin's intentions - think of it as good international marketing. And it was built up over time. There are definitely some who would say sharing such intel is not a good idea, but they weighed the pros and cons and decided it would help create goodwill for Ukraine and deprive Putin of making up his own propaganda for why he was going in, to the point Putin had to babble some nonsense about neo-Nazis and jibber jabber that nobody in the west could swallow. Of course Republicans and right wing media said Biden was being hysterical and Putin isn't such a bad guy and their cult leader said Putin was a genius, but the Biden administration stayed true to their message and they got it 100% right, Putin invaded and showed how full of shit and evil he is.
The other reason is yes, the Ukrainian spirit and fight and what appears to be Russian miscalculations is the other reason. If Ukraine capitulated in a couple days, it would have been a different story. So no hardcore Ukrainians, then it would not be like this kind of response
Those two things combined are the reason the West is so united right now.
It would be hilarious if Microsoft does do that. But, I'm pretty sure I've heard that Russia has been trying to move away from Microsoft. Here is a homebrew operating system their army supposedly uses:
.
Coke is chronic poison anyway. Dental troubles and a slow path to a heart attack.So it appears that Nvidia, Visa, and Mastercard are cutting ties with the Russian market over this invasion.
However, it appears that some companies like Coca Cola still can't walk away from the money they make in that market.
Ha, some meme said, with the ban, Russia would be the healthiest country in 5 years.Coke is chronic poison anyway. Dental troubles and a slow path to a heart attack.
Ha, some meme said, with the ban, Russia would be the healthiest country in 5 years.
Coke has 239 grams of sugar in a 2-liter bottle. 20 years ago, I worked with someone in their mid 20s that drank one of those each day. I figured he'd have health problems eventually. Turns out I was right. Now overweight with many health problems.Coke is chronic poison anyway. Dental troubles and a slow path to a heart attack.
Definitely. From the crack pipe in your hands. Please, provide a counter point.Crack, smell it cause it's being smoked.
Coke has 239 grams of sugar in a 2-liter bottle. 20 years ago, I worked with someone in their mid 20s that drank one of those each day. I figured he'd have health problems eventually. Turns out I was right. Now overweight with many health problems.
I stay away from sugar sodas. The zero sugar ones I'll have a few times a month.