do I know the Drill? We're BFF

do you know the drill? No, but I've partied with the hammer many times.

What most of you do not realize is that Vista was designed to ...make you buy new computers!

Resource hungry? Takes too much time to loador do anything? Buy a new computer (just like XP, Win 98, etc in their day)

This was called "Planned Obsolescence" back in the 50's when cars were designed to start breaking every 2 - 3 years and now we have it in computers which boosts computer manufacturers sales and over 80% of Vista computers are new computers.

Who cares if the features don't work well or as advertised, who cares if it constantly needs maintenance to run properly.

It's all about selling computers and to he!! with functionality. If people wanted a well designed Operating System they would just buy Macintosh anyway
*(OOOOOps! They ARE buying Macintosh! Forget I said that!)

short answer - NO

long answer - this is not yet a done deal and there are NO details on if, when, what is involved but, pay attention, ... it ONLY APPLIES TO CALIFORNIA and ONLY AFTER YOUR 2 YEAR CONTRACT IS FINISHED! That part will NOT change as this deal is finalized

for fuller story see here http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071026-sprint-unlocking-settlement-may-pressure-others-to-follow.html

the deal is: 1. this ONLY applies in CALIFORNIA
2. the full story does not say sprint will accept unlocked phones, only that they will unlock sprint phones (for whatever good that may do)
3. this is only AFTER the 2 year contract is up
4. this deal is NOT yet finalized and may change before it is done

I realize there is a race to be first with the story but lets not have more misinformation than information please

the story says it is working toward a settlement; this is NOT a done deal

actually most of the phone companies are trying similar tactics. Most US phones are subsidized by a service contract, they cost much more than the charged price to manufacture / distribute. Most pay-as-you-go phones have similar restrictions, nomore than 5 at a time, etc. This is nothing new.

Most overseas companies that have unlocking charge much more for the phone - a phone that is free with contract or 39.99 pay-as-you-go may cost $200 us in europe; that's why there is this pirate phone issue as people buy US subsidized phones and sell them overseas without connecting to the subsidizing service. iPhones and the necessary BACKBONE networks are paid for by the local carrier and that is part of the subsidy

mossberg misses the point - as do most of those commenting here - phone service became a commodity because it had gone as far as the technology would go.

Cell phone technology has NOT gone any way near as far as it will go. Ever hear of WiFi vs WiMax? There are different technologies, cellphone via satellite, etc. Who's to say what technology we will be using in 10 years

Same with network - backbones; as applications get added each may require backbone - server applications to support a phone app. This is the core of apple iPhone's tie-ins that the apps on it and apps to come require a network with servers to support the non-phone functions.

and wait ... how long do you think it will take for HDtv on phones: you can already get an HD tuner on a USB plugin, just how big do you think it is and can it fit in a iPhone sized device?

The whole concept that phones are only a 20 or so button talk - talk only device that is a commodity is sooooooo incompetent and not related to reality. Get a clue - its not about talk-talk phones being unlocked, people are expecting services to be unlocked and that ain't happenin'

stop thinking monopolysoft. What he wants is a unix/linux base that can then be modified as in mac os x, etc. The idea is that games written in machine code on base can run on different processors as linux does; there is already linux for PS3 and for Xbox as well as PC's with Different shell / desktops (Gnome, KDE, etc.)

This is easily doable. just not supported by monopolies.

All of you are forgetting something:

Comcast operates as a franchise granted by your CITY government.

Start complaining to the city that Comcast may be violating the spirit if not the letter of it's agreements; and if not the City needs to add net neutrality / non blocking of traffic into the next agreement or get another Cable TV /Internet Franchisee.

Start writing letters to the editor to get others to complain as well. You CAN take action to stop this; just a couple of large cities do this and it will be too expensive to Comcast to try and target only some areas while banned from it in others.

Raise a stink! Complain! Do it in Mainstream Media for effect. Do it Now!