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It may not be 100% wrong...but I don't think it's quite what the original poster meant

It may not be 100% wrong...just not used in typical American English...

Idiot. Learn to use a dictionary before making yourself look stupid.

"lowest common denominator"

Jesus, both of you are morons: kernel

If food preparation was just a science, then everyone's dishes would taste the same, and we'd all eat the same things. Part of the art of cooking is when you're making something new. Part of the art of cooking is the act itself of cooking. Of course, if you compare the definitions of art and science you'll probably find that, in some ways, they are the same thing! Cooking involves both. There's no way around it. And anyone who claims one or the other is missing is just talking out of their butt.

If food preparation was just a science, then everyone's dishes would taste the same, and we'd all eat the same things. Part of the art of cooking is when you're making something new. Part of the art of cooking is the act itself of cooking. Of course, if you compare the definitions of art and science you'll probably find that, in some ways, they are the same thing! Cooking involves both. There's no way around it. And anyone who claims one or the other is missing is just talking out of their butt.

Look the word 'free' up in the dictionary. You will see that it has two meanings.

1. Not imprisoned or enslaved; being at liberty. Not subject to external restraint
2. Costing nothing; gratuitous: a free meal.

'Free as in beer' refers to the 'zero cost' meaning of free. Beer can be free in that it doesn't cost money, but it is not free in that it has liberty.

'Free as in speech' refers to the 'liberty' meaning of free. Speech can be free in that it is not subject to external restraint, but we don't normaly talk about the monetary value of speech.

The Free software movement says that Free software is 'Free as in speech', but not 'free as in beer'. That is, Free software is not subject to external influence but it doesn't necessarily cost zero dollars.

Hence there is no analogy between Free software and free beer. GoofyBoy is feeding you a crock of shit. The analogy is between Free software and Free speech.

The Spanish (and French and Italians) don't have this grammatical problem, as they have different words for the different concepts of 'free as in speech' (libre) and 'free as in beer' (gratis).

As an English speaker, I usually mangle my grammar and use 'Free' (capitalised) when talking about Free software and 'free' (lower case) when talking about free beer.

Hope this helps.

<rant>

Everyone who said HTML is not a programming language is worried that they are not actually competent programmers. You're missing the big picture.

Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.
-- E. W. Dijkstra

This is where so many of us fail our customers (and I do mean customers -- we work in a customer service industry, get used to it). We feel like we have to hide the following facts:

we like our work

it's not always super-complicated

Most people COULD become competent programmers

they can understand why the site is down

we are not REALLY mortally insulted when non-techs question us

Being able to code well is not a viture, it's a talent. You're not holy because you can make more efficient use of the EAX register than your neighbor. And being able to code simple things is not out of the realm of ANYONE. It may be VERY simple things, but people can learn to fend for themselves in simple matters. Macros, mail filters, PowerPoint animation -- these things are ALL programming! Maybe not as holy as you all would like, but they are programming. Many developers feel like they are the priests of the code, and they have to prevent the laity from THINKING that they have anything figured out, because if the laity could figure any one thing out for themselves, then they might figure out OTHER things, and soon, what would they need priests for? Relax, you devout catholic programmers (I mean catholic as in definition #1 -- not religiously) programmers. Just because the laity can learn a little HTML, doesn't mean that your days of molesting your clients are over. You don't have to slam the door on HTML being a language as if it was heresy, and will undermine the church. Lighten UP!!!

My administrative assistant writes simple queries (forgotten username/passwords) because I took the time to show her how to do it. She also now maintains the web pages that deal with technical support for our product. Now, it's true, her account only has select permissions because I'm not ready to give her the keys to the DB. I also don't require her to check her web pages into CVS (although I should, it's so simple). It probably took 15 minutes to teach her how to read the schema, and how to structure a basic select. And she had had NO previous SQL experience. I've also heard MANY people say that SQL is not a programming language. This is just ridiculous.

Some developers poo poo (that's right, I said poo poo) HTML because it is easier to do, and people who THEY don't consider super smart are able to produce web pages. Because someone without formal training in "the art" can make something that makes a computer "do" something, insecure developers must berate that accomplishment.

This is arrogance of the highest order. Get over yourselves. None of us is Einstein. And programming is not the intellectual equivalent of a pissing contest. There is nothing sacred about what we do. Some people tend to talk about programming as if it's some mysterious art (not criticizing the Donald, whose books I revere). It's not. Some developers like to distguish themselves from "scripters." Some developers look down on DBA's as people who only maintain/tend the data.
You're all missing the fact that EVERYTHING that computers do is ONLY about the display and manipulation of data/information. All SGML derivatives are rules that the computer interprets, and then executes instructions based on those rules. And execution of rules is (IMHO)the beginning of programming

The reality is that we should be happy to have people understand how things rea

This is slashdot, it's pretty obvious that see is the the correct word (I see what you write; I can't hear it). Perhaps say is misleading (it's primary meaning does mean speech), but it is even more misleading to pretend that you hear things over slashdot. Other definitions (after the first) do not automatically imply that what was said was spoken (as opposed to written, signed, etc.).

Ahah - your comments about the 2nd world war confused me until I realized that you were equating assassination with murder. Assassination is defined just a beetje different from murder; assassination is typically defined as a political murder. This is why we say that Mr. Fortuyn was *assassinated* instead of saying he was murdered.

I don't know if there is an equivalent in Nederlands (maybe 'vermoorden' as apposed to 'moorden'?) - In Norwegian it is 'snikmorder' (sneaky murderer) as apposed to 'morder', but we usually use 'assassin' like most other languages.

Here's an English definition in case you're curious.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=superiorl y

=-P

I'm glad you got more out of the Simpsons than the rest of us because of something you learned about in schools.

Baking is done with convection from the bottom burner, boriling done with radiation from the top burner

On household stoves, broiling is usually done at the highest setting and that's probally why many people associate it with 'a very high temp', but the definition is " To cook by direct radiant heat, as over a grill or under an electric element." -- dictionary.com

virus ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vrs) n. pl. viruses 1. 1. Any of various simple submicroscopic parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause disease and that consist essentially of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat. Unable to replicate without a host cell, viruses are typically not considered living organisms. 2. A disease caused by a virus. 2. Something that poisons one's soul or mind: the pernicious virus of racism. 3. Computer Science. A computer virus.

The plural of "viruses" is not "virii"!

Quoth Wikipedia:
The "ii" ending only occurs in the plural of words ending in "ius". For instance, take radius, plural radii: the root is radi-, with the singular ending -us and the plural -i. The ending -i is used only for masculine nouns, not neuter ones such as virus; moreover, viri is the plural of vir, and means "men"

It's viruses! </rant>

Virii is not a word people. The plural of "virus" is "viruses."

The plural of "radius" is "radii" only because an "i" follows the "d". If you were to follow the same pattern, "virus" would be come "virui." Hey, that kind of has a nice ring to it...

Can you read spanish? Enrole and meet people here!

Enrole? That's similar to enrolar (portugese: convolute, convolve, roll up, twist, twirl etc, or espanol: enroll, enlist, register, sign up)

I think the word you want is enroll. Or, enrolar :P

>The first rule is...
>The second rule is...
>
>Anything else is secondary.

*ahem* Wouldn't that be tertiary? :-)

Just teasing. Excellent point. I think most people here think there's only the buck-at-a-time arcade version, unaware that there are home versions and step-on controllers available. Cost = what you would spend on a game and controller (flight stick, etc) anyway--hell, probably costs a lot less than most exercise equipment! *Especially* if this gets used and the others don't.

>The word stealing has more than one meaning. "I stole the book", "I stole his research", "I stole a kiss".

True. However, you are mistaken, "I stole his research" would only be a valid english sentence if, in fact, you took all copies of said research for yourself.

Meaning, the original owner no longer has said research. Much in the same manner as stealing someone's copy of a book.

Colloquially, the word "steal" can be used to indicate accessing something that isn't yours. Also, colloquially, the words "Yeah, right." mean "No". It's clearly poor form to use words in this manner if you intend to be understood, and it's definately improper to use them as such in a debate (such as slashdot comments).

As far as stealing a kiss is concerned, that clearly deals with an unexpected and pleasurable event for both parties involved. Specifically, To get or effect surreptitiously or artfully: steal a kiss; stole the ball from an opponent. Unless you consider piracy to be artful, stealthy, and legal (note the word 'GET', which implies it was permissible to take -- no illicit actions listed in the definition), it doesn't work. 'Effect' just doesn't fit in with taking data at all.

I do invite you to show me a definition that works in your favour (Hint: I've read enough dictionary definitions for the word "steal" all the way back to the first published English dictionary to assure you that you won't find one). Remember, the words used in the definition should also, themselves, when defined, work with your usage.

>The word stealing has more than one meaning. "I stole the book", "I stole his research", "I stole a kiss".

True. However, you are mistaken, "I stole his research" would only be a valid english sentence if, in fact, you took all copies of said research for yourself.

Meaning, the original owner no longer has said research. Much in the same manner as stealing someone's copy of a book.

Colloquially, the word "steal" can be used to indicate accessing something that isn't yours. Also, colloquially, the words "Yeah, right." mean "No". It's clearly poor form to use words in this manner if you intend to be understood, and it's definately improper to use them as such in a debate (such as slashdot comments).

As far as stealing a kiss is concerned, that clearly deals with an unexpected and pleasurable event for both parties involved. Specifically, To get or effect surreptitiously or artfully: steal a kiss; stole the ball from an opponent. Unless you consider piracy to be artful, stealthy, and legal (note the word 'GET', which implies it was permissible to take -- no illicit actions listed in the definition), it doesn't work. 'Effect' just doesn't fit in with taking data at all.

I do invite you to show me a definition that works in your favour (Hint: I've read enough dictionary definitions for the word "steal" all the way back to the first published English dictionary to assure you that you won't find one). Remember, the words used in the definition should also, themselves, when defined, work with your usage.

I don't agree with you, but the word "herb" reveals an interesting treatment of the leading H letter in English. The trouble with a word like "herb" is that there're sound precedents for pronouncing the H and not.

I have a 2400 AMD in my laptop, first of all. Secondly, the memory upgrade is too expensive for me right now. How am I "misusing the tools", by the way? Is there some sort of rulebook to use tabbed browsing somewhere? Maybe you are not much a power user yourself, but I am. Do not attempt to insult what you cannot understand, it makes you look like a fool and a fool who does not know he is a fool is a philistine.

Boxen and virii are used often enough on the worldweb to make them into words. See boxen and virii.

Boxen and virii are used often enough on the worldweb to make them into words. See boxen and virii.

No it wasn't. Grammar is a noun.

It isn't an adjective. In a lot of cases in English, you can use nouns as adjectives (ex: computer, computer industry), but only when there is no alternative.

Then again, someone will reply with "proper language is defined by the people." Just remember, you started it!

*rant over*

And maybe *you* should read RTFA (the McKusick interview)?

And maybe *you* should learn the difference between a question and a statement and use the appropriate punctuation mark.

And when you're done with that, maybe *you* should work on recognizing tongue-in-cheek comments.

See this: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=documenta ry

Mostly to the point:

documentary ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dky-mnt-r) adj.
Consisting of, concerning, or based on documents.
Presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film.

Also, see my post below.. it's here: My post

Best,

It was hyperbole and extended metaphor.

I don't really control a mail server. I was merely maintaining so for rhetorical purposes. I was just taking the parent poster's suggestion of obfuscating their email address to avoid spam (by adding numbers to it) to the logical extreme. I was also comparing this obfuscation to the obfuscation of passwords (both of which are ironically used to prevent unauthorized people from gaining access to otherwise accessible resources).

I am aware that SMTP is supposed to ignore case (that factual error was missed during editting -- since origionally I claimed that they had to use their passwords for email addresses, but found that too absurd, and distracting from my point)

It was hyperbole and extended metaphor.

I don't really control a mail server. I was merely maintaining so for rhetorical purposes. I was just taking the parent poster's suggestion of obfuscating their email address to avoid spam (by adding numbers to it) to the logical extreme. I was also comparing this obfuscation to the obfuscation of passwords (both of which are ironically used to prevent unauthorized people from gaining access to otherwise accessible resources).

I am aware that SMTP is supposed to ignore case (that factual error was missed during editting -- since origionally I claimed that they had to use their passwords for email addresses, but found that too absurd, and distracting from my point)

Black people get convicted of a lot more crimes, and sent away for much longer terms. That by the very definition is racism

• The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
  
• Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
  

and the only way you can say it is fair is by taking the position that black people are subhuman (naturally commit more and worse crimes than white people).

You've put a huge light on this and many people want the truth and many want to put it in the closet, just walk away. [emphasis added]

documentary - Presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film.

I have not seen "Farenheit 9/11", but if it is anything like "Bowling for Columbine" and Moore's other films, it is all about editorializing and there is insertion of some fictional matter. For instance an ad that Moore portrays as being run by George Bush Sr. when facing Dukakis wasn't run by the campaign, is enterspliced with another ad, and has an inflammitory subtitle added. This is not presenting facts, but distorting the truth in the worst way.

I don't even know if he believes what he is expressing in his films, after all he is a multi-millionaire with a million dollar apartment in NYC, he is not "one of us".

Also, some people attack the classification of "documentary". What is it if not a film that uses documents? Is it a drama? A comedy? A musical perhaps? It uses clips (documents), it is a documentary. That's the very definition.

Here's the very definition: "Presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film."

BTW, he's not showing you "clips" or "documents," he's showing you parts of clips, parts of documents, edited together to prove his points and make his agenda. Those are not the hallmarks of any real documentaries.

Oh, you mean a pogrom ?

Is that even a word?

It seems that normal concrete will start emitting plumes of smoke just before it pops

As would burning tar, or any other heavy petroleum derivate.

concrete: "A hard, strong construction material consisting of sand, conglomerate gravel, pebbles, broken stone, or slag in a mortar or cement matrix."

I do not think that word means what you think it means. It seems as if you are confusing concrete with asphalt or tarmac(adam).

Guess what, setting shit on fire is fun! If you are relatively responsible about it and don't light shit on fire accidentally and/or let things get out of hand (note: many forest fires grow from the cooking campfires of the incompetent) then really, who are you harming? Well, anyone breathing the vapors. But besides them?

It seems that normal concrete will start emitting plumes of smoke just before it pops

As would burning tar, or any other heavy petroleum derivate.

concrete: "A hard, strong construction material consisting of sand, conglomerate gravel, pebbles, broken stone, or slag in a mortar or cement matrix."

I do not think that word means what you think it means. It seems as if you are confusing concrete with asphalt or tarmac(adam).

Guess what, setting shit on fire is fun! If you are relatively responsible about it and don't light shit on fire accidentally and/or let things get out of hand (note: many forest fires grow from the cooking campfires of the incompetent) then really, who are you harming? Well, anyone breathing the vapors. But besides them?

It seems that normal concrete will start emitting plumes of smoke just before it pops

As would burning tar, or any other heavy petroleum derivate.

concrete: "A hard, strong construction material consisting of sand, conglomerate gravel, pebbles, broken stone, or slag in a mortar or cement matrix."

I do not think that word means what you think it means. It seems as if you are confusing concrete with asphalt or tarmac(adam).

Guess what, setting shit on fire is fun! If you are relatively responsible about it and don't light shit on fire accidentally and/or let things get out of hand (note: many forest fires grow from the cooking campfires of the incompetent) then really, who are you harming? Well, anyone breathing the vapors. But besides them?

Is "Tocque" pronounced Toker?

Seems like they smoke some pretty mean shit in toker-town.

Besides which, kilobyte and megabyte and gigabyte is not jargon. It is a computer term. Sorry but your attempt to revise history has failed.

Jargon. Specialized technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject.
Not being jargon but a computer term sounds not so right. Just a thought.

A byte is usually 8 bits but it has also been defined as 6, 7, 9 or even odder combinations. It all depends on the system architecture.

You can read a bit more about it here

hey moderator, it was satire...

can't beleive that satire in the thread of an article that contains the shizzle gets mod'd down, troll.

Try reading

I have to say, this is a little picky. First of all, the article description states that the new substance "...can produce 2 electrons where 1 was produced before", so it does not imply a change in the fundamental mechanism so much as the yield. Anyone who knew how solar cells worked before reading this description would be able to make the leap that no laws of physics were being violated to produce this electron.

Second, the description does not say that the electrons are being created at all. The dictionary definition of the word produce indicates, in the first entry, that produce means "To bring forth; yield", which is good enough, but skim the third entry and its example, "To bring forth; exhibit: reached into a pocket and produced a packet of matches". I think the first is more accurate, but the second indicates just how far the definition of produce does not imply creation.

=Brian

Flimblarm nif goondatakun, jut sekfar bel shon duc. Seempkin dar goolnac flar tefnek voz toulian; elmpar gef sogquel.

F-. The only word in that sentence recognized by my spell checker was 'dar', which is apparently an acronym.

Database

Did you even read the definition you linked to? Apparently not, so I'll paste it here: "A collection of data..." "...sets of persistent
data..." According to that page, "databases" aren't programs at all- they're only the files (data) that the software handles. So by that definition, even Oracle isn't a database (although it handles them)

For crying out load, my blog is a database!

The word "is" isn't equivalent to "has". By claiming your blog "is a database", you are saying that it is just a pile of data, and has no functional features.

Or alternatively, you have defined the word in such a generic way that all software is a database, which robs "database" of any informational content.

Or how about this: Would you say your blog "is an operating system?" After all, it's a "system" of some kind, and it "operates"...

Hasn't been true for a long time. Now CVS reads/writes directly, with no RCS process active.

Sorry, meant to say RCS format plain text files.

But even if that were still the case, saying "CVS is a database" is like "airplanes are wings".

Database

I do not agree with you. Just like I wouldn't agree if you said filesystems weren't databases. For crying out load, my blog is a database!

In a word, yes. I'm not certain what the real risk of infection is when the parts are not ingested, rather just left lying around but it is a good bet there is risk. So, the waste in question has to be disposed of one way or another. The goal here is to do it in a cost effective way with a useful byproduct. To answer your prior question, BSE is caused by prions, a protein particle that is similar to, but not quite a virus. They are also notoriously hard to destroy or denature(I don't think they are properly classed as alive).

Slide 12 says "Is it critical to learn in university? 1) A good question. Most students really just want a degree not an education. 2) Remember that a degree will get you an interview and maybe a job but what you learn determines whether you are successful."

Of course, being something of a autodidact myself - I have degrees, but learned much more on my own - I have to say "duh!". But certainly, as I've moved around and met more people, I've known plenty who seem to judge ideas more by the credentials of the speaker than the contents of the speach.

"Mitigating" means reducing in severity.

Fraud:

1) A deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain.

2) A piece of trickery; a trick.

3) One that defrauds; a cheat.
4) One who assumes a false pose; an impostor.

If it quacks like a duck...