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Babbage, A Look Back
A reader writes "System Toolbox just started a new computer history section in an effort to get us geeks in touch with our "roots." The current article in the monthly column focuses on Charles Babbage. The editor and author hope to raise awareness of our past so that scenes like this won't continue to take place. A big hill to climb, but worth the effort."
Mad propz to my full hairy man boobs.
:o)
Do they wipe afterwards at room temperature too?
I use my rod to compute with daily, and it runs at room temperature without a heatsink or fan.
I'm one of the several hundred thousand Europeans protesting against USA-sponsored terrorism.
By writing that as your sig on Slashdot? Kewl, now there's a way to troll flamebait online without ever having to think up anything cogent or even rise from your keyboard. You must be one of those over-privileged '1337 Eurotrash kids who reads comics instead history, smug in your nanny continent that the USA wrenched from tyranny and then rebuilt and protected from another vile menace for decades, not too long ago. You don't have to be grateful for that (after all, most of it probably happened before you were born). But you do need to understand that when the United States is attacked by tyrants or terrorists, we will proceed to kick ass and take names, make no mistake about it! We won't be asking any permission for self-defense.
I passed through Europe on the way to Kuwait, six months before Iraq invaded to kick off the Gulf War. The Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103 was recent history. There were armored personnel carriers on the tarmac at Hamburg airport and very visible security guards in the terminal carrying automatic weapons. Luggage was matched to an individual passenger. Europe was cleaning up small cells of home-grown communist terrorists (Red Brigades, Bader Meinhof, etc.). (Switzerland was even tighter on the trip back - I had to go to an isolated corridor, identify my bags, and open them for search.) Acting out in that environment could have easily gotten you shot dead, official explanations later if ever. You are hopelessly naive.
"You are hopelessly naive."
Assuming that the United States will get unconditional support becuase it wants to...
"...proceed to kick ass..."
...that's naive! Especially when the US amry displays a fondness for hitting targets like a Red Cross warehouse.
Went to Manchester too, huh?
I see. Whereas France had absolutely no role in wrenching the Colonies from tyranny and then protecting them for decades starting in the 1770's?
You don't have to be grateful for that (after all, most of it probably happened before you were born).
obOnTopic - you see the inherent problem with not knowing about Babbage, Richie, ENIAC, MULTICS, Baader-Meinhof, PFLP, and as we'll see further down, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Sherman and Livingston
And you have to admit, there's some cause for reflection when a country protects democracy by overthrowing the elected government of, say, Chile (Allende), protects freedom of expression by trying to get a middle eastern monarchy to shut down al-Jazeera TV, and protects justice by taking massive retaliatory action whilst refusing point blank to make any of the evidence to back up its charges available, surely?
A country of whose president the people of several countries could claim:
In fact, now I come to think of it, just what would be the position, under the new Anti-Terrorism act, of a group of political malcontents getting together in a room in Philadelphia and devising a text that reads: ?
Please, the american dream should be a beacon to the world, the very pinnacle of enlightenment thinking. Take the greatest care not to destroy it in its own name.
Your very Affectionate british Cousin
AC
We laugh at Europeans. Their so jealous, it's comical. Move along now, socialist boy.
weak eurotrash bitch. one of our street gangs could take over your piss-ant country. We are A#1 in this world, motherfucker, and don't forget it.
...that's naive! Especially when the US amry displays a fondness for hitting targets like a Red Cross warehouse.
I don't usually reply to AC's, but... _if_ that was an errant bomb (and not a vicious Taliban ruse) it was an error. These things happen, even including "friendly fire" casualties among one's own troops (as happened, unfortunately, in the Gulf War). It's a war. People die. They started it. Remember that.
Of course I know who Little Admiral Grace Hopper Inventor of COBOL Banana was.
Although I bet nearly every comp. sci. course in the country now thinks the sun shines out of Mr Gates rump.
Education these days *mutter mutter*
But they all know Ada was a babe.
Right? :-)
Anyone quoted by a reporter knows how little they understand
Don't believe what you read is the truth.
Please, we are not al ignorant. Unfortunatly many Americans are under educated and do not feel the need to study on their own....even if it is just watching the history channel.
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
We laugh at Europeans. Their so jealous, it's comical
So does that mean you laugh at the European's jealous as it is comical?
You USians don't have SMS? That sucks! You guys suck! /bin/laden probably has his terrorist network running rings around you guys with this tech. hahahaha
Sure they would, if they didn't kill one another with their 'friendly fire' you yokels are all thick as pigshit
They who? the afghani people? The red cross?
A few non-afghani terrorists commited a horrific act. The USA started a war.
The red cross told the US military where their installations were before the bombing started, saying "please don't bomb us you trigger happy maniacs" or words to that effect, painted bloody big logos on the roof, and the US still bombed it.
Just like they bombed the building marked on the map of Belgrade as "Chinese embassy".
Just like they bombed British troops during the gulf war who were in well marked vechicles - they may even have killed more British soldiers than Saddam Hussein did!
Just like they shot down a civilian jetliner from Iran on a clear day thinking it might be a MIG fighter, well if MIG fighters flew really slowly and were ten times their normal size and flying along a commercial airline route.
Come on - if the US military had to play someone else at counterstrike or halflife they would lose sooo badly... they might do ok at Doom or Quake though.
Frankly if I was the northern alliance I would *not* ask the US to bomb anywhere near the front lines - they would be just as likely to hit me as the Taliban.
No they did not start it. The people of Afganistan never elected the Taliban, let alone gave their consent to bin Laden entering the country. They are innocent civilians with friends, family and children, just like the people in the WTC. Remember that.
you mean there are comp. sci. chicks? cool! I'm aheadin' out there!
When you're trying to prove that you're not ignorant, correct spelling helps.
</grammar nazi>
So, do you hire them?
Apologies in advance for the horribly OT post - but where did your .sig come from? I used to have a college roommate who would tell me that every time I'd forget an assignment ("You forgot your homework? Then you must fight the bear!").
If it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.