Gates Says No to Implants

soon... by rd4tech · 2005-07-03 03:28 · Score: 1

Image playing Homeworld with that fancy all-sensory-input-output device.

Re:soon... by mfh · 2005-07-03 03:31 · Score: 0, Troll

Image playing Homeworld with that fancy all-sensory-input-output device.

Video games do propel technology. But open source propels it further, IMHO.

So what if Bill Gates says no, FOR HIMSELF. But that does NOT mean Microsoft won't persue implant technology patents in the future.

This got me thinking... and what exactly is the prognosis for Open Source implants? Who wants to go first on the test bed? This ain't no operating system... testing could result in deaths and a lot of pain.

--
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:33 · Score: 5, Interesting

Video games do propel technology. But open source propels it further, IMHO.

Do you have any kind of evidence whatsoever to back that up?
Re:soon... by MadFarmAnimalz · 2005-07-03 03:40 · Score: 4, Funny

Do you have any kind of evidence whatsoever to back that up?

Hm. I suspect your tenure as an active slashdotter has not been as lengthy as it may have been, or in more common parlance, "you must be new here".

Your cowardly reliance on anonymity, forthermore, may imply a certain embarrassment concerning your slashdot userid. I'd wager it's around twice mine.

I'm sorry. I'll get back to the point.

Now, you'll notice that the parent whom you prompt for evidence employs the phrase "open source" in a context suggesting blind allegiance and a rampant desire to propagate it (often at the expense of procreation).

This being slashdot, the original poster is exempt from the condition of providing evidence.

Or do you think that it is a bad thing for open source to be propelled?

Gentlemen moderators, the parent requires to be moderated "funny". No one on slashdot is dumb enough to require proof of outrageous claims.

--
Blearf. Blearf, I say.
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:41 · Score: 0

Open source hardware?!?!?!?

I've never heard of such a ridiculous statement, software fine, distribution and manufacture is easy.

Hardware?

Well I guess you can have the blue prints open sourced, but really, that's next to useless in the need for testing, distribution and manufacture of the real thing.

Maybe in your star trek world, with your ability to weave constructions out of the atoms in the air surrounding you, but today?
Re:soon... by secolactico · 2005-07-03 04:08 · Score: 3, Interesting

This got me thinking... and what exactly is the prognosis for Open Source implants? Who wants to go first on the test bed? This ain't no operating system... testing could result in deaths and a lot of pain.

There are too sides to that.

On one hand, it's a lot more complicated than pain and death. There are probably a lot of people who would volunteer for it. Some would do it because they believe they are contributing for a greater good. Some would because they get a kick out of risks and pain. And who knows what else.

But the main problem would be regulation. In any first world country I can think of (and probably most third world countries), local health authorities are going to want to regulate it, and rightly so. Just look at all the hoops that pharmaceutical companies have to jump thru just to get a new drug tested on human subjects. And didn't just recently the FDA denied permission to implant a patient with a bionic heart? This is goint to be tested to hell and back before someone gives permission for this.

On the other hand, open source does not necesarily mean a lone coder in his basement/garage, tho sometimes that is the image that is sold by many. A consortium or a corporation with enough resources to comply with regulation could very well embrace the OS movement and develop OS implants. I don't know how likely this is since this would probably mean slower return of investment.

--
No sig
Re:soon... by secolactico · 2005-07-03 04:11 · Score: 1

There are too sides to that.

DOH! I meant "two sides".

And I did use the preview button. *grumble*

--
No sig
Re:soon... by MHobbit · 2005-07-03 04:42 · Score: 2, Informative

Did you notice the "IMHO" bit? Though facts that would prove that open source does in fact do that would be informative.

--
Debugging? Klingons do not debug. Bugs are good for building character in the user.
Re:soon... by Comatose51 · 2005-07-03 04:50 · Score: 1

Perhaps MS could pay a bunch of people to be their guinea pigs but open source will still have their volunteers. Suppose something goes wrong, I think open source people will feel more guilty about it because:
1. It's one of their own who's testing.
2. There would be no excuse that they paid so it's alright.
In fact, if open source started doing implants, it's more likely that the authors will be testing the devices out. Therefore, there will be more on the line for open source authors. In all, I think when it comes time for implants, taking away a monetary incentive might actually lead to better results.

--
EvilCON - Made Famous by /.
Re:soon... by Decaff · 2005-07-03 04:55 · Score: 2, Insightful

Video games do propel technology. But open source propels it further, IMHO.

I disagree, as I have always found open source software more efficient on lower specification technology. One of the reasons I promote its use is that it allows for longer hardware update cycles.

On the other hand, Video games are always requiring upgrades: I have been running Linux on machines that have a lower processor and memory spec that some of the video cards I recently had to purchase to run a game!
Re:soon... by HamOpMW · 2005-07-03 05:12 · Score: 1

Damn Cowards :P Everything gets so confusing when cowards are present. CREATE AN ACCOUNT ALREADY!!! Sheesh!

Just took the time? Obsess much?
Re:soon... by Gherald · 2005-07-03 05:22 · Score: 1

>> There are too sides to that.

> DOH! I meant "two sides".
> And I did use the preview button. *grumble*

I am sorry, but some mistakes are unpardonable. I hope you had a good life... *ZAAAP!*

--
The unofficial /. digest
Re:soon... by MBraynard · 2005-07-03 05:39 · Score: 1

Your cowardly reliance on anonymity, forthermore, may imply a certain embarrassment concerning your slashdot userid. I'd wager it's around twice mine.
When I read that, I heard it in the voice of that Simpsons Comic Book. Was I the only one?
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:39 · Score: 0

Opinions either come from facts and evidence, or blind zealotry.
Re:soon... by mejesster · 2005-07-03 06:08 · Score: 1

Out of curiousity, where is all this open source hardware? I've yet to see any OS processor (etc) out on the market. Don't get me wrong, OS SOFTWARE or even firmware can be quite nice, but where is the hardware for these implants going to come from?

--
MacroHard - Boning you in a big way! (TM)
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:30 · Score: 0

no
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:53 · Score: 0

Go look up opinion. It's not that simple.
Re:soon... by Walt+Dismal · 2005-07-03 07:01 · Score: 0

Computer implant? OH. I thought you said "breast implant". No way am I going to get manboobs just to play Half-Life.
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:15 · Score: 0

What's your problem with Open Source?
Re:soon... by PakProtector · 2005-07-03 08:13 · Score: 2, Insightful

Do you have any kind of evidence whatsoever to back that up? Hm. I suspect your tenure as an active slashdotter has not been as lengthy as it may have been, or in more common parlance, "you must be new here". Your cowardly reliance on anonymity, forthermore, may imply a certain embarrassment concerning your slashdot userid. I'd wager it's around twice mine.

Hmm. And I see yours is just over quadruple mine. Let me explain to you how it works in the 'real world.'

Money as a Motivator > Pretty much anything but your life as a Motivator.

The reason Open Source has such difficulty is because, in the material society we live in, people do not understand how someone can give something away for free and it be worth something.

People are much more accepting of software (people in general -- not people who neccessarily have a clue) when they have to pay for it. After all, if you pay for it, it must be better than something you can just get for free, right?

Thank you. Now, next time you make a joke about UID, please don't do it till there are people whose UID's are six times your own.

--
Edward@Tomato - /home/Edward/ man woman
man: no entry for woman in the manual.
"Qua!?"
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 08:22 · Score: 0

i thought his breasts were large enough anyway.
Re:soon... by Tony+Hoyle · 2005-07-03 09:49 · Score: 3, Interesting

Money as a Motivator > Pretty much anything but your life as a Motivator.

Sorry but that just isn't true.

Most people when they have enough money to live comfortably find other motivations (suggesting that money is only a secondary motive, and comfort/survival are the primary ones).. how many people here have quite a higher paying job for less money but a better environment? In that case the equation is evil Boss + Lots of money nice Boss + less money.

I myself quite a job earning double what I am now to work on my favourite opensource project full time.. I've still got enough to live on, just can't buy as much new hardware every month.. big deal.. I'm much happier as a result.

Heck I've known people who have quite *all* paying work to go voluntary for a few years, supported by donations that might or might not happen. They're some of the most motivate people I've ever met, too.
Re:soon... by PakProtector · 2005-07-03 10:11 · Score: 1

I would reply that I said 'Pretty Much.' I would also reply that true altruism is a very rare trait in human beings.

After all, putting others ahead of yourself is one of the most assured ways to not live, and therefore, to not reproduce. Therefore, people who are altruistic would reproduce less, and contribute to the gene pool whatever genes (if any) lead to the increase in altruism.

--
Edward@Tomato - /home/Edward/ man woman
man: no entry for woman in the manual.
"Qua!?"
Re:soon... by alpha_foobar · 2005-07-03 10:41 · Score: 1

This reminds me of the article about good developers and bad spellers...

quite = emphasis of point, not very.
quit = give up.

I'd love to give up work to work on open source projects. But you would have to be very motivated to do that.
Re:soon... by suitepotato · 2005-07-03 13:00 · Score: 1

Well how nice that you had the luxury to do that. Take less pay for being happier.

The rest of the world does not work that way. Work is done for money, money is used to keep a roof over one's head and food in one's belly, survival and comfort being primary as you yourself stated. I find making less money and being forced to live in a smaller place with less comforts and having less food on the table not to make me happy. Free oral sex all day as perk would not change that never mind open source.

Open Source is not a source of innovation. If anything, it is a chaotic pond of organic sludge and we're hoping it produces something. Meanwhile, Microsoft (and even Apple) are doing the equivalent of nanotechnology by actually consciously making big working systems with the organic parts. OSS land? Waiting for the pot to boil.

--
If my grammar and spelling are off, I am [distracted/tired/careless] (take your pick)
Re:soon... by Schemat1c · 2005-07-03 14:21 · Score: 2, Funny

No way am I going to get manboobs just to play Half-Life.

Playing Half-Life is what caused my manboobs.

--

"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better." - Unknown
Re:soon... by bit01 · 2005-07-03 18:01 · Score: 2, Interesting

I would reply that I said 'Pretty Much.' I would also reply that true altruism is a very rare trait in human beings.

Bullshit, everybody is altruistic sometimes.

It's just enlightened self interest. When a boy scout helps a little old lady across the road, that's altruism. When Carnegie endowed CMU, that's altruism. When Gates endows third world health, that's altruism. When a homeless man tells another one where to get food, that's altruism. When a F/OSS source programmer writes one of the 100,000 programs on sourceforge, that's altruism.

I for one want to live in an altruistic world, not the sort of dog-eat-dog, push the underdog down dystopia that many corporate types try to push.

After all, putting others ahead of yourself is one of the most assured ways to not live, and therefore, to not reproduce. Therefore, people who are altruistic would reproduce less, and contribute to the gene pool whatever genes (if any) lead to the increase in altruism.

You are ignoring the fact that we share many genes. By helping you I help many of my genes to survive. The simple greed-is-good mantra people like you push is nonsense.

And that's completely ignoring the statistics of open source and IP in general, where all it takes is one person in a million being altruistic and you can get something happening. Software/IP only has to be written once and it can be copied a billion times. The broken IP model we are currently stuck with and the vested interests that push it completely ignores that.

---

Every new patent is another opportunity for a lawyer to make money at the expense of the community - real life nomic.
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 18:26 · Score: 1

I for one can't wait until OSS solutions provide the most popular webserver or run on the fastest computer.
Re:soon... by SCVirus · 2005-07-03 20:26 · Score: 0

99% of the all current innovation is from open source.

Where did I get that statistic you ask? YOUR MOTHER.
Re:soon... by iainl · 2005-07-03 22:55 · Score: 1

Well, to check this, I put some technology (specifically a CDRW) in my XBox. It could only spit the disk 12cm out of the front, as the tray couldn't propel it any further.

However, my Linux box could send the eject command to a hotwired slot-loading drive that sent it 2.3m counting rolling distance.

Therefore, Open Source can propel further than Video Games.

--
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"
Re:soon... by idonthack · 2005-07-04 03:59 · Score: 1

In fact, if open source started doing implants, it's more likely that the authors will be testing the devices out. Therefore, there will be more on the line for open source authors.

They could write software on emulated body parts, (well, it is a computer) and then once it works pefect there, they can try it on the real thing.
---
"Man, when the day comes, count me in with the robot smashers." - Anonymous Coward
Generated by SlashdotRndSig via GreaseMonkey

--
Why is it that when you believe something it's an opinion, but when I believe something it's a manifesto?
Re:soon... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-04 06:23 · Score: 0

implants are already happening in body modification, next step is to incorporate some useful or interesting technology into them. For example, I have 5 teflon beads implanted in my left arm, soon to have them implanted into the back of my neck, sides of my neck, to simulate the look of a cardassian (from deep space nine). I also have my ears stretched to 1.5" inches, and wear speakers in them attached to my ipod, and i wear a vibrating 0 ga ring in my prince albert, chicks really dig that =)

Donald Ray Moore Jr. (MindRape)
damageD Cybernetics
Re:soon... by PakProtector · 2005-07-04 10:27 · Score: 1

Alrighty, first of all, did you even attempt to comprehend what I said? I said TRUE altruism, not altruism, is very rare in human beings. TRUE altruism being that sort of selflessness that allows one to put everyone elses' needs above your own.

If someone has to be told to do a kind act, that's not altruism -- it's following orders. When someone does a kind act of their own volition simply because it was their nature to do so, that is altruism.

I am not ignoring the fact that we share many genes. However, you and I are not closely related. The only time helping someone else survive to pass on their genes is of great interest to you (and will increase the spread of an altruism gene) is in the case of siblings.

And what exactly do you mean by 'Broken IP Model'? Are you saying you want to take away my ability to profit from my own damn work?

That's very altruistic of you. I guess when I'm starving on the streets, I'll just have to rely on Altruism to keep me alive.

--
Edward@Tomato - /home/Edward/ man woman
man: no entry for woman in the manual.
"Qua!?"
Re:soon... by KermitJunior · 2005-07-05 01:30 · Score: 1

That, of course, being your opinion and all.

--
There is a Universal Life Value Check it

Comment removed by account_deleted · 2005-07-03 03:28 · Score: 1, Redundant

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Well Bill... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:29 · Score: 5, Funny

Resistance is futile.

Re:Well Bill... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:45 · Score: 1, Interesting

Well, I for one, was NEVER impressed with that here @ Slashdot... shows a "BIT WEE TOO MUCH LINUX/UNIX" bias imo, for a technology site... but, to each his own!

Putting down ole' "King Billy" as I call him seems to have been a trend the last decade now. Alot of folks are sheep that do it & want to be "part of the team" rather than being individual & being a breakthru maker/shooting star.

It's natural for many folks seeking acceptance.

However, like I said before here? I am SURE, or nearly sure, that the folks' who are our hosts here @ slashdot enjoy it, I would, because of the 'linux vs. windows' zealotry (if there is such a term on the latter, lol, creative english on my end, so shoot me "human grammar & spellcheckers" on that one if you like).

Controversy? Is good for webmasters imo!

On the topic though? Well, think about it guys, we already use prosthetics & implants: What do you think eye glasses are, or artificial limbs, or pacemakers for those with heart ailments?

BORGISM! You just don't think about it... they're fairly commonplace for those that need them.

(Pace makers aren't visible, & it's not like when you're a kid & your class laughs @ you for getting glasses... I went thru it, it sucked. Kids are direct & cruel @ times... you get over it, & so do they, by exposure & acceptance... if not going thru it themselves directly @ some point later. What goes around... comes around).

I think they will be degrees of it. In fact, I asked a girl I used to date YEARS ago, a question:

"If your child could take in entire masters degrees in an hour's time, but had to have a direct wire into their brain implanted, would you think this is a GOOD, or BAD thing?"

She said "absolutely NOT a good thing & horrible" so, there's the moral issue. Some folks might actually jump @ the chance... but, what if the s.o.b. in your head could be used for "mind control" (ala MKUltra but not with chemicals & brain-washing etc.) or short out in your head?

Personally? I don't think I'd go for THAT radical of an approach. Like in the film, "The Matrix", sure you might be able to have your MIND know "Kung-Fu" (martial arts, & afaik, kung fu means "proficient"), but your body?

Nope... needs actual training... kata, stretching, etc. to gain trained muscle response/instinctual use of it... thus, it's only 1/2 of the equation imo.

APK

P.S.=> What has more of a chance, imo? Nanotechnology... apk
Re:Well Bill... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:30 · Score: 0

Imagine a cube cluster of Bills... sorry, could not resist...
Re:Well Bill... by kesuki · 2005-07-03 07:56 · Score: 1

Imagine a cube cluster of Bills... sorry, could not resist...

You play xbill too?

--
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
Re:Well Bill... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 08:06 · Score: 0

In the matrix, what role does your body play? None whatsoever.
Re:Well Bill... by demachina · 2005-07-03 14:37 · Score: 1

Bill is also the one that said 640K of memory is all anyone would ever need. He's really not much of a technology visionary, he is just really good at ripping off other peoples stuff and putting it in to ruthless, unpitying production.

Lets just chalk this up as another quote he will have haunting him forever when he has the implants to triple his intelligence, terabytes of memory exapansion, and to give him immortality when his brain is scanned and replaced with one giant implant before it craters form old age. After all if the technology ever arrives to Xerox our brains Bill is likely to be the first one with the cash to pay for the service.

--
@de_machina
Re:Well Bill... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-05 15:39 · Score: 0

I was using what you saw in the Matrix merely as a comparison, that's all...

I am talking REAL WORLD, as this thread is speculating upon the future of ours in, if this ever becomes something you could actually do:

I.E.-> Immediately educate anything into your head via direct wet-wire teaching, as was illustrated in the film "The Matrix"...

E.G.-> Let's say for instance, that in 20 years time, you COULD learn a martial art(s) via such teaching (direct-to-brain via some sort of "wet-wire" technology).

Think you could pull off a high spinning kick like Jean Claude Van Damme does, w/out training your body to do so? Sure, you might... and end up with the biggest groin muscle pull in history, lol!

(Not that 'high' kicks are the deadliest, because imo, they're not... kick out a dude's knee & he drops like a rock!)

BUT, the point I am making? It's RIGHT there:

* You'd have to have the flexibility for it, & that doesn't come with just your mind knowing what to do, but with muscles supple enough & tendons stretched enough to do so.

(LOL, yea... OK maybe, with actual "radical physical surgery" to place your tendons etc. differently (as some weightlifters actually DO do so they have more of a fulcrum & more TORQUE for curls for example) you might be able to pull it off w/out years of training)

However, imo, the route to use is actual kata & stretching...

AND, years of it, so you have 'trained muscle response' & a body that can actually utilize all you'd "learn" via such a system...

APK

P.S.=> What's the saying? "Where your head goes your ass will follow?" Not in this case, not fully... you'd STILL have to stretch & train imo! apk

Trust by Cthefuture · 2005-07-03 03:30 · Score: 5, Funny

In other words he doesn't trust the hardware and/or software being hooked up to his brain.

Gee, I wonder why...

--
The ratio of people to cake is too big

Re:Trust by ImaLamer · 2005-07-03 03:37 · Score: 3, Insightful

he's used Windows the most, and he sees a world of Windows domination...

--
Get your Unix fortune now!
Re:Trust by DigiShaman · 2005-07-03 03:49 · Score: 3, Funny

Hah! I can understand why. Who want's to risk witness a "Vision Of Death" (VOD) error?

--
Life is not for the lazy.
Re:Trust by camcorder · 2005-07-03 04:00 · Score: 0

Regarding his age, he might like to have "Blue Screen Of Erection" (BSOE) soon, though.
Re:Trust by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · 2005-07-03 04:49 · Score: 0, Offtopic

In other words he doesn't trust the hardware and/or software being hooked up to his brain.

So true. Here's a proof: unlike Bill, Melinda Gates wasn't against Microsoft implants, and look what happened to her...

--
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Re:Trust by superpulpsicle · 2005-07-03 05:11 · Score: 1

Of course Gates is against Borg implants.

He can't dominate a world where people's brain are always in Beta mode, buggy and always crash.
Re:Trust by sp3tt · 2005-07-03 05:12 · Score: 2, Insightful

Indeed it brings a whole new meaning to Blue Screen of Death. Kernel panic would not be much better though .
Re:Trust by rtaylor · 2005-07-03 05:16 · Score: 1

Probably fear of the Blue Coma of Death

--
Rod Taylor
Re:Trust by balloonpup · 2005-07-03 05:25 · Score: 1

Especially when one has to be kicked twice in the rear to fix it! (Boot and reboot)

--
I sing the doggie electric!
Re:Trust by The+Clockwork+Troll · 2005-07-03 05:55 · Score: 3, Funny

It hasn't stopped Google!

--

There are no karma whores, only moderation johns
Re:Trust by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:56 · Score: 0

Like Linux?
Re:Trust by PsiPsiStar · 2005-07-03 06:32 · Score: 1

He's worried it'll reboot suddenly and everyone will see the Mac startup screen.

--

___
It's the end of my comment as I know it and I feel fine.
Re:Trust by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:35 · Score: 0

In other words he doesn't trust the hardware and/or software being hooked up to his brain.

Gee, I wonder why...

Because it would conflict with his existing implants.

Thomas
Re:Trust by quarkscat · 2005-07-03 13:43 · Score: 1

Exactly.

Bill "Maximus" Gatus fully understands the risks
of being attached to the "hive" that is totally
dependent upon Windows OS -- the viri, worms,
trojans, and worst of all -- the blue screen of
death. All that is really needed is that monthly
mind meld with the "hive", AKA Windows Update.

Besides the direct human-machine interface, no
doubt he also avoids MSN like the plague -- I
know that I do. Because at that point, resistance
to the siren song of the collective truly is
futile...
Re:Trust by Fustican · 2005-07-03 14:00 · Score: 1

It will never be the multi-billionaires who are plugged in. They have the streetsmarts and the power to prevent it happening to them. Rather, implants and gps trackers and RFID tags and the various other perils of the future are to keep the little people in line. Had Orwell known about implants, they would have been featured heavily in 1984.
Re:Trust by spacepirate09 · 2005-07-03 14:50 · Score: 2, Funny

Blue Vision of Death? That'll be great. I can see it now: (pun intended) Mom: Hey Billy, don't forget to take out the trash. Billy: Okay Mom, I'll do it now. ... Billy: AHH!!! I'M BLIND! *robot voice* A fatal error has occurred. All your base are belong to us.

Steve by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:30 · Score: 0

Any comments from Steve Ballmer? Or is still on for his implant?

Re:Steve by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:11 · Score: 0

Ballmer doesn't need any hair implants. He's a member of the Hair Club for Men. And he's not just a member. He's also the president.

Only because by StonedRat · 2005-07-03 03:30 · Score: 3, Funny

Only because he doesn't trust microsoft software running on his brain. The Blue Screen of Death could become literal and he knows it.

--
"Religion is the most malevolent of all mind viruses." - Arthur C. Clarke.

Re:Only because by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:28 · Score: 0

The Blue Screen of Death could become literal and he knows it.

Seriously though, does your Printer, Keyboard, or Display die if windows BSODs?

On a practical level, I suspect a BSOD in Windows would simply stop the implants from working (not good if they were replacing your eyes, heart, etc)... So if the implants are just Input devices, it really shouldn't be that big of a deal... Just reboot windows (you all know how to do that), and wait for the implants to be activated again.
Re:Only because by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:49 · Score: 0

but wouldn't it be damn annoying if, say, everytime you look at a beer or a hot woman, the OS dies and your eyes stop working?
Re:Only because by Eric604 · 2005-07-03 05:40 · Score: 1

I don't think we're talking here about replacing body parts, just inserting brain implants.
To improve vision, I imagine it is not necessary to replace the eye (if it's still working) but just insert pixels somewhere between or in the eye and brain. This overlay interface chip should have exact three hardwired modes, directly controllable by your brain (no software in this chip, all hardware and a few sensors to pick up your thoughts):
1.overlay an digital clock in your upper right field of vision.
2.use input from another implant. This other implant may run windows.
3.off.

In case the software of the second implant crashes and impairs your sight (full screen BSOD), you switch the overlay chip to off or clock.

The overlay chip should also route incoming pixels to the second implant, the second implant can increase resolution and perform zooming by sampling multiple frames while you slightly move your head, this ofcourse requires some gyroscope implants to track head motions.
Re:Only because by The+Clockwork+Troll · 2005-07-03 05:57 · Score: 1

Today, when I look at a beer or a hot woman, I stop working in my entirety, so it might be an improvement.

--

There are no karma whores, only moderation johns
Re:Only because by InfinityBuffer · 2005-07-03 08:10 · Score: 1

Or maybe if whenever your driving a car, the OS dies, and your eyes stop working

If Gates realizes his goal.... by cato+kaze · 2005-07-03 03:30 · Score: 1, Funny

Of windows on every chip, I can see where he's coming from, blue screen of death is much less funny when its literal :p

--
Those who study history are doomed to watch others repeat it.

Liar. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:30 · Score: 1, Funny

This is just a ploy to stall any development to the Hawking support/assault subsystem. Gates is simply biding his time before becoming the baddest hardwired motherfucker on this side of the Atlantic.

Re:Liar. by NewbieProgrammerMan · 2005-07-03 04:22 · Score: 1

I assume that by "support/assualt subsystem" you are actually referring to Mr. Hawking's advanced cybernetic exoskeleton.

Seriously though, I wonder what Hawking's position would be on receiving implants that offered a direct interface between the brain and a computer. I think if I became confined to a wheelchair, and such technology was available (and reasonably safe/reliable), I'd probably want it.

--
[b.belong('us') for b in bases if b.owner() == 'you']

Oh come on, he should know this... by numbski · 2005-07-03 03:31 · Score: 1, Redundant

Resistance is futile.

(and it was repeated, all thread long, amen.)

--

Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).

No kidding! by agraupe · 2005-07-03 03:31 · Score: 0, Redundant

I wouldn't want anything running Windows to be implanted in me either!

Re:No kidding! by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:04 · Score: 1, Funny

Embedded Windows? *WinCE*!

That's Easy To Say by DanielMarkham · 2005-07-03 03:32 · Score: 3, Insightful

But where do you really draw the line? Most of us spend a lot of time staring at a LCD, would laser-projected images in the retina be that much of a stretch? Gates himself has his company working hard on speech recognition -- which is obviously a step towards taking away the interfaces. It seems to me the clear path is towards zero interfaces: direct brain stimulation. That would truly be the easiest thing for most users to operate. (But I wouldn't want to get a GPF in my brain! Ouch!)
So it's easy to say you're against connecting up to the computer, but it's not a black-and-white situation. I imagine integration will happen over several decades, not all at once.

Know What You're Talking About

Re: That's Easy To Say by Black+Parrot · 2005-07-03 03:43 · Score: 5, Funny

> But where do you really draw the line?

Butt plugs.

--
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Re:That's Easy To Say by Sebastian+Jansson · 2005-07-03 03:46 · Score: 1

Well, I think the line usually goes where you start modifying the body. Having a display project the image on the retina is not an implant. Using electrodes to bypass the retina and connect directly to the brain is.

I think it's a pretty Black and White situation, modify your body, or don't modify it. Maybe grey areas would be stuff like nanobot medicination.
Re:That's Easy To Say by ColdGrits · 2005-07-03 03:51 · Score: 3, Interesting

Gates himself has his company working hard on speech recognition -- which is obviously a step towards taking away the interfaces.

That's not taking away an interface, any more than having a keyboard instead of punched card is taking away an interface!

Speech recognition merely allows for a different and faster interface between operator and computer, but it is still by definition an interface.

Indeed it could be argued that even hardwiring the computer directly into your brain still requires an interface, again by definition. It would just be a different type of interface, presumably much faster and one which required less effort to use, but an interface it would still be.

--
People should not be afraid of their governments - Governments should be afraid of their people.
Re:That's Easy To Say by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:51 · Score: 1, Interesting

imagine the implications for the disabled.

People who were entirely paralyzed could now operate many different types of machines & tools.

Amputees would have a new way to interface with more sophisticated prosthetics.

The only thing keeping us from replacing lost arms & legs with fully robotic arms & legs is how to do the interface in a simple, straightforward way that doesnt tie up the other hands / feet with control levers or buttons.

This could be a huge boon for the medical science in many ways.
Re:That's Easy To Say by Sahib! · 2005-07-03 04:09 · Score: 1, Informative

Look, dude, your comments are Insightful, Funny and Interesting, but stop link-spamming with that link to your blog in your fake "sig."

--
I prayed about it, and God said, "Don't do it!" But I thought, "I know better."
Re:That's Easy To Say by daniil · 2005-07-03 04:14 · Score: 1

Well, I think the line usually goes where you start modifying the body.
Does wearing glasses or bracers count as modifying your body?

--
Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
Re:That's Easy To Say by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:15 · Score: 0

Different, yes. Faster? Debatable, at best. I type faster than I speak (no, I don't speak very slowly, I'm a fast typist). And I would sound like a goon if I were talking out loud to my computer.

Computers _Should_ have speech recognition. But it should be just another interaction option.
Re:That's Easy To Say by ColdGrits · 2005-07-03 04:27 · Score: 1

You may well be able to type faster than you can speak, but very few people can do that - for the vast majority of computer users (be they regular or occasional users) speech IS faster than typing.

And as for sounding like a goon if you talk out loud to your computer? Doubtful. Unless you reckon people sound like goons for talking into small pieces of plastic as they do every day already (I understand those pieces of plastic are called "telephones" - they'll never catch on though because one person can type morse-code faster than they can speak, and they don't want to sound like a goon, right?)

--
People should not be afraid of their governments - Governments should be afraid of their people.
Re:That's Easy To Say by imsabbel · 2005-07-03 04:29 · Score: 1

Glasses: No.
The modify version would be laser surgery.

bracers: borderline.

--
HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
Re:That's Easy To Say by aklix · 2005-07-03 04:39 · Score: 1

Heh before speak recognition we need some decent mic/card pairs. The one's that are most popular are no better than a 900 MHz phone.
Re: That's Easy To Say by kajoob · 2005-07-03 04:42 · Score: 1

Spark plugs?

--
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur
Re: That's Easy To Say by carrierbagman · 2005-07-03 04:50 · Score: 1

Awww Champion!
Re:That's Easy To Say by Bloke+down+the+pub · 2005-07-03 05:05 · Score: 0

If bracers are a modifcation to the body, then so are the trousers they hold up.

--
It's true I tell you, feller at work's next door neighbour read it in the paper.
Re:That's Easy To Say by anthony_dipierro · 2005-07-03 05:14 · Score: 1

I'd draw the line at how easily the device is to disconnect. If the interface talks to my brain using E-M waves, and it's been well tested and well designed to be fail-safe, then I'd probably go for it (if the benefits were good enough). But if you're talking about an implant, that's major surgery to install, and even more major/impossible to uninstall. I'm hesitant enough that I haven't gotten laser eye surgery yet, and that's something that has a long track record and a lot of benefits.
Re:That's Easy To Say by Moderatbastard · 2005-07-03 05:29 · Score: 0

for the vast majority of computer users (be they regular or occasional users) speech IS faster than typing.
Speaking to another correctly set up human might be faster, bearing in mind the other human (particularly if it's in visual range and correctly oriented) has a very sophisticated feedback & error correction mecahanism. The computer doesn't. But what the heck, you're going to post a link proving your assertion, aren't you? Perhaps even your very own PhD thesis on HCI?

--
1/3 of jokes get modded OT. If you get the joke, mod 1 in 3 insightful/interesting/underrated to restore karma balance.
Re:That's Easy To Say by ColdGrits · 2005-07-03 05:51 · Score: 1

And you believe that it will always be this way forever and therefore there is no point in continuing to research and develop speech recognition?

As you wish.

Only problem is, your argument can be applied to everything, implying that we should never have moved beyond single-cell life...

--
People should not be afraid of their governments - Governments should be afraid of their people.
Re:That's Easy To Say by 6e7a · 2005-07-03 06:00 · Score: 1

Speech is not faster, it's more natural.

What would be faster for a lot of people is humming intervals. Unfortunately some people are tone deaf, and even if humming turned out to be a superior system of communication, it would probably meet with the same resistance that the metric system has met. I wonder if people who would normally grow up tone deaf could learn to hum intervals. Music seems to have healing properties as well, so we could even improve our health!
Re:That's Easy To Say by PsiPsiStar · 2005-07-03 06:41 · Score: 1

But I think it's a reliable thing to consider. A lot of speech recognition, even with human beings, is iterpolation based on context.

Try giving a speech to a class, and then getting feedback on what you said. The degree to which they misunderstood things is amazing.

Even if you could talk and type at the same speed, typing is still considerably more accurate, at least for areas which require large amounts of precise information.

--

___
It's the end of my comment as I know it and I feel fine.
Re: That's Easy To Say by seanadams.com · 2005-07-03 06:51 · Score: 1

Let me get you over to automotive....
Re: That's Easy To Say by deadgoon42 · 2005-07-03 07:49 · Score: 1

You mean the recharge socket?

--

Smeghead every day of the week.
Re:That's Easy To Say by mark-t · 2005-07-03 08:23 · Score: 1

The question is, after typing that comment, did you have to wait 5 seconds or so before hitting Submit? I doubt it.
Slashdot requires at least 20 seconds after hitting "Reply" before submitting your comment.

And speaking your comment aloud takes roughly 15 seconds.

I expect that your comment actually took about 30 to 45 seconds to compose, meaning that it took 2 to 3 times longer to type than to have said.

--
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
Re:That's Easy To Say by AndroidCat · 2005-07-03 08:42 · Score: 1

Gates himself has his company working hard on speech recognition
Kind of on again/off again. They had a big push with SAPI4 and 5 at the end of the nineties, but nothing much since then that I know of. (They haven't even updated everything that used SAPI4 to 5 yet, so I have to keep both dev packages installed.)

They were like that with pen/tablet computing too. Pen Windows was hot in 1994 just long enough to FUDicide Go and GRiD, then nothing for years.

--
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Re:That's Easy To Say by StikyPad · 2005-07-04 16:57 · Score: 1

Even if you could talk and type at the same speed, typing is still considerably more accurate, at least for areas which require large amounts of precise information.

Plus there's that whole upside of not looking like a nutjob talking to yourself in a cubicle.

And it's sort of difficult to overhear what someone is typing.. The privacy (from casual observers) aspect of typing is something I think people tend to take for granted.

--
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
Re:That's Easy To Say by Moderatbastard · 2005-07-06 05:26 · Score: 0

Only problem is, your argument can be applied to everything
Close, but no cigar. Having had your wrong statements about the current state of play shot to bits (you even emphased IS - that's the present tense, fuckwad), you 1) change the subject and 2) attack a strawman argument (look it up) about whether research should be done (which by definintion, can only influence the future, not the present), and has nothing to do with how things are now.
implying that we should never have moved beyond single-cell life...
I'm not convinced that you have.

--
1/3 of jokes get modded OT. If you get the joke, mod 1 in 3 insightful/interesting/underrated to restore karma balance.

Here I was thinking about boobies by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:32 · Score: 3, Funny

And that Gates refuses to get man-boobs and wear a 'bro'.

Re:Here I was thinking about boobies by numbski · 2005-07-03 03:46 · Score: 1

That's a very good point actually.

Hordes of geeks see the headline "(someone) says no to implants." and almost all presume cybernetic implants and (ironically) not silicone implants.

Hmm...the geek, or the geek that follows...

--
Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).
Re:Here I was thinking about boobies by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:49 · Score: 0

A MANSIERE!
Re:Here I was thinking about boobies by BlueFall · 2005-07-03 04:56 · Score: 1

Manssiere!

Well.... by JollyFinn · 2005-07-03 03:33 · Score: 1

Who would love to have all time direct connection between hardware and your brain when the software used is Microsofts?
(as it would no doubt be in Gates position)

--
Emacs is good operating system, but it has one flaw: Its text editor could be better.

But... by Tanmi-Daiow · 2005-07-03 03:34 · Score: 5, Funny

...would it run linux?

--
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." - C.S. Lewis

Re:But... by rel4x · 2005-07-03 08:46 · Score: 1

I hope so...I'd really hate to have any trojans entering via my BackOrifice.

--

Before you mod me funny, think, perhaps I was insightfully funny?

I mean seriously... by earthforce_1 · 2005-07-03 03:35 · Score: 3, Interesting

Would you want a body implant that runs on Windows?

I can just see it - adware popups that appear every 2 minutes on your ocular implants.

--
My rights don't need management.

Re:I mean seriously... by Timesprout · 2005-07-03 04:00 · Score: 4, Funny

Would you want a body implant that runs on Linux?

I can just see it - telling you it doesn't have the right drivers for your heart and disabling your pulmonary functions.

--
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
Re:I mean seriously... by Trelane · 2005-07-03 04:47 · Score: 4, Funny

I can just see it - telling you it doesn't have the right drivers for your heart and disabling your pulmonary functions.

You see, God's in a dilemma. The Heart was developed over many millions of years by God Himself, using his now-open Evolution Development System. But, due to Microsoft's dominance of the desktop leading to its dominance of the browsers and then to the servers, in this, the year 2012, Microsoft now has complete control over the Internet. So unless God was able to somehow convince 9 billion people to use His Almighty Internet Service, which is notably completely incompatible with Microsoft's Internet v3 and Body Management Services of Medicine PX, he must provide the interface to Heart version 3.14159265(and so on) to Microsoft. Unfortunately, as a side effect of licensing the interface to Microsoft, he's now unable to provide drivers to Linux, which since Microsoft's utter dominance of all things computers shortly after all vendors suddenly and miraculously started supporting Microsoft's Palladium System nee NGSCB, is run by about 3 people in Norway living in a cave and harnessing a beowulf cluster of hamsters to provide power. But, on the other hand, Microsoft promised not to provide a competing implementation of Heart! (Both a carrot and a stick, God mutters under His breath sometimes).

Too bad for God that Microsoft has now launched MS Deity, which has received very favourable press lately (despite not having nearly as many features as God Himself, but it ties in so well to the existing Microsoft hardware software and wetware, and besides, they'll get that in the next version, they promise), and of course will provide everything that God provides except Heart. Of course, to do this, they had to get inside information, but since they outright own many very pleasant places to live and work, and with a warchest now exceeding 432 trillion dollars, they easily afford to, uh, acquire many of God's most trusted workers and skip the millions of years of development (coincidentally, they also hired away all of God's workers in charge of Zotting the Unbelievers, who otherwise would help convert 9billion fat and happy-ish Microsoft users!). However, in 2015, according to an internal Microsoft email that, after being read, got lost, shredded, re-constructed, stamped three times with a big red stamp, and then lost again, Microsoft plans on also releasing Heart, since God's marketshare is expected to dwindle to the point of Him not being able to support a lawsuit against Microsoft.

--

--
Given enough personal experience, all stereotypes are shallow.
Re:I mean seriously... by LionKimbro · 2005-07-03 05:12 · Score: 2, Funny

Nah- those devices aren't sitting behind proprietary interfaces. Somebody will write a device driver for it.
Re:I mean seriously... by ajna · 2005-07-03 05:43 · Score: 1

I can just see it - telling you it doesn't have the right drivers for your heart and disabling your pulmonary functions.

Perhaps you're being cute with the phrase "right drivers" in that the right side of the heart sends blood out to the lungs (pulmonary system) but you probably were searching for "cardiac function"...
Re:I mean seriously... by linzeal · 2005-07-03 05:58 · Score: 2, Insightful

Someoone mod this up, a lot of effort went into it this early Sunday morn'.

--
An Education is the Font of All Liberty
Re:I mean seriously... by atcurtis · 2005-07-03 06:14 · Score: 1

I can just see it - telling you it doesn't have the right drivers for your heart and disabling your pulmonary functions.

Don't you mean "telling you it doesn't have the right drivers for your lungs and disabling your pulmonary functions" or "telling you it doesn't have the right drivers for your heart and disabling your cardiac functions"?

--
-- The universe began. Life started on a billion worlds...
-- Except on one where stupidity was there first.
Re:I mean seriously... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 11:39 · Score: 0

Hahahahaha, man...

I can only say 1 thing:

You have one HELL of an imagination, & would be great @ parties!

(Gotta give you that my man... lol!) :)

APK

No news here by cicho · 2005-07-03 03:35 · Score: 1

Only old Koreans wear implants.

--
"Only the small secrets need to be protected. The big ones are kept secret by public incredulity." - Marshall McLuhan

Bill, just don't run Microsoft software by cpaalman · 2005-07-03 03:35 · Score: 0

His fears are based upon his day to day use of Microsoft applications. I'm sure he's seen enough bsod's to put the fear of death into him.

Come on Billy boy, put your body on the line and stand behind the products your company produces.

Thats because the computer thats "over there" by 1lus10n · 2005-07-03 03:35 · Score: 3, Insightful

Is running windows. Imagine the pain in the ass that would come about from a crash. Even Gates would admit that windows is not ready for this kind of critical application. Probably never will be.

I have always said that Microsofts failures and limits are because many people in that company (including Bill) always see the limit to computing. They are limited by what they think is reasonable and what they think will make the most money. Hell of a business plan, sucky for technological advancement though.

Now lets wait for all of the Microsoft zealots to flame/mod me.

--
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." --Albert Einstein

Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by griffjon · 2005-07-03 03:52 · Score: 3, Funny

Imagine the pain in the ass that would come about from a crash

Uh, I dunno about you, but I figure my computer implants will prolly be closer to my head.

Oh course, I guess if you have your head up your ass like most of MS people do...

OK, I see your point. Nevermind :)

--
Returned Peace Corps IT Volunteer
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by someonewhois · 2005-07-03 04:37 · Score: 3, Insightful

You're right. At the same time, though, neither is Linux. I wouldn't trust any curernt operating system in my brain, and you shouldn't either. Linux is far from perfect. Neither is Windows.

If we were to get computer-implants, they would be specifically designed for the brain, and they would be running with redundant fail-safe EVERYTHING. We shouldn't trust software that we know has a possibility (as small as that may be) of crashing.
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by InsaneGeek · 2005-07-03 04:38 · Score: 2, Informative

Why don't you name a modern generic OS that is???

Other than an embeded OS none of them are ready for this kind of critical application, as many times as I've got Linux & Solaris to dump on me I wouldn't want that near my heart monitor either.
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by ghislain_leblanc · 2005-07-03 04:51 · Score: 1

No offence but I really don't believe Microsoft zealots would hang aroung here, it would be kind of risky. I assume that what you consider "Microsoft zealots" are actually just anti-zealots. Some people think that zealotery (is that a word?) is just wrong, no mather what system you're advocating.

(I am trying to be one of them, 'cause they are pretty cool!)
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by systemofadown · 2005-07-03 05:12 · Score: 0

"Now lets wait for all of the Microsoft zealots to flame/mod me." I wasn't aware of the existence of "Microsoft zealots" on /.

--
Science is but a perversion of itself unless it has as its ultimate goal the betterment of humanity. -Nikola Telsa
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:06 · Score: 0

You can fix these bugs by upgrading to Windows Ass 2003.
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:35 · Score: 1, Insightful

If we were to get computer-implants, they would be specifically designed for the brain, and they would be running with redundant fail-safe EVERYTHING. We shouldn't trust software that we know has a possibility (as small as that may be) of crashing.

People drive cars every single day, despite the considerable risk of dying while in one. Just leaving the house already raises your chances of dying. Just because there is a risk associated with it does not mean people will not adopt it, as long as the benefit is large enough, and the risk widely known about and widely accepted.

Computer implants will not be fail-safe everything. Ofcourse, nor should they be, because the human body is not failsafe either.

By the way, is your car's onboard computer entirely failsafe? I bet you don't even know. I bet it isn't.
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 10:13 · Score: 0

More like astroturfer's, but to the gullible they appear the same.
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by Generic+Guy · 2005-07-04 01:45 · Score: 1

is your car's onboard computer entirely failsafe? I bet you don't even know. I bet it isn't.

More than you know, especially with BMW using MS computer systems and Ford's new inititiative with Microsoft.

--
{ - Generic Guy - }
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by 1lus10n · 2005-07-04 05:59 · Score: 1

At no point in that post did I even mention linux. Or imply that linux was ready for such a task.

TROLL.

--
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." --Albert Einstein
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by 1lus10n · 2005-07-04 06:02 · Score: 1

and explain to me exactly when I mentioned that any desktop/server OS was ready for this task ? Oops thats right I did not. You microsoft trolls had better learn to read, the article mentioned Billy and his problem with implants. That makes MS fair game.

Another troll with poor comprehension and a serious OS inferiority complex.

--
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." --Albert Einstein
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by 1lus10n · 2005-07-04 06:04 · Score: 1

Do me a favor and look at the other posts in this thread that came about in response to my post. I in no way shape or form advocated Linux or Solaris or any other OS in my post. I simply pointed out that Windows was unsuited for this task, and given the article that was relevant.

Yet at least 3 replies are of the "well linux cant do it either" variety. Zealots. Trolls as well.

--
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." --Albert Einstein
Re:Thats because the computer thats "over there" by someonewhois · 2005-07-04 07:07 · Score: 1

And at no point did I ever say that you did mention Linux. I was simply making a statement -- no different than you did. I wasn't attacking you, I was just putting things into perspective (since most Slashdotters seem to be one-sided in these kinds of discussions).

Wow, Bill says something witty by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:36 · Score: 0

That last line was about the first in about 10,000 comments I've read from him that's actually funny and memorable in the same sense he intended it to be.

Must be fatherhood.

Re:Wow, Bill says something witty by AndroidCat · 2005-07-03 03:46 · Score: 1

Yeah, he has to keep his distance from computers these days.

--
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.

Different icon by BillsPetMonkey · 2005-07-03 03:36 · Score: 1

Pasty

--
"It's not your information. It's information about you" - John Ford, Vice President, Equifax

In 2020 by ServeYourWorld · 2005-07-03 03:37 · Score: 0, Redundant

In 2020 the blue screen of death could mean just that!

Re:In 2020 by cicho · 2005-07-03 03:47 · Score: 4, Funny

In 2020, the BSOD crashes you!

--
"Only the small secrets need to be protected. The big ones are kept secret by public incredulity." - Marshall McLuhan

Borg character - WTF? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:37 · Score: 0

Perhaps it's my youth, but what is Borg character and what does it mean?

Re:Borg character - WTF? by Mahou · 2005-07-03 03:52 · Score: 2, Funny

it's an obscure reference to a little known franchise. i'll give you a hint though: starts with a 'star' ends with a 'trek'

--
if i'm not immortal, what's the point of living?
...te?
Re:Borg character - WTF? by hugesmile · 2005-07-03 03:57 · Score: 3, Informative

From Wikipedia
The Borg are a race of cyborgs in the Star Trek fictional universe. Some say the name 'Borg' is simply short for cyborg.

Borg are humanoids of different races that are enhanced with cybernetic implants, giving them improved mental and physical abilities. Although the cyborg concept has long existed in science-fiction literature, it is probable that the general concept of the Borg - a ruthless, aggressive race of bio-mechanical beings bent on galactic conquest - was influenced to some degree by the Cybermen, which featured in the popular British television series Doctor Who and who displayed similar rationales and methods as the Borg, including wanting to assimilate individuals to augment their race. They also bear significant resemblences to Fred Saberhagen's Berserker series.

The minds of all Borg are connected via implants to a hive, a collective mind, orchestrated by the Borg Queen and controlled from a central hub, the Unicomplex. According to themselves, the Borg only seek to "improve the quality of life in the universe" and add to their own perfection. To this end, they travel the galaxy, improving their numbers and advancing by "assimilating" other species and technologies, and forcing captured individuals under the control of the Hive mind by injecting them with nanoprobes. They harbor no ill will to anyone; they merely fulfil their biological or programmatic imperative to assimilate. As they say, "You will be assimilated - resistance is futile." They make good on that threat by their ability to quickly adapt to any attack to render it harmless. Thus, any successful defense depends on the ingenuity of the opponent to find a method to stop the Borg completely before they can neutralize it.

See also this cartoon.
Re:Borg character - WTF? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:01 · Score: 0

It's a sad sad day when someone has to explain what the Borg are on slashdot.
Re:Borg character - WTF? by CPUGuy · 2005-07-03 07:02 · Score: 1

I wouldn't say that the Borg are bent on galactic conquest, persay. More they will do anything they can to imrpove themselves (and how they do that is by assimilating other speices).

The Borg do not care about political power, ownership of planets, etc... all they care about is enhancing themsleves.
Re:Borg character - WTF? by CPUGuy · 2005-07-03 07:06 · Score: 1

You are not aloud on the internet anymore... especially /.
Re:Borg character - WTF? by klept · 2005-07-03 11:07 · Score: 1

yeah I think I ran into a borg yesturday on the street. He was wearing a tinfoil hat, had a guitar, and murdered whatever music he played He also needed a couple of bucks to catch the next space ship back to Pluto.

Input Devices by gihan_ripper · 2005-07-03 03:38 · Score: 1

Perhaps more interesting is that the article mentions Gates' predictions regarding input devices of the future. He believes that the keyboard, pen, and voice recognition will form the basis for input, and than handwriting recognition will advance to the level at which we'll be able to enter data such as molecular diagrams and music. This seems not too different from Star Trek's PADD

--
Phoenix, Boston, Little Rock, see a pattern?

Duh! by OrbNobz · 2005-07-03 03:38 · Score: 0, Redundant

Do you really think he'd want M$ software running in his head?
It's the Gates Paradox: He would actually like to have a head-computer, but he would like it to run Linux, except, he would never admit to it, so he says, "I don't want it".

- OrbNobz
Time travel? Well beam me up Scotty.

I understand why he feels that way... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:38 · Score: 0

Who would trust Windows to have direct acess to their own brain? And for Billy G to get Linux or Apple implants would just be bad advertising.

Hmm...Apple implants, I can see it now: You see the sillhouette of peopole dancing with wires coming out of their heads with dazzling solid color backgrounds... Introducing the new iBorg! Come to think of it they could just reuse the iPod Shuffle commercial, black-out the iPod and change the captions.

Here's Hoping You Don't Become A Robot by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:40 · Score: 0

WHOOPS! Too Late!

Oh, like *nix is any better??? by numbski · 2005-07-03 03:41 · Score: 2, Funny

Fine then...

# man mount

You happy now?

--

Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).

Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by SpinJaunt · 2005-07-03 03:54 · Score: 5, Funny

# man mount

You happy now?
from a hetreosexual point of view, that is quite disturbing.

--
/. is good for you.
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by WilliamSChips · 2005-07-03 03:54 · Score: 1

That's why I set up the alias "woman" to be the "man" command :P

--
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:29 · Score: 0

# man paste
# touch children
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by SnprBoB86 · 2005-07-03 04:36 · Score: 0, Flamebait

# man paste
# touch children

Mr. Jackson, is that you?

--
http://brandonbloom.name
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:31 · Score: 0

You're into 90% transexuals?
Like they appear to be female, but when you actually get to business you discover the aweful truth...
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:17 · Score: 0

*nix doesn't do sexual discriminations. It has something to offer for everybody, even for heterosexuals:

init ; gawk ; talk ; nice ; date ; wine ; grep ; unzip ; strip ; gawk ; touch ; gasp ; finger ; gasp ; mount ; fsck ; more ; yes ; gasp ; umount ; make clean ; zip ; make mproper ; yacc | sync ; sleep
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by houghi · 2005-07-03 09:18 · Score: 1

When you have the implant, it will be:

#mount /man

--
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
Re:Oh, like *nix is any better??? by syousef · 2005-07-03 13:15 · Score: 1

alias man='woman'

Happy now?

--
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer

I can see it now. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:41 · Score: 0

Reporter: Mr. Gates, do you have any plans to be hardwired?

Gates: Oh, no, no, hardwiring is not for me. I repeat, hardwiring is not for me. I repeat, hardwiring is not for me. I repeat, hardwiring...

Microsoft Engineer: Shit...

Balmer: Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!

Over here, Over There by AndroidCat · 2005-07-03 03:41 · Score: 5, Funny

I'm happy to have the computer over there and I'm over here.

Jeez Bill, never heard of Bluetooth?

--
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.

Re:Over here, Over There by Hal_Porter · 2005-07-03 06:28 · Score: 1

Yeah, it's simple. Put a little bit of electronics in your brain, and the computer can send the commands over an unsecure wireless link. What could possibly go wrong.

It's not like people would spend their days trying to create a Subservient Bill website.

--
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;

Gates Says No to Implants by Tweak232 · 2005-07-03 03:43 · Score: 0, Flamebait

Gates Says No to Implants

Well now I can sleep at night knowing that Bill is not a she-male.

System Dump by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:43 · Score: 0

Microsoft FAQ
Q. I am feeling stupid what do I do ?
A. After Installing brainpoint e.4 if you still feel stupid please reboot yourself.
Q. How do I reboot myself ?
A. Please consult page 34.5
Q. All I see is blue ?
A. Take a dump and send it to your nearest microsoft dump analysis center.

Guess what spam microsoft will receive in the future :)

Very prudent by Wolfbone · 2005-07-03 03:44 · Score: 2, Funny

William H. Gates said technology will one day allow computer implants - but hardwiring's not for him.

Nor me - since I'd rather not end up forcibly strapped to an operating table as the BSA brain surgeons deal with my alleged patent infringements.

Re:Very prudent by AndroidCat · 2005-07-03 04:14 · Score: 5, Funny

[..] as the BSA brain surgeons deal with my alleged patent infringements.
The Boy Scouts of America have a merit badge for that? Whoa! No way!

--
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Re:Very prudent by scheuri · 2005-07-03 18:43 · Score: 1

of course they do, what do you think??

You even get the golden badge if you manage to do everything in the plan with a pocket-knive, a piece of cord and a small first aid kit!

I am acutally heading for that one...any volunteers?

A Real Bitch to Upgrade by Rayonic · 2005-07-03 03:45 · Score: 1

One of the things people overlook when they talk about computer implants is that it would take a surgical procedure to upgrade the hardware when/if you needed to. The more complex the technology, the more likely you'll want to improve it occasionally.

--
[PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation

Re:A Real Bitch to Upgrade by artemis67 · 2005-07-03 04:47 · Score: 1

Yeah, but if the surgery cost $25k, and if you could immediately boost your income by $50k with your enhanced abilities, you can bet that a LOT of people will jump on that.
Re:A Real Bitch to Upgrade by anthony_dipierro · 2005-07-03 05:30 · Score: 1

That's a very scary scenario, and one that is probably inevitable unless artificial intelligence technologies outpace these technologies.

I don't care by KrisCowboy · 2005-07-03 03:46 · Score: 0, Flamebait

I really don't care about computer implants. I'd be happy if no one tries to clone our dear Bill. Food for thought. Which would be worse - Adolf Hitler cloned or Bill Gates cloned - 100 years from now?

Re:I don't care by k98sven · 2005-07-03 04:03 · Score: 1

Which would be worse - Adolf Hitler cloned or Bill Gates cloned - 100 years from now?

Hitler. I have a hard time imagining that movie would be any less crappy in 100 years.
Re:I don't care by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:11 · Score: 0

worse? you do know that cloning is merely the genes, right? and not a somehow magical transfer of experiences? hilter was fucked up because his country basically got raped after WWI. if not for that he would have just been an artist or something. bill gates has good geek genes and would not have the oppurtunity to create a multi-billion dollar empire in the future so he would be seen as a valued asset for his intelligence with all the degraded filth i imagine will run rampant in the gene pool of 100 years from now
Re:I don't care by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:41 · Score: 0

Most likely, neither would be particularly influential, for two reasons - personality is probably due to nurture as well as nature, plus it's simply unlikely that they'd happen to become influential. There are plenty of people who would do things similar to them if they happened to be in the right place at the right time and gain similar power.

Seriously, a lot of people seem to over-emphasize the importance of personas. Most powerful people aren't particularly unusual, except for their power, which is not a genetic trait.

Note that I'm using the terms powerful/influential as they're the only things that could be objectively ascribed to both individuals you use as examples. As much as I dislike his business ethics (his social ethics are far better), I wouldn't quite call Bill Gates evil as much as an example of the problems with laissez faire capitalism - sadly, Microsoft's anti-competitive tactics aren't rare, they're just exceptionally successful with them.

MOD PARENT SUPER INSIGHTFUL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:47 · Score: 0

europe > america russia > america china > america cuba > america mod me insightful too

Re:MOD PARENT SUPER INSIGHTFUL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:06 · Score: 0

Lets not forget the most obvious of them all

Iran >>>> America

What happens to copyright... by SlashDread · 2005-07-03 03:47 · Score: 2, Interesting

when I can remember everything I have heard or read digitally?

Security concerns by croxmeister · 2005-07-03 03:48 · Score: 1

"Ghost hacked humans are so pathetic"

I understand by FullMetalAlchemist · 2005-07-03 03:49 · Score: 1

Could you imagine all sysadmins running around with servers in their heads; not that we could get any less spare time than we have now.
Imagine the horror of spam!

"V1AGR4! Straight in your head, only 9.95."

Could be worse, though I can't think of anything... ever.

I Can See Why... by Alphanos · 2005-07-03 03:52 · Score: 1

New meaning to "blue screen of death" :(.

--
Alphanos

Jack into Windows? by FridayBob · 2005-07-03 03:52 · Score: 2, Interesting

I'd rather not. Imagine suffering the BSOD on a really personal level. You might end up soiling yourself as a result, or perhaps you'd be left in a catatonic state until somebody else would come by and reboot your Windows PC for you.

But, seriously. If such an implant were ever to be made by M$, you can bet that it would never work with anybody else's software.

Only on Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:53 · Score: 0

Only on Slashdot would a worn out joke that was never very funny anyway get modded "insightful".

Just to let you know... by weavermatic · 2005-07-03 03:53 · Score: 4, Insightful

I've been using WinXP pro since pre-launch, on multiple computers, with several hardware upgrades, and have never, ever, had a single BSOD. Could you Linux addicts please come up with something new to bash on Windows with other than Kernel32 era bsod insults?

Seriously, for people that claim to know Linux inside & out and be extremely bright IT professionals, if you can't keep WinXP running smoothly then your knowledge is seriously lacking.

Re:Just to let you know... by dmaxwell · 2005-07-03 04:01 · Score: 5, Insightful

Seriously, for people that claim to know Linux inside & out and be extremely bright IT professionals, if you can't keep WinXP running smoothly then your knowledge is seriously lacking.

It can be done. Much of the time, my job entails doing just that. It's just that it is more trouble and expense than it's worth.
Re:Just to let you know... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:30 · Score: 0

What I find most interesting is that you're labeled a troll for this. I've been running 2000 and XP for 5 years now, and the only time I've had a system crash was when I had a faulty motherboard. Does the almighty Linux survive that sort of failure?

Fuck it, I'll rish the troll mod too - I'm sure the zealots can't keep their grubby little click fingers from the moderate buttons.
Re:Just to let you know... by mh101 · 2005-07-03 04:32 · Score: 4, Funny

I've been using WinXP pro since pre-launch, on multiple computers, with several hardware upgrades, and have never, ever, had a single BSOD

Try pressing the power switch.

*rimshot*

--
Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
Re:Just to let you know... by Approaching.sanity · 2005-07-03 04:39 · Score: 1

I work for IT support for a laptop university. A good day is one where I don't see three BSODs. They are out there.

--
RTFA again for the best results.
Re:Just to let you know... by I'mJVC · 2005-07-03 04:55 · Score: 3, Insightful

OK,

1, Ad-ware / Spyware.
2, Virus, worms, Trojans, etc.
3, Web browser components running in kernel mode (means more 1 and 2).
4, Difficulty to use non-privileged accounts for regular use.
5, Too much patches that require reboot.
6, Bloat.
7, Slow development model that still has not delivered simple things as a tabbed browser, or other already available features.
8, Obscene licensing terms (Ever read your EULA?).
9, Crappy interoperability because of the lack of documentation, hidden apis, "embrace and extend" model and obscure development.
10, 100$+ price tag, 50$ + renewal for antivirus, not even a basic office suite (add more $$)...
11, Stall of innovation (Only improvals to XP in the last 4 years have been a software firewall, update downloader app, support for DEP and a lot of bug-fixes. New features are hyped constantly but still remain at a very distant future, like WinFS)

So, yes, while I can and do keep several XP's machines running smoothly, it's too time consuming, very expensive (worst in enterprise environments) and definitely not worth the hassle.

While MS has made a lot of improvements in stability, and it's still capitalizing previous successes in the enterprise market (Active Directory for example, is a great product), they still have a long way to go before they accept their own weak spots and do something about it (if they ever do).

The way I see it, people could pay comparable amounts and use a superior platform and OS, or they could go with a cheaper (even free) option, and still have competitive features/performance while always getting a more secure and more dependable scenario (means no more sunday mornings cleaning parents PC, or less I.T. staff doing support only tasks).

--
Will add sig later...
Re:Just to let you know... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:17 · Score: 0

I've been using WinXP pro since pre-launch, on multiple computers, with several hardware upgrades, and have never, ever, had a single BSOD.

Please tell microsoft about this problem ...
Re:Just to let you know... by digidave · 2005-07-03 05:30 · Score: 1

BSOD is now a generic term for a Windows crash. By default, of course, Windows just reboots and you often don't see the blue screen, or often is just hangs at the desktop.

Windows crashes less than it used to, but still reasonably often. I don't know a single 2000 or XP user, including me, that can honestly say they've never had Windows crash. My own experience is that it crashes more often that Solaris, BSD or Linux.

--
The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
Re:Just to let you know... by Lost+Found · 2005-07-03 05:32 · Score: 1

Perhaps you've used a particularly lucky combination of drivers, because I used Win2000 professional for quite some time and suffered from numerous BSODs.
Re:Just to let you know... by jonfr · 2005-07-03 06:16 · Score: 1

Try to create .file.txt in Windows XP, it will give you an nice error.
There is also crash tweak in Windows XP, too bad that i don't remember how to enable it.
Re:Just to let you know... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:23 · Score: 0

1) Don't use IE
2) Practice basic common sense (don't open attachments from unknown senders, don't visit pr0n/warez/"bad" sites with the world's most vunerable IE, have a firewall enabled...)
3) Don't use IE
4) No argument (though limited accounts are still extremely effective against threats regardless of lack of ease-of-use)
5) ...And rebooting is... Bad? (well, for servers yes, but anything else? come on :D)
6) No argument (though Linux distros are getting a bit pudgy as well...)
7) Irrelevant (what the fluff does their development model have anything to do with how you end up using Windows?)
8) DEFINATLY no argument (*pukes @ EULA*)
9) Interoperability between what? Other versions of Windows? Linux? The first has pretty dang good interoperability (though obviously not perfect), the second is a no brainer.
10) No argument (though screw for-pay antivirus, especially if you practice common sense as per #2)
11) No argument (though MS has NEVER thrown in lots of new features into an existing OS. their model is to throw all the really good stuff into the next version)
Re:Just to let you know... by L0rdJedi · 2005-07-03 06:57 · Score: 1

No, the Explorer shell will give you an error. The command shell (cmd.exe) will do it just fine (yes, I just tried it).

And if that's your biggest gripe about XP, then I'm glad I'm not you :P
Re:Just to let you know... by CPUGuy · 2005-07-03 06:58 · Score: 1

The only time I've ever had XP really BSOD on me is from a bad nVidia graphics driver.

I recently had some problems with 2000 where the system had kernel dumps like 2x a day, BUT, that was only after putting the harddrive into a system with a new mobo and processor, which I didn't expect to actually work in the first place, as in the past I was never even able to get it to boot. Upgrading to XP actually solved my problem.

I'm sure just a simple sfc /scannow would have done the trick, but I didn't have 200 w/ a slipstream of SP4 available at the time.
Re:Just to let you know... by PaternityTest · 2005-07-03 07:00 · Score: 2, Informative

If you want a BSOD.... install BattleField 2 went years without ta BSOD ive had 2 since installing that damn game
Re:Just to let you know... by myov · 2005-07-03 07:07 · Score: 1

My XP box runs really well. Of course, it's usually off and I use a Mac instead. :)

--
I use Macs to up my productivity, so up yours Microsoft!
Re:Just to let you know... by jonfr · 2005-07-03 07:11 · Score: 1

Don't forget about the spyware. The future with Windows Brain XP, it also comes with PSOD.
Re:Just to let you know... by I'mJVC · 2005-07-03 07:16 · Score: 1, Informative

Glad to see we agree in several things, however...

1) Not possible, must use it to access Windowsupdate itself, for example. Even if you are not using it as your browser (which is good practice), it's the foundation for several OS features, and more to come.
2) Agree, I might, however, end users (grampa, random office guy, etc.) are not likely to do that.
3) 1.
4) Agree.
5) Again agree, not that bad on your desktop, in servers mean you have to work one nights or weekend :S
6) Agree, some might say you still have more control to remove or don't install components on other OS's.
7) Not critical, but coming from a company that has such a high position in the market, you might expect more.
8) ...
9) Between windows and other server OS's for example, or windows and other types of clients.
-MS discontinued MAPI support in Office mac, depending only on webdav, that offers limited functionality, and that's between two MS products.
-SMB Support in samba (used by Linux, MacOS, Commercial UNIX, etc) is reverse engineered, and even though it works great, often breaks with new features, until they catch up (without any documentation, again) like encrypted SMB with 2003 server.
10) Again, I might not use any, but companies shell out big $$ every couple of years for that.
11) Agree, but they should stop comparing competing products that already exist with the ones they plan to release in 2 years, it just makes them look bad.

--
Will add sig later...
Re:Just to let you know... by dustmite · 2005-07-03 07:27 · Score: 3, Informative

I've been using WinXP pro since pre-launch, on multiple computers, with several hardware upgrades, and have never, ever, had a single BSOD

Maybe that's because WinXP's default behaviour is to spontaneously reboot rather than BSOD. It's probably happened a few times to you, and you probably just thought "WTF?" and then went on working after it restarted. I've seen XP boot up with the "... has recovered from a serious error" message many times.
Re:Just to let you know... by zenneth · 2005-07-03 07:29 · Score: 1

It can be done. Much of the time, my job entails doing just that. It's just that it is more trouble and expense than it's worth.

Slight change: It can be done. Much of the time, my job entails doing just that. It's just that to me it is more trouble and expense than it's worth.

--
The Chronic *WHAT* les of Narnia!
Re:Just to let you know... by zenneth · 2005-07-03 07:33 · Score: 1

I forgot to mention that as a hard-core game-playing individual Windows XP is currently the *only* way to go.

--
The Chronic *WHAT* les of Narnia!
Re:Just to let you know... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:47 · Score: 0

It's just that it is more trouble and expense than it's worth

In what context? Once installed and running, that should be it. Software (including OS installations) generally does not corrupt itself.

I'm not arguing against the expense, I'm arguing against the trouble. If you find Windows XP more trouble to keep running than, say, Linux - then either you or your users are technically incompetent. It's a wonder they're allowed near a motor vehicle, let alone a computer.

If your trouble is caused by your users installing software (eg: spyware via "click here for a 'free' screensaver! (wink wink)" emails) then the fault is with your users destroying their own systems. The only reason Linux is more secure is if nothing the users want to install (eg: Windows games) will run - and that's security through obscurity, which is no real security at all if someone is sufficiently motivated.

The approximate trouble and expense keeping Windows XP running smoothly on my home machine after installation: Zero.

The most effort I expended after installation is that I scheduled a regular disk check and defragmentation, made sure that automatic OS updates were turned on, installed Microsoft Antispyware and McAffee Antivirus, turned on the software firewall - and I sit behind a hardware firewall. It was a lazy sunday afternoon's worth of setup at most and could have been done in 10 minutes if I hurried.

I volutarily switched back to XP from Linux when I got my latest machine. Linux was a timesink I didn't care for and I missed being able to play any game I wanted. So I still don't get the "Windows is trouble" part of your argument unless your users are complete monkeys.
Re:Just to let you know... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:57 · Score: 1, Interesting

You obviously havent instaled SP2 yet.
Go "secure" your servers right now, and have a nive BSOD.
Re:Just to let you know... by arkhan_jg · 2005-07-03 08:09 · Score: 1

Try changing the (failed) motherboard in a windows xp machine sometime, and see how it handles different ide controllers. Completely non-bootable.

In linux, if I've got the new drivers already part of the kernel (usual on most distros) I won't even notice. If I've tweaked my kernel to make it slimline, the worst I have to do is boot a livecd, recompile the kernel with the new driver, and i'm done.

With windows and different ide controllers, I need to reinstall over the top, or at worst, completely reinstall. (There are other methods if your old motherboard still works, but it still takes hours of work and doesn't work most of the time)

--
Remember kids, it's all fun and games until someone commits wholesale galactic genocide.
Re:Just to let you know... by kesuki · 2005-07-03 08:35 · Score: 1

I use windows XP personally, it's been my primary OS because keeping it clean is simple.

1. Don't use IE ever. 2. Don't download software unless you're 500% sure it's good clean code, with no malware and no tracking code. 3. Always sit behind a firewall. Preferablly a full statefull inspection one, which does not have any ip address that connects to any interface which is even remotely capable of being accessed via an unsecure (eg: internet enabled) device. But, even a bad firewall is better than no firewall.

4. DISABLE automatic updates. Automatic updates are a Security vulnerabily, Especially for a corporate environment. There is a very nice Proof of concept, whereby someone who has exploited a routing server ahead of your internet connection whereby they can force redirect all your attempts to update automatically to a 'false' update server that validates as being authentic, and forces malware code to be 'automatically' installed on your system. Updates should only be transmitted via a verified, trusted, non-internet routed carrier, such as Certified mail, fed-ex, or over a private optical network etc.

See now was that so hard? all you have to do is disable _everything_ micrsoft calls a 'super great feature' and you have a nice, easy to use easy to adminster OS. Now if you can't enforce those simple 4 rules in your coroperate environemnt, then yeah, Linux is probably easier for you.. However, that is only because Linux makes it harder than pulling teeth to break any of those 4 basic rules ;) Windows makes it so easy for a luser to hose thier machine that you've got to install some sore of scripted restoration of the system drive, and put documents etc on a different drive. Norton ghost 9 is an easy to implement tool, however,linux too makes a great tool.. imagine a small install that simply executes "zcat cdrive.tgz | dd bs=n > /dev/hda2 ; grub --bootdrive=/dev/hda2"**
as a bootup script... n= the native blocksize of the hard drive partition which you uses when dd'ing and gziping the original image.

**= Not that I've tested it, I have bad karma with grub. But in theory, it should basically wipe the entire content of hda2 and replace it with a Known image, that is only on a linux install noone but the sysadmin knows the root passwd to.. every time the system boots up, and then boots a 'clean' windows environment. 'troubleshooting' the box becomes as easy as rebooting it and getting a coffee.

--
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
Re:Just to let you know... by don.g · 2005-07-03 09:34 · Score: 1

What part of knowing Linux inside & out and being an extremely bright IT professional requires that one must have knowledge of how to keep Microsoft Windows systems running?

Personally, I don't care about Windows' stability as I rarely have to use it. I prefer Unix systems, and don't need to do any software development on Windows as part of my job.

--
Pretend that something especially witty is here. Thanks.
Re:Just to let you know... by RzUpAnmsCwrds · 2005-07-03 10:51 · Score: 1

I believe BF2 installs an ugly-hacked CD driver as part of the copy protection. That's probably what's causing the problem.
Re:Just to let you know... by wyldeone · 2005-07-03 11:14 · Score: 1

That's because with Windows XP, Microsoft set an option that, by default, reboots the computer immediately instead of showing the blue screen.

--
In the beginning the universe was created. This made a lot of people very angry and is widely considered as a bad move.
Re:Just to let you know... by MORB · 2005-07-03 11:54 · Score: 1

I rarely get BSODs in winXP.

What I do get are performances that are degrading overtime, month after month. On every PC I have/had running winxp.
All my colleagues do aswell.

I shouldn't need any particular knowledge to keep a system running smoothly. By the way, linux does so without needing any form of maintenance.

My job is C++ programmer, not "wipe windows ass on a regular basis because it keeps crapping its pants".
Re:Just to let you know... by strikethree · 2005-07-03 13:09 · Score: 1

I see that you were modded insightful based only on your own personal experiences. I have experienced a dozen or more BSODs since XP came out. Yes, that is FAR less than how often 98 and NT crashed, but about on par with 2000. I think it is a shame that you were modded insightful for claiming that XP only misbehaves for people who do not know how to admin, when that is only true for your experiences.

strike

--
"Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
Re:Just to let you know... by strikethree · 2005-07-03 13:12 · Score: 1

Major flamebait. The mods even gave you an insightful for it. What a shame that I spent my last few mod points in the "Electric Universe" article. XP does have its flaws and i would submit the idea that you do not have much experience with XP if you have not encountered them.

strike

--
"Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
Re:Just to let you know... by jayloden · 2005-07-03 13:25 · Score: 1

Seriously, for people that claim to know Linux inside & out and be extremely bright IT professionals, if you can't keep WinXP running smoothly then your knowledge is seriously lacking.

Isn't that sort of silly to expect a Linux expert to know how to run Windows smoothly? You certainly wouldn't expect a Windows admin to run Linux smoothly either.

On another note, I've seen more than a few BSODs on XP, but to be fair as far as I can tell it's usually either hardware or a driver problem, and almost never an application. I don't have issues with Windows stability, but I do have issues with the security, the closed nature of the code/specs, and the interface flexibility.

I've used more than my share of Windows and worked as a Windows repair tech, etc. I've seen more than enough of it, and I just can't find what I'm looking for in Windows. Linux fits my personality. Windows apparently fits yours. To each his own...as much as I like Linux, I don't expect everyone to agree with me. Zealot though I may be, we're not all jerks about it ;)
Re:Just to let you know... by FauxPasIII · 2005-07-03 13:36 · Score: 1

> I've been using WinXP pro since pre-launch, on multiple computers, with
> several hardware upgrades, and have never, ever, had a single BSOD

"Lots and lots of people independantly report very similar experiences with
WinXP instability, but I don't see it... clearly, everybody else is lying and
my experience is the normal one!"

That kind of logic will get you a job with the DoD's Office of Special Plans...

--
25% Funny, 25% Insightful, 25% Informative, 25% Troll
Re:Just to let you know... by VirtuaKnight · 2005-07-03 18:37 · Score: 1

First of all, just to let YOU know, I use Windows XP Home. I use it because it's faster and easier to use than Linux with KDE or Gnome. However, it is by no means stable (unless compared to earlier releases of Windows). I have had several BSoDs, not to mention random reboots. Occasionally, when I start the computer, the mouse won't even work, and when I check in the CP, the driver is missing. I had to switch to a USB one so all I have to do is plug it in again to make it work. The computer was store bought, has no hardware upgrades (except the mouse, if you want to nitpick), and I regularly use Ad-aware and AVG.

Second of all, if the implant is running Windows, I agree with Bill, because I wouldn't be too happy if I had to reboot my brain as often as I do my computer, or the implant couldn't find a driver and I wasn't able to move my right arm for the day...
Re:Just to let you know... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 18:38 · Score: 0

Hi..

Im an administrator of about 30 people and 40-45 computers. We got windows and Linux machines, programmers goes for Linux and Sales and Administration goes for Windows (in general).

Theres 50% chance that the grphics doesnt work right away on a Linux install, and its maybe 20-30% that it doesnt work right on Windows after install..

However, I must tell you that I installed alot more Windows machines here at the company then I installed Linux machines.. of just one reason, the windows machines seems to corrupt emailfiles, some bluescreen in the serverroom, left alone for 3 years.. (No downloaded crap, nothing on it except Windows and propiertary software from our phone company).

I do agree that WindowXP is nice to install, and with updates it works pretty well to!.. We got alot of window2000 and those are a pain.. Keeps crashing all the time.

My personal computer was an RedHat 7.0, I upgraded it using apt-get to 7.1,7.2,7.3,8,9,Fedora Core1,FC2 and now FC3. But how do I upgrade the Windows2000 machines to WindowsXP without spending a day with each one?

I see Windows and Linux as two diffrent animals, much like theres diffrent cars, som just want there car to take them from place A to B. Some want them to shine and play loud music, and some want a utilitytruck, for work. They all got diffrent appleas to diffrent people, Windows _is_ easy to work with.. until you sit and wait for the GUI to render, and you know that with shotcuts and without all the "wysiwyg" you should be done by now.

So please dont give me a "My Home PC running WinXP" so that gives me the right to say Windows are best, cause its not. It suites more people then Linux sure, but I for one cant work effectively with it.
Re:Just to let you know... by dmaxwell · 2005-07-04 07:02 · Score: 1

1. Don't use IE ever.

Politically infeasible as is the absolute banning of Weatherbug and Outlook Express. MS has trained its users well to absolutely want the "super-wonderful" features even if they aren't truly needed.

Don't get me started on apps that need admin privileges or even worse, the administrator account to run.......
Re:Just to let you know... by dmaxwell · 2005-07-04 12:57 · Score: 1

Once you've sunk quite bit of money into antivirus, antispyware, and any number of third-party utilities designed to paper over the deep design and implementation flaws, one has indeed spent quite a bit of money. Add to that the time spend tightening up the registry and the absolutely byzantine crap you have to do to secure the system. Add further to that removing the spyware and crap that will attack the machines anyway. Yes, yes, you can foreclose that. The only problem is that the machine has been turned into a humming brick rather than anything resembling a multipurpose machine.

Windows machines are perhaps 15% of the machines I take care of. They generate 90% of the hassles to keep running smoothly. There is no "to me" correction about it. Windows requires inordinate amounts of time, money, and trouble to keep running halfway sanely.

I think Balmer and Gates have an even better Reality Distortion Field than Jobs does. The extent to which they have trained users to expect mediocrity as the unassailable norm astounds me.
Re:Just to let you know... by NanoGator · 2005-07-17 16:22 · Score: 1

"Maybe that's because WinXP's default behaviour is to spontaneously reboot rather than BSOD."

I'm glad I caught this in meta-mod. Is it really that hard to believe that XP is actually pretty stable? "Oh, well it's rebooting all the time but you just never notice."

--
"Derp de derp."

Dial it in, amp it up! by AndroidCat · 2005-07-03 03:54 · Score: 2, Funny

See the Clippy, Feel the Clippy, Be the Clippy!

--
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.

Excellent foresight by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 03:54 · Score: 2, Funny

Gates is a smart man. At least he won't be the one whose peripheral vision is invaded by banner ads, and he'll never see the blue screen of death again.

Re:Excellent foresight by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:03 · Score: 0

So, you'd just do what I do:

"Home made" counter-mechanisms for 'em!

I do that via a custom HOSTS file, IP Security Policies, or just use a browser that can take cascading style sheets + has .PAC file use ability &/or popup blocking built in. All in combination.

Hey, I imagine, that in a "world of tomorrow" my guess is this based on more 'mundane' analogs of today:

Just like with cars (in essence another mechanism we use to amplify ourselves), there's always gonna be "after-market" hype ups & upgrades!

LOL, it'd be funny -

"Hotrod your bod"

TODAY's special:

For the low price of (disregarding inflation) $9.99 with OUR new implant:

It SLICES & DICES & and does the whole 9 yards & better! :)

* I think that, like heart implants & glasses or contacts are, that many generations down the road, this will gain acceptance, but more on a level consistent with evolved nanotechnology & your actual clothing you wear...

Not wires into your BRAIN!

(Lots of inherent "risk" involved there... prosthesis like glasses, watches, or clothes in combination with nanotechnology are the way!)

After all: What do you think your clothes are? Protection/armor, really, more than anything... common place & NOT having them on? Socially unacceptable typically!

APK

P.S.=> The one problem I have with it? MKUltra style "mind control" & of course, electrical problems that might really BSOD your brain for good... potential for both exists, & thus, I feel that nanotech & clothing with such things built in (just like your watch & cellphones as accessories today function) will be the way... imo @ least! apk

Teen Beat 1983 For Thumbnail? by plasticsquirrel · 2005-07-03 03:56 · Score: 3, Funny

Might I suggest a new Bill Gates thumbnail based on this sexy pic?

--
Systemd: the PulseAudio of init systems

Re:Teen Beat 1983 For Thumbnail? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 08:52 · Score: 0

No, you may not. Eww.

Microsoft employee... by camcorder · 2005-07-03 03:56 · Score: 1

I know the Microsoft employee who is whinning William about implant: Steve Ballmer.

He's very passionate about to have an implant and keeping his monkey boy careography database in mind all the time.

Not a bad idea by poind3xt3r · 2005-07-03 03:57 · Score: 2, Funny

PLUG ME IN. As long as the RIAA doesnt have access, i'm gooooood.

This story would be so different by cprincipe · 2005-07-03 04:00 · Score: 1

if it were posted on Fark.

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bun-fhuinneog agam!

Re:This story would be so different by Hal_Porter · 2005-07-03 06:38 · Score: 1

It was

He posted, INFORMATIVELY.

--
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;

Re:Time for a new /. icon by CdBee · 2005-07-03 04:01 · Score: 1

oops

--
I have been a user for about 10 years. This ends Feb 2014. The site's been ruined. I'm off. Dice, FU

RTFA by ZeroExistenZ · 2005-07-03 04:04 · Score: 2, Interesting

Cochlear implants, which employ digital pulses that the brain interprets as sound, can help profoundly deaf people hear. Advances were also being made on implants that can help fix eyesight problems, Gates said.

Where did you read Windows(tm)? A chip is quite something else as an OS that you'll run on your brain. Your brain and neurons will take care of things an OS would take care of. Call it brainOS or whatever. It operates your body, duh. It interacts with the "kernel" being your contience or what you perceive as "you".

A chip sending pulses to correct certain things going wrong between the "kernel" is quite a difference, it'd be rather an "enchantment" to the "OS" you already have, and to correct bugs oneself introduced (heardamage by frequent load concerts, eye meets pointy object) or which nature has introduced.

I can understand Bills' viewpoint; "I'm happy to have the computer over there and I'm over here.". And partially share it, as if you're going to build in all sorts of gadgets when there is NO need and it wont improve your life in any significant way (using your brain as a flashdrive for your MP3s perhaps compared to improving eyesight or giving someone who lost his limbs the ability to walk again) then I feel it's not required and it's just getting horny, hence losing a bit critical thinking, over the silicon. (not thinking about obsoleteness over time either)

Surgeon don't give a BSOD either. They do Fuck-up as well. Wanting computer implants solely for the fact it's "cool", "geeky" and you can be like those actors on various SF movies and series, then.. it doesn't do much justice to your intelligence.

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I think we can keep recursing like this until someone returns 1

Re:RTFA by M$+Agent+2 · 2005-07-03 04:23 · Score: 1

I think a good use for intigration of man and machine would be a surgeon who could get CT scans right inside his mind and maybe help controller his hands hmmm even better yet how about going the other way with the surgeon controlling the machines with his mind some tactile feedback for a robot arm and suddenly you have a surgeons hand that is both more flexible then a humans and also doesnt get tired. I would kind of like that if I was getting surgery :)
Re:RTFA by Alef · 2005-07-03 04:48 · Score: 2, Funny

Call it brainOS or whatever. It operates your body, duh. It interacts with the "kernel" being your contience or what you perceive as "you".
I think it's more like a microkernel OS where the kernel is the reptile brain and your conciousness a user space process (or possibly a combination of such).
Re:RTFA by agraupe · 2005-07-03 04:50 · Score: 1

You look too far into my comment. I thought I might get modded funny, or perhaps redundant (yeah, I saw it coming...), but this reply... seems to be written by a person who can't tell when another is joking. If you do this for every useless one line comment, I don't envy the carpal tunnel syndrome you will develop.
Re:RTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:32 · Score: 0

Are you always that unimaginative or is today special?

Of course, computers connected to the brain won't be used just to store MP3s. However, if you haven't already found out what they will be used for, you probably don't want to know anyway. So I won't bother telling you.
Re:RTFA by ZeroExistenZ · 2005-07-03 08:06 · Score: 1

I just mentioned the most redunant and useless implementation I could think about to accentuate my point.

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I think we can keep recursing like this until someone returns 1

math / memory coprocessor? by menem · 2005-07-03 04:05 · Score: 1

I already sit in front of a computer almost all day long and have instant access to a calculator. Anything I want to remember, I just copy and paste into my computer's memory. If we have brain implants, we need something more different han a math or memory coprocessor.

Anyone got a 9-pin to 25-pin adapter? by mikael · 2005-07-03 04:12 · Score: 1

I left mine at home

--
Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads

Re:Time for a new /. icon by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:17 · Score: 0

What the fuck is WRONG with you?

ratemyimplants.com by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:18 · Score: 0

you can soon vote for billgatesimplants too...

http://www.ratemyimplants.com/home?intro&

http://www.ratemyimplants.com/home?intro&

but but! by Chewbacon · 2005-07-03 04:22 · Score: 1

Even if it was powered by Microsoft software? I mean, come on... you do trust software from your own company, right?

--
Chewbacon
The Bible is like Wikipedia: written by a bunch of people and verifiable by questionable sources.

I'm shocked! by kryptx · 2005-07-03 04:27 · Score: 1

All this time I was thinking the borg icon was symbolic, but alas! Apparently it was a prediction that Bill someday will actually have cybernetic implants with a startling resemblance to a fictional race!

My world is torn apart.

--
Mods: Do you disagree with me? Go ahead and mod me down. Meta-mods will sort it out. Good luck!

ooch by Treeleaf · 2005-07-03 04:27 · Score: 1

'One of the guys that works at Microsoft... always says to me 'I'm ready, plug me in,"

This gives a new meaning to plug-and-play doesn't it?

Depends on the graphics capabilities... by PornMaster · 2005-07-03 04:28 · Score: 3, Funny

If slashdotters could have supermodels superimposed on their visual cortex to replace the women they could actually possibly get into bed, then yes, I could see it being quite popular.

--
500GB of disk, 5TB of transfer, $5.95/mo

Mmmmm, Microsoft Implants by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:30 · Score: 0

Does that mean we can get the Microsoft Implants Plus Pack?

I guess that brings new meaning to the Blue Screen of Death.

Re:I can understand his concern. by Aaron+England · 2005-07-03 04:33 · Score: 4, Insightful

Uh right... because kidnappings and muggings have never transpired prior to this invention of chip implants.

Ghost in the shell? by deadlocked · 2005-07-03 04:35 · Score: 1

Anyone else besides me thought of the Anime movies and series "Ghost in the shell"?

From the first movie:
Plot Outline: A female cyborg cop and her partner hunt a mysterious and powerful hacker called the Puppet Master.

From the TV series:
In the future, life between the digital and physical world has been blurred. The boundary of technology and humanity has been stretched beyond imagination with lives being led in both the electronic and physical worlds. With the melding of man and machine. A new cybernetic level of existence is being created - An existence that continues to redefine mankind.

I dont recall which episode, but in the first TV episodes season you can see virtual IRC. pretty interesting and probably not far from the future.

Watching people with cybernetic implants get hacked in GITS gives a new meaning now. Like how the "Laughing man" hacked the eyes of Bateou when he was about to catch him.

http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,1068,sgszbd,gho st_in_the_sh.html
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,1287,ybqqoe,gho st_in_the_sh.html
http://imdb.com/title/tt0113568/
http://imdb.com/title/tt0347246/

ooo... people on W/Longhorn? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:37 · Score: 0

i'd love to see what happens when they BSOD/RSOD! (Windows Longhorn, Borg Edition - Error executing "flush toilet." Press Ctrl-Alt-Del to reboot.)

It's inevitable by artemis67 · 2005-07-03 04:39 · Score: 3, Insightful

When impants start making you more competitive in the marketplace, you bet it's going to take off -- especially if they can be discreetly implanted.

What happens when a chip implanted in your brain can make you 25% "smarter"? Most people will recoil at the thought; a few will take advantage of it, and it will gradually catch on, until we reach the point that the most competitive jobs routinely have super-human requirements, and the people who don't have implants will start sliding down the economic scale.

Never underestimate the power of greed to transform human society.

What a man... by woah · 2005-07-03 04:41 · Score: 1

No implants for him. The will power to say no to 4 million offers a day, given his sizable capital... I guess it's not his only quality that may be described in that way.

And yes, ladies, he's all natuaral.

how weird by isecore · 2005-07-03 04:42 · Score: 1

considering that we just read an article where Gates wants to fuse everything from your cellphone to your blender to your roll of toiletpaper.

--
I enjoy large posteriors and I cannot prevaricate.

to be precise... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:43 · Score: 0

that's more like

# mount -t brainfs /dev/implant /mnt/brain

Try it. You'll like it.

Love the headlines... by Coolnat2004 · 2005-07-03 04:44 · Score: 1

"Gates Says No to Implants" - Good ol' Bill is actually a woman?!

Re:Love the headlines... by iggymanz · 2005-07-03 04:47 · Score: 1

or, he wants to be one but with conversion involving hormones not saline bags?

From a marketeers point of view... by 3seas · 2005-07-03 04:48 · Score: 1

which is what Bill Gates and Microsoft are primarily...

This makes it damn near certain that one day Bill Gates will have some sort of implant..

Trust Murphy...

Mr. Gates does...

Just because... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 04:48 · Score: 0

Just because Gates doesn't want an implant himself doesn't mean he doesn't want you to have an implant. In fact, he'd probably rather enjoy the ability to enforce DRM at the brainstem!

Re:Trust -- catch 22 by darkonc · 2005-07-03 04:49 · Score: 3, Insightful

He knows that Windows will probably never be stable enough and safe enough to trust his life with -- on the other hand, he knows that SlashDot would have an absolute field day if we found out that Gates himself was running on Linux or BSD.

Remember: Gates and Microsoft are all about PR, but only when it hurts somebody else.

--
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.

Comment removed by account_deleted · 2005-07-03 04:55 · Score: 1

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Wheeeere's the Eunuch?? by ZosX · 2005-07-03 05:01 · Score: 1

Where is Enuch? This story would be perfect for s/he to spew forth his/her insanity about transcending humanity. If you are curious, just check out his user name and history. For once s/he could be on topic!

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zosxavius photography

No child left behind by johansalk · 2005-07-03 05:02 · Score: 3, Insightful

Imagine a future situation where under the guisse of equal and universal access to education it would be mandated that every child from a young age be plugged in and online. Or imagine under the guisse of fighting "terrorism" - hey, we'll still be at it as long as it's expedient and serves special interests(!) - those in power would claim that "if your got nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about!"

Wait for it!

Actually, by gillbates · 2005-07-03 05:04 · Score: 4, Funny

Resistance is the quotient of voltage and current.

--
The society for a thought-free internet welcomes you.

Re:Actually, by Flamsmark · 2005-07-03 10:38 · Score: 2, Funny

[so] the quotient of voltage and current is futile

--
copyright © 2005 Flamsmsmark the ravings of a melancholly i

Re:Time for a new /. icon by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:08 · Score: 0

Not only did he not RTFA, he didn't even RTFS! Amazing.

Are we at all surprised? by anon*127.0.0.1 · 2005-07-03 05:10 · Score: 1

I mean, the guy still wears glasses, for chrissake. If he hasn't had his eyesight corrected via surgery, do you really think he's going to go for some borglike hardware eyeball replacement?

Unless he's had the surgery done and just wears the glasses now as a fashion statement.

--
I am NOT a man!
I am a free number!

Re:I can understand his concern. by patio11 · 2005-07-03 05:12 · Score: 1

Whats stopping them from kidnapping his head NOW and using that to hack into his Paypal account? Surely not the rest of him... A man of many talents, but fighting off goons is probably not one of them.

Of course, he DOES have a reputation for hiring talent :) My guess is his personal security is a lot like a better paid version of the Secret Service.

--
Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.

Always on Call. Always. by Mulletproof · 2005-07-03 05:14 · Score: 4, Insightful

I think Bill Gates has a point. When I want to leave the office, I want to leave the the office there, not take it with me everywhere I go. I'm just imagining having a pager built right into you 24/7... And that's just for starters.

I'm sure there will be different implant levels, but nah, i think I'll pass too.

--
You need a FREE iPod Nano

Re:Always on Call. Always. by Mazem · 2005-07-03 09:08 · Score: 2, Interesting

There are a lot more uses for cyborg'ish tech than simply being a more efficient worker bee at the office.

Need to calculate 356.31 * 2.4168. If you can't think of a situation in your daily life where you would need to do calculations like this, then you wouldn't be on /.. Well, either you could carry a calculator with you all the time, or you could just offload the calculation to your built-in math chip, and get the answer back instantly in your mind. Think of the emergent behavior your mind would come up with if it could effortlessly carry out sequential math calculations with the speed and precision of a computer...

Another "cool thing" would be in-your-mind-internet/encyclopedia. Suppose you are hiking in the mountains, and you come across a bear. You aren't 100% sure what type of bear it is, or its intentions and behavioral patterns, or what you should do if it starts acting agressively (this has happened to me). Think of how useful built-in google/wikipedia would be. In your mind do an image search for bears, identify the species, check the relevant reference articles, and determine the best course of action.

6th, 7th, 8th, and more senses could be added. I drool at the idea of heat-sensing, sonar, enhanced vision, GPS, etc directly wired into your mind as if they were other senses.

Heck, you could even implement effective telepathy via wireless technology.

That's just scratching the surface.
Re:Always on Call. Always. by krunk4ever · 2005-07-03 10:56 · Score: 1

When I want to leave the office, I want to leave the the office there, not take it with me everywhere I go.

have you seen the recent Microsoft Office advertisements? They're totally about bringing the office everywhere you go.

http://www.microsoft.com/australia/partner/salesma rketing/campaigns/perception.aspx

We know from our research that there are four key areas EIWs find challenging in the workplace. Each of these "pain-points" is addressed by the new campaign. Namely:

* The risk of sharing information
* The stress of being away from the desk
* The frustration of teamwork
* The overload of information

Microsoft Office 2003 addresses these pain points by enabling EIWs to:

* Control their information (through Outlook and OneNote)
* Stay in the loop, on their own terms (through Windows Mobile Devices and Outlook)
* Make working with others easier than ever (through Windows SharePoint Services)
* Regain control (through Windows SharePoint Services)

--
HD Trailers
Re:Always on Call. Always. by SirKron · 2005-07-03 11:11 · Score: 1

And who will help you when your co-processor is 0wned? The GeekER (TM).

Yes, for the low payment of $2999 the Geek Emergency Room (GeekER) will remove trojans (not used), viruses, and if needed, will even reboot your brain!

And if you do not think so, get this movie this movie!
Re:Always on Call. Always. by tsotha · 2005-07-03 11:57 · Score: 1

Personally, I'm looking forward to skull guns. I want to have a way to deal with all those geeks who are bumping into me while calculating the product of 356.31 and 2.4168 instead of looking where they're going.
Re:Always on Call. Always. by insignificant1 · 2005-07-03 15:53 · Score: 1

You might as well inplant cell phones in all members of technological societies today. More convenient to talk to people not physically present... done deal.
Re:Always on Call. Always. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 16:56 · Score: 0

How would in-your-mind-internet/encyclopedia be cool, especially in light of the PATRIOT act?

Borg Thumbnail by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:16 · Score: 0

>The future of Slashdot's infamous Borg Bill
>thumbnail image may be in jeopardy

The Gates in the thumbnail is actually a clone! Yeah, That's it! Ok, now that I've figured that out, it's safe to keep using it. ;-)

Technical service by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:17 · Score: 0

Hmm..... I wonder what advice the technical service hotline would give to BSOD's

[Operator]Ma'm Your Mother cannot be saved but we can sell you a new mom for $199.
[Son]No i dont think thats neccesary

Open Standards? by freakmn · 2005-07-03 05:19 · Score: 1

I think it wouldn't work, because Microsoft wouldn't conform to existing standards, and therefore would have to reinvent the human. Being that Gates is already part of the existing standard, he would not qualify.

--
warning: This post is likely to contain gobs of dripping sarcasm. Consume at your own risk.

In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:20 · Score: 0

the implants reboot you!

Bill Gates is not stupid by MerlinTheWizard · 2005-07-03 05:22 · Score: 1

Just follow his line of reasoning:

The future of computers, even embedded ones, is with Windows.

He knows better than anyone what Windows is really worth, especially in terms of security.

He doesn't want any hazardous device inside his brain.

However, if there is market for such implants, he will probably not be against providing the world with a shrink-down Windows version for them. As long as it's only implanted in others, not him.

I don't blame you Bill... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:23 · Score: 0

That's a BSOD you really do not want to be liable for.

Sexual provocation is lost on Gates by PizzaFace · 2005-07-03 05:23 · Score: 2, Funny

'One of the guys that works at Microsoft... always says to me "I'm ready, plug me in."'

The funny thing is, Bill thinks that guy is talking about computers.

Did Gates lie or is /. ahead of its time? by presroi · 2005-07-03 05:27 · Score: 1

http://images.slashdot.org/topics/topicms.gif is the Slashdot topic icon for Microsoft and Gates. I clearly see a standard Borg equipment (from around 2364).

Over the last years, I started to trust Slashdot more than this former CEO, so unless proven otherwise, this Gates statement might be wrong.

I remember the CES show together with Conan O'Brian (sp?) a few months ago. You could really see his implants. It was later explained with some subdermal explosions (due to high blood pressure) in Gates' body when the live demonstration of 50 per cent of the Microsoft equipment failed.

Watcha talkin about? by no-body · 2005-07-03 05:28 · Score: 1

He already has an implant - look at the upper right corner.

Bill Gates.... by Razzak · 2005-07-03 05:32 · Score: 1

For all /. makes fun of him, he still is one bright guy. I think the negative publicity and consequences of hard-wired implants for outweighs the benefit from the few who would want such things. The obvious exception being those who already have a major disability.

Me neither by Azzhole · 2005-07-03 05:36 · Score: 1

Just think about the worms you could catch with his software shoved in the end of your...............

Everything gets so confusing by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:39 · Score: 0

"Everything gets so confusing when cowards are present." Maybe you're just not very bright? >;->

Re:Everything gets so confusing by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 10:05 · Score: 0

The BillGates's brain needs to aircool the warming "1 KiloWatt" implanted computer.
Any other better idea?

Trivialy no.

stuff that matters by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:40 · Score: 0

"stuff that matters"

Yeah, right.

In other news:

"Bill Gates scratches his butt."

"Dvorack coughs up more horse pucky."

"Cringely knits a sweater."

"Random blogger believes moon is made of cheese."

The only thing that brings me back to Slashdot is that I occasionally stumble upon a little nugget of information, usually a cool link, amongst all the otherwise completely insipid comments. Even that is hardly worth it.

It's time for Slashdot to admit that its ability to separate the wheat from the chaff is, er, lacking. The moderation system that Slashdot is built upon is insufficient to the task. It's time for a new version, altogether different. Or maybe I just need to realize what a waste of time this is, and drop this bad Slashdot habit.

more tired arguments by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 05:41 · Score: 0

yawn

I'd say: Yes, go ahead by usv · 2005-07-03 05:44 · Score: 1

After seeing Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 1 (and partly 2) I've been a huge fan of robotics and cyborgs. I'm also a bit angry for not being born about 70 or so years later when these kinds of implants would possibly be quite common. If someone offered to implant me with some of the finest technology from GitS:SAC, I'd give an instant 'go ahead'.

That oughtta fix... by mnmn · 2005-07-03 05:44 · Score: 1

the Gates icon in slashdot.

--
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky

I just to the time to read some of your posts... by bubbaD · 2005-07-03 05:45 · Score: 0

I think you're doing a good job of keeping /. entertaining! Keep up the good work!

Re:Impossible by Moderatbastard · 2005-07-03 05:48 · Score: 0

Mod this guy up. And damn the godless communists like buskers, pub singers and all such fellow-travellers!

--
1/3 of jokes get modded OT. If you get the joke, mod 1 in 3 insightful/interesting/underrated to restore karma balance.

But will we have a choice? by anthony_dipierro · 2005-07-03 05:49 · Score: 1

Could a mere human survive in a world of superhumans as more than a slave?

As opposed to? by Moraelin · 2005-07-03 06:01 · Score: 1

Have you read the licenses to some other non-MS stuff out there lately?

I seem to recall quite a few (e.g., Sun's or IBM's Java, since both of them are /. darlings) which explicitly say they're not for critical stuff. In fact, if you'll read their disclaimer, you'll see some far less critical stuff they're _not_ ready for.

I also don't seem to recall any program lately -- open source included -- which doesn't come with a "provided as is, no guarantee whatsoever, blah, blah, blah" in its license. Unless my memory fails me in my old age, it's a standard part of the GPL, so there goes Linux too.

There's a whole class of applications, e.g., embeded software used in airplanes, where that just won't cut it. You want stuff there that's had every single line and algorithm reviewed, because you're literally trusting your life to it. They're a whole other class of problem than having your blog or e-commerce site down for an hour or two. Down for a few seconds during an airplane's landing is enough to be a spectacular catastrophe.

I'd imagine that stuff implanted in your body would deserve to be in the same category.

So is Windows OK for that? Probably not, but then MS never advertised it as such. Is Linux ready for it? Not with a "no guarantees express or implied" disclaimer, it's not.

--
A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.

Re:As opposed to? by 1lus10n · 2005-07-04 06:11 · Score: 1

Have you ever had the chance to read an agreement between an airline and an embedded systems company ? I have not, however I have been privy to the standard embedded systems companys terms. Guess what ? Same as everyone elses. Wanna know why ? Liability. Its not that those java systems CANT run mission critical apps, its that sun and IBM do not want to be sued if for some reason they die (pun intended) while running said apps.

I would never in my fucking life allow a java app to control an implant. You would also be surprised to know that both MS and Linux are making HUGE inroads into the embedded market. Many auto manufacturers have started using one or both at least in trials runs and a good deal of auto's already have one installed.

Also just for the record, I never once mentioned linux or implied that Linux was ready for such a task. You fucking people need to learn how to read and stop making child like assumptions.

--
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." --Albert Einstein

A whole new meaning to Blue Screen of Death by elmetatron · 2005-07-03 06:03 · Score: 1

I think that I agree with Mr. Gate's view point of "I'm happy to have the computer over there and I'm over here." Especially if the implant is running an operating system from his company as I would hate to have a Blue Screen of Death happen while I was driving.

--
Just another idiot with mod points.

MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:05 · Score: 0

Yeah, I'm only an AC, but this was dang good reading!

they are already doing this by josepha48 · 2005-07-03 06:09 · Score: 1

I believe they are already implanting people, and I don't mean UFO's either.

There are a few implants that they are doing. The first is in the ear (http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/coch lear_implant.htm). While this is normally not "computers", I have seen someone with an implant that has a wire coming out of their head, so that they can hear. It does have s speach processor, so it does have a processor. The second is the eyes, see here (http://www.news-medical.net/?id=8953).

They also have RFID chips that they can implant people with (http://www.greaterthings.com/News/Chip_Implants/) .

They have a heart that is mechanical, but the FDA rejected that.

--

Only 'flamers' flame!
Does slashdot hate my posts?

Re:Trust -- catch 22 by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:12 · Score: 0

Yeah, I'm sure Gates decision process in this matter revolves around what Slashdot would think. Moron.

Of course Gates doesn't want implants. by GFLPraxis · 2005-07-03 06:15 · Score: 4, Funny

Of course Bill Gates doesn't want implants to take off. Microsoft would end up being the one writing the software for it. I for one would really like to avoid having Windows powered body parts. Blue screen of death, anyone?

Re:Of course Gates doesn't want implants. by Shaper_pmp · 2005-07-03 22:56 · Score: 1

I can see the adverts now.

"Microsoft Heart XP, making the BSOD literal since 2055..."

--
Everything in moderation, including moderation itself

worse... by delire · 2005-07-03 06:23 · Score: 1

The Apple Implant.

Customer: Why not?

Rep: We're sorry sir, we can't afford to have our product in any kind of body. You must be white, trim and fabulously photogenic.

BSOD by Crystalmonkey · 2005-07-03 06:26 · Score: 1

Can you imagine what would happen if you got hit by a blue screen? "Dear Lord this man is having a heart attack!" "Worse, his OS just crashed."

BSOD by ForrestWhite · 2005-07-03 06:26 · Score: 1

Will the white light at the end of the tunnel be replaced by the blue screen of death?

Who the hell cares by ScrewMaster · 2005-07-03 06:28 · Score: 1

WHAT Bill Gates thinks about a technology that doesn't exist and probably won't on any large scale until long after he is dead?

--
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.

Futurama by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:32 · Score: 0

i can see Bill Gates head in a jar in a few years when he gets too old for his body, probably giving some speech or seminar somewhere.

Plug me in, Bill by Error629 · 2005-07-03 06:34 · Score: 1

Plug me hard.

--
_________
The world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes, does it?

Gotta say it by PsiPsiStar · 2005-07-03 06:37 · Score: 4, Funny

Imagine a beowulf cluster of ME!

--

___
It's the end of my comment as I know it and I feel fine.

Re:Gotta say it by JollyFinn · 2005-07-03 08:16 · Score: 1

UGH I try hard NOT TO.

--
Emacs is good operating system, but it has one flaw: Its text editor could be better.

In other news by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:37 · Score: 0

Bill Gates is dumb

Some doubts by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:40 · Score: 0

Will having sex be considered as an illegal data sharing transaction?

Re:Time for a new /. icon by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 06:43 · Score: 0

it's a bad day OK?

no implants?? by flacco · 2005-07-03 06:53 · Score: 1

the photographic evidence suggests otherwise.

holy crap!

--
pr0n - keeping monitor glass spotless since 1981.

Wired by Orlando · 2005-07-03 06:54 · Score: 1

A guy I used to work with was obsessed with the idea of augmenting his body with technology. Even went so far as to talk quite seriously about having his brain taken out of his skull and wired to machines as being the ultimate for him. Anyhoo, we were talking one day over lunch, and he was saying how neat it would be to have your brain wired to a mechanical hand, so all you had to do was think and the machine would move. I suggested to him what about having a computer wired into your hand, so you could program it to control your hand. He started getting excited at this, so I took it one step further - Hey! What if, ok, you took the wires from your brain and interfaced them with the wires in your hand! Then all you would have to do is think and your hand would just, like MOVE! He was practiacally wetting himself at this, jumping up and down in his chair, spilling lunch all over the place. The rest of the table were finding it hard to contain themselves as well.

--
-= This is a self-referential sig =-

i know why he likes the comp over there by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:21 · Score: 0

billy-bob is afraid that if he was plugged into a computer, HE'D BE RUNNING WINDOWS! (read: brain crash imminent)

Lengthy reply, about my non-profit by Eunuch · 2005-07-03 07:23 · Score: 2, Interesting

I haven't read any replies and frankly don't need to. I have recently started a non-profit to facilitate our transition to transhumanism. I already have a few donors lined up--remember someone high enough to talk to Gates regularly believes in this stuff.

Gates could dedicate his billions to transhumanism and be remembered on the other side as a Moses. But apparently he will not. But he is no the only person with money, and even then money is not what is needed. He essentially declared himself irrelevant to the future--no matter how much money he collects.

Still, when he tastes the other side I have no doubt he will change his mind. And kick himself for not being the one to help with the change.

On the other side, money will not be as important. Think about being a self-sufficient cyberthalamus (or brain-in-a-jar). You'll be on your way to other solar systems and will have little need for cash.

--
Transcend Humanity. Please.

w0rd by paragonc · 2005-07-03 07:40 · Score: 1

what a ringing endorsement for windows! i dont care what he says - load up slackware and plug me in - i dont care if the cord has to go up my ass, i want a hardline into my brain!

You are on to something... by mfh · 2005-07-03 07:41 · Score: 1

Well I guess you can have the blue prints open sourced, but really, that's next to useless in the need for testing, distribution and manufacture of the real thing.

I think you are on to something. Creative Commons license on the blue prints would throw a monkey wrench into patent scams, would it not?

--
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.

Obligatory /. thought by Nybble's+Byte · 2005-07-03 07:46 · Score: 0

How many people saw the headline of this article and thought of breasts?

Zombie by EnsilZah · 2005-07-03 07:48 · Score: 1

Heh, that word would be much more apropriate when someone installs malware in your brain.

Crashes by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 07:50 · Score: 0

I think Gates is afraid that his brain will crash if he installs Windows on it.

Gates afraid of implant crash...?? by rshimizu12 · 2005-07-03 07:56 · Score: 1

I wonder if Bill Gates is afraid of a implant crash....??

Too late for Cheney by Chaos_Thoery · 2005-07-03 08:01 · Score: 2, Funny

It seems Vice President Dick Cheney has fully and openly embraced this technology already. http://www.dreamchaos.net/~splash/funny/cheney_rob ot.png

surprise? by samantha · 2005-07-03 08:15 · Score: 1

Are we surprised that Bill Gates is not on the bleeding edge? Hardly. Are we surprised that a bunch of slashdoters are at least as anachronistic and myopic? Nope. Move along.

Too easy... by writermike · 2005-07-03 08:26 · Score: 1

Gates Says No to Implants

God DAMN this is just too easy.

--
If Nalgene water bottles are outlawed, only outlaws will have Nalgene water bottles.

i have to say i agree w/ mr gates. by atarione · 2005-07-03 08:28 · Score: 1

I like computers as much as the next nerd... well pretty well and all. but I have absolutely no desire to have one implanted in me ever... maybe a little R2 like robot that followed me about and did my bidding but never anything implated in me... I actually kinda like getting out and leaving my laptop at the office... so maybe i don't like computers as much as the next nerd?

--
actually I am happy to see you, however that is in fact a banana in my pocket.

That fuker will get hacked by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 08:29 · Score: 0

and he fucing knows it. And he's not about to run Unix on it, because that's bad PR for Windows.

What an assmagnet.

Quite possible by speedfreak_5 · 2005-07-03 08:32 · Score: 1

Maybe distributed computing helps out in that area?

--
Why yes I am paranoid! Thanks for asking!

Depends on the OS, maybe by mi · 2005-07-03 08:33 · Score: 1

Bill Gates knows his product very well and is right not to trust it.

I wonder, if Linus would plug himself in, though...

--
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.

speaking of bad karma with grub... by kesuki · 2005-07-03 08:59 · Score: 1

I wrote the command wrong...
it should have been --bootdrive=0,1 for hda2

I was looking at the man page while writing the comment too.

--
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

CTL + ALT + DEL Implants by gaza222 · 2005-07-03 09:17 · Score: 1

On thinking implanted computing could be damn useful, the only obstacle to over come is where to implant ctr alt & del keys....... as well as the famous any key ..... and when you had a bluescreen who would reboot you..... also what happens if you fail to activate your implant with microsoft do they just stop you working, however in fairness it'll work better than to days product activation as the hardware wont change much!

Image of this by rbarreira · 2005-07-03 09:25 · Score: 1

Contrarily to what he stated, Bill Gates also said the same sentence as his colleague.

--

The AACS key is NOT 0xF606EEFD628B1CA427BEA93A9CA9773F

I don't understand the problem? by duffer_01 · 2005-07-03 09:30 · Score: 1

People already add implants? What about heart implants? Nobody ever seems to question those. I mean the heart is just as important as the brain. It just seems that people would have more of a problem if it might affect their brains.

--
Adventure City Tours

Re:Trust... has limits? by HungWeiWeiHai · 2005-07-03 09:43 · Score: 2, Funny

So much for "Trusted Computing".

I guess he really IS afraid to eat his own dog food.

Maybe he prefers Alpo, or Gravy Train. Maybe he should start with Ken'L Ration (Pron: "Kennuhl Rayshun").

steve ballmer... by tuggy · 2005-07-03 09:45 · Score: 1

"' Gates said Friday at a Microsoft seminar in Singapore when he was asked whether computers would ever be implanted in the human brain. "I don't feel quite the same way. I'm happy to have the computer over there and I'm over here.' "

on the other hand, steve ballmer started dancing when was asked about it singing "yeah baby, bring it on!!! i want to feel it inside me... YEAH!"

Somebody should tell Bill by SFSouthpaw · 2005-07-03 09:45 · Score: 1

Don't worry, it won't be like Plug N' Pray was for Win9X

*ducks*

--
---southpaw

Re: silicone valley by arbitraryaardvark · 2005-07-03 10:02 · Score: 1

since God's marketshare is expected to dwindle to the point of Him not being able to support a lawsuit against Microsoft.

Reminds me of the time the devil has his lawyers write to god threatening to sue because of a hole in the fence between heaven and hell. God writes back, "Being without counsel...."

Missing option: by nastro · 2005-07-03 10:14 · Score: 1

Breasts!

Oh. Right. Not a poll. My mistake folks, move along then.

64K RAM by m61 · 2005-07-03 10:18 · Score: 1

didn't gates say that the most ram we'll ever need is only 64K? how much does windows use now?

now what about the implants?

Re:64K RAM by Legion303 · 2005-07-03 17:38 · Score: 1

"didn't gates say that the most ram we'll ever need is only 64K?"

No.

The Obvious Question by Guppy06 · 2005-07-03 10:20 · Score: 1

Is it because he doesn't want computers in his head, or that he doesn't want Microsoft products in his head?

windows implants by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 10:24 · Score: 0

hahaha I can imagine why he doesn't want any implants:

ERROR - There has been a critical failure in your lungs and they will have to be shut down.

Do you want to send a failure report?

When I saw the title I thought 'Melissa' by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 10:45 · Score: 0

But no - he probably wouldn't stand up to her.

Re:Trust -- catch 22 by RzUpAnmsCwrds · 2005-07-03 10:48 · Score: 2, Insightful

WTF was this modded insightful? I hate to break it to you, but I don't want to trust Linux or BSD with my life.

QNX, maybe. But not Windows, Linux, or BSD.

Blue brain of death anyone? by koutkeu · 2005-07-03 11:03 · Score: 1

Gates knows well that installing windows in his own brain is a big risk: they would need to add a reboot button for the brain.

Morse code cell phones? by burnin1965 · 2005-07-03 11:40 · Score: 1

Gates --
"In some cases -- mobile phones -- speech will be the primary input"

Does he think people use morse code to communicate on cell phones? The primary input is already speech. Jeez, what a maroon.

burnin

p.s. j/k, I understand what he means.

But it is kinda sad that his company pumps $6 billion US into R&D and the only advancements he talks about in his speech have resulted from someone elses R&D.

I don't know what the budget is for the research on implants for the physically impaired but I'll bet its no where near the MS R&D budget and yet they produce some rather astounding innovations and advancements in hardware, software, and medicine.

Origin of Borg Thumbnail by Erbo · 2005-07-03 11:41 · Score: 1

I'm pretty sure the origin of the present Slashdot Microsoft thumbnail is the cover of the May 1996 issue of Boardwatch magazine, which featured an illustration of "BillGatus of Borg." The accompanying story was about Microsoft's ongoing assimilation of software and Internet businesses.

At one time, Boardwatch was selling posters of that magazine cover. I wish I could find a copy of that image, or even a photo of that poster...

--
Be who you are...and be it in style!

Re:Origin of Borg Thumbnail by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 11:52 · Score: 0

a guy was selling t-shirts over the internet with this image until bgInc. shut him down. I still have several of them.

bill sez... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 11:42 · Score: 0

"No implants for me, thanks." But apparently he has no such problems with implants for others... specifically... HIS PENIS ... just ask the folks at netscape, stac, real, ... ... [the list goes on]...

Gates also said... by Tacky+the+Penguin · 2005-07-03 12:00 · Score: 1

Why would anyone need more than 640K?

Re:Gates also said... by Sigma+7 · 2005-07-04 02:38 · Score: 1

Why would anyone need more than 640K?
No, he didn't.

Is it just me, or are people forgetting to check their sources? If this "famous" quote was real, it should be pinned down to a specific point in time rather than just a vague newspaper in 1981 or so - even if it was taken out of context (e.g. stripping away the trailing "for now.")
Re:Gates also said... by Tacky+the+Penguin · 2005-07-04 04:43 · Score: 1

The actual quote is "640K of memory should be enough for anybody." (which is why I didn't tout it as a direct quote)

If you google on "Bill Gates, 640K", you'll get tons of hits, including one where he denies having said it.

And no, I'm not necessarily going to research my sources when my only intention was to make a funny. I definitely would check my sources if I was going to make a snarky comment about someone else's comment, though.

- Tacky might be an odd bird, but he's a good bird to have around.

Watch him change his tune ... by cwsulliv · 2005-07-03 12:05 · Score: 1

when Microsoft develops (or rather "acquires the technology to") such an implant. And Bill figures a personal demonstration is necessary for MS to catch up in a market projected at 100 billion dollars/year in sales.

"No one will ever need more than 256K of RAM"

Gates is wise. by Spy+der+Mann · 2005-07-03 12:17 · Score: 1

He wants to control computers, not computers to control him.

Now if he only made that true for EVERYONE ELSE...

More Than Human by glinden · 2005-07-03 12:20 · Score: 1

"One of the guys that works at Microsoft... always says to me 'I'm ready, plug me in.,'" Gates said.

I suspect the person Bill Gates is talking about here is Ramez Naam. Ramez is a Microsoft old-timer. He recently wrote a book called More than Human. I haven't read it myself, but a couple of my friends have said it is quite good.

Well, even the great Bill Gates.. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 12:42 · Score: 0

.. has a limit to which he will allow Windows to control his life. Kinda tells you that even he doesn't trust the Windows OS, eh?

No OS is perfect... by Your+Average+Joe · 2005-07-03 14:04 · Score: 1

My brand new Dell D610 at work will NOT plug an play any USB flash devices EXCEPT a Dell 128 meg unit. I called Dell support and was given a list of silly things to try.

I expected to find some mild problems on a new laptop when we put our default w2k image on it. I never expected ANY problems with the Dell xp sp2 in a virgin state from the factory...

--
Your Average Joe

the reason by gnarlin · 2005-07-03 14:35 · Score: 1

Perhaps the reason for his hesitance to having implants put into his brain is because he has seen the source code which they are programmed to follow!

--
A bad analogy is like a leaky screwdriver.

Jesus H. Christ... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 14:41 · Score: 0

I've seen plenty of man-geeks with breasts, but I figured it was some glandular condition or the consequences of a diet of twinkies and Dew.

You mean that geeks have been getting implants?!?

Better listen by mattr · 2005-07-03 16:19 · Score: 1

Consider Gates is probably the top authority in the world about the pressures and urges driving a company with the prevalence, power, influence on government and business, and sheer cash of Microsoft.

You aren't ever going to see publicized whether M$ has been amazingly incompetent or actually forced to produce bad software by FBI/CIA/NSA/etc. (tinfoil notwithstanding).

Listen to the guy who has the most experience screwing people over with software and getting away with it in spades.

He's also the richest guy in the world and if anybody could afford to develop and install something enhancing in his own brain, it's him. Listen to him when he chooses not to do so.

Maybe the only people to install chips will be underprivileged, weak ego, poor, controlled people?

Heh...I'm over here...the computer's over there... by Alpha_Traveller · 2005-07-03 17:44 · Score: 1

Betcha Ol Bill's afraid of the radiation...C'mon Bill, what's a little radiation! It's healthy for ya Bill, just like Windows...

--
"Love is like pi - natural, irrational, and very important." (Lisa Hoffman)

I should teach that person Linux by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 17:56 · Score: 0

I love watching people go nuts at windows after using linux for a few days.

If they have not see a bsod they have not pushed windows hard.

The man from Redmond, he say yes by tod_miller · 2005-07-03 19:10 · Score: 1

I can show you a video where his appreciation for implants is very distracting! "Hi Bill, thanks for joining us, say hi to Pamela!"

Laugh. I guess if we did have implants, Schizophrenics would have to buy multiple licenes or keep having to reactivate their "Microsoft Short Term Memory" and "Microsoft Faces I Know" software.

Windows: "Hey, you're not Frank!"
Frank (as Alice): "I am not feeling myself today!"

--
#hostfile 0.0.0.0 primidi.com 0.0.0.0 www.primidi.com 0.0.0.0 radio.weblogs.com

Obligatory Trekkie by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 19:27 · Score: 0

>Borg Bill

Q: What do you call Mr. Gates' daughter?
A: 7 of 95.

Re: Trust (no Borg but Galactic Empire) by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 19:33 · Score: 0

>In other words he doesn't trust his own software >and/or hardware being hooked up to his brain.

I am really fed up with all the Bill Gates bashing that goes on everywhere. Positive info is supressed.

Melinda and Bill Gates has a Foundation but you sheldon hear about it in the press.

Re:The man from Redmond, they say yes by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-03 19:47 · Score: 0

>Schizophrenics would have to buy multiple licenes

There is a special rebate programme to solve that. You can trade in an axe for an extra licence.

Methinks by MECC · 2005-07-04 01:26 · Score: 1

He doth protest too much, methinks

--
"We are all geniuses when we dream"
- E.M. Cioran

Hardwiring is inevitable by smartalix · 2005-07-04 03:21 · Score: 1

Even if they are only used by the impaired, computer implants in the brain are inevitable. We have the developing technology, and we have people who not only need (the invalid) but want (the techie) that technology.

Interestingly enough, my book Cyberchild deals with this exact subject.

The story is about a little girl, Gordona, who is thrown into a situation as the result of being exposed to advanced technology in the form of an escaped lab animal with a bloodstream full of microbots. The lab was using the microbots to create an injectrable system to build a computer in the brain from the inside. (I believe that it is the installation method that deters many from the idea of a computer in their head.)

While those near to Gordona struggle with the understanding of what is happening to her, the corporation behind the research is searching for her to get their technology back.

Set in the near future, CYBERCHILD explores what happens when advanced science meets human reality, an action thriller that explores real-world issues and the challenges presented by medical research and developing technology.

Computers in the brain will be an eventual commodity in the not-too-distant future.

--
Read a preview of my novel CYBERCHILD at www.smartalix.com/cyberchild

Re:soon... real-time spellchecking by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-04 06:40 · Score: 0

> There are too sides to that.

> myself quite a job earning double what I am now

Maybe we will finally get spellchecking hardwired...

Imagine this . . . by KoolKat2500 · 2005-07-04 08:12 · Score: 1

About 100 years in the future . . . Cybrids. Half Animal Half Human with cyborg implants . . . awesome. Come on Billy, you know you want it. It will help you rule the world with me! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!!!!!!!

--
I like BEANS

Re:Trust -- catch 22 by Anonymous Coward · 2005-07-04 16:50 · Score: 0

Yeah, well.. We never wanted your stupid life anyway.

-Linux and BSD

My first thought upon reading the headline was... by cmdrwhitewolf · 2005-07-05 08:10 · Score: 1

"Oh, Thank God! I won't have to worry about seeing him look like another Pamela Anderson wannabe..."

--
[Now, I'm off to lift my le... Um, visit... at another place.]

From a heterosexual, MASCULINE point of view by nnappe · 2005-07-06 02:25 · Score: 1

Sorry to be an asshole

376 comments