That was the status of HDMI at Intel's R+D center in Oregon - at least in '03 - 04... architects responsible for protocol / spec. work were luke-warm at best which also reflected senior managments intrest. While not directly involved... I got a distinct "briar-patch" or "kitchen sink" impression of the project
From my point of view IBM is the Elephant in the room - and Elephants never forget - especially when they get screwed by a small up-start company called Microsoft over something called OS/2...
IBM has been rebuilding themselves - their services - and getting into Linux / Open Source ---- Meanwhile MS has closed the bunker doors and we all know where that leads to...
A cult has a true focus of being - everything is driven by devotion to the leader.
The pervasivness of MS/Windows is all about producing HW + SW that is "cheaper for the initial investment" and gets the job done more ore less. All of this goes back to the '90s when WinTel was a reality: I worked at Inel as a PC designer in those days and Intel saw the way to control the market was to first create and drive specs for every part of the PC to favor Intel parts and second to force parts manufacturers to compete and drive down cost for a cheaper PC. On the MS side they sucked up companies / technologies or crushed those who would stand in the way of a WinTel solution --- meaning cheap cheap cheap. The masses and IT managers sucked this up like sugar water. These mind-less addicts of cheap-shit over look the high cost of over-head in security SW, continous security problems, and maintenance at the desktop level.
By the time we got to XP the true WinTel alliance was badly fractured and dysfunctional - but in the days since both companies have taken distinctly differnet paths:
- Intel aggresively (ok slowly at first) embraced Linux and open source, courted Apple to bring them into the x86 flock, and is now working on user issues and user friendly boxes. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY keeping their trend of more technology at the same or lower price.
- MS went into bunker mentality and worked on Longhorn.. oops uh Vista LONGER than most products even last one released. And the actual product is nothing more than XP with a flack-jacket and a new look. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY they are charging MORE for the same crap - we'll see how this works out
I remember a story my dad told me (Air Force Sargent) - An Air Force meteorologist was briefing his new asssitant fresh out of school: "So after you finish looking at all the meteorlogical data and weather maps... I want you to walk over and look outside before you issue the forecast"
Technology is your aide - not you master. Then again - maybe all these GPS "accidents" is a form of Skynet for dumb people...
We're on the verge of selling our two late model Hondas (both get good gas miliage) then buying a new Prius as our main vehicle and a well used import truck (4 cyl) as a secondary utility and camping rig. I buy American made when ever possible (like my Harley) - but the big 3 have shit-for-brains when it comes to delivering break-thru technology. Hell - even Nissan is licensing Toyota's hybrid technology for their hybrid offering.
This is absolutely the right step for our increasingly connected world - but the devil is in the details as usual.
The desktop isn't dead but its damn stale - what I would envision is a bi-modal operation: if you have wired or wireless access your "desktop" seamlessly includes your "on-line" resources - applications - data files - links - IM buddies - etc. all integrated into your applications - disk volumes, When offline you would have what you have right now. Of course you would need a method to mark certian files as bi-modal so they would reside in a file cache and be available offline - the OS would handle file sync'ing etc. Or a thumb drive could be a file cache
On the flip side where the desktop is really dead (as in "Dead to You" ) --- I could see you carrying a USB thumb drive that launches a mini-linux session and then you connect to the "server in the sky" to access all your docs - email - applications - etc.
Both ideas are step in the right direction for Linux... just doing "XP the right way" is not a path to success for Linux. The Linux industry is very nimble compared to Microsloth... lets see what this baby can really do !
Yeah I'm right there with you - 2100 high school students - 600 computers - and lets not forget 75 staff and about 100 teachers. I'm busy keeping the matrix running helping with special requests from teachers and the odd "lost" student project.
All students and staff sign an Accepptable Use Agreement. Now I do have a problem with a 3 month suspension for fiddling with proxies - seems way outta line. For us suspension is the last resort - for most kids loss of privledges is effective: "lunch suspension" (having lunch in a classroom - no talking - no iPods - no phones) is phase one - next level is "Saturday School" where your parent must take you in and pick you up - Suspension from school events is another possibility - and lastly suspension.
Kids are (or seem to be) much more social - more connected - more gadgets.... taking away social / gadget time is effective with less impact on actually being in class and learning.
ANd helping kids to realize there are rules and realities is just one part of what schools needs to teach
Bound to happen as we "out-source" some or all of engineering design work in the name of "globalization" (saving $$ for stock holders). Sharing digital CAD files is basically giving your overseas "partner" the keys to your technology and research. You signed contracts etc.... BFD - be prepared to see all - or parts of your technology being used "globally"
The school district I work for is about 80% macs and 20% PCs (running XP) - total number of machines disctrict wide is about 6000. I've asked if I could set up a Linux server and some diskless work stations as a usage test case... by the response you would think I asked to install an open wireless node in the schools cafeteria. On the other hand if I'd just announced that I'd just installed 35 PCs that would be no problem and everyone would assume they're up to date + antivirus + etc.
I could lock down that Linux box pretty tight etc. but Linux is not on their radar
This is GREAT !! Finally I can "off-load" all those old sit-com theme songs, latent memories from crappy college classes, and useless images from the evening news. Thus making free space for "potentially important" new crap while still having the old crap available in some neuro-implant. Hell - I'd be happy if they could just run something like GParted on my noggin and wipe the "Bushisms" and the Bush-Years... what relief that would bring.
"The land of the brave and the home of the free - where the less you know the better off you'll be..." Warren Zevon - RIP
From personal experience it looks like HP has hired Intel's "Crack" Marketing Department...
Head up the ass or head in the ground = same result
I'll give this program about 6 months before "other options" are offered. If the printer is so damned efficeint than perhaps charge a bit more for the printer or cartridge as long as the net operating costs are nicely lower than other models / brands.
Turbo memory... WTF ?? I worked at this pop-stand (Intel) in R+D and and watched this technology (code named Boxcar at the time) be developed starting back around 2003 with the original idea being just what you see here - a local cache for the hard drive. However I have to say that Turbo memory is about the lamest freakin name... marketing at Intel always was a total crap shoot now it appears to be a total crapper. And I have no idea who this Robinson character is or if this Turbo crap is his doing.
Many of us platform types wanted to drop 50 - 100MB of this stuff onto the main motherboard to provide space for an OS mini-boot loader.. as an attempt to get a PC to have a quasi instant on capability. Interesting idea but the thought of MS creating a "mini" anything as far as software goes pretty much shot that idea all to hell
Last week MS announced that OEMs would not be able to sell systems with XP by the end of the year (and I'm sure that MS is really pressuring OEMs to offer special deals on Vista systems). I'm sure this is part of a MS plan to "get Vista out there in numbers" - thus forcing software companies to port/patch products for Vista.
Of course that begs the question will MS patch Office 2004 etc. - the answer there is hell no. Which is understandable - I mean once you start patching a MS product where / when do you stop. The symbol for infinity is not part of any project planner I've used.
While I don't approve of these methods (nor do I support current DRM methods/programs) pirating of software or music/videos is WRONG. In the end you are not ripping off the wealthy CEO or rich mega-band - you're ripping off all the average Joe's who work at company xyz and whose comensation and jobs are impacted by loss of sales of products. But go ahead and keep telling yourself you're sticking it to the "big man".
I used to pirate as well - I then got a real engineering job and became aware of the true number of people it takes to crank out a product - from middle managers - engineers - techs - secretaries - all the way down to the guys / gals in shipping. Every product that you subvert by pirating is money that does not go to the company coffers to cover wages / healthcare of these average folks. That was the end of my pirate days (but I still like to talk like a pirate).
Technology and market pressures will force the RIAA to change eventually as well as software companies forced to price their products more realistically.
Some could argue that pirating adds pressure to make companies change - but thats just another arguement to mask the fact that you are sticking it to average folks. Besides there's enough pirating going on in Asia / China to perform that function - I don't need to get my hands dirty.
Boy sounds like moving to Vista (and wanting to run Windows apps) requires as much work as moving to Linux. All the work but no reward of getting a more advanced OS like Linux - sounds like a loose-loose situation. Looks like its time for more OT in the marketing Dept.
Like any "hobby" things can get out of control - however I do agree 100% that audiophiles / audio equipment / search for the "perfect sound" (or hearing the unhearable) is a ripe area for people to fool themselves into a unquenchable quest.
In the '40s thru the '60s building a decent stereo system took some knowledge, dollars, and desire. From the '70s on the development of the IC (integrated circuit) for both analog and the digital components brought more than decent sound to the masses. From the '90s on the addition of digital circuits/control for both filtering and sound enhancement / 3D effects has taken audiio to a new level --- again for the masses. So now for a modest amount of money $500 - $1000 you can buy an amazing system. And certainly a properly built PC can be the heart of an amazing sound system.
That is unless you are affected by Audiophile-collectus - also known as: "hearing the unhearable" / "mine cost more than yours" / "specification-itus". A relative of mine ( CIO of a large firm) has probably dropped about $50K on his system - the true over the top moment was when he bought his Watt-Puppy speakers (watt puppy price has gone up $4000 to $27990 USD per pair. The WATT/Puppy used to be a pricing bellwether under $20000, but it's now pushing $30000) http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/wilson_wp8/
They do sound good - but I can't give you a real review since he won't let play any ZZ Top on them at full volume...
True - inner city blight can be a cause of sprawl as can poor urban/city planning. In Oregon we have strong urban growth rules and boundaries which force more efficient use of urban land. We also have laws that force affordable housing into new developments even if they are upscale developments. Without such requirements sprawl and clumping of poor people into areas (ghettos) is a natural outcome. Our down town area is having a resurgance in the "Pearl District".... which was once a delapadated area of old warehouses and old buildings ---- now rebuilt into condos + loft apartments along with new shops and restaurants. The city is also tearing down old housing projects and replacing them with affordable (small) single family dwellings built around parks - schools - shops.
Such open housing areas (for poorer residents) are easier for police to patrol with fewer hiding places for bad guys and gangs.
And yes - strong urban growth rules are politically explosive and devisive - and yes sometimes errors are made - but in general: our sprawl is contained - our housing is affordable - we consistently are rated with a high level of livability (Linus Torvalds has a residence here).
Back at Intel in 1999 - 2001 we were working on a lot of Ease-of-Use issues (with Microsoft and the top OEMs) to fix the most common reasons "normal people" struggled with or caused returns of perfectly functional PCs. A large study by this group asked people a number of questions about usage - problems and.... interest in using a PC if it was easier to use.......... this study yielded the same results ---- about 30% of people see no use for a computer in their daily home life -- no interest -- no desire to have connectivity.
Personally I buy fewer than 4 new CDs a year - special releases etc. ------ I go to the used CD shops buy the used ones I want --- go home rip the songs I want --- go back trade the CDs back in. Yeah the resale trade-in isn't great -- but that $$ still can go towards another purchase ---- and $5 - $8 a CD is almost a fair price
The year - 1984 -- I was a freshly minted Electronics Technician - with a job earning money !! But still pretty broke -- came across a deal for a Franklin motherboard ( Apple II rip-off) --- I built a nice box out of pine (hinged lid !!) kluged a power supply together and we had our first family computer --- Amber screen and all. Damn thing lasted several years even had a modem going........
While ignorance in some areas of life is bliss --- its not so when it comes to your life and how you live it.
On a routine physical at age 48 I learned I had a rare blood cancer ( rate is about 3 - 5 people per million) and had I gone much longer without treatment I'd either be dead now or typing this in some strange way after surviving a massive stroke. There is no known cure for my disease.
Yeah learning about a genetic condition or cancer - etc. is a real buzz-kill --- but it allows you to start making choices for your life for the better and living your life more focused on whats important to you and your family.
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That was the status of HDMI at Intel's R+D center in Oregon - at least in '03 - 04 ... architects responsible for protocol / spec. work were luke-warm at best which also reflected senior managments intrest. While not directly involved ... I got a distinct "briar-patch" or "kitchen sink" impression of the project
From my point of view IBM is the Elephant in the room - and Elephants never forget - especially when they get screwed by a small up-start company called Microsoft over something called OS/2 ...
...
IBM has been rebuilding themselves - their services - and getting into Linux / Open Source ---- Meanwhile MS has closed the bunker doors and we all know where that leads to
A cult has a true focus of being - everything is driven by devotion to the leader.
.. oops uh Vista LONGER than most products even last one released. And the actual product is nothing more than XP with a flack-jacket and a new look. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY they are charging MORE for the same crap - we'll see how this works out
The pervasivness of MS/Windows is all about producing HW + SW that is "cheaper for the initial investment" and gets the job done more ore less. All of this goes back to the '90s when WinTel was a reality: I worked at Inel as a PC designer in those days and Intel saw the way to control the market was to first create and drive specs for every part of the PC to favor Intel parts and second to force parts manufacturers to compete and drive down cost for a cheaper PC. On the MS side they sucked up companies / technologies or crushed those who would stand in the way of a WinTel solution --- meaning cheap cheap cheap. The masses and IT managers sucked this up like sugar water. These mind-less addicts of cheap-shit over look the high cost of over-head in security SW, continous security problems, and maintenance at the desktop level.
By the time we got to XP the true WinTel alliance was badly fractured and dysfunctional - but in the days since both companies have taken distinctly differnet paths:
- Intel aggresively (ok slowly at first) embraced Linux and open source, courted Apple to bring them into the x86 flock, and is now working on user issues and user friendly boxes. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY keeping their trend of more technology at the same or lower price.
- MS went into bunker mentality and worked on Longhorn
I remember a story my dad told me (Air Force Sargent) - An Air Force meteorologist was briefing his new asssitant fresh out of school: "So after you finish looking at all the meteorlogical data and weather maps ... I want you to walk over and look outside before you issue the forecast"
...
Technology is your aide - not you master. Then again - maybe all these GPS "accidents" is a form of Skynet for dumb people
Science, Technology, Detroit will FUBAR this
We're on the verge of selling our two late model Hondas (both get good gas miliage) then buying a new Prius as our main vehicle and a well used import truck (4 cyl) as a secondary utility and camping rig. I buy American made when ever possible (like my Harley) - but the big 3 have shit-for-brains when it comes to delivering break-thru technology. Hell - even Nissan is licensing Toyota's hybrid technology for their hybrid offering.
This is absolutely the right step for our increasingly connected world - but the devil is in the details as usual.
... just doing "XP the right way" is not a path to success for Linux. The Linux industry is very nimble compared to Microsloth ... lets see what this baby can really do !
The desktop isn't dead but its damn stale - what I would envision is a bi-modal operation: if you have wired or wireless access your "desktop" seamlessly includes your "on-line" resources - applications - data files - links - IM buddies - etc. all integrated into your applications - disk volumes, When offline you would have what you have right now. Of course you would need a method to mark certian files as bi-modal so they would reside in a file cache and be available offline - the OS would handle file sync'ing etc. Or a thumb drive could be a file cache
On the flip side where the desktop is really dead (as in "Dead to You" ) --- I could see you carrying a USB thumb drive that launches a mini-linux session and then you connect to the "server in the sky" to access all your docs - email - applications - etc.
Both ideas are step in the right direction for Linux
First off .... That is not a real Pirate hat. Secondly Pirates DO NOT drink from Mr. GoodBar cups.
Any questions ??
She will win her suit - get her certificate - and finally be able to buy a real Pirate hat and goblet
Yeah I'm right there with you - 2100 high school students - 600 computers - and lets not forget 75 staff and about 100 teachers. I'm busy keeping the matrix running helping with special requests from teachers and the odd "lost" student project.
.... taking away social / gadget time is effective with less impact on actually being in class and learning.
All students and staff sign an Accepptable Use Agreement. Now I do have a problem with a 3 month suspension for fiddling with proxies - seems way outta line. For us suspension is the last resort - for most kids loss of privledges is effective: "lunch suspension" (having lunch in a classroom - no talking - no iPods - no phones) is phase one - next level is "Saturday School" where your parent must take you in and pick you up - Suspension from school events is another possibility - and lastly suspension.
Kids are (or seem to be) much more social - more connected - more gadgets
ANd helping kids to realize there are rules and realities is just one part of what schools needs to teach
to achieve less power consumption and more speed is the new-GHZ.
.....
Hmmm - I need to make that a bit more snappy
Bound to happen as we "out-source" some or all of engineering design work in the name of "globalization" (saving $$ for stock holders). Sharing digital CAD files is basically giving your overseas "partner" the keys to your technology and research. You signed contracts etc. ... BFD - be prepared to see all - or parts of your technology being used "globally"
The school district I work for is about 80% macs and 20% PCs (running XP) - total number of machines disctrict wide is about 6000. I've asked if I could set up a Linux server and some diskless work stations as a usage test case ... by the response you would think I asked to install an open wireless node in the schools cafeteria. On the other hand if I'd just announced that I'd just installed 35 PCs that would be no problem and everyone would assume they're up to date + antivirus + etc.
I could lock down that Linux box pretty tight etc. but Linux is not on their radar
This is GREAT !! Finally I can "off-load" all those old sit-com theme songs, latent memories from crappy college classes, and useless images from the evening news. Thus making free space for "potentially important" new crap while still having the old crap available in some neuro-implant. Hell - I'd be happy if they could just run something like GParted on my noggin and wipe the "Bushisms" and the Bush-Years ... what relief that would bring.
..." Warren Zevon - RIP
"The land of the brave and the home of the free - where the less you know the better off you'll be
Install lead shielding at home .....
From personal experience it looks like HP has hired Intel's "Crack" Marketing Department ...
..
Head up the ass or head in the ground = same result
I'll give this program about 6 months before "other options" are offered. If the printer is so damned efficeint than perhaps charge a bit more for the printer or cartridge as long as the net operating costs are nicely lower than other models / brands.
Next
Turbo memory ... WTF ?? I worked at this pop-stand (Intel) in R+D and and watched this technology (code named Boxcar at the time) be developed starting back around 2003 with the original idea being just what you see here - a local cache for the hard drive. However I have to say that Turbo memory is about the lamest freakin name ... marketing at Intel always was a total crap shoot now it appears to be a total crapper. And I have no idea who this Robinson character is or if this Turbo crap is his doing.
.. as an attempt to get a PC to have a quasi instant on capability. Interesting idea but the thought of MS creating a "mini" anything as far as software goes pretty much shot that idea all to hell
Many of us platform types wanted to drop 50 - 100MB of this stuff onto the main motherboard to provide space for an OS mini-boot loader
Not really - a million monkees blowing up a million stars could achieve the same result
Last week MS announced that OEMs would not be able to sell systems with XP by the end of the year (and I'm sure that MS is really pressuring OEMs to offer special deals on Vista systems). I'm sure this is part of a MS plan to "get Vista out there in numbers" - thus forcing software companies to port/patch products for Vista.
Of course that begs the question will MS patch Office 2004 etc. - the answer there is hell no. Which is understandable - I mean once you start patching a MS product where / when do you stop. The symbol for infinity is not part of any project planner I've used.
While I don't approve of these methods (nor do I support current DRM methods/programs) pirating of software or music/videos is WRONG. In the end you are not ripping off the wealthy CEO or rich mega-band - you're ripping off all the average Joe's who work at company xyz and whose comensation and jobs are impacted by loss of sales of products. But go ahead and keep telling yourself you're sticking it to the "big man".
I used to pirate as well - I then got a real engineering job and became aware of the true number of people it takes to crank out a product - from middle managers - engineers - techs - secretaries - all the way down to the guys / gals in shipping. Every product that you subvert by pirating is money that does not go to the company coffers to cover wages / healthcare of these average folks. That was the end of my pirate days (but I still like to talk like a pirate).
Technology and market pressures will force the RIAA to change eventually as well as software companies forced to price their products more realistically.
Some could argue that pirating adds pressure to make companies change - but thats just another arguement to mask the fact that you are sticking it to average folks. Besides there's enough pirating going on in Asia / China to perform that function - I don't need to get my hands dirty.
Go ahead and flame on - I've got a firewall
Boy sounds like moving to Vista (and wanting to run Windows apps) requires as much work as moving to Linux. All the work but no reward of getting a more advanced OS like Linux - sounds like a loose-loose situation. Looks like its time for more OT in the marketing Dept.
Like any "hobby" things can get out of control - however I do agree 100% that audiophiles / audio equipment / search for the "perfect sound" (or hearing the unhearable) is a ripe area for people to fool themselves into a unquenchable quest.
...
In the '40s thru the '60s building a decent stereo system took some knowledge, dollars, and desire. From the '70s on the development of the IC (integrated circuit) for both analog and the digital components brought more than decent sound to the masses. From the '90s on the addition of digital circuits/control for both filtering and sound enhancement / 3D effects has taken audiio to a new level --- again for the masses. So now for a modest amount of money $500 - $1000 you can buy an amazing system. And certainly a properly built PC can be the heart of an amazing sound system.
That is unless you are affected by Audiophile-collectus - also known as: "hearing the unhearable" / "mine cost more than yours" / "specification-itus". A relative of mine ( CIO of a large firm) has probably dropped about $50K on his system - the true over the top moment was when he bought his Watt-Puppy speakers (watt puppy price has gone up $4000 to $27990 USD per pair. The WATT/Puppy used to be a pricing bellwether under $20000, but it's now pushing $30000) http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/wilson_wp8/
They do sound good - but I can't give you a real review since he won't let play any ZZ Top on them at full volume
True - inner city blight can be a cause of sprawl as can poor urban/city planning. In Oregon we have strong urban growth rules and boundaries which force more efficient use of urban land. We also have laws that force affordable housing into new developments even if they are upscale developments. Without such requirements sprawl and clumping of poor people into areas (ghettos) is a natural outcome. Our down town area is having a resurgance in the "Pearl District" .... which was once a delapadated area of old warehouses and old buildings ---- now rebuilt into condos + loft apartments along with new shops and restaurants. The city is also tearing down old housing projects and replacing them with affordable (small) single family dwellings built around parks - schools - shops.
Such open housing areas (for poorer residents) are easier for police to patrol with fewer hiding places for bad guys and gangs.
And yes - strong urban growth rules are politically explosive and devisive - and yes sometimes errors are made - but in general: our sprawl is contained - our housing is affordable - we consistently are rated with a high level of livability (Linus Torvalds has a residence here).
Back at Intel in 1999 - 2001 we were working on a lot of Ease-of-Use issues (with Microsoft and the top OEMs) to fix the most common reasons "normal people" struggled with or caused returns of perfectly functional PCs. A large study by this group asked people a number of questions about usage - problems and .... interest in using a PC if it was easier to use .......... this study yielded the same results ---- about 30% of people see no use for a computer in their daily home life -- no interest -- no desire to have connectivity.
Personally I buy fewer than 4 new CDs a year - special releases etc. ------ I go to the used CD shops buy the used ones I want --- go home rip the songs I want --- go back trade the CDs back in. Yeah the resale trade-in isn't great -- but that $$ still can go towards another purchase ---- and $5 - $8 a CD is almost a fair price
The year - 1984 -- I was a freshly minted Electronics Technician - with a job earning money !! But still pretty broke -- came across a deal for a Franklin motherboard ( Apple II rip-off) --- I built a nice box out of pine (hinged lid !!) kluged a power supply together and we had our first family computer --- Amber screen and all. Damn thing lasted several years even had a modem going ........
.... its not just for bread boxes anymore !
Wood
While ignorance in some areas of life is bliss --- its not so when it comes to your life and how you live it.
:-/
On a routine physical at age 48 I learned I had a rare blood cancer ( rate is about 3 - 5 people per million) and had I gone much longer without treatment I'd either be dead now or typing this in some strange way after surviving a massive stroke. There is no known cure for my disease.
Yeah learning about a genetic condition or cancer - etc. is a real buzz-kill --- but it allows you to start making choices for your life for the better and living your life more focused on whats important to you and your family.
Remember - nobody gets out of here alive