The problem with your scenario is that buyers would have to front the $109,000 as opposed to spreading out the cost-of-ownership over several years, as most people currently do. Most people don't spend $100 a week on gas either. A secondary problem is that ANY model of car starts costing more than it is worth to maintain after several years. Not many people can justify the maintenance of a car after 10 years. Sure there are exceptions, but in this use-and-dispose society we live in today, it's just cheaper to sell your clunker and buy a new car every so often. It doesn't help that the major manufacturers don't actually make cars meant to last more than 10 years either.
In other news, the public will phase out Mercedes purchases by 2015.
Flamebait? Come on! This is the most insightful thing posted in this thread. If Mercedes wants to phase out gas-powered cars, good on them. However, since I haven't seen a valid alternative to gas yet, it is highly unlikely that any real alternative will be ready in 7 years. I'm a gear-head and racing fan and I could care less if the things run on gas, water, or magic. I'm just saying that setting goals should be set realistically enough to be met.
Marketing also deals with such things as appropriate pricing models... to find out the best way to market and sell something.
Wait...so how are marketing and sales on opposite ends of the spectrum if part of marketing's function is to figure out the best way to sell something? I'm not flaming, I'm just curious, because I liked your post. Just this part of it contradicts what you are claiming, and is literally why I have a problem separating marketing from sales.
Your sentiment is my number one complaint at the tech company I work for. Everyone assumes I'm a computer guru, developer type. You don't have to have a lick of technical skills to do most of the jobs in a tech company, as running a business is pretty universal to any industry. HR is HR. What technical skills are unique to HR in the tech industry?
That's not how it works. I'd direct your attention to Wal-mart, McDonalds and/or Microsoft as evidence. The "best" anything never sells the most. The secret is simply making stuff that doesn't suck too hard, and then convincing a bunch of bean-counters that their organization needs your 70% solution.
The only way to "try" and maintain your privacy is to NOT give away things like your name, e-mail address, phone numbers, etc. That still won't ensure privacy, as this article proves, but you don't need to make it any easier for them. Given most of you aren't willing to go to the extremes required to maintain your privacy yourselves, you should just expect your privacy to be violated. How many of you screaming "privacy!" right now have unlisted phone numbers, for example?
"BS" is a bit harsh. I didn't say texting didn't serve a purpose (football scores). More importantly, I was defending the old guy who was called a luddite for no reason other than a general disdain for texting--a commonly held view in our circles. What's next, us old guys are luddites because we don't have a MySpace page? (Disclaimer: I have myspace, facebook and linkedin accounts and text maybe 20 times a year, mostly during football season).
Being anti-texting is not the same thing as being a luddite. Texting is backwards technology that is only popular because angsty teens lack enough social skills to actually talk to another human. A secondary validation of texting's existence is that some countries I've lived in, such as the UK, (they say) it is actually CHEAPER to text than use your voice minutes. In the States, that is a non-issue since I get more voice minutes than I can ever use for a reasonable flat-fee.
A major flaw in your logic is that you don't include any overhead costs related to employing people to run these networks. Then there's always the fact that superfluous, trendy communication devices will always be grossly over-priced because people continue to pay for it, regardless.
Yeah, I've noticed I need to work on my communication a bit, because I keep getting modded troll for otherwise light-hearted or (as in this case) inexplicable reasons. Maybe it was because I stereotyped slashdot users as being non-creative types? Or maybe it was because I took what can be construed as a subtle dig at the open source crowd? I'd sure like to know, so I can stop being a troll;-)
These wiretaps will then feed into automatic data formatting transcriptions of all data of whatever form (on phones and Internet) about anything that is said and done. Then the formatted transcriptions will feed into automatic profiling systems to work out overall types of views on subjects. Then anyone expressing any views of any political or other ideologically different opinions will be automatically placed on watch lists. Then anything the governments want to do, will be able to refer to the watch lists, to workout what sort of person they are dealing with.
Two words: Pipe Dream
We can't even get decent quality voice recognition software IN FREAKIN' ENGLISH, let alone all the other languages we Americans speak. We aren't nearly as interesting as we think we are, and the government has limited resources when it comes to collecting and processing communications. There simply will NEVER be enough time and manpower (even computer automated) to process the billions of lines of text that pass the airwaves every day. We'd be lucky to collect and process even 5% of ONE major US city's private citizens' communications.
That is interesting. I was simply stating that in my field (developing training that simulates the software being used), Flash is pretty much the only option, short of a full-scale install of the real software, which most clients won't/can't do. It has to be deliverable over the net (on Windows or Mac OSX, any browser..since that covers 99% of our users), it has to be interactive, and most of all, it has to work with a learning management system. That rapid e-learning stuff doesn't cut it here. Also, I am pretty agnostic towards disabled users, since I do military work, and they are pretty much exempt from 508 compliance.
That's odd...my $250,000 mortgage at 5.5% is $2000 a month (not in LA). How do you figure you can get $400,000 for the same payment? Are you forgetting to add property taxes?
I'm an Instructional Designer and it is not the same thing as Education Technologist (although I've done that too out of need). A designer has to be skilled in curriculum and needs very few computer skills. It usually requires a Masters in Education.
An Ed Tech is in charge of implementing technology solutions in schools, picking out hardware/software, and managing the budget for that sort of stuff. Whiteboards, overhead projectors, USB cameras...all of it (not just computers). It's almost a sub-set of Library Sciences. Another huge time eater is training faculty how to use computers and software solutions. You'll also be setting up the kiddies e-mail accounts and the such (unless you work in a big school with an actual IT department). It is good to know a lot about computers/computing in general, but more important to have good research skills and business savvy. Most of the time you'll be trying to justify your purchase suggestions to somebody who knows less than you and someone who won't want to give you any money to do it.
In short, it takes more education to be an Instructional Designer, but more technical savvy to be an Ed Tech. I'm kind of in both worlds, as my degree is MAEd in Computer Education--straddling both curriculum and educational technology realms.
Delivering software simulations for educational purposes is done pretty much 100% in Flash. Used well, Flash is not as bad as your typical slashdotter thinks. I get the complaints against it, but sometimes I feel those non-creative types on here just don't get the usefulness of the tool. What's next? Photoshop is a steamy pile of crap because it isn't open source and has no competition?
Well then I apologize. I was only responding with a snarky comment because the only way somebody who actually DID own a Mac could say it doesn't come with instructions on how to install RAM would be if they were maliciously LYING about it, for whatever insecure reason. Additionally, he went out of his way to CLAIM that the only instructions say you have to go to an Apple store, which means he is not only mistaken or just wrong, he's lying about it.
Slashdot Mirror
Factor in the gas costs and savings over time.
52 weeks * $100 * 10 years = $52K. $109-52 = $57k.
The problem with your scenario is that buyers would have to front the $109,000 as opposed to spreading out the cost-of-ownership over several years, as most people currently do. Most people don't spend $100 a week on gas either. A secondary problem is that ANY model of car starts costing more than it is worth to maintain after several years. Not many people can justify the maintenance of a car after 10 years. Sure there are exceptions, but in this use-and-dispose society we live in today, it's just cheaper to sell your clunker and buy a new car every so often. It doesn't help that the major manufacturers don't actually make cars meant to last more than 10 years either.
In other news, the public will phase out Mercedes purchases by 2015.
Flamebait? Come on! This is the most insightful thing posted in this thread. If Mercedes wants to phase out gas-powered cars, good on them. However, since I haven't seen a valid alternative to gas yet, it is highly unlikely that any real alternative will be ready in 7 years. I'm a gear-head and racing fan and I could care less if the things run on gas, water, or magic. I'm just saying that setting goals should be set realistically enough to be met.
Not only has it not been around for 20 years (I don't think), it also isn't very relevant in most tech jobs
I'll bite. Am I missing the joke somewhere?
Marketing also deals with such things as appropriate pricing models ... to find out the best way to market and sell something.
Wait...so how are marketing and sales on opposite ends of the spectrum if part of marketing's function is to figure out the best way to sell something? I'm not flaming, I'm just curious, because I liked your post. Just this part of it contradicts what you are claiming, and is literally why I have a problem separating marketing from sales.
Your sentiment is my number one complaint at the tech company I work for. Everyone assumes I'm a computer guru, developer type. You don't have to have a lick of technical skills to do most of the jobs in a tech company, as running a business is pretty universal to any industry. HR is HR. What technical skills are unique to HR in the tech industry?
That's not how it works. I'd direct your attention to Wal-mart, McDonalds and/or Microsoft as evidence. The "best" anything never sells the most. The secret is simply making stuff that doesn't suck too hard, and then convincing a bunch of bean-counters that their organization needs your 70% solution.
I shudder at the thought of letting any of our "technical people" anywhere near prospective customers...
The only way to "try" and maintain your privacy is to NOT give away things like your name, e-mail address, phone numbers, etc. That still won't ensure privacy, as this article proves, but you don't need to make it any easier for them. Given most of you aren't willing to go to the extremes required to maintain your privacy yourselves, you should just expect your privacy to be violated. How many of you screaming "privacy!" right now have unlisted phone numbers, for example?
I'm still waiting for the oil to run out like my third grade teacher in 1975 promised would happen by the year 1990.
"BS" is a bit harsh. I didn't say texting didn't serve a purpose (football scores). More importantly, I was defending the old guy who was called a luddite for no reason other than a general disdain for texting--a commonly held view in our circles. What's next, us old guys are luddites because we don't have a MySpace page? (Disclaimer: I have myspace, facebook and linkedin accounts and text maybe 20 times a year, mostly during football season).
Being anti-texting is not the same thing as being a luddite. Texting is backwards technology that is only popular because angsty teens lack enough social skills to actually talk to another human. A secondary validation of texting's existence is that some countries I've lived in, such as the UK, (they say) it is actually CHEAPER to text than use your voice minutes. In the States, that is a non-issue since I get more voice minutes than I can ever use for a reasonable flat-fee.
A major flaw in your logic is that you don't include any overhead costs related to employing people to run these networks. Then there's always the fact that superfluous, trendy communication devices will always be grossly over-priced because people continue to pay for it, regardless.
Yes. I pay about $500/month in property taxes. Travis County Texas (Austin). $6000 a year on $300k is about right. We have no income tax though.
Yeah, I've noticed I need to work on my communication a bit, because I keep getting modded troll for otherwise light-hearted or (as in this case) inexplicable reasons. Maybe it was because I stereotyped slashdot users as being non-creative types? Or maybe it was because I took what can be construed as a subtle dig at the open source crowd? I'd sure like to know, so I can stop being a troll ;-)
Connection? Old-white-guys-running-powerful-country-type-connection maybe?
These wiretaps will then feed into automatic data formatting transcriptions of all data of whatever form (on phones and Internet) about anything that is said and done. Then the formatted transcriptions will feed into automatic profiling systems to work out overall types of views on subjects. Then anyone expressing any views of any political or other ideologically different opinions will be automatically placed on watch lists. Then anything the governments want to do, will be able to refer to the watch lists, to workout what sort of person they are dealing with.
Two words: Pipe Dream
We can't even get decent quality voice recognition software IN FREAKIN' ENGLISH, let alone all the other languages we Americans speak. We aren't nearly as interesting as we think we are, and the government has limited resources when it comes to collecting and processing communications. There simply will NEVER be enough time and manpower (even computer automated) to process the billions of lines of text that pass the airwaves every day. We'd be lucky to collect and process even 5% of ONE major US city's private citizens' communications.
That is interesting. I was simply stating that in my field (developing training that simulates the software being used), Flash is pretty much the only option, short of a full-scale install of the real software, which most clients won't/can't do. It has to be deliverable over the net (on Windows or Mac OSX, any browser..since that covers 99% of our users), it has to be interactive, and most of all, it has to work with a learning management system. That rapid e-learning stuff doesn't cut it here. Also, I am pretty agnostic towards disabled users, since I do military work, and they are pretty much exempt from 508 compliance.
That's odd...my $250,000 mortgage at 5.5% is $2000 a month (not in LA). How do you figure you can get $400,000 for the same payment? Are you forgetting to add property taxes?
I hate to break it to you, but most 18-22 year-olds really don't have a clue what they want to do when they grow up.
I forgot to add... Ed techs make about what teachers make and Curriculum Specialists easily can make TWICE as much (but don't get summer off).
"Technical Communications" is good too if you can write.
An Ed Tech is in charge of implementing technology solutions in schools, picking out hardware/software, and managing the budget for that sort of stuff. Whiteboards, overhead projectors, USB cameras...all of it (not just computers). It's almost a sub-set of Library Sciences. Another huge time eater is training faculty how to use computers and software solutions. You'll also be setting up the kiddies e-mail accounts and the such (unless you work in a big school with an actual IT department). It is good to know a lot about computers/computing in general, but more important to have good research skills and business savvy. Most of the time you'll be trying to justify your purchase suggestions to somebody who knows less than you and someone who won't want to give you any money to do it.
In short, it takes more education to be an Instructional Designer, but more technical savvy to be an Ed Tech. I'm kind of in both worlds, as my degree is MAEd in Computer Education--straddling both curriculum and educational technology realms.
Delivering software simulations for educational purposes is done pretty much 100% in Flash. Used well, Flash is not as bad as your typical slashdotter thinks. I get the complaints against it, but sometimes I feel those non-creative types on here just don't get the usefulness of the tool. What's next? Photoshop is a steamy pile of crap because it isn't open source and has no competition?
Well then I apologize. I was only responding with a snarky comment because the only way somebody who actually DID own a Mac could say it doesn't come with instructions on how to install RAM would be if they were maliciously LYING about it, for whatever insecure reason. Additionally, he went out of his way to CLAIM that the only instructions say you have to go to an Apple store, which means he is not only mistaken or just wrong, he's lying about it.