J. Edgar Hoover wanted this, actually national ID cards with fingerprints. I'm sure he'd be thinking DNA and RFID today. Back then, people railed at the idea of a Social Security number. That was why the government promised that it would remain confidential and only be used for SS benefits. LOL
A friend of mine, who long ago worked for Thinking Machines, explained the weakness, "It is all about maintaining state." A stateless AI is far easier than a stateful one. Once the machine has to retain state, the algorithms become logarithmically more complex. Therefore, the way to test a bot is to say something like, "Remember this phrase, 'pink elephant'. I'm going to ask you after we have talked a while.." Then have several exchanges and ask, "What was that animal I told you to remember?" Most humans (except Alzheimer patients) will have no trouble with it, but the machine will fail. It they add a piece of logic to catch obvious clues like this, then a slight mod such as "have you ever seen a pink elephant? . . . what animal was I talking about?" will usually defeat it.
Humans are actually very poor at remembering. Try to recall the color of the last Volkswagen you passed on the street. However, we have developed a natural ability to prioritize our memories based on context and our personal & social needs. We tend to remember most of what turns out to be relevant. Until AI develops a means to judge context, it will suffer the weakness of being out of touch with our reality.
There's a fragrance in the air
You can smell it everywhere
Propaganda, propaganda
It flows through like a breeze
Boils your blood but never sneeze
Propaganda, propaganda
When the 60's were in bloom
The smell filled every classroom
Propaganda, propaganda
Then you'd see it on TV
Now they monitor your screen
Propaganda, propaganda
As their odors fill the air
Most people do not care
Propaganda, propaganda
Today's/. reports are bad
That makes everybody sad
Propaganda, propaganda
Seems the mood is turning blue
There is nothing you can do
About propaganda
One year ago, see http://slashdot.org/submission/1533832/microsoft-buys-rim-in-q4-for-39b , I wrongfully predicted that Microsoft would buy RIM in Q4 2011. Even though there were rumors in Q4, they were nothing more. However, my much greater mistake was the price, $39 billion. I could hardly have been farther off.
I thought this because RIM had the best integration with Exchange (better than Windows Phone7), and I could not see a future for RIM as an independent company. Well, Steve Balmer made his second best decision as CEO not to buy when they were high (Yahoo was his best no-buy decision). Now he could pick up both for lunch money (they eat well in Redmond).
RIM's latest vapourware presentation with a vague rejoinder about a phone in the fall (fall ends on December 21st) seems like a desperate marketing event. Once again, apologies about the prediction. This time, I predict that RIM will recover and gain market share, becoming handsomely profitable for years to come. Of course, given my last prediction, you might find now the time to take out a payday loan and short their stock.
. . . but before there were organized sports, people had to deal with certain personal matters. They also had to physically interact. As one once said, "I don't eat where I shit." Of course, you might argue that, "One hand washes the other." That is true, but every shithole did not come with Purel, a bidet, or even water. There are other practical reasons for using one hand for one thing and the other for something else.
Frankly, I doubt if being left-handed or right-handed is genetic. Perhaps it is hereditary in the sense that you learn from birth based on how others use their hands, and it would be easy to use such behavior to perpetuate a trend. For example, everyone born in a Mandarin-speaking village begins to speak Mandarin without any formal training. Or most people use their hands to eat instead of their feet, which anyone born without hands can tell you is quite doable.
As others have pointed out, society can use commonalities to its advantage, which would re-enforce such trends.
If it can be done, then someone will do it. If not the Republicans, then the Democrats. If neither, then the Russians, Chinese, Israelis, Brazilians, Germans, Iranians, or Japanese. The point is that when opportunity knocks, someone will answer. Usually, that someone will then have the advantage. Case in point, we got the nuke first, and we used it. As soon as someone else had it, we started talking about nuclear disarmament. There you go.
On good thing about the NSA collecting all the emails, phone calls, SMS, etc -- the best place to hide is in the largest crowd.
It is good to discover that you may be living a lie. Three reasons:
First, facts change. How many of you were taught that 'Christopher Columbus discovered America'? Or that 'matter could not be created or destroyed' (really old farts, eh)? Kids need to know that facts are not absolutes.
Second, authorities are imperfect. Kids need the 411 that all those they rely upon are flawed and will often misjudge them. Too many kids grow up to rely on their society like an infallible support system. This is not only unhealthy but self-defeating. Kids should question authority, and the best way is to question their 'facts'.
Third and most importantly, wrong is relative. The English once thought the America was wrong for revolting, but we saw it as being right. Some people think that water freezes at 32 degrees, where others (most of the world) think that 32 degrees is pretty damn warm. Tests only test what the testers intend, and often not very well. Kids should learn not to be afraid to be told they are wrong. It is merely a challenge to learn more and make some bogus teacher look like an idiot, the true goal of an American education.
It smells sweet, looks beautiful, and floats effortlessly, too. Bounteously round and enticingly transparent, it seems to be the perfect investment vehicle. That means many people will follow it mindlessly and pour billions in until the bubble bursts into flames and crashes. God Bless America!
. . . until it does. No one with a vested stake can afford to speak the unspeakable of the greatest boon to the networking industry in the 21st century. This is the goose that is laying golden eggs, and the entire industry is cashing in on it. Before it is over, the bulk of all data will have shifted to the cloud at a cost of over a trillion dollars. The only people who can speak ill of this are those who have not learned to profit from it. Someday, there will be a great business in getting everyone out of the cloud. The marketing slogans can be easily predicted, "Get you head out the clouds and data out of the storm . . . don't let lightning strike . . . why is your precious corporate information floating away in the cloud?" Until then, everybody rides the train.
Of course, it may eventually fail in a spectacular way, but it will weather the occasional failure (see Amazon's). Then again, California will have a 9.x earthquake someday, too. However, you make notice that the land values correlate closely to the major fault zones, too. Ironic, but such is life.
Someday, the system may have the power to force absolute conformity upon all its people. Of course, this results in civil harmony but ends innovation and adaptation, which exhausts civilization, which ends humanity. Earth returns to its 'natural' state until the sun goes supernova and incinerates the planet. And now for the bad news . . .
If workers were extremely efficient, then employers would need fewer of them. You might reply that employers could use the efficiency to grow faster and use more workers. However, you assume that the managers would be as proficient at managing complexity (a larger organization) as the employees were at working. That is another tread and a far more unreachable goal.
Privacy has been gradually disappearing since civilization began. It will continue, obviously, as technology makes surveillance ubiquitous. The issue is not the privacy of the surveyed but the privacy of the surveyor. If anyone can see who is seeing them, then privacy becomes bilateral and, perhaps, mute. Of course, it will not happen suddenly. However, old age, death, and new life have a way of introducing acceptance of change.
On the other hand, if you feel that 'big brother' is silently watching your every move, then you must have a huge ego.
Slashdot Mirror
A smartphone with a REALLY big screen -- http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/05/80-inch-windows-8-tablets/ . Steve Ballmer thought of it. They are going to release a line of clothing that will allow you to carry it, too - http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/hulc.html .
Google Apps for business is free for up to 10 people. See https://www.google.com/a/cpanel/standard/new3?hl=en&source=gafb-pricing-tabletop-en . You don't get an SLA, but when was the last time you tried to get an SLA enforced?
J. Edgar Hoover wanted this, actually national ID cards with fingerprints. I'm sure he'd be thinking DNA and RFID today. Back then, people railed at the idea of a Social Security number. That was why the government promised that it would remain confidential and only be used for SS benefits. LOL
A friend of mine, who long ago worked for Thinking Machines, explained the weakness, "It is all about maintaining state." A stateless AI is far easier than a stateful one. Once the machine has to retain state, the algorithms become logarithmically more complex. Therefore, the way to test a bot is to say something like, "Remember this phrase, 'pink elephant'. I'm going to ask you after we have talked a while.." Then have several exchanges and ask, "What was that animal I told you to remember?" Most humans (except Alzheimer patients) will have no trouble with it, but the machine will fail. It they add a piece of logic to catch obvious clues like this, then a slight mod such as "have you ever seen a pink elephant? . . . what animal was I talking about?" will usually defeat it.
Humans are actually very poor at remembering. Try to recall the color of the last Volkswagen you passed on the street. However, we have developed a natural ability to prioritize our memories based on context and our personal & social needs. We tend to remember most of what turns out to be relevant. Until AI develops a means to judge context, it will suffer the weakness of being out of touch with our reality.
The published IEEE standard is only for paid subscription.
There's a fragrance in the air /. reports are bad
You can smell it everywhere
Propaganda, propaganda
It flows through like a breeze
Boils your blood but never sneeze
Propaganda, propaganda
When the 60's were in bloom
The smell filled every classroom
Propaganda, propaganda
Then you'd see it on TV
Now they monitor your screen
Propaganda, propaganda
As their odors fill the air
Most people do not care
Propaganda, propaganda
Today's
That makes everybody sad
Propaganda, propaganda
Seems the mood is turning blue
There is nothing you can do
About propaganda
One year ago, see http://slashdot.org/submission/1533832/microsoft-buys-rim-in-q4-for-39b , I wrongfully predicted that Microsoft would buy RIM in Q4 2011. Even though there were rumors in Q4, they were nothing more. However, my much greater mistake was the price, $39 billion. I could hardly have been farther off.
I thought this because RIM had the best integration with Exchange (better than Windows Phone7), and I could not see a future for RIM as an independent company. Well, Steve Balmer made his second best decision as CEO not to buy when they were high (Yahoo was his best no-buy decision). Now he could pick up both for lunch money (they eat well in Redmond).
RIM's latest vapourware presentation with a vague rejoinder about a phone in the fall (fall ends on December 21st) seems like a desperate marketing event. Once again, apologies about the prediction. This time, I predict that RIM will recover and gain market share, becoming handsomely profitable for years to come. Of course, given my last prediction, you might find now the time to take out a payday loan and short their stock.
. . . but before there were organized sports, people had to deal with certain personal matters. They also had to physically interact. As one once said, "I don't eat where I shit." Of course, you might argue that, "One hand washes the other." That is true, but every shithole did not come with Purel, a bidet, or even water. There are other practical reasons for using one hand for one thing and the other for something else.
Frankly, I doubt if being left-handed or right-handed is genetic. Perhaps it is hereditary in the sense that you learn from birth based on how others use their hands, and it would be easy to use such behavior to perpetuate a trend. For example, everyone born in a Mandarin-speaking village begins to speak Mandarin without any formal training. Or most people use their hands to eat instead of their feet, which anyone born without hands can tell you is quite doable.
As others have pointed out, society can use commonalities to its advantage, which would re-enforce such trends.
BTW, I typed this with both hands.
'100X' is blog-talk for 0100, 0o04, 4, or 0x04.
If it can be done, then someone will do it. If not the Republicans, then the Democrats. If neither, then the Russians, Chinese, Israelis, Brazilians, Germans, Iranians, or Japanese. The point is that when opportunity knocks, someone will answer. Usually, that someone will then have the advantage. Case in point, we got the nuke first, and we used it. As soon as someone else had it, we started talking about nuclear disarmament. There you go.
On good thing about the NSA collecting all the emails, phone calls, SMS, etc -- the best place to hide is in the largest crowd.
It is good to discover that you may be living a lie. Three reasons:
First, facts change. How many of you were taught that 'Christopher Columbus discovered America'? Or that 'matter could not be created or destroyed' (really old farts, eh)? Kids need to know that facts are not absolutes.
Second, authorities are imperfect. Kids need the 411 that all those they rely upon are flawed and will often misjudge them. Too many kids grow up to rely on their society like an infallible support system. This is not only unhealthy but self-defeating. Kids should question authority, and the best way is to question their 'facts'.
Third and most importantly, wrong is relative. The English once thought the America was wrong for revolting, but we saw it as being right. Some people think that water freezes at 32 degrees, where others (most of the world) think that 32 degrees is pretty damn warm. Tests only test what the testers intend, and often not very well. Kids should learn not to be afraid to be told they are wrong. It is merely a challenge to learn more and make some bogus teacher look like an idiot, the true goal of an American education.
(1) sex
(2) oil
(3) lower taxes
(4) god
(5) fighting terrorism
No accompanying explanations, rational arguments will only blunt the force of these compelling interests.
Yes, they have Words with Friends, too, but all the words are redacted.
Laws of Physics were declared unconstitutional by their state supreme court, along with evolution.
Mat, ". . . I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown."
He does have quite the imagination.
I want frys with that, too.
This one has to get behind the 12/21/2012 doomsday prediction - http://www.livescience.com/14184-21-doomsday-predictions-apocalypse.html - and the other Armageddon predictions, e.g., http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/articles/id/spiritualresearch/spiritualscience/armageddon . How can we have an economic disaster after the Earth has been nuked, fried by solar flares, invaded by aliens, and repossessed by god? But wait, there's more -- http://www.bible.ca/pre-date-setters.htm .
I predict that the world will end on the day everyone agrees that it will never end. It is based on a corollary of Murphy's Law.
It smells sweet, looks beautiful, and floats effortlessly, too. Bounteously round and enticingly transparent, it seems to be the perfect investment vehicle. That means many people will follow it mindlessly and pour billions in until the bubble bursts into flames and crashes. God Bless America!
. . . until it does. No one with a vested stake can afford to speak the unspeakable of the greatest boon to the networking industry in the 21st century. This is the goose that is laying golden eggs, and the entire industry is cashing in on it. Before it is over, the bulk of all data will have shifted to the cloud at a cost of over a trillion dollars. The only people who can speak ill of this are those who have not learned to profit from it. Someday, there will be a great business in getting everyone out of the cloud. The marketing slogans can be easily predicted, "Get you head out the clouds and data out of the storm . . . don't let lightning strike . . . why is your precious corporate information floating away in the cloud?" Until then, everybody rides the train.
Of course, it may eventually fail in a spectacular way, but it will weather the occasional failure (see Amazon's). Then again, California will have a 9.x earthquake someday, too. However, you make notice that the land values correlate closely to the major fault zones, too. Ironic, but such is life.
Someday, the system may have the power to force absolute conformity upon all its people. Of course, this results in civil harmony but ends innovation and adaptation, which exhausts civilization, which ends humanity. Earth returns to its 'natural' state until the sun goes supernova and incinerates the planet. And now for the bad news . . .
If workers were extremely efficient, then employers would need fewer of them. You might reply that employers could use the efficiency to grow faster and use more workers. However, you assume that the managers would be as proficient at managing complexity (a larger organization) as the employees were at working. That is another tread and a far more unreachable goal.
Privacy has been gradually disappearing since civilization began. It will continue, obviously, as technology makes surveillance ubiquitous. The issue is not the privacy of the surveyed but the privacy of the surveyor. If anyone can see who is seeing them, then privacy becomes bilateral and, perhaps, mute. Of course, it will not happen suddenly. However, old age, death, and new life have a way of introducing acceptance of change.
On the other hand, if you feel that 'big brother' is silently watching your every move, then you must have a huge ego.
There is no limit to the clever ways we invent to destroy ourselves.
. . . then join Anonymous. The corporate world may not be for you.
. . . and upgrade it any way you like. That's what all /.rs do, right?