SGI is the market leader in high performance graphics.
Someone makes cool 3d video game with a VGA.
SGI laughs, continues selling workstations for $10k.
Someone releases a commodity 3d graphics card.
SGI laughs, continues selling workstations for $10k.
Someone releases a fast commodity 3d graphics card.
SGI laughs, but to placate the market, throws half-hearted PC graphics effort over the wall (Fahrenheit, x86 workstations, etc.) Effort is severely overpriced due to SGI's existing value network/cost structures. No one buys it.
SGI thinks little of it, decides to let the commodity vendors have their razor thin margins, they're doing them a favor by leaving all of the fat deals to them, right?
Commodity 3d graphics vendor offers lucrative deal to SGI top talent.
SGI top talent, looking for new and exciting and more money jump ship.
SGI, instead of getting the message, continues to focus on moving up-market and ignoring commodity markets.
Commodity graphics grows into a dozens of billions of dollar market.
Granted, the system as a whole looks slick, and Jobs said he was keeping some new features "top secret" to stop Microsoft from copying them.
Any one of these super top secret features will be copied into a Linux distribution within hours, if it's any good. Microsoft can just as easily do the same.
So saying it's being kept "top secret" is just insulting the audience's intelligence.
I wondered if Jobs, who was treated for cancer last year, was sick. Was he sharing presentation duties to save energy? When I saw Jobs introducing the iPod Hi-Fi at Apple's headquarters in late February, about five months ago, it looked to me like he was tiring quickly and was glad to get it over.
Gosh, I wonder if his fight with cancer has anything to do with him feeling sick.
On the other hand, if he effectively counter sues for defamation of character and/or some other damages done to him by their abusive litigation practices and sets a precedent for others it could open some doors.
How do you even begin to quantify the damage done to his reputation? He's got Meet the Fockers on DVD! And now the whole world knows about it!
Whistleblowers go to the authorities (police, management, congress, etc).
Leakers go to the media.
Imagine if "Bin Laden determined to strike in the U.S." went to the media instead of the authorities. Maybe the FBI, CIA, NSA, INS, local police, etc. would've heard about it.
(Corollary: this kind of secrecy protects incompetence/corruption more than it protects security.)
The article does quote one 10-year-old boy who plays with Sims, and has learned valuable life lessons. "I learned don't leave your baby crying or people will come take your baby away."
Subjecting one's offspring to unspeakable torture is every American's GOD GIVEN RIGHT.
Would this move Java up the desirability scale in your eyes? Could this be a way to help improve what's lacking in Java?
Gee, I used to sit around and wait for Sun to make Java suck less. That was until Microsoft came from left field with C# and addressed every issue I had with Java.
(But seriously, guys, what's the problem with commercializing Python?)
There are a lot of elements in a successful software product that have little to do with code. In addition to the programmers, you have system administrators, testers, designers, biz development and/or sales, marketers, project managers, copy writers, assistants, etc.
The free software process has the programmer part pretty well handled, but is naturally lousy at everything else. Namely, because that stuff is boring, costs money, or just isn't something any normal person does for free.
Naturally, its biggest market will be other technical types. Going from free software project to shrinkwrap generally usable software product is a much taller order.
3/4 of the people will argue about their misunderstanding of the problems involved, the other won't even know what the problems are but think they do. The very few people who actually do understand the problems and the underlying issues will eventually stop trying to explain what the real issue is.
"Any scientist who cannot explain to an eight-year-old what he is doing is a charlatan" --Kurt Vonnegut in Cat's Cradle
Many people are totally ditching their landlines in favor of VoIP over cable broadband. Dialtone is such a commodity now it fills me with glee. No doubt this is troubling to the bells, so they decide to fight back against the cable offerings by running TV over their copper.
This can only lead to more commoditized TV, which can only mean one day we'll be downloading/streaming your shows from web sites on our own schedule.
Telco and cable company at each other's throats? I can hardly wait.
Most computer software requires nothing more than simple arithmetic.
There are exceptions such as in finance and 3d graphics, but come on.
This mentality is really annoying. The math office in my high school wouldn't let me take the C++ class because I had not taken the requisite Calculus class first. Even though I was writing C++ code in my part time job! (Out of spite, I'll mention that I took the state C++ AP test and went on to score the highest in New York. Take THAT Mrs. Lechner!)
from a counter-terrorism perspective. There's just no reliable algorithm that can predict if someone is going to be a terrorist based on their actions without generating a million false positives in the process.
Any qualified security expert will tell you as much.
On the other hand, the fair market value of access to this data is enormous. You could use it to blackmail political opponents, discredit naysayers, get insider information on a transaction.
Maybe Gates is more down to earth than we'd thought?
The "self-made billionaire" types usually kick it average joe style so that they can stay in touch with their customer's sensibilities.
I heard a story about Ross Perot when he got involved with GM. Normally, high level executives can get their cars serviced through a premium service station that has parts flown in same day on private jets. Ross insisted on using the normal service stations that regular customers had to deal with so he could get a better idea of company performance. This and similar antics drove the board to buy him out.
Since they were his own assets, I'm pretty sure it's more than gauche. Technically, do they not fall to whomever he has them willed to?
In most jurisdictions, shares are inherited by next of kin. If you're running a tightly knit technology company, you may decide that in the event of your death, your partners shouldn't be subjected to the whims of your computer illiterate wife or your third uncle fifth removed. Trouble is, you cannot will these shares away to someone else without your next of kin's consent. At least usually, where the spouse is concerned.
There are plenty of inelegant ways of discussing how your dead partner's wife might make you miserable. Probably not something the dying partner should ever have to hear. But it's still a legitimate business concern.
Acupuncture is based on flow of chi. And your science mind should recognize that acupuncture isn't quite bullshit. (See the wikipedia article)
Chi may have its origins in barbaric nerve-tampering experiments made possible by a scientifically minded dictator and an army of disposable slaves. The direct results of the experiment would appear lost to time, but concepts developed as a result seem to be with us today.
They couldn't see the nerves so they simply called it flow of chi. Same cause and effect, different explanation.
Martial arts are a good substitute for religion: the insane fairy tale bullshit about creator of the universe you know is false is simply replaced with mind/spirit over body harmony fairy tale bullshit.
To pull something out of my ass that I think makes sense and might even be true; while there's no lack of spiritualism in eastern martial arts, the idea is a lot different from spiritualism as we westerners know it. The idea of perfect discipline demands concentration, focus, and commitment. It is impossible to reach perfection (which is a known contradiction because it is unreachable) unless you are thinking of your goal every second of the day. This controls how you eat, how you behave, trying to hold the T position when anyone else would be on the couch watching TV. Or doing situps while you're watching TV. Or seeing a thin brick fence and wondering if it would be a good way to improve your balance. Or finding a slab of concrete and wondering just how you'd have to hit it to break it. Or riding in an elevator with others and imagining how you'd defend yourself if they all attacked you.
You have to have the dedication of an addict, the focus of an athelete, and the creativity of an artist, all in pursuit of honing your ability to produce deadly violence as a means of self-defense.
To put a spin on it, sport plus philosophy plus art. Not quite religion, but maybe better. It's a healthy three in one package to satisfy the emptiness of life, and you don't even have to believe in mythology!;)
Slashdot Mirror
Why didn't SGI file this lawsuit years ago, then?
This is a hail mary, they have nothing to lose now.
SGI is the market leader in high performance graphics.
Someone makes cool 3d video game with a VGA.
SGI laughs, continues selling workstations for $10k.
Someone releases a commodity 3d graphics card.
SGI laughs, continues selling workstations for $10k.
Someone releases a fast commodity 3d graphics card.
SGI laughs, but to placate the market, throws half-hearted PC graphics effort over the wall (Fahrenheit, x86 workstations, etc.) Effort is severely overpriced due to SGI's existing value network/cost structures. No one buys it.
SGI thinks little of it, decides to let the commodity vendors have their razor thin margins, they're doing them a favor by leaving all of the fat deals to them, right?
Commodity 3d graphics vendor offers lucrative deal to SGI top talent.
SGI top talent, looking for new and exciting and more money jump ship.
SGI, instead of getting the message, continues to focus on moving up-market and ignoring commodity markets.
Commodity graphics grows into a dozens of billions of dollar market.
SGI participates in none of it. Dies instead.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
It's only a matter of time before someone gets their hands on the SSN:name database and posts it for all to see.
What the fuck happens then?
I hope so.
Still here and still living in mom's basement.
Granted, the system as a whole looks slick, and Jobs said he was keeping some new features "top secret" to stop Microsoft from copying them.
Any one of these super top secret features will be copied into a Linux distribution within hours, if it's any good. Microsoft can just as easily do the same.
So saying it's being kept "top secret" is just insulting the audience's intelligence.
I wondered if Jobs, who was treated for cancer last year, was sick. Was he sharing presentation duties to save energy? When I saw Jobs introducing the iPod Hi-Fi at Apple's headquarters in late February, about five months ago, it looked to me like he was tiring quickly and was glad to get it over.
Gosh, I wonder if his fight with cancer has anything to do with him feeling sick.
Way to ignore pertinent facts to make a story.
On the other hand, if he effectively counter sues for defamation of character and/or some other damages done to him by their abusive litigation practices and sets a precedent for others it could open some doors.
How do you even begin to quantify the damage done to his reputation? He's got Meet the Fockers on DVD! And now the whole world knows about it!
We too have suffered and will continue to suffer substantial damages due to Hibernate.
Whistleblowers go to the authorities (police, management, congress, etc).
Leakers go to the media.
Imagine if "Bin Laden determined to strike in the U.S." went to the media instead of the authorities. Maybe the FBI, CIA, NSA, INS, local police, etc. would've heard about it.
(Corollary: this kind of secrecy protects incompetence/corruption more than it protects security.)
Good for you being able to avoid responsibility to the point where you can- I've got a mortgage and a family to pay for.
See conspicuous consumption, marginal propensity to consume, and maybe also keeping up with the joneses.
Please consider and get back to us.
The article does quote one 10-year-old boy who plays with Sims, and has learned valuable life lessons. "I learned don't leave your baby crying or people will come take your baby away."
Subjecting one's offspring to unspeakable torture is every American's GOD GIVEN RIGHT.
Would this move Java up the desirability scale in your eyes? Could this be a way to help improve what's lacking in Java?
Gee, I used to sit around and wait for Sun to make Java suck less. That was until Microsoft came from left field with C# and addressed every issue I had with Java.
(But seriously, guys, what's the problem with commercializing Python?)
There are a lot of elements in a successful software product that have little to do with code. In addition to the programmers, you have system administrators, testers, designers, biz development and/or sales, marketers, project managers, copy writers, assistants, etc.
The free software process has the programmer part pretty well handled, but is naturally lousy at everything else. Namely, because that stuff is boring, costs money, or just isn't something any normal person does for free.
Naturally, its biggest market will be other technical types. Going from free software project to shrinkwrap generally usable software product is a much taller order.
3/4 of the people will argue about their misunderstanding of the problems involved, the other won't even know what the problems are but think they do. The very few people who actually do understand the problems and the underlying issues will eventually stop trying to explain what the real issue is.
"Any scientist who cannot explain to an eight-year-old what he is doing is a charlatan"
--Kurt Vonnegut in Cat's Cradle
Many people are totally ditching their landlines in favor of VoIP over cable broadband. Dialtone is such a commodity now it fills me with glee. No doubt this is troubling to the bells, so they decide to fight back against the cable offerings by running TV over their copper.
This can only lead to more commoditized TV, which can only mean one day we'll be downloading/streaming your shows from web sites on our own schedule.
Telco and cable company at each other's throats? I can hardly wait.
Most computer software requires nothing more than simple arithmetic.
There are exceptions such as in finance and 3d graphics, but come on.
This mentality is really annoying. The math office in my high school wouldn't let me take the C++ class because I had not taken the requisite Calculus class first. Even though I was writing C++ code in my part time job! (Out of spite, I'll mention that I took the state C++ AP test and went on to score the highest in New York. Take THAT Mrs. Lechner!)
Pfft.
from a counter-terrorism perspective. There's just no reliable algorithm that can predict if someone is going to be a terrorist based on their actions without generating a million false positives in the process.
Any qualified security expert will tell you as much.
On the other hand, the fair market value of access to this data is enormous. You could use it to blackmail political opponents, discredit naysayers, get insider information on a transaction.
It's worth more than its weight in gold.
That is why the administration wants it.
Maybe Gates is more down to earth than we'd thought?
The "self-made billionaire" types usually kick it average joe style so that they can stay in touch with their customer's sensibilities.
I heard a story about Ross Perot when he got involved with GM. Normally, high level executives can get their cars serviced through a premium service station that has parts flown in same day on private jets. Ross insisted on using the normal service stations that regular customers had to deal with so he could get a better idea of company performance. This and similar antics drove the board to buy him out.
Ummmmm, how about switching [Apple link]? :-)
Use the higher costs/lower return on investment of developing for Apple against malware distributors! Brilliant strategy!
Since they were his own assets, I'm pretty sure it's more than gauche. Technically, do they not fall to whomever he has them willed to?
In most jurisdictions, shares are inherited by next of kin. If you're running a tightly knit technology company, you may decide that in the event of your death, your partners shouldn't be subjected to the whims of your computer illiterate wife or your third uncle fifth removed. Trouble is, you cannot will these shares away to someone else without your next of kin's consent. At least usually, where the spouse is concerned.
There are plenty of inelegant ways of discussing how your dead partner's wife might make you miserable. Probably not something the dying partner should ever have to hear. But it's still a legitimate business concern.
Acupuncture is based on flow of chi. And your science mind should recognize that acupuncture isn't quite bullshit. (See the wikipedia article)
Chi may have its origins in barbaric nerve-tampering experiments made possible by a scientifically minded dictator and an army of disposable slaves. The direct results of the experiment would appear lost to time, but concepts developed as a result seem to be with us today.
They couldn't see the nerves so they simply called it flow of chi. Same cause and effect, different explanation.
If Bush did this, you would be ALL OVER IT and so would places like Daily Kos.
Give it time, his term hasn't ended yet.
My prediction is that he pardons Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling.
Martial arts are a good substitute for religion: the insane fairy tale bullshit about creator of the universe you know is false is simply replaced with mind/spirit over body harmony fairy tale bullshit.
To pull something out of my ass that I think makes sense and might even be true; while there's no lack of spiritualism in eastern martial arts, the idea is a lot different from spiritualism as we westerners know it. The idea of perfect discipline demands concentration, focus, and commitment. It is impossible to reach perfection (which is a known contradiction because it is unreachable) unless you are thinking of your goal every second of the day. This controls how you eat, how you behave, trying to hold the T position when anyone else would be on the couch watching TV. Or doing situps while you're watching TV. Or seeing a thin brick fence and wondering if it would be a good way to improve your balance. Or finding a slab of concrete and wondering just how you'd have to hit it to break it. Or riding in an elevator with others and imagining how you'd defend yourself if they all attacked you.
You have to have the dedication of an addict, the focus of an athelete, and the creativity of an artist, all in pursuit of honing your ability to produce deadly violence as a means of self-defense.
To put a spin on it, sport plus philosophy plus art. Not quite religion, but maybe better. It's a healthy three in one package to satisfy the emptiness of life, and you don't even have to believe in mythology! ;)
The EU is angry that a US company can come into the EU and make bank, frustrate rivals in the EU. EU punishes US company.
The US is angry that a US company is being punished, now applies pressure to the EU.
Understand now? Both governments are just "protecting" their people.