It's encouraging that these same people are global warming sceptics. From their FAQs:
Q: "How does global warming affect the ice wall?"
A1: The Ice Wall is really a mountain range. It just happens to be covered in ice and snow.
A2: Global Warming doesn't happen. It and its counter-theory (Global Cooling) are effects that cancel each other out. Remember, these "greenhouse gasses" can reflect heat back out into space as well as keep it on Earth. Yes, there are recorded rises in temperature, but the only records we have go back, at most, around 150 years. This is very likely an occurrence that happens every [x>150] years, that's happened before (perhaps many times), and that the Earth has thus survived before.
How the eff was this modded informative? This is so plainly stupid: standing 12 hours is obviously not good for you, and the best thing you can do to relieve the circulation in your legs is walking and not standing some more on a Segway!
I am a 100% satisfied user of free software, after years of negativism and complaining (I admit, my past sins...). I use: Xandros and SLAX distros, OpenOffice (EXCELLENT usability!), Firefox, the WLAN choosers that come with the aforementioned distros and a handful of console apps. I don't even know the name of the movie player that starts up when I doubleclick on a media file. What's not to like, what's not to be able to use?
the compliment I got from my ex-GF; "I like your lean, muscular ass".
Not bad for a bona-fide geek, huh? So just because you dedicated your life to science or engineering, doesn't mean you can't please the ladies. Bicycle, my friends, and your quads arms and posterior will develop! Plus, you'll enjoy your commute. There are few things as enjoyable as the speed and elegance of a bike ride.
Such dedication to the greater good is like a rare gem. So rare, in fact, you start doubting it even exists anymore. For those of you who don't know, Ray Beckerman has been fighting the RIAA since a long time, and has been great at it!
To be honest, I definitely would be interested in a story titled "Impractical Not-Really-A-Jetpack Maybe Available Sometime" - it's just too odd to pass up. Now be honest: who here wouldn't have thought "What the...?? Lemme see what's this all about."
BTW, I really like the word "pantaloons". But, I am easily amused - even "trousers" makes me smile.
Considering that, in 2005 we required nearly 500 quadrillion BTUs of energy for the whole planet. Nearly 700 quadrillion is projected to be required in 2030. So let's just top that off at a nice quintillion BTUs. After multiplying that by.293 to convert to WATTS we get 293 quadrillion WATTS of energy.
Watt is a unit of measurement for power, not energy.
You sir, have hit the proverbial nail on the head: the ultracheap portables are a game changer! Not only did they force ol' Bill to keep supporting Windows XP, in spite of Microsoft's all-out, balls-to-the-walls attempt at killing it off. No, that's not the only "inconvenience". These inexpensive little buggers are going to put Microsoft in front of the following dilemma: 1. Let Linux flood the world market, exposing tens of millions (potentially hundreds of millions) of users to a viable alternative to Windows, finally showing that yes, the "King" is indeed naked.
or
2. Offer Windows XP to OEMs for a song, or even for nothing. MS might opt for this solution. Heck, they got gobs of money, they could even pay the OEMs to have Windows XP included with every laptop.
The latter presents a small issue: what will the Lenovos, HPs and Dells of the world say about this? Probably not very pleased, I guess. And also, (at least some of) the users of these computers will realize that they actually have the right to install Windows XP onto their desktop computer, if they uninstalled it from their portable. Which means, less sales of Vista for MS. And MS doesn't necessarily care, at the end of the day, how many people use (or like, for that matter) their software, only how many pay for it, and free copies of Windows XP in the wild don't translate to much cash at all, methinks.
First of all: You are comparing a fairly old used item with a new item. A fairly old used item has several components that are in bad condition. At the very least - Trackpad - Keyboard - Hard drive - Battery - Motherboard - Connectors
In used laptops of that vintage, it is expected that the listed parts are in a used, often bad shape. Yes, even motherboards with intermittent contact/circuit problems. Obviously, the lower price of the item is due to the risk you are taking in buying such an item. When I bought my Eee PC 701, I had (still have) a warranty, so I can get it repaired or replaced if something is broken.
Second of all: Do you really, honestly not see that you are comparing apples to oranges? Is your desire to "be right" so strong that it blinds you to the fact that you are comparing a heavy and bulky laptop to a small and very light one? Are you going to argue that portability has no added value? Then explain the high price of UMPC devices of last year. Fujitsu Lifebooks, with comparable performance and size as the Eee PC, retailed for much more. Why didn't you jump out from the woods, all outraged at "this trend of ultra cheap but slower than hell laptops", decrying their much higher price than that of their twice or thrice-as-heavy brethren? OK, maybe you did jump out of the woods all outraged and shit - please provide a link to your outrage-filled post circa 2006 or 2007.
Otherwise, stop comparing two completely different categories of products. Different according to two metrics: used vs. new, big and bulky vs. small and light.
Be it as it may, NASA will have to bite the bullet sooner rather than later, and send a manned mission to Mars. Because it's cheaper - one manned mission will collect more scientific data than 2000 (succesful) robotic probes. Let's count the cost of unsuccesful robotic probes, and the value-for-money calculation becomes quite clear.
I bet this fuckup here is going to force their hand.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain
I don't even think there is even a dead horse anymore to beat. You guys are just masterbating now.
I think the word that you tried to type is "masterbaiting", as in, trying to entice, through persistent criticism of Windows Vista, Bill "The Master" Gates himself into a reaction of some kind, like, for example, masturbaiting.
Yeah, maybe they did run Vista - on an overclocked Bloomfield with 4GB RAM and 15000 RMP RAID0 drives. Plus they secretly tweaked Vista "just a little bit", nothing "relevant enough to disclose" in the article.
Or maybe they just flat out, you know, DIDN'T run Vista at all there. Is that a much bigger lie than bribing ISO members (or bribing non-members to become members and then...) to vote in favour of OOXML, and then say that OOXML won on its own merit?
Of course, if the manufacturer hasn't released it in the first place, it might just not be on the internet.
Well, of course. But I am comparing the results I had some 5 years ago and now, for the same items (or same kinds of items), so I am being fair and comparing apples to apples. For example, I have an old Adcom amplifier, for which I found the manual online back in those days. I put the model name in the searchbox, and the manual came up - and I think it was definitely among the top 10 results. Now, (because I couldn't find where the heck I saved the.pdf file) when I search for exactly the same thing, I have to wade through pages and pages of useless stuff, before I found the manual.
I am grateful Wikipedia entries come up as high in the ranks as they do, as those are usually very relevant and well written. That's also why I am an advocate of Wikipedia being the repository of all sorts of knowledge - Wikipedia works as a (partial) fix for Google's now broken search algorithms.
Thanks, but what I was trying to say (and I'll admit to bad wording), is that not only does google.com search return webstore fronts when I am actually looking for technical information about electronic components (this is the point I did not get across well - I am not looking for shops, but for info), but it returns the worst kind of webshops. The kind that isn't really a webshop at all, as in, you can't actually buy anything from them using the web.
As for froogle: I just tried searching for "NAD 701" (without the quotes). The results I got were quite amusing. Not really related to the fine receiver/amp from NAD.
I think google.com's search engine achieved its peak usefuleness about 5 years ago. Now, for the most part when I google for a certain electronic component I get some crappy webstore front (and by crappy I mean I can't actually order the component but must "contact by phone" first) or if I search for an electronic device, be it pro or just home electronics, I get those "Read reviews and compare prices"-sites. Which I hate with a passion. WTF google, you have the world's most talented programmers, can't you weed out this crap from your search? At least so it doesn't come up as top hits?
You can watch it on YouTube, but unfortunately only broken up in small segments. I think it's much better to watch the whole lecture at once. I have found a Torrent for the video, I'm downloading (and seeding it) now.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Mourns the Loss of Friend and Supporter, Dr. Randy Pausch
Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness that the staff and I mourn the passing of Dr. Randy Pausch.
Dr. Pausch, the Carnegie-Mellon professor who delivered the now famous The Last Lecture speech about the importance of achieving your childhood dreams, became a friend and supporter of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He was also a loving husband, a devoted father, and a mentor who not only influenced and inspired his students and colleagues, but went on to inspire thousands, if not millions of people to follow their hearts and their dreams. We will be forever grateful for his support and commitment.
It is critically important to keep Dr. Pausch's message, "to make every day matter in the fight against pancreatic cancer," moving forward. He knew the importance and urgency of getting the message out to help drive the research funding needed to fight this disease. His philosophy of "every day matters" was a testament to his determination and strength despite the odds.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network honors Dr. Randy Pausch for his humanity and bravery during his fight against this terrible disease. His commitment to our organization will never be forgotten. We will miss him.
Sincerely,
Julie Fleshman
I will miss this man, even though I have never met him in person (I so wish I did), his lecture, like himself, is unforgettable. It was the most important lecture I have ever had the honour of participating - even though from a distance.
Slashdot Mirror
It's encouraging that these same people are global warming sceptics. From their FAQs:
Q: "How does global warming affect the ice wall?"
A1: The Ice Wall is really a mountain range. It just happens to be covered in ice and snow.
A2: Global Warming doesn't happen. It and its counter-theory (Global Cooling) are effects that cancel each other out. Remember, these "greenhouse gasses" can reflect heat back out into space as well as keep it on Earth. Yes, there are recorded rises in temperature, but the only records we have go back, at most, around 150 years. This is very likely an occurrence that happens every [x>150] years, that's happened before (perhaps many times), and that the Earth has thus survived before.
Thanks a lot for that link. It restores some of my trust in humankind.
I concur, wholeheartedly.
Which solar cell company was it, does anyone know?
i had a look at the trailers, and to me that movie looks like a winner.
How the eff was this modded informative? This is so plainly stupid: standing 12 hours is obviously not good for you, and the best thing you can do to relieve the circulation in your legs is walking and not standing some more on a Segway!
I am a 100% satisfied user of free software, after years of negativism and complaining (I admit, my past sins...). I use: Xandros and SLAX distros, OpenOffice (EXCELLENT usability!), Firefox, the WLAN choosers that come with the aforementioned distros and a handful of console apps. I don't even know the name of the movie player that starts up when I doubleclick on a media file. What's not to like, what's not to be able to use?
the compliment I got from my ex-GF; "I like your lean, muscular ass".
Not bad for a bona-fide geek, huh? So just because you dedicated your life to science or engineering, doesn't mean you can't please the ladies. Bicycle, my friends, and your quads arms and posterior will develop! Plus, you'll enjoy your commute. There are few things as enjoyable as the speed and elegance of a bike ride.
Definitely my favourite Slashdot user.
Such dedication to the greater good is like a rare gem. So rare, in fact, you start doubting it even exists anymore. For those of you who don't know, Ray Beckerman has been fighting the RIAA since a long time, and has been great at it!
To be honest, I definitely would be interested in a story titled "Impractical Not-Really-A-Jetpack Maybe Available Sometime" - it's just too odd to pass up. Now be honest: who here wouldn't have thought "What the...?? Lemme see what's this all about."
BTW, I really like the word "pantaloons". But, I am easily amused - even "trousers" makes me smile.
Considering that, in 2005 we required nearly 500 quadrillion BTUs of energy for the whole planet. Nearly 700 quadrillion is projected to be required in 2030. So let's just top that off at a nice quintillion BTUs. After multiplying that by .293 to convert to WATTS we get 293 quadrillion WATTS of energy.
Watt is a unit of measurement for power, not energy.
You sir, have hit the proverbial nail on the head: the ultracheap portables are a game changer! Not only did they force ol' Bill to keep supporting Windows XP, in spite of Microsoft's all-out, balls-to-the-walls attempt at killing it off. No, that's not the only "inconvenience". These inexpensive little buggers are going to put Microsoft in front of the following dilemma:
1. Let Linux flood the world market, exposing tens of millions (potentially hundreds of millions) of users to a viable alternative to Windows, finally showing that yes, the "King" is indeed naked.
or
2. Offer Windows XP to OEMs for a song, or even for nothing. MS might opt for this solution. Heck, they got gobs of money, they could even pay the OEMs to have Windows XP included with every laptop.
The latter presents a small issue: what will the Lenovos, HPs and Dells of the world say about this? Probably not very pleased, I guess. And also, (at least some of) the users of these computers will realize that they actually have the right to install Windows XP onto their desktop computer, if they uninstalled it from their portable. Which means, less sales of Vista for MS. And MS doesn't necessarily care, at the end of the day, how many people use (or like, for that matter) their software, only how many pay for it, and free copies of Windows XP in the wild don't translate to much cash at all, methinks.
First of all:
You are comparing a fairly old used item with a new item. A fairly old used item has several components that are in bad condition. At the very least
- Trackpad
- Keyboard
- Hard drive
- Battery
- Motherboard
- Connectors
In used laptops of that vintage, it is expected that the listed parts are in a used, often bad shape. Yes, even motherboards with intermittent contact/circuit problems. Obviously, the lower price of the item is due to the risk you are taking in buying such an item. When I bought my Eee PC 701, I had (still have) a warranty, so I can get it repaired or replaced if something is broken.
Second of all:
Do you really, honestly not see that you are comparing apples to oranges? Is your desire to "be right" so strong that it blinds you to the fact that you are comparing a heavy and bulky laptop to a small and very light one? Are you going to argue that portability has no added value? Then explain the high price of UMPC devices of last year. Fujitsu Lifebooks, with comparable performance and size as the Eee PC, retailed for much more. Why didn't you jump out from the woods, all outraged at "this trend of ultra cheap but slower than hell laptops", decrying their much higher price than that of their twice or thrice-as-heavy brethren? OK, maybe you did jump out of the woods all outraged and shit - please provide a link to your outrage-filled post circa 2006 or 2007.
Otherwise, stop comparing two completely different categories of products. Different according to two metrics: used vs. new, big and bulky vs. small and light.
Be it as it may, NASA will have to bite the bullet sooner rather than later, and send a manned mission to Mars. Because it's cheaper - one manned mission will collect more scientific data than 2000 (succesful) robotic probes. Let's count the cost of unsuccesful robotic probes, and the value-for-money calculation becomes quite clear.
I bet this fuckup here is going to force their hand.
I strongly agree. One of my life mottos is:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain
But I am not most people! You insensitive cloth :)
I don't even think there is even a dead horse anymore to beat. You guys are just masterbating now.
I think the word that you tried to type is "masterbaiting", as in, trying to entice, through persistent criticism of Windows Vista, Bill "The Master" Gates himself into a reaction of some kind, like, for example, masturbaiting.
If you believe this, I have a huge bronze statue in New York for sale, real cheap. I like you, I think I'll definitely sell it to you even cheaper.
...to sell you real cheap.
Yeah, maybe they did run Vista - on an overclocked Bloomfield with 4GB RAM and 15000 RMP RAID0 drives. Plus they secretly tweaked Vista "just a little bit", nothing "relevant enough to disclose" in the article.
Or maybe they just flat out, you know, DIDN'T run Vista at all there. Is that a much bigger lie than bribing ISO members (or bribing non-members to become members and then...) to vote in favour of OOXML, and then say that OOXML won on its own merit?
Of course, if the manufacturer hasn't released it in the first place, it might just not be on the internet.
Well, of course. But I am comparing the results I had some 5 years ago and now, for the same items (or same kinds of items), so I am being fair and comparing apples to apples. For example, I have an old Adcom amplifier, for which I found the manual online back in those days. I put the model name in the searchbox, and the manual came up - and I think it was definitely among the top 10 results. Now, (because I couldn't find where the heck I saved the .pdf file) when I search for exactly the same thing, I have to wade through pages and pages of useless stuff, before I found the manual.
I am grateful Wikipedia entries come up as high in the ranks as they do, as those are usually very relevant and well written. That's also why I am an advocate of Wikipedia being the repository of all sorts of knowledge - Wikipedia works as a (partial) fix for Google's now broken search algorithms.
Thanks, but what I was trying to say (and I'll admit to bad wording), is that not only does google.com search return webstore fronts when I am actually looking for technical information about electronic components (this is the point I did not get across well - I am not looking for shops, but for info), but it returns the worst kind of webshops. The kind that isn't really a webshop at all, as in, you can't actually buy anything from them using the web.
As for froogle: I just tried searching for "NAD 701" (without the quotes). The results I got were quite amusing. Not really related to the fine receiver/amp from NAD.
I think google.com's search engine achieved its peak usefuleness about 5 years ago. Now, for the most part when I google for a certain electronic component I get some crappy webstore front (and by crappy I mean I can't actually order the component but must "contact by phone" first) or if I search for an electronic device, be it pro or just home electronics, I get those "Read reviews and compare prices"-sites. Which I hate with a passion. WTF google, you have the world's most talented programmers, can't you weed out this crap from your search? At least so it doesn't come up as top hits?
I stand corrected re. YouTube. And thanks for the link.
You can watch it on YouTube, but unfortunately only broken up in small segments. I think it's much better to watch the whole lecture at once. I have found a Torrent for the video, I'm downloading (and seeding it) now.
I am sure that he'd appreciate a donation to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Mourns the Loss of Friend and Supporter, Dr. Randy Pausch
Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness that the staff and I mourn the passing of Dr. Randy Pausch.
Dr. Pausch, the Carnegie-Mellon professor who delivered the now famous The Last Lecture speech about the importance of achieving your childhood dreams, became a friend and supporter of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He was also a loving husband, a devoted father, and a mentor who not only influenced and inspired his students and colleagues, but went on to inspire thousands, if not millions of people to follow their hearts and their dreams. We will be forever grateful for his support and commitment.
It is critically important to keep Dr. Pausch's message, "to make every day matter in the fight against pancreatic cancer," moving forward. He knew the importance and urgency of getting the message out to help drive the research funding needed to fight this disease. His philosophy of "every day matters" was a testament to his determination and strength despite the odds.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network honors Dr. Randy Pausch for his humanity and bravery during his fight against this terrible disease. His commitment to our organization will never be forgotten. We will miss him.
Sincerely,
Julie Fleshman
I will miss this man, even though I have never met him in person (I so wish I did), his lecture, like himself, is unforgettable. It was the most important lecture I have ever had the honour of participating - even though from a distance.