I could buy your explanation, actually. It makes sense. I mean, died in a knitting accident? It's so hylarious you almost wish for it.
The only downside of what happened here is, those few people that _actually_ died in knitting accidents, are now swamped in a sea of useless links to the original comic, and same goes for the blogging accident. Assuming, again, that the XKCD comic didn't lie to us in the first place.
I noticed that mods usually turn their other braincell off, just before modding. I had one of my posts modded as "offtopic" a couple of hours ago, even though the post quoted text from the article submission itself. It was critical of Microsoft, though, so that would explain something.
As long as I can burn my music onto CDs or listen to them any way I want on any device I like, who cares that they are watermarked? In fact, why would anyone (who purchased the music) care? Of course, if watermarking would degrede the music quality, then I would be worried - I don't know that it does, yet.
Exactamundo. Generally, publicly traded companies are the worst in tha the managers there feel completely at ease to sack you if it will save a buck or half. Hiding behind the "shareholder interest" while lining their own pockets while being incompetent, and preparing their own golden parachute, and a landing place (anothe company executive position - we know how these execs are good chums and supportive of each other) - now tell me how the hell is such a person going to appreciate your work and care for your position?
If I try really hard, I might get a little raise, but it's not guaranteed. I am only guaranteed to increase the bottom line of that elite that has no talent to speak of but to land well-paying management jobs. The raise I would get wouldn't make a real difference in my life anyway.
So I quit IT and the corporate world in general, and focus now on scientific work in academia. The salary is ridicolously low, but I enjoy it, and THAT makes the real difference in my life. Even if I had twice the pay, it wouldn't generally change how I live, but if I hated the environment, the job and the person I was making rich, that would.
LaTeX is just a tool. I think it's worth reminding ourselves that all these document editors are tools that can and should be easy enough to learn and master "on the go". I am saying this because I have the impression that some guys with CompSci background put too much emphasis on, for example, LaTeX, and forget that the physics, chemistry or electronics student uses them to write their homeworks or their scientific papers - but what matters to them is the science they learn at the university. Whether they use OO.o or Word or LaTeX (by the way, OO.o's formula editor is basically TeX) it shouldn't matter, and whether they have learned it at school or not is just as irrelevant - they should be able to pick up the skills needed quickly enough, without "Using LaTeX" becoming a separate scientific discipline.
What I'm trying to say is, it wouldn't be "much" better for these children to learn to use LaTeX. It would be only marginally better than Word. But whatever they will end up using, it's not the goal but just a means to an end. Just because the kids learn to use document editor A and then they will use document editor B when they are grown up, that doesn't matter. I have not learnt to use any document editor as a kid or highschool student. And yet I had no problem using Word for my thesis. And now I use OO.o for all my scientific papers. Those all are just tools, and what I am interested in is nanotechnology and fabrication. Had I used LaTeX as a child I would be just as productive (or unproductive) nowadays.
Let's see: the demise of HD-DVD was a blow. Then the fact that MS is associated with those trying to undermine a charity (OLPC) will certainly not generate a whole lot of good will. Then this little chink in the armor, in the british schools. And then there was that class action lawsuit against Microsoft because of the Xbox Live network downtimes. A year that barely started, and already generated all this sh*t for MS!
However will this year continue, for MS? I hear that a lot of disillusioned users of Vista just decided to get macs. A little number, perhaps, but still an erosion of Microsoft marketshare. And then there's Firefox that's increasing its marketshare every month a little bit.
That per-country restriction is odious. I have been drooling over several classical music albums I wanted to purchase, only to discover that I am an unwelcome customer. Whether I'll just download the stuff from "other sources", I don't know. I doubt, though, mostly because I won't find what I want on those "sources". But in any case, I won't forget the affront.
Nice idea. For me, the disadvantage compared to the OLPC is that you can't run (or at least I don't know of one) a development environment on the DS itself. And even if you could, it's usage would be challenging.
Cyborg? You don't have wires hanging out from your limbs, your spine and your head. The functioning of your limbs doesn't depend on a computer processing the signals from the nerves.
Hells yeah. If there's a noble way and a crooked way for MS to achieve the same goal, MS will choose the crooked way - every time. To be fairh though Intel can be pretty evil all by itself, so it doesn't really need the patronage of Microsoft.
How is that of all the other OLPC partner companies, Intel is the only one that just couldn't resist but to pull a fast one? I have a thick skin usually when it comes to corporations' behaviour, but NOT when it's detrimental to a charity. fsck intel
Even though I am not di-or-paraplegic, I had a rash when I read the title and the summary. I didn't even know such studies were underway!
I always found a bit distressing those gadgets for electrically inducing movements of limbs. The calbes hanging out and connecting the limbs with the processor, I dunno, just terrible. But for one who has his/her legs paralyzed, I guess even that is acceptable.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to form ANY compounds with Helium - probably the most inert substance in the world? I can't think of a less flammable substance than Helium.
Slashdot Mirror
I guess you meant "Elektor".
Erector, well that sounds like something completely different.
I could buy your explanation, actually. It makes sense. I mean, died in a knitting accident? It's so hylarious you almost wish for it.
The only downside of what happened here is, those few people that _actually_ died in knitting accidents, are now swamped in a sea of useless links to the original comic, and same goes for the blogging accident. Assuming, again, that the XKCD comic didn't lie to us in the first place.
I noticed that mods usually turn their other braincell off, just before modding. I had one of my posts modded as "offtopic" a couple of hours ago, even though the post quoted text from the article submission itself. It was critical of Microsoft, though, so that would explain something.
Fair enough, but I checked the other items on the list, and they didn't increase. This one did, by two orders of magnitude.
As long as I can burn my music onto CDs or listen to them any way I want on any device I like, who cares that they are watermarked? In fact, why would anyone (who purchased the music) care? Of course, if watermarking would degrede the music quality, then I would be worried - I don't know that it does, yet.
By the way, how do you explain that "Died in a knitting accident" brings 460 hits and not 7? Was the XKCD cartoon lying?
Yes, thanks, I stand corrected.
Right you are, eccept it's 8130. I stand corrected. For now :D
I count 'em 250.000 at this moment in time. The Internet is stupid that way...
Exactamundo. Generally, publicly traded companies are the worst in tha the managers there feel completely at ease to sack you if it will save a buck or half. Hiding behind the "shareholder interest" while lining their own pockets while being incompetent, and preparing their own golden parachute, and a landing place (anothe company executive position - we know how these execs are good chums and supportive of each other) - now tell me how the hell is such a person going to appreciate your work and care for your position?
If I try really hard, I might get a little raise, but it's not guaranteed. I am only guaranteed to increase the bottom line of that elite that has no talent to speak of but to land well-paying management jobs. The raise I would get wouldn't make a real difference in my life anyway.
So I quit IT and the corporate world in general, and focus now on scientific work in academia. The salary is ridicolously low, but I enjoy it, and THAT makes the real difference in my life. Even if I had twice the pay, it wouldn't generally change how I live, but if I hated the environment, the job and the person I was making rich, that would.
LaTeX is just a tool. I think it's worth reminding ourselves that all these document editors are tools that can and should be easy enough to learn and master "on the go". I am saying this because I have the impression that some guys with CompSci background put too much emphasis on, for example, LaTeX, and forget that the physics, chemistry or electronics student uses them to write their homeworks or their scientific papers - but what matters to them is the science they learn at the university. Whether they use OO.o or Word or LaTeX (by the way, OO.o's formula editor is basically TeX) it shouldn't matter, and whether they have learned it at school or not is just as irrelevant - they should be able to pick up the skills needed quickly enough, without "Using LaTeX" becoming a separate scientific discipline.
What I'm trying to say is, it wouldn't be "much" better for these children to learn to use LaTeX. It would be only marginally better than Word. But whatever they will end up using, it's not the goal but just a means to an end. Just because the kids learn to use document editor A and then they will use document editor B when they are grown up, that doesn't matter. I have not learnt to use any document editor as a kid or highschool student. And yet I had no problem using Word for my thesis. And now I use OO.o for all my scientific papers. Those all are just tools, and what I am interested in is nanotechnology and fabrication. Had I used LaTeX as a child I would be just as productive (or unproductive) nowadays.
Let's see: the demise of HD-DVD was a blow. Then the fact that MS is associated with those trying to undermine a charity (OLPC) will certainly not generate a whole lot of good will. Then this little chink in the armor, in the british schools. And then there was that class action lawsuit against Microsoft because of the Xbox Live network downtimes. A year that barely started, and already generated all this sh*t for MS!
However will this year continue, for MS? I hear that a lot of disillusioned users of Vista just decided to get macs. A little number, perhaps, but still an erosion of Microsoft marketshare. And then there's Firefox that's increasing its marketshare every month a little bit.
That per-country restriction is odious. I have been drooling over several classical music albums I wanted to purchase, only to discover that I am an unwelcome customer. Whether I'll just download the stuff from "other sources", I don't know. I doubt, though, mostly because I won't find what I want on those "sources". But in any case, I won't forget the affront.
Nice idea. For me, the disadvantage compared to the OLPC is that you can't run (or at least I don't know of one) a development environment on the DS itself. And even if you could, it's usage would be challenging.
Cyborg? You don't have wires hanging out from your limbs, your spine and your head. The functioning of your limbs doesn't depend on a computer processing the signals from the nerves.
I think MS should rather fear something else being learned by the new generations.
Hells yeah. If there's a noble way and a crooked way for MS to achieve the same goal, MS will choose the crooked way - every time.
To be fairh though Intel can be pretty evil all by itself, so it doesn't really need the patronage of Microsoft.
How is that of all the other OLPC partner companies, Intel is the only one that just couldn't resist but to pull a fast one? I have a thick skin usually when it comes to corporations' behaviour, but NOT when it's detrimental to a charity. fsck intel
Even though I am not di-or-paraplegic, I had a rash when I read the title and the summary. I didn't even know such studies were underway!
I always found a bit distressing those gadgets for electrically inducing movements of limbs. The calbes hanging out and connecting the limbs with the processor, I dunno, just terrible. But for one who has his/her legs paralyzed, I guess even that is acceptable.
Vinyl.
I wanted to call my company USELESSDOMAIN00001, you insensitive clod!
Ever heard of Compact Discs, also known as "CD"?
Do you have any idea how hard it is to form ANY compounds with Helium - probably the most inert substance in the world? I can't think of a less flammable substance than Helium.
Won't even try to write a funny post, it's just too easy....
A month? Try a day, and even then I doubt you'll ever subscribe to Slashdot.
We'll probably have wormholes, sexbots and universal prosperity before solar can meet the demand. :)
Tell us more.