I would also like to add that using desktops with Compiz is more relaxing for me than using plain ones. For example wobbling windows may seem useless, but I think that it makes everything more natural for your brain (of course if the effect is set to last 2 seconds, then it's just plain useless). If looks were so useless, why 90% of desktops have beveled windows and objects?
Sorry if my post isn't very clear, but english is not my first language and I've had some trouble expaining my thoughts...
P.s. I have a Linux desktop PC at home (sabayonlinux), a Macbook with OS X, and I use Windows at work.
And who would you be to decide this? Who are you to call other people ignorant? Have you explored every universe, every dimension and every plane of existance, and found no God? I think not.
You sound like one of these people who condemn Creationists and such when they try to force their opinion on others, yet you feel authorized to offend the ones who think differently from you.
I'd like to know who the hell thought this comment was insightful.
Don't know about the US, but here in Italy for these things usually you deposit money on the checking account for the organization at the postal office using a document called "bollettino" ("bulletin", according to Google), and then you have 2 receipts, one for you, and one for the receiver.
Also, if you pay something in cash instead of cheque or bank transfer, most businesses (not shops) give you a discount (usually 3%).
Anyway, for some things, not having a bank account is a pain... I, never having much money saved at the same time, don't have a bank account, I use a rechargeable credit card for online shopping, but for some other things you are required a bank transfer.
Hmmm... I understand the many people buy gadgets just for fun, but others do it to answer a necessity. I, for example, have the worst memory in the world. I forget things while I am doing them.... And I owned a PDA for a short time (before the bastard broke), it was great, I used it to remember everything... The interface was the only problem, as transfering data from my brain to the device was very slow of course, and it limited it's usefulness. Many people like you regarding my problem would probably think something among the lines of "Just try harder! Train your brain! Don't be lazy!", but believe me, I've tried, and there's no way out. I forget important things all the time. I also own a laptop, because I'm always on the move, for work and for fun, and I need to carry sales material (photos, descriptions, clips, various information) and personal data, or even games for when I'm isolated somewhere or waiting something... I'll admit that I also do non essential stuff on it, like trying to install linux (it's a macbook), saying to myself that it's to improve it, while maybe it's more for fun than anything else, but I see nothing wrong with relieving a bit of stress sometime. Why should it be wrong? It's not like I'm wasting whole weeks on a MMOG. Sometime ago I wanted to buy a Digital Reflex, again both for work and for fun. Photography obviously isn't useless for myself or others. While maybe the photos an unskilled person like me can take might be awful, they're still an expression of art. Poor art, if you want, but still art. And art enriches the soul for sure. Again, I own a car. It's a fourby truck, and I spent some time modifying it. Yeah, the mods are for fun, just to improve the veichle for offroading. It's a waste of time and money, if you don't value your fun.... But I'm sure that the guy with the VW Golf I extracted from an irrigation channel the other day was grateful that I wasted some money on towing equipment.
Gadgets are extensions that people build for themselves, they ARE improvements on ourselves, sloppy improvements for sure, but still... You are right, they can take away my car, my pc, or anything else, but they will never take away the ability to operate this things, the know how is a real improvement to my soul and brain. Of course, don't take me wrong, I agree with you that we should improve ourselves as bodies, souls and brains, so that we can be more versatile, but you aren't 100% correct. If by modifying my car I can learn how to work with it, when I get carstuck in the middle of nowhere maybe I can repair it and get going, instead of getting robbed/getting hurt/dying/getting abducted by aliens. Same thing with computers, except I'll hardly face a seriuos hazard as with the car.
To close this post before it degenerates any more, I'll state that IMHO, gadgets are not evil, they are tools and like tools they must be used to fulfill a need, they must serve us, and not the other way round. As long as we keep that in clear, we're safe.
Or you can just insert your GParted live CD, reboot, format and boot in Windows again without having to touch anything inside the computer. It even works on my Macbook.
The hassle of resetting the date every time is widely compensated by that warm feeling you get when you notice that your microwave has adjusted the time on it's own...
If power plugs are a problem (frequent outdoor sleeping, unknown destinations...) you could build yourself an homemade battery pack. For example, my pocketpc has +5V in for power, with 4 x 1,2V AA batteries I can have a backup energy source. And AAs are everywhere. That's a good reason to get a camera that runs on AAs too, and leave the charger home.
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I would also like to add that using desktops with Compiz is more relaxing for me than using plain ones. For example wobbling windows may seem useless, but I think that it makes everything more natural for your brain (of course if the effect is set to last 2 seconds, then it's just plain useless). If looks were so useless, why 90% of desktops have beveled windows and objects? Sorry if my post isn't very clear, but english is not my first language and I've had some trouble expaining my thoughts... P.s. I have a Linux desktop PC at home (sabayonlinux), a Macbook with OS X, and I use Windows at work.
Well, to be true, it's not like we have ever tried......
And what about the time and money spent on designing the car?
So 64bit windows has 1000% marketshare?
They're on the WATCH list, not on the WANTED list.
And who would you be to decide this? Who are you to call other people ignorant? Have you explored every universe, every dimension and every plane of existance, and found no God? I think not. You sound like one of these people who condemn Creationists and such when they try to force their opinion on others, yet you feel authorized to offend the ones who think differently from you. I'd like to know who the hell thought this comment was insightful.
Don't know about the US, but here in Italy for these things usually you deposit money on the checking account for the organization at the postal office using a document called "bollettino" ("bulletin", according to Google), and then you have 2 receipts, one for you, and one for the receiver. Also, if you pay something in cash instead of cheque or bank transfer, most businesses (not shops) give you a discount (usually 3%). Anyway, for some things, not having a bank account is a pain... I, never having much money saved at the same time, don't have a bank account, I use a rechargeable credit card for online shopping, but for some other things you are required a bank transfer.
What about health issues? And how does it work out with diseases (or disfunctions) like Osteoporosis and Arthritis?
Hmmm...
I understand the many people buy gadgets just for fun, but others do it to answer a necessity. I, for example, have the worst memory in the world. I forget things while I am doing them.... And I owned a PDA for a short time (before the bastard broke), it was great, I used it to remember everything... The interface was the only problem, as transfering data from my brain to the device was very slow of course, and it limited it's usefulness. Many people like you regarding my problem would probably think something among the lines of "Just try harder! Train your brain! Don't be lazy!", but believe me, I've tried, and there's no way out. I forget important things all the time.
I also own a laptop, because I'm always on the move, for work and for fun, and I need to carry sales material (photos, descriptions, clips, various information) and personal data, or even games for when I'm isolated somewhere or waiting something... I'll admit that I also do non essential stuff on it, like trying to install linux (it's a macbook), saying to myself that it's to improve it, while maybe it's more for fun than anything else, but I see nothing wrong with relieving a bit of stress sometime. Why should it be wrong? It's not like I'm wasting whole weeks on a MMOG.
Sometime ago I wanted to buy a Digital Reflex, again both for work and for fun. Photography obviously isn't useless for myself or others. While maybe the photos an unskilled person like me can take might be awful, they're still an expression of art. Poor art, if you want, but still art. And art enriches the soul for sure.
Again, I own a car. It's a fourby truck, and I spent some time modifying it. Yeah, the mods are for fun, just to improve the veichle for offroading. It's a waste of time and money, if you don't value your fun.... But I'm sure that the guy with the VW Golf I extracted from an irrigation channel the other day was grateful that I wasted some money on towing equipment.
Gadgets are extensions that people build for themselves, they ARE improvements on ourselves, sloppy improvements for sure, but still...
You are right, they can take away my car, my pc, or anything else, but they will never take away the ability to operate this things, the know how is a real improvement to my soul and brain.
Of course, don't take me wrong, I agree with you that we should improve ourselves as bodies, souls and brains, so that we can be more versatile, but you aren't 100% correct. If by modifying my car I can learn how to work with it, when I get carstuck in the middle of nowhere maybe I can repair it and get going, instead of getting robbed/getting hurt/dying/getting abducted by aliens. Same thing with computers, except I'll hardly face a seriuos hazard as with the car.
To close this post before it degenerates any more, I'll state that IMHO, gadgets are not evil, they are tools and like tools they must be used to fulfill a need, they must serve us, and not the other way round. As long as we keep that in clear, we're safe.
Or you can just insert your GParted live CD, reboot, format and boot in Windows again without having to touch anything inside the computer. It even works on my Macbook.
I wonder if I can license my DNA under the GPL. Do I have to attach license.txt or can I link to the GNU website?
Hmmm.... A 6 ft teddy bear with glowing red eyes bearing a chaingun with ammo rolled up on the shoulder.... Now THAT would be COOL!
The hassle of resetting the date every time is widely compensated by that warm feeling you get when you notice that your microwave has adjusted the time on it's own...
Actually, I believe it's about buying a card from the company that has drivers that work. I switched to nVidia for that reason, for example.
If power plugs are a problem (frequent outdoor sleeping, unknown destinations...) you could build yourself an homemade battery pack. For example, my pocketpc has +5V in for power, with 4 x 1,2V AA batteries I can have a backup energy source. And AAs are everywhere. That's a good reason to get a camera that runs on AAs too, and leave the charger home.