The computing/IT sector is rife with jealousy. You note my nick is SpaghettiCoder? Just the nick has done enough to earn me a stalker or 2 here on Slashdot, and a wannabe hacker who continually scans my ports from the Slashdot server, and I hardly ever get modded up. Just from the name "SpaghettiCODER". It's 'cos the majority of people here can't code, and they deeply resent anyone who can. Such jealousy.. Game programming is regarded as a glamorous job. So you won't find many well-wishers if you're going to take a degree in that.
It's not my field, but I've picked up a few hints and tips by hanging around at http://www.gamedev.net/ which is a good place for amateurs and pros.
Well I can tell you for sure I don't find that language or behaviour acceptable in any way. It's distasteful and probably illegal too. However, it shouldn't have got to the point where actual professional decisions were made on the basis of this obvious smear campaign by either a disgruntled co-worker or ex partner. It's the wrong signal to give out. Especially naming certain people, implicating them (whether rightly or wrongly) in this debacle was a bad idea, unless there is concrete evidence. Furthermore the internet can't serve as any kind of justice system or offer any real support - the best medicine is just to laugh and get some fresh air. As her friend, I hope you can tell her this, from someone who has also been smeared by his colleagues: if a dog urinates on your leg, that doesn't mean that you've turned into a tree.
She underestimates the critical thinking ability and discrimination of normal people. We are not moved by such pathetic and childish attempts to bring someone down, so why should she care either? In the long run, things will work themselves out and everyone eventually gets what they deserve. No worries.
I use Linux, but the makers are under no obligation to make sure it works. "This software comes with absolutely no warranty to the extent allowed by applicable law". So HP probably figure that they have been given no assurance that the software you tried to use with their hardware works at all. So any problems you raise with them alleging it's hardware-side, they could say why should we spend money looking into it when it might equally well be a software problem?
Not defending anyone's comments or threats in any way, can you explain why anyone should even care about what people are saying to Ms Sierra? It's her problem entirely. Oh no, I'm going to get marked as "Troll" now.. Ahhh.. LOL
Actually yes I was at one time a relatively public figure and I have published articles too. I have had all sorts of abuse thrown at me, including people accusing me of attention-seeking, blah blah blah just like you.
You fail to realise - if I'm posting here because I've got too much time, then what are you doing responding? How can I be attention-seeking, if I am anonymous (like now). This tech writer real name Kathy IS attention seeking. FACT. She can't handle life in the spotlight. FACT. She can't handle hecklers/scorn. FACT. Because the experience "changed" her so much she considers herself a "different person", she loozes and she got pwned. FACT (sad but true). She is not entitled to my sympathy or anyone else's. FACT.
You've got nothing on me because I'm anonymous here. FACT. You're a deluded sucker who sees a "damsel in distress". FACT. Wouldn't want to be you mister looza in shining armour. FACT.
That is very true. Whoever thinks Usenet didn't have the exact same stuff or worse, simply wasn't on the internet (and using Usenet) in the early to mid 90s. The internet was never a "university", and the implication that it was somehow more genteel in the past is just wishful thinking. I can't believe all these so-called "tech" writers who think there is something called "blogging", and it's something new.
.. going for the sympathy vote because some anonymous jerks have said nasty things to her? This is ridiculous, and I wonder whether she's just taking the opportunity to increase her profile among her peers, and her MARKETABILITY to publishers. Or maybe she wants to become a feminist pinup? So she's written a couple of tech books - so what? Does everyone now have to come up with a few dozen ways of saying she has some authority on the subject of Java? Why is that such a big deal anyway?
This is the internet. I've had nasty things said to me too. As for threats to kill, you just report them to the police and don't make a song and dance about it. If such threats have any credibility, the culprits will be nicked. You just ignore it and move on, IF you have any 'character'. This is what's expected in adult life. Maybe she just had a very protected or cosseted upbringing, and can't handle cyberspace. If she can't even handle minor things like that, I don't find her impressive at all.It's all about LIFE SKILLS.
Perhaps some kind of technological solution might help somewhat, although it wouldn't be an absolute safeguard. If you could only board the bus if your RFID implant scans OK, for instance. In day to day dealings with strangers including commercial transations, it's an ever-present risk that we don't really know who they are (background-wise: their religion, forefathers' religion, country of origin, regional associations, socio-economic status etc). If we had RFID chips I could deal with you happily and safely, in the knowledge that you don't frequent mosques where inflammatory rhetoric is the norm, you don't take out library books on how to make munitions, etc). We could just rely on the software and not have to ask impertinent questions that might be considered rude. With this kind of technology, it becomes safe to use the bus once again because the bad guys couldn't even board without setting off alarms.
I don't think it's a good idea to discuss it. If the FBI discussed it with you that's good. I've reported people I suspect to be internet terrorists too, but didn't hear anything.
Well look if I knew one of those guys was on the bus I would get off the bus pretty fast. In the Netherlands you've had politicians shot dead by these types of people. How could you tolerate them on your bus?
That is a blog using emotive tactics in a dangerous situation, which posits its premises as fact but without a shred of evidence or counter-testimony from the other side relating to the specific incidents it makes allegations about. That is a blog encouraging terrorism no more no less.
Now OK, you say there's an organization killing and terrorizing thousands of people, but if I disagree with you about this where do we stand? Are you going to use your beliefs (from that blog or elsewhere) to hack my computer? Threaten me personally? Do you see what I mean about this? That blog just supports what I've been saying all along. Blogging in this situation is a strategy, and you're either on one side or the other.
To thwart terrorists, if it was within my power I would shut down the blog and have the blogger arrested and interrogated. Then I would undoubtedly find (after some tough interrogation) that he has connections to people in Europe and USA supporting him with his use of technology and the media to support his cause. Taking them out and off the streets would make the world a safer place in which there would be no nasty incidents.
How long before "hackers" (the type who break into other peoples' computers without permission) are recognised for the terrorists they are, and end up with their friends in Guantanamo Bay?
By far the list comprises mostly the names of Muslims. I don't even have a TV.
Do YOU have any idea how bad groups like Jamaah Islamiya are? Their supporters deserve to be shot on sight, not sold a sandwich by people who think the terrorist threat is just some kind of mass entertainment. It is bloody hard to combat this sort of enemy - they don't wear uniforms or seem out of the ordinary in any way. And yes, there are millions called "Khan", but out of them, a few are EXTREMELY dangerous. They have a history of this and so let's not grow any more of them. Yeah I know I'll get stick for this but I'm gonna stand up for the guys who do the utterly thankless job of fighting the war on terror.
This will be the difference between ill-advised economic protectionism that may adversely affect the computing/IT sector, and making a significant impact on countries that indirectly support terrorism. If we're serious about combating terrorism, only Muslim countries with sectarian influence at government level should be on the list. And since the Wahabi ideology behind terrorism come from Saudi Arabia, that would mean the oil Arabs should go on the list too.
That's a bit bizarre. These are new, 64-bit computers they're shipping with a 16/32-bit hobbyist OS? I like FreeDOS but if I went to buy a new desktop PC which "came with FreeDOS" as the only OS on its multi multi gigabyte hard disk, I would feel a bit ripped off. It seems to make more sense to offer a dual boot system, with both FreeDOS and a big mainstream Linux distro. FreeDOS by itself is something I would keep for a very old PC I didn't want to get rid of. Strange stuff.
Psions are extremely fragile. The build quality is very poor indeed. The screens all fail after 1 or 2 years' normal use. Contacts for the LCD panel are held on with sticky tape that comes away if you leave it in a warm place (like a coat pocket).
But they don't respect the law themselves. They just see it as a set of impositions upon them, that have absolutely no legitimacy whatsoever just because the mode of government does not tally with their beliefs.
These Malcontents are a huge annoyance to people with more realistic ways of changing things in the long term. It just seems that they are determined to be the whetstone that sharpens whatever new tools for oppression the government might buy (Tasers, shootable batons, new emergency powers to torture, sexually abuse, etc). It just seems to me that they have a deep-seated obssession with being the sacrifical lamb who is beaten, abused or whatever for "our" sins.
The only result from their actions is that the government gets tougher and more effective in its machinery of oppression. Like giving someone a punching bag and martial arts training. They make it much more difficult for us in the long run, by creating situations in which our concerns for humam rights can be ignored with an appearance of legitimacy. When their protests are successfully quashed in our city centres and the police get their bonuses and promotions, how can we then persuade anyone to be more compassionate in their methods of government and framing of new laws? We start to look like stupid hippies, and are ignored. All thanks to these fanatics who can't even account for the effect of their useless reactions.
No, what I'm saying is that inside activist groups, especially high-tech net based sympathisers and anti-government/anti-capitalist/anti-globalisation /anti-law-and-order malcontents (hackers, greenists, extreme left, etc) you will find the most avid and paranoid cult-like thought police in place, who watch and exert a rule of fear over "their" people, despite that they're generally ignored by the rest of the world (the normals).
They are far more dangerous than NYPD. I'd rather see those activists get denied legal rights and a bloody nose from the school bullies who joined the cops, than hear about scientists being threatened, "darknets" being erected, personal computers hacked, websites defaced and individuals defamed. At the end of the day I believe that some semblance of order, no matter how flawed, is better than any attempt to bring down the status quo (as opposed to natural evolution). Revolutionaries need to be dealt with hard. Simple as that.
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It's not my field, but I've picked up a few hints and tips by hanging around at http://www.gamedev.net/ which is a good place for amateurs and pros.
She underestimates the critical thinking ability and discrimination of normal people. We are not moved by such pathetic and childish attempts to bring someone down, so why should she care either? In the long run, things will work themselves out and everyone eventually gets what they deserve. No worries.
I use Linux, but the makers are under no obligation to make sure it works. "This software comes with absolutely no warranty to the extent allowed by applicable law". So HP probably figure that they have been given no assurance that the software you tried to use with their hardware works at all. So any problems you raise with them alleging it's hardware-side, they could say why should we spend money looking into it when it might equally well be a software problem?
Not defending anyone's comments or threats in any way, can you explain why anyone should even care about what people are saying to Ms Sierra? It's her problem entirely. Oh no, I'm going to get marked as "Troll" now.. Ahhh.. LOL
Better than being famous for being a whingebag, madam.
You fail to realise - if I'm posting here because I've got too much time, then what are you doing responding? How can I be attention-seeking, if I am anonymous (like now). This tech writer real name Kathy IS attention seeking. FACT. She can't handle life in the spotlight. FACT. She can't handle hecklers/scorn. FACT. Because the experience "changed" her so much she considers herself a "different person", she loozes and she got pwned. FACT (sad but true). She is not entitled to my sympathy or anyone else's. FACT.
You've got nothing on me because I'm anonymous here. FACT. You're a deluded sucker who sees a "damsel in distress". FACT. Wouldn't want to be you mister looza in shining armour. FACT.
That is very true. Whoever thinks Usenet didn't have the exact same stuff or worse, simply wasn't on the internet (and using Usenet) in the early to mid 90s. The internet was never a "university", and the implication that it was somehow more genteel in the past is just wishful thinking. I can't believe all these so-called "tech" writers who think there is something called "blogging", and it's something new.
This is the internet. I've had nasty things said to me too. As for threats to kill, you just report them to the police and don't make a song and dance about it. If such threats have any credibility, the culprits will be nicked. You just ignore it and move on, IF you have any 'character'. This is what's expected in adult life. Maybe she just had a very protected or cosseted upbringing, and can't handle cyberspace. If she can't even handle minor things like that, I don't find her impressive at all.It's all about LIFE SKILLS.
I agree that seems likely. Right on the money.
Perhaps some kind of technological solution might help somewhat, although it wouldn't be an absolute safeguard. If you could only board the bus if your RFID implant scans OK, for instance. In day to day dealings with strangers including commercial transations, it's an ever-present risk that we don't really know who they are (background-wise: their religion, forefathers' religion, country of origin, regional associations, socio-economic status etc). If we had RFID chips I could deal with you happily and safely, in the knowledge that you don't frequent mosques where inflammatory rhetoric is the norm, you don't take out library books on how to make munitions, etc). We could just rely on the software and not have to ask impertinent questions that might be considered rude. With this kind of technology, it becomes safe to use the bus once again because the bad guys couldn't even board without setting off alarms.
Going for Muslims.
I don't think it's a good idea to discuss it. If the FBI discussed it with you that's good. I've reported people I suspect to be internet terrorists too, but didn't hear anything.
Well look if I knew one of those guys was on the bus I would get off the bus pretty fast. In the Netherlands you've had politicians shot dead by these types of people. How could you tolerate them on your bus?
Now OK, you say there's an organization killing and terrorizing thousands of people, but if I disagree with you about this where do we stand? Are you going to use your beliefs (from that blog or elsewhere) to hack my computer? Threaten me personally? Do you see what I mean about this? That blog just supports what I've been saying all along. Blogging in this situation is a strategy, and you're either on one side or the other.
To thwart terrorists, if it was within my power I would shut down the blog and have the blogger arrested and interrogated. Then I would undoubtedly find (after some tough interrogation) that he has connections to people in Europe and USA supporting him with his use of technology and the media to support his cause. Taking them out and off the streets would make the world a safer place in which there would be no nasty incidents.
There is absolutely nothing funny about any of this. Wake the hell up guys - this isn't a game.
How long before "hackers" (the type who break into other peoples' computers without permission) are recognised for the terrorists they are, and end up with their friends in Guantanamo Bay?
I'm sure the computer systems have much more information on them than just these names which have been released to the public.
By far the list comprises mostly the names of Muslims. I don't even have a TV. Do YOU have any idea how bad groups like Jamaah Islamiya are? Their supporters deserve to be shot on sight, not sold a sandwich by people who think the terrorist threat is just some kind of mass entertainment. It is bloody hard to combat this sort of enemy - they don't wear uniforms or seem out of the ordinary in any way. And yes, there are millions called "Khan", but out of them, a few are EXTREMELY dangerous. They have a history of this and so let's not grow any more of them. Yeah I know I'll get stick for this but I'm gonna stand up for the guys who do the utterly thankless job of fighting the war on terror.
So if you haven't got an English-sounding name, you must have one of the Muslim names on this list? Don't think so.
This will be the difference between ill-advised economic protectionism that may adversely affect the computing/IT sector, and making a significant impact on countries that indirectly support terrorism. If we're serious about combating terrorism, only Muslim countries with sectarian influence at government level should be on the list. And since the Wahabi ideology behind terrorism come from Saudi Arabia, that would mean the oil Arabs should go on the list too.
That's a bit bizarre. These are new, 64-bit computers they're shipping with a 16/32-bit hobbyist OS? I like FreeDOS but if I went to buy a new desktop PC which "came with FreeDOS" as the only OS on its multi multi gigabyte hard disk, I would feel a bit ripped off. It seems to make more sense to offer a dual boot system, with both FreeDOS and a big mainstream Linux distro. FreeDOS by itself is something I would keep for a very old PC I didn't want to get rid of. Strange stuff.
Coke and hookers you say?? Bad stuff. You can't build a business on such treacherous self-centredness. How could you even trust your own sales staff?
Psions are extremely fragile. The build quality is very poor indeed. The screens all fail after 1 or 2 years' normal use. Contacts for the LCD panel are held on with sticky tape that comes away if you leave it in a warm place (like a coat pocket).
These Malcontents are a huge annoyance to people with more realistic ways of changing things in the long term. It just seems that they are determined to be the whetstone that sharpens whatever new tools for oppression the government might buy (Tasers, shootable batons, new emergency powers to torture, sexually abuse, etc). It just seems to me that they have a deep-seated obssession with being the sacrifical lamb who is beaten, abused or whatever for "our" sins.
The only result from their actions is that the government gets tougher and more effective in its machinery of oppression. Like giving someone a punching bag and martial arts training. They make it much more difficult for us in the long run, by creating situations in which our concerns for humam rights can be ignored with an appearance of legitimacy. When their protests are successfully quashed in our city centres and the police get their bonuses and promotions, how can we then persuade anyone to be more compassionate in their methods of government and framing of new laws? We start to look like stupid hippies, and are ignored. All thanks to these fanatics who can't even account for the effect of their useless reactions.
They are far more dangerous than NYPD. I'd rather see those activists get denied legal rights and a bloody nose from the school bullies who joined the cops, than hear about scientists being threatened, "darknets" being erected, personal computers hacked, websites defaced and individuals defamed. At the end of the day I believe that some semblance of order, no matter how flawed, is better than any attempt to bring down the status quo (as opposed to natural evolution). Revolutionaries need to be dealt with hard. Simple as that.