In theory, sure. But in practice, today's audio CDs tend to be very poorly mastered.
It is common to see 16-bit clipping artifacts on major label CDs, as audio engineers strive to make their disc sound "louder" than others on the shelf. I know it sounds like a joke from spinal tap, but it's true.
Is that why the FDA produced a "food pyramid" which bases the diet on carbohydrates...?
The "Food Pyramid" is not published by the FDA. It's published by the USDA, whose mission is to promote American agriculture. Their pyramid is basically an ad campaign masquerading as a public service.
The new policy is no longer compliant with GPLv2 clause 6. Lindens can no longer use GPL at all. ...what they've done is to impose restrictions on development and distribution of GPL code
Linden has done no such thing. What they've done is offer an optional agreement.
Some developers will choose to accept the agreement. They will agree to certain limitations, in return for access to access to Linden's servers.
Other developers will not accept the agreement, and no limitations will be imposed on them.
The agreement is totally optional. It has not been imposed on anybody.
PC gaming is dieing because of factors like DRM schemes
You have this point exactly backwards. Game developers are moving to consoles precisely because those consoles offer stronger DRM.
Consoles are designed to prohibit the user from running any code not signed by Sony or MS. That's more onerous DRM than anything which exists in PC-space. Publishers perceive this as a strength, because it makes console games more complicated to "pirate."
If anything, gamers and publishers are running toward DRM schemes, not away from them.
As a rule, humans are better at more complex games. At simple games like checkers and chess, the computer wins by predicting several moves in advance. Such prediction isn't possible for more complex games, which humans tend to win.
There was only 1 episode out of order... Actually, several episodes were shown out of order. FOX aired them in this sequence: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 4, 5, 9, 10, 14, 1
People who are pirating, know they are pirating. They won't care about the message that says they are pirating the software.
This is true for personal machines in private locations. But in other situations, such a message would help to curb piracy.
For example, most companies would be embarrassed to have such a message appear on their workplace computers. Likewise, schools and organizations would be embarrassed to have such a message on their lab computers.
The name brand stuff I buy from Wal-Mart is the exact same name brand stuff they have everywhere else. Not necessarily. Music albums and games sold at Wal-Mart are often specially censored versions. Cover art is altered frequently for Wal-Mart. Sometimes content is altered as well.
Modern laptops don't charge the battery when it's fully charged and plugged in, so there's no reason why this effect would occur. The reason is heat. Batteries decay more quickly at higher temperatures, and your laptop gets pretty hot. Removing a battery lowers its temperature. This can make a real difference if your laptop is always on.
You're correct that 1080p requires 6 times as much data at the same compression rate.
Thankfully, compression algorithms have improved since DVDs were invented. Both HD-DVD and BlueRay support H.264 compression. Compared to the MPEG2 compression used for regular DVDs, this new format yields better image quality at a smaller data rate.
Click here to see a comparison between H.264 and an older MPEG4 codec.
Scientists have discovered that jazz causes brain damage. Seriously.
"While regular rhythms and simple tones produce a quieting effect on the brain... the effect of jazz on the normal brain produces an atrophied condition on the brain cells of conception."The ladies' home journal has the rest of the story here.
This is scary stuff. We need to protect our kids before it's too late.
To be fair, the car in this story wasn't any paltry $150k sportscar. It was possibly the most expensive car on Earth, leased with company funds that should have gone toward, for example, manufacturing hardware and developing software. It's not out of line to wonder at the psychology behind an expense like that.
I dunno; the infected videos are advertised in the article. If I were running an insecure browser and media player, I might have been glad of the warning.
I hear ya about the format, though. Executeable code launched from a movie? Whose brilliant idea was that?
"if your job is to Manage people who are doing a task, and you put forth an image that shoves your own cultural meme right into their faces, that's confrontational"
Is it professional behaviour for an engineer to distress over a coworker's fashion sense?
To perceive hairs on an engineer's head as "shoving" or "confronting" requires an active imagination.
A busybody who objects to her coworker's hairstyle is probably difficult to work with in other respects as well. I would recommend against hiring such a person.
"this is an AOL service. It's hardly targeted at Firefox/Linux/Winamp/whatever users"
Actually, AOL owns Winamp, and AOL owns the primary developer of Firefox.
For that reason, I'd be surprised if this new service doesn't work with them.
Slashdot Mirror
His engineering skills are clearly obsolete by several decades
[citation needed]
In theory, sure. But in practice, today's audio CDs tend to be very poorly mastered.
It is common to see 16-bit clipping artifacts on major label CDs, as audio engineers strive to make their disc sound "louder" than others on the shelf. I know it sounds like a joke from spinal tap, but it's true.
For an illustration of the problem, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ
For more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
The move to 24-bit samples could solve this problem by making CD mastering more "idiot proof."
New Super Mario Bros
Borderlands
Left4Dead2
Fable3
Dead Nation
Castle Crashers
Scott Pilgrim
Little Big Planet2
There's hardly a shortage of good co-op games to play. I'm not sure what the author is thinking.
Is that why the FDA produced a "food pyramid" which bases the diet on carbohydrates...?
The "Food Pyramid" is not published by the FDA. It's published by the USDA, whose mission is to promote American agriculture. Their pyramid is basically an ad campaign masquerading as a public service.
The new policy is no longer compliant with GPLv2 clause 6. Lindens can no longer use GPL at all.
...what they've done is to impose restrictions on development and distribution of GPL code
Linden has done no such thing. What they've done is offer an optional agreement.
Some developers will choose to accept the agreement. They will agree to certain limitations, in return for access to access to Linden's servers.
Other developers will not accept the agreement, and no limitations will be imposed on them.
The agreement is totally optional. It has not been imposed on anybody.
So it doesn't violate clause 6 at all.
Linden Labs has not "backpedaled" on the GPL in any sense at all.
Linden generously donated a lot of code to GPL developers. They never promised to grant unlimited access to their servers.
There is really no cause for whining here. The community should be grateful to these guys.
PC gaming is dieing because of factors like DRM schemes
You have this point exactly backwards. Game developers are moving to consoles precisely because those consoles offer stronger DRM.
Consoles are designed to prohibit the user from running any code not signed by Sony or MS. That's more onerous DRM than anything which exists in PC-space. Publishers perceive this as a strength, because it makes console games more complicated to "pirate."
If anything, gamers and publishers are running toward DRM schemes, not away from them.
Thankfully, that premise is false. Humans are better at many games.
A well-known example is Go.
As a rule, humans are better at more complex games. At simple games like checkers and chess, the computer wins by predicting several moves in advance. Such prediction isn't possible for more complex games, which humans tend to win.
(Wikipedia provides the air dates here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Firefly_episodes)
By putting episodes in the right order, the DVD set improved things considerably.
This is true for personal machines in private locations. But in other situations, such a message would help to curb piracy.
For example, most companies would be embarrassed to have such a message appear on their workplace computers. Likewise, schools and organizations would be embarrassed to have such a message on their lab computers.
I've worked in games for several years. Been on both sides of the interview desk.
To break in, you need a demo. It means more than anything on your resume, including your college degree.
Code a game. A simple game is fine, but it should be polished.
If you can't program, then make a demo using mod tools or Adventure Game Studio. Or create a really good 3D model.
If your demo is good, you'll get a job.
Cover art is altered frequently for Wal-Mart. Sometimes content is altered as well.
The GI Joe toys first disassociated themselves from the US military during the Vietnam War.
e am
The military was unpopular, so GI Joe formed a not-explicitly-military "adventure team."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe_Adventure_T
You're correct that 1080p requires 6 times as much data at the same compression rate.
Thankfully, compression algorithms have improved since DVDs were invented. Both HD-DVD and BlueRay support H.264 compression. Compared to the MPEG2 compression used for regular DVDs, this new format yields better image quality at a smaller data rate.
Click here to see a comparison between H.264 and an older MPEG4 codec.
Because the Playstation3 is a powerful computer for the money!
Seriously, it's got a 3.2GHz cell processor and a blueray drive... where else are you going to find a system like that for only $600?
Scientists have discovered that jazz causes brain damage. Seriously.
"While regular rhythms and simple tones produce a quieting effect on the brain... the effect of jazz on the normal brain produces an atrophied condition on the brain cells of conception."The ladies' home journal has the rest of the story here.
This is scary stuff. We need to protect our kids before it's too late.
This can't be a complete list! Where's the FreezePop?
To be fair, the car in this story wasn't any paltry $150k sportscar. It was possibly the most expensive car on Earth, leased with company funds that should have gone toward, for example, manufacturing hardware and developing software. It's not out of line to wonder at the psychology behind an expense like that.
I dunno; the infected videos are advertised in the article. If I were running an insecure browser and media player, I might have been glad of the warning.
I hear ya about the format, though. Executeable code launched from a movie? Whose brilliant idea was that?
(Lest the "funny" tag cause confusion, I wish to clarify that the above is, in fact, a firsthand account.)
I dunno. I'm seeing those zango links also, and I'm pretty sure my machine isn't infected.
See the "car crash videos" link in the upper-right corner of the article? That takes you to the page with the Zango links.
Since you ask, this is how it went down:
Foreign Investors: "Hello, nerds. We are buying your studio. Please to create software for our device. We have lots of money."
Nerds: "This prototype is sweet! This is going to be fun!"
(several months later)
Foreign Investors: "We are out of money. Please to close your studio now."
Nerds: "How is that even possible? We had lots of money!"
Foreign Investors: "We invested it."
Nerds: "In what, pray tell, did you invest our entire budget?"
Foreign Investors: "Fancy cars and models."
Nerds: "Drat! Oh well, just give us last month's payroll and we'll be out the door."
Foreign Investors: "We do not have last month's payroll! But we are keeping the million dollar company car."
Nerds: "Shouldn't karmic retribution be kicking in about now?"
TV News: "Video game executive wrecks million-dollar Ferrari"
Nerds: "Hah hah!"
"if your job is to Manage people who are doing a task, and you put forth an image that shoves your own cultural meme right into their faces, that's confrontational"
Is it professional behaviour for an engineer to distress over a coworker's fashion sense?
To perceive hairs on an engineer's head as "shoving" or "confronting" requires an active imagination.
A busybody who objects to her coworker's hairstyle is probably difficult to work with in other respects as well. I would recommend against hiring such a person.
Actually, AOL owns Winamp, and AOL owns the primary developer of Firefox.
For that reason, I'd be surprised if this new service doesn't work with them.