The problem is that Microsoft's two main R&D centers in Cupertino are justing not producing enough new and exciting innovations. The leader of one just stepped down and the other is concentrating on portable music.
My wife teaches math and computer science at a local high school. The AP Computer Science class uses Java (used to be C++). There are two AP Computer Science tests A & B which correspond to one and two semesters of college programming classes. Not all schools in the area offer computer science classes. It mostly depends on the state of the districts budget. Schools in this area depend on property taxes for funding and property tax levies pass only about half the time. 'Frills' like computer science classes, AP courses, music, art, etc. are eliminated when the districts get into financial trouble. Here's (http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/su b_compscia.html) a link to the AP Computer Science A exam web page.
Yeah, OK, whatever. Just as long as they leave the firewall alone in patches and service packs. I recall installing SP2 on a headless XP box. I was connected via remote desktop, installed the SP, rebooted, service pack turned on firewall blocking incoming connections, and...
Work hard, keep your skills up to date, contribute sold value to your employer and you'll do fine. I was convinced of that right up to the moment I got laid off.
I've spent much time looking at the issue of climate change too. I don't believe ANYONE has a handle on all the variables related to something as chaotic as the earth's climate. Hence my openness to different viewpoints. Anyway, for what it's worth - I hope you stick around.
As you can see from my UID, I've been around a while too. Slashdot has always been a forum where discussions of an issue can take place. Discussions by their very nature are two-sided - not a monologue. If your world view can't handle the possibility that there might be other view points - you're better off at some other site.
I detect some skepticism. Trust me it really works. Very quickly you'll be impressing your salaryman colleagues with common Japanese phrases like "Kamaeha-maeha!" and "BigBangAttack!".
Get Dragonball Z on DVD. Start watching in Japanese with English subtitles. About half-way through the battle with Freeza (episode #5259) turn off the subtitles.
Combine expensive jewelry (something that you normally keep) with consumer electronics (quickly obsolete and disposed of) and you get - EXPENSIVE JEWELRY THAT YOU THROW AWAY!! I stand in awe of the marketing genius that came up with this. Now if they can only identify a large enough market segment of wealthy stupid people (hint: try the entertainment industry).
So far Sony has demonstrated the amazing ability to pick the WRONG format every time - Beta, Mini-disc, memory stick, and now UMD. What's this say about the coming Blu-ray vs. HD battle? Seems to me Sony's biggest problem is not technology but internal conflicts within Sony and external channel conflict. Internally, the content producing divisions want the consumer electronics division to cripple hardware and load it up with all sorts of DRM. Externally, content providers are wary of handing a standard to another content provider. Somehow the consumer gets left out completely. Not exactly a model for business success.
At the end of the nineteenth century at an international physics conference - a renowned physicists gave a talk asserting that just about everything was known in physics (wish I recalled his name). He then list a handful of problems where the solution was not known, but assuredly would be solved soon. I only remember one item on the list - the photoelectric effect. But each issue, when addressed turned classic physics on it's head.
It's easy to mock a speech like that after the fact. But, at the time, it seemed to be conventional wisdom. Most progress is indeed linear, but then someone will come up with a startling innovation (relativity, DNA, the web) that will change everything. These discontinuities in innovation can't be scheduled or forecast. So the 'safe' thing to do is to predict linear changes. Safe, but wrong.
Remember the Gore Tax - a 'universal service' fee on your phone bill to make telecomm. services 'widely available' to public schools. So where are they going to get the money for universal Internet access. Where do you think? Expect a hefty new federal tax on your broadband access to pay for this new universal access.
Slashdot Mirror
Have you looked at a mini-laptop - 1/2 way between a laptop and a PDA. For instance, the Toshiba Libretto is about 2 lbs.
The problem is that Microsoft's two main R&D centers in Cupertino are justing not producing enough new and exciting innovations. The leader of one just stepped down and the other is concentrating on portable music.
Right next to the Ark of the Covenant ... a copy of Duke Nukem Forever.
My wife teaches math and computer science at a local high school. The AP Computer Science class uses Java (used to be C++). There are two AP Computer Science tests A & B which correspond to one and two semesters of college programming classes. Not all schools in the area offer computer science classes. It mostly depends on the state of the districts budget. Schools in this area depend on property taxes for funding and property tax levies pass only about half the time. 'Frills' like computer science classes, AP courses, music, art, etc. are eliminated when the districts get into financial trouble. Here's (http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/su b_compscia.html) a link to the AP Computer Science A exam web page.
Yeah, OK, whatever. Just as long as they leave the firewall alone in patches and service packs. I recall installing SP2 on a headless XP box. I was connected via remote desktop, installed the SP, rebooted, service pack turned on firewall blocking incoming connections, and ...
I for one welcome our new XHTML/CSS rendering overlords.
Work hard, keep your skills up to date, contribute sold value to your employer and you'll do fine. I was convinced of that right up to the moment I got laid off.
$250 to see a Madonna concert - much too low. They'd have to pay me a LOT more than that.
...
24. Jack calls and says "DON'T TELL ANYONE I called. Just re-position the satellite" Do you:
a) Hang up on Jack
b) Call Division and give them Jack's location
c) Tell Edgar to do it
d) Re-position the satellite
An increase of just 300 degrees centigrade would cause everything flammable to catch fire!
I've spent much time looking at the issue of climate change too. I don't believe ANYONE has a handle on all the variables related to something as chaotic as the earth's climate. Hence my openness to different viewpoints. Anyway, for what it's worth - I hope you stick around.
As you can see from my UID, I've been around a while too. Slashdot has always been a forum where discussions of an issue can take place. Discussions by their very nature are two-sided - not a monologue. If your world view can't handle the possibility that there might be other view points - you're better off at some other site.
With apologies to South Park, the pattern for Lucent (and many other tech firms) is:
1) Start with prestigious tech company
2) Mismanage it into a death spiral
3) ???
4) Profit!!!
I detect some skepticism. Trust me it really works. Very quickly you'll be impressing your salaryman colleagues with common Japanese phrases like "Kamaeha-maeha!" and "BigBangAttack!".
Get Dragonball Z on DVD. Start watching in Japanese with English subtitles. About half-way through the battle with Freeza (episode #5259) turn off the subtitles.
"Quick! Get the coordinates of the Bauer kid"
"Can't do it! He must have turned off the phone and removed the battery"
"Damn it!"
Combine expensive jewelry (something that you normally keep) with consumer electronics (quickly obsolete and disposed of) and you get - EXPENSIVE JEWELRY THAT YOU THROW AWAY!! I stand in awe of the marketing genius that came up with this. Now if they can only identify a large enough market segment of wealthy stupid people (hint: try the entertainment industry).
Expect to see Chloe using one of these in Season 6. :~)
So far Sony has demonstrated the amazing ability to pick the WRONG format every time - Beta, Mini-disc, memory stick, and now UMD. What's this say about the coming Blu-ray vs. HD battle? Seems to me Sony's biggest problem is not technology but internal conflicts within Sony and external channel conflict. Internally, the content producing divisions want the consumer electronics division to cripple hardware and load it up with all sorts of DRM. Externally, content providers are wary of handing a standard to another content provider. Somehow the consumer gets left out completely. Not exactly a model for business success.
Cynewulf, (in real life a 27 year-old electrical engineer from Flint, Michigan, USA)
Some would say that having to live in Michigan was punishment enough.
At least it's not one of those hazardous TV's with three guns that shoot beta particles at you!!
At the end of the nineteenth century at an international physics conference - a renowned physicists gave a talk asserting that just about everything was known in physics (wish I recalled his name). He then list a handful of problems where the solution was not known, but assuredly would be solved soon. I only remember one item on the list - the photoelectric effect. But each issue, when addressed turned classic physics on it's head.
It's easy to mock a speech like that after the fact. But, at the time, it seemed to be conventional wisdom. Most progress is indeed linear, but then someone will come up with a startling innovation (relativity, DNA, the web) that will change everything. These discontinuities in innovation can't be scheduled or forecast. So the 'safe' thing to do is to predict linear changes. Safe, but wrong.
Remember the Gore Tax - a 'universal service' fee on your phone bill to make telecomm. services 'widely available' to public schools. So where are they going to get the money for universal Internet access. Where do you think? Expect a hefty new federal tax on your broadband access to pay for this new universal access.
Do they look like upside down trashcans and shout "Exterminate!"?
I was sooo looking forward to getting copy protection sooner than that.