It seems that people's feelings about Netflix's streaming library are very binary. I'm an adventurous movie watcher, so I love the recommendation engine and the weird "Powerful Lead Woman Killing Zombies in New Zealand" categories that show up on my XBox 360.
Other people who have a very set and narrow movie preference tend to get frustrated with the recommendations and burn through movies fitting his or her preference in a matter of weeks.
But speaking in absolutes, the selection on streaming is a pittance compared to the DVD library.
Another relative hates Fox News with a passion. She wants political commentary that she can listen to while getting ready for work in the morning, and she has hooked the cable box up to an FM transmitter so that she can blare MSNBC's Morning Joe Brewed by Starbucks over a radio in every room, even in the bathroom while she takes a shower.
Why doesn't she just listen to NPR? Morning Edition is so much more awesome, more intelligent, and a lot less slanted though still pretty Liberal. Oh wait...
Unfortunately, there is ONE coax jack in the apartment and the cable company and property management company refuse to have any more installed.:-(
I did some research on MoCA and was greatly saddened that it's out of the question for my situation.
What's the throughput on that? Not the spec stuff, but you're actual experience. I'm planning on going DOCSIS 3.0 also, so I want to be able to take advantage of that.
Also, am I going to have a mob and angry CB enthusiasts trying to lynch me?:-P
Ability to auto-update OpenDNS with my ISP assigned IP address
Ability to configure a secondary router to act as a wireless bridge and forward DHCP requests to the primary router
QoS stuff. Haven't used it before, but now that we're exclusively streaming through the XBox or watching OTA HDTV, I'd like to guarantee Netflix and Hulu streams to the TV even when my other half is torrenting por...Linux Distro CDs.
General reaction is DD-WRT is crappy these days. I don't really know. These 54Gs were flashed some years ago. It's been so long since I've had them that I had to do some searching in my Evernote to find my network docs to get into the routers after we moved. Hence, I haven't even visited the Wiki in years and never visited the forums.
Yes, I won't run Ethernet. I have pets. Short some interesting routing requiring in length ten times the line of sight distance, running Ethernet is just ugly. If I run it across a door way, there shll be tripping, and crazy cats, and curious dogs causing me all sorts of grief. Also, it's likely to freak out our highly Conservative, Bible Thumping, Internet-is-for-porn-and-porn-alone landlord.
"THEY HAVE WIRES HANGING OFF THE CEILING RUNNING FROM THIS BOX TO THAT BOX!!! THEY'RE TERRORISTS!!!"
The last reason is purely in jest and really isn't the deciding factor.
The plan is to find a Firmware that supports making the extra router into a wireless bridge and run Ethernet from XBox 360 and Blu-Ray to a second router acting as a bridge and forwarding DHCP and what-not back and forth.
As I've stated before, "Supported" does not mean "Good experience". I've seen that database burn plenty of people.:-)
Hmmmmm...valid. DD-WRT is not one of those things you update often. I've been running DD-WRT stably on 54G's of various versions for at least 4 years. I really haven't had any issue with them EVER so I've never really done much other than visit the Wiki and main pages on occasion when flashing a new 54G. I'd not though to check into how DD-WRT was doing on 802.11n devices.
You are correct. I meant procedural programming. I actually like Functional in some contexts, especially that bit up there. That is damn sexy. Ruby's some weird amalgam of Object Oriented and Functional also, right? I recall doing things like 10.times({print HEY THERE!;}); and tossing functions around between objects. Scheme was an eye opener, for me. It got me out of being an Object Oriented snob and more towards a much more agnostic approach to programming. Most of our department seemed convinced that functional programming had too many parentheses for beginners though...
Now that I think about it, though, Functional might be the best way to start Freshman programmers off. Again, though, it comes back to Math. I just wish they'd make a Core only semester and require an introductory Discreet math class. My program wouldn't let you into Discreet Math till after Calculus, and by then I spent the whole class skipping the homework and tutoring non-Comp Sci majors in the class for extra money.
On the other hand, it'll put the script kiddies on an even footing with the "Likes fixing computers and writing batch files" people. That's the other side of Computer Science programs that I have issue with. The smart acne kids in the back making fun of everyone else because they can click a few buttons on some malware kit and edit a few bash scripts. Puh-lease.
My alma mater's computer science department was overrun by this massive Java versus Python debate. It was further driven by this "Hello world" versus "Computational Media" bend too*. I was the primary tutor for the lab and hence was tapped to explain what sorts of problems the tutors were repeatedly covering. The explanation I tried to give repeatedly was that at the end of the semester, the students in the first level introductory class just didn't know what the hell a variable was, a reference was, and they completely lacked the ability to understand even functional, much less OO programming.
On the side, we started giving surveys to students we tutored. We also managed to pull "anonymized" data on the students, primarily their high school math grades. Direct, almost undeniable correlation. Over 90% of students who failed our introductory classes earned three or more C's on math courses beginning with Algebra. A majority (around 60%, I believe) were in remedial math classes at the college.
Admittedly, I don't push the remedial math statistic that much. I took a 4 year break between High School and College and failed the university's math placement test. I was placed in remedial pre-algebra. I worked with the department head and he said that he would put me in College Algebra, which at my school was actually a weird hybrid Algebra/Pre-Calculus class. The time out of school left me staring at polynomials and going, "This is a polynomial. There's an algorithm I don't remember to turn this into two polynomials. This is a quadratic. If I arrange it so it equals zero I can use an equation I don't remember to find the values of X for which it crosses the X-axis." A quick review with a tutor the week before and the 100 level class got me back on track and I was on to Calculus, Differential Equations (the absolute ceiling of what I can do in "applied" math) Linear Algebra, Math Modeling For Business, Set Logic (murdered my GPA and cost me summa cum laude), and a few actuarial classes. However, I feel that pre-college math grades are a definite indicator of later failure in Computer Science.
*Computational Media was used to mean that you give students this pre-built library that represented media is overly simplified forms. For instance, a JPEG could be read in and would be represented as an object with a width, height, and a one dimensional array of Pixels. There was a "sound editor" where you wrote an object that had a function that modified an array of Samples and then you could listen to the before and after effects of the sound. There were a few other things. It was all Java and missed the point that someone who wants to be a computer programmer will find "Hello, World" just as fascinating as "Show Picture".
While it's likely that the price increases will come with reduced data caps, I think there is room for someone to finally do the right thing.
I think I'd rather see a 25% price increase in my internet, no data caps, and some pretty granular à la carte IPTV choices than the current industry state and prices. We recently cut the cord to the TV and dropped down to a fairly fast internet plan with our provider, Comcast. They called me back and tried to convince me to pick back up the TV plan for some pretty insanely low rates. Still, to get the three to five channels I actually watched and recorded shows from regularly, I would've had to pay out $60 more above what I was paying with just the internet and 90 other channels I have little to no interest in funding, period.
On the other hand, if my cable company offered to just give me HGTV, and BBC America for say, $5 each per month, I would've gladly signed back up.
Oh look at that! Hackers are the new homosexual! They are a group with an agenda that is far more insidious than any member could imagine, much less perpetrate.
I 've followed Jane McGonigal since I saw her TED talk and even participated for a short time in her online "MMORPG", Urgent EVOKE. It was very much an online course in Social Innovation styled like a game. You made blog posts, participated in activities, and developed solutions to solve "quests". I recall that the first quest dealt with food security. It was fun, and I truely regret was completing the game. Work and school interferred and EVOKE fell to the wayside.
I truely hope that the participants, especially those living in the countries suffering the same problems posed to the players, were inspired and moved on to work to remedy these problems.
Jane McGonigal may may not have a PhD in game design OR in Human Behavior. However, I think she has a brilliant idea and an amazing dream. It really saddens me to see so many people try to rip her to shreds. WTF have you done to try and make the world a better place? Where do you get a pass to criticize someone who has taken on changing the world for the better, despite the nearly impossible odds?
Yeah seeing a guy complaining about how bad the economy is, and that he can barely feed his family while he checks out what's Hot or Not on his new iPad.
THIS. OMG THIS. The mentality of people today is so alien to me I can't even imagine comprehending it.
I have a neighbor who just bought a $2000 T.V. He was laid off last month. Literally, he was bringing the T.V. into his duplex and complaining that he didn't know how much longer he was going to live there. Why? Because the land lord raised the rent $50 a month and unemployment wasn't covering it. I bit my tongue and walked inside. I still have the coppery taste of blood in my mouth.
Vote? For who?
I'm sorry, but no one seems to realize that all this talk of reaching across the isle has come true. There is a single party in power. They're just playing like we have a choice.
We have always been at war with the Terrorists.
All I could think about while reading the summary was that we should start passing out packs of Orbitz. ^_^ (I really seriously love those commercials.)
On the front page it says "Earn BIG MONEY selling I-Doser Digital Drugs with our DEALER PROGRAM". At the bottom, it has links to "Exotic Bud", "Mood Pills", and "Legal Hash". Finally, a click into the iPod section gives you mixes named Marijuana, Cocaine, Opium, and Peyote. The more I research this the more I can see where the hysteria would come from. I-Doser.com has opened up a can of worms with this marketing. Unfortunately, no one will seperate the marketing from the science, and it'll continue to cause mass hysteria.
I'm vaguely reminded of a 60-Minutes story on those plastic "jelly" bracelets and teenage sex.
Slashdot Mirror
It seems that people's feelings about Netflix's streaming library are very binary. I'm an adventurous movie watcher, so I love the recommendation engine and the weird "Powerful Lead Woman Killing Zombies in New Zealand" categories that show up on my XBox 360.
Other people who have a very set and narrow movie preference tend to get frustrated with the recommendations and burn through movies fitting his or her preference in a matter of weeks.
But speaking in absolutes, the selection on streaming is a pittance compared to the DVD library.
Another relative hates Fox News with a passion. She wants political commentary that she can listen to while getting ready for work in the morning, and she has hooked the cable box up to an FM transmitter so that she can blare MSNBC's Morning Joe Brewed by Starbucks over a radio in every room, even in the bathroom while she takes a shower.
Why doesn't she just listen to NPR? Morning Edition is so much more awesome, more intelligent, and a lot less slanted though still pretty Liberal. Oh wait...
*cough*
Whoa, that was creepy to read.
Rental Apartment. Crazy landlord. Should've specified. :-)
I ran Ethernet through my parents house when I lived there, so it's not outside of my realm of experience. ;-)
That looks tasty. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll look into it!
Thanks!
That does sound fun. ^_^
Unfortunately, there is ONE coax jack in the apartment and the cable company and property management company refuse to have any more installed. :-(
I did some research on MoCA and was greatly saddened that it's out of the question for my situation.
What's the throughput on that? Not the spec stuff, but you're actual experience. I'm planning on going DOCSIS 3.0 also, so I want to be able to take advantage of that.
Also, am I going to have a mob and angry CB enthusiasts trying to lynch me? :-P
Primarily:
General reaction is DD-WRT is crappy these days. I don't really know. These 54Gs were flashed some years ago. It's been so long since I've had them that I had to do some searching in my Evernote to find my network docs to get into the routers after we moved. Hence, I haven't even visited the Wiki in years and never visited the forums.
Grammar Police just dropped off my citation. :-)
Yes, I won't run Ethernet. I have pets. Short some interesting routing requiring in length ten times the line of sight distance, running Ethernet is just ugly. If I run it across a door way, there shll be tripping, and crazy cats, and curious dogs causing me all sorts of grief. Also, it's likely to freak out our highly Conservative, Bible Thumping, Internet-is-for-porn-and-porn-alone landlord.
"THEY HAVE WIRES HANGING OFF THE CEILING RUNNING FROM THIS BOX TO THAT BOX!!! THEY'RE TERRORISTS!!!"
The last reason is purely in jest and really isn't the deciding factor.
The plan is to find a Firmware that supports making the extra router into a wireless bridge and run Ethernet from XBox 360 and Blu-Ray to a second router acting as a bridge and forwarding DHCP and what-not back and forth. As I've stated before, "Supported" does not mean "Good experience". I've seen that database burn plenty of people. :-)
Hmmmmm...valid. DD-WRT is not one of those things you update often. I've been running DD-WRT stably on 54G's of various versions for at least 4 years. I really haven't had any issue with them EVER so I've never really done much other than visit the Wiki and main pages on occasion when flashing a new 54G. I'd not though to check into how DD-WRT was doing on 802.11n devices.
Yes, but as I've seen from experience working with a friend's D-Link router, "Supported" on the database does not always equate to "Good Experience".
You are correct. I meant procedural programming. I actually like Functional in some contexts, especially that bit up there. That is damn sexy. Ruby's some weird amalgam of Object Oriented and Functional also, right? I recall doing things like 10.times({print HEY THERE!;}); and tossing functions around between objects. Scheme was an eye opener, for me. It got me out of being an Object Oriented snob and more towards a much more agnostic approach to programming. Most of our department seemed convinced that functional programming had too many parentheses for beginners though...
Now that I think about it, though, Functional might be the best way to start Freshman programmers off. Again, though, it comes back to Math. I just wish they'd make a Core only semester and require an introductory Discreet math class. My program wouldn't let you into Discreet Math till after Calculus, and by then I spent the whole class skipping the homework and tutoring non-Comp Sci majors in the class for extra money.
On the other hand, it'll put the script kiddies on an even footing with the "Likes fixing computers and writing batch files" people. That's the other side of Computer Science programs that I have issue with. The smart acne kids in the back making fun of everyone else because they can click a few buttons on some malware kit and edit a few bash scripts. Puh-lease.
This.
My alma mater's computer science department was overrun by this massive Java versus Python debate. It was further driven by this "Hello world" versus "Computational Media" bend too*. I was the primary tutor for the lab and hence was tapped to explain what sorts of problems the tutors were repeatedly covering. The explanation I tried to give repeatedly was that at the end of the semester, the students in the first level introductory class just didn't know what the hell a variable was, a reference was, and they completely lacked the ability to understand even functional, much less OO programming.
On the side, we started giving surveys to students we tutored. We also managed to pull "anonymized" data on the students, primarily their high school math grades. Direct, almost undeniable correlation. Over 90% of students who failed our introductory classes earned three or more C's on math courses beginning with Algebra. A majority (around 60%, I believe) were in remedial math classes at the college.
Admittedly, I don't push the remedial math statistic that much. I took a 4 year break between High School and College and failed the university's math placement test. I was placed in remedial pre-algebra. I worked with the department head and he said that he would put me in College Algebra, which at my school was actually a weird hybrid Algebra/Pre-Calculus class. The time out of school left me staring at polynomials and going, "This is a polynomial. There's an algorithm I don't remember to turn this into two polynomials. This is a quadratic. If I arrange it so it equals zero I can use an equation I don't remember to find the values of X for which it crosses the X-axis." A quick review with a tutor the week before and the 100 level class got me back on track and I was on to Calculus, Differential Equations (the absolute ceiling of what I can do in "applied" math) Linear Algebra, Math Modeling For Business, Set Logic (murdered my GPA and cost me summa cum laude), and a few actuarial classes. However, I feel that pre-college math grades are a definite indicator of later failure in Computer Science.
*Computational Media was used to mean that you give students this pre-built library that represented media is overly simplified forms. For instance, a JPEG could be read in and would be represented as an object with a width, height, and a one dimensional array of Pixels. There was a "sound editor" where you wrote an object that had a function that modified an array of Samples and then you could listen to the before and after effects of the sound. There were a few other things. It was all Java and missed the point that someone who wants to be a computer programmer will find "Hello, World" just as fascinating as "Show Picture".
It isn't Aung San Suu Kyi we're dealing with here. It's these clueless bitches: http://audioboo.fm/boos/434411-leana-hosea-speaks-to-croydon-looters-on-bbcworldservice
WOW.
It's like...all those movies about hoodlum chav's we see in America are true. Way to go UK.
While it's likely that the price increases will come with reduced data caps, I think there is room for someone to finally do the right thing.
I think I'd rather see a 25% price increase in my internet, no data caps, and some pretty granular à la carte IPTV choices than the current industry state and prices. We recently cut the cord to the TV and dropped down to a fairly fast internet plan with our provider, Comcast. They called me back and tried to convince me to pick back up the TV plan for some pretty insanely low rates. Still, to get the three to five channels I actually watched and recorded shows from regularly, I would've had to pay out $60 more above what I was paying with just the internet and 90 other channels I have little to no interest in funding, period.
On the other hand, if my cable company offered to just give me HGTV, and BBC America for say, $5 each per month, I would've gladly signed back up.
Oh look at that! Hackers are the new homosexual! They are a group with an agenda that is far more insidious than any member could imagine, much less perpetrate.
I 've followed Jane McGonigal since I saw her TED talk and even participated for a short time in her online "MMORPG", Urgent EVOKE. It was very much an online course in Social Innovation styled like a game. You made blog posts, participated in activities, and developed solutions to solve "quests". I recall that the first quest dealt with food security. It was fun, and I truely regret was completing the game. Work and school interferred and EVOKE fell to the wayside.
I truely hope that the participants, especially those living in the countries suffering the same problems posed to the players, were inspired and moved on to work to remedy these problems.
Jane McGonigal may may not have a PhD in game design OR in Human Behavior. However, I think she has a brilliant idea and an amazing dream. It really saddens me to see so many people try to rip her to shreds. WTF have you done to try and make the world a better place? Where do you get a pass to criticize someone who has taken on changing the world for the better, despite the nearly impossible odds?
cohibaVancouver: "Ugh. Dear, you see? If you only would've had that abortion like I asked you to..." cohoba's wife: "Don't. Start."
In my childhood, that scene would've ended with my mom screaming, "Come back in 20 minutes. Mom's trying to cum!"
Off topic...
Yeah seeing a guy complaining about how bad the economy is, and that he can barely feed his family while he checks out what's Hot or Not on his new iPad.
THIS. OMG THIS. The mentality of people today is so alien to me I can't even imagine comprehending it.
I have a neighbor who just bought a $2000 T.V. He was laid off last month. Literally, he was bringing the T.V. into his duplex and complaining that he didn't know how much longer he was going to live there. Why? Because the land lord raised the rent $50 a month and unemployment wasn't covering it. I bit my tongue and walked inside. I still have the coppery taste of blood in my mouth.
Vote? For who? I'm sorry, but no one seems to realize that all this talk of reaching across the isle has come true. There is a single party in power. They're just playing like we have a choice. We have always been at war with the Terrorists.
All I could think about while reading the summary was that we should start passing out packs of Orbitz. ^_^ (I really seriously love those commercials.)
On the front page it says "Earn BIG MONEY selling I-Doser Digital Drugs with our DEALER PROGRAM". At the bottom, it has links to "Exotic Bud", "Mood Pills", and "Legal Hash". Finally, a click into the iPod section gives you mixes named Marijuana, Cocaine, Opium, and Peyote. The more I research this the more I can see where the hysteria would come from. I-Doser.com has opened up a can of worms with this marketing. Unfortunately, no one will seperate the marketing from the science, and it'll continue to cause mass hysteria.
I'm vaguely reminded of a 60-Minutes story on those plastic "jelly" bracelets and teenage sex.