Funny thing, I found this blog today when Googling something completely different, but found it very interesting. Anyway, I guess this book was written about you.
Good point, and I will concede that. Also, serving as proof of the 'religion' thesis, the practical examples are the dead leaders' bodies kept in mausoleums, and the omnipresence of their likenesses (pictures, statues, songs and Stalin-shaped choccie-bars) in the areas they control.
I would actually loved to have visited pre-wallburst East Germany so I would have a more practical experience of a western(-ish) version of a practical application of Commienism. Ish. However, seeing as I was eight when the wall was torn down, I didn't have much time to grow up and visit the place, so all accounts I have of it are second hand.
The irony, IMHO, is that communism's "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" becomes "if I can't have it, you can't have it" in practice.
Most examples we've seen of communism so far have just been modern versions of feudalism, with little in common with actual communism besides the catchy slogans and cool hats.
Actually, China is more capitalistic than most other countries in the world. The really bad form of capitalism, at that. People exploited for less than minimum wager because there are so many that there's always another worker but not another job. The main criteria for communism is simply that the workers control the means of production - which is not really the case. Interestingly, some American and European capitalistic companies have found giving some control to the workers a god incentive (stocks/options) for better productivity, and thereby, greater shared wealth. See, that's ironic.
Well, since they specifically label it an Imperialist opiate, they should fare well. I would just like to point out that neither North Korea nor China have much to do with communism, save for the snazzy colour.
I remember spilling my first (and so far, only) coke into a keyboard. I was very young at the time, and it was a reverent 8086... I jumped up, pulled out the power from the plug, and spent a lot of time drying the keyboard. Not expecting to be able to ever use the keyboard again, I plugged it all in... and it worked. Not a dead key, not even a sticky one.
Trusted Computing isn't bad, per se. It's what it is used for. I'd love to have uncompromisable equipment. Think of it this way; you have a box standing around, just serving. An exploit is found that allows arbitrary code runs, and the particular individual (not a bot) running the arbitrary code scans the hardware, checks it against a list of exploitable units, pulls up the "fix" he needs for that piece of hardware, and bam, you're screwed. With TC, you could at least be warned that the equipment is compromised. If you had installed an "unsupported" FW-update to your CD-ROM drive, well, you'd at least know why, but why is the sound card all of a sudden untrustworthy? It seems to work fine... But, of course, the emphasis on Trusted Computing isn't end-user security but revenue-stream security. Hooray.
It's because the modem works within the PSTN specs - basically, it's shouting back and forth. Oldskool analog, like a record player
Now we've got Laser Discs, xDSL. Occupies the same space, but in a very different way, and all digital.
Worst phone I've ever owned. I mail ordered one, but after having it for less than ten minutes I decided that it was time to sell it. So I did. Seriously, I don't ever think I'll buy a Motorola, maybe save for the new super-simple one that does nothing except make calls. The one with the e-ink.
I stand corrected, then. I also find it a bit entertaining that the IE7 blocker requires WGA authentication - because Microsoft really don't want them software pirate vermins to not install IE7! (or something) Am I wrong if I remember there not being this restriction to begin with? It's been months, and it never strikes me as very important so I don't go around noting stuff up like this.
I do wonder why your homepage is a LUG* if you're a product manager at MS. Not that I disbelieve you though.
Stuff that comes from Nintendo just works. Granted, some of the games are a bit weird, but they are very good at what they do.
They must be insanely hard on the programmers every time they get an bug report from the QA team (No sleep for a month to you!) because there are so few glitches. I was moderately surprised to find out that the Wii was going to be firmware upgradable because I did not expect it to be necessary at any point.
Congratulations, you've made one of the most intelligent and relevant posts in the debate so far.
Microsoft made available tools to control the deployment of IE7 (of course, up to a certain date, then you will be forced AFAIR), which should have been used by the server admins in businesses (schools count as a business here) where such a change could negatively affect productivity. Good sysadmins test and test and test. Also, as you mention, the users are used to the old software; the new software is very different and they should be prepared for it. I remember my IT teachers in high school teaching extremely basic computer stuff by reading aloud from presentations prepared or purchased for them. It's not because these people are stupid, it is because this is not their field. To them, computers are a tool. Bleh. This became a bit ranting, sorry for that.
Slashdot Mirror
Funny thing, I found this blog today when Googling something completely different, but found it very interesting. Anyway, I guess this book was written about you.
It's ~25 degrees i the rest of the world. Google is your friend
Well, it can be expressed in feet, at least.
Good point, and I will concede that.
Also, serving as proof of the 'religion' thesis, the practical examples are the dead leaders' bodies kept in mausoleums, and the omnipresence of their likenesses (pictures, statues, songs and Stalin-shaped choccie-bars) in the areas they control.
However, seeing as I was eight when the wall was torn down, I didn't have much time to grow up and visit the place, so all accounts I have of it are second hand.Most examples we've seen of communism so far have just been modern versions of feudalism, with little in common with actual communism besides the catchy slogans and cool hats.
Actually, China is more capitalistic than most other countries in the world. The really bad form of capitalism, at that. People exploited for less than minimum wager because there are so many that there's always another worker but not another job. The main criteria for communism is simply that the workers control the means of production - which is not really the case.
Interestingly, some American and European capitalistic companies have found giving some control to the workers a god incentive (stocks/options) for better productivity, and thereby, greater shared wealth.
See, that's ironic.
Well, since they specifically label it an Imperialist opiate, they should fare well.
I would just like to point out that neither North Korea nor China have much to do with communism, save for the snazzy colour.
Well, seeing as one of the cornerstones of Communism is shedding the imperialist opium of religion, I'd venture yes, it's a bit Soviet-ty.
Like I just shimmed your momma? :-p
I remember spilling my first (and so far, only) coke into a keyboard. I was very young at the time, and it was a reverent 8086... I jumped up, pulled out the power from the plug, and spent a lot of time drying the keyboard. Not expecting to be able to ever use the keyboard again, I plugged it all in... and it worked. Not a dead key, not even a sticky one.
Me no likey laxey grammar, but laxey make modern language from old language. Otherwise language stale and stop grow. No good for noone.
Trusted Computing isn't bad, per se. It's what it is used for.
I'd love to have uncompromisable equipment.
Think of it this way; you have a box standing around, just serving. An exploit is found that allows arbitrary code runs, and the particular individual (not a bot) running the arbitrary code scans the hardware, checks it against a list of exploitable units, pulls up the "fix" he needs for that piece of hardware, and bam, you're screwed.
With TC, you could at least be warned that the equipment is compromised. If you had installed an "unsupported" FW-update to your CD-ROM drive, well, you'd at least know why, but why is the sound card all of a sudden untrustworthy? It seems to work fine...
But, of course, the emphasis on Trusted Computing isn't end-user security but revenue-stream security. Hooray.
The evil bastards just hid their undocumented feature in the data section of their Audio CD.
Please, if I'm wrong, someone correct me and point fingers, and laugh at me...
It's because the modem works within the PSTN specs - basically, it's shouting back and forth. Oldskool analog, like a record player
Now we've got Laser Discs, xDSL. Occupies the same space, but in a very different way, and all digital.
Maybe I was embellishing a teeny bit. A smidgeon?
This is all the info I should have had on the whiteboard today.
Interestingly, my networking course covered that this afternoon.
/.
Non, I just have to get up and be bright for day three in four hours, so I don't know why I'm on
Blerg.
486?! They really have started letting everyone in.
Was the demand at least SX?
Bleh. I'll get back to my C=116 and cry in the dark.
Worst phone I've ever owned. I mail ordered one, but after having it for less than ten minutes I decided that it was time to sell it. So I did.
Seriously, I don't ever think I'll buy a Motorola, maybe save for the new super-simple one that does nothing except make calls. The one with the e-ink.
More likely, the money would end up in undeveloped countries as most EU countries would be buying the credits as well.
I stand corrected, then. I also find it a bit entertaining that the IE7 blocker requires WGA authentication - because Microsoft really don't want them software pirate vermins to not install IE7! (or something)
Am I wrong if I remember there not being this restriction to begin with? It's been months, and it never strikes me as very important so I don't go around noting stuff up like this.
I do wonder why your homepage is a LUG* if you're a product manager at MS. Not that I disbelieve you though.
Stuff that comes from Nintendo just works.
Granted, some of the games are a bit weird, but they are very good at what they do.
They must be insanely hard on the programmers every time they get an bug report from the QA team (No sleep for a month to you!) because there are so few glitches.
I was moderately surprised to find out that the Wii was going to be firmware upgradable because I did not expect it to be necessary at any point.
Congratulations, you've made one of the most intelligent and relevant posts in the debate so far.
Microsoft made available tools to control the deployment of IE7 (of course, up to a certain date, then you will be forced AFAIR), which should have been used by the server admins in businesses (schools count as a business here) where such a change could negatively affect productivity.
Good sysadmins test and test and test. Also, as you mention, the users are used to the old software; the new software is very different and they should be prepared for it.
I remember my IT teachers in high school teaching extremely basic computer stuff by reading aloud from presentations prepared or purchased for them.
It's not because these people are stupid, it is because this is not their field. To them, computers are a tool.
Bleh. This became a bit ranting, sorry for that.