As a user of Roadrunner in Austin, I don't see that I have much choice. Yeah, I can dump them, but then who do I use for high-speed access? DSL is priced higher, has terrible performance in the area. In fact, most of the DSL users I know have switched to Roadrunner. On the other hand, if they start blocking all the programs that make high-speed access worthwhile, there's not much point in paying $40/month to use it.
With all this talk about how these CD's are not "CD"'s, it strikes me that a store selling them couldn't properly call itself a "CD" store. I think, perhaps retailers should separate these from the other, proper, CDDA discs.
A warning on the packaging and on the disc itself is insufficient for two reasons that I can see: 1) It would NEVER occur to the average consumer (who's only just figured out that thing isn't a cup-holder) that not only is a CD not a CD, but that it could 'break' their computer. Yes, I've seen the explanations that the hardware isn't really broken, but we ALL know that the average user isn't technically aware, and things must be kept VERY simple.
Reason #2) The packaging is not always available. I just hopped over to CDNOW, and there is NO MENTION WHATSOEVER on the page to indicate this is not a CDDA disc. It is listed in two formats: CD and Tape (and the CD is still
more expensive than cassette, go figure)
Knowing that retailers are extremely unlikely to provide this service any time soon, may I humbly propose we create a CDNOT.com to catalog all these unplayable discs, and make a plugin available that will warn you, should you attempt to purchase one?
I for one don't want to pay for a service that at is heart is free and should always be free.
Uh...OK. How about we host it on your server?
Slashdot is not a non-profit, so it's not like they're just trying to cover bandwidth costs. I for one, have no real problems with the *idea* of subscriptions here. Proper implementation, however, is of paramount importance, and will no doubt be hashed out in good time. I do, however, appreciate the irony of every anti-corporate article that is posted on a site that is becoming increasingly corporate in nature. Not that I really care... until they start doing pop-ups, (which this article seems to hint at)... then, I go elsewhere.
This really sounds a lot like the MS attitude on bundling IE with Windows. Interesting parallel... You can't take IE out of Windows, you can't take Windows out of the PC. Of course, you *CAN*, but they're going to continue to insist that isn't possible.
***for the life of the machine***
This leaves the question of what a machine is. If you consider a machine just the hardware without the software, then we're done, but if a machine includes any installed software, and the software is considered a substantial (even required) component, then it's life will end as you bash>fdisk/dev/sd0. This leaves a LOT of options open!
I don't hold quite the same viewpoint as the author of this article. First, I see nothing wrong with a journalist being expected to cover a game from a company that hosts one of these events... as long as his coverage is itself unbiased. It is standard practice for publications to be sent products for review prior to their release. The marketing department in every company in every industry has various 'goodies' to help push their products, whether they're as small as a golf ball, beer koozie or t-shirt, or as big as a free laptop, or even a trip to a haunted castle. The fact is, I've been writing a monthly tech column for an independent website over the past year. Each month, I work to find an interesting, relevant, and timely topic to cover. Sometimes hardware, sometimes software (including games), and a little bit of free exposure would really make that work a lot easier. My outfit is small enough that I'm not even paid for the work, and I have no budget, so it's that much tougher. On top of this, journalism can be a thankless job. It's not uncommon to hear complaints, but it is very very seldom that many journalists hear positive feedback from their readers. So, what's wrong with an extra perk here and there?
This sounds a lot like the arguments that people used to make regarding dial-up hogs, the people who would never hang up their connection for fear of having to retry ten or twelve times the next time they wanted to get online. Those same dialup hogs were largely responsible for making the 'always-on' marketing of cable and dsl providers to successful. Did AOL increase their rates to pay for all the extra dialup capacity they added in the mid-90's? Did you hear them bitch about it? They just did it. They fixed the problem, and their user based continued to grow exponentially. Their merger with Time Warner seems to have incorporated the worst aspects of both companies. Believe me, they're in no way hurting for money, and yet announcing price increases to cover something they should have planned for in their original business model. You think they didn't know there would be bandwidth hogs? Plain and simple, it's an excuse. Their own CEO was quoted just a month or two ago saying his goal was for the average cable bill to be $200 a month. This is a piece of that puzzle. You can bet hard cash it won't be just 5% of the users out there. More likely, if you download so much as a single ISO, or one pirated copy of LOTR, you'll be paying.
I'll avoid getting into specific things I hate about Exchange, Outlook, even sendmail, of which, there are many. But I just can't stay out of this discussion.
1) Floating PIM pane: Just what I need, ANOTHER floating toolbar to get in my way. What happens when they start making pop-up ads that look like this thing?
2) Split-view in-box: Sounds like you should have separate e-mail accounts to begin with. Most companies 'officially' frown on personal e-mail at work, but I'll grant there could be some worthwhile uses of this.
3) Built-in instant messaging: you can put your MSN messenger in MY e-mail client when you shove it up my cold, dead ass.
4) Calendar-linked autoresponse: It is a widely-accepted principle of security that auto-responses are a BAD IDEA. You don't want to tell a potential hacker when someone important will be out of the building, and more importantly, when to expect them back.
5) Integrated PGP encryption: You want your e-mail to be readable on everyone's clients? How long do you suppose it'll take for Microsoft to re-write the standard so that you have to use Outlook Express to read messages sent with their version of MSN-PGP???
6) Spam autoreporting: already discussed in a previous post (don't you dare moderate me -1 redundant:)
7) Mousover contact info: this is all so very GUI-oriented... at least it's "optional".
8) Smart e-mail notification: this is just too frivolous for me. A minor improvement, and probably not too hard to do, but nothing that would make my daily routine much more exciting.
9) All-powerful right-clicking: one out of ten ain't bad. Of course, this, like most of the other wish-list items here, is for GUI's only.
10) Easy-acess message templates. Not a bad idea, but isn't this kind of thing already available/reproducible?
--------------
Here's a short list of things *I'd* like to see:
1) Ability to turn off ALL scripting, previews, etc: no more pesky viruses.
2) E-mails sent are completely standard, text-only: I am so sick of receiving e-mails with MS-TNEF attachments
3) E-mail client that can strip out all HTML code from a message: just give me the quick-n-dirty text, please
4) Standard, easy import-export of address book, messages, calendar items, and account settings: I've seen older versions of outlook and outlook express that couldn't handle each-others' data. Numerous times, I've seen installations of Outlook Express that refused to export anything, merely reporting an 'unknown error'.
5) e-mail clients that don't step on each others' toes: how many times have I seen outlook break netscape communicator or vice-versa?
6) EVERY option controllable: I'm a control freak. I want to be able to turn on/off everything in the program, from line wraps to MIME-encoding. Even Pine won't let me do everything I want.
7) automatic forwarding of incoming mails while keeping a copy: I never could seem to get this working with a.forward, It can be done on Exchange, but requires administrative access.
Why does this article complain about MS adding too many unneeded features and then suggest so many that many people wouldn't need (How many people outside the/. community have even HEARD of PGP???).
Does anyone know who uses.US now? And why is it America has not used this TLD like most other countries have had to do? (IE: www.myDomain.or.jp, etc.)
Why, I can name at least 50: tx.us, al.us, mi.us, ne.us, ak.us, ar.us, ny.us, etc...
Each state has total control over it's own portion of.us, because the country codes were originally meant to officially represent that country. After all,.gov would get REALLY crowded as every little municipality started to use it. The MIS-use of the country-code domains began with the explosion of domain-squatting and as a few bright individuals in charge of domains such as.cc and.tv figured out they could sell control of them to private corporations.
I fear the disruption that will occur when.us authority is switched to a different registrar. Your average state agency in Texas doesn't even employ knowledgeable IT people. Usually, their work is farmed out to independent contractors. Many many many of them will be behind when it comes to making any required changes to their DNS.
(And just to kick in my own idea for a cool.us name: godhelp.us)
Massworks is developing a new set of Windows display drivers for the ID-75 that will allow you to use it as an extended desktop, similiar to twin view. We were given the example such as having ICQ on the LCD while playing a game on your monitor. Of course, the LCD will retain its touchscreen function which makes the controller appealing to more than just the gamers out there. But is it worth that kind of green?
Better than that, since this is a USB device, if they do the drivers right, you could connect many of these to a single system, which could give rise to such applications as an entire internet-cafe running on a single system, home/office video intercom systems (with the help of USB cameras & speakers or integrated into a product based on this tech), integration with home appliances for controls on anything from the microwave or coffee pot to the garage door from any point in the house (isn't that something we expect from bluetooth already?), a convenient place to output debugging information while running a program, or to check email while watching a DVD on the main screen, or even as a biometric input device for identification purposes during online transactions.
Of course, this kind of innovation never seems to be exploited to its full potential. In spite of my 'wait-and-see' attitude, I really like the possibilities.
<sarcasm>
The blinding speed at which IPv6 is being adopted makes this a likely possibility. Good point.
</sarcasm>
Seriously, last time I worked with any of this technology, there was NO support for IPv6, and not much talk of it ever being supported. My take on it is, it'll happen when it happens. In the meantime, learn to deal effectively with IPv4.
This could give the term 'mom & pop ISP' a whole new meaning. A few problems, though...
1) If you have several access points in a neighborhood, you may have trouble with RF interference, as these have to share a limited range of the bandwidth spectrum
2) IP routing... In addition to the access point, you'd need to set up some sort of IP address translation. Most everyone's going to use the same 192.168.xxx.xxx address space, so two access points in the same neighborhood can result in two users with the same IP... not a problem, until one of them picks up his laptop and walks across the street, whereupon his connection switches to the other access point. These things operate using the same kind of technology as a cell phone. You switch access points like you switch cell towers as you move.
The best solution I can see is for neighborhood groups to organize and cooperate between whoever sets up the access points. People with the technical know-how to get around these issues are uncommon, even among the general high-tech population. Luckily, it's pretty easy to learn the ins & outs of wireless. Unfortunately, it's NOT so easy to learn the ins & outs of cooperation.
Does that mean if you rev it up to 90 for ten minutes, then drop down to 55 for ten seconds and then back up to 90, you get fined twice?
If this *really* isn't about money, then there would be a single fee for exceeding the limit. That would add a lot of credibility the rental agent's story. I just fear what happens next... when they start reporting this information back to your insurance company!
Once again, someone fails to realize that just because we CAN do a thing, it doesn't necessarily follow that we MUST do this thing.
This article is so full of horseshit, it makes me want to laugh... The rental agent claiming that it's about public safety, and not money? Is $150 what most people would call a mild deterrent?
Then there's the fact that it tracks you across state lines. Even a state trooper doesn't have the right to ticket you for speeding violations just across the state line.
Also, the article mentions that the system allows the agent to set a particular 'safe' speed on each car. Suppose the agent decides 55 is the safe speed... Do they fine you for going 65 in a 70? No mention is made of whether ACTUAL speed zones are linked to the GPS data to determine if you were ACTUALLY breking the law. That could be even scarier, since speed zones change and data in geographic systems can sometimes be incorrect... How many times a week does a site like MapQuest steer someone wrong?
Yes, we're that much closer to big brother, and once again, we see that it is the corporate world who will bring him to life. Even if we disregard, for a moment, the threat to the constitutional right to privacy and the issues of contract law, the government by rights SHOULD step in NOW in a BIG WAY to put a stop to this. It usurps power from a countless number of state and municipal authorities. Then, supposing you DO get a 'real' ticket from the local PD, you get home and you're fined by the rental car agency? Can we say 'double jeopardy'?
Nyet. Based on all current theory & observations, the universe is open, and will continue to expand forever at an increasing rate. Time has an interesting article detailing all we currently know about this. Of course, in a few years, new discoveries may refute this.
First, IANAMBA;) but, I think the question you might want to ask yourself is, what career path would you like to follow? I have seen zero evidence that MBA training can do anything for your coding prowess. In fact, I could see that some recruiters might be led to question your value "Why did you get an MBA? Wouldn't MSCS have been more appropriate?" However, as a team leader, or when working directly with customers, your MBA may prove valuable in understanding the underlying business needs and thus allow you to provide a better product.
On the other hand, I would say those people I've met in management with an MBA who also have even a little technical savvy, can not only be more effective in dealing with technical people in their company, but are also more likely to be well-regarded, higher-paid, and in general, listened-to/valued.
Once configured to work with electron pumping, the nanolaser could be put to any number of uses, Yang said. "Lab-on-a-chip" devices could contain small laser analysis kits -- nanodetectors -- capable of such things as Raman spectroscopy, a laser technique that can be used to identify chemicals.
A short-wavelength ultraviolet laser also could increase the amount of data that can be stored on a high-density compact disk, just as the advent of blue-light gallium nitride lasers boosted data density.
And in the field of photonics and optical computing, cheap bright lasers are ssential.
I think a really cool application of this would be in combination with wearable computing technology. Can anyone picture a suit of clothes with these on the inside to give you a tan as you go about your day? No more time wasted in the tanning booths. Tune them to precisely the wavelength needed to get your perfect tan.
is how these two can manage to stay in business in the face of massive advertising from giants AT&T and AOL. AT&T has service for $4.95/month, which *almost* anyone can afford. AOL is still pumping out free disks at an incredible rate, and I know from personal experience that their customer retention tactics are as inexorable as those of Scientologists. I didn't realize NetZero was still in business until just a couple of weeks ago I found out a friend of mine is using their service. I suppose they have a niche for the really poor or the really frugal, but what is the point of paying them to run your ads, in the face of such a relatively small subscriber base?
Does anyone else feel as I, that this is something like new area codes? Will everyone really jump on these? I suspect people will want to stick with the old, familiar, comfortable '.com' for some time to come.
That said, I still despise the heavy-handed and unfair way in which everything ICANN has done has thus far been handled. Just proves my long-standing maxim that big-bad things will only be replaced by worse.
it happened suddenly, just as poor Douglas looked up after reading the instructions on a box of toothpicks, to see a spaceship land... Out steps an alien, "Adams? Douglas Adams? What are you doing at the END of the list? I KNEW I shouldn't have done that sort in MS Excel. You're a jerk, Adams, a real kneebiter."
Ahh, but the region-check is not built into the hardware. They are pursuing just as doggedly any hardware vendor who provides means to circumvent the region-check. Also, the MPAA is not in control of the players, but rather the DVD Copy Control Association http://www.dvdcca.org, arguably, a tool of the MPAA.
The MPAA is in this case concerned over the control of their copyrights, which led to the argument I found most interesting, and analogous. What happens AFTER the copyrights expire? It was interesting to note the discussion that the current encryption was sub-standard, and thus the law was intended to provide for future protection, when encryption technology for copyrighted works had improved. If you're going to argue the law is about protecting the future, then you must take both sides of it. Not only the future protection of copyrighted works, but also the future use of works which have fallen out of copyright. I find it *laughable* to think of the MPAA or any other former copyright holder coming out and distributing a work in an unencrypted form after the copyright has expired. I find it much more plausible to think, instead, that they would release an encrypted DVD with some token NEW AND COPYRIGHTED content, which would of course be encrypted along with the old content which had fallen out of copyright. As I read the transcript, I could vividly see and hear Sims attempting to supress a snicker as he suggested that the industry could make copies of older movies available. Of course, we're talking about something 99 years in the future, or more... if they go back and get Congress to change the term again.
I, too, am among the ranks of consumers who must deal with the poor-quality which results from the Macrovision signal embedded in VHS/DVD videos. Why buy a tape that you know you'll take home & the top of the screen will curl, etc? What good does Macrovision actually serve, when you can just order a movie on pay-per-view and tape it? Isn't it about time the industry saw fit to do away with this ridiculous scheme that is costing them money for no real benefit? The ONLY reason they can get away with it is general public ignorance.
Let me cross over a bit into the Napster/RIAA battle and ask, how can we claim to have a government for the people, by the people, when abuses such as these are tolerated? The big companies are making the laws and through the courts, shutting down what the people actually WANT. Last I heard, Napster had 60 million users. Last I heard, that was roughly 25% of the US population, more than generally votes even in a presidential election. Can it not be said that Napster represents the will of the people more than the mean old RIAA or MPAA???
So, I believe what we must do is fight this on their own, legal, turf. We must begin a class-action suit by anyone who has bought a VHS tape over the years and been unable to enjoy quality viewing due to Macrovision. As a consumer, you expect a certain level of quality in the products you buy. Macrovision has not only been interfering with this, but they've been making money off it. Money that in the end, comes from our pockets. Sue them, sue the bastards! Can you just imagine a class-action civil-rights suit brought by the 60 million users of Napster against the RIAA??? Now, I don't wish to deny anyone, even the RIAA/MPAA, what is rightfully theirs. The unfortunate fact, however, is that lately they seem to think EVERYTHING is rightfully theirs. Let's teach them a lesson!
Failing that, would someone kindly approach the headquarters of Macrovision with a HERF gun? I think it only fair we return the favor of degraded quality on magnetic media.
Ok, so this device is supposed to work at over 2,000 feet?
How is this supposed to hit a single target accurately at 2,000 feet? I see no mentioning of any real precision. Is this designed just to spray everyone in a group with pain at long range? In that case, I can see human rights people protesting over this device if it indiscriminantly hits groups.
Also, how would a aircraft system work? To maintain an accurate bead on a target from 2000 feet away from a helicopter that is constantly in motion seems to me impossible. Even at closer ranges, it seems to me to be a difficult task to keep this fired at the proper target.
LASER targeting would work quite nicely, I think. Specifically, from a helicopter, the military now has targeting systems that with computer tracking and image rec can easily maintain a lock. Then there's always the old-fashined scope method. As for spray, I expect that the beam from a MASER would be just as straight as that of a LASER, ie very little spread even over 2000 feet.
The damage here is going to be uncomfortable, but superficial. The article states a temperature of 130F is reached in two seconds. Two seconds is a long time to hold a beam on one spot (anyone ever see the episode of Knight Rider with KITT's evil twin, KARR? where they had to disable KARR with a 2-second LASER burst) Anyways, 130F is uncomfortable but very non-damaging. I could see the skin blistering at that temperature, but probably not much more.
Anyone think maybe aluminum fibers woven into clothing would protect from this? Unlike the previous article this week on home-cooked X-Rays, almost EVERYONE has a microwave at home with which to experiment.
But I find this terrifying. NOBODY markets like MS, and they've demonstrated their ability in recent years to apply that marketing power where it can hurt the open source movement the most, in the lawbooks. They are taking aim, and when they're on target, you can be sure they'll fire. This isn't a game. It isn't friendly. It's war. Open source is the biggest threat to Bill and the way he does business. So he's going to be the biggest threat to us.
However, I wonder if this could also be used for holography: freeze the interference pattern into the material, and read it out later, reconstructing the image. In theory, since the material could record the interference pattern in three dimensions rather than two (like a photographic plate), this might allow for more detailed holograms.
Better yet, the ultimate in secure messaging. Encode your message in the beam, freeze it, ship the entire apparatus as a package & unfreeze the beam at the other end. Once reconstructed, the beam is read out, the message is read, and the imprint left behind is destroyed. Thus, the message can be read only once.
Slashdot Mirror
As a user of Roadrunner in Austin, I don't see that I have much choice. Yeah, I can dump them, but then who do I use for high-speed access? DSL is priced higher, has terrible performance in the area. In fact, most of the DSL users I know have switched to Roadrunner. On the other hand, if they start blocking all the programs that make high-speed access worthwhile, there's not much point in paying $40/month to use it.
With all this talk about how these CD's are not "CD"'s, it strikes me that a store selling them couldn't properly call itself a "CD" store. I think, perhaps retailers should separate these from the other, proper, CDDA discs.
A warning on the packaging and on the disc itself is insufficient for two reasons that I can see: 1) It would NEVER occur to the average consumer (who's only just figured out that thing isn't a cup-holder) that not only is a CD not a CD, but that it could 'break' their computer. Yes, I've seen the explanations that the hardware isn't really broken, but we ALL know that the average user isn't technically aware, and things must be kept VERY simple.
Reason #2) The packaging is not always available. I just hopped over to CDNOW, and there is NO MENTION WHATSOEVER on the page to indicate this is not a CDDA disc. It is listed in two formats: CD and Tape (and the CD is still more expensive than cassette, go figure)
Knowing that retailers are extremely unlikely to provide this service any time soon, may I humbly propose we create a CDNOT.com to catalog all these unplayable discs, and make a plugin available that will warn you, should you attempt to purchase one?
Slashdot is not a non-profit, so it's not like they're just trying to cover bandwidth costs. I for one, have no real problems with the *idea* of subscriptions here. Proper implementation, however, is of paramount importance, and will no doubt be hashed out in good time. I do, however, appreciate the irony of every anti-corporate article that is posted on a site that is becoming increasingly corporate in nature. Not that I really care... until they start doing pop-ups, (which this article seems to hint at)... then, I go elsewhere.
I don't hold quite the same viewpoint as the author of this article. First, I see nothing wrong with a journalist being expected to cover a game from a company that hosts one of these events... as long as his coverage is itself unbiased. It is standard practice for publications to be sent products for review prior to their release. The marketing department in every company in every industry has various 'goodies' to help push their products, whether they're as small as a golf ball, beer koozie or t-shirt, or as big as a free laptop, or even a trip to a haunted castle. The fact is, I've been writing a monthly tech column for an independent website over the past year. Each month, I work to find an interesting, relevant, and timely topic to cover. Sometimes hardware, sometimes software (including games), and a little bit of free exposure would really make that work a lot easier. My outfit is small enough that I'm not even paid for the work, and I have no budget, so it's that much tougher. On top of this, journalism can be a thankless job. It's not uncommon to hear complaints, but it is very very seldom that many journalists hear positive feedback from their readers. So, what's wrong with an extra perk here and there?
This sounds a lot like the arguments that people used to make regarding dial-up hogs, the people who would never hang up their connection for fear of having to retry ten or twelve times the next time they wanted to get online. Those same dialup hogs were largely responsible for making the 'always-on' marketing of cable and dsl providers to successful. Did AOL increase their rates to pay for all the extra dialup capacity they added in the mid-90's? Did you hear them bitch about it? They just did it. They fixed the problem, and their user based continued to grow exponentially. Their merger with Time Warner seems to have incorporated the worst aspects of both companies. Believe me, they're in no way hurting for money, and yet announcing price increases to cover something they should have planned for in their original business model. You think they didn't know there would be bandwidth hogs? Plain and simple, it's an excuse. Their own CEO was quoted just a month or two ago saying his goal was for the average cable bill to be $200 a month. This is a piece of that puzzle. You can bet hard cash it won't be just 5% of the users out there. More likely, if you download so much as a single ISO, or one pirated copy of LOTR, you'll be paying.
I'll avoid getting into specific things I hate about Exchange, Outlook, even sendmail, of which, there are many. But I just can't stay out of this discussion.
:)
.forward, It can be done on Exchange, but requires administrative access.
/. community have even HEARD of PGP???).
1) Floating PIM pane: Just what I need, ANOTHER floating toolbar to get in my way. What happens when they start making pop-up ads that look like this thing?
2) Split-view in-box: Sounds like you should have separate e-mail accounts to begin with. Most companies 'officially' frown on personal e-mail at work, but I'll grant there could be some worthwhile uses of this.
3) Built-in instant messaging: you can put your MSN messenger in MY e-mail client when you shove it up my cold, dead ass.
4) Calendar-linked autoresponse: It is a widely-accepted principle of security that auto-responses are a BAD IDEA. You don't want to tell a potential hacker when someone important will be out of the building, and more importantly, when to expect them back.
5) Integrated PGP encryption: You want your e-mail to be readable on everyone's clients? How long do you suppose it'll take for Microsoft to re-write the standard so that you have to use Outlook Express to read messages sent with their version of MSN-PGP???
6) Spam autoreporting: already discussed in a previous post (don't you dare moderate me -1 redundant
7) Mousover contact info: this is all so very GUI-oriented... at least it's "optional".
8) Smart e-mail notification: this is just too frivolous for me. A minor improvement, and probably not too hard to do, but nothing that would make my daily routine much more exciting.
9) All-powerful right-clicking: one out of ten ain't bad. Of course, this, like most of the other wish-list items here, is for GUI's only.
10) Easy-acess message templates. Not a bad idea, but isn't this kind of thing already available/reproducible?
--------------
Here's a short list of things *I'd* like to see:
1) Ability to turn off ALL scripting, previews, etc: no more pesky viruses.
2) E-mails sent are completely standard, text-only: I am so sick of receiving e-mails with MS-TNEF attachments
3) E-mail client that can strip out all HTML code from a message: just give me the quick-n-dirty text, please
4) Standard, easy import-export of address book, messages, calendar items, and account settings: I've seen older versions of outlook and outlook express that couldn't handle each-others' data. Numerous times, I've seen installations of Outlook Express that refused to export anything, merely reporting an 'unknown error'.
5) e-mail clients that don't step on each others' toes: how many times have I seen outlook break netscape communicator or vice-versa?
6) EVERY option controllable: I'm a control freak. I want to be able to turn on/off everything in the program, from line wraps to MIME-encoding. Even Pine won't let me do everything I want.
7) automatic forwarding of incoming mails while keeping a copy: I never could seem to get this working with a
Why does this article complain about MS adding too many unneeded features and then suggest so many that many people wouldn't need (How many people outside the
Each state has total control over it's own portion of
I fear the disruption that will occur when
(And just to kick in my own idea for a cool
Of course, this kind of innovation never seems to be exploited to its full potential. In spite of my 'wait-and-see' attitude, I really like the possibilities.
The blinding speed at which IPv6 is being adopted makes this a likely possibility. Good point.
</sarcasm>
Seriously, last time I worked with any of this technology, there was NO support for IPv6, and not much talk of it ever being supported. My take on it is, it'll happen when it happens. In the meantime, learn to deal effectively with IPv4.
This could give the term 'mom & pop ISP' a whole new meaning. A few problems, though...
1) If you have several access points in a neighborhood, you may have trouble with RF interference, as these have to share a limited range of the bandwidth spectrum
2) IP routing... In addition to the access point, you'd need to set up some sort of IP address translation. Most everyone's going to use the same 192.168.xxx.xxx address space, so two access points in the same neighborhood can result in two users with the same IP... not a problem, until one of them picks up his laptop and walks across the street, whereupon his connection switches to the other access point. These things operate using the same kind of technology as a cell phone. You switch access points like you switch cell towers as you move.
The best solution I can see is for neighborhood groups to organize and cooperate between whoever sets up the access points. People with the technical know-how to get around these issues are uncommon, even among the general high-tech population. Luckily, it's pretty easy to learn the ins & outs of wireless. Unfortunately, it's NOT so easy to learn the ins & outs of cooperation.
The main viewer on the Enterprise bridge.
This tracks separate incidents of excess speed.
Does that mean if you rev it up to 90 for ten minutes, then drop down to 55 for ten seconds and then back up to 90, you get fined twice?
If this *really* isn't about money, then there would be a single fee for exceeding the limit. That would add a lot of credibility the rental agent's story. I just fear what happens next... when they start reporting this information back to your insurance company!
Once again, someone fails to realize that just because we CAN do a thing, it doesn't necessarily follow that we MUST do this thing.
This article is so full of horseshit, it makes me want to laugh... The rental agent claiming that it's about public safety, and not money? Is $150 what most people would call a mild deterrent?
Then there's the fact that it tracks you across state lines. Even a state trooper doesn't have the right to ticket you for speeding violations just across the state line.
Also, the article mentions that the system allows the agent to set a particular 'safe' speed on each car. Suppose the agent decides 55 is the safe speed... Do they fine you for going 65 in a 70? No mention is made of whether ACTUAL speed zones are linked to the GPS data to determine if you were ACTUALLY breking the law. That could be even scarier, since speed zones change and data in geographic systems can sometimes be incorrect... How many times a week does a site like MapQuest steer someone wrong?
Yes, we're that much closer to big brother, and once again, we see that it is the corporate world who will bring him to life. Even if we disregard, for a moment, the threat to the constitutional right to privacy and the issues of contract law, the government by rights SHOULD step in NOW in a BIG WAY to put a stop to this. It usurps power from a countless number of state and municipal authorities. Then, supposing you DO get a 'real' ticket from the local PD, you get home and you're fined by the rental car agency? Can we say 'double jeopardy'?
Nyet. Based on all current theory & observations, the universe is open, and will continue to expand forever at an increasing rate. Time has an interesting article detailing all we currently know about this. Of course, in a few years, new discoveries may refute this.
First, IANAMBA ;) but, I think the question you might want to ask yourself is, what career path would you like to follow? I have seen zero evidence that MBA training can do anything for your coding prowess. In fact, I could see that some recruiters might be led to question your value "Why did you get an MBA? Wouldn't MSCS have been more appropriate?" However, as a team leader, or when working directly with customers, your MBA may prove valuable in understanding the underlying business needs and thus allow you to provide a better product.
On the other hand, I would say those people I've met in management with an MBA who also have even a little technical savvy, can not only be more effective in dealing with technical people in their company, but are also more likely to be well-regarded, higher-paid, and in general, listened-to/valued.
is how these two can manage to stay in business in the face of massive advertising from giants AT&T and AOL. AT&T has service for $4.95/month, which *almost* anyone can afford. AOL is still pumping out free disks at an incredible rate, and I know from personal experience that their customer retention tactics are as inexorable as those of Scientologists. I didn't realize NetZero was still in business until just a couple of weeks ago I found out a friend of mine is using their service. I suppose they have a niche for the really poor or the really frugal, but what is the point of paying them to run your ads, in the face of such a relatively small subscriber base?
Does anyone else feel as I, that this is something like new area codes? Will everyone really jump on these? I suspect people will want to stick with the old, familiar, comfortable '.com' for some time to come.
That said, I still despise the heavy-handed and unfair way in which everything ICANN has done has thus far been handled. Just proves my long-standing maxim that big-bad things will only be replaced by worse.
it happened suddenly, just as poor Douglas looked up after reading the instructions on a box of toothpicks, to see a spaceship land... Out steps an alien, "Adams? Douglas Adams? What are you doing at the END of the list? I KNEW I shouldn't have done that sort in MS Excel. You're a jerk, Adams, a real kneebiter."
And we'll miss you.
Ahh, but the region-check is not built into the hardware. They are pursuing just as doggedly any hardware vendor who provides means to circumvent the region-check. Also, the MPAA is not in control of the players, but rather the DVD Copy Control Association http://www.dvdcca.org, arguably, a tool of the MPAA.
The MPAA is in this case concerned over the control of their copyrights, which led to the argument I found most interesting, and analogous. What happens AFTER the copyrights expire? It was interesting to note the discussion that the current encryption was sub-standard, and thus the law was intended to provide for future protection, when encryption technology for copyrighted works had improved. If you're going to argue the law is about protecting the future, then you must take both sides of it. Not only the future protection of copyrighted works, but also the future use of works which have fallen out of copyright. I find it *laughable* to think of the MPAA or any other former copyright holder coming out and distributing a work in an unencrypted form after the copyright has expired. I find it much more plausible to think, instead, that they would release an encrypted DVD with some token NEW AND COPYRIGHTED content, which would of course be encrypted along with the old content which had fallen out of copyright. As I read the transcript, I could vividly see and hear Sims attempting to supress a snicker as he suggested that the industry could make copies of older movies available. Of course, we're talking about something 99 years in the future, or more... if they go back and get Congress to change the term again.
I, too, am among the ranks of consumers who must deal with the poor-quality which results from the Macrovision signal embedded in VHS/DVD videos. Why buy a tape that you know you'll take home & the top of the screen will curl, etc? What good does Macrovision actually serve, when you can just order a movie on pay-per-view and tape it? Isn't it about time the industry saw fit to do away with this ridiculous scheme that is costing them money for no real benefit? The ONLY reason they can get away with it is general public ignorance.
Let me cross over a bit into the Napster/RIAA battle and ask, how can we claim to have a government for the people, by the people, when abuses such as these are tolerated? The big companies are making the laws and through the courts, shutting down what the people actually WANT. Last I heard, Napster had 60 million users. Last I heard, that was roughly 25% of the US population, more than generally votes even in a presidential election. Can it not be said that Napster represents the will of the people more than the mean old RIAA or MPAA???
So, I believe what we must do is fight this on their own, legal, turf. We must begin a class-action suit by anyone who has bought a VHS tape over the years and been unable to enjoy quality viewing due to Macrovision. As a consumer, you expect a certain level of quality in the products you buy. Macrovision has not only been interfering with this, but they've been making money off it. Money that in the end, comes from our pockets. Sue them, sue the bastards! Can you just imagine a class-action civil-rights suit brought by the 60 million users of Napster against the RIAA??? Now, I don't wish to deny anyone, even the RIAA/MPAA, what is rightfully theirs. The unfortunate fact, however, is that lately they seem to think EVERYTHING is rightfully theirs. Let's teach them a lesson!
Failing that, would someone kindly approach the headquarters of Macrovision with a HERF gun? I think it only fair we return the favor of degraded quality on magnetic media.
The damage here is going to be uncomfortable, but superficial. The article states a temperature of 130F is reached in two seconds. Two seconds is a long time to hold a beam on one spot (anyone ever see the episode of Knight Rider with KITT's evil twin, KARR? where they had to disable KARR with a 2-second LASER burst) Anyways, 130F is uncomfortable but very non-damaging. I could see the skin blistering at that temperature, but probably not much more.
Anyone think maybe aluminum fibers woven into clothing would protect from this? Unlike the previous article this week on home-cooked X-Rays, almost EVERYONE has a microwave at home with which to experiment.
But I find this terrifying. NOBODY markets like MS, and they've demonstrated their ability in recent years to apply that marketing power where it can hurt the open source movement the most, in the lawbooks. They are taking aim, and when they're on target, you can be sure they'll fire. This isn't a game. It isn't friendly. It's war. Open source is the biggest threat to Bill and the way he does business. So he's going to be the biggest threat to us.