Of course two months before Y2K they're saying that everything is A-OK. They also told us we could survive a nuclear attack if we just "duck and cover."
Uncle Sam won't tell us if the national infrastructure is going to disintegrate on January 1, because people would run on the banks, horde food, and stock-pile arms. They have to say everything is OK because of the consequences.
Of course, I think the whole Y2K thing was blown way way way out of proportion by the media. I agree that nothing major's going to happen, but what if it did?
Perfect excuse to suspend the Constitution, declare martial law and turn America into the police state that the Suede-Denim Secret Police have been planning all along!!!
I know that Be was forced to pretty much abandon the PowerPC platform as a result of Apple's pigheaded decision not to share the technical details of their G3 motherboards with Be. Hopefully this means Be can once again begin releasing PowerPC versions of their OS...
really if you are looking for stereo stuff you're not going to find much under $200. If you don't mind splitting your stereo channels into two mono channels check out the Spirit Folio mixer which has four mono channels and two stereo for aroudn $250 MSRP. I have a home studio with samplers, synths etc. hooked up to my 'puter and I use a Mackie MS1202-VLZ 12 channel mixer. For $399 this is the best deal you will ever find. It's the most useful piece of audio equipment I have ever purchased. Very flexible. It has four mono channels and four stereo channels. Love it!
I think this book might be able to gain mainstream appeal despite its tech/math-intensive subject matter. Geeks are definitely going to love this because it's the first time I can remember that a NY Times bestseller has had a clue about tech stuff. But what makes this book better than just an esoteric tome for the digerati is how Stephenson breaks down the tech stuff in bite-sized chunks that anyone with half a brain can understand.
I think that what makes a novel great is the ability to bestow knowledge on the reader -- I came away from Moby Dick with what seemed to me an insider's knowledge of whaling. Cryptonomicon adopts this technique as well. Most people who buy this book (non-tech people that is) will be familiar with e-mail, computers and maybe even cryptography from a users point of view, but this book augments a user's perspective with the details of what goes on "behind the scenes." But unlike a textbook or manual, there is actually a highly engrossing story to keep you turning the pages and wanting more.
Free Win98 Upgrade Available at www.debian.org
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The Cost of Bug Fixes
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· Score: 1
The Debian Linux Windows 98 Upgrade (apt-get install real-operating-system) is free of charge, fixes more bugs than Microsoft's, and uninstalls IE 4.0.
ESR has a lot of goot things to say... sometimes he's downright eloquent. I think he's right on with his dissection of Ed Muth's rhetoric. But I wonder why nobody seems to have any faith in his alliance with Apple and their "public source" bandwagoneering. I think it has more to do with Apple's reputation than ESR's, but ESR needs to watch out for stuff like this because it can have a detrimental effect on his reputation as an OS pundit.
Apple has built quite a reputation for stringing developers along with promises of nifty hardware and superior operating systems, only to pull the rug out from under their users/developers at the last moment. I'm excited to see that they've joined the Open Software movement (at least in words, we'll see about deeds soon enough..). I'll be interested to watch what happens when people really start making changes to the Darwin code. Steve Jobs is a control freak of the highest order, and it makes me wonder how enthusiastic he really is about turning his baby over to the hordes.
For ESR to associate himself with Jobs could work out badly in the long run when Jobs pulls one of his standard about-face maneuvers. OSSers will become disenfranchised not only with Apple but ESR because he lent his name to their cause.
I don't personally use a Maltron but I've experienced what some claim to be the holy grail of ergonomica. Even comes with it's own key layout (alternative to QWERTY) to increase typing efficiency. And it keeps people from using your workstation w/out permission.
Exactly how is the Win95 / MacOS easier than KDE?
on
After Linux-Apple?
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· Score: 1
The problem with the WMs available for Linux is that there are no standards for things like drag and drop, bundled icons, global clipboards... the little things that add usability to a GUI.
Each WM may support the features I mentioned, but they are all implemented differently and to different degrees. This is actually evidence of one of the biggest problems with Open Source software -- anybody with a little bit of knowhow can fork the code and do their own implementation of a feature. This is good for innovation, but bad for standardization.
The tight control that MS and Apple exert over their GUIs is a good thing when you are a non-expert user (or even an expert without the time to struggle with ten different WM implementaions).
I'm all for innovation -- my argument is that without standardization, Linux is never going to be anything more than a geek's tool.
In some cases, form will supercede function... keep in mind that some folks need a system that is EASY (for the "Average Joe") to use and maintain. In *n[i|u]x, form definitely follows function -- (nearly) everything revolves around text files and is therefore scriptable, searchable, infinitely customizable. But it is also very very very obscure. For people with large brains it is the logical choice because with a little practice all the obscurity becomes transparent and you are left with an infinitely malleable system that bends to your every whim.
On the other hand, some (actually most) people want a somewhat shallower learning curve -- usability will supercede functionality in terms of importance. MacOS currently resides (in my opinion) at the top of the ease-of-use pyramid once you figure in the reliability factor of the "other guys" (WinXX).
What's about to happen with Mac OS X is that Form and Function will begin to unite -- there will be an easy-to-use GUI based on a combination of MacOS and NeXTstep on top of an infinitely customizable unix-like OS. This allows Joe Average to have his GUI and Melvin Unix to have his shell scripting, cron, perl, etc.
Eventually, Linux will need a similar "dumb" front-end if it wants to compete. The current WMs will need to standardize on a more "Windows/Mac-like" interface. I'm not talking about looks and feels here, I'm talking about things like global clipboards, drag and drop, standardized filesystem access.
Like it or not, the Windows 95/MacOS interface is how people expect their computers to function and they will expect it of Linux too.
You could automate this sort service and adapt it to many different purposes -- I want a service that pages me whenever there is a show about Astronomy on PBS... or whenever a TB-303 shows up on E-bay for $800...
The fact that David Every has to preface every paragraph of his article with disclaimers (addressed at the die-hard Mac fanatics) points to an interesting symptom of the Macintosh community--rabid devotion rivaling that of many ultra right-wing religious fanatics. Any criticism of the Operating System is immediately met with peals of thunderous disapproval, flames, weeping, gnashing of teeth, the whole nine.
I own a Mac, and I use Windows NT and Linux quite a bit as well. I definitely choose the Mac as my system of choice for home use because of its easy administration, and because I've used Macs since I was in 7th grade. However, I do not feel that it is the end-all of operating systems, and I am the first to point out many, many, MANY flaws in the interface, some that (gasp) Windows has handled better.
Anybody who saw Quake when it first arrived on the market, and compared it to (what was then) the second most technologically advanced game available (Doom) HAS to appreciate that John Carmack is a fscking genius and therefore should respect his opinion.
Mr. Every points out that Carmack is a low-level programmer, which is a point that many users could conceivable overlook if they don't know much about development. But the sad thing is, after reading Carmack's.plan file, I knew that his inbox would be glutted with burning screeds from Mac users everywhere leaping to the defense of their Godlike OS. This is a tragedy because both Mac users AND Apple should be listening to what people like Carmack have to say.
PS -- the symptom of ultra-orthodox devotion to one's operating system is not confined to the Mac community. I know anybody reading this far into a./ comment thread has seen their fair share of flaming responses to "attacks" on Linux. Let's keep those minds open, people.
College is a decision that should be made on a per-person basis. You can't say "Person X has lots of computer skills, so he/she doesn't need college" because college teaches more than just skillset. It teaches things like organization and responsibility, which are both needed in the professional world, and usually niether are found in an 18-year-old HS grad.
I agree that 90% of the academic information taught in school is not applicable to a career (especially regarding, but not limited to hi-tech) but the other "soft skills" are worth the price of tuition.
Of course if you already have these soft skills, hit the road, Jack.
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Uncle Sam won't tell us if the national infrastructure is going to disintegrate on January 1, because people would run on the banks, horde food, and stock-pile arms. They have to say everything is OK because of the consequences.
Of course, I think the whole Y2K thing was blown way way way out of proportion by the media. I agree that nothing major's going to happen, but what if it did?
Perfect excuse to suspend the Constitution, declare martial law and turn America into the police state that the Suede-Denim Secret Police have been planning all along!!!
Or at least a good excuse to "pick up" a new VCR.
I know that Be was forced to pretty much abandon the PowerPC platform as a result of Apple's pigheaded decision not to share the technical details of their G3 motherboards with Be. Hopefully this means Be can once again begin releasing PowerPC versions of their OS...
really if you are looking for stereo stuff you're not going to find much under $200. If you don't mind splitting your stereo channels into two mono channels check out the Spirit Folio mixer which has four mono channels and two stereo for aroudn $250 MSRP. I have a home studio with samplers, synths etc. hooked up to my 'puter and I use a Mackie MS1202-VLZ 12 channel mixer. For $399 this is the best deal you will ever find. It's the most useful piece of audio equipment I have ever purchased. Very flexible. It has four mono channels and four stereo channels. Love it!
I think that what makes a novel great is the ability to bestow knowledge on the reader -- I came away from Moby Dick with what seemed to me an insider's knowledge of whaling. Cryptonomicon adopts this technique as well. Most people who buy this book (non-tech people that is) will be familiar with e-mail, computers and maybe even cryptography from a users point of view, but this book augments a user's perspective with the details of what goes on "behind the scenes." But unlike a textbook or manual, there is actually a highly engrossing story to keep you turning the pages and wanting more.
The Debian Linux Windows 98 Upgrade (apt-get install real-operating-system) is free of charge, fixes more bugs than Microsoft's, and uninstalls IE 4.0.
Apple has built quite a reputation for stringing developers along with promises of nifty hardware and superior operating systems, only to pull the rug out from under their users/developers at the last moment. I'm excited to see that they've joined the Open Software movement (at least in words, we'll see about deeds soon enough..). I'll be interested to watch what happens when people really start making changes to the Darwin code. Steve Jobs is a control freak of the highest order, and it makes me wonder how enthusiastic he really is about turning his baby over to the hordes.
For ESR to associate himself with Jobs could work out badly in the long run when Jobs pulls one of his standard about-face maneuvers. OSSers will become disenfranchised not only with Apple but ESR because he lent his name to their cause.
I don't personally use a Maltron but I've experienced what some claim to be the holy grail of ergonomica. Even comes with it's own key layout (alternative to QWERTY) to increase typing efficiency. And it keeps people from using your workstation w/out permission.
The problem with the WMs available for Linux is that there are no standards for things like drag and drop, bundled icons, global clipboards... the little things that add usability to a GUI.
Each WM may support the features I mentioned, but they are all implemented differently and to different degrees. This is actually evidence of one of the biggest problems with Open Source software -- anybody with a little bit of knowhow can fork the code and do their own implementation of a feature. This is good for innovation, but bad for standardization.
The tight control that MS and Apple exert over their GUIs is a good thing when you are a non-expert user (or even an expert without the time to struggle with ten different WM implementaions).
I'm all for innovation -- my argument is that without standardization, Linux is never going to be anything more than a geek's tool.
Decide for yourself if that's good or bad.
In some cases, form will supercede function ... keep in mind that some folks need a system that is EASY (for the "Average Joe") to use and maintain. In *n[i|u]x, form definitely follows function -- (nearly) everything revolves around text files and is therefore scriptable, searchable, infinitely customizable. But it is also very very very obscure. For people with large brains it is the logical choice because with a little practice all the obscurity becomes transparent and you are left with an infinitely malleable system that bends to your every whim.
On the other hand, some (actually most) people want a somewhat shallower learning curve -- usability will supercede functionality in terms of importance. MacOS currently resides (in my opinion) at the top of the ease-of-use pyramid once you figure in the reliability factor of the "other guys" (WinXX).
What's about to happen with Mac OS X is that Form and Function will begin to unite -- there will be an easy-to-use GUI based on a combination of MacOS and NeXTstep on top of an infinitely customizable unix-like OS. This allows Joe Average to have his GUI and Melvin Unix to have his shell scripting, cron, perl, etc.
Eventually, Linux will need a similar "dumb" front-end if it wants to compete. The current WMs will need to standardize on a more "Windows/Mac-like" interface. I'm not talking about looks and feels here, I'm talking about things like global clipboards, drag and drop, standardized filesystem access.
Like it or not, the Windows 95/MacOS interface is how people expect their computers to function and they will expect it of Linux too.
You could automate this sort service and adapt it to many different purposes -- I want a service that pages me whenever there is a show about Astronomy on PBS ... or whenever a TB-303 shows up on E-bay for $800 ...
Always buy the O'Reilly Books first. You save money, sanity and get cute animals a-plenty.
The fact that David Every has to preface every paragraph of his article with disclaimers (addressed at the die-hard Mac fanatics) points to an interesting symptom of the Macintosh community--rabid devotion rivaling that of many ultra right-wing religious fanatics. Any criticism of the Operating System is immediately met with peals of thunderous disapproval, flames, weeping, gnashing of teeth, the whole nine.
.plan file, I knew that his inbox would be glutted with burning screeds from Mac users everywhere leaping to the defense of their Godlike OS. This is a tragedy because both Mac users AND Apple should be listening to what people like Carmack have to say.
./ comment thread has seen their fair share of flaming responses to "attacks" on Linux. Let's keep those minds open, people.
I own a Mac, and I use Windows NT and Linux quite a bit as well. I definitely choose the Mac as my system of choice for home use because of its easy administration, and because I've used Macs since I was in 7th grade. However, I do not feel that it is the end-all of operating systems, and I am the first to point out many, many, MANY flaws in the interface, some that (gasp) Windows has handled better.
Anybody who saw Quake when it first arrived on the market, and compared it to (what was then) the second most technologically advanced game available (Doom) HAS to appreciate that John Carmack is a fscking genius and therefore should respect his opinion.
Mr. Every points out that Carmack is a low-level programmer, which is a point that many users could conceivable overlook if they don't know much about development. But the sad thing is, after reading Carmack's
PS -- the symptom of ultra-orthodox devotion to one's operating system is not confined to the Mac community. I know anybody reading this far into a
College is a decision that should be made on a per-person basis. You can't say "Person X has lots of computer skills, so he/she doesn't need college" because college teaches more than just skillset. It teaches things like organization and responsibility, which are both needed in the professional world, and usually niether are found in an 18-year-old HS grad.
I agree that 90% of the academic information taught in school is not applicable to a career (especially regarding, but not limited to hi-tech) but the other "soft skills" are worth the price of tuition.
Of course if you already have these soft skills, hit the road, Jack.