"The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'." It's even worse when those anecdotes are culled from miscellaneous websites, unreliably geocoded, and possibly multiply reported.
Exactly.
While it may not be a bad way to find out what's going on in certain geographic areas, their "Heat" indicator is especially flawed. From their "About" link:
Marker color represents a composite score based on the recency of alerts, the number of disease outbreaks, and the number of sources providing information at a particular location. Our algorithm applies an exponential weighting, yielding increased heat (redness) for more recent outbreak news.
So, basically, the heat level is related to the amount of media coverage of disease-related events, not the severity or how widespread the issue is.
Interestingly enough, the US-Country Tag is affected by a google feed from www.healthnews.com, which is about Hand Foot Mouth Disease decrease in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore?
After playing around in the site for a while, I doubt its usefulness, but IANAD.
I wouldn't say anyone (sane) would buy an eeePC for anything but retro gaming. My guess would be that for what an eeePC is built to do, the OS is not a differentiating factor for Ms. Housewife. She doesn't give a damn (as you say). And if it's a few bucks cheaper and does the same stuff, she's going to buy it.
A "geek" may realize that he's getting a nice discount on the XP model (getting XP and 4G SD card for $68 incremental dollars equivalent).
I'm still confused by this theory that selling OSS is distasteful (assuming, of course, you are not relabeling as something you created, violating the license, or any of those things).
Basically, if you add a distribution stream, it can increase consumption. This is "good". Some distribution streams add more cost and overhead than others via packaging, marketing, and markups. This is still "good" if you reach a consumer that you not have reached via other methods.
I would assume that, since the blurb says it's "the latest Long Term Support version," it includes some form of long term support.
Despite what one may infer from the somewhat misleading https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LTS , the "support" in Long Term Support (LTS) means that they will provide bug fixes and software updates for 3/5 years. It does not mean that you'll get direct professional support (e.g. actual tickets with an SLA, toll-free live-person support, etc).
But here, in an unusual departure from the norm, the default values for these members are set to digits (for strings or literals) or values (for numerals) that define their place in a sequence -- where they fall within a record.
Wow! They've invented fixed position data files. What will they invent next, a cool new programming language called RPG?
Good point on both statements. The previous discussion had slightly colored my interpretation of the original blurb. As you say, in the context of the entire letter, the intended application would likely be control of detainees in-flight, not your average Joe/Jane Doe.
IMHO 80% of the advantage comes from the sound perspective. Image-wise, Hi-Def is a moderate improvement. Sound-wise, Dolby 5.1 (or DTS or 6.1 or 7.1) is a giant improvement over Dolby Pro-Logic. Not only can you get real immersive sound effects, but the clarity of dialogue is improved a hundredfold.
The difference between terrorism and ordinary murder is the intended victim - politicians.
Not that I don't think our government is stupid, prejudicial, reactionary, fascist, et cetera. But the above statement is just plain ludicrous. I can buy that the definition of terrorism is up for debate depending on who is oppressed/in-minority, but saying that this overreaction is only because there was a plane headed for congress is silly.
If you RTFA...
Note in part of the scanned letter:...We see the potential uses to include prisoner transportation, detainee control, and the military security forces might have some interest. In addition, it is conceivable to envision a use to improve air security, on passenger planes.
Points to consider:
--Getting a quote on something costs nothing (see the "taxpayer's dollars" comment in TFA).
--Paying to have something developed further is SOP for government agencies--90% of it never goes anywhere
--Implicit in the above quote is that the most likely uses are in prisoner situations (I, for one, have no problem with this use case)
--Having it on paying air passengers is "conceivable"--> this is the sticking point for most of the./ discussion. It is outrageous, insane, and fascist. It is not, however, close to reality (yet).
As usual, the "journalist" seems to be conflating two different issues.
Yes, the last mile/local ISP is an issue for many people
Yes, the world/teleco's/googles may need more cross-continent fiber in order to provide network resiliency, increase service to under-served markets, increase capacity on intercontinental traffic, or provide alternate routes for competitive reasons.
Some interesting details from the case (summarized from the linked pdf document in the Wired article)
Note: The English Premier League is a co-plaintiff in the case.
What the plaintiffs want produced:
a. All the source code for both youtube.com and google.com (lol)--because they think the search is optimized to find copyrighted content first. --> Result = DENIED
b. All the source code for google's new VideoID search algorithym (search by content rather than tag) -> Result = DENIED
c. Copies of all videos that have been previously removed, so that extent of prior violation can be ascertained --> Result = GRANTED
d. Contents of youtube's logging database (some 12TB of data) --> Result = GRANTED. Note Google was sited as a refutation by the plaintiffs! -- Google Software Engineer Alma Whitten, Are IP addresses
personal?, GOOGLE PUBLIC POLICY BLOG (Wilkens Decl. Ex. M).
e. Contents of Video Meta information databases- tags, comments, flags etc. --> Result = DENIED
f. Database Schema --> Result = adsense schema = DENIED, Video schema=GRANTED
g. "Private" videos and meta data --> Result = DENIED
Slashdot Mirror
"The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'." It's even worse when those anecdotes are culled from miscellaneous websites, unreliably geocoded, and possibly multiply reported.
Exactly.
While it may not be a bad way to find out what's going on in certain geographic areas, their "Heat" indicator is especially flawed. From their "About" link:
Marker color represents a composite score based on the recency of alerts, the number of disease outbreaks, and the number of sources providing information at a particular location. Our algorithm applies an exponential weighting, yielding increased heat (redness) for more recent outbreak news.
So, basically, the heat level is related to the amount of media coverage of disease-related events, not the severity or how widespread the issue is.
Looks like those early Eee PC 900 adopters (£329 inc VAT, initially) have been stiffed.
An early adopter "stiffed"? A technology buyer getting more stuff for less money if they just wait? No way!
Next, you'll claim that man has gone to the moon, or that Linux >> Windows, or Bush is disliked. You so craaazy.
Interestingly enough, the US-Country Tag is affected by a google feed from www.healthnews.com, which is about Hand Foot Mouth Disease decrease in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore?
After playing around in the site for a while, I doubt its usefulness, but IANAD.
I wouldn't say anyone (sane) would buy an eeePC for anything but retro gaming. My guess would be that for what an eeePC is built to do, the OS is not a differentiating factor for Ms. Housewife. She doesn't give a damn (as you say). And if it's a few bucks cheaper and does the same stuff, she's going to buy it.
A "geek" may realize that he's getting a nice discount on the XP model (getting XP and 4G SD card for $68 incremental dollars equivalent).
I'm still confused by this theory that selling OSS is distasteful (assuming, of course, you are not relabeling as something you created, violating the license, or any of those things).
Basically, if you add a distribution stream, it can increase consumption. This is "good". Some distribution streams add more cost and overhead than others via packaging, marketing, and markups. This is still "good" if you reach a consumer that you not have reached via other methods.
God, I really do wish Ubuntu would come in different flavors! Like cherry, vanilla, and extra-yummy grape.
I would assume that, since the blurb says it's "the latest Long Term Support version," it includes some form of long term support.
Despite what one may infer from the somewhat misleading https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LTS , the "support" in Long Term Support (LTS) means that they will provide bug fixes and software updates for 3/5 years. It does not mean that you'll get direct professional support (e.g. actual tickets with an SLA, toll-free live-person support, etc).
They're not just selling Ubuntu. They're selling Ubuntu with support. The support is what people are paying for.
Maybe this is a level, but from all indications this is standard Ubuntu with standard support (i.e. go look it up on the forums).
But here, in an unusual departure from the norm, the default values for these members are set to digits (for strings or literals) or values (for numerals) that define their place in a sequence -- where they fall within a record.
Wow! They've invented fixed position data files. What will they invent next, a cool new programming language called RPG?
Good point on both statements. The previous discussion had slightly colored my interpretation of the original blurb. As you say, in the context of the entire letter, the intended application would likely be control of detainees in-flight, not your average Joe/Jane Doe.
IMHO 80% of the advantage comes from the sound perspective. Image-wise, Hi-Def is a moderate improvement. Sound-wise, Dolby 5.1 (or DTS or 6.1 or 7.1) is a giant improvement over Dolby Pro-Logic. Not only can you get real immersive sound effects, but the clarity of dialogue is improved a hundredfold.
Wow. Just Wow.
The difference between terrorism and ordinary murder is the intended victim - politicians.
Not that I don't think our government is stupid, prejudicial, reactionary, fascist, et cetera. But the above statement is just plain ludicrous. I can buy that the definition of terrorism is up for debate depending on who is oppressed/in-minority, but saying that this overreaction is only because there was a plane headed for congress is silly.
Points to consider:
--Getting a quote on something costs nothing (see the "taxpayer's dollars" comment in TFA).
--Paying to have something developed further is SOP for government agencies--90% of it never goes anywhere
--Implicit in the above quote is that the most likely uses are in prisoner situations (I, for one, have no problem with this use case)
--Having it on paying air passengers is "conceivable"--> this is the sticking point for most of the ./ discussion. It is outrageous, insane, and fascist. It is not, however, close to reality (yet).
As usual, the "journalist" seems to be conflating two different issues.
Yes, the last mile/local ISP is an issue for many people
Yes, the world/teleco's/googles may need more cross-continent fiber in order to provide network resiliency, increase service to under-served markets, increase capacity on intercontinental traffic, or provide alternate routes for competitive reasons.
Does solving one solve the other? NO.
Some interesting details from the case (summarized from the linked pdf document in the Wired article)
Note: The English Premier League is a co-plaintiff in the case.
What the plaintiffs want produced:
a. All the source code for both youtube.com and google.com (lol)--because they think the search is optimized to find copyrighted content first. --> Result = DENIED
b. All the source code for google's new VideoID search algorithym (search by content rather than tag) -> Result = DENIED
c. Copies of all videos that have been previously removed, so that extent of prior violation can be ascertained --> Result = GRANTED
d. Contents of youtube's logging database (some 12TB of data) --> Result = GRANTED. Note Google was sited as a refutation by the plaintiffs! -- Google Software Engineer Alma Whitten, Are IP addresses personal?, GOOGLE PUBLIC POLICY BLOG (Wilkens Decl. Ex. M).
e. Contents of Video Meta information databases- tags, comments, flags etc. --> Result = DENIED
f. Database Schema --> Result = adsense schema = DENIED, Video schema=GRANTED
g. "Private" videos and meta data --> Result = DENIED