I have lots and lots of imagination to go around. Hey! IBM! Give ME his job (and salary) for ONE YEAR, and I will prove to you that there is more yet to be invented and innovated than already has been.
My goodness, this is terrible! The market is getting to critical mass, and suppliers are trying to see how much (more) money it is able to bear? Say it ain't so!
Of course, when CDs got too expensive, some geek wrote Napster. Maybe this assault on gamers' aesthetics will prompt a few creative ones to come up with a free alternative, or some enlightened company will roll out an ad-less alternative - and use the asence of ads as a selling point.
Sheesh! If the ads are so bad, don't play the game. If you're addicted to the game, you'll absorb the ads like a crack-whore who comes to terms with servicing the Johns for the drug.
That asteroid was not the biggest that could possibly hit us. Really... If you think in those terms then 9/11 is the worst possible terrorist attack, Katrina is the worst possible hurricane, and the Boxing Day wave is the worst possible tsunami. Point being, the worst we've seen is not the worst possible. Diversification is sane, while staying put somewhere when you can develop the means to hedge your bets is, in a word, suicidal. It's just a matter of time.
Your point is well taken, though I would add that while slashdot may be a source of a great deal of information, it is far from being an authoritative source of information on anything. Well, with the possible exception of Taco talking about successfully developing and running a massive geek discussion forum.
Hear that, all of you reading? Go someplace authoritative, like a peer reviewed journal, or at least consult a relevant professional, to verify what you've read on slashdot.:)
The fact that it's taught makes it's inadequacies a matter of public discourse. Today's teens know more about sex than teens ever have in the past, and organiztions have sprung up specifically to counter the ignorance abstinence-only programs foster.
I think your example actually strengthens my angle - the reaction to teaching Copyright issues will force the issue to the fore, and even if the official program is defective, it will provoke alternative sources of information and discussion on the subject.
Sure, at face value this is about getting kids under control for the benefit of the Copyright holders. But, so long as the education is accurate, can you think of a better thing than a population who understands copyright law, what a mess has been made of it, and how crippling the status quo is? Anything that serves to inform is good.
Regardless of what people's personal opinions are on p2p file sharing, the fact is that it is against copyright law. Should it be? Well, only people who understand the issue can intelligently consider that. So bring on the truth.
If this line of reasoning, there would be no need for medical malpractice insurance either, because doctors would learn to do things exactly right each and every time early in medical school.
Fact is, the world is a complicated place. Not only do people, even highly trained professionals, make mistakes from time to time - situations change, often unpredictably, and even the most reasonable and appropriate strategies suddenly become grossly inadequate.
Software solutions are developed with budgets and schedules in mind, for problem domains that are vastly more complex than those of the toys we write in college. We interface with systems over which we have little or no control. Design specifications, even if they were clear at some point, are often exceeded. Honestly, it's amazing that we do manage a 99% uptime.
This is of course not an excuse for when things fail. We need to prevent failure, anticipate it and avoid it when possible. We need to handle it gracefully when unavoidable, so that we could learn from the failure and avoid it the next time.
But the cavalier attitude of saying that writing perfect, flawless and error-free software is something we learn in CS-101 is naive, and condescending to the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of professional software developers all over the world. It's like saying that just because we learned how to make a paper airplane in introductory Physics, we should be expected to design and build jumbo-jets that never crash, use air for fuel, and provide plenty of over-head storage and leg-room for everyone on-board.
The Westinghouse that does nuclear engineering shares nothing but the name (and history) with the Westinghouse that makes appliances, lightbulbs and other consumer goods. The latter is owned by CBS/Disney, IIRC. The Westinghouse of this story is owned entirely by BNFL (British Nuclear Fuel LTD), which itself is owned in significant portion by the British government.
Not only can Java apps use the "native" (mostly but not quite) Look-n-Feel of the platform on which they run, they can also give you the LnF of that platform on any other platform.
Sure, it's not perfect, but it's a better step in the right direction than anything else out there now.
The Hempcar project had concluded last fall. I'm friends with the crew, who are based near Hampton Roads Va, and had a chance to spend some time at the onset of their trip up the coast in the early Summer of 2001.
The great PR success of the Hempcar project has inspired a similar effort in Japan. The only link I could find on short notice is here.
The Xerox copier I have at work is on the LAN. I rip off the binding and put the pages in the ADF, and the copier will put the scanned pages into the directory of my choosing, as either tiff or pdf files.
Now, if only I could get a good compression utility and a pdf reader for my Palm, I'd be all set to pira^H^H^H^Hread MY books anywhere.
Just think, the cost incurred by the RIAA in hosting all that crap music. The number of systems needed to saturate the P2P systems, the storage of the files, the bandwidth needed to make their nodes get hit more often than ones with 'valid' content, the cost of making the files, the administration of the project..
All of that costs money. And what does that result in?
RIAA: "Due to the cost of combating digital piracy, profits are down again, Mr. Senator. Frankly, we'd rather that money went to a more worthy cause. *wink* *wink* Won't you help us out?"
Slashdot Mirror
Ambilight is a stupid gimick. We're seeing more buggy stupid gimicks. Core products actually seem more reliable.
This man is OBVIOUSLY WRONG for his job title.
I have lots and lots of imagination to go around. Hey! IBM! Give ME his job (and salary) for ONE YEAR, and I will prove to you that there is more yet to be invented and innovated than already has been.
My goodness, this is terrible! The market is getting to critical mass, and suppliers are trying to see how much (more) money it is able to bear? Say it ain't so!
Of course, when CDs got too expensive, some geek wrote Napster. Maybe this assault on gamers' aesthetics will prompt a few creative ones to come up with a free alternative, or some enlightened company will roll out an ad-less alternative - and use the asence of ads as a selling point.
Sheesh! If the ads are so bad, don't play the game. If you're addicted to the game, you'll absorb the ads like a crack-whore who comes to terms with servicing the Johns for the drug.
That asteroid was not the biggest that could possibly hit us. Really... If you think in those terms then 9/11 is the worst possible terrorist attack, Katrina is the worst possible hurricane, and the Boxing Day wave is the worst possible tsunami. Point being, the worst we've seen is not the worst possible. Diversification is sane, while staying put somewhere when you can develop the means to hedge your bets is, in a word, suicidal. It's just a matter of time.
Way to go! You just set up tomorrow's "Google has a security hole" Slashdot story. You get +1 Foresightful. :)
Good!
I have two Microsoft brand keyboards and several models of their mice. I foresee NO PROBLEMS with Microsoft's ability to sell their hardware.
Now, having them set up their own communications network, that might be a bit of a challenge.
I just got the BT headphones from HP, and they seem to be all three. Of course "stylish" is the big problem, as there is no accounting for taste.
Your point is well taken, though I would add that while slashdot may be a source of a great deal of information, it is far from being an authoritative source of information on anything. Well, with the possible exception of Taco talking about successfully developing and running a massive geek discussion forum.
:)
Hear that, all of you reading? Go someplace authoritative, like a peer reviewed journal, or at least consult a relevant professional, to verify what you've read on slashdot.
The fact that it's taught makes it's inadequacies a matter of public discourse. Today's teens know more about sex than teens ever have in the past, and organiztions have sprung up specifically to counter the ignorance abstinence-only programs foster.
I think your example actually strengthens my angle - the reaction to teaching Copyright issues will force the issue to the fore, and even if the official program is defective, it will provoke alternative sources of information and discussion on the subject.
My bad for being imprecise. I, wrongfully it seems, assumed that my meaning would be clear from the context.
Sure, at face value this is about getting kids under control for the benefit of the Copyright holders. But, so long as the education is accurate, can you think of a better thing than a population who understands copyright law, what a mess has been made of it, and how crippling the status quo is? Anything that serves to inform is good.
Regardless of what people's personal opinions are on p2p file sharing, the fact is that it is against copyright law. Should it be? Well, only people who understand the issue can intelligently consider that. So bring on the truth.
If this line of reasoning, there would be no need for medical malpractice insurance either, because doctors would learn to do things exactly right each and every time early in medical school.
Fact is, the world is a complicated place. Not only do people, even highly trained professionals, make mistakes from time to time - situations change, often unpredictably, and even the most reasonable and appropriate strategies suddenly become grossly inadequate.
Software solutions are developed with budgets and schedules in mind, for problem domains that are vastly more complex than those of the toys we write in college. We interface with systems over which we have little or no control. Design specifications, even if they were clear at some point, are often exceeded. Honestly, it's amazing that we do manage a 99% uptime.
This is of course not an excuse for when things fail. We need to prevent failure, anticipate it and avoid it when possible. We need to handle it gracefully when unavoidable, so that we could learn from the failure and avoid it the next time.
But the cavalier attitude of saying that writing perfect, flawless and error-free software is something we learn in CS-101 is naive, and condescending to the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of professional software developers all over the world. It's like saying that just because we learned how to make a paper airplane in introductory Physics, we should be expected to design and build jumbo-jets that never crash, use air for fuel, and provide plenty of over-head storage and leg-room for everyone on-board.
There is no way a /.ing sounds like the 1812 Overture. No way.
It has to be. Or maybe Wagner.
The Westinghouse that does nuclear engineering shares nothing but the name (and history) with the Westinghouse that makes appliances, lightbulbs and other consumer goods. The latter is owned by CBS/Disney, IIRC. The Westinghouse of this story is owned entirely by BNFL (British Nuclear Fuel LTD), which itself is owned in significant portion by the British government.
They couldn't find anyone named Lara Croft, I take it?
Not only can Java apps use the "native" (mostly but not quite) Look-n-Feel of the platform on which they run, they can also give you the LnF of that platform on any other platform.
Sure, it's not perfect, but it's a better step in the right direction than anything else out there now.
One way cables? That is so cool! I hope the RIAA and MPAA don't hear about this.
What great inventions could possibly be waiting in the wings? Stairs that only go down? One way pipes? Screwdrives that only tighten screws?
Gosh! This new-fangled technology sure is cool!
The Hempcar project had concluded last fall. I'm friends with the crew, who are based near Hampton Roads Va, and had a chance to spend some time at the onset of their trip up the coast in the early Summer of 2001.
The great PR success of the Hempcar project has inspired a similar effort in Japan. The only link I could find on short notice is here.
With the aid of a lap top, any bum off the street will be able to perform brain surgery with the best of them?
For the humour impaired: It's a joke.. Laugh!
The Xerox copier I have at work is on the LAN. I rip off the binding and put the pages in the ADF, and the copier will put the scanned pages into the directory of my choosing, as either tiff or pdf files.
Now, if only I could get a good compression utility and a pdf reader for my Palm, I'd be all set to pira^H^H^H^Hread MY books anywhere.
Not just that, but they're getting it from money on which you've already paid INCOME TAX.
Just think, the cost incurred by the RIAA in hosting all that crap music. The number of systems needed to saturate the P2P systems, the storage of the files, the bandwidth needed to make their nodes get hit more often than ones with 'valid' content, the cost of making the files, the administration of the project..
All of that costs money. And what does that result in?
RIAA: "Due to the cost of combating digital piracy, profits are down again, Mr. Senator. Frankly, we'd rather that money went to a more worthy cause. *wink* *wink* Won't you help us out?"
Looks more like the Tomás de Torquemada Institution, if you ask me.