I think this is totally the right decision. The "Mars mission" was just another load of horsecrap from Bush to throw sand in the face of (in this case) the geek crowd. There was no plan, there was no money provided, there was no rationale, it was dated decades in the future when he knows he won't be accountable, there's *no way* it would ever happen the way it was laid out. It was yet another impossible Big Lie from Bush, one that actually damaged all the other priorities NASA has that could actually accomplish something. Yay, this time, for Congress.
I've also always thought that insterstellar space colonization by humans is likely effectively impossible. Personally, I think that it's a much *wierder* universe if there's some physical law that says we don't get to treat foreign planets like distant islands of our own world. Wierder for the way our brains are set up, at least. And to me, that argues for the universe probably being like that.
Much like quantum physics, if people have so much trouble and resistance grappling with the idea, then it figures that the universe at a large scale is really like that. Per Nelson: Ha-ha.
That guy's a fucking asshole. As a college teacher of math & CS (including assembly -- admittedly at a community college), guys like this just completely burn me up. Some people should completely not be teachers, they suck so fucking bad.
I practically meditate before a final exam on how to make the environment as comfortable as possible, clearly explain in advance what the procedures will be like, and keep everything in the same rhythm as all my prior tests. Just freaking out students in a final exam because you're a sadist is utterly unacceptable. Jesus.
The second I saw this story my first thought was, "Don't worry, as soon as some other country achieves a scientific breakthrough the US will denounce IP as an unholy restriction on our freedoms and just steal it back."
"Actually I'll go ahead and say just that: that people are damn good at picking what's good for _them_."
Unfortunately, current research is showing just the opposite. As written by James Surowiecki, "The Financial Page: Feature Presentation", The New Yorker, May 28, 2007:
"As numerous studies have shown, people are not, in general, good at predicting what will make them happy in the future...
A new study by Katherine A. Burson, a marketing professor at the University of Michigan, shows that, when we buy things like golf balls and digital cameras, we generally do a poor job of evaluating our skills, and so get stuck with unsuitable products. We're also willing to pay for extra options because we feel shortchanged if we don't have them. But, once we actually have a product, our patience with all those features runs out very quickly. Elke Den Ouden found, for instance, that Americans who returned a product that was too complicated for them had spent, on average, just twenty minutes with it before giving up."
Hey! You must be that same guy who said back in 2000 that there would be a "huge outcry" if the electoral college went against the popular vote in the Presidential election (and the system would be immediately changed). Good to see you again, how's it going?
"Why is it the collective forces of the internet... ha[ve] yet to create a great project for 'hacking', tweaking, and tuning government via an organized effort of lobbying, letter writing, and education?"
Hackers are generally loner geeks. They are used to a single hacker, alone, having great effect through individual expertise and insight. They subscribe to Ayn Rand-type philosophy. They are anti-union. An organized effort of lobbying, letter writing, and education (which I agree is required for a change in government) is almost entirely antithetical to them.
"The show was always planned with a definite beginning, middle and end, unlike many other sci-fi shows and dramas."
Oh, that's complete bullshit. The show's plotting has lurched like a drunken sailor from the pilot setup through various seasons. You can even hear on the DVD commentaries how much they had to change plans as soon as they blew half the season's the budget on the initial prison-ship episode, etc.
Someone must have figured out that this is good marketing mantra when you announce a final season to persuade people it's not just because your story is deflating with a big farty-sound. All of a sudden everyone fantasy series is claiming this: Babylon 5, Lost, Battlestar, etc.
"One minute spent writing comments can save you an hour of anguish."
However, what's the probability that the savings actually goes to *you* and not a coworker competing with you for a promotion, or someone who replaced you in a later year? If you work in an office with 100 staff, let's say 1%. So expected savings to you is EV = 1% x 60 minutes = 0.6 minute, less than the minute it takes to write the comment. (Even assuming the payoff is correct, and then helping competing coworkers doesn't do any damage to you.)
This is what I consider to be the "tragedy of the commons" for software engineering jobs. When I was a programmer, the people who did the least documentation were the fastest, and often the only folks who could approach certain parts of code, and so held in the highest esteem by the executives. Now I only write code for my own projects.
There was definitely corruption and inefficiency on the part of the U.S. during WWII (as in any war I know of). However, there were people in government dedicated to finding such corruption, exposing it, and resolving it. That's specifically how Harry Truman came to public fame. If only our current administration allowed such a thing!
He gained fame and respect when his preparedness committee (popularly known as the "Truman Committee") investigated the scandal of military wastefulness by exposing fraud and mismanagement. His advocacy of common-sense cost-saving measures for the military attracted much attention. Although some feared the Committee would hurt war morale, it was considered a success and is reported to have saved at least $11 billion. In 1943, his work as chairman earned Truman his first appearance on the cover of Time Magazine. (He would eventually appear on nine Time covers and be named the magazine's Man of the Year for the years 1945 and 1948.[30])
Truman's diligent, fair-minded, and notably nonpartisan work on the Senate committee that came to bear his name turned him into a national figure. It is unlikely that Roosevelt would have considered him for the vice-presidential spot in 1944 had the former "Senator from Pendergast" not earned a new reputation in the Senate -- one for probity, hard work, and a willingness to ask powerful people tough questions.
While some may point out that Mr. Enzi is a Republican raising taxes, he's not so much raising taxes as he is 1) simplifying sales taxes; 2) ensuring the "current" level of taxes imposed by states; 3) thus reducing property taxes; 4) helping maintain state governments who are having financial problems due to lack of sales tax revenue.
On the other hand, the Democrats, if they do not renew the ban on broadband taxes, will be creating new taxes that will impact every internet user. These are not taxes that are being avoided or taxes that are being suppressed.... these are NEW taxes.. and we all know how the Democrats love their taxes!
I don't critique the Church of Scientology because they are over the top. I use the almighty buck (which I feel too few consumers do these days.) I refuse to watch, buy, or do anything with folks that go over the top with Scientology... Of course me as a single consumer will probably not make much of dent, but I wish more consumers would do the same.
You have to organize. This is a political issue, and the only way to change things like this is to create a political movement and demand the change en masse. Maybe, maybe an organized boycott is useful, but my understanding that those very rarely work. Doing something political entirely alone, without persuading others to do the same, is unfortunately never going to change anything. As much as we individualistic, anti-cult types would like it to be the case, it's not. Frankly, it's just another form of fantasy.
Don't just quietly leave, explain clearly why you are leaving. You like the job and the pay is fine, but there is too much internal bullshit to make the job worthwhile. When Billg says "That's the dumbest idea I've heard..." respond by saying "You are wrong, it is an excellent idea. Your criticism is niether constructive, nor professional. I will be taking my ideas elsewhere." Then immediately leave the room, perhaps the building. So before you present your idea to Billg you should look for a new job.
That's the dumbest fucking idea I've heard since I've been on Slashdot.
All I have to say is this: "That's a Great Comic!". The expression on his face in the middle panel, which totally undermines the words he's saying at the time, is absolutely brilliant. (Much like "Don't you get it? I'm a people person!!" from Office Space.) LOL funny!
I like to use Webopedia for succinct definitions like this.
"A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions..." http://webopedia.com/TERM/I/Internet.html
"We own that story, he wrote it using our software."
Actually, a few years back I designed a city with SimCity (original), exported the file to a big image, and took it to a Kinko's to print out as a big poster. The job was refused with the staff claiming it was a copyright violation of the game makers, because they owned all of the images involved. (Even though the game itself includes an "Export" function to do precisely this.)
Now, this was mostly because the attendant was a big fat f*** trying to get out of doing any work (it was the 3rd job in a row I saw him refuse for some frickin' reason), but still...
Fuck companies. No one is *entitled* to slave labor. If you don't like it where you do business, close shop and leave the country. Employees have the right to organize and bargain with the company as equal partners, period.
"Hardly any of the stations (even the popular ones) play RIAA music."
Does that make a difference? I'm an indie musician, and to my understanding any time a song gets played, a royalty should be paid to a collection agency like BMI or ASCAP. (Possibly based on a reasonable survey technique.) And that money comes back to the writer, publishing rights holder, etc., regardless of whether it's RIAA or not.
Can someone please correct this information if I'm wrong? (A small number of internet stations that have played my band required signed wavers foregoing any royalties.)
I've been pointing my Intro to Computer Science students to that web page since 2003.
As a side issue, I kind of think that the specific photos Paulo has there are a tad mis-wired; it supposed to a full 2-bit adder, but doesn't quite work right if all 3 inputs are on (last time I looked at this was 2004, maybe someone can correct or confirm that).
Nonetheless, it's a great demonstration, kudos again to Paulo!
This Time, It's Personal
on
SCO Vs. Groklaw
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
FTA: "Jones also has criticized some journalists who cover the lawsuits, including this reporter, accusing them of being biased in favor of SCO."
Slashdot Mirror
I think this is totally the right decision. The "Mars mission" was just another load of horsecrap from Bush to throw sand in the face of (in this case) the geek crowd. There was no plan, there was no money provided, there was no rationale, it was dated decades in the future when he knows he won't be accountable, there's *no way* it would ever happen the way it was laid out. It was yet another impossible Big Lie from Bush, one that actually damaged all the other priorities NASA has that could actually accomplish something. Yay, this time, for Congress.
I've also always thought that insterstellar space colonization by humans is likely effectively impossible. Personally, I think that it's a much *wierder* universe if there's some physical law that says we don't get to treat foreign planets like distant islands of our own world. Wierder for the way our brains are set up, at least. And to me, that argues for the universe probably being like that.
Much like quantum physics, if people have so much trouble and resistance grappling with the idea, then it figures that the universe at a large scale is really like that. Per Nelson: Ha-ha.
That guy's a fucking asshole. As a college teacher of math & CS (including assembly -- admittedly at a community college), guys like this just completely burn me up. Some people should completely not be teachers, they suck so fucking bad.
I practically meditate before a final exam on how to make the environment as comfortable as possible, clearly explain in advance what the procedures will be like, and keep everything in the same rhythm as all my prior tests. Just freaking out students in a final exam because you're a sadist is utterly unacceptable. Jesus.
The second I saw this story my first thought was, "Don't worry, as soon as some other country achieves a scientific breakthrough the US will denounce IP as an unholy restriction on our freedoms and just steal it back."
You left out a key phrase, "... to the United States".
"Why do the folks who insist on keeping 'God' in 'one nation under God' want to get rid of 'liberty and justice for all'?"
I'd say that's pretty consistent. They want you to *say* all of that stuff, and for all of it to be equally make-believe.
"Actually I'll go ahead and say just that: that people are damn good at picking what's good for _them_."
8 /070528ta_talk_surowiecki
Unfortunately, current research is showing just the opposite. As written by James Surowiecki, "The Financial Page: Feature Presentation", The New Yorker, May 28, 2007:
"As numerous studies have shown, people are not, in general, good at predicting what will make them happy in the future...
A new study by Katherine A. Burson, a marketing professor at the University of Michigan, shows that, when we buy things like golf balls and digital cameras, we generally do a poor job of evaluating our skills, and so get stuck with unsuitable products. We're also willing to pay for extra options because we feel shortchanged if we don't have them. But, once we actually have a product, our patience with all those features runs out very quickly. Elke Den Ouden found, for instance, that Americans who returned a product that was too complicated for them had spent, on average, just twenty minutes with it before giving up."
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2007/05/2
Hey! You must be that same guy who said back in 2000 that there would be a "huge outcry" if the electoral college went against the popular vote in the Presidential election (and the system would be immediately changed). Good to see you again, how's it going?
"Why is it the collective forces of the internet... ha[ve] yet to create a great project for 'hacking', tweaking, and tuning government via an organized effort of lobbying, letter writing, and education?"
Hackers are generally loner geeks. They are used to a single hacker, alone, having great effect through individual expertise and insight. They subscribe to Ayn Rand-type philosophy. They are anti-union. An organized effort of lobbying, letter writing, and education (which I agree is required for a change in government) is almost entirely antithetical to them.
Also, the time is currently 11:45. (Correct 2 times per day.)
"The show was always planned with a definite beginning, middle and end, unlike many other sci-fi shows and dramas."
Oh, that's complete bullshit. The show's plotting has lurched like a drunken sailor from the pilot setup through various seasons. You can even hear on the DVD commentaries how much they had to change plans as soon as they blew half the season's the budget on the initial prison-ship episode, etc.
Someone must have figured out that this is good marketing mantra when you announce a final season to persuade people it's not just because your story is deflating with a big farty-sound. All of a sudden everyone fantasy series is claiming this: Babylon 5, Lost, Battlestar, etc.
To summarize: Total bullshit.
"One minute spent writing comments can save you an hour of anguish."
However, what's the probability that the savings actually goes to *you* and not a coworker competing with you for a promotion, or someone who replaced you in a later year? If you work in an office with 100 staff, let's say 1%. So expected savings to you is EV = 1% x 60 minutes = 0.6 minute, less than the minute it takes to write the comment. (Even assuming the payoff is correct, and then helping competing coworkers doesn't do any damage to you.)
This is what I consider to be the "tragedy of the commons" for software engineering jobs. When I was a programmer, the people who did the least documentation were the fastest, and often the only folks who could approach certain parts of code, and so held in the highest esteem by the executives. Now I only write code for my own projects.
There was definitely corruption and inefficiency on the part of the U.S. during WWII (as in any war I know of). However, there were people in government dedicated to finding such corruption, exposing it, and resolving it. That's specifically how Harry Truman came to public fame. If only our current administration allowed such a thing!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman#Defe
Republicans raise taxes --> that's really lowering taxes.
Democrats don't raise taxes --> that's really raising taxes.
ORWELLIZATION COMPLETE.
gg gop
I don't critique the Church of Scientology because they are over the top. I use the almighty buck (which I feel too few consumers do these days.) I refuse to watch, buy, or do anything with folks that go over the top with Scientology... Of course me as a single consumer will probably not make much of dent, but I wish more consumers would do the same.
You have to organize. This is a political issue, and the only way to change things like this is to create a political movement and demand the change en masse. Maybe, maybe an organized boycott is useful, but my understanding that those very rarely work. Doing something political entirely alone, without persuading others to do the same, is unfortunately never going to change anything. As much as we individualistic, anti-cult types would like it to be the case, it's not. Frankly, it's just another form of fantasy.
Don't just quietly leave, explain clearly why you are leaving. You like the job and the pay is fine, but there is too much internal bullshit to make the job worthwhile. When Billg says "That's the dumbest idea I've heard ..." respond by saying "You are wrong, it is an excellent idea. Your criticism is niether constructive, nor professional. I will be taking my ideas elsewhere." Then immediately leave the room, perhaps the building. So before you present your idea to Billg you should look for a new job.
That's the dumbest fucking idea I've heard since I've been on Slashdot.
All I have to say is this: "That's a Great Comic!". The expression on his face in the middle panel, which totally undermines the words he's saying at the time, is absolutely brilliant. (Much like "Don't you get it? I'm a people person!!" from Office Space.) LOL funny!
0 4-30
http://www.threepanelsoul.com/view.php?date=2007-
Dude, you must be a songwriter, because you really know how to turn a phrase. That was truly, truly beautiful. :) :) :)
I like to use Webopedia for succinct definitions like this.
"A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions..."
http://webopedia.com/TERM/I/Internet.html
"We own that story, he wrote it using our software."
Actually, a few years back I designed a city with SimCity (original), exported the file to a big image, and took it to a Kinko's to print out as a big poster. The job was refused with the staff claiming it was a copyright violation of the game makers, because they owned all of the images involved. (Even though the game itself includes an "Export" function to do precisely this.)
Now, this was mostly because the attendant was a big fat f*** trying to get out of doing any work (it was the 3rd job in a row I saw him refuse for some frickin' reason), but still...
Fuck companies. No one is *entitled* to slave labor. If you don't like it where you do business, close shop and leave the country. Employees have the right to organize and bargain with the company as equal partners, period.
Clearly you must be a plant by IBM. Please forward your address to SCO so we can sue you for libel or something ASAP.
"Hardly any of the stations (even the popular ones) play RIAA music."
Does that make a difference? I'm an indie musician, and to my understanding any time a song gets played, a royalty should be paid to a collection agency like BMI or ASCAP. (Possibly based on a reasonable survey technique.) And that money comes back to the writer, publishing rights holder, etc., regardless of whether it's RIAA or not.
Can someone please correct this information if I'm wrong? (A small number of internet stations that have played my band required signed wavers foregoing any royalties.)
I've been pointing my Intro to Computer Science students to that web page since 2003.
As a side issue, I kind of think that the specific photos Paulo has there are a tad mis-wired; it supposed to a full 2-bit adder, but doesn't quite work right if all 3 inputs are on (last time I looked at this was 2004, maybe someone can correct or confirm that).
Nonetheless, it's a great demonstration, kudos again to Paulo!
FTA: "Jones also has criticized some journalists who cover the lawsuits, including this reporter, accusing them of being biased in favor of SCO."