Funny how everyone worries so much about preventing "evil hackers" from breaking in to systems remotely and causing chaos, and then some burglars just go ahead and steal the critical computers to produce the same (unintended?) results.
Right, they really need to leave those dashing young hackers alone, and instead pass laws outlawing theft. OH WAIT, THEY ALREADY HAVE.
Just so you all know, this story isn't as ironic as you think it is.
This guy has a great view and I hope they don't pass any kind of law in Canada to allow useage of these on sidewalks. Tourists would be all over the place with these, using them up clifton hill, forcing walkers all over the streets. Imagine a person weighting over 200 pounds, driving one of these going downhill, and runing over a stick? he'd be thrown into the air! Killing millions!!
I don't know, it could make sense. Like if they didn't have the regular programming ready for the launch date, so it was a choice between either making a computer play Pong against itself, or a a week-long color test. This way they at least get a little PR value out of it.
I remember that moment after I had finally gotten the configuration files working. That sudden burst of ecstasy, quickly broken by the sight of a grey screen and the realization that now I would have to spend time configuring the windows manager...
The problem back then is the monitors weren't so robust; you could seriously damage one by getting the syncs wrong. Nowadays you just get an invalid signal message.
Course, once you did get it working you realized just how bad windows 3.1 was. I remember having a scrolling desktop with an animated background, multiple windows open. On a 486-50 with 10 megs of RAM...
At least I've got 640K of RAM -- that's got to be more than anyone would ever need -- right Bill?
What's most irritating about that isn't that he misjudged, but rather that he didn't fix his mistake, making us all mess around with EMM386.exe for several years.
Right, and I was criticizing the Hugo, not the Hugo 2002. I think they should just drop the dramatic presentation category, as there are never enough candidates to make it an interesting race. And Buffy is just waaay overrated. It's like Babylon 5, people think that because it's above average in relation to other TV shows it's actually better than it really is.
The Worldcon voting system has worked surprisingly well in the past, while the Nebula (decided by the SFWA) has lost some of it's lustre, so letting all con-goers vote isn't a bad system, but it's flaws do come out some years (like last year).
That said, you'll note that Rowling isn't up for *anything*. Only the movie based on one of her works is, and she didn't write the screenplay. Reread the list - her name is nowhere to be found.
She did, however, win the Hugo last year for one of her Harry Potter books, which is what my criticism was aimed towards (I'm surprised you didn't know this, being familiar with the genre as you seem to be). And there is nothing wrong with being a)accessible, or b) marketed towards relative non-readers. There IS, however, something wrong with giving this kind of novel the premiere literary award of the genre. I'd hate to see the Hugos become depreciated (like the Nebulas) because they're given out to Rowling and Buffy.
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I bet if I played this it would end up like all the sim kinds of games I play.
An angry populace, a police station on every corner, 0% spent on social programs, and me hiding in my mansion.
Kind of strange how it always ends up like that...I mean, I don't INTEND on implementing libertarianism...
Funny how everyone worries so much about preventing "evil hackers" from breaking in to systems remotely and causing chaos, and then some burglars just go ahead and steal the critical computers to produce the same (unintended?) results.
Right, they really need to leave those dashing young hackers alone, and instead pass laws outlawing theft. OH WAIT, THEY ALREADY HAVE.
Just so you all know, this story isn't as ironic as you think it is.
Niagara, New York you mean?
This guy has a great view and I hope they don't pass any kind of law in Canada to allow useage of these on sidewalks. Tourists would be all over the place with these, using them up clifton hill, forcing walkers all over the streets. Imagine a person weighting over 200 pounds, driving one of these going downhill, and runing over a stick? he'd be thrown into the air! Killing millions!!
Canada gets tourists?
In my own opinion, spyware makers have no right to complain. Is there something I'm missing?
They have every right to complain.
We have every right to ignore them.
I don't know, it could make sense. Like if they didn't have the regular programming ready for the launch date, so it was a choice between either making a computer play Pong against itself, or a a week-long color test. This way they at least get a little PR value out of it.
I remember that moment after I had finally gotten the configuration files working. That sudden burst of ecstasy, quickly broken by the sight of a grey screen and the realization that now I would have to spend time configuring the windows manager...
The problem back then is the monitors weren't so robust; you could seriously damage one by getting the syncs wrong. Nowadays you just get an invalid signal message.
Course, once you did get it working you realized just how bad windows 3.1 was. I remember having a scrolling desktop with an animated background, multiple windows open. On a 486-50 with 10 megs of RAM...
I know everyone always says the book is better, but in this case it really is. And no, Gandalf isn't Sauron, it was a joke...
You forgot to mention that Gandalf is really Sauron in disguise.
At least I've got 640K of RAM -- that's got to be more than anyone would ever need -- right Bill?
What's most irritating about that isn't that he misjudged, but rather that he didn't fix his mistake, making us all mess around with EMM386.exe for several years.
Damn, that sounds good. Any job openings there? The last night IT job I had we had NT, so nothing really that good could be loaded...
All in all, it is a surprisingly large amount for a country that doesn't go into military actions. Who are they defending themselves from?
You've got to realize they in effect border both China and Russia. To rely purely on the US military defense would be insane.
My problem with what you said, is that you made it seem that Japans budget is close to the US's budget.
No he didn't. That wasn't implied at all.
Japan has one of the largest military budgets in the world; nobody even SUGGESTED it was in the same league as the US's.
Right, and I was criticizing the Hugo, not the Hugo 2002. I think they should just drop the dramatic presentation category, as there are never enough candidates to make it an interesting race. And Buffy is just waaay overrated. It's like Babylon 5, people think that because it's above average in relation to other TV shows it's actually better than it really is.
The Worldcon voting system has worked surprisingly well in the past, while the Nebula (decided by the SFWA) has lost some of it's lustre, so letting all con-goers vote isn't a bad system, but it's flaws do come out some years (like last year).
There is also something deeply wrong with denying the award to the best novel/show/movie because one thinks it cheapens the Hugo.
No, you deny the award because they're not the best thing out. "Cheapening the Hugo" is just a side effect.
That said, you'll note that Rowling isn't up for *anything*. Only the movie based on one of her works is, and she didn't write the screenplay. Reread the list - her name is nowhere to be found.
She did, however, win the Hugo last year for one of her Harry Potter books, which is what my criticism was aimed towards (I'm surprised you didn't know this, being familiar with the genre as you seem to be). And there is nothing wrong with being a)accessible, or b) marketed towards relative non-readers. There IS, however, something wrong with giving this kind of novel the premiere literary award of the genre. I'd hate to see the Hugos become depreciated (like the Nebulas) because they're given out to Rowling and Buffy.
I've read one Rowling book. It was good. I'll even go to say it was very good.
To say that it was the best sf novel published that year is something quite different.
Rowling's books, despite being good, are waaaay overrated.
Ever wondered how fast CD-ROM drives can spin their CDs before the CD will self destruct due to centrifugal force?
I can honestly say, no, I haven't.
What is with it with slashdot and wireless? I mean, they're as obsessed about it as all those tech/business magazines...
That's what we refer to as the "Transmeta Effect".
Zap Brannigan (disgustedly): "What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?"
I can see it now; the car locks itself, then starts driving around in circles while the radio plays a continuous loop of N'Sync at 100 decibels.
I think his point was e-mail was better than nothing.
Point well taken. There certainly is a difference between an artist offering up his/her works and having them forcibly taken.
This creates an image in my mind of someone forcing a musician to sing into a tape recorder at gunpoint...
Mmmmmm, pie...