Whatever else its faults, the Soviet Union did manage to keep a remarkable amount of order in some extremely chaotic areas. But it did do it through superior military force, which you seem to claim the US shouldn't use in promoting peace. Why is it right for the USSR to do so, but not the US?
"Centuries"? The Chechens were conquered by Russia last century ago, and they've chafed under Russian rule ever since. As for your opinion of CNN, having read the ridiculous propaganda that passes for news in a good number of other countries, I'll take the former.
"Being human, is there any way we can avoid this?"
Don't know about that.
Should we?
While I don't know if we can, or should, get rid of it completely, it's probably a good idea to minimalize it to a certain extent. A lot of it seems to come from insecurity; I've noticed a lot of people, especially techies, are extraordinarily thin-skinned when it comes to disagreements or questions. They interpret mild differences of opinion as attacks on their knowledge, and respond accordingly. Look how many threads on slashdot devolve into constant bickering over some technical minutiae that in the grand scheme of things don't really amount to much.
I think it's just incorrect to say we're "universally hated"; and as for showing basic respect for the sovereignty of other countries, you're right. To a point. We've gotten involved in some pretty shady dealings, which the Iranian incident is a perfect example of, but we also have a habit of not invading countries weaker than us, something which just about every major power in human history couldn't avoid doing. Possibly one of the reasons a lot of countries don't mind hosting American military bases.
I know that I'm supposed to be cynical and pessimistic when posting on Slashdot, but the things the President touched on in his speech were actually impressive. It would be nice to see the federal government return to investing in internet infrastructure; I for one am sick of half-baked, banner-ridden sites thrown up by marketing hacks with too much venture capital and too little technical ability, who have dreams of billion dollar IPOs running through their delusional little minds. If we're going to see the internet become a tool of democracy, as a lot of people envision, we're probably going to have to end up spending *gasp* tax dollars on it. And maybe, just maybe, that despite this it will actually be beneficial.
Speaking of rl gated communities, I wonder why they coined the phrase for their software development model...I mean, am I the only one who thinks "gated communities" has an extremely negative connotation?
I'll tell you something, while the quiet on the imac is nice for when I'm watching DVDs, there's something to be said for the fan sound. I mean, I grew up with it, it's the first thing I heard when I turned the computer on in the morning. It was a warm, welcoming sound, a sound that tells you that all's right with the world, the sound you want to hear when you're looking forward to a 10 hour nethack marathon. It's just not the same without it.
It's not the fact that they're doing this that annoys me, it's the fact that there's going to be a radio shack logo on the moon. I mean, maybe I'm too concerned with aesthetics, but if we're going to explore space let's do it a little less tackily...
Yes, I was being a little fecetious; considering they said they had to write special software for the satellite, I assumed it wasn't a sun box tied to a jet pack (though the image that brings up amuses me). The web page was a little vague on the details; I'm curious exactly as to how the data is transferred between the ground station and the satellite, especially whether it's realtime or just periodically downloaded. They did say the satellite has it's own router and ip address, but I assume outside ip connections are rejected.
Connected to ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov. 220 ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov FTP server (SunOS 5.7) ready. Name (ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov:andrewc): anonymous 530 User anonymous unknown. Using binary mode to transfer files. ftp>
I'm in space! Or at least my packets are. And solaris? I have this image of a purple sparc 10 floating around, trailing a keyboard and mouse... Seriously though, this is quite cool, and I'd think it deserved it's own article. I'd love to get an account on a satellite; I'm curious as to whether in the future this will be a way to create truly extra-national data centers (kind of like what they're trying to do with Sealand now).
You really want the internet to be subsidized by advertising like TV is? Personally, I'd rather not have my browsing interrupted every 10 minutes by commercials.
As much as I disagree with how both the American and international IP systems are organized, I can understand how artists might like to maintain some control over their works. I mean, look at how great works of art and music have been used to peddle all sorts of junk on TV. Or how protest songs of the 60's are used to promote happiness-through-consumption now. I'd hate to create something only to have it used a few years later to sell breakfast cereal.
Only thing I can think of is to only distribute ads by large-scale/well-connected banner companies like doubleclick. The problem is still there, but it's at least a little less noticeable. Or, if yours is a smaller local publication, tell your clients to send you the ad and you'll put it on your own server.
Personally I like the idea of being transient. I have just an apartment lease holding me down, and I like the idea that if I really wanted to I could quit my job and move to Hawaii. It's when you start getting responsibilities like family, children, mortgages, etc. that the lack of security kind of sucks.
anyway...my take on the move towards a more transient society is primarily a result of economics. It's more economically efficient to hire what you need (i.e. short term or consultants) than it is to hire someone for the long haul. On the opposite side, it can work out for the employee, where by constantly changing jobs he or she is able to maximize his or her salary.
You know, I'm tempted to go out and spend a few thousand on a BSD beowulf cluster. But I'll be damned if I can think of a single productive thing to do with it.
but I am saying that on the Internet a message transplanted from "traditional media" doesn't look right to most Internet users.
I don't know about this; "traditional media" may have its drawbacks, but I have a lot more trust in something that I'd read in the paper than something I'd read on some guys website. This holds true for all forms of traditional media in my opinion; ever since the internet boom a lot of people have been raving about the avenues that self-publishing opens up. I can tell you what the main result is; a low signal and high noise.
I think what might ultimately ensure our privacy is the sheer lack of value of these kinds of data. I don't think direct marketing on the internet is particularly effective; I think that like me most people just filter those intrusions out without really thinking about it.
Slashdot Mirror
Whatever else its faults, the Soviet Union did manage to keep a remarkable amount of order in some extremely chaotic areas. But it did do it through superior military force, which you seem to claim the US shouldn't use in promoting peace. Why is it right for the USSR to do so, but not the US?
"Centuries"? The Chechens were conquered by Russia last century ago, and they've chafed under Russian rule ever since. As for your opinion of CNN, having read the ridiculous propaganda that passes for news in a good number of other countries, I'll take the former.
"Being human, is there any way we can avoid this?"
Don't know about that.
Should we?
While I don't know if we can, or should, get rid of it completely, it's probably a good idea to minimalize it to a certain extent. A lot of it seems to come from insecurity; I've noticed a lot of people, especially techies, are extraordinarily thin-skinned when it comes to disagreements or questions. They interpret mild differences of opinion as attacks on their knowledge, and respond accordingly. Look how many threads on slashdot devolve into constant bickering over some technical minutiae that in the grand scheme of things don't really amount to much.
I think it's just incorrect to say we're "universally hated"; and as for showing basic respect for the sovereignty of other countries, you're right. To a point. We've gotten involved in some pretty shady dealings, which the Iranian incident is a perfect example of, but we also have a habit of not invading countries weaker than us, something which just about every major power in human history couldn't avoid doing. Possibly one of the reasons a lot of countries don't mind hosting American military bases.
I know that I'm supposed to be cynical and pessimistic when posting on Slashdot, but the things the President touched on in his speech were actually impressive. It would be nice to see the federal government return to investing in internet infrastructure; I for one am sick of half-baked, banner-ridden sites thrown up by marketing hacks with too much venture capital and too little technical ability, who have dreams of billion dollar IPOs running through their delusional little minds. If we're going to see the internet become a tool of democracy, as a lot of people envision, we're probably going to have to end up spending *gasp* tax dollars on it. And maybe, just maybe, that despite this it will actually be beneficial.
Speaking of rl gated communities, I wonder why they coined the phrase for their software development model...I mean, am I the only one who thinks "gated communities" has an extremely negative connotation?
Yes, they run FreeBSD. Funny thing is, they originally ran SunOS, but they upgraded...
See, we should have kept those iridium satellites up as shielding...
I'll tell you something, while the quiet on the imac is nice for when I'm watching DVDs, there's something to be said for the fan sound. I mean, I grew up with it, it's the first thing I heard when I turned the computer on in the morning. It was a warm, welcoming sound, a sound that tells you that all's right with the world, the sound you want to hear when you're looking forward to a 10 hour nethack marathon. It's just not the same without it.
It's not the fact that they're doing this that annoys me, it's the fact that there's going to be a radio shack logo on the moon. I mean, maybe I'm too concerned with aesthetics, but if we're going to explore space let's do it a little less tackily...
Yes, I was being a little fecetious; considering they said they had to write special software for the satellite, I assumed it wasn't a sun box tied to a jet pack (though the image that brings up amuses me). The web page was a little vague on the details; I'm curious exactly as to how the data is transferred between the ground station and the satellite, especially whether it's realtime or just periodically downloaded. They did say the satellite has it's own router and ip address, but I assume outside ip connections are rejected.
Connected to ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov.
220 ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov FTP server (SunOS 5.7) ready.
Name (ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov:andrewc): anonymous
530 User anonymous unknown. Using binary mode to transfer files. ftp>
I'm in space! Or at least my packets are. And solaris? I have this image of a purple sparc 10 floating around, trailing a keyboard and mouse...
Seriously though, this is quite cool, and I'd think it deserved it's own article. I'd love to get an account on a satellite; I'm curious as to whether in the future this will be a way to create truly extra-national data centers (kind of like what they're trying to do with Sealand now).
A merger like the ones suggested would create a company with twice the commercial linux market potential.
What's two times zero again?
You really want the internet to be subsidized by advertising like TV is? Personally, I'd rather not have my browsing interrupted every 10 minutes by commercials.
You might be able to get the C64 version working on an emulator; I've seen the rom floating around the net.
Nethack is one of the Triumvirate; the three greatest games ever. Other two are Ultima 5 and Wasteland.
As much as I disagree with how both the American and international IP systems are organized, I can understand how artists might like to maintain some control over their works. I mean, look at how great works of art and music have been used to peddle all sorts of junk on TV. Or how protest songs of the 60's are used to promote happiness-through-consumption now. I'd hate to create something only to have it used a few years later to sell breakfast cereal.
Only thing I can think of is to only distribute ads by large-scale/well-connected banner companies like doubleclick. The problem is still there, but it's at least a little less noticeable. Or, if yours is a smaller local publication, tell your clients to send you the ad and you'll put it on your own server.
seems a little pricey, doesn't it. The cell phone access I mean.
Can you make a Unix systems administrator into a fictional character who people will find compelling?
Oooh, maybe it'll transfer over into real life and I'll have wild exciting adventures with beautiful women and car chases.
Maybe I better go start the development system backups as usual just in case it doesn't pan out.
Personally I like the idea of being transient. I have just an apartment lease holding me down, and I like the idea that if I really wanted to I could quit my job and move to Hawaii. It's when you start getting responsibilities like family, children, mortgages, etc. that the lack of security kind of sucks.
anyway...my take on the move towards a more transient society is primarily a result of economics. It's more economically efficient to hire what you need (i.e. short term or consultants) than it is to hire someone for the long haul. On the opposite side, it can work out for the employee, where by constantly changing jobs he or she is able to maximize his or her salary.
You know, I'm tempted to go out and spend a few thousand on a BSD beowulf cluster. But I'll be damned if I can think of a single productive thing to do with it.
but I am saying that on the Internet a message transplanted from "traditional media" doesn't look right to most Internet users.
I don't know about this; "traditional media" may have its drawbacks, but I have a lot more trust in something that I'd read in the paper than something I'd read on some guys website. This holds true for all forms of traditional media in my opinion; ever since the internet boom a lot of people have been raving about the avenues that self-publishing opens up. I can tell you what the main result is; a low signal and high noise.
I think what might ultimately ensure our privacy is the sheer lack of value of these kinds of data. I don't think direct marketing on the internet is particularly effective; I think that like me most people just filter those intrusions out without really thinking about it.
More like agriculture, textiles, electronics, plastics, etc.