the compelling reasons are "always on", and not tying up an expensive phone line.
When you think about it, dialup is a fucking pain in the ass. You have to try to connect, then you sit and wait for the fucking modem to dial, and handshake, which takes MINUTES, and only IF it's successful, and about 1 out of 10 times when it fails, it fails in a way that hangs a lot of low-end systems. (in my experience).
Then, you're tying up your phone line, or you've had to pay the phone company for a second line.
Plus, configuration and troubleshooting is a no-brainer for broadband, compared to troubleshooting and configuring a modem.
For DSL and cable, it's not so much the speed, as it is the convenience.
By the way, PacBell is phasing in $50/mo as the DSL rate.
Technically it's great - but from a realistic point of view, I would forget about it. It's obvious that Microsoft has NDS targeted for termination. And nobody seems interested in stopping them. No sense in investing in what's obviously going to be dead technology. Unfortunately.
Another response to this kind of thing;
What if the personalization reaches a level of sophistication where the advertiser can identify an individual who is very discriminating in what he or she chooses to buy. Not only might they be able to tell that you're very discriminating, but they can learn exactly HOW you discriminate between "good" products and "bad" ones. And thus, they can learn how to mislead you or deny you the information you require to make such discriminating choices.
Actually, this is already in effect, but it's not targeted to individuals yet. Some people have better skills at sniffing out bad deals than others. Once the ad industry learns better "stealth" techniques, it will be easier for them to increase sales by screwing people.
If you choose to believe that a 4 year development cycle is going to eliminate all bugs, and yield perfect software - then goody for you. But you're wrong.
The problem here isn't even a long development cycle. The problem is - you obviously have a situation here where the company's MARKETING department is running the show. They announce their product WAY before it's done, because they feel they need to win the pissing contest with their competitors.
The whole problem here is one of credibility. Nobody calls these people on their "innacurate statements" (also known as "lies" in some circles). So the market (particularly the analysts and press) is actually partly to blame for this situation. Then, when Marketing has overpromised, and created a level of expectation that is simply not grounded in reality, Engineering is forced to cram in coding and testing to meet Marketing's outrageous goals. In most cases, this leads to a buggy piece of crap - no matter how many years it spends in development.
The cause of vaporware is in the marketing department, not the engineering department. The cause of buggy software is usually an engineering team that has been stretched too thin, or pulled in too many different directions - by a management team that can't or won't stand up to the political forces of the marketing department.
This isn't limited to games, by the way, either. It's 99% of the software industry. Open your eyes.
If I have a problem with a certain individual or opinion on/., I'll refute their argument with a post of my own. That's what/. is all about. Giving people a tool for ignoring those that annoy them just makes them ignorant.
Once in a while, I'll see a post I don't like, or disagree with, and I'll write a post to counter it, and not submit it, because, along the way, I figure out that maybe that person is right, and I'm the one that's wrong. To me - this is the most valuable aspect of/.. Over the years, it has helped me to grow as a person.
I don't intend to use friend/foe. Except for the PenisBird.
Unless they make the cost under $75/month your typical individual (IE: Most folks on the net now don't read/.) will tell them to stick it!
yeah, and nobody expected the typical individual to tell them to shove Irridium where the sun don't shine either. Now we have a network of dozens of pretty, sparkly, useless, and VERY expensive satellites - because someone thought that the pricing threshold of $200/mo. was affordable.
I think $75/mo is too much for broadband. $50 is pushing it. Yet, no company finds that profitable enough.
oh yeah, that's another thing - once the vehicle gets to a certain speed via maglev, you might actually be able to use ramjet engines, which need to be travelling at supersonic speeds just to be lit. This would save on oxidizer.
However, there's no real reason ramjets can't be used in space launches now. . .
well, even with that "muzzle velocity" of 7814m/sec, you'll still need supplemental rocket propulsion to keep the craft going at that speed until it clears the atmosphere, and all that drag.
Plus, at low altitudes, 7814m/sec is going to vaporize your vehicle very quickly - unless you add a heat-shield. Obviously, 3112 G's is going to mean an unmanned launch. Even 15 G's is pretty unrealistic. So you have to add a heat shield for launch, when you don't intend to even have a recovery.
That's not an optimal design.
Even in an unmanned vehicle - 3112 G's is pretty unrealistic. We CAN build a vehicle that could withstand it, but it would probably need so much reinforcement that there'd be less room for cargo - plus, your cargo would now have to be engineered to withstand 3112 Gs.
So really, you have to accellerate magnetically to some speed, probably subsonic, enough to get the vehicle airborne, perhaps a few thousand feet, and THEN ignite rockets. At altitude, air friction won't be as bad an obstacle (nor will the sound barrier).
I've read (on slashdot, years ago, so don't quote me on this) that the majority of rocket thrust is spent lofting more rocket fuel up through the lower and much thicker few miles of the atmosphere. Clear that barrier, and there's a significant savings already. You can't do entirely without rockets, nor would it be wise to try.
This isn't a case of a kid insulting a jock. It's a case of a kid, jealous of the jock's success and apparent happy life, and angrily observing the jock's disregard for the kid's medieval religious laws, deciding to plant a bomb in the jock's home, destroying his family.
I think it's time that the kid got his ass kicked by the jock now.
This is not an innocent kid who just wants to be left alone. This kid is a bloodthirsty, arrogant, murderous religious zealot.
In other words, the answer will not come from Cisco, it will come from somebody with deep pockets. And the only pockets deep enough in this case belong to the federal government
Or your friendly neighborhood local monopolist.
Plenty of companies would jump at the chance to install the channel - as long as they would be guaranteed exclusive access and unregulated pricing power forever amen.
And I would also say that Elijah Wood's acting SUCKED.
However, I still loved the movie, and gladly paid to watch it twice, and will likely buy the DVD. It's a really difficult book to cinemize. I can pick nits and say it's not perfect, but it was a tremendous job.
That's the problem. Our standards and expectations have been lowered by the decline of American Cinema.
Re:So, all you people who are panning Ep2....
on
Attack of the Clones
·
· Score: 2
*sigh*
If I did not have an 8 year old boy, I wouldn't think twice about watching this movie, buying the DVD, buying the boxed-set collector's edition DVD, etc. etc.
Maybe I'll just send him to a matinee with his friends and not go in. I'll wait in the parkinglot and read the newspaper. A better use of my time.
Slashdot Mirror
the compelling reasons are "always on", and not tying up an expensive phone line.
When you think about it, dialup is a fucking pain in the ass. You have to try to connect, then you sit and wait for the fucking modem to dial, and handshake, which takes MINUTES, and only IF it's successful, and about 1 out of 10 times when it fails, it fails in a way that hangs a lot of low-end systems. (in my experience).
Then, you're tying up your phone line, or you've had to pay the phone company for a second line.
Plus, configuration and troubleshooting is a no-brainer for broadband, compared to troubleshooting and configuring a modem.
For DSL and cable, it's not so much the speed, as it is the convenience.
By the way, PacBell is phasing in $50/mo as the DSL rate.
Technically it's great - but from a realistic point of view, I would forget about it. It's obvious that Microsoft has NDS targeted for termination. And nobody seems interested in stopping them. No sense in investing in what's obviously going to be dead technology. Unfortunately.
Another response to this kind of thing;
What if the personalization reaches a level of sophistication where the advertiser can identify an individual who is very discriminating in what he or she chooses to buy. Not only might they be able to tell that you're very discriminating, but they can learn exactly HOW you discriminate between "good" products and "bad" ones. And thus, they can learn how to mislead you or deny you the information you require to make such discriminating choices.
Actually, this is already in effect, but it's not targeted to individuals yet. Some people have better skills at sniffing out bad deals than others. Once the ad industry learns better "stealth" techniques, it will be easier for them to increase sales by screwing people.
If you choose to believe that a 4 year development cycle is going to eliminate all bugs, and yield perfect software - then goody for you. But you're wrong.
The problem here isn't even a long development cycle. The problem is - you obviously have a situation here where the company's MARKETING department is running the show. They announce their product WAY before it's done, because they feel they need to win the pissing contest with their competitors.
The whole problem here is one of credibility. Nobody calls these people on their "innacurate statements" (also known as "lies" in some circles). So the market (particularly the analysts and press) is actually partly to blame for this situation. Then, when Marketing has overpromised, and created a level of expectation that is simply not grounded in reality, Engineering is forced to cram in coding and testing to meet Marketing's outrageous goals. In most cases, this leads to a buggy piece of crap - no matter how many years it spends in development.
The cause of vaporware is in the marketing department, not the engineering department. The cause of buggy software is usually an engineering team that has been stretched too thin, or pulled in too many different directions - by a management team that can't or won't stand up to the political forces of the marketing department.
This isn't limited to games, by the way, either. It's 99% of the software industry. Open your eyes.
you're being sarcastic, right?
My wife's iMac (slot-loader) has no fan, and the power supply and monitor are in the same enclosure.
It's mondo-quiet.
the CORD, is also way too fragile. At the joint where it meets the mouse body, mine frayed after a year of below average use.
Meanwhile, at work, where my main machine has a "$6" two-button HP mouse, I've been using that mouse for 10 years.
You may as well freak out, because it's already happening.
you forgot the special editions, and collectors editions.
Robin Williams WOULD make a kick-ass Bombadil!
If I have a problem with a certain individual or opinion on /., I'll refute their argument with a post of my own. That's what /. is all about. Giving people a tool for ignoring those that annoy them just makes them ignorant.
/.. Over the years, it has helped me to grow as a person.
Once in a while, I'll see a post I don't like, or disagree with, and I'll write a post to counter it, and not submit it, because, along the way, I figure out that maybe that person is right, and I'm the one that's wrong. To me - this is the most valuable aspect of
I don't intend to use friend/foe. Except for the PenisBird.
please oh please stop those nasty evil spammers for us Uncle Sam!!
Unless they make the cost under $75/month your typical individual (IE: Most folks on the net now don't read /.) will tell them to stick it!
yeah, and nobody expected the typical individual to tell them to shove Irridium where the sun don't shine either. Now we have a network of dozens of pretty, sparkly, useless, and VERY expensive satellites - because someone thought that the pricing threshold of $200/mo. was affordable.
I think $75/mo is too much for broadband. $50 is pushing it. Yet, no company finds that profitable enough.
oh yeah, that's another thing - once the vehicle gets to a certain speed via maglev, you might actually be able to use ramjet engines, which need to be travelling at supersonic speeds just to be lit. This would save on oxidizer.
However, there's no real reason ramjets can't be used in space launches now. . .
well, even with that "muzzle velocity" of 7814m/sec, you'll still need supplemental rocket propulsion to keep the craft going at that speed until it clears the atmosphere, and all that drag.
Plus, at low altitudes, 7814m/sec is going to vaporize your vehicle very quickly - unless you add a heat-shield. Obviously, 3112 G's is going to mean an unmanned launch. Even 15 G's is pretty unrealistic. So you have to add a heat shield for launch, when you don't intend to even have a recovery.
That's not an optimal design.
Even in an unmanned vehicle - 3112 G's is pretty unrealistic. We CAN build a vehicle that could withstand it, but it would probably need so much reinforcement that there'd be less room for cargo - plus, your cargo would now have to be engineered to withstand 3112 Gs.
So really, you have to accellerate magnetically to some speed, probably subsonic, enough to get the vehicle airborne, perhaps a few thousand feet, and THEN ignite rockets. At altitude, air friction won't be as bad an obstacle (nor will the sound barrier).
I've read (on slashdot, years ago, so don't quote me on this) that the majority of rocket thrust is spent lofting more rocket fuel up through the lower and much thicker few miles of the atmosphere. Clear that barrier, and there's a significant savings already. You can't do entirely without rockets, nor would it be wise to try.
Hell, I would not need ANY job if a certain entity took half of YOUR income and doled it out to me as it chooses in the form of social programs.
That sounds like a better deal to me.
You see, that's the thing.
We all thought that the internet would improve things for "the little guy" - give him a voice, usher in a new golden age of freedom and equality.
It's only made things worse as the crackpots and "this is my car, this is my dog" web pages drowned out the voice of reason in a flood of crap.
The downward spiral will only continue to accellerate now.
Hell, I'd give up cheap medical care and decent social security for a lucrative job that allows me to take care of myself.
This isn't a case of a kid insulting a jock. It's a case of a kid, jealous of the jock's success and apparent happy life, and angrily observing the jock's disregard for the kid's medieval religious laws, deciding to plant a bomb in the jock's home, destroying his family.
I think it's time that the kid got his ass kicked by the jock now.
This is not an innocent kid who just wants to be left alone. This kid is a bloodthirsty, arrogant, murderous religious zealot.
In other words, the answer will not come from Cisco, it will come from somebody with deep pockets. And the only pockets deep enough in this case belong to the federal government
Or your friendly neighborhood local monopolist.
Plenty of companies would jump at the chance to install the channel - as long as they would be guaranteed exclusive access and unregulated pricing power forever amen.
No, this guy did not get teased about his name when he was a kid. . . .
I agree with everything you said.
And I would also say that Elijah Wood's acting SUCKED.
However, I still loved the movie, and gladly paid to watch it twice, and will likely buy the DVD. It's a really difficult book to cinemize. I can pick nits and say it's not perfect, but it was a tremendous job.
*sigh*
That's the problem. Our standards and expectations have been lowered by the decline of American Cinema.
*sigh*
If I did not have an 8 year old boy, I wouldn't think twice about watching this movie, buying the DVD, buying the boxed-set collector's edition DVD, etc. etc.
Maybe I'll just send him to a matinee with his friends and not go in. I'll wait in the parkinglot and read the newspaper. A better use of my time.
hang the rich.