I know of a man who was convicted of possesion of a burglery tool because he was carrying . . . a screw driver.
Just an ordinary screw driver. Not modified in any way.
The really funny part is that was actually part of what he stole, and as he left the house to boot.
Was not the legitimate owner than also guilty of possession on a burglery tool? He even kept it in a toolbox on his back porch where burglers could get ahold of it ( as evidenced by the fact that one did).
"Ok, now to see if the server is responding I'd like you to type "ping" . . . ARRRRRRRRRRGH!"
I'd think very carefully about what sort of tools you have sitting on your own "back porch," and what you advise people to do with them.
Very simply because in real life you can get really arrested, really have your life ruined, really get shot dead.
In a game you can act out in complete security and comfort. All you risk is maybe having to find another game to play.
Conversely, of course, this also means there is no real valor or heroism in games either. You just get to act out heroism. The next day you can back to the cube farm, or mailroom, or whatever, to earn the payments on your nice car.
In short, the game, however closely it may mimic real life, is just a game.
Anyone who loses sight of this simple fact is heading for trouble.
Ah, but you are not trusted to go to court against Microsoft or Intel.
They are trusted to go after you, however.
That concept is written right into the core of the system and is included in the sort of legislative measures they are seeking to mandate the system.
If "Trusted Computing" actually made them legally liable for anything (liabilities their EULAs currently indemnify themselves against)you'd see the initiative dry up and blow away faster than a pile of baby powder in Death Valley.
To be fair the average home user, even the power user, doesn't even know that ports exist, let alone what one is, does and or how to map them.
By the time they get their NAT box working their brains are still trying to figure out what the hell this "Default Gateway" thingy is, or why anyone should care about it.
Absorbing information takes time, and you can't take in related information based on previous information until that previous information has been understood and internalized.
This is why the average MCSE who took that 2 week crash course to pass the test turns out to be clueless by the time he actually shows up for his first day at work. N'cest pa?
In a world where even developers often can't be bothered to learn even the basics of networking I'll cut the home user a little slack. It'll take even the most motivated of them a couple of months to figure out what their box can do, and why it does it.
Most aren't that motivated, nor is there any particular reason to expect them to be so.
You can do it with a station wagon. This is simple, secure and completely anonymous. It's also a good strategy against leeching.
Oh yeah, the beer is also better.
While the throughput is a bit slow at any given moment if your peers are more likely to have Tom Waits, Miles Davis and The Strawbs than Ms. Spears the signal to noise ratio is fantastic and you can get anything you want. . . at Alice's Restaraunt (excepting Alice). You can get anything you want. ..
Oh, sorry. Flashback to yesterday's post. It's that damned brown acid again.
You can do as I already suggested above and send her an.rtf file, or, as I have had to do a couple of times, just send her a.doc file. If you know she'll have trouble the.swx it's silly to send her one.
As it happens my business over the years has transformed from instore customer service/retail into information handling that requires a good deal of external collaboration ( don't ask, life gets strange sometimes). The only time I've ever had a hint of a problem was when I sent someone a document I had produced myself. ..in vim ( as is my wont and has never caused a problem internally).
I got an amused "iritated" email from them. When I replied with an apology they told me it was no sweat really, they had just converted it with . . . StarOffice!
Go figure. They already had it and knew what to do with it. It's nice to work with pros. In fact, I highly recommend it.
Internally if you don't have the computer skills I need, and/or are willing to acquire them, you don't work for me. It's that simple. It's a bit more trouble to find/train people, but it's a joy every day thereafter, virtually eliminating any troubles, because even if the troubles originate externally my people can deal with whatever it takes to resolve them.
Like sending.doc files to the terminally confused.
I think we've had to do that twice,.rtf doesn't seem to confuse anybody.
I'm not actually sure I understand the question. It doesn't take any more "tech savvy" to use an.swx file than it does to use a.doc file.
You open the file with your app, and there ya go. Use is transparent to the user.
I started using StarOffice in my business ( and use OpenOffice and KOffice now) some years ago and have never looked back.
Should anything ever "happen" to the.swx file format the more tech savvy among your people will quickly discover that the.swx file format is nothing more than a zipped XML file; and thus easily extracted and converted even without an "app" to do the deed for you.
In any case you could always take the tack I have. ASCII for all internal documents and RTF where needed for external documents. If nothing else it serves to concentrate the mind on actual content, rather than pretending to work by wasting the afternoon on pointless playing around with graphics and formating.
Presentation software is for presentations, i.e., sales.
Internally if anyone tries to show me a pie chart I know that:
A)They don't actually understand what they're talking about B)Think I don't either C)They are up to something D)They have already wasted a lot of time I'm paying them for
So go ahead, take the step to StarOffice. You'll find that a few of your people don't even notice, it's that "MSey." The.swx file format is a complete nonissue.
But also don't be afraid to use even lower level standard formats, like plain ASCII. Doing so will open up a whole world of free and open possibilities.
Sometimes the technological "advancements" advance to the rear.
Planers have improved dramatically over the years. Lumber is almost never even rough cut to 2x4 anymore, unless expressly ordered from the mill as such.
Slashdot Mirror
We used to have these protests called "sit ins."
They sound right up your alley.
KFG
By your own argument you are now a murderer.
KFG
I know of a man who was convicted of possesion of a burglery tool because he was carrying . . . a screw driver.
Just an ordinary screw driver. Not modified in any way.
The really funny part is that was actually part of what he stole, and as he left the house to boot.
Was not the legitimate owner than also guilty of possession on a burglery tool? He even kept it in a toolbox on his back porch where burglers could get ahold of it ( as evidenced by the fact that one did).
"Ok, now to see if the server is responding I'd like you to type "ping" . . . ARRRRRRRRRRGH!"
I'd think very carefully about what sort of tools you have sitting on your own "back porch," and what you advise people to do with them.
KFG
"And here I though that the US was the land of the free... "
Well ya can learn something new everyday.
Or you can just ignore me. After all, I'm a self admitedly foolish man.
If ignorace is bliss, wisdom is folly.
KFG
Very simply because in real life you can get really arrested, really have your life ruined, really get shot dead.
In a game you can act out in complete security and comfort. All you risk is maybe having to find another game to play.
Conversely, of course, this also means there is no real valor or heroism in games either. You just get to act out heroism. The next day you can back to the cube farm, or mailroom, or whatever, to earn the payments on your nice car.
In short, the game, however closely it may mimic real life, is just a game.
Anyone who loses sight of this simple fact is heading for trouble.
KFG
There is seperate code specifically for the regulation of vending machines.
KFG
"I have no wish to have storm troopers drilling holes in my ceiling because my name is one letter off from a terrorist"
Hmmmmm, your name wouldn't be "Buttle'" by any chance, now would it?
I have a memo here about you.
KFG
I thought in Singapore you got caned for not spamming.
KFG
Actually, despite what cynicism might suggest, fees and taxes of this sort are generally required by law to be itemized.
.08 tax," because each of these seperates that tax from the retail price.
If your state has a sales tax, is it not rung up as a seperate item on your reciept?
In my state (NY) it is even illegal to sign items as, say, "$1.08 including tax."
"$1.00+tax" is legal, as is "$1.00+
KFG
Ah, but you are not trusted to go to court against Microsoft or Intel.
They are trusted to go after you, however.
That concept is written right into the core of the system and is included in the sort of legislative measures they are seeking to mandate the system.
If "Trusted Computing" actually made them legally liable for anything (liabilities their EULAs currently indemnify themselves against)you'd see the initiative dry up and blow away faster than a pile of baby powder in Death Valley.
KFG
To be fair the average home user, even the power user, doesn't even know that ports exist, let alone what one is, does and or how to map them.
By the time they get their NAT box working their brains are still trying to figure out what the hell this "Default Gateway" thingy is, or why anyone should care about it.
Absorbing information takes time, and you can't take in related information based on previous information until that previous information has been understood and internalized.
This is why the average MCSE who took that 2 week crash course to pass the test turns out to be clueless by the time he actually shows up for his first day at work. N'cest pa?
In a world where even developers often can't be bothered to learn even the basics of networking I'll cut the home user a little slack. It'll take even the most motivated of them a couple of months to figure out what their box can do, and why it does it.
Most aren't that motivated, nor is there any particular reason to expect them to be so.
KFG
"Ok, why should I buy your product?"
"Well sir, it has really pretty widgets."
Translation: Our product offers no real advantage over our competitors so we slapped some chrome on it.
"Ummmmmmmmm, ok. And it was written in Java?"
"Well, no sir, it was written in C"
"Sooooooo, It's called the Java Desktop because. . . ?"
"Well sir, because we call everything Java these days, it's really Linux, but fully integrated with our Java line of products."
"Which everything we already run has been set up to be. So why should I buy your Linux distro?"
"Hey, Look over there! Do you see those pretty widgets?"
"Get the hell out of my office. And your ugly widgets too."
KFG
Bummer. I was kinda aiming for a trolley Maserati 300S.
KFG
It's cheap, reliable, readily available, doesn't require batteries, thus saving money, weight and complexity.
.
I haven't been able to thoroughly test my prototype though. It keeps losing power suddenly every time I get 100 feet from my house.
If I can just work out that one little bug. .
KFG
You can do it with a station wagon. This is simple, secure and completely anonymous. It's also a good strategy against leeching.
.
Oh yeah, the beer is also better.
While the throughput is a bit slow at any given moment if your peers are more likely to have Tom Waits, Miles Davis and The Strawbs than Ms. Spears the signal to noise ratio is fantastic and you can get anything you want. . . at Alice's Restaraunt (excepting Alice). You can get anything you want. .
Oh, sorry. Flashback to yesterday's post. It's that damned brown acid again.
KFG
Exactly. That's why I have determined which tools best suit the job parameters and use them.
KFG
You can do as I already suggested above and send her an .rtf file, or, as I have had to do a couple of times, just send her a .doc file. If you know she'll have trouble the .swx it's silly to send her one.
.in vim ( as is my wont and has never caused a problem internally).
.doc files to the terminally confused.
.rtf doesn't seem to confuse anybody.
As it happens my business over the years has transformed from instore customer service/retail into information handling that requires a good deal of external collaboration ( don't ask, life gets strange sometimes). The only time I've ever had a hint of a problem was when I sent someone a document I had produced myself. .
I got an amused "iritated" email from them. When I replied with an apology they told me it was no sweat really, they had just converted it with . . . StarOffice!
Go figure. They already had it and knew what to do with it. It's nice to work with pros. In fact, I highly recommend it.
Internally if you don't have the computer skills I need, and/or are willing to acquire them, you don't work for me. It's that simple. It's a bit more trouble to find/train people, but it's a joy every day thereafter, virtually eliminating any troubles, because even if the troubles originate externally my people can deal with whatever it takes to resolve them.
Like sending
I think we've had to do that twice,
KFG
Well I'm glad you guys got my TV back up toute suite, but what are these "ABC" and "CBS" you speak of?
KFG
I guess hooking up my tomato sauce can and laser pointer to my Mr. Fusion was a Bad Idea, huh?
Ok, I'll try to tone it down a bit. Will someone let me know when the new bird flies so I can try out the modifications?
KFG
I'm not actually sure I understand the question. It doesn't take any more "tech savvy" to use an .swx file than it does to use a .doc file.
.swx file format the more tech savvy among your people will quickly discover that the .swx file format is nothing more than a zipped XML file; and thus easily extracted and converted even without an "app" to do the deed for you.
.swx file format is a complete nonissue.
You open the file with your app, and there ya go. Use is transparent to the user.
I started using StarOffice in my business ( and use OpenOffice and KOffice now) some years ago and have never looked back.
Should anything ever "happen" to the
In any case you could always take the tack I have. ASCII for all internal documents and RTF where needed for external documents. If nothing else it serves to concentrate the mind on actual content, rather than pretending to work by wasting the afternoon on pointless playing around with graphics and formating.
Presentation software is for presentations, i.e., sales.
Internally if anyone tries to show me a pie chart I know that:
A)They don't actually understand what they're talking about
B)Think I don't either
C)They are up to something
D)They have already wasted a lot of time I'm paying them for
So go ahead, take the step to StarOffice. You'll find that a few of your people don't even notice, it's that "MSey." The
But also don't be afraid to use even lower level standard formats, like plain ASCII. Doing so will open up a whole world of free and open possibilities.
Sometimes the technological "advancements" advance to the rear.
KFG
"It makes me wonder if someone has a patent on silence yet?"
No, there's too much prior art, but John Cage has a copyright on 4'33" of it.
KFG
It's a silly place and the castle is only a model.
Run away! Run Away!
KFG
Planers have improved dramatically over the years. Lumber is almost never even rough cut to 2x4 anymore, unless expressly ordered from the mill as such.
KFG
"Has anybody ever seen a 2x4 that measured 2"x4"?"
Sure, my house is made out of them ( my house is 100 years old. The studs are rough cut).
Yes, it creates minor problems with "units" when "debugging" it with modern materials.
Perhaps I should get a lawyer. It seems everyone else is.
KFG
"I was expecting $5.12"
Get a lawyer.
KFG