My guess would be that the shape makes them easiest to move around. Here's an analogy from my own life, since I rarely move manhole covers:)
Where I work (Disneyland), we use mobile stanchions to support ropes for parades, shows, etc. These things have solid metal and concrete bases, and weigh a ton (that way they're less likely to fall over or be dragged if someone walks into the rope). Yeah, we could make the bases square, but we use round ones. The things are way too heavy for even two people to reasonably lift and carry, but they can be easily tipped to a 45 degreee angle or so and rolled away by even the weakest of people.
I woudl think the same is true of heavy metal manhole covers. Rather than having to lift and drag or carry them off the manhole, they can be tipped up and rolled at an angle out of the way.
I'm sure there are other considerations too, but it seems like this should be a large factor.
Anyway, my local library has a great selection of movies, but they still haven't started buying DVDs. That means that unless I want to go out and buy a VCR (which I don't), they're out of my realm of possibilities for movie rentals. Not all public library systems are very quick on the technology uptake, unfortunately.
The trouble with video rental places (ESPECIALLY Blockbuster and Hollywood) is that they cost a lot of money. It's almost $4 to rent a DVD now. That means that as long as I get more than ($20 netflix monthly fee / $4 Blockbuster single rental fee = 5) movies per month from Netflix, I'm saving money compared to renting them from Blockbuster. And that's all assuming I remember to return every movie I rent from Blockbuster on time.
Plus, it means that if I rent a movie that turns out to be so awful I can't even finish it, I'm not out $4, since it's all flat rate anyway.
Wrong. Been doing it for well over a year now and I'm lucky (?) to get one or two calls per month. There's a difference between buying something they're selling and buying something before they try to sell it to you.
Take newspapers, for example. If they try to sell me the San Jose Mercury News and I tell them that I already subscribe, thet doesn't make me look any more gullible, it just tells them that at some point in the past I made the decision to subscribe to their paper.
I forget the number -- something like $120k/episode, but this is the most CN has ever paid for a show, so I'm sure it will get shown pretty regularly:)
There is a new Sam and Max game in development, but not by Lucasarts. It's an action/adventure style game, kind of like Indy or Tomb Raider, only with our favorite lagomorph and irish wolfhound.
Didja ever play SQ6? When you're walking around in cyberspace you encounter a bridge that's out. If you try to jump it, Gary Owens tells you:
"You could probably make it across this gap if you had a running start. Unfortunately, you can't run, only walk. In this game you can't 'switch to Sprint'."
It's nice to see that Seirra was able to poke some fun at itself for that decision:)
Mmmm... new Soylent Clear! Clearly less people, clearly more taste.
Re:Will the quality be the same? (No... BETTER!)
on
Copy-Protected Digital VHS
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Except for the fact that tapes degrade over time, especially after multiple playings.
My school (University of California, Santa Cruz) as well as many of the other UC campuses have had this sort of software in place for years. Ours checks for code where only the comments have been changed, code where the variable names have been changed, or code which is just flat out identical. It keeps archives of past assignments for all classes, and checks submissions against the entire archive too. It may also do other stuff, but those are the few details I've gotten out of various professors.
A great poke at our patent system, and by one darn funny comic. Make sure to read the whole storyline... The LawBot 0.92 is one of the funniest things I've ever seen:)
Well, we're always open to donations at protonic.com, although we're not a software company. We like to think we provide a valuable service, though:)
Actually, what we need way more of than money is volunteer hours. If anyone is interested in helping out people with computer problems over the net, drop by and fill out our form.
Someone today sent a letter to protonic.com's site support system letting us know that someone he disliked was linking to us, and wanted to know if we really wanted our company's name "associated with people like that.":)
Slashdot Mirror
I'm at the University of California, and at least here on the Santa Cruz campus ID is required to check out materials from the media center.
Usually you have to be a student, though.
Or tie a longer piece of string to the pull-cord :)
My guess would be that the shape makes them easiest to move around. Here's an analogy from my own life, since I rarely move manhole covers :)
Where I work (Disneyland), we use mobile stanchions to support ropes for parades, shows, etc. These things have solid metal and concrete bases, and weigh a ton (that way they're less likely to fall over or be dragged if someone walks into the rope). Yeah, we could make the bases square, but we use round ones. The things are way too heavy for even two people to reasonably lift and carry, but they can be easily tipped to a 45 degreee angle or so and rolled away by even the weakest of people.
I woudl think the same is true of heavy metal manhole covers. Rather than having to lift and drag or carry them off the manhole, they can be tipped up and rolled at an angle out of the way.
I'm sure there are other considerations too, but it seems like this should be a large factor.
What's wrong with older movies?
Anyway, my local library has a great selection of movies, but they still haven't started buying DVDs. That means that unless I want to go out and buy a VCR (which I don't), they're out of my realm of possibilities for movie rentals. Not all public library systems are very quick on the technology uptake, unfortunately.
The trouble with video rental places (ESPECIALLY Blockbuster and Hollywood) is that they cost a lot of money. It's almost $4 to rent a DVD now. That means that as long as I get more than ($20 netflix monthly fee / $4 Blockbuster single rental fee = 5) movies per month from Netflix, I'm saving money compared to renting them from Blockbuster. And that's all assuming I remember to return every movie I rent from Blockbuster on time.
Plus, it means that if I rent a movie that turns out to be so awful I can't even finish it, I'm not out $4, since it's all flat rate anyway.
Hmm... I might try telling 'em that too. They won't know it's not true (in my case) :)
Wrong. Been doing it for well over a year now and I'm lucky (?) to get one or two calls per month. There's a difference between buying something they're selling and buying something before they try to sell it to you.
Take newspapers, for example. If they try to sell me the San Jose Mercury News and I tell them that I already subscribe, thet doesn't make me look any more gullible, it just tells them that at some point in the past I made the decision to subscribe to their paper.
Heh... I always just tell them that I already have/use whatever they're selling. There's no way they can argue with that :)
I forget the number -- something like $120k/episode, but this is the most CN has ever paid for a show, so I'm sure it will get shown pretty regularly :)
Check out this page within Apple's site (this is the Darwin binaries page):
/ 6. 0/release.html
http://www.opensource.apple.com/projects/darwin
I just noticed that there's a section for an x86 binary, even if it does say "watch this space."
If you want a cool company, check out http://www.doublefine.com :)
Hey, thanks for the kind words!
:)
We enjoy running it too
I've found that the best application of the smartboards at work is that on occasion I can amuse myself by playing big-screen solitaire :)
Errm... Explain how Fox will know by looking at a letter that the author is a college student or slashdot reader.
Although I disagree with you about Futurama, I should point out that Family Guy was cancelled a couple of weeks ago as well.
There is a new Sam and Max game in development, but not by Lucasarts. It's an action/adventure style game, kind of like Indy or Tomb Raider, only with our favorite lagomorph and irish wolfhound.
Didja ever play SQ6? When you're walking around in cyberspace you encounter a bridge that's out. If you try to jump it, Gary Owens tells you:
:)
"You could probably make it across this gap if you had a running start. Unfortunately, you can't run, only walk. In this game you can't 'switch to Sprint'."
It's nice to see that Seirra was able to poke some fun at itself for that decision
Mmmm... new Soylent Clear! Clearly less people, clearly more taste.
Except for the fact that tapes degrade over time, especially after multiple playings.
My school (University of California, Santa Cruz) as well as many of the other UC campuses have had this sort of software in place for years. Ours checks for code where only the comments have been changed, code where the variable names have been changed, or code which is just flat out identical. It keeps archives of past assignments for all classes, and checks submissions against the entire archive too. It may also do other stuff, but those are the few details I've gotten out of various professors.
That'll teach me to not spell-check my subjects :)
Check out http://www.nukees.com/d/20000811.html
:)
A great poke at our patent system, and by one darn funny comic. Make sure to read the whole storyline... The LawBot 0.92 is one of the funniest things I've ever seen
So it's only a matter of time til we really do have the smell-o-scope :)
Well, we're always open to donations at protonic.com, although we're not a software company. We like to think we provide a valuable service, though :)
:)
Actually, what we need way more of than money is volunteer hours. If anyone is interested in helping out people with computer problems over the net, drop by and fill out our form.
Money: http://www.protonic.com/donate.php
Time: http://www.protonic.com/volunteer.php
Mod me down if you want, but I figured it was worth a try
Someone today sent a letter to protonic.com's site support system letting us know that someone he disliked was linking to us, and wanted to know if we really wanted our company's name "associated with people like that." :)