The rendering engine is completely re-done - it uses a 3D modeler-type now.. which means it will also take advantage of your 3D card (Glide and DirectX 3D stuff).. it does tr
New character classes (5 of 'em) - the old ones are gone, plus a completely new system of stats & experience...
From what I understand, they've removed the ability to cheat if you're a "Realm" character..
"Realm" characters are stored on Diablo's servers, so you can't edit them... For the people who want their characters stored on their own computers, there is nothing stopping you from cheating this way.
One thing to note, the two character types are not allowed to adventure together (ever), so you don't have to worry about someone hacking their non-realm character to get Godly Plate of the Whale, then giving that to a realm char.
If that were a true statement, why haven't we hit the speed of light yet in some sort of space transportation?
Just because we don't know how to do something yet, doesn't mean it's not possible.
Of course it's possible to travel faster than the speed of light - we get visited by space aliens all the time, most of whom are from hundreds of light-years away - you really think that our anal regions are so fascinating that someone would travel for hundreds of years just to probe them, and then go back home?
The author asks us to assume that machines could be made to think, and goes off on that tangent. With that supposition, he makes a very convincing argument.
But such is the work of science-fiction. Every time I go to a sci-fi movie, or watch X-files, I'm asked to do the same thing (although not directly.) The problem with this is that once the article/movie/tv-show is done, I'm finished, and I happily switch back to "reality mode."
I know that the author is trying to stir our imagination - "what if" - and that it's a poor debator (argumentarian?) that attacks the premise instead of the arguments itself, but that is exactly what I am going to do (so consider yourself warned - if you dislike this, feel free to stop reading at any time.)
First off, I am a programmer, systems administrator, webmaster, and graphic artist. I got high marks in general science classes, and consider myself a "geek".
I also have a spiritual side; I belive in spirituality, psychics, etc. I have had psychic experiences myself - ranging from dreams in which I learned things that I didn't know before - like how to ride a motorcycle - to actual "fortune-telling" sessions (spur-of-the-moment, which I believe most true psychics are; most "professional" psychics are frauds.)
With that out of the way, I believe the scientific establishment will never be able to create thinking machines, until they realize that in order to think, you require a soul. Currently, for a scientist to even admit that it's possible for the "soul" to exist amounts to heresy (I'm sure that a lot of your/.'ers feel similarly.)
I'm not saying that this will never change; look at science's attitude towards animals; just fifteen short years ago, animals were considered unthinking machines - they're only reacting to stimuli, etc., etc. - to even suggest in scientific circles that animals could think would get you laughed out of any funding. Now however, the same can't be said - many research projects have been performed on the intelligence of animals - some even suggesting that certain species are capable of imagination and creativity.
Science can never make a machine "think" because they can't currently define what thinking is. They can postulate how it works, but they don't really know why it happens - definition of the mechanics of consciousness is something that eludes them. Only once they have discovered how "thinking" works, will they be able to duplicate it, and then they won't need to.
Biological organisms can "think" because they have a soul; the soul is what gives us consciousness, and emotions.
Once science acknowledges the existence of the soul, (and this will happen eventually), things will change rapidly - the questions of ethics will take on a new meaning - the question "will this technology be abused" will become irrelevant as scientists realize that the spiritual enlightenment of society will prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by our creations.
In a dream, I have seen myself in the future (read the book "The Bridge Across Forever" by Richard Bach to understand this) and know that instead of being replaced or augmented by machines, we will become immortal through other means (most probably genetic modification - it will become possible to extend one's life indefinitely by controlling chemical processes in one's cells that cause aging.) This can't happen though, until we become aware of the fact that we are spiritual beings. (This is, in fact, why we are here - but that's the topic of another post.)
This is, in fact just my opinion, feel free to disregard it as you see fit.
Geez, I can't believe that someone else here is defending this... Glad to know I'm not the only one here with an open mind..
First off, humans are the result of a cloning experiment of Aliens - we are not direct clones of them, but rather the result of thier DNA mixed with apes'. There isn't just one alien race either, but several, each of which contributed DNA for the experiment (which is why there are several distinct racial categories of human.)
All in all, these Rael guys are pretty close to the mark, but they're not 100%.
Slashdot Mirror
Those who can, do.
Those who can't, teach.
And those who can't teach, consult.
If he's ever brave enough to step outside the confines of his university, this guy looks like he has a very promising future as a consultant.
Lots of differences..
The rendering engine is completely re-done - it uses a 3D modeler-type now.. which means it will also take advantage of your 3D card (Glide and DirectX 3D stuff).. it does tr
New character classes (5 of 'em) - the old ones are gone, plus a completely new system of stats & experience...
All in all, looks good...
From what I understand, they've removed the ability to cheat if you're a "Realm" character..
"Realm" characters are stored on Diablo's servers, so you can't edit them... For the people who want their characters stored on their own computers, there is nothing stopping you from cheating this way.
One thing to note, the two character types are not allowed to adventure together (ever), so you don't have to worry about someone hacking their non-realm character to get Godly Plate of the Whale, then giving that to a realm char.
All in all, looks like a nice tradeoff to me..
If that were a true statement, why haven't we hit the speed of light yet in some sort of space transportation?
Just because we don't know how to do something yet, doesn't mean it's not possible.
Of course it's possible to travel faster than the speed of light - we get visited by space aliens all the time, most of whom are from hundreds of light-years away - you really think that our anal regions are so fascinating that someone would travel for hundreds of years just to probe them, and then go back home?
Limits don't exist - we only believe they exist.
All in all, an interesting article;
/.'ers feel similarly.)
The author asks us to assume that machines could be made to think, and goes off on that tangent. With that supposition, he makes a very convincing argument.
But such is the work of science-fiction. Every time I go to a sci-fi movie, or watch X-files, I'm asked to do the same thing (although not directly.) The problem with this is that once the article/movie/tv-show is done, I'm finished, and I happily switch back to "reality mode."
I know that the author is trying to stir our imagination - "what if" - and that it's a poor debator (argumentarian?) that attacks the premise instead of the arguments itself, but that is exactly what I am going to do (so consider yourself warned - if you dislike this, feel free to stop reading at any time.)
First off, I am a programmer, systems administrator, webmaster, and graphic artist. I got high marks in general science classes, and consider myself a "geek".
I also have a spiritual side; I belive in spirituality, psychics, etc. I have had psychic experiences myself - ranging from dreams in which I learned things that I didn't know before - like how to ride a motorcycle - to actual "fortune-telling" sessions (spur-of-the-moment, which I believe most true psychics are; most "professional" psychics are frauds.)
With that out of the way, I believe the scientific establishment will never be able to create thinking machines, until they realize that in order to think, you require a soul. Currently, for a scientist to even admit that it's possible for the "soul" to exist amounts to heresy (I'm sure that a lot of your
I'm not saying that this will never change; look at science's attitude towards animals; just fifteen short years ago, animals were considered unthinking machines - they're only reacting to stimuli, etc., etc. - to even suggest in scientific circles that animals could think would get you laughed out of any funding. Now however, the same can't be said - many research projects have been performed on the intelligence of animals - some even suggesting that certain species are capable of imagination and creativity.
Science can never make a machine "think" because they can't currently define what thinking is. They can postulate how it works, but they don't really know why it happens - definition of the mechanics of consciousness is something that eludes them. Only once they have discovered how "thinking" works, will they be able to duplicate it, and then they won't need to.
Biological organisms can "think" because they have a soul; the soul is what gives us consciousness, and emotions.
Once science acknowledges the existence of the soul, (and this will happen eventually), things will change rapidly - the questions of ethics will take on a new meaning - the question "will this technology be abused" will become irrelevant as scientists realize that the spiritual enlightenment of society will prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by our creations.
In a dream, I have seen myself in the future (read the book "The Bridge Across Forever" by Richard Bach to understand this) and know that instead of being replaced or augmented by machines, we will become immortal through other means (most probably genetic modification - it will become possible to extend one's life indefinitely by controlling chemical processes in one's cells that cause aging.) This can't happen though, until we become aware of the fact that we are spiritual beings. (This is, in fact, why we are here - but that's the topic of another post.)
This is, in fact just my opinion, feel free to disregard it as you see fit.
Geez, I can't believe that someone else here is defending this... Glad to know I'm not the only one here with an open mind..
First off, humans are the result of a cloning experiment of Aliens - we are not direct clones of them, but rather the result of thier DNA mixed with apes'. There isn't just one alien race either, but several, each of which contributed DNA for the experiment (which is why there are several distinct racial categories of human.)
All in all, these Rael guys are pretty close to the mark, but they're not 100%.