But, but, but, wouldn't the Doomsday Device have been *more* effective at preventing war if they told the US? I get that it was to keep Soviet generals from being too hot headed, but... couldn't it be dual purpose?
Hah! While my evidence is just anecdotal, my most recent XP and my most recent Vista install failed to install drivers for my: wireless card, touchpad, webcam, graphics card, and a few hundred other things. I had to put in my Dell Driver CD and manually install all those drivers.
Ubuntu, on the same laptop, got every one of those drivers on its own (although it had to get its graphics card driver on the net, but this was done automagically).
I really have NEVER seen an XP or Vista install work out of the box despite admin-ing a few dozen different computers. Again, that's all anecdotal evidence, but I don't think my experience differs dramatically from the average users'...
No, its worse than people hearing "Powered by Snarblax".
The majority of consumers recognize the name Windows, but not Linux. Of the people who are Windows users but are also aware of Linux's existence have one of the following reactions: Linux is crazy complicated because I have this hacker friend who uses Linux and he spends all his time modifying it etc; I use Windows because its a superior product because a majority of companies use it etc; I use Windows because its all I know and all I've ever needed. So the 'Normal" folks are either inclined to not know what Linux is OR HAVE A (possibly) UNJUSTIFIED BIAS against Linux.
For linux-based consumer products to be commercially viable, they have to appeal to Mac fanboys, Windoze fanboys, people who are terrified to try Linux, AND people who haven't heard of Linux/could-care-less.
TFA and the company's website don't mention anything at all about what the cognitive algorithms learn or how they do it.
At my lab we use "cognitive algorithms" to do things like adjust for variable lighting conditions, learn new visual patterns, and estimate position/orientation of unknown objects. I'm told these algorithms are cutting edge, but at present they are way too fragile/clunky to be used in the real world. I fail to see how a cognitive algorithm can be taught what is a "criminal and terroristic activity"... Is "terroristic" even a word?
I refuse to use FaceBook, but my wife is addicted to it. She doesn't post pictures about me, but friends post pictures of me and tag me on her profile. She posts info about us on her page. Grumble grumble grumble...
Someone somewhere is paying for the internet access: you, your town (which is funded by you through taxes), your school (which is funded by you through your tuition/taxes), and/or your neighbor (if you're stealing the connection).
Its not popular to say so, but universities don't just exist to teach students (although that is very important). America routinely produces some of the best research in the world, and a lion share of that comes from tenured faculty (and their grad students) at America's top universities.
Are you kidding me? What were you doing in history class?
I'm a scientist and would love to stop paying for war, weapons, etc in the pursuit of "healing the planet, feed people, solve energy problems".
Unfortunately, reality is much different. There has never been a time in history without war, suffering, and starvation. We will always need a military. These are facts of life...
The nice thing is occasionally advancements in weapons technology will have beneficial uses for society in general. DARPAnet comes to mind. Recall that the US and Russian advances in spacecraft/launchers/etc are largely built off advances in missile and spy satellite tech...
Sure it's possible. Some people think that to be intelligent you must not only be capable of learning things but also capable of forgetting things. Perhaps HAL figured out how to make HAL-2, made HAL-2, then played video games and forgot much of HAL-2 works...
Apparently I'm not the only one that wants a service plan only for a sexy open smartphone. I wrote a letter to Verizon saying I'm going to terminate my contract with them so I can get a phone like this, but in truth it looks like there may not be any carriers to support this phone.
There is a market for people that want phone+internet service for cool devices. I wonder if that market is big enough for any big carriers to finally consider serving it?
As previous post mentioned, find me a phone+internet plan that's cost competitive and I'll buy a Nokia N900 and join...
This type of system will never dominate the top engineering/science schools. The key to a top notch eng/sci school is extremely knowledgeable faculty that know how to teach and know what material/projects are important for students. Maybe that's why this StraighterLine company focuses mostly on freshman courses...
But developing the technology to go to the moon is what spurred development of: computers, guidance systems, rocket technology, GPS, etc... That's what is exciting about exploration, you don't know what you'll learn until you do it. Sometimes the tools you must develop have unintended yet excellent future use in society.
And even if we can't make a profit doing it now, building SBSP would provide an impetus for research to lower the costs/increase efficiency/increase reliability/etc. Sounds like a good government research project now that could later spin off a commercial industry...
I think the story is also that a *lot* of people are moving everything to just a few clouds. Gmail is great, but if everyone is on it and gmail goes down for an extended period of time, what effects would that have on our economy, society, etc?
Ummmm, gmail has only been down for me twice in the past year. Contrast that with my university locally-hosted email which has been down over eight times this year...
In fact, we are coming to a moment in time where the sophistication of our capabilities may render obsolete various styles of warfare. The "fog of war" is dying a slow death.
Research is what makes the technology of the equipment possible. Manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of the equipment can't provide jobs if the equipment doesn't exist yet. That's how Bell created millions of jobs, by thinking up new shit that others manufacture, install and maintain.
I haven't bought new games for a few years now because of the DRM and advertising, but there are too many gamers willing to pay despite the B.S. Doesn't look like my boycott is working....
"35. (de Saint-Exupery's Law of Design) A designer knows that he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Slashdot Mirror
mod parent up!
But, but, but, wouldn't the Doomsday Device have been *more* effective at preventing war if they told the US? I get that it was to keep Soviet generals from being too hot headed, but... couldn't it be dual purpose?
Hah! While my evidence is just anecdotal, my most recent XP and my most recent Vista install failed to install drivers for my: wireless card, touchpad, webcam, graphics card, and a few hundred other things. I had to put in my Dell Driver CD and manually install all those drivers.
Ubuntu, on the same laptop, got every one of those drivers on its own (although it had to get its graphics card driver on the net, but this was done automagically).
I really have NEVER seen an XP or Vista install work out of the box despite admin-ing a few dozen different computers. Again, that's all anecdotal evidence, but I don't think my experience differs dramatically from the average users'...
No, its worse than people hearing "Powered by Snarblax".
The majority of consumers recognize the name Windows, but not Linux. Of the people who are Windows users but are also aware of Linux's existence have one of the following reactions: Linux is crazy complicated because I have this hacker friend who uses Linux and he spends all his time modifying it etc; I use Windows because its a superior product because a majority of companies use it etc; I use Windows because its all I know and all I've ever needed. So the 'Normal" folks are either inclined to not know what Linux is OR HAVE A (possibly) UNJUSTIFIED BIAS against Linux.
For linux-based consumer products to be commercially viable, they have to appeal to Mac fanboys, Windoze fanboys, people who are terrified to try Linux, AND people who haven't heard of Linux/could-care-less.
Agreed!
TFA and the company's website don't mention anything at all about what the cognitive algorithms learn or how they do it.
At my lab we use "cognitive algorithms" to do things like adjust for variable lighting conditions, learn new visual patterns, and estimate position/orientation of unknown objects. I'm told these algorithms are cutting edge, but at present they are way too fragile/clunky to be used in the real world. I fail to see how a cognitive algorithm can be taught what is a "criminal and terroristic activity"... Is "terroristic" even a word?
You hit the nail on the head!
I refuse to use FaceBook, but my wife is addicted to it. She doesn't post pictures about me, but friends post pictures of me and tag me on her profile. She posts info about us on her page. Grumble grumble grumble...
Wrong, downloading isn't free.
Someone somewhere is paying for the internet access: you, your town (which is funded by you through taxes), your school (which is funded by you through your tuition/taxes), and/or your neighbor (if you're stealing the connection).
Its not popular to say so, but universities don't just exist to teach students (although that is very important). America routinely produces some of the best research in the world, and a lion share of that comes from tenured faculty (and their grad students) at America's top universities.
...and we have totally lost our bearings.?
Are you kidding me? What were you doing in history class?
I'm a scientist and would love to stop paying for war, weapons, etc in the pursuit of "healing the planet, feed people, solve energy problems".
Unfortunately, reality is much different. There has never been a time in history without war, suffering, and starvation. We will always need a military. These are facts of life...
The nice thing is occasionally advancements in weapons technology will have beneficial uses for society in general. DARPAnet comes to mind. Recall that the US and Russian advances in spacecraft/launchers/etc are largely built off advances in missile and spy satellite tech...
Sure it's possible. Some people think that to be intelligent you must not only be capable of learning things but also capable of forgetting things. Perhaps HAL figured out how to make HAL-2, made HAL-2, then played video games and forgot much of HAL-2 works...
looks like TFA has been slashdotted...
Apparently I'm not the only one that wants a service plan only for a sexy open smartphone. I wrote a letter to Verizon saying I'm going to terminate my contract with them so I can get a phone like this, but in truth it looks like there may not be any carriers to support this phone.
There is a market for people that want phone+internet service for cool devices. I wonder if that market is big enough for any big carriers to finally consider serving it?
As previous post mentioned, find me a phone+internet plan that's cost competitive and I'll buy a Nokia N900 and join...
This type of system will never dominate the top engineering/science schools. The key to a top notch eng/sci school is extremely knowledgeable faculty that know how to teach and know what material/projects are important for students. Maybe that's why this StraighterLine company focuses mostly on freshman courses...
But developing the technology to go to the moon is what spurred development of: computers, guidance systems, rocket technology, GPS, etc... That's what is exciting about exploration, you don't know what you'll learn until you do it. Sometimes the tools you must develop have unintended yet excellent future use in society.
there is a non-zero probability that anything can happen.....
But those power plants can't be relocated easily. A space based solution could be designed with a mobile receiver for military/disaster relief use...
And even if we can't make a profit doing it now, building SBSP would provide an impetus for research to lower the costs/increase efficiency/increase reliability/etc. Sounds like a good government research project now that could later spin off a commercial industry...
I wish your post could have been modded +infinity.
I think the story is also that a *lot* of people are moving everything to just a few clouds. Gmail is great, but if everyone is on it and gmail goes down for an extended period of time, what effects would that have on our economy, society, etc?
Ummmm, gmail has only been down for me twice in the past year. Contrast that with my university locally-hosted email which has been down over eight times this year...
And substantially easier to crash into other's property when you can fly over it...
In fact, we are coming to a moment in time where the sophistication of our capabilities may render obsolete various styles of warfare. The "fog of war" is dying a slow death.
Then why can't the US find/kill Bin Laden?
Research is what makes the technology of the equipment possible. Manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of the equipment can't provide jobs if the equipment doesn't exist yet. That's how Bell created millions of jobs, by thinking up new shit that others manufacture, install and maintain.
I haven't bought new games for a few years now because of the DRM and advertising, but there are too many gamers willing to pay despite the B.S. Doesn't look like my boycott is working....
"35. (de Saint-Exupery's Law of Design) A designer knows that he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Taken from Dave Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design: http://spacecraft.ssl.umd.edu/akins_laws.html