The events in Florida have raised questions about the best way to ensure that your vote is counted for the candidate you intend and how, if results were invalidated, we could re-poll only the affected voters.
I think this could be accomplished by issuing receipts to voters that showed their choices along with a randomly generated ID number that would also be assigned to their ballot--as is currently done with blood donation.
In this way, we could avoid some of the current confusion, while still protecting privacy. This solution could be applied both to voting live and in person, or to voting electronically.
States' rights notwithstanding, I think we need more consistency in polling methods for national elections.
The author of this report seems to assume that eventually the market will be divided between 2 or 3 dominating OS's, but that doesn't seem plausible. I mean, if all, or even many, users were likely to take the path of least resistance and go with the biggest, most widely supported systems, Linux itself would not have gotten very far.
Much as I like Linux, I don't think it alone will satify those who reject Windows.
--from a not-so-secret fan of BeOS
I am surpised, and very disturbed by the negative reactions to the (proposed) book. What is wrong with documenting peoples' real reactions? I think our speaking out is the only way to combat prejudice and given the situation, I think we must act on this any way we can. Not only are some kids being pushed over the edge into violence against others, many more are hurting themselves via suicide attempts or other self destructive acts.
I'd like to hear from people who object because I can't imagine what their argument could be and I'd like the chance to argue back, and to offer my support of this project, and of these kids. I was once one of the outcast and I made it through, but if I had endured the kind of scrutiny these kids face, I don't know what would have happened.
I think this is another example of law-making based on media hype, rather than research. Where's the evidence that this ban would help? I want to see the data, not unsubstatiated generalizations.
And why is it that law makers everywhere are so ready to ignore expert opinion? They don't seem, based on the article, to have consulted many computer scientists, programmers, researchers, etc. and have ignored the input they did receive.
Sometimes I really think technocracy would be best.
Solaris shows us our own expectations
on
Solaris
·
· Score: 1
Besides being a good story, Solaris also has a secondary interest. Timothy points out how it differs from what we might call typical scifi,
which shows us the fairly narrow definition we use. Or that publishers use, more to the point.
I think a lot of good books are left unnoticed because they don't fit easily into a recognizable category.
A robot could land, survey the area, select a target based on some parameters--level appearance, distance, etc--and then jump over.
maybe it would have overhead surveys to work from as well. Also, if it was small and light, it might not do or incur much damage.
I don't think we're talking the robot version of Tigger here. (attractive as that Idea might be!)
A few writers seem to feel that the way the article is worded somehow shuts out other opinions. I wonder why? If Taco does support Gore and says so, that doesn't mean that that those who disagree can't speak. Instead of complaining, post your own position. A discussion always carries the "risk" that people will disagree and some might even be persuaded to change their minds.
Also, let's skip the argument that Slashdot is not supposed to be about politics. I believe the site is supposed to be about "stuff that matters." Clearly at least a few people out there believe it matters. If it doesn't to you, then just scroll down for 2 seconds and skip it, or explain in detail why you feel the topic is inappropriate.
That I'm sure the administration does think this will save money--they don't invest in labs now, and this way they can avoid ever doing so. Further, while $1200-2000 is not so bad for a laptop, it's still a lot for and undergrad putting themself through school working 40hrs/week at a minimum wage job, or a grad student living on a TA's stipend and trying to support a family.
I'd also like to point out that we've lost over 200 tenured faculty in the last 10 years that departments have not been allowed to replace. A number of classroom and studio buildings are in danger of being condemned (for real!). if the Board of higher ed wants to give us money, great; computers could be helpful to many students; but we have more pressing needs at the moment.
Slashdot Mirror
The events in Florida have raised questions about the best way to ensure that your vote is counted for the candidate you intend and how, if results were invalidated, we could re-poll only the affected voters.
I think this could be accomplished by issuing receipts to voters that showed their choices along with a randomly generated ID number that would also be assigned to their ballot--as is currently done with blood donation.
In this way, we could avoid some of the current confusion, while still protecting privacy. This solution could be applied both to voting live and in person, or to voting electronically.
States' rights notwithstanding, I think we need more consistency in polling methods for national elections.
The author of this report seems to assume that eventually the market will be divided between 2 or 3 dominating OS's, but that doesn't seem plausible. I mean, if all, or even many, users were likely to take the path of least resistance and go with the biggest, most widely supported systems, Linux itself would not have gotten very far.
Much as I like Linux, I don't think it alone will satify those who reject Windows.
--from a not-so-secret fan of BeOS
I am surpised, and very disturbed by the negative reactions to the (proposed) book. What is wrong with documenting peoples' real reactions? I think our speaking out is the only way to combat prejudice and given the situation, I think we must act on this any way we can. Not only are some kids being pushed over the edge into violence against others, many more are hurting themselves via suicide attempts or other self destructive acts. I'd like to hear from people who object because I can't imagine what their argument could be and I'd like the chance to argue back, and to offer my support of this project, and of these kids. I was once one of the outcast and I made it through, but if I had endured the kind of scrutiny these kids face, I don't know what would have happened.
I think this is another example of law-making based on media hype, rather than research. Where's the evidence that this ban would help? I want to see the data, not unsubstatiated generalizations. And why is it that law makers everywhere are so ready to ignore expert opinion? They don't seem, based on the article, to have consulted many computer scientists, programmers, researchers, etc. and have ignored the input they did receive. Sometimes I really think technocracy would be best.
Besides being a good story, Solaris also has a secondary interest. Timothy points out how it differs from what we might call typical scifi, which shows us the fairly narrow definition we use. Or that publishers use, more to the point. I think a lot of good books are left unnoticed because they don't fit easily into a recognizable category.
A robot could land, survey the area, select a target based on some parameters--level appearance, distance, etc--and then jump over. maybe it would have overhead surveys to work from as well. Also, if it was small and light, it might not do or incur much damage. I don't think we're talking the robot version of Tigger here. (attractive as that Idea might be!)
A few writers seem to feel that the way the article is worded somehow shuts out other opinions. I wonder why? If Taco does support Gore and says so, that doesn't mean that that those who disagree can't speak. Instead of complaining, post your own position. A discussion always carries the "risk" that people will disagree and some might even be persuaded to change their minds. Also, let's skip the argument that Slashdot is not supposed to be about politics. I believe the site is supposed to be about "stuff that matters." Clearly at least a few people out there believe it matters. If it doesn't to you, then just scroll down for 2 seconds and skip it, or explain in detail why you feel the topic is inappropriate.
That I'm sure the administration does think this will save money--they don't invest in labs now, and this way they can avoid ever doing so. Further, while $1200-2000 is not so bad for a laptop, it's still a lot for and undergrad putting themself through school working 40hrs/week at a minimum wage job, or a grad student living on a TA's stipend and trying to support a family. I'd also like to point out that we've lost over 200 tenured faculty in the last 10 years that departments have not been allowed to replace. A number of classroom and studio buildings are in danger of being condemned (for real!). if the Board of higher ed wants to give us money, great; computers could be helpful to many students; but we have more pressing needs at the moment.