Composites are not perfect but look at the alternative.
Aluminum is also pretty scary stuff. There are major issues with corrosion. Aluminum has some very funky physical properties compared to other metals. It has zero stress endurance which means that parts WILL crack eventually if they are not replaced regularly.
If there is a substantial difference between Microsoft and Google in the trustworthiness department, you are not going to figure that out by listening to statements from their executive officers.
It's like choosing a car based on the amount of mica they put in the paint.
It's a kernel module. Don't like it, don't load it.
Your "requirement": "something that the majority of Linux users need, or want" is irrelevant. There are LOTS and LOTS of drivers in the kernel for which this is true, probably MOST of them.
"it's just another layer of complexity" - NOT if you don't install the userland packages or load the kernel module.
"Personally" - you got a lotta nerve representing yourself as having a valid opinion about what does and does not constitute a useful feature.
"But if a large company wants to sink resources into something that improves science rather than their bottom line then I think they're doing a good thing."
What you think is the opposite of the corporation's fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders. Corporations get sued all the time for blowing money on stupid money losing crap instead of looking out for the bottom line of their investors.
Although to be fair, anyone who is still holding Microsoft stock at this point is probably not too concerned about making money. If they were they would have dumped the crappy stock long ago and bought something that at least keeps up with inflation.
And at least you agree with me that Microsoft Research is really just a place to hide talented engineers so that they don't go off and do good things for other companies.
"however the principle is appalling to me: using force to get what you want. This is especially true when you have a corporation known to be at least influenced (if not controlled) by a few powerful people and organisations."
GET A CLUE. The power is THERE and it WILL be grabbed. It is only a question of WHO.
I would rather that the government have the power. At least then there is at least some vague way for the people to have some sort of control over it.
"Tesselation allows for a massive increase in visual quality"
See this is exactly what I am talking about. "massive increase" in the one area of the product that really does not need increasing.
How much more real do things have to look? Does the game play better just because you can see the individual hair strands and blood drops of your victims?
Microsoft could have spent their billions inventing new ways to be productive, but instead they spent them on new ways to be NOT productive.
Your employer can fire you for NO REASON. Conversely, you can quit your job for NO REASON.
They call it "employment at will", it is by mutual consent, and either party can back out for any reason that does not violate the law.
Your analogy FAILS because "to make me have sex with him/her as a condition of my employment." is illegal, and "to fire me based on a sex video s/he found on Internet" is NOT illegal.
The Internet and the gear that runs it is a source of Power to whoever runs it.
This power WILL be taken and abused by whoever controls it.
Take off your blinders and understand that our economic system and our society exist ONLY because there are government regulations to hold it together.
You speak of corporations acting freely but you fail to realize that it is the power of government that allows them to have this freedom in the first place.
You are INSULTING and WRONG to paint everyone who disagrees with you as hating free markets.
Again you FAIL to understand that free markets DO NOT EXIST without government regulation to keep them free.
Here let me fix one of your sentences for you:
"Yep, history sure has shown how pure, fair, reliable, trustworthy, and incorruptible corporations are. Uh-huh."
What a great way for technology companies to unload their obsolete technology onto the unsuspecting public!
Again the road analogy FAILS, because roads are basically unchanged since Roman times, and Internet gear goes obsolete within a few years.
What is WRONG with having the government CONTRACT construction to private firms while holding the property rights? We do this ALL THE TIME with our public infrastructure.
"It's a service you pay for that an ISP can regulate however it wants."
No they are a regulated utility like the gas or the water. The gas company is required to pump gas through its pipes, they cannot pump salad oil or dishwater without getting into trouble.
"That you're actually arguing that an ISP has power over individuals is hysterical exaggeration."
I work from home and I need the Internet to connect to work. I have only one choice of ISP. My ISP has GREAT power over me. They can force me to MOVE OUT OF MY HOME or GET ANOTHER JOB if they decide that they do not want me as a customer.
"Somehow, people made do without the internet mere decades ago."
Somehow, that means that it does not require regulation? How does that follow? That argument can be used against the regulation of ANY technology.
Slashdot Mirror
Composites are not perfect but look at the alternative.
Aluminum is also pretty scary stuff. There are major issues with corrosion. Aluminum has some very funky physical properties compared to other metals. It has zero stress endurance which means that parts WILL crack eventually if they are not replaced regularly.
Compared to an aluminum airframe? Are you kidding?
Aluminum has zero stress endurance limit. That means that it WILL crack eventually.
And why don't you ask Hawaii Airlines about corrosion problems with aluminum?
Composites are much more reliable and have much lower maintenance costs.
There are a lot of composite parts in the triple 7 and they are well documented to be more reliable than the aluminum ones in the 767.
"I never had a insurance (except where forced by law)"
Somehow I don't think your observations about insurance are based on experience.
Choosing an odd word to name an interface specification doesn't qualify its users as belonging to a 'cult'.
Ignore this idiot, please.
I've met surgeons who work to music.
They ask the patient what music they would like to hear as they are going under.
Everyone is happy and smiling and it really lightens up what can be a brutal experience.
Seriously you are asking this question after Thanksgiving?
All the good stuff is sold out already.
If there is a substantial difference between Microsoft and Google in the trustworthiness department, you are not going to figure that out by listening to statements from their executive officers.
It's like choosing a car based on the amount of mica they put in the paint.
It's a kernel module. Don't like it, don't load it.
Your "requirement": "something that the majority of Linux users need, or want" is irrelevant. There are LOTS and LOTS of drivers in the kernel for which this is true, probably MOST of them.
"it's just another layer of complexity" - NOT if you don't install the userland packages or load the kernel module.
"Personally" - you got a lotta nerve representing yourself as having a valid opinion about what does and does not constitute a useful feature.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Take apart an old arcade console and pay attention to the design details.
You will learn a lot about how to make a robust system that will withstand physical abuse.
We don't even have a very good definition of "intelligence". How can you measure something when you can't even define it?
Set up your own DNS server and point it at google's.
Then you can take advantage of your cache and their cache.
google could do us a great service by also making it available on some other port, that way we can get around the ISP interception of DNS requests.
"But if a large company wants to sink resources into something that improves science rather than their bottom line then I think they're doing a good thing."
What you think is the opposite of the corporation's fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders. Corporations get sued all the time for blowing money on stupid money losing crap instead of looking out for the bottom line of their investors.
Although to be fair, anyone who is still holding Microsoft stock at this point is probably not too concerned about making money. If they were they would have dumped the crappy stock long ago and bought something that at least keeps up with inflation.
And at least you agree with me that Microsoft Research is really just a place to hide talented engineers so that they don't go off and do good things for other companies.
Okay wise guy give me a list of all the innovations that Microsoft Research has brought to market.
I think Clippy and Bing will be the only noteworthy items.
"Don't shoot the messenger, man."
---
"After watching the video, a very specific quotation comes to mind...."
"I suppose you are to watch him wave his hands"
---
You are NOT the messenger. YOU are the one who wrote these unsubstantiated words.
Like I said, get some sleep. You don't even understand your own words.
Again let me fix that for you:
"however the principle is appalling to me: using force to get what you want. This is especially true when you have a corporation known to be at least influenced (if not controlled) by a few powerful people and organisations."
GET A CLUE. The power is THERE and it WILL be grabbed. It is only a question of WHO.
I would rather that the government have the power. At least then there is at least some vague way for the people to have some sort of control over it.
"If you look at the hardware itself, there is a gyroscope attached. Hence,"
Where oh where is the gyroscope? You can't fit one in that little red box.
Perhaps you are talking about ACCELEROMETERS? Besides, I see very little correlation between head movement and stuff happening on the screen.
And I just love it how you draw a completely spurious conclusion and then use the word "Hence" to use that bogosity to justify further bogosity.
Really you should try to get some sleep. It's pretty clear that your mental faculties are deprived.
Batman Forever
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
Give me a break. You stole your signature from the MIT Dormline telephone system. I've gotten that message myself.
Really you should attribute your sources. You are not half as clever as you are pretending to be.
NTSC is essentially 30 Hz. Intentionally chosen so 60Hz line noise will be stationary on the screen.
"Tesselation allows for a massive increase in visual quality"
See this is exactly what I am talking about. "massive increase" in the one area of the product that really does not need increasing.
How much more real do things have to look? Does the game play better just because you can see the individual hair strands and blood drops of your victims?
Microsoft could have spent their billions inventing new ways to be productive, but instead they spent them on new ways to be NOT productive.
Get a clue:
Your employer can fire you for NO REASON. Conversely, you can quit your job for NO REASON.
They call it "employment at will", it is by mutual consent, and either party can back out for any reason that does not violate the law.
Your analogy FAILS because "to make me have sex with him/her as a condition of my employment." is illegal, and "to fire me based on a sex video s/he found on Internet" is NOT illegal.
The Internet and the gear that runs it is a source of Power to whoever runs it.
This power WILL be taken and abused by whoever controls it.
Take off your blinders and understand that our economic system and our society exist ONLY because there are government regulations to hold it together.
You speak of corporations acting freely but you fail to realize that it is the power of government that allows them to have this freedom in the first place.
You are INSULTING and WRONG to paint everyone who disagrees with you as hating free markets.
Again you FAIL to understand that free markets DO NOT EXIST without government regulation to keep them free.
Here let me fix one of your sentences for you:
"Yep, history sure has shown how pure, fair, reliable, trustworthy, and incorruptible corporations are. Uh-huh."
What a great way for technology companies to unload their obsolete technology onto the unsuspecting public!
Again the road analogy FAILS, because roads are basically unchanged since Roman times, and Internet gear goes obsolete within a few years.
What is WRONG with having the government CONTRACT construction to private firms while holding the property rights? We do this ALL THE TIME with our public infrastructure.
"It's a service you pay for that an ISP can regulate however it wants."
No they are a regulated utility like the gas or the water. The gas company is required to pump gas through its pipes, they cannot pump salad oil or dishwater without getting into trouble.
"That you're actually arguing that an ISP has power over individuals is hysterical exaggeration."
I work from home and I need the Internet to connect to work. I have only one choice of ISP. My ISP has GREAT power over me. They can force me to MOVE OUT OF MY HOME or GET ANOTHER JOB if they decide that they do not want me as a customer.
"Somehow, people made do without the internet mere decades ago."
Somehow, that means that it does not require regulation? How does that follow? That argument can be used against the regulation of ANY technology.