Slashdot Mirror


User: the+old+rang

the+old+rang's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
16
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 16

  1. Time and tides will tell, more than anything else. on IBM Now Officially Worth More Than Microsoft · · Score: 0

    It took many years for the human race to go from wooden torches to LED Flashlights... Not quite as many to go from the wheeled cart behind a beast of burden to a modern car/truck/train/cargo plane... Graphene is not that old, as it is understood now (almost 100 years known, but only 7 or 8 as a single atom thick 'sheet'... The applications and 'announcements' are often mixed with attempts to get large funding, more than development of a real probability, at this time. But, given proper time and application of techniques, graphene will change the way many things are done. People are too used to the idea of instant gratification, and want to see results 'yesterday'... I am surprised how many are not demanding see through aluminum windows. (Scotty knew about them)... The stages of the development are at the basic 'find' level. You find the usage... and possibility You set up the usage and demonstrate it... Then, hopefully, you find a profitable way to manufacture and sell it. If you can do the first two, and not the last.. you have nothing. That is the stage all forget about... when wanting instant gratification.

  2. Re:Them new DE's, man on 5 Out of 11 Crashed Unity In Canonical's Study · · Score: 0

    I loaded up Gnome 3, to see...

    I saw gee--gaws, clutter, garbage are all things I don't need.

    I need a clean, simple, interface.

    Why buy a reasonable screen, to cover it in garbage that says it is more important than what you are trying to find.

    If I wanted useless garbage, I would buy 'newspapers.' (well, nah.. even Unity isn't that bad...

    Ubuntu, Gnome, Firefox, and a few others I won't use, all think glitz is it.

    Like movies today, No talent, no directors of worth, writers that could not have passed creative writing 30 years ago...

    But look at the special effect that have nothing to do with reality.

    It sucks.

  3. Re:Fuel engines and taxation on New Gasoline Engine Prototype Claims 3X Current Engine Efficiency · · Score: 0

    All the tree huggers aside, if the government would step out of the economy and let it run, most of this would be moot. We would have internal (to the country) production, less balance of payment problem, and smaller graft and corruption with the parties in charge... THAT is the main problem

  4. The 'not just the banks' leak... on Epsilon Data Breach Bigger Than Just Kroger Customers' Data · · Score: 0

    There are several MAJOR pieces of information missing from all the reports on this incident.

    Mainly, the Brand (s)of Software involved.

    Not the version, just the brand name.

    Since 'Linux' was not mentioned, I would guess the same situation that exists in political coverage, is in play.

    Anything 'negative' will not mention Microsoft. But, if any other OS is involved, 300 mentions with all the negatives, will occure in a 400 word article.

    My bank uses 'Windows.'

    They think Netscape 2.0 is a current browser.

    They have no mention of Firefox in their documentation.

    They tell me they are computer savvy.

    BUT... they use Windows.

    Want to bet that most of the systems involved in this problemuse Microsoft? (or ALL the systems do?)

  5. Let the lawyer's make money... on AT&T's Metered Billing Off By Up To 4,700% · · Score: 0

    I say, pay the bill...

    The class action for theft, false advertising, and 20 other laws broken, counting all the people who would qualify...

    I am surprised 10,000 college grads are not leaving the ambulances to chase after this one...

  6. dumbphones on Why Dumbphones Still Dominate, For Now · · Score: 0

    I have over 40 years in and around the computer business.
    I used punched paper tape, punched cards, manual binary entry (switches and buttons), TTY input, Micr, 4, 8, 12, 16, 32, 60, 64 and sundry odd other bit computers. I have been surfing the net since before enough of the audience was born. I tweaked windows (until I got sick of it at XP) am now running Ubuntu.

    I have used PDAs (Palm) and other devices

    I am not tech shy.

    Big reason I don't use a stupid smart phone?

    The technology doesn't scare me. But, I just want an effen phone. I don't want the garbage and lack of security that goes with the stupid 'smart' technology.

    Being secure, on the internet, while at home, with what I have and try to use, is not always easy.

    If you are ignorant enough to add all the 'Twitter/Facebook-et al' it is impossible. Everything you disclose to 'friends' is also disclosed to 'not really your friends'... and there a thousands of stories out there about that.

    I want a phone... not 100 gee-gaws that mean nothing to me. If I need it, some day, I may have a camera handy (DSI XL, you know). But, if I lose my phone my whole life is not in someones hands...

    Enjoy... My specialty was computer security... and I knew how to write 'virii' before most of your daddies were born... But, I don't.

  7. Re:how about no on Obama Eyeing Internet ID For Americans · · Score: 0

    This is a blatant socialist attempt to create a national id system. You will end up having to use the id to prove you are allowed to carry a computer, buy a computer, use a computer, let TSA feel your goodies with computer controls. It will give Google, bing/yahoo, and others the ability to cookie and trail you no matter what you do on the net (Keep in mind, I won the arguement in the early 1990s, that cookies could do great harm to your systems, if that is what the setter of the cookie wanted. Some Very Good high echelon people in the computer business scoffed... then the virii started...)

    The attempt will end with required to tie your SSN to it so as to make sure they don't miss a trick, while turning tricks screwing us.

    The crowd behind this has neither ethics nor morals as we know them...

    ANYTHING they want to do, they will.

    They are true believers in Al Tekkeya

    From the top down.

  8. oxymorons ... mostly... on Some Hotmail Accounts Wiped · · Score: 0

    I have a friend who uses (to me, now 'used') hotmail. Much like the reliability of their 'servers' (ask Skype what knocked them off the air!!! Hint... Buggy Software... I will NOT say it was Microsoft's Server mushware... )... 40 patches last month, followed by 2 (not new, but) serious un-patched problems, and Skype's 'non-serious' known issue... Said friend has been at logger-heads with hotmail problems. Finally, so many breaks, etc. I started getting scam mail from all over the world via his account... I trust the spammers much more than Redmond... and I don't trust Nigerian, Russian, Ukraine or, Romanian, etc, etc, etc spammers.

  9. the old rang on Mathematics As the Most Misunderstood Subject · · Score: 0

    The most understood subject is no where near math. Since schools teach only fabrications, nothing near reality... History is he most understood. 90 % of what is taught is bunk, bs, and fables for making one or another side (mostly libs) to look better than they came close to being. Thanksgiving - the story of thanksgiving is not near true as taught in schools. ( a proof that socialism is worthless and capitalism works) The words Liberal, Communist, Socialist, Nazi are treated as antonyms not synonyms Most teaching are by people from book compiled with an agenda, that has NOTHING to do with history Math is not even distinguished from Arithmetic. Logic is shunned until the thinking patters as mashed by the bull sh*t they substitute.

  10. Re:English Doc? on Microsoft Explains Mystery Firefox Extension · · Score: 1

    The reason, as posted in the article, was clearly explained by (I believe) one of their lawyers from the firm of Gobel D. Gook, Flim, Flam and Muddywaters. The conciseness of the explanation, narrowed to the most broad base terms of contradiction, should have been clearly understood by any writer of the Health Care Bill, as to be non-sequitur. Simple,Huh?

  11. Re:Real Old News, This... on Pacific Northwest At Risk For Mega-Earthquake · · Score: 1

    You don't follow the data like I have, I guess... The same is true for the problem in the Canary Islands... and the potential tsunami for New York... (as great, or not... eventually, almost everywhere is subject to problems. The next 'BIG' overdue quake... New York area is most overdue... ) But, you have to follow everything (a generalist). Again, I am not a 'scientist'... (Neither are most that claim to be) But, it is/has been in print... or covered. Just not necessarily as widespread as some might think. It has been of note to people that live in Hawaii...

  12. Real Old News, This... on Pacific Northwest At Risk For Mega-Earthquake · · Score: 1

    I hate to say it, but... This is truly old news. It is NOT a study, but a rehash. Watching the chain of volcanoes in the Pacific North-West has been something scientists have been aware of for many years. They have known that St. Helen's explosion, was just a step, and Hood and Ranier were the ones to watch. (When they go, the quake is soon, inevitable. The 'BIG' one.) Better still, that doesn't mean there will not be other 'BIG' ones. Giving credit to 'studying' reports of many years, is saying 'I have concluded' rather than, 'it is common knowledge in this field, that...' Me? I am not a 'Scientist' in this field... (or any other...) But, I have known this information for many years. Of course, that is because I have not ignored the problem, nor am I looking for a distraction. Things will happen. Yellowstone will blow... The shelf will fall off the Big Island of Hawaii, and a Tsunami will be created. A Meteor will hit the earth. Not news. Things we should be aware of, and should be brought up from time to time. But, not news. Of course, I have heard a rumor that hurricanes and tornadoes will happen... withing the next few years... but don't quote me.

  13. Can Ubuntu Save Online Banking? on Can Ubuntu Save Online Banking? · · Score: 1

    This kind of thinking is exactly the reason why Identity Thefts biggest source of names and information, is the Banking/Finance business. All the reasons others have mentioned, and thousands more, are why so many stories are not told, about how many hundreds of MILLIONS of names have been taken, world wide (Just one hit can get 100,000 in seconds... let alone just sitting there for days)... Banking for many years only kept 'physical' security as a standards...\ Although changing sloooooowly... they are paying millions to have 'security' but blow it with this kind of thinking. Want to imagine how many bank computers use 'USB' and have not figured out that is what 'thumb drives' use...

  14. Re:So essentially... on Why Counter-Terrorism Is In Shambles · · Score: 1

    What is said needs to be done, is contrary to what the current administration and congress (with the numerous terrorist attacks in last year that they don't call terrorist attacks, terrorism or anything related to Islam... with the willing Animal Farm Bleating of the media)

    The bottom line is, they don't want anything that works. They just want to blame someone else for their lack of ability, the failures of their agenda, and since fingerpointing works so well...

    More attacks are a certainty...

    How's your hope and change doing you today??

  15. Re:Law of unintended consquences. on SETI@home Project Responds To School Firing · · Score: 1

    Quote:

    "Who knew leaving a bank of computers on 24/7 costs money?"

    Obviously, the following types, who more than likely have the password 'PASSWORD' on their systems (or something like a sticky note with the password on it...pasted to monitor)

    1) As noted, the school admin.
    2) As not noted, the city and state DOE, who had not set mandatory policies of shutting down non-essential/non-monitored systems.
    3) As not noted, the nim-null reporter with glorious hatred for such projects as SETI, and completely in the dark about computers, computer security, computer SOPs of any depth, and with no real journalistic/reporter understanding of ethics, demonstrated by not having contacted SETI, to ask for the other side of the story. But, 90% of reporters are at least this bad (Ask ABC, NBC, CBS and BBC about how long they knew about what is now called 'CLIMATE GATE' before their am/pm news shows did??).
    4) More than computer ignorant and journalism/reporting ethics editor. Any qualified editor (of which there are fewer every day, knows to have a 'stop the presses cub reporters' work checked, before going to press, so to speak.

  16. Re:Documentation Doesn't Matter.. on Is Linux Documentation Lacking? · · Score: 1

    Two things about this article, and all the things wrong with all Linux, if anyone wants it to really be something to use.

    1) Most documentation is written by someone that knows everything about the item, and has not idea of how to communicate, or worse, write instructions...period!.

    2) Most, in Linux, really don't care.

    For example:

    On the web today, was this item.

    http://www.howtoforge.com/install-and-configure-openldap-on-ubuntu-karmic-koala

    What is 'openldap?' and why would anyone want it??
    NOT EXPLAINED.

    What will result if I try to install it?
    NOT EXPLAINED. (other than normal discount of responsibility if the instructions screw your system.)

    How easy are instructions to follow?
    Defies explanation.

    Sure. If you have installed things like this, a few hundred times, you know. Why read the instructions? You don't need them. Ergo, the instructions are useless for you.

    If you need to use such instructions... They have no purpose for you, since, if you don't already know how to do what is described... These instructions will (by defined statement...) not work.

    I have often griped about the miasma of poorly worded, instructions with so much of what is needed only 'assumed' to already be known so not included instructions, worked up by programmers that do not know how to write installers that would reduce install instructions to 'double click' installs... But rather would have you use 10,000 lines of double talk to self aggrandising their totally geek double-speak.

    Not to mention .tar, .deb. .(take your pick of dozens of specialised install) that won't work from one system to another... or even on the same system, depending on which 'assumed steps' the 'programmer/instruction writer' kept in their heads and neglected to elucidate with the minimum 100 steps they knew everyone else would know.

    Real documentation for Linux is almost non-existent. Crappy documentation is everywhere you look.

    Ubuntu has some great ideas. But, many of the same shortcomings come into play, either with the same problems, or, having to install programs, that just will not install, since the 'packages' will not install with the instructions included, or the 'packages' required... (I have spent days, tracking down packages 'not included' in the install package, and not in Ubuntu, nor installable in Ubuntu because of conflicts, lack of 'acceptability,' can not be found, the moon being in the wrong phase, or any of thousands of stupid (read programmer had the only copy, etc) reasons that make no sense.

    Bottom line. I am not computer illiterate. But, the problems that Linux has, knows that it has, and, frankly doesn't care that it has...

    That the problem is there, is not up to question.

    That the Linux community knows it is there, is not up to question.

    That they don't care... is obvious.

    Otherwise, the community would have fixed the problem, but, has devoted nothing to the effort, since the core, doesn't have the problem

    I do not want spoon fed 1st grade reader type instructions...

    But, the general level of instructions for problems in Linux is horrible.

    There are NO standards, and almost no one cares to have them.

    Nor do they want to lose their 'geekhood' to sensibility.