I agree completely. The Macintosh is an extremely stable platform. My grandparents have a new iMac, and it's funny, because they're so excited: They GET it! They're amazed by what they're exploring. I don't think it would have been the same for a Windows or Linux PC.
The Mac is so easy to use, and so attractive, and it isn't intimidating. The first thing you see when you turn on a Mac is an icon of a Macintosh smiling at you. The second thing you see is the Mac logo, which also has a smile on it. It may sound stupid, but that is comforting.
They're using Mac OS X, and they think it's great. So yes... the poster of this probably isn't a Mac person, but for seniors, Mac is the way to go. And Macs are dirt cheap, especially for what you get. An iMac starts at $899, monitor included.
This is off-topic, but you brought it up, so I'll respond. Excuse me, but I don't think a very high-quality and feature-packed iMac for $899 is a lot. And I don't think an incredible G4 starting at $1699 is so expensive. G4s are in short-supply, yes, but also keep in mind, Apple doesn't always necessarily have to pay more. Their contract (the AIM Alliance) guarantees a certain yield and a certain number of chips -- so if anything, Motorola is under pressure to perform, not saying, "Haha, pay more Apple!"
I see what you're saying. However, there is law that protects our privacy in many cases. The real point is that law does not physically hamper someone from invading our privacy anyway.
ie. - Murder is Against the Law, but that doesn't really stop someone from murdering me.
Of course, outside of murder, there is due process. And so if someone illegally invades my privacy, I can take action to bring some meaningful (well maybe not) justice in response to offset my loss brought on by the intrusion.
But yes, I suppose "tough shit" is somewhat appropriate.
It seems clear to me that Moore's Law does hold no matter what - in a way. When the size continues to decrease exponentially... smaller and smaller, to the point where we can't even see what we're making by the naked eye, it's not that further improvement becomes impossible, but simply that the process changes, or the technology.
Example: a floppy disk's size can be pushed to the limit, and finally we have 1.4MB floppies.. but sooner or later, you need a CD. And then a DVD. Et cetera.
It'll still be quite a while, but eventually silicon will simply be the wrong technology, the wrong process. Of course, a processor technology lasts MUCH longer than a subcomponent, such as a floppy drive technology.
Moore's Law. Too bad it's "only" x2 and not ^2.:-)
From a Mac standpoint... yes Netscape is available on the Mac, it has been from the start. But Microsoft produces a much better Mac product. I never thought I'd say that, but it's true.
Netscape 4.x is the only stable Mac version (but not for OS X). Netscape 6 is the funniest joke I've ever heard. Robin Williams, Seinfeld, or anyone couldn't match how hilarious it is.
Microsoft IE 5 for Mac is awesome. VERY small, VERY fast. Just what I need. I even like its interface. It's very stable, too.
No wonder Netscape lost.
And just so you Linux people know, IE *is* shipped default on every Mac, but it's extremely easy to trash it for NS.
Well I didn't do any scientific invesigation, but I notice my G4 500MHz Mac completes Photoshop filters CONSIDERABLY faster than the 1GHz (well it might be like 900 something MHz, i dunno) Pentium down the hall. It sure does FEEL like twice as fast, and probably is. But this is getting off-topic so I'll stop......
Actually, since SETI is so CPU-intensive, the fact that Macs ranked low only means Mac users are busier doing important things on their computers, while Windows users aren't doing anything important. We're just busy creating.
Ahh, I'm just kidding. Who cares.:-) Hey, grow up okay? "Mac users are losers!"
To me, you seem like your life priorities are a bit mixed up. Who cares! It's just a computer - don't wet your pants. Use what you like, and don't talk about what you don't. At least have a valid point.
What happens when we run out of space... in space?
I know little about it, but I know the earth's gravitational pull can carry on a LOT of baggage -- but seriously, after so many years, not only would there be problems with satellites colliding, but could this also have an affect on the ozone in any way? I ask because, although there is no real pollution, if it affects in any way the gravitational pull of the earth, does that no also affect our climate?
I realize it would take a LOT to affect the earth... but looking out.
Also, can you have additional layers of satellites? The closer you are, the faster the orbit. The further out you are, the slower -- but the outer layers also affect the inner layers.
At some point, there will have to be international control of space traffic. As well as anti-satellite defense. Who controls protecting space traffic now? Is it international?
On the other hand...
It is absolutely great that they can even do this. Clearly it takes so much to make an OS work, and even more so to work well. It's really inspirational to "younger" developers interested in programming.
I once tried to write an OS for my PPC machine, based on a system called OpenOS and another, PowerOS.
Bombed horribly - it sucked.
The Idea: someone create a VERY simple OS... and let people build onto it. Not an open-source effort. But rather, they could "roll their own OS,' in essense, by following a tutorial, and see how it's done. I would feel SO proud to say, "I finally got threading written into my OS...."
It's obvious you've never used the displays, so you have no opinion on them. They are amazing -- the best in the industry, and I've worked with a lot of monitors.
The point is, these monitors are not Eclipses, they ARE Porsches, but certainly not very expensive Porsches, which is an additional bonus.
Typical "macblindness." Are you STILL caught up in "I hate Macs!" or "I have PCs!" Give it up. This is like the apartheid, and it's pathetic.
Jobs isn't a brainwasher, but he makes a damn fine product. Why everyone thinks Apple products are SO overpriced is beyond me. They're simply not, and you get a much higher quality product.
Lots of monitors where I work, and luckily I am surrounded by Apple displays.
These LCDs are absolutely gorgeous. Not only their design, but the display itself. It is so sharp, so bright, and has such a wide viewing angle, that when I return to other monitors, they're a complete blur.
I cannot explain well enough how great Apple displays are. And games on them are BEAUTIFUL.
I pay $499 for 17" monitors. I'm HAPPY to spend $599 instead. It's very, very worth it.
Yes, Apple is pushing consumers a little by only offering LCD. But think about the other end of that.. It will, in the long run, push LCD prices down, and LCDs will more quickly become the norm.
I'm just a believer in pushing markets. Sorta like not including a floppy drive in the original iMac -- and I haven't missed floppies in YEARS. I never even think about them. And if I have to transfer a file, or need a backup, I just use a Zip disk or my free iDisk.
Let me correct myself before someone else does. Technically, the new OS X Server 2.0 was released today, which is essentially VERY different than Server 1.x. It also uses the Aqua interface, which I've fallen in love with (and am looking at right now:-)
1) Yes, Apple was beginning to see difficulties turning profits on CRTs.
2) These displays are BEAUTIFUL. I use them every day. They're absolutely incredible and of the highest quality in the industry.
3) Playing 640x480 games on 1024x768 could suck on certain flat displays (even the older iBook), because I believe you're talking about the fact that the blown -up pixels look "fuzzy." However, it's not so bad when you switch to 640x480, instead of blowing up the image (or at least 800x600, which most games support), or simple make the game 640x480 IN 1024x768, or whatever, and just have a black border. I do this with WarCraft. So it's really not "Yucko." But that is with any display.
4) Even so, don't you think the truly relevant post would be about the OTHER announcement:
Mac OS X Server was released today, which is based on Darwin, Apple's open-source platform. OS X Server uses the Apache web server, which I've had a lot of success with. www.apple.com/macosx/server
I've always loved playing Civ II on my Mac. AWESOME game. I love being a President.
Anyway, I thought I bought Civilization III. I couldn't believe it was out! I played it.. and man did it suck. It was annoying. Unintuitive. The graphics seemed a lot bigger, too.
Was I actually playing Civ I? I believe it was called Call to Power.. but maybe not.
I thought to myself, "Man is this a step backwards from Civ II."
WAS it literally a step backwards, in that it was the previous version?!
I wonder if I should post anonymously, since I feel like an idiot.:-)
(btw, I returned the game the same day, which is why I can't check... hehe.. but really, it LOOKED like a newer game... maybe just a re-designed box?)
I wonder what an e-mail would be like from a Congressman...
To: b_bennett@earthlink.net
From: Rep. Someone
be it sent by the e-mail system on my computer...
AN EMAIL.
(I) GENERAL PURPOSE
To write an e-mail to a friend of mine in order to establish the question posed in Section II(b).
(II) DETAILS OF EMAIL
(a) RECIPIENT
William Bennett, found by the Congress Subcommittee of Relationships to be a friend of myself, as stated in the Subcommittee's congressional report in 2001 under the 106th Congress.
(b) CONTENTS
To ask whether or not William Bennett received an e-mail from myself concerning the question posed in the previous e-mail (subsection c), or if he again accidentally deleted my e-mail.
(c) PREVIOUS E-MAIL
sent three days prior to the contents of this e-mail, asking why William Bennett always accidentally deletes e-mails sent, and whether or not he and I are true friends or if he is taking advantage of the fact that I am on medication and it could therefore be easy for him to get money from me.
(III) CONCLUSIONS
The conclusions of this e-mail will be rendered upon reply to this e-mail, with the exception if this e-mail is deleted as the other e-mails, in which case a new e-mail will be rendered and e-mailed inquiring about the previous e-mails not e-mailed back by the e-mailer.
After years of bolding going where no man had gone before, William Shatner is now what he pretended to be: a void in space.
He drifts... floating from stupid Priceline.com commercials to writing books back to Priceline.com commercials.
Now he's becoming a chef.
Let's all write him a letter, asking him to dedicate himself next to something less public. Perhaps he can be an ambassador to a small African country? Perhaps an engineer at a clean-coal plant?
I seriously fear William Shatner... and now he'll have chef knives and use of fire?!
I'll never forget the time I held a conversation with a "geek."
I was at my sister's place of business, and this (forgive me saying...) nerdy kind of guy, complete with penholder in shirt pocket and pimples, comes into the office where my sis and I are. He's in his late-20's.
I am talking to my sister about computers, and he zeroes in on me. He breaks into the conversation and begins yapping away about open source. I too begin yapping away about open source, and I make a comment that some open-source apps can be less intuitive than proprietary apps.
This is when he explodes.
He starts talking fast and yelling that I am some sort of corporate tycoon and I do not understand the value of open-source. I explain to him I am a Mac user, and so I'm big on UI and design.
He explodes further.
He yells at me, saying Macs are "pathetic" and "useless," and I keep saying, "Okay" -- with the intent to piss him off more. It works, and he starts calling me an idiot and that I am a waste of society and that the mouse is a horrible device for computers.
It was extremely funny to me. He got *so* worked up, I couldn't believe it! I then explained to him I am also a/. reader and a C programmer (ObjC these days...).
My point is that it seems to me that we have extremes: 1) command-line is so much more powerful, a REAL app is CL, and 2) GUI is so much more intuitive.
Why not have both? As an OS X/Cocoa programmer, GUI is very important to me.. but I also realize how useful and stable command-line is.
Who knows. I'm actually really happy there aren't too many extremists on/. (or are there?:)
This post has really turned off-topic.. and for that I am sorry. I suppose I'm rambling now, but I just really appreciate when smart people come together and can talk (with cool heads) about technology.
Good point. However, the issue in this case is that Microsoft made it very difficult if not impossible to remove that car stereo and implement a different brand stereo.
If Ford, for example, made it impossible to remove the stereos from the car, you would agree that aftermarket stereo manufacturers would in fact not survive.
There's nothing wrong with features. We must look at the definition of 'illegal monopoly.' I would say that when Microsoft "bundles" items and then makes it that difficult to change them or even install an additional copy of a similar program, you've got problems.
I am supposing, however, that with the Republican administration, none of this matters too much. Or is that a misconception? I don't Bush would ever split up MS, but then again it's not just Bush doing the splitting.
Okay, getting tab online has made me the guitar-player I am. I wouldn't be playing guitar today without so much good tab online. Now, let's apply this to people in similar situations.
In 20 years, people won't be interested in learning music, and all these record companies won't have anyone to promote.
Hey..
Let's turn this into a freedom of speech thing. It's my opinion that this tab represents the music. I have a right to post it!:-)
"Boy, I just can't wait for the opportunity to pay Napster a monthly fee to share my music with other people. And have them censor me for my trouble, too."
Let's break this statement down into varying levels of stupidity.
Level One: "censor me for my trouble"
Your trouble - meaning have to pay for a copyrighted product. The censoring? I'm not sure what you mean by *censorship*, necessarily.
Level Two: "[I HAVE TO] pay Napster a monthly fee to share my music"
I see. So, you should be able to go to the store, take a Sony digital camera, and then loan it to me. Neither of us are liable for the fact that Sony spends tons of money producing that product, it's copywrited, and they expect to be paid for it.
You know, guess what? It's not just YOUR music. It's BMG's, or RCA, or BamaRags or WHATEVER also. Bands put SO much energy into creating the CDs you buy, and the producer companies put SO much money into releasing them. They have every right to make a profit, and be protected.
The two points made by Napster-supporters?
1) CDs are expensive.
I agree. Titanium PowerBooks are also expensive. I want one. They should be free and shared.
2) Music should be shared.
I agree. If you like music, share it! Go tell someone, "Hey this CD is awesome, go buy it."
The points made by Napster users don't override copyright laws. I bet 90% of Napster users KNOW It's illegal but still use it. Fine.
Why not use something while it's around?
As for the 10% who actually BELIEVE Napster is right.. You're either lost in the commotion, or simply ignorant to the law and immature.
I sound like an old angry adult, don't I?
I'm 16. I love music.
I also am aware of the law, which in this case is 1) right, 2) just, and 3) applicable.
1) Nostalgia's sake?
Please. If you're interested in putting your tax paying dollars towards keeping big metal boxes in our cities, go for it -- but pay that part of my taxes too, ok? Because it's waste.
Or... we could just let them rot. Not pay for them. That would solve the tax thing. I realize it's probably like $0.02 per person in taxes, but hey, every bit counts. I don't like the IDEA of keeping them up *if* they're really not as popular or a good move financially. I live near Philly, and we Gots Lots of Debt already!:-)
2) Cell booth?
Are you kidding? With the fears of cancer (maybe it's true -- maybe not) from cell antennas, I am *not* standing a big box of cellular rays. Even if scientifically it wouldn't matter - I don't like the IDEA of being my own cell site. Ain't happening.
Besides, I have a PCS phone and I very rarely lose coverage, and the quality is always nice. There's just no need for me. And if there isn't for me, there might not be a need for others -- and if there isn't for others, even convering pay phone booths wouldn't save them.
And computer users complain us Mac users "stupidly" obsess over the design of our computers and interface. Hey, you've got a lead article about when the system clocks make cool numbers. Dorks!:-)
Seriously though, I guess we all obsess over certain things. Let Mac users obsess over design.. Unix users obsess over the technicals and engine under the hood.. and let the rest design programs.
Slashdot Mirror
I agree completely. The Macintosh is an extremely stable platform. My grandparents have a new iMac, and it's funny, because they're so excited: They GET it! They're amazed by what they're exploring. I don't think it would have been the same for a Windows or Linux PC.
The Mac is so easy to use, and so attractive, and it isn't intimidating. The first thing you see when you turn on a Mac is an icon of a Macintosh smiling at you. The second thing you see is the Mac logo, which also has a smile on it. It may sound stupid, but that is comforting.
They're using Mac OS X, and they think it's great. So yes... the poster of this probably isn't a Mac person, but for seniors, Mac is the way to go. And Macs are dirt cheap, especially for what you get. An iMac starts at $899, monitor included.
This is off-topic, but you brought it up, so I'll respond. Excuse me, but I don't think a very high-quality and feature-packed iMac for $899 is a lot. And I don't think an incredible G4 starting at $1699 is so expensive. G4s are in short-supply, yes, but also keep in mind, Apple doesn't always necessarily have to pay more. Their contract (the AIM Alliance) guarantees a certain yield and a certain number of chips -- so if anything, Motorola is under pressure to perform, not saying, "Haha, pay more Apple!"
I see what you're saying. However, there is law that protects our privacy in many cases. The real point is that law does not physically hamper someone from invading our privacy anyway.
ie. - Murder is Against the Law, but that doesn't really stop someone from murdering me.
Of course, outside of murder, there is due process. And so if someone illegally invades my privacy, I can take action to bring some meaningful (well maybe not) justice in response to offset my loss brought on by the intrusion.
But yes, I suppose "tough shit" is somewhat appropriate.
It seems clear to me that Moore's Law does hold no matter what - in a way. When the size continues to decrease exponentially... smaller and smaller, to the point where we can't even see what we're making by the naked eye, it's not that further improvement becomes impossible, but simply that the process changes, or the technology.
:-)
Example: a floppy disk's size can be pushed to the limit, and finally we have 1.4MB floppies.. but sooner or later, you need a CD. And then a DVD. Et cetera.
It'll still be quite a while, but eventually silicon will simply be the wrong technology, the wrong process. Of course, a processor technology lasts MUCH longer than a subcomponent, such as a floppy drive technology.
Moore's Law. Too bad it's "only" x2 and not ^2.
From a Mac standpoint... yes Netscape is available on the Mac, it has been from the start. But Microsoft produces a much better Mac product. I never thought I'd say that, but it's true.
Netscape 4.x is the only stable Mac version (but not for OS X). Netscape 6 is the funniest joke I've ever heard. Robin Williams, Seinfeld, or anyone couldn't match how hilarious it is.
Microsoft IE 5 for Mac is awesome. VERY small, VERY fast. Just what I need. I even like its interface. It's very stable, too.
No wonder Netscape lost.
And just so you Linux people know, IE *is* shipped default on every Mac, but it's extremely easy to trash it for NS.
Well I didn't do any scientific invesigation, but I notice my G4 500MHz Mac completes Photoshop filters CONSIDERABLY faster than the 1GHz (well it might be like 900 something MHz, i dunno) Pentium down the hall. It sure does FEEL like twice as fast, and probably is. But this is getting off-topic so I'll stop......
Actually, since SETI is so CPU-intensive, the fact that Macs ranked low only means Mac users are busier doing important things on their computers, while Windows users aren't doing anything important. We're just busy creating.
:-) Hey, grow up okay? "Mac users are losers!"
Ahh, I'm just kidding. Who cares.
To me, you seem like your life priorities are a bit mixed up. Who cares! It's just a computer - don't wet your pants. Use what you like, and don't talk about what you don't. At least have a valid point.
See you.
What happens when we run out of space... in space?
I know little about it, but I know the earth's gravitational pull can carry on a LOT of baggage -- but seriously, after so many years, not only would there be problems with satellites colliding, but could this also have an affect on the ozone in any way? I ask because, although there is no real pollution, if it affects in any way the gravitational pull of the earth, does that no also affect our climate?
I realize it would take a LOT to affect the earth... but looking out.
Also, can you have additional layers of satellites? The closer you are, the faster the orbit. The further out you are, the slower -- but the outer layers also affect the inner layers.
At some point, there will have to be international control of space traffic. As well as anti-satellite defense. Who controls protecting space traffic now? Is it international?
I come with more questions than answers.
Eh, another OS. Too many, if you ask me!
:-)
On the other hand...
It is absolutely great that they can even do this. Clearly it takes so much to make an OS work, and even more so to work well. It's really inspirational to "younger" developers interested in programming.
I once tried to write an OS for my PPC machine, based on a system called OpenOS and another, PowerOS.
Bombed horribly - it sucked.
The Idea: someone create a VERY simple OS... and let people build onto it. Not an open-source effort. But rather, they could "roll their own OS,' in essense, by following a tutorial, and see how it's done. I would feel SO proud to say, "I finally got threading written into my OS...."
So NewOS is my Hero of the Day.
Typical response. (unfortunately)
It's obvious you've never used the displays, so you have no opinion on them. They are amazing -- the best in the industry, and I've worked with a lot of monitors.
The point is, these monitors are not Eclipses, they ARE Porsches, but certainly not very expensive Porsches, which is an additional bonus.
Typical "macblindness." Are you STILL caught up in "I hate Macs!" or "I have PCs!" Give it up. This is like the apartheid, and it's pathetic.
Jobs isn't a brainwasher, but he makes a damn fine product. Why everyone thinks Apple products are SO overpriced is beyond me. They're simply not, and you get a much higher quality product.
I can't believe I'm even replying to you.
Lots of monitors where I work, and luckily I am surrounded by Apple displays.
These LCDs are absolutely gorgeous. Not only their design, but the display itself. It is so sharp, so bright, and has such a wide viewing angle, that when I return to other monitors, they're a complete blur.
I cannot explain well enough how great Apple displays are. And games on them are BEAUTIFUL.
I pay $499 for 17" monitors. I'm HAPPY to spend $599 instead. It's very, very worth it.
Yes, Apple is pushing consumers a little by only offering LCD. But think about the other end of that.. It will, in the long run, push LCD prices down, and LCDs will more quickly become the norm.
I'm just a believer in pushing markets. Sorta like not including a floppy drive in the original iMac -- and I haven't missed floppies in YEARS. I never even think about them. And if I have to transfer a file, or need a backup, I just use a Zip disk or my free iDisk.
I think it's all really great.
Let me correct myself before someone else does. Technically, the new OS X Server 2.0 was released today, which is essentially VERY different than Server 1.x. It also uses the Aqua interface, which I've fallen in love with (and am looking at right now:-)
A few things.
1) Yes, Apple was beginning to see difficulties turning profits on CRTs.
2) These displays are BEAUTIFUL. I use them every day. They're absolutely incredible and of the highest quality in the industry.
3) Playing 640x480 games on 1024x768 could suck on certain flat displays (even the older iBook), because I believe you're talking about the fact that the blown -up pixels look "fuzzy." However, it's not so bad when you switch to 640x480, instead of blowing up the image (or at least 800x600, which most games support), or simple make the game 640x480 IN 1024x768, or whatever, and just have a black border. I do this with WarCraft. So it's really not "Yucko." But that is with any display.
4) Even so, don't you think the truly relevant post would be about the OTHER announcement:
Mac OS X Server was released today, which is based on Darwin, Apple's open-source platform. OS X Server uses the Apache web server, which I've had a lot of success with. www.apple.com/macosx/server
I agree. In normal situations, "Aimster" is a different name from AOL or AIM, just like "Apple" has nothing to do with Apple Records from Britain.
However,
In this case, we have a similar but different name... that is intended to imply a similarity and relationship to the original product.
Therefore, I think AOL has a case, and Aimster shouldn't be using that name if AOL does not want them to.
I've always loved playing Civ II on my Mac. AWESOME game. I love being a President.
:-)
Anyway, I thought I bought Civilization III. I couldn't believe it was out! I played it.. and man did it suck. It was annoying. Unintuitive. The graphics seemed a lot bigger, too.
Was I actually playing Civ I? I believe it was called Call to Power.. but maybe not.
I thought to myself, "Man is this a step backwards from Civ II."
WAS it literally a step backwards, in that it was the previous version?!
I wonder if I should post anonymously, since I feel like an idiot.
(btw, I returned the game the same day, which is why I can't check... hehe.. but really, it LOOKED like a newer game... maybe just a re-designed box?)
I wonder what an e-mail would be like from a Congressman...
To: b_bennett@earthlink.net
From: Rep. Someone
be it sent by the e-mail system on my computer...
AN EMAIL.
(I) GENERAL PURPOSE
To write an e-mail to a friend of mine in order to establish the question posed in Section II(b).
(II) DETAILS OF EMAIL
(a) RECIPIENT
William Bennett, found by the Congress Subcommittee of Relationships to be a friend of myself, as stated in the Subcommittee's congressional report in 2001 under the 106th Congress.
(b) CONTENTS
To ask whether or not William Bennett received an e-mail from myself concerning the question posed in the previous e-mail (subsection c), or if he again accidentally deleted my e-mail.
(c) PREVIOUS E-MAIL
sent three days prior to the contents of this e-mail, asking why William Bennett always accidentally deletes e-mails sent, and whether or not he and I are true friends or if he is taking advantage of the fact that I am on medication and it could therefore be easy for him to get money from me.
(III) CONCLUSIONS
The conclusions of this e-mail will be rendered upon reply to this e-mail, with the exception if this e-mail is deleted as the other e-mails, in which case a new e-mail will be rendered and e-mailed inquiring about the previous e-mails not e-mailed back by the e-mailer.
"bolding going"?
Nice typo, me. Perhaps I should resort to a clean coal plant or African nation.
It's the Nyquil... I swear, it's the Nyquil...
Don't mock me.
After years of bolding going where no man had gone before, William Shatner is now what he pretended to be: a void in space.
He drifts... floating from stupid Priceline.com commercials to writing books back to Priceline.com commercials.
Now he's becoming a chef.
Let's all write him a letter, asking him to dedicate himself next to something less public. Perhaps he can be an ambassador to a small African country? Perhaps an engineer at a clean-coal plant?
I seriously fear William Shatner... and now he'll have chef knives and use of fire?!
Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll never forget the time I held a conversation with a "geek."
/. reader and a C programmer (ObjC these days...).
/. (or are there?:)
I was at my sister's place of business, and this (forgive me saying...) nerdy kind of guy, complete with penholder in shirt pocket and pimples, comes into the office where my sis and I are. He's in his late-20's.
I am talking to my sister about computers, and he zeroes in on me. He breaks into the conversation and begins yapping away about open source. I too begin yapping away about open source, and I make a comment that some open-source apps can be less intuitive than proprietary apps.
This is when he explodes.
He starts talking fast and yelling that I am some sort of corporate tycoon and I do not understand the value of open-source. I explain to him I am a Mac user, and so I'm big on UI and design.
He explodes further.
He yells at me, saying Macs are "pathetic" and "useless," and I keep saying, "Okay" -- with the intent to piss him off more. It works, and he starts calling me an idiot and that I am a waste of society and that the mouse is a horrible device for computers.
It was extremely funny to me. He got *so* worked up, I couldn't believe it! I then explained to him I am also a
My point is that it seems to me that we have extremes: 1) command-line is so much more powerful, a REAL app is CL, and 2) GUI is so much more intuitive.
Why not have both? As an OS X/Cocoa programmer, GUI is very important to me.. but I also realize how useful and stable command-line is.
Who knows. I'm actually really happy there aren't too many extremists on
This post has really turned off-topic.. and for that I am sorry. I suppose I'm rambling now, but I just really appreciate when smart people come together and can talk (with cool heads) about technology.
Ok, I'm done.
Good point. However, the issue in this case is that Microsoft made it very difficult if not impossible to remove that car stereo and implement a different brand stereo.
If Ford, for example, made it impossible to remove the stereos from the car, you would agree that aftermarket stereo manufacturers would in fact not survive.
There's nothing wrong with features. We must look at the definition of 'illegal monopoly.' I would say that when Microsoft "bundles" items and then makes it that difficult to change them or even install an additional copy of a similar program, you've got problems.
I am supposing, however, that with the Republican administration, none of this matters too much. Or is that a misconception? I don't Bush would ever split up MS, but then again it's not just Bush doing the splitting.
Okay, getting tab online has made me the guitar-player I am. I wouldn't be playing guitar today without so much good tab online. Now, let's apply this to people in similar situations.
:-)
In 20 years, people won't be interested in learning music, and all these record companies won't have anyone to promote.
Hey..
Let's turn this into a freedom of speech thing. It's my opinion that this tab represents the music. I have a right to post it!
Black market tablature. Nice.
If it were open source, would it be much easier for crackers to manipulate?...
"Boy, I just can't wait for the opportunity to pay Napster a monthly fee to share my music with other people. And have them censor me for my trouble, too."
Let's break this statement down into varying levels of stupidity.
Level One: "censor me for my trouble"
Your trouble - meaning have to pay for a copyrighted product. The censoring? I'm not sure what you mean by *censorship*, necessarily.
Level Two: "[I HAVE TO] pay Napster a monthly fee to share my music"
I see. So, you should be able to go to the store, take a Sony digital camera, and then loan it to me. Neither of us are liable for the fact that Sony spends tons of money producing that product, it's copywrited, and they expect to be paid for it.
You know, guess what? It's not just YOUR music. It's BMG's, or RCA, or BamaRags or WHATEVER also. Bands put SO much energy into creating the CDs you buy, and the producer companies put SO much money into releasing them. They have every right to make a profit, and be protected.
The two points made by Napster-supporters?
1) CDs are expensive.
I agree. Titanium PowerBooks are also expensive. I want one. They should be free and shared.
2) Music should be shared.
I agree. If you like music, share it! Go tell someone, "Hey this CD is awesome, go buy it."
The points made by Napster users don't override copyright laws. I bet 90% of Napster users KNOW It's illegal but still use it. Fine.
Why not use something while it's around?
As for the 10% who actually BELIEVE Napster is right.. You're either lost in the commotion, or simply ignorant to the law and immature.
I sound like an old angry adult, don't I?
I'm 16. I love music.
I also am aware of the law, which in this case is 1) right, 2) just, and 3) applicable.
The best reasons to get rid of payphones:
:-)
1) Nostalgia's sake?
Please. If you're interested in putting your tax paying dollars towards keeping big metal boxes in our cities, go for it -- but pay that part of my taxes too, ok? Because it's waste.
Or... we could just let them rot. Not pay for them. That would solve the tax thing. I realize it's probably like $0.02 per person in taxes, but hey, every bit counts. I don't like the IDEA of keeping them up *if* they're really not as popular or a good move financially. I live near Philly, and we Gots Lots of Debt already!
2) Cell booth?
Are you kidding? With the fears of cancer (maybe it's true -- maybe not) from cell antennas, I am *not* standing a big box of cellular rays. Even if scientifically it wouldn't matter - I don't like the IDEA of being my own cell site. Ain't happening.
Besides, I have a PCS phone and I very rarely lose coverage, and the quality is always nice. There's just no need for me. And if there isn't for me, there might not be a need for others -- and if there isn't for others, even convering pay phone booths wouldn't save them.
Just some thoughts.
And computer users complain us Mac users "stupidly" obsess over the design of our computers and interface. Hey, you've got a lead article about when the system clocks make cool numbers. Dorks! :-)
Seriously though, I guess we all obsess over certain things. Let Mac users obsess over design.. Unix users obsess over the technicals and engine under the hood.. and let the rest design programs.
Viola! OS X! At least it's getting there..
Gosh I love Slashdot. hehe