Well, if Sun's strategy was making them any money, Oracle wouldn't own them now.
This isn't really a surprise. Somehow, I have the feeling Oracle will just unload the server business on someone else within a few years. I expect they'll milk it to the max while they can, and just dump it at a bargain basement price when it's no longer profitable.
Problem is that modern democracy is too far in the other direction. Very little gets done because it might interfere with what the uneducated masses think is best for them.
Look, if in 1930 America had passed an amendment requiring a Ph.D to vote, right now Soviet America would be digging itself out of the same mess Russia is. I'd rather trust the judgement of the uneducated masses, thankyouverymuch.
Whenever I see a statement like that, it makes me sure that the person saying it is too young to remember what it was like before the Clean Air act and the Clean Water Act
Sorry pal, I was born in 1957, and actually I lived downwind of Gary, Indiana when we still had a steel industry in this country. Which makes me not only old enough to remember what it was like before the Clean Air act and the Clean Water Act, but to remember hippies, as well.
They stank then, and they stink now. Between the two, I'll take the smell of the steel mills, any day, any day, any day.
Which one is the cause, and which one is the effect?
Forty years ago, millions of people starved to death every year in China too, but the Chinese have a higher average IQ than Europeans. Millions more were also starving to death in India within living memory.
I'm sure nutrition has a role to play in intelligence, but clearly it isn't the defining one.
It is the same as in states- try to voice politically incorrect opinions about race in your place of work, and you will see how "freedom of speech" will protect you.
It will protect you just fine. Everybody in your workplace (well, every reasonable person) will think you're an asshole, but you're in no danger of being "re-educated".
Apparently you've never heard of Diversity Training.
It's probably best to view Chinese civilization as analogous to Northern Europe, in both age and history, really taking off only during the first millennium. And it remains to be seen how much of Chinese civilization developed independently and how much was derivative from the Middle East.
Interestingly, both Chinese and Northern European civilizations took off within a few generations after the bubonic plague receded. You have to wonder if the plague was nature's way of practicing eugenics on us.
This is just another variant of the "prosperity = peace" argument. While the two often go together, one does not ensure the other. Most of the prosperous nations in the history of man have been so while invading their neighbors, or even across the other side of the world. We had this same prediction 20 years ago... the increased trade with China would make it a free country and bring political liberalism. How'd that work out?
I'm all for expanded trade and opening more markets. But that just brings wealth, not freedom, and certainly not utopia.
This is actually one of the best uses for their money. It should help get the development (and population) away from the coast. Brazil had the same problem, but their solution was to move the capitol 600 miles inland.
Well, it's going to get more than high-speed rail to get the population away from the coast. One of the things limiting the population growth inland is the lack of an ample fresh-water supply. The same problem that limits growth to the US's western states.
Organs are huge $$$ you never know if doctors would be less willing to try and save your ass from dieing by prematurely transitioning into organ harvesting mode. (Brrraaaiinnnnsssss!!)
True dat. The free market is the most efficient generator of wealth, for sure. The problem is that there's no assurance about where that wealth is going to end up. China getting rich isn't doing us a whole lot of good. As much as it may pain the libertarians, I think there are times you have make a trade-off between national interest and economic efficiency.
I want them to catch up with the rest of us, because as their people become more educated, they will want to know about this thing we call "Freedom" (speaking as a Canadian, not that the US isn't "Free"). Then people start to get angry, blah blah blah.
Almost every critical government contract requires hardware and software based on open standards to avoid exactly that situation. Unless you're talking about mainframes, which are largely legacy systems, replacing an AIX box with a Solaris, Linux or HPUX box is no big deal.
In what way? Jefferson was acknowledging the intrinsic disloyalty of merchants. Why would he object to checking their activities when those activities became harmful to the national interest?
It would be trivial for those policy makers to order GSA to drop IBM from its vendor list...
Trivial? I'm not sure that's the right word to describe it. Sure, it may be trivial to remove them from the list... but far less trivial to disengage IBM from current projects and bring in new contractors. How much would that cost?
Not much. I've seen any number of projects where the company hired in all the service provider's employees, and fired the service provider. It's happened to IBM and every other outsourcer in the book, many, many times already. Essentially all that changes is the name that signs the paychecks.
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Well, if Sun's strategy was making them any money, Oracle wouldn't own them now.
This isn't really a surprise. Somehow, I have the feeling Oracle will just unload the server business on someone else within a few years. I expect they'll milk it to the max while they can, and just dump it at a bargain basement price when it's no longer profitable.
Problem is that modern democracy is too far in the other direction. Very little gets done because it might interfere with what the uneducated masses think is best for them.
Look, if in 1930 America had passed an amendment requiring a Ph.D to vote, right now Soviet America would be digging itself out of the same mess Russia is. I'd rather trust the judgement of the uneducated masses, thankyouverymuch.
I'm going to start a new society, with environmental concerns in mind, fair government for all, true democracy, with blackjack and hookers.
On second thought, screw the environment, democracy and fair government.
...and a chick, and some pot.
This guy does not represent the rest of rational scientists everywhere. He is as batty as the idiot who claims cell phones harm him.
Heh. More and more, "rational scientist" is starting to sound like an oxymoron. Especially whenever climate is concerned.
Whenever I see a statement like that, it makes me sure that the person saying it is too young to remember what it was like before the Clean Air act and the Clean Water Act
Sorry pal, I was born in 1957, and actually I lived downwind of Gary, Indiana when we still had a steel industry in this country. Which makes me not only old enough to remember what it was like before the Clean Air act and the Clean Water Act, but to remember hippies, as well.
They stank then, and they stink now. Between the two, I'll take the smell of the steel mills, any day, any day, any day.
Land it? You'll be lucky to get it off the ground after the eco-weenies hear the word "nuclear". But hey, nice try!
Now will somebody tell them to keep their sh*t for them? Or are we too weak to talk frankly to Chinese authorities?
Well, I suppose it pays to talk real sweet to a country that pretty much owns us now.
Which one is the cause, and which one is the effect?
Forty years ago, millions of people starved to death every year in China too, but the Chinese have a higher average IQ than Europeans. Millions more were also starving to death in India within living memory.
I'm sure nutrition has a role to play in intelligence, but clearly it isn't the defining one.
It is the same as in states- try to voice politically incorrect opinions about race in your place of work, and you will see how "freedom of speech" will protect you.
It will protect you just fine. Everybody in your workplace (well, every reasonable person) will think you're an asshole, but you're in no danger of being "re-educated".
Apparently you've never heard of Diversity Training.
We have more freedom in US as compared to USSR or China, but don't overestimate it.
Let's see how long the freedom lasts here.
It's probably best to view Chinese civilization as analogous to Northern Europe, in both age and history, really taking off only during the first millennium. And it remains to be seen how much of Chinese civilization developed independently and how much was derivative from the Middle East.
Interestingly, both Chinese and Northern European civilizations took off within a few generations after the bubonic plague receded. You have to wonder if the plague was nature's way of practicing eugenics on us.
This is just another variant of the "prosperity = peace" argument. While the two often go together, one does not ensure the other. Most of the prosperous nations in the history of man have been so while invading their neighbors, or even across the other side of the world. We had this same prediction 20 years ago... the increased trade with China would make it a free country and bring political liberalism. How'd that work out?
I'm all for expanded trade and opening more markets. But that just brings wealth, not freedom, and certainly not utopia.
That's true. And you aren't the only one to notice, either.
This is actually one of the best uses for their money. It should help get the development (and population) away from the coast. Brazil had the same problem, but their solution was to move the capitol 600 miles inland.
Well, it's going to get more than high-speed rail to get the population away from the coast. One of the things limiting the population growth inland is the lack of an ample fresh-water supply. The same problem that limits growth to the US's western states.
It doesn't matter. This project will likely help facilitate that outcome whether that's their intention or not.
Organs are huge $$$ you never know if doctors would be less willing to try and save your ass from dieing by prematurely transitioning into organ harvesting mode. (Brrraaaiinnnnsssss!!)
Yes. Which is particularly salient since we're talking about Israel.
True dat. The free market is the most efficient generator of wealth, for sure. The problem is that there's no assurance about where that wealth is going to end up. China getting rich isn't doing us a whole lot of good. As much as it may pain the libertarians, I think there are times you have make a trade-off between national interest and economic efficiency.
That was the point. Apparently someone can't take a joke.
...at least he's not a Republican!
I want them to catch up with the rest of us, because as their people become more educated, they will want to know about this thing we call "Freedom" (speaking as a Canadian, not that the US isn't "Free"). Then people start to get angry, blah blah blah.
Not necessarily.
Ahh finally a point I sort of agree with. IBM should not be given tax breaks in my opinion. Its unfair in so many ways.
Especially when they've already received over $64 million in stimulus funds.
Labor at IBM is unionized?
No, actually it isn't. The union mentioned in the article has been trying for the last 10 years or so, mostly unsuccessfully.
Companies that operate contrary to the national interest of the countries they operate in, shouldn't be allowed to operate in those countries.
I hate IBM but I must say this; they're on their right not to disclose what isn't required.
Principles (free market, free speech, etc) are only meaningful if you stand by them when they are inconvenient.
Sure they're within they're right. But what are they hiding, why are they hiding it, and who are they hiding it from?
Sure, you have the right not to testify against yourself. That doesn't necessarily mean you have a right not to be convicted.
Almost every critical government contract requires hardware and software based on open standards to avoid exactly that situation. Unless you're talking about mainframes, which are largely legacy systems, replacing an AIX box with a Solaris, Linux or HPUX box is no big deal.
In what way? Jefferson was acknowledging the intrinsic disloyalty of merchants. Why would he object to checking their activities when those activities became harmful to the national interest?
Trivial? I'm not sure that's the right word to describe it. Sure, it may be trivial to remove them from the list... but far less trivial to disengage IBM from current projects and bring in new contractors. How much would that cost?
Not much. I've seen any number of projects where the company hired in all the service provider's employees, and fired the service provider. It's happened to IBM and every other outsourcer in the book, many, many times already. Essentially all that changes is the name that signs the paychecks.