"Am I the only person who wants a Debian distribution with XFCE and almost nothing else on it (no gedit, no Totem, no Evolution, no Firefox) so I can download specifically the stuff I want after the fact?"
So configure one and and deploy it. Load a minimalist setup, dd it, and image all the machines you like by connecting their hard disks to a USB adapter. You don't need to wait for someone else to do this.
The Iranian government was put in place by the Iranian people, and the fact a few students and others object doesn't change that.
If US companies want to legally sell equipment to a democracy, so what?
Wake me when the Iranian protesters have the same level of dedication the Libyans just displayed.
Iranians aren't serious until they start wearing suicide vests into police stations and literally "offing the pigs". People who REALLY want freedom are delighted to kill for it.
China spends and humanity benefits in the end, as with the US space effort.
I've heard tale of countries without large military-industrial complexes and which don't participate in any "space race" which are pleasant to live in.
The idea that the US should build a military-industrial complex to defend people who REFUSE to match our level of effort is absurd, doubly so when both sides are our economic competition and do nothing for the US.
"Very little difference to the american consumer."
Fly overseas and get the work done there. Medical "tourism" is becoming more and more common as the price of an airline flight is a trifle compared to inflated US medical costs.
"Burning coal does far more, further reaching damage"
Dispersed casualties are easy to manage as they can be dealt with by existing care and disposal systems. That's much less disruptive than the shock of sudden local events.
No, debate is for exposing them to those who may be swayed away from superstition. Superstitionists cannot think differently, but one can help deny them a few recruits.
"Retributive justice is deeply ingrained in human society, but we have the tools to progress beyond that now."
The assumed conclusion is that something else will produce better results against determined opponents!
Retributive justice is the only deterrent to logical people that also deals effectively with those it does NOT deter. It compels, rather than "asks for", some degree of obedience. It can be used to destroy those who harden their neck and will not obey.
Qaddafi feared no law. He was killed. That's "retributive justice". He won't act again because he has been deleted. He had no qualities making his preservation desirable, but the example of his death is a nice reminder to others that they shouldn't shit on their people beyond tolerance.
"I want to be able to search a database of scumbags - their name, dob, and known mailing addresses, so I can avoid ever getting into a business transaction with them."
Boycott IS retribution, of the mildest most weakling sort.
White collar criminals should be thrown in with vicious convicts who will abuse them, with the goal of frightening others into compliance with the law. Such "financial predators" are as bad as armed robbers, so put them together.
Slashdot Mirror
Voice can be useful to someone with impaired coordination.
Good idea!
Don't presume Granny shares YOUR superstition. There are others, as well as "none of the above".
What is this Debian of which you speak? I can't find it in the Ubuntu version list!
"Am I the only person who wants a Debian distribution with XFCE and almost nothing else on it (no gedit, no Totem, no Evolution, no Firefox) so I can download specifically the stuff I want after the fact?"
So configure one and and deploy it. Load a minimalist setup, dd it, and image all the machines you like by connecting their hard disks to a USB adapter. You don't need to wait for someone else to do this.
Users can burn to USB key and use any size .iso they like.
Anything so old it only has a CD drive is likely too slow to run Ubuntu.
The option also exists to install an older version and upgrade.
I wouldn't bank with them if they blew me at the service counter.
Credit unions for me (Safe, and Pentagon Federal Credit Unions).
Thirty years ago for me. Safe Federal Credit Union has been excellent.
The Iranian government was put in place by the Iranian people, and the fact a few students and others object doesn't change that.
If US companies want to legally sell equipment to a democracy, so what?
Wake me when the Iranian protesters have the same level of dedication the Libyans just displayed.
Iranians aren't serious until they start wearing suicide vests into police stations and literally "offing the pigs". People who REALLY want freedom are delighted to kill for it.
China spends and humanity benefits in the end, as with the US space effort.
I've heard tale of countries without large military-industrial complexes and which don't participate in any "space race" which are pleasant to live in.
Can anyone else verify?
I'm willing to cede Asia to China.
The idea that the US should build a military-industrial complex to defend people who REFUSE to match our level of effort is absurd, doubly so when both sides are our economic competition and do nothing for the US.
"Very little difference to the american consumer."
Fly overseas and get the work done there. Medical "tourism" is becoming more and more common as the price of an airline flight is a trifle compared to inflated US medical costs.
If it "fails" perhaps a Chinese investor will buy it. There is no inherent reason that AMD can't implode then be reborn elsewhere.
Hiroshima tidied up nicely and is a thriving city.
Worry about something that kills tens of millions of people, such as tobacco, instead.
"Burning coal does far more, further reaching damage"
Dispersed casualties are easy to manage as they can be dealt with by existing care and disposal systems. That's much less disruptive than the shock of sudden local events.
"HP is still around? I thought they went out of business years ago. Wow, you learn new things every day."
HP could die tomorrow, but LaserJet 4s will be printing until the Sun burns out.
Their test equipment was also Good Stuff.
No. Their target market wants appliance-like reliability.
Other software choices exist outside the RDF and the sooner those who WANT choice are shunted there by Apple and MSFT the better.
"but there's no next big goal to be found"
"Quality" is Big, but insufficiently Shiny to merit consideration.
No, debate is for exposing them to those who may be swayed away from superstition. Superstitionists cannot think differently, but one can help deny them a few recruits.
Apparently, not so good.
"Aren't they wonderful?"
If you consider what was necessary to move China into modernity and keep it stable, YES, they ARE "wonderful".
"Retributive justice is deeply ingrained in human society, but we have the tools to progress beyond that now."
The assumed conclusion is that something else will produce better results against determined opponents!
Retributive justice is the only deterrent to logical people that also deals effectively with those it does NOT deter. It compels, rather than "asks for", some degree of obedience. It can be used to destroy those who harden their neck and will not obey.
Qaddafi feared no law. He was killed. That's "retributive justice". He won't act again because he has been deleted. He had no qualities making his preservation desirable, but the example of his death is a nice reminder to others that they shouldn't shit on their people beyond tolerance.
"I want to be able to search a database of scumbags - their name, dob, and known mailing addresses, so I can avoid ever getting into a business transaction with them."
Boycott IS retribution, of the mildest most weakling sort.
White collar criminals should be thrown in with vicious convicts who will abuse them, with the goal of frightening others into compliance with the law. Such "financial predators" are as bad as armed robbers, so put them together.
"Next you'll be telling me that I shouldn't let filesharing ports open to the world."
You shouldn't let filesharing ports open to the world.
HTH!
"If you ever get into a fight with that country"
Now explain why France and Belgium would fight.
"There are many situations that could cause France to ration or cut off your electricity supply leaving you SOL."
Citation needed.
They'd pay ALL the costs if they build and risk a large portion of their economy. Belgium has only about 11 million people.
They'd SHARE costs if France builds, have NO remediation risks, and keep their options open.
In what alternate universe would France cut off power to tiny Belgium?