"And itâ(TM)s of course mandatory to point out that current music sucks, and kids these days only listen to low quality mp3 versions of it anyway and no one has an appreciation for proper sound reproduction and other such âoeget off my lawnâ arguments;p"
To be more precise, there is nothing in current music which takes advantage of audiophile systems. It's "mixed to be listened to as an.mp3". Music now is nothing more than a "video soundtrack" so quality is secondary. It's not that it "sucks", it's that it need not be particularly "musical" to please its core audience.
There is also the "disposable income" issue. Thirty years ago if you lived in a dorm, your stereo was your entertainment. Your turntable let you upload to your reel-to-reel "server", rip to cassette tape, etc.
That's been replaced by MORE CONVENIENT devices . Tape decks and vinyl records were a hassle to use, even CDs are a hassle to use, so the computer wins. I still have my thirty-year-old system and record collection. It's not worth the effort to dig it out and set it up.
If we really had wanted to move forward, we wouldn't obsess on locally-manned systems when we must have superb robots to interact with the utterly hostile off-Earth environment. That environment will NEVER be friendly, which makes humans essentially tourists and remote manipulatos.
The idea that we should ignore remote-manned systems and robotics because we "NEED HYOOMANS in SPACE NAO!" is shortsighted.
"Romance" is for housewives. We won't move forward if we are distracted by nonsense like "romance".
Space exploration is at the most primitive stage. We should get the habit early on of expecting rapid system life cycles, shitcanning legacy systems, and not getting sentimental about dead metal.
There is no rush to send humans before developing much more effective remote-manned and robotic systems.
Human interaction with everything outside their "bubble" in the utterly hostile off-Earth environment requires a complete infrastructure of automatons to support the tourists.
It would be perfectly reasonable to spend a hundred years focusing on immediately useful robot systems. The only thing humans can do in space is operate machines. Build the machines.
.... individuals is that a lock-out of Google+ includes being locked out of all Google services, including email, calendar, and documents."
So how's that fucking Cloudy thingy working out for you now?
My email, calendar, and documents are thoroughly backed up, and though I use online email if it were lost tomorrow I can get more email addresses and alert my contact list easily.
"Does anyone think that getting people (non-slashdot crowd/lamens) informed on this issue will make any significant changes to current way the industry is operating?"
No. The public are too stupid to understand the issues.
"Basically, for people who learned on a manual and have a superiority complex about it."
Say that when your complex, expensive, delicate automatic transmission breaks. If you trade often, no problem. I keep my vehicles and would rather buy a clutch than a remanned transmission.
"In France the TGVs carry explosives (fireworks, basically) to put on the rails one kilometer ahead of a failed train, to warn the oncoming train of a problem. "
Slashdot Mirror
"And itâ(TM)s of course mandatory to point out that current music sucks, and kids these days only listen to low quality mp3 versions of it anyway and no one has an appreciation for proper sound reproduction and other such âoeget off my lawnâ arguments ;p"
To be more precise, there is nothing in current music which takes advantage of audiophile systems. It's "mixed to be listened to as an .mp3". Music now is nothing more than a "video soundtrack" so quality is secondary. It's not that it "sucks", it's that it need not be particularly "musical" to please its core audience.
There is also the "disposable income" issue. Thirty years ago if you lived in a dorm, your stereo was your entertainment. Your turntable let you upload to your reel-to-reel "server", rip to cassette tape, etc.
That's been replaced by MORE CONVENIENT devices . Tape decks and vinyl records were a hassle to use, even CDs are a hassle to use, so the computer wins. I still have my thirty-year-old system and record collection. It's not worth the effort to dig it out and set it up.
"It's not like they still carry my old stereo from yesteryear."
You can still buy those components used.
China is a huge new market. Better American companies exploit the opportunity to enter it than not.
Want to make money? Invest in GE.
Tea Party as Lemon Party?
Don't picture that.
Why is that a Troll?
It''s Funny and Insightful.
Got pics of your marine wind generator?
Great idea BTW. Ram Air Turbines go back many years on aircraft and saved many of them after engine failure took their main generators offline.
Not anymore unless they use CGI. Old Uma isn't Young Uma.
"Why would anybody take their boycott recommendations seriously?"
For the Lulz? (runs)
"I can't keep the kids smeary fingerprints off the car windows now."
I keep the trunk closed. They get quiet after a while.
If we really had wanted to move forward, we wouldn't obsess on locally-manned systems when we must have superb robots to interact with the utterly hostile off-Earth environment. That environment will NEVER be friendly, which makes humans essentially tourists and remote manipulatos.
The idea that we should ignore remote-manned systems and robotics because we "NEED HYOOMANS in SPACE NAO!" is shortsighted.
"Romance" is for housewives. We won't move forward if we are distracted by nonsense like "romance".
Space exploration is at the most primitive stage. We should get the habit early on of expecting rapid system life cycles, shitcanning legacy systems, and not getting sentimental about dead metal.
There is no rush to send humans before developing much more effective remote-manned and robotic systems.
Human interaction with everything outside their "bubble" in the utterly hostile off-Earth environment requires a complete infrastructure of automatons to support the tourists.
It would be perfectly reasonable to spend a hundred years focusing on immediately useful robot systems. The only thing humans can do in space is operate machines. Build the machines.
"How about just going back to making a good desktop browser?"
Because efficiency and speed aren't sexy. That's why "Phoenix" didn't last long and morphed into Firefox.
The only major reason left to use Firefox is the add-ons.
TEN PERCENT????????
Ten percent is a huge number. Real technology geeks are rare.
Don't be confused by the posers who cropped up when geekery became fashionable.
Indeed. We live in a bad world where rage is a very reasonable reaction to many things.
The CCCP no longer exists, but the supply of teen vandals is perpetually replenished.
.... individuals is that a lock-out of Google+ includes being locked out of all Google services, including email, calendar, and documents."
So how's that fucking Cloudy thingy working out for you now?
My email, calendar, and documents are thoroughly backed up, and though I use online email if it were lost tomorrow I can get more email addresses and alert my contact list easily.
"Does anyone think that getting people (non-slashdot crowd/lamens) informed on this issue will make any significant changes to current way the industry is operating?"
No. The public are too stupid to understand the issues.
"The main article of cost with most any vehicle is DEPRECIATION."
That's why I never bought a new car or truck. The joy of paying off mortgage(s) early beats buying a rapidly depreciating asset.
Modern automatics are heavy and very expensive, as well as expensive to rebuild.
"making transmissions cheaper to manufacture." is doubtful, since they are ever more complicated.
"Basically, for people who learned on a manual and have a superiority complex about it."
Say that when your complex, expensive, delicate automatic transmission breaks. If you trade often, no problem. I keep my vehicles and would rather buy a clutch than a remanned transmission.
More important, how many cell phones to one Library of Congress?
"In France the TGVs carry explosives (fireworks, basically) to put on the rails one kilometer ahead of a failed train, to warn the oncoming train of a problem. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detonator_(railway)
Don't make the mistake of thinking the outstanding ____Volkswagen____diesel engine benefits translate to other makers diesels!
VW diesels have always been tough, even the primitive naturally aspirated 1980s versions.
VW also has a LARGE and enthusiastic owner base with good internet forums. Parts availability is good too.
Mercedes has a major diesel truck business and it shows. Their trucks are all over the Middle East and survive abuse well.