"but I imagine the mil hasn't given up on that stuff entirely."
It hasn't, and it's worth noting that amateur radio offers communication when more complex systems are disrupted such as during natural disasters.
"The combined three service MARS programs (Army, Air Force, and Navy-Marine Corps) volunteer force of over 5,000 dedicated and skilled amateur radio operators is the backbone of the MARS program."
The RIAA markets shit music that it invents to entertain morons, so refresh us on why this is worth a fight?
Revolution wouldn't fight for access to crap we should not want in the first place, but create new, free entertainment. The RIAA punishing consumers of its nasty products is useful in the way that proprietary software companies making their users experience suck is useful. I approve of both "strategies".
Fighting the RIAA is exactly like fighting for easy access to warez when the goal should be to replace proprietary software with Open and Free alternatives.
I'm fine with the RIAA punishing people who want their products. Those people are worse than the RIAA because they fund it. Stop wanting, stop buying, just spit out the dick already!
"Besides, what's the real difference between relying on an OSS project with no license fee for five years then (possibly) having to migrate and learn something new but similar versus being charged year on year for Office 2003 then having to migrate to 2007 and all its new UI and still being charged year on year?"
The difference is Vendor Lock.
It's worse than the proverbial "buying a car with the hood welded shut", because you won't be sued for cutting open a hood you own.
"I feel that manned space flight for the last thirty years or so has been more or less stagnant."
Not only that, but it has been sucking down money that could have been used for MANY unmanned probes that would have been able to explore space for YEARS. Meat tourism is entertaining, but we need to learn more about space in order to exploit it.
Unmanned systems can have much more rapid development because they can have much shorter equipment life cycles. Insects are more adaptable than humans, so send "insects" first. Lead with unmanned systems, then send tourists later.
"If you actually WTFV (watch the video) you can see that after giving the soldier a thorough checking over, the snake-bot PLUNGES THROUGH HIS STOMACH AND UP UNDER HIS RIB-CAGE! Is THAT the kind of behavior we want from our snake-bots?!"
It was a BETA version. Quit kvetching!
"Who is running this thing? Skynet?"
Some company called Infinium Labs. I hear they used to make game consoles.
"Maybe we should resolve the ethical concerns before we perform the science..."
Ethical concerns would block all advanced science because ethical debate allows religious people and luddites a voice they don't deserve.
(No, I don't care about the debate as to their deserving a voice. They are obstacles. The scientist is superior to the religionist and the Luddite, and should learn the social skills to manage them without genuinely respecting such backward folk.)
Learn first, squabble later. We must have knowledge.
"Jack Thompson on the other hand makes me want to kill - someone, possibly named Jack - every time I hear from Mr. Thompson."
He's the Fred Phelps of anti-game zealots, which is why we NEED him. While it would be a hoot if he had responded to being disbarred by suicide, he is more useful alive and stupid.
Since there is no uified "we", those with technology should take steps to preserve species even if their current environment is destroyed.
The domestic cow is not endangered. We raise them, care for them, and harvest what we will.
Endangered species are more or less left to their own devices while humans rely on wishful thinking to preserve them. They should be raised commercially instead, There would be no risk of their depletion for exotic food, ivory, and bizarre gook remedies if they were raised in quantity.
As with the "War on (some) Drugs", the contest isn't "winnable", so policy should reflect REALISM instead of ideology.
"It the idea of giving free laptops to children in africa and asia before you have the infrastructure to support it? The 100 bucks spent on that laptop for one child could have gone to set up the basic infrastructure to feed a whole village, forever. "
Unless the people are changed by learning they will perpetuate their defective behavior choices that are the cause of all their problems. I'd rather educate a few than feed them all. Feeding them accomplishes nothing except helping sustain large litters they shouldn't be having in the first place.
Slashdot Mirror
"This being slashdot and all, nobody would actually read the article anyway."
It's easier, in this case, to just wait for Godwin to show up.
"but I imagine the mil hasn't given up on that stuff entirely."
It hasn't, and it's worth noting that amateur radio offers communication when more complex systems are disrupted such as during natural disasters.
"The combined three service MARS programs (Army, Air Force, and Navy-Marine Corps) volunteer force of over 5,000 dedicated and skilled amateur radio operators is the backbone of the MARS program."
http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/
"A university is supposed to educate a child as to the world of software,"
A university is supposed to educate YOUNG ADULTS, not (with a few prodigal exceptions) "children".
Treating young adults like children fucks them up thoroughly and is cruel because it does not prepare them for life.
"Though there is some packet loss, the packets can be sufficiently large to transmit entire messages without fragmentation."
High latency over Kandahar may be a concern, as avian carrier efficiency deteriorates when in defensive ("CYA") mode.
http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=130563
As the global recession hammers down the price of hardware, paying for software will be even less attractive.
The RIAA markets shit music that it invents to entertain morons, so refresh us on why this is worth a fight?
Revolution wouldn't fight for access to crap we should not want in the first place, but create new, free entertainment. The RIAA punishing consumers of its nasty products is useful in the way that proprietary software companies making their users experience suck is useful. I approve of both "strategies".
Fighting the RIAA is exactly like fighting for easy access to warez when the goal should be to replace proprietary software with Open and Free alternatives.
I'm fine with the RIAA punishing people who want their products. Those people are worse than the RIAA because they fund it. Stop wanting, stop buying, just spit out the dick already!
"Besides, what's the real difference between relying on an OSS project with no license fee for five years then (possibly) having to migrate and learn something new but similar versus being charged year on year for Office 2003 then having to migrate to 2007 and all its new UI and still being charged year on year?"
The difference is Vendor Lock.
It's worse than the proverbial "buying a car with the hood welded shut", because you won't be sued for cutting open a hood you own.
"How about that manned space program?"
That's space tourism.
If we wanted to learn about space we'd spend that money on (many) unmanned probes.
"Just this week Yahoo mail started serving up ads that pop up an annoying window every time your mouse passes over it."
I don't get those with the old Yahoo interface.
Are you running Firefox fully locked down with all available extensions?
"I feel that manned space flight for the last thirty years or so has been more or less stagnant."
Not only that, but it has been sucking down money that could have been used for MANY unmanned probes that would have been able to explore space for YEARS. Meat tourism is entertaining, but we need to learn more about space in order to exploit it.
Unmanned systems can have much more rapid development because they can have much shorter equipment life cycles. Insects are more adaptable than humans, so send "insects" first. Lead with unmanned systems, then send tourists later.
"If you actually WTFV (watch the video) you can see that after giving the soldier a thorough checking over, the snake-bot PLUNGES THROUGH HIS STOMACH AND UP UNDER HIS RIB-CAGE! Is THAT the kind of behavior we want from our snake-bots?!"
It was a BETA version. Quit kvetching!
"Who is running this thing? Skynet?"
Some company called Infinium Labs. I hear they used to make game consoles.
"Human being have to stop killing human beings, end of story!"
Wake me when guns don't trump everything else.
"I can't believe he hasn't been found in a cheap motel room; dead from autoerotic asphyxiation, wearing a gimp suit and a dildo in his ass."
Bad enough he hates video gaming, but that doesn't mean he should discredit MY other hobbies!
"This earthquake killed a lot of people and ruined the lives of countless others. That effect was disproportionate on the poor."
Chinese poor have always been expendable. They are easily replaced, and their rulers have always understood this.
"Maybe we should resolve the ethical concerns before we perform the science ..."
Ethical concerns would block all advanced science because ethical debate allows religious people and luddites a voice they don't deserve.
(No, I don't care about the debate as to their deserving a voice. They are obstacles. The scientist is superior to the religionist and the Luddite, and should learn the social skills to manage them without genuinely respecting such backward folk.)
Learn first, squabble later. We must have knowledge.
"Jack Thompson on the other hand makes me want to kill - someone, possibly named Jack - every time I hear from Mr. Thompson."
He's the Fred Phelps of anti-game zealots, which is why we NEED him. While it would be a hoot if he had responded to being disbarred by suicide, he is more useful alive and stupid.
"I refuse to purchase a new laptop/netbook unless it has the clit mouse."
One benefit:
If the clit mouse cover turns brown and greasy or wears off, you can easily rip it out and replace it.
"All you have to do is put it against your body, and the salt water attenuates the signal, thus making the tag unreadable. "
The old "prison wallet" looks better and better.
Your idea is excellent, which is why prison officials have probably not thought of it.
The techno-igorant reflex is to "turn things off" rather than "think of creative ways to change the situation".
Without circuses the unwashed masses would still be morons. They'd merely invent their own entertainment.
The system doesn't make people stupid.
It caters to their stupidity because they make it profitable to humor them.
If you give a shitload of money to a corporation, it's an economic boost.
If you give anything to the people, it's Socialism and and an express ticked on the hot rails to Hell.
Since there is no uified "we", those with technology should take steps to preserve species even if their current environment is destroyed.
The domestic cow is not endangered. We raise them, care for them, and harvest what we will.
Endangered species are more or less left to their own devices while humans rely on wishful thinking to preserve them. They should be raised commercially instead, There would be no risk of their depletion for exotic food, ivory, and bizarre gook remedies if they were raised in quantity.
As with the "War on (some) Drugs", the contest isn't "winnable", so policy should reflect REALISM instead of ideology.
"Lucky you. All of my clients are thick. Every last one of the bastards..."
Some of us like 'em thick.
"and the people currently making music will be stacking shelves and working as plumbers."
They can choose to TOUR and make money that way. It worked for the Grateful Dead for decades, and built a hugh fanbase.
"It the idea of giving free laptops to children in africa and asia before you have the infrastructure to support it? The 100 bucks spent on that laptop for one child could have gone to set up the basic infrastructure to feed a whole village, forever. "
Unless the people are changed by learning they will perpetuate their defective behavior choices that are the cause of all their problems. I'd rather educate a few than feed them all. Feeding them accomplishes nothing except helping sustain large litters they shouldn't be having in the first place.