Remember when they used to teach that humans exhale co2, inhale oxygen? And plants "inhale" CO2, and release oxygen? Turns out they take in oxygen, too.
It used to be taught that environmental factors during an organism's lifetime (malnutrition, etc.) did not have an effect on the genetic heritage of offspring (you get a "clean slate" of DNA, so to speak). The opposing idea, that, e.g., giraffes are tall because their ancestors had to reach up to the tall leaves, and then they had long-necked kid giraffes was derided as Lamarckism.
But here we are with a study that says environmental factors can leave a genetic mark.
What's crazy strange is how computer makers assume all that people do all day is watch movies (widescreen at that!) all day.
Look at any laptop advertisement. They play up the movie-related features (black blacks! full HD!) On the one hand TV's are too small and yesterday for people to watch movies on, and on the other, people are going to watch on 14-15in screens?
And "full HD". Come on, you got 1080 by dropping 120 pixels off of 1200. It's not like they increased the size. It's annoying how they say "make use of your full screen size". So you've got a huge screen, but your movie takes up only a portion so you're going to lop off the part you're not using? People better hope that doesn't get applied to lone rangers driving a 5-person car. ("Use your full car capacity").
Yeah, I get what you're saying. It's just an interesting thought experience to think what the limit of that would be.
And also how certain state governments might want to get around to banning violent video games (a perennial Slashdot topic), because they're charging for it.
Hey, speaking of which, anybody know how to boot to a vterm in Ubuntu?
Used to be you could do that in Redhat by going to a different runlevel. Not sure the recommended way for that in Ubuntu and friends.
(Also, anybody remember running "win" to start Windows from DOS and getting looks from the old-timers in the office when you started that new-fangled graphical thing?)
Where we had dumped carburetors for computer-controlled engines, but they didn't need to get updates, and those updates weren't wirelessly and remotely pushed?
Where we had dumped cathode ray tubes for flat, liquid crystal displays, but hadn't put the tubes back into TV by stuffing the Internet (and viruses) into them?
Where we had dumped both rotary and touch tone land line phones for cellular phones that could do most anything you'd want them to, and you carry it whereever you went, but you didn't have to have an antivirus running on the phone and didn't have to worry about your contact details being sent to Nigeria?
I know you're just being funny, but if they're eating the same thing (grass) all day, how can they get all amino acids from that, no matter how much they eat?
Oh, so if you're setting up a virtual machine (either for testing locally or for production on a VPS somewhere like Rackspace), even it's only a 1GB machine, it should be 64 bit? I'm assuming 512MB should be 32bit.
Speaking of 64 vs 32, anybody want to say anything about 64 or 32 being faster?
I.e., if you don't have > 2GB or > 4GB datasets, 32-bit is faster because it doesn't have the overhead? (I.e., 64bit is pushing more data around in every single machine instruction because the addresses specified are longer.)
Mostly web development (that's where the market is): including frameworks like Symfony, Drupal, etc. which have large codebases. Using Netbeans (Java-based) to step through and debug that code. Running standard MySQL/Apache, etc.
Running virtual machines to simulate environments. Running MongoDB and Postfix for mail. Running unit tests. Running integration tests (like automated in-browser testing).
In addition, running standard productivity tools (email, office, etc.). Running light graphics tools (Inkscape, Gimp). Running a ton of browser windows and tabs including research and API documentation.
Speaking of which, what's a good CPU for a developer laptop (functioning as a desktop replacement)?
I was thinking I needed to have at least a Core i3 because it supports Intel Virtualization Extensions (VT-x). But then I read that VirtualBox doesn't really use hardware virtualization much. So even a Dual Core B940 should suffice, right?
Of course, in the day, we all had Pentium 4's, and today's processors are all many times faster than that.
(I'm not compiling C++ or even Java most of the time.)
Wait, but couldn't they put in an endowment instead of spending on coke?
Actually, come to think of it, how can schools have endowments then, if they can't put money in the bank? (The balance has to be $0 at the strike of midnight, New Years Eve.)
Well, I actually agree that it should be possible for one school to offer astronomy (if they have a telescope), and for another to offer archaeology.
The thing that I think got people going about this is: When you say "Florida", the first thing people think is "spring break, year round". So UF eliminating compsci leads them to think "they're playing into the stereotype". That's why I think people are reacting to this like they are (including alumni who want the school to known for academics and not just for being a Florida college experience.)
Europe and the US can't lecture 3rd world countries (and China) about democracy, openness, and freedom when they're cutting out all three.
What was really funny was the way the UK govt. wanted to shut down Facebook and Twitter because they thought that contributed to the recent riots. What's even more funny is how Iran's state news services called it an uprising, and not riots. Britain just lost all moral right to lecture anybody after that. (Of course, Iran had its own riots/uprising propelled by social media. Same thing.)
MS Office is for complete noobs who can't find their way around a menu?
Or for "jockeys"?
The point is that OpenOffice is OK for a huge number of businesses. Not 100%, but not 0% either.
Now moving on to some actual points regarding Excel/Calc: Excel beats Calc in number of functions.
Secondly, Excel has an easy-to-use macro language (Basic) and a nice recorder that gets you up to speed, plus a great editor that lets know which properties are available just by pressing the . key.
Calc has a very difficult Basic dialect. The recorder doesn't give you a leg up, it confuses you more by recording in weird UNO format. And it doesn't have Intellisense, so you're supposed to guess which objects and properties an object has.
See, I actually appreciate that, for some, the Ribbon might be more appropriate. That's great (for you).
If there were a competitive marketplace, every office program writing to a standard format (like OpenDocument format), some with ribbons, others with menus, others with vim keybindings, life would be awesome.
The reason people complain is that the Ribbon is forced upon them by some Program Manager in a monopolist's Office team.
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah, that's why it's also known as RHell.
Quite possibly so (it's not my field). Care to share?
Hey, there's a reason this guy is the Emperor. Thanks!
Remember when they used to teach that humans exhale co2, inhale oxygen? And plants "inhale" CO2, and release oxygen? Turns out they take in oxygen, too.
It used to be taught that environmental factors during an organism's lifetime (malnutrition, etc.) did not have an effect on the genetic heritage of offspring (you get a "clean slate" of DNA, so to speak). The opposing idea, that, e.g., giraffes are tall because their ancestors had to reach up to the tall leaves, and then they had long-necked kid giraffes was derided as Lamarckism.
But here we are with a study that says environmental factors can leave a genetic mark.
What's crazy strange is how computer makers assume all that people do all day is watch movies (widescreen at that!) all day.
Look at any laptop advertisement. They play up the movie-related features (black blacks! full HD!) On the one hand TV's are too small and yesterday for people to watch movies on, and on the other, people are going to watch on 14-15in screens?
And "full HD". Come on, you got 1080 by dropping 120 pixels off of 1200. It's not like they increased the size. It's annoying how they say "make use of your full screen size". So you've got a huge screen, but your movie takes up only a portion so you're going to lop off the part you're not using? People better hope that doesn't get applied to lone rangers driving a 5-person car. ("Use your full car capacity").
Maybe this is false remembrance, but it seems things worked better then.
A car update might have required a recall, but such problems were infrequent. Going forward, it seems they are going to be very frequent.
Reason being, the thinking will be "it's just software". Hardware gets tested till it works. Software gets tested (if at all) till it's time to ship.
Since "it's only software," it can always be updated. So there's not real discipline to get it right the first time.
Yeah, I get what you're saying. It's just an interesting thought experience to think what the limit of that would be.
And also how certain state governments might want to get around to banning violent video games (a perennial Slashdot topic), because they're charging for it.
Hey, speaking of which, anybody know how to boot to a vterm in Ubuntu?
Used to be you could do that in Redhat by going to a different runlevel. Not sure the recommended way for that in Ubuntu and friends.
(Also, anybody remember running "win" to start Windows from DOS and getting looks from the old-timers in the office when you started that new-fangled graphical thing?)
Where we had dumped carburetors for computer-controlled engines, but they didn't need to get updates, and those updates weren't wirelessly and remotely pushed?
Where we had dumped cathode ray tubes for flat, liquid crystal displays, but hadn't put the tubes back into TV by stuffing the Internet (and viruses) into them?
Where we had dumped both rotary and touch tone land line phones for cellular phones that could do most anything you'd want them to, and you carry it whereever you went, but you didn't have to have an antivirus running on the phone and didn't have to worry about your contact details being sent to Nigeria?
Wait, what's the limit of that argument?
When you write a book, you charge money for it, right? You're saying the 1st amendment only protects free flyers that you hand out?
And that Alabama could ban Black Entertainment Television because they're charging for it?
I know you're just being funny, but if they're eating the same thing (grass) all day, how can they get all amino acids from that, no matter how much they eat?
Oh, so if you're setting up a virtual machine (either for testing locally or for production on a VPS somewhere like Rackspace), even it's only a 1GB machine, it should be 64 bit? I'm assuming 512MB should be 32bit.
Speaking of 64 vs 32, anybody want to say anything about 64 or 32 being faster?
I.e., if you don't have > 2GB or > 4GB datasets, 32-bit is faster because it doesn't have the overhead? (I.e., 64bit is pushing more data around in every single machine instruction because the addresses specified are longer.)
Mostly web development (that's where the market is): including frameworks like Symfony, Drupal, etc. which have large codebases. Using Netbeans (Java-based) to step through and debug that code.
Running standard MySQL/Apache, etc.
Running virtual machines to simulate environments. Running MongoDB and Postfix for mail. Running unit tests. Running integration tests (like automated in-browser testing).
In addition, running standard productivity tools (email, office, etc.). Running light graphics tools (Inkscape, Gimp). Running a ton of browser windows and tabs including research and API documentation.
Yeah, I'm probably agreeing with you, too, bro.
Perhaps they should focus on being a party school. But some people (including alumni) didn't like that, and that's why they were complaining.
Speaking of which, what's a good CPU for a developer laptop (functioning as a desktop replacement)?
I was thinking I needed to have at least a Core i3 because it supports Intel Virtualization Extensions (VT-x). But then I read that VirtualBox doesn't really use hardware virtualization much. So even a Dual Core B940 should suffice, right?
Of course, in the day, we all had Pentium 4's, and today's processors are all many times faster than that.
(I'm not compiling C++ or even Java most of the time.)
Right, I know, I said that.
Then I went on to state why (some people) are reacting negatively to this (because it reinforces the idea of Florida colleges being party schools).
I'm not putting that idea forward, but I think some people think it.
You can't really refute that because it's about perceptions.
Wait, but couldn't they put in an endowment instead of spending on coke?
Actually, come to think of it, how can schools have endowments then, if they can't put money in the bank? (The balance has to be $0 at the strike of midnight, New Years Eve.)
Well, I actually agree that it should be possible for one school to offer astronomy (if they have a telescope), and for another to offer archaeology.
The thing that I think got people going about this is: When you say "Florida", the first thing people think is "spring break, year round". So UF eliminating compsci leads them to think "they're playing into the stereotype". That's why I think people are reacting to this like they are (including alumni who want the school to known for academics and not just for being a Florida college experience.)
But how do animals like elephants and cattle grow to such size eating (naturally) only what would seem to be a very unvaried diet?
>I also know vegans who let their dogs not eat meat. Idiots.
They let their dogs not eat meat. So they are giving permission to the dog to refrain from eating animal flesh?
Europe and the US can't lecture 3rd world countries (and China) about democracy, openness, and freedom when they're cutting out all three.
What was really funny was the way the UK govt. wanted to shut down Facebook and Twitter because they thought that contributed to the recent riots. What's even more funny is how Iran's state news services called it an uprising, and not riots. Britain just lost all moral right to lecture anybody after that. (Of course, Iran had its own riots/uprising propelled by social media. Same thing.)
Well, so what is it again?
MS Office is for complete noobs who can't find their way around a menu?
Or for "jockeys"?
The point is that OpenOffice is OK for a huge number of businesses. Not 100%, but not 0% either.
Now moving on to some actual points regarding Excel/Calc: Excel beats Calc in number of functions.
Secondly, Excel has an easy-to-use macro language (Basic) and a nice recorder that gets you up to speed, plus a great editor that lets know which properties are available just by pressing the . key.
Calc has a very difficult Basic dialect. The recorder doesn't give you a leg up, it confuses you more by recording in weird UNO format. And it doesn't have Intellisense, so you're supposed to guess which objects and properties an object has.
I can't say for sure now, but can't you do that with frames and the appropriate settings on other paragraphs' styles?
See, I actually appreciate that, for some, the Ribbon might be more appropriate. That's great (for you).
If there were a competitive marketplace, every office program writing to a standard format (like OpenDocument format), some with ribbons, others with menus, others with vim keybindings, life would be awesome.
The reason people complain is that the Ribbon is forced upon them by some Program Manager in a monopolist's Office team.