Dave King, NASA's shuttle processing manager at Kennedy, said the pin is a common tool used on the launch pad by technicians to temporarily lock handrails and portable access platforms into place. Workers are required to keep a log of their hand tool use, leaving a record that safety personnel will audit.
Details are incredibly important. I really enjoyed being able to open drawers and look at strange objects in Myst and Riven. This goes hand-in-hand with giving at least some of other characters a non-trivial amount of depth, even if they only appear occasionally or in animations. Little bits and pieces of info about the other people, your own character, your enemies (if applicable), etc. are very important.
"This arguably makes Dr. Hunkapiller one of the most important men in the world, since his company controls most of the machinery that makes such mapping possible. It's hard to argue that Gates, for all his billions, will have a fraction of his influence. Cornering the code of the human genome is the kind of monopoly that makes Gates look like a street-corner vendor."
This is point where the whole comparison breaks down. Hunkapillar isn't a corporate man; he's a scientist. Gates wants power and influence, and Hunkapillar wants knowlege. It's a different quest. In fact, check out this quote from a Fox News article (Venter is Hunkapillar's business partner):
"Venter says it's not a gene monopoly he's after, but information. In fact, he plans to publish all the company's findings on the genome. By immediately publishing their work, Venter and colleagues intend to make the base knowledge of the human genome unpatentable."
So, they're trying to open source the human genome, not embrace and extend it! This represents a totally different mindset, and simply cannot be compared to Gates' capitalist obsessions.
So, I'm confused. If I use Earthlink, and I send e-mail to a pal that doesn't use Earthlink but their provider permits Carnivore... doesn't this really boil down to very little, even if Earthlink bans Carnivore?
This is actually an old idea. There are pages up on making Napster "bombs" where you record the first half of the song, then put white noise or a message like "Stealing music is wrong!" recorded over and over for the remainder of the time.
These are actually quite a bit more clever, as the downloader won't know that the song is bogus until they've spent the time downloading and listening to the first 45 seconds.
The obvious solution to this is to hire a woman as your head of i/s, and send her to the conferences. Even a lesbian is smart enough to avoid scamming.:-P
After spending months reading him and honestly trying to figure out where this guy is comming from, I have finally figured out John Katz. He is a troll. So, rather than staying here and arguing, which is pointless, I'm skipping.
Actually, building an app, THEN documenting it would be optimal, in my opinion. Most commercial documentation is written long before code is solidified as it takes much longer to print a book than to press a cd, and work is always done right up to the deadline. Often, the tech writer is pulling info from static screen shots, which may or may not have anything to do with the finished product, hence the general crapitude of most user manuals.
On the contrary. If the GPL is struck down, and people still have their act together, the GPL will adjust, heal and evolve into something better and stronger. A test is a great opportunity to see if something is broken, and then fix it if it is.
Well, you can trademark a four-letter-word...why not an acronym? What's the real difference between "Peta" and "Nike"? If I say either of them out loud to you, you'll know what I'm talking about, despite the fact that one word is technically an acronym. If I created a company called North Indian Kite Exclusives, does that give me the right to print NIKE on all my letterhead?
Info on how to contact Peta is here . You can click on "E-Mail Peta", even though it looks like you can't.
BTW, I had a classmate who was a Peta member. I'll give you that she and her friends were pretty book smart, but no "logical, rational argument" was going to go anywhere with her. The fervor displayed was more like that at a fundamentalist revival, rather than folx who had come to a conclusion and were ready to defend themselves on an intellectual level. Not that I'm saying not to write (I did), or that you should flame and swear, but keep in mind that you're not dealing with a philisophical issue that people can be easily swayed on.
One of the really great thing about Legos is that you can make modules. So, I'm going to install a lego panel on the dash of my car. I can make a portable mp3 player module, a flatscreen (or possibly front projection) module, a camera module (car cam!)...etc. When I want any given item in the car, I can just take it out there and attatch it to my base! Power is problem, you say? Battery modules! I'll bet I could even rig a recharger from the cigarette lighter.
(Yeah, I know I could just use Velcro and ducky-tape, but this is so much cooler.)
Have the *service* screen the songs they post. Like a library opening all the books they get and making sure the pages inside match the cover. Don't make it so that any user can post anything.
I know, I know...then you've got censorship issues, and what if the screener doesn't know the song, etc...but it can be done.
True, the person who chooses to download music that is obvously under copyright is at fault. HOWEVER, Napster is designed in such a way that it almost encourages this. I don't think its totally unreasonable to modify the tool so that it is less easily abused.
>>This could actually make a big difference as far as cleanliness is concerned.
Well, except that humans would still be maintaining and cleaning the machine, not to mention supplying it with raw burger or batter or whatever. The whole process isn't totally automated; someone who wanted to put nasty stuff in your food could still easily do so. Also, if they were just lame about not cleaning it, I'm sure the machine itself could get pretty yucky.
Ok, ok. I agree that all the scientific info should be released. However, there are perfectly good reasons (or at least reasons) why its not.
Let's start with the data output. First off, it needs to be parsed by some massive program when it comes off the satelite. In the format that it arrives in, it is not normally viewable. Ok, so you say 1) give everyone the parser or 2) release as soon as parsed. Right. Well, its not that simple.
Yes, MSSS is an independent contractor, but they work for our govenment, and as such, there are certain laws they have to abide by or risk prosecution. Please note that I said *laws*, not guidelines or any other softer, fuzzier word. Some of these laws fall under the category of export control. Basically, export control laws govern what stuff, *including information*, can leave the country. Lean back in your chair and think about that one for a minute. Naturally, any information that is going to be posted on the web and is viewable anywhere is subject to these laws.
Now, in order for an American company to work with (share data with) a company based in a foreign country, they have to get a permit that specifies only certain types of info in certain, pre-defined circumstances can be shared. The company I work for has at least one of these at this time. All of our employees are required to take export control training. Its not a joke to the company; its a really big deal. Companies can be fined for violations (read: loads of money, even for a large company) and the permit can be taken away, there by making it impossible to work with the foreign company, there by killing your business.
So, how does this relate to the Mars probe pictures? Well, how do _we_ know what's comming down the satelite feed? In case you were wondering, NASA and official weather satelites (etc.) are not the only things that get launched into space and gather data. They're just the one's you get to hear about publicly. (Anyone who lives near the launch pads in Florida can tell you that.) And the outputs that you see from existing publicised satelites may not be the only things being returned by them.
Now, I'm not trying to say that the FBI has three cameras on the mars probe and they're secretly filming the alien breeding grounds there. Nor am I saying that I necissarily agree with this process. What I'm saying is that some of the stuff comming back could be deemed as "classified" for whatever reason, and MSSS can't publish until the public material is separated from the non-public material. I'm guessing that they waited to release it all in one hunk because trickling the info wasn't deemed practical as they figured the folx looking at it would need it all in one big piece, they had to go through some approval process, etc.
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, it'll only cost $1,500 according to C|Net.
It's a decent article. Check it out.
Why is an AIBO k3wl3r than a real dog?
It won't freak out my cats.
From a news clip:
Dave King, NASA's shuttle processing manager at Kennedy, said the pin is a common tool used on the launch pad by technicians to temporarily lock handrails and portable access platforms into place. Workers are required to keep a log of their hand tool use, leaving a record that safety personnel will audit.
Details are incredibly important. I really enjoyed being able to open drawers and look at strange objects in Myst and Riven. This goes hand-in-hand with giving at least some of other characters a non-trivial amount of depth, even if they only appear occasionally or in animations. Little bits and pieces of info about the other people, your own character, your enemies (if applicable), etc. are very important.
Qouth Mr. Katz:
"This arguably makes Dr. Hunkapiller one of the most important men in the world, since his company controls most of the machinery that makes such mapping possible. It's hard to argue that Gates, for all his billions, will have a fraction of his influence. Cornering the code of the human genome is the kind of monopoly that makes Gates look like a street-corner vendor."
This is point where the whole comparison breaks down. Hunkapillar isn't a corporate man; he's a scientist. Gates wants power and influence, and Hunkapillar wants knowlege. It's a different quest. In fact, check out this quote from a Fox News article (Venter is Hunkapillar's business partner):
"Venter says it's not a gene monopoly he's after, but information. In fact, he plans to publish all the company's findings on the genome. By immediately publishing their work, Venter and colleagues intend to make the base knowledge of the human genome unpatentable."
So, they're trying to open source the human genome, not embrace and extend it! This represents a totally different mindset, and simply cannot be compared to Gates' capitalist obsessions.
For those of you who have no clue who Robert Patrick is (myself included), here are some links to some pics and info on him.
A fan page. Lots of pics here.
In the imdb.
A basic bio.
NASA has done loads of studies on radiation and astronauts.
There's a really good write-up of it here.
So, I'm confused. If I use Earthlink, and I send e-mail to a pal that doesn't use Earthlink but their provider permits Carnivore... doesn't this really boil down to very little, even if Earthlink bans Carnivore?
This is actually an old idea. There are pages up on making Napster "bombs" where you record the first half of the song, then put white noise or a message like "Stealing music is wrong!" recorded over and over for the remainder of the time.
These are actually quite a bit more clever, as the downloader won't know that the song is bogus until they've spent the time downloading and listening to the first 45 seconds.
Hi, gnarphy.
The obvious solution to this is to hire a woman as your head of i/s, and send her to the conferences. Even a lesbian is smart enough to avoid scamming. :-P
After spending months reading him and honestly trying to figure out where this guy is comming from, I have finally figured out John Katz. He is a troll. So, rather than staying here and arguing, which is pointless, I'm skipping.
In the terms of Usenet,
<plonk>
Actually, building an app, THEN documenting it would be optimal, in my opinion. Most commercial documentation is written long before code is solidified as it takes much longer to print a book than to press a cd, and work is always done right up to the deadline. Often, the tech writer is pulling info from static screen shots, which may or may not have anything to do with the finished product, hence the general crapitude of most user manuals.
On the contrary. If the GPL is struck down, and people still have their act together, the GPL will adjust, heal and evolve into something better and stronger. A test is a great opportunity to see if something is broken, and then fix it if it is.
:-P A write-up is here.
Wierd...I can still get to them just fine.
I have the mp3's downloaded. Want me to mail them to you? I'll give them to anyone who wants to mirror.
I like 'em. Reminds me a lot of tribal drumming. There are a couple pieces on The Big Bang that are sort of similar.
All these music references...and here I was thinking they were selling a Visual aid.
Well, you can trademark a four-letter-word...why not an acronym? What's the real difference between "Peta" and "Nike"? If I say either of them out loud to you, you'll know what I'm talking about, despite the fact that one word is technically an acronym. If I created a company called North Indian Kite Exclusives, does that give me the right to print NIKE on all my letterhead?
BTW, I had a classmate who was a Peta member. I'll give you that she and her friends were pretty book smart, but no "logical, rational argument" was going to go anywhere with her. The fervor displayed was more like that at a fundamentalist revival, rather than folx who had come to a conclusion and were ready to defend themselves on an intellectual level. Not that I'm saying not to write (I did), or that you should flame and swear, but keep in mind that you're not dealing with a philisophical issue that people can be easily swayed on.
One of the really great thing about Legos is that you can make modules. So, I'm going to install a lego panel
on the dash of my car. I can make a portable mp3 player module, a flatscreen (or possibly front projection)
module, a camera module (car cam!)...etc. When I want any given item in the car, I can just take it out there and
attatch it to my base! Power is problem, you say? Battery modules! I'll bet I could even rig a recharger from
the cigarette lighter.
(Yeah, I know I could just use Velcro and ducky-tape, but this is so much cooler.)
Moderate the above down please!
If anyone hasn't read the article, they should damn well go back and do so before posting.
Easy.
Have the *service* screen the songs they post. Like a library opening all the books they get and making sure the pages inside match the cover. Don't make it so that any user can post anything.
I know, I know...then you've got censorship issues, and what if the screener doesn't know the song, etc...but it can be done.
True, the person who chooses to download music that is obvously under copyright is at fault. HOWEVER, Napster is designed in such a way that it almost encourages this. I don't think its totally unreasonable to modify the tool so that it is less easily abused.
Well, except that humans would still be maintaining and cleaning the machine, not to mention supplying it with raw burger or batter or whatever. The whole process isn't totally automated; someone who wanted to put nasty stuff in your food could still easily do so. Also, if they were just lame about not cleaning it, I'm sure the machine itself could get pretty yucky.
**cough** (stinkymeat) **cough**
Ok, ok. I agree that all the scientific info should be released. However, there are perfectly good reasons (or at least reasons) why its not.
Let's start with the data output. First off, it needs to be parsed by some massive program when it comes off the satelite. In the format that it arrives in, it is not normally viewable. Ok, so you say 1) give everyone the parser or 2) release as soon as parsed. Right. Well, its not that simple.
Yes, MSSS is an independent contractor, but they work for our govenment, and as such, there are certain laws they have to abide by or risk prosecution. Please note that I said *laws*, not guidelines or any other softer, fuzzier word. Some of these laws fall under the category of export control. Basically, export control laws govern what stuff, *including information*, can leave the country. Lean back in your chair and think about that one for a minute. Naturally, any information that is going to be posted on the web and is viewable anywhere is subject to these laws.
Now, in order for an American company to work with (share data with) a company based in a foreign country, they have to get a permit that specifies only certain types of info in certain, pre-defined circumstances can be shared. The company I work for has at least one of these at this time. All of our employees are required to take export control training. Its not a joke to the company; its a really big deal. Companies can be fined for violations (read: loads of money, even for a large company) and the permit can be taken away, there by making it impossible to work with the foreign company, there by killing your business.
So, how does this relate to the Mars probe pictures? Well, how do _we_ know what's comming down the satelite feed? In case you were wondering, NASA and official weather satelites (etc.) are not the only things that get launched into space and gather data. They're just the one's you get to hear about publicly. (Anyone who lives near the launch pads in Florida can tell you that.) And the outputs that you see from existing publicised satelites may not be the only things being returned by them.
Now, I'm not trying to say that the FBI has three cameras on the mars probe and they're secretly filming the alien breeding grounds there. Nor am I saying that I necissarily agree with this process. What I'm saying is that some of the stuff comming back could be deemed as "classified" for whatever reason, and MSSS can't publish until the public material is separated from the non-public material. I'm guessing that they waited to release it all in one hunk because trickling the info wasn't deemed practical as they figured the folx looking at it would need it all in one big piece, they had to go through some approval process, etc.
Food for thought.