Frankly, I can't believe how quickly intelligent people want to go down this stem cell road.
There's a reason for this. Intelligent people understand the issues involved.
Did you see Gattaca and say "I want a society like that!".
No, I saw Gattacca and decided I would not like to live that way. What this has to do with stem cell research is beyond be. This has more to do with genetic modification of human embryos which are carried to term.
Don't you want to take a small step back and look at the ethical ramifications of using stem cells, with their own distinct DNA, as fodder for whatever experiments we want to conduct? Don't you realize this is not an end, but a beginning of some huge ethical situations?
There's nothing mystical about embryo stemcell DNA. It comes from the parents. They get thrown away by the thousands everyday. It's not much different from a menstrual cycle, or when you ejaculate and expunge several million sperm cells in one sitting.
Indeed, you're correct that this is the beginnings of a huge period of ethical uncertainty. This is due to emerging technologies which pose brand new ethical questions. I don't think we should ignore these questions, but talk about them. Only when we openly discuss ethical probelms do we come up with solutions. Out of these discussions we should be able to come up with ways in which we can continue life-saving medical research without making our society a miserable dangerous place to live.
Finally IBM puts it's money in something other than advertisements for linux.
When IBM announced they were to spend $1B on advertising this year I cringed a little. That money could have been used paying developers to develop free software they really like full time. Glad to see some of it is going to a good cause.
you know what? This discussion is really old (800+ comments) but i'll contribute to it anyway.
RMS and GNU have been working since 1984 to get a complete unix-like OS out. It's true they've done a lot of work... But why O why can't they get the damn kernel out the door?
They've had a complete OS minus the kernel for years and years now and still NO KERNEL. Either their coding abilities and contributions don't ammount to much, or more likely, they don't know what they should be spending their time on.
If they just got their kenrel out the door, they could stop harping on linux and get on with whatever it is they want to do after they're done.
Actually, this really makes you think. They belittle the linux kernel all the time (eg here) yet in 10 years they still haven't been able to release something nearly as functional.
oooh. sorry. What the hell man. I like it that/. posts this because it's the only site I visit for this kind of news. I'm sorry if you don't run linux, but most who do like to be told there's a new kernel to go grab. What, like the other stories on the front page right now are that great? Give me a break.
Yes,/. is linux-centric. Yes I run linux and I like it. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be my start page.
The point is that under the DMCA anyone who makes or uses programs to burn those CD's can be thrown in jail just like dimitri Sklyarov. Traffic of a copyright circumvention device etc. blah blah blah.
They just want to get the law in place to trample over fair use, so that when they finally have the technology to keep your fair use away, you're fucked already.
If it was about monopolies magnifying the seriosness of attacks, then apache worms would surely be more widespread and do more damage. Apache is the dominant webserver, not iis.
alas, this seems to prove it's a combination of shoddy software and incompetent admins.
I agree, I've thought of this before.
The way gnome and kde are built, they could be completely transormed into specialized environments for certain tasks with a little work.
For PC's which are mostly used for a certain type of task, this would be nice. You could have a special D.E. for gaming machines (flashy openGL stuff, games, tools etc.) or one for DV stuff etc. Just like PC's that only get used for taking menu orders at restaurants have a specialized environment.
Oh, come on:)
Are you saying that Dreamworks is who they are because they have some custom linux software?
nah, they shouldn't fear that. Their competition already has tools.
Instead of dismissing the idea, it's an interesting consideration that even competitors could collaborate on shared tools.
The article never once mentions whether dreamworks is releasing any of the software they write. They don't 'get it'.
All their code should be released under the GPL so that other artists and animators could start enjoying linux too. If only they did this, the post by the A.C. about lack of availability of linux software would be sorted.
someone wrote: Why is Homer Simpson submitting articles about IBM breakthroughs? He works for Intel.
Anonymous coward answers: No, Homer Simpson was the CEO of Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net but his company was bought out by Bill Gates which makes Homer an employee of Microsoft, not Intel.
..actually, you've just reminded me of a book I read a while ago. It's called the Darwin wars or something.
Part of it, describes a true story of a famous mathematician who spends years working on the concept of altruism. In the end, he thinks he has proven that it's impossible for altruism to exist and kills himself.
I think we should agree that none of us really understands altruism at this point, especially with all the confusion that results when you try to define it's meaning and prove its existance, and just agree not to use it in our arguements.
Maybe that was off-topic. If so, mod it down:) screw it, I don't care.
well, after reading their BB I don't understand. They are trying to argue with visitors to the site how they can make their stuff GPL compliant. Why did they not email FSF or RMS himself? I'm sure they would get a clearer, more meaningful response that way.
Slashdot Mirror
Frankly, I can't believe how quickly intelligent people want to go down this stem cell road.
There's a reason for this. Intelligent people understand the issues involved.
Did you see Gattaca and say "I want a society like that!".
No, I saw Gattacca and decided I would not like to live that way. What this has to do with stem cell research is beyond be. This has more to do with genetic modification of human embryos which are carried to term.
Don't you want to take a small step back and look at the ethical ramifications of using stem cells, with their own distinct DNA, as fodder for whatever experiments we want to conduct? Don't you realize this is not an end, but a beginning of some huge ethical situations?
There's nothing mystical about embryo stemcell DNA. It comes from the parents. They get thrown away by the thousands everyday. It's not much different from a menstrual cycle, or when you ejaculate and expunge several million sperm cells in one sitting.
Indeed, you're correct that this is the beginnings of a huge period of ethical uncertainty. This is due to emerging technologies which pose brand new ethical questions. I don't think we should ignore these questions, but talk about them. Only when we openly discuss ethical probelms do we come up with solutions. Out of these discussions we should be able to come up with ways in which we can continue life-saving medical research without making our society a miserable dangerous place to live.
When IBM announced they were to spend $1B on advertising this year I cringed a little. That money could have been used paying developers to develop free software they really like full time. Glad to see some of it is going to a good cause.
If linux is this piss easy to install and configure that joe shmoe can do it, why would dell and IBM have to throw so much money at it?
RMS and GNU have been working since 1984 to get a complete unix-like OS out. It's true they've done a lot of work... But why O why can't they get the damn kernel out the door?
They've had a complete OS minus the kernel for years and years now and still NO KERNEL. Either their coding abilities and contributions don't ammount to much, or more likely, they don't know what they should be spending their time on.
If they just got their kenrel out the door, they could stop harping on linux and get on with whatever it is they want to do after they're done.
Actually, this really makes you think. They belittle the linux kernel all the time (eg here) yet in 10 years they still haven't been able to release something nearly as functional.
(And watch as I am moderated to -1 for this comment)
I put this through babelfish and it spat out:
Please please please mod me up to +5!
have you even done a mdk install? you don't have to go through any of that if you don't want to.
or maybe you just couldn't figure out how to install mkd?
Shit. Maybe you can buy just the case and do the rest yourself?
Yes, /. is linux-centric. Yes I run linux and I like it.
If it wasn't, it wouldn't be my start page.
nice!
Yeah. Silly question.
List of things which are used to pirate DVDs:
List of things which 'could' be used to pirate DVD's:
See the difference?
They just want to get the law in place to trample over fair use, so that when they finally have the technology to keep your fair use away, you're fucked already.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
Maybe GNOME is superiour in usability-testing, but KDE is superiour in usability!
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
The way gnome and kde are built, they could be completely transormed into specialized environments for certain tasks with a little work.
For PC's which are mostly used for a certain type of task, this would be nice. You could have a special D.E. for gaming machines (flashy openGL stuff, games, tools etc.) or one for DV stuff etc. Just like PC's that only get used for taking menu orders at restaurants have a specialized environment.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
Are you saying that Dreamworks is who they are because they have some custom linux software?
nah, they shouldn't fear that. Their competition already has tools.
Instead of dismissing the idea, it's an interesting consideration that even competitors could collaborate on shared tools.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
All their code should be released under the GPL so that other artists and animators could start enjoying linux too. If only they did this, the post by the A.C. about lack of availability of linux software would be sorted.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
Anonymous coward answers: No, Homer Simpson was the CEO of Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net but his company was bought out by Bill Gates which makes Homer an employee of Microsoft, not Intel.
Not the way M$ does buisness :)
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
..actually, you've just reminded me of a book I read a while ago. It's called the Darwin wars or something.
Part of it, describes a true story of a famous mathematician who spends years working on the concept of altruism. In the end, he thinks he has proven that it's impossible for altruism to exist and kills himself.
I think we should agree that none of us really understands altruism at this point, especially with all the confusion that results when you try to define it's meaning and prove its existance, and just agree not to use it in our arguements.
Maybe that was off-topic. If so, mod it down :) screw it, I don't care.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
Now THATS a ghetto company. I bet they don't contribute to that either.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.