I've bought it on a tape called St Elmo's Fire and I believe you can still get the same tape here: www.firebirdarts.com. Worthwhile (well, if you like filk... one of my friends claims to be allergic to the stuff; no accounting for taste;-)
Work email gets about 3-5 pieces of spam a week, almost all semi-work related (notices of developers conferences, seminars, etc.)
I get very little spam at my 'real' address too... there are a few people who've mined official web pages or other locations where one does not get to choose whether one's address appears, though. I get some of that on two or three work-related mailing lists (sent to the list address itself), and the rest from the canonical Evil Toner-Supplies Freak (being single-minded, he is at least not real hard to filter; and since I can't think of anything else "nice" to say about this person I had better say nothing at all).
Actually most apps don't even break, either. Follow the rules and don't push the outside of the envelope, and who needs to recompile... It's just that users beg and plead and cajole for the hip new features supported by the new OS (like, color, and hey, who wouldn't) so you gotta add them and then recompile. (So you're still right that this is nothing new to Palm developers;-)
What I want to know is, why does my palm really need to be faster?
Mine doesn't need to be faster, but I reckon I could use a faster crosscompiler (I know, I know, here's a nickel to upgrade my old linux box).
What I want to know is (and I don't know bo diddly about ARM technology, except that it reminds me of Gil the ARM, so these are probably moronic questions)...
- how big will the heap be next year, and
- will I still have to mess around with these blasted code segments?
Yeah, Rogue is considered hard - you are kind of at the mercy of the Random Number Generator.
Ularn is quite winnable though (I have won it and I am a lousy and impatient roguelike player who never wins things.. ironic?), and is even being actively maintained again. As for all these newfangled games like Nethack and Angband, haven't played 'em yet, so can't comment.
Yep yep... any study with inexperienced users (in which the users are asked to verbalize their thoughts) is going to have a lot of quotes that seem funny, and make a naive reader think "Gosh what an idiot!" Well, (a) you-all should try verbalizing your thought process when you are faced with some strange new software - it's a bit harder than it looks (and you will say a lot of funny things too! heh..) - and (b) a non-naive reader will be thinking "Gosh the designer assumed some things about The User that turn out to be completely wrong" (and, just like when optimizing performance, the "bad" parts are not always where you expect). Neither the user nor the designer are idiots but they're very often operating on totally different wavelengths. Thus - the need for studies.
2) _Everyone_ is an asshole on forums, not just linux users.
True, perhaps, but (not to sound like anyone's mom) just because "everyone is doing it" is no excuse for us to do it.
Linux users are in the minority: all the more reason for us to strive to behave with civility - to counteract, not reinforce, the unconscious "being different is bad" attitude of the majority.
Linux users are [in the habit of thinking of themselves as] more intelligent than the average person: all the more reason to treat the average person with dignity and thoughtfulness - whether he seems to deserve it or not, because this actually is the best way to demonstrate one's [self-perceived] superiority.
There is a certain primitive allure to treating people like dirt to demonstrate that "no one can make me play nice". But it is a far greater display of autocratic power to voluntarily treat people well. (Yes, it's a strange sensation at first. I recommend that anyone trying it out for the first time should occasionally mutter "I could crush you like a BUG" to avoid becoming dizzy.)
Frankly, I am surprised that 8.2% percent of all open source programmers are female. For example, a quick look thru/usr/src/linux/MAINTAINERS seemed to show that 2 of about 200 official linux maintainers are female (give or take 1 in case I interpreted some names wrong).
To make a sweeping generalization, I would expect to see fewer women in OS-level projects than in higher-level projects (based solely on extrapolation from population of a few undergraduate courses several years ago). Therefore, I would expect that 1% (2/200) to be a lower bound on the overall distribution of women in open source.
I know, I know, it's not really open source unless it's an operating system.;-)
I got the impression that linux is used because it's free (important with thousands of licenses), it's reliable, and
they found it a good platform for the searching backend software.
There was a googletalk at CMU just this month where someone asked this question, and the answer
confirmed your impression "it's free and it works", plus the speaker also mentioned "and you can fix problems yourself" (yay open source), which they have done at least once and submitted a patch for I forget what (and I think he said that it was not a beautiful enough patch to be accepted, but I mention it anyway lest anyone think that they are not "good citizens").
Second thing patches you receive under the GPL, are also GPL and thus NOT owned by you,
It's not because they're GPL that they're not owned by you. What you meant to say, maybe, was more like this:
Patches that you receive (whether the software was distributed under GPL, BSD license, public domain, etc) are owned by the author of the patch, unless he/she transfers that copyright to you or places the patch in the public domain.
It's possible (and some would say advisable, for various non-evil reasons) for you to say "I will accept patches to my GPLish software only if you agree to transfer copyright of the patch or put it in the public domain."
Scott Adams gets plenty of great ideas for Dilbert by reading his email, and the same is probably possible for songs.
Actually some[1] song writers, fiction authors, etc., don't like to be sent ideas either of the form "here's an idea for you to write about" or "here's something I wrote because I am such a fan of yours, is it any good".
Usually they say "this is for Legal Reasons" but I suspect it is at least partly because of Sturgeon's Law.
[1] For song writers, the most familiar example I can find is the Weird Al FAQ.
if most of the softwares written were released through the GPL, it would pay a lot for a single programmer to released it through a private license.
Are we talking about a piece of software for consumption by a normal user? I'm not sure how it would pay a lot. A normal user, outside the world of game theory, does not sit around and say "Before the Revolution, I spent $400 a year to buy the 10 best computer games of the year, which cost around $40 apiece and were equally good. These days, 9 of the 10 best games each year are nearly free, and the 10th, which is equally good, costs $400. This is within my budget, therefore I will buy it." In reality the 10th Game Company would be lucky to move stock for $20 apiece once people are no longer used to shelling out the dough, unless it is really amazing software, in which case it will immediately become warez.
A "heavy duty for freezer/barbeque" aluminum foil beret will block 97% of the mind control rays that cause American consumers to use cell phones. Remember, don't use the cheap stuff, or for the rest of your unfortunate existence you'll be jumping to obey our alien so-called masters at the sound of the first nine notes of Fur Elise (and that's if you're lucky).
Have you heard the theory that to learn something you should do it in little bits and not stay up all night working on it? If that were true, there would be no computer games
Nahh, if that were untrue, I would remember how to play gin rummy, having allegedly learned the game no less than three times at kiddie sleepover parties.
I would like to make some sweeping generalizations of my own. Computer games, unlike Latin grammar or matrix algebra, are intended for people who stay up all night and, indeed, for people who don't want to waste time reading a book of instructions (if only VCRs were too, what a lovely world it would be). It would be odd indeed, then, if it were not possible for a person of such habits to "learn" a computer game.
Re:Am I the only geek who doesn't like Tolkien?
on
Lord of the Geeks
·
· Score: 1
This is the best post I've read today*! The thought of twee little Nazgul, perhaps holding hands with Wormtongue and Saruman, and prancing about a fairy ring while singing reedily about the innocent and childish joys of Evil Corporate Power, is bound to be good for a whole weekend of amusement.
* Though I'm compelled to admit that there's not a single word in it that I agree with.
I'm right-handed and on my primary work computer I use my left hand for the mouse. Why? Because I distrust mice. If one of my wrists is going to fail due to mousing, I can more easily do without my left hand.
Being somewhat consistent in paranoia, I don't think I'd switch to a one-handed keyboard until after I see what happens to people who overuse 'em for a decade or so.;-)
the plot can't be spoiled since I know it already!
Or at least we'd better know it already. If the movie trilogy ends with Frodo successfully claiming the ring and, I dunno, going on to found a famous software company or something, I for one will be fairly ticked.
Slashdot Mirror
Agreed. (author's page is here)
Not on record anywhere as far as I know.
I've bought it on a tape called St Elmo's Fire and I believe you can still get the same tape here: www.firebirdarts.com. Worthwhile (well, if you like filk... one of my friends claims to be allergic to the stuff; no accounting for taste ;-)
That would explain http://www.jeffjetton.com/tricorder/
I get very little spam at my 'real' address too... there are a few people who've mined official web pages or other locations where one does not get to choose whether one's address appears, though. I get some of that on two or three work-related mailing lists (sent to the list address itself), and the rest from the canonical Evil Toner-Supplies Freak (being single-minded, he is at least not real hard to filter; and since I can't think of anything else "nice" to say about this person I had better say nothing at all).
Actually most apps don't even break, either. Follow the rules and don't push the outside of the envelope, and who needs to recompile... It's just that users beg and plead and cajole for the hip new features supported by the new OS (like, color, and hey, who wouldn't) so you gotta add them and then recompile. (So you're still right that this is nothing new to Palm developers ;-)
I'm confused. I already program for my Palm in the environment I know and love: emacs+gcc+gdb on a linux desktop.
Mine doesn't need to be faster, but I reckon I could use a faster crosscompiler (I know, I know, here's a nickel to upgrade my old linux box).
What I want to know is (and I don't know bo diddly about ARM technology, except that it reminds me of Gil the ARM, so these are probably moronic questions)...
- how big will the heap be next year, and
- will I still have to mess around with these blasted code segments?
Ularn is quite winnable though (I have won it and I am a lousy and impatient roguelike player who never wins things.. ironic?), and is even being actively maintained again. As for all these newfangled games like Nethack and Angband, haven't played 'em yet, so can't comment.
Try the InvisiClues (probably the Heart Of Gold section) which are conveniently available at the bottom of:t ml
http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pete/Infocom/hitchhikers.h
Agreed, I have a floppy collection but would much rather have CD. Hmm.. if enough of us asked nicely, would They "reprint" it?
(And I still have fond thoughts of HHGTTG every time I pull a wad of fluff out of my pockets...)
Yep yep... any study with inexperienced users (in which the users are asked to verbalize their thoughts) is going to have a lot of quotes that seem funny, and make a naive reader think "Gosh what an idiot!" Well, (a) you-all should try verbalizing your thought process when you are faced with some strange new software - it's a bit harder than it looks (and you will say a lot of funny things too! heh..) - and (b) a non-naive reader will be thinking "Gosh the designer assumed some things about The User that turn out to be completely wrong" (and, just like when optimizing performance, the "bad" parts are not always where you expect). Neither the user nor the designer are idiots but they're very often operating on totally different wavelengths. Thus - the need for studies.
Worm Wedges Windows Wankers?
True, perhaps, but (not to sound like anyone's mom) just because "everyone is doing it" is no excuse for us to do it.
Linux users are in the minority: all the more reason for us to strive to behave with civility - to counteract, not reinforce, the unconscious "being different is bad" attitude of the majority.
Linux users are [in the habit of thinking of themselves as] more intelligent than the average person: all the more reason to treat the average person with dignity and thoughtfulness - whether he seems to deserve it or not, because this actually is the best way to demonstrate one's [self-perceived] superiority.
There is a certain primitive allure to treating people like dirt to demonstrate that "no one can make me play nice". But it is a far greater display of autocratic power to voluntarily treat people well. (Yes, it's a strange sensation at first. I recommend that anyone trying it out for the first time should occasionally mutter "I could crush you like a BUG" to avoid becoming dizzy.)
To make a sweeping generalization, I would expect to see fewer women in OS-level projects than in higher-level projects (based solely on extrapolation from population of a few undergraduate courses several years ago). Therefore, I would expect that 1% (2/200) to be a lower bound on the overall distribution of women in open source.
I know, I know, it's not really open source unless it's an operating system. ;-)
So it wasn't the complete cock up that we all thought it was.
News flash! Slashdot (retroactively) gives someone the benefit of the doubt! Gif at 11.
There was a googletalk at CMU just this month where someone asked this question, and the answer confirmed your impression "it's free and it works", plus the speaker also mentioned "and you can fix problems yourself" (yay open source), which they have done at least once and submitted a patch for I forget what (and I think he said that it was not a beautiful enough patch to be accepted, but I mention it anyway lest anyone think that they are not "good citizens").
No one's mentioned the most important reason to favor Linux over PalmOS, which is of course, nethack.
It's not because they're GPL that they're not owned by you. What you meant to say, maybe, was more like this:
Patches that you receive (whether the software was distributed under GPL, BSD license, public domain, etc) are owned by the author of the patch, unless he/she transfers that copyright to you or places the patch in the public domain.
It's possible (and some would say advisable, for various non-evil reasons) for you to say "I will accept patches to my GPLish software only if you agree to transfer copyright of the patch or put it in the public domain."
Actually some[1] song writers, fiction authors, etc., don't like to be sent ideas either of the form "here's an idea for you to write about" or "here's something I wrote because I am such a fan of yours, is it any good".
Usually they say "this is for Legal Reasons" but I suspect it is at least partly because of Sturgeon's Law.
[1] For song writers, the most familiar example I can find is the Weird Al FAQ.
Are we talking about a piece of software for consumption by a normal user? I'm not sure how it would pay a lot. A normal user, outside the world of game theory, does not sit around and say "Before the Revolution, I spent $400 a year to buy the 10 best computer games of the year, which cost around $40 apiece and were equally good. These days, 9 of the 10 best games each year are nearly free, and the 10th, which is equally good, costs $400. This is within my budget, therefore I will buy it." In reality the 10th Game Company would be lucky to move stock for $20 apiece once people are no longer used to shelling out the dough, unless it is really amazing software, in which case it will immediately become warez.
A "heavy duty for freezer/barbeque" aluminum foil beret will block 97% of the mind control rays that cause American consumers to use cell phones. Remember, don't use the cheap stuff, or for the rest of your unfortunate existence you'll be jumping to obey our alien so-called masters at the sound of the first nine notes of Fur Elise (and that's if you're lucky).
Nahh, if that were untrue, I would remember how to play gin rummy, having allegedly learned the game no less than three times at kiddie sleepover parties.
I would like to make some sweeping generalizations of my own. Computer games, unlike Latin grammar or matrix algebra, are intended for people who stay up all night and, indeed, for people who don't want to waste time reading a book of instructions (if only VCRs were too, what a lovely world it would be). It would be odd indeed, then, if it were not possible for a person of such habits to "learn" a computer game.
This is the best post I've read today*! The thought of twee little Nazgul, perhaps holding hands with Wormtongue and Saruman, and prancing about a fairy ring while singing reedily about the innocent and childish joys of Evil Corporate Power, is bound to be good for a whole weekend of amusement. * Though I'm compelled to admit that there's not a single word in it that I agree with.
Microsoft bio-labs isolate the [license] virus that causes [software] cancer!
Being somewhat consistent in paranoia, I don't think I'd switch to a one-handed keyboard until after I see what happens to people who overuse 'em for a decade or so. ;-)
Or at least we'd better know it already. If the movie trilogy ends with Frodo successfully claiming the ring and, I dunno, going on to found a famous software company or something, I for one will be fairly ticked.