"Whoever wrote this doesn't know a thing about Kurt Vonnegut!"
I've really enjoyed EST and DAOITMK, and I'm looking forward to your latest. In my opinion, the cover art alone should be enough to move physical instances of it.
I eagerly downloaded the installer, only to discover it does not work on iPods that have been formatted with FAT.
That's a pity. I deliberately chose to format my iPod as a FAT drive since that would allow me to use it with all the OS'es I currently use (Linux, OS X, and Win32) -- I imagine many other nerds have done the same for just that reason.
I don't remember seeing this restriction mentioned on the requirements pages, but maybe I missed it... If you have a FAT-formatted iPod, don't even bother downloading the installer at this point.
I would almost rather see the edited version. Netflix has sent me the unedited versions of everything I've asked for... As much as I like Jennifer Connelly without clothes, Requiem for a Dream was a lot less sexy than I imagined such a scenario could be.
I was pissed with Hollywood Video when I discovered the only version of Y Tu Mama Tambien (sorry about the lack of accent marks) was the expurgated one. Not that they care, but that was the last time I was ever in their store.
No, they actually mean iTunes, which has a little text box for searching. As you type, the available songs are filtered to match your text. According to some sources, the iTunes search feature was the inspiration for Spotlight.
It's funny to watch Microsoft claim that their OS will be better (in 18 months) than Apple's (in 10 days).
I wonder if the same effect could be implemented in Greasemonkey? There are already a couple of/. specific scripts in there, and I get tired of having to restart FF every time I add an extension.
My understanding was that the Linux kit was sold out in pre-orders, which isn't quite "never took off". Sony didn't intend for it to be a mainstream consumer product, but a one-off stunt that paid off more in press and word-of-mouth than sell through profits.
Also, in the form it was released, the Linux kit was definitely more hobbiest oriented than home consumer oriented. Turning it into something with Sony's traditional polish would probably have cost more in effort than would have been made in sales. (Desktop Linux is still "coming soon" for most consumers, so it seems unreasonable to expect Sony to attempt a set-top Linux package.)
No offense taken. And if I was applying for a job, I wouldn't use the word "hacking". If it makes you feel better, just s/hacking/developing software/ on my message. Obviously they aren't the same thing, but in this informal setting you should allow a little flexibility when it comes to a participant's mode of expression.
Cute, but back in college and before having children, I contributed to open source games, ran fan sites, and compiled strategy guides. I've cast my bread on the water, I don't think there's anything wrong with hoping for some returns (even though that wasn't my motivation back in my more active days).
There's a long list of other improvements, but it's the Python scripting that I'm most interested in. Not because I'm planning on making a Lord Of The Rings mod or anything like that, but because other people with more time on their hands will be able to do so. Depending on how deep the scripting engine is, we could wind up with a nigh-infinitely extendable turn-based game, which would be a Very Good Thing.
Plus, the more exposure Python gets, the more likely it is that I'll be able to make money hacking in Python, which would be an Even Better Thing.
PS2 ports are so 2002. USB keyboards are readily available and cheap. Adding two PS2 ports to the Mac mini would have taken up a pretty good chunk of the backplane for very little gain.
We saw it this afternoon at the Majestic 20 in Silver Spring, Maryland. It had the SW3:RotS trailer attached. I don't really care about SW3, and the trailer certainly didn't have enough juice to make me change my mind. I'm a big fan of IV-VI, but feel like Lucas squandered his legacy with I and II, just so you know which camp I'm in.
And the Incredibles? FREAKIN' AWESOME. I loved the movie from start to finish. The art direction is brilliant beyond belief, set design and animation are fantastic. The characters were excellent, even Syndrome was pretty good, I felt. As far as I'm concerned, Pixar has hit another one out of the park.
there's a FF extension which maps the window open facility to creating a new tab
Actually, that's now built into the browser. Has been for a couple of weeks, and I expect it will be part of the 1.0 release. Grab the latest build, and see Preferences, Advanced, Tabbed Browsing.
Actually, Linux is infinitely less expensive than Windows, because you can't actually own Windows. No matter how much you pay for it, you're only licensing it.
When you install Linux (or BSD), you own it. It's yours.
I'm not going to even touch the bullshit implication that Linux is imitating Windows in anything other than the most superficial user-interface elements. Wait, I guess I just did. Darn.
Apple is not fighting this because they are evil, they are doing it becasue if they don't, record labels will be less interested in working with the iTunes Music Store.
If you must blame someone, blame the RIAA. I agree that it's sad that Apple is playing along with the bastards, but if they aren't seen as vigorously defending the "right" of the labels to make egregious profits, they could stand to lose a critical revenue stream.
1. An administration that restricts basic research based on religious principles. I'm mainly thinking stem-cell research, but there are other areas as well. (51 comments and no-one has mentioned this yet?!)
2. A lack of corporate interest in basic research. If a project doesn't show some return for shareholders in the near-term, it gets no love. This attitude has had a stifling effect on non-government funded research.
3. Shoddy treatment of objective science. Okay, call it bashing, but I have to say that the Bush administration's treatment of science has been apalling. If the research doesn't support the agenda, the scientists must be replaced by industry shills.
4. Lack of funding for basic research from government. This has being going on for longer than the current Bush administration, but it echoes the corporate trend of demanding short-term results. If a program is unlikely to show benefit within the current election cycle, it's hard-pressed to find funding.
5. Complacency. Without an external "threat" (the Soviet launch of Sputnik), science programs like Apollo are hard to fund. This applies in both the government and corporate arenas.
I wish I had solutions to go with my observations.
I'm fond of Python, which sports a very clean, readable syntax without giving up flexibility or power. Python is good if you don't want to give up a traditional class/method, loop/imperative style of programming.
There's also Smalltalk, which requires getting one's head around a different model of program design, but can yield very elegant and effective solutions. Squeak is a good place to start for those curious about Smalltalk.
Those are just a couple of suggestions. There are lots more out there. And of course, if you're happy with Java or C#, well, who am I to stand in the way of your joy?
I don't understand why these people keep designing C-like languages that are nothing like C. By the time they are done, the resulting language has so many more features than C, the surface similarity is more of a boondogle than a benefit. While not perfect, C syntax is great for what C is, "human-readable assembly language". When you try to extend it to object oriented systems, the end result is a confusing mess.
There are far better syntax models for an object-oriented programming language than C. I wish people who feel a need to create new languages were willing to base their efforts on a framework more suited to their goals.
If games stop coming out computers, how will we play them at work? My boss isn't going to be okay with me bringing in a PS2, but he doesn't mind if I play a round of Crimsonland to blow off a little stress now and then.
I was at FOSE this morning, and got to see Looking Glass in action on a Sun guy's notebook. My coworker actually played with it, though I did not. If you have a chance to visit FOSE, go to the Sun subsection of the GTSI display to see Looking Glass for yourself.
I'm not sure what it really adds to computing other than another layer of UI sugar. I mean, it didn't do anything that conventional 2D window managers don't already do (and at better frame rates). There was a music player that let you view CDs, for example, but you can do the same thing with album covers and a Mac OS-X program called "Clutter". Sure, you can spin the movie player window so just the "side" of the window is visible. But most 2D window managers let you roll up a window into the title bar, which has the same net effect, but without making first-time viewers go "Oooh."
I expect a lot of the flashy and pretty effects to make their way into everyday window managers, but I don't think Looking Glass really revolutionizes the way we use computers -- at least, not what I saw of it this morning.
My Dell laptop has been running mostly rock steady (excepting stupid stuff with Windows, which is not its fault) for better than a year.
Didn't Bill Gates walk into hearings with Michael Dell at his elbow? I think Dell can certainly be held responsible for the OS that Dell forces on you.
Several times a month I would find the Dell with a BSOD crash (under Windows XP Pro). Was it the notebook, or was it Windows? Does it matter?
This is a feature of New York, not a bug. My recent Inspiron 8200 from Dell was pretty horrible. The only good thing about it was the 1600x1200 display -- the rest of it was ass.
I just got them to get me a 15" PowerBook, and it's the best computer I've ever used. I therefore strongly endorse the Apple Store suggestion.
Apparently, they read in a book that after the body gets used to not having food, it draws the energy from the body itself and doesn't need food anymore.
So that explains the Matrix movies, then?
Bander
Re:Yes, yes, yes, Apple's dying, blah blah blah
on
Why iPod Can't Save Apple
·
· Score: 3, Informative
now if I could just get past the one button mouse thing
Yeah, I think the the fact that the default mouse has one button is lame, but people who prefer more buttons can certainly use them in OS-X. I plug a Logitech USB mouse with scroll wheel into my PowerBook, all three buttons work fine, and the scroll wheel works in every app.
If you're a Unix geek and you can afford one, or your work can afford one, the new PBs are the best notebooks around. The G5 towers are pretty swanky too.
Slashdot Mirror
Classic.
"Whoever wrote this doesn't know a thing about Kurt Vonnegut!"
I've really enjoyed EST and DAOITMK, and I'm looking forward to your latest. In my opinion, the cover art alone should be enough to move physical instances of it.
I eagerly downloaded the installer, only to discover it does not work on iPods that have been formatted with FAT.
That's a pity. I deliberately chose to format my iPod as a FAT drive since that would allow me to use it with all the OS'es I currently use (Linux, OS X, and Win32) -- I imagine many other nerds have done the same for just that reason.
I don't remember seeing this restriction mentioned on the requirements pages, but maybe I missed it... If you have a FAT-formatted iPod, don't even bother downloading the installer at this point.
Bander
I would almost rather see the edited version. Netflix has sent me the unedited versions of everything I've asked for... As much as I like Jennifer Connelly without clothes, Requiem for a Dream was a lot less sexy than I imagined such a scenario could be.
I was pissed with Hollywood Video when I discovered the only version of Y Tu Mama Tambien (sorry about the lack of accent marks) was the expurgated one. Not that they care, but that was the last time I was ever in their store.
Bander
No, they actually mean iTunes, which has a little text box for searching. As you type, the available songs are filtered to match your text. According to some sources, the iTunes search feature was the inspiration for Spotlight.
It's funny to watch Microsoft claim that their OS will be better (in 18 months) than Apple's (in 10 days).
I wonder if the same effect could be implemented in Greasemonkey? There are already a couple of /. specific scripts in there, and I get tired of having to restart FF every time I add an extension.
Using your user number to trump someone else seems childish at best, compensatory at worst.
My understanding was that the Linux kit was sold out in pre-orders, which isn't quite "never took off". Sony didn't intend for it to be a mainstream consumer product, but a one-off stunt that paid off more in press and word-of-mouth than sell through profits.
Also, in the form it was released, the Linux kit was definitely more hobbiest oriented than home consumer oriented. Turning it into something with Sony's traditional polish would probably have cost more in effort than would have been made in sales. (Desktop Linux is still "coming soon" for most consumers, so it seems unreasonable to expect Sony to attempt a set-top Linux package.)
No offense taken. And if I was applying for a job, I wouldn't use the word "hacking". If it makes you feel better, just s/hacking/developing software/ on my message. Obviously they aren't the same thing, but in this informal setting you should allow a little flexibility when it comes to a participant's mode of expression.
Cute, but back in college and before having children, I contributed to open source games, ran fan sites, and compiled strategy guides. I've cast my bread on the water, I don't think there's anything wrong with hoping for some returns (even though that wasn't my motivation back in my more active days).
There's a long list of other improvements, but it's the Python scripting that I'm most interested in. Not because I'm planning on making a Lord Of The Rings mod or anything like that, but because other people with more time on their hands will be able to do so. Depending on how deep the scripting engine is, we could wind up with a nigh-infinitely extendable turn-based game, which would be a Very Good Thing.
Plus, the more exposure Python gets, the more likely it is that I'll be able to make money hacking in Python, which would be an Even Better Thing.
-- Bander
PS2 ports are so 2002. USB keyboards are readily available and cheap. Adding two PS2 ports to the Mac mini would have taken up a pretty good chunk of the backplane for very little gain.
- Bander
We saw it this afternoon at the Majestic 20 in Silver Spring, Maryland. It had the SW3:RotS trailer attached. I don't really care about SW3, and the trailer certainly didn't have enough juice to make me change my mind. I'm a big fan of IV-VI, but feel like Lucas squandered his legacy with I and II, just so you know which camp I'm in.
And the Incredibles? FREAKIN' AWESOME. I loved the movie from start to finish. The art direction is brilliant beyond belief, set design and animation are fantastic. The characters were excellent, even Syndrome was pretty good, I felt. As far as I'm concerned, Pixar has hit another one out of the park.
-- Bander
there's a FF extension which maps the window open facility to creating a new tab
Actually, that's now built into the browser. Has been for a couple of weeks, and I expect it will be part of the 1.0 release. Grab the latest build, and see Preferences, Advanced, Tabbed Browsing.
Bander
320x240 is great if you're comparing it to a PalmPilot.
Most PalmOS devices these days run at 320x320 or 320x480. Just thought you might like to know.
Bander
Actually, Linux is infinitely less expensive than Windows, because you can't actually own Windows. No matter how much you pay for it, you're only licensing it.
When you install Linux (or BSD), you own it. It's yours.
I'm not going to even touch the bullshit implication that Linux is imitating Windows in anything other than the most superficial user-interface elements. Wait, I guess I just did. Darn.
Bander
Please don't be so naive, at least in public.
Apple is not fighting this because they are evil, they are doing it becasue if they don't, record labels will be less interested in working with the iTunes Music Store.
If you must blame someone, blame the RIAA. I agree that it's sad that Apple is playing along with the bastards, but if they aren't seen as vigorously defending the "right" of the labels to make egregious profits, they could stand to lose a critical revenue stream.
Bander
1. An administration that restricts basic research based on religious principles. I'm mainly thinking stem-cell research, but there are other areas as well. (51 comments and no-one has mentioned this yet?!)
2. A lack of corporate interest in basic research. If a project doesn't show some return for shareholders in the near-term, it gets no love. This attitude has had a stifling effect on non-government funded research.
3. Shoddy treatment of objective science. Okay, call it bashing, but I have to say that the Bush administration's treatment of science has been apalling. If the research doesn't support the agenda, the scientists must be replaced by industry shills.
4. Lack of funding for basic research from government. This has being going on for longer than the current Bush administration, but it echoes the corporate trend of demanding short-term results. If a program is unlikely to show benefit within the current election cycle, it's hard-pressed to find funding.
5. Complacency. Without an external "threat" (the Soviet launch of Sputnik), science programs like Apollo are hard to fund. This applies in both the government and corporate arenas.
I wish I had solutions to go with my observations.
Bander
like what?
I'm fond of Python, which sports a very clean, readable syntax without giving up flexibility or power. Python is good if you don't want to give up a traditional class/method, loop/imperative style of programming.
There's also Smalltalk, which requires getting one's head around a different model of program design, but can yield very elegant and effective solutions. Squeak is a good place to start for those curious about Smalltalk.
Those are just a couple of suggestions. There are lots more out there. And of course, if you're happy with Java or C#, well, who am I to stand in the way of your joy?
Bander
I don't understand why these people keep designing C-like languages that are nothing like C. By the time they are done, the resulting language has so many more features than C, the surface similarity is more of a boondogle than a benefit. While not perfect, C syntax is great for what C is, "human-readable assembly language". When you try to extend it to object oriented systems, the end result is a confusing mess.
There are far better syntax models for an object-oriented programming language than C. I wish people who feel a need to create new languages were willing to base their efforts on a framework more suited to their goals.
Bander (in curmudgeon mode)
If games stop coming out computers, how will we play them at work? My boss isn't going to be okay with me bringing in a PS2, but he doesn't mind if I play a round of Crimsonland to blow off a little stress now and then.
Bander
I was at FOSE this morning, and got to see Looking Glass in action on a Sun guy's notebook. My coworker actually played with it, though I did not. If you have a chance to visit FOSE, go to the Sun subsection of the GTSI display to see Looking Glass for yourself.
I'm not sure what it really adds to computing other than another layer of UI sugar. I mean, it didn't do anything that conventional 2D window managers don't already do (and at better frame rates). There was a music player that let you view CDs, for example, but you can do the same thing with album covers and a Mac OS-X program called "Clutter". Sure, you can spin the movie player window so just the "side" of the window is visible. But most 2D window managers let you roll up a window into the title bar, which has the same net effect, but without making first-time viewers go "Oooh."
I expect a lot of the flashy and pretty effects to make their way into everyday window managers, but I don't think Looking Glass really revolutionizes the way we use computers -- at least, not what I saw of it this morning.
Bander
My Dell laptop has been running mostly rock steady (excepting stupid stuff with Windows, which is not its fault) for better than a year.
Didn't Bill Gates walk into hearings with Michael Dell at his elbow? I think Dell can certainly be held responsible for the OS that Dell forces on you.
Several times a month I would find the Dell with a BSOD crash (under Windows XP Pro). Was it the notebook, or was it Windows? Does it matter?
Bander
there aren't dell direct stores in NEW YORK
This is a feature of New York, not a bug. My recent Inspiron 8200 from Dell was pretty horrible. The only good thing about it was the 1600x1200 display -- the rest of it was ass.
I just got them to get me a 15" PowerBook, and it's the best computer I've ever used. I therefore strongly endorse the Apple Store suggestion.
Bander
Apparently, they read in a book that after the body gets used to not having food, it draws the energy from the body itself and doesn't need food anymore.
So that explains the Matrix movies, then?
Bander
now if I could just get past the one button mouse thing
Yeah, I think the the fact that the default mouse has one button is lame, but people who prefer more buttons can certainly use them in OS-X. I plug a Logitech USB mouse with scroll wheel into my PowerBook, all three buttons work fine, and the scroll wheel works in every app.
If you're a Unix geek and you can afford one, or your work can afford one, the new PBs are the best notebooks around. The G5 towers are pretty swanky too.
-- Bander