That would be funny. Am I correct in the impression that these tags can be accessed and modified simply by walking in close proximity with such a device?
I doubt that such sabotage would really help though. The person that does it would be regarded as a criminal and nobody gets the message that the possibilities are dangerous, just that there was a criminal tampering with the system. I have doubts the system would be fixed, they'll try to just prosecute the problem away.
Not all Windows software uses scroll wheels either. Some of it might be something fixable with a driver, I just use what Windows detects, not the MFR supplied disc. Some of it is the software not recognizing it.
I wonder if this bodes for YALD (Yet Another Linux Distribution). For 8000 machines, I would think it would be well worth the effort to make a custom distribution, or more likely, a modified version of an existing one, with extra packages or whatever for their own internal use.
Or maybe not, if they need to test their software on several major distributions. I would think that one common software setup on a small number of CDs (or DVDs) for the entire organization would be a good for easy maintainance.
At that poiny the PDA as an appliance will likely be obsolete.
Nah, it would just have more features, but the basic functionality will likely remain. The only thing that might disappear is the architectural distinctions.
That doesn't exactly help the existing installed base of, IIRC, about three million HD-ready sets that have component in, not to mention the plethora of non-HD sets that also have component in.
There is nothing that compares to the silver screen. Well, there wasn't, but home theaters are starting to come close.
The rest of your arguments are pretty good, but I'll have to shoot this one down. Well, that depends whether the theater is good.
Very few people have good home theater to begin with. And with DVD, the resolution is low (720x480 with US DVDs) and movie releases often have edge enhancement or some other nasties. A bad movie theater would be difficult to overlook but film is still a lot easier to look at.
There's DVHS but that hasn't caught on worth jack to be any competition with a good film projection.
I haven't known it to be like that but my impression is that there is that sort of latent fear.
It really seems to be a tit-for-tat style of separatization, where you can only be on "their" side or "our" side, and if you are on their side then you can't be our friends.
What a load of shit. This is no better than any other kind of cliques, it is a horrible reaction to the occasional bigoted treatment.
Sadly, I don't see any good way out of it, everyone will have latent prejudices of people that are different in some way, but at least a lot of people seem to be pretty good about not letting it affect their actions.
In general, people of any kind generally don't want pity, I suppose unless they are trying to con you. In some ways, you are best off refraining from discussing the disability or helping them unless they talk about it or ask for help, in other words, treat them like anyone else first.
I do use hearing aids so it's not as if I am a total stranger to the issue or some random bigot.
About the only mainstream chip that I can think of off the top-of-my-head that's not U.S. bred is the ARM (which is British in origin). (I'm sure there are others, but you get my point).
If there are others, they aren't nearly as mainstream as ARM. The next closest I can think of is possibly some microcontrollers, even that is heavily dominated by US designs. I think Fujitsu and NEC both have some sort of SIMD or somesuch, but that is for supercomputing.
It looks very interesting, but for the price, I think I'd rather make a hush box for a standard case. Also, I don't see any provisions for removable media.
I am fine with my current arrangement, I have a relatively quiet computer, sitting on some carpet, under a desk with accoustical panels behind it.
I don't have a graphics card with a fan on it though.
Is water cooling convection powered? I thought that the water cooling method needed a water pump and a fan. With that, I don't understand how it is completely silent.
I remember an interview that Linus believed that his view of the operating system _is_ the kernel because the kernel answers to no program and all programs answer to it. He also admitted that Microsoft would have a broader definition, because it suits their marketing needs.
it's probably counterproductive to devote attention to an alternative that would probably be fundamentally unsuited to mass production.
That depends if mass production is labor saving, and I'd think it is.
Many developing countries have excess available labor (high unemployment), so it doesn't necessarily need labor saving techniques, and of course, the energy needed to make steel parts isn't always plentiful in such areas.
I do think the original article is somewhat disingenuous for the reasons you state, it looks more like a PR tool or a "look what I made" brag.
Some people have vision poor enough that it can only be correctable to a limit.
I would also bet that anyone with vision that poor (we are talking 1/4" text here) wouldn't mind the scaling problems that a 19" LCD and set it to SVGA or XGA resolutions.
As for Aluminum - dont get me started on that nasty harsh material.
I will try as you really don't do jack to support your claims. I've worked with aluminum for half a decade and prefer it more than steel and stainless steel.
There has been a disturbing trend for wannabee bikers to adopt the freakiest lightest materials at the expense of all other properties.
What other properties? Exactly how is aluminum a "freak" material?
A steel frame will last for years of hard riding, and still feel as plush as the day it was first ridden.
Plush? Steel?
With proper design, I am sure that aluminum should last just as long. I really don't see what is so special about a bicycle that would make aluminum a bad material, aluminum is the staple material for aircraft and a lot of airplanes last well into three decades, if you count the B-52 and B-135 designs, five decades.
I will grant that the initial extraction of aluminum is environmentally costly, but that's not a material property problem.
I understand the sentiment but my experiences with Sony hasn't been any worse than any other consumer electronics company. Part of that is knowing what is OK and what is crap. The biggest things I wouldn't buy from them are game consoles and DVD players.
Agreed. Take a look at the extras in Monsters Inc, as well as those for Toy Story 1 & 2. They say this same thing, they reiterate that story is king and I think they don't even touch the computers until after they are happy with the story they wrote. Also, Pixar hired a good share of their staff with talented artists and trained them to the 3D modeling and animation techniques, not just computer people that can operate the software.
I haven't had a Windows crash on my systems, ever, in the last four years, except for disk drive failure. I have been using Windows NT on an Alpha, Windows 2000 on a dual Xeon 500 and Windows 2000 on a 1.7GHz P4.
I think part of it is that I use mature products with mature drivers. My understanding is that new products ship with beta quality drivers and firmware, and that is what causes problems.
Metering is fine for a physical resource, and barring errors, you do get what you pay for. These resources can't be easily stolen remotely. In order to steal someone's water you have to tap behind their meter, not an easy thing to do compared to hacking someone's computer and starting a DDOS, spambot or porn server.
On the otherhand, it might encourage people to install better security measures.
I don't think anyone wants to be charged for spam, banner ads and all that either.
Slashdot Mirror
That would be funny. Am I correct in the impression that these tags can be accessed and modified simply by walking in close proximity with such a device?
I doubt that such sabotage would really help though. The person that does it would be regarded as a criminal and nobody gets the message that the possibilities are dangerous, just that there was a criminal tampering with the system. I have doubts the system would be fixed, they'll try to just prosecute the problem away.
calls for IBM to "move away from the GPL".
"Put down the GPL and slowly step away from it!
Not all Windows software uses scroll wheels either. Some of it might be something fixable with a driver, I just use what Windows detects, not the MFR supplied disc. Some of it is the software not recognizing it.
I wonder if this bodes for YALD (Yet Another Linux Distribution). For 8000 machines, I would think it would be well worth the effort to make a custom distribution, or more likely, a modified version of an existing one, with extra packages or whatever for their own internal use.
Or maybe not, if they need to test their software on several major distributions. I would think that one common software setup on a small number of CDs (or DVDs) for the entire organization would be a good for easy maintainance.
At that poiny the PDA as an appliance will likely be obsolete.
Nah, it would just have more features, but the basic functionality will likely remain. The only thing that might disappear is the architectural distinctions.
What is "crosstalk" in a DC power supply? Do sudden demands on 12V greatly affect the 5V line?
That doesn't exactly help the existing installed base of, IIRC, about three million HD-ready sets that have component in, not to mention the plethora of non-HD sets that also have component in.
Or you could say that a bunch of college kids are programming on federal grants. For all I know, it might be true.
There is nothing that compares to the silver screen. Well, there wasn't, but home theaters are starting to come close.
The rest of your arguments are pretty good, but I'll have to shoot this one down. Well, that depends whether the theater is good.
Very few people have good home theater to begin with. And with DVD, the resolution is low (720x480 with US DVDs) and movie releases often have edge enhancement or some other nasties. A bad movie theater would be difficult to overlook but film is still a lot easier to look at.
There's DVHS but that hasn't caught on worth jack to be any competition with a good film projection.
As long as it is enough to keep the Girlfriend from finding all the pr0n on the computer I will be happy.
This system will be good for that, but definitely not for holding crackers and spooks at bay for more than a short period of time.
I haven't known it to be like that but my impression is that there is that sort of latent fear.
It really seems to be a tit-for-tat style of separatization, where you can only be on "their" side or "our" side, and if you are on their side then you can't be our friends.
What a load of shit. This is no better than any other kind of cliques, it is a horrible reaction to the occasional bigoted treatment.
Sadly, I don't see any good way out of it, everyone will have latent prejudices of people that are different in some way, but at least a lot of people seem to be pretty good about not letting it affect their actions.
In general, people of any kind generally don't want pity, I suppose unless they are trying to con you. In some ways, you are best off refraining from discussing the disability or helping them unless they talk about it or ask for help, in other words, treat them like anyone else first.
I do use hearing aids so it's not as if I am a total stranger to the issue or some random bigot.
About the only mainstream chip that I can think of off the top-of-my-head that's not U.S. bred is the ARM (which is British in origin). (I'm sure there are others, but you get my point).
If there are others, they aren't nearly as mainstream as ARM. The next closest I can think of is possibly some microcontrollers, even that is heavily dominated by US designs. I think Fujitsu and NEC both have some sort of SIMD or somesuch, but that is for supercomputing.
I don't remember have never seen an emailed spam that speaks out against the government.
It looks very interesting, but for the price, I think I'd rather make a hush box for a standard case. Also, I don't see any provisions for removable media.
I am fine with my current arrangement, I have a relatively quiet computer, sitting on some carpet, under a desk with accoustical panels behind it.
I don't have a graphics card with a fan on it though.
Is water cooling convection powered? I thought that the water cooling method needed a water pump and a fan. With that, I don't understand how it is completely silent.
I remember an interview that Linus believed that his view of the operating system _is_ the kernel because the kernel answers to no program and all programs answer to it. He also admitted that Microsoft would have a broader definition, because it suits their marketing needs.
it's probably counterproductive to devote attention to an alternative that would probably be fundamentally unsuited to mass production.
That depends if mass production is labor saving, and I'd think it is.
Many developing countries have excess available labor (high unemployment), so it doesn't necessarily need labor saving techniques, and of course, the energy needed to make steel parts isn't always plentiful in such areas.
I do think the original article is somewhat disingenuous for the reasons you state, it looks more like a PR tool or a "look what I made" brag.
Some people have vision poor enough that it can only be correctable to a limit.
I would also bet that anyone with vision that poor (we are talking 1/4" text here) wouldn't mind the scaling problems that a 19" LCD and set it to SVGA or XGA resolutions.
As for Aluminum - dont get me started on that nasty harsh material.
I will try as you really don't do jack to support your claims. I've worked with aluminum for half a decade and prefer it more than steel and stainless steel.
There has been a disturbing trend for wannabee bikers to adopt the freakiest lightest materials at the expense of all other properties.
What other properties? Exactly how is aluminum a "freak" material?
A steel frame will last for years of hard riding, and still feel as plush as the day it was first ridden.
Plush? Steel?
With proper design, I am sure that aluminum should last just as long. I really don't see what is so special about a bicycle that would make aluminum a bad material, aluminum is the staple material for aircraft and a lot of airplanes last well into three decades, if you count the B-52 and B-135 designs, five decades.
I will grant that the initial extraction of aluminum is environmentally costly, but that's not a material property problem.
I understand the sentiment but my experiences with Sony hasn't been any worse than any other consumer electronics company. Part of that is knowing what is OK and what is crap. The biggest things I wouldn't buy from them are game consoles and DVD players.
Agreed. Take a look at the extras in Monsters Inc, as well as those for Toy Story 1 & 2. They say this same thing, they reiterate that story is king and I think they don't even touch the computers until after they are happy with the story they wrote. Also, Pixar hired a good share of their staff with talented artists and trained them to the 3D modeling and animation techniques, not just computer people that can operate the software.
I haven't had a Windows crash on my systems, ever, in the last four years, except for disk drive failure. I have been using Windows NT on an Alpha, Windows 2000 on a dual Xeon 500 and Windows 2000 on a 1.7GHz P4.
I think part of it is that I use mature products with mature drivers. My understanding is that new products ship with beta quality drivers and firmware, and that is what causes problems.
I don't think metering is the way to go.
Metering is fine for a physical resource, and barring errors, you do get what you pay for. These resources can't be easily stolen remotely. In order to steal someone's water you have to tap behind their meter, not an easy thing to do compared to hacking someone's computer and starting a DDOS, spambot or porn server.
On the otherhand, it might encourage people to install better security measures.
I don't think anyone wants to be charged for spam, banner ads and all that either.
WTF would anyone put in a keyboard and mouse when a touch screen would do?
Sure, you'd want to make custom interfaces to make them more touch screen compatible, it's not that difficult for a lot of slashdotters.
Something like this is probably for the home hacker.
The bigger companies like automakers can afford to make custom hardware to do the sort of thing that some people might do with this unit.
Thanks for the heads-up, that saves me time looking through the tech specs, well, that and the 300MHz CPU, which I'm not sure is enough.
If I were to do something like this, I suppose a 1U system with a better power supply is in order.