I disagree. The best site in the world (be interesting, funny, informative, whatever) can be sitting on a web server some where out there and who would know? Think about it before people reply. If you wanted to create a web-community on what ever subject matter how would you attract people? Advertise on related websites/mags? How much time/effort/money do you want to use to market your site? So you plough resources into marketing your site, I've said in an ealier post, if you don't reach a critical mass of numbers you'll fizzle out. Established brands (what ever they are) don't have to exert to much effort to market themselves - new commers however have to expend massive amounts of resources to establish themselves and make people aware they exist.
While there are sites/brands that do flourish on technical merit alone they are the exception rather than the rule.
Natural selection kills the unfit(for the environment), stupid and the unlucky. Most that are created will fall into one of these three catagories (in which ever situation you choose).
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Thats the problem - this has broken down because there is SUCH a sea of sites out there that the chance of me 'catching' a good site is minimal.
Absolutely agree. Information overload is possibly one of the biggest problems we face. How many of us go to (insert you fav search engine here) type in a keyword(s)/phrase and get that much information, crap and unrelated crap returned that its just not economical (time or money) to try and filter it.
In future I think our initial focus (to be successful) is not on the answer but the question.
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I agree with the point you make - but not all the sites that disappear are crap.
Community sites need to reach a critical mass of regular members/viewers to continue attracting new members/viewers. The more people that are involved the more interesting and diverse the opinions are.
This is reflected in many systems - take some of the more obscure/. articles if there are few posters in a given time frame people don't bother viewing and commenting on the articles (Go have a look in the older articles section).
Same can be seen on Counter Strike (pick you game) servers. In a list of identical game servers available, the ones already established (with say 10+ players) will continually attract people rather than the sub 10 player servers.
The critical mass required to survive varies on the system it is required for. But get it and theres a good chance you'll keep going (till the system environment changes and natural selection culls you again: ).
If remember correctly the D in DGPS stands for differential. (I think) It uses a fixed transmitter and the Satellite signals to give accuracy to within a foot.
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I also (highly) recommend Cryptonomicon also by Neal Stephenson for some good insights into technology use, cryptography, WW2 and plenty of other topics - I also recall a major part of the story concerns Digital Data Havens + associated topics.
Its a long book but nearly every page is worth the read. Gets 10/10 from me.
.
Technically you can do what ever the hell you want to, including murder. What must be remebered though is that there are consequences for your actions right or wrong.
You can do what ever you want but if that happens to fall out of the boundaries of what is acceptable to the masses - you will be pulled back in line. Laws originally defined thoughs boundaries and still do (albeit that they have become somewhat twisted in alot of cases).
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The improvement in comms has brought back communities, probably in a more strengthend way.
Members of communities tend to help each other. If the help you provide is paid with help that you receive - It's difficult for a business to interfere.
Many tradtional industires are reeling from what the InterNet is possibly bringing (Hmmm think Music Publishing, RIAA). Software like music is/can be done by people who do it out of love not money. Comms can take that love to the masses (and does not charge).
Same with P0rn. Why pay when many give it away 'cause it gives them the horn?
.
I like SuSE. If you want a decent set of manuals to get you started understanding Linux and how to use it buy their distro. The manuals are an absolute must.
But then every distro has it's pro's and con's. I personally haven't seen many cons with SuSE.
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Open Source - will survive. The companies may not.
It was fine before the bandwagon arrived and will continue when it has left.
Sure there will be changes - but change is inevitable.
I don't get paid for OSS contributions (not in a pay check in my bank account sense) I may never. My payment is my pride in my work and my use and appreciation of others people's work who have similar ideals.
Community is give and take. Anything else fails after a while.
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We know S/W is not a tangible resource. Try telling beancounters. They build their careers around boxing up and selling a tangible resource.
The fact that alot of development is done for free by people in their own time alters this. Its like trying to make money from a charity.
Think of how you would sell GreenPeace - how do you sell the common knowledge of don't screw the plannet. People are willing devote time and effort to this for nothing. So can you boxup leaflets and books, and then expect to make huge amounts of money - NO. You can however develop products that help to implement that ideal.
Same with Linux. You can't sell Linux to the masses it's free. You sell to businesses how you are going to save them money by using Linux/OSS. Every business that uses MS Windows (or other closed source systems) is a potencial customer for the 'service' of moving to OSS/Linux. Others will sell the 'service' of maintaining their OSS systems.
OSS is not a tangible resource - lots of people can't handle that.
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Agreed. Most of them have not fully thought through how they are to make money. To most idiots its sounds simple "Make money selling other peoples work" - Wha'hey package it up and sell it at a profit. Now the idiots bit may be a bit harsh - many involved are very smart people. What I think is happened is that the businesses/companies are trying to force change and it ain't happening. Many are floating and gaining investment to grow to capitalise on this huge potential market. The problem is they are trying to grow to fast. Most of them didn't seem to be doing to badly till some people started shouting "look free money, only to do so we have to be this big!".
If they paced themselves and grew with the market, instead of trying to grow themselves and drag the market with them - maybe they would not be facing the debts/problems they have accrued.
Red Hat is surviving on it's size and momentum. But even they may lose that momentum. Linux will go massive when it is ready. Not when RH, SuSE, VA, etc decide it's ready.
History is littered with companies that jumped the gun and fizzled out before the market is ready to yield.
There is another avenue of approach to suing rather than just the lost time, money, internet service etc. in that the inappropriate material that could be/is being sent to children. My girlfriend has a somewhat very popular e-mail address for being spammed and as I clear her mailbox of crap there would be no way on earth I'd give my child an e-mail account given the nature of most of the SPAM that is received.
I'm partial to viewing the odd bit of online nudity;) and as an adult that is my decision - however I certainly don't think children should be exposed to the barrage of "See the dirtiest sluts on the web" or "Get you video of Britney being gang banged". That surely has legal grounds of exposing minors to indecent material.
And [just rant on a bit more] as the largest subscribers you would think that MSN/AOL/YAHOO + the other alliance members who could do so much more to protect their members. For example how MSN/Hotmail allows hundreds of SPAM mails to enter accounts with subject headings similar to those mentioned above is pathetic. If you want to receive adult related material to that account make it an opt in option. E-mail looks like its going to become a deny all except *filtered choices* unless it becomes un-economical to SPAM.
We are the technical minded we should do more to stop this. Fight the evil fellow Slashdoters.
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True but most experienced S/W engineers or Project managers know that most projects slip because of changes to/deviations from the original project spec.
Fixed specs are much easier to engineer than those that continually change. You wouldn't easily engineer a bridge if the river banks kept moving.
I think experienced project managers know how to control the spec rather than the project. (I could be wrong - It's just what I've seen).
As long as it takes to get it right. This to a point is a barrier opensource S/W does not hit to a large extent as development is continual till no longer required.
An interesting question is when will Linux/*BSD development stop? Will it be surpased by an/other projet(s) or evolve to perfection?
How exactly is this enforced? I'm sure there has got to be someway to get around it, if they allow Outlook to use it, then there has to be some way to fool the system into thinking whatever you are using is outlook... isn't there?
Ssssshhhhhh..That's violating the DMCA. Don't let them here you for they will come...
**********
On a more serious note it would probably violate they're TOS then they would kick you off.
The only problem I see (and in this case the were ok) is finding like minded people in your neighbourhood. The street I currently live in is generally populated with non-techies and old people (no ageism intended any silver(haired) surfers out there). In streets with like minded bandwidth lovers this would be great - I mean did you see the price $8/month.
Makes you think though that if this really took off how the comms companies would try and legislate this away from the people - a kind of comms RIAA/DMCA etc.
All I need to find now is a neighbourhood full of like minded bandwidth lovers : )
Another illustration of mob mentality - reaction without thinking.
If people continue to react impulsively with arguments based on second, third (nth) hand information - what sort of precedence for electronic communication, are we the technologically minded setting?
We are always told as children to listen to both sides of the argument before reacting - hmmm look where we have arrived in adulthood react to someone else's comment about an argument.
Like the saying goes "Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large numbers"
"Porting from the PC to console will never be easy anyway. Consider input methods. Most PC games use the mouse, with a lot of keyboard shortcuts. That won't work on a console.
Many PC games also assume a specific display resolution. If the Dreamcast has less, you've got problems. (And the resolution of a TV ain't great.)"
Hardly the most difficult of problems to circumvent - especially when you consider the portability that is achieved.
Slashdot Mirror
I disagree. The best site in the world (be interesting, funny, informative, whatever) can be sitting on a web server some where out there and who would know? Think about it before people reply. If you wanted to create a web-community on what ever subject matter how would you attract people? Advertise on related websites/mags? How much time/effort/money do you want to use to market your site? So you plough resources into marketing your site, I've said in an ealier post, if you don't reach a critical mass of numbers you'll fizzle out. Established brands (what ever they are) don't have to exert to much effort to market themselves - new commers however have to expend massive amounts of resources to establish themselves and make people aware they exist.
While there are sites/brands that do flourish on technical merit alone they are the exception rather than the rule.
Natural selection kills the unfit(for the environment), stupid and the unlucky. Most that are created will fall into one of these three catagories (in which ever situation you choose).
.
Thats the problem - this has broken down because there is SUCH a sea of sites out there that the chance of me 'catching' a good site is minimal.
Absolutely agree. Information overload is possibly one of the biggest problems we face. How many of us go to (insert you fav search engine here) type in a keyword(s)/phrase and get that much information, crap and unrelated crap returned that its just not economical (time or money) to try and filter it.
In future I think our initial focus (to be successful) is not on the answer but the question.
.
I agree with the point you make - but not all the sites that disappear are crap.
/. articles if there are few posters in a given time frame people don't bother viewing and commenting on the articles (Go have a look in the older articles section).
Community sites need to reach a critical mass of regular members/viewers to continue attracting new members/viewers. The more people that are involved the more interesting and diverse the opinions are.
This is reflected in many systems - take some of the more obscure
Same can be seen on Counter Strike (pick you game) servers. In a list of identical game servers available, the ones already established (with say 10+ players) will continually attract people rather than the sub 10 player servers.
The critical mass required to survive varies on the system it is required for. But get it and theres a good chance you'll keep going (till the system environment changes and natural selection culls you again: ).
If remember correctly the D in DGPS stands for differential. (I think) It uses a fixed transmitter and the Satellite signals to give accuracy to within a foot.
.
I also (highly) recommend Cryptonomicon also by Neal Stephenson for some good insights into technology use, cryptography, WW2 and plenty of other topics - I also recall a major part of the story concerns Digital Data Havens + associated topics.
Its a long book but nearly every page is worth the read. Gets 10/10 from me.
.
Could you tell me if I have the right to kill you
Technically you can do what ever the hell you want to, including murder. What must be remebered though is that there are consequences for your actions right or wrong.
You can do what ever you want but if that happens to fall out of the boundaries of what is acceptable to the masses - you will be pulled back in line. Laws originally defined thoughs boundaries and still do (albeit that they have become somewhat twisted in alot of cases).
.
Ironic really - I merelly repackaged your hard work (and well written piece).
May be I should try and make some money off it ; )
.
The improvement in comms has brought back communities, probably in a more strengthend way.
Members of communities tend to help each other. If the help you provide is paid with help that you receive - It's difficult for a business to interfere.
Many tradtional industires are reeling from what the InterNet is possibly bringing (Hmmm think Music Publishing, RIAA). Software like music is/can be done by people who do it out of love not money. Comms can take that love to the masses (and does not charge).
Same with P0rn. Why pay when many give it away 'cause it gives them the horn?
.
I like SuSE. If you want a decent set of manuals to get you started understanding Linux and how to use it buy their distro. The manuals are an absolute must.
But then every distro has it's pro's and con's. I personally haven't seen many cons with SuSE.
.
Open Source - will survive. The companies may not.
It was fine before the bandwagon arrived and will continue when it has left.
Sure there will be changes - but change is inevitable.
I don't get paid for OSS contributions (not in a pay check in my bank account sense) I may never. My payment is my pride in my work and my use and appreciation of others people's work who have similar ideals.
Community is give and take. Anything else fails after a while.
.
We know S/W is not a tangible resource. Try telling beancounters. They build their careers around boxing up and selling a tangible resource.
The fact that alot of development is done for free by people in their own time alters this. Its like trying to make money from a charity.
Think of how you would sell GreenPeace - how do you sell the common knowledge of don't screw the plannet. People are willing devote time and effort to this for nothing. So can you boxup leaflets and books, and then expect to make huge amounts of money - NO. You can however develop products that help to implement that ideal.
Same with Linux. You can't sell Linux to the masses it's free. You sell to businesses how you are going to save them money by using Linux/OSS. Every business that uses MS Windows (or other closed source systems) is a potencial customer for the 'service' of moving to OSS/Linux. Others will sell the 'service' of maintaining their OSS systems.
OSS is not a tangible resource - lots of people can't handle that.
.
Agreed. Most of them have not fully thought through how they are to make money. To most idiots its sounds simple "Make money selling other peoples work" - Wha'hey package it up and sell it at a profit. Now the idiots bit may be a bit harsh - many involved are very smart people. What I think is happened is that the businesses/companies are trying to force change and it ain't happening. Many are floating and gaining investment to grow to capitalise on this huge potential market. The problem is they are trying to grow to fast. Most of them didn't seem to be doing to badly till some people started shouting "look free money, only to do so we have to be this big!".
If they paced themselves and grew with the market, instead of trying to grow themselves and drag the market with them - maybe they would not be facing the debts/problems they have accrued.
Red Hat is surviving on it's size and momentum. But even they may lose that momentum. Linux will go massive when it is ready. Not when RH, SuSE, VA, etc decide it's ready.
History is littered with companies that jumped the gun and fizzled out before the market is ready to yield.
I could be wrong and talking crap.
.
There is another avenue of approach to suing rather than just the lost time, money, internet service etc. in that the inappropriate material that could be/is being sent to children. My girlfriend has a somewhat very popular e-mail address for being spammed and as I clear her mailbox of crap there would be no way on earth I'd give my child an e-mail account given the nature of most of the SPAM that is received.
;) and as an adult that is my decision - however I certainly don't think children should be exposed to the barrage of "See the dirtiest sluts on the web" or "Get you video of Britney being gang banged". That surely has legal grounds of exposing minors to indecent material.
I'm partial to viewing the odd bit of online nudity
And [just rant on a bit more] as the largest subscribers you would think that MSN/AOL/YAHOO + the other alliance members who could do so much more to protect their members. For example how MSN/Hotmail allows hundreds of SPAM mails to enter accounts with subject headings similar to those mentioned above is pathetic. If you want to receive adult related material to that account make it an opt in option. E-mail looks like its going to become a deny all except *filtered choices* unless it becomes un-economical to SPAM.
We are the technical minded we should do more to stop this. Fight the evil fellow Slashdoters.
.
True but most experienced S/W engineers or Project managers know that most projects slip because of changes to/deviations from the original project spec.
Fixed specs are much easier to engineer than those that continually change. You wouldn't easily engineer a bridge if the river banks kept moving.
I think experienced project managers know how to control the spec rather than the project. (I could be wrong - It's just what I've seen).
"1) As long as it takes."
As long as it takes to get it right. This to a point is a barrier opensource S/W does not hit to a large extent as development is continual till no longer required.
An interesting question is when will Linux/*BSD development stop? Will it be surpased by an/other projet(s) or evolve to perfection?
There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight
It has been some time since I visited the Villa Straylight. I have fond memories and a desire to return.
How exactly is this enforced? I'm sure there has got to be someway to get around it, if they allow Outlook to use it, then there has to be some way to fool the system into thinking whatever you are using is outlook... isn't there?
Ssssshhhhhh..That's violating the DMCA. Don't let them here you for they will come...
**********
On a more serious note it would probably violate they're TOS then they would kick you off.
Surely this is anti-competetive behaviour? A smell a court case a comin'...
Yeah 'cause the last one made loads of difference.
you would see a majour turnaround like that from certain large vendors.....
OSS - Imediate effective response.
Seems to me there are plenty of people/groups/organisations/etc are not required within distribution chains (and many other "chains" for that matter).
Start the revolution and get rid of them all!
Note: Some things that seem superfluous are in fact a key component to a system. Excercise good judgement and then cut out the waste : )
The only problem I see (and in this case the were ok) is finding like minded people in your neighbourhood. The street I currently live in is generally populated with non-techies and old people (no ageism intended any silver(haired) surfers out there). In streets with like minded bandwidth lovers this would be great - I mean did you see the price $8/month.
Makes you think though that if this really took off how the comms companies would try and legislate this away from the people - a kind of comms RIAA/DMCA etc.
All I need to find now is a neighbourhood full of like minded bandwidth lovers : )
LOL - We do visit in vast numbers don't we ; )
Check out the visitor log.
Another illustration of mob mentality - reaction without thinking.
If people continue to react impulsively with arguments based on second, third (nth) hand information - what sort of precedence for electronic communication, are we the technologically minded setting?
We are always told as children to listen to both sides of the argument before reacting - hmmm look where we have arrived in adulthood react to someone else's comment about an argument.
Like the saying goes "Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large numbers"
I don't know how much a Dreamcast is but I'm sure the money (and time) can be put to better use.
I'm all for experimentation and exploration but surely in the long run its a bit of a waste.
Do something useful with your creativity.
(Hmmm preaching about wasting time when reading slashdot - Doh!)
"Porting from the PC to console will never be easy anyway. Consider input methods. Most PC games use the mouse, with a lot of keyboard shortcuts. That won't work on a console.
Many PC games also assume a specific display resolution. If the Dreamcast has less, you've got problems. (And the resolution of a TV ain't great.)"
Hardly the most difficult of problems to circumvent - especially when you consider the portability that is achieved.