I just remembered, the second (or was it third?) big game released by Maxis on the Mac, long before the PC, was "Sim Ant"...
Revenge is a dish best served with mandibles and insect appendages...
Re:Ants and electronics
on
Ants Invade iBook
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· Score: 5, Informative
Not to mention that to some insects, the materials used to laminate circuit boards and some plastics that compose the electronics, are amazingly tasty... There was/is a lot of problems, for example, with cockroaches eating the plastic in wiring and circuitry...
Or Maybe Apple Can Change Their Ads To:
on
Ants Invade iBook
·
· Score: 3, Funny
First off, the chief purpose of the firewalling in question is to prevent Chinese citizens from accessing pro democracy sites outside of China, as well as any news sites that could be critical of China's political and social systems. Something that Slashdot has told everyone numerous times is "bad".
Secondly, as Slasdot has told us numerous times as well, Microsoft's unwillingness to release their source code publically is "bad".
Therefore, isn't the fact that Microsoft's closed source policies stand in the way of China's attempts at fullscale net censorship, a good thing?
"Hmmm. I wonder how much petroleum (sp?) it takes to make a DVD (for the plastic & for the manufacturing process). It would be interesting to see how that figure compares w/ ~1/3 gal. gas."
Remember kids, every time you view a DVD, you're supporting terrorism...
Polycarbonate plastic (used in CDs and DVDs) is not biodegradable or recyclable in any sense of the term. So how would the landfills benefit from hundreds of tons of DVDs (and presumably CDs when they figure out they can use the same scheme with audio CDs) with a premature death rate?
Exactly. Microsoft didn't even conceive of a mainstream rush to the internet (which in turn opened up all these vulnerabilities to begin with) until around 1992 when Ballmer sent an e-mail regarding it.
Now understand that this was 3 years before Windows 95 was released. Prior to this, most DOS apps and Win16 apps were largely compatible. A program written for DOS 4 or 5 could run just fine under Dos 6, so hypothetically code as old as 12 years could even have a chance at running.
Only impressive until you consider the scale of both robots... Asimo is approximately 4.5-5 feet tall, with approximately a 2 foot stride from step to step... Since there's an obvious per scale difference in both, this little bot kicks Asimo's butt...
Ummm, the speed is 15 meters a minute, in English measurements, that's almost 50 feet in one minute's time... Almost 3 times the speed of the Asimo robot...
The average geek is fortunate if they can manage that speed on foot... Needless to say, it's hardly a crawl...
Nah, what I'd do, is since her phone number is available for all to see, is submit her phone number to every telemarketer group in the country... Takes a bit of footwork, but getting 20+ telemarketer calls a day will hammer the point home pretty well...
Another thing you could do is collect dozens of subscription cards for magazines and book clubs, and fill them out with her name, address, etc...
"Not if the home theater is wasted on a fuzzy, grainy telesync of a film in theaters at that moment, no. If you'd rather wait six months to watch the DVD release at home, that's your prerogative. I'm talking about bootlegs like this Harry Potter bootleg that's out there now. Nobody's going to pick that over going to the theater to see it on the big screen. Either they'll go see it now or wait for the DVD."
Sit 2-3 rows back from the screen, then you'll have the full "Camera Rip" experience right there in the theater! Grainy, and heavily distorted sound in two audible channels, and you'll save $8 in the process, while spending $49 on your broadband fee, w00t! Whatta bargain!
It's a fairly clear picture with a minimum of bobbing from camera adjustments (though the clunking of the buttons and lens is audible throughout the video). The sound quality is bad, really bad, sounds like they stuck a microphone in a bathroom right next to the theater. Still, for a sneak preview it's good, I would advise those interested in it to catch a matinee at least. As far as cam jobs go, it's adequate, but I agree with those saying it comes nowhere beating the theater experience.
The MPAA obviously won't care since it argues against their stance, but they're going to get their money irregardless.
Definately, I've bought DVDs of movies I previously refused to view in movie theaters (such as South Park, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The One, The Emperor's New Groove, Princess Mononoke)...
Frankly I've had my movie viewing experience ruined (for example, Lord of the Rings) with people talking on their cel phones, talking through the movies, walking back and forth since they couldn't handle sitting still for 3 hours... Either way, the MPAA gets my precious money...
Just checked alt.binaries.movies, it's already posted as DiVX...
Movie companies seriously need to revise their policies on security, including preventing cameras from review theaters, this is simply sloppy when there's already been ample examples of leaked movies...
"The hubris of that email response is pretty incredible. Anyone want to take bets on the one straw that will break the consumer's backs?"
Or, more aptly, since the e-mail went public, who wants to bet that the customer service rep in question will be looking for a new job? Nothing worst than the industry being shown as the scum they are in public...
Been beating about the idea for a dedicated anime network for about 4 years now, but lacked the resources (legal, monetary) to forge into it.
The idea was similar, but had an added bonus whereas in the event you had a TV with SAP and CC (most do, nowadays), a secondary audio program in Japanese would be added, with the CC doing it's bit for subtitling in English. I also planned an "adult" segment that would broadcast at the wee hours, with full V-chip compliance (in which, nobody could sue in case their kids were watching Ghost in the Shell and ogling Kusanagi's breasts)...
Ahwell, I have enough ideas on the backburner as it is, it's good to see someone fleshing it out...
Pity it's ADV, however, because I can guarantee the anime shown will have horrible English dubbing, and as they have a pretty limited stock, chances are all they'll prodcast for the first half year is what currently exists within their video catalog...
The Ad Council spot with the tagline "Freedom. Love it. Respect it. Cherish it." or some such, where a college age guy walks into a library and asks about the book he requested. "We don't carry that book anymore." is the librarian's curt reply, "But would you mind filling out this form, with your name, address, social security number?". Said college age dude backs out cautiously, "Um, no, that's okay, thanks-", turning around to find himself facing a couple of "agents". The spot ends with "What if you didn't have the freedoms you do now?".
And the same government that financed that Ad Council spot (naturally, who else would pay for such drivel, or require networks to air them), is doing exactly the same thing.
There's a common misperception in regards to what "innovation" means. Most companies that are not making a new and unique product depend largely on taking preexisting concepts and designs and either finding improvements or enhancements to said design, often creating their own proprietary applications.
For example, one could easily accuse Adobe of the exact same theft of concept:
(1)They patented Postscript type as a way to allow desktop publishing to advance to a point where it could compete with conventional printing shops, while similarly giving themselves a near monopoly on the desktop with applications such as Pagemaker. Speaking of which...
Pagemaker was a desktop publishing app that basically put Adobe on the map, despite it's being released at a time when there were multiple companies making various flavors of SOHO publishing solutions. Other than the GUI and certain key tools, it wasn't really that innovative, and Adobe can easily be accused of "ripping off" other software companies.
Also, the same applies to Photoshop. One could easily claim as well that it was almost a direct rip of MacPaint when it first came out. Once again, other than the GUI and key tools, it wasn't that innovative, there were hundreds of paint/edit programs on the market. Similarly, the same applies to Freehand (surprisingly, the sole piece of software that's not innovative at all, and still recieving ample competition from Corel).
Ahhh, and then we move to the PDF format, which ironically was an application meant to provide an alternative to rich text Word documents. Not exactly any innovation there either, in fact, far more bloated and complicated than even Word could ever hope to be.
So Microsoft made their own "PDF Killer"... It isn't like they haven't ripped off other companies before, the implied fear of Adobe somehow losing to Microsoft in a market where they have a considerable share is ridiculous.
Personally, I dislike PDF, especially in terms of bloat and loading delays in browsers. It's ridiculous, to have to wait an extra 5-10 seconds for Acrobat to load (and another 10-15 seconds just to load the document into the browser, just to read a tech sheet. It's gotten increasingly slower as they add idiotic things like update scans that bog the system down with redundant inquiries, and the software steers further away from what it was originally meant to do: Read PDF documents.
Now as for real innovation, don't hold your breath hoping for it. The market currently depends on a very limited range of hardware, and as long as they're locked into established standards, they won't truly become innovative. Add to that the hobbling of VC funded "innovations", which never take off due to the incapacity of CEOs to look at the big picture (as evidenced from IBM's first taste of the microprocessor, without the slightest idea of what to do with it).
At least until they learn to, and this should be the mantra: Invent.
Then what someone NEEDS (literally) to do, is to come up with a Linux distro that basically imports all settings from the Windows partition (ClonuX, anyone?), that with as many clicks nessesary (maybe one) over the default idiot proofed installation setups, allows Windows users to effortlessly make the transition to Linux...
I use it myself under VMWare, with Lycoris... They don't have the "Import your Windows settings" option either, but I seriously doubt it would be that difficult... In the even there's some Linux geeks who refuse to, I thereby use the "DeeDee Defense": You won't do it, because you can't!
There, I predict the arrival of such a Linux installation package that will do what I asked, within the next three weeks...
Doesn't this seem like a more technologically advanced version of the Pneumatique, the air driven subway system that operated briefly in NYC a bit over a century ago? Only instead of the air being used to force the cars through the tunnel, it's removed to reduce friction... Still a bit on the nuts side, imagine what would happen in the event of a derailment (explosive decompression, anyone?), and of course maintaining the vacuum in the tunnel itself...
What would be more logical, however, would be to simply evacuate the air on one side of the car, to provide propulsion, making the train almost silent...
Seems kind of overcomplicated, which is why I stick with VHS (mainly to transfer archived videos to my computer), and use the computer with PowerVCR to record it (surprisingly good PVR software). Dunno what good a Tivo would be for me, since I can easily build my own for about $400 or so, without having to phone home every time I watch TV. TV Guide's website (or schedule on digital cable) helps with figuring out when something's coming on too).
Slashdot Mirror
I just remembered, the second (or was it third?) big game released by Maxis on the Mac, long before the PC, was "Sim Ant"...
Revenge is a dish best served with mandibles and insect appendages...
Not to mention that to some insects, the materials used to laminate circuit boards and some plastics that compose the electronics, are amazingly tasty... There was/is a lot of problems, for example, with cockroaches eating the plastic in wiring and circuitry...
iMac: Colonize Different.
iAnts? *rimshot*
"Wouldn't those be called "Cease & Decease" letters?"
Sure, but they kept getting lost in the post office's "dead letter" department...
Dude! I met your family, it's huge, are you Mormon by any chance?
First off, the chief purpose of the firewalling in question is to prevent Chinese citizens from accessing pro democracy sites outside of China, as well as any news sites that could be critical of China's political and social systems. Something that Slashdot has told everyone numerous times is "bad".
Secondly, as Slasdot has told us numerous times as well, Microsoft's unwillingness to release their source code publically is "bad".
Therefore, isn't the fact that Microsoft's closed source policies stand in the way of China's attempts at fullscale net censorship, a good thing?
"Hmmm. I wonder how much petroleum (sp?) it takes to make a DVD (for the plastic & for the manufacturing process). It would be interesting to see how that figure compares w/ ~1/3 gal. gas."
Remember kids, every time you view a DVD, you're supporting terrorism...
Polycarbonate plastic (used in CDs and DVDs) is not biodegradable or recyclable in any sense of the term. So how would the landfills benefit from hundreds of tons of DVDs (and presumably CDs when they figure out they can use the same scheme with audio CDs) with a premature death rate?
Exactly. Microsoft didn't even conceive of a mainstream rush to the internet (which in turn opened up all these vulnerabilities to begin with) until around 1992 when Ballmer sent an e-mail regarding it.
Now understand that this was 3 years before Windows 95 was released. Prior to this, most DOS apps and Win16 apps were largely compatible. A program written for DOS 4 or 5 could run just fine under Dos 6, so hypothetically code as old as 12 years could even have a chance at running.
Only impressive until you consider the scale of both robots... Asimo is approximately 4.5-5 feet tall, with approximately a 2 foot stride from step to step... Since there's an obvious per scale difference in both, this little bot kicks Asimo's butt...
Ummm, the speed is 15 meters a minute, in English measurements, that's almost 50 feet in one minute's time... Almost 3 times the speed of the Asimo robot...
The average geek is fortunate if they can manage that speed on foot... Needless to say, it's hardly a crawl...
Nah, what I'd do, is since her phone number is available for all to see, is submit her phone number to every telemarketer group in the country... Takes a bit of footwork, but getting 20+ telemarketer calls a day will hammer the point home pretty well...
Another thing you could do is collect dozens of subscription cards for magazines and book clubs, and fill them out with her name, address, etc...
"Not if the home theater is wasted on a fuzzy, grainy telesync of a film in theaters at that moment, no. If you'd rather wait six months to watch the DVD release at home, that's your prerogative. I'm talking about bootlegs like this Harry Potter bootleg that's out there now. Nobody's going to pick that over going to the theater to see it on the big screen. Either they'll go see it now or wait for the DVD."
Sit 2-3 rows back from the screen, then you'll have the full "Camera Rip" experience right there in the theater! Grainy, and heavily distorted sound in two audible channels, and you'll save $8 in the process, while spending $49 on your broadband fee, w00t! Whatta bargain!
It's a fairly clear picture with a minimum of bobbing from camera adjustments (though the clunking of the buttons and lens is audible throughout the video). The sound quality is bad, really bad, sounds like they stuck a microphone in a bathroom right next to the theater. Still, for a sneak preview it's good, I would advise those interested in it to catch a matinee at least. As far as cam jobs go, it's adequate, but I agree with those saying it comes nowhere beating the theater experience.
The MPAA obviously won't care since it argues against their stance, but they're going to get their money irregardless.
Definately, I've bought DVDs of movies I previously refused to view in movie theaters (such as South Park, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The One, The Emperor's New Groove, Princess Mononoke)...
Frankly I've had my movie viewing experience ruined (for example, Lord of the Rings) with people talking on their cel phones, talking through the movies, walking back and forth since they couldn't handle sitting still for 3 hours... Either way, the MPAA gets my precious money...
Just checked alt.binaries.movies, it's already posted as DiVX...
Movie companies seriously need to revise their policies on security, including preventing cameras from review theaters, this is simply sloppy when there's already been ample examples of leaked movies...
"The hubris of that email response is pretty incredible.
Anyone want to take bets on the one straw that will break the consumer's backs?"
Or, more aptly, since the e-mail went public, who wants to bet that the customer service rep in question will be looking for a new job? Nothing worst than the industry being shown as the scum they are in public...
Been beating about the idea for a dedicated anime network for about 4 years now, but lacked the resources (legal, monetary) to forge into it.
The idea was similar, but had an added bonus whereas in the event you had a TV with SAP and CC (most do, nowadays), a secondary audio program in Japanese would be added, with the CC doing it's bit for subtitling in English. I also planned an "adult" segment that would broadcast at the wee hours, with full V-chip compliance (in which, nobody could sue in case their kids were watching Ghost in the Shell and ogling Kusanagi's breasts)...
Ahwell, I have enough ideas on the backburner as it is, it's good to see someone fleshing it out...
Pity it's ADV, however, because I can guarantee the anime shown will have horrible English dubbing, and as they have a pretty limited stock, chances are all they'll prodcast for the first half year is what currently exists within their video catalog...
The Ad Council spot with the tagline "Freedom. Love it. Respect it. Cherish it." or some such, where a college age guy walks into a library and asks about the book he requested. "We don't carry that book anymore." is the librarian's curt reply, "But would you mind filling out this form, with your name, address, social security number?". Said college age dude backs out cautiously, "Um, no, that's okay, thanks-", turning around to find himself facing a couple of "agents". The spot ends with "What if you didn't have the freedoms you do now?".
And the same government that financed that Ad Council spot (naturally, who else would pay for such drivel, or require networks to air them), is doing exactly the same thing.
Why would Microsoft need more Xs? Most people think of it as Xcrement anyway...
There's a common misperception in regards to what "innovation" means. Most companies that are not making a new and unique product depend largely on taking preexisting concepts and designs and either finding improvements or enhancements to said design, often creating their own proprietary applications.
For example, one could easily accuse Adobe of the exact same theft of concept:
(1)They patented Postscript type as a way to allow desktop publishing to advance to a point where it could compete with conventional printing shops, while similarly giving themselves a near monopoly on the desktop with applications such as Pagemaker. Speaking of which...
Pagemaker was a desktop publishing app that basically put Adobe on the map, despite it's being released at a time when there were multiple companies making various flavors of SOHO publishing solutions. Other than the GUI and certain key tools, it wasn't really that innovative, and Adobe can easily be accused of "ripping off" other software companies.
Also, the same applies to Photoshop. One could easily claim as well that it was almost a direct rip of MacPaint when it first came out. Once again, other than the GUI and key tools, it wasn't that innovative, there were hundreds of paint/edit programs on the market. Similarly, the same applies to Freehand (surprisingly, the sole piece of software that's not innovative at all, and still recieving ample competition from Corel).
Ahhh, and then we move to the PDF format, which ironically was an application meant to provide an alternative to rich text Word documents. Not exactly any innovation there either, in fact, far more bloated and complicated than even Word could ever hope to be.
So Microsoft made their own "PDF Killer"... It isn't like they haven't ripped off other companies before, the implied fear of Adobe somehow losing to Microsoft in a market where they have a considerable share is ridiculous.
Personally, I dislike PDF, especially in terms of bloat and loading delays in browsers. It's ridiculous, to have to wait an extra 5-10 seconds for Acrobat to load (and another 10-15 seconds just to load the document into the browser, just to read a tech sheet. It's gotten increasingly slower as they add idiotic things like update scans that bog the system down with redundant inquiries, and the software steers further away from what it was originally meant to do: Read PDF documents.
Now as for real innovation, don't hold your breath hoping for it. The market currently depends on a very limited range of hardware, and as long as they're locked into established standards, they won't truly become innovative. Add to that the hobbling of VC funded "innovations", which never take off due to the incapacity of CEOs to look at the big picture (as evidenced from IBM's first taste of the microprocessor, without the slightest idea of what to do with it).
At least until they learn to, and this should be the mantra: Invent.
Then what someone NEEDS (literally) to do, is to come up with a Linux distro that basically imports all settings from the Windows partition (ClonuX, anyone?), that with as many clicks nessesary (maybe one) over the default idiot proofed installation setups, allows Windows users to effortlessly make the transition to Linux...
I use it myself under VMWare, with Lycoris... They don't have the "Import your Windows settings" option either, but I seriously doubt it would be that difficult... In the even there's some Linux geeks who refuse to, I thereby use the "DeeDee Defense": You won't do it, because you can't!
There, I predict the arrival of such a Linux installation package that will do what I asked, within the next three weeks...
Doesn't this seem like a more technologically advanced version of the Pneumatique, the air driven subway system that operated briefly in NYC a bit over a century ago? Only instead of the air being used to force the cars through the tunnel, it's removed to reduce friction... Still a bit on the nuts side, imagine what would happen in the event of a derailment (explosive decompression, anyone?), and of course maintaining the vacuum in the tunnel itself...
What would be more logical, however, would be to simply evacuate the air on one side of the car, to provide propulsion, making the train almost silent...
Seems kind of overcomplicated, which is why I stick with VHS (mainly to transfer archived videos to my computer), and use the computer with PowerVCR to record it (surprisingly good PVR software). Dunno what good a Tivo would be for me, since I can easily build my own for about $400 or so, without having to phone home every time I watch TV. TV Guide's website (or schedule on digital cable) helps with figuring out when something's coming on too).