This is a 100% serious reply - Once upon a time, software developers selected beta testers, who used the software with the understanding that it was still in a beta version and bugs should be expected and documented.
Now, no such "testing" occurs in both the software and hardware realms. The developers or manufacturers simply develop something that compiles or doesn't collapse under its own weight and sells it as the release version to customers that expect all that testing to have been done already, so it works. Customers pay full price, the shit crashes or falls apart(or catches fire), they complain to the company describing what happened, and then the company documents what happened and gives the customer a "new" but equally faulty piece in exchange.
There is no more "beta" testing - the beta testers are now referred to as "early adopters."
-- Ethanol-fueled
That sounds like an adequate description of pretty much all software development these days, roll it out on schedule, we'll deal with bugs (or deny there are any) later on. That or just ignore customer complaints as long as the software continues to sell: Windows is the most notorious example, but they are far from alone in this practice.
Suffice to say, I get the constant feeling of denying elementary physics (let alone chemistry) whenever there's talk of selling electric cars. It takes a certain and large amount of energy to propel something as heavy as an automobile around. Discharge of batteries is not 100% efficient (though very good compared to charging), charging is less efficient (using more power from the wall than is actually stored in the battery) and some loss of battery performance and capacity happens over time.
A friend bought a Nissan Leaf and became acutely aware of how wind strength and direction; hills and use of something as simple as the ventilation fan affected the range of the car on one charge. Also how terribly slow it charges off 120. Ideally a high current 240 outlet should be available for charging.
Perhaps that outlet in the garage the contractor wired up at the time of home construction or renovation was sufficient for a chest freezer or washing machine, which didn't continue to draw a high current for hours on end, like the charger for the Tesla does.
Anyone buying one of these cars would do well to make sure their wiring is up to the load and a proper circuit breaker and smoke alarm are handy.
We've been buying Windows 8 installed PCs by the pallet and then re-imaging them with Windows 7, to purge the toxins.
The hilarious bit about this is Microsoft probably includes those in their counts of "Success Measures" in Windows 8 sales. I doubt we are unique.
We still need to replace the old tech and continue rolling out more computing devices than ever before, but tablets are beginning to take their place and we're evaluating the Chromebooks to see what we can do with those.
Many people never needed one. PC was overkill when all you wanted to do was social network an check email. A smart phone or tablet does this without all the extra bloat and bother (depending upon service provider or how you purchased your mobile computing device, ymmv)
Below average BMI? How is that possible, given all that free junk food that permeates the entire Google campus?? There's a reason that " Googler 15" phrase exists.
I didn't take a position at Google because they didn't have the right kind of krill on the menu.
Such entities, known as Thorne-Zytkow objects, are theoretically possible but would alter scientists' understanding of how stars can be powered.
How apt this phrase is now: There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
Wait until the system realizes ALL humans are targets.
Don't worry. Fail safe measures will be implemented in order to keep the systems secure. Look all that fabulous advances made on our computer security nowadays and rest assur... Oh, wait!
Failsafe system will be contracted out to the people who profited by writing and then fixing the Affordable Healthcare websites.
Over the last few months, we've been averaging a little more than 1 Bitcoin story every 2 days. Please - please, stop accepting every submission that has the word Bitcoin in it. At this point, I'd almost like them to start covering the 2016 Presidential Election. Enough.
As we've seen, all a government needs to do is make a statement about support/regulation and the price drops in half.
Every other currency is also vulnerable to govt manipulation - What exactly is it you don't understand about this Federal Reserve printing money to buy assets with, which convinces you the fiat currency call The US Dollar isn't being manipulated like a hand puppet?
People continue to accept the dollar has worth, because to come to the sudden realization that it's only worth something because someone else who accepts it also subscribes to the believe it has value is a stressful eye opener. Bitcoin is no better or worse, it just lacks the physical manifestation of a piece of paper or metal.
Still, he has a rather unique perspective, having been a senior member of both a Republican and a Democrat administration. I'm pretty keen to see his observations
Pretty much what Colin Powell went through, though he internalized more of the stresses and didn't feel the need to dump on everyone. I don't disagree with Gates, I think a lot of these people (particularly Congress) need some dumping on. Congress members will feel affronted for a few days and then go back to being arseholes.
"first support streaming to PS3s, PS4s, and certain Sony TV models".
So, essentially streaming current gen Playstation quality games to your home, without requiring you to purchase any Playstation hardware!? Sony is going to 0wn current gaming console wars and truly bring high-end quality gaming to the masses if Playstation Now takes off!
I can imagine this being integrated in to all sorts of non-Sony devices (mobiles, tablets, low-end laptops etc) as you would only need to port the 'thin' Playstation Now client to get the games to work.
Building the hardware, packaging it, distributing it, dealing with customer service, returns, etc. Is probably wearing on them. They're still going to have some issues with support on non-Sony hardware, though only supporting a limited list of standard drivers and hardware is a time-honored tradition.
Who would bother to ask Sony if they could play games they purchased free of charge? I would be surprised if Sony allowed that- the whole idea of this is a new revenue stream.
Tricky... I would have to first by a playstation before I could boycott the service.
Maybe you could just download a PS emulator, even a crappy one, and then go on with the boycott. I don't think they'd listen to you. Particularly if there's a bucket of people trying to push past nay-sayers and waiving their credit cards, willing to be among the first to sign up.
It's probably best to camp on the sidelines, watch the parade and then see if it actually ends in a parade of tears. If there's something you have to have and this becomes the only avenue to get it, your stuck.
Lack of money will change there thinking very fast.
You fossil.
People with that mindset said, "nobody would ever pay $70 (or more) a month for mobile phone service" and then the telecoms and smart phone makers proved that completely wrong. There's, in my opinion, a huge market of players and potential players who don't care and will flock to this. The only thing you can hope for is they will still make physical copies available.
"Always play the most updated version of your game." Remove version control from my hands and I'm not sure I'll be happy with that. I've played a few games where the next version was, IMHO, inferior in some aspect I valued.
Okay, kidding. But it does bring up a small question: When can these things get up enough horsepower to allow my laptop more space for battery and disk?
(Also, how much can you cram into it before it overloads on the thermals? I can use LuxRender to destroy a full-blown i7 that way, so it's not like this is just a small CPU problem.)
I guess it's cute and all to make tiny computers, but I'm curious as to when this will translate into something usable on the 'bigger' end, e.g. laptops and servers.
Maybe if you put it in a Watch you can Overclock it.
The reason you could only have black was because at the time of the assembly line's advent, the only 'fast-drying' paint available was black. When GM came along, different colors had been developed to meet the demand. Which Ford also used.
FYI
Yeah, we know.
The point is not colors themselves, the point is that Henry Ford / Ford Motor remained focused on standardization and production efficiency too long, to the exclusion of personalization and customization. After a point, automobile production became so efficient and costs were so low that people were willing to spend a few bucks extra for a differentiated product. Ford was slower to recognize this and make the transition (though it did, eventually.)
Exactly. He was focused on rolling out the Model A, as an affordable car anyone could own. But some people hungered for something different and GM catered with a variety of models and colors. Ford was slow to realize his error and his company was eclipsed.
This is effectively what has happened to Kodak - they took an interest, too little and too late in digital media. About the only segment they did hold onto was digital motion picture cameras, not consumer items. Considering how ubiquitous Eastman Kodak once was, it's their not taking the cue seriously from the first digital cameras and transitioning to maintain a large market share of the emerging technology.
Same way Henry Ford paid for his stubborn "You can have any color you want as long as it is black" mentality paved the way for General Motors and their dozens of models and several colors to choose from.
How about writing something about how rich people are getting by developing all sorts of new efficient internet technologies and service companies?
To even allege the former ruler for life would frown on this, one must remember, he was a former bandit chieftain who joined the revolution so he could have a bigger group of bandits to command (and do away with the other commanders in his path to ultimate leadership) Mao was not a true communist at heart and was in it for Mao.
Which, if you think about it, is the theme for a heck of a lot of games. Just change the title character to Young Mao and you are golden.
"You heard me, change the title from Pac-Man to Lucky Mao and be quick about it!"
Slashdot Mirror
This is a 100% serious reply - Once upon a time, software developers selected beta testers, who used the software with the understanding that it was still in a beta version and bugs should be expected and documented.
Now, no such "testing" occurs in both the software and hardware realms. The developers or manufacturers simply develop something that compiles or doesn't collapse under its own weight and sells it as the release version to customers that expect all that testing to have been done already, so it works. Customers pay full price, the shit crashes or falls apart(or catches fire), they complain to the company describing what happened, and then the company documents what happened and gives the customer a "new" but equally faulty piece in exchange.
There is no more "beta" testing - the beta testers are now referred to as "early adopters."
-- Ethanol-fueled
That sounds like an adequate description of pretty much all software development these days, roll it out on schedule, we'll deal with bugs (or deny there are any) later on. That or just ignore customer complaints as long as the software continues to sell: Windows is the most notorious example, but they are far from alone in this practice.
Suffice to say, I get the constant feeling of denying elementary physics (let alone chemistry) whenever there's talk of selling electric cars. It takes a certain and large amount of energy to propel something as heavy as an automobile around. Discharge of batteries is not 100% efficient (though very good compared to charging), charging is less efficient (using more power from the wall than is actually stored in the battery) and some loss of battery performance and capacity happens over time.
A friend bought a Nissan Leaf and became acutely aware of how wind strength and direction; hills and use of something as simple as the ventilation fan affected the range of the car on one charge. Also how terribly slow it charges off 120. Ideally a high current 240 outlet should be available for charging.
Perhaps that outlet in the garage the contractor wired up at the time of home construction or renovation was sufficient for a chest freezer or washing machine, which didn't continue to draw a high current for hours on end, like the charger for the Tesla does.
Anyone buying one of these cars would do well to make sure their wiring is up to the load and a proper circuit breaker and smoke alarm are handy.
Windows 8. 'nuff said.
Doesn't work.
We've been buying Windows 8 installed PCs by the pallet and then re-imaging them with Windows 7, to purge the toxins.
The hilarious bit about this is Microsoft probably includes those in their counts of "Success Measures" in Windows 8 sales. I doubt we are unique.
We still need to replace the old tech and continue rolling out more computing devices than ever before, but tablets are beginning to take their place and we're evaluating the Chromebooks to see what we can do with those.
Film at eleven.
Many people never needed one. PC was overkill when all you wanted to do was social network an check email. A smart phone or tablet does this without all the extra bloat and bother (depending upon service provider or how you purchased your mobile computing device, ymmv)
Below average BMI? How is that possible, given all that free junk food that permeates the entire Google campus?? There's a reason that " Googler 15" phrase exists.
I didn't take a position at Google because they didn't have the right kind of krill on the menu.
People in the traffic jams are now able to watch whales getting brought to work by boat.
This has me thinking you are talking about whales commuting to work.
How many lanes do they take otherwise? A boat might really be the answer.
Is for the enjoyment like article much very.
Posted by Comment Bot v1.0, Universe Algorithms, division 9 Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
Such entities, known as Thorne-Zytkow objects, are theoretically possible but would alter scientists' understanding of how stars can be powered.
How apt this phrase is now: There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
Select targets? Really?
Wait until the system realizes ALL humans are targets.
Don't worry. Fail safe measures will be implemented in order to keep the systems secure. Look all that fabulous advances made on our computer security nowadays and rest assur... Oh, wait!
Failsafe system will be contracted out to the people who profited by writing and then fixing the Affordable Healthcare websites.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Yet another predictor.
Bring on the Terminators.
http://slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=bitcoin
Over the last few months, we've been averaging a little more than 1 Bitcoin story every 2 days. Please - please, stop accepting every submission that has the word Bitcoin in it. At this point, I'd almost like them to start covering the 2016 Presidential Election. Enough.
Bitcoin Story is a new virtual currency on /.
As we've seen, all a government needs to do is make a statement about support/regulation and the price drops in half.
Every other currency is also vulnerable to govt manipulation - What exactly is it you don't understand about this Federal Reserve printing money to buy assets with, which convinces you the fiat currency call The US Dollar isn't being manipulated like a hand puppet?
People continue to accept the dollar has worth, because to come to the sudden realization that it's only worth something because someone else who accepts it also subscribes to the believe it has value is a stressful eye opener. Bitcoin is no better or worse, it just lacks the physical manifestation of a piece of paper or metal.
A LegoBot which posts comments on /.
Posted from the LegoBot in the LegoBucket
Still, he has a rather unique perspective, having been a senior member of both a Republican and a Democrat administration. I'm pretty keen to see his observations
Pretty much what Colin Powell went through, though he internalized more of the stresses and didn't feel the need to dump on everyone. I don't disagree with Gates, I think a lot of these people (particularly Congress) need some dumping on. Congress members will feel affronted for a few days and then go back to being arseholes.
So Sony considers the PS3 and PS4 to be "underpowered" hardware, eh? :P :P :P
Would you rather sell your game to 250 million (or more) potential gamers or only those who bought your hardware?
The timing of this is intriguing.
"first support streaming to PS3s, PS4s, and certain Sony TV models".
So, essentially streaming current gen Playstation quality games to your home, without requiring you to purchase any Playstation hardware!? Sony is going to 0wn current gaming console wars and truly bring high-end quality gaming to the masses if Playstation Now takes off!
I can imagine this being integrated in to all sorts of non-Sony devices (mobiles, tablets, low-end laptops etc) as you would only need to port the 'thin' Playstation Now client to get the games to work.
Building the hardware, packaging it, distributing it, dealing with customer service, returns, etc. Is probably wearing on them. They're still going to have some issues with support on non-Sony hardware, though only supporting a limited list of standard drivers and hardware is a time-honored tradition.
Who would bother to ask Sony if they could play games they purchased free of charge? I would be surprised if Sony allowed that- the whole idea of this is a new revenue stream.
1. Set the hook
2. Reel them in
...
Profit!!!
"Pay per shot".
Sony will team up with the NSA and they'll be watching how you shoot and what you shot.
Tricky... I would have to first by a playstation before I could boycott the service.
Maybe you could just download a PS emulator, even a crappy one, and then go on with the boycott. I don't think they'd listen to you. Particularly if there's a bucket of people trying to push past nay-sayers and waiving their credit cards, willing to be among the first to sign up.
It's probably best to camp on the sidelines, watch the parade and then see if it actually ends in a parade of tears. If there's something you have to have and this becomes the only avenue to get it, your stuck.
who trusts them?
The kind of people who give their trust away very, very easily. I don't mean gullible, I mean people who put a low value on that trust.
Time for a boycott?
Lack of money will change there thinking very fast.
You fossil.
People with that mindset said, "nobody would ever pay $70 (or more) a month for mobile phone service" and then the telecoms and smart phone makers proved that completely wrong. There's, in my opinion, a huge market of players and potential players who don't care and will flock to this. The only thing you can hope for is they will still make physical copies available.
"Always play the most updated version of your game." Remove version control from my hands and I'm not sure I'll be happy with that. I've played a few games where the next version was, IMHO, inferior in some aspect I valued.
Okay, kidding. But it does bring up a small question: When can these things get up enough horsepower to allow my laptop more space for battery and disk?
(Also, how much can you cram into it before it overloads on the thermals? I can use LuxRender to destroy a full-blown i7 that way, so it's not like this is just a small CPU problem.)
I guess it's cute and all to make tiny computers, but I'm curious as to when this will translate into something usable on the 'bigger' end, e.g. laptops and servers.
Maybe if you put it in a Watch you can Overclock it.
I'll get me coat.
The reason you could only have black was because at the time of the assembly line's advent, the only 'fast-drying' paint available was black. When GM came along, different colors had been developed to meet the demand. Which Ford also used.
FYI
Yeah, we know.
The point is not colors themselves, the point is that Henry Ford / Ford Motor remained focused on standardization and production efficiency too long, to the exclusion of personalization and customization. After a point, automobile production became so efficient and costs were so low that people were willing to spend a few bucks extra for a differentiated product. Ford was slower to recognize this and make the transition (though it did, eventually.)
Exactly. He was focused on rolling out the Model A, as an affordable car anyone could own. But some people hungered for something different and GM catered with a variety of models and colors. Ford was slow to realize his error and his company was eclipsed.
This is effectively what has happened to Kodak - they took an interest, too little and too late in digital media. About the only segment they did hold onto was digital motion picture cameras, not consumer items. Considering how ubiquitous Eastman Kodak once was, it's their not taking the cue seriously from the first digital cameras and transitioning to maintain a large market share of the emerging technology.
Same way Henry Ford paid for his stubborn "You can have any color you want as long as it is black" mentality paved the way for General Motors and their dozens of models and several colors to choose from.
How about writing something about how rich people are getting by developing all sorts of new efficient internet technologies and service companies?
To even allege the former ruler for life would frown on this, one must remember, he was a former bandit chieftain who joined the revolution so he could have a bigger group of bandits to command (and do away with the other commanders in his path to ultimate leadership) Mao was not a true communist at heart and was in it for Mao.
Which, if you think about it, is the theme for a heck of a lot of games. Just change the title character to Young Mao and you are golden.
"You heard me, change the title from Pac-Man to Lucky Mao and be quick about it!"