(Me? I could give a crap about the drivers. If the software is good, and the hardware is good, and it does what I want it to do, the software could be written using dead baby skins and I'd be happy.)
I saw the commercial on TV the other day, and I actually rewound the TiVo twice to watch it again. It looks like a truly amazing tool.
The FAQ says that the hardware that's being sold now has the option to install a fourth axis, and they're working on software to do g-code import and export.
woot.
Not the fastest way to turn out custom crown molding, for instance, but I think it could probably stay ahead of my lousy installation skills. : )
"It's probably the cheapest machine of this kind out there," he adds.
Well, it's not cheaper than the CarveWright, which is retailing as the Craftsman CompuCarve for about $1700. No soldering iron required, and it can be outfitted as a 3D scanner as well (for duplicating objects).
Suffice it to say, I want this market to become very, very crowded so I have lots of devices to choose from.
Myself, I'm not going to replace my Treo 700p with the 1g iPhone, but I bet the 2g one is going to be a barn-burner. This device looks pretty amazing, assuming the touch-keyboard doesn't make me want to dig my eyes out with a spoon.
"Living in a secure, stable society of law and order comes with responsibilities and restrictions."...which were pretty well articulated by the Constitution, and ignored by every fearmonger since.
"If you give someone a guitar rather than a radio, they can produce content."
All you have to do is assume that that someone has enough talent to produce something I want to listen to. Considering what you hear on the radio nowadays, that's a pretty huge assumption.
I've got an even better idea. Proceed from the assumption that people are smart enough to decide for themselves whether they wish to buy a guitar or a radio (or, gasp! Both!) and leave it at that.
Do you know that it isn't? Do you know if it needs to be upgradeable? I've got a laptop that's several years old, and I wouldn't even consider upgrading it.
"I'm sure that as the lustful fires of consumerism awaken in these nations' loins,"
OK, holy cow. Could we please dial back the rhetoric a little bit?
"they'll want harder, better, faster, stronger laptops that these corporations will be all too happy to *sell* them"
Yeah, sell them for $100. And these people who may or may not want upgraded laptops either will either buy one, or not. Or they might set up a cottage industry to upgrade their neighbors' computers, thereby earning money. You know, kinda the way the rest of us do it.
I find that a lot of people who argue about the evils of consumerism are more interested in telling me what I should or should not do with my money than actually looking out for peoples' best interests.
"it still falls victim to engineered obsolescence"
How do you know? Have you inspected the hardware?
I've never understood the concept, really. How does one engineer a product to work properly through the warranty period, but magically fail when it's out of warranty? Certainly, some manufacturers use inexpensive parts when they think they can, and sometimes those parts fail, but it's hard to imagine that's an intended effect.
"Has anyone even considered that he is probably just genuinely terrified of the perceived terrorist threats, and that is why he is acting in a panicky, reactive manner and making stupid, irresponsible policies and decisions?"
Don't care. A bad decision is still a bad decision.
Change is neutral. Change for change's sake is bad. Change from something bad to something worse is bad. Change from something bad to something good is good.
Change from something acceptable to something that might be better, maybe, might be good, maybe.
Slashdot Mirror
"that we'd be inundated with crap products from crap designers."
Don't care. As long as I can make what I want, you can do whatever you want, for all values of "you".
"and at least a minimum level of style"
Uh huh. Are you the sort of person that just does the minimum? [/office space]
"What's on it and what that allows you to do is where the value is found."
Yes. And if this tool allows me to do things, it is valuable to me. Its value to you is irrelevant to me.
"products being copied exactly in garages"
Don't care a bit for copying. I want MAKING.
OK. Have fun storming the castle!
(Me? I could give a crap about the drivers. If the software is good, and the hardware is good, and it does what I want it to do, the software could be written using dead baby skins and I'd be happy.)
I saw the commercial on TV the other day, and I actually rewound the TiVo twice to watch it again. It looks like a truly amazing tool.
The FAQ says that the hardware that's being sold now has the option to install a fourth axis, and they're working on software to do g-code import and export.
woot.
Not the fastest way to turn out custom crown molding, for instance, but I think it could probably stay ahead of my lousy installation skills. : )
It's an open source design. Get on it!
"It's probably the cheapest machine of this kind out there," he adds.
Well, it's not cheaper than the CarveWright, which is retailing as the Craftsman CompuCarve for about $1700. No soldering iron required, and it can be outfitted as a 3D scanner as well (for duplicating objects).
Suffice it to say, I want this market to become very, very crowded so I have lots of devices to choose from.
And it may well come with a free lifetime supply of Q-Tips.
You can speculate, or you can wait to find out the facts. I know which one I vote for.
Yeah, just like those, only it doesn't blow ass.
Myself, I'm not going to replace my Treo 700p with the 1g iPhone, but I bet the 2g one is going to be a barn-burner. This device looks pretty amazing, assuming the touch-keyboard doesn't make me want to dig my eyes out with a spoon.
Um, why don't you go to the store (online or meatspace) and take a look?
Sprint, unlimited, EDGE network, $20/mo.
Sprint is no great shakes, but they don't suck for me, and the price is right.
And neither Microsoft nor the "content providers" would ever do anything silly, would they?
"Living in a secure, stable society of law and order comes with responsibilities and restrictions." ...which were pretty well articulated by the Constitution, and ignored by every fearmonger since.
"Isn't this somewhat similar to the magnetic plug the new Macs use (and subsequently catch fire from) "
Um, no. What are you talking about? The magnet provides a mechanical attachment, not an electrical one.
Well, with you there, Austin is certainly climbing the "Best Tool Town" charts.
Get over yourself.
"so do geeks' attitudes about people.
Maybe, just maybe, the computer isn't something regular people should have."
OK, walk me through how your attitude is distinguished from the geek attitude you malign.
"If you give someone a guitar rather than a radio, they can produce content."
All you have to do is assume that that someone has enough talent to produce something I want to listen to. Considering what you hear on the radio nowadays, that's a pretty huge assumption.
I've got an even better idea. Proceed from the assumption that people are smart enough to decide for themselves whether they wish to buy a guitar or a radio (or, gasp! Both!) and leave it at that.
Not really, no.
Here's the product roadmap for computers that will be valid for the forseeable future.
Every several months, faster models will be available.
If that's your definition of engineered obsolesence, it is not possible to design a laptop that is not engineered to be obsolete.
So basically, computers should stop getting faster so that you won't feel bad because you bought one?
Uh, no.
Computers do not lose capability over time. (Except for Windows machines.)
"Do you know if this $100 laptop is upgradable?"
Do you know that it isn't? Do you know if it needs to be upgradeable? I've got a laptop that's several years old, and I wouldn't even consider upgrading it.
"I'm sure that as the lustful fires of consumerism awaken in these nations' loins,"
OK, holy cow. Could we please dial back the rhetoric a little bit?
"they'll want harder, better, faster, stronger laptops that these corporations will be all too happy to *sell* them"
Yeah, sell them for $100. And these people who may or may not want upgraded laptops either will either buy one, or not. Or they might set up a cottage industry to upgrade their neighbors' computers, thereby earning money. You know, kinda the way the rest of us do it.
I find that a lot of people who argue about the evils of consumerism are more interested in telling me what I should or should not do with my money than actually looking out for peoples' best interests.
"it still falls victim to engineered obsolescence"
How do you know? Have you inspected the hardware?
I've never understood the concept, really. How does one engineer a product to work properly through the warranty period, but magically fail when it's out of warranty? Certainly, some manufacturers use inexpensive parts when they think they can, and sometimes those parts fail, but it's hard to imagine that's an intended effect.
Maybe I'm naive.
"Has anyone even considered that he is probably just genuinely terrified of the perceived terrorist threats, and that is why he is acting in a panicky, reactive manner and making stupid, irresponsible policies and decisions?"
Don't care. A bad decision is still a bad decision.
No, it wasn't.
"You keep using that word. I donno think it means what you think it means." -Inigo
Change is neutral. Change for change's sake is bad. Change from something bad to something worse is bad. Change from something bad to something good is good.
Change from something acceptable to something that might be better, maybe, might be good, maybe.
Go play Gran Turismo with an analog gamepad. Or fly an airplane with a side-stick.
"forgetting the Japanese internment camps we had during World War II"
I'm not the OP, but I haven't forgotten a thing. I think those camps were immoral, unethical, and illegal, too.
"If you are a law abiding American citzen or law abiding resident then you should have nothing to worry about."
Which is great, until they change the law such that everybody breaks it as a consequence of going about their daily business.
"The constitution is for protecting the citizens"
Read it again. The Constitution protects all people. It only talks about citizens when it discusses voting rights.