I agree with you. By and large, the number of car wrecks that occur on a daily basis are a compelling argument against universal access to flying vehicles. One aspect, though, that seems to keep creeping in is that folks want to have something for themselves as they are different and better. Flying cars would be great if I was the only one having them.:-)
I do recall the "Diamond Age", Neal Stephenson, I believe, of "Snow Crash" Fame.
In that world, the economy revolved around the "Feed". The pipeline of useful molicules that was fed into your house to be used by your nano-assembler device.
It is somewhat entertaining to visualize how 'build on demand' products will change things. Many SciFi authors have theorized on how society will be affected when we can have localised micro-factories all over the place. Imagine a vending machine that dispenses built on demand autoparts.
Of course, none of this is relevant to the article, but I expect that as computer-based manufacturing on the small scale becomes more common, that we will see value being based not as much in the product but rather in two areas:
1) Design. Unusual or interesting designs will be the commodity of choice.
2) Hand-made items. This was addressed in "The Diamond Age" as well. In a world where everyone can have precision-made items on demand, the hand-made item gains value for its uniqueness.
I said I was old, didn't I? That meens I don't know how to do leet speek.
Bah.
Mike
Spelling the end of free inernet access?
on
Juno And Privacy
·
· Score: 2
One by one, we have watched free ISP services dry up and blow away. Now we are getting onerous usage agreements. Folks, I expect that this is the death knell for the free ISP.
I wonder, though, if we will see a time where internet service becomes a commodity item like power or telephone? If so, when? What about folks like us who want full server support in our homes?
Mostly rhetorical questions, but I am curious. In my area, there are numerous options for v.90 dial-up ISPs, but only one option for fast access (@home, ugh). No DSL, no choices for ISP with the cable infrastructure.
Of course, I have used the free ISPs in the past to handle internet access when I've been travelling, as @home's dialup access is breath-takingly expensive.
I don't intend to allow my children to keep a computer in their room. At this stage of the game, it is too dangerous. In the family room only, please, allowing overt monitoring of their activites online. Games et al will be handled with headphones, should the noise level get too high.
I darn sure don't want to get a call from the FBI because my son has tried to be 733t hax0r.
I guess the old TANSTAAFL, my personal motto for years, still holds.
This is, I guess, more of where I was heading. I understand escapist entertainment. Heck, I work at a University, how escapist can you get? I do think that this short of thing is a manefestation of obsessive/compulsive behavior and is unhealthy if taken too far.
Now, that said, I don't dare try to define what 'too far' really is. I think paying hard cash for a game magic item is 'too far' for me. I lost a friend to a MUD some years ago. She actually quit her job, blew off her friends, and flew across the country just to be closer to the MUD folks. It was scary to watch.
She's better now, but it was real spooky.
I've also noticed a tendency to do that with myself and I've fought it through the years. It is probably for the best that there weren't these high falutin graphical multi-player games when I was a self-absorbed, moody teenager. (As opposed to the self-absorbed, moody adult I am now)
Please be careful to note that I did not advocate the ban. I don't think Sony has any business in affairs of this sort. If folks wanna pay for online artifacts, so be it.
Rather I was expressing astonishment that folks would get that deep into a game.
Be careful dismissing the "It's just a game". Folks can take their games WAY too seriously. It is important to keep a perspective, regardless of whether one is winning or losing.
Oh, I understand it. I've been computer gaming since the late 70's and have spent quite a great deal of real money to buy games over the years. I really don't want to think of how much I've spent in the last 20 years.
However, even though I computer game and role play often and fully, this just hit my tolerance level. I tried to think of it in terms of a single player game or a live RPG. "Send us $20 more for the UBERWEAPON!" or a DM saying "For a 5-spot, I'll set you up with the best sword!".
Ugh.
There is a difference in buying a game and selling magic items from the game on E-Bay. The former is entertainment, like buying an album or a video tape. The latter indicates far too much personal investment in a virtual reality for my comfort level.
Maybe I'm just getting too old.
I have seen some pretty bloody wars over MUDS or BBS games (Ahhh, Trade Wars!).
later, Mike (long time gamer, long time curmudgeon)
In the final analysis, corps are in it for the money. Tracking people costs money and nets very little cost savings in return. Further, the potential liability and public-relations fiascos that could come up should it leak out present a very palpable risk to the bottom line.
Tracking usage, esp. when you don't have control over the OS used and the network (dial-up) that they use [Yes, I know that internet access is included, but they don't have to use it], is *very* hard. Hard == expensive. We're back to the bottom line.
Allow me to offer another angle:
Perhaps Intel wants to:
1) Gain lots of press and public warm fuzzies by caring for the little guy
2) Save money by claiming the PC's as business expenses
3) Possibly ease employee abuse of the internet by allowing them full access at home.
There are those who would find a conspiracy behind every bush. However, it is just as likely that simple greed is behind most things corps do.
According to the press release, the cell is not a computational unit, but rather the subject of the chip. The chip allows the researcher to 'open' the cell membrane on command.
The possibilities of drug testing, genetic research, and just plain science are impressive. I wonder if the knowledge of how specific voltages open cell membranes could be used in nano tech work. Imagine a 'bionic' chip used to open cell membranes to allow the nanites to enter harmlessly.
To take it a bit further, imagine larger nanites that open cells in situ allowing smaller nanites to slip in to do their work (or proteins or some such). Very cool.
I expect it'll be a bit for any real applications come out of this, however.
I agree. My experience has shown that GroupWise is more trouble than its worth.
However, Novell's Internet Messaging Server is comming to linux. NIMS is about the coolest NetWare app I've ever seen.
Have a look at MyRealBox a free webmail/IMAP/POP server ran by Novell using NIMS on NetWare 5. We've been testing it. very slick, and it'll run on Solaris, Linux, and NetWare (load balancing, all platforms at the same time) in the next release or so.
NDS is much more viable then NIS. I couldn't imagine building a NIS directory to hold 80,000 user accounts across the entire campus, but we're doing it with NDS.
Don't confuse NDS with NetWare. NetWare is the server Novell sells, it is an excellent file/print/NDS engine server. They are finally getting its web engines close to snuff and Apache 2 should run on it (1.x is in experimental release).
I've managed many networks, NT, Samba on ??IX, NetWare. I prefer NetWare for many reasons for file/print, but I prefer ??IX for web/internet (DHCP) etc.
I found the limits on the internal user database and scalability issues to limit the usefullness of Samba in the enterprise. It is fine for the workgroup, but again, 80,000 student accounts on Samba makes my head hurt.
It is kind of an apples to oranges thing when it comes to UNIX and NetWare comparisons.
NDS, however, is where it is at. For directory services and management, it cannot be beat. NIS filled the void, but it really shows its age.
NetWare doesn't run on a DOS base. It bootstraps off of a DOS kernel. Once NetWare launches, the DOS kernel is put in a little box, patted on the head, and kept out of trouble. It has no role at all in the operation of the OS. On a cool note, NetWare 5 ships with Caldera DR-DOS 7 as a boot stap loader. My NetWare boxes doen't have MSnothin on them now. WooHoo.
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I agree with you. By and large, the number of car wrecks that occur on a daily basis are a compelling argument against universal access to flying vehicles. One aspect, though, that seems to keep creeping in is that folks want to have something for themselves as they are different and better. Flying cars would be great if I was the only one having them. :-)
Take care,
Mike
I do recall the "Diamond Age", Neal Stephenson, I believe, of "Snow Crash" Fame.
In that world, the economy revolved around the "Feed". The pipeline of useful molicules that was fed into your house to be used by your nano-assembler device.
It is somewhat entertaining to visualize how 'build on demand' products will change things. Many SciFi authors have theorized on how society will be affected when we can have localised micro-factories all over the place. Imagine a vending machine that dispenses built on demand autoparts.
Of course, none of this is relevant to the article, but I expect that as computer-based manufacturing on the small scale becomes more common, that we will see value being based not as much in the product but rather in two areas:
1) Design. Unusual or interesting designs will be the commodity of choice.
2) Hand-made items. This was addressed in "The Diamond Age" as well. In a world where everyone can have precision-made items on demand, the hand-made item gains value for its uniqueness.
Later,
Mike
Hey,
I said I was old, didn't I? That meens I don't know how to do leet speek.
Bah.
Mike
One by one, we have watched free ISP services dry up and blow away. Now we are getting onerous usage agreements. Folks, I expect that this is the death knell for the free ISP.
I wonder, though, if we will see a time where internet service becomes a commodity item like power or telephone? If so, when? What about folks like us who want full server support in our homes?
Mostly rhetorical questions, but I am curious. In my area, there are numerous options for v.90 dial-up ISPs, but only one option for fast access (@home, ugh). No DSL, no choices for ISP with the cable infrastructure.
Of course, I have used the free ISPs in the past to handle internet access when I've been travelling, as @home's dialup access is breath-takingly expensive.
I'm rambling.
See ya,
Mike
I don't intend to allow my children to keep a computer in their room. At this stage of the game, it is too dangerous. In the family room only, please, allowing overt monitoring of their activites online. Games et al will be handled with headphones, should the noise level get too high.
I darn sure don't want to get a call from the FBI because my son has tried to be 733t hax0r.
I guess the old TANSTAAFL, my personal motto for years, still holds.
Mike
The old curmudgeon
This is, I guess, more of where I was heading. I understand escapist entertainment. Heck, I work at a University, how escapist can you get? I do think that this short of thing is a manefestation of obsessive/compulsive behavior and is unhealthy if taken too far.
Now, that said, I don't dare try to define what 'too far' really is. I think paying hard cash for a game magic item is 'too far' for me. I lost a friend to a MUD some years ago. She actually quit her job, blew off her friends, and flew across the country just to be closer to the MUD folks. It was scary to watch.
She's better now, but it was real spooky.
I've also noticed a tendency to do that with myself and I've fought it through the years. It is probably for the best that there weren't these high falutin graphical multi-player games when I was a self-absorbed, moody teenager. (As opposed to the self-absorbed, moody adult I am now)
Take care,
Mike
Please be careful to note that I did not advocate the ban. I don't think Sony has any business in affairs of this sort. If folks wanna pay for online artifacts, so be it.
Rather I was expressing astonishment that folks would get that deep into a game.
Be careful dismissing the "It's just a game". Folks can take their games WAY too seriously. It is important to keep a perspective, regardless of whether one is winning or losing.
Later,
Mike
Oh, I understand it. I've been computer gaming since the late 70's and have spent quite a great deal of real money to buy games over the years. I really don't want to think of how much I've spent in the last 20 years.
However, even though I computer game and role play often and fully, this just hit my tolerance level. I tried to think of it in terms of a single player game or a live RPG. "Send us $20 more for the UBERWEAPON!" or a DM saying "For a 5-spot, I'll set you up with the best sword!".
Ugh.
There is a difference in buying a game and selling magic items from the game on E-Bay. The former is entertainment, like buying an album or a video tape. The latter indicates far too much personal investment in a virtual reality for my comfort level.
Maybe I'm just getting too old.
I have seen some pretty bloody wars over MUDS or BBS games (Ahhh, Trade Wars!).
later,
Mike
(long time gamer, long time curmudgeon)
It is certainly a sign that virtual life has gone too far when folks spend real money for virtual items.
It's just a game! Turn off the computer, get out of the chair, and go outside.
Heck, even good 'ole pencil and paper RPGs didn't get this bad.
Mike
Why would Intel bother to track employee usage?
In the final analysis, corps are in it for the money. Tracking people costs money and nets very little cost savings in return. Further, the potential liability and public-relations fiascos that could come up should it leak out present a very palpable risk to the bottom line.
Tracking usage, esp. when you don't have control over the OS used and the network (dial-up) that they use [Yes, I know that internet access is included, but they don't have to use it], is *very* hard. Hard == expensive. We're back to the bottom line.
Allow me to offer another angle:
Perhaps Intel wants to:
1) Gain lots of press and public warm fuzzies by caring for the little guy
2) Save money by claiming the PC's as business expenses
3) Possibly ease employee abuse of the internet by allowing them full access at home.
There are those who would find a conspiracy behind every bush. However, it is just as likely that simple greed is behind most things corps do.
Take care,
Mike
Perhaps if these chips were compuational devices. They are micro labs, used to study cells (the cell is a diode, at best).
No embedded CPU's here.
Later,
Mike
According to the press release, the cell is not a computational unit, but rather the subject of the chip. The chip allows the researcher to 'open' the cell membrane on command.
The possibilities of drug testing, genetic research, and just plain science are impressive. I wonder if the knowledge of how specific voltages open cell membranes could be used in nano tech work. Imagine a 'bionic' chip used to open cell membranes to allow the nanites to enter harmlessly.
To take it a bit further, imagine larger nanites that open cells in situ allowing smaller nanites to slip in to do their work (or proteins or some such). Very cool.
I expect it'll be a bit for any real applications come out of this, however.
Take care,
Mike
I agree. My experience has shown that GroupWise is more trouble than its worth.
However, Novell's Internet Messaging Server is comming to linux. NIMS is about the coolest NetWare app I've ever seen.
Have a look at MyRealBox a free webmail/IMAP/POP server ran by Novell using NIMS on NetWare 5. We've been testing it. very slick, and it'll run on Solaris, Linux, and NetWare (load balancing, all platforms at the same time) in the next release or so.
Sweet!
Later,Mike
NDS for Solaris has been a product for a while.
:-)
Sun support is old news.
Mike
NDS is much more viable then NIS. I couldn't imagine building a NIS directory to hold 80,000 user accounts across the entire campus, but we're doing it with NDS.
/NDS engine server. They are finally getting its web engines close to snuff and Apache 2 should run on it (1.x is in experimental release).
Don't confuse NDS with NetWare. NetWare is the server Novell sells, it is an excellent file/print
I've managed many networks, NT, Samba on ??IX, NetWare. I prefer NetWare for many reasons for file/print, but I prefer ??IX for web/internet (DHCP) etc.
I found the limits on the internal user database and scalability issues to limit the usefullness of Samba in the enterprise. It is fine for the workgroup, but again, 80,000 student accounts on Samba makes my head hurt.
It is kind of an apples to oranges thing when it comes to UNIX and NetWare comparisons.
NDS, however, is where it is at. For directory services and management, it cannot be beat. NIS filled the void, but it really shows its age.
NetWare doesn't run on a DOS base. It bootstraps off of a DOS kernel. Once NetWare launches, the DOS kernel is put in a little box, patted on the head, and kept out of trouble. It has no role at all in the operation of the OS. On a cool note, NetWare 5 ships with Caldera DR-DOS 7 as a boot stap loader. My NetWare boxes doen't have MSnothin on them now. WooHoo.