I agree. But the teachers are generally idiots when it comes to computers, and the classes at my schools have done NOTHING. I wish I could at least just sit at a computer for 1 hour a day learning from an O'Reilly book and get school credit. It's tougher to learn at home - I have a lot of homework (see paragraph 4 for more). Now, if I had a class, I could learn much faster a part I can't understand from a teacher, have him/her analyze the algorithms, etc. Drools...
At a private school K-2 grades, 1990- 1992, we had "computer class" every other day. We used this "logo" program that was supposed to teach you how to use computers or something. You moved a triangle around a screen using arrow keys to draw lines. It was totally useless and we learned nothing.
In elementary school 3-6 grades, 1993- 1996, there was a computer in every classroom. It was an Apple IIe (or however it is spelled). But there wasn't a class for those, they were to just play Oregon Trail during playtime. We did have a computer class once a week on some older Macs. They tried (and failed) to teach us how to type. I still don't have my fingers in the right place as I am typing this.
In middle school, 1997- 1998, Classes offered were typing and computer graphics. My older sister took the graphics class, and it appeared to involve combining cheesy pre- drawn graphics with text, then printing it out on a dot matrix printer.
In high school, (I'm in 10th grade now), I am in the IB program, which is a lot of work. The classes teach a lot, if ou're willing to learn, and cut a lot of the BS and the teachers are mostly good, especially English. I have 2 problems with the school: too many MTV loving preppies (I'm not going into that), and poor computer classes. For underclassmen, the classes taught are: HTML and Java website. This involves learning how to format text with Frontpage Express and (gasp) a scarce amount of Java. Typing - obvious. Graphics - probably only a little better than the class in middle school. For upperclassmen: C++, finally. Unfortunately, I'd much rather learn Perl, C, and Linux. Fortunately, Juniors/Seniors can take PSOP, which means I can take College classes.
My conclusion: public schools should do as the StarFace suggests, although it might be better to teach Linux or BSD, since its better with PC's.
They could give out a copy of the OS so kids could use it at home. In grade school, teach kids how to write some simple scripts. In middle school, teach how computers and the Internet work in general. Do some light Linux/BSD stuff, and maybe C programming. In high school, go into the configs, the kernel, and more deeply into hardware. I don't see any school teaching anything complicated about hardware. It could be partially integrated into other subjects, esp. math. Write algorithms to do some complicated problems, and some simpler ones. (who can find prime numbers 1- 100000? Make it as fast as possible.) In any case, the school system definately needs more in the area of computers.
So now he not only "created" it, but now he owns (0wnZ) it too? All he did was vote for something in Congress. Big deal. Many other Congressmen did as well, but you don't see them plastering it all over the place.
Can't use no more TiVo's with no HDTV. Copying anything digital for any reason now is illegal. Really. Look at it. Read the later article on the FAA. I'm sick of having my rights be those of a consumer to large companies.
Where will it (if it does) end? It's our fucking country.
Really though, I don't understand what "piracy" this is supposed to stop. Perhaps Napster was targeted because it is so popular. But I don't know anything about any TV pirating going on.
Besides, it's not like you can go down to the rental store and rent a copy of a show either. What if, say, there is a live concert on TV of a band you like? You'll just have to wait until and if the network decides to re-show it? For the love of the Constitution, it is (or should not be) not illegal just because there is a hypothetical illegal activity that can be performed.
I am sick of people just not caring as rights are stripped away. I go to a public school in Minneapolis. We can't wear hats (they are supposed to cause gangs, which are supposed to cause violence?), can't listen to a cd or even have headphones on while in the hallway, and the bitch principal harrasses me for having dyed hair. Worse, the school is full of MTV worshipping preppies. It's so bad, there are 2 groups: preppies and non preppies. Even when we all band together, there aren't enough to protest. We all get detention.
Did anyone else think that the VMA awards on MTV had a really unfair demotion (is that the right word? the opposite of promotion?) of Napster, and it had Lars Ulrich and stuff... he stole that Wayans brother's (pretending to be a college student in a dorm) stuff and compared it to Napster and called it "sharing." But, the mp3's are exact copies. It's not like Napster users are stealing material items from Metallica - they're coping it.
Another thing that pisses me off is that Metallica claims they're doing it for the smaller bands that are trying to get rich but Napster users pirate their music. As I recall, smaller bands like Napster - it helps spread word of them. I know ChrisJ likes Napster (I have bought 2 of his CD's). Metallica should sue on their own behalf and let other bands join them in the suit or something.
Also, Napster isn't the one to sue, shouldn't it be the users who are doing the trading of copyrighted music? The actual trading is what's wrong, not the service.
I guess he means Internet Access hooked up directly to the computer in a car. There was an article in 2600 about the Cadillac Evoq and Internet access in cars. It really is a moronic idea. Of course, my equally moronic Driver's Ed teacher was talking about how useful it would be.
I'm not sure if a CD lasts longer, but I know tapes cost much more to produce than a CD. CD's are cheap, but the prices are higher than those of cassettes. The record companies not only take all the profit from it (and not giving some back to us with lower prices), but charge higher prices! That is something I call a "ripoff" The same thing happens with DVD's. We don't see a price lowered, although production cost is lower.
I think sales would go up if cd's cost around $8 and profits would stay the same. I'd still be spending just as much, maybe more on cd's. DVD's should be around $11. I'd buy more of those, too. (or rent, if rental prices went down).
Is it just me, or would it be cooler if the robots had sex? Put the male part into the female part (the terms are more appropriate than usual), then swap some bits about what the robot will be?
Also, speaking of BattleBots, it would be really REALLY R E A L L Y cool if they had not just two robots in battle, but like two countries at war. Each starts out with the same number of equal robots. They build defenses, make more robots, and have total war! Kill all of an enemy's robots to win. That would kick more ass than I can imagine. No people controlling the robots - they do it all themselves.
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I also believe there is some stuff in the beginning about school or something.
At a private school K-2 grades, 1990- 1992, we had "computer class" every other day. We used this "logo" program that was supposed to teach you how to use computers or something. You moved a triangle around a screen using arrow keys to draw lines. It was totally useless and we learned nothing.
In elementary school 3-6 grades, 1993- 1996, there was a computer in every classroom. It was an Apple IIe (or however it is spelled). But there wasn't a class for those, they were to just play Oregon Trail during playtime. We did have a computer class once a week on some older Macs. They tried (and failed) to teach us how to type. I still don't have my fingers in the right place as I am typing this.
In middle school, 1997- 1998, Classes offered were typing and computer graphics. My older sister took the graphics class, and it appeared to involve combining cheesy pre- drawn graphics with text, then printing it out on a dot matrix printer.
In high school, (I'm in 10th grade now), I am in the IB program, which is a lot of work. The classes teach a lot, if ou're willing to learn, and cut a lot of the BS and the teachers are mostly good, especially English. I have 2 problems with the school: too many MTV loving preppies (I'm not going into that), and poor computer classes. For underclassmen, the classes taught are: HTML and Java website. This involves learning how to format text with Frontpage Express and (gasp) a scarce amount of Java. Typing - obvious. Graphics - probably only a little better than the class in middle school. For upperclassmen: C++, finally. Unfortunately, I'd much rather learn Perl, C, and Linux. Fortunately, Juniors/Seniors can take PSOP, which means I can take College classes.
My conclusion: public schools should do as the StarFace suggests, although it might be better to teach Linux or BSD, since its better with PC's.
They could give out a copy of the OS so kids could use it at home. In grade school, teach kids how to write some simple scripts. In middle school, teach how computers and the Internet work in general. Do some light Linux/BSD stuff, and maybe C programming. In high school, go into the configs, the kernel, and more deeply into hardware. I don't see any school teaching anything complicated about hardware. It could be partially integrated into other subjects, esp. math. Write algorithms to do some complicated problems, and some simpler ones. (who can find prime numbers 1- 100000? Make it as fast as possible.) In any case, the school system definately needs more in the area of computers.
So now he not only "created" it, but now he owns (0wnZ) it too? All he did was vote for something in Congress. Big deal. Many other Congressmen did as well, but you don't see them plastering it all over the place.
Where will it (if it does) end? It's our fucking country.
Really though, I don't understand what "piracy" this is supposed to stop. Perhaps Napster was targeted because it is so popular. But I don't know anything about any TV pirating going on.
Besides, it's not like you can go down to the rental store and rent a copy of a show either. What if, say, there is a live concert on TV of a band you like? You'll just have to wait until and if the network decides to re-show it? For the love of the Constitution, it is (or should not be) not illegal just because there is a hypothetical illegal activity that can be performed.
I am sick of people just not caring as rights are stripped away. I go to a public school in Minneapolis. We can't wear hats (they are supposed to cause gangs, which are supposed to cause violence?), can't listen to a cd or even have headphones on while in the hallway, and the bitch principal harrasses me for having dyed hair. Worse, the school is full of MTV worshipping preppies. It's so bad, there are 2 groups: preppies and non preppies. Even when we all band together, there aren't enough to protest. We all get detention.
Get up, stand up.
Another thing that pisses me off is that Metallica claims they're doing it for the smaller bands that are trying to get rich but Napster users pirate their music. As I recall, smaller bands like Napster - it helps spread word of them. I know ChrisJ likes Napster (I have bought 2 of his CD's). Metallica should sue on their own behalf and let other bands join them in the suit or something.
Also, Napster isn't the one to sue, shouldn't it be the users who are doing the trading of copyrighted music? The actual trading is what's wrong, not the service.
I guess he means Internet Access hooked up directly to the computer in a car. There was an article in 2600 about the Cadillac Evoq and Internet access in cars. It really is a moronic idea. Of course, my equally moronic Driver's Ed teacher was talking about how useful it would be.
I think sales would go up if cd's cost around $8 and profits would stay the same. I'd still be spending just as much, maybe more on cd's. DVD's should be around $11. I'd buy more of those, too. (or rent, if rental prices went down).
Is it just me, or would it be cooler if the robots had sex? Put the male part into the female part (the terms are more appropriate than usual), then swap some bits about what the robot will be?
Also, speaking of BattleBots, it would be really REALLY R E A L L Y cool if they had not just two robots in battle, but like two countries at war. Each starts out with the same number of equal robots. They build defenses, make more robots, and have total war! Kill all of an enemy's robots to win. That would kick more ass than I can imagine. No people controlling the robots - they do it all themselves.