[Mr.Kaplan]Defended the controversial DMCA, saying "this demonstrates clear as a bell that Congress listened to all sides of the debate, whether or not you agree with where the DMCA came out."
What? When was the last time ALL of congress listened to both sides of any debate? Congress is run by committees, and whatever lobbyists or special interest groups that got to the committees first are going to have their stories heard, as well as the particular biases of the congressmen on the committee as well. I don't think congress took enough time and thought with DMCA . . . and I know that we as 'geeks' didn't write enough letters and make it clear exactly HOW retarded this law is.
Okay, ending my rant. I've just heard an awful lot about the DMCA and how terrible it is on Slashdot, and EVERY time this comes up somebody posts an 'insightful' comment about how we should all write letters, but nothings being done. So either we aren't writing the letters or our congressmen are ignoring us . . . prolly depends on who your congressman is, though.
I was a member of Jeffrey Elkner's beginning programming class when he first began teaching Python. It was very good . . . I'd taken that class because I had a lot of brothers who program and I thought learning SOMETHING about computers might be useful. Now I'm a Computer Science Major at BYU . . . something I would never have counted on the year before I took that programming class, when I was still intending to be a literature major.
Python is a very easy language to learn, and helped teach me the basics of Programming and the underlying principles of problem-solving. Mr. Elkner's program was very effective and I'd like to suggest it to any High School programming teachers here. Python also introduced me to the Open-Source movement, making me somewhat of a Linux/unix nut (I get so frustrated with the Windows Labs they make beginning programming students use). That's a good thing.
My personal favorite book of his is The Discovery Of Dragons (of something like that) -- a mock scientific on the founding fathers and 'mother' of serpentology. The book is one big joke from beginning to end, including the introduction, credits, and note from the publishers, and an absolutely hilarious read. It's got all sorts of hidden jokes you may not catch until reading it a couple of times.
Not to mention the gorgeous artwork that covers all his books. Graeme Base is definitely one of my favorite children's authors -- right up there with the author of Munschworks and JK Rowling. (I read aloud to my little siblings . . . I got a 10 year old to sit all the way through book 4! That's 700 pages!)
If you don't know what Python is, you probably wouldn't want him there . . . or if your LUG is fairly large than a number of people might find him uninteresting. But as the inventer of an open-source language, I'd say he's fairly well qualified to speak.
I'm not quite sure how available he is . . you'll have to pardon my lack of information. My high school was one of the first ones in the country to teach Python as a first year programming course. That was last year . . . and my teacher somehow managed to get Guido there. I don't know whether he was already in town and was interested in seeing how the class was working out or whether he speaks regularly.
At any rate, he was interesting and knowledgeabout about open-source and programming languages in general. He was also very genial and fielded questions from the class after the presentation, answering them with intelligence and accuracy.
Re:Dehumanization of War
on
Trigger Happy
·
· Score: 1
I think you've got a point, but you're missing the fact that somebody has to push that button, and then gets to carry the weight of any war on his or her shoulders.
IMHO, the best study/representation of games and the military and what could happen is Ender's Game -- because they knew he wouldn't carry out the war on his own, they made him play the game. And he played it well and took the ultimate stake, only to have to take responsibility for destroying a whole planet for the rest of his life.
Slashdot Mirror
What? When was the last time ALL of congress listened to both sides of any debate? Congress is run by committees, and whatever lobbyists or special interest groups that got to the committees first are going to have their stories heard, as well as the particular biases of the congressmen on the committee as well. I don't think congress took enough time and thought with DMCA . . . and I know that we as 'geeks' didn't write enough letters and make it clear exactly HOW retarded this law is.
Okay, ending my rant. I've just heard an awful lot about the DMCA and how terrible it is on Slashdot, and EVERY time this comes up somebody posts an 'insightful' comment about how we should all write letters, but nothings being done. So either we aren't writing the letters or our congressmen are ignoring us . . . prolly depends on who your congressman is, though.
Python is a very easy language to learn, and helped teach me the basics of Programming and the underlying principles of problem-solving. Mr. Elkner's program was very effective and I'd like to suggest it to any High School programming teachers here. Python also introduced me to the Open-Source movement, making me somewhat of a Linux/unix nut (I get so frustrated with the Windows Labs they make beginning programming students use). That's a good thing.
Anyway, that was just my two bits.
Not to mention the gorgeous artwork that covers all his books. Graeme Base is definitely one of my favorite children's authors -- right up there with the author of Munschworks and JK Rowling. (I read aloud to my little siblings . . . I got a 10 year old to sit all the way through book 4! That's 700 pages!)
Anyway, I think I'm done rambling.
If you don't know what Python is, you probably wouldn't want him there . . . or if your LUG is fairly large than a number of people might find him uninteresting. But as the inventer of an open-source language, I'd say he's fairly well qualified to speak.
I'm not quite sure how available he is . . you'll have to pardon my lack of information. My high school was one of the first ones in the country to teach Python as a first year programming course. That was last year . . . and my teacher somehow managed to get Guido there. I don't know whether he was already in town and was interested in seeing how the class was working out or whether he speaks regularly.
At any rate, he was interesting and knowledgeabout about open-source and programming languages in general. He was also very genial and fielded questions from the class after the presentation, answering them with intelligence and accuracy.
IMHO, the best study/representation of games and the military and what could happen is Ender's Game -- because they knew he wouldn't carry out the war on his own, they made him play the game. And he played it well and took the ultimate stake, only to have to take responsibility for destroying a whole planet for the rest of his life.