Actually, I did read this book (Hitchhiker) a long, looooong time ago (1988, my high school years). I wasn't a big fan but I thought the first page in particular was side-splittingly funny and I am honestly saddened by his passing. Mostly because so many people seemed to really have enjoyed his work.
But just looking at my karma should reveal that I'm not a KH, I only posted it under my own name so I could track replies. Glad I did! My intent was to post that first page that I enjoyed so much for the few people that might not be familiar with the man's work. I just can't believe that in my rush to get it done (I'm at work and up to my eyeballs in broken machines) I posted a link to Scott Adams of Dilbert fame.
So in closing, my apologies. And just to prove my point, I'll post lots and lots of goatse.cx links while simultaneously calling Jon Katz a villainous slut and thereby getting this post modded into oblivion, thus dragging my precious karma down. Frankly, I don't understand why the number matters to anyone at all.
But thanks for correcting me, seriously. I feel like a nitwit.
iamklerck wrote:
"Quantum computers are based on the concept of quantum entanglement, the ability..."
wurp replied:
"What he describes is just called superposition; quantum entanglement is when two particles' quantum states depend on each other in such a way that once you know the state of one, you also know the state of the other.... Don't spout off BS, and please, moderators, don't moderate it up!"
I think it's saying something when he's written a few paragaphs of highly technical babble before 8 people around the planet could manage "FP!!!!!".
This doesn't surprise me. George W. seems to be able to walk and chew gum yet I'm pretty sure he hasn't been turned on in quite some time (read that how you want =).
Trims wrote:
'...everyone likes to say "Now, for the first time in History, there exists a species on Earth that can do something about a earth-impact"'
Morgan Freeman with a script isn't "everyone". Really. =)
I've never had a single person try and tell me that we're prepared for an asteroid impact. Possibly imply that we're the first species with the technology and knowhow to be prepared if we so desired, but that really isn't the case.
If these things are as bright as the AI I normally run up against, all Iraq will have to do is hide behind a box and hold down the "shoot" button while repeatedly jumping. =)
Bob McCowan wrote:
"So, does the fact that I provide a mail server to close to 100 friends and aquaintences make ME an ISP?"
I'm not making an argument that you are or are not an ISP, I'm just wondering if the term "Internet Service Provider" is as legaly ambugious as it is linguistically. File-swapping is an internet service. That's all.
What I long for is an unobtrusive, sunglass-imbedded, voice-activiated computer. It should have voice, video and snapshot capability. No keyboard. Full command line.
Corvidae wrote:
"I'll admit that I've never used Aimster, but what differentiates it from a Napster clone (which doesn't appear to be an ISP in any sense of the term I've ever seen)?"
Admittedly, I'm playing devil's advocate here but...ISP == Internet Service Provder. They (Aimster, ICQ) provide an internet service, so...
Is there some sort of legal definition of an ISP? Not a troll, I'm seriously curious.
Hate to be a "me too" poster, but that's basically what it comes down to. The IT department is the least hackerly bunch I've ever come across. If you aren't using the default image, they have no interest in helping you. And if you are, then the solution is to...re-image your machine! Yay!
Where I work, we avoid IT like the plague. Then again, we're also convinced that Scott Adams works in our department under a pseudonym.
Kha0S wrote:
"Drugs are an emotionally charged subject because they kill people. It's as simple as that. Guns are also an emotionally charged subject because they kill people."
If guns kill people then pencils make spelling errors.
Wrote the poster:
"This is a worthy long term destiny for us to aim for (travel[ing] to the younger universes below us), and I urge that we start preparing now. Why bother with the petty details of day to day life - we should be thinking of the destiny of our race, our species, our Universe, and striving to make tommorrow ours."
This is either humor or an utterly bombastic pile of shit. But otherwise well written. =)
People in the publishing industry went bezerk when the photocopier came out. Oh no! People will copy books and not buy them anymore. Didn't happen. Then came VCR's and the same thing. Didn't happen. In fact VHS sales make up the bulk of what the movie studios take in! But then we have music.
Let's assume that you're right and they are losing money hand-over-fist. Why would that be so? The difference is that there is no real incentive for you to make a copy of your brother's Real Genius tape because it's a lousy $15 to get brand new and the quality is better. The same thing with MP3's. If CD's were priced at a rate that was commensurate with their worth (and not their artificial scarcity), then they'd be $5-7 a whack. And would I spend:30 on my T1 hunting down ten tracks and downloading them? Probably not.
Add to that the very lucid argument by the slashdotter who responded to your post (it's infringement (thanks)).
The Messenger wrote:
"I was plagued with visual "noise" and shaky video with the RealMagic,..."
I did too, but the most recent driver solved it (for me). I was experiencing horizontal jagged lines which were most noticable on things like text or edges of buildings. Thought for the longest time that it was interference, but the update cleaned it up. The picture looks great now.
The schools are quick to blame parents for not living up to their parental duties at home. The kid comes in half-awake, gets disruptive, whatever. But why is the school not culpable when the neglect comes on their watch?
If a kid went home every day and got picked on, insulted and physically beat, they'd have the local Child Protection Services beating down your door. But when a kid is openly harassed in a school environment, it's generic kid stuff. Hell, it's encouraged. Is someone going to suggest that the administration doesn't know that cliques exist, often whose only visible function is to torment other kids and make their life hellish? I have to think that Columbine had at least something positive come out of it; kids realize that it's not inconceivable for their asses to get shot up if they really make someone's life hell. Did those two kids go to far? Obviously. But I've never heard word-one about what you'd have to do to a person to make them willing to plan the destruction of an entire school, most of the people in it -- themselves included. How much do you have to hate life to think that??
How do you suppose they got that way?
I've been to about...perhaps a dozen schools. Five of them during my High School years. Only one (Warwick Vets, Rhode Island) ever had an environment and an administration that didn't encourage that sort of thing. Bishop Stang in Massachusetts was possibly the worst. If you're not a jock or attractive, you're a piece of sh*t. And if you are, who you are as a person is irrelevant, you're in.
I just shake my head when I hear about stuff like this and 100% of it being dumped on the kid's shoulders. Could he have used better language? Sure. But his language is a symptom, not the disease itself. Expelling him is like trying to cure pneumonia with a cough drop. It's the administration's attitude that will ultimately get someone killed.
an AC (aren't they all?) wrote:
"If we wouldn't say it "in person" (within easy reach more specifically), it's not because it's any less true, but only because we suspect you're a subhuman who can't be trusted to control your own temper."
I can't help but think that it's more along the lines of being a...well, coward. Taking potshots anonymously is less than honorable.
It's too bad you have to say something like this anonymously when you wouldn't ever say that to someone in the same situation, in person. Have some maturity. I know Slashdot is going to hell in a handbasket, but you don't have to contribute.
Slashdot Mirror
My .02,
But just looking at my karma should reveal that I'm not a KH, I only posted it under my own name so I could track replies. Glad I did! My intent was to post that first page that I enjoyed so much for the few people that might not be familiar with the man's work. I just can't believe that in my rush to get it done (I'm at work and up to my eyeballs in broken machines) I posted a link to Scott Adams of Dilbert fame.
So in closing, my apologies. And just to prove my point, I'll post lots and lots of goatse.cx links while simultaneously calling Jon Katz a villainous slut and thereby getting this post modded into oblivion, thus dragging my precious karma down. Frankly, I don't understand why the number matters to anyone at all. But thanks for correcting me, seriously. I feel like a nitwit.
My .02,
"BTW, anybody compared it to the same obituary by CNN?"
That's because both were written by AP, the associated press. You'll probably find it on other sites as well, including print.
My .02,
"Quantum computers are based on the concept of quantum entanglement, the ability..."
wurp replied: ... Don't spout off BS, and please, moderators, don't moderate it up!"
"What he describes is just called superposition; quantum entanglement is when two particles' quantum states depend on each other in such a way that once you know the state of one, you also know the state of the other.
I think it's saying something when he's written a few paragaphs of highly technical babble before 8 people around the planet could manage "FP!!!!!".
My .02,
My .02,
My .02,
'...everyone likes to say "Now, for the first time in History, there exists a species on Earth that can do something about a earth-impact"'
Morgan Freeman with a script isn't "everyone". Really. =)
I've never had a single person try and tell me that we're prepared for an asteroid impact. Possibly imply that we're the first species with the technology and knowhow to be prepared if we so desired, but that really isn't the case.
My .02,
My .02,
My .02,
Somebody was sitting around with the ctrl key already pressed and just waiting for Slash to post a MS story... =)
My .02,
"So, does the fact that I provide a mail server to close to 100 friends and aquaintences make ME an ISP?"
I'm not making an argument that you are or are not an ISP, I'm just wondering if the term "Internet Service Provider" is as legaly ambugious as it is linguistically. File-swapping is an internet service. That's all.
My .02,
"Attention. Term. Grep 'Margo' numbers dot text. Thanks, Max."
"No problem, Jay."
"Oh, and Attention. Term. Xmms. Load Jello Biafra dot asterik. Play. Thanks again, Max."
My .02,
"I'll admit that I've never used Aimster, but what differentiates it from a Napster clone (which doesn't appear to be an ISP in any sense of the term I've ever seen)?"
Admittedly, I'm playing devil's advocate here but ...ISP == Internet Service Provder. They (Aimster, ICQ) provide an internet service, so...
Is there some sort of legal definition of an ISP? Not a troll, I'm seriously curious.
My .02,
Where I work, we avoid IT like the plague. Then again, we're also convinced that Scott Adams works in our department under a pseudonym.
My .02,
"Drugs are an emotionally charged subject because they kill people. It's as simple as that. Guns are also an emotionally charged subject because they kill people."
If guns kill people then pencils make spelling errors.
My .02,
"This is a worthy long term destiny for us to aim for (travel[ing] to the younger universes below us), and I urge that we start preparing now. Why bother with the petty details of day to day life - we should be thinking of the destiny of our race, our species, our Universe, and striving to make tommorrow ours."
This is either humor or an utterly bombastic pile of shit. But otherwise well written. =)
My .02,
Let's assume that you're right and they are losing money hand-over-fist. Why would that be so? The difference is that there is no real incentive for you to make a copy of your brother's Real Genius tape because it's a lousy $15 to get brand new and the quality is better. The same thing with MP3's. If CD's were priced at a rate that was commensurate with their worth (and not their artificial scarcity), then they'd be $5-7 a whack. And would I spend :30 on my T1 hunting down ten tracks and downloading them? Probably not.
Add to that the very lucid argument by the slashdotter who responded to your post (it's infringement (thanks)).
My .02,
My .02,
My .02,
"I was plagued with visual "noise" and shaky video with the RealMagic,
I did too, but the most recent driver solved it (for me). I was experiencing horizontal jagged lines which were most noticable on things like text or edges of buildings. Thought for the longest time that it was interference, but the update cleaned it up. The picture looks great now.
My .02,
If a kid went home every day and got picked on, insulted and physically beat, they'd have the local Child Protection Services beating down your door. But when a kid is openly harassed in a school environment, it's generic kid stuff. Hell, it's encouraged. Is someone going to suggest that the administration doesn't know that cliques exist, often whose only visible function is to torment other kids and make their life hellish? I have to think that Columbine had at least something positive come out of it; kids realize that it's not inconceivable for their asses to get shot up if they really make someone's life hell. Did those two kids go to far? Obviously. But I've never heard word-one about what you'd have to do to a person to make them willing to plan the destruction of an entire school, most of the people in it -- themselves included. How much do you have to hate life to think that??
How do you suppose they got that way?
I've been to about ...perhaps a dozen schools. Five of them during my High School years. Only one (Warwick Vets, Rhode Island) ever had an environment and an administration that didn't encourage that sort of thing. Bishop Stang in Massachusetts was possibly the worst. If you're not a jock or attractive, you're a piece of sh*t. And if you are, who you are as a person is irrelevant, you're in.
I just shake my head when I hear about stuff like this and 100% of it being dumped on the kid's shoulders. Could he have used better language? Sure. But his language is a symptom, not the disease itself. Expelling him is like trying to cure pneumonia with a cough drop. It's the administration's attitude that will ultimately get someone killed.
My .02,
"If we wouldn't say it "in person" (within easy reach more specifically), it's not because it's any less true, but only because we suspect you're a subhuman who can't be trusted to control your own temper."
I can't help but think that it's more along the lines of being a ...well, coward. Taking potshots anonymously is less than honorable.
My .02,
It's too bad you have to say something like this anonymously when you wouldn't ever say that to someone in the same situation, in person. Have some maturity. I know Slashdot is going to hell in a handbasket, but you don't have to contribute.
My .02,
My .02,
"So? everything is a social product."
Bingo.
My .02,