I see people struggling to understand why the RIAA is so evil, etc.
No... it's all very simple. The RIAA has a chance of succeeding in getting the law on its side, by exploiting the similarity of copying copyrighted music to stealing in order to make more cash. Cash is the keyword. How they get the cash is just the "technique". They can do it by selling music. They can also supplement it with litigation. If they did not see a good chance in generating money from litigation, they wouldn't touch p2p.
That said, note that it is not *obvious* that copying copyrighted materials is "stealing". After all, that is very different from actually stealing your neighbour's chicken, after which not only do you have your neighbour's chicken, your neighbour also lacks his chicken on top of that. If you steal Briney Spears' song, she still has her original copy (don't know why she'd need that crap, though, but that's another topic).
However, the RIAA doesn't want us to think about the details. Stealing is stealing. Let's proceed.
Actually, check if local schools or other non-profit organisations take old hardware donations. I know some people would find even old computers useful, unfortunate as it is.
Seriously, though. I was planning on being a programmer. So I double majored in math and physics, while doing an internship writing code at a company. Now, indeed, I code for a living.
I don't know why people assume you need a CS degree for be a programmer. CS = Computer Science != programming. A computer scientist is like an engineer, a programmer is like a mechanic. Of course, it's advantageous to be both.
IMO, programming is best learned on your own, so it makes sense to get a degree in what you plan on applying programming to.
Of course, I am referring to programming only. For sysadmins, etc. it may make more sense to major in CS.
Did you check if there's an oxidiser on Titan? If you know that methane burns well, then why do you think it's still there in such abundance? Perhaps because there's nothing to burn it with?;)
>> "I expect the OS to recognize that there's another hard drive in the system wtihout having to edit some crypic text file somewhere;"
If you mean/etc/fstab, then that's what you edit so you can mount the hard drive. It should be found automatically, and you can see it with 'cat/proc/partitions'
Seriously, though, that really *is* an issue when it comes to non-leet people learning to use Linux.
The thing is, I think a good way to put it is: Linux is hard to learn, easy to use. But for the newbie, it's the first part that is the overbearing problem. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
And, I think, there's another problem for non-technical people that we geeks have trouble understanding. For us, the task of editing a config file is a normal thing to do. Joe 6pack cannot understand why a "config file" is needed. It's an awkward way for him to think. It certainly doesn't help that in Windows Joe 6pack doesn't *have* to edit some "config file" to do the same thing.
What I'm saying is that having to use a different method can be "harder" even if it's not any more complex.
>> "There is absolutely nothing wrong with companies making their own distributions. Nor for making one for scientists, nor for left-handed myopic howler monkeys if you so choose."
Ah, great idea! Why haven't I thought of that? I'm setting up a sourceforge account for the project right now: lefthandedmyopichowlermonekylinux.sf.net
>> "...maybe TMM has too much time on his hands since he posts so much..."
Haha, that reminds me. A coworker came up to me one time and asked me if I read slashdot. I said yeah. Then she asked me if people really have some much free time to post like that one guy.... what's his name... something Coward....
I also wouldn't be surprised if Windows would croak from too much RAM or disk space, but do you know of any technical reason for it or are you just pulling this out of your... ?;)
Slashdot Mirror
I see people struggling to understand why the RIAA is so evil, etc.
No... it's all very simple. The RIAA has a chance of succeeding in getting the law on its side, by exploiting the similarity of copying copyrighted music to stealing in order to make more cash. Cash is the keyword. How they get the cash is just the "technique". They can do it by selling music. They can also supplement it with litigation. If they did not see a good chance in generating money from litigation, they wouldn't touch p2p.
That said, note that it is not *obvious* that copying copyrighted materials is "stealing". After all, that is very different from actually stealing your neighbour's chicken, after which not only do you have your neighbour's chicken, your neighbour also lacks his chicken on top of that. If you steal Briney Spears' song, she still has her original copy (don't know why she'd need that crap, though, but that's another topic).
However, the RIAA doesn't want us to think about the details. Stealing is stealing. Let's proceed.
Can someone post a graph of Causality vs. Correlation please?
Aw... wish I had a hard drive to sell right now. The bids would probably go pretty high, with the slashdotting.
>> "Wheel, fire invented!"
No, that was before the printing press was invented.
OR... you can give them to me :)
Actually, check if local schools or other non-profit organisations take old hardware donations. I know some people would find even old computers useful, unfortunate as it is.
On the other hand, I always thought it was a good bonus for the custom when I sell a hard drive on eBay with my mp3 and pr0n collection still intact.
Then again... they probaby would see the reiserfs partition as "Unknown" in the Windows installer.
Linux already has this kind of variety. It's called distributions.
I guess now Windows is going to be confusing in the same way - except without the variety. Sounds like a losing situation to me.
>> "Suddenly, switching to OpenOffice seems like less of a change than upgrading to the next version of MS Office."
:)
Yep. And that's a Good Thing (TM)
>> "Office 12 Exposed ... more than a passing resemblance to Aqua and brushed metal looks from Mac OS X ..."
So... Exposé?
...unless by CS you mean Counter-Strike :)
Seriously, though. I was planning on being a programmer. So I double majored in math and physics, while doing an internship writing code at a company. Now, indeed, I code for a living.
I don't know why people assume you need a CS degree for be a programmer. CS = Computer Science != programming. A computer scientist is like an engineer, a programmer is like a mechanic. Of course, it's advantageous to be both.
IMO, programming is best learned on your own, so it makes sense to get a degree in what you plan on applying programming to.
Of course, I am referring to programming only. For sysadmins, etc. it may make more sense to major in CS.
>> "...light a match and drop it on Titan. BOOM."
;)
Did you check if there's an oxidiser on Titan? If you know that methane burns well, then why do you think it's still there in such abundance? Perhaps because there's nothing to burn it with?
>> "clearly not /. worthy news"
The job offer isn't. ESR's reply is. It's bad for all of us, him acting as such a child on our behalf.
It's odd saying that, him being over twice my age... but he truly does have an ego, and it's *not* helping F/OSS.
So yes, I think that is, alas, newsworthy.
>> From TFA: Some day, somebody will say 'I am going to create a headline and write a virus for Mac'," said Borrie.
Somebody just made a headline by just saying that somebody may write a virus for Mac, methinks...
>> "I expect the OS to recognize that there's another hard drive in the system wtihout having to edit some crypic text file somewhere;"
/etc/fstab, then that's what you edit so you can mount the hard drive. It should be found automatically, and you can see it with 'cat /proc/partitions'
If you mean
Seriously, though, that really *is* an issue when it comes to non-leet people learning to use Linux.
The thing is, I think a good way to put it is: Linux is hard to learn, easy to use. But for the newbie, it's the first part that is the overbearing problem. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
And, I think, there's another problem for non-technical people that we geeks have trouble understanding. For us, the task of editing a config file is a normal thing to do. Joe 6pack cannot understand why a "config file" is needed. It's an awkward way for him to think. It certainly doesn't help that in Windows Joe 6pack doesn't *have* to edit some "config file" to do the same thing.
What I'm saying is that having to use a different method can be "harder" even if it's not any more complex.
>> "There is absolutely nothing wrong with companies making their own distributions. Nor for making one for scientists, nor for left-handed myopic howler monkeys if you so choose."
Ah, great idea! Why haven't I thought of that? I'm setting up a sourceforge account for the project right now: lefthandedmyopichowlermonekylinux.sf.net
But, to continue the pedantic trend, the systems in question aren't truly Turing-complete.
;)
They've got finite memory, don't they?
>> "...maybe TMM has too much time on his hands since he posts so much..."
:)
Haha, that reminds me. A coworker came up to me one time and asked me if I read slashdot. I said yeah. Then she asked me if people really have some much free time to post like that one guy.... what's his name... something Coward....
True story.
Jigga what??? Jigga WHO???
Just curious - how do you figure out the memory addressing with 32-bit pointers?
I still cannot convince myself that this isn't a hoax... but here's some actually coherent info on the laptop:
World's first solid state laptop?
Atom Chip Corporation Reveal Ultra Fast 6.8GHz Laptop
I also wouldn't be surprised if Windows would croak from too much RAM or disk space, but do you know of any technical reason for it or are you just pulling this out of your ... ? ;)
I can't believe with all their hi-tech prowess they can't create a decent website!
How is anybody supposed to take them seriously?
>> "Too bad you got the quote wrong. ;-)"
:)
:)
Ah, thanks. My bad. That's much better
About your sig:
>> "Having a smoking section in a public restaurant is like having a peeing section in a public swimming pool."
It's for backwards compatibility
"I'm a people person, i deal with the customers so the engineers don't have to.....don't you get that?....what the hell is wrong with you!!!"
Sorry... couldn't resist...
They can have a 50% off sale and people will rush to buy it ... ... for $200!
:)
*advertising*