Actually, yes all of that should be added to the environmental cost of energy. Argonne National Labs did a big study a few years ago called 'Well to Wheels' to examine this question. Bottom line was that plant derived ethanol used as much fossil fuel energy as it produced. Biodiesel from soybeans was a real winner.
It is actually pretty nice to have the long battery life during the work/meeting day, and then plug it in and boost the graphics in the hotel room to participate in the guild raid that night.
Actually, the hardware/software of my iPhone is close to ideal for me. iTunes, however, is a dinosaur of a program hobbled by its DRM based origins. When they get around opening that program up the whole ecosystem will work better.
I think this post is really quite insightful. I play with our family quild that consists of Dad (me), Mom, Son, Daughter, Daughter-in-law, and various uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews. There is a large range of ages and interests in the game. I'm continually amazed that WoW can accommodate my raiding son, my pvp nieces, and the wife who loves nothing more than doing dailies and accumulating accomplishments. The game has an enormous breadth of appeal. Really a remarkable piece of work.
But the 90% seems to me to be the reason, but a different reason - Microsoft has no incentive to "get it right". As long as they can get their OS preinstalled on all the Dells and HPs and etc, and aren't losing revenue by writing a secure OS, why bother? After all, their only aim, unlike Linux's aim, is to make money, like every other corporation. You don't start a corporation to better the world, you start a corporation to make money. period. Apple makes their PCs secure because they have to - they don't own the market likd MS does. ========= I don't think that this is correct. Rather, I think the vulnerability of the various operating systems is built into the their presumptive roles. Windows was build around the idea of one guy sitting in front of the computer. The Internet and viruses were never considered. As these modes of connection/vulnerability have developed Microsoft has been trying to secure the inherently insecure operating system. Vista was supposed to be a big step in erasing these presumptions, but still has to deal with legacy apps that assume root privileges.
The Unix based Mach kernel at the core of OSX and Linux inherently make the assumption of the multi-user system. Thus, privilege separation is build into the DNA of the system, and no app assumes you have root privileges.
But really these are both bad alternatives. Instead of beating the dead horse, why can't we get a new and compelling sci fi show with new characters? The answer is, of course, that studios would rather beat a dead horse than take risks. ==============
Actually we just bought another kindle and set it up to access the same account/library. My daughter gets a Kindle 2 for her birthday next week, and we'll work it the same way.
Yes. I was also impressed with the many ssh attempts on my family server when I first put it up. Changing the ssh to a non-standard port, and using iptables to limit ssh access to two other computers in the TCP/IP universe (my lab workstation and my apartment) fixed the problem. I have not had an ssh attempt on the server in the last 10 years.
>>Does a doctor need to know how Augmentin works to prescribe it
Actually, that level of knowledge is pretty useful. It is a penicillin based antibiotic, and so active against the cell wall of the bacteria. If the patient had previously been on keflex (another cell wall based antibiotic) then it makes little sense to use one of the same class. Another example; if you are treating an infection likely to be caused from an intracellular bacteria like mycoplasma where cell wall antibiotics don't/can't be effective, then augmentin is a mistake.
These are real world, in the office situations. Yes, knowing how augmentin works is important.
Duke (M.D./Residency/Practice in Family Medicine, Ph.D. in Biochemistry) out
"I agree that the brute force approach will get A grades in o-chem, but don't you think that maybe our doctors ought to learn how to think like scientists?"
Actually medical students need both skills. Once one gets into medical school there is a torrent of information that one has to acquire. 'trying to drink from a firehose' is the old saw. The medical student _needs_ to have the brute force memorization skills in order to not flunk out of medical school. The scientific type reasoning comes when you first bump into patients and you are trying to figure out what is wrong with them (diagnosis). That is really where problem solving and deductive reasoning come to fore (and intuition and empathy as well. Just try and get a straight story from the average guy on the street.)
So, I think the 'rite of passage' that is organic chemistry is fine. But then I'm one of the odd balls that does research. I had my old organic book (Morrison and Boyd, 3rd ed, circa 1972) out just the other day to re-learn some things half forgotten.
A very nice post. Thanks for taking the time to tell it so well. However, I think that opinions differ. Personally, I'm in favor of the questing/PvE game play. I enjoy it a great deal. On the other hand, my daughter-in-law recently started a new character and was having my son help power-level it so she could 'get to the real game'. She clearly had little patience for the questing game play.
We bought ours before our trip to Japan this spring, paid for with part of President Bush's economic stimulus check. What an amazing machine. We loved it on the trip, and when we got back home realized we needed another so we weren't fighting over it. Thank you GWB.
I actually saw such a system. It was around 1990 at Lilly Pharmaceuticals. They had a Cray something or other and wanted to show it off to the public. The CPU(s?) were enclosed in clear plexiglass and there was a clear fluid rapidly flowing over them. The PR tape said it was a non-conducting liquid (CFCs?) used to keep the computer cool.
I recently took my OLPC on a trip to Japan, and it worked very well. I could read the New York Times on the browser, get my gmail, and ssh into my workstation to keep jobs going. And it was solid enough that I didn't worry about throwing it into my luggage. The downside is that it is a bit heavier than the eee.
I found that not having a television in the house remarkably reduced this sort of activity. And then, once they are old enough, I used to give them 'missions'. The missions were - go and get me a box of x, and they got a point for each completion. When they accumulated 5 pts, I'd buy them a treat they wanted at the checkout counter. When they got into grade school I'd give them the calculator and have them find the least expensive of X. It made grocery shopping something of a fun game for us.
Well put. My extended family has a guild and we do instances and Arena together on the weekends. It is a great way to stay in touch with my daughter (in Japan) and my son (in Colorado).
Slashdot Mirror
I understand the next iteration of the OLPC will have hardware like this. Don' know about the software.
Actually, my smartphone would suffice for this kind of user.
Actually, yes all of that should be added to the environmental cost of energy. Argonne National Labs did a big study a few years ago called 'Well to Wheels' to examine this question. Bottom line was that plant derived ethanol used as much fossil fuel energy as it produced. Biodiesel from soybeans was a real winner.
1.94 - 2.08 lbs CO2/Kwh in Indiana according to Duke Energy
It is actually pretty nice to have the long battery life during the work/meeting day, and then plug it in and boost the graphics in the hotel room to participate in the guild raid that night.
Actually, the hardware/software of my iPhone is close to ideal for me. iTunes, however, is a dinosaur of a program hobbled by its DRM based origins. When they get around opening that program up the whole ecosystem will work better.
Duke out
I think this post is really quite insightful. I play with our family quild that consists of Dad (me), Mom, Son, Daughter, Daughter-in-law, and various uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews. There is a large range of ages and interests in the game. I'm continually amazed that WoW can accommodate my raiding son, my pvp nieces, and the wife who loves nothing more than doing dailies and accumulating accomplishments. The game has an enormous breadth of appeal. Really a remarkable piece of work.
Garn of Stormwind, out
But the 90% seems to me to be the reason, but a different reason - Microsoft has no incentive to "get it right". As long as they can get their OS preinstalled on all the Dells and HPs and etc, and aren't losing revenue by writing a secure OS, why bother? After all, their only aim, unlike Linux's aim, is to make money, like every other corporation. You don't start a corporation to better the world, you start a corporation to make money. period. Apple makes their PCs secure because they have to - they don't own the market likd MS does.
=========
I don't think that this is correct. Rather, I think the vulnerability of the various operating systems is built into the their presumptive roles. Windows was build around the idea of one guy sitting in front of the computer. The Internet and viruses were never considered. As these modes of connection/vulnerability have developed Microsoft has been trying to secure the inherently insecure operating system. Vista was supposed to be a big step in erasing these presumptions, but still has to deal with legacy apps that assume root privileges.
The Unix based Mach kernel at the core of OSX and Linux inherently make the assumption of the multi-user system. Thus, privilege separation is build into the DNA of the system, and no app assumes you have root privileges.
duke out
Actually, much of western europe and japan are democracies, and have rather substantial fuel taxes in order to limit consumption.
duke out
Actually, I think we should use the gas tax to fund the war in Iraq.
duke out
Jetta TDI. My old one (1997) has a lifetime 50+ mpg, but then I drive very conservatively. I
'm sure the new one would get you 40+ mpg.
duke out
But really these are both bad alternatives. Instead of beating the dead horse, why can't we get a new and compelling sci fi show with new characters? The answer is, of course, that studios would rather beat a dead horse than take risks.
==============
Firefly, for instance.
duke out
Actually we just bought another kindle and set it up to access the same account/library. My daughter gets a Kindle 2 for her birthday next week, and we'll work it the same way.
Duke out
Yes. I was also impressed with the many ssh attempts on my family server when I first put it up. Changing the ssh to a non-standard port, and using iptables to limit ssh access to two other computers in the TCP/IP universe (my lab workstation and my apartment) fixed the problem. I have not had an ssh attempt on the server in the last 10 years.
duke out
Isn't this small potatoes to the power of the distributed project climateprediction.net?
duke out
>>Does a doctor need to know how Augmentin works to prescribe it
Actually, that level of knowledge is pretty useful. It is a penicillin based antibiotic, and so active against the cell wall of the bacteria. If the patient had previously been on keflex (another cell wall based antibiotic) then it makes little sense to use one of the same class. Another example; if you are treating an infection likely to be caused from an intracellular bacteria like mycoplasma where cell wall antibiotics don't/can't be effective, then augmentin is a mistake.
These are real world, in the office situations. Yes, knowing how augmentin works is important.
Duke (M.D./Residency/Practice in Family Medicine, Ph.D. in Biochemistry) out
"I agree that the brute force approach will get A grades in o-chem, but don't you think that maybe our doctors ought to learn how to think like scientists?"
Actually medical students need both skills. Once one gets into medical school there is a torrent of information that one has to acquire. 'trying to drink from a firehose' is the old saw. The medical student _needs_ to have the brute force memorization skills in order to not flunk out of medical school. The scientific type reasoning comes when you first bump into patients and you are trying to figure out what is wrong with them (diagnosis). That is really where problem solving and deductive reasoning come to fore (and intuition and empathy as well. Just try and get a straight story from the average guy on the street.)
So, I think the 'rite of passage' that is organic chemistry is fine. But then I'm one of the odd balls that does research. I had my old organic book (Morrison and Boyd, 3rd ed, circa 1972) out just the other day to re-learn some things half forgotten.
Enough fun. Back to grant writing.
Duke, M.D., Ph.D. out
A very nice post. Thanks for taking the time to tell it so well. However, I think that opinions differ. Personally, I'm in favor of the questing/PvE game play. I enjoy it a great deal. On the other hand, my daughter-in-law recently started a new character and was having my son help power-level it so she could 'get to the real game'. She clearly had little patience for the questing game play.
duke out
We bought ours before our trip to Japan this spring, paid for with part of President Bush's economic stimulus check. What an amazing machine. We loved it on the trip, and when we got back home realized we needed another so we weren't fighting over it. Thank you GWB.
Duke out
I actually saw such a system. It was around 1990 at Lilly Pharmaceuticals. They had a Cray something or other and wanted to show it off to the public. The CPU(s?) were enclosed in clear plexiglass and there was a clear fluid rapidly flowing over them. The PR tape said it was a non-conducting liquid (CFCs?) used to keep the computer cool.
duke out
I recently took my OLPC on a trip to Japan, and it worked very well. I could read the New York Times on the browser, get my gmail, and ssh into my workstation to keep jobs going. And it was solid enough that I didn't worry about throwing it into my luggage. The downside is that it is a bit heavier than the eee.
duke out
www.climateprediction.net
I found that not having a television in the house remarkably reduced this sort of activity. And then, once they are old enough, I used to give them 'missions'. The missions were - go and get me a box of x, and they got a point for each completion. When they accumulated 5 pts, I'd buy them a treat they wanted at the checkout counter. When they got into grade school I'd give them the calculator and have them find the least expensive of X. It made grocery shopping something of a fun game for us.
duke out
Quadraginta,
you might find Howard Gardner's book 'Frames of Mind' interesting. Mathematica may have more use for some folks than for others.
duke out
Well put. My extended family has a guild and we do instances and Arena together on the weekends. It is a great way to stay in touch with my daughter (in Japan) and my son (in Colorado).
duke out