Just got out from seeing AotC. Went to the midnight session in Canberra, Australia, so I got to see it before most of you guys from the US.
Impressions: 1. The plot is starting to come together for the original three. Whereas Phantom Menace seemed totally unrelated, the plot is starting to intertwine in the arc we all know and love. Towards the end, you're really left wondering about Dooku. I'm not sure he's as bad as they crank him up to be. 2. Ewan MacGregor puts in a good performance, Natalie Portman was excellent too. Hayden Christensen was so close to doing the perfect job; the teen cheesy play Padme's heartstrings just doesn't quite work. 3. Yoda kicks ass(TM) 4. The Gladiator -> big fight scene is breathtaking. It had a similar effect on me that Black Hawk Down did. Gut wrenching. You forget you're in a movie, you look up and find you're clinging on to your seat. 5. But (there's always a but), despite loving it, there's just something missing. Maybe it's because I've always seen the original three together, but it kind of left me with that Lord of the Rings pissed-off-because-you-can't-leave-it-there type feelings.
Almost everyone that used the car had problems with it - most people couldn't even work out how to start it.
Oh, and BTW, MS did design the interface. iDrive is by Microsoft IIRC. I think that somebody should get Apple on interface design for cars - then it would be truly easy to use.
oh come on! How the hell is Star Wars a "typical American story"? I find this offensive! The ideals embodied in Star Wars, the very notion of an epic saga, far outdates the formation of the United States. In its purest form, Star Wars is just a rehash of an old type of story - the Odyssey, for example. This is the kind of thing that transcends cultures.
I'm not going to comment on whether it applies to Spider Man or not - I haven't seen it - but for Katz to claim Star Wars as typically American just pisses me off. The world does not revolve around America I'm afraid Mr Katz.
we poor residents of Canberra (capital of Australia) live in constant fear of the Orwellian Department of Urban Services, which have a fleet of people-movers equipped with radars and cameras, etc. These guys (referred to by locals as Pigs in Taragos, Taragos being the model of people mover) have managed to get hiding down to a fine art.
What drives me nuts is that hiding doesn't slow people down. They get the ticket a month later. Say the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving at 60mph over the limit, etc... he/she would still be driving round for another month. It happened in Australia, where an 18-y-o learner driver wiped himself and some other poor couple out, and his parents got a speeding ticket a month or so later.
I think red light cameras are a great idea, and IMO should be fitted to every set of traffic lights possible/feasible. But speed cameras don't have the desired effect. The don't stop dangerous driving (well, not for at least a month) but locals who know the area well just slow down for the speed cameras and then speed back up again.
Put cops out with radar guns, or just leave the poor motorists alone.
it's all very nice to create a light bulb that's more energy efficient, but how much more does it cost to create? I understand it's proof of concept at the moment, but it's kind of like those ultra fuel efficient cars; great, you save petrol costs, but you'd need to keep the car for ten years to save enough in petrol to cover the difference in cost between it and a normal car.
My own music purchasing has declined substantially since napster went away and getting music got "harder" - limewire and the rest are ok, but nowhere near as convenient as napster was. I've purchased maybe 10 discs in the last 12 months or so since napster really died, verses probably 50 or 60 in the 12 months before that.
Oh well, they want to shoot themselves in the foot, call us all criminals, whatever, I guess they can keep on doing it.
I wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying, but there's one big spanner that's threatening to be thrown into the works.
The US is slowly starting to come out of economic recession and back into growth. Being reasonable, the higher the growth the more people will allow as disposable income - hence buy more CDs.
So, at the same time the RIAA shut down Napster, economy kicks into gear and people start buying more CDs. I think the threat is that the RIAA and they're press secre... I mean the congressmen/women from their states misattribute the increase in sales to the Napster shutdown.
At this point, the RIAA owes me free access to every thing they put out until I die. I've been a good consumer. I probably paid for some asshole's Porche.
Apple is the only supplier of Mac computers, and effectively controls who can and who can't make hardware for the Mac. They also control the software their clients use (in the same way that Microsoft does).
Niche players can't be monopolists. Otherwise; "Acme Corp is the only one who makes zippers that are 8cm long, therefore they are a monopolist."
"My local bakery is the only business that makes cookies the way I like them, therefore it's a monopoly."
Is there an alternative for Apple products - ie, if Apple put the prices up to $30000 for an iMac tomorrow, could people go out and purchase something other than an iMac? I think so. But Windows - no; because of the berth of platform specific applications, and the fact it is the only OS that ma and pa can use without having to resort to command-line hacking on the (endemic) x86 processor.
No Contract is enforceable in the event that it is of the detriment of Linux users worldwide. In the event that a company attempts to enforce such a contract, it will henceforth be a Bad Company and you will not recommend it to your friends.
On the other hand, and company that attempts to breach a contract that is to the benefit of Linux users worldwide, will henceforth be a Good Company and be blessed with endless/. karma.
All of the articles talking about Blackley's departure as being a sign of XBox's fall are mostly just hype. Blackley did this interview [gamespot.com] with Gamespot and said that his departure had to do with the coming of E3 and the formation of his own game company.
seriously, how often do you hear of people leaving companies with the excuse that their projects suck, they think its going to flop, etc?
Standard PR, take your pick: 1. Going to spend more time with family or, if doesn't have family: 2. Going to work on long time project.
A lot of people have said similar things about Microsoft's initial failures, only to be proven very wrong after a year or two once Microsoft has won the war.
I think that more competition in the console market is better for everyone. Yes, Microsoft rarely gets a product right on the first try, but look at the difference between win 98 and win 2000. Two years can make a big difference.
All companies make mistakes. Not all companies learn from them.
I gotta agree with this. MS's mantra is Darwinism - get something out there, even if it's absolute shite to begin with, and then build on it. DirectX is a great example... from Carmack bagging through its first few releases, to saying that with the recent version it's as good as OpenGL etc. Or the PocketPCs - I remember when they first came out they had the crap bagged out of them. Now, you've got those iPaqs popping up everywhere, with functionality that Palm could only dream of.
I don't know if the console market can be directly compared with those two examples above, but I do know this: MS has deep enough pockets to find out.
Simply put Linux is hurting for apps. Maybe not in the server department, but certainly in other areas. Not so long ago open source types were busy condemning Netscape to hell until they released NS for linux. Suddenly going against standards was A-OK.
I'm not going to simple-mindedly yell hypocrites from the highest mountain, but there is a criticism to be had. Until Linux is in a better position software-wise this will continue to happen. In fact this may never change, if a company can end honest criticism by releasing a version of its software for Linux, well why not? In the windows world many people use software from companies they don't like. The same will be true if Linux invades the desktop market. Microsoft could easily clean some of its image by releasing office/IE for Linux. Users and software companies make for odd bedfellows.
r_j_prahad is right. You guys are the best friends that Hollings et al could have; because if forced between choosing about the offensive/agressive SSCA laws (and all the other things that/.'s find morally repugnant), and Linux, you'll choose your little baby Linux every time.
What the problem is, once you've got Photoshop on Linux, they'll have their laws in, and will it be a worthwhile trade-off? I think not.
Fight the hypocrisy or join the Evil Empire. Make up your mind; don't try to take the best parts of both. Both will end up coming back to bite you on the ass.
I have had bad run-in's with Oracle before. I once was upgrading the db and the java-based installer wouldn't work. It was the most stupid thing. We are using the UNIX version, and they do not even offer a text based installer! After being up for almost 24 hrs with our website down the whole time, we gave up, and restored the old database. Before we upgraded and had problems thier tech support would say "we can't help because you need to upgrade" so we try to upgrade, and their response was "well it's a new product, so we can't help you becuase you are pioneering new ground". WTF! A few months later we found the answer in thier online help file. It was the NUM LOCK key. If the num lock key is on, it would not install. NO WHERE was this mentioned in the documentation, on the screen or by the tech monkey we called. I don't even know how to check for the numlock key in Java! I would think that they would have go out of thier way to make a product this bad.
oh well. look on the positive side. If they end up commissioning this database, they'll probably ending up losing all the info anyway
I love watching articles like this on/. All the little script k1dd135 who've read their George Orwell homework.
I'm not sure how many more people have to die because of some perceived danger in catching evil people. You realise that there were US agencies with warrants out on the guys that crashed those planes into the WTC? They'd have been picked up at the airport!
It's time to take a responsible stance. Denying the technology to save lives because it might be dangerous is akin to saying ban cars because people die in them. Like everything, it can be used for the purpose that was intended.
BTW (fair question) what harm has come from the US having social security numbers?
NASA satellites (which have been measuring the temperature of one of the atmospheres of the planet - I forget it's name, but it's about 1km above the surface of the planet)
ok, dimwit, re-read. NASA satellites (note plural)... temperature of ONE of the atmospheres (note singular)... I forget IT'S name (note, singular). If I had said "forget THEIR name", then the criticism might be valid.
I would argue the exact same about you, simply from a different perspective, anonymous coward. Instead of understanding, you just accept every word written by some lackey who's funding depends upon keeping the media hyped up. Take a look at the post regards the Discovery Channel below. Twice as many scientists believe the science is sleight of hand. And you accuse me of being brainwashed.
I agree. But I'm not sure how much damage CO2 is responsible for, it's all the other crap that is put out. Interestingly, for all the criticism of Bush over his CO2 plans, he's put in enforceable targets to reduce mercury and NO2 (I think). Good for him
umm, re-read the post. The satellite has been measuring the temperature of one of the atomospheres (there are multiple, I forget all their names, but stratosphere would be an example). The atmosphere that I am referring to is about 1km up. Not the satellite;)
Slashdot Mirror
The Empire kind of gives new meaning to "Compassionate Conservatism", hey? :)
-- james
but how about a beow... ::ouch! stop hitting me!::
-- james
Just got out from seeing AotC. Went to the midnight session in Canberra, Australia, so I got to see it before most of you guys from the US.
Impressions:
1. The plot is starting to come together for the original three. Whereas Phantom Menace seemed totally unrelated, the plot is starting to intertwine in the arc we all know and love. Towards the end, you're really left wondering about Dooku. I'm not sure he's as bad as they crank him up to be.
2. Ewan MacGregor puts in a good performance, Natalie Portman was excellent too. Hayden Christensen was so close to doing the perfect job; the teen cheesy play Padme's heartstrings just doesn't quite work.
3. Yoda kicks ass(TM)
4. The Gladiator -> big fight scene is breathtaking. It had a similar effect on me that Black Hawk Down did. Gut wrenching. You forget you're in a movie, you look up and find you're clinging on to your seat.
5. But (there's always a but), despite loving it, there's just something missing. Maybe it's because I've always seen the original three together, but it kind of left me with that Lord of the Rings pissed-off-because-you-can't-leave-it-there type feelings.
You'll like it. It's worth seeing.
-- james
The NY Times aren't the only ones scathing of the 7-series.
e =h ttp://drive.fairfax.com.au/content-new/news/genera l/2002/05/10/FFXYKQ1Y01D.html
http://www.drive.com.au/news/article.asp?articl
Almost everyone that used the car had problems with it - most people couldn't even work out how to start it.
Oh, and BTW, MS did design the interface. iDrive is by Microsoft IIRC. I think that somebody should get Apple on interface design for cars - then it would be truly easy to use.
-- james
"A typically American story..."
oh come on! How the hell is Star Wars a "typical American story"? I find this offensive! The ideals embodied in Star Wars, the very notion of an epic saga, far outdates the formation of the United States. In its purest form, Star Wars is just a rehash of an old type of story - the Odyssey, for example. This is the kind of thing that transcends cultures.
I'm not going to comment on whether it applies to Spider Man or not - I haven't seen it - but for Katz to claim Star Wars as typically American just pisses me off. The world does not revolve around America I'm afraid Mr Katz.
-- james
we poor residents of Canberra (capital of Australia) live in constant fear of the Orwellian Department of Urban Services, which have a fleet of people-movers equipped with radars and cameras, etc. These guys (referred to by locals as Pigs in Taragos, Taragos being the model of people mover) have managed to get hiding down to a fine art.
What drives me nuts is that hiding doesn't slow people down. They get the ticket a month later. Say the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving at 60mph over the limit, etc... he/she would still be driving round for another month. It happened in Australia, where an 18-y-o learner driver wiped himself and some other poor couple out, and his parents got a speeding ticket a month or so later.
I think red light cameras are a great idea, and IMO should be fitted to every set of traffic lights possible/feasible. But speed cameras don't have the desired effect. The don't stop dangerous driving (well, not for at least a month) but locals who know the area well just slow down for the speed cameras and then speed back up again.
Put cops out with radar guns, or just leave the poor motorists alone.
-- james
it's all very nice to create a light bulb that's more energy efficient, but how much more does it cost to create? I understand it's proof of concept at the moment, but it's kind of like those ultra fuel efficient cars; great, you save petrol costs, but you'd need to keep the car for ten years to save enough in petrol to cover the difference in cost between it and a normal car.
-- james
My own music purchasing has declined substantially since napster went away and getting music got "harder" - limewire and the rest are ok, but nowhere near as convenient as napster was. I've purchased maybe 10 discs in the last 12 months or so since napster really died, verses probably 50 or 60 in the 12 months before that.
Oh well, they want to shoot themselves in the foot, call us all criminals, whatever, I guess they can keep on doing it.
I wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying, but there's one big spanner that's threatening to be thrown into the works.
The US is slowly starting to come out of economic recession and back into growth. Being reasonable, the higher the growth the more people will allow as disposable income - hence buy more CDs.
So, at the same time the RIAA shut down Napster, economy kicks into gear and people start buying more CDs. I think the threat is that the RIAA and they're press secre... I mean the congressmen/women from their states misattribute the increase in sales to the Napster shutdown.
-- james
At this point, the RIAA owes me free access to every thing they put out until I die. I've been a good consumer. I probably paid for some asshole's Porche.
:)
Porche? Is that the French spelling of porch?
-- james
Apple is the only supplier of Mac computers, and effectively controls who can and who can't make hardware for the Mac. They also control the software their clients use (in the same way that Microsoft does).
Niche players can't be monopolists. Otherwise; "Acme Corp is the only one who makes zippers that are 8cm long, therefore they are a monopolist."
"My local bakery is the only business that makes cookies the way I like them, therefore it's a monopoly."
Is there an alternative for Apple products - ie, if Apple put the prices up to $30000 for an iMac tomorrow, could people go out and purchase something other than an iMac? I think so. But Windows - no; because of the berth of platform specific applications, and the fact it is the only OS that ma and pa can use without having to resort to command-line hacking on the (endemic) x86 processor.
-- james
No Contract is enforceable in the event that it is of the detriment of Linux users worldwide. In the event that a company attempts to enforce such a contract, it will henceforth be a Bad Company and you will not recommend it to your friends.
/. karma.
On the other hand, and company that attempts to breach a contract that is to the benefit of Linux users worldwide, will henceforth be a Good Company and be blessed with endless
-- james
All of the articles talking about Blackley's departure as being a sign of XBox's fall are mostly just hype. Blackley did this interview [gamespot.com] with Gamespot and said that his departure had to do with the coming of E3 and the formation of his own game company.
seriously, how often do you hear of people leaving companies with the excuse that their projects suck, they think its going to flop, etc?
Standard PR, take your pick:
1. Going to spend more time with family
or, if doesn't have family:
2. Going to work on long time project.
It's standard.
-- james
A lot of people have said similar things about Microsoft's initial failures, only to be proven very wrong after a year or two once Microsoft has won the war.
I think that more competition in the console market is better for everyone. Yes, Microsoft rarely gets a product right on the first try, but look at the difference between win 98 and win 2000. Two years can make a big difference.
All companies make mistakes. Not all companies learn from them.
I gotta agree with this. MS's mantra is Darwinism - get something out there, even if it's absolute shite to begin with, and then build on it. DirectX is a great example... from Carmack bagging through its first few releases, to saying that with the recent version it's as good as OpenGL etc. Or the PocketPCs - I remember when they first came out they had the crap bagged out of them. Now, you've got those iPaqs popping up everywhere, with functionality that Palm could only dream of.
I don't know if the console market can be directly compared with those two examples above, but I do know this: MS has deep enough pockets to find out.
-- james
Simply put Linux is hurting for apps. Maybe not in the server department, but certainly in other areas. Not so long ago open source types were busy condemning Netscape to hell until they released NS for linux. Suddenly going against standards was A-OK.
/.'s find morally repugnant), and Linux, you'll choose your little baby Linux every time.
I'm not going to simple-mindedly yell hypocrites from the highest mountain, but there is a criticism to be had. Until Linux is in a better position software-wise this will continue to happen. In fact this may never change, if a company can end honest criticism by releasing a version of its software for Linux, well why not? In the windows world many people use software from companies they don't like. The same will be true if Linux invades the desktop market. Microsoft could easily clean some of its image by releasing office/IE for Linux. Users and software companies make for odd bedfellows.
r_j_prahad is right. You guys are the best friends that Hollings et al could have; because if forced between choosing about the offensive/agressive SSCA laws (and all the other things that
What the problem is, once you've got Photoshop on Linux, they'll have their laws in, and will it be a worthwhile trade-off? I think not.
Fight the hypocrisy or join the Evil Empire. Make up your mind; don't try to take the best parts of both. Both will end up coming back to bite you on the ass.
-- james
oh well. look on the positive side. If they end up commissioning this database, they'll probably ending up losing all the info anyway
-- james
I love watching articles like this on /. All the little script k1dd135 who've read their George Orwell homework.
I'm not sure how many more people have to die because of some perceived danger in catching evil people. You realise that there were US agencies with warrants out on the guys that crashed those planes into the WTC? They'd have been picked up at the airport!
It's time to take a responsible stance. Denying the technology to save lives because it might be dangerous is akin to saying ban cars because people die in them. Like everything, it can be used for the purpose that was intended.
BTW (fair question) what harm has come from the US having social security numbers?
-- james
To quote that famous Arnold Schwazzenegger (sp?) line:
"c'mon... don't bullshit me"
:)
-- james
very good! :)
-- james
yes! yes! I was going to mention that too! :)
:)
I wasn't feeling well that day either, so that toilet really got a workout. Handled it admirably too!
-- james
NASA satellites (which have been measuring the temperature of one of the atmospheres of the planet - I forget it's name, but it's about 1km above the surface of the planet)
ok, dimwit, re-read. NASA satellites (note plural)... temperature of ONE of the atmospheres (note singular)... I forget IT'S name (note, singular). If I had said "forget THEIR name", then the criticism might be valid.
-- james
I would argue the exact same about you, simply from a different perspective, anonymous coward. Instead of understanding, you just accept every word written by some lackey who's funding depends upon keeping the media hyped up. Take a look at the post regards the Discovery Channel below. Twice as many scientists believe the science is sleight of hand. And you accuse me of being brainwashed.
-- james
I agree. But I'm not sure how much damage CO2 is responsible for, it's all the other crap that is put out. Interestingly, for all the criticism of Bush over his CO2 plans, he's put in enforceable targets to reduce mercury and NO2 (I think). Good for him
-- james
I'd be much more interested to see them try to recreate Da Vinci's one :)
:)
::evil laugh::
After his first flight, he refused to talk about it again
-- james
umm, re-read the post. The satellite has been measuring the temperature of one of the atomospheres (there are multiple, I forget all their names, but stratosphere would be an example). The atmosphere that I am referring to is about 1km up. Not the satellite ;)
-- james
Let's copy what Apple did.
I've got Bill Gates on the phone. He says he's got a job for you.
-- james