Let's say that every day at some random time an NSA agent broke your front door down (no knocking) and searched your house. If and only if they found bomb-making materials you'd be hauled off to jail. As they leave they replace the door with an exact replica. How exactly are you adversely affected by this? ---
First, the temptation for Echelon (or anyone in their theoretical position) to abuse their power is just too high. For instance, if they are sticking right to their agenda of "terrorists" how can they not also add "people who want to shut down Echelon"?
But let's assume they are perfectly moral. I STILL object to my email be read and my keys being cracked by them (assuming they can do this). Their agenda does not take precendence over my right to privacy. I am not allowed to exist at their sufferance. They have no more rights than I.
The 4th Amendment supposedly protects me from search and seizure without due process. Where is the due process in Echelon's method? Sure, they don't seize anything of mine or yours but they sure do search it and they seize things that belong to nominal terrorists. ---
If mere key words can't trigger it, and its actually able to tell pick "bad" intent out amongst all the other noise, what is the problem?
This is exactly why I think privacy protestors are very foolish to argue from a position of "but your filtering/monitoring method is not accurate". Accuracy is irrelevant. The point is that nobody, whether Echelon, FBI, local police, my neighbor, or my cat, should have the right to listen to ANY of my communications no matter what.
For instance, let's say Echelon's software operated like this:
edit/etc/criminals_to_find and add "terrorist", "drug dealer", "porn merchant", "pedophile"
run/etc/rc.d/init.d/ear_to_the_wall restart
Now let's assume as you say that it finds those and only those types of communications it has been configured to find. What happens when the also add "political agitator", "IRS resistor", "gun owner", "free speech advocate"?
The point here is that there is no class of non-convicted individuals that it is OK to invade the privacy of. ---
You misunderstand me. Clearly color, hard drive space, extra software and extra peripherals all give me more functionality. Also using them is mostly just a matter of training.
My point is two-fold:
1) Despite what you say these things DO make the device more complex. 256 colors don't just happen--there has to be software AND hardware support and each of these things costs resources and adds complexity. Furthermore with 256 colors available the UI becomes more complex (color-coded buttons, icons, etc). Note that "complex" is different than "difficult".
2) In the particular case of the Palm, my argument is that they should KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). In the particular case of the NC, my argument is that "it'll never last". People will want more and more power until we're back at the PC. In the general case, my argument is "You designed the device according to certain guidelines. Don't change the design unless and until the guidelines change." ---
This kind of thing is EXACTLY why I don't think network computers will ever get anywhere. (yes, I realize the Palm is not an NC--this is an analogy)
First you have the Palm. Then you add a modem. Then a bunch more RAM. Then arbitrary peripherals. Then color. Now a hard drive. Each of these adds complexity, size and cost--all of which are anti-thetical to the purpose of the original Palm.
As long as people continue to think "more is better" the network computer (and similar devices) will not last longer than it takes to fall down this slippery slope.
The correct mindset for this kind of device is exemplified by a (paraphrased) quote from Ton (last name?), the creator of Blender: "My favorite activity is taking code out of Blender." ---
I would be hard pressed to come up with a short story that did a better job of combining science, philosophy and great plot twists than Egan's "Learning To Be Me". ---
I've started Dream Park about 3 times and just get bored. Lucifer's Hammer I finished (I think) but since only one character interested me there was a lot of fluff. ---
I tried reading "Neuromancer" but couldn't finish (this was several years ago so I don't remember why). More recently I read "Idoru" and was blown away by its near-complete mediocrity. The only half-way decent concept in the entire book was the virtual walled palace thing. Days later I read "Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson and encountered CryptNet so I keep getting the features of the two confused. ---
I'm going to leave your spelling along because it is possible you learned to spell 200 years ago when this was last correct. But what the hell does this "sentence" mean?? What is "the free"? ---
Actually, I really liked Meept. He(?) was usually right on the money. Ivan the Terrible was a little much (although I could see his point).
I didn't realize people even noticed my posts--a lot of them get no comment. Interesting.
I agree with your analysis of/. and I'd like to add "complacent" to the list of faults you've found. Two years ago Slashdot was revolutionary. One year ago it was a real leader. Now it's a "market leader". And, like most market leaders, no attention is being paid to quality. ---
I see a lot of people suggesting Sneakers as a "hacker's movie" and I just have to respond:
I enjoyed the movie immensely while I was watching it (and I still do to some extent) but surely you all realize that the plot has holes you could throw a dog through.
Example: When Redford sets off the alarms in the big building we get an outside shot of security cars/vans racing everywhere in the parking lot. Minutes later during the escape we get another wide angle shot of the parking lot: totally empty. They couldn't find the burglar so they all went home? ---
"Capitalism cannot exist with a background set of property rules and a state monopoly on violence to enforce them."
On the contrary, REAL "hands-off" capitalism is just the opposite of the above. The situation now is that the state favors business (by registering and defending things like trademarks and patents). The current domain naming situation removes this unnatural strictures and gives the property to the quickest applicant.
This is exactly the reason I don't object to anti-trust laws: they just restore (some of) the unbalance of power that already exists in our capitalist system. Monopolies would be far less likely to exist if it weren't for the trademark and patent offices. ---
Why is this such a big deal? If you don't want to pay how much the squatter is asking--don't!
Domain names (until now) have been a perfect example of hands-off capitalism (I hate trying to spell French words).
The only slightly annoying thing happening is that squatters can register a whole slew of names at once without paying. Easy fix for that: payment required at registration time. ---
The investigation of Dr. Cowpland is a private matter between the Ontario Securities Commission and Dr. Cowpland as an individual. As such, it is not expected to affect the Company's day-to-day activities or have any impact on Dr. Cowpland's status as the Company's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
I understand WHY the exchange suspended trading. I'm just wondering, if this is a "private matter", why it is that the exchange is ALLOWED TO suspend trading. ---
Is this story seriously intended to be news? Or is it just a an opportunity for/.'s who saw the show to vent their spleen about how "nobody understands them"?
I didn't see the show (I wouldn't watch MTV if you paid me) and have no doubt, I'm sure the show was awful. But what did you expect--"All Things Considered"? ---
Bugzilla now has a "vote for the bugs you want fixed" feature. Personally I voted for "option to disallow window.open" and "gtk refreshes everything when resizing". ---
Because if you have and you actually found a bell curve for IE versions and clumping for Netscape, that's a bad thing. It means that IE has been a better product for longer and that people keep upgrading Netscape.
So, this is Bruce Sterling. Color me unimpressed. Yeah, he's cynical and sarcastic, knows the word "Linux" and says "fuck" a lot. Big deal.
[Escape from New York] works because it's a spectacular head-trip, not because of its so-called story-telling.
I'm not going to argue that this movie was a masterpiece or anything, but I think the movie's a little better than your dismissive critique. For instance, the main character suffers a perfectly valid set of conflicts: self vs others, to name one.
Also, he's completely missed the point the questioner was making: the science of the movie is lame--so it's gotta be the fiction that makes it entertaining. That is, it comes down to the story. Clearly there are plot devices like the neck bomb--so? Name one story that doesn't. Asimov's Nightfall: A planet with 6 suns? It would never last long enough to let humanoids evolve. PLOT DEVICE! DESTROY!
I haven't read (or, more likely don't remember) any of Sterling's fiction, but I can guarantee that within 10 pages I can find a plot device at least as implausible as the neck bomb. ---
You've got to be kidding! Mulder and Scully are the only good points about the show (with the possible exception of the Lone Gunmen). It sure wasn't Chris Carter's "vision"--Harsh Realm is going to die a nasty death. ---
Slashdot Mirror
Let's say that every day at some random time an NSA agent broke your front door down (no knocking) and searched your house. If and only if they found bomb-making materials you'd be hauled off to jail. As they leave they replace the door with an exact replica. How exactly are you adversely affected by this?
---
First, the temptation for Echelon (or anyone in their theoretical position) to abuse their power is just too high. For instance, if they are sticking right to their agenda of "terrorists" how can they not also add "people who want to shut down Echelon"?
But let's assume they are perfectly moral. I STILL object to my email be read and my keys being cracked by them (assuming they can do this). Their agenda does not take precendence over my right to privacy. I am not allowed to exist at their sufferance. They have no more rights than I.
The 4th Amendment supposedly protects me from search and seizure without due process. Where is the due process in Echelon's method? Sure, they don't seize anything of mine or yours but they sure do search it and they seize things that belong to nominal terrorists.
---
This is exactly why I think privacy protestors are very foolish to argue from a position of "but your filtering/monitoring method is not accurate". Accuracy is irrelevant. The point is that nobody, whether Echelon, FBI, local police, my neighbor, or my cat, should have the right to listen to ANY of my communications no matter what.
For instance, let's say Echelon's software operated like this:
Now let's assume as you say that it finds those and only those types of communications it has been configured to find. What happens when the also add "political agitator", "IRS resistor", "gun owner", "free speech advocate"?
The point here is that there is no class of non-convicted individuals that it is OK to invade the privacy of.
---
You misunderstand me. Clearly color, hard drive space, extra software and extra peripherals all give me more functionality. Also using them is mostly just a matter of training.
My point is two-fold:
1) Despite what you say these things DO make the device more complex. 256 colors don't just happen--there has to be software AND hardware support and each of these things costs resources and adds complexity. Furthermore with 256 colors available the UI becomes more complex (color-coded buttons, icons, etc). Note that "complex" is different than "difficult".
2) In the particular case of the Palm, my argument is that they should KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). In the particular case of the NC, my argument is that "it'll never last". People will want more and more power until we're back at the PC. In the general case, my argument is "You designed the device according to certain guidelines. Don't change the design unless and until the guidelines change."
---
This kind of thing is EXACTLY why I don't think network computers will ever get anywhere. (yes, I realize the Palm is not an NC--this is an analogy)
First you have the Palm. Then you add a modem. Then a bunch more RAM. Then arbitrary peripherals. Then color. Now a hard drive. Each of these adds complexity, size and cost--all of which are anti-thetical to the purpose of the original Palm.
As long as people continue to think "more is better" the network computer (and similar devices) will not last longer than it takes to fall down this slippery slope.
The correct mindset for this kind of device is exemplified by a (paraphrased) quote from Ton (last name?), the creator of Blender: "My favorite activity is taking code out of Blender."
---
I would be hard pressed to come up with a short story that did a better job of combining science, philosophy and great plot twists than Egan's "Learning To Be Me".
---
I've started Dream Park about 3 times and just get bored. Lucifer's Hammer I finished (I think) but since only one character interested me there was a lot of fluff.
---
Except for "The Mote in God's Eye" I've never read any good books by Niven and/or Pournelle. Niven has some good short stories.
I highly recomment Connie Willis (for funny, realistic, slice-of-life stuff) and Greg Egan (for well-thought out, hard-but-not-frozen stuff).
---
I forgot, I recently read "Johnny Mnemonic". Don't bother--the movie (even with Keanu Reeves) is actually BETTER than the story.
---
I tried reading "Neuromancer" but couldn't finish (this was several years ago so I don't remember why). More recently I read "Idoru" and was blown away by its near-complete mediocrity. The only half-way decent concept in the entire book was the virtual walled palace thing. Days later I read "Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson and encountered CryptNet so I keep getting the features of the two confused.
---
"Encyclopaedia Britannica Goes To The Free"
I'm going to leave your spelling along because it is possible you learned to spell 200 years ago when this was last correct. But what the hell does this "sentence" mean?? What is "the free"?
---
Actually, I really liked Meept. He(?) was usually right on the money. Ivan the Terrible was a little much (although I could see his point).
/. and I'd like to add "complacent" to the list of faults you've found. Two years ago Slashdot was revolutionary. One year ago it was a real leader. Now it's a "market leader". And, like most market leaders, no attention is being paid to quality.
I didn't realize people even noticed my posts--a lot of them get no comment. Interesting.
I agree with your analysis of
---
The journalistic integrity of this "special" is under serious question now.
"Now"? Is there ANYONE, in or out of the hacker community, who takes ANYTHING MTV says seriously?
---
I see a lot of people suggesting Sneakers as a "hacker's movie" and I just have to respond:
I enjoyed the movie immensely while I was watching it (and I still do to some extent) but surely you all realize that the plot has holes you could throw a dog through.
Example: When Redford sets off the alarms in the big building we get an outside shot of security cars/vans racing everywhere in the parking lot. Minutes later during the escape we get another wide angle shot of the parking lot: totally empty. They couldn't find the burglar so they all went home?
---
"Capitalism cannot exist with a background set of property rules and a state monopoly on violence to enforce them."
On the contrary, REAL "hands-off" capitalism is just the opposite of the above. The situation now is that the state favors business (by registering and defending things like trademarks and patents). The current domain naming situation removes this unnatural strictures and gives the property to the quickest applicant.
This is exactly the reason I don't object to anti-trust laws: they just restore (some of) the unbalance of power that already exists in our capitalist system. Monopolies would be far less likely to exist if it weren't for the trademark and patent offices.
---
Why is this such a big deal? If you don't want to pay how much the squatter is asking--don't!
Domain names (until now) have been a perfect example of hands-off capitalism (I hate trying to spell French words).
The only slightly annoying thing happening is that squatters can register a whole slew of names at once without paying. Easy fix for that: payment required at registration time.
---
The investigation of Dr. Cowpland is a private matter between the Ontario Securities Commission and Dr. Cowpland as an individual. As such, it is not expected to affect the Company's day-to-day activities or have any impact on Dr. Cowpland's status as the Company's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
I understand WHY the exchange suspended trading. I'm just wondering, if this is a "private matter", why it is that the exchange is ALLOWED TO suspend trading.
---
Is this story seriously intended to be news? Or is it just a an opportunity for /.'s who saw the show to vent their spleen about how "nobody understands them"?
I didn't see the show (I wouldn't watch MTV if you paid me) and have no doubt, I'm sure the show was awful. But what did you expect--"All Things Considered"?
---
Is this a Linux box you are doing the editing on? I'm in DESPERATE need of some good, cheap (free?), Linux-based video-editing software.
---
Bugzilla now has a "vote for the bugs you want fixed" feature. Personally I voted for "option to disallow window.open" and "gtk refreshes everything when resizing".
---
Because if you have and you actually found a bell curve for IE versions and clumping for Netscape, that's a bad thing. It means that IE has been a better product for longer and that people keep upgrading Netscape.
---
Since the Mozilla team is publishing a schedule the situation is entirely different. Furthermore, there are no vaporware announcements.
---
So, this is Bruce Sterling. Color me unimpressed. Yeah, he's cynical and sarcastic, knows the word "Linux" and says "fuck" a lot. Big deal.
[Escape from New York] works because it's a spectacular head-trip, not because of its so-called story-telling.
I'm not going to argue that this movie was a masterpiece or anything, but I think the movie's a little better than your dismissive critique. For instance, the main character suffers a perfectly valid set of conflicts: self vs others, to name one.
Also, he's completely missed the point the questioner was making: the science of the movie is lame--so it's gotta be the fiction that makes it entertaining. That is, it comes down to the story. Clearly there are plot devices like the neck bomb--so? Name one story that doesn't. Asimov's Nightfall: A planet with 6 suns? It would never last long enough to let humanoids evolve. PLOT DEVICE! DESTROY!
I haven't read (or, more likely don't remember) any of Sterling's fiction, but I can guarantee that within 10 pages I can find a plot device at least as implausible as the neck bomb.
---
Between standards and least common denominator. You are talking about the latter.
---
You've got to be kidding! Mulder and Scully are the only good points about the show (with the possible exception of the Lone Gunmen). It sure wasn't Chris Carter's "vision"--Harsh Realm is going to die a nasty death.
---