Integrated graphics? I thought Apple was about being better equipped? This is the deal killer for me. I can't imagine using integrated graphics. If this was a HTPC then yeah its ok (see mini), but its not.
Shipping with 2xSODIMMS? (meaning your tossing out both) Essentially ripping off the customer.
Black is essentially a premium color? It cost more that the system below it with a $50 upgrade to the HDD.
I guess I found two of your points (automatic scoring)
Honestly, how is this comment of yours rated so highly? It provides us with nothing except the typical moonbat accusations. Is this what/. is now? Home of the moonbats?
Its apparent the only way to generate good karma on this thread is to join in the innuendo brigade. There is nothing being discussed anymore, its just pull out every coincidence, true or imagined, and go after Bush and Co.
There is so much other crap to jump on that this Adminstration is doing yet people recycle the same tired old innuendo in attempt to score cheap points. Its too bad/. ever came up with a political section, it only tilts one way. Then again, what else should we expect? Most of those doing the bashing are the same chickenshits that will never march, never write a Congressman, and never do anything but flame away on a message board. You know why? Because it takes no effort. Hell I bet the bulk can't name their Senators and only a few could name their Congressman without searching Google.
Uninformed and spouting nonsense does not help the discussion of the problem at hand. Doing some real research and presenting facts does. I would love to find other sources other than this "blog entry". That speaks of deniability and no need of accountability. ABC is not running this as a story but as a blog entry. I guess this is their "escape clause".
Wait a few days, lets see what the real story is. Sensational reporting is nothing new, its great bait for forum trolls and people who react out of emotion instead of intelligence.
The sheer numbers of DVD oriented material will keep DVD as the prefered medium for a long time. How many attempts have been made at getting better that CD music that have failed?
DVD supplanted VHS for various reasons, picture and sound quality were the major areas. Followed by compactness and durability. Yet it wasn't an overnight success. Hence setting deadlines on Beta-ray or HD-DVD isn't anything but stacking the deck
I don't know which is worse, the bordering on idiocy anti-Bush fanaticism here or the Bush-is-God on the other sites.
Fact is, the NSA program still is for US to offshore calls. Fact is, the FBI doesn't need the NSA or even the bogus interpetation many have of its program, to get the numbers. Fact is, your local police department can do the same as what is being claimed here.
Hell I would not put it past another reporter being able to get the numbers used by someone. It just takes connections.
Now, the blog entry is obviously written to inspire anxiety, its very light on facts and loaded with fear mongering. It doesn't even reveal whether or not warrant's were used to obtain the numbers.
Yet I find not one other news site covering this, actually nothing other than this blog entry which is found on the abcnews webpage. Sure its sensational and it feeds on the misconceptions many have because most people don't want to read more than a few lines of what their local paper doles out to them.
Hey, if they are doing this without the cover of law I think they should be locked up (anyone in the government). I just find it depressing at how stark raving stupid some people here act.
Your comments comes across as if this is something new. High powered video cards have always been expensive. Back in the "good old days" I remember paying over $300 for a Matrox 2D solution let alone the $299 Voodoo 2 days where a lot of gamers bought 2 cards.
Comparing console pricing to PC video card pricing doesn't make much sense. The difference your ignoring that most PC enthusiast expect $300 and higher video cards, console buyers do not expect $600 consoles.
The first question is, which Linux? Second question is, OK, which version of that one is the one I want?
Sorry, but easy to install is not a Linux feature. Pre-installed it would be good for many people, provided they don't want to buy any off the shelf software. Also provided they know how to do beyond rudimentary pc usage.
I would never suggest to anyone I know who has a PC to switch to Linux. If they have a problem with Windows because of the virus scare then they can go try OS/X. The point is, if they aren't swift enough to use a virus scanner and not open attachments from people they don't know they aren't going to be swift enough to run Linux.
Bluntly, Linux is never going to be a mainstream desktop operating system. The only thing they agree on is they don't like Microsoft. Beyond that its an all out war just as fanatic in their differences as most religions.
As this guy noted, he doesn't have the time to spend. Hell I have the time but don't want to waste it when I could be doing more productive work. I have installed BEOS, OS/2, and even every DOS version in the world but the most hell I had was installing Linux. Hell OS/2 was easier to install and that was with 14+ diskettes!
As for the "apps are out there crowd". Yeah, sure. The average consumer is going to need something akin to a wizard to pick the right one, let alone some way of knowing what he is looking at will do what he wants. The difference here is that at least with Windows (and OS/X too) they can lay their hands on commercial software in pretty boxes that tells them what it does. Best yet there are known established brands they feel a little bit of trust for.
Linux is in a field of catch-22s.
There aren't enough commercial apps because not enough people use it and not enough people use it because there are not enough apps.
Same for drivers.
Then the big catch 22, Linux is easy to use and install, provided you know which one you want, which version you want, and which one you can get support on.
Well this story was a refreshing change from the previous story about the tech support worker who was woefully underpaid. The difference here is that this person not only recognized it then acted and moved on. That one action puts him above many workers in the tech field. Yeah it took time for him to find something but he didn't stop till he did. He is taking a risk as well. This is the kind of person you want to come work for you. Someone who moved on because they wanted to better themselves. Sure they might move on again but you can help cultivate the type of person you need with fair treatment and a respectable salary.
Most tech support places I have dealt with and even worked with (IBM Supportline iSeries) are staffed with great people. We all feel the same too, that being that some of the managers are fools and some only exist to further their postion within the system. Moving up in a support group is very tough. The best way is out, preferably into a development position within the same company. That was an option at IBM but it was very rare and nearly impossible if you were sub-contracted, after all the contracting company doesn't want to lose anyone making them money.
The bulk of his story sounds like the typical support world. Filled with users both friendly and intelligent and those unfriendly stupid ones. Of course you get a few unfriendly intelligent ones as well and those are the true annoyances. Stupid people can be understood, but intelligent users who are just unfriendly just need to be whapped on the head. Treat the support person as you want to be, if your that intelligent there is no reason to be overtly unfriendly unless your just a defect yourself.
I like her the most but that is probably from the series having been around for so long. Another good female character was Jodie Fosters in Contact. As far as men, certain the crazy doctor of the Back to The Future movies.
I think its high time to see the (I) next to a politician's name on the ballot as a clear indication they have been in office for far too long. Yeah we might lose a few good ones but it has become apparent the bad ones outnumber the good and it only is getting worse. They have essentially trapped us into voting for them over and over by using the courts to limit our choices and now they will further attempt to keep a good portion of the population in the dark.
Tell me how many other recent events haven't shown the disconnect between those who preach and preen in Washington and the population at large?
Immigration reform almost plays identically, the people want action and the politicians want face time.
I am not surprised at the poll numbers. Simple reason really, Americans on a whole don't really care about much unless its affecting them directly. This apathy if you will call it that is part of the built up "immune" system most develop to deal with the world around them.
What is becoming more evident to many of us is just how disconnected Washington DC politicians are from those of us who put them there. Those twits are more interested into playing to the cameras than doing what we want. Worse, they have the gall to ignore us and then wonder why we don't want them back?
when voting sometimes I think the (I) next to the name should indicate who to vote against this year.
While unions have the good sides I find the negatives too appalling to contemplate being party to one. I have been in union jobs before and all I ever saw was the deadbeats getting away with crap that no employer or fellow employee should be forced to suffer with. I have seen union bosses rack in the bucks while the "subjects" get the same old shaft in the end. I have seen an hour of my pay per week go to some group which made promises to us that did nothing to better our situation. Basically all I found was that the union was there for you provided you followed their group-think.
While there are employers out there who run their salaried workforce ragged, their "professionals" ragged, nothing prevents those who are employed there from seeking better conditions. I have seen shops go from hell to near paradise as people fled which led to management changes and even wholesale gutting of the problem.
Acting like a responsbile adult, a true professional, means acting with integrity. This means you leave a job which runs contrary to those beliefs. Sure you can't just up and leave, thats part of being a functional part of society. You do however don't sit and stew, that helps no one, especially yourself. Think a union can fix it? Tough chance. They will insert at most a buffer but that doesn't sway minds. What sways minds of management is constant failures brought on by low morale and attrition. Yet I know, why should I wait for the change. Fact is, if your truly a professional in your field with good skills you don't have to. Putting up with it is the easy road, yes I said the easy road. Its far lazy to accept the BS than take the risk of going elsewhere. I know many people who bitch and moan on a daily basis but never take the one step to free themselves. They are afraid of the change. If you will not change how do you expect your situation to do so?
Yeah jobs can suck, but you control the most important element, yourself.
we consider that 15% of level 60 characters have killed Nef? That is more likely than 15% of the players with level 60 characters. Many of the guilds I have been in had players with multiple level 60 characters. Some even had them simply to fill gaps in such quests. Need a mage, let me log in Magechar, oh, meatshield? I'll pull in WarriorChar.
Then again there is always the fact that game creators/managers/designers believe more of their content is being used than really is. After all they made it so players must want to use it.
First and foremost is that the United States still enjoys large open areas with low population densities. No "public transportation" can be created that would be an effective use of resources. You would benefit only city populations at the expense of the rest of the country.
Besides, how can anyone actually suggest jacking taxes when politicians and other whiners bitch and moan about $3 gas prices? Get real, the government already puts more taxes on a gallon of gasoline than gas companies make in profit yet everyone focuses on the gas companies.
We have a great infrastructure, but too many people try to compare the United States to Europe and that is just wrong. It sounds good but falls apart once the numbers are played.
The best way to reduce our dependance on foreign oil is to permit the use of our own resources. Yet at every attempt someone blocks it. From building gas drilling rigs 15+ miles off the Florida coast to putting wind generators off of the Cape someone comes up with a doom and gloom scenario which forever keeps us dependant.
Either we use our backyard or pay for someone elses.
First your not going to get open source driver availability just by having more competitors. Your going to get that when the market is sufficiently appealing enough to warrant the attention of the makers of the video cards.
Nothing is wrong in accepting drivers from the companies even if they do not provide the source. If you don't like the terms then by all means go write them yourself or use ones written by others. What irks me the most is how so many now suddenly feel entitled to having code provided to them when it used to be they would have rather written the support themselves or from someone else in the community.
These companies cater to Windows gamers because they are the market. They pay the bills so they get supported.
I did check up on the specs of these two machines, 8.5lbs and 15lbs with batteries for the 17" and 19" machines. Fact is, its obvious that these are not aimed at business users and as such should not be judged by those standards. They make no claim to "laptop style portability", they are desktop replacements. The have "portability" that a lot of gamers, who again are the market, want.
LAN parties are fun, whats not fun is lugging the stuff you need. Getting "portables" to that same level of performance is something many people want.
What would be wrong with someone owning one of these as well as a real notebook? Nothing. There are many of us who would love to have all the power of a real desktop without having to have permanent space set aside for it.
Ideally I would have a small, very small at that, base system connected to my internet provider and then wireless for the systems I actually use. Having a laptop like this means I can game anywhere I want and then put the thing away easily. Just as I don't have my audio equipment on some pedestal to show it off neither do I have PCs around to gloat. (all these windowed monsters make me laugh)
don't need it or don't want it, fine, but that really isn't grounds to call into question as to why it exists. Saying Laptops are for work is as ignorant as claiming thats all computers are good for.
The difference in thought here is that I view it as nothing more than any other tool. I want it to work, I don't care how it works. If I have to take notice of it or spend more time to make it work then its not working.
As such, I won't bother with Linux on my desktop because I don't care to have to think to use the damn PC. Its a tool, as such the OS should be as transparent as possible. If I have to do more than slap a CD in to get my latest addition to my PC to work then its not transparent enough. Just as my friend uses OS/X over Linux? Why, because it just works, no thought needed. The OS is not germane to his work and as such it wasn't worth his time to install Linux on a machine. Whats the point?
Convert hell, convert the attitude that only "real computer" users are those who use linux. The whole attitude you espouse smacks of elitism.
because the winner may not pan out in full scale development whereas second place or beyond might. Also by the time the actual design and build of the final systems are in place there might be changes in tech which advance the other finishers to the top
Seeing that Intel is pushing Duos very hard. Dell is delivering Duo notebooks at the 699 price point, mostly when you catch them on one of their "sales". I have seen 15.4" versions with default options hitting as low as 649 for a 1.66 Duo.
Now some will say that Apple does not have to consider Dell or XP notebooks in their plans I think they do. The price segment the new MacBook will be headed into will be up against the bulk of the XP systems out there. Also take note that many college age kids will look at prices and features. Since most work can be done just fine on XP systems for school work Apple will have to consider their offering closely.
Things I expect. At minimum a 13.3 screen, probably a 14 as those screens are in good supply. Base model will be a Core-Solo and max will probably be a 1.83 Duo. Integrated graphics will probably be default but they honestly should at least offer a X1400 256mb option as this feature will appeal to many college age users as well as those looking for a lower priced system to run both X and XP. We probably won't see drives as large as the Pro and will see a 4200rpm in the base model. Gigabit ethernet, USB2, FW400 and a cardslot are a given (chipsets are common for all, it probably would be more to actually get an old 10/100 chipset). figure a good keyboard without backlight but I expect iSight.
Get a x1400 256mb, Duo 166, 512 base (2gb max) out the door for 1299 and I will be all over it.
The painful truth is that very few developers, in open source or otherwise, like fixing old code or old bugs. This is very true if the bug fix isn't going to be noticed by a great number of people. Face it, most of us like to write new code or improve on something that isn't working the way we want it even if it is working right.
This is what separates professional developers from the rest. We work on it regardless of how much it benefits us. We might gripe a bit but in the end we do what is asked. Sure that backend has flaws and is going to be replaced down the road but it does not excuse us from making it work now.
When you go look at some of the bugs listed in even current applications you start to see the age some have accrued. Some are rightly passed over as 1 in a million occurences but too many are skipped because it just doesn't have any allure. Note, I am not singling out people who work on Open Source, I am pointing out that the article fails to touch an area that exist but most don't want to acknowledge.
I have been privy to a few discussions about "problem" employees. A few times it was mentioned that they found the employee's resume online. My question has always been, if we are allowed to post job listings then why are we not allowing our employees to do similar?
One thing a lot of us do is chase down the employment offerings our company posts. See, its a game because the postings are hidden by going through consulting and contracting firms. By close examination of the needs and general area given we can all pretty much determine which job postings are ours.
As for getting fired for posting an online resume? We haven't done so nor has it been threatened. What is not allowed is surfing the job sites while at work and we actually have had people do that. None were fired for that reason but it never ceases to amaze me how such highly skilled people can be so dense as to not know we monitor all internet traffic.
It really comes down to your employer. How do you think your boss and his boss would react to your posting? If your like me and have a good boss then it probably is safe. Now if your boss or anyone in the chain is hostile towards you or others, or has made it known that they don't "appreciate" employees posting resumes then take that as a hint. Use job placement (read consulting/contracting) companies. Not only will you find a job faster but it is far safer when your trying to leave an unpleasant situation. From the recent hires we have had I can say without a doubt that their posting of their resumes did not get them a job, what got them a job was scouring the job postings and sending their resumes to the firms doing the hiring. A few never even looked online, they simply used placement companies and similar to get to us.
Always know the situation before opening the door.
like believe all those other countries would not consider doing it if the US hadn't done so first.
Get flipping real.
It is a race. The difference is, are we going to join in or talk ourselves into a corner. The reason people pin the blame on the US for "escalating" everything is that items like this do come up for discussion in this country instead of being suddenly announced during a "military day". Also it doesn't hurt the US can actually do some of things mentioned while other countries would be years behind. What better way to slow the US pace by getting people riled up about it?
The world sucks. When its more important to thwart one countries attempt to stop another from getting the bomb that stopping that country from getting the bomb it only shows the priorities are all wrong.
"The cost of implementing the new rules will be borne by industry. "
Bullshit.
The cost is always borne by the consumer. While the idea is worth celebrating, recycling batteries, the lie to sell it to the public is not. These costs will simply be embedded into the cost of the batteries and equipment. While the consumer may not see a "battery deposit" or "battery disposal" fee in writing it will be there.
I am all for helping the environment and getting industries long ignored into the fold, but damn, do we have to lie to sell it?
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Integrated graphics? I thought Apple was about being better equipped? This is the deal killer for me. I can't imagine using integrated graphics. If this was a HTPC then yeah its ok (see mini), but its not.
Shipping with 2xSODIMMS? (meaning your tossing out both) Essentially ripping off the customer.
Black is essentially a premium color? It cost more that the system below it with a $50 upgrade to the HDD.
The price points are good for Apple.
Bash Bush +1
/. is now? Home of the moonbats?
/. ever came up with a political section, it only tilts one way. Then again, what else should we expect? Most of those doing the bashing are the same chickenshits that will never march, never write a Congressman, and never do anything but flame away on a message board. You know why? Because it takes no effort. Hell I bet the bulk can't name their Senators and only a few could name their Congressman without searching Google.
Bash Fox +1
I guess I found two of your points (automatic scoring)
Honestly, how is this comment of yours rated so highly? It provides us with nothing except the typical moonbat accusations. Is this what
Its apparent the only way to generate good karma on this thread is to join in the innuendo brigade. There is nothing being discussed anymore, its just pull out every coincidence, true or imagined, and go after Bush and Co.
There is so much other crap to jump on that this Adminstration is doing yet people recycle the same tired old innuendo in attempt to score cheap points. Its too bad
Uninformed and spouting nonsense does not help the discussion of the problem at hand. Doing some real research and presenting facts does. I would love to find other sources other than this "blog entry". That speaks of deniability and no need of accountability. ABC is not running this as a story but as a blog entry. I guess this is their "escape clause".
Wait a few days, lets see what the real story is. Sensational reporting is nothing new, its great bait for forum trolls and people who react out of emotion instead of intelligence.
or whatever.
The sheer numbers of DVD oriented material will keep DVD as the prefered medium for a long time. How many attempts have been made at getting better that CD music that have failed?
DVD supplanted VHS for various reasons, picture and sound quality were the major areas. Followed by compactness and durability. Yet it wasn't an overnight success. Hence setting deadlines on Beta-ray or HD-DVD isn't anything but stacking the deck
I don't know which is worse, the bordering on idiocy anti-Bush fanaticism here or the Bush-is-God on the other sites.
Fact is, the NSA program still is for US to offshore calls. Fact is, the FBI doesn't need the NSA or even the bogus interpetation many have of its program, to get the numbers. Fact is, your local police department can do the same as what is being claimed here.
Hell I would not put it past another reporter being able to get the numbers used by someone. It just takes connections.
Now, the blog entry is obviously written to inspire anxiety, its very light on facts and loaded with fear mongering. It doesn't even reveal whether or not warrant's were used to obtain the numbers.
Yet I find not one other news site covering this, actually nothing other than this blog entry which is found on the abcnews webpage. Sure its sensational and it feeds on the misconceptions many have because most people don't want to read more than a few lines of what their local paper doles out to them.
Hey, if they are doing this without the cover of law I think they should be locked up (anyone in the government). I just find it depressing at how stark raving stupid some people here act.
One thing that has pushed the card market along has been changes to Direct X. I figure that DX10 will push the market along further too.
Why include older cards if they cannot even run some of the tests?
Your comments comes across as if this is something new. High powered video cards have always been expensive. Back in the "good old days" I remember paying over $300 for a Matrox 2D solution let alone the $299 Voodoo 2 days where a lot of gamers bought 2 cards.
Comparing console pricing to PC video card pricing doesn't make much sense. The difference your ignoring that most PC enthusiast expect $300 and higher video cards, console buyers do not expect $600 consoles.
The first question is, which Linux?
Second question is, OK, which version of that one is the one I want?
Sorry, but easy to install is not a Linux feature. Pre-installed it would be good for many people, provided they don't want to buy any off the shelf software. Also provided they know how to do beyond rudimentary pc usage.
I would never suggest to anyone I know who has a PC to switch to Linux. If they have a problem with Windows because of the virus scare then they can go try OS/X. The point is, if they aren't swift enough to use a virus scanner and not open attachments from people they don't know they aren't going to be swift enough to run Linux.
Bluntly, Linux is never going to be a mainstream desktop operating system. The only thing they agree on is they don't like Microsoft. Beyond that its an all out war just as fanatic in their differences as most religions.
As this guy noted, he doesn't have the time to spend. Hell I have the time but don't want to waste it when I could be doing more productive work. I have installed BEOS, OS/2, and even every DOS version in the world but the most hell I had was installing Linux. Hell OS/2 was easier to install and that was with 14+ diskettes!
As for the "apps are out there crowd". Yeah, sure. The average consumer is going to need something akin to a wizard to pick the right one, let alone some way of knowing what he is looking at will do what he wants. The difference here is that at least with Windows (and OS/X too) they can lay their hands on commercial software in pretty boxes that tells them what it does. Best yet there are known established brands they feel a little bit of trust for.
Linux is in a field of catch-22s.
There aren't enough commercial apps because not enough people use it and not enough people use it because there are not enough apps.
Same for drivers.
Then the big catch 22, Linux is easy to use and install, provided you know which one you want, which version you want, and which one you can get support on.
Well this story was a refreshing change from the previous story about the tech support worker who was woefully underpaid. The difference here is that this person not only recognized it then acted and moved on. That one action puts him above many workers in the tech field. Yeah it took time for him to find something but he didn't stop till he did. He is taking a risk as well. This is the kind of person you want to come work for you. Someone who moved on because they wanted to better themselves. Sure they might move on again but you can help cultivate the type of person you need with fair treatment and a respectable salary.
Most tech support places I have dealt with and even worked with (IBM Supportline iSeries) are staffed with great people. We all feel the same too, that being that some of the managers are fools and some only exist to further their postion within the system. Moving up in a support group is very tough. The best way is out, preferably into a development position within the same company. That was an option at IBM but it was very rare and nearly impossible if you were sub-contracted, after all the contracting company doesn't want to lose anyone making them money.
The bulk of his story sounds like the typical support world. Filled with users both friendly and intelligent and those unfriendly stupid ones. Of course you get a few unfriendly intelligent ones as well and those are the true annoyances. Stupid people can be understood, but intelligent users who are just unfriendly just need to be whapped on the head. Treat the support person as you want to be, if your that intelligent there is no reason to be overtly unfriendly unless your just a defect yourself.
I like her the most but that is probably from the series having been around for so long. Another good female character was Jodie Fosters in Contact. As far as men, certain the crazy doctor of the Back to The Future movies.
I think its high time to see the (I) next to a politician's name on the ballot as a clear indication they have been in office for far too long. Yeah we might lose a few good ones but it has become apparent the bad ones outnumber the good and it only is getting worse. They have essentially trapped us into voting for them over and over by using the courts to limit our choices and now they will further attempt to keep a good portion of the population in the dark.
Tell me how many other recent events haven't shown the disconnect between those who preach and preen in Washington and the population at large?
Immigration reform almost plays identically, the people want action and the politicians want face time.
I am not surprised at the poll numbers. Simple reason really, Americans on a whole don't really care about much unless its affecting them directly. This apathy if you will call it that is part of the built up "immune" system most develop to deal with the world around them.
What is becoming more evident to many of us is just how disconnected Washington DC politicians are from those of us who put them there. Those twits are more interested into playing to the cameras than doing what we want. Worse, they have the gall to ignore us and then wonder why we don't want them back?
when voting sometimes I think the (I) next to the name should indicate who to vote against this year.
While unions have the good sides I find the negatives too appalling to contemplate being party to one. I have been in union jobs before and all I ever saw was the deadbeats getting away with crap that no employer or fellow employee should be forced to suffer with. I have seen union bosses rack in the bucks while the "subjects" get the same old shaft in the end. I have seen an hour of my pay per week go to some group which made promises to us that did nothing to better our situation. Basically all I found was that the union was there for you provided you followed their group-think.
While there are employers out there who run their salaried workforce ragged, their "professionals" ragged, nothing prevents those who are employed there from seeking better conditions. I have seen shops go from hell to near paradise as people fled which led to management changes and even wholesale gutting of the problem.
Acting like a responsbile adult, a true professional, means acting with integrity. This means you leave a job which runs contrary to those beliefs. Sure you can't just up and leave, thats part of being a functional part of society. You do however don't sit and stew, that helps no one, especially yourself. Think a union can fix it? Tough chance. They will insert at most a buffer but that doesn't sway minds. What sways minds of management is constant failures brought on by low morale and attrition. Yet I know, why should I wait for the change. Fact is, if your truly a professional in your field with good skills you don't have to. Putting up with it is the easy road, yes I said the easy road. Its far lazy to accept the BS than take the risk of going elsewhere. I know many people who bitch and moan on a daily basis but never take the one step to free themselves. They are afraid of the change. If you will not change how do you expect your situation to do so?
Yeah jobs can suck, but you control the most important element, yourself.
perhaps he coded that as insurance
fwiw IE 6.0280 does not like that page
we consider that 15% of level 60 characters have killed Nef? That is more likely than 15% of the players with level 60 characters. Many of the guilds I have been in had players with multiple level 60 characters. Some even had them simply to fill gaps in such quests. Need a mage, let me log in Magechar, oh, meatshield? I'll pull in WarriorChar.
Then again there is always the fact that game creators/managers/designers believe more of their content is being used than really is. After all they made it so players must want to use it.
is only that time in which they will be running for office or in office. Anything beyond that is someone else's problem.
First and foremost is that the United States still enjoys large open areas with low population densities. No "public transportation" can be created that would be an effective use of resources. You would benefit only city populations at the expense of the rest of the country.
Besides, how can anyone actually suggest jacking taxes when politicians and other whiners bitch and moan about $3 gas prices? Get real, the government already puts more taxes on a gallon of gasoline than gas companies make in profit yet everyone focuses on the gas companies.
We have a great infrastructure, but too many people try to compare the United States to Europe and that is just wrong. It sounds good but falls apart once the numbers are played.
The best way to reduce our dependance on foreign oil is to permit the use of our own resources. Yet at every attempt someone blocks it. From building gas drilling rigs 15+ miles off the Florida coast to putting wind generators off of the Cape someone comes up with a doom and gloom scenario which forever keeps us dependant.
Either we use our backyard or pay for someone elses.
First your not going to get open source driver availability just by having more competitors. Your going to get that when the market is sufficiently appealing enough to warrant the attention of the makers of the video cards.
Nothing is wrong in accepting drivers from the companies even if they do not provide the source. If you don't like the terms then by all means go write them yourself or use ones written by others. What irks me the most is how so many now suddenly feel entitled to having code provided to them when it used to be they would have rather written the support themselves or from someone else in the community.
These companies cater to Windows gamers because they are the market. They pay the bills so they get supported.
I did check up on the specs of these two machines, 8.5lbs and 15lbs with batteries for the 17" and 19" machines. Fact is, its obvious that these are not aimed at business users and as such should not be judged by those standards. They make no claim to "laptop style portability", they are desktop replacements. The have "portability" that a lot of gamers, who again are the market, want.
LAN parties are fun, whats not fun is lugging the stuff you need. Getting "portables" to that same level of performance is something many people want.
What would be wrong with someone owning one of these as well as a real notebook? Nothing. There are many of us who would love to have all the power of a real desktop without having to have permanent space set aside for it.
Ideally I would have a small, very small at that, base system connected to my internet provider and then wireless for the systems I actually use. Having a laptop like this means I can game anywhere I want and then put the thing away easily. Just as I don't have my audio equipment on some pedestal to show it off neither do I have PCs around to gloat. (all these windowed monsters make me laugh)
don't need it or don't want it, fine, but that really isn't grounds to call into question as to why it exists. Saying Laptops are for work is as ignorant as claiming thats all computers are good for.
The difference in thought here is that I view it as nothing more than any other tool. I want it to work, I don't care how it works. If I have to take notice of it or spend more time to make it work then its not working.
As such, I won't bother with Linux on my desktop because I don't care to have to think to use the damn PC. Its a tool, as such the OS should be as transparent as possible. If I have to do more than slap a CD in to get my latest addition to my PC to work then its not transparent enough. Just as my friend uses OS/X over Linux? Why, because it just works, no thought needed. The OS is not germane to his work and as such it wasn't worth his time to install Linux on a machine. Whats the point?
Convert hell, convert the attitude that only "real computer" users are those who use linux. The whole attitude you espouse smacks of elitism.
Screw that. Its just an OS.
because the winner may not pan out in full scale development whereas second place or beyond might. Also by the time the actual design and build of the final systems are in place there might be changes in tech which advance the other finishers to the top
Seeing that Intel is pushing Duos very hard. Dell is delivering Duo notebooks at the 699 price point, mostly when you catch them on one of their "sales". I have seen 15.4" versions with default options hitting as low as 649 for a 1.66 Duo.
Now some will say that Apple does not have to consider Dell or XP notebooks in their plans I think they do. The price segment the new MacBook will be headed into will be up against the bulk of the XP systems out there. Also take note that many college age kids will look at prices and features. Since most work can be done just fine on XP systems for school work Apple will have to consider their offering closely.
Things I expect. At minimum a 13.3 screen, probably a 14 as those screens are in good supply. Base model will be a Core-Solo and max will probably be a 1.83 Duo. Integrated graphics will probably be default but they honestly should at least offer a X1400 256mb option as this feature will appeal to many college age users as well as those looking for a lower priced system to run both X and XP. We probably won't see drives as large as the Pro and will see a 4200rpm in the base model. Gigabit ethernet, USB2, FW400 and a cardslot are a given (chipsets are common for all, it probably would be more to actually get an old 10/100 chipset). figure a good keyboard without backlight but I expect iSight.
Get a x1400 256mb, Duo 166, 512 base (2gb max) out the door for 1299 and I will be all over it.
The painful truth is that very few developers, in open source or otherwise, like fixing old code or old bugs. This is very true if the bug fix isn't going to be noticed by a great number of people. Face it, most of us like to write new code or improve on something that isn't working the way we want it even if it is working right.
This is what separates professional developers from the rest. We work on it regardless of how much it benefits us. We might gripe a bit but in the end we do what is asked. Sure that backend has flaws and is going to be replaced down the road but it does not excuse us from making it work now.
When you go look at some of the bugs listed in even current applications you start to see the age some have accrued. Some are rightly passed over as 1 in a million occurences but too many are skipped because it just doesn't have any allure. Note, I am not singling out people who work on Open Source, I am pointing out that the article fails to touch an area that exist but most don't want to acknowledge.
I have been privy to a few discussions about "problem" employees. A few times it was mentioned that they found the employee's resume online. My question has always been, if we are allowed to post job listings then why are we not allowing our employees to do similar?
One thing a lot of us do is chase down the employment offerings our company posts. See, its a game because the postings are hidden by going through consulting and contracting firms. By close examination of the needs and general area given we can all pretty much determine which job postings are ours.
As for getting fired for posting an online resume? We haven't done so nor has it been threatened. What is not allowed is surfing the job sites while at work and we actually have had people do that. None were fired for that reason but it never ceases to amaze me how such highly skilled people can be so dense as to not know we monitor all internet traffic.
It really comes down to your employer. How do you think your boss and his boss would react to your posting? If your like me and have a good boss then it probably is safe. Now if your boss or anyone in the chain is hostile towards you or others, or has made it known that they don't "appreciate" employees posting resumes then take that as a hint. Use job placement (read consulting/contracting) companies. Not only will you find a job faster but it is far safer when your trying to leave an unpleasant situation. From the recent hires we have had I can say without a doubt that their posting of their resumes did not get them a job, what got them a job was scouring the job postings and sending their resumes to the firms doing the hiring. A few never even looked online, they simply used placement companies and similar to get to us.
Always know the situation before opening the door.
like believe all those other countries would not consider doing it if the US hadn't done so first.
Get flipping real.
It is a race. The difference is, are we going to join in or talk ourselves into a corner. The reason people pin the blame on the US for "escalating" everything is that items like this do come up for discussion in this country instead of being suddenly announced during a "military day". Also it doesn't hurt the US can actually do some of things mentioned while other countries would be years behind. What better way to slow the US pace by getting people riled up about it?
The world sucks. When its more important to thwart one countries attempt to stop another from getting the bomb that stopping that country from getting the bomb it only shows the priorities are all wrong.
"The cost of implementing the new rules will be borne by industry. "
Bullshit.
The cost is always borne by the consumer. While the idea is worth celebrating, recycling batteries, the lie to sell it to the public is not. These costs will simply be embedded into the cost of the batteries and equipment. While the consumer may not see a "battery deposit" or "battery disposal" fee in writing it will be there.
I am all for helping the environment and getting industries long ignored into the fold, but damn, do we have to lie to sell it?