Let's face it, driverless buses don't really exist. But so long as we don't regress back into the awful world of proprietary or non-standard extensions, why should buses need drivers outside of those shipped with the kernel?
Methinks the mayor of London has a soft spot for microchannel!
Wait; maybe I misunderstood. Sorry, I'm using the industry-approved(tm) term "stealing" for copyright violation. Tongue-in-cheek.
I want those making the decisions to understand that I accept the term "stealing" and may consider copyright violation morally ambiguous or even negative. However, I judge the encryption of works restricted by copyright to be so much greater a moral failing that using the even theft is the lesser crime.
I am desperate to find someone to give money to, in exchange for unencumbered 1080p video (movies/tv).
I've stopped watching movies, but I know many in my position steal movies not for the price (we're engineers; cost is not an issue), but for the quality and user experience. Honestly, I couldn't care whether movies are $10, $20, or even $30. I care that I can wire someone money, click a button, and start a 10-20gb download of unencumbered, professionally encoded, high definition video.
In the meantime, I spend all of my media dollars on music, since there are multiple sources from which I can actually buy it.
Won't someone in the video world please take my money?
Athiests are occasionally "bigots" with regards to the choices others make, like religion. Religious folks, on the other hand, are occasionally bigots with regards to the properties of others. There is a difference.
Ouch. I don't been to be a downer, because I love competition and consumer choice, especially in the computing market.
But, I gotta say. This "other half" gimmick is about the most idiotic thing I have ever seen. Trying to sell themes, backgrounds, etc., by manufacturing hardware backs with RFID chips? Seriously?
Phone! I'm in a bad mood. "Applying bad mood theme. Done."
The entire Google maps leadership team should be fired.
Google is in the (almost) unique position of having outstanding cartographical data, satellite imagery, realtime traffic information, and access to user searches and email.
They could have built an incredible mapping platform with hierarchical point and route storage and sharing, GPX import/export, realtime location sharing (ie. latitude), advanced planning, map overlays, user reporting on traffic incidents/roadblocks/radar..
A year ago, they seemed to be heading in this direction.
Instead, they've slowly been stripping away the features they had that made it useful.
I remember looking upon the Google Maps iPhone app 6 months ago in horror. How do I send my own location? How do I see a topographical view? Why do selected locations snap to the nearest road? Why can't I measure distance, or plan a route in advance? Why can't I save a place, and give it a different name? I laughed, smug in the superiority of my Android version. I thought nice play, Google.. way to stick it to iPhone users, and offer them a compelling reason to switch to Android!
Little known to me at the time, my preferred platform would suffer the same fate. The abomination that was Google Maps on iPhone was ported, and pushed out to Android as well! Now who's laughing, right?
I am literally dumbfounded. Android's old maps application (6.14) was good. Not perfect, but good. The new version is laughable. No more latitude. No more labs. No more topographical maps. No more realtime transit navigation. No zoom buttons for one-handed use. No dedicated navigation button. No arrows pointing the direction of each search result. Bizarre, distracting user interface with clunky "3D" wipes. Still can't share your current location.
It doesn't surprise me at all that they're starting to remove features from the new Maps for web.
I'm almost certain that it's a move to convert the platform from data to advertisement. Less focus on what is actual (corner of 5th and E17th), and what is sponsored (Feel like McDonalds? Here are some locations!). I only hope that competition moves in to eat their lunch, and everyone who was involved in gutting it is offered a package.
Netflix should very loudly sue all of the major ISPs in the states, asking the court to affirm its right to reach its users at the same rate content-partners (or other business units) of the ISP pay.
They should make all sorts of noise about anti-competitive practices, damage to the Internet, corruption and bribery, lack of last-mile competition, lack of common-carrier status, etc.
They wouldn't win any judgments, but at least they could provide exposure and coverage in mainstream media so more of the population would grasp what's at stake here.
I was a Google advocate and an Android fanatic a couple years ago, but it seems to me that they have shifted focus to emulating Apple, eliminating functionality, and, worryingly, ignoring bug reports.
Consider:
- Latest maps update removes swathes of important functionality, is significantly less useful, and looks "better" than the previous version
- As of Android 4.3, the base OS still does not support correct mouse-driven cut and paste, or right-click to open context menu
- Alt-tab does not function correctly; first press merely opens the "recents" menu. A second press is required to actually switch apps, inconsistent with every other major platform available today
- No real, consistent window-mode infrastructure in place
- Still bundled with non-standard, poor quality unix-level utilities
- As others have pointed out, the Nexus 7 2013 ships with a buggy bluetooth configuration that breaks keyboard compability. That this trivial-to-fix issue was not a sev1 defect speaks volumes as to Android's direction!
It saddens me to see Google focusing on decommissioning useful services like Latitude to try to rope people into Google+ (a silly place for user location services) and Android UI "enhancements" while the market is clearly moving towards device integration.
They may yet turn out to be the next RIM: focused on irrelevant things while their competitors (some yet to be visible) build the infrastructure that will be demanded in 5 years. They may wake up down the road unable to compete with a competitor who has spent this time looking forward.
Google: Please focus on desktop functionality, proper unix integration, and product feature set! Leave the customers who demand a limited, cutesy UI to Apple!
No, it rather means that people are finally understanding that a tablet is a novelty. The only time I hear someone talking about how great their iPad (or other tablet) is when they are talking about how much their (less than 10 year old) kid enjoys it
I use my Nexus 7 daily. Some of the things I use it for:
- Kindle
- Web browsing / youtube out on the deck
- Advanced planning / 2nd head ship navigation while sailing (Navionics)
- Advanced route planning while in the backcountry (Locus Pro)
- Movies in bed
- Google magazine (Backpacker, Sailing World, etc)
My girlfriend also uses it at school when painting so that she doesn't have to print images out.
Admittedly, there is a lot of crossover potential with my S3. But to suggest that it's a novelty is a little silly at this point, don't you think?
How is carrying a smartphone around in your pocket all day not wearing a computer?
Wearable displays can't come soon enough for me. I would love to be able to walk around while I attend conference calls, have chart overlays while I'm sailing, and not have to stare down at my phone while watching TV shows at the gym.
No they won't. There is a certain cult that treats science as a religion and refuses to understand that there are basic laws of physics that constrain us. FTL communication causes a litany of paradoxes and trying to turn quantum entanglement into a FTL communication device shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what is going on.
In theory, sure. Except that wherever you have a pool of money, you have people clamoring after it.
How long do you suppose it would be before county schools or health departments started bribing/lobbying for increased fines if they were the direct benefactors?
I myself could be convinced that photo-radar, speed strips, red-light cameras and even "robots" are acceptable for use on public roads if money could be eliminated from the equation. It is simply not fair to expect legislators to set reasonable limits based on science and statistics when money is involved.
On that note, I've always wondered why no one has proposed destruction of ticket revenue as a clean solution to the problem.
If every last cent collected from fines was required to be destroyed, legislators would be freed from the burden of conflicted interest. They could focus clearly on policy objectives, without the question of profit clouding their judgment. Police would be freed up to do their jobs (which of course includes patrolling and traffic law enforcement, but based strictly on safety, not quotas).
As another bonus, destruction of ticket revenue would benefit everyone not fined by ever-so-slightly deflating the currency.
If you aren't doing anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about
What if you are doing something illegal?
Very few citizens accept all laws they are required to follow. Privacy allows society to function, by limiting the ability law enforcement has to detect victimless crime. Virtually every time in history that this limit has been removed, the society has crumbled.
Most governments of the world were democratically contracted by the people to imprison those responsible for the violence, and protect those who are merely exercising their freedom of speech to challenge superstition.
Protecting violent superstitious people while jailing/censoring those speaking about it would be gross violation of the social contract.
Slashdot Mirror
Let's face it, driverless buses don't really exist. But so long as we don't regress back into the awful world of proprietary or non-standard extensions, why should buses need drivers outside of those shipped with the kernel?
Methinks the mayor of London has a soft spot for microchannel!
Wait; maybe I misunderstood. Sorry, I'm using the industry-approved(tm) term "stealing" for copyright violation. Tongue-in-cheek.
I want those making the decisions to understand that I accept the term "stealing" and may consider copyright violation morally ambiguous or even negative. However, I judge the encryption of works restricted by copyright to be so much greater a moral failing that using the even theft is the lesser crime.
Oh, definitely. Stealing copies is a friggin' pain, which is why I've acted accordingly, and been putting the call out!
*waves money around*
Please, someone! Take my money and provide me direct, legal access to unencumbered, copyrighted video material!
Can they please send me one?
I am desperate to find someone to give money to, in exchange for unencumbered 1080p video (movies/tv).
I've stopped watching movies, but I know many in my position steal movies not for the price (we're engineers; cost is not an issue), but for the quality and user experience. Honestly, I couldn't care whether movies are $10, $20, or even $30. I care that I can wire someone money, click a button, and start a 10-20gb download of unencumbered, professionally encoded, high definition video.
In the meantime, I spend all of my media dollars on music, since there are multiple sources from which I can actually buy it.
Won't someone in the video world please take my money?
Athiests are occasionally "bigots" with regards to the choices others make, like religion. Religious folks, on the other hand, are occasionally bigots with regards to the properties of others. There is a difference.
Ouch. I don't been to be a downer, because I love competition and consumer choice, especially in the computing market.
But, I gotta say. This "other half" gimmick is about the most idiotic thing I have ever seen. Trying to sell themes, backgrounds, etc., by manufacturing hardware backs with RFID chips? Seriously?
Phone! I'm in a bad mood. "Applying bad mood theme. Done."
Or am I missing something?
.. and can certainly help in the fight against the Ur-Quan!
Interesting.. thanks for the tip. :)
The entire Google maps leadership team should be fired.
Google is in the (almost) unique position of having outstanding cartographical data, satellite imagery, realtime traffic information, and access to user searches and email.
They could have built an incredible mapping platform with hierarchical point and route storage and sharing, GPX import/export, realtime location sharing (ie. latitude), advanced planning, map overlays, user reporting on traffic incidents/roadblocks/radar..
A year ago, they seemed to be heading in this direction.
Instead, they've slowly been stripping away the features they had that made it useful.
I remember looking upon the Google Maps iPhone app 6 months ago in horror. How do I send my own location? How do I see a topographical view? Why do selected locations snap to the nearest road? Why can't I measure distance, or plan a route in advance? Why can't I save a place, and give it a different name? I laughed, smug in the superiority of my Android version. I thought nice play, Google.. way to stick it to iPhone users, and offer them a compelling reason to switch to Android!
Little known to me at the time, my preferred platform would suffer the same fate. The abomination that was Google Maps on iPhone was ported, and pushed out to Android as well! Now who's laughing, right?
I am literally dumbfounded. Android's old maps application (6.14) was good. Not perfect, but good. The new version is laughable. No more latitude. No more labs. No more topographical maps. No more realtime transit navigation. No zoom buttons for one-handed use. No dedicated navigation button. No arrows pointing the direction of each search result. Bizarre, distracting user interface with clunky "3D" wipes. Still can't share your current location.
It doesn't surprise me at all that they're starting to remove features from the new Maps for web.
I'm almost certain that it's a move to convert the platform from data to advertisement. Less focus on what is actual (corner of 5th and E17th), and what is sponsored (Feel like McDonalds? Here are some locations!). I only hope that competition moves in to eat their lunch, and everyone who was involved in gutting it is offered a package.
Netflix should very loudly sue all of the major ISPs in the states, asking the court to affirm its right to reach its users at the same rate content-partners (or other business units) of the ISP pay.
They should make all sorts of noise about anti-competitive practices, damage to the Internet, corruption and bribery, lack of last-mile competition, lack of common-carrier status, etc.
They wouldn't win any judgments, but at least they could provide exposure and coverage in mainstream media so more of the population would grasp what's at stake here.
Can someone please stop the country? I want to get off -.-
I see what you did there.
Finally.. haha. Can't believe it took more than 10 posts on /. for someone to mention INS.
McDonalds proclaims home-cooked meals more expensive and difficult to make than eating at their restaurant.
I extremely do not collect stamps! :)
I was a Google advocate and an Android fanatic a couple years ago, but it seems to me that they have shifted focus to emulating Apple, eliminating functionality, and, worryingly, ignoring bug reports.
Consider:
- Latest maps update removes swathes of important functionality, is significantly less useful, and looks "better" than the previous version
- As of Android 4.3, the base OS still does not support correct mouse-driven cut and paste, or right-click to open context menu
- Alt-tab does not function correctly; first press merely opens the "recents" menu. A second press is required to actually switch apps, inconsistent with every other major platform available today
- No real, consistent window-mode infrastructure in place
- Still bundled with non-standard, poor quality unix-level utilities
- As others have pointed out, the Nexus 7 2013 ships with a buggy bluetooth configuration that breaks keyboard compability. That this trivial-to-fix issue was not a sev1 defect speaks volumes as to Android's direction!
It saddens me to see Google focusing on decommissioning useful services like Latitude to try to rope people into Google+ (a silly place for user location services) and Android UI "enhancements" while the market is clearly moving towards device integration.
They may yet turn out to be the next RIM: focused on irrelevant things while their competitors (some yet to be visible) build the infrastructure that will be demanded in 5 years. They may wake up down the road unable to compete with a competitor who has spent this time looking forward.
Google: Please focus on desktop functionality, proper unix integration, and product feature set! Leave the customers who demand a limited, cutesy UI to Apple!
No, it rather means that people are finally understanding that a tablet is a novelty. The only time I hear someone talking about how great their iPad (or other tablet) is when they are talking about how much their (less than 10 year old) kid enjoys it
I use my Nexus 7 daily. Some of the things I use it for:
- Kindle
- Web browsing / youtube out on the deck
- Advanced planning / 2nd head ship navigation while sailing (Navionics)
- Advanced route planning while in the backcountry (Locus Pro)
- Movies in bed
- Google magazine (Backpacker, Sailing World, etc)
My girlfriend also uses it at school when painting so that she doesn't have to print images out.
Admittedly, there is a lot of crossover potential with my S3. But to suggest that it's a novelty is a little silly at this point, don't you think?
Nobody wants to wear computers.
How is carrying a smartphone around in your pocket all day not wearing a computer?
Wearable displays can't come soon enough for me. I would love to be able to walk around while I attend conference calls, have chart overlays while I'm sailing, and not have to stare down at my phone while watching TV shows at the gym.
I'm also reasonably sure I'm not alone in this!
No they won't. There is a certain cult that treats science as a religion and refuses to understand that there are basic laws of physics that constrain us. FTL communication causes a litany of paradoxes and trying to turn quantum entanglement into a FTL communication device shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what is going on.
+4, Insightful? Really slashdot?
In theory, sure. Except that wherever you have a pool of money, you have people clamoring after it.
How long do you suppose it would be before county schools or health departments started bribing/lobbying for increased fines if they were the direct benefactors?
I myself could be convinced that photo-radar, speed strips, red-light cameras and even "robots" are acceptable for use on public roads if money could be eliminated from the equation. It is simply not fair to expect legislators to set reasonable limits based on science and statistics when money is involved.
On that note, I've always wondered why no one has proposed destruction of ticket revenue as a clean solution to the problem.
If every last cent collected from fines was required to be destroyed, legislators would be freed from the burden of conflicted interest. They could focus clearly on policy objectives, without the question of profit clouding their judgment. Police would be freed up to do their jobs (which of course includes patrolling and traffic law enforcement, but based strictly on safety, not quotas).
As another bonus, destruction of ticket revenue would benefit everyone not fined by ever-so-slightly deflating the currency.
Android devices are outselling Windows devices 2:1.
Android devices are outselling iOS devices 2:1. Windows device sales appear as a rounding error.
That would explain all the lawsuits against competitors...
If you aren't doing anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about
What if you are doing something illegal?
Very few citizens accept all laws they are required to follow. Privacy allows society to function, by limiting the ability law enforcement has to detect victimless crime. Virtually every time in history that this limit has been removed, the society has crumbled.
I don't mean to be a dick here... but..
I've never had any of that stuff happen, and I've been a smartphone user since before they were called smartphones.
If you don't want one, you don't want one... fine. There's no need to rationalize it.
Most governments of the world were democratically contracted by the people to imprison those responsible for the violence, and protect those who are merely exercising their freedom of speech to challenge superstition.
Protecting violent superstitious people while jailing/censoring those speaking about it would be gross violation of the social contract.