In Europe obstetricians advise women to start taking folic acid (AKA vitamin B9) at least two months before trying to get pregnant. Isn't the same advice given in America?
Well I don't know about you guys, but in America the father is typically a male.
why oh why are scientists wasting time on this? one step at at time, for now figure out how to cure cancer before worrying about the big picture. you must unzip your pants before worrying about how much piss comes out
Really???? If all "scientists" thought like that then we wouldn't be in a position to even KNOW what *cancer* is. We'd be stuck on a problem prior to that hundreds of years ago.
Science is all about looking far and wide for answers. Sometimes things are immediately applicable to your specific problem/condition/annoyance/life, but sometimes they aren't.
Applied science / engineering is more about solutions to your specific problem. Perhaps you can go ask the bio-medical engineers to hurry it up, but leave the scientists alone!
So you are asking me if we should halt all technological development related to 3D-printing because you fear that you could potentially print viruses?
History is laden with people whose hindsight on future technological trajectories was later laughed at. Consider Lord Kelvin who said:
"I can state flatly that heavier than air flying machines are impossible."
To directly answer your question: No, I think engineers have a moral obligation to invent and better the world not though aiding the restriction of technology but perfecting it, or if need be, inventing a new technology that makes the old "bad" one obsolete.
Legislating policy that hinders innovation will do more harm than good, of which will unfortunately only become apparent in hindsight as well.
As others have pointed out, the items are merely 'tools' and the application the tool is where the morality lies.
Could you imagine a world where we routinely use nuclear weapons to relieve stresses in the Earth's crust and prevent large earthquakes and their devastating effects? What about stopping large oil spills quickly?
Unfortunately, many helpful adaptations of large scale explosives are not being utilized due to the political implications, but even a 'weapon of mass destruction' can be a useful tool to save lives (and money).
I try to get my family to stop using gmail, and instead use a local mail program which they can then use for end to end encryption, private non-cloud storage of their old emails, etc, but they don't want to bother.
People have always been like this as long as civilization has been around. Some people fully understand a technology and take the details of it into their own hands, while others are more comfortable with someone else providing the expertise. Take your argument above and say:
I try to get my family to stop using [the local mechanic], and instead use a [wrench from the garage] which they can then use for end to end [repair of their car, maintenance of essential parts, and general peace of mind for their family members that ride in the vehicle], but they don't want to bother.
While this type of behavior has always been around, but we have yet to have it applied so forcefully to information. Therefore, I think to properly address the problem you have to see that this is not unique to mankind. The unique element, however, is the topic that these people are choosing not to gain deeper understanding of.
A few months ago - when all of this was starting - I read a comment here on Slashdot about how the only thing holding back this sort of NSA spying over the last two hundred years is technology - not the Constitution. We are now only at a point that technology is beginning to no longer be the barrier to this type of activity, and we will have to see how these enabling technologies apply to the Constitution. Viewing the problem from it's root cause (not a unique case of people being "lazy") is the first step in the right direction.
I can't speak for all demographics, but as a 25-year-old, a large amount of people in my age group across different professional disciplines use GTalk throughout the workday. So from my perspective, who isn't using GTalk?
As a graduate TA in the Spring 2013 semester at a [Major American University] who will be teaching a course at a [Large Community College] in the Fall 2013 semester, I can assure you I made more money per course as a graduate TA than I am currently as a community college instructor.
Take that for what it is.... a sample size of '1' isn't helpful, I know.
if it were ever damaged and the nuclear material released, it would create a cloud of hazardous radioactive shit raining down over a wide area
If you are a military agency, your goal would be theft of the radioactive material. The nuclear weapons-grade material Plutonium is an artificial material and cannot be found anywhere on Earth. You either have to make it yourself in a reactor or steal it from someone else.
A cloud of radioactive waste is just ridiculous, because even if that were the goal, it wouldn't do anything because the site is in the middle of nowhere...
has a shitty operating system which cannot be replaced, so it is a no-buy.
Have you used that operating system? Anytime someone makes this claim it really seems like they are just one of the 'sheep' out there just passing on someone else's misinformed judgement.
NEWS FLASH: Windows 8 is a great operating system! How do I know? Because I use Windows 8, Windows 7, Android 4.2.2, and Ubuntu (KDE) daily. Sorry, I'm not fit to give judgement or comment on anything Apple - because I don't use it.
Without being able to look up the mapping from the database, the three words don't seem to be useful.
Perhaps it be paired with Longitude and Latitude; making a really useful yet *boring* system all of a sudden more *fun*, yet still accessible without access to the database.
Why has no one published an article listing "Organizations likely to not pay for professional tax advice and do it on their own fall prey to IRS suspicion."
I've filed as a tax exempt organization though with the help of a CPA - it's not a trivial task. If people really are so eager to make these crazy conspiracy correlations let's at least discuss the fact that those groups that are being binned together all are also likely to try to file on their own.
If we take this rhetoric one step further, are there not a lot of illegal (i.e. non-EULA applicable) copies of Windows that are part of this and are likely also used in the creation of said malware? I could see Microsoft argue that the root of the problem is software users not abiding by EULA and the blame would thus be shifted towards those who 'failed' to enforce software copyright, etc.
Exactly my thoughts. I use m 46" TV as my primary monitor for most gaming and run Windows 8 (Windows 8 is not bad, there are just a lot of complainers out there, or maybe I'm just old enough to be that negative towards new things yet). I pre-ordered this just for the reason you pointed out - can't wait for my 46" living room touchscreen that I don't actually have to "touch."
Slashdot Mirror
In Europe obstetricians advise women to start taking folic acid (AKA vitamin B9) at least two months before trying to get pregnant. Isn't the same advice given in America?
Well I don't know about you guys, but in America the father is typically a male.
WOOOSH
why oh why are scientists wasting time on this? one step at at time, for now figure out how to cure cancer before worrying about the big picture. you must unzip your pants before worrying about how much piss comes out
Really???? If all "scientists" thought like that then we wouldn't be in a position to even KNOW what *cancer* is. We'd be stuck on a problem prior to that hundreds of years ago.
Science is all about looking far and wide for answers. Sometimes things are immediately applicable to your specific problem/condition/annoyance/life, but sometimes they aren't.
Applied science / engineering is more about solutions to your specific problem. Perhaps you can go ask the bio-medical engineers to hurry it up, but leave the scientists alone!
So you are asking me if we should halt all technological development related to 3D-printing because you fear that you could potentially print viruses?
History is laden with people whose hindsight on future technological trajectories was later laughed at. Consider Lord Kelvin who said:
"I can state flatly that heavier than air flying machines are impossible."
To directly answer your question: No, I think engineers have a moral obligation to invent and better the world not though aiding the restriction of technology but perfecting it, or if need be, inventing a new technology that makes the old "bad" one obsolete.
Legislating policy that hinders innovation will do more harm than good, of which will unfortunately only become apparent in hindsight as well.
How about weapons of mass destruction?.
As others have pointed out, the items are merely 'tools' and the application the tool is where the morality lies.
Could you imagine a world where we routinely use nuclear weapons to relieve stresses in the Earth's crust and prevent large earthquakes and their devastating effects? What about stopping large oil spills quickly?
Using a nuclear weapon on an oil spill.
Unfortunately, many helpful adaptations of large scale explosives are not being utilized due to the political implications, but even a 'weapon of mass destruction' can be a useful tool to save lives (and money).
An early attempt at employing people displaced by automation and other personnel reduction consequences.
Since corporations are "people," I'm sure we can find a way around such a policy!
Which happens to have an approximately 5" screen size!
It seems like they forgot to power-cycle it before making a determined observation.
I try to get my family to stop using gmail, and instead use a local mail program which they can then use for end to end encryption, private non-cloud storage of their old emails, etc, but they don't want to bother.
People have always been like this as long as civilization has been around. Some people fully understand a technology and take the details of it into their own hands, while others are more comfortable with someone else providing the expertise. Take your argument above and say:
I try to get my family to stop using [the local mechanic], and instead use a [wrench from the garage] which they can then use for end to end [repair of their car, maintenance of essential parts, and general peace of mind for their family members that ride in the vehicle], but they don't want to bother.
While this type of behavior has always been around, but we have yet to have it applied so forcefully to information. Therefore, I think to properly address the problem you have to see that this is not unique to mankind. The unique element, however, is the topic that these people are choosing not to gain deeper understanding of.
A few months ago - when all of this was starting - I read a comment here on Slashdot about how the only thing holding back this sort of NSA spying over the last two hundred years is technology - not the Constitution. We are now only at a point that technology is beginning to no longer be the barrier to this type of activity, and we will have to see how these enabling technologies apply to the Constitution. Viewing the problem from it's root cause (not a unique case of people being "lazy") is the first step in the right direction.
A great first post.
I can't speak for all demographics, but as a 25-year-old, a large amount of people in my age group across different professional disciplines use GTalk throughout the workday. So from my perspective, who isn't using GTalk?
As a graduate TA in the Spring 2013 semester at a [Major American University] who will be teaching a course at a [Large Community College] in the Fall 2013 semester, I can assure you I made more money per course as a graduate TA than I am currently as a community college instructor.
Take that for what it is.... a sample size of '1' isn't helpful, I know.
if it were ever damaged and the nuclear material released, it would create a cloud of hazardous radioactive shit raining down over a wide area
If you are a military agency, your goal would be theft of the radioactive material. The nuclear weapons-grade material Plutonium is an artificial material and cannot be found anywhere on Earth. You either have to make it yourself in a reactor or steal it from someone else.
A cloud of radioactive waste is just ridiculous, because even if that were the goal, it wouldn't do anything because the site is in the middle of nowhere...
has a shitty operating system
I don't need to use it to know that it isn't a OS made for me.
Ah O.K., that's more civil and fair of you to say.
I've been using GNU/Linux exclusively
no curiosity or interest in using latest version of Windows.
Where do you work?? Asking for a friend...
If the surface or Windows RT were such great devices, then explain me the ridiculously low sales?
Are we talking about the device or the operating system? The device never had a market at its initial price point.
has a shitty operating system which cannot be replaced, so it is a no-buy.
Have you used that operating system? Anytime someone makes this claim it really seems like they are just one of the 'sheep' out there just passing on someone else's misinformed judgement.
NEWS FLASH: Windows 8 is a great operating system! How do I know? Because I use Windows 8, Windows 7, Android 4.2.2, and Ubuntu (KDE) daily. Sorry, I'm not fit to give judgement or comment on anything Apple - because I don't use it.
Posting to remove a inadvertent mod. Good point with the 'changing of a cultural taboo' point.
Without being able to look up the mapping from the database, the three words don't seem to be useful.
Perhaps it be paired with Longitude and Latitude; making a really useful yet *boring* system all of a sudden more *fun*, yet still accessible without access to the database.
I double-checked my calender to make sure today wasn't April Fool's day...
Just in-case you're wondering, its not.
Why has no one published an article listing "Organizations likely to not pay for professional tax advice and do it on their own fall prey to IRS suspicion."
I've filed as a tax exempt organization though with the help of a CPA - it's not a trivial task. If people really are so eager to make these crazy conspiracy correlations let's at least discuss the fact that those groups that are being binned together all are also likely to try to file on their own.
It would have been interesting if you created a new account and posted this comment from it.
I agree, and so does this article: http://www.zdnet.com/the-real-reason-for-the-pc-sales-plunge-the-era-of-good-enough-computing-7000013878/
If we take this rhetoric one step further, are there not a lot of illegal (i.e. non-EULA applicable) copies of Windows that are part of this and are likely also used in the creation of said malware? I could see Microsoft argue that the root of the problem is software users not abiding by EULA and the blame would thus be shifted towards those who 'failed' to enforce software copyright, etc.
Exactly my thoughts. I use m 46" TV as my primary monitor for most gaming and run Windows 8 (Windows 8 is not bad, there are just a lot of complainers out there, or maybe I'm just old enough to be that negative towards new things yet). I pre-ordered this just for the reason you pointed out - can't wait for my 46" living room touchscreen that I don't actually have to "touch."
Pics or it didn't happen