I don't want to poke anyone in the ass but people, its like you don't know it all anymore. There are a thousand things that everyone is urging to know and you can answer this stuff for us. Such as...
Do you think GNU/Linux is ready for the desktop?
What exactly is the economics of free software?
Is it really easier using a graphical user interface?
What about the Mac? Somehow this Linux-related article failed to mention the beloved Macintosh next to the words easy, desktop, and computer.
Isn't GNOME a better desktop than KDE? These slashdot posts are like votes to determine which desktop is better. Whichever desktop wins the election gets to be in the next release of Red Hat Linux.
What exactly does the newbie think about the GNU/Linux OS?
Do you think Bill Gates is happy or sad about the GNU/Linux phenomina?
Can someone please remind us on what the Free Software Philosophy is all about?
What would Richard Stallman think about these recent distributions? Is he really a communist?
What do the Libretarians think?
Should we go to war with Iraq?
I think we better not leave these urgent questions unanswered. Because if we fail to discuss these things in each and every Linux-related article, someone somewhere might think these things are unimportant.
"I don't know why everyone thinks IM is so teenagers can ask each for age/sex/location checks."
Thats because 90% of everyone using IM are teenagers wasting time often checking age/sex/location with each other.
"Don't chuck out the whole medium just because you've found one malignant thing growing in it."
You're right. But most IM clients are designed to waste your time. I'm talking about the strange cutesy toys. I'm talking about the huge lack of security many of them offer. Someone did something with my yahoo account, I haven't been able to log back in since.
Here's some things I'd like to see for IM to be used for Real Work. I'd like to see collaborative editing. Letting two or more people edit a document in real time while discussing the editions. You are talking about coding. It would be great if the IM clients could support more programming editing features, or at least hook into emacs (or your editor de joure).
But honestly, do you see any of the above happening? Its not that IM can't be used for real work. Its just hardly anyone does. And that decides upon the class of features that gets put into the program.
Also, does anyone know what picture ++) turns into in yahoo messenger from the coding example I am replying to?
You're right, my post was flamebait in hindsight. But thats because, as you said, my learning of Farscape's popularity made me say "What the heck!" I mean, "how can anyone like that show" right?
But I suppose its, in part, a change in the times. For some reason, people are attracted to shows filled with people who don't like each other. Could it be an effect of divorced, split families we have?
However, you're not going to see me admit that choice in television programs is entirely subjective, even accounting for taste. I mean we have to award shows for *something*, there has to be some measure for the greatness of a program.
Even so, I would be hard pressed to determine if, say, The Hitchhiker's Guide is better or worse than The Outer Limits. They seem to be different not in degree but in kind, they achieve different ends.
So which of the listed examples are comparable? To answer that, you must ask what the point of Farscape is...what is its end. Is it supposed to be a fantasy rather than science fiction? Then maybe it isn't comparable to Star Trek or Star Wars, and not my taste in genre at all.
But if its supposed to be a science fiction series, get rid of it.
I agree. Especially how they first butchered up the Star Trek reruns. A lot of people were looking forward to this. I am at least glad TNG reruns are on TNT (almost primetime too).
Seriously. Kill it. I was rather happy when I heard of its demise in the first place. I'm hoping they could put a real Sci-Fi show in its place. But then again, if they could keep Farscape and kill Lexx--I would be all that more happier."
"Farscape is one of the greatest sci-fi series ever, in the same tier as..."
Ha. No.
"The Outer Limits"
Only without the ability to make you think about the show long after you seen it. Farscape is a sit, drool, and click show. Nothing more.
"Star Wars (Eps 4-6)"
Star Wars is certainly ingrained in our culture. But not for its originality. Rather, it was successful for pioneering the special effects of its time. Notice how much harder it is for the first trilogy to catch on. But Star Wars was never more than a space opera.
"B5, Star Trek (original series and Next Gen)"
B5 was great because it was a space novel on the small screen. You were always pleased on how everything always came together with the right amount of suspense and metaphor. And Star Trek is simply way out of Farscape's league.
"Hitchhiker's Guide, and Doctor Who"
Hitchhiker's Guide is simply that crazy combination of British wit with Science Fiction that appeals to geeks everywhere. Never seen Doctor Who.
"Each has a somewhat unique point, but Farscape's was most off-kilter: the characters live in a realm defined more by the fantastic than the scientific."
In other words, it is just another space opera. With any science-fiction, you are asked by the writiers and producers to "suspend your disbelief". Thats fine. But the point is that you need to be rewarded with something that is believable. With The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone for that matter, you are rewarded by looking at the world in a slightly new way. And usually there is a lesson. Star Wars just has that "good vs evil" lesson. Star Trek has its entire universe devoted to exploring humanity itself. And the Hitchhiker's Guide also offers a new way of looking at things as well as comedy to boot.
So. Someone please tell me what the reward in watching Farscape. You want to put Farscape in the same league as the above, but I think it falls far short. I would put it rather in the same league as Andromeda or Earth: Final Conflict (although I would give it some credit as not being in the same league as Lexx). Just another space opera looking for an audience. So I guess Farscape has found its audience--probably for being aired so close to gems such as First Wave and The Invisible Man.
Like how when responding the corporate scandals Bush tended to stand in front of walls with the words "Corporate Responsibility" sprawled all over. Or how all the podiums he spoke at said "Corporate Responsibility". If I knew better, I'd think he wanted people to connect them words with him somehow...
I didn't even notice this until the Daily Show made fun of this. God, I love that show sometimes.
I don't think you are given an opportunity to consent or not at all. It would be like saying that the earth can't hold you because of gravity without your consent. You haven't the opportunity--rather, that is the environment you find yourself in.
And what you say about walking away is just my point. It makes for an unfriendlier place with more "social morons".
How do you think people become social morons? By speaking loudly? You notice people's disgust at your using a cell phone yet seem unable to explain it. You're right that a lot of people can't stand each other. Perhaps, cell phones are part of the reason why.
Now I am not against anyone owning or using cell phones. There really isn't any moral principle I can hold up and say "there, that's why cell phones are bad". I know that all sorts of exceptional situations exist.
But for too many people, cell phones are a symbol of their self-importance because at any moment they can interrupt any conversation to speak with someone who they can deem at their will as "more important" than the person you are speaking with.
Still not with me? Imagine these scenarios. Two strangers meet each other at the airport. Neither have cell phones. Because of this, neither have leverage over the other. So they will feel more free to talk to one another.
Second scenario: one of the two strangers have a cell phone. In this case, the one with the cell phone has the leverage in this social situation. Why? Because he has a group of people who could only possibly talk to him. If you have ever been interrupted in a conversation by a cell phone then you know what I mean. It suddenly makes the cell phone owner seem more important and inversely, yourself seem less important.
And you wonder why cell phones have become so popular.
So it would seem that the solution would be when we all own cell phones. Then we'd all be at equal leverage, right? Not quite. Imagine the third scenario. Both strangers have cell phones. But for both of them, the investment to strike up a conversation is much greater since the risk of being interrupted by a cell phone is also much greater.
So we end up with an even less friendly society than we had before cell phones become common.
Now anyone reading this knows what the solution is. Ignore cell calls when you are talking to someone. But how many people do you think will know to do this? The same as how many people don't email word attachments or how many people leave the toilet seat up.
But I can't look into your mind to determine your ethical character. So I'll probably be less likely to strike up a conversation with you. Even more importantly, since you walked into the area I feel less important than you for the reasons I went into above.
What we need is a clear etiquette for the use of cell phones but so far, I haven't seen any such thing. As cell phones become more common, I hope one gets stirred up. Until then, I know I'm not going to buy a cell phone.
Again, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cell phone use. Perhaps I am saying that certain circumstances with cell phones can be frustrating, notably--getting interrupted by a cell phone.
Now I wouldn't be shaking my head or making rude noises if you walked by with your cell phone. Perhaps the best word to describe it is intimidation--not by you but by your cell phone.
Or is the other way around? That you are interested in math because you are good at it? That people of low-intelligence hate school because they do poorly in it.
Fink is the free software component of your operating system then. Thats one of the points of free software, so that people are free to do that kind of thing. If you install most of what you like from one operating system to another, that's not switching--that's adopting.
Then, there's that whole *cough* freedom thing that people have their minds set not to take seriously. *cough* *cough*
Slashdot Mirror
"...purchase price doesn't mean a thing..."
*quizzical expression*
*scratches head*
*moves keyboard*
*bangs head against desk three times*
*resets keyboard*
*scratches head again*
Err?
I don't want to poke anyone in the ass but people, its like you don't know it all anymore. There are a thousand things that everyone is urging to know and you can answer this stuff for us. Such as...
I think we better not leave these urgent questions unanswered. Because if we fail to discuss these things in each and every Linux-related article, someone somewhere might think these things are unimportant.
What a horrible possibility.
As for moderators, the politicians have aids don't they?
All my bicycling to work and back everyday has finally paid off.
"I don't know why everyone thinks IM is so teenagers can ask each for age/sex/location checks."
Thats because 90% of everyone using IM are teenagers wasting time often checking age/sex/location with each other.
"Don't chuck out the whole medium just because you've found one malignant thing growing in it."
You're right. But most IM clients are designed to waste your time. I'm talking about the strange cutesy toys. I'm talking about the huge lack of security many of them offer. Someone did something with my yahoo account, I haven't been able to log back in since.
Here's some things I'd like to see for IM to be used for Real Work. I'd like to see collaborative editing. Letting two or more people edit a document in real time while discussing the editions. You are talking about coding. It would be great if the IM clients could support more programming editing features, or at least hook into emacs (or your editor de joure).
But honestly, do you see any of the above happening? Its not that IM can't be used for real work. Its just hardly anyone does. And that decides upon the class of features that gets put into the program.
Also, does anyone know what picture ++) turns into in yahoo messenger from the coding example I am replying to?
So I guess we agree. Its just a show.
Except no one knows what the rules for emoticons(?) are. I know rules are uncool and all but...
:))?
How are we supposed to put smileys into parenthesis (like
And goddamnit it always fucks up my paren-matching in emacs.
And whats with the ^^&:o/o)) that turns into a stoned pumkin with a santa hat eating a bald chickin in yahoo messenger?
And how much happier does three smileys make you compared to one smiley?
Sure, I was all gung ho about smileys too. Then they started making them *backward*. WTF?
I think it was Scott McNeally who said something like most of us don't deserve the formatting abilities of of even ASCII. This is what he means.
Fuck the fuck up.
He's right.
You're right, my post was flamebait in hindsight. But thats because, as you said, my learning of Farscape's popularity made me say "What the heck!" I mean, "how can anyone like that show" right?
But I suppose its, in part, a change in the times. For some reason, people are attracted to shows filled with people who don't like each other. Could it be an effect of divorced, split families we have?
However, you're not going to see me admit that choice in television programs is entirely subjective, even accounting for taste. I mean we have to award shows for *something*, there has to be some measure for the greatness of a program.
Even so, I would be hard pressed to determine if, say, The Hitchhiker's Guide is better or worse than The Outer Limits. They seem to be different not in degree but in kind, they achieve different ends.
So which of the listed examples are comparable? To answer that, you must ask what the point of Farscape is...what is its end. Is it supposed to be a fantasy rather than science fiction? Then maybe it isn't comparable to Star Trek or Star Wars, and not my taste in genre at all.
But if its supposed to be a science fiction series, get rid of it.
I agree. Especially how they first butchered up the Star Trek reruns. A lot of people were looking forward to this. I am at least glad TNG reruns are on TNT (almost primetime too).
Seriously. Kill it. I was rather happy when I heard of its demise in the first place. I'm hoping they could put a real Sci-Fi show in its place. But then again, if they could keep Farscape and kill Lexx--I would be all that more happier."
Ha. No.
Only without the ability to make you think about the show long after you seen it. Farscape is a sit, drool, and click show. Nothing more.
Star Wars is certainly ingrained in our culture. But not for its originality. Rather, it was successful for pioneering the special effects of its time. Notice how much harder it is for the first trilogy to catch on. But Star Wars was never more than a space opera.
B5 was great because it was a space novel on the small screen. You were always pleased on how everything always came together with the right amount of suspense and metaphor. And Star Trek is simply way out of Farscape's league.
Hitchhiker's Guide is simply that crazy combination of British wit with Science Fiction that appeals to geeks everywhere. Never seen Doctor Who.
In other words, it is just another space opera. With any science-fiction, you are asked by the writiers and producers to "suspend your disbelief". Thats fine. But the point is that you need to be rewarded with something that is believable. With The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone for that matter, you are rewarded by looking at the world in a slightly new way. And usually there is a lesson. Star Wars just has that "good vs evil" lesson. Star Trek has its entire universe devoted to exploring humanity itself. And the Hitchhiker's Guide also offers a new way of looking at things as well as comedy to boot.
So. Someone please tell me what the reward in watching Farscape. You want to put Farscape in the same league as the above, but I think it falls far short. I would put it rather in the same league as Andromeda or Earth: Final Conflict (although I would give it some credit as not being in the same league as Lexx). Just another space opera looking for an audience. So I guess Farscape has found its audience--probably for being aired so close to gems such as First Wave and The Invisible Man.
But like I said, whats the point?
Somehow, this seems similar to what the Hurd is supposed to do. Someone wiser want to clear this up?
"Given that Mac OS X is superior in every stinkin' way to Linux (flame on!)"
Bwah hah hah...
Apple is smart. But not that smart.
Like how when responding the corporate scandals Bush tended to stand in front of walls with the words "Corporate Responsibility" sprawled all over. Or how all the podiums he spoke at said "Corporate Responsibility". If I knew better, I'd think he wanted people to connect them words with him somehow...
I didn't even notice this until the Daily Show made fun of this. God, I love that show sometimes.
As opposed to the space aliens really being right outside of our solar system holding up a huge screen to an interstellar slide projector.
Just you wait.
I don't think you are given an opportunity to consent or not at all. It would be like saying that the earth can't hold you because of gravity without your consent. You haven't the opportunity--rather, that is the environment you find yourself in.
And what you say about walking away is just my point. It makes for an unfriendlier place with more "social morons".
How do you think people become social morons? By speaking loudly? You notice people's disgust at your using a cell phone yet seem unable to explain it. You're right that a lot of people can't stand each other. Perhaps, cell phones are part of the reason why.
Now I am not against anyone owning or using cell phones. There really isn't any moral principle I can hold up and say "there, that's why cell phones are bad". I know that all sorts of exceptional situations exist.
But for too many people, cell phones are a symbol of their self-importance because at any moment they can interrupt any conversation to speak with someone who they can deem at their will as "more important" than the person you are speaking with.
Still not with me? Imagine these scenarios. Two strangers meet each other at the airport. Neither have cell phones. Because of this, neither have leverage over the other. So they will feel more free to talk to one another.
Second scenario: one of the two strangers have a cell phone. In this case, the one with the cell phone has the leverage in this social situation. Why? Because he has a group of people who could only possibly talk to him. If you have ever been interrupted in a conversation by a cell phone then you know what I mean. It suddenly makes the cell phone owner seem more important and inversely, yourself seem less important.
And you wonder why cell phones have become so popular.
So it would seem that the solution would be when we all own cell phones. Then we'd all be at equal leverage, right? Not quite. Imagine the third scenario. Both strangers have cell phones. But for both of them, the investment to strike up a conversation is much greater since the risk of being interrupted by a cell phone is also much greater.
So we end up with an even less friendly society than we had before cell phones become common.
Now anyone reading this knows what the solution is. Ignore cell calls when you are talking to someone. But how many people do you think will know to do this? The same as how many people don't email word attachments or how many people leave the toilet seat up.
But I can't look into your mind to determine your ethical character. So I'll probably be less likely to strike up a conversation with you. Even more importantly, since you walked into the area I feel less important than you for the reasons I went into above.
What we need is a clear etiquette for the use of cell phones but so far, I haven't seen any such thing. As cell phones become more common, I hope one gets stirred up. Until then, I know I'm not going to buy a cell phone.
Again, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cell phone use. Perhaps I am saying that certain circumstances with cell phones can be frustrating, notably--getting interrupted by a cell phone.
Now I wouldn't be shaking my head or making rude noises if you walked by with your cell phone. Perhaps the best word to describe it is intimidation--not by you but by your cell phone.
Just some things to think about.
Or is the other way around? That you are interested in math because you are good at it? That people of low-intelligence hate school because they do poorly in it.
Something to think about.
And mostly, *limit the time of your call*. Unless some exception occurs, tell them you'll call them back.
I'd be much happier seeing more people pulled over talking on their cell phones.
Well, duh.
Every major character in a primetime show these days, especially women, are "pleasent looking young ladies". That's the point.
These people make money off of their looks. And, what, did you think Buffy was such a popular show because of its excellent writing?
Thats just the way television works.
Its only television...
(don't hurt me)
Fink is the free software component of your operating system then. Thats one of the points of free software, so that people are free to do that kind of thing. If you install most of what you like from one operating system to another, that's not switching--that's adopting.
:)
Then, there's that whole *cough* freedom thing that people have their minds set not to take seriously. *cough* *cough*
Did I mention how great I think Apple is?
Then tell me your address. El, why won't you tell me your address?
What, exactly, is "hip"? What makes these hippy people hip? What about Steve Jobs and Apple attracts hippy people?
What is it about geeks and nerds that attract them to GNU and Linux. Is it because the geeky and nerdy people don't like Steve Jobs and Apple?
What about geeks is unhippy? And how can we attract hippies to the Free World?
If this trend continues, in twenty years women will be giving birth to borg drones!