The possibility of late life unemployment was one of the many things that led me to "augment" my CS degree with an MD. Medicine is one of the fields where if there is any age bias it is definitely in the older guy's favor.
I'm actually thinking seriously about specializing in radiology as it is the "geekiest" of medical specialties. And my CS experience would definitely be helpful in working with all of the really cool high tech rad stuff. Still have a while before all that is decided though.
You beat me to it. QNX was the first thing that came to my mind. Why the hell anybody would think an embedded system like an ATM should run windows is beyond me. Besides QNX is MADE for this type of stuff. I would think that they would be crazy to have a internet connected ATM running windows. I wonder how big of a "bonus" their CIO got from Microsoft for signing this contract?
So we've gone from "fight for what you believe in" to "fight for what you enjoy"?
I find it pretty pathetic that people would put so much effort into fighting for something so trivial. It's a TV SHOW!
Why not put your "fighting spirit" towards something that actually matters? Maybe it just gives them the illusion of being "rebels" or fighting for a cause. It's protest role-playing. Fighting for a cause that might have some real significance is just too risky. There are plenty of valid causes that geeks can support without risk of bodily harm, lawsuit, inprisonment, etc. Put your effort behind one of those, it might actually make a difference. Even if it doesn't at least you tried.
What would you rather tell your grandkids? I fought hard and got Spaceshit3000 extended for another 3 seasons. or... I joined the fight and helped to bring about the end of software patents (just an example).
"In my experience, girls/women just don't see IT and CS as "fun". "
Exactly. I only know a few women in the IT field, but to them it's a job. That's about it. My ex was all up in databases, AS/400s, modem banks and all kind of crap. But she really didn't care much either way about computers. It was just part of her job. On the other hand almost all of the guys I know in the IT field are into computers way beyond just work stuff. They are gamers, linux geeks, have home networks, hack perl for fun, or any combination of these.
In my experience most women see computers and technology as a way to do what they need to do. Whereas a large portion of the males pretty much just like technology for technology's sake.
man: Check it out I squeezed another 100Mhz out of my cpu! woman: Can you do anything that you couldn't do before? man: well, no...but check it out. Liquid Cooled! woman: uh. ok. I've got work to do.
One thing you are missing is that many of the people who go to these schools are adult students who already have all that stuff, a lot are going for another more useful degree after getting a "traditional" education that didn't get them jobs or positions that they wanted.
Interestingly DeVry just bought my school (a medical school). We have a lot of second career types who the traditional med schools don't want. They prefer the fresh out of undergrad types. I started out as a geek with a CS degree from a traditional four year college. Got tired of that, now I'm into doctoring.
Uhhh what's your point? If you're implying that this guy shouldn't be sent to jail because he is probably "weak" and will get beat up; then THAT is funny. This isn't some harmless prank or victimless crime. By flooding the 911 lines real emergencies are not responded to. This guy is an idiot. I have little sympathy for him.
Or maybe you're trying to say that autodialing 911 is somehow like beating up the neighborhood weird kid? I don't know.
so to sum up: This guy is an idiot, and should go to jail.
Another quote: Gates: The bandwidth of problems is enormous.
One thing that bugs me is using technical terms to describe completely non-technical things.
How exactly do problems have bandwidth? You can have a plethora/lot/abundance of problems, and you can have bandwidth problems. But I'm not sure how you get bandwidth of problems.
"Get over here Bob! We've got at least 10Hz of problems!" "No can do, Jack. I've got 6000bps of angry customers I'm dealing with over here."
This would be tough for people like me who over analyze and agonize over nearly every decision in their life. Every decision tends to have the same feelings associated with it regardless of the outcome./submit or preview? submit or preview?
The issue isn't "not supporting" old software. It is purposefully breaking it so people have to buy the new version. If you still wanted to use Windows 3.1 it would have all the functionality that it has always had.
I always like to use the cards because to get all the good deals in the supermarket you need one. I just fill it out with a fake name.
Though I suppose if somebody was looking for me they could just cross reference the card use with the security footage. Damn! Guess I need a new plan of action.
I don't think many people would disagree that if you are from US, UK, France, Germany, etc. You are from a major country. As in, a country that has significant influence among the countries of the world. You think a citizen of a minor (or less influential if you prefer) country would have a chance in hell unless their country appealed to one of the major countries (or possibly UN)?
It's not so much the ranting of "arrogant imperialists" as it is just stating the truth.
If you value your freedom as much as you suggest, I'd leave the civil disobedience to the people of China.
Unless you are really trying to make some point, and are willing to risk dealing with the Chinese government, I suggest not circumventing their filters. They don't look too kindly upon people opposing them.
Wake ME up when I've got 20gigs in a cigarette lighter...for $100.
I love my ipod but it's a little heavy for a shirt pocket.
And after being used to having all of my music with me in a little box I refuse to accept smaller storage! You can keep your 512MB and 5gig players.
I remember when I was impressed with the 5GB creative jukebox. Looking back that thing was huge!
Check out the guy with the ipod shuffle on the apple front page. You'd think they would want a somebody a little more excited about their new music thingy. This guy looks pissed off that he didn't get a real ipod...or retarded...or both.
You think this is something new? People have always wanted to make things different or change them to be uniquely theirs. Hacking iPods, building hot rods, engraved swords, decorating your home; It all comes from the same place and it's nothing new.
This doesn't mean that it always turns out good (i.e. huge fins on Honda Civics) but it's nothing new.
Exactly. If somebody can't even bother to make sure that they spell words correctly then you start to wonder what else they might be careless about. Plus it just makes them look like a dumbass.
I have to say, though, that one of the most irritating things is writing 'you' as 'u' or "your/you're" as 'ur'. That drives me nuts. Also, is it just me or does that make a message much harder to read?
Other things people mess up that really get on my nerves: its/it's then/than misspelling important things. (Example: Somebody sent out an answer sheet to some x-rays from anatomy lab, and they misspelled structures! How could you trust that the answers were correct when they couldn't even spell them? It was like they had heard somebody say the name and just figured out a spelling that looked right, but never bothered to actually look at it in the book.)
So in conclusion, if you want to be taken seriously, at least write coherently and spell correctly.
This stuff is reall amazing. I think of what they are doing now as what computing was in the 40s and 50s. The next 20-50 years we are going to see some pretty amazing stuff going on. If now is the "digital age" I'd say fifty years from now will be the "bio age" or some other stupid buzz phrase like that. Regardless it will be really interesting to see what develops. Also it will be a lot less clear-cut ethically and morally than the digital revolution. Machines are one thing, but playing around with genes and biomechanical interfaces are in a totally different realm.
Still what will be able to be done is going to change a lot of people's lives. Think of taking somebody like Steven Hawkings and plugging his brain into a computer and put him in one of these (no, not the trumpet robot...scroll down halfway). Pong today...Robot "leg-chairs" and voice generation tomorrow. The real boon will be when they figure out how to produce tactile feebback to accompany the control mechanisms. For someone with a "locked-in" syndrome like ALS this would do wonders.
Almost makes me want to go do a CS/Neuroscience PhD or something like that after I finish med school. Well...almost, but I think I'll stick to the straight doctoring. I'm 7 years from now when I get done I won't want to go anywhere near school for the rest of my life!
Any company or product that is touted via some sort of "guerilla marketing" scheme such as this I make a point to never buy or support the product/company. I find it really intrusive and insulting. Everything these days has to be "in your face" and edgy. Hey marketers get out of my face!
I actually think that today the most effective advertising would be a simple "Hey, this is what we are selling. Check it out." With everybody getting more and more in your face maybe somebody who is just straight-forward and non-intrusive about what they are selling would actually stand out from all the noise.
"They were invited guests, friends or relatives of whoever organized the get-togethers, but they were also -- unknown to most all the other attendees -- ''agents,'' and they filed reports."
WTF?! I would be completely insulted if I invited somebody to my house and they tried to advertise a product.
Marketing has infiltrated our lives enough already, yet these idiots volunteer to advertise and file reports about their friends and family to some market research people. I find that more than a little creepy!
It's amazing that people think that this is not only okay, but that they would volunteer to do it.
Enlightenment has been a work in progress since 97 or so I'd guess (been a fan ever since the fvwm-xpm days). Seemed like whenever it would start getting good Rasterman would decide to do a complete rewrite. Not that I'm complaining. I think it's cool that he has all these different ideas that he wants to try out. I guess it's more of a hobby/art project than a realworld solution.
Well for one thing, they don't need to replace all of their hardware in order to run their "new and improved" Windows. It can run on the same PCs they already have. Moving to OS X would not only include the cost of the software licenses. They would also have to buy an assload of Apple hardware.
Anyway, I can't really see some serious military type sitting in front of his cute new iMac. Maybe a G5. Also they would need a "military-style" Aqua without so many colors and cuteness. To be honest I would probably like that too.
I love my ibook but I hate the way it looks. Too...white. They got it right with the powerbook, but while the ibook is a nice piece of hardware it's pretty ugly. I could go with a nice black or slate grey. And a more "business" looking Aqua. It's too bubbly looking and cutesy. But the most important part is how it *works* so I can look past the Mac-look.
Anyway my bash prompt is always at my side, pure utility in a world of fluff!
hmm. don't know how this turned into an Apple design rant, but whatever...
Either way the Air Force seems to be making a completely boneheaded decision. Let's see...We have tons of security problems with Microsoft software. I got it! Let's get them to make us more software! They've got to get it right THIS time! Right?
I was thinking the same thing until I actually read the article.
An answer from the article that affects everyone and not just super geek physicists:
Navigation on earth - based on a cluster of orbiting satellites - is limited by the accuracy of the atomic clock on each satellite. A series of calculations can get millimetre accuracy on the position of a stationary object, but for moving objects like cars and planes the accuracy is no better than a few metres. Only by making faster measurements can this accuracy be improved, something enabled by a more accurate definition of the second. ... "That is why GPS is not yet good enough to land a passenger aircraft on its own," Prof Gill says.
Slashdot Mirror
The possibility of late life unemployment was one of the many things that led me to "augment" my CS degree with an MD.
Medicine is one of the fields where if there is any age bias it is definitely in the older guy's favor.
I'm actually thinking seriously about specializing in radiology as it is the "geekiest" of medical specialties.
And my CS experience would definitely be helpful in working with all of the really cool high tech rad stuff.
Still have a while before all that is decided though.
1-1/2 years down...many more to go.
You beat me to it. QNX was the first thing that came to my mind. Why the hell anybody would think an embedded system like an ATM should run windows is beyond me.
Besides QNX is MADE for this type of stuff. I would think that they would be crazy to have a internet connected ATM running windows.
I wonder how big of a "bonus" their CIO got from Microsoft for signing this contract?
So we've gone from "fight for what you believe in" to "fight for what you enjoy"?
I find it pretty pathetic that people would put so much effort into fighting for something so trivial. It's a TV SHOW!
Why not put your "fighting spirit" towards something that actually matters?
Maybe it just gives them the illusion of being "rebels" or fighting for a cause. It's protest role-playing. Fighting for a cause that might have some real significance is just too risky.
There are plenty of valid causes that geeks can support without risk of bodily harm, lawsuit, inprisonment, etc. Put your effort behind one of those, it might actually make a difference. Even if it doesn't at least you tried.
What would you rather tell your grandkids?
I fought hard and got Spaceshit3000 extended for another 3 seasons.
or...
I joined the fight and helped to bring about the end of software patents (just an example).
"In my experience, girls/women just don't see IT and CS as "fun". "
Exactly. I only know a few women in the IT field, but to them it's a job. That's about it.
My ex was all up in databases, AS/400s, modem banks and all kind of crap. But she really didn't care much either way about computers. It was just part of her job.
On the other hand almost all of the guys I know in the IT field are into computers way beyond just work stuff. They are gamers, linux geeks, have home networks, hack perl for fun, or any combination of these.
In my experience most women see computers and technology as a way to do what they need to do. Whereas a large portion of the males pretty much just like technology for technology's sake.
man: Check it out I squeezed another 100Mhz out of my cpu!
woman: Can you do anything that you couldn't do before?
man: well, no...but check it out. Liquid Cooled!
woman: uh. ok. I've got work to do.
One thing you are missing is that many of the people who go to these schools are adult students who already have all that stuff, a lot are going for another more useful degree after getting a "traditional" education that didn't get them jobs or positions that they wanted.
Interestingly DeVry just bought my school (a medical school). We have a lot of second career types who the traditional med schools don't want. They prefer the fresh out of undergrad types.
I started out as a geek with a CS degree from a traditional four year college. Got tired of that, now I'm into doctoring.
Uhhh
what's your point?
If you're implying that this guy shouldn't be sent to jail because he is probably "weak" and will get beat up; then THAT is funny. This isn't some harmless prank or victimless crime. By flooding the 911 lines real emergencies are not responded to.
This guy is an idiot. I have little sympathy for him.
Or maybe you're trying to say that autodialing 911 is somehow like beating up the neighborhood weird kid? I don't know.
so to sum up:
This guy is an idiot, and should go to jail.
Ummm...actually no it's not funnny at all.
Another quote:
Gates: The bandwidth of problems is enormous.
One thing that bugs me is using technical terms to describe completely non-technical things.
How exactly do problems have bandwidth?
You can have a plethora/lot/abundance of problems, and you can have bandwidth problems.
But I'm not sure how you get bandwidth of problems.
"Get over here Bob! We've got at least 10Hz of problems!"
"No can do, Jack. I've got 6000bps of angry customers I'm dealing with over here."
This would be tough for people like me who over analyze and agonize over nearly every decision in their life. Every decision tends to have the same feelings associated with it regardless of the outcome. /submit or preview? submit or preview?
The issue isn't "not supporting" old software. It is purposefully breaking it so people have to buy the new version.
If you still wanted to use Windows 3.1 it would have all the functionality that it has always had.
I always like to use the cards because to get all the good deals in the supermarket you need one. I just fill it out with a fake name.
Though I suppose if somebody was looking for me they could just cross reference the card use with the security footage. Damn! Guess I need a new plan of action.
As opposed to a citizen of a minor country?
Well actually...yes
I don't think many people would disagree that if you are from US, UK, France, Germany, etc. You are from a major country. As in, a country that has significant influence among the countries of the world. You think a citizen of a minor (or less influential if you prefer) country would have a chance in hell unless their country appealed to one of the major countries (or possibly UN)?
It's not so much the ranting of "arrogant imperialists" as it is just stating the truth.
If you value your freedom as much as you suggest, I'd leave the civil disobedience to the people of China.
Unless you are really trying to make some point, and are willing to risk dealing with the Chinese government, I suggest not circumventing their filters. They don't look too kindly upon people opposing them.
...when phishing consisted mainly of dirty dreadlocks, dank nugs, veggie burritos, and lizards?
Wake ME up when I've got 20gigs in a cigarette lighter...for $100.
I love my ipod but it's a little heavy for a shirt pocket.
And after being used to having all of my music with me in a little box I refuse to accept smaller storage! You can keep your 512MB and 5gig players.
I remember when I was impressed with the 5GB creative jukebox. Looking back that thing was huge!
/spoiled
Check out the guy with the ipod shuffle on the apple front page. You'd think they would want a somebody a little more excited about their new music thingy.
This guy looks pissed off that he didn't get a real ipod...or retarded...or both.
You think this is something new?
People have always wanted to make things different or change them to be uniquely theirs.
Hacking iPods, building hot rods, engraved swords, decorating your home; It all comes from the same place and it's nothing new.
This doesn't mean that it always turns out good (i.e. huge fins on Honda Civics) but it's nothing new.
Exactly. If somebody can't even bother to make sure that they spell words correctly then you start to wonder what else they might be careless about. Plus it just makes them look like a dumbass.
I have to say, though, that one of the most irritating things is writing 'you' as 'u' or "your/you're" as 'ur'. That drives me nuts. Also, is it just me or does that make a message much harder to read?
Other things people mess up that really get on my nerves:
its/it's
then/than
misspelling important things.
(Example: Somebody sent out an answer sheet to some x-rays from anatomy lab, and they misspelled structures! How could you trust that the answers were correct when they couldn't even spell them? It was like they had heard somebody say the name and just figured out a spelling that looked right, but never bothered to actually look at it in the book.)
So in conclusion, if you want to be taken seriously, at least write coherently and spell correctly.
This stuff is reall amazing. I think of what they are doing now as what computing was in the 40s and 50s. The next 20-50 years we are going to see some pretty amazing stuff going on.
If now is the "digital age" I'd say fifty years from now will be the "bio age" or some other stupid buzz phrase like that. Regardless it will be really interesting to see what develops. Also it will be a lot less clear-cut ethically and morally than the digital revolution. Machines are one thing, but playing around with genes and biomechanical interfaces are in a totally different realm.
Still what will be able to be done is going to change a lot of people's lives.
Think of taking somebody like Steven Hawkings and plugging his brain into a computer and put him in one of these (no, not the trumpet robot...scroll down halfway).
Pong today...Robot "leg-chairs" and voice generation tomorrow. The real boon will be when they figure out how to produce tactile feebback to accompany the control mechanisms.
For someone with a "locked-in" syndrome like ALS this would do wonders.
Almost makes me want to go do a CS/Neuroscience PhD or something like that after I finish med school. Well...almost, but I think I'll stick to the straight doctoring. I'm 7 years from now when I get done I won't want to go anywhere near school for the rest of my life!
Oh I forgot to add:
Any company or product that is touted via some sort of "guerilla marketing" scheme such as this I make a point to never buy or support the product/company.
I find it really intrusive and insulting.
Everything these days has to be "in your face" and edgy. Hey marketers get out of my face!
I actually think that today the most effective advertising would be a simple "Hey, this is what we are selling. Check it out."
With everybody getting more and more in your face maybe somebody who is just straight-forward and non-intrusive about what they are selling would actually stand out from all the noise.
"They were invited guests, friends or relatives of whoever organized the get-togethers, but they were also -- unknown to most all the other attendees -- ''agents,'' and they filed reports."
WTF?! I would be completely insulted if I invited somebody to my house and they tried to advertise a product.
Marketing has infiltrated our lives enough already, yet these idiots volunteer to advertise and file reports about their friends and family to some market research people. I find that more than a little creepy!
It's amazing that people think that this is not only okay, but that they would volunteer to do it.
I know this. but it looks exactly the same, but with gray buttong...still bubbly
Enlightenment has been a work in progress since 97 or so I'd guess (been a fan ever since the fvwm-xpm days). Seemed like whenever it would start getting good Rasterman would decide to do a complete rewrite. Not that I'm complaining. I think it's cool that he has all these different ideas that he wants to try out. I guess it's more of a hobby/art project than a realworld solution.
Well for one thing, they don't need to replace all of their hardware in order to run their "new and improved" Windows. It can run on the same PCs they already have.
Moving to OS X would not only include the cost of the software licenses. They would also have to buy an assload of Apple hardware.
Anyway, I can't really see some serious military type sitting in front of his cute new iMac. Maybe a G5. Also they would need a "military-style" Aqua without so many colors and cuteness. To be honest I would probably like that too.
I love my ibook but I hate the way it looks. Too...white. They got it right with the powerbook, but while the ibook is a nice piece of hardware it's pretty ugly. I could go with a nice black or slate grey. And a more "business" looking Aqua. It's too bubbly looking and cutesy.
But the most important part is how it *works* so I can look past the Mac-look.
Anyway my bash prompt is always at my side, pure utility in a world of fluff!
hmm. don't know how this turned into an Apple design rant, but whatever...
Either way the Air Force seems to be making a completely boneheaded decision. Let's see...We have tons of security problems with Microsoft software. I got it! Let's get them to make us more software! They've got to get it right THIS time! Right?
I was thinking the same thing until I actually read the article.
...
An answer from the article that affects everyone and not just super geek physicists:
Navigation on earth - based on a cluster of orbiting satellites - is limited by the accuracy of the atomic clock on each satellite. A series of calculations can get millimetre accuracy on the position of a stationary object, but for moving objects like cars and planes the accuracy is no better than a few metres. Only by making faster measurements can this accuracy be improved, something enabled by a more accurate definition of the second.
"That is why GPS is not yet good enough to land a passenger aircraft on its own," Prof Gill says.
Pretty cool stuff.