The MS Natural Keyboard is really nice to use, much better than the typical straight, flat keyboard - this is a combination of the more natural, relaxed hand position and the big keys. Personally I find ordinary keyboards fiddly and klunky.
As far as mice go you want one on which you can rest your hand comfortably.
Much RSI is due to resting the forearms on the edge of the desk and of course those stupid desks with raised platforms for monitors among other idiocies. But some people do other stupid things like having the monitor off to the side, but the keyboard right in front of them.
There is also significant evidence that RSI is related to finger sensitivity and the maximum rate at which you can make small movements.
He certainly wasn't shy about spouting complete and utter rubbish. I read the statements at the time - he was completely taken in by the MPAA's deceptions meaning he is either extremely gullible or a complete idiot.
Like what, the swastika, an ancient symbol, or the SS logo, also an ancient symbol.
the Hitler salute
A pretty standard type of greeting that they happened to use.
I don't know German law so I'm asking. Perhaps banning these things as a set in combination with obvious fascist activity might make sense, but individually, out of context?
I'm not convinced that banning any of these things has really had any influence on fascist activity.
This is largely an advantage because work can be done during the US night.
Face to face dealing with the customer can be a problem, but most of the time this is best done by people good with customers anyway.
How long with the best still in India talent work for $10/hour?
Well let's see that's R100 per hour, R800 per day, about R17300 per month on average - that is damn good money here in South Africa; only top senior developers get more. For the average person income is under R30k, that's if you're even lucky enough to be employed at all - unemployment easily runs 40%; developers are quite well off here, although of course things like cars cost R100k plus and interest rates are in the region of 15%. Even in the so-called economic downturn workers in the US are sitting pretty.
Rains through winter where I live too, but in reality most days are just very cold and damp so bike remains choice number one - no traffic problems, no parking issues and I can pretty much travel at whatever speed I choose (traffic police do not have vehicles capable of outrunning my bike, nor do the real police actually). If my company were silly enough to have a policy requiring suits (they'd have to pay me more for the discomfort plus I'd require them to cover the cost of the suits themselves) I'd just go to and from work in leathers, change at work.
Eliminate excess management and cut the salaries of highly paid executives first.
As a C++ developer I'm fine, my company can't even find enough developers to fill the current positions - if the entire development team went on strike they'd be screwed; as it stands we all expect decent cost of living increases when the time comes.
I did work for a software company that ran out of money - the directors had the integrity to tell us and take the financial hit with everyone else.
Also we have decent laws protecting employees from their employers - the law requires a minimum of 30 days notice either way, companies cannot cut your work load as a means to cut your salary, they cannot force you to work more than 40 hours per week and they cannot fire you except for a specific list of legally recognised reasons.
I think it helps to have studied a variety of things, but is in no way essential to have studied the field for which you are developing software.
I have worked on software to do automatic DNA sequencing, but I am not a biologist - we simply spent time with the customer, they explained what they do, gave us a crash course in DNA and away we went - this resulted in a quality piece of software that matched the very expensive commercial products in some areas and exceeded it in others.
It does perhaps help that I studied maths, physics and astrophysics up to second year level, did chemistry and applied maths at first year level and also did engineering courses like fourier analysis, analog/digital electronics and some differential equations courses; I also sat in on several post graduate CS courses. I'm not qualified or even capable of working in any of those areas as such, but I suppose a broad range of subjects does some good. It was interesting at the very least.
I have experienced that, changed jobs to get a change of scenery and make things a little interesting.
Most of my work has been on systems for the military like satellite tracking, in the field signal interception and decoding, and now software systems for submarines - this kind of work is almost always providing new and interesting challenges. I found the stuff I did in the corporate world to be be tedious, boring and essentially writing the same thing over and over - of course the management of each bank or insurance company thinks they have this wonderful unique thing that must be kept secret.
Firstly I would have thought this type of discrimination would be illegal in the US.
I certainly know a number of programmers and electrical engineers over 40 who get work, because they're skilled in their field and such people are as rare as hens teeth.
It is typical for narrow-minded managers to seek people with narrow skill sets, completely failing to recognise the ability to think and learn. The question is do you want to work for a manager like that? Not me.
And if it is a case of appearing too conservative why not wear more casual clothes. I go to interviews in the same clothing I'll wear to work - biker jacket, t-shirt, jeans and boots; I also have long hair and an earring. I've never worn a suit for work and I never will, any more than I'd cut my hair or give up motorcycles.
I was unemployed for a couple of months last year after the company I was working for folded, but I remained discerning about who I'd accept as an employer - admittedly I work primarily in the military and custom technology areas so I have sought after general skills.
Your wife gets discouraged about where you're living, for example, and suddenly your jeans and T-shirts don't mean that much to you.
Well that is something wrong with your wife. I for one will be no more willing in 20 years time to wear a suit or work the bizarre hours typically kept in the business world than I am now. And if my partner cares more about material possessions or supposed societal status, then maybe that's a good time for me to trade up and get someone who has her priorities straight.
This is very much like adults encouraging students to go into medicine because it is prestigious and you can make a lot of money. There are other far more important factors like temperament and love of the field.
Salaries are not going to go down; the demand for good developers just keeps escalating despite the economic slowdown; even if universities were to get to the point where they're turning out more computer people than the market really needs, how many of them will be truly capable and dedicated enough to become sought after? There may be less demand now for those who do slog work or merely have MCSEs or whatever, but proficient developers, no way.
Movie ratings have affectively killed quality movies aimed at intelligent people - no-one wants to release something marked NC-17 because many cinemas won't show it and no newspaper will carry the listing; studios butcher their movies to get a lower rating so they can make more money; backward rental outlets won't carry unrated or NC-17 rated movies.
To a somewhat more limited extent you have so-called family values chains that won't carry music that has a warning label; and we can be sure they also won't carry games like that either. The result? More garbage aimed at the lowest common denominator.
Popularity ratings for television have similarly ruined quality television.
Frankly I don't care if my children see nudity or sex, in fact I think it sends a very disturbing message to children if you try to shield them from these things. Sex is an integral part of good family values. Violence is a slightly more gray area, but to date there is been no evidence that exposure to violent movies or games leads to violent behaviour.
And the real question is does Sheryl Crow have a clue?
Even musicians who use computers in their music are generally tech illiterate. Most musicians couldn't tell you the details of their recording deal or anything to do with the business side of things or even how many albums they've sold, how much has been made and how much ended up in their hands; the industry uses numerous tricks to throw musicians off and to hide the facts of what is really going on.
Their agents and recording industry flunkies whip them into a frenzy knowing they're completely clueless.
So I tell them, 'Oh, you wrote a paper, and you got an A? Would it bother you if somebody could just take that paper and get an A too? Would that bug you?'
Not in the slightest. Frankly my dear I don't give a damn.
OK, show me the games of the past that had all the features of a modern game, but ran in 16k. Doesn't exist.
OK, then just show me the OS plus GUI or app with all the modern features, but only needs 16k. Oh, doesn't exist either.
Yeah, applications and OSs have become somewhat bloated, but development time and maintainability come way ahead of trying to save a few clock cycles or a little RAM.
And if you're such a big fan of the highly optimised, unmaintainable code of the past then why aren't running that stuff instead of moaning?
My access sometimes goes flaky so lose my connection, have to go back, request a password again and then try the download again; of course I usually have to use multiple e-mail addresses otherwise my repeated requests get denied and many sites make it difficult to just go straight back to the download page.
I also hate having to wait around, sometimes for days, to get the necessary password for the software. Generally if I went out to look for something, then I need it yesterday and can't afford to sit around twiddling my thumbs for days.
Slashdot Mirror
The MS Natural Keyboard is really nice to use, much better than the typical straight, flat keyboard - this is a combination of the more natural, relaxed hand position and the big keys. Personally I find ordinary keyboards fiddly and klunky.
As far as mice go you want one on which you can rest your hand comfortably.
Much RSI is due to resting the forearms on the edge of the desk and of course those stupid desks with raised platforms for monitors among other idiocies. But some people do other stupid things like having the monitor off to the side, but the keyboard right in front of them.
There is also significant evidence that RSI is related to finger sensitivity and the maximum rate at which you can make small movements.
He certainly wasn't shy about spouting complete and utter rubbish. I read the statements at the time - he was completely taken in by the MPAA's deceptions meaning he is either extremely gullible or a complete idiot.
banning the open display of Nazi symbols
Like what, the swastika, an ancient symbol, or the SS logo, also an ancient symbol.
the Hitler salute
A pretty standard type of greeting that they happened to use.
I don't know German law so I'm asking. Perhaps banning these things as a set in combination with obvious fascist activity might make sense, but individually, out of context?
I'm not convinced that banning any of these things has really had any influence on fascist activity.
John Williams has pretty much been rehashing the same score for at least a decade.
Besides this not being about child pornography please provide us with an exact definition of what constitutes child pornography.
It is about time the Simpsons was put out to pasture as they have clearly run out of ideas.
So to get a clean PC we have to buy from scum like Wal-Mart? Thanks, but I'd rather my money went to scum like MS instead.
What is Harlan Ellison's problem? Was he born a moron? Or just been falling on his head a lot?
And I don't even like NT. (I'm fucking cheap, but NT makes me want to run out and buy Netware)
You'd use Netware over NT? You have lost your mind.
And what does someone being clueless about computers have to do with NT? Just the inherent arrogance of a unix geek?
overcome the different country/time zone issue
This is largely an advantage because work can be done during the US night.
Face to face dealing with the customer can be a problem, but most of the time this is best done by people good with customers anyway.
How long with the best still in India talent work for $10/hour?
Well let's see that's R100 per hour, R800 per day, about R17300 per month on average - that is damn good money here in South Africa; only top senior developers get more. For the average person income is under R30k, that's if you're even lucky enough to be employed at all - unemployment easily runs 40%; developers are quite well off here, although of course things like cars cost R100k plus and interest rates are in the region of 15%. Even in the so-called economic downturn workers in the US are sitting pretty.
Rains through winter where I live too, but in reality most days are just very cold and damp so bike remains choice number one - no traffic problems, no parking issues and I can pretty much travel at whatever speed I choose (traffic police do not have vehicles capable of outrunning my bike, nor do the real police actually). If my company were silly enough to have a policy requiring suits (they'd have to pay me more for the discomfort plus I'd require them to cover the cost of the suits themselves) I'd just go to and from work in leathers, change at work.
Eliminate excess management and cut the salaries of highly paid executives first.
As a C++ developer I'm fine, my company can't even find enough developers to fill the current positions - if the entire development team went on strike they'd be screwed; as it stands we all expect decent cost of living increases when the time comes.
I did work for a software company that ran out of money - the directors had the integrity to tell us and take the financial hit with everyone else.
Also we have decent laws protecting employees from their employers - the law requires a minimum of 30 days notice either way, companies cannot cut your work load as a means to cut your salary, they cannot force you to work more than 40 hours per week and they cannot fire you except for a specific list of legally recognised reasons.
the Africans are getting better and better and we should outsource to them?
Why not? What does a typical technical programmer get in the US? i.e. someone capable going from requirements spec through design to implementation.
I'm a relatively well-paid South African developer and I get the equivalent of about $1700 per month before tax; tax takes at least $350 of that.
I think it helps to have studied a variety of things, but is in no way essential to have studied the field for which you are developing software.
I have worked on software to do automatic DNA sequencing, but I am not a biologist - we simply spent time with the customer, they explained what they do, gave us a crash course in DNA and away we went - this resulted in a quality piece of software that matched the very expensive commercial products in some areas and exceeded it in others.
It does perhaps help that I studied maths, physics and astrophysics up to second year level, did chemistry and applied maths at first year level and also did engineering courses like fourier analysis, analog/digital electronics and some differential equations courses; I also sat in on several post graduate CS courses. I'm not qualified or even capable of working in any of those areas as such, but I suppose a broad range of subjects does some good. It was interesting at the very least.
I have experienced that, changed jobs to get a change of scenery and make things a little interesting.
Most of my work has been on systems for the military like satellite tracking, in the field signal interception and decoding, and now software systems for submarines - this kind of work is almost always providing new and interesting challenges. I found the stuff I did in the corporate world to be be tedious, boring and essentially writing the same thing over and over - of course the management of each bank or insurance company thinks they have this wonderful unique thing that must be kept secret.
Firstly I would have thought this type of discrimination would be illegal in the US.
I certainly know a number of programmers and electrical engineers over 40 who get work, because they're skilled in their field and such people are as rare as hens teeth.
It is typical for narrow-minded managers to seek people with narrow skill sets, completely failing to recognise the ability to think and learn. The question is do you want to work for a manager like that? Not me.
And if it is a case of appearing too conservative why not wear more casual clothes. I go to interviews in the same clothing I'll wear to work - biker jacket, t-shirt, jeans and boots; I also have long hair and an earring. I've never worn a suit for work and I never will, any more than I'd cut my hair or give up motorcycles.
I was unemployed for a couple of months last year after the company I was working for folded, but I remained discerning about who I'd accept as an employer - admittedly I work primarily in the military and custom technology areas so I have sought after general skills.
Your wife gets discouraged about where you're living, for example, and suddenly your jeans and T-shirts don't mean that much to you.
Well that is something wrong with your wife. I for one will be no more willing in 20 years time to wear a suit or work the bizarre hours typically kept in the business world than I am now. And if my partner cares more about material possessions or supposed societal status, then maybe that's a good time for me to trade up and get someone who has her priorities straight.
This is very much like adults encouraging students to go into medicine because it is prestigious and you can make a lot of money. There are other far more important factors like temperament and love of the field.
Salaries are not going to go down; the demand for good developers just keeps escalating despite the economic slowdown; even if universities were to get to the point where they're turning out more computer people than the market really needs, how many of them will be truly capable and dedicated enough to become sought after? There may be less demand now for those who do slog work or merely have MCSEs or whatever, but proficient developers, no way.
Movie ratings have affectively killed quality movies aimed at intelligent people - no-one wants to release something marked NC-17 because many cinemas won't show it and no newspaper will carry the listing; studios butcher their movies to get a lower rating so they can make more money; backward rental outlets won't carry unrated or NC-17 rated movies.
To a somewhat more limited extent you have so-called family values chains that won't carry music that has a warning label; and we can be sure they also won't carry games like that either. The result? More garbage aimed at the lowest common denominator.
Popularity ratings for television have similarly ruined quality television.
Frankly I don't care if my children see nudity or sex, in fact I think it sends a very disturbing message to children if you try to shield them from these things. Sex is an integral part of good family values. Violence is a slightly more gray area, but to date there is been no evidence that exposure to violent movies or games leads to violent behaviour.
Has anyone "recorded" the data sent over the net
Yes.
And the real question is does Sheryl Crow have a clue?
Even musicians who use computers in their music are generally tech illiterate. Most musicians couldn't tell you the details of their recording deal or anything to do with the business side of things or even how many albums they've sold, how much has been made and how much ended up in their hands; the industry uses numerous tricks to throw musicians off and to hide the facts of what is really going on.
Their agents and recording industry flunkies whip them into a frenzy knowing they're completely clueless.
So I tell them, 'Oh, you wrote a paper, and you got an A? Would it bother you if somebody could just take that paper and get an A too? Would that bug you?'
Not in the slightest. Frankly my dear I don't give a damn.
Only a problem if what you did relied on that specific segment of the industry. Good C++ system programmers are in huge demand.
You'll better off with the GF4 4200 than with the top of the range MX version which is quite significantly crippled and only slightly cheaper.
GeForce4 4200 $200
OK, show me the games of the past that had all the features of a modern game, but ran in 16k. Doesn't exist.
OK, then just show me the OS plus GUI or app with all the modern features, but only needs 16k. Oh, doesn't exist either.
Yeah, applications and OSs have become somewhat bloated, but development time and maintainability come way ahead of trying to save a few clock cycles or a little RAM.
And if you're such a big fan of the highly optimised, unmaintainable code of the past then why aren't running that stuff instead of moaning?
My access sometimes goes flaky so lose my connection, have to go back, request a password again and then try the download again; of course I usually have to use multiple e-mail addresses otherwise my repeated requests get denied and many sites make it difficult to just go straight back to the download page.
I also hate having to wait around, sometimes for days, to get the necessary password for the software. Generally if I went out to look for something, then I need it yesterday and can't afford to sit around twiddling my thumbs for days.