1) More than one person comments on Slashdot! I know it's a shocking idea, that people may have differing opinions rather than following dogma; in a proper, well-organised society, such people would of course be 're-educated'.
It will use the DRM mechanism built into Windows Media Player:
The file is DRMed before being distributed
User downloads DRMed file from BitTorrent, using a modified client. This is the clever bit; it will use a distribution network of dedicated caches created and run by CacheLogic - see a press-release on a trial of this technology, which act as 'super-peers', greatly increasing download speeds and reliability. This also cuts the amount of upload bandwidth for users.
When the user plays the file, WMP reads the DRM header, which has a URL to get a licence
WMP goes to the URL, which contains a username/password form; user logs in, and receives a licence, for that computer. This also allows the distributer to manage/bill users.
Magic, the authorised user can play the content on his computer, but it can't be copied (or rather it can - but won't be playable without an account!).
(I previousply posted some of this before logging in, just to make it clear I'm not pinching it)
Currently the BBC depends on the TV licence fee, and shows no commercal advertising. This is a very good thing.
Once a broadcaster starts depending on advertising for revenues, the overriding concern becomes viewer figures, rather than quality of output; thus ITV (the BBC's main commercial equivelent) shows programs like 'Celebrity Love Island' and 'TVs Naughtiest Blunders 16' at the same time as BBC shows Newsnight (fairly serious news and current affairs program).
The licence fee, despite many people not liking it, makes for independent and high-quality broadcasting; IMO arguably the best in the world.
A Member of Parliament, i.e. a member of the UK's primary legistlative body. Each represents an individual constituancy (area), and the government is formed by senior MPs of the party which has a majorty in Parliament (usually).
Exactly; also, networks like Al Quaeda depend on a large number of radicalised supporters; Bush hands this to them on a plate. His attitude of people being either with the USA or against it couldn't be better for Al-Quaeda. Try these:
Actually, Israel has historically been the leader in the UAV industry, and has been using large ones for a lnog time. The USA has bought a bunch of stuff off Israel i think - for eg, The RQ-5 Hunter (I think). (of course, this is probably indirectly financed by the USA anyway...)
The Greek Empire started deteriorating when the gods became fallible and human, and the people had nothing to aspire toward.
I'm curious as to this Greek Empire of which you speak - the only Greek Empire I can think of was that forged by Alexander, and that fragmented due chiefly (and shortly after) to the death of Alexander himself, lasting barely a decade or two as an empire. Do you mean the Byzantine Empire - which was of course Roman in origin, rather than Greek?
It evaporates or is drained off; I don't think any of it is likely to remain bound up in anything, as its main use is cooling (AFAIK).
However, a lot of the run-off may be heavily polluted, so this isn't necessarily great either, and water used for steel manufacturing can't be used for drinking or farming - an issue in many parts of hte world/water.
As I mentioned elsewhere, modern processes as used in the US, UK or Japan vastly reduce water usage, so this hopefully won't be that big a problem in the long-term.
OK, so it wasn't very percise; it was intended as an order-of-magnitude figure, because after some googling, everywhere seems to disagree on usage. Several reports cite 30-50 tons water / ton steel in China; 5-6 tons water/ton steel in the USA and Japan due to higher tech and more regulation; another couple cite 'a ton of steel can take 280 tons of water', though this sounds doubtful in comparison to the others. An Indian report cites up to 300 tons.
Just making the metal for the case will use a *lot* of water, for coolant etc. You'd be amazed - in some countries, up to and beyond 100 tons of water can be used to make a ton of steel.
Most of the fossil fuels are probably mostly used in various refining materials process - the case, again, a lot of power needed for that. All the different materials in the PC and monitor adds up amazingly fast - remember that the actual raw materials are really cheap, so you don't see much cost due to this when you buy something in a high-street store.
It is in human nature to believe in one's own importance; it is a self-defence mechanism as much as anything - most people really aren't important or respected in 'Society' (whatever that might be), and these give a harmless boost to self-confidence.
The reason it lasts is of course percisly due to their habit of referencing each other, explicitly or implicitly - there's no external force which slows the process down, only internal encouragement - a positive feedback loop. Most people 'outside' don't find it interesting or insightful, but within, the competition, community respect and recognition encourage people to continue.
Pretty similar to many of the fluffier 'academic' subjects in many ways, really:-)
Oxygen has an atomic number of eight - and an atomic weight of 15.9994 - against Hydrogen, atomic weight 1.00794.
-Chris
Re:Can say Vs. Correct and Can't say vs. False
on
What You Can't Say
·
· Score: 1
In the general case, I agree. My point is that for some issues which are taboo, or which are sacred cows, there really is an objective correct and incorrect. The Earth really does go round the Sun.
There are, in a sense, shades of 'correct' and 'incorrect' - not so much due to the objective nature of the events/concepts, but due to our ability to know for certain what is true and what is false. Many 'moral' issues are heavily affected by this, as we have limited means and basis to judge them objectively.
The Saudis think the tape's genuine - even though it's really embarrasing (Osama is Saudi) - especially as most of those identified by the US govt as the hijackers were also Saudi. It's put a fair bit of bad press on their relations with the US of A. I must say the tape looked ok to me too, but I'm not an expert.
If you'd like to continue the discussion into other evidence, email me at chris_cc314 at hotmail (its' a bit OT here).
..but what really amazes me is how people still think were really responsible for Sept. 11th - despite the fact that Al-quaeda, the group western governments claim were responsible, keeps (metaphorically) jumping up and down shouting We did it! We did it! Aren't we great! We're going to have another crack in a bit too! (tapes of Bin Laden + other sources). Unless you think they're working for the Israelis too...
I mean, the Republican Party gained a damn sight more than the Israeli from the whole thing, and I'm not suggesting they did it! Israel never really gave a hoot what anyone else thought anyway... Conspiracy theories are not always necessary.
What is, of course, also true, is that there are many things that could be said - both which are considered acceptable or indeed 'gospel', and which are not - which are blatantly wrong.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it", as Voltaire may have said - and equally, just because it has been said, doesn't mean anyone has to listen. That includes listening to the conspiracy-theorists who will no doubt be having a field-day here all evening...
Err, are you *sure* you're from 'round here? The economy is in pretty good shape actually; better than most of Europe, lower unemployment etc. Sure, manufacturing's not doing too well, but in general things've held up a lot better here than on the continent over the last 4 years.
I do however agree that the avertising is completely worthless, and this thing's going nowhere - people just don't like having to do things like take ad-breaks...
If you read the article, this is under the section 'Addendum: Wild cards (that could happen almost anytime)'. Along with 'Global nuclear war', 'Return of the Messiah' and 'End of the Nation State'.
The date of 2000 AD is just a theoretical minimum; These are specifically things *not* predicted to happen at a set time. RTFA.
Western European history of the times got kindof complicated - which as very little to do with sunspots of course...
So you're saying the Maunder Minimum and the resultant Little Ice Age didn't effect Western European history?
Err, No, I'm saying that the Western european history of the times - i.e. late dark ages/ early middle ages - probaly wasn't affected much, as the Maunder Minumum was 1640-1710, a long time after 1066! Even the earliest effects of the Little Ice age weren't til the 14th century..
The 'Danish' invasions cited were partially danish - the Jutes were, and arguably the Angles, with the Saxons being germanic. At the time, though, there wasn't really a Danish people to speak of.
Also, there's strong evidence (genetic amongst other things) that the celts were not driven from England, but were absorbed into Anglo-Saxon culture - Ireland already had a celtic culture, and was actually known to raid the british coast as well - the most famous example being the story St Patrick - who was Welsh, but captured and taken to Ireland as a slave.
The Normans were, I believe, of Norse (Norwegian) rather than Danish decent, though the difference isn't great, and they'd been heavily influenced by the French culture by then. From around the time of Alfred, the Danes had indeed invaded large areas of England (formalised into the Danelaw), and there'd been Scandanavian kings of england Eg. King Canute, but these were not actually Norman - by then, Norman had become distinct from Norse/Danish.
As for William's successors being driven out, I'm not sure what this refers to - by the time there was a major change in powerbase, the Normans had become integrated into the English anyway as the aristocracy.
Slashdot Mirror
Just google for it!
1) More than one person comments on Slashdot!
I know it's a shocking idea, that people may have differing opinions rather than following dogma; in a proper, well-organised society, such people would of course be 're-educated'.
2) We like bitching about things.
-Chris
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Magic, the authorised user can play the content on his computer, but it can't be copied (or rather it can - but won't be playable without an account!). (I previousply posted some of this before logging in, just to make it clear I'm not pinching it)The file is DRMed before being distributed
User downloads DRMed file from BitTorrent, using a modified client. This is the clever bit; it will use a distribution network of dedicated caches created and run by CacheLogic - see a press-release on a trial of this technology, which act as 'super-peers', greatly increasing download speeds and reliability. This also cuts the amount of upload bandwidth for users.
When the user plays the file, WMP reads the DRM header, which has a URL to get a licence
WMP goes to the URL, which contains a username/password form; user logs in, and receives a licence, for that computer. This also allows the distributer to manage/bill users.
Hopefully :-)
Currently the BBC depends on the TV licence fee, and shows no commercal advertising. This is a very good thing.
Once a broadcaster starts depending on advertising for revenues, the overriding concern becomes viewer figures, rather than quality of output; thus ITV (the BBC's main commercial equivelent) shows programs like 'Celebrity Love Island' and 'TVs Naughtiest Blunders 16' at the same time as BBC shows Newsnight (fairly serious news and current affairs program).
The licence fee, despite many people not liking it, makes for independent and high-quality broadcasting; IMO arguably the best in the world.
-Chris
A Member of Parliament, i.e. a member of the UK's primary legistlative body. Each represents an individual constituancy (area), and the government is formed by senior MPs of the party which has a majorty in Parliament (usually).
-Chris
Exactly; also, networks like Al Quaeda depend on a large number of radicalised supporters; Bush hands this to them on a plate. His attitude of people being either with the USA or against it couldn't be better for Al-Quaeda. Try these:
link 1
link 2 - 1/2 way down
Do a Google News search for bush al-Masri for more information.
-Chris
Actually, Israel has historically been the leader in the UAV industry, and has been using large ones for a lnog time. The USA has bought a bunch of stuff off Israel i think - for eg, The RQ-5 Hunter (I think). (of course, this is probably indirectly financed by the USA anyway...)
Check out this big list to see who's in the market.
-Chris
The Greek Empire started deteriorating when the gods became fallible and human, and the people had nothing to aspire toward.
I'm curious as to this Greek Empire of which you speak - the only Greek Empire I can think of was that forged by Alexander, and that fragmented due chiefly (and shortly after) to the death of Alexander himself, lasting barely a decade or two as an empire. Do you mean the Byzantine Empire - which was of course Roman in origin, rather than Greek?
-Chris
It evaporates or is drained off; I don't think any of it is likely to remain bound up in anything, as its main use is cooling (AFAIK).
However, a lot of the run-off may be heavily polluted, so this isn't necessarily great either, and water used for steel manufacturing can't be used for drinking or farming - an issue in many parts of hte world/water.
As I mentioned elsewhere, modern processes as used in the US, UK or Japan vastly reduce water usage, so this hopefully won't be that big a problem in the long-term.
-Chris
OK, so it wasn't very percise; it was intended as an order-of-magnitude figure, because after some googling, everywhere seems to disagree on usage. Several reports cite 30-50 tons water / ton steel in China; 5-6 tons water/ton steel in the USA and Japan due to higher tech and more regulation; another couple cite 'a ton of steel can take 280 tons of water', though this sounds doubtful in comparison to the others. An Indian report cites up to 300 tons.
Google for "ton of steel" "tons of water".
-Chris
Just making the metal for the case will use a *lot* of water, for coolant etc. You'd be amazed - in some countries, up to and beyond 100 tons of water can be used to make a ton of steel.
Most of the fossil fuels are probably mostly used in various refining materials process - the case, again, a lot of power needed for that. All the different materials in the PC and monitor adds up amazingly fast - remember that the actual raw materials are really cheap, so you don't see much cost due to this when you buy something in a high-street store.
-Chris
It is in human nature to believe in one's own importance; it is a self-defence mechanism as much as anything - most people really aren't important or respected in 'Society' (whatever that might be), and these give a harmless boost to self-confidence.
:-)
The reason it lasts is of course percisly due to their habit of referencing each other, explicitly or implicitly - there's no external force which slows the process down, only internal encouragement - a positive feedback loop. Most people 'outside' don't find it interesting or insightful, but within, the competition, community respect and recognition encourage people to continue.
Pretty similar to many of the fluffier 'academic' subjects in many ways, really
-Chris
Deci = 10^-1 (0.1)
Centi = 10^-2
Milli = 10^-3, (0.001)
Micro = 10^-6,
Nano = 10^-9, (0.000000001)
Pico = 10^-12,
Femto = 10^-15, (real small)
Atta = 10^-18,
Zepto = 10^-21, (amazingly small)
Yocto = 10^-24 (practically not there)
-Chris
Oxygen has an atomic weight of 8, Hydrogen 1.
Oxygen has an atomic number of eight - and an atomic weight of 15.9994 - against Hydrogen, atomic weight 1.00794.
-Chris
In the general case, I agree. My point is that for some issues which are taboo, or which are sacred cows, there really is an objective correct and incorrect. The Earth really does go round the Sun.
There are, in a sense, shades of 'correct' and 'incorrect' - not so much due to the objective nature of the events/concepts, but due to our ability to know for certain what is true and what is false. Many 'moral' issues are heavily affected by this, as we have limited means and basis to judge them objectively.
-Chris
The Saudis think the tape's genuine - even though it's really embarrasing (Osama is Saudi) - especially as most of those identified by the US govt as the hijackers were also Saudi. It's put a fair bit of bad press on their relations with the US of A. I must say the tape looked ok to me too, but I'm not an expert.
If you'd like to continue the discussion into other evidence, email me at chris_cc314 at hotmail (its' a bit OT here).
-Chris
..but what really amazes me is how people still think were really responsible for Sept. 11th - despite the fact that Al-quaeda, the group western governments claim were responsible, keeps (metaphorically) jumping up and down shouting We did it! We did it! Aren't we great! We're going to have another crack in a bit too! (tapes of Bin Laden + other sources). Unless you think they're working for the Israelis too...
I mean, the Republican Party gained a damn sight more than the Israeli from the whole thing, and I'm not suggesting they did it! Israel never really gave a hoot what anyone else thought anyway... Conspiracy theories are not always necessary.
-Chris
What is, of course, also true, is that there are many things that could be said - both which are considered acceptable or indeed 'gospel', and which are not - which are blatantly wrong.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it", as Voltaire may have said - and equally, just because it has been said, doesn't mean anyone has to listen. That includes listening to the conspiracy-theorists who will no doubt be having a field-day here all evening...
-Chris
Err, are you *sure* you're from 'round here? The economy is in pretty good shape actually; better than most of Europe, lower unemployment etc. Sure, manufacturing's not doing too well, but in general things've held up a lot better here than on the continent over the last 4 years.
I do however agree that the avertising is completely worthless, and this thing's going nowhere - people just don't like having to do things like take ad-breaks...
-CHris
If the poles of a transfer function are on the right half of the complex plane, it means an unstable system - i.e. it'd crash.
-Chris
Uhh, because most of the world doesn't live there? The US Constitution etc is only good (when upheld, hmm...) for Americans.
-Chris
If you read the article, this is under the section 'Addendum: Wild cards (that could happen almost anytime)'. Along with 'Global nuclear war', 'Return of the Messiah' and 'End of the Nation State'.
The date of 2000 AD is just a theoretical minimum; These are specifically things *not* predicted to happen at a set time. RTFA.
-Chris
Err, No, I'm saying that the Western european history of the times - i.e. late dark ages/ early middle ages - probaly wasn't affected much, as the Maunder Minumum was 1640-1710, a long time after 1066! Even the earliest effects of the Little Ice age weren't til the 14th century..
The 'Danish' invasions cited were partially danish - the Jutes were, and arguably the Angles, with the Saxons being germanic. At the time, though, there wasn't really a Danish people to speak of.
:-)
Also, there's strong evidence (genetic amongst other things) that the celts were not driven from England, but were absorbed into Anglo-Saxon culture - Ireland already had a celtic culture, and was actually known to raid the british coast as well - the most famous example being the story St Patrick - who was Welsh, but captured and taken to Ireland as a slave.
The Normans were, I believe, of Norse (Norwegian) rather than Danish decent, though the difference isn't great, and they'd been heavily influenced by the French culture by then.
From around the time of Alfred, the Danes had indeed invaded large areas of England (formalised into the Danelaw), and there'd been Scandanavian kings of england Eg. King Canute, but these were not actually Norman - by then, Norman had become distinct from Norse/Danish.
As for William's successors being driven out, I'm not sure what this refers to - by the time there was a major change in powerbase, the Normans had become integrated into the English anyway as the aristocracy.
I should write a book maybe