The 3c509 driver DOES work with BeOS r5 - but it does have some quirks. Follow the instructions that come with it -- but make sure you enable EVERYTHING you want to run (telnet/ftp servers, username & password especially) before you edit the Network config file (a required part of installing the driver). The reason why? Once you switch the driver path over to the 3c509 driver, and reboot to restart networking (since restarting it from the prefs panel rewrites the file you just modified), opening the Network Prefs panel WILL crash your machine. But - the card will work.
Some things to keep in mind:
Make sure the card is NOT in PnP mode if it's the ISA model - use the util on the 3Com floppy (I think it's 3c5x9cfg.exe) to turn off PnP -- set an IRQ and mem addy yourself, and save it to the card - remember what you set it to, and use those to configure the card under Be.
Now...I'm not a programmer by any stretch of the imagination --
But...What exactly would be involved with doing this? It can't be something as simple as just adding something like freetype (which I believe does support anti-aliasing, and is quite popular) into XFree -- can it?
Re:Is this a good idea?
on
Laptop Exams?
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· Score: 1
::shrug::
I know E=mc^2 - but I certainly don't know every detail about it. Few people do, I'd wager.
Sure I know the literal use as an equation. I can plug in values and derive unknowns. But do I understand its every nuance -- everything it implies? No. Not a chance.
Now this may not be the best example here (in fact, it's probably an incredibly poor example, but it's Sunday, and my brain is in weekend mode;) ) - but I think it's sufficient to get my point across. Just being able to regurgitate formulae isn't as important as knowing how to use them. Someone who knows the nuances, and is able to understand the equation at a much higher level, but has to look up the equation because they keep forgetting whether it's mc^2 or mc^3 (but they're smart enough to know they're unsure and look it up) is going to be a heck of a lot more successful than than the guy who knows the formula, but doesn't understand its meaning(s).
Learning stuff - especially computer stuff, isn't all about memorization and regurgitation. It's about finding the information you need quickly and efficiently, and knowing how to use that information.
In the "real world" (and I'm NOT talking about the crappy made-for-MTV shows -- blech!) if you are given a problem to solve, you can use every resource at your disposal to solve the problem.
I've taken programming classes where the exams expected you to hand-write a 200+ line C program on the back of the exam sheet. Um...hello? When are you ever going to have to hand-write code? When is hand-written code useful? It can't be executed, debugged, or otherwise used in any useful fashion. (That was actually my answer to that question on the exam - the prof was cool about it and gave me 1/4 credit for pointing out how pointless it was, considering all the coursework was done on comps running a *nice* emacs setup)
In the "real world" if I'm asked to write a program, chances are, I already have some boilerplate code I can throw in to start from, as well as some re-usable code from other projects. I'll probably have at least 1/2 the code for the project done in the first 5-10 minutes - with the other half being the project-specific code.
If I need to check my syntax, I have reference books within easy reach. If I need help paring down the code or figuring out an algorithm, there are people I can email, mailing lists and newsgroups, search engines, etc... If I need quick answers, there's always IRC (or ICQ if someone clued-in happens to be on).
In short, there are TONS of resources available, as long as you know how to use them. It's silly for exams to be given in any other context than a "real world" situation. When you're programming, you will be using an editor of some sort - probably one with syntax highlighting and other features to help eliminate the sillier mistakes (forgetting to close quotes/braces, forgetting;'s, etc...)
Now, the article doesn't mention whether or not it was a computer course -- but I can imagine many of the same tenets would be applicable to other studies as well. The info is out there. The help is out there. It's rather silly not to use it.
The planet just "happens" to have a breathable atmosphere. Yeah, it's a bit low on O2, but you don't see that bothering them too much after the first few minutes. Then again, if they'd been in spacesuits we wouldn't have been able to see Riddick's eyes as well, so they might have had to find another effect to show us over and over again ad nauseum.
Now, this may just be my view of it (I have been known to be wrong before) -- but isn't region encoding really just a way of legally price-fixing the dvd player/discs rather than an anti-piracy measure like Macrovision?
(Price-fixing being illegal, instead they "modify" the players and discs so they're not *exactly* the same - and of course incompatible with players/discs not modified in the same way - so that they can sell them for whatever price they want, wherever they want, and not have to worry about people importing to take advantage of the cheaper prices elsewhere, or about the laws preventing price-fixing getting in the way -- "Honest, they're two different models - this one has 90xxx-a12-r1 software in it, while THIS one has a 90xxx-a12-r2 software..." Of course, the difference in the player is easily changable using software or arcane remote commands, so that they don't have to actually change their production lines at all. Limiting the ammount of times a given players region encoding can be changed simply gives them a level of protection against consumers finding out about and exploiting the "codes".)
Macrovision is an anti-piracy measure that discourages copying (legal or otherwise). In preventing the "evil pirates" from making copies, they also prevent Joe and Diane Consumer from making backup copies. This works out well for the MPAA and other interests since we all know VHS tapes degrade with use. If they watch the movie enough that the tape wears out - they have to buy another one. Of course, there are ways around Macrovision, so the "evil pirates" still can make their copies. So really it's only the Consumers who are affected.
Now enter digial media. Now it's possible to make PERFECT copies of the media you buy. This *SCARES* the corps. Now, not only will the copies made by "evil pirates" be cheaper, but they'll be the same quality. Also, Joe and Diane Consumer could conceivably make a PERFECT backup of the movie they bought. Even if the disc wore out, they could make a perfect copy in no time. Thus the corps lose the extra sales from repeat purchases.
So, they decide to encrypt the data...and that leads to the current DVD-CCA/DeCSS problems. DVD-CCA strands by their bull$#!t lines that it was copy protection to keep "evil pirates" from stealing from them, when in actuality, the "evil pirates" can simply make a bit-perfect copy of the disc, encryption and all, and have a playable disc. The encryption only disallows non-licenced players from playing the encrypted discs. It's just another way for the DVD-CCA to bilk both media companies and consumers out of more money, and maintain a monopoly on DVD players/encoders.
Region encoding is another matter entirely, but like CSS encoding, its purpose isn't to provide piracy protection (as Macrovision's purpose was, bypassable as it may be), but to make more money for the companies selling players/discs, by allowing them to get around the laws prohibiting price-fixing.
Well, I'm not a driver programmer. I'm a web developer.
I know very little about programming languages outside of a little C I've gleaned from working with PHP.
I know I would prefer an open-sourced driver for my graphics card (or hell, any piece of hardware I own that I want to have work in Linux).
Why?
Easy. Even though I'm not a driver programmer, I know there are people out there who are. If there's a problem with the drivers that VidCardCompany X releases, and I find it, I'm pretty sure I could find a way to pass that information on to someone who DOES know about driver programming, and CAN fix the problem.
This is the beauty of open-source. It doesn't matter whether YOU know how to fix it - there are others who do, and as long as you can communicate the problem to them effectively (read: detailed descriptions, possibly traces if you know how and it's appropriate), most are more than willing to delve into the code (providing they have time).
These little fixes can be distributed to the main vendor (or project coordinator or whatever) as patches to the source -- and thereby worked into the main version that most end-users would download.
As you said, the whole thing is quite slick. It requires that the end-users report problems to people who can fix them. It requires those people fix the problems and send patches to the main distributor. It requires the main distributor to add those patches to the distribution. Yes, this is a bit more work than the lemming-like attitude many end-users have, but it's worth it in the long run.
Probably doesn't require a heckuva lot of training to the end-users either. Just give them a checklist to follow if they spot a problem, and a nice little form to fill out. I've taught a number of end-users to submit meaningful bug/problem reports. Most ARE willing to help as long as it's not that tough for them to do.
As more people move to, or try out Linux and other open-source OSs, this step is CRITICAL. Teach the end-user HOW to be a productive member of the OSS community and they WILL.
Man, I'm rambling today...time to get back to work.
Lessee - Corel plays buddy-buddy with AOL-Time-Warner and Intel...
AOL gets "ported" to linux (but will only run on Corel due to some sort of proprietary shiznit)
They put out cheap linux boxes (probably all-in-one jobs) to which the user DOESN'T have root access (remember, this is AOL, and they don't WANT you to know what you're doing, let alone actually be able to do it)
With these boxes (probably sub-$600) you'll pay for AOL's ISP service, and be treated to AOL ads every time you boot up. Because it's AOL, you'll be treated to a few spam emails
You won't be able to install other software. You won't be able to switch ISPs. You won't be able to go anywhere on the web AOL decides to filter out.
AOL, through Corel and Intel will "Make your life simple".
No kidding. I was *AMAZED* when I saw the iMac mouse for the first time. Here's a company that for years was espousing the virtues of ergonomics and good UI design. They come out with a "revolutionary" (ha!) new computer design -- and the mouse takes a 10 year step back in time.
Hell, it's worse than that - the "hockey puck" is actually less comfortable than that old block that came with the Mac Classic.
One of my coworkers is a Mac guy (I'm PC/Linux for the most part, except for Photoshop/Illustrator) and got one of the iMac-styled G3s. Nice comp. Fast and snappy for the most part, and if they'd remove the "handles" the thing would look pretty snazzy as well.
What floored him was the keyboard/mouse. Tiny laptop-style keyboard, and a hockey puck mouse.
He has since replaced the mouse with an older Mac mouse (which is much more ergonomic) though he has been eyeing my Intellimouse Explorer lately (say what you will about M$ - that mouse kicks serious a$$).
The keyboard is the same one that ships with the iMacs -- it feels like a laptop keyboard. He says he got used to it after a while, but I'll keep my 10 pound huge footprint IBM keyboard, thanks. =)
I for one would LOVE to see black take over as the "normal" color for cases -- hell, even that dark slate grey (Palm Grey?) would work nicely as a "neutral" PC color, and would look much better than beige.
Anyone know how Beige (of all colors) got decided on? Earliest beige one I remember was the old Apple II (but I think it was a bit darker beige than PC beige is today...)
My next comp is going to have one of those funky stylized cases - but NO translucent plastic (ick!)
At least for me, the Palm is a tool just as much as my desktop computer.
It allows me to concentrate more brainpower on remembering important things, and less on things like dates, addresses, and phone numbers. I'd much rather fill my brain with things I need to use constantly, rather than mundane details.
Of course, I tend to be extremely absent-minded about things like that anyway -- so the palm is a natural extension that makes up for that deficiency. Anything important enough that I might need it agaqin, but not important enough to spend time memorizing, goes into the palm.
This isn't to say that I'd be lost without it. In fact, just recently, my Palm III took an overnight in a snowbank (the clip came off my belt, and in a bulky winter jacket, I didn't notice until I was home (and then thought I might have left it on my desk). It still worked once it dried out - but the screen was shot. So, for a couple weeks, I was without it. It was an inconvenience actually having to look up info on phone numbers and such - but I managed. The important stuff was in my brain, not the palm.
Now, I've temporarily replaced the III with a new IIIe (only until the local shops start having IIIxe's in stock - then it gets handed off to my fiancee). It's nice to have it again, but I know I could definitely survive without it.
Convenience is a virtue, but it's not an excuse for ignorance. Put the important stuff in your brain where it counts, and leave the rest to the palm. That's my philosophy anyway =)
Not odd at all. Our courts are based on how much $ can be thrown around. The "little guy" generally doesn't have the cash to fight the corp in court. The corps know this and use it to gain victories in court by simply dragging the case out until the "little guy" can't afford laywer fees anymore and has to withdraw. The corp wins, AND gets a legal prescedent to call upon in future cases.
Encryption: Needed to protect the DVD player code under license from DVD-CCA. They require this. If Sony wants their machine to legally play DVDs, they have to play by DVD-CCAs rules (unfortunately)
Region codes: $$$. By implememting region codes on the DVDs and games and whatnot, they can charge $x for the game/dvd in Japan (where $x is the going price over there for such things) and charge $y for the game/dvd in the US (where $y is the going price over here for such things).
Now, the industrious, smart person, in a world free of region codes, might say:
"Hmm...Considering the exchange rate, I can import the game from Japan cheaper than I can buy it here in the US."
...and proceeds to do this. It doesn't matter to the companies if the game has been released here or not. They view it as losing $ since this smart person is getting the game for less than they'd like to sell it to him for *where he is*.
Thus, region codes are implemented.
Now technically, as far as I can understand, price fixing based on location is illegal (IANAL, so any who are, can you confirm this?) - but somehow they've managed to circumvent that by placing blocks in the HARDWARE that prevent playback of games/dvds from other "regions".
Now...as for DVD-CCA knowing that DeCSS would happen? Sure they did. And I'm sure their thoughts went something like this:
"We should encrypt the data, and use a key to decrypt it, but license the keys, so we make $$ every time someone wants to make a player, or encode their movies to DVD."
"Good idea - but how should we encrypt it - Hiring someone good at crypto is expensive, and there are export restrictions - this could cost us a lot of $!"
"So we use a weaker, easier crypto to encrypt it."
"But it'll get "cracked" by those "hackers" who will pirate the DVDs and players and we'll lose more $!
"No problem - by the time they do that, we'll have made enough money to take them to court. They won't be able to afford to fight it out long in court, so we'll win. Then we'll have a legal prescedent in our favor, and we'll win all the other cases we decide to fight on similar ground."
...and so, a couple years down the road, here we are, DeCSS is a reality, and the DVD-CCA is suing one of the "authors" (see past/. articles for explanation - I'm not getting into that here).
::sigh:: It's sad that the US legal system allows stuff like this to happen. The consumer is bilked out of as much $ as possible, and noone has the $ to fight the corps in court (the EFF is making a valiant effort though!). Thus, the corps not only get what they want, but they make it harder for anyone to challenge them in the future. Their power grows, and the power of the consumer to fight against them is diminished.
The solution isn't government. PACs and "special interest groups" have seen to that. The corps just sponsor some SIG with enough cash to buy the votes they need in congress, or to push through laws with "amendments" that serve their purposes and provide loopholes for them.
So the government isn't going to help. The corps have made it nearly impossible to fight them in court, so the courts won't help either. What can help? I don't know. Things may be too far gone to be salvaged.
BUT there are organizations like the EFF that are TRYING to fight crap like this. Hopefully they'll make a difference.
OK, I've rambled on FAR longer than I should::grin:: Time to get back to work.
I did find a (sort of) workaround...if you have a mousewheel, try using it to scroll the menus where the scrollbar doesn't seem to work - it worked for me.
You may have to have Netscape configured to use the mousewheel first though (although I did notice a "new" pref area for mousewheel settings...)
The scary part is when you look at exactly what you're talking about doing -- downloading information DIRECTLY into the brain.
I sure hope that data is filtered or authenticated somehow - otherwise you could get some "unexpected" things along with that wetware kung-fu class...
Imagine if this becomes a reality the new definition of virus-writers, writing virii that "crash" the psyche of the recipient.
This would be supremely useful technology - but the consequences of it "falling into the wrong hands" are staggering to me.
Of course, this is still VERY far off, and we're extrapolating sci-fi style -- but you gotta take into account the misuses of the technology as well as the potential gains.
Instead of having a blank slate, like you describe - have the full turkey dinner plate (with extra stuffing) by default.
Let the experienced user pare the interface down to suit their speed/productivity needs. (this can be done easily by a simple config script - beginners wouldn't touch it, experienced users could just comment out or replace lines as desired.)
This way, the beginner need do nothing to get the glitz and candy coating they want, while the experienced user can easily remove what they don't want. (Experienced users tend to spend some time customizing their interface anyway, so there's no real gain/loss for them, but having the "easy" interface by default tends not to scare the newbies away)
*nix's gui is already based on a series of levels.
(For example, there's the kernel at the lowest end, then the console (text mode) above that, then X Windows to provide GUI facilities, then the WM to provide applaunching and window control facilities, etc...)
Why not expand on that? Have a series of UI levels such that a beginner can have all the glitz and candy-coated lead-me-by-the-hand features, but an advanced user can strip all that crap away and just run what they need to.
For example, starting the abstraction at the X Windows layer, top-down since it's easier to type it that way;)
- X Windows (XFree or some other) - Font Smoothing (We NEED antialiasing - but let it be disable-able for speed if necessary) - User-Selectable GUI set (KDE, Gnome, None, etc...) - User-Selectable WM (possibly specified by the GUI set in the case of KDE/Gnome, but user-overridable) - Apps (Again, may or may not require specific GUI sets or WMs)
Most of this is possible now, but the projects are in their infancy. The major addition is font antialiasing - which would go a LONG way towards making X a bit nicer to look at.
Allowing the user to select whether or not to use a GUI set, such as Gnome, KDE, or whatnot will allow the user to get rid of glitzy features they don't want/need while allowing the beginner to have the crutch they need in order to feel comfortable.
Allowing the GUI set to specify higher-level GUI elements (such as WMs and apps) lets these projects define their "standard" interface without infringing on the freedoms already present for advanced users.
An effort should still be made to keep most apps from relying on a specific GUI set or WM - for example, Gimp should still be able to rely on GTK, but shouldn't require that the user be running Gnome and Enlightenment (that would suck for people on low-end systems).
One last thing - NEVER remove the ability to get to a command line. Properly used, the cl is a faster, more powerful way of getting many things done. It may not be as intuitive as "drag n drop" for file management, but it's a LOT easier to type 'pine' 'emacs' or 'vi' than it is to move my hands from the keyboard to the mouse, navigate through 5 levels of nested menus, click, then move my hands back to the keyboard.
OK, this is getting a bit long, I'll shut up now;)
And here it was I thought I was the only addict of the original X-Com;)
Nothing beats the moment you touch down for a terror mission you're ill-equipped for (yet can't afford the popularity drop for NOT responding), walk that first soldier out the door only to see 3 Chrysalids staring back at you within striking distance. The quote "Oh Sh!t..." comes to mind...
::grin:: I spent more time playing that game -- too bad they're trying to turn it into a shooter...
Not sure I could drink that all the time, but for late-nite coding sessions it'd be cool. I'll stick to triple-strength for normal drinking though (and yes, after getting used to drinking it triple-strong, anything less tastes like water and fails the buzz test)
What movie was that? I remember this from some 80s sci-fi movie -- some guy created a snack food with no nutritional value - little crunchy things if I remember right (it wasn't a major part of the movie - just an aside)
Anyone else remember this?
(BTW: actually creating something like this would be INCREDIBLE;) )
Chopping each dimension in half (to give stats for individual displays) gives us:
4 displays, each 18" diag 400x300 res per display
Ick...imagine running 400x300 on a standard 19" monitor (most are 18" viewable diag)...this is the resolution we're talking about.
When they can link 4 1600x1200 capable screens of the same (18" diag) size together seamlessly, and provide total resolution of 3600x2400 - then we'll talk;)
(just imagine the video ram you'd need for something like that!)
It's doubtful that this will lead to lower end-user costs.
The material is cheaper to produce - thus production costs are lower. So the companies making it aren't paying as much to produce each unit...
End-user pricing, however, is largely based on features, rather than production costs. If these displays are brighter, higher-res, larger physically, etc... there is NO REASON for companies to price them much lower than the current offerings.
If they price 15" versions of these at the same level as current-tech 15" lcd screens, they'll have a boatload of stuff that the current-tech ones don't (higher-res, brighter, lower-power, etc...) -- that's the draw. For $999 which would you buy? This 15" lcd screen that'll do 1024x768, or this new-tech 15" led-based screen that's brighter, clearer, and will go up to 1600x1200? You'd choose the 2nd, based on featureset. It doesn't matter that the company is making a much larger profit off of it -- you're getting a better monitor for the same price.
End result: Better products for the same or slightly higher (b/c it's better) prices, while lining the producer's pockets a bit thicker.
(of course, there's always the possibility that a company would cut prices to undersell competitors, but that's fairly remote considering the profit to be made off these sorts of things)
The problem with paying based on amount of work done is that it emphasizes quantity over quality.
Looking at certain software products, you'd almost think this was the case already...
I work about 50 hrs a week, but I'm only in the office for 35 -- the rest of the time I work is done at home, where I have overall a better setup to do my job (I'm a web developer by job description, but I also do a lot of web programming on the side).
Of course, my HR department doesn't see it that way. They're based out of our parent company, which has been in the telephone business for a LONG time. They're used to "traditional" business where you wake up, come to work, work, go home, and relax before sleeping and repeating the process all over again. They DO NOT understand the concept of working when you're not at the office. Their view is "If you're not here, you're not working".
They, of course, need to get a clue about the way jobs based on creativity work. (design, programming, etc... most "tech" jobs fall into this category).
I CANNOT be creative from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM -- I can't simply turn it on like a switch, and turn it off when the "work day" is over. Hell, I wouldn't want to anyway. I ENJOY being creative. I ENJOY thinking. That's half the reason why I'm working this job, because there's always something new to do, and always something new to learn.
I'd imagine that many people working "tech" jobs are in much the same predicament. "The Establishment" is built on traditional business, and doesn't understand the new tech work ethic, thus doesn't reward it.
Paying based on amount of work done is going to encourage shoddy, rushed jobs, just to get them "out the door". Paying based on hours worked encourages slow progress (as the longer it takes, the more you get paid) - but often better quality as well.
There isn't a simple solution to this. Companies WILL NOT simply pay out more money (IE: basing pay on REAL hours worked). That takes cash out of the executives pockets, and they'll never agree to it.
What needs to happen (and I believe this is *starting* to happen already) is a paradigm shift in the way business views "work". Instead of only putting value on hours spent AT the office, value needs to be assessed to all work done.
With more jobs able to be done remotely, and the availability of fairly powerful home computers (with broadband 'net connections) it's possible for more and more people to "tellecommute" and work from their homes. In many cases (including my own experiences with working from my home) people are MORE productive in the relaxed environment of their home than they are in the confines of a cubicle.
I think this is the way of the future as far as tech jobs go...tech workers will always put in tremendous amounts of hours and time - but industry will have to acknowledge that contribution - otherwise it'll always be the way it is now. Working from home is a good start, I think - as it reduces a lot of the stress involved with the workplace.
There are also many ethical issues with "removing the workplace" (mainly social ones) but I'm not going to go into that right now - I've ranted long enough, and it's time for me to get back to work (and time for that 2nd cup of coffee! LONG overdue there!)
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Something you may want to be aware of:
The 3c509 driver DOES work with BeOS r5 - but it does have some quirks. Follow the instructions that come with it -- but make sure you enable EVERYTHING you want to run (telnet/ftp servers, username & password especially) before you edit the Network config file (a required part of installing the driver). The reason why? Once you switch the driver path over to the 3c509 driver, and reboot to restart networking (since restarting it from the prefs panel rewrites the file you just modified), opening the Network Prefs panel WILL crash your machine. But - the card will work.
Some things to keep in mind:
Make sure the card is NOT in PnP mode if it's the ISA model - use the util on the 3Com floppy (I think it's 3c5x9cfg.exe) to turn off PnP -- set an IRQ and mem addy yourself, and save it to the card - remember what you set it to, and use those to configure the card under Be.
It appears that the site is now a redirect to another copy of the page ;P
Now...I'm not a programmer by any stretch of the imagination --
But...What exactly would be involved with doing this? It can't be something as simple as just adding something like freetype (which I believe does support anti-aliasing, and is quite popular) into XFree -- can it?
::shrug::
;) ) - but I think it's sufficient to get my point across. Just being able to regurgitate formulae isn't as important as knowing how to use them. Someone who knows the nuances, and is able to understand the equation at a much higher level, but has to look up the equation because they keep forgetting whether it's mc^2 or mc^3 (but they're smart enough to know they're unsure and look it up) is going to be a heck of a lot more successful than than the guy who knows the formula, but doesn't understand its meaning(s).
I know E=mc^2 - but I certainly don't know every detail about it. Few people do, I'd wager.
Sure I know the literal use as an equation. I can plug in values and derive unknowns. But do I understand its every nuance -- everything it implies? No. Not a chance.
Now this may not be the best example here (in fact, it's probably an incredibly poor example, but it's Sunday, and my brain is in weekend mode
Finally a college that "gets it".
;'s, etc...)
Learning stuff - especially computer stuff, isn't all about memorization and regurgitation. It's about finding the information you need quickly and efficiently, and knowing how to use that information.
In the "real world" (and I'm NOT talking about the crappy made-for-MTV shows -- blech!) if you are given a problem to solve, you can use every resource at your disposal to solve the problem.
I've taken programming classes where the exams expected you to hand-write a 200+ line C program on the back of the exam sheet. Um...hello? When are you ever going to have to hand-write code? When is hand-written code useful? It can't be executed, debugged, or otherwise used in any useful fashion. (That was actually my answer to that question on the exam - the prof was cool about it and gave me 1/4 credit for pointing out how pointless it was, considering all the coursework was done on comps running a *nice* emacs setup)
In the "real world" if I'm asked to write a program, chances are, I already have some boilerplate code I can throw in to start from, as well as some re-usable code from other projects. I'll probably have at least 1/2 the code for the project done in the first 5-10 minutes - with the other half being the project-specific code.
If I need to check my syntax, I have reference books within easy reach. If I need help paring down the code or figuring out an algorithm, there are people I can email, mailing lists and newsgroups, search engines, etc... If I need quick answers, there's always IRC (or ICQ if someone clued-in happens to be on).
In short, there are TONS of resources available, as long as you know how to use them. It's silly for exams to be given in any other context than a "real world" situation. When you're programming, you will be using an editor of some sort - probably one with syntax highlighting and other features to help eliminate the sillier mistakes (forgetting to close quotes/braces, forgetting
Now, the article doesn't mention whether or not it was a computer course -- but I can imagine many of the same tenets would be applicable to other studies as well. The info is out there. The help is out there. It's rather silly not to use it.
Which uni was this at, btw?
You forgot:
The planet just "happens" to have a breathable atmosphere. Yeah, it's a bit low on O2, but you don't see that bothering them too much after the first few minutes. Then again, if they'd been in spacesuits we wouldn't have been able to see Riddick's eyes as well, so they might have had to find another effect to show us over and over again ad nauseum.
Now, this may just be my view of it (I have been known to be wrong before) -- but isn't region encoding really just a way of legally price-fixing the dvd player/discs rather than an anti-piracy measure like Macrovision?
(Price-fixing being illegal, instead they "modify" the players and discs so they're not *exactly* the same - and of course incompatible with players/discs not modified in the same way - so that they can sell them for whatever price they want, wherever they want, and not have to worry about people importing to take advantage of the cheaper prices elsewhere, or about the laws preventing price-fixing getting in the way -- "Honest, they're two different models - this one has 90xxx-a12-r1 software in it, while THIS one has a 90xxx-a12-r2 software..." Of course, the difference in the player is easily changable using software or arcane remote commands, so that they don't have to actually change their production lines at all. Limiting the ammount of times a given players region encoding can be changed simply gives them a level of protection against consumers finding out about and exploiting the "codes".)
Macrovision is an anti-piracy measure that discourages copying (legal or otherwise). In preventing the "evil pirates" from making copies, they also prevent Joe and Diane Consumer from making backup copies. This works out well for the MPAA and other interests since we all know VHS tapes degrade with use. If they watch the movie enough that the tape wears out - they have to buy another one. Of course, there are ways around Macrovision, so the "evil pirates" still can make their copies. So really it's only the Consumers who are affected.
Now enter digial media. Now it's possible to make PERFECT copies of the media you buy. This *SCARES* the corps. Now, not only will the copies made by "evil pirates" be cheaper, but they'll be the same quality. Also, Joe and Diane Consumer could conceivably make a PERFECT backup of the movie they bought. Even if the disc wore out, they could make a perfect copy in no time. Thus the corps lose the extra sales from repeat purchases.
So, they decide to encrypt the data...and that leads to the current DVD-CCA/DeCSS problems. DVD-CCA strands by their bull$#!t lines that it was copy protection to keep "evil pirates" from stealing from them, when in actuality, the "evil pirates" can simply make a bit-perfect copy of the disc, encryption and all, and have a playable disc. The encryption only disallows non-licenced players from playing the encrypted discs. It's just another way for the DVD-CCA to bilk both media companies and consumers out of more money, and maintain a monopoly on DVD players/encoders.
Region encoding is another matter entirely, but like CSS encoding, its purpose isn't to provide piracy protection (as Macrovision's purpose was, bypassable as it may be), but to make more money for the companies selling players/discs, by allowing them to get around the laws prohibiting price-fixing.
Well, I'm not a driver programmer. I'm a web developer.
I know very little about programming languages outside of a little C I've gleaned from working with PHP.
I know I would prefer an open-sourced driver for my graphics card (or hell, any piece of hardware I own that I want to have work in Linux).
Why?
Easy. Even though I'm not a driver programmer, I know there are people out there who are. If there's a problem with the drivers that VidCardCompany X releases, and I find it, I'm pretty sure I could find a way to pass that information on to someone who DOES know about driver programming, and CAN fix the problem.
This is the beauty of open-source. It doesn't matter whether YOU know how to fix it - there are others who do, and as long as you can communicate the problem to them effectively (read: detailed descriptions, possibly traces if you know how and it's appropriate), most are more than willing to delve into the code (providing they have time).
These little fixes can be distributed to the main vendor (or project coordinator or whatever) as patches to the source -- and thereby worked into the main version that most end-users would download.
As you said, the whole thing is quite slick. It requires that the end-users report problems to people who can fix them. It requires those people fix the problems and send patches to the main distributor. It requires the main distributor to add those patches to the distribution. Yes, this is a bit more work than the lemming-like attitude many end-users have, but it's worth it in the long run.
Probably doesn't require a heckuva lot of training to the end-users either. Just give them a checklist to follow if they spot a problem, and a nice little form to fill out. I've taught a number of end-users to submit meaningful bug/problem reports. Most ARE willing to help as long as it's not that tough for them to do.
As more people move to, or try out Linux and other open-source OSs, this step is CRITICAL. Teach the end-user HOW to be a productive member of the OSS community and they WILL.
Man, I'm rambling today...time to get back to work.
"User Friendliness", eh?
Lessee - Corel plays buddy-buddy with AOL-Time-Warner and Intel...
AOL gets "ported" to linux (but will only run on Corel due to some sort of proprietary shiznit)
They put out cheap linux boxes (probably all-in-one jobs) to which the user DOESN'T have root access (remember, this is AOL, and they don't WANT you to know what you're doing, let alone actually be able to do it)
With these boxes (probably sub-$600) you'll pay for AOL's ISP service, and be treated to AOL ads every time you boot up. Because it's AOL, you'll be treated to a few spam emails
You won't be able to install other software.
You won't be able to switch ISPs.
You won't be able to go anywhere on the web AOL decides to filter out.
AOL, through Corel and Intel will "Make your life simple".
Am I the only one SCARED about this?
No kidding. I was *AMAZED* when I saw the iMac mouse for the first time. Here's a company that for years was espousing the virtues of ergonomics and good UI design. They come out with a "revolutionary" (ha!) new computer design -- and the mouse takes a 10 year step back in time.
Hell, it's worse than that - the "hockey puck" is actually less comfortable than that old block that came with the Mac Classic.
One of my coworkers is a Mac guy (I'm PC/Linux for the most part, except for Photoshop/Illustrator) and got one of the iMac-styled G3s. Nice comp. Fast and snappy for the most part, and if they'd remove the "handles" the thing would look pretty snazzy as well.
What floored him was the keyboard/mouse. Tiny laptop-style keyboard, and a hockey puck mouse.
He has since replaced the mouse with an older Mac mouse (which is much more ergonomic) though he has been eyeing my Intellimouse Explorer lately (say what you will about M$ - that mouse kicks serious a$$).
The keyboard is the same one that ships with the iMacs -- it feels like a laptop keyboard. He says he got used to it after a while, but I'll keep my 10 pound huge footprint IBM keyboard, thanks. =)
Hey - go for it.
I for one would LOVE to see black take over as the "normal" color for cases -- hell, even that dark slate grey (Palm Grey?) would work nicely as a "neutral" PC color, and would look much better than beige.
Anyone know how Beige (of all colors) got decided on? Earliest beige one I remember was the old Apple II (but I think it was a bit darker beige than PC beige is today...)
My next comp is going to have one of those funky stylized cases - but NO translucent plastic (ick!)
At least for me, the Palm is a tool just as much as my desktop computer.
It allows me to concentrate more brainpower on remembering important things, and less on things like dates, addresses, and phone numbers. I'd much rather fill my brain with things I need to use constantly, rather than mundane details.
Of course, I tend to be extremely absent-minded about things like that anyway -- so the palm is a natural extension that makes up for that deficiency. Anything important enough that I might need it agaqin, but not important enough to spend time memorizing, goes into the palm.
This isn't to say that I'd be lost without it. In fact, just recently, my Palm III took an overnight in a snowbank (the clip came off my belt, and in a bulky winter jacket, I didn't notice until I was home (and then thought I might have left it on my desk). It still worked once it dried out - but the screen was shot. So, for a couple weeks, I was without it. It was an inconvenience actually having to look up info on phone numbers and such - but I managed. The important stuff was in my brain, not the palm.
Now, I've temporarily replaced the III with a new IIIe (only until the local shops start having IIIxe's in stock - then it gets handed off to my fiancee). It's nice to have it again, but I know I could definitely survive without it.
Convenience is a virtue, but it's not an excuse for ignorance. Put the important stuff in your brain where it counts, and leave the rest to the palm. That's my philosophy anyway =)
Not odd at all. Our courts are based on how much $ can be thrown around. The "little guy" generally doesn't have the cash to fight the corp in court. The corps know this and use it to gain victories in court by simply dragging the case out until the "little guy" can't afford laywer fees anymore and has to withdraw. The corp wins, AND gets a legal prescedent to call upon in future cases.
OK - here goes (hopefully I won't screw this up)
/. articles for explanation - I'm not getting into that here).
::grin:: Time to get back to work.
Encryption: Needed to protect the DVD player code under license from DVD-CCA. They require this. If Sony wants their machine to legally play DVDs, they have to play by DVD-CCAs rules (unfortunately)
Region codes: $$$. By implememting region codes on the DVDs and games and whatnot, they can charge $x for the game/dvd in Japan (where $x is the going price over there for such things) and charge $y for the game/dvd in the US (where $y is the going price over here for such things).
Now, the industrious, smart person, in a world free of region codes, might say:
"Hmm...Considering the exchange rate, I can import the game from Japan cheaper than I can buy it here in the US."
...and proceeds to do this. It doesn't matter to the companies if the game has been released here or not. They view it as losing $ since this smart person is getting the game for less than they'd like to sell it to him for *where he is*.
Thus, region codes are implemented.
Now technically, as far as I can understand, price fixing based on location is illegal (IANAL, so any who are, can you confirm this?) - but somehow they've managed to circumvent that by placing blocks in the HARDWARE that prevent playback of games/dvds from other "regions".
Now...as for DVD-CCA knowing that DeCSS would happen? Sure they did. And I'm sure their thoughts went something like this:
"We should encrypt the data, and use a key to decrypt it, but license the keys, so we make $$ every time someone wants to make a player, or encode their movies to DVD."
"Good idea - but how should we encrypt it - Hiring someone good at crypto is expensive, and there are export restrictions - this could cost us a lot of $!"
"So we use a weaker, easier crypto to encrypt it."
"But it'll get "cracked" by those "hackers" who will pirate the DVDs and players and we'll lose more $!
"No problem - by the time they do that, we'll have made enough money to take them to court. They won't be able to afford to fight it out long in court, so we'll win. Then we'll have a legal prescedent in our favor, and we'll win all the other cases we decide to fight on similar ground."
...and so, a couple years down the road, here we are, DeCSS is a reality, and the DVD-CCA is suing one of the "authors" (see past
::sigh:: It's sad that the US legal system allows stuff like this to happen. The consumer is bilked out of as much $ as possible, and noone has the $ to fight the corps in court (the EFF is making a valiant effort though!). Thus, the corps not only get what they want, but they make it harder for anyone to challenge them in the future. Their power grows, and the power of the consumer to fight against them is diminished.
The solution isn't government. PACs and "special interest groups" have seen to that. The corps just sponsor some SIG with enough cash to buy the votes they need in congress, or to push through laws with "amendments" that serve their purposes and provide loopholes for them.
So the government isn't going to help. The corps have made it nearly impossible to fight them in court, so the courts won't help either. What can help? I don't know. Things may be too far gone to be salvaged.
BUT there are organizations like the EFF that are TRYING to fight crap like this. Hopefully they'll make a difference.
OK, I've rambled on FAR longer than I should
I had the same problem - looks like another bug.
BUT
I did find a (sort of) workaround...if you have a mousewheel, try using it to scroll the menus where the scrollbar doesn't seem to work - it worked for me.
You may have to have Netscape configured to use the mousewheel first though (although I did notice a "new" pref area for mousewheel settings...)
The scary part is when you look at exactly what you're talking about doing -- downloading information DIRECTLY into the brain.
I sure hope that data is filtered or authenticated somehow - otherwise you could get some "unexpected" things along with that wetware kung-fu class...
Imagine if this becomes a reality the new definition of virus-writers, writing virii that "crash" the psyche of the recipient.
This would be supremely useful technology - but the consequences of it "falling into the wrong hands" are staggering to me.
Of course, this is still VERY far off, and we're extrapolating sci-fi style -- but you gotta take into account the misuses of the technology as well as the potential gains.
The trick is to do it the opposite way.
Instead of having a blank slate, like you describe - have the full turkey dinner plate (with extra stuffing) by default.
Let the experienced user pare the interface down to suit their speed/productivity needs. (this can be done easily by a simple config script - beginners wouldn't touch it, experienced users could just comment out or replace lines as desired.)
This way, the beginner need do nothing to get the glitz and candy coating they want, while the experienced user can easily remove what they don't want. (Experienced users tend to spend some time customizing their interface anyway, so there's no real gain/loss for them, but having the "easy" interface by default tends not to scare the newbies away)
OK, here's a concept...
;)
;)
*nix's gui is already based on a series of levels.
(For example, there's the kernel at the lowest end, then the console (text mode) above that, then X Windows to provide GUI facilities, then the WM to provide applaunching and window control facilities, etc...)
Why not expand on that? Have a series of UI levels such that a beginner can have all the glitz and candy-coated lead-me-by-the-hand features, but an advanced user can strip all that crap away and just run what they need to.
For example, starting the abstraction at the X Windows layer, top-down since it's easier to type it that way
- X Windows (XFree or some other)
- Font Smoothing (We NEED antialiasing - but let it be disable-able for speed if necessary)
- User-Selectable GUI set (KDE, Gnome, None, etc...)
- User-Selectable WM (possibly specified by the GUI set in the case of KDE/Gnome, but user-overridable)
- Apps (Again, may or may not require specific GUI sets or WMs)
Most of this is possible now, but the projects are in their infancy. The major addition is font antialiasing - which would go a LONG way towards making X a bit nicer to look at.
Allowing the user to select whether or not to use a GUI set, such as Gnome, KDE, or whatnot will allow the user to get rid of glitzy features they don't want/need while allowing the beginner to have the crutch they need in order to feel comfortable.
Allowing the GUI set to specify higher-level GUI elements (such as WMs and apps) lets these projects define their "standard" interface without infringing on the freedoms already present for advanced users.
An effort should still be made to keep most apps from relying on a specific GUI set or WM - for example, Gimp should still be able to rely on GTK, but shouldn't require that the user be running Gnome and Enlightenment (that would suck for people on low-end systems).
One last thing - NEVER remove the ability to get to a command line. Properly used, the cl is a faster, more powerful way of getting many things done. It may not be as intuitive as "drag n drop" for file management, but it's a LOT easier to type 'pine' 'emacs' or 'vi' than it is to move my hands from the keyboard to the mouse, navigate through 5 levels of nested menus, click, then move my hands back to the keyboard.
OK, this is getting a bit long, I'll shut up now
LOL!
;)
And here it was I thought I was the only addict of the original X-Com
Nothing beats the moment you touch down for a terror mission you're ill-equipped for (yet can't afford the popularity drop for NOT responding), walk that first soldier out the door only to see 3 Chrysalids staring back at you within striking distance. The quote "Oh Sh!t..." comes to mind...
::grin:: I spent more time playing that game -- too bad they're trying to turn it into a shooter...
Damn. That's strong. (Post the recipe ;) )
Not sure I could drink that all the time, but for late-nite coding sessions it'd be cool. I'll stick to triple-strength for normal drinking though (and yes, after getting used to drinking it triple-strong, anything less tastes like water and fails the buzz test)
What movie was that? I remember this from some 80s sci-fi movie -- some guy created a snack food with no nutritional value - little crunchy things if I remember right (it wasn't a major part of the movie - just an aside)
;) )
Anyone else remember this?
(BTW: actually creating something like this would be INCREDIBLE
Haven't tried Afri-cola, so I can't comment on that -- but real men looking for that super caffeine buzz drink:
;)
C O F F E E ! (Grin)
Brewed triple-strength with enough sugar to keep you wired for days...ahhh...that's refreshment
Some quick math:
;)
2x2 display, 36" diag
800x600 fmv resolution
Chopping each dimension in half (to give stats for individual displays) gives us:
4 displays, each 18" diag
400x300 res per display
Ick...imagine running 400x300 on a standard 19" monitor (most are 18" viewable diag)...this is the resolution we're talking about.
When they can link 4 1600x1200 capable screens of the same (18" diag) size together seamlessly, and provide total resolution of 3600x2400 - then we'll talk
(just imagine the video ram you'd need for something like that!)
It's doubtful that this will lead to lower end-user costs.
The material is cheaper to produce - thus production costs are lower. So the companies making it aren't paying as much to produce each unit...
End-user pricing, however, is largely based on features, rather than production costs. If these displays are brighter, higher-res, larger physically, etc... there is NO REASON for companies to price them much lower than the current offerings.
If they price 15" versions of these at the same level as current-tech 15" lcd screens, they'll have a boatload of stuff that the current-tech ones don't (higher-res, brighter, lower-power, etc...) -- that's the draw. For $999 which would you buy? This 15" lcd screen that'll do 1024x768, or this new-tech 15" led-based screen that's brighter, clearer, and will go up to 1600x1200? You'd choose the 2nd, based on featureset. It doesn't matter that the company is making a much larger profit off of it -- you're getting a better monitor for the same price.
End result: Better products for the same or slightly higher (b/c it's better) prices, while lining the producer's pockets a bit thicker.
(of course, there's always the possibility that a company would cut prices to undersell competitors, but that's fairly remote considering the profit to be made off these sorts of things)
The problem with paying based on amount of work done is that it emphasizes quantity over quality.
Looking at certain software products, you'd almost think this was the case already...
I work about 50 hrs a week, but I'm only in the office for 35 -- the rest of the time I work is done at home, where I have overall a better setup to do my job (I'm a web developer by job description, but I also do a lot of web programming on the side).
Of course, my HR department doesn't see it that way. They're based out of our parent company, which has been in the telephone business for a LONG time. They're used to "traditional" business where you wake up, come to work, work, go home, and relax before sleeping and repeating the process all over again. They DO NOT understand the concept of working when you're not at the office. Their view is "If you're not here, you're not working".
They, of course, need to get a clue about the way jobs based on creativity work. (design, programming, etc... most "tech" jobs fall into this category).
I CANNOT be creative from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM -- I can't simply turn it on like a switch, and turn it off when the "work day" is over. Hell, I wouldn't want to anyway. I ENJOY being creative. I ENJOY thinking. That's half the reason why I'm working this job, because there's always something new to do, and always something new to learn.
I'd imagine that many people working "tech" jobs are in much the same predicament. "The Establishment" is built on traditional business, and doesn't understand the new tech work ethic, thus doesn't reward it.
Paying based on amount of work done is going to encourage shoddy, rushed jobs, just to get them "out the door". Paying based on hours worked encourages slow progress (as the longer it takes, the more you get paid) - but often better quality as well.
There isn't a simple solution to this. Companies WILL NOT simply pay out more money (IE: basing pay on REAL hours worked). That takes cash out of the executives pockets, and they'll never agree to it.
What needs to happen (and I believe this is *starting* to happen already) is a paradigm shift in the way business views "work". Instead of only putting value on hours spent AT the office, value needs to be assessed to all work done.
With more jobs able to be done remotely, and the availability of fairly powerful home computers (with broadband 'net connections) it's possible for more and more people to "tellecommute" and work from their homes. In many cases (including my own experiences with working from my home) people are MORE productive in the relaxed environment of their home than they are in the confines of a cubicle.
I think this is the way of the future as far as tech jobs go...tech workers will always put in tremendous amounts of hours and time - but industry will have to acknowledge that contribution - otherwise it'll always be the way it is now. Working from home is a good start, I think - as it reduces a lot of the stress involved with the workplace.
There are also many ethical issues with "removing the workplace" (mainly social ones) but I'm not going to go into that right now - I've ranted long enough, and it's time for me to get back to work (and time for that 2nd cup of coffee! LONG overdue there!)