How can "we" give you advice if we don't know what you like and what you enjoy? Socializing is about sharing and exploring - and you want to do something that suits your personality and your interests.
So instead of bending over and trying to do "something" social just to meet people will feel awkward for you and your fellow socialites.
First ask yourself if there are any less geeky things you enjoy or would love to explore? Then dive into these things. If you have fun and a passion for something it's easier to socialize and find new people.
Don't try stuff you simply dislike to meet the ladies - they will smell your awkwardness instantly.
If you find yourself too geeky or unable to find any non-geek topics then join a social, environmental or political cause with your full geek powers and throw yourself in. To volunteer for something is a great way to meet people and the ladies - and you might enjoy your own geekiness and doing something "good" while socializing... (just make sure not to confuse socializing with fixing everybodies computers).
If you like animals then get a dog - I hardly know any better "tool" (apart from babies) to make the ladies go "Uhhh" and "Ahhh"... and talk to you.
Most users simply hate changes on their system or the way the work - so they will stick to what they have known for years. XP and Office will do the trick for most, so will a 'normal' laptop from 'traditional' PC vendors.
A dual boot option would confuse most users and create unnecessary work / something new to understand. Tech people don't seem to understand that Mr. or Ms. Office just wants her work done - and they don't give a damn about fancy designs, Mac OS or any new geekery.
I would applaud an international politics wiki anytime. But I am afraid it won't happen. Plus the american blogosphere is already so poisened from all these culture wars that - as an european - I don't want to touch these people with a ten foot pole nor discuss any politics with them...
I would like to see current user numbers? Windows 95/98/Me can't be big anyway. Maybe it's time for these people to upgrade or buy a new machine. There isn't much NEW software that supports these setups anyway. And anyone who is using them simply might be stuck with FF1.5. So what? You can't have all the new technologies on a five or ten year old machine / OS.
Before Google cranks out another money making extension it should concentrate more on preventing click fraud AND provide tools for websites using AdSense to protect themselves. I know now several sites now that have been kicked out from AdSense - because of Click Fraud - but Google offers no tools, no insights, no answers and no support for those kicked out. Ever tried to talk someone from Google's 'customer service'? No eMail addresses, hardly any responses, mostly ignorance.
Google like to run anything on autopilot and pure technology - no human contact and no problems please. So this will be another Google technology I will ignore, because I can't stand the company and it's current attitude behind it. 'Don't be evil' should be renamed into 'simply ignore everyone'.
Most people NEVER needed a PDA anyway - a calendar and addressbook in a mobile is enough for most people.
Plus many modern PDAs cost almost as much as a small / low budget laptop. Why bother buying an expensive gizmo if you can the real thing for a bit more? Also subsidized smart phones from network operators will always be cheaper as 'unconnected' PDAs.
So in the future we will only have even smarter phones and mini notebooks. PDAs will be gone - they were an evolutionary step to the new offsprings.
Hmmm. Many Windows loopholes are well known - but the main reason for spyware gets installed are the users themselves. Either they don't fix loopholes (by running windows patches), use safe browsers or they simply can't resist the temptation to install any crap they find.
Sure - we can't blame it all on users and their badly managed/protected systems - but some safer computing with more brains could help... a lot...
Stever Job once correctly stated that the iTunes store has to compete with P2P services / pirating. They succeded - and it is bloody convinient too.
The iTunes store offers so far the best online music store and player combination (software and portable). So far none of the other companies have succeded in offering a better combo. The winner takes it all...
Just getting bigger not better is my first impression. My PC is often faster and more responsive under W2K then under Suse/KDE. It only can get worse with even more gimmicks.
I agree with you. Measuring quality is the real task and it's hard. That is why I think human judgement is better then simple machine sorting and linking.
All these services like technocrati just measure quantity and not quality. That is why they are so easily spammed and abused. Just by crawling blogs and counting links and cross links won't do it.
And since most bloggers simply recycle and rephrase current events you need a different approach.
Every additional Star Wars remake, rerelease, addition, TV series, book, comic, condom, game WITHIN the movies time frame will make the MYTH only WEAKER. Damnit.
Slashdot Mirror
You request lacks the most important aspect: you!
How can "we" give you advice if we don't know what you like and what you enjoy? Socializing is about sharing and exploring - and you want to do something that suits your personality and your interests.
So instead of bending over and trying to do "something" social just to meet people will feel awkward for you and your fellow socialites.
First ask yourself if there are any less geeky things you enjoy or would love to explore? Then dive into these things. If you have fun and a passion for something it's easier to socialize and find new people.
Don't try stuff you simply dislike to meet the ladies - they will smell your awkwardness instantly.
If you find yourself too geeky or unable to find any non-geek topics then join a social, environmental or political cause with your full geek powers and throw yourself in. To volunteer for something is a great way to meet people and the ladies - and you might enjoy your own geekiness and doing something "good" while socializing ... (just make sure not to confuse socializing with fixing everybodies computers).
If you like animals then get a dog - I hardly know any better "tool" (apart from babies) to make the ladies go "Uhhh" and "Ahhh" ... and talk to you.
Steam is terrible and you can't sell your old games bought via that dreadful system.
And I still have my old QuakeIII CD ... somewhere ...
May I recommend reading my essay about Digital Penis?
http://ultraorange.net/2008/09/01/boys-and-toys-or-is-my-penis-really-smaller-without-the-newest-digital-gadget/
Most users simply hate changes on their system or the way the work - so they will stick to what they have known for years. XP and Office will do the trick for most, so will a 'normal' laptop from 'traditional' PC vendors.
A dual boot option would confuse most users and create unnecessary work / something new to understand. Tech people don't seem to understand that Mr. or Ms. Office just wants her work done - and they don't give a damn about fancy designs, Mac OS or any new geekery.
I would applaud an international politics wiki anytime. But I am afraid it won't happen. Plus the american blogosphere is already so poisened from all these culture wars that - as an european - I don't want to touch these people with a ten foot pole nor discuss any politics with them ...
On the Internet - everybody knows that you are a perv' ...
I would like to see current user numbers? Windows 95/98/Me can't be big anyway. Maybe it's time for these people to upgrade or buy a new machine. There isn't much NEW software that supports these setups anyway. And anyone who is using them simply might be stuck with FF1.5. So what? You can't have all the new technologies on a five or ten year old machine / OS.
Before Google cranks out another money making extension it should concentrate more on preventing click fraud AND provide tools for websites using AdSense to protect themselves. I know now several sites now that have been kicked out from AdSense - because of Click Fraud - but Google offers no tools, no insights, no answers and no support for those kicked out. Ever tried to talk someone from Google's 'customer service'? No eMail addresses, hardly any responses, mostly ignorance.
Google like to run anything on autopilot and pure technology - no human contact and no problems please. So this will be another Google technology I will ignore, because I can't stand the company and it's current attitude behind it. 'Don't be evil' should be renamed into 'simply ignore everyone'.
Since it is so good identifing pr0n I can't wait to get my first pornbot with that function to find me some more.
Most people NEVER needed a PDA anyway - a calendar and addressbook in a mobile is enough for most people.
Plus many modern PDAs cost almost as much as a small / low budget laptop. Why bother buying an expensive gizmo if you can the real thing for a bit more? Also subsidized smart phones from network operators will always be cheaper as 'unconnected' PDAs.
So in the future we will only have even smarter phones and mini notebooks. PDAs will be gone - they were an evolutionary step to the new offsprings.
Sure. Everything Mr Dvorak writes will come true.
Aha. Very international.
Hmmm. Many Windows loopholes are well known - but the main reason for spyware gets installed are the users themselves. Either they don't fix loopholes (by running windows patches), use safe browsers or they simply can't resist the temptation to install any crap they find.
... a lot ...
Sure - we can't blame it all on users and their badly managed/protected systems - but some safer computing with more brains could help
We need spyware killers and better protection - not more academic research. They should fund some OS project to help users.
Stever Job once correctly stated that the iTunes store has to compete with P2P services / pirating. They succeded - and it is bloody convinient too.
...
The iTunes store offers so far the best online music store and player combination (software and portable). So far none of the other companies have succeded in offering a better combo. The winner takes it all
Almost all other professions have to take responsibility for their work and constructs - why are programmers an exception?!
Just getting bigger not better is my first impression. My PC is often faster and more responsive under W2K then under Suse/KDE. It only can get worse with even more gimmicks.
With security suites like that you don't need any hackers or viruses. Bloated Symantic software makes your computer unusable and unstable anyway ...
I agree with you. Measuring quality is the real task and it's hard. That is why I think human judgement is better then simple machine sorting and linking.
All these services like technocrati just measure quantity and not quality. That is why they are so easily spammed and abused. Just by crawling blogs and counting links and cross links won't do it.
And since most bloggers simply recycle and rephrase current events you need a different approach.
Well another pre-press and printing technology gone. so what? I will never miss the chemicals and different kind of paper.
... or cave painting?
Anyone miss Lithography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithograph
Every additional Star Wars remake, rerelease, addition, TV series, book, comic, condom, game WITHIN the movies time frame will make the MYTH only WEAKER. Damnit.
EXTERMINATE!*
(* can't wait till saturday)
... one network to bind them ... ... and with WiMax to find them ...
Is that the final nail? I am still working with W2K - and I see no reason to upgrade.