Let's all just hope that when cash-rich individuals and companies snap up the IPO, they don't end up controlling Google. That's one of the big problems with going public. You can quickly lose control of your company's direction. Instead, you get to sit at the sidelines and watch while some of the majority owners dictate corporate direction that you KNOW will provide short term revenues, but long term death. I'm not saying that this happens all the time... just a possibility.
Having said that, anybody know how we can get in on the IPO? Or is it, as usual, only open to the priveleged.
Of course they don't have written records of what happened. That's why there is so much conjecture about how the damn things were built in the first place.
They don't have written records of how the pyramids were constructed. It makes more sense that they would have more personal records on the fact that they were enslaved. Most of the written records would have been created after they left and would have focused more on their experience rather than the technology of pyramid making.
Ok so it wasn't funny. Anyways there was a recent (semi recent about 4 months ago) documentary on PBS depicting how this may have worked which knocked off many theories and made sense. According to the doc., slaves were not used and this was judged based on evidence from an excavation, that showed what were supposedly slaves, were treated like royalty. (Judging from the medical care they received)
This is an interesting view, but I think there's a bunch of people living in Israel (not to mention other parts of the world) that would strongly disagree. I'm pretty sure they have the written records to adequately describe their slavery at the time. Perhaps some of these pyramids and other items were erected after their departure from Egypt, but it's safe to say that slaves were used at some point during pyramid construction.
All those blitz wars in foreign countries has nothing to do with defense.
No, we wouldn't want to protect any foreign interests like, say, oil, upon which we are dependent.
Don't be naive. The United States doesn't get into a war or battle or peacekeeping missions just because it believes thats "the right thing to do." Most of the time, such participation is sparked by a very specific interest. With regards to middle-eastern countries, you can rest assured that the interest is in oil. The United States depends upon it. Take that away, and we are crippled. Why do you think there is a strategic oil reserve that people are reluctant to touch? It's not really there for consumers.
How is this an improvement? It took 17 years to teach the computer what it takes a human about 17 years to learn. Does this mean that we'll have to start "raising" computers now?
(Note that I'm joking and perfectly aware that the knowledge base can just be copied)
Actually, these are the perfect size for home or small office firewall type machines, which you *want* to be as small and unobtrusive as possible. The only problem is that with only one ethernet port, they're not much use for that...
Also, they're probably a bit too expensive (at least for the home firewall). I dunno, maybe I'm just too cheap. For use as a firewall, maybe you could use both the ethernet port, and a USB -> Ethernet adaptor for the other?
These puppies really bring out the geek in me, but I'm not sure exactly where the practical side is. I understand the need to save space, but you don't need to get THAT small. In general, laptop size is fine. Besides, you can't plug any cards into them. (Oh, that's right, USB is supposed to eliminate the need for internal cards, right?)
I did think of one possible application: Such a device might be a good addition to my laptop. If I carried it along, I could use it as a small server to properly test those applications that require truly separate client and server machines. I could probably also store all of my less-used downloads on it, given that it has more storage capacity than my laptop.
Maybe somebody will turn one of these puppies into a time-shifting video recorder? That would be totally cool, but still too expensive.
Why don't all slashdot readers send Ron Wyden some spam mail. You know, tell him how he can get rich by working at home, or how he can lose weight real fast. Or better yet, tell him how he can improve his sex life and enlarge his genitals. (I would include sending him links to pornography, but he might actually like that). Maybe once he sees how ANNOYING spam can be, he'll change his tune.
Of course, he probably never reads e-mail anyway. Wait, I've got a better idea. Everybody print out all of your spam mail. We'll bag it up and dump all of the bags on his front lawn. We'll tell him he can read all of our spam for us so that businesses don't lose their opportunity.
I think it's more probable that folks in Europe aren't "whipped" like those of us in the US, and are less willing to accept M$ as the "emperor of links." Maybe they're just trying to avoid the obvious beating they'll take for trying out their antics in non-US markets.
Maybe in the near future, we'll get a true example of the Kobayashi Maru (Star Trek fans will understand). Maybe some young lieutenant will find a way to reprogram the computer so that they can triumph in the "unwinnable" situation.
I think this kind of simulation is cool, and the future implications to gaming are wonderful -- more realistic games. But as for its military application, it's really not going to accomplish everything they hope. While it will be useful for training, it will never be able to truly simulate the conditions under which officers (or soldiers) must operate. Maybe in the future, they'll be able to simulate all of the aspects of war (down to heat, cold and explosions) in a realistic manner, but one thing will probably always remain the same: The human will always know they are in a simulation. This, I would think, is far different from the real thing. If you KNOW those explosions could kill you, or that saying the wrong thing in a crisis situation could find you hanging by your neck somewhere, you will probably have a whole different set of stresses. Maybe they could find a way to convince the trainee that all of this is really happening....
At the end of the day as long as you don't have to take the genetic tests I don't see a problem. You can keep paying the higher rate because of your family history or you could take the tests and hope they come out negative. On average people would be better off taking the tests (insurance companies can provide cheaper insurance if there is less uncertainty).
I totally agree -- as long as the tests are elective. But I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the big insurance companies requested to have DNA testing included with other blood tests performed just after birth.
Does the fact that the human genome is mapped mean that the geneticists automatically know what everything does? Clearly not... I can look at a map and not know where everything is, because I can't focus on the entire map. And a lot of the map and the results are still being debated over.
Agreed. The thing the worries me most is that people will THINK they understand things and will use that information incorrectly. Of course, this kind of thing was happening long before genetics research. I guess we don't always learn until we make a mistake.
Might be that once you get past a certain stage in embryo development, parts of the genetic code aren't needed any more.
Interesting. Somebody mod this parent up.
I could just as easily see them raising life insurance rates on someone who could have a genetic ailment cured but refuses to do so, thereby increasing the likelyhood of injury or ailment.
I don't have as much of a problem with this as I would with concessions against people who have genetic preconditions towards something that is not curable. For example, diabetes runs in my family (Type 2). If I'm found to have enough of the 15 or so gene sequences linked to diabetes, my insurance company could decide to drastically increase my rates. Or health care could require that I sign a clause that relieves them of the responsibility of paying for typical diabetic treatment items. All of this could happen, even though I might never become diabetic because I exercise and eat carefully. They could even choose to monitor my exercise and diet to use that as a condition of my insurance. This is where my largest fear comes in. Actually, I fear more for my children at this point than myself.
It's kind of nice to know that there are at least some rational arguments to using genes to "classify" people early on. In the last four months, I've had all kinds of thoughts about how insurance companies would charge higher rates for people with certain genes, etc.
To add to this article, remember that even though human genome mapping has been considered complete, reports have since been released indicating that there just isn't enough genetic matter there to effectively map all human characteristics, and that there most be something else that contributes. It might be some of the latent DNA sequences that are considered to be trash, or something else within the proteins themselves. All of this adds up to some pretty big arguments should any of us enounter "gene prejudice."
Dear Bill,
I'd like to personally apologize for the fact that GPLed software is eating into your profits. I realize that before such huge Open Source initiatives as Linux, you enjoyed an unencumbered path to world domination, and that as a result of this cancer you will probably earn a few billions less this year. I'd also like to apologize to your family, as I know that their standard of living will be impacted by this.
I'd also like to let you know that I'm sorry you can't understand how companies could actually make money with GPLed software. Perhaps you should schedule a tour at Red Hat and see how it can be done. Maybe this will help to control some of your fears and put the spring back into your step.
Finally, I want to let you know that I forgive you for lying. I know that most of your words lately have been spoken in fear. I realize that this is the first time in your life that you've faced something you just can't buy. Perhaps you can take comfort in knowing that the rest of us face things like this every day. Maybe that will make life a little more real for you.
Best regards,
There are lots of posts out there questioning whether it's really a profit or really positive cash flow, or whether they took a different slant on the numbers to make it look good. Just remember that non-tech businesses all do the same crap. Regardless of what the angle, they have shown that there are valid business models based largely on GPLed software. They have thrown a big "eat your words" into the face of M$. This comes at a critical time where evidence like this can be used to defuse some of the M$ propaganda. Way to go Red Hat!
I hate to be the ultimate pessimist here, but be aware that purchasing ANY of the handhelds right now could be a mistake. It all depends on what you plan to use it for.
If you're looking for something to keep your schedule on and handle light office duties, I'd definitely recommend the iPAQ. I've been using one for quite a while, and while it has its problems, it's pretty useable. Compaq initially had some hardware problems and trouble with the color displays, but I think they've fixed all of that. The newer models have 64MB of memory (instead of just 32), and should be more useable.
If you just want a handheld so that you can say you have a handheld, I advise that you wait. One of the most powerful aspects of these new computers is their ability to make wireless connections to the internet. Right now, there are basically two choices -- CDPD in the US, and GSM in Europe. Neither gives you a tremendously fast or reliable connection. The communications industry is in the process of deploying better capability, but since much funding has recently been yanked from those projects, there will be a longer wait. But if you can hold on until some of the dust settles, I think you'll be happier in the end. Also, if Palm wants to stay in business, they'll need to come up with something that tops the "Pocket PC." If they are successful, you could see a really cool technology war.
Also of interest are some of the new screen technologies that could eliminate the need for a backlight and make the units even slimmer. If hope turns into reality, devices with better displays and lower power requirements will one day be available.
If your primary reason for getting a PDA is to run Linux on it, you may want to be careful. Making a mistake while installing Linux on the iPAQ can render the device completely unusable, and I wouldn't count on Compaq being kind enough to fix it for you when used in such a manner.
Maybe this is why Verizon was so unresponsive to me back during that time. But somehow, I can't help but feel that there's something else wrong here. After all, wouldn't Verizon have noticed much earlier that such a large percentage of their trouble tickets were wrong? Couldn't they have at that time had a little pep talk?
[conspiracy]What are the chances that these employees who have now stepped forward have been provided some incentive to do so by Verizon?[/conspiracy]
OK. So maybe not everybody was suffering from CTS, but many were obviously suffering from similar symptoms as a result of the repetitive stress of typing. Who cares whether it was CTS or some other disorder. It still hurts! I suffered from some problems that were actually related to the positioning of my shoulders. After an ergonomics expert recognized the problem, I made changes to my sitting position, and the problems went away. Now they say most of it was just hysteria? Come on. Did they even possibly consider the fact that all of the expenditures to improve ergonomics and awareness over the past several years may have paid off a little? Most keyboards at least have a wrist rest now. People have modified their posture and typing position. People have started doing stretching exercises. I believe all of this at least contributed to the reduction of reported CTS incidents.
No, I think that was one of the lamest studies I've seen -- either that, or the article was not thorough. In order to make it a valid study, you'd have to put in some controls. Namely, you'd need a 80's style environment where people sit in poorly adjusted chairs with keyboard set up too high and tilted the wrong way. Study this for several years with the same people, and see how many CTS reports there are.
Oh yeah, I'm going to sit down with my Mom and show her how to build this file so that she can make sure she doesn't get pro-M$ content.
Since M$ pretty much forces you to have THEIR OS installed on your computer, and THEIR browser, what makes you think you won't be force into THEIR "smart tag" contents? Oh sure, you can edit the file, but how many non/. readers do you think will do this? How much will/. have to pay M$ to get included in their file?
No, I'm sorry. As long as M$ has such control over what's in the file, it's a BAD thing. Now, if the file's contents were generated by a third, disinterested party (as though one exists), things might be better.
But for now, I say make page authors include a META tag to turn the feature ON for their website, rather than OFF. Site authors who like the feature will be more than happy to enable it for their pages.
As far as I'm concerned, Juno isn't really a free ISP right now. They're a free e-mail provider. I tried using their "free" ISP service, and surfed for probably two hours each on the first two days. After that, I didn't used them for the rest of the week. The next time I went to grab something off the 'net, I found that they'd classified me as a "heavy" user, and that I either needed to upgrade to their "premium" service or only surf after something like 4:00am. And the only reason I even signed up was because I was away from home and couldn't call my ISP locally. I needed something for some light web usage.
NetZero, on the other hand, has been much better. You can guess who's tactics I hope they use with the merger.
Now would one of those PHBs please cite one, JUST ONE, example of someone successfully suing Microsoft over the quality or reliability of their products or support?
I never said they had to be successful. They just needed to be able to sue -- not win. Seriously, though, let me clarify. They are looking for a company with the resources to make and keep promises. This, of course, does not address the fact that most CIOs have been conditioned to accept pure hogwash when it comes to code and support quality.
I think the single biggest roadblock that you'll find to Fortune 500 companies jumping on the Open Source bandwagon is the lack of an official support structure. Yes, we all know that there are hundreds of thousands of developers out there to provide support, but this isn't tangible to a CIO. They need a corporate or organizational entity that they can rely on to back them up, and they won't be comfortable unless there's somebody they can sue. There are lots of little support companies out there, but they're kind of like bubbles in a glass of soda. They appear and disappear mighty quickly. This doesn't instill confidence.
Now, on the other hand, I should think Fortune 500 companies that don't get their revenue from software would be willing to participate in development of Open Source software to fill unmet needs. Perhaps this is where it should start. That would enable IS infrastructures to build up a relationship with Open Source developers by working with them to develop a solution. Then, perhaps in the future, they'd be a little less squeamish about using existing OSS for other projects.
Maybe if we had a list of reliable "big name" companies (like IBM) for OSS support that we could publish in some prominent newspaper, it would aid in this quest.
This latency thing is the real killer for satellite. It makes playing most games over the 'net almost impossible, and other applications that require back and forth communications will be slow likewise.
I'd like to see somebody implement one of those flying radio stations with some serious bandwidth. That should provide pretty good performance, and would probably end up being cheaper, as you don't need a booster rocket to get your equipment up, and don't have to design the equipment to withstand radiation that hasn't been tempered by our atmosphere.
It's actually a pretty neat idea. The problem is that the ogre implementing it is anything but benevolent. I hope they aren't transferring the entire contents of your page back to one of their servers to search for possible links....
Given that they'll probably implement the feature whether we like it or not, let's instead think of some ways to make this concept more palatable. It seems that it will be turned "off" by default, so that's a good thing. I think it would probably be much better if you could choose what source to obtain your "smart links" from. That way, there could be competitive databases that provide a more fair distribution of links. This should, of course, be chosen within the same dialog box as the switch that turns the feature on in the first place. Any other ideas?
Slashdot Mirror
Having said that, anybody know how we can get in on the IPO? Or is it, as usual, only open to the priveleged.
GreyPoopon
--
They don't have written records of how the pyramids were constructed. It makes more sense that they would have more personal records on the fact that they were enslaved. Most of the written records would have been created after they left and would have focused more on their experience rather than the technology of pyramid making.
GreyPoopon
--
This is an interesting view, but I think there's a bunch of people living in Israel (not to mention other parts of the world) that would strongly disagree. I'm pretty sure they have the written records to adequately describe their slavery at the time. Perhaps some of these pyramids and other items were erected after their departure from Egypt, but it's safe to say that slaves were used at some point during pyramid construction.
GreyPoopon
--
No, we wouldn't want to protect any foreign interests like, say, oil, upon which we are dependent.
Don't be naive. The United States doesn't get into a war or battle or peacekeeping missions just because it believes thats "the right thing to do." Most of the time, such participation is sparked by a very specific interest. With regards to middle-eastern countries, you can rest assured that the interest is in oil. The United States depends upon it. Take that away, and we are crippled. Why do you think there is a strategic oil reserve that people are reluctant to touch? It's not really there for consumers.
GreyPoopon
--
(Note that I'm joking and perfectly aware that the knowledge base can just be copied)
GreyPoopon
--
Also, they're probably a bit too expensive (at least for the home firewall). I dunno, maybe I'm just too cheap. For use as a firewall, maybe you could use both the ethernet port, and a USB -> Ethernet adaptor for the other?
GreyPoopon
--
I did think of one possible application: Such a device might be a good addition to my laptop. If I carried it along, I could use it as a small server to properly test those applications that require truly separate client and server machines. I could probably also store all of my less-used downloads on it, given that it has more storage capacity than my laptop.
Maybe somebody will turn one of these puppies into a time-shifting video recorder? That would be totally cool, but still too expensive.
GreyPoopon
--
Of course, he probably never reads e-mail anyway. Wait, I've got a better idea. Everybody print out all of your spam mail. We'll bag it up and dump all of the bags on his front lawn. We'll tell him he can read all of our spam for us so that businesses don't lose their opportunity.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
I totally agree -- as long as the tests are elective. But I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the big insurance companies requested to have DNA testing included with other blood tests performed just after birth.
GreyPoopon
--
Agreed. The thing the worries me most is that people will THINK they understand things and will use that information incorrectly. Of course, this kind of thing was happening long before genetics research. I guess we don't always learn until we make a mistake.
Interesting. Somebody mod this parent up.
I don't have as much of a problem with this as I would with concessions against people who have genetic preconditions towards something that is not curable. For example, diabetes runs in my family (Type 2). If I'm found to have enough of the 15 or so gene sequences linked to diabetes, my insurance company could decide to drastically increase my rates. Or health care could require that I sign a clause that relieves them of the responsibility of paying for typical diabetic treatment items. All of this could happen, even though I might never become diabetic because I exercise and eat carefully. They could even choose to monitor my exercise and diet to use that as a condition of my insurance. This is where my largest fear comes in. Actually, I fear more for my children at this point than myself.
GreyPoopon
--
To add to this article, remember that even though human genome mapping has been considered complete, reports have since been released indicating that there just isn't enough genetic matter there to effectively map all human characteristics, and that there most be something else that contributes. It might be some of the latent DNA sequences that are considered to be trash, or something else within the proteins themselves. All of this adds up to some pretty big arguments should any of us enounter "gene prejudice."
GreyPoopon
--
I'd also like to let you know that I'm sorry you can't understand how companies could actually make money with GPLed software. Perhaps you should schedule a tour at Red Hat and see how it can be done. Maybe this will help to control some of your fears and put the spring back into your step.
Finally, I want to let you know that I forgive you for lying. I know that most of your words lately have been spoken in fear. I realize that this is the first time in your life that you've faced something you just can't buy. Perhaps you can take comfort in knowing that the rest of us face things like this every day. Maybe that will make life a little more real for you. Best regards,
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
If you're looking for something to keep your schedule on and handle light office duties, I'd definitely recommend the iPAQ. I've been using one for quite a while, and while it has its problems, it's pretty useable. Compaq initially had some hardware problems and trouble with the color displays, but I think they've fixed all of that. The newer models have 64MB of memory (instead of just 32), and should be more useable.
If you just want a handheld so that you can say you have a handheld, I advise that you wait. One of the most powerful aspects of these new computers is their ability to make wireless connections to the internet. Right now, there are basically two choices -- CDPD in the US, and GSM in Europe. Neither gives you a tremendously fast or reliable connection. The communications industry is in the process of deploying better capability, but since much funding has recently been yanked from those projects, there will be a longer wait. But if you can hold on until some of the dust settles, I think you'll be happier in the end. Also, if Palm wants to stay in business, they'll need to come up with something that tops the "Pocket PC." If they are successful, you could see a really cool technology war.
Also of interest are some of the new screen technologies that could eliminate the need for a backlight and make the units even slimmer. If hope turns into reality, devices with better displays and lower power requirements will one day be available.
If your primary reason for getting a PDA is to run Linux on it, you may want to be careful. Making a mistake while installing Linux on the iPAQ can render the device completely unusable, and I wouldn't count on Compaq being kind enough to fix it for you when used in such a manner.
GreyPoopon
--
[conspiracy]What are the chances that these employees who have now stepped forward have been provided some incentive to do so by Verizon?[/conspiracy]
I can't wait to see a rebuttal on this one.
GreyPoopon
--
No, I think that was one of the lamest studies I've seen -- either that, or the article was not thorough. In order to make it a valid study, you'd have to put in some controls. Namely, you'd need a 80's style environment where people sit in poorly adjusted chairs with keyboard set up too high and tilted the wrong way. Study this for several years with the same people, and see how many CTS reports there are.
GreyPoopon
--
Since M$ pretty much forces you to have THEIR OS installed on your computer, and THEIR browser, what makes you think you won't be force into THEIR "smart tag" contents? Oh sure, you can edit the file, but how many non /. readers do you think will do this? How much will /. have to pay M$ to get included in their file?
No, I'm sorry. As long as M$ has such control over what's in the file, it's a BAD thing. Now, if the file's contents were generated by a third, disinterested party (as though one exists), things might be better.
But for now, I say make page authors include a META tag to turn the feature ON for their website, rather than OFF. Site authors who like the feature will be more than happy to enable it for their pages.
GreyPoopon
--
NetZero, on the other hand, has been much better. You can guess who's tactics I hope they use with the merger.
GreyPoopon
--
I never said they had to be successful. They just needed to be able to sue -- not win. Seriously, though, let me clarify. They are looking for a company with the resources to make and keep promises. This, of course, does not address the fact that most CIOs have been conditioned to accept pure hogwash when it comes to code and support quality.
GreyPoopon
--
Now, on the other hand, I should think Fortune 500 companies that don't get their revenue from software would be willing to participate in development of Open Source software to fill unmet needs. Perhaps this is where it should start. That would enable IS infrastructures to build up a relationship with Open Source developers by working with them to develop a solution. Then, perhaps in the future, they'd be a little less squeamish about using existing OSS for other projects.
Maybe if we had a list of reliable "big name" companies (like IBM) for OSS support that we could publish in some prominent newspaper, it would aid in this quest.
GreyPoopon
--
I'd like to see somebody implement one of those flying radio stations with some serious bandwidth. That should provide pretty good performance, and would probably end up being cheaper, as you don't need a booster rocket to get your equipment up, and don't have to design the equipment to withstand radiation that hasn't been tempered by our atmosphere.
GreyPoopon
--
Given that they'll probably implement the feature whether we like it or not, let's instead think of some ways to make this concept more palatable. It seems that it will be turned "off" by default, so that's a good thing. I think it would probably be much better if you could choose what source to obtain your "smart links" from. That way, there could be competitive databases that provide a more fair distribution of links. This should, of course, be chosen within the same dialog box as the switch that turns the feature on in the first place. Any other ideas?
GreyPoopon
--