Well... usually 8, and by definition it is supposed to be 8. However gcc for one allow a byte to be something else, and indeed there is at least one architecture that it is not 8, but I can't remember what it is called right now.
As a side point, I went for a job interview a few weeks back. They said my technical skills were excellent, but I lacked communication and teamworking skills. Heh. That's what I get being slashdot all the time I guess.
It's reassuring to know that I'm wrong. Btw, if I may ask, do you have a proper slashdot account? I'm just after a yes or no - since I know quite a few women chose to not let on so they aren't treated differently etc..
a) GPL lets you hide altered source if you don't give the program to anyone else. b) I don't think the evil terrorists would care if they weren't allowed
Please note that this is not a straight replacement, or something that is like outlook (that is what kroupware etc is aiming for) but they are aiming more to change things to make it better.
I'm going to be sexist here, and say that i haven't yet met any women who I think would be good at computer science. Sure I've lived a sheltered sad life etc etc ( I can already hear the replies..)
But women just don't seem to be as logical. That's why they are good at drama, writing, art, and so on - they are much better at that sort of thing.
Oh sure there are girls who are intelligent and hard working enough to get good grades, but only by brute force, not by understanding, or even enjoying. My gf is in my degree course with me, and the highest (or thereabouts) marks out of all the girls, but does not enjoy or understand computers and logic in the way guys do. Women do computing because they think there is good money, or they want to be managers.
I hope that I will be proved wrong.:)
(And please no replies on anything along the lines of how this attitude is driving away women etc. - It is possible to have an opinion but not act on it)
Heh, I had a problem with my physics teacher as well. A past A-level exam paper had a question on two particles of equal mass that colide with each other. The question was why is it possible for there to be enough energy for them merge (or some reaction to happen - i forget what) if they both travel at each other at 5m/s, when there isn't enough energy for the merging when one is stationary and one moves at 10m/s.
I remember arguing about it and saying that it goes any relativity if this happens, and after a couple of hours of going over, he agreed the question wrong.
It really really bugged me that something like that could be in an exam. Makes me wonder what other wrong questions there are, where you lose marks for giving the right answer.
I thought this at first, but when you think about... At some point you are going to need English. The program names are English, and so are the directories. So are usernames (?) or at least 'root' is. Further than that I cannot say. Whether doing the application menu in english is a design plan, not possible yet (mixing of english (program name) and hindu description, on one line), or a to-be-done, I don't know.
Switching to linux - there are patches (or modules for the linux security modules) that restrict roots privileges so that they don't have rights to defrag, or fdisk or access directories you configure it at as. The usual way this works is that if you do need to make changes that root isn't allowed, then you need to have physical access to the machine. Then you switch to a particular console (not an xterm, and not all consoles - just one or two of them would be valid) log in as root, and then you sort of su to a user higher than root. Then you can either disable the protection for the whole system, or just for that console, and then make your changes, then put the protection back on. Of course it is configurable, and you can chose to not make it possible at all to make changes, so that to change anything you have to reboot into another kernel, or whatever. To make sure that a person really cannot ever read certain files, you would need to encrypt them of course..
To protect you when you misconfigured, for one. Are you sure webmin is configured to not accept remote connections? And xfs? And {x,d,g}dm? And mysql?
And so on. Much easier to say explicitly say what you _do_ want to be allowed access to from the internet, than to try to make everything is always configured correctly. Of course want to do make sure it is also configured correctly, but a firewall will help you when you do make a mistake. Not to mention when you automatically upgrade a piece of software and it changes the configuration files to allow access again - you might miss that.
I don't know what they are doing, but one example would be for someone to go through the text and add in markers for how the computer should say things (angry, loud, etc), so you get the right inflections and voices etc.
Except that's not what they said - they said if more air went in than came out. The other reply to my message clarified what they meant. I am however correct in what I say - if more air went in than out, it would explode:P
I didn't say that decision making was related to IQ - I was just saying that it is hardly a bizarre notion.that they are correlated.
I would be interested if you find that study? I can see how it might break down at extremes - sometimes people with high IQ's can be a bit eccentric, but it seems counter-intuitive to me. As for the toolbox analogy - I wouldn't trust someone with an empty toolbox to build something for me;)
"what does your problem with current events in Iraq have to do with lead poisoning"
I thought he made that link very clear. Basically his reasoning was that the lead poisoning must have corroded peoples IQ to the point where they can't seem to manage the war correctly. If it wasn't the lead, then what else was it that caused the apparent lack of IQ.
"As far as your typical rant against capitalism and our suckering for Advertising, I don't know what you're talking about pal. I don't own a dell, and I don't connect via America online. Yet you included me in your sampling of northern, central, and south America." So..... because you personally don't own a Dell, that means the correlation (and causation) between advertisements and sales doesn't exist? Or have I misunderstood you?
"You want to draw some bizarre corrallary between lead products and lack of wisdom?" Assuming that the mean "corollary" (spellcheck in Konqueror rocks! ahem..) and also assuming that the causation link between lead and IQ holds (which isn't that far of a stretch given the evidence and the article) then your question boils down to: "You want to draw some bizarre link between IQ and wisdom?" - which I wouldn't call bizarre.
Btw, Americans do seem to be very patriotic compared to the rest of the world. This is good and bad, but one of the bad points is that it makes it harder to accept criticism - although of course nobody likes criticism.
porting isn't really difficult, but neither is it just easy. assume that it was all written in java, and the ps2, xbox and dreamcast all hava jvm's.. It would still take a lot of time to tune it well to fully take full advantage of the hardware (hmm perhaps using a java example wasn't such a good idea), and optimise/cut-up-bits in the areas the box isn't good at.
Slashdot Mirror
My own answer would be:
Well... usually 8, and by definition it is supposed to be 8. However gcc for one allow a byte to be something else, and indeed there is at least one architecture that it is not 8, but I can't remember what it is called right now.
As a side point, I went for a job interview a few weeks back. They said my technical skills were excellent, but I lacked communication and teamworking skills. Heh.
That's what I get being slashdot all the time I guess.
It's reassuring to know that I'm wrong.
Btw, if I may ask, do you have a proper slashdot account? I'm just after a yes or no - since I know quite a few women chose to not let on so they aren't treated differently etc..
JohnFlux
Well - just a couple of non-serious points:
a) GPL lets you hide altered source if you don't give the program to anyone else.
b) I don't think the evil terrorists would care if they weren't allowed
And all languages expand till they are lisp.
Actually I'm writing some software and will consider it a success when it is good enough to be accepted into the gnu project.
It doesn't say about compression or twist strength tho...
Please note that this is not a straight replacement, or something that is like outlook (that is what kroupware etc is aiming for) but they are aiming more to change things to make it better.
:)
Btw, did anyone find any screenshots?
I'm going to be sexist here, and say that i haven't yet met any women who I think would be good at computer science. Sure I've lived a sheltered sad life etc etc ( I can already hear the replies..)
:)
But women just don't seem to be as logical. That's why they are good at drama, writing, art, and so on - they are much better at that sort of thing.
Oh sure there are girls who are intelligent and hard working enough to get good grades, but only by brute force, not by understanding, or even enjoying.
My gf is in my degree course with me, and the highest (or thereabouts) marks out of all the girls, but does not enjoy or understand computers and logic in the way guys do.
Women do computing because they think there is good money, or they want to be managers.
I hope that I will be proved wrong.
(And please no replies on anything along the lines of how this attitude is driving away women etc. - It is possible to have an opinion but not act on it)
Heh, I had a problem with my physics teacher as well.
A past A-level exam paper had a question on two particles of equal mass that colide with each other. The question was why is it possible for there to be enough energy for them merge (or some reaction to happen - i forget what) if they both travel at each other at 5m/s, when there isn't enough energy for the merging when one is stationary and one moves at 10m/s.
I remember arguing about it and saying that it goes any relativity if this happens, and after a couple of hours of going over, he agreed the question wrong.
It really really bugged me that something like that could be in an exam. Makes me wonder what other wrong questions there are, where you lose marks for giving the right answer.
I thought this at first, but when you think about...
At some point you are going to need English. The program names are English, and so are the directories. So are usernames (?) or at least 'root' is. Further than that I cannot say. Whether doing the application menu in english is a design plan, not possible yet (mixing of english (program name) and hindu description, on one line), or a to-be-done, I don't know.
One of my howto's was translated to hungary ( I think) and I've had tons of hungarian spam email now ;)
oh I agree - which is why I said about encrypting the data if you don't want ppl to see it.
The xbox is a bad example of harddisk authentication because it was done very badly. It will be almost impossible when done correctly.
Switching to linux - there are patches (or modules for the linux security modules) that restrict roots privileges so that they don't have rights to defrag, or fdisk or access directories you configure it at as.
The usual way this works is that if you do need to make changes that root isn't allowed, then you need to have physical access to the machine. Then you switch to a particular console (not an xterm, and not all consoles - just one or two of them would be valid) log in as root, and then you sort of su to a user higher than root.
Then you can either disable the protection for the whole system, or just for that console, and then make your changes, then put the protection back on.
Of course it is configurable, and you can chose to not make it possible at all to make changes, so that to change anything you have to reboot into another kernel, or whatever.
To make sure that a person really cannot ever read certain files, you would need to encrypt them of course..
To protect you when you misconfigured, for one.
Are you sure webmin is configured to not accept remote connections? And xfs? And {x,d,g}dm? And mysql?
And so on.
Much easier to say explicitly say what you _do_ want to be allowed access to from the internet, than to try to make everything is always configured correctly. Of course want to do make sure it is also configured correctly, but a firewall will help you when you do make a mistake. Not to mention when you automatically upgrade a piece of software and it changes the configuration files to allow access again - you might miss that.
There seem to be more zealot zealot-haters than any other kind of zealots..
I don't know what they are doing, but one example would be for someone to go through the text and add in markers for how the computer should say things (angry, loud, etc), so you get the right inflections and voices etc.
You hit the nail on the head. Stallman has said this himself many times.
Except that's not what they said - they said if more air went in than came out. The other reply to my message clarified what they meant. I am however correct in what I say - if more air went in than out, it would explode :P
If you have more air going in that out, won't it fill up with air, making the pressure rise until it explodes?
I see your point.
;)
I didn't say that decision making was related to IQ - I was just saying that it is hardly a bizarre notion.that they are correlated.
I would be interested if you find that study?
I can see how it might break down at extremes - sometimes people with high IQ's can be a bit eccentric, but it seems counter-intuitive to me. As for the toolbox analogy - I wouldn't trust someone with an empty toolbox to build something for me
"I'd also like to point out that my girlfriend is a model " :P
bah, you just made my foes list
"what does your problem with current events in Iraq have to do with lead poisoning"
I thought he made that link very clear. Basically his reasoning was that the lead poisoning must have corroded peoples IQ to the point where they can't seem to manage the war correctly. If it wasn't the lead, then what else was it that caused the apparent lack of IQ.
"As far as your typical rant against capitalism and our suckering for Advertising, I don't know what you're talking about pal. I don't own a dell, and I don't connect via America online. Yet you included me in your sampling of northern, central, and south America."
So..... because you personally don't own a Dell, that means the correlation (and causation) between advertisements and sales doesn't exist? Or have I misunderstood you?
"You want to draw some bizarre corrallary between lead products and lack of wisdom?"
Assuming that the mean "corollary" (spellcheck in Konqueror rocks! ahem..) and also assuming that the causation link between lead and IQ holds (which isn't that far of a stretch given the evidence and the article) then your question boils down to:
"You want to draw some bizarre link between IQ and wisdom?" - which I wouldn't call bizarre.
Btw, Americans do seem to be very patriotic compared to the rest of the world. This is good and bad, but one of the bad points is that it makes it harder to accept criticism - although of course nobody likes criticism.
A better example would be using the reformed pedophile to catch other pedophiles, since they know how they think and act...
have you not tried any functional languages at all?
porting isn't really difficult, but neither is it just easy.
assume that it was all written in java, and the ps2, xbox and dreamcast all hava jvm's..
It would still take a lot of time to tune it well to fully take full advantage of the hardware (hmm perhaps using a java example wasn't such a good idea), and optimise/cut-up-bits in the areas the box isn't good at.