What they won't show, perhaps ever...
on
15 Minutes
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· Score: 4
But is there anything they wouldn't put on television, no matter how gruesome or sensational? John Herzfeld's 15 Minutes takes on Big Media and America's corruption by celebrity and money, and answers that question with a No.
Actually, there is, at least for now, though I tend to think it will happen soon enough, given America's appetite for "reality" TV:
Live Death Penalty
IIRC, in the late 80's this was debated to be done on some person who was up for the death penalty, to be executed in short time. I don't remember the manner of the execution, but I think it was to be lethal injection. At any rate, talks actually went real far into doing a pay-per-view thing, where the subscribers could watch the execution. They got the "condemmed" to sign paperwork and everything. However, all this caused such an uproar that it was cancelled, and the individual was executed in a more "normal" fashion.
I remember that a TV movie came out later, that was fiction, about a death row individual getting the electric chair live on TV (pay-per-view) in a stadium (with live seat tickets being expensive, but greatly in demand), and how a reporter uncovered evidence that he was innocent, but didn't manage to save the individual in time (because of viewers lust for "blood" - thus the execution, in fiction, of an innocent man).
I don't remember this too well. I appologize, hopefully someone can back me up.
I for one would not want to see such a thing, and wouldn't pay money to see it. I honestly wonder though at the sanity of a society that, so bent on satiating the apetite for violence with reality TV and such (movies, etc), are loath to see the final consequence of such actions - the mortal death of another human being.
Perhaps it is the lack of a reminder that we all can die, will die, and may die at the hands of another individual, that drives the lack of respect and responsibilty in American society?
Isn't this akin to the same kind of thing that happened to all the DSS hackers/crackers not too long ago? I mean, they could see the bits of code that Hughes was sending out to thier cards - it wasn't until the final piece got inserted did they find out the "surprise".
Who says the same sort of thing hasn't happened with the kernel changes? Perhaps they are all, or nearly all in place, waiting for that last bit to open it up? Or maybe they will be delivered as patches, until the right moment. I'll admit that it should be very hard to do such a thing in an open source system, but that doesn't make it unlikely.
IIRC, it was called Tabs, Pads, and Boards. Basically, the badges were the Tabs - that tracked you through the building. The Pads were essentially wireless network palm style devices (maybe Newton sized, IIRC). They could communicate between each other, so that if one person wrote on his Pad, others in the "meeting" could see his ideas, etc. The "Boards" were large electronic whiteboards, also networked to the Pads, to allow everyone to "collaborate" in the meeting, and carry the data back with them (how often have you wished you had what was on the whiteboard? Sucks to redraw it out).
This was MANY years ago - at least 10 years ago. I remember seeing it while I was in high school. Only now are the pieces really falling into place.
I just wonder why it takes so damn long for these type things to catch on (like multimedia - started in the mid-80's with the Amiga, didn't become popular until the mid-90's with the PC).
Found in the other article on/. on one-handed keyboards a link to a page on wearables. About 3/4 of the way down on this page is several links to LCD and display companies. They might have something...
While they may not be the ideal thing you are looking for, maybe they can help: LCD modules. A number of places sell them:
Matrix Orbital and CrystalFontz both sell serial capable LCD modules in a variety of formats. I didn't see any true graphic modules, but they may be able to get them. Most all have the capability to be backlit (and the backlights are BRIGHT) - note to those making custom PCs: They both sell drive bay insert kits for the LCDs, too...
Scott Edward's Electronics sells small serial graphic LCD displays, and also sells text only VFD displays (VFDs are vacuum flourescent displays - extremely bright). He sells one bay enclosure for one of the VFDs. His largest serial LCD graphic display is 128x64 pixels, backlit, and measures 88 x 38.8 mm.
Finally, Micro Electronics (MEC) sells a variety of LCDs - ma ny are HD44780-based, or compatible, so they are easy to wire up. However, they seem to have a line of graphics modules as well - I don't know if they are bare or have controllers, but the largest (SG320240B) has a resolution of 320x240 (viewable area of 120 x 90 mm). Unfortunately their pages seem to be having problems or something - call them up though, and talk to them. They have a very friendly and helpful staff.
Another option you might try looking into would be small TVs, driving them with a VGA->TV converter. A good converter will give nice results (I have an Averkey iMicro that is excellent and cheap - $100), even on a cheesy small TV. For simple status displays, it might work out well.
Go with dumb terminals (serial) - the dumber the better. My favorite? The VT100 - green on black monochrome, oh so nice on the eyes, readable in nearly any situation (even a smoke filled room!).
I have seen these things in conditions that would make you blanch. Most of the time, the keyboards are bare, and are covered with such grime you wonder how these guys who can't touch type can hunt-n-peck, because you can't see the letters on the keys anymore (perhaps they really do touch type now, they just don't know it?). The really paranoid places put a keyboard condom on the keyboards, a guess to make 'em last another 15 years or so.
If you can do this in your situation, it would probably be best. The terminals are relatively cheap, and they last forever.
Not that it would be cheap, but have you thought of using several DLT drives in a RAID configuration of some sort?
I know I have heard of mirroring and parity systems using multiple parallel running tape drives - I am not sure how reliable they are/were - but it should be possible (if expensive).
Tape is actually very robust, and lasts a long time. There is a reason it is used so much in the industry.
I guess another possibility would be to find a card punch and a large cache of cards and... oh nevermind...
That's pretty wide - didn't think it would be that wide. I still think that if it isn't too "thick", it could still be done with a thin enough monofilament. Heck, even if it was 50 feet thick, there would still be enough clearance between the end of the filament and the water as it swings around. Also remember that as it wraps around the bridge, the "attachment" point changes, in effect speeding up the swing.
Heh - all of this is sounding to complicated to be practical, though - there is probably a simpler solution.
No - you don't shoot a weight, and have the string on a reel - instead you shoot a ball of string (I would use a lightweight monofilament, maybe mylar monofilament - with the weight in the middle), with one end tied to the bridge. I would think, properly wound (beforehand, in a shop somewhere) in a ball, that you could get it down to the size of a baseball, probably less.
The hope is to shoot the string and weight out until it is taut, then let gravity (coupled with centrifugal force to keep the string taut) swing it down and around.
I really don't know how wide the bridge is, nor how high above the water it is - but I doubt it is very wide - doesn't it only have 2 or 3 lanes of traffic in each direction? - so maybe only 50 or 60 feet wide or so? Make it about 20 feet thick, and you are looking at perhaps 100-130 feet of monofilament, tops.
I bet I have an idea as to "how" - use an air cannon to shoot a weighted ball of string at a near vertical (say, 15-30 degrees) angle from one side of the bridge. The length of this ball of string should be about triple (maybe more, given the thickness of the bridge - but not so long as to be longer than the bridge is high, above the waterline) the width of the bridge. The air cannon would shoot this wad of string out, and it would unravel in an arc. When the weight reached the end of travel, hopefully most of its forward momentum would be converted into an angular momentum, and the weight would start to fall, eventually swinging up and wrapping "around" the bridge, to be "caught" by individuals on the other side.
...of a store once (I think it was a HomeBase) because they used this and wouldn't let me sign a regular receipt. The cashier called the manager over and proceeded to insinuate that I was some nut who wouldn't sign the pad. I explained to the manager my reasoning (in a loud enough voice so that others in line could hear) that, once they have a digitized signature, how could I prove that someone has forged my name should they happen to gain access to that file? How easy it would be for an individual to cut and paste the image into a Word document, and "sign" my name to whatever they wish. How, in a day and age where mass numbers of credit card numbers are routinely stolen online and off, that I could trust that such a digitized image would be safe? Many of the customers in line got a clue, became slightly aghast (when they relized how many places they had signed on a pad), but did nod to my statements. I am certain those individuals will never sign a pad, either.
Despite my protests, the manager still insisted that I sign the "pad". I told him no, got my card back, and said I could buy my merchandise at more enlightened vendors, like Home Depot.
Is it any wonder that HomeBase is going under now (ok, maybe it has nothing to do with the pads, but it would be a nice thought)?
I never once used these pads when they first appeared at Best Buy. Then Sears got them, then HomeBase - even the post office has them (though they don't use them - yet). I tend to wonder how long it will be before they start to take a picture of your face at time of checkout (and in theory, they already do with the numerous security cameras in most places).
Kinda makes you want to wear a ski-mask and gloves whereever you shop and pay with cash (of course, once routine DNA collecting occurs, it won't matter).
I agree with you on this one - I understand being religious and such, but destroying such works (two 100+ foot Buddas, from the 4th or 5th century) is a shame to archeology and anthropology studies. It's frustrating to see this occur (mainly because they are another country, and can, and should, be able to do what they please, within limits).
I rank it right up there with the flooding of old temples in China due to the Yangtzee (sp?) river damn project - that is such a beautiful valley, and wonderful old temples - all to be put under a lake for power (if it hasn't happened already)...
Is a book detailing the history of "hobbiest" computing before 1970. In other words, there had to be hobbiests building thier own computers out of junked telephone relays, vacuum (sp?) tubes, homemade punched cards - maybe even a few fortunate ones managed to salvage some transistors, or even a thrown out teletype (or maybe hooked up an electric typewriter, or something.
I tend to pick up nearly any book related to computer history. My favorite books that I own are actually historical in nature, in that they were written as "up-to-date" cutting-edge "about computers"-type books - but are from the 1950's and 60's. I managed to find one book on the building the TV Typewriter (though this is from the 1970's). I also have a strange "homebrew" book (I hesitate to call it this - it is stapled along one edge, typewritten, 30 odd sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch paper - very homebrew) detailing building computers from scratch. I can't remember the publication date, but I believe it was around the early 70's.
Anyhow - I am sure that there were hackers building computers in their garages - not anything like we would call PC's - they weren't portable by any means - but more like homebrew minis or mainframes. Like we have hackers today homebrewing supercomputers from throw away old pentium boxes.
Does anyone have any ideas, info, or anecdotes about this? I would be especially interested in the latter. Any "old-timers" with strange friends? More importantly - do any of these old machines still exist (side note - it is like tracking down old homebrew robots - nearly impossible to find - I know of one still in existance - AROK - one that I have pics of, but nothing else, that I would love to find out if it still exists, was called CHARLIE - about 6 feet tall, white, boxlike humanoid construction)...
Re:This reminds me of Disclosure
on
MUD Shell
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· Score: 2
I doubt an 80-year old secretary will want to walk the "distance" a real DB would entail - especially in the VRE imagined in Disclosure. Even a normal healthy individual wouldn't do it (else we would see more people riding a bike 20 miles to work).
You can't say, "Well, just make the world move faster around them" - because if you have never been in a real VR system, you can't imagine the nausea this would cause, as your brain is saying "you took two steps", but your eyes are saying "you moved 50 feet!" - most people would puke at that point, esp an 80 year old secretary.
It would be much better for you to stay in one spot, and have the data come to you based on a structured query, in a similar manner to SQL, but based off of more normal language. Not typed in language either, but spoken word.
Re:This reminds me of Disclosure
on
MUD Shell
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· Score: 2
SQL syntax is what I was thinking about, with a speech-to-text interface, and probably some kind of semantics and/or thesarus capabilty to resolve certain issues. It wouldn't be completely SQL syntax, but it would be close (ie, "Show me all employee records displaying name and address who have been employed since last November" would translate to "SELECT name, address FROM employees WHERE emp_since >= '11/01/2000'").
You are right about certain issues, but with the proper syntax defined for the language being spoken, to make it more compatible with SQL, it would probably work for most cases.
Re:This reminds me of Disclosure
on
MUD Shell
·
· Score: 4
I saw the movie a while back, and read the book not to long ago.
The thing I thought most stupid about both is how inefficient it would be to browse a database in this VR system! I mean, you have to actually walk over to a cabinet, open it, find the file, then open it and read it? Not the database you want? So now you walk down the corridor to a branch to find the portal to the next DB?
I am a strong advocate of VR - don't get me wrong. But database searching and retrieval doesn't seem to be an ideal app for virtual environments (one thing I found funny about the book - I can't remember it in the movie - was when they were looking at the 3D factory "spec" - what I couldn't understand is why the factory spec couldn't simply be "rendered" around them, instead of as a smaller model, allowing them to see many different details).
Virtual chatrooms - yes. Collaboration - yes. Surgery - yes. Training - yes. Architecture - yes. Trending/Statistics/Number modeling - yes.
All of these could benifit from a DB backend - but searching that DB shouldn't be a human process in the virtual world (ie, why couldn't they just ask the avatar - "angel" in the book - to find what they are looking for?)...
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~derekw/upntcvr.htm http://www.hut.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/laser l ink.html http://www.k3pgp.org/
Another site worth going to if you are interested in lasercomm stuff:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
Finally, one that appears to be dead (?) is Ronja. In my opinion, this is one of the best projects out there - if it is still going. IIRC, it uses both lasers and high-brightness LEDs for the system. From the opencollector.org DB:
Ronja 115 Loopipe
Category: design Clock 4 November 2000; 19:02
Ronja connects two PC's point-to-point, using visible light. The design is very simple, building is easy and complete guide will be availiable on the Web.
Schematics are availalble in the moment. Suitable for anybody who wants to communicate entirely freely in a direct line of sight. Building is cheap and requires only common tools available in home workshop. Communicates 115200 bps full duplex over 260m, but new, stronger version Ronja 666 Lucifer is in development.
Update
The Loopipe construction with HSDL1001 frontend has been successfully verified by another person, Pavouk.Two bugfixes resulted. He also designed a PCB. Pavouk tested the electronic part (not the optics), with success. The XTAL oscillator has been redesigned and HSDL1001 frontend was built for the first time and proved to be functional.
http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~clock/r0nj4
---
I remember the link working at one time though. I managed to get a copy of the info on the site. If anyone can confirm if the site is dead, alive, or moved, please let me know...
But I also like HTML help as well. I have looked at info help, but didn't like it as much.
The thing I like about HTML is the ability, which is lacking in man pages, of hyperlinks - when a command or program you are getting help on refers to another command or program, man pages highlight what command/program it is, but there is no simple way to just "go" to that other man page - you have to start another term window and "man" it.
How hard would it be to write a script to replace "man", in say, perl, and this script would perform the function of converting man pages into browsable HTML pages (using Lynx?) or automatically use Lynx if the page is already in HTML, or if the page is info based, convert that? Something like this should be possible.
I can't think of too many systems where you couldn't have a simple browser like Lynx to view help with. HTML makes perfect sense of help files, IMO.
Ah, I forgot about them - and you are correct, they do reprint it. Still, nothing beats holding a hardbound edition from the original publishers (ok, I am a small-time bibliophile, so sue me)...
I have a powerstrip that I love - though it has since been replaced (mostly) with two Tripp-Lite UPSs - anyhow...
I don't have the model number handy, but it was branded by Memorex - 8 outlets, all wall-wart capable (meaning if all you have is wall-warts, 8 will fit!). Surge protection, phone line protection, etc. All outlets are color coded, too (and matching tape strips are included to stick to the other end of the cords, so you know if you want to pull the power on the right cord). But the best feature I believe is...
Cord Corrals (ok, I made that up - but that is what they do!) - at the "bottom" of each outlet is a "C" shaped "runner", with a little space between each outlet. Plug the cord (or wall wart) in, and slip the cord between the slot and down the channel - all cords exit at one end, no more rats nest at the strip!
After checking Memorex's site (it seems it was called the "PowerCenter/Pro" or something), it has unfortunately been discontinued. Seems like this is the way with good products! Monster (www.monstercable.com) has a similar device, but it still isn't quite the same (doesn't have the cable corral system, it appears - and all plugs aren't spaced for wall-warts).
I have to say the only thing I dislike about the strip is its size - larger than most power strips (heh, if they did the APS thing and added a UPS to it, it would be perfect)...
Slashdot Mirror
But is there anything they wouldn't put on television, no matter how gruesome or sensational? John Herzfeld's 15 Minutes takes on Big Media and America's corruption by celebrity and money, and answers that question with a No.
Actually, there is, at least for now, though I tend to think it will happen soon enough, given America's appetite for "reality" TV:
Live Death Penalty
IIRC, in the late 80's this was debated to be done on some person who was up for the death penalty, to be executed in short time. I don't remember the manner of the execution, but I think it was to be lethal injection. At any rate, talks actually went real far into doing a pay-per-view thing, where the subscribers could watch the execution. They got the "condemmed" to sign paperwork and everything. However, all this caused such an uproar that it was cancelled, and the individual was executed in a more "normal" fashion.
I remember that a TV movie came out later, that was fiction, about a death row individual getting the electric chair live on TV (pay-per-view) in a stadium (with live seat tickets being expensive, but greatly in demand), and how a reporter uncovered evidence that he was innocent, but didn't manage to save the individual in time (because of viewers lust for "blood" - thus the execution, in fiction, of an innocent man).
I don't remember this too well. I appologize, hopefully someone can back me up.
I for one would not want to see such a thing, and wouldn't pay money to see it. I honestly wonder though at the sanity of a society that, so bent on satiating the apetite for violence with reality TV and such (movies, etc), are loath to see the final consequence of such actions - the mortal death of another human being.
Perhaps it is the lack of a reminder that we all can die, will die, and may die at the hands of another individual, that drives the lack of respect and responsibilty in American society?
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Isn't this akin to the same kind of thing that happened to all the DSS hackers/crackers not too long ago? I mean, they could see the bits of code that Hughes was sending out to thier cards - it wasn't until the final piece got inserted did they find out the "surprise".
Who says the same sort of thing hasn't happened with the kernel changes? Perhaps they are all, or nearly all in place, waiting for that last bit to open it up? Or maybe they will be delivered as patches, until the right moment. I'll admit that it should be very hard to do such a thing in an open source system, but that doesn't make it unlikely.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
IIRC, it was called Tabs, Pads, and Boards. Basically, the badges were the Tabs - that tracked you through the building. The Pads were essentially wireless network palm style devices (maybe Newton sized, IIRC). They could communicate between each other, so that if one person wrote on his Pad, others in the "meeting" could see his ideas, etc. The "Boards" were large electronic whiteboards, also networked to the Pads, to allow everyone to "collaborate" in the meeting, and carry the data back with them (how often have you wished you had what was on the whiteboard? Sucks to redraw it out).
This was MANY years ago - at least 10 years ago. I remember seeing it while I was in high school. Only now are the pieces really falling into place.
I just wonder why it takes so damn long for these type things to catch on (like multimedia - started in the mid-80's with the Amiga, didn't become popular until the mid-90's with the PC).
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
I am just going through those links, and man - great stuff! Pardon me for being a little lazy this time, but:
c om/frame/lcd/lcd.htmle ering.com/product.htmlt tery/cammonta.htma y/s on.com/products/lcd/lcdpassive.h tmh tmi spla ys.html
http://www.bolandcom.com/
http://www.mars-cam.
http://www.designtechengin
http://www.shabria.com/ba
http://www.densitron.com/displ
http://www.flat-panel.com/
http://www.eea.ep
http://www.kentdisplays.com/prod/products_hm.
http://www.semiconductor.agilent.com/led/intd
BTW - that last line should be "intdisplays.html" and NOT "intdispla ys.html"...
Look at all those displays! EXCELLENT!
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
This place may have what you are looking for...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Found in the other article on /. on one-handed keyboards a link to a page on wearables. About 3/4 of the way down on this page is several links to LCD and display companies. They might have something...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
While they may not be the ideal thing you are looking for, maybe they can help: LCD modules. A number of places sell them:
Matrix Orbital and CrystalFontz both sell serial capable LCD modules in a variety of formats. I didn't see any true graphic modules, but they may be able to get them. Most all have the capability to be backlit (and the backlights are BRIGHT) - note to those making custom PCs: They both sell drive bay insert kits for the LCDs, too...
Scott Edward's Electronics sells small serial graphic LCD displays, and also sells text only VFD displays (VFDs are vacuum flourescent displays - extremely bright). He sells one bay enclosure for one of the VFDs. His largest serial LCD graphic display is 128x64 pixels, backlit, and measures 88 x 38.8 mm.
Finally, Micro Electronics (MEC) sells a variety of LCDs - ma ny are HD44780-based, or compatible, so they are easy to wire up. However, they seem to have a line of graphics modules as well - I don't know if they are bare or have controllers, but the largest (SG320240B) has a resolution of 320x240 (viewable area of 120 x 90 mm). Unfortunately their pages seem to be having problems or something - call them up though, and talk to them. They have a very friendly and helpful staff.
Another option you might try looking into would be small TVs, driving them with a VGA->TV converter. A good converter will give nice results (I have an Averkey iMicro that is excellent and cheap - $100), even on a cheesy small TV. For simple status displays, it might work out well.
Hope this helps somewhat...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Get rid of the PCs on the floor.
Go with dumb terminals (serial) - the dumber the better. My favorite? The VT100 - green on black monochrome, oh so nice on the eyes, readable in nearly any situation (even a smoke filled room!).
I have seen these things in conditions that would make you blanch. Most of the time, the keyboards are bare, and are covered with such grime you wonder how these guys who can't touch type can hunt-n-peck, because you can't see the letters on the keys anymore (perhaps they really do touch type now, they just don't know it?). The really paranoid places put a keyboard condom on the keyboards, a guess to make 'em last another 15 years or so.
If you can do this in your situation, it would probably be best. The terminals are relatively cheap, and they last forever.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Not that it would be cheap, but have you thought of using several DLT drives in a RAID configuration of some sort?
I know I have heard of mirroring and parity systems using multiple parallel running tape drives - I am not sure how reliable they are/were - but it should be possible (if expensive).
Tape is actually very robust, and lasts a long time. There is a reason it is used so much in the industry.
I guess another possibility would be to find a card punch and a large cache of cards and... oh nevermind...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
That's pretty wide - didn't think it would be that wide. I still think that if it isn't too "thick", it could still be done with a thin enough monofilament. Heck, even if it was 50 feet thick, there would still be enough clearance between the end of the filament and the water as it swings around. Also remember that as it wraps around the bridge, the "attachment" point changes, in effect speeding up the swing.
Heh - all of this is sounding to complicated to be practical, though - there is probably a simpler solution.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
No - you don't shoot a weight, and have the string on a reel - instead you shoot a ball of string (I would use a lightweight monofilament, maybe mylar monofilament - with the weight in the middle), with one end tied to the bridge. I would think, properly wound (beforehand, in a shop somewhere) in a ball, that you could get it down to the size of a baseball, probably less.
The hope is to shoot the string and weight out until it is taut, then let gravity (coupled with centrifugal force to keep the string taut) swing it down and around.
I really don't know how wide the bridge is, nor how high above the water it is - but I doubt it is very wide - doesn't it only have 2 or 3 lanes of traffic in each direction? - so maybe only 50 or 60 feet wide or so? Make it about 20 feet thick, and you are looking at perhaps 100-130 feet of monofilament, tops.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
I bet I have an idea as to "how" - use an air cannon to shoot a weighted ball of string at a near vertical (say, 15-30 degrees) angle from one side of the bridge. The length of this ball of string should be about triple (maybe more, given the thickness of the bridge - but not so long as to be longer than the bridge is high, above the waterline) the width of the bridge. The air cannon would shoot this wad of string out, and it would unravel in an arc. When the weight reached the end of travel, hopefully most of its forward momentum would be converted into an angular momentum, and the weight would start to fall, eventually swinging up and wrapping "around" the bridge, to be "caught" by individuals on the other side.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
...of a store once (I think it was a HomeBase) because they used this and wouldn't let me sign a regular receipt. The cashier called the manager over and proceeded to insinuate that I was some nut who wouldn't sign the pad. I explained to the manager my reasoning (in a loud enough voice so that others in line could hear) that, once they have a digitized signature, how could I prove that someone has forged my name should they happen to gain access to that file? How easy it would be for an individual to cut and paste the image into a Word document, and "sign" my name to whatever they wish. How, in a day and age where mass numbers of credit card numbers are routinely stolen online and off, that I could trust that such a digitized image would be safe? Many of the customers in line got a clue, became slightly aghast (when they relized how many places they had signed on a pad), but did nod to my statements. I am certain those individuals will never sign a pad, either.
Despite my protests, the manager still insisted that I sign the "pad". I told him no, got my card back, and said I could buy my merchandise at more enlightened vendors, like Home Depot.
Is it any wonder that HomeBase is going under now (ok, maybe it has nothing to do with the pads, but it would be a nice thought)?
I never once used these pads when they first appeared at Best Buy. Then Sears got them, then HomeBase - even the post office has them (though they don't use them - yet). I tend to wonder how long it will be before they start to take a picture of your face at time of checkout (and in theory, they already do with the numerous security cameras in most places).
Kinda makes you want to wear a ski-mask and gloves whereever you shop and pay with cash (of course, once routine DNA collecting occurs, it won't matter).
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
I agree with you on this one - I understand being religious and such, but destroying such works (two 100+ foot Buddas, from the 4th or 5th century) is a shame to archeology and anthropology studies. It's frustrating to see this occur (mainly because they are another country, and can, and should, be able to do what they please, within limits).
I rank it right up there with the flooding of old temples in China due to the Yangtzee (sp?) river damn project - that is such a beautiful valley, and wonderful old temples - all to be put under a lake for power (if it hasn't happened already)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Is a book detailing the history of "hobbiest" computing before 1970. In other words, there had to be hobbiests building thier own computers out of junked telephone relays, vacuum (sp?) tubes, homemade punched cards - maybe even a few fortunate ones managed to salvage some transistors, or even a thrown out teletype (or maybe hooked up an electric typewriter, or something.
I tend to pick up nearly any book related to computer history. My favorite books that I own are actually historical in nature, in that they were written as "up-to-date" cutting-edge "about computers"-type books - but are from the 1950's and 60's. I managed to find one book on the building the TV Typewriter (though this is from the 1970's). I also have a strange "homebrew" book (I hesitate to call it this - it is stapled along one edge, typewritten, 30 odd sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch paper - very homebrew) detailing building computers from scratch. I can't remember the publication date, but I believe it was around the early 70's.
Anyhow - I am sure that there were hackers building computers in their garages - not anything like we would call PC's - they weren't portable by any means - but more like homebrew minis or mainframes. Like we have hackers today homebrewing supercomputers from throw away old pentium boxes.
Does anyone have any ideas, info, or anecdotes about this? I would be especially interested in the latter. Any "old-timers" with strange friends? More importantly - do any of these old machines still exist (side note - it is like tracking down old homebrew robots - nearly impossible to find - I know of one still in existance - AROK - one that I have pics of, but nothing else, that I would love to find out if it still exists, was called CHARLIE - about 6 feet tall, white, boxlike humanoid construction)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Correct - essentially a more natural language based form of spoken SQL, coupled with either a relational or OO-based DB.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
I doubt an 80-year old secretary will want to walk the "distance" a real DB would entail - especially in the VRE imagined in Disclosure. Even a normal healthy individual wouldn't do it (else we would see more people riding a bike 20 miles to work).
You can't say, "Well, just make the world move faster around them" - because if you have never been in a real VR system, you can't imagine the nausea this would cause, as your brain is saying "you took two steps", but your eyes are saying "you moved 50 feet!" - most people would puke at that point, esp an 80 year old secretary.
It would be much better for you to stay in one spot, and have the data come to you based on a structured query, in a similar manner to SQL, but based off of more normal language. Not typed in language either, but spoken word.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
SQL syntax is what I was thinking about, with a speech-to-text interface, and probably some kind of semantics and/or thesarus capabilty to resolve certain issues. It wouldn't be completely SQL syntax, but it would be close (ie, "Show me all employee records displaying name and address who have been employed since last November" would translate to "SELECT name, address FROM employees WHERE emp_since >= '11/01/2000'").
You are right about certain issues, but with the proper syntax defined for the language being spoken, to make it more compatible with SQL, it would probably work for most cases.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
I saw the movie a while back, and read the book not to long ago.
The thing I thought most stupid about both is how inefficient it would be to browse a database in this VR system! I mean, you have to actually walk over to a cabinet, open it, find the file, then open it and read it? Not the database you want? So now you walk down the corridor to a branch to find the portal to the next DB?
I am a strong advocate of VR - don't get me wrong. But database searching and retrieval doesn't seem to be an ideal app for virtual environments (one thing I found funny about the book - I can't remember it in the movie - was when they were looking at the 3D factory "spec" - what I couldn't understand is why the factory spec couldn't simply be "rendered" around them, instead of as a smaller model, allowing them to see many different details).
Virtual chatrooms - yes. Collaboration - yes. Surgery - yes. Training - yes. Architecture - yes. Trending/Statistics/Number modeling - yes.
All of these could benifit from a DB backend - but searching that DB shouldn't be a human process in the virtual world (ie, why couldn't they just ask the avatar - "angel" in the book - to find what they are looking for?)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Well, yeah...
Thanks for the links - someone mod this up!
I should set this up on an internal server on my home system - it rocks!
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Great link! Here's more:
r l ink.html
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~derekw/upntcvr.htm
http://www.hut.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/lase
http://www.k3pgp.org/
Another site worth going to if you are interested in lasercomm stuff:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
Finally, one that appears to be dead (?) is Ronja. In my opinion, this is one of the best projects out there - if it is still going. IIRC, it uses both lasers and high-brightness LEDs for the system. From the opencollector.org DB:
Ronja 115 Loopipe
Category: design
Clock 4 November 2000; 19:02
Ronja connects two PC's point-to-point, using visible light. The design is very simple, building is easy and complete guide will be availiable on the Web.
Schematics are availalble in the moment. Suitable for anybody who wants to communicate entirely freely in a direct line of sight. Building is cheap and requires only common tools available in home workshop. Communicates 115200 bps full duplex over 260m, but new, stronger version Ronja 666 Lucifer is in development.
Update
The Loopipe construction with HSDL1001 frontend has been successfully verified by another person, Pavouk.Two bugfixes resulted. He also designed a PCB. Pavouk tested the electronic part (not the optics), with success. The XTAL oscillator has been redesigned and HSDL1001 frontend was built for the first time and proved to be functional.
http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~clock/r0nj4
---
I remember the link working at one time though. I managed to get a copy of the info on the site. If anyone can confirm if the site is dead, alive, or moved, please let me know...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
But I also like HTML help as well. I have looked at info help, but didn't like it as much.
The thing I like about HTML is the ability, which is lacking in man pages, of hyperlinks - when a command or program you are getting help on refers to another command or program, man pages highlight what command/program it is, but there is no simple way to just "go" to that other man page - you have to start another term window and "man" it.
How hard would it be to write a script to replace "man", in say, perl, and this script would perform the function of converting man pages into browsable HTML pages (using Lynx?) or automatically use Lynx if the page is already in HTML, or if the page is info based, convert that? Something like this should be possible.
I can't think of too many systems where you couldn't have a simple browser like Lynx to view help with. HTML makes perfect sense of help files, IMO.
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Heh, heh - forgot about that meaning. Scary...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Ah, I forgot about them - and you are correct, they do reprint it. Still, nothing beats holding a hardbound edition from the original publishers (ok, I am a small-time bibliophile, so sue me)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
I have a powerstrip that I love - though it has since been replaced (mostly) with two Tripp-Lite UPSs - anyhow...
I don't have the model number handy, but it was branded by Memorex - 8 outlets, all wall-wart capable (meaning if all you have is wall-warts, 8 will fit!). Surge protection, phone line protection, etc. All outlets are color coded, too (and matching tape strips are included to stick to the other end of the cords, so you know if you want to pull the power on the right cord). But the best feature I believe is...
Cord Corrals (ok, I made that up - but that is what they do!) - at the "bottom" of each outlet is a "C" shaped "runner", with a little space between each outlet. Plug the cord (or wall wart) in, and slip the cord between the slot and down the channel - all cords exit at one end, no more rats nest at the strip!
After checking Memorex's site (it seems it was called the "PowerCenter/Pro" or something), it has unfortunately been discontinued. Seems like this is the way with good products! Monster (www.monstercable.com) has a similar device, but it still isn't quite the same (doesn't have the cable corral system, it appears - and all plugs aren't spaced for wall-warts).
I have to say the only thing I dislike about the strip is its size - larger than most power strips (heh, if they did the APS thing and added a UPS to it, it would be perfect)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!