(since it's impossible to learn all of the subject in a week)
Isn't that the point? If you can't do ALL of the exam questions then clearly you NEED to be in the class.
I mean I could probably swing 60% of some college classes without taking them. Does that mean I'm an expert on the subject material and some form of a prodigy?
And frankly that's fucking life. You don't always get your way. Yeah, there will be classes that bore you but there will be other classes [provided you're mature enough to not just put up a wall] where you will learn something you didn't know or understand.
Again, if the kids are SOOO smart they can keep themselves occupied. In my case [though I don't claim I'm super smart just driven enough:-)] I was writing software all throughout grade 8 through OAC [in Ontario we had a grade 13 at the time]. All while the "gifted" children were just sitting in their isolated classes playing magic and shit like that.
Why must "we" provide them an advantage? They already presumably have one.
I don't care how smart your kid is they're GOING to learn something in their "boring" classes. Otherwise just get the exams and see how well they do.
The "boring" classes provide a foundation from which you can grow upon. The idea is that every student has a chance to be at the same level as they enter the next grade, school, world.
Why not encourage the kids to take on extra projects of their choice if school is sooo boring?
I was in the local gifted program [for one year, they don't have it in high school] and most student chosen projects were REALLY REALLY stupid. If a super smart kid can't figure out a project of their own, how smart are they?
And really even the brightest kids learn a thing or two [or more] during their "boring classes" they just don't want to admit it for fear of not being so special and important.
Like everyone seems to mock the level at which community college is given yet we don't see the complainers getting straight A's on their exams... hmmm odd that.
All I'm saying is if the kids are so fucking smart they should be able to figure out how to entertain themselves.
I work from home now but I had a desk job for 8 months this year [left so I can work from home]. At my desk job it wasn't uncommon to get up every 10-15 mins and take a quick walk around the office to stretch the legs. It meant I could put another hour in the day [or just not be so f'ing bored] it meant I got more done better.
Yeah some jobs require a lot of attention for long periods of time [e.g. surgery] but most jobs don't. Most people just plomp themselves down for the lengths because they assume that's what expected of them.
Um, this reads all wrong. I'm sorry but dealing with people in "reality" is much harder. If some guy annoys you in a video game you can just ignore him. Now imagine that's your boss or worse yet a customer. Sure in the long term you can get out of a crappy work situation it isn't like you can just up and leave at every slight disagreement.
The game also doesn't have strict consequences.
You slip up on a mission, you just do it over.
You slip up with a customer, you get fired.
video game != reality
And really, if you're a teenager learning about how to talk and meet others from a video game you're socially behind the norm.
And the FreeBSD ports system is far superior to the Gentoo equivalent.
O RLY?
Gentoo: emerge -UD gaim
FreeBSD: cd/usr/ports/whatthefuckdirisitin/gaim ; make install
Yeah that's SOOO superior.
Gentoo uses mirrors for fetching files. BSD apparently doesn't [I couldn't fetch mplayer because the primary server was down].
Gentoo uses bash, BSD uses csh [WHY!!! OH WHY!!!]
Try installing more complicated packages like latex, I installed all of the laTeX* packages and I still didn't have a "latex" command.
As for cpu scaling, it's an AMD XP-M laptop with ACPI based PST entries. with "cpufreq" loaded the cpu runs at the full speed of 1.8Ghz regardless of idle time. In Gentoo Linux [well just linux 2.6.x] scaling works and the cpu idles at 530Mhz.
Agreed I didn't use it for long but I just don't see the appeal OVER gentoo. I mean Gentoo can be a server OS just the same as BSD. In fact, I've built quite a few live HTTP, SMTP, POP, IMAP, NIS, DNS servers from it. I'm sure BSD is up there but it lacks polish. People bitch that gentoo is hard to use, how is BSD any better when it's even harder to use?
Gentoo ain't perfect [nor is the Linux Kernel] but for the most part it works a lot more than it fails [being that all of my computers run it]. I think it's good that BSD distros exist because it provides diversity in case for instance, Linux blows up.
All I'm saying is FreeBSD requires some serious userspace polishing.
Yeah but they're only good at what they do because they spend a lot of time at it... [well that and the drugs...]
Almost like doctors..
You think your fav pro athlete just got up one day and said "being an engineer sucks, I'll go play football". No. He's probably been playing it since he was 5.
Same with doctors [or other REAL jobs]. They go through years of school and practice to get where they are.
And the problem is demand isn't always realistic. I mean on the TV there is friends, friends or friends on, oh no wrong, ER and Raymond!!! Half the shows I watch [or allow to be on in the background as I work] are there just because their production quality is better than the b-rated bullshit on the other channels. Is the demand really there for it? No. It's just less irritating than other stuff.
No cpu scaling in the kernel [even with cpufreq], the ports tools are shit compared to gentoo, etc.
I'm not saying Linux distros are perfect but Gentoo is way more functional and easier than FreeBSD. I don't know what the other distros are like but sucks to their asmar!
Too late. The Demonware company [http://www.demonware.net/ uses my libraries on the gaming platforms already.
From what they told me the 360 actually comes with crypto libraries as part of the standard SDK. But it probably wouldn't be too hard for them to do a build for me:-)
I'm not disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing but that doesn't say much. Show me what he has DONE with his knowledge. Then I'll be impressed. I'm not saying he's incapable but just listing his GPA isn't that impressive.
As for the other dude, it's cool that he runs a WEB business. At least that's productive. But really running a web-based t-shirt shop doesn't really require a significant product of value. Your costs are low and the margins are high. A $29.95 t-shirt may cost him all of a few bucks to produce. etc.
When I saw GTA:SA for the PS2 I was amazed at the size of the city but yes there are problems with NPCs [specially to do with how they spawn].
Things I would like to see in a GTA series
1. Limited fuel in the vehicles 2. More intelligent NPCs e.g. not just duck or run away but fight back or fetch police 3. Less obvious police. That is have them actually COME FROM SOMEWHERE and not just spawn "behind you" 4. Have cops enforce traffic laws. E.g. get caught speeding or whatever. 5. Ability to use taxis? Sometimes I don't want to drive;-)
Tom
Dynamics like that would make the game more fun:-)
At least what he does is physical. Button mashing can be done by any obsessive no-talent hack sitting in their parents basement.
At least Tony had to get hurt to perfect his um "craft". Granted, I don't look at skateboarding as a career either. Sports, surprisingly, are not supposed to be careers. They're supposed to be events where people compete for the simple quest of competition.
Question should be who the fuck would pay money for this?
If part of me buying Quake4 goes to pay for contests like this I'd almost rather have a sony rootkit installed.
Oh you're the best obsessive little punk to play a FPS. Congrats. Now differentiate this equation or play this sonata or lathe this piece of wood or write a short story or develop some software or perform any number of other "talent-requiring actions".
things like xbox live should have a "fun to play with" rating and only other players can set it up [they can vote once per player] after playing a game. That way when you're setting up a match you can get a read of the players. When you get "winners" who will do anything to kill ya and not actually show skill you can give them the boot.
When you sacrifice any sense of competition [e.g. spawn camping, unbalacing teams, tk'ing] you just make the game a waste of time. This is largely why I don't MP [well that and the lag].
Everyone is going to attack him so I'll add some perspective
1. How many people on earth can do this successfully? [hint: think of a dream career in the NBA]
2. Think about WHY they are paying him?
3. If gaming is so successful why does he have a clothing line?
4. What does he produce that we need in say a recession?
My point is careers like this are not sustainable. While the getting is good it's probably a dream. But once people stop buying the games in droves or someone 1% better shows up he's done for.
So hey congrats, if you can sucker people into paying you for playing video games, then all the power to ya. But I wouldn't say it's a good career choice if you don't want to worry about what you'll be doing in 10 years [hint: 43 yr old gamer == teh lame]
You say "some people have made a lot of monies from MMORPG" but compare that to the # of mechanics, doctors, engineers, software developers, musicians, teachers, etc out there. The 5 people ON EARTH making money at it doesn't compare.
It's also not a productive industry. What does "sword of elf-fiend +5" get me in the real world? Can I use it to email across the world? Can I eat it? Does it give me warmth? Does it fill any of my maslow needs? Being "really good at WoW" is not something ANYONE will pay you for. Nor is it a talent you can really bring into the world on your own.
I spent a lot of time teaching myself to develop software. Some may say I spent too much time at the computer [perhaps true] but look at me now. I'm supporting myself fresh out of college with a good paying job. I make things that people use to be productive.
If you think playing WoW is more important than learning a trade or skill, meeting people in meatspace, etc then maybe you're screwed up as well?
The problem is after two hours of continuous play you're not "done".
I wouldn't recommend people do much of anything for two hours continously including study or work. You say a typical "session" can run upto 6 hours long. I say that's sick. If you regularly play a game for six hours at a time you need to re-value your life.
And if the genre REQUIRES this level of obsession to enjoy it [which I disagree with] then many the genre IS destructive and should be shunned from society?
Point for the case, my friend Phil Thibault [who posts on slashdot] all but disappeared when WoW came out. He was on MSN messenger frequently, we emailed back and forth and he even posted here. Now he's stuck in that game with every waking fucking hour.
The last few times I saw him all he could talk about is the latest happenings in WoW [e.g. game changes, his characters, etc]. Now I think he's an ok guy but clearly he's let the game take over his priorities. I imagine many other people here can describe a similar situation.
I don't blame the game for it the same way I don't blame the drugs for an addict. That doesn't mean I advocate the game. I think the game IS a horrible waste of time and it more than not encourages this level of obsession.
I remember games like FF for the GB and NES where you could save anywhere. You could do a mission or part of one, save, turn the thing off and do something else. None of this "must level up before 18:00 or else!!!".
You may look at the game as fun but think about it. What are you really accomplishing and how much does it cost you? You can have fun without consuming gobs of time alone on your computer.
I'm socially inept. I'll admit that. But why do chicks hate it when I get a good gander at the chest when they're the ones wearing the skimpy cloth that barely covers them in the first place. I don't actually stare or follow but when sitting in a public place I make it my duty to check out the scene.
Frankly, if you don't want to be treated as a meatbag wear something half-way dignified.
Could that possibly be because there are a billion people on such a small nation? I'm sorry if this sounds callous but really maybe the population is a "bit" out of hand? Maybe there just aren't jobs for 6 billion people?
Well that and we keep exploiting them for cheap labour. Part of offloading labour to cheap markets means we don't invent new ways to do things. I'm sure machines could make shoes in an automated fashion. It's just cheaper to ruin someone elses life instead of investing in the robotics...
Besides that we don't need stinking asians. We got mexicans who can clean our floors for us already:-) YEAH WORLD!
Slashdot Mirror
(since it's impossible to learn all of the subject in a week)
:-)] I was writing software all throughout grade 8 through OAC [in Ontario we had a grade 13 at the time]. All while the "gifted" children were just sitting in their isolated classes playing magic and shit like that.
Isn't that the point? If you can't do ALL of the exam questions then clearly you NEED to be in the class.
I mean I could probably swing 60% of some college classes without taking them. Does that mean I'm an expert on the subject material and some form of a prodigy?
And frankly that's fucking life. You don't always get your way. Yeah, there will be classes that bore you but there will be other classes [provided you're mature enough to not just put up a wall] where you will learn something you didn't know or understand.
Again, if the kids are SOOO smart they can keep themselves occupied. In my case [though I don't claim I'm super smart just driven enough
Tom
Why must "we" provide them an advantage? They already presumably have one.
I don't care how smart your kid is they're GOING to learn something in their "boring" classes. Otherwise just get the exams and see how well they do.
The "boring" classes provide a foundation from which you can grow upon. The idea is that every student has a chance to be at the same level as they enter the next grade, school, world.
Tom
Why not encourage the kids to take on extra projects of their choice if school is sooo boring?
... hmmm odd that.
I was in the local gifted program [for one year, they don't have it in high school] and most student chosen projects were REALLY REALLY stupid. If a super smart kid can't figure out a project of their own, how smart are they?
And really even the brightest kids learn a thing or two [or more] during their "boring classes" they just don't want to admit it for fear of not being so special and important.
Like everyone seems to mock the level at which community college is given yet we don't see the complainers getting straight A's on their exams
All I'm saying is if the kids are so fucking smart they should be able to figure out how to entertain themselves.
Tom
I work from home now but I had a desk job for 8 months this year [left so I can work from home]. At my desk job it wasn't uncommon to get up every 10-15 mins and take a quick walk around the office to stretch the legs. It meant I could put another hour in the day [or just not be so f'ing bored] it meant I got more done better.
Yeah some jobs require a lot of attention for long periods of time [e.g. surgery] but most jobs don't. Most people just plomp themselves down for the lengths because they assume that's what expected of them.
Tom
Um, this reads all wrong. I'm sorry but dealing with people in "reality" is much harder. If some guy annoys you in a video game you can just ignore him. Now imagine that's your boss or worse yet a customer. Sure in the long term you can get out of a crappy work situation it isn't like you can just up and leave at every slight disagreement.
The game also doesn't have strict consequences.
You slip up on a mission, you just do it over.
You slip up with a customer, you get fired.
video game != reality
And really, if you're a teenager learning about how to talk and meet others from a video game you're socially behind the norm.
Tom
And the FreeBSD ports system is far superior to the Gentoo equivalent.
/usr/ports/whatthefuckdirisitin/gaim ; make install
O RLY?
Gentoo: emerge -UD gaim
FreeBSD: cd
Yeah that's SOOO superior.
Gentoo uses mirrors for fetching files. BSD apparently doesn't [I couldn't fetch mplayer because the primary server was down].
Gentoo uses bash, BSD uses csh [WHY!!! OH WHY!!!]
Try installing more complicated packages like latex, I installed all of the laTeX* packages and I still didn't have a "latex" command.
As for cpu scaling, it's an AMD XP-M laptop with ACPI based PST entries. with "cpufreq" loaded the cpu runs at the full speed of 1.8Ghz regardless of idle time. In Gentoo Linux [well just linux 2.6.x] scaling works and the cpu idles at 530Mhz.
Agreed I didn't use it for long but I just don't see the appeal OVER gentoo. I mean Gentoo can be a server OS just the same as BSD. In fact, I've built quite a few live HTTP, SMTP, POP, IMAP, NIS, DNS servers from it. I'm sure BSD is up there but it lacks polish. People bitch that gentoo is hard to use, how is BSD any better when it's even harder to use?
Gentoo ain't perfect [nor is the Linux Kernel] but for the most part it works a lot more than it fails [being that all of my computers run it]. I think it's good that BSD distros exist because it provides diversity in case for instance, Linux blows up.
All I'm saying is FreeBSD requires some serious userspace polishing.
Tom
Yeah but they're only good at what they do because they spend a lot of time at it... [well that and the drugs...]
...
Almost like doctors..
You think your fav pro athlete just got up one day and said "being an engineer sucks, I'll go play football". No. He's probably been playing it since he was 5.
Same with doctors [or other REAL jobs]. They go through years of school and practice to get where they are.
And the problem is demand isn't always realistic. I mean on the TV there is friends, friends or friends on, oh no wrong, ER and Raymond!!! Half the shows I watch [or allow to be on in the background as I work] are there just because their production quality is better than the b-rated bullshit on the other channels. Is the demand really there for it? No. It's just less irritating than other stuff.
Bah, maybe I just don't get "pro sports"
Tom
Actually alpha-males piss me off too. You know the type, muscle shirts that are "just a little too tight".
Wear clothes that fit.
Not really that hard.
Tom
I personally like distros with users :-)
I don't see a political reason why Gentoo is "teh evil" and it's technically very capable.
Therefore boo BSD, yeah gentoo.
Tom
OS wars...
I recently installed FreeBSD 6.0 on my laptop.
It sucks.
No cpu scaling in the kernel [even with cpufreq], the ports tools are shit compared to gentoo, etc.
I'm not saying Linux distros are perfect but Gentoo is way more functional and easier than FreeBSD. I don't know what the other distros are like but sucks to their asmar!
Tom
Too late. The Demonware company [http://www.demonware.net/ uses my libraries on the gaming platforms already.
:-)
From what they told me the 360 actually comes with crypto libraries as part of the standard SDK. But it probably wouldn't be too hard for them to do a build for me
Tom
is a math major at Princeton with a 4.0 GPA.
I'm not disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing but that doesn't say much. Show me what he has DONE with his knowledge. Then I'll be impressed. I'm not saying he's incapable but just listing his GPA isn't that impressive.
As for the other dude, it's cool that he runs a WEB business. At least that's productive. But really running a web-based t-shirt shop doesn't really require a significant product of value. Your costs are low and the margins are high. A $29.95 t-shirt may cost him all of a few bucks to produce. etc.
Tom
For once, someone who thinks like me. Yes!!!!
;-)
:-)
When I saw GTA:SA for the PS2 I was amazed at the size of the city but yes there are problems with NPCs [specially to do with how they spawn].
Things I would like to see in a GTA series
1. Limited fuel in the vehicles
2. More intelligent NPCs e.g. not just duck or run away but fight back or fetch police
3. Less obvious police. That is have them actually COME FROM SOMEWHERE and not just spawn "behind you"
4. Have cops enforce traffic laws. E.g. get caught speeding or whatever.
5. Ability to use taxis? Sometimes I don't want to drive
Tom
Dynamics like that would make the game more fun
Amen to that. It seems /. has been sold to MSFT for their advertising campaign.
It isn't news. The fucking thing will come out in [purposefully] limited supply in two days.
OH WOW WEE.
That said I sure do want one... I wonder why...
Tom
To be honest I find the whole sports and entertainment genre overvalued.
Why does my doctor make 100K/yr while some-two bit hack like Clooney make millions?
I'd say the guy who makes me feel better, or builds the house I live in or delivers my toys I order off the net is far more important.
So yes, they are not acceptable.
I'm all for professional sports but the salaries have to be kept in check.
Tom
At least what he does is physical. Button mashing can be done by any obsessive no-talent hack sitting in their parents basement.
At least Tony had to get hurt to perfect his um "craft". Granted, I don't look at skateboarding as a career either. Sports, surprisingly, are not supposed to be careers. They're supposed to be events where people compete for the simple quest of competition.
Tom
Why is it rude though? Clearly you're wearing the clothes to show off otherwise why bear all?
I'm not talking about staring here, I'm talking about catching a look.
Point is, the $REASON they wear their choice of clothes has nothing to do with function or style and all to do with revealing flesh to attract a mate.
If you think we're that far separate from the primates in the jungle, you're totally wrong.
Tom
Question should be who the fuck would pay money for this?
If part of me buying Quake4 goes to pay for contests like this I'd almost rather have a sony rootkit installed.
Oh you're the best obsessive little punk to play a FPS. Congrats. Now differentiate this equation or play this sonata or lathe this piece of wood or write a short story or develop some software or perform any number of other "talent-requiring actions".
things like xbox live should have a "fun to play with" rating and only other players can set it up [they can vote once per player] after playing a game. That way when you're setting up a match you can get a read of the players. When you get "winners" who will do anything to kill ya and not actually show skill you can give them the boot.
Tom
The point to video games is to have fun, not win.
When you sacrifice any sense of competition [e.g. spawn camping, unbalacing teams, tk'ing] you just make the game a waste of time. This is largely why I don't MP [well that and the lag].
Tom
Everyone is going to attack him so I'll add some perspective
1. How many people on earth can do this successfully? [hint: think of a dream career in the NBA]
2. Think about WHY they are paying him?
3. If gaming is so successful why does he have a clothing line?
4. What does he produce that we need in say a recession?
My point is careers like this are not sustainable. While the getting is good it's probably a dream. But once people stop buying the games in droves or someone 1% better shows up he's done for.
So hey congrats, if you can sucker people into paying you for playing video games, then all the power to ya. But I wouldn't say it's a good career choice if you don't want to worry about what you'll be doing in 10 years [hint: 43 yr old gamer == teh lame]
Tom
No, you're totally wrong.
You say "some people have made a lot of monies from MMORPG" but compare that to the # of mechanics, doctors, engineers, software developers, musicians, teachers, etc out there. The 5 people ON EARTH making money at it doesn't compare.
It's also not a productive industry. What does "sword of elf-fiend +5" get me in the real world? Can I use it to email across the world? Can I eat it? Does it give me warmth? Does it fill any of my maslow needs? Being "really good at WoW" is not something ANYONE will pay you for. Nor is it a talent you can really bring into the world on your own.
I spent a lot of time teaching myself to develop software. Some may say I spent too much time at the computer [perhaps true] but look at me now. I'm supporting myself fresh out of college with a good paying job. I make things that people use to be productive.
If you think playing WoW is more important than learning a trade or skill, meeting people in meatspace, etc then maybe you're screwed up as well?
The problem is after two hours of continuous play you're not "done".
I wouldn't recommend people do much of anything for two hours continously including study or work. You say a typical "session" can run upto 6 hours long. I say that's sick. If you regularly play a game for six hours at a time you need to re-value your life.
And if the genre REQUIRES this level of obsession to enjoy it [which I disagree with] then many the genre IS destructive and should be shunned from society?
Point for the case, my friend Phil Thibault [who posts on slashdot] all but disappeared when WoW came out. He was on MSN messenger frequently, we emailed back and forth and he even posted here. Now he's stuck in that game with every waking fucking hour.
The last few times I saw him all he could talk about is the latest happenings in WoW [e.g. game changes, his characters, etc]. Now I think he's an ok guy but clearly he's let the game take over his priorities. I imagine many other people here can describe a similar situation.
I don't blame the game for it the same way I don't blame the drugs for an addict. That doesn't mean I advocate the game. I think the game IS a horrible waste of time and it more than not encourages this level of obsession.
I remember games like FF for the GB and NES where you could save anywhere. You could do a mission or part of one, save, turn the thing off and do something else. None of this "must level up before 18:00 or else!!!".
You may look at the game as fun but think about it. What are you really accomplishing and how much does it cost you? You can have fun without consuming gobs of time alone on your computer.
Tom
Well that and well broiled.
/SFL!
I'm socially inept. I'll admit that. But why do chicks hate it when I get a good gander at the chest when they're the ones wearing the skimpy cloth that barely covers them in the first place. I don't actually stare or follow but when sitting in a public place I make it my duty to check out the scene.
Frankly, if you don't want to be treated as a meatbag wear something half-way dignified.
Tom
Oddly enough that makes the most sense. They are looking to hook up aren't they?
Tom
Could that possibly be because there are a billion people on such a small nation? I'm sorry if this sounds callous but really maybe the population is a "bit" out of hand? Maybe there just aren't jobs for 6 billion people?
:-) YEAH WORLD!
Well that and we keep exploiting them for cheap labour. Part of offloading labour to cheap markets means we don't invent new ways to do things. I'm sure machines could make shoes in an automated fashion. It's just cheaper to ruin someone elses life instead of investing in the robotics...
Besides that we don't need stinking asians. We got mexicans who can clean our floors for us already
hahaha
Tom