I too, stopped reading Spectrum a few years ago when real science article dropped to a trickle. However, this particular article is not bad. Not only was it authored by one of the original problem solvers, it was very readable despite the length. I was intrigued particularly by their description of how they modeled the craft. It struck me as they described having to contend with blueprints rather than CAD files and consulting retired engineers from the original mission, that they appeared to have forgotten there is a very nice physical model of the craft hanging from the ceiling of the Smithsonian:
I'm sure given the stakes involved (the real likely hood of discovering exotic physics) they wouldn't have minded taking the "replica" down for examination.
You have to read between the lines a little. It is no more dismissive than calling the other group "a bunch of space age idolaters". Incidentally, I happen to identify with that later group a whole lot as we share the stigma of being dismissively labeled by mainstream society as a "geek" or "nerd". But both groups have in common that outsiders often feels they are out of touch with reality. Where as one looks to the past, though, the other tends to look toward the future. I feel *that* to be central to the difference in worldview/lifestyles. "Dismissing"? Maybe. but my original sentiments stand: no offense intended - because we are more alike than different.
I don't think any offence toward rural folks are intended. I, myself, have great love for the hobbits of middle earth. But seriously, how *would* fanatics of mesopotamian bronze age fairytales regard a bunch of space age idolaters? I mean, this is not about prejudice towards one's perceived inferiors, this is about a clash of cultural beliefs and lifestyles.
Intriguing. Are you suggesting the tablet as a coding/development tool for programmers? Might be a nice on-the-go coding gadget, but I wouldn't want to compile anything but the simplest programs on such a dainty thing. Perhaps a more practical role as a development TARGET (or prototyping tool ala Arduino) for app builders fully supported by everything open source currently has to offer? I can see how that would appeal to mobile app developers who know their way around a compiler. But the benefits of access to GNU libc and a complete toolchain for the majority of non-coders eludes me at the moment. Maybe slashdot is the wrong place to ask, but how big of a niche is that relative to the tablet market as a whole? I would venture a guess that they'll probably appeal to as many as there existed Linux users back in the mid-late nineties when it was a fledgling thing most people didn't know about. My coding skills have rusted beyond salvage, so the critical justification for me would be: what need does Android currently NOT offer in app space that can be had in a roll-your-own Linux? The article mentioned KDE, but that hardly seems appropriate for a tablet at the moment. Maybe further down the line when that Plasma thing has matured and gained traction. Better suggestions anyone?
Think a lot doesn't necessary mean think profound or even think sensible.:-p It's Friday and I've got nothing better to do. Damn, slashdot! I can't believe you gave my brain fart a +5 interesting. Does this mean I'm really good or really bad at trolling?
I've always been curious why the manufacturing outfit is named "FOX"conn. In Chinese folklore, (which is apolitical and applies equally to mainland as well as Taiwan) foxes have a notorious reputation as agents of evil. In stories, the fox spirit, "hu li jin" often takes human form as a young, nubile, seductress and sets out to corrupt scholars and governing officials. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. Afterall, the most successful tech company stateside is named after the fruit that caused Man's expulsion from paradise according to the bible.
Yeah, I have been watching prices as well and I've observed that, although slightly inconsistent, they do seem to be normalizing. Last week, I snagged a deal at newegg for less than $45/TB for a 3TB external. Some in the comments revealed that upon cracking open the enclosure, the actual drive is one of the vendor's fastest model. Bought separately, the bare drive would have costed $30 more. It is unclear to me at this point what is actually happening, but I'm happy to have bought a HD at a reasonable price.
I just took a brief glance at your comment history and I have to say: You are a thoughtful, intense, but humorless SOB. Are you a woman? (hint: joke) Or maybe my efforts at levity hit a personal nerve? If that is the case, I'm sorry for your relationship issues. A joke in this context is not intended to be taken personally. Given the nature of your response, I think you would not object to me in honestly wishing BOTH Elon and Talulah well (joking aside) both personally and professionally in their respective lives.
huh. I mostly remember him for once being married to Talulah Riley. How he managed to catch but not hold on to such a hottie will forever taint the guy as a loser in my eyes regardless of how successful he is in other areas of life.
At 20, Alexander the Great began a military campaign that established one of the earliest great empires in human civilization. From beyond the grave, the private words of a young jewish teenager named Anne Frank dares us to ignore the human cost of surrendering to fascism. No more than a few weeks ago. A young Pakistani continued to carry on that spirit showed the world even a child can have the courage to stare down the Taliban and make them blink first. What have you and your arrogant peers done for society to justify your ego?
I don't know what kind of reputation "THE DIPLOMAT" has in the field of journalism, but this article is just pure crap. Despite the title, the article has almost nothing to do with high speed rail in China. Using recent problems that have come to light with the management of China's rail system, the article is actually just a mostly unflattering portrayal of the fiscal situation in China's military. A more accurate title for the article should be something like "Corruption plagues the PLA".
An excerpt for you:
This breakdown suggests that 100% of the PLA’s budget was diverted towards real requirements. But the parable of the railways strongly suggests that this cannot be right. How much of the PLA’s budget has been spent on retirement homes for generals in Florida, or funneled into private business ventures, or used to buy promotions? How much has been wasted on bogus capabilities that the military doesn’t really need, but whose purchase helped to line influential pockets? And how much has been spent on genuine capabilities, but capabilities whose price tag was hugely inflated so that highly-placed officials could skim off the surplus?
There is almost nothing of value on high speed rail that has not been already revealed from other media sources.
Agreed. Why on Earth (haha) would you locate such equipment where you'd have to expend energy and fuel going in and out of a gravity well to service and maintain it? As another alternative, wouldn't it be feasible to have it at one of the Earth-Moon Lagrangian points?
Thanks for your insights. Of the many people I've asked so far, your response is the most practical from a "user's" perspective. I've been primed onto this trajectory of inquiry based on one suggestion that I ought to look to specific software packages in determining what hardware is supported. One well known tool from UCSF called "Chimera" does indeed have some relevant documentation.
But those requirements are way too extravagant for a casual home user like me. Though your response doesn't approach the level of a "drop-in" alternative, I am grateful that your response represents a step in the right contextual direction for my question.
A few days ago, I helped my boss set up a demonstration PC to show high school kids protein visualization in 3d stereo. The setup was pretty old (vintage late 1990's). We had to scrounge a dusty CRT for need of compatibility with the active shutter goggles that provided the stereo effects. We had LCD monitors in plenty supply, but didn't have enough time to determine if they worked with the system. Simple web searches were inconclusive, with the most relevant result appearing to be an outfit called planar 3D that provides dedicated 3D systems. For the slashdotter with more experience: Can 3d Stereo be achieved with regular commodity LCD monitors?
Conversely, it's surprising how little the Japanese tsunami affected the tech world. I guess their industries were concentrated further south.
I seem to recall Japanese auto makers had a tough time dealing with the earthquake/tsunami. Not only were their latest ready-to-ship inventory flooded out, substantial portions of their supply chain for parts and equipment were similarly impacted by quake/flood damage. Given how much electronics are in automobiles these days, it kind of counts doesn't it? Granted, a lot of the tech that goes into cars are not exclusive to the auto industry.
Ocean acidification, although a daunting problem, isn't irreversible. The idea of saving just coral sperm and eggs doesn't sound like a well thought out solution, though. A coral reef is more than just bare coral. It is a matrix upon which an entire ecosystem is based. Does't the rest of habitat need saving as well? Imagine saving a place on land from soil erosion, but the hill or valley is completely barren with no plant or animal diversity.
Implicit in the lack of fresh water is the presence of obstacle to overcome that scarcity. Many of us living in first world countries take for granted a plentiful supply of cheap plastic and tinfoil or the existence of infrastructure that facilitate their creation, use, and safe disposal.
Often the places where people need water the most are also places that rains the least (or least conveniently). Fires require fuel, which is also not always available or cheap.
If the solutions were even remotely simple, communities and market forces would have solved this problem a long time ago. Thanks for trying, but no cigar.
It'll help you effectively communicate with the laity about the benefits of your work without making their eyes glaze over. Nobody's going to accept a proposal that reads like a 5th grade book report.
I'm not the best writer in the World myself, but good grief! Many CS and engineers (and business people for that matter) can't write for shit.
I'm a little weary of English majors. A few I've met are master sophist who are good at speaking elegantly without saying much. There is a vicious streak of anti-knowledge/anti-intellectualism in liberal arts that still thrive in some enclaves despite the heavily knowledge dependent society we live in. If you should encounter "post-modernism" in any way shape or form, back away slowly and run away. But do pay attention, as often elements of certain styles of expression are a good example of precisely how not to do technical communication. Personally, I would have gravitated toward Journalism to supplement my engineering degree. Being good at telling stories, especially if they are true, is an extremely effective way of getting your point across to others.
Slashdot Mirror
no doubt
I too, stopped reading Spectrum a few years ago when real science article dropped to a trickle. However, this particular article is not bad. Not only was it authored by one of the original problem solvers, it was very readable despite the length. I was intrigued particularly by their description of how they modeled the craft. It struck me as they described having to contend with blueprints rather than CAD files and consulting retired engineers from the original mission, that they appeared to have forgotten there is a very nice physical model of the craft hanging from the ceiling of the Smithsonian:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_H
I'm sure given the stakes involved (the real likely hood of discovering exotic physics) they wouldn't have minded taking the "replica" down for examination.
You have to read between the lines a little. It is no more dismissive than calling the other group "a bunch of space age idolaters". Incidentally, I happen to identify with that later group a whole lot as we share the stigma of being dismissively labeled by mainstream society as a "geek" or "nerd". But both groups have in common that outsiders often feels they are out of touch with reality. Where as one looks to the past, though, the other tends to look toward the future. I feel *that* to be central to the difference in worldview/lifestyles. "Dismissing"? Maybe. but my original sentiments stand: no offense intended - because we are more alike than different.
I don't think any offence toward rural folks are intended. I, myself, have great love for the hobbits of middle earth. But seriously, how *would* fanatics of mesopotamian bronze age fairytales regard a bunch of space age idolaters? I mean, this is not about prejudice towards one's perceived inferiors, this is about a clash of cultural beliefs and lifestyles.
humor much?
Speak of the devil:
http://developers.slashdot.org/story/12/11/15/2218230/google-targets-android-fragmentation-with-updated-terms-for-sdk
Intriguing. Are you suggesting the tablet as a coding/development tool for programmers? Might be a nice on-the-go coding gadget, but I wouldn't want to compile anything but the simplest programs on such a dainty thing. Perhaps a more practical role as a development TARGET (or prototyping tool ala Arduino) for app builders fully supported by everything open source currently has to offer? I can see how that would appeal to mobile app developers who know their way around a compiler. But the benefits of access to GNU libc and a complete toolchain for the majority of non-coders eludes me at the moment. Maybe slashdot is the wrong place to ask, but how big of a niche is that relative to the tablet market as a whole? I would venture a guess that they'll probably appeal to as many as there existed Linux users back in the mid-late nineties when it was a fledgling thing most people didn't know about. My coding skills have rusted beyond salvage, so the critical justification for me would be: what need does Android currently NOT offer in app space that can be had in a roll-your-own Linux? The article mentioned KDE, but that hardly seems appropriate for a tablet at the moment. Maybe further down the line when that Plasma thing has matured and gained traction. Better suggestions anyone?
I imagine the distinction might intended to be
1) Google's customized and restricted user experience via the necessity of developing apps conforming to their development parameters.
vs
2) A truly RMS-type FOSS alternative that gives anyone with the knowledge and experience to hack code and build a tablet with just what they want.
Think a lot doesn't necessary mean think profound or even think sensible. :-p It's Friday and I've got nothing better to do. Damn, slashdot! I can't believe you gave my brain fart a +5 interesting. Does this mean I'm really good or really bad at trolling?
I've always been curious why the manufacturing outfit is named "FOX"conn. In Chinese folklore, (which is apolitical and applies equally to mainland as well as Taiwan) foxes have a notorious reputation as agents of evil. In stories, the fox spirit, "hu li jin" often takes human form as a young, nubile, seductress and sets out to corrupt scholars and governing officials. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. Afterall, the most successful tech company stateside is named after the fruit that caused Man's expulsion from paradise according to the bible.
Yeah, I have been watching prices as well and I've observed that, although slightly inconsistent, they do seem to be normalizing. Last week, I snagged a deal at newegg for less than $45/TB for a 3TB external. Some in the comments revealed that upon cracking open the enclosure, the actual drive is one of the vendor's fastest model. Bought separately, the bare drive would have costed $30 more. It is unclear to me at this point what is actually happening, but I'm happy to have bought a HD at a reasonable price.
pics or it didn't happen! :-P
I just took a brief glance at your comment history and I have to say: You are a thoughtful, intense, but humorless SOB. Are you a woman? (hint: joke) Or maybe my efforts at levity hit a personal nerve? If that is the case, I'm sorry for your relationship issues. A joke in this context is not intended to be taken personally. Given the nature of your response, I think you would not object to me in honestly wishing BOTH Elon and Talulah well (joking aside) both personally and professionally in their respective lives.
huh. I mostly remember him for once being married to Talulah Riley. How he managed to catch but not hold on to such a hottie will forever taint the guy as a loser in my eyes regardless of how successful he is in other areas of life.
At 20, Alexander the Great began a military campaign that established one of the earliest great empires in human civilization. From beyond the grave, the private words of a young jewish teenager named Anne Frank dares us to ignore the human cost of surrendering to fascism. No more than a few weeks ago. A young Pakistani continued to carry on that spirit showed the world even a child can have the courage to stare down the Taliban and make them blink first. What have you and your arrogant peers done for society to justify your ego?
Thanks! Now, THAT article is worth reading.
I don't know what kind of reputation "THE DIPLOMAT" has in the field of journalism, but this article is just pure crap. Despite the title, the article has almost nothing to do with high speed rail in China. Using recent problems that have come to light with the management of China's rail system, the article is actually just a mostly unflattering portrayal of the fiscal situation in China's military. A more accurate title for the article should be something like "Corruption plagues the PLA".
An excerpt for you:
This breakdown suggests that 100% of the PLA’s budget was diverted towards real requirements. But the parable of the railways strongly suggests that this cannot be right. How much of the PLA’s budget has been spent on retirement homes for generals in Florida, or funneled into private business ventures, or used to buy promotions? How much has been wasted on bogus capabilities that the military doesn’t really need, but whose purchase helped to line influential pockets? And how much has been spent on genuine capabilities, but capabilities whose price tag was hugely inflated so that highly-placed officials could skim off the surplus?
There is almost nothing of value on high speed rail that has not been already revealed from other media sources.
Agreed. Why on Earth (haha) would you locate such equipment where you'd have to expend energy and fuel going in and out of a gravity well to service and maintain it? As another alternative, wouldn't it be feasible to have it at one of the Earth-Moon Lagrangian points?
Thanks for your insights. Of the many people I've asked so far, your response is the most practical from a "user's" perspective. I've been primed onto this trajectory of inquiry based on one suggestion that I ought to look to specific software packages in determining what hardware is supported. One well known tool from UCSF called "Chimera" does indeed have some relevant documentation.
http://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/chimera/data/downloads/1.6.2/stereo.html
But those requirements are way too extravagant for a casual home user like me. Though your response doesn't approach the level of a "drop-in" alternative, I am grateful that your response represents a step in the right contextual direction for my question.
Thanks again!
A few days ago, I helped my boss set up a demonstration PC to show high school kids protein visualization in 3d stereo. The setup was pretty old (vintage late 1990's). We had to scrounge a dusty CRT for need of compatibility with the active shutter goggles that provided the stereo effects. We had LCD monitors in plenty supply, but didn't have enough time to determine if they worked with the system. Simple web searches were inconclusive, with the most relevant result appearing to be an outfit called planar 3D that provides dedicated 3D systems. For the slashdotter with more experience: Can 3d Stereo be achieved with regular commodity LCD monitors?
Conversely, it's surprising how little the Japanese tsunami affected the tech world. I guess their industries were concentrated further south.
I seem to recall Japanese auto makers had a tough time dealing with the earthquake/tsunami. Not only were their latest ready-to-ship inventory flooded out, substantial portions of their supply chain for parts and equipment were similarly impacted by quake/flood damage. Given how much electronics are in automobiles these days, it kind of counts doesn't it? Granted, a lot of the tech that goes into cars are not exclusive to the auto industry.
So your argument is they should just let the hill wash away, aka let it all die.
Good to see you thinking things through like that. Perhaps they already thought of such things, and of course: you have to start somewhere.
Which part of "Does't the rest of habitat need saving as well?" do you not understand?
Ocean acidification, although a daunting problem, isn't irreversible. The idea of saving just coral sperm and eggs doesn't sound like a well thought out solution, though. A coral reef is more than just bare coral. It is a matrix upon which an entire ecosystem is based. Does't the rest of habitat need saving as well? Imagine saving a place on land from soil erosion, but the hill or valley is completely barren with no plant or animal diversity.
Implicit in the lack of fresh water is the presence of obstacle to overcome that scarcity. Many of us living in first world countries take for granted a plentiful supply of cheap plastic and tinfoil or the existence of infrastructure that facilitate their creation, use, and safe disposal.
Often the places where people need water the most are also places that rains the least (or least conveniently). Fires require fuel, which is also not always available or cheap.
If the solutions were even remotely simple, communities and market forces would have solved this problem a long time ago. Thanks for trying, but no cigar.
It'll help you effectively communicate with the laity about the benefits of your work without making their eyes glaze over. Nobody's going to accept a proposal that reads like a 5th grade book report.
I'm not the best writer in the World myself, but good grief! Many CS and engineers (and business people for that matter) can't write for shit.
I'm a little weary of English majors. A few I've met are master sophist who are good at speaking elegantly without saying much. There is a vicious streak of anti-knowledge/anti-intellectualism in liberal arts that still thrive in some enclaves despite the heavily knowledge dependent society we live in. If you should encounter "post-modernism" in any way shape or form, back away slowly and run away. But do pay attention, as often elements of certain styles of expression are a good example of precisely how not to do technical communication. Personally, I would have gravitated toward Journalism to supplement my engineering degree. Being good at telling stories, especially if they are true, is an extremely effective way of getting your point across to others.