"The question, then, is why hasn't anyone found Earth yet, if the probability for life is so high?"
It might sound silly, but perhaps the need to explore is something only us earth-bound folks feel the need to do.
What if, say, a greatly advanced life-form existed on Neptune, but was content to create a "utopian" life on their own planet, with no need to explore?
The one thing we as humans fail in every time is that we assume all these aliens will be similar to us in their needs to explore, propogate, and conquer.
Maybe the answer is that they don't care about us, until we come to them.
I was thinking rather pessimistic about all this, until this little beauty popped up:
"The Liberty version 1.0 specifications do not involve the exchange of personal information. Instead, they involve a format for exchanging authentication information between companies so the identity of the user is safe, and specific details about the customer's identity are not shared. The user may choose which accounts he/she wants to link, and may maintain separate identities in different locations while still benefiting from a seamless sign-on experience."
So, it's cool. Well, not that Em Emalb would be targetted anyway, more along the lines of some poor dude named Pete Slashtaco (who for some reason, lives in New York City 10101) and makes $15,000 a year working as a CEO of a Fortune 500 business with 250,000 employees. Poor, poor Pete.
Same as here in the States, I know Atlanta and Dallas both use a similar system. In Atlanta, The 400 is a toll road. I am not exactly sure of the particulars, but I believe it is not owned by the government, so not sure how the cameras work. I have never known any that ran it and got in trouble. If someone else is from the South East and knows, please follow up as I am curious.
Side note, about 2 months ago, I pulled up to the toll booth and in the next lane over was a '02 Ford Mustang, sideways in the booth. Damned weird, as I couldn't see any damage to the car, it was just sitting there sideways. Heh.
"But, according to Cross, the neurologist who originally diagnosed the case as an REM sleep disorder had a very different reaction to the use of the software. When the plumber and his wife handed that doctor the PKC printouts, he shuffled them, left the room, and, Cross says, "returned with a very hostile, angry disposition." Viewing the results as computer-generated quackery, he refused to back down from his original diagnosis."
I read the article. This was the only example I saw...I'd say that's painting a very broad generalization. I also happen to know many doctors that EMBRACE technology.
Sounds to me like this was just one guy he was pissed because his diagnosis was proven wrong, and (like anyone) didn't like it.
"My Mom *does* run linux....cause I set it up for her."
Exactly. She didn't do it, you did. And until that changes, the why doesn't my mom run linux argument won't change either.
remember, this is a tech site, so of course your mom might run linux, if she is tech savvy or has a son or daughter that is and sets it up for them. Can you say that the majority of moms out there have tech savvy children? Probably not, and 's the issue.
it's a funny comment, but it's (sadly) damned true too. There are still quite a few apps out there that are not supported under Linux. So, until this changes, why doesn't my mom run linux is an argument that can't be won. And yes, I know, there are many different apps out there that will do what she wants, but it isn't the *One* (in this case Hoyle) that she wants.
Well, after this post http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=35308&cid=3812 913 and looking at those photos, I hereby turn in my geek card. I guess I will never have that geek "X" factor. You elite bastards!:)
I don't see any relationship to this and open source. What does creating software for people to add, modify, and make better have to do with this movie?
I don't see the correlation.
Ah well, I'm not a coder anyway, infrastructure's the thing for me.
Not to be construed as flame-bait...but I can see why. I mean, if you created something, would you want someone to step in and do a better job?
I am sure it all boils down to ego, but what the hell, I wouldn't like someone coming in a doing their version of something I created, especially if (IMO) it would be better than what I could do.
But, on the other hand, a collaboration between the 2 would be awesome, George could do the wiz-bang effects, Spielburg could make the actors earn their paychecks, without them looking like wooden statues bent into shape.
Everyone needs something to believe in. If it worth-while to them, then they are gonna preach to the largest group they can get. The best way is to send tripe like this to a Publisher and let them send it off. I personally believe if we get to the point to where over-consumption is starting to strip earth of it's resources, one of three things will happen (probably the 1st choice is most likely)
1:War 2:Famine 3:technology
War, because well, if enough people want something, there will be fighting over it. Human nature.
Famine, such as what we are seeing STILL in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rowanda, etc. Although I don't believe that is a direct result of not enough resources, it's human greed/power struggle again. The UN tried to help, ended up saying screw it, die if you want to, silly fools.
Technology: An example used in an earlier post was CFCs. Well, they turned out to be bad, so technology allowed us to move past using them into more environment friendly products. You can also thank the 80's hair styles for a lot of that pollution. My god, 1 can of hair spray an evening is too much.
I would like to see stats on whether or not paper consumption has dropped since the advent of the web and email. No one really brings it up. If anyone can find a link that would be cool if you posted it here.
This is one case where I hope that the enviro-nuts are completely wrong....but I fear we DID head down the wrong track on a lot of things, luckily it appears we have righted the ship.
P.S. get that SUV. Nice rides, and useful if you have a boat or actually use it for something other than a UAV. (Urban Assualt Vehicle)
excellent commentary. Well written, etc., etc. but.... You are preaching to the choir....send that in, let them hear your voice!! (well, words written in electronic form anyway)
Dude, I was all of two years old. Light sockets were more interesting than Light Sabres at that time. My favorite past-time was feeling my diapers with crap.;) Give me a break. Tough crowd, tonight, tip your waitress, what you think she makes $10.00 an hour? Sheesh.
Besides, I actually have a lif...er I mean, no, I...uhh, yeah,...I just coded 40 hrs straight...can I have my geek card back?
(*snicker* that joke actually was quite funny though, damn you!)
I think what the submitter meant was that this was similar to what we experienced in Star Wars. Remember, that was back in the day a bit ('72 wasn't it?), and this is really cool technology, and the last time most of us saw it was in that movie. It's just semantics is all. Anyhow, the part I had to shake my head over was Mr. Analyst boy at the end of the article, talking about how huge the market could be for this.../sarcasm I guess that's why they call the analysts./Sarcasm How expensive is this? Most companies that don't have a need for this type of modeling will be like "piss off hologram company, in this economy, the software and equipment we already have will do just fine, thanks." My opinion anyway.
not too sure what your definition of right thinking people is, but in my world, it's this:
Box for the cable/tivo. TV. Game Console. Computer. I like that they are seperate. I think the rest of the worl likes that they are seperate. Didn't they learn from their original webtv or what ever the heck it was called abortion?
I know, there is POTENTIALLY a huge market for an all inclusive product. Problem is, we don't want it. And those of us that do, well, they are a small minority I believe. Maybe in another generation or two, this would be feasible.
I can see it now, 50 years from now:
"Dude, what's that?" "It's a Tivo. It only records and stores "live" *snicker* tv." "Man, those poor bastards...good thing I have my Linux 5750 Access port." "Yeah. Let's just hope the MAN doesn't get the free software Anti-DRM repealed." "Word*."
*I am sure "word" will be replaced with something much cooler. Us old farts (well, by then anyway, won't know cool if it smackes us and takes our money.
It's just a cycle, like everything else. Hard-drives pretty much outstripped (for most people) the amount of stuff they actually store. Another thing rarely mentioned is that most people are content with what they have, not because they wouldn't like a larger hard-drive, but because it is unnecessary, and things deemed unnecessary are often the first to go when money gets tight.
On the other hand, I know of one insurance company that puts all claims and paperwork in digital form in about 4 different places. This enables them to move the paper work off site and also requires them to get the largest, most top of the line hdd's they can find. Every month or so, they are bringing a new system online with bigger, better, faster.TM So, failing harddrive companies, concentrate on the businesses, not Mom and Dad with their 12GB they wont fill up, until software bloat causes them to.
OK, most news sites have print copies of the same articles. Most news sites also use a ton of ads, usually extremely annoying pop-ups/unders/looping ads, etc. Many news sites are also moving towards username/pword +user "profiling".
I believe for the most part it is for the following reasons, all of which seem to be -1 Redundant:
To make more money. Plain old profitablity. Now, is this wrong? I don't know. I rarely ever give out proper information. On the occassions I do, it is for a trusted site (one I know won't release my info)
So, you have several options, bitch and moan, but visit them anyway, not visit, or falsify your information.*
*Somehow I get the feeling in about 5 years this one will be illegal and penalties will be severe.
from above: "How can they screw us over with one face and cry about how they need DRM with another."
Dude, it's called greed. It's also called if they can get away with it, they will. Seriously, if you were an unethical, monopolistic slave to the dollar, you'd be the same way. Lucky for us, you're not.
Soon, real soon, I believe, people will wake up and smell the coffee, and realize they have been getting screwed and this will change.
"Armed with all this computing power, Q's keepers plan to take on what for the Energy Department, anyway, is the Holy Grail of supercomputing: a full-scale, three-dimensional simulation of the physics involved in a nuclear explosion."
Come on, for pete's sake, can't we do better stuff with this than simulate the physics in a nuclear explosion? Honestly, who cares about that. We all know it's bad, real bad. Move on to something near and dear to a lot of us out there...cancer, AIDS, Heart Disease,etc.
This is probably an unpopular view, but damn, enough destruction already.
Slashdot Mirror
GAH, you just gave me a mental picture of something I'd rather not imagine. When I first read it, I thought you said Maxi-pad. thanks a ton.
YECK.
Is funny that everyone assumes corrupt people doing unsavory things are only prevelant in the US and the UK. Corrupt assholes live everywhere.
Unscrupolous people will alway try to take advantage of other people no matter where they live.
It should come as no surprise.
"The question, then, is why hasn't anyone found Earth yet, if the probability for life is so high?"
It might sound silly, but perhaps the need to explore is something only us earth-bound folks feel the need to do.
What if, say, a greatly advanced life-form existed on Neptune, but was content to create a "utopian" life on their own planet, with no need to explore?
The one thing we as humans fail in every time is that we assume all these aliens will be similar to us in their needs to explore, propogate, and conquer.
Maybe the answer is that they don't care about us, until we come to them.
Just some random ramblings
I was thinking rather pessimistic about all this, until this little beauty popped up:
"The Liberty version 1.0 specifications do not involve the exchange of personal information. Instead, they involve a format for exchanging authentication information between companies so the identity of the user is safe, and specific details about the customer's identity are not shared. The user may choose which accounts he/she wants to link, and may maintain separate identities in different locations while still benefiting from a seamless sign-on experience."
So, it's cool. Well, not that Em Emalb would be targetted anyway, more along the lines of some poor dude named Pete Slashtaco (who for some reason, lives in New York City 10101) and makes $15,000 a year working as a CEO of a Fortune 500 business with 250,000 employees. Poor, poor Pete.
Same as here in the States, I know Atlanta and Dallas both use a similar system. In Atlanta, The 400 is a toll road. I am not exactly sure of the particulars, but I believe it is not owned by the government, so not sure how the cameras work. I have never known any that ran it and got in trouble. If someone else is from the South East and knows, please follow up as I am curious.
Side note, about 2 months ago, I pulled up to the toll booth and in the next lane over was a '02 Ford Mustang, sideways in the booth. Damned weird, as I couldn't see any damage to the car, it was just sitting there sideways. Heh.
from article:
"But, according to Cross, the neurologist who originally diagnosed the case as an REM sleep disorder had a very different reaction to the use of the software. When the plumber and his wife handed that doctor the PKC printouts, he shuffled them, left the room, and, Cross says, "returned with a very hostile, angry disposition." Viewing the results as computer-generated quackery, he refused to back down from his original diagnosis."
I read the article. This was the only example I saw...I'd say that's painting a very broad generalization. I also happen to know many doctors that EMBRACE technology.
Sounds to me like this was just one guy he was pissed because his diagnosis was proven wrong, and (like anyone) didn't like it.
Other than that, decent read.
They are just waiting on Taco Bell to determine the grand prize winner....
*rimshot*
So far I have read about 40 comments saying:
"My Mom *does* run linux....cause I set it up for her."
Exactly. She didn't do it, you did. And until that changes, the why doesn't my mom run linux argument won't change either.
remember, this is a tech site, so of course your mom might run linux, if she is tech savvy or has a son or daughter that is and sets it up for them. Can you say that the majority of moms out there have tech savvy children? Probably not, and 's the issue.
it's a funny comment, but it's (sadly) damned true too. There are still quite a few apps out there that are not supported under Linux. So, until this changes, why doesn't my mom run linux is an argument that can't be won. And yes, I know, there are many different apps out there that will do what she wants, but it isn't the *One* (in this case Hoyle) that she wants.
OWL telescope sounds to me like something out of SpaceBalls.....obligatory semi-OT quote:
....jammed.
RADAR TECH. I'm having trouble with the radar,
sir.
HELMET What's wrong with it?
RADAR TECH. I've lost the bleeps, I've the lost
the sweeps, and I've lost the creeps.
HELMET The what?
SANDURZ The what?
HELMET And the what?
RADAR TECH. You know. The bleeps, the sweeps, and the creeps.
HELMET (to Sandurz) That's not he's lost.
RADAR TECH. Sir. The radar, sir. It appears to
be....
Jam starts dripping down the screen.
RADAR TECH.
HELMET Jammed? Raspberry.
There's only one man who would dare give me the raspberry. Lone Starr!
Mod away
Well, after this post http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=35308&cid=3812 913 and looking at those photos, I hereby turn in my geek card. I guess I will never have that geek "X" factor. You elite bastards! :)
Damnit, I tried.
*sniff*
it's a joke, laugh.
I don't see any relationship to this and open source. What does creating software for people to add, modify, and make better have to do with this movie?
I don't see the correlation.
Ah well, I'm not a coder anyway, infrastructure's the thing for me.
Not to be construed as flame-bait...but I can see why. I mean, if you created something, would you want someone to step in and do a better job?
I am sure it all boils down to ego, but what the hell, I wouldn't like someone coming in a doing their version of something I created, especially if (IMO) it would be better than what I could do.
But, on the other hand, a collaboration between the 2 would be awesome, George could do the wiz-bang effects, Spielburg could make the actors earn their paychecks, without them looking like wooden statues bent into shape.
A boy can dream I guess.
Amen.
Everyone needs something to believe in. If it worth-while to them, then they are gonna preach to the largest group they can get. The best way is to send tripe like this to a Publisher and let them send it off. I personally believe if we get to the point to where over-consumption is starting to strip earth of it's resources, one of three things will happen (probably the 1st choice is most likely)
1:War
2:Famine
3:technology
War, because well, if enough people want something, there will be fighting over it. Human nature.
Famine, such as what we are seeing STILL in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rowanda, etc. Although I don't believe that is a direct result of not enough resources, it's human greed/power struggle again. The UN tried to help, ended up saying screw it, die if you want to, silly fools.
Technology:
An example used in an earlier post was CFCs. Well, they turned out to be bad, so technology allowed us to move past using them into more environment friendly products. You can also thank the 80's hair styles for a lot of that pollution. My god, 1 can of hair spray an evening is too much.
I would like to see stats on whether or not paper consumption has dropped since the advent of the web and email. No one really brings it up. If anyone can find a link that would be cool if you posted it here.
This is one case where I hope that the enviro-nuts are completely wrong....but I fear we DID head down the wrong track on a lot of things, luckily it appears we have righted the ship.
P.S. get that SUV. Nice rides, and useful if you have a boat or actually use it for something other than a UAV. (Urban Assualt Vehicle)
excellent commentary. Well written, etc., etc.
but.... You are preaching to the choir....send that in, let them hear your voice!! (well, words written in electronic form anyway)
Damn dude, you are one integrated slashgeek. Get it over at think geek did ya? Did it hurt when they yanked out the wires at the airport?
for those of you that don't get the dumb humor, read the title of the post again.
-1 obvious
Dude, I was all of two years old. Light sockets were more interesting than Light Sabres at that time. My favorite past-time was feeling my diapers with crap. ;) Give me a break. Tough crowd, tonight, tip your waitress, what you think she makes $10.00 an hour? Sheesh.
...uhh, yeah,...I just coded 40 hrs straight...can I have my geek card back?
Besides, I actually have a lif...er I mean, no, I
(*snicker* that joke actually was quite funny though, damn you!)
I think what the submitter meant was that this was similar to what we experienced in Star Wars. Remember, that was back in the day a bit ('72 wasn't it?), and this is really cool technology, and the last time most of us saw it was in that movie. It's just semantics is all. Anyhow, the part I had to shake my head over was Mr. Analyst boy at the end of the article, talking about how huge the market could be for this.../sarcasm I guess that's why they call the analysts. /Sarcasm How expensive is this? Most companies that don't have a need for this type of modeling will be like "piss off hologram company, in this economy, the software and equipment we already have will do just fine, thanks." My opinion anyway.
not too sure what your definition of right thinking people is, but in my world, it's this:
Box for the cable/tivo. TV. Game Console. Computer. I like that they are seperate. I think the rest of the worl likes that they are seperate. Didn't they learn from their original webtv or what ever the heck it was called abortion?
I know, there is POTENTIALLY a huge market for an all inclusive product. Problem is, we don't want it. And those of us that do, well, they are a small minority I believe. Maybe in another generation or two, this would be feasible.
I can see it now, 50 years from now:
"Dude, what's that?"
"It's a Tivo. It only records and stores "live" *snicker* tv."
"Man, those poor bastards...good thing I have my Linux 5750 Access port."
"Yeah. Let's just hope the MAN doesn't get the free software Anti-DRM repealed."
"Word*."
*I am sure "word" will be replaced with something much cooler. Us old farts (well, by then anyway, won't know cool if it smackes us and takes our money.
It's just a cycle, like everything else. Hard-drives pretty much outstripped (for most people) the amount of stuff they actually store. Another thing rarely mentioned is that most people are content with what they have, not because they wouldn't like a larger hard-drive, but because it is unnecessary, and things deemed unnecessary are often the first to go when money gets tight.
On the other hand, I know of one insurance company that puts all claims and paperwork in digital form in about 4 different places. This enables them to move the paper work off site and also requires them to get the largest, most top of the line hdd's they can find. Every month or so, they are bringing a new system online with bigger, better, faster.TM So, failing harddrive companies, concentrate on the businesses, not Mom and Dad with their 12GB they wont fill up, until software bloat causes them to.
I will even come up with DJ handles for you for free:
Hmmm:
Mix Masta Fattie Europa?
Grand Master Meteorite?
DJ Jazzy Solar Flare?
Dr (of Funk) Spock?
DJ Don't worry, we saw it 3 days after it went by?
/gets thrown of stage dragged outside screaming it wasn't me, it was that Charlie Sheen movie!/
"News sites got to make a buck somehow."
OK, most news sites have print copies of the same articles. Most news sites also use a ton of ads, usually extremely annoying pop-ups/unders/looping ads, etc. Many news sites are also moving towards username/pword +user "profiling".
I believe for the most part it is for the following reasons, all of which seem to be -1 Redundant:
To make more money. Plain old profitablity. Now, is this wrong? I don't know. I rarely ever give out proper information. On the occassions I do, it is for a trusted site (one I know won't release my info)
So, you have several options, bitch and moan, but visit them anyway, not visit, or falsify your information.*
*Somehow I get the feeling in about 5 years this one will be illegal and penalties will be severe.
from above:
"How can they screw us over with one face and cry about how they need DRM with another."
Dude, it's called greed. It's also called if they can get away with it, they will. Seriously, if you were an unethical, monopolistic slave to the dollar, you'd be the same way. Lucky for us, you're not.
Soon, real soon, I believe, people will wake up and smell the coffee, and realize they have been getting screwed and this will change.
From the article:
"Armed with all this computing power, Q's keepers plan to take on what for the Energy Department, anyway, is the Holy Grail of supercomputing: a full-scale, three-dimensional simulation of the physics involved in a nuclear explosion."
Come on, for pete's sake, can't we do better stuff with this than simulate the physics in a nuclear explosion? Honestly, who cares about that. We all know it's bad, real bad. Move on to something near and dear to a lot of us out there...cancer, AIDS, Heart Disease,etc.
This is probably an unpopular view, but damn, enough destruction already.
Fair enough, I consider it a 1-1 draw. No penalty kicks though.
peace