Slashdot Mirror


User: commbat

commbat's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
113
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 113

  1. Re:well... on What Do Geek Squad Technicians Actually Do? · · Score: 1

    Since it was properly capatalized and punctuated it was quite readable. As a matter of fact I found it more readable than some other posts in this thread that actually had paragraphs.

  2. Re:Optimus on Slashback: Dry Mars, Wet Doc, Keyboard Teaser · · Score: 1

    While the concept is intriguing, what are the mechanics? A quick look at the site didn't answer that question... as a buckling-spring fan I'd reject any keyboard that didn't have my prefered feel, no matter what other bells and whistles it provides.

  3. Re:General Annoyance on Blender 2.40 Released · · Score: 1
    You know what would be nice, the submitter including a sentance on what the software did.

    My favorite annoyance is when an entry on a site such as freshmeat describes a program as a clone or re-implimentation of some other program. If I'd never heard of that other program I wouldn't know if it'd be something I'd like to use. I might even have a serious need for something like it but without a clear description I'd just skim over that entry.

    To get back on topic, I've just started getting interested in 3D CG (downloaded Povray and played with it some) and Blender definitely looks great. I'm going to give it a try.

  4. Re:uh oh... on More Delays for Ender Movie · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I think Card started out as a playwright before switching to novels.
    According to Robert McKee, plays are natural venues for dialog, novels are natural venues for inner landscape (thoughts), while the screen needs a more visual approach.

    Just because someone demonstrates expertise in both novel-writing and playwriting doesn't mean they can write a good screen play. (Though if I had to bet on whether someone can write a good first screen play I wouldn't hesitate to put my money on Card.)

  5. Re:An E1 costs $300k/yr? on Are Web Pages Getting Larger? · · Score: 1

    I seem to remember many years ago someone actually hooking up a TI-85 to the internet and serving pages, however a quick google search failed to come up with anything.

    Anyone else remember this?

  6. Re:Facilitators on Music Should Be Heard But Not Understood · · Score: 1

    The fact that you couldn't grasp those limited lyrics (4 words total) while listening to the song says a lot.

    This, coming from someone who can't count to five...


    It's seven words.

  7. Re:yes we all know on EFF and Sony Disclose New DRM Security Hole · · Score: 1

    It appears that you believe everyone reading slashdot think/believe/want exactly the same things. Excuse me, but this is a community with many people having diverse opinions. Don't lump us all together and say we all think the same.

  8. Ink on plastic laminate rebate form on Computer Rebates Not As Sinister As You Think · · Score: 1

    I once bought a game with a rebate offer that required writing on a plastic laminated form that had very small spaces available for the required info. The requirement also stated it be in ink. After failed testing with a fine point ballpoint pen I filled it out with a fine point Sharpie writing very small and cramped. I waited half an hour for it to dry before touching it and still I feared that the writing wouldn't be legible enough.

    But how many people would have gone through all that? How many had a fine point Sharpie (or other marker) handy? How many could write that small while avoiding hopelessly smudging the form?

    I eventually recieved my check but the entire experience left a bad taste in my mouth concerning rebates.

  9. Exceptional songs are exceptional holistically. on Pandora Radio from Music Genome Project · · Score: 1

    ISTM that it's how the different attributes of a song interact together that gives it a 'flavor' that appeals to me. My tastes are very eclectic, ranging from swing to jazz to 60's/hard/acid/psychedelic/soft/(etc.) rock to disco to grunge to pop to.... as long as a song is exceptional.

    What kind of algorithm can they come up with to give me that?

  10. Re:RTFA? on Human-Powered Internet Archive Book Project · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'd RTFA if the black text didn't overlap a black image. IE-only web designers should be shot.

    This is when the 'remove this object' firefox extension comes in handy. Just remove the image and the text is readable. 'Undo last remove' to get the image back.

    I don't think you should have been modded down.

  11. Re:Why Java doesn't work on Write Portable Code · · Score: 1

    Um, a PIC10 maxes out at 512 bytes of program memory, 23 bytes of RAM, and 2 (count 'em) stack levels. I doubt anyone will be writing a JVM for the thing.

    It is, however, possible. Use the resources you have to code a more capable virtual processor using external storage as RAM, maybe designing it with Java bytecode in mind... you might have to code another, higher, level to get the capabilities needed, all at a serious speed penalty though.

    Think Basic Stamps.

  12. Re:If only you were right... on PHP Succeeding Where Java Has Failed · · Score: 1

    It's possible that they're actually LOOKING for liars. In a future wrongful termination lawsuit all they have to do is pull out the old resume and prove the plaintif a liar, case closed.

  13. Re:All I know on DVD Jon to work for Michael Robertson · · Score: 1
    -Get one team to reverse engineer and document the functionality of a system (that which can be observed as a user).


    Making sure that no one involved ever had any previous contact with said system.

    -Get another team to only take those documents and build a new system.


    Making sure that the two teams have zero contact otherwise.

    And document every step under the supervision of a team of IP lawyers.

    There may be other steps that I've forgotten.

  14. Re:Obligatory grammar nazi on What Would You Do With a 92 TBps Router? · · Score: 1

    Breaking a protocol IS a big deal!

  15. Re:Syntax, OS interfaces... on Learning Computer Science via Assembly Language · · Score: 1

    The intel standard (used by nasm, tasm, masm) is dest,src.

    In case anyone is interested, this tradition started at least as far back as the 8080 (1974) and is a reflection of the binary opcode which, in turn, made sense at the hardware level.

    The ATT standard (used by gas) is src,dest

    Much more intuitive to this english speaker... "Move this over there" where intel would have us say "Move over there this here"

    --

  16. Interpreted code and high volume traffic on Apple History At folklore.org · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "As a plus, Hertzfeld notes in the faq that the python code running the well-designed and easy to navigate site will be made public in the near future."

    Shows if you want to run a site written with an interpreted language and expect Slashdot level interest, you'd better be running it on one hell of a monster machine.

    Sheesh!

  17. Re:Nice... on Is Your Silver-based Thermal Paste Really Silver? · · Score: 1

    Or, pessimistically, OCZ wrote this press release years ago and were just waiting for the day they'd be found out.

  18. Re:Sometimes the old ways are effective on Discovering New Music? · · Score: 1

    Try turning on the radio (i.e. the one that uses radio wave frequencies, not IP addresses) and find a not for profit station.

    Damn... I already replied to another post so I can't mod you up... so I can only reply with a big Right On! (Yep... I'm that old ;-)

    We have an NPR affiliate WDET here in Detroit which is the only station I listen to. You can listen to it with Chaincast, Quicktime, Realmedia or direct link in WMP. I've often said to people when they comment on the song currently playing, "Wait an hour, the sound will be completely different." When I heard a rap song one day I knew I had heard every type of music there is on one radio station.

    I lose sleep listening to Liz Copeland's show from midnight to 5, she almost always plays great music that I've mostly haven't heard before.

    There's news and talk from 5am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm, then there's jazz from 7pm to 10pm (these are all weekdays... weekends have different schedules) and the rest of the time it's whatever the DJ (host) feels like playing. Yes, this is a DJ programmed station.

    I know I'm running on, but I just really like this station.

  19. Re:News? on Discovering New Music? · · Score: 1

    So look up a band you like, and then look for interesting bands that sound like them.

    I guess this is why everytime I mention that I like Portishead someone comes back with "If you like Portishead, you'll also like Massive Attack." Well I've listened to Massive Attack and none of the songs I've listened to sound anything like Portishead. Cowboy Junkies sound much closer and they aren't even on the 'related' list at ubl's Portishead page.

    I've decided that nobody does it like Portishead.

  20. Re:I'm sorry, but WTF would you ever need this for on Wahoo P4 Stratagem System Review · · Score: 1

    If I wanted a room filled up with 20MB hard drives...

    I just threw out a P 133 computer with a 2 gig HD. MB was bad. It wasn't even worth it to hunt down my screwdriver to remove the HD, not with prices rapidly approaching a buck a gig.

  21. Re:which cd's? on Digital Rights Management on CD's This Christmas? · · Score: 1

    and my pc reboots after inserting it.

    I'm kind of late with this, but just in case your checking back to see if anyone has something constructive to say... I once saw this at work (small computer shop - sales and repair) and it took me days to figure out that the owner had uninstalled some adaptec software (I think it was direct CD.) Reinstalling the software fixed the problem. hth

  22. Re:What's really cool about the VapoChill.. on A Few Hardware Bits · · Score: 1

    I dunno about the details of VapoChill

    One thing I noticed is that the reviewer stated that it used hydroflourocarbons as a refrigerant. Hasn't HFC been banned by just about every industrial nation on earth including the U.S. (but with the notable exception of China.) Think 'Ozone Layer'.

  23. Linux: scream-inducing at Microsoft on Ex-Microsofter Rick Belluzzo Prefers Linux · · Score: 2, Insightful

    From the interview, when asked how his style, while at Microsoft, was different from others:

    People outside the company liked working with me. For example, if someone raised the subject of Linux, I didn't jump up and scream. I said, "Talk to me about why you like Linux, and let's talk through this."

    This is telling. IMO, if 'linux' is a scream-inducing word at Microsoft, then the company must be really scared. After all, screaming is an irrational, emotional response that doesn't lend itself to effective problem-solving.

  24. Re:IN SOVIET RUSSIA on Lessig Spins Copyright Law · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Does anyone else miss the 'petrified girls' posts?

  25. Re:Learn the command line on Getting Started In Linux · · Score: 1

    That was you. Now what about the other 99.99% of the population? If you think CLI has a real future, you are truely hopeless.

    $sed -e 's/99\.99/\.0003/' -e 's/hopeless/brilliant/'