Well, Windows CE is more like a full OS, complete with almost everything you can find in the deskstop Windows : installer/desintaller, TCP-IP networking with dial-up wizard, bunch of dll's, desktop wallpaper or a lightweight DirectX. PalmOS is a pure handheld OS made for handhelds and handhelds only : there's the bare minimum of services and code.
Both OS have merits, but for a developper Windows CE is clearly better, because it uses a subset of the Win32 API and have most services you expect to find in an regular OS. Also, Pocket PC PDAs have larger screens (240x320 pixels and 12 or 16 bits per pixel) while Palm devices have a tiny one (160x160 in gray scale or 256 color). PocketPC have MUCH beefier CPUs, sound, easy connectivity through Ethernet or Modem cards, mass-storage availability (Flash cards or Microdrive, etc...).
Another BIG advantage of Windows CE : Microsoft is giving away the full SDK AND Visual C++ AND Visual Basic for Windows CE (not just the add-on, the full complete apps with cross-compiler and all !). If your app already exists as a Visual Basic program, then it will mike porting easier than rewriting from scratch for PalmOS, un C and with a totally different API.
Overall Palm devices are nice calender/todo/agenda/etc. but they just don't cut it if you want desktop functionnalities.
Re:Of course, only the N. American result matters.
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ICANN At-Large Results
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I'm glad Andy Mueller-Maguhn won the European election - nothing quite like a CCC member to kick some greedy corporate asses:)
Nifty menues don't mean executables. Macromedia Flash files (swf) can do a lot more than any DVD menuing system has ever done, yet they aren't even capable of telling what OS or CPU you are using. While it is possible the DVD standard includes ways to probe the player capabilities, I doubt they did so (this would be well beyond the scope of what a menuing and navigation system is supposed to do)
Your point would be valid, except DVDs don't have embedded CPUs in them, and therefor are nothing else than passive storage medias that only hold passive content (no executables)
I have serious doubts about all this stuff... the DVD is supposed to not hold any executable - basically just some raw CSS-encoded MPEG2 streams and a bunch of infos like "if button DOWN is pressed, highligh text #2 in menu". Not quite something that could intelligently probe the player and decide for itself to play or not.
I quite don't see how a DVD could query a DVD player to check the region. It seems to me things work the other way around : the player checks if his region coding is compatible with the value written on the disc and decides what to do from there on. All the logic and thinking is done by the player CPU and code in its ROM.
Besides, the 2 first titles supposed to have this RCE "feature", namely "The patriot" and "The Perfect Storm" are not even worth the plastic they are recorded on. ("The patriot" is an history rewrite, made so that every (usually totally ignorant about history) US spectator think he is from the "best country in the world" (TM) and that every English soldier was a Nazi.)
Hummm.... now this might be the reason why critical code (plane computers, medical systems, etc...) is NOT made in C ?
If the Pascal compilers tells you you shouldn't do something - then it is that what you are trying to do is wrong - PERIOD ! Beside, any language that relies on pointers should be shot immediatly.
I'd agree on that - except for one thing : MacOS X does have something that makes it very different from other OSs, which is a 2D vector graphic engines. Scaling back and forth large 32 bit/pixel images, turning them around at non-orthogonal angles, applying alpha-transparency animations, etc... eats a whole lot of memory and CPU ressource (but is definitely cool)
But you can do that pretty easely with mod_rewrite and PHP.
Have the PHP script make a html and gzipped image of its output whenever it is called (there's a bunch of ob_* fonctions in PHP who can help you do that). Then use mod_rewrite to have the server serve :
gziped image if available and supported by client
html image if available and gzip not supported
php file if no file is available
you can refresh the content of the file by deleting the html and gzip image... that way you have optimal load on the server and a bandwidth-friendly site.
Windows CE PDAs (such as the Casio E100 and E105) have been running Color Gameboy emulator and Doom for over a year... and since Heretic is Doom with different maps and texture, there's nothing so hard about it.
I'm sorry but they'll need to show up more if they want me to be excited about a Linux PDA...
Not really - all laptops now have 32 bit - Carbus PCMCIA connector. I don't know how fast those are, certainly nothing close to 4x AGP, but it should be at least fast enough to make MAME emulate a Neo Geo in all its glory:)
First thing to say is it has been good to hear the 'other' side from someone who is able to reply with a decent argument for a change. Of those I have talked to in person, I usually don't get responses to my arguments, and of those on the net it usually has fallen into abuse which this hasn't. Merci.
You are very welcome:)
but because UK is less attractive for them
This is a possibility I don't disagree but we will have to agree to disagree as to whether it is the main reason. There are lots of factors of course such as building another factory in the same country is not something many companies investing in a foreign market would do, as it is silly to put all the eggs in one basket.
I would agree with that, it is not clear what are the main factors for this. But being involved in a business myself in France, I would feel more comfortable expanding in Euro countries than in UK or other non-Euro countries. Having one single currency everywhere, one set of purchases prices in Euros, not having to deal with fluctuations or convertion charges is a great thing. Of course the same goes for metric units in other fields;)
You can't argue that not being in the Euro zone is hurting business...
Oh yes I can..;-) It is hurting some, and is a positive boom to others. Certainly more American firms are investing in the UK because they didn't join. But any European firms operating in the UK are of course being hurt and vice-versa. There are trade offs without a doubt. Interestingly, I heard of a company from Holland that pays one Dutch subsidurary from another Dutch subsiduary via the UK in order to use the currency fluctuations! It made the programming harder for the person involved but he thought that was a sneaky way to make some money. (At least at the moment while the Euro continues to slide).
Well there are certainly some niches where being in Europe but outside of the Euro can be of some help. But "simple is beautiful", and one currency is as simple as it can get. I would bet a lot that the UK will get in the Euro in the next 10 years, one way or another (call me an optimist or a pessimist;). The UK politicians who are against-Euro are a lot so because it makes them popular. Once they get elected, they'll do like politicians everywhere : put their big popular ideas in their pocket and have to deal with the fact. In the middle ages, there was hundreds of different currencies in Europe. Now there's about a dozen. In 2002 there'll be less than half a dozen. Someday the whole planet will probably use one single currency. No one can go against history, not even a whole country.
I wish they would stop following the US everywhere
It probably looks that way from the outside, but in most cases we (as in UK and US) tend to agree though rather than just following the US. One of those where we didn't was Kosovo, where the US didn't want to commit ground troops: who did, but the British, the French... And it's not like there is British Troops at Guatanamo Bay, or in Panama. And ironically enough, and although I disagree with it, the British have had troops in Columbia for a very long time now on covert missions, long before the US really got involved. Sometimes the US follows the UK..
OK, lets say that the US and UK have strong political bonds and synchronised foreign and economical policies.
Andorra could have a bigger economy than the US
Along with Ibiza and Lichtenstein they certainly have a big 'laundry' business, so you never know
Another place where we need more Europe:) It's no use to making anti-moneylaundry policies if rogue nations like Monaco - or the Jersey islands (which happen to be UK owned money-laundering facilities...)
it seems UK is only in the EU to destroy the EU
That is the first time I have heard it put like that. From my point of view, and not intending to be rude, it seems that the UK is always having to stand up to German demands which are backed up by France who are in agreement just to suck up to them.
I agree that the Germany-France block is strong - but the way the UK fight this is a dead-end : UK should try to either offer other solutions that go forward in the EU integration, seeking the support of other European countries. The way I see it, the UK choosed rather to be the one playing alone, away from the other "kids", and using its veto power to stop things from moving. So far it seems the only thing that interest UK in the EU is the economic integration and free-market, and everything else (politics, social, etc..) is deemed as an the end of the world.
doubt this is the case, but sometimes it is hard not to take the slightly more objective view. Again, I think that always trying to block everything... is OTT, and maybe because it is more of the blocking that gets reported on the continent than the agreements (unsuprisingly!). This is the problem of trying to integrate such different peoples as we know, and I don't think it will work without more say from the populous. One of the problems of the UK is that the European Parliament elections are seen as an opportunity to protest against the government, and not as voting for the equivalent of a Senator in the US.
I didn't knew about that. Well, in the future the EU parliement is probably going to end like the US senate, with similar powers... a rather serious matter.
It doesn't help when we have failed politicians in high office in the European Parliament either (I am thinking of Neil Kinnock). But the effect is not seen directly, and when decrees are passed down by Europe, it is not generally understood that these people were voted in, and all that is seen is the ridiculous beurocracy, the perks, the big expense accounts, the 'club' atmosphere that seems to pevade the commission. It makes it hard to take these people seriously as 'representatives'.
Some thing everywhere, same story of "bureaucrats" imposing "silly" laws that disturb the avarage law-abiding citizen... we get that stuff here too. But like many of the shortcomings of the EU that you point out (and many of them I'll agree with), this is a problem that can be solved with more EU, more involvement of every European citizen in the union life, etc. The UK people need to be educated about how the EU institution work, how they can contribute to it - but instead they get the same bullshit of the British medias blowing out of proportions (and often writing total lies) regulations from EU. (makes me wonder who is controling those papers and has such great interests to manipulate the opinion that way... hummmm)
My bet is that the officials know better than the average citizen
I have to disagree. I think that most people realise that it is going to be hard to avoid, but whereas most politicians seem to be happy to go in with the current setup, most citizens aren't.
No offense here to anyone - but the more I get through life, the more I realise that well over 50% of peoples are total morons that can hardly put two ideas together, let alone have a structured political stand. So while I believe in democracry, I still believe that politicians have usually better informations into their hands that their electors, and if some of them in UK are still supporting the Euro with all the risk involved (esp. not being re-elected), it probably means they have very strong reasons to do so.
You may be surprised but the split is actually pretty even in UK politics between those for and against, but most of the respected commentators that are against which ARE a majority, tend to point out the corruption and failure of the ECB to have strong policies. Germany certainly kept their economy stronger when they were not harnessed by it.
Well, seing how Volkwagen, Mercedes and BMW have grown from local manufacturers to world heavyweights, I'd say they did great lately. The French did quite well too (Renault bought Nissan).. That might or might not be related to the growth of the EU, but I'm sure VW enjoys being able to make all accounting with Seat with the same currency:). Now what did happen to the UK car industry - Jaguar, Roll's Royce, Rover ? You'd think cheap salaries, flexible job market, loose regulations would have been great for them. Turns out that the countries with the heaviest taxes and regulations did better, maybe because this push companies to do their best to improve productivity, instead of letting them rely on the governement to lower costs.
Perhaps the best solution is for the UK to leave the union altogether, and then this would help the Euro, the Union get things sorted within, and then when we do have to join if this is the case, we would have to be accepted on the Union terms, which would either be acceptable to the average UK citizen or not, but at least they would know what they were agreeing to, and not as before when the populous thought they were just joining a Free Trade area... Like THAT will happen though! Oh well.
I'd definitely be in favor of something like that. It's clear that what was once a free-trade communities is growing more and more and becoming a US of Europe. I can certainly relate to the people who fear for the loss of their countries specificities, but it's either the EU or becoming another USA vassal...
be a African currency is.. the France CFA
I was told about the Afro by a friend when in Kenya (he worked there, and now in Sudan) and did see something mentioned in The Daily Nation. Unfortunately they don't have a Search function, so I can't see if the article was even out on the web. He said that it would link up the Central African currencies such as the CFA with those of Kenya and Zimbabwe for example, but it was only in the early stages of being talked about. (BTW, Whilst I was out there I also saw a first draft UN reports, and the final version was heavily censored for 'political' reasons). Anyway, I can't see it happening either, and that's why I was agreeing that the best chance of competition for the US$ would be a harmonised Eurozone..
The best and only, or maybe the Chinese Yuhan. I think the choice should be offered to UK citizens like this : "Would you rather use the Euros, or the USD ? Because it's going to be one of them anyway."
Well I lobby for "one citizen, one vote", but many countries (including UK) are opposed to this system, since they means giving away some of the control they have over EU matters.
This made me laugh, I know it is just a miscommunication. Unless you really are saying that in France not every citizen has a vote? Mais, non! Ce n'est pas vrai! LOL.
The French system sucks on that indeed - about every decades they change the voting system so that the dominant party gets more power. OTHO it makes for more stable and long terms politics...
Proportional Representation is the fairest way of electing representatives, but it also causes other problems. Just as the extreme was ethnic cleansing in Kosovo/Bosnia etc it tends to segregate people from different cultures and those of different beliefs. If that problem could be overcome, I would be for it as long as the politicians could stop the squabbling that is so inherent in the countries using PR at the moment.
Hopefully sometimes people will vote for the EU parliement elections not based on nationality but on its political orientation. For example, I voted at the ICANN for a German, not a French, because I don't care what country the guy is from, as long as we share the same ideas. I think that in the EU, my interest are best preserved by a Greek that shares my ideas that by a French that have different ones.
BTW, won't that be neat to be paid in Euro in Germany and buy in Euros in Holland, and have Le Monde have se same price in Euros everywhere ?
Well, it would be. But I get paid in Pounds because the rates for my job in the UK are better..:)
Can't blame you on that one;)
But do you think that Le Monde will be the same price across the whole of Europe soon? I think it will be a long time before that happens.
I think it will happen quickly, because the different prices on the paper will be all in the same currency. People will then discover how much MORE than the French price they have to pay, and the newspaper will have to trim down the price... one currency will certainly help flatten prices different between countries (it already does : many French people now buy their car in Belgium or Spain where it is cheaper, and pay in Euros).
It is just fairness I am looking for.
Who can argue against that:)
we knew about English food before;)
Best food I have had? In Montreal, where our cultures combine. Maybe you are right about that Union thing..;-)
The first time I came to UK, I though the horror stories about British food was merely a myth propagated by French chauvinist. Then my first meal arrived : 3 kinds of pork sausages, some with lemon, others with appricot and the last kind with mint inside... the boiled potatoes were fine, but served with a "low fat - 100% artifical butter"... I'm still wondering why your fellow countrymen put so much efforts into destroying food.
UK hasn't really proven to be a partner to the EU
Maybe not, but listen to the politicians: we are virtually always described as partners... This was what I was referring to. There seems to be a contradiction here.
Politicians babble... have you noticed too that, when two companies make a deal, they are "partners" ? What kind of partners ask you for a multi-million dollar check in return for a favor ???
remember the coal agreement back in the 50s
Well, I know of it, but I don't remember it, having been born twenty years later...:) History has a habit of providing strange twists, and this was one of them really when looking at the history between the French and the Germans even in the previous fifty years. Who knows what might happen: what would happen if we did what the Dutch did for the Norh Sea and claimed some of La Manche back for land...
Then another Jeanne d'Arc would have risen and kicked you out of our land;)
We all dream of Utopia. I really don't see it working better than the US though, and we have the added problem of speaking lots of different languages let alone dialects!
I'd say this is an advantages because this will force at least some de-centralisations for local problems (which are still best left to local people). Multi-languages is great too to piss-off Americans (trying to sell their products here is a real challenge with all the markets, while we can easely sell into their local market)
It would be nice for the officials to be in touch, and it would be nice if we could vote on more of the issues that we are involved in, but I really do think that this is a dream. Malheureusement.
To do that we need to have a stronger EU, because they won't ask for our opinion if they can only draft laws about the bananas shappe and size.
T[h]atcher, but then everybody and their dog is too
LOL. Even Haider, that Austrian Politician whose name I am not sure of? Well, maybe. But she did get us out of a pretty bad situation (created by a Socialist government in the 1970s) in fairness to her, even if she was extreme once we out of it, and needed locking up.
Humm, kinda like fighting a plague with an atomic bomb. Might be efficient, but what a mess ! I'm pretty sure she'll have a nice place for herself in hell (next to her best friend Augusto).
get your sword (on your left) with your right hand
Well personally I would have my lance in my right hand, and be holding onto the reigns with my left, as it goes back to the times of jousting.
Jousting is for sissies - real fights are made with a sword !
What I don't understand is that if we held the sword with our right hand why is it that we shake hands with our right hands? Surely that means that we would have to swap which hand was holding the sword? And if you didn't really trust each other.. Well, I can see another reason how the population was kept down!
Well according to my history teacher that was precisely because the right hand is usually the one you use to hold a knive, that people shake hands with the right hand. Then you are 90% sure they won't rip your guts open when you least expect it. The 10% left is for left-handed of course...
This problem only applies to people running in paletted screen modes (not many) - once you run in 15 or 16 bit color depth it's fine. Sure, it might not be the same EXACT color you coded in 24 bit, but unless you use smooth gradient all over your site nobody will ever see the difference.
... and Pocket PC : that's what AvantGo is here for, but then people seriously considering distribution should have specially-designed for AvantGo pages (this is where having a DB driven site comes in handy !!)
Or web-enabled phones?
Ever heard of WAP ?
Now the Web is made for devices with 640x480 minimum display. That's maybe not in the W3C specs but that's how it is... pages made to be readable both on a 1600x1200 screen and on a cell-phone will look ugly on both.
On a side-note, I wish web designers would stop using fixed sized fonts and, worse, fixed sized tables. It's always silly when you read an article formatted in a fixed width table that makes it look like a thin line of text in an ocean of white on your 2048x1536 desktop !
Of course there's something... billions and billions of stars, an almost unlimited quantity of worlds to discover, probably a zillion different lifeforms. Now why would anyone want to see *anything else* in the sky is beyond me...
Also for scripting, one might want to disable the default time-out (system scripts can take a while to execute...). If the system script is started from a web browser, then disabling user_abort too might be a good idea !
So, the focus has been changed but they aren't moving their operations from the UK to Europe. This is called Expansion last time I looked.
Or perhaps BECAUSE of the success of the manufacturing in the UK, it is now possible to expand their operations into Europe. Did you not read on some of those links how the High Yen and Weak Euro is seriously affecting their profits?
Well, you can see it that way, but on the other hand they could continue to manufacture all their cars in UK. The reason why they decided to build new factories outside of UK is probably not to be closer to the market they want to sell in (it's no big deal to ship them from UK), but because UK is less attractive for them. So far the main reason it is less attractive is the non-existence of the Euro in UK, and all the disadvantages that stem from it (currency instability, more difficult accounting with several currencies, etc...)
This sentences says the opposite...
No, it doesn't say the opposite. It was a choice between Dagenham and Cologne, and the reason Cologne survived is becaue it was easier to sack the workers in Dagenham! Is that a bad thing for the UK? Well not according to a quote from that same page..
OK the sentence didn't say the opposite, either it was not clear or I didn't read carefully enough. So if I understand correctly, there already were 2 factories, one of which had to be closed, and they closed the UK one. I still seriously think the Euro weighted in the decision too... besides, that quite shows having loose work legislation is not ALWAYS the best way to keep business going (eventhough the situation here was kind of a special case).
The hallmark of a dynamic capitalist economy is what the Austrian economist Josef Schumpeter described as "creative destruction". Ultimately, what matters is that the jobs and businesses created are on balance more numerous and more productive than the ones destroyed. In the past five to seven years, Britain has passed that test more successfully than any other major economy in Europe.
I'll certainly agree the UK has been doing well in the past 10 years, but I think the refusal to enter the Euro is going to be the kiss of death for the economic growth. For example, many US business install their European headquarters in UK - because of the language and closeness to Europe. What will they do once they have to sell everything in Europe in Euro, yet have to deal with the Dollar AND the Pound fluctuations ? You can't argue that not being in the Euro zone is hurting business...
the UK always side with the US
Not true. It might seem like that but when it comes to trade agreements you will find that the UK tend to side more with Europe than the US, it's just when it comes to foreign and defense policy that we differ from Europe.
Until we have to vote to engage in trade retorsion (taxes on US import), where the UK never agrees. As for defense, the UK is moving closer to EU (they started being European made equipement, but on foreign matters I wish they would stop following the US everywhere. We won't build a European super-power if everytime the US army is going somewhere the UK troops are following closely !
that only happenend because the economy "size" was measured in Euros
The economy still overtook that of the French whether you measure it in Pounds, Euros, Dollars, Rupees! I cannot believe that you are arguing this point seeing as it means that as France has a slightly smaller population each person is on average richer! Surely if you are blaming the Euro, then you admit that
No - it depends how you count. If you coun't each country economy by "how many apples could you buy locally with the money generated", then the French economy is bigger (albeit I will agree that it depends what item you use, if it is imported from US then the exchange rate will gear up ; or if you pick something whose price is widely changing from country to country).
in other words, had it not been for horrible economic and monetary union, Britain's economy would still be unambiguously behind France's.
Not necessarily - if the Euros had not happened, the Franc could still have sunk well below the Pound and we would have had the same result.
taken from this page. But I conceed to you that this is not the best measure of economy. So let's move on.
Indeed - with a currency going crazy, Andorra could have a bigger economy than the US;)
UK can't be opposed to the EU and be part of it at the same time.
You mean that everyone within the EU has to agree with EU polica ALL the time and cannot take an opposing view??? *SCARY*.
Well they can have opposite view of course, but seen from outside UK, it seems UK is only in the EU to destroy the EU. There's a wide difference between disagreeing sometimes and always trying to block everything...
I don't want to be part of that then. Secondly that is kind of my point. If the population is opposed to it, why do we have to stay in?
Now that is a good point, but isn't that the UK officials problem, not the EU one ? I would think there is a reason why most UK citizen are against the Euro, and most UK officials are pro-Euro (albeit being quiet about it, they don't want to loose next elections). My bet is that the officials know better than the average citizen, and realised that UK couln't stay out of the Euro game. Of course they won't stand for this issue since that would mean they would have to alienate the medias and the majority of the population. But this is all UK problem, and as a non-UK citizen I just want the UK to choose a official position and stand by it (and if they want to vote and say "no" to the whole thing, it's just fine for me).
Commonwealth (n) : the dust that remains from what used to be a great empire, and what is now a pure theorical construction.
A pure theoretical construction? Might not have 'power' in the form of an Empire, but an Empire is an outdated concept, and frankly one of which I am not particularly proud.
[cynical]Why so ? India is still using UK steam engine for its railroad ? Had UK not been there, they would probably not even have railroad at all...[/cynical]
The fifty four countries includes Great Britain, Canada (two of the G8 countries), Australia and India (fastest growing economy in the world at the moment) so if they stay part of this purely theoretical construction my question is Why? There must be advantages, and if that is the case, it cannot be theoretical.
Well I've been to several countries from the commonwealth, and the only thing from the UK I saw is the queen's face on some coins. The Commonwealth is pretty much like the queen : it's neat, it is very official, you can be proud of it, but in reality it has no practical use... (plus, people in India don't seem to like having the queen going around in their country so much, brings back bad memories...)
The Euro is a work in progress, and its full power will only be seen after 2002 (when all EU citizens start really using it daily).
I hope so, because I sure as hell don't want to have to bow to the all powerful US for everything, and the Eurozone is the best chance of a competitor at the moment, unless the 'Afro' (believe it or not!) somehow get's the African states economy going!
Well the only thing that could someday be a African currency is.. the France CFA, which is used widely in central Africa and managed by France. It might be tied (or will) to the Euro somedays, but I dunno. Franckly, I don't think I'll ever see Africa getting "big" during my lifetime.
That's right. Always. I don't think that you understand the veto very well. According to this definition, it was actually FRANCE that instigated the veto, which is weighted by Nation
This dispute led to France refusing all co-operation with the Community in 1965, a crisis only resolved by the Luxembourg Compromise, under which it was conceded that decisions affecting a vital national interest would have to be unanimous, even if the Treaty specified majority voting.
I don't blame UK for ALL EU problem (now that would be dishonest), and my hope is that the veto will be removed (since it makes an association of 15 members totally unmanageable).
The fact that it is also by far the biggest in term of population and economy is why they can have more importance in the EU choices.
Proportional representation is great in theory but not in practice (just ask Italy), but this isn't even what is happening. If you check the veto figures, you will find that Germany, UK and France all have a block of ten. The UK does not have the power of veto alone any more even on it's own issues. That was the agreed terms, and that's how it should be, if you believe in fair terms being honoured. If you believe that Germany has more of a say, you should lobby for them to have a bigger block, or France a smaller one.
Well I lobby for "one citizen, one vote", but many countries (including UK) are opposed to this system, since they means giving away some of the control they have over EU matters.
I find it amusing that you seem to believe that I read either The Sun or The Mirror and am just regurgitating what I have read.
Sorry - I didn't mean to insult you.
Sorry to refute this belief, but I live in Holland, and am working in Germany: I don't get to see Page Three any more.
BTW, won't that be neat to be paid in Euro in Germany and buy in Euros in Holland, and have Le Monde have se same price in Euros everywhere ?
...except put in the highest contribution per capita
if this is true then then this should be changed. But keep in mind that the richest country in EU have to pay for the poorest. This is great system because it allows to bring poorer countries up to speed, and then in return aggregate their population and power to the EU. Union makes force:)
, and provide someone to laugh at..:)
We didn't wait for the UK in the EU, we knew about English food before;)
C'mon, who else would have provided you with the Mad Cow Crisis? Well, okay maybe Belgium, but it wouldn't have been so amusing for you would it! (Note to Belgians: my company is based in Belgium, it is a joke I have with them all the time, especially since that Coke crisis!)
Don't forget the pig disease too:)
You see, you let yourself down by your own admission. Why should we 'side' with the EU, and not be a partner in the EU?
Well, as I said before, UK hasn't really proven to be a partner to the EU, which is why I used the word "side". I wouln'd have used to Germany or France (since they are basically the one behing the whole EU : remember the coal agreement back in the 50s).
I agree that it makes more sense to join the closest in order to compete financially, but then again, everywhere else, people are fighting for their own rule, be it in Montenegro, Kosovo, Scotland, Wales, Basque or Corsica.
Which is pretty bad - people should work for the common good and respect, not for their own personnal advantages (but we won't change mankind...)
I don't think that the thoughts of people in London, Berlin, Paris, Brussels should be imposed on everyone, just as so many people here on/. complain that those in Washington are not in touch. Have you ever been to California? I was amazed at just how many 'California Republic' flags fly there.
I believe we should have officals "in touch" by voting and being more implicated in politics, not by trying to take away our piece of land from the central power. Fragmentation and weakness is too big a price to pay, we should work toward making the centralised system work instead (because it can be so much more powerfull when it works well).
Centralised government is fine as long as it doesn't try to control to much, and I really believe that the European Comission does not need to have as much power as they want, as I want to be more in control of my destiny, and my country's destiny, and I would hope you would want that too.
Who wouln't ? I think the problem is that the EU is made of officals from all over Europe, and most of them are socialists (in the European way, not what the US think a socialist is !). The UK is kinda aside because it is much more on the right (Blair is on the left of Tatcher, but then everybody and their dog is too). So EU laws kinda go against the way people think in UK. For example putting a limit to the weekly work-time is a no-brainer for all countries in Europe, but made an "scandal" in UK.
Anyway, without differences of opinion, Napolean wouldn't have decided to march on the opposite side of the road to the English, and then we'd all be driving on the wrong side, and that wouldn't be any fun now, would it!
And the English side is the best, since it is the one that lets you get your sword (on your left) with your right hand and fight back when attacked:)
Unfortunately they are. Reports on CNN, TV5 and BBC this week point to companies moving from Germany (the strongest economy in Europe) to the States because they cannot compete with the prices of raw materials being caused by the weak Euro. Unfortunately it was on TV, and thus I cannot provide a link, so I cannot provide the evidence to back this up despite a quick search on Google.
To be honest I find this to be at least very suspect. Moving an industry from Germany to Mexico, Indonesia or China makes sense. Moving it to a country where work is almost as expensive as in Germany doesn't make sense to me. If this is a matter of paying materials in USD and not in Euro, then they could have as well moved the factory anywhere not in the Euro zone, were business is done in USD (east-asia, central/south america, etc.).
Most? Evidence please? I think perhaps you are confusing Ford moving manufacturing of the Fiesta to Cologne from Dagenham, and from this page, this quote sums that up:
Well, several new Japanese car factories have been built in Euro-zone (including a big Toyota one in France), while UK was traditionnaly the place to do that a while ago. This would have not happened, had the UK been in the Euro... but now for a car manufacturer aiming the European market, building a car factory in a non-Euro country is totally a no-no.
Bill Morris, the Transport and General Workers' leader, is almost certainly right to maintain that it is much easier and cheaper to sack workers in Britain than in Germany and that this is a major factor behind Ford's apparent decision to shift output to Cologne.
I agree to the beginning (WAY easier to fire people in UK). But then wouldn't that be a reason for a company to prefer UK instead of Germany ??? This sentences says the opposite...
It doesn't work like that. If the cost of living in Europe is higher, which it is, it means you pay them accordingly. You don't just set an arbritary figure and then add a $ or E on the end of it. If a barrel cost $30 and the Euro slumps, it means that whereas it used to cost E30 it now costs E35. So the fact that the oil has risen as well is only part of the reason for the current blockades.
You are rigjt, but the thing is, you get about the same living with 50000 USD in US and 50000 E in Europe (with some variations depending of what you buy of course). So in a way work is cheaper in Europe with a weak Euro.
kissing the US ass
I hope this isn't just jealousy because the UK overtook France as the second biggest economy in Europe this year having not joined the Eurozone
No, because that only happenend because the economy "size" was measured in Euros, and with the Euros going down compared to the pound, the UK "size" went mecanically up. This doesn't reflect any real change in the economy whatsoever (if anything, the UK economy sufferers from a cheap Euro while France enjoys stronger exports). But I guess the Daily mirror and the Sun forgot to mention that...:)
I said "kissing the US ass" because, whenever a dispute arise between US and Europe, the UK always side with the US, eventhough they're supposed to be in the EU... if this is how UK wants to play it, fine, but then they should leave the EU and join the Alena or something else with the US. UK can't be opposed to the EU and be part of it at the same time.
If the UK wants to remain an island isolated from the world
remain (r-mn)
v. intr. remained, remaining, remains.
To continue in the same state or condition: These matters remain in doubt.
For us to 'remain' it is dependant on us already being isolated, and we aren't really as we are kissing up to the US ass and moaning all the time about the EU, as well as being the head of the Commonwealth?
Commonwealth (n) : the dust that remains from what used to be a great empire, and what is now a pure theorical construction.
When Norway voted against becoming part of the EU, did you notice how isolated they became('remained'), and the country's GDP rose in the following year ?
Wait until their money start drifting up/down from the Euro, and watch their economy. The Euro is a work in progress, and its full power will only be seen after 2002 (when all EU citizens start really using it daily).
I am with you on the last point: I wish we never had joined, as do most (69% at the last poll) of the people in the UK. We moan for good reason. For an example of this and on how certain people want Europe to work try checking here.
That sounds a good thing to me - making car manufacturers pay for the pollution they generate. I wish the EU would make more laws like this a be more resistant to economic lobbies. If you lived near a "car cimetery", you would probably think it's a good thing too. There's more to politics than letting big companies make huge loads of money will destroy what's left of the planet...
He implies that he only thought the German people had a right to decide on whether more countries should joing the EU..
All countries have to give their agreement to have new countries join the EU... including UK (which will probably veto anyway, like they always do). Some countries can be more vocal than others on EU issues - Germany being one of these. The fact that it is also by far the biggest in term of population and economy is why they can have more importance in the EU choices. Hopefully we will manage somedays to have each EU country have power equal to population (which is what democracy is all about) and this will make things more official.
PS Maybe we should be working together on this, as we both seem to want the same thing: the UK out of Europe!:-)
I agree on that - UK in EU doesn't do any good to the EU, and it doesn't seems to please UK citizens either... OTHO the UK politics, who don't read the Sun (fortunately), seems to have understood that they can't be left out of an big world power. UK can't possibly side with Japan or China, so what's left is either the US/North-American block or the EU. I think UK and US have politically more in common (same extreme free-market economy, etc..) but on the other hand, being 35 km from the EU, having a majority of exchanges with the EU, and being part of the "old world" it would make more sense for them to side with the EU.
I dunno on which alternate dimension you live, but business are certainly not leaving Europe for the American continent. Or were you talking of factories delocalised in Mexico ? Because last time I checked, most Japanese car manufacturer were building or moving their plants from UK to countries part of the Euro... and those who don't end up like Rover.
As for moving from Euro zone to US, you got everything wrong : salaries and materials cost higher in US than in the Euro zone, precisely because the Euro is cheaper than the USD. What would you prefer : pay someone 50000 USD/year or 50000 Euros/year ?
I wish UK would have never been accepted in the UE : they always whine about everything, put their veto to everything and keep kissing the US ass (Echelon, the trade negocitiations, etc...). If the UK wants to remain an island isolated from the world, all the better !
OTOH the UK industry is not doing so well with such a strong currency - and with the population so strongly against the Euro, big business are fleeing to the continent where they don't have to deal with currency fluctuation
Well, just another reason why UK should switch to the Euro currency like the rest of Europe. It's funny how your fellow countrymen can be so chauvinist that they'd rather shoot themselves in the foot rather than cooperate with their neighbours...
Don't underestimate the power of open-source : in the few days the alien attacks lasted, open-source hackers from around the world made gcc cross-compile regular i386 code and AlienCPU code:o)
The first reason why cards with AGP 4x don't do better than AGP 2x is that all cards concentrate on having textures on-board, thus almost never using AGP texturing. Which is why the speed of AGP doesn't show up on the benchmarks in the end. If we had a GeForce 2 GTS with only 8 Meg onboard, I bet we would see a difference between AGP 2x and 4x because the card would be forced to use it.
The other reason is that the memory bandwidth of most PC is not big enough and the AGP 4x video card has to wait for the memory, reducing the advantage of the faster bus. PC100 SDRAM has only 800 M/s bandwidth, which is far from enough to feed a CPU AND an hungry AGP 4x video card.
I agree wholly, except for the computer virus : finding a security hole in a computer system is one thing, finding a hole in a computer system built by an advanced, never-seen-before, alien civilisation, is something else. Their computer would run on molecular or quantum computing, or at least optical computing... plus the programming language would be totally different (maybe they didn't go for binary but rather trinary (-1,0,1) or whatever way of computing, maybe "analogous" computing ??).
I doubt you can reverse engineer this, build a compatible system (required to upload the virus, with all the wireless networking protocols emulated) then code a virus in less than a week - as in the movie (the guy who code the virus is supposed to be totally ignorant of alien stuff before they arrived on earth).
ID was not only totally lame, it was so pro-American it made me puke. The US propaganda during WWII was less pro-American than that !!!
Slashdot Mirror
Well, Windows CE is more like a full OS, complete with almost everything you can find in the deskstop Windows : installer/desintaller, TCP-IP networking with dial-up wizard, bunch of dll's, desktop wallpaper or a lightweight DirectX. PalmOS is a pure handheld OS made for handhelds and handhelds only : there's the bare minimum of services and code.
Both OS have merits, but for a developper Windows CE is clearly better, because it uses a subset of the Win32 API and have most services you expect to find in an regular OS. Also, Pocket PC PDAs have larger screens (240x320 pixels and 12 or 16 bits per pixel) while Palm devices have a tiny one (160x160 in gray scale or 256 color). PocketPC have MUCH beefier CPUs, sound, easy connectivity through Ethernet or Modem cards, mass-storage availability (Flash cards or Microdrive, etc...).
Another BIG advantage of Windows CE : Microsoft is giving away the full SDK AND Visual C++ AND Visual Basic for Windows CE (not just the add-on, the full complete apps with cross-compiler and all !). If your app already exists as a Visual Basic program, then it will mike porting easier than rewriting from scratch for PalmOS, un C and with a totally different API.
Overall Palm devices are nice calender/todo/agenda/etc. but they just don't cut it if you want desktop functionnalities.
I'm glad Andy Mueller-Maguhn won the European election - nothing quite like a CCC member to kick some greedy corporate asses :)
Nifty menues don't mean executables. Macromedia Flash files (swf) can do a lot more than any DVD menuing system has ever done, yet they aren't even capable of telling what OS or CPU you are using. While it is possible the DVD standard includes ways to probe the player capabilities, I doubt they did so (this would be well beyond the scope of what a menuing and navigation system is supposed to do)
Your point would be valid, except DVDs don't have embedded CPUs in them, and therefor are nothing else than passive storage medias that only hold passive content (no executables)
I have serious doubts about all this stuff... the DVD is supposed to not hold any executable - basically just some raw CSS-encoded MPEG2 streams and a bunch of infos like "if button DOWN is pressed, highligh text #2 in menu". Not quite something that could intelligently probe the player and decide for itself to play or not.
I quite don't see how a DVD could query a DVD player to check the region. It seems to me things work the other way around : the player checks if his region coding is compatible with the value written on the disc and decides what to do from there on. All the logic and thinking is done by the player CPU and code in its ROM.
Besides, the 2 first titles supposed to have this RCE "feature", namely "The patriot" and "The Perfect Storm" are not even worth the plastic they are recorded on. ("The patriot" is an history rewrite, made so that every (usually totally ignorant about history) US spectator think he is from the "best country in the world" (TM) and that every English soldier was a Nazi.)
You are a troll - and an ignorant troll with that : he was talking about Logo (the programming language), not Legos (the building game).
Hummm.... now this might be the reason why critical code (plane computers, medical systems, etc...) is NOT made in C ?
If the Pascal compilers tells you you shouldn't do something - then it is that what you are trying to do is wrong - PERIOD ! Beside, any language that relies on pointers should be shot immediatly.
Nope - I think Delphi 4+ does it too...
I'd agree on that - except for one thing : MacOS X does have something that makes it very different from other OSs, which is a 2D vector graphic engines. Scaling back and forth large 32 bit/pixel images, turning them around at non-orthogonal angles, applying alpha-transparency animations, etc... eats a whole lot of memory and CPU ressource (but is definitely cool)
But you can do that pretty easely with mod_rewrite and PHP.
Have the PHP script make a html and gzipped image of its output whenever it is called (there's a bunch of ob_* fonctions in PHP who can help you do that). Then use mod_rewrite to have the server serve :
gziped image if available and supported by client
html image if available and gzip not supported
php file if no file is available
you can refresh the content of the file by deleting the html and gzip image... that way you have optimal load on the server and a bandwidth-friendly site.
Windows CE PDAs (such as the Casio E100 and E105) have been running Color Gameboy emulator and Doom for over a year... and since Heretic is Doom with different maps and texture, there's nothing so hard about it.
I'm sorry but they'll need to show up more if they want me to be excited about a Linux PDA...
Not really - all laptops now have 32 bit - Carbus PCMCIA connector. I don't know how fast those are, certainly nothing close to 4x AGP, but it should be at least fast enough to make MAME emulate a Neo Geo in all its glory :)
First thing to say is it has been good to hear the 'other' side from someone who is able to reply with a decent argument for a change. Of those I have talked to in person, I usually don't get responses to my arguments, and of those on the net it usually has fallen into abuse which this hasn't. Merci.
:)
;)
;-) It is hurting some, and is a positive boom to others. Certainly more American firms are investing in the UK because they didn't join. But any European firms operating in the UK are of course being hurt and vice-versa. There are trade offs without a doubt. Interestingly, I heard of a company from Holland that pays one Dutch subsidurary from another Dutch subsiduary via the UK in order to use the currency fluctuations! It made the programming harder for the person involved but he thought that was a sneaky way to make some money. (At least at the moment while the Euro continues to slide).
;). The UK politicians who are against-Euro are a lot so because it makes them popular. Once they get elected, they'll do like politicians everywhere : put their big popular ideas in their pocket and have to deal with the fact. In the middle ages, there was hundreds of different currencies in Europe. Now there's about a dozen. In 2002 there'll be less than half a dozen. Someday the whole planet will probably use one single currency. No one can go against history, not even a whole country.
:) It's no use to making anti-moneylaundry policies if rogue nations like Monaco - or the Jersey islands (which happen to be UK owned money-laundering facilities...)
:). Now what did happen to the UK car industry - Jaguar, Roll's Royce, Rover ? You'd think cheap salaries, flexible job market, loose regulations would have been great for them. Turns out that the countries with the heaviest taxes and regulations did better, maybe because this push companies to do their best to improve productivity, instead of letting them rely on the governement to lower costs.
.. :)
;)
:)
;)
;-)
:) History has a habit of providing strange twists, and this was one of them really when looking at the history between the French and the Germans even in the previous fifty years. Who knows what might happen: what would happen if we did what the Dutch did for the Norh Sea and claimed some of La Manche back for land...
;)
You are very welcome
but because UK is less attractive for them
This is a possibility I don't disagree but we will have to agree to disagree as to whether it is the main reason. There are lots of factors of course such as building another factory in the same country is not something many companies investing in a foreign market would do, as it is silly to put all the eggs in one basket.
I would agree with that, it is not clear what are the main factors for this. But being involved in a business myself in France, I would feel more comfortable expanding in Euro countries than in UK or other non-Euro countries. Having one single currency everywhere, one set of purchases prices in Euros, not having to deal with fluctuations or convertion charges is a great thing. Of course the same goes for metric units in other fields
You can't argue that not being in the Euro zone is hurting business...
Oh yes I can..
Well there are certainly some niches where being in Europe but outside of the Euro can be of some help. But "simple is beautiful", and one currency is as simple as it can get. I would bet a lot that the UK will get in the Euro in the next 10 years, one way or another (call me an optimist or a pessimist
I wish they would stop following the US everywhere
It probably looks that way from the outside, but in most cases we (as in UK and US) tend to agree though rather than just following the US. One of those where we didn't was Kosovo, where the US didn't want to commit ground troops: who did, but the British, the French... And it's not like there is British Troops at Guatanamo Bay, or in Panama. And ironically enough, and although I disagree with it, the British have had troops in Columbia for a very long time now on covert missions, long before the US really got involved. Sometimes the US follows the UK..
OK, lets say that the US and UK have strong political bonds and synchronised foreign and economical policies.
Andorra could have a bigger economy than the US
Along with Ibiza and Lichtenstein they certainly have a big 'laundry' business, so you never know
Another place where we need more Europe
it seems UK is only in the EU to destroy the EU
That is the first time I have heard it put like that. From my point of view, and not intending to be rude, it seems that the UK is always having to stand up to German demands which are backed up by France who are in agreement just to suck up to them.
I agree that the Germany-France block is strong - but the way the UK fight this is a dead-end : UK should try to either offer other solutions that go forward in the EU integration, seeking the support of other European countries. The way I see it, the UK choosed rather to be the one playing alone, away from the other "kids", and using its veto power to stop things from moving. So far it seems the only thing that interest UK in the EU is the economic integration and free-market, and everything else (politics, social, etc..) is deemed as an the end of the world.
doubt this is the case, but sometimes it is hard not to take the slightly more objective view. Again, I think that always trying to block everything... is OTT, and maybe because it is more of the blocking that gets reported on the continent than the agreements (unsuprisingly!). This is the problem of trying to integrate such different peoples as we know, and I don't think it will work without more say from the populous. One of the problems of the UK is that the European Parliament elections are seen as an opportunity to protest against the government, and not as voting for the equivalent of a Senator in the US.
I didn't knew about that. Well, in the future the EU parliement is probably going to end like the US senate, with similar powers... a rather serious matter.
It doesn't help when we have failed politicians in high office in the European Parliament either (I am thinking of Neil Kinnock). But the effect is not seen directly, and when decrees are passed down by Europe, it is not generally understood that these people were voted in, and all that is seen is the ridiculous beurocracy, the perks, the big expense accounts, the 'club' atmosphere that seems to pevade the commission. It makes it hard to take these people seriously as 'representatives'.
Some thing everywhere, same story of "bureaucrats" imposing "silly" laws that disturb the avarage law-abiding citizen... we get that stuff here too. But like many of the shortcomings of the EU that you point out (and many of them I'll agree with), this is a problem that can be solved with more EU, more involvement of every European citizen in the union life, etc. The UK people need to be educated about how the EU institution work, how they can contribute to it - but instead they get the same bullshit of the British medias blowing out of proportions (and often writing total lies) regulations from EU. (makes me wonder who is controling those papers and has such great interests to manipulate the opinion that way... hummmm)
My bet is that the officials know better than the average citizen
I have to disagree. I think that most people realise that it is going to be hard to avoid, but whereas most politicians seem to be happy to go in with the current setup, most citizens aren't.
No offense here to anyone - but the more I get through life, the more I realise that well over 50% of peoples are total morons that can hardly put two ideas together, let alone have a structured political stand. So while I believe in democracry, I still believe that politicians have usually better informations into their hands that their electors, and if some of them in UK are still supporting the Euro with all the risk involved (esp. not being re-elected), it probably means they have very strong reasons to do so.
You may be surprised but the split is actually pretty even in UK politics between those for and against, but most of the respected commentators that are against which ARE a majority, tend to point out the corruption and failure of the ECB to have strong policies. Germany certainly kept their economy stronger when they were not harnessed by it.
Well, seing how Volkwagen, Mercedes and BMW have grown from local manufacturers to world heavyweights, I'd say they did great lately. The French did quite well too (Renault bought Nissan).. That might or might not be related to the growth of the EU, but I'm sure VW enjoys being able to make all accounting with Seat with the same currency
Perhaps the best solution is for the UK to leave the union altogether, and then this would help the Euro, the Union get things sorted within, and then when we do have to join if this is the case, we would have to be accepted on the Union terms, which would either be acceptable to the average UK citizen or not, but at least they would know what they were agreeing to, and not as before when the populous thought they were just joining a Free Trade area... Like THAT will happen though! Oh well.
I'd definitely be in favor of something like that. It's clear that what was once a free-trade communities is growing more and more and becoming a US of Europe. I can certainly relate to the people who fear for the loss of their countries specificities, but it's either the EU or becoming another USA vassal...
be a African currency is.. the France CFA
I was told about the Afro by a friend when in Kenya (he worked there, and now in Sudan) and did see something mentioned in The Daily Nation. Unfortunately they don't have a Search function, so I can't see if the article was even out on the web. He said that it would link up the Central African currencies such as the CFA with those of Kenya and Zimbabwe for example, but it was only in the early stages of being talked about. (BTW, Whilst I was out there I also saw a first draft UN reports, and the final version was heavily censored for 'political' reasons). Anyway, I can't see it happening either, and that's why I was agreeing that the best chance of competition for the US$ would be a harmonised Eurozone..
The best and only, or maybe the Chinese Yuhan. I think the choice should be offered to UK citizens like this : "Would you rather use the Euros, or the USD ? Because it's going to be one of them anyway."
Well I lobby for "one citizen, one vote", but many countries (including UK) are opposed to this system, since they means giving away some of the control they have over EU matters.
This made me laugh, I know it is just a miscommunication. Unless you really are saying that in France not every citizen has a vote? Mais, non! Ce n'est pas vrai! LOL.
The French system sucks on that indeed - about every decades they change the voting system so that the dominant party gets more power. OTHO it makes for more stable and long terms politics...
Proportional Representation is the fairest way of electing representatives, but it also causes other problems. Just as the extreme was ethnic cleansing in Kosovo/Bosnia etc it tends to segregate people from different cultures and those of different beliefs. If that problem could be overcome, I would be for it as long as the politicians could stop the squabbling that is so inherent in the countries using PR at the moment.
Hopefully sometimes people will vote for the EU parliement elections not based on nationality but on its political orientation. For example, I voted at the ICANN for a German, not a French, because I don't care what country the guy is from, as long as we share the same ideas. I think that in the EU, my interest are best preserved by a Greek that shares my ideas that by a French that have different ones.
BTW, won't that be neat to be paid in Euro in Germany and buy in Euros in Holland, and have Le Monde have se same price in Euros everywhere ?
Well, it would be. But I get paid in Pounds because the rates for my job in the UK are better
Can't blame you on that one
But do you think that Le Monde will be the same price across the whole of Europe soon? I think it will be a long time before that happens.
I think it will happen quickly, because the different prices on the paper will be all in the same currency. People will then discover how much MORE than the French price they have to pay, and the newspaper will have to trim down the price... one currency will certainly help flatten prices different between countries (it already does : many French people now buy their car in Belgium or Spain where it is cheaper, and pay in Euros).
It is just fairness I am looking for.
Who can argue against that
we knew about English food before
Best food I have had? In Montreal, where our cultures combine. Maybe you are right about that Union thing..
The first time I came to UK, I though the horror stories about British food was merely a myth propagated by French chauvinist. Then my first meal arrived : 3 kinds of pork sausages, some with lemon, others with appricot and the last kind with mint inside... the boiled potatoes were fine, but served with a "low fat - 100% artifical butter"... I'm still wondering why your fellow countrymen put so much efforts into destroying food.
UK hasn't really proven to be a partner to the EU
Maybe not, but listen to the politicians: we are virtually always described as partners... This was what I was referring to. There seems to be a contradiction here.
Politicians babble... have you noticed too that, when two companies make a deal, they are "partners" ? What kind of partners ask you for a multi-million dollar check in return for a favor ???
remember the coal agreement back in the 50s
Well, I know of it, but I don't remember it, having been born twenty years later...
Then another Jeanne d'Arc would have risen and kicked you out of our land
We all dream of Utopia. I really don't see it working better than the US though, and we have the added problem of speaking lots of different languages let alone dialects!
I'd say this is an advantages because this will force at least some de-centralisations for local problems (which are still best left to local people). Multi-languages is great too to piss-off Americans (trying to sell their products here is a real challenge with all the markets, while we can easely sell into their local market)
It would be nice for the officials to be in touch, and it would be nice if we could vote on more of the issues that we are involved in, but I really do think that this is a dream. Malheureusement.
To do that we need to have a stronger EU, because they won't ask for our opinion if they can only draft laws about the bananas shappe and size.
T[h]atcher, but then everybody and their dog is too
LOL. Even Haider, that Austrian Politician whose name I am not sure of? Well, maybe. But she did get us out of a pretty bad situation (created by a Socialist government in the 1970s) in fairness to her, even if she was extreme once we out of it, and needed locking up.
Humm, kinda like fighting a plague with an atomic bomb. Might be efficient, but what a mess ! I'm pretty sure she'll have a nice place for herself in hell (next to her best friend Augusto).
get your sword (on your left) with your right hand
Well personally I would have my lance in my right hand, and be holding onto the reigns with my left, as it goes back to the times of jousting.
Jousting is for sissies - real fights are made with a sword !
What I don't understand is that if we held the sword with our right hand why is it that we shake hands with our right hands? Surely that means that we would have to swap which hand was holding the sword? And if you didn't really trust each other.. Well, I can see another reason how the population was kept down!
Well according to my history teacher that was precisely because the right hand is usually the one you use to hold a knive, that people shake hands with the right hand. Then you are 90% sure they won't rip your guts open when you least expect it. The 10% left is for left-handed of course...
This problem only applies to people running in paletted screen modes (not many) - once you run in 15 or 16 bit color depth it's fine. Sure, it might not be the same EXACT color you coded in 24 bit, but unless you use smooth gradient all over your site nobody will ever see the difference.
What about people using Palm Pilots?
... and Pocket PC : that's what AvantGo is here for, but then people seriously considering distribution should have specially-designed for AvantGo pages (this is where having a DB driven site comes in handy !!)
Or web-enabled phones?
Ever heard of WAP ?
Now the Web is made for devices with 640x480 minimum display. That's maybe not in the W3C specs but that's how it is... pages made to be readable both on a 1600x1200 screen and on a cell-phone will look ugly on both.
On a side-note, I wish web designers would stop using fixed sized fonts and, worse, fixed sized tables. It's always silly when you read an article formatted in a fixed width table that makes it look like a thin line of text in an ocean of white on your 2048x1536 desktop !
Of course there's something... billions and billions of stars, an almost unlimited quantity of worlds to discover, probably a zillion different lifeforms. Now why would anyone want to see *anything else* in the sky is beyond me...
Also for scripting, one might want to disable the default time-out (system scripts can take a while to execute...). If the system script is started from a web browser, then disabling user_abort too might be a good idea !
So, the focus has been changed but they aren't moving their operations from the UK to Europe. This is called Expansion last time I looked.
;)
...except put in the highest contribution per capita
:)
:)
;)
:)
/. complain that those in Washington are not in touch. Have you ever been to California? I was amazed at just how many 'California Republic' flags fly there.
:)
Or perhaps BECAUSE of the success of the manufacturing in the UK, it is now possible to expand their operations into Europe. Did you not read on some of those links how the High Yen and Weak Euro is seriously affecting their profits?
Well, you can see it that way, but on the other hand they could continue to manufacture all their cars in UK. The reason why they decided to build new factories outside of UK is probably not to be closer to the market they want to sell in (it's no big deal to ship them from UK), but because UK is less attractive for them. So far the main reason it is less attractive is the non-existence of the Euro in UK, and all the disadvantages that stem from it (currency instability, more difficult accounting with several currencies, etc...)
This sentences says the opposite...
No, it doesn't say the opposite. It was a choice between Dagenham and Cologne, and the reason Cologne survived is becaue it was easier to sack the workers in Dagenham! Is that a bad thing for the UK? Well not according to a quote from that same page..
OK the sentence didn't say the opposite, either it was not clear or I didn't read carefully enough. So if I understand correctly, there already were 2 factories, one of which had to be closed, and they closed the UK one. I still seriously think the Euro weighted in the decision too... besides, that quite shows having loose work legislation is not ALWAYS the best way to keep business going (eventhough the situation here was kind of a special case).
The hallmark of a dynamic capitalist economy is what the Austrian economist Josef Schumpeter described as "creative destruction". Ultimately, what matters is that the jobs and businesses created are on balance more numerous and more productive than the ones destroyed. In the past five to seven years, Britain has passed that test more successfully than any other major economy in Europe.
I'll certainly agree the UK has been doing well in the past 10 years, but I think the refusal to enter the Euro is going to be the kiss of death for the economic growth. For example, many US business install their European headquarters in UK - because of the language and closeness to Europe. What will they do once they have to sell everything in Europe in Euro, yet have to deal with the Dollar AND the Pound fluctuations ? You can't argue that not being in the Euro zone is hurting business...
the UK always side with the US
Not true. It might seem like that but when it comes to trade agreements you will find that the UK tend to side more with Europe than the US, it's just when it comes to foreign and defense policy that we differ from Europe.
Until we have to vote to engage in trade retorsion (taxes on US import), where the UK never agrees. As for defense, the UK is moving closer to EU (they started being European made equipement, but on foreign matters I wish they would stop following the US everywhere. We won't build a European super-power if everytime the US army is going somewhere the UK troops are following closely !
that only happenend because the economy "size" was measured in Euros
The economy still overtook that of the French whether you measure it in Pounds, Euros, Dollars, Rupees! I cannot believe that you are arguing this point seeing as it means that as France has a slightly smaller population each person is on average richer! Surely if you are blaming the Euro, then you admit that
No - it depends how you count. If you coun't each country economy by "how many apples could you buy locally with the money generated", then the French economy is bigger (albeit I will agree that it depends what item you use, if it is imported from US then the exchange rate will gear up ; or if you pick something whose price is widely changing from country to country).
in other words, had it not been for horrible economic and monetary union, Britain's economy would still be unambiguously behind France's.
Not necessarily - if the Euros had not happened, the Franc could still have sunk well below the Pound and we would have had the same result.
taken from this page. But I conceed to you that this is not the best measure of economy. So let's move on.
Indeed - with a currency going crazy, Andorra could have a bigger economy than the US
UK can't be opposed to the EU and be part of it at the same time.
You mean that everyone within the EU has to agree with EU polica ALL the time and cannot take an opposing view??? *SCARY*.
Well they can have opposite view of course, but seen from outside UK, it seems UK is only in the EU to destroy the EU. There's a wide difference between disagreeing sometimes and always trying to block everything...
I don't want to be part of that then. Secondly that is kind of my point. If the population is opposed to it, why do we have to stay in?
Now that is a good point, but isn't that the UK officials problem, not the EU one ? I would think there is a reason why most UK citizen are against the Euro, and most UK officials are pro-Euro (albeit being quiet about it, they don't want to loose next elections). My bet is that the officials know better than the average citizen, and realised that UK couln't stay out of the Euro game. Of course they won't stand for this issue since that would mean they would have to alienate the medias and the majority of the population. But this is all UK problem, and as a non-UK citizen I just want the UK to choose a official position and stand by it (and if they want to vote and say "no" to the whole thing, it's just fine for me).
Commonwealth (n) : the dust that remains from what used to be a great empire, and what is now a pure theorical construction.
A pure theoretical construction? Might not have 'power' in the form of an Empire, but an Empire is an outdated concept, and frankly one of which I am not particularly proud.
[cynical]Why so ? India is still using UK steam engine for its railroad ? Had UK not been there, they would probably not even have railroad at all...[/cynical]
The fifty four countries includes Great Britain, Canada (two of the G8 countries), Australia and India (fastest growing economy in the world at the moment) so if they stay part of this purely theoretical construction my question is Why? There must be advantages, and if that is the case, it cannot be theoretical.
Well I've been to several countries from the commonwealth, and the only thing from the UK I saw is the queen's face on some coins. The Commonwealth is pretty much like the queen : it's neat, it is very official, you can be proud of it, but in reality it has no practical use... (plus, people in India don't seem to like having the queen going around in their country so much, brings back bad memories...)
The Euro is a work in progress, and its full power will only be seen after 2002 (when all EU citizens start really using it daily).
I hope so, because I sure as hell don't want to have to bow to the all powerful US for everything, and the Eurozone is the best chance of a competitor at the moment, unless the 'Afro' (believe it or not!) somehow get's the African states economy going!
Well the only thing that could someday be a African currency is.. the France CFA, which is used widely in central Africa and managed by France. It might be tied (or will) to the Euro somedays, but I dunno. Franckly, I don't think I'll ever see Africa getting "big" during my lifetime.
That's right. Always. I don't think that you understand the veto very well. According to this definition, it was actually FRANCE that instigated the veto, which is weighted by Nation
This dispute led to France refusing all co-operation with the Community in 1965, a crisis only resolved by the Luxembourg Compromise, under which it was conceded that decisions affecting a vital national interest would have to be unanimous, even if the Treaty specified majority voting.
I don't blame UK for ALL EU problem (now that would be dishonest), and my hope is that the veto will be removed (since it makes an association of 15 members totally unmanageable).
The fact that it is also by far the biggest in term of population and economy is why they can have more importance in the EU choices.
Proportional representation is great in theory but not in practice (just ask Italy), but this isn't even what is happening. If you check the veto figures, you will find that Germany, UK and France all have a block of ten. The UK does not have the power of veto alone any more even on it's own issues. That was the agreed terms, and that's how it should be, if you believe in fair terms being honoured. If you believe that Germany has more of a say, you should lobby for them to have a bigger block, or France a smaller one.
Well I lobby for "one citizen, one vote", but many countries (including UK) are opposed to this system, since they means giving away some of the control they have over EU matters.
I find it amusing that you seem to believe that I read either The Sun or The Mirror and am just regurgitating what I have read.
Sorry - I didn't mean to insult you.
Sorry to refute this belief, but I live in Holland, and am working in Germany: I don't get to see Page Three any more.
BTW, won't that be neat to be paid in Euro in Germany and buy in Euros in Holland, and have Le Monde have se same price in Euros everywhere ?
if this is true then then this should be changed. But keep in mind that the richest country in EU have to pay for the poorest. This is great system because it allows to bring poorer countries up to speed, and then in return aggregate their population and power to the EU. Union makes force
, and provide someone to laugh at..
We didn't wait for the UK in the EU, we knew about English food before
C'mon, who else would have provided you with the Mad Cow Crisis? Well, okay maybe Belgium, but it wouldn't have been so amusing for you would it! (Note to Belgians: my company is based in Belgium, it is a joke I have with them all the time, especially since that Coke crisis!)
Don't forget the pig disease too
You see, you let yourself down by your own admission. Why should we 'side' with the EU, and not be a partner in the EU?
Well, as I said before, UK hasn't really proven to be a partner to the EU, which is why I used the word "side". I wouln'd have used to Germany or France (since they are basically the one behing the whole EU : remember the coal agreement back in the 50s).
I agree that it makes more sense to join the closest in order to compete financially, but then again, everywhere else, people are fighting for their own rule, be it in Montenegro, Kosovo, Scotland, Wales, Basque or Corsica.
Which is pretty bad - people should work for the common good and respect, not for their own personnal advantages (but we won't change mankind...)
I don't think that the thoughts of people in London, Berlin, Paris, Brussels should be imposed on everyone, just as so many people here on
I believe we should have officals "in touch" by voting and being more implicated in politics, not by trying to take away our piece of land from the central power. Fragmentation and weakness is too big a price to pay, we should work toward making the centralised system work instead (because it can be so much more powerfull when it works well).
Centralised government is fine as long as it doesn't try to control to much, and I really believe that the European Comission does not need to have as much power as they want, as I want to be more in control of my destiny, and my country's destiny, and I would hope you would want that too.
Who wouln't ? I think the problem is that the EU is made of officals from all over Europe, and most of them are socialists (in the European way, not what the US think a socialist is !). The UK is kinda aside because it is much more on the right (Blair is on the left of Tatcher, but then everybody and their dog is too). So EU laws kinda go against the way people think in UK. For example putting a limit to the weekly work-time is a no-brainer for all countries in Europe, but made an "scandal" in UK.
Anyway, without differences of opinion, Napolean wouldn't have decided to march on the opposite side of the road to the English, and then we'd all be driving on the wrong side, and that wouldn't be any fun now, would it!
And the English side is the best, since it is the one that lets you get your sword (on your left) with your right hand and fight back when attacked
Unfortunately they are. Reports on CNN, TV5 and BBC this week point to companies moving from Germany (the strongest economy in Europe) to the States because they cannot compete with the prices of raw materials being caused by the weak Euro. Unfortunately it was on TV, and thus I cannot provide a link, so I cannot provide the evidence to back this up despite a quick search on Google.
:)
:-)
To be honest I find this to be at least very suspect. Moving an industry from Germany to Mexico, Indonesia or China makes sense. Moving it to a country where work is almost as expensive as in Germany doesn't make sense to me. If this is a matter of paying materials in USD and not in Euro, then they could have as well moved the factory anywhere not in the Euro zone, were business is done in USD (east-asia, central/south america, etc.).
Most? Evidence please? I think perhaps you are confusing Ford moving manufacturing of the Fiesta to Cologne from Dagenham, and from this page, this quote sums that up:
Well, several new Japanese car factories have been built in Euro-zone (including a big Toyota one in France), while UK was traditionnaly the place to do that a while ago. This would have not happened, had the UK been in the Euro... but now for a car manufacturer aiming the European market, building a car factory in a non-Euro country is totally a no-no.
Bill Morris, the Transport and General Workers' leader, is almost certainly right to maintain that it is much easier and cheaper to sack workers in Britain than in Germany and that this is a major factor behind Ford's apparent decision to shift output to Cologne.
I agree to the beginning (WAY easier to fire people in UK). But then wouldn't that be a reason for a company to prefer UK instead of Germany ??? This sentences says the opposite...
It doesn't work like that. If the cost of living in Europe is higher, which it is, it means you pay them accordingly. You don't just set an arbritary figure and then add a $ or E on the end of it. If a barrel cost $30 and the Euro slumps, it means that whereas it used to cost E30 it now costs E35. So the fact that the oil has risen as well is only part of the reason for the current blockades.
You are rigjt, but the thing is, you get about the same living with 50000 USD in US and 50000 E in Europe (with some variations depending of what you buy of course). So in a way work is cheaper in Europe with a weak Euro.
kissing the US ass
I hope this isn't just jealousy because the UK overtook France as the second biggest economy in Europe this year having not joined the Eurozone
No, because that only happenend because the economy "size" was measured in Euros, and with the Euros going down compared to the pound, the UK "size" went mecanically up. This doesn't reflect any real change in the economy whatsoever (if anything, the UK economy sufferers from a cheap Euro while France enjoys stronger exports). But I guess the Daily mirror and the Sun forgot to mention that...
I said "kissing the US ass" because, whenever a dispute arise between US and Europe, the UK always side with the US, eventhough they're supposed to be in the EU... if this is how UK wants to play it, fine, but then they should leave the EU and join the Alena or something else with the US. UK can't be opposed to the EU and be part of it at the same time.
If the UK wants to remain an island isolated from the world
remain (r-mn)
v. intr. remained, remaining, remains.
To continue in the same state or condition: These matters remain in doubt.
For us to 'remain' it is dependant on us already being isolated, and we aren't really as we are kissing up to the US ass and moaning all the time about the EU, as well as being the head of the Commonwealth?
Commonwealth (n) : the dust that remains from what used to be a great empire, and what is now a pure theorical construction.
When Norway voted against becoming part of the EU, did you notice how isolated they became('remained'), and the country's GDP rose in the following year ?
Wait until their money start drifting up/down from the Euro, and watch their economy. The Euro is a work in progress, and its full power will only be seen after 2002 (when all EU citizens start really using it daily).
I am with you on the last point: I wish we never had joined, as do most (69% at the last poll) of the people in the UK. We moan for good reason. For an example of this and on how certain people want Europe to work try checking here.
That sounds a good thing to me - making car manufacturers pay for the pollution they generate. I wish the EU would make more laws like this a be more resistant to economic lobbies. If you lived near a "car cimetery", you would probably think it's a good thing too. There's more to politics than letting big companies make huge loads of money will destroy what's left of the planet...
He implies that he only thought the German people had a right to decide on whether more countries should joing the EU..
All countries have to give their agreement to have new countries join the EU... including UK (which will probably veto anyway, like they always do). Some countries can be more vocal than others on EU issues - Germany being one of these. The fact that it is also by far the biggest in term of population and economy is why they can have more importance in the EU choices. Hopefully we will manage somedays to have each EU country have power equal to population (which is what democracy is all about) and this will make things more official.
PS Maybe we should be working together on this, as we both seem to want the same thing: the UK out of Europe!
I agree on that - UK in EU doesn't do any good to the EU, and it doesn't seems to please UK citizens either... OTHO the UK politics, who don't read the Sun (fortunately), seems to have understood that they can't be left out of an big world power. UK can't possibly side with Japan or China, so what's left is either the US/North-American block or the EU. I think UK and US have politically more in common (same extreme free-market economy, etc..) but on the other hand, being 35 km from the EU, having a majority of exchanges with the EU, and being part of the "old world" it would make more sense for them to side with the EU.
I dunno on which alternate dimension you live, but business are certainly not leaving Europe for the American continent. Or were you talking of factories delocalised in Mexico ? Because last time I checked, most Japanese car manufacturer were building or moving their plants from UK to countries part of the Euro... and those who don't end up like Rover.
As for moving from Euro zone to US, you got everything wrong : salaries and materials cost higher in US than in the Euro zone, precisely because the Euro is cheaper than the USD. What would you prefer : pay someone 50000 USD/year or 50000 Euros/year ?
I wish UK would have never been accepted in the UE : they always whine about everything, put their veto to everything and keep kissing the US ass (Echelon, the trade negocitiations, etc...). If the UK wants to remain an island isolated from the world, all the better !
OTOH the UK industry is not doing so well with such a strong currency - and with the population so strongly against the Euro, big business are fleeing to the continent where they don't have to deal with currency fluctuation
Well, just another reason why UK should switch to the Euro currency like the rest of Europe. It's funny how your fellow countrymen can be so chauvinist that they'd rather shoot themselves in the foot rather than cooperate with their neighbours...
Don't underestimate the power of open-source : in the few days the alien attacks lasted, open-source hackers from around the world made gcc cross-compile regular i386 code and AlienCPU code :o)
Humm well it is kinda true - and kinda not.
The first reason why cards with AGP 4x don't do better than AGP 2x is that all cards concentrate on having textures on-board, thus almost never using AGP texturing. Which is why the speed of AGP doesn't show up on the benchmarks in the end. If we had a GeForce 2 GTS with only 8 Meg onboard, I bet we would see a difference between AGP 2x and 4x because the card would be forced to use it.
The other reason is that the memory bandwidth of most PC is not big enough and the AGP 4x video card has to wait for the memory, reducing the advantage of the faster bus. PC100 SDRAM has only 800 M/s bandwidth, which is far from enough to feed a CPU AND an hungry AGP 4x video card.
I agree wholly, except for the computer virus : finding a security hole in a computer system is one thing, finding a hole in a computer system built by an advanced, never-seen-before, alien civilisation, is something else. Their computer would run on molecular or quantum computing, or at least optical computing... plus the programming language would be totally different (maybe they didn't go for binary but rather trinary (-1,0,1) or whatever way of computing, maybe "analogous" computing ??).
I doubt you can reverse engineer this, build a compatible system (required to upload the virus, with all the wireless networking protocols emulated) then code a virus in less than a week - as in the movie (the guy who code the virus is supposed to be totally ignorant of alien stuff before they arrived on earth).
ID was not only totally lame, it was so pro-American it made me puke. The US propaganda during WWII was less pro-American than that !!!