Now just do away with time zones, go by a 24 hour universal time (like GMT, but not Anglo-centric, base it at, oh, Easter Island or something) and make it the same time on the same day everywhere... no more day/date conversion bullshit for anyone!
Yet another reason I keep a mini mag light in my jacket with assorted tools and junk i use every day at work... "Sorry Mr. Night-Vision, I dropped my keys (or a piece of over priced junk-food, your choice) I was using my VERY BRIGHT flash light to find it... I didnt mean to shine it directly into your eyes, are you ok?" Having worn those goggles once or twice, (yes I know the newest ones switch off automatically, either way the wearer is effectively temporarly blinded and most likely disoriented...). Camera flashes work great, too, but there's less reason to have one in a theater... and a nice IR source would be nearly undectable and just as much fun...
I am waiting for $0.50 songs to sign up for a music service...
Until downloadable music is less expensive than buying a CD, count me out.
I have posted my
feelings about this subject before, so rather than being redundant, click the link above
if you are interested.
Is it not amazing we get all excited about a study that affirms what we already "know" and try to discredit anything that disagrees with that "knowledge"?
We should declare a moratorium on whining about the RIAA and their ilk. Their deep hatred of file sharing p2p technologies and anything else related to this subject is known and has been repeated ad nauseum.
Spend that time and energy: 1. Going to live local independent music shows, concerts, festivals. 2. Learn to play an instrument or sing and make your own music. 3. Buy music and fan crap from independent artists, or directly from the more commercial artists when possible, or just do not buy it, AND, call or write them a letter letting them know why you did, or did not. Businesses do respond to being hit in the wallet, if enough people let them know about what is being done and why. 4. Somebody want to start a database of "I heard it on a p2p and liked it so much I PAID for it!" testimonial? I know many others and I have done this.
The technologically advanced among us will ALWAYS find a way to use the system to our advantage, getting their free beer, etc. they always have, and always will. The people who gladly pay their toll to RIAA, MPAA, Clear Channel, Ticket Master, etc will continue to do so, partially out of ignorance, partially out of not minding the leeches making a buck or a million, as long as they get their pop culture fix.
I got one of these about 4 months ago for my new laptop with a 15" screen (the old one was a Sony PictureBook, slightly smaller). And I have found it's pretty much buller-proof. There's also one decent review of it on Epinions (not by me). One thing to note, it's small but not tiny: my laptop, clie, cell phone, several file folders, a newspaper, a hardcover notepad (the paper kind), a mini mag-lite, a swiss army knife, ear buds, a leatherman, a wallet's worth of cards, several pens, power brick, sundry cables, a small mouse, some floppies, some cd-r's, and business cards all fit in it.
... you can do your average family's house for 1/3 of that maybe less... these are not geeks/audiophiles/experts we are talking about by definition... wal-mart and kmart grade stuff would do the job... or generic taiwanese stuff... come on people be realistic!
You got it brother (or sister, as it were)... I know this is redundant... but every time I see a case like this it makes it less and less likely that I wil EVER buy a CD or go to a concert by a performer that belongs to the RIAA again. Plenty of other independent and underground options. Not to mention the obvious: stuff on the 'net and used CDs
it's called a LAPTOP. My Sony Picturebook can do all that and more, I got it used for not much more than the Archos unit and it's MUCH more functional. I use somewhat souped-up older used or low-end laptops and PC's for everything computing-wise and can do 99% of my friends that insist on the latest and greatest over-modded bling-bling and the latest marketroid eye candy can do, for about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost. Isn't park of the hacker ethic doing more with less, nbot just throwing you're hard earned dead presidents at the latest trend?
Well, If MS really gives away the
software. With FULL support, and no licensing restrictions regarding
use of the software within the organization. (That is not forcing them
to pay a cent for support, updates, bug fixes, upgrades, service packs,
etc.) In addition, they respect the non-profits privacy, and they do
not make too big a deal about it (not including taking the allowable
tax deductions, press releases, etc, the normal stuff.) I think it is
GREAT. Charities need all of the help they can get and if that gets
the people who use their stuff into their fan base, user base, etc,
thats great too, its part of doing business.
Having said that I obviously (why else would I be
reading or posting here?) do not believe for a nanosecond that MS has
any good intentions toward anything but the bottom line. So, what do we
do? That is correct, I said what do WE do. I say (if you have not
already) we should join or start an organization that does charitable
work for non-profits that are in need of IT services but cannot support
them. Donate your: time, talent, money, experience, old equipment, and
open source software, to these organizations and give them a
choice. If you show them the advantages, they will buy in to the open
source model. I know some of the non-profits I worked for (used to be
in the mental health field) would actually prefer both NOT
having the corporate ties, AND having some one working with them who is
doing it out of a true sense of charity and volunteerism, especially if
it saves them money and gives them choices. Furthermore, if your
volunteer work leads to referrals for paid work, great! Most of all, it
seems to me, that this community was founded on values greater than
getting free beer and an alternative business model. It would be
fantastic if the community can get a foot in the door by servicing the
non-profit sector (it is a HUGE market). We can start to make the world
a better place, help those less fortunate, and get a nice warm fuzzy
from doing good. Finally, show what open source can do for others in
the marketplace as a whole.
Funny, that sounds like my alleged ex "supervisor" on the help desk. She was useless as management goes, and after having two excellent ones, it was nearly impossible to adjust. Her primary concern was that I was logged in and working "on time". It did not matter a bit that I would be there one or two or, sometimes, three hours late, worked at home, or came in on Saturday. If I was fifteen, or even five or ten minutes late, or late returning from lunch, it was a crisis. Once I realized it did not matter (extra work did not counterbalance being a slave to the clock), I learned my lesson, and I stopped hustling. Anyway, long story short, managed to get my self made redundant by not showing up on time enough times in a row. It is a shame too, because I worked for a company that was great in general. One crappy incompetent PHB can ruin your whole day. This was fine with me, hated her, and was starting to hate the job. I might not have the last laugh though, live and learn; the job market sucks right now. Still, I got my severance package, a year of unemployment, and other nice things(TM). Besides, they did it to them selves (my "bad attitude" was a direct result of how I was treated). I was doing just fine, then twice I was passed over for a promotion when I was much more qualified. At least two people that I know of where hired there with zero experience and where being paid more than me with my almost ten years experience, and, I was supposed to train them and help get them "up to speed". In addition, the aforementioned clock issue; that was kind of the nail in the coffin. I am VERY good at what I do. I am very loyal and very hard working. However, you have to PAY me for it. I learned at a very early age that if you want my top effort, you pay me top dollar. I will give you value plus for your money, but it had better be good money. If I know everyone in the department doing the same job is making substantially more than I am (I WILL find out), I am out of there, either physically or (definitely) mentally. Like a close relative always said to me: "You get what you pay for!" If you are going to judge me by the clock, do not hire me. If you are going to judge me by my skills, abilities, and performance, hire me. If you are going to give me an ass load of busy work, or multiply my work load geometrically because I can do something in a day what the other guy takes a week to do, be prepared to increase my pay commensurately, or don't hire me.
Well, that settles it for me. As long as the RIAA and their ilk keep up the shenanigans I will never buy another shrink-wrapped commercial CD again. I can get all of the music I want from alternative sources, and I am not talking about allegedly illegal sources, though there are more of them than they will ever stop, or probably even find. I will buy independently produced and recorded music, from non-RIAA members. I will attend live local, non-RIAA members' concerts (also, no music, concerts, etc from shit-peddling control freaks such as Clear Channel, don't even get me started). I will buy commercial CD's I must have from used CD stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc. I will loudly advocate to anyone who will listen to do the same. Maybe independent musicians, artists, fans, etc need to start their own over-arching organization, kind of an FSF for music, to counter the RIAAs of the word... kindly point me to one if it already exists.
Cheap: 1. Library book sales (they sell old/slightly damaged/redundant copies, two of them by me have permanent rooms full of books set up and sell them as a fund raiser) 2. Thrift shops 3. Flea markets/swap meets 4. Garage/yard/estate sales 5. Slightly illegal: Your local big box super stores dumpsters have TONS of "stripped" (no cover) books and magazines in them Free: 1. Project Gutenberg 2. Many University web/ftp sites 3. Some warez web/ftp sites (if you're not averse to that sort of thing) 4..e-books. Newsgroups (again, if you're not averse to that sort of thing) 5. Baen books 6. Memoware 7. Several more e-book sources that I cannot think of right now... Also... there are 3 coffee houses/cafes within about a 1/2 hour drive of me that have book swap shelves... a sort of informal leave 1, take 1 (or 2 or 3) sort of deal
This rules!!! When did Wal-Mart become so cool. Now that they've put so many Mom&Pops out of business I guess they've got bigger fish to fry... like Micro$oft!!!!
Hmm, let us see... I think that housing is definitely "Stuff That Matters" Moreover, a do-it-yourself type article is DEFINITELY "News for NERDS" as ANY DIY project is inherently nerdy. So, quit your whining already.
i installed it on a friend's computer and played it for maybe an hour after installing... what the hell is the point? then again i generally abhor games that dont't require actual thinking. give me a good game of chess, backgammon, checkers, go, reversi, anything that is basically a board game for computers, especially if the man v. computer mode is at least modestly challenging, i am happy. i don't need simulation, my real life is stimulating enough, and if not, i have coffee
Seriously, I had several teachers that I admired deeply, but for the most part they were a regular person doing a regular job. If they can find someone who by there actions in their work exemplifies excellence, great! If not what's the difference if they send up a teacher or a police officer, fireman, social worker, or janitor. The Russians are giving rides to the highest bidder and I think more disclosure/coverage of their exploits would be just as enlightening as seeing another teacher in space. Maybe they should choose a dozen or two professions and rotate through them. There has already been a fairly diverse group in space... mostly military or tech type people... but diverse nonetheless. I want to see the first zookeeper in space, the first middle manager, the first divorce attorney, the first garbage collector, etc., etc.
The email "filtering service" we use here at work REGULARLY filters out "malicious code" by blocking the entire message. I have lost important messages this way, and they're a bitch to recover, basically one needs to prove to the security folks that there's nothing but in there by the bad guys... hard to do when you can not see the message (limited header info is available). It catches any possible mistake: certain key words, malformed HTML, pretty much any scripting at all, even if it's tagged as code. You name it. I could certainly see the Powers The Be (TM) using this blunt an instrument at a measure for whether exhibit A is malicious or not and frankly, that scares the hell out of me.
Slashdot Mirror
Now just do away with time zones, go by a 24 hour universal time (like GMT, but not Anglo-centric, base it at, oh, Easter Island or something) and make it the same time on the same day everywhere... no more day/date conversion bullshit for anyone!
Yet another reason I keep a mini mag light in my jacket with assorted tools and junk i use every day at work... "Sorry Mr. Night-Vision, I dropped my keys (or a piece of over priced junk-food, your choice) I was using my VERY BRIGHT flash light to find it... I didnt mean to shine it directly into your eyes, are you ok?" Having worn those goggles once or twice, (yes I know the newest ones switch off automatically, either way the wearer is effectively temporarly blinded and most likely disoriented...). Camera flashes work great, too, but there's less reason to have one in a theater... and a nice IR source would be nearly undectable and just as much fun...
I am waiting for $0.50 songs to sign up for a music service...
Until downloadable music is less expensive than buying a CD, count me out. I have posted my feelings about this subject before, so rather than being redundant, click the link above if you are interested.
I stuffed my old Sony Picturebook into an old box in about 2 seconds.
It exists in XP Pro
(bummed he needs to keep it around because of business concerns, when in Rome, etc)
For all of you pedants out there ... that's BULLET-PROOF not buller-proof... oops!
I got one of these about 4 months ago for my new laptop with a 15" screen (the old one was a Sony PictureBook, slightly smaller). And I have found it's pretty much buller-proof. There's also one decent review of it on Epinions (not by me). One thing to note, it's small but not tiny: my laptop, clie, cell phone, several file folders, a newspaper, a hardcover notepad (the paper kind), a mini mag-lite, a swiss army knife, ear buds, a leatherman, a wallet's worth of cards, several pens, power brick, sundry cables, a small mouse, some floppies, some cd-r's, and business cards all fit in it.
...now those geniuses in DC will be labeling every hunk-o-pipe in Iraq a Weapon Of Mass Destruction!!!!
... you can do your average family's house for 1/3 of that maybe less... these are not geeks/audiophiles/experts we are talking about by definition... wal-mart and kmart grade stuff would do the job... or generic taiwanese stuff... come on people be realistic!
You got it brother (or sister, as it were)... I know this is redundant... but every time I see a case like this it makes it less and less likely that I wil EVER buy a CD or go to a concert by a performer that belongs to the RIAA again. Plenty of other independent and underground options. Not to mention the obvious: stuff on the 'net and used CDs
how stupid
it's called a LAPTOP. My Sony Picturebook can do all that and more, I got it used for not much more than the Archos unit and it's MUCH more functional. I use somewhat souped-up older used or low-end laptops and PC's for everything computing-wise and can do 99% of my friends that insist on the latest and greatest over-modded bling-bling and the latest marketroid eye candy can do, for about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost. Isn't park of the hacker ethic doing more with less, nbot just throwing you're hard earned dead presidents at the latest trend?
Well, If MS really gives away the software. With FULL support, and no licensing restrictions regarding use of the software within the organization. (That is not forcing them to pay a cent for support, updates, bug fixes, upgrades, service packs, etc.) In addition, they respect the non-profits privacy, and they do not make too big a deal about it (not including taking the allowable tax deductions, press releases, etc, the normal stuff.) I think it is GREAT. Charities need all of the help they can get and if that gets the people who use their stuff into their fan base, user base, etc, thats great too, its part of doing business.
Having said that I obviously (why else would I be reading or posting here?) do not believe for a nanosecond that MS has any good intentions toward anything but the bottom line. So, what do we do? That is correct, I said what do WE do. I say (if you have not already) we should join or start an organization that does charitable work for non-profits that are in need of IT services but cannot support them. Donate your: time, talent, money, experience, old equipment, and open source software, to these organizations and give them a choice. If you show them the advantages, they will buy in to the open source model. I know some of the non-profits I worked for (used to be in the mental health field) would actually prefer both NOT having the corporate ties, AND having some one working with them who is doing it out of a true sense of charity and volunteerism, especially if it saves them money and gives them choices. Furthermore, if your volunteer work leads to referrals for paid work, great! Most of all, it seems to me, that this community was founded on values greater than getting free beer and an alternative business model. It would be fantastic if the community can get a foot in the door by servicing the non-profit sector (it is a HUGE market). We can start to make the world a better place, help those less fortunate, and get a nice warm fuzzy from doing good. Finally, show what open source can do for others in the marketplace as a whole.
O MY GOD! You just described ME!!!!
Funny, that sounds like my alleged ex "supervisor" on the help desk. She was useless as management goes, and after having two excellent ones, it was nearly impossible to adjust. Her primary concern was that I was logged in and working "on time". It did not matter a bit that I would be there one or two or, sometimes, three hours late, worked at home, or came in on Saturday. If I was fifteen, or even five or ten minutes late, or late returning from lunch, it was a crisis. Once I realized it did not matter (extra work did not counterbalance being a slave to the clock), I learned my lesson, and I stopped hustling. Anyway, long story short, managed to get my self made redundant by not showing up on time enough times in a row. It is a shame too, because I worked for a company that was great in general. One crappy incompetent PHB can ruin your whole day. This was fine with me, hated her, and was starting to hate the job. I might not have the last laugh though, live and learn; the job market sucks right now. Still, I got my severance package, a year of unemployment, and other nice things(TM). Besides, they did it to them selves (my "bad attitude" was a direct result of how I was treated). I was doing just fine, then twice I was passed over for a promotion when I was much more qualified. At least two people that I know of where hired there with zero experience and where being paid more than me with my almost ten years experience, and, I was supposed to train them and help get them "up to speed". In addition, the aforementioned clock issue; that was kind of the nail in the coffin. I am VERY good at what I do. I am very loyal and very hard working. However, you have to PAY me for it. I learned at a very early age that if you want my top effort, you pay me top dollar. I will give you value plus for your money, but it had better be good money. If I know everyone in the department doing the same job is making substantially more than I am (I WILL find out), I am out of there, either physically or (definitely) mentally. Like a close relative always said to me: "You get what you pay for!" If you are going to judge me by the clock, do not hire me. If you are going to judge me by my skills, abilities, and performance, hire me. If you are going to give me an ass load of busy work, or multiply my work load geometrically because I can do something in a day what the other guy takes a week to do, be prepared to increase my pay commensurately, or don't hire me.
I think I'm gonna wet myself.....
Well, that settles it for me. As long as the RIAA and their ilk keep up the shenanigans I will never buy another shrink-wrapped commercial CD again. I can get all of the music I want from alternative sources, and I am not talking about allegedly illegal sources, though there are more of them than they will ever stop, or probably even find. I will buy independently produced and recorded music, from non-RIAA members. I will attend live local, non-RIAA members' concerts (also, no music, concerts, etc from shit-peddling control freaks such as Clear Channel, don't even get me started). I will buy commercial CD's I must have from used CD stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc. I will loudly advocate to anyone who will listen to do the same. Maybe independent musicians, artists, fans, etc need to start their own over-arching organization, kind of an FSF for music, to counter the RIAAs of the word... kindly point me to one if it already exists.
Cheap: .e-books. Newsgroups (again, if you're not averse to that sort of thing) ... Also... there are 3 coffee houses/cafes within about a 1/2 hour drive of me that have book swap shelves... a sort of informal leave 1, take 1 (or 2 or 3) sort of deal
1. Library book sales (they sell old/slightly damaged/redundant copies, two of them by me have permanent rooms full of books set up and sell them as a fund raiser)
2. Thrift shops
3. Flea markets/swap meets
4. Garage/yard/estate sales
5. Slightly illegal: Your local big box super stores dumpsters have TONS of "stripped" (no cover) books and magazines in them
Free:
1. Project Gutenberg
2. Many University web/ftp sites
3. Some warez web/ftp sites (if you're not averse to that sort of thing)
4.
5. Baen books
6. Memoware
7. Several more e-book sources that I cannot think of right now
This rules!!! When did Wal-Mart become so cool. Now that they've put so many Mom&Pops out of business I guess they've got bigger fish to fry... like Micro$oft!!!!
Hmm, let us see... I think that housing is definitely "Stuff That Matters"
Moreover, a do-it-yourself type article is DEFINITELY "News for NERDS" as ANY DIY project is inherently nerdy. So, quit your whining already.
i installed it on a friend's computer and played it for maybe an hour after installing ... what the hell is the point? then again i generally abhor games that dont't require actual thinking. give me a good game of chess, backgammon, checkers, go, reversi, anything that is basically a board game for computers, especially if the man v. computer mode is at least modestly challenging, i am happy. i don't need simulation, my real life is stimulating enough, and if not, i have coffee
Seriously, I had several teachers that I admired deeply, but for the most part they were a regular person doing a regular job. If they can find someone who by there actions in their work exemplifies excellence, great! If not what's the difference if they send up a teacher or a police officer, fireman, social worker, or janitor. The Russians are giving rides to the highest bidder and I think more disclosure/coverage of their exploits would be just as enlightening as seeing another teacher in space. Maybe they should choose a dozen or two professions and rotate through them. There has already been a fairly diverse group in space ... mostly military or tech type people ... but diverse nonetheless. I want to see the first zookeeper in space, the first middle manager, the first divorce attorney, the first garbage collector, etc., etc.
The email "filtering service" we use here at work REGULARLY filters out "malicious code" by blocking the entire message. I have lost important messages this way, and they're a bitch to recover, basically one needs to prove to the security folks that there's nothing but in there by the bad guys ... hard to do when you can not see the message (limited header info is available). It catches any possible mistake: certain key words, malformed HTML, pretty much any scripting at all, even if it's tagged as code. You name it. I could certainly see the Powers The Be (TM) using this blunt an instrument at a measure for whether exhibit A is malicious or not and frankly, that scares the hell out of me.
There is such a thing, it is called a Zip Gun