I did not make the comment to be disrespectful to Mr Rosenthal. As you must know, there is a famous controversy about the authenticity of the picture, which has raged for years. I mentioned it mostly in passing. I thought that perhaps the image was chosen as the logo for NetBSD because NetBSD is an alternative Unix, created after the original, similarly (according to some accounts) to Mr Rosenthal's picture.
The original Iwo Jima photo by Joe Rosenthal was faked the day after the victory. In the NetBSD reproduction, the US troops have been replaced by devils, and the mountain top is a pile of computer hardware. The US flag has become a simple banner proclaiming NET Bsd.
Notwithstanding any political correctness in this decision, it is hard to see the relevance of the current logo.
I avoid Timex products because of thier reputation for being disrespectfully to thier Scottish employees and I avoid Exxon because of thier pollution record in Alaska, so this is a really easy negative, even though I do like gadgets!
There could actually be a rational reason why these watches might improve mission reliability, and thus save money. One of the main problems with earth ground system operations is the ability of the ground staff to operate in several time zones at the same time. Although the ground system is (typically) on ZULU (or GMT), their shift patterns run on local time, and often the planning cycles (passes etc) operate at on offset from GMT. An example is the ROSAT day, or the RADARSAT planning offset, which is set off 19 hours later than GMT, thus the start of the RADASAT day is at GMT 19:00 and extends 24 hours to 19:00 the next day. Further, the antennae are scattered around the globe, and the antennae ground staff also operate their shift patterns on local time (they have a life outside the blockhouse) but run passes on ZULU time.
These can be quite confusing, and a lot of planning screw ups (running passes on the wrong day etc) can result. If this gets out of hand, the wrong command can get sent at a bad time and that's that, everybody is suddenly unemployed! As Mars rover is (essentially) an automated MARS based ground system, perhaps these watches are an attempt to get better organized? Or maybe they are a status gimmick.
Over in Europe, there have been a lot of stories about obesity in America. Do you suppose that some people have got to the point where they have to use a vehicle like this just to reach thier car?
Let me see if I've got this straight. If one person contracts with a private agency, he can specify the requirements in a contract. Hmm... that sounds OK. But when many people (the community, the population, the town etc) need defence, do they all write up their own contracts? Do the private agencies have lots of different contracts with all these people? How is the law created - does everyone have different laws defined by their own contracts? Are the contracts free of conflicts?
I would never, ever wish to stop you having or saying your opinion, but does this idea work end to end? It seems so radical that normal people might reject it as just another "ism" that is likely to create more problems than solutions.
Thanks for your reply. My view is that, as organisations commit increasing amounts of their business logic to silicon, a kind of Darwin principle kicks in. Those who adapt slowly, badly or expensively to IT issues will not prosper.
Windows culture programmers allow a firm to adapt quickly but badly. UNIX culture programmers allow a firm to adapt slowly but well. So it's a trade-off between quality (UNIX) and speed (Windows). If they are weighted equally, there will be a running battle about which is best, and the decision boils down to who is the cheapest. That's the debate - you can do it in Windows or UNIX, so what costs the least?
I think that depends on the application somewhat. Where the application is a business system, the cost of failure might mean anything from losing a bag of nails to loosing sales. VB programmers might get this job. Where the application is a air traffic or spacecraft control system, the cost of failure might mean hundreds of lives or billions of dollars. In this case, system quality is the main driver, and VB programmers are not really in the running on these jobs, at least for some of the application space.
The passport makes it quite clear that those scientists down there have to allow this chap to pass through and give him the assistance necessary to do that. Although the language is rather flowery, that's the end of the story - the scientists are the bad guys.
In which case, the bloke will have to steal his fuel while the scientists are asleep. Out of spite, he will burn their rations, leaving only large quantities of tabasco sauce, which they will have to eat until the next air drop in January. Serves them right.
The Queen doesn't actually enforce the passport conditions herself. She sends SAS commandos out to do that, or if they are busy, the Beefeaters from the Tower of London
get the job.
That's just the way it is - "Her Britannic Majesty's (i.e the Queen's) Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty... ".
I guess you could argue that selling this chap some petrol is not 'necessary', but would you risk it, given that you would have the Queen on your back if you are wrong.
Well, the passport does require "such assistance and protection as may be necessary", and this bloke reckons that he requires some petrol. So that's it - either you give him the gas, or the Queen will intervene.
I know that the British passport covers brits for this kind of thing - on page 2 it says "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary".
Note the words "requires" and "assistance" and "necessary". The egg-heads down there would have to sort this bloke out, or there would be a diplomatic incident. I know that the Canadian Passport carries the same warning. I wonder if the Australian one does too? If so, this Lou Sanson guy (Antarctica New Zealand CEO) had better wise up, or the Queen could get involved.
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You seem quite sure of yourself. What actually happened?
I did not make the comment to be disrespectful to Mr Rosenthal. As you must know, there is a famous controversy about the authenticity of the picture, which has raged for years. I mentioned it mostly in passing. I thought that perhaps the image was chosen as the logo for NetBSD because NetBSD is an alternative Unix, created after the original, similarly (according to some accounts) to Mr Rosenthal's picture.
The original Iwo Jima photo by Joe Rosenthal was faked the day after the victory. In the NetBSD reproduction, the US troops have been replaced by devils, and the mountain top is a pile of computer hardware. The US flag has become a simple banner proclaiming NET Bsd. Notwithstanding any political correctness in this decision, it is hard to see the relevance of the current logo.
I avoid Timex products because of thier reputation for being disrespectfully to thier Scottish employees and I avoid Exxon because of thier pollution record in Alaska, so this is a really easy negative, even though I do like gadgets!
There could actually be a rational reason why these watches might improve mission reliability, and thus save money. One of the main problems with earth ground system operations is the ability of the ground staff to operate in several time zones at the same time. Although the ground system is (typically) on ZULU (or GMT), their shift patterns run on local time, and often the planning cycles (passes etc) operate at on offset from GMT. An example is the ROSAT day, or the RADARSAT planning offset, which is set off 19 hours later than GMT, thus the start of the RADASAT day is at GMT 19:00 and extends 24 hours to 19:00 the next day. Further, the antennae are scattered around the globe, and the antennae ground staff also operate their shift patterns on local time (they have a life outside the blockhouse) but run passes on ZULU time. These can be quite confusing, and a lot of planning screw ups (running passes on the wrong day etc) can result. If this gets out of hand, the wrong command can get sent at a bad time and that's that, everybody is suddenly unemployed! As Mars rover is (essentially) an automated MARS based ground system, perhaps these watches are an attempt to get better organized? Or maybe they are a status gimmick.
Over in Europe, there have been a lot of stories about obesity in America. Do you suppose that some people have got to the point where they have to use a vehicle like this just to reach thier car?
Have you considered calling yourself angry adrian?
Let me see if I've got this straight. If one person contracts with a private agency, he can specify the requirements in a contract. Hmm... that sounds OK. But when many people (the community, the population, the town etc) need defence, do they all write up their own contracts? Do the private agencies have lots of different contracts with all these people? How is the law created - does everyone have different laws defined by their own contracts? Are the contracts free of conflicts? I would never, ever wish to stop you having or saying your opinion, but does this idea work end to end? It seems so radical that normal people might reject it as just another "ism" that is likely to create more problems than solutions.
The British are the best engineers in the world, rah-rah. Now go and puke, Poppycock.
The US is a fraction the size of Canada, which has a 62% take up rate.
Why are you asking about whether it will work? Nobody knows right now. Wait until Christmas day and have faith in the Lord.
Roman is to British what British is to American. So Hadrian's Wall is an American project, surely.
Thanks for your reply. My view is that, as organisations commit increasing amounts of their business logic to silicon, a kind of Darwin principle kicks in. Those who adapt slowly, badly or expensively to IT issues will not prosper. Windows culture programmers allow a firm to adapt quickly but badly. UNIX culture programmers allow a firm to adapt slowly but well. So it's a trade-off between quality (UNIX) and speed (Windows). If they are weighted equally, there will be a running battle about which is best, and the decision boils down to who is the cheapest. That's the debate - you can do it in Windows or UNIX, so what costs the least? I think that depends on the application somewhat. Where the application is a business system, the cost of failure might mean anything from losing a bag of nails to loosing sales. VB programmers might get this job. Where the application is a air traffic or spacecraft control system, the cost of failure might mean hundreds of lives or billions of dollars. In this case, system quality is the main driver, and VB programmers are not really in the running on these jobs, at least for some of the application space.
Write a procedure for user, explain that he must do it the the same way every time, and move on to the next significant problem.
You mean like this one: The Confederation Bridge
The passport makes it quite clear that those scientists down there have to allow this chap to pass through and give him the assistance necessary to do that. Although the language is rather flowery, that's the end of the story - the scientists are the bad guys.
That's blown your chance of a knighthood, chum.
In which case, the bloke will have to steal his fuel while the scientists are asleep. Out of spite, he will burn their rations, leaving only large quantities of tabasco sauce, which they will have to eat until the next air drop in January. Serves them right.
The Queen doesn't actually enforce the passport conditions herself. She sends SAS commandos out to do that, or if they are busy, the Beefeaters from the Tower of London get the job.
The red coats intervened in 1812 and they burned the White House, so you are right to be scared!
Can you be absolutely sure that there is not even a hint of schadenfreude in your remark -
That's just the way it is - "Her Britannic Majesty's (i.e the Queen's) Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty ... ".
I guess you could argue that selling this chap some petrol is not 'necessary', but would you risk it, given that you would have the Queen on your back if you are wrong.
Well, the passport does require "such assistance and protection as may be necessary", and this bloke reckons that he requires some petrol. So that's it - either you give him the gas, or the Queen will intervene.
If you are so brave, why do you post as Anonymous Coward?
I know that the British passport covers brits for this kind of thing - on page 2 it says "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary". Note the words "requires" and "assistance" and "necessary". The egg-heads down there would have to sort this bloke out, or there would be a diplomatic incident. I know that the Canadian Passport carries the same warning. I wonder if the Australian one does too? If so, this Lou Sanson guy (Antarctica New Zealand CEO) had better wise up, or the Queen could get involved.