I wonder what's going to happen to us programmers. I had heard a while ago in Scientific American that programming Quamtum Computers required a radically different approach than those used today. I wonder how much different it will be, and how us "old-timers" will deal with it.
And if you needed/wanted to change the API, you should be able to run two APIs (call them "old" and "new") on the same platform, and warn everyone that "old" is no longer supported after such-and-such a date.
They've actually been doing this for a while. A lot of the Win32 API's have the original version and an "Ex" version (i.e., Foo() and FooEx()), with the Ex version being the newer, officially-sanctioned one. They advise newer code to always use the "Ex" API whenever one exists.
And search engines and ISPs have given many thousands of people free and customizable web pages, sparking a culture that is expressive and personalized
I just have to laugh at the assertion that GeoCities is a "culture" of any sort! Homepages of family photos coupled with people pushing up to the limit of not-quite-porn, together in one place!
I guess I can't think of actual innovations either, but there have definitely been some improvements. On-line shopping is nice for us mall-haters, especially being able to find things that you may not be able to find at the local mall. On-line entertainment can also be a nice time-waster (Slashdot, anyone?). Again, neither of these is really worthy of the "innovation" title though, IMHO. But they're nice.
Slashdot Mirror
Hopefully they can't find a way to tweak Linux a little and turn around and patent it, a la Kerberos.
I can't wait until I can get a fax via my underwear.
I wonder what's going to happen to us programmers. I had heard a while ago in Scientific American that programming Quamtum Computers required a radically different approach than those used today. I wonder how much different it will be, and how us "old-timers" will deal with it.
You can patent something post-fanfare in America. In Europe you must patent pre-fanfare.
And if you needed/wanted to change the API, you should be able to run two APIs (call them "old" and "new") on the same platform, and warn everyone that "old" is no longer supported after such-and-such a date.
They've actually been doing this for a while. A lot of the Win32 API's have the original version and an "Ex" version (i.e., Foo() and FooEx()), with the Ex version being the newer, officially-sanctioned one. They advise newer code to always use the "Ex" API whenever one exists.
There's also The Annals of Improbable Research. Hosters of the annual Ig Nobel Awards.
Had something to do with the fact that Steve Jobs once-upon-a-time refused to eat anything but fruit.
Unfortunately, eating too many apples can result in cramps and explosive diarrhea.
There's one in the Natick Mall in Natick, MA, so I'm assuming there's still others out there somewhere...
And search engines and ISPs have given many thousands of people free and customizable web pages, sparking a culture that is expressive and personalized
I just have to laugh at the assertion that GeoCities is a "culture" of any sort! Homepages of family photos coupled with people pushing up to the limit of not-quite-porn, together in one place!
I guess I can't think of actual innovations either, but there have definitely been some improvements. On-line shopping is nice for us mall-haters, especially being able to find things that you may not be able to find at the local mall. On-line entertainment can also be a nice time-waster (Slashdot, anyone?). Again, neither of these is really worthy of the "innovation" title though, IMHO. But they're nice.
Can lead to Microsoft.