Do you have any funny stories about making this sort of thing work? Ever discover embarrasing or silly stuff about a developer? Seems like your line of work would lend itself to those sort of things.
"Anyways... those pictures look pretty manipulated, can't really say why. The lighting is way the hell too bright for one."
Derr. They had it profesionally photographed. That involves very controlled lighting, plus they cut/paste it out for the page. (Or maybe it's CG.. Not that I can tell, but not beyond the abilities of a relatively talented artist.)
"Who would spend $30 a month for two years to rent a console? Thats $720!"
Doofus, they're not renting the system, they're including it if you subscribe to 2 years of service. It's like getting a cell phone free because you signed a 2 year contract. You're not paying $720 for a console. Actually, if this service provides 1 free game a month, you'd save $20 a month on any of the systems you mentioned, plus the cost of those machines. You'd have an extra $630 in your pocket at the end of the 2 years.
"That's some semi-decent hardware for $199. If the phantom does indeed come out with these specs and price, won't people just take em apart for the guts? "
Oh lord, does that mean every time they do something to thwart hackers trying to install Linux for no particularly good reason, it'll make headline news on Slashdot?
"This is different from a computer? How? There's nothing that would make me buy this, except for possibly the price. If it's as cheap as a GC I might consider... no. "
I think the idea is that a.) there's a stable platform to develop to as opposed to the barrage of Frankenstein'esque computers causing developers needless hassle. b.) Games are delivered to your computer directly via internet as opposed to buying shrinkwrap stuff at the store.
I doubt this'll change your mind. That wasn't my goal. Simply pointing out that the concept of their business model seems okay enough. I mean, if that $30 a month got you at least one new game a month (no, I haven't RTFA yet) then you'd be ahead of the other systems. Put some cool games on there and you're set.
Re:But does it detect...
on
The Face Detector
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· Score: 4, Insightful
"This is a prerequisite toward ubiquitous facial recognition. "
Also good for video compression. Imagine if the codecs detected where the faces in a video were and intentionally avoided compressing them to hell and gone.
Re:a real use for this kind of technology
on
The Face Detector
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· Score: 2, Insightful
"instead of the endless "let's use it in airports" crap,"
The "use it in airports 'crap'" happens because they're trying to get gov't funding to continue development. It's not crap to try to get ahead in this world by fulfilling a need. Don't like it? Point at Uncle Sam instead of the company trying to earn money.
*Note: I'm talking in general, not specifically about this company.
Re:I don't have two eyes you insensitive clod
on
The Face Detector
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· Score: 2, Funny
"Or a mouth, or a nose, or two ears. I'm the man without a face. "
So your only distinguishing feature is a large crack?
"How about just a plain phone where the battery actually works through the day and does not cut out every time you order Chinese takeout? "
PSst, camera phones do this, too. Having a camera != shorter battery life. Mine goes a week without charging.
As for the PDA and digital camera, wake up man. Every time this topic comes up, some git gets modded up for saying "why would I buy a phone with a camera in it when I can buy a far superior digital camera?" The answer is: "Because you don't take your DC with you like you do with your cell phone, stupid!"
Sorry to be rude, but it should be pretty darned obvious why a camera or a PDA in A cell phone is interesting. My phone acts as an alarm clock and a "ha! My nephew's being really funny, I should grab a pic of that seeing as how my phone's in my pocket but my camera is at home because I don't bring it to restaraunts with me" event recorder.
Re:Select the camera with most pixels
on
Camera Phone Tips
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· Score: 2, Insightful
"The best camera/phone is the one with most pixels. "
No, it's the one with the best optics. I'll tell you right now, I'm not getting full use of the 640 by 480 CCD I have right now. A better lens would do me wonders, but increasing the CCD resolution would give me higher-resolution blur.
Re:Here is a good tip...
on
Camera Phone Tips
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· Score: 1, Insightful
"Hang up and drive!!!! "
And why does having a camera phone make this point even more prominent to the point of reminding us of this redundant topic?
This is redundant folks, karma whoring at its finest. It's sort of like wandering into a thread about Windows security and saying "well if you really want security you should switch to Linux!" It's only insightful if the general populace hasn't considered it.
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the XBOX (or the GC) started to outsell the PS2. The PS2's been around longer, and was also a good deal more popular. Eventaully it'll hit a saturation point to where people start wondering what's going on with the other 2. Though I really don't care much for Sony or the PS2, I wouldn't be quick to jump on the "See, I told you that system sucks" bandwagon.
"Also, you give me a photo of an American soldier, for instance, helping an Iraqi up, with smiles on their faces, and in an hour I can turn it into a photo of torture. It really isn't difficult at all."
The thing is, I work with Photoshop too, and I betcha I can spot signs of doctoring. The clone tool, for example, is very easy to spot. It's also possible to find problems with the edges from cutting and pasting somebody into another image. Not to mention the JPEG artifacts from the camera. One could probably even look at the final image and know it was saved from Photoshop as opposed to the camera that shot it.
"Hey, perhaps Slashdot should cache such sites. Or even cache every site that is posted except for the very large ones, such as media companies and Microsoft. "
Heh I just had this image in my mind of Infinium suing Slashdot for caching and republishing a site blasting their console.
"Skeptics are taking over the WORLD! People who fear scam-producing companies are GOING TO KILL US ALL!! The Matrix has you! Don't trust anyone who doesn't bend over and take it from scandalous corporations! If they screwed you a million times, they NEVER do it again! You must trust them and believe everything you hear! Skeptics and people capable of learning ARE GOING TO DESTROY THE WORLD!"
"And because the "door company" is paying to find the intruders after they have broken in does not mean it solves the problem, maybe they should fix the locks first. That sounds like a reasonable idea. "
I don't agree. If they sold millions of faulty doors, even if you issued a recall, there's no way of knowing for sure that every single person would get their doors fixed. For that company to use its spending power to deter people from breaking into them, well at least give them credit for attacking the problem from both ends. Even the most secure door can be broken into, nothing wrong with raising the consequences for those who manage that.
Slashdot Mirror
Do you have any funny stories about making this sort of thing work? Ever discover embarrasing or silly stuff about a developer? Seems like your line of work would lend itself to those sort of things.
"Anyways... those pictures look pretty manipulated, can't really say why. The lighting is way the hell too bright for one."
Derr. They had it profesionally photographed. That involves very controlled lighting, plus they cut/paste it out for the page. (Or maybe it's CG.. Not that I can tell, but not beyond the abilities of a relatively talented artist.)
"Who would spend $30 a month for two years to rent a console? Thats $720!"
Doofus, they're not renting the system, they're including it if you subscribe to 2 years of service. It's like getting a cell phone free because you signed a 2 year contract. You're not paying $720 for a console. Actually, if this service provides 1 free game a month, you'd save $20 a month on any of the systems you mentioned, plus the cost of those machines. You'd have an extra $630 in your pocket at the end of the 2 years.
Man, I see why you posted anonymously.
"That's some semi-decent hardware for $199. If the phantom does indeed come out with these specs and price, won't people just take em apart for the guts? "
Oh lord, does that mean every time they do something to thwart hackers trying to install Linux for no particularly good reason, it'll make headline news on Slashdot?
"This is different from a computer? How? There's nothing that would make me buy this, except for possibly the price. If it's as cheap as a GC I might consider ... no. "
I think the idea is that a.) there's a stable platform to develop to as opposed to the barrage of Frankenstein'esque computers causing developers needless hassle. b.) Games are delivered to your computer directly via internet as opposed to buying shrinkwrap stuff at the store.
I doubt this'll change your mind. That wasn't my goal. Simply pointing out that the concept of their business model seems okay enough. I mean, if that $30 a month got you at least one new game a month (no, I haven't RTFA yet) then you'd be ahead of the other systems. Put some cool games on there and you're set.
"This is a prerequisite toward ubiquitous facial recognition. "
Also good for video compression. Imagine if the codecs detected where the faces in a video were and intentionally avoided compressing them to hell and gone.
"instead of the endless "let's use it in airports" crap,"
The "use it in airports 'crap'" happens because they're trying to get gov't funding to continue development. It's not crap to try to get ahead in this world by fulfilling a need. Don't like it? Point at Uncle Sam instead of the company trying to earn money.
*Note: I'm talking in general, not specifically about this company.
"Or a mouth, or a nose, or two ears. I'm the man without a face. "
So your only distinguishing feature is a large crack?
"For those of us in the defense industry, it's mandatory that we get a phone without a camera on it. "
I visited a gov't facility once. You had to turn all your electronic doo-dads in at the door. Probably a better policy.
"How about just a plain phone where the battery actually works through the day and does not cut out every time you order Chinese takeout? "
PSst, camera phones do this, too. Having a camera != shorter battery life. Mine goes a week without charging.
As for the PDA and digital camera, wake up man. Every time this topic comes up, some git gets modded up for saying "why would I buy a phone with a camera in it when I can buy a far superior digital camera?" The answer is: "Because you don't take your DC with you like you do with your cell phone, stupid!"
Sorry to be rude, but it should be pretty darned obvious why a camera or a PDA in A cell phone is interesting. My phone acts as an alarm clock and a "ha! My nephew's being really funny, I should grab a pic of that seeing as how my phone's in my pocket but my camera is at home because I don't bring it to restaraunts with me" event recorder.
"The best camera/phone is the one with most pixels. "
No, it's the one with the best optics. I'll tell you right now, I'm not getting full use of the 640 by 480 CCD I have right now. A better lens would do me wonders, but increasing the CCD resolution would give me higher-resolution blur.
"Hang up and drive!!!! "
And why does having a camera phone make this point even more prominent to the point of reminding us of this redundant topic?
This is redundant folks, karma whoring at its finest. It's sort of like wandering into a thread about Windows security and saying "well if you really want security you should switch to Linux!" It's only insightful if the general populace hasn't considered it.
"We like Microsoft when it comes to the xbox, right? "
Only if you can install Linux on it even though there's little reason to do so.
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the XBOX (or the GC) started to outsell the PS2. The PS2's been around longer, and was also a good deal more popular. Eventaully it'll hit a saturation point to where people start wondering what's going on with the other 2. Though I really don't care much for Sony or the PS2, I wouldn't be quick to jump on the "See, I told you that system sucks" bandwagon.
"Also, you give me a photo of an American soldier, for instance, helping an Iraqi up, with smiles on their faces, and in an hour I can turn it into a photo of torture. It really isn't difficult at all."
The thing is, I work with Photoshop too, and I betcha I can spot signs of doctoring. The clone tool, for example, is very easy to spot. It's also possible to find problems with the edges from cutting and pasting somebody into another image. Not to mention the JPEG artifacts from the camera. One could probably even look at the final image and know it was saved from Photoshop as opposed to the camera that shot it.
Anybody see the photo of that thing? Check out the needle on the front of it. Does it land like a lawn dart?
"...of a German designed prototype of the European space shuttle, Phoenix"
Ooo neat! How long before warp drive is tested?
"I have a Vegway - it looks like a giant piece of brocolli - but you don't hear me shouting about it... "
I have a WedgeWay, and now I'm plotting to kick my brother's ass.
"Hey, perhaps Slashdot should cache such sites. Or even cache every site that is posted except for the very large ones, such as media companies and Microsoft. "
Heh I just had this image in my mind of Infinium suing Slashdot for caching and republishing a site blasting their console.
"You could've had 200 of your closest friends load the site and see how fast it loads..."
200... closest friends? For 200, I'll be dipping into my enemies and rating them by how close a friend they are? *Sigh* no wonder nobody does this.
"This is down but Megway is a person, probably named Meagan giving a piggy back ride to some dude in a parody of Segway human transporter."
Ah good. Cos when I read this story, my first thought was "uh Megway's going to be sued for the same reason Lindows was sued."
"This isn't about keeping people safe it's about making sure that people don't switch away from windows to the alternatives"
The Windows' massive game libary does that sufficiently. I doubt this is the Microsoft's motivation.
"Skeptics are taking over the WORLD! People who fear scam-producing companies are GOING TO KILL US ALL!! The Matrix has you! Don't trust anyone who doesn't bend over and take it from scandalous corporations! If they screwed you a million times, they NEVER do it again! You must trust them and believe everything you hear! Skeptics and people capable of learning ARE GOING TO DESTROY THE WORLD!"
Welcome to the Democratic party!
"(yeah, i know.. im a coward) "
Beats being a black and blue hero. In self defense, I'd shoot a man in the back while he's sleeping.
"And because the "door company" is paying to find the intruders after they have broken in does not mean it solves the problem, maybe they should fix the locks first. That sounds like a reasonable idea. "
I don't agree. If they sold millions of faulty doors, even if you issued a recall, there's no way of knowing for sure that every single person would get their doors fixed. For that company to use its spending power to deter people from breaking into them, well at least give them credit for attacking the problem from both ends. Even the most secure door can be broken into, nothing wrong with raising the consequences for those who manage that.
"It may deter kids but certainly not pros."
So... was Melissa, Blaster, Sasser, or any of the other major worms written by pros?