I get this type of news from the mainstream outlets already.
Slashdot will sometimes post big disaster-level news. The tagline USED to read: news for nerds and stuff that matters. Large explosions like this matter, added to that being so near a supposed terrorist attack in Boston.
During 9/11 Slashdot was one of the few news sites able to handle the strain of panicked masses trying to find out info. CNN and the others went down but Slashdot was able to stay up and post news updates they were able to get about w t f was going on.
Besides: if you want to whine... it is nerd-worthy news. You're talking about chemical reactions between Fertilizer and whatever else caused it. Which intrigues the chemistry nerds and informs others since somehow some people still don't realize how volatile fertilizer is. You have the whole safety/technology issue if it turns out this was an accident, with people chiming in about the cause one its known. Etc.
Yeh, it's 5-15 now and it sounds like a good chunk are emergency service personnel.
Though one source says it's still early and those numbers might spike to 60-70. But that's just guessing a this point and guesses sometimes do more harm than good during a disaster
I felt bad for the young kid in the car: scared sh!tless AND apparently lost his hearing. I imagine that is just temporary, or at least would hope.
I felt so bad for the kid, that I almost want to bite my tongue about complaining about vertical-orientation shots like that. Oh well: seriously people, take your videos in land-scape mode... learn to turn your phone 90-degrees.
I'm not saying Excel is awesome, but in the end it comes down to "how do you select and CHECK the input data"
But in comparison, in Oracle you could type "WHERE year_accessed 2012" -- maybe you meant to exclude 2012 or maybe you meant to say = 2012 and are now missing data.
Or perhaps "WHERE continent = 'North America' " -- maybe you wanted to INCLUDE Canada and EXCLUDE Guam (US territory) or maybe you realize you made a mistake.
Both of those mistakes are (subjectively) easier to make than "I didn't highlight as many rows as I should" since Excel shows you a color-coded picture of what you selected and the Oracle will just show you all of the raw data in the output and thus you might 2012 or the UK are missing.
I'm not saying Excel is awesome... but you're placing the fault on poor UI for Excel and saying that low-level coding or SQL is better because you don't have to rely on visual inspection of your inputs. I respond with: either way you have to inspect your data: either by running DIFFERENT queries to see the raw data or looking in an IDE's debugger/watch.
And this is assuming that a simple Average(A:A) wouldn't just solve all of your needs (take the average of the ENTIRE column).
IN either case, it's user error. Excel makes it easy to check what you're doing: failing to check your inputs (especially on something important) is a critical case of user error.
My primary work is in Java/C# and Oracle, so yeh, *I* create sql queries on the fly with specific limiters. But this wasn't that. It was the author choosing to use Excel, and choosing to use the UI, and choosing to pick a sub-range of a table for some reason. Honestly, if you have to cherry-pick rows (such as ctrl+click) from a long sheet for your calculation then you should probably have organized it better in the first place. Because you're asking for trouble.
In Excel, if you want a whole column you can just say =AVERAGE(A:A) you can even select the column header and be done in 1 click if you don't know the syntax. Which works as well as the simple-form SQL example you gave above since they to are just average an entire column without worrying about filtering.
You highlight regions / cells and give the entire group a single variable name and say =AVERAGE(MySampleData). But that's hard-coded to the coordinates you define. So if you chose A47:A63 and you re-sort then the equations will give different values.
So either way, via UI, you have to define "data" whether it's "data is THIS column" or "data is this value, that value, that value, etc" The author chose to use the UI's drag-drop method without double-checking, instead of a conditional summary or pivot table. In which case, duh, you need to check if you selected everything.
Personally I always arrange my data in such a way that I'm calculating the entire column. This way if I have to add / delete rows I don't have to worry about where the "bottom" of the range is. And if I need to base the values on some *simple* filter I tend to use Pivot tables so I can compare the data across the filter combinations.
Obviously there are complex sheets: perhaps you want to only focus on data where continent = X something, perhaps you only want this time range and it's just easier to drag a simple box in the middle of the data. We don't know enough about their sheet to say.
But for most simple stuff, the UI is not bad.
And besides, even with your SQL method (or however you populate your programming array) you STILL need to double check that you're using the correct data.
This wasn't some array indexing issue or something. I could see if the complaint was parenthesis weren't closed / matching up correctly or using & vs + gave two different (valid) values.
They explicitly said he didn't drag the cell-range-border far enough. So to me that means in a sheet containing Country / value he didn't drag/scroll all the way down through all of the countries. And Excel DOES do as good of a job with that as you could want. It shows you via a colorful border what values are being referenced.
My rules of thumb are: 1) Always double check every cell/range reference of every equation but visually making sure each cell you'd want has the colorful border 2) Always "refresh" any pivot tables just in case you did something.
It doesn't matter how "sure" I feel that I didn't make any mistakes. Any my work is only shared with a dozen people for something small, not something big like this.
The guy made a mistake, it's not the application's fault he couldn't see the colorful borders.
My thoughts exactly: I thought it was a calculation / precision bug or something.
But if someone forgets to set the range correctly on a sheet... that's not an Excel problem that's user error.
But as a software developer, between myself and my friends, I've heard many-a-story where something is called an application error instead of a user's mistake.
I will add... I'd be more on your side if you were talking about iTunes movies and stripping off the DRM from them. As the whole "licensed file" vs "purchased file" debate / argument is a bit more valid since we're not really talking about a subscription service. You paid for that file to sit on your hard-drive until the sun grows cold.
But here, you're talking about working around a streaming subscription service in a way that would result in being able to permanently download their library.
You both make valid arguments, but I side with the grandparent (DRM == fine for rental SERVICES) more than your argument.
Fine, ignoring the Netflix EULA which I'm sure is long and requires a law-degree to understand 100%... you know what's going on. You subscribed to their streaming service so they could stream movies to you. They only want you to be able to do it under specific conditions (in certain countries, on certain devices, etc). Heck, in the EULA it probably says that trying to bypass their security and download their content will result in civil action of something.
You know what they mean and you know what you're paying for. Saying "Well I'm still technically doing what the service provides" is trying to be sneaky. And even if you are doing what you suggest, nobody else would. They would just download it and either distribute it or keep it long after they cancel their sub.
Ignoring the fact that this is a service and legal-else and what not. The ESSENCE of what you're describing is like a grade-schooler saying "you said we could play outside, you didn't say we couldn't climb on top of the school and run on the roof"
Or (as an adult) you ask a friend and neighbor if you can borrow his car to pick something up from the store. He agrees and the throws you the keys. 36 hours go by and you return the car to a pissed off friend. - W T F were you?!?!? - Oh, sorry you said I could borrow your car to run to the store so I decided to drive 2 states over and go to THAT store. You SAID I could go to the store, so that's what I did.
I'm kind of lost... are you being sincere in your general acceptance of DRM or are you posting a sarcastic post? IE: sure it's great except when it fails here, here, there, over here, when the sun is in alignment, etc.
I'm not that good at picking these things up in the written form, since once man's written sarcasm is another man's written inner-most thoughts.
As someone who had a loved one in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and couldn't reach her on her mobile until the afternoon, I'm not surprised that a cell network became overloaded. It's happened in other times too.
Considering this wreaked of terrorism, especially to those on the scene, things really blew up. Marathoners calling loved ones and even just REGULAR citizens in Boston (perhaps far away from the site) getting / making calls in a panic, etc.
Cell towers aren't magic, they can only support so much. And since the phone companies aren't using their profits to expand their existing networks then a large metro getting hit with an event is going to overload it... or at least a general region. I mean, in that immediate area alone you had: people living / working in the buildings, LOTS of runners, LOTS of spectators, etc.
Perhaps the feds DID put up a jammer. Perhaps we don't know the whole story. I'm just saying, that an overloaded network sounds perfectly plausible.
Agreed - for the most part. Banking and Financial-Trading are probably pushing networking and data-processing to the limit.
But I mean for the Moon / Mars / Elevator... the technology in general evolves (not just computers). Materials, manufacturing processes, various gadgets. Sure, toy manufacturers + car manufacturers + etc. push lots of new tech, but going to space means more out of the box thinking which can lead in advancements going in new directions instead of further along the same direction.
Heck, I recall being told that in the 1940's they used a computer for the Census and that was way prior to the push to the moon.
I could see that the push to the moon ADVANCED the computers of the era but definitely didn't create them. Like perhaps a bump in power / clock-speed / utility / etc. Or new architecture or just new ways of thinking. I don't know if that actually happened but it's a valid assumption.
In which case, the general theme of "another moon trip == new advancements" still holds.
Heck, that's a common argument for a lot of big suggested ventures. That the end-product would be more than the trip or widget... the advancements made to actually accomplish said task would be quite interesting. Mars trip, space elevator, another Moon trip, etc. That the fact we got there or built the thing would be "nice" but just doing it would advance our tech in various directions.
I never heard the myth about NASA inventing the computer. And I've heard a LOT of myths about computers and space. I'm not saying the myth doesn't exist, but if it does chances are it's a very rarely said one.
As for "lacked even the barest forms of computerized design aids" perhaps they just mean that the design lacked the creation / use of them. Not that there were no aids available for them had they chosen to use them.
What does this have to do with technology? Or is it just another example of writers on Slashdot trying to push a liberal agenda?
The tag line for Slashdot used to read: News for nerds, stuff that matters.
I would classify this as news for nerds, as I know a bunch of "nerds" (like myself) that are really into jets and such. Heck, I know one guy who has at least 3 f idfferent F-18 posters in his apartment and he's not in the military (nor is anyone in his family).
By the same token, "stuff that matters" would cover Slashdot posting a big non-tech stories. Such as when 9/11 was going on.
I have lots of complaints about the switch from SciFi to SyFy. Revamping a classic series isn't one of them. I mean, really, they've only revamped one that I know of prior to this (BSG).
The Battlestar Galactica show was pretty solid. Sure, it was either "love it or hate it" but a lot of people liked it. Sure, it wasn't the same as the old one... but it had moments.
My biggest complaint is with the brand change, they have been dropping home-brewed science fiction series and favoring reality shows + wresting. And the Saturday evening B-movie fest is still lame.
I'm not saying Blake's 7: The Next Generation (or whatever) is going to be good. But it's at least it's a scripted science fiction show. With Warehouse 13 reaching the end of its contract and some of their other shows dropped... it's a welcome addition. As much as I LOVE the Canadian imports, it would be good for them to do some stuff themselves.
Honestly, "Tie Fighter" was vastly superior to the older "X-Wing" game.
Better graphics, a decent story (in comparison), better targeting, more controls (match speed), etc.
While I look at "X-Wing" somewhat fondly, it's "Tie Fighter" that really steals my heart. That game is literally in my top 3 favorites video games of all time.
"X-Wing Alliance" was alright, but it still wasn't as fun as "Tie Fighter"
On one hand, the young always think "they know better" and thus think their reflexes and novice-skills are on-par with the team from "Too Fast / Too Furious" so they act carelessly. Add to that, they're pretty easily distracted... texting, talking on the phone, looking at the girl (or pal) in the next seat while talking, etc. I've had a LOT of near-misses due to some idiot kid. One gave me the finger and yelled at me because he ran a stop sign. Trying to tell them that they're doing something wrong, and they think YOU're the clueless one.
On the other hand, some older (octogenarian) drivers think all of their experience / practice at driving makes up for their lack of reflexes and such. The problem is, some of these people refuse to admit they have eye-sight problems and/or mental issues. Try to tell one they're doing something wrong and you get: listen, I've been doing this for 50 years, I know what I'm doing. OK fine, but back then you had the reflexes and the eyesight to deal with this issues during the night.
To be honest, some of the biggest "OMFG what the heck is he doing" moments were with some really old-folks: like watching some old woman drive through the parking lot diagonally, not stopping, almost hitting a moving car, and pedestrian having to RUN out of the way all in one shot. But the young are often just as bad.
At least parents will ground their kids and/or take away the keys or something for a while. I don't know many families willing to confront their grandparents and such to take away THEIR keys.
Slashdot Mirror
I get this type of news from the mainstream outlets already.
Slashdot will sometimes post big disaster-level news. The tagline USED to read: news for nerds and stuff that matters. Large explosions like this matter, added to that being so near a supposed terrorist attack in Boston.
During 9/11 Slashdot was one of the few news sites able to handle the strain of panicked masses trying to find out info. CNN and the others went down but Slashdot was able to stay up and post news updates they were able to get about w t f was going on.
Besides: if you want to whine... it is nerd-worthy news. You're talking about chemical reactions between Fertilizer and whatever else caused it. Which intrigues the chemistry nerds and informs others since somehow some people still don't realize how volatile fertilizer is. You have the whole safety/technology issue if it turns out this was an accident, with people chiming in about the cause one its known. Etc.
Yeh, it's 5-15 now and it sounds like a good chunk are emergency service personnel.
Though one source says it's still early and those numbers might spike to 60-70. But that's just guessing a this point and guesses sometimes do more harm than good during a disaster
I felt bad for the young kid in the car: scared sh!tless AND apparently lost his hearing. I imagine that is just temporary, or at least would hope.
I felt so bad for the kid, that I almost want to bite my tongue about complaining about vertical-orientation shots like that. Oh well: seriously people, take your videos in land-scape mode... learn to turn your phone 90-degrees.
I'm not saying Excel is awesome, but in the end it comes down to "how do you select and CHECK the input data"
But in comparison, in Oracle you could type "WHERE year_accessed 2012" -- maybe you meant to exclude 2012 or maybe you meant to say = 2012 and are now missing data.
Or perhaps "WHERE continent = 'North America' " -- maybe you wanted to INCLUDE Canada and EXCLUDE Guam (US territory) or maybe you realize you made a mistake.
Both of those mistakes are (subjectively) easier to make than "I didn't highlight as many rows as I should" since Excel shows you a color-coded picture of what you selected and the Oracle will just show you all of the raw data in the output and thus you might 2012 or the UK are missing.
I'm not saying Excel is awesome... but you're placing the fault on poor UI for Excel and saying that low-level coding or SQL is better because you don't have to rely on visual inspection of your inputs. I respond with: either way you have to inspect your data: either by running DIFFERENT queries to see the raw data or looking in an IDE's debugger/watch.
And this is assuming that a simple Average(A:A) wouldn't just solve all of your needs (take the average of the ENTIRE column).
IN either case, it's user error. Excel makes it easy to check what you're doing: failing to check your inputs (especially on something important) is a critical case of user error.
My primary work is in Java/C# and Oracle, so yeh, *I* create sql queries on the fly with specific limiters. But this wasn't that. It was the author choosing to use Excel, and choosing to use the UI, and choosing to pick a sub-range of a table for some reason. Honestly, if you have to cherry-pick rows (such as ctrl+click) from a long sheet for your calculation then you should probably have organized it better in the first place. Because you're asking for trouble.
In Excel, if you want a whole column you can just say =AVERAGE(A:A) you can even select the column header and be done in 1 click if you don't know the syntax. Which works as well as the simple-form SQL example you gave above since they to are just average an entire column without worrying about filtering.
You highlight regions / cells and give the entire group a single variable name and say =AVERAGE(MySampleData). But that's hard-coded to the coordinates you define. So if you chose A47:A63 and you re-sort then the equations will give different values.
So either way, via UI, you have to define "data" whether it's "data is THIS column" or "data is this value, that value, that value, etc" The author chose to use the UI's drag-drop method without double-checking, instead of a conditional summary or pivot table. In which case, duh, you need to check if you selected everything.
Personally I always arrange my data in such a way that I'm calculating the entire column. This way if I have to add / delete rows I don't have to worry about where the "bottom" of the range is. And if I need to base the values on some *simple* filter I tend to use Pivot tables so I can compare the data across the filter combinations.
Obviously there are complex sheets: perhaps you want to only focus on data where continent = X something, perhaps you only want this time range and it's just easier to drag a simple box in the middle of the data. We don't know enough about their sheet to say.
But for most simple stuff, the UI is not bad.
And besides, even with your SQL method (or however you populate your programming array) you STILL need to double check that you're using the correct data.
This wasn't some array indexing issue or something. I could see if the complaint was parenthesis weren't closed / matching up correctly or using & vs + gave two different (valid) values.
They explicitly said he didn't drag the cell-range-border far enough. So to me that means in a sheet containing Country / value he didn't drag/scroll all the way down through all of the countries. And Excel DOES do as good of a job with that as you could want. It shows you via a colorful border what values are being referenced.
My rules of thumb are:
1) Always double check every cell/range reference of every equation but visually making sure each cell you'd want has the colorful border
2) Always "refresh" any pivot tables just in case you did something.
It doesn't matter how "sure" I feel that I didn't make any mistakes. Any my work is only shared with a dozen people for something small, not something big like this.
The guy made a mistake, it's not the application's fault he couldn't see the colorful borders.
My thoughts exactly: I thought it was a calculation / precision bug or something.
But if someone forgets to set the range correctly on a sheet... that's not an Excel problem that's user error.
But as a software developer, between myself and my friends, I've heard many-a-story where something is called an application error instead of a user's mistake.
I will add... I'd be more on your side if you were talking about iTunes movies and stripping off the DRM from them. As the whole "licensed file" vs "purchased file" debate / argument is a bit more valid since we're not really talking about a subscription service. You paid for that file to sit on your hard-drive until the sun grows cold.
But here, you're talking about working around a streaming subscription service in a way that would result in being able to permanently download their library.
You both make valid arguments, but I side with the grandparent (DRM == fine for rental SERVICES) more than your argument.
Fine, ignoring the Netflix EULA which I'm sure is long and requires a law-degree to understand 100%... you know what's going on. You subscribed to their streaming service so they could stream movies to you. They only want you to be able to do it under specific conditions (in certain countries, on certain devices, etc). Heck, in the EULA it probably says that trying to bypass their security and download their content will result in civil action of something.
You know what they mean and you know what you're paying for. Saying "Well I'm still technically doing what the service provides" is trying to be sneaky. And even if you are doing what you suggest, nobody else would. They would just download it and either distribute it or keep it long after they cancel their sub.
Ignoring the fact that this is a service and legal-else and what not. The ESSENCE of what you're describing is like a grade-schooler saying "you said we could play outside, you didn't say we couldn't climb on top of the school and run on the roof"
Or (as an adult) you ask a friend and neighbor if you can borrow his car to pick something up from the store. He agrees and the throws you the keys. 36 hours go by and you return the car to a pissed off friend.
- W T F were you?!?!?
- Oh, sorry you said I could borrow your car to run to the store so I decided to drive 2 states over and go to THAT store. You SAID I could go to the store, so that's what I did.
I'm kind of lost... are you being sincere in your general acceptance of DRM or are you posting a sarcastic post? IE: sure it's great except when it fails here, here, there, over here, when the sun is in alignment, etc.
I'm not that good at picking these things up in the written form, since once man's written sarcasm is another man's written inner-most thoughts.
As someone who had a loved one in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and couldn't reach her on her mobile until the afternoon, I'm not surprised that a cell network became overloaded. It's happened in other times too.
Considering this wreaked of terrorism, especially to those on the scene, things really blew up. Marathoners calling loved ones and even just REGULAR citizens in Boston (perhaps far away from the site) getting / making calls in a panic, etc.
Cell towers aren't magic, they can only support so much. And since the phone companies aren't using their profits to expand their existing networks then a large metro getting hit with an event is going to overload it... or at least a general region. I mean, in that immediate area alone you had: people living / working in the buildings, LOTS of runners, LOTS of spectators, etc.
Perhaps the feds DID put up a jammer. Perhaps we don't know the whole story. I'm just saying, that an overloaded network sounds perfectly plausible.
I actually greatly like the taste of duck. I just hate having to deal with the bones.
Agreed - for the most part. Banking and Financial-Trading are probably pushing networking and data-processing to the limit.
But I mean for the Moon / Mars / Elevator... the technology in general evolves (not just computers). Materials, manufacturing processes, various gadgets. Sure, toy manufacturers + car manufacturers + etc. push lots of new tech, but going to space means more out of the box thinking which can lead in advancements going in new directions instead of further along the same direction.
Heck, I recall being told that in the 1940's they used a computer for the Census and that was way prior to the push to the moon.
I could see that the push to the moon ADVANCED the computers of the era but definitely didn't create them. Like perhaps a bump in power / clock-speed / utility / etc. Or new architecture or just new ways of thinking. I don't know if that actually happened but it's a valid assumption.
In which case, the general theme of "another moon trip == new advancements" still holds.
Heck, that's a common argument for a lot of big suggested ventures. That the end-product would be more than the trip or widget... the advancements made to actually accomplish said task would be quite interesting. Mars trip, space elevator, another Moon trip, etc. That the fact we got there or built the thing would be "nice" but just doing it would advance our tech in various directions.
I never heard the myth about NASA inventing the computer. And I've heard a LOT of myths about computers and space. I'm not saying the myth doesn't exist, but if it does chances are it's a very rarely said one.
As for "lacked even the barest forms of computerized design aids" perhaps they just mean that the design lacked the creation / use of them. Not that there were no aids available for them had they chosen to use them.
True, but the closest thing we have to permanently damaging artillery is a link to the goat*x pic.
Man, I thought the first-post messages on Slashdot were bad.
At least the incorrect messages on slashdot won't incite World War III
Just think about all of those hours lost playing StarCraft.
In other news, the entire population of South Korea is now looking for that 1 StarCraft CD so they can install it on all their machines again.
What does this have to do with technology? Or is it just another example of writers on Slashdot trying to push a liberal agenda?
The tag line for Slashdot used to read: News for nerds, stuff that matters.
I would classify this as news for nerds, as I know a bunch of "nerds" (like myself) that are really into jets and such. Heck, I know one guy who has at least 3 f idfferent F-18 posters in his apartment and he's not in the military (nor is anyone in his family).
By the same token, "stuff that matters" would cover Slashdot posting a big non-tech stories. Such as when 9/11 was going on.
I have lots of complaints about the switch from SciFi to SyFy. Revamping a classic series isn't one of them. I mean, really, they've only revamped one that I know of prior to this (BSG).
The Battlestar Galactica show was pretty solid. Sure, it was either "love it or hate it" but a lot of people liked it. Sure, it wasn't the same as the old one... but it had moments.
My biggest complaint is with the brand change, they have been dropping home-brewed science fiction series and favoring reality shows + wresting. And the Saturday evening B-movie fest is still lame.
I'm not saying Blake's 7: The Next Generation (or whatever) is going to be good. But it's at least it's a scripted science fiction show. With Warehouse 13 reaching the end of its contract and some of their other shows dropped... it's a welcome addition. As much as I LOVE the Canadian imports, it would be good for them to do some stuff themselves.
I kind of like "Face Off" since the end-results they make are creative.
But beyond that, I'm not a fan of reality TV or wresting... which is what the channel is slowly filling up with.
So while part of me wants to say "Try making creative shows again" at least I'm content that it's not another reality series.
Does the stopping of support also mean the stopping of security updates and the like?
If so, that alone is a big deal.
Honestly, "Tie Fighter" was vastly superior to the older "X-Wing" game.
Better graphics, a decent story (in comparison), better targeting, more controls (match speed), etc.
While I look at "X-Wing" somewhat fondly, it's "Tie Fighter" that really steals my heart. That game is literally in my top 3 favorites video games of all time.
"X-Wing Alliance" was alright, but it still wasn't as fun as "Tie Fighter"
It's part of April Fool's Day.
I imagine it will disappear tomorrow, at least from the new / real news items.
It goes both ways.
On one hand, the young always think "they know better" and thus think their reflexes and novice-skills are on-par with the team from "Too Fast / Too Furious" so they act carelessly. Add to that, they're pretty easily distracted... texting, talking on the phone, looking at the girl (or pal) in the next seat while talking, etc. I've had a LOT of near-misses due to some idiot kid. One gave me the finger and yelled at me because he ran a stop sign. Trying to tell them that they're doing something wrong, and they think YOU're the clueless one.
On the other hand, some older (octogenarian) drivers think all of their experience / practice at driving makes up for their lack of reflexes and such. The problem is, some of these people refuse to admit they have eye-sight problems and/or mental issues. Try to tell one they're doing something wrong and you get: listen, I've been doing this for 50 years, I know what I'm doing. OK fine, but back then you had the reflexes and the eyesight to deal with this issues during the night.
To be honest, some of the biggest "OMFG what the heck is he doing" moments were with some really old-folks: like watching some old woman drive through the parking lot diagonally, not stopping, almost hitting a moving car, and pedestrian having to RUN out of the way all in one shot. But the young are often just as bad.
At least parents will ground their kids and/or take away the keys or something for a while. I don't know many families willing to confront their grandparents and such to take away THEIR keys.