I've checked all the guru sites (Anandtech, Extremetech, Tom's HArdware, Cnet, etc) and they all seem so subjective. I can't justify spending $750+ CAD for a monitor for home use, but on the other hand if there is truly a worthwhile difference I might loosen the purse strings.
Samsung 19" 955 or a Viewsonic PF90 are my current options...
I wish this were the case, but...have you ever been to a movie lately? 4 or 6 commercials BEFORE the trailers...then product placements throughout the movie...then an advertisement for the soundtrack at the end credits. TV is 10x worse, where the average prime time television show is now 21-23 minutes out of 30. Even The Simpsons are heavily cut in syndication to add MORE commercials.
Why play Kings Quest when you could play Ultima, Bard's Tale, Defender of the Crown, Temple of Apshai, or even text adventures like Zork and Planetfall? Although the early Sierra adventures pushed the graphic envelope in the EGA era, their gameplay was repetitive and tired. I remember in King's Quest I you had to get an item by providing a password -- the password was discovered by reversing the alphabet, transposing it with the normal 26 letter placement, and then spelling "Rumplestilskin". If it wasn't for FIDONet I never would have finished. Kings Quest blended into Space Quest blended into Heros Quest...blah blah blah. Although Rebecca Williams was key in forming the company, shortly after her sabatical Half-Life came out I believe...and the gaming world is better off for it.
Aside from Scott, Woody Allen also avoided the Acaedmy Awards -- he got Best Picture and didn't show up to accept. But he did show up to pay homage to New York this year...
Randy Neuman's song this year was very forgettable, but in years that he SHOULD have won ("You've got a friend in me") he was nailed by block voting. My personal fav of his is "My Little Buttercup" from the Three Amigos.:)
Seriously, how many good films were there this year? Memento didn't get nominated for Best Director or Best Picture. That in itself is a crime. Gosford Park is a film you can watch multiple times and not get bored either. I was bored watching A Beautiful Mind halfway through the first time.
Can anyone identify a successful IT tech merger of this size? Anyone? I think that IBM benefitted from the Lotus acquisition, but Lotus was (and still is) dying. Digital? Nope. NCR? Nope. Wordperfect? Nope. Packard Bell? Nope.
This is a somewhat dangerous trend, IMHO. CNN Headline news gives us blurbs...soundbites...with no substance. "Israelis shot Palestinians" or vice versa on a daily basis. Little reporting of substance of negotiations; why there was a conflict in that location at that time for what reason. The great thing about the internet is that there is great reporting in depth. I like to check out the Drudge report, BBC, disinfo.com, etc on a regular basis to get a good blend of various points of view so that I can make my OWN opinion. I don't want to be served watered down sentence fragments by a corporate AOL/TimeWarner beheometh. Slashdot is one of a few exceptions to this rule, since they typically link to articles of substance and allow for dialogue and debate by (usually) intelligent users. The moderation system isn't perfect, but it helps dodge the trolls. My guess is that automated summaries will lose the flavour of good journalism/writing, and by taking an "average" will end up with a C+ "factual comprehension" review as opposed to multiple A+ "theory" and "syntehsis" editorials.
I've heard this argument before. "Buy American" to support the outdated, dinosaur auto industry. "Union made" to support the corrupt, criminally run union management in the hopes of having some benefit trickle down to the actual labourers. I will not buy an $18 CD to support numerous middle men and corrupt (yes, I mean criminally corrupt) recording companies when the artist is lucky to see $0.50 per CD. And don't give me that "means of production" and "advertising" BS. I can produce audio tracks in my basement with the same fidelity with less than $10k worth of equipment now; I can burn CDs and distribute myself; I can HIRE my own advertising agency and yet still retain the rights to my own music without the interference of these media conglomerates. Politicians are being bribed into creating laws that serve to protect outdated business models and work against the common good (see: original intent of copyright). If the system is fundamentally flawed, it is not wrong to oppose it; it may be criminal, but so was drinking, premarital sex, and loading software into your computer at one point in history. Finally, remember that Disney was built on repacking open-source fairytales -- Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan...
As an added bonus, entertainment pack 1 will include binaries required for recreational activities such as "OFS whacking".
When asked to comment, Microsoft Spokesman v3.0 stated that 'whacking' without EP1 would invalidate the EULA and could result in system instability, a general sense of self-worthlessness, and pocket lint.
Lots of stupid laws are proposed in Canada on a regular basis -- it gives the backbenchers something to do. Although this is slightly different (a proposed levy), the fact that it is available for comment (and comments via e-mail are recommended and supported!) is proof of democracy in action. I very much doubt this would pass based on it's current form. I don't mind paying some extra $ to compensate artists, but #1) please ensure that the artists GET the money, and #2) the levy must be a reasonable percentage of the value of the media -- not what could be put ON the media, but what the media is worth given legitimate purposes.
You missed Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, Sarah MacLachlan, Bare Naked Ladies, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado, Robbie Robertson, etc. I think these people get a share of the pie too.
True story. I used to work for the defunct Computer City chain here in Toronto. One day a guy comes in with a computer where the tape backup drive is completely wrecked -- cracked from someone trying to force something into the drive. A young co-worker (about 15) comes up to me and says "How do we handle these things? He tried to play a tape in the drive, but I've never seen the format before..." I ask if it's a cassette tape, the kid laughs and says he's not that stupid. So I talk to the customer and he basically says "You can play music CDs in your computer, right, so why can't I play my 8-tracks?" $400 repair bill for "Best of ABBA"...
Off topic alert: We have Krispy Creme's here in the Toronto area. It is so far successful, but seems to fill more of a niche dessert market concept as opposed to ever-present soup/sandwich/coffee/donut Tim Hortons. Hey, if Tim's can hold off the Starbucks assault, Krispy the Clown won't be too much of a challenge. FYI, Tim Horton, the legendary Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, died in a drunk-driving crash halfway between Buffalo and Toronto.
As proud as I am of Canada, I hate to admit that we follow the US lead on most technology issues (as does the rest of the world). Once a standard is enforced in the largest free market, it trickles down into other countries. Of course, WIPO is also a convenient forum to enforce psuedo-standards in countries that actually try to express some independent though...
Thanks for the clarification. As far as the single working mom bit, I was trying to use an example of someone who's already overworked and won't have the ability to get better at their job. Although it sounds like my life, I think the SWM examples is more sympathetic.;) If she is working the business line, and it doesn't get any new business, that worker or the business concept will be cancelled...lets hope for the later.
Haha, that's funny. If that isn't the number to a customer service (e.g. complaint) line that is supported by a single working mom with no technology training, they will surely divert their outgoing calls through another PBX. Customer service lines are required (either by law or for PR purposes), but not essential services. I wonder if they'll use their SPAM to advertise their SPAM services?...
Yes, but remember -- shortly after BR Coke released "New Coke"...it hurt the company for years and allowed Pepsi, who was on the ropes, to bounce back and solidly define their #2 position.
I believe that Microsoft is going to be facing an uphill battle to maintain their high OS prices. Given that even Walmart is now selling an OS empty computer, the window of opportunity is there. When a good internet-ready PC costs less than $500, it's hard to justify 'bundling' an OS for another $150 or $200. It is the most costly piece. I believe that some OEM manufacturers will eventually establish a baseline OS that has minimal cost overhead due to it's reliance on open source. When computers/PCs become disposable commodities (e.g. $500 every other year), the margins will become so low Micorosft will simply exit the market. They already know that this is the path with their convergence on the "home hub" X-box model. The word processor, e-mail, and internet browser haven't changed that much in the last 10 years...feature bloat I can do without, and so will consumers when they can save a couple of $100 a purchase...
This is a good example of when this series "jumped the shark". In the window of couple of episodes this series changed from a really cool mystery/noir/sci fi show into a cheesy neverending soap opera. I can't remember what season it was, but basically you started having Duchovny thinking he had a movie career, more than two or three episodes a season dedicated to the government consipiracy part, and leaving Vancouver all together -- it killed the integrity of the show. My favorite episodes were the one-shot wonders (e.g. Clyde Bruckman); there's something to be said for the economy of a 45 minutes show. Sometimes less is more!
I don't think that an automatic AK-47 or TEC-9 could be argued as legitimately used for hunting. I disagree with the gun argument since a gun is deliberately designed to maim/injure/kill and serves no other purpose. The hammer or pillowcase scenario is more apt. Ultimately this argument comes down to personal use. These flash devices have legitimate (although vaguely so) personal uses, for within the home. They serve no direct commercial competitive threat to Nintendo, and thus I disagree with the enforcement of the DCMA act in this case. If these devices were capable of mass-producing rip offs copies, Nintendo may have a more legitimate argument IMHO.
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I've checked all the guru sites (Anandtech, Extremetech, Tom's HArdware, Cnet, etc) and they all seem so subjective. I can't justify spending $750+ CAD for a monitor for home use, but on the other hand if there is truly a worthwhile difference I might loosen the purse strings. Samsung 19" 955 or a Viewsonic PF90 are my current options...
I wish this were the case, but...have you ever been to a movie lately? 4 or 6 commercials BEFORE the trailers...then product placements throughout the movie...then an advertisement for the soundtrack at the end credits. TV is 10x worse, where the average prime time television show is now 21-23 minutes out of 30. Even The Simpsons are heavily cut in syndication to add MORE commercials.
Tell that to Steve McQueen...
Why play Kings Quest when you could play Ultima, Bard's Tale, Defender of the Crown, Temple of Apshai, or even text adventures like Zork and Planetfall? Although the early Sierra adventures pushed the graphic envelope in the EGA era, their gameplay was repetitive and tired. I remember in King's Quest I you had to get an item by providing a password -- the password was discovered by reversing the alphabet, transposing it with the normal 26 letter placement, and then spelling "Rumplestilskin". If it wasn't for FIDONet I never would have finished. Kings Quest blended into Space Quest blended into Heros Quest...blah blah blah. Although Rebecca Williams was key in forming the company, shortly after her sabatical Half-Life came out I believe...and the gaming world is better off for it.
Aside from Scott, Woody Allen also avoided the Acaedmy Awards -- he got Best Picture and didn't show up to accept. But he did show up to pay homage to New York this year... Randy Neuman's song this year was very forgettable, but in years that he SHOULD have won ("You've got a friend in me") he was nailed by block voting. My personal fav of his is "My Little Buttercup" from the Three Amigos. :)
Seriously, how many good films were there this year? Memento didn't get nominated for Best Director or Best Picture. That in itself is a crime. Gosford Park is a film you can watch multiple times and not get bored either. I was bored watching A Beautiful Mind halfway through the first time.
These new advertisements are very well timed...IBM "build a moat" for your e-infrastructure....just as long as it's not Lotus based!!! ;)
Can anyone identify a successful IT tech merger of this size? Anyone? I think that IBM benefitted from the Lotus acquisition, but Lotus was (and still is) dying. Digital? Nope. NCR? Nope. Wordperfect? Nope. Packard Bell? Nope.
I think I'll need to break out my logarithmic calculator to identify to which ^10 he has invalidated his ISP bandwidth cap...
This is a somewhat dangerous trend, IMHO. CNN Headline news gives us blurbs...soundbites...with no substance. "Israelis shot Palestinians" or vice versa on a daily basis. Little reporting of substance of negotiations; why there was a conflict in that location at that time for what reason. The great thing about the internet is that there is great reporting in depth. I like to check out the Drudge report, BBC, disinfo.com, etc on a regular basis to get a good blend of various points of view so that I can make my OWN opinion. I don't want to be served watered down sentence fragments by a corporate AOL/TimeWarner beheometh. Slashdot is one of a few exceptions to this rule, since they typically link to articles of substance and allow for dialogue and debate by (usually) intelligent users. The moderation system isn't perfect, but it helps dodge the trolls. My guess is that automated summaries will lose the flavour of good journalism/writing, and by taking an "average" will end up with a C+ "factual comprehension" review as opposed to multiple A+ "theory" and "syntehsis" editorials.
I've heard this argument before. "Buy American" to support the outdated, dinosaur auto industry. "Union made" to support the corrupt, criminally run union management in the hopes of having some benefit trickle down to the actual labourers. I will not buy an $18 CD to support numerous middle men and corrupt (yes, I mean criminally corrupt) recording companies when the artist is lucky to see $0.50 per CD. And don't give me that "means of production" and "advertising" BS. I can produce audio tracks in my basement with the same fidelity with less than $10k worth of equipment now; I can burn CDs and distribute myself; I can HIRE my own advertising agency and yet still retain the rights to my own music without the interference of these media conglomerates. Politicians are being bribed into creating laws that serve to protect outdated business models and work against the common good (see: original intent of copyright). If the system is fundamentally flawed, it is not wrong to oppose it; it may be criminal, but so was drinking, premarital sex, and loading software into your computer at one point in history. Finally, remember that Disney was built on repacking open-source fairytales -- Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan...
As an added bonus, entertainment pack 1 will include binaries required for recreational activities such as "OFS whacking". When asked to comment, Microsoft Spokesman v3.0 stated that 'whacking' without EP1 would invalidate the EULA and could result in system instability, a general sense of self-worthlessness, and pocket lint.
Lots of stupid laws are proposed in Canada on a regular basis -- it gives the backbenchers something to do. Although this is slightly different (a proposed levy), the fact that it is available for comment (and comments via e-mail are recommended and supported!) is proof of democracy in action. I very much doubt this would pass based on it's current form. I don't mind paying some extra $ to compensate artists, but #1) please ensure that the artists GET the money, and #2) the levy must be a reasonable percentage of the value of the media -- not what could be put ON the media, but what the media is worth given legitimate purposes.
You missed Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, Sarah MacLachlan, Bare Naked Ladies, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado, Robbie Robertson, etc. I think these people get a share of the pie too.
yay me...first post...first post for me ever...and to a linux related thread too!
True story. I used to work for the defunct Computer City chain here in Toronto. One day a guy comes in with a computer where the tape backup drive is completely wrecked -- cracked from someone trying to force something into the drive. A young co-worker (about 15) comes up to me and says "How do we handle these things? He tried to play a tape in the drive, but I've never seen the format before..." I ask if it's a cassette tape, the kid laughs and says he's not that stupid. So I talk to the customer and he basically says "You can play music CDs in your computer, right, so why can't I play my 8-tracks?" $400 repair bill for "Best of ABBA"...
Off topic alert: We have Krispy Creme's here in the Toronto area. It is so far successful, but seems to fill more of a niche dessert market concept as opposed to ever-present soup/sandwich/coffee/donut Tim Hortons. Hey, if Tim's can hold off the Starbucks assault, Krispy the Clown won't be too much of a challenge. FYI, Tim Horton, the legendary Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, died in a drunk-driving crash halfway between Buffalo and Toronto.
So you saw Gattaca too... As for the 6 fingers, wouldn't it be easier to develop a non-QWERTY, user friendly keyboard instead?
As proud as I am of Canada, I hate to admit that we follow the US lead on most technology issues (as does the rest of the world). Once a standard is enforced in the largest free market, it trickles down into other countries. Of course, WIPO is also a convenient forum to enforce psuedo-standards in countries that actually try to express some independent though...
Thanks for the clarification. As far as the single working mom bit, I was trying to use an example of someone who's already overworked and won't have the ability to get better at their job. Although it sounds like my life, I think the SWM examples is more sympathetic. ;) If she is working the business line, and it doesn't get any new business, that worker or the business concept will be cancelled...lets hope for the later.
Haha, that's funny. If that isn't the number to a customer service (e.g. complaint) line that is supported by a single working mom with no technology training, they will surely divert their outgoing calls through another PBX. Customer service lines are required (either by law or for PR purposes), but not essential services. I wonder if they'll use their SPAM to advertise their SPAM services?...
Yes, but remember -- shortly after BR Coke released "New Coke"...it hurt the company for years and allowed Pepsi, who was on the ropes, to bounce back and solidly define their #2 position.
I believe that Microsoft is going to be facing an uphill battle to maintain their high OS prices. Given that even Walmart is now selling an OS empty computer, the window of opportunity is there. When a good internet-ready PC costs less than $500, it's hard to justify 'bundling' an OS for another $150 or $200. It is the most costly piece. I believe that some OEM manufacturers will eventually establish a baseline OS that has minimal cost overhead due to it's reliance on open source. When computers/PCs become disposable commodities (e.g. $500 every other year), the margins will become so low Micorosft will simply exit the market. They already know that this is the path with their convergence on the "home hub" X-box model. The word processor, e-mail, and internet browser haven't changed that much in the last 10 years...feature bloat I can do without, and so will consumers when they can save a couple of $100 a purchase...
This is a good example of when this series "jumped the shark". In the window of couple of episodes this series changed from a really cool mystery/noir/sci fi show into a cheesy neverending soap opera. I can't remember what season it was, but basically you started having Duchovny thinking he had a movie career, more than two or three episodes a season dedicated to the government consipiracy part, and leaving Vancouver all together -- it killed the integrity of the show. My favorite episodes were the one-shot wonders (e.g. Clyde Bruckman); there's something to be said for the economy of a 45 minutes show. Sometimes less is more!
I don't think that an automatic AK-47 or TEC-9 could be argued as legitimately used for hunting. I disagree with the gun argument since a gun is deliberately designed to maim/injure/kill and serves no other purpose. The hammer or pillowcase scenario is more apt. Ultimately this argument comes down to personal use. These flash devices have legitimate (although vaguely so) personal uses, for within the home. They serve no direct commercial competitive threat to Nintendo, and thus I disagree with the enforcement of the DCMA act in this case. If these devices were capable of mass-producing rip offs copies, Nintendo may have a more legitimate argument IMHO.
I'm waiting for the Canadianised version (e.g. operates on beer; snow tires; kilometer gauge instead of mileage; etc).