"People tend to have the impression that the air inside a balloon is very pressurized..."
I didn't say that the gas inside a balloon was 'very' pressurized, but clearly the pressure inside the skin is greater (to some degree) than that outside due to the compression applied by the deformed elastic skin trying to return to its original shape.
But you're right in theory. Consider a glass blower making a vase. The molten glass is a sort of 'one-way' balloon. You can blow it up, but because the 'skin' has no elasticity, it deforms to fit the volume of air blown in, and then stays put. The residual air pressure in the vase would, for practical purposes, be the same as outside.
I concur that "balloon" is extremely tiresome to type repeatedly and swear engage in no more of this balloonery.
Why then, if I inflate a balloon do I need to tie the end to prevent the gas escaping?
If your theory of balloons is correct, the pressures inside and outside of the skin are equivalent and therefore no gas would flow into or out of the ballon.
>>ncluding a firewall would be an admission that hacking Windows boxen was even remotely possible. You don't want to risk scaring the herd into a stampede by shouting "firewall".
Well, they include a software firewall (enabled by default) with XP don't they?
You have a fondness for the words 'herd' and 'stampede' - are you a cowboy?
Yes, concepts remain, but sort algorithms and linked lists are pretty simple concepts to grasp really.
Do you honestly think the only way you can learn these simple ideas is by spending years at college tinkering with fragments of C or Lisp?
Today's commercial developers have to get their heads around the (ever more) complex application bulding and delivery technologies that exist in the commercial world.
I don't see what any of that has to do with HR monkeys (other than HR monkeys probably think MIT == GOODNESS).
>> Other than the hard sciences, math, and computer programming, much of the stuff taught in college is outdated by the time you apply yourself in a real job.
That's odd. I would have said that the kind of computer programming learned at most colleges is *exactly* the sort of thing that is outdated (or worse, irrelevant) when you move into the commercial IT world.
>I hate to break it to you, but I think Ansel Adams would have LOVED Photoshop.
Yes. I think he would have loved today's digital photography too, now that sensor resolutions on high-end equipment are approaching his demanding requirements.
Adams wasn't a stick-in-the-mud or a fanatical purist. Many purists of the time sniffed at his use of filters, and his 'Zone System'.
He just wanted to devise a process where he could (more or less) guarantee to produce the image in print, that he envisaged when he looked at a scene.
Digital capture and the use of post-processing programs like Photoshop and the superb printing technology available now, make Adam's goal more attainable.
I think Adams would have embraced these technologies wholeheartedly.
>>the future belongs to secure virtual infrastructure, secure distributed data, and redundant portable devices.
I agree that would be a nice model for many people, but it is one that is very hard to make work in the real world (especially the security and trust aspects of it).
Personally, I'd rather have my data on a physical device that *I* own rather than pay someone to keep it all safe and secure for me.
1) Use Firefox as your web browser rather than IE. Firefox has some security issues too, but many fewer than IE. Keep your browser software up-to-date.
2) Disable Java Applets in your web browser unless you reall need them (I don't mean JavaScript).
3) If you can do without the advanced features of MS Outlook, use an alternative email program like Thunderbird.
4) Download and install AdAware and/or Spybot SD and run them regularly, and update them often.
5) Turn-on Windows update and make sure you keep your systems patched.
6) Keep your AV software of choice up-to-date (I don't know 'Avast' but I'm sure it should be able to auto-update).
7) Most importantly, use some kind of firewall. Ideally a hardware one built into your ADSL modem or router. Failing that, a software one, like the one built into Win/XP, or one of the may commerical, or free ones).
Sorry, don't have time to post the links for any of this stuff, just Google for them.
I recently read that over 40% of UK Internet connections were now broadband, and most of these became active within the last year.
I think the broadband providers should offer a router with a suitable built-in hardware firewall as a standard part of the package (or failing that insist on you having an 'approved' router/modem with then necessary smarts, in the service contract).
Unfortunately most of the domestic packages are still 'wires only'.
Well, they may just do the job for you in the short term.
If Google do pick up on SEO spam (normally because someone reports it via the Google Spam Report page) then your domain will be permanantly banned from Google (and a bunch of other major SEs).
I use Google a lot more than two dozen times a day (admittedly for somewhat less esoteric subjects than yourself) and from my perspective the quality of results has definitely degraded.
Slashdot Mirror
"they all drive in BMW's, live in huge country houses with a swimming pool and have their nights and weekends free."
So, are you seriously suggesting that this is the lifestyle of the typical US tech worker (or tech workers anywhere in the West)?
Not these days I'm afraid!
"People tend to have the impression that the air inside a balloon is very pressurized..."
I didn't say that the gas inside a balloon was 'very' pressurized, but clearly the pressure inside the skin is greater (to some degree) than that outside due to the compression applied by the deformed elastic skin trying to return to its original shape.
But you're right in theory. Consider a glass blower making a vase. The molten glass is a sort of 'one-way' balloon. You can blow it up, but because the 'skin' has no elasticity, it deforms to fit the volume of air blown in, and then stays put. The residual air pressure in the vase would, for practical purposes, be the same as outside.
I concur that "balloon" is extremely tiresome to type repeatedly and swear engage in no more of this balloonery.
Why then, if I inflate a balloon do I need to tie the end to prevent the gas escaping?
If your theory of balloons is correct, the pressures inside and outside of the skin are equivalent and therefore no gas would flow into or out of the ballon.
Is there something wrong with this picture?
>>that karma-gaining joke isn't either
Well for once I thought it was appropriate.
What the hell is Slashdot all about if it's not for the indulgence and mutual back-patting and self-congratulation of geeks?
And I don't give a fuck about "karma".
>> Slashdot isn't just "some place" for geeks to stand around and pat each other one the back...#
You're new here, aren't you?
>>Oh, sure, they paid all that money for Jasc just so they could buy the product and kill it... That makes a lot of sense... NOT
But they have a competing product don't they?
Do you think Corel wants to market/develop/maintain PSP *and* PhotoPaint.
I'm sure one of these products is going to go 'tits-up'.
I guessed PSP because of the 'Not-Invented-Here' syndrome, but I could be wrong.
I think you mean Corel!
o rel3/Products/Display&pfid=1047024307383
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=C
Now that Corel owns PSP, I fear 9 will be the last version. Which is a pity.
Looks like this April 1st will be another momentous day for Steve Jobs...
s _joins_ikea/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/01/steve_job
>>ncluding a firewall would be an admission that hacking Windows boxen was even remotely possible. You don't want to risk scaring the herd into a stampede by shouting "firewall".
Well, they include a software firewall (enabled by default) with XP don't they?
You have a fondness for the words 'herd' and 'stampede' - are you a cowboy?
And what is this 'boxen' you speak of?
Yes, concepts remain, but sort algorithms and linked lists are pretty simple concepts to grasp really.
Do you honestly think the only way you can learn these simple ideas is by spending years at college tinkering with fragments of C or Lisp?
Today's commercial developers have to get their heads around the (ever more) complex application bulding and delivery technologies that exist in the commercial world.
I don't see what any of that has to do with HR monkeys (other than HR monkeys probably think MIT == GOODNESS).
>> Other than the hard sciences, math, and computer programming, much of the stuff taught in college is outdated by the time you apply yourself in a real job.
That's odd. I would have said that the kind of computer programming learned at most colleges is *exactly* the sort of thing that is outdated (or worse, irrelevant) when you move into the commercial IT world.
>>I find the most effective approach for me is to sue Google by default
What a litigious world we live in where you have to sue your search engine (by default) when you don't get the results you want!
>I hate to break it to you, but I think Ansel Adams would have LOVED Photoshop.
Yes. I think he would have loved today's digital photography too, now that sensor resolutions on high-end equipment are approaching his demanding requirements.
Adams wasn't a stick-in-the-mud or a fanatical purist. Many purists of the time sniffed at his use of filters, and his 'Zone System'.
He just wanted to devise a process where he could (more or less) guarantee to produce the image in print, that he envisaged when he looked at a scene.
Digital capture and the use of post-processing programs like Photoshop and the superb printing technology available now, make Adam's goal more attainable.
I think Adams would have embraced these technologies wholeheartedly.
Ok AC, can you show us some 'flawless' software that you have created?
There is no such thing as 'flawless' software.
Software is made by people, and we are all mortal, and we all make mistakes.
As for the language, well, I think C# and Java actually save you from your mistakes - but clearly you think otherwise.
To claim Apache is 'flawless' is absurd (I'm sure it's creators would agree).
Apache is good - very, very good - but 'flawless' it aint!
>>the future belongs to secure virtual infrastructure, secure distributed data, and redundant portable devices.
I agree that would be a nice model for many people, but it is one that is very hard to make work in the real world (especially the security and trust aspects of it).
Personally, I'd rather have my data on a physical device that *I* own rather than pay someone to keep it all safe and secure for me.
What else can you do?
1) Use Firefox as your web browser rather than IE. Firefox has some security issues too, but many fewer than IE. Keep your browser software up-to-date.
2) Disable Java Applets in your web browser unless you reall need them (I don't mean JavaScript).
3) If you can do without the advanced features of MS Outlook, use an alternative email program like Thunderbird.
4) Download and install AdAware and/or Spybot SD and run them regularly, and update them often.
5) Turn-on Windows update and make sure you keep your systems patched.
6) Keep your AV software of choice up-to-date (I don't know 'Avast' but I'm sure it should be able to auto-update).
7) Most importantly, use some kind of firewall. Ideally a hardware one built into your ADSL modem or router. Failing that, a software one, like the one built into Win/XP, or one of the may commerical, or free ones).
Sorry, don't have time to post the links for any of this stuff, just Google for them.
Try...
http://www.microangelo.us/
I recently read that over 40% of UK Internet connections were now broadband, and most of these became active within the last year.
I think the broadband providers should offer a router with a suitable built-in hardware firewall as a standard part of the package (or failing that insist on you having an 'approved' router/modem with then necessary smarts, in the service contract).
Unfortunately most of the domestic packages are still 'wires only'.
Well, they may just do the job for you in the short term.
If Google do pick up on SEO spam (normally because someone reports it via the Google Spam Report page) then your domain will be permanantly banned from Google (and a bunch of other major SEs).
Is it worth it?
Yeah good tip, but often I need (or my customers need) to Google for non-tech info.
For the stuff that most people Google for, the SERPS are becoming flooded with total crap.
Didn't Google trumpet all its mightly clever algorithms that supposedly detect and eliminate SEO spamming?
I use Google a lot more than two dozen times a day (admittedly for somewhat less esoteric subjects than yourself) and from my perspective the quality of results has definitely degraded.
Does anyone else find that Google's results are being degraded and becoming less relevant?
They seem to favor large sites over small ones, regardless of content, and consistenty rank SEO spammed pages over clean ones.
Exactly!
It's scary how so many people here seem to think corporations are unstoppable. I think they've been brainwashed.
Corporations are:
1) not lawmakers
2) unelected
3) don't have the financial muscle to go head to head with even minor economic powers.
Still, the fear must be exciting, or something.
And picking the beard hairs out of his teeth - ugh :/