In a system where your rewards are based on the look of powerpoint presentations that are delivered to directors, you end up spending all your time optimizing the data on the slides. The same principle is applied all over the place, in almost every human endeavor. Using the wrong measure of progress means we waste time and effort. It also has a side effect of making everyone miserable, like the guy in this story. See health care, prison system, etc.
By the way, this isn't a problem unique to the government. His gripes sound very similar to my reality. I work in a large aerospace company.
"We've had only a few major redesigns since 1997; we think it's time for another. "
Why? This is precisely why everyone is so mad. You have a site that (mostly) works. You should get feedback from the users about THAT interface and look at new techonologies, then identify specific issues that you want to improve. Then, improve those things but keep everything that is good. This is a basic business process. Know exactly what your goals are before you start. Redesigning for the sake of redesigning is a waste of time. To put it another way, don't fix what ain't broke.
I still count IBM. I believe that quite was, "Every company that made computers when we started the Mac, they're all gone."
IBM is still around. Maybe they sold their business, but the company is still around and the business they sold to Lenovo is still going strong. Likewise for HP, Dell, hell even Atari are still around. Sure their businesses have changed, but so did Apple's. Mac has far less mindshare than iPhone and iTunes these days.
Maybe users don't want to upgrade, like Mr. Froyd says. But maybe they would upgrade if you gave them a reason to. I'm definitely not a large scale user, but I've never encountered a situation where an older version is more attractive in any way.
Why were you so annoyed by texting? It doesn't effect you at all.
What really got your jimmies rustled was that she was openly flouting the stupid rules, and you had to get up in her business about it because you don't have the balls to do it yourself.
Wake up, buddy. You're the jerk. Cell phones are not bad for planes and a cell phone jammer will do nothing to damage it in any way. All it will do is inconvenience a few hundred people because you are so selfish and self-centered.
Not cell phones, but there have definitely been phones available. Some planes even had handsets embedded in the back of the headrests.
Also, I have always left my phone on in flights. It doesn't get a signal at altitude, and definitely not over the middle of the ocean. It's really only when you are near takeoff or landing.
Why is it that the people who schedule these underhanded surprise hearings go unnamed? People need to know that these guys are working for special interests in back-room deals.
They can't inhibit speech protected by the first amendment, however they CAN legislate trade and commerce. For example, we already have laws that prohibit false advertising without first amendment issues. If the companies display the logo, they will be fined under the law.
Years ago, Verizon rolled out FiOS to a handful (literally) of customers in Boston
Apparently you're using the new definition of "literally". That is, as a synonym of "figuratively". Because unless the people with FiOS were actually held together in someones hand at some point, then that isn't "literally" what happened.
First, that the government needs to go stick it's nose into business like this. Second that people feel they deserve privacy for pictures they send to third parties unencumbered by any business contract or doctor/lawyer privilege. Who exactly gets to determine when a disclosure of photographs is or is not allowed? Now we have to take the understood intention of the first party into account? What about when someone changes their mind? What about when pictures are taken by a the second party? What about by a third party?
I think it can be argued that Silk Road practiced the use of Tor as well as anyone could have. They still got pinched. Although it may come out that an insider turned informant, it seems that the Tor system is compromised by the snoops.
So Slashdot goes the way of Ars Technica. Simple readability gives way to stylish nonsense. Oh well, at least both have a way to tone it down and simulate the old format.
Slashdot Mirror
In a system where your rewards are based on the look of powerpoint presentations that are delivered to directors, you end up spending all your time optimizing the data on the slides. The same principle is applied all over the place, in almost every human endeavor. Using the wrong measure of progress means we waste time and effort. It also has a side effect of making everyone miserable, like the guy in this story. See health care, prison system, etc.
By the way, this isn't a problem unique to the government. His gripes sound very similar to my reality. I work in a large aerospace company.
"We've had only a few major redesigns since 1997; we think it's time for another. "
Why? This is precisely why everyone is so mad. You have a site that (mostly) works. You should get feedback from the users about THAT interface and look at new techonologies, then identify specific issues that you want to improve. Then, improve those things but keep everything that is good. This is a basic business process. Know exactly what your goals are before you start. Redesigning for the sake of redesigning is a waste of time. To put it another way, don't fix what ain't broke.
s/quite/quote/
I still count IBM. I believe that quite was, "Every company that made computers when we started the Mac, they're all gone."
IBM is still around. Maybe they sold their business, but the company is still around and the business they sold to Lenovo is still going strong.
Likewise for HP, Dell, hell even Atari are still around. Sure their businesses have changed, but so did Apple's. Mac has far less mindshare than iPhone and iTunes these days.
Wow, a Slashdot posting about Linus that doesn't include swearing, name-calling, or flame-baiting. Today is a good day.
Maybe users don't want to upgrade, like Mr. Froyd says. But maybe they would upgrade if you gave them a reason to. I'm definitely not a large scale user, but I've never encountered a situation where an older version is more attractive in any way.
That comma usage makes me want to cry
Grab that karma! ;-)
Why were you so annoyed by texting? It doesn't effect you at all.
What really got your jimmies rustled was that she was openly flouting the stupid rules, and you had to get up in her business about it because you don't have the balls to do it yourself.
Wake up, buddy. You're the jerk. Cell phones are not bad for planes and a cell phone jammer will do nothing to damage it in any way. All it will do is inconvenience a few hundred people because you are so selfish and self-centered.
Not cell phones, but there have definitely been phones available. Some planes even had handsets embedded in the back of the headrests.
Also, I have always left my phone on in flights. It doesn't get a signal at altitude, and definitely not over the middle of the ocean. It's really only when you are near takeoff or landing.
Why is it that the people who schedule these underhanded surprise hearings go unnamed? People need to know that these guys are working for special interests in back-room deals.
... Cops kill people
I would have used Bing and DuckDuckGo. The other two aren't relevant anymore. Or, was that the point?
Perhaps an open source project to map and publicize the personnel of these agencies, as an exercise in democratic resistance to creeping tyranny.
They'd throw you into a black hole and you'd never be seen again.
They can't inhibit speech protected by the first amendment, however they CAN legislate trade and commerce. For example, we already have laws that prohibit false advertising without first amendment issues. If the companies display the logo, they will be fined under the law.
Oh wait... that would mean... err... *head explodes*
Relevant link: http://www.rootstrikers.org/
I have a feeling he just wanted to get that out. It was a decent post, so I'll allow it despite the touch of crazy.
To further explain for the truly lazy... the algorithm would produce a file exactly as long as the input, but entirely filled with zeros.
Years ago, Verizon rolled out FiOS to a handful (literally) of customers in Boston
Apparently you're using the new definition of "literally". That is, as a synonym of "figuratively". Because unless the people with FiOS were actually held together in someones hand at some point, then that isn't "literally" what happened.
pokerface.jpg
I will openly admit, if I was attacked by those giant death machines I would move to another continent. Ain't nobody got time for that!
What a strange time we live in.
First, that the government needs to go stick it's nose into business like this. Second that people feel they deserve privacy for pictures they send to third parties unencumbered by any business contract or doctor/lawyer privilege. Who exactly gets to determine when a disclosure of photographs is or is not allowed? Now we have to take the understood intention of the first party into account? What about when someone changes their mind? What about when pictures are taken by a the second party? What about by a third party?
Strange.
I think it can be argued that Silk Road practiced the use of Tor as well as anyone could have. They still got pinched. Although it may come out that an insider turned informant, it seems that the Tor system is compromised by the snoops.
So Slashdot goes the way of Ars Technica. Simple readability gives way to stylish nonsense. Oh well, at least both have a way to tone it down and simulate the old format.
Don't forget the obvious: RIDING in the car, but not driving it, is apparently fine for the ovaries.
Try and wrap your head around that!