I also was surprised to see that a billion dollar investment will only create 100 jobs, but I guess the computers don't need that much maintenance once the facility is built.
Building the facility has just got to create more than 100 short-term jobs though, right?
My experience is that at the low end of that 20:1 ratio is the dead weight that should never be in the programming profession. Those are the people you should really fire. A more reasonable number between an average contributor and a top contributor is 2:1 or 3:1... and you sometimes see that big a gap in pay.
My favorite example to answer this question is when laptops first became popular, and operating systems became aware of battery levels, both Windows and Mac OS had helpful dialogs that popped up to say something like "Your computer is about to shut down."
On a Mac, if you then plugged in the power cord, the dialog automatically dismissed itself because it was no longer relevant. On Windows, even though you just plugged it in, you had to hit the cancel button.
Now this one example isn't likely to change your mind about Windows vs. Mac, but it was one example of HUNDREDS that you would encounter with Mac products. They had a polish and a "wow that really makes sense" that just wasn't there with Windows.
Both operating systems were capable of roughly the same thing, but IMHO a Mac did it with greater thoughtfulness and ease-of-use.
Is there a good source for info on the upcoming movies? I'm not really interested in spoilers per se, but rather just to see how things are shaping up (without CGI, obviously)
One of the things slashdot rarely gets credit for is that it was among the first blogging platforms (yes, everyone could create their own blog within/. with slash), and also among the first social networks. Those two things definitely influenced the early thoughts behind Multiply.
I still read/. almost every day, but I'm an infrequent commenter. This post is quite nostalgic for me, as well as many of the other 2, 3 and 4-digit IDs who still hang around. I can still see those icons in the left rail of "Chips and Dips" and the distorted ROB MALDA lettering on CmdrTaco's home page.
Rob, you were an absolue inspiration to so many of us. I'm sorry to see you go, but thank you for the many years of entertainment and education.
Murdoch is in a tough spot. The internet has given us access to nearly every piece of content that has ever been created, or is currently being created, in near real-time. In addition, automated editing tools are improving by leaps and bounds every year, with recent apps like Flipboard (and others), obviating the need for professional human editors.
So it's difficult to see how this slight re-working of an old model is going to work in a world where the game has changed in such fundamental ways.
The point, my friend, is that 10 strokes of easily-remembered commands is far superior to remembering *both*:'s+^+//+
*and*:'s+^+//+
Which the OP first suggested.
And in case you're counting, that first sequence is 20+ keystrokes of gobbldygook, while Emacs' is not only 10 (Yay! Tab completion!) but it also _makes sense_.
Whereas the iPhone requires an Intel-based Mac running OS X 10.5.4 or later, ADC membership, and familiarity with proprietary Mac OS X dev tools, the standard IDE for Android is Eclipse.
So I can run any CPU from any vendor, with any OS, and no familiarity with anything, to develop for Android? Cool!
Although we're all innocent until proven guilty, for those of us without access to all of the facts it certainly seems damning. He was already convicted of this crime, and now *on top* of that conviction, he is the only person who has been identified as knowing where the body is. I'd say that's pretty compelling.
Perhaps slightly off-topic, but the Hofstadter cited (via Metamagical Themas) is the same Douglas Scott Hofstader that wrote Goedel, Escher, Bach -- one of the greatest books ever written.
Re:Got my OLPC a few days ago
on
Negroponte vs Intel
·
· Score: 3, Informative
Hey guys.... yes, I get it, it's not for me. I really, truly, 100% understand that it's not for me. That doesn't mean that I can't have an opinion on whether it's good for kids because in addition to having two kids of my own (one of whom is old enough to use computers), I've been designing user interfaces for about 12 years now.
If you haven't tried out the UI yet, I suggest you do. And if you're an old fart like me who knew what X Windows looked like in the 1980s you'll agree that it's eerily familiar. And that's not a good thing.
Simple things like closing an application-- err activity-- are inconsistent from activity to activity. I found at least three different ways depending on the activity. Sure, kids will figure it out... smart kids figure out everything. That doesn't mean it's a good UI or even an acceptable UI. For every brilliant kid that will be a whiz at this thing I suspect there will be at least a few who, after trying to use it, will say that other alternatives are preferable. Remember.... the OLPC is not alone in this marketplace and this article is titled "Negroponte vs. Intel" and my assertion is that unless the software on the XO improves, he's going to continue to lose contracts to the classmate.
[Note: in no way am I trying to say that Windows is "better"... I f'ing hate Windows. But the OLPC's software is so bad that anything -- and I truly mean anything -- that is currently being actively developed in 2007 is better]
Slashdot Mirror
I also was surprised to see that a billion dollar investment will only create 100 jobs, but I guess the computers don't need that much maintenance once the facility is built.
Building the facility has just got to create more than 100 short-term jobs though, right?
My experience is that at the low end of that 20:1 ratio is the dead weight that should never be in the programming profession. Those are the people you should really fire. A more reasonable number between an average contributor and a top contributor is 2:1 or 3:1... and you sometimes see that big a gap in pay.
My favorite example to answer this question is when laptops first became popular, and operating systems became aware of battery levels, both Windows and Mac OS had helpful dialogs that popped up to say something like "Your computer is about to shut down."
On a Mac, if you then plugged in the power cord, the dialog automatically dismissed itself because it was no longer relevant. On Windows, even though you just plugged it in, you had to hit the cancel button.
Now this one example isn't likely to change your mind about Windows vs. Mac, but it was one example of HUNDREDS that you would encounter with Mac products. They had a polish and a "wow that really makes sense" that just wasn't there with Windows.
Both operating systems were capable of roughly the same thing, but IMHO a Mac did it with greater thoughtfulness and ease-of-use.
Is there a good source for info on the upcoming movies? I'm not really interested in spoilers per se, but rather just to see how things are shaping up (without CGI, obviously)
Holy crap that brings back the memories! I think my path was very similar.
*waves to Dan*
Been here since the beginning!
One of the things slashdot rarely gets credit for is that it was among the first blogging platforms (yes, everyone could create their own blog within /. with slash), and also among the first social networks. Those two things definitely influenced the early thoughts behind Multiply.
Got me by one....
Do you remember how you first heard of /. or Chips & Dips? I've been trying to remember, but haven't got a clue.
I still read /. almost every day, but I'm an infrequent commenter. This post is quite nostalgic for me, as well as many of the other 2, 3 and 4-digit IDs who still hang around. I can still see those icons in the left rail of "Chips and Dips" and the distorted ROB MALDA lettering on CmdrTaco's home page.
Rob, you were an absolue inspiration to so many of us. I'm sorry to see you go, but thank you for the many years of entertainment and education.
Not the cheapest option, but this rollaboard is also a backpack -- it's basically a backpack inside of a rollaboard, so you get the best of both worlds, plus a bonus that if you buy a bunch of stuff while traveling, your one bag turns into two. I recently purchased it for business travel, and couldn't be happier.
http://www.amazon.com/Lowepro-Pro-Roller-x100-Camera/dp/B0027JM3B6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313439687&sr=8-2
Murdoch is in a tough spot. The internet has given us access to nearly every piece of content that has ever been created, or is currently being created, in near real-time. In addition, automated editing tools are improving by leaps and bounds every year, with recent apps like Flipboard (and others), obviating the need for professional human editors.
So it's difficult to see how this slight re-working of an old model is going to work in a world where the game has changed in such fundamental ways.
Pretty impressive three digit ID.
As far as regularity goes, I read /. every day but comment infrequently... I'd suggest that different people use /. differently.
I've heard that the founder and current CEO of Multiply has been on Slashdot forever.
Nope, I didn't buy it. I've been reading CmdrTaco since this site was called "Chips & Dips."
The point, my friend, is that 10 strokes of easily-remembered commands is far superior to remembering *both* :'s+^+//+
*and* :'s+^+//+
Which the OP first suggested.
And in case you're counting, that first sequence is 20+ keystrokes of gobbldygook, while Emacs' is not only 10 (Yay! Tab completion!) but it also _makes sense_.
man that's so much easier than the Emacs equivalent....
M-x comment-region RET
(which, of course, like everything else in Emacs is easily bound to a key if you ever find yourself doing it often)
*** rushes off to snarkily reply to every vi suggestion with the easier and more sane Emacs equivalent ;-)
...I have to say I expected a little more ;-)
So I can run any CPU from any vendor, with any OS, and no familiarity with anything, to develop for Android? Cool!
Although we're all innocent until proven guilty, for those of us without access to all of the facts it certainly seems damning. He was already convicted of this crime, and now *on top* of that conviction, he is the only person who has been identified as knowing where the body is. I'd say that's pretty compelling.
Luckily I have friends/family alert me of their existence.... an excuse to post, if you will.
Anyone remember Chips & Dips?
meept!
Sorry... can't help you there.
Brain fart... of course it is Richard. Must have been too late at night when I wrote that reply.
Perhaps slightly off-topic, but the Hofstadter cited (via Metamagical Themas) is the same Douglas Scott Hofstader that wrote Goedel, Escher, Bach -- one of the greatest books ever written.
Hey guys.... yes, I get it, it's not for me. I really, truly, 100% understand that it's not for me. That doesn't mean that I can't have an opinion on whether it's good for kids because in addition to having two kids of my own (one of whom is old enough to use computers), I've been designing user interfaces for about 12 years now.
If you haven't tried out the UI yet, I suggest you do. And if you're an old fart like me who knew what X Windows looked like in the 1980s you'll agree that it's eerily familiar. And that's not a good thing.
Simple things like closing an application-- err activity-- are inconsistent from activity to activity. I found at least three different ways depending on the activity. Sure, kids will figure it out... smart kids figure out everything. That doesn't mean it's a good UI or even an acceptable UI. For every brilliant kid that will be a whiz at this thing I suspect there will be at least a few who, after trying to use it, will say that other alternatives are preferable. Remember.... the OLPC is not alone in this marketplace and this article is titled "Negroponte vs. Intel" and my assertion is that unless the software on the XO improves, he's going to continue to lose contracts to the classmate.
[Note: in no way am I trying to say that Windows is "better"... I f'ing hate Windows. But the OLPC's software is so bad that anything -- and I truly mean anything -- that is currently being actively developed in 2007 is better]