...most games came with books the size, or at least information content, of most modern "strategy guides". They were called "manuals", and took up the space inside of the box instead of just having a disk and a cardboard insert.
You said it. The old SNES version of FFIV (released as FF2), came with a 74 page manual, replete with detailed weapon and magic lists, and a walkthrough covering the first third of the game. You want to look something up? There it is. Rather work through it on your own? That's fine too.
In contrast, FFX has 24 pages of boilerplate, and compensates for this by providing in-game, non-skippable tutorials. (It doesn't matter if this is your twentieth time through, Lulu is still going to teach you how to use magic.)
Now, explain how those "hardware interrupts" substitute for the processing that needs to happen.
The problem here, is that they aren't actually attempting to answer the questions, just produce the appearance of answering the questions, for the benefit of their target demographic (who likely don't understand either side of the exchange).
They also managed to get another link posted from slashdot in the process. *Cough*.
From the "answers":
This can yield multi-millisecond benefits, even on the fastest of today's computers.
The ping time to my firewall, (a Pentium classic, underclocked to 75 MHz), is ~0.45 ms. Pretty hard to make a multi-millisecond improvement on that.
Don't let a hack writer take your life at the last minute. The pieces should then be thoroughly burned and the ashes scattered in separate bodies of water.
Go one step further; although scattering the ashes in separate bodies of water is a good start, and almost certainly adequate, some additional measures may be appropriate for creatures which can be reconstituted from ash. A favourite quote from H.P. Lovecraft's "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward":
P.S. Shoot Dr. Allen on sight and dissolve his body in acid. Don't burn it.
Just wanted to say that I was giddy with glee to find that this article was tagged 'lunch'
Maybe we could start tagging stories referencing MS internal usability studies with "dogfood". And if their internal study showed they were behind their competitors in some area, we could tag it both "lunch" and "dogfood".;-)
However, it should be pointed out that the number of bits in the ADC aren't necessarily the limit on the dynamic range of the radio; by putting a variable gain amplifier coupled with an automatic gain control upstream of the A/D, I believe you can improve the dynamic range of the system somewhat.
If I read the second link correctly, the cost is estimated at $80 billion for carbon fiber to build a 1800km tower, which would likely put basic materials cost well within reach for a 11km tower. I think I'll avoid further speculation; you've obviously researched this more than I gave you credit for.
I think you've underestimated the logistics and costs involved in building a 11 km tall structure.
Kansai International Airport was built on a man-made island. The island was constructed by laying 30 m of earth on the sea floor; the airport has cost $15 billion so far. Creating an 11 km tall structure is many orders of magnitude more difficult. (If we assume cost increases linearly with height, 11km/30m*$15 billion=~$5.5 trillion. I think that number is a bit conservative).
What would you make the tower of? Simply allocating that much material (regardless of whether you used earth, steel, or concrete) would be an task of astronomical proportions in itself. I am not a civil engineer, but I would imagine that lack of engineering knowledge at that scale, and at that altitude, would make constructing such a tower very expensive (and risky) simply from a design standpoint.
Get a civil engineer to estimate the costs of such a project, and I think you would be unpleasantly surprised. Personally, I think research into better jet engines/rocket engines is the way to go.
A $600 game system seems like a good idea in "theory".
In theory I'm not going to buy the PS3, and neither will billions of other humans because of the price.
No, I wouldn't pay $600 dollars just for the PS3 hardware. However, as a diehard RPG fan, I just might consider ~$660 for Final Fantasy XIII. (FFX drove my initial purchase of a PS2).
If Sony can tie enough good games exclusively to their platform, they may yet make PS3 a success. People will follow the games.
However, if game companies start shying away from the PS3 as a target platform, concerned that the higher platform price may reduce their sales, then the PS3 is done for...
Well, I don't think "doctor" is a regular title of address in the military except possibly to the medics... It's canon that Spock is one of the top computer experts in the galaxy. I don't recall his degree exactly, but he did graduate from the Vulcan Academy of Science, and it's likely a doctorate or equivalent.
Spock's qualifications are not in question. Certainly his level of knowledge was well past that expected of a Ph.D (at least by today's standards, and likely by human standards of the time as well). However, since he wasn't referred to as a doctor in the series, it would seem a little pointless to speculate about what degrees he may have had, and then use that as a basis for suggesting that "Doctor" is his preferred title.
Nope. Spock was usually called "Spock" or "Mr. Spock" on the series (and occasionally "Commander Spock" or "Captain Spock" in the movies, if memory serves).
I can't recall any instances of him being called Dr. Spock (correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't watched the series in a while).
Or what? They'll arrest them? Superheroes are used to fighting other super-beings. If pissed off, how many puny humans could they kill before getting taken down?
Sonuds like you haven't been watching Justice League Unlimited. A government agency with sufficient resources can indeed make itself a threat to superheroes...
Nobody buys Mac because of the hardware no matter what they say.
False generalization. I bought a Mac Mini for the hardware; I use Gentoo Linux on it almost exclusively. (Haven't booted into OSX for about 2 weeks, now).
However, I would agree that OSX is one of Apple's major selling points.
Re:Apple is going to make a killing...
on
Going To Boot Camp
·
· Score: 1
No one buys a Mac for the hardware.
Erm...not quite. I bought a Mac-mini because it is a nice, quiet box, that was a decent upgrade from my K6-3/450.
The main selling factor wasn't OSX; it was the low noise level, plus the small form factor. I'm running Linux on it almost exclusively. OS X is a nice OS, but for what I use my computer for, there really isn't any compelling reason to use it in preference to Linux.
I do agree with your point about dual-boot capability enticing people to switch, however; when I started dual-booting Windows/Linux, it didn't take long for me to switch...
Precisely. I *tried* linux because Windows 98 was unstable. I *stayed* with linux because it lets me do what I want with my computer. I remember the moment I switched; I was playing around with the Enlightenment window manager, and thought to myself, "Hey, this is pretty good, I can configure this almost any way I want to." I never looked back. If other people want to run Windows, fine; if people want to configure their linux box to have a windows-like interface, fine.
My window manager supports multiple desktops, variable stacking priorities, and lots of wacky themes, and that's the way I likes it.
Nope. Back in the good old Win98 days, I picked up a worm over dialup. Reducing your connectivity to improve security is like trying to avoid traffic accidents by driving only one day a week. Plus, the false sense of security might just make you *more* vulnerable. Besides, you can generate a similar effect by just unplugging your network cable when you're not online.
On the other hand, using obsolete *hardware* would probably help with security; I think it would be harder to hack a computer that isn't binary compatible with anything made in the past ten years. Of course, then you have a whole different set of problems....
We have three 100W (watt) lightbulbs, and a drain of 4500W durring a two hour run. This means that the lightbulbs used 600W of power durring that time..... so prove me wrong
This got modded as insightful?
Three 100W lightbulbs running for 2 hours use 300W of power. Three 100W lightbulbs running for ten years use 300W of power (assuming they don't burn out first). Methinks thou dost confuse thy units. Power != Energy.
Hm. This sounds more like carpal tunnel syndrome, than sensitivity to electric fields (though I daresay it's probably all in her head). Assuming, of course, that she's telling the truth (it's not like no one ever lies to the media).
Anyway, how much of an electric field does she think a mouse generates anyway? I don't have any hard numbers, but I'd bet that the EM fields from a monitor exceed those of a mouse by a few orders of magnitude.
What would be interesting would be a correlation between the complainants degree of technical literacy and their perceived sensitivity...I wouldn't be surprised if technically literate people are much less susceptible to this sort of thing...
"Well I just deleted this vmlinux file, it didn't seem to be doing anything."
Overestimating the average AOL user, aren't we? Many of them have likely never seen a windows command prompt, let alone know enough to "su" before trying to delete critical files.
In any case, with AOL's (supposed) reputation for usability, I expect they would probably make sure any linux released under their name would be both idiot-proof and eas[y/ier] to use.
I'm more interested in possible legal implications. What if AOL has RedHat make some significant improvements to linux (in the realm of usability, and/or idiot-proofing, etc.), and then decides that releasing the source is against their business interests. Can the GPL be defended against a megacorp?
Slashdot Mirror
That's an improvement, but there are still lots of ways to shoot yourself in the foot with that pattern.
Assume you want to rm -rf
(cd
Let's say you are in *any* directory, and you mistyped: (cd / tmp && rm -r -f lib)
On the version of linux I'm using, cd ignores the second parameter, and you just ran rm -rf
You should really do this sort of thing in two steps... There's no substitute for slowing down and reading what you type. A healthy dose of paranoia helps.
You said it. The old SNES version of FFIV (released as FF2), came with a 74 page manual, replete with detailed weapon and magic lists, and a walkthrough covering the first third of the game. You want to look something up? There it is. Rather work through it on your own? That's fine too.
In contrast, FFX has 24 pages of boilerplate, and compensates for this by providing in-game, non-skippable tutorials. (It doesn't matter if this is your twentieth time through, Lulu is still going to teach you how to use magic.)
They also managed to get another link posted from slashdot in the process. *Cough*.
From the "answers": The ping time to my firewall, (a Pentium classic, underclocked to 75 MHz), is ~0.45 ms. Pretty hard to make a multi-millisecond improvement on that.
Obligatory Penny Arcade reference
Go one step further; although scattering the ashes in separate bodies of water is a good start, and almost certainly adequate, some additional measures may be appropriate for creatures which can be reconstituted from ash. A favourite quote from H.P. Lovecraft's "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward":
P.S. Shoot Dr. Allen on sight and dissolve his body in acid. Don't burn it.
Maybe we could start tagging stories referencing MS internal usability studies with "dogfood". And if their internal study showed they were behind their competitors in some area, we could tag it both "lunch" and "dogfood".
However, it should be pointed out that the number of bits in the ADC aren't necessarily the limit on the dynamic range of the radio; by putting a variable gain amplifier coupled with an automatic gain control upstream of the A/D, I believe you can improve the dynamic range of the system somewhat.
Sorry, I only followed the first link.
If I read the second link correctly, the cost is estimated at $80 billion for carbon fiber to build a 1800km tower, which would likely put basic materials cost well within reach for a 11km tower. I think I'll avoid further speculation; you've obviously researched this more than I gave you credit for.
I apologize, and stand corrected.
I think you've underestimated the logistics and costs involved in building a 11 km tall structure.
Kansai International Airport was built on a man-made island. The island was constructed by laying 30 m of earth on the sea floor; the airport has cost $15 billion so far. Creating an 11 km tall structure is many orders of magnitude more difficult. (If we assume cost increases linearly with height, 11km/30m*$15 billion=~$5.5 trillion. I think that number is a bit conservative).
What would you make the tower of? Simply allocating that much material (regardless of whether you used earth, steel, or concrete) would be an task of astronomical proportions in itself. I am not a civil engineer, but I would imagine that lack of engineering knowledge at that scale, and at that altitude, would make constructing such a tower very expensive (and risky) simply from a design standpoint.
Get a civil engineer to estimate the costs of such a project, and I think you would be unpleasantly surprised. Personally, I think research into better jet engines/rocket engines is the way to go.
A $600 game system seems like a good idea in "theory".
In theory I'm not going to buy the PS3, and neither will billions of other humans because of the price.
No, I wouldn't pay $600 dollars just for the PS3 hardware. However, as a diehard RPG fan, I just might consider ~$660 for Final Fantasy XIII. (FFX drove my initial purchase of a PS2).
If Sony can tie enough good games exclusively to their platform, they may yet make PS3 a success. People will follow the games.
However, if game companies start shying away from the PS3 as a target platform, concerned that the higher platform price may reduce their sales, then the PS3 is done for...
Spock's qualifications are not in question. Certainly his level of knowledge was well past that expected of a Ph.D (at least by today's standards, and likely by human standards of the time as well). However, since he wasn't referred to as a doctor in the series, it would seem a little pointless to speculate about what degrees he may have had, and then use that as a basis for suggesting that "Doctor" is his preferred title.
Nope. Spock was usually called "Spock" or "Mr. Spock" on the series (and occasionally "Commander Spock" or "Captain Spock" in the movies, if memory serves).
I can't recall any instances of him being called Dr. Spock (correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't watched the series in a while).
Wikipedia would appear to concur...
Mr. Spock, science officer of the USS Enterprise.
His objectivity, intellect, and curiosity made him the quintessential scientist.
(Okay, he's mostly a TV character, but he appeared in his share of movies.)
Nobody buys Mac because of the hardware no matter what they say.
False generalization. I bought a Mac Mini for the hardware; I use Gentoo Linux on it almost exclusively. (Haven't booted into OSX for about 2 weeks, now).
However, I would agree that OSX is one of Apple's major selling points.
I do agree with your point about dual-boot capability enticing people to switch, however; when I started dual-booting Windows/Linux, it didn't take long for me to switch...
Precisely. I *tried* linux because Windows 98 was unstable. I *stayed* with linux because it lets me do what I want with my computer. I remember the moment I switched; I was playing around with the Enlightenment window manager, and thought to myself, "Hey, this is pretty good, I can configure this almost any way I want to." I never looked back. If other people want to run Windows, fine; if people want to configure their linux box to have a windows-like interface, fine.
My window manager supports multiple desktops, variable stacking priorities, and lots of wacky themes, and that's the way I likes it.
Nope. Back in the good old Win98 days, I picked up a worm over dialup. Reducing your connectivity to improve security is like trying to avoid traffic accidents by driving only one day a week. Plus, the false sense of security might just make you *more* vulnerable. Besides, you can generate a similar effect by just unplugging your network cable when you're not online.
On the other hand, using obsolete *hardware* would probably help with security; I think it would be harder to hack a computer that isn't binary compatible with anything made in the past ten years. Of course, then you have a whole different set of problems....
We have three 100W (watt) lightbulbs, and a drain of 4500W durring a two hour run. This means that the lightbulbs used 600W of power durring that time..... so prove me wrong
This got modded as insightful?
Three 100W lightbulbs running for 2 hours use 300W of power. Three 100W lightbulbs running for ten years use 300W of power (assuming they don't burn out first). Methinks thou dost confuse thy units. Power != Energy.
Hm. This sounds more like carpal tunnel syndrome, than sensitivity to electric fields (though I daresay it's probably all in her head). Assuming, of course, that she's telling the truth (it's not like no one ever lies to the media).
Anyway, how much of an electric field does she think a mouse generates anyway? I don't have any hard numbers, but I'd bet that the EM fields from a monitor exceed those of a mouse by a few orders of magnitude.
What would be interesting would be a correlation between the complainants degree of technical literacy and their perceived sensitivity...I wouldn't be surprised if technically literate people are much less susceptible to this sort of thing...
"Well I just deleted this vmlinux file, it didn't seem to be doing anything."
Overestimating the average AOL user, aren't we? Many of them have likely never seen a windows command prompt, let alone know enough to "su" before trying to delete critical files.
In any case, with AOL's (supposed) reputation for usability, I expect they would probably make sure any linux released under their name would be both idiot-proof and eas[y/ier] to use.
I'm more interested in possible legal implications. What if AOL has RedHat make some significant improvements to linux (in the realm of usability, and/or idiot-proofing, etc.), and then decides that releasing the source is against their business interests. Can the GPL be defended against a megacorp?