They've been building recyclable cars since the 30's. Take a trip to a local hot rod or collectible car show. It may come as a shock to some people, but auto manufacturers used to build cars that you could actually repair. It wasn't even that long ago that you could actually take a piece of sheet metal and fabricate a body panel for your car. Take a look at some collectible car catalogs; there are some cars you can build entirely by ordering parts out of a magazine. My point being cars aren't necessarily disposable commodities. The auto manufacturers are more interested in selling people brand new pieces of garbage every year than making money selling replacement parts. What was it Henry Ford said, he'd give away a car to every American if only he could sell replacement parts. Iron can be recast, engines can be rebuilt. What's the big story here?
But my point is that it's just a projection screen. You still have to dedicate space for a projector, hi-fi equipment, and video sources. As far as being less intrusive than a projection screen; all you need is a slit in the ceiling that a white screen can drop through. We already have in-wall speakers that sound great so I don't understand trying to use windows as speakers. As a toy for the super rich I suppose this is clever, but I don't see it ever making a foray into the real world. I certainly don't know everything and I can't see into the future so I may be completely wrong. Oh well.
Why not just have a projection screen lower itself in front of the window? Is there really a problem this technology is trying to solve? If you have to have a video projection system anyways, why wouldn't you want a high quality projection screen who watch the video on? And build in the wall gimmicky speakers? I would think that people willing to spend this kind of money would rather have high end speakers.
Gosh...unless SOMEONE cracks the Service Packs too. Although, I guess MS has made that IMPOSSIBLE with the anti-piracy software. Oh, but I guess you're a criminal if you don't have Windows' 'automatic download and install' option enabled.
How exactly are they 'caught stealing'? Just because you mod the X-Box, you are not instantly commiting any crime. Listen to yourself, you're probably one of those people that believe if you don't watch commercials on television you're stealing from the advertisers. I bought the damn hardware and I can do what I want with it. It isn't stealing until I actually do something illegal with it (like STEAL something).
You go under the assumption that the digital amp produces no distortion itself. Every amplifier produces distortion as it amplifies the signal. Many people feel that a tube amp sounds 'better' even when they don't know which source is which. Many people feel that this is caused by a physical reaction to the different types of distortion producted by analog and digital amps. Don't be so quick to judge. Just because some hi-fi stuff is nonsense it doesn't mean all hi-fi stuff is nonsense.
Maybe I am losing all reading comprehension ability in my old age...but I don't understand your point. You say that a 16 bit source can be encoded with a S/N of 96 dB. You say this is more than adequate for human listening. Then you go on to say that downstream you introduce noise so it doesn't matter anyway. Won't the S/N be better after these losses if you start with a cleaner signal? I would say, given all of the sources of noise downstream during the amplification process, the cleaner the signal you start with the cleaner the final result.
You said," I doubt that the subtle differences between Dolby Digital 5.1, THX, and DTS are even perceptible." This simply proves you have no idea what you're talking about. Try looking up what these acronyms mean before you talk out of your ass. The difference between Dolby Digital 5.1, THX, and DTS have nothing (directly) to do with sound quality. Dobly digital and DTS are two different formats, the chief difference being stereo separation of the two rear channels. THX refers to a standard level of quality and performance that equipment must meet. These acronyms have nothing to do with SACD and DVD-Audio. In fact, the benefit from the SACD and DVD-Audio has almost nothing to do with the D/A but from the way the music is encoded on the disk. I can understand why you wouldn't care, though, if you're satisfied with your Panasonic system from Circuit City. If you don't care, bully for you. You just make an ass out of yourself when you trivialize things other people hold to be important. A similar argument could be made for people who want to drive a BMW when they can get to the store just as easily in a Geo. Or people that want a multi-gigahertz computer to word process with when they can get by with an old 486.
I think the point that you're missing is that people should have a reasonable expectation that if they buy something designed for human consumption that it will not horribly disfigure them if they spill it on their leg. I've always wondered what would have happened to this woman had she actually swallowed coffee that was this hot. McD's was found negligent (IANAL, but I believe this is the right wording) because they showed a disregard for public safety. This was also not the first time that McD's got in trouble regarding this coffee situation. Shouldn't we expect to not become disfigured or ill from food we buy at a restaurant? If you got sick because McD's served you undercooked chicken you might be upset. If you found out it was corporate policy to serve chicken undercooked because it cost to much to cook it completely, I think you would probably sue. Similar situation, in my opinion.
I can't see anything in your 'PC' needs that can't be accomplished by a 200 dollar machine. You don't need a 'gaming rig' to word process, chat, browse, or do your taxes. Put together a P2 or P3 (or AMD equivalent) and buy a console, it still looks like you save money IF you don't give a crap about having the biggest and fastest PC on the block. Really, for most people I think that (the console + disposable computer) is a better solution than a multiple-thousand dollar gaming machine that they have to worry about upgrading or (egads!) paying someone to upgrade. Keep in mind that the majority of consumers are not like us...they just want components that do specific things that they can replace when they're broken.
A little critical aren't you? "brush up on your SQL". You yourself say, "most of the time" you don't need a subselect which is equivalent to the original post. Most being the operative word, wouldn't your own post admit that perhaps there are times when a subselect is, in fact, necessary (as the original poster writes)?
Don't forget that hard core porn is not in and of itself illegal material. Somehow legislation was passed that made it illegal to sell it in a particular place. My only point about community standards was that this is unnecessary and I don't feel this is the responsibility of legislators. If these magazines are legal to sell, then they are legal to sell. I'm so sick of hearing 'It's for the children' being used as an excuse to pass bad law after bad law. As far as community standards go, free market should be the arbiter of behavior. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if it's really a problem for you to have XXX sold in store YYY don't give them your money. Furthermore, if it means so much to you, find others in your community who feel the same way and take action.
You said you think this is a direct parallel to "legislation that keeps hard-core porn off drug store magazine racks". This is ALSO a bad thing, and people should protest this as well. It's called the free market, and if stores want to display hard core porn they should be allowed to. It's consumers that are in control, if you don't think Walgreen's should have hard core porn on display then don't patronize their business and call the manager and tell them why you're boycotting their store. In the end, if the community takes a stand the store will stop or they will go out of business. If not, then obviously your community doesn't have the same standards as you do which is an even bigger argument against legislation!
People like you are so frightening.
Just remember that you gave up your search and seizure rights when they decide to make something you have illegal. Of course, the government never makes mistakes so if they say something is illegal it must be and shame on you for having it. Like an analog television, or maybe a radio scanner, or perhaps even a computer without DRM hardware! Way to stand up for civil rights.
Not that I'm arguing that the providers are innocent but whatever happened to the state having to provide evidence that the product IS kiddie porn? Why is it up to the porno providers to prove that they're innocent? I thought the burden was on the state?
Chris
Thank God someone finally has something good to say about Java. I've been developing java based solutions for the past 3 years and I honestly don't see any reason for this.Net crap. Seems like more and more people are moving their server side code over to Java and not looking back. But all you here is Java is dead. Maybe no one is using java on the client but Java seems to be surging forward on the server.
Chris
Couple of thousand in labor alone? I hope you're not talking a couple of thousand American Dollars. Assuming $2000 in labor, a high dollar shop *might* charge (a dealership for example) $80/hour (Honda locally is much lower ~ $60 and most local garages locally are closer to $40) you're talking about 25 hours worth of work. I think you just *might* be exaggerating here. I would estimate that you could be looking at 500 - 1000 us for a compressor (if you go new and depending on what kind of car you drive) and maybe that much again on other parts that might need to be replaced. Your labor charge shouldn't be more than 8 hours even if they have to replace the entire A/C system. That's just a guess though based on some experience I've had in garages. Best of luck,
Chris
A new theater just opened up in Melbourne, FL (on the east coast about 45 minutes from the Orlando theater) called Cinema World. It's a very nice theater with plush reclining seats and fair prices (7 bucks a ticket). We saw the AOTC there on opening day and it was pretty good when sitting far enough back. My big complaint with digital projection is how badly it blows when you get stuck too close to the screen. Maybe their screens are just too big but it was like watching a movie on my laptop. When I went to the back of the theater the picture was phenomenal, but I wear glasses and 20 or 30 feet makes a huge difference for me. Your mileage may vary...
Chris
Slashdot Mirror
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HA! Jaguars , for guys who like hand jobs. Chris
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Please God, tell me this post is a joke. Please...please... Chris
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A little critical aren't you? "brush up on your SQL". You yourself say, "most of the time" you don't need a subselect which is equivalent to the original post. Most being the operative word, wouldn't your own post admit that perhaps there are times when a subselect is, in fact, necessary (as the original poster writes)?
Chris
Chris
Just remember that you gave up your search and seizure rights when they decide to make something you have illegal. Of course, the government never makes mistakes so if they say something is illegal it must be and shame on you for having it. Like an analog television, or maybe a radio scanner, or perhaps even a computer without DRM hardware! Way to stand up for civil rights.
Chris
Not that I'm arguing that the providers are innocent but whatever happened to the state having to provide evidence that the product IS kiddie porn? Why is it up to the porno providers to prove that they're innocent? I thought the burden was on the state? Chris
Thank God someone finally has something good to say about Java. I've been developing java based solutions for the past 3 years and I honestly don't see any reason for this .Net crap. Seems like more and more people are moving their server side code over to Java and not looking back. But all you here is Java is dead. Maybe no one is using java on the client but Java seems to be surging forward on the server.
Chris
Couple of thousand in labor alone? I hope you're not talking a couple of thousand American Dollars. Assuming $2000 in labor, a high dollar shop *might* charge (a dealership for example) $80/hour (Honda locally is much lower ~ $60 and most local garages locally are closer to $40) you're talking about 25 hours worth of work. I think you just *might* be exaggerating here. I would estimate that you could be looking at 500 - 1000 us for a compressor (if you go new and depending on what kind of car you drive) and maybe that much again on other parts that might need to be replaced. Your labor charge shouldn't be more than 8 hours even if they have to replace the entire A/C system. That's just a guess though based on some experience I've had in garages. Best of luck, Chris
A new theater just opened up in Melbourne, FL (on the east coast about 45 minutes from the Orlando theater) called Cinema World. It's a very nice theater with plush reclining seats and fair prices (7 bucks a ticket). We saw the AOTC there on opening day and it was pretty good when sitting far enough back. My big complaint with digital projection is how badly it blows when you get stuck too close to the screen. Maybe their screens are just too big but it was like watching a movie on my laptop. When I went to the back of the theater the picture was phenomenal, but I wear glasses and 20 or 30 feet makes a huge difference for me. Your mileage may vary... Chris