In the right environment on the right projects with the right team....I could easily design, develop, and test for 40+ hours a week and feel energized.
Unfortunately that right environment, project and team is very rare.
Right or Wrong my nieces grades have started to climb as soon as I started a "Grade Bounty". It has brought focus, and there is more motivation other than just Mom hounding her. I am slowing ratcheting up the bar, sort of got her hooked as a freshman in High School and going to make Sophomore bar a little higher and so on. Far as I am concerned money well spent. Cracked me up when she asked Mom if I was really Uncle was really going to pay up...I said you get the grades...I will pay up.
Well according to my Current Technology Review MIT Professor Daniel Nocera would disagree with the New Scientist.
Briefly
Sun + Water = Fuel
With catalysts created by an MIT chemist, sunlight can turn water into hydrogen. If the process can scale up, it could make solar power a dominant source of energy. Take a peak.
http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21536/
First I grew up in a Military Family...My Father Killed People for A Career..read not a desk job...dropping bombs on people and aerial combat... losing many...many friends...
War is a horrible thing...and should stay that way as a deterrent...that may be a difficult concept for you.
If you notice...many of the top generals in all actuality looks at war as it is...a horrible and awful thing and should be treated as a last response with all due diligence...(don't even get me started on that one)...today it seems like it is a first response...and not well though through.
Anonymous Coward #2...at least you got close...sorry if I didn't spell it out for you...
If I think we should be spending money elsewhere such as solving more long term issues...such as renewable resources, cheap and plentiful energy, cheap and plentiful food, cheap plentiful water, (you think things are bad about oil...wait till we start fighting over water... read about the upcoming water wars...) working on cures for diseases.....instead of more remote, efficient, desensitized ways to kill people and continue to breed contempt, hatred and instability around the world...then I am in fact a loser and extremely proud of it.
Yes occasionally they will help...our side...but in fact they are killing machines...and yes I know there are bad guys out there... and I am pretty aware there are more...we are doing a good job of giving them a cause...and creating a new generation of terrorists.
Yeah... I'm not sure I want to bring more kids into this world...we should start taking care of the ones that are here.
Why Don't We Just Skip the Robots all together and just engage in remote computer simulations and the losing side just throws themselves in the incinerators...
Oh wait that was a Star Trek TOS episode...with the great "Necessary Horrors of War" speech in the end...
It is the roads that are too crowded. In fact you could argue it will make it worse. Now more cars can be jammed into the same static area, but when the cars begin to move, i.e the system goes dynamic, the traffic will be much worse because the cars need to occupied full size while moving...rush hour...it will be rush day, as it is necoming already in many major cities.
It's very hard to convince someone of this, though, when it's their party in power.
Especially when they think their elected leader was largely chosen by God.
And given that their selected leader was chosen by God, then any abuses by those in power are conveniently justified -- especially any abuses necessary to keep them in power. Wow!... All's I got to say is... if that is true...
God's got a wicked sense of humor...
Circuit City wants to get into the the eContent Distibution food chain. Retailers already have the connection with the consumer. Heck you know how many DVDs are sold from Target.
I think CC wants to be seen as an innovative player in eContent management/distribution. So first they thought we'll do a little ripping... look what it did for Apple.... hell it made Apple beyond famous, and they quickly became the largest eMusic Store. So all we need to do is.....first we rip.... stir up some controversy....then we will get our name splashed all over the place...become a player.... then we will be in a position as more folks are interested in eContent be a major retail distributor...so Lets be disruptive...
I sometimes observe folks on the phone... and many times they a waaaaayyyy into the conversation, Head Gestures, Hand Gestures, Pointing fingers, all the things they would be doing if they were sitting across the table from the other person... and they think they are not distracted... come on!
Excuse me did I offend your sense of/. pride. I'm glad that I don't meet you feeble definition of a "Sensible" consumer... hmmmm but I wonder if you will go out and by that $500 PS3?
You obvioubly didn't read my post... I can tell/appreciate the difference in PQ maybe you can't... or its not important
Why don't you visit avsforum and do a little reading before you say what avfiles do and don't do...
By the way we are talking about the Toshiba HD-DVD player not a BD Player...
Oh 1080p is really only useful for large displays viewed within a certain distance, and for most consumers its hype / overkill but of course you know already know that...
And yes I can spend $400 dollars of disposable income...yes dis-pos-a-ble... as in I can spend it if I want to.... and feel good about it...for me the 400 dollars is no different than what other "Sensible" people go out and spend on there iPods, Treo, Game Consoles etc
And Yes your are welcome, that I spent my money and made a vote! instead of ineffectivly just whining!
As to everyone having the HD vs BD thing figured out already, yeah right...there is good and bad for both.
I would add don't confuse logic with passion and hobby, it may not be the logical thing to you...
but for me and some of my friends with this relatively inexpensive player and a Netflix account I am enjoying my passion and the fruits of HD NOW not 2 years from now, and now is important to me, and the DRM (which I agree is evil/messed up) is not really an issue untill I plan to record/burn etc, and/or run HTPC (no plans right now), so DRM issues are really just a theoretical issue to me at the present.
Plus I and other videophiles often just plain ole buy our favorites and or record HD on our DVRs (not as good agreed).
So although I am interested in the outcome of HD vs BD and the DRM saga, I am not going to not enjoy what I can now, I will replace the $400 player with a multiplayer when needed.
I love the./'rs that say I wont touch it until this that or the other...and/or I am just happy with Plain ole Upconverted DVDs....
All that proves is that you are NOT a Videophile and are certainly NOT a Audio/Videophile early adopter.
The fact is Stores are having a hard time Keeping the Toshiba HD-DVD's on the shelf.
People are buying them, and the price support is is helping that I am sure, the price is not too bad the PQ is awesome and they do a heck of a job upconverting.
And us Videophiles DO care about SD vs HD. I can't certainly tell and enjoy the difference in PQ betwee SD and HD on my fine display.
I am a Development Manager who came up through the ranks and have a wife that is an excellent Tech Writer. Here are a few of our observations...
Many developers (not mine of course), especially in poorly managed and I mean both poorly tech and people managed departments treat Documentation as Chore and Necessary Evil, and Quite Honestly treat the Tech Writers like s#@t. The developers don't want to provide guidance, provide content and review docs. The managers are afraid to put thier foot down on thier "talented whiners" so it becomes OK. And then they throw in the Agile Manifesto, to try to justify it.. you know code over documentation... agghhhh it drives me crazy... not the Product Documentation you Moron! In the end it is the product that suffers.
These are the same developers that then turn around and complain about crappy documentation in the tools and platforms they use.
Finally I don't buy that "Engineers are poor writers by design". Step up to the plate Maynard! and learn to read and write!
As others said engineers that learn to write and communicate become much more valuable, and have a greater chance to effect the process. If you don't like what your manager is saying, learn to communicate your ideas effectively. Its up to you to be your own best advocate.
The IT giants should hold essay constest for 3rd graders to come up with the new Names/Phraseology.
Here are the reasons:
They would be just as meaningful
They would be much clearer
3rd graders are more trust worthy
They would do it for free (someone is getting paid bookoo bucks to come up this this crap)
Good human intrest angle
And after all I really like the names they come up with.
If you plan to jog... becareful with choosing the HD models. We love our iPod but they don't do well when taking long runs. Last year's model will actually freeze and need to be rebooted. Done lots-o-research just a fact of iPod life. The new generation is supposed to be better but not garuanteed.
So now we are going to be Bi-MP3 - Large HD (iPod) and Small Flash (Rio etc) kind of a pain in the arse...
Have you actually been out there (I know a lot of/.ers don't actually go outside) but it's an MP3 player feeding frenzy out there.!
Men, women, children, cats, dogs all shopping, buying, comparing MP3's. Professing the virtues of HD vs Flash vs CD vs personal/use profiles.
Even Pops at the ripe young age of 74 was asking me if he could use one when golfing and how easy was it to "Rip" a CD. (I can't believe he even said that)
The original post left of the small little fact that "Dell is absolutely not installing or preinstalling spyware..." a small detail.
The Dell bashing proceeds (I'm not really pro/con Dell), and tech support bashing proceeds. Why do you think a company like Dell has been successful. They sell a generally good product at a very good price, that is easy to buy and it comes with reasonable support. Its called the free market.
And yes a lot of./ers like to build there own, but for me my time is more valuable than that. I go online spend 15 minutes and I get a new laptop or system, recieve it. load some SW and get to work.
Please people without a company like Dell, Compaq, Gateway etc, we would still be paying $2K for 66MHz machines and yes the geeks would still run the world.
But now my 75 year old dad can buy a great box and have it up and running in no time, and he doesn't even need to feed me!
Patterns are a common strategy/idiom for solving a common class of problems.
Poorly applied patterns, indiscriminently applied or poorly-understood patterns will make things worse.
Anti-Patterns are as important as normal patterns. (See above)
A nice tool with pattern support/generation (Together ControlCenter) can help with implementation and understanding.
An Instructor Needs to Be:
A geek at heart.
Knowledgabel about the subject (obvious)
Great communicator... low ummmmmm ratio
Part Entertainer... avoids random snoring, actually helps the learning process
Part Baby Sitter... yes even at professional levels
Part Drill Instructor
and Patient
Not an easy combo to find
At Student Needs....
To want to learn the subject! i.e. not *forced* to take it (hugely important)
To have some skin in the game.
I like the system my company has used before, The student puts up the money for the class and then gets 100% reimbursement for an A 90 % for B etc from the company. Also the company was pretty liberal with what course could be chosen.
As a boss,
training is great bang for the buck, if well chosen. If nothing else its great for morale and it build loyalty to me:)
Slashdot Mirror
In the right environment on the right projects with the right team....I could easily design, develop, and test for 40+ hours a week and feel energized. Unfortunately that right environment, project and team is very rare.
Right or Wrong my nieces grades have started to climb as soon as I started a "Grade Bounty". It has brought focus, and there is more motivation other than just Mom hounding her. I am slowing ratcheting up the bar, sort of got her hooked as a freshman in High School and going to make Sophomore bar a little higher and so on. Far as I am concerned money well spent. Cracked me up when she asked Mom if I was really Uncle was really going to pay up...I said you get the grades...I will pay up.
Briefly
Sun + Water = Fuel With catalysts created by an MIT chemist, sunlight can turn water into hydrogen. If the process can scale up, it could make solar power a dominant source of energy. Take a peak. http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21536/
Geez I don't know where to start...
First I grew up in a Military Family...My Father Killed People for A Career..read not a desk job...dropping bombs on people and aerial combat... losing many...many friends... War is a horrible thing...and should stay that way as a deterrent...that may be a difficult concept for you. If you notice...many of the top generals in all actuality looks at war as it is...a horrible and awful thing and should be treated as a last response with all due diligence...(don't even get me started on that one)...today it seems like it is a first response...and not well though through.
Anonymous Coward #2...at least you got close...sorry if I didn't spell it out for you...
If I think we should be spending money elsewhere such as solving more long term issues...such as renewable resources, cheap and plentiful energy, cheap and plentiful food, cheap plentiful water, (you think things are bad about oil...wait till we start fighting over water... read about the upcoming water wars...) working on cures for diseases.....instead of more remote, efficient, desensitized ways to kill people and continue to breed contempt, hatred and instability around the world...then I am in fact a loser and extremely proud of it.
Yes occasionally they will help...our side...but in fact they are killing machines...and yes I know there are bad guys out there... and I am pretty aware there are more...we are doing a good job of giving them a cause...and creating a new generation of terrorists.
Yeah ... I'm not sure I want to bring more kids into this world...we should start taking care of the ones that are here.
Fire away with insults!!!
Oh wait that was a Star Trek TOS episode...with the great "Necessary Horrors of War" speech in the end...
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/episode/68706.html
And BTW exactly who's live are going to be saved????
We save a few of our lives...so we can end many more of theirs...
Geez no wonder why I don't want to have kids...
It is the roads that are too crowded. In fact you could argue it will make it worse. Now more cars can be jammed into the same static area, but when the cars begin to move, i.e the system goes dynamic, the traffic will be much worse because the cars need to occupied full size while moving...rush hour...it will be rush day, as it is necoming already in many major cities.
http://logiciels.zorgloob.com/graphe.php
Now thats a mighty mashup!
Am I next?
Oh... guess not... I only have 32 cents in my deep pockets.
That is...until someone accidently loses a laptop with the entire database on it
Circuit City wants to get into the the eContent Distibution food chain. Retailers already have the connection with the consumer. Heck you know how many DVDs are sold from Target.
I think CC wants to be seen as an innovative player in eContent management/distribution. So first they thought we'll do a little ripping ... look what it did for Apple.... hell it made Apple beyond famous, and they quickly became the largest eMusic Store. So all we need to do is.....first we rip.... stir up some controversy....then we will get our name splashed all over the place...become a player.... then we will be in a position as more folks are interested in eContent be a major retail distributor...so Lets be disruptive...
It sounds funny... but I have seen funnier..
I sometimes observe folks on the phone... and many times they a waaaaayyyy into the conversation, Head Gestures, Hand Gestures, Pointing fingers, all the things they would be doing if they were sitting across the table from the other person... and they think they are not distracted ... come on!
You obvioubly didn't read my post... I can tell/appreciate the difference in PQ maybe you can't... or its not important
Why don't you visit avsforum and do a little reading before you say what avfiles do and don't do...
By the way we are talking about the Toshiba HD-DVD player not a BD Player...
Oh 1080p is really only useful for large displays viewed within a certain distance, and for most consumers its hype / overkill but of course you know already know that...
And yes I can spend $400 dollars of disposable income...yes dis-pos-a-ble... as in I can spend it if I want to.... and feel good about it...for me the 400 dollars is no different than what other "Sensible" people go out and spend on there iPods, Treo, Game Consoles etc
And Yes your are welcome, that I spent my money and made a vote! instead of ineffectivly just whining!
As to everyone having the HD vs BD thing figured out already, yeah right ...there is good and bad for both.
To respond to you..
I would add don't confuse logic with passion and hobby, it may not be the logical thing to you...
but for me and some of my friends with this relatively inexpensive player and a Netflix account I am enjoying my passion and the fruits of HD NOW not 2 years from now, and now is important to me, and the DRM (which I agree is evil/messed up) is not really an issue untill I plan to record/burn etc, and/or run HTPC (no plans right now), so DRM issues are really just a theoretical issue to me at the present. Plus I and other videophiles often just plain ole buy our favorites and or record HD on our DVRs (not as good agreed). So although I am interested in the outcome of HD vs BD and the DRM saga, I am not going to not enjoy what I can now, I will replace the $400 player with a multiplayer when needed.
All that proves is that you are NOT a Videophile and are certainly NOT a Audio/Videophile early adopter. The fact is Stores are having a hard time Keeping the Toshiba HD-DVD's on the shelf. People are buying them, and the price support is is helping that I am sure, the price is not too bad the PQ is awesome and they do a heck of a job upconverting. And us Videophiles DO care about SD vs HD. I can't certainly tell and enjoy the difference in PQ betwee SD and HD on my fine display.
Well you were close....
Nasa is really just afraid of the V'Ger Effect
Many developers (not mine of course), especially in poorly managed and I mean both poorly tech and people managed departments treat Documentation as Chore and Necessary Evil, and Quite Honestly treat the Tech Writers like s#@t. The developers don't want to provide guidance, provide content and review docs. The managers are afraid to put thier foot down on thier "talented whiners" so it becomes OK. And then they throw in the Agile Manifesto, to try to justify it.. you know code over documentation... agghhhh it drives me crazy... not the Product Documentation you Moron! In the end it is the product that suffers.
These are the same developers that then turn around and complain about crappy documentation in the tools and platforms they use.
Finally I don't buy that "Engineers are poor writers by design". Step up to the plate Maynard! and learn to read and write!
As others said engineers that learn to write and communicate become much more valuable, and have a greater chance to effect the process. If you don't like what your manager is saying, learn to communicate your ideas effectively. Its up to you to be your own best advocate.
-Steve
Here are the reasons:
They would be just as meaningful
They would be much clearer
3rd graders are more trust worthy
They would do it for free (someone is getting paid bookoo bucks to come up this this crap)
Good human intrest angle
And after all I really like the names they come up with.
I feel less slimey already....
True coding geeks at there finest, the geek version of robot wars .... is that possible?
Sometimes I hate being a manager....
So now we are going to be Bi-MP3 - Large HD (iPod) and Small Flash (Rio etc) kind of a pain in the arse...
When is that 20G flash model going to arrive...
Men, women, children, cats, dogs all shopping, buying, comparing MP3's. Professing the virtues of HD vs Flash vs CD vs personal/use profiles.
Even Pops at the ripe young age of 74 was asking me if he could use one when golfing and how easy was it to "Rip" a CD. (I can't believe he even said that)
Its all good...
How fast we proceed down the rathole...
The original post left of the small little fact that "Dell is absolutely not installing or preinstalling spyware..." a small detail.
The Dell bashing proceeds (I'm not really pro/con Dell), and tech support bashing proceeds. Why do you think a company like Dell has been successful. They sell a generally good product at a very good price, that is easy to buy and it comes with reasonable support. Its called the free market.
And yes a lot of ./ers like to build there own, but for me my time is more valuable than that. I go online spend 15 minutes and I get a new laptop or system, recieve it. load some SW and get to work.
Please people without a company like Dell, Compaq, Gateway etc, we would still be paying $2K for 66MHz machines and yes the geeks would still run the world.
But now my 75 year old dad can buy a great box and have it up and running in no time, and he doesn't even need to feed me!
Patterns are a common strategy/idiom for solving a common class of problems. Poorly applied patterns, indiscriminently applied or poorly-understood patterns will make things worse. Anti-Patterns are as important as normal patterns. (See above) A nice tool with pattern support/generation (Together ControlCenter) can help with implementation and understanding.
An Instructor Needs to Be: ... low ummmmmm ratio ... avoids random snoring, actually helps the learning process ... yes even at professional levels
A geek at heart.
Knowledgabel about the subject (obvious)
Great communicator
Part Entertainer
Part Baby Sitter
Part Drill Instructor
and Patient
Not an easy combo to find
At Student Needs ....
To want to learn the subject! i.e. not *forced* to take it (hugely important)
To have some skin in the game.
I like the system my company has used before, The student puts up the money for the class and then gets 100% reimbursement for an A 90 % for B etc from the company. Also the company was pretty liberal with what course could be chosen.
As a boss, :)
training is great bang for the buck, if well chosen. If nothing else its great for morale and it build loyalty to me
Wasn't this what Oak ....uhhh I mean Java originally design for?