As a matter of interest: my mother completed an Open University degree course, involving lectures on BBC2(?) in (late '70s?) early '80s. Are those still happening?
Except, as it says in TFA, the guy now "welcomes cold calls". I can see the point of slugging cold-callers with what is effectively a "fine", but once you go to the extreme of extending unsolicited calls just for the revenue, then that is just profiteering.
Personally, I just say "Please hold the line..." and put the phone under a cushion. I don't care if the underpaid caller loses on his quota: that is not my problem.
Don't they need them as deterrent against the 1.6 billion drones of Islam?
Even they are not immune to the Chinese relativity theorem: No matter how exalted your triumphs, or abject your defeats, there will always be ten billion Chinese who couldn't give a fuck.
The big problem is often state taxes apply during the period where they are off the 501c3 rolls. But here they might be able to do OK on an appeal.
I suppose that might depend on whether or not they actually made any profit. I have a suspicion that if they did, the tax in question might involve little more than a couple of people dropping a few days' coffee money on a counter.
Kudos to you. I never knew turtles could read at all, but it would have to be a damn fast turtle that can get though 380,000 books in one lifetime. Unless, of course, you happen to be a turtle. Er... oh.
You could also try out Aldiko Reader. You'll need to create some symlinks, but I think it should work.
On the other hand, unless you happen to be the Library of Congress, you should be able to copy most of your collection of books to your Nexus device without making much of a dent in your storage capacity.
In any case, it just doesn't make sense to use such a rigid directory hierarchy when you can use tags. Especially since your reader device will generally do the same.
Doesn't PDF effectively lock the text flow and typesetting, making it impossible to change font size or type on the device?
Indeed. If the GP's PRS-T2 copes with that, he's been very lucky in having found publications scaled to minimise wasted space on his display. I have a PRS-T1, and I hate PDFs because they usually have stupid margins that lock me into a display format that strains my eyes. Epubs reflow automatically, and you can change your display fonts in any way you wish.
Why won't it automatically create a directory if it doesn't exist?
It did for me. (Linux version.)
When I click the button, it opens my web browser to the Calibre web site. Why doesn't it just update directly in the application itself?
You appear to be overlooking the fact that Calibre is a cross-platform application, and the fact that a sensible OS might refuse to let you casually overwrite an application like that.
Why does it have to be a converter, library manager and reader in one?
I think you have to look at the history of the application to answer that. I bought my reader device (a Sony PRS-T1) on the basis that it supports the widest range of formats, but now I generally try to only download ePubs. I usually prefer to use Sigil to edit ePubs, though Calibre copes surprisingly well with a wide variety of CSS input to get a generally acceptable result. (Or you can use it to dismantle ePubs into its components to edit with your default editor if you prefer.) Library management is where it excels for those of us who live outside the Amazon ecosystem.
The Reader function is mostly redundant, but it does provide a quick way of checking that books are formatted more or less correctly before you transfer them to your reader device.
I'm pretty fussy about formatting requirements (especially since so many ePubs are really horribly produced), so I usually do some pre-processing before I transfer a book to my reader. This is why having everything stored on my computer, and treating the reader as a (mostly) offline device makes sense to me. Everything is backed up, and I don't have to worry about vendors (looking at you, Amazon) snatching content back from me because they've changed their minds about their copyright agreements.
UI is confusing, to say the least. But that's not my issue with it, it's UNBELIEVABLY slow to click around.
Addressing that second point first: I've been using Calibre for a couple of years, and the new 1.0 release is *much* faster than any of the earlier versions.
As to the "confusing UI", I just don't see how. It seems as straightforward as it can possibly be, unless there's some API I haven't heard about that somehow divines your intentions by reading your subconscious brainwaves.
You can't cut the noise without cutting some of the signal as well. The fact that you ever bother browsing at -1 should be proof enough of that.
This is true. However, I frequently seem to have mod points available (though, or maybe because at least 60% of the time I don't use them), but IMO moderation is only useful if you can see all posts. Otherwise, you're just tinkering with the groupthink.
Trying to force people to moderate without bias doesn't work very well, a significant portion will always downmod things they disagree with...
I don't know how atypical a denizen of/. I am, but I sometimes upmod posts I actually disagree with, either because they are interesting or well-written, or to balance a thread where origins have been buried by earlier moderation. Similarly, I don't play favourites against AC posts, despite the fact that I would much prefer people to make them under their own account.
The latter is just an aspect of courtesy; putting forward an opinion under an(y chosen) ID of your own just encourages good manners, in that you have to "own" your posts. It doesn't always work (you can't get around the asswipe quotient), but it's a start.
for another I was born in east bumfuk georgia. if you don't keep track of your lies you will always get screwed over.
Yeah. Anyone tracking my internet use might be surprised at the number of people who live in Bonkalot St, Didjabringabeer who all happened to be born on April 1st.
Moderation isn't bad, but troll posts still waste a lot of space if you browse at -1. It would be nice to see blatant troll posts deleted altogether. Allowing such posts to remain is somewhat similar to leaving graffiti on a wall - they start to proliferate.
I realise it's possible for this to be abused, so I would suggest the capability should be restricted to those with karma at the top of the scale who have a track record of not typically using all their mod points.
Unisys were one of the original mainframe companies...
Uhhh, that is factually incorrect. Unisys was a comparatively recently formed entity, as a result of a merger between Burroughs and Sperry/UNIVAC.
Burroughs dates back to 1904, and UNIVAC was a product of the corporation formed from the outfit that built ENIAC, which was just a little before my time.;)
My first systems programming job was with Burroughs, back in the 1970s, and I got involved with Sperry in 1981. Their systems were totally different from each other (in those days, a contractor like myself would either work solely on IBM boxes or on a range of other systems), but the merger stood me in good stead for a few years in the late '80s.
No, I did say that I don't really want to use Chrome's pdf viewer. If anything, doing so would have to be less secure, to an extent depending on how much you trust Google. As soon as you try to do anything else with a PDF other than open it with Chrome, you get that message. And it happens with *all* PDF files, regardless of whether or not there is any embedded javascript.
I don't understand why they don't take legal action.
Because unfortunately there's no law to say you can't behave like an asswipe. The detention was legal enough within the letter of the law (the less said about the spirit of it, the better), and he was released after the stipulated maximum amount of time. As for destruction of equipment, I'm sure there is some precedent making that legal.
There's only one way to get around a government's thuggery and intimidation, and that is to blow them wide open.
Slashdot Mirror
But this is how the downfall of music has continued through out the years...
There is still plenty of good music happening. You just won't hear it from these moronic bimbos.
As a matter of interest: my mother completed an Open University degree course, involving lectures on BBC2(?) in (late '70s?) early '80s. Are those still happening?
The people have spoken and they want more dog vomit!
My dog resembles that remark!
And he doesn't think much of Miley Cyrus' bum, either.
Except, as it says in TFA, the guy now "welcomes cold calls". I can see the point of slugging cold-callers with what is effectively a "fine", but once you go to the extreme of extending unsolicited calls just for the revenue, then that is just profiteering.
Personally, I just say "Please hold the line..." and put the phone under a cushion. I don't care if the underpaid caller loses on his quota: that is not my problem.
Ooh. A shiny new war. Goody.
Don't they need them as deterrent against the 1.6 billion drones of Islam?
Even they are not immune to the Chinese relativity theorem: No matter how exalted your triumphs, or abject your defeats, there will always be ten billion Chinese who couldn't give a fuck.
Hopefully only in the privacy of his dacha.
The big problem is often state taxes apply during the period where they are off the 501c3 rolls. But here they might be able to do OK on an appeal.
I suppose that might depend on whether or not they actually made any profit. I have a suspicion that if they did, the tax in question might involve little more than a couple of people dropping a few days' coffee money on a counter.
I don't even like tea. Now, Islay malt whisky on the other hand...
I have thicker skin that most people. You can say anything to me no matter how dirty or derogative.
Right. Which, no doubt, is why you're posting anonymously.
Kudos to you. I never knew turtles could read at all, but it would have to be a damn fast turtle that can get though 380,000 books in one lifetime. Unless, of course, you happen to be a turtle. Er... oh.
*headsmack*
You could also try out Aldiko Reader. You'll need to create some symlinks, but I think it should work.
On the other hand, unless you happen to be the Library of Congress, you should be able to copy most of your collection of books to your Nexus device without making much of a dent in your storage capacity.
In any case, it just doesn't make sense to use such a rigid directory hierarchy when you can use tags. Especially since your reader device will generally do the same.
Doesn't PDF effectively lock the text flow and typesetting, making it impossible to change font size or type on the device?
Indeed. If the GP's PRS-T2 copes with that, he's been very lucky in having found publications scaled to minimise wasted space on his display. I have a PRS-T1, and I hate PDFs because they usually have stupid margins that lock me into a display format that strains my eyes. Epubs reflow automatically, and you can change your display fonts in any way you wish.
Why won't it automatically create a directory if it doesn't exist?
It did for me. (Linux version.)
When I click the button, it opens my web browser to the Calibre web site. Why doesn't it just update directly in the application itself?
You appear to be overlooking the fact that Calibre is a cross-platform application, and the fact that a sensible OS might refuse to let you casually overwrite an application like that.
Why does it have to be a converter, library manager and reader in one?
I think you have to look at the history of the application to answer that. I bought my reader device (a Sony PRS-T1) on the basis that it supports the widest range of formats, but now I generally try to only download ePubs. I usually prefer to use Sigil to edit ePubs, though Calibre copes surprisingly well with a wide variety of CSS input to get a generally acceptable result. (Or you can use it to dismantle ePubs into its components to edit with your default editor if you prefer.) Library management is where it excels for those of us who live outside the Amazon ecosystem.
The Reader function is mostly redundant, but it does provide a quick way of checking that books are formatted more or less correctly before you transfer them to your reader device.
I'm pretty fussy about formatting requirements (especially since so many ePubs are really horribly produced), so I usually do some pre-processing before I transfer a book to my reader. This is why having everything stored on my computer, and treating the reader as a (mostly) offline device makes sense to me. Everything is backed up, and I don't have to worry about vendors (looking at you, Amazon) snatching content back from me because they've changed their minds about their copyright agreements.
UI is confusing, to say the least. But that's not my issue with it, it's UNBELIEVABLY slow to click around.
Addressing that second point first: I've been using Calibre for a couple of years, and the new 1.0 release is *much* faster than any of the earlier versions.
As to the "confusing UI", I just don't see how. It seems as straightforward as it can possibly be, unless there's some API I haven't heard about that somehow divines your intentions by reading your subconscious brainwaves.
You can't cut the noise without cutting some of the signal as well. The fact that you ever bother browsing at -1 should be proof enough of that.
This is true. However, I frequently seem to have mod points available (though, or maybe because at least 60% of the time I don't use them), but IMO moderation is only useful if you can see all posts. Otherwise, you're just tinkering with the groupthink.
Trying to force people to moderate without bias doesn't work very well, a significant portion will always downmod things they disagree with...
I don't know how atypical a denizen of /. I am, but I sometimes upmod posts I actually disagree with, either because they are interesting or well-written, or to balance a thread where origins have been buried by earlier moderation. Similarly, I don't play favourites against AC posts, despite the fact that I would much prefer people to make them under their own account.
The latter is just an aspect of courtesy; putting forward an opinion under an(y chosen) ID of your own just encourages good manners, in that you have to "own" your posts. It doesn't always work (you can't get around the asswipe quotient), but it's a start.
Looks like you and I are of a similar age and standing on /., so we would probably end up cancelling each other's bad mods. Everybody wins. :P
uhhh.... homeopathic?
Yeah. Very diluted, squittery crap. Obviously.
for another I was born in east bumfuk georgia. if you don't keep track of your lies you will always get screwed over.
Yeah. Anyone tracking my internet use might be surprised at the number of people who live in Bonkalot St, Didjabringabeer who all happened to be born on April 1st.
Moderation isn't bad, but troll posts still waste a lot of space if you browse at -1. It would be nice to see blatant troll posts deleted altogether. Allowing such posts to remain is somewhat similar to leaving graffiti on a wall - they start to proliferate.
I realise it's possible for this to be abused, so I would suggest the capability should be restricted to those with karma at the top of the scale who have a track record of not typically using all their mod points.
Unisys were one of the original mainframe companies...
Uhhh, that is factually incorrect. Unisys was a comparatively recently formed entity, as a result of a merger between Burroughs and Sperry/UNIVAC. Burroughs dates back to 1904, and UNIVAC was a product of the corporation formed from the outfit that built ENIAC, which was just a little before my time. ;)
My first systems programming job was with Burroughs, back in the 1970s, and I got involved with Sperry in 1981. Their systems were totally different from each other (in those days, a contractor like myself would either work solely on IBM boxes or on a range of other systems), but the merger stood me in good stead for a few years in the late '80s.
No, I did say that I don't really want to use Chrome's pdf viewer. If anything, doing so would have to be less secure, to an extent depending on how much you trust Google. As soon as you try to do anything else with a PDF other than open it with Chrome, you get that message. And it happens with *all* PDF files, regardless of whether or not there is any embedded javascript.
I don't understand why they don't take legal action.
Because unfortunately there's no law to say you can't behave like an asswipe. The detention was legal enough within the letter of the law (the less said about the spirit of it, the better), and he was released after the stipulated maximum amount of time. As for destruction of equipment, I'm sure there is some precedent making that legal.
There's only one way to get around a government's thuggery and intimidation, and that is to blow them wide open.