Well what the fuck, America? Why can't you breed some benevolent homocidal psychopaths? People that commit acts of murder for the greater good? We could all "tsk tsk" the person, but secretly be happy that they snapped and killed some corrupt plutocrat or lowlife spammer...
An anonymous reader writes "The Wait is over! Ellen Feiss's interview is up! And she really was on drugs, (well, allergy meds.)" She's, like, going to be traumatized about this forever, like.
This is Slashdot. Now that the server is down, the wait is just beginning...
Oh wait, it's still (sluggishly) responding. I'll repost it (somewhat) anonymously.
I hate reactionary, emotional anti-scientific sentiment (such as against GM food). However, nano-tech is definately in a different class of "dangerous shit" altogether. But like you say, it's inevitable and we can't just supress it and hope it will go away.
Whenever I hear someone discussing nanotech, it reminds me of the book The Truth Machine (not a referrer link, don't flame me!). Basically, the book presents (an almost inevitable future) somewhat like a toned down "Brave New World" where nobody can lie and crime and violence disappears. Part of the motivation to build the truth machine is due to rogue nanotech research. It's not as good as it is rated at Amazon, but it gets you thinking and it's worth reading.
Is it resonsible, moral, or ethical to create life when the planet is as overcrowded as it is?
I doubt we are going to be pumping out thousands of lifeforms as big as humans just for the hell of it. Why not produce lifeforms that can (for example) consume greenhouse gasses and produce energy? That would certainly reduce the strain on the environment.
Is it ethical to create life that can feel, think, or be hurt when you *know* we're going to dissect and vivisect of what we create?
You mean like the special breeds of rats and mice that we use in labratories? Already been done, essentially.
Is it ethical or responsible to create life, when we know that we're already making serious mistakes in genetic engineering, such as the genes that recently jumped between soya and corn?
(general reply to this thread, not just this post)
I love Japan. I am also aware that many older Japanese are very racist (particularly against blacks), classist, and sexist. Try looking up the expression "Office Lady" or burakumin and you will see what I mean. Of course, things are changing and they are becoming less isolationist and are gradually picking up a lot of foreign culture (ie/ see the rise of the use of Janglish in Japan:).
BTW, Japanese people don't look the same as Koreans or Chinese either (hell, a lot of chinese look totally different, depending on their origin). Koreans are darker and Japanese are yellower, for example. That's like saying that all black people look the same (which is funny given the original poster's self-identification as african-american).
Keep in mind I am no expert on this subject (just a healthy interest in Japan and friends from Japan, China, and Korea that have filled me in on their part of the world) so if someone can give more accurate examples (ie/ someone from Japan:) that would be fortunate.
acutally, what I am saying is that there a defintely connection between having heart surgery done and the patient suffering decreased congitive abilities. The report (i dont which but it is there, its been mentioned in big newspapers also) states that they are not sure if it heart bypass machine or cooling but is defintely there and I am pointing out that if they are going to make heart surgery even longer that this might make the mental side-effects even worse.
Thanks. Are you a philosophy major or computer science?
Correlation != Causation It could be something else entirely. For example, the decrease in cognitive ability could be due to the invasiveness of traditional surgical methods or from ingesting too much hospital food - I jest, but the fact remains that one study does not prove anything, especially when it only establishes correlation (which is weak) instead of causation (which is strong).
So, you're saying a 3x4 phone keypad is much easier to use than Tapatap which displays a 3x3 grid? T9 which uses 3x3 of the keys for text input is fairly popular on US phones; I don't really see where the interface difference is.
I agree, but for the most part, I would expect them to be receiving information, not submitting it, so it's a mostly moot point anyway.
Unless you're saying they'll use the mobile phone to call someone for the info they need. But they presumably already have a community land line for the Simputer modem, so they could just call using that instead of getting a mobile phone.
That is what I am saying. There is no community land line in the picture, according to the article. I assume (the article doesn't clarify) that people will use Simputer with a cellular modem. (So everyone making points about this being a one time investment are wrong)
But who do you call that has the info they need at low or no cost?
If the information has a cost associated with it, why would it become freely available on the Internet? Anyhow, for communication, they would simply call people - that we all agree on. Now, to receive information, they could ask people that have access to the information (ie/ live in the city, work for the government, automated phone systems, etc). And nobody is saying that this information couldn't be freely available to cell phone users with access to the Internet through their phone.
What I am really getting at is that a PDA is a half-assed solution. It only goes halfway. I'm not saying that, in the long term, something like simputer wouldn't be useful, but why a PDA? Why not a laptop? You could build a cheap one that operates with a food pedal generator and get a much more useful device. I always thought that miniaturization was more expensive and harder to perfect and repair. Why $3 smartcards when you could use floppy disks? Too many questions, too many risks. It would be far safer to use a tried and tested design using common parts.
Is the PDA more durable? Is it easier to use? Is it a more stable system (doubtful, since the article says otherwise)? Is there applications available for it for other purposes that a cell phone can't solve (article hints at this but skimps on details)? Etc, etc etc
I think that the article is just lacking to much detail. There is probably some strong arguments to counter mine, but the article doesn't present any...
When was the last time you called up 844-1111 (or whatever that number was) to get a bank-sponsored weather report for the day? You use the internet now, right? It's much cheaper to distribute information through the internet than through call centers.
I just look outside (call me crazy), but I am not convinced that it's cheaper to serve weather information over the Internet when the cost is mainly associated with gathering that information. A better example would be static information or a large volume of information - those are better suited to the Internet instead of a phone.
In addition, the Simputer has a program called Tapatap that displays a three-by-three grid; you can input a letter or number by tapping on the squares of the grid in a particular sequence.
Welcome to interface hell.
Seriously, this idea probably won't fly. As they say in the article, mobile phones will be much more practical and cheaper, and given the user interface description (ok, only half the story, but anyway), much easier to use. There is little that this device could do that someone couldn't accomplish with a phone (except for, perhaps, teaching literacy, but can't you do that with picture books or cassette tapes or something cheaper?)
The simple answer is: Linux has killed the X-box sales.
Yes. Of course. That's the reason. Everybody that bought an XBox hacked it to run Linux instead of buying games.
Maybe they lost money because: 1) Couldn't break into key Japanese market 2) Expensive, generic hardware that lends itself to piracy (far more likely than, say, Linux use) 3) Ugly machine, shitty controllers (this stuff counts in the console market) 4) They had to pay to get third party developers (ie/ Bungie) 5) They wanted to combine PCs and consoles (in a fashion) but failed miserably on both counts
Obviously, they went in knowing they would lose money. They are losing money in other sectors too (ie/ MSN).
Brilliant fucking observation. They only do it because they have no choice.
I'm doing my best to avoid being a corporate slave. I'm fortunate enough to have a champagne income (at 23 years old) but I live a beer lifestyle. That way I can ride out shit like this.
I'm lucky to be at a company that is smart enough to ride this shit (ie/ recession) out w/o a round of massive layoffs. Maybe that's why they keep lots of talent but pay about 10% less than what I have seen elsewhere. Probably the last bastion of corporate loyalty I have ever seen in the non-government sector...
Slashdot Mirror
Well what the fuck, America? Why can't you breed some benevolent homocidal psychopaths? People that commit acts of murder for the greater good? We could all "tsk tsk" the person, but secretly be happy that they snapped and killed some corrupt plutocrat or lowlife spammer...
She looked pretty hot in Spiderman though....
Yeah, her nipples were like two stacks of dimes....
Don't mind me. Too much Benadryl...
check the sig
(yeah, i'm promoting it a lot - stupid eds wouldn't take the story - probably hitting too close to home?...)
An anonymous reader writes "The Wait is over! Ellen Feiss's interview is up! And she really was on drugs, (well, allergy meds.)" She's, like, going to be traumatized about this forever, like.
This is Slashdot. Now that the server is down, the wait is just beginning...
Oh wait, it's still (sluggishly) responding. I'll repost it (somewhat) anonymously.
I hate reactionary, emotional anti-scientific sentiment (such as against GM food). However, nano-tech is definately in a different class of "dangerous shit" altogether. But like you say, it's inevitable and we can't just supress it and hope it will go away.
Whenever I hear someone discussing nanotech, it reminds me of the book The Truth Machine (not a referrer link, don't flame me!). Basically, the book presents (an almost inevitable future) somewhat like a toned down "Brave New World" where nobody can lie and crime and violence disappears. Part of the motivation to build the truth machine is due to rogue nanotech research. It's not as good as it is rated at Amazon, but it gets you thinking and it's worth reading.
I'm sure it will sell it well
I am Lugash.
Here is your (lack of) proof
Note that the problem was the seeds were mixed, not a cross species jump.
I doubt we are going to be pumping out thousands of lifeforms as big as humans just for the hell of it. Why not produce lifeforms that can (for example) consume greenhouse gasses and produce energy? That would certainly reduce the strain on the environment.
You mean like the special breeds of rats and mice that we use in labratories? Already been done, essentially.
Didn't happen. Prove that this has happened.
(general reply to this thread, not just this post)
:).
:) that would be fortunate.
I love Japan. I am also aware that many older Japanese are very racist (particularly against blacks), classist, and sexist. Try looking up the expression "Office Lady" or burakumin and you will see what I mean. Of course, things are changing and they are becoming less isolationist and are gradually picking up a lot of foreign culture (ie/ see the rise of the use of Janglish in Japan
BTW, Japanese people don't look the same as Koreans or Chinese either (hell, a lot of chinese look totally different, depending on their origin). Koreans are darker and Japanese are yellower, for example. That's like saying that all black people look the same (which is funny given the original poster's self-identification as african-american).
Keep in mind I am no expert on this subject (just a healthy interest in Japan and friends from Japan, China, and Korea that have filled me in on their part of the world) so if someone can give more accurate examples (ie/ someone from Japan
Correlation != Causation
It could be something else entirely. For example, the decrease in cognitive ability could be due to the invasiveness of traditional surgical methods or from ingesting too much hospital food - I jest, but the fact remains that one study does not prove anything, especially when it only establishes correlation (which is weak) instead of causation (which is strong).
Wow, is my sig ever an appropriate response here! :)
Something else to buy
The hilarious part (of this thread, to me) is that I speak a (very small) amount of French and can understand and read some Spanish.
So, you're saying a 3x4 phone keypad is much easier to use than Tapatap which displays a 3x3 grid? T9 which uses 3x3 of the keys for text input is fairly popular on US phones; I don't really see where the interface difference is.
I agree, but for the most part, I would expect them to be receiving information, not submitting it, so it's a mostly moot point anyway.
Unless you're saying they'll use the mobile phone to call someone for the info they need. But they presumably already have a community land line for the Simputer modem, so they could just call using that instead of getting a mobile phone.
That is what I am saying. There is no community land line in the picture, according to the article. I assume (the article doesn't clarify) that people will use Simputer with a cellular modem. (So everyone making points about this being a one time investment are wrong)
But who do you call that has the info they need at low or no cost?
If the information has a cost associated with it, why would it become freely available on the Internet? Anyhow, for communication, they would simply call people - that we all agree on. Now, to receive information, they could ask people that have access to the information (ie/ live in the city, work for the government, automated phone systems, etc). And nobody is saying that this information couldn't be freely available to cell phone users with access to the Internet through their phone.
What I am really getting at is that a PDA is a half-assed solution. It only goes halfway. I'm not saying that, in the long term, something like simputer wouldn't be useful, but why a PDA? Why not a laptop? You could build a cheap one that operates with a food pedal generator and get a much more useful device. I always thought that miniaturization was more expensive and harder to perfect and repair. Why $3 smartcards when you could use floppy disks? Too many questions, too many risks. It would be far safer to use a tried and tested design using common parts.
Is the PDA more durable?
Is it easier to use?
Is it a more stable system (doubtful, since the article says otherwise)?
Is there applications available for it for other purposes that a cell phone can't solve (article hints at this but skimps on details)?
Etc, etc etc
I think that the article is just lacking to much detail. There is probably some strong arguments to counter mine, but the article doesn't present any...
When was the last time you called up 844-1111 (or whatever that number was) to get a bank-sponsored weather report for the day? You use the internet now, right? It's much cheaper to distribute information through the internet than through call centers.
I just look outside (call me crazy), but I am not convinced that it's cheaper to serve weather information over the Internet when the cost is mainly associated with gathering that information. A better example would be static information or a large volume of information - those are better suited to the Internet instead of a phone.
In addition, the Simputer has a program called Tapatap that displays a three-by-three grid; you can input a letter or number by tapping on the squares of the grid in a particular sequence.
Welcome to interface hell.
Seriously, this idea probably won't fly. As they say in the article, mobile phones will be much more practical and cheaper, and given the user interface description (ok, only half the story, but anyway), much easier to use. There is little that this device could do that someone couldn't accomplish with a phone (except for, perhaps, teaching literacy, but can't you do that with picture books or cassette tapes or something cheaper?)
Because the device can convert text to speech, it can help teach villagers how to read the local language, Kannada.
:)
I can read Kannadian too - I'm from Kannada. It's kinda cold, but hardly a third world country...
(ok, that was bad, moderators feel free to bury this one
Oh yeah smart guy? Well what about the plaques that plague society?
The scary thing is... I know that which you speak of.
Your former employer showed you respect. Ali Bubba's former employer didn't. 'Nuff said.
The simple answer is: Linux has killed the X-box sales.
Yes. Of course. That's the reason. Everybody that bought an XBox hacked it to run Linux instead of buying games.
Maybe they lost money because:
1) Couldn't break into key Japanese market
2) Expensive, generic hardware that lends itself to piracy (far more likely than, say, Linux use)
3) Ugly machine, shitty controllers (this stuff counts in the console market)
4) They had to pay to get third party developers (ie/ Bungie)
5) They wanted to combine PCs and consoles (in a fashion) but failed miserably on both counts
Obviously, they went in knowing they would lose money. They are losing money in other sectors too (ie/ MSN).
Brilliant fucking observation. They only do it because they have no choice.
I'm doing my best to avoid being a corporate slave. I'm fortunate enough to have a champagne income (at 23 years old) but I live a beer lifestyle. That way I can ride out shit like this.
I'm lucky to be at a company that is smart enough to ride this shit (ie/ recession) out w/o a round of massive layoffs. Maybe that's why they keep lots of talent but pay about 10% less than what I have seen elsewhere. Probably the last bastion of corporate loyalty I have ever seen in the non-government sector...
Crisis != danger + opportunity (well, not quite...)
Exactly!
Not only that, but they say "equal" and not "roughly equal."
And, of course, what about compression? Different formats? HTML vs pdf vs ascii vs images.
We could go on for weeks. But that's all I have to say about that.