Did this article mention that common practice is to try completing a software project in too short a timeframe?
That's a prime reason why so many things, programming included, "suck".
Your statement that programming is like stamping an auto manufacturer logo on the grill has an unfortunate parallel. For some time now, thanks to its integration into so many fields, software can indirectly harm people about as well as an automobile can. (See recent article re: fatal rad overdose at the hospital.) How many software patches or automotive recalls happen after the test-case-gone-wrong occurs as part of "normal use" on a live subject?
Perfection is not attainable, but "good enough" ought to be.
Many voters did not notice that they were marking the wrong ballot.
Ergo, these voters voted either at random or along party lines even though they didn't recognize the candidate.
Great.
"Several workers... gave voters codes for the wrong precincts, causing the wrong ballots to appear on their screens. Some voters noticed the problem and were able to get workers to give them access codes for the proper ballots. But many voters did not."
Planescape: Torment, Planet's Edge, and Star Control 2 come to mind for compelling story and plot.
"Torment" has the plot, story, and characters. There's so much text that it's more like reading a book with lots of pretty, moving pictures. A damned good book.
A friend of mine used to work as a telemarketer. He tells me that these companies treat a hangup, even after you yell at the poor slob on the other end, as an "accidental disconnect", and put you back on the call queue.
Have to tell them to put you on the "do not call" list.
Wisconsin has a no-call law too, effective January 1 2003.
Direct quote from "Employment Policies"
on
Suit Up Or Ship Out?
·
· Score: 2, Funny
"Dress code
1. When there are visitors, you must wear clothes."
There seem to be quite a few localized decreases these days. I'd suggest that ice caps around the equator are more susceptible to large decreases than, say, a region which receives no sunlight for a large part of the year.
Antarctica, southern Russia (glacier chunk fell off a mountain, killing part of a film crew along with its lead actor), where else?
Other localized decreases? Maybe. But let's not jump over conclusions.
Trailers are usually the best deal in those 90-180 minutes. Let's do the math. Estimate amount of quality time in a movie (unfair for "Sixth Sense" with "The Cable Guy" still in print) over an $8 cost, with average length of 120 minutes.
15 minutes of decent movie / 120 minutes * $8 = $1 / min
Previews try to show the best parts (why go to the full-length feature?), so:
30 seconds of decent preview / 45 seconds * 1 min / 60 sec * $8 = 1 cent / min
Count 3 previews and you get an even better deal. In addition, you can feel good about bad movies, without paying an extra $8, because they showed you the only good 30 seconds!
Whoever disagrees with my 15-minute estimate should go see more movies. (No, he shouldn't.)
Which kind of modem do you have? Some modems are designed with Windows in mind. Called "winmodems".
In principle, it's a bit like my old Tandy printer. I bought the damn thing, plugged it in, didn't work. I visited the store the next day and found out that Tandy switched two pins on the printer, forcing me to buy -their- cable if I want the printer to work. I was under 10 years old, but even I knew I wouldn't go back to Tandy after that.
Slightly different, since winmodems are cheaper than modems to produce, and are fine if you just use Windows. But far as I understand, the drivers are proprietary, "locking you in" (okay, for $15) to Windows. Though I hear there's some headway.
Think of it this way. You choose between two competing local telephone services. Of course you're up and running immediately if you choose the guys who own the wire (in my area, they also have the worst customer service). If you go with the competitors, the first guys don't exactly go out of their way to accomodate you.
So to speak, Microsoft owns the wire (comm protocols).
Chapter 12, section 1201 of the DMCA.
"(c) Other Rights, Etc., Not Affected. -
(4) Nothing in this section shall enlarge or diminish any rights of free speech or the press for activities using consumer electronics, telecommunications, or computing products. "
You can talk about it. You can read it. You can even post it. Bob & Tom can read the Redhat patch description over the radio. This looks to be in direct conflict with b1, also in section 1201:
"No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that - "
U.S. congress is prohibited from passing the latter into law, it being in direct conflict with the first amendment. Remove the word 'technology' and it's probably okay. If 'technology' means descriptions as well as boxes with pretty lights and buttons.
First amendment of the American constitution includes: "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press... "
A Google search for "DMCA first amendment" and "bill of rights" will get you where you need to go if you think I've taken something out of context.
Apologies for the length; brevity is not the soul of law. Legal experts, I'll be interested to hear why I've incorrectly interpreted this rare clear use of English in legislation.
Slashdot Mirror
Did this article mention that common practice is to try completing a software project in too short a timeframe?
That's a prime reason why so many things, programming included, "suck".
Your statement that programming is like stamping an auto manufacturer logo on the grill has an unfortunate parallel. For some time now, thanks to its integration into so many fields, software can indirectly harm people about as well as an automobile can. (See recent article re: fatal rad overdose at the hospital.) How many software patches or automotive recalls happen after the test-case-gone-wrong occurs as part of "normal use" on a live subject?
Perfection is not attainable, but "good enough" ought to be.
Many voters did not notice that they were marking the wrong ballot.
... gave voters codes for the wrong precincts, causing the wrong ballots to appear on their screens. Some voters noticed the problem and were able to get workers to give them access codes for the proper ballots. But many voters did not."
Ergo, these voters voted either at random or along party lines even though they didn't recognize the candidate.
Great.
"Several workers
Planescape: Torment, Planet's Edge, and Star Control 2 come to mind for compelling story and plot.
"Torment" has the plot, story, and characters. There's so much text that it's more like reading a book with lots of pretty, moving pictures. A damned good book.
Uses Bioware's Infinity engine, too.
A friend of mine used to work as a telemarketer. He tells me that these companies treat a hangup, even after you yell at the poor slob on the other end, as an "accidental disconnect", and put you back on the call queue.
Have to tell them to put you on the "do not call" list.
Wisconsin has a no-call law too, effective January 1 2003.
"Dress code
1. When there are visitors, you must wear clothes."
Flannel shirts are defined as "business casual".
There seem to be quite a few localized decreases these days. I'd suggest that ice caps around the equator are more susceptible to large decreases than, say, a region which receives no sunlight for a large part of the year.
Antarctica, southern Russia (glacier chunk fell off a mountain, killing part of a film crew along with its lead actor), where else?
Other localized decreases? Maybe. But let's not jump over conclusions.
Okay, let's do the math correctly. That should be 8 cents, not 1. Sorry.
Trailers are usually the best deal in those 90-180 minutes. Let's do the math. Estimate amount of quality time in a movie (unfair for "Sixth Sense" with "The Cable Guy" still in print) over an $8 cost, with average length of 120 minutes.
15 minutes of decent movie / 120 minutes * $8 = $1 / min
Previews try to show the best parts (why go to the full-length feature?), so:
30 seconds of decent preview / 45 seconds * 1 min / 60 sec * $8 = 1 cent / min
Count 3 previews and you get an even better deal. In addition, you can feel good about bad movies, without paying an extra $8, because they showed you the only good 30 seconds!
Whoever disagrees with my 15-minute estimate should go see more movies. (No, he shouldn't.)
Which kind of modem do you have? Some modems are designed with Windows in mind. Called "winmodems".
In principle, it's a bit like my old Tandy printer. I bought the damn thing, plugged it in, didn't work. I visited the store the next day and found out that Tandy switched two pins on the printer, forcing me to buy -their- cable if I want the printer to work. I was under 10 years old, but even I knew I wouldn't go back to Tandy after that.
Slightly different, since winmodems are cheaper than modems to produce, and are fine if you just use Windows. But far as I understand, the drivers are proprietary, "locking you in" (okay, for $15) to Windows. Though I hear there's some headway.
Think of it this way. You choose between two competing local telephone services. Of course you're up and running immediately if you choose the guys who own the wire (in my area, they also have the worst customer service). If you go with the competitors, the first guys don't exactly go out of their way to accomodate you.
So to speak, Microsoft owns the wire (comm protocols).
Chapter 12, section 1201 of the DMCA. "(c) Other Rights, Etc., Not Affected. - (4) Nothing in this section shall enlarge or diminish any rights of free speech or the press for activities using consumer electronics, telecommunications, or computing products. " You can talk about it. You can read it. You can even post it. Bob & Tom can read the Redhat patch description over the radio. This looks to be in direct conflict with b1, also in section 1201: "No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that - " U.S. congress is prohibited from passing the latter into law, it being in direct conflict with the first amendment. Remove the word 'technology' and it's probably okay. If 'technology' means descriptions as well as boxes with pretty lights and buttons. First amendment of the American constitution includes: "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ... "
A Google search for "DMCA first amendment" and "bill of rights" will get you where you need to go if you think I've taken something out of context.
Apologies for the length; brevity is not the soul of law. Legal experts, I'll be interested to hear why I've incorrectly interpreted this rare clear use of English in legislation.