Slip-on connectors anywhere in an area subjected to lots of vibration or g-forces is a bad idea.
I remember my second attempt at bracket racing, where a quarter of the way down the dragstrip, there was a huge bang from the engine, and it just died. I coasted to the exit road while listening to the announcer on the PA say, "Ha, looks like the *snicker* Ford's got real problems."
We towed the Mustang home, and the next day I had unbolted the hood and was getting ready to pull the manifold and heads when an onlooking buddy says, "Did you yank this ignition wire?"
A slip-on connector to the coil had shaken off. Dumbest design I've ever seen, and the end result was pretty embarassing in more than one way.
Thanks. The article is slashdotted, but this is the news I was looking for. It was a hardware problem, not a software problem. Everybody wants to blame the coders for every single little disaster. Geez.
I'm not going to defend Gail Norton, but FYI, the problems with Earth Explorer were created long before she was appointed. Where to start?
You (we) elected several administrations who saw government-funded code as an Evil Thing that sucks the life-blood (money) from deserving private enterprises like Microsoft. There was a federal mandate to use COTS wherever possible.
The responsible government PHBs, never a group to question an edict or make a decision based on facts, decided EE would use COTS. The government PHBs gave the decision to the private sector coders (contractors) to implement, based on a commercial product the government PHBs had chosen.
Many months and man-hours later, the valiant coders had done their best to turn a mouse scrotum into a bowling-ball bag, but as you've noticed, it still has limitations.
So, kids, the moral of the story is: Don't post about "my tax dollars at work", be thankful the government is committed to using COTS and protecting your jobs - even if the end product sucks.
Making the "enforcement committee" a part of the company it is supposed to monitor is ludicrous and one of the biggest jokes in the entire settlement.
This was the first time I remember hearing the term "enforcement committee". Previously, I thought collection of MS directors was being called the "oversight committee". If they are one and truly the same, then it is a sad joke indeed to rename the perpetrators as regulators.
Mostly our witch hunts for terrorists and our plans to 'Preemtivly Strike' nations that pose no real threat to us *cough*Poland*cough*Iraq*cough*.
I'm no fan of warfare, and I do not support a war with Iraq. Having said that, your comparison of Poland with Iraq and Nazi Germany with the U.S. is seriously flawed. Poland was not an aggressive nation trying to take over neighboring countries or oppress its people. The U.S. is not interested in expanding its borders. Try harder for an analogy that works.
Combined with the motto scientia est potentia (knowledge is power), and you sure have an agency to fear.
The really scary part is that Poindexter believes the only difference between public and private databases is "stovepipes". The underlying assumption that all information, whether public or private should be available to the government, is frightening. In the U.S., at least, we are supposed to have a right to privacy and protection from unwarranted search.
2) The fact that all these sheep are blindly clicking on the link is sad and pathetic
Finally! An advocate for the slashdot ethic: Do not read the linked articles, especially if you intend to post a comment. It might change your assumptions or something.:)
as I sit here at work on a Friday afternoon reading slashdot.
You say that like it's a bad thing. Remember, this is "News for Nerds". You're just staying abreast of the latest technological happenings. Hmm . . . probably shouldn't use abreast in a post here . . . You're just trying get on top of things . . . oh, screw it.
French respondents exhibited a strong anti-Microsoft sentiment as sixty-one percent (61%) stated that 'an alternative to Microsoft' was the most compelling reason to support OSS. This sentiment was echoed to a lesser extent among the Germans (37%) and Swedes (35%).
If the French are our best ally in this, we may as well call for the body bags and write letters to our loved ones. That's just the normal anti-american sentiment, not a rally for OSS.
Montana population: 904,000; electors: 3; Voters per elector: 300,000
California population: 34,000,000; electors: 54; Voters per elector: 629000
Since half of California's population is comprised of non-citizens, it works out. Seriously, your assumption/math is flawed. Population is not the same thing as eligible electors.
Mine's nearly doubled since deregulation
Doubled? is that all? My last power bill was 961$ in southern california. IN a 3 bedroom house, no jacuzii, just a few computers and 4 people.
Deregulation has nothing to do with what happened in California. I left California in '91 because the coming problems were obvious.
The problem in the land of fruits and nuts is OVER-regulation. The state regulated the nuclear power industry out of existence and made it impossible for other energy providers to expand or build new plants. They were so "green", they encouraged some businesses to move out of state. The state government reaped what it had sown, then blamed it on "deregulation." Of course, California is also pursuing legal action against other states who are taking water from a river that begins in Colorado but dumps in California... so all their water are belong to LA, dude! Hey, man, set the sprinklers on 2X. The Santa Ana winds are blowing, and I don't want the lawn to die.
At any rate, it spells very troubling times for your CS kids. It feels like I'm living through an economic catastrophe while people 10+ years older (with ample experience) are buying new cars at 0% APR and mortages with historically low interest rates. I can't even afford new tires for my 93 Ford Escort. It's not funny to me. If not for the opportunity of higher education in the States, I would without a doubt either emmigrate to another country or find an entirely different field. Happy times, happy times.
Well, you got part of it right anyway. Those people 10+ years older are likely young MBA managers who are outsourcing your job. There are a lot of 20+ years older IT workers who are sweating it. Some have left the field because they can't get jobs. Some are training their replacements. Some are just waiting for the other shoe to drop. American companies don't want American IT workers. Anyone in the U.S. who doesn't discourage their kids from getting a degree in CS is setting them up for failure. Oh, BTW my car is years older than yours.
or whenever someone labels themselves as a "top flight consultant" or "someone at the top of my business", I just want to slap them.
Whenever someone claims to be an expert, I know they haven't learned enough about a subject to realize they still have a lot to learn. Then, when he signed himself an "IT Guru", I couldn't decide whether to puke or cross my legs and start chanting OOP . . . OOP . . . OOP . ..
Come on! I didn't say vaporware... I said creating a demonstration that will not crash... and I also said that was acceptable only so long as the demonstrator followed through on their promises.
From previous posts, at the time you do this demo, there is no integrated product that actually works (without crashing). Therefore, I have to see your demo as one of a nonexisting product (commonly called vaporware). And unless you happen to be Bill Gates, how can you guarantee the company will follow through on the promises implicit in this (faked) demo?
To be a REAL retailer with inventory, rent to pay, etc. and have to compete with 12 year olds with online stores that don't have to pay sales
tax. Why, exactly shouldn't online retailers be taxed like everybody else?
When I buy online, I also have to pay shipping. I haven't found buying online to be a money saver. I buy things online that I can't find locally. Why should I have to pay money to my state when I have to make a purchase in another state to get the product I want? If you want to sell to me, carry the stuff I'm looking for, and you won't have to worry about me buying online.
So demonstrating vaporware as a working product to prospective customers who will write huge checks for it gives you no heartburn, and you see no problem with that?
Sorry, I went to an older school where ethics were important. Times change, I guess.
It was a joke. Sorry, should have included an emoticon or something. I believe I've read everything Niven published, and I really doubt they are using the term in that fashion.
Why is it that Microsoft can always get away with digging up, licensing and/or copying a bunch of old technology that everyone has been before, then throwing a party and calling it their own new invention? It saddens me to think that ten years from now people will believe that MS invented the tablet PC, just like they now believe that Microsoft invented multitasking, databases, graphics, the mouse, the concept of application windows, and the Internet.
Agreed. What I can't understand is that until about 10 years ago, Microsoft products were considered toy software, but now businesses act like there is no alternative to MS. It seems like we have a whole bunch of C?O's who swallowed that MS saves you money bullshit and are now behind the eight ball. With Microsoft's new rent-a-license terms, maybe some of them will come to their senses.
That's just smart business. A bit misleading, perhaps... but smart business.
Sorry, I'm not gonna buy that. I don't think "misleading" prospective customers or stockholders or auditors or anyone else is "smart business". I think it's fraud, and the perpetrators should be sent away for awhile to reflect on the concept.
Slashdot Mirror
Slip-on battery connectors are a bad idea.
Slip-on connectors anywhere in an area subjected to lots of vibration or g-forces is a bad idea.I remember my second attempt at bracket racing, where a quarter of the way down the dragstrip, there was a huge bang from the engine, and it just died. I coasted to the exit road while listening to the announcer on the PA say, "Ha, looks like the *snicker* Ford's got real problems."
We towed the Mustang home, and the next day I had unbolted the hood and was getting ready to pull the manifold and heads when an onlooking buddy says, "Did you yank this ignition wire?"
A slip-on connector to the coil had shaken off. Dumbest design I've ever seen, and the end result was pretty embarassing in more than one way.
Thanks. The article is slashdotted, but this is the news I was looking for. It was a hardware problem, not a software problem. Everybody wants to blame the coders for every single little disaster. Geez.
I'm not going to defend Gail Norton, but FYI, the problems with Earth Explorer were created long before she was appointed. Where to start?
You (we) elected several administrations who saw government-funded code as an Evil Thing that sucks the life-blood (money) from deserving private enterprises like Microsoft. There was a federal mandate to use COTS wherever possible.
The responsible government PHBs, never a group to question an edict or make a decision based on facts, decided EE would use COTS. The government PHBs gave the decision to the private sector coders (contractors) to implement, based on a commercial product the government PHBs had chosen.
Many months and man-hours later, the valiant coders had done their best to turn a mouse scrotum into a bowling-ball bag, but as you've noticed, it still has limitations.
So, kids, the moral of the story is: Don't post about "my tax dollars at work", be thankful the government is committed to using COTS and protecting your jobs - even if the end product sucks.
Hey, if you're going to throw water on a good conspiracy flame war, you can just log off and go watch television or something. :)
Making the "enforcement committee" a part of the company it is supposed to monitor is ludicrous and one of the biggest jokes in the entire settlement.
This was the first time I remember hearing the term "enforcement committee". Previously, I thought collection of MS directors was being called the "oversight committee". If they are one and truly the same, then it is a sad joke indeed to rename the perpetrators as regulators.
Okay, so you're exporting Farscape, which must be the "bad stuff." What's the "good" SciFi you're keeping for yourselves?
Mostly our witch hunts for terrorists and our plans to 'Preemtivly Strike' nations that pose no real threat to us *cough*Poland*cough*Iraq*cough*.
I'm no fan of warfare, and I do not support a war with Iraq. Having said that, your comparison of Poland with Iraq and Nazi Germany with the U.S. is seriously flawed. Poland was not an aggressive nation trying to take over neighboring countries or oppress its people. The U.S. is not interested in expanding its borders. Try harder for an analogy that works.
Combined with the motto scientia est potentia (knowledge is power), and you sure have an agency to fear.
The really scary part is that Poindexter believes the only difference between public and private databases is "stovepipes". The underlying assumption that all information, whether public or private should be available to the government, is frightening. In the U.S., at least, we are supposed to have a right to privacy and protection from unwarranted search.
Eh... why exactly does this qualify for a slashdot article (frontpage)? . . . but in the end a compost pike is still just a pile of crap!
And this would differ from most slashdot articles because . . . ?
2) The fact that all these sheep are blindly clicking on the link is sad and pathetic
Finally! An advocate for the slashdot ethic: Do not read the linked articles, especially if you intend to post a comment. It might change your assumptions or something. :)
as I sit here at work on a Friday afternoon reading slashdot.
You say that like it's a bad thing. Remember, this is "News for Nerds". You're just staying abreast of the latest technological happenings. Hmm . . . probably shouldn't use abreast in a post here . . . You're just trying get on top of things . . . oh, screw it.
French respondents exhibited a strong anti-Microsoft sentiment as sixty-one percent (61%) stated that 'an alternative to Microsoft' was the most compelling reason to support OSS. This sentiment was echoed to a lesser extent among the Germans (37%) and Swedes (35%).
If the French are our best ally in this, we may as well call for the body bags and write letters to our loved ones. That's just the normal anti-american sentiment, not a rally for OSS.
I'm so glad you agree with me. :)
Montana population: 904,000; electors: 3; Voters per elector: 300,000
California population: 34,000,000; electors: 54; Voters per elector: 629000
Since half of California's population is comprised of non-citizens, it works out. Seriously, your assumption/math is flawed. Population is not the same thing as eligible electors.
Mine's nearly doubled since deregulation Doubled? is that all? My last power bill was 961$ in southern california. IN a 3 bedroom house, no jacuzii, just a few computers and 4 people.
Deregulation has nothing to do with what happened in California. I left California in '91 because the coming problems were obvious.
The problem in the land of fruits and nuts is OVER-regulation. The state regulated the nuclear power industry out of existence and made it impossible for other energy providers to expand or build new plants. They were so "green", they encouraged some businesses to move out of state. The state government reaped what it had sown, then blamed it on "deregulation." Of course, California is also pursuing legal action against other states who are taking water from a river that begins in Colorado but dumps in California ... so all their water are belong to LA, dude! Hey, man, set the sprinklers on 2X. The Santa Ana winds are blowing, and I don't want the lawn to die.
At any rate, it spells very troubling times for your CS kids. It feels like I'm living through an economic catastrophe while people 10+ years older (with ample experience) are buying new cars at 0% APR and mortages with historically low interest rates. I can't even afford new tires for my 93 Ford Escort. It's not funny to me. If not for the opportunity of higher education in the States, I would without a doubt either emmigrate to another country or find an entirely different field. Happy times, happy times.
Well, you got part of it right anyway. Those people 10+ years older are likely young MBA managers who are outsourcing your job. There are a lot of 20+ years older IT workers who are sweating it. Some have left the field because they can't get jobs. Some are training their replacements. Some are just waiting for the other shoe to drop. American companies don't want American IT workers. Anyone in the U.S. who doesn't discourage their kids from getting a degree in CS is setting them up for failure. Oh, BTW my car is years older than yours.
or whenever someone labels themselves as a "top flight consultant" or "someone at the top of my business", I just want to slap them.
Whenever someone claims to be an expert, I know they haven't learned enough about a subject to realize they still have a lot to learn. Then, when he signed himself an "IT Guru", I couldn't decide whether to puke or cross my legs and start chanting OOP . . . OOP . . . OOP . . .
Come on! I didn't say vaporware... I said creating a demonstration that will not crash... and I also said that was acceptable only so long as the demonstrator followed through on their promises.
From previous posts, at the time you do this demo, there is no integrated product that actually works (without crashing). Therefore, I have to see your demo as one of a nonexisting product (commonly called vaporware). And unless you happen to be Bill Gates, how can you guarantee the company will follow through on the promises implicit in this (faked) demo?
To be a REAL retailer with inventory, rent to pay, etc. and have to compete with 12 year olds with online stores that don't have to pay sales tax. Why, exactly shouldn't online retailers be taxed like everybody else?
When I buy online, I also have to pay shipping. I haven't found buying online to be a money saver. I buy things online that I can't find locally. Why should I have to pay money to my state when I have to make a purchase in another state to get the product I want? If you want to sell to me, carry the stuff I'm looking for, and you won't have to worry about me buying online.
As I was reminded once when I made a similar comment, they're dumb-ass Air Force guys.
So demonstrating vaporware as a working product to prospective customers who will write huge checks for it gives you no heartburn, and you see no problem with that?
Sorry, I went to an older school where ethics were important. Times change, I guess.
It was a joke. Sorry, should have included an emoticon or something. I believe I've read everything Niven published, and I really doubt they are using the term in that fashion.
Why is it that Microsoft can always get away with digging up, licensing and/or copying a bunch of old technology that everyone has been before, then throwing a party and calling it their own new invention? It saddens me to think that ten years from now people will believe that MS invented the tablet PC, just like they now believe that Microsoft invented multitasking, databases, graphics, the mouse, the concept of application windows, and the Internet.
Agreed. What I can't understand is that until about 10 years ago, Microsoft products were considered toy software, but now businesses act like there is no alternative to MS. It seems like we have a whole bunch of C?O's who swallowed that MS saves you money bullshit and are now behind the eight ball. With Microsoft's new rent-a-license terms, maybe some of them will come to their senses.
That's just smart business. A bit misleading, perhaps... but smart business.
Sorry, I'm not gonna buy that. I don't think "misleading" prospective customers or stockholders or auditors or anyone else is "smart business". I think it's fraud, and the perpetrators should be sent away for awhile to reflect on the concept.
I thought the article was sort of insulting the way it referred to us as a "flash crowd" rather than a slash crowd.