A friend of mine was once picked on rather severely when in school. He wasn't a techie geek like many of us here on/., but he certainly didn't fit in to the "normal" crowd. So the bully who picked on him frequently, when not able to provide a regular fight, took to slugging him in the arm very hard.
So my friend takes a thin piece of cardboard and lines it with thumbtacks, wraps it around his upper arm and hides it under his sleeve. As he's sitting at his desk, the instigator walks by and my friend snidely asks "Aren't you gonna hit me?" The thumbtacks worked like a charm. The bully didn't mess with him again.
While we're at it, I'm beginning to think this whole "rule of law" thing is going too far, myself. It does nothing for the sense of "vengeance" human societies were founded upon for millennia.
How many people have you met that leave you shaking your head as you walk away? They're whiny, stuck-up, self-centered, or complete assholes. It's because we aren't allowed to beat the hell out of people who fully deserve it. In a more "natural" sort of human society, being a jerk is a crime, and can get you a severe ass kicking.
Let's get rid of these silly laws and get back to the good ol' days!
(Note for the humor impaired: this post is meant only half-seriously. It is in no way an attack on the parent post, nor is it meant as a real suggestion that we return to a state of complete lawlessness. I think the parent post [and mine] have a real point to make, though. A fundamental part of our human brain evolved to handle an environment that we almost never exposed to now, and a 9-5 job is no match for beating sabre-tooth tigers with clubs. *grin*)
They aren't quite the same, as the headphone sends the signal through an amp first.
Although the problem I'm having shouldn't be related to that. I imagine my car stereo just isn't installed correctly. If I try to play things from the aux input jack, I hear a lot of weird extra noise that is apparently being picked up from under the hood.
Headphone, yes, but not line out. But, since it has the FM transmitter, this isn't a big deal. The main thing I'm going for is to have it play through my car stereo.
I'm not putting words in your mouth, I'm informing you what short-sighted means.
Not only did you put words in my mouth by suggesting that I did not care about any industry besides the tech industry, but you say you're telling me what "short-sighted" means when you have not actually done so.
"Short-sighted" refers to the act of making a decision without sufficient examination of the possible ramifications. Just because "almost every industry has done it" doesn't mean the behavior isn't short-sighted. Doing something purely for the sake of preserving profit margin is short-sighted by defintion because it does not account for other consequences aside from immediate concerns about profit margins.
When it was cars, manufacturing, textiles, and clothing it didn't matter?
Somehow I can't manage to find the place in my post from which you derived the above quote. Probably because I never said anything remotely like what you suggested.
and the companies hired more domestic workers in higher paying jobs
The tech industry was a high paying field. Any jobs the formerly-employed techs end up at is quite likely going to pay less. At any rate, farming out jobs purely for the sake of preserving profit margin is short-sighted, regardless of the industry.
I don't mind political debate, and I always like to learn more about various issues, but you cannot put words in my mouth and expect to have a rational discourse.
Someone else mentioned the possibility of interference with regards to having a CPU and FM tuner in the same package.
What has been your experience with the Neuros? I would like to get one, mainly because it has a tuner and can encode mp3s as well. Have you had any problems with tuner reception or using the MyFi FM broadcast?
I already like Indian food. I can't wait to see what they do with their own distros. LadoOS... CurryOS... MasalaOS... yum!
In all seriousness, I've read a lot of worried articles recently talking about the mass migration of IT jobs from the US to India (and even the migration of IT jobs from India to Singapore). As much as I hate that people are losing jobs due to shortsighted business practices, this may be how linux finally gains a dominant foothold in the computer market. I've also heard that Bangalore is really nice. Maybe it's time to renew the ol' passport and migrate.;)
I've been told (by Indians) that Indian students in the US must either 1) go to a really nice school, or 2) stay after their schooling and work at an American company before they have a good chance of getting a job back in India. Does anyone know if Americans with tech experience have a chance of getting a job in India?
Trying to find a music player that does what I want is annoying. The closest I've seen so far is the Neuros, actually.
The problem with the Karma here is it doesn't appear to have a radio tuner, unlike the Neuros. The Neuros also:
Broadcasts on a locally unused FM frequency so you can transmit it to a nearby radio.
Record and encode MP3s from any source (internal radio tuner or line-in). [I have been told that recording to OGG is a possible future firmware update.]
The syncing software is being ported to linux.
If they come out with a higher capacity, you just get a new storage "backpack". No need to buy an entirely new unit.
The main thing the Neuros doesn't have that I would like is a line-out, but oh well. It does nearly everything else I'd want.
I know for a fact that you do not get removed from the Acxiom databases if you opt-out. They simply put a record of you in another database that is crosschecked when they compile advertising lists.
The reason is actually pretty straightforward. Acxiom's database is compiled from a large collection of data from other sources and is refreshed continually. If your name and other information were deleted, it would be back in within a month.
Another thing I find amusing is when people say you should "pollute" the database with false information. The sources that Acxiom uses are the ones most likely to be correct. Acxiom has dozens of sources, and has incredibly large flowcharts related to the reliability of those sources for each different field of information they use. Chances are you aren't fooling anyone by putting your address as "1010011010 Nottelling You Lane" on a warranty information card, since that info is most likely pulled from your mortgage bank.
Drivers - Neither OS makes them easy, but they are more problematic in linux because of kernel versioning.
File hierarchy - Seems very antiquated. Between/bin,/usr,/opt,/var,/etc, ~, and so forth, it's terribly difficult to tell what's going on. There is no standard, so different programs will stick things in all kinds of different places.
X - sorry, I'm not an X fan. It's still too difficult to setup and the config files are a complete PITA. Also, copy/paste doesn't work correctly, and fonts are still not easy to deal with.
Libraries - I thought about downloading and installing gnumeric once, only to discover I needed several other libraries that, of course, were not distributed with the software. This would mean downloading and installing a bunch of other junk and hoping I already had the necessary dependencies. I realize a nice package management system would take care of this kind of thing, but static linking is so much easier.
Useless security system - But ACLs are being introduced now, so this probably won't be an issue for long. No more restricted privilege system, and no more root user! (I know, "root" is part of the whole unix culture, but sometimes change is for the best.)
Software - This is still an issue, but much less of one than ever before. The biggest thing missing I've heard of is CAD software. Linux has office software, sound editors, graphic editors, movie editors, CD recording, and all kinds of other stuff. The biggest thing it needs now is MORE, especially in graphic editing. I know GIMP is the standard, and I use it, but I don't like the interface.
Interoperability - This isn't a linux problem so much as a Microsoft problem. I think part of the judgement against MS should have forced them to open up their file formats.
Those are the main ones I can think of right now. None of these issues prevents me from using linux. Fixing them would simply further my enjoyment of being a linux user.
My god... I can't believe I typed MMPORG. What the hell is that? Massively Moronic Post Obviously Rapidly Generated? Umm... Must've Missed Preview Option Really Gravely?
I wonder how well an MMPORG would work as a tax shelter? Instead of getting money in the real world, you just get it dumped straight into your "Everquest IV: The IRS Has No Power Here" account. And if people would claim loss of game currency on as an itemized deduction.
Of course, sales taxes would be a pain in the ass. "Sorry, I'm not paying CA sales tax when I'm obviously performing this transaction in Midgaard." And if someone beats your character's sorry ass and takes your money, you'd have a hell of a time convincing the cops to track down one Umbrak the Barbarian, 8.7 feet tall, green skin, no hair, weight about 430 pounds, wielding a large spiked club and resistant to cold spells.
-- I almost always solve my own computer problems on my own, or as the result of my own research.
Sure. Google is an amazing resource.
-- My friends, coworkers and family often turn to me for help with their computers and peripherals.
... and I am in no hurry to exacerbate the situation by subjecting myself to it intentionally.
-- My own computer probably would work very well if I didn't keep installing alpha, beta, development and trial software on it all the time.
I love fdisk.
-- I can usually quickly find what I'm looking for on the Internet.
Oh god... no comment.
-- I read constantly, and just about everything.
Right now it's Slashdot.
-- I rarely have a problem explaining myself.
Well, you see, officer...
-- I am somewhat sociable, but I can work for long periods on my own, too.
Sociable? ME?? Hahahaha!
-- Although I hate the term "self-starter," that's what I am.
No, I'm not! Procrastination is the root of all goofing off.
-- I believe all computer peripherals and devices are hot-swappable unless someone else is around.
What, is this Schrodinger's Computer? Once, I closed my eyes and with no one else watching, I jammed an old PCI Voodoo card into the AGP slot with the machine still running. The damn thing worked until I opened my eyes and its wave function collapsed...
-- I only keep my AOL account so I can more easily get my email from any web browser anywhere.
What geek would pay money to AOL when it's cheaper to just sign up with a host that provides webmail?
-- I get a lot of spam, but I block or filter most of it, so it's not an issue for me anymore.
I don't give out my email address to everyone and their grandmother, so spam isn't a big problem to begin with.
-- Unix is like a lover to me: I don't understand it very well, and it makes me angry sometimes, but I am still in love with it.
This one is just too sad. Sure, unix has some kinky command names, but nothing like actually engaging in their real-life namesakes.
-- I have some computer books on the shelf, but I only use them as references, not as literature.
This should be just the opposite, I think. I bet a lot of computer geeks read computer literature, not just "manuals".
-- I see nothing wrong with strapping a wireless PDA with GPS to the dog so that we can log his roaming patterns through the neighborhood.
The gadgetry (and possibly the dog) would get stolen in my neighborhood!
This sounds similar to the devices that were used in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. I have been anxiously awaiting these sorts of gadgets ever since seeing that movie. With a few extra advances in holographic technology this could lead to input devices that a perfectly tailored to your body shape and preferences.
It was probably really GOOD tea, too. I bet the harbor tasted like English Breakfast blend for weeks!;) A little milk and sugar... mmm...
Sorry... back to the topic at hand...
You mention voting in the subject line, but I don't think voting by itself is the key. If we're hopelessly outnumbered, a thousandth of a percentage point of votes not going to one of the Big Two parties won't make a whit of difference. We need more.
We just need to get our acts together and go to work. We understand the problem, and have some good ideas about how to solve it, so let's do it already.
Does sitting around discussing it on Slashdot count as "getting to it"? I know there is always donating money to causes (EFF, etc.), and purchasing from businesses that behave responsibly. I've heard it said a few times recently that the EFF doesn't do what needs to be done. What does need to be done that the EFF isn't doing? Who needs to be involved? And is this Slashdot article the best place to readily discuss it? Perhaps we should take this to a different electronic medium.
Slashdot Mirror
Apparently the FSF could use a copy of this book...
A friend of mine was once picked on rather severely when in school. He wasn't a techie geek like many of us here on /., but he certainly didn't fit in to the "normal" crowd. So the bully who picked on him frequently, when not able to provide a regular fight, took to slugging him in the arm very hard.
So my friend takes a thin piece of cardboard and lines it with thumbtacks, wraps it around his upper arm and hides it under his sleeve. As he's sitting at his desk, the instigator walks by and my friend snidely asks "Aren't you gonna hit me?" The thumbtacks worked like a charm. The bully didn't mess with him again.
While we're at it, I'm beginning to think this whole "rule of law" thing is going too far, myself. It does nothing for the sense of "vengeance" human societies were founded upon for millennia.
How many people have you met that leave you shaking your head as you walk away? They're whiny, stuck-up, self-centered, or complete assholes. It's because we aren't allowed to beat the hell out of people who fully deserve it. In a more "natural" sort of human society, being a jerk is a crime, and can get you a severe ass kicking.
Let's get rid of these silly laws and get back to the good ol' days!
(Note for the humor impaired: this post is meant only half-seriously. It is in no way an attack on the parent post, nor is it meant as a real suggestion that we return to a state of complete lawlessness. I think the parent post [and mine] have a real point to make, though. A fundamental part of our human brain evolved to handle an environment that we almost never exposed to now, and a 9-5 job is no match for beating sabre-tooth tigers with clubs. *grin*)
They aren't quite the same, as the headphone sends the signal through an amp first.
Although the problem I'm having shouldn't be related to that. I imagine my car stereo just isn't installed correctly. If I try to play things from the aux input jack, I hear a lot of weird extra noise that is apparently being picked up from under the hood.
Headphone, yes, but not line out. But, since it has the FM transmitter, this isn't a big deal. The main thing I'm going for is to have it play through my car stereo.
The next 20 GB backpack has USB2.0, and it's a free upgrade for people who purchase a 20GB model on or before August 31, 2003.
Not only did you put words in my mouth by suggesting that I did not care about any industry besides the tech industry, but you say you're telling me what "short-sighted" means when you have not actually done so.
"Short-sighted" refers to the act of making a decision without sufficient examination of the possible ramifications. Just because "almost every industry has done it" doesn't mean the behavior isn't short-sighted. Doing something purely for the sake of preserving profit margin is short-sighted by defintion because it does not account for other consequences aside from immediate concerns about profit margins.
Make your time? You have no chance to survive!
Somehow I can't manage to find the place in my post from which you derived the above quote. Probably because I never said anything remotely like what you suggested.
and the companies hired more domestic workers in higher paying jobs
The tech industry was a high paying field. Any jobs the formerly-employed techs end up at is quite likely going to pay less. At any rate, farming out jobs purely for the sake of preserving profit margin is short-sighted, regardless of the industry.
I don't mind political debate, and I always like to learn more about various issues, but you cannot put words in my mouth and expect to have a rational discourse.
Someone else mentioned the possibility of interference with regards to having a CPU and FM tuner in the same package.
What has been your experience with the Neuros? I would like to get one, mainly because it has a tuner and can encode mp3s as well. Have you had any problems with tuner reception or using the MyFi FM broadcast?
I already like Indian food. I can't wait to see what they do with their own distros.
;)
LadoOS... CurryOS... MasalaOS... yum!
In all seriousness, I've read a lot of worried articles recently talking about the mass migration of IT jobs from the US to India (and even the migration of IT jobs from India to Singapore). As much as I hate that people are losing jobs due to shortsighted business practices, this may be how linux finally gains a dominant foothold in the computer market. I've also heard that Bangalore is really nice. Maybe it's time to renew the ol' passport and migrate.
I've been told (by Indians) that Indian students in the US must either 1) go to a really nice school, or 2) stay after their schooling and work at an American company before they have a good chance of getting a job back in India. Does anyone know if Americans with tech experience have a chance of getting a job in India?
The problem with the Karma here is it doesn't appear to have a radio tuner, unlike the Neuros. The Neuros also:
The main thing the Neuros doesn't have that I would like is a line-out, but oh well. It does nearly everything else I'd want.
+5? You must be in a different universe. In mine it's -1 Troll!
I know for a fact that you do not get removed from the Acxiom databases if you opt-out. They simply put a record of you in another database that is crosschecked when they compile advertising lists.
The reason is actually pretty straightforward. Acxiom's database is compiled from a large collection of data from other sources and is refreshed continually. If your name and other information were deleted, it would be back in within a month.
Another thing I find amusing is when people say you should "pollute" the database with false information. The sources that Acxiom uses are the ones most likely to be correct. Acxiom has dozens of sources, and has incredibly large flowcharts related to the reliability of those sources for each different field of information they use. Chances are you aren't fooling anyone by putting your address as "1010011010 Nottelling You Lane" on a warranty information card, since that info is most likely pulled from your mortgage bank.
Oops... I meant "Gnucash" in #4, not "gnumeric".
Those are the main ones I can think of right now. None of these issues prevents me from using linux. Fixing them would simply further my enjoyment of being a linux user.
My god... I can't believe I typed MMPORG. What the hell is that? Massively Moronic Post Obviously Rapidly Generated? Umm... Must've Missed Preview Option Really Gravely?
*doh*
I wonder how well an MMPORG would work as a tax shelter? Instead of getting money in the real world, you just get it dumped straight into your "Everquest IV: The IRS Has No Power Here" account. And if people would claim loss of game currency on as an itemized deduction.
Of course, sales taxes would be a pain in the ass. "Sorry, I'm not paying CA sales tax when I'm obviously performing this transaction in Midgaard." And if someone beats your character's sorry ass and takes your money, you'd have a hell of a time convincing the cops to track down one Umbrak the Barbarian, 8.7 feet tall, green skin, no hair, weight about 430 pounds, wielding a large spiked club and resistant to cold spells.
This just doesn't sound like a good idea.
- Conducting an auction while wearing pants
The whole point of conducting an auction using a computer is so you don't have to wear pants. Not even underpants.
I don't need a horizontal mouse... I just turn my monitor on its side!
Uhoh! I hope they don't sue /. for reverse engineering!
This one is just too sad. Sure, unix has some kinky command names, but nothing like actually engaging in their real-life namesakes."
Mutt?
You're the one who apparently thinks it's kinky... ;)
-- I almost always solve my own computer problems on my own, or as the result of my own research.
Sure. Google is an amazing resource.
-- My friends, coworkers and family often turn to me for help with their computers and peripherals.
-- My own computer probably would work very well if I didn't keep installing alpha, beta, development and trial software on it all the time.
I love fdisk.
-- I can usually quickly find what I'm looking for on the Internet.
Oh god... no comment.
-- I read constantly, and just about everything.
Right now it's Slashdot.
-- I rarely have a problem explaining myself.
Well, you see, officer...
-- I am somewhat sociable, but I can work for long periods on my own, too.
Sociable? ME?? Hahahaha!
-- Although I hate the term "self-starter," that's what I am.
No, I'm not! Procrastination is the root of all goofing off.
-- I believe all computer peripherals and devices are hot-swappable unless someone else is around.
What, is this Schrodinger's Computer? Once, I closed my eyes and with no one else watching, I jammed an old PCI Voodoo card into the AGP slot with the machine still running. The damn thing worked until I opened my eyes and its wave function collapsed...
-- I only keep my AOL account so I can more easily get my email from any web browser anywhere.
What geek would pay money to AOL when it's cheaper to just sign up with a host that provides webmail?
-- I get a lot of spam, but I block or filter most of it, so it's not an issue for me anymore.
I don't give out my email address to everyone and their grandmother, so spam isn't a big problem to begin with.
-- Unix is like a lover to me: I don't understand it very well, and it makes me angry sometimes, but I am still in love with it.
This one is just too sad. Sure, unix has some kinky command names, but nothing like actually engaging in their real-life namesakes.
-- I have some computer books on the shelf, but I only use them as references, not as literature.
This should be just the opposite, I think. I bet a lot of computer geeks read computer literature, not just "manuals".
-- I see nothing wrong with strapping a wireless PDA with GPS to the dog so that we can log his roaming patterns through the neighborhood.
The gadgetry (and possibly the dog) would get stolen in my neighborhood!
So, do I qualify to be an entrepreneur?
This sounds similar to the devices that were used in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. I have been anxiously awaiting these sorts of gadgets ever since seeing that movie. With a few extra advances in holographic technology this could lead to input devices that a perfectly tailored to your body shape and preferences.
It was probably really GOOD tea, too. I bet the harbor tasted like English Breakfast blend for weeks! ;) A little milk and sugar... mmm...
Sorry... back to the topic at hand...
You mention voting in the subject line, but I don't think voting by itself is the key. If we're hopelessly outnumbered, a thousandth of a percentage point of votes not going to one of the Big Two parties won't make a whit of difference. We need more.
We just need to get our acts together and go to work. We understand the problem, and have some good ideas about how to solve it, so let's do it already.
Does sitting around discussing it on Slashdot count as "getting to it"? I know there is always donating money to causes (EFF, etc.), and purchasing from businesses that behave responsibly. I've heard it said a few times recently that the EFF doesn't do what needs to be done. What does need to be done that the EFF isn't doing? Who needs to be involved? And is this Slashdot article the best place to readily discuss it? Perhaps we should take this to a different electronic medium.