It was a bit flip, and honestly there is no reason that a site can't be both. However, there is a dichotomy between saying Apple is suing it's fans (or it's customers) and Apple is destroying our first amendment rights by suing investigative journalists.
AFAIK, the poster never made the second claim, so I am guilty of using an underhanded rhetorical strategy. Mea Culpa, and thank you for noticing and pointing it out. Much more desirable than the anti-mac zealot moderation.
Yes, slashdot reported on this hoax, but actually corrected the story, in their usual wavering manner.
Even if it were true, would you say that the Freetype Project was composed primarily of Apple users and fans?
It's a good thing you posted as AC, so the world doesn't realize what a dumbshit you are. Oh, wait. You might not realize it, but odds are that most people around you already know this about you.
Your extra-curricular clubs, while they might attract people of above average intelligence, are based on common interests and activities, as you say.
What is the "common interest" in Mensa? Being intelligent? I don't think that qualifies as an activity or a pursuit. (Granted, there are SIGs within Mensa that serve this purpose.)
Mensa is more akin to an exclusive fraternity or sorority, the purpose of which is to filter out undesirables so that you can limit your interactions to people who are more similar to you than different. Is this a bad thing? To the extent that it leads to an "Old Boy Network" (defined elsewhere by another poster), yes. However, from what I know, there isn't a "Mensa Mafia", so we haven't seen any widespread abuses. It's probably no worse than an employer giving a slight preference to a candidate that graduated from the same university, if that.
For me personally, while I understand the urge to filter out the less intelligent from my life, I don't think it's really intelligent to do so, nor realistic, nor practical. Even if it were possible, why would I want to limit myself? Further, I don't think Mensa's methodology is up to the task. As stated elsewhere, the requirement isn't intelligence, but how well you do on tests that purport to measure intelligence.
Apple is suing their fan base? Wow, that's news to me! Could you give me some details on this? I've been using Macs since the early 90s; should I keep my eyes open for a process server?
You're totally right, but I don't think merely protesting is the answer. And I can think of one good example of where people did something constructive to subvert the system and create a positive alternative. The GPL.
It subverts copyright by using copyright's power, i.e., it works within the system to attain something that is completely different from the intent of the system.
The urge to "bust shit up" is understandable. Most of us were frustrated 15 year olds at one time. (The rest either are or will be.) However, we grow up. And those who grow up with their ideals intact do constructive things, either inside or outside the system, but they don't act on the urge to destroy shit.
You're really no worse than the people that put flyers under windshields of cars in parking lots, in the grand scheme of things. In other words, you're an annoying nuisance.
Make up all the rationalizations and justifications that you want. To me you're no better than someone pushing herbal life or amway, i.e., a tool.
You don't want to use EDS for nun spankings when you can use F/OSS nun spanking software*. Unless your particular fantasy is of Ross Perot dressed in a habit.
*actually, it looks like no one has "scratched that particular itch". Score one for EDS.
I think you hit the nail on the head as far as PDAs go. The actual market was a lot smaller than the projected market. A salesman would (and probably does) find a PDA extremely useful, because they need to manage and manipulate a good deal of info. A notebook might be better for the job, but the PDA makes up for this in portability and convenience.
I and many others who bought PDAs found that we really didn't need the hardware for our mundane daily tasks. Contacts are more easily displayed on a full size computer screen, a rolodex, etc. Pretty much all cell phones have a contacts list built in. Grocery lists? Pencil and back of an envelope.
So I bought a PDA way back when, because I like gadgets, but for such a utilitarian gadget, it gets little use. None. It's sitting in a drawer.
I'm not saying that it's not useful for the road warrior type. There's definitely a niche. It's just not for everyone.
OTOH, I think you need to re-examine the "USB fad". =)
I'm not sure about the Linux windows managers, but in the case of Aqua-soft and other Windows emulations of OS X, there were actual copyright violations, with icons and other art directly lifted from OS X. Would Apple have acted differently if the developers had created their own icon sets and other art? I don't know, but their case would have been much weaker.
I'm glad I read thru your whole post before replying with a flame, as you initially seem to be anti-helmet.
I still disagree with what you wrote. Helmets do save lives. After Texas repealed it's helmet law in 1983, there was a 31% increase in fatalities. There are many other studies.
However, I do get what you are saying. ( I guess I agree with what you mean, just not the way you said it.) A helmet is not magical, and won't protect one from one's own stupidity.
I can understand the appeal of not wearing a helmet. I once took off on my bike and made it to the end of the block before realizing I had forgotten my helmet. I noticed because it really felt great! However, given the choice between feeling great and protecting my melon, I'll take the second.
The hashish wasn't used to work up to a murderous state, it was used as part of a brainwashing technique to convince the would be assassin that a heavenly reward would be granted them for their work.
But back to the matter at hand, the idea that smoking pot will make you a safer driver is a crock of shit. While it may make a person "more careful", it will most definitely cut down on reaction time and lower cognitive ability, even days later.
The Robbe Study is often cited as proof that marijuana makes drivers safer, but it doesn't show what some pot smokers think it does. The Robbe study concluded that impairment from THC was less than alcohol or not greater than medicinal drugs. Somehow, "not greater than" becomes "safer than" becomes "safe, no impairment".
The results of the studies corroborate those of previous driving simulator and closed-course tests by indicating that THC in inhaled doses up to 300 g/kg has significant, yet not dramatic, dose-related impairing effects on driving performance (cf. Smiley, 1986). Standard deviation of lateral position in the road-tracking test was the most sensitive measure for revealing THC's adverse effects.
The only study I've ever heard of on that subject had the opposite conclusion. It was found that people high on marijuana were more careful drivers, presumably because they were afraid of being caught.
As for motorbikes, I ride one of those japanese sportbike types, with a stock muffler. Everytime I pull up alongside a car they turn their head and you can hear them think "shit, I didn't know he was there." I've also ridden on the back of a harley with very loud pipes and trust me, they knew exactly where we were.
The real danger for riders from automobiles is the car turning left in front of you (or turning right in Australia?) Highest percentage of accidents and highest percentage of fatalities. That said, I am wrong that there is no safety benefit. However, let's not overestimate the benefit.
I'm also quite serious about the road rage factor. Perhaps you live in a more civilized place*, but it takes very little to set off tempers on the road in Los Angeles. (Surprisingly, lane splitting is pretty well tolerated for motorcyclists here.)
*not intended sarcastically. I imagine that most places are more civilized when it comes to driving than L.A.
I might be picking nits or drawing too fine a line, but to what degree is your preference for bigger bikes based on weight rather than power? This might be purely theoretical, since a higher displacement engine is going to mean a heavier bike. I imagine (the nit I'm picking) it's not the weight of the bike that is giving you the desirable qualities, it's the power. Maybe this is meaningless, as you can't easily get power without the weight.
I definitely feel the limitations on my small bike, especially on the freeway and on any trip longer than an hour. It's been an excellent learner bike, and, judging by how fast I like to drive cars, the speed limitation is probably a good thing for me. I'm ready for a bigger bike, especially if I want to do any serious traveling on it, but for getting around town, it's great.
Slashdot Mirror
It was a bit flip, and honestly there is no reason that a site can't be both. However, there is a dichotomy between saying Apple is suing it's fans (or it's customers) and Apple is destroying our first amendment rights by suing investigative journalists.
AFAIK, the poster never made the second claim, so I am guilty of using an underhanded rhetorical strategy. Mea Culpa, and thank you for noticing and pointing it out. Much more desirable than the anti-mac zealot moderation.
You've hit the nail on the head. It's a CYA clause on the part of the company. Otherwise, such a clause in a contract is unenforceable because
i) You own the copyright to anything original you've written or created.
ii) There must be an explicit written transfer of this copyright, or it's not valid. Re: SCO v. Novell
Do you know the difference between suing and subpoenaing?
And will you people make up your mind? Are these fan sites or news sites?
Apple is suing the freetype project, according to slashdot.
Complete myth. See the Freetype patent FAQ. Scroll down to the bottom.
Yes, slashdot reported on this hoax, but actually corrected the story, in their usual wavering manner.
Even if it were true, would you say that the Freetype Project was composed primarily of Apple users and fans?
It's a good thing you posted as AC, so the world doesn't realize what a dumbshit you are. Oh, wait. You might not realize it, but odds are that most people around you already know this about you.
192,584 were related to David Hasselhoff, before Willy on Wheels "contributed".
When one slashdot user meets another, there is an instant recognition.
A few things come to mind:
"Oh shit!"
"B.O. -- check. Dandruff -- check. Hallitosis -- check. Pasty skin -- check."
"You fail it."
"In Soviet Russia, Slashdotters meet YOU!!"
However, my response to seeing a Slashdotter in public (like that will ever happen), would be to cross the street.
Being a slashdotter is not a badge of honor. It's a mark of shame. Otherwise, why do I have this big "/." branded on my forehead?
Your extra-curricular clubs, while they might attract people of above average intelligence, are based on common interests and activities, as you say.
What is the "common interest" in Mensa? Being intelligent? I don't think that qualifies as an activity or a pursuit. (Granted, there are SIGs within Mensa that serve this purpose.)
Mensa is more akin to an exclusive fraternity or sorority, the purpose of which is to filter out undesirables so that you can limit your interactions to people who are more similar to you than different. Is this a bad thing? To the extent that it leads to an "Old Boy Network" (defined elsewhere by another poster), yes. However, from what I know, there isn't a "Mensa Mafia", so we haven't seen any widespread abuses. It's probably no worse than an employer giving a slight preference to a candidate that graduated from the same university, if that.
For me personally, while I understand the urge to filter out the less intelligent from my life, I don't think it's really intelligent to do so, nor realistic, nor practical. Even if it were possible, why would I want to limit myself? Further, I don't think Mensa's methodology is up to the task. As stated elsewhere, the requirement isn't intelligence, but how well you do on tests that purport to measure intelligence.
Could you please stop interviewing him and let Marcus get back to work? If you keep interviewing him, we're never going to see Hurd in a usable state.
Apple is suing their fan base? Wow, that's news to me! Could you give me some details on this? I've been using Macs since the early 90s; should I keep my eyes open for a process server?
Or were you referring to Apple suing Fiona Apple for trademark infringement?
You're totally right, but I don't think merely protesting is the answer. And I can think of one good example of where people did something constructive to subvert the system and create a positive alternative. The GPL.
It subverts copyright by using copyright's power, i.e., it works within the system to attain something that is completely different from the intent of the system.
The urge to "bust shit up" is understandable. Most of us were frustrated 15 year olds at one time. (The rest either are or will be.) However, we grow up. And those who grow up with their ideals intact do constructive things, either inside or outside the system, but they don't act on the urge to destroy shit.
That's because he was a Stanford Professor. Oh, wait.
But think about how MS will be able to improve Clippy!
I see you're thinking about writing a letter.
You're really no worse than the people that put flyers under windshields of cars in parking lots, in the grand scheme of things. In other words, you're an annoying nuisance.
Make up all the rationalizations and justifications that you want. To me you're no better than someone pushing herbal life or amway, i.e., a tool.
You don't want to use EDS for nun spankings when you can use F/OSS nun spanking software*. Unless your particular fantasy is of Ross Perot dressed in a habit.
*actually, it looks like no one has "scratched that particular itch". Score one for EDS.
I think you hit the nail on the head as far as PDAs go. The actual market was a lot smaller than the projected market. A salesman would (and probably does) find a PDA extremely useful, because they need to manage and manipulate a good deal of info. A notebook might be better for the job, but the PDA makes up for this in portability and convenience.
I and many others who bought PDAs found that we really didn't need the hardware for our mundane daily tasks. Contacts are more easily displayed on a full size computer screen, a rolodex, etc. Pretty much all cell phones have a contacts list built in. Grocery lists? Pencil and back of an envelope.
So I bought a PDA way back when, because I like gadgets, but for such a utilitarian gadget, it gets little use. None. It's sitting in a drawer.
I'm not saying that it's not useful for the road warrior type. There's definitely a niche. It's just not for everyone.
OTOH, I think you need to re-examine the "USB fad". =)
No, we shouldn't go to war with Iraq. Iraq doesn't support Ogg.
So you you're saying that you disagree about the oil leaks, but you do agree that they're overpriced crap?
But your sig is spam. If you haven't been modded down for it, you've been lucky.
I'm not sure about the Linux windows managers, but in the case of Aqua-soft and other Windows emulations of OS X, there were actual copyright violations, with icons and other art directly lifted from OS X. Would Apple have acted differently if the developers had created their own icon sets and other art? I don't know, but their case would have been much weaker.
I'm glad I read thru your whole post before replying with a flame, as you initially seem to be anti-helmet.
I still disagree with what you wrote. Helmets do save lives. After Texas repealed it's helmet law in 1983, there was a 31% increase in fatalities. There are many other studies.
However, I do get what you are saying. ( I guess I agree with what you mean, just not the way you said it.) A helmet is not magical, and won't protect one from one's own stupidity.
I can understand the appeal of not wearing a helmet. I once took off on my bike and made it to the end of the block before realizing I had forgotten my helmet. I noticed because it really felt great! However, given the choice between feeling great and protecting my melon, I'll take the second.
The hashish wasn't used to work up to a murderous state, it was used as part of a brainwashing technique to convince the would be assassin that a heavenly reward would be granted them for their work.
But back to the matter at hand, the idea that smoking pot will make you a safer driver is a crock of shit. While it may make a person "more careful", it will most definitely cut down on reaction time and lower cognitive ability, even days later.
The Robbe Study is often cited as proof that marijuana makes drivers safer, but it doesn't show what some pot smokers think it does. The Robbe study concluded that impairment from THC was less than alcohol or not greater than medicinal drugs. Somehow, "not greater than" becomes "safer than" becomes "safe, no impairment".
The only study I've ever heard of on that subject had the opposite conclusion. It was found that people high on marijuana were more careful drivers, presumably because they were afraid of being caught.
Dude, what are you smoking? Oh. Nevermind.
As for motorbikes, I ride one of those japanese sportbike types, with a stock muffler. Everytime I pull up alongside a car they turn their head and you can hear them think "shit, I didn't know he was there." I've also ridden on the back of a harley with very loud pipes and trust me, they knew exactly where we were.
The real danger for riders from automobiles is the car turning left in front of you (or turning right in Australia?) Highest percentage of accidents and highest percentage of fatalities. That said, I am wrong that there is no safety benefit. However, let's not overestimate the benefit.
I'm also quite serious about the road rage factor. Perhaps you live in a more civilized place*, but it takes very little to set off tempers on the road in Los Angeles. (Surprisingly, lane splitting is pretty well tolerated for motorcyclists here.)
*not intended sarcastically. I imagine that most places are more civilized when it comes to driving than L.A.
I might be picking nits or drawing too fine a line, but to what degree is your preference for bigger bikes based on weight rather than power? This might be purely theoretical, since a higher displacement engine is going to mean a heavier bike. I imagine (the nit I'm picking) it's not the weight of the bike that is giving you the desirable qualities, it's the power. Maybe this is meaningless, as you can't easily get power without the weight.
I definitely feel the limitations on my small bike, especially on the freeway and on any trip longer than an hour. It's been an excellent learner bike, and, judging by how fast I like to drive cars, the speed limitation is probably a good thing for me. I'm ready for a bigger bike, especially if I want to do any serious traveling on it, but for getting around town, it's great.