I think that you can take this a bit farther as well, and state that current social and political values also will help to differentiate time periods in their ability to produce genius.
The dark ages are a prime example. Societies turned their backs on logic in favor of mysticism and people were afraid to pursue knowledge lest they be labeled as heretics. It took a lot of bravery in those times to stand up for any ideas that ran contrary to the religious beliefs of the day.
Unfortunately I fear that in the U.S. we are experiencing a rebirth of this social condition, albeit on a much smaller scale (for now, at least). The extreme religious right has waaayy more power than they should (IMHO) and it seems that more and more often faith trumps science and logic.
For true scientific innovation to flourish again in the U.S. we will need to gravitate back towards a society that is progress oriented.
Oh yeah, and it wouldn't hurt to have an administration that lets scientific findings stand on their own merit, without political edits.
It is true that the state of WiFi drivers is horrible. There is only one way that this is going to get any better, and it requires a bit of planning on the part of the Linux users. We really need to get into the habit of only buying devices that have TRUE NATIVE LINUX DRIVERS! I appreciate the efforts of the people behind ndiswrapper/madwifi/linuxant etc but tools like these are part of the problem. If you provide tools to allow people to do a half-baked hack job of getting a driver to work under Linux the wireless manufacturers can simply point to these tools as a reason why they need not commit resources to create real drivers for our OS.
Then again, that's just my opinion....I could be wrong.
Actually it would probably be overpriced, and suck as badly as the Bose speakers do.
It's unbelievable how well the Bose marketing machine has worked to convince people that their products are top quality. There are any number of mid-range speaker designs that will outperform anything from Bose.
Remember that shotglasses are here to simplify this for you! Generally they are standard 1-1/2 or 2 oz size, and/or have a mark. Plus you get the pure alcohol enjoyment without any icky mixers....
For you that like the mixers, you can still use a shot glass to get a consistent pour - just fill the shot glass with your liquor, dump the contents into your highball glass, and then top off with your mixer of choice. Shops that sell bar supplies generally will have a metal doohickey with a 1-1/2 oz metal cup on one side, and a 2oz cup on the other, with a long metal handle that is specifically for this sort of measurement. This will help you out immensely if you want to achieve consistent flavor/alcohol content in your mixed drinks.
I can agree that they don't act like the 'average' accountant.
The point I was trying to make is that the world population is too diverse for someone to ba able to draw accurate boxes around people based on their computing platform of choice. True, a lot of bright and talented people are Apple fans, but I have quite honestly met a large number (unfortunately with the current popularity of the Ipod and all things Apple a GROWING number) that are really only in the Mac club at this point for the perceived hip-ness factor. These are generally the ones that spend a lot of time railing on users of other platforms. Most of the hard-core Mac users are happy just doing their thing.
The true beauty of Apple products is that everything about them is engineered to be only as complex as the job requires - and no more. Macs are loved by a large percentage of their user-base specifically because they stay the hell out of your way, and allow you to focus your mind on the actual task that is at hand.
Sure, this is appreciated by creative artistic types. It's also appreciated by people in widely diverse fields, including the ones that you have dismissed. In any field you will find bright, creative people that see a computer as an incredibly powerful tool that should bend to their will.... instead of the other way around. A lot of these engineers, sales people, professors, marketing reps, financial advisors and yes, even accountants have figured out that the Mac is just exactly the right tool for their job.
Actually, it's 'Barrett'. Same last name as me. I worked at Intel in Folsom, CA for a while and it was AMAZING how quickly my IT requests were approved....:-)
Funny you should mention this.... I am back at college after 10 years and my Macro Economics professor just used this tariff in our last class as en example of bad governmental policy. The whole thing is just assinine.
My workplace has Outlook Web Access installed as a backup to fat client + vpn, and it works fine with Firefox. Unfortunately though, it is a pretty horrid mail client, even by webmail standards.
1) Microsoft owns roughly 95% of the desktop computing market. Yes, that is a monopoly. Show me a retail chain that owns that percentage of the used game market and then this comparison might make some sense.
2) I was comparing mega-stores for other used game channels - not the original developers themselves. I've never bought a used game from Best Buy, because the prices are better at Ebay and at other stores. If people are buying at Best Buy they are not getting screwed - they have voted with their dollars that the convenience of buying the title at Best Buy outweighs the better price that they would get somewhere else.
3) So you want to have different rules for mega-stores vs. other outlets? I actually like the free market model myself. But, perhaps you have a point that game developers should build in protections so that they do not have to provide support or service to secondary buyers. So maybe we do agree on something after all....:-)
1: It does not screw the sellers. There are any number of other channels that people can use to sell their old games, such as the ones you mentioned - Ebay, direct sales to friends, local mom and pop stores, etc. If someone elects to sell a used game to Best Buy, they have done so of their own free choice.
2: It does not screw the buyers either. Again, if you want you can buy your games somewhere else. Best Buy is going to sell the games at a market price (you know, since we have free markets and all that good stuff) and if there are competitors selling games cheaper, they will have to drop their prices if they want to stay competitive.
3: Perhaps it is true that fewer new games will be sold when there are used game markets, but do you seriously think that it is a good idea to try and protect developers by doing away with the used game market? Should we also make sales of used cars illegal, since it is so unfair to the autoworkers? Why should I as a consumer be forced to keep or throw away an item that I am no longer using, but that may provide value to someone else?
1: Go to the store, or order off the net and wait. Pay for the software.
2: Insert CD.
3: Click install.
4: Navigate the 150 page EULA. Have a lawyer handy, or be one yourself.
5: Type in license key
6: Optionally: do the "Windows Activation" and registration dance.
7: If you want to install on another computer, pay again and get a new CD, then repeat.
Linux (Kubuntu for this example).
1: Run Adept, Synaptic, or your package manager of choice.
2: Select the tools you want to install.
3: Enjoy. Keep your money.
Ok, so not all distros make it this easy, and yes there are tools that you may want to buy through traditional channels for Linux, but in most cases this is how it works. I use a combo of Linux servers workstations (mostly personal use) and Windows machines (my employer's machines, mostly) and this difference is one of the major inconveniences that I dislike about the Windows platform. Yes, the Windows installer itself works pretty well, but.... I can seriously do without all of the other cruft wrapped around it.
Nah man, first they went on CALCULATORS. I had solar calcs at least as far back as elementary school in the late 70's. I'm sure they were around before that.
Not to mention the fact that pick-up trucks in general are about the worst configuration available for an off-road vehicle. The weight distribution is the main problem - all of the weight in a pickup truck is over the front wheels, which creates serious issues with traction on the back tires. Sure, you can add weight to the bed of the truck to help keep the tires planted, but then you have the disadvantage of more weight.
Give me an older Toyota Landcruiser (1970's) or a Jeep TJ/YJ/CJ instead, thankyouverymuch.
Indeed, Mini-itx is perfect for this. For your needs you can get away with an older generation 733 or 800 mhz processor that you could pickup for next to nothing (especially if you ebay it). One really cheap way to get one of these boards would be to look locally or on Ebay for someone getting rid of a bunch of the thin client devices that run these boards. I have an old Maxspeed unit that had a Mini-ITX 800mhz that originally booted off of a Compact Flash card. That would definitely be the ticket for ultra low power consumption (there isn't even a fan running) and it can run Linux/Windows/whatever. It's quite easy to add a hard drive if you want as well. Awesome for a file server, mild traffic web server, or even a MySQL database.
My 10 year old Lexmark M15 (Formerly the IBM M15). Fully split, tent-able 'clicky' keyboard, with a detached 10-key that you can move the hell out of the way and put the pointing device closer to your centerline. Used all day every day for a decade, and it still feels better than any other kb on the market. Best.Keyboard.Ever.
I read the entire article, and it appears to be 100% fluff. THere is not one statistic, or even any made up data that is used to support the premise of the article. To paraphrase, the two experts that were interviewed are essentially saying: "Well, I think that maybe just possibly Linux has a security edge, but Microsoft has probably done some catching up with all of the security stuff they've been talking about, so I think that realistically I don't have any idea at this point what is better".
Yes indeed. I am a Sales Engineer, and this is a job that involves a lot of local + airline travel. Get's you outside a bit, and it helps with your social networking skills as well, since you are constantly meeting new people, and helping the sales department to sell products to them. Plus, there are few better ways to get excercise than sprinting full speed through an airport terminal to catch a plane!
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The dark ages are a prime example. Societies turned their backs on logic in favor of mysticism and people were afraid to pursue knowledge lest they be labeled as heretics. It took a lot of bravery in those times to stand up for any ideas that ran contrary to the religious beliefs of the day.
Unfortunately I fear that in the U.S. we are experiencing a rebirth of this social condition, albeit on a much smaller scale (for now, at least). The extreme religious right has waaayy more power than they should (IMHO) and it seems that more and more often faith trumps science and logic.
For true scientific innovation to flourish again in the U.S. we will need to gravitate back towards a society that is progress oriented.
Oh yeah, and it wouldn't hurt to have an administration that lets scientific findings stand on their own merit, without political edits.
Then again, that's just my opinion....I could be wrong.
It's unbelievable how well the Bose marketing machine has worked to convince people that their products are top quality. There are any number of mid-range speaker designs that will outperform anything from Bose.
For you that like the mixers, you can still use a shot glass to get a consistent pour - just fill the shot glass with your liquor, dump the contents into your highball glass, and then top off with your mixer of choice. Shops that sell bar supplies generally will have a metal doohickey with a 1-1/2 oz metal cup on one side, and a 2oz cup on the other, with a long metal handle that is specifically for this sort of measurement. This will help you out immensely if you want to achieve consistent flavor/alcohol content in your mixed drinks.
Happy New Year, everyone!!
The point I was trying to make is that the world population is too diverse for someone to ba able to draw accurate boxes around people based on their computing platform of choice. True, a lot of bright and talented people are Apple fans, but I have quite honestly met a large number (unfortunately with the current popularity of the Ipod and all things Apple a GROWING number) that are really only in the Mac club at this point for the perceived hip-ness factor. These are generally the ones that spend a lot of time railing on users of other platforms. Most of the hard-core Mac users are happy just doing their thing.
The true beauty of Apple products is that everything about them is engineered to be only as complex as the job requires - and no more. Macs are loved by a large percentage of their user-base specifically because they stay the hell out of your way, and allow you to focus your mind on the actual task that is at hand.
Sure, this is appreciated by creative artistic types. It's also appreciated by people in widely diverse fields, including the ones that you have dismissed. In any field you will find bright, creative people that see a computer as an incredibly powerful tool that should bend to their will.... instead of the other way around. A lot of these engineers, sales people, professors, marketing reps, financial advisors and yes, even accountants have figured out that the Mac is just exactly the right tool for their job.
Actually, it's 'Barrett'. Same last name as me. I worked at Intel in Folsom, CA for a while and it was AMAZING how quickly my IT requests were approved.... :-)
Funny you should mention this.... I am back at college after 10 years and my Macro Economics professor just used this tariff in our last class as en example of bad governmental policy. The whole thing is just assinine.
My workplace has Outlook Web Access installed as a backup to fat client + vpn, and it works fine with Firefox. Unfortunately though, it is a pretty horrid mail client, even by webmail standards.
What the hell do we know about girls??
2) I was comparing mega-stores for other used game channels - not the original developers themselves. I've never bought a used game from Best Buy, because the prices are better at Ebay and at other stores. If people are buying at Best Buy they are not getting screwed - they have voted with their dollars that the convenience of buying the title at Best Buy outweighs the better price that they would get somewhere else.
3) So you want to have different rules for mega-stores vs. other outlets? I actually like the free market model myself. But, perhaps you have a point that game developers should build in protections so that they do not have to provide support or service to secondary buyers. So maybe we do agree on something after all.... :-)
1: It does not screw the sellers. There are any number of other channels that people can use to sell their old games, such as the ones you mentioned - Ebay, direct sales to friends, local mom and pop stores, etc. If someone elects to sell a used game to Best Buy, they have done so of their own free choice.
2: It does not screw the buyers either. Again, if you want you can buy your games somewhere else. Best Buy is going to sell the games at a market price (you know, since we have free markets and all that good stuff) and if there are competitors selling games cheaper, they will have to drop their prices if they want to stay competitive.
3: Perhaps it is true that fewer new games will be sold when there are used game markets, but do you seriously think that it is a good idea to try and protect developers by doing away with the used game market? Should we also make sales of used cars illegal, since it is so unfair to the autoworkers? Why should I as a consumer be forced to keep or throw away an item that I am no longer using, but that may provide value to someone else?
You forgot a few steps..
Windows:
1: Go to the store, or order off the net and wait. Pay for the software.
2: Insert CD.
3: Click install.
4: Navigate the 150 page EULA. Have a lawyer handy, or be one yourself.
5: Type in license key
6: Optionally: do the "Windows Activation" and registration dance.
7: If you want to install on another computer, pay again and get a new CD, then repeat.
Linux (Kubuntu for this example).
1: Run Adept, Synaptic, or your package manager of choice.
2: Select the tools you want to install.
3: Enjoy. Keep your money.
Ok, so not all distros make it this easy, and yes there are tools that you may want to buy through traditional channels for Linux, but in most cases this is how it works. I use a combo of Linux servers workstations (mostly personal use) and Windows machines (my employer's machines, mostly) and this difference is one of the major inconveniences that I dislike about the Windows platform. Yes, the Windows installer itself works pretty well, but.... I can seriously do without all of the other cruft wrapped around it.
KDE 3.4 takes a couple of seconds to start for me, the apps start damn near instantaneously.
Nah man, first they went on CALCULATORS. I had solar calcs at least as far back as elementary school in the late 70's. I'm sure they were around before that.
Give me an older Toyota Landcruiser (1970's) or a Jeep TJ/YJ/CJ instead, thankyouverymuch.
Good luck!
Try not to get into too much trouble with that stuff.... :-)
My 10 year old Lexmark M15 (Formerly the IBM M15). Fully split, tent-able 'clicky' keyboard, with a detached 10-key that you can move the hell out of the way and put the pointing device closer to your centerline. Used all day every day for a decade, and it still feels better than any other kb on the market. Best.Keyboard.Ever.
Roses are red,
Bill you're a putz.
I hope before you die,
An elephant steps on your nuts.
I read the entire article, and it appears to be 100% fluff. THere is not one statistic, or even any made up data that is used to support the premise of the article. To paraphrase, the two experts that were interviewed are essentially saying: "Well, I think that maybe just possibly Linux has a security edge, but Microsoft has probably done some catching up with all of the security stuff they've been talking about, so I think that realistically I don't have any idea at this point what is better".
Wow. Thanks for that, guys.
Ran out of shampoo......
The instructions on his shampoo said: Lather, rinse, repeat.
Use the invite I just sent you.... :-)
Yes indeed. I am a Sales Engineer, and this is a job that involves a lot of local + airline travel. Get's you outside a bit, and it helps with your social networking skills as well, since you are constantly meeting new people, and helping the sales department to sell products to them. Plus, there are few better ways to get excercise than sprinting full speed through an airport terminal to catch a plane!