Just in case anyone is curious.... here's the book to read if you want to improve your oo code 10 fold. It includes the above mentioned "decorator" pattern as well as about 20 others:
This is the book that helped me move from writing Hello World type of oo applications to truly far reaching, extendable, and maintainable apps. Also, it made my applications more modular and therefore made the workload more easily distributed across a team of people... something that is very important to OSS developers and also something that they don't really teach you in school very well.
Runs linux, fltk (16 shade greyscale), full tcp/ip stack, serial port, and should be able to load qt... in theory. I haven't gotten mine yet but the developer version is only ~$180, Flashable, and ships Real Soon Now(Tm)
I'm gonna try to get Qt on it as soon as I get it.
I asked for one and the guy asked me all kinds of info which I didn't want to give him. He told me that they have to record who is getting these things and wouldn't budge even though I argued with him. I ended up walking out without it.
You might have just gotten lucky. Seems like "corporate policy" only goes as far as an employee cares to enforce it. =) I need to find me a Ripoff Shack that emloys "slackers".
What ever happened to the push for a radio network of internet hosts/servers? I remember reading about it in 2600 and even once heard that there were 3 or 4 nodes up...
The idea was to create a home grown internet that was controlled by users and not just phone companies. (for example: the internet backbone) They were going to run packets through radio signals.
Seems like this could restart that trend. It would be fun to set up a radio network between houses, and I can even see practical use in sending between small offices. Of course all of your normal cryptography would have to be in place...
I also thought that the fcc put limits on how long you could transmit constant signal before you had to allow some dead air time. Perhaps not in this bandwidth?
Perhaps you don't realize how much you can affect the world around you. You say you are making more money than the rest of your family.... You say you are working for a successful corporation... Great!
You are in a position to say those things at the times which they are most agregious. (I sound a little like eliza don't I?) Are you going to say them? Will you even know it if you do?
No seriously, I think that you would be surprised how much more effective leading by example is than preaching to the masses (or even slashdot!). Live a good life, learn about your learned biases, encourage others to live a good life (don't force them)... and then educate all those around you in a passive manner. Sure you wont see it happen all at once but you can make huge changes in people with small pushes.
lead.
-pos
P.S. I think it was nice that Ellen Spertus included the advantages that she saw that women have.
I respect that because it shows to me that she is secure in knowing that she has made a good argument and can point out the other side. She expects to be speaking with an open-minded, intelligent crowd. Nice touch.
When I hear someone whine about how they are poor at math or science or computers because their teacher didn't call on them enough in school or their teacher didn't instill enough self-confidence in them (pardon me, but isn't self-confidence, by virtue of its name, something that cannot be instilled by an external force?)
That's rediculous, and I think the only reason you are saying it is to put in some silly joke. For that reason I will, in fact, pardon you. Self confidence can and must be taught. Furthermore, it is fully possible to teach someone to have no self-confidence, especially if we are talking about the developing years of someone's life. You might be born ignorant and full of confidence but given enough frowns, verbal reprimands, positive attention for passive behaviour, etc... you would be as meek as a mouse, regardless of gender. The idea is to look at a society as objectively as possible (which includes the assumption that you might be wrong (which you are:-P ) ).
Perhaps what makes boys excel more often in science is precisely this same attitude and enthusiasm that is exhibited in grade school. Instead of shutting it down and tuning them out, in favor of shy quiet girls, coax the girls out of their shells.
Good idea! Unfortunatly this must be done by the parents and teachers, who are also not aware of the messages they are inadvertantly sending. That is one of the reasons girls do better in an all girl school. Not because they "can't handle the competition" but instead because the teachers will not have their own gender bias affect the children as much. They treat all of the girls (mostly) like they would treat boys in a mixed gender school.
Most of my life in school, I scores in the top percentiles of those SAT tests were sheer luck. Anyone could have pulled it off.
...
I took the time to explain my long -- probably boring -- story, because I'm a nobody who would be lucky to fall into the middle of any category or ranking of anything. But I've done what a lot of people whine that they could never do. And that's bullshit. It's utter fucking bullshit. It's cowardice. It's fear.
Well... I'm entertained by your story, however it is wholly irrelivant to the issue at hand. I hope you do very well in your position. The point is not to uphold anecdotal stories as facts that gender bias doesn't exist but to determine what is going on in our society. Any scientist would read your story and say "Hmmm, that's interesting... maybe we should study this and see if it hold up for an entire population of boys and girls." In fact, that's what scientists are doing all the time! In fact, that's what this article is about! Your story is only useful as a hypothosis, unless you enjoyed telling it (which you seemed to).
You want to know a secret? They are finding stuff that you don't want to think about. Think about it. What if they are absolutly, 100% right? What if they haven't even uncovered the half of it yet? Then how would you feel about your suffering and problems? Do you see a confilct of interest here? The sad fact is that everyone has a conflict of interest. Some people are, however, more aware of theirs.
Sometimes even scientists are biased because they can't stand that a concept that they are attached to and use to define their world-view might be based on an ugly truth.
It is very important for software companies to give the consumer the feeling that they are getting something for their money. In Niel (sp?) Stephenson's book, "In the Beginning was the Command Line..." he describes how mocrosoft basically invented the "packaged software" that gave the consumer the feeling that they were purchasing something other than a string of 1's and 0's that could be copied, shared, erased, deleted, etc...
I think that people want the whole package... I don't think we would even know what the phrase "packaged by weight, not by volume. Some settling of product may occur" would mean otherwise. There is a lot of psyc. in satisfying a consumer and part of that is to package the product well. If you want another example of this other than huge bags of potato chips and cereal boxes that are half full, go walk through a Barnes and Nobles or a Borders and examine the manufacturing of desire that book covers use.
I recommend to everyone the book The Art of Happiness. It was written based on many interviews that the author conducted with the Dalai Lama. This was a very insightful read and I am finding applications of his advice in all areas of my life.
One of the ideas he suggests, is to consciously attempt to identify with your "enemies". They are just trying to be happy, just like you, right? So if someone angers you, then try and see why they said what they did. There is probably a good reason. They might be frustrated, or feel overwhelmed, or even have a personal issue with someone who likes Linux!(for example). Every one of those flames should have said something like: I understand that you think linux is too technical to approach. . . . If you think any other OS is better then perhaps I could point you to some information that shows otherwise . . . We would appreciate your help . . . etc. Every reply should have been positive and humble.
I think many people are more interested in protecting their fears and beliefs than truly trying to expand Linux. I also believe that a person who is afraid or insecure often responds to the criticism with anger. This is not the face Linux wants to put forward. If you are incapable of expressing your anger anyone but your precieved "enemies", then leave the advocacy to people who are.
Linux is not an exclusive club. We should all try to help people "get it", and if you flame other people for not getting it then you probably don't either.
I know dumb questions and bad press are annoying, but yelling at the press will only alienate them and cause them to have a personal stake in writing more bad press to vindicate themselves. Your flames only make things worse.
I can't really see what open source has to do with this at all.
It's not about OS's and Open Source really. I think that what I'm trying to say is that freedom and free thought are held as ideals by most slashdot readers. A lot of them simply do not extend their code philosophy into other situations.
As an aside, I think that a lot of people like Open Source because they like to tinker with source code and Open Source gives them more source code to do that with. However, I personally think skepticism is a big part of Open Source. It won't crash? Show me the code. No security holes? Prove it.
P.S. Don't take this as a flame - the rest ofyour comment was well thought out.
Thank you. Well thought out comments seem to recieve less flame.
The real difference happens either very early in childhood or is hardwired into the geans. I suspect the former based mostly on a child I know ( 12 now ) who would spend hours before the mirror fighting her hair and "simulating" makeup but would also "repair" small appliances. The latter probably has more to do with walking through my "lab" every day.
It is not hardwired. If you want to know why... I suggest you read the following:
The Body Project is basically about how our culture teaches women that their time should be spent preening, losing (or gaining) weight, putting on makeup, etc... Self image is warped.
It's a pretty cheap book and it will definitly change they way you view the world. If any of you are parents or soon to be parents, I suggest you read it. It will help you understand what the world will teach your daughters.
Male gamers go around looking for the best new toys. While they enjoy playing a game while they have it, they are eager to leave it in the dust as soon as something better comes along. We hunt relentlessly for new and more exciting experiences.
A little noun/pronoun replacement gives us another seemingly true statement:
Male gamers go around looking for the best new [women]. While they enjoy [censored] a [woman] while they have [her], they are eager to leave [her] in the dust as soon as some[one] better comes along. We hunt relentlessly for new and more exciting experiences.
And people say women aren't treated like objects in this society. I just thought that was interesting.
By the way... part of the reason there are so many male gamers is because there are so many males with computers. Part of the reason there are so many males with computers is because parents are more likely to buy a computer for their son than their daughter. (I do not want to hear lots of replies about how you know a girl with a computer and that's why this statement is false. I am talking statistics here, and I know how they can be skewed too =) I know a lot of you probably felt an irrational flash of anger when you read that (because I did too) but if you think about it, it does kinda make sense.
yes, i'm a bit ignorant (stuck in high school and all) but i certainly am not sexist
Yes, you are sexist. I don't mean that offensively; I was sexist in high school too. American (and I believe other nationalities too) males have about a 0% chance of not becoming sexist. Study psycology. It is possible to socialize males to identify with (traditionally) female gender traits, and the opposite is true. Anecdotal evidence that you have picked up falls through when you realize that your "objective" observations are influenced by the system you are judging.
As far as learning goes... you wouldn't expect a windows user to understand the beauty of command line without having it all explianed to them would you? I don't expect you to understand just how much of your male gender identity has been spoon fed to you by the world that shaped you. We all see how Microsoft's advertising FUD can affect completly "rational" people.
You may respond, "But there has to be a reason that it is like this! I mean it diddn't just randomly develop this way".
However, I think most/. readers tend be skeptical when it comes to believing what is handed to them without examining the source code. Well, here the source code is a culture, and most people think that the reason they like barbie doll figures is due to genetic makeup. A quick stroll through the Metropolitan Museum of Art should indicate that it hasn't always been that way. =)
So, I enjoy hacking on our culture. I get the same pleasure out of knowing that I have decided on an OS that suits my needs after seeing the alternatives, as well as a social stance against sexism. I was taught sexism, and I was taught DOS. I learned UNIX and I learned true equality. I am a happy man on both counts.
I will show you some places to look if you have the desire to learn more about this system. RTFM if you will. First, talk to the experts. (women) If you don't have a girlfriend or female friends, talk to your mother, sister, or family. Understand that the might not even be aware of how they are affected. Try to see all of the differences in treatment and try to reason if they are really justified or just FUD.
- pos
P.S. Just to staighten everyone out: Gender is a social construct and sex refers to a person's "equipment".
Linux is not for everyone yet. It has a pretty steep and frustrating learning curve. Persistance will pay off, however. Cable Modems are simple to run off of Linux. I know that ADSL is easy if you have an external hardware DSL modem like my company does. (Actually we use BSD as our server) I have heard that any DSL isn't so hard to set up in linux but I have no first hand knowledge.
Linux is like a multi-user, multi-tasking, DOS on steroids. You need a GUI to sit on top of it if you want a windowing environment much the way win3.1/win95/win98 sit on top of DOS.
Try MandrakeLinux first because it is the most beginner friendly. Hope this helps and good luck.
Well, I'm taking ordinary plutonium atoms and just modifying them slightly.
The idea is that GE can set off a chain reaction just as deadly. The problem is that we are all afraid of, and respect, nuclear power because we (a government) already used it to blow a couple of cities up. We didn't understand the bomb when we tested it and there was no way the researchers could know that it wouldn't destroy much more. We were willing to take the chance due to the circumstances. In this case we (a company working toward it's own interests) could be setting off a chain reaction of environmental effects.
The reason I posted this article, is that I saw it the same way I view Linux. Big company trying to use it's money and power to control and develop a monopoly. BTW, here's my original rant. (I was pretty pissed off.;)
Think about the thermodynamics of the situation for a moment. The plants produce energy, the energy comes from converting radioactivity into heat. So the total amount of radioactivity has to decline, right?
To put what sumocide said a little clearer, radioactivity is an emission from the atom's nucleus. Fission is not the process of collecting these emissions to heat water. Fission is forcing this breakdown in a controlled chain reaction to heat water. Most importantly, the atom you end up with is not gauranteed to be safer in any way.
Check. It does appear that the original poster knows more about this than I gave him credit for.
This is the problem with slashdot. gotta love it. =)
The clean-up technologies don't neatly separate from the production technologies. For example if you're really good at cleaning up stray particles of radioactive metals, you may be able to do it inside the gates of the plant. So that's prevention, right?
Good point. The reason I brought up this horribly offtopic thread is that we make the assuption that we fully understand the problem. We fully understand the effects of genetic engineering. Check out this to see what I'm saying:
an excerp:** But now that Bt is continuously present in whole fields of Monsanto potatoes, the insects in those field will be continuously exposed to Bt. Therefore it is only a matter of time before they develop "resistance" and become immune to Bt's toxic effects. The mechanism of resistance is well understood because over 500 insects have become resistant to one pesticide or another since 1945. Not every potato beetle will be killed by eating Monsanto's pesticidal potatoes. A few hardy beetles will survive. When those few resistant beetles mate with other resistant beetles, a new variety of potato beetle will spring into being and it will thrive by eating Monsanto's potatoes. At that point, Bt will have lost its effectiveness as a pesticide. Then Monsanto will start marketing some new "silver bullet" to control the Colorado potato beetle. But what will the nation's organic farmers do? For private gain, Monsanto will have destroyed a public good --the natural pesticidal properties of Bt. Monsanto scientists acknowledged to the NEW YORK TIMES that the Bt-containing potato will create Bt- resistant potato beetles. They know exactly what they are trying to do. They are hoping to make a mint selling Bt-laced potatoes and, in the process, depriving their competitors (organic farmers) of an essential, time-honored tool. The strategy is brilliant, and utterly ruthless.
** For decades, Monsanto and other agrichemical companies have relentlessly promoted farming systems aimed at making farmers dependent on synthetic chemicals. With the enthusiastic support and complicity of USDA, the plan worked beautifully.
Sounds a little like Microsoft. =) They even talk about it in terms of OS's. Furthermore, there is evidence that genetically engineered corn is killing the monarch butterfly, and bees feeding off genetically engineered food live shorter lives and have less ability to recognise flower smells. Do you think the genetic engineers really reserched that? hell no.
I know that you think that people who question this are just "old-fashioned" or crazy but really I think it is good to educate yourself in the opposition's view. Sometimes it is over the top and reactionary. Much like your average linux zealot.
If you really know this, it doesn't seem to have sunk in. The fact that we worry about where to put nuclear waste is an advantage of nuclear power.
No really it has. I am not saying that nuclear power is worse than coal/oil/whatever. I am saying that we often look to solve tecnology problems with more technology. This leads to a downward spiral of "solutions" when we should be looking at the causes of problems.
BTW, your comment about waste being good because it is not in the air is a good one but will probably go unnoticed. I just want the people who develop technology to realize that they are probably not going to fix the world with their new toys. Prevention.
Ok folks, here's the problem: It is not OK to be making all of this radioactive crap in the first place. Sure, I know, we all need energy and nuclear is cleaner than blah blah blah..... but really this is how we get into this mess in the first place. A lot of technology only exists for fixing the problems that we created. I so much wish that instead of sprawling out all over this planet we would stop and look at what we are doing to ourselves and our lives. Technology is fun and all but at what cost?
Americans have horrible diets. They eat 50% more meat than 100 years ago and 50% less fruit/veggies than 100 years ago because meat used to be somthing special that you couldn't afford to eat every night. Now, what is the answer to america's health problems? (Jeopardy! music)
What are: fat burning "natural herbal remedies", fat blocking drugs, and WOW! Potato Chips!
This whole get rid of nuclear waste problem should really be: Let's find ways not to produce so much nuclear waste. While we are at it: Let's find ways to eat better, Lets find ways to live healthier, and Lets find ways to see problems as being caused by something preventable.
I am tired of the band-aid, "shoot those cows full of antibiotics so we can treat them worse without killing them; their antibiotic resistant bacteria will never travel to humans" kind of mentality. The problem isn't that we have oil spills. The problem is that we haven't genetically engineered enough oil eating bacteria. I try to eat organic but it costs 2x as much. You know what, I think it is worth it knowing that I at least try to support sustainable farming practices.
Humans are so egocentric. All of theese huge corporations run by arrogant jerks. The problem with self made men (and women) is that they tend to worship their creator. At least some corporations have some conscience.
Everything 2 seems to be grinding to a halt. I thought slashdoters would be prepared for slashdotting.;)
Anyways, can someone tell me why e2 was created? What was everything lacking? Creeping featureism? I think features are good (don't get me wrong) but really, what was missing. My opinion is that all nodes in e2 are just subject titles with a tiny bit of info. Miles wide but inches deep. (much like some parts of the internet) They say they want to catalog all of the universe's data but each topic (node) is usually 2 sentences long. Plus each new node write up seems to replace all of the data of the previous instead of adding to it.
Perhaps I will bring it over there to discuss once it is not being slashdotted.
As DigitalG mentioned there appears to be an xml.apache.org and it is good to see that you sucessfully implemented an XML app on linux. These are good starts. Perhaps you can point me to a resource where I can find applications (in the XML terminology) or schemata for things like configuration files of intel systems, linux apps, etc...
It seems the only languages that have been written in XML are things like MathML, CML and others. We can use the XML meta language to describe a linux system. All wee need is to find the common elements and represent them in an XML language. It will self evolve from there.
Maybe I'm missing something but, I think this is really important. Is it harder than this? (I'm sure) Is it not worth it?
I was just about to ASK SLASHDOT about XML. XML will solve the search problem (or at least help make it better) Working drafts of XML have been drawn up by the W3 Consorium and XLINK, XSL, etc... are coming. There are almost no XML applications available yet though!!!!! most of what is available is in java. This is a field where Linux could be leading the pack, but is instead an example where I think we are lagging behind. (I hope someone can point me to a group that is bringing XML deep into the linux os)
I want to know if Linux is on top of this. Microsoft has an XML notepad available and I hear that it's going to be all over Win2000 (in the registry even). XML will be the foundation of the new internet and we don't want microsoft to have a technology edge there do we? Perl has XML modules, as I am sure other languages do too (python). Lets get some apps written!
What about Gnome and KDE? this could help make their projects easier. Especially KDE with all of the object similatrities between Corba and XML and Object RDB's. All Config files could be theoretically stored in XML. We need to push this one people!
I think it comes down to drugs being the "band aid fix" and lifestyle changes/homeopatic being the preventitive medicine. I have seen people who are depressed. And really, I know the difference between depressed and sad (I am not sure most people do).
I understand that depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain and I believe it. I have spent hours trying to convince someone that they should at least look into the idea of getting medication. I only question what causes it? The chemistry inside of a biological system is too complex for modern science to figure out.
Mental medication should not be administered without psycology. Psychiatry and psycology should go hand in hand but often don't. I think it is an abomidation that anyone takes prozac/paxil/whatever and then thinks, "I'm fixed!" I know that there are some cases where it is too difficult but most people should be searching for the source of the problems. Mental health does have a stigma attached to it in the USA (and elsewhere) because we think that it is these people who have problems. I have come to believe that everyone has problems but it is people in mental health that have decided or been forced to deal with it.
My personal belief is that 90-100% of all people could gain something from therapy. Few choose to because strong people can deal with it without help. Asking for help should not be shameful. I diddn't need help, but I am much more satisfied with my life now that I am examining where I am coming from, what I want, who my friends are, what makes me uncomfortable and why, etc...
America is all about funding tertiary care not primary prevention.
Pharmacuticals would love if every american took their drug even if they don't need it.
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
Re:Revolution-proofing the elites
on
WTO + SDMI = NWO
·
· Score: 2
Moreover, it is in the best interest of the upper class to keep the middle class happy. The upper class is a very very small group of people comparitively who depend on the midddle and lower classes for labor and votes.
One way of getting the middle class to protect the upper is to let them think that they are on the same level. A lot of people will describe their lifestyles as upper-middle class when they are probably just average. Middle class workers think they are just a few more years from "making it big" when really they will probably never make it big. They will however, blame all of their problems on the lower/middle classes because they are "upper-middle class going on upper class"
I don't disagree with you that the middle class has power. However, I stipulate that it lacks organization and driving will. Those things are supplied artificially by "elites" through news, entertainment, and commercials.
Even if they had organization it would be in the wrong direction. If the will were ever against the upper class then it would be labeled a small group of extreme thinkers.
I see lots of people debating on/. for the WTO like it is their god and safety. Like it cares about the hacker workforce. The WTO worships money and will dispose of your precious rights and freedom as soon as it stands to make money. Worship that;)
The point of outrage is not that he is guilty but that the FBI is investigating him on apperently shakey grounds (don't know the details cuz it's/.ed) I hear people say, "If you haven't done anything wrong, then you shouldn't care because you have nothing to hide". The problem with that is that first the government/authority/church/company/whatever (they are all basically the same) gets the ability to find out whatever they want. Second, and simultaneously, they stretch the rules so that they are allowed to. Lastly, they change the rules.
So I have nothing to hide now, that's true. But what if something I believe in becomes illegal later? That's one of the evils of uninforced rules too.
Slashdot Mirror
Just in case anyone is curious.... here's the book to read if you want to improve your oo code 10 fold. It includes the above mentioned "decorator" pattern as well as about 20 others:
Design Patterns
This is the book that helped me move from writing Hello World type of oo applications to truly far reaching, extendable, and maintainable apps. Also, it made my applications more modular and therefore made the workload more easily distributed across a team of people... something that is very important to OSS developers and also something that they don't really teach you in school very well.
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
Try the Agenda!
Runs linux, fltk (16 shade greyscale), full tcp/ip stack, serial port, and should be able to load qt... in theory. I haven't gotten mine yet but the developer version is only ~$180, Flashable, and ships Real Soon Now(Tm)
I'm gonna try to get Qt on it as soon as I get it.
have fun!
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
I asked for one and the guy asked me all kinds of info which I didn't want to give him. He told me that they have to record who is getting these things and wouldn't budge even though I argued with him. I ended up walking out without it.
You might have just gotten lucky. Seems like "corporate policy" only goes as far as an employee cares to enforce it. =) I need to find me a Ripoff Shack that emloys "slackers".
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
Open Blender, crate a plane... e-key, e-key, e-key
Create textures (including screenshot of C|Net), lighting (spot), marble surface
Open emacs, type HTML tags, upload site
Submit story to slashdot.
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
What ever happened to the push for a radio network of internet hosts/servers? I remember reading about it in 2600 and even once heard that there were 3 or 4 nodes up...
The idea was to create a home grown internet that was controlled by users and not just phone companies. (for example: the internet backbone) They were going to run packets through radio signals.
Seems like this could restart that trend. It would be fun to set up a radio network between houses, and I can even see practical use in sending between small offices. Of course all of your normal cryptography would have to be in place...
I also thought that the fcc put limits on how long you could transmit constant signal before you had to allow some dead air time. Perhaps not in this bandwidth?
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
Perhaps you don't realize how much you can affect the world around you. You say you are making more money than the rest of your family.... You say you are working for a successful corporation... Great!
You are in a position to say those things at the times which they are most agregious. (I sound a little like eliza don't I?) Are you going to say them? Will you even know it if you do?
No seriously, I think that you would be surprised how much more effective leading by example is than preaching to the masses (or even slashdot!). Live a good life, learn about your learned biases, encourage others to live a good life (don't force them)... and then educate all those around you in a passive manner. Sure you wont see it happen all at once but you can make huge changes in people with small pushes.
lead.
-pos
P.S. I think it was nice that Ellen Spertus included the advantages that she saw that women have.
I respect that because it shows to me that she is secure in knowing that she has made a good argument and can point out the other side. She expects to be speaking with an open-minded, intelligent crowd. Nice touch.
The truth is more important than the facts.
When I hear someone whine about how they are poor at math or science or computers because their teacher didn't call on them enough in school or their teacher didn't instill enough self-confidence in them (pardon me, but isn't self-confidence, by virtue of its name, something that cannot be instilled by an external force?)
:-P ) ).
That's rediculous, and I think the only reason you are saying it is to put in some silly joke. For that reason I will, in fact, pardon you. Self confidence can and must be taught. Furthermore, it is fully possible to teach someone to have no self-confidence, especially if we are talking about the developing years of someone's life. You might be born ignorant and full of confidence but given enough frowns, verbal reprimands, positive attention for passive behaviour, etc... you would be as meek as a mouse, regardless of gender. The idea is to look at a society as objectively as possible (which includes the assumption that you might be wrong (which you are
Perhaps what makes boys excel more often in science is precisely this same attitude and enthusiasm that is exhibited in grade school. Instead of shutting it down and tuning them out, in favor of shy quiet girls, coax the girls out of their shells.
Good idea! Unfortunatly this must be done by the parents and teachers, who are also not aware of the messages they are inadvertantly sending. That is one of the reasons girls do better in an all girl school. Not because they "can't handle the competition" but instead because the teachers will not have their own gender bias affect the children as much. They treat all of the girls (mostly) like they would treat boys in a mixed gender school.
Most of my life in school, I scores in the top percentiles of those SAT tests were sheer luck. Anyone could have pulled it off.
...
I took the time to explain my long -- probably boring -- story, because I'm a nobody who would be lucky to fall into the middle of any category or ranking of anything. But I've done what a lot of people whine that they could never do. And that's bullshit. It's utter fucking bullshit. It's cowardice. It's fear.
Well... I'm entertained by your story, however it is wholly irrelivant to the issue at hand. I hope you do very well in your position. The point is not to uphold anecdotal stories as facts that gender bias doesn't exist but to determine what is going on in our society. Any scientist would read your story and say "Hmmm, that's interesting... maybe we should study this and see if it hold up for an entire population of boys and girls." In fact, that's what scientists are doing all the time! In fact, that's what this article is about! Your story is only useful as a hypothosis, unless you enjoyed telling it (which you seemed to).
You want to know a secret? They are finding stuff that you don't want to think about. Think about it. What if they are absolutly, 100% right? What if they haven't even uncovered the half of it yet? Then how would you feel about your suffering and problems? Do you see a confilct of interest here? The sad fact is that everyone has a conflict of interest. Some people are, however, more aware of theirs.
Sometimes even scientists are biased because they can't stand that a concept that they are attached to and use to define their world-view might be based on an ugly truth.
-pos
The truth is more important than the facts.
It is very important for software companies to give the consumer the feeling that they are getting something for their money. In Niel (sp?) Stephenson's book, "In the Beginning was the Command Line..." he describes how mocrosoft basically invented the "packaged software" that gave the consumer the feeling that they were purchasing something other than a string of 1's and 0's that could be copied, shared, erased, deleted, etc...
I think that people want the whole package... I don't think we would even know what the phrase "packaged by weight, not by volume. Some settling of product may occur" would mean otherwise. There is a lot of psyc. in satisfying a consumer and part of that is to package the product well. If you want another example of this other than huge bags of potato chips and cereal boxes that are half full, go walk through a Barnes and Nobles or a Borders and examine the manufacturing of desire that book covers use.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
I recommend to everyone the book The Art of Happiness. It was written based on many interviews that the author conducted with the Dalai Lama. This was a very insightful read and I am finding applications of his advice in all areas of my life.
One of the ideas he suggests, is to consciously attempt to identify with your "enemies". They are just trying to be happy, just like you, right? So if someone angers you, then try and see why they said what they did. There is probably a good reason. They might be frustrated, or feel overwhelmed, or even have a personal issue with someone who likes Linux!(for example). Every one of those flames should have said something like: I understand that you think linux is too technical to approach. . . . If you think any other OS is better then perhaps I could point you to some information that shows otherwise . . . We would appreciate your help . . . etc. Every reply should have been positive and humble.
I think many people are more interested in protecting their fears and beliefs than truly trying to expand Linux. I also believe that a person who is afraid or insecure often responds to the criticism with anger. This is not the face Linux wants to put forward. If you are incapable of expressing your anger anyone but your precieved "enemies", then leave the advocacy to people who are.
Linux is not an exclusive club. We should all try to help people "get it", and if you flame other people for not getting it then you probably don't either.
I know dumb questions and bad press are annoying, but yelling at the press will only alienate them and cause them to have a personal stake in writing more bad press to vindicate themselves. Your flames only make things worse.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
I can't really see what open source has to do with this at all.
It's not about OS's and Open Source really. I think that what I'm trying to say is that freedom and free thought are held as ideals by most slashdot readers. A lot of them simply do not extend their code philosophy into other situations.
As an aside, I think that a lot of people like Open Source because they like to tinker with source code and Open Source gives them more source code to do that with. However, I personally think skepticism is a big part of Open Source. It won't crash? Show me the code. No security holes? Prove it.
P.S. Don't take this as a flame - the rest ofyour comment was well thought out.
Thank you. Well thought out comments seem to recieve less flame.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
The real difference happens either very early in childhood or is hardwired into the geans. I suspect the former based mostly on a child I know ( 12 now ) who would spend hours before the mirror fighting her hair and "simulating" makeup but would also "repair" small appliances. The latter probably has more to do with walking through my "lab" every day.
It is not hardwired. If you want to know why... I suggest you read the following:
The Body Project is basically about how our culture teaches women that their time should be spent preening, losing (or gaining) weight, putting on makeup, etc... Self image is warped.
It's a pretty cheap book and it will definitly change they way you view the world. If any of you are parents or soon to be parents, I suggest you read it. It will help you understand what the world will teach your daughters.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Here's the reason...
Male gamers go around looking for the best new toys. While they enjoy playing a game while they have it, they are eager to leave it in the dust as soon as something better comes along. We hunt relentlessly for new and more exciting experiences.
A little noun/pronoun replacement gives us another seemingly true statement:
Male gamers go around looking for the best new [women]. While they enjoy [censored] a [woman] while they have [her], they are eager to leave [her] in the dust as soon as some[one] better comes along. We hunt relentlessly for new and more exciting experiences.
And people say women aren't treated like objects in this society. I just thought that was interesting.
By the way... part of the reason there are so many male gamers is because there are so many males with computers. Part of the reason there are so many males with computers is because parents are more likely to buy a computer for their son than their daughter. (I do not want to hear lots of replies about how you know a girl with a computer and that's why this statement is false. I am talking statistics here, and I know how they can be skewed too =) I know a lot of you probably felt an irrational flash of anger when you read that (because I did too) but if you think about it, it does kinda make sense.
flame on.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
yes, i'm a bit ignorant (stuck in high school and all) but i certainly am not sexist
Yes, you are sexist. I don't mean that offensively; I was sexist in high school too. American (and I believe other nationalities too) males have about a 0% chance of not becoming sexist. Study psycology. It is possible to socialize males to identify with (traditionally) female gender traits, and the opposite is true. Anecdotal evidence that you have picked up falls through when you realize that your "objective" observations are influenced by the system you are judging.
As far as learning goes... you wouldn't expect a windows user to understand the beauty of command line without having it all explianed to them would you? I don't expect you to understand just how much of your male gender identity has been spoon fed to you by the world that shaped you. We all see how Microsoft's advertising FUD can affect completly "rational" people.
You may respond, "But there has to be a reason that it is like this! I mean it diddn't just randomly develop this way".
However, I think most
when it comes to believing what is handed to them without examining the source code. Well, here the source code is a culture, and most people think that the reason they like barbie doll figures is due to genetic makeup. A quick stroll through the Metropolitan Museum of Art should indicate that it hasn't always been that way. =)
So, I enjoy hacking on our culture. I get the same pleasure out of knowing that I have decided on an OS that suits my needs after seeing the alternatives, as well as a social stance against sexism. I was taught sexism, and I was taught DOS. I learned UNIX and I learned true equality. I am a happy man on both counts.
I will show you some places to look if you have the desire to learn more about this system. RTFM if you will. First, talk to the experts. (women) If you don't have a girlfriend or female friends, talk to your mother, sister, or family. Understand that the might not even be aware of how they are affected. Try to see all of the differences in treatment and try to reason if they are really justified or just FUD.
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P.S. Just to staighten everyone out: Gender is a social construct and sex refers to a person's "equipment".
The truth is more important than the facts.
Linux is not for everyone yet. It has a pretty steep and frustrating learning curve. Persistance will pay off, however. Cable Modems are simple to run off of Linux. I know that ADSL is easy if you have an external hardware DSL modem like my company does. (Actually we use BSD as our server) I have heard that any DSL isn't so hard to set up in linux but I have no first hand knowledge.
Go to Linux Newbie for info.
Linux is like a multi-user, multi-tasking, DOS on steroids. You need a GUI to sit on top of it if you want a windowing environment much the way win3.1/win95/win98 sit on top of DOS.
Try MandrakeLinux first because it is the most beginner friendly. Hope this helps and good luck.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Doing even more coke so I can work even harder.
I hope you're talking about Coca-Cola (R) =)
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Well, I'm taking ordinary plutonium atoms and just modifying them slightly.
;)
The idea is that GE can set off a chain reaction just as deadly. The problem is that we are all afraid of, and respect, nuclear power because we (a government) already used it to blow a couple of cities up. We didn't understand the bomb when we tested it and there was no way the researchers could know that it wouldn't destroy much more. We were willing to take the chance due to the circumstances. In this case we (a company working toward it's own interests) could be setting off a chain reaction of environmental effects.
The reason I posted this article, is that I saw it the same way I view Linux. Big company trying to use it's money and power to control and develop a monopoly. BTW, here's my original rant. (I was pretty pissed off.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Think about the thermodynamics of the situation for a moment. The plants produce energy, the energy comes from converting radioactivity into heat. So the total amount of radioactivity has to decline, right?
To put what sumocide said a little clearer, radioactivity is an emission from the atom's nucleus. Fission is not the process of collecting these emissions to heat water. Fission is forcing this breakdown in a controlled chain reaction to heat water. Most importantly, the atom you end up with is not gauranteed to be safer in any way.
Check. It does appear that the original poster knows more about this than I gave him credit for.
This is the problem with slashdot. gotta love it. =)
The clean-up technologies don't neatly separate from the production technologies. For example if you're really good at cleaning up stray particles of radioactive metals, you may be able to do it inside the gates of the plant. So that's prevention, right?
Good point. The reason I brought up this horribly offtopic thread is that we make the assuption that we fully understand the problem. We fully understand the effects of genetic engineering. Check out this to see what I'm saying:
Seeds of destruction
an excerp:** But now that Bt is continuously present in whole fields of Monsanto potatoes, the insects in those field will be continuously exposed to Bt.
Therefore it is only a matter of time before they develop "resistance" and become immune to Bt's toxic effects.
The mechanism of resistance is well understood because over 500 insects have become resistant to one pesticide or another since 1945. Not every potato beetle will be killed by eating Monsanto's pesticidal potatoes. A few hardy beetles will survive. When those few resistant beetles mate with other resistant beetles, a new variety of potato beetle will spring into being and it will thrive by eating Monsanto's potatoes. At that point, Bt will have lost its effectiveness as a pesticide. Then Monsanto will start marketing some new "silver bullet" to control the Colorado potato beetle. But what will the nation's organic farmers do? For private gain, Monsanto will have destroyed a public good --the natural pesticidal properties of Bt. Monsanto scientists acknowledged to the NEW YORK TIMES that the Bt-containing potato will create Bt- resistant potato beetles. They know exactly what they are trying to do. They are hoping to make a mint selling Bt-laced potatoes and, in the process, depriving their competitors (organic farmers) of an essential, time-honored tool. The strategy is brilliant, and utterly ruthless.
** For decades, Monsanto and other agrichemical companies have relentlessly promoted farming systems aimed at making farmers dependent on
synthetic chemicals. With the enthusiastic support and complicity of USDA, the plan worked beautifully.
Sounds a little like Microsoft. =) They even talk about it in terms of OS's. Furthermore, there is evidence that genetically engineered corn is killing the monarch butterfly, and bees feeding off genetically engineered food live shorter lives and have less ability to recognise flower smells. Do you think the genetic engineers really reserched that? hell no.
I know that you think that people who question this are just "old-fashioned" or crazy but really I think it is good to educate yourself in the opposition's view. Sometimes it is over the top and reactionary. Much like your average linux zealot.
flame on.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
If you really know this, it doesn't seem to have sunk in. The fact that we worry about where to put nuclear waste is an advantage of nuclear power.
No really it has. I am not saying that nuclear power is worse than coal/oil/whatever. I am saying that we often look to solve tecnology problems with more technology. This leads to a downward spiral of "solutions" when we should be looking at the causes of problems.
BTW, your comment about waste being good because it is not in the air is a good one but will probably go unnoticed. I just want the people who develop technology to realize that they are probably not going to fix the world with their new toys. Prevention.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Ok folks, here's the problem: It is not OK to be making all of this radioactive crap in the first place. Sure, I know, we all need energy and nuclear is cleaner than blah blah blah..... but really this is how we get into this mess in the first place. A lot of technology only exists for fixing the problems that we created. I so much wish that instead of sprawling out all over this planet we would stop and look at what we are doing to ourselves and our lives. Technology is fun and all but at what cost?
Americans have horrible diets. They eat 50% more meat than 100 years ago and 50% less fruit/veggies than 100 years ago because meat used to be somthing special that you couldn't afford to eat every night. Now, what is the answer to america's health problems? (Jeopardy! music)
What are: fat burning "natural herbal remedies", fat blocking drugs, and WOW! Potato Chips!
This whole get rid of nuclear waste problem should really be: Let's find ways not to produce so much nuclear waste. While we are at it: Let's find ways to eat better, Lets find ways to live healthier, and Lets find ways to see problems as being caused by something preventable.
I am tired of the band-aid, "shoot those cows full of antibiotics so we can treat them worse without killing them; their antibiotic resistant bacteria will never travel to humans" kind of mentality. The problem isn't that we have oil spills. The problem is that we haven't genetically engineered enough oil eating bacteria. I try to eat organic but it costs 2x as much. You know what, I think it is worth it knowing that I at least try to support sustainable farming practices.
Humans are so egocentric. All of theese huge corporations run by arrogant jerks. The problem with self made men (and women) is that they tend to worship their creator. At least some corporations have some conscience.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Everything 2 seems to be grinding to a halt. I thought slashdoters would be prepared for slashdotting. ;)
Anyways, can someone tell me why e2 was created? What was everything lacking? Creeping featureism? I think features are good (don't get me wrong) but really, what was missing. My opinion is that all nodes in e2 are just subject titles with a tiny bit of info. Miles wide but inches deep. (much like some parts of the internet) They say they want to catalog all of the universe's data but each topic (node) is usually 2 sentences long. Plus each new node write up seems to replace all of the data of the previous instead of adding to it.
Perhaps I will bring it over there to discuss once it is not being slashdotted.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
As DigitalG mentioned there appears to be an xml.apache.org and it is good to see that you sucessfully implemented an XML app on linux. These are good starts. Perhaps you can point me to a resource where I can find applications (in the XML terminology) or schemata for things like configuration files of intel systems, linux apps, etc...
It seems the only languages that have been written in XML are things like MathML, CML and others. We can use the XML meta language to describe a linux system. All wee need is to find the common elements and represent them in an XML language. It will self evolve from there.
Maybe I'm missing something but, I think this is really important. Is it harder than this? (I'm sure) Is it not worth it?
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The truth is more important than the facts.
I was just about to ASK SLASHDOT about XML. XML will solve the search problem (or at least help make it better) Working drafts of XML have been drawn up by the W3 Consorium and XLINK, XSL, etc... are coming. There are almost no XML applications available yet though!!!!! most of what is available is in java. This is a field where Linux could be leading the pack, but is instead an example where I think we are lagging behind. (I hope someone can point me to a group that is bringing XML deep into the linux os)
I want to know if Linux is on top of this. Microsoft has an XML notepad available and I hear that it's going to be all over Win2000 (in the registry even). XML will be the foundation of the new internet and we don't want microsoft to have a technology edge there do we? Perl has XML modules, as I am sure other languages do too (python). Lets get some apps written!
What about Gnome and KDE? this could help make their projects easier. Especially KDE with all of the object similatrities between Corba and XML and Object RDB's. All Config files could be theoretically stored in XML. We need to push this one people!
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The truth is more important than the facts.
I think it comes down to drugs being the "band aid fix" and lifestyle changes/homeopatic being the preventitive medicine. I have seen people who are depressed. And really, I know the difference between depressed and sad (I am not sure most people do).
I understand that depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain and I believe it. I have spent hours trying to convince someone that they should at least look into the idea of getting medication. I only question what causes it? The chemistry inside of a biological system is too complex for modern science to figure out.
Mental medication should not be administered without psycology. Psychiatry and psycology should go hand in hand but often don't. I think it is an abomidation that anyone takes prozac/paxil/whatever and then thinks, "I'm fixed!" I know that there are some cases where it is too difficult but most people should be searching for the source of the problems. Mental health does have a stigma attached to it in the USA (and elsewhere) because we think that it is these people who have problems. I have come to believe that everyone has problems but it is people in mental health that have decided or been forced to deal with it.
My personal belief is that 90-100% of all people could gain something from therapy. Few choose to because strong people can deal with it without help. Asking for help should not be shameful. I diddn't need help, but I am much more satisfied with my life now that I am examining where I am coming from, what I want, who my friends are, what makes me uncomfortable and why, etc...
America is all about funding tertiary care not primary prevention.
Pharmacuticals would love if every american took their drug even if they don't need it.
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The truth is more important than the facts.
Moreover, it is in the best interest of the upper class to keep the middle class happy. The upper class is a very very small group of people comparitively who depend on the midddle and lower classes for labor and votes.
/. for the WTO like it is their god and safety. Like it cares about the hacker workforce. The WTO worships money and will dispose of your precious rights and freedom as soon as it stands to make money. Worship that ;)
One way of getting the middle class to protect the upper is to let them think that they are on the same level. A lot of people will describe their lifestyles as upper-middle class when they are probably just average. Middle class workers think they are just a few more years from "making it big" when really they will probably never make it big. They will however, blame all of their problems on the lower/middle classes because they are "upper-middle class going on upper class"
I don't disagree with you that the middle class has power. However, I stipulate that it lacks organization and driving will. Those things are supplied artificially by "elites" through news, entertainment, and commercials.
Even if they had organization it would be in the wrong direction. If the will were ever against the upper class then it would be labeled a small group of extreme thinkers.
I see lots of people debating on
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The truth is more important than the facts.
The point of outrage is not that he is guilty but that the FBI is investigating him on apperently shakey grounds (don't know the details cuz it's /.ed) I hear people say, "If you haven't done anything wrong, then you shouldn't care because you have nothing to hide". The problem with that is that first the government/authority/church/company/whatever (they are all basically the same) gets the ability to find out whatever they want. Second, and simultaneously, they stretch the rules so that they are allowed to. Lastly, they change the rules.
So I have nothing to hide now, that's true. But what if something I believe in becomes illegal later? That's one of the evils of uninforced rules too.
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The truth is more important than the facts.