You are so absolutely right that our current atmosphere around computers is just absurd.
Everyone who uses Linux is a geek while all the clueless people are using Windows. I'm being objective here, Windows has so many quirks and flaws that people learn to just live with that it's really a sad satire of how computer use really should be.
My graduate professor in usability engineering brings his Win2k laptop to class to show us powerpoint presentations. Neither he nor anyone in the class can figure out why plugging into the ethernet in the classroom means that html links from his PP to.jpg images prevents the links from working, though they work fine in his office, but if he leaves the ethernet unplugged in the classroom, everything works fine. Honestly, WTF? Even if someone here can reply with an explanation, WTF?
Installing and maintaining Linux is still very complicated compared to the alternatives, but for non-computer people who just want a tool that they cannot break and doesn't assault them with vague, bizarre dialogue boxes about illegal operations and so forth should be using Linux.
There is a lack of fully developed (or well publicized and popular) business applications for Linux, but there is just as great a problem among geeks who aren't very receptive to the idea of installing/maintaining stripped down Gnome/KDE installations for people who literally could not care less about computers. They do not want five different text editors and couldn't even care that they exist; they don't need a "Start menu" (or analogous name) with 59 sub-menus. They need an office computer that looks and functions more like an information kiosk or ATM, not the standard Windows installation that gives every soccer mom the ability to fark up the entire machine in 1700 different ways.
I do understand the distinction between a DSP and CPU though it wasn't very evident in my comment. Even though this is a DSP, I'm left wondering what type of equipment is going to supply this thing with enough data to justify 8 trillion ops per second.
Even if this thing takes 64 inputs at a time, isn't it still capable of taking inputs at 125 GHz? If it takes 256 bits of input we're all the way down to 31 GHz, assuming an ideal situation in real time. I did SCAN TFA;)
I'm not saying that I think this thing is dumb, I just don't see how they can call this a commercial application. Guiding missles isn't something I shop for at Walmart. It's surely a useful research tool (like I previously mentioned) and apparently useful for military applications, but I'm still left wondering what type of commercial application this thing would serve.
For real, what's the point of 8 trillion operations per second when there's no existing memory to support it (of which I am aware)? So this chip runs REALLY REALLY FAST on code that's REALLY REALLY SMALL, and otherwise it's bottlenecked by the memory bus and memory speeds.
I appreciate that it's a great demonstration of new technology, but maybe it's a little premature to call this a new commercial chip. It sounds to me like a demonstration of a research project or an exposition of things to come.
It's quite possible that I'm completely ignorant about this, but to whom do they expect to sell the latest and greatest THREE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE increase in memory bottleneck?
I'm not sure a license to use the internet is the right solution, but there IS a huge issue of accountability these days.
I'm all for privacy and anonymity, but when 1 anonymous person has the potential to introduce a virus that can bring down a corporation's network (or neighborhood's broadband access) through sheer negligence, I very strongly start to question the limits of that privacy.
Of course, a fantastic solution to the problem would be software that doesn't have 59,000 exploits and so many features designed to "Help You Out" that actually "Screw You Sideways", we probably wouldn't be having this discussion. I can't wait for the days when operating systems are bundled 1.) for clueless home users, 2.) for clueful home users, and 3.) for geeks/programmers/sysadmins/et cetera. Then Grandma, 13 year old file sharers, and non-technical corporate workers can be given plastic flatware for software rather than chainsaws and electric knives.
Anyway, something should be done. 5 years ago I would have been vehemently against any type of internet license but these days I'm beginning to think that the solution will be that or an operating system that functions under the assumption that the end user will have no idea if his computer is hacked, hijacked, trojaned, or back doored.
Well, you are absolutely right that these value-added incentives are not strictly aimed at thwarting file sharing. I only mentioned it because the original poster seemed so solid that final resolution of the RIAA/file sharing fiasco will be stricter laws. I really wonder if that poster would rule out more creative solutions to sell CDs as wrong-headed or just trendy.
The bundled DVD with the Johnny Cash CD surely doesn't lead me to buy the disc despite disliking his music; rather I was in the store with the idea that I might buy a CD if something struck me as worth the investment. I am the type of guy who hadn't bought a CD in years and gets the vast majority of his music by infringing on copyrights.
I like Johnny Cash, though, and his album was too new (and too non-pop) to be readily available online, plus the bundled video is, in my opinion, among the highest examples of film+music period. Without the DVD, I probably would have passed on the sale thinking that it was just another high priced CD that probably had a lot of filler tracks - in truth I only like 5 or 6 of the songs - but in retrospect it's still one of my best purchases.
And it's not that these things need to be thwart filesharing. 50 Cent is running a contest with the first million units of his latest album - not the first 5 million or the first 50 thousand. If the diamond giveaway turns out to actually be popular, it would make for a very shrewd way to go platinum, alleviate some of the pressure to impress the label, and line his pockets. (Not that the success of the album depends on the contest, but running what's basically a private lottery for people who DO buy the CD could easily push a LOT of people on the fence into putting up the cash and buying a pressed disc.) Depending on the popularity of the diamonds, this can all happen largely in parallel with rampant filesharing - 50 Cent is hedging his bets against people downloading his CD rather than sueing his fans. I don't necessarily like the guy or his music, but I have to show a little respect for the idea that he's going to give something away to make his money rather than drag people to court. (I know he isn't stopping the RIAA or anything, but still it's good to see someone try a positive alternative to their ethically vacuous crusade.)
And I'd bet the golden ticket idea comes straight from the chocolate factory.
Interesting points, but you do seem to advocate (or at least, predict) that all of these society-justified (is there a better word?) practices will be righted by legislation. Whether or not it is truly Right in the universal sense, or legal, or nice, our society does largely support the idea of file sharing.
Would you say it is then misguided for 50 Cent to put golden tickets for diamonds in 4 of his first million CD cases for his latest album? Johnny Cash's "American 4" included a DVD of a single video for the same price as a top name CD (and Cash certainly fits that bill.) These are plans to redefine the value of CD purchase to include something that fans cannot (easily) get by file sharing and seem to acknowledge that society tolerates this admitted widescale copyright infringement.
I'm not disagreeing, but curious how you would resolve these major label acts that are attempting to give fans a legitimate incentive to purchase the CD rather than download. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't a complete failure. "American 4" was the first CD I've bought in several years and specifically because I wanted the DVD with the video. If not for that, I would have likely downloaded the content regardless of a quasi-legal system like MIT's or stricter laws on outright file sharing.
My thoughts exactly! This heralds the triumphant return of Halt And Catch Fire to modern equipment!
And now, entertain mental images of laconic commuters drearily riding the subway home at night when suddenly somebody's wallet or purse bursts into flames. I'd have to point and laugh, because hey, what were you doing with that paper PCB? Finding the next largest prime? [sound of super nerdy laughter]
...there will be new laws in place outlawing this.
I wouldn't bank on it. It sounds like they have simply given end-user control to the same type of cable-tv music channels that practically every digital cable package includes. In essence, they have created a new and improved "Listener Request Show" on said cable music channels.
I'd think that any law against what MIT is doing would either prohibit broadcast of analog music (fat chance), listeners making requests for songs to play (fat chance), or be so acutely targeted at this LAMP system that it would beg to be tried in court.
My lesson for today is that ingenuity trumps legislation. The RIAA would be better off if they tried more things like 50 Cent putting golden tickets in retail CD cases. Not that this is the only or best solution, but at least the guy is doing something new and untried to get his album platinum and discourage piracy.
No, you weren't paying attention. Pin #1 is always on the same side on both drive types; the side closest to the drive's power connector, that is.
That is false.
For floppy drives, the rule (which I use without error) is that with the marked side of the cable on the right, the missing pins are on the top row. Sometimes this is places the marked conductor next to the power connector, sometimes below it, sometimes to the left. There is no consistency among floppy drive manufacturers in this regard.
So, simply remember that the missing pins are on the top with the stripe on the right.
In Cakewalk and Sonar, and probably other digital studio software, the scroll lock key changes the functionality between the screen following the playback and freely scrolling through the project. This is incredibly useful for editing on-the-fly while listening to the composition completely.
This function doesn't need to be on the scroll lock key, but if that key were removed, we composers would be locking and unlocking the auto-scroll with a key not labeled "ScrLk" (on my keyboard.) Oh, the humanity. I suppose that would be like hitting the "Start" button to stop the computer or pressing "Break-Windows" to get the control panel.
Anyhow, the scroll lock key is rather surprisingly used to lock the scroll.
Then color me confused, I thought it was bad to be lame, but now you're telling me that if my computer isn't a retarded badge of misanthropic penile fetish, I'm lame.
But maybe I'm trying to communicate across too great a divide here...
OT: Hypochondriacs are a slight hot-button with me - since a few members of my family are practically certifiable because of it.
And people that tell me their life story at every chance like I gave a crap is what annoys me. Seriously, what were you thinking? I saw a TV show 5 years ago about some crazy prototype cell phone and the horrible case of cancer it caused in the inventor, fast forward 25 years to find millions of people using cell phones around the clock and nobody has brain cancer, you added these up and concluded that I was NOT being fecitious about my reasons for avoiding cell phones?
What's this "Please, get a grip," nonsense? If my post were part of the SAT reading comprehension test, you'd be going to community college, pal. I think I have my situation under control, but uh, thanks for the advice, I'm glad it was free.
This is not Silly Putty, or anything like it. I'm sick and tired of people saying that the glue and borax formula...
Gosh, me too. Here's what you do.
Take a breather, then you and your Super Friends can meet at the Halls of Justice and concoct some plan to bring truth and balance back into this wacky world where evildoers peddle glue and borax and call it "Silly Putty".
Odd, because I vaguely recall a History Channel (or Discovery Channel, or Learning Channel) documentary on the earliest cellular phones (could have very well been "Modern Marvels") and they said that the guy using the first prototype of the modern cell phone (early 80s, according to my fuzzy memory of the show) didn't fare so well.
Just above and behind his right ear, the part of his brain that was directly next to the phone's antenna developed a tumor the size of an apple. I don't recall if they said he died or if it was removed, but the engineers had some modifications to make.
I believe they said that he only used the phone for a total of 2 or 3 hours for testing purposes, as well. If you're not a fan of these possibly-interesting vagueries, I definitely avoid owning a cell phone because of the superstitions that documentary injected into my brain like cancer causing radiation.
(Edited to include paragraph breaks. If only there was some sort of preview button!)
Don't have anything to say except that Ernie Ball has just made a lifetime customer out of me. Everytime I buy guitar strings I'll make a point of mentioning that I use Ernie Ball's because that company has the integrity to abandon software developed by a company convicted of attacking the American free market economy.
Being unemployed and/or finding better jobs is almost always a sensitive subject in guitar stores. I'm not some zealot who wantonly blames Microsoft for our current economic situation in the USA, but the regulations against abusing monopolistic powers are good laws because they protect the vitality of our market economy. Though practically unpunished, Microsoft indeed broke those laws, and every unemployed person whose job is/was affected by the technology sector ought to consider not only the direct actions of Microsoft's criminal activity but also the far reaching implications of stifling competition and stagnating their corner of the market. (How many companies shell out thousands of dollars for Microsoft licenses to use software that regularly obliterates their productivity with inane email worms? Wouldn't every employee benefit if those costs were recovered into the profits column?)
Anyway, Ernie Ball, you've easily sold another 20 sets of strings annually. A measly drop in the bucket, but perhaps more importantly you've gained an advocate for your pragmatic business sense, patriotic software use (intentional or not), and I've got to admit the management really has some Balls (tm). Keep it up and enjoy the business.
Don't have anything to say except that Ernie Ball has just made a lifetime customer out of me. Everytime I buy guitar strings I'll make a point of mentioning that I use Ernie Ball's because that company has the integrity to abandon software developed by a company convicted of attacking the American free market economy.
Being unemployed and/or finding better jobs is almost always a sensitive subject in guitar stores. I'm not some zealot who wantonly blames Microsoft for our current economic situation in the USA, but the regulations against abusing monopolistic powers are good laws because they protect the vitality of our market economy. Though practically unpunished, Microsoft indeed broke those laws, and every unemployed person whose job is/was affected by the technology sector ought to consider not only the direct actions of Microsoft's criminal activity but also the far reaching implications of stifling competition and stagnating their niche of the economy.
Anyway, Ernie Ball, you've easily sold another 20 sets of strings annually. A measly drop in the bucket, but perhaps more importantly you've gained an advocate for your pragmatic business sense, patriotic software use (intentional or not), and I've got to admit the management really has some Balls (tm). Keep it up and enjoy the business.
I cannot second the parent strongly enough. In fact, when my non-savvy friends recruit me to fix problems with their windows machines, I invariably state, "The first problem is that you're using an inferior web browser developed by criminals to line their pockets. We'll fix that with this superior browser designed to meet the user's needs." Download Phoenix/Mozilla depending on the friend's needs and I have never
never
never
gotten any feedback except "Oh my God! I love this thing! Thanks for showing me!"
Obviously this works best with home PCs and specific needs, because there are some issues with compatibility around the net and banking, etc., but for 99% of the people and 99% of their browsing, IE is a crap-sucking piece of marketing-hype uselessness and Phoenix/Mozilla is a dream come true.
This is a legitimate question from an aspiring non-lawyer...
It's my understanding that the anti-trust laws are in place not to prevent monopolies, but to prevent companies with monopolies from using that monopoly to muscle in to other markets. I'm fully aware that this isn't the legal definition, but I've always heard it explained this way.
It's a clear situation when BrandX widgets have total market dominance, and suddenly they only accept BrandX replacement fillers. That's a case of BrandX obsoleting all the competing replacement firms.
What if BrandX has $30 billion in loose change resources and can afford to sink the competition by writing off hugely unsuccessful business ventures? Is this not precisely the type of anti-competitive action the anti-trust laws are supposed to prevent? Why is one company, leveraged by its monopoly in one market, allowed to compete with a business model in a market that would bankrupt all the competition?
Is there some aspect of the anti-trust laws that elude me? Is there some other principle at play? I'm seriously inquiring, it would seem to me that this is a flagrant, blatant, and overt abuse of Microsoft's monopoly, and they own up to doing it in writing.
That's where the name comes from. I believe the first fossils of this creature were found in the Neander valley, Neanderthal in German, and the name was applied to the creature.
This is the best game ever. This is the best game ever. EVAR!!!11 I would happily pay money for future versions. Make it more sporting. Include different geography. Level 1, the simple residential flight of stairs. Level 10, the stairwell of a three story office building. The method for determining injuries is good, but it could be better. Others pointed out that its all impact; include strain and compression. Limit the joints range of motion a little bit. (Oh no, boss is coming!)
(He's gone, shew.) Handrails and doorknobs would be a plus. You could include some quirky plot, make it like Thief. You have to sneak around the office, driven by some unexplainable urge to shove people down stairs. Leave it unexplainable and focus on gameplay. If there's a witness, you get caught, game over. If the victim isn't hit hard enough in the head, he can tell people what happened, game over. And of course, powerups!
Eternal Implicit Disclaimer
on
Halloween VII
·
· Score: 2
Come on man, what does one have to do with the other? The half-insane cultural folklore in the Bible turns out to be exactly that, who would have thought? This doesn't scratch the surface of whether or not God exists.
Ancient Hebrews believed that the world was a hemisphere carved out of the surrounding chaos, or turbulent waters. When God wanted it to rain, he literally opened the windows in the sky and the waters of the universe poured through. That's pretty wacky, but I don't blame them for thinking so. It's not true, of course, but that doesn't have any bearing on the human spiritual condition.
Same thing with creationism. It's a nice story, sure, and I don't grudge the Ancient Hebrews for believing it was fact. It is, however, just a story, and that has absolutely nothing to do with humankind's very special need for meaning, comfort, guidance, and a belief in universal justice.
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Everyone who uses Linux is a geek while all the clueless people are using Windows. I'm being objective here, Windows has so many quirks and flaws that people learn to just live with that it's really a sad satire of how computer use really should be.
My graduate professor in usability engineering brings his Win2k laptop to class to show us powerpoint presentations. Neither he nor anyone in the class can figure out why plugging into the ethernet in the classroom means that html links from his PP to .jpg images prevents the links from working, though they work fine in his office, but if he leaves the ethernet unplugged in the classroom, everything works fine. Honestly, WTF? Even if someone here can reply with an explanation, WTF?
Installing and maintaining Linux is still very complicated compared to the alternatives, but for non-computer people who just want a tool that they cannot break and doesn't assault them with vague, bizarre dialogue boxes about illegal operations and so forth should be using Linux.
There is a lack of fully developed (or well publicized and popular) business applications for Linux, but there is just as great a problem among geeks who aren't very receptive to the idea of installing/maintaining stripped down Gnome/KDE installations for people who literally could not care less about computers. They do not want five different text editors and couldn't even care that they exist; they don't need a "Start menu" (or analogous name) with 59 sub-menus. They need an office computer that looks and functions more like an information kiosk or ATM, not the standard Windows installation that gives every soccer mom the ability to fark up the entire machine in 1700 different ways.
I do understand the distinction between a DSP and CPU though it wasn't very evident in my comment. Even though this is a DSP, I'm left wondering what type of equipment is going to supply this thing with enough data to justify 8 trillion ops per second.
Even if this thing takes 64 inputs at a time, isn't it still capable of taking inputs at 125 GHz? If it takes 256 bits of input we're all the way down to 31 GHz, assuming an ideal situation in real time. I did SCAN TFA ;)
I'm not saying that I think this thing is dumb, I just don't see how they can call this a commercial application. Guiding missles isn't something I shop for at Walmart. It's surely a useful research tool (like I previously mentioned) and apparently useful for military applications, but I'm still left wondering what type of commercial application this thing would serve.
I appreciate that it's a great demonstration of new technology, but maybe it's a little premature to call this a new commercial chip. It sounds to me like a demonstration of a research project or an exposition of things to come.
It's quite possible that I'm completely ignorant about this, but to whom do they expect to sell the latest and greatest THREE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE increase in memory bottleneck?
I'm all for privacy and anonymity, but when 1 anonymous person has the potential to introduce a virus that can bring down a corporation's network (or neighborhood's broadband access) through sheer negligence, I very strongly start to question the limits of that privacy.
Of course, a fantastic solution to the problem would be software that doesn't have 59,000 exploits and so many features designed to "Help You Out" that actually "Screw You Sideways", we probably wouldn't be having this discussion. I can't wait for the days when operating systems are bundled 1.) for clueless home users, 2.) for clueful home users, and 3.) for geeks/programmers/sysadmins/et cetera. Then Grandma, 13 year old file sharers, and non-technical corporate workers can be given plastic flatware for software rather than chainsaws and electric knives.
Anyway, something should be done. 5 years ago I would have been vehemently against any type of internet license but these days I'm beginning to think that the solution will be that or an operating system that functions under the assumption that the end user will have no idea if his computer is hacked, hijacked, trojaned, or back doored.
The bundled DVD with the Johnny Cash CD surely doesn't lead me to buy the disc despite disliking his music; rather I was in the store with the idea that I might buy a CD if something struck me as worth the investment. I am the type of guy who hadn't bought a CD in years and gets the vast majority of his music by infringing on copyrights.
I like Johnny Cash, though, and his album was too new (and too non-pop) to be readily available online, plus the bundled video is, in my opinion, among the highest examples of film+music period. Without the DVD, I probably would have passed on the sale thinking that it was just another high priced CD that probably had a lot of filler tracks - in truth I only like 5 or 6 of the songs - but in retrospect it's still one of my best purchases.
And it's not that these things need to be thwart filesharing. 50 Cent is running a contest with the first million units of his latest album - not the first 5 million or the first 50 thousand. If the diamond giveaway turns out to actually be popular, it would make for a very shrewd way to go platinum, alleviate some of the pressure to impress the label, and line his pockets. (Not that the success of the album depends on the contest, but running what's basically a private lottery for people who DO buy the CD could easily push a LOT of people on the fence into putting up the cash and buying a pressed disc.) Depending on the popularity of the diamonds, this can all happen largely in parallel with rampant filesharing - 50 Cent is hedging his bets against people downloading his CD rather than sueing his fans. I don't necessarily like the guy or his music, but I have to show a little respect for the idea that he's going to give something away to make his money rather than drag people to court. (I know he isn't stopping the RIAA or anything, but still it's good to see someone try a positive alternative to their ethically vacuous crusade.)
And I'd bet the golden ticket idea comes straight from the chocolate factory.
Would you say it is then misguided for 50 Cent to put golden tickets for diamonds in 4 of his first million CD cases for his latest album? Johnny Cash's "American 4" included a DVD of a single video for the same price as a top name CD (and Cash certainly fits that bill.) These are plans to redefine the value of CD purchase to include something that fans cannot (easily) get by file sharing and seem to acknowledge that society tolerates this admitted widescale copyright infringement.
I'm not disagreeing, but curious how you would resolve these major label acts that are attempting to give fans a legitimate incentive to purchase the CD rather than download. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't a complete failure. "American 4" was the first CD I've bought in several years and specifically because I wanted the DVD with the video. If not for that, I would have likely downloaded the content regardless of a quasi-legal system like MIT's or stricter laws on outright file sharing.
And now, entertain mental images of laconic commuters drearily riding the subway home at night when suddenly somebody's wallet or purse bursts into flames. I'd have to point and laugh, because hey, what were you doing with that paper PCB? Finding the next largest prime? [sound of super nerdy laughter]
I wouldn't bank on it. It sounds like they have simply given end-user control to the same type of cable-tv music channels that practically every digital cable package includes. In essence, they have created a new and improved "Listener Request Show" on said cable music channels.
I'd think that any law against what MIT is doing would either prohibit broadcast of analog music (fat chance), listeners making requests for songs to play (fat chance), or be so acutely targeted at this LAMP system that it would beg to be tried in court.
My lesson for today is that ingenuity trumps legislation. The RIAA would be better off if they tried more things like 50 Cent putting golden tickets in retail CD cases. Not that this is the only or best solution, but at least the guy is doing something new and untried to get his album platinum and discourage piracy.
Holy cow, do you have a link for more information on this? I'm very interested.
The article wasn't funny in the least.
That is false.
For floppy drives, the rule (which I use without error) is that with the marked side of the cable on the right, the missing pins are on the top row. Sometimes this is places the marked conductor next to the power connector, sometimes below it, sometimes to the left. There is no consistency among floppy drive manufacturers in this regard.
So, simply remember that the missing pins are on the top with the stripe on the right.
This function doesn't need to be on the scroll lock key, but if that key were removed, we composers would be locking and unlocking the auto-scroll with a key not labeled "ScrLk" (on my keyboard.) Oh, the humanity. I suppose that would be like hitting the "Start" button to stop the computer or pressing "Break-Windows" to get the control panel.
Anyhow, the scroll lock key is rather surprisingly used to lock the scroll.
But maybe I'm trying to communicate across too great a divide here...
And people that tell me their life story at every chance like I gave a crap is what annoys me. Seriously, what were you thinking? I saw a TV show 5 years ago about some crazy prototype cell phone and the horrible case of cancer it caused in the inventor, fast forward 25 years to find millions of people using cell phones around the clock and nobody has brain cancer, you added these up and concluded that I was NOT being fecitious about my reasons for avoiding cell phones?
What's this "Please, get a grip," nonsense? If my post were part of the SAT reading comprehension test, you'd be going to community college, pal. I think I have my situation under control, but uh, thanks for the advice, I'm glad it was free.
Gosh, me too. Here's what you do.
Take a breather, then you and your Super Friends can meet at the Halls of Justice and concoct some plan to bring truth and balance back into this wacky world where evildoers peddle glue and borax and call it "Silly Putty".
Just above and behind his right ear, the part of his brain that was directly next to the phone's antenna developed a tumor the size of an apple. I don't recall if they said he died or if it was removed, but the engineers had some modifications to make.
I believe they said that he only used the phone for a total of 2 or 3 hours for testing purposes, as well. If you're not a fan of these possibly-interesting vagueries, I definitely avoid owning a cell phone because of the superstitions that documentary injected into my brain like cancer causing radiation.
Don't have anything to say except that Ernie Ball has just made a lifetime customer out of me. Everytime I buy guitar strings I'll make a point of mentioning that I use Ernie Ball's because that company has the integrity to abandon software developed by a company convicted of attacking the American free market economy.
Being unemployed and/or finding better jobs is almost always a sensitive subject in guitar stores. I'm not some zealot who wantonly blames Microsoft for our current economic situation in the USA, but the regulations against abusing monopolistic powers are good laws because they protect the vitality of our market economy. Though practically unpunished, Microsoft indeed broke those laws, and every unemployed person whose job is/was affected by the technology sector ought to consider not only the direct actions of Microsoft's criminal activity but also the far reaching implications of stifling competition and stagnating their corner of the market. (How many companies shell out thousands of dollars for Microsoft licenses to use software that regularly obliterates their productivity with inane email worms? Wouldn't every employee benefit if those costs were recovered into the profits column?)
Anyway, Ernie Ball, you've easily sold another 20 sets of strings annually. A measly drop in the bucket, but perhaps more importantly you've gained an advocate for your pragmatic business sense, patriotic software use (intentional or not), and I've got to admit the management really has some Balls (tm). Keep it up and enjoy the business.
Don't have anything to say except that Ernie Ball has just made a lifetime customer out of me. Everytime I buy guitar strings I'll make a point of mentioning that I use Ernie Ball's because that company has the integrity to abandon software developed by a company convicted of attacking the American free market economy. Being unemployed and/or finding better jobs is almost always a sensitive subject in guitar stores. I'm not some zealot who wantonly blames Microsoft for our current economic situation in the USA, but the regulations against abusing monopolistic powers are good laws because they protect the vitality of our market economy. Though practically unpunished, Microsoft indeed broke those laws, and every unemployed person whose job is/was affected by the technology sector ought to consider not only the direct actions of Microsoft's criminal activity but also the far reaching implications of stifling competition and stagnating their niche of the economy. Anyway, Ernie Ball, you've easily sold another 20 sets of strings annually. A measly drop in the bucket, but perhaps more importantly you've gained an advocate for your pragmatic business sense, patriotic software use (intentional or not), and I've got to admit the management really has some Balls (tm). Keep it up and enjoy the business.
never
never
gotten any feedback except "Oh my God! I love this thing! Thanks for showing me!"
Obviously this works best with home PCs and specific needs, because there are some issues with compatibility around the net and banking, etc., but for 99% of the people and 99% of their browsing, IE is a crap-sucking piece of marketing-hype uselessness and Phoenix/Mozilla is a dream come true.
It's my understanding that the anti-trust laws are in place not to prevent monopolies, but to prevent companies with monopolies from using that monopoly to muscle in to other markets. I'm fully aware that this isn't the legal definition, but I've always heard it explained this way.
It's a clear situation when BrandX widgets have total market dominance, and suddenly they only accept BrandX replacement fillers. That's a case of BrandX obsoleting all the competing replacement firms.
What if BrandX has $30 billion in loose change resources and can afford to sink the competition by writing off hugely unsuccessful business ventures? Is this not precisely the type of anti-competitive action the anti-trust laws are supposed to prevent? Why is one company, leveraged by its monopoly in one market, allowed to compete with a business model in a market that would bankrupt all the competition?
Is there some aspect of the anti-trust laws that elude me? Is there some other principle at play? I'm seriously inquiring, it would seem to me that this is a flagrant, blatant, and overt abuse of Microsoft's monopoly, and they own up to doing it in writing.
You've got my respect. I like hearing from individuals with enough sense to recognize that science and spirituality are not mutually exclusive.
That's where the name comes from. I believe the first fossils of this creature were found in the Neander valley, Neanderthal in German, and the name was applied to the creature.
(He's gone, shew.) Handrails and doorknobs would be a plus. You could include some quirky plot, make it like Thief. You have to sneak around the office, driven by some unexplainable urge to shove people down stairs. Leave it unexplainable and focus on gameplay. If there's a witness, you get caught, game over. If the victim isn't hit hard enough in the head, he can tell people what happened, game over. And of course, powerups!
It was submitted by Michael.
Ancient Hebrews believed that the world was a hemisphere carved out of the surrounding chaos, or turbulent waters. When God wanted it to rain, he literally opened the windows in the sky and the waters of the universe poured through. That's pretty wacky, but I don't blame them for thinking so. It's not true, of course, but that doesn't have any bearing on the human spiritual condition.
Same thing with creationism. It's a nice story, sure, and I don't grudge the Ancient Hebrews for believing it was fact. It is, however, just a story, and that has absolutely nothing to do with humankind's very special need for meaning, comfort, guidance, and a belief in universal justice.