Re:Better pictures are what's important
on
Beyond Megapixels
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· Score: 1
If the guy was really a pro, the motion stabilization in Canon's lenses is second to none. Take a guess at the ratio of Canon to Sony glass at sporting events.
Public Radio did a project over the course of an extended period called lost and found sound. They had a vast number of storage media and some rather involved stories for how information was recovered from the media. In some instances one had to search for some obscure device to play back the information.
In a related issue, this can be a huge challenge. Not to be flip, but paper is in many instances a more reliable and persistant repository. In some industries (e.g. boiler valve castings) a part may be in production for 50 years with a mean time to revision of 10 years. How many CAD systems and versions of CAD systems would a corporation go through in that time starting today? In the automotive industry they "refile" (open and resave in new version) zillions of CAD files each year. Forward compatibility is fine one or two versions...but get a bit chancy after that.
All this is an example were rapid changes in technology are as much a headache as a blessing.
I suppose the good news is that these errors were caught before they could have really screwed things up.
My immediate reaction to this is the definition of insanity "Doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result." Do they expect to actually do anything fundamentally different in November. If the flaws are fundamental to the system, they will manifest themselves every time.
I really appreciate your comment. Following 9/11 I made the comment that my greatest security was anonymity. In away the source of my freedom is the same.
I wonder to what extent is freedom in the former USSR states and Eastern Europe due to more democratic laws versus limitation of enforcement resources. There could be a law against sneezing, but it enforcement would be limited by budgets and priorities.
As our executive branch and their mechanisms of power (CIA, FBI, ATF) get more budget and latitude to operate (sealed warrants etc) it will be interesting to see how many existing laws and regulations are enforced on behalf of the corporations pulling the strings of our elected officials.
Not to get too Orwellian, but will our countries prosperity lead to a accelerating erosion of our freedoms by enabling a increasingly powerful police/security apparatus? What will be the breaking point were the average Joe Bloggs will be fed up? When this happens will the populace have sufficient power to take back their government?.
If they would just loosen up the labor laws some more I could put my 4 kids to work! That along with less restrictive emissions standards and they could work right in the back yard melting down old computer hardware from failed.COM's and companies that outsourced there operations offshore.
Let's get government off corporate America's backs and into people's bedrooms where it belongs!
The whole purpose of an expletive is supposedly to shock or convey emotion. FARK appears to have worked on you. If I said RATZFILIM every time I was REALLY mad, my kids would get the idea and know they were in deep trouble.
Language is a dynamic thing...which is why there are revisions to dictionaries.
Ponder this as you sit on your davenport, put a 78 on the phonograph and listen to your favorite Bing Crosby number.
About 15 years ago our department (Aircraft Mfg) got their first Unix workstations. There were more people that WS's so they were walk-ups. It was bad form to stay logged in when you went to meetings...lunch etc. Being one of the few folks with shell scripting skills I wrote a little script that moved all of their files to $home/.save or something like that (i.e. the stuff was not gone...just moved.) It ran when they came back and hit any key. It also temporarily remapped the keyboard so they couldn't stop the process unless they hit some bizarre key combination. While running it also list all of their files followed of course with....deleted.
The look of terror was priceless...and I restored their files to their original location before they wasted a sys admins time with backups. Folks had a good laugh over it.
This post was funny, but more importantly it hit the nail on the head.
I recently got a cable modem because I wanted to play around downloading Linux distros.
Prior to this I was checking e-mail every few days and picking something up off of e-bay once a month or so. Hardly worth $40/month plus the extra hardware. The performance wasn't an issue for what I was doing.
AIM is evil though. Kind of taping a piece of paper to your back and saying "Kick Me"...or "Hack Me" in this case.
Once in a rare while one gets an opportuntity to validate their news sources. I used to work at Boeing and worked in close association with folks doing accident investigations. This lot was extremely rigorous and professional. Until there was an official report, the answer from Boeing, the airline and the FAA was...the incident is currently under investigation...and that was about it. It was not to be flip, they just wanted to get it right!
The crap that journalists and their "expert sources" came up with was unbelievable. In general the print media was the best and the least sensational. Obviously the worst was TV. Those guys were interested in flash and could only count on holding a viewers attention for 9 seconds.
This was all pre-web, but I imagine a typical plane crash results in any number of fantastic conspiracy theories, alien abduction speculation etc.
The bottom line is to read/view/hear your news with a critical mind.
One modern invention that I find disturbing is news making the news. Tom Brokaw reporting on what someone said on Larry King or some other non-sense. There is little investment in investigative reporting anymore. That requires lots of research and phone calls...who has time for that any more. Pick up someone elses story, put your spin on it and join the herd seems to be the SOP.
There are two interface options for interacting with machines. One is to put the person in the control with assistance from the machine. The other is to put the machine in control with assistance from the person.
For a Boeing aircraft, the pilot is ultimately in control. As the plane nears stall the control mechanisms (even when fly-by-wire) generate stick shake in the column to make the pilot aware of the performance limit. The interface is very tactile (the large central control column.
For an Airbus, the machine has the final say. There is a less tactile sidestick controller and if the pilot pulls back too far, the control system will nose the plane down.
There are two schools of thought and I am sure different users would have a different preference.
As someone who has had problems with nodding off while driving (2X... 18 years apart) having something like this would not have helped me in either incident. In the earlier case I was driving home from a night job and ended up on a golf course. I saw the whole thing happen...but it was like I was in the back seat. I ran right through a 90 degree turn in the road.
The best solutions would be reducing the amount that people drive. Urban planning, mass transit, car pooling...Those would really save lives by reducing the exposure.
This could in fact be powerful...to a point. Atheletes at the elite level are right at teh razor's edge of metabolism and body mechanics. For shorter duration events (e.g. 400 meter run etc) the atheletes are of similar conditioning (as that is a matter of training and dedication which they all have. The differentiator is being able to maintain efficiency and form when the body chemistry wants to do otherwise. Lance Armstrong is so good because he knows he can do more than his body tells him he can. It would be sad in a way if the support folks in a van were telling the atheletes what they could and could not do. Marathon running would start to be like football with a dozen assistant coaches for every athelete.
As a training tool this could be great though. You could chart your progress. Hit the sweet spot of physical response during your workout for the best conditioning etc.
Re:Like bashing your head against the wall
on
Control-Alt-Recycle
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· Score: 1
You may need to be creative about how you part things out...
Are there components that would be used in some legacy business system out there? More corporate buys of ebay stuff happen than you would think.
Memory is obvious and usually sells. In general any parts that can be ripped out of the case are candidates. With some old beasts the real gem is the power supply and case itself. Some old RS6000 cases have built in UPS (that would require a bit of hacking...but may be fun)...but yes there is stuff that is clearly junk and will not sell.
Tom Hanks was on Letterman or one of those other late night shows some time ago. He said in his basement he used old CPUs and monitors like we used to use cinder blocks. One case on each end with a 2x12 plank between them. Plenty of storage space!
Re:Like bashing your head against the wall
on
Control-Alt-Recycle
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· Score: 3, Funny
In general there is too much of a focus on recycling. The other two legs of the triangular head to tail graphic are Reduce and Reuse.
The recent announcment where Intel is building greener chips is an example of reduce...as is simplified packaging, reusable containers, using your own coffee mug instead of a disposable cup etc.
The next best thing is Reuse. I recently turned my old box into a file server for example. The downside is this machine is always on (i.e. I have two heaters in my basement instead of one). I can reduce my power consumption a bit by clocking it down...but not eliminate that electrical demand completely.
All in all I think a general awareness of the "Total Cost of Ownership" on a global scale will hopefully lead to more enlightened decision making. That some of the big players are taking part is a good sign.
We would hope that an educated electorate would make wise decisions...but like most matters of personal freedom (reproducing, housing, association, speech) we need to let the stupid people play too. The alternative of having someone decide who is/isn't qualified to participate is FAR more dangerous than "polluting" the vote/gene pool/neighborhood with some "undesirable" elements. The human experience (Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Taliban, etc) present plenty of evidence that the presumption of infallibility in excluding or suppressing a segment of the population based on a notion of superiority is dangerous stuff.
For the record I am a Christian...but I can't support your arguement here. There can be a philosophical treatment of right and wrong without God.
The simple example, "my right to extend my arm ends at the tip of your nose" illustrates that there can be an examination of rights and "good" or "bad" without religious dogma.
This is the point the parent post is making. If there is a debate of right and wrong the simplest test is one to determine if one party does harm to another. We should at least start with this low level test before moving up the ladder of regulation and legistlation. If you want to look on this as "do unto others..." fine. But the gospel message is not necessary to make the point (at least this one).
OK, if someone feels strongly about Ashcroft being some fascist nazi, but likes Bush, what are 5 things they can do to get rid of one (Ashcroft) without getting rid of the other (Bush)? Even if I liked Bush (I don't), if his appointed officials are highly objectionable, what are my options really? An election is an expeditious mechanism of change.
Here goes my Karma! BTW who are the fricking moderators that always...and I mean always moderate any anti-Bush statement as Flamebait even when it is both on topic and supported by evidence?
The prevalence of violence in adds during family shows.
I can deal with sex on TV and adds. It is a natural thing that nearly everyone engages in at some point in their life (as evidenced by the continued propogation of the species.) People walking around shooting people by the dozens is not natural behavior and is typically not only illegal, but are (compared to sex) rare experiances for the average person.
What really pisses me off is that I have to have a remote in my hand when I watch a basketball game on ABC to filter out the movie trailers for Hellboy or whatever cars exploding, shoot up, undead alien, fantasy violence show is out. They compress all the impact into 30 seconds which is fine for the intended 17-35 year old male target audiance...but completely inappropriate for my 4 year old.
There is a big difference between censorship and good judgement. All I ask for is the later!
Right you are. Lord help us if dictators and meglomaniacs get their hands on vote tabulation software. Damn they may do something rash like...hold an election...HORRORS!!!
The key words are transparency and accountability.
A) There can be no accountability without transparency (something that our press has been doing a poor job at supporting for the last 20 years...worsening of late). What we don't know hurts us!
B) Transparency is meaningless without accountability. So I punched you in the nose...bugger off and deal with it you big baby! We lost all the votes from Precinct 27 oops, sorry. We had 2x as many votes as registered voters in precinct 43 so it comes out a wash ok? Knowing and having no recourse for justice is no good either.
I'm concerned, I have nothing to hide, trust me...
I mean it's not rocket-science. I don't think you would buy a Cobalt-box as a desktop either, why do you choose a distribution whose makers themselves said it isn't targetted on the desktop?
Because I guess I didn't research it enough. Also, the box in question in the original post is my 4 year old 800 MHz machine that is primarily a file and print server...but since this is the first Linux installation I have played with I started exploring...which changed some perceptions of what Linux is (and is not). Then I saw some of the KDE screen shots and thought..."my wife would like this better than Win2000"...so it has been a learning experience.
I appreciate that there is a lot of help out there, but since it comes from multiple sources instead of a monopoly it is mixed with opinion and frankly a bit of zealotry. My home life is such that I have been able to poke around in 30 minute session, so my approach had not been as cogent as that of a hard core hobbiest. My original post has been modded all over the place (Insightful+4or5, Underrated,Troll and Flamebait) which reinforces my opinion of the clubiness of linux. I am getting help from a Fedora fan and didn't have broadband until after I had my machine up and running.
I agree and am in the process of loading and configuring KDE between taking kids to soccer practice and feeding and burping babies. Although I have found the FAQ sufficient to figure out how to plop KDE down over my recent (and first) Fedora install, the trouble is still in bullet proof packaging and install. The easiest of course is getting your new system pre-loaded with an OS.
I consider myslef generally technically able (I can troll around on a Unix term), but it is a bit intimidating for a first timer. How do you suppose Windows would be received if the install required editing config files in a DOS shell and hacking the registry?
Once someone learns how to get Linux out to the masses without requiring the secret handshake to join the club, then and only then is Microsoft in deep trouble.
Windoze may be an inferior product, but if the brainless can install it without being sniggered at, the brainless will continue to fork over a couple hundred $'s/year for it.
Slashdot Mirror
If the guy was really a pro, the motion stabilization in Canon's lenses is second to none. Take a guess at the ratio of Canon to Sony glass at sporting events.
In a related issue, this can be a huge challenge. Not to be flip, but paper is in many instances a more reliable and persistant repository. In some industries (e.g. boiler valve castings) a part may be in production for 50 years with a mean time to revision of 10 years. How many CAD systems and versions of CAD systems would a corporation go through in that time starting today? In the automotive industry they "refile" (open and resave in new version) zillions of CAD files each year. Forward compatibility is fine one or two versions...but get a bit chancy after that.
All this is an example were rapid changes in technology are as much a headache as a blessing.
My immediate reaction to this is the definition of insanity "Doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result." Do they expect to actually do anything fundamentally different in November. If the flaws are fundamental to the system, they will manifest themselves every time.
I wonder to what extent is freedom in the former USSR states and Eastern Europe due to more democratic laws versus limitation of enforcement resources. There could be a law against sneezing, but it enforcement would be limited by budgets and priorities.
As our executive branch and their mechanisms of power (CIA, FBI, ATF) get more budget and latitude to operate (sealed warrants etc) it will be interesting to see how many existing laws and regulations are enforced on behalf of the corporations pulling the strings of our elected officials.
Not to get too Orwellian, but will our countries prosperity lead to a accelerating erosion of our freedoms by enabling a increasingly powerful police/security apparatus? What will be the breaking point were the average Joe Bloggs will be fed up? When this happens will the populace have sufficient power to take back their government?.
Let's get government off corporate America's backs and into people's bedrooms where it belongs!
Language is a dynamic thing...which is why there are revisions to dictionaries.
Ponder this as you sit on your davenport, put a 78 on the phonograph and listen to your favorite Bing Crosby number.
The look of terror was priceless...and I restored their files to their original location before they wasted a sys admins time with backups. Folks had a good laugh over it.
I recently got a cable modem because I wanted to play around downloading Linux distros.
Prior to this I was checking e-mail every few days and picking something up off of e-bay once a month or so. Hardly worth $40/month plus the extra hardware. The performance wasn't an issue for what I was doing.
AIM is evil though. Kind of taping a piece of paper to your back and saying "Kick Me"...or "Hack Me" in this case.
The crap that journalists and their "expert sources" came up with was unbelievable. In general the print media was the best and the least sensational. Obviously the worst was TV. Those guys were interested in flash and could only count on holding a viewers attention for 9 seconds.
This was all pre-web, but I imagine a typical plane crash results in any number of fantastic conspiracy theories, alien abduction speculation etc.
The bottom line is to read/view/hear your news with a critical mind.
One modern invention that I find disturbing is news making the news. Tom Brokaw reporting on what someone said on Larry King or some other non-sense. There is little investment in investigative reporting anymore. That requires lots of research and phone calls...who has time for that any more. Pick up someone elses story, put your spin on it and join the herd seems to be the SOP.
For a Boeing aircraft, the pilot is ultimately in control. As the plane nears stall the control mechanisms (even when fly-by-wire) generate stick shake in the column to make the pilot aware of the performance limit. The interface is very tactile (the large central control column.
For an Airbus, the machine has the final say. There is a less tactile sidestick controller and if the pilot pulls back too far, the control system will nose the plane down.
There are two schools of thought and I am sure different users would have a different preference.
The best solutions would be reducing the amount that people drive. Urban planning, mass transit, car pooling...Those would really save lives by reducing the exposure.
As a training tool this could be great though. You could chart your progress. Hit the sweet spot of physical response during your workout for the best conditioning etc.
Are there components that would be used in some legacy business system out there? More corporate buys of ebay stuff happen than you would think.
Memory is obvious and usually sells. In general any parts that can be ripped out of the case are candidates. With some old beasts the real gem is the power supply and case itself. Some old RS6000 cases have built in UPS (that would require a bit of hacking...but may be fun)...but yes there is stuff that is clearly junk and will not sell.
Tom Hanks was on Letterman or one of those other late night shows some time ago. He said in his basement he used old CPUs and monitors like we used to use cinder blocks. One case on each end with a 2x12 plank between them. Plenty of storage space!
Its called www.ebay.com
The recent announcment where Intel is building greener chips is an example of reduce...as is simplified packaging, reusable containers, using your own coffee mug instead of a disposable cup etc.
The next best thing is Reuse. I recently turned my old box into a file server for example. The downside is this machine is always on (i.e. I have two heaters in my basement instead of one). I can reduce my power consumption a bit by clocking it down...but not eliminate that electrical demand completely.
All in all I think a general awareness of the "Total Cost of Ownership" on a global scale will hopefully lead to more enlightened decision making. That some of the big players are taking part is a good sign.
We would hope that an educated electorate would make wise decisions...but like most matters of personal freedom (reproducing, housing, association, speech) we need to let the stupid people play too. The alternative of having someone decide who is/isn't qualified to participate is FAR more dangerous than "polluting" the vote/gene pool/neighborhood with some "undesirable" elements. The human experience (Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Taliban, etc) present plenty of evidence that the presumption of infallibility in excluding or suppressing a segment of the population based on a notion of superiority is dangerous stuff.
The simple example, "my right to extend my arm ends at the tip of your nose" illustrates that there can be an examination of rights and "good" or "bad" without religious dogma.
This is the point the parent post is making. If there is a debate of right and wrong the simplest test is one to determine if one party does harm to another. We should at least start with this low level test before moving up the ladder of regulation and legistlation. If you want to look on this as "do unto others..." fine. But the gospel message is not necessary to make the point (at least this one).
OK, if someone feels strongly about Ashcroft being some fascist nazi, but likes Bush, what are 5 things they can do to get rid of one (Ashcroft) without getting rid of the other (Bush)? Even if I liked Bush (I don't), if his appointed officials are highly objectionable, what are my options really? An election is an expeditious mechanism of change.
Here goes my Karma! BTW who are the fricking moderators that always...and I mean always moderate any anti-Bush statement as Flamebait even when it is both on topic and supported by evidence?
I can deal with sex on TV and adds. It is a natural thing that nearly everyone engages in at some point in their life (as evidenced by the continued propogation of the species.) People walking around shooting people by the dozens is not natural behavior and is typically not only illegal, but are (compared to sex) rare experiances for the average person.
What really pisses me off is that I have to have a remote in my hand when I watch a basketball game on ABC to filter out the movie trailers for Hellboy or whatever cars exploding, shoot up, undead alien, fantasy violence show is out. They compress all the impact into 30 seconds which is fine for the intended 17-35 year old male target audiance...but completely inappropriate for my 4 year old.
There is a big difference between censorship and good judgement. All I ask for is the later!
Oh the fickle fate of meta moderation.
Right you are. Lord help us if dictators and meglomaniacs get their hands on vote tabulation software. Damn they may do something rash like...hold an election...HORRORS!!!
A) There can be no accountability without transparency (something that our press has been doing a poor job at supporting for the last 20 years...worsening of late). What we don't know hurts us!
B) Transparency is meaningless without accountability. So I punched you in the nose...bugger off and deal with it you big baby! We lost all the votes from Precinct 27 oops, sorry. We had 2x as many votes as registered voters in precinct 43 so it comes out a wash ok? Knowing and having no recourse for justice is no good either.
I'm concerned, I have nothing to hide, trust me...
More importantly, one is not cured of a cancer if there is any cancer left. If IBM is the surgery hopefully Redhat will be the chemo.
Because I guess I didn't research it enough. Also, the box in question in the original post is my 4 year old 800 MHz machine that is primarily a file and print server...but since this is the first Linux installation I have played with I started exploring...which changed some perceptions of what Linux is (and is not). Then I saw some of the KDE screen shots and thought..."my wife would like this better than Win2000"...so it has been a learning experience.
I appreciate that there is a lot of help out there, but since it comes from multiple sources instead of a monopoly it is mixed with opinion and frankly a bit of zealotry. My home life is such that I have been able to poke around in 30 minute session, so my approach had not been as cogent as that of a hard core hobbiest. My original post has been modded all over the place (Insightful+4or5, Underrated,Troll and Flamebait) which reinforces my opinion of the clubiness of linux. I am getting help from a Fedora fan and didn't have broadband until after I had my machine up and running.
I consider myslef generally technically able (I can troll around on a Unix term), but it is a bit intimidating for a first timer. How do you suppose Windows would be received if the install required editing config files in a DOS shell and hacking the registry?
Once someone learns how to get Linux out to the masses without requiring the secret handshake to join the club, then and only then is Microsoft in deep trouble.
Windoze may be an inferior product, but if the brainless can install it without being sniggered at, the brainless will continue to fork over a couple hundred $'s/year for it.