Sure sure, you can use Dimensional Transcendentalism to displace the Web 7.0 code in time... but can you run it on hardware that doesn't even exist yet? Kinda like Vista, when you think about it.
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MISSION: The Technology Administration seeks to maximize technology's contribution to economic growth, high-wage job creation [italics mine], and the social well being of the United States.
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How does he square the TA's Mission Statement with his own public statements?
..and what exactly is wrong with what you just described?
Uh... what exactly is right about it? Ultimately, the system as it stands is a microcosm of the way our Republic has been operating for some time: the tyranny of the ignorant.
You're absolutely wrong that it doesn't involve me. It most certainly does involve all of us when significantly bad things happen to such an important sector of our economy. It certainly does involve all of us when substantial funds that could have been used to develop useful goods and services that might help us maintain our competitive edge are dissipated or end up lining some corporate con artist's pockets, and thus aren't available for more viable technology companies. One that might want to hire me, for example.
So are you suggesting that we outlaw investing as a whole, or just "bad" investments?
I don't recall saying that government intervention was needed. I was commenting on the essential incompetence (and shortsightedness) of the modern American investor. So far as I'm concerned, anyone that could vote for a Bill Clinton because he "looks the most Presidential" (I had a girlfriend who did exactly that) or a George W. Bush because of his, well, whatever it is that he has, probably won't do any better investing their money wisely. In either case (casting your vote for your leadership, or deciding where to vote with your dollars) you need to make the effort to learn how to make a wise choice. I don't see that happening anymore.
Well, in animal studies heavy gee is surprisingly good. Rats that were raised in a centrifuge were extremely healthy, incredibly strong, lived longer and as one researcher put it "generally walked around like little tanks." Even their bones were stronger. Low or no gravity seems to have pretty much the opposite effect.
The human body depends upon pressure and exertion to maintain muscle tone, bone and muscle mass... exercise regimes help, I guess, but for a really long mission we'd probably have to have gravity, or some simulation of it.
Probably we just need to invent the artificial gravity plate and be done with it.
Actually, it's all of the above. If you think that software patents were invented out of thin air by Congress you're wrong: left to themselves they aren't that interested in the issue. As it happens, a lot of big interests lobbied hard for them just like they are currently doing in the EU. It was no accident. The USPTO also has funding problems and those also were no accident because Congress changed the way the office is funded.
You're also right: it really isn't possible to issue software patents in a sensible way. However, if you're going have the stupid things it would be possible to issue them in a less senseless way, by simply not issuing the vast majority of them.
The problem currently goes well beyond software patents: we experiencing what happens when a wayward patent office issues thousands upon thousands of bogus patents of all kinds because it is no longer capable of making the required distinctions. It's just not good enough to issue a patent and let any claimed infringements get resolved in court, because an obvious or overbroad patent is still a patent and can be used to suppress competition just as much as a good patent. The only solution is to do what the USPTO did pretty well for centuries: don't issue bad patents. A patent office that cannot do that is a national liability. It's certainly no asset, much less capable of promoting the advancement of the useful arts and sciences, etc.
The fact that we took an already seriously damaged patent system and tossed software patents on top was just adding insult to injury.
Every time something big comes along a bunch of idiots with money say "I have a great idea! Let's give a bunch of buzzword-laden high-school dropouts billions of dollars of our hard-earned money in the faint hope they have the slightest idea what they're talking about!". This invariably attracts millions of additional idiots, who cry "Brilliant!" in unison, and proceed to hand over all of their disposable income. In rare cases that works, somewhat (see: Apple Computer) but in most it simply results in vast funds disappearing like smoke up a chimney.
Of course, the aforementioned idiots are the first to point fingers and start shouting "fraud" and saying things like "how could anyone have known?" when the whole scam comes tumbling down and they're in debt up to their iBalls. Or maybe it wasn't a scam, but just a really stupid idea that didn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of ever earning a profit. Yes, I know, sometimes stupid-sounding ideas do pan out (see: Fed Ex) but it's not common.
One may call this phenomenon a "tech bubble" if that eases the pain, but it's still another euphemism. Ultimately it is greed and stupidity at work, in roughly equal proportions, tempered by a complete lack of judgment. One aspect of the human mass-psyche that desperately needs work is this: just because a bunch of other people are doing something stupid is no reason to jump in yourself. It's still stupid.
I prefer to think of it as if millions of checking accounts suddenly cried out in pain... and were emptied.
A much better question, and more importantly, one that is actually relevant to this thread, would be "what happens when you put an operating XBox into a microwave?" We really need an answer to this question, so if you would be so kind as to perform the experiment and post a link to the video here on Slashdot we would greatly appreciate it. You'll get extra credit points if the machine is playing Halo 2 at the time. Don't worry about your girlfriend's reaction, she obviously just bought the machine to get you to stay at her place for more than five minutes and will soon get over the loss.
Were it not for the DMCA, the MPAA would not have a case here at all.
On the other hand, given that the MPAA was largely responsible for the DMCA (even to have furnished draft copies of the legislation to involved Congresscritters) it's hardly surprising that they would invoke it here. This is exactly the kind of case for which they so badly wanted the DMCA... they simply, uncompromisingly, do not want anyone else distributing their products in a format not of their choosing. The question is whether or not they should have that right. The DMCA would seem to give it to them, which is too bad.
In any event, longevity research is less about how to make us live longer as it is to make us live better, longer. I'm in my mid-forties now, and if the medical system could keep me as I am now 'til I'm 90 or so, that would be great. What scares me most about old age is not death, per se, but the long, debilitating, unproductive process most of us suffer before we finally die.
I agree, which was the point I was trying to make: the problem with electronic voting systems has less to do with the developers and engineers as it does with the crooks/idiots at the top.
I almost choked on my dinner last year when I read about one record company exec expounding on how "Apple should start sharing-out some of the profits from iPod sales." He seemed to firmly believe that a percentage of any profits related to music sales (even they are from hardware purchases) is due the music industry. This on top of the fact that iTunes makes little money for Apple since the bulk of the profits already go to the rightsholders. There has to be some form of mass-psychosis at work here, at least among the upper management of these outfits.
Besides, how do you tell when the head of the RIAA is lying?
You got modded +5 Funny for that, but actually it's a viable business model. Worked for YouTube.
If a small fish does something that a massively larger fish is a. interested in or b. threatened by, a good way to make a good buck is to simply sell out to the bigger fish. A lot of startups do some initial research, maybe prototype a few things... and then look for a "partner."
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, but you see, they were polite about it, which makes it okay.
Sure sure, you can use Dimensional Transcendentalism to displace the Web 7.0 code in time ... but can you run it on hardware that doesn't even exist yet? Kinda like Vista, when you think about it.
From the Technology Administration's Web site:
---
MISSION: The Technology Administration seeks to maximize technology's contribution to economic growth, high-wage job creation [italics mine], and the social well being of the United States.
---
How does he square the TA's Mission Statement with his own public statements?
When faced with a workforce shortage, in no other field has the answer been to import skilled labor from other countries.
Not so, my friend. A similar thing happened in medicine decades ago.
..and what exactly is wrong with what you just described?
... what exactly is right about it? Ultimately, the system as it stands is a microcosm of the way our Republic has been operating for some time: the tyranny of the ignorant.
Uh
You're absolutely wrong that it doesn't involve me. It most certainly does involve all of us when significantly bad things happen to such an important sector of our economy. It certainly does involve all of us when substantial funds that could have been used to develop useful goods and services that might help us maintain our competitive edge are dissipated or end up lining some corporate con artist's pockets, and thus aren't available for more viable technology companies. One that might want to hire me, for example.
So are you suggesting that we outlaw investing as a whole, or just "bad" investments?
I don't recall saying that government intervention was needed. I was commenting on the essential incompetence (and shortsightedness) of the modern American investor. So far as I'm concerned, anyone that could vote for a Bill Clinton because he "looks the most Presidential" (I had a girlfriend who did exactly that) or a George W. Bush because of his, well, whatever it is that he has, probably won't do any better investing their money wisely. In either case (casting your vote for your leadership, or deciding where to vote with your dollars) you need to make the effort to learn how to make a wise choice. I don't see that happening anymore.
In either case.
I put my into tulips, roses and buttercups. This is called "diversification."
Well, in animal studies heavy gee is surprisingly good. Rats that were raised in a centrifuge were extremely healthy, incredibly strong, lived longer and as one researcher put it "generally walked around like little tanks." Even their bones were stronger. Low or no gravity seems to have pretty much the opposite effect.
... exercise regimes help, I guess, but for a really long mission we'd probably have to have gravity, or some simulation of it.
The human body depends upon pressure and exertion to maintain muscle tone, bone and muscle mass
Probably we just need to invent the artificial gravity plate and be done with it.
Actually, it's all of the above. If you think that software patents were invented out of thin air by Congress you're wrong: left to themselves they aren't that interested in the issue. As it happens, a lot of big interests lobbied hard for them just like they are currently doing in the EU. It was no accident. The USPTO also has funding problems and those also were no accident because Congress changed the way the office is funded.
You're also right: it really isn't possible to issue software patents in a sensible way. However, if you're going have the stupid things it would be possible to issue them in a less senseless way, by simply not issuing the vast majority of them.
The problem currently goes well beyond software patents: we experiencing what happens when a wayward patent office issues thousands upon thousands of bogus patents of all kinds because it is no longer capable of making the required distinctions. It's just not good enough to issue a patent and let any claimed infringements get resolved in court, because an obvious or overbroad patent is still a patent and can be used to suppress competition just as much as a good patent. The only solution is to do what the USPTO did pretty well for centuries: don't issue bad patents. A patent office that cannot do that is a national liability. It's certainly no asset, much less capable of promoting the advancement of the useful arts and sciences, etc.
The fact that we took an already seriously damaged patent system and tossed software patents on top was just adding insult to injury.
Thanks again, Congress.
America?
... was that ... an America-bash?
Ohmigosh
"hyper-euphoria" == "investor ignorance"
... and were emptied.
Every time something big comes along a bunch of idiots with money say "I have a great idea! Let's give a bunch of buzzword-laden high-school dropouts billions of dollars of our hard-earned money in the faint hope they have the slightest idea what they're talking about!". This invariably attracts millions of additional idiots, who cry "Brilliant!" in unison, and proceed to hand over all of their disposable income. In rare cases that works, somewhat (see: Apple Computer) but in most it simply results in vast funds disappearing like smoke up a chimney.
Of course, the aforementioned idiots are the first to point fingers and start shouting "fraud" and saying things like "how could anyone have known?" when the whole scam comes tumbling down and they're in debt up to their iBalls. Or maybe it wasn't a scam, but just a really stupid idea that didn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of ever earning a profit. Yes, I know, sometimes stupid-sounding ideas do pan out (see: Fed Ex) but it's not common.
One may call this phenomenon a "tech bubble" if that eases the pain, but it's still another euphemism. Ultimately it is greed and stupidity at work, in roughly equal proportions, tempered by a complete lack of judgment. One aspect of the human mass-psyche that desperately needs work is this: just because a bunch of other people are doing something stupid is no reason to jump in yourself. It's still stupid.
I prefer to think of it as if millions of checking accounts suddenly cried out in pain
A much better question, and more importantly, one that is actually relevant to this thread, would be "what happens when you put an operating XBox into a microwave?" We really need an answer to this question, so if you would be so kind as to perform the experiment and post a link to the video here on Slashdot we would greatly appreciate it. You'll get extra credit points if the machine is playing Halo 2 at the time. Don't worry about your girlfriend's reaction, she obviously just bought the machine to get you to stay at her place for more than five minutes and will soon get over the loss.
Haven't you ever heard of ... sparkling white wine?
It would also usher in a new era of mixed drinks, starting with the Pan-Galactic Google Blaster.
Novell is committed to protecting, preserving and promoting freedom for free and open source software.
Well, I have no doubt that there are certain people at Novell that should be committed.
Were it not for the DMCA, the MPAA would not have a case here at all.
... they simply, uncompromisingly, do not want anyone else distributing their products in a format not of their choosing. The question is whether or not they should have that right. The DMCA would seem to give it to them, which is too bad.
On the other hand, given that the MPAA was largely responsible for the DMCA (even to have furnished draft copies of the legislation to involved Congresscritters) it's hardly surprising that they would invoke it here. This is exactly the kind of case for which they so badly wanted the DMCA
That used to apply to the United States.
Not anymore.
In any event, longevity research is less about how to make us live longer as it is to make us live better, longer. I'm in my mid-forties now, and if the medical system could keep me as I am now 'til I'm 90 or so, that would be great. What scares me most about old age is not death, per se, but the long, debilitating, unproductive process most of us suffer before we finally die.
No argument from me. It's not like I actually read the article.
It seems kind of shady to me to wait until after the standard was released ...
Pretty much the definition of a submarine patent: sit on it until there's money to be made.
Makes me think more of Clarke's "City and the Stars".
Well, they were probably British idiots-with-modpoints. British idiots-with-modpoints lacking a sense-of-humor as well, I'd say.
I recognize that I know nothing about this topic
Me too.
thus any commentary on my behalf would mean I am talking out of my ass.
Never stopped me before.
They must have meant LIDAR.
I agree, which was the point I was trying to make: the problem with electronic voting systems has less to do with the developers and engineers as it does with the crooks/idiots at the top.
I almost choked on my dinner last year when I read about one record company exec expounding on how "Apple should start sharing-out some of the profits from iPod sales." He seemed to firmly believe that a percentage of any profits related to music sales (even they are from hardware purchases) is due the music industry. This on top of the fact that iTunes makes little money for Apple since the bulk of the profits already go to the rightsholders. There has to be some form of mass-psychosis at work here, at least among the upper management of these outfits.
Besides, how do you tell when the head of the RIAA is lying?
His lips move.
You got modded +5 Funny for that, but actually it's a viable business model. Worked for YouTube.
... and then look for a "partner."
If a small fish does something that a massively larger fish is a. interested in or b. threatened by, a good way to make a good buck is to simply sell out to the bigger fish. A lot of startups do some initial research, maybe prototype a few things