That would so not work. Just look at Vietnam. 95% of all computers run pirated Windows (most of the rest, the bought software, runs on gov't computers). But MS said they will lower prices in Vietnam to compete with Linux! 95% piracy and total revenue of only a few millions...
Damn, you're probably right.
Still, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I imagine all Windows users -- American, European, everyone -- stealing Windows.
What makes you think that famine, disease and war are getting worse and worse? Most of the largest countries like India and China are relatively prosperous, relatively healthy and relatively at peace compared to (let's say) the period from 1910-1960.
Famine, disease, and war are way more important, and require more of our attention.
Famine, disesase, and war could all be ended in a moment -- by a sufficiently large asteroid.
Gallows humor aside, I'm sorry to say it but: why should we realistically expect an end to famine, disease, war? They've been with us throughout history. Man has always wished to eliminate these woes -- yes they keep getting worse and worse.
At least there's the possibility that a technological fix might save us from asteroid impact. Give me some reason to believe that there's any kind of fix for war etc.
In retrospect, I now realise I misinterpreted the tone of your comment.
I could have been clearer in my original post. On the one hand, I wanted to rebut the original poster's comments about Sedna fucking up astrologers; on the other hand, I wanted to poke a bit of fun at astrology ("amoeba", "paranoia"), demonstrating that I'm not actually a sympathizer.
Yes, I'll cut astrology some slack, as a catalog of archtetypes. Archetypes are useful for understanding ourselves, our place in the cosmos, the nature of heaven and earth. Astrology (like tarot, the I Ching, etc.) does a good job of anthologizing those archetypes.
But frankly, those of my friends who are astrologers, while I love them dearly, I think they could be making a lot better use of their time....
At least I posted some stuff that was valid, almost interesting, in my misguided reply. Proving once again: While I'm may not always right, Im never wrong.:)
Your comments were interesting, relevant, cogent. The two of us are basically talking the same language. It's this damned interface that gets in the way... but then, it's this damned interface that makes the conversation possible in the first place...:)
Agreed -- although I'll cut astrology some slack as a form of psychology, e.g. a collection of archetypes.
[Syncretic religion] Sorry, but:
So would be Judaism, Christianity, et al. syncretic does not seem to involve active incorporation.
On the face of it, the more 'syncretic' a religion is, the more it was designed.
...Usually, IMHO, to be palatable to potential followers.
It's a question of degree... some religions (e.g. astrology, vodoun) are strongly syncretic; others are somewhat syncretic (e.g. Christianity); some tend to resist syncresis (e.g. Islam -- the Koran exists *in Arabic*, thus cannot be "translated"), etc.
I can't think of a totally non-syncretic religion -- they all tend to incorporate -- nonetheless, it's a question of degree.
The predictions that involved the Zodiac cannot be both true now and at points in the past... [etc].
All good points. Personally, I have little or no use for astrology -- I'm not interested in defending its dogma, only in characterizing its role in society.
Oh, in fairness, without astrology we wouldn't have astronomy- or at least not nearly as much of it.
Still, at least this discovery has the redeeming quality of completely fucking up astrology.
Astrology doesn't work that way.
Astrology is syncretic religion -- it readily (and inevitably) incorporates new influences.
Like an amoeba, astrology engulfs everything it touches.
In this sense, astrology is rather like paranoia: everything pertains, everything is part of the Big Picture.
Sedna won't fuck up astrology. On the contrary, astrologers will eagerly seize on the idea of this new planet, treating Sedna as one more vacuole in the amoeba.
of course the real point of all this is that the younger generation is turning away from television and turning to games.
Not just the younger generation. Tomorrow is my 43rd birthday. When I was a kid, I watched plenty of TV... but for the last decade it's been nothing but games, games, games.
I turn things into songs in my head to remember them -- and it works really well. I mean, I added a tune to the Constitution and remembered the entire first two articles. It's kinda scary.
Oral cultures often use epic poetry as a mnemonic device -- it's a hell of a lot easier to memorize ten thousands lines of text, if the text rhymes....
I thought maybe you were trying to be insightful (although I wasn't the one who modded you). After all, the only real purpose to life, from a biological standpoint, is to procreate and carry on your genes. So the most worthwhile motive for any action would be to try to increase you chance of getting sex.
I wasn't really trying for insightful, but you make a good point about procreation and genes.
Maybe he was aiming for a "funny". Don't bother reading the post scores, obviously they affect your opinion.
I was, as you suggest, aiming for "funny" -- seemed like an easy karma-whore.
What surprises me is somebody modded it "insightful". Although maybe there's an element of insight in Sartre's comment --
"If I became a philosopher, if I have so keenly sought this fame for which I'm still waiting, it's all been to seduce women basically."
- Jean Paul Sartre (quoted in Harpers, Jan. 1995 p. 25)
Use Your Body Cavities
on
Gates on Spam
·
· Score: 1
Microsoft is proposing a new system that would require people to pay to send e-mails. Postage would be in the form of allowing others to use your computer to make calculations, similar to the SETi@home project.
No, this is Microsoft we're talking about.
Postage would be in the form of allowing others to use your body cavities for nefarious purposes.
Hoax background noises wouldn't have saved this guy...:
"The first divorce directly related to the September 11th terrorist attacks has been filed in New York. It appears a guy with an office on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center spent the morning at his girlfriend's apartment wit his phone turned off. He wasn't watching TV either. When he turned his phone back on at about 11am, it rang immediately. It was his hysterical wife, "Are you OK? Where are you?" He said, "What do you mean? I'm in my office of course!"
This development bring to the forefront the ability to not only carry large loads in wartime efforts...
That's all good and fine, there's always plenty of budget for problems of large loads in wartime.
But what about the other demands of wartime -- such as carrying small loads with extreme caution?
Deciding between carrying more dangerous weapons, or carrying fewer but more safely... that's where the cost-benefit analysis gets tricky, in an age of over-the-counter anthrax and pocket nukes.
I think this exoskeleton thing should be adapted for civilian uses -- such as egg-races, where the cyborgs have to race across broken terrain, carrying an egg balanced on a spoon.
Slashdot Mirror
Though it wouldn't surprise me to find Microsoft courting the Klingon-speaking community .... more like ferengi....
...
Good point.
For that matter, Microsoft would sell out to the Borg -- "because it's an efficient business model"
-kgj
Exactly how many people consider Esperanto their native language? Seriously... what is your point, and why is it modded 'insightful'?
My point is whoring for karma.
Why the 'insightful' mod? I have no idea -- my intention was to whore for 'funny'.
-kgj
The Local Language Program will provide local and regional governments with "language interface packs" ...
....
Oh, so it's only "governments" that rate, hmm?
No help for the Esperanto community, I guess.
Though it wouldn't surprise me to find Microsoft courting the Klingon-speaking community
-kgj
That would so not work. Just look at Vietnam. 95% of all computers run pirated Windows (most of the rest, the bought software, runs on gov't computers). But MS said they will lower prices in Vietnam to compete with Linux! 95% piracy and total revenue of only a few millions...
Damn, you're probably right.
Still, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I imagine all Windows users -- American, European, everyone -- stealing Windows.
-kgj
If everyone stopped selling Windows products, and sold Linux products instead, Linux Product Sales would increase.
... by stealing them, instead of buying them.
That's not going to happen -- merchants make too much money selling Windows products.
Only the consumer can stop windows products
-kgj
... Wolfenstein with a nude Adolph Hitler ...
....
Dude, I'm gonna be ill
-kgj
What makes you think that famine, disease and war are getting worse and worse? Most of the largest countries like India and China are relatively prosperous, relatively healthy and relatively at peace compared to (let's say) the period from 1910-1960.
Well said. Thanks for the insightful comment.
-kgj
Famine, disease, and war are way more important, and require more of our attention.
Famine, disesase, and war could all be ended in a moment -- by a sufficiently large asteroid.
Gallows humor aside, I'm sorry to say it but: why should we realistically expect an end to famine, disease, war? They've been with us throughout history. Man has always wished to eliminate these woes -- yes they keep getting worse and worse.
At least there's the possibility that a technological fix might save us from asteroid impact. Give me some reason to believe that there's any kind of fix for war etc.
-kgj
In retrospect, I now realise I misinterpreted the tone of your comment.
....
:)
... but then, it's this damned interface that makes the conversation possible in the first place ... :)
I could have been clearer in my original post. On the one hand, I wanted to rebut the original poster's comments about Sedna fucking up astrologers; on the other hand, I wanted to poke a bit of fun at astrology ("amoeba", "paranoia"), demonstrating that I'm not actually a sympathizer.
Yes, I'll cut astrology some slack, as a catalog of archtetypes. Archetypes are useful for understanding ourselves, our place in the cosmos, the nature of heaven and earth. Astrology (like tarot, the I Ching, etc.) does a good job of anthologizing those archetypes.
But frankly, those of my friends who are astrologers, while I love them dearly, I think they could be making a lot better use of their time
At least I posted some stuff that was valid, almost interesting, in my misguided reply. Proving once again: While I'm may not always right, Im never wrong.
Your comments were interesting, relevant, cogent. The two of us are basically talking the same language. It's this damned interface that gets in the way
-kgj
[astrology] also doesn't work period :)
...Usually, IMHO, to be palatable to potential followers.
... some religions (e.g. astrology, vodoun) are strongly syncretic; others are somewhat syncretic (e.g. Christianity); some tend to resist syncresis (e.g. Islam -- the Koran exists *in Arabic*, thus cannot be "translated"), etc.
Agreed -- although I'll cut astrology some slack as a form of psychology, e.g. a collection of archetypes.
[Syncretic religion] Sorry, but: So would be Judaism, Christianity, et al. syncretic does not seem to involve active incorporation.
On the face of it, the more 'syncretic' a religion is, the more it was designed.
It's a question of degree
I can't think of a totally non-syncretic religion -- they all tend to incorporate -- nonetheless, it's a question of degree.
The predictions that involved the Zodiac cannot be both true now and at points in the past... [etc].
All good points. Personally, I have little or no use for astrology -- I'm not interested in defending its dogma, only in characterizing its role in society.
Oh, in fairness, without astrology we wouldn't have astronomy- or at least not nearly as much of it.
Just as modern chemistry owes a debt to alchemy.
-kgj
Still, at least this discovery has the redeeming quality of completely fucking up astrology.
Astrology doesn't work that way.
Astrology is syncretic religion -- it readily (and inevitably) incorporates new influences.
Like an amoeba, astrology engulfs everything it touches.
In this sense, astrology is rather like paranoia: everything pertains, everything is part of the Big Picture.
Sedna won't fuck up astrology. On the contrary, astrologers will eagerly seize on the idea of this new planet, treating Sedna as one more vacuole in the amoeba.
-kgj
Microsoft Rereleases Patch to Fix Problems
....
Well, that's a relief -- could be worse -- imagine a headline that reads "Microsoft Rereleases Patch to Cause Problems"
-kgj
Not to mention the XP T-shirts that say "Yes you can." (Thanks for the permission by the way ;)
The new slogan for Longhorn should read:
"Yes, you must."
-kgj
Microsoft to spend more time on security and stability, and less time on adding new features.
... let some apps developer write them!
... this is SlashDot, after all.
- from the article
Thank God! Thank God!
Windows does not need more features. It's got plenty of features already! Any "features" it doesn't have
No need for me to go on about "security"
-kgj
of course the real point of all this is that the younger generation is turning away from television and turning to games.
... but for the last decade it's been nothing but games, games, games.
Not just the younger generation. Tomorrow is my 43rd birthday. When I was a kid, I watched plenty of TV
-kgj
I turn things into songs in my head to remember them -- and it works really well. I mean, I added a tune to the Constitution and remembered the entire first two articles. It's kinda scary.
....
Oral cultures often use epic poetry as a mnemonic device -- it's a hell of a lot easier to memorize ten thousands lines of text, if the text rhymes
-kgj
A lot of good can come out of this - potentially. But I can see a the potential for misuse too.
Both good, and misuse -- as with recreational drugs.
-kgj
If patients in MA can't find out who the problem doctors are, I don't see why doctors should be able to see the names of patients who sued.
Because doctors are better than ordinary people.
That's the theory, anyway.
-kgj
Thus typed by an anonymous coward. I'd better switch my irony meter to a higher scale.
....
Dude, this is SlashDot -- you're gonna max out your irony meter
-kgj
I thought maybe you were trying to be insightful (although I wasn't the one who modded you). After all, the only real purpose to life, from a biological standpoint, is to procreate and carry on your genes. So the most worthwhile motive for any action would be to try to increase you chance of getting sex.
I wasn't really trying for insightful, but you make a good point about procreation and genes.
-kgj
Maybe he was aiming for a "funny". Don't bother reading the post scores, obviously they affect your opinion.
I was, as you suggest, aiming for "funny" -- seemed like an easy karma-whore.
What surprises me is somebody modded it "insightful". Although maybe there's an element of insight in Sartre's comment --
"If I became a philosopher, if I have so keenly sought this fame for which I'm still waiting, it's all been to seduce women basically."
- Jean Paul Sartre (quoted in Harpers, Jan. 1995 p. 25)
Microsoft is proposing a new system that would require people to pay to send e-mails. Postage would be in the form of allowing others to use your computer to make calculations, similar to the SETi@home project.
No, this is Microsoft we're talking about.
Postage would be in the form of allowing others to use your body cavities for nefarious purposes.
-kgj
Why climb everest?
I think you'll find the answer to both questions is "why not?"
Not so. The true answer to all questions is: "to improve my chances of getting laid".
-kgj
Hoax background noises wouldn't have saved this guy ...:
"The first divorce directly related to the September 11th terrorist attacks has been filed in New York. It appears a guy with an office on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center spent the morning at his girlfriend's apartment wit his phone turned off. He wasn't watching TV either. When he turned his phone back on at about 11am, it rang immediately. It was his hysterical wife, "Are you OK? Where are you?" He said, "What do you mean? I'm in my office of course!"
Source
-kgj
This development bring to the forefront the ability to not only carry large loads in wartime efforts ...
... that's where the cost-benefit analysis gets tricky, in an age of over-the-counter anthrax and pocket nukes.
That's all good and fine, there's always plenty of budget for problems of large loads in wartime.
But what about the other demands of wartime -- such as carrying small loads with extreme caution?
Deciding between carrying more dangerous weapons, or carrying fewer but more safely
I think this exoskeleton thing should be adapted for civilian uses -- such as egg-races, where the cyborgs have to race across broken terrain, carrying an egg balanced on a spoon.
-kgj