Clarke's Third Law. It's mentioned in a r.a.sf.w FAQ, I believe.
Beyond the Neanderthals, though, how many Ordariny Joes (tm) can distinguish between a radio and a magic box? It's got "speakers". It's got electricity. It's got an aerial that you twiddle when the sound gets scratchy. Hell, I couldn't explain the physics behind one (and I have been briefly introduced to LCR (?) circuits), not even one of those nifty little matchbox radios you can build from parts...
And as for computers.. I know a little MIPS assembler, I know what sort of logic gates you need to make an adder (or if I don't, I'd better by the end of the semester:-)), but I don't know what a bit is (voltage?), let alone exactly what goes on when you want to AND a couple of bits together. I could write a very simple program, but only because the CPU works by magic.
What's it like for normal people (ie: non computer scientists/programmers)? You move the mouse, and the arrow moves around on the screen. The CPU gets involved somewhere. You store stuff on the hard disk. The more RAM you have, the less waiting you do. Beyond that... magic?
Isn't there some hypothesis that given the number of galaxies, and the number of stars, and the number of planets, there should still be 10^? planets with life on them?
The Drake Equation gives an estimate for the number of planets that currently support intelligent life, in our own galaxy, given guesses about various quantities. There are a fewpages around that will do the calculations for you (ok, it's not exactly difficult, but they do suggest "good" values too).
Of course, that's only for this galaxy. So I guess you can multiply any number you get by a few billion...
The QNXdemo disk is a web-browser-onna-floppy. Although it's min 386+8MB, and I don't know about legality in this situation. Probably this is not what you want. (OTOH, it could be a nice way of preventing kids from installing any software you don't want:-) )
I also recall from my DOS days a web-browser / newsreader integrated, that would run on a 286 / XT (although, from memory, not as nicely as it would on a 386).
Called Net-Tamer (aka Internet in a Thimble), it's on Simtel, or there is the home page. (looks like they're still developing it too!)
But Trurl gave a knowing smile and revealed his plan, which Klapaucius -- begrudgingly -- had to admit was ingenius, and so they set to work. All the necessary equipment quickly thrown together, they gathered up the local stars and arranged them in a giant sign. Only blue giants were used for the first word -- to get the cosmic reader's atention -- and less stellar material made up the others. The advertisement read: TWO Distinguished Constructors Seek Employment Commensurate with Their Skill and Above All Lucrative, Hence Preferably at the Court of a Well-heeled King (Should Have His Own Kingdom), Terms to Be Arranged.
How does tax on international transactions normally work?
It could get even worse on the 'net, where national boundaries are at best very blurred...If Amazon.com decides to become Amazon.co.in, are they in India? What if they physically ship over their webserver? If I then buy from them, the transaction is taking place between my computer in NZ and their box in India.. Even if they do ship the books from the good ol' U S of A.
I mean, the lengths some companies/people go to to avoid tax in the Real World (tm) are incredible -- what could you do on the 'net?
(IAdefinatelyNAL)
-- Repton.
Re:You thought Quakers were addicts...
on
Linux Q3Test 1.07
·
· Score: 1
I've been doing that...initially by accident, but that first time, I didn't notice until later. My (entirely uninformde) theory is that the video card (I have a TNT) is doing most of the grunty stuff.
Although, from what I've read here, I suppose it may be adding to my ping. Maybe I'd be getting 350 instead of 400ms..;-l
(33k6 modem _and_ I tend to play in Australia because the only local (NZ) server I know of is often empty)
At any rate, with my P2-350, I'm certainly getting quite reasonable frame rates with SETI@Home running in the background. YMMV.
The BBC Lives! is a pretty good site for Beeb stuff. Unfortunately, Superior Software are still exercising their copyright, so none of the Superior / Acornsoft stuff is legally copyable (and, hence, is not available). (although there are ports around..)
Last I checked, the source for ADOM wasn't available, so you're out of luck if you run a UN*X other than GNU/Linux, I guess. (although the author has stated he will release the source when he reaches version 1)
Roguelike News has a good set of links for Nethack, Angband, Omega, and the rest of the crew.
On the subject of old classics (although this from the world of micros, AFAIK)... anyone recognise my nick?:-)
When I read the article, I had similar thoughts -- and also one other: Extend the GPL to science?
Eg, "you may use this discovery, and you may make money out of it, but any discoveries you make as a consequence of working on it must be made available under the same terms".
Would that work / could it be made legally binding/etc?
Slashdot Mirror
Clarke's Third Law. It's mentioned in a r.a.sf.w FAQ, I believe.
Beyond the Neanderthals, though, how many Ordariny Joes (tm) can distinguish between a radio and a magic box? It's got "speakers". It's got electricity. It's got an aerial that you twiddle when the sound gets scratchy. Hell, I couldn't explain the physics behind one (and I have been briefly introduced to LCR (?) circuits), not even one of those nifty little matchbox radios you can build from parts...
And as for computers.. I know a little MIPS assembler, I know what sort of logic gates you need to make an adder (or if I don't, I'd better by the end of the semester :-)), but I don't know what a bit is (voltage?), let alone exactly what goes on when you want to AND a couple of bits together. I could write a very simple program, but only because the CPU works by magic.
What's it like for normal people (ie: non computer scientists/programmers)? You move the mouse, and the arrow moves around on the screen. The CPU gets involved somewhere. You store stuff on the hard disk. The more RAM you have, the less waiting you do. Beyond that... magic?
--
Repton.
fx: Repton blinks
I'd like to see the labratory that could conduct that experiment...
--
Repton.
The Drake Equation gives an estimate for the number of planets that currently support intelligent life, in our own galaxy, given guesses about various quantities. There are a few pages around that will do the calculations for you (ok, it's not exactly difficult, but they do suggest "good" values too).
Of course, that's only for this galaxy. So I guess you can multiply any number you get by a few billion ...
--
Repton.
Urbanlegends.com, of course, has the story.
The guilty state was Indiana. (however, we doubt the Oracle was consulted...)
--
Repton.
The QNX demo disk is a web-browser-onna-floppy. Although it's min 386+8MB, and I don't know about legality in this situation. Probably this is not what you want. :-) )
(OTOH, it could be a nice way of preventing kids from installing any software you don't want
I also recall from my DOS days a web-browser / newsreader integrated, that would run on a 286 / XT (although, from memory, not as nicely as it would on a 386).
Called Net-Tamer (aka Internet in a Thimble), it's on Simtel, or there is the home page.
(looks like they're still developing it too!)
--
Repton.
--
Repton.
That's what I was wondering...
How does tax on international transactions normally work?
It could get even worse on the 'net, where national boundaries are at best very blurred...If Amazon.com decides to become Amazon.co.in, are they in India? What if they physically ship over their webserver? If I then buy from them, the transaction is taking place between my computer in NZ and their box in India.. Even if they do ship the books from the good ol' U S of A.
I mean, the lengths some companies/people go to to avoid tax in the Real World (tm) are incredible -- what could you do on the 'net?
(IAdefinatelyNAL)
--
Repton.
I've been doing that...initially by accident, but that first time, I didn't notice until later. My (entirely uninformde) theory is that the video card (I have a TNT) is doing most of the grunty stuff.
Although, from what I've read here, I suppose it may be adding to my ping. Maybe I'd be getting 350 instead of 400ms.. ;-l
(33k6 modem _and_ I tend to play in Australia because the only local (NZ) server I know of is often empty)
At any rate, with my P2-350, I'm certainly getting quite reasonable frame rates with SETI@Home running in the background. YMMV.
--
Repton.
Yup - Repton, Repton 2, Repton 3, ...
The BBC Lives! is a pretty good site for Beeb stuff. Unfortunately, Superior Software are still exercising their copyright, so none of the Superior / Acornsoft stuff is legally copyable (and, hence, is not available).
(although there are ports around..)
--
Repton.
Last I checked, the source for ADOM wasn't available, so you're out of luck if you run a UN*X other than GNU/Linux, I guess. (although the author has stated he will release the source when he reaches version 1)
Roguelike News has a good set of links for Nethack, Angband, Omega, and the rest of the crew.
On the subject of old classics (although this from the world of micros, AFAIK)... anyone recognise my nick? :-)
--
Repton.
When I read the article, I had similar thoughts -- and also one other: Extend the GPL to science?
Eg, "you may use this discovery, and you may make money out of it, but any discoveries you make as a consequence of working on it must be made available under the same terms".
Would that work / could it be made legally binding/etc?
--
Repton.