> No, see as you approach feasibility, your likelihood of being bough by a competing producer to be extinguished (see gasoline) becomes multitudes greater.
I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but do you have a reference?
My own suspicion is that as you approach feasibility, government grant money tends to increase, but if you *achieve* practical feasibility, grant money evaporates. Therefore, to maximize funding, you must asymptotically approach feasibility.
Typewriters were manufactured in India, right next door, until last year. There has to be a huge used market if he could figure out how to tap into it.
But, if all you know is gadgets, then gadgets tend to be your solution.
Yep. The typewriters in my high school class had blank keys too. It's amazing how fast you learn when you're forced to remember. Of course, this predicates that there is some kind of standardization of keyboards, especially for the cute little symbols you don't use much.
The last factory shut down *last year*. That was actually better than I expected. There must be millions of them still out there, a large percentage still in use.
Let's look at it from their point of view. I have no power, or very problematic power. I have a very limited budget. (More limited than us fat, gadget-festooned westerners could possibly imagine.) Now, I have to type a letter. What's the practical solution, given the conditions and the budget?
I'll bet you an iPhone XXVI (due out the latter part of 2014) that mechanical typewriters are very common there, even today. (That's actually not a fair bet, as I've spent some time working there, and can verify from personal observation.)
This all pencils out. Everyone wants Microsoft Windows on a tablet. They're already lining up for it. It's Windows -- the same interface, the same applications, compatibility with all the Microsoft back end processes, and all documents of any type made by Microsoft products will open on it. Regular security releases and bug fixes will keep it in great shape, and Internet Explorer is a joy to use. For all that, of course people will be willing to pay a premium price for the product. This isn't arrogance, it's due recognition of our own excellence. We've owned the desktop for decades; this obviously means we have a superior product.
Additionally, charging a higher price creates a mindset of a premium product. Charging a price competitive with those made-in-China boxes running not-Windows will make us seem as useless as them. People are willing to pay for excellence.
(Please mod this funny so I don't lose all faith in humanity...)
> I suspect Apple has valid reasons as they want data transfer to be as fast as possible with their proprietary adaptors, but still allow micro-usb charging if people want it.
Yeahhhh.... my BS detector just blew a circuit breaker. I hate it when that happens.
It's the fact that it's still Windows, and Microsoft is still working on the paradigm of a single code build to rule them all, that's a complete turn-off to me, and makes the chance of me ever owning such a device bordering on nonexistent.
It was trying to deal with a company issued Windows mobile 5 phone, and later a Windows mobile 6 phone, that taught me that Microsoft just doesn't get the differences between the touch and kvm paradigms. It appears that they're going to "solve" this by making everything (including kvm pcs) run a touch-friendly interface.
The thing is, Microsoft has yet to create a truly successful touch interface. (The original "surface" had some really cutting edge features but was never released.) "Windows 7 tablet edition" is unbelievably bad, being for the most part a re-branding of old accessibility resources. Windows 7 Phone never took off, despite some early moderately favorable reviews, perhaps due to it's association to other failed attempts (see paragraph one).
So now... honestly, why do I need Windows Phone 8? Compatibility with Exchange? A known solution on both iphone and android. Compatibility with Microsoft Office? My Android phone came with Quickoffice, and it appears to be working fine. I can mail myself a PPT, open it on the phone, and use the HDMI interface to display on a projector, no laptop necessary.
Tiles that update dynamically? Android has had that (widgets) for years.
That it's called Windows? That's actually a reason *not* to buy it.
So, like, what? The number of applications? Um, no. The maturity of the code base? It is to laugh. Let's see... Crush on Steve Ballmer... nope. Love the logo... nope, if anything, the new logo looks amateurish. Microsoft has done such a great job on my PC that I'll buy anything they produce? Let's see, examining feelings, um, that would be a no. I'm really reaching here, but I don't know what else might come into play. Oh wait, I know:
On the other hand, my company (which isn't Microsoft) issued me a Windows Mobile phone, and after a very frustrating three months I gave it back. (In all fairness, they also issued me an ipad, and after a week, seeing that I'd still need to carry a laptop, I gave back the ipad.) So a more correct wording might be "We're giving Microsoft employees a free Windows 8 phone and you better the hell be seen using it".
That, plus TV show prop departments heavily subsidize by Microsoft (cough-hawaii-50-cough) might be the only places you see the critters.
Ok, if they're turning left from behind the limit line after the light turns red, they deserve a ticket. Not only technically illegal (you went into the intersection after red) but because it's really really bad practice. When I lived in Phoenix, the most common accident was someone getting t-boned while turning left. So I hear ya.
What I'm talking about is people who are going straight through, and for whatever reason traffic stops in front of them leaving them trapped in the intersection. And then flash goes the camera, signalling the receipt of unwelcome mail in a few days.
In the implementation of stoplight cameras in my town, there are always two cameras diagonally across the intersection from each other, and each camera is in the other's field of view. I don't *know* whether they're rigged to provide security for each other, but were I designing it, that's the way I would do it. I also suspect that the image isn't actually stored in the camera housing. I have a security system at home, and when it's triggered, the images are stored locally and automatically duplicated on a server 15 miles from the house. I suspect they've got something similar.
I thought about.50 BMG from a distance, but worried that the slug would pass through the camera and travel off for parts unknown. Wouldn't want to try it. It's important to remember that it's the government at fault, not the population.
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> No, see as you approach feasibility, your likelihood of being bough by a competing producer to be extinguished (see gasoline) becomes multitudes greater.
I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but do you have a reference?
My own suspicion is that as you approach feasibility, government grant money tends to increase, but if you *achieve* practical feasibility, grant money evaporates. Therefore, to maximize funding, you must asymptotically approach feasibility.
But I'm willing to hear a different theory.
We're saved!!
More expensive than electronics and uninterruptable power?
You clearly have not been in that part of the world. You can make paper in your back yard, if you're patient enough.
He isn't looking hard enough.
Typewriters were manufactured in India, right next door, until last year. There has to be a huge used market if he could figure out how to tap into it.
But, if all you know is gadgets, then gadgets tend to be your solution.
Yep. The typewriters in my high school class had blank keys too. It's amazing how fast you learn when you're forced to remember. Of course, this predicates that there is some kind of standardization of keyboards, especially for the cute little symbols you don't use much.
India is right next door!
The last factory shut down *last year*. That was actually better than I expected. There must be millions of them still out there, a large percentage still in use.
Let's look at it from their point of view. I have no power, or very problematic power. I have a very limited budget. (More limited than us fat, gadget-festooned westerners could possibly imagine.) Now, I have to type a letter. What's the practical solution, given the conditions and the budget?
I'll bet you an iPhone XXVI (due out the latter part of 2014) that mechanical typewriters are very common there, even today. (That's actually not a fair bet, as I've spent some time working there, and can verify from personal observation.)
We have lots of different sources to thank for that. We perhaps have Apple to thank for the marketing, although that has its upsides and downsides.
Mechanical typewriters. Paper. I bet there's a bunch of them already in India. You'll just have to look around.
Why does everything have to be electronic? Especially in remote or third-world conditions?
Ok, I'll give you that. But now they're competing in a commodity market. Microsoft doesn't really understand competitive, commodity markets.
(Mod up...)
This all pencils out. Everyone wants Microsoft Windows on a tablet. They're already lining up for it. It's Windows -- the same interface, the same applications, compatibility with all the Microsoft back end processes, and all documents of any type made by Microsoft products will open on it. Regular security releases and bug fixes will keep it in great shape, and Internet Explorer is a joy to use. For all that, of course people will be willing to pay a premium price for the product. This isn't arrogance, it's due recognition of our own excellence. We've owned the desktop for decades; this obviously means we have a superior product.
Additionally, charging a higher price creates a mindset of a premium product. Charging a price competitive with those made-in-China boxes running not-Windows will make us seem as useless as them. People are willing to pay for excellence.
(Please mod this funny so I don't lose all faith in humanity...)
Perhaps Microsoft has decided they need to make money instead of doing loss leaders.
To make money, you have to sell product.
"Hey look. An earthlike planet, with nobody living on it. What a coincidence."
"Signal the colony ship."
And my post must live!
Maybe they don't want to talk to us.
> I suspect Apple has valid reasons as they want data transfer to be as fast as possible with their proprietary adaptors, but still allow micro-usb charging if people want it.
Yeahhhh.... my BS detector just blew a circuit breaker. I hate it when that happens.
I could be wrong (if so someone is sure to tell me) but I'm pretty sure Apple got an exemption from that European rule.
It's the fact that it's still Windows, and Microsoft is still working on the paradigm of a single code build to rule them all, that's a complete turn-off to me, and makes the chance of me ever owning such a device bordering on nonexistent.
It was trying to deal with a company issued Windows mobile 5 phone, and later a Windows mobile 6 phone, that taught me that Microsoft just doesn't get the differences between the touch and kvm paradigms. It appears that they're going to "solve" this by making everything (including kvm pcs) run a touch-friendly interface.
The thing is, Microsoft has yet to create a truly successful touch interface. (The original "surface" had some really cutting edge features but was never released.) "Windows 7 tablet edition" is unbelievably bad, being for the most part a re-branding of old accessibility resources. Windows 7 Phone never took off, despite some early moderately favorable reviews, perhaps due to it's association to other failed attempts (see paragraph one).
So now... honestly, why do I need Windows Phone 8? Compatibility with Exchange? A known solution on both iphone and android. Compatibility with Microsoft Office? My Android phone came with Quickoffice, and it appears to be working fine. I can mail myself a PPT, open it on the phone, and use the HDMI interface to display on a projector, no laptop necessary.
Tiles that update dynamically? Android has had that (widgets) for years.
That it's called Windows? That's actually a reason *not* to buy it.
So, like, what? The number of applications? Um, no. The maturity of the code base? It is to laugh. Let's see... Crush on Steve Ballmer... nope. Love the logo... nope, if anything, the new logo looks amateurish. Microsoft has done such a great job on my PC that I'll buy anything they produce? Let's see, examining feelings, um, that would be a no. I'm really reaching here, but I don't know what else might come into play. Oh wait, I know:
I work for Microsoft and they're giving me a Windows 8 phone and tablet for free? Well, that might work. At very least, it'll reduce inventory somewhat. Storage must be costly.
On the other hand, my company (which isn't Microsoft) issued me a Windows Mobile phone, and after a very frustrating three months I gave it back. (In all fairness, they also issued me an ipad, and after a week, seeing that I'd still need to carry a laptop, I gave back the ipad.) So a more correct wording might be "We're giving Microsoft employees a free Windows 8 phone and you better the hell be seen using it".
That, plus TV show prop departments heavily subsidize by Microsoft (cough-hawaii-50-cough) might be the only places you see the critters.
Ok, if they're turning left from behind the limit line after the light turns red, they deserve a ticket. Not only technically illegal (you went into the intersection after red) but because it's really really bad practice. When I lived in Phoenix, the most common accident was someone getting t-boned while turning left. So I hear ya.
What I'm talking about is people who are going straight through, and for whatever reason traffic stops in front of them leaving them trapped in the intersection. And then flash goes the camera, signalling the receipt of unwelcome mail in a few days.
It's hard to see through a Guy Fawkes mask. A ski mask would be a better choice. (Although, a little warm in summer.)
In the implementation of stoplight cameras in my town, there are always two cameras diagonally across the intersection from each other, and each camera is in the other's field of view. I don't *know* whether they're rigged to provide security for each other, but were I designing it, that's the way I would do it. I also suspect that the image isn't actually stored in the camera housing. I have a security system at home, and when it's triggered, the images are stored locally and automatically duplicated on a server 15 miles from the house. I suspect they've got something similar.
I thought about .50 BMG from a distance, but worried that the slug would pass through the camera and travel off for parts unknown. Wouldn't want to try it. It's important to remember that it's the government at fault, not the population.