...AT&T Controlling almost all the phones and broadband access...."
Really. Don't these people remember why we broke up AT&T in the first place? And how the quality of communications rose, the prices fell when smaller players started getting involved?
And just the thought of corporate control of content is enough to make one puke.
Unfortunately, one must have more than self-resolve to obtain this (or any) wanted position. One also needs opportunities.
Sure, we'd all *like* to be Dark Lord Satan, but how many job openings are there? How many start-ups? Do you really want to put your entire life's work into learning the trade, only never to have an opportunity to shine? It's kind of a monopoly business -- almost as bad as MS....
Sony's has no customer service. They have corporate Liablility Control. Risk/Loss Management. That goes for all of their products. (I'd go into the long story about them screwing me on my camcorder, but that might be OT....) They make sure A.) They have your money first, and B.) they legally meet (barely) their contractual obligations (whether that be warranties or online gaming), and that's all they do.
They have so much of the market now, they don't worry about individual customers anymore. They have concentrated on the swarm. So what you or any other individual has to say is meaningless to them.
There is plenty of food, clothing and shelter to go around.
Wait... tears brimming in my eyes, memories of John Lennon's "Imagine," the smell of incense... and then.... BAM! Reality strikes. Human nature in its current state precludes your solution.
In the meantime, we need to keep our own engineers working, or else they move from cutting edge, to bleeding edge, to scabbing edge, to old scars that nobody wants anymore... Not a great way to reward all of that hard work, IMHO...
But, I don't see a literary education as necessary for doing that.
I was just joking -- I'd agree with you 100%. I majored in music theory, fercryinoutloud.... Although I'm a bit more than a tech writer, tech writing is an important part of my job.
I never took a single English course the entire time I was in college (tested out of basic). I did most of my distribution in sciences and history, and was using computers for music composition in the mid-80's though, so I don't feel all too out-of-place in industry.
The skills you learn in science apply to everything. I would say any sort of literature degree is a waste of time...
Heh. This is the reason I have a job: Engineers who know their science/math inside & out and develop all the technology so it operates simply, but then can't explain how it works. (Basically, I translate from EngineerSpeak to the level of Operators and Administrators of large systems...)
I'm not an engineer, but I've worked in a specialty niche in engineering and industry for many years.
Four years ago, I was laid off after corporate cutbacks. No problem, said I.... I should be able to go get a job anywhere. I can take these skills from engineering and industry to nearly any company, and people would appreciate it.
Then came the fun. Every single potential employer used that word -- "Overqualified." I couldn't get a job running a Docutech in a print shop for 10.00/hour. "You'll just go running back to the oil industry," they said. I couldn't even get a job at a convenience store. Nearly had a low-paying job at one point -- they'd made an offer -- but then they found out I'd dumbed down my resume. As a result, after three years, I was just about to resign myself to homelessness, literally, when I finally got a job offer in my field.
People in engineering are being seen as disposable. I know barmaids who make more money.....
Yes. We're Americans, who, with our tax dollars, have paid for the infrastructure and universities that make it possible to do high-quality research here, and people who have made our homes here, where the cost of living can be quite high.
And after making that investment, it's only fair that a carpetbagger can come to town and take the proceeds from that investment back to his/her home country while our own engineers' skills atrophe.
There's a couple of reasons. First, Bears are very large and fast, and have big claws and teeth. Bears like to kill things by inflicting massive trauma and pain. I don't like pain. But I live near bears. So guns are good.
Second, we have the right to rebel if our government gets out of hand and starts shooting at us. You might ask the Brits about that. If we aren't permitted to have guns, we surrender all means of self-defense against a rogue dictator who starts using the military to kill our families. It's happened countless times throughout history....
Third, not all of us live in urban areas, and even those of us who do can't count on police protection -- especially if we live in the "wrong" neighborhood. I'm six feet tall and weigh only 140 lbs... what are my chances of protecting myself against a crowbar-wielding assailant? Should I fight fairly, using only the weapons he chooses, and "may the better man win?" I don't think so. I think I'd rather use my Glock.45 to spray his intestines against my fireplace mantle.
Interestingly enough, terrorists and MMOG players have to do all of their communication outside of a network designed for that task.... It's quite a bit different than an Everquest guild organizing for a raid or a group of terrorists communicating plans for blowing up a building.
Point being that information systems are information systems. They aren't going to learn anything new by watching a MMORPG that they don't already know.
"Uhh, oil != people."
Uhh, no, TAPS=many nodes (pump stations, satellite/microwave/optical comm-operated systems) all hundreds of miles away from each other, coordinated by people using information systems. Just another information system.
I don't see how watching Evercrack is going to be any different than watching any other coordinated information system.
You're developing a product in a highly competitive market. That means you're paying employees and contractors money for, say, a year without any payback. That research is an investment.
The first damage comes when your leak gives your innovations away to your competitors. All that work, all that research, and your competitors can figure out your ideas for free, possibly even beat you to the marketplace.
But then theres more damaage: by leaking proprietary information, he damages the relationships between contractors and employers. Like the post says, "Don't trust contractors."
Re:How many times does it have to be said?
on
AOL Wins Anti-Spam Case
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Try reading the article. They are not being sued over free speech issues. They were sued because of deceptive advertising and misleading people into thinking the advertisements were coming from AOL itself -- things like that.... not simply for sending advertisements.
They've never caused me any problems ever. Just plain works.
Well, when a Sony *doesn't* 'just plain work', you'll have a problem. I just bought a brand new digicamcorder a few months ago for a special event. Right out of the box, it was broken. Never worked.
Sony has an agreement with their retailers that keeps retailers from exchanging faulty items. You must contact Sony "service."
Sony didn't care what kind of crap they were selling, and didn't care if they lost a single customer. When I asked if they'd be happy about paying $700 for a camera, then having to pay an additional $50 in shipping and insurance costs to ship it back for repairs, then waiting for a few weeks while it's repaired and shipped back, all when the unit should never have been shipped in the first place. The entire drive unit was faulty. They basically said, "You pay for shipping and insurance on your camera, or let it remain broken while the warranty expires, and end up with nothing." So I got to pay for their screw-up.
When I tried to talk to anyone other than the teledroid, I hit dead ends each time with sentences that began with, "The Sony corporation would like me to tell you that...." -- quoting procedures.
Sony wasn't always like that. Now they really suck. From now on, the only Sony product I'd buy is one I thought of as "disposable."
... although I have a feeling we're going to run into some major "what should kids be allowed to see?"
And this is why this should not be left to the US Government. The First Amendment will grant free speech and fair use of the domain: The same issues that currently cloud church and state issues. If we allow Christians to meet in schools, for example, we must allow satanists and secular groups to meet there too. So if there are Christian kids sites, they must allow Satanic sites, and sites that openly ridicule religion.
I'll guarantee this will result in a lawsuit the first time the Ten Commandments are posted, or the first time a Wiccan calls Jesus "Santa Clause for Adults." And you must know that this domain is going to attract people who simply want to influence children's thinking....
So, I register a kids.us domain, and promise to meet the guidelines
So what happens when my site is dedicated to, say, subverting the authority of parents over their children? For example, I worship doormats, and place a child-friendly site that says, "Kids, your parents are wrong. They're lying to you. Doormats are the true gods of the universe."
Of course that would make some parents angry. But I'd still say it's kid-safe. How long do you think it would be before the oversight committee were to pull my domain?
Go for it/.ers! Most likely she'll overlook your pizza stained sweatpants, as long as you keep repeating, "Geek is Chic...Geek is Chic..."
Doubtful.
It was the marketing industry that labeled intelligent people as being "geeks" -- formerly a term to describe hideous circus performers, remember. The reason they label intelligent people as societal idiots is the same reason religions label outsiders as "Heathens" -- to discredit the critics before they're ever heard. "What do you know about shopping? You're a geek! (yeah, he's a geek. Geeks don't know anything. Dumb geeks. Look how they dress. They all have those funny glasses and pocket protectors... )"
So even with all the technology in the world, nobody's going to convince us that we should buy crap that is in fact crap.
And I'm sure every member of every focus group says the same thing.
But the fact is, I (as a hypothetical advertising researcher) know that the majority of the populus can be convinced to buy pure crap. I've put billions of dollars into researching the behavior of the entire populus, not the behavior of individuals. I have you classified and sorted, and know which bell to ring to make you salivate.
If you can't be convinced, you're outside of my target market (top-of-the-bell-curve sheep) and I don't care about you anyway. I'll just label you as "Geek" or "Nerd" and concentrate my efforts back toward getting the sheep to go where I lead them.
Slashdot Mirror
Really. Don't these people remember why we broke up AT&T in the first place? And how the quality of communications rose, the prices fell when smaller players started getting involved?
And just the thought of corporate control of content is enough to make one puke.
That's usually less attributable to CO2, moreso to LSD.
Here in Alaska, it's a GOAL.
(And if the ultra-mild winters of late are any indication, we seem to be achieving it....)
Sure, we'd all *like* to be Dark Lord Satan, but how many job openings are there? How many start-ups? Do you really want to put your entire life's work into learning the trade, only never to have an opportunity to shine? It's kind of a monopoly business -- almost as bad as MS....
Not "just like."
Adobe=Big Corporation.
Microsoft=Big, E-E-E-Evil Corporation.
Sony's has no customer service. They have corporate Liablility Control. Risk/Loss Management. That goes for all of their products. (I'd go into the long story about them screwing me on my camcorder, but that might be OT....) They make sure A.) They have your money first, and B.) they legally meet (barely) their contractual obligations (whether that be warranties or online gaming), and that's all they do.
They have so much of the market now, they don't worry about individual customers anymore. They have concentrated on the swarm. So what you or any other individual has to say is meaningless to them.
Wait... tears brimming in my eyes, memories of John Lennon's "Imagine," the smell of incense... and then.... BAM! Reality strikes. Human nature in its current state precludes your solution.
In the meantime, we need to keep our own engineers working, or else they move from cutting edge, to bleeding edge, to scabbing edge, to old scars that nobody wants anymore... Not a great way to reward all of that hard work, IMHO...
I was just joking -- I'd agree with you 100%. I majored in music theory, fercryinoutloud.... Although I'm a bit more than a tech writer, tech writing is an important part of my job.
I never took a single English course the entire time I was in college (tested out of basic). I did most of my distribution in sciences and history, and was using computers for music composition in the mid-80's though, so I don't feel all too out-of-place in industry.
Heh. This is the reason I have a job: Engineers who know their science/math inside & out and develop all the technology so it operates simply, but then can't explain how it works. (Basically, I translate from EngineerSpeak to the level of Operators and Administrators of large systems...)
So please, heed him! DON'T study Engish!!
And that apostrophe, indicating a possessive plural, is correct.
Four years ago, I was laid off after corporate cutbacks. No problem, said I.... I should be able to go get a job anywhere. I can take these skills from engineering and industry to nearly any company, and people would appreciate it.
Then came the fun. Every single potential employer used that word -- "Overqualified." I couldn't get a job running a Docutech in a print shop for 10.00/hour. "You'll just go running back to the oil industry," they said. I couldn't even get a job at a convenience store. Nearly had a low-paying job at one point -- they'd made an offer -- but then they found out I'd dumbed down my resume. As a result, after three years, I was just about to resign myself to homelessness, literally, when I finally got a job offer in my field.
People in engineering are being seen as disposable. I know barmaids who make more money.....
Yes. We're Americans, who, with our tax dollars, have paid for the infrastructure and universities that make it possible to do high-quality research here, and people who have made our homes here, where the cost of living can be quite high.
And after making that investment, it's only fair that a carpetbagger can come to town and take the proceeds from that investment back to his/her home country while our own engineers' skills atrophe.
Yes. Texas. The hotbed of rational thinkers. You can buy a gun legally, but you can go to jail for having a dildo.
Second, we have the right to rebel if our government gets out of hand and starts shooting at us. You might ask the Brits about that. If we aren't permitted to have guns, we surrender all means of self-defense against a rogue dictator who starts using the military to kill our families. It's happened countless times throughout history....
Third, not all of us live in urban areas, and even those of us who do can't count on police protection -- especially if we live in the "wrong" neighborhood. I'm six feet tall and weigh only 140 lbs... what are my chances of protecting myself against a crowbar-wielding assailant? Should I fight fairly, using only the weapons he chooses, and "may the better man win?" I don't think so. I think I'd rather use my Glock .45 to spray his intestines against my fireplace mantle.
Point being that information systems are information systems. They aren't going to learn anything new by watching a MMORPG that they don't already know.
"Uhh, oil != people."
Uhh, no, TAPS=many nodes (pump stations, satellite/microwave/optical comm-operated systems) all hundreds of miles away from each other, coordinated by people using information systems. Just another information system.
I don't see how watching Evercrack is going to be any different than watching any other coordinated information system.
So are family reunions.
So is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline system.
So is FedEx's tracking system. Etc.
The military, I think, just wants to keep an eye on their biggest enemy -- the Intelligent, Questioning Citizen, AKA 'Geek'....
You're developing a product in a highly competitive market. That means you're paying employees and contractors money for, say, a year without any payback. That research is an investment.
The first damage comes when your leak gives your innovations away to your competitors. All that work, all that research, and your competitors can figure out your ideas for free, possibly even beat you to the marketplace.
But then theres more damaage: by leaking proprietary information, he damages the relationships between contractors and employers. Like the post says, "Don't trust contractors."
Try reading the article. They are not being sued over free speech issues. They were sued because of deceptive advertising and misleading people into thinking the advertisements were coming from AOL itself -- things like that.... not simply for sending advertisements.
Sad part is, that just by saying that, you can now be investigated and arrested for "conspiracy."
Hoo-ray for the land of freedom.
Well, when a Sony *doesn't* 'just plain work', you'll have a problem. I just bought a brand new digicamcorder a few months ago for a special event. Right out of the box, it was broken. Never worked.
Sony has an agreement with their retailers that keeps retailers from exchanging faulty items. You must contact Sony "service."
Sony didn't care what kind of crap they were selling, and didn't care if they lost a single customer. When I asked if they'd be happy about paying $700 for a camera, then having to pay an additional $50 in shipping and insurance costs to ship it back for repairs, then waiting for a few weeks while it's repaired and shipped back, all when the unit should never have been shipped in the first place. The entire drive unit was faulty. They basically said, "You pay for shipping and insurance on your camera, or let it remain broken while the warranty expires, and end up with nothing." So I got to pay for their screw-up.
When I tried to talk to anyone other than the teledroid, I hit dead ends each time with sentences that began with, "The Sony corporation would like me to tell you that...." -- quoting procedures.
Sony wasn't always like that. Now they really suck. From now on, the only Sony product I'd buy is one I thought of as "disposable."
And this is why this should not be left to the US Government. The First Amendment will grant free speech and fair use of the domain: The same issues that currently cloud church and state issues. If we allow Christians to meet in schools, for example, we must allow satanists and secular groups to meet there too. So if there are Christian kids sites, they must allow Satanic sites, and sites that openly ridicule religion.
I'll guarantee this will result in a lawsuit the first time the Ten Commandments are posted, or the first time a Wiccan calls Jesus "Santa Clause for Adults." And you must know that this domain is going to attract people who simply want to influence children's thinking....
So what happens when my site is dedicated to, say, subverting the authority of parents over their children? For example, I worship doormats, and place a child-friendly site that says, "Kids, your parents are wrong. They're lying to you. Doormats are the true gods of the universe."
Of course that would make some parents angry. But I'd still say it's kid-safe. How long do you think it would be before the oversight committee were to pull my domain?
Doubtful.
It was the marketing industry that labeled intelligent people as being "geeks" -- formerly a term to describe hideous circus performers, remember. The reason they label intelligent people as societal idiots is the same reason religions label outsiders as "Heathens" -- to discredit the critics before they're ever heard. "What do you know about shopping? You're a geek! (yeah, he's a geek. Geeks don't know anything. Dumb geeks. Look how they dress. They all have those funny glasses and pocket protectors... )"
And if puppies had credit cards, you can bet your arse that's the way it would be....
And I'm sure every member of every focus group says the same thing.
But the fact is, I (as a hypothetical advertising researcher) know that the majority of the populus can be convinced to buy pure crap. I've put billions of dollars into researching the behavior of the entire populus, not the behavior of individuals. I have you classified and sorted, and know which bell to ring to make you salivate.
If you can't be convinced, you're outside of my target market (top-of-the-bell-curve sheep) and I don't care about you anyway. I'll just label you as "Geek" or "Nerd" and concentrate my efforts back toward getting the sheep to go where I lead them.