Solving a game of Tetris always requires O(infinity) time, because there are an infinite number of pieces:P
Anyway, I doubt this will really have much 'theoretically practical' (I say that because obviously there is no practical practicality in any of this:P) value to playing Tetris, since you actually don't know what pieces you're going to get. A computer will always be able to beat a human due to the fact that they can react faster. A computer playing the most conservative game will still kill a person, due to the fact that can probably go 'forever', while the person will top out at a certain speed as the game gets faster.
If you coded in a 'reaction time' into a computer program it might get interesting.
Ultimately, Tetris is really about risk taking. By building up, and keeping 'clean' structures to get tetrises, you're taking a lot of risk. The higher up on the screen you are, the more risk you're taking.
The other risk you take is in 'sealing off' a hole for a long piece that would get you a Tetris in order to clear off some blocks or whatever.
I would suspect that a computer program designed to calculate those probabilities and risk factors, even with just a simple engine for figuring out where to put the blocks would be able to beat a human player, perhaps even with the same restrictions on response times. In fact, I'd be willing to bet on it:P
(btw, I had one of the highest scores in my high school on ztetris, a version of tetris for the ti-8x calculators (written in z80 assembler.) I got up to level 17, and over 49k points for anyone out there who played that version of the game:)
Really old laser mice requred special pads. They were mirrors with little grids. Pretty cool, actualy. I picked up this old Mac+ (second model after the mac classic) for free with one once. It didn't actualy work that well.
Anoto. Obviously they licensed it out to different companies rather then to do everything themselves. Which is what you're supposed to do with patents:P
Well, the special paper has dots that are tracked with a camera in the pen. But the question is, why does it need the dots even? My optical mouse doesn't need dots to work.
Of course you might run into focus problems, like if you pulled the pen up it wouldn't know where on the paper it was. There are a number of ways to get around this, such as an ultrasound range finder connected to a focusing lens (pretty expensive tech to put into a pen, but if were already putting cameras in 'em), or an accelerometer or gyroscope position finder.
Actually, you're the one who needs to read the fucking article.
When connected to a Windows or Macintosh computer, the device can serve as a CD-RW drive for recording digital content or backing up computer data. When connected to a television or PC, the device can also become a DVD player for watching movies
But thanks for insulting everyone who Can read, you illiterate moron.
Microsoft isn't exactly a new player entering the video game space with VC funding. They've got quite a bit of outside revenue coming in. And unlike Sony, they don't have to spend almost anything on manufacturing. All they have to do is print more cds, or even just more licensing cards for business.
They don't call it the "Microsoft tax" for nothing:P
Well, probably because the Dell costs like 4x as much, is gigantic, and probably weighs like 10 times as much.
Not to mention the fact that lots of people already have laptops that don't have some of these features, and might like to keep using 'em. I have a nice Sony laptop myself, and honestly this thing seems pretty interesting. The one I got was pretty small (the vaio SR33k), and only has one PCMICA (sp?) slot, which is now taken up by a wifi card.
The only thing that sucks is the lack of a Firewire interface, since my laptop has one, and I'd rather use that then USB:P (I've only got USB1). In fact, I feel kind of gypped that it doesn't have it. Ah well. Not that I have $300 to spend anyway. But if I did.
I'm surprised Sony didn't use put Firewire (or iLink, as they like to call it) on this thing. It always seemed like most of their products supported it (laptops, PCs, camcorders, even the friggen PS2). But lately I haven't seen it as much. Sure, USB2 is fast, I guess. But I already have a fast Firewire port on my Sony laptop! grr.
Does USB2 already have a greater market penetration then Firewire?
Personally, I just think it would be cool if everyone switched to Ethernet. It would be kind of cool to be able to plug all your devices into a hub and have them all communicate with each other that way.
Lets not forget here, GPL'd code is proprietary. That isn't a 'bad' thing, but the truth is code that's GPL'd needs to stay in the "GPL world". Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. But claming that it's "totally free" is false. It's not. You can always share it, but you can never make it more proprietary.
Now, wether or not the freedom to take something and make it more proprietary is a good freedom for people to have is not the point. The point, as I see it, is that code that's done for the government should be absolutely free (I mean, assuming it's not classified or something). Free for you and me in the open source world, and free for companies like Microsoft to take and profit from. I mean, MS doesn't actually pay taxes, but they do pay a lot of people who do pay taxes, and there are other companies that pay taxes as well and might like to put some of this code in their software.
On the other hand, I would have serious reservations about this bill if it applied to work done at universities. Most uni's are state or privately funded though, so it shouldn't really apply. I hope:P
On, off... what other options are there? Should users be able to put it into a super-position of consisting of both on and off?
Anyway, with individual updates being agreed to, I don't see what else you would want, at least with how windows update works.
Anyway, the world would probably be a better place if windows update were turned on by default, and lazy admins could be running a patched up windows, rather then the latest Cod Red variant.
And you can't create your own protocol and just use it on the internet
I meant at levels above IP. TCP, HTTP and SOAP are all considered 'protocols' despite the fact that they all work on top of each other. (although HTTP and SOAP can run on other protocols.
Perhaps it's great but more than likely it's another one of those pointless academic super high level treaties on software construction that really don't help anyone write better software.
I think post modernism is by far one of the most interesting ideas, and in a lot of ways like things computer geeks like, you know recursion and all that (Read Godel Escher Bach).
You could say that the basis of post-modernism is "self-reference and irreverence". Basically looking inward, and realizing the absurdity of it. Obviously it has a lot of appeal to a cynical bastard such as myself:P
I mean, the idea on its face is absurd. How can something be "post-modern" Wouldn't the newly post-modern become modern, and the old modern simply old? (it's a bit more complex then this, as Modernism was an attempt to break from "classicalism" in the middle of the century. To build great new things. Post-modernism basically gives up on the great new things and says "fuck it")
Ethernet is a physical transport, while TCP/IP is a protocol. In fact, TCP (transmission control protocol) sits on top of IP (internet protocl). There is also UDP on top of IP (but no one says UDP/IP that I've ever heard) and ICMP on IP. UDP are short messages that are sent without creating a link, and ICMP is for things like Ping, tracerout, etc. You can create your own protocol and use it on the internet.
You can use any physical layer: ethernet, a modem, a cell phone, wifi, bluetooth, firewire, USB, power lines, etc with IP, and similarly you can use may other protocols with Ethernet or any other link Such as IPX, NetBui, Apple talk, etc.
TCP, UDP, and ICMP are tied to IP and wont work with anything else.
Then there are higher level protocols that sit on top of TCP or UDP, for example DNS sits on UDP, FTP, telnet, gnutella and others sit on TCP. Interestingly HTTP should work on other protocols as long as you can establish a link between a server and a host on it. And you have software that implements it on these other links.
There's also Ipv6, which is a newer version of IP.
Slashdot Mirror
Solving a game of Tetris always requires O(infinity) time, because there are an infinite number of pieces :P
:P) value to playing Tetris, since you actually don't know what pieces you're going to get. A computer will always be able to beat a human due to the fact that they can react faster. A computer playing the most conservative game will still kill a person, due to the fact that can probably go 'forever', while the person will top out at a certain speed as the game gets faster.
:P
:)
Anyway, I doubt this will really have much 'theoretically practical' (I say that because obviously there is no practical practicality in any of this
If you coded in a 'reaction time' into a computer program it might get interesting.
Ultimately, Tetris is really about risk taking. By building up, and keeping 'clean' structures to get tetrises, you're taking a lot of risk. The higher up on the screen you are, the more risk you're taking.
The other risk you take is in 'sealing off' a hole for a long piece that would get you a Tetris in order to clear off some blocks or whatever.
I would suspect that a computer program designed to calculate those probabilities and risk factors, even with just a simple engine for figuring out where to put the blocks would be able to beat a human player, perhaps even with the same restrictions on response times. In fact, I'd be willing to bet on it
(btw, I had one of the highest scores in my high school on ztetris, a version of tetris for the ti-8x calculators (written in z80 assembler.) I got up to level 17, and over 49k points for anyone out there who played that version of the game
I'm pretty sure Sony didn't have to pay, or something like that, given their involvement in the development of firewire.
Besides, this thing costs more then a PS2, and that has firewire...
If the artical is wrong, chastizing people who belive it for not reading it dosn't really make that much sense.
Really old laser mice requred special pads. They were mirrors with little grids. Pretty cool, actualy. I picked up this old Mac+ (second model after the mac classic) for free with one once. It didn't actualy work that well.
Anoto. Obviously they licensed it out to different companies rather then to do everything themselves. Which is what you're supposed to do with patents :P
Well, the special paper has dots that are tracked with a camera in the pen. But the question is, why does it need the dots even? My optical mouse doesn't need dots to work.
Of course you might run into focus problems, like if you pulled the pen up it wouldn't know where on the paper it was. There are a number of ways to get around this, such as an ultrasound range finder connected to a focusing lens (pretty expensive tech to put into a pen, but if were already putting cameras in 'em), or an accelerometer or gyroscope position finder.
Actually, you're the one who needs to read the fucking article.
When connected to a Windows or Macintosh computer, the device can serve as a CD-RW drive for recording digital content or backing up computer data. When connected to a television or PC, the device can also become a DVD player for watching movies
But thanks for insulting everyone who Can read, you illiterate moron.
When connected to a television or PC, the device can also become a DVD player for watching movies
That's the second half of the 5th paragraph in the artical.
Come on people. It's not that hard. (and +5 informative? Whatever)
...and to record on them was hell. You had to play music and hit the record button.
Yeah, sounds like a nightmare!
Microsoft isn't exactly a new player entering the video game space with VC funding. They've got quite a bit of outside revenue coming in. And unlike Sony, they don't have to spend almost anything on manufacturing. All they have to do is print more cds, or even just more licensing cards for business.
:P
They don't call it the "Microsoft tax" for nothing
Sony life insurance, hrm. Is that like Intel Hotels of Distinction?
Well, probably because the Dell costs like 4x as much, is gigantic, and probably weighs like 10 times as much.
:P (I've only got USB1). In fact, I feel kind of gypped that it doesn't have it. Ah well. Not that I have $300 to spend anyway. But if I did.
Not to mention the fact that lots of people already have laptops that don't have some of these features, and might like to keep using 'em. I have a nice Sony laptop myself, and honestly this thing seems pretty interesting. The one I got was pretty small (the vaio SR33k), and only has one PCMICA (sp?) slot, which is now taken up by a wifi card.
The only thing that sucks is the lack of a Firewire interface, since my laptop has one, and I'd rather use that then USB
It would also be nice if it could burn DVDs.
This one is the size of a regular disk man. You're right if you're saying this isn't particularly innovative just somewhat convenient.
I'm surprised Sony didn't use put Firewire (or iLink, as they like to call it) on this thing. It always seemed like most of their products supported it (laptops, PCs, camcorders, even the friggen PS2). But lately I haven't seen it as much. Sure, USB2 is fast, I guess. But I already have a fast Firewire port on my Sony laptop! grr.
Does USB2 already have a greater market penetration then Firewire?
Personally, I just think it would be cool if everyone switched to Ethernet. It would be kind of cool to be able to plug all your devices into a hub and have them all communicate with each other that way.
Lets not forget here, GPL'd code is proprietary. That isn't a 'bad' thing, but the truth is code that's GPL'd needs to stay in the "GPL world". Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. But claming that it's "totally free" is false. It's not. You can always share it, but you can never make it more proprietary.
:P
Now, wether or not the freedom to take something and make it more proprietary is a good freedom for people to have is not the point. The point, as I see it, is that code that's done for the government should be absolutely free (I mean, assuming it's not classified or something). Free for you and me in the open source world, and free for companies like Microsoft to take and profit from. I mean, MS doesn't actually pay taxes, but they do pay a lot of people who do pay taxes, and there are other companies that pay taxes as well and might like to put some of this code in their software.
On the other hand, I would have serious reservations about this bill if it applied to work done at universities. Most uni's are state or privately funded though, so it shouldn't really apply. I hope
On, off... what other options are there? Should users be able to put it into a super-position of consisting of both on and off?
Anyway, with individual updates being agreed to, I don't see what else you would want, at least with how windows update works.
Anyway, the world would probably be a better place if windows update were turned on by default, and lazy admins could be running a patched up windows, rather then the latest Cod Red variant.
And you can't create your own protocol and just use it on the internet
I meant at levels above IP. TCP, HTTP and SOAP are all considered 'protocols' despite the fact that they all work on top of each other. (although HTTP and SOAP can run on other protocols.
C++ is not more bloated then C, and in fact can be made to run much quciker for a lot of things by using templates.
Perhaps it's great but more than likely it's another one of those pointless academic super high level treaties on software construction that really don't help anyone write better software.
Actualy, I think it's supposed to be a joke.
Even most (in my experience) IT employers think 'Computer Science ~= Programming
Thats because computer science is not programming.
I think post modernism is by far one of the most interesting ideas, and in a lot of ways like things computer geeks like, you know recursion and all that (Read Godel Escher Bach).
:P
You could say that the basis of post-modernism is "self-reference and irreverence". Basically looking inward, and realizing the absurdity of it. Obviously it has a lot of appeal to a cynical bastard such as myself
I mean, the idea on its face is absurd. How can something be "post-modern" Wouldn't the newly post-modern become modern, and the old modern simply old? (it's a bit more complex then this, as Modernism was an attempt to break from "classicalism" in the middle of the century. To build great new things. Post-modernism basically gives up on the great new things and says "fuck it")
Also the site seems to be slashdotted.
Ethernet is a physical transport, while TCP/IP is a protocol. In fact, TCP (transmission control protocol) sits on top of IP (internet protocl). There is also UDP on top of IP (but no one says UDP/IP that I've ever heard) and ICMP on IP. UDP are short messages that are sent without creating a link, and ICMP is for things like Ping, tracerout, etc. You can create your own protocol and use it on the internet.
You can use any physical layer: ethernet, a modem, a cell phone, wifi, bluetooth, firewire, USB, power lines, etc with IP, and similarly you can use may other protocols with Ethernet or any other link Such as IPX, NetBui, Apple talk, etc.
TCP, UDP, and ICMP are tied to IP and wont work with anything else.
Then there are higher level protocols that sit on top of TCP or UDP, for example DNS sits on UDP, FTP, telnet, gnutella and others sit on TCP. Interestingly HTTP should work on other protocols as long as you can establish a link between a server and a host on it. And you have software that implements it on these other links.
There's also Ipv6, which is a newer version of IP.
Provided you have set up the mail server to handel that email.