I've met a lot of people in my life that can simulate intelligence. If you were to remove a person's brain and replace it with an entirely electronic one whose behavior conformed perfectly to their organic one, would you be able to tell the difference when talking to the person? Humans are not as special as some people seem to think we are. And if you think we are, then tell me why we're so much better than a computer that be programmed to behave the exact same way as us. The only real difference is the one we perceive mentally. It's not really something you can point to as evidence. For all we know, a computer programmed to behave just like us would also include that perception. Perhaps it would think that we were merely talking meat that only simulated the appearance of intelligence.
Actually the brain can recall everything that's ever happened to it (if it's functioning properly) with perfect detail. The problem is the software running the brain is bloated and full of bugs so you get a lot of corrupted data.
The odds that there is another civilization nearby that is at the same technological level as we are is pretty remote. I would say that if they're out there, they're a thousand times more advanced or still banging rocks together.
There was a/. story a ways back about how the earth is getting quieter as our communication technology increases and that soon the earth will fall silent as we stop broadcasting our signals out into space. Perhaps this is why we can find no evidence of other life, we simply don't have the technology to detect it. Not only that, I would be willing to bet that any species that can survive long enough to make it into space would be fairly enlightened and peaceful, thus we must look like barbarians.
Perhaps they HAVE been here, took a good look at us and decided they'd check up on us when we've matured a bit more.
You're confusing publishers with the recording/movie industry. There are a few publishers that even offer their books online for download for free (Baen is the largest of these I think). The publishing industry seems aware that in order to make money you must get the public interested in your product. I don't think they would oppose a library if it hadn't existed before.
Hmm no I think my point is valid. He was saying that you shouldn't complain about something if you can switch it to something else...
If you read someone's post and don't comprehend it, please don't respond. As to me being a retard at least I know how to create a/. account. It's not hard really, you should give it a try.
So you're saying the default color scheme doesn't suck... because it can be changed? By that logic, windows doesn't suck because you can switch to another operating system. AOL doesn't suck because you can always switch to another provider.
We were just talking about the kid's show color scheme that they chose as the default. The fact that it can be changed just alter the fact that it looks stupid.
Well I played Warcraft 3 recently and I found that I was more interested in finding out what was happening next than in building the city OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again. So I just started cheating my way to the end and by the time I reached the end, I realized I might as well have just watched a movie. I'm not saying its a bad game but after playing WC2 and SC, I think I'm just bored to death with building those cities.
Is it just me or does everyone else think that the older systems, like the atari and nintendo put out way higher quality games (as far as gameplay goes)than the modern systems seem to provide?
Hmm.. the question interested me enough to spend a bit of time looking it up. I found a site from Australia that was talking about improving the living conditions in rural China where in some places they don't even have a cash economy and have to carry water huge distances. I also found some statistics that showed the average Chinese male (in the city) does earn around $1200 a year so I guess that would be about the range to buy a computer. However, the average Chinese male farmer only earns around $500 a year and that's probably closer to the income range I was thinking about.
Ya but my point was only aimed at people making $1200ish. Someone in that income range is probably having enough troubles keeping food on the table and clothes on their back. I really doubt a computer is something they're interested at all.
The people that collect those AOL CDs (I've heard of some selling on ebay for insane amounts) would suddenly have a huge amount of storage space to work with.
Ya but they're NOT keeping up with the digitalized world. A village that's composed of people whose income is $1200 or lower might not even have electricity or running water (correct me if I'm wrong on that). If that's the case, they probably only have vague ideas as to what computers even are.
Hmm.. of course my mom's been using a computer for about 5 years and she still only has a vague idea of what it is... Her main skill with it seems to be breaking it in amazingly original ways and then calling me to fix it.
Jack Black don't count because he's totally pimping. Point out a fat, balding non-actor musician that has little to no charisma in front of the camera that has a hit record.
What if this program starts finding patterns in music that someone attempts to copyright? Would they then be able to sue people whose music has a similar mathmatical pattern behind it?
Why do I have the feeling that no matter how this turns out its the listeners that are going to end up being screwed by it.
Slashdot Mirror
I've met a lot of people in my life that can simulate intelligence. If you were to remove a person's brain and replace it with an entirely electronic one whose behavior conformed perfectly to their organic one, would you be able to tell the difference when talking to the person? Humans are not as special as some people seem to think we are. And if you think we are, then tell me why we're so much better than a computer that be programmed to behave the exact same way as us. The only real difference is the one we perceive mentally. It's not really something you can point to as evidence. For all we know, a computer programmed to behave just like us would also include that perception. Perhaps it would think that we were merely talking meat that only simulated the appearance of intelligence.
So? Can you prove that they're NOT the same?
Actually the brain can recall everything that's ever happened to it (if it's functioning properly) with perfect detail. The problem is the software running the brain is bloated and full of bugs so you get a lot of corrupted data.
He never said it was during the war. Maybe he's an avid travaller and due to recent developments , he got mobbed by organ thieves.
The odds that there is another civilization nearby that is at the same technological level as we are is pretty remote. I would say that if they're out there, they're a thousand times more advanced or still banging rocks together.
/. story a ways back about how the earth is getting quieter as our communication technology increases and that soon the earth will fall silent as we stop broadcasting our signals out into space. Perhaps this is why we can find no evidence of other life, we simply don't have the technology to detect it. Not only that, I would be willing to bet that any species that can survive long enough to make it into space would be fairly enlightened and peaceful, thus we must look like barbarians.
There was a
Perhaps they HAVE been here, took a good look at us and decided they'd check up on us when we've matured a bit more.
Then I guess he didn't recall correctly.
Ya I think the appropriate response is "What the hell are you talking about?"
God and here I thought the publishing industry was a bit more enlightened. Oh well just because you publish intelligence doesn't mean you possess it.
You're confusing publishers with the recording/movie industry. There are a few publishers that even offer their books online for download for free (Baen is the largest of these I think). The publishing industry seems aware that in order to make money you must get the public interested in your product. I don't think they would oppose a library if it hadn't existed before.
Hmm no I think my point is valid. He was saying that you shouldn't complain about something if you can switch it to something else...
/. account. It's not hard really, you should give it a try.
If you read someone's post and don't comprehend it, please don't respond. As to me being a retard at least I know how to create a
So you're saying the default color scheme doesn't suck... because it can be changed? By that logic, windows doesn't suck because you can switch to another operating system. AOL doesn't suck because you can always switch to another provider.
We were just talking about the kid's show color scheme that they chose as the default. The fact that it can be changed just alter the fact that it looks stupid.
...for the killer bees to come to us when we can make them ourselves.
Well I played Warcraft 3 recently and I found that I was more interested in finding out what was happening next than in building the city OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again. So I just started cheating my way to the end and by the time I reached the end, I realized I might as well have just watched a movie. I'm not saying its a bad game but after playing WC2 and SC, I think I'm just bored to death with building those cities.
Ya but it'll probably have some big fucking guns and lots of things to aim at.
Is it just me or does everyone else think that the older systems, like the atari and nintendo put out way higher quality games (as far as gameplay goes)than the modern systems seem to provide?
When I first installed XP, I was running it with the new GUI and my brother asked me why I was using the sesame street scheme.
Hmm.. the question interested me enough to spend a bit of time looking it up. I found a site from Australia that was talking about improving the living conditions in rural China where in some places they don't even have a cash economy and have to carry water huge distances. I also found some statistics that showed the average Chinese male (in the city) does earn around $1200 a year so I guess that would be about the range to buy a computer. However, the average Chinese male farmer only earns around $500 a year and that's probably closer to the income range I was thinking about.
Ya but my point was only aimed at people making $1200ish. Someone in that income range is probably having enough troubles keeping food on the table and clothes on their back. I really doubt a computer is something they're interested at all.
The people that collect those AOL CDs (I've heard of some selling on ebay for insane amounts) would suddenly have a huge amount of storage space to work with.
Ya but they're NOT keeping up with the digitalized world. A village that's composed of people whose income is $1200 or lower might not even have electricity or running water (correct me if I'm wrong on that). If that's the case, they probably only have vague ideas as to what computers even are.
Hmm.. of course my mom's been using a computer for about 5 years and she still only has a vague idea of what it is... Her main skill with it seems to be breaking it in amazingly original ways and then calling me to fix it.
If you don't think GWB is a retard then I have some lovely land in Florida to sell you.
Er... you think a worker that only makes $1200 a year needs an operating system? I hate to break it to you but I doubt he has a computer.
Jack Black don't count because he's totally pimping. Point out a fat, balding non-actor musician that has little to no charisma in front of the camera that has a hit record.
Ya ya my grammer sucks.
What if this program starts finding patterns in music that someone attempts to copyright? Would they then be able to sue people whose music has a similar mathmatical pattern behind it?
Why do I have the feeling that no matter how this turns out its the listeners that are going to end up being screwed by it.
Hopefully the record industry will collapse before the world is subjected to that. I would consider that no small bonus.