As a former Roman Catholic now turned atheist, I find this rather amusing. My own belief is that most religious people they tend to live simpler lives because everything can be explained by acts of Horus.. I mean Jesus - who ever you believe to be the son of Ra, I mean God. That afterlife boat, I mean light, can be scary. Live your life of ignorance and bliss and just say 'it was an act of our Lord!'
Maybe the fact that life after death may not be so real after all? Could it be simply religious hypocrisy at its fullest extent? Why can't the religious can't they accept the path into the afterlife but fight it every step of the way? After all, Ra, (darn it), I mean God has a plan for them. Could it be that Mehen (darn it), Mephistopheles (the Devil) may be waiting for them and they're scared they haven't lead a full pure life to enter the gates of Heaven?
I'm looking forward to endless dreamless sleep after my tired old body is done after 75-85 years of life - unless I can be uploaded to a 'freshie' or 'refreshed'.
One of my papers for my MBA was the study of piracy. My study recommended that there is ZERO link between lost revenue and torrent downloads BECAUSE they are from people they would never have done business in the first place. If someone downloads it for free, it's not lost revenue because they were never a customer to begin with. Yet these companies try to stop the 'thieves' who are not even going to become their customer.
My paper also showed that the issue was pirates selling full-priced products as the real-deal, not lost sales from never-would-be-a-customer. Even a bigger issue - these free downloads ALMOST 100% garner interest in these products - so that when they had money, or felt they wished to support a product, the former free-bee turned them into a paying customer to get a new version.
With that kind of data out there, these industry giants are forgetting the #1 tactic of product placement - give it away free, later a client they will be. That's Biz-101. It's obvious these giants are out of touch with reality.
Maybe the work Grokking can be now referred to the lambasting of frivolous software patent lawsuits by SCO-like troll companies. We all hate SCO like trolls that all they do is make money by suing others with patents they own, but don't actually use because all the do is think stuff up on how things could work and then take advantage of the Patent Office's own weaknesses in approving 'my-dog-can-fart' processes. A big hi-five to my fellow Grokkers!
I can see it now...
Dr. Dieter Kriegstien: "Acceleratz protonz to maximumn speedz. Dr. Smitz, please pushz zat big ved button."
Dr. Keron Smith: "Pushing big button... you meant the blue one didn't you Dr. Kriegstien?"
Dr. Dieter: "Insolenze...vait... vat iz dat veading on zee scopz? Hmm.. it lookz like a microsopikz vack ol..."
And at this point, the entire mass of the Earth is sucked into a minature black hole the size of a pinhead over a period of 2 microseconds.:)
Of course, in reality, this is as likely as me winning a superball jackpot lottery, 10'000 timse in a row. But I just CAN'T HELP MYSELF!
Believe it or not it was made and developed by the US Army as a recruitment tool. For training, they actually use Operation Flashpoint from Bohemia Interactive - an eastern europe software developer. Still, AA is not a bad free game.:)
Hmmm... a new FPS, it's MMO, and it's free. So is America's Army - but that is a recruiting tool for the USA Military.
So, how do they plan on making money, supporting development costs, and online servers? Donations? Considering a professionally developed game now can cost as much as a Hollywood movie to make, something's amiss here... but I'm a sucker for a free game (usually to my own detriment). Anyone know more on this? Nothing in life is free...
The challenge is that some States require more than 'notification' - they require permission. Of course, you could have a log-in OK button that if you click, you give permission to your employer to read your emails. But other States forbit it even with permission - requiring a court order.
The issue is that perhaps it could be federally regulated so that there is a clearer picture on what is permissable.
And opening themselves up for privacy lawsuits. Hmmm... get an email from a parent concerned about health issue X you are experiencing (unbeknownst to your employer). Employer finds out and terminates employee or boss uses it for leverage for extra work/projects. According to Mark Rasch from SecurityFocus.com, it's not as clear cut as one might think. Varying laws in the USA from State to State make the issue even more challenging. From Mark: "In many states, the same law that prohibits the interception or recording of telephone calls also prohibits the interception or recording of electronic communications without the consent of all parties."(Reference: http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/412).
Talk about a confusing issue. You require outright consent from employees AND the party your emailing. Period. No exceptions. Simply stating 'we monitor all emails' will not hold up in court - should it ever come to it - you need permission from that individual employee - or all employees and have a readily available record of their consent.
If what I'm reading is correct, its far easier to leave your emails alone, and then search if you have an issue with court permission, than it is to be actively reading emails.
What you're talking about tppublic sounds like John Nash's game theory modified for economics on two company types. If you're working for a Type A company - where you have to bully everyone into doing everything, and you trust no one, my suggestion will fail. It is the old-school business model - like Donald Trump. If you're working for a Type B company - where you inherently trust that your staff will do the right thing, and they in turn, will help everyone out, then my suggestion is possible. Do you want to work for a culture that no-one trusts? Wait... I just answered my own question, AMD just laid off 10% of their staf...:)
Is it a useful tactic to lay off 10% of your company and decimate it's core foundation? How come they weren't planning this sooner and quiety trim forces and adjust accordingly MONTHS ago? The assumption that 90% of the staff can do 100% of the work, is a big assumption. Having personally been laid off 3 times in the tech sector, I can guarentee you the productivity of the remaining 90% will drop the 50% unfortunately. Could laying off staff to save money be nothing more than a reactive two-domino decision?
Painful decisions are made by those who don't have a decent strategy that can adjust to economic conditions faster than the market is moviing. Yet it seems that the painful decision are always being made at the most inopportune time - like during a recession. Companies that never recover never had a decent business strategy to begin with - let alone competent directors. Is this just a matter of poor planning and perhaps insight into bigger problems at AMD? Which is unfortunate - I love their CPU's...:(
Lots of great insight into this all - thanks for the replies. Of course, $20,000,000 in executive salary is still $20,000,000. And the comment from the past Intel employee is also good insight into what happens when you lay off staff. I bet there is a direct correlation to productivity loss that most VP's don't take into consideration when laying off 10% of your staff. I bet it hits productivity of staff by 50%.
I wonder what would of happened if they went to their staff and said "We need to be more profitable by improving our efficiencies - by XXX million dollars. What can we do?" You would of had a) employee buy in, and b) increase morale because staff are now part of the solution.
BTW - I have an MBA, and I don't believe that staff cuts make good business sense in the long run. Improving processes through efficiencies in how you make money does - and the people with those answers are usually the ones in the trenches - not some Ivory Towered MBA VP Executive. How come this hasn't caught on?
I'm not an economist, but I have a good head on my shoulders and I have a masters in business. Help me understand how AMD hopes to turn around their company by laying off 10% of their staff? They're hoping the remaining 90% demoralized, repressed, deflated staff will do it? What are the chances the 10% that walk out the door may be their best and brightest and may have the answers to turn their company around?
It drives me crazy when companies think that the only way out of their mess is to lay off the staff, when the people responsible for the mess (board of directors and executive), don't give themselves a pay cut of 10%. Chances are, knowing how US exeuctives pay themselves, it would proably equal the amount saved laying off 10% of their staff. But what do I know?
I think the article submitter/BBC has it wrong about changes to theories. Science is about discovery. How about this discovery introduces new wonders of our universe? Imagine - being able to even detect a plant and then determine that is even 2000 years old - that is the real story!
Oh look, another innovation that we will probably never see. I love new ideas - but instead of reporting on possible uses of technology science, how about actual science- stuff you will see this in 2 months reports. The "LOOK - SUPERBATTERIES WITH CARBON NANOTUBES - CHARGE IN SECONDS - 5 BAZILLION HOURS USE" kinds of articles are interesting, but not are they slashdotworthy. In Seinfeld's world, it definitely would not be sponge worthy.
if it takes you 20-40 hours to charge it? Does this mean if I run my laptop dry, it could be days before I get a full charge - you know, in between whisking away my 'ltop to Starclucks for coffee, lunch at mickeedee's, and then on the bus home watching episodes of Battle Star Galactica.
How about a 4 hour battery that can charge in 4 minutes? That is a much better technology - not longer battery life.:)
Mollymoo said: "Wow, you can extrapolate a hell of a lot from zero data."
It's what I do for a living - climb that assumption ladder right to the top.:)
Valid points MM. I am looking through this issue with smoked lenses - as a manager and it is refreshing to see an alternative perspective. Sorry to hear that your boss txtspk's with the 'ewww' factor attached. Maybe you could just l33t-spk back to him? Could get him to stop txting you.:P
The device for my staff is voluntary. If they have one, and I text them a msg and they reply, I really don't care where they are since I can get answers quickly - and they can send them back when they have time.
By the sounds of this, you guys have a poision work environment. My staff have been empowered to make their own decisions - including the abiltiy to carry a cell phone, or a smart phone. The device is not mandatory. If your perception that this device is another chain on the employer prision - change your job becuase it sounds like you hate it. The device is just that - a device. How you view it, and how you use it, is completely within your power. Expecations? You set them. Not your employer. Don't blame the device - it's just a tool, no different than an office phone or a workstation.
There are a couple of reasons why its very beneficial to me having a smartphone (let's call it what they are). I also have my office phone forwarded to my cell which means my clients can reach me ALL day. No voice mail, no missed calls. Happy interactions and accidents all day. Here's why:
1. If I come in late, I've already been responding to my emails and early morning calls on the bus 30 minutes prior. Tick tock - I'm getting paid for my time regardless where I am. +1 karma bonus
2. If a client calls me (internal or external) they can actually talk to me. And I can check my calendar for future availability and schedule meetings while on the phone.(i.e. portable office)+2 Karma bonus.
3. If I'm walking between meetings, I check my calendar for recently sent appointments or meeting notices - it keeps me plugged in and on time - not a bad thing becuase it improves my work performance and perception that I'm punctiual and a good employee.+1 Karma bonus
4. If I'm leaving work, and someone calls, they hear and ask - "are you out of the office" "yes, I'm heading home but that's ok - how can I help you?" It means that my clients think I'm committed to the services I provide. +3 Karma bonus.
5. Finally, if I forget a document, or an email with key details, it's always at my beck and call by simply looking it up on my device. It also means I have answers to questions that can come out of left field - making me seem prepared for all challenges. +1 Karma bonus.
Besides, the text messaging to my staff during a meeting is a huge tactical bonus - "What is this issue about blah blah" texted staff-"It was because of this" - making me appear connected to my happenings. Of course, I may get texted msged "THE EMAIL IS DOWN. RUN!" It also gives me ample time to hide.:)
First, how long have we existed as an intelligence and technological species? A few decades. How old is the Mily Way - billions. Our Universe? 13.7 billion years old - give or take a few million. So, lets take a roll of toilet paper, sent it Pluto and back to Earth, going there is our time line - the other is another intelligent species. Let take one sheet of paper on that amazingly big fracking huge roll- that the last fifty years.
In order for another intelligent species to exist the exact same time and have not killed themselves off like we nearly did a couple of times, be close enough to hear our signals and give a frack, is equivalant to that single sheet of toilet paper - all the way to Pluto is aligned with ours. Still can't visualize it? It would be equivalant to winning the powerball lottery - 50 times in a row. So how likely is it we'll see intelligent life in the next 10'000 or even 500'000 years? Preeeety small unfortunately.:(
Space and distance has nothing to do with finding other intelligent life - being aligned at the same time-space as the distant species with their own technological development.
Slashdot Mirror
As a former Roman Catholic now turned atheist, I find this rather amusing. My own belief is that most religious people they tend to live simpler lives because everything can be explained by acts of Horus.. I mean Jesus - who ever you believe to be the son of Ra, I mean God. That afterlife boat, I mean light, can be scary. Live your life of ignorance and bliss and just say 'it was an act of our Lord!'
Maybe the fact that life after death may not be so real after all? Could it be simply religious hypocrisy at its fullest extent? Why can't the religious can't they accept the path into the afterlife but fight it every step of the way? After all, Ra, (darn it), I mean God has a plan for them. Could it be that Mehen (darn it), Mephistopheles (the Devil) may be waiting for them and they're scared they haven't lead a full pure life to enter the gates of Heaven?
I'm looking forward to endless dreamless sleep after my tired old body is done after 75-85 years of life - unless I can be uploaded to a 'freshie' or 'refreshed'.
One of my papers for my MBA was the study of piracy. My study recommended that there is ZERO link between lost revenue and torrent downloads BECAUSE they are from people they would never have done business in the first place. If someone downloads it for free, it's not lost revenue because they were never a customer to begin with. Yet these companies try to stop the 'thieves' who are not even going to become their customer.
My paper also showed that the issue was pirates selling full-priced products as the real-deal, not lost sales from never-would-be-a-customer. Even a bigger issue - these free downloads ALMOST 100% garner interest in these products - so that when they had money, or felt they wished to support a product, the former free-bee turned them into a paying customer to get a new version.
With that kind of data out there, these industry giants are forgetting the #1 tactic of product placement - give it away free, later a client they will be. That's Biz-101. It's obvious these giants are out of touch with reality.
Congrats India. Now get off your tv, and answer your call centre phone. I need help with IT support. :)
Maybe the work Grokking can be now referred to the lambasting of frivolous software patent lawsuits by SCO-like troll companies. We all hate SCO like trolls that all they do is make money by suing others with patents they own, but don't actually use because all the do is think stuff up on how things could work and then take advantage of the Patent Office's own weaknesses in approving 'my-dog-can-fart' processes. A big hi-five to my fellow Grokkers!
I can see it now...
:)
Dr. Dieter Kriegstien: "Acceleratz protonz to maximumn speedz. Dr. Smitz, please pushz zat big ved button."
Dr. Keron Smith: "Pushing big button... you meant the blue one didn't you Dr. Kriegstien?"
Dr. Dieter: "Insolenze...vait... vat iz dat veading on zee scopz? Hmm.. it lookz like a microsopikz vack ol..."
And at this point, the entire mass of the Earth is sucked into a minature black hole the size of a pinhead over a period of 2 microseconds.
Of course, in reality, this is as likely as me winning a superball jackpot lottery, 10'000 timse in a row. But I just CAN'T HELP MYSELF!
Believe it or not it was made and developed by the US Army as a recruitment tool. For training, they actually use Operation Flashpoint from Bohemia Interactive - an eastern europe software developer. Still, AA is not a bad free game. :)
Hmmm... a new FPS, it's MMO, and it's free. So is America's Army - but that is a recruiting tool for the USA Military.
So, how do they plan on making money, supporting development costs, and online servers? Donations? Considering a professionally developed game now can cost as much as a Hollywood movie to make, something's amiss here... but I'm a sucker for a free game (usually to my own detriment). Anyone know more on this? Nothing in life is free...
The challenge is that some States require more than 'notification' - they require permission. Of course, you could have a log-in OK button that if you click, you give permission to your employer to read your emails. But other States forbit it even with permission - requiring a court order.
The issue is that perhaps it could be federally regulated so that there is a clearer picture on what is permissable.
And opening themselves up for privacy lawsuits. Hmmm... get an email from a parent concerned about health issue X you are experiencing (unbeknownst to your employer). Employer finds out and terminates employee or boss uses it for leverage for extra work/projects. According to Mark Rasch from SecurityFocus.com, it's not as clear cut as one might think. Varying laws in the USA from State to State make the issue even more challenging. From Mark: "In many states, the same law that prohibits the interception or recording of telephone calls also prohibits the interception or recording of electronic communications without the consent of all parties."(Reference: http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/412).
Talk about a confusing issue. You require outright consent from employees AND the party your emailing. Period. No exceptions. Simply stating 'we monitor all emails' will not hold up in court - should it ever come to it - you need permission from that individual employee - or all employees and have a readily available record of their consent.
If what I'm reading is correct, its far easier to leave your emails alone, and then search if you have an issue with court permission, than it is to be actively reading emails.
It found a tonne of internet holes. Now what? Bhuler? Bhuler? Bhuler? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?
What you're talking about tppublic sounds like John Nash's game theory modified for economics on two company types. If you're working for a Type A company - where you have to bully everyone into doing everything, and you trust no one, my suggestion will fail. It is the old-school business model - like Donald Trump. If you're working for a Type B company - where you inherently trust that your staff will do the right thing, and they in turn, will help everyone out, then my suggestion is possible. Do you want to work for a culture that no-one trusts? Wait... I just answered my own question, AMD just laid off 10% of their staf... :)
Is it a useful tactic to lay off 10% of your company and decimate it's core foundation? How come they weren't planning this sooner and quiety trim forces and adjust accordingly MONTHS ago? The assumption that 90% of the staff can do 100% of the work, is a big assumption. Having personally been laid off 3 times in the tech sector, I can guarentee you the productivity of the remaining 90% will drop the 50% unfortunately. Could laying off staff to save money be nothing more than a reactive two-domino decision?
:(
Painful decisions are made by those who don't have a decent strategy that can adjust to economic conditions faster than the market is moviing. Yet it seems that the painful decision are always being made at the most inopportune time - like during a recession. Companies that never recover never had a decent business strategy to begin with - let alone competent directors. Is this just a matter of poor planning and perhaps insight into bigger problems at AMD? Which is unfortunate - I love their CPU's...
Depends on how you look at your staff NeutronCowboy. Are they a cost, or an asset?
Lots of great insight into this all - thanks for the replies. Of course, $20,000,000 in executive salary is still $20,000,000. And the comment from the past Intel employee is also good insight into what happens when you lay off staff. I bet there is a direct correlation to productivity loss that most VP's don't take into consideration when laying off 10% of your staff. I bet it hits productivity of staff by 50%.
I wonder what would of happened if they went to their staff and said "We need to be more profitable by improving our efficiencies - by XXX million dollars. What can we do?" You would of had a) employee buy in, and b) increase morale because staff are now part of the solution.
BTW - I have an MBA, and I don't believe that staff cuts make good business sense in the long run. Improving processes through efficiencies in how you make money does - and the people with those answers are usually the ones in the trenches - not some Ivory Towered MBA VP Executive. How come this hasn't caught on?
I'm not an economist, but I have a good head on my shoulders and I have a masters in business. Help me understand how AMD hopes to turn around their company by laying off 10% of their staff? They're hoping the remaining 90% demoralized, repressed, deflated staff will do it? What are the chances the 10% that walk out the door may be their best and brightest and may have the answers to turn their company around?
It drives me crazy when companies think that the only way out of their mess is to lay off the staff, when the people responsible for the mess (board of directors and executive), don't give themselves a pay cut of 10%. Chances are, knowing how US exeuctives pay themselves, it would proably equal the amount saved laying off 10% of their staff. But what do I know?
I welcome our new botnet overlords!
I think the article submitter/BBC has it wrong about changes to theories. Science is about discovery. How about this discovery introduces new wonders of our universe? Imagine - being able to even detect a plant and then determine that is even 2000 years old - that is the real story!
Out by end of the year in MICROSOFT TIME means OUT BY 2011 - Q4. Maybe.
Oh look, another innovation that we will probably never see. I love new ideas - but instead of reporting on possible uses of technology science, how about actual science- stuff you will see this in 2 months reports. The "LOOK - SUPERBATTERIES WITH CARBON NANOTUBES - CHARGE IN SECONDS - 5 BAZILLION HOURS USE" kinds of articles are interesting, but not are they slashdotworthy. In Seinfeld's world, it definitely would not be sponge worthy.
if it takes you 20-40 hours to charge it? Does this mean if I run my laptop dry, it could be days before I get a full charge - you know, in between whisking away my 'ltop to Starclucks for coffee, lunch at mickeedee's, and then on the bus home watching episodes of Battle Star Galactica.
:)
How about a 4 hour battery that can charge in 4 minutes? That is a much better technology - not longer battery life.
Mollymoo said: "Wow, you can extrapolate a hell of a lot from zero data."
:)
:P
It's what I do for a living - climb that assumption ladder right to the top.
Valid points MM. I am looking through this issue with smoked lenses - as a manager and it is refreshing to see an alternative perspective. Sorry to hear that your boss txtspk's with the 'ewww' factor attached. Maybe you could just l33t-spk back to him? Could get him to stop txting you.
The device for my staff is voluntary. If they have one, and I text them a msg and they reply, I really don't care where they are since I can get answers quickly - and they can send them back when they have time.
By the sounds of this, you guys have a poision work environment. My staff have been empowered to make their own decisions - including the abiltiy to carry a cell phone, or a smart phone. The device is not mandatory. If your perception that this device is another chain on the employer prision - change your job becuase it sounds like you hate it. The device is just that - a device. How you view it, and how you use it, is completely within your power. Expecations? You set them. Not your employer. Don't blame the device - it's just a tool, no different than an office phone or a workstation.
There are a couple of reasons why its very beneficial to me having a smartphone (let's call it what they are). I also have my office phone forwarded to my cell which means my clients can reach me ALL day. No voice mail, no missed calls. Happy interactions and accidents all day. Here's why:
:)
1. If I come in late, I've already been responding to my emails and early morning calls on the bus 30 minutes prior. Tick tock - I'm getting paid for my time regardless where I am. +1 karma bonus
2. If a client calls me (internal or external) they can actually talk to me. And I can check my calendar for future availability and schedule meetings while on the phone.(i.e. portable office)+2 Karma bonus.
3. If I'm walking between meetings, I check my calendar for recently sent appointments or meeting notices - it keeps me plugged in and on time - not a bad thing becuase it improves my work performance and perception that I'm punctiual and a good employee.+1 Karma bonus
4. If I'm leaving work, and someone calls, they hear and ask - "are you out of the office" "yes, I'm heading home but that's ok - how can I help you?" It means that my clients think I'm committed to the services I provide. +3 Karma bonus.
5. Finally, if I forget a document, or an email with key details, it's always at my beck and call by simply looking it up on my device. It also means I have answers to questions that can come out of left field - making me seem prepared for all challenges. +1 Karma bonus.
Besides, the text messaging to my staff during a meeting is a huge tactical bonus - "What is this issue about blah blah" texted staff-"It was because of this" - making me appear connected to my happenings. Of course, I may get texted msged "THE EMAIL IS DOWN. RUN!" It also gives me ample time to hide.
First, how long have we existed as an intelligence and technological species? A few decades. How old is the Mily Way - billions. Our Universe? 13.7 billion years old - give or take a few million. So, lets take a roll of toilet paper, sent it Pluto and back to Earth, going there is our time line - the other is another intelligent species. Let take one sheet of paper on that amazingly big fracking huge roll- that the last fifty years.
:(
In order for another intelligent species to exist the exact same time and have not killed themselves off like we nearly did a couple of times, be close enough to hear our signals and give a frack, is equivalant to that single sheet of toilet paper - all the way to Pluto is aligned with ours. Still can't visualize it? It would be equivalant to winning the powerball lottery - 50 times in a row. So how likely is it we'll see intelligent life in the next 10'000 or even 500'000 years? Preeeety small unfortunately.
Space and distance has nothing to do with finding other intelligent life - being aligned at the same time-space as the distant species with their own technological development.
But will it cut my lawn? Without supervision? Can I set it to keep the neighbours dog out? Lasers? Can it have lasers? Lasers would be nice.