There was another article in the WSJ last week talking about how the lifecycle of hardware has extended to 5 years. Other than games (and what business finds that a valid reason), there just isn't any software worth upgrading for. The vast majority of people (non-Slashdotters) continue to use their business machines for the same applications they were using them for 10 years ago: word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, and email.
The web has changed things somewhat by adding streaming media, but the future of "broadband" will be owned by those who own the content.
A year ago, I came to the same conclusion Larry Ellison did. General application software is dead. Software investment in the future will be in specialized applications. Look for companies that are developing software that addresses industry-specific problems: e.g. farm-managment, education, and of course biotechnology. Once I came to this conclusion, I quit my job in Silicon Valley and applied to PhD programs in Biology. Problems in genetics and biophysics are some of the most interesting out there (who wants to work on farm-management software?)
My point was that we injest proteins everyday. Even vegetarians and vegans need proteins. There are 20 amino acids and the human body can synthesize only 12. So we need to injest proteins to supplement the remaining 8.
Our bodies are designed to digest proteins. We don't just absorb them, we break them down into their component amino acids before they are absorbed. This way, they are "deactivated" and can do no harm.
But the dems want to see an energy council dominated by environmental activists and the anti-globalisation crowd. People who think the solution to our energy problem is that everybody should just use less energy and live like Quakers.
Actually, Trypsin is one of the primary digestive enzymes in the small intestine. And that doesn't matter because it'd be broken up into amino acid components by the stomach first.
The body is very good about breaking up proteins before they're absorbed. Otherwise you couldn't eat a steak without throwing your whole system out of whack.
First off, I heard from a not-at-all reliable source that MD's actually store information in the MP3 format internally.
Your source is unreliable. MD does not use MP3 internally.
Secondly, the MD is not a mature platform, and I doubt it will ever mature. There are several reasons for this:
1. You cannot create a MD without a CD
What do you mean by this? Do you mean I can't record from the radio? Of course I can. Do you mean that I can't purchase prerecorded MDs in stores? Admittedly, I haven't seen them in stores in California, but on a recent trip to Switzerland I saw prerecorded MDs. There are also places online where I can purchase prerecorded MDs if that's what I want.
2. There is a limit to the number of digital copies that can be made from an MD. While this sounds silly, most people who don't like this kind of restraint, especially if they already own the CD which is digital, and can be copied as such without any limit. Why should I get an expensive MD recording unit which doesn't allow unlimited digital copies when I can get a CD recorder that does?
One word: convenience. I like my MD because in one little pouch I can carry my MD and 10 discs (700 minutes of music) containing only my favorite songs. My MD rarely skips, unlike my discman w/ shock-protection.
3. Why should I get an MD recorder when the CD is much more established? If I record a CD, there will be a player at my destination. This is not the case with the MD.
This is the whole point of MD for me! It's not so much about having music at my destination, as having music on the way to my destination. I listen to my MD on CalTrain, while I'm riding my bike, nordic skiing, or climbing. There aren't CD players there and a discman is just too bulky.
4. The MD recorder assumes the existance of a separate player, and vice versa. I wouldn't purchase an MD recorder just to record MD's: I would want a portable player to go with it. Most people don't need another way to make a "personal greatest hits" album; they want MD's for their digital, skip-free qualities--qualities which are best demonstrated in stressful enviornments such as car audio. And who would get a player without the capability to record? I haven't seen a combo package of the two for less than $500 here. I'd rather get a new palm pilot for that kind of money!
Portable recorder/players exist for far less than $500. A quick search on the web shows me that a Sharp 702 player/recorder goes for about $200 these days.
5. If I can only make one digital copy, why don't I just get a peripheral that plays MP3s? MP3's are much more established than MDs are, and they can be stored anywhere that digital information can.
MP3s are great. I keep a big chunk of my CD collection on a Jaz disc that I use at the office. But when I'm away from work or home, the 60 minute capacity of today's portable MP3 players just doesn't do it for me. I don't want to have to boot up a computer to change my music selection and additional flash RAM is far too expensive. Right now I'm constantly switch between 3 different media. CD at home, MP3 at work, and MD on the road. I'd love to have one format, but there isn't a single practical format yet.
My biggest problem with the M$ Ergo keyboard is the feel of the keys. Since they aren't mechanical if you don't hit them dead-on there's a significant increase in resistance that's aggravating to my finger joints.
Mechanical keys such as those on an IBM keyboard have the best feel.
Slashdot Mirror
There was another article in the WSJ last week talking about how the lifecycle of hardware has extended to 5 years. Other than games (and what business finds that a valid reason), there just isn't any software worth upgrading for. The vast majority of people (non-Slashdotters) continue to use their business machines for the same applications they were using them for 10 years ago: word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, and email.
The web has changed things somewhat by adding streaming media, but the future of "broadband" will be owned by those who own the content.
A year ago, I came to the same conclusion Larry Ellison did. General application software is dead. Software investment in the future will be in specialized applications. Look for companies that are developing software that addresses industry-specific problems: e.g. farm-managment, education, and of course biotechnology. Once I came to this conclusion, I quit my job in Silicon Valley and applied to PhD programs in Biology. Problems in genetics and biophysics are some of the most interesting out there (who wants to work on farm-management software?)
My point was that we injest proteins everyday.
Even vegetarians and vegans need proteins. There are 20 amino acids and the human body can synthesize only 12. So we need to injest proteins to supplement the remaining 8.
Our bodies are designed to digest proteins. We don't just absorb them, we break them down into their component amino acids before they are absorbed. This way, they are "deactivated" and can do no harm.
But the dems want to see an energy council dominated by environmental activists and the anti-globalisation crowd. People who think the solution to our energy problem is that everybody should just use less energy and live like Quakers.
Actually, Trypsin is one of the primary digestive enzymes in the small intestine. And that doesn't matter because it'd be broken up into amino acid components by the stomach first.
The body is very good about breaking up proteins before they're absorbed. Otherwise you couldn't eat a steak without throwing your whole system out of whack.
Your source is unreliable. MD does not use MP3 internally.
Secondly, the MD is not a mature platform, and I doubt it will ever mature. There are several reasons for this:
1. You cannot create a MD without a CD
What do you mean by this? Do you mean I can't record from the radio? Of course I can. Do you mean that I can't purchase prerecorded MDs in stores? Admittedly, I haven't seen them in stores in California, but on a recent trip to Switzerland I saw prerecorded MDs. There are also places online where I can purchase prerecorded MDs if that's what I want.
2. There is a limit to the number of digital copies that can be made from an MD. While this sounds silly, most people who don't like this kind of restraint, especially if they already own the CD which is digital, and can be copied as such without any limit. Why should I get an expensive MD recording unit which doesn't allow unlimited digital copies when I can get a CD recorder that does?
One word: convenience. I like my MD because in one little pouch I can carry my MD and 10 discs (700 minutes of music) containing only my favorite songs. My MD rarely skips, unlike my discman w/ shock-protection.
3. Why should I get an MD recorder when the CD is much more established? If I record a CD, there will be a player at my destination. This is not the case with the MD.
This is the whole point of MD for me! It's not so much about having music at my destination, as having music on the way to my destination. I listen to my MD on CalTrain, while I'm riding my bike, nordic skiing, or climbing. There aren't CD players there and a discman is just too bulky.
4. The MD recorder assumes the existance of a separate player, and vice versa. I wouldn't purchase an MD recorder just to record MD's: I would want a portable player to go with it. Most people don't need another way to make a "personal greatest hits" album; they want MD's for their digital, skip-free qualities--qualities which are best demonstrated in stressful enviornments such as car audio. And who would get a player without the capability to record? I haven't seen a combo package of the two for less than $500 here. I'd rather get a new palm pilot for that kind of money!
Portable recorder/players exist for far less than $500. A quick search on the web shows me that a Sharp 702 player/recorder goes for about $200 these days.
5. If I can only make one digital copy, why don't I just get a peripheral that plays MP3s? MP3's are much more established than MDs are, and they can be stored anywhere that digital information can.
MP3s are great. I keep a big chunk of my CD collection on a Jaz disc that I use at the office. But when I'm away from work or home, the 60 minute capacity of today's portable MP3 players just doesn't do it for me. I don't want to have to boot up a computer to change my music selection and additional flash RAM is far too expensive. Right now I'm constantly switch between 3 different media. CD at home, MP3 at work, and MD on the road. I'd love to have one format, but there isn't a single practical format yet.
-Graham
I know the HPs are IEEE 854 compliant, but what about the TI's?
My biggest problem with the M$ Ergo keyboard is the feel of the keys. Since they aren't mechanical if you don't hit them dead-on there's a significant increase in resistance that's aggravating to my finger joints.
Mechanical keys such as those on an IBM keyboard have the best feel.