Actually, it is possible that Mars could support human life. It would almost certainly be possible to erect enclosed colonies, as in the movie Total Recall. There has also been a good deal of research and theorizing put into the possibility of terraforming the planet. A bit more far fetched, sure, but still within the realm of possibility.
Personally, I think that establishing a perpetually occupied base on the moon would be a logical testing ground for any methods we might attempt on Mars.
As far as visiting planets in other solar systems, we need to go to Mars first. Why? Simple. You must walk before you can run. If we lack the technology to do something simple like shuttle people and supplies back and forth to Mars on a regular basis, then sending people to another solar system is beyond our reach.
>>>Mind you, they should probably work one their Mission To Mars Success Ratio before they send humans out there:) >>>
I wouldn't be overly concerned (concerned, just not overly so:-) about the recent difficulty with the Mars missions.
Keep in mind that the approach being taken recently has been more of a "most bang for the buck" approach instead of "let's do this in the best possible way."
That's why the Mars Surveyor was bounced onto the surface inside a big balloon instead of using a controlled, rocket-powered decent.
If we were to send humans, I doubt we'd just inflate a balloon around them and hurl them at the surface. If we do finally get around to sending humans, I have no doubt that it would be done in the safest manner possible.
As an American citizen, I have been submitting to the outright theft of large amounts of my money for many years now. Our liberal government and liberal news media justify this theft with arguments strikingly similar to yours. I have yet to see results. I've noticed no change in the number of homeless people in my city, I've heard no news of any horrible diseases being cured recently.
In short, they're wasting my money.
It's time to spend that money on our future. Establishing a persistent presence on Mars seems to me to be Step Number One in that process.
We are living on a planet that cannot permanently sustain the amount of life already on it. And our population is growing. Clearly we need more space.
Not to mention much of the technology that would be devoloped while pursuing such an endevour would in all likelihood be of great assistance in combatting exactly those problems of which you speak.
These are just a few of the reasons I can think of for going to Mars, there are many, many more. I'll omit them for now in the interest of brevity.
I don't think bandwidth co-ops go far enough. Personally, I'd like to see a completely grass-roots internet developed. No government involvement whatsoever. No reliance on the resources of large corporations, such as the telcos.
That is the only way to guarantee the perpetuity of a free, unregulated, and untaxed means of communication.
Obviously, it would have to be wireless, since laying new cable would be cost prohibitive. Anyone working on IP over CB radio?:-) OK, ham would work, but it's subject to licensing, and the equipment is more expensive. Then just implement a simple routing scheme based on latitude and longitude, and start adding nodes. Simple, effective, free, and (theoretically) impervious to government or corporate controls.
Could you please explain to me just exactly how having a CD player and some legitimately purchased discs in an office constitutes a copyright violation? I'd really like to know, since it sounds perfectly legal to me.
Take a look at Globecom Jukebox. It's pretty simple to set up, and can handle streaming the audio out to client machines. It can also be plugged into a stereo and controlled via a web interface. Of course it also handles ripping, CDDB, audio CD's, pretty much everything you'd expect from a $2000 box, except they aren't charging for it.:)
The problem with that is that (for the time being at least) blank media for these recorders actually costs MORE than just running out and buying the movie.
Yes, I'm thinking something along the lines of OLGA. It is, in fact, OLGA's current legal hassles that make me think this sort of a system would be a much better way to share this sort of information. There's no central repository, the files are stored on user's machines. It's fairly easy to go to court and get an injunction to shut down one server, but suppose the repository is scattered across many thousands of machines. It suddenly becomes a logistical nightmare to shut down the archive.
Plus, OLGA is nothing more than a web site and ftp site. What I have in mind is more of a distributed file archive. I'm thinking the architecture should be kept generic enough to make it suitable for sharing any type of information that the powers that be might like to make unavailable. Preferable, it would also be implemented in such a way as to guarantee anonymity to anyone participating on either end of the system.
Here in Des Moines the local Comp USA also carried Civ:CTP for Linux, right next to the Linux box sets of Quake and Quake II. (I've purchased all 3)
As much as I despise Comp USA (have you checked out their prices on cabling?) I have to applaud them for carrying a decent selection of Linux software.
They've got a good idea, but they've also got some issues to deal with: non-open source, security questions, etc...
Why not just whip up an open source implementation of the same concept that addresses these problems?
As an aside, I can see something like this being useful as a generic way of creating a public archive of files, not just.mp3's. A public guitar tab archive, or lyrics archive comes to mind.
>>>What I find strange is that any of us could assume that we know ANYTHING about what an 'advanced culture' would do. It's advanced, it's beyond us right now, and for us to make any assumptions.. well, you know the old addage.
As much as I love technology, I find myself fantasizing from time to time about chucking it all and spending the rest of my days living a simple peacefule existence on some Carribean island. No phone, no TV, no computer. Just a grass hut and some cute, young girl to bring me a fresh marguerita every 20 minutes or so.:)
Anyway, my point is: Is it completely implausible that a more advanced civilization might have realized that technology was detracting from, not adding to, their quality of life and returned to a simpler way of life? Perhaps the fact that we are still interested in technology is proof in and of itself of just how unevolved we are.
Not sure if I actually believe that, just one possibility that I never hear mentioned.
Re:This is absolutely ludicrous..
on
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>>>This is NOT governmental power, here, but JUDICIARY power. Government makes the laws, and the judiciary system (the police, the judges, the lawyers) execute them stupidly just like any computer or bot will execute it's program.
Wrong. Judiciary power IS government power. It's simply a different branch of govt. than legislative power. The legislative branch creates laws, the judiciary branch enforces and interprets them. The two branches have very different functions, but BOTH fall under the umbrella term "government."
>>>wow, I can't believe I'm reading this on/. This is one of the last bastions of libertarianism. Who woulda thought you could still read a poster advocating for government regulation?
Actually, I don't think he was so much advocating government regulation, just pointing out the importance of having a standard.
Standards are good, government regulation is bad. When it happens to be the government that is in charge of setting the standard, then it gets hard to decide which way is better.
Actually, I found DOS 3.3 to be quite stable and reliable. I noticed a significant INCREASE in crashes once I upgraded to DOS 6.22. (Although it was an improvement over versions 4 & 5.)
You've just stumbled across the exact reason why the article is a crock.
The author isn't saying that geeks are explicitly attracted to women who display these traits, she is saying that these timid gals are the only ones that our fragile egos and low self-esteems will allow us to approach.
Interesting. This is certainly a step up from what they've done in the past. When they used to sell their SuperPilot (i think that's what they called it) they did exactly as I said, bought a normal PalmPilot and added their memory card to it. I was basing my assumptions on that.
Interesting to find that they're actually desinging their own mobo now.
As I hinted at in my previous post, this would be very cool for creating a "portable reference library". Cram it full of FAQs, HOWTOs, RFC's and such. One convenient place to go for all that info that isn't quite worth memorizing, but is absolutely crucial in certain situations.
Of course, you'd also want to throw in some fiction from Project Guttenberg to make it easier to survive those weekends visiting the girlfriend's family.:)
I was going to comment on the enhanced sound that this model includes, but that's not really a big deal until someone figures out how to coax a dragonball into decoding.mp3's without skipping.
Plus, given that most Palm users carry them back and forth from work already, this suddenly becomes a very convenient way to carry files back and forth.
OK, another idea on new users, inspired by one of my favorite BOFH quotes: "If you're too stupid to hack your way in, I don't want you on my system anyway.":)
So how do we represent that sentiment visually? New hires are placed in front of a terminal with a guest account, and must EARN their own user account by collecting weapons and conquering a home directory. If they take over your home directory, you're fired.:)
Simply walk through the directory structure to the executable and attach a little timer/detonator device to it. (You know, the type they use with C4 in your typical action movie.)
new users:
Couple ideas here. You could have one room set up as a cloning/genetic engineering lab. Or just cast a spell and watch the user appear out of nowhere, with the appropriate godly sound effects to go along with it. I'm thinking something along the lines of how you create imps in Dungeon Keeper.
installing software:
Simple. Your CD-ROM drive is represented in the environment as a docking bay. Just open the cargo door, and carry the package to the appropriate location.
Sendmail configuration would, of course, take place in a room that was heavily booby trapped with land mines and had no lights on whatsoever.:)
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Actually, it is possible that Mars could support human life. It would almost certainly be possible to erect enclosed colonies, as in the movie Total Recall. There has also been a good deal of research and theorizing put into the possibility of terraforming the planet. A bit more far fetched, sure, but still within the realm of possibility.
Personally, I think that establishing a perpetually occupied base on the moon would be a logical testing ground for any methods we might attempt on Mars.
As far as visiting planets in other solar systems, we need to go to Mars first. Why? Simple. You must walk before you can run. If we lack the technology to do something simple like shuttle people and supplies back and forth to Mars on a regular basis, then sending people to another solar system is beyond our reach.
>>>Mind you, they should probably work one their Mission To Mars Success Ratio before they send humans out there :) >>>
:-) about the recent difficulty with the Mars missions.
I wouldn't be overly concerned (concerned, just not overly so
Keep in mind that the approach being taken recently has been more of a "most bang for the buck" approach instead of "let's do this in the best possible way."
That's why the Mars Surveyor was bounced onto the surface inside a big balloon instead of using a controlled, rocket-powered decent.
If we were to send humans, I doubt we'd just inflate a balloon around them and hurl them at the surface. If we do finally get around to sending humans, I have no doubt that it would be done in the safest manner possible.
Sorry, can't agree with you.
As an American citizen, I have been submitting to the outright theft of large amounts of my money for many years now. Our liberal government and liberal news media justify this theft with arguments strikingly similar to yours. I have yet to see results. I've noticed no change in the number of homeless people in my city, I've heard no news of any horrible diseases being cured recently.
In short, they're wasting my money.
It's time to spend that money on our future. Establishing a persistent presence on Mars seems to me to be Step Number One in that process.
We are living on a planet that cannot permanently sustain the amount of life already on it. And our population is growing. Clearly we need more space.
Not to mention much of the technology that would be devoloped while pursuing such an endevour would in all likelihood be of great assistance in combatting exactly those problems of which you speak.
These are just a few of the reasons I can think of for going to Mars, there are many, many more. I'll omit them for now in the interest of brevity.
I don't think bandwidth co-ops go far enough. Personally, I'd like to see a completely grass-roots internet developed. No government involvement whatsoever. No reliance on the resources of large corporations, such as the telcos.
:-) OK, ham would work, but it's subject to licensing, and the equipment is more expensive. Then just implement a simple routing scheme based on latitude and longitude, and start adding nodes. Simple, effective, free, and (theoretically) impervious to government or corporate controls.
That is the only way to guarantee the perpetuity of a free, unregulated, and untaxed means of communication.
Obviously, it would have to be wireless, since laying new cable would be cost prohibitive. Anyone working on IP over CB radio?
Oh well, a guy can dream, can't he?
OK, I'm not a lawyer, BUT.......
Could you please explain to me just exactly how having a CD player and some legitimately purchased discs in an office constitutes a copyright violation? I'd really like to know, since it sounds perfectly legal to me.
But like I said, I'm not a lawyer....
Take a look at Globecom Jukebox. It's pretty simple to set up, and can handle streaming the audio out to client machines. It can also be plugged into a stereo and controlled via a web interface. Of course it also handles ripping, CDDB, audio CD's, pretty much everything you'd expect from a $2000 box, except they aren't charging for it. :)
The problem with that is that (for the time being at least) blank media for these recorders actually costs MORE than just running out and buying the movie.
>>>Imagine windows software that required hand-editing of the registry
Forget requiring you to edit the registry by hand, imagine windows software that even bothers to document which registry keys it uses.
Yes, I'm thinking something along the lines of OLGA. It is, in fact, OLGA's current legal hassles that make me think this sort of a system would be a much better way to share this sort of information. There's no central repository, the files are stored on user's machines. It's fairly easy to go to court and get an injunction to shut down one server, but suppose the repository is scattered across many thousands of machines. It suddenly becomes a logistical nightmare to shut down the archive.
Plus, OLGA is nothing more than a web site and ftp site. What I have in mind is more of a distributed file archive. I'm thinking the architecture should be kept generic enough to make it suitable for sharing any type of information that the powers that be might like to make unavailable. Preferable, it would also be implemented in such a way as to guarantee anonymity to anyone participating on either end of the system.
Here in Des Moines the local Comp USA also carried Civ:CTP for Linux, right next to the Linux box sets of Quake and Quake II. (I've purchased all 3)
As much as I despise Comp USA (have you checked out their prices on cabling?) I have to applaud them for carrying a decent selection of Linux software.
For that matter, why not start from scratch?
.mp3's. A public guitar tab archive, or lyrics archive comes to mind.
They've got a good idea, but they've also got some issues to deal with: non-open source, security questions, etc...
Why not just whip up an open source implementation of the same concept that addresses these problems?
As an aside, I can see something like this being useful as a generic way of creating a public archive of files, not just
Anyone else think such a beast could be useful?
>>>What I find strange is that any of us could assume that we know ANYTHING about what an 'advanced culture' would do. It's advanced, it's beyond us right now, and for us to make any assumptions.. well, you know the old addage.
:)
As much as I love technology, I find myself fantasizing from time to time about chucking it all and spending the rest of my days living a simple peacefule existence on some Carribean island. No phone, no TV, no computer. Just a grass hut and some cute, young girl to bring me a fresh marguerita every 20 minutes or so.
Anyway, my point is: Is it completely implausible that a more advanced civilization might have realized that technology was detracting from, not adding to, their quality of life and returned to a simpler way of life? Perhaps the fact that we are still interested in technology is proof in and of itself of just how unevolved we are.
Not sure if I actually believe that, just one possibility that I never hear mentioned.
>>>This is NOT governmental power, here, but JUDICIARY power.
Government makes the laws, and the judiciary system (the police, the judges, the lawyers) execute them stupidly just like any computer or bot will execute it's program.
Wrong. Judiciary power IS government power. It's simply a different branch of govt. than legislative power. The legislative branch creates laws, the judiciary branch enforces and interprets them. The two branches have very different functions, but BOTH fall under the umbrella term "government."
>>>wow, I can't believe I'm reading this on /. This is one of the last bastions of libertarianism. Who woulda thought you could still read a poster advocating for government regulation?
Actually, I don't think he was so much advocating government regulation, just pointing out the importance of having a standard.
Standards are good, government regulation is bad. When it happens to be the government that is in charge of setting the standard, then it gets hard to decide which way is better.
Actually, I found DOS 3.3 to be quite stable and reliable. I noticed a significant INCREASE in crashes once I upgraded to DOS 6.22. (Although it was an improvement over versions 4 & 5.)
Just my observations.
You've just stumbled across the exact reason why the article is a crock.
The author isn't saying that geeks are explicitly attracted to women who display these traits, she is saying that these timid gals are the only ones that our fragile egos and low self-esteems will allow us to approach.
Have I got news for her.
George McFly is Marty's extremely-super-duper-ultra nerdy father.
Interesting. This is certainly a step up from what they've done in the past. When they used to sell their SuperPilot (i think that's what they called it) they did exactly as I said, bought a normal PalmPilot and added their memory card to it. I was basing my assumptions on that.
Interesting to find that they're actually desinging their own mobo now.
OK, I'm nitpicking here, but this isn't a Palm "clone." The Visor is, though.
What TRG does is purchase Palms from 3Com and modify them. So this is an actual Palm, it just has some nifty custom hardware added to it.
As I hinted at in my previous post, this would be very cool for creating a "portable reference library". Cram it full of FAQs, HOWTOs, RFC's and such. One convenient place to go for all that info that isn't quite worth memorizing, but is absolutely crucial in certain situations.
:)
.mp3's without skipping.
Of course, you'd also want to throw in some fiction from Project Guttenberg to make it easier to survive those weekends visiting the girlfriend's family.
I was going to comment on the enhanced sound that this model includes, but that's not really a big deal until someone figures out how to coax a dragonball into decoding
Plus, given that most Palm users carry them back and forth from work already, this suddenly becomes a very convenient way to carry files back and forth.
Give a geek storage, and he'll fill it up.
With 340MB of storage, I could finally turn my PalmPilot into the portable reference library I've always wished it could be.
Hmm... These guys are just down the street from me. Wonder if they have any in stock?
OK, fixed it.
in pr_process.c change the line that reads:
FILE *f = popen("ps", "r");
to
FILE *f = popen("ps -ax", "r");
it will now spawn a monster for every running process on the machine.
yep, that fixed it. thanks for posting that.
now my problem is that only two monsters get spawned, they don't have any process id, and nothing dies when i kill them.
OK, another idea on new users, inspired by one of my favorite BOFH quotes: "If you're too stupid to hack your way in, I don't want you on my system anyway." :)
:)
So how do we represent that sentiment visually? New hires are placed in front of a terminal with a guest account, and must EARN their own user account by collecting weapons and conquering a home directory. If they take over your home directory, you're fired.
Corporate politics will never be the same.
setting up cron jobs:
:)
Simply walk through the directory structure to the executable and attach a little timer/detonator device to it. (You know, the type they use with C4 in your typical action movie.)
new users:
Couple ideas here. You could have one room set up as a cloning/genetic engineering lab. Or just cast a spell and watch the user appear out of nowhere, with the appropriate godly sound effects to go along with it. I'm thinking something along the lines of how you create imps in Dungeon Keeper.
installing software:
Simple. Your CD-ROM drive is represented in the environment as a docking bay. Just open the cargo door, and carry the package to the appropriate location.
Sendmail configuration would, of course, take place in a room that was heavily booby trapped with land mines and had no lights on whatsoever.