One of Nielsen's famous complaints is that every web site should be compatible with the "Back" button - this is absurd, not even Slashdot is compatible with the Back button. Try posting a comment, hitting Preview, and then hitting back - Slashdot erases the contents of your comment window.
Which proves the point -- wouldn't it be nice if Slashdot didn't do that? In any case, if you're using Slashdot as a standard of usability, you're barking up the wrong tree. Slashdot is inherently designed for techies. I deal every day with people who can't figure out how to login to a discussion forum.
Usually, when someone disagrees with Nielsen, they state strawman versions of his opinions (e.g. "Nielsen says we shouldn't use anything post-1996, he hates graphics, etc"), which obviously sound ludicrous. Reading what he actually writes reveals a completely different picture. There's a reason he's so popular.
Yes, it's a heartwarming tale of a web site that was shut down by a copyright dispute, finally reopened in triumph, and was immediately slashdotted into oblivion.:-)
Good grief! When I read the news item, there were ZERO posts! I posted my "it's slashdotted" post and now see that about a dozen people have already said the same thing. Talk about Internet time!
<plug>Over at Skeptic News (a Slash-based site), we discussed this very briefly in Fox Moon Sweeps Week and
One False Step for Man.... Not too much information on this one (other than a link or two and some comments), but if you like to follow this type of think from a skeptical point of view, you might consider bookmarking the site and stopping by from time to time.</plug>
Computers suck at thinking, but are great at memorizing. Why should we devote brain power to doing what computers do perfectly when all that does is reduce the amount of time we can spend doing what computers cannot?
Leave the memorizing to the computers and the thinking to the humans.
Legalities aside, how does this compare the the EverQuest vs. HackerQuest situation? Is copying someone's web site design Bad, while copying someone's game server design is considered Good?
I realize the two situations are different in many ways, but they basically boil down to the same issue in terms of ethics -- "Come up with your own idea; don't steal mine."
You wrote, "Humility, a value of many religions scoffed at by scientists, is still the paramount character trait to seek."
On the contrary, humility is an intrinsic part of science, far more so than in religion. ("This just in: Pope admits Catholic church is wrong; mass conversions to Wicca are expected.")
I think this quote from Carl Sagan sums it up best:
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
I also like this one by Jean Rostand, writing in writing in "Penspes d'un Biologiste" (1939):
Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are.
P.S. If you want more science vs. pseudoscience discussions, you might consider visiting Skeptic News.
In the future, everyone might be attractive, healthy, and sociable. Oh, the horror! Only Jon Katz could complain about that. Get over it, for cryin' out loud.
Slashdot Mirror
Which proves the point -- wouldn't it be nice if Slashdot didn't do that? In any case, if you're using Slashdot as a standard of usability, you're barking up the wrong tree. Slashdot is inherently designed for techies. I deal every day with people who can't figure out how to login to a discussion forum.
Usually, when someone disagrees with Nielsen, they state strawman versions of his opinions (e.g. "Nielsen says we shouldn't use anything post-1996, he hates graphics, etc"), which obviously sound ludicrous. Reading what he actually writes reveals a completely different picture. There's a reason he's so popular.
Yes, it's a heartwarming tale of a web site that was shut down by a copyright dispute, finally reopened in triumph, and was immediately slashdotted into oblivion. :-)
Good grief! When I read the news item, there were ZERO posts! I posted my "it's slashdotted" post and now see that about a dozen people have already said the same thing. Talk about Internet time!
Does this mean Banjo has been slashdotted?
You: All your base are belong to us.
Eliza: What about your own base are belong to us?
<plug>Over at Skeptic News (a Slash-based site), we discussed this very briefly in Fox Moon Sweeps Week and One False Step for Man.... Not too much information on this one (other than a link or two and some comments), but if you like to follow this type of think from a skeptical point of view, you might consider bookmarking the site and stopping by from time to time.</plug>
---Computers suck at thinking, but are great at memorizing. Why should we devote brain power to doing what computers do perfectly when all that does is reduce the amount of time we can spend doing what computers cannot?
Leave the memorizing to the computers and the thinking to the humans.
Legalities aside, how does this compare the the EverQuest vs. HackerQuest situation? Is copying someone's web site design Bad, while copying someone's game server design is considered Good?
I realize the two situations are different in many ways, but they basically boil down to the same issue in terms of ethics -- "Come up with your own idea; don't steal mine."
You wrote, "Humility, a value of many religions scoffed at by scientists, is still the paramount character trait to seek."
On the contrary, humility is an intrinsic part of science, far more so than in religion. ("This just in: Pope admits Catholic church is wrong; mass conversions to Wicca are expected.")
I think this quote from Carl Sagan sums it up best:
I also like this one by Jean Rostand, writing in writing in "Penspes d'un Biologiste" (1939):
P.S. If you want more science vs. pseudoscience discussions, you might consider visiting Skeptic News.
In the future, everyone might be attractive, healthy, and sociable. Oh, the horror! Only Jon Katz could complain about that. Get over it, for cryin' out loud.