I think they're just trying this out as a "more thorough" program:
From the article:
The current two-fingerprint arrival system is being used in 115 airports, 15 seaports and 154 land border checks. About 100 million fingerprints have been taken so far, and more than 34,000 people whose names showed up on U.S. watch lists were denied entry, Wright said.
They'll probably expand the program later on. Yes, I don't see the value either...
People are talking about the Mac throughout the industry. Admit it: Whether you love it or hate it, you're talking about the Mac at the water cooler.
Apple certainly does have a great public image. They are in a great place right now - they get huge amounts of publicity for free. This just didn't happen by accident though, they've done a good job creating their image, and creating products that people want to get excited about. Actually, some Mac ads are so good, that I enjoy watching them. (I love those "I'm a PC" and "I'm a mac" ads!). Apple has the momentum.
Microsoft has distanced itself from the prosecution, saying it had nothing to do with the charges and had opted last year not to bring any civil action.
Microsoft has said they're not interested in prosecuting... no wonder, that would be some bad press. The guy is a school teacher, using Windows on 12 computers in the school. It's probably good news for Microsoft that he's using their software - get the kids hooked on Windows while they're young, so they'll be accustomed to using it (and possibly paying for it) later in life.
It's possible that they mean airplanes could gain some energy by covering themselves with solar panels? I'm with you though; I don't see any of this being viable for any commercial airline in the immediate future.
Off-topic, but call or write to the publisher (snail mail does the best, I find). I've had this happen to me in the past, and I was surprised to find that they'd send me a free replacement copy of the book.
For the most part, I agree with you. MS has added plenty of bloat to their operating system, and has even done some things that make certain tasks more difficult to perform. But it's not all bad news; they have implemented some features that some people may find useful. Their new Office Ribbon actually has a hint of innovation to it.
I have nothing wrong with them trying to offer a product and compete in the marketplace, but the legal system in the US is so screwy that technologies are competing not on their merits, but their legal threats.
The scenario stated in the slashdot post does show a situation where linux performs better than Windows....but after looking through the "performance" section of the whitepaper, it's pretty much the only case where linux is better. Windows appears to beat linux on quite a few other tests (such as memory use of a 'hello world' program, the executable size, and even some of the 'cost of basic operations' tests)
Actually, I just got back from hearing him at UWaterloo, and there weren't any provocative or controversial questions! I was disappointed. They didn't take very many questions at all (maybe 10 out of 200 people who wanted to ask them). He did mention wikipedia as being a site he liked, but said he wasn't impressed with Google's search engine.
I have to agree that the internet is great. That being said, sometimes you don't want to upload a 2 GB database file or a 700 MB movie, just to have to download it when you get home. Also, it's hard to believe, but sometimes you find a computer that *gasp* doesn't have an internet connection! Even if it does, if it's not broadband, it could suck up a lot of time downloading your data. There's a time and a place for using personal storage devices to move data around.
It's always nice to see that the people who deal with dangerous biohazard materials are so careful with what they do. I guess you just get complacent after awhile... it happens with everything. It's unfortunate that there aren't better routines and checks in place to be absolutely certain this kind of thing doesn't happen.
Even if it's no big deal this time, who's to say what could happen in the future if mutant infected lab animals are allowed to roam free?;-)
I had a close friend who worked for HP about a year ago. He was shocked at how inefficient everything was run, and how they participated in a lot of unprofitable (and wasteful) activities. His biggest comment was that their slogan should be "HP Rebrand", since that's all they do. There hasn't been any significant advancements or innovations made, nor any large pushes to making useful discoveries.
Almost 50% said the operating cost is low, while 66% said the initial cost is low. It's surprising that Microsoft's "open source has a more expensive TCO than Windows" obviously hasn't taken a firm hold... those numbers are fairly encouraging.
I love how they say it represents very little threat. I guess we can expect them to save face, but someone must be kicking themselves over this one! "Very little threat" probably translates into millions of copies distributed over P2P networks:)
I predicted about 10 years ago that AOL would die, and they're still alive (struggling, but still kicking). I still think that the demise of AOL is coming (and long overdue), but they seem to find new ways to stay alive (becoming part of Time Warner, etc).
I would also be surprised if they could pull something like this off... the internet portal market is already quite crowded. I just don't see room for another yahoo-type service
The open source community has really been the driving force behind technolgoies like BitTorrent. Sure, obviously other applications have good legitimate uses for BitTorrent-like technologies too, but the technology-savvy crowd are really the people who are using things like BitTorrent... whether it's for slackware images, or anime episodes:) With a closed-source solution from MS, I'd be shocked if it gained a huge following. The momentum from the tech crowd just wouldn't be there.
I think Apple could do more in its marketing efforts... for example, providing some of thsoe "disposable CDs" with a knoppix-style Apple OS. Letting people try out their product, on their existing hardware, with no commitment, would help get them more exposure. They do have a great product - they just need to get it out there more. It's not mainstream yet.
If this happens (note: the article says "apple COULD use...") it'll be unfortunate... Apple could be losing out on a significant market of people who are sick of windows and are curious in trying something new....of course there's always linux for that situation, but the idea of "linux" might scare some people.
(Of course, there's always the very real possibility that some mod will be available to disable this feature...):)
I guess moving 7.4 centimetres is better than nothing:) It's good they didn't give up on the rover... I'd like to say they've really gotten their moneys worth with these guys, but it's hard to measure the economic payback of the whole "mars exploration" thing... it's more of a long-term investment.
Seriously, what were you thinking applying to some computer program at WLU? The university of waterloo is just a few blocks away from Laurier, and is much better for tech subjects. Waterloo even placed in the 29th ACM Intl. Programming Contest and I don't know if Laurier even entered.
At the moment, these devices that do everything don't really to anything really well. A stand-alone camera has better quality than the phone....but we are starting to see that change. As technology continues to develop, and manufacturers are able to pack more and more into a device, the quality of the combined unit might start to be acceptable for more and more people.
I am quite looking forward to the time when I only have to carry one device around, and it will do everything! (including allowing me to SSH into my home computer):)
The first few posts are all trolls! People said this story is a troll! Not at all... it's exactly what slashdot should be used for - tech news.
I'm not sure where this graphical UI is going to go, it's definitely an interesting development. As the above trollposts point out, gentoo users might be worried that this will let other, "newbier" people use their distro....but on the other side, it might also get MORE people using gentoo... and that can only be a good thing.
Although it's necessary to get a good idea of how the tool (any tool) works, you really can't replace good experience working with a spreadsheet.
Knowing how the technology works is one thing, but knowing how to set up your tables and the data they contain is key. Depending on your use of the spreadsheet, and what you hope to get out of it, there are different ways you can organize worksheets/data....without doing things a number of times and thinking through how the system you're going to be building will be used, you'll likely end up with something inferior. Only experience can help you out there. coding practices, naming conventions and application structure are a good start, but that's about it.
What's the purpose of a moon base? Bush said he wants to use it as a stepping stone for Mars... but are there really any savings gained? Earth is where the ship manufacturing takes place... and (at the moment) is the source of fuel. Any materials obtained here would still need to be sent to the moon, and then to Mars.
Does it have something to do with the moon's lower gravity making it easier to blast off a ship?
Aptitude isn't the right word. There are plenty of smart women out there. I think part of the problem is the isolation that comes with sitting infront of a computer when you're developing. On average, I'd say women are more social than men....they're less likely to want to spend hours alone sitting infront of a computer. They'd rather be working on teams where there's lots of social interaction.
Although it's good that Google's taking a step in the right direction by trying to keep their index clean, there are lots of sites who try to spam the index. SEO is a huge 'industry'. Cracking down on some of the big perpetrators is a good start, but more needs to be done if Google wants to maintain (and even improve) the quality of their searches.
Slashdot Mirror
I think they're just trying this out as a "more thorough" program:
From the article:
The current two-fingerprint arrival system is being used in 115 airports, 15 seaports and 154 land border checks. About 100 million fingerprints have been taken so far, and more than 34,000 people whose names showed up on U.S. watch lists were denied entry, Wright said.
They'll probably expand the program later on. Yes, I don't see the value either...
People are talking about the Mac throughout the industry. Admit it: Whether you love it or hate it, you're talking about the Mac at the water cooler.
Apple certainly does have a great public image. They are in a great place right now - they get huge amounts of publicity for free. This just didn't happen by accident though, they've done a good job creating their image, and creating products that people want to get excited about. Actually, some Mac ads are so good, that I enjoy watching them. (I love those "I'm a PC" and "I'm a mac" ads!). Apple has the momentum.
Microsoft has distanced itself from the prosecution, saying it had nothing to do with the charges and had opted last year not to bring any civil action.
Microsoft has said they're not interested in prosecuting... no wonder, that would be some bad press. The guy is a school teacher, using Windows on 12 computers in the school. It's probably good news for Microsoft that he's using their software - get the kids hooked on Windows while they're young, so they'll be accustomed to using it (and possibly paying for it) later in life.
It's possible that they mean airplanes could gain some energy by covering themselves with solar panels? I'm with you though; I don't see any of this being viable for any commercial airline in the immediate future.
Off-topic, but call or write to the publisher (snail mail does the best, I find). I've had this happen to me in the past, and I was surprised to find that they'd send me a free replacement copy of the book.
For the most part, I agree with you. MS has added plenty of bloat to their operating system, and has even done some things that make certain tasks more difficult to perform. But it's not all bad news; they have implemented some features that some people may find useful. Their new Office Ribbon actually has a hint of innovation to it.
I have nothing wrong with them trying to offer a product and compete in the marketplace, but the legal system in the US is so screwy that technologies are competing not on their merits, but their legal threats.
The scenario stated in the slashdot post does show a situation where linux performs better than Windows. ...but after looking through the "performance" section of the whitepaper, it's pretty much the only case where linux is better. Windows appears to beat linux on quite a few other tests (such as memory use of a 'hello world' program, the executable size, and even some of the 'cost of basic operations' tests)
Actually, I just got back from hearing him at UWaterloo, and there weren't any provocative or controversial questions! I was disappointed. They didn't take very many questions at all (maybe 10 out of 200 people who wanted to ask them). He did mention wikipedia as being a site he liked, but said he wasn't impressed with Google's search engine.
I have to agree that the internet is great. That being said, sometimes you don't want to upload a 2 GB database file or a 700 MB movie, just to have to download it when you get home. Also, it's hard to believe, but sometimes you find a computer that *gasp* doesn't have an internet connection! Even if it does, if it's not broadband, it could suck up a lot of time downloading your data. There's a time and a place for using personal storage devices to move data around.
It's always nice to see that the people who deal with dangerous biohazard materials are so careful with what they do. I guess you just get complacent after awhile... it happens with everything. It's unfortunate that there aren't better routines and checks in place to be absolutely certain this kind of thing doesn't happen.
;-)
Even if it's no big deal this time, who's to say what could happen in the future if mutant infected lab animals are allowed to roam free?
I had a close friend who worked for HP about a year ago. He was shocked at how inefficient everything was run, and how they participated in a lot of unprofitable (and wasteful) activities. His biggest comment was that their slogan should be "HP Rebrand", since that's all they do. There hasn't been any significant advancements or innovations made, nor any large pushes to making useful discoveries.
Almost 50% said the operating cost is low, while 66% said the initial cost is low. It's surprising that Microsoft's "open source has a more expensive TCO than Windows" obviously hasn't taken a firm hold... those numbers are fairly encouraging.
I love how they say it represents very little threat. I guess we can expect them to save face, but someone must be kicking themselves over this one! "Very little threat" probably translates into millions of copies distributed over P2P networks :)
I predicted about 10 years ago that AOL would die, and they're still alive (struggling, but still kicking). I still think that the demise of AOL is coming (and long overdue), but they seem to find new ways to stay alive (becoming part of Time Warner, etc).
I would also be surprised if they could pull something like this off... the internet portal market is already quite crowded. I just don't see room for another yahoo-type service
The open source community has really been the driving force behind technolgoies like BitTorrent. Sure, obviously other applications have good legitimate uses for BitTorrent-like technologies too, but the technology-savvy crowd are really the people who are using things like BitTorrent... whether it's for slackware images, or anime episodes :) With a closed-source solution from MS, I'd be shocked if it gained a huge following. The momentum from the tech crowd just wouldn't be there.
I think Apple could do more in its marketing efforts... for example, providing some of thsoe "disposable CDs" with a knoppix-style Apple OS. Letting people try out their product, on their existing hardware, with no commitment, would help get them more exposure. They do have a great product - they just need to get it out there more. It's not mainstream yet.
If this happens (note: the article says "apple COULD use...") it'll be unfortunate... Apple could be losing out on a significant market of people who are sick of windows and are curious in trying something new. ...of course there's always linux for that situation, but the idea of "linux" might scare some people.
(Of course, there's always the very real possibility that some mod will be available to disable this feature...) :)
I guess moving 7.4 centimetres is better than nothing :) It's good they didn't give up on the rover... I'd like to say they've really gotten their moneys worth with these guys, but it's hard to measure the economic payback of the whole "mars exploration" thing... it's more of a long-term investment.
Seriously, what were you thinking applying to some computer program at WLU? The university of waterloo is just a few blocks away from Laurier, and is much better for tech subjects. Waterloo even placed in the 29th ACM Intl. Programming Contest and I don't know if Laurier even entered.
At the moment, these devices that do everything don't really to anything really well. A stand-alone camera has better quality than the phone. ...but we are starting to see that change. As technology continues to develop, and manufacturers are able to pack more and more into a device, the quality of the combined unit might start to be acceptable for more and more people.
:)
I am quite looking forward to the time when I only have to carry one device around, and it will do everything! (including allowing me to SSH into my home computer)
The first few posts are all trolls! People said this story is a troll! Not at all... it's exactly what slashdot should be used for - tech news.
...but on the other side, it might also get MORE people using gentoo... and that can only be a good thing.
I'm not sure where this graphical UI is going to go, it's definitely an interesting development. As the above trollposts point out, gentoo users might be worried that this will let other, "newbier" people use their distro.
Although it's necessary to get a good idea of how the tool (any tool) works, you really can't replace good experience working with a spreadsheet.
...without doing things a number of times and thinking through how the system you're going to be building will be used, you'll likely end up with something inferior. Only experience can help you out there. coding practices, naming conventions and application structure are a good start, but that's about it.
Knowing how the technology works is one thing, but knowing how to set up your tables and the data they contain is key. Depending on your use of the spreadsheet, and what you hope to get out of it, there are different ways you can organize worksheets/data.
What's the purpose of a moon base? Bush said he wants to use it as a stepping stone for Mars... but are there really any savings gained? Earth is where the ship manufacturing takes place... and (at the moment) is the source of fuel. Any materials obtained here would still need to be sent to the moon, and then to Mars.
Does it have something to do with the moon's lower gravity making it easier to blast off a ship?
Aptitude isn't the right word. There are plenty of smart women out there. I think part of the problem is the isolation that comes with sitting infront of a computer when you're developing. On average, I'd say women are more social than men. ...they're less likely to want to spend hours alone sitting infront of a computer. They'd rather be working on teams where there's lots of social interaction.
Although it's good that Google's taking a step in the right direction by trying to keep their index clean, there are lots of sites who try to spam the index. SEO is a huge 'industry'. Cracking down on some of the big perpetrators is a good start, but more needs to be done if Google wants to maintain (and even improve) the quality of their searches.