While that's very true (and highly unexpected that you'd read a previous post of mine...), the thing is that while it DOES help in many a situation (particularly writing/editing papers, research, etc) it is also a very big temptation. Computers in the classroom good, individual laptops that can be used any times maybe not so good. I actually do learn a lot - but the hardest part is overcoming my tendency to slack off/procrastinate/stay on task when I have this marvelous window to the world right in front of me. A computer is a great learning aid; a distraction of any kind, particularly one as universally interesting and limitless as a computer should be observed more closely.
At my highschool, everyone is issued an iBook (running jaguar - it has converted me from strongly anti-mac to seeing the light!). So far two student laptops and at least 10 teacher laptops have been stolen (one of those two being mine). The sad thing is, people just can't be trusted. It's not an issue of someone wanting their own because everyone has one. It's not the issue of wanting to sell it because they all have unremovable security tags on the bottom - if they're sold they will be reported. No, it is merely that they want to steal for the sake of stealing.
Though I would like to note, the laptop program itself isn't so great. The main use that people have for them is to play games/surf the web during class. This shouldnt be a problem as I myself am guilty of this (i'm in spanish right now!) but most people can't focus on their work while also playing... which leads to pulling the whole class down. Very annoying. While I love having a laptop, and being able to read/. while doing vocab drills, I can't help but think I'd be getting a lot more learning done without it. And after all, that's what my mom is paying for me to go to this school for isn't it?
/me sticks out hand proudly. I have cable internet and cell service./joeyo, who has been landline free for a year and a half.
How exactly are you landline free? Cables gotta plug into your modem somewhere down the line.
I go to a rich white private highschool. I am a freshman in the first class ever of my school's laptop program - every student in my class has their own ibook with OS X. I am literally stunned at the cluelessness of some fellow classmates - for instance, one user, when confronted with long load times on a web page, believes her computer has crashed and takes the battery out and reinserts it to "fix the slowness". This wouldnt be so bad if we were just handed the computers - no way, we were all given "extensive" training (extensive enough to learn how to use Word, back up to the fileserver, fix from crashes, etc). Maybe the leaders of tomorrow know how to use computers, but the idiots of tomorrow sure don't.
I wasn't around on the internet (unless AOL counts as the internet) back then. Thanks for the clarification, though:). That makes my point even more clear: creating your own software does not mean you are dying!!! For example, Nintendo makes many of the best games available for their platform (just as Apple makes a lot of very good software for their platform), but Nintendo certainly isn't dying (well, maybe in America but overseas...)
Not only that, but guess what? Internet Explorer is made by Microsoft. Wow, the creator of an operating system making its own browser?!? Definitely a last-ditch effort before it dies... yeah right...
I don't think that this is a valid analogy. The microwave is not a general-purpose device that is only marketed for one purpose.
The x-box is NOT a general-purpose device. It is a game console/dvd player. It was never supposed to run linux, it was designed to run GAMES. Primarily games programmed for that specific platform. An x-box is not a pc, don't use it as one. Made from pc parts does not mean made for pc usage.
I'm left handed and I use my right hand for the mouse - anything else is just "wrong" to me. This never really seemed like a problem until a couple weeks ago a friend and I tried to play an online doodling game - basically pictionary where you draw with your mouse. I am, quite simply, terrible at it. I couldn't figure out why until I realized that I just can't draw with my right hand. Left-handed mousing is just so awkward that I can't stand to do it. I guess I'll never be able to draw with the mouse...:(
In OS X, command+tab still switches windows, however it only switches between PARENT windows. For example, I commonly have multiple websites open in my web browser and two or more Word documents open. Command+tab switches between Word and Safari, and Command+` switches between windows within them. Very useful, I just wish Windows had an implementation like this!
The article states that in Windows 2000 you can't do this - why should it be possible in XP? I agree th at physical access to a computer means all security is worthless, but it still shouldn't be there in the first place.
Sometimes the problem is how intrusive the hardware is in the home. (There's no way I could keep the DDR pad on my floor in my tiny apartment, I'd have to put it away.)
I agree with your statement, however the thing about the DDR pads (the cheap ones that is) is that they are meant to be folded up and put away after use. I have mine hiding in my closet right now:)
Also, many of those other peripherals aren't exactly neccessary to the experience (yes, the mario paint mouse and the super scope were but both had VERY few uses. The DDR pad can be used in a few other series besides DDR, like Bust a Groove and *shudder* Britneys Dance Beats. Also a new "aerobics" game by Konami will use it.) while the DDR pad is almost essential to the gameplay. While it will never become mainstream, there are lots of people who want to play DDR and would rather spend their money on a home version instead of the (in my area) 1.50 for 3 songs of the arcade.
That's where games like Dance Dance Revolution (hope I got the name right...) changes the variables. DDR is technically feasible in the home, but not really all that practical.
DDR is most definitely feasable in a home setting - a new version just came out for PS2 (the American version is actually better than the Japanese one this time!) and there are at least 7 different incarnations for the PS1. All that is needed is a dance pad that can be aquired from the local video game store for about 20 dollars. In some places (apartments, etc) it might not be convienient due to the noise but it is just as fun:)
What I think is strange is why Bill think's it's OK to sell his X boxes for $100 less than they cost to make, but he won't pay $100 towards my own choice of hardware. I'm not interested in a X Box, but if MS would pay to take $100 off the price of a PS2, that'd be cool.
What I think is strange is that you think he owes that to you. Bill Gates has lots of money, sure he COULD promote competitors - but why the hell would he? Bill Gates doesn't owe you anything, you don't owe anything to him... like you said, the PS2 has better games (opinion). Gates is struggling, Japan for the most part hates his Xbox. He's selling it at a loss to get market penetration that he can use later - its part of life. I don't want it to happen but i do not in any way feel like he is doing something wrong, simply... profitable. It IS ok to charge less than it costs to make (hell, you should be thanking him!) but its just flawed reasoning to expect him to pay for another console.
A similar thing is happening to Dalnet - due to the DDOS attacks (since Dec 8th!) many servers are just dropping out because of the high bandwidth. According to the site, many ISPs are making the decision not to host irc servers at all due to the risk. Sad...
Slashdot Mirror
I believe this was for the Super Famicom (equivalent of a SNES), which had a satellite system in place to stream games to a cartridge.
i just saw a comment... hit refresh and it was gone! what the hell is going on?
While that's very true (and highly unexpected that you'd read a previous post of mine...), the thing is that while it DOES help in many a situation (particularly writing/editing papers, research, etc) it is also a very big temptation. Computers in the classroom good, individual laptops that can be used any times maybe not so good. I actually do learn a lot - but the hardest part is overcoming my tendency to slack off/procrastinate/stay on task when I have this marvelous window to the world right in front of me. A computer is a great learning aid; a distraction of any kind, particularly one as universally interesting and limitless as a computer should be observed more closely.
Am I the only one that despises when people do that? ;)
At my highschool, everyone is issued an iBook (running jaguar - it has converted me from strongly anti-mac to seeing the light!). So far two student laptops and at least 10 teacher laptops have been stolen (one of those two being mine). The sad thing is, people just can't be trusted. It's not an issue of someone wanting their own because everyone has one. It's not the issue of wanting to sell it because they all have unremovable security tags on the bottom - if they're sold they will be reported. No, it is merely that they want to steal for the sake of stealing. Though I would like to note, the laptop program itself isn't so great. The main use that people have for them is to play games/surf the web during class. This shouldnt be a problem as I myself am guilty of this (i'm in spanish right now!) but most people can't focus on their work while also playing... which leads to pulling the whole class down. Very annoying. While I love having a laptop, and being able to read /. while doing vocab drills, I can't help but think I'd be getting a lot more learning done without it. And after all, that's what my mom is paying for me to go to this school for isn't it?
I fully agree! Down with Automatic Teller Machine machines!
Wouldn't it be "Hackers 3"? :)
/me sticks out hand proudly. I have cable internet and cell service. /joeyo, who has been landline free for a year and a half.
How exactly are you landline free? Cables gotta plug into your modem somewhere down the line.
At least we can still kleenex things.
Insightful? I think we've all known this for a while, buddy.
I go to a rich white private highschool. I am a freshman in the first class ever of my school's laptop program - every student in my class has their own ibook with OS X. I am literally stunned at the cluelessness of some fellow classmates - for instance, one user, when confronted with long load times on a web page, believes her computer has crashed and takes the battery out and reinserts it to "fix the slowness". This wouldnt be so bad if we were just handed the computers - no way, we were all given "extensive" training (extensive enough to learn how to use Word, back up to the fileserver, fix from crashes, etc). Maybe the leaders of tomorrow know how to use computers, but the idiots of tomorrow sure don't.
I wasn't around on the internet (unless AOL counts as the internet) back then. Thanks for the clarification, though :). That makes my point even more clear: creating your own software does not mean you are dying!!! For example, Nintendo makes many of the best games available for their platform (just as Apple makes a lot of very good software for their platform), but Nintendo certainly isn't dying (well, maybe in America but overseas...)
Not only that, but guess what? Internet Explorer is made by Microsoft. Wow, the creator of an operating system making its own browser?!? Definitely a last-ditch effort before it dies... yeah right...
I don't think that this is a valid analogy. The microwave is not a general-purpose device that is only marketed for one purpose. The x-box is NOT a general-purpose device. It is a game console/dvd player. It was never supposed to run linux, it was designed to run GAMES. Primarily games programmed for that specific platform. An x-box is not a pc, don't use it as one. Made from pc parts does not mean made for pc usage.
By an implementation in Windows I meant of ctrl+` - even something application-based rather than OS based would be nice (in a web browser, etc)
I'm left handed and I use my right hand for the mouse - anything else is just "wrong" to me. This never really seemed like a problem until a couple weeks ago a friend and I tried to play an online doodling game - basically pictionary where you draw with your mouse. I am, quite simply, terrible at it. I couldn't figure out why until I realized that I just can't draw with my right hand. Left-handed mousing is just so awkward that I can't stand to do it. I guess I'll never be able to draw with the mouse... :(
In OS X, command+tab still switches windows, however it only switches between PARENT windows. For example, I commonly have multiple websites open in my web browser and two or more Word documents open. Command+tab switches between Word and Safari, and Command+` switches between windows within them. Very useful, I just wish Windows had an implementation like this!
The article states that in Windows 2000 you can't do this - why should it be possible in XP? I agree th at physical access to a computer means all security is worthless, but it still shouldn't be there in the first place.
What about "DVD-rot"?
A similar thing is happening to Dalnet - due to the DDOS attacks (since Dec 8th!) many servers are just dropping out because of the high bandwidth. According to the site, many ISPs are making the decision not to host irc servers at all due to the risk. Sad...