Ok, maybe I am paranoid, but I have been called worse.
Looking at the deal with IE and AOL, plus the (somewhat) recent announcement that MS is no longer releasing stand alone versions of IE, could this be a movement towards a buy-out/merger/axis of evil with the ailing AOL?
My thought is that if Microsoft is no longer releasing stand-alone versions of IE, then they are going to have to tie AOL pretty close to MS in order for IE to work. And since it won't stand-alone, forget AOL/IE on Mac.
I realize that Time-Warner just merged with AOL, however - it hasn't led to much, and TW might be looking to dump AOL's like the cancerous growth it is. However, AOL would give MS a huge subscriber base for their upcoming products, and perhaps give them just the opportunity to finally cram.NET down everone's throat, by integrating it into AOL's interface.
I am trying to imagine a world where manufacturers hand over the idiotic marketers that think they are going to get away with stuff like this. It isn't so much a desire to severely beat a marketing exec, but perhaps a few examples would lead us to.. honesty in marketing?::gasp!::
First it was NVidia/ATI, now Apple - at least in recent months. I am positive there have been many more dating all the way back to the 8-bit days. Some may slip through the cracks, but with the proliferation of the Internet it takes one curious individual to bring to the house of cards.
I think the point that the author is trying to make is that Microsoft isn't trying to win OS market share in this move, instead they are looking to build a larger user base for other product (read: MS Office et al.)
I personally don't see how them giving it away for free is beneficial in any other way. However, as it is being given for free, the issue becomes how does an already free OS compete with the FUD that Microsoft offers when price is no longer a debate? Security comes to mind, but security has always lost out to a combination of usability (read: familiraity) and marketing power.
Agreed that it doesn't make the human mind electronic. I guess I am just trying to suspend disbelief enough to draw some sort of reasonable explanation of why Neo would be able to stop the Sentinels and why both Smith and Neo end up in similar comatose states. The easiest way to draw a conclusion is to assume that the way Neo stopped the Sentinels is with an EMP blast. Thus both Smith and Neo were exposed to close-range EMP blasts. - and both end up in similar comatose states.
Well, we are in agreement on the fact that an EMP wouldn't affect humans. What I am drawing my conclusions from is that there was the "link" established between Smith and Neo. Smith at one point was a software program, and in that sense he could have been affected by the EMP. That would explain his coma - basically the EMP from the hovercraft fried his brain.
The same thing applies to Neo when he uses his EMP blast. Thus they both ended up in similar comatose states. And your point about a human not being able to generate an EMP blast was my point as well. I was implying that Neo is not entirely human anymore.
And for Smith cutting his hand, we are in total agreement. I think that he is doing it because he hasn't experienced pain or bleeding before.
We'll have to see in the next movie.
I don't think that Zion is in the Matrix. To me the evidence points in a different direction.
The Agent Smith - Neo relation
It is a bit hokey I'll admit, but Neo stuck around becase he refused to do what he was supposed to (die at the end of The Matrix). Agent Smith is still around for the same reason. So a link has been established that both this rogue program and Neo are bucking the system.
The next link is established at the very end of the movie. And I pointed it out in another post. Agent Smith is the only one who survived the attack on Zion. Yes, he is technically a machine/program and they might not have killed him because of that, but I think the "premature EMP blast" put him into his coma, and the Sentinels passed over him as dead. Neo on the other hand, is similar to our Agent friend in that he now has his powers outside of the Matrix, sensing the Sentinels' presence because he has become part machine/program. He uses an EMP blast (I am assuming here) to knock them out, and in the process put himself in a coma. No it isn't over-exertion stopping them, it is basically a low level form(at) of suicide.
The hand cutting
Now we come to the scene where Agent Smith is cutting his hand in Zion. The reason behind it is pretty obvious, but the implications are that he is human, not a software program. As evidenced by the fact that Neo was cut by stopping the sword in the fight with Frenchy's henchmen (does that make them French-men?). So if programs don't bleed one can assume that Agent Smith has succesfully left The Matrix and is in the real world. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to cut his hand.
I went and saw it last night, 10pm showing here. First I was a little confused since it isn't out until today. Looks like Hollywood has found a way to pad their opening day numbers better than Enron.
As for the movie itself, I loved it. I agree that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was definately over the top, and I think I know which scene he is refering to about the CG. Beyond that I can't see how some people are giving it such poor reviews.
I had read some reviews stating that it had become a pure action flick, and I didn't go in expecting a great movie. It was a little slow to start, yeah there are the requisite Kung-Fu scenes. But as the "This is an action film" reviews went it was pretty much status-quo. It wasn't until the mind bending stuff started going that I started to get into it.
This isn't a movie that you can go to and be "forced to think". The original Matrix had that, you went there, you were confused about the Matrix, what it is, what they could get away with inside etc. This one, you already know all that. There is a lot of "next level shit" going on in Reloaded that you have to try to rap your mind around in order to make this anything more than a simple action flick.
As I left the theatre, a few things popped into my head, and the (WARNING: Bad Neo impression ahead) "Whoa." reaction kicked in. To be honest it kept me up last night, like really up. Mind racing about all sorts of things, related to the movie, related to my life - and life in general. Not questioning reality like the original, but questioning the "truths" that the movie laid out. Like, "Why?"
I'll let you figure out why, but go there expecting to have to figure things our for yourself. (WARNING: Bad movie cross-link ahead) To quote Professor Xavier, "Sometimes the mind has to figure things out for itself."
Go forth and enjoy.
Re:It is very difficult...
on
Spam, Milord
·
· Score: 2, Funny
I figured that, but I just associate the funny wigs with the British. Don't they all wear them?
It is very difficult...
on
Spam, Milord
·
· Score: 1
... to not read this and imagine a bunch of stodgy white guys sitting in a large room hmm-ing and haw-ing. All the while constantly adjusting their white wigs.
An intresting read, and an intresting look into the British Parlimentary system that a lot of us dumb Americans don't bother to look into. I think it is pretty amusing that they feel free to drop Monty Python quotes. Not saying that it is a bad thing at all, as a matter of fact a good thing. But I don't see how a bunch of stodgy guys in wigs discussing Monty Python helps keep my Inbox Spam free...
(Spam you say? Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam-Spaaam!)
Thats not enough to pay the management's salary during that time period.
Now if only they could pay the guys who actually designed the site/technology behind it.
I really am not looking forward to these ads. Nor am I looking forward to a Web that accepts them. The nice thing about the web right now is that you CAN ignore the _(*$! ads. If I see something that intrests me I'LL FOLLOW IT. But I don't want life-size porn popping up on my screen when I follow a bad link.
My opinion: if you can't make money off of what you are currently doing, maybe you should consider the fact that it might be a bad idea(tm). Or at least recognize that you aren't going to make oodles of cash from click-throughs.
MSNBC carried the story as well...
http://msnbc.com/news/905306.asp?0dm=C11ST
But their headline, "Judge says file-swapping is legal" is very misleading. The court decision says that writing the software is legal, using it is still another matter.
Slashdot Mirror
If you're into flight, and still around next summer. Try the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh Wisconsin.
Experimental Aircraft Association, I think. There are people from ALL over that come to it, starts on Aug. 1 this year, goes all week I believe.
http://www.airventure.org/2003/about/index.html
-Coach
Ok, maybe I am paranoid, but I have been called worse.
.NET down everone's throat, by integrating it into AOL's interface.
Looking at the deal with IE and AOL, plus the (somewhat) recent announcement that MS is no longer releasing stand alone versions of IE, could this be a movement towards a buy-out/merger/axis of evil with the ailing AOL?
My thought is that if Microsoft is no longer releasing stand-alone versions of IE, then they are going to have to tie AOL pretty close to MS in order for IE to work. And since it won't stand-alone, forget AOL/IE on Mac.
I realize that Time-Warner just merged with AOL, however - it hasn't led to much, and TW might be looking to dump AOL's like the cancerous growth it is. However, AOL would give MS a huge subscriber base for their upcoming products, and perhaps give them just the opportunity to finally cram
-Coach
I am trying to imagine a world where manufacturers hand over the idiotic marketers that think they are going to get away with stuff like this. It isn't so much a desire to severely beat a marketing exec, but perhaps a few examples would lead us to.. honesty in marketing? ::gasp!::
First it was NVidia/ATI, now Apple - at least in recent months. I am positive there have been many more dating all the way back to the 8-bit days. Some may slip through the cracks, but with the proliferation of the Internet it takes one curious individual to bring to the house of cards.
-iCoach
Ummm, my sig... doesn't even qualify as letters, let alone cursive.
As for my use of cursive, it is a bastardized version of Courier New (12 pt.) vs Wingdings (16 pt.)
iCoach therefore iScream
is the funniest website ever. I stumbled onto it a few months back, and he has been posting about this "issue" of a woman "who shall go unnamed".
:)
I find it humorous that the NYT was the one who let me in on Tucker's little secret instead of Tucker...
Funny sh|t Especially the Absinthe story...
I think the point that the author is trying to make is that Microsoft isn't trying to win OS market share in this move, instead they are looking to build a larger user base for other product (read: MS Office et al.)
I personally don't see how them giving it away for free is beneficial in any other way. However, as it is being given for free, the issue becomes how does an already free OS compete with the FUD that Microsoft offers when price is no longer a debate? Security comes to mind, but security has always lost out to a combination of usability (read: familiraity) and marketing power.
Agreed that it doesn't make the human mind electronic. I guess I am just trying to suspend disbelief enough to draw some sort of reasonable explanation of why Neo would be able to stop the Sentinels and why both Smith and Neo end up in similar comatose states. The easiest way to draw a conclusion is to assume that the way Neo stopped the Sentinels is with an EMP blast. Thus both Smith and Neo were exposed to close-range EMP blasts. - and both end up in similar comatose states.
Well, we are in agreement on the fact that an EMP wouldn't affect humans. What I am drawing my conclusions from is that there was the "link" established between Smith and Neo. Smith at one point was a software program, and in that sense he could have been affected by the EMP. That would explain his coma - basically the EMP from the hovercraft fried his brain.
The same thing applies to Neo when he uses his EMP blast. Thus they both ended up in similar comatose states. And your point about a human not being able to generate an EMP blast was my point as well. I was implying that Neo is not entirely human anymore.
And for Smith cutting his hand, we are in total agreement. I think that he is doing it because he hasn't experienced pain or bleeding before.
We'll have to see in the next movie.
::spoilers blah, blah...::
I don't think that Zion is in the Matrix. To me the evidence points in a different direction.
The Agent Smith - Neo relation
It is a bit hokey I'll admit, but Neo stuck around becase he refused to do what he was supposed to (die at the end of The Matrix). Agent Smith is still around for the same reason. So a link has been established that both this rogue program and Neo are bucking the system.
The next link is established at the very end of the movie. And I pointed it out in another post. Agent Smith is the only one who survived the attack on Zion. Yes, he is technically a machine/program and they might not have killed him because of that, but I think the "premature EMP blast" put him into his coma, and the Sentinels passed over him as dead. Neo on the other hand, is similar to our Agent friend in that he now has his powers outside of the Matrix, sensing the Sentinels' presence because he has become part machine/program. He uses an EMP blast (I am assuming here) to knock them out, and in the process put himself in a coma. No it isn't over-exertion stopping them, it is basically a low level form(at) of suicide.
The hand cutting
Now we come to the scene where Agent Smith is cutting his hand in Zion. The reason behind it is pretty obvious, but the implications are that he is human, not a software program. As evidenced by the fact that Neo was cut by stopping the sword in the fight with Frenchy's henchmen (does that make them French-men?). So if programs don't bleed one can assume that Agent Smith has succesfully left The Matrix and is in the real world. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to cut his hand.
Thats my take anyway...
I went and saw it last night, 10pm showing here. First I was a little confused since it isn't out until today. Looks like Hollywood has found a way to pad their opening day numbers better than Enron.
As for the movie itself, I loved it. I agree that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was definately over the top, and I think I know which scene he is refering to about the CG. Beyond that I can't see how some people are giving it such poor reviews.
I had read some reviews stating that it had become a pure action flick, and I didn't go in expecting a great movie. It was a little slow to start, yeah there are the requisite Kung-Fu scenes. But as the "This is an action film" reviews went it was pretty much status-quo. It wasn't until the mind bending stuff started going that I started to get into it.
This isn't a movie that you can go to and be "forced to think". The original Matrix had that, you went there, you were confused about the Matrix, what it is, what they could get away with inside etc. This one, you already know all that. There is a lot of "next level shit" going on in Reloaded that you have to try to rap your mind around in order to make this anything more than a simple action flick.
As I left the theatre, a few things popped into my head, and the (WARNING: Bad Neo impression ahead) "Whoa." reaction kicked in. To be honest it kept me up last night, like really up. Mind racing about all sorts of things, related to the movie, related to my life - and life in general. Not questioning reality like the original, but questioning the "truths" that the movie laid out. Like, "Why?"
I'll let you figure out why, but go there expecting to have to figure things our for yourself. (WARNING: Bad movie cross-link ahead) To quote Professor Xavier, "Sometimes the mind has to figure things out for itself."
Go forth and enjoy.
I figured that, but I just associate the funny wigs with the British. Don't they all wear them?
... to not read this and imagine a bunch of stodgy white guys sitting in a large room hmm-ing and haw-ing. All the while constantly adjusting their white wigs. An intresting read, and an intresting look into the British Parlimentary system that a lot of us dumb Americans don't bother to look into. I think it is pretty amusing that they feel free to drop Monty Python quotes. Not saying that it is a bad thing at all, as a matter of fact a good thing. But I don't see how a bunch of stodgy guys in wigs discussing Monty Python helps keep my Inbox Spam free... (Spam you say? Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam-Spaaam!)
Thats not enough to pay the management's salary during that time period. Now if only they could pay the guys who actually designed the site/technology behind it.
I really am not looking forward to these ads. Nor am I looking forward to a Web that accepts them. The nice thing about the web right now is that you CAN ignore the _(*$! ads. If I see something that intrests me I'LL FOLLOW IT. But I don't want life-size porn popping up on my screen when I follow a bad link.
My opinion: if you can't make money off of what you are currently doing, maybe you should consider the fact that it might be a bad idea(tm). Or at least recognize that you aren't going to make oodles of cash from click-throughs.
MSNBC carried the story as well... http://msnbc.com/news/905306.asp?0dm=C11ST But their headline, "Judge says file-swapping is legal" is very misleading. The court decision says that writing the software is legal, using it is still another matter.
... to sign up any @emarketersamerica.org email address found for random mailing lists?