True, that is just the common term for the concept. Reusable film cameras are often referred to as 'disposable', even though they are reused in much the same way.
If you knowingly enter a contest with those rules, and accept them, you are not being screwed. It's a decision. you make. no one is forcing you. got it?
This makes me think... to encourage folks to be comfortable on the net, give them useful stuff. Like direct links to the local library website, local stores (you can leverage other people's work by linking to the blockbuster 'new releases' page, for example), and other community stuff.
After all, for most folks, the net isn't a toy but a tool. Give them something useful to do and they will learn happily.
Maybe a basic, semi-techy discussion of how the internet works, so that the users can protect themselves.
They don't need to know how to configure a DNS server, but understanding basic concepts like cookies, HTTPS (and when it is safe to use your credit card), SPAM, etc. could be very useful for Joe User.
Also, creating some kind of list of common acronyms & buzzwords would be helpful to the same folks. When I say that to 'connect you Win2K box to the ISP with a CAT-5 cable w/PCMCIA NIC', I might as well be speaking martian to some folks.
Hmm, I didn't have any problem with win2k. I think it's pretty decent overall. I refuse to buy windows FP (hey, the default theme looks like it was designed by fisher price), and as such now use both 2K and linux (KDE 3 as the gui), in preparation for the day I leave winders forever.
Linux is fun, the sense of reliability and configurability is great. But it still has some warts and blemishes, and I'll be happier when they are gone (or at least hidden from me).
This isn't quite true. A basic install (especially using something like redhat or mandrake) is easy, but god help you if you want to add a wireless card or something else later.
Can it be done? sure. Is it a pain that requires significant knowledge? yup. Should I need to know all this shit to install my wlan card? nope.
I agree... I took the 3 bookshelves I have (Perl, linux web server, unix) and made a quickie index page w/the images from the respective menus, and burned 'em all on CD.
With, of course, Komodo, the PDK, and various webby tools.
You're right, I didn't give any counter arguments. Frankly, you seem to have fundamental misconceptions about several of the things you spoke of.
Unfortunately, when 2 people have different concepts of logic, a debate is worthless. So, rather than be insulting or really anal (granted, this is the Slashdot Way (tm)), I just let it go. As I am now.
kind of. If I'd totally let it go I wouldn't be writing this:)
I've always found the phrase 'respect their beliefs' to be interesting. Most folks interpret this as 'accept the belief', at least if you are talking about that person's morals.
I reject this concept, but do believe in respecting others' _rights_ to have different beliefs. I may feel that your faith (for example) is bunk, but I don't think you are bad/wrong/necessarily foolish to have it.
I lost a long time girlfriend over this... her particular branch of religion didn't accept marriages w/non believers, so I was out. Most of my friends said 'Man, [her belief] is wrong, tell her so and you'll get her back'.
Now, I believe that she is incorrect. But I have no particularly good evidence for a better view, so I could not say that. I find it funny how most religious folks don't object to attacking a given faith, so long as it is not their own.
Some time later I did tell her how I felt, and that I was sorry to lose her over what is to me a mythology. But I was proud of her for standing by her beliefs. sigh:)
How is morality encoded in genes? I'll give you that most 'moral' things (don't steal, kill, rape, etc. others in the clan) lead to more peace within a group, but these cannot be said to be inherited.
Languages are based on concepts. The concepts may be common, but all languages are not. The words, syntax, etc. are all fairly random. Of course, languages grow more complex over time, and some are derived from others, but this is a matter of culture, not chromosomes.
nah, I refuse to be one of those people who's logic fails when 'it happens to me'. It would be rotten to lose a dog/friend/family member/whatever, but it wouldn't change my opinion on this. Only a good counter argument could do that.
Slashdot Mirror
What then is your definition of screwed? Willingly entering a quasi-contract, and having to live up to the terms of it? I don't see how this is bad.
It seems to me that the slashdot folks make a good faith effort to make things very clear. I don't understand the problem. Why so belligerant?
True, that is just the common term for the concept. Reusable film cameras are often referred to as 'disposable', even though they are reused in much the same way.
If you knowingly enter a contest with those rules, and accept them, you are not being screwed. It's a decision. you make. no one is forcing you. got it?
I like how they became PC cards for about a year, and now are PCMCIA again... irritating. They should just be 'laptop cards' and be done with it.
This makes me think... to encourage folks to be comfortable on the net, give them useful stuff. Like direct links to the local library website, local stores (you can leverage other people's work by linking to the blockbuster 'new releases' page, for example), and other community stuff.
After all, for most folks, the net isn't a toy but a tool. Give them something useful to do and they will learn happily.
Maybe a basic, semi-techy discussion of how the internet works, so that the users can protect themselves.
They don't need to know how to configure a DNS server, but understanding basic concepts like cookies, HTTPS (and when it is safe to use your credit card), SPAM, etc. could be very useful for Joe User.
Also, creating some kind of list of common acronyms & buzzwords would be helpful to the same folks. When I say that to 'connect you Win2K box to the ISP with a CAT-5 cable w/PCMCIA NIC', I might as well be speaking martian to some folks.
Not BS :)
I have no doubt that it _can_ be done (using the wlan), even easily for some folks and distros.
My point is that adding devices after install is often a real pain, not that it can't be done...
Hmm, I didn't have any problem with win2k. I think it's pretty decent overall. I refuse to buy windows FP (hey, the default theme looks like it was designed by fisher price), and as such now use both 2K and linux (KDE 3 as the gui), in preparation for the day I leave winders forever.
Linux is fun, the sense of reliability and configurability is great. But it still has some warts and blemishes, and I'll be happier when they are gone (or at least hidden from me).
This isn't quite true. A basic install (especially using something like redhat or mandrake) is easy, but god help you if you want to add a wireless card or something else later.
Can it be done? sure. Is it a pain that requires significant knowledge? yup. Should I need to know all this shit to install my wlan card? nope.
(this is from painful, and recent, experience)
What, no CQD?
too... easy.... must resist... urge... to... troll...
I agree... I took the 3 bookshelves I have (Perl, linux web server, unix) and made a quickie index page w/the images from the respective menus, and burned 'em all on CD.
With, of course, Komodo, the PDK, and various webby tools.
I dunno, 30% off retail seems like they were definitely trying.
ah, that would be the PHP stuff (ducking)...
Ok, enjoy those assumptions :)
You're right, I didn't give any counter arguments. Frankly, you seem to have fundamental misconceptions about several of the things you spoke of.
:)
Unfortunately, when 2 people have different concepts of logic, a debate is worthless. So, rather than be insulting or really anal (granted, this is the Slashdot Way (tm)), I just let it go. As I am now.
kind of. If I'd totally let it go I wouldn't be writing this
I think you're off base on several counts here....
Well said my man (?), I'd buy you a beer if I could!
I've always found the phrase 'respect their beliefs' to be interesting. Most folks interpret this as 'accept the belief', at least if you are talking about that person's morals.
:)
I reject this concept, but do believe in respecting others' _rights_ to have different beliefs. I may feel that your faith (for example) is bunk, but I don't think you are bad/wrong/necessarily foolish to have it.
I lost a long time girlfriend over this... her particular branch of religion didn't accept marriages w/non believers, so I was out. Most of my friends said 'Man, [her belief] is wrong, tell her so and you'll get her back'.
Now, I believe that she is incorrect. But I have no particularly good evidence for a better view, so I could not say that. I find it funny how most religious folks don't object to attacking a given faith, so long as it is not their own.
Some time later I did tell her how I felt, and that I was sorry to lose her over what is to me a mythology. But I was proud of her for standing by her beliefs. sigh
How is morality encoded in genes? I'll give you that most 'moral' things (don't steal, kill, rape, etc. others in the clan) lead to more peace within a group, but these cannot be said to be inherited.
Languages are based on concepts. The concepts may be common, but all languages are not. The words, syntax, etc. are all fairly random. Of course, languages grow more complex over time, and some are derived from others, but this is a matter of culture, not chromosomes.
Sparky? where's sparky...?
nah, I refuse to be one of those people who's logic fails when 'it happens to me'. It would be rotten to lose a dog/friend/family member/whatever, but it wouldn't change my opinion on this. Only a good counter argument could do that.
Sure, there's such a thing as morality. Unfortunately, it's absolutely arbitrary, and one person's 'sin' is another's 'good time'.
"I don't do Perl"
:)
Well, we're none of us perfect...
I agree it would be dumb to do, I was just suggesting MP as a non-critical application that there is no legal/ethical requirement to upgrade for free.
I seem to remember it being the early version4 netscape and IE browsers. later revisions of 4.x and above are OK.
You oughta see my 2nd edition of 'dynamic HTML: the defininitve guide'. Friggin' thing is almost 2 inches thick...
Alternately, the perl Resource kit... it's about 5 inches thick...