I have read J.D. for 20 years. I have enjoyed him for his "devil's advocate" stance. But, man! What an IDIOT!
I've heard this guy's comments ever since I first got into computers in gradeschool. He's not so much controversial as he is, a jackass. Seriously, I can think back over the years of all the times I heard the buzz around his latest articles. I don't remember much about them, but I do always remember him sounding like an idiot. Today is no different. Microsoft adopting Linux will kill it HOW? What he's wanting to do is much better suited with a driver wrapper anyway.
I tend to get pissy with people who are too anal about spelling (particularly in people's posts) -- but in the article itself, it's pretty unprofessional. Would it be that difficult to have articles run through ispell before they can be posted?
I'm sorry I don't care why they kept it hot, provided the water wasn't like >110C or so I don't see the claims.
You can't superheat coffee like that, it'd vaporize. The problem was, they handed an older lady a cup of near boiling temperature coffee into her moving vehicle. The lawsuit wasn't because the coffee "was hot" -- it's because it "was too hot to be safe for a drive-through". Cars and old ladies are proned to spilling stuff (they both shake). Everyone likes their coffee hot, but not scalding hot.
That's like saying ice cream was too cold for being below zero C... I DEMAND MY ICE CREAM BE 23C like outdoors!
Well, if the ice cream left your mouth/lips covered with scars for being -200C you might have a similar case.
There are plenty of cases where people harm themselves and sue for it. This isn't one of them.
Put it on their doorstep and let them figure out how to dispose of it. Honestly, it's kinda neat to look at (it is shiny, after all) but this "artist" should be happy with what they got: lots of government money for a giant shiney metal bean. Trying to charge money for photographs? Give me a break, it's hardly a creative work to begin with.
The city should return it, demand their money back, and find some other dime-a-dozen designer to crank out some hunk of metal and call it art.
Good God don't buy American cars!!! SERIOUSLY! Stuff like this happens all the time on those things. If you buy a car from Germany or Japan you can run it for 200,000 miles NO PROBLEM. Just maintain it.
The problem with American cars is at 100,000 miles (or well before, as you're witnessing) you stop "maintaining" and you start "repairing". I would seriously consider a new Honda or used BMW. It won't fall apart like the Chevy.:-P
He was joking, but as you pointed out -- the BMW navigation system runs under Windows CE. However his problem was related to the ECU, which is a custom system (Not sure about the E39 M5, but on my E30 325i it's a Bosch Mototronic unit)
That's an odd problem for sure, but it's pretty typical. I have a 1991 325i w/ Bavarian Autosport software. I usually cycle the power any time I change something that is part of the system (any sensors, filters, spark plugs, etc. etc.)
The car's original software is tuned to 87 octane fuel. The BavAuto chip tunes it to 91, but it's adaptive. When I reboot the computer, the car takes a while to re-learn stuff like how low it can idle before stalling. Every time I come to a stop, the tach drops and drops until the engine rumbles a little, then it gives it more gas. After doing this enough time it closes in on the optimum idle RPM. It's my standard practice to take the car out for a 30 minute "typical" drive after resetting the computer.
Forgot to mention anti-lock braking systems in my post. This is another example of computers maximizing saftey and effectiveness through precision.
Picture this: you're driving in a residential neighborhood, and a kid darts out into the street 30 feet ahead of you, from between 2 SUV's parked on the side of the road, and there's a car in the oncoming lane, so you can't swerve. ABS will let you stop in time, where a completely hydraulic system would have you skidding into the child when you try and brake.
Are you beginning to see the benefits of *some* computer-controlled components?
I agree that too much computerization makes stuff hard to work on, but "There is no need for a computer in a car." is a pretty stupid thing to say.
Engine management (fuel injection) and anti-lock braking systems require the use of computers. Engine management systems perform better, cleaner, and they diagnose problems on their own before they develop into something more expensive. Anti-lock braking systems help save lives, and prevent accidents. An ABS-equipped car will stop on a dime while your old-car will skid into a collision.
I have a 1991 BMW E30 (3 series '83 thru '91). It has just enough computerization to be a very agile, dependable ride, without some of the electrical gremlins or dealer service lock-in that the newer cars have. I do most of the work on the car myself and it's really no harder than working on a non-computerized car (in fact, I think it's easier because of fault codes and such).
Probably not. You can, however, "overclock" your fuel injection computer to make your car faster and/or tune it to a different octane fuel. You do this by taking the car to a dyno shop and having them run it on rollers and test for optimum settings (the resulting program fits your car like a glove, but dyno sessions are pricey) -- or you can get a pre-programmed chip for your car/engine model. A lot of folks on eBay sell bootleg chips for about 40 bucks. I love mine.:-)
I agree that precision in areas like climate control isn't needed. Engine-management is another story. Fuel injection is far superior to cars using cabeurators. It requires the use of a computer to monitor the incoming air pressure, engine rpm, and outgoing emission composition, to determine how much fuel to use. The result is better performance, better emissions, and less breakable stuff (fuel injection systems stay cleaner than carbeurated systems).
Plus, computerized engine management systems give you fault codes which help you catch problems before they become big. For example, your car may be running rich and you don't realize it until it clogs your catalytic converter. Not a problem if your oxygen sensor fires a warning on the on-board-computer....
I have BMW 1991 325i -- it's got just enough computerization to run stuff properly, but not so much that it must be taken to a dealer for all work. Some of the newer BMW's have 'valvetronic' systems -- the cam timing is all determined per-stroke based on a number of inputs. The result is some pretty impressive performance, but they're quite difficult to work on yourself. If you've got a good warranty on cars like these (you can buy 3rd-party ones after your first-party warranty expires), then you get the best of both worlds.
When I was in Jr. High, my school got a grant or a donation or something, and ended up getting a computer in every classroom - a Mac (the iMac before the iMac... PPC 603-based all-in-one performa thingy)
It was my joy at the time, to collect Mac viruses. I would infect a copy of TextEdit or something, put it on a disk, and then clean my system. I knew what most of these viruses did, due to the virus program detecting them...
There was one in particular that was a piece of MDEF resource code, it made it so when you clicked a menu in any program, it would only pull-down like half the time, and when it did, the menu was blank -- you had to scroll your mouse over the items to make them show up. It was annoying, but most people just continued to use their system. It would spread to any other running apps, so it didn't take long for this to infect several computers on the campus. I never confessed to it, just quietly enjoyed making a bad week for the resident computer-dude.
A friend and I also used a program called DisEase to circumvent At-Ease (Apple's old restricted launch environment) in the computer labs. Once breaking in, a copy of the "Finder" file was created, and altered with ResEdit to change its file type to an application. This way, when it was discovered that we were getting through the system by running nasty applications from our own media, and that feature was disabled, we were still able to open documents with the CREATOR attribute set to our finder-application, and viola, full access to the system. System 7 was fun.
And who can forget my first programming experience: writing the following program and running it simultaniously on every Apple ][ system in the library, and leaving. Oh the poor librarian....
10 FOR I = 1 TO 1000
20 PRINT
30 NEXT I
40 PRINT "^G HACK THE PLANET!"
50 GOTO 40
It took a while for those slow computers to iterate 1000 times, which gave us time to make our get-away. Then they'd all go on infinte loop of childish messages accompanied by a system bell/beep.
Never did much in High School, as I had no laptop to run a sniffer when the counselor telnetted into the scheduling system to change my classes. I had the knowledge, and the intent, but lacked the means. Oh what a senior prank that could have been!:-P
I'm such an airhead sometimes. The following line:
Major radio (and media at large, MTV is just as responsible) outlets are just as responsible for their artists tastes, as their artists tastes are for their playlists.
Should read:
Major radio (and media at large, MTV is just as responsible) outlets are just as responsible for their listeners tastes, as their listeners tastes are for their playlists.
Speaking of, why the hell doesn't slashdot let you edit your comments like every other message board!!?!?!
I understand the need for ratings, as well as the mentality of radio listeners (precisely why I don't listen to radio). The problem is, they must have heard their favorite songs for the first time somewhere, and generally it's the radio. So, answer me this: When an artist that obviously lacks any talent or musical inspiration, and is quite clearly a manufactured pop star (Ashlee Simpson, Britney Spears, etc.) starts making records, WHY DO YOU PLAY THEM? Once people hear them, they'll want to hear it again, because it was played on the radio...
Major radio (and media at large, MTV is just as responsible) outlets are just as responsible for their artists tastes, as their artists tastes are for their playlists. It's a sickening cycle, but this crap is introduced to the public by the media outlets, not by people buying CD's on a whim and then requesting it on the radio.
I'm doing my second job using OSS stuff. I replace proprietary systems with stuff based on OSS, on a consulting basis. My first job the project itself was all GPL. This one is using GPL backend (PHP/MySQL/XUL[firefox] is the platform), but the code itself is proprietary... Either way, there are plenty of organizations that feel helplessly locked in to a proprietary solution and want a more open, compatible replacement developed.
Those of us with a more eclectic taste in music enjoy downloading albums from BLEEP. They serve up content in decent bitrate MP3, no DRM. You can pay with PayPal.
I really don't have much ethical issues with downloading bootlegged music, however, $10 is well worth it for instant-gratification. I don't have to search P2P networks, wait in queues, etc. I just find something I like, and grab the whole album at high speed.
MySQL installation is pretty brainless. Unpack the archive, tweak the config file, start it up, and create your users.
It's pretty fast, very stable, and has an excellent front-end available. Basically, it does the job, and it does it well. There are certain advanced DB tasks that you might need a more robust SQL implementation for, but for general purpose DB work, there's really not much reason to use anything else.
PostgreSQL is awesome, but last time I set it up, it was definately more work than MySQL.
Slashdot Mirror
...whose remaining four employees will get trashed on listerine in the broom closet.
I have read J.D. for 20 years. I have enjoyed him for his "devil's advocate" stance. But, man! What an IDIOT!
I've heard this guy's comments ever since I first got into computers in gradeschool. He's not so much controversial as he is, a jackass. Seriously, I can think back over the years of all the times I heard the buzz around his latest articles. I don't remember much about them, but I do always remember him sounding like an idiot. Today is no different. Microsoft adopting Linux will kill it HOW? What he's wanting to do is much better suited with a driver wrapper anyway.
I tend to get pissy with people who are too anal about spelling (particularly in people's posts) -- but in the article itself, it's pretty unprofessional. Would it be that difficult to have articles run through ispell before they can be posted?
You know you want one!
A cat is safe at the house for the weekend if you leave plenty of food and water. A dog, will eat all the food when he sees it then puke.
:-)
Linux-based dog or fish feeder would have been more useful.
I'm sorry I don't care why they kept it hot, provided the water wasn't like >110C or so I don't see the claims.
You can't superheat coffee like that, it'd vaporize. The problem was, they handed an older lady a cup of near boiling temperature coffee into her moving vehicle. The lawsuit wasn't because the coffee "was hot" -- it's because it "was too hot to be safe for a drive-through". Cars and old ladies are proned to spilling stuff (they both shake). Everyone likes their coffee hot, but not scalding hot.
That's like saying ice cream was too cold for being below zero C... I DEMAND MY ICE CREAM BE 23C like outdoors!
Well, if the ice cream left your mouth/lips covered with scars for being -200C you might have a similar case.
There are plenty of cases where people harm themselves and sue for it. This isn't one of them.
Put it on their doorstep and let them figure out how to dispose of it. Honestly, it's kinda neat to look at (it is shiny, after all) but this "artist" should be happy with what they got: lots of government money for a giant shiney metal bean. Trying to charge money for photographs? Give me a break, it's hardly a creative work to begin with.
The city should return it, demand their money back, and find some other dime-a-dozen designer to crank out some hunk of metal and call it art.
boooyaca.
I always think it is a shame that this country (US) doesn't have a party that thinks like the Economist.
It doesn't?
Good God don't buy American cars!!! SERIOUSLY! Stuff like this happens all the time on those things. If you buy a car from Germany or Japan you can run it for 200,000 miles NO PROBLEM. Just maintain it.
:-P
The problem with American cars is at 100,000 miles (or well before, as you're witnessing) you stop "maintaining" and you start "repairing". I would seriously consider a new Honda or used BMW. It won't fall apart like the Chevy.
He was joking, but as you pointed out -- the BMW navigation system runs under Windows CE. However his problem was related to the ECU, which is a custom system (Not sure about the E39 M5, but on my E30 325i it's a Bosch Mototronic unit)
That's an odd problem for sure, but it's pretty typical. I have a 1991 325i w/ Bavarian Autosport software. I usually cycle the power any time I change something that is part of the system (any sensors, filters, spark plugs, etc. etc.)
:-)
The car's original software is tuned to 87 octane fuel. The BavAuto chip tunes it to 91, but it's adaptive. When I reboot the computer, the car takes a while to re-learn stuff like how low it can idle before stalling. Every time I come to a stop, the tach drops and drops until the engine rumbles a little, then it gives it more gas. After doing this enough time it closes in on the optimum idle RPM. It's my standard practice to take the car out for a 30 minute "typical" drive after resetting the computer.
The E39 M5 is a GREAT car, I'm jealous!!
Forgot to mention anti-lock braking systems in my post. This is another example of computers maximizing saftey and effectiveness through precision.
Picture this: you're driving in a residential neighborhood, and a kid darts out into the street 30 feet ahead of you, from between 2 SUV's parked on the side of the road, and there's a car in the oncoming lane, so you can't swerve. ABS will let you stop in time, where a completely hydraulic system would have you skidding into the child when you try and brake.
Are you beginning to see the benefits of *some* computer-controlled components?
I agree that too much computerization makes stuff hard to work on, but "There is no need for a computer in a car." is a pretty stupid thing to say.
Engine management (fuel injection) and anti-lock braking systems require the use of computers. Engine management systems perform better, cleaner, and they diagnose problems on their own before they develop into something more expensive. Anti-lock braking systems help save lives, and prevent accidents. An ABS-equipped car will stop on a dime while your old-car will skid into a collision.
I have a 1991 BMW E30 (3 series '83 thru '91). It has just enough computerization to be a very agile, dependable ride, without some of the electrical gremlins or dealer service lock-in that the newer cars have. I do most of the work on the car myself and it's really no harder than working on a non-computerized car (in fact, I think it's easier because of fault codes and such).
Can I overclock the brakes so I stop faster?
:-)
Probably not. You can, however, "overclock" your fuel injection computer to make your car faster and/or tune it to a different octane fuel. You do this by taking the car to a dyno shop and having them run it on rollers and test for optimum settings (the resulting program fits your car like a glove, but dyno sessions are pricey) -- or you can get a pre-programmed chip for your car/engine model. A lot of folks on eBay sell bootleg chips for about 40 bucks. I love mine.
I agree that precision in areas like climate control isn't needed. Engine-management is another story. Fuel injection is far superior to cars using cabeurators. It requires the use of a computer to monitor the incoming air pressure, engine rpm, and outgoing emission composition, to determine how much fuel to use. The result is better performance, better emissions, and less breakable stuff (fuel injection systems stay cleaner than carbeurated systems).
Plus, computerized engine management systems give you fault codes which help you catch problems before they become big. For example, your car may be running rich and you don't realize it until it clogs your catalytic converter. Not a problem if your oxygen sensor fires a warning on the on-board-computer....
I have BMW 1991 325i -- it's got just enough computerization to run stuff properly, but not so much that it must be taken to a dealer for all work. Some of the newer BMW's have 'valvetronic' systems -- the cam timing is all determined per-stroke based on a number of inputs. The result is some pretty impressive performance, but they're quite difficult to work on yourself. If you've got a good warranty on cars like these (you can buy 3rd-party ones after your first-party warranty expires), then you get the best of both worlds.
I myself did some stupid mischeif in my day...
:-P
When I was in Jr. High, my school got a grant or a donation or something, and ended up getting a computer in every classroom - a Mac (the iMac before the iMac... PPC 603-based all-in-one performa thingy)
It was my joy at the time, to collect Mac viruses. I would infect a copy of TextEdit or something, put it on a disk, and then clean my system. I knew what most of these viruses did, due to the virus program detecting them...
There was one in particular that was a piece of MDEF resource code, it made it so when you clicked a menu in any program, it would only pull-down like half the time, and when it did, the menu was blank -- you had to scroll your mouse over the items to make them show up. It was annoying, but most people just continued to use their system. It would spread to any other running apps, so it didn't take long for this to infect several computers on the campus. I never confessed to it, just quietly enjoyed making a bad week for the resident computer-dude.
A friend and I also used a program called DisEase to circumvent At-Ease (Apple's old restricted launch environment) in the computer labs. Once breaking in, a copy of the "Finder" file was created, and altered with ResEdit to change its file type to an application. This way, when it was discovered that we were getting through the system by running nasty applications from our own media, and that feature was disabled, we were still able to open documents with the CREATOR attribute set to our finder-application, and viola, full access to the system. System 7 was fun.
And who can forget my first programming experience: writing the following program and running it simultaniously on every Apple ][ system in the library, and leaving. Oh the poor librarian....
10 FOR I = 1 TO 1000
20 PRINT
30 NEXT I
40 PRINT "^G HACK THE PLANET!"
50 GOTO 40
It took a while for those slow computers to iterate 1000 times, which gave us time to make our get-away. Then they'd all go on infinte loop of childish messages accompanied by a system bell/beep.
Never did much in High School, as I had no laptop to run a sniffer when the counselor telnetted into the scheduling system to change my classes. I had the knowledge, and the intent, but lacked the means. Oh what a senior prank that could have been!
I'm such an airhead sometimes. The following line:
Major radio (and media at large, MTV is just as responsible) outlets are just as responsible for their artists tastes, as their artists tastes are for their playlists.
Should read:
Major radio (and media at large, MTV is just as responsible) outlets are just as responsible for their listeners tastes, as their listeners tastes are for their playlists.
Speaking of, why the hell doesn't slashdot let you edit your comments like every other message board!!?!?!
I understand the need for ratings, as well as the mentality of radio listeners (precisely why I don't listen to radio). The problem is, they must have heard their favorite songs for the first time somewhere, and generally it's the radio. So, answer me this: When an artist that obviously lacks any talent or musical inspiration, and is quite clearly a manufactured pop star (Ashlee Simpson, Britney Spears, etc.) starts making records, WHY DO YOU PLAY THEM? Once people hear them, they'll want to hear it again, because it was played on the radio...
Major radio (and media at large, MTV is just as responsible) outlets are just as responsible for their artists tastes, as their artists tastes are for their playlists. It's a sickening cycle, but this crap is introduced to the public by the media outlets, not by people buying CD's on a whim and then requesting it on the radio.
BLEEP.COM was one of the first on the scene. They now have a lot more record labels besides Warp.
I'm doing my second job using OSS stuff. I replace proprietary systems with stuff based on OSS, on a consulting basis. My first job the project itself was all GPL. This one is using GPL backend (PHP/MySQL/XUL[firefox] is the platform), but the code itself is proprietary... Either way, there are plenty of organizations that feel helplessly locked in to a proprietary solution and want a more open, compatible replacement developed.
Those of us with a more eclectic taste in music enjoy downloading albums from BLEEP. They serve up content in decent bitrate MP3, no DRM. You can pay with PayPal.
I really don't have much ethical issues with downloading bootlegged music, however, $10 is well worth it for instant-gratification. I don't have to search P2P networks, wait in queues, etc. I just find something I like, and grab the whole album at high speed.
MySQL installation is pretty brainless. Unpack the archive, tweak the config file, start it up, and create your users.
It's pretty fast, very stable, and has an excellent front-end available. Basically, it does the job, and it does it well. There are certain advanced DB tasks that you might need a more robust SQL implementation for, but for general purpose DB work, there's really not much reason to use anything else.
PostgreSQL is awesome, but last time I set it up, it was definately more work than MySQL.
Works for me!