As one that is involved with agriculture I have been reading this thread and the accompanying articles with some interest. While it seems that most of the respondants here are opposed to GMO's I would like to point out that one of the reasons for them in the first place is to reduce dramatically the amount of more toxic pesticides applied to food and feed crops. I am not particularly in favor of them or against them. They are a fact of life in modern food and fiber production. The intellectual property rights issues are thorny and complex and will be years or decades in the sorting out. I doubt that Schmieser would have been judged against in a US court. The laws are slightly different here but then I am not an expert on the law. I think the main thing those who are against agricultural chemicals and GMO's should do is quit wearing clothes and eating. The demand for food and fiber will thus be reduced. I think it is time for some perspective. (falls off soapbox)
"I think you can learn critical thinking in a lot of ways. Some of the sharpest critical thinkers I know are not literary types but practical people, like small business owners or automotive mechanics. You certainly haven't made the case that writing is infinitely superior for learning cricial thinking."
Exactly. One of the downfalls of our educational system, especially higher education, is that it tends to numb the participants to everything but their own specialty. There is no time or room for someone to step back and look critcally at what is being done/taught.
A couple of suggestions for this solution if you should decide to go this route:
1 - You could use the mouse button connections to operate your player(I think).
2 - You should need only one monitor and move it from machine to machine for setup purposes. An LC will start with no monitor connected. Put and item in the startup file to run your applescript on startup. That way if there is a crash a simple reboot should get you up and going again.
I think you miss the point. For the "average" computer user the guru most certainly does have to be local. If your ONLY computer is busted, what will you use to access the help sites?
I agree that there is a lot of help out there. I avail myself of it. But there are times when I have sorely wished to know a fellow mac user close by.
Those can be a problem but the resistance is usually to only one or two kinds of herbicide. As far as I know there have been no tillage resistant plants released. (tongue deeply in cheek)
Our Telephone Cooperative/Internet provider is beginning to offer what they call long distance DSl.
I looked for it on their website(www.pldi.net) but could find no mention of it there. If I remember the blurb correctly they were advertising sevice as far from the switch as 12 to 15 miles. The technicians that intalled my regular ADSL a little over a year ago claimed to have installed it for customers as far away as 8 miles and the customer was delighted. Not sure what kind of speed can be expected at that distance. Maybe that is something that could be done in your area if some company were willing to step forward to provide the service.
redsilo
There are a couple of cars on the list that may deserve to be there but some of the facts have gotten lost in the lawsuits and the press. Edsel has become synonymous with lemon and some of the reasons were detailed. Over time we forget that it was a new line and was sold by dealerships that had been happily selling Packards and Hudsons for years.
Those were quality cars that couldn't command the volume of sales to compete. The Edsel was ok but still basically a dressed up Ford and not at all what the newly recruited sales force considered an excellent car.
The Olds diesel probably wasn't one of GM's finest efforts but circumstances and overly ambitious PR also share some blame. At about the time it was introduces there was a shortage of diesel fuel and fuel suppliers were literally scraping the bottom of the barrel, or tank, if you prefer, to meet the demand. When that happens you get impurities from the bottom that under normal circumstances would never see the light of day and certainly not the tank of an autombile. The Stanadyne-Roosa Master fuel system tends to be unforgiving of poor fuel, usually costing an entire engine with the failure.
Some people got along fine with the GM diesels. They were people accustomed to using diesels and who had a reliable fuel supply to burn in them(farmers, construction firms, etc.) They also knew that in spite of the company claims that the diesel should operate just like a gasser some extra attention was needed if they were to be reliable.
Welcome to the land of opportunity. I am in agriculture and the implied,if not stated, policy by government and big agribusiness for the past 25 or 30 years has been to export all agricultural production. They have been doing a good job of it but I think there will still be room for 4 or 5 growers in the country. Enjoy your groceries while you can. To me it has seemed like there has been a concerted effort to keep production of anything from potatos to widgets out of the USA. We have heard "Service Economy" for years now. This is proof that the service economy is going south (or east) following production.
redsilo
Excellent synopsis of what it takes to write a good tech manual. I think one reason that good software(and computer hardware) manuals are scarce has to do with the nature of the products. While there is almost infinite complexity in computing, few lose life or limb if something fails or is operated improperly. Manufacturers of more mundane and more dangerous equipment have PI attorneys looking over their shoulder and over their manuals for anything that would imply liability.
On another note, I do not believe that it is impossible for a tech writer to learn something of what he is writing about. While often the ability to invent complex things seems to exclude the ability to explain them(and vice versa) it should not be assumed that this is always the case. Has anyone ever heard of the concept that learning continues throughout life?
Having been totally addicted to cigarettes and mostly addicted to beer in the past, I find it hard to sympathize with anyone that believes caffeine addiction to be a serious problem. Yes, I am currently addicted to caffeine, thank you. The main problem I have is well-meaning aquaintences that have given up caffeine and persist in serving me decaf unawares. Personally I find no reason at all for decaf to exist. I wouldn't put up with coffee at all if not for the buzz.
Using diesel or propane will get you around the CO problem but you still have to deal with the soot on a diesel. There are small diesels that truckers use to keep their rigs warm enough to start and themselves from freezing when stopped during the winter. I have heard of missionaries in remote areas such as yours using laptops and solar battery chargers but I don't know what kind of workday they put in on them. They were Bible translators so I assume there was at least moderate usage. You could hook a car alternator to a bicycle and peddle while you program. Maybe a combination of solutions is what you should consider.
Isn't that precisely one of the reasons Widose is so vulnerable? It is shipped/installed wide open to the world while MacOS has to be opened purposefully to access networks, internet, etc. It should be noted that during the latest serious attacks there were entire networks of windows machines connected to the internet that were completely unscathed. The reason is that someone went through and plugged the holes beforehand and diligently installed and used antivirus measures. Probably the main difference between Mac and Windows (other than pervasivness) is that the diligence is done BEFORE shipping and installation.
redsilo
To my way of thinking this is where the honest money in the IT business should be made: Support, Support, Support. Instead of paying lawyers bundles of cash protecting intellectual property, train and pay support personnel that can actually help people.
I have the crazy idea that a lot of people might be willing to pay for such service especially if the service were effective and, hence, not outrageously expensive. There is, of course, the obvious caveat that the so called nerds that don't need that sort of thing won't be anxious to pay but there are still a lot of semi-computer-literate users out there that could benefit and know it.
redsilo
This is really no solution but I will share it anyway. I am blessed with a large shed. In it there are various parts of a wide range of projects from farm machinery to computers, etc. Most of my computer/electronic stuff currently resides in the shed in the rear of a dead pickup. Keeps it out of the mud at least. I plan to start using an old chest deep freeze for some stuff. That even will keep out the vermin and most of the dust. Don't you just hate it when the mud daubers fill up your cooling fan?
That is essentially the system used here in Oklahoma. The ballots are pre-printed and marked by the voter with a pen. The ballot is then inserted into the machine that reads and tabulates. At the end of the election a printout similar to a cash register reciept is printed. A copy is posted on an exterior window of the polling place. The machine, ballots and all is delivered to the election board who then certifies the result. The ballots are there if needed for corroboration. An antiquated concept, I know, but nevertheless effective.
redsilo
Friends don't let friends use windows. While the tired argument that windows it the target because of it's proliferation has some truth to it, the fact remains that it is the flawed design and execution of the OS that facilitates viral attacks and makes them "worthwhile".
Population density is important but perhaps more important is how utilities are percieved by the society. In the US and perhaps also the UK they tend to be investor owned and relatively unresponsive to the people they serve. It is my understanding that the Japanese look on their service providers a bit differently and perhaps the same is true of Korea. Also the companies have historically acted more responsibly toward the public good. Probably a cultural difference. We are fortunate to be served here by a telecommunications cooperative that places a high priority on quality service. The service is not always the least expensive in the entire world but it is generally very good and reliable.
As one who works with animals, I have often wondered that Pavlov was able to get his work published. I have animals that are able to identify the sound of a specific motor vehicle, a screen door, my footsteps in a particular pair of boots and some that even respond to the bathroom light coming on in the middle of the night. The only reason I can figure for his work being published is that, even in his day, urban Russian society was already far-removed from their food supply.
About the only relevant argument to pose to Joe Sixpack is that he can do all those things without worrying (much) that a virus will disrupt the fun. (Sorry, I meant productivity.)
Delphi's suggestions are good. You might consider seeing a mental health person. I have much the same problems as you and it turns out that I have some depression also. As for ADHD being over-diagnosed, I am not sure that is the case. In my opinion there is a lot of it around but sometimes is not so severe as to cause a lot of trouble. I think there are people with that kind of personality. There is probably a lot for them to contribute if they can find at least some focus. Excuse the ramble.
Slashdot Mirror
As one that is involved with agriculture I have been reading this thread and the accompanying articles with some interest. While it seems that most of the respondants here are opposed to GMO's I would like to point out that one of the reasons for them in the first place is to reduce dramatically the amount of more toxic pesticides applied to food and feed crops. I am not particularly in favor of them or against them. They are a fact of life in modern food and fiber production. The intellectual property rights issues are thorny and complex and will be years or decades in the sorting out. I doubt that Schmieser would have been judged against in a US court. The laws are slightly different here but then I am not an expert on the law. I think the main thing those who are against agricultural chemicals and GMO's should do is quit wearing clothes and eating. The demand for food and fiber will thus be reduced. I think it is time for some perspective. (falls off soapbox)
"I think you can learn critical thinking in a lot of ways. Some of the sharpest critical thinkers I know are not literary types but practical people, like small business owners or automotive mechanics. You certainly haven't made the case that writing is infinitely superior for learning cricial thinking." Exactly. One of the downfalls of our educational system, especially higher education, is that it tends to numb the participants to everything but their own specialty. There is no time or room for someone to step back and look critcally at what is being done/taught.
A couple of suggestions for this solution if you should decide to go this route: 1 - You could use the mouse button connections to operate your player(I think). 2 - You should need only one monitor and move it from machine to machine for setup purposes. An LC will start with no monitor connected. Put and item in the startup file to run your applescript on startup. That way if there is a crash a simple reboot should get you up and going again.
I think you miss the point. For the "average" computer user the guru most certainly does have to be local. If your ONLY computer is busted, what will you use to access the help sites? I agree that there is a lot of help out there. I avail myself of it. But there are times when I have sorely wished to know a fellow mac user close by.
Those can be a problem but the resistance is usually to only one or two kinds of herbicide. As far as I know there have been no tillage resistant plants released. (tongue deeply in cheek)
Our Telephone Cooperative/Internet provider is beginning to offer what they call long distance DSl. I looked for it on their website(www.pldi.net) but could find no mention of it there. If I remember the blurb correctly they were advertising sevice as far from the switch as 12 to 15 miles. The technicians that intalled my regular ADSL a little over a year ago claimed to have installed it for customers as far away as 8 miles and the customer was delighted. Not sure what kind of speed can be expected at that distance. Maybe that is something that could be done in your area if some company were willing to step forward to provide the service. redsilo
There are a couple of cars on the list that may deserve to be there but some of the facts have gotten lost in the lawsuits and the press. Edsel has become synonymous with lemon and some of the reasons were detailed. Over time we forget that it was a new line and was sold by dealerships that had been happily selling Packards and Hudsons for years. Those were quality cars that couldn't command the volume of sales to compete. The Edsel was ok but still basically a dressed up Ford and not at all what the newly recruited sales force considered an excellent car. The Olds diesel probably wasn't one of GM's finest efforts but circumstances and overly ambitious PR also share some blame. At about the time it was introduces there was a shortage of diesel fuel and fuel suppliers were literally scraping the bottom of the barrel, or tank, if you prefer, to meet the demand. When that happens you get impurities from the bottom that under normal circumstances would never see the light of day and certainly not the tank of an autombile. The Stanadyne-Roosa Master fuel system tends to be unforgiving of poor fuel, usually costing an entire engine with the failure. Some people got along fine with the GM diesels. They were people accustomed to using diesels and who had a reliable fuel supply to burn in them(farmers, construction firms, etc.) They also knew that in spite of the company claims that the diesel should operate just like a gasser some extra attention was needed if they were to be reliable.
Welcome to the land of opportunity. I am in agriculture and the implied,if not stated, policy by government and big agribusiness for the past 25 or 30 years has been to export all agricultural production. They have been doing a good job of it but I think there will still be room for 4 or 5 growers in the country. Enjoy your groceries while you can. To me it has seemed like there has been a concerted effort to keep production of anything from potatos to widgets out of the USA. We have heard "Service Economy" for years now. This is proof that the service economy is going south (or east) following production. redsilo
Excellent synopsis of what it takes to write a good tech manual. I think one reason that good software(and computer hardware) manuals are scarce has to do with the nature of the products. While there is almost infinite complexity in computing, few lose life or limb if something fails or is operated improperly. Manufacturers of more mundane and more dangerous equipment have PI attorneys looking over their shoulder and over their manuals for anything that would imply liability. On another note, I do not believe that it is impossible for a tech writer to learn something of what he is writing about. While often the ability to invent complex things seems to exclude the ability to explain them(and vice versa) it should not be assumed that this is always the case. Has anyone ever heard of the concept that learning continues throughout life?
Having been totally addicted to cigarettes and mostly addicted to beer in the past, I find it hard to sympathize with anyone that believes caffeine addiction to be a serious problem. Yes, I am currently addicted to caffeine, thank you. The main problem I have is well-meaning aquaintences that have given up caffeine and persist in serving me decaf unawares. Personally I find no reason at all for decaf to exist. I wouldn't put up with coffee at all if not for the buzz.
Using diesel or propane will get you around the CO problem but you still have to deal with the soot on a diesel. There are small diesels that truckers use to keep their rigs warm enough to start and themselves from freezing when stopped during the winter. I have heard of missionaries in remote areas such as yours using laptops and solar battery chargers but I don't know what kind of workday they put in on them. They were Bible translators so I assume there was at least moderate usage. You could hook a car alternator to a bicycle and peddle while you program. Maybe a combination of solutions is what you should consider.
Isn't that precisely one of the reasons Widose is so vulnerable? It is shipped/installed wide open to the world while MacOS has to be opened purposefully to access networks, internet, etc. It should be noted that during the latest serious attacks there were entire networks of windows machines connected to the internet that were completely unscathed. The reason is that someone went through and plugged the holes beforehand and diligently installed and used antivirus measures. Probably the main difference between Mac and Windows (other than pervasivness) is that the diligence is done BEFORE shipping and installation. redsilo
To my way of thinking this is where the honest money in the IT business should be made: Support, Support, Support. Instead of paying lawyers bundles of cash protecting intellectual property, train and pay support personnel that can actually help people. I have the crazy idea that a lot of people might be willing to pay for such service especially if the service were effective and, hence, not outrageously expensive. There is, of course, the obvious caveat that the so called nerds that don't need that sort of thing won't be anxious to pay but there are still a lot of semi-computer-literate users out there that could benefit and know it. redsilo
This is really no solution but I will share it anyway. I am blessed with a large shed. In it there are various parts of a wide range of projects from farm machinery to computers, etc. Most of my computer/electronic stuff currently resides in the shed in the rear of a dead pickup. Keeps it out of the mud at least. I plan to start using an old chest deep freeze for some stuff. That even will keep out the vermin and most of the dust. Don't you just hate it when the mud daubers fill up your cooling fan?
That is essentially the system used here in Oklahoma. The ballots are pre-printed and marked by the voter with a pen. The ballot is then inserted into the machine that reads and tabulates. At the end of the election a printout similar to a cash register reciept is printed. A copy is posted on an exterior window of the polling place. The machine, ballots and all is delivered to the election board who then certifies the result. The ballots are there if needed for corroboration. An antiquated concept, I know, but nevertheless effective. redsilo
In this country and in this time a PI attorney will undoubtedly say that he is.
Friends don't let friends use windows. While the tired argument that windows it the target because of it's proliferation has some truth to it, the fact remains that it is the flawed design and execution of the OS that facilitates viral attacks and makes them "worthwhile".
Population density is important but perhaps more important is how utilities are percieved by the society. In the US and perhaps also the UK they tend to be investor owned and relatively unresponsive to the people they serve. It is my understanding that the Japanese look on their service providers a bit differently and perhaps the same is true of Korea. Also the companies have historically acted more responsibly toward the public good. Probably a cultural difference. We are fortunate to be served here by a telecommunications cooperative that places a high priority on quality service. The service is not always the least expensive in the entire world but it is generally very good and reliable.
As one who works with animals, I have often wondered that Pavlov was able to get his work published. I have animals that are able to identify the sound of a specific motor vehicle, a screen door, my footsteps in a particular pair of boots and some that even respond to the bathroom light coming on in the middle of the night. The only reason I can figure for his work being published is that, even in his day, urban Russian society was already far-removed from their food supply.
About the only relevant argument to pose to Joe Sixpack is that he can do all those things without worrying (much) that a virus will disrupt the fun. (Sorry, I meant productivity.)
Delphi's suggestions are good. You might consider seeing a mental health person. I have much the same problems as you and it turns out that I have some depression also. As for ADHD being over-diagnosed, I am not sure that is the case. In my opinion there is a lot of it around but sometimes is not so severe as to cause a lot of trouble. I think there are people with that kind of personality. There is probably a lot for them to contribute if they can find at least some focus. Excuse the ramble.