This must have been when I was 3-4 years old. My sisters and I got the playdoh fun factory pump thingy for the holidays. We pressed out a few odd things, and then I headed to the head. I remember there being some simularities to the stuff later dubbed no-play-doh.
I can see it now, customer comes in to get Tire and Lube, walks around the store for 15, another 30 at the computer parts 'department' (comprised of 3 totally unqualified sales associates, and a CSM fulltime due to the nature of the beast), buys 2-3 components, and returns all 3 to an equally unqualified customer service rep demanding they specify why it is they are returning item. Customer states, it is incompatible with my operating system. Rep calls CSM, CSM states that if it is not broken, they will just exchange. However, customer doesn't want anything part-wise from wally because they found www.pricewatch.com, and lawsuits follow. I think this parts thing is definitely a lose-lose-lose situation for customer, for walmart, and for the local techs. Its going to be a nightmare.
REad the old book, Programming in Mach. That one is what enlightened me to mutex
use and messaging some 16 years ago. I believe it is still valid to this day.
You point is well taken, that these adverts are likely to entertain a Mac user like myself. They will keep some folks buying more, not me as I said. I hope they don't turn folks off, just turn them on to some truths. However, in hindsite and review, the ads do seem to be smug, and that is part of the very large hilarity value I get out of them. Its also known that Apple has to keep its loyalists and fanatics in the circle of 'life', just in time to shell out another 200-300% premium to have the latest dreulishly evil eightby x86 processor system from Apple. I still have a hard time wondering if anyone even buys quad dual core for something other than writing a Transputer Emulator on top of the x86 hardware, and coding in Occam for yucks. However I'm sure I digress...
Don't know if anyone hacked it yet, but grabbing a media stream and storing it to drive or other device is a no brainer. In fact, for OSX you can use Audio Hijack. For BeOS you can use a standard CLI stream capture program, believe it is a port from Linux written in C. In the end, the guy that said folks will preview full song a few times on Napster, then go to iTunes and Steve Jobs and pay full.99 for the rights to listen to it in hifi. I believe this is what will happen.
The ads are fantastically funny, and mostly true from my perspective. I run Linux, BeOS, OSX and Windblows,
for various reasons and for entertainment value. The truth in the ads, that being easily connectable, easily configured and
super easy to use, as well as stable hits home. For me it hits home, and I'll buy another Mac when the prices are
right and refurbed units are cheap online and there is a model I want. Right now, it does NOT excite me to the point
of parting with a 100%-200% premium over cheap PC hardware, especially since I ran NeXTStep and OpenStep on
Intel hardware back in the day. I still have OS 4.2 around for HPPA, Sparc, Intel and NeXT hardware, maybe I should
relapse and write code for that platform in protest of the premium Apple x86 hardware available today at astronimcal
prices. Steve, if you're listening, charge PC prices for the Apple PC hardware. Its a long time coming, can you compete with Dell?
I want in my heart to believe that companies in general do the right thing, but what makes the most sense is the economics of recycling. A good portion of all things recycled actually go to landfills. My guess and bet is that the system in place, the path of least resistance is the one that once out of Apple's hands will be employed to hand the Macs being 'recycled'.
Why kids are no longer code monkeys...
on
Do Kids Still Program?
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Education is driven in large part by demand, which is often driven by supply.
In the 70s and 80s when I was a child and learning to code, first on a VAX
at the UW (hanging around the computer department and punch card systems)
as well as later the Tandy/RadioShack store with TRS 80s, then Apples and
finally Macs/PCs, there was a dire need for folks to understand coding. Mostly
cause applications and tools had to be developed to allow others to get work
done effectively. Now there are tools and layers on top of tools and layers
that have in part become too complicated for the average user to grasp and
become a toolsmith. Today folks are oriented to getting a job done quickly,
and then forget about the paperpush, moving on to the next project that
keeps them employeed or as a student may be, competative. Microsoft and
others have talons in the minds of the consumerbase, and knowing basic
'skills' like Turd or Decel are the endgame, to get an internship or job. Its
kinda funny, there are failing kids in my wife's classes (she's a teacher at a HS)
who are making more than I am (with 25 years coding experience) writing web
based apps. So there is a market, however most kids don't see outside the
box enough to get motivated to learn these skills. And finally tonight I say
without question the average kid is being taught to take tests, not to think.
We are a society focused on crisis management, not doing things right to
avoid the crisis in the first place. So Knuth CS education in JH and HS is not
in the realm of reality. We are slipping educationally in the US, and getting
kids to simply be able to Read, Write and Balance a Checkbook out of HS is
a large part the challenge. Nevermind the ability to think outside the box.
Refocus on doing things right, not doing them for economic gain and I thinnk
for a large part you will get back to a balance in the CS (and other) fields of science.
Just my.50 CAN worth today:) Isn't it nice how we are almost back to equality
with the USD? Its been a long long time coming.
Wii was it changed from Revolution to Wii?
on
Both Sides of Wii
·
· Score: 1
Aside from the obvious, its a bad name, wii was it changed from Revolution to the now painful Wii? I used to use a tool called Revolution (software engine based on a crossplatform MultiMedia tool from MetaCard, now Revolution.com), and was thinking did they ever get into a fray with Nintendo and won?
Even SJ, except maybe with SJ. They are all part of something bigger, possibly better, and no matter what there is someone better coming down the pipe next week, year or decade. I'm sure Apple will figure it out, and find better talent than that in command now.
Been years since I bumped into JS, as part of the NeXT community. He is a powerful and admirable person in how he does business. Technologically he is bright, and will help lead the business as he did with LD. Congrads JS, you have deserved this climb, now make good on your words of wisdom and promises.
I have been a seller on FleeBay since Feb 2000, and around 2004 I finally gave up since Meg and company kept screwing us sellers around, and around, fees, changes in policy, in online payment options, in fees, in forms, in fees:) (get the point)... And with little to no seller support. If Google bends Meg and Co. over the preverbial table I'm all for it. Google can be the next evil empire for as far as I care. In the end someone takes the battan from the powers that be, it is time for a change of pain flavor, Google's my choice for the pain adminstrator.
I recall the price of a 1.1 gig Mi(crap)olis drive for 1995.00 USD, yes 2 grand. It was loud, it was 'fast' and we thought it was going to last. It died promptly right after warranty ran out (as I recall was 2 years back then)... That was in 1991 or so, and it went into a NeXT Cube enclosure. The machine itself cost me via the Firesale at BusinessLand, about 3500 USD. So adding an upgrade to a retail item of value at 7000 USD was not a big deal. What if only I could have that money back and have not lined the pickpockets of Jobs and company:) He is good at getting money from people, however that is another story. I can't wait until we get 5-10 Tbyte drives for 100 USD. That day is closer at hand than the 2000 USD 1 gig drive I speak about.
There is little to no practical use for a IIGS unless you are working to teach someone low level or even high level programming. There are numerous OS alternatives for the IIGS hardware, there are many compilers and also tools for it, as well it is a great fun entertaining system with loads of software. Yes, there are emulators, and a few are EXCEPTIONAL (sweet16 http://www.sheppyware.net and Bernie II the Rescue) that are really fun and useful.
However, to address another angle, the IIGS is highly collectable, not due to some real intrinsic value, but a value that comes with memories and yes some irrational justifications for payment. Yet, for instance, it isn't stupid to buy IIGS at a dime a dozen or so, since the last time I did that I got about 2500 USD worth of resellable cards from them. So, with a return on investment after my gas, time and energy, I saw about a 10000% return on my money. Now, in todays stock markets, where can you say that is easy to do, or can be done legally?
And a third irrational point, one that comes with experience of writing drivers for the II when I was a kid. The GOOD OLD DAYS OF COMPUTING are lost, and it is fun and great times to visit back to them, when things were a LOT more simple, shucksters were less abundant (at least obvious and sinisterly overt about it) and getting down to write a FORTH interpreter for the 65x02 systems was doable in a matter of days or weeks.
Yes, the IIGS would make a likely poor choice for a router, and a linksys 5 port hub/router can be had for 49 dollars. But honestly, what can or do you really learn from a linksys other than a 192.168.1.1 HTML interface for configuration? Get a IIGS doing the job, and I understand the nuts and bolts of routing pretty well. It is just what your goals are, practicality or actually expanding your understanding of things. The call is yours, I choose to mess around with IIGS hardware and have a blast doing it!
I believe now that with the advent of a NIC (yes a RJ45 type NIC) for the IIGS and enhanced//e, you can with the latest version of Marinetti get quite a bit done. With a Transwarp at 14 Mhz (yes expensive, but doable) the platform now has loads of options, FlashCard hard drives, IDEcard (Focus) Hard Drives, and much much more. Too few slots,and too many options. It is a fun 'resurrection' platform now being brought into the more recent world. Not totally abandoned. Check out http://www.callapple.org, the BBS is active, and so are alot of people working on ideas for making a portable IIGS. Oh, and finally, there is a Kfest.org with a world wide Festival each year in Kansas featuring this years KeyNote of Steve Wozniak! http://www.kfest.org
Slashdot Mirror
This must have been when I was 3-4 years old. My sisters and I got the playdoh fun factory pump thingy for the holidays. We pressed out a few odd things, and then I headed to the head. I remember there being some simularities to the stuff later dubbed no-play-doh.
I can see it now, customer comes in to get Tire and Lube, walks around the store for 15, another 30 at the computer parts 'department' (comprised of 3 totally unqualified sales associates, and a CSM fulltime due to the nature of the beast), buys 2-3 components, and returns all 3 to an equally unqualified customer service rep demanding they specify why it is they are returning item. Customer states, it is incompatible with my operating system. Rep calls CSM, CSM states that if it is not broken, they will just exchange. However, customer doesn't want anything part-wise from wally because they found www.pricewatch.com, and lawsuits follow. I think this parts thing is definitely a lose-lose-lose situation for customer, for walmart, and for the local techs. Its going to be a nightmare.
REad the old book, Programming in Mach. That one is what enlightened me to mutex use and messaging some 16 years ago. I believe it is still valid to this day.
You point is well taken, that these adverts are likely to entertain a Mac user like myself. They will keep some folks buying more, not me as I said. I hope they don't turn folks off, just turn them on to some truths. However, in hindsite and review, the ads do seem to be smug, and that is part of the very large hilarity value I get out of them. Its also known that Apple has to keep its loyalists and fanatics in the circle of 'life', just in time to shell out another 200-300% premium to have the latest dreulishly evil eightby x86 processor system from Apple. I still have a hard time wondering if anyone even buys quad dual core for something other than writing a Transputer Emulator on top of the x86 hardware, and coding in Occam for yucks. However I'm sure I digress...
Don't know if anyone hacked it yet, but grabbing a media stream and storing it to drive or other device is a no brainer. In fact, for OSX you can use Audio Hijack. For BeOS you can use a standard CLI stream capture program, believe it is a port from Linux written in C. In the end, the guy that said folks will preview full song a few times on Napster, then go to iTunes and Steve Jobs and pay full .99 for the rights to listen to it in hifi. I believe this is what will happen.
The ads are fantastically funny, and mostly true from my perspective. I run Linux, BeOS, OSX and Windblows, for various reasons and for entertainment value. The truth in the ads, that being easily connectable, easily configured and super easy to use, as well as stable hits home. For me it hits home, and I'll buy another Mac when the prices are right and refurbed units are cheap online and there is a model I want. Right now, it does NOT excite me to the point of parting with a 100%-200% premium over cheap PC hardware, especially since I ran NeXTStep and OpenStep on Intel hardware back in the day. I still have OS 4.2 around for HPPA, Sparc, Intel and NeXT hardware, maybe I should relapse and write code for that platform in protest of the premium Apple x86 hardware available today at astronimcal prices. Steve, if you're listening, charge PC prices for the Apple PC hardware. Its a long time coming, can you compete with Dell?
I want in my heart to believe that companies in general do the right thing, but what makes the most sense is the economics of recycling. A good portion of all things recycled actually go to landfills. My guess and bet is that the system in place, the path of least resistance is the one that once out of Apple's hands will be employed to hand the Macs being 'recycled'.
Education is driven in large part by demand, which is often driven by supply. In the 70s and 80s when I was a child and learning to code, first on a VAX at the UW (hanging around the computer department and punch card systems) as well as later the Tandy/RadioShack store with TRS 80s, then Apples and finally Macs/PCs, there was a dire need for folks to understand coding. Mostly cause applications and tools had to be developed to allow others to get work done effectively. Now there are tools and layers on top of tools and layers that have in part become too complicated for the average user to grasp and become a toolsmith. Today folks are oriented to getting a job done quickly, and then forget about the paperpush, moving on to the next project that keeps them employeed or as a student may be, competative. Microsoft and others have talons in the minds of the consumerbase, and knowing basic 'skills' like Turd or Decel are the endgame, to get an internship or job. Its kinda funny, there are failing kids in my wife's classes (she's a teacher at a HS) who are making more than I am (with 25 years coding experience) writing web based apps. So there is a market, however most kids don't see outside the box enough to get motivated to learn these skills. And finally tonight I say without question the average kid is being taught to take tests, not to think. We are a society focused on crisis management, not doing things right to avoid the crisis in the first place. So Knuth CS education in JH and HS is not in the realm of reality. We are slipping educationally in the US, and getting kids to simply be able to Read, Write and Balance a Checkbook out of HS is a large part the challenge. Nevermind the ability to think outside the box. Refocus on doing things right, not doing them for economic gain and I thinnk for a large part you will get back to a balance in the CS (and other) fields of science. Just my .50 CAN worth today :) Isn't it nice how we are almost back to equality
with the USD? Its been a long long time coming.
Aside from the obvious, its a bad name, wii was it changed from Revolution to the now painful Wii? I used to use a tool called Revolution (software engine based on a crossplatform MultiMedia tool from MetaCard, now Revolution.com), and was thinking did they ever get into a fray with Nintendo and won?
Even SJ, except maybe with SJ. They are all part of something bigger, possibly better, and no matter what there is someone better coming down the pipe next week, year or decade. I'm sure Apple will figure it out, and find better talent than that in command now.
Been years since I bumped into JS, as part of the NeXT community. He is a powerful and admirable person in how he does business. Technologically he is bright, and will help lead the business as he did with LD. Congrads JS, you have deserved this climb, now make good on your words of wisdom and promises.
I have been a seller on FleeBay since Feb 2000, and around 2004 I finally gave up since Meg and company kept screwing us sellers around, and around, fees, changes in policy, in online payment options, in fees, in forms, in fees :) (get the point)... And with little to no seller support. If Google bends Meg and Co. over the preverbial table I'm all for it. Google can be the next evil empire for as far as I care. In the end someone takes the battan from the powers that be, it is time for a change of pain flavor, Google's my choice for the pain adminstrator.
I recall the price of a 1.1 gig Mi(crap)olis drive for 1995.00 USD, yes 2 grand. It was loud, it was 'fast' and we thought it was going to last. It died promptly right after warranty ran out (as I recall was 2 years back then)... That was in 1991 or so, and it went into a NeXT Cube enclosure. The machine itself cost me via the Firesale at BusinessLand, about 3500 USD. So adding an upgrade to a retail item of value at 7000 USD was not a big deal. What if only I could have that money back and have not lined the pickpockets of Jobs and company :) He is good at getting money from people, however that is another story. I can't wait until we get 5-10 Tbyte drives for 100 USD. That day is closer at hand than the 2000 USD 1 gig drive I speak about.
I guess we can expect SCO to try and file a lawsuit against me if I install GNO on my IIGS?
There is little to no practical use for a IIGS unless you are working to teach someone low level or even high level programming. There are numerous OS alternatives for the IIGS hardware, there are many compilers and also tools for it, as well it is a great fun entertaining system with loads of software. Yes, there are emulators, and a few are EXCEPTIONAL (sweet16 http://www.sheppyware.net and Bernie II the Rescue) that are really fun and useful. However, to address another angle, the IIGS is highly collectable, not due to some real intrinsic value, but a value that comes with memories and yes some irrational justifications for payment. Yet, for instance, it isn't stupid to buy IIGS at a dime a dozen or so, since the last time I did that I got about 2500 USD worth of resellable cards from them. So, with a return on investment after my gas, time and energy, I saw about a 10000% return on my money. Now, in todays stock markets, where can you say that is easy to do, or can be done legally? And a third irrational point, one that comes with experience of writing drivers for the II when I was a kid. The GOOD OLD DAYS OF COMPUTING are lost, and it is fun and great times to visit back to them, when things were a LOT more simple, shucksters were less abundant (at least obvious and sinisterly overt about it) and getting down to write a FORTH interpreter for the 65x02 systems was doable in a matter of days or weeks. Yes, the IIGS would make a likely poor choice for a router, and a linksys 5 port hub/router can be had for 49 dollars. But honestly, what can or do you really learn from a linksys other than a 192.168.1.1 HTML interface for configuration? Get a IIGS doing the job, and I understand the nuts and bolts of routing pretty well. It is just what your goals are, practicality or actually expanding your understanding of things. The call is yours, I choose to mess around with IIGS hardware and have a blast doing it!
I believe now that with the advent of a NIC (yes a RJ45 type NIC) for the IIGS and enhanced //e, you can with the latest version of Marinetti get quite a bit done. With a Transwarp at 14 Mhz (yes expensive, but doable) the platform now has loads of options, FlashCard hard drives, IDEcard (Focus) Hard Drives, and much much more. Too few slots ,and too many options. It is a fun 'resurrection' platform now being brought into the more recent world. Not totally abandoned. Check out http://www.callapple.org, the BBS is active, and so are alot of people working on ideas for making a portable IIGS. Oh, and finally, there is a Kfest.org with a world wide Festival each year in Kansas featuring this years KeyNote of Steve Wozniak! http://www.kfest.org