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User: bill0755

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Comments · 30

  1. Re:Pure FUD on Netflix Throttling Instant Video Streaming · · Score: 1

    Amen bro.

  2. Re:The primary problem with your idea on Long-Term PC Preservation Project? · · Score: 1

    Don't feed the trolls - when an AC says something stupid, let it slide.

    Even though you didn't post as AC, I'll let this slide anyway. Now go watch a video of someone posting on /.

  3. Re:Is this that important ? on Attempt To "Digitalize" Beatles Goes Sour · · Score: 1

    And P.S. my last girlfriend's favorite band was the Beatles, and she was 21.

    Yeah, but that was 15 years ago. You really need to just let her go, and move on with your life.

  4. Re:This Sounds Like a Great Idea on Student Invention May Significantly Extend Mobile Device Battery Life · · Score: -1

    ...until you consider the security ramifications.

    Ah, nothing like an amateur security expert with no brains and too little information. Think about it nit wit. If it wasn't secure on the way to the antennae, how in the hell would it be secure when it was broadcast or received! Find another hobby besides spreading FUD. I'm tired of you already.

  5. Secret Message to Lauren on Sending Secret Messages Via Google's SearchWiki · · Score: 1

    Ouyay eednay a ewnay obbyhay. - Anonymous

  6. Re:Why? on MyLifeBits to Store Every Moment of Your Life · · Score: 1

    I completely agree.

  7. Re:China Evil or Not on Yahoo Confirms Beijing Blocking Flickr · · Score: 1
    This is precisely the issue. When it comes to standing up for human rights, the right amound of money (rephrased as a 'growth market') causes these issues to become mute.

    That being said, the best strategy for empowering the Chinese people is to begin with economic development and outside involvement in their economic affairs. In time, this censorship will begin to fail.

  8. Re:Natural Maturation? on How to Stop the Dilbertization of IT? · · Score: 1
    These days most of the growth has slowed, things have been tried and proven or cast aside, and we're transitioning to more of a steady state environment.


    I hear this as a statement denying Moore's Law -- or something similar. Granted, there is a lot of work using well-established techniques and tools, but if you think we have arrived at a steady state, I expect you are repeating the viewpoint of some people in the industry in the 70's, the 80's, the 90's and every decade since. We are no where near running out of opportunities for innovation in IT.



    sig file missing --- (A)dlib, (R)etry, (F)ail?

  9. Very misleading on Amazon Snooping Your Surfing For Targeted Ads? · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Your claim definitely scores high for tapping into paranoia of cookies. Unfortunately, the only way Amazon knows you are looking for bluetooth adapters is if you visit their site first. This may have happened by way of a search result. Is this supposed to be surprising?

    Nice try though. Cookie paranoia is a bit worn out for me.

  10. Re:Why put it all in one book? on SQL Pocket Guide, Second Edition · · Score: 1
    > How many of you actually work somewhere where you need to know multiple SQL environments...

    I do. And I also want to know if I'm using a portable or a vendor specific statement.

    "The time to stop talking is when the other person nods his head affirmatively but says nothing."

    - Henry S. Haskins

  11. First the command line, then the IDE on Should Students Be Taught With or Without an IDE? · · Score: 1
    I believe you need to perform the development steps by hand until you fully comprehend what the IDE will be doing. When these are understood and comitted to memory, move to the IDE.

    To stall at the point of building by hand and not continue to learn and gain the productivity advantage of the IDE would be a mistake with measurable consequences.

    At the same time, becoming dependant on an IDE without taking the time to fully understand the mechanics of software development leaves you ill prepared to diagnose the inevitable problems that will occur with the IDE.

    As far as editors, sampling a variety might be a good idea before settling on a favorite. I'm comfortable with visual editors but find 'vi' invaluable for some tasks outside source editing. For source editing, anything that formats well and color codes the source is fine by me.

    Some people feel that expertise with primative tools is some how macho. I value my expertise gained "back in the day" but failing to get comfortable with modern a IDE is failing to become as productive as you could (skipping the IMHO disclaimers here).

    "We demand guaranteed rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty."

    -- Adams, Douglas

  12. Re:Information overload a diagnosed problem? on Knowledge Overload or Internet Lazy? · · Score: 2, Interesting
    When intellect is measured with tests that rely on unassisted recall, a person with certain abilities but poor recall is measured low. Since real problems are not solved in this same atmosphere, it is more a fault of the measurement than a weakness of the intellect.

    To me, it is not surprising that memory/recall (a low-grade intellectual function) is early to be automated by machine. Does that not give some insight into what rank we should give memory?

    To quote Nietzsche: "Many a man fails to become a thinker for the sole reason that his memory is too good."

    Be grateful for the more important insights that occupy your thoughts and forget (no pun) about the side effects it might have on recall of trivial events.

  13. Free advertising on T-Mobile Offers Relief for Hurricane Victims · · Score: 2, Insightful
    While it is difficult to fault a company for offering assistance to disaster victims, I am tempted to risk my karma and point out that the real motivation is likely p/r and free advertising.

    Cell providers (like Sprint for one) and other companies have in place mechanisms for providing account credit to allow for cost-free service for any disaster situation. The difference is they don't require wide-spread recognition for their contribution.

    Okay, I said it. Open up the black clouds and clobber me with lightening (or high winds & rain?).

    ---

    "The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." Oscar Wilde

  14. Re:Research on Microsoft Testing Rival to Google's Start Page · · Score: 1
    Both pages allow you to drag sections and place them where you want. In fact, the operation seems identical on the MS page (not that they would copy anything) and the uncluttered style is pure Google.

    If this is your justification for 'WAY better', I expect you need to spend WAY more time actually comparing the pages -- if that was really your intention to start with.

    --

    Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

  15. Re:I've gotta ask.... on Cell Phones Predict the Future · · Score: 1
    ...very much different than human observation and analysis

    Uh, that's the reason they call it AI. It's not supposed to be different! Does that answer your question?

    --

  16. Re:Results? on Can a Bayesian Spam Filter Play Chess? · · Score: 1

    If the games used for teaching had sequences similar to the game you play, the next move would have been learned. Whether it was a good move or not would depend on what it was taught. The Bayesian method can only learn by by imitation.
    --
    By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius

  17. Re:Spatial for shallow, Browser for deep. on Why Users Blame Spatial Nautilus · · Score: 1

    Exactly.

    I knew you'd take the bait.

    "Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow."

  18. Re:Spatial for shallow, Browser for deep. on Why Users Blame Spatial Nautilus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Perhaps the "smart" behavior could be created by using a distributed bayesian filter against the contents of a file.

    Absolutely! And improvements to conventional bayesian are in the works (or at least in the concept stage) but this is a prime use for this type of classification.

    One of the key differences though is in attaching a name like 'spam' to the collection. Classifying can be automated, but when you need a name for the collection, some of the traditional organization problems arise again.

    "For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism."

  19. Re:Spatial for shallow, Browser for deep. on Why Users Blame Spatial Nautilus · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Call this 'offtopic' but it surely speaks to the issue of innovation.

    The construction of business rules cannot be fully automated, as they are abstract constructions from particular real world situations.

    Ha! I and others have made considerable progress in research areas that will almost assuredly automate this and many other abstract constructions. That is, specific instances of operations from a large set are discovered and resolved into their most specific general rule. When they are adopted as commonplace, you might feel a little short-sighted for your comment.

    If you have resigned that this is not possible, please speak for yourself. I am one of those folks who believe that research has yet to reveal the limit of what is possible.

    You have to decide for yourself which drawer is appropriate to store your socks in, or even whether storing them in a drawer is appropriate at all.

    How about "Computer, bring me my socks" and forget about what you used the drawer for in the first place!

    A simple exercise is to imagine terabytes of file names, not just the files themselves (not that you believe storage use would increase in the future). Now, where are all of the socks in the world stored? What drawer might that be?

    I'm going to borrow some of a previous post. You are a pinheaded luddite if you oppose this "innovation."

    "All those who believe in telekinesis, raise my hand."

  20. Re:Islamic websites. on Saudi Webmaster Acquitted of Terrorism Charges · · Score: 1
    I'm all for free speech, but the freedom of a group or indivduals aren't absolute, and it shouldn't infringe or in anyway threaten the freedoms of others.

    This quote is often referenced to gain historical perspective in measures taken against terrorism:

    "Those willing to give up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither security nor liberty." - Benjamin Franklin

  21. Re:Proper marketing will solve that problem... on China's New Craze: E-bikes · · Score: 1
    Pray god you never run into a tweaked out Subaru (or even a Honda). Your 5.0 is 20 years old - a lot has happened in the meantime.

    OK, if we are going to take that path, yes, a lot has happened since the reign of the muscle cars. The biggest thing is that with emmissions regulation, nearly all of the performance modifications are now illegal.

    When I put a 375 hp Chevy 327 into my '64 Triumph TR4 it wasn't called 'tweaking', and I've not come across a Subaru or Honda since that could even come close in performance.

  22. Re:Stigma on China's New Craze: E-bikes · · Score: 1
    People would ride one of these if practical considerations outweighed concern with social status. Or in a society where being practical was considered cool.

    The practical problem with sharing the road with automobiles is that in the event of an accident, the car driver has little injury risk. This fact gives uneven encouragement for safe and courteous sharing.

    During the 90's in the Los Angeles area, when bicycle riding was being encouraged to help alleviate pollution and traffic congestion, a billboard campaign reminded drivers

    "Hit a Biker - Go To Jail"

    It was amazing how accomodating drivers became with a little encouragement.

  23. Re:Greencine already does this on Netflix to Offer Movie Downloads · · Score: 1

    Movielink also has video downloads in either Real or Windows media format (though Linux is not supported).

    The complete download takes about 90 minutes over an SBC supplied DSL though you can begin viewing after about 20 minutes of buffering.

  24. Re:Video-on-demand, eh? on Netflix to Offer Movie Downloads · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They will once they look at the numbers. Porn is one of the best selling things ever, and nobody would want to lose an opportunity that large. Except, possibly, some religious or morally incensed people, but greed should rule those out.

    I seriously doubt they will rent porn just because it is a big market. Blockbuster doesn't and I wouldn't categorize them as religious or morally incensed.

    They are merely image concious. That is to say, they are not willing to give up the family market just to grab the extra sales in the porn market. And being new at this (movie downloads) makes them very visible and extra sensitive to their image.

  25. Re:Bah! on Microsoft Apologist Apologizes for Microsoft · · Score: 1

    "gets past being more then..." should be gets past being more than