Software is just a utility. heh. Total hogwash. You clearly don't understand much about the world so you must be one of those people who's work involves a lot of talking instead of ever actually doing anything productive like making anything. You clearly feel the need to validate your miniscule existence by putting others down, but the fact you do it anonymously means in life you dont have the balls to be open, so you must mostly exist in the hope that you can distract the world just long enough from noticing you for the sham you are. I'm thinking you do something like marketing. Am I right?
Like all tools, software usually isn't the final objective in itself, but that detracts absolutely nothing from its value. Good tools are of the highest value as they allow us to make good stuff. Other than the human brain, computers and software are the most powerful tools that man has ever created. Consequently software is always the tool of choice for performing groundbreaking research work, i.e. moving the whole civilization onward. Without computers and software the world would be hardly any different to a century ago.
I have no experience of the work of Chinese developers, but I've seen a lot of work from many different Indian developers and its pretty much all been a horrible clueless mess.
>> People don't want to go into a field without a future
I can't think of a field that has more effect in making a more interesting future than software development. Well maybe stuff to do with physics and/or genetics but even that usually comes down to relying on software somehow.
>> Why would anyone go into a field when society places no value in doing so?
Because they love the work? Personally I went into software development because I couldn't conceive of doing anything else. The fact it pays better than average (or even at all) was entirely coincidental and lucky for me. It truly wasn't a factor in my career decision making. As a matter of fact I don't think I ever really made a decision to be a developer, as much as just continued to do what I do.
I've observed that nearly always, people that choose software development only because they think it pays well: a) Have no intuitive feel for it, so mostly dont even understand how or why to write good code, let alone actually ever do it. b) Are often unhappy at work. c) Have changed their career path radically at least once.
These type of people need to get into sales or something ASAP because their low quality work just gives the rest of us who are career professionals a bad image, and they will ultimately flunk out on their own anyway given enough time.
Well done for proving that no matter how you state a point, there's always someone that will miss it on purpose.
Let me make it simpler for you: There may be other reasons for buying a Prius (such as size), but saving money BECAUSE its a hybrid isn't (a good) one.
Its because most consumers don't actually understand what hybrids are really for.
Its amazing how many people (including the motoring media) in the US incorrectly believe that the reason for buying a hybrid over a normal car is to save gas money. This is not even close to the actual reason hybrids were invented, so its no surprise that it doesn't really work out that way either.
Don't believe me? Go compare the price and MPG of a Toyota Prius compared to, say, a Toyota Yaris.
The real reason hybrids came about is as a way to reduce CO2 emisions for a greener environment and to fight global warming, mostly regardless of cost of ownership.
But the green angle doesn't look so good either when you factor in the (actually quite nasty) emissions from the production and disposal of all the extra stuff like Lithium batteries that that go into a Prius over a conventional car.
It would be great if they used tri-colour LEDs so that you could smoothly tune the light colour across the spectrum, to choose the colour best for readability in the environment you're currently in.
Generally, I agree with your statement. However I do believe kids younger than, say, 2nd grade, do need some shielding from some of the more edgy stuff life and the internet can throw up.
Firstly let me state that I'm not gay. That said, I accept that homosexuality has been found to be a natural part of the animal kingdom (not just humans) since the beginning of all life, as far as smarter people than me can tell. Blowing peoples brains out with assault weapons is absolutely not natural. Yet look at which issue the American parents are worried that their kids might learn about. Personally I don't believe there's much of a cause/effect thing with kids becoming more violent just from playing violent video games, but there's always gonna be a very low percantage of freakish kids that will prove any theory wrong. I prefer believe that glorifying hard violence is far more dangerous to younger kids minds than showing people of the same sex kissing. But then the real fault is actually with the parents that let those kids play these games in the first place, even though they're often clearly marked 18+. Lets move the blame back to where it belongs, on the parents for not properly shielding and educating their kids instead of doing that very American thing of finding everyone/anyone else to blame instead of acknowledging their own failures.
You remind me of an old lady I used to know. She used candles and eat cold food and didn't heat her house rather than pay for electricity. Everyone presumed she was dirt poor. After she died they found her mattress was stuffed with literally millions of dollars.
Yet another shining example of someone who doesn't care or even spot that the actual problem is that Apple control 'your' device and everything on it, not you.
For me, the 2 reasons I need good latency are online gaming and, to a lesser extent, Skype.
I have had Cox Cable for my internet for about 5 years. Its the only service available in my area (Phoenix, AZ). I've noticed over that time the average latency for gaming servers has gone from about 35ms to 150ms. The gaming experience has noticeably suffered correspondingly.
Over the years, I tried complaining to Cox many times but their monkeys only know to run some remote test to my cable modem then tell me my connection is fine. They often suggest I upgrade my package to a higher bandwidth one. I did actually try that for a while. It certainly improved the bandwidth but the latency was the same. They also suggested I upgraded my cable modem to a Docsys3-capable one. I did. It made no difference whatsoever in latency or bandwidth that I could see.
They seem to have forgotten something: What benefit does the user get from giving up their privacy? i.e. what is their motivation for agreeing to this?...Or dont they get a choice at all (other than to not buy any product with this 'feature')?
I'm amazed the big labels have lasted this long. Back in the 50's they actually used to provide services to artists and really did do at least some of what Carey is trying to convince us they do now: help bands get to market. By the 80's they had all the distribution channels so locked down that they had become the gatekeepers, so found they could charge artists a tax for doing nothing other than allowing them to sell. This is why they hate the internet so much, it's a market place they can't control, an open path around their carefully constructed tollbooth they thought would last forever. Given the big labels are now entirely parasitic and can no longer remember how to provide actual services anymore, I'm amazed they have lasted even this long especially since the internet came about.
The article is about UK road lighting. I'm English. Haven't a clue about who AARP and NHTSA are.
Not sure our systems do actually work fine. Headlight glare is a real issue for me here in the UK where presumably our headlights already meet EU standards.
Personally, I find my normal night vision + my headlights + tail lights of other cars is more than adequate to drive safetly at 70mph on a motorway or main road.
I find that (unless its an obvious danger spot) occasional lit stretches of road probably cause more danger than help as it takes maybe 30 seconds to get your night vision back to full capability after passing through them.
If they want to make motorways safer at night, then they should do more to reduce the effects of eye fatigue caused by repetitive momentary blinding from headlights of oncoming traffic.I suggest more natural light-blockers between the roads, such as planting hedges.
Speed limit on motorways in the UK is 70 mph. In my experience everyone drives at or slightly above it. Certainly not less, unless it happens to be a speed camera area.
Slashdot Mirror
Software is just a utility. heh. Total hogwash.
You clearly don't understand much about the world so you must be one of those people who's work involves a lot of talking instead of ever actually doing anything productive like making anything. You clearly feel the need to validate your miniscule existence by putting others down, but the fact you do it anonymously means in life you dont have the balls to be open, so you must mostly exist in the hope that you can distract the world just long enough from noticing you for the sham you are. I'm thinking you do something like marketing. Am I right?
Like all tools, software usually isn't the final objective in itself, but that detracts absolutely nothing from its value. Good tools are of the highest value as they allow us to make good stuff. Other than the human brain, computers and software are the most powerful tools that man has ever created. Consequently software is always the tool of choice for performing groundbreaking research work, i.e. moving the whole civilization onward. Without computers and software the world would be hardly any different to a century ago.
This seems somewhat hypocritical, unless this legislation can also be used against the US Government and companies like the RIAA.
I have no experience of the work of Chinese developers, but I've seen a lot of work from many different Indian developers and its pretty much all been a horrible clueless mess.
>> People don't want to go into a field without a future
I can't think of a field that has more effect in making a more interesting future than software development. Well maybe stuff to do with physics and/or genetics but even that usually comes down to relying on software somehow.
>> Why would anyone go into a field when society places no value in doing so?
Because they love the work?
Personally I went into software development because I couldn't conceive of doing anything else. The fact it pays better than average (or even at all) was entirely coincidental and lucky for me. It truly wasn't a factor in my career decision making. As a matter of fact I don't think I ever really made a decision to be a developer, as much as just continued to do what I do.
I've observed that nearly always, people that choose software development only because they think it pays well:
a) Have no intuitive feel for it, so mostly dont even understand how or why to write good code, let alone actually ever do it.
b) Are often unhappy at work.
c) Have changed their career path radically at least once.
These type of people need to get into sales or something ASAP because their low quality work just gives the rest of us who are career professionals a bad image, and they will ultimately flunk out on their own anyway given enough time.
Well done for proving that no matter how you state a point, there's always someone that will miss it on purpose.
Let me make it simpler for you: There may be other reasons for buying a Prius (such as size), but saving money BECAUSE its a hybrid isn't (a good) one.
Its because most consumers don't actually understand what hybrids are really for.
Its amazing how many people (including the motoring media) in the US incorrectly believe that the reason for buying a hybrid over a normal car is to save gas money. This is not even close to the actual reason hybrids were invented, so its no surprise that it doesn't really work out that way either.
Don't believe me? Go compare the price and MPG of a Toyota Prius compared to, say, a Toyota Yaris.
The real reason hybrids came about is as a way to reduce CO2 emisions for a greener environment and to fight global warming, mostly regardless of cost of ownership.
But the green angle doesn't look so good either when you factor in the (actually quite nasty) emissions from the production and disposal of all the extra stuff like Lithium batteries that that go into a Prius over a conventional car.
It would be great if they used tri-colour LEDs so that you could smoothly tune the light colour across the spectrum, to choose the colour best for readability in the environment you're currently in.
Generally, I agree with your statement. However I do believe kids younger than, say, 2nd grade, do need some shielding from some of the more edgy stuff life and the internet can throw up.
Firstly let me state that I'm not gay.
That said, I accept that homosexuality has been found to be a natural part of the animal kingdom (not just humans) since the beginning of all life, as far as smarter people than me can tell.
Blowing peoples brains out with assault weapons is absolutely not natural.
Yet look at which issue the American parents are worried that their kids might learn about.
Personally I don't believe there's much of a cause/effect thing with kids becoming more violent just from playing violent video games, but there's always gonna be a very low percantage of freakish kids that will prove any theory wrong.
I prefer believe that glorifying hard violence is far more dangerous to younger kids minds than showing people of the same sex kissing.
But then the real fault is actually with the parents that let those kids play these games in the first place, even though they're often clearly marked 18+.
Lets move the blame back to where it belongs, on the parents for not properly shielding and educating their kids instead of doing that very American thing of finding everyone/anyone else to blame instead of acknowledging their own failures.
>> "Redmond is still investigating, but it's already calling the claims 'unlikely.'"
Standard practice for Microsoft is to cover this up with denials and FUD, even if its true. Actually, especially if its true.
1) Check your agreement with them to make sure you didn't already agree to waive their liability for any mistakes they make.
2) Sue them for loss and punitive damages.
You remind me of an old lady I used to know. She used candles and eat cold food and didn't heat her house rather than pay for electricity. Everyone presumed she was dirt poor.
After she died they found her mattress was stuffed with literally millions of dollars.
Yet another shining example of someone who doesn't care or even spot that the actual problem is that Apple control 'your' device and everything on it, not you.
So in the US, ignorance of the law is not a legal defence, however you need to spend money to find out what the law says?
wow.
...and here's me thinking that compiled code has already been reduced to machine code.
For me, the 2 reasons I need good latency are online gaming and, to a lesser extent, Skype.
I have had Cox Cable for my internet for about 5 years. Its the only service available in my area (Phoenix, AZ). I've noticed over that time the average latency for gaming servers has gone from about 35ms to 150ms. The gaming experience has noticeably suffered correspondingly.
Over the years, I tried complaining to Cox many times but their monkeys only know to run some remote test to my cable modem then tell me my connection is fine. They often suggest I upgrade my package to a higher bandwidth one. I did actually try that for a while. It certainly improved the bandwidth but the latency was the same. They also suggested I upgraded my cable modem to a Docsys3-capable one. I did. It made no difference whatsoever in latency or bandwidth that I could see.
They seem to have forgotten something: ...Or dont they get a choice at all (other than to not buy any product with this 'feature')?
What benefit does the user get from giving up their privacy? i.e. what is their motivation for agreeing to this?
I'm amazed the big labels have lasted this long.
Back in the 50's they actually used to provide services to artists and really did do at least some of what Carey is trying to convince us they do now: help bands get to market.
By the 80's they had all the distribution channels so locked down that they had become the gatekeepers, so found they could charge artists a tax for doing nothing other than allowing them to sell.
This is why they hate the internet so much, it's a market place they can't control, an open path around their carefully constructed tollbooth they thought would last forever.
Given the big labels are now entirely parasitic and can no longer remember how to provide actual services anymore, I'm amazed they have lasted even this long especially since the internet came about.
Its a shame they dont cite their sources for the statistic, or at least mention which distros are experiencing the biggest growth.
Color me disinterested in Ubuntu until Canonical finally get a clue and kill off Unity.
I want Vinyl quality.
Aha. Another Merkin who thinks world==USA.
The article is about UK road lighting. I'm English. Haven't a clue about who AARP and NHTSA are.
Not sure our systems do actually work fine. Headlight glare is a real issue for me here in the UK where presumably our headlights already meet EU standards.
Personally, I find my normal night vision + my headlights + tail lights of other cars is more than adequate to drive safetly at 70mph on a motorway or main road.
I find that (unless its an obvious danger spot) occasional lit stretches of road probably cause more danger than help as it takes maybe 30 seconds to get your night vision back to full capability after passing through them.
If they want to make motorways safer at night, then they should do more to reduce the effects of eye fatigue caused by repetitive momentary blinding from headlights of oncoming traffic.I suggest more natural light-blockers between the roads, such as planting hedges.
Speed limit on motorways in the UK is 70 mph.
In my experience everyone drives at or slightly above it. Certainly not less, unless it happens to be a speed camera area.
When will this copyright madness end?