Sorry, I didn't mean to be harsh. You can't see into the future. But the previous 5 years might give you some clue as to the trends to expect. Hint: expect commodity technology hardware prices to drop as performance increases.
The computer you buy for $2000 today will be worth $300 in 5 years. Digital cameras ( optics excluded ) will perform in a similar manner.
I really wish we could mod stories. Like this one is -1 Lame.
I'll have to say, though, regarding the 'powerful languages are terse' claim:
1) any language can at some level be terse- if the APIs providing the functionality you want to use are designed correctly. Or is the complaint about standard library APIs, not the language itself ?? When libraries don't give you the API you'd like, it's usually a good idea to wrap them in a layer that provides the API you need, regardless of what language you're using.
2) since when is C ( IMHO the ultimate "Great Hacker" language ) terse ? It's the most verbose high-level language out there.
3) Lines per day == BS. Talk to me about correct, easily maintained, reusable lines per day.
Please note I'm not trying to defend Java per se here, as much as I'm trying to discredit this silly notion that a 'compact' notation is a 'better' notation. Even if your language of choice is powerful enough to let you write a function in one line, it's sometimes better to write it in 6 lines with comments...
Funny, I somewhat recently met a COBOL programmer who works for a well-known investment-services firm. He seemed to indicate that his salary wasn't very good, and asked if they were hiring where I work ( as a client-side application developer ). I'm not so sure COBOL is really in that much demand...
given the chance that our future will see cheap memory, faster processors, and ( hopefully ) multiple computing environments ( you know, like cell phones and... oh, look! it's the future! ), it's likely that Java skills *will* be useful for many, many years to come.
*Especially* given the large number of business apps being implemented in Java and related technologies. And that's no joke.
Why would you *not* think that 5 years later memory chips would have become much, much more cheap?
Other than the optics, which are much better in your camera than in this 'returnable', the cost pretty much comes down to flash memory cost, controller chip cost, and CCD cost and, well, that CCD is still a silicon-based chip, ain't it? What's happened to the price of flash memory in those 5 years?
Yea, the same thing happened to me, though I was even cheaper and only bought a $300 1.2MP Kodak DC210 ( it was a floor-model closeout special, like $100 off ). Crap camera, but OK for little snapshots here and there, just don't blow 'em up beyond 5"x7"
However, I *expected* to see 10x the camera at the same price in 5 years. I'm actually a bit disappointed. I keep expecting to find a 4+MP camera with decent optics for $200 these days... but I'm only finding 3.2MP camerasfor $250... which will look like bad deal in another 5 years when 8MP cameras are selling for slightly more than the price of the optics they carry...
Seriously, if I had mod points, you'd be +1 insightful, right now.
The support-call explaination of the DRM-wars is spot-on... what exactly *are* the limitations of Real's AAC files, does anyone know? Since they look like Apple's AAC files, does the Windows system they presumedly reside on simply treat them as Apple's files, or does Real's software somehow monkey up the works with stricter/different rules?
Same analysis goes for your iPod compatability comment- plenty of folks loose site of the fact that inside the iPod is a set of off-the-shelf components that Apple really doesn't control... compatability could be an issue, and not just with firmware updates, especially if the DRM is anything more than reverse-engineered FairPlay.
repeat after me: iTunes music store is not and never will be a money maker. It's the *iPod* thing that makes money.
On your other topic, that of DRM, the reason nobody bemoans Apple's DRM is simple: you can convert your iTunes Music Store songs to MP3 songs. Burn a CD right from iTunes ( with a limit of 3 times ).
It's, at worst, DRM-lite. Comparing it to Wintel DRM schemes is... er, well, they're very different. Your music is yours, more or less, and it's not *rented*, it won't expire. Want to make an MP3 or AIFF disk? No problem. And if you're any kind of geek, and maybe even if you aren't, you'll find plenty of ways to losslessly convert your FairPlayed AAC files to non-FairPlayed files if you can't stand MP3s. If you're talking about evil restrictions on your use of bits, sure it's still evil... but it's the lesser evil, by far.
Standard disclaimer: I do not use the iTunes music store nor do I own an iPod.
You know, I used to work as a sound technician at an amusement park about a mile from the WLW transmitter. In the morning, when the background music amplifiers were turned off, you could actually hear WLW by pressing your ear to a speaker. It was loudest on circuits that had a lot of cable connected to relatively few speakers.
-begin sarcasm-
wow, you picked up a signal from a 50 kW station a mile away using a *really* big antenna ?!? How astounding !!
-end sarcasm-
I'm frankly amazed he had to press his ear against the speaker.
How large do you think the speaker wire loops in the amusement park he's talking about are? How well shielded are those wires? Uh... yea, a mile isn't far for 50kW. Also don't neglect the fact that AM signals travel well long metal tracks, and those coasters make great antennas, and hey, was that big water park there when you were? All of these things do nothing but help those AM signals travel.
If it's been so "overcautious"...
on
Spectrum as Property
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
then why do I hear two different radio stations on the same frequency so often?
Why does one over-the-air broadcast station have ghosting caused by another??
What, the free market is supposed to fix those problems magically, without government oversight, when they're still pretty bad with the FCC throwing down tons of rules *and* charging licensing fees?
I smell typical Economist free-market hype. Just let the highest bidders control your spectrum, and everything will be fine, kiddies...
I'm not saying there isn't a need for change in the way RF is used. But I am calling into question a highest-bidder-takes-all approach, and the motives of those who back such an approach.
Yea, clearly, all *consumers* want the features this guy lists, but key among them are the ability to *gasp* actually have fair use rights, and be able to do with digital content what we can now do with analog content, i.e. permanently store it on whatever format we choose.
For HD, this means going against the FCC's decision on the broadcast flag, not to mention getting sued by the RIAA, MPAA, etc. I doubt even M$ wants *that* lawsuit, and until your average 'merkin voter wakes up and takes back their congresscritters from big business ( read: ain't gonna happen ), the company that provides us directly with these features that we want will be sued into oblivion.
Land of the Free?!?
Whoever told you that is your Enemy!
Quick, everyone! Get in touch with all of the 4th graders you know and convince them to lobby for "Snitchy"! It's too good an opportunity to pass up!!
Of course, you're about as likely to know a fourth-grade kid as I am... as in, I don't know any fourth-grade kids. Yes, I'm a bit sad about that, now that I think about it... no, not for that reason, you sicko, who do you think I am, Michael Jackson?!? I remember being in fourth grade... just old enough to get a glimpse of the real world, young enough to have clarity of thought and a good imagination...
Sadly, some 4th graders will come up with something even better than Snitchy, but the BSA will pick whatever they want anyway... probably "Happy" or "Money" or "Softie" or somesuch...
'softie, get it? Bah... never mind...
unobstructed view of the women's toilet !!
on
Judges Junk Jailcam
·
· Score: 4, Informative
From TFA: But some of the images are more invasive: strip searches, female prisoners in various stages of undress, and, up until late April, a constant, unobstructed view of the women's toilet and the women using it.
Seriously?!? No wonder he lost the case. Way to hand your detainees tons of county cash, bozo. This type of guy in elected office is why we need strong anti-abuse laws on the books, and stricter supervision of prison operations. More interestingly, why isn't this bigger nationwide news? It would seem to have all of the makings of a major story, and yet I've only heard of it on/.
Of course, though the article states the toilet-cam as fact, the last line in the article has some hapless spokesdrone denying that charge... anyone know if they're just lying to cover up? From the attitude of the sheriff ( and much of law enforcement ), I'm guessing there really was a clear view of the women's toilet...
I feel almost silly pointing this out a day late, but...
There was a NeXTSTEP for Intel. At some point NeXT decided they couldn't make it as a hardware company, sold off their plants, canned their hardware design folks, and ported everything to the PC. It worked really, really well, except for the sales part.
You could even buy it pre-installed on some ( Compaq?? ) PC-maker's boxen back in the day ( like, 1993?? ), before M$ exclusive licensing deals helped kill it off.
Seriously. Where the hell where you? Why didn't you buy it? It was freekin' great. Everyone was too busy talking about this "awesome" WindowsNT thing, so I didn't get to start programming Objective-C again for another 10 years...
If y'all are wondering why Jobs is so hesitant to push out Yellow Box ( aka "OS X for Intel" ), you might look into the history of NeXTSTEP for Intel to learn why.
As for education OS, my university's computer music program was where I first saw NeXT machines, but I guess the very fact that they had a computer music program points out that it wasn't your typical fund-starved school, perhaps...
The administrator of your typical server/workgroup and the programmer of your typical ( even non-technical ) application can be compared in much the same manner as a car mechanic and an automotive design engineer.
They may require some similar knowledge, but their training and abilities are usually pretty different, and one is not likely to be hired for the other's job.
I'm not saying that this is always fair- the IT job is often likely to be the more 'difficult' job, as is the mechanic's, but the training and requirements for both positions are not remotely the same. That's not to say one can't cross over from being a casual hacker to a programmer, but it's no longer typical or easy to do so, and hasn't been for some time. You need training. Without a degree you need a project you can point to as proof of your abilities, and even then many employers will go with the degree-holding candidate.
That's the same state that decided to pick between a KKK member and a known crook for governor in 1991. It's a nice place to visit... I guess it's to their credit that the crook won by an extremely narrow margin??
Although I can see the argument that some sort of electronic attack on the RNC cold be a valid form of civil disobedience, I definitely have to agreee with you that this guy is just lame lame lame, for the following reasons:
1) The best you can propose is a DDOS attack? I mean, come on! That's just stupid, and causes collateral network slowdowns as well... how about something useful, like getting into the servers, redirecting to other websites or plain ol-fashioned defacing of main pages? A DDOS attack... it's just so lame...
2) The guy can't even write a decent call-to-arms. "undemocratic will of the people" ? Did someone proofread this crap??;-)
And no, I am not advocating that anyone should hack into any computer system, anywhere, because that would be wrong and illegal. No, really...
Besides, individual bodies actually showing up in person all at once would be much more convincing and newsworthy than a website being down for a few minutes. If you want to disrupt the convention, I'm guessing a whole bunch of protesters showing up in person would be more effective than shutting down a website.
So, does anyone know what the "Electronic Civil Disobedience and the Republican National Convention" talk covered, and what the speaker might have said to get someone riled enough that he was attacked ??
Considering I do read the occasional article on this type of tech, I find it interesting that the parent post is the first mention I've heard of Blu-ray players possibly being able to play HD-DVD...
I'm wondering if it's true since, clearly, HD-DVD isn't a codec, it's a disk format. The HD-DVD spec currently supports two codecs, H.264, and VC-9.
Current Blu-ray tech uses MPEG-2, but they're talking about putting MPEG-4 and/or VC-9 support in as well. Notice that both specs are still evolving.
A pretty interesting article on the current status of both formats and their codecs is here.
Of course, I suppose with multi-wavelength-laser tech, Blu-ray could read other formats... but at what cost? Sony might indeed want Blu-ray-only players out there...
Funny, at first I thought you were posting slightly off-topic and talking about the PSX, but now that I've noticed you've written "Playstation 10", I think just you don't know much about Sony's product line...
Sony does have a press release where they talk about a 3-wavelength optical head for support of CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disks.
Of course, it doesn't support HD-DVD.
Since the PS3 is already stated to support PS1 and PS2 games, it *must* support CD and DVD, so you don't *have* to re-purchase your DVDs in Blu-ray, just your HD-DVDs. Of course, if you're an HD addict and just can't stand those "low-res" DVDs, then yea, you need to buy *either* HD-DVD or Blu-ray, but Sony just helped you decide which one, in that case.
If you've already bought HD-DVD stuff, you *know* you're bleeding edge, and Sony just cut you...
Yup. Funny how people act when they have an actual interest at stake, huh? If Powell didn't like his Tivo, how do you think this would have gone down?
Now the broadcasters and MPAA are going to have to go to congress. Oh, wait, they already own that branch. INDUCE will have a special broadcast rights clause now... and I'm betting it won't be protecting consumers.
In sixth grade, I became frustrated with the time it took me to type in some Basic programs out of some computing magazines. So I went to the library and got some books.
Two days later, I could type pretty well.
Ok, I know, I'm psycho ( or at least not normal ), and yes, I did pretty well type 8-10 hours a day for those two days. My dad left for the weekend on a work assignment, and I was typing "a s d f" really slowly. He came back to find that I seemingly hadn't moved from the typewriter, and was pounding out entire sentences quite quickly.
This was sixth grade- I wouldn't even get a *chance* to take a typing class for 3 more years. By the time I could have taken typing, I didn't need to, and was able to take a programming class instead. Or maybe it was welding that was the extra class...
Despite my own success at the 'teach yourself' method, I have to argue with you on your main point, though. Does *everyone* have a computer at home?
Take away the option of a typing class, and you'll be sure to be leaving already disadvantaged children even futher in the dust.
Really, typing is more essential than ever before, and it needs to be taught earlier than it has been taught traditionally IMHO.
Chances are any schools dropping typing are doing so just to save money, so they don't have to cut precious sports programs.
Slashdot Mirror
The computer you buy for $2000 today will be worth $300 in 5 years. Digital cameras ( optics excluded ) will perform in a similar manner.
I'll have to say, though, regarding the 'powerful languages are terse' claim:
1) any language can at some level be terse- if the APIs providing the functionality you want to use are designed correctly. Or is the complaint about standard library APIs, not the language itself ?? When libraries don't give you the API you'd like, it's usually a good idea to wrap them in a layer that provides the API you need, regardless of what language you're using.
2) since when is C ( IMHO the ultimate "Great Hacker" language ) terse ? It's the most verbose high-level language out there.
3) Lines per day == BS. Talk to me about correct, easily maintained, reusable lines per day.
Please note I'm not trying to defend Java per se here, as much as I'm trying to discredit this silly notion that a 'compact' notation is a 'better' notation. Even if your language of choice is powerful enough to let you write a function in one line, it's sometimes better to write it in 6 lines with comments...
given the chance that our future will see cheap memory, faster processors, and ( hopefully ) multiple computing environments ( you know, like cell phones and... oh, look! it's the future! ), it's likely that Java skills *will* be useful for many, many years to come.
*Especially* given the large number of business apps being implemented in Java and related technologies. And that's no joke.
C# just wishes Java would let it *borrow* the red Swingline...
What about her makes him think "handcuffs" ?!
If there was ever something Sims need more of, it's action, but then, that might make the game *too* unlike the reality of it's players...
Someday, somebody will make bank by releasing an adults-only version. Some day... when I get a little more spare time...
Why would you *not* think that 5 years later memory chips would have become much, much more cheap?
Other than the optics, which are much better in your camera than in this 'returnable', the cost pretty much comes down to flash memory cost, controller chip cost, and CCD cost and, well, that CCD is still a silicon-based chip, ain't it? What's happened to the price of flash memory in those 5 years?
Yea, the same thing happened to me, though I was even cheaper and only bought a $300 1.2MP Kodak DC210 ( it was a floor-model closeout special, like $100 off ). Crap camera, but OK for little snapshots here and there, just don't blow 'em up beyond 5"x7"
However, I *expected* to see 10x the camera at the same price in 5 years. I'm actually a bit disappointed. I keep expecting to find a 4+MP camera with decent optics for $200 these days... but I'm only finding 3.2MP camerasfor $250... which will look like bad deal in another 5 years when 8MP cameras are selling for slightly more than the price of the optics they carry...
The support-call explaination of the DRM-wars is spot-on... what exactly *are* the limitations of Real's AAC files, does anyone know? Since they look like Apple's AAC files, does the Windows system they presumedly reside on simply treat them as Apple's files, or does Real's software somehow monkey up the works with stricter/different rules?
Same analysis goes for your iPod compatability comment- plenty of folks loose site of the fact that inside the iPod is a set of off-the-shelf components that Apple really doesn't control... compatability could be an issue, and not just with firmware updates, especially if the DRM is anything more than reverse-engineered FairPlay.
On your other topic, that of DRM, the reason nobody bemoans Apple's DRM is simple:
you can convert your iTunes Music Store songs to MP3 songs.
Burn a CD right from iTunes ( with a limit of 3 times ).
It's, at worst, DRM-lite. Comparing it to Wintel DRM schemes is... er, well, they're very different. Your music is yours, more or less, and it's not *rented*, it won't expire. Want to make an MP3 or AIFF disk? No problem. And if you're any kind of geek, and maybe even if you aren't, you'll find plenty of ways to losslessly convert your FairPlayed AAC files to non-FairPlayed files if you can't stand MP3s. If you're talking about evil restrictions on your use of bits, sure it's still evil... but it's the lesser evil, by far.
Standard disclaimer: I do not use the iTunes music store nor do I own an iPod.
-begin sarcasm-
wow, you picked up a signal from a 50 kW station a mile away using a *really* big antenna ?!? How astounding !!
-end sarcasm-
I'm frankly amazed he had to press his ear against the speaker.
How large do you think the speaker wire loops in the amusement park he's talking about are? How well shielded are those wires? Uh... yea, a mile isn't far for 50kW. Also don't neglect the fact that AM signals travel well long metal tracks, and those coasters make great antennas, and hey, was that big water park there when you were? All of these things do nothing but help those AM signals travel.
then why do I hear two different radio stations on the same frequency so often?
Why does one over-the-air broadcast station have ghosting caused by another??
What, the free market is supposed to fix those problems magically, without government oversight, when they're still pretty bad with the FCC throwing down tons of rules *and* charging licensing fees?
I smell typical Economist free-market hype. Just let the highest bidders control your spectrum, and everything will be fine, kiddies...
I'm not saying there isn't a need for change in the way RF is used. But I am calling into question a highest-bidder-takes-all approach, and the motives of those who back such an approach.
For HD, this means going against the FCC's decision on the broadcast flag, not to mention getting sued by the RIAA, MPAA, etc. I doubt even M$ wants *that* lawsuit, and until your average 'merkin voter wakes up and takes back their congresscritters from big business ( read: ain't gonna happen ), the company that provides us directly with these features that we want will be sued into oblivion.
Land of the Free?!?
Whoever told you that is your Enemy!
Snitchy the BSA Weasel !!
HAHAHAHA!
Quick, everyone! Get in touch with all of the 4th graders you know and convince them to lobby for "Snitchy"! It's too good an opportunity to pass up!!
Of course, you're about as likely to know a fourth-grade kid as I am... as in, I don't know any fourth-grade kids. Yes, I'm a bit sad about that, now that I think about it... no, not for that reason, you sicko, who do you think I am, Michael Jackson?!? I remember being in fourth grade... just old enough to get a glimpse of the real world, young enough to have clarity of thought and a good imagination...
Sadly, some 4th graders will come up with something even better than Snitchy, but the BSA will pick whatever they want anyway... probably "Happy" or "Money" or "Softie" or somesuch...
'softie, get it? Bah... never mind...
But some of the images are more invasive: strip searches, female prisoners in various stages of undress, and, up until late April, a constant, unobstructed view of the women's toilet and the women using it.
Seriously?!? No wonder he lost the case. Way to hand your detainees tons of county cash, bozo. This type of guy in elected office is why we need strong anti-abuse laws on the books, and stricter supervision of prison operations. More interestingly, why isn't this bigger nationwide news? It would seem to have all of the makings of a major story, and yet I've only heard of it on /.
Of course, though the article states the toilet-cam as fact, the last line in the article has some hapless spokesdrone denying that charge... anyone know if they're just lying to cover up? From the attitude of the sheriff ( and much of law enforcement ), I'm guessing there really was a clear view of the women's toilet...
I feel almost silly pointing this out a day late, but...
There was a NeXTSTEP for Intel. At some point NeXT decided they couldn't make it as a hardware company, sold off their plants, canned their hardware design folks, and ported everything to the PC. It worked really, really well, except for the sales part.
You could even buy it pre-installed on some ( Compaq?? ) PC-maker's boxen back in the day ( like, 1993?? ), before M$ exclusive licensing deals helped kill it off.
Seriously. Where the hell where you? Why didn't you buy it? It was freekin' great. Everyone was too busy talking about this "awesome" WindowsNT thing, so I didn't get to start programming Objective-C again for another 10 years...
If y'all are wondering why Jobs is so hesitant to push out Yellow Box ( aka "OS X for Intel" ), you might look into the history of NeXTSTEP for Intel to learn why.
As for education OS, my university's computer music program was where I first saw NeXT machines, but I guess the very fact that they had a computer music program points out that it wasn't your typical fund-starved school, perhaps...
Thank you.
The administrator of your typical server/workgroup and the programmer of your typical ( even non-technical ) application can be compared in much the same manner as a car mechanic and an automotive design engineer.
They may require some similar knowledge, but their training and abilities are usually pretty different, and one is not likely to be hired for the other's job.
I'm not saying that this is always fair- the IT job is often likely to be the more 'difficult' job, as is the mechanic's, but the training and requirements for both positions are not remotely the same. That's not to say one can't cross over from being a casual hacker to a programmer, but it's no longer typical or easy to do so, and hasn't been for some time. You need training. Without a degree you need a project you can point to as proof of your abilities, and even then many employers will go with the degree-holding candidate.
That's the same state that decided to pick between a KKK member and a known crook for governor in 1991. It's a nice place to visit... I guess it's to their credit that the crook won by an extremely narrow margin??
You've got to be kidding me. Am I just crazy, or er... what does this
http://www.space.com/images/h_wildfire_02.jpg
look like to _you_?!?
Wasn't this a bit in one of those Austin Powers movies??
1) The best you can propose is a DDOS attack? I mean, come on! That's just stupid, and causes collateral network slowdowns as well... how about something useful, like getting into the servers, redirecting to other websites or plain ol-fashioned defacing of main pages? A DDOS attack... it's just so lame...
2) The guy can't even write a decent call-to-arms. "undemocratic will of the people" ? Did someone proofread this crap?? ;-)
And no, I am not advocating that anyone should hack into any computer system, anywhere, because that would be wrong and illegal. No, really...
Besides, individual bodies actually showing up in person all at once would be much more convincing and newsworthy than a website being down for a few minutes. If you want to disrupt the convention, I'm guessing a whole bunch of protesters showing up in person would be more effective than shutting down a website.
Anyone? Details, please!!
I'm wondering if it's true since, clearly, HD-DVD isn't a codec, it's a disk format. The HD-DVD spec currently supports two codecs, H.264, and VC-9.
Current Blu-ray tech uses MPEG-2, but they're talking about putting MPEG-4 and/or VC-9 support in as well. Notice that both specs are still evolving.
A pretty interesting article on the current status of both formats and their codecs is here.
Of course, I suppose with multi-wavelength-laser tech, Blu-ray could read other formats... but at what cost? Sony might indeed want Blu-ray-only players out there...
Funny, at first I thought you were posting slightly off-topic and talking about the PSX, but now that I've noticed you've written "Playstation 10", I think just you don't know much about Sony's product line...
Scratches on CDs and DVDs are a serious problem. I'm all for sturdier media.
Of course, it doesn't support HD-DVD.
Since the PS3 is already stated to support PS1 and PS2 games, it *must* support CD and DVD, so you don't *have* to re-purchase your DVDs in Blu-ray, just your HD-DVDs. Of course, if you're an HD addict and just can't stand those "low-res" DVDs, then yea, you need to buy *either* HD-DVD or Blu-ray, but Sony just helped you decide which one, in that case.
If you've already bought HD-DVD stuff, you *know* you're bleeding edge, and Sony just cut you...
Now the broadcasters and MPAA are going to have to go to congress. Oh, wait, they already own that branch. INDUCE will have a special broadcast rights clause now... and I'm betting it won't be protecting consumers.
Two days later, I could type pretty well.
Ok, I know, I'm psycho ( or at least not normal ), and yes, I did pretty well type 8-10 hours a day for those two days. My dad left for the weekend on a work assignment, and I was typing "a s d f" really slowly. He came back to find that I seemingly hadn't moved from the typewriter, and was pounding out entire sentences quite quickly.
This was sixth grade- I wouldn't even get a *chance* to take a typing class for 3 more years. By the time I could have taken typing, I didn't need to, and was able to take a programming class instead. Or maybe it was welding that was the extra class...
Despite my own success at the 'teach yourself' method, I have to argue with you on your main point, though. Does *everyone* have a computer at home?
Take away the option of a typing class, and you'll be sure to be leaving already disadvantaged children even futher in the dust.
Really, typing is more essential than ever before, and it needs to be taught earlier than it has been taught traditionally IMHO.
Chances are any schools dropping typing are doing so just to save money, so they don't have to cut precious sports programs.