Non photographic?
Is there a reason why you wouldn't use PNG for photographs as well? Since it's a lossless format, and compresses really well, it sure beats JPEG.
I think installers should be a lot easier, but I do think they are needed. If you have a program on a CD-ROM, and no installer, then you'd basically have to have the CD every time you wanted to run a program. Not so hot for the person who only has 1 CD-ROM and wants to run 2 programs at the same time. Installers are also good because they at least usually default with some modicum of organization (Usually a folder and some shortcuts in Start menu).
It would be nice to see a one-button-setup though. Pop in the CD, click "Run Program", and it will install the components it needs. Maybe an "Advanced" button for those power users who feel left out.
The concern is a real one. Consider someone who's irritated at their job at a weapons design facility, feels they deserve "the best" (but may actually not... You know the type). With these kinds of devices, how can you keep them from taking sensitive documents to countries with more money than research labs.
I just don't know what can be done about it, honestly. When you have USB devices that are shorter, narrower, and thinner than a stick of gum, what can you do? Here's hoping they have some way to block USB storage devices.
I'm a pretty good software developer, but if someone doesn't explain to me what the argument is in plain english without extreme haughtiness, I'm going to write off this whole issue as a pissing contest.
I think it's time for you to go back and study modern Operating System architecture, with particular attention to virtual memory. I'm at work, so I don't have a full lesson, but basically it boils down to this:
Your system is inefficient, and slow. The problem has already been solved (fairly succesfully) with virtual memory. Instead of "Making all of RAM into files", VM takes some disk space, and turns it into (very slow) RAM.
The focus with Virtual Memory is this: Don't just cache the things you need (You'll end up with a lot more reads/writes). Move the things you're less likely to need to virtual memory.
That I knew. Sure electrolysis is inefficient, but I don't really think efficiency is one of the prime factors when considering a battery charger. Mostly you're concerned about how much charge the battery takes, and the amount of time required for the recharge.
Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into water, right?
Electrolysis converts water into hydrogen and oxygen... right?
So why is "finding a source of hydrogen" so difficult? Can't you just use the waste water or tap water in your hotel room to electrolysis yourself some Hydrogen?
I'm still really happy with it. I get a couple hundred spam a day, and only get about 5-10 in my inbox each morning. I guess milage varies depending on what lists you've been subscribed to.
What you have to understand is that from where I'm sitting, it's theoretical to me. From my perspective there is very little alternative to Yahoo mail for free web-based mail.
Please don't knock my perspective when I don't have the opportunity to share yours.
I guess reality is in perception. To me, since I have no venue to aquire a gmail account, it's all mist and shadows. Of course, if you have a spare invite, I would be grateful.:)
Another advantage of going to a web page: It is MUCH better against virii. Even if they didn't have built-in virus scanning, it takes additional steps to dowload/execute malicious code.
All superficial jabbing aside... The 100 megs is here ~today~, coupled with some of the best spam-filtering available, and without some of the privacy issues that will cause problems for gmail overseas.
I'll take "Free existing cool service" over "Free theoretical awesome service" any day.
Here's the article about USB from the NYT. Read the publish date. READ IT MORTAL! READ IT, WEEP, AND KNOW FEAR!
PC as Power Plant By DOUGLAS HEINGARTNER
Published: June 10, 2004
IT began as a simple way of getting computers and other devices to play nicely together. But it has given rise to a stream of gadgets far more exotic than the printers and mouses it was designed to accommodate.
Its initials have also become increasingly familiar in the digital lexicon: U.S.B., for universal serial bus.
U.S.B. ports, and the plugs that fit them, make it easier to connect devices to a computer, eliminating screwdriver-heavy tasks and the need to reboot the computer every time a new piece of equipment is plugged in.
But perhaps most important, two of a U.S.B. cable's four wires carry not data but juice: enough current to run small to midsize gadgets with no need for batteries or AC adapters.
Eight years ago, when the technology first appeared, U.S.B. meant keyboards, joysticks and the like. But manufacturers began cottoning to U.S.B.'s ability to provide a power source, leading to a host of gizmos that have nothing to do with computers: radios, reading lights, even massage balls and air purifiers.
And as Scott Smith of the online retailer ThinkGeek (www.thinkgeek.com) points out, the universality of U.S.B. (that's what the U stands for, after all) means fewer international adapters for globetrotters to lug around.
Though many of the latest arrivals fall at the absurd end of the gadget continuum - like a U.S.B. flash drive shaped like a rubber duck - many are innovative, even ingenious: a U.S.B. cellphone charger, for example, lets you use your laptop for on-the-road S O S.
So the next time a blackout hits, your laptop's robust battery might find itself powering more than just your palmtop.
I don't know about elsewhere, but if they're out in a pasture the size of MA (Which they mentioned in the article), I don't think they're dairy cows. The checkup thing makes sense though.
Of course, I could also see whole new avenues of theft (Device and livestock), pranks, and similar with toys like these.
~D
For those that bothered to RTFA
on
WiFi Gone Wild
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Any ideas on how to keep those zap-collars working for extended periods? I'd think that replacing/recharging all those batteries would almost be as much work as herding the darn things.
While getting my master's degree in Computer Science, I was able to make my P4 whimper for mercy a few times... Honestly, it's to be expected since I was doing things like cross-breeding multimedia files to grow new and interesting files.
These days I'm doing OCR and some interesting image-manipulation stuff, so the faster she runs, the happier I am.
Honestly though, if you're doing they day-to-day of a non-savvy user (Web surfing, e-mail, word), a machine as old as 5 years old could probably meet their requirements. Budget computers are a GOOD thing for low-intensity/entry-level users.
Having been part of seti@home for quite a while, I had thought about switching... But decided not to.
Why does society break up into researching different things? Why shouldn't we find the #1 killer disease, focus ALL of our money at it, solve that, and move on? Sure, it's not as simple as that, but it also goes down to drive.
We work with charities and groups that touch our lives, soul or imagination. When friends and family are stricken with a disease, we are more likely to donate to a group trying to cure that disease.
Ultimately it comes to this: SETI is a dream that I share with the founders of the project. It's something I could see myself persuing in some other life. It's a lottery that, if you win, you don't know what the prize will be. Maybe it will re-focus our community a bit more away from commercialism, and more towards exploration and discovery. Maybe we win nothing.
Slashdot Mirror
Non photographic?
Is there a reason why you wouldn't use PNG for photographs as well? Since it's a lossless format, and compresses really well, it sure beats JPEG.
~D
This has some amazing potential for pratical jokes. Imagine going through a greenhouse and hearing a rattlsnake piped through a Plantplifier.
Oh yes... Halloween will be fun!
~D
Ahh yes... 3 AM, and stuck in a room with one of those rocket-demon badasses, watching 3 or 4 of my previous bodies still dying. I loved college. :)
I think installers should be a lot easier, but I do think they are needed. If you have a program on a CD-ROM, and no installer, then you'd basically have to have the CD every time you wanted to run a program. Not so hot for the person who only has 1 CD-ROM and wants to run 2 programs at the same time. Installers are also good because they at least usually default with some modicum of organization (Usually a folder and some shortcuts in Start menu).
It would be nice to see a one-button-setup though. Pop in the CD, click "Run Program", and it will install the components it needs. Maybe an "Advanced" button for those power users who feel left out.
~D
Of course, the question this brings up to me is: Who else can always find my children?
~D
Simple, because I want a machine that is reliable, that I don't have to dick around wi... Did you say $500?
~D
The concern is a real one. Consider someone who's irritated at their job at a weapons design facility, feels they deserve "the best" (but may actually not... You know the type). With these kinds of devices, how can you keep them from taking sensitive documents to countries with more money than research labs.
I just don't know what can be done about it, honestly. When you have USB devices that are shorter, narrower, and thinner than a stick of gum, what can you do? Here's hoping they have some way to block USB storage devices.
~D
A simple rule I teach all my friends/family/users:
If an e-mail asks you to forward it to anyone: Don't.
They're like human-propigated computer virii, written by social engineers who don't know how to program.
I'm a pretty good software developer, but if someone doesn't explain to me what the argument is in plain english without extreme haughtiness, I'm going to write off this whole issue as a pissing contest.
~D
I think it's time for you to go back and study modern Operating System architecture, with particular attention to virtual memory. I'm at work, so I don't have a full lesson, but basically it boils down to this:
Your system is inefficient, and slow. The problem has already been solved (fairly succesfully) with virtual memory. Instead of "Making all of RAM into files", VM takes some disk space, and turns it into (very slow) RAM.
The focus with Virtual Memory is this: Don't just cache the things you need (You'll end up with a lot more reads/writes). Move the things you're less likely to need to virtual memory.
~D
That I knew. Sure electrolysis is inefficient, but I don't really think efficiency is one of the prime factors when considering a battery charger. Mostly you're concerned about how much charge the battery takes, and the amount of time required for the recharge.
~D
Ok... Maybe I need a science lesson here.
Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into water, right?
Electrolysis converts water into hydrogen and oxygen... right?
So why is "finding a source of hydrogen" so difficult? Can't you just use the waste water or tap water in your hotel room to electrolysis yourself some Hydrogen?
~D
Sorry, I don't have any yet. Just been with them for a day or two. That's why I recommended the link in my original post.
~D
A Gmail invite came to my Yahoo account just fine.
Just so y'all know: I used http://www.gmailswap.com to get the invite. Thanks guys!
~D
Actually, to some philosophical views, the world is theoretical. It's all about perspective.
~D
I'm still really happy with it. I get a couple hundred spam a day, and only get about 5-10 in my inbox each morning. I guess milage varies depending on what lists you've been subscribed to.
~D
What you have to understand is that from where I'm sitting, it's theoretical to me. From my perspective there is very little alternative to Yahoo mail for free web-based mail.
Please don't knock my perspective when I don't have the opportunity to share yours.
~D
I guess reality is in perception. To me, since I have no venue to aquire a gmail account, it's all mist and shadows. Of course, if you have a spare invite, I would be grateful. :)
~D
Another advantage of going to a web page: It is MUCH better against virii. Even if they didn't have built-in virus scanning, it takes additional steps to dowload/execute malicious code.
~D
All superficial jabbing aside... The 100 megs is here ~today~, coupled with some of the best spam-filtering available, and without some of the privacy issues that will cause problems for gmail overseas.
I'll take "Free existing cool service" over "Free theoretical awesome service" any day.
~D
Here's the article about USB from the NYT. Read the publish date. READ IT MORTAL! READ IT, WEEP, AND KNOW FEAR!
PC as Power Plant
By DOUGLAS HEINGARTNER
Published: June 10, 2004
IT began as a simple way of getting computers and other devices to play nicely together. But it has given rise to a stream of gadgets far more exotic than the printers and mouses it was designed to accommodate.
Its initials have also become increasingly familiar in the digital lexicon: U.S.B., for universal serial bus.
U.S.B. ports, and the plugs that fit them, make it easier to connect devices to a computer, eliminating screwdriver-heavy tasks and the need to reboot the computer every time a new piece of equipment is plugged in.
But perhaps most important, two of a U.S.B. cable's four wires carry not data but juice: enough current to run small to midsize gadgets with no need for batteries or AC adapters.
Eight years ago, when the technology first appeared, U.S.B. meant keyboards, joysticks and the like. But manufacturers began cottoning to U.S.B.'s ability to provide a power source, leading to a host of gizmos that have nothing to do with computers: radios, reading lights, even massage balls and air purifiers.
And as Scott Smith of the online retailer ThinkGeek (www.thinkgeek.com) points out, the universality of U.S.B. (that's what the U stands for, after all) means fewer international adapters for globetrotters to lug around.
Though many of the latest arrivals fall at the absurd end of the gadget continuum - like a U.S.B. flash drive shaped like a rubber duck - many are innovative, even ingenious: a U.S.B. cellphone charger, for example, lets you use your laptop for on-the-road S O S.
So the next time a blackout hits, your laptop's robust battery might find itself powering more than just your palmtop.
I don't know about elsewhere, but if they're out in a pasture the size of MA (Which they mentioned in the article), I don't think they're dairy cows. The checkup thing makes sense though.
Of course, I could also see whole new avenues of theft (Device and livestock), pranks, and similar with toys like these.
~D
Any ideas on how to keep those zap-collars working for extended periods? I'd think that replacing/recharging all those batteries would almost be as much work as herding the darn things.
~D
While getting my master's degree in Computer Science, I was able to make my P4 whimper for mercy a few times... Honestly, it's to be expected since I was doing things like cross-breeding multimedia files to grow new and interesting files.
These days I'm doing OCR and some interesting image-manipulation stuff, so the faster she runs, the happier I am.
Honestly though, if you're doing they day-to-day of a non-savvy user (Web surfing, e-mail, word), a machine as old as 5 years old could probably meet their requirements. Budget computers are a GOOD thing for low-intensity/entry-level users.
~D
Having been part of seti@home for quite a while, I had thought about switching... But decided not to.
Why does society break up into researching different things? Why shouldn't we find the #1 killer disease, focus ALL of our money at it, solve that, and move on? Sure, it's not as simple as that, but it also goes down to drive.
We work with charities and groups that touch our lives, soul or imagination. When friends and family are stricken with a disease, we are more likely to donate to a group trying to cure that disease.
Ultimately it comes to this: SETI is a dream that I share with the founders of the project. It's something I could see myself persuing in some other life. It's a lottery that, if you win, you don't know what the prize will be. Maybe it will re-focus our community a bit more away from commercialism, and more towards exploration and discovery. Maybe we win nothing.
I'm in it for the journey, not the destination.
~D