What the government should do is require US companies outsourcing work that could (should) be done by US citizens to owe payroll tax to the IRS as if the foreign workers were paying US income tax. IE: by outsourcing US jobs, US companies are DEFRAUDING the IRS of tax money.
I saw a $99 BD player at Wally*World last night. I also noticed that the prices on BD disks are going down. Few titles now sell for more that $25, many are available for around $20, and some for under $10. Also there are now available some nice multi disk packs with several movies in the range of $50-$99 (Costco had all 6 StarTrek movies with Kirk and Spock for $89).
Yes BD software prices still need to come down some more, but they are now going in the right direction. Cheap players are out there, BD players are now priced where DVD machines were a few years ago.
The DVD machine I'm waiting for is the Oppo BD83, which will play EVERYTHING made on a 5.25" disk (IE: BD, BDR, BDW, DVD(-R,-RW,+R,+RW), CD, CDR, CDRW SACD, DVD-Audio (eventually), MP3, OGG, AVI, MP4, etc...... Also will play files on a USB stick (yes it has a front panel USB A connector). It also has 7.1 analog outputs so you don't need an external Dolby digital decoder, digital coax and optical outputs, component video, svideo, video, and of course, HDMI outputs. This every AND the kitchen sink machine will probably retail for between $500-600, but I think it's worth the price. (My current Oppo DVD player does EVERYTHING this one does except for BD, component video and USB file play).
Many public libraries have CD's, DVD's, and even games that they loan out. I haven't seen any PC software at my library, but many PC books come with a CD of software in them and those are in the library.
Twice now while a Windows machine was 'in the shop' for repairs I issued a loaner computer running Ubuntu to a family member. Both my wife and my daughter were able to figure out how it worked and to use Firefox and OpenOffice. I couldn't get Ubuntu to use my daughters' Dell printer (it's listed as a 'paperweight' on the Linux printing database), but I could get it to talk to our networked HP LJ4. My daughter now wants me to dual boot her windows computer with Ubuntu, she liked the GAMES it came with (... what no games!!!!). She also thought the screen savers were way cooler than what came with Windows.
There are companies that have put together computers with hardware that just works well with Ubuntu (or some other Distro) that are usable right out of the box. (Too bad they usually cost more than a 'bigbox store' windows machine).
Ubuntu should probably ONLY be upgraded when the LTS version comes out. The releases between each LTS version are bleeding edge new feature cuts, but more care is usually given to the LTS version.
If you want to know REAL upgrade HELL, then you should try Gentoo! I gave up on Gentoo after several badly failed upgrade cycles which left the machine almost totally hosed. Gentoo doesn't really have versions, they just piecemeal upgrade bits of the system all the time. It's a GD moving target!
I don't agree with Stallmans' objection to Linux drivers with binary blobs and calling Linux not free as a result. In most cases the binary driver blobs are for devices that require their firmware to be downloaded into ram, these devices (mostly PCI cards) have on board processors that run their firmware out of ram. The PC must first download the ram image to start the controller. What is the difference between a PCI card that has its' embedded firmware in rom or ram if the source isn't included? Stallman would not object to the former, but screams bloody murder about the later.
If the binary blob had actual kernel code that ran on the PC itself, that would be a reasonable thing to object to. But not if the blob is downloaded as data to the controller, even if it is machine code.
Brings back memories of a road trip from NYC to Dayton OH to go to the hamfest. Must have heard that song a gazillon times on the radio. Also Layla. Maybe he can do Layla next.
The risk might not be as great in the near future as described. For one, solar flares large enough to do such damage are rare. Also in now appears that the sun is entering a more quiet phase, the next solar cycle that should have started by now hasn't, and the predictions for max sun spot numbers for the next cycle have been done graded several times. Short wave radio reception will probably not be as good as it was in the past 20 years. The Canadian flare incident happened during one of the more active solar periods, perhaps the last one for next century.
I never liked those earbud 'phones anyway. If you buy one of those new shuffles and have a pair of phones you'd rather use the solution is simple (if you can solder). Just cut the cable anywhere between the control pod and the earbuds, solder a 3.5mm stereo jack onto the cable, and plug in your favorite pair of headphones. Unless Apple has done something devious by using very high or low impedance in their phones your headphones will now work fine, and you can still control your shuffle using the controls on the cord of the old Apple earbuds.
Akira Watanabe has a good reason for saying this, since he is the guy in charge of cameras at Olympus. Olympus makes digital SLR cameras using the 4/3 sensor format, which is smaller than the APC sized sensors that Nikon, Cannon, Pentax, and Sony use. The smaller the sensor, the fewer pixels you can fit on them and still have decent low light performance. Even so, the APC sized sensors seem to have reached their maximum at about 15 Mega Pixels, while Full Frame size sensors (same size as 35mm film) will probably peak at 25 MP or so (where they are now). Unless you need to make blowups larger than 8X10 or 11X14 a 12MP sensor is probably good enough (It WAS estimated some time back that Kodachrome 25 was the equal of about 50MP, so decide for yourself). It should also be pointed out that Kodak makes sensors the same size as Medium format file (6x6cm) currently at 50MP and this density will probably get a bit larger. Hasselblad makes a camera using this sensor (and if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it).
The next day they gathered a huge number of apes and set them down in front of typewriters. One year latter they compiled all of the type written sheets and had the complete works of Shakespeare.
It's all the OTHER crap that has to get done before you can use your computer. If you have only windows, no net connection, no 'SlowestNotes', no 'Norton-Nork anitvirius' software etc in your startup folder windows starts pretty quickly.
The problems start when you have a net login script on a bloated server that holds you back, then SlowestNotes starts and takes a few minutes to log you in and open your inbox, even longer to show your first new email. Then Norton-Nork anti-virus takes another few minutes to initialize and spit up a half dozen popups. Why can't all this crappy group-underwear run in the background in SILENT and let you open an app as soon as the OS is ready?
Not to mention that being Windows you probably have a ton of Maulware, Spyware, Viri and other infectious crap running in the background that Nortin-Nork didn't find. You don't stand a chance!
Last year I wouldn't give a dentist my SS# prior to a cleaning, and was denied service. One of the most absurd thing I have seen in ages. They wanted my SS number more than they wanted my $100 I guess.
That is illegal. The law states that your SS# may NOT be used as identification.
A library only has a finite number of copies of a book and they can't lend more copies than they have. I guess a digital library could be legal if: 1: the library paid for, or was given the rights to lend a fixed number of 'copies' of each book. 2: when the copies were 'checked out' the library couldn't lend any additional copies until the copies were 'returned'. 3: the host and client software would have to co-ordinate the deletion of the returned copy from the user and the checking in to the library of the returned copy.
In Jeff Bezos' interview on The Charlie Rose show, he used a flashlight analogy, saying that reading on a convential screen is like staring into a flashlight. The light may not be as bright as a typical flashlight, but it's a helluva lot brighter (and different) than the light reflected off a piece of paper. Or a Kindle. Ergo, Bezos opted not to use a LCD screen, while being aware of the tradeoffs of doing so. The reaction to his decision has ranged from praise to amazement to a shitload of Kindles being sold.
Well that's true of a TRANSMISSIVE LCD, but not of the REFLECTIVE type. Reflective LCD's don't work out very well for color since the light has to pass through the filters twice, but a monochrome reflective LCD would be another story.
When ebook readers get cheap enough (so cheap that they will GIVE THEM AWAY when you buy a few ebooks) and they have the same format as real books (similar size, type setting, and just as easy on the eyes and weigh no more than a typical hard cover novel) then they will become common. Maybe they would be able to let you select the print size so as to emulate large print books and even show two pages at once and hinge in the middle (like a real book), just to make readers feel more comfortable.
Why not use "fly paper" to catch the small stuff? Or a big net (same technology as solar sails)? Then when enough stuff is captured either burn it up by re-entry aimed at a deep trench in the Pacific, or send it into the sun.
Slashdot Mirror
What the government should do is require US companies outsourcing work that
could (should) be done by US citizens to owe payroll tax to the IRS as if
the foreign workers were paying US income tax. IE: by outsourcing US jobs,
US companies are DEFRAUDING the IRS of tax money.
I saw a $99 BD player at Wally*World last night.
I also noticed that the prices on BD disks are going down.
Few titles now sell for more that $25, many are available
for around $20, and some for under $10. Also there are
now available some nice multi disk packs with several movies
in the range of $50-$99 (Costco had all 6 StarTrek movies with
Kirk and Spock for $89).
Yes BD software prices still need to come down some more, but they are
now going in the right direction. Cheap players are out there, BD players
are now priced where DVD machines were a few years ago.
The DVD machine I'm waiting for is the Oppo BD83, which will play EVERYTHING
made on a 5.25" disk (IE: BD, BDR, BDW, DVD(-R,-RW,+R,+RW), CD, CDR, CDRW
SACD, DVD-Audio (eventually), MP3, OGG, AVI, MP4, etc......
Also will play files on a USB stick (yes it has a front panel USB A connector).
It also has 7.1 analog outputs so you don't need an external Dolby digital decoder,
digital coax and optical outputs, component video, svideo, video, and of course,
HDMI outputs. This every AND the kitchen sink machine will probably retail for
between $500-600, but I think it's worth the price. (My current Oppo
DVD player does EVERYTHING this one does except for BD, component video and USB
file play).
Many public libraries have CD's, DVD's, and even games that they
loan out. I haven't seen any PC software at my library, but many
PC books come with a CD of software in them and those are in the
library.
Yes, that's the answer (to life, the universe and EVERYTHING!)
that it comes with diapers!
Twice now while a Windows machine was 'in the shop' for repairs I issued a loaner computer
running Ubuntu to a family member. Both my wife and my daughter were able to figure out
how it worked and to use Firefox and OpenOffice. I couldn't get Ubuntu to use my daughters'
Dell printer (it's listed as a 'paperweight' on the Linux printing database), but I could
get it to talk to our networked HP LJ4. My daughter now wants me to dual boot her windows
computer with Ubuntu, she liked the GAMES it came with (... what no games!!!!). She also
thought the screen savers were way cooler than what came with Windows.
There are companies that have put together computers with hardware that just works well
with Ubuntu (or some other Distro) that are usable right out of the box. (Too bad they
usually cost more than a 'bigbox store' windows machine).
Ubuntu should probably ONLY be upgraded when the LTS version comes out.
The releases between each LTS version are bleeding edge new feature
cuts, but more care is usually given to the LTS version.
If you want to know REAL upgrade HELL, then you should try Gentoo!
I gave up on Gentoo after several badly failed upgrade cycles which
left the machine almost totally hosed. Gentoo doesn't really have
versions, they just piecemeal upgrade bits of the system all the time.
It's a GD moving target!
Hey People emit methane too!
(So maybe we should outlaw beans!)
I don't agree with Stallmans' objection to Linux drivers with binary blobs and calling
Linux not free as a result. In most cases the binary driver blobs are for
devices that require their firmware to be downloaded into ram, these devices
(mostly PCI cards) have on board processors that run their firmware out of
ram. The PC must first download the ram image to start the controller.
What is the difference between a PCI card that has its' embedded firmware in
rom or ram if the source isn't included? Stallman would not object to the
former, but screams bloody murder about the later.
If the binary blob had actual kernel code that ran on the PC itself, that would
be a reasonable thing to object to. But not if the blob is downloaded as
data to the controller, even if it is machine code.
How about a Vulcan Gattling gun with 70mm depleted Uranium shells?
Brings back memories of a road trip from NYC to Dayton OH to go to the hamfest.
Must have heard that song a gazillon times on the radio. Also Layla.
Maybe he can do Layla next.
The risk might not be as great in the near future as described. For one, solar flares large enough to do such damage are rare. Also in now appears that the sun is entering a more quiet phase, the next solar cycle that should have started by now hasn't, and the predictions for max sun spot numbers for the next cycle have been done graded several times. Short wave radio reception will probably not be as good as it was in the past 20 years. The Canadian flare incident happened during one of the more active solar periods, perhaps the last one for next century.
Yet another good reason to use an AMD cpu!
yeah, the only person to ever fly one of those was Dirk Pitt.
I never liked those earbud 'phones anyway. If you buy one of those new
shuffles and have a pair of phones you'd rather use the solution is simple
(if you can solder). Just cut the cable anywhere between the control pod
and the earbuds, solder a 3.5mm stereo jack onto the cable, and plug in
your favorite pair of headphones. Unless Apple has done something
devious by using very high or low impedance in their phones your
headphones will now work fine, and you can still control your shuffle
using the controls on the cord of the old Apple earbuds.
Akira Watanabe has a good reason for saying this, since he is the guy in charge of cameras at Olympus. Olympus makes digital SLR cameras using the 4/3 sensor format, which is smaller than the APC sized sensors that Nikon, Cannon, Pentax, and Sony use. The smaller the sensor, the fewer pixels you can fit on them and still have decent low light performance. Even so, the APC sized sensors seem to have reached their maximum at about 15 Mega Pixels, while Full Frame size sensors (same size as 35mm film) will probably peak at 25 MP or so (where they are now). Unless you need to make blowups larger than 8X10 or 11X14 a 12MP sensor is probably good enough (It WAS estimated some time back that Kodachrome 25 was the equal of about 50MP, so decide for yourself). It should also be pointed out that Kodak makes sensors the same size as Medium format file (6x6cm) currently at 50MP and this density will probably get a bit larger. Hasselblad makes a camera using this sensor (and if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it).
The next day they gathered a huge number of apes and set them down in front of typewriters. One year latter they compiled all of the type written sheets and had the complete works of Shakespeare.
Could it also be the difference between cheap ear-buds and good quality speakers?
It's all the OTHER crap that has to get done before you can use your computer. If you have only windows, no net connection, no 'SlowestNotes', no 'Norton-Nork anitvirius' software etc in your startup folder windows starts pretty quickly.
The problems start when you have a net login script on a bloated server that holds you back, then SlowestNotes starts and takes a few minutes to log you in and open your inbox, even longer to show your first new email. Then Norton-Nork anti-virus takes another few minutes to initialize and spit up a half dozen popups. Why can't all this crappy group-underwear run in the background in SILENT and let you open an app as soon as the OS is ready?
Not to mention that being Windows you probably have a ton of Maulware, Spyware, Viri and other infectious crap running in the background that Nortin-Nork didn't find. You don't stand a chance!
Last year I wouldn't give a dentist my SS# prior to a cleaning, and was denied service. One of the most absurd thing I have seen in ages. They wanted my SS number more than they wanted my $100 I guess.
That is illegal. The law states that your SS# may NOT be used as identification.
A library only has a finite number of copies of a book and they can't lend more copies than they have. I guess a digital library could be legal if:
1: the library paid for, or was given the rights to lend a fixed number of 'copies' of each book.
2: when the copies were 'checked out' the library couldn't lend any additional copies until the copies were 'returned'.
3: the host and client software would have to co-ordinate the deletion of the returned copy from the user and the checking in to the library of the returned copy.
In Jeff Bezos' interview on The Charlie Rose show, he used a flashlight analogy, saying that reading on a convential screen is like staring into a flashlight. The light may not be as bright as a typical flashlight, but it's a helluva lot brighter (and different) than the light reflected off a piece of paper. Or a Kindle. Ergo, Bezos opted not to use a LCD screen, while being aware of the tradeoffs of doing so. The reaction to his decision has ranged from praise to amazement to a shitload of Kindles being sold.
Well that's true of a TRANSMISSIVE LCD, but not of the REFLECTIVE type. Reflective LCD's don't work out very well for color since the light has to pass through the filters twice, but a monochrome reflective LCD would be another story.
Well then I guess M$ will sue anybody that uses flash cards in their product. Guess Nikon is next?
Wait, only if you use flash cards AND Linux?
When ebook readers get cheap enough (so cheap that they will GIVE THEM AWAY when you buy a few ebooks) and they have the same format as real books (similar size, type setting, and just as easy on the eyes and weigh no more than a typical hard cover novel) then they will become common. Maybe they would be able to let you select the print size so as to emulate large print books and even show two pages at once and hinge in the middle (like a real book), just to make readers feel more comfortable.
Why not use "fly paper" to catch the small stuff?
Or a big net (same technology as solar sails)?
Then when enough stuff is captured either burn it up by re-entry aimed at a deep trench in the Pacific, or send it into the sun.