What is more, I see folks spending hundreds of dollars on fitness gear before it is really justified.
I mean, come on, some guy who has never ran in his life spends all this money on gear before he even goes out running for the first time. Or cycling. Or anything. This isn't limited to geek gear though. You'll see guys who "run" 13 minute miles with a couple hundred dollars worth of Nike gear on.
Personally I believe that you put your money where your mouth is, or however the cliche should be worded for this. In other words, grab a good pair of shoes like you said, put on some old shorts and a T-Shirt, and if you're still running after 2 months, consider buying the geek gear if you think you really need it and you think it may help motivate you.
It takes more to motivate someone long term to get healthy than an iPod, or a wedding they want to look good for, etc. It has to become part of your life, part of your routine, and something you enjoy. Personally, I don't see what it is so hard for people. I mean, sit in an office cube all day. Go home. Decide to do something other than sit at a PC or TV for hours. Go to gym/running/etc. Look better and feel better. Repeat. If you're lucky you'll even quit LOOKING like a geek and maybe get a girlfriend to match!
Hell, I think Burt ought to step up and pilot the damn thing- or at least ride along as crew. I mean, wouldn't you? The SpaceShipOne/White Knight stack looks pretty friggin sweet! I really hope he wins because I feel like his design is a lot more innovative and exciting than some year 2004 copy of Alan Shepard's ride- 40 year old ballistic missle technology.
Yeah, you're exactly right. Cessna almost went out of business because of law suits and if you see a Cessna today chances are probably 9 out of 10 that its a 152 or 172 that is decades old.
And it is truely a god-damned shame. The fact that all these aircraft are around today and flying after 50 years ought to say something. I mean, you don't see a lot of Ford Pintos on the road anymore, do you? It amazes me how long something can last when it is designed correctly and cared for by professionals. Look at the fleet of B-52s... Anyway, now you can't pick up a new single engine Cessna for less than 158K
You can also usually buy a performer's music DVD for only a buck or two more than the audio CD, and a lot of times they are the same price or sometimes less. I don't know about you but for the same price, I'll take an hour of video of Norah Jones singing instead of her audio CD with just the jacket photo to look at!
Re:Good... down with Real
on
Real Problems
·
· Score: 1
Except recently- I've been paying half-attention while trying to grab acrobat reader on a few workstations, and the next thing I new it was trying to install an eval of PhotoShop Album? WTF? Guess I need to pay better attention next time.
Don't believe everything you read. Paul Allen is a big sponsor of SpaceShipOne... Not Bill Gates so far as I know. Also, I'd hardly say that SpaceShipOne crashed. It has a successful flight and had an incident with the landing gear that was cabable of being repaired. And during that flight, SpaceShipOne became the first ever privately funded plane/spaceship to break the sound barrier. SO what, they had a landing gear issue. Earlier in flight they lit up a rocket engine after being dropped from a jet at 47,000 feet.
I picked up the 5500 about a year ago for $200. I hear you can get that model for around $150 now. Quite the clever device- I had a web server running on it and would walk around the shop asking people to hit an address in their browser and then show them the server was in my hand. People have "adapted" all kinds of Linux apps to the Zaurus.
Eventually all that got old though and I ended up selling it on E-Bay recently. The fact that it runs Personal Java however would make it my platform of choice if I ever needed to put together a custom PDA app.
Yeah, but why would you do that when you can buy a Zaurus that fits in your hand and comes with Linux, a nifty keyboard, and a CF slot for your WiFi card all for around a buck fifty?
It is like turning a G4 Cube into an aquarium, only worse. No, maybe it is like running Linux on a iBook. Or having the leather seats in your Porche replaced with vinyl. It is one of those things that is so bad, the whole "because I can" argument doesn't even hold up.
Actually it'd be interesting if some of the old databases of messages could be restored.
Hey, you know that is a good idea. As a kid calling BBSs, I really think that the opportunity to communicate with older folks helped me a lot from a maturity/learning/thinking/etc standpoint. It is sad that today it seems like the Internet only causes trouble for younger kids- the sexual predators and stuff. BBSs were a much tighter community, at least in the small town where I grew up. Even if you didn't know the folks at the other end of the line, you probably had common friends.
Slashdot had a story on Audio Lunchbox a while back. I like their approach a lot- it treats people like adults. If iTMS took the same approach I can almost assure you they would have higher sales. Any pirateing that would occur would be offset by people willing to buy a more useful product. IMHO anyway. Obviously someone out there thinks they are smarter than guys like you or me.
I'm not trying to dispute what you are saying, I just wanted to mention some concerns I've had about my iTMS purchases and see if you agree or disagree:
I've stopped and thought about whether I should actually burn a new mix CD, since I believe iTMS limits you to the number of times a track can be burned? It wouldn't be unusual for me to want to have a given track on several CDs, over time. It also wouldn't be unusual for me to need to replace (reburn) one of the CDs at some point due to loss or damge.
Second, I can't copy the things to my Rio 500. A trusty legacy device I won't part with until the day it dies.
Third, I'm not going to burn audio CD's and re-rip them. I think that is ridiculous and I'll just buy real CDs if it comes to that.
Fourth, somewhat unrelated, I guess I need to research how the DRM works. I kind of worry about needing to reload OS X and then having the music files I backed up not work with the new load of OS X because it thinks I am a different user or something. On the surface I didn't find anything to explain this.
Anyway, I've bought several CD's worth of music so far and I knew the limitations so I'm not complaining. But the points above do concern me and may affect future purchases. What does everyone else think about these issues?
From the license that ships with the J2SE 1.4.2
(vi) you agree to defend and indemnify Sun and its licensors from and against any damages, costs, liabilities, settlement amounts and/or expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in connection with any claim, lawsuit or action by any third party that arises or results from the use or distribution of any and all Programs and/or Software.
Depending on the way you read Sun's terms above, especially the "including attorneys' fees", it sounds a lot like the M$ verbiage you are concerned about? Or, if not, correct me- I'm honestly no legal expert:)
To most of the folks here, if something isn't OSS, it might as well be the anti-christ. There are obvious benefits in a lot of cases to OSS, but I think those concepts will be overlooked when the first two sentences out of someone's mouth is always how OSS is the only way to go and how bad M$ sucks.
It is really amazing how seriously people take this kind of thing. It is an eerie kind of cult following that seems to pre-empt any type of logical thought. It is the attitude that fans of Jacko or OJ take in not being able to accept that their hero could actually be guilty. Could there be shortcomings to Linux and OSS? Could there be cases where it isn't appropriate? Does our shit sometimes stink? I say, answer these questions first, and evangelize second.
You have to take each thing that comes up in this world and analyze it individually, IMHO.
Don't most licenses read that the original contributor can't be sued? In other words say you use open source project X and include it in your software. Whoever came up with the original project X is free from any liability.
At least, this is what I've seen with serveral Java related technologies that I've built into commercial products. Of course, any good license agreement to an end user disclaims responsibility anyway... something you have to do or you'd have every nut out there suing you for millions because your product "somehow messed up" (the no correlation effect) their PC so they couldn't get their email, and in their inbox was some Nigerian scam that was a certain million in the hand, if your product hand't messed up their PC.
Well, our enemies already have ill-tempered sea bass with frickin' laser beams. Seems the next logical step is for us to put weapons in orbit capable of neutralizing this horrible threat.
Yeah, I know it is customizable- I made reference to the "Classic" theme-
My point was, how long until the "Classic" Windows 98- era UI widget set is removed permanently? It is already essentially "deprecated" for all intents and purposes- number one it is no longer the default and number two it is now called "Classic"... two sure fire signs that it is on its way out.
Then, we'll be stuck with the XP widget set for good. Unless, you're writing java apps. Then, you'll always have jgoodies and one of the finer UI's available IMHO. Thanks Karsten!
What are the chances that Longhorn will get rid of the Classic interface altogether? That is royally going to suck. I can't imagine having to use the Crayola theme. Why do the damn titlebars have to be so big?
What is odd is I heard with XP Pro, M$ was going to default the OS to classic but due to "overwhelming interest" in the new Luna theme or whatever the call it, they threw away the idea.
What is also interesting is that Sever 2003 defaults to classic theme, although the Start Menu is pretty well screwed up IMHO.
Especially the Spanish thing. I heard where the attacks are reshaping their entire government, and it is not into a position to defend Spain- the new government will be designed to appease terrorists. You're so right, it doesn't end there. It won't end until everyone is Spain is either a pile of ash or they are praying 5 times a day and volunteering their lives to go around the world killing innocent people. That is the only way Bin Laden would be happy. Once you give up every last shred of western ideology, then you're safe. Quit working, quit achieving, quit buying things, quit wearing blue jeans, quit listening to Rock and Roll, and if you're a young lady, quit exposing your body in public.
I can't believe the Spanish are making these decisions. You can't reason with the irrational. And anybody who tells you terrorists are just like us and can be dealt with is sick in the head.
Well, you may not want to vist the U.S., and I also wouldn't recommend a holiday in Iraq. Say you wanted to go andsee the results of all our hospital an school rebuilding efforts. I hear they are thanking people by setting them on fire and dragging them through the streets (did the rest of the world get these horrible images in the news? dear God.) Countries just aren't treating their visitors like they used to....
We granted visas to some of the 9/11 hijackers months after 9/11. Now, how is that for service. You can't say that we treat our visitors like criminals. Apparently you're allowed in even if you've been part of the worst terrorist attack of all time. Of course, luckily the bastard was already dead so it was just an "honorary" status.
Java 1.1 is ancient technology. It is VERY slow, is only compatible with the first iteration of Swing (and that is as an add on), has no support for DnD, no support for things like a mouse wheel, the list goes on and on. While it might be acceptable for an applet that scrolls text, it not useful in todays world for for business applets or applications. Java 1.1 loses hands-down to just about any other technology available in 2004 (which isn't surprising since 1.1 is circa 1998).
I get your point, and think it was probably more valid back in the Java 1.2 and early 1.3 era. Honestly, I can't even begin to list the improvements made in Java from 1.1 to 1.2 to 1.3 to 1.4.
I'm strongly in favour of greater personal freedom
Can you elect to not participate in the National Health Service plan, and as a result either get a refund check or not be charged the up-front taxes?
I really don't want to participate in the U.S. social security system but participation is mandatory. I'm not sure what else to call the compulsory participation in programs such as these when you will be put in jail if you don't pay or choose to participate.
Like you, I favor personal freedom too. I favor free choice. I don't see how it is a crime to decline participation in all these various programs. And what next? What is the next big thing that government decides I need so they'll force me to pay for it?
the government is *so* greedy to provide all those shiny new schools and hospitals, and extra doctors and nurses and teachers
I'm sure similar defenses were offered of Stalin's regime, no? Stalin was a better man, though. He founds jobs for his fellow comrades and went ahead and took everyone's money- not just 50 or 60 percent of it. Gave people less to worry about and gave them things they clearly couldn't have had under any other system. Don't be proud of being a socialist. Be embarassed that you aren't a communist. They've implemented what socialists tried to do and failed.
Did you read the fine print though on GMail? They're going to be showing ads based on the CONTENT of your email. Now, I'm sure people will say that everyone already shows ads based on who you are. But I for one don't want a half-page ad for a penis enlarger showing up on my monitor at work when I'm trying to discretely communicate via email with my doctor about the real thing- a $10,000 surgery I'm lining up!
Slashdot Mirror
What is more, I see folks spending hundreds of dollars on fitness gear before it is really justified.
I mean, come on, some guy who has never ran in his life spends all this money on gear before he even goes out running for the first time. Or cycling. Or anything. This isn't limited to geek gear though. You'll see guys who "run" 13 minute miles with a couple hundred dollars worth of Nike gear on.
Personally I believe that you put your money where your mouth is, or however the cliche should be worded for this. In other words, grab a good pair of shoes like you said, put on some old shorts and a T-Shirt, and if you're still running after 2 months, consider buying the geek gear if you think you really need it and you think it may help motivate you.
It takes more to motivate someone long term to get healthy than an iPod, or a wedding they want to look good for, etc. It has to become part of your life, part of your routine, and something you enjoy. Personally, I don't see what it is so hard for people. I mean, sit in an office cube all day. Go home. Decide to do something other than sit at a PC or TV for hours. Go to gym/running/etc. Look better and feel better. Repeat. If you're lucky you'll even quit LOOKING like a geek and maybe get a girlfriend to match!
Hell, I think Burt ought to step up and pilot the damn thing- or at least ride along as crew. I mean, wouldn't you? The SpaceShipOne/White Knight stack looks pretty friggin sweet! I really hope he wins because I feel like his design is a lot more innovative and exciting than some year 2004 copy of Alan Shepard's ride- 40 year old ballistic missle technology.
Yeah, you're exactly right. Cessna almost went out of business because of law suits and if you see a Cessna today chances are probably 9 out of 10 that its a 152 or 172 that is decades old.
And it is truely a god-damned shame. The fact that all these aircraft are around today and flying after 50 years ought to say something. I mean, you don't see a lot of Ford Pintos on the road anymore, do you? It amazes me how long something can last when it is designed correctly and cared for by professionals. Look at the fleet of B-52s... Anyway, now you can't pick up a new single engine Cessna for less than 158K
You can also usually buy a performer's music DVD for only a buck or two more than the audio CD, and a lot of times they are the same price or sometimes less. I don't know about you but for the same price, I'll take an hour of video of Norah Jones singing instead of her audio CD with just the jacket photo to look at!
Except recently- I've been paying half-attention while trying to grab acrobat reader on a few workstations, and the next thing I new it was trying to install an eval of PhotoShop Album? WTF? Guess I need to pay better attention next time.
Don't believe everything you read. Paul Allen is a big sponsor of SpaceShipOne... Not Bill Gates so far as I know. Also, I'd hardly say that SpaceShipOne crashed. It has a successful flight and had an incident with the landing gear that was cabable of being repaired. And during that flight, SpaceShipOne became the first ever privately funded plane/spaceship to break the sound barrier. SO what, they had a landing gear issue. Earlier in flight they lit up a rocket engine after being dropped from a jet at 47,000 feet.
Are you guys anticipating that Longhorn will be that butt-ugly? That you have to plan this far in advance on how to avoid its mind-boggling interface?
Well, is the iPod interface so horrible that people had to port Linux to it?
I picked up the 5500 about a year ago for $200. I hear you can get that model for around $150 now. Quite the clever device- I had a web server running on it and would walk around the shop asking people to hit an address in their browser and then show them the server was in my hand. People have "adapted" all kinds of Linux apps to the Zaurus.
Eventually all that got old though and I ended up selling it on E-Bay recently. The fact that it runs Personal Java however would make it my platform of choice if I ever needed to put together a custom PDA app.
Yeah, but why would you do that when you can buy a Zaurus that fits in your hand and comes with Linux, a nifty keyboard, and a CF slot for your WiFi card all for around a buck fifty?
It is like turning a G4 Cube into an aquarium, only worse. No, maybe it is like running Linux on a iBook. Or having the leather seats in your Porche replaced with vinyl. It is one of those things that is so bad, the whole "because I can" argument doesn't even hold up.
Actually it'd be interesting if some of the old databases of messages could be restored.
Hey, you know that is a good idea. As a kid calling BBSs, I really think that the opportunity to communicate with older folks helped me a lot from a maturity/learning/thinking/etc standpoint. It is sad that today it seems like the Internet only causes trouble for younger kids- the sexual predators and stuff. BBSs were a much tighter community, at least in the small town where I grew up. Even if you didn't know the folks at the other end of the line, you probably had common friends.
Slashdot had a story on Audio Lunchbox a while back. I like their approach a lot- it treats people like adults. If iTMS took the same approach I can almost assure you they would have higher sales. Any pirateing that would occur would be offset by people willing to buy a more useful product. IMHO anyway. Obviously someone out there thinks they are smarter than guys like you or me.
I'm not trying to dispute what you are saying, I just wanted to mention some concerns I've had about my iTMS purchases and see if you agree or disagree:
I've stopped and thought about whether I should actually burn a new mix CD, since I believe iTMS limits you to the number of times a track can be burned? It wouldn't be unusual for me to want to have a given track on several CDs, over time. It also wouldn't be unusual for me to need to replace (reburn) one of the CDs at some point due to loss or damge.
Second, I can't copy the things to my Rio 500. A trusty legacy device I won't part with until the day it dies.
Third, I'm not going to burn audio CD's and re-rip them. I think that is ridiculous and I'll just buy real CDs if it comes to that.
Fourth, somewhat unrelated, I guess I need to research how the DRM works. I kind of worry about needing to reload OS X and then having the music files I backed up not work with the new load of OS X because it thinks I am a different user or something. On the surface I didn't find anything to explain this.
Anyway, I've bought several CD's worth of music so far and I knew the limitations so I'm not complaining. But the points above do concern me and may affect future purchases. What does everyone else think about these issues?
From the license that ships with the J2SE 1.4.2
:)
(vi) you agree to defend and indemnify Sun and its licensors from and against any damages, costs, liabilities, settlement amounts and/or expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in connection with any claim, lawsuit or action by any third party that arises or results from the use or distribution of any and all Programs and/or Software.
Depending on the way you read Sun's terms above, especially the "including attorneys' fees", it sounds a lot like the M$ verbiage you are concerned about? Or, if not, correct me- I'm honestly no legal expert
To most of the folks here, if something isn't OSS, it might as well be the anti-christ. There are obvious benefits in a lot of cases to OSS, but I think those concepts will be overlooked when the first two sentences out of someone's mouth is always how OSS is the only way to go and how bad M$ sucks.
It is really amazing how seriously people take this kind of thing. It is an eerie kind of cult following that seems to pre-empt any type of logical thought. It is the attitude that fans of Jacko or OJ take in not being able to accept that their hero could actually be guilty. Could there be shortcomings to Linux and OSS? Could there be cases where it isn't appropriate? Does our shit sometimes stink? I say, answer these questions first, and evangelize second.
You have to take each thing that comes up in this world and analyze it individually, IMHO.
Don't most licenses read that the original contributor can't be sued? In other words say you use open source project X and include it in your software. Whoever came up with the original project X is free from any liability.
At least, this is what I've seen with serveral Java related technologies that I've built into commercial products. Of course, any good license agreement to an end user disclaims responsibility anyway... something you have to do or you'd have every nut out there suing you for millions because your product "somehow messed up" (the no correlation effect) their PC so they couldn't get their email, and in their inbox was some Nigerian scam that was a certain million in the hand, if your product hand't messed up their PC.
Well, our enemies already have ill-tempered sea bass with frickin' laser beams. Seems the next logical step is for us to put weapons in orbit capable of neutralizing this horrible threat.
Yeah, I know it is customizable- I made reference to the "Classic" theme-
My point was, how long until the "Classic" Windows 98- era UI widget set is removed permanently? It is already essentially "deprecated" for all intents and purposes- number one it is no longer the default and number two it is now called "Classic"... two sure fire signs that it is on its way out.
Then, we'll be stuck with the XP widget set for good. Unless, you're writing java apps. Then, you'll always have jgoodies and one of the finer UI's available IMHO. Thanks Karsten!
What are the chances that Longhorn will get rid of the Classic interface altogether? That is royally going to suck. I can't imagine having to use the Crayola theme. Why do the damn titlebars have to be so big?
What is odd is I heard with XP Pro, M$ was going to default the OS to classic but due to "overwhelming interest" in the new Luna theme or whatever the call it, they threw away the idea.
What is also interesting is that Sever 2003 defaults to classic theme, although the Start Menu is pretty well screwed up IMHO.
Good post, I'd mod you up if I had the points.
Especially the Spanish thing. I heard where the attacks are reshaping their entire government, and it is not into a position to defend Spain- the new government will be designed to appease terrorists. You're so right, it doesn't end there. It won't end until everyone is Spain is either a pile of ash or they are praying 5 times a day and volunteering their lives to go around the world killing innocent people. That is the only way Bin Laden would be happy. Once you give up every last shred of western ideology, then you're safe. Quit working, quit achieving, quit buying things, quit wearing blue jeans, quit listening to Rock and Roll, and if you're a young lady, quit exposing your body in public.
I can't believe the Spanish are making these decisions. You can't reason with the irrational. And anybody who tells you terrorists are just like us and can be dealt with is sick in the head.
Well, you may not want to vist the U.S., and I also wouldn't recommend a holiday in Iraq. Say you wanted to go andsee the results of all our hospital an school rebuilding efforts. I hear they are thanking people by setting them on fire and dragging them through the streets (did the rest of the world get these horrible images in the news? dear God.) Countries just aren't treating their visitors like they used to....
You're all wrong!
We granted visas to some of the 9/11 hijackers months after 9/11. Now, how is that for service. You can't say that we treat our visitors like criminals. Apparently you're allowed in even if you've been part of the worst terrorist attack of all time. Of course, luckily the bastard was already dead so it was just an "honorary" status.
Java 1.1 is ancient technology. It is VERY slow, is only compatible with the first iteration of Swing (and that is as an add on), has no support for DnD, no support for things like a mouse wheel, the list goes on and on. While it might be acceptable for an applet that scrolls text, it not useful in todays world for for business applets or applications. Java 1.1 loses hands-down to just about any other technology available in 2004 (which isn't surprising since 1.1 is circa 1998).
I get your point, and think it was probably more valid back in the Java 1.2 and early 1.3 era. Honestly, I can't even begin to list the improvements made in Java from 1.1 to 1.2 to 1.3 to 1.4.
I'm strongly in favour of greater personal freedom
Can you elect to not participate in the National Health Service plan, and as a result either get a refund check or not be charged the up-front taxes?
I really don't want to participate in the U.S. social security system but participation is mandatory. I'm not sure what else to call the compulsory participation in programs such as these when you will be put in jail if you don't pay or choose to participate.
Like you, I favor personal freedom too. I favor free choice. I don't see how it is a crime to decline participation in all these various programs. And what next? What is the next big thing that government decides I need so they'll force me to pay for it?
the government is *so* greedy to provide all those shiny new schools and hospitals, and extra doctors and nurses and teachers
I'm sure similar defenses were offered of Stalin's regime, no? Stalin was a better man, though. He founds jobs for his fellow comrades and went ahead and took everyone's money- not just 50 or 60 percent of it. Gave people less to worry about and gave them things they clearly couldn't have had under any other system. Don't be proud of being a socialist. Be embarassed that you aren't a communist. They've implemented what socialists tried to do and failed.
Did you read the fine print though on GMail? They're going to be showing ads based on the CONTENT of your email. Now, I'm sure people will say that everyone already shows ads based on who you are. But I for one don't want a half-page ad for a penis enlarger showing up on my monitor at work when I'm trying to discretely communicate via email with my doctor about the real thing- a $10,000 surgery I'm lining up!