This isn't worth much more than that. Especially not the prices they charge.
I'm all about integrating information delivery into everyday hardware - especially if it looks nice. But think less B-movie prop and more toaster-with-an-mp3/aac/ogg-player. Now THAT would be useful.
No, computers are moody and unpredictable. That's why many of us have jobs.
One of my computers at home has Windows XP Pro. It works beautifully on some nights and awful on others. Sometimes it boots to BSOD. Other times it runs like a Cray.
I can understand why she thinks that. It's not user education. It's the fact that computers don't always run well. I'm glad they don't - I make tons of money off the fact that I know how to fix most of their problems and they don't.
My mom called my brother to ask why the tray wasn't coming out when she hit eject. He walked her through all kinds of tests and "check your connection" stuff. Then he realized that she was talking about her VCR, and was so used to the DVD player (with a tray that comes out) that she expected the VCR to do the same.
"Wyant is quick to point out PUC won't be using power lines to deliver Internet access directly into the home. Instead, the company is installing wireless access points along its medium-voltage lines in densely populated residential areas.
These wireless "boxes" convert data so they can be sent through the grid and on to PUC's fibre-optic backbone, which connects to the Internet. Home computers equipped with 802.11b or "Wi-Fi" wireless access cards and within 150 metres of these access points will be able to use the service."
This quote doesn't sound like they're sending network data over a power line - it sounds like they are using their existing power line locations to add external WAPs that tap into a fiber network. If they were using the existing power lines, I would expect them to be able to sell/rent boxes that convert the signal from your electrical outlet to an ethernet jack. That's why it sounds misleading - if they're not really sending data over their powerlines, and instead are sending it via another method. But maybe I'm just misreading the article (which I finally got to).
There's been a lot of confusion over this. For whatever reason, I'm not able to get to the article (not./ already, I wouldn't think..) but I've read about efforts to send data over power lines. If this is simply using the existing power lines and infrastructure to place WAPs (instead of planning an independent network and placement) then the headline's a bit misleading.
Just think of all the poor Canadians that haven't gotten electric power yet - they won't have wireless Internet access either!
My Comcast (and my Sprint PCS) TOS states that the TOS is free to change at any time, without needing any notification, additional signature or approval from me, and is enforceable without my prior knowledge. They can add fees and still charge a cancellation fee if I get upset and leave.
In my area, Comcast is the ONLY option (outside of extremely expensive satellite alternatives). If they want to shut you off, they can. Then, you're screwed.
I try not to do anything that will get me in trouble with them. Losing my cable, internet, etc. would be far worse than the tyranny of having my cable modem capped or my speed tiered.
The problem is that they know this as well. That's why they can and do take these steps.
My solution was the same one that Utah and others were going to do - city/state run broadband. It'd be just another utility and they could certainly offer it cheaper than Comcast. Plus, with the profits going back to the city or state, it would probably help lower/cut taxes.
It's probably a simplistic view, and I realize that there are issues with letting the government control your internet access, but it would probably benefit the consumer much more than letting a monopolistic cable company charge $45 for crappy television and $45 more for internet access that goes down for "unscheduled maintenance."
like Simson Garfinkel. First of all, it's not exactly a common-sounding name to me. Maybe it is in other parts of the world.
Second, can I withstand the desire to crack a Simon & Garfunkel joke? I mean, almost all the letters are there...
Hello R-F my old friend, I've come to talk with you again. Because the data softly creeping I am just lying here weeping Because a hacker Just stole my identity... And now my bank account is silenced.
After seeing how they handle Steam*, I can see one of two conclusions:
1. They're so busy on HL2 that they can't invest the manpower and energy into keeping existing stuff running well and smoothly. Hence, the Steam problems.
2. They are soaking up the publicity, continual cash-flow and living too easy. They will delay HL2 until it's no longer worth putting out in its current form. See TFC2.
* Steam is their content-distribution system that forces updates to those who wish to use multiplayer functionality (unless you use the older versions).
"All I want is an address book and a way to make calls."
And the next guy wants a color screen. Or a reminder feature. Or maybe a game - just one, nothing more. Well, maybe two. Space Invaders and Pac-Man, maybe some Tron/Snake/whatever. Crab catch.
Point is, everyone lists the things they want - and most of them don't match up. So the companies add as much as they can so that they'll attract as many people as they can. Maybe you don't use more than 40% of the features. Maybe the next guy uses 40%, but his features are different from yours.
All I want is good reception - I think everyone wants that. Who goes into the store and asks for intermittent connections, dropped calls and static?
I was looking at this too - but mostly because I wanted HD. Comcast doesn't offer high definition everywhere yet. As I keep hearing, it'll be "by the end of this year" (three years and counting). Satellite appears to offer HD much sooner, but for much more money. I stuck with cable for the price - which is awfully sad, considering how expensive it is.
Look at the commercials: cable says that satellite is crappy and satellite says that cable is crappy. That should be enough evidence for this conclusion: don't judge based on commercials.
It might be the ads - they're awfully expensive for a decent campaign. I think it's more likely to be sales and service to other companies; using Google's search feature is free to many (like schools and non-profits I think) but some companies pay big bucks for their search technology.
I think they're a great example of a business run well, not selling out (to MS) and really focusing on being the best damn whatever that they want to do.
This logic is preposterous. Gun makers are not liable when criminals do bad things with their guns (except in certain negligence cases and whatnot). Does this amount to negligence or recklessness? Not that it matters what I think, but it doesn't sound like it.
That simply sounds like irresponsibility (I ate McDonald's and got fat; it must be McDonald's fault) and scapegoating. One of these days, people are going to have to take responsibility for themselves and we're going to have to stop pointing fingers at the parents/companies/producers/etc. and start going after the real enemy - SCO.
Red vs Blue is an online animated series featuring characters from the video game Halo. It falls under the category "machinima" - which means that they use existing engines to create or animate characters and "act" out scenes.
Sundays and Mondays are particularly bad for them because (after being mentioned on Slashdot last year) their traffic has increased tremendously.
After last year's success, they put together a DVD of the first season and some additional stuff. It's $20 and well worth it if you enjoy the series. As the post mentions, they've won quite a few awards and have gotten lots of press as a result.
Oh, and it's damn funny.
(Why is my first post modded troll? - the story is a dupe and it's nearly two weeks after the fact.)
There are some great jokes later in the season. I particularly enjoyed Tucker (I think it was him) going through the portal and thinking he went back in time.
"So that makes you.. a gay robot."
Hell, it's better than most of the crap on TV.
BTW, Previous post:
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/11/ 2327220&mode=thread&tid=127&tid=186&tid=188&tid=20 4&tid=97
On the other hand, he has a right to his own name and though phonetically similar, I don't think a judge would consider him a direct Microsoft competitor. He wants to show off his web design skills? Does that compete with Microsoft?
I'm more surprised that people aren't cracking jokes like:
I don't buy a ton of tech stuff - but I have it. Gifts, building my own stuff, whatever. My fiancee buys a lot, though - laptop, PDA, camera, etc.
Her sister walked into Best Buy and despite my specific instructions, let the salesguy talk her into a much worse digital camera for $100 more. On another occasion, she was talked into a TV tuner card and a "special cable" that she couldn't use without an additional upgrade from her old video card... I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up buying Mac software for her Windows XP box.
It's not just tech, either - lots of women are conned at car dealerships or other sales places. Even if she's smart - she's probably too trusting.
Re:Pedantic...
on
Paranoia
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Law does not simply mean "governmentally passed and enforced" rules.
There are laws of physics, law of the land, etc. There are plenty of rules which are laws within their respective contexts. I would consider a law to be any rule that an authority (In the case of physics, is the Universe an authority?) sets and reasonably attempts to enforce. So corporations can have their own sets of "laws."
But hey, I'm just arguing for the sake of arguing. Better get back to snapping photos of secret projects.
Slashdot Mirror
This isn't worth much more than that. Especially not the prices they charge. I'm all about integrating information delivery into everyday hardware - especially if it looks nice. But think less B-movie prop and more toaster-with-an-mp3/aac/ogg-player. Now THAT would be useful.
Wow. Either the spammers get my info from the Whois database or the RIAA can't track down some pirates.
Which do I choose?
Arrr....
No, computers are moody and unpredictable. That's why many of us have jobs.
One of my computers at home has Windows XP Pro. It works beautifully on some nights and awful on others. Sometimes it boots to BSOD. Other times it runs like a Cray.
I can understand why she thinks that. It's not user education. It's the fact that computers don't always run well. I'm glad they don't - I make tons of money off the fact that I know how to fix most of their problems and they don't.
My mom called my brother to ask why the tray wasn't coming out when she hit eject. He walked her through all kinds of tests and "check your connection" stuff. Then he realized that she was talking about her VCR, and was so used to the DVD player (with a tray that comes out) that she expected the VCR to do the same.
And she's fairly techie for a non-techie.
"Wyant is quick to point out PUC won't be using power lines to deliver Internet access directly into the home. Instead, the company is installing wireless access points along its medium-voltage lines in densely populated residential areas.
These wireless "boxes" convert data so they can be sent through the grid and on to PUC's fibre-optic backbone, which connects to the Internet. Home computers equipped with 802.11b or "Wi-Fi" wireless access cards and within 150 metres of these access points will be able to use the service."
This quote doesn't sound like they're sending network data over a power line - it sounds like they are using their existing power line locations to add external WAPs that tap into a fiber network. If they were using the existing power lines, I would expect them to be able to sell/rent boxes that convert the signal from your electrical outlet to an ethernet jack. That's why it sounds misleading - if they're not really sending data over their powerlines, and instead are sending it via another method. But maybe I'm just misreading the article (which I finally got to).
There's been a lot of confusion over this. For whatever reason, I'm not able to get to the article (not ./ already, I wouldn't think..) but I've read about efforts to send data over power lines. If this is simply using the existing power lines and infrastructure to place WAPs (instead of planning an independent network and placement) then the headline's a bit misleading.
Just think of all the poor Canadians that haven't gotten electric power yet - they won't have wireless Internet access either!
My Comcast (and my Sprint PCS) TOS states that the TOS is free to change at any time, without needing any notification, additional signature or approval from me, and is enforceable without my prior knowledge. They can add fees and still charge a cancellation fee if I get upset and leave.
Something ain't right about that.
In my area, Comcast is the ONLY option (outside of extremely expensive satellite alternatives). If they want to shut you off, they can. Then, you're screwed. I try not to do anything that will get me in trouble with them. Losing my cable, internet, etc. would be far worse than the tyranny of having my cable modem capped or my speed tiered. The problem is that they know this as well. That's why they can and do take these steps. My solution was the same one that Utah and others were going to do - city/state run broadband. It'd be just another utility and they could certainly offer it cheaper than Comcast. Plus, with the profits going back to the city or state, it would probably help lower/cut taxes. It's probably a simplistic view, and I realize that there are issues with letting the government control your internet access, but it would probably benefit the consumer much more than letting a monopolistic cable company charge $45 for crappy television and $45 more for internet access that goes down for "unscheduled maintenance."
like Simson Garfinkel. First of all, it's not exactly a common-sounding name to me. Maybe it is in other parts of the world.
Second, can I withstand the desire to crack a Simon & Garfunkel joke? I mean, almost all the letters are there...
Hello R-F my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again.
Because the data softly creeping
I am just lying here weeping
Because a hacker
Just stole my identity...
And now my bank account is silenced.
Paul Revere couldn't have said it any better.
It'll solve much of your "sterilization" issues as well!
After seeing how they handle Steam*, I can see one of two conclusions:
1. They're so busy on HL2 that they can't invest the manpower and energy into keeping existing stuff running well and smoothly. Hence, the Steam problems.
2. They are soaking up the publicity, continual cash-flow and living too easy. They will delay HL2 until it's no longer worth putting out in its current form. See TFC2.
* Steam is their content-distribution system that forces updates to those who wish to use multiplayer functionality (unless you use the older versions).
"All I want is an address book and a way to make calls."
And the next guy wants a color screen. Or a reminder feature. Or maybe a game - just one, nothing more. Well, maybe two. Space Invaders and Pac-Man, maybe some Tron/Snake/whatever. Crab catch.
Point is, everyone lists the things they want - and most of them don't match up. So the companies add as much as they can so that they'll attract as many people as they can. Maybe you don't use more than 40% of the features. Maybe the next guy uses 40%, but his features are different from yours.
All I want is good reception - I think everyone wants that. Who goes into the store and asks for intermittent connections, dropped calls and static?
Yeah, I guess my options are 1) HD tuner for local only, 2) HD for satellite or 3) wait until comcast offers HD in Indiana.
Sigh.
I was looking at this too - but mostly because I wanted HD. Comcast doesn't offer high definition everywhere yet. As I keep hearing, it'll be "by the end of this year" (three years and counting). Satellite appears to offer HD much sooner, but for much more money. I stuck with cable for the price - which is awfully sad, considering how expensive it is. Look at the commercials: cable says that satellite is crappy and satellite says that cable is crappy. That should be enough evidence for this conclusion: don't judge based on commercials.
It might be the ads - they're awfully expensive for a decent campaign. I think it's more likely to be sales and service to other companies; using Google's search feature is free to many (like schools and non-profits I think) but some companies pay big bucks for their search technology.
I think they're a great example of a business run well, not selling out (to MS) and really focusing on being the best damn whatever that they want to do.
This logic is preposterous. Gun makers are not liable when criminals do bad things with their guns (except in certain negligence cases and whatnot). Does this amount to negligence or recklessness? Not that it matters what I think, but it doesn't sound like it.
That simply sounds like irresponsibility (I ate McDonald's and got fat; it must be McDonald's fault) and scapegoating. One of these days, people are going to have to take responsibility for themselves and we're going to have to stop pointing fingers at the parents/companies/producers/etc. and start going after the real enemy - SCO.
You think Darl's worried about his credibility?
Where's the code, McBride?
Red vs Blue is an online animated series featuring characters from the video game Halo. It falls under the category "machinima" - which means that they use existing engines to create or animate characters and "act" out scenes. Sundays and Mondays are particularly bad for them because (after being mentioned on Slashdot last year) their traffic has increased tremendously. After last year's success, they put together a DVD of the first season and some additional stuff. It's $20 and well worth it if you enjoy the series. As the post mentions, they've won quite a few awards and have gotten lots of press as a result. Oh, and it's damn funny. (Why is my first post modded troll? - the story is a dupe and it's nearly two weeks after the fact.)
There are some great jokes later in the season. I particularly enjoyed Tucker (I think it was him) going through the portal and thinking he went back in time. "So that makes you.. a gay robot." Hell, it's better than most of the crap on TV. BTW, Previous post: http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/11/ 2327220&mode=thread&tid=127&tid=186&tid=188&tid=20 4&tid=97
Not only is this a dupe, they're on the second episode of the second season. This might have been postworthy if it had gone up a week and a half ago.
This is Slashdot. Who said it was funny? I was just surprised that nobody had said it.
but Microsoft has lawyers, money and influence.
On the other hand, he has a right to his own name and though phonetically similar, I don't think a judge would consider him a direct Microsoft competitor. He wants to show off his web design skills? Does that compete with Microsoft?
I'm more surprised that people aren't cracking jokes like:
"Michael, Rowe the boat ashore."
I don't buy a ton of tech stuff - but I have it. Gifts, building my own stuff, whatever. My fiancee buys a lot, though - laptop, PDA, camera, etc.
Her sister walked into Best Buy and despite my specific instructions, let the salesguy talk her into a much worse digital camera for $100 more. On another occasion, she was talked into a TV tuner card and a "special cable" that she couldn't use without an additional upgrade from her old video card... I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up buying Mac software for her Windows XP box.
It's not just tech, either - lots of women are conned at car dealerships or other sales places. Even if she's smart - she's probably too trusting.
Law does not simply mean "governmentally passed and enforced" rules. There are laws of physics, law of the land, etc. There are plenty of rules which are laws within their respective contexts. I would consider a law to be any rule that an authority (In the case of physics, is the Universe an authority?) sets and reasonably attempts to enforce. So corporations can have their own sets of "laws." But hey, I'm just arguing for the sake of arguing. Better get back to snapping photos of secret projects.