I won't be doing it any time soon. I'd have been pissed off if I couldn't have watched the Best Super Bowl ever and Janet's half time show hit its 'peak' on my HTPC. All because some lacky using MyDoom hijacked my computer to beat up SCO.
The Hubble is fine other than a needed boost to remedy its gradual orbital decay due to atmoshperic friction, which comes from its relatively low orbit. But even so, this is no easy task.
Moving in 2 dimensions at relatively low speeds relative to a target with the intent of breaking said target requires a lot less control, precision, finesse, and just plain care than approaching, coupling with, and giving a boost to a multi-billion dollar, more-fragile-than-an-eggshell telescope at LEO speeds (5 miles per SECOND).
Also remember that some of the best lenses in the world are still worked to some degree by master optics guys, not robots. Sure, they can do much of the piddly stuff, but people will still have to help out. This can also be seen in FCS, where the battle is not waged by autonomous robots, but rather conducted by well connected commanders and more robots than before. People still need to be on the ground, but this just means there is less of them.
Re:Don't be led astray by things you don't need.
on
KISS
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· Score: 1
Part of the reason manufacturers can get away with all of this value added stuff like games and such is because they are being supplied with more powerful ASICS and support components.
It's like having a beowolf cluster powering a print server--Only a print server, nothing else. Who the hell does that? You couldn't very well market one like that, a very capable computer restricted to a lowly print server. Its a waste for all of the development they put in it, and they KNOW they can get more out of it.
So they now program more features to "add" value, which allows them to justify charging more for a phone without anything other than what amounts to cheap code and a fancy display (which was already there). A tweak here, a subroutine there, and BAM!
It costs them nothing, but the 'choices' they are providing make the phone something different, and if its different, they can ask for more $$$ because they obviously spent more, right?;)
Interplanetary travel for the rovers still took more than a year, and this was with as light and as efficient as we could make them. Even still, their path to Mars still was far from a straight line--this is not a pool shot here, but a complex problem requiring timing, anticipation, and a path that would make your argument about flying directly away from the sun. We also would need protection from other sources, as the cosmic background radiation and emmisions from other stars and phenomena are by no means negligible. Also, the faster the rocket, the more fuel or heavier the engine has to be to make that happen. There is a huge tradeoff, and soon the mission becomes too expensive to happen. Faster Rockets tehmselves impart more G's to the passengers, and not only does a faster and longer burning rocket not exist yet, but it will take a lot more time and money to make a reality.
Say we do get there, now comes the landing. Gravity's effect on the Moon is half that of the effect on Mars (which is 1/3rd that of Earth's). This not increases the comlexity of landing softly, and there is a huge problem with the atmosphere. Reentry can be tough to pull off, even here, where we have weather satellites and personal experience. The design of reentry vehicles is art and science, and the slightest error has tragic consequences (Columbia). And to design a vehicle capable not only of reentry into Mars but here as well, now it must be doubly robust and have two very different aerodynamic situations to be prepared for.
I also see the point about time/distance/ shielding. But as we are not dealing with a mere point source here, we are dealing with many sources, we ae asking humans to both increase their exposure time and not markedly improve their distance while removing their best shielding--Earth. The amount of shielding to make a difference will cost a load even if you only care about the Sun and fly directly away. They say it takes an ounce of gold to launch and ounce of lead, and you are talking $10k per pound last I heard just to get out into low earth orbit (LEO), and this was for satellites, not a man (supposedly lower standards). Breaking out of Earth's pull and getting to Mars would be a few magnitudes higher--and you need a lot of weight out there. The Shuttles benefit from their proximity to Earth for protection from a great deal of the radiation, their relatively short flight distance and fuel demand (compared to interplanetary travel) and their need to only cary 7 folks for short periods of time (2 weeks). Yet they still wiegh a ton.
These rovers are not just a toy, but a means for scientists to learn about Mars without killing people. We can learn its history and makeup, and most importantly, perfect some of our theories about how to best make the trip ourselves. They ARE a platform to test technologies that we will someday use, and to ignore their issues and problems is reckless. Lets give NASA a chance to get the bugs out and get the math right. These are some of the most passionate dreamers when it comes to space travel, and until they tell us they are fully ready to go, we probably aren't.
I think that the problems with Spirit and Opportunity might show we need to take it at a cautios pace before sending folks out there. Its been pointed out that these rovers took 10's of G's just to get there and land, and thats gotta be rough. Most pilots and astronauts to this point have seen about 10G's worst case, and for very short periods of time.
One of the largest concerns about space travel is radiation exposure. Once you enter the Van Allen Belts, which lie outside the protection of Earth's magnetic fields, you risk becoming a slow-cooked turkey. The only way to prevent this is to shield, and the best gamma shielding is lead, whereas the best for the particles seems to be lots of free hydrogen, as found in water and polyethylene. All of this is a lot of weight, and well, that all costs money. Lots. NASA has all of this in mind, no doubt.
Now, the most ominous problem with sending us isn't all of the things we can think of, but more those we cannot. God forbid we end up on Mars and find something cannot be fixed. Lets get the tech up to acceptable risks, and if we can get a robot to work for more than a couple weeks without going down, we're on the right track. Finding out your computer is unstable and is incapable of running/monitoring your REACTOR is not cool.
Keep up the good work, NASA! You guys are fighting the good fight, and most of us realize its not if, but when.
I think its possible they might see themselves left behind as the demands of the console and handheld market change. The average age of buyers and users are getting older, not younger, and for many of these older "kids" the allure is racier or more dramatic content. Not "Mario-Kart" or "Barney sings Barbara Striesand", but GTA and SOCOM.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Sega could use the company;)
It would be cool to see some vietnam or even korea era games with the newer engines, as little has been done there. Vietnam's last serious look as a good era was at least a couple of years ago, and I think with graphics as tight as they are now, the foliage and terrain should be impressive.
While I enjoy these games as much as anyone (CoD, MOH), I do believe that some of the games sensationalize and trivialize what veterans of those portrayed go through. This is why developers need to be serious and make a fine product, not just crank them out.
After negelcting to tell him he was fired and cutting off his pay, they stole some poor, lonely code developer's Red Swingline Stapler and pushed him way over the edge.
Somehow, he'll end up sipping margaritas with their reward.
Teach THEM to hire guys who mumble like Milton.
It is an optical network (no one sane runs copper that distance anymore) and these networks are nowadays built for the future. Glass is pure enough these days that the equipment at each end (and along the way, as is the case with optical amps and regen's) has to catch up, so yes, some upgrade cost is necessary. Most networks have a maximum distance to design for in separating op-amps and regens, but space them much closer together in case of one site failing, or in this case, expansion is projected. That said, once you lay the fiber (and enough op-amp/regens) you can just add more modules to a shelf and therefore add colors/up bit-rates for higher capacity. The expensive part is the fiber, the rest of the equipment (Add-drop muxes, terminals) is actually a whole lot cheaper. What each site does electrically is tyipcal of whatever any LAN or MAN needs to do to upgrade, but this network links them together, and is not really concerned with all of that.
The powerpoint charts you so kindly provide a link to also mention that it is a lambda ring, and this would suggest they intend to use some level of DWDM in the future (1550 nm band). While initial capability may only provide the one 155 Mbps, once the fiber is laid, you could feasibly add 100+ other colors each with their own 155 Mbps. And thats just the technology that is out and common NOW. Some companies have toyed with 240+ colors. At current release trends, this could be a reality in the next year.
Obviously, there is some concern for disperion limitations with such a large ring and so many colors, but they are getting really good at correcting for this, and this ring could very well be one of the top-five (in capacity) rings to span continents. Up until recently, transcontinental telecom networks were made by providing a single pipe between two dissimilar rings (i.e. AT&T's backbone ring(s) here and France's telecom ring there), which could be of different topologies. Instead this new highway IS the ring, and thus provides its own potential protection paths for single points of failure.
Maybe they quit as a result of working for a company with nothing more to add to the world of useful software or invention (did they ever really?). Or, maybe it scared them that they worked for a company that interacted through a "partner lounge". That sure scares me. Are they running a porn site or a corporate portal?
And lastly, how would you like to be one of these poor companies? Run far away, Life Insurance Company of India! I bet a lot of companies will be looking for a new provider once SCO goes down.
Security clearances and investigations are similar, but not treated the same onleaving a position. The investigation is current if the time lapsed since its comletion is within the prescribed limit: usually the higher and more detailed the investigation, the shorter this time. This is regardless of the job status. The clearance is based on the investigation, and that DOES come and go with position/need to know. But when you leave a position, you can regain the clearance level as needed with a much shorter renewal process--no full investigation unless the level is higher or too much time has passed. Sometimes you can luck out and get the clearance picked right up with a new brief and a couple of questionaires. Five minutes. Having held a clearance without incident is the important part...proves you can be trusted and that you were at least clean once and chances are you could be proven clean again.
When its all said and done, the Duke may need a wheelchair and some Geritol to make it through his next installment. Could make for interesting levels-->"Loading: Pine Meadows Retirement Home Extreme Map" Maybe my kids will be playing it. I don't have any (yet), but they might just get it before they leave home.
Maybe a ban on German food, brussel sprouts, 3-bean salad, and warm pilsners would be in order. While we are at it, lets produce flat cola so as to limit drink emissions. I think some fast food joints are already doing their part with that.
3 observatories in the sky ( the forth 'Great Observatory' Compton has already splashed down), and with each one covering a different part of the spectrum, it'll be interesting to see how NASA plays it out. It is a shame that NASA has to consider pulling their biggest PR success off of station and burn it away, see Hubble to retire. True a replacement is in the works, but Hubble and Chandra, and now Spitzer, are all NASA and the US space program really have going for them right now. Sure it cost mucho $$$ to reload propellant onto these rigs, but maybe someone should find a way to keep these scopes up there. In times when our space program needs dreamers, thinkers, and risk-takers, a good deal of the general public lacks the intestinal fortitude and dedication needed to make progress. Spitzer and the other 2 great observatories help hold the line till we gain momentum. And no, the Space Station cannot accomplish as much with the troubles it is experiencing.
Most commands/ships keep a strict separation between personal and official use computers. This includes using completely separate LAN's onboard for each purpose. Surfing eBay or watching Paris get freaky while reading the Steam Plant Manual just won't happen. unclass stuff, sure, go ahead. But if you were doing anything mixing personal stuff on a classified station, you must be talking to us from USP Leavenworth's library.
I wonder if SCO will now claim that the open source movement aspect of Linux is their IP, keeping M$ from from using its development model. License fees for all! Down with free thinking and the common good!
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I won't be doing it any time soon. I'd have been pissed off if I couldn't have watched the Best Super Bowl ever and Janet's half time show hit its 'peak' on my HTPC. All because some lacky using MyDoom hijacked my computer to beat up SCO.
The Hubble is fine other than a needed boost to remedy its gradual orbital decay due to atmoshperic friction, which comes from its relatively low orbit. But even so, this is no easy task.
Moving in 2 dimensions at relatively low speeds relative to a target with the intent of breaking said target requires a lot less control, precision, finesse, and just plain care than approaching, coupling with, and giving a boost to a multi-billion dollar, more-fragile-than-an-eggshell telescope at LEO speeds (5 miles per SECOND).
Also remember that some of the best lenses in the world are still worked to some degree by master optics guys, not robots. Sure, they can do much of the piddly stuff, but people will still have to help out. This can also be seen in FCS, where the battle is not waged by autonomous robots, but rather conducted by well connected commanders and more robots than before. People still need to be on the ground, but this just means there is less of them.
Part of the reason manufacturers can get away with all of this value added stuff like games and such is because they are being supplied with more powerful ASICS and support components.
It's like having a beowolf cluster powering a print server--Only a print server, nothing else. Who the hell does that? You couldn't very well market one like that, a very capable computer restricted to a lowly print server. Its a waste for all of the development they put in it, and they KNOW they can get more out of it.
So they now program more features to "add" value, which allows them to justify charging more for a phone without anything other than what amounts to cheap code and a fancy display (which was already there). A tweak here, a subroutine there, and BAM!
It costs them nothing, but the 'choices' they are providing make the phone something different, and if its different, they can ask for more $$$ because they obviously spent more, right? ;)
I understand your point.
Interplanetary travel for the rovers still took more than a year, and this was with as light and as efficient as we could make them. Even still, their path to Mars still was far from a straight line--this is not a pool shot here, but a complex problem requiring timing, anticipation, and a path that would make your argument about flying directly away from the sun. We also would need protection from other sources, as the cosmic background radiation and emmisions from other stars and phenomena are by no means negligible. Also, the faster the rocket, the more fuel or heavier the engine has to be to make that happen. There is a huge tradeoff, and soon the mission becomes too expensive to happen. Faster Rockets tehmselves impart more G's to the passengers, and not only does a faster and longer burning rocket not exist yet, but it will take a lot more time and money to make a reality.
Say we do get there, now comes the landing. Gravity's effect on the Moon is half that of the effect on Mars (which is 1/3rd that of Earth's). This not increases the comlexity of landing softly, and there is a huge problem with the atmosphere. Reentry can be tough to pull off, even here, where we have weather satellites and personal experience. The design of reentry vehicles is art and science, and the slightest error has tragic consequences (Columbia). And to design a vehicle capable not only of reentry into Mars but here as well, now it must be doubly robust and have two very different aerodynamic situations to be prepared for.
I also see the point about time/distance/ shielding. But as we are not dealing with a mere point source here, we are dealing with many sources, we ae asking humans to both increase their exposure time and not markedly improve their distance while removing their best shielding--Earth. The amount of shielding to make a difference will cost a load even if you only care about the Sun and fly directly away. They say it takes an ounce of gold to launch and ounce of lead, and you are talking $10k per pound last I heard just to get out into low earth orbit (LEO), and this was for satellites, not a man (supposedly lower standards). Breaking out of Earth's pull and getting to Mars would be a few magnitudes higher--and you need a lot of weight out there. The Shuttles benefit from their proximity to Earth for protection from a great deal of the radiation, their relatively short flight distance and fuel demand (compared to interplanetary travel) and their need to only cary 7 folks for short periods of time (2 weeks). Yet they still wiegh a ton.
These rovers are not just a toy, but a means for scientists to learn about Mars without killing people. We can learn its history and makeup, and most importantly, perfect some of our theories about how to best make the trip ourselves. They ARE a platform to test technologies that we will someday use, and to ignore their issues and problems is reckless. Lets give NASA a chance to get the bugs out and get the math right. These are some of the most passionate dreamers when it comes to space travel, and until they tell us they are fully ready to go, we probably aren't.
I think that the problems with Spirit and Opportunity might show we need to take it at a cautios pace before sending folks out there. Its been pointed out that these rovers took 10's of G's just to get there and land, and thats gotta be rough. Most pilots and astronauts to this point have seen about 10G's worst case, and for very short periods of time.
One of the largest concerns about space travel is radiation exposure. Once you enter the Van Allen Belts, which lie outside the protection of Earth's magnetic fields, you risk becoming a slow-cooked turkey. The only way to prevent this is to shield, and the best gamma shielding is lead, whereas the best for the particles seems to be lots of free hydrogen, as found in water and polyethylene. All of this is a lot of weight, and well, that all costs money. Lots. NASA has all of this in mind, no doubt.
Now, the most ominous problem with sending us isn't all of the things we can think of, but more those we cannot. God forbid we end up on Mars and find something cannot be fixed. Lets get the tech up to acceptable risks, and if we can get a robot to work for more than a couple weeks without going down, we're on the right track. Finding out your computer is unstable and is incapable of running/monitoring your REACTOR is not cool.
Keep up the good work, NASA! You guys are fighting the good fight, and most of us realize its not if, but when.
I think its possible they might see themselves left behind as the demands of the console and handheld market change. The average age of buyers and users are getting older, not younger, and for many of these older "kids" the allure is racier or more dramatic content. Not "Mario-Kart" or "Barney sings Barbara Striesand", but GTA and SOCOM.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Sega could use the company ;)
It would be cool to see some vietnam or even korea era games with the newer engines, as little has been done there. Vietnam's last serious look as a good era was at least a couple of years ago, and I think with graphics as tight as they are now, the foliage and terrain should be impressive.
While I enjoy these games as much as anyone (CoD, MOH), I do believe that some of the games sensationalize and trivialize what veterans of those portrayed go through. This is why developers need to be serious and make a fine product, not just crank them out.
After negelcting to tell him he was fired and cutting off his pay, they stole some poor, lonely code developer's Red Swingline Stapler and pushed him way over the edge. Somehow, he'll end up sipping margaritas with their reward. Teach THEM to hire guys who mumble like Milton.
It is an optical network (no one sane runs copper that distance anymore) and these networks are nowadays built for the future. Glass is pure enough these days that the equipment at each end (and along the way, as is the case with optical amps and regen's) has to catch up, so yes, some upgrade cost is necessary. Most networks have a maximum distance to design for in separating op-amps and regens, but space them much closer together in case of one site failing, or in this case, expansion is projected. That said, once you lay the fiber (and enough op-amp/regens) you can just add more modules to a shelf and therefore add colors/up bit-rates for higher capacity. The expensive part is the fiber, the rest of the equipment (Add-drop muxes, terminals) is actually a whole lot cheaper. What each site does electrically is tyipcal of whatever any LAN or MAN needs to do to upgrade, but this network links them together, and is not really concerned with all of that.
The powerpoint charts you so kindly provide a link to also mention that it is a lambda ring, and this would suggest they intend to use some level of DWDM in the future (1550 nm band). While initial capability may only provide the one 155 Mbps, once the fiber is laid, you could feasibly add 100+ other colors each with their own 155 Mbps. And thats just the technology that is out and common NOW. Some companies have toyed with 240+ colors. At current release trends, this could be a reality in the next year.
Obviously, there is some concern for disperion limitations with such a large ring and so many colors, but they are getting really good at correcting for this, and this ring could very well be one of the top-five (in capacity) rings to span continents. Up until recently, transcontinental telecom networks were made by providing a single pipe between two dissimilar rings (i.e. AT&T's backbone ring(s) here and France's telecom ring there), which could be of different topologies. Instead this new highway IS the ring, and thus provides its own potential protection paths for single points of failure.
Look for this to become more common!
Maybe they quit as a result of working for a company with nothing more to add to the world of useful software or invention (did they ever really?). Or, maybe it scared them that they worked for a company that interacted through a "partner lounge". That sure scares me. Are they running a porn site or a corporate portal? And lastly, how would you like to be one of these poor companies? Run far away, Life Insurance Company of India! I bet a lot of companies will be looking for a new provider once SCO goes down.
Security clearances and investigations are similar, but not treated the same onleaving a position. The investigation is current if the time lapsed since its comletion is within the prescribed limit: usually the higher and more detailed the investigation, the shorter this time. This is regardless of the job status. The clearance is based on the investigation, and that DOES come and go with position/need to know. But when you leave a position, you can regain the clearance level as needed with a much shorter renewal process--no full investigation unless the level is higher or too much time has passed. Sometimes you can luck out and get the clearance picked right up with a new brief and a couple of questionaires. Five minutes. Having held a clearance without incident is the important part...proves you can be trusted and that you were at least clean once and chances are you could be proven clean again.
When its all said and done, the Duke may need a wheelchair and some Geritol to make it through his next installment. Could make for interesting levels-->"Loading: Pine Meadows Retirement Home Extreme Map" Maybe my kids will be playing it. I don't have any (yet), but they might just get it before they leave home.
Maybe a ban on German food, brussel sprouts, 3-bean salad, and warm pilsners would be in order. While we are at it, lets produce flat cola so as to limit drink emissions. I think some fast food joints are already doing their part with that.
Thanks for the correction. I can see where the propellant would be a problem.
3 observatories in the sky ( the forth 'Great Observatory' Compton has already splashed down), and with each one covering a different part of the spectrum, it'll be interesting to see how NASA plays it out. It is a shame that NASA has to consider pulling their biggest PR success off of station and burn it away, see Hubble to retire. True a replacement is in the works, but Hubble and Chandra, and now Spitzer, are all NASA and the US space program really have going for them right now. Sure it cost mucho $$$ to reload propellant onto these rigs, but maybe someone should find a way to keep these scopes up there. In times when our space program needs dreamers, thinkers, and risk-takers, a good deal of the general public lacks the intestinal fortitude and dedication needed to make progress. Spitzer and the other 2 great observatories help hold the line till we gain momentum. And no, the Space Station cannot accomplish as much with the troubles it is experiencing.
Most commands/ships keep a strict separation between personal and official use computers. This includes using completely separate LAN's onboard for each purpose. Surfing eBay or watching Paris get freaky while reading the Steam Plant Manual just won't happen. unclass stuff, sure, go ahead. But if you were doing anything mixing personal stuff on a classified station, you must be talking to us from USP Leavenworth's library.
I wonder if SCO will now claim that the open source movement aspect of Linux is their IP, keeping M$ from from using its development model. License fees for all! Down with free thinking and the common good!