First, let take a hypothetical look at the industry today: Probably a few companies producing the current chemical. They have already sunk the cost for research, facilities, paperwork, etc. They are not likely to want to spend more money just for a chance to end up where they are today. Depending on who they are, they might not even be able to.
Now the interim industry: several companies spending money to research, certify, and promote their solution. The industry is in flux. There is no clear winner.
Finally, the resulting industry: A few companies producing the new chemical. Some overlap with the old companies (maybe). Both winners and losers have sunk cost for research, facilities, paperwork, etc.
So the only chemical companies who might benefit from a ban are companies willing and able to expand. Yet they don't want to spend much money on lobbying because there isn't a guarantee that the ban will go into effect or that they will capture the market. The risk multiplier means it's not worth the money. But existing producers have an immediate vested interest. Lobbying costs compared to money already invested is minor.
(note: I'm not judging right or wrong, just giving possible motivations and how they are asymmetrical)
My crude understanding has been that vaccines are intended to amplify the immune response to pathogens. This can happen before or during a disease (prophylactic or therapeutic according to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine
SCO is being counter sued by IBM and Novell. They could try to settle, but IBM is suing for Lantham act violations (where you can go after officers of the company!) and Novell is asking for $25 mil they feel they are owed. If they smell blood they are unlikely to settle for anything less than SCO being extinguished. Sco's only hope is some sort of miracle where they win a pyrrhic victory.
I bought some for my last job for surgical device prototyping. Sometimes to mock up mechanisms or as test stands. But a few times we made working devices. No, never used on humans. Lego's are fun, but not FDA approved.
As someone who's spent over a decade with piezo materials, let me very clear: BFD. This is not a new effect, this is not higher efficiency, it's not even new to be non-toxic. They just made it small. Granted, they used the ZnO to both generate and rectify the current, so that might make it useful (as the article states) for nano devices. But for larger stuff, run of the mill piezo materials offer higher D33, Q, etc. Some simple circuitry and you're off and running. Difficult? Nope! I built the generation half of one last month because I needed a quick hydrophone (thereby converting ultrasound to current). 2 minutes from overstock originally bought from on E-bay for generating ultrasound ($13 well spent).
What you are really seeing is publish or perish in action.
It really is doable. I'm an engineer and had to learn them as part of my job function. Patent legal rules aren't that bad. Missing element analysis can almost be fun. Finding and sorting the patents in the first place can be a chore.
If you want some tips from a lay-person, let me know and I'll post a few.
In no particular order, here are some general strategies. These strategies can be applied to non-software products as well.
Find something at least 17 or 20 years old and clone it. Minimize any changes that aren't old or obvious. (color pong anyone?)
Build using existing components to reduce risks. (API's, scripts, etc)
License from someone else's portfolio. (Unisys GIF patent)
Learn about patents, research them like mad, create a product that doesn't infringe (PNG)
Create an invention, patent it, license it to others (like NTP)
Pay someone else to create and accept liability (can't think of a good example of spec developed software here).
Build something and cross your fingers (RIM: Blackberry)
Build and sell where patents don't apply.
Am I forgetting any? If you don't have money, want to create a unique product, and don't have faith in crossed fingers, you're going to have to learn about patents or restrict your market pretty heavily.
In a quick scan of everyone's comments, I didn't see anyone point out that Slashdot is built on a system similar to the claim 1 in the patent. It's a long claim, but suffice it to say humans are asked to moderate and metamoderate, thereby providing additional computation capacity based on capability (karma). However, the folks at Amazon seem to not cite Slashdot as prior art. Even if they are including an element not embodied by Slashdot, that seems an oversight.
You note made me wonder: could you jokingly say there is 1-bit legacy code in every computer? Acting on an input from the user, the on/off button code initiates the 16bit code.
Yup, you'd do just fine. You sound just like about a dozen friends and family members of mine. They are generally very successful (I'm not not talking money, but some have that too) and rather happy. I enjoy arguing with them, and with my right wing friends and family. Same with you. You'd be surprised to know I agree with half of what you say. But the stereotyping and references to Americans being monsters I can't justify.
I keep trying to tell you, we've got an extremely diverse population. The result is that we have every bad behavior you can imagine, but we also have every good one. It's normal to focus on the bad, but it's not correct.
Seems you have a lot of pre-conceptions based on a mix of truth and misinformation. It's those same traits you seem to be most upset about with America. Pretty funny actually. You'd fit in quite well here.
Something that may help your understanding of America: it's rather heterogeneous. The 48% result is a perfect example. Taking what one group says or does and extrapolating to the entire population just doesn't work well. That goes for education, beliefs, fears, diet, etc. With that in mind, I'd like to address your points (and often make the same dumb generalizations).
Your biblical quotes really are taken literally by some, but they are ignoring the context and metaphor just as you are. Same mistake, different conclusions.
I agree Americans are a fearful lot. Sad, really. Humans biologically cannot assess risk very well (tons of studies on that). Americans have avoided real tragedy for so long, we have developed an allergic reaction to dangers that are trivial. On the other hand, we aren't scared to fail. From our lack of social programs (healthcare, etc) to the wars we get burned by, we take risks seen as insane by others. So I'll accept irrational, but not always cowards.
Generally, Islam has not concerned itself with evolution until very recently for unrelated reasons. A comparison there is rather silly. Frequent disbelief of scientists is real, and also rather silly. However, there are several instances that disbelief is even worse in Europe. Take GM foods for example. Or labor economics.
Our murder rate is unforgivable. However, extrapolating the actions of a few to call us all monsters is rather poor logic. We are a diverse bunch, and that includes having wide distribution with a statistical tail with too many violent, amoral people. It also includes a large number of overly moralistic people on the other end (who seem to overlap the anti-evolutionary crowd). It sucks. But we prefer it to making everyone act and think the same way.
There are two parts to war: smashing and holding. Smashing we can do. We can level countries very easily. Holding, we have a bit more trouble. Ironically, it's because we place limits on the smashing. Any civilian loss of life is unacceptable. But historically, one you'd smashed your way into a territory, they rule was you devastate (or threaten to devastate) the population. Kill a soldier and an entire village would be killed. Now that's against policy. So the result is a guerrilla war. Eventually America will get tired and go home and everyone knows it. If winning were the only thing that matters, as you seem to think, America could do it. If we are too cowardly, it's being to cowardly to level cities (thank goodness). Oh, we do a pretty good job of messing up the neighborhood while we are there, but nothing of the systematic of scale of wars historically.
I worry about anti-intellectualism (notice I at least spelled it correctly). Drives me crazy. But we don't have a monopoly. But your faux-intellectualism isn't much better.
And finally, there is a lot in common between America and Iran. If it weren't for historical screw-ups, I believe we could actually be quite friendly. As it is, we are genuine enemies of each other (for silly reasons, but enemies none the less). Unlike your obsession with imagining America as your enemy.
Thanks for the advice. I'd agree: simple stuff doesn't need to be command line. But for some stuff, even in windows, command line is easier. Not paying close enough attention, I'd assumed that no one had felt automating simple tasks was sexy enough to take it on in linux. Good to know I'm wrong: I don't trust my memory enough to remember commands and syntax when I most need it.
Fair enough. I didn't mean to piss anyone off. Just honestly befuddled why there didn't seem to be such GUI's. Your point about ignoring power users is on target. My problem is that's who I've usually gotten information from (usually from newsgroups and now googling).
I've actually tried the last 3 or 4 live CD's of Ubuntu. I wish they'd release live DVD's more prominently (they're tough to find). Knoppix does better in that respect. Alas, I use engineering software that is Windows based. So it's just OS voyeurism for now.
Ok, I deserve beating. But only a little one. I've tinkered with Debian, Ubuntu, Redhat, Suse, Mandriva, and a few others since 1994. Never made the switch permanent. But if I've missed the obvious all this time, it illustrates a major, but easily correctable, problem. With experienced users always suggesting aptget and other commands, I'd just assumed easier tools didn't exist or weren't reliable. The problem is people need to be aware of the tools quickly when they try Linux (hopefully in a more polite way than your comment.) Otherwise they will assume (incorrectly, like me) that running Linux is going to be a pain.
Folks marked you funny, but that was actually useful. Yeah, I got slammed by folks, probably rightly so. I've played with Ubuntu and other distros and never even heard of Synaptic. Having never heard of it, and with folks always suggesting aptget, I was left scratching my head wondering "WTF?"
Is there an equivalent for maintenance commands?
Sadly, you're right. Seems all the distros can only be maintained and upgraded by command line... if (1) you know the commands and (2) are comfortable using commands. I include "comfortable" because even if you write down what to do for grandma, if she's scared to do it, she won't. But worse, most of us forget the correct commands or syntax.
I'm surprised no one has created a GUI script runner that can be trusted (or maybe they have and I haven't heard of it). Go to the "New Program" icon, click a few times and you've got a new application installed via shell command in the background (maybe from a static list, maybe linking to one online, maybe some other method). Go to the "Maintenence" icon, click a few times, and you've got things patched or whatever. If you have to type anything more than a password during any part, folks will forget what to do and Grandma ain't gonna do it.
Sorry about that. She's one of my favorite authors as well, and I'm not a woman either. But you have to admit, Miles is more likely to appeal to women who are new to Sci-Fi than most other works.
Slashdot Mirror
First, let take a hypothetical look at the industry today: Probably a few companies producing the current chemical. They have already sunk the cost for research, facilities, paperwork, etc. They are not likely to want to spend more money just for a chance to end up where they are today. Depending on who they are, they might not even be able to.
Now the interim industry: several companies spending money to research, certify, and promote their solution. The industry is in flux. There is no clear winner.
Finally, the resulting industry: A few companies producing the new chemical. Some overlap with the old companies (maybe). Both winners and losers have sunk cost for research, facilities, paperwork, etc.
So the only chemical companies who might benefit from a ban are companies willing and able to expand. Yet they don't want to spend much money on lobbying because there isn't a guarantee that the ban will go into effect or that they will capture the market. The risk multiplier means it's not worth the money. But existing producers have an immediate vested interest. Lobbying costs compared to money already invested is minor.
(note: I'm not judging right or wrong, just giving possible motivations and how they are asymmetrical)
My crude understanding has been that vaccines are intended to amplify the immune response to pathogens. This can happen before or during a disease (prophylactic or therapeutic according to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine
SCO is being counter sued by IBM and Novell. They could try to settle, but IBM is suing for Lantham act violations (where you can go after officers of the company!) and Novell is asking for $25 mil they feel they are owed. If they smell blood they are unlikely to settle for anything less than SCO being extinguished. Sco's only hope is some sort of miracle where they win a pyrrhic victory.
I bought some for my last job for surgical device prototyping. Sometimes to mock up mechanisms or as test stands. But a few times we made working devices. No, never used on humans. Lego's are fun, but not FDA approved.
I actually felt bad slamming the article. But the wild exuberance you noted just called for some counterbalance.
As someone who's spent over a decade with piezo materials, let me very clear: BFD. This is not a new effect, this is not higher efficiency, it's not even new to be non-toxic. They just made it small. Granted, they used the ZnO to both generate and rectify the current, so that might make it useful (as the article states) for nano devices. But for larger stuff, run of the mill piezo materials offer higher D33, Q, etc. Some simple circuitry and you're off and running. Difficult? Nope! I built the generation half of one last month because I needed a quick hydrophone (thereby converting ultrasound to current). 2 minutes from overstock originally bought from on E-bay for generating ultrasound ($13 well spent).
What you are really seeing is publish or perish in action.
It really is doable. I'm an engineer and had to learn them as part of my job function. Patent legal rules aren't that bad. Missing element analysis can almost be fun. Finding and sorting the patents in the first place can be a chore.
If you want some tips from a lay-person, let me know and I'll post a few.
In no particular order, here are some general strategies. These strategies can be applied to non-software products as well.
Find something at least 17 or 20 years old and clone it. Minimize any changes that aren't old or obvious. (color pong anyone?)
Build using existing components to reduce risks. (API's, scripts, etc)
License from someone else's portfolio. (Unisys GIF patent)
Learn about patents, research them like mad, create a product that doesn't infringe (PNG)
Create an invention, patent it, license it to others (like NTP)
Pay someone else to create and accept liability (can't think of a good example of spec developed software here).
Build something and cross your fingers (RIM: Blackberry)
Build and sell where patents don't apply.
Am I forgetting any? If you don't have money, want to create a unique product, and don't have faith in crossed fingers, you're going to have to learn about patents or restrict your market pretty heavily.
In a quick scan of everyone's comments, I didn't see anyone point out that Slashdot is built on a system similar to the claim 1 in the patent. It's a long claim, but suffice it to say humans are asked to moderate and metamoderate, thereby providing additional computation capacity based on capability (karma). However, the folks at Amazon seem to not cite Slashdot as prior art. Even if they are including an element not embodied by Slashdot, that seems an oversight.
You note made me wonder: could you jokingly say there is 1-bit legacy code in every computer? Acting on an input from the user, the on/off button code initiates the 16bit code.
Yup, you'd do just fine. You sound just like about a dozen friends and family members of mine. They are generally very successful (I'm not not talking money, but some have that too) and rather happy. I enjoy arguing with them, and with my right wing friends and family. Same with you. You'd be surprised to know I agree with half of what you say. But the stereotyping and references to Americans being monsters I can't justify.
I keep trying to tell you, we've got an extremely diverse population. The result is that we have every bad behavior you can imagine, but we also have every good one. It's normal to focus on the bad, but it's not correct.
Thanks for the lively conversation though.
Seems you have a lot of pre-conceptions based on a mix of truth and misinformation. It's those same traits you seem to be most upset about with America. Pretty funny actually. You'd fit in quite well here.
Something that may help your understanding of America: it's rather heterogeneous. The 48% result is a perfect example. Taking what one group says or does and extrapolating to the entire population just doesn't work well. That goes for education, beliefs, fears, diet, etc. With that in mind, I'd like to address your points (and often make the same dumb generalizations). Your biblical quotes really are taken literally by some, but they are ignoring the context and metaphor just as you are. Same mistake, different conclusions. I agree Americans are a fearful lot. Sad, really. Humans biologically cannot assess risk very well (tons of studies on that). Americans have avoided real tragedy for so long, we have developed an allergic reaction to dangers that are trivial. On the other hand, we aren't scared to fail. From our lack of social programs (healthcare, etc) to the wars we get burned by, we take risks seen as insane by others. So I'll accept irrational, but not always cowards. Generally, Islam has not concerned itself with evolution until very recently for unrelated reasons. A comparison there is rather silly. Frequent disbelief of scientists is real, and also rather silly. However, there are several instances that disbelief is even worse in Europe. Take GM foods for example. Or labor economics. Our murder rate is unforgivable. However, extrapolating the actions of a few to call us all monsters is rather poor logic. We are a diverse bunch, and that includes having wide distribution with a statistical tail with too many violent, amoral people. It also includes a large number of overly moralistic people on the other end (who seem to overlap the anti-evolutionary crowd). It sucks. But we prefer it to making everyone act and think the same way. There are two parts to war: smashing and holding. Smashing we can do. We can level countries very easily. Holding, we have a bit more trouble. Ironically, it's because we place limits on the smashing. Any civilian loss of life is unacceptable. But historically, one you'd smashed your way into a territory, they rule was you devastate (or threaten to devastate) the population. Kill a soldier and an entire village would be killed. Now that's against policy. So the result is a guerrilla war. Eventually America will get tired and go home and everyone knows it. If winning were the only thing that matters, as you seem to think, America could do it. If we are too cowardly, it's being to cowardly to level cities (thank goodness). Oh, we do a pretty good job of messing up the neighborhood while we are there, but nothing of the systematic of scale of wars historically. I worry about anti-intellectualism (notice I at least spelled it correctly). Drives me crazy. But we don't have a monopoly. But your faux-intellectualism isn't much better. And finally, there is a lot in common between America and Iran. If it weren't for historical screw-ups, I believe we could actually be quite friendly. As it is, we are genuine enemies of each other (for silly reasons, but enemies none the less). Unlike your obsession with imagining America as your enemy.
Thanks for the advice. I'd agree: simple stuff doesn't need to be command line. But for some stuff, even in windows, command line is easier. Not paying close enough attention, I'd assumed that no one had felt automating simple tasks was sexy enough to take it on in linux. Good to know I'm wrong: I don't trust my memory enough to remember commands and syntax when I most need it.
Fair enough. I didn't mean to piss anyone off. Just honestly befuddled why there didn't seem to be such GUI's. Your point about ignoring power users is on target. My problem is that's who I've usually gotten information from (usually from newsgroups and now googling).
I've actually tried the last 3 or 4 live CD's of Ubuntu. I wish they'd release live DVD's more prominently (they're tough to find). Knoppix does better in that respect. Alas, I use engineering software that is Windows based. So it's just OS voyeurism for now.
Ok, I deserve beating. But only a little one. I've tinkered with Debian, Ubuntu, Redhat, Suse, Mandriva, and a few others since 1994. Never made the switch permanent. But if I've missed the obvious all this time, it illustrates a major, but easily correctable, problem. With experienced users always suggesting aptget and other commands, I'd just assumed easier tools didn't exist or weren't reliable. The problem is people need to be aware of the tools quickly when they try Linux (hopefully in a more polite way than your comment.) Otherwise they will assume (incorrectly, like me) that running Linux is going to be a pain.
Folks marked you funny, but that was actually useful. Yeah, I got slammed by folks, probably rightly so. I've played with Ubuntu and other distros and never even heard of Synaptic. Having never heard of it, and with folks always suggesting aptget, I was left scratching my head wondering "WTF?" Is there an equivalent for maintenance commands?
Sadly, you're right. Seems all the distros can only be maintained and upgraded by command line ... if (1) you know the commands and (2) are comfortable using commands. I include "comfortable" because even if you write down what to do for grandma, if she's scared to do it, she won't. But worse, most of us forget the correct commands or syntax.
I'm surprised no one has created a GUI script runner that can be trusted (or maybe they have and I haven't heard of it). Go to the "New Program" icon, click a few times and you've got a new application installed via shell command in the background (maybe from a static list, maybe linking to one online, maybe some other method). Go to the "Maintenence" icon, click a few times, and you've got things patched or whatever. If you have to type anything more than a password during any part, folks will forget what to do and Grandma ain't gonna do it.
Did the Think Tank come up with this idea?
The rest must be Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and WWF dues.
Consider yourself lucky you're not dead. At $3.25/mile, the average Prius owner would have to give up food entirely.
Yeah, but those are metric years and miles. You need to convert to American miles and years. Furlongs and fortnights would be even better.
That web site has nothing to do with conservation! Nothing on low flow toilets, CF bulbs, recycling, nothing. I call shenanigans!
How about really big holes? Like open pit mines? Then you get to use the entire earth as rotating media. Gives new meaning to the term "bad sector"
Sorry about that. She's one of my favorite authors as well, and I'm not a woman either. But you have to admit, Miles is more likely to appeal to women who are new to Sci-Fi than most other works.