There is no conspiracy, it's just another omen that we have moved so far away from Wozniak's Apple that we are seeing this in Jobs' Apple. There's no question who's been making the most money but the days of Apple encouraging the user and hobbyist to open up their products and tinker and learn are over. Wozniak's Apple is dead. This is no conspiracy. This is simply fact; the final screw in the hobbyist's ass is yet more unneeded evidence indicating this.
Oh stop. You're sounding emo.
Comparing construction methods of hobbyist computers during the dawn of personal computer age with 21st Century consumer electronics packing is really unfair. The early machines were meant to be built by the end user. Can you just imagine the look on L-user jr's face when they open up their iPhone box and find a ziplock bag of microscopic parts and an barely readable instructional pamphlet? What fun! (Actually, I'd love to see this, but I digress).
The iPhone and virtually every other bit of consumer electronics is not meant to be 'user repaired' for typical values of 'user'. If you're into this sort of thing you simply rejoice in the um, need to get another tool.
and stupidly short expiration dates [medscape.com] on medicines
First, that link requires registration. Yuck.
Second, IIRC from Pharm School, expiration dates are legally mandated by the FDA to be when the active ingredient(s) degrade to 90% efficacy? Maybe I'm wrong on that one... or maybe it was just for prescription meds. But it's kind of important for dosing properly.
Well, it's complicated. (Long and winding article). Short answer:
There are lots of rules and regulations
Baseline data comes from pilot studies during early manufacturing periods. Typically the testing does not go beyond six months. Various forms of regression analysis and environmental stress analyses are used in order to accelerate the process but the article seemed to imply that anything past the actual test time got into hand waving territory and, since it's in the interest of the pharmaceutical company to not push the date back, they don't.
Manufacturers are encouraged to redo testing as they get more experience with production methods. In a totally surprising move, they don't. It's time consuming and expensive.
Open the package and all bets are off.
The military did studies back in the mid 1960's that showed the expiration dates for most medications kept under carefully controlled conditions were much, much longer than printed on the label. What this means in a non military context is an open question.
As usual, we don't know jack.
Totally off topic from Apple's latest hiccup and the world's breathless analysis of same, but since I actually looked it up, here it is.
Who said anything about the FCC? When I said "government agency" I was referring to the emergency services agencies that are allowing those yellow-vested know-nothings into their EOCs and field operations without any training on ICS or whatever it was MM0YEQ was complaining about.
Sorry. Wrong government agency. Too many of the damned things anyway. I've not encountered those issues out here in the hinterlands but I can well imagine something along those lines going on in the real world. Must be fun.
'CQ' is not ARRL's magazine. You're thinking of QST.
Don't group Electronics and Radio mags together. Arduinos and hacked Roombas are a shitload more popular than crankstart Heathkits and QRP Altoids boxes.
Probably and reasonably so. I imagine there is a fair crossover (at least I get both and have eyed the Roomba from time to time). My backseat estimate is that interest in electronics in general (defined as building things that emit magic smoke when annoyed) is about the same as it's always been. It will always be a niche and these days there are literally hundreds of sub niches (robotics, radio, computers, automation, RC planes, etc, etc.). to choose from. With the advent of the Internet, you can geek out in Butfuck, New Jersey and communicate with all of your Asperger friends all over the world.
Not exactly sure where I'm going with this but I don't think we all have to go to bed snuggling with our soldering irons and wondering if anyone will understand us.
If this is a problem in GB, then it is the fault of the government agency for not demanding proper training before making it a resource. Ok, if this is a problem anywhere, ditto.
Well, not really. The FCC's main job is to make sure that the bands are actually used to some extent and to ensure that the amateur band users don't mess up anybody else. So they're not necessarily concerned that your typical new ham doesn't know resistor color codes (or morse code for that matter), just that they have enough brains to plug a system in and not operate out of band or transmit something inappropriate.
MMOYEQ's comment does resonate to a degree and it's a bit scary to see just how basic the intro electronics articles are in CQ (the ARRL's magazine) - but they're having to deal with a bunch of competing interests. The frequencies do need to get used - lots of business owners would love to gobble up Amateur spectrum. Not everybody wants to talk to a bunch of middle aged guys about their antennas (mine's bigger). Emcomm is at least useful and social. So I see it as the most visible aspect of Amateur radio today, but not necessarily the most important. In these bizarre days I think you can do worse than to associate with a bunch of mildly introverted overweight guys creating a defined social structure which potentially involves physical activity and has the side effect that it can help other people. A few of them just might venture into soldering something more complex than a power lead.
73 KL1SA
If you can get a free line because everyone is calling everybody else. And if the tower's UPS system works. And if the backhaul is still up. And if the techs are around. And. And. And. Cell phones tend to be the least robust communications device in the event of a major, prolonged problem.
businesses generally have emergency backup power, as do hospitals, firehouses, police departments,
Which might keep the lights on at Acme, Inc, but doesn't help comm links a whole lot. Hospitals and firehouses likewise.
and the military.
|
Not everyone has a military base anywhere near by.
Even a majority of adult Americans have access to a gas-powered generator in the form of their cars.
So they can power their iPods? What are they going to do with 12 V coming out of the cigarette lighter? Run their freezer?
Scam includes schemes with dishonest elements. My best example for you is the one a few stories back about hackers embedding code into job interview resumes. The results differ depending on the OS "targetted". If you are running Xfce on Slackware with ultra custom mods derived from the Species 8472 from Star Trek scriptwriter manuals, you'll laugh at malware.
If you're a typical overworked cube dweller running Win2000 you'll get hosed.
If you are a typical cube dweller running Win2000 you already are hosed.
Well, the questions that they asked me about a friend who wanted to get Q clearances were more along the lines of "How many times did you do drugs? Can you write them all down?"
Really, you think I remember the dates, types and quantities? -- That's what they wanted. I just laughed. He got the clearance anyway. Whatever....
No, when you shotgun the burglar, your pellets don't go beyond your property line. If they do, or if you chase the burglar down the street, you're in trouble.
That's the problem with going on 'the attack' - you go outside your own property. (That's one reason shotguns are great personal defense weapons - they require little skill to point and the pellets, while very effective at close range, don't have the penetrating ability that a pistol bullet has. Even a 9mm 50 grain bullet can waltz through sheetrock without too much difficulty).
This a yawn-story (== ranked a little bit above a non-story)
That's what Firehose is for. Once the story escapes, you're supposed to disparage the editor and the submitter. Preferably with pithy grammar related comments.
The problem that I see in the future of Apple without Steve Jobs is that no matter how good his future replacement could be, people will always say that things are not the same, that Jobs times were better, and will be their fault for taking advantage of that cult of personality
Yeah, like all the whining around here about how things were 'better in the old days". Borland / DEC / Compaq / IBM (well, maybe in the Selectric days). What's the tech equivalent for 'rose colored glasses'?
It has never been proven that Iranian uranium-enrichment centrifuges where damaged by Stuxnet. The Iranians deny it. I wouldn't rely on the NYT for information about such topics. It might well be a propaganda spin.
Quite right. It's not like the Iranians wouldn't try to hide the fact they got taken for a ride. FWIW, it's been reported by numerous other journalistic outlets, the virus itself has infected countries other than Iran and has been subject to quite a bit of detailed scrutiny.
But of course, it could all be a put on by Symantec.
I don't like his personality, nor the cult of Mac that has built up around it. But I do hope he'll recover soon, and perhaps finally realises that homeopathy does not work.
Seriously, for someone so intelligent and rich, how could he possibly even consider homeopathy could cure his cancer? All it has done is delay proper treatment, and likely allowed further damages to occur.
Slashdot Mirror
There is no conspiracy, it's just another omen that we have moved so far away from Wozniak's Apple that we are seeing this in Jobs' Apple. There's no question who's been making the most money but the days of Apple encouraging the user and hobbyist to open up their products and tinker and learn are over. Wozniak's Apple is dead. This is no conspiracy. This is simply fact; the final screw in the hobbyist's ass is yet more unneeded evidence indicating this.
Oh stop. You're sounding emo.
Comparing construction methods of hobbyist computers during the dawn of personal computer age with 21st Century consumer electronics packing is really unfair. The early machines were meant to be built by the end user. Can you just imagine the look on L-user jr's face when they open up their iPhone box and find a ziplock bag of microscopic parts and an barely readable instructional pamphlet? What fun! (Actually, I'd love to see this, but I digress).
The iPhone and virtually every other bit of consumer electronics is not meant to be 'user repaired' for typical values of 'user'. If you're into this sort of thing you simply rejoice in the um, need to get another tool.
This is a feature, not a bug.
the mods are doing crack again.
Wait a minute. Wait just a minute here. I got mod points yesterday and NO COCAINE. WTF?
Maybe you have to be a subscriber?
First, that link requires registration. Yuck. Second, IIRC from Pharm School, expiration dates are legally mandated by the FDA to be when the active ingredient(s) degrade to 90% efficacy? Maybe I'm wrong on that one... or maybe it was just for prescription meds. But it's kind of important for dosing properly.
Well, it's complicated. (Long and winding article). Short answer:
Baseline data comes from pilot studies during early manufacturing periods. Typically the testing does not go beyond six months. Various forms of regression analysis and environmental stress analyses are used in order to accelerate the process but the article seemed to imply that anything past the actual test time got into hand waving territory and, since it's in the interest of the pharmaceutical company to not push the date back, they don't.
Manufacturers are encouraged to redo testing as they get more experience with production methods. In a totally surprising move, they don't. It's time consuming and expensive.
Open the package and all bets are off.
The military did studies back in the mid 1960's that showed the expiration dates for most medications kept under carefully controlled conditions were much, much longer than printed on the label. What this means in a non military context is an open question.
As usual, we don't know jack.
Totally off topic from Apple's latest hiccup and the world's breathless analysis of same, but since I actually looked it up, here it is.
Who said anything about the FCC? When I said "government agency" I was referring to the emergency services agencies that are allowing those yellow-vested know-nothings into their EOCs and field operations without any training on ICS or whatever it was MM0YEQ was complaining about.
Sorry. Wrong government agency. Too many of the damned things anyway. I've not encountered those issues out here in the hinterlands but I can well imagine something along those lines going on in the real world. Must be fun.
'CQ' is not ARRL's magazine. You're thinking of QST.
Ah yes. Brain fart.
Is about to go HAM?
No, NASA is about to go cheap. And besides, this harkens back to pre NASA days when the US military asked Hams to track Sputnik.
Don't group Electronics and Radio mags together. Arduinos and hacked Roombas are a shitload more popular than crankstart Heathkits and QRP Altoids boxes.
Probably and reasonably so. I imagine there is a fair crossover (at least I get both and have eyed the Roomba from time to time). My backseat estimate is that interest in electronics in general (defined as building things that emit magic smoke when annoyed) is about the same as it's always been. It will always be a niche and these days there are literally hundreds of sub niches (robotics, radio, computers, automation, RC planes, etc, etc.). to choose from. With the advent of the Internet, you can geek out in Butfuck, New Jersey and communicate with all of your Asperger friends all over the world.
Not exactly sure where I'm going with this but I don't think we all have to go to bed snuggling with our soldering irons and wondering if anyone will understand us.
If this is a problem in GB, then it is the fault of the government agency for not demanding proper training before making it a resource. Ok, if this is a problem anywhere, ditto.
Well, not really. The FCC's main job is to make sure that the bands are actually used to some extent and to ensure that the amateur band users don't mess up anybody else. So they're not necessarily concerned that your typical new ham doesn't know resistor color codes (or morse code for that matter), just that they have enough brains to plug a system in and not operate out of band or transmit something inappropriate.
MMOYEQ's comment does resonate to a degree and it's a bit scary to see just how basic the intro electronics articles are in CQ (the ARRL's magazine) - but they're having to deal with a bunch of competing interests. The frequencies do need to get used - lots of business owners would love to gobble up Amateur spectrum. Not everybody wants to talk to a bunch of middle aged guys about their antennas (mine's bigger). Emcomm is at least useful and social. So I see it as the most visible aspect of Amateur radio today, but not necessarily the most important. In these bizarre days I think you can do worse than to associate with a bunch of mildly introverted overweight guys creating a defined social structure which potentially involves physical activity and has the side effect that it can help other people. A few of them just might venture into soldering something more complex than a power lead. 73 KL1SA
Cell phones will still work
If you can get a free line because everyone is calling everybody else. And if the tower's UPS system works. And if the backhaul is still up. And if the techs are around. And. And. And. Cell phones tend to be the least robust communications device in the event of a major, prolonged problem.
businesses generally have emergency backup power, as do hospitals, firehouses, police departments,
Which might keep the lights on at Acme, Inc, but doesn't help comm links a whole lot. Hospitals and firehouses likewise.
and the military.
| Not everyone has a military base anywhere near by.
Even a majority of adult Americans have access to a gas-powered generator in the form of their cars.
So they can power their iPods? What are they going to do with 12 V coming out of the cigarette lighter? Run their freezer?
And this comment lacks sarcasm detection.
There should be an app for that.
If we can teach people to steer a heavy metal vehicle down a highway at speed we can certainly teach them to understand how software trust works.
We're doomed.
Scam includes schemes with dishonest elements. My best example for you is the one a few stories back about hackers embedding code into job interview resumes. The results differ depending on the OS "targetted". If you are running Xfce on Slackware with ultra custom mods derived from the Species 8472 from Star Trek scriptwriter manuals, you'll laugh at malware.
If you're a typical overworked cube dweller running Win2000 you'll get hosed.
If you are a typical cube dweller running Win2000 you already are hosed.
Pics or it didn't happen. I have yet to see an actual OS X virus in the wild.
Trojans, sure. Anytime you have L-series users, you'll have trojans. But an actual virus?
Show us what you got.
Damn you math geeks. Why must you come here and spew your incomprehensible formulas.
I agree. Can we have a car analogy? Or at least Natalie Portman?
Well, the questions that they asked me about a friend who wanted to get Q clearances were more along the lines of "How many times did you do drugs? Can you write them all down?"
Really, you think I remember the dates, types and quantities? -- That's what they wanted. I just laughed. He got the clearance anyway. Whatever....
You know, it's people like you that keep us from the Star Trek future of tolerance, peace and plenty that Osama bin Laden is trying to lead us into.
Gee, I always thought it was the laws of physics. Learn something everyday here on Slashdot, I guess.
LMFAO avian protocalls. I've heard of sneakernet but that's funny. +1
Kids these days, don't know nothing.
Dr. Strangelove: Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?
Ambassador de Sadesky: It was to be announced at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, the Premier loves surprises.
No, when you shotgun the burglar, your pellets don't go beyond your property line. If they do, or if you chase the burglar down the street, you're in trouble.
That's the problem with going on 'the attack' - you go outside your own property. (That's one reason shotguns are great personal defense weapons - they require little skill to point and the pellets, while very effective at close range, don't have the penetrating ability that a pistol bullet has. Even a 9mm 50 grain bullet can waltz through sheetrock without too much difficulty).
Or do you just think he is because he said he was going to?
Placebo effect
This a yawn-story (== ranked a little bit above a non-story)
That's what Firehose is for. Once the story escapes, you're supposed to disparage the editor and the submitter. Preferably with pithy grammar related comments.
Please Read The Manual.
The problem that I see in the future of Apple without Steve Jobs is that no matter how good his future replacement could be, people will always say that things are not the same, that Jobs times were better, and will be their fault for taking advantage of that cult of personality
Yeah, like all the whining around here about how things were 'better in the old days". Borland / DEC / Compaq / IBM (well, maybe in the Selectric days). What's the tech equivalent for 'rose colored glasses'?
No the 'warm feeling in your pants' type nerd means the nursing aides are a little slow this morning.
Shuffleboard programming at 10:00 in the Big Room!
It has never been proven that Iranian uranium-enrichment centrifuges where damaged by Stuxnet. The Iranians deny it. I wouldn't rely on the NYT for information about such topics. It might well be a propaganda spin.
Quite right. It's not like the Iranians wouldn't try to hide the fact they got taken for a ride. FWIW, it's been reported by numerous other journalistic outlets, the virus itself has infected countries other than Iran and has been subject to quite a bit of detailed scrutiny.
But of course, it could all be a put on by Symantec.
Remember, Slashdot is an American centric site, given our propensity to misunderestimate geography, such helpful hints are likely a good idea.
I don't like his personality, nor the cult of Mac that has built up around it. But I do hope he'll recover soon, and perhaps finally realises that homeopathy does not work.
Seriously, for someone so intelligent and rich, how could he possibly even consider homeopathy could cure his cancer? All it has done is delay proper treatment, and likely allowed further damages to occur.
Liver transplants are homeopathic?
Who knew?