They are missing one crucial point here I think. A chat log is (usually) just a plain text file of the contents of a chat session. A file like this could easily be created by hand by anyone, at any time. Even when it's something more sophisticated than a text file, it can still be faked pretty easily.
So wouldn't a log like this be completely inadmissable in any court anyway? Wiretaps have been used for years on the premise that audio analysis can be used to unerringly establish the identity of the speaker. Chatlogs are simply a whole other kettle of fish.
True - but when that happens, the blank you want to fill is every intimate detail of the life of the person on the other side of the conversation, right?;-)
This study confirms what I have known for a long time, from my personal experience of being a curious, obsessive bastard. That is; mobile phone conversations are annoying mainly because you can only hear one side of the conversation. This makes you want to hear the other side of it, just to fill in the blanks.
Often, after hearing someone speaking a mobile phone, I just want to ask: 'OK, so what exactly were you talking about? I already know half of it, thank you very much - so tell me the rest or I'll kidney punch you!' Grrrrr...
But that's not what this Infowalker thing does. It simply displays the text of the page in a separate window, and optionally reads it out, with or without translation. You can adjust the display/voice speed and some other things as well.
Great for visually impaired people, but otherwise I see little use for it.
And yes, I have IE installed, but I don't normally use it - honest!
This sounds a little dodgy to me. This statement seems to imply that a law is 'needed' to fix a current problem (i.e. batteries not keeping up with processor power). But why would some contrived 'law' do anything to solve this problem? After all, the original Moore's law was a prediction - no more, no less. No one has ever actually been guided by it.
I feel that putting the problem forth in this way is just clouding the issue.
This is probably a little offtopic, but what the heck.
Interestingly enough, Rob Glaser, founder of RealNetworks, has 'crossed streams' with Microsoft. In fact, he was a top executive there before moving on to found RealNetworks.
So it's little wonder that the battle between Microsoft and RealNetworks is so fierce at times - there are no enemies like old friends.
It seems that you are a student of Friedman, who, among other things, said that "The only social responsibility of a corporation is to deliver a profit to its shareholders."
This is a valid point of view, although I certainly do not support it. The main problem that I have with it is the classic one that shareholders are focused only on short-term, narrow interests. A truly moral, socially responsible world-view is one that takes a broader view of things.
Of course, management is driven by the shareholders and has their duties to fulfill towards them. Modern capitalism creates an enormous amount of pressure on every individual to succeed (i.e. profit) at any cost. As long as something is legal, and makes you money RIGHT now, it is right. And of course, it IS right under the rules of the game.
But again, I prefer to define 'right' more broadly. It is an extremely elusive term; there's no denying that. But it is certainly more than just fulfilling the interests of a (relatively) small and homogenous group of people. It is about taking the full consequences of your actions into account. This is, of course, a very, very hard thing to do in modern society, and perhaps any society, but it is an ideal that I believe we should all try to achieve.
To bring this post finally on topic, I will say only that outsourcing is (surprise surprise) a complex issue that has many sides to it. It certainly does lower the standard of living in the richer countries, by creating unemployment and resultant lower wages. It probably tends to raise it slightly in the poorer countries that get the outsourced jobs, but it's a devil's bargain. But, perhaps these people don't mind receiving lower wages and fewer benefits than their Western counterparts, as long as they are better than what they could get before.
In an ideal world, local corporations would spring into existence in the poorer countries to compete with the foreign ones, thus driving up the standard of living there so that everyone would profit in the end.
Tom O'Leary, head of education and interpretation at the National Archives, told the paper: "It does seem like an April Fool but it most certainly is not. The Civil Service does not do jokes."
Excellent point - I think this pretty much settles the 'April Fool or not' debate for this one.
Pornographic would actually be quite appropriate, since the number of links in the post is, well, pornographic. The post might even actually have more text inside href tags than outside...
And this on a forum where no one clicks on the links - what a waste.
If the judge grants the motion then SCO effectively has no case and the whole thing is over.
Over?? Wow, could this be the end of SCO?
What will we make fun of then? Hardly IBM, since they seem to be rapidly converting themselves into good guys - this story will probably elevate them to the status of demi-godhood.
Slashdot Mirror
They are missing one crucial point here I think. A chat log is (usually) just a plain text file of the contents of a chat session. A file like this could easily be created by hand by anyone, at any time. Even when it's something more sophisticated than a text file, it can still be faked pretty easily.
So wouldn't a log like this be completely inadmissable in any court anyway? Wiretaps have been used for years on the premise that audio analysis can be used to unerringly establish the identity of the speaker. Chatlogs are simply a whole other kettle of fish.
If he hasn't already, John Ashcroft deserves an honorary trophy all for himself.
He has one
Too many times have I seen my dork friends embrace a cute girl as their own, just because she has a mild familiarity with Magic: The Gathering cards.
Hell, I'd embrace a cute girl any day, Magic: The Gathering or no Magic: The Gathering!
True - but when that happens, the blank you want to fill is every intimate detail of the life of the person on the other side of the conversation, right? ;-)
This study confirms what I have known for a long time, from my personal experience of being a curious, obsessive bastard. That is; mobile phone conversations are annoying mainly because you can only hear one side of the conversation. This makes you want to hear the other side of it, just to fill in the blanks.
Often, after hearing someone speaking a mobile phone, I just want to ask: 'OK, so what exactly were you talking about? I already know half of it, thank you very much - so tell me the rest or I'll kidney punch you!' Grrrrr ...
Economist ??
Where do your loyalties lie?
Our very own slashdot had that story. Well, so the slashdot story is about the Economist article of which you speak, but still ...
"Pass the Hot Potatoe to Someone Else"
Well you have learned, young Padawan
- Master Dan Quale
Yes, making summaries of texts is a good idea...
But that's not what this Infowalker thing does. It simply displays the text of the page in a separate window, and optionally reads it out, with or without translation. You can adjust the display/voice speed and some other things as well.
Great for visually impaired people, but otherwise I see little use for it.
And yes, I have IE installed, but I don't normally use it - honest!
This sounds a little dodgy to me. This statement seems to imply that a law is 'needed' to fix a current problem (i.e. batteries not keeping up with processor power). But why would some contrived 'law' do anything to solve this problem? After all, the original Moore's law was a prediction - no more, no less. No one has ever actually been guided by it.
I feel that putting the problem forth in this way is just clouding the issue.
Hey - this got posted before mine!
In all fairness, mine should be modded redundant.
Yeah, yeah - sometimes my halo gets a bit heavy to carry ...
They are also eyeing the multibillion-dollar video game market video game market.
Hmmm - so they are going to market video games inside video games? Wow - that's like, so cool!
Sorry to burst your little bubble, but us broadbanders can also connect to these BBS'es using CGTerm, as mentioned in the article.
Guess you'll have to make do with A-HA and Duran Duran albums for that exclusive sense nostalgia ... oh wait, I have those too :P
This is probably a little offtopic, but what the heck.
Interestingly enough, Rob Glaser, founder of RealNetworks, has 'crossed streams' with Microsoft. In fact, he was a top executive there before moving on to found RealNetworks.
So it's little wonder that the battle between Microsoft and RealNetworks is so fierce at times - there are no enemies like old friends.
You are correct, Sir
I am greatly shamed ...
Great!
Now all we need is to lay some curved roads all over the place, make loads of these bikes, and we can all ride bicycles with square-shaped wheels!
I'm calling my Senator right now!
The only thing I want to know is; are these computers Chaotic Lawful, Chaotic Neutral, or Chaotic Evil?
Then, he spent a bit of time on http://www.emailspidereasy.com. Don't you just love the fake google-textads?
Yup, love is the word. I also love these links on the same page:
Credit cards - links to credit card resources
Cheap loans - compare and get a cheap loan
Compare mortgage quotes - cheap mortgages online
Work from home - make money with working from home
Seems this is the only site spammers need to visit; they have links to spamming resources as well! Very convenient ...
It seems that you are a student of Friedman, who, among other things, said that "The only social responsibility of a corporation is to deliver a profit to its shareholders."
This is a valid point of view, although I certainly do not support it. The main problem that I have with it is the classic one that shareholders are focused only on short-term, narrow interests. A truly moral, socially responsible world-view is one that takes a broader view of things.
Of course, management is driven by the shareholders and has their duties to fulfill towards them. Modern capitalism creates an enormous amount of pressure on every individual to succeed (i.e. profit) at any cost. As long as something is legal, and makes you money RIGHT now, it is right. And of course, it IS right under the rules of the game.
But again, I prefer to define 'right' more broadly. It is an extremely elusive term; there's no denying that. But it is certainly more than just fulfilling the interests of a (relatively) small and homogenous group of people. It is about taking the full consequences of your actions into account. This is, of course, a very, very hard thing to do in modern society, and perhaps any society, but it is an ideal that I believe we should all try to achieve.
To bring this post finally on topic, I will say only that outsourcing is (surprise surprise) a complex issue that has many sides to it. It certainly does lower the standard of living in the richer countries, by creating unemployment and resultant lower wages. It probably tends to raise it slightly in the poorer countries that get the outsourced jobs, but it's a devil's bargain. But, perhaps these people don't mind receiving lower wages and fewer benefits than their Western counterparts, as long as they are better than what they could get before.
In an ideal world, local corporations would spring into existence in the poorer countries to compete with the foreign ones, thus driving up the standard of living there so that everyone would profit in the end.
Well, I might as well wish for a pony too, right?
Many slashdotters will probably be pleased to know that the contest's environment OS was Red Hat Linux 9.0.
Full environment specs here.
I just love this quote at the end of that story:
Tom O'Leary, head of education and interpretation at the National Archives, told the paper: "It does seem like an April Fool but it most certainly is not. The Civil Service does not do jokes."
Excellent point - I think this pretty much settles the 'April Fool or not' debate for this one.
Or does it ??
Ugh - ignore that
Link doesn't work correctly ...
Should test 'em before submitting :P
Hahaha - sure they did ...
http://web.infoave.net/~kbcowart/
I had to google for this one ...
Basically, Bluesnarfing is an exploit of a Bluetooth vulnerability to access data stored on the mobile device.
A more detailed explanation can be found here
Pornographic would actually be quite appropriate, since the number of links in the post is, well, pornographic. The post might even actually have more text inside href tags than outside ...
And this on a forum where no one clicks on the links - what a waste.
If the judge grants the motion then SCO effectively has no case and the whole thing is over.
Over?? Wow, could this be the end of SCO?
What will we make fun of then? Hardly IBM, since they seem to be rapidly converting themselves into good guys - this story will probably elevate them to the status of demi-godhood.
Well, back to bashing Microsoft then I suppose ...