I'm not against the war or against the use of non/less lethal technology. I do have to say though that his idea for shooting everyone in a hostage situation and sorting it out later has a big hole in it. I've been zapped by electricity and it causes your muscles to spasm. I would guess the kidnappers in the room would probably be armed and I don't think that making their trigger fingers spasm is going to create a safe environment for the hostages or rescuers.
I agree completely, the morphing wing plane guys and these guys seriously need to consider sharing re-search. Although I'm not too sure how similiar the planes wings and movement capabilities compare to bats, I know from watching bats that they are surely very quick and agile hunters in the air. Of course you could probably catch the plane and/or the bat with some good fishnet.
"In case you were wondering they have over a million infantry troops. US has around 30,000. If they are ever able to bring those troops to land, we're fucked...in a word."
You're forgetting one thing, the US also has state militias plus well more than a million armed civilians, I believe that is the primary reason we won't be invaded by infantry and if they ever decide too they'll find out what it's like to grab a wildcat by the balls. *cackles*
Another great site that went out of business for the same reason as Kosmo as far as I can tell at least was www.mrswap.com . I traded games and movies on this site like crazy! The idea was that you could sell your game or movie or book for so many mr.swap BUX and then use those BUX to buy movies, games etc... from other users. Mr. Swap made their money from the shipping and handling. The shipping and handling fees were very cheap and when someone purchased something from you they sent you a box pre-printed with the buyers address and you simply put in the item(s) used the easy seal to close it and put it back in the mail. When you bought something they'd deduct your BUX plus whatever the S&H charge was and send the seller a box which would then come straight to you with your goods. I know that I completed at least 250-300 sales and purchases through there. I basically replaced every VHS movie I had with DVD by trading on Mr. Swap. I was truly bummed when they went out of business. Shortly before they shut their doors there was a great write-up about them on a big magazine or newspaper online (might have been NYTs, can't remember for sure). It's too bad that a replacement service that was as "easy to use" and efficient as this one never popped back up.
I got my Atari 2600 for X-mas the year it came out and my mother purchased it from Sears for $249.99. She then purchased me 2 extra games for it at a price between $49.95 and $69.95. If you look at it the price for newly released game systems and games are still right at the same price they were three decades ago.
LMAO! Apparently the people at http://www.cantenna.com/ don't know they're illegal since they're selling a nice souped up version with it's own tripod even!
Would you rather give MGM 15.00 for a DVD or your brother or best friend 5.00 for a DVD? Many people think they are helping friends or family while saving money themselves and that makes them more than willing to force themselves to sleep at night over a little "corner cutting".
I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that people don't think of their little part in the overall big picture as having any noticeable impact. However when you have 1 million of those people it becomes a big deal instead of a small harmless act.
Just my opinion as usual;)
Ok I'm a major geek; I collected Star Wars toys from 1977 till just before the first movie when I finally parted with my entire room full of "paraphernalia". I have played D&D since I was 12 and still do to this day! I read strictly fantasy Sci-Fi books and I only watch one day of television and that's Sci-Fi Saturday when all the good cheesy movies are on! I'm a computer geek for a living on top of this so I would say I definitely qualify to answer this post. I also have a majorly bum pancreas thanks to years of heavy drinking in front of the computer which has led me to the realm of "real opiates" Opiates are the ultimate when it comes to feeling good and taking you completely away and planting you on cloud 9! I'll admit that I've been so deeply into a game of D&D, a book or movie that I have dreamed of them and woke up feeling very blissful but never have I considered any of the things I love as past time/hobbies as an "opiate". They might even be addictive (such as the time I spend with my 800 title pc game collection) but I've never went through 3 days of withdrawals from not having access to them! I think the author should try some real drugs, get some Mr. Brownstone and take a ride on the wild side for a couple of weeks before making such a stretched comparison. Sci-fi might be like chocolate but it's not like heroin.
As far as the link between Sci-Fi and Religion, Come on people! Walking on Water, Raising from the dead, talking snakes offering lovely naked young ladies apples of evil, these are all sci-fi standards so what's the big deal. As far as I'm concerned you're just as well to worship William Shatner as to worship Buddha! To each his own I guess.
I think Bill should slow down and try to work on creating a new "groundbreaking" operating system before he gets too carried away trying to create his ideals for a future ran entirely by computers! And like everyone else has said , you can't have a car that can't crash till you have software that can't crash!
What I want is a headset that will allow me to see a panoramic view of the IG environ. If you were to couple this with a tracker type system like's available now and let's say a pistol style control for the right hand along with a device for movement on the left.
What this would do is allow you to turn your head from side to side while running let's say, using your left hand you're pushing forward to run, using your head you're choosing where you are looking and where you are going. Let's say that I wanted to stop and look around then all I'd have to do is quit moving with the left hand control. The gun part, simply a small pistol or handheld unit of some kind strictly for pointing and shooting primary and seconday weapon plus selecting weapon. This is what I would call VR? Is this a good example of what other VR gamers want? I know that I can get most of what I'm talking about here, what I haven't seen is the eyeglasses, helm or whatever that allows the panoramic view as if you were actually in the game.
Isn't this the kind of thing that businesses are not supposed to do? I mean the only real comptetition that PhotoShop has if Macromedia Fireworks (which I personally think is a much better product). So what they going to do now? continue to develop 2 programs? I don't think so, they're going to combine them and then go the way "they" think the product should. And left to compete with them is? What?
When I first
started working on computers and networks, which was triggered when I
volunteered to fix an old 8086 computer for a company which I was working for
back in 1994, people definitely looked at me much differently than they do
these days.
In 1998 I took my
current job with a well established capital machine manufacturer and its sister
company. I started out with the title of
MIS Director and my job was to bring the systems up to date, re-search,
purchase and implement new ERP/MRP software and of course I was also the sole
person responsible for the Y2K project (dealing with the big 3 in automotive
made that part a royal bitch by the way).
At this time the
company was running on a P120 Novel 3.11 server at the main site and a 486dx266
Novel 3.11 server at the sister company which was connected via underground "Coax"
cable between the buildings. There wasn't
even a dial up internet connection available anywhere. All the documents, including quotes, were
done in WordStar and the spreadsheets in an ancient version of Lotus123.
When I started
wiping out all the 386 diskless PC's and replacing them with nice Dell Pentium systems,
upgraded the server to a nice Dell Windows NT server and installed a Whistle Interjet
(dial-up) e-mail/web server the people here thought I was literally their lord
and savior.
But now 7 years
later with 10 servers, fiber-optic connections, new 3ghz plus machines at every
users desk, high speed internet and e-mail, an incredible ERP/MRP system, all
new printers and faxing right from their desks, Kick-ass 3D modeling engineering
CAD/CAM systems and more other technology than I can even mention in place, it
seems as if I have turned into the spawn of Satan. If the slightest thing goes wrong, even a
printer running out of paper it's my fault?
At first like I said the employees here thought I was a godsend but now
that their jobs have been made easier by computer automation and communications
it seems like all they have time to do is bitch.
I really don't
have an answer to why this is happening.
If our e-mail server goes down you'd literally think that someone was
laying out in the shop flooding the floor with blood after being decapitated by
an out of control CNC Machining Center!
It's complete chaos and there is true down to earth "hatred" for me for
the rest of the day, even if it only took me 5 minutes to fix the problem. You would think that I was responsible for
the employees' oxygen supply considering all I get blamed for and the vicious
response to system failures.
There is definitely
a lack of respect for IT workers these days and it's getting worse not better
from what I can see.
Just goes to show how much a HoosierBilly can accomplish by doing a quick search on Yahell for ["English to French" online translator] and then calling to your fingertips the amazing technological wonders called COPY and PASTE!
Witness more of my smartasss/annoying banter at http://www.hoosierbilly.blogspot.com
It seems as if the only thing that's possibly more annoying, repetative and confusing than reading this book is reading this review of the book.
WTF does je ne sais quoi mean anyways?
The article says Kim is not a crank, which considering what I've read about him I'd have to agree with.... till now! He might not be a crank but he certainly seems to be yanking everyones crank on this one! Either that or he's been snorting way too much crank! On a serious note though, if this guy is a genius and really has something to offer the future of our world I truly hope that re-aligns his priorities to something truly useful. Unless someone can think of a good use for rusty, re-producing, leg humping tin cans?
Bottom Line is that "There are simply too many points of failure in this technology for it to ever work 100% and when your life is on the line you aren't going to settle for anything less".
Besides the "points of failure" I think that they are approaching the issue the wrong way.
A very good article at http://www.lp.org/lpnews/0011/libsolutions.html
explains a few of the problems with gun ownership in the United States and why as a supposed country of "gun owners" we still have such a rampant amount of violent crime.
two quick excerpts from the article
As a matter of fact, a view of gun ownership from an international perspective can be very enlightening about the efficacy of firearms as a crime-fighting tool when left in the hands of private citizens.
In Switzerland every adult male is required, by law, to keep in his home a fully automatic assault rifle for militia service. Shooting is practically a national pastime, and a permit to carry a handgun is easily obtained. Far from attacking those it views as "stockpiling" weapons, surplus military rifles are made available by the Swiss government for around $50 each.
Far from having blood running in the streets, crime in Switzerland is virtually non-existent -- putting even England's peaceful reputation to shame. And this in a country of gun-owners!
and
For example, a study by economist John Lott revealed that when laws are passed to give people the right to carry concealed handguns, murder rates go down by 8.5% and rape by 5%.
If every state had such concealed-carry laws, reported Lott, there would be 1,600 fewer murders nationally and 4,200 fewer rapes each year.
Jason
They want to shut down Gmail because "a machine" is going to look at the "private" e-mails of people that "agree" to let them do so. Yet they don't seem to give a big fuck about them watching every damned move I make on my computer in the privacy of my own home "without my permission"!?
Ok one more attempt at this, I don't understand how them tracking my internet useage (the only way they can get that information) is not a blatant slap in the face of my right to privacy? We do have a right to privacy do we not? That's where "Invasion of Privacy" came from?
I think all these bullshit rule makers had better step back and let the public make their own decisions. If they don't they're going to trip over each others feet and end up in a tangled up mess and "we the people" are going to end up with one hell of a big mess.
Ok I received a similiar letter a while back... here's my question? What all are these people watching us do? How the hell is their monitoring of my internet activities not "Invasion of Privacy"???????
Feeling rather violated,
Jason
I personally think they need to concentrate on selling their Linux Sun Desktop Solution. It's a great deal for a complete package including hardware and software. Also don't forget Sun is a major name when it comes to hardware. Their server prices are very competitive with Dell and others. The problem they have is that there are alot of Windows users out there and they aren't supporting Windows. They need to MS Windows certify their servers. The only reason we bought Dell for an exchange server instead of Sun was that it wasn't certified for MS software. If they take advantage of their pact with MS and start making products that support a wider variety of OS systems I think they'll continue to be a power player in the market. They need to back off on chip and Solaris creation and concentrate on lowering their hardware TCO to compete in a broader market.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm not against the war or against the use of non/less lethal technology. I do have to say though that his idea for shooting everyone in a hostage situation and sorting it out later has a big hole in it. I've been zapped by electricity and it causes your muscles to spasm. I would guess the kidnappers in the room would probably be armed and I don't think that making their trigger fingers spasm is going to create a safe environment for the hostages or rescuers.
A gram of Common Sense is worth more than an ounce of Intelligence.
I agree completely, the morphing wing plane guys and these guys seriously need to consider sharing re-search. Although I'm not too sure how similiar the planes wings and movement capabilities compare to bats, I know from watching bats that they are surely very quick and agile hunters in the air. Of course you could probably catch the plane and/or the bat with some good fishnet.
"In case you were wondering they have over a million infantry troops. US has around 30,000. If they are ever able to bring those troops to land, we're fucked...in a word."
You're forgetting one thing, the US also has state militias plus well more than a million armed civilians, I believe that is the primary reason we won't be invaded by infantry and if they ever decide too they'll find out what it's like to grab a wildcat by the balls. *cackles*
Another great site that went out of business for the same reason as Kosmo as far as I can tell at least was www.mrswap.com . I traded games and movies on this site like crazy! The idea was that you could sell your game or movie or book for so many mr.swap BUX and then use those BUX to buy movies, games etc... from other users. Mr. Swap made their money from the shipping and handling. The shipping and handling fees were very cheap and when someone purchased something from you they sent you a box pre-printed with the buyers address and you simply put in the item(s) used the easy seal to close it and put it back in the mail. When you bought something they'd deduct your BUX plus whatever the S&H charge was and send the seller a box which would then come straight to you with your goods. I know that I completed at least 250-300 sales and purchases through there. I basically replaced every VHS movie I had with DVD by trading on Mr. Swap. I was truly bummed when they went out of business. Shortly before they shut their doors there was a great write-up about them on a big magazine or newspaper online (might have been NYTs, can't remember for sure). It's too bad that a replacement service that was as "easy to use" and efficient as this one never popped back up.
I would have to say that plants don't get much more relaxed and stress free than the one and only, mighty "Sticky Purple Punch" Plant!
*snickers* *coughs* *grins widely* *goes looking for brownies*
I got my Atari 2600 for X-mas the year it came out and my mother purchased it from Sears for $249.99. She then purchased me 2 extra games for it at a price between $49.95 and $69.95. If you look at it the price for newly released game systems and games are still right at the same price they were three decades ago.
You can go to space alot cheaper try $995.00! http://www.memorialspaceflights.com/options.asp Oh yeah, the small catch... you have to be DEAD! ;)
LMAO! Apparently the people at http://www.cantenna.com/ don't know they're illegal since they're selling a nice souped up version with it's own tripod even!
Would you rather give MGM 15.00 for a DVD or your brother or best friend 5.00 for a DVD? Many people think they are helping friends or family while saving money themselves and that makes them more than willing to force themselves to sleep at night over a little "corner cutting". I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that people don't think of their little part in the overall big picture as having any noticeable impact. However when you have 1 million of those people it becomes a big deal instead of a small harmless act. Just my opinion as usual ;)
Ok I'm a major geek; I collected Star Wars toys from 1977 till just before the first movie when I finally parted with my entire room full of "paraphernalia". I have played D&D since I was 12 and still do to this day! I read strictly fantasy Sci-Fi books and I only watch one day of television and that's Sci-Fi Saturday when all the good cheesy movies are on! I'm a computer geek for a living on top of this so I would say I definitely qualify to answer this post. I also have a majorly bum pancreas thanks to years of heavy drinking in front of the computer which has led me to the realm of "real opiates" Opiates are the ultimate when it comes to feeling good and taking you completely away and planting you on cloud 9! I'll admit that I've been so deeply into a game of D&D, a book or movie that I have dreamed of them and woke up feeling very blissful but never have I considered any of the things I love as past time/hobbies as an "opiate". They might even be addictive (such as the time I spend with my 800 title pc game collection) but I've never went through 3 days of withdrawals from not having access to them! I think the author should try some real drugs, get some Mr. Brownstone and take a ride on the wild side for a couple of weeks before making such a stretched comparison. Sci-fi might be like chocolate but it's not like heroin. As far as the link between Sci-Fi and Religion, Come on people! Walking on Water, Raising from the dead, talking snakes offering lovely naked young ladies apples of evil, these are all sci-fi standards so what's the big deal. As far as I'm concerned you're just as well to worship William Shatner as to worship Buddha! To each his own I guess.
The real question is how much are you willing to spend to choke your chicken over the internet?
I think Bill should slow down and try to work on creating a new "groundbreaking" operating system before he gets too carried away trying to create his ideals for a future ran entirely by computers! And like everyone else has said , you can't have a car that can't crash till you have software that can't crash!
What I want is a headset that will allow me to see a panoramic view of the IG environ. If you were to couple this with a tracker type system like's available now and let's say a pistol style control for the right hand along with a device for movement on the left. What this would do is allow you to turn your head from side to side while running let's say, using your left hand you're pushing forward to run, using your head you're choosing where you are looking and where you are going. Let's say that I wanted to stop and look around then all I'd have to do is quit moving with the left hand control. The gun part, simply a small pistol or handheld unit of some kind strictly for pointing and shooting primary and seconday weapon plus selecting weapon. This is what I would call VR? Is this a good example of what other VR gamers want? I know that I can get most of what I'm talking about here, what I haven't seen is the eyeglasses, helm or whatever that allows the panoramic view as if you were actually in the game.
Isn't this the kind of thing that businesses are not supposed to do? I mean the only real comptetition that PhotoShop has if Macromedia Fireworks (which I personally think is a much better product). So what they going to do now? continue to develop 2 programs? I don't think so, they're going to combine them and then go the way "they" think the product should. And left to compete with them is? What?
If you can find any information on this on the net let me know I'd love to read more about this insane idea!
Thanks,
Jay
When I first started working on computers and networks, which was triggered when I volunteered to fix an old 8086 computer for a company which I was working for back in 1994, people definitely looked at me much differently than they do these days.
In 1998 I took my current job with a well established capital machine manufacturer and its sister company. I started out with the title of MIS Director and my job was to bring the systems up to date, re-search, purchase and implement new ERP/MRP software and of course I was also the sole person responsible for the Y2K project (dealing with the big 3 in automotive made that part a royal bitch by the way).
At this time the company was running on a P120 Novel 3.11 server at the main site and a 486dx266 Novel 3.11 server at the sister company which was connected via underground "Coax" cable between the buildings. There wasn't even a dial up internet connection available anywhere. All the documents, including quotes, were done in WordStar and the spreadsheets in an ancient version of Lotus123.
When I started wiping out all the 386 diskless PC's and replacing them with nice Dell Pentium systems, upgraded the server to a nice Dell Windows NT server and installed a Whistle Interjet (dial-up) e-mail/web server the people here thought I was literally their lord and savior.
But now 7 years later with 10 servers, fiber-optic connections, new 3ghz plus machines at every users desk, high speed internet and e-mail, an incredible ERP/MRP system, all new printers and faxing right from their desks, Kick-ass 3D modeling engineering CAD/CAM systems and more other technology than I can even mention in place, it seems as if I have turned into the spawn of Satan. If the slightest thing goes wrong, even a printer running out of paper it's my fault? At first like I said the employees here thought I was a godsend but now that their jobs have been made easier by computer automation and communications it seems like all they have time to do is bitch.
I really don't have an answer to why this is happening. If our e-mail server goes down you'd literally think that someone was laying out in the shop flooding the floor with blood after being decapitated by an out of control CNC Machining Center! It's complete chaos and there is true down to earth "hatred" for me for the rest of the day, even if it only took me 5 minutes to fix the problem. You would think that I was responsible for the employees' oxygen supply considering all I get blamed for and the vicious response to system failures.
There is definitely a lack of respect for IT workers these days and it's getting worse not better from what I can see.
Just goes to show how much a HoosierBilly can accomplish by doing a quick search on Yahell for ["English to French" online translator] and then calling to your fingertips the amazing technological wonders called COPY and PASTE! Witness more of my smartasss/annoying banter at http://www.hoosierbilly.blogspot.com
It seems as if the only thing that's possibly more annoying, repetative and confusing than reading this book is reading this review of the book. WTF does je ne sais quoi mean anyways?
If a 16MB video card is considered "Ancient", then my old 1MB Trident VLB card and "myself" must be from the STONE AGE!
The article says Kim is not a crank, which considering what I've read about him I'd have to agree with.... till now! He might not be a crank but he certainly seems to be yanking everyones crank on this one! Either that or he's been snorting way too much crank! On a serious note though, if this guy is a genius and really has something to offer the future of our world I truly hope that re-aligns his priorities to something truly useful. Unless someone can think of a good use for rusty, re-producing, leg humping tin cans?
Bottom Line is that "There are simply too many points of failure in this technology for it to ever work 100% and when your life is on the line you aren't going to settle for anything less". Besides the "points of failure" I think that they are approaching the issue the wrong way. A very good article at http://www.lp.org/lpnews/0011/libsolutions.html explains a few of the problems with gun ownership in the United States and why as a supposed country of "gun owners" we still have such a rampant amount of violent crime. two quick excerpts from the article As a matter of fact, a view of gun ownership from an international perspective can be very enlightening about the efficacy of firearms as a crime-fighting tool when left in the hands of private citizens. In Switzerland every adult male is required, by law, to keep in his home a fully automatic assault rifle for militia service. Shooting is practically a national pastime, and a permit to carry a handgun is easily obtained. Far from attacking those it views as "stockpiling" weapons, surplus military rifles are made available by the Swiss government for around $50 each. Far from having blood running in the streets, crime in Switzerland is virtually non-existent -- putting even England's peaceful reputation to shame. And this in a country of gun-owners! and For example, a study by economist John Lott revealed that when laws are passed to give people the right to carry concealed handguns, murder rates go down by 8.5% and rape by 5%. If every state had such concealed-carry laws, reported Lott, there would be 1,600 fewer murders nationally and 4,200 fewer rapes each year. Jason
They want to shut down Gmail because "a machine" is going to look at the "private" e-mails of people that "agree" to let them do so. Yet they don't seem to give a big fuck about them watching every damned move I make on my computer in the privacy of my own home "without my permission"!? Ok one more attempt at this, I don't understand how them tracking my internet useage (the only way they can get that information) is not a blatant slap in the face of my right to privacy? We do have a right to privacy do we not? That's where "Invasion of Privacy" came from? I think all these bullshit rule makers had better step back and let the public make their own decisions. If they don't they're going to trip over each others feet and end up in a tangled up mess and "we the people" are going to end up with one hell of a big mess.
Ok I received a similiar letter a while back... here's my question? What all are these people watching us do? How the hell is their monitoring of my internet activities not "Invasion of Privacy"??????? Feeling rather violated, Jason
I personally think they need to concentrate on selling their Linux Sun Desktop Solution. It's a great deal for a complete package including hardware and software. Also don't forget Sun is a major name when it comes to hardware. Their server prices are very competitive with Dell and others. The problem they have is that there are alot of Windows users out there and they aren't supporting Windows. They need to MS Windows certify their servers. The only reason we bought Dell for an exchange server instead of Sun was that it wasn't certified for MS software. If they take advantage of their pact with MS and start making products that support a wider variety of OS systems I think they'll continue to be a power player in the market. They need to back off on chip and Solaris creation and concentrate on lowering their hardware TCO to compete in a broader market.