REDMOND, WA (AP) - In a suprise development, all IBM-compatible computer manufacturers including heavyweights such as Dell, Toshiba and Sony announced today that they will be continuing their IBM-compatibility in the future by getting out of the PC business altogether.
According to a joint statement from Sony, Toshiba and other Japanese PC manufacturers, "IBM has greatly dishonored our clan by their cowardly admission of defeat. Our entire PC notebook and desktop divisions weep at their disgrace, and shall commit ritual suicide to bring honor to our name."
Stock prices of the Japanese companies rose sharply at the news of trimming their workforce. Investors expect their profitability to rise with the reduction in overhead, according to one analyst.
Said one Dell spokesman, "Dude, IBM was all like, 'you gotta try this shit, it's da bomb' and handed me a pipe, and I was like, 'hell no, I ain't touching that, it'll fuck me up' and he says, 'yeah, but it's a good kind of fucked up' and eventually I take some, and I'm like, 'Duuuuude, I'm gettin so frickin stoned', and then IBM starts gettin all in my space, givin me hugs and shit, saying he always thought I was nice... Anyway, he totally convinced me that I should join him at this place he has down in Guyana where it's all like free love or something, with penguins and shit. It sounds totally awesome and I'm so going, I've always wanted to make out with a penguin, cause..."
The spokesman went on for several more hours and was still speaking at the time this report went to press.
Spokespeople at the headquarters of Microsoft Corp. declined to comment, except to note that "We do have contingency plans." and would not elaborate. Unconfirmed reports indicate that a vast robot army was seen massing outside the headquarters of the multi-billion dollar company.
Jerry Falwell, minister and head of the Christian Coalition, went on record as saying that IBM getting out of the PC business was "One of the signs of the Apocalypse" and urged fellow Christians to stockpile 386s and RAM chips in their home, "for the coming battle with the forces of darkness".
When questioned, Satan, Dark Prince of Hell and Ruler of The Damned denied allegations he was behind the recent IBM shakeup, saying only, "I don't care, I have a Mac".
But I hear you've bought some mighty fine submarines from the Brits that are totally hot and really cheap, too! I've even heard them described as smokin', which must mean 'really impressive'!
At this rate, you'll be giving the Americans a run for their money real soon, eh?
Goddamnit, I'm tired of these stupid "wtf japan=tentacle rape, suicide, geishas, robots, cults LOLOL01!!1!" posts that people spew on the internet. Those things (with the exception of robots) are considered fringe in Japan, and it sure as hell is not representative of the country. Does it ever occur to you that the reason why those things became so prominent in western views of Japan was precicely because they were exotic and strange, and not 'normal', even in Japan?
And the reason they're using robots is because their birthrate is so low that their population is actually going to shrink in the coming years. Traditionally, Japanese families had lots of kids, and one of them would be expected to stay home and take care of his/her parents. However with many families having only one child or none, people are finding that Japan doesn't have much of a governmental or private care system for the elderly.
Most industrialzed nations like the U.S. are dealing with the same issues, but they're less severe for a few reasons:
1) They take in more immigrants, the U.S. in particular. They add to the economy and can pay for native workers to care for the elderly, so it helps. If the U.S. stopped immigration entirely, their population growth would barely break even.
2) Their life expectancy is lower. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, so there are a lot more old people in Japan than in the U.S.
So it's no suprise that they're relying on technology to help, especially with the Japanese love of technology. However, it might be more helpful to import immigrant workers, but I doubt Japan will do so.
# The McSuper McMario Happy Meal!
Ahhh yes, nothing calms the brats down like some magic mushrooms and a milkshake.
# Metroid Special Edition Pepsi!
Look under the cap for a chance to win a hideous man-eating alien jellyfish! (Only while supplies last. Offer void in Tennessee.)
And let's not forget Sonic the Hedgehog(tm) Valium, or Dr. Mario Sleeping Pills!
Disclaimer: I am not a expert on graphics technology.
But look at the second image in the final set, it's clearly able to detect the edges of things. I'm not even sure what the filter in the last image is for.
And I'm not sure what you mean by "reproducing what can already bt produced". There are other multiple-image processing engines that can do line drawings and even 3d from multiple sources, but the thing is, they all require multiple cameras and calculating the slight offset in objects from different sources.
What's interesting about this new technique is that it uses the shadows from the flashes to determine edges and depth. Doing it entirely with lighting without multiple cameras is a really neat hack, imho.
Or you could just jam the channels altogether. Apparently, the Israelis do something like that on their hummvee's - gallery here, check out the bottom two photos. I've heard of other armies doing something like that too, so I suspect the U.S. does it as well.
Of course, all that means is they'll switch to other means like IR or wired explosives, but I suppose it'll help in the short run.
It occurs to me that you're not much older than I am, and probobly younger than most people on Slashdot. Do you ever find yourself wondering, "What will I do with the rest of my life"? Do you have a plan for your life, or are you just making it up as you go along?
Does having had a career and achived fame(at least among us geeks) at a young age give you a different outlook on life than the rest of us young folk, who are just getting out of school and looking to start a career? And any advice to us geeks seeking a family and job would be appreciated : )
Oh, and on a lighter note - you may be a famous actor and author, Wil Wheaton - but I still have a lower Slashdot ID than you! Take that! : )
It's ironic because the feds want to prosecute this guy, but their previous power grab backfired on them.
They argued in a previous case that a keylogger was not a wiretap and thus did not require a warrent, now they're trying to argue the other way around when it suits them - but the judge used their previous arguments against them.
Irony and poetic justice at once, really. But does anyone else think it should be the other way? That is, that it should be considered a wiretap when done by either FBI or private citizen, and regulated accordingly? I don't think people should be snooping on other people's computers any more than the FBI...
Well, maybe he didn't even know about Steam before his problems? See, when I buy a game or CD, I have an expectation that the thing will *work* without having to jump through online hoops to use it offline. I think most consumers think the same thing, too. Windows XP is the only other product I can think of off the top of my head that requires online validation for offline use.
It does require Steam, but Steam is a PART of Half-Life 2. It's the foundation the game is built upon.
That sounds like a bug, not a feature. You need 'permission' from a company server to use the game you already paid for? Why didn't they just call it 'DiVX 2' instead of 'Steam'?
On a serious note, I hated what little I saw of the original CSI because the characters were too typical of Bruckheimer - so much posturing and bad acting, like a football team with microscopes. That, and the fact that so much of actual investigations are simplified for the sake of (poor) plot and character development, turned me off the show. I doubt most investigations are as short as is depicted on the show, where they solve a case in a few days.
It could be that my standards were too high going into it, though. I'd seen a lot better forensic investigation shows on other channels like Discovery and TLC.
If you want a really good forensics show, go watch The New Detectives or The FBI Files on Discovery channel. They're documentary-type shows where they reenact actual investigations, so they're quite accurate. They focus totally on the investigation, with none of the annoying posturing like the CSI guys because they have a new cast for each episode. Plus, they don't pretend that it all happens in a day and the forensics guys do everything, they depict the team effort and time required to actually build up a case that can stand up in court. If you have time, check it out - I thik they're on saturdays and tuesdays.
"In 2008, after the passage of the 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, President Schwarzenegger is triumphantly elected as commander-in-chief of the United States in a landslide election, ushering in the era of Total Information Awareness."
The scary thing is, you know it could happen... ph33r.
Look at the bright side. Now instead of looking fashonable with their white earphones, we'll get to see ipod-people looking ridiculous as they scroll furiously to keep their video in sync with the sound while walking down the street.
It'll be beautiful, I tell you, especially if they walk into a lamp post while doing it.
Speaking of which, what kinds of experiences do people on slashdot have with domain registrars? Are there any that won't screw you over, on this and other issues?
Nah, that's what an overpaid defense contractor would make on a cost-plus contract. A real geek would make one that's:
1. free as in beer because all the parts are old scrap, but takes 500 man-hours of "free labor" to build 2. free as in speech, cause the plans will be posted on slashdot 3. free as in bearing arms 4. will have settings for "stun", "kill", and "slashdot effect" 5. if they found that sucker in Iraq, it'd justify the invasion
"... and the Lord said, 'Behold, for my wrath upon the world shall be released as a flood of shiny platic discs that shall overwhelm the unbelievers and bury them in free trial offers. Repent! In 30 days! Or thine free account shall expire and thou shalt be condemned to the fires of MSN.'" - The Revelation of Steven Case 12:03
Nah, it's probobly those confused Uruguayans thinking it's a site for Uruguayan electoral votes. Won't they be suprised to learn Bush is going to be their president...
Well, I know I'd never wear a shirt with the old logo on it, that's for sure. For those wondering what the old logo was, it's this thing. It had a few problems.
1) The ambiguously gay devils - no, scratch that, the flaming homosexual devils writhing naked to raise a 'flagpole'. Whoever drew this thing spent an awful lot of time drawing the fine muscles and bulging abs of those very 'horny' devils. They also all appear to be in various stages of sexual climax, and some of their 'tails' appear to be going from one's butt to another's crotch, as if it's something else...
2) As others have noted, the BSD daemons are mimicking the famous 'Iwo Jima' picture of the Marines raising the flag. Putting devils in the place of the Marines could be seen as disrespectful to veterans by some, while others might see it as glorifying war.
3) They appear to be stomping on and destroying a whole bunch of computers. Parts are littered about as if discarded, and some of the screens look like they were smashed because of the shading.
So in short, the old logo gave the impression that this 'NetBSD' thing was a militantly demonic anti-American homosexual cult dedicated to destroying computers.
It's a shame they changed it, it fit them perfectly.
Slashdot Mirror
It's too late, they've taken over the White House.
REDMOND, WA (AP) - In a suprise development, all IBM-compatible computer manufacturers including heavyweights such as Dell, Toshiba and Sony announced today that they will be continuing their IBM-compatibility in the future by getting out of the PC business altogether.
According to a joint statement from Sony, Toshiba and other Japanese PC manufacturers, "IBM has greatly dishonored our clan by their cowardly admission of defeat. Our entire PC notebook and desktop divisions weep at their disgrace, and shall commit ritual suicide to bring honor to our name."
Stock prices of the Japanese companies rose sharply at the news of trimming their workforce. Investors expect their profitability to rise with the reduction in overhead, according to one analyst.
Said one Dell spokesman, "Dude, IBM was all like, 'you gotta try this shit, it's da bomb' and handed me a pipe, and I was like, 'hell no, I ain't touching that, it'll fuck me up' and he says, 'yeah, but it's a good kind of fucked up' and eventually I take some, and I'm like, 'Duuuuude, I'm gettin so frickin stoned', and then IBM starts gettin all in my space, givin me hugs and shit, saying he always thought I was nice... Anyway, he totally convinced me that I should join him at this place he has down in Guyana where it's all like free love or something, with penguins and shit. It sounds totally awesome and I'm so going, I've always wanted to make out with a penguin, cause..."
The spokesman went on for several more hours and was still speaking at the time this report went to press.
Spokespeople at the headquarters of Microsoft Corp. declined to comment, except to note that "We do have contingency plans." and would not elaborate. Unconfirmed reports indicate that a vast robot army was seen massing outside the headquarters of the multi-billion dollar company.
Jerry Falwell, minister and head of the Christian Coalition, went on record as saying that IBM getting out of the PC business was "One of the signs of the Apocalypse" and urged fellow Christians to stockpile 386s and RAM chips in their home, "for the coming battle with the forces of darkness".
When questioned, Satan, Dark Prince of Hell and Ruler of The Damned denied allegations he was behind the recent IBM shakeup, saying only, "I don't care, I have a Mac".
The brick shithouse of notebook computing
Would that make Apples the translucent plastic 'lickable' porta potty of computing?
"Introducing the iLoo."
And the Dells would be the rickety wooden outhouse everyone goes to smoke pot in?
"Dude, you're gettin' diarrhea!"
But I hear you've bought some mighty fine submarines from the Brits that are totally hot and really cheap, too! I've even heard them described as smokin', which must mean 'really impressive'!
At this rate, you'll be giving the Americans a run for their money real soon, eh?
Goddamnit, I'm tired of these stupid "wtf japan=tentacle rape, suicide, geishas, robots, cults LOLOL01!!1!" posts that people spew on the internet. Those things (with the exception of robots) are considered fringe in Japan, and it sure as hell is not representative of the country. Does it ever occur to you that the reason why those things became so prominent in western views of Japan was precicely because they were exotic and strange, and not 'normal', even in Japan?
And the reason they're using robots is because their birthrate is so low that their population is actually going to shrink in the coming years. Traditionally, Japanese families had lots of kids, and one of them would be expected to stay home and take care of his/her parents. However with many families having only one child or none, people are finding that Japan doesn't have much of a governmental or private care system for the elderly.
Most industrialzed nations like the U.S. are dealing with the same issues, but they're less severe for a few reasons:
1) They take in more immigrants, the U.S. in particular. They add to the economy and can pay for native workers to care for the elderly, so it helps. If the U.S. stopped immigration entirely, their population growth would barely break even.
2) Their life expectancy is lower. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, so there are a lot more old people in Japan than in the U.S.
So it's no suprise that they're relying on technology to help, especially with the Japanese love of technology. However, it might be more helpful to import immigrant workers, but I doubt Japan will do so.
Sources: The Economist, CNN
# The McSuper McMario Happy Meal!
Ahhh yes, nothing calms the brats down like some magic mushrooms and a milkshake.
# Metroid Special Edition Pepsi!
Look under the cap for a chance to win a hideous man-eating alien jellyfish! (Only while supplies last. Offer void in Tennessee.)
And let's not forget Sonic the Hedgehog(tm) Valium, or Dr. Mario Sleeping Pills!
Well, I hope you have big hands then, or some of them might be too big to handle.
Disclaimer: I am not a expert on graphics technology.
But look at the second image in the final set, it's clearly able to detect the edges of things. I'm not even sure what the filter in the last image is for.
And I'm not sure what you mean by "reproducing what can already bt produced". There are other multiple-image processing engines that can do line drawings and even 3d from multiple sources, but the thing is, they all require multiple cameras and calculating the slight offset in objects from different sources.
What's interesting about this new technique is that it uses the shadows from the flashes to determine edges and depth. Doing it entirely with lighting without multiple cameras is a really neat hack, imho.
In Korea, E-commerce Single Sign-On is only for old people!
But they have working E-commerce Single Sign-On.... In Japan!
Or you could just jam the channels altogether. Apparently, the Israelis do something like that on their hummvee's - gallery here, check out the bottom two photos. I've heard of other armies doing something like that too, so I suspect the U.S. does it as well.
Of course, all that means is they'll switch to other means like IR or wired explosives, but I suppose it'll help in the short run.
Just do what schoool board members in Tennessee do... make moonshine. Remember to avoid the tax-man, though...
It occurs to me that you're not much older than I am, and probobly younger than most people on Slashdot. Do you ever find yourself wondering, "What will I do with the rest of my life"? Do you have a plan for your life, or are you just making it up as you go along?
Does having had a career and achived fame(at least among us geeks) at a young age give you a different outlook on life than the rest of us young folk, who are just getting out of school and looking to start a career? And any advice to us geeks seeking a family and job would be appreciated : )
Oh, and on a lighter note - you may be a famous actor and author, Wil Wheaton - but I still have a lower Slashdot ID than you! Take that! : )
It's ironic because the feds want to prosecute this guy, but their previous power grab backfired on them.
They argued in a previous case that a keylogger was not a wiretap and thus did not require a warrent, now they're trying to argue the other way around when it suits them - but the judge used their previous arguments against them.
Irony and poetic justice at once, really. But does anyone else think it should be the other way? That is, that it should be considered a wiretap when done by either FBI or private citizen, and regulated accordingly? I don't think people should be snooping on other people's computers any more than the FBI...
Duh, you shouldn't use the stock GPL, you should wait until the -ac patch comes out. What were you thinking?
.4 or so.
Besides, even a newbie should know better than to use the initial releases - wait until version
Well, maybe he didn't even know about Steam before his problems? See, when I buy a game or CD, I have an expectation that the thing will *work* without having to jump through online hoops to use it offline. I think most consumers think the same thing, too. Windows XP is the only other product I can think of off the top of my head that requires online validation for offline use.
It does require Steam, but Steam is a PART of Half-Life 2. It's the foundation the game is built upon.
That sounds like a bug, not a feature. You need 'permission' from a company server to use the game you already paid for? Why didn't they just call it 'DiVX 2' instead of 'Steam'?
You mean like in this comic, eh?
On a serious note, I hated what little I saw of the original CSI because the characters were too typical of Bruckheimer - so much posturing and bad acting, like a football team with microscopes. That, and the fact that so much of actual investigations are simplified for the sake of (poor) plot and character development, turned me off the show. I doubt most investigations are as short as is depicted on the show, where they solve a case in a few days.
It could be that my standards were too high going into it, though. I'd seen a lot better forensic investigation shows on other channels like Discovery and TLC.
If you want a really good forensics show, go watch The New Detectives or The FBI Files on Discovery channel. They're documentary-type shows where they reenact actual investigations, so they're quite accurate. They focus totally on the investigation, with none of the annoying posturing like the CSI guys because they have a new cast for each episode. Plus, they don't pretend that it all happens in a day and the forensics guys do everything, they depict the team effort and time required to actually build up a case that can stand up in court. If you have time, check it out - I thik they're on saturdays and tuesdays.
I think you meant,
"In 2008, after the passage of the 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, President Schwarzenegger is triumphantly elected as commander-in-chief of the United States in a landslide election, ushering in the era of Total Information Awareness."
The scary thing is, you know it could happen... ph33r.
Look at the bright side. Now instead of looking fashonable with their white earphones, we'll get to see ipod-people looking ridiculous as they scroll furiously to keep their video in sync with the sound while walking down the street.
It'll be beautiful, I tell you, especially if they walk into a lamp post while doing it.
I don't know, why don't you ask the 58 million+ people who voted for "values"?
You mean there are people who want to put frickin' RDF on sharks heads?
Speaking of which, what kinds of experiences do people on slashdot have with domain registrars? Are there any that won't screw you over, on this and other issues?
Nah, that's what an overpaid defense contractor would make on a cost-plus contract. A real geek would make one that's:
1. free as in beer because all the parts are old scrap, but takes 500 man-hours of "free labor" to build
2. free as in speech, cause the plans will be posted on slashdot
3. free as in bearing arms
4. will have settings for "stun", "kill", and "slashdot effect"
5. if they found that sucker in Iraq, it'd justify the invasion
"... and the Lord said, 'Behold, for my wrath upon the world shall be released as a flood of shiny platic discs that shall overwhelm the unbelievers and bury them in free trial offers. Repent! In 30 days! Or thine free account shall expire and thou shalt be condemned to the fires of MSN.'" - The Revelation of Steven Case 12:03
Nah, it's probobly those confused Uruguayans thinking it's a site for Uruguayan electoral votes. Won't they be suprised to learn Bush is going to be their president...
Well, I know I'd never wear a shirt with the old logo on it, that's for sure. For those wondering what the old logo was, it's this thing. It had a few problems.
1) The ambiguously gay devils - no, scratch that, the flaming homosexual devils writhing naked to raise a 'flagpole'. Whoever drew this thing spent an awful lot of time drawing the fine muscles and bulging abs of those very 'horny' devils. They also all appear to be in various stages of sexual climax, and some of their 'tails' appear to be going from one's butt to another's crotch, as if it's something else...
2) As others have noted, the BSD daemons are mimicking the famous 'Iwo Jima' picture of the Marines raising the flag. Putting devils in the place of the Marines could be seen as disrespectful to veterans by some, while others might see it as glorifying war.
3) They appear to be stomping on and destroying a whole bunch of computers. Parts are littered about as if discarded, and some of the screens look like they were smashed because of the shading.
So in short, the old logo gave the impression that this 'NetBSD' thing was a militantly demonic anti-American homosexual cult dedicated to destroying computers.
It's a shame they changed it, it fit them perfectly.