A TI-994A was my first computer. It took hours to learn, and of course nothing beats typing in pages of BASIC programs and debuging them.
But that is besides the point.
Your quote below really strikes me as totally wrong and off base:
Granted, you need a good reason for having such a high learning curve, and most cell phone features don't really have one. But usability is about more than just discoverability and learning curve.
Wikipedia describes "usability" as:.. a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal. Usability can also refer to the methods of measuring usability and the study of the principles behind an object's perceived efficiency or elegance.
I would argue that if an average person cannot discover how to execute simple tasks like talking a picture, calling a person, adding an address book entry, and locking and unlocking a phone, the the usability factor is in the shitter. Furthermore, does anyone think to understand that a person might not be interested in taking a cell phone picture or reading a Web site on their mobile device because they never discovered how to do it? Discovery is NOT wading through an instruction manual!
Conversely, and I'll go back to this example, if my 4yr old daughter can pickup my iPhone and follow an intuitive interface to take a photo, view pictures, and touch an icon to call someone, all within the period of about 10 minutes, I'd say the usability of that device is very very good.
And I guaran-freaking-teee you my daughter certainly never read an instruction manual either.
Have you ever tried to read a manual for any cell phone? It is usually 200+ pages, in 5 different languages. With wire diagrams, keys to press, page after page.
Frankly, there is no need for an instruction manual. If a user cannot pickup the device and begin to use 80% of the features within a few days, then the user interface, the device, and the concept, is broken.
I suspect that not every object's info is made available, rather only the objects that USSTRATCOM deems appropriate for public consumption. Spy Sats, classified objects, and other items that they classify as not appropriate certainly doesn't show up in this KML.
(Honestly, I think that number is ridiculously high and inaccurate. But I work for a college, so maybe I'm just underestimating the evil of corporate IT.)
Exactly.
When is the last time a university laid off people?
For all intents and purposes I suspect you meant to say "all intents and purposes." Otherwise that is one strong purpose, or set of purposes.... you are proposing.
The fact that it was the that FBI showed up and asked for the computer surely means that they are after something really terrible, important, malicious, and off-the-charts out-of-control threatening to national security.
Um, yes, actually. I'm kind of shocked that you even consider it a valid option. Does it not occur to you that this has the potential to impact other people, too?
Well, no shit Sherlock. Isn't that the point of the whole article in the first place?
The reality that the parent pointed out is there is an easy out for Yahoo Mail subscribers (and others as well). These day's unsubscribe processes are a pain in the ass at times, and being on the receiving end of 400 different methods to "unsubscribe" your account from a mailing list isn't fun these days.
It might hurt publishers, but it is a reality.
I'll use a prime example - somehow I got signed up on Texas Instruments DSP mailing list - and to unsubscribe I have to login to an account for which I have no idea what my credentials are. So, your "fucking clicks of a mouse" got tossed out the window like the rest of your argument.
You have to be kidding me. US Senators might only be paid a base salary of 165K or so, but their ability to generate wealth far exceeds the ability of many corporate CEOs.
Quote from Forbes:
The wealth of the incoming class will hardly raise eyebrows in the Senate, where about half of the current 100 members are also millionaires and the average net worth is $8.9 million, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington. By contrast, less than 1% of the U.S. population has a net worth of $1 million or more.
Instead of giving you ideas for cool things *you* can do - why not let us give it a shot? That might be cool for you - i dunno.
Release a set of user accounts to the public internet during downtimes, prevent the users from being able to change the passwords, and let them go nuts. Then observe.
You'll get to see them exploit every vulnerability in your system (good for security planning), run processes you've never seen before, and certainly exercise those processors. SPAM, Porn, Password hacking and cracking, the works. Observing, it might be like watching a train wreck.
It would be the biggest honeypot known to man.
I've always wanted to put a HUGE Server on the internet unprotected and watch what happens to it...
Every large corporation has these types of clauses.. especially big corporate type information technology firms.
It's pretty simple, you don't decline the job, you talk to the HR team and tell them about your concerns. In my situation, I've run a rather successful online business for quite some time and always negotiated T&C's that let me keep all IP and $ from my existing entities. It's a matter of crossing out clauses in the contract, initialing, and having an officer of the corporation do the same. In my case this included IBM as a company... whom I worked for many years. They are the mother of all patent-hoarding-mommas.
Now, if you think you are going to come right out of school with no professional experience and a bunch of great ideas and expect that your efforts in the evening are going to be protected... you better detach yourself from the yoke and either find funding, VC, or talk to Mr. VISA. Otherwise, SOMEONE is bankrolling your efforts... and they expect a payback of at least principal or they expect to reap the rewards.
Cars, televisions, players, music, computers... are there really any electronics intended to last 30 years any more? You Bet there are... military and aviation electronics. MTBF's on those devices are expected to be significanly higher than "consumer devices"
You are paying for a service! Imagine if your cell phone provider decides to charge you based on the distance your call is from the tower. Are you kidding me? You are joking right? Did you actually mean to post what you did?
Slashdot Mirror
A TI-994A was my first computer. It took hours to learn, and of course nothing beats typing in pages of BASIC programs and debuging them.
But that is besides the point.
Your quote below really strikes me as totally wrong and off base:
Wikipedia describes "usability" as: .. a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal. Usability can also refer to the methods of measuring usability and the study of the principles behind an object's perceived efficiency or elegance.
I would argue that if an average person cannot discover how to execute simple tasks like talking a picture, calling a person, adding an address book entry, and locking and unlocking a phone, the the usability factor is in the shitter. Furthermore, does anyone think to understand that a person might not be interested in taking a cell phone picture or reading a Web site on their mobile device because they never discovered how to do it? Discovery is NOT wading through an instruction manual!
Conversely, and I'll go back to this example, if my 4yr old daughter can pickup my iPhone and follow an intuitive interface to take a photo, view pictures, and touch an icon to call someone, all within the period of about 10 minutes, I'd say the usability of that device is very very good.
And I guaran-freaking-teee you my daughter certainly never read an instruction manual either.
About five minutes.
I'm not a fan boy, but I do use an iPhone, and I never saw any instruction manual for the thing.
Furthermore, my 4yr old daughter can pick up my phone, call someone, take a picture, review photos, and play songs and movies.
Then again, maybe I am a fan boy.
Have you ever tried to read a manual for any cell phone? It is usually 200+ pages, in 5 different languages. With wire diagrams, keys to press, page after page.
Frankly, there is no need for an instruction manual. If a user cannot pickup the device and begin to use 80% of the features within a few days, then the user interface, the device, and the concept, is broken.
Lindsay
Profit!
Oh.. wait..
Exactly,
And the fact that the judgment wasn't for more that about 6,750 bucks goes to show that this was about principle, not the money.
The submission's author's bias, coupled with someone tagging the article with "greed" is just disgusting.
Mod Parent up +115
My God your signature:
And then this quote:
Does slowly equal 20 years, or 20,000 years before we're dark? I mean really?!?
I think the story might be a little misleading.
I suspect that not every object's info is made available, rather only the objects that USSTRATCOM deems appropriate for public consumption. Spy Sats, classified objects, and other items that they classify as not appropriate certainly doesn't show up in this KML.
Or do they? ;-)
Right.
That's why the City of New Orleans evacuated to Baton Rouge.
Exactly.
When is the last time a university laid off people?
For all intents and purposes I suspect you meant to say "all intents and purposes." Otherwise that is one strong purpose, or set of purposes.... you are proposing.
Yes, but a DB2 developer.
And remember, you don't look "to" credentials, you look "at" them.
The fact that it was the that FBI showed up and asked for the computer surely means that they are after something really terrible, important, malicious, and off-the-charts out-of-control threatening to national security.
Oh wait...
-
Lb
radioreference
Well, no shit Sherlock. Isn't that the point of the whole article in the first place?
The reality that the parent pointed out is there is an easy out for Yahoo Mail subscribers (and others as well). These day's unsubscribe processes are a pain in the ass at times, and being on the receiving end of 400 different methods to "unsubscribe" your account from a mailing list isn't fun these days.
It might hurt publishers, but it is a reality.
I'll use a prime example - somehow I got signed up on Texas Instruments DSP mailing list - and to unsubscribe I have to login to an account for which I have no idea what my credentials are. So, your "fucking clicks of a mouse" got tossed out the window like the rest of your argument.
You have to be kidding me. US Senators might only be paid a base salary of 165K or so, but their ability to generate wealth far exceeds the ability of many corporate CEOs.
Quote from Forbes:
More like, the model sucks so bad, that people will actually pay money to see how bad it sucks.
I'd love to see this whole thing go down.
Sort of like paying an admission fee to a train wreck.
Instead of giving you ideas for cool things *you* can do - why not let us give it a shot? That might be cool for you - i dunno.
Release a set of user accounts to the public internet during downtimes, prevent the users from being able to change the passwords, and let them go nuts. Then observe.
You'll get to see them exploit every vulnerability in your system (good for security planning), run processes you've never seen before, and certainly exercise those processors. SPAM, Porn, Password hacking and cracking, the works. Observing, it might be like watching a train wreck.
It would be the biggest honeypot known to man.
I've always wanted to put a HUGE Server on the internet unprotected and watch what happens to it...
Every large corporation has these types of clauses.. especially big corporate type information technology firms.
It's pretty simple, you don't decline the job, you talk to the HR team and tell them about your concerns. In my situation, I've run a rather successful online business for quite some time and always negotiated T&C's that let me keep all IP and $ from my existing entities. It's a matter of crossing out clauses in the contract, initialing, and having an officer of the corporation do the same. In my case this included IBM as a company... whom I worked for many years. They are the mother of all patent-hoarding-mommas.
Now, if you think you are going to come right out of school with no professional experience and a bunch of great ideas and expect that your efforts in the evening are going to be protected... you better detach yourself from the yoke and either find funding, VC, or talk to Mr. VISA. Otherwise, SOMEONE is bankrolling your efforts... and they expect a payback of at least principal or they expect to reap the rewards.
I would too if I employed you.
MTBF = Mean Time Between Failure.
Why this post is insightful I don't know.
You are paying for a service! Imagine if your cell phone provider decides to charge you based on the distance your call is from the tower. Are you kidding me? You are joking right? Did you actually mean to post what you did?
In the words of John Stossel, Give me a break!
If they don't NEED splices, then why do they implement them?
Simple... the law of physics apply even here on earth.
Take the tinfoil off your head and remember that physics drive implementation decisions, THEN cost.
Today is not tomorrow.
Computers ALSO evolve.
I think you meant "\/".
Don't forget to escape your slashes.
In English, the word "slashdot" does start with the letter "S."
For a second or two there... I thought for sure the study called my Wii into question.
My "will" is rock solid... my "Wii" challenges me evey day.