Why should there be limits on Jedi powers? There is nothing in the star wars canon that limits how often the Jedi could use their powers.
But WEG did provide some balance to the game, and there are some very powerful limits on Jedi. Since the game is mainly focused on the Original Trilogy and Post-RotJ Expanded Universe, and the rules make learning a skill very difficult without a teacher, advancing as a Jedi character can be very hard if there aren't any Jedi to teach the character how to use their power.
For example, visit one of your local retailers like Office Depot, OfficeMax, Best Buy, or Circuit City,
That's your first mistake. Anything you buy at a box retail isn't going to be what you want or need. Try Dell, Lenovo, or even HP's web stores. You can choose your model, customize your configuration, and then order all from the comfort of your couch. You can even compare models without having to go between stores.
If you don't want to wait for a custom configured machine, reputable computer retailers like CDW will gladly sell you a pre-configured laptop at a good price (if you know where to look...like in the CDW Outlet). They even provide all the specs and the manufacturer's model number (if you want to go to their support site for more info).
It always amazes me that people think a Best Buy or even Walmart is the place to go to buy a PC.
CDW would be a good company to go through. If you sign a contract with them, you don't only get a dedicated sales rep, but an entire team of people to go to if you have any questions. But...as I said, I think that would require a special contract.
And there is an online site that you can order through.
I think that depends on the manufacturer. Some manufacturers may "retire" parts after 3 years in order to get people to upgrade. But I've never had a problem getting parts from IBM/Lenovo for Thinkpads.
Your local company may be able to build a standup machine, but can they build them in the same quantities that the multinationals would? Can those machines be delivered on the timetable that the company has set forward?
I'm not arguing against buying local, but a local business may not be able to handle the volume of a 100 pc + order, and that is a factor that the company will need to take into account.
Go out with your friends, join an organization in the community, do anything where you interact with others. Just talk to people. Talk about anything besides tech. If you can talk about it in polite company or at the dinner table, talk about it if they're interested. Once you're better able to relate to people, you'll find that explaining a technical concept will become a lot easier.
That's a bad analogy, even for slashdot. I've seen that move quite a few times. I call it the I QUIT move because, well, thats what a player, especially one is overestimates their own card playing abilities, when they get frustrated and want to leave the game.
The funny thing is that no one is saying Zune and MS music are a dead end because of the patent disputes. No one is saying that MS users are going to have to relicense Windows due to the patent disputes. Is MS Windows and Vista going to pulled from the shelves and will every MS user have to upgrade their PC to remove the offending technology? Somehow I think that MS Will survive these patent disputes, and so will OSS.
That's because no major player has threatened Microsoft with their patent portfolio yet, and I doubt that will happen until Microsoft makes its next move. I think the major supporters of Open Source, IBM, Red Hat, Google, OIN, etc, are all waiting to see what happens next. Will MS go after a distro? Will they go after a company that uses Linux? Or will MS just continue to bluff?
The "patent war" is a cold one right now, and I don't think anyone wants it to go hot. It would be devastating to a lot of people and companies - Microsoft included. They know they have more to loose from this than the Free Software movement because they have a bottomline to watch and shareholders to appease.
I can't get rid of windows fully. My photography business depends on Photoshop and Lightroom, and there are no Linux equivalents to them. And no...I won't buy a Mac...I just dropped a nice sum on a Thinkpad that is on order.
But I do intend to start playing around with Linux. As I get access to older machines from work, I'll start installing Linux and BSD on them. My goal is to have a mixed-OS environment in my house - Ubuntu LTS for File and Web servers, PFSense for a firewall, and Windows as my primary desktop.
I'm not much of a linux evangelist (i prefer XP as my OS of choice...but then my linux experience is next to nil and I don't have a spare machine to learn on), but I heard this exact thing in interviews with two Microsoft shops where I had applied for employment. "Linux is dying. Linux will be dead. We don't offer it to our customers because you can't buy support for it."
It was all garbage, and I had a hard time not laughing during the interviews.
Not really. The project would only document prior art for all of Microsoft's patents. Microsoft still has to say which patents linux is violating, otherwise they fall prey to the doctrine of laches.
Why? It's the 1960's all over again, except it is software patents instead of nuclear weapons. Microsoft knows that it can't stand up to a patent war with even one of these guys without facing major problems. Yes, they may get rid of one of their competitors, but they will suffer huge damage while attracting the attention of the authorities if they try to press this issue further.
The fact that they would try this openly as to attract attention reeks clearly of two possibilities: a government that has been bought, or the belief that they won't be targeted for another anti-trust hearing.
The problem, though, is that someone will call Microsoft's bluff, and then they will be forced to reveal the infringing parts of the code. And while they play their song and dance in the court with FSF, EFF, and corporate lawyers, 1000 monkeys, I mean coders, at 1000 computers will be removing the infringing code from Linux, OpenOffice, and other FOSS software.
By the time MS is done, they'll realize they have shot themselves in the foot. The offending code will have been removed. That they can't remove, they'll have found prior art for. And Microsoft won't be able to collect past damages because they dickered around by claiming patent violations without revealing what those violations were (iirc, there is something under US law which requires a patent holder to reveal the infringement immediately upon discovery or else they couldn't collect back damages).
I don't expect any court to take microsoft lightly, especially given the way they are bullying open source groups with these claims of patent violations.
In the end, I expect all this to happen sooner, rather than later.
Its assumed that IBM and Microsoft have some cross-licensing deal. If IBM were to pull that license, even with penalty, the effects on Windows, Office, and other products could be devastating. We don't how many IBM-patented items are in Windows, Office, Exchange, or other MS products, so they could be forced to stop selling everything until that code is removed.
I'm not saying that it would happen, but if every computer with Windows including OEMs, Office, and some of their enterprise products had to be pulled from the shelf until they could retool them, it would have a serious effect on Microsoft. Could they recover from it? Probably, but they would never return to being the 800 lb. bully they used to be.
Google's got the right approach, Microsoft with Home Server will be proven wrong. My 2 cents.
I think you're wrong..MAC/Google are not the same as what Microsoft Home Server is. MS Home Server isn't much more than a (arguably) smarter NAS device for storing your photos, digital video, and TiVO files while allowing you to access them remotely if you choose to. It won't compete with Google unless they try to offer an Internet-based NAS.
Even if he did play CS or some other 1st-person shooter, it doesn't explain how he was able to kill 30+ people.
I have some experience using firearms, and I've owned four handguns in my life. I was also an avid player of CS and some other first-person shooters. Playing those games doesn't make you a good shot, or even a competent shot for that matter. While it may improve your hand-eye coordination, that only has a minor impact on shooting as you actually have to deal with the physical recoil of the firearm and a moving target.
This guy knew how to use the gun, and he probably had considerable practice.
Where, exactly, do you think illegal guns come from?
Well...off the top of my head, I can think of several sources. Besides for legal gun purchases, guns can come from many sources. They can be stolen from the manufacturers before they even get to the stores (and don't think that fewer legal guns available for sale will mean fewer guns made...the military and police forces still need firearms), or they can "disappear" from military and police armories. They can be imported from other countries. They can be made in small machine shops.
Why don't people understand that the VAST MAJORITY of illegal gun purchases are only possible because of a LEGAL gun purchase?
Actually...you don't know that. We don't know where a lot of illegal guns come from right now, but I believe many come from overseas. The former Soviet Union's Cold War Arsenal has ended up in many countries, as has the products of Chinese manufacturers like NorInCo. Now...many of these guns are already illegal long before they are imported into the United States, and laws that restrict or cut down the number of legal guns won't effect this supply.
Slashdot Mirror
Why should there be limits on Jedi powers? There is nothing in the star wars canon that limits how often the Jedi could use their powers.
But WEG did provide some balance to the game, and there are some very powerful limits on Jedi. Since the game is mainly focused on the Original Trilogy and Post-RotJ Expanded Universe, and the rules make learning a skill very difficult without a teacher, advancing as a Jedi character can be very hard if there aren't any Jedi to teach the character how to use their power.
For example, visit one of your local retailers like Office Depot, OfficeMax, Best Buy, or Circuit City,
That's your first mistake. Anything you buy at a box retail isn't going to be what you want or need. Try Dell, Lenovo, or even HP's web stores. You can choose your model, customize your configuration, and then order all from the comfort of your couch. You can even compare models without having to go between stores.
If you don't want to wait for a custom configured machine, reputable computer retailers like CDW will gladly sell you a pre-configured laptop at a good price (if you know where to look...like in the CDW Outlet). They even provide all the specs and the manufacturer's model number (if you want to go to their support site for more info).
It always amazes me that people think a Best Buy or even Walmart is the place to go to buy a PC.
So they essentially botched the implementation of an effective system?
Dude...its BSG, not sex.
CDW would be a good company to go through. If you sign a contract with them, you don't only get a dedicated sales rep, but an entire team of people to go to if you have any questions. But...as I said, I think that would require a special contract.
And there is an online site that you can order through.
I think that depends on the manufacturer. Some manufacturers may "retire" parts after 3 years in order to get people to upgrade. But I've never had a problem getting parts from IBM/Lenovo for Thinkpads.
Fair enough. I just wasn't sure if local shops could handle that volume.
The good new, though, is that the machines are built with all off-the-shelf components, so if something breaks, it is easy to fix or replace.
Your local company may be able to build a standup machine, but can they build them in the same quantities that the multinationals would? Can those machines be delivered on the timetable that the company has set forward?
I'm not arguing against buying local, but a local business may not be able to handle the volume of a 100 pc + order, and that is a factor that the company will need to take into account.
So then the question becomes...how do we create an anti-matter rocket?
Go out with your friends, join an organization in the community, do anything where you interact with others. Just talk to people. Talk about anything besides tech. If you can talk about it in polite company or at the dinner table, talk about it if they're interested. Once you're better able to relate to people, you'll find that explaining a technical concept will become a lot easier.
That's a bad analogy, even for slashdot. I've seen that move quite a few times. I call it the I QUIT move because, well, thats what a player, especially one is overestimates their own card playing abilities, when they get frustrated and want to leave the game.
Microsoft as Phil Helmouth (sic)?
The funny thing is that no one is saying Zune and MS music are a dead end because of the patent disputes. No one is saying that MS users are going to have to relicense Windows due to the patent disputes. Is MS Windows and Vista going to pulled from the shelves and will every MS user have to upgrade their PC to remove the offending technology? Somehow I think that MS Will survive these patent disputes, and so will OSS.
That's because no major player has threatened Microsoft with their patent portfolio yet, and I doubt that will happen until Microsoft makes its next move. I think the major supporters of Open Source, IBM, Red Hat, Google, OIN, etc, are all waiting to see what happens next. Will MS go after a distro? Will they go after a company that uses Linux? Or will MS just continue to bluff?
The "patent war" is a cold one right now, and I don't think anyone wants it to go hot. It would be devastating to a lot of people and companies - Microsoft included. They know they have more to loose from this than the Free Software movement because they have a bottomline to watch and shareholders to appease.
I can't get rid of windows fully. My photography business depends on Photoshop and Lightroom, and there are no Linux equivalents to them. And no...I won't buy a Mac...I just dropped a nice sum on a Thinkpad that is on order.
But I do intend to start playing around with Linux. As I get access to older machines from work, I'll start installing Linux and BSD on them. My goal is to have a mixed-OS environment in my house - Ubuntu LTS for File and Web servers, PFSense for a firewall, and Windows as my primary desktop.
I'm not much of a linux evangelist (i prefer XP as my OS of choice...but then my linux experience is next to nil and I don't have a spare machine to learn on), but I heard this exact thing in interviews with two Microsoft shops where I had applied for employment. "Linux is dying. Linux will be dead. We don't offer it to our customers because you can't buy support for it."
It was all garbage, and I had a hard time not laughing during the interviews.
Not really. The project would only document prior art for all of Microsoft's patents. Microsoft still has to say which patents linux is violating, otherwise they fall prey to the doctrine of laches.
Why? It's the 1960's all over again, except it is software patents instead of nuclear weapons. Microsoft knows that it can't stand up to a patent war with even one of these guys without facing major problems. Yes, they may get rid of one of their competitors, but they will suffer huge damage while attracting the attention of the authorities if they try to press this issue further.
The fact that they would try this openly as to attract attention reeks clearly of two possibilities: a government that has been bought, or the belief that they won't be targeted for another anti-trust hearing.
But while you may be crushed, you will have bought time for hundreds of others to run away.
The problem, though, is that someone will call Microsoft's bluff, and then they will be forced to reveal the infringing parts of the code. And while they play their song and dance in the court with FSF, EFF, and corporate lawyers, 1000 monkeys, I mean coders, at 1000 computers will be removing the infringing code from Linux, OpenOffice, and other FOSS software.
By the time MS is done, they'll realize they have shot themselves in the foot. The offending code will have been removed. That they can't remove, they'll have found prior art for. And Microsoft won't be able to collect past damages because they dickered around by claiming patent violations without revealing what those violations were (iirc, there is something under US law which requires a patent holder to reveal the infringement immediately upon discovery or else they couldn't collect back damages).
I don't expect any court to take microsoft lightly, especially given the way they are bullying open source groups with these claims of patent violations.
In the end, I expect all this to happen sooner, rather than later.
Its assumed that IBM and Microsoft have some cross-licensing deal. If IBM were to pull that license, even with penalty, the effects on Windows, Office, and other products could be devastating. We don't how many IBM-patented items are in Windows, Office, Exchange, or other MS products, so they could be forced to stop selling everything until that code is removed.
I'm not saying that it would happen, but if every computer with Windows including OEMs, Office, and some of their enterprise products had to be pulled from the shelf until they could retool them, it would have a serious effect on Microsoft. Could they recover from it? Probably, but they would never return to being the 800 lb. bully they used to be.
That isn't very effective when you work in a cookie factory.
Google's got the right approach, Microsoft with Home Server will be proven wrong. My 2 cents.
.MAC/Google are not the same as what Microsoft Home Server is. MS Home Server isn't much more than a (arguably) smarter NAS device for storing your photos, digital video, and TiVO files while allowing you to access them remotely if you choose to. It won't compete with Google unless they try to offer an Internet-based NAS.
I think you're wrong.
How will this effect the Mono project?
Even if he did play CS or some other 1st-person shooter, it doesn't explain how he was able to kill 30+ people.
I have some experience using firearms, and I've owned four handguns in my life. I was also an avid player of CS and some other first-person shooters. Playing those games doesn't make you a good shot, or even a competent shot for that matter. While it may improve your hand-eye coordination, that only has a minor impact on shooting as you actually have to deal with the physical recoil of the firearm and a moving target.
This guy knew how to use the gun, and he probably had considerable practice.
Where, exactly, do you think illegal guns come from?
Well...off the top of my head, I can think of several sources. Besides for legal gun purchases, guns can come from many sources. They can be stolen from the manufacturers before they even get to the stores (and don't think that fewer legal guns available for sale will mean fewer guns made...the military and police forces still need firearms), or they can "disappear" from military and police armories. They can be imported from other countries. They can be made in small machine shops.
Why don't people understand that the VAST MAJORITY of illegal gun purchases are only possible because of a LEGAL gun purchase?
Actually...you don't know that. We don't know where a lot of illegal guns come from right now, but I believe many come from overseas. The former Soviet Union's Cold War Arsenal has ended up in many countries, as has the products of Chinese manufacturers like NorInCo. Now...many of these guns are already illegal long before they are imported into the United States, and laws that restrict or cut down the number of legal guns won't effect this supply.