I found your comments interesting - I was just ranting the other day somewhere on my site that the Iron Curtain wasn't destroyed, it was just imported into the US. While your country is gaining freedom and respect throughout the world, ours is losing it at a frightening pace. A few years from now, you might look back and be glad you got out while you still could!
It will be ironic to our children, years from now, that all the old American movies showed Russia to be an evil empire police-state, versus the benevolent, free United States. That idea will surely seem ludicrous when your country is prospering nicely and enjoying your new-found freedoms, and American children are providing a DNA sample to their video player's DRM system just to be able to WATCH those old movies.
Darwin Awards aside, what made people think that evolution stopped with the modern era?
Stopped? The problem in this country isn't people who think evolution has stopped, it's the masses of mindless morons who don't believe it ever started in the first place!
Then again, it seems that their minds have NOT evolved beyond the level of apes, so from their perspective, I guess that makes sense.
Hmmm... Middle-clicking for a new tab doesn't work, the scroll bars can't be dragged properly, and the dynamic scrolling speed when using the mouse wheel makes it hard to track. And when will people learn to stop trying to make a website act like a desktop app?
My "Linux vs Windows" search yielded plenty of sponsored links to "Compare bargain prices for Linux Vs!", which is - amazingly - even less relevant than Google's ads, which at least link to things somewhat related.
I think I'll be sticking with the Google site, but thanks anyway!
You might as well have walked into Congress and asked, "Ok people, should I be a Republican, or a Democrat?"
People like what they know, often to the exclusion of all others. C/C++/C# programmers will overwhelmingly tell you VB is a "toy" language, or not a "real" language, because they love doing things the hard way - it makes them feel smarter. I even saw a post here where someone was claiming C# was more "readbale" than VB! That guy probably can't speak "people" languages at all:-)
But on the other hand, it does allow them to do things that VB can't - and sometimes, that's actually useful. It's like the transmission in your car: Sure, you can do cool things with a manual transmission, maybe even trweak fuel economy a bit. But for 90% of the people, 90% of the time, automatic is simply less effort and works just as well.
On the other hand, VB is still the most popular business language by far, simply because companies can get more work done, faster, with less debugging. For most programs, the extra "features" of a lower language are unneccessary. If you need to make a GUI application, it's just plain faster and easier in VB. That's why for all the bitching and moaning the C camp does, most large companies predominantly use VB. Statistics on this are readily available, don't take my word for it, check it out on your own.
That aisde, a good point was brought up: VB.NET is very different from VB. It's not as easy, though to anyone reasonably familiar with both, is still significantly easier than C#.
On the other hand, an important thing to consider is who is being taught this first language? If you have a child just getting into programming, then maybe starting with something scriptable would be easier, like REXX or Boo. Once the basics are learned, moving on to the more "complicated" stuff like OOP, GUI, etc. can be tackled.
I've been considering this same issue myself, as my son is 9, and like any good parent, I'm going to guilt-trip him into following in my footsteps! Kidding... But I'm sorta hoping he takes on some of my interests (only I hope he ends up being smarter and more successful than I!)
I agree completely - I very much despise the notion of a bazillion specialized devices. Well, except the phone - It pisses me off to no end that I'm paying for games, ringtones, web browsing, cameras, calendars, alarm clocks, and all of this other CRAP when all I want is a damned phone that doesn't crash. the fact that people pay as much for ringtones as they do for iTunes downloads makes me cry - literally, tears and all - at the rampant stupidity of fad-crazed humans. But, I digress...
I am in love with my iPAQ. Phones aside, I love the flexibility of a single, multipurpose device. It's a remote control, calendar, game player, news reader, weather forecaster, calculator, MP3 player, image browser, and of course, eBook reader.
I'll never buy an iPod or other MP3 player, because this works just fine, and has plenty of storage. I don't need 20/40/60 gigs of music when I run out for a few hours, or days. 2 gigs on an SD card is plenty to keep me going for a while, and I change stuff out as the mood strikes me.
As for eBooks, I don't see myself buying such a reader. Why? So I have yet another device to carry around? I'd just assume get a new PDA with a better screen - surely eBook readers won't forever exceed the display capabilities of PDAs...
Also, the DRM is a big issue. The very notion that sharing a book with someone is a "crime" angers me in so many ways, I'm not even going to get into it here. Lending a book to a friend is legal. Getting a FREE copy at a library is legal. But if I buy a copy for my reader, I can't lend it to a friend? I think not.
I doubt it will be very long before the publishing industry successfully outlaws libraries, or somehow restricts them and makes users agree to some "licensing" terms when they check out books. Bush probably has had RFID chips embedded in many books already - it's sad that what once was the realm of a paranoid conspiracy theory freak is now perfectly plausible. Anyway, I once again digress...
The point was, I agree - a PDA suits me just fine, and I'll not be buying a dedicated book reader!
This *is* Americorp, so of course this idea makes sense. You want people to have access to historical facts, for - FREE?? You communist bastard, somebody should lock you up for even SPEAKING such unpatriotic, un-Americorp propaganda!
In a related soon-to-be story, the Government, Inc. has now refused to licence statistical information on the number of U.S. casualties in Iraq, so anyone who reports this as anything other than "zero" will be arrested and detained, indefinately, with no access to a lawyer or due process - after all, you're obviously a terrorist sympathizer to commit such an act.
Similarly, all information on indigenous peoples in North America prior to the pilgrims is also unlicensed, so the people formerly known as "Native Americans" will no longer be entitled to run casinos or given any "special considerations".
True... So in keeping with the marketing logic used here, I guess it's not only ahead of schedule, but also going to deliver more features than originally expected, run on older hardware, and cost less, too!
developing an os takes years. what's your problem. First you don't like it, then you complain it's late.
My only problem is with the claim that it's going to be released "earlier than expected". I didn't say that I didn't like it, nor did I say that I was complaining about it being 4 years late.
Call me crazy, but I sure couldn't go to any of MY clients and say, "You know that project I was supposed to have done for you 4 years ago? Well, I've finally settled on a name for it. So it's not late anymore!"
I can only hope that, as a/. reader, you're aware that Vista *is* Longhorn:-)
What contract? I don't recall visiting a site that clearly stated "Use of this site requires that you look at these ads."
I know that if I ever buy something from an online ad or a piece of junk mail, I'm just giving advertisers more reason to keep doing them. If I saw an online ad for a real working light saber for $29.99, I'd still go to a brick-and-mortar store and pay $20,000 just so they didn't count my click as a "hit" to promote more damned banners.
Technically then, wouldn't looking at the ad at all be a form of fraud - making advertisers think I'm looking at or care about the ad, therefore making them pay more money for my "impression" or whatever the current marketing lingo calls it?
Wouldn't that be like eating the free samples in a grocery store, with no intention of buying the product? OR going to look at some condo rental just for the free airline tickets they promise?
If websites want to enforce this bullshit "contract", then I have an idea:
Sites should state that ads are required to view the site. If the server detects a page request and no follup requests for the ad-content, which tells them that the ads are actually being viewed, then the site should stop working entirely for that user.
Once these companies see that few if any people are viewing their site anymore, maybe they'll wisen up and realize that they can take their contract and shove it.
Those are some good points... Indeed, if history consisted only of what's in our Social Studies books, it would be as boring as - well, the Social Studies books. Personal histories are of tremendous value also - however, that type of history and the "newsworthy" types (setting aside the corporate and political agendas here, theoretically) are two different types of news entirely, and cannot be compared directly (see: "Apples and Oranges").
Perhaps this in itself is flawed - perhaps part of society's problems are rooted in this division, and perhaps some solutions are to be found from merging them. That I don't know.
Perhaps the clear chasm between the writing skills of "professional journalists" versus that of "casual bloggers" is simply an instance of letting presentation draw focus away from content.
On the other hand, having to figure out the mangled grammar of some lovestruck teen only to larn that the heartwarming tale of companionship, love, and devotion is actually about her damn goldfish is inherently frustrating!
I think part of the problem lies in the broad term of "blogging" being used, without more specific context. To group indymedia with "OMG!!! I have a test tomorrow and I'm SOOO gonna fail it! I love biscuits and gravy. Ok, I'm gonna go shower and watch TV, laterz!" in the same general category is a tremendous insult to the former, and probably incomprehensible to the latter.
I guess if those criticizing "bloggers" were more specific about which types of bloggers, less people would get up in arms. Perhaps some new buzzwords are in order: Blogalism (blog journalism) and Blogarist (Blog diaries) - someone please come up with something better:-)
Touche - that's what happens when someone like me with ADD and too much coffee tries typing with the TV on and a bazillion windows open, while on the phone, after watching Barbara Walters on Conan... But substitute "Stone Phillips" with [some journalist who has NOT been indicted for faking stories], and the point would be valid. I think...
I do have to agree with the man, though: "most" of the blogs I've come across are nothing more than an online diary, with little focus on grammar, spelling, cohesive thought, or ANY thought. There's a reason that quiet voice in our minds that rambles on all day is quiet - nobody else cares, or wants to hear it. (Or is that just my voice? You all have voices too, right?).
It seems the term "blogger" doesn't distinguish between a high-quality blog to challenge any professional news service, and "OMG!!! This guy I like looked at me today. I'm totally in love! I think I'll dye my hair pink. EMO MUZAK RULZ!!!"
I think most of us would freely admit that just because someone writes something in an online journal, doesn't make them a "journalist" in the traditionally-accepted sense. Maybe it's time for that sense to change - but at the same time, I don't think some 1337 newz haxor is going to replace Stone Phillips anytime soon.
To that extent, the guy had a point - there are some good blogs worthy of regular reading as much as some "traditional", "reputable" news sites. But we have to admit, those are few and far between...
First off, I hope they didn't pay much for this - I ran it for fun, and it basically just lists all music files and video files between certain thresholds (default for music is 2-10MB, movies is 100-3000MB). I think most./ readers could have programmed this minimalist interface in, say, 15 minutes. Oh, and by the way, it doesn't detect Shareaza:-)
Luckily though, even the attempts by the MPAA/RIAA to brainwash our children in school might run afoul. Last I checked, George Orwell still had a few books on the required reading list, and once kids get to "1984" and "Animal Farm", they might start to put two and two together.
On second thought, they might buy the "Intellectual Property" rights to his books, and ban them in schools alltogether... But as long as they don't snag Bradbury's "Fahrenheight 454" while they're at it, hopefully our next generation will have better luck fighting back than we are...
There is no parole for federal crimes. IANAL (yet), but I interned in the USAO in DC 2 years ago. You serve your whole sentence. There is no time off for good behavior.
Well wait a minute, what about the 6 months of jail time? That seems like a real punishment, if they actually end up serving it. And if they all serve it at once, it won't be too good for business!
I hope you're right. But this *IS* America, so rich white corporate execs don't suffer prison time quite the same way everyone else does. Remind me again which cell block Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Bernard Ebbers are in?
Between shady deals with prosecutors, early parole, and the favors their money can buy, I don't think he'll actually be in for 6 months. If he iis, I'm sure it will NOT be in a hard-core prison.
Young black male convicted of $1,000 robbery: 20 years hard time.
Rich white exec, convicted of robbing millions of people out of billions of dollars: a few months in minimum-security.
And they have the gall to call themselves the "Justice Department".
Because MS is an American company, so the DOJ/US Gov't make money off MS. Infineon is an "evil company" because they're "foreign", and taking advantage of us poor Americans. If it's the other way around, the DOJ doesn't give a damn.
Plus, the DOJ is currently too worried about porn.
Ahahahahaha! Sure, if you're one of the lawyers who filed the suit... Otherwise, the gov't gets the money. Did you think the lawyers really filed suit on OUR behalf? Come, now...:-)
Plus, I'm sure the $160 million fine the company paid paled in comparison to how much extra they charged consumers, and the execs surely made a lot more than the $250,000 fine they have to pay. In essense, pleading guilty and paying the fines is just good business, in the same way that paying a $35 parking ticket in NYC while on a $2,500 service call is just good business... Sad.
Not to push the Neal Stephenson thing again on the heels of the recent link between WorldWind and the Earth program in "Snow Crash", but I believe he had some great ideas with respect to the future of storytelling in "The Diamond Age"... Anyone?
Nope - first thing I thought of when I read the snippet was "Hey, that's the 'Earth' program!" Also amazingly, trying to load it causes a huge delay on my system (due to traffic), just like the exchange of the hypercard in the Black Sun... Neal Stephenson is such a genius:-)
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I found your comments interesting - I was just ranting the other day somewhere on my site that the Iron Curtain wasn't destroyed, it was just imported into the US. While your country is gaining freedom and respect throughout the world, ours is losing it at a frightening pace. A few years from now, you might look back and be glad you got out while you still could!
It will be ironic to our children, years from now, that all the old American movies showed Russia to be an evil empire police-state, versus the benevolent, free United States. That idea will surely seem ludicrous when your country is prospering nicely and enjoying your new-found freedoms, and American children are providing a DNA sample to their video player's DRM system just to be able to WATCH those old movies.
Then again, it seems that their minds have NOT evolved beyond the level of apes, so from their perspective, I guess that makes sense.
My "Linux vs Windows" search yielded plenty of sponsored links to "Compare bargain prices for Linux Vs!", which is - amazingly - even less relevant than Google's ads, which at least link to things somewhat related.
I think I'll be sticking with the Google site, but thanks anyway!
People like what they know, often to the exclusion of all others. C/C++/C# programmers will overwhelmingly tell you VB is a "toy" language, or not a "real" language, because they love doing things the hard way - it makes them feel smarter. I even saw a post here where someone was claiming C# was more "readbale" than VB! That guy probably can't speak "people" languages at all :-)
But on the other hand, it does allow them to do things that VB can't - and sometimes, that's actually useful. It's like the transmission in your car: Sure, you can do cool things with a manual transmission, maybe even trweak fuel economy a bit. But for 90% of the people, 90% of the time, automatic is simply less effort and works just as well.
On the other hand, VB is still the most popular business language by far, simply because companies can get more work done, faster, with less debugging. For most programs, the extra "features" of a lower language are unneccessary. If you need to make a GUI application, it's just plain faster and easier in VB. That's why for all the bitching and moaning the C camp does, most large companies predominantly use VB. Statistics on this are readily available, don't take my word for it, check it out on your own.
That aisde, a good point was brought up: VB.NET is very different from VB. It's not as easy, though to anyone reasonably familiar with both, is still significantly easier than C#.
On the other hand, an important thing to consider is who is being taught this first language? If you have a child just getting into programming, then maybe starting with something scriptable would be easier, like REXX or Boo. Once the basics are learned, moving on to the more "complicated" stuff like OOP, GUI, etc. can be tackled.
I've been considering this same issue myself, as my son is 9, and like any good parent, I'm going to guilt-trip him into following in my footsteps! Kidding... But I'm sorta hoping he takes on some of my interests (only I hope he ends up being smarter and more successful than I!)
Yes, I have read that before - I should have linked to it. Thanks!
I am in love with my iPAQ. Phones aside, I love the flexibility of a single, multipurpose device. It's a remote control, calendar, game player, news reader, weather forecaster, calculator, MP3 player, image browser, and of course, eBook reader.
I'll never buy an iPod or other MP3 player, because this works just fine, and has plenty of storage. I don't need 20/40/60 gigs of music when I run out for a few hours, or days. 2 gigs on an SD card is plenty to keep me going for a while, and I change stuff out as the mood strikes me.
As for eBooks, I don't see myself buying such a reader. Why? So I have yet another device to carry around? I'd just assume get a new PDA with a better screen - surely eBook readers won't forever exceed the display capabilities of PDAs...
Also, the DRM is a big issue. The very notion that sharing a book with someone is a "crime" angers me in so many ways, I'm not even going to get into it here. Lending a book to a friend is legal. Getting a FREE copy at a library is legal. But if I buy a copy for my reader, I can't lend it to a friend? I think not.
I doubt it will be very long before the publishing industry successfully outlaws libraries, or somehow restricts them and makes users agree to some "licensing" terms when they check out books. Bush probably has had RFID chips embedded in many books already - it's sad that what once was the realm of a paranoid conspiracy theory freak is now perfectly plausible. Anyway, I once again digress...
The point was, I agree - a PDA suits me just fine, and I'll not be buying a dedicated book reader!
Haha - I just watched The Hunt For Red October this weekend :-)
In a related soon-to-be story, the Government, Inc. has now refused to licence statistical information on the number of U.S. casualties in Iraq, so anyone who reports this as anything other than "zero" will be arrested and detained, indefinately, with no access to a lawyer or due process - after all, you're obviously a terrorist sympathizer to commit such an act.
Similarly, all information on indigenous peoples in North America prior to the pilgrims is also unlicensed, so the people formerly known as "Native Americans" will no longer be entitled to run casinos or given any "special considerations".
I swear, if I get ONE damned Google CD in the mail, EVER - I'll go to a LIBRARY before I look something up on Google again.
True... So in keeping with the marketing logic used here, I guess it's not only ahead of schedule, but also going to deliver more features than originally expected, run on older hardware, and cost less, too!
I can only hope that, as a /. reader, you're aware that Vista *is* Longhorn :-)
Vista was "expected" about, what - 4 years ago? "Earlier than expected", my ass!
What contract? I don't recall visiting a site that clearly stated "Use of this site requires that you look at these ads." I know that if I ever buy something from an online ad or a piece of junk mail, I'm just giving advertisers more reason to keep doing them. If I saw an online ad for a real working light saber for $29.99, I'd still go to a brick-and-mortar store and pay $20,000 just so they didn't count my click as a "hit" to promote more damned banners. Technically then, wouldn't looking at the ad at all be a form of fraud - making advertisers think I'm looking at or care about the ad, therefore making them pay more money for my "impression" or whatever the current marketing lingo calls it? Wouldn't that be like eating the free samples in a grocery store, with no intention of buying the product? OR going to look at some condo rental just for the free airline tickets they promise? If websites want to enforce this bullshit "contract", then I have an idea: Sites should state that ads are required to view the site. If the server detects a page request and no follup requests for the ad-content, which tells them that the ads are actually being viewed, then the site should stop working entirely for that user. Once these companies see that few if any people are viewing their site anymore, maybe they'll wisen up and realize that they can take their contract and shove it.
Perhaps this in itself is flawed - perhaps part of society's problems are rooted in this division, and perhaps some solutions are to be found from merging them. That I don't know.
Perhaps the clear chasm between the writing skills of "professional journalists" versus that of "casual bloggers" is simply an instance of letting presentation draw focus away from content.
On the other hand, having to figure out the mangled grammar of some lovestruck teen only to larn that the heartwarming tale of companionship, love, and devotion is actually about her damn goldfish is inherently frustrating!
I think part of the problem lies in the broad term of "blogging" being used, without more specific context. To group indymedia with "OMG!!! I have a test tomorrow and I'm SOOO gonna fail it! I love biscuits and gravy. Ok, I'm gonna go shower and watch TV, laterz!" in the same general category is a tremendous insult to the former, and probably incomprehensible to the latter.
I guess if those criticizing "bloggers" were more specific about which types of bloggers, less people would get up in arms. Perhaps some new buzzwords are in order: Blogalism (blog journalism) and Blogarist (Blog diaries) - someone please come up with something better :-)
I do have to agree with the man, though: "most" of the blogs I've come across are nothing more than an online diary, with little focus on grammar, spelling, cohesive thought, or ANY thought. There's a reason that quiet voice in our minds that rambles on all day is quiet - nobody else cares, or wants to hear it. (Or is that just my voice? You all have voices too, right?).
It seems the term "blogger" doesn't distinguish between a high-quality blog to challenge any professional news service, and "OMG!!! This guy I like looked at me today. I'm totally in love! I think I'll dye my hair pink. EMO MUZAK RULZ!!!"
I think most of us would freely admit that just because someone writes something in an online journal, doesn't make them a "journalist" in the traditionally-accepted sense. Maybe it's time for that sense to change - but at the same time, I don't think some 1337 newz haxor is going to replace Stone Phillips anytime soon.
To that extent, the guy had a point - there are some good blogs worthy of regular reading as much as some "traditional", "reputable" news sites. But we have to admit, those are few and far between...
First off, I hope they didn't pay much for this - I ran it for fun, and it basically just lists all music files and video files between certain thresholds (default for music is 2-10MB, movies is 100-3000MB). I think most ./ readers could have programmed this minimalist interface in, say, 15 minutes. Oh, and by the way, it doesn't detect Shareaza :-)
Luckily though, even the attempts by the MPAA/RIAA to brainwash our children in school might run afoul. Last I checked, George Orwell still had a few books on the required reading list, and once kids get to "1984" and "Animal Farm", they might start to put two and two together.
On second thought, they might buy the "Intellectual Property" rights to his books, and ban them in schools alltogether... But as long as they don't snag Bradbury's "Fahrenheight 454" while they're at it, hopefully our next generation will have better luck fighting back than we are...
Between shady deals with prosecutors, early parole, and the favors their money can buy, I don't think he'll actually be in for 6 months. If he iis, I'm sure it will NOT be in a hard-core prison.
Young black male convicted of $1,000 robbery: 20 years hard time.
Rich white exec, convicted of robbing millions of people out of billions of dollars: a few months in minimum-security.
And they have the gall to call themselves the "Justice Department".
Because MS is an American company, so the DOJ/US Gov't make money off MS. Infineon is an "evil company" because they're "foreign", and taking advantage of us poor Americans. If it's the other way around, the DOJ doesn't give a damn. Plus, the DOJ is currently too worried about porn.
Ahahahahaha! Sure, if you're one of the lawyers who filed the suit... Otherwise, the gov't gets the money. Did you think the lawyers really filed suit on OUR behalf? Come, now... :-)
Plus, I'm sure the $160 million fine the company paid paled in comparison to how much extra they charged consumers, and the execs surely made a lot more than the $250,000 fine they have to pay. In essense, pleading guilty and paying the fines is just good business, in the same way that paying a $35 parking ticket in NYC while on a $2,500 service call is just good business... Sad.
Yes, I read this and for a moment had a flashback, and thought Satire Wire was back up again...
Not to push the Neal Stephenson thing again on the heels of the recent link between WorldWind and the Earth program in "Snow Crash", but I believe he had some great ideas with respect to the future of storytelling in "The Diamond Age"... Anyone?
Nope - first thing I thought of when I read the snippet was "Hey, that's the 'Earth' program!" Also amazingly, trying to load it causes a huge delay on my system (due to traffic), just like the exchange of the hypercard in the Black Sun... Neal Stephenson is such a genius :-)