You are right about the current state of things. I was advocating the standardization of the paper ballot from a DRE or other tool.
However, the point is having a DRE print out a paper ballot. This makes the system "a computer assisted voting tool" as opposed to "a standalone computer tallying system." The printing physical ballot is a better voter verification than the current dot matrix tag along and that physical paper ballot represents the actual vote.
For sight disabled users, instead of a DRE as ballot manufacturer, an audio system with a input device would print out a standardized ballot, along with braille markings. (Yes, $$$$$$ - but it would be done right)
The printed ballot is then read by a separate optical scan and represents a 2nd system counting the ballots for the night.
Since the printed ballots are standardized, it doesn't matter who makes the electronic system. Physical ballots can then be counted either by hand or by optical scan and then checked against the first system.
Avi is right about a software-independant system. A problem, though, is getting to that point. The current slew of voting solutions are software proprietary and almost none of them have a tandem DRE/Optical Scan setup.
What needs to happen is a standardization of the paper ballot. With a designated schema/layout, any voting system maker can create to the specs and it would be possible to mix and match makers on the DRE (ballot creation - ballot tally 1) and the Optical Scan side(ballot tally 2).
The great thing about this type of system is that if the DRE and the Optical Scan machines are not electronically attached (wired or wireless), prior to upload (hookup to an external phone or ethernet) to the main tally service, the local judges can perform their own validation by noting the totals on the DRE as compared to the Optical Scan system.
However, I do not have a solution to the under-staffing and under-training of these mildly complex systems as pertains to polling judges. The technophobic nature of these patriotic and generous people (forgive me seniors) should have a resolution as well.
"The Internet as we now know it is anything but obsolete..."
The uses, as far as news broadcasts, social sites, and a myriad commercial apps are not obsolete. However, isn't the exhaustion of IPv4 an obsolencence, given no viable plan for IPv6? "As of November 2007, a daily updated report projected that the IANA pool of unallocated addresses would be exhausted in May 2010, with the various Regional Internet Registries using up their allocations from IANA in April 2011." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv6
With a console, the manufacturer of the game knows the specs of the machine and builds to that spec. With a PC game, game maker builds to a spec that makes the game playable and sellable with the available tech at that time. Whether or not your PC has the resources or the tech is up to you.
I have yet to see a console that does as good as a job as for strategy, RTS, or MMO as a PC. However, it does seem like FPS and other twitch games do better on a console.
As for your flicker problems, it sounds as if you need a better video driver. Or better yet, get yourself a kickass system so that you can both VSStudio08 with a proper DB and also play Crysis, BioShock, and Supreme Commander. MMMMM gaming goodness.
But don't take away my Wii. I'm killer at tennis, even though I ease it up when playing against my daughter.
The medium is at issue here. The waning of CDs is derived from iPods and the like don't play CDs. Vinyl, (and I still got mine), sound fine except for the scratches and pops -- but they don't play on iPods as well. Ripping is for people with time. mp3s without DRM are the simply media of choice.
Musicians will tour to make money, with music being a free givaway. Labels were needed foremostly for distribution and promotion. With the internet as a distributor and plenty of iRadios, there is no need for the middle man.
Radiohead is doing their own distribution, with NIN opting similarly. This is the new paradigm.
Labels are dead, dead, dead - and good ridance. Physical media is dead. Music is alive. Long live the king.
(Horn blowing - Now: IT Director / Then: Music buyer - record store clerk (5 years!))
Government loves tech. They won't ban it.
The usages in emerging technologies are being either being used or tested to enhance government agencies. Whether it is the latest in RFID or Data Warehousing, tech will be used in conjunction with Homeland Security and the like agencies.
The US Government is at the beginning of consolidating databases and due to the size of our country, we will deploy after Europe with a likely application of a citizen/nsa/immigration/irs linked to local police db. The difficulty will be responsibly administrating the data mining capabilities and then the expenditures for keeping ahead obsolescence across the board.
But this is coming.
The question is will they ban the freedom of information act?
It's a done deal that Vista will be accepted. The upgrade community doesn't count. Most new PCs will be pre-installed with Vista and with each new machine purchase, the market share will go over the new OS. The future apps are already written.
Resistance is futile.
1. Too slow: Americans want to know by the end of the night who one.
2. Legislation: HAVA (Help America Vote Act of 2002) legislated the use on electronic voting after the "chad" incident of 2000.
3. Accessibility: Electronics can quickly translate from language to language. We're a melting pot, yknow?
4. Over Counts: Can't do 'em electronically.
By lowering the rights for all users on win2k/xp sp2 across a network, I am able to disable usage of the floppy and the cd-rom. A USB device will install on the OS of a restricted user with no reservation. Has MS figured out a schema to allow for USB monitors, keyboard and mice, but disallow any other USB devices in Vista? Or are we going to have this discussion through 2009?
Exploration of yore was based on the promise of riches, influence and/or power available in the unknown. Corporations and countries today are no diffent from the past from which they came. Everyone bases their ventures on the possible returns. Until there is economic benefit, we will be regulated to Rovers on earth only (Available to you for only $36,000!!!).
Slashdot Mirror
The book's cover is the Sombrero Galaxy.
engadget has a good pic and info at http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/virgin-galactics-white-knight-2-spaceship-carrier-gets-unveiled/
You are right about the current state of things. I was advocating the standardization of the paper ballot from a DRE or other tool.
However, the point is having a DRE print out a paper ballot. This makes the system "a computer assisted voting tool" as opposed to "a standalone computer tallying system." The printing physical ballot is a better voter verification than the current dot matrix tag along and that physical paper ballot represents the actual vote.
For sight disabled users, instead of a DRE as ballot manufacturer, an audio system with a input device would print out a standardized ballot, along with braille markings. (Yes, $$$$$$ - but it would be done right)
The printed ballot is then read by a separate optical scan and represents a 2nd system counting the ballots for the night.
Since the printed ballots are standardized, it doesn't matter who makes the electronic system. Physical ballots can then be counted either by hand or by optical scan and then checked against the first system.
Avi is right about a software-independant system. A problem, though, is getting to that point. The current slew of voting solutions are software proprietary and almost none of them have a tandem DRE/Optical Scan setup.
What needs to happen is a standardization of the paper ballot. With a designated schema/layout, any voting system maker can create to the specs and it would be possible to mix and match makers on the DRE (ballot creation - ballot tally 1) and the Optical Scan side(ballot tally 2).
The great thing about this type of system is that if the DRE and the Optical Scan machines are not electronically attached (wired or wireless), prior to upload (hookup to an external phone or ethernet) to the main tally service, the local judges can perform their own validation by noting the totals on the DRE as compared to the Optical Scan system.
http://www.2pv.org/
However, I do not have a solution to the under-staffing and under-training of these mildly complex systems as pertains to polling judges. The technophobic nature of these patriotic and generous people (forgive me seniors) should have a resolution as well.
"The Internet as we now know it is anything but obsolete..."
The uses, as far as news broadcasts, social sites, and a myriad commercial apps are not obsolete. However, isn't the exhaustion of IPv4 an obsolencence, given no viable plan for IPv6?
"As of November 2007, a daily updated report projected that the IANA pool of unallocated addresses would be exhausted in May 2010, with the various Regional Internet Registries using up their allocations from IANA in April 2011."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv6
With a console, the manufacturer of the game knows the specs of the machine and builds to that spec. With a PC game, game maker builds to a spec that makes the game playable and sellable with the available tech at that time. Whether or not your PC has the resources or the tech is up to you.
I have yet to see a console that does as good as a job as for strategy, RTS, or MMO as a PC. However, it does seem like FPS and other twitch games do better on a console.
As for your flicker problems, it sounds as if you need a better video driver. Or better yet, get yourself a kickass system so that you can both VSStudio08 with a proper DB and also play Crysis, BioShock, and Supreme Commander. MMMMM gaming goodness.
But don't take away my Wii. I'm killer at tennis, even though I ease it up when playing against my daughter.
The medium is at issue here. The waning of CDs is derived from iPods and the like don't play CDs. Vinyl, (and I still got mine), sound fine except for the scratches and pops -- but they don't play on iPods as well. Ripping is for people with time. mp3s without DRM are the simply media of choice.
Musicians will tour to make money, with music being a free givaway. Labels were needed foremostly for distribution and promotion. With the internet as a distributor and plenty of iRadios, there is no need for the middle man.
Radiohead is doing their own distribution, with NIN opting similarly. This is the new paradigm.
Labels are dead, dead, dead - and good ridance. Physical media is dead. Music is alive. Long live the king.
(Horn blowing - Now: IT Director / Then: Music buyer - record store clerk (5 years!))
Would a Christmas ringtone single be a:
Kringle?
R&D through several companies started in 1996. The tech name is flexible OLED.
A history of which can be found here http://www.oled-info.com/history/
Government loves tech. They won't ban it. The usages in emerging technologies are being either being used or tested to enhance government agencies. Whether it is the latest in RFID or Data Warehousing, tech will be used in conjunction with Homeland Security and the like agencies. The US Government is at the beginning of consolidating databases and due to the size of our country, we will deploy after Europe with a likely application of a citizen/nsa/immigration/irs linked to local police db. The difficulty will be responsibly administrating the data mining capabilities and then the expenditures for keeping ahead obsolescence across the board. But this is coming. The question is will they ban the freedom of information act?
Thank goodness we have the politicians on this. Guns don't kill people, games do!
It's a done deal that Vista will be accepted. The upgrade community doesn't count. Most new PCs will be pre-installed with Vista and with each new machine purchase, the market share will go over the new OS. The future apps are already written. Resistance is futile.
1. Too slow: Americans want to know by the end of the night who one.
2. Legislation: HAVA (Help America Vote Act of 2002) legislated the use on electronic voting after the "chad" incident of 2000.
3. Accessibility: Electronics can quickly translate from language to language. We're a melting pot, yknow?
4. Over Counts: Can't do 'em electronically.
A better voting mousetrap can be found at http://www.2pv.org/
By lowering the rights for all users on win2k/xp sp2 across a network, I am able to disable usage of the floppy and the cd-rom. A USB device will install on the OS of a restricted user with no reservation. Has MS figured out a schema to allow for USB monitors, keyboard and mice, but disallow any other USB devices in Vista? Or are we going to have this discussion through 2009?
Exploration of yore was based on the promise of riches, influence and/or power available in the unknown. Corporations and countries today are no diffent from the past from which they came. Everyone bases their ventures on the possible returns. Until there is economic benefit, we will be regulated to Rovers on earth only (Available to you for only $36,000!!!).
To go silent, Voodoo created a chassis that is all heat sink. No fans / No noise.
see: http://www.voodoo.ca/sellPage.aspx?productID=1013