John is now doing 1970s era work after starting at a 1950's level a few years ago.
Thought: Is ANYONE doing rocketry at a 2000's level today? Most of the recent developments in orbit access (x-prize, china, india) seem have been people 'cathing up' to where the US and USSR where in the 60's or so (not that that lessens the achivements). And NASA's advanced projects tend to make the news mainly when they are cancelled...
As you say, the PD doesn't significantly decrease. Maybe they mean it as scaled by the number of works created, which has (IMHO) exploded over the timeframe in the graph.
For the best example of this working, take a look at the patent system.
It does not function well in the semiconductor industry. Patent battles are a significant problem for all companies there. 'Parasite' companies appear, which patent concepts, and then sue people for a living (Rambus etc.).
The main trouble is that people patent constructions which any engineer would pick when faced with a certain task (like making, say, a soundcard chip). The people who first made money from the task (like Creative) then have lots of patents covering it. They can then eliminate new competition using costly lawsuits (like Aureal).
Is he perhaps suggting that each pixel in the LCD has prominent square borders, whereas there's some bleed in CRT pixels?
I don't know what he's suggesting, but that is what I think.
Anyway, there are several ways to improve this... one is higher resolution displays (even if it means scaling the image up - properly filtered of course). Another is imporving the manufacturing process, so that the borders become less prominent. I wouldn't be surprised if that is being done, just not very quickly.
Anyway, I wouldn't mind a nice LCD to replace my buggy ADI MicroScan G66 (yes, there are buggy monitors...), even if it means my pitures look a little worse.
VHS is an analog but time-quantized format. The signal follows a specific machine-readable cycle (the refresh rate). Which gives the MPAA something to fuck with.
Now, analog audio is not like that. It doesn't have a 'sync', nor a specific period in which it is not audible. The signal is not delivered to the speakers in frames. It is 'all content'. Which means that if the RIAA wants to mess with it, they'll mess with the content. (They might be desperate enough to do that, but I wonder if consumers are desperate enough to buy it...) Now, digital audio, that's a different story.
Yes, the graphires are good. I'm not sure about their resolution for writing small signatures though. They apparently work under Linux too, but it seems a bit painful to setup. I haven't tried it yet.
dufke -
Microsoft has actually changed Direct3D to be more similar to OpenGL in DX8. (They are, for example, not allowing direct access to vram, and they made it easier to use, which is generally considered a feature of OpenGL).
To provide a framework to do 'proper' polygonal rendering.
Yes, OpenGL is an API designed to push textured triangles. That is a feature, not a bug (hehe). You'd be amazed at what can be done with textured trianges, especially with multi-pass techniques. That is the current direction of 3D graphics. When that is nolonger the case, we should move to another (open) API.
...and Microsoft will write a software version for cards that don't.
Software emulation is usually useless. Games will check the capability bits, and if it ain't in hardware, turn it off.
True or not, it prevents you from using all the cool new tricks on those $400 dollar videocards.
Hmm. I have a GeForce 2. I can use NV_register_combiners, ARB_texture_cube_map, EXT_texture_compression_S3TC, EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic. What else can you do with it in D3D? (I'm sure I forgot a few features.) -
win9x doesn't execute the HLT instruction when the cpu is idle. Linux (and NT and BeOS and...etc) does. On modern CPU's, the HLT instruction puts the CPU in a state of reduced power consumption (= heat output).
Well, if the encoder is faster than realtime (it is on my box), synced encoding should work. Somebody just needs to write the code. You could detect silence to break the tape up into separate tracks.
This building houses 50 companies each having 40 employees and only one entrance?"
LOL! And they run in and work for five minutes and then run back out? (That would complete the analogy.:-)
...the bus architecture supports some sort of switching (like a crossbar or twin-split).
Well, the EV6 bus that the Athlon uses is a point-to-point link (hence, technically, not a bus...), so it is indeed compatible with a crossbar. I remember at least one company that was going to make crossbars for multiple athlons - I can't remember their name - but I do remember them closing down.:-(
would the singnal degrade too much over ~20 feet of standard stereo cable
Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by 'too much'. I have such an arrangment with a CD changer, and I notice no difference... but then I'm no audiophile...
As long as the connectors are clean (the greatest risk to the signal is oxidation in the connectors) it should be no problem. -
I agree with most of your post, but I must say that OpenGL is not at all difficult to program. Easy of use and learning is one of it's greatest strengths. I haven't tried Direct3D myself, but from what I've heard (and the little I've seen of DirectInput) it is probably more difficult to learn. -
Slashdot Mirror
I will need at least a million people to agree on basic principles. Slashdotia anyone?
;-)
What part of your experience here has led you to believe that Slashdotters actually AGREE on anything?
Wow someone else has this problem... FF 1.0.6 on WinXP here...
What extensions do you have? (I have Adblock, Image Zoom, Flashblock and Sage)
John is now doing 1970s era work after starting at a 1950's level a few years ago.
Thought: Is ANYONE doing rocketry at a 2000's level today? Most of the recent developments in orbit access (x-prize, china, india) seem have been people 'cathing up' to where the US and USSR where in the 60's or so (not that that lessens the achivements). And NASA's advanced projects tend to make the news mainly when they are cancelled...
Which linux media player did you use that supports the VIA's hardware decoder? Is playback smooth?
If you are generating PC forms, then Delphi / Kylix has to be the way to go
:-)
Did i miss some critical development, or does Delphi still require you to write in Pascal...?
(Not much worse than Basic though I suppose...)
Hmm. No time like now to take up Python again. Now there's a language!
Of course, when *that* time comes, I'm not too sure what the specs for SerialATA will be.
;-)
With the current trend, it will be able transfer 1Tb/s, at a maximum cable length of ONE inch.
Well, that thing doesn't look all that seaworthy, even though it floats, so I hope there's plenty of ice for them...
I have to agree that it's a bit of an odd chart.
As you say, the PD doesn't significantly decrease. Maybe they mean it as scaled by the number of works created, which has (IMHO) exploded over the timeframe in the graph.
For the best example of this working, take a look at the patent system.
It does not function well in the semiconductor industry. Patent battles are a significant problem for all companies there. 'Parasite' companies appear, which patent concepts, and then sue people for a living (Rambus etc.).
The main trouble is that people patent constructions which any engineer would pick when faced with a certain task (like making, say, a soundcard chip). The people who first made money from the task (like Creative) then have lots of patents covering it. They can then eliminate new competition using costly lawsuits (like Aureal).
Is he perhaps suggting that each pixel in the LCD has prominent square borders, whereas there's some bleed in CRT pixels?
I don't know what he's suggesting, but that is what I think.
Anyway, there are several ways to improve this... one is higher resolution displays (even if it means scaling the image up - properly filtered of course). Another is imporving the manufacturing process, so that the borders become less prominent. I wouldn't be surprised if that is being done, just not very quickly.
Anyway, I wouldn't mind a nice LCD to replace my buggy ADI MicroScan G66 (yes, there are buggy monitors...), even if it means my pitures look a little worse.
, also known as the 'skin effect'
At a few tens to maybe a few hundreds of herz...?
I know about the skin effect... but I've only heard of it in relation to coaxial cables, being driven at hundreds or thousands of megaherz.
Nevertheless, you're suggesting that it's my job to ensure whatever I sell you is fit for whatever you're doing, an impossible task.
'Fitness for a particular purpose' as the disclaimers say. Not for whatever he's doing, just WHAT YOU ARE SAYING it should do.
VHS is an analog format.
VHS is an analog but time-quantized format. The signal follows a specific machine-readable cycle (the refresh rate). Which gives the MPAA something to fuck with.
Now, analog audio is not like that. It doesn't have a 'sync', nor a specific period in which it is not audible. The signal is not delivered to the speakers in frames. It is 'all content'. Which means that if the RIAA wants to mess with it, they'll mess with the content. (They might be desperate enough to do that, but I wonder if consumers are desperate enough to buy it...) Now, digital audio, that's a different story.
dufke
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Yes, the graphires are good. I'm not sure about their resolution for writing small signatures though. They apparently work under Linux too, but it seems a bit painful to setup. I haven't tried it yet.
dufke
-
Microsoft has actually changed Direct3D to be more similar to OpenGL in DX8. (They are, for example, not allowing direct access to vram, and they made it easier to use, which is generally considered a feature of OpenGL).
...and Microsoft will write a software version for cards that don't.
To provide a framework to do 'proper' polygonal rendering.
Yes, OpenGL is an API designed to push textured triangles. That is a feature, not a bug (hehe). You'd be amazed at what can be done with textured trianges, especially with multi-pass techniques. That is the current direction of 3D graphics. When that is nolonger the case, we should move to another (open) API.
Software emulation is usually useless. Games will check the capability bits, and if it ain't in hardware, turn it off.
True or not, it prevents you from using all the cool new tricks on those $400 dollar videocards.
Hmm. I have a GeForce 2. I can use NV_register_combiners, ARB_texture_cube_map, EXT_texture_compression_S3TC, EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic. What else can you do with it in D3D? (I'm sure I forgot a few features.)
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MSVC 6.0 SP4 on Win98se, Intel CeleronII
10=10
Press any key to continue
Anyway, it's just random FP inaccuracy as several smart people have pointed out.
dufke
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win9x doesn't execute the HLT instruction when the cpu is idle. Linux (and NT and BeOS and...etc) does. On modern CPU's, the HLT instruction puts the CPU in a state of reduced power consumption (= heat output).
He's right!
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Well, if the encoder is faster than realtime (it is on my box), synced encoding should work. Somebody just needs to write the code. You could detect silence to break the tape up into separate tracks.
dufke
-
This building houses 50 companies each having 40 employees and only one entrance?"
:-)
...the bus architecture supports some sort of switching (like a crossbar or twin-split).
:-(
LOL! And they run in and work for five minutes and then run back out? (That would complete the analogy.
Well, the EV6 bus that the Athlon uses is a point-to-point link (hence, technically, not a bus...), so it is indeed compatible with a crossbar. I remember at least one company that was going to make crossbars for multiple athlons - I can't remember their name - but I do remember them closing down.
-
would the singnal degrade too much over ~20 feet of standard stereo cable
Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by 'too much'. I have such an arrangment with a CD changer, and I notice no difference... but then I'm no audiophile...
As long as the connectors are clean (the greatest risk to the signal is oxidation in the connectors) it should be no problem.
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Because they are too small! 8 gigs with 4-meg simms would requre 2000 simm slots! Yes, thats two thousand. I wonder where you are gonna put them? :-)
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Am I the only one who wondered why there wasn't a 'Stability' round? I mean, that's pretty important, to me at least.
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Ace's has some benchmarks (under linux, no less) of the different compilers. They prove your point quite well.
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Nope, rather they are codenaming their processors after WWII fighters. Thunderbird, Spitfire, Mustang etc.
(A rather strange irony... they are naming stuff after Allied air power, and making it in Dresden.)
I guess they ran out for K8 though... I never heard of a WWII fighter named 'Sledgehammer'...
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I agree with most of your post, but I must say that OpenGL is not at all difficult to program. Easy of use and learning is one of it's greatest strengths. I haven't tried Direct3D myself, but from what I've heard (and the little I've seen of DirectInput) it is probably more difficult to learn.
-