I say please, even while ranting, and you call me a dumbass... I will never cease to be amazed by the lack of cordiality out there today.
And while you are correct sir, in that just because it worked the same in previous versions, and indeed, since Wordperfect was invented and invented many of the document editing paradigms we use today (perhaps someone else invented them, I'm entirely too young to have used what came before), doesn't in fact make it unusable.
And while the AC made an assertion without backing it up, you've done the exact same thing. I'm just very interested in learning about how bad windows usability is. Because I've never met a person who couldn't figure out how to play solitaire (like that's a benchmark), nor could I meet someone who couldn't write a resume or a recipe list, although I *HAVE* met a boatload who couldn't reinstall their system from scratch...
So maybe that's it. We arguing that windows makes it difficult for us power-users, those people with a clue? No? If it's double-clicking, that's a pretty poor example of bad usability...
Note I did not specifically attack Linux. All I challenged was his accusation that Windows has poor usability.
Granted the whole double-clicking thing can be a difficult thing to learn for a new user, and the Copy/Move file drag thing really doesn't make sense (in my mind).
In fact, I heartily agree that Linux w/ KDE is very usable. Application support in many arenas is very lacking, still.
Several responses to my post have brought up some good usability points. Particularly the task bar application hiding. Good point, something I've yet to run into, because even though I keep 20-40 application windows open, I've yet to run into said problem. We can make a system easy to use, or we can make a customizable system that serves the needs of both new users and power users. Microsoft chooses to give us a one-size-fits-all interface. Too bad for us...:-/
So what you're saying is that these same people who had to be hand-held on Windows in order to be able to use Quickbooks and Email and the Web are incapable of being hand-held to do the same things on Linux? Hmm... Interesting logic there, pal. Where'd your mother suddenly get all her wonderful computing skills?
For such an advanced user, I'm sure he can spend a few hours with PartionMagic, create a copy of his windows98 disk, install a bootloader, and make it work.
For the 99% of the rest of us who'll just find replacements for the useless software, we're happy to let XP clobber 98.
Has anyone yet found an app that runs on 98 that doesn't at all on XP? I'm Seriously curious, because other than stuff dependant on.VXDs I haven't been able to find any.
HOW can you possibly say that with a straight face and mean it? Unless you really believe it. Please tell me, AC, how different from NT 4.0 or 2000 that XP really is? Oh wait, it boots faster? Or hold on a sec, the games are in a completely different place. Or maybe it's this new fast-user switching?? Gee, that is kinda rough.
Now how about copy-paste? Still CTRL-C, CTRL-V huh? Hmm... Alt-F4? Still works. Still got the minimize, maximize, close and system buttons on the title bar... doubleclicking the titlebar still maximizes... pgup pgdown still work...
Please, I'm VERY curious to know. Just how unusable is XP? Really? I mean, this row of secretaries over here saving dozens of trees by using Word Excel and Email are really confused because they're getting their jobs done with an obviously broken operating system...
I'm sorry, but that argument just never sat right with me. Companies that don't do research never create product. Companies that never create product, go out of business (see dotCom era). Companies therefore having a vested interest in committing research, simply on a survival basis. Pfizer would still research new therapies for drugs, except instead of patenting the process, and 20 years later the process enters the public domain, or Pfizer retains a trade-secret to, say, the cure for cancer (ala the Coca-cola recipe) and we pay Pfizer until the end of time (or some do-gooder leaks the process to/.).
I don't expect things to be free. I just know that progress is not going to stop because we don't have patents or copyrights or trademarks. (See Renaissance, c. 1300-1600)
I think the parent poster is referring to Seaquest:DSV which, indeed, was a REALLY bad ST-like show... And I *LIKE* anything involving submarines... pah!
Insider trading rules (when working, and your employees aren't corrupt *cough* Enron *cough*) ensure that you will ALWAYS see such news in the press before hearing it from relatives. If he's "a rather important manager", I'm sure he knows this...
But you're right, I find it hard to believe myself. Doesn't make it false, however.
Right, and you want to ignore all the mounting evidence that man drove the Wooly Mammoth and the Sabre-toothed tiger to extinction long before the pyramids were a twinkle in the Desert's eye? Or the case that Homo Sapiens was responsible for the eradication of the neanderthals?
Humans are parasites in the truest sense of the word.
A good researcher would have specified such in his paper. I'm not finished reading it yet, but when I do, I'll let you know if your assumption is correct.
Yes, but I think in your case, that's to help stir the American people into supporting the Israeli cause to the exclusion of all else. We poor American's sympathize with you, and all your suicide bomber troubles. We know how you feel now...
When in reality, the media will never show you the Americans destroyed by friendly fire, except stock military staff photographs or photos from family or friends... Why, because otherwise we might wonder about our friends and family members in the military coming home looking just like them, and suddenly loose our nerve... Like Vietnam.
Vietnam was over before I was born, so I have the typical gen "X"-er short-term view of things that many of you here do not. But let's face it, seeing American soldiers with missing legs, and burnt faces, and bullet ridden bodies just isn't good for generating war support.
Yes, but remember that once you have MIRV separation from the launch vehicle, you really only need an airpressure based trigger and some time-sensitive detonation circuits to make it go boom.
But since I have no idea what warheads use for in-atmosphere terminal guidance to be able to hit within 100m of their targets, I could be completely wrong. Could have boatloads of GPS receivers and computers, could have lots of actuators that could be wiped, who knows...
The case of the lost nuclear weapon in the plane crash was off the coast of Spain in the 60's. The weapon was recovered, damaged but intact in IIRC 800m of water.
Nuclear weapon detonation far from it's intended target is always a good thing. Better to blow up the nuke at +50 miles in altitude, than an airburst at 800'.
This argument has always been a straw-man. When 90% of software users are consumers instead of producers (simply because of lack of talent, knowledge or drive), the other 10% are definitely going to make software that the rest can use.
The fallacy of the Open Source argument is that All Source should be open source, and that we're entitled to get everything for free.
There's a lot of bitching and moaning on slashdot about how Microsoft has deep sixed so many good products and companies, but there will be probably very little moaning or bitching when the Open Source movement cripples or destroys small software companies or even Microsoft (long shot)...
Not that I'm advocating stopping. Full speed ahead!
Hell, most middle school students are lucky if they can complete their multiplication tables. In the region I come from, Middle School = 5th to 7th grade. The idea that any large group of students (excepting some rare individuals) is learning anything more about computers at that age than word processing, playing games, and interacting with Eliza is silly.
Ya, and people will still sniff glue, ether, gasoline and take whip-hits. At least people would have a CHOICE of getting top-quality government issued grade-A crank.
When was the last time you saw cheap knockoff moonshine in the stores that put you into a coma (presuming you didn't drink 50L of the stuff)?
You mentioned a week or two back about working on an open source exchange mapi provider for outlook. Since this is the only way I can find to contact you, and I cannot find the original thread you posted, I would appreciate it if you could drop me a quick email at cfk@pobox.com. I don't know if you're interested in collaboration, but I've been starting some work on a similar project, and would rather assist someone else than duplicate effort (who needs another KDE/GNOME fiasco?).
Yes, but it would be Microsoft's decision against who to level patent infringement claims. If Microsoft didn't want to incur the ire of IBM, it wouldn't have to "pick a fight" with it directly. Granted, IBM could simply choose to pick the fight itself. But how wise is it for us to expect IBM to leap into the fight with it's vast patent arsenal to protect Linux from patent assault?
Yes, but in the resulting SCO firesale, they could get picked up by Microsoft, and let me tell you, that's one beast you DON'T want to have to fight on patent infringements.
They are going to have a tough time attacking any non-US based distributions, no? Great, so now they can just shuffle all business for Linux distributions to Europe or Asia. Thanks SCO.;-)
I can imagine a day coming where bombs and the like are easily assembled via this method. What's the world going to do when one of these machines is in the kitchen of every 12 year old boy in the world who ever wanted something bigger and nastier than a cherry bomb? I know this is a large step from the device they're describing, but it is definitely the natural evolution in it's capabilities, 20/30 years from now (or sooner?).
The real boon from a device like this is when we can manufacture drugs (antibiotics, painkillers, etc) and food from bare slush. Now we're getting into deep hardcore sci-fi zone here, but the difference between the haves and the have nots gets really small when you can take a boatload of raw material, and kick out food and medicine and toys. Then the world really gets to be an energy economy. He who has the most energy, can make the most stuff, feed the most people, etc.
Right, but with a patent on this particular application of sensor technology, unless Nikon and Canon and other CCD manufacturers come up with some RADICAL improvement to this layered CCD, then they're going to have to stick to high megapixel dense mosaic CCD's. Yields are going to be small for quite a while on those 24 MP CCD's.
Odds are the reason Nikon and Canon didn't announce Foveon based cameras has more to do with production capacity of the foveon sensor than the technical aspects of said sensor. Why should Nikon be the one to field test Foveons manufacturing capability? Let some other vendor suffer the pain of the first generation implementation. It's what I'd do were I Nikon or Canon... Who wants another Nikon D1-x availability fiasco?
Could it also have something to do with the whole Not Invented Here syndrome? U.S. based CCD manufacturer, Japanese based camera manufacturers? I imagine based on current economies that the Foveon sensor is a LOT more expensive than Far Eastern produced CCD's...
Then again, I could just be talking out my ass...:-)
Slashdot Mirror
I say please, even while ranting, and you call me a dumbass... I will never cease to be amazed by the lack of cordiality out there today.
:-)
And while you are correct sir, in that just because it worked the same in previous versions, and indeed, since Wordperfect was invented and invented many of the document editing paradigms we use today (perhaps someone else invented them, I'm entirely too young to have used what came before), doesn't in fact make it unusable.
And while the AC made an assertion without backing it up, you've done the exact same thing. I'm just very interested in learning about how bad windows usability is. Because I've never met a person who couldn't figure out how to play solitaire (like that's a benchmark), nor could I meet someone who couldn't write a resume or a recipe list, although I *HAVE* met a boatload who couldn't reinstall their system from scratch...
So maybe that's it. We arguing that windows makes it difficult for us power-users, those people with a clue? No? If it's double-clicking, that's a pretty poor example of bad usability...
So humor me, please Mr. AC.
Note I did not specifically attack Linux. All I challenged was his accusation that Windows has poor usability.
:-/
Granted the whole double-clicking thing can be a difficult thing to learn for a new user, and the Copy/Move file drag thing really doesn't make sense (in my mind).
In fact, I heartily agree that Linux w/ KDE is very usable. Application support in many arenas is very lacking, still.
Several responses to my post have brought up some good usability points. Particularly the task bar application hiding. Good point, something I've yet to run into, because even though I keep 20-40 application windows open, I've yet to run into said problem. We can make a system easy to use, or we can make a customizable system that serves the needs of both new users and power users. Microsoft chooses to give us a one-size-fits-all interface. Too bad for us...
So what you're saying is that these same people who had to be hand-held on Windows in order to be able to use Quickbooks and Email and the Web are incapable of being hand-held to do the same things on Linux? Hmm... Interesting logic there, pal. Where'd your mother suddenly get all her wonderful computing skills?
For such an advanced user, I'm sure he can spend a few hours with PartionMagic, create a copy of his windows98 disk, install a bootloader, and make it work.
.VXDs I haven't been able to find any.
For the 99% of the rest of us who'll just find replacements for the useless software, we're happy to let XP clobber 98.
Has anyone yet found an app that runs on 98 that doesn't at all on XP? I'm Seriously curious, because other than stuff dependant on
HOW can you possibly say that with a straight face and mean it? Unless you really believe it. Please tell me, AC, how different from NT 4.0 or 2000 that XP really is? Oh wait, it boots faster? Or hold on a sec, the games are in a completely different place. Or maybe it's this new fast-user switching?? Gee, that is kinda rough.
Now how about copy-paste? Still CTRL-C, CTRL-V huh? Hmm... Alt-F4? Still works. Still got the minimize, maximize, close and system buttons on the title bar... doubleclicking the titlebar still maximizes... pgup pgdown still work...
Please, I'm VERY curious to know. Just how unusable is XP? Really? I mean, this row of secretaries over here saving dozens of trees by using Word Excel and Email are really confused because they're getting their jobs done with an obviously broken operating system...
</rant>
I'm sorry, but that argument just never sat right with me. Companies that don't do research never create product. Companies that never create product, go out of business (see dotCom era). Companies therefore having a vested interest in committing research, simply on a survival basis. /.).
Pfizer would still research new therapies for drugs, except instead of patenting the process, and 20 years later the process enters the public domain, or Pfizer retains a trade-secret to, say, the cure for cancer (ala the Coca-cola recipe) and we pay Pfizer until the end of time (or some do-gooder leaks the process to
I don't expect things to be free. I just know that progress is not going to stop because we don't have patents or copyrights or trademarks. (See Renaissance, c. 1300-1600)
Unless you REALLY have a clue, and then Torx is obviously the superior choice...
</HUMOR>
I think the parent poster is referring to Seaquest:DSV which, indeed, was a REALLY bad ST-like show... And I *LIKE* anything involving submarines... pah!
-Chris
Insider trading rules (when working, and your employees aren't corrupt *cough* Enron *cough*) ensure that you will ALWAYS see such news in the press before hearing it from relatives. If he's "a rather important manager", I'm sure he knows this...
But you're right, I find it hard to believe myself. Doesn't make it false, however.
-Chris
Man I wish I had a mod-point for you. Well said.
Right, and you want to ignore all the mounting evidence that man drove the Wooly Mammoth and the Sabre-toothed tiger to extinction long before the pyramids were a twinkle in the Desert's eye? Or the case that Homo Sapiens was responsible for the eradication of the neanderthals?
Humans are parasites in the truest sense of the word.
-Chris
Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups... :)
A good researcher would have specified such in his paper. I'm not finished reading it yet, but when I do, I'll let you know if your assumption is correct.
-Chris
Yes, but I think in your case, that's to help stir the American people into supporting the Israeli cause to the exclusion of all else. We poor American's sympathize with you, and all your suicide bomber troubles. We know how you feel now...
When in reality, the media will never show you the Americans destroyed by friendly fire, except stock military staff photographs or photos from family or friends... Why, because otherwise we might wonder about our friends and family members in the military coming home looking just like them, and suddenly loose our nerve... Like Vietnam.
Vietnam was over before I was born, so I have the typical gen "X"-er short-term view of things that many of you here do not. But let's face it, seeing American soldiers with missing legs, and burnt faces, and bullet ridden bodies just isn't good for generating war support.
Yes, but remember that once you have MIRV separation from the launch vehicle, you really only need an airpressure based trigger and some time-sensitive detonation circuits to make it go boom.
But since I have no idea what warheads use for in-atmosphere terminal guidance to be able to hit within 100m of their targets, I could be completely wrong. Could have boatloads of GPS receivers and computers, could have lots of actuators that could be wiped, who knows...
The case of the lost nuclear weapon in the plane crash was off the coast of Spain in the 60's. The weapon was recovered, damaged but intact in IIRC 800m of water.
Nuclear weapon detonation far from it's intended target is always a good thing. Better to blow up the nuke at +50 miles in altitude, than an airburst at 800'.
And it's certainly a whole lot better than mass-produced air-dropped land mines!!
-Chris
This argument has always been a straw-man. When 90% of software users are consumers instead of producers (simply because of lack of talent, knowledge or drive), the other 10% are definitely going to make software that the rest can use.
The fallacy of the Open Source argument is that All Source should be open source, and that we're entitled to get everything for free.
There's a lot of bitching and moaning on slashdot about how Microsoft has deep sixed so many good products and companies, but there will be probably very little moaning or bitching when the Open Source movement cripples or destroys small software companies or even Microsoft (long shot)...
Not that I'm advocating stopping. Full speed ahead!
Middle School != High School.
Hell, most middle school students are lucky if they can complete their multiplication tables. In the region I come from, Middle School = 5th to 7th grade. The idea that any large group of students (excepting some rare individuals) is learning anything more about computers at that age than word processing, playing games, and interacting with Eliza is silly.
Ya, and people will still sniff glue, ether, gasoline and take whip-hits. At least people would have a CHOICE of getting top-quality government issued grade-A crank.
When was the last time you saw cheap knockoff moonshine in the stores that put you into a coma (presuming you didn't drink 50L of the stuff)?
You mentioned a week or two back about working on an open source exchange mapi provider for outlook. Since this is the only way I can find to contact you, and I cannot find the original thread you posted, I would appreciate it if you could drop me a quick email at cfk@pobox.com. I don't know if you're interested in collaboration, but I've been starting some work on a similar project, and would rather assist someone else than duplicate effort (who needs another KDE/GNOME fiasco?).
Thank you
-Chris Kaminski
Yes, but it would be Microsoft's decision against who to level patent infringement claims. If Microsoft didn't want to incur the ire of IBM, it wouldn't have to "pick a fight" with it directly. Granted, IBM could simply choose to pick the fight itself. But how wise is it for us to expect IBM to leap into the fight with it's vast patent arsenal to protect Linux from patent assault?
Yes, but in the resulting SCO firesale, they could get picked up by Microsoft, and let me tell you, that's one beast you DON'T want to have to fight on patent infringements.
;-)
They are going to have a tough time attacking any non-US based distributions, no? Great, so now they can just shuffle all business for Linux distributions to Europe or Asia. Thanks SCO.
I can imagine a day coming where bombs and the like are easily assembled via this method. What's the world going to do when one of these machines is in the kitchen of every 12 year old boy in the world who ever wanted something bigger and nastier than a cherry bomb? I know this is a large step from the device they're describing, but it is definitely the natural evolution in it's capabilities, 20/30 years from now (or sooner?).
The real boon from a device like this is when we can manufacture drugs (antibiotics, painkillers, etc) and food from bare slush. Now we're getting into deep hardcore sci-fi zone here, but the difference between the haves and the have nots gets really small when you can take a boatload of raw material, and kick out food and medicine and toys. Then the world really gets to be an energy economy. He who has the most energy, can make the most stuff, feed the most people, etc.
Right, but with a patent on this particular application of sensor technology, unless Nikon and Canon and other CCD manufacturers come up with some RADICAL improvement to this layered CCD, then they're going to have to stick to high megapixel dense mosaic CCD's. Yields are going to be small for quite a while on those 24 MP CCD's.
:-)
Odds are the reason Nikon and Canon didn't announce Foveon based cameras has more to do with production capacity of the foveon sensor than the technical aspects of said sensor. Why should Nikon be the one to field test Foveons manufacturing capability? Let some other vendor suffer the pain of the first generation implementation. It's what I'd do were I Nikon or Canon... Who wants another Nikon D1-x availability fiasco?
Could it also have something to do with the whole Not Invented Here syndrome? U.S. based CCD manufacturer, Japanese based camera manufacturers? I imagine based on current economies that the Foveon sensor is a LOT more expensive than Far Eastern produced CCD's...
Then again, I could just be talking out my ass...
-Chris
I've personally always thought that life+20 years was more than enough, because:
A. If you're dead, the copyright does you no good.
B. 20 years is enough time for your estate to leach off your creative works.