I guess this is the UI we'll have to live with until modchips come out, and we get a dashboard that allows us to do what we want.
I hope that MS learned from the modchips of the past to find out that people want to fully harness the power of the machine, and not be limited to playing only XBox games on it. If they provided a dashboard that allowed for more customization, or the installation of emulators that would be great. I don't ever see that happening.
I'll probably wait to get the new xbox until Team Xecuter figures out the new platform.
Number of nuclear programs in India: 1
Number of nuclear programs in Saudi Arabia: 0
I think that about sums it up. It's a stupid policy, but India did test nukes knowing they were going to incur sanctions.
So by that logic, we should stop teaching the Indian people how to effectively manage their nuclear program, but freely teach Saudi Arabians how to acquire this technology?
Also, one guy in the study will need permission to render his 3D drawings on clusters, because clusters can also calculate dangerous things. Isn't that completely insane?
The relevance is that this is being introduced in the name of security. The point is to restrict education of possible military knowledge to people from countries we are worried about. That is exactly how Saudi Arabia fits into the issue. It's not a slam on Saudi Arabi, nor is anyone saying that Saudi Arabians are all evil, but if you are restricting people based on the potential military threat of their home country, Saudi Arabia probably should be at the top of the list.
The USA is definitely overpopulated with it's own terrorist. That is one reason I hate how all of a sudden the general population thinks all Muslims are secretly plotting the annihilation of our country. These same people that apparently love freedom, democracy and the US are the ones harassing people exercising their freedom of choice at the clinics. Apparently, to some people freedom is only a good thing when it is a subset of things you agree with.
These types of issues are used as scare tactics by politicians. It works for them because people don't think about things. They believe most of what they are told.
It seems that by if this were in the interest of security, they would be required to include Saudi Arabi in the list of contries. By including India, it almost seems like a backwards attempt to limit foreign students from replacing Americans in the technical fields. I am not sure if that is a conspiracy theory/tinfoil hat kind of thought, but something seems odd about this entire piece of legislation.
First of all, like someone mentioned, anything you can learn in the US in a classroom is already published somewhere. The same textbook you buy for your class is probably on Amazon.com for anyone in any country to purchase. Teaching an Indian student about Nuclear Engineering is really not a security concern. If that student was intent on learning nuclear technology to create WMDs, there are other countries they could go to anyway to learn.
Placing restrictions on education is the last thing we should be doing. With the general population dumbing down, we should be accepting anyone willing to learn. Highly educated people are becoming few and far between. I don't care if the next guy that designs the power plant that keeps my house lit up is Indian or American, as long as someone learns how to do it.
I don't want to get politcal, but this seems like a situation entirely fabricated by the government for some kind of hidden agenda.
All of you guys made good points. Since this is a discussion, it is good to hash out different opinions. Even if making a legitimate comment is met with accusations of trolling or believing that personal freedom is optional.
I think the real issue is what defines questionable. It is totally subjective. That would be one reason I wouldn't support a measure like this. It's not like I am trying to find ways to oppress myself and the general population. Theoretically, such a system could have rewards that outweigh any dangers if implemented correctly. I don't want random people deciding what is acceptable to me. That is why libraries can't block internet sites now. I agree that they shouldn't ever be allowed to block anything. That is the point of democracy.
Based on our current government, I would not vote for anything even remotely this intrusive. I am nearly 100% positive the data would be misused. In a society where such things did not happen, this might be a useful tool.
Actually - they didn't have records of everything you read - they had records of everything you borrowed and they could 'block' inappropriate contect by excluding it from their collections.
Good point on that. You can do your book research in the library and they never know about it. It's been so long since I've used a library I didn't even think about that. That's one of the drawbacks of being illiterate.;)
Where you are going with this is toward the Thought Police run state. You know, as this progresses you might even be able to claim political asylum or refugee status in Canada in the near future!!
There are two ways to look at this:
Collecting information is harmless for the average person, but might come in handy later on in an investigation of bad people
Collecting information is an infringement, and will almost definitely be used by someone to screw people in the future.
Both are valid cases, and I am not really sure how you weigh the 2 against each other.
How anyone could just shrug off such an obvious infringement on freedom in "The Land of the Free" is - well, utterly baffling. Come to Canada. I can't speak for the Immigration office, but as a citizen we will welcome any American level-headed enough to get the hell out while the getting is good. Besides, we need the tax base.
First, I am not suggesting anything that harms freedom. You are still allowed to do anything you want on those PCs. The only difference is that a record of those actions is kept. Also, I'm sure there are ways to keep the recording to a minimum. At work we have websense. Most sites on the internet aren't blocked, but some are. The library could use similar technology to only record content that is questionable. One example might include someone convicted of pedophilia getting reported when they use the PC to access child pornography.
Canada is too cold right now. I think most of us are waiting for a little more global warming before we move up north! That's why the US is working so hard on pollution.
Yeah. That was my main gripe with Morrowind. It was so long, and a computer desk and chair don't quite stack up to a comfy couch and 46" TV with surround sound when you are that involved in it.
Morrowind lacked something for me though. I am hoping this new one gets me what I thought was missing in the previous game. I'm not sure what it was, but Morrowind wasn't perfect for me.
I am not usually a supporter of intrusive measures, but I can agree with this.
Library PCs are still accessible, but you need to identify yourself before you use it. It could track where you've been, but considering you using the computer in a public place, in a location that is supposed to be for doing research and learning, most people shouldn't be accessing anything questionable.
It is fairly common that library computers are used as tools for shady and illegal actions. Worried that the FBI might trace that kiddie porn back your IP address? Download it at the library. You need to launch the awesome new virus you wrote? Send it off from the Library. Need to research fertilizer bombs? You guessed it, library.
Before the internet, people read books. If you got the book at the library, they had a record of everything you ever read. Now, people get their information on the Internet. If you get that information from the library, now they have a record of it. It's just an extension of their old policy onto a new medium.
I do understand Open Source. I guess I just don't know exactly how the licensing works. I imagine at some point Netscape will want to make some money with their product. I'm sure things are spelled out in all of the License Agreements, but I was too uninterested to read all of that stuff.
If they are openly admiting that their code is nearly an exact duplicate of Firefox, it might limit them in the future. If they designed their own browser instead, they would be free to do whatever they wanted. I also know there is history between Netscape and Firefox. I guess since Firefox started with netscape, they are returning the favor by reviving Netscape with their new browser. Kind of strange how it turned out.
The link on slashdot is ok, but it leads to the rankings. I know some others said they clicked on the number 1 site, and I did also. It's based on the curiosity of what the number 1 site looks like.
What is the deal with Netscape 8? It sounds like they basically downloaded the source code for Firefox, recompiled it, and then distributed it as something new.
First, why isn't Firefox going after Netscape and second, why would anyone start using Netscape when Firefox knows their own code better and fixes it faster?
I think I might get the Firefox code myself and create a browser called LOL-I'm-Really-Just-Firefox. It will be huge.
In the article, you'll see that one of the reasons why the technique was so successful is because they avoided using the frozen eggs. Freshly harvested eggs are better.
Maybe they just need to defrost the eggs in the microwave first. Also, if you use Ziplock freezer bags, you can eliminate freezer burn. You'd think these clinics would at least try it.
...Iwata said the new console is aimed at customers who hate clutter and find current games and the controllers used to play them to be confusing and difficult."
To combat this problem, the next generation console's controller will consist of a single giant, red button. Users will rapidly push this button until the game is beaten.
Right, but many women put these eggs into storage just in case they want a baby in the future but are too old. There are millions of eggs in freezers already that will never be used. Instead of throwing them in the trash, maybe they could be used for one of the most important advances in human history. Just a thought.
'Video games are not art or media,' she said. 'They are simulations, not all that different from the simulations used by the U.S. military in preparation for war.'
I guess you can only assume they are talking about games that simulate battles and war. Isn't calling all video games war simulations like saying because there is porn, all movies are smut?
What about the video games that teach kids how to read? Is the military using those also? I know that the average military requirements are dropping, but I would hope that Reader Rabbit isn't part of our training.
This just in: Sometimes parents need to monitor what their kids are doing. Quick, pass some laws to place the blame on video game stores, just in case parents don't feel like being responsible.
Congress simply jumped on spam because they know people hate it and want to be associated with attempting to stop it. What congressman wouldn't want to run their next campain as the guy that stopped porn from getting into a 10 year old's inbox?
It's not unlike the steroid nonsense. A couple of days ago one congressman implied to David Stern (NBA Commissioner) that the Piston/Pacer brawl might be a result of 'Roid Rage, simply because there was not any proof that Ron Artest was not taking steriods. Congress looks for an issue that resonates with the public, and tries to involve itself. Congressman make all kinds of fallacy-based arguments to stump speach for their cause. Another congressman started with the fact that he named one kid Nolan and the other Ryan. Congratulations. I guess that makes you the king of all things baseball.
What worries me the most, is that issues like SPAM and Steriods are garbage compared to the real problems. Are these really the representatives we all elected to solve our problems? Maybe someday people will vote for legislaters based on their credentials instead of whether or not they are For/Against Issue X.
You have it just about right. The real problem is that the government salaries are nowhere near high enough to get well educated staff. Therefore, they rely on consultants (me) to get the job done. The state staff handles the basic tasks while the consultants do the bulk of the difficult work.
The cost savings still works out in the long run. Don't forget that government benefits and pension plans vastly increase what appears to be a low salary. Paying someone $100/hour to come in and fix a problem once in a while doesn't come close to paying someone a pension for 20 years after they retire.
In a perfect world, government agencies would be able to hire skilled workers at a fair market price. In the meantime, I am enjoying the benefits of being a consultant...
Any company that hires unknowledgable sysadmins deserves the trouble they are going to get. Just because it's more obvious to click a couple of buttons than run a couple of commands (I wouldn't say it's easier) doesn't mean your sysadmin shouldn't know any more about the computer.
When you hire competent admins for Windows or *nix you are paying them the same anyway.
I don't disagree. The state govenment I am at right now does exactly that. They hire guys that are lucky if they can turn on a PC and log in. Those guys somehow manage to keep the Windows servers running and patched within reason.
I think my thought was more that a company can get away with a less knowledgable Windows admin, than an Unix one. For us, running a command is just as easy as clicking a button. For someone that doesn't know anything other than finding things in a menu and clicking, Unix is almost impossible. Those guys are easier to find than full fledged sys admins.
"There is a real temptation that the thing that comes in the latest is the one you shift your attention to, even though that may be the least important," Gates said. The result, he said, is that people either have to leave everything "in one big bucket" or they have to spend a lot of time creating lots of folders. "That turns you into a filing clerk."
How about hiring people that understand how to prioritize their own work? If someone can't figure out whether to run a report for their boss or send on a chain letter, I don't think a new version of Office is going to fix the problem.
The typical Web search takes 11 minutes these days. Gates acknowledged that that is a big improvement over search times and capabilities of a few years ago, when half of the searches didn't yield the needed information. He added, however, that a Web search is still a "treasure hunt" in which one hopes that the top few links contain the desired information.
Who the hell is taking 11 minutes to find what they want on the web. I timed myself just now, and I was looking at "hot teen lesbians" within 13 seconds. If that doesn't count for what people want on the web, I don't know what does. In 11 minutes, I could build my own website for it.
If I were to file this release into folders, it would probably go into my Marketing/Propaganda one.
That's true. But you can argue that any system critical enough already has load balancing and redundancy. All of the Unix machines I work with have mirrors and load balancing. I don't know many people that patch their production machines while they are live anyway. Even though it is possible, it is still highly dangerous.
Both sets of hardware are about the same, so the cost is a wash.
The cost of rebooting on some machines is astronomical. I know we had some management software on a data line connected to the stock exchange. From the hours of 8-5 any downtime would cost over $10k/second, not to mention any lawsuits that could have been processed if someone lost money and couldn't sell their stocks when they wanted.
On the other hand, most machines are not nearly that critical, and reboots can be done at off hours. I would say that Windows systems are less costly to patch for another reason. Almost anyone with technical ability can patch windows. You can hire windows admins on the cheap. To get Unix admins will cost more if you want someone that knows what they are doing. I wonder if they take the cost of knowledgable staff into the equation.
Otherwise, the cost of patching for either can be huge or trivial depending on the patch and the situation. Also, Windows is a lot better now with the reboots. You don't have to reboot nearly as much as in the past.
Slashdot Mirror
I guess this is the UI we'll have to live with until modchips come out, and we get a dashboard that allows us to do what we want.
I hope that MS learned from the modchips of the past to find out that people want to fully harness the power of the machine, and not be limited to playing only XBox games on it. If they provided a dashboard that allowed for more customization, or the installation of emulators that would be great. I don't ever see that happening.
I'll probably wait to get the new xbox until Team Xecuter figures out the new platform.
Number of nuclear programs in India: 1
Number of nuclear programs in Saudi Arabia: 0
I think that about sums it up. It's a stupid policy, but India did test nukes knowing they were going to incur sanctions.
So by that logic, we should stop teaching the Indian people how to effectively manage their nuclear program, but freely teach Saudi Arabians how to acquire this technology?
Also, one guy in the study will need permission to render his 3D drawings on clusters, because clusters can also calculate dangerous things. Isn't that completely insane?
The relevance is that this is being introduced in the name of security. The point is to restrict education of possible military knowledge to people from countries we are worried about. That is exactly how Saudi Arabia fits into the issue. It's not a slam on Saudi Arabi, nor is anyone saying that Saudi Arabians are all evil, but if you are restricting people based on the potential military threat of their home country, Saudi Arabia probably should be at the top of the list.
The USA is definitely overpopulated with it's own terrorist. That is one reason I hate how all of a sudden the general population thinks all Muslims are secretly plotting the annihilation of our country. These same people that apparently love freedom, democracy and the US are the ones harassing people exercising their freedom of choice at the clinics. Apparently, to some people freedom is only a good thing when it is a subset of things you agree with.
These types of issues are used as scare tactics by politicians. It works for them because people don't think about things. They believe most of what they are told.
It seems that by if this were in the interest of security, they would be required to include Saudi Arabi in the list of contries. By including India, it almost seems like a backwards attempt to limit foreign students from replacing Americans in the technical fields. I am not sure if that is a conspiracy theory/tinfoil hat kind of thought, but something seems odd about this entire piece of legislation.
First of all, like someone mentioned, anything you can learn in the US in a classroom is already published somewhere. The same textbook you buy for your class is probably on Amazon.com for anyone in any country to purchase. Teaching an Indian student about Nuclear Engineering is really not a security concern. If that student was intent on learning nuclear technology to create WMDs, there are other countries they could go to anyway to learn.
Placing restrictions on education is the last thing we should be doing. With the general population dumbing down, we should be accepting anyone willing to learn. Highly educated people are becoming few and far between. I don't care if the next guy that designs the power plant that keeps my house lit up is Indian or American, as long as someone learns how to do it.
I don't want to get politcal, but this seems like a situation entirely fabricated by the government for some kind of hidden agenda.
My comment wasn't directed at Apple so much as anyone that has a laptop that isn't portable.
Q. Can I use my iBook or PowerBook without the battery in it?
A. Yes, once you've removed the affected battery, just plug in the AC adapter to power the computer.
Note from Apple:
Congratulations, you just purchased a desktop PC for double the price.
Instead of revising the battery, people should just buy a car battery and hook the jumper cables right onto the motherboard.
All of you guys made good points. Since this is a discussion, it is good to hash out different opinions. Even if making a legitimate comment is met with accusations of trolling or believing that personal freedom is optional.
I think the real issue is what defines questionable. It is totally subjective. That would be one reason I wouldn't support a measure like this. It's not like I am trying to find ways to oppress myself and the general population. Theoretically, such a system could have rewards that outweigh any dangers if implemented correctly. I don't want random people deciding what is acceptable to me. That is why libraries can't block internet sites now. I agree that they shouldn't ever be allowed to block anything. That is the point of democracy.
Based on our current government, I would not vote for anything even remotely this intrusive. I am nearly 100% positive the data would be misused. In a society where such things did not happen, this might be a useful tool.
Good point on that. You can do your book research in the library and they never know about it. It's been so long since I've used a library I didn't even think about that. That's one of the drawbacks of being illiterate.
Where you are going with this is toward the Thought Police run state. You know, as this progresses you might even be able to claim political asylum or refugee status in Canada in the near future!!
There are two ways to look at this:
Both are valid cases, and I am not really sure how you weigh the 2 against each other.
How anyone could just shrug off such an obvious infringement on freedom in "The Land of the Free" is - well, utterly baffling. Come to Canada. I can't speak for the Immigration office, but as a citizen we will welcome any American level-headed enough to get the hell out while the getting is good. Besides, we need the tax base.
First, I am not suggesting anything that harms freedom. You are still allowed to do anything you want on those PCs. The only difference is that a record of those actions is kept. Also, I'm sure there are ways to keep the recording to a minimum. At work we have websense. Most sites on the internet aren't blocked, but some are. The library could use similar technology to only record content that is questionable. One example might include someone convicted of pedophilia getting reported when they use the PC to access child pornography.
Canada is too cold right now. I think most of us are waiting for a little more global warming before we move up north! That's why the US is working so hard on pollution.
Yeah. That was my main gripe with Morrowind. It was so long, and a computer desk and chair don't quite stack up to a comfy couch and 46" TV with surround sound when you are that involved in it.
Morrowind lacked something for me though. I am hoping this new one gets me what I thought was missing in the previous game. I'm not sure what it was, but Morrowind wasn't perfect for me.
I am not usually a supporter of intrusive measures, but I can agree with this.
Library PCs are still accessible, but you need to identify yourself before you use it. It could track where you've been, but considering you using the computer in a public place, in a location that is supposed to be for doing research and learning, most people shouldn't be accessing anything questionable.
It is fairly common that library computers are used as tools for shady and illegal actions. Worried that the FBI might trace that kiddie porn back your IP address? Download it at the library. You need to launch the awesome new virus you wrote? Send it off from the Library. Need to research fertilizer bombs? You guessed it, library.
Before the internet, people read books. If you got the book at the library, they had a record of everything you ever read. Now, people get their information on the Internet. If you get that information from the library, now they have a record of it. It's just an extension of their old policy onto a new medium.
I do understand Open Source. I guess I just don't know exactly how the licensing works. I imagine at some point Netscape will want to make some money with their product. I'm sure things are spelled out in all of the License Agreements, but I was too uninterested to read all of that stuff.
If they are openly admiting that their code is nearly an exact duplicate of Firefox, it might limit them in the future. If they designed their own browser instead, they would be free to do whatever they wanted. I also know there is history between Netscape and Firefox. I guess since Firefox started with netscape, they are returning the favor by reviving Netscape with their new browser. Kind of strange how it turned out.
The link on slashdot is ok, but it leads to the rankings. I know some others said they clicked on the number 1 site, and I did also. It's based on the curiosity of what the number 1 site looks like.
Good Grief! I lost the contagious battle. Luckily I have many other things classified as contagious.
Any order at all is flawed. Alphabetical order only means that Aaron's House of Tacos will be the first clicked link most of the time.
To truely show the sites but not promote anyone, they would need to randomly order the links each time the page is displayed.
What is the deal with Netscape 8? It sounds like they basically downloaded the source code for Firefox, recompiled it, and then distributed it as something new.
First, why isn't Firefox going after Netscape and second, why would anyone start using Netscape when Firefox knows their own code better and fixes it faster?
I think I might get the Firefox code myself and create a browser called LOL-I'm-Really-Just-Firefox. It will be huge.
In the article, you'll see that one of the reasons why the technique was so successful is because they avoided using the frozen eggs. Freshly harvested eggs are better. Maybe they just need to defrost the eggs in the microwave first. Also, if you use Ziplock freezer bags, you can eliminate freezer burn. You'd think these clinics would at least try it.
...Iwata said the new console is aimed at customers who hate clutter and find current games and the controllers used to play them to be confusing and difficult." To combat this problem, the next generation console's controller will consist of a single giant, red button. Users will rapidly push this button until the game is beaten.
Right, but many women put these eggs into storage just in case they want a baby in the future but are too old. There are millions of eggs in freezers already that will never be used. Instead of throwing them in the trash, maybe they could be used for one of the most important advances in human history. Just a thought.
'Video games are not art or media,' she said. 'They are simulations, not all that different from the simulations used by the U.S. military in preparation for war.'
I guess you can only assume they are talking about games that simulate battles and war. Isn't calling all video games war simulations like saying because there is porn, all movies are smut?
What about the video games that teach kids how to read? Is the military using those also? I know that the average military requirements are dropping, but I would hope that Reader Rabbit isn't part of our training.
This just in: Sometimes parents need to monitor what their kids are doing. Quick, pass some laws to place the blame on video game stores, just in case parents don't feel like being responsible.
Congress simply jumped on spam because they know people hate it and want to be associated with attempting to stop it. What congressman wouldn't want to run their next campain as the guy that stopped porn from getting into a 10 year old's inbox?
It's not unlike the steroid nonsense. A couple of days ago one congressman implied to David Stern (NBA Commissioner) that the Piston/Pacer brawl might be a result of 'Roid Rage, simply because there was not any proof that Ron Artest was not taking steriods. Congress looks for an issue that resonates with the public, and tries to involve itself. Congressman make all kinds of fallacy-based arguments to stump speach for their cause. Another congressman started with the fact that he named one kid Nolan and the other Ryan. Congratulations. I guess that makes you the king of all things baseball.
What worries me the most, is that issues like SPAM and Steriods are garbage compared to the real problems. Are these really the representatives we all elected to solve our problems? Maybe someday people will vote for legislaters based on their credentials instead of whether or not they are For/Against Issue X.
You have it just about right. The real problem is that the government salaries are nowhere near high enough to get well educated staff. Therefore, they rely on consultants (me) to get the job done. The state staff handles the basic tasks while the consultants do the bulk of the difficult work.
The cost savings still works out in the long run. Don't forget that government benefits and pension plans vastly increase what appears to be a low salary. Paying someone $100/hour to come in and fix a problem once in a while doesn't come close to paying someone a pension for 20 years after they retire.
In a perfect world, government agencies would be able to hire skilled workers at a fair market price. In the meantime, I am enjoying the benefits of being a consultant...
Any company that hires unknowledgable sysadmins deserves the trouble they are going to get. Just because it's more obvious to click a couple of buttons than run a couple of commands (I wouldn't say it's easier) doesn't mean your sysadmin shouldn't know any more about the computer.
When you hire competent admins for Windows or *nix you are paying them the same anyway.
I don't disagree. The state govenment I am at right now does exactly that. They hire guys that are lucky if they can turn on a PC and log in. Those guys somehow manage to keep the Windows servers running and patched within reason.
I think my thought was more that a company can get away with a less knowledgable Windows admin, than an Unix one. For us, running a command is just as easy as clicking a button. For someone that doesn't know anything other than finding things in a menu and clicking, Unix is almost impossible. Those guys are easier to find than full fledged sys admins.
"There is a real temptation that the thing that comes in the latest is the one you shift your attention to, even though that may be the least important," Gates said. The result, he said, is that people either have to leave everything "in one big bucket" or they have to spend a lot of time creating lots of folders. "That turns you into a filing clerk."
How about hiring people that understand how to prioritize their own work? If someone can't figure out whether to run a report for their boss or send on a chain letter, I don't think a new version of Office is going to fix the problem.
The typical Web search takes 11 minutes these days. Gates acknowledged that that is a big improvement over search times and capabilities of a few years ago, when half of the searches didn't yield the needed information. He added, however, that a Web search is still a "treasure hunt" in which one hopes that the top few links contain the desired information.
Who the hell is taking 11 minutes to find what they want on the web. I timed myself just now, and I was looking at "hot teen lesbians" within 13 seconds. If that doesn't count for what people want on the web, I don't know what does. In 11 minutes, I could build my own website for it.
If I were to file this release into folders, it would probably go into my Marketing/Propaganda one.
That's true. But you can argue that any system critical enough already has load balancing and redundancy. All of the Unix machines I work with have mirrors and load balancing. I don't know many people that patch their production machines while they are live anyway. Even though it is possible, it is still highly dangerous.
Both sets of hardware are about the same, so the cost is a wash.
The cost of rebooting on some machines is astronomical. I know we had some management software on a data line connected to the stock exchange. From the hours of 8-5 any downtime would cost over $10k/second, not to mention any lawsuits that could have been processed if someone lost money and couldn't sell their stocks when they wanted. On the other hand, most machines are not nearly that critical, and reboots can be done at off hours. I would say that Windows systems are less costly to patch for another reason. Almost anyone with technical ability can patch windows. You can hire windows admins on the cheap. To get Unix admins will cost more if you want someone that knows what they are doing. I wonder if they take the cost of knowledgable staff into the equation. Otherwise, the cost of patching for either can be huge or trivial depending on the patch and the situation. Also, Windows is a lot better now with the reboots. You don't have to reboot nearly as much as in the past.