I agree.
I am amazed at how most programmers don't look at what they're trying to achieve from a users point of view.
This is highly noticable to me in Open Source GUI's which is what sets a company like Apple apart.
Everything is designed around efficiency for the end user while looking sexy and being intuitive at the same time.
Unfortunatly, there are not enough designers who work for free.... either that or they have no interest in OSS
From a personal perspective, I'd use it for home and mess about with it because I have the time and interest.
However, the open source solution provider thing doesn't really do it for me as a buyer.
Sure, it may not break, but what if it does? For example, I could call solution provider x but he maybe unable to fix my fault as the source or frontend or OS or hardware that they use may be different that what's provided by solution provider y.
So if my solution provider goes out of business, there could be trouble for me.
Obviously there's a lot of other situations with other Open Source software where this works which is cool. You mentioned Google and Amazon both of which rely on Open Source software at a critical level.
The difference is, these places (google, amazon, etc) have a great deal of internal focus surrounding the uptime of these systems because they live and die by their IT infrastructure. Most businesses don't (well, not as much as google or amazon anyway). They just want something that works and not have to worry about these sorts of things.
Asterisk may work well, and may be reliable but I don't think it'd be a very easy system to support, as it's incarnation will surely be different from solution provider to solution provider in terms of Hardware, OS, Asterisk version, etc.
A system administrator who's managing a network that contains a vast number of voice & data routing devices would probably prefer a GUI.
Also the receptionist who is asked to add new users to the PBX would be lost in a world of shit if she didn't have a GUI.
It wasn't long ago (still is in some parts) that PBX tech was primarily proprietory software running on expensive proprietory hardware.
As most PBX manufacturers are moving towards converged networks, VoIP, etc - more and more focus is being placed on Software and standards making these systems cheaper and cheaper.
Asterisk will have a lot of competition in the small biz market. I really love the technology, and think the project's fantastic, but if I were running a business and looking to purchase a PBX, I'd probably stear clear of Asterisk.
Purely because the Telephone System is the communications hub of most businesses. It's the one thing you don't expect to go down - so reliability is critical. There's no vendor backup, etc - same with most Open Source software, and while that wouldn't be an issue with most other applications - PBX's are a different kettle of fish.
I really hope it works out and at a minimum, hopefully it'll draw PBX costs down, but as the vendor based systems cost is currently very low and given that the margins for support, etc are also low in this field, I don't expect too much from the biz side of these things.
HOWEVER, if someone can translate the tech into something that can really save a business money and they can garuntee uptime, then they'll do well.
Our offsite spam engine can detect porn by looking at shapes, colours, etc...
It works surprisingly well most of the time, though it did once pick up a photo of a broken PCB as porn due to its detected "posture"
There is a metabolism aspect to stopping smoking also, not just behavior replacement.
I agree. But the subject was controlling behavior through thought so that's the area I have focused on.
Unless you've tried to stop smoking, "over-eating", etc., then stop with the holier-than-thou "just change your behavior" "show some will power", etc., attitude. It gets nothing done.
Well I have tried, what makes you assume I havent?
I also never said it was easy as in thinking "oh gee, I smoke too much, I'll stop doing it", if it was that easy, the world would be a much different place.
A behaviour like over eating can't just be stopped without some kind of side effect. Behaviours need to be replaced carefully (ideally with something more constructive than over eating), as there will always be a side effect. If the behaviour is "removed" the outcome would be frustration or something else which is probably going to be negative. Whatever it is that triggered the feeling to overeat should be relearnt as something else, eg, read a book, do some exercise, etc.
Eg, you can't just quit smoking. You have to replace the behaviour of smoking with doing something else. Thats why a lot of quitters get fat. The can't smoke so they eat.... the difficulty is reassociating with something useful.
...for electronic evidence destroyed in a 'routine operation of the party's electronic information system.'
What is a routine operation - how do you define this? I assume we're talking about scheduled backups but could this be a possible loophole or is it defined in some cunning way in the actual proposal?
Might not be so straight forward if you were missing those important limbs that link your fingers to your torso, or were paralized, or suffered from hand tremors, or were blind, etc...
In order to encode data along time, your HDD would need a flux capacitor to be able to go back in time to retrieve it... and they're not easy to come by.
Unless we can find away around Dr. Emmett Brown's uneconomical and rather unsafe requirement of Libyan nuclear power, I'm never going to be okay with Flux Capacitors in cars.
It's called Subjectivity...
For example, my definition for bad art may for example, be a picasso, but there are millions who would disagree.
Another one: Computers are difficult to use.
You and I may disagree with that, but there are plenty of people who would agree.
Subjectivity is what makes us all percieve the world differently and have our own beliefs about things.
What if someone thinks your desk at work is a piece of art?
Are they not allowed to?
Eg, Some 60's memoribilia is now considered art that wasn't thought of as being at the time - but not by everyone, just those who consider it to be art.
Slashdot Mirror
13 or year olds with Credit Cards?!
Aren't CC holders supposed to be 18 years or older?
I agree.
I am amazed at how most programmers don't look at what they're trying to achieve from a users point of view.
This is highly noticable to me in Open Source GUI's which is what sets a company like Apple apart.
Everything is designed around efficiency for the end user while looking sexy and being intuitive at the same time.
Unfortunatly, there are not enough designers who work for free.... either that or they have no interest in OSS
From a personal perspective, I'd use it for home and mess about with it because I have the time and interest.
However, the open source solution provider thing doesn't really do it for me as a buyer.
Sure, it may not break, but what if it does? For example, I could call solution provider x but he maybe unable to fix my fault as the source or frontend or OS or hardware that they use may be different that what's provided by solution provider y.
So if my solution provider goes out of business, there could be trouble for me.
Obviously there's a lot of other situations with other Open Source software where this works which is cool. You mentioned Google and Amazon both of which rely on Open Source software at a critical level.
The difference is, these places (google, amazon, etc) have a great deal of internal focus surrounding the uptime of these systems because they live and die by their IT infrastructure. Most businesses don't (well, not as much as google or amazon anyway). They just want something that works and not have to worry about these sorts of things.
Asterisk may work well, and may be reliable but I don't think it'd be a very easy system to support, as it's incarnation will surely be different from solution provider to solution provider in terms of Hardware, OS, Asterisk version, etc.
Unless that pricing also includes some fancy sofware addon or design, you're being ripped off.
There are small systems capable of doing the same sort of thing as Asterisk, if not more for around $1000-$2000 for that number of users.
A system administrator who's managing a network that contains a vast number of voice & data routing devices would probably prefer a GUI.
Also the receptionist who is asked to add new users to the PBX would be lost in a world of shit if she didn't have a GUI.
It wasn't long ago (still is in some parts) that PBX tech was primarily proprietory software running on expensive proprietory hardware.
As most PBX manufacturers are moving towards converged networks, VoIP, etc - more and more focus is being placed on Software and standards making these systems cheaper and cheaper.
Asterisk will have a lot of competition in the small biz market. I really love the technology, and think the project's fantastic, but if I were running a business and looking to purchase a PBX, I'd probably stear clear of Asterisk.
Purely because the Telephone System is the communications hub of most businesses. It's the one thing you don't expect to go down - so reliability is critical. There's no vendor backup, etc - same with most Open Source software, and while that wouldn't be an issue with most other applications - PBX's are a different kettle of fish.
I really hope it works out and at a minimum, hopefully it'll draw PBX costs down, but as the vendor based systems cost is currently very low and given that the margins for support, etc are also low in this field, I don't expect too much from the biz side of these things.
HOWEVER, if someone can translate the tech into something that can really save a business money and they can garuntee uptime, then they'll do well.
I wonder how Prof. Brent's program would deal with these!
The Robot! old skool geeks, word to ya mammas
Don't you mean, Microsoft Mergers & Acquisitions?
Our offsite spam engine can detect porn by looking at shapes, colours, etc...
It works surprisingly well most of the time, though it did once pick up a photo of a broken PCB as porn due to its detected "posture"
Also, if you reply, the spammer will know your address is active and send more crap.
There is a metabolism aspect to stopping smoking also, not just behavior replacement.
I agree. But the subject was controlling behavior through thought so that's the area I have focused on.
Unless you've tried to stop smoking, "over-eating", etc., then stop with the holier-than-thou "just change your behavior" "show some will power", etc., attitude. It gets nothing done.
Well I have tried, what makes you assume I havent?
I also never said it was easy as in thinking "oh gee, I smoke too much, I'll stop doing it", if it was that easy, the world would be a much different place.
Good call.
A behaviour like over eating can't just be stopped without some kind of side effect. Behaviours need to be replaced carefully (ideally with something more constructive than over eating), as there will always be a side effect. If the behaviour is "removed" the outcome would be frustration or something else which is probably going to be negative. Whatever it is that triggered the feeling to overeat should be relearnt as something else, eg, read a book, do some exercise, etc. Eg, you can't just quit smoking. You have to replace the behaviour of smoking with doing something else. Thats why a lot of quitters get fat. The can't smoke so they eat.... the difficulty is reassociating with something useful.
In Australia (where I currently reside) and New Zealand (where I came from), The Sopranos is free to air. Same with many other US HBO shows.
I didn't actually realise how lucky we were down here!
With that much quality entertainment, I never miss reality television.
:)
Do you ever miss reality?
But yeah, I agree (and have a similar setup). TV sucks.... until The Sopranos Season 6 comes out!
...for electronic evidence destroyed in a 'routine operation of the party's electronic information system.'
What is a routine operation - how do you define this? I assume we're talking about scheduled backups but could this be a possible loophole or is it defined in some cunning way in the actual proposal?
Might not be so straight forward if you were missing those important limbs that link your fingers to your torso, or were paralized, or suffered from hand tremors, or were blind, etc...
Damn! You've found me out!!! Stop following me!!
AAaaaaaaaaaahhhaaaaaa!!!
Mod up as being Damned Informative!!!
In order to encode data along time, your HDD would need a flux capacitor to be able to go back in time to retrieve it... and they're not easy to come by.
Does this mean if I lie my computer on it's side, I'll get more HDD space?
Been around for years?
:)
The article was written in december 2004 and states that the cars will be avaliable in early 2005...
That's some calander you've got there.
Still, that's some interesting stuff!
http://www.theaircar.com/faq.html
Unless we can find away around Dr. Emmett Brown's uneconomical and rather unsafe requirement of Libyan nuclear power, I'm never going to be okay with Flux Capacitors in cars.
It's called Subjectivity...
For example, my definition for bad art may for example, be a picasso, but there are millions who would disagree.
Another one: Computers are difficult to use.
You and I may disagree with that, but there are plenty of people who would agree.
Subjectivity is what makes us all percieve the world differently and have our own beliefs about things.
What if someone thinks your desk at work is a piece of art?
Are they not allowed to?
Eg, Some 60's memoribilia is now considered art that wasn't thought of as being at the time - but not by everyone, just those who consider it to be art.
Anything can be art if you believe it is.