I've heard this feature and that feature touted and to be perfectly honest they've all got their merits but my question is when will my laptop start doing some of my work for me? I'd like to see that as a feature of the future!
Re:Optical Computing versus Quantum Wires
on
Quantum Wires
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· Score: 1
I don't think its so much optical computing versus quantum wires but more along the lines of regardless of what the computers look and act like the quantum wires will bring the power there without as much loss over the whole grid. Less power lost means we won't need to produce as much of it or we can have more toys powered by the existing infrastrucutre.
That I would totally agree with. I'm of the belief that most DRM systems are bound to fail because of their restrictions, a subscription model or a nominal fee for limitless access is somthing that I would be happy to pay for.
But if you wrote or created something that you poured a lot of time and effort into you'd want to reap the rewards for this effort, especially if it was your livelyhood.
A nominal fee for the ability to view something digitally would be more than acceptable if the fee was truely nominal.
I totally agree there is this swinging back and forth between investors being very tight and only concerning themselves with next quarter and looser riskier times. But I would like to think that there is a happy medium, Pixar is at the far end of things in how they treat their employees. You don't need to provide so many perks that it's off the map cost wise but providing more than most businesses currently do would definitely go a long way to improving productivity and moral (I can't even take my team for lunch on the company when a big project ends... it comes out of my pocket). Its unfortunate companies don't see this.
Now all I need to do is find myself one of those investors with deep pockets.
Re:Treating employees like human beings?
on
Inside Look at Pixar HQ
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· Score: 2, Insightful
I think you hit on the biggest point here and that is that Pixar isn't trying to define success as profitability this quarter. American and in many cases global businesses are too concerned with the immediate future the current quarter. No heed is paid to the future and as a result we have less than idea work conditions where companies are often understaffed because adding that extra body will blow the budget, so the end result is 1 person doing the job of 2 but in reality giving as much real productivity as about half a person.
Pixar has a good idea and they've taken it to the Nth degree. All I want is a good work environment where I'm able to start towards my potential instead of dreading walking into the office.
Re:As a woman in IT, I somewhat agree with the par
on
Women Leaving I.T.
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· Score: 1
Aside from one very specific case all the women students/contractors I've hired have been far superior in their ability to get the job done. None have balked at technical tasks that they might not have known. I'm in agreement that there should be absolutely no bais towards genter/ethnicity/relion/and so on. Pick the right person for the job, if its a woman then its a woman if its a guy then its a guy.
I would say it has a lot to do with the adventure of it. How many people who aren't professionals climb mountains and go kayaking down dangerous rivers? The sense of adventure and pioneering as you put it is alive and well in a great many people and I for one would love to simply have the chance to experience the beauty of seeing earth from space. A picture or an IMAX movie simple do not capture the grandeur and raw beauty.
Some people never leave the town that they were born in; others barely stay long enough in one place to become familiar with it. There are all types on this ball of rock we call home and as soon as it's realistically possible people will want to leave here for space and beyond. It's not surprising that entrepreneurs are trying to make this a reality to make some money.
That is of course ignoring the physiological benefits to extending life and ensuring the survival of the species by spreading to more than one planet.
I'm not sure I'd call this vaporware, they're demonstrating the product with what looks like a good business model and implementation model that would make the technology feasible.
I agree the color version would be that much better and add to that a 60fps refresh rate and then you've got yourself a nifty technology. But if they can truly bring into production what they're claiming then this has some pretty decent applications.
True enough, the exaggerated cost of government projects is definitely something that would come to bear in this type of a project but why does it have to be a single nation? All the nations of the world are coming to the aid of the tsunami victims and pumping in billions of dollars. Obviously this is a good cause to help a disaster stricken region but it does go to show that there are a great many nations that could pony up a billion or two to build this facility, not to mention if the government was subsidizing such a venture a lot of corporations would jump on board really fast.
I think this type of project will happen shortly after the space industry becomes viable and I figure that's probably a decade or two off (at best) and more likely closer to 50 years into the future.
Now if we could only solve some of the energy problems that the world is facing in the near to immediate future.
Well if I were an investor looking to get into one of these means of getting into space say a $150 million price tag versus a $10 billion one is what would make the traditional approach to getting into space the safer bet.
With that said I agree with you that a space elevator is something that's worth getting excited about though with so many governments doing as well as they are with fairly large coffers why don't they bankroll a project of that magnitude?
I would go so far as to say that the first Trillionaire will be made in space. The potential for resources and tourism is unbelievable. How many people on/. would be willing to part with a significant chunk of money to spend a week in space? My guess is a fairly large amount.
It doesn't matter who gets us off our little planet but as long as someone does we'll be ok.
I would have to say that its a lot truer now that it was in the past. Technology has advances substantially in the past 20 years ago and at the cutting edge of technology where space travel and exploration is bound to reside its now much more feasible to launch a serious effort at space based business companies. I'm sure that all the Ford's and Daimler's were similarly scoffed when the automobile was in its infancy, now our world is happily polluted by their machines and its only been about a hundred years.
As for this being a sound business investment? I would have to agree that there is a certain measure of risk and investors should be wary for the time being (its the domain of the Bezos', Branson's and Allen's for the time being). But when one of these ventures succeeds and I believe they will everyone will be trying to get on the bandwagon including the 'logical *investment* firms'.
You know that's not a bad idea, instead of harassing the poor receptionist who is just doing her job harass the company and cost them money. It would be only fair since they're costing us time.
I'm not sure that I would call democracy dead, though it is definitely taking a beating all over the world. The American government is trying to help institute a democratic system in Iraq where the chances of it succceeding are in my opinion rather slim. Why try forcing another nation into following a system of government that isn't working very well in the first place?
The biggest problem with democracy in the US and Canada for that matter is that although the media plays a huge part in helping people make up their minds the voter turn out is only a fraction of what it should be. The best aspect of the recent election is the fact that more people came out to vote than they have in a long time. Its hard for a democratic system to function when its willing participants simply aren't willing to participate. If we continue down the road where fewer and fewer people vote then democracy will die a slow and painful death along with the US and any other nation who's democratic system falters that way.
Does it surprise you that China is in the news as much as it is with no big evil power for the rest of the world to fight? Not to mention they do have a population of 1.5 billion so when the government decides to ban a game that doesn't follow state doctrine it makes the daily/. news.
TV, Magazines, Newspapers and Radio all have their annoying ads but they tend to be easy to ignore or overlook. When browsing and an annoying ad pops up there's nothing that you can do but deal with it. I know it drives me nuts when I see those and I just take note of the company if its one I know I'll stop using their product.
Advertising on the web does have its place, but you'd think that after so many years of web advertizing existence someone in one of the ad companies would have clued into the fact that annoying customers makes them buy the competitions products?
I'd complain more if they wanted to spend more money on oil subsidies or subsidies going to companies who knowlingly destroy the government. Maybe someone should put togehter an X-Prize for renewable energy.
Although the energy problem is a serious issue I think that it can be solved. Space exploration is slightly larger to tackle IMHO. But if you really seriously look at the state of the nation and the state of a lot of first world nations a great deal of expenditure is wasteful and unnecessary. When it really comes down to it NASA's budget it huge, they should be able to do almost anything with it, but that pales in comparison to other institutions. They all serve their purpose but they all do so inefficiently.
I see the investment in space as a good one but I would also put investment into items such as the energy problem or even into removing the reliance on black gold to run our infrastructures. Applying the X-Prize modus to some of these problems would definitely help alleviate the behemoth costs while at least presenting solutions.
Space exploration although 'glamorous' doesn't provide the immediate return on investment that something like reducing our energy consumption or reliance on oil would bring. But it does have longer-term benefits and could lead to a great many innovations. I would have to say that although it might not be the best thing the government could have done, its definitely a step in the right direction.
Slashdot Mirror
I've heard this feature and that feature touted and to be perfectly honest they've all got their merits but my question is when will my laptop start doing some of my work for me? I'd like to see that as a feature of the future!
I don't think its so much optical computing versus quantum wires but more along the lines of regardless of what the computers look and act like the quantum wires will bring the power there without as much loss over the whole grid. Less power lost means we won't need to produce as much of it or we can have more toys powered by the existing infrastrucutre.
make that Steaks... sorry sleep deprivation
I don't mind my stakes raw or blue in a rare situation such as a processor cook off!
That I would totally agree with. I'm of the belief that most DRM systems are bound to fail because of their restrictions, a subscription model or a nominal fee for limitless access is somthing that I would be happy to pay for.
But if you wrote or created something that you poured a lot of time and effort into you'd want to reap the rewards for this effort, especially if it was your livelyhood.
A nominal fee for the ability to view something digitally would be more than acceptable if the fee was truely nominal.
I totally agree there is this swinging back and forth between investors being very tight and only concerning themselves with next quarter and looser riskier times. But I would like to think that there is a happy medium, Pixar is at the far end of things in how they treat their employees. You don't need to provide so many perks that it's off the map cost wise but providing more than most businesses currently do would definitely go a long way to improving productivity and moral (I can't even take my team for lunch on the company when a big project ends... it comes out of my pocket). Its unfortunate companies don't see this.
Now all I need to do is find myself one of those investors with deep pockets.
I think you hit on the biggest point here and that is that Pixar isn't trying to define success as profitability this quarter. American and in many cases global businesses are too concerned with the immediate future the current quarter. No heed is paid to the future and as a result we have less than idea work conditions where companies are often understaffed because adding that extra body will blow the budget, so the end result is 1 person doing the job of 2 but in reality giving as much real productivity as about half a person.
Pixar has a good idea and they've taken it to the Nth degree. All I want is a good work environment where I'm able to start towards my potential instead of dreading walking into the office.
Aside from one very specific case all the women students/contractors I've hired have been far superior in their ability to get the job done. None have balked at technical tasks that they might not have known. I'm in agreement that there should be absolutely no bais towards genter/ethnicity/relion/and so on. Pick the right person for the job, if its a woman then its a woman if its a guy then its a guy.
Can I put a request in for the death of the MPAA?
If it works you'll have to lend it to me!
I would say it has a lot to do with the adventure of it. How many people who aren't professionals climb mountains and go kayaking down dangerous rivers? The sense of adventure and pioneering as you put it is alive and well in a great many people and I for one would love to simply have the chance to experience the beauty of seeing earth from space. A picture or an IMAX movie simple do not capture the grandeur and raw beauty.
Some people never leave the town that they were born in; others barely stay long enough in one place to become familiar with it. There are all types on this ball of rock we call home and as soon as it's realistically possible people will want to leave here for space and beyond. It's not surprising that entrepreneurs are trying to make this a reality to make some money.
That is of course ignoring the physiological benefits to extending life and ensuring the survival of the species by spreading to more than one planet.
It better not be one of those home made aluminum foil ones!
I'm not sure I'd call this vaporware, they're demonstrating the product with what looks like a good business model and implementation model that would make the technology feasible.
I agree the color version would be that much better and add to that a 60fps refresh rate and then you've got yourself a nifty technology. But if they can truly bring into production what they're claiming then this has some pretty decent applications.
True enough, the exaggerated cost of government projects is definitely something that would come to bear in this type of a project but why does it have to be a single nation? All the nations of the world are coming to the aid of the tsunami victims and pumping in billions of dollars. Obviously this is a good cause to help a disaster stricken region but it does go to show that there are a great many nations that could pony up a billion or two to build this facility, not to mention if the government was subsidizing such a venture a lot of corporations would jump on board really fast.
I think this type of project will happen shortly after the space industry becomes viable and I figure that's probably a decade or two off (at best) and more likely closer to 50 years into the future.
Now if we could only solve some of the energy problems that the world is facing in the near to immediate future.
Well if I were an investor looking to get into one of these means of getting into space say a $150 million price tag versus a $10 billion one is what would make the traditional approach to getting into space the safer bet.
With that said I agree with you that a space elevator is something that's worth getting excited about though with so many governments doing as well as they are with fairly large coffers why don't they bankroll a project of that magnitude?
I would go so far as to say that the first Trillionaire will be made in space. The potential for resources and tourism is unbelievable. How many people on /. would be willing to part with a significant chunk of money to spend a week in space? My guess is a fairly large amount.
It doesn't matter who gets us off our little planet but as long as someone does we'll be ok.
I would have to say that its a lot truer now that it was in the past. Technology has advances substantially in the past 20 years ago and at the cutting edge of technology where space travel and exploration is bound to reside its now much more feasible to launch a serious effort at space based business companies. I'm sure that all the Ford's and Daimler's were similarly scoffed when the automobile was in its infancy, now our world is happily polluted by their machines and its only been about a hundred years.
As for this being a sound business investment? I would have to agree that there is a certain measure of risk and investors should be wary for the time being (its the domain of the Bezos', Branson's and Allen's for the time being). But when one of these ventures succeeds and I believe they will everyone will be trying to get on the bandwagon including the 'logical *investment* firms'.
You know that's not a bad idea, instead of harassing the poor receptionist who is just doing her job harass the company and cost them money. It would be only fair since they're costing us time.
I'm not sure that I would call democracy dead, though it is definitely taking a beating all over the world. The American government is trying to help institute a democratic system in Iraq where the chances of it succceeding are in my opinion rather slim. Why try forcing another nation into following a system of government that isn't working very well in the first place?
The biggest problem with democracy in the US and Canada for that matter is that although the media plays a huge part in helping people make up their minds the voter turn out is only a fraction of what it should be. The best aspect of the recent election is the fact that more people came out to vote than they have in a long time. Its hard for a democratic system to function when its willing participants simply aren't willing to participate. If we continue down the road where fewer and fewer people vote then democracy will die a slow and painful death along with the US and any other nation who's democratic system falters that way.
All too true yet we do nothing about it.
Does it surprise you that China is in the news as much as it is with no big evil power for the rest of the world to fight? Not to mention they do have a population of 1.5 billion so when the government decides to ban a game that doesn't follow state doctrine it makes the daily /. news.
TV, Magazines, Newspapers and Radio all have their annoying ads but they tend to be easy to ignore or overlook. When browsing and an annoying ad pops up there's nothing that you can do but deal with it. I know it drives me nuts when I see those and I just take note of the company if its one I know I'll stop using their product.
Advertising on the web does have its place, but you'd think that after so many years of web advertizing existence someone in one of the ad companies would have clued into the fact that annoying customers makes them buy the competitions products?
Hear, Hear
I'd complain more if they wanted to spend more money on oil subsidies or subsidies going to companies who knowlingly destroy the government. Maybe someone should put togehter an X-Prize for renewable energy.
Although the energy problem is a serious issue I think that it can be solved. Space exploration is slightly larger to tackle IMHO. But if you really seriously look at the state of the nation and the state of a lot of first world nations a great deal of expenditure is wasteful and unnecessary. When it really comes down to it NASA's budget it huge, they should be able to do almost anything with it, but that pales in comparison to other institutions. They all serve their purpose but they all do so inefficiently. I see the investment in space as a good one but I would also put investment into items such as the energy problem or even into removing the reliance on black gold to run our infrastructures. Applying the X-Prize modus to some of these problems would definitely help alleviate the behemoth costs while at least presenting solutions. Space exploration although 'glamorous' doesn't provide the immediate return on investment that something like reducing our energy consumption or reliance on oil would bring. But it does have longer-term benefits and could lead to a great many innovations. I would have to say that although it might not be the best thing the government could have done, its definitely a step in the right direction.