Well, two gigs is the free storage amount - I guess it would boil down to how much of your data you're prepared to lose in order to save money. I could certainly pick out a lot less than two gigs worth that I really, really couldn't afford to lose (he speaks, knowing he's got no offsite backup of those files at present).
Note that I wasn't necessarily saying it's a great backup solution, just that it does offer something that a 2GB flash drive doesn't.
It does sound very similar to the.Mac iDisk - apart from the fact it's free, whereas.Mac's f&^*ing expensive (with half the storage). Perhaps this will finally prod Apple into making this service more reasonable?
I'm a shocking hoarder - as I sit here at work I've got 17575 emails in my inbox. Pretty much all I delete is spam.
I used to think that I needed to become more organised with my email - categorise into folders etc. Then I learned to stop worrying and let the search tools (ie the truly excellent Lookout) find mail for me. I'm always reminded of Steve Jobs's alleged quote regarding the spatial Finder: 'users shouldn't have to be janitors'. It's not my job to sort historical email, it's my computer's job to find it when I need it.
I am reasonably organised dealing with new mail - I read everything as it comes in, respond immediately if I can, and flag it if it requires follow-up. I've normally got four or five messages flagged.
Note that I'm also one of those people who typically has a mountain of paper on their desk. I have no idea if this is due to some terrible event during my childhood.
Calling via function pointer is slower due to the pointer dereference. This is exactly the difference between virtual and non-virtual methods in C++. At least in C++ you get a choice.
Yes, at risk of getting myself flamed, I've always considered non-virtual functions a triumph of performance over common sense. At least in Objective C it's more obvious when you're violating OO principles for speed.
I didn't say Objective-C was based on COM. I said it was like COM.
How is it like COM? I'm genuinely curious about this one. Are you referring to a particular runtime implementation?
I find it bizarre that you think the tiny incompatibilities between C and C++ are significant.
They're probably not, but 'degree of C-likeness' is in the eye of the beholder. You've not presented any justification for your subjective statement that C++ is 'more like C'. At least compatibility with ANSI C is a demonstrable property.
When Ars speculated about the likely configuration of the Mac Pro, they stated that Apple couldn't use an off-the-shelf Intel chipset/motherboard due to the lack of support for FW800.
Yes, I think the phrase 'macosx like environment' is telling. I suspect 'macosx like', in most people's minds, is meant terms of Aqua widgets, genie effects and system tools rather than user experience, hardware integration and consistent application design.
That's not to say that a desktop Linus couldn't pop up one day and deliver a truly usable linux via an iron-fisted Jobsian 'I don't like that' level of product control, but I believe the OSS environment is not yet conducive to that happening. I'd also add that I think the organisational structure would be more important to that effort than any code from Apple.
...what you hear are people blaming BSD for Linux's problems?
GGP said:
Linux has not yet come close to hitting the tipping point on the desktop for the typical semi-technical user. With Apple's help, it would be much closer. With BSD's sabotage -- the license -- that help and the FreeBSD code has been thrown into the closed system of consumerist capitalism.
This does sound to me like someone blaming BSD for Linux's (perceived) problems, and I agree with GP that it's a pretty sad assertion. I don't agree it's an attitude that can be generally attributed to 'extreme [GNU/]Linux zealots' - most I know would consider any negative opinion of the Linux desktop to be heresy, and any hypothetical Apple assistance would be derided as an undesirable dumbening of self-evident UI perfection.
SQL Server 2005 in particular burned a lot of people. I've actually seen one of the 'cheat sheets' sales reps use to answer your questions/objections to SA; I thought most of the answers were insubstantial fluff.
The frustrating thing is: some of Microsoft's upgrades (like SQL 2005) are actually worth something to me - just not an entire new license. If they had a conventional upgrade path, they would actually get money out of people like me who refuse to pay for nonexistent future upgrades of unproven business value. I guess there are so few of us that it's not worth their while.
...and upgrades are tough ways to get companies to shell out money as MS has seen first hand.
Microsoft have this covered - it's called 'Software Assurance'. Basically they get people to pay for the (potential) upgrade before it even exists, so they don't have to do a hard sell on minor feature improvements.
Personally, I can't stand this approach. The only advantage to Microsoft over 'olden day' upgrade pricing (besides having the money sooner) is being able to sell upgrades that people wouldn't have otherwise paid for had they known in advance the (lack of) useful features. If Microsoft aren't confident it will be worth upgrading, why should we believe otherwise?
Of course, that also ignores the possibility Microsoft miss their ship date and your SA expires before the new software's released - then you've just paid for nothing... sorry, 'support'.
The infrastructure's quite old & much of it needs replacing. The power utility (state govt owned) blames the government for lack of funding. The government blames the utility for mismanagement. The state, local & federal governments bicker over funding. I doubt worker incompetence is the driving factor here.
WA's quite an unusual environment for a power utility though - it's an enormous land area with a small population. The main distribution lines linking up regional areas have choppers with high-pressure water sprayers cleaning the insulators pretty much year-round (particularly in the north-west where dust is a major problem). Unfortunately we don't have choppers cleaning the insulators on suburban overhead power lines, more's the pity - that would be cool.
As I understand it, it's caused primarily by current leakage due to dust on the insulators, which generates enough heat to ignite the wooden power pole. They're fairly common in this climate, particularly when our power utility drags its feet on preventative maintenance.
I would actually like to see some figures to back that up.
I don't have any hard numbers, but I seem to recall a figure of AUD 1 million/km being bandied about for burying high-tension lines in Perth (Western Australia). Most local councils here are already in the process of putting the residential supply underground, but the higher voltage distribution network is just too expensive. Interestingly, one of the main reasons for underground power here (besides 'suburban beautification') is to prevent poletop fires.
I doubt you could run cable in a conduit next to high voltage power?
No, at least one brilliant person was involved, and I'd guess more.
The 'ordinary people' referred to in the quote are clearly the process participants, not the process designers. But yes, it's clear some very talented people were involved in coming up with the Toyota Production System.
...as soon as your competitor discovers your (or some other) brilliant process, you're sunk.
You're trivialising what's involved in building these processes. You may as well be saying 'As soon as your competitor builds a vastly superior product to yours, you're sunk.' Yes you are, but it's a lot easier said than done.
Also, I think you're missing the point implied in the quote - if your competitor implements a similar process, it wouldn't be relevant that they had more brilliant employees - the process ensures the final level of quality/cost regardless of employee skill variation.
I also agree with those who say software development is not the same as assembly line manufacturing, thus things like SPC (statistical process control) don't really apply.
Actually, applying manufacturing process techniques like Lean is wildly popular in process improvement efforts for service & other white-collar industries these days.
The only reason they brought this one up is because most other western countries have similar tests for citizenship, and Australia's 'me-too' attitude demands that we conform.
It's linked in with the same sort of superficial patriotism that's caused the ruckus over not making it mandatory to study Gallipoli in the high school history curriculum.
Longwind is six years late, and counting. If it took MS four years to get a win32 penalty box running under OS X, they'd still beat their Longwind track record by a third.
So if they killed the Longhorn project now and licensed OS X (vis-à-vis Copland/NeXTStep), it will have taken a decade to produce an OS release?
I'm not a fan of the Microsoft OS team, but surely even they can finish Vista within four years.
AC correctly smacking down the concept that it makes sense for MS to throw out over 20 years worth of API development, force all their ISVs to rewrite their software, and become technologically dependent on their major consumer OS competitor.
Let's also not forget it took Apple four years to release a stable version of OS X after buying NeXT.
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Well, two gigs is the free storage amount - I guess it would boil down to how much of your data you're prepared to lose in order to save money. I could certainly pick out a lot less than two gigs worth that I really, really couldn't afford to lose (he speaks, knowing he's got no offsite backup of those files at present).
Note that I wasn't necessarily saying it's a great backup solution, just that it does offer something that a 2GB flash drive doesn't.
It does sound very similar to the .Mac iDisk - apart from the fact it's free, whereas .Mac's f&^*ing expensive (with half the storage). Perhaps this will finally prod Apple into making this service more reasonable?
In case your house burns down with your natty USB pen inside it? Most home users don't have offsite backups.
I'm a shocking hoarder - as I sit here at work I've got 17575 emails in my inbox. Pretty much all I delete is spam.
I used to think that I needed to become more organised with my email - categorise into folders etc. Then I learned to stop worrying and let the search tools (ie the truly excellent Lookout) find mail for me. I'm always reminded of Steve Jobs's alleged quote regarding the spatial Finder: 'users shouldn't have to be janitors'. It's not my job to sort historical email, it's my computer's job to find it when I need it.
I am reasonably organised dealing with new mail - I read everything as it comes in, respond immediately if I can, and flag it if it requires follow-up. I've normally got four or five messages flagged.
Note that I'm also one of those people who typically has a mountain of paper on their desk. I have no idea if this is due to some terrible event during my childhood.
Okay, quick poll - how many of you looked up 'sexyponies.com' after reading this post?
I personally think Tom Yager does deserve to be pooh-poohed now his sensationalist spin on a piece of non-news has been proven incorrect.
When Ars speculated about the likely configuration of the Mac Pro, they stated that Apple couldn't use an off-the-shelf Intel chipset/motherboard due to the lack of support for FW800.
Yes, I think the phrase 'macosx like environment' is telling. I suspect 'macosx like', in most people's minds, is meant terms of Aqua widgets, genie effects and system tools rather than user experience, hardware integration and consistent application design.
That's not to say that a desktop Linus couldn't pop up one day and deliver a truly usable linux via an iron-fisted Jobsian 'I don't like that' level of product control, but I believe the OSS environment is not yet conducive to that happening. I'd also add that I think the organisational structure would be more important to that effort than any code from Apple.
Because real mice need regular feeding, and they tend to crap all over the desk.
GGP said:
This does sound to me like someone blaming BSD for Linux's (perceived) problems, and I agree with GP that it's a pretty sad assertion. I don't agree it's an attitude that can be generally attributed to 'extreme [GNU/]Linux zealots' - most I know would consider any negative opinion of the Linux desktop to be heresy, and any hypothetical Apple assistance would be derided as an undesirable dumbening of self-evident UI perfection.
So you're saying that protectionist trade policies are actually doing workers in poor countries a favour by denying them work?
The frustrating thing is: some of Microsoft's upgrades (like SQL 2005) are actually worth something to me - just not an entire new license. If they had a conventional upgrade path, they would actually get money out of people like me who refuse to pay for nonexistent future upgrades of unproven business value. I guess there are so few of us that it's not worth their while.
Personally, I can't stand this approach. The only advantage to Microsoft over 'olden day' upgrade pricing (besides having the money sooner) is being able to sell upgrades that people wouldn't have otherwise paid for had they known in advance the (lack of) useful features. If Microsoft aren't confident it will be worth upgrading, why should we believe otherwise?
Of course, that also ignores the possibility Microsoft miss their ship date and your SA expires before the new software's released - then you've just paid for nothing... sorry, 'support'.
WA's quite an unusual environment for a power utility though - it's an enormous land area with a small population. The main distribution lines linking up regional areas have choppers with high-pressure water sprayers cleaning the insulators pretty much year-round (particularly in the north-west where dust is a major problem). Unfortunately we don't have choppers cleaning the insulators on suburban overhead power lines, more's the pity - that would be cool.
As I understand it, it's caused primarily by current leakage due to dust on the insulators, which generates enough heat to ignite the wooden power pole. They're fairly common in this climate, particularly when our power utility drags its feet on preventative maintenance.
I doubt you could run cable in a conduit next to high voltage power?
You might want to try searching for Australia's laws on 'paedophilia'.
Also, I think you're missing the point implied in the quote - if your competitor implements a similar process, it wouldn't be relevant that they had more brilliant employees - the process ensures the final level of quality/cost regardless of employee skill variation. Actually, applying manufacturing process techniques like Lean is wildly popular in process improvement efforts for service & other white-collar industries these days.
The only reason they brought this one up is because most other western countries have similar tests for citizenship, and Australia's 'me-too' attitude demands that we conform.
It's linked in with the same sort of superficial patriotism that's caused the ruckus over not making it mandatory to study Gallipoli in the high school history curriculum.
So if they killed the Longhorn project now and licensed OS X (vis-à-vis Copland/NeXTStep), it will have taken a decade to produce an OS release?
I'm not a fan of the Microsoft OS team, but surely even they can finish Vista within four years.
AC correctly smacking down the concept that it makes sense for MS to throw out over 20 years worth of API development, force all their ISVs to rewrite their software, and become technologically dependent on their major consumer OS competitor.
Let's also not forget it took Apple four years to release a stable version of OS X after buying NeXT.
I believe there's enough debate over this to make it a style issue, rather than a grammar issue.
Great, now I have to go RTFA.
It's pronounced 'BOOM!', not 'BAM!'.
I believe BeOS had something akin to Smart Folders in the olden days?