I currently go to school at a technical college that uses computers for learning. On the one hand they're nice, have to wire up an op-amp circuit? Just google the part number and you can find the spec sheet instead of having to spend time in class memorizing how things work. On the other hand I'm not paying a lick of attention to my teacher right now as he digresses on how laser printers work.
In high school I always felt that we didn't learn anything useful about computers. My computer science class involved learning how to type. Yup, cause that will make me 'computer literate'.
We really should have gotten a bunch of old computers and electronics devices that no one had any good use for anymore and learned something genuine. Considering the effect electronics have on our daily lives I think electronics should have it's own science category in high school. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Electronics.
Mind you I think the biggest problem is that there would be no one to teach an electronics course to high school kids. Anyone in the electronics or computer biz is out there making real money and not a high school teacher.
To sum it up, I think computers can be good learning devices. But not within my educational career. Computer courses that I had were taught by phys ed. majors, had cirriculums consisting of how to type, and didn't teach you anything genuinely usefull like how to set up your own home network.
I think the biggest thing that fundamentalists are reacting on in these situations is fear. And I've always wondered what causes them to be so afraid. Not all religious people have this disposition.
I think it really is fear of the unknown. Religious people deny themselves a lot of experiences that most people think quite common. By repressing themselves into only doing the 'right' thing they miss out on experiences that most of us take for granted. For example, as a teen I wrestled with the issues of drug use/abuse/etc, I had a friend who had a teenage pregnancy, etc. A fundamentalist will likely have never experienced any of this.
For them there is literally so much about life and other people that they simply DO NOT KNOW. And this I think is the root of their irrational fear of something as simple as the idea of evolution. They are constantly confronted by things beyond their experience but consistently refuse to learn anything about them for fear they may do something 'wrong'.
Religous fundamentalists who clamour against everything and anything that might cause their faith to be questioned misrepresent what religion should be about. The most impressive religious figures are the ones who help others regardless of what their judgement of those people's beliefs are.
I recently met a girl who chewed me out for accepting evolutionary theory. I was at first shocked, as I thought that the issue of evoultion and religion had been worked out. Then it really bugged me that she could be so backward and regressive in her thinking. Then I finally realised that none of it mattered, I was being just as closed-minded as she was. What was more important was if I just forgot the differences and found a way to get the project we had done without making a big deal out of it.
Support from yahoo is better than not having support from yahoo. But I think what firefox really needs is a major player to go out of their way and advertise and promote them. Can you imagine if yahoo made a statement like 'we reccomend firefox as a superior browsing experience...'. The major thing keeping them from this is fear of M$ to be sure. Too bad.
You know, you can customize which articles you see. You can toggle off Mac articles and never be bothered by them again. Of course you'd have to actually create an account and cease anonymous cowardice.
If any browser is ever going to overthrow IE, it's going to need the support of a large number of people. Firefox has made a quick shoe-in, and this hasn't happened since the Iron Curtain went down with the Windows 95 IE tie-in. I think as geeks we need to get over our petty differences, and support Firefox even if it isn't our favorite. If Firefox is wildly successful, that doesn't mean you can't still use Mozilla yourself.
What we need to do is allow Windows users to experience a change in web-browser, the last time this happened was 10 years ago by now. If Firefox captures a 25% 'market share', and we realise that it may eventually need to be replaced... so what? At least these 25% of the people would be more open to change after experiencing the difference between IE and Firefox than if they had just kept using IE for another 2-3 years.
The longer IE stays the de facto standard, the longer it will dominate the Windows browser market. And thus, the longer it will remain a tool of Microsoft's monopoly. Support and promote Windows users switching to Firefox, even if you think you have a better alternative. Why? Because it's good for your alternative. Your alternative will never have a chance until someone sinks IE.
Samsung used a strategy like this to outmanuever their competition in the Japanese electronics market. Basically, make a really good version of the lowest common denominator part of an electronics system. If it's good enough, rival companies will use it within your own system instead of developing their own in house. In this way Sony made TVs that were making Samsung money as well.
I'm not so sure if spite or stubborn is the right set of words. I can remeber the old Netscape Navigator days just barely. Since then it's been a one browser world for windows users. I think it's really that these people are resisting the idea of more than one program for the same purpose. It means *gasp* that you might have to be responsible for learning a new system. Until Firefox gains enough ground, most people won't change simply because change is uncomfortable. The solution? Prove to them that firefox works better by showing them.
I am interested in *nix, especially because I'm going through an applied degree in networking. I like *nix, why? Because through my courses, I have learned all sorts of cool things that it can do that Windows simply cannot. I also work in a local computer repair shop part time to pay for school.
My experience is this: people KNOW that *nix or Mac work better than Windows. However, they have been using Windows/MSOffice/Outlook for the last 5 to 10 years. It is DIFFICULT to change. Maybe not for me, I'm a 20 year old interested in computers to begin with. Certainly Slashdotters are at a technical level that it's not a big deal to learn how to use a new OS. But for people like my family, it is.
My mother for example works as a doctor in an office with several other GPs. They are currently looking at installing a network, which is a first for them. They've had people placing bids and showing them what could be done. One of them run Linux, she chatted with me about that. I can paraphrase:
'They seemed like a really sharp bunch of guys. They showed us their software, it looked simple, and worked well when they showed us. However, I know that the time it would take me to use Linux would be too much to make sense economically.'
My mother is an example of a skilled individual, 10 years of post-secondary education to become a GP. But the ineffiiencies of Windows do not yet have enough weight for her to invest the time to change to Linux even though she admits it will work better.
I think this calling in to activate won't force a mass exodus from Windows. However, it will leave a dark memory or grudge when they have to make this annoying phone call. It also leaves a grudge when I have to tell a customer when I'm at work: "Sorry this virus has destroyed some system files, we'll need to back up your data and format/reinstall windows. All your programs will need to be reinstalled as well when you get it back."
Given time, these grudges will pile up. More people will be motivated to subvert MS, thus nullifying a counter-piracy initiative such as this one. For those who don't want to pirate software as a result of personal conviction, this pile of grudges will finally motivate them to spend the time to learn a new OS.
That's a good call. Although if you have it scanning the whole disk, doesn't that include cookies that would be in a firefox directory? I assume that they use the same cookies as IE.
I think this is newsworthy...
Sure not much changed, but Firefox is something that brings us geeks together. It's OK to be excited about a new product/idea/program. Sure it might get a little cartoonish and people might celebrate every small detail.
But why spoil our fun?
It's nice to see so much enthusiasm in the computer world.
Personally, I've loved Firefox. It's nice to have the same browser in both Windows and Linux. Got it late (about 2 months ago), but it's done me good. I couldn't go back to non-tabbed browsing and no nested searches window.
Also, scanned with ad-aware today. Only two files!!! Both in IE cache from the few times I've had to use IE for ActiveX integrated sites. Used to think 500 was normal.
Thanks Firefox, and I expect more good coming from this.
The selection and placement of reviews on this page were determined automatically by a computer program.
Doesn't say with what kind of algorithm, I'm willing to bed someone will pay something for this algorithm to favour them. This disclaimer means nothing.
Slashdot Mirror
I was just thinking the same thing.
gee... i can't remember the last time a good book was looking like it was going to be made into a not so good movie.
In high school I always felt that we didn't learn anything useful about computers. My computer science class involved learning how to type. Yup, cause that will make me 'computer literate'.
We really should have gotten a bunch of old computers and electronics devices that no one had any good use for anymore and learned something genuine. Considering the effect electronics have on our daily lives I think electronics should have it's own science category in high school. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Electronics.
Mind you I think the biggest problem is that there would be no one to teach an electronics course to high school kids. Anyone in the electronics or computer biz is out there making real money and not a high school teacher.
To sum it up, I think computers can be good learning devices. But not within my educational career. Computer courses that I had were taught by phys ed. majors, had cirriculums consisting of how to type, and didn't teach you anything genuinely usefull like how to set up your own home network.
I think it really is fear of the unknown. Religious people deny themselves a lot of experiences that most people think quite common. By repressing themselves into only doing the 'right' thing they miss out on experiences that most of us take for granted. For example, as a teen I wrestled with the issues of drug use/abuse/etc, I had a friend who had a teenage pregnancy, etc. A fundamentalist will likely have never experienced any of this.
For them there is literally so much about life and other people that they simply DO NOT KNOW. And this I think is the root of their irrational fear of something as simple as the idea of evolution. They are constantly confronted by things beyond their experience but consistently refuse to learn anything about them for fear they may do something 'wrong'.
I recently met a girl who chewed me out for accepting evolutionary theory. I was at first shocked, as I thought that the issue of evoultion and religion had been worked out. Then it really bugged me that she could be so backward and regressive in her thinking. Then I finally realised that none of it mattered, I was being just as closed-minded as she was. What was more important was if I just forgot the differences and found a way to get the project we had done without making a big deal out of it.
There are a lot of people out there spreading a lot of FUD (in both camps). But at the end of the day the software that does the work well will win.
Support from yahoo is better than not having support from yahoo. But I think what firefox really needs is a major player to go out of their way and advertise and promote them. Can you imagine if yahoo made a statement like 'we reccomend firefox as a superior browsing experience...'. The major thing keeping them from this is fear of M$ to be sure. Too bad.
You know, you can customize which articles you see. You can toggle off Mac articles and never be bothered by them again. Of course you'd have to actually create an account and cease anonymous cowardice.
A raid! Quick hide those torrents!
The actors proceed to furiously bury floppies in desk drawers.
If any browser is ever going to overthrow IE, it's going to need the support of a large number of people. Firefox has made a quick shoe-in, and this hasn't happened since the Iron Curtain went down with the Windows 95 IE tie-in. I think as geeks we need to get over our petty differences, and support Firefox even if it isn't our favorite. If Firefox is wildly successful, that doesn't mean you can't still use Mozilla yourself.
What we need to do is allow Windows users to experience a change in web-browser, the last time this happened was 10 years ago by now. If Firefox captures a 25% 'market share', and we realise that it may eventually need to be replaced... so what? At least these 25% of the people would be more open to change after experiencing the difference between IE and Firefox than if they had just kept using IE for another 2-3 years.
The longer IE stays the de facto standard, the longer it will dominate the Windows browser market. And thus, the longer it will remain a tool of Microsoft's monopoly. Support and promote Windows users switching to Firefox, even if you think you have a better alternative. Why? Because it's good for your alternative. Your alternative will never have a chance until someone sinks IE.
Samsung used a strategy like this to outmanuever their competition in the Japanese electronics market. Basically, make a really good version of the lowest common denominator part of an electronics system. If it's good enough, rival companies will use it within your own system instead of developing their own in house. In this way Sony made TVs that were making Samsung money as well.
I'm not so sure if spite or stubborn is the right set of words. I can remeber the old Netscape Navigator days just barely. Since then it's been a one browser world for windows users. I think it's really that these people are resisting the idea of more than one program for the same purpose. It means *gasp* that you might have to be responsible for learning a new system. Until Firefox gains enough ground, most people won't change simply because change is uncomfortable. The solution? Prove to them that firefox works better by showing them.
I am interested in *nix, especially because I'm going through an applied degree in networking. I like *nix, why? Because through my courses, I have learned all sorts of cool things that it can do that Windows simply cannot. I also work in a local computer repair shop part time to pay for school. My experience is this: people KNOW that *nix or Mac work better than Windows. However, they have been using Windows/MSOffice/Outlook for the last 5 to 10 years. It is DIFFICULT to change. Maybe not for me, I'm a 20 year old interested in computers to begin with. Certainly Slashdotters are at a technical level that it's not a big deal to learn how to use a new OS. But for people like my family, it is. My mother for example works as a doctor in an office with several other GPs. They are currently looking at installing a network, which is a first for them. They've had people placing bids and showing them what could be done. One of them run Linux, she chatted with me about that. I can paraphrase: 'They seemed like a really sharp bunch of guys. They showed us their software, it looked simple, and worked well when they showed us. However, I know that the time it would take me to use Linux would be too much to make sense economically.' My mother is an example of a skilled individual, 10 years of post-secondary education to become a GP. But the ineffiiencies of Windows do not yet have enough weight for her to invest the time to change to Linux even though she admits it will work better. I think this calling in to activate won't force a mass exodus from Windows. However, it will leave a dark memory or grudge when they have to make this annoying phone call. It also leaves a grudge when I have to tell a customer when I'm at work: "Sorry this virus has destroyed some system files, we'll need to back up your data and format/reinstall windows. All your programs will need to be reinstalled as well when you get it back." Given time, these grudges will pile up. More people will be motivated to subvert MS, thus nullifying a counter-piracy initiative such as this one. For those who don't want to pirate software as a result of personal conviction, this pile of grudges will finally motivate them to spend the time to learn a new OS.
That's a good call. Although if you have it scanning the whole disk, doesn't that include cookies that would be in a firefox directory? I assume that they use the same cookies as IE.
I think this is newsworthy... Sure not much changed, but Firefox is something that brings us geeks together. It's OK to be excited about a new product/idea/program. Sure it might get a little cartoonish and people might celebrate every small detail. But why spoil our fun?
It's nice to see so much enthusiasm in the computer world. Personally, I've loved Firefox. It's nice to have the same browser in both Windows and Linux. Got it late (about 2 months ago), but it's done me good. I couldn't go back to non-tabbed browsing and no nested searches window. Also, scanned with ad-aware today. Only two files!!! Both in IE cache from the few times I've had to use IE for ActiveX integrated sites. Used to think 500 was normal. Thanks Firefox, and I expect more good coming from this.
The selection and placement of reviews on this page were determined automatically by a computer program. Doesn't say with what kind of algorithm, I'm willing to bed someone will pay something for this algorithm to favour them. This disclaimer means nothing.
or con their parents into buying it.