How about information about your car's health?
on
VW Goes USB
·
· Score: 1
This information could save your life.
I'm not sure it has been done already, I simply don't know. But personally I think the stuff about Mp3's etc...are just dillydally which is fun to have but a far more useful function would be to implement some sort of one-way communication with the car such as making the car create you a "WARNING".TXT document telling you:
You're low on oil levels, if you keep ignoring the low-warning you could (insert possible scenarios here) etc, please maintain now!
It could also contain information about the local workshops and telephone numbers - so you could get in touch and have your car serviced immedately...not using that age old excuse...I'm too busy to look for a service-tech phone number..
I can easily forsee useful functions here, imagine a bluetooth enabled cell phone and your car have been given access to the messaging part....it could remind you what state your car is in etc.
I'm not kidding - this could potentially save your life.
Our scientists have been warning us for the last 30 years and most people think...oh well...that's in the future, by then I'm old and we're going to die anyway, now we're paying for our neglect and ignorance.
We've been able to make a car run on water for the last 50 years (maybe even before) but the "big leaders" have chosen to stick with the polluting alternatives, guess why? Because too many businesses would be lost, all riches gone...who'd they sell oil to now? Lobby lobby lobby...
It's funny....as a Child I remember that a joke went around about good sellers...you know...they would be able to sell water to fishermen. 20 years later noone is laughing about that joke anymore... Because it's not a joke anymore, now we sell bottled water more than ever.
What's next? Bottled air?
Please think about the future generations - you're in it too! This isn't just some lone whack trying to tell you what to do, this could very well be you in 40 years.
Slackware is a special Linux distribution, the
fact that it's being maintained and directed by
one man (of course with a lot of other
contributors) is baffling to me.
It's baffling because with the 8-10 years I've got behind me now...trying and TRYING to get Linux distro's to work for me...so I can leave Windows forever - Slackware is the ONLY Linux that made me switch completely.
Yes... I'm now officially an Slackware Fanboy! But what's wrong with being a fan? I love this distro - it just works!
Back in the heydays when I used Mandrake (now Mandriva) and SuSE...I used these because they offered a Quick-Fix...everything worked from scratch...well...nearly everything that is...except from compilation of other sources, windows mediaplayer formats etc. etc. And hoo-and-behold if you should dare to venture into compilation on your own....then you'd be in knee deep with problems, why? Because these packages makes you dependent on packages, it makes you a slave to downloading RPM for "your-package" and if you want to do things on your own...there's simply too much to learn for a beginner because of all the dependencies and installs you must do (and KNOW) before you can do anything useful at all.
It's possible that a lot of you reading this using (insert-your-favourite-package-here) will go into "flame-shock" and tell me that (your-package-will-do-this-and-that-and-I-dont-kno w-jack)
but that's not the point here. The point is
that Slackware comes with tools to make you
independent! It already installs a TON of
utilities, libs, devs, compilers etc. to make
your life easier when you want to do stuff on
your own instead of being a package-whore.
That's what I like about Slackware! I'm free
here, not "strategically" controlled by a corporate that figures out WHAT to bring me
so I can "somewhat" be steered into the direction
they want me to take by handicapping me doing
stuff/learning on my own!
It's also the only package that made myself completely independant from windows, I can see
whatever I want in Slack, configure the heck out
of it, because of all the utilities and (smart
hints and docs by the man himself) I've learned
gradually what Linux is all about...and now I
don't need to sit in a user-group and feel like
an idiot just because I don't know jack even
after 10 years with Linux...simply because
Slackware teaches me to do stuff on my own and
in fact encourages it.
The fact that someone did this will make others
follow suit (I hope).
Waking up today and reading this is almost as good as waking up one day and finding out that people actually care about our planet, this is a good day!
Now...if only the medicinal business did the same thing, then poverty struck third-world countries would benefit from cheaper medicines due to more innovations that would follow because of the new free flow of formulas and less restrictive patent licensing.
We're getting there, just hang on!
The technology where in its infant stages 20 years
ago and didn't quite match the expectations about
10 years ago. 5 years ago we had the technology
but it was too expensive for the average joe.
Now is the time, more than ever to realize your
wildest gaming imagination. We have the chips,
we have the technology - and it's cheap!
But without YOU...we're nothing! If you crave
it...you shall have it, noone is willing to
invest unless you prove to our investors that
you do indeed want to break free from your safe
traditional gaming world.
I have an idea for an eye-laser monitor that
always will be in focus no matter where you look
as the laser beam will hit the retina surface and
it will fill the entire view...practically this
means you will be able to view IN FOCUS the
whole viewing area of your retina surface.:)
Keep beliving!
The idea of virtual pets are not new - that was besides the point. The new thing is that you actually touch the screen and thus...the dog! It's NOT the same as moving your mouse around where the arrow hits the pet.... you get an entirely different feel when you use your fingers on the display and it - to us - looks like actually touching the pet. We can always argue about the actual difference in that...but social as we are...the need to get "closer" is pretty evident in it's success.
So you are saying history is repeating itself?
Well okay, that could very well be.
On the note of simple programming...I'd love it if Sony and Nintendo got their act together and made the hardware information a little bit more available to the "bedroom coders" so we could get some "endorsed" grassroot fanboyism going....you know...like in the C64/Amiga/Spectrum heydays...I really miss that.
Today...when someone "at home" breaks the "Sony/Nintendo/Xbox-bios" just so they can run their own stuff on it...people could even face jailtime just for playing with their own stuff. This is the sort of hostility that has somewhat put me off.
However...on that note....Sony's chairman has informed us that Sony Playstation 3 - will be open for the "grassroot coders"
I'm not sure if they'll take the same approach with the PSP though...but hey...I'm hoping so!
Gimmick or not......a new game-console relies almost entirely
on the number of hot titles for the gamers
to enjoy.
Sure...the PSP is a great looking handheld
gaming device, lot's of cool features and
a solid backing by a company that already
rocked our world with the first "worthy"
proprietary 3d chip (Playstation the original)
back some years ago.
When it comes to gaming pleasure, I'd belive
the Nintendo DS would do really well too
because of the touch screen...just look at
that new "pet" game where you have a live "3d"
dog you can "touch" and play with that have
been taking Japan by storm, now that's innovative
but It might be a tad bit late...because
Nintendo took a LONG time to release cool
games for it's new baby. And I think PSP
will stand a lot stronger in that area, better
hardware too. But the point remains....it's
all about the games.
Award winning documentaries, always impartial in news
and no difference when the OS issues came became an issue.
When the Linux users complained about not beeing able to
listen to online radio provided for windows media player, BBC
reacted and started to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/audiohelp_nix.shtml support Linux users as well.
Its good to see these wonderful public service freethinkers
go at it again - this time to figth piracy the democratic way!
If you're dim enough to bring your kiddieporn filled computer to the repairman (or lend it to someone) then you deserve jailtime just for being incredibly stupid.
Let's face it - most of us would HATE to find kiddie-porn on someone else (or our own) computers, so why should a repair-tech be any more tolerant? Because it's yours? BAH! It's still kiddie-porn and should be reported.
Imagine if your're a parent and happen to be a pc-service tech and come across this stuff...imagine the thoughts that run trough your brain when you see such disgusting stuff. It could be YOUR CHILD that was abused...your friends child etc...
I mean... the likelyhood of the childporn-collector of some day becoming an child-abuser is VERY high. And furthermore.. that collection CAME from SOMEWHERE...someone who was abused! It's just not about your privacy alone...it's about our childrens safety.
The idea is clever, and real simple.
All you do:
1) Purchase some glow-in-the-dark paint availiable at any common hobby store (not reflective paint, but glo-paint!)
2) Paint your "light stick..." he he ) (that's the neon tube to those of you that actually thought of something else).
3) Make sure you paint around the MIDDLE of the tube and not the contact-areas as the paint probably can catch fire if too close to the hot-coils inside the tube...that is...NOT near the terminals)
4) Now re-insert it into the socket armature.
Have fun! It works the same way...it'll glow for hours.
Now...you see...the man who invented this...probably did the same, but inside the tube instead....don't try THAT yourself..unless you have some smart way of filling the lamp with neon gas...again...and sealing tight!
That's todays lesson for you - Have fun kids!
LOL!!!
So I was in Diapers, was I?;)
Well... I actually had PHONG mind you...
one of those white battery operated boxes with built in sound and in Black & white on a Panasonic 12 " television back in the days
(insert - old man...nagging....sound here)..
Man...We sound like an old couple on an retirement home already...
Hm..
You have a point! But Again this is probably due
to Nintendo's "zone" policy. Eg. here in our
country (non-us) we can't get the latest games
because Nintendo doesn't release it over here
before certaint titles are sold.
I'll try Meteos. Thanks for the tip.
I am sick and tired of Nintendo blowing customers off.
I've bought every Nintendo known to man, basically because in the beginning - there was a lot of really good long-term games worth playing. It was "oldschool" gameplay...and it was more entertaining than just the graphics alone
But Nintendo has a sucky policy...and unfortunately for both us and them...they never changed their old and stuck-up ways of playing things safe. Always making sure there wasn't enough to go-around just to keep customers wanting it more and more....they still do that today, but in todays competitive markets - doing this is suicide.
I bought the DS when it came out - Mistake!
Why is it a mistake? Well - ask DS owners like myself. Now my DS is collecting dust.
Nintendo raped their customers by making a re-release of Mario-64 with some added bonus games (only part worth playing)
Secondly...they release a bunch of crap games that I wouldn't even buy in a discount store.
Third...time passes and nothing happens. Nintendo is carefully screening and releasing games according to their old "slow-wait-until-all-crap-is-sold" and "limit-that-country!"
My next handheld won't be a Nintendo. Thats for sure.
I'm in a public school where everyone is either e-mailing or IMing at their computers...
Here's how you spot them:
The ones who're laughing, crying, screaming, tripping (legs jumping up and down feverishly while eating nails from the fingers while smiling and sweating)
Yep..that's the ones Instant Messaging
To find the E-mailers... Just follow the "Tchikka tchikka klikka klikka tchikka DONK (spacebar!) tchikka klikka dikka klikka KLONK! (loose spacebar)....sounds!
You one person a piece of paper and ask if that
person want to type something of interest down
on that paper.
Then you tell him/her to pass the paper along to someone else
Further - tell everyone that anyone who wants to see whats on that paper can get a copy right away (ok..I hope you have a photocopier standing by)
Now that everyone has a paper with all these "fun" suggestions or words on the paper introduce to them - the fact that they've just participated in an opensource project.
By that you can demonstrate the quick evolution process that a developement project can have if willing participants freely participate in an "OpenSource" project.
That is a dead-giveaway for you to start introducing real world examples of your own (insert long interesting speech here), and will be sure to make your audience listen.
The radio amateur bands are now getting cluttered with non-technical everyday walkie-talkie people....you know...those found chatting about your toaster for hours on the CB bands
Im one of those that grew up with components & tech stuff for
everyday purposes...the type thatd run down to radio shack for some electronic components to fix your video.
The Radio Amateur hobby was another way to learn more and
to build your own stuff without getting it trough the system
and we could communicate with the likes of us...in other words
other people with tech-knowhow. That was a lot of fun.
When the Morse license where removed here in Denmark...a lot
of new potential radio amateurs came in...and we thougt that would be great....
Unfortunately things wherent as great as weve hoped for.
Most CB-Banders that have no interest in technical stuff...are just interested in more channels and more people to chat with, they have no interest in the traditional ham-radio...just using the bands. They have no interest in buliding stuff,...and they just saw the license as a new playground.
Over time...the serious radio amateur dissappears..and the bands
get "Bullied" by the "CBers" who have an entirely different culture than "our own"...No polliteness...no logging...no organization...in other words...they dragged along their habits from the CB bands and litterally destroyed Ham Radio for what it was worth.
The demands for a "Morse code" license for the additional bands
wherent just merely about morse...it was serving as a "Filter"
to sift away those that wouldnt bother with the effort it took
to learn it.
But here's my take on why Linux will NEVER make it to the mainstream marked as a desktop computer Mr. and Mrs. "John Doe" will use in their everyday lifes
For 8 years ago I was a Linux enthusiast, I just wanted an alternative.
For 5 years ago I was still trying out various distros, but eventually caved in when I couldn't get my paid for games to work properly and had to work 2 weeks straight just to get the Nvidia drivers up and running
For 2-3 years ago I realized that the Linux distro's actually where getting useful - and I advocated Linux like crazy to Mr. & Mrs. Average Joe.... I was pretty good at it and got quite a few to take the plunge and switch.
No-one of them passed the 14 days test. (you know...survive without windows). And They felt handicapped, Support calls all the time because just like everyone else Mr. and Mrs. Average Joe...needs new mainstream software that their neighbors are running. Uninstall....
For a year ago I was starting to realize that the Average Joe never will run Linux....But I didn't want to belive that because why shouldn't they? Everything is fine, lot's of good alternative software - free too!
Today - I realize - Linux will *NEVER* be mainstream. If any chance for switchers at all... It'd be Apple's OS X....because it's made for the everyday non-caring users --> Emphasize on USER.
Too many times I've had to fiddle with drivers for this and that. For years ago it was the Nvidia 3D issues that plagued the Linux users (the newbies)... and today it's the Wireless drivers that are driving us nuts... and that's the issue...there's always something not working, always something buggy...and the attitude of the Linux experienced users to go FIX IT YOURSELF...lazy windows user. No self respecting longhaired Linux expert would be caught dead wasting his/her time supporting the Average Joes...simply because it's too bothersome, too cumbersome...and the average joe's need FAR too much education in order to stand on their own two feet in LinuxLand.
Sure "package-x" works clean from the install CD... But you still need to learn to script and BASH your way trough the terminal if you want to actually be able to service your own system. otherwise you'd be dependent on your "favourite" distro's install-packages. And for the average joes...thats not enough. They want to be in control with very little effort.
I do not advocate Linux anymore.
But I do use it as my main OS every day
And it took me ages to get just a basic grip of it, even if I've been coding in assembly back in the C64/Amiga days and had my fair share of long-haired computer geekery.
Ok, I might not actually go so far as to change the date of my emails.
But at my most productive times I've been "faking the act of working" many times to get the bosses off my back, because chances are they have NO clue what I do anyway.
I sound like a lazy person now - right?
Wrong!
The times when I did this, I was one of the most productive workers in the company. I was commented and acknowledged many times during that period and was happy as a bunny to go to work. As a matter of fact I could hardly wait for the next day.
Then things shifted.
I got real eager working, and my bosses started to demand more from me. Working harder and harder - they where wondering (even asking) if I used most of my time to surf the net or chat, I said no... (I wasn't either) at that period I was working like insane , got no credit, and the bosses where stressing me plus stressing themselves.
This I've experienced again and again, also with co-workers. The ones that get all the praise and recognition are those who are relaxed, well organized and stress-free. This due to the fact that they manage their time well - also manage to cut themselves some slack.
If we didnt have alternatives, then there would be no competition to worry about for the mainstream OS.
Even if people dont make the switch to "insert-your-favorite-os-here" - it often raises the standard and inject new and fresh thinking that increase the developement speed
I use Windows, Mac OS X and Linux....mostly Linux daily. And the reason for this is because it gives me some alternatives that I actually can use practically. Ok - Granted...I am not your average Joe, but I sometimes have special needs such as easy compilation of my favourite opensource software...bleeding edge versions to stay ahead of the competition, and yes - the choices gives me these things.
I would still recommend the mainstream OS to the average public even if I use Linux daily - simply because it is the easiest thing for them to get support on.
Slashdot Mirror
This information could save your life.
I'm not sure it has been done already, I simply don't know. But personally I think the stuff about Mp3's etc...are just dillydally which is fun to have but a far more useful function would be to implement some sort of one-way communication with the car such as making the car create you a "WARNING".TXT document telling you:
You're low on oil levels, if you keep ignoring the low-warning you could (insert possible scenarios here) etc, please maintain now!
It could also contain information about the local workshops and telephone numbers - so you could get in touch and have your car serviced immedately...not using that age old excuse...I'm too busy to look for a service-tech phone number..
I can easily forsee useful functions here, imagine a bluetooth enabled cell phone and your car have been given access to the messaging part....it could remind you what state your car is in etc.
I'm not kidding - this could potentially save your life.
You know...
Our scientists have been warning us for the last 30 years and most people think...oh well...that's in the future, by then I'm old and we're going to die anyway, now we're paying for our neglect and ignorance.
We've been able to make a car run on water for the last 50 years (maybe even before) but the "big leaders" have chosen to stick with the polluting alternatives, guess why? Because too many businesses would be lost, all riches gone...who'd they sell oil to now? Lobby lobby lobby...
It's funny....as a Child I remember that a joke went around about good sellers...you know...they would be able to sell water to fishermen. 20 years later noone is laughing about that joke anymore... Because it's not a joke anymore, now we sell bottled water more than ever.
What's next? Bottled air?
Please think about the future generations - you're in it too! This isn't just some lone whack trying to tell you what to do, this could very well be you in 40 years.
Slackware is a special Linux distribution, the fact that it's being maintained and directed by one man (of course with a lot of other contributors) is baffling to me.
...I used these because they offered a Quick-Fix...everything worked from scratch...well...nearly everything that is...except from compilation of other sources, windows mediaplayer formats etc. etc. And hoo-and-behold if you should dare to venture into compilation on your own....then you'd be in knee deep with problems, why? Because these packages makes you dependent on packages, it makes you a slave to downloading RPM for "your-package" and if you want to do things on your own...there's simply too much to learn for a beginner because of all the dependencies and installs you must do (and KNOW) before you can do anything useful at all.
o w-jack)
but that's not the point here. The point is
that Slackware comes with tools to make you
independent! It already installs a TON of
utilities, libs, devs, compilers etc. to make
your life easier when you want to do stuff on
your own instead of being a package-whore.
It's baffling because with the 8-10 years I've got behind me now...trying and TRYING to get Linux distro's to work for me...so I can leave Windows forever - Slackware is the ONLY Linux that made me switch completely.
Yes... I'm now officially an Slackware Fanboy! But what's wrong with being a fan? I love this distro - it just works!
Back in the heydays when I used Mandrake (now Mandriva) and SuSE
It's possible that a lot of you reading this using (insert-your-favourite-package-here) will go into "flame-shock" and tell me that (your-package-will-do-this-and-that-and-I-dont-kn
That's what I like about Slackware! I'm free here, not "strategically" controlled by a corporate that figures out WHAT to bring me so I can "somewhat" be steered into the direction they want me to take by handicapping me doing stuff/learning on my own!
It's also the only package that made myself completely independant from windows, I can see whatever I want in Slack, configure the heck out of it, because of all the utilities and (smart hints and docs by the man himself) I've learned gradually what Linux is all about...and now I don't need to sit in a user-group and feel like an idiot just because I don't know jack even after 10 years with Linux...simply because Slackware teaches me to do stuff on my own and in fact encourages it.
Got slack?! Yeah - you bet!
...oh crap! So much for the theory that our brains have evolved!
Now my old "Gta:SA" will be worth a fortune!
The fact that someone did this will make others follow suit (I hope).
Waking up today and reading this is almost as good as waking up one day and finding out that people actually care about our planet, this is a good day!
Now...if only the medicinal business did the same thing, then poverty struck third-world countries would benefit from cheaper medicines due to more innovations that would follow because of the new free flow of formulas and less restrictive patent licensing.
We're getting there, just hang on! The technology where in its infant stages 20 years ago and didn't quite match the expectations about 10 years ago. 5 years ago we had the technology but it was too expensive for the average joe. Now is the time, more than ever to realize your wildest gaming imagination. We have the chips, we have the technology - and it's cheap! But without YOU...we're nothing! If you crave it...you shall have it, noone is willing to invest unless you prove to our investors that you do indeed want to break free from your safe traditional gaming world. I have an idea for an eye-laser monitor that always will be in focus no matter where you look as the laser beam will hit the retina surface and it will fill the entire view...practically this means you will be able to view IN FOCUS the whole viewing area of your retina surface. :)
Keep beliving!
The idea of virtual pets are not new - that was besides the point. The new thing is that you actually touch the screen and thus...the dog! It's NOT the same as moving your mouse around where the arrow hits the pet.... you get an entirely different feel when you use your fingers on the display and it - to us - looks like actually touching the pet. We can always argue about the actual difference in that...but social as we are...the need to get "closer" is pretty evident in it's success.
So you are saying history is repeating itself? Well okay, that could very well be.
...when someone "at home" breaks the "Sony/Nintendo/Xbox-bios" just so they can run their own stuff on it...people could even face jailtime just for playing with their own stuff. This is the sort of hostility that has somewhat put me off.
...on that note....Sony's chairman has informed us that Sony Playstation 3 - will be open for the "grassroot coders"
On the note of simple programming...I'd love it if Sony and Nintendo got their act together and made the hardware information a little bit more available to the "bedroom coders" so we could get some "endorsed" grassroot fanboyism going....you know...like in the C64/Amiga/Spectrum heydays...I really miss that.
Today
However
I'm not sure if they'll take the same approach with the PSP though...but hey...I'm hoping so!
Gimmick or not... ...a new game-console relies almost entirely
on the number of hot titles for the gamers
to enjoy.
Sure...the PSP is a great looking handheld
gaming device, lot's of cool features and
a solid backing by a company that already
rocked our world with the first "worthy"
proprietary 3d chip (Playstation the original)
back some years ago.
When it comes to gaming pleasure, I'd belive
the Nintendo DS would do really well too
because of the touch screen...just look at
that new "pet" game where you have a live "3d"
dog you can "touch" and play with that have
been taking Japan by storm, now that's innovative
but It might be a tad bit late...because
Nintendo took a LONG time to release cool
games for it's new baby. And I think PSP
will stand a lot stronger in that area, better
hardware too. But the point remains....it's
all about the games.
Award winning documentaries, always impartial in news
.
and no difference when the OS issues came became an issue.
When the Linux users complained about not beeing able to
listen to online radio provided for windows media player, BBC
reacted and started to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/audiohelp_nix.shtml support Linux users as well
Its good to see these wonderful public service freethinkers
go at it again - this time to figth piracy the democratic way!
...when it comes to stupidity.
If you're dim enough to bring your kiddieporn filled computer to the repairman (or lend it to someone) then you deserve jailtime just for being incredibly stupid.
Let's face it - most of us would HATE to find kiddie-porn on someone else (or our own) computers, so why should a repair-tech be any more tolerant? Because it's yours? BAH! It's still kiddie-porn and should be reported.
Imagine if your're a parent and happen to be a pc-service tech and come across this stuff...imagine the thoughts that run trough your brain when you see such disgusting stuff. It could be YOUR CHILD that was abused...your friends child etc...
I mean... the likelyhood of the childporn-collector of some day becoming an child-abuser is VERY high. And furthermore.. that collection CAME from SOMEWHERE...someone who was abused! It's just not about your privacy alone...it's about our childrens safety.
The idea is clever, and real simple. All you do: 1) Purchase some glow-in-the-dark paint availiable at any common hobby store (not reflective paint, but glo-paint!) 2) Paint your "light stick..." he he ) (that's the neon tube to those of you that actually thought of something else). 3) Make sure you paint around the MIDDLE of the tube and not the contact-areas as the paint probably can catch fire if too close to the hot-coils inside the tube...that is...NOT near the terminals) 4) Now re-insert it into the socket armature. Have fun! It works the same way...it'll glow for hours. Now...you see...the man who invented this...probably did the same, but inside the tube instead....don't try THAT yourself..unless you have some smart way of filling the lamp with neon gas...again...and sealing tight! That's todays lesson for you - Have fun kids!
LOL!!! So I was in Diapers, was I? ;)
Well... I actually had PHONG mind you...
one of those white battery operated boxes with built in sound and in Black & white on a Panasonic 12 " television back in the days
(insert - old man...nagging....sound here)..
Man...We sound like an old couple on an retirement home already...
Hm.. You have a point! But Again this is probably due to Nintendo's "zone" policy. Eg. here in our country (non-us) we can't get the latest games because Nintendo doesn't release it over here before certaint titles are sold. I'll try Meteos. Thanks for the tip.
I am sick and tired of Nintendo blowing customers off.
I've bought every Nintendo known to man, basically because in the beginning - there was a lot of really good long-term games worth playing. It was "oldschool" gameplay...and it was more entertaining than just the graphics alone
But Nintendo has a sucky policy...and unfortunately for both us and them...they never changed their old and stuck-up ways of playing things safe. Always making sure there wasn't enough to go-around just to keep customers wanting it more and more....they still do that today, but in todays competitive markets - doing this is suicide.
I bought the DS when it came out - Mistake!
Why is it a mistake? Well - ask DS owners like myself. Now my DS is collecting dust.
Nintendo raped their customers by making a re-release of Mario-64 with some added bonus games (only part worth playing)
Secondly...they release a bunch of crap games that I wouldn't even buy in a discount store.
Third...time passes and nothing happens. Nintendo is carefully screening and releasing games according to their old "slow-wait-until-all-crap-is-sold" and "limit-that-country!"
My next handheld won't be a Nintendo. Thats for sure.
I'm in a public school where everyone is either e-mailing or IMing at their computers...
Here's how you spot them:
The ones who're laughing, crying, screaming, tripping (legs jumping up and down feverishly while eating nails from the fingers while smiling and sweating)
Yep..that's the ones Instant Messaging
To find the E-mailers... Just follow the "Tchikka tchikka klikka klikka tchikka DONK (spacebar!) tchikka klikka dikka klikka KLONK! (loose spacebar)....sounds!
Ah..instant genious... E-Mailers, recognizeable anywhere.
Thats weird. I wonder how "Give" turned into "You"... Someone messing around? Hm?
Why not introduce OpenSource to them by example?
Example:
You one person a piece of paper and ask if that person want to type something of interest down on that paper.
Then you tell him/her to pass the paper along to someone else
Further - tell everyone that anyone who wants to see whats on that paper can get a copy right away (ok..I hope you have a photocopier standing by)
Now that everyone has a paper with all these "fun" suggestions or words on the paper introduce to them - the fact that they've just participated in an opensource project.
By that you can demonstrate the quick evolution process that a developement project can have if willing participants freely participate in an "OpenSource" project.
That is a dead-giveaway for you to start introducing real world examples of your own (insert long interesting speech here), and will be sure to make your audience listen.
The radio amateur bands are now getting cluttered with non-technical everyday walkie-talkie people....you know ...those found chatting about your toaster for hours on the CB bands
Im one of those that grew up with components & tech stuff for everyday purposes...the type thatd run down to radio shack for some electronic components to fix your video.
The Radio Amateur hobby was another way to learn more and to build your own stuff without getting it trough the system and we could communicate with the likes of us...in other words other people with tech-knowhow. That was a lot of fun.
When the Morse license where removed here in Denmark...a lot of new potential radio amateurs came in...and we thougt that would be great....
Unfortunately things wherent as great as weve hoped for. Most CB-Banders that have no interest in technical stuff...are just interested in more channels and more people to chat with, they have no interest in the traditional ham-radio...just using the bands. They have no interest in buliding stuff,...and they just saw the license as a new playground.
Over time...the serious radio amateur dissappears..and the bands get "Bullied" by the "CBers" who have an entirely different culture than "our own"...No polliteness...no logging...no organization...in other words...they dragged along their habits from the CB bands and litterally destroyed Ham Radio for what it was worth.
The demands for a "Morse code" license for the additional bands wherent just merely about morse...it was serving as a "Filter" to sift away those that wouldnt bother with the effort it took to learn it.
Dejavu you say? Agent Smith is coming... run for your lives!
I am a nerd.... Yes, I admit it - openly.
....
...thats not enough. They want to be in control with very little effort.
But here's my take on why Linux will NEVER make it to the mainstream marked as a desktop computer Mr. and Mrs. "John Doe" will use in their everyday lifes
For 8 years ago I was a Linux enthusiast, I just wanted an alternative.
For 5 years ago I was still trying out various distros, but eventually caved in when I couldn't get my paid for games to work properly and had to work 2 weeks straight just to get the Nvidia drivers up and running
For 2-3 years ago I realized that the Linux distro's actually where getting useful - and I advocated Linux like crazy to Mr. & Mrs. Average Joe.... I was pretty good at it and got quite a few to take the plunge and switch.
No-one of them passed the 14 days test. (you know...survive without windows). And They felt handicapped, Support calls all the time because just like everyone else Mr. and Mrs. Average Joe...needs new mainstream software that their neighbors are running. Uninstall
For a year ago I was starting to realize that the Average Joe never will run Linux....But I didn't want to belive that because why shouldn't they? Everything is fine, lot's of good alternative software - free too!
Today - I realize - Linux will *NEVER* be mainstream. If any chance for switchers at all... It'd be Apple's OS X....because it's made for the everyday non-caring users --> Emphasize on USER.
Too many times I've had to fiddle with drivers for this and that. For years ago it was the Nvidia 3D issues that plagued the Linux users (the newbies)... and today it's the Wireless drivers that are driving us nuts... and that's the issue...there's always something not working, always something buggy...and the attitude of the Linux experienced users to go FIX IT YOURSELF...lazy windows user. No self respecting longhaired Linux expert would be caught dead wasting his/her time supporting the Average Joes...simply because it's too bothersome, too cumbersome...and the average joe's need FAR too much education in order to stand on their own two feet in LinuxLand.
Sure "package-x" works clean from the install CD... But you still need to learn to script and BASH your way trough the terminal if you want to actually be able to service your own system. otherwise you'd be dependent on your "favourite" distro's install-packages. And for the average joes
I do not advocate Linux anymore.
But I do use it as my main OS every day
And it took me ages to get just a basic grip of it, even if I've been coding in assembly back in the C64/Amiga days and had my fair share of long-haired computer geekery.
Ok, I might not actually go so far as to change the date of my emails.
But at my most productive times I've been "faking the act of working" many times to get the bosses off my back, because chances are they have NO clue what I do anyway.
I sound like a lazy person now - right?
Wrong!
The times when I did this, I was one of the most productive workers in the company. I was commented and acknowledged many times during that period and was happy as a bunny to go to work. As a matter of fact I could hardly wait for the next day.
Then things shifted.
I got real eager working, and my bosses started to demand more from me. Working harder and harder - they where wondering (even asking) if I used most of my time to surf the net or chat, I said no... (I wasn't either) at that period I was working like insane , got no credit, and the bosses where stressing me plus stressing themselves.
This I've experienced again and again, also with co-workers. The ones that get all the praise and recognition are those who are relaxed, well organized and stress-free. This due to the fact that they manage their time well - also manage to cut themselves some slack.
So put short - Yes! I do, and I'll do it again.
If we didnt have alternatives, then there would be no competition to worry about for the mainstream OS.
Even if people dont make the switch to "insert-your-favorite-os-here" - it often raises the standard and inject new and fresh thinking that increase the developement speed
I use Windows, Mac OS X and Linux....mostly Linux daily. And the reason for this is because it gives me some alternatives that I actually can use practically. Ok - Granted...I am not your average Joe, but I sometimes have special needs such as easy compilation of my favourite opensource software...bleeding edge versions to stay ahead of the competition, and yes - the choices gives me these things.
I would still recommend the mainstream OS to the average public even if I use Linux daily - simply because it is the easiest thing for them to get support on.
Great! When I finally built one, it saw the other ones and decided to migrate to the south... ...I guess thats why they call them swarmbots