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User: estarriol

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Comments · 73

  1. Re:Can we get rid of the US Congress so easily? on Blogger Humiliates Town Councillors Into Resigning · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The cameras in people's homes are a UK Gov plan that the councils have no choice but to follow - blame the cabinet for that cracking idea

    There is always an alternative choice, though it may not be the most pleasant of things to think about. Us American's kicked your government to the curb over a few tax disputes (and a few other issues). Placing cameras in private citizens' homes seem to me like a much bigger issue.

    You guys could at least throw a few riots or something. And no, angry postings on slashdot do not count. By excusing this sort of behaviour all you are doing is shifting blame from your government to yourself.

    Three big flaws in your argument here even at a casual glance:-

    1) The proto-Americans had the advantage of an ocean between them and the people they were rebelling against, and the advantage of being on home territory against an enemy who had generally never even been to the rebels' continent. The situation would have been radically different if the American rebels were living in Clapham.

    2) It's not "Us Americans" who rebelled at all - you personally had nothing at all to do with it - so it's rather precious of you to advocate that others risk their lives to do something that I suspect you have never done yourself.

    3) The modern USA is exactly the sort of imperialist superpower that England was back then.

    Overall, the pretense that modern Americans are some kind of ninja rebel outfit who would overthrow their government at the first sign of totalitarianism isn't helping anyone, especially when you sit in your comfy chair behind your (no doubt very rebellious) warrior keyboard and advocate that others risk their lives.

  2. Re:The most open interconnected console ever? on Sony To Convert Online Bookstore To Open Format · · Score: 1

    OK, I'll bite. What level of interconnectivity "should" consoles be doing? Or what level would actually impress you, if that's a more appropriate question?

  3. Re:Okay, but... on Sony To Convert Online Bookstore To Open Format · · Score: 1

    Yes... and this is hardly the first time recently that Sony have erred on the side of openness. The PS3 uses a standard laptop hard drive (even replaceable by the user without breaking warranty), standard USB keyboards and gamepads, standard USB mass storage driver, standard bluetooth for headsets and even (at least on the original models) had card reader slots for a wide range of standard memory cards. It's the most open interconnected console ever.

    Compare it to the Micro$oft XBox 360 and it's practically the posterboy of openness.

    Sony did a bad bad thing for a long time, but they are *really* cleaning their act up now. Time for them to get some positive karma for it, eh?

  4. Re:Propaganda reached a new low on South Park Creators Given Signed Photo of Saddam Hussein · · Score: 1

    You seem to be suggesting that the actions of people in the same country of the poster's grandparents (not even necessarily any direct relation) before he/she was born remove their right to hold a decent moral or ethical opinion or admonish others for their lack of decency.

    I guess all citizens of the USA will have to shut the fuck up for about 100 years if you're going to take that attitude, based on the shameful and morally bankrupt actions of George W Bush and his supporters.

    Or you could stop being ridiculous, stop making Ad Hominem attacks, and discuss the actual point that the gp was making, which had the advantages of being reasonable, infomative, insightful and well-expressed.

  5. Re:This has gotta be... on South Park Creators Given Signed Photo of Saddam Hussein · · Score: 1

    What you're experiencing is called "Cognitive Dissonance".

    Instead of falling prey to this character-compromising logical fallacy, why not write to the newspaper and ask them for their sources (although these are probably Stone and Parker themselves)?

  6. Re:Which distro? on Microsoft Boasts 96% Netbook Penetration · · Score: 1

    eeeBuntu on mine and I'm *very* happy with it. EasyPeasy sounds very similar and I also hear great things about it.

  7. Re:Will run on netbooks or drag? on How Vista Mistakes Changed Windows 7 Development · · Score: 1

    The marvel in this story is that both the accountant and general manager made a sane, rational, non-FUDded decision. I think that's a credit to the Gendarmerie and possibly the French national attitude - I can't see that happening here in the UK.

  8. Re:Caught red-handed, some unofficial translations on Pirate Bay Day 5 — Prosecution Tries To Sneak In Evidence · · Score: 1

    Fantastic post, mod this guy up to 11. Well said sir.

  9. Re:Why? on Family Dog Cloned, Thanks To Dolly Patents · · Score: 1

    You're quite right, I should have said "This is why I avoid discussions as to why I became a vegetarian face-to-face, with people whose feelings I care about as opposed to random idiots on the internet who enjoy taking offence at anything."

  10. Re:Why? on Family Dog Cloned, Thanks To Dolly Patents · · Score: 1

    "And woe to the poor bastard that kills my dog: I've got a piece of piano wire with their name on it. It will not go well for them."

    I'm with you on this. I feel fortunate that nobody has ever hurt one of my pets, as "he maimed my cat" is not usually a good legal defense for attempted murder.

  11. Re:Why? on Family Dog Cloned, Thanks To Dolly Patents · · Score: 1

    "I've never understood why it's acceptable to make jokes about, say, killing my cat, as though it's so funny. I'm sure that most people that have met people that don't like cats/dogs know what I'm talking about. If I were to joke about killing their children, I imagine they wouldn't be as amused."

    It's easy to extend this logic as a prime argument for vegetarianism. I don't expect I'd get many laughs out of asking meat-eaters whether they'd eat human children, although in context this is an entirely reasonable question. This is why I avoid discussions as to why I became a vegetarian.

  12. Re:The Forever War, hooray... on Please No, Not a Blade Runner Sequel · · Score: 1

    That would have a certain form of symmetry, I suppose. Personally, I trust Ridley Scott, who seems to make his Sci-Fi films out of purest awesome.

  13. Re:Woah on KDE 4.2 Is Released · · Score: 1

    2 things:-

    "Everybody knew. You knew. I knew. We all knew."

    1) You're exaggerating. KDE is (supposed/trying to) reach a bigger audience than just a bunch of hardcore techies. Therefore the front page of kde.org, slashdot, tech forums are irrelevant - it's like releasing a new car for open sale and noting on the manufacturer's website and in car enthusiast magazines that it misses many features you've come to expect from this range and is really for pro drivers only. That's fine for those guys, but the average punter is screwed.

    Which brings me to my second point:-

    2) The big problem - why the hell was 4.1 in Kubuntu 8.10? This was the real horrific wallbanger and everyone involved in that decision should be ashamed. Kubuntu is far too high-profile and average-joe (or, again is trying to be) to be running experimental tech. This is what really damaged KDE IMO.

  14. The Forever War, hooray... on Please No, Not a Blade Runner Sequel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...that *could* actually make a great movie, but more importantly would get more people to read the book (which is my introductory Sci-Fi text I kept waving a fantasy types who dismiss Sci-Fi as "not their thing").

  15. Re:Highlander on Please No, Not a Blade Runner Sequel · · Score: 4, Informative

    The TV series (after 1.5 seasons) was very far from shitty - it was better than anything bar the first 70 minutes or so of the only Highlander film. In other words, the TV series is really damn good.

  16. Re:Dead project on Political and Technical Implications of GitTorrent · · Score: 1

    Let me get this straight - you *don't* consider your summary to be shamelessly pushing your own agenda? And it didn't occur to you even once that it might be relevant to /.ers that it's a dormant, possibly dead project?

    I realise this site is a soapbox, I just didn't know it was a personal one.

  17. Re:Human computers on A 1941 Paper-and-Pencil Cipher · · Score: 1

    Funniest Slashdot comment I've ever seen, thanks!

  18. Re:Piracetam & Other Nootropics on How to Deal With an Aging Brain? · · Score: 1

    OK - so how do I get me some of these racetams in the UK. Are they legal?

  19. Actual practical reasons to choose SVN on Practical Reasons To Choose Git Or Subversion? · · Score: 1

    If you work in something other than the software industry and thus if even your IT managers are not developers:-

    • You've only just managed to switch them from VSS to SVN. Switching to another repository is a no-go area for several years minimum.
    • "git" is an offensive term, at least in the UK. I wouldn't get much luck using software called "arsehole" either.
    • TortoiseSVN. 'Nuff said.
    • Switching repos is hassle and expensive. If it's not broken, why fix it? I had enough of this argument (from software developers!) trying to get VSS replaced with SVN, and it's several thousand times more relevant an argument for SVN than VSS. SVN is a very good tool by any reasonable standard.
  20. Re:git and svn have a fundamental diff not mention on Practical Reasons To Choose Git Or Subversion? · · Score: 1

    "Also if you rename a file or move a file to a different folder GIT knows this. SVN doesn't."

    It knows this in the version I use.

    I think a lot of people who criticise SVN are not using it well, or are not up to date in their version.

  21. Re:But they didn't even do 1T right... on An In-Depth Look At Seagate's 1.5TB Barracuda · · Score: 1
    Just to add my own anecdotal experience, I've had 2 out of 2 Seagate 750Gb 7200.11s fail on me within 6 weeks of receipt.

    I also have 3 external FreeAgent drives with 500Gb capacity, which I've had for over a year and they're rock solid. I believe these use the 7200.11 internally.

    My main case runs pretty hot - don't know if this did it. I've RMAed the 750Gb again and purchased an eSATA enclosure, will be interesting to see if it dies on me again or not.

    My gut instinct says that the newer drives run very hot and burn out unless actively cooled. Certainly their reliability is WAY down on what I'd normally expect from Seagate - I'm happy to keep buying the excellent FreeAgent range but I think I might try Samsung for my next internal drive.

    I heard a rumour that insufficient power inputs can also fritz these drives - has anyone heard anything about that?

  22. Re:Use the pr0n method! on Easy, Reliable Distributed Storage and Backup? · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Mod parent up! Clever + funny = win.

  23. Re:GAH on Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" Due In September · · Score: 1

    You mean "the only book Walter Miller finished and published whilst alive". See St. Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman

  24. Re:Alfred Bester on Sci-Fi Books For Pre-Teens? · · Score: 1

    I liked TDM but the ending is very weak IMO. Stars is superb.

  25. Re:Alfred Bester on Sci-Fi Books For Pre-Teens? · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Count me as another huge fan of Earthsea and The Stars My Destination - 33 now and I just reread Stars a couple of weeks ago (in one sitting) and will reread Earthsea soon. I also enjoyed Tombs of Atuan best - I constantly wonder that this book isn't recognised more and consider it to be perfect. That Harry Potter gets so much attention when wonders like A Wizard of Earthsea exist is a source of regular irritation to me.