If you think that Jobs just wants to "make cool stuff" and doesn't care about making money, you need to call me. I have a great investment opportunity and I'm really cool. I wear Birkenstocks, play guitar, and smoke weed--so you know I'm not in it for the money. I just want to make cool stuff too and am looking for investors as progressive and hip as you obviously are.
The sales on their OS are a pittance compared to what they make on their overpriced hardware. Tying the OS to the hardware is what helps them keep the hardware gravy train flowing.
The only difference between MS and Apple is hype. Anyone who thinks that Steve is not just as ruthless as Bill is deluding themselves. And at least Bill gives most of his money to a worthy charity.
With someone like this, you need to move them away from the system and delete all their admin rights long before you actually fire them. Once they made up their minds to get rid of him, they should have quietly brought in a replacement (telling troubled employee that he is just a new assistant), made sure the replacement understood the system, then killed the troubled employee's password and admin rights and moved him to a job stacking pencils in another building until the final hammer came down.
Such lax security of letting one person control everything is TERRIBLY poor security (this guy could have been accessing personal data, sabotaging the system, selling data for money, etc. with no checks on his work).
I did like Warhawk, though I tired of it after a while (would have been nice to have a single player campiagn, or at least some bots mode to practice).
The Wii is the one system I don't have any desire to buy. I played it at a friend's house and it was a lot of fun as a "party" game (or for kids). But it's not the kind of thing I would ever play alone (I would feel kind of silly playing the Wii or games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band alone--though they're great for parties). I imagine it would have been a huge hit back in my frat house in college, but it doesn't seem like much for the single player experience.
I have owned both a 360 and PS3 since their respective launches, and while they both have disappointed me in many ways, Sony is the worst as far as unfulfilled potential goes.
The 360 has no shortage of flaws (faulty hardware, dumb move of not making the hard drive standard, charging for Xbox Live, etc.), they have definitely stepped up to the plate in the one area where it REALLY counts: games.
Sony, by contrast has some really great hardware (very reliable, built in wifi, blu-ray player, hard drive standard, etc.), but when it comes to games they've been long on promises but short on delivery. So far, they've only had one decent exclusive (Metal Gear Solid 4), compared to the many decent exclusives on the 360. And, even when they get a multi-platform title, the 360 version always seems to be out ahead (either in release date or quality).
Xbox also OWNS the online play with Xbox Live. PSN still lags way behind. And while "Home" looked interesting, it got delayed and delayed (to the point where I suspect it's been scrapped).
I had high hopes for my PS3 when I bought it. But now, it's basically just a blu-ray player for me (and maybe that's good enough for Sony).
Linux on the PS3 is pretty much worthless, since (just like the PS2 Linux) it isn't allowed direct access to GPU acceleration or all of the Cell processor. This makes it little more than a novelty. Might be useful for someone who doesn't own a computer to try out a stripped down Linux. But, realistically, how many Linux fans don't already own a computer?
It's been my experience that any interviewer who resorts to trivia and silly "trick" questions is usually an idiot who doesn't know how to conduct an interview. Most of the time, this means that the job isn't worth having in the first place. The best jobs I've had were always working for sharp bosses who knew better than such Mickey Mouse nonsense. The worst jobs I've had were working under idiots who thought they were geniuses (inevitably the kind of people who conduct these sort of "gotcha" interviews). If a boss isn't smart enough to have established your basic credentials before he even gives you an interview, he's probably not going to be smart in anything else he does either.
I hear that Taco and some renegade biologists genetically engineer them in giant cloning vats under the Slashdot offices. They supposedly remove the humor gene to keep the clones from mating with regular human women.
I came in on the middle of one phone call and all I heard was him screaming "IT HURTS WHEN I PISS!!" at the telemarketer. Not sure what the wind-up on THAT one was (I was too scared to ask).
I don't get nearly as many telemarketing calls as I used to, but I've noticed (and oth
ers have too) that many telemarketers who call me still exploit two major loopholes in the law:
The "if you've done business with me in the recent past" loohole--A lot of credit card companies are
essentially selling telemarketers the rights to call you on their behalf (if you have one of their credit cards).
So now instead of getting calls that say "Hi, I would like to sell you product A" I'm getting calls that say "Hi,
I'm calling on behalf of Discover. I would like to sell you product A." A new low even by credit card company
standards.
The "polls, research, charities" loophole--Now I get a lot of calls from companies claming to be doing
market research or polls, when they're actually just trying to sell something. I also get calls from for-profit
companies who've somehow scammed their way into 501(c)(3) non-profit status, trying to pass
themselves off as a charity as they hawk their product to me.
Overall, things have improved a great deal. My telemarketing calls have probably dropped by about 75% since this
law was introduced. But I still get WAY more than I should be getting (which should be none). Until they close these loopholes, a landline is still a bit of a pain in the ass.
Fortunately, both groups use computer autodialers which let me spot them very easily. If there is even the
slightest pause after I say "Hello?" I know it's a telemarker (a normal person will respond immediately, an
autodialer takes a little time to connect you with a live salesman). I've also found it helpful to always give my voicemail number at work as my "phone number" with any new company I do business with (telemarketers never leave messages).
I have a cousin who actually LOVES to get telemarketing calls, though. He has found all kinds of creative ways to screw with them. He will try to keep them on the line as long as possible, encouraging them with lots of questions and feigned interest, only to tell them "No" at the end (time is money for telemarketers). He will ask them "Hey could you hang on just a minute?" then put the phone down and go watch TV. My personal favorite is when he responds to them with "EXCUSE ME, but I'm trying to masturbate here!"
Apparently, MS doesn't allow caching or optional HDD installs (or actively resists it). The games have to play the same whether the console has a hard drive or not. Otherwise games like Oblivion and Mass Effect would almost certainly have cached (and you wouldn't get all those damn elevator rides in Mass Effect and graphics pop-in in both). And they also supposedly killed Rockstar's attempt to allow for an optional hard drive install of GTA IV on the 360, similar to the PS3 (early on Rockstar said they would have it, then suddenly they didn't and were mum on why).
Slashdot Mirror
A $40 billion endowment (even minus Warren Buffet's $10 billion contribution) is a little more than just a tax dodge.
If you think that Jobs just wants to "make cool stuff" and doesn't care about making money, you need to call me. I have a great investment opportunity and I'm really cool. I wear Birkenstocks, play guitar, and smoke weed--so you know I'm not in it for the money. I just want to make cool stuff too and am looking for investors as progressive and hip as you obviously are.
The sales on their OS are a pittance compared to what they make on their overpriced hardware. Tying the OS to the hardware is what helps them keep the hardware gravy train flowing.
The only difference between MS and Apple is hype. Anyone who thinks that Steve is not just as ruthless as Bill is deluding themselves. And at least Bill gives most of his money to a worthy charity.
With someone like this, you need to move them away from the system and delete all their admin rights long before you actually fire them. Once they made up their minds to get rid of him, they should have quietly brought in a replacement (telling troubled employee that he is just a new assistant), made sure the replacement understood the system, then killed the troubled employee's password and admin rights and moved him to a job stacking pencils in another building until the final hammer came down.
Such lax security of letting one person control everything is TERRIBLY poor security (this guy could have been accessing personal data, sabotaging the system, selling data for money, etc. with no checks on his work).
I did like Warhawk, though I tired of it after a while (would have been nice to have a single player campiagn, or at least some bots mode to practice).
The Wii is the one system I don't have any desire to buy. I played it at a friend's house and it was a lot of fun as a "party" game (or for kids). But it's not the kind of thing I would ever play alone (I would feel kind of silly playing the Wii or games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band alone--though they're great for parties). I imagine it would have been a huge hit back in my frat house in college, but it doesn't seem like much for the single player experience.
Don't underestimate the power of the wet paper bag, my friend. There are quite a few actors on the CW who can't even act their way out of one.
I have owned both a 360 and PS3 since their respective launches, and while they both have disappointed me in many ways, Sony is the worst as far as unfulfilled potential goes.
The 360 has no shortage of flaws (faulty hardware, dumb move of not making the hard drive standard, charging for Xbox Live, etc.), they have definitely stepped up to the plate in the one area where it REALLY counts: games.
Sony, by contrast has some really great hardware (very reliable, built in wifi, blu-ray player, hard drive standard, etc.), but when it comes to games they've been long on promises but short on delivery. So far, they've only had one decent exclusive (Metal Gear Solid 4), compared to the many decent exclusives on the 360. And, even when they get a multi-platform title, the 360 version always seems to be out ahead (either in release date or quality).
Xbox also OWNS the online play with Xbox Live. PSN still lags way behind. And while "Home" looked interesting, it got delayed and delayed (to the point where I suspect it's been scrapped).
I had high hopes for my PS3 when I bought it. But now, it's basically just a blu-ray player for me (and maybe that's good enough for Sony).
Linux on the PS3 is pretty much worthless, since (just like the PS2 Linux) it isn't allowed direct access to GPU acceleration or all of the Cell processor. This makes it little more than a novelty. Might be useful for someone who doesn't own a computer to try out a stripped down Linux. But, realistically, how many Linux fans don't already own a computer?
If you want to get promoted in the Bush administration, it's a requirement.
It's been my experience that any interviewer who resorts to trivia and silly "trick" questions is usually an idiot who doesn't know how to conduct an interview. Most of the time, this means that the job isn't worth having in the first place. The best jobs I've had were always working for sharp bosses who knew better than such Mickey Mouse nonsense. The worst jobs I've had were working under idiots who thought they were geniuses (inevitably the kind of people who conduct these sort of "gotcha" interviews). If a boss isn't smart enough to have established your basic credentials before he even gives you an interview, he's probably not going to be smart in anything else he does either.
Sure, but what a beautiful website design!
That's just a urban myth. Dick Cheney answers those calls all the time and his penis is just fine.
Now how the Hell am I supposed to play it on a handheld with my arthritis?
We're going to need a bigger mouse.
For the first time in a two years, I'm actually glad I went with AMD.
Seems a little condescending to still be calling him a boy.
Just proof of the old saying "You can't go home again"--especially when your home is 500 million years old.
With the exception of the crippling heat and arsenic-laced streams, you could easily mistake the two for one another.
I hear that Taco and some renegade biologists genetically engineer them in giant cloning vats under the Slashdot offices. They supposedly remove the humor gene to keep the clones from mating with regular human women.
That question is too complex for any woman outside of an Apple store. They're only there for the pretty colors.
I came in on the middle of one phone call and all I heard was him screaming "IT HURTS WHEN I PISS!!" at the telemarketer. Not sure what the wind-up on THAT one was (I was too scared to ask).
Did I mention that my cousin is an unemployed stoner?
Overall, things have improved a great deal. My telemarketing calls have probably dropped by about 75% since this law was introduced. But I still get WAY more than I should be getting (which should be none). Until they close these loopholes, a landline is still a bit of a pain in the ass.
Fortunately, both groups use computer autodialers which let me spot them very easily. If there is even the slightest pause after I say "Hello?" I know it's a telemarker (a normal person will respond immediately, an autodialer takes a little time to connect you with a live salesman). I've also found it helpful to always give my voicemail number at work as my "phone number" with any new company I do business with (telemarketers never leave messages).
I have a cousin who actually LOVES to get telemarketing calls, though. He has found all kinds of creative ways to screw with them. He will try to keep them on the line as long as possible, encouraging them with lots of questions and feigned interest, only to tell them "No" at the end (time is money for telemarketers). He will ask them "Hey could you hang on just a minute?" then put the phone down and go watch TV. My personal favorite is when he responds to them with "EXCUSE ME, but I'm trying to masturbate here!"
Apparently, MS doesn't allow caching or optional HDD installs (or actively resists it). The games have to play the same whether the console has a hard drive or not. Otherwise games like Oblivion and Mass Effect would almost certainly have cached (and you wouldn't get all those damn elevator rides in Mass Effect and graphics pop-in in both). And they also supposedly killed Rockstar's attempt to allow for an optional hard drive install of GTA IV on the 360, similar to the PS3 (early on Rockstar said they would have it, then suddenly they didn't and were mum on why).