I recently got a laptop that runs Windows 98. After running Linux for three years, my Windows skills had deteriorated to the point where I looked and felt like a newbie whenever I sat down in front of the thing. I still don't know how to do some things, because back in my Windows days, I used Windows 95.
In fact, I didn't even know that Windows ME had been released until I saw the upgrades at Best Buy. Maybe I should make some effort to keep up....
OK, everyone knows that the only things that Microsoft makes well are joysticks and mice. So they should be doing the hardware. Dell ships computers with Linux preinstalled, so maybe they should be doing the software instead. As for Unisys, people who say "Democracy" and "Unisys" in the same sentence should be shot. Wait, did I just...damn....
"Well, a browser plug-ins are no different than a software or hardware update."
When you're making a web site, you can't expect people to 1) visit the site that hosts the plug-in, 2) fill in a registration form, 3) download your software, 4) exit Netscape, 5) run "setup.exe" 6) restart Netscape, 7) Find your website again. They'll just go to some other website instead.
Furthermore, lots of KDE users just use kfm as their web browser, and lots of GNOME users use Galeon. Plug-in makers don't make plug-ins for anything but Netscape and IE. Sometimes you can't get a UNIX plug-in at all.
My grandmother gets free cable internet from their city government that runs through the TV cable and is accessed from an appliance that sits on top of the TV and also functions as the cable TV decoder. This device doesn't support plug-ins at all. So your argument breaks down completely in this instance.
Now in our case, we can probably install MathML plug-ins on our machines and administer the test, since we control the machines on the client-side. But most plug-ins are generally worthless, and forcing your website readers to use them is textbook example of a Really Bad Idea.
Something like this would be schweet if it became widely accepted. HTML is OK for most things, but mathematical notation and things molecular diagrams in Chemistry have to be represented with image files which can, of course, be a real pain in the ass.
Our little college is looking into MathML as a possible way to give online placement tests to incoming first-year students, and I found that it required special browser plug-ins to work. So I'm guessing that a browsers like Opera, kfm, and my grandmother's TV internet appliance are just out of luck. Needless to say, I'm not very comfortable with depending on browser plug-ins for anything.
How soon is it going to be before browsers support this stuff out-of-the-box, without me having to download and install a stupid plug-in?
If all the porn sites move to.xxx then eventually our school's sysadmin will block the.xxx TLD to conserve bandwidth. And then what will we have left to do on Friday nights??
The Matrix was a Kung Fu movie, with the sci fi angle thrown in to make it more interesting, and allow for better wardrobe and those cool cyberpunk sets. Kung Fu movies never have to make excuses.
This is the most insightful thing anyone has said about a movie on Slashdot for a long time.....
I'm much more concerned that the MIR will crash somewhere deep in the Florida swamps and that the vile space-fungus will mutate a harmless mild-mannered astronaut into a bloodthirsty, sinster guy-in-a-monster-suit, who will then embark on a killing rampage spreading death, destruction, and space-fungus all throughout the swamp. Because that's what happened in Dark Universe, the 1993 epic sci-fi classic whose gripping plot and breathtaking special effects give even Plan 9 from Outer Space a run for it's money. A chilling view of things to come....
Dude, I have a friend whose family has a passive solar heating system in their house. Basically, the water is heated by solar cells on the roof of the house, then stored in an insulated tank until it is used. It's a pretty simple system, but it works really well -- my friend has been been taking free hot showers all her life.
All these iBook improvements are really nice, but I really wish that they came with 14.1 inch screens, like the Powerbooks (and most good Wintel laptops) do. In my opinion, a good display is more important than firewire and a faster processer. I've got a 200 MHz Pentium, but a 19 inch monitor.
I don't know -- has anyone seen 1024x768 on a 12.1 laptop screen? Is it possible, and if so, does it look OK?
This is gonna get modded down, but, hey, I can afford it.:-)
I've bought tons of movies: its so unfair that I can't play them on the plane without rebooting. Having to keep a whole operating system around just to watch movies is pretty harsh.
Don't buy DVD's!! Ever! Maybe I'm being a bit of a zealot, but it just seems that every DVD that people like CmdrTaco buy creates more revenue that can be used to fund these bonged-out lawsuits. If you're sick of the MPAA, quit funding them -- I have, and I won't buy a DVD until either all this bullshit gets resolved in the consumers' favor or until someone convinces me that I'm full of shit.
I know that nothing I do as an individual will make anything better, but I like to think that, by doing what I can, I've at least somehow earned the right to bitch about it.
First of all, something isn't Linux compatible if it only runs on Intel hardware. I run Linux on an Intel box, but I know of people who run Linux on a Macintosh, and I may decide to move in that direction too. AOL will probably do something to deliberately break GAIM, and use as their justificiation that "we have AIM for Linux, so you shouldn't complain." And then the LinuxPPC users will be screwed.
Second of all, I'm sure that they've added all sorts of stupid banner ads to the program, just like they did on the Windows version. I just don't want to be advertised to. That's reason enough to stick with GAIM, even if the official version had more features.
Thirdly, a question. Do they distribute tarballs? Not everyone can use RPMs. Again, you really can't say that you've got a Linux-compatible piece of software if it comes in a package that isn't universally used.
You can do things like super-distribution, for example, where you can e-mail the song and say, "If you get 10 of your best friends to buy it, I'll give you free tickets to the Britney Spears concert next month."
Grateful Dead fans have been doing exactly that for years and years. Basically, the Dead allowed their fans to tape their shows and trade them freely. It was one of the big reasons for their enormous popularity. There are a lot of newer bands that have taken the same attitude. Phish, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and countless other bands allow you to freely trade tapes (and now CDR's) of their concerts. The best way to get hooked up with their music is by going to http://www.etree.org and subscribing to the mailing lists.
I love E-Tree. I've downloaded and burned dozens and dozens of excellent live shows that I never would have been able to hear if it weren't for the loose network of fans that make this kind of stuff possible.
In the US, at least, computer CDR's are tax free, because when the law was passed, they didn't count on computers being used to burn music CD's. Computer CDR's are down to, like, 50 cents a piece, and not a penny of that goes to the assholes in the recording industry.
...then they should offer everyone the chance to buy their IBM computers with Linux preinstalled. I was looking at their site the other day, and they have some cool small-form-factor desktops. I was thinking about getting one for my 12x12 dorm room, but I'm gonna have to pass because I'd have to buy a Windows license (which I neither want nor need) with the computer. You may think that I'm being petty, but I am on a tight, tight budget and the price of a Windows license is a big deal.
I think it sucks that these corporations -- while paying lip service to Linux, Free Software/Open Source/whatever, and consumer choice -- still force you to buy crap like Windows, Office, and God knows what else for each system you buy.
I love my Palm III, and am glad to see the prices of PDA's falling. The only think i would add to mine is some sort of electric-shock-thingy so I could zap all the people who come up to me while I'm reading something I've downloaded onto it and say "Ooo, can I play Hardball?" or something.
Bruce is joking (he's joking, right?), but the question remains: can people really patent and copyright this kind of stuff (genes, and the like)? I can see how it is valuable intellectual property, so someone is bound to try it, but on the other hand, you don't invent anything, you just discover it.
I mean, people are pretty accustomed to just doing whatever it is they want to do (no matter how slowly), that they may resent being forced to learn a new keyboard. Also, when you're typing with a pen or with one finger, you're not gonna be typing that fast anyway, no matter how optimized the keyboard is. So I wonder what kind of a speed increase this scheme really offers. Finally, what is wrong with the graffiti system built into current Palm Pilots?
Slashdot Mirror
So now they're known as the FB1?
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
I recently got a laptop that runs Windows 98. After running Linux for three years, my Windows skills had deteriorated to the point where I looked and felt like a newbie whenever I sat down in front of the thing. I still don't know how to do some things, because back in my Windows days, I used Windows 95.
In fact, I didn't even know that Windows ME had been released until I saw the upgrades at Best Buy. Maybe I should make some effort to keep up....
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
OK, everyone knows that the only things that Microsoft makes well are joysticks and mice. So they should be doing the hardware. Dell ships computers with Linux preinstalled, so maybe they should be doing the software instead. As for Unisys, people who say "Democracy" and "Unisys" in the same sentence should be shot. Wait, did I just...damn....
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
"Well, a browser plug-ins are no different than a software or hardware update."
When you're making a web site, you can't expect people to 1) visit the site that hosts the plug-in, 2) fill in a registration form, 3) download your software, 4) exit Netscape, 5) run "setup.exe" 6) restart Netscape, 7) Find your website again. They'll just go to some other website instead.
Furthermore, lots of KDE users just use kfm as their web browser, and lots of GNOME users use Galeon. Plug-in makers don't make plug-ins for anything but Netscape and IE. Sometimes you can't get a UNIX plug-in at all.
My grandmother gets free cable internet from their city government that runs through the TV cable and is accessed from an appliance that sits on top of the TV and also functions as the cable TV decoder. This device doesn't support plug-ins at all. So your argument breaks down completely in this instance.
Now in our case, we can probably install MathML plug-ins on our machines and administer the test, since we control the machines on the client-side. But most plug-ins are generally worthless, and forcing your website readers to use them is textbook example of a Really Bad Idea.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Something like this would be schweet if it became widely accepted. HTML is OK for most things, but mathematical notation and things molecular diagrams in Chemistry have to be represented with image files which can, of course, be a real pain in the ass.
Our little college is looking into MathML as a possible way to give online placement tests to incoming first-year students, and I found that it required special browser plug-ins to work. So I'm guessing that a browsers like Opera, kfm, and my grandmother's TV internet appliance are just out of luck. Needless to say, I'm not very comfortable with depending on browser plug-ins for anything.
How soon is it going to be before browsers support this stuff out-of-the-box, without me having to download and install a stupid plug-in?
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
You mean a Slashdot reviewer actually liked a movie? Incredible!!
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Stephen C. VanDahm
If all the porn sites move to .xxx then eventually our school's sysadmin will block the .xxx TLD to conserve bandwidth. And then what will we have left to do on Friday nights??
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
The Matrix was a Kung Fu movie, with the sci fi angle thrown in to make it more interesting, and allow for better wardrobe and those cool cyberpunk sets. Kung Fu movies never have to make excuses.
This is the most insightful thing anyone has said about a movie on Slashdot for a long time.....
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
I'm much more concerned that the MIR will crash somewhere deep in the Florida swamps and that the vile space-fungus will mutate a harmless mild-mannered astronaut into a bloodthirsty, sinster guy-in-a-monster-suit, who will then embark on a killing rampage spreading death, destruction, and space-fungus all throughout the swamp. Because that's what happened in Dark Universe, the 1993 epic sci-fi classic whose gripping plot and breathtaking special effects give even Plan 9 from Outer Space a run for it's money. A chilling view of things to come....
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Dude, I have a friend whose family has a passive solar heating system in their house. Basically, the water is heated by solar cells on the roof of the house, then stored in an insulated tank until it is used. It's a pretty simple system, but it works really well -- my friend has been been taking free hot showers all her life.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
All these iBook improvements are really nice, but I really wish that they came with 14.1 inch screens, like the Powerbooks (and most good Wintel laptops) do. In my opinion, a good display is more important than firewire and a faster processer. I've got a 200 MHz Pentium, but a 19 inch monitor.
I don't know -- has anyone seen 1024x768 on a 12.1 laptop screen? Is it possible, and if so, does it look OK?
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Right now it's about 10:25 Central, and the price has already risen to $500,000 (reserve met).
Damn, I wish I was this guy...
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Don't buy DVD's!! Ever! Maybe I'm being a bit of a zealot, but it just seems that every DVD that people like CmdrTaco buy creates more revenue that can be used to fund these bonged-out lawsuits. If you're sick of the MPAA, quit funding them -- I have, and I won't buy a DVD until either all this bullshit gets resolved in the consumers' favor or until someone convinces me that I'm full of shit.
I know that nothing I do as an individual will make anything better, but I like to think that, by doing what I can, I've at least somehow earned the right to bitch about it.
Take care,
Steve
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
First of all, something isn't Linux compatible if it only runs on Intel hardware. I run Linux on an Intel box, but I know of people who run Linux on a Macintosh, and I may decide to move in that direction too. AOL will probably do something to deliberately break GAIM, and use as their justificiation that "we have AIM for Linux, so you shouldn't complain." And then the LinuxPPC users will be screwed.
Second of all, I'm sure that they've added all sorts of stupid banner ads to the program, just like they did on the Windows version. I just don't want to be advertised to. That's reason enough to stick with GAIM, even if the official version had more features.
Thirdly, a question. Do they distribute tarballs? Not everyone can use RPMs. Again, you really can't say that you've got a Linux-compatible piece of software if it comes in a package that isn't universally used.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
... Nuff said.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
if (($#tasks >= 4) && ($reads_mail == 1)) {
$program = "project" ;
} else {
$program = "hobby" || $program = "toy";
}
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
I can imagine the headline:
RIAA: United States Postal Service a Tool for Piracy
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Grateful Dead fans have been doing exactly that for years and years. Basically, the Dead allowed their fans to tape their shows and trade them freely. It was one of the big reasons for their enormous popularity. There are a lot of newer bands that have taken the same attitude. Phish, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and countless other bands allow you to freely trade tapes (and now CDR's) of their concerts. The best way to get hooked up with their music is by going to http://www.etree.org and subscribing to the mailing lists.
I love E-Tree. I've downloaded and burned dozens and dozens of excellent live shows that I never would have been able to hear if it weren't for the loose network of fans that make this kind of stuff possible.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
In the US, at least, computer CDR's are tax free, because when the law was passed, they didn't count on computers being used to burn music CD's. Computer CDR's are down to, like, 50 cents a piece, and not a penny of that goes to the assholes in the recording industry.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
...then they should offer everyone the chance to buy their IBM computers with Linux preinstalled. I was looking at their site the other day, and they have some cool small-form-factor desktops. I was thinking about getting one for my 12x12 dorm room, but I'm gonna have to pass because I'd have to buy a Windows license (which I neither want nor need) with the computer. You may think that I'm being petty, but I am on a tight, tight budget and the price of a Windows license is a big deal.
I think it sucks that these corporations -- while paying lip service to Linux, Free Software/Open Source/whatever, and consumer choice -- still force you to buy crap like Windows, Office, and God knows what else for each system you buy.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
I love my Palm III, and am glad to see the prices of PDA's falling. The only think i would add to mine is some sort of electric-shock-thingy so I could zap all the people who come up to me while I'm reading something I've downloaded onto it and say "Ooo, can I play Hardball?" or something.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
A scary thought: my mother could patent her genome, and, since I have my mother's nose, she could charge me royalties for the next 20 years!! :-)
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Bruce is joking (he's joking, right?), but the question remains: can people really patent and copyright this kind of stuff (genes, and the like)? I can see how it is valuable intellectual property, so someone is bound to try it, but on the other hand, you don't invent anything, you just discover it.
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
Emacs = Esc, Meta, Alt, Ctrl, Shift
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
I mean, people are pretty accustomed to just doing whatever it is they want to do (no matter how slowly), that they may resent being forced to learn a new keyboard. Also, when you're typing with a pen or with one finger, you're not gonna be typing that fast anyway, no matter how optimized the keyboard is. So I wonder what kind of a speed increase this scheme really offers. Finally, what is wrong with the graffiti system built into current Palm Pilots?
========
Stephen C. VanDahm