This bill was written solely to upset the current relatively free market of broadband
What? Where do you get that idea from? Or is this more unfounded anti-regulatory claptrap?
Because the government will set "standards" of speed, this leaves smaller providers -- who may still be able to provide acceptable speeds -- out of the market.
Hogwash. Smaller providers can still be in the market, but if they don't meet the threshold for second generation broadband, they can't call themselves broadband. This is true of large providers as well. This leads to better information for consumers.
Another major part of the legislation is to enable better data collection, again providing better information to participants. Better information makes a market *more* free -- the free market model requires perfect access to information among participants.
This law aids the free market. It does not force out smaller players. If you want to say that they'll be uncompetitive because of slower speeds, and will go out of business because the market will not buy from them, that's an effect of the free market with better information.
It is unfortunate if geeks and techies support these kinds of bills, especially without reading them fully.
Did you read it fully? You seem to have a pretty awful misunderstanding of the bill. You make a lot of assumptions (monopoly provision).
Here's why I am against Net Neutrality -- instead of providing for a truly "neutral" pipe, regulations like these will be written by the strongest elements in a market, designed to kill the smaller competitors.
That's funny. Anyone who has read the bill understands that Net Neutrality isn't guaranteed by this bill (although some steps are made in that direction). So your problem with Net Neutrality is that instead of being enacted, something else (that benefits the carriers) is enacted instead? Your mistrust is misplaced.
Please explain, in detail, what parts of this bill will kill smaller competitors, and why. You make a big leap in logic, and I'm curious as to what provisions of this bill you think will squeeze out smaller competition -- particularly in contrast to the current broadband environment.
The $250 desktop computer without monitor or printer.
2nd-hand monitors are very easy to come by. Printers are a dime a dozen, just watch out for cartridge costs. Even Walmart has rebate promotions to make the effective printer cost zero.
The real story here is the death - or still-birth - of OEM Linux in American big-box retail.
No, that's the real story for a different article. This one has little to do with OEM Linux, it's about a low-price PC with OO instead of MSO. This isn't even about big-box retail, Walmart is a general retailer. And this thread in particular is about whether a low-specced PCis enough for students in today's computing environment.
You mean, glad you could obfuscate things with straw men and false dichotomies?
Yes, there are supposed environmentalists who are hypocritical in their actions. That does not mean that, externialities removed, they make the decision that increases their impact.
If someone is going to own a mansion regardless, isn't it better to light it with CFLs? Yes. Even if you live in a small apartment, isn't it better to use CFLs than incandescents (ignoring the heavy metals issue)? Yes.
Regardless of distances driven, is it environmentall better to drive a Prius than a Hummer? Yes. You mistakenly assume that the Hummer driver only drives it once a year (WTF!? If so, they are even worse due to the footprint of producing that Hummer for the utility provided -- remeber that environmental impact needs to be measured against utility provided).
Homosapians? I know it's just a spelling error, but as everyone knows, apians are bees. So, let me ask you a question:
Are you attracted to gay bees?
Disclaimer: I realize that not everyone here watched SNL in the early 80s. If you didn't, I'm sorry you don't get the joke -- but I don't mean to offend any gays or bee fetishists.
None of those posts appeared yet. Why invoke them? For karma?
The sooner they are relegated to obscurity, the better -- then most people will consider them the crackpots that they are. Giving them attention before they even appear doesn't help.
The about:config setting you're looking for is config.trim_on_minimize. Set this true.
I think this raises a point, though, in relation to browser share. The majority of users do not want to have to tweak anything. If they need to change Firefox configs in order to match performance under IE7, most would instead go back to IE7.[1]
Personally, I don't think browser share is the ultimate measure of how good a browser Firefox is. The only reason why I think it's important that FF and other browsers eat away at the IE7 share is so that more websites are developed according to standards.
[1] This is amusing, to me. The not-wanting-to-have-to-tweak-anything mentality used to be associated with Apple, not PCs (yes, more on the hardware side, but still). Now it's associated with MS products.
Seriously, though, if the choice is between a student having this $300 computer, and a student having no computer, which do you think is better?
Not every parent can afford to spend $1000 or even $500.
I'm sure accountants, geologists and every other field have their specific apps. These aren't tweaked to run on low-end hardware.
Yes they are. Any app designed for business is tweaked to run on a variety of systems, programs are designed to run on systems that were state-of-the-art more than five years prior. The business upgrade cycle used to be around three years, but now it's getting larger every day -- and businesses tend not to buy top-of-the-line systems anyway.
Back to educational use -- very few disciplines of study require apps that really use a lot of cycles. And when they do, typically those apps are run on university computers, not students' PCs. Those apps are also typically used for high-level research, not basic undergrad stuff.
you should have to explicitly authorize such reporting.
You do. Or don't you read the fine print on those service/credit agreements you sign?
You have a choice -- either be part of the credit culture (and deal with credit reporting) or get off the credit "grid" and not be able to easily purchase basic necessities like telephone service. You could go prepaid for some of that, though.
It isn't the algae that deplete the oxygen, it's the bacteria that feed on the dead algae. Note also that some of the toxins from algal blooms come from these bacteria as well. The problem with fertilizer runoff is that the algae reproduces unsustainably, so that when it begins dying off, the system cannot cope with the plunge in O2 concentrations. This is exacerbated by high water temps and low flow rate.
In a system where the algae is harvested for biodiesel, this is not a concern, since dead algae doesn't accumulate.
There aren't really any games that people play because they enjoy how bad they are.
I disagree. MMOs are a prime example. Why does anyone play Runescape when they've played MMOs with better graphics, better gameplay, and a better culture? Because they enjoy how bad it is.
No really, I'm serious.
How about people who prefer the early incarnations of a game franchise, even though the newer ones are better? Part of it is comfort, but part of it is enjoying the suckage.
I think what the article misses is that with 'camp' movies (like RHPS or Army of Darkness), everyone is in on the joke. It's not supposed to be good, and the audience enjoys that -- and a cult following is born.
One game that attempted this recently was Bards Tale III. It's telling that it did not succeed due to gameplay issues. I believe, though, that as the videogame industry continues maturing (and its market continues maturing) popular camp and cult icons-of-suckage will come into being.
If it's freshwater ponds, the non-processed algae also turn into a carbon sink (probably not very big in the scheme of things, but every little bit helps)
One of the clearest signs of global warming (human-caused or otherwise) is an increase in algae using up waterborne oxygen and causing fish deaths.
Huh? Algae produces O2, it doesn't use it up. Algae growth becomes a concern due to global warming and related issues because it thrives in a high-carbon high-temperature environment.
The fish deaths are not due to oxygen deprivation from the algae; rather, some algae blooms produce toxins that kill off fish. In smaller waters (like ponds and slow-moving rivers) algae exerts downward pressure on fish populations by outcompeting other organisms in the fish's food web.
While low oxygen concentrations are sometimes observed in waters with a high algae content, this is typically due to low aeration and warm water.
Re:Has already existed and thrived for a long time
on
Rewritable Song Lyrics
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· Score: 1
Yes, and while I think that the patronage model is where we're headed for music in the digital era, I think it highlights one of the downsides to patronage.
When artistic concerns are overshadowed by the need to please one's patron, art suffers.
First they came for the library records, you did not care because you cant[1] read[2a]
Then they came for net access records, you did not care[3a] because you don't need privacy[3b] there[2b]
[1] First they came for the apostrophe Nazis, and I did not care because I know how to use apostrophes. [2] Then they came for the end-of-sentence punctuation Nazis, and I did not care because I punctuate my sentences. [3] Then they came for tense agreement Nazis, and I did not care because I know that 'do not need privacy' (even abbreviated as don't) is present tense while 'did not care' is past tense.
Then I realized that it matters not, because if someone can't read, they aren't going to care about net access records regardless of the privacy issues.
That's the exact same justification the 9-11 attackers used.
So? Does that mean it isn't true? Are you saying that anything at all that has to do with the 9-11 terrorists should be anathema?
How about Arabs in general? The 9-11 terrorists were primarily Arabic, doesn't that mean that being an Arab is wrong? The terrorists could fly a plane, doesn't that mean that piloting a plane is wrong?
I think that terrorism is wrong, BUT the logic behind it can be valid. This is one case where morality trumps rationality.
Seriously, though, isn't it true that government acts by consent of the governed in the US? That's what we tell everyone, that's the entire basis for the US empire -- spreading 'democracy' and 'freedom'. So when people are unhappy about the impacts of our economic and cultural acts of aggression, is it any surprise that they hold citizens responsible for the acts of their government?
What the author is saying is take your PDA with GPS, walk around and have it automatically search for hits at your coordinates, with links to relevant info.
What this depends on is information being indexed by coordinates, via tags or elsewise. Not sure that'll take off.
Instead, why don't points of interest broadcast on an open (but secure, if possible) network? Go to a museum, a list of links pops up on your PDA.
Either that or index the whole world in google earth|maps or something similar.
Slashdot Mirror
Hogwash. Smaller providers can still be in the market, but if they don't meet the threshold for second generation broadband, they can't call themselves broadband. This is true of large providers as well. This leads to better information for consumers.
Another major part of the legislation is to enable better data collection, again providing better information to participants. Better information makes a market *more* free -- the free market model requires perfect access to information among participants.
This law aids the free market. It does not force out smaller players. If you want to say that they'll be uncompetitive because of slower speeds, and will go out of business because the market will not buy from them, that's an effect of the free market with better information.
Did you read it fully? You seem to have a pretty awful misunderstanding of the bill. You make a lot of assumptions (monopoly provision).
That's funny. Anyone who has read the bill understands that Net Neutrality isn't guaranteed by this bill (although some steps are made in that direction). So your problem with Net Neutrality is that instead of being enacted, something else (that benefits the carriers) is enacted instead? Your mistrust is misplaced.
Please explain, in detail, what parts of this bill will kill smaller competitors, and why. You make a big leap in logic, and I'm curious as to what provisions of this bill you think will squeeze out smaller competition -- particularly in contrast to the current broadband environment.
No, that's the real story for a different article. This one has little to do with OEM Linux, it's about a low-price PC with OO instead of MSO. This isn't even about big-box retail, Walmart is a general retailer. And this thread in particular is about whether a low-specced PCis enough for students in today's computing environment.
Yes, there are supposed environmentalists who are hypocritical in their actions. That does not mean that, externialities removed, they make the decision that increases their impact.
If someone is going to own a mansion regardless, isn't it better to light it with CFLs? Yes. Even if you live in a small apartment, isn't it better to use CFLs than incandescents (ignoring the heavy metals issue)? Yes.
Regardless of distances driven, is it environmentall better to drive a Prius than a Hummer? Yes. You mistakenly assume that the Hummer driver only drives it once a year (WTF!? If so, they are even worse due to the footprint of producing that Hummer for the utility provided -- remeber that environmental impact needs to be measured against utility provided).
In short, your arguments are vacuous.
Try reading The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth by Tim Flannery. It's a good primer on the subject. Flannery addresses your questions and many more.
Homosapians? I know it's just a spelling error, but as everyone knows, apians are bees. So, let me ask you a question:
Are you attracted to gay bees?
Disclaimer: I realize that not everyone here watched SNL in the early 80s. If you didn't, I'm sorry you don't get the joke -- but I don't mean to offend any gays or bee fetishists.
None of those posts appeared yet. Why invoke them? For karma?
The sooner they are relegated to obscurity, the better -- then most people will consider them the crackpots that they are. Giving them attention before they even appear doesn't help.
Personally, I don't think browser share is the ultimate measure of how good a browser Firefox is. The only reason why I think it's important that FF and other browsers eat away at the IE7 share is so that more websites are developed according to standards.
[1] This is amusing, to me. The not-wanting-to-have-to-tweak-anything mentality used to be associated with Apple, not PCs (yes, more on the hardware side, but still). Now it's associated with MS products.
Seriously, though, if the choice is between a student having this $300 computer, and a student having no computer, which do you think is better?
Not every parent can afford to spend $1000 or even $500.
Yes they are. Any app designed for business is tweaked to run on a variety of systems, programs are designed to run on systems that were state-of-the-art more than five years prior. The business upgrade cycle used to be around three years, but now it's getting larger every day -- and businesses tend not to buy top-of-the-line systems anyway.
Back to educational use -- very few disciplines of study require apps that really use a lot of cycles. And when they do, typically those apps are run on university computers, not students' PCs. Those apps are also typically used for high-level research, not basic undergrad stuff.
You have a choice -- either be part of the credit culture (and deal with credit reporting) or get off the credit "grid" and not be able to easily purchase basic necessities like telephone service. You could go prepaid for some of that, though.
I'm sorry to use the terms used to discuss population equilibria. Also probably due to my economics background. Sorry for any confusion.
Also, I wasn't discussing severe algae blooms, so I don't kinow how much of a euphemism that is...
It isn't the algae that deplete the oxygen, it's the bacteria that feed on the dead algae. Note also that some of the toxins from algal blooms come from these bacteria as well. The problem with fertilizer runoff is that the algae reproduces unsustainably, so that when it begins dying off, the system cannot cope with the plunge in O2 concentrations. This is exacerbated by high water temps and low flow rate.
In a system where the algae is harvested for biodiesel, this is not a concern, since dead algae doesn't accumulate.
Ask the North Vietnamese.
Besides, that's what you get for not softening them up with artillery first.
No really, I'm serious.
How about people who prefer the early incarnations of a game franchise, even though the newer ones are better? Part of it is comfort, but part of it is enjoying the suckage.
I think what the article misses is that with 'camp' movies (like RHPS or Army of Darkness), everyone is in on the joke. It's not supposed to be good, and the audience enjoys that -- and a cult following is born.
One game that attempted this recently was Bards Tale III. It's telling that it did not succeed due to gameplay issues. I believe, though, that as the videogame industry continues maturing (and its market continues maturing) popular camp and cult icons-of-suckage will come into being.
If it's freshwater ponds, the non-processed algae also turn into a carbon sink (probably not very big in the scheme of things, but every little bit helps)
Bah, we all knew that the airlines were scum anyway.
What I really want to see is a mushroom-powered Air Force. If you thought those Hellfire missile explosions were pretty before...
The fish deaths are not due to oxygen deprivation from the algae; rather, some algae blooms produce toxins that kill off fish. In smaller waters (like ponds and slow-moving rivers) algae exerts downward pressure on fish populations by outcompeting other organisms in the fish's food web.
While low oxygen concentrations are sometimes observed in waters with a high algae content, this is typically due to low aeration and warm water.
Yes, and while I think that the patronage model is where we're headed for music in the digital era, I think it highlights one of the downsides to patronage.
When artistic concerns are overshadowed by the need to please one's patron, art suffers.
Those who can't, teach.
slashdot addendum
Those who can't be bothered, discuss it endlessly online while claiming the moral high ground.
[2] Then they came for the end-of-sentence punctuation Nazis, and I did not care because I punctuate my sentences.
[3] Then they came for tense agreement Nazis, and I did not care because I know that 'do not need privacy' (even abbreviated as don't) is present tense while 'did not care' is past tense.
Then I realized that it matters not, because if someone can't read, they aren't going to care about net access records regardless of the privacy issues.
Please, do us all a favor and get back under your bridge -- if I recall, it's the one known as Digg.
How about Arabs in general? The 9-11 terrorists were primarily Arabic, doesn't that mean that being an Arab is wrong? The terrorists could fly a plane, doesn't that mean that piloting a plane is wrong?
I think that terrorism is wrong, BUT the logic behind it can be valid. This is one case where morality trumps rationality.
Seriously, though, isn't it true that government acts by consent of the governed in the US? That's what we tell everyone, that's the entire basis for the US empire -- spreading 'democracy' and 'freedom'. So when people are unhappy about the impacts of our economic and cultural acts of aggression, is it any surprise that they hold citizens responsible for the acts of their government?
What the author is saying is take your PDA with GPS, walk around and have it automatically search for hits at your coordinates, with links to relevant info.
What this depends on is information being indexed by coordinates, via tags or elsewise. Not sure that'll take off.
Instead, why don't points of interest broadcast on an open (but secure, if possible) network? Go to a museum, a list of links pops up on your PDA.
Either that or index the whole world in google earth|maps or something similar.
Is that pronounce with a G-as-in-Gary or a G-as-in-siGn?
If it's the latter, maybe we need to have a talk with your parole officer.
I agree with you, as written in the GP to this post.
I'm not saying it would be beneficial, just that it *could* be used in this manner.
You've been reading too much fiction and not enough psychology. Either that, or you've mistakenly assumed that all fear is debilitating.