Boeing just doesn't see it as a good business investment because airlines don't want to put it on their planes. If you can't sell a product, then why are you in the business of offering it?
In the long run, however, I think they are being a little short sighted. Passengers DO want Internet connectivity even on short flights, its become so engrained in our culture. Like music, movies, and then personal TV on flights, Internet connectivity is the next logical step.
My problem is, don't charge me $500 for the flight, and then expect me to pay $50 an hour for internet service. It could be that most customers lack of interest in internet connectivity is simply because they don't want to have to pay for an additional service when they have already been milked dry buying the fare.
I think what will happen here is Boeing will sell off the division, and then another company will make it work, which I think would be best. Give it 5 years, and EVERY airline will offer Internet access and some CEO at Boeing will have his ass kicked for being short sighted. If you have already spent a billion on it, stick with it and it will pay off eventually.
But it IS a viable service, something that I think anybody with a PDA, Blackberry, Laptop, PSP, Nintendo DS will want to see instead of staring blankly out a small window for 8 hours.
I have found that a mouse pad has become redundant. I recently got the Logitech G5 with teflon pads, and I haven't found a need to ever use a mouse pad again. The pads never gum up and cause friction to slow down the mouse and the high resolution tracking is enough to track well with the wood grain on my keyboard tray.
Perhaps for those people that go to LAN parties, bringing in your own mouse pad where you never know what surface you might have to play on is important, but I can't see spending that much money for a sheet of textured rubber. Also, why does it have to be big? I thought most FPS gamers turn up the tracking on their mice so that a small twitch is all they need to perform big moves in the game, having to drag your mouse across near a foot of mouse pad kind of defeats the purpose of it being for gamers. I myself can get from one end of the deskto to another with only 2 square inches of desk space.
But, I guess there is a niche market for people that feel they need a mouse pad, those that believe the optical mice won't track accurately without a quality texture and surface to track on. That some how the material use will give them an edge on gaming that putting a mouse on a regular desktop won't achieve. In any case, if you can make that much profit selling $1 worth of materials for that expense to those kinds of people, more power to you.
A relational file systems is the next generation of OS design and a necessary evolution of the concept.
Put it this way, your computer stores hundreds of thousands of files, the current paradigm of treating them as files stored in a folder tree is absolutely antiquated and ridiculous.
I should be able to ask my operating system, "Show me all my picture files", and it simply can list ALL the image files on my computer, regardless of how or where they are stored. Features like Spotlight in OS X or Google Desktop are "nice" ways of trying to deal with this problem in a folder tree, but they are just an expensive to generate index file and it takes way too much time to return a result. Spotlight not only has to return if the index entry for a file matches, but it also has to verify if the file still exists on disk. I could take minutes for spotlight or Google desktop to return ALL image files on your computer. You will also notice that these systems often display something like (and 5000 more) link, this means that in order to have the search return results quick enough, it didn't REALLY find all 5000 files, it just says that according to its index file, there appears to be 5000 more image files, when you click on the link, it take more time to finally list all these files. Indexing a folder based tree structure is a solution, but its not an ideal solution. It is limited by the limitations of an antiquated file tree structure.
In a relational file system, if I ask for all image files stored on my computer, the result should be instantaneous, or near to it, as the fact that the file exists as a database entry means the file exists in reality. The time required for the results is simply the time required to build a query and return a result from a database.
Also, why do we even have to name files? Why do we have to give them a file extension. These are all antiquated file system concepts which are completely meaningless for a modern OS. A relational file system stores more then just a file name and a file type, I should be able to search for a file by date, description, keyword in the file, etc, etc, etc. I should not only be allowed to name the file, but provide any meta tags I want to help me locating that file quickly. An extension was a cheap way to get the OS to launch or open a file related to a specific program, but it would be completely unnecessary if the file itself embedded its type or had an entry in a database record. The name of a file would purely be a description and only one of many ways to identify a file.
Ultimately, a relational file system will allow such concepts as "Show me the letter about taxes I wrote to Bob Smith last week." and it will return the email or document you wrote, period. You don't care what the file name is. You don't care what type of file it may be, whether it was an email or text document. A file system should know that a file exists on your computer that is a texted based document, including keywords taxes and Bob that was generated within a week of the current date. This is a sorely needed concept in ANY OS, no OS to date has anything near that powerful a concept. There is no reason for a file system not to be able to handle these requests, and if we EVER want something like what we have seen in Star Trek, where people can ask a computer real language queries, we NEED a relational file system.
Relational files systems will bring a whole new level of superior storage capability to computers that will eventually start storing millions of files. We can't just keep a "lean and mean" tree based folder structure, that paradigm was never intended to manage millions of files.
I applaud Microsoft for at least trying, because unlike Google or Apple, they realize that the future is in a database driving relational file system and not stop gap pseudo-solutions like indexing. Its obviously a difficult concept to implement, but once anyone is able to implement the idea, it will be a VERY welcomed concept and improve the functionality and usability of an operating system. I for one would switch to and swear by ANY OS that implements this idea properly, whether its Linux, OS X, or yes, even Windows.
But, Apple has been using the same form factor in aluminum Power/Mac book pros for over 3 years now. Shouldn't the current MacBook Pros be like generation 4 of the line? While I would agree that anything related to the Intel chip and sub-system (such as power savings and battery life) might be prone to flaky gen 1.0 like issues, the screen, battery, cooling, finish and keyboard should all pretty much be flawless.
I don't agree with the idea that this is Apple's first kick at the can. Having screens which whine loudly if the brightness is too high, overly hot and swelling batteries, and other things like that speak more of a reduction in the quality of production of these products, which is unfortunate. Apple is getting more life out of an original form factor, and if there is growing quality problems, perhaps they should change their Chinese production factory.
If Apple had radically changed the design of their MacBook Pros, then I would expect the regular type of growing pains inherent in product development, but this isn't a new design. In fact, if Intel hadn't come along, I think these would have just been the next revision of the PowerBook lineup implementing dual core G5's or something. I don't think Apple went back to the drawing board when creating the Intel MacBook Pro, as with ALL their Intel based Mac lineup.
Its more a question of learning the meaning of procrastination, and wondering what an application based on the word is going to do to your calendars.
Honestly, anybody investing much time in making iCals probably has too much time on their hands, but schedules stuff for the future anyways.
Isn't this technically a Trojan virus? An application that when installed corrupts your data. I don't want to be devil's advocate here, but it doesn't require a terribly sophisticated delivery method to trick Apple users into installing a application to corrupt their data. I wonder how an application called iRandomUn1ns7allr would be received in the Apple community.
- - Don't mod me down for speaking the truth, unless you can prove I am lying.
But we have heard this before. Billy West made the same statements and he retracted them. This might suggest that there is some momentum in the Futurama camp to make it live again. However; I won't believe it until Fox airs Futurama sporadically at 7:30 on a Sunday night, preempted by baseball or football, following another dismal episode of King of the Hill, with little to no advertising or promotion ensuring that the show fails to capture a large enough audience so Fox believes it a failure and yanks it off television once again.
Why does anybody work with Fox? Fox is the bigget show killer of all time!
Apple's next OS X update will ensure that random MacBooks will explode in a ball of flames. Apple, after all, wants to do everything a PC can do, but better, right?!
Honestly, most of the software managers/bosses I have worked for can't think abstractly. They need to SEE prototypes, need to USE test software, or at least see pictures and text about how its supposed to work. Start describing software to them without visual aids and their eyes just gloss over.
Same goes for when managers start using a computer, I mean, the O.N./O.F.F. switch escapes them sometimes, and higher level concepts such as organizing files in folders is just too far beyond their capabilities.
So, an OS desktop that lets you see all your files and folders looking like pieces of paper and folders (I bet they even have email looking like envelopes too!) on a desktop that allows you to pile them up and look like stacks of paper and folders and envelops, what a concept!!!!
I guess ICONS that look like paper and folders that you can place anywhere on your desktop isn't good enough. It requires too much thought to associate an icon with a file or a folder. A picture of a piece of paper on a square is too hard to rationalize as being a document.
This is a revolutionary GUI concept and I can't wait for OS X or Windows to implement this idea as using computers today, with those pesky abstract icons, is just too darn hard, at least for managers.
I wish I could be a rat, they can cure paralysis, aids, being overweight, being underweight, many types of cancer, mood disorders, aggression, lots of diseases and I even think baldness.
Groups like Peta think that rats are abused in laboratories, but they don't realize how easy a life they have it. Scientists are curing all sorts of problems in rats, making it easier for rats to survive. Billions of dollars are spent every year to cure rat problems.
I just wish that scientists would start curing stuff in humans, it would be nice if one of these days they started applying these discoveries on humans and maybe helping the human race out. If they could just take some of those billions spent on rat research and put it towards humans, what a wonderful world it would be.
So, hurray, scientists cure something else in some lab rat! Let me know when they start working on humans.
Re:how the Wii controller works for FPS
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Wii-mote In Action
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· Score: 1, Interesting
Would you even want to play a game that keeps the cursor centered while you look around quickly I don't think you have clearly thought about how a game would look in that senario. The game screen would look like just a bunch of blurred shapes as you quickly move your remote or joystick around trying to see what is going on. If you thought about it in real life, not only would it be like putting blinders on that limited your sight to a small square, but you would also not be allowed to move your eyes. Your center of vision remains fixed while your head and body have to move in order to change your viewpoint. This is not how real life is, so why program those limitations into a game?
I know what you are trying to say, but I don't think you understand how bad a senario for game control that would be. If it was a better way to control FPS, then it would have been implemented by now.
More appropriate movie reference, "The Final Cut", a movie where someone takes your entire life which is recorded on some implant and splices a montage of events at your funeral.
Despite the seriousness of this situation, which many of you seem to disregard, the simple fact is that her parents should be sued for stupidity before anybody else.
America is becoming a country of "parents" that feel it is everyone else's problem to raise their kids. They expect teachers to be MORE to their children they they are, they expect media to protect their kids from "bad" things, they expect the Internet to police itself making it a safe haven for ignored children.
I would venture to guess that most people think 14 is old enough to have your own cellphone, computer, PDA, etc that doesn't require parental supervision to use. The problem is, the age of majority is 18 - 21, which means that as long as your parent have a legal responsibility to raise you, then you don't have the right to use these communication devices unsupervised.
Every parent that lets their under-age child use a cellphone, laptop, computer, or even a Nintendo DS with WiFi capabilities unsupervised is an out right IDIOT! Your are too dumb to have propagated, or too irresponsible to be allowed to take care of a child. I may be simplifying things greatly, but you are directly responsible for the safety of your child, and there are easy steps you can take to keep them safe, which most parents ignore or are blissfully unaware of.
When your child becomes the victim of assault, blame yourselves, not anybody else.
If you care about your child, get them those cellphones that can only call authorized numbers. Take their computer or laptop out of their rooms and tell them they can only use them in common areas of the home. You don't have to sit right beside your child as they browse the web, but they are less likely to get involved with someone online if there is threat you will walk into the room. Too often most parents let their children lock themselves in their bedroom with a high speed internet connection and instant messaging accounts. If your anal enough to worry about television content, get a TV with the V-Chip or invest in digital cable which allows you to block programs and/or entire channels (of course, I believe that being able to have open discussions about the content of television or video games is more important then wholesale censorship).
The bottom line is, you need to be involved in your child's life. I know its probably hard, but the culture of youth in America is one of pre-mature independence. Most kids feel they are entitled for parents to be out of their lives by the age of 12 or 13, that they are entitled to have a cellphone with text messaging in high school.
This girl obviously had access to unsupervised internet connections, whether from a desktop, laptop, or cellphone. The parents were blissfully ignorant of the goings on in this girls life, and the fact that she could even meet someone and get put into a position where rape was possible suggest a gross lack of involvement by the parents. I am sure that parents are right beside their daughter supporting here desire to sue a website (why not, they stand to benefit from their daughter's rape), but its too late, the damage has been done.
How long do these blatant social lessons in how to be a good parent have to continue before parents wake up and start realizing there is no substitute for good parenting?
From what I have read, there is no point to buying the Blu-Ray version. However, you should try out the Super-bit version of the Fifth Element on a good up-converting DVD player. It will hold me off for a few more years until the next-gen DVD war declares a true winner.
It doesn't have to be older material. With music CD's, I am finding that most places like Best Buy or Walmart sells brand new CD's for $9.99 or even less compared to iTunes full albums that seem to be topping $12.99 (because they all seem to include some "free" video version of the CD). I don't find iTunes at all competitive with big box stores, and the same will be true with movies.
I know that the iTMS has been a huge success for Apple, but when are people going to realize that if they get off their butts and go for a walk or take a drive, they can get the same music in a physical form factor for the same price, or even cheaper, and most still come without DRM protection. I bought the recent Tool CD and it comes in a case that features stereoscopic glasses and images and it cost $9.99. You can't get that at the iTMS. Heck, Apple doesn't even offer the ability to send a blank CD and case anymore as they used to do when the store first opened up. I used to remember seeing special edition LOTR blank CD's that you could get with your soundtrack purchase.
Apple and the iTMS is in a bubble, and like most tech bubbles, it will burst. While I am sure they will enjoy success for at least a few more years, people are beginning to wake up and realize that the iTMS isn't all that great, your often getting far less for more money.
When it comes to movies, its the same thing. While new releases are still well over $15 in most cases, I am finding a decent selection of movies at around $9.99, and I usually buy my DVD's used for around the same. I can't see any compelling reason to buy a movie from the iTMS except if your lazy or don't know how to use DVD ripping software (although, technically, DVD ripping is still illegal).
When the MacBook gets too hot. Honestly, I love Apple and their designs, but they tend to put TOO much engineering into one aspect of their computers and not in other areas. The MacBooks get way too hot, het they have a nice and completely useless ambient light detection hardware. Perhaps if this ambient light detection hardware was replaced with, say, another fan, then perhaps the laptops wouldn't become space heaters so quickly.
Lets focus on basic principles first before adding superfluous features like magnetic power cables (which my $20 electric tea kettle had 10 years ago BTW) and ambient light sensors.
Its great that Apple has an API to control the ambient light sensor and keyboard backlighting, too bad Apple can't find the time to make an API to make gaming a focus for Apple computers. They do CLAIM that Mac's are Funner then PC's, I just haven't seen the proof yet. I don't think making my keyboard fade in and out is as fun as, well, doing anything else!
How can you hate a company like that. I mean, first of all, they can do now wrong, despite offering the worlds worst OS for security in the last decade, they still have 95% marketshare.
Then they say they have the worlds most secure OS even before it enters its release candidate stage.
Lets face it, Apple and Linux is pretty boring compared to Microsoft.
Anyways, I am sure this will blow up in Microsoft's face sooner rather then later as someone finds some simple exploit in Vista that will make this statement false. I do home Microsoft got their act together and actually came up with a MORE secure version of Windows, but to say the MOST secure is laughable.
In the meantime, despite the fact that there have been may beta and CTP releases in the last year, is there any Vista exploits out their yet? I mean, I can't see the hacker community waiting for a gold release of Vista before they start their follies. I haven't read of any security holes found in Vista yet, of course, Beta 2 just was released to the public a few weeks ago. Is there any truth to this statement! I am holding my breath waiting for the answer because it seems a pretty safe thing to do.
I am expecting that with the anticipated release of a true video iPod towards that last quarter of this year, things will change pretty dramatically on the iPod landscape.
Expected is a wide screen iPod with touchscreen access.
This kind of system will require a significantly different UI structure. For instance, gone will be the touch wheel and buttons, instead some integrated touch screen UI is be required to navigate and browse music and movies on the new iPod.
Also, Apple has dropped the chip used the current generations of iPods. By switching to a new processor, chances are this will allow for more powerful UI and features which would be expected with a touch screen device.
Apple has also patented such things as touch screen keyboards and multi-touch touchscreen capabilities.
Its my opinion that Apple will most likely skirt around this issue by releasing an iPod with a significantly different UI (yet somehow keeping it familiar) that will simply render this lawsuit moot.
By the time any settlement is made, Apple, at worst, might have to pay Creative some lump sum for having sold their older iPods, but the new iPod will be free of conflict. The lump sum might be tied to some amount relative to the number of Jukebox's, Zen's and Muvo's Creative has sold over the last decade, which is to say, Apple might have to let go of some petty cash. Apple won't be able to serve Jello in their cafeteria in that particular week .
This is, of course, as valid as any Apple news that exists on the web today which is all based on rumors, speculation, and other meaningless drivel.
one hit at a time that is. I doubt we will see any new MMORPG or any new game from Blizzard for a long while as long as WOW is still making them a mint.
But, the problem is, not everybody likes MMORPG's, I hate them. The stories are too drawn out and vapid and there isn't much excitement really, just pound on some monsters for hours on end without any other plot element. And I don't like having to pay a subscription to play a game I already paid for. If this is the future of Blizzard games, turning every franchise into an MMORPG, then adios muchachos, I will find my entertainment elsewhere (like those books I used to love so much).
Rather then writing efficient and powerful native software, write system crippling interpreted applications so that you never realize the fullest potential of your brand new hardware? For what purpose, so that you can write an application that targets both 90% of the worlds Windows users on PCs AND the other 10% of mismatched users using alternative *nix based OS'es on a variety of hardware?
Sorry, as a Windows programmer, I will target the 90% and forget about the rest. I will earn a good living making native Windows software without worrying about crippling my software so that it can run poorly on the other 10%. If Open Source advocates create a Wine or other Windows emulator that can run my software, good for them, I will even optimize my code so that it runs more efficiently under Wine, but I will not abandon my largest marketshare by crippling my software in order to cater to the other 10% who don't believe in paying for software.
Vista will offer me a whole new level of expression and creativity, using their native API's. I am no longer constrained to creating apps with static grey boxes. Making a cross platform application, most UI is terribly utilitarian and uninspired. While there ARE exampled of decent cross platform applications (FireFox) for instance, most shareware open source software is crap and pure examples of why you need to define a target market rather then trying to appeal and cater to everyone.
Java still isn't improving. The few Java based desktop applications I have tried still cripple a reasonably powerful Dual Core AMD system. I mean, the system becomes sluggish and almost unusable if I have th Java applications UI visible. As soon as I minimize the Java application, the system snaps back to full speed. When Sun can make Java run as fast as native code (or even come withint 90%) without crippling the OS then I would consider using cross platform interpreted code, but not until then.
I have only ever found python to be effective for writing quick system scripts to perform repetitive tasks. I would shudder to have to write a actual application using the script language.
I don't see the end of native code any time soon. The argument that just because you have a beefy system that can run interpreted languages quickly isn't sound. I bought that beefy system so that I can maximize its effectiveness, not just make do with software that runs at 50% capacity, even at optimal conditions.
Why hasn't someone created a Java co-processor? I mean, create a hardware bit that can be slapped in as an add-on card, or embedded on the motherboard to run Java as fast as running native code on general CPUs? I mean, if Sun was serious about Java as a universal cross-platform language, then why not put some of their hardware development skills into making a Java co-processor. In the worst case, you have to run Java as a software virtual machine, but if you believe in Java and want it to succeed, then you will buy the co-processor and run Java in an optimize hardware machine.
Slashdot Mirror
You know, that guy that caused a stir with Napster, then sold out to the man, and has been selling out ever since!
It kind of hurts that Slashdot was listed, but I guess a website that only matters to nerds DOESN'T matter to anywone else.
Boeing just doesn't see it as a good business investment because airlines don't want to put it on their planes. If you can't sell a product, then why are you in the business of offering it?
In the long run, however, I think they are being a little short sighted. Passengers DO want Internet connectivity even on short flights, its become so engrained in our culture. Like music, movies, and then personal TV on flights, Internet connectivity is the next logical step.
My problem is, don't charge me $500 for the flight, and then expect me to pay $50 an hour for internet service. It could be that most customers lack of interest in internet connectivity is simply because they don't want to have to pay for an additional service when they have already been milked dry buying the fare.
I think what will happen here is Boeing will sell off the division, and then another company will make it work, which I think would be best. Give it 5 years, and EVERY airline will offer Internet access and some CEO at Boeing will have his ass kicked for being short sighted. If you have already spent a billion on it, stick with it and it will pay off eventually.
But it IS a viable service, something that I think anybody with a PDA, Blackberry, Laptop, PSP, Nintendo DS will want to see instead of staring blankly out a small window for 8 hours.
I have found that a mouse pad has become redundant. I recently got the Logitech G5 with teflon pads, and I haven't found a need to ever use a mouse pad again. The pads never gum up and cause friction to slow down the mouse and the high resolution tracking is enough to track well with the wood grain on my keyboard tray.
Perhaps for those people that go to LAN parties, bringing in your own mouse pad where you never know what surface you might have to play on is important, but I can't see spending that much money for a sheet of textured rubber. Also, why does it have to be big? I thought most FPS gamers turn up the tracking on their mice so that a small twitch is all they need to perform big moves in the game, having to drag your mouse across near a foot of mouse pad kind of defeats the purpose of it being for gamers. I myself can get from one end of the deskto to another with only 2 square inches of desk space.
But, I guess there is a niche market for people that feel they need a mouse pad, those that believe the optical mice won't track accurately without a quality texture and surface to track on. That some how the material use will give them an edge on gaming that putting a mouse on a regular desktop won't achieve. In any case, if you can make that much profit selling $1 worth of materials for that expense to those kinds of people, more power to you.
A relational file systems is the next generation of OS design and a necessary evolution of the concept.
Put it this way, your computer stores hundreds of thousands of files, the current paradigm of treating them as files stored in a folder tree is absolutely antiquated and ridiculous.
I should be able to ask my operating system, "Show me all my picture files", and it simply can list ALL the image files on my computer, regardless of how or where they are stored. Features like Spotlight in OS X or Google Desktop are "nice" ways of trying to deal with this problem in a folder tree, but they are just an expensive to generate index file and it takes way too much time to return a result. Spotlight not only has to return if the index entry for a file matches, but it also has to verify if the file still exists on disk. I could take minutes for spotlight or Google desktop to return ALL image files on your computer. You will also notice that these systems often display something like (and 5000 more) link, this means that in order to have the search return results quick enough, it didn't REALLY find all 5000 files, it just says that according to its index file, there appears to be 5000 more image files, when you click on the link, it take more time to finally list all these files. Indexing a folder based tree structure is a solution, but its not an ideal solution. It is limited by the limitations of an antiquated file tree structure.
In a relational file system, if I ask for all image files stored on my computer, the result should be instantaneous, or near to it, as the fact that the file exists as a database entry means the file exists in reality. The time required for the results is simply the time required to build a query and return a result from a database.
Also, why do we even have to name files? Why do we have to give them a file extension. These are all antiquated file system concepts which are completely meaningless for a modern OS. A relational file system stores more then just a file name and a file type, I should be able to search for a file by date, description, keyword in the file, etc, etc, etc. I should not only be allowed to name the file, but provide any meta tags I want to help me locating that file quickly. An extension was a cheap way to get the OS to launch or open a file related to a specific program, but it would be completely unnecessary if the file itself embedded its type or had an entry in a database record. The name of a file would purely be a description and only one of many ways to identify a file.
Ultimately, a relational file system will allow such concepts as "Show me the letter about taxes I wrote to Bob Smith last week." and it will return the email or document you wrote, period. You don't care what the file name is. You don't care what type of file it may be, whether it was an email or text document. A file system should know that a file exists on your computer that is a texted based document, including keywords taxes and Bob that was generated within a week of the current date. This is a sorely needed concept in ANY OS, no OS to date has anything near that powerful a concept. There is no reason for a file system not to be able to handle these requests, and if we EVER want something like what we have seen in Star Trek, where people can ask a computer real language queries, we NEED a relational file system.
Relational files systems will bring a whole new level of superior storage capability to computers that will eventually start storing millions of files. We can't just keep a "lean and mean" tree based folder structure, that paradigm was never intended to manage millions of files.
I applaud Microsoft for at least trying, because unlike Google or Apple, they realize that the future is in a database driving relational file system and not stop gap pseudo-solutions like indexing. Its obviously a difficult concept to implement, but once anyone is able to implement the idea, it will be a VERY welcomed concept and improve the functionality and usability of an operating system. I for one would switch to and swear by ANY OS that implements this idea properly, whether its Linux, OS X, or yes, even Windows.
But, Apple has been using the same form factor in aluminum Power/Mac book pros for over 3 years now. Shouldn't the current MacBook Pros be like generation 4 of the line? While I would agree that anything related to the Intel chip and sub-system (such as power savings and battery life) might be prone to flaky gen 1.0 like issues, the screen, battery, cooling, finish and keyboard should all pretty much be flawless.
I don't agree with the idea that this is Apple's first kick at the can. Having screens which whine loudly if the brightness is too high, overly hot and swelling batteries, and other things like that speak more of a reduction in the quality of production of these products, which is unfortunate. Apple is getting more life out of an original form factor, and if there is growing quality problems, perhaps they should change their Chinese production factory.
If Apple had radically changed the design of their MacBook Pros, then I would expect the regular type of growing pains inherent in product development, but this isn't a new design. In fact, if Intel hadn't come along, I think these would have just been the next revision of the PowerBook lineup implementing dual core G5's or something. I don't think Apple went back to the drawing board when creating the Intel MacBook Pro, as with ALL their Intel based Mac lineup.
Its more a question of learning the meaning of procrastination, and wondering what an application based on the word is going to do to your calendars.
Honestly, anybody investing much time in making iCals probably has too much time on their hands, but schedules stuff for the future anyways.
Isn't this technically a Trojan virus? An application that when installed corrupts your data. I don't want to be devil's advocate here, but it doesn't require a terribly sophisticated delivery method to trick Apple users into installing a application to corrupt their data. I wonder how an application called iRandomUn1ns7allr would be received in the Apple community.
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- Don't mod me down for speaking the truth, unless you can prove I am lying.
But we have heard this before. Billy West made the same statements and he retracted them. This might suggest that there is some momentum in the Futurama camp to make it live again. However; I won't believe it until Fox airs Futurama sporadically at 7:30 on a Sunday night, preempted by baseball or football, following another dismal episode of King of the Hill, with little to no advertising or promotion ensuring that the show fails to capture a large enough audience so Fox believes it a failure and yanks it off television once again.
Why does anybody work with Fox? Fox is the bigget show killer of all time!
Apple's next OS X update will ensure that random MacBooks will explode in a ball of flames. Apple, after all, wants to do everything a PC can do, but better, right?!
Most likely because it is based on IE would be my assumption.
Don't know what version of "mozilla" your running, but was able to see the launch page just fine on FireFox, the only one that matters.
Honestly, most of the software managers/bosses I have worked for can't think abstractly. They need to SEE prototypes, need to USE test software, or at least see pictures and text about how its supposed to work. Start describing software to them without visual aids and their eyes just gloss over.
Same goes for when managers start using a computer, I mean, the O.N./O.F.F. switch escapes them sometimes, and higher level concepts such as organizing files in folders is just too far beyond their capabilities.
So, an OS desktop that lets you see all your files and folders looking like pieces of paper and folders (I bet they even have email looking like envelopes too!) on a desktop that allows you to pile them up and look like stacks of paper and folders and envelops, what a concept!!!!
I guess ICONS that look like paper and folders that you can place anywhere on your desktop isn't good enough. It requires too much thought to associate an icon with a file or a folder. A picture of a piece of paper on a square is too hard to rationalize as being a document.
This is a revolutionary GUI concept and I can't wait for OS X or Windows to implement this idea as using computers today, with those pesky abstract icons, is just too darn hard, at least for managers.
I wish I could be a rat, they can cure paralysis, aids, being overweight, being underweight, many types of cancer, mood disorders, aggression, lots of diseases and I even think baldness.
Groups like Peta think that rats are abused in laboratories, but they don't realize how easy a life they have it. Scientists are curing all sorts of problems in rats, making it easier for rats to survive. Billions of dollars are spent every year to cure rat problems.
I just wish that scientists would start curing stuff in humans, it would be nice if one of these days they started applying these discoveries on humans and maybe helping the human race out. If they could just take some of those billions spent on rat research and put it towards humans, what a wonderful world it would be.
So, hurray, scientists cure something else in some lab rat! Let me know when they start working on humans.
Would you even want to play a game that keeps the cursor centered while you look around quickly I don't think you have clearly thought about how a game would look in that senario. The game screen would look like just a bunch of blurred shapes as you quickly move your remote or joystick around trying to see what is going on. If you thought about it in real life, not only would it be like putting blinders on that limited your sight to a small square, but you would also not be allowed to move your eyes. Your center of vision remains fixed while your head and body have to move in order to change your viewpoint. This is not how real life is, so why program those limitations into a game?
I know what you are trying to say, but I don't think you understand how bad a senario for game control that would be. If it was a better way to control FPS, then it would have been implemented by now.
More appropriate movie reference, "The Final Cut", a movie where someone takes your entire life which is recorded on some implant and splices a montage of events at your funeral.
Have you actually tried Opera 9 and the acid 2 test? While its the closest to doing it proper, it STILL doesn't do it right, as claimed.
My statement is, if you have standards that NOBODY meets, then your standards are too high!
I won't lose any sleep that my browser doesn't handle the ACID2 test properly.
Figured that with no decent games for the Xbox360, people need to find SOMETHING fun to do with them.
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'Yes, I know this is a troll, but its a Microsoft product, give me a break!"
Despite the seriousness of this situation, which many of you seem to disregard, the simple fact is that her parents should be sued for stupidity before anybody else.
America is becoming a country of "parents" that feel it is everyone else's problem to raise their kids. They expect teachers to be MORE to their children they they are, they expect media to protect their kids from "bad" things, they expect the Internet to police itself making it a safe haven for ignored children.
I would venture to guess that most people think 14 is old enough to have your own cellphone, computer, PDA, etc that doesn't require parental supervision to use. The problem is, the age of majority is 18 - 21, which means that as long as your parent have a legal responsibility to raise you, then you don't have the right to use these communication devices unsupervised.
Every parent that lets their under-age child use a cellphone, laptop, computer, or even a Nintendo DS with WiFi capabilities unsupervised is an out right IDIOT! Your are too dumb to have propagated, or too irresponsible to be allowed to take care of a child. I may be simplifying things greatly, but you are directly responsible for the safety of your child, and there are easy steps you can take to keep them safe, which most parents ignore or are blissfully unaware of.
When your child becomes the victim of assault, blame yourselves, not anybody else.
If you care about your child, get them those cellphones that can only call authorized numbers. Take their computer or laptop out of their rooms and tell them they can only use them in common areas of the home. You don't have to sit right beside your child as they browse the web, but they are less likely to get involved with someone online if there is threat you will walk into the room. Too often most parents let their children lock themselves in their bedroom with a high speed internet connection and instant messaging accounts. If your anal enough to worry about television content, get a TV with the V-Chip or invest in digital cable which allows you to block programs and/or entire channels (of course, I believe that being able to have open discussions about the content of television or video games is more important then wholesale censorship).
The bottom line is, you need to be involved in your child's life. I know its probably hard, but the culture of youth in America is one of pre-mature independence. Most kids feel they are entitled for parents to be out of their lives by the age of 12 or 13, that they are entitled to have a cellphone with text messaging in high school.
This girl obviously had access to unsupervised internet connections, whether from a desktop, laptop, or cellphone. The parents were blissfully ignorant of the goings on in this girls life, and the fact that she could even meet someone and get put into a position where rape was possible suggest a gross lack of involvement by the parents. I am sure that parents are right beside their daughter supporting here desire to sue a website (why not, they stand to benefit from their daughter's rape), but its too late, the damage has been done.
How long do these blatant social lessons in how to be a good parent have to continue before parents wake up and start realizing there is no substitute for good parenting?
From what I have read, there is no point to buying the Blu-Ray version. However, you should try out the Super-bit version of the Fifth Element on a good up-converting DVD player. It will hold me off for a few more years until the next-gen DVD war declares a true winner.
It doesn't have to be older material. With music CD's, I am finding that most places like Best Buy or Walmart sells brand new CD's for $9.99 or even less compared to iTunes full albums that seem to be topping $12.99 (because they all seem to include some "free" video version of the CD). I don't find iTunes at all competitive with big box stores, and the same will be true with movies.
I know that the iTMS has been a huge success for Apple, but when are people going to realize that if they get off their butts and go for a walk or take a drive, they can get the same music in a physical form factor for the same price, or even cheaper, and most still come without DRM protection. I bought the recent Tool CD and it comes in a case that features stereoscopic glasses and images and it cost $9.99. You can't get that at the iTMS. Heck, Apple doesn't even offer the ability to send a blank CD and case anymore as they used to do when the store first opened up. I used to remember seeing special edition LOTR blank CD's that you could get with your soundtrack purchase.
Apple and the iTMS is in a bubble, and like most tech bubbles, it will burst. While I am sure they will enjoy success for at least a few more years, people are beginning to wake up and realize that the iTMS isn't all that great, your often getting far less for more money.
When it comes to movies, its the same thing. While new releases are still well over $15 in most cases, I am finding a decent selection of movies at around $9.99, and I usually buy my DVD's used for around the same. I can't see any compelling reason to buy a movie from the iTMS except if your lazy or don't know how to use DVD ripping software (although, technically, DVD ripping is still illegal).
When the MacBook gets too hot. Honestly, I love Apple and their designs, but they tend to put TOO much engineering into one aspect of their computers and not in other areas. The MacBooks get way too hot, het they have a nice and completely useless ambient light detection hardware. Perhaps if this ambient light detection hardware was replaced with, say, another fan, then perhaps the laptops wouldn't become space heaters so quickly.
Lets focus on basic principles first before adding superfluous features like magnetic power cables (which my $20 electric tea kettle had 10 years ago BTW) and ambient light sensors.
Its great that Apple has an API to control the ambient light sensor and keyboard backlighting, too bad Apple can't find the time to make an API to make gaming a focus for Apple computers. They do CLAIM that Mac's are Funner then PC's, I just haven't seen the proof yet. I don't think making my keyboard fade in and out is as fun as, well, doing anything else!
How can you hate a company like that. I mean, first of all, they can do now wrong, despite offering the worlds worst OS for security in the last decade, they still have 95% marketshare.
Then they say they have the worlds most secure OS even before it enters its release candidate stage.
Lets face it, Apple and Linux is pretty boring compared to Microsoft.
Anyways, I am sure this will blow up in Microsoft's face sooner rather then later as someone finds some simple exploit in Vista that will make this statement false. I do home Microsoft got their act together and actually came up with a MORE secure version of Windows, but to say the MOST secure is laughable.
In the meantime, despite the fact that there have been may beta and CTP releases in the last year, is there any Vista exploits out their yet? I mean, I can't see the hacker community waiting for a gold release of Vista before they start their follies. I haven't read of any security holes found in Vista yet, of course, Beta 2 just was released to the public a few weeks ago. Is there any truth to this statement! I am holding my breath waiting for the answer because it seems a pretty safe thing to do.
I am expecting that with the anticipated release of a true video iPod towards that last quarter of this year, things will change pretty dramatically on the iPod landscape.
Expected is a wide screen iPod with touchscreen access.
This kind of system will require a significantly different UI structure. For instance, gone will be the touch wheel and buttons, instead some integrated touch screen UI is be required to navigate and browse music and movies on the new iPod.
Also, Apple has dropped the chip used the current generations of iPods. By switching to a new processor, chances are this will allow for more powerful UI and features which would be expected with a touch screen device.
Apple has also patented such things as touch screen keyboards and multi-touch touchscreen capabilities.
Its my opinion that Apple will most likely skirt around this issue by releasing an iPod with a significantly different UI (yet somehow keeping it familiar) that will simply render this lawsuit moot.
By the time any settlement is made, Apple, at worst, might have to pay Creative some lump sum for having sold their older iPods, but the new iPod will be free of conflict. The lump sum might be tied to some amount relative to the number of Jukebox's, Zen's and Muvo's Creative has sold over the last decade, which is to say, Apple might have to let go of some petty cash. Apple won't be able to serve Jello in their cafeteria in that particular week .
This is, of course, as valid as any Apple news that exists on the web today which is all based on rumors, speculation, and other meaningless drivel.
one hit at a time that is. I doubt we will see any new MMORPG or any new game from Blizzard for a long while as long as WOW is still making them a mint.
But, the problem is, not everybody likes MMORPG's, I hate them. The stories are too drawn out and vapid and there isn't much excitement really, just pound on some monsters for hours on end without any other plot element. And I don't like having to pay a subscription to play a game I already paid for. If this is the future of Blizzard games, turning every franchise into an MMORPG, then adios muchachos, I will find my entertainment elsewhere (like those books I used to love so much).
Rather then writing efficient and powerful native software, write system crippling interpreted applications so that you never realize the fullest potential of your brand new hardware? For what purpose, so that you can write an application that targets both 90% of the worlds Windows users on PCs AND the other 10% of mismatched users using alternative *nix based OS'es on a variety of hardware?
Sorry, as a Windows programmer, I will target the 90% and forget about the rest. I will earn a good living making native Windows software without worrying about crippling my software so that it can run poorly on the other 10%. If Open Source advocates create a Wine or other Windows emulator that can run my software, good for them, I will even optimize my code so that it runs more efficiently under Wine, but I will not abandon my largest marketshare by crippling my software in order to cater to the other 10% who don't believe in paying for software.
Vista will offer me a whole new level of expression and creativity, using their native API's. I am no longer constrained to creating apps with static grey boxes. Making a cross platform application, most UI is terribly utilitarian and uninspired. While there ARE exampled of decent cross platform applications (FireFox) for instance, most shareware open source software is crap and pure examples of why you need to define a target market rather then trying to appeal and cater to everyone.
Java still isn't improving. The few Java based desktop applications I have tried still cripple a reasonably powerful Dual Core AMD system. I mean, the system becomes sluggish and almost unusable if I have th Java applications UI visible. As soon as I minimize the Java application, the system snaps back to full speed. When Sun can make Java run as fast as native code (or even come withint 90%) without crippling the OS then I would consider using cross platform interpreted code, but not until then.
I have only ever found python to be effective for writing quick system scripts to perform repetitive tasks. I would shudder to have to write a actual application using the script language.
I don't see the end of native code any time soon. The argument that just because you have a beefy system that can run interpreted languages quickly isn't sound. I bought that beefy system so that I can maximize its effectiveness, not just make do with software that runs at 50% capacity, even at optimal conditions.
Why hasn't someone created a Java co-processor? I mean, create a hardware bit that can be slapped in as an add-on card, or embedded on the motherboard to run Java as fast as running native code on general CPUs? I mean, if Sun was serious about Java as a universal cross-platform language, then why not put some of their hardware development skills into making a Java co-processor. In the worst case, you have to run Java as a software virtual machine, but if you believe in Java and want it to succeed, then you will buy the co-processor and run Java in an optimize hardware machine.
I am so over Duke Nukem Forever, and it hasn't even been released. This will be the worst flop in the history of video games.