Seeing how little effort is required to get people to do amazingly stupid things quit being a source of merriment for me about 20 years ago. Since then, trying to bowl a perfect game has proven more interesting to me (lifetime high 284, average 187, if you're interested).
The next time a scientists talks to you about "subaerial" events, ask him why he didn't just say "on the land". Yes, it's longer, but almost everyone understands "on the land" while not as many grasp "subaerial" (or the counterpart, subaqueous -- "underwater"). Or how about the ones who continually refer to "anthropogenic" when they could say "human-caused"?
None of those words qualify as jargon.
They're long established, "standard" English words, used in a standard way, and found without trouble in the dictionary. Even if he doesn't know offhand what those mean, anyone who's grown up speaking English and has a reasonable level of education (high school graduate) should be able to discern the meanings without much trouble, based on their parts, which are all quite common and should be easily recognisable:
subaerial = sub + aerial = under + air = (on) land
subaqueous = sub + aqu(a) + (e)ous = under + water + [common ending for adjectives] (Think "submarine" or "subway", and "aquarium".) (Although I believe "subaquatic" is more common.)
anthropogenic = anthropo + genic = human + caused (Think "anthropology" and "Genesis".)
(Yes, all they're composed of Greek and Latin roots--but the words and their roots have been used in ordinary English for centuries.)
"Jargon" more properly refers to words which are coined for or are given a new meaning in a specialised context, which meaning is not always readily discernible to someone who is not a specialist in that field. "Anthropogenic" means "created by humans", and that meaning isn't significantly changed depending on context.
"Hard drive", on the other hand, could mean "a device which stores data on a metallic platter"; "hitting an object a long way with something like a baseball bat or golf club"; "a difficult journey [by car]"; "a path whose surface is not soft, leading to a home or other building" (okay, that one's somewhat contrived, but still it's not completely unreasonable), and doubtless a few other things I've not thought of, depending on context. The first of these uses was considered jargon 30 years ago, but possibly not any longer, because nearly everyone has by now been exposed to computers and that bit of computer terminology.
What did it cost you to move you and your family from the continental US to Alaska? How much energy was required? And what's different about the area around what's now your home since you took up residence there?
Now multiply that by 7 billion. Well... you did say *everyone* should migrate, right?
But they'll all get to smoke a joint without being hassled, so that makes it sensible. Yeah, right.
BTW, I live just as far north as you do. Also in a place where people don't pay much heed to the War On Some Drugs.
And yet... I'm pretty sure that you've managed to contribute little or nothing of use to the discussion here.
Copy and paste on touch is the gonorrhea of computing.
Thank you. Someone else who's actually tried to compose an email over ten words in length on a smartphone, I see.
I have often wondered why there are no arrow keys on my touchscreen keyboard. Those, and a Shift key that can be held down*, or even something like our old friend CapLock (a shift toggle), would go a long way toward fixing this problem. Maybe multitouch isn't up to this sort of thing yet?
In any case, you've hit on a key reason why I don't see myself doing any serious work on anything with a touchscreen interface anytime soon.
(*My mind keeps wanting to add "for continuous fire". What the hell am I doing up at this hour?)
And having to stop every ten minutes to wipe off the fingerprints...
I remember this also being a common argument for why iPhone was sure to be a failure.
I remember that someone's already pointed out that it's dead easy to wipe the iPhone screen clean on your trouser leg, but not so much a typical laptop or desktop screen.
That is all that is needed for a weather widget if you really want it. And when the fuck would you click for more info?
Dunno, 2-3 times a day, maybe. As I've been doing for the last 7 or 8 years with my KDE weather thingy.
(I agree with a lot of what you said, but ranting about about how you use your weather applet as if it's the only way anyone would want to do so just makes you look... well... a bit stupid.)
I will concede that Samsung is cloning Apple's products if you can go into an electronics store and identify every flat-panel television in that store by brand without looking at the logo.
Slashdot Mirror
Somebody never worked in radio, did they?
Suit yourself, but a Schmeisser is lighter, heaps easier to hold on to, and can be used from a greater (and safer) distance.
I didn't have to look it up, either. Nonetheless... I think you've been whooshed.
Hate to be the Grammar Nazi and all, but that's "1^21 other way"...
The Republicans will never run Powell for Prez or VP. They're too afraid that he'd win.
Seeing how little effort is required to get people to do amazingly stupid things quit being a source of merriment for me about 20 years ago. Since then, trying to bowl a perfect game has proven more interesting to me (lifetime high 284, average 187, if you're interested).
And yet, if marketroids were geeks, they'd be hailed as successful culture hackers.
Only if they actually hacked the culture in a fun and interesting way.
Based on their past and current performance, I don't see that happening anytime soon.
Oooh, colour me butt-hurt, I guess.
I would prefer that you not post anything that I might accidentally happen to agree with.
Thanks!
On behalf of my many friends who work fire/rescue, thanks for that.
They'd probably also like to add, "And tell the people who aren't hurt not to stand around gawking and to GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR WAY!!"
And if SOPA had passed, we'd be hearing from the MAFIAA all about how it was a decisive, history-making victory for artists.
Next time I will save myself the trouble of composing a cogent response.
So when you get that -1, Dickhead mod, you'll know where it came from.
True, people have survived having a broken leg and not knowing how to set it properly.
But I don't consider that a vote in favour of not knowing the basics of first aid.
They teach useful stuff that get used.
I regret having missed an additional year of Latin that I could have taken if I had realized suddenly fit in my schedule.
Greek and Latin are everywhere.
Hear, hear. As I've pointed out before, any English speaker with even a basic level of education already knows a fair amount of both.
What's the use of studying politics, government and state if it isn't related to finding better ways to "influence" (subjugate) the population?
Because the best defence for those who would be subjugated is to know the hows and whys of the would-be subjugators.
Just whose side are you really on, anyway?
The next time a scientists talks to you about "subaerial" events, ask him why he didn't just say "on the land". Yes, it's longer, but almost everyone understands "on the land" while not as many grasp "subaerial" (or the counterpart, subaqueous -- "underwater"). Or how about the ones who continually refer to "anthropogenic" when they could say "human-caused"?
None of those words qualify as jargon.
They're long established, "standard" English words, used in a standard way, and found without trouble in the dictionary. Even if he doesn't know offhand what those mean, anyone who's grown up speaking English and has a reasonable level of education (high school graduate) should be able to discern the meanings without much trouble, based on their parts, which are all quite common and should be easily recognisable:
subaerial = sub + aerial = under + air = (on) land
subaqueous = sub + aqu(a) + (e)ous = under + water + [common ending for adjectives] (Think "submarine" or "subway", and "aquarium".) (Although I believe "subaquatic" is more common.)
anthropogenic = anthropo + genic = human + caused (Think "anthropology" and "Genesis".)
(Yes, all they're composed of Greek and Latin roots--but the words and their roots have been used in ordinary English for centuries.)
"Jargon" more properly refers to words which are coined for or are given a new meaning in a specialised context, which meaning is not always readily discernible to someone who is not a specialist in that field. "Anthropogenic" means "created by humans", and that meaning isn't significantly changed depending on context.
"Hard drive", on the other hand, could mean "a device which stores data on a metallic platter"; "hitting an object a long way with something like a baseball bat or golf club"; "a difficult journey [by car]"; "a path whose surface is not soft, leading to a home or other building" (okay, that one's somewhat contrived, but still it's not completely unreasonable), and doubtless a few other things I've not thought of, depending on context. The first of these uses was considered jargon 30 years ago, but possibly not any longer, because nearly everyone has by now been exposed to computers and that bit of computer terminology.
Recommended reading: Poul Anderson's Wings of Victory .
Look, if you mean "shit", say "shit".
If you mean "fuck", then say "fuck".
It's not like you're going to get struck by lightning or the ground's going to open up and swallow you or some such nonsense.
See? I just did it and nothing bad hap*á%æ(*&*;u***$çç~``````__NO_CARRIER__
What did it cost you to move you and your family from the continental US to Alaska? How much energy was required? And what's different about the area around what's now your home since you took up residence there?
Now multiply that by 7 billion. Well... you did say *everyone* should migrate, right?
But they'll all get to smoke a joint without being hassled, so that makes it sensible. Yeah, right.
BTW, I live just as far north as you do. Also in a place where people don't pay much heed to the War On Some Drugs.
And yet... I'm pretty sure that you've managed to contribute little or nothing of use to the discussion here.
Copy and paste on touch is the gonorrhea of computing.
Thank you. Someone else who's actually tried to compose an email over ten words in length on a smartphone, I see.
I have often wondered why there are no arrow keys on my touchscreen keyboard. Those, and a Shift key that can be held down*, or even something like our old friend CapLock (a shift toggle), would go a long way toward fixing this problem. Maybe multitouch isn't up to this sort of thing yet?
In any case, you've hit on a key reason why I don't see myself doing any serious work on anything with a touchscreen interface anytime soon.
(*My mind keeps wanting to add "for continuous fire". What the hell am I doing up at this hour?)
And having to stop every ten minutes to wipe off the fingerprints...
I remember this also being a common argument for why iPhone was sure to be a failure.
I remember that someone's already pointed out that it's dead easy to wipe the iPhone screen clean on your trouser leg, but not so much a typical laptop or desktop screen.
That is all that is needed for a weather widget if you really want it. And when the fuck would you click for more info?
Dunno, 2-3 times a day, maybe. As I've been doing for the last 7 or 8 years with my KDE weather thingy.
(I agree with a lot of what you said, but ranting about about how you use your weather applet as if it's the only way anyone would want to do so just makes you look... well... a bit stupid.)
I will concede that Samsung is cloning Apple's products if you can go into an electronics store and identify every flat-panel television in that store by brand without looking at the logo.
Or every laptop PC.
Or every electric shaver.
LOL. Right, the states have unfunded pension liabilities. Have you ever heard of the SS trust fund? Jackass.
Have you offered any reason why the two should be associated with one another? Doesn't seem like it.
Here here!
Where where?
OH, you meant "Hear, hear!"