Depends on who you ask. It's sort of like governments being "real". For a government to be recognized by another, the two must have diplomatic relations. In order to have diplomatic relations, they need to recognize each other.
Any certification is only as good as its toughest questsion. Physicians and Lawyers must take very rigorous exams to be certified, therefore they have much credence. There are still quacks and incompetant lawyers, but fewer because of the difficulty of the tests. PMI may be something to look into, but again, who knows how rigorous the tests are. IT professionals could come up with a very rigorous exam or set of exams, but then it gets to be just a waste of time. This field is so young and ever so dynamic that as soon as a test is out, something would be wrong already.
How is this relevant to/.? Professional certificates are self-policing; CPAs write the exams and CPA candidates take the exam. Same goes for the other professions. They aren't belonging to a specific company or other esoteric organization (perhaps other than their profession). IT Certifications are given by specific companies or organizations for specific tasks. MCSE, Cisco Networking, yada yada blah blah blah are given basically for the aforementioned HR help. Also, the companies make a few bucks off of it;-). If there were some sort of consortium that all Computer Science/IT/Other Tech professionals belonged to, then the certification might be worth something to the owner.
Haha. I see your point, but my post was not to suggest a "final solution" per se. I was agreeing with parent. I think that one could come up with an identification method that uses RFID technologies to ID your things around your home. Does it really matter if the RFID knows the difference between full, empty, and trashed peanut butter containers? Technology will be developed to continue with this. And errors (inherent with barcodes) will be much less common with RFID.
Exactly. Toady such a system would rely on barcodes, which could (in very limited circumstances) be used to do this home inventory. But barcodes wouldn't be able to tell you when to get new things. And one would have to rescan everything when putting it back or throwing it away or yada yada. A huge pain. RFID would allow me to know exactly what I have run out of in my shopping list. I somewhat like the idea. Although the privacy aspect is somewhat worrysome...
I'm all for idealism and things here, but this is just too damn far out. Google may be purchasing dark lines, but what gives? I happen to know for a fact that IBM has a system that indexes and models the *entire* web daily, and has been able to find documents from various terrorist organizations, sometimes before plots were set to be carried out. I'd say that Google is perhaps doing this or some other form of improved searching technology. It is possible that they want to lauch a(n) (G)ISP. If they did, it would depend on the service they offered. It would probably be better than shitty Cable and DSL providers (also monopolies, for those keeping score). I'd say to Google, go for it. You seem to ahve too much money to spend and is overvalued. Google wants some cash to flow out. They may just be making a long term investment. Companies do this...
Amid Microshaft battling Google and Apple, this quitely slips under the radar. The shareholders approved it 10 fipping days ago. We must really be on edge about the three aforementioned. I can only think positively about this, something that I rarely do with an acquisition. I see it can only be good for web standards and web development. Dreamweaver + Flash meet SVG + PDF. Great vector graphics, web publishing tools, and document formatting.
That's a good article. Very well thought-out and analyzed. I do, however, think that Google does pose a decent threat to Microshaft, or else the Redmond Giant wouldn't be suing both the company and Kai-Fu Lee. However, Apple does have a serious opportunity to dominate the PC market. I'd love to get OS 10.4 or 10.5 on my PC hardware to run alongside linux. The computer already can recognize it as a drive when the system boots, so I think this would be a great solution. It would sure change the way we use PCs and memory altogether. No more Microshaft OS (and I use "OS" loosely)? Storage/OS you can keep with you all the time? Sounds good to me. Maybe even add some bluetooth or something. I'd be all for this. Maybe even get a small Rosetta port for the iPod processor to run some minimal system apps. Very interesting....
The DS has wireless functionality dubbed "Ni-Fi"--basicallly layer-2 (datalink) 802.11b. The firmware would need an upgrade to support TCP/IP (layer 4/3). So this functionality is not *completely* Wi-Fi, but it is easy enough to modify. Nintendo has been marketing this capability to use Wi-Fi on the DS as of late. Intelligent decision on their part, but causes one to wonder why they didn't simply include a network suite in the original flash of the firmware...
I couldn't agree with you more, agraupe. I love my DS. In fact, I received it as a gift, somewhat ignorant about its features. I immediately fell in love with it, beating the included Super Mario 64 in about a week after playing it non-stop. I loved how game-centric Nintendo seemed, and I have always admired that about the company. They don't make PDAs and they don't make home entertainment systems (although playing DVDs would be just a little helpful on GC); Nintendo makes systems to play games.
When I saw the PSP, I laughed my ass off. They cut their prime customers by including only one joystick! I recall saying, "Sony, say goodbye to -shooters!" Critics, of course, argue that DS is no more fit to handle shooters, but I disagree. Having played Metroid Prime: First Hunt on DS, the touch screen is perhaps the best addition to a handheld system that is possible. Not only does it provide extra information, but interface is extremely good. I think Sony is just a sad company now. They used to make such good stuff, and some of their stuff is still. I have a VAIO, and it works like a tramp (although I'm looking for an open source TV Tuner driver for the included "GigaPocket" hardware.) A lot of Sony's systems, though, do include gimmicks. Even when I got this computer, I thought the included TV tuner was somewhat of a gimmick, although it turns out now that almost all computers come standard (I got this one long before this was the case).
In favor of innovating, Sony has taken the Microshaft approach: "we'll call you names if you don't fall down, bend over, and take our big-money, Viagra-hungry chode in the ass." I'm tired of this big-time corporate-rhetoric shit. There is no reason for it. It's more interesting to watch little kids with this type of thing because a) they come up with better reasons and b) they're actually developing in the process (you can tell the child that his or her actions were completely inappropriate, and take further action if necessary). Fortunately we can beat Sony (and Microshaft) with a switch too; Andrew Jacksons have a very sharp sting when used as switches. And about the aforementioned innovation, Nintendo included many interesting interfaces with the DS. Not only did they include the separate screen, but the built in mic, with the optional headset port, as well as the Ni-Fi|Wi-Fi, GBA cartridge slot, touch sensitive enabled screen, and dual processors. Alternatively, Sony included the WiFi, huge screen (terrible for batteries), ONE joystick, the proprietary and utterly shitty MemoryStick, and the stupid (also proprietary) UMD format to accomadate movies as well as games! On the small screen! Tell me that is not a gimmick. Now they're selling shoddy games that have full web browsers included. Tell me that is not a gimmick. We are gamers, not friggin PDA users.
So much high-octane hardware is in PSP that Sony loses sight of innovation. Even though it's so turbocharged with huge LCD screen and yada yada, DS is still a more powerful system. This seems counterintuitive, but think about this: earlier this week, a few days ago a game called "Nintendogs" was announced for release in the US. At first I thought they had to be kidding. This game sounded like Pokemon all over again, just much lamer. You basically take care of a dog. But then I looked at this game. I saw the screen shots and I read the review, both of the game and the functionality. I am actually considering this game, since I have no time nor space for a dog, and since it is so intriguing. I love the idea of using my voice to command the dog, the touchscreen to "interact" with the dog, and the ability to direct my own play. It's genius. No gimmick there. A better gaming experience is what I get. Despite the lackluster performance on their last console system, Nintendo is clearly following a much better business model, adapting and innovating; it is clearly an example of the best of capitalism.
I would also like to mention that Zonk's posting style was superb. Post the facts, then the opinions. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with www.stratfor.com, but they follow this same approach: facts, then analysis/opinion. Good work, Zonk.
Haha, well you have a point. Actually I have flown between continents quite often. I was disagreeing with the person who said that we are being passed in technological advancement:-D. However, a 14+ hour flight is quite long. Unless you're flying from the US to Japan or vice versa, there is no need to go faster than sound. You might as well invest in a suborbital plane that takes a parabolic shot upward and then returns to earth only a few minutes later. That would be very quick.
Exactly. College Major really has nothing to do with what you are going to become. Why not major in computer science? What is the harm? I'm will be going to grad school, and I still will major in CS. College Major really doesn't matter. If you can prove you have the capability, you will find a good job.
I completely agree. If someone could invent the Transporter, then we wouldn't need this:-D. The time it takes to fly is dependant upon the non-flying time. Being more serious, if someone came up with systems to speed up baggage claim, check-in, and security checks, without losing any more privacy, then that would be a tech breakthrough.
Just because something that is inherently bad may be OSS doesn't mean that it is then good. DRM is already here, but we don't have to use it. We have the right to circumvent it as long as it is within fair use. The courts have determined that; DMCA actually has very little ground for legal action. I object to DRM completely on grounds that it is amoral.
What we are going to see is a move toware more Free as in Fredom software and OSS. Just because it's OSS doesn't mean it's free (rights or price), just that the source code is open. I think that more developers will be contracted to do work and will release their code under more OSS/FSF licenses. I have a feeling that there will be some Intel. Prop. case that comes up and challenges the validity of the US Copyright Law (DMCA et cetera) as well as WIPO. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor expressed her opinion following:
"The primary objective of copyright is not to reward the labor of authors, but [t]o promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts." "To this end, copyright assures authors the right to their original expression, but encourages others to build freely upon the ideas and information conveyed by a work. This result is neither unfair nor unfortunate. It is the means by which copyright advances the progress of science and art."
-- US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
. I think that this is a very forward-looking opinion, as well as backward-looking (to the Framers' intent). Because of the Internet, the largest open community in the world, ideas such as OSS will be able to progress and evolve. I am optimistic about such opportunities. I also believe that there will be money involved in OSS/FSF software for a long time to come. People still have to feed their families. You can't write software very well as a bum without a computer. I think that the Microshafts of the world will feel the impact of OSS and will be forced to adapt. That is capitalism.
Dude,/. was created by OSS proponents. There are no pretenses about the site. It glorifies the penguin and portrays Bill Gates as a borg. It is biased, but it's not pretending to be "fair and balanced" which is more than you can say for most other media.
No. The peak of the wave is moving faster than light. That really isn't saying much, though. none of the individual photons are actually moving faster than light. The light will still be reflected. The reason that this is interesting is that with optical cable, the information transmitted can be sent faster than light. Therefore the limit is theorically nothing, but the signal must arrive at the location first. If we could actually speed up the speed of light, now that would be something (i.e. photon x travels from Alice to Bob in time less than (Bob - Alice) * c).
You are assuming that people are causing Global Warming. You are correct that we will run out of oil long long long before any sort of dangerous levels, but in all honesty, the Earth is warming up. It has been since the "last ice age," which we are technically still coming out of. 12000 years is but a second on the geological time scale. I personally find it very arrogant to accuse ourselves of causing Global Warming. Do we impact the environment? Of course. Should we be stewards of the Earth? Yes, as humans it is our duty to be stewards of the Earth. Do we cause Global Warming from our greenhouse emissions? I seriously doubt it. The polar caps have been melting for 10000 years. I'd like to tell that early human 10000 years ago to stop using fossil fuels because it harmed the environment too much. This human-induced Global Warming frenzy is just sensationalism. Other fuels should be used because of the nasty fumes and hazardous effects to the immediate environment, not because we "might" be causing the planet to warm up. Some scientists are on one side, some on the other. I personally believe that one side has a vested interest and movies like "Day After Tomorrow" is just propaganda (that whole movie was appalingly erroneous). The real facts disprove that Global Warming is caused by humans at all.
Fair questions. Pi is likely the number the machines are trying to reach. For purely philosophical reasons, the circle represents something that is complete. Neo is the chunk of the circle that can't be filled in, the "remainder" if you will. The Architect would like a system that worked with 100% of all of the people in the Matrix. Unfortunately, such a solution did not exist, so the concept of the one was created. The function is a subroutine inside the code in the Machine Mainframe that determines the One. Neo isn't really being expressed as an irrational number. Humanity is being cast as irrational, because of the concept of choice. With every choice that everyone in the Matrix makes, the Matrix gets increasingly convoluted. Also, Neo being the remainder of this is symbolic in that he is the completion of a cycle. Remember that he is the 5th One. The One "reloads" the Matrix (by "reinserting the prime program"). He completes the circle. This is even more significant because of his both Christ-like attributes. Christ says that he is "the Alpha and Omega" (beginning and end). I hope that maybe now you can have a better understanding of the movie because of this analysis of but one line in the movie.
They don't have characters to speak of, there's no personality.
They're Programs!!! That's the point. The only real programs with personality were the Oracle and Smith. If you read into the movie a little, the Merovingian was very important. Remember the scene when they walk off of the elevator to visit the Merovingian for the first time? What does the floor number read? 101. Persephone actually tells Neo that the Merovingian was like him. Of course we don't know if that means he kissed like Neo or if he was like Neo. And he is very important with the whole cause and effect thing. That's the philosophy part for you. The Merovingian is convinced, or perhaps he wishes to believe that there is no such thing as choice; causality is the only constant according to him. Also, the Merovingian is the eventuality of power. "What do men with power want? More power."
The Trainman also is important, not for who he is, but for where he is. In that "area between the real world and the Matrix" he calls himself God (i.e. "Down here, I'm God!"). Neo went to Hell (shock!). Again, I couldn't understand why Christians would be influenced to study this. Many small characters are very important.
Why's it inherent to the Matrix? What's the equation? What does the equation describe? Why is it unbalanced? What does "remainder" mean in this context?
OK. Inherent to the Matrix? Because the Matrix is preselected to be the One. The Equation? The equation is a summation (sigma) of the remainders of some sort of function that approaches infinity. What it describes? Many possibilities. Most likely an irrational number. Why it's unbalanced? Because one can never really determine the value of an irrational number. You get closer and closer, but never find the actual value. The "remainder"? This means that the "unbalanced" parts are added together to generate the "remainder" which is assigned to Neo. He is meant to make everything whole. Some people have suggested that pi is the number being determined. It is derived by increasing the number of sides of a polygon, measuring the difference between the distance to the center of a side and to a vertex, until you get very close to a circle (or you get to a few decimal points). Computers use this equation to test speed. The architect is a very mathematical character. He is the "opposite" or "negative" of the Oracle. She is into the microdetails of the Matrix. The Architect is about the macrodetails of the Matrix. She finds a system that works based on "the One," but he wants a system that works mathematically, no individuals to bring it down and no one lost due to unbelief.
I wish you please do not attack view points which you do not understand, because this probably means you have not analyzed them. It is not taken for face value. You simply said that Mero and Trainman were "ciphers" with absolutely no reasoning whatsoever. And the fact that there are so many interpretations enhances the Matrix's artistic quality. That is a very postmodernist ideal, to just have an artistic form without explaining a DAMN BIT of it. We see it in literature, artwork, architecture, and film.
Slashdot Mirror
Dude, ever hear of sarcasm?? The article is making fun of people who give bullshit reasons for not switching.
Depends on who you ask. It's sort of like governments being "real". For a government to be recognized by another, the two must have diplomatic relations. In order to have diplomatic relations, they need to recognize each other. Any certification is only as good as its toughest questsion. Physicians and Lawyers must take very rigorous exams to be certified, therefore they have much credence. There are still quacks and incompetant lawyers, but fewer because of the difficulty of the tests. PMI may be something to look into, but again, who knows how rigorous the tests are. IT professionals could come up with a very rigorous exam or set of exams, but then it gets to be just a waste of time. This field is so young and ever so dynamic that as soon as a test is out, something would be wrong already.
How is this relevant to /.? Professional certificates are self-policing; CPAs write the exams and CPA candidates take the exam. Same goes for the other professions. They aren't belonging to a specific company or other esoteric organization (perhaps other than their profession). IT Certifications are given by specific companies or organizations for specific tasks. MCSE, Cisco Networking, yada yada blah blah blah are given basically for the aforementioned HR help. Also, the companies make a few bucks off of it ;-). If there were some sort of consortium that all Computer Science/IT/Other Tech professionals belonged to, then the certification might be worth something to the owner.
Haha. I see your point, but my post was not to suggest a "final solution" per se. I was agreeing with parent. I think that one could come up with an identification method that uses RFID technologies to ID your things around your home. Does it really matter if the RFID knows the difference between full, empty, and trashed peanut butter containers? Technology will be developed to continue with this. And errors (inherent with barcodes) will be much less common with RFID.
Exactly. Toady such a system would rely on barcodes, which could (in very limited circumstances) be used to do this home inventory. But barcodes wouldn't be able to tell you when to get new things. And one would have to rescan everything when putting it back or throwing it away or yada yada. A huge pain. RFID would allow me to know exactly what I have run out of in my shopping list. I somewhat like the idea. Although the privacy aspect is somewhat worrysome...
I'm all for idealism and things here, but this is just too damn far out. Google may be purchasing dark lines, but what gives? I happen to know for a fact that IBM has a system that indexes and models the *entire* web daily, and has been able to find documents from various terrorist organizations, sometimes before plots were set to be carried out. I'd say that Google is perhaps doing this or some other form of improved searching technology. It is possible that they want to lauch a(n) (G)ISP. If they did, it would depend on the service they offered. It would probably be better than shitty Cable and DSL providers (also monopolies, for those keeping score). I'd say to Google, go for it. You seem to ahve too much money to spend and is overvalued. Google wants some cash to flow out. They may just be making a long term investment. Companies do this...
Amid Microshaft battling Google and Apple, this quitely slips under the radar. The shareholders approved it 10 fipping days ago. We must really be on edge about the three aforementioned. I can only think positively about this, something that I rarely do with an acquisition. I see it can only be good for web standards and web development. Dreamweaver + Flash meet SVG + PDF. Great vector graphics, web publishing tools, and document formatting.
That's a good article. Very well thought-out and analyzed. I do, however, think that Google does pose a decent threat to Microshaft, or else the Redmond Giant wouldn't be suing both the company and Kai-Fu Lee. However, Apple does have a serious opportunity to dominate the PC market. I'd love to get OS 10.4 or 10.5 on my PC hardware to run alongside linux. The computer already can recognize it as a drive when the system boots, so I think this would be a great solution. It would sure change the way we use PCs and memory altogether. No more Microshaft OS (and I use "OS" loosely)? Storage/OS you can keep with you all the time? Sounds good to me. Maybe even add some bluetooth or something. I'd be all for this. Maybe even get a small Rosetta port for the iPod processor to run some minimal system apps. Very interesting....
The DS has wireless functionality dubbed "Ni-Fi"--basicallly layer-2 (datalink) 802.11b. The firmware would need an upgrade to support TCP/IP (layer 4/3). So this functionality is not *completely* Wi-Fi, but it is easy enough to modify. Nintendo has been marketing this capability to use Wi-Fi on the DS as of late. Intelligent decision on their part, but causes one to wonder why they didn't simply include a network suite in the original flash of the firmware...
I couldn't agree with you more, agraupe. I love my DS. In fact, I received it as a gift, somewhat ignorant about its features. I immediately fell in love with it, beating the included Super Mario 64 in about a week after playing it non-stop. I loved how game-centric Nintendo seemed, and I have always admired that about the company. They don't make PDAs and they don't make home entertainment systems (although playing DVDs would be just a little helpful on GC); Nintendo makes systems to play games.
When I saw the PSP, I laughed my ass off. They cut their prime customers by including only one joystick! I recall saying, "Sony, say goodbye to -shooters!" Critics, of course, argue that DS is no more fit to handle shooters, but I disagree. Having played Metroid Prime: First Hunt on DS, the touch screen is perhaps the best addition to a handheld system that is possible. Not only does it provide extra information, but interface is extremely good. I think Sony is just a sad company now. They used to make such good stuff, and some of their stuff is still. I have a VAIO, and it works like a tramp (although I'm looking for an open source TV Tuner driver for the included "GigaPocket" hardware.) A lot of Sony's systems, though, do include gimmicks. Even when I got this computer, I thought the included TV tuner was somewhat of a gimmick, although it turns out now that almost all computers come standard (I got this one long before this was the case).
In favor of innovating, Sony has taken the Microshaft approach: "we'll call you names if you don't fall down, bend over, and take our big-money, Viagra-hungry chode in the ass." I'm tired of this big-time corporate-rhetoric shit. There is no reason for it. It's more interesting to watch little kids with this type of thing because a) they come up with better reasons and b) they're actually developing in the process (you can tell the child that his or her actions were completely inappropriate, and take further action if necessary). Fortunately we can beat Sony (and Microshaft) with a switch too; Andrew Jacksons have a very sharp sting when used as switches. And about the aforementioned innovation, Nintendo included many interesting interfaces with the DS. Not only did they include the separate screen, but the built in mic, with the optional headset port, as well as the Ni-Fi|Wi-Fi, GBA cartridge slot, touch sensitive enabled screen, and dual processors. Alternatively, Sony included the WiFi, huge screen (terrible for batteries), ONE joystick, the proprietary and utterly shitty MemoryStick, and the stupid (also proprietary) UMD format to accomadate movies as well as games! On the small screen! Tell me that is not a gimmick. Now they're selling shoddy games that have full web browsers included. Tell me that is not a gimmick. We are gamers, not friggin PDA users.
So much high-octane hardware is in PSP that Sony loses sight of innovation. Even though it's so turbocharged with huge LCD screen and yada yada, DS is still a more powerful system. This seems counterintuitive, but think about this: earlier this week, a few days ago a game called "Nintendogs" was announced for release in the US. At first I thought they had to be kidding. This game sounded like Pokemon all over again, just much lamer. You basically take care of a dog. But then I looked at this game. I saw the screen shots and I read the review, both of the game and the functionality. I am actually considering this game, since I have no time nor space for a dog, and since it is so intriguing. I love the idea of using my voice to command the dog, the touchscreen to "interact" with the dog, and the ability to direct my own play. It's genius. No gimmick there. A better gaming experience is what I get. Despite the lackluster performance on their last console system, Nintendo is clearly following a much better business model, adapting and innovating; it is clearly an example of the best of capitalism.
I would also like to mention that Zonk's posting style was superb. Post the facts, then the opinions. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with www.stratfor.com, but they follow this same approach: facts, then analysis/opinion. Good work, Zonk.
Finally, what is Japanese for "go fuck yourself?"
Haha, well you have a point. Actually I have flown between continents quite often. I was disagreeing with the person who said that we are being passed in technological advancement :-D. However, a 14+ hour flight is quite long. Unless you're flying from the US to Japan or vice versa, there is no need to go faster than sound. You might as well invest in a suborbital plane that takes a parabolic shot upward and then returns to earth only a few minutes later. That would be very quick.
Exactly. College Major really has nothing to do with what you are going to become. Why not major in computer science? What is the harm? I'm will be going to grad school, and I still will major in CS. College Major really doesn't matter. If you can prove you have the capability, you will find a good job.
I completely agree. If someone could invent the Transporter, then we wouldn't need this :-D. The time it takes to fly is dependant upon the non-flying time. Being more serious, if someone came up with systems to speed up baggage claim, check-in, and security checks, without losing any more privacy, then that would be a tech breakthrough.
Isn't that just a little too much info? I think we would have gotten the picture without the bulb and the tube. Thanks for the bad image.
Just because something that is inherently bad may be OSS doesn't mean that it is then good. DRM is already here, but we don't have to use it. We have the right to circumvent it as long as it is within fair use. The courts have determined that; DMCA actually has very little ground for legal action. I object to DRM completely on grounds that it is amoral.
Haha. I also like how the door aparently pulls your boxes in for you...
Dude, /. was created by OSS proponents. There are no pretenses about the site. It glorifies the penguin and portrays Bill Gates as a borg. It is biased, but it's not pretending to be "fair and balanced" which is more than you can say for most other media.
No. The peak of the wave is moving faster than light. That really isn't saying much, though. none of the individual photons are actually moving faster than light. The light will still be reflected. The reason that this is interesting is that with optical cable, the information transmitted can be sent faster than light. Therefore the limit is theorically nothing, but the signal must arrive at the location first. If we could actually speed up the speed of light, now that would be something (i.e. photon x travels from Alice to Bob in time less than (Bob - Alice) * c).
You are assuming that people are causing Global Warming. You are correct that we will run out of oil long long long before any sort of dangerous levels, but in all honesty, the Earth is warming up. It has been since the "last ice age," which we are technically still coming out of. 12000 years is but a second on the geological time scale. I personally find it very arrogant to accuse ourselves of causing Global Warming. Do we impact the environment? Of course. Should we be stewards of the Earth? Yes, as humans it is our duty to be stewards of the Earth. Do we cause Global Warming from our greenhouse emissions? I seriously doubt it. The polar caps have been melting for 10000 years. I'd like to tell that early human 10000 years ago to stop using fossil fuels because it harmed the environment too much. This human-induced Global Warming frenzy is just sensationalism. Other fuels should be used because of the nasty fumes and hazardous effects to the immediate environment, not because we "might" be causing the planet to warm up. Some scientists are on one side, some on the other. I personally believe that one side has a vested interest and movies like "Day After Tomorrow" is just propaganda (that whole movie was appalingly erroneous). The real facts disprove that Global Warming is caused by humans at all.
THIS (parent) is 5:INTERESTING when a post about "Train Simulator" is "2: Troll"?! What are the mods smoking?---Whatever it is, I want some!
What's up with this thread? How is parent a troll?
Agreed. Parent says nothing trollish. No reason for -1 score.
Fair questions. Pi is likely the number the machines are trying to reach. For purely philosophical reasons, the circle represents something that is complete. Neo is the chunk of the circle that can't be filled in, the "remainder" if you will. The Architect would like a system that worked with 100% of all of the people in the Matrix. Unfortunately, such a solution did not exist, so the concept of the one was created. The function is a subroutine inside the code in the Machine Mainframe that determines the One. Neo isn't really being expressed as an irrational number. Humanity is being cast as irrational, because of the concept of choice. With every choice that everyone in the Matrix makes, the Matrix gets increasingly convoluted. Also, Neo being the remainder of this is symbolic in that he is the completion of a cycle. Remember that he is the 5th One. The One "reloads" the Matrix (by "reinserting the prime program"). He completes the circle. This is even more significant because of his both Christ-like attributes. Christ says that he is "the Alpha and Omega" (beginning and end). I hope that maybe now you can have a better understanding of the movie because of this analysis of but one line in the movie.
They're Programs!!! That's the point. The only real programs with personality were the Oracle and Smith. If you read into the movie a little, the Merovingian was very important. Remember the scene when they walk off of the elevator to visit the Merovingian for the first time? What does the floor number read? 101. Persephone actually tells Neo that the Merovingian was like him. Of course we don't know if that means he kissed like Neo or if he was like Neo. And he is very important with the whole cause and effect thing. That's the philosophy part for you. The Merovingian is convinced, or perhaps he wishes to believe that there is no such thing as choice; causality is the only constant according to him. Also, the Merovingian is the eventuality of power. "What do men with power want? More power."
The Trainman also is important, not for who he is, but for where he is. In that "area between the real world and the Matrix" he calls himself God (i.e. "Down here, I'm God!"). Neo went to Hell (shock!). Again, I couldn't understand why Christians would be influenced to study this. Many small characters are very important.
Why's it inherent to the Matrix? What's the equation? What does the equation describe? Why is it unbalanced? What does "remainder" mean in this context?OK. Inherent to the Matrix? Because the Matrix is preselected to be the One. The Equation? The equation is a summation (sigma) of the remainders of some sort of function that approaches infinity. What it describes? Many possibilities. Most likely an irrational number. Why it's unbalanced? Because one can never really determine the value of an irrational number. You get closer and closer, but never find the actual value. The "remainder"? This means that the "unbalanced" parts are added together to generate the "remainder" which is assigned to Neo. He is meant to make everything whole. Some people have suggested that pi is the number being determined. It is derived by increasing the number of sides of a polygon, measuring the difference between the distance to the center of a side and to a vertex, until you get very close to a circle (or you get to a few decimal points). Computers use this equation to test speed. The architect is a very mathematical character. He is the "opposite" or "negative" of the Oracle. She is into the microdetails of the Matrix. The Architect is about the macrodetails of the Matrix. She finds a system that works based on "the One," but he wants a system that works mathematically, no individuals to bring it down and no one lost due to unbelief.
I wish you please do not attack view points which you do not understand, because this probably means you have not analyzed them. It is not taken for face value. You simply said that Mero and Trainman were "ciphers" with absolutely no reasoning whatsoever. And the fact that there are so many interpretations enhances the Matrix's artistic quality. That is a very postmodernist ideal, to just have an artistic form without explaining a DAMN BIT of it. We see it in literature, artwork, architecture, and film.