I read the headline and summary as being about solid state 'lightning' for about half a minute before realising what was actually going on. Solid state lightning would be great for a Thor halloween outfit, and distracting your coworkers (as well as giving them internal burns)
Yep, that makes sense. There are different types of understanding too though - like visualising how an object is going to move through 3D space before taking an action, and speech. I think those are usually linked in humans though as they're both part of the left brain, and most humans manifest their best visual-spacial stuff with their right hand (though personally I'm left handed/slightly ambidextrous:P ).
Ah. It still makes sense from a 'get-rid-of-the-licensing-cost' point of view, and as an initial testing environment without having to reboot or use separate hardware..
Yep - one of the engineers at our company used to work for Rolls Royce in the 70s, and at some point was a professor at Aberdeen University. He used to use FORTRAN, possibly some other languages too, but basically at the moment he does most things in excel (I think he likes Matlab too but the stuff I've seen him do mostly involves Excel). It seems to be pretty powerful, and good for easily graphing results from large datasets, etc. I've been doing work converting a couple of the engineer's hydraulic simulation spreadsheets over to Delphi (so that people other than the engineers can use the calculations, and can't see or change what's going on behind the scenes, since these spreadsheets are simulating what the tools we build can do, and they don't want our competitors getting too much information). I can definitely see the attraction of doing calculations on large datasets the Excel way - or rather, the 'spreadsheet' way, since Excel isn't the only spreadsheet system, just the most common..
wtf? My typing on m Unicomp keyboard was pretty fast even though it was just resting in my lap, faster than using my laptop keyboard anyway (was getting about 80wpm on the laptop, whereas at a desk I've get about 90-100, and had 120 once but that must have just been because I got a bunch of short words).
The typing action is great (maybe that's just because my fingers are beefed up from typing for the last 20 years of my life though). The only downside is the noise.
I ordered one of these keyboards, but after using it for 2 seconds at work, I realised it just wasn't going to happen. I'm loud enough even on this shiny soft apple keyboard without shaking everyone's hard-drives to death (not to mention having 'open' headphones so you can hear the music fairly well on the outside of them too >.> ). I have it at home ready to be used in my PS3, or on my laptop if I want to connect that to my TV.
Okay, fair enough. I at first suspected you were just one of those people who had watched too many movies but not thought about it;) Having read a lot of Asimov when I was younger, he thought of lots of interesting situations, which hopefully would encourage people to be cautious. I didn't know what the singularity was that people were referring to before. There are probably several different types of singularity that could develop in that case though, as a computer that knows lots about microprocessor and robotic design could theoretically improve upon itself, but still wouldn't really be sentient. In the case with the police station computer, again it isn't necessary for the computer to be able to talk or have any real 'intelligence' if all it is trying to do is design an algorithm to relate a bunch of data, and then finding the best possible inputs to give your desired output. Maybe we will eventually be stupid enough to build intelligent/emotional doors and toasters eventually though (a la HHGTTG and Red Dwarf..). Killing people does seem to be a logical solution to a lot of problems (AIDS for example is an obvious one), but also very unethical. A computer wouldn't really have the same genetic drive to protect the human race though, so we would probably have to program in laws that give a similar effect, like in Asimov's books.
Yeah. I've even spent time just watching them in games like Grand Theft Auto, and a nice sunset in Uncharted (although the sun never actually goes down in that scene) - they're pretty good approximations:) The last real sunrise I went to see down at the beach was a bit of a let down, cloud in the way, and the sun was tiiiiny!
My original idea stands then. If someone really hates 3 so much, just keep using 2. At least until some new HTML standard comes out, or some indispensable add-on that is FF3 only. Meh. I hardly ever use the address bar, and when I have I've found the in depth URL/title display quite cool looking - didn't realise it did bookmarks as well
Firefox 3 is slightly visually different, I'm not sure if they want to force it on users until they're ready. A few weeks of zen riddles and yoga meditation, and I think most people will be ready for the slightly different icons.
Some way of reverting to the old functionality would be nice. A quick google turns up:
browser.urlbar.richResults - to switch from the sucky new dropdown list to the old one I was originally just going to be sarcastic and suggest you download an older release;)
They had a while where they were giving away registration codes for free. I got one, and tried Opera, can't remember why I didn't stick with it.. *shrug* I have no problems with firefox:) IE is ugly, and traditionally the least secure browser known to mankind.
Seems it would be pretty easy to understand if you were keeping a sensible log of what is happening. It might take a while to review those logs, but I don't see how it's beyond understanding. Computers currently can't do anything that humans don't understand. Once we get them to the same level of 'understanding' as us, then perhaps they will be able to improve upon themselves faster than we can improve upon them. But if done properly, we would still have a record of how they reached the conclusions that they did. I don't really know what your concept of computers getting smarter actually involves, and why we would initially need safeguards if those computers were only being used in an advisory capacity for example, and confined to a single physical machine, or a local network with no link to the outside world, or controllable machinery. The worst that could happen in that case is that they wipe all the local machines. Eventually we may have a Multivac/Univac/whatever style machine that controls everything, but people are going to make damn sure that it can't go crazy. People are fallible though so there is potential for eventual failure, but if we ourselves get knowledgeable enough to make something that smart, we should also be smart enough to control it.
Sorry for ranting, but I just take umbridge to the fact that I wouldn't be able to understand how any computer program that I write, or any system I design, is working:p
Presumably it was just idling when you left it on overnight though - what would the costs be if it was run flat out all the time? I leave my PS3 running folding@home all the time, I'm not too fussed about the extra cost - have done over 100 units now after having it for just over a month. If it were in my bedroom rather than the living room then I'd probably switch it off in the evenings because of the fan noise (it's not bad, but it's not silent either).
unsolved protein mysteries You mean like the chicken and the egg debate? Why pot noodles are so addictive? Or how that mouldy block of cheese managed to solve the game of solitaire that you'd left lying out on the kitchen table?
Do you merit all scientific advances purely by how much closer they're going to get us to the Star Wars universe?;) I don't think that lightsaber mishaps are the only type that require the victim to use a prosthetic.
Yah I know, I must just have been fortunate enough to mostly have been attracted to the other 2% until then. Being interested in shopping is fair enough as long as you have other interesting qualities, but I think this girl was wayyyy too far into stereotypes. She was always interested in how things "should" be. I prefer not to limit my life to what society says it "should" be. My first gf was much more of a thinker and was into philosophy and stuff, which I've only recently started reading up on..
Slashdot Mirror
I read the headline and summary as being about solid state 'lightning' for about half a minute before realising what was actually going on. Solid state lightning would be great for a Thor halloween outfit, and distracting your coworkers (as well as giving them internal burns)
Yep, that makes sense. There are different types of understanding too though - like visualising how an object is going to move through 3D space before taking an action, and speech. I think those are usually linked in humans though as they're both part of the left brain, and most humans manifest their best visual-spacial stuff with their right hand (though personally I'm left handed/slightly ambidextrous :P ).
Ah. It still makes sense from a 'get-rid-of-the-licensing-cost' point of view, and as an initial testing environment without having to reboot or use separate hardware ..
Would you try and explain the beauty of a sunset to a monkey? Does this monkey have no eyes?
Yep - one of the engineers at our company used to work for Rolls Royce in the 70s, and at some point was a professor at Aberdeen University. He used to use FORTRAN, possibly some other languages too, but basically at the moment he does most things in excel (I think he likes Matlab too but the stuff I've seen him do mostly involves Excel). It seems to be pretty powerful, and good for easily graphing results from large datasets, etc. I've been doing work converting a couple of the engineer's hydraulic simulation spreadsheets over to Delphi (so that people other than the engineers can use the calculations, and can't see or change what's going on behind the scenes, since these spreadsheets are simulating what the tools we build can do, and they don't want our competitors getting too much information). I can definitely see the attraction of doing calculations on large datasets the Excel way - or rather, the 'spreadsheet' way, since Excel isn't the only spreadsheet system, just the most common..
Oooh, I am not one of you! Shun me!
Fine. I admit it; I've always wanted a lightsabre.
wtf? My typing on m Unicomp keyboard was pretty fast even though it was just resting in my lap, faster than using my laptop keyboard anyway (was getting about 80wpm on the laptop, whereas at a desk I've get about 90-100, and had 120 once but that must have just been because I got a bunch of short words).
The typing action is great (maybe that's just because my fingers are beefed up from typing for the last 20 years of my life though). The only downside is the noise.
I ordered one of these keyboards, but after using it for 2 seconds at work, I realised it just wasn't going to happen. I'm loud enough even on this shiny soft apple keyboard without shaking everyone's hard-drives to death (not to mention having 'open' headphones so you can hear the music fairly well on the outside of them too >.> ). I have it at home ready to be used in my PS3, or on my laptop if I want to connect that to my TV.
Okay, fair enough. I at first suspected you were just one of those people who had watched too many movies but not thought about it ;) Having read a lot of Asimov when I was younger, he thought of lots of interesting situations, which hopefully would encourage people to be cautious. I didn't know what the singularity was that people were referring to before. There are probably several different types of singularity that could develop in that case though, as a computer that knows lots about microprocessor and robotic design could theoretically improve upon itself, but still wouldn't really be sentient. In the case with the police station computer, again it isn't necessary for the computer to be able to talk or have any real 'intelligence' if all it is trying to do is design an algorithm to relate a bunch of data, and then finding the best possible inputs to give your desired output. Maybe we will eventually be stupid enough to build intelligent/emotional doors and toasters eventually though (a la HHGTTG and Red Dwarf..). Killing people does seem to be a logical solution to a lot of problems (AIDS for example is an obvious one), but also very unethical. A computer wouldn't really have the same genetic drive to protect the human race though, so we would probably have to program in laws that give a similar effect, like in Asimov's books.
Yeah. I've even spent time just watching them in games like Grand Theft Auto, and a nice sunset in Uncharted (although the sun never actually goes down in that scene) - they're pretty good approximations :) The last real sunrise I went to see down at the beach was a bit of a let down, cloud in the way, and the sun was tiiiiny!
Didn't say it hadn't, but the colour and resolution on those things isn't going to be much use for watching a sunset :P
My original idea stands then. If someone really hates 3 so much, just keep using 2. At least until some new HTML standard comes out, or some indispensable add-on that is FF3 only. Meh. I hardly ever use the address bar, and when I have I've found the in depth URL/title display quite cool looking - didn't realise it did bookmarks as well
They had a while where they were giving away registration codes for free. I got one, and tried Opera, can't remember why I didn't stick with it.. *shrug* I have no problems with firefox :) IE is ugly, and traditionally the least secure browser known to mankind.
Slashdot's HTML formatting stuff eats eastward facing hungry alligators
Seems it would be pretty easy to understand if you were keeping a sensible log of what is happening. It might take a while to review those logs, but I don't see how it's beyond understanding. Computers currently can't do anything that humans don't understand. Once we get them to the same level of 'understanding' as us, then perhaps they will be able to improve upon themselves faster than we can improve upon them. But if done properly, we would still have a record of how they reached the conclusions that they did. I don't really know what your concept of computers getting smarter actually involves, and why we would initially need safeguards if those computers were only being used in an advisory capacity for example, and confined to a single physical machine, or a local network with no link to the outside world, or controllable machinery. The worst that could happen in that case is that they wipe all the local machines. Eventually we may have a Multivac/Univac/whatever style machine that controls everything, but people are going to make damn sure that it can't go crazy. People are fallible though so there is potential for eventual failure, but if we ourselves get knowledgeable enough to make something that smart, we should also be smart enough to control it.
:p
Sorry for ranting, but I just take umbridge to the fact that I wouldn't be able to understand how any computer program that I write, or any system I design, is working
Presumably it was just idling when you left it on overnight though - what would the costs be if it was run flat out all the time? I leave my PS3 running folding@home all the time, I'm not too fussed about the extra cost - have done over 100 units now after having it for just over a month. If it were in my bedroom rather than the living room then I'd probably switch it off in the evenings because of the fan noise (it's not bad, but it's not silent either).
Nightlife is usually what you do before you boink.
It's better to think of it as job security.
Make them some prosthetic eyes?
Do you merit all scientific advances purely by how much closer they're going to get us to the Star Wars universe? ;) I don't think that lightsaber mishaps are the only type that require the victim to use a prosthetic.
Yah I know, I must just have been fortunate enough to mostly have been attracted to the other 2% until then. Being interested in shopping is fair enough as long as you have other interesting qualities, but I think this girl was wayyyy too far into stereotypes. She was always interested in how things "should" be. I prefer not to limit my life to what society says it "should" be. My first gf was much more of a thinker and was into philosophy and stuff, which I've only recently started reading up on..