It also pays because you can remove the inefficent insurance companies. If everybody is covered then there is no need to have a bureaucracy
Oh great, now you made me squirt coffee out my nose. Are you suggesting that having a single payer (the government) is a good way to remove inefficent bureaucracy? The larger the entity the larger and more inefficient the bureaucracy, and there is no larger entity than the US government. Some of your arguments above are quite valid, but this one actually works against you.
Who the heck is "Yang Enterprises"? If anything your reference proves my point. If Diebold had tried to pull anything like this, it would be all over the web.
... accusations fly that the company has embedded a mechanism to ensure that the shrub wins.
This is such an absurd theory, and yet it seems to be "accepted truth" around here. Think for one second. Who writes code? Here's a hint - it isn't upper level managers and company executives (ie those nasty Republicans). The only way something like this could happen is if low level employees (ie the engineers) were complicit. Do you think upper management *ordered* the engineers to make the code favor Bush, in which case, don't you think word would have gotten out? I mean really, in a time when CBS news publishes clearly fake memos, what makes you think a secret like this could be kept under wraps? This would be the biggest story in the history of the country. There would be fame and fortune in it for any engineer who came forward exposing the truth.
I think any discrepancies in the Diebold voting machines can best be explained by Hanlon's razor:
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
So basically this "poor guy" filed a lawsuit after being detained for several hours, and now, thanks to a frivolous lawsuit, we have these new regulations.
... bloggers are supposedly posting their own personal thoughts on various issues, unsullied by commercial pressures,...
That is one of the funniest things I've ever read on/. From my perspective, blogging is *all about* getting noticed, which will in turn lead to commercial/financial rewards, whether it be through selling advertising, or as in this case, becoming advertising. Unlike your interpretation I actually take a dimmer view of blogging than I do of "mass media" because we all know mass media is commercially-driven but bloggers are assumed to be "unsullied", making them that much more insidious. Remember, everything we read comes from somebody with an agenda (including this post;-)
Ahhh, but Canada is a major exporter of oil (the world's 8th largest). And it is well known on/. that the US routinely invades countries to take their oil... so if I were Canada I would be pretty worried.
Apple is technically an OEM, and could offer copies of Vista at a discounted price.
Somehow I don't think Microsoft would mind if every Apple shipped with an OEM copy of Windows. The vast majority of Windows licenses are of the OEM variety (ie, the "discounted" variety) and yet somehow Microsoft seems to scrape by. I think MS would actually really delight in pointing out that Apple machines are only worth buying if you also buy a copy of Windows.
I'm someone who's family and friends respect when it comes to my knowledge of technology. I take every opportunity to recommend Linux and moving away from Microsoft products.
It's too bad you put your own personal biases ahead of your friends' and family's interests. I too serve a similar advisory role as the designated nerd and when asked for advice about what they should purchase, first I ask them what they plan to use their machine for. Then I recommend what I think is the best solution for them. Usually that solution is a Windows box (if they want gaming or compatibility with their office systems, or are interested in using some particular Windows-only product). Sometimes I suggest a Mac (if they want to edit movies or photos). On very rare occasions I have recommended Linux (if they want to learn about computers).
You may *think* you are helping "the cause" by steering people towards Linux, but in reality you are just giving Linux a bad name by pushing it on people who ought not to be using it. What do you think they will say about Linux after they crash-and-burn?
Americans refuse to use public transportation due to class snobbery
Nonsense. For a large percentage of Americans, mass transit is simply not an option. For example, there is no mass transit between my home and my job... period. Secondarily, it is obviously much more convenient and comfortable to drive your own vehicle rather than adapting your schedule and personal comforts to public/mass transit. It has nothing to do with snobbery and everything to do with convenience and comfort.
Who wants to hold their arm out, hovering over the keyboard, attempting to "draw" on a surface that isn't firm (laptop hinges are not designed to resist pushing on the screen)? This is a terrible idea in my opinion. The big advantage of *real* tablets is that they fold "roughly" flat so you can write/draw on them more naturally. Even at that, they are usually too thick, making writing uncomfortable.
I am always reminded of the cartoon characters that run off a cliff, but they don't fall until they notice they aren't standing on anything. Maybe now that we notice this, the universe will implode or something. I hope not, at least until the end of the weekend - I hate it when my weekends get cut short.
fighting and winning the meaningless battles, and losing the important ones
If they ever did manage to overturn one of their chronic major election losses (you have noticed they quarrel with the outcome of every major election they lose, haven't you?) that same lack of judgment would manifest itself on the world stage, to the detriment of the country. This latest ploy with impeaching Cheney is a classic Democrat action - all puffery, and feel-good imagery but in the end it's just a bunch of hot air. I don't know what worries me more - that they know this and do it anyhow, or that they don't realize it.
I am surprised/. folks are so cynical about this move by Microsoft. After all, OLPC is *all about the children*, isn't it? I mean OLPC isn't just a component of some religious war on Microsoft, is it? Because I thought OLPC was about giving tools to those who needed them so they could lift themselves up out of poverty. This move by Microsoft does exactly that, just as OLPC does. Now, is this simply a response to the OLPC program? If it is, then once again we see clear evidence that competition is a much better way to foster progress than is regulation or coercion. If it isn't, then it's still laudable regardless of motives.
I noticed you used the word "should" three different times. It "shouldn't" matter, the magic pixies "should" sort everything out and C code "should" compile. In the open source world, "should" is sufficient. After all, it is *free* and you do have the source, so you can just change/fix it. However, when you charge for your products you have to support them, and "should" doesn't cut it because there is an "or else" clause. If it doesn't work on "pick you favorite Linux distro" and MS sold it as Linux compatible, then MS "must" rectify the situation.
so that Microsoft can provide support only for "friendly" operating systems.
Oh please... then why is Mac included? My take is, if Linux wasn't fragmented into dozens of viable distributions MS would have supported Linux as well.
Re:Question on how PRAM works and is manufactured
on
Intel Set To Demo PRAM
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· Score: 5, Funny
How are Intel and others managing this chalcogenide glass manufacturing in their usual silicon DRAM process? Is this glass fused/bonded to silicon or something?
If that is your idea of a lay question, I'd hate to be hit with one of your "expert" questions.
Assuming we still drive something that resembles cars.
You got me! I actually am assuming transportation will change dramatically in the coming decades, so yes, I am expecting auto-related deaths to fall rather dramatically. But I also expect terrorism to continue growing, unfortunately. To me, then, my statement is completely obvious and it surprises me that people will argue the point so vociferously.
As regards the rate of change, in another post I noted that terrorism-caused deaths in any given incident actually seem to be going up by a factor of 10 each decade (1s in the 60s, 10s in the 70s, 100s in the 80s, 1000s in the 90s/00s). If that trend continues we can expect the next big terrorist act to kill 10s of thousands, and the decade after that 100s of thousands and then we will unfortunately have seen my prediction come true. I really hope I am wrong, but I don't think I am.
Slashdot Mirror
Who the heck is "Yang Enterprises"? If anything your reference proves my point. If Diebold had tried to pull anything like this, it would be all over the web.
I think any discrepancies in the Diebold voting machines can best be explained by Hanlon's razor:
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
So basically this "poor guy" filed a lawsuit after being detained for several hours, and now, thanks to a frivolous lawsuit, we have these new regulations.
Typical /. where the truth gets modded as Troll. It never ceases to amaze me how much group-think this forum demonstrates.
FWIW, the actual title of the song is "Homeward Bound"
Ahhh, but Canada is a major exporter of oil (the world's 8th largest). And it is well known on /. that the US routinely invades countries to take their oil ... so if I were Canada I would be pretty worried.
You may *think* you are helping "the cause" by steering people towards Linux, but in reality you are just giving Linux a bad name by pushing it on people who ought not to be using it. What do you think they will say about Linux after they crash-and-burn?
Who wants to hold their arm out, hovering over the keyboard, attempting to "draw" on a surface that isn't firm (laptop hinges are not designed to resist pushing on the screen)? This is a terrible idea in my opinion. The big advantage of *real* tablets is that they fold "roughly" flat so you can write/draw on them more naturally. Even at that, they are usually too thick, making writing uncomfortable.
I am always reminded of the cartoon characters that run off a cliff, but they don't fall until they notice they aren't standing on anything. Maybe now that we notice this, the universe will implode or something. I hope not, at least until the end of the weekend - I hate it when my weekends get cut short.
I wonder how much this software costs. Does everyone pay the same price for it?
Windows runs on ARM processors as well, which are distinctly not x86.
fighting and winning the meaningless battles, and losing the important ones If they ever did manage to overturn one of their chronic major election losses (you have noticed they quarrel with the outcome of every major election they lose, haven't you?) that same lack of judgment would manifest itself on the world stage, to the detriment of the country. This latest ploy with impeaching Cheney is a classic Democrat action - all puffery, and feel-good imagery but in the end it's just a bunch of hot air. I don't know what worries me more - that they know this and do it anyhow, or that they don't realize it.
I am surprised /. folks are so cynical about this move by Microsoft. After all, OLPC is *all about the children*, isn't it? I mean OLPC isn't just a component of some religious war on Microsoft, is it? Because I thought OLPC was about giving tools to those who needed them so they could lift themselves up out of poverty. This move by Microsoft does exactly that, just as OLPC does. Now, is this simply a response to the OLPC program? If it is, then once again we see clear evidence that competition is a much better way to foster progress than is regulation or coercion. If it isn't, then it's still laudable regardless of motives.
I noticed you used the word "should" three different times. It "shouldn't" matter, the magic pixies "should" sort everything out and C code "should" compile. In the open source world, "should" is sufficient. After all, it is *free* and you do have the source, so you can just change/fix it. However, when you charge for your products you have to support them, and "should" doesn't cut it because there is an "or else" clause. If it doesn't work on "pick you favorite Linux distro" and MS sold it as Linux compatible, then MS "must" rectify the situation.
... how they are able to visualize such high frequencies. How do they know they succeeded?
Well, if I could charge people to watch it rather than having them all just steal it from me, then maybe I would!
Government subsidized movies. Oh boy! I bet those will be entertaining (/sarcasm).
As regards the rate of change, in another post I noted that terrorism-caused deaths in any given incident actually seem to be going up by a factor of 10 each decade (1s in the 60s, 10s in the 70s, 100s in the 80s, 1000s in the 90s/00s). If that trend continues we can expect the next big terrorist act to kill 10s of thousands, and the decade after that 100s of thousands and then we will unfortunately have seen my prediction come true. I really hope I am wrong, but I don't think I am.