Re:Yes, Perl is indeed dead and rotting
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Perl Is Undead
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· Score: 2
I remember clearly how Perl 6 was going to become the best thing since butter on toast,... There was general excitement about it all, and then there was a whole load of... well... nothing. We're 11-12 years further and there's still no sign of Perl 6. What the hell happened there?
Don't get me wrong about this particular thing... all of my commentary is about Perl 5. I think Perl 6 is dead on the vine. I think Perl 5 will probably be the final definition of the language. It will get refined, and bug fixed, but I don't think it will get the type of complete change that Perl 6 implies (not the current concept of perl 6, nor any concept of similar scope that might replace the current perl 6 concept). Nor do I think that that's a bad thing (for Perl 5 to be final definition of the language).
I'm also not saying Perl 5 is perfect. I just think it's "good enough"* for what it does, and for use in sysadmin type development (which is not just for quick and dirty duct-tape programming... I've written pretty extensive projects in Perl), with a momentum that will carry it forward for more than a little while.
(* nor do I consider "good enough" to be a snobbish backhanded compliment... I mean it more in the light of "the perfect is the enemy of the good-enough" -- "good enough" gets things done, "perfect" gets defined and redefined on a white-board for an eternity and never accomplishes anything other than a bunch of bloviating) (nor am I implying that that negative version of "perfect" applies to _any_ of the other languages being discussed... I'm just saying, "good enough" is a good thing when applied to perl 5.)
Re:Yes, Perl is indeed dead and rotting
on
Perl Is Undead
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· Score: 2
Like I said, I haven't seen python take over anywhere other than Google. That's a big claim to fame, surely. But, it's not as wide spread as it could or should be, at this point in python's life, IMO. It just doesn't have the momentum nor clear advantage (to non-language-geeks) over perl to push it forward fast enough to overtake perl.
I do like python, mind you. I just think it's stuck in the betamax / BSD niche (academically superior to its cousins, but stuck in second place for reasons that have nothing to do with its academic superiority... because academic superiority doesn't win any races outside of academia).
Re:Yes, Perl is indeed dead and rotting
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Perl Is Undead
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· Score: 4, Interesting
Meanwhile, Perl 5 being phased out of system building / admin tools
Really? what's replacing it? (genuine question... I haven't seen anything that really fills that niche as effectively nor as completely)
Perl 5 is still charging full steam ahead in every sysadmin group I've been around. I know there are python advocates out there, but I have only encountered ONE major IT shop that is completely (or nearly so) python driven (and it happens to be Guido's employer -- hardly a good example). Other than that, the most I've seen is _some_ python but _mostly_ perl in any IT shop.
Sure, language-geeks have been talking about what other language has done a better job of being "a language" for at least 10 years... but really, anything you can say negatively about perl can be said about bourne shell programming. And, yet, not only did bourne shell dominate *nix sysadmin and package install programming for 25+ years, but it is _still_ being done out there, by some backward luddite sysadmins. Perl has only been dominant in the sysadmin space for less than 15 years... I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts at least another 10 more. And, really, since it lacks many of bourne shell programming's problems, it'd be reasonable to expect it to keep going for a lot longer than that. Especially as perl 5's evolution continues to slow down and become more stagnant (creating a consistent and stable programming layer... which has not been true through the entirety of perl 5's lifespan -- there were a few major hiccups there as various sub-systems were refined or changed).
(to be clear, perl 5 has _existed_ for more than 15 years, but it didn't become really dominant as a sysadmin language of choice, finally eclipsing bourne shell, until the very late 1990's or early 2000's... probably about the time that y2k issues wiped out anything too old to have/support perl, and the last of many *nix vendors and most linux distro's being sure they included perl in their boilerplate installation, pretty much removing bourne shell's one major claim to fame (ubiquity).)
"If you want exact results from a fixed number of significant bits, you want magic. "
I want magic!!!
I mean, I don't care about the computer math part, I just want magic. If we're defining that as a bullet item on the path to some other solution, I'm in full support of that goal!
If only there was a company whose job was to make gcc/gdb ports to every platform on earth, with contracted deals with the platform makers (Intel, Sun, Sega, Sony, Hitachi, etc.)... such that gcc provided C, C++, and even some Objective-C support, uniformly across platforms, with as much platform specific optimization as possible.
Oh... wait. There was such a company. Until Redhat bought them and killed them. (Cygnus Support / Cygnus Solutions, purchased by Redhat in very late 1999/ early 2000 because RH was afraid Cygnus would go into the business of having their own Linux distro and compete with RH...)
They already have that. It's called "NC". Surely you'll say "No, NC doesn't imply that"... but that's because people are myopic.
ANY property can be licensed under an alternate license. You just have to contact the property owner.
weird_w wants to license it in general under NC to prevent the general case of abuse, and to prevent abuse by entities he doesn't like... great.
If a small shop still wants to use the work, they already have a built-in remedy: contact weird_w and ask him for the same work under an alternate and/or negotiated license (closed/for-pay, closed/for-free, open, etc.). There's nothing about distributing _YOUR_ work under the GPL or CC or any other _general_ license that says you can't also simultaneously distribute _YOUR_ work under another license.
It's your work. Do you want you want. Distribute it under a GPL or OGL variant to people who's last name starts with A-M, and distribute it under CC-SA to people who's last names start with N-Y, and distribute it under CC-NC to people who's last names start with Z.
Or, distribute it under CC-NC to companies named BANDERSNATCH, and distribute it under CC-SA to everyone else.
It MIGHT make it harder to defend your property in court (I'm not a lawyer, consult one), but there have, historically, been lots of companies that distribute their work under multiple licenses. The first one that comes to mind is the old Ghostscript, which was under one license for the latest and greatest, and then a different license for older versions. Or FUDGE, which (at least for a while) was under an artist's license OR the OGL (your choice).
If you put the fans ABOVE the center of gravity, such that the center of lift is above the center of gravity, then: a) it will look even more "bike" like, and b) you wont need to worry about negative stability.
Thought about it. barely any advantage over running it on my own system (which I have done, via VNC). Which, as I hinted at, if the remote desktop is VNC, then it's got too much latency and can have usability issues. I'm sincerely hoping they're doing something orders of magnitude better than VNC.
I sent them an email, a few weeks ago, asking about other options besides Windows. Like, Ubuntu or Mac OS X, for the remote OS. I also asked about clients for other platforms.
No response yet.
I doubt I'd use it for flash things or word processing (I use Dropbox to keep documents synchronized). What I would more likely want it for is a persistent IM presence, with centralized logging. Currently, I also use Dropbox for centralizing the logging, but I have to do some over-head to check and be sure that I don't try to run it in 2 places (I use an Automator Script and a Perl script for that). I've also looked into various web based IM clients... none of which were satisfactory to me. So, one of my main uses of something like this would be to simply keep open a persistent IM session that I could check and update from my various devices. Especially if it's more usable, and has less latency, than doing that on my own "server" via VNC.
17 year ago, when I drove a Geo Metro (manual transmission, no AC), it was rated for 49/50 MPG, and that's exactly what I got. However, it spoiled me for other cars. I hear people rave about how great their cars do... at 28-30 MPG, and I think "that's TERRIBLE". For various reasons, for this year only, I'm stuck in a Ford 500. I average 20MPG. I feel guilty every time I start the engine.
What Cameron is bringing up is basically a re-hash of the "Looker" plot-line. Though, Looker adds in a gadget that is also a little bit novel (and almost, but not exactly, like the non-lethal flashlight weapon that uses flashing lights to induce vomiting... only the one in the movie induces blackouts).
Once we cross that gulf that makes truly human-looking CGI characters, you can bet we'll see movies that use virtual versions of real actors. That does NOT mean it'll be successful... there's more to a successful movie than a real looking actor, you'll still need good writing, good directing, and good acting (voice acting, in this case). But it'll almost certainly have an impact on how many movies are made... and it'll probably have an impact on the admissibility of video evidence.
Firefly doesn't need to be rebooted. It was fine the first time around, and it was envisioned just right. What it needs is not a reboot, it needs a revival/continuance.
Babylon 5... the nature of the production "network" messed up the second half of season 4, and ruined season 5 (IMO). Further, the sequel series was ruined by various other issues (chiefly the network airing it). It would be interesting to see how JMS would re-do the whole thing if he had the chance.
Highlander... there are like 2 or 3 different attempts at a back story, several disconnected movies, 2 different tv series, movies that are based on the series and not the original movie(s).... it's a huge mess. I'd be nice to see a story that has a central arc (like B5, where it's known up front and told in a slowly revealed and sophisticated manner... not like BSG, where they made up "the arc"/"the plan" as they went along, and just barely pulled it off), but more importantly, it has a definite continuity that the existing mess lacks.
Space:1999... obviously, they have to change the title. But it was one of my early favorite shows. I'd love to see what a talented writer could do with it. Again, I'd want it to be an arc story, that is pre-envisioned, and not made up as they go along.
The article referenced brings up Buck Rogers. If they could do it more like the original 1930's, and not like the 1980's, then go for it.
Dune was already re-done, on the sci-fi/syfy channel... like Firefly, it doesn't need a reboot right now, it needs a continuance (the rest of the books).
One other idea: The Six Million Dollar Man. Only, NOT done by the people who did the reboot of "The Bionic Woman". That was AWFUL.
What about that old kids show: Arc 2? With the vehicle that drives around a post-apocalyptic planet trying to find a way to re-build civilization? That might do well right now.
Or the Shazam/Captain Marvel show of the same era. With or without Isis.
Oh... and... what about Mad Max/Road Warrior? I think Mel is too old to pull off a sequel at this point, so why not a fresh look at it.
Someone mentioned Aliens... maybe. Or even a complete revamp of the Terminator story (and, again, done with forethought, and not "what can we shove into the sequel this time, and pull out of our butts to sort of make it work?").
Dune was already re-done, as 2 mini-series on the Sci-Fi/syfy channel. Much better than the original theatrical movie.
I think that if Dune needs anything, it's like Firefly: it doesn't need to be re-done, it needs to be continued. The remake had 1 mini-series for the first book, 1 mini-series for the 2nd and 3rd books. It'd be interesting to see the rest of the main novels done.
3) functionality -- runs the basics (real web browser, terminal or dedicated ssh client, vnc viewer, IM, document viewers)
4) shape -- the above things can also be applied to "tablets", but the difference between a mid-range tablet and a mid-range "clamshell" is the keyboard. The "mid-range clamshell" is a "netbook" (with or without the swivel screen/convertible tablet capability). Not a smartbook, not a sub-notebook, etc. Those are just market-droid's attempts to re-brand and differentiate from past models of the same thing. It's a netbook.
I personally don't think #1 will ever go away, whether you call it a "netbook", "smartbook", or "sub-notebook".
I don't think the price is going to really have a huge change either. Sure, some netbooks are getting more expensive. But, some "laptops" are also coming down to a price point that competes with netbooks.
As for functionality, as time marches forward, the capabilities of devices in that size and price rang will increase. That's a given. So, eventually, netbooks will run more than just the basics. But the point is: they need to always run those basics well.
So, while the marketing blurbs may change, and the exact numbers might change, I'm willing to bet that the actual device category (7-12 inch screen, well under $100, runs basic apps) is here to stay. The only thing I think that might change... is that someone might come up with a truly compelling device that matches 1-3, but doesn't keep the keyboard. Maybe it'll be the EnTourage eDGe (dual screen tablet, like the OLPC2 concept, or the Microsoft Courier). Maybe it'll be a plain tablet (Notion Ink Adam, or the highly anticipated Apple tablet). Maybe it's something we haven't envisioned yet.
First, do your homework, make sure you didn't accidentally give them consent in your TOS with them. Second, if you didn't give that consent, contact a lawyer (for civil litigation), and then notify authorities.
a) call it what it is: a netbook... smartbook is a pointless re-naming of the device category. Stop it. b) TI OMAP 3xxx CPU (the 1GHz one) c) Slate Tablet or Convertible-Tablet Netbook format -- either way, 5 way dpad and "Android Buttons" next to the screen d) PixelQi hybrid LCD/e-paper 9" or 10" touch screen, multi-touch, 1280x720, 1280x768, or 1280x800 native resolution e) DVI-I out, supporting 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800, and 1280x1024 resolutions (the non-HD/wide screen resolutions using letter boxing to show an HD/widescreen resolution of the same width; so, a 1280x1024 monitor would show the 1280x720/1280x768/1280x800 native resolution of the device, with the black bands at the top and bottom of the screen) f) 2-4 USB Host/OTG ports (keyboard, mouse, storage, network, etc.) g) 1 mini-USB for charging and data sync (it's ok to ALSO have a conventional charger, this is just for opportunistic charging at any USB port that's available) h) 3.5mm headset (bi-directional, so you can use it with VOIP/Skype/Google-Voice) i) 1GB - 2GB RAM j) 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB storage options k) 1 or 2 full size SDHC slots l) Android, with both the built-in Android browser, and the Chrome browser m) The Android x86 and Acer port of Firefox for Android n) Throw in a Fennec port to Android o) 8+ hours battery life, even with Wifi and Bluetooth on p) Wifi b/g/n q) Full bluetooth stack (DUN, PAN, FTP, HID, BIP, A2DC, etc.) r) PCI Express Mini card slot, for user-added 3G (or for carrier subsidized models) s) fast-boot/splashtop optimizations for Android (perhaps some of ChromeOS'es ability to check the validity of the OS) t) Android can easily/seamlessly hand-off to other OSes (UBuntu-ARM, Mer/Maemo, Windows CE, maybe ChromeOS if an ARM CPU is used; or Ubuntu, Windows, or any other available x86 OS (ChromeOS, etc.) if an x86 CPU is used)
The Aspire 1420P convertible tablet netbook might be a good start, if it was scaled down to 10", and changed to a ARM CPU with a PixelQi display.
The Macbook Air motherboard might lend itself quite well to the innards of a eviGroup tablet, or something along those lines (I also happen to have a Samsung Q1 Ultra I'm barely using). It wont be a pretty, nor cheap, Apple Tablet, but if Apple doesn't pull their heads out, it might be the only way to get one that's legal.
Though, with the economy the way it is lately, I don't have that kind of throw-away money right now. But the idea keeps sitting there in the back of my mind...
1) convertible tablet netbook, 10.1" screen, pref. multi-touch, with the ability to do automated screen rotations based on the hinge orientation and accelerometers. At least 1024x600, pref. 1280x720. And, preferably a PixelQi hybrid display. 2) Dalvik apps, with the "with Google" Android experience (Android Market, Android Gmail, Android Calendar, etc.) 3) 1GB+ RAM, internal storage options (local media, caching data even if the rest will be stored in the cloud, etc.). 2-32GB options are good. And add full size SDHC card slot for more storage. They can omit the internal storage if they put in two full size SDHC card slots. 4) 2 or more USB host/otg ports, support for Keyboards, mice/trackpad/trackball, storage, USB-VGA/USB-DVI/USB-HDMI adapters, printers, etc. 5) If no USB-VGA/DVI/HDMI support, then a DVI-I port (if no DVI-I port, then there has to be at least 3 USB host/otg ports) 6) GPS with Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation (easy if it has #2) 7) Internal 3G module, either optional modules for the carrier of my choice (I pay) or an included module with the carrier of Google's choice (Google pays) 8) At least Wifi b and g, possibly n 9) If no Dalvik apps, ssh app with port forwarding 10) If no Dalvik apps, VNC app that will work through #10's port forwarding, and has VNC password support 11) I think I heard Chrome already has these, but just to be sure: local media player for local audio files, local video files, e-book reader apps 12) Google Gears for working with Google Docs and other things when in a 3G dead zone 13) Full support for Flash in the browser... full support for sites like Hulu, Rhapsody, Pandora, Youtube, etc. 14) Netflix streaming player support 15) Google Apps sites that are BOTH mobile AND full-featured (ex: all non-Mobile Gmail features, but in a finger friendly presentation; all non-Mobile Google Reader features (add/edit tags, etc.), but in a finger-friendly presentation; etc.) 16) Charge and sync (like a phone) via USB-client (so I can use/access the data on the SDHC cards (and/or optional internal user storage) via my desktop system, while the device recharges). 17) Something like Privoxy to block ads and bad HTML on _NON_-Google ad sites. I understand that the trade here is that I have to see Google Adsense stuff. But I don't want to have to put up with ads/pop-ups/etc. from _anyone_ else. 18) LOTS of battery. Probably be most effective to use an ARM CPU (TI OMAP 3? OMAP 4?) 19) Free hardware upgrades as new versions come out. 12-36 month cycles (obv. I'd prefer 12 months, but I can understand if they need 36 months). 20) Since Google Apps have the option to avoid ads by paying for the service, I'd want that same option with the device. If I pay a monthly or yearly subscription, then the subscription includes: the 3G service (assuming it's the "google pays for it" option from above), no ads (not even from Google's services), and the hardware upgrade cycle.
Give me all of that, and yeah, I'd take a free device and not do anything to block the ads. Not sure whether or not I'd pay for the subscription option or not, but I definitely think the subscription option needs to exist.
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I remember clearly how Perl 6 was going to become the best thing since butter on toast, ... There was general excitement about it all, and then there was a whole load of ... well... nothing. We're 11-12 years further and there's still no sign of Perl 6. What the hell happened there?
Don't get me wrong about this particular thing... all of my commentary is about Perl 5. I think Perl 6 is dead on the vine. I think Perl 5 will probably be the final definition of the language. It will get refined, and bug fixed, but I don't think it will get the type of complete change that Perl 6 implies (not the current concept of perl 6, nor any concept of similar scope that might replace the current perl 6 concept). Nor do I think that that's a bad thing (for Perl 5 to be final definition of the language).
I'm also not saying Perl 5 is perfect. I just think it's "good enough"* for what it does, and for use in sysadmin type development (which is not just for quick and dirty duct-tape programming ... I've written pretty extensive projects in Perl), with a momentum that will carry it forward for more than a little while.
(* nor do I consider "good enough" to be a snobbish backhanded compliment ... I mean it more in the light of "the perfect is the enemy of the good-enough" -- "good enough" gets things done, "perfect" gets defined and redefined on a white-board for an eternity and never accomplishes anything other than a bunch of bloviating) (nor am I implying that that negative version of "perfect" applies to _any_ of the other languages being discussed ... I'm just saying, "good enough" is a good thing when applied to perl 5.)
Like I said, I haven't seen python take over anywhere other than Google. That's a big claim to fame, surely. But, it's not as wide spread as it could or should be, at this point in python's life, IMO. It just doesn't have the momentum nor clear advantage (to non-language-geeks) over perl to push it forward fast enough to overtake perl.
I do like python, mind you. I just think it's stuck in the betamax / BSD niche (academically superior to its cousins, but stuck in second place for reasons that have nothing to do with its academic superiority ... because academic superiority doesn't win any races outside of academia).
Meanwhile, Perl 5 being phased out of system building / admin tools
Really? what's replacing it? (genuine question ... I haven't seen anything that really fills that niche as effectively nor as completely)
Perl 5 is still charging full steam ahead in every sysadmin group I've been around. I know there are python advocates out there, but I have only encountered ONE major IT shop that is completely (or nearly so) python driven (and it happens to be Guido's employer -- hardly a good example). Other than that, the most I've seen is _some_ python but _mostly_ perl in any IT shop.
Sure, language-geeks have been talking about what other language has done a better job of being "a language" for at least 10 years ... but really, anything you can say negatively about perl can be said about bourne shell programming. And, yet, not only did bourne shell dominate *nix sysadmin and package install programming for 25+ years, but it is _still_ being done out there, by some backward luddite sysadmins. Perl has only been dominant in the sysadmin space for less than 15 years ... I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts at least another 10 more. And, really, since it lacks many of bourne shell programming's problems, it'd be reasonable to expect it to keep going for a lot longer than that. Especially as perl 5's evolution continues to slow down and become more stagnant (creating a consistent and stable programming layer ... which has not been true through the entirety of perl 5's lifespan -- there were a few major hiccups there as various sub-systems were refined or changed).
(to be clear, perl 5 has _existed_ for more than 15 years, but it didn't become really dominant as a sysadmin language of choice, finally eclipsing bourne shell, until the very late 1990's or early 2000's ... probably about the time that y2k issues wiped out anything too old to have/support perl, and the last of many *nix vendors and most linux distro's being sure they included perl in their boilerplate installation, pretty much removing bourne shell's one major claim to fame (ubiquity).)
Clearly, the article says "RPGs arrived in Japan with Dungeons and Dragons", not with Black Onyx. Black Onyx came later.
The article title should reflect that.
"If you want exact results from a fixed number of significant bits, you want magic. "
I want magic!!!
I mean, I don't care about the computer math part, I just want magic. If we're defining that as a bullet item on the path to some other solution, I'm in full support of that goal!
Just don't drink the glacier water...
If only there was a company whose job was to make gcc/gdb ports to every platform on earth, with contracted deals with the platform makers (Intel, Sun, Sega, Sony, Hitachi, etc.) ... such that gcc provided C, C++, and even some Objective-C support, uniformly across platforms, with as much platform specific optimization as possible.
Oh... wait. There was such a company. Until Redhat bought them and killed them. (Cygnus Support / Cygnus Solutions, purchased by Redhat in very late 1999/ early 2000 because RH was afraid Cygnus would go into the business of having their own Linux distro and compete with RH...)
They already have that. It's called "NC". Surely you'll say "No, NC doesn't imply that"... but that's because people are myopic.
ANY property can be licensed under an alternate license. You just have to contact the property owner.
weird_w wants to license it in general under NC to prevent the general case of abuse, and to prevent abuse by entities he doesn't like... great.
If a small shop still wants to use the work, they already have a built-in remedy: contact weird_w and ask him for the same work under an alternate and/or negotiated license (closed/for-pay, closed/for-free, open, etc.). There's nothing about distributing _YOUR_ work under the GPL or CC or any other _general_ license that says you can't also simultaneously distribute _YOUR_ work under another license.
It's your work. Do you want you want. Distribute it under a GPL or OGL variant to people who's last name starts with A-M, and distribute it under CC-SA to people who's last names start with N-Y, and distribute it under CC-NC to people who's last names start with Z.
Or, distribute it under CC-NC to companies named BANDERSNATCH, and distribute it under CC-SA to everyone else.
It MIGHT make it harder to defend your property in court (I'm not a lawyer, consult one), but there have, historically, been lots of companies that distribute their work under multiple licenses. The first one that comes to mind is the old Ghostscript, which was under one license for the latest and greatest, and then a different license for older versions. Or FUDGE, which (at least for a while) was under an artist's license OR the OGL (your choice).
If you put the fans ABOVE the center of gravity, such that the center of lift is above the center of gravity, then: a) it will look even more "bike" like, and b) you wont need to worry about negative stability.
Thought about it. barely any advantage over running it on my own system (which I have done, via VNC). Which, as I hinted at, if the remote desktop is VNC, then it's got too much latency and can have usability issues. I'm sincerely hoping they're doing something orders of magnitude better than VNC.
I sent them an email, a few weeks ago, asking about other options besides Windows. Like, Ubuntu or Mac OS X, for the remote OS.
I also asked about clients for other platforms.
No response yet.
I doubt I'd use it for flash things or word processing (I use Dropbox to keep documents synchronized). What I would more likely want it for is a persistent IM presence, with centralized logging. Currently, I also use Dropbox for centralizing the logging, but I have to do some over-head to check and be sure that I don't try to run it in 2 places (I use an Automator Script and a Perl script for that). I've also looked into various web based IM clients ... none of which were satisfactory to me. So, one of my main uses of something like this would be to simply keep open a persistent IM session that I could check and update from my various devices. Especially if it's more usable, and has less latency, than doing that on my own "server" via VNC.
17 year ago, when I drove a Geo Metro (manual transmission, no AC), it was rated for 49/50 MPG, and that's exactly what I got. However, it spoiled me for other cars. I hear people rave about how great their cars do... at 28-30 MPG, and I think "that's TERRIBLE". For various reasons, for this year only, I'm stuck in a Ford 500. I average 20MPG. I feel guilty every time I start the engine.
By far, the best of the bunch (reliability, customer service, and price) has been T-Mobile.
MetroPCS is good if you live in one of their areas, don't mind the handset selection, and don't travel much. Otherwise, T-Mobile is the best. By far.
I was going to bring that up too.
What Cameron is bringing up is basically a re-hash of the "Looker" plot-line. Though, Looker adds in a gadget that is also a little bit novel (and almost, but not exactly, like the non-lethal flashlight weapon that uses flashing lights to induce vomiting ... only the one in the movie induces blackouts).
Once we cross that gulf that makes truly human-looking CGI characters, you can bet we'll see movies that use virtual versions of real actors. That does NOT mean it'll be successful ... there's more to a successful movie than a real looking actor, you'll still need good writing, good directing, and good acting (voice acting, in this case). But it'll almost certainly have an impact on how many movies are made ... and it'll probably have an impact on the admissibility of video evidence.
How long before we see a FUSE plugin that lets you treat this like an NFS server?
(or did I miss it, and one already exists?)
Firefly doesn't need to be rebooted. It was fine the first time around, and it was envisioned just right. What it needs is not a reboot, it needs a revival/continuance.
Babylon 5 ... the nature of the production "network" messed up the second half of season 4, and ruined season 5 (IMO). Further, the sequel series was ruined by various other issues (chiefly the network airing it). It would be interesting to see how JMS would re-do the whole thing if he had the chance.
Highlander ... there are like 2 or 3 different attempts at a back story, several disconnected movies, 2 different tv series, movies that are based on the series and not the original movie(s) .... it's a huge mess. I'd be nice to see a story that has a central arc (like B5, where it's known up front and told in a slowly revealed and sophisticated manner... not like BSG, where they made up "the arc"/"the plan" as they went along, and just barely pulled it off), but more importantly, it has a definite continuity that the existing mess lacks.
Space:1999 ... obviously, they have to change the title. But it was one of my early favorite shows. I'd love to see what a talented writer could do with it. Again, I'd want it to be an arc story, that is pre-envisioned, and not made up as they go along.
The article referenced brings up Buck Rogers. If they could do it more like the original 1930's, and not like the 1980's, then go for it.
Dune was already re-done, on the sci-fi/syfy channel ... like Firefly, it doesn't need a reboot right now, it needs a continuance (the rest of the books).
One other idea: The Six Million Dollar Man. Only, NOT done by the people who did the reboot of "The Bionic Woman". That was AWFUL.
What about that old kids show: Arc 2? With the vehicle that drives around a post-apocalyptic planet trying to find a way to re-build civilization? That might do well right now.
Or the Shazam/Captain Marvel show of the same era. With or without Isis.
Oh... and... what about Mad Max/Road Warrior? I think Mel is too old to pull off a sequel at this point, so why not a fresh look at it.
Someone mentioned Aliens ... maybe. Or even a complete revamp of the Terminator story (and, again, done with forethought, and not "what can we shove into the sequel this time, and pull out of our butts to sort of make it work?").
Dune was already re-done, as 2 mini-series on the Sci-Fi/syfy channel. Much better than the original theatrical movie.
I think that if Dune needs anything, it's like Firefly: it doesn't need to be re-done, it needs to be continued. The remake had 1 mini-series for the first book, 1 mini-series for the 2nd and 3rd books. It'd be interesting to see the rest of the main novels done.
That was supposed to be "well under $1000" not "well under $100" :-}
To me, what's important about a netbook, is:
1) size -- 7" - 12" screen
2) price -- under $600
3) functionality -- runs the basics (real web browser, terminal or dedicated ssh client, vnc viewer, IM, document viewers)
4) shape -- the above things can also be applied to "tablets", but the difference between a mid-range tablet and a mid-range "clamshell" is the keyboard. The "mid-range clamshell" is a "netbook" (with or without the swivel screen/convertible tablet capability). Not a smartbook, not a sub-notebook, etc. Those are just market-droid's attempts to re-brand and differentiate from past models of the same thing. It's a netbook.
I personally don't think #1 will ever go away, whether you call it a "netbook", "smartbook", or "sub-notebook".
I don't think the price is going to really have a huge change either. Sure, some netbooks are getting more expensive. But, some "laptops" are also coming down to a price point that competes with netbooks.
As for functionality, as time marches forward, the capabilities of devices in that size and price rang will increase. That's a given. So, eventually, netbooks will run more than just the basics. But the point is: they need to always run those basics well.
So, while the marketing blurbs may change, and the exact numbers might change, I'm willing to bet that the actual device category (7-12 inch screen, well under $100, runs basic apps) is here to stay. The only thing I think that might change ... is that someone might come up with a truly compelling device that matches 1-3, but doesn't keep the keyboard. Maybe it'll be the EnTourage eDGe (dual screen tablet, like the OLPC2 concept, or the Microsoft Courier). Maybe it'll be a plain tablet (Notion Ink Adam, or the highly anticipated Apple tablet). Maybe it's something we haven't envisioned yet.
Definitely.
First, do your homework, make sure you didn't accidentally give them consent in your TOS with them.
Second, if you didn't give that consent, contact a lawyer (for civil litigation), and then notify authorities.
Whatever you do, don't tolerate it.
"we all know that untrusted systems on a LAN means game over"
Quick, someone inform the Kerberos team at MIT that their software doesn't work, and never has!
a) call it what it is: a netbook ... smartbook is a pointless re-naming of the device category. Stop it.
b) TI OMAP 3xxx CPU (the 1GHz one)
c) Slate Tablet or Convertible-Tablet Netbook format -- either way, 5 way dpad and "Android Buttons" next to the screen
d) PixelQi hybrid LCD/e-paper 9" or 10" touch screen, multi-touch, 1280x720, 1280x768, or 1280x800 native resolution
e) DVI-I out, supporting 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800, and 1280x1024 resolutions (the non-HD/wide screen resolutions using letter boxing to show an HD/widescreen resolution of the same width; so, a 1280x1024 monitor would show the 1280x720/1280x768/1280x800 native resolution of the device, with the black bands at the top and bottom of the screen)
f) 2-4 USB Host/OTG ports (keyboard, mouse, storage, network, etc.)
g) 1 mini-USB for charging and data sync (it's ok to ALSO have a conventional charger, this is just for opportunistic charging at any USB port that's available)
h) 3.5mm headset (bi-directional, so you can use it with VOIP/Skype/Google-Voice)
i) 1GB - 2GB RAM
j) 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB storage options
k) 1 or 2 full size SDHC slots
l) Android, with both the built-in Android browser, and the Chrome browser
m) The Android x86 and Acer port of Firefox for Android
n) Throw in a Fennec port to Android
o) 8+ hours battery life, even with Wifi and Bluetooth on
p) Wifi b/g/n
q) Full bluetooth stack (DUN, PAN, FTP, HID, BIP, A2DC, etc.)
r) PCI Express Mini card slot, for user-added 3G (or for carrier subsidized models)
s) fast-boot/splashtop optimizations for Android (perhaps some of ChromeOS'es ability to check the validity of the OS)
t) Android can easily/seamlessly hand-off to other OSes (UBuntu-ARM, Mer/Maemo, Windows CE, maybe ChromeOS if an ARM CPU is used; or Ubuntu, Windows, or any other available x86 OS (ChromeOS, etc.) if an x86 CPU is used)
The Aspire 1420P convertible tablet netbook might be a good start, if it was scaled down to 10", and changed to a ARM CPU with a PixelQi display.
I have more thoughts about it at: http://johnkzin.livejournal.com/55488.html
We're like... the Hells Angels, or the Warlocks, or the Mongols! 1%er's baby!!! ;-)
Someone should put a 1%er's biker club logo on Tux :-)
The Macbook Air motherboard might lend itself quite well to the innards of a eviGroup tablet, or something along those lines (I also happen to have a Samsung Q1 Ultra I'm barely using). It wont be a pretty, nor cheap, Apple Tablet, but if Apple doesn't pull their heads out, it might be the only way to get one that's legal.
Though, with the economy the way it is lately, I don't have that kind of throw-away money right now. But the idea keeps sitting there in the back of my mind...
1) convertible tablet netbook, 10.1" screen, pref. multi-touch, with the ability to do automated screen rotations based on the hinge orientation and accelerometers. At least 1024x600, pref. 1280x720. And, preferably a PixelQi hybrid display. ... full support for sites like Hulu, Rhapsody, Pandora, Youtube, etc.
2) Dalvik apps, with the "with Google" Android experience (Android Market, Android Gmail, Android Calendar, etc.)
3) 1GB+ RAM, internal storage options (local media, caching data even if the rest will be stored in the cloud, etc.). 2-32GB options are good. And add full size SDHC card slot for more storage. They can omit the internal storage if they put in two full size SDHC card slots.
4) 2 or more USB host/otg ports, support for Keyboards, mice/trackpad/trackball, storage, USB-VGA/USB-DVI/USB-HDMI adapters, printers, etc.
5) If no USB-VGA/DVI/HDMI support, then a DVI-I port (if no DVI-I port, then there has to be at least 3 USB host/otg ports)
6) GPS with Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation (easy if it has #2)
7) Internal 3G module, either optional modules for the carrier of my choice (I pay) or an included module with the carrier of Google's choice (Google pays)
8) At least Wifi b and g, possibly n
9) If no Dalvik apps, ssh app with port forwarding
10) If no Dalvik apps, VNC app that will work through #10's port forwarding, and has VNC password support
11) I think I heard Chrome already has these, but just to be sure: local media player for local audio files, local video files, e-book reader apps
12) Google Gears for working with Google Docs and other things when in a 3G dead zone
13) Full support for Flash in the browser
14) Netflix streaming player support
15) Google Apps sites that are BOTH mobile AND full-featured (ex: all non-Mobile Gmail features, but in a finger friendly presentation; all non-Mobile Google Reader features (add/edit tags, etc.), but in a finger-friendly presentation; etc.)
16) Charge and sync (like a phone) via USB-client (so I can use/access the data on the SDHC cards (and/or optional internal user storage) via my desktop system, while the device recharges).
17) Something like Privoxy to block ads and bad HTML on _NON_-Google ad sites. I understand that the trade here is that I have to see Google Adsense stuff. But I don't want to have to put up with ads/pop-ups/etc. from _anyone_ else.
18) LOTS of battery. Probably be most effective to use an ARM CPU (TI OMAP 3? OMAP 4?)
19) Free hardware upgrades as new versions come out. 12-36 month cycles (obv. I'd prefer 12 months, but I can understand if they need 36 months).
20) Since Google Apps have the option to avoid ads by paying for the service, I'd want that same option with the device. If I pay a monthly or yearly subscription, then the subscription includes: the 3G service (assuming it's the "google pays for it" option from above), no ads (not even from Google's services), and the hardware upgrade cycle.
Give me all of that, and yeah, I'd take a free device and not do anything to block the ads. Not sure whether or not I'd pay for the subscription option or not, but I definitely think the subscription option needs to exist.