Why can't we have all phones free as in freedom? When I buy a computer I can hook it up to any TCP/IP network and access the internet. Some I pay for and some I don't. When I buy a land line phone, it isn't locked into any phone company. I can plug it into any jack and it works. All I want from my cell provider is a data pipe to get to the internet or the voice network. Period.
Personally I love my eee. Now I didn't do any hardware upgrades, but changed the OS to Ubuntu and added a Bluetooth dongle, and it is slick as a second PC using my cell for internet access. The key to your question is very few people upgrade their desktops anymore. Most do so via USB. While I'd love open standards for laptop hardware, an easily upgradeable laptop just isn't in demand. Most people don't change their OS when they buy a computer or upgrade when a new version comes out. There are some exceptions, Apple has great success selling point upgrades, PC gamers have buy newer and faster parts, but median users? Nothing. The real issue I have with this guy, is he put Windows XP on a really cool Linux laptop.
You are correct about gerrymandering. But in addition, congressional districts are getting too large. Since they were capped at 435 districts have grown to nearly 700000 people each. Making money for TV adds the primary way to reach constituants. Its already too large for a Congressman to really know his/her distric and will only get worse. In addition population density is also an issue. In Wyoming running for congress is the same as running for govenor. While in NYC, its like running for city council. If we really want a representative government, cap districts at 300000 people and add more seats to the HofR.
As an educational tool, it doesn't have to be that complicated. Look at the laptop type devices being put out by Leapfrog, V-tech and Fisher Price. All in the $50 range. Adding a larger screen and internet access, might be possible for $75. It depends on what you want it to do and the profit margin expected. My Atari 2600 put some darn good games in 4K. The XO laptop is close to duplicating a full featured laptop for only $200. It is a resounding success. If for profit companies can build on that with a number of educational appliances that cost $75 and down, even better. If OLPC and the XO have a problem it isn't the hardware, it's software designed to allow kids to learn themselves and an inability to market that idea. Like schools in the US, the administration wants control, and they often resent kids learning on their own.
While I don't think at any level that the XO project is a failure or doomed because of the recent news, it is allowing its idealism to overwhelm its idea. OLPC inadvertently created or tapped a market for small inexpensive laptops that had a lot of pent up demand in developed nations. Because their focus is on education, charity and the government of poor countries (the only people with money there), they didn't realize their product is valuable. This might be the time to step back from the visible hardware side and push the real innovation of the XO project. A lightweight, but extremely functional educational OS, and make sure that gets ported to as many platforms as possible.
What will the extreme left wing, anti-war, anti-military establishment, conspiracy theory maniacs that are pro-pornography, pro-simulated violence in video games do? DoD using video games with subliminal messages to create new breed of professional military recruits and only Jack Thompson, evil video game critic to stand in the way. It's like being a Republican and realizing the only candidate that believes in what he's saying is Ron Paul. Guess the Democrats got that with Kusinich (sic). They both kind of remind me of Ross Perot, but I ramble....
The Netscape point shows a great knowledge of computer history. A surprisingly large number of people here probably don't remember when Netscape was not only the dominate browser, but an important development platform. Microsoft will try to hinder innovation whenever the desktop is threatened. Gaming consoles... introduce a product and link it to the PC. WebTV... buy the company.
The next question is, when Google has it's cloud computing monopoly threatened, what will it do to protect itself. Kill net neutrality? Buy it's own wireless spectrum?
Government (or Corporate) information isn't alway propaganda or marketing. And BIAS doesn't indicate evil intent. If a staffer in the Social Security Department corrects a mistake on how to calculate benefits, is that wrong? How about the CIA uploading their world factbook into Wikipedia? Both are biased, but if it is appropriately attributed it is a benefit.
Why is it a bad thing if our government representatives, staff and employees are contributing to Wikipedia? Its no worst than yellow journalism or biased professors at a university. For that matter can't Saddam supporters contribute also? Biased information is great for historical reasons, all we really need is attribution so we can judge the bias ourselves.
All the people on this thread are missing the point that the Republicans voted to debate the issue on the floor and the Democrats moved the debate into the Judiciary Committee. The Democrats didn't want the debate in public and wanted it buried. Regardless of a person's political views, this is not a victory for people that want to impeach Bush/Cheney. Far from it... The Republicans want a public debate because the people that want to impeach are significantly in the minority, but the statements the fringe make will be used against every Democrat in a general election. It's easy for people that are antiwar to assume that dissatisfaction with the conduct of the war is support for never fighting the war.
The question we need to ask is if broadband access is required utility that is needed by everyone for economic development but isn't cost effective for private business. Should it be supplemented like roads, buses, trains and run by the government? Should it be a regulated monopoly like gas, water and electric? Non-profit co-op like some other utilities? Heavily regulated private business like airlines and railroads? Or remain what it is now.. unregulated and private?
Already being done on some level with servers, this is similar to putting a minimal OS and VM in BIOS and booting an application image. With a little effort this can be simulated with a USB key. Put a minimal bootable OS (Linux) with virtualization built (Xen or KVM) on a USB key. Create VM's with single applications that start automatically. The base OS boots to a menu of VMed applications. Phoenix sees the writing on the wall in the server market. We are not that far away from having OS/VM combinations embedded in firmware that will boot write once/run anywhere applications. We wouldn't have to rely on games for windows anymore....
It won't be evil if they sell phones like they sell computers. I should be able to put any software I want on the phone. I should be able to contract a service provider to connect me to the cell/phone/internet network using unencumbered protocols.
XO is an innovation in software as well as hardware. What I would like to see is the laptop in the hands of "rich" nation's school children. Yes, we can afford normal computers, and some school districts have deployed them, but not in an innovative way like the XO project proposition. With a truely open distribution model and relatively rich customers we might find the economies of scale that allow the laptop to cost $100.
Predicting the future of robotics may benefit from looking at the history of computers. We are at the stage now where robots are moving from build your own from savaged parts and hard hack skills to buying a proprietary system off the shelf. Moving into the Apple, Atari, Commodore, Tandy period of personal robotics. What we need now is an IBM like company that can bring together Microsoft and Intel to make an open cloneable hardware product that business will buy. Hopefully MS Robotic Studio won't be the defacto software standard.
Lawsuits are a part of business now. Hopefully all the companies that have a vested interest in Linux and Open Source will step up and clear up this issue and all patent problems. I can't imagine IBM, Oracle, HP and all the F-500 companies that use Linux allowing it to disappear or be damaged.
I just turned 40 and am a well paid system administrator. Is it really feasible to work in technology past the age of 50? It's harder to keep up with every new tech and some of the buzzwords of today are really annoying. Most social networking sites feel like reality TV.
Wal Mart going to Novell is enough to spike the numbers 250%. Red Hat had a solid quarter even with the drag of JBoss. Maybe the increase has a lot to do with Linux moving past the "Replace expensive proprietary Unix Phase" where hardware costs in addition to software costs made the savings obvious to pin head bosses, and is now moving into the "Replace hard to manage and support Windows phase" where the initial cost advantage is lower and required the establishment and training of quality Linux administrators? Unix replacement phase created the staff and cost advantages to allow for easier justification of Windows replacement. The fact that Novell is up significantly from practically nothing, and Red Hat is growing solidly from a strong base, indicates deeper market penetration for Linux.
The XO-1 can replace textbooks and provide better up to date information. Say a school system has six textbooks per student at $50 each. Even if the textbooks are designed to last a decade, that's $300 or $30 a year. School supplies (provided by parents) are at least $30-50 and more often more. The $188 laptop (we'll give it a three year lifespan typical in corporate environments) would be about $63 a year. The textbooks can be up to date and you can add course management and online learning using a free tool like moodle. Lower medical bills for not having to lug around textbooks, expert teachers in rare subjects can be shared between schools, no book repositories to shoot at political figures from. Wins all around.
The issue is broadband is becoming required infrastructure for business and rural areas don't have it. Areas of the country with less population density now have reliable power, roads and telephone service because the infrastructure was universally built out. Because of programs like the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) that electrified rural areas and the Interstate Highway system and regulation in industries like railroads and telephones, factories can reasonably be located in rural areas. Recent census data indicates urban and suburban areas are growing faster that rural areas which could be an indication that urban job growth is drawing people in. The question we have to ask ourselves as a nation, is do we want to return to a situation where production is centered on large urban areas or make the investment in infrastructure to make rural areas viable.
Quality on par with digg? I don't even know how to respond. Maybe you wanted to Quantity on par with digg.
The moderation and answers here are far more insightful and not nearly as biased as the ones on digg.
Slashdot Mirror
Why can't we have all phones free as in freedom? When I buy a computer I can hook it up to any TCP/IP network and access the internet. Some I pay for and some I don't. When I buy a land line phone, it isn't locked into any phone company. I can plug it into any jack and it works. All I want from my cell provider is a data pipe to get to the internet or the voice network. Period.
Personally I love my eee. Now I didn't do any hardware upgrades, but changed the OS to Ubuntu and added a Bluetooth dongle, and it is slick as a second PC using my cell for internet access. The key to your question is very few people upgrade their desktops anymore. Most do so via USB. While I'd love open standards for laptop hardware, an easily upgradeable laptop just isn't in demand. Most people don't change their OS when they buy a computer or upgrade when a new version comes out. There are some exceptions, Apple has great success selling point upgrades, PC gamers have buy newer and faster parts, but median users? Nothing. The real issue I have with this guy, is he put Windows XP on a really cool Linux laptop.
BofA
You are correct about gerrymandering. But in addition, congressional districts are getting too large. Since they were capped at 435 districts have grown to nearly 700000 people each. Making money for TV adds the primary way to reach constituants. Its already too large for a Congressman to really know his/her distric and will only get worse. In addition population density is also an issue. In Wyoming running for congress is the same as running for govenor. While in NYC, its like running for city council. If we really want a representative government, cap districts at 300000 people and add more seats to the HofR.
When I was a kid my school has TRS-80 model III's and my family bought me an Atari 800. The Apple II was over $1000 then.
As an educational tool, it doesn't have to be that complicated. Look at the laptop type devices being put out by Leapfrog, V-tech and Fisher Price. All in the $50 range. Adding a larger screen and internet access, might be possible for $75. It depends on what you want it to do and the profit margin expected. My Atari 2600 put some darn good games in 4K. The XO laptop is close to duplicating a full featured laptop for only $200. It is a resounding success. If for profit companies can build on that with a number of educational appliances that cost $75 and down, even better. If OLPC and the XO have a problem it isn't the hardware, it's software designed to allow kids to learn themselves and an inability to market that idea. Like schools in the US, the administration wants control, and they often resent kids learning on their own.
While I don't think at any level that the XO project is a failure or doomed because of the recent news, it is allowing its idealism to overwhelm its idea. OLPC inadvertently created or tapped a market for small inexpensive laptops that had a lot of pent up demand in developed nations. Because their focus is on education, charity and the government of poor countries (the only people with money there), they didn't realize their product is valuable. This might be the time to step back from the visible hardware side and push the real innovation of the XO project. A lightweight, but extremely functional educational OS, and make sure that gets ported to as many platforms as possible.
What will the extreme left wing, anti-war, anti-military establishment, conspiracy theory maniacs that are pro-pornography, pro-simulated violence in video games do? DoD using video games with subliminal messages to create new breed of professional military recruits and only Jack Thompson, evil video game critic to stand in the way. It's like being a Republican and realizing the only candidate that believes in what he's saying is Ron Paul. Guess the Democrats got that with Kusinich (sic). They both kind of remind me of Ross Perot, but I ramble....
The Netscape point shows a great knowledge of computer history. A surprisingly large number of people here probably don't remember when Netscape was not only the dominate browser, but an important development platform. Microsoft will try to hinder innovation whenever the desktop is threatened. Gaming consoles... introduce a product and link it to the PC. WebTV ... buy the company.
The next question is, when Google has it's cloud computing monopoly threatened, what will it do to protect itself. Kill net neutrality? Buy it's own wireless spectrum?
Government (or Corporate) information isn't alway propaganda or marketing. And BIAS doesn't indicate evil intent. If a staffer in the Social Security Department corrects a mistake on how to calculate benefits, is that wrong? How about the CIA uploading their world factbook into Wikipedia? Both are biased, but if it is appropriately attributed it is a benefit.
Why is it a bad thing if our government representatives, staff and employees are contributing to Wikipedia? Its no worst than yellow journalism or biased professors at a university. For that matter can't Saddam supporters contribute also? Biased information is great for historical reasons, all we really need is attribution so we can judge the bias ourselves.
Since Slim owns CompUSA, maybe he's creating new customers.
All the people on this thread are missing the point that the Republicans voted to debate the issue on the floor and the Democrats moved the debate into the Judiciary Committee. The Democrats didn't want the debate in public and wanted it buried. Regardless of a person's political views, this is not a victory for people that want to impeach Bush/Cheney. Far from it... The Republicans want a public debate because the people that want to impeach are significantly in the minority, but the statements the fringe make will be used against every Democrat in a general election. It's easy for people that are antiwar to assume that dissatisfaction with the conduct of the war is support for never fighting the war.
The question we need to ask is if broadband access is required utility that is needed by everyone for economic development but isn't cost effective for private business. Should it be supplemented like roads, buses, trains and run by the government? Should it be a regulated monopoly like gas, water and electric? Non-profit co-op like some other utilities? Heavily regulated private business like airlines and railroads? Or remain what it is now.. unregulated and private?
Already being done on some level with servers, this is similar to putting a minimal OS and VM in BIOS and booting an application image. With a little effort this can be simulated with a USB key. Put a minimal bootable OS (Linux) with virtualization built (Xen or KVM) on a USB key. Create VM's with single applications that start automatically. The base OS boots to a menu of VMed applications. Phoenix sees the writing on the wall in the server market. We are not that far away from having OS/VM combinations embedded in firmware that will boot write once/run anywhere applications. We wouldn't have to rely on games for windows anymore....
It won't be evil if they sell phones like they sell computers. I should be able to put any software I want on the phone. I should be able to contract a service provider to connect me to the cell/phone/internet network using unencumbered protocols.
XO is an innovation in software as well as hardware. What I would like to see is the laptop in the hands of "rich" nation's school children. Yes, we can afford normal computers, and some school districts have deployed them, but not in an innovative way like the XO project proposition. With a truely open distribution model and relatively rich customers we might find the economies of scale that allow the laptop to cost $100.
Predicting the future of robotics may benefit from looking at the history of computers. We are at the stage now where robots are moving from build your own from savaged parts and hard hack skills to buying a proprietary system off the shelf. Moving into the Apple, Atari, Commodore, Tandy period of personal robotics. What we need now is an IBM like company that can bring together Microsoft and Intel to make an open cloneable hardware product that business will buy. Hopefully MS Robotic Studio won't be the defacto software standard.
Lawsuits are a part of business now. Hopefully all the companies that have a vested interest in Linux and Open Source will step up and clear up this issue and all patent problems. I can't imagine IBM, Oracle, HP and all the F-500 companies that use Linux allowing it to disappear or be damaged.
I just turned 40 and am a well paid system administrator. Is it really feasible to work in technology past the age of 50? It's harder to keep up with every new tech and some of the buzzwords of today are really annoying. Most social networking sites feel like reality TV.
Wal Mart going to Novell is enough to spike the numbers 250%. Red Hat had a solid quarter even with the drag of JBoss. Maybe the increase has a lot to do with Linux moving past the "Replace expensive proprietary Unix Phase" where hardware costs in addition to software costs made the savings obvious to pin head bosses, and is now moving into the "Replace hard to manage and support Windows phase" where the initial cost advantage is lower and required the establishment and training of quality Linux administrators? Unix replacement phase created the staff and cost advantages to allow for easier justification of Windows replacement. The fact that Novell is up significantly from practically nothing, and Red Hat is growing solidly from a strong base, indicates deeper market penetration for Linux.
The XO-1 can replace textbooks and provide better up to date information. Say a school system has six textbooks per student at $50 each. Even if the textbooks are designed to last a decade, that's $300 or $30 a year. School supplies (provided by parents) are at least $30-50 and more often more. The $188 laptop (we'll give it a three year lifespan typical in corporate environments) would be about $63 a year. The textbooks can be up to date and you can add course management and online learning using a free tool like moodle. Lower medical bills for not having to lug around textbooks, expert teachers in rare subjects can be shared between schools, no book repositories to shoot at political figures from. Wins all around.
The issue is broadband is becoming required infrastructure for business and rural areas don't have it. Areas of the country with less population density now have reliable power, roads and telephone service because the infrastructure was universally built out. Because of programs like the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) that electrified rural areas and the Interstate Highway system and regulation in industries like railroads and telephones, factories can reasonably be located in rural areas. Recent census data indicates urban and suburban areas are growing faster that rural areas which could be an indication that urban job growth is drawing people in. The question we have to ask ourselves as a nation, is do we want to return to a situation where production is centered on large urban areas or make the investment in infrastructure to make rural areas viable.
Intellegence indicates WMD hidden in Antequa. Marines sent to investigate.
Quality on par with digg? I don't even know how to respond. Maybe you wanted to Quantity on par with digg. The moderation and answers here are far more insightful and not nearly as biased as the ones on digg.