The whole point of this forum is to allow the Hollands of the world to speak up about what's going on in their neighborhood, driving a dialogue that can help shape opinions both there and in society as a whole. After all, this isn't the only place in America dealing with this issue. Holland is as much a part of Slashdot as any other place, even Texas...
My 2 cents? The outlying communities that help pay for the library but don't get to vote on this subject probably have legal cause to block the action, but in general, the "does your library carry Hustler" argument does make a lot of sense. There are much bigger and more important freedom-of-speech issues relating to the Internet that deserve attention, so it's better to pick your battles more wisely.
At least this will allow some sporting venues (ballparks, in particular) to cut back on tacky signs hanging all over the place. In that case, this technology could help those who wouldn't see it (fans who actually go to the game).
Even opponents of Micro$oft have to admit that this is a stupendous gaff by the Chinese. If they want to encourage indigenous software development, their programmers need access to the most widely-used operating systems.
This sounds particularly strange in light of China's endeavors of late to join the World Trade Organization. This kind of ban smacks of improper protectionism. And to think that the Chinese government has made major strides in reducing central economic planning, only to see the same controlled-economy thinking rise up in the realm of IT, a field which presents a great opportunity for China to lift itself out of poverty...
Puh-lease!!! Pull your head out of the Turner Diaries and come back to reality. If these guys were indeed manufacturing illegal components, then the feds had the right (and duty) to conduct the raid. While their manner may have been on the gruff side, that's part and parcel of the job they do - they never know when they have to deal with wackos from "the firearms culture" in the line of duty.
And quit with the pathetic self-pity of comparing gun owners to the Jews in Nazi Germany. Go get your psychotropic prescription re-filled, and stop listening to the voices in your head calling for revolution...
The government needs to come up with a common-sense drawing line as to when this rule would apply. As a programmer who occasionally carries a beeper and has to dial in to work once every couple of weeks, it makes no sense to put that kind of liability on my employer (although I wouldn't mind the comfy chair). There should be some requirement that the employee's position involves regular at-home work, something like 50% of the work week.
Here are some examples. Note that it's not just the competency of management that counts, but also the organizational structure that makes quality a priority. All too often quality just gets lip service, rather than full-scale support. Part of that, of course, could the scale of the IS department. Smaller groups don't necessarily have the resources to implement a true QA process. I was part of an IS shop that grew from 5 to 40 programmers over the course of a few years, and the need for a systematic methodology went up just as quickly as the number of programmers did...
As someone else pointed out, Marshall wasn't really a politician. But besides that, I'd say that such a pessimistic view towards politicians displays an extreme naivete, assuming expectations which nobody could possibly live up to. As surely as there are villains in the political world, there are heroes as well. Churchill, FDR, Wilson, and many others have done much to better the world through their endeavors.
Besides, what would you have as an alternative to "our glorious democratic system?" Monarchy? Lottery? Celebrity Deathmatch?
I wouldn't mind basing my career on the fact that the corners of a triangle add up to 180 degrees. It's a lot more certain than whether or not the marketplace will buy the products my employer sells! Be sure to hold onto firm ground, bub - you never know when that quack "gravity" theory could be debunked...
Might just? I'd put it more like "almost certainly". Is it really surprising that Andersen should come out with a report of how dangerous and nasty on-line retailing can be? The only answer, apparently, is to utilize the services of the big-boy consulting firms. You certainly wouldn't want to leave such a mind-numbingly complex task to a smaller firm, or worse yet, do it yourself, would you?
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My 2 cents? The outlying communities that help pay for the library but don't get to vote on this subject probably have legal cause to block the action, but in general, the "does your library carry Hustler" argument does make a lot of sense. There are much bigger and more important freedom-of-speech issues relating to the Internet that deserve attention, so it's better to pick your battles more wisely.
At least this will allow some sporting venues (ballparks, in particular) to cut back on tacky signs hanging all over the place. In that case, this technology could help those who wouldn't see it (fans who actually go to the game).
Bill Bradley: Inclusionary - "In this time of unprecedented prosperity, we need to establish a consitutional right to ADSL."
George W. Bush: Proud - "I'm the only candidate here featured as the executive on a government website..."
John McCain: The Open Architecture candidate - wants to get rid of proprietary access to government (special interest lobbies).
Steve Forbes: Rich & Clueless - Doesn't quite understand the Internet, but is willing to pay somebody millions to tell him about it.
Orrin Hatch: The Content Provider - The Internet is a great place to disseminate porn, like the Starr report.
Gary Bauer: The Right-to-Lifer - Only interested in protecting unsaved emails.
Alan Keyes: Moralizing - Would ban the Internet. "What we need to do is get back to the ways of our forefathers, who blah blah blah..."
This sounds particularly strange in light of China's endeavors of late to join the World Trade Organization. This kind of ban smacks of improper protectionism. And to think that the Chinese government has made major strides in reducing central economic planning, only to see the same controlled-economy thinking rise up in the realm of IT, a field which presents a great opportunity for China to lift itself out of poverty...
And quit with the pathetic self-pity of comparing gun owners to the Jews in Nazi Germany. Go get your psychotropic prescription re-filled, and stop listening to the voices in your head calling for revolution...
The government needs to come up with a common-sense drawing line as to when this rule would apply. As a programmer who occasionally carries a beeper and has to dial in to work once every couple of weeks, it makes no sense to put that kind of liability on my employer (although I wouldn't mind the comfy chair). There should be some requirement that the employee's position involves regular at-home work, something like 50% of the work week.
Here are some examples. Note that it's not just the competency of management that counts, but also the organizational structure that makes quality a priority. All too often quality just gets lip service, rather than full-scale support. Part of that, of course, could the scale of the IS department. Smaller groups don't necessarily have the resources to implement a true QA process. I was part of an IS shop that grew from 5 to 40 programmers over the course of a few years, and the need for a systematic methodology went up just as quickly as the number of programmers did...
Besides, what would you have as an alternative to "our glorious democratic system?" Monarchy? Lottery? Celebrity Deathmatch?
I wouldn't mind basing my career on the fact that the corners of a triangle add up to 180 degrees. It's a lot more certain than whether or not the marketplace will buy the products my employer sells! Be sure to hold onto firm ground, bub - you never know when that quack "gravity" theory could be debunked...
What happens when (or rather, if) Amazon actually makes a profit? Will Bezos be labelled "The Greatest Person in the History of the Planet?"
Might just? I'd put it more like "almost certainly". Is it really surprising that Andersen should come out with a report of how dangerous and nasty on-line retailing can be? The only answer, apparently, is to utilize the services of the big-boy consulting firms. You certainly wouldn't want to leave such a mind-numbingly complex task to a smaller firm, or worse yet, do it yourself, would you?