Mod parent up. Just because something *newer* and *better* comes along doesn't mean it is enough to overcome the inertia of the legacy product. Hell, the US is still using the Imperial System because we're all too lazy to learn kilometers and change the damn road signs. A new product is not only fighting its competitor, but also its competitor's years of accumulated history.
I wonder if Helen Keller would be better at this than the average person.
Has the olfactory system of zombies ever been properly mapped out? Empirical evidence (i.e. horror movies) indicates that zombies navigate by touch (the straight-armed shuffle) or echolocation (Braaaiiinnnsss...), rather than smell.
If such moderation existed, this comment would be modded +5 Coin Collector Dorkbox.
Pennies were 95% copper until 1982, until that composition was replaced with a zinc alloy interior and copper plating (however, in 1943 the copper penny was replaced with a steel penny due to needs of the war effort). Not only has the composition of the penny changed to save costs, the actual size has changed as well. Compare the thickness of a 1960 penny with a 2000 penny. The latter-year pennies have been slimmed down considerably.
Nickels experienced a shift to a copper/silver/manganese alloy during WWII, but otherwise contained the same metallic makeup through history.
Dimes, quarters, and half-dollars were mostly silver through 1964. From 1965 onward, dimes and quarters were copper/nickel clad, except for some San Francisco 1976 bicentennial quarters, which contained 40% silver. Half-dollars continued to use a lesser amount of silver through 1970 (and 1976 bicentennial), after which they transitioned to the same makeup as the quarter. Some of the earlier Eisenhower dollers also contained a silver mixture.
I'll take a swing at this one. It's because the author doesn't want the value of x, but the integer representation of the value at x's memory address.
If x is 3.14159, (2) will result in i==3, whereas (1) will result in whatever the 4-byte IEEE-754 representation of 3.14159 is (0x40490FD0, if Google is correct). By using (1), the author is able to use integer bitwise opeartions (>>) to perform "free" floating point operations. When i is sent back into floating point form via:
x = *(float*)
x now contains the value of the integer operation:
i = 0x5f3759df - (i >> 1);
which was presumably faster than an identical floating point operation. It's a nifty little solution, especially with regard to the selection of the magic number.
If my Toyota van "exploded in a massive ball of fire and steel and discarded french fries," I might think twice about purchasing another Toyota product. But that's just me. For all I know, you're a big fan of Pintos and 60's Mustangs.
To further elaborate on your points, an important part of keypad layout is the tactile design of the buttons. I want to be able to find the "home" key of the keypad (5, 0, whatever), similar to how the 'F' and 'J' keys have little bumps on a standard 104-key keyboard. Also, it is *essential* that the call and end buttons are distinguishible by touch. I want to be able to answer/hangup my phone quickly and without looking at it (in the car, in the dark, etc.).
My Nokia garbagephone passes the first test but fails the second. It's annoying as hell. I'd get a different one I can't have a cameraphone at my job (plus this was cheap as free).
Why not create a dummy account for making purchases? That way, if you want to make negative feedback, you don't have to fear reprisals against your account that you use for selling. I haven't had much experience selling on ebay, but is there any reason why not buying through your seller account would be a bad thing?
Certainly, NASA has a hurricane disadvantage at Cape Canaveral, but the ESA location in French Guiana shouldn't have that problem. South America rarely gets hit by hurricanes. In fact, the Canadian maritimes probably sustain more hits from tropical systems (well, they might be extratropical by that point... but they still pack a whallop) than French Guiana.
If you've removed the Q key, how did you type that?? Alt 081?
You know, I think you're on to something here. We could make a keyboard with just 11 keys: the numerics and the ALT key. Sure, it would be a pain in the ass to use, but think of the simplicity! What could be more elegant than a teeny-tiny one-handed keyboard? I better get moving on this before Steve Jobs steals my idea...
There's a reason why D.C. is the hottest job market in the country. If you're a U.S. citizen, a great way to ensure future employability is to get a job that requires a security clearance. The government isn't going out of business any time soon (if it does, we're ALL S.O.L.) and most of those jobs can't be outsourced.
Apple: Prepend 'i' to the product name: iMac, iPod, iBall, etc.
Windows: Add "Visual," "Explorer," or "Tycoon" to the product name.
Linux: Prepend 'g', 'k', or 'x' to the product name, depending on whether the product is GNOME-centric, KDE-centric, or non-denominational. Alternately, bang head on keyboard.
I'm confused. What is "a truly Salt Lake City kinda way?" Patent Polygamy? A beatdown from The Mormon Stick of Justice(TM)? Eating 6 saltines in a minute?
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Mod parent up. Just because something *newer* and *better* comes along doesn't mean it is enough to overcome the inertia of the legacy product. Hell, the US is still using the Imperial System because we're all too lazy to learn kilometers and change the damn road signs. A new product is not only fighting its competitor, but also its competitor's years of accumulated history.
Has the olfactory system of zombies ever been properly mapped out? Empirical evidence (i.e. horror movies) indicates that zombies navigate by touch (the straight-armed shuffle) or echolocation (Braaaiiinnnsss...), rather than smell.
If such moderation existed, this comment would be modded +5 Coin Collector Dorkbox.
Pennies were 95% copper until 1982, until that composition was replaced with a zinc alloy interior and copper plating (however, in 1943 the copper penny was replaced with a steel penny due to needs of the war effort). Not only has the composition of the penny changed to save costs, the actual size has changed as well. Compare the thickness of a 1960 penny with a 2000 penny. The latter-year pennies have been slimmed down considerably.
Nickels experienced a shift to a copper/silver/manganese alloy during WWII, but otherwise contained the same metallic makeup through history.
Dimes, quarters, and half-dollars were mostly silver through 1964. From 1965 onward, dimes and quarters were copper/nickel clad, except for some San Francisco 1976 bicentennial quarters, which contained 40% silver. Half-dollars continued to use a lesser amount of silver through 1970 (and 1976 bicentennial), after which they transitioned to the same makeup as the quarter. Some of the earlier Eisenhower dollers also contained a silver mixture.
Aw crap. I guess I have to upgrade my TV to get my clog porn fix.
I'll take a swing at this one. It's because the author doesn't want the value of x, but the integer representation of the value at x's memory address.
If x is 3.14159, (2) will result in i==3, whereas (1) will result in whatever the 4-byte IEEE-754 representation of 3.14159 is (0x40490FD0, if Google is correct). By using (1), the author is able to use integer bitwise opeartions (>>) to perform "free" floating point operations. When i is sent back into floating point form via:
x = *(float*)
x now contains the value of the integer operation:
i = 0x5f3759df - (i >> 1);
which was presumably faster than an identical floating point operation. It's a nifty little solution, especially with regard to the selection of the magic number.
The parent post has a minor error. Let me see if I can fix it.
EA is wrecking its "good name"
Much better.
As a DC resident I have confidence that my Congressman will be elected fairly.
Blockbuster has some great instructional videos on setting up a low-cost television station.
Two words: urban sprawl.
If my Toyota van "exploded in a massive ball of fire and steel and discarded french fries," I might think twice about purchasing another Toyota product. But that's just me. For all I know, you're a big fan of Pintos and 60's Mustangs.
I'm not sure if this should be modded +1 Insightful or +1 Depressing.
To further elaborate on your points, an important part of keypad layout is the tactile design of the buttons. I want to be able to find the "home" key of the keypad (5, 0, whatever), similar to how the 'F' and 'J' keys have little bumps on a standard 104-key keyboard. Also, it is *essential* that the call and end buttons are distinguishible by touch. I want to be able to answer/hangup my phone quickly and without looking at it (in the car, in the dark, etc.). My Nokia garbagephone passes the first test but fails the second. It's annoying as hell. I'd get a different one I can't have a cameraphone at my job (plus this was cheap as free).
Why not create a dummy account for making purchases? That way, if you want to make negative feedback, you don't have to fear reprisals against your account that you use for selling. I haven't had much experience selling on ebay, but is there any reason why not buying through your seller account would be a bad thing?
Wasn't this already tried in 1991? And wasn't the 1996 followup only slightly less disasterous?
Certainly, NASA has a hurricane disadvantage at Cape Canaveral, but the ESA location in French Guiana shouldn't have that problem. South America rarely gets hit by hurricanes. In fact, the Canadian maritimes probably sustain more hits from tropical systems (well, they might be extratropical by that point... but they still pack a whallop) than French Guiana.
You know, I think you're on to something here. We could make a keyboard with just 11 keys: the numerics and the ALT key. Sure, it would be a pain in the ass to use, but think of the simplicity! What could be more elegant than a teeny-tiny one-handed keyboard? I better get moving on this before Steve Jobs steals my idea...
There's a reason why D.C. is the hottest job market in the country. If you're a U.S. citizen, a great way to ensure future employability is to get a job that requires a security clearance. The government isn't going out of business any time soon (if it does, we're ALL S.O.L.) and most of those jobs can't be outsourced.
Product Naming Conventions by Platform
Apple: Prepend 'i' to the product name: iMac, iPod, iBall, etc.
Windows: Add "Visual," "Explorer," or "Tycoon" to the product name.
Linux: Prepend 'g', 'k', or 'x' to the product name, depending on whether the product is GNOME-centric, KDE-centric, or non-denominational. Alternately, bang head on keyboard.
And thus these discs will not sell. Well, that was easy. Next question?
Will: Do you LIKE... apples?
Clark: Yeah.
Will: Well, I GOT... her number how... DO you like... THEM... apples?
Does the null set count as an answer?
Of course, Itanium already had its day on April 14, 1912.
I'm confused. What is "a truly Salt Lake City kinda way?" Patent Polygamy? A beatdown from The Mormon Stick of Justice(TM)? Eating 6 saltines in a minute?