It's funny that I put forth a neutral point and even had a point of agreement, no angry replies and somehow managed to get rated troll. Amazing where slashdot has gone - here's to nostalgia and my final log-out. Cheers to anybody still around who actually contributes.
I'm personally not buying the whole "Global Warming" bit, and I felt Al Gore's film was based primarily on FUD and Guilt (there were parts such as the little "story" about his child... irrelevant) and known-massaged numbers. Before somebody jumps up and down and screams "denier" or some other goofy label - let's be clear that I think there is some "Global Climate Change" going on, which we may or may not contributing to. The evidence has been shown both ways, and honestly I'm having a REALLY hard time believing either side considering all the bogus political grandstanding they've both had. It's time to remove the vested interests and get some real science done to figure out if we're gonna cook, cool, or just have to do this thing we've been doing for a few thousand years called Adapt. That's my two hopefully unbiased cents.
How about we use the same measures for executing animals for food as we do people for crime? Generally, the consensus is they should die (not here, we use prisons, so lets think to a few countries that support "humane execution"), but it is widely held they should not suffer.
If we use the same techniques on animals...? I'm no vegan or anything, I like my meats and fish, etc. As a grower of chickens, I also don't get that "product of animal" thing either that PETA freaks so much about. I *DO* agree, some eh... slaughter houses out there (literally) are cruel and without a care to how much the animal suffers, which I agree is wrong.
Back to worms though, really I don't see some harm in irradiating a few crawlers now and then for science. We've done some messed up things to chimps and people too (look up space flight and rocket chair respectively). In the end, the general consensus is and shall remain: it's good for science and our understanding of our world/universe.
Just a minor flaw with your reasoning: Not all anarchists are violent. That does NOT float a boat. There are plenty of people who just like to start trouble sadly.
Ya, I'll ditch the crap; that's fucking hilarious. Thank you for putting it into perspective. As a Canadian... I'm ashamed. This is just outright stupid.
Just to possibly point out a rather severe flaw, the mainline client doesn't have any kind of real "protection". No password, no "thumbdrive == key" setup, nothing. It's quite feasible.
If this is the "original vision", I think it should be clear why it never got completed. Gearbox took a design the CREATORS didn't like and used it.
The funniest part is definitely all of us imaging it could have been anything else. Sorry. The only way to do Duke is to hire REAL comedians at this point, and get Ken Silverman back into the team! (no, I don't give a DAMN if it's a raycaster engine, as long as it's True Duke Style).
The demo made me want to vomit. It literally lagged. This was their "final product"?! Fail. Look in the mirror when you jump, that says it all.
1 - software is taught AS mathematics. it can also be expressed AS mathematics (see Functional Programming). There is plenty of math that has nothing to do with nature. Do you know a mathematician? One of their favourite pastimes is making stuff up that "is neat". It doesn't have much to do with anything, other than to float the creator's boat. You still can't patent it.
2 - software is an artistic expression.
3 - software isn't a process, it's a series of expressions ACCELERATED by a computer. We just call it software cause it's a specialized case of math. you mistake biochem for quantum mechanics.
4 - physical is gears, ropes or chemicals. Electrons do not qualify as any of these things.
5 - They don't have time to "use its [sic] own judgment". Have you seen the latest report on the backlog?
6 - "they affect things that are part of the lives of the average Joe on the street" - anybody who writes any code. "But those Joes generally have no idea of the true issues at play" - neither do you. "less than ten in the last 20 years to my count" - learn to count. "copyrights & trademarks" - protect your stuff and leave the rest of us alone. we're hobbiests and open-source developers/users.
"FWIW, my 2c." - and that's going to be $20,000? Buy a programming textbook and get a real job in the field your profession loves to oppress in the name of big business.
Get real. What the hell does Republican/Democrat have to do with this? This isn't "call down your favourite party to hate", it's a discussion on PATENTS. Grow the fuck up.
copponex, grow the hell up. You sound like a gawdamn child.
Theaetetus, you're correct.
I'm not american, so don't even try that bull with me.
Instead of looking at this with that same crappy "algorithms and software are math" (apologies, but it hasn't worked before, and it certainly won't now (unless we maaaaybe reduce EVERYTHING to 100% pure mathematics)) view, let's start looking for new ways of explaining it to the masses - they don't get it. The fault is not entirely their own cause of their ignorance, we haven't properly educated them. What do you do when people don't get the idea in political situations?
Protest. Civil Disobedience. Lobbying.
I'm pretty sure if 1000+ hackers showed up on the doorstep of the whitehouse equipped with laptops running as much patent-violating software as they could possibly muster - that'd be a pretty good start. The only question is who has the gull to show up? Who has the balls to write that code? So far, the one thing the hacker community (and other code-centred groups yes) seems to lack is some kind of motivating factor. Perhaps, and this is just a thought, the right to code what we please?
I'm almost tempted to organize something of these lines myself, problem is I can already smell the -1 rating this is going to earn for "stating the obvious" or "trolling". Can't say I didn't try.
While it might be naive to think such, I believe google might just go and establish deals and contracts to ensure the open nature of the codec. After all, isn't the point to have adoption++? If you have to pay royalties to surf the internet or even use specific tools, people will quickly ditch the technology. Nobody wants to pay for something that's already free.
In my opinion (and I think RMS, among many other FOSS advocates would agree), if companies still sold their works as they do, but included the source code to users (the basis of "Free as in Freedom") - that would be enough to liberate users from the current strong-hold that's on them. Really, I don't think it's much to ask. The company still makes money (laymen are unlikely going to go out, download the source code and compile it...), and the community benefits.
Of course, I should point out this is a pipe-dream, unlikely to come to pass. Even if we did live in a perfectly co-operative world, I doubt people would truly have trust in the good nature of humanity.
I think there might be some changelog analysis going on too. If you see "Huge exploit xyz fixed in this patch", you're more likely to use the new, untested version just because a known exploit is closed. With security software, they're always usually fixing, improving, and generally securing their software.
I personally keep pretty up-to-date, and I can understand that a government agency would want to be completely on top of things.
Oh, and I forgot. Generally here, we consider actual children involved in CP. However, there have been cases where mangas and such media have been confiscated and the seller/owner charged. Depends what part of the country you're in.
I clearly state the fact they're criminals, and I don't agree with the crimes. However, we do need to consider all the angles, else we're not going to see any motives, reasons, etc. Stealing passwords is what we'd expect, but watching criminals catching other criminals - almost humorous.
On a somewhat unrelated note, terror watch lists are a nice example of our governments invading our privacy. It almost seems like if they have one arbitrary piece of "information", they list you. I can only hope that the residents of countries employing this tactic can check if they're listed.
Not to advocate the devil, but a few years ago, a local radio jockey was arrested when computer repair people found child porn on his laptop when he sent it in for work. I'm not sure if it was a blatant act of intrusion or if he was a complete idiot and left it out in the open, but it does show that sometimes it can do good.
On that note, all people who meddle in the privacy of others deserve harsh punishment. Stealing passwords is in the realm of computer criminals, and shows what these people are: criminals. Don't trust the repair men... unless you already nuked the system.
They said "we will release a product that people expect from us" about Vista a few weeks before it was released. When it was release, it was full of holes and numerous problems were reported (my friend giving his first-hand experience as a tech-support guy at the end of the phone). When, according to them, we can expect a proper and full product, I'll continue to purchase their software and maybe even use it. Until they clean up their act, I'll stick to my Linux and windows XP. Sorry M$, but you got a lot of work ahead of you.
Quality of results and Opinion by the end-users (sheep or otherwise) will tell the future of this format. As general open-source users, we only fear the patents and other BS that The Man likes to use. Normal users don't even know what a software patent is usually. The winner will be quality and the experience people have using the files. Somebody mentioned that pictures downloaded from cameras will be converted to this by windows, I would like to point out most cameras internally use JPEG to compress the images and basically stick it on the card. I'm unsure, but that idea could apply to any kind of high-end camera that used something like "raw" or some other very basic lossless format.
Cheers, DH.
Now our economy is sure to drop by a marginal amount because supposedly our coins are bad. I predict a drop in the CDN$ very soon thanks to this rumor.
I recommend you try to teach yourself as much as you can before and during college/university. I've taught myself everything I know about computers and programming and am still going to university because I know there's a lot more to learn. If you want to get a little money out of what you can do right now, try building custom PCs, and writing general utility software (versatile notebooks, simple spreadsheet software, etc.) and sell it as shareware. The money won't be the greatest, but it'll look pretty good on a resume. Remember that software development can be a risky area of work depending on what you are into (game development is very demanding and competitive while working at your local telephone company developing web site software is not as much so). No matter what, you have to apply yourself to what you are learning and keep focused on the task at hand. Never let a design flaw, or some stupid mistake give you a headache. Just keep ploughing at it. And as a general tip, buy lots of books and read them cover to cover.
Slashdot Mirror
It's funny that I put forth a neutral point and even had a point of agreement, no angry replies and somehow managed to get rated troll. Amazing where slashdot has gone - here's to nostalgia and my final log-out. Cheers to anybody still around who actually contributes.
I'm personally not buying the whole "Global Warming" bit, and I felt Al Gore's film was based primarily on FUD and Guilt (there were parts such as the little "story" about his child... irrelevant) and known-massaged numbers. Before somebody jumps up and down and screams "denier" or some other goofy label - let's be clear that I think there is some "Global Climate Change" going on, which we may or may not contributing to. The evidence has been shown both ways, and honestly I'm having a REALLY hard time believing either side considering all the bogus political grandstanding they've both had. It's time to remove the vested interests and get some real science done to figure out if we're gonna cook, cool, or just have to do this thing we've been doing for a few thousand years called Adapt. That's my two hopefully unbiased cents.
Microsoft pulled this publicity stunt already with Singularity.
Guess where it went?
That's what I thought; moving on!
How about we use the same measures for executing animals for food as we do people for crime? Generally, the consensus is they should die (not here, we use prisons, so lets think to a few countries that support "humane execution"), but it is widely held they should not suffer.
If we use the same techniques on animals...? I'm no vegan or anything, I like my meats and fish, etc. As a grower of chickens, I also don't get that "product of animal" thing either that PETA freaks so much about. I *DO* agree, some eh... slaughter houses out there (literally) are cruel and without a care to how much the animal suffers, which I agree is wrong.
Back to worms though, really I don't see some harm in irradiating a few crawlers now and then for science. We've done some messed up things to chimps and people too (look up space flight and rocket chair respectively). In the end, the general consensus is and shall remain: it's good for science and our understanding of our world/universe.
Just a minor flaw with your reasoning: Not all anarchists are violent. That does NOT float a boat. There are plenty of people who just like to start trouble sadly.
"As a Canadian..."
Ya, I'll ditch the crap; that's fucking hilarious. Thank you for putting it into perspective. As a Canadian... I'm ashamed. This is just outright stupid.
Just to possibly point out a rather severe flaw, the mainline client doesn't have any kind of real "protection". No password, no "thumbdrive == key" setup, nothing. It's quite feasible.
If this is the "original vision", I think it should be clear why it never got completed. Gearbox took a design the CREATORS didn't like and used it.
The funniest part is definitely all of us imaging it could have been anything else. Sorry. The only way to do Duke is to hire REAL comedians at this point, and get Ken Silverman back into the team! (no, I don't give a DAMN if it's a raycaster engine, as long as it's True Duke Style).
The demo made me want to vomit. It literally lagged. This was their "final product"?! Fail. Look in the mirror when you jump, that says it all.
1 - software is taught AS mathematics. it can also be expressed AS mathematics (see Functional Programming). There is plenty of math that has nothing to do with nature. Do you know a mathematician? One of their favourite pastimes is making stuff up that "is neat". It doesn't have much to do with anything, other than to float the creator's boat. You still can't patent it.
2 - software is an artistic expression.
3 - software isn't a process, it's a series of expressions ACCELERATED by a computer. We just call it software cause it's a specialized case of math. you mistake biochem for quantum mechanics.
4 - physical is gears, ropes or chemicals. Electrons do not qualify as any of these things.
5 - They don't have time to "use its [sic] own judgment". Have you seen the latest report on the backlog?
6 - "they affect things that are part of the lives of the average Joe on the street" - anybody who writes any code. "But those Joes generally have no idea of the true issues at play" - neither do you. "less than ten in the last 20 years to my count" - learn to count. "copyrights & trademarks" - protect your stuff and leave the rest of us alone. we're hobbiests and open-source developers/users.
"FWIW, my 2c." - and that's going to be $20,000? Buy a programming textbook and get a real job in the field your profession loves to oppress in the name of big business.
That's my Toonie, eh?
Get real. What the hell does Republican/Democrat have to do with this? This isn't "call down your favourite party to hate", it's a discussion on PATENTS. Grow the fuck up.
copponex, grow the hell up. You sound like a gawdamn child.
Theaetetus, you're correct.
I'm not american, so don't even try that bull with me.
Instead of looking at this with that same crappy "algorithms and software are math" (apologies, but it hasn't worked before, and it certainly won't now (unless we maaaaybe reduce EVERYTHING to 100% pure mathematics)) view, let's start looking for new ways of explaining it to the masses - they don't get it. The fault is not entirely their own cause of their ignorance, we haven't properly educated them. What do you do when people don't get the idea in political situations?
Protest.
Civil Disobedience.
Lobbying.
I'm pretty sure if 1000+ hackers showed up on the doorstep of the whitehouse equipped with laptops running as much patent-violating software as they could possibly muster - that'd be a pretty good start. The only question is who has the gull to show up? Who has the balls to write that code? So far, the one thing the hacker community (and other code-centred groups yes) seems to lack is some kind of motivating factor. Perhaps, and this is just a thought, the right to code what we please?
I'm almost tempted to organize something of these lines myself, problem is I can already smell the -1 rating this is going to earn for "stating the obvious" or "trolling". Can't say I didn't try.
Keep an eye out later for empty clothing. If you're reading this, you weren't chosen. Sorry.
... who's calling the shots for the DHS. Being unsurprised, perhaps somebody can tell us all why this is a BadThing(TM) ?
While it might be naive to think such, I believe google might just go and establish deals and contracts to ensure the open nature of the codec. After all, isn't the point to have adoption++? If you have to pay royalties to surf the internet or even use specific tools, people will quickly ditch the technology. Nobody wants to pay for something that's already free.
In my opinion (and I think RMS, among many other FOSS advocates would agree), if companies still sold their works as they do, but included the source code to users (the basis of "Free as in Freedom") - that would be enough to liberate users from the current strong-hold that's on them. Really, I don't think it's much to ask. The company still makes money (laymen are unlikely going to go out, download the source code and compile it...), and the community benefits. Of course, I should point out this is a pipe-dream, unlikely to come to pass. Even if we did live in a perfectly co-operative world, I doubt people would truly have trust in the good nature of humanity.
I think there might be some changelog analysis going on too. If you see "Huge exploit xyz fixed in this patch", you're more likely to use the new, untested version just because a known exploit is closed. With security software, they're always usually fixing, improving, and generally securing their software.
I personally keep pretty up-to-date, and I can understand that a government agency would want to be completely on top of things.
"It's safer"
Oh, and I forgot. Generally here, we consider actual children involved in CP. However, there have been cases where mangas and such media have been confiscated and the seller/owner charged. Depends what part of the country you're in.
I clearly state the fact they're criminals, and I don't agree with the crimes. However, we do need to consider all the angles, else we're not going to see any motives, reasons, etc. Stealing passwords is what we'd expect, but watching criminals catching other criminals - almost humorous.
On a somewhat unrelated note, terror watch lists are a nice example of our governments invading our privacy. It almost seems like if they have one arbitrary piece of "information", they list you. I can only hope that the residents of countries employing this tactic can check if they're listed.
Not to advocate the devil, but a few years ago, a local radio jockey was arrested when computer repair people found child porn on his laptop when he sent it in for work. I'm not sure if it was a blatant act of intrusion or if he was a complete idiot and left it out in the open, but it does show that sometimes it can do good. On that note, all people who meddle in the privacy of others deserve harsh punishment. Stealing passwords is in the realm of computer criminals, and shows what these people are: criminals. Don't trust the repair men... unless you already nuked the system.
They said "we will release a product that people expect from us" about Vista a few weeks before it was released. When it was release, it was full of holes and numerous problems were reported (my friend giving his first-hand experience as a tech-support guy at the end of the phone). When, according to them, we can expect a proper and full product, I'll continue to purchase their software and maybe even use it. Until they clean up their act, I'll stick to my Linux and windows XP. Sorry M$, but you got a lot of work ahead of you.
Quality of results and Opinion by the end-users (sheep or otherwise) will tell the future of this format. As general open-source users, we only fear the patents and other BS that The Man likes to use. Normal users don't even know what a software patent is usually. The winner will be quality and the experience people have using the files. Somebody mentioned that pictures downloaded from cameras will be converted to this by windows, I would like to point out most cameras internally use JPEG to compress the images and basically stick it on the card. I'm unsure, but that idea could apply to any kind of high-end camera that used something like "raw" or some other very basic lossless format. Cheers, DH.
Now our economy is sure to drop by a marginal amount because supposedly our coins are bad. I predict a drop in the CDN$ very soon thanks to this rumor.
I recommend you try to teach yourself as much as you can before and during college/university. I've taught myself everything I know about computers and programming and am still going to university because I know there's a lot more to learn. If you want to get a little money out of what you can do right now, try building custom PCs, and writing general utility software (versatile notebooks, simple spreadsheet software, etc.) and sell it as shareware. The money won't be the greatest, but it'll look pretty good on a resume. Remember that software development can be a risky area of work depending on what you are into (game development is very demanding and competitive while working at your local telephone company developing web site software is not as much so). No matter what, you have to apply yourself to what you are learning and keep focused on the task at hand. Never let a design flaw, or some stupid mistake give you a headache. Just keep ploughing at it. And as a general tip, buy lots of books and read them cover to cover.
she's just my age :D
What university did you go to? I'm quite interrested in this program