You complain about programmers with an overdeveloped sense of importance and then continue to spew your own elitist drivel?
As someone who dabbles in both programming and visual design, I can appreciate that each has its nuances that can only be learned through experience and natural talent.
99% of programming is just putting together function calls and libraries others have already coded.
And exactly where do you think those libraries come from? Thin air?
By the same logic, I could argue that designing is just cobbling together a bunch of stock photos, but I know better.
If you have a disability that can be fixed, you're a fool not to have it fixed.
I don't think you are qualified to say that: your situation is analogous to being hard of hearing, not completely deaf (though, I have no doubt it totally sucks). If you could suddenly see after being born completely blind and being that way for decades, I assure you it would be very overwhelming.
You had a partial disability, the people we're talking about are fully (or effectively fully) deaf. There's a whole culture and entire manner of life understanding and experience that goes along with it. Living with a complete disability forces you to be this way and it becomes your norm.
Living with a partial disability is a cruel taunt that teases you with the understanding of how much better life is for normal people, but without ever allowing you to taste it for yourself. I can fully appreciate and respect why was preferable for you to fix your partial disability.
It doesn't matter if it's not obvious to you. It matters whether it's obvious to a "practitioner skilled in the art"... which it is.
well, I don't know about the inner workings of all cell phones,
Well, then let me help you out...
Phones are essentially small computers. A computer is an electronic device that can accept one or several forms of user input and manipulate it, according to instructions and configurations, into a desired output. On a phone, that user input consists of buttons, other physical triggers, microphones, sometimes a touch-screen, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a compass and so on.
All Microsoft has done here is taken the logical step of reading one of the inputs (accelerometer) and manipulating the data to result in an output that already exists (silencing the phone). It is literally no more obvious than muting the phone by pressing the "volume down" button several times or by flicking the little switch on an iPhone: accepting user input, manipulating it, creating a desired output.
This already exists in some Nokia and Samsung phones (and surely others), using the gyroscope (sensing when the phone is flipped over on a desk) instead of the accelerometer. Without even looking, I'm almost certain that this already exists in the Android Market / Google Play.
Seems pretty obvious now, eh?
Connecting existing technologies in slightly varying configurations does not meet the required rigor of patent-worthiness. Unfortunately, the patent system is too busy being funded by bribes and juries are just too stupid to conceptualize this basic logic
it's so obvious it's been used already - in a more sophisticated form too, Nokia has had "turn over on table" silence for ages - turning it into a whack isn't really that much of a thing.
My mom's old Samsung phone and this as well. All Microsoft is done is taken this exact same concept and based on the action of the accelerometer instead of the gyroscope.
Something that you deal with all your life becomes normal for you. Changing that norm, even for the better, can be frightening and jarring (I speak from experience). I can certainly see how being deaf one minute and normal hearing the next could very likely cause a sensory overload.
However, that shouldn't preclude such research. I can't imagine such an opportunity being turned down by someone who lost their hearing at some point in life.
the last few wireless routers I've setup automatically prompted to turn on some form of encryption during that process.
I recently came across a router that was WPA2 encrypted out of the box with the credentials (a reasonably long numeric string) written on the back. I'm sure each copy of the same router has it's own uniquely generated password.
That just seems so simple and obvious that I have to wonder why it hasn't always been this way.
Um... was this accidentally mis-modded by someone with a broken funny bone? Because, if not, what the heck are you talking about?
MicroSD cards are *tiny* and can't possibly add any appreciable bulk to a phone. 32gb models can be had for less than 20 bucks on Amazon. Even 64gb models are less that buck-a-gig.
So I reiterate, what the heck are you talking about?
Is it just me or does "assembling camera lenses" (among other things) sound like something that could be mechanized? I mean, it's not like the lens needs to be different from phone to phone and I'm sure the same could be said for many other parts.
I'm not trying to say that these people should be put out of a job, but wouldn't it be better if some of them could have a lot more job satisfaction from better, more interesting work, with real responsibilities, where they are more than just assembly monkeys?...and then use that to build a better economic system for themselves where a lot more people can have more rewarding careers?
...then may his ashes be scattered among the moon's dust.
Were I American, I'd be proud to see my taxes pay for such a mission. Heck, I'd be proud to see my *Canadian* tax dollars pay for it (though, it might only get them 99.742% of the way there;)
Have a website? Disable and redirect EU visitors to a message explaining that they cannot use your website until they pester the morons in government who implemented this crap until it's reversed.
I'd love to see something like this gain traction. All it would take is a big player like Amazon to make this happen.
I've been wanting to say exactly this every time I see another retarded story about cookies. Thanks for giving me a hand.
Just in case it was missed: COOKIES ARE HELPFUL TO YOU, YOU MORONS.
Want online shopping? Cookies. Automatic login to 9000 different sites? Cookies. Remembered configurations and searches? Cookies. Convenient URLs that you can remember? Cookies.
As the parent explained, YOU hold the control in deciding what, how and when sites can store cookies on your machine. If you can't be arsed to spend a half hour learning to protect your privacy, you don't deserve it.
Dim-witted, pandering, posturing politicians passing some idiotic "cookie legislation" is going to cause you to have *less* privacy, security and convenience.
Have two sets of backups, one at your place, and one at work, friend's or family member's place. Update and exchange as often as you figure is necessary; the more often, the better.
Encrypt it, too (TrueCrypt makes this very easy), you don't want your data in the wrong hands if stolen or lost.
To them, something that sounds like security is good, and who cares if someone's inconvenienced, because it's not them anyway.
This is exactly the problem: too many people completely ignorant to "first they came..." situations.
It reminds me of an unrelated, but applicable, quote I heard in a video from a National Geographic photographer...
On our drive out, my assistant spotted this big stork, with an eight-foot wingspan, that looked like it was trying poke a hole in a great egret... and we waited out there... it was actually an anaconda that was crushing [the egret] in an attempt to eat it; you could hear little bones popping as it squeezed [...]
As we drove away, I asked my assistant, "why is it that the big bird would be poking at the little bird?", she said, "he wasn't, he was trying to poke a hole in the snake," and I said, "well, why would he care about what happens to that other bird?"
She responded, "That's an American attitude, Joel. That big bird knows that what happens to that little guy will eventually happen to him, so he tried to take the snake out."
I have tried to explain to my parents, to others in my family, to friends... that we are heading down a dark path with security theatre (I'm in Canada and CATSA is the same idea, same body scanners, etc.). They are chipping away at our liberties for a facade. Even if it was effective, it's still not worth giving up freedoms.
The typical responses are simply stupefying: I'm too tired to think about it What about the people who have lost friends and family in terrorist attacks? Would you want to be in plane with a terrorist?
It makes me wonder... do people just succumb to apathy after a certain age? Do they simply not care about the legacy they'll leave?
Forget corporate software, end-user software is just as bad. Consider something popular like... I dunno, let's say Windows.
You see sloppiness every day. Things like:
# The file copy process. This remained basically the same from Windows 95 through to XP. Run into a locked or corrupt file? It kills the *entire* copy operation because of one bloody file, even if you were in the process of copying a thousand files. One uncopyable file doesn't mean all the files are the same way, this is just extremely lazy programming. Windows 7 has finally improved things a bit, but it still doesn't compare to far more usable replacements like TeraCopy (seriously, try it out, you will never go back).
# The command window. You are stuck with a very low maximum width. Why? Why can't I resize it to full-screen? Again, lazy programming.
# UI elements hanging on background processes. Open a network share, attach a USB drive, insert a CD, and what happens? Everything grinds to a halt, because the UI is waiting for something to load. Worse, it doesn't even provide any indication, it just locks up and you have to sit there and wait for whatever's holding up to finish. Lazy programming and lacking foresight.
# Internet Explorer, enough said (yes, IE9 is still crap)
Slashdot Mirror
No.
Just about anyone can use a typewriter, not just anyone can write a best-selling novel.
Just about anyone can hold a box and press a button, not just anyone can make gallery-quality photos.
Just about anyone can stroke a brush on canvas, not just anyone can create a masterpiece.
Just about anyone whack a stick on drum skin, not just anyone can do it rhythmically and cohesively.
Just about anyone drive a car, not just anyone can become an F1 champion.
I could do this all day, but I think I've made by point.
As someone who dabbles in both programming and visual design, I can appreciate that each has its nuances that can only be learned through experience and natural talent.
And exactly where do you think those libraries come from? Thin air?
By the same logic, I could argue that designing is just cobbling together a bunch of stock photos, but I know better.
I don't think you are qualified to say that: your situation is analogous to being hard of hearing, not completely deaf (though, I have no doubt it totally sucks). If you could suddenly see after being born completely blind and being that way for decades, I assure you it would be very overwhelming.
You had a partial disability, the people we're talking about are fully (or effectively fully) deaf. There's a whole culture and entire manner of life understanding and experience that goes along with it. Living with a complete disability forces you to be this way and it becomes your norm.
Living with a partial disability is a cruel taunt that teases you with the understanding of how much better life is for normal people, but without ever allowing you to taste it for yourself. I can fully appreciate and respect why was preferable for you to fix your partial disability.
Well, then let me help you out...
Phones are essentially small computers. A computer is an electronic device that can accept one or several forms of user input and manipulate it, according to instructions and configurations, into a desired output. On a phone, that user input consists of buttons, other physical triggers, microphones, sometimes a touch-screen, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a compass and so on.
All Microsoft has done here is taken the logical step of reading one of the inputs (accelerometer) and manipulating the data to result in an output that already exists (silencing the phone). It is literally no more obvious than muting the phone by pressing the "volume down" button several times or by flicking the little switch on an iPhone: accepting user input, manipulating it, creating a desired output.
This already exists in some Nokia and Samsung phones (and surely others), using the gyroscope (sensing when the phone is flipped over on a desk) instead of the accelerometer. Without even looking, I'm almost certain that this already exists in the Android Market / Google Play.
Seems pretty obvious now, eh?
Connecting existing technologies in slightly varying configurations does not meet the required rigor of patent-worthiness. Unfortunately, the patent system is too busy being funded by bribes and juries are just too stupid to conceptualize this basic logic
My mom's old Samsung phone and this as well. All Microsoft is done is taken this exact same concept and based on the action of the accelerometer instead of the gyroscope.
Big friggin' deal. Certainly not worth a patent.
I can respect that.
Something that you deal with all your life becomes normal for you. Changing that norm, even for the better, can be frightening and jarring (I speak from experience). I can certainly see how being deaf one minute and normal hearing the next could very likely cause a sensory overload.
However, that shouldn't preclude such research. I can't imagine such an opportunity being turned down by someone who lost their hearing at some point in life.
I recently came across a router that was WPA2 encrypted out of the box with the credentials (a reasonably long numeric string) written on the back. I'm sure each copy of the same router has it's own uniquely generated password.
That just seems so simple and obvious that I have to wonder why it hasn't always been this way.
Um ... was this accidentally mis-modded by someone with a broken funny bone? Because, if not, what the heck are you talking about?
MicroSD cards are *tiny* and can't possibly add any appreciable bulk to a phone. 32gb models can be had for less than 20 bucks on Amazon. Even 64gb models are less that buck-a-gig.
So I reiterate, what the heck are you talking about?
Is it just me or does "assembling camera lenses" (among other things) sound like something that could be mechanized? I mean, it's not like the lens needs to be different from phone to phone and I'm sure the same could be said for many other parts.
I'm not trying to say that these people should be put out of a job, but wouldn't it be better if some of them could have a lot more job satisfaction from better, more interesting work, with real responsibilities, where they are more than just assembly monkeys? ...and then use that to build a better economic system for themselves where a lot more people can have more rewarding careers?
To which I would give my standard response: we all use toilets, does that make us all poop experts?
Fine, I'll say it, then: they deserved it.
I'm a programmer who uses SQL on a regular basis; sanitizing user input is a trivial task.
They most assuredly deserved it.
I think you just accidentally a word.
...then may his ashes be scattered among the moon's dust.
Were I American, I'd be proud to see my taxes pay for such a mission. Heck, I'd be proud to see my *Canadian* tax dollars pay for it (though, it might only get them 99.742% of the way there ;)
What a hero and what a sad day.
This logo looks like it came out of a middle-school art contest in the 80's.
Do they even realize how hokey it is or have they just all drank the Metro kool-aid?
This will be disasterous for tens of people!
Lesser companies would have thrown a lawsuit at him. At least Google is mature enough just to have some fun with it and not be a total dick.
Have a website? Disable and redirect EU visitors to a message explaining that they cannot use your website until they pester the morons in government who implemented this crap until it's reversed.
I'd love to see something like this gain traction. All it would take is a big player like Amazon to make this happen.
I've been wanting to say exactly this every time I see another retarded story about cookies. Thanks for giving me a hand.
Just in case it was missed: COOKIES ARE HELPFUL TO YOU, YOU MORONS.
Want online shopping? Cookies.
Automatic login to 9000 different sites? Cookies.
Remembered configurations and searches? Cookies.
Convenient URLs that you can remember? Cookies.
As the parent explained, YOU hold the control in deciding what, how and when sites can store cookies on your machine. If you can't be arsed to spend a half hour learning to protect your privacy, you don't deserve it.
Dim-witted, pandering, posturing politicians passing some idiotic "cookie legislation" is going to cause you to have *less* privacy, security and convenience.
...the year of the Linux desktop, because if this doesn't turn people away from Windows in droves, I don't know what will.
My thoughts exactly.
Have two sets of backups, one at your place, and one at work, friend's or family member's place. Update and exchange as often as you figure is necessary; the more often, the better.
Encrypt it, too (TrueCrypt makes this very easy), you don't want your data in the wrong hands if stolen or lost.
This is exactly the problem: too many people completely ignorant to "first they came..." situations.
... and we waited out there ... it was actually an anaconda that was crushing [the egret] in an attempt to eat it; you could hear little bones popping as it squeezed [...]
... that we are heading down a dark path with security theatre (I'm in Canada and CATSA is the same idea, same body scanners, etc.). They are chipping away at our liberties for a facade. Even if it was effective, it's still not worth giving up freedoms.
It reminds me of an unrelated, but applicable, quote I heard in a video from a National Geographic photographer...
On our drive out, my assistant spotted this big stork, with an eight-foot wingspan, that looked like it was trying poke a hole in a great egret
As we drove away, I asked my assistant, "why is it that the big bird would be poking at the little bird?", she said, "he wasn't, he was trying to poke a hole in the snake," and I said, "well, why would he care about what happens to that other bird?"
She responded, "That's an American attitude, Joel. That big bird knows that what happens to that little guy will eventually happen to him, so he tried to take the snake out."
I have tried to explain to my parents, to others in my family, to friends
The typical responses are simply stupefying: I'm too tired to think about it
What about the people who have lost friends and family in terrorist attacks?
Would you want to be in plane with a terrorist?
It makes me wonder... do people just succumb to apathy after a certain age? Do they simply not care about the legacy they'll leave?
What is so special about Safari users that would entitle them to be treated any differently than users of any other browser?
Forget corporate software, end-user software is just as bad. Consider something popular like ... I dunno, let's say Windows.
You see sloppiness every day. Things like:
# The file copy process. This remained basically the same from Windows 95 through to XP. Run into a locked or corrupt file? It kills the *entire* copy operation because of one bloody file, even if you were in the process of copying a thousand files. One uncopyable file doesn't mean all the files are the same way, this is just extremely lazy programming. Windows 7 has finally improved things a bit, but it still doesn't compare to far more usable replacements like TeraCopy (seriously, try it out, you will never go back).
# The command window. You are stuck with a very low maximum width. Why? Why can't I resize it to full-screen? Again, lazy programming.
# UI elements hanging on background processes. Open a network share, attach a USB drive, insert a CD, and what happens? Everything grinds to a halt, because the UI is waiting for something to load. Worse, it doesn't even provide any indication, it just locks up and you have to sit there and wait for whatever's holding up to finish. Lazy programming and lacking foresight.
# Internet Explorer, enough said (yes, IE9 is still crap)
I could go on, but I don't have all day.
Do they really not see the irony here? Really??
As if there wasn't already enough reason not to buy a BlackBerry?