No, the audience of Slashdot users doesn't have to buy music from iTMS. Normal people don't have to, either, but it sure is significantly harder. We can get our music elsewhere, and we can deal with the relative technical challenge of encoding it the way we want. It's harder for them.
Even though people don't have to do something, if it becomes ubiquitous enough, it's almost as if they have to. It's a lot more difficult to go against the grain, especially when they make going with the grain as easy as they do.
Here's a great example: you don't have to eat ultra-processed, low-quality foods manufactured and distributed by gigantic megacorporations. The majority of people do, however. The same goes for anything else so widespread. The thing is, if there's a problem with something, "you don't have to eat it" or "you don't have to use it" isn't a solution. It's actually unfortunate, because people like us (the ones who actually notice the problems and get heated about them) tend to go off in our own directions, mostly ignoring what's wrong... when we could be attempting to fix this stuff.
So what if automobiles pollute the air and have a hand in destroying the ozone layer? You don't have to drive a car!
It is really important that you recognize that, as with any scientific venture, and with logical argument, there is never undeniable "proof" of anything -- just evidence that points one way or the other.
And there's a lot more evidence pointing toward the idea that we *are* harming it than evidence that we *aren't*.
People want undeniable "proof" because the idea that we are harming it is so controversial, and otherwise they aren't willing to accept it. If this is the case, then like any other controversial scientific topic, it will be many years before the majority of people will even consider its validity.
What are you looking for? An article that says "Proof Humans Are Responsible For Global Warming?" There are already lots of those out there, but even the scientists behind the research used for these sensational articles would disapprove of the titles. It could be said that people need such articles because nobody is willing to read scientific journals and conduct research themselves -- and this is perfectly reasonable.
If you want lots of legitimate scientific studies about this topic, Google Scholar or your local university's libary can sure help out.
Berkeley DB and SQLite don't even come close to filling the same niches. Berkeley DB is a highly optimized, generic, low-level tree-based database that can be used for a variety of purposes -- including providing the backing store for an SQL system. SQLite is an embeddable SQL parser wand extremely simplistic backing store.
Berkeley DB is like a body without a head. SQLite is like a head without a body (or at least not much of one).
You might want to note that "database" does not imply "SQL."
Well, actually, I wouldn't mind if they "dictated the standards." At least there would BE a standard.
J2ME sounds ideal for mobile development, but it doesn't come close to the ubiquity and complete interoperability that it aims to. Devices are too different, their feature sets are too different. Factor in the fact that not all companies support J2ME development on their hardware -- some support other "standards" and API sets -- and you have an even bigger issue.
Because while the new logon stuff might be alpha or preview quality, the rest of the operating system (the sum of its features) probably are. One incomplete area compared to the tons of features in Vista probably isn't enough to downgrade its status from beta to alpha.
Zonk obviously knows Cringely is stupid from the "now-what-is-he-talking-about" Department listing. You've gotta ask yourself -- if they know he's incapable of producing anything but inane drivel, why do we still get articles like this on Slashdot?
It doesn't really have anything to do with Japan liking smaller products for any particular reason -- this product is just better than the original. The DS lite, in addition to being smaller and thus more convenient for everyone (in Japan and elsewhere) has a more attractive form factor, glossy plastic, a MUCH IMPROVED backlit LCD screen, a better hinge, and a new D-pad.
It's not like these people just bought hundreds of thousands of these things because it's tiny and new... although I'm sure that had at least something to do with it. The DS lite is just a better piece of hardware.
Deleting a log file isn't quite the same thing as fixing buffer overflows and whatnot in a huge chunk of code. Yeah, it took MS 2 weeks -- and that was too long. It's not like the two bugs were equal in scope, though.
Slashdot Mirror
After all, violence and wanton killing never existed in Germany prior to video games.
Oh wait...
You must have missed Seiken Densetsu 4 at E3.
No, the audience of Slashdot users doesn't have to buy music from iTMS. Normal people don't have to, either, but it sure is significantly harder. We can get our music elsewhere, and we can deal with the relative technical challenge of encoding it the way we want. It's harder for them.
Even though people don't have to do something, if it becomes ubiquitous enough, it's almost as if they have to. It's a lot more difficult to go against the grain, especially when they make going with the grain as easy as they do.
Here's a great example: you don't have to eat ultra-processed, low-quality foods manufactured and distributed by gigantic megacorporations. The majority of people do, however. The same goes for anything else so widespread. The thing is, if there's a problem with something, "you don't have to eat it" or "you don't have to use it" isn't a solution. It's actually unfortunate, because people like us (the ones who actually notice the problems and get heated about them) tend to go off in our own directions, mostly ignoring what's wrong... when we could be attempting to fix this stuff.
So what if automobiles pollute the air and have a hand in destroying the ozone layer? You don't have to drive a car!
It is really important that you recognize that, as with any scientific venture, and with logical argument, there is never undeniable "proof" of anything -- just evidence that points one way or the other.
And there's a lot more evidence pointing toward the idea that we *are* harming it than evidence that we *aren't*.
People want undeniable "proof" because the idea that we are harming it is so controversial, and otherwise they aren't willing to accept it. If this is the case, then like any other controversial scientific topic, it will be many years before the majority of people will even consider its validity.
What are you looking for? An article that says "Proof Humans Are Responsible For Global Warming?" There are already lots of those out there, but even the scientists behind the research used for these sensational articles would disapprove of the titles. It could be said that people need such articles because nobody is willing to read scientific journals and conduct research themselves -- and this is perfectly reasonable.
If you want lots of legitimate scientific studies about this topic, Google Scholar or your local university's libary can sure help out.
No, BBC News is just reporting this now.
Berkeley DB and SQLite don't even come close to filling the same niches. Berkeley DB is a highly optimized, generic, low-level tree-based database that can be used for a variety of purposes -- including providing the backing store for an SQL system. SQLite is an embeddable SQL parser wand extremely simplistic backing store. Berkeley DB is like a body without a head. SQLite is like a head without a body (or at least not much of one). You might want to note that "database" does not imply "SQL."
Well, actually, I wouldn't mind if they "dictated the standards." At least there would BE a standard. J2ME sounds ideal for mobile development, but it doesn't come close to the ubiquity and complete interoperability that it aims to. Devices are too different, their feature sets are too different. Factor in the fact that not all companies support J2ME development on their hardware -- some support other "standards" and API sets -- and you have an even bigger issue.
Because while the new logon stuff might be alpha or preview quality, the rest of the operating system (the sum of its features) probably are. One incomplete area compared to the tons of features in Vista probably isn't enough to downgrade its status from beta to alpha.
Zonk obviously knows Cringely is stupid from the "now-what-is-he-talking-about" Department listing. You've gotta ask yourself -- if they know he's incapable of producing anything but inane drivel, why do we still get articles like this on Slashdot?
Too bad the joke is invalidated because "Hiu" isn't pronounced like "who."
The project is interested in both, like any charitable venture. More publicity is more money, and more money is more charitable.
It doesn't really have anything to do with Japan liking smaller products for any particular reason -- this product is just better than the original. The DS lite, in addition to being smaller and thus more convenient for everyone (in Japan and elsewhere) has a more attractive form factor, glossy plastic, a MUCH IMPROVED backlit LCD screen, a better hinge, and a new D-pad. It's not like these people just bought hundreds of thousands of these things because it's tiny and new... although I'm sure that had at least something to do with it. The DS lite is just a better piece of hardware.
Deleting a log file isn't quite the same thing as fixing buffer overflows and whatnot in a huge chunk of code. Yeah, it took MS 2 weeks -- and that was too long. It's not like the two bugs were equal in scope, though.