+/- keys are a lot better then pull down menus and dials will get ridiculously annoying with 30 days in a month, 24 hours a day and 60 minutes in an hour.
+/- is very scalable, if I want the count to go faster I just hold the button down, moving your thumb around in a circle is a very unnatural motion even for someone who's been playing video-games for 25 years. The wheel interface needs to die.
Further more, if the +/- arent up to the task, I'll just type in the fucking date/time.
If Google want to improve it, I'd suggest adding a few buttons for common usages or perhaps even a dial-pad (12 key interchangeable between 0-9 and months). On 800x400 screens, this should be easily doable.
I did this recently. Not with 1000 machines, mind you, but five. Dell wanted an exorbitant amount for the machines, insisted that since we were getting hex-core processors that we must get discrete graphics, and a bunch of other technologies* that we just didn't need.
Then you're not looking for Dell.
Custom built would be the way to go, preferably by a local supplier who'll give you a warranty.
Dell are good if you want to buy 10+ Core i5's with integrated graphics, ridiculously cheap but if you want something like a GIS workstation with 2 graphics cards to drive 4 screens then you either pay top dollar for a HP GIS workstation and space heater or you buy a custom build. Savings from dell come from volume, if you aren't buying anything they buy in volume then there is nothing to save on.
BTW, Hex-cores with integrated graphics, that sounds like a low end server to me. You shouldn't even be looking in the consumer desktop section.
I remember reading something a while ago, about a train tunnel in Russia that was so long, the coal engine and the passengers used up all the oxygen on it's first trip through, and some bad stuff happened.
First thing, the train will be electric (just like almost all subways).
Second thing, the tunnel will be ventilated enough to ensure that in the event of a breakdown, there is enough air (just like all subways). The cost of ventilating the tunnel will be less then pressurising the train.
Not to mention most of the custom builds are just vanilla builds with the UI tweaked, and where they do something different it's usually to add base functionality rather than removing it, so I'd be surprised if an app that was tested and working on the standard build failed to work on a custom ROM.
First off, you're not really obliged to support custom ROM's.
Secondly, Dalvik. More specifically the Dalvik virtual machine which is used to run most Android applications. I have yet to see a custom ROM that screws with the AOSP Dalvik machine, I've had one on my Milestone which completely replaced the 2.1 DVM with a 2.2 AOSP DVM but didn't change anything from AOSP. Unlike Iphone and WinMo, on Android your applications run in a sandbox from the OS, so you have Hardware -> VM -> Application so all the application needs to worry about is being compatible with the VM (so in reverse, Application -> VM -> not the app's problem). This adds some overhead but removes a lot of HW compatibility problems.
I reckon we will see Customised Android versions with the DVM screwed with, but this will likely be done deliberately to break application compatibility.
Android is still in the DOS days. Once Google gets around to learning the same lesson Microsoft learned (albeit slowly)
The critical difference is Dalvik.
DOS ran native applications, Android runs applications in a virtual machine, the Dalvik virtual machine which is consistent between hardware versions. For simple applications, you need only test against the 4 versions of Dalvik you want to support (1.5, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2). Only for very very complex applications do you need to test every bit of hardware. Google already leaned that lesson, they did it from day one with Dalvik.
The issue of "fragmentation" is so seriously overblown, but it is about the only attack vector that Android's detractors have left.
But you are right in a way, the tools will catch up. Right now the biggest thing holding back Android application development is not the non-issue of fragmentation, but Eclipse. Android really does need a better dev environment or at the very least a decent automated test environment. I think with Code Blocks (Google App Inventor) Google are tackling this issue, but at Google's customary pace.
I see something, more patents and other technology acomplishments made thanks to Australia.
NBN infrastructure win = money for Australia and Abott/Turnbull still complaining
Turnbull/Abbott have to complain. They're in opposition and the NBN is Labor's crowing achievement.
The NBN will incite more tech oriented business in Australia, we have a better education system (overall) then the US and work harder (more hours) they Europe. I think we'll see local data centres form an economy around delivery of content via the NBN.
The NBN has only begun rolling out, it's future is still in jeopardy and already it's drawing new business to Australia. Does anyone still need that CBA (Cost Benefit Analysis)?
Of course I mean anyone rational.
Australia has been built on developing new tech, on research. CSIRAC (CSIRO) was the worlds fourth digital computer and the CSIRO have done a lot more since then, a lot which has benefited Australia's main export industries (agriculture and mining). Killing this trend will only result in Australia shooting itself in the foot.
Exactly. Heck, strict parenting has your kids go wild later in life.
Exactly, good parenting is not ensuring everything your child sees and does is pure, it's about teaching them how to react when they see something that is wrong, uncomfortable or a little bit dark (E.G. pron, utlra-violence). It's the parent's job to make sure they can act like a well adjusted member of society, pretending the evils of society (violence, sex, drugs) don't exist is contrary to this goal.
If you don't let your kids do little things (watch R rated movies, hang out with friends, read what they want to, etc.)
I wouldn't exactly say, "give the kid a bucket of porn" but the fact parents need to accept is that a 15 yr old boy _will_ find a bucket of porn, but you shouldn't make it easy for them.
A better example would be teen drinking, a parent has multiple avenues here but saying "dont drink" pretending this will never happen is only fooling the parent. Many Aussie parents begin to control what or how much a 16yr old drinks by actually providing the alcohol themselves at times of their choosing (I.E. a birthday). Of course a certain amount of drinking happens without the parents knowledge but back to my first point, it's the parents job to make sure they can handle themselves properly (that being said, the same parents will and should punish their child for coming home drunk without prior permission).
Sex is exactly the same, saying "God says it's wrong, suppress your natural desires" will only result in the child seeking it more. In Australia, sexual education in schools is focused on two aspects, the physical aspect (pregnancy and contraception) and the social aspect, the social aspect concentrates on peer pressure, these classes work with the assumption that teens will encounter sexually charged environments and sexual situations and teaches them how best to deal with these environments.
2. Time is money. You have to weigh the TCO (total cost of ownership) and not just the initial ticket price. The more time you spend "fixing" your computer, the less time you have to actually drive foot traffic to your business.
Indeed, you raise a good point here. I've supported Mac's in a mixed environment (10.4/5 vs XP/Vista) and I spent more time fixing Mac's per support call. They simply aren't as simple to correct as Windows Machines.
But lets look at other aspects of TCO shall we.
Downtime, when hardware fails (and Mac's have a failure rate equivlent to Dell):
DELL/Lenovo/HP: Make 1 call, get a tech out within 24 hours (NBD or Next Business Day).
Apple: Make an appointment with a Genius at their pleasure, waste my time to take it to them, wait for them to fix it and then come back an pick it up.
Now I charge out at $150 an hour, it takes 2 hours there and back where I'm not being productive and we get at least twice as much downtime as with Dell. Typical turnaround for a failed Mac is 7 working days. 7 days where someone is not productive. Typical turn around for a Dell is 28 hours, 1.5 days where someone is not productive.
Mac TCO is terrible no matter which way you look at it.
Forget tax treatment, if it's really that much more productive, it pays for itself pretty quickly.
The thing is that it's not that much more productive. I've supported a mixed environment before, Mac OS X (10.4 and 10.5) and Windows (2000, XP and Vista), our Mac based staff were had about 80% of the production of our PC based staff in the same period of time doing Adobe CS work (Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop) as well as having higher support costs and not fiiting in with our VLK (so we had to buy retail office) in addition to higher intial costs.
Mac's fail at just about every aspect of TCO, if they fail (and they do fail) there is no such thing as manufacturer supported NBD (Next Business Day) recovery which costs thousands in downtime (telling a professional support team they need to make an appointment with a "genius" is not acceptable, on site support at minimum).
Because if you read his original post, he said he needed a proper workstation.
I can get a custom built SMP Xeon workstation for almost half the cost of an entry level Mac Pro. If I want to buy something like a GIS workstation from the likes of HP and formerly Sun they may cost the same but are a lot more powerful.
They are trying to save money and they are using a mini Hummer?? How many gallons to the mile?
After you've figured that out, can you convert it to a completely different yet obsolete and inconsistent measurement system like hogsheads to the furlong.
My 3G is as good as the day I bought it, going on 2 years ago now (or more - I'm well, well outside of contract). Battery is just fine. No scratches, bumps, breaks or damage. But then, I don;t treat it like crap, sit on it in my back pocket, put it in with my keys etc.
Out of all my friends, Iphones (3GS's) tend to have a 40% break rate (sample is 9, 4 have broken, two dead and two broken screens but still functional) which is farily high considering that I know people with HTC desires, Nokia E71's and Motorola Milestones some of whom treat their phones like crap and they are still working fine (one of the Milestones has no chrome left around the screen bezel).
Iphones are quiet fragile due to the fact that they do not use tensile materials in the screens construction, treating your phone with a modicum of care is prudent I agree but you shouldn't need to handle the thing with kid gloves which is what the Iphone requires unless you want to be out A$1000 for a new one.
Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal.
Quite true, anecdotal evidence always needs to be backed up.
Slashdot Mirror
+/- keys are a lot better then pull down menus and dials will get ridiculously annoying with 30 days in a month, 24 hours a day and 60 minutes in an hour.
+/- is very scalable, if I want the count to go faster I just hold the button down, moving your thumb around in a circle is a very unnatural motion even for someone who's been playing video-games for 25 years. The wheel interface needs to die.
Further more, if the +/- arent up to the task, I'll just type in the fucking date/time.
If Google want to improve it, I'd suggest adding a few buttons for common usages or perhaps even a dial-pad (12 key interchangeable between 0-9 and months). On 800x400 screens, this should be easily doable.
Your internet access... has just been revoked.
Then you're not looking for Dell.
Custom built would be the way to go, preferably by a local supplier who'll give you a warranty.
Dell are good if you want to buy 10+ Core i5's with integrated graphics, ridiculously cheap but if you want something like a GIS workstation with 2 graphics cards to drive 4 screens then you either pay top dollar for a HP GIS workstation and space heater or you buy a custom build. Savings from dell come from volume, if you aren't buying anything they buy in volume then there is nothing to save on.
BTW, Hex-cores with integrated graphics, that sounds like a low end server to me. You shouldn't even be looking in the consumer desktop section.
The US military will soon be in charge of US health care?
When did this happen?
Oh what the hell, even the Nigerian military taking over US health care will result in a drop in price and massive improvement in services.
Seeing as we are using ancient and inconsistent measuring systems, can you tell me how many furlongs that is.
Do fax me your retort, I shall send my reply by the fastest royal mail steamer.
First thing, the train will be electric (just like almost all subways).
Second thing, the tunnel will be ventilated enough to ensure that in the event of a breakdown, there is enough air (just like all subways). The cost of ventilating the tunnel will be less then pressurising the train.
Right, because not knowing if your application will even be allowed on the App Store is predictable.
First off, you're not really obliged to support custom ROM's.
Secondly, Dalvik. More specifically the Dalvik virtual machine which is used to run most Android applications. I have yet to see a custom ROM that screws with the AOSP Dalvik machine, I've had one on my Milestone which completely replaced the 2.1 DVM with a 2.2 AOSP DVM but didn't change anything from AOSP. Unlike Iphone and WinMo, on Android your applications run in a sandbox from the OS, so you have Hardware -> VM -> Application so all the application needs to worry about is being compatible with the VM (so in reverse, Application -> VM -> not the app's problem). This adds some overhead but removes a lot of HW compatibility problems.
I reckon we will see Customised Android versions with the DVM screwed with, but this will likely be done deliberately to break application compatibility.
The critical difference is Dalvik.
DOS ran native applications, Android runs applications in a virtual machine, the Dalvik virtual machine which is consistent between hardware versions. For simple applications, you need only test against the 4 versions of Dalvik you want to support (1.5, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2). Only for very very complex applications do you need to test every bit of hardware. Google already leaned that lesson, they did it from day one with Dalvik.
The issue of "fragmentation" is so seriously overblown, but it is about the only attack vector that Android's detractors have left.
But you are right in a way, the tools will catch up. Right now the biggest thing holding back Android application development is not the non-issue of fragmentation, but Eclipse. Android really does need a better dev environment or at the very least a decent automated test environment. I think with Code Blocks (Google App Inventor) Google are tackling this issue, but at Google's customary pace.
Turnbull/Abbott have to complain. They're in opposition and the NBN is Labor's crowing achievement.
The NBN will incite more tech oriented business in Australia, we have a better education system (overall) then the US and work harder (more hours) they Europe. I think we'll see local data centres form an economy around delivery of content via the NBN.
The NBN has only begun rolling out, it's future is still in jeopardy and already it's drawing new business to Australia. Does anyone still need that CBA (Cost Benefit Analysis)?
Of course I mean anyone rational.
Australia has been built on developing new tech, on research. CSIRAC (CSIRO) was the worlds fourth digital computer and the CSIRO have done a lot more since then, a lot which has benefited Australia's main export industries (agriculture and mining). Killing this trend will only result in Australia shooting itself in the foot.
Exactly, good parenting is not ensuring everything your child sees and does is pure, it's about teaching them how to react when they see something that is wrong, uncomfortable or a little bit dark (E.G. pron, utlra-violence). It's the parent's job to make sure they can act like a well adjusted member of society, pretending the evils of society (violence, sex, drugs) don't exist is contrary to this goal.
I wouldn't exactly say, "give the kid a bucket of porn" but the fact parents need to accept is that a 15 yr old boy _will_ find a bucket of porn, but you shouldn't make it easy for them.
A better example would be teen drinking, a parent has multiple avenues here but saying "dont drink" pretending this will never happen is only fooling the parent. Many Aussie parents begin to control what or how much a 16yr old drinks by actually providing the alcohol themselves at times of their choosing (I.E. a birthday). Of course a certain amount of drinking happens without the parents knowledge but back to my first point, it's the parents job to make sure they can handle themselves properly (that being said, the same parents will and should punish their child for coming home drunk without prior permission).
Sex is exactly the same, saying "God says it's wrong, suppress your natural desires" will only result in the child seeking it more. In Australia, sexual education in schools is focused on two aspects, the physical aspect (pregnancy and contraception) and the social aspect, the social aspect concentrates on peer pressure, these classes work with the assumption that teens will encounter sexually charged environments and sexual situations and teaches them how best to deal with these environments.
Indeed, you raise a good point here. I've supported Mac's in a mixed environment (10.4/5 vs XP/Vista) and I spent more time fixing Mac's per support call. They simply aren't as simple to correct as Windows Machines.
But lets look at other aspects of TCO shall we.
Downtime, when hardware fails (and Mac's have a failure rate equivlent to Dell):
DELL/Lenovo/HP: Make 1 call, get a tech out within 24 hours (NBD or Next Business Day).
Apple: Make an appointment with a Genius at their pleasure, waste my time to take it to them, wait for them to fix it and then come back an pick it up.
Now I charge out at $150 an hour, it takes 2 hours there and back where I'm not being productive and we get at least twice as much downtime as with Dell. Typical turnaround for a failed Mac is 7 working days. 7 days where someone is not productive. Typical turn around for a Dell is 28 hours, 1.5 days where someone is not productive.
Mac TCO is terrible no matter which way you look at it.
The thing is that it's not that much more productive. I've supported a mixed environment before, Mac OS X (10.4 and 10.5) and Windows (2000, XP and Vista), our Mac based staff were had about 80% of the production of our PC based staff in the same period of time doing Adobe CS work (Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop) as well as having higher support costs and not fiiting in with our VLK (so we had to buy retail office) in addition to higher intial costs.
Mac's fail at just about every aspect of TCO, if they fail (and they do fail) there is no such thing as manufacturer supported NBD (Next Business Day) recovery which costs thousands in downtime (telling a professional support team they need to make an appointment with a "genius" is not acceptable, on site support at minimum).
Because if you read his original post, he said he needed a proper workstation.
I can get a custom built SMP Xeon workstation for almost half the cost of an entry level Mac Pro. If I want to buy something like a GIS workstation from the likes of HP and formerly Sun they may cost the same but are a lot more powerful.
This guy could very well have a peg leg and eye patch for all you know, that would definitely qualify him as a pirate.
Nah nah na nah na... Thunder.
Never make the assumption that you are so interesting that everyone cares about you.
These and other demotivational sayings will be available for the next 3 days.
After you've figured that out, can you convert it to a completely different yet obsolete and inconsistent measurement system like hogsheads to the furlong.
No numbers and no special caracter... and you just told half of /.
Or Samsung, China Mobile, Vodafone, Intel, Nvidia or any other big member of the Open Handset Alliance?
Because Nokia have way too many patents to even think about fighting.
Plus Google/Android is quite successful at the moment, this attracts other predators who dont want competition.
This is precisely why you cant be google, what you're suggesting would be "evil" and that goes against Google's "dont be evil" policy.
Whilst google is not 100% good, they are definitely not evil (if we must boil it down to this, they are lawful neutral).
So Android is pissing off powerful and greedy people?
That means it's doing something right.
Out of all my friends, Iphones (3GS's) tend to have a 40% break rate (sample is 9, 4 have broken, two dead and two broken screens but still functional) which is farily high considering that I know people with HTC desires, Nokia E71's and Motorola Milestones some of whom treat their phones like crap and they are still working fine (one of the Milestones has no chrome left around the screen bezel).
Iphones are quiet fragile due to the fact that they do not use tensile materials in the screens construction, treating your phone with a modicum of care is prudent I agree but you shouldn't need to handle the thing with kid gloves which is what the Iphone requires unless you want to be out A$1000 for a new one.