Anyone have any thoughts as to what sort of potential uses there might be for DNA and computers? While most people are looking one direction -- using computers to analyze DNA -- there's another area that deserves some investigation: What about computers that *use* DNA.
Probably the best compression format ever created, DNA offers some amazing benefits that could be implemented into computer usage at some point in the future. Imagine entire operating systems stored in synthetic DNA; your whole mp3 library taking up the space of a human hair; Software that grows and adapts along genetic guidelines....
Why is cryptography such an important subject? It seems to me that it's one of those "It's the principle of the thing!" ideas. What is the average geek actually doing with this powerful cryptography that we're all fighting for, except writing mash notes to his girlfriend, downloading video game demos, and buying penguin mints from ThinkGeek?
Online transactions can be encrypted all day long, and still be compromised by some 1337 srk1p7 k1dd13 who makes his way into a poorly secured database server. We need more awareness of the perils of e-commerce (on the side of those offering it), rather than stronger cryptography. Demand more secure online stores, not codes that take h@x0rz an extra day to crack.
(If you disagree, reply instead of modding me down).
I wouldn't dismiss Love's statements based on Caldera's "outsider" position in the community -- often it is the outsiders that have the clearest viewpoints.
To say that Linux is silencing others because of its success is probably exaggerating things a bit, but on the other hand it's partially true. Linux has a public relations momentum that most other alternatives don't. It's Pepsi to Microsoft's Coke. I'm sure that BeOS and others wish they had even a part of what the Linux movement now takes for granted.
Is proprietary software all that bad? I would say no, as long as it is in moderation. People should have the right to make proprietary software if they so desire, as long as they realize the benefits they are missing out on. The strength of the Linux movement is that it is primarily open source and free-as-in-speech. Nevertheless, every movement needs some variety.
In a sense, the GPL is a strict and binding way to make things free and public. Does that sound contradictory at all? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just that I see his point.
Is it possible that the demand for open source code is to strong at times? Personally, I don't think so. What makes Linux wonderful is that if you want to change something, you just dig in and do it. I disagree with Love on this particular point.
As long as they make the source code available, they should be okay under the GPL. It doesn't necessarily have to have the source code *with* it, as long as it is placed where an interested party could get to it.
That's my understanding at least. I hope I'm wrong, and that this isn't another instance of somewhat shaky reporting by/.:o)
I've seen versions of 3D games for TI calculators, which are most definitely not intended to run them. If someone actually put the work into it, it wouldn't be difficult to come up with a pretty cool handheld game unit.
From id software: Slashdot: CmdrTaco's Revenge Feel the excitement as you take the role of CmdrTaco as he goes berserk with an assault rifle, hunting down people who e-mail him about the stock market. Co-starring Gabriel and Tycho of Penny-Arcade, and Natalie Portman. (I'm being sarcastic! Not a troll!)
Personally, while I might be interested at times in what the stock market is doing, I'm still going to have to side with CmdrTaco on this one. The stock market has a jillion websites of its own. It doesn't need/. as well. As much as people would like this to be a one-stop news source for everything that they personally are interested in, you must all understand that this is "news for nerds," not "news for nerds and investors," or "news for nerds and political activists," or "news for nerds and everyone else."
There's plenty of information about the stock market on the Web. Too much information, in fact. More than you could cope with in a given day. Don't blame CmdrTaco for the fact that even if you set/. as your homepage, you still might have to go to one or two other urls to get all the news you're interested in.
So what if L. Ron started his own religion, brainwashed hoards of people and make mad money off it? Who cares? That happens every day in the business world. Everyone loves to jump on the "Scientology sucks!" bandwagon, but let's not lose sight of the fact that 90% of EVERYTHING is crap. Whatever religious beliefs you may hold (or not hold), they probably suck just as much as Scientology. We've got a silly sci-fi flick coming out. Get some friends together, dig some popcorn money out from under you sofa cushions, and go kill a few hours.
To be perfectly honest, I don't see what being a geek has to do with mental illness. If anything, we're the sane ones.:o)
Coding is actually a very healthy practice. It's mental exercise. It gets the right and left brains jogging at the same time.
Maybe the whole problem is that geeks don't fit into society's view of what is normal. *shrug*. Seems to me as though that's a good thing.
Why Slashdot Writes Good Book Reviews
on
Star Maker
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· Score: 4
Why shouldn't they?
If a book that someone reads is crap, why spend the time writing an extensive review on it, and then posting it for tens of thousands of people to read. Most of the readers would never have heard of the book if the reviewer hadn't mentioned it, so it's not as if they were in any particular danger of actually reading it without the wise warnings of a reviewer.
There are millions of texts in this world. I think it's nice to have someone share which ones they think are good, so that I can go read them -- rather than spending five minutes reading a review about a bad book I'd probably never get to anyway.
The reason book critics typically write bad reviews is for no other purpose than that it makes their articles more interesting to read, so that they can continue to get paid. I'm glad that Slashdot has other motivations....
There should be some sort of standardized formula that can be used to establish a base price. If the current owner feels that this doesn't accurately reflect the site's potential, then he or she could add to this price, explaining the whys and hows to the potential buyer.
Any business specialists care to offer a possible cost formula?
Slashdot Mirror
At least, I always assumed that was in Redmond...I could be wrong.
Probably the best compression format ever created, DNA offers some amazing benefits that could be implemented into computer usage at some point in the future. Imagine entire operating systems stored in synthetic DNA; your whole mp3 library taking up the space of a human hair; Software that grows and adapts along genetic guidelines....
Anyone have any other ideas?
Online transactions can be encrypted all day long, and still be compromised by some 1337 srk1p7 k1dd13 who makes his way into a poorly secured database server. We need more awareness of the perils of e-commerce (on the side of those offering it), rather than stronger cryptography. Demand more secure online stores, not codes that take h@x0rz an extra day to crack.
(If you disagree, reply instead of modding me down).
That's my understanding at least. I hope I'm wrong, and that this isn't another instance of somewhat shaky reporting by /. :o)
http://www.ticalc.org/arch ives/files/fileinfo/40/4042.html
http://www.ticalc.org/archives/files/fileinfo/36/3 634.html
http://www.ticalc.org/archives/files/fileinfo/34/3 439.html
I've seen versions of 3D games for TI calculators, which are most definitely not intended to run them. If someone actually put the work into it, it wouldn't be difficult to come up with a pretty cool handheld game unit.
Does anyone know which teams used what languages? I wonder if anyone hacked something together in perl....
I don't see how anyone could have made enough sense of it for there to be a controversy.
Damn good programmers, them.
From id software: Slashdot: CmdrTaco's Revenge Feel the excitement as you take the role of CmdrTaco as he goes berserk with an assault rifle, hunting down people who e-mail him about the stock market. Co-starring Gabriel and Tycho of Penny-Arcade, and Natalie Portman. (I'm being sarcastic! Not a troll!)
Somehow the Principia Discordia or the Book of the SubGenius just wouldn't have the same appeal. :o)
There's plenty of information about the stock market on the Web. Too much information, in fact. More than you could cope with in a given day. Don't blame CmdrTaco for the fact that even if you set /. as your homepage, you still might have to go to one or two other urls to get all the news you're interested in.
Keep up the good work, Taco!!!
I love the Internet. The more it changes, the more it stays the same. :o)
So what if L. Ron started his own religion, brainwashed hoards of people and make mad money off it? Who cares? That happens every day in the business world. Everyone loves to jump on the "Scientology sucks!" bandwagon, but let's not lose sight of the fact that 90% of EVERYTHING is crap. Whatever religious beliefs you may hold (or not hold), they probably suck just as much as Scientology. We've got a silly sci-fi flick coming out. Get some friends together, dig some popcorn money out from under you sofa cushions, and go kill a few hours.
Sometimes it's amazing how convenient convenience packs *aren't*.
Now if only we could get someone to do this with Bryce on some crazy hardware. That'd be way sweet!
Coding is actually a very healthy practice. It's mental exercise. It gets the right and left brains jogging at the same time.
Maybe the whole problem is that geeks don't fit into society's view of what is normal. *shrug*. Seems to me as though that's a good thing.
If a book that someone reads is crap, why spend the time writing an extensive review on it, and then posting it for tens of thousands of people to read. Most of the readers would never have heard of the book if the reviewer hadn't mentioned it, so it's not as if they were in any particular danger of actually reading it without the wise warnings of a reviewer.
There are millions of texts in this world. I think it's nice to have someone share which ones they think are good, so that I can go read them -- rather than spending five minutes reading a review about a bad book I'd probably never get to anyway.
The reason book critics typically write bad reviews is for no other purpose than that it makes their articles more interesting to read, so that they can continue to get paid. I'm glad that Slashdot has other motivations....
Here's some more tasty goodness: http://www.rushmagazine.com/pictorials/jolie2/ (Mod this up a bit, if you feel so inclined; It's nice to share!)
Oh, wait, that was the *last* post...sorry...
"Watchin' the sky, havin' a Bud..."
There is No Such Thing (tm) as "Netscape." It will always be Mozilla.
Any business specialists care to offer a possible cost formula?
Haven't people been talking about this since the turn of the century?
ICQ: 49636524
snowphoton@mindspring.com
If American libraries are leaning toward censorship, we can only imagine what the Chinese ones might be like...
ICQ: 49636524
snowphoton@mindspring.com