Sorry everyone, didn't mean to get the price wrong. A polite correction would have been enough. Can't you give a fellow slashdotter benefit of the doubt? :-) I reread my post and I don't think it's filled with hate or hyperbole, just some of my passing opinions on apple products.

1$ for every little app doesn't really bother me about the iphone. What bothers me is the proprietary cable (30$oem), proprietary airplay, airprint, all that... I like the phone, but I agree they are falling behind. Next phone I get is not likely to be apple. Walled garden is a double-edged sword, and now the pastures seem greener on the other side..

I don't see how this patent is special. Just because it's done on a computer shouldn't change anything. I "Slide to Unlock" my laptop cover. If they want to turn this into a design patent, fine (round edges of button, specific font, etc, etc,) , but the core idea is not new, special, or innovative.

Merchants should be careful with this. I think it will just give consumers a reason to go somewhere else for the same service/product. I already avoid businesses that have credit card minimums. That said I guess it's time to actually start carrying around cash again, which probably means I'll be more frugal. It's incredibly easy to sign a receipt. If I have to hand over physical bills it will feel like I am spending more.

Sounds like he wants to be a big boy. Put him in your shoes with an incredibly challenging and time-sensitive project (real or fake). Then start changing the project requirements every week/day at random. In my experience this is how shitty code gets made (other obvious way is person is inexperienced).. If his code works and looks great and is bug free, maybe you'll learn something, if not, maybe he will..

Remember, the United States and Britain are not third world countries. I don't see how this behavior is acceptable, even if some other companies are doing it.

Damn, thinkpad used to make the only keyboard that I thought was worth typing on. That was the main feature I bought them for.. Shame

What he said. By the time your kid is old enough to defeat said parental blocks, it's probably time to stop.

I've been on ipv6 for 6 months or so using hurricane electric to tap into the ipv6 world. When I browse around the net, the only ipv6 sites I really come across are google and facebook..

Maybe I've misunderstood something about this economist article, but it says absolutely nothing about surplus vs deficits in the sense most people think about those terms. The first sentence is, "SOME American states receive more in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes; others receive less. ". That is what the article is about. The way you've written this post, it seems you are comparing the actual individual economies to each other.

I fully expect power to go out for a few days or a week if it hits the DC/Baltimore area as predicted. As I'm sure you're well aware, above power lines suck balls, and they are everywhere in this area.

I don't know why I read these anymore, it just makes me so mad. How do you patent "if (x > threshold) then perform_action()" ???? I know this is a simplification of what has probably been implemented, but this seems to be what facebook is claiming is the patent-worthy invention here... What the fuck USPTO? Go away... Please.. Now...

Absolutely. Fuck the TSA, more government waste... Don't they realize that a potential evil-doer should fear the passengers more than any security system which has its own loop holes and mistakes?

Also, If there is anyone doing the linux desktop "right", my vote would be for Mint. They actually have a simple vision and are very responsive to community. I hope they continue to kick ass.

I am officially calling out the patent system, shenanigans!