While I agree from a story perspective that the pod-racer stuff was fluff, I still pull that scene out to show off what a properly tuned home theatre surround sound system can do. Other movies might more effectively use the multi-channel audio, but aliens racing vehicles trumps mass splatter-fests when you have a mixed-age audience.

I already override my ISP's advertised DNS settings to point to something that doesn't redirect to their advertising pages when I typo a URL. I can easily point it at something that doesn't listen to MPAA's bizarre demands.

It'd be like having Ford control traffic flow on the Interstates. "All Express lanes are only open to Ford vehicles and the 'partners' who've bought premium service for their customers."

The worst (by far) driving I've seen in person has been police working on their in-car computers while buzzing down the road at 30km above the posted limit. No sirens, no lights. Just a whole lot of drifting/swerving and general inattention.

"He knows just enough to be dangerous."

Most sw/dev managers I know fall in this category.

The treatment is purely supportive. As with all virii, the body needs to clear it out on its own. It will do so, if the organs don't fail before the immune system builds the necessary antibodies. The 'cures' being worked are anti-retrovirals that inhibit the viral replication, so the body can get the upper hand more quickly.

The problem with modern unions is that they don't self-police the rubbers who inevitably get in. If Willy is a caught watching kiddie porn on the corp's equipment, the company shouldn't have to fight the union to get him axed. Modern unions for the most part will defend their members regardless of the infraction, including a criminal offense like this... If Steve is slacking and not getting his work done, Steve's coworkers should actively work with him to get him productive and if he isn't, give him da boot. Negative contributors drag everyone down.

I think it might be a sales incentive! The new owner gets the joy of deleting every one of those auditory atrocities, knowing the world has just become a better place to live!

This is a perfect example of an Expert System.

Expert Systems have been one of the most successful and longest used AI models in industry. FPGA routing and layout programs have relied on this form of AI since the early/mid 90's.

Waze is available on BB, fantastic app and free. Look for "Waze" in the BB World app store.

Good salary base, but every day I fight with ding-dong execs to ensure my team doesn't get completely overloaded. The constant pressure to work 16hr days 365 days/year while not being compensated for OT is draining and makes life hell at times.

I won't suggest my kids go into high-tech, unless they can get a sweet-sweet senior mgmt position.

... is that the vast majority of senior executives won't learn from these mistakes. They'll all listen to some talking head consultant (that they paid way too much for) consult some sort of magic crystal ball and claim "it won't fly!" What should've been the indication that it might catch on is the quote, "The team got devices for themselves."

If the engineers think it's cool enough that they want one for personal use, it's probably a product that has a use that could be expanded from the tech-geek segment into something profitable.

Americans need to toughen up. Cancelling work and school because of a bit of ice and snow? Oi, your forefathers who blazed the trails to the west and through the mountains must be spinning like tops in their graves.

Further erosion of the American education system means less competition for those of us (and our kids) living elsewhere in world.

From my experience working with and for HW-centric companies, they all view SW as a zero-revenue expense. As such, they don't invest in the people, tools and processes that make for successful software products.

I'd tend to think being a top h/w vendor is actually a detriment to delivering good software.