Out parameters -- my favorite feature of C# over Java.

Or call back someone else's car that is doing the same thing.

Here is what will happen:

Someone will get into an accident driving their own car. They will be sued for negligence because it was an accident that an autonomous vehicle would have prevented. As a result, insurance rates for human drivers goes through the roof. Everyone switches to autonomous vehicles within the year.

Is this just some researchers turning off a laser?

You have lots of room to complain. If you take away the expectation to complain it give criminals an excuse to commit the crime.

If you saw a Ferrari parked somewhere with a bunch of cash in the front seat, would YOU feel okay stealing it or the car? I would hope not. Stealing is wrong regardless of how easy it is. Why do you give others a pass for something you wouldn't do?

I was mocking people who make that argument, actually.

That depends. Perfecting that process was not free (R&D, manufacturing ramp up etc.) so chances are the widget will cost more than before. It may even cost more than 12x more. If it doesn't, that extra money would go toward other goods. Or maybe it gets saved.

In either case, that money would not go to the original widget making industry and as a result, money might flow somewhere else causing that sector to contract. Or maybe they end up selling a ton more of their durable widgets and hire more people with the increased revenues.

This is the most complex argument I've heard that the universe is only 6000 years old.

Just a random comment, but if Windows Phone uses the NT Kernel, I would find it hard to imagine it not having low latency recording given the presence of massive amounts of pro-audio apps for Windows. Or is that a function of DirectX or some other add-on which isn't present in the Windows Phone version of the kernel?

I have a Powerbook running a pretty old version of OSX. I didn't want to pay for the update.

I have a T420s and while I don't doubt you have experience what you describe, I haven't had most of these problems. I have seen the issue where it doesn't turn off when the lid is closed (maybe four times) and I'm not a huge fan of the screen. The software is weak to me too but I wiped it and installed stock Windows 8 and it works well.

I'll tell you what I do like about it:
- 3.5 lbs weight
- The keyboard (of course)
- The ability to add another battery via UltraBay
- The ability to add another SSD via the mSATA port
- The Ultranav setup is better than most with the larger trackpad. I don't normally use the trackpad but in Windows 8 it has increased utility (opening charms bar, switching apps) that I appreciate.

I just got a 15.4 Retina Macbook Pro and, outside of the screen of course, the T420s outclasses it in every way. I've been a ThinkPad guy since the late 90s myself and I've definitely seen changes that I don't like but, even in the current state of the line, I don't know that there is any other vendor that I would choose.

I'm curious to hear your explanation of why the iPhone 4 can't run Siri in iOS5 and how is that different from the Lumia 900 getting the most obvious new feature from WP 8 (the new Start Screen) but not the other - mainly hardware dependent - features?

Sounds like you haven't been paying attention to the obvious iOSification of OS X.

The Start screen will not take up both monitors, it will take up one at most. I've used multiple monitors for at least 10 years (I'm a developer FWIW) and nomally my "off" monitor - which is normally a lower resolution than my main one - is running an app full screen like a web browser or OneNote. In using Windows 8 and Metro I haven't noticed much of a difference in practice but obviously YMMV. Even still, you can have two apps - including a desktop app - running on the Metro screen. It has quirks but I have found it far from frustrating.