Catch up on stories from the past week (and beyond) at the Slashdot story archive

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
×

Comment Most Stunning Fact (Score 1) 206

Charter is a poorly managed company and has been for a long time

When I heard about the merger and thought back on Charter's past and what I've heard from friends about them and my personal experience in dealing with them on behalf of friends and family, I was left wondering:

  1. Where did Charter get $56 billion in disposable income?
  2. Who in their right mind would loan Charter any portion of those funds?

Comment Re:Philophantasy (Score 2) 152

Yet the only way I can imagine meeting that goal is to have a self-aware AI that can in real time (actually it might have to be prescient) determine the users thought process so that it can morph the UI into a state that will present the information to the user in a manner that will lead them to the right conclusion. We can now move on to a discussion of perception and truth.

Comment Re:Legal Schmegal (Score 1) 336

I do believe it is as simple, and obvious, as that, caps or not ,chimpanzees, aren't persons. I abide Merriam Webster's definition of person. Chimpanzees, may be self aware and possess a modicum of language yet this does not make them persons.

While, I would assert, that all persons are humans, I would not assert that all persons are strictly Homo sapiens but in fact contain a fair bit of Homo neanderthalensis.

One day may come and one day we may be visited by extraterrestrials and knowing humans, it may well be a mortal insult to call them persons. On That Day(tm) the question can be revisited and some will choose to expand the definition of person, others will want to refer to them as what they are, or create and define a new noun.

Comment Legal Schmegal (Score 1) 336

Should we treat chimpanzees that way we do? NO

Are chimpanzees feeling, intelligent animals? YES

Are chimpanzees persons? NO

In may cases the way we treat animals or allow them to be treated is appalling. The same is also true of how humans treat other humans, as well. I'm left to wonder how long before the fact that I've had two of my dogs euthanized is no longer a legal act? The thought of having to prolong the suffering of or put them through treatment that has little chance of success and a high chance of increasing their suffering and shortening their lives, pains me deeply. There is a long list of potential unintended consequences to consider.

Comment How Did We Get Here? (Score 1) 234

While I strongly believe this is a Bad Idea(tm) of epic proportions with a list of unintended consequences that seemingly has no end, after my initial visceral reaction, I am left to wonder. What led anyone, or group of anyone's, to think this was the answer? Even assuming we are all Good People(tm), do they believe someone will report an incident just because they can do some anonymously? Okay, so we'll put their potential targets on notice but, the report isn't really actionable. The attacker will still be at large and free to prey on someone else.

Anonymous reporting simply seems to be the wrong direction. What about actually changing how we treat and support the victims?

Comment Re:And? (Score 1) 40

I've used a range of options over the years depending on circumstances from VPN, to my access point hardwired to their network to MiFi. While it's likely all/most readers here can do those things and more, that's not the point.

The point is most of the general public doesn't understand. Yes we can, and prolly do laugh and snicker at the luddites, unwashed and ignorant. In truth what hurts them, hurts us. Calling them "stupid" doesn't help, most of them are ignorant not stupid anyway. Is it really that unreasonable to expect that a hotel that provides a service that we are in fact paying for, does so with due dillegence?

Comment Re:goddamnit!!! (Score 0) 123

Kinda reminds me of:

Leonard: Not only is he still not talking to me, but there’s this thing he does where he stares at you and tries to get your brain to explode. You know, like in the classic sci-fi movie Scanners? (Put’s fingers to head) You know, bzzz-pchew! Never mind. How about this one. It says, “I know my physics, but I’m still a fun guy!”

Series 1 Episode 09 – The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization

Slashdot Top Deals

To the systems programmer, users and applications serve only to provide a test load.

Working...