"Sure we can derail the thread further and make other arguments but you won't be negating the original point at all, newer operating systems from Microsoft are almost always slower than the previous version, it's simple bloat."

This of course is nonsense. If you want to make an apples to apple comparison of XP and vista after installing XP install desktop search and windows defender (both are standard in vista), install your favorite antivirus software on both, and you'd have to turn off Aero on vista. You'll note that in both of your test hardware comparisons vista SP1 will benchmark faster or equal to the XP system. If you want to compare it the other way turn off desktop search in vista, turn off aero and disable defender. Again you'll find that in both cases vista sp1 will benchmark faster or equal. And if you really want to see the difference add any office apps you like and start timing how each system performs under load. There are some quite specific areas that XP still beats vista (copying files on the same disk XP, appears to do this alot faster for some reason), however transfer that same batch of files over the network and XP gets crushed (particulary when transfering to a linux or vista system).

You can call the extra features vista brings bloat, but, oddly enough, the users still want them (and those that don't can turn them off).

I wouldn't bother with the CS degree, unless you actually need to learn about basic computer operations. You will get passed over by the 20 year old that's been coding flash sites for 5 years and is thinking about going to school. You will get passed over for anyone with actual experience in the field. A college degree is nice but certainly not what I am looking for in systems analysts, programmers, or helldesk operators. I'd suggest getting certified (either RHCE, CCNP or MCITP enterprise- whichever is your poison of choice) then getting an entry level job in the field. Then (if you choose) go to college part time.

"Even though that's not really analogous to what happened, I would still be calling for the guilty officials to be hung from lamp posts in front of the school district headquarters and left to rot as a warning to others. The entire drug war is insane, precisely because it's used to justify crap like this.

A better analogy would be if she had been accused of what you said by a student who actually was caught dealing."

I wasn't trying to make an analogy. If you are saying that it doesn't matter what crime she was being searched for she shouldn't be stripsearched- that's one thing. If your saying that it would be OK if it wasn't for a drug violation that's another. If I understand you correctly you are trying to say that it doesn't matter what crime she was potentially committing. I disagree but I can see where that might be a reasonable standard. If, however, you think that one criminal should be searchd differently than another, then I'd say you do not believe in a fair justice system.

Would you be saying that if she had been selling crystal meth and crack to her friends and been caught with it?

Tell that to a crying, hungry 2 year old.

Part of your issue is that you are equating "real science" with running a cpu sharing program. Try having them build something- almost anything can be used as an exercise. Build a robot- physics, electronics. Model rocket- chemistry, physics, electronics. The list goes on

What development company would hire a recent college grad in the US for anything related to actually producing code? Give me the kid that spent the last 4 years trying to hack his 360 over the dope that actually got into debt to learn programming. Unless you've got some decent project work to go with your CS, I'd say prepare to start coding me up a big mac on that mac terminal you'll be standing in front of.

The software check you did in windows 3.1 is available in windows ( as well as with various 3rd party addins) Details on the native version can be found at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457006.aspx

If however you do manage to uninstall IE, you will break a great many applications that rely on it. IE does alot more than render HTML - for better or worse

What's the command line tool you are talking about? I knew about restrictged tokens, but I was unaware that prior to vista there was a way to use them.

That type of policy is also there to ensure the availability of the PC in case the employee actually needs to use it for company purposes. PC's have policies and are locked down in my company not to protect from IP theft but to protect them from stupid users (protecting IP is exactly what DRM is for). Students aren't expected to know how to properly operate a PC. They also aren't bright enough to know that the gamecheaters.com site will likely contain malware. I think that one of the reasons they have to set policies like this is that they can't simply lock down the mac like you can a PC.

There is a difference between carpenters tools and a laptop. I would expect that a carpenter would not only qualify as expert with that tool, but be able to replace it if he breaks it. Likewise I have no problem handing out an unrestricted laptop to even a junior helpdesk tech. If they break it I expect them to be able to fix it. I wouldn't expect the average homeowner to properly use anything other than the basic tools and will likely be unable to complete any complicated projects, and the average user only knows how to use 10% of office.

It depends on wether not the kids are paying for the laptops and who has ownership. Laptops in the corporate world are given out all the time but have strict usage limitations, and that's possible since it's company property. The school certainly has jurisdiction over what happens to school propery regardless of where it is. I agree that that may not be enforceable however.

You are really looking for 2 things:
1. How can I teach kids to start thinking about how to develop algorithms
2. What is a good programming language for beginners

The best solution I've found is Karel and pascal

Karels home page (with a C version of Karel shown) is here http://www.cs.mtsu.edu/~untch/karel/

The Pascal version is in the book. I think pascal is a better language for teaching good programming practices rather than C It's not that you can't in C but Pascal makes it easier to teach without having questions come up about idiosyncrasies about a program they may have found or other books they might have read about C.

But those of us that have been fans all our lives aren't going to like this very much. Most of us are, frankly, sick of the retconning in the cannon

No kidding, but do you honestly think paramount is ever going to pay attention to actual Neilson numbers, or give 2 seconds thought to any future movies? Hollywood has the silly idea that if you get an a-list actor and an a-list director, the story and/or plot in and of itself is irrelevant. In this case however they have the idea that because it says "star trek" there is a guaranteed number of viewers (and that's true) so they can get by with b-list actors (nothing against the actors in the movie but none of their names are household icons) as long as they have an a-list director. Paramount didn't tell abrams "go revitalize the franchise" they said "go ahead and make a new franchise- but call it star trek". If you want to see how little paramount cares about star trek, see if you can find a copy of Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier. In particular watch when braga has to answer a question about what a tricorder is. Note that all the actors can answer the question but braga looks bewildered and finally calls it a plot device- and this guy wrote episodes!