Do you care about what embedded OS your dishwasher runs?

Yeah, because my PC is as interactive and important as my dishwasher!

As long as Win 10 runs my existing Windows-only apps and games, I'm happy.

Life's too short to worry about operating systems.

Indeed, we shouldn't concern ourselves with options outside of that which Microsoft provides. Doing so is stupid, and makes you stupid. Right?

Consider just Canada alone, from which Cuba could have had any technology they wished.

Given they haven't gotten it, I suspect it's more complex than that! Part of it may be that companies that operate in violation of U.S. embargoes cannot do business in the U.S., thus making Cuba not worth their attention might be part of it.

Change has to come from Cuban leadership, if at all.

Indeed, when dealing with a regime on the wrong side of an embargo or blockade, it's always the one at the bottom of the power slope that is responsible, right?

What is very telling is that the cuban community in Florida is really, really angry we are lifting the embargo - because all it does is empower the people that made Cuba what it is today.

They're angry because their property was seized - but their kids don't generally care. On the other hand, the Cuban government released a bunch of political prisoners in the past week or two, which at least suggests that Raul and the party are at least cognizant of the changes coming down the pipe.

I just watched it on my Roku3, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. Hopefully it will get enough votes for Amazon to make the rest of the series.

Based on my experience in Kerbal, they're 95% of where they need to be. They've done the really hard stuff (controlled burns to bring the craft down at the right spot, slowing the descent at the right time without running out of fuel, etc) successfully. Properly orienting the rocket should be relatively easy assuming that the systems responsible for that haven't run out of fuel. The fact that the engine was able to get it that close without the fins working speaks volumes for how well the thing is operating.

Even if something else goes wrong the next time or two, they'll have a successful landing shortly. The simple fact that it hit the platform ought to be enough to let them start trying on land after another one or two similar attempts. As failures go, this was extremely successful.

Arrogant and self-obsessed. When you're around a little longer, you'll come to realize that you don't actually know everything. Or perhaps you won't as some never achieve significant emotional maturation.

First to create a workable, marketable, functional-in-the-real-world electric cars and created the first new successful car company in the US in decades to design, build, and sell them. Designed and built reusable rockets that run good reliably to the ISS for a fraction of the cost of any other solution ever devised by man. Also working towards sending people to Mars, which even world governments haven't even seriously considered. And on the Solar City side, they're making solar power so affordable to people that they've become the number 1 installer for residences in the US and the number 2 installer overall in less than 10 years of existence. 4.3 gigawatts of power produced by their installations as of 2013. They're doing all this while bumping up US manufacturing to compete directly with the Chinese. Who else is doing that successfully?

And again, I ask, what have YOU done lately besides read Wikipedia and spout off about things you don't understand? Because Musk, the guy you're criticizing, seems to be busy getting shit done.

This guy has actually designed and built rockets that go to space and can land safely back on Earth. You think he's so out of touch with reality that a fucking Wiki page is standing between what he says and what reality is?

Musk may not ever perfect the Hyperloop, but if he doesn't, it won't be because of anything you think you know. It'll be because he's too busy revolutionizing the automobile, space travel, and power industries simultaneously. What a stunning display of arrogance to sit where you sit and toss trivial criticisms like "we know it's impractical because I read a Wiki article about it" at a guy who launches shit into space for a living while he's not building electric tank-cars or spreading affordable solar power or raising his kids. The day you know more than Musk about -anything- is the day he has a fuckin' tag on his toe.

Why is it necessary for Mozilla to have paid employees, let alone an actual corporate structure?

Because they complete with Microsoft and Google, and have done a good job at it.

Why does Mozilla need to "compete" with Google. Mozilla is a non-profit. What's the endgame here?

Staying relevant and keeping up with standards, and delivering a browser with updates on a timely basis.

Why can't they just write their software for people who want it and let people use Chrome who want to use Chrome.

Because in short while the project would likely fall apart when faced with the pace of development MS and Google can do.

There's lots of open-source software projects out there that continue to run based solely on the contributions of their developers.

And a great many of those contributors are compensated for doing so, via other sources. They are very fortunate.

Given the choice between "Commercial Mozilla" trying to compete with Chrome, and a slower changing, community run affair, I'll take the latter.

And enjoy it as it falls behind.

What's wrong with the Rod From God idea anyway?

Because it reinforces the mindset that the only way forward is military superiority, which is suicidal.

when somebody considers himself justified to do anything other than talk back in response to whatever speech he may find offensive.

I think people are willfully misconstruing the sort of thing the EFF is talking about. They certainly don't appear to be talking about things that are generally offensive, but specific, targeted harassment against individuals where they are hounded everywhere they go.

But since people are getting killed over comics, you shouldn't worry about the torrent of abuse directed towards you on every site you visit. Right? Just suck it up and be glad you're not dead?

But you certainly have the right to offend them.

Indeed, you have the right to stalk them from website to website and deliver a constant stream of abuse. They take offense? Oh, that's their problem. So long as you don't physically harm someone, you're OK! Emotionally harming and constantly harassing someone until they break is a-ok though!

At least, if I understand ShangahiBill and the above post by fyngrz.

Are we to assume that because France is having trouble, the EFF should stop and we should just not bother?

"Oh, they're dealing with something terrible, I suppose I should just be quiet and accept the abuse I suffer because, hey, at least I'm not being murdered!"

— Dr Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger, Conspiracy

No I am tired of that argument it might have been legit 20 years ago but history in the mean time has proven its horse shit.

So basic logic was legit 20 years ago, but now it's invalid?

One religion in recent history has been responsible for the vast vast majority of religious inspired violence.

You mean a subset of people who consider themselves to be part of a religion.

I am not saying governments ought to step in an stop people from practicing their faith but I do think the rest of society might do well to express a little less religious tolerance and acceptance.

But only against those you choose to be intolerant again. And when you are intolerant, you express blanket intolerance. Great way to make enemies and end up like Europe.

A little social exclusion would probably lead lots of younger folks to drop it

Or it would make them feel oppressed and alienated, leading them to lend an ear to the extremists. Oh wait, this is exactly what is happening. You are your own worst enemy.

If noting that Isaac Newton was born on Dec. 25 would turn religious people away from science, they're too buried in their dogma and myopia to ever accept reality.

That doesn't mean it's a good movie. Most of the sold out showings are because of the hype surrounding this incident. The reviews are pretty uniformly bad.

People aren't flocking to it because it looked good, or because it is good. They're going mostly to spite the group that hacked Sony and North Korea.