While everybody is entitled to their opinions, there is a real benefit to flat user interfaces. When done well, flat user interfaces remove the confusing decorations of skeumorphism (the practice of incorporating the look of an object that was made in another material into a design) so that a user can more easily identify and interact with the content or task at hand.

As with anything, there are extremes that can be taken too far and with flat user interfaces you have to be aware of removing too much distinguishing signifiers so a user can no longer tell what it is that the interface is expected to do. I like some of the flat UI treatments Apple has done in iOS and Yosemite. However, I'm not a fan of the excessive use of transparency in Yosemite. I think it's applied incorrectly and arbitrarily in too many locations. Transparencies, in my mind, are more closely associated with skeumorphic design than flat design and their use in the Yosemite beta is a step backward.

Typo3 - good lord what an utter piece of crap and a UX nightmare. You hit it on the head with job security - that's why it's always been hard to use and always will be. And TypoScript. Words cannot describe the "why does this even exist?" cry from my soul every time I had to look at it.

Part of the reason I quit my last job was because of Typo3. If I never see it again, it will be too soon.

Was there a way to measure the mass of a black hole or the level of gamma radiation released from it in 1589? Did black holes exist in 1589?

Never said it did. Anywhere. I love science.

So, you're equivocating relatively recent rules espoused by a man-made institution with some sort of evidence of the non-existence of the supernatural?

The title of my post is "hate comes in many forms", not "hate comes in identical forms."

I start out by saying "I have no qualms against atheists nor people who believe in the supernatural. I do have an issue with those in these groups..." and end by saying "ignoring the veracity of the content of Dawkin's beliefs, simply recognize Dawkin's actions." I don't see where I ascribed all atheists as having a negative message, just Dawkins and his followers. That was the point. The irony that Richard Dawkins and his followers have the same negative message as the people he is so against.

No intellectual touché or overt "I'm above even he" to be taken from that, is there?

The flaw in this statement makes the assumption that, "I am now going to believe in this because somebody said this."

Many, previously non-religious people - atheists and agnostics alike - have had religious or supernatural experiences that they lack the ability to explain. Just because our language is inadequate or that people inadequately apply language to describe an experience doesn't mean the experience wasn't genuine.

I have no qualms against atheists nor people who believe in the supernatural. It doesn't bother me that either group of people exists. I do have an issue with those in these groups that ascribe to a system of hate and exclusion in order to identify the who's with them and who's against them. Ironically, the most extreme members of these particular types of folks so often fail to see they are what they hate. They operate in the same ways - they identify themselves as part of an enlightened, exclusive group that is superior to the other and engages in spreading that belief to others.

I was recently at our local high school football game and an older couple was passing out Richard Dawkins DVDs to the crowd. How is that any different than a holy roller passing out Bible tracts at a football game? How is Richard Dawkins going off on a barnstorming tour to save the world from religion different than Billy Graham going on a world tour to save the souls of the lost?

Science tells me that its understand of the laws of physics stops at a black hole's singularity? Does that mean I disbelieve the singularity exists because science has no way of describing the singularity? Superstring theory tells me that 10 dimensions of spacetime exist and bosonic string theory 26. Is it then possible that, if true, we can't (yet? ever?) comprehend events or life that takes place beyond our 3 dimensions of existence or that events from these dimensions can affect the reality of ours? Why is it when we speak of entangled quantum particles separated by billions of miles affecting each other instantaneously as a valid theory yet the very real experiences a significant amount of humanity have had and can only explain that it was God (does it matter that they call that experience Buddha, Jesus, Marduk, or Zeus?) as ignorant ramblings? That is, why exactly hasn't religion gone away after all this time?

I guess all I'm saying is, ignoring the veracity of the content of Dawkin's beliefs, simply recognize Dawkin's actions for what it is: I'm better than those folks over there and if you're smart you'd join my side and liberate yourself from your current misguided life. Personally, I choose to keep a more open mind to possible explanations of reality than Dawkins and (insert religious fundamentalist figurehead here) choose to.

...up until that point in which it becomes advantageous to do evil.

Mod up. Parent is spot-on.

I have an Xbox and my kids have an Xbox. I have to go through great pains to be able to get both of us to play DLC. The Steam DRM scheme would be quite welcome in our scenario. No DRM would be most welcome but that goes without saying. Sure, they would need to play on the same account so things like achievements would be meaningless but...meh, who cares.

Regarding always-on DRM, we have access to a vacation cabin in the mountains and the boys like to play Xbox at night after a day of fishing and hiking. So, the new scheme would make an Xbox a brick in that location? No thanks. I'm already soured that I can't relax playing my copy of Diablo III there.

This is why I won't be buying a next-gen console. The current DRM scheme has me at my limits. Adding more and you will lose a customer. I've spent thousands of dollars over the life of the 360. Now you will get $0 from me. Will your always-on DRM recoup that loss? Maybe. Seems awfully risky though.

It looks like Microsoft is taking a page from Apple and emphasizing design now - along with the warts that go with it. I've never used the wedge mouse but instinct tells me that using one will invoke carpal tunnel induced rage like Apple's Bondi iMac puck mouse and clit-scroll Mighty Mouse.

Well, Rush did claim that Bane, the main villain who has been a Batman character in the comics for at least a decade or more, was propaganda against Mitt Romney because Romney's venture capital firm is named Bain.

So, lets get back to the theory that some right-wing nutjobs that have undue influence over stupid people.

Forgot to mention, you can contact the local Public Utilities Commission and they made be able to help too.