Comment Re:Uh...right (Score 1) 239
Reminded me of this: http://xkcd.com/699/
Comment Re:Programmers are not designers (Score 1) 344
I'm not disagreeing with your points at all, I was simply responding to the parent.
"Follow the success of the web. Use HTML+JavaScript. Let the web designers who already have a suite of awesome tools to come in and design the desktop. Allow users to install different designs (similar to add-ons/extensions in Firefox). Stop holding our desktops hostage because only a select few people actually understand the GNOME/KDE codebase well enough to code their ideas."
Specifically this was worded to say that GNOME 3 was not customizable, I simply pointed out that GNOME 3 does exactly what is being proposed. Now, the fact that the majority of users will not be able to customize it is a shortcoming, but if it gets popular enough I'm sure there will be add on tools that enable customization.
"Follow the success of the web. Use HTML+JavaScript. Let the web designers who already have a suite of awesome tools to come in and design the desktop. Allow users to install different designs (similar to add-ons/extensions in Firefox). Stop holding our desktops hostage because only a select few people actually understand the GNOME/KDE codebase well enough to code their ideas."
Specifically this was worded to say that GNOME 3 was not customizable, I simply pointed out that GNOME 3 does exactly what is being proposed. Now, the fact that the majority of users will not be able to customize it is a shortcoming, but if it gets popular enough I'm sure there will be add on tools that enable customization.
Comment Re:Programmers are not designers (Score 1) 344
GNOME 3 is fully customizable via Javascript.
DOJ Anti-trust Investigation of MPEG-LA 149
thomst writes "The Wall Street Journal's Thomas Catan reports that the Department of Justice has launched an anti-trust investigation of MPEG-LA's purported efforts to prevent Google's VP8 codec from widespread adoption. According to the article, the California Stare Attorney General's office is also investigating MPEG-LA for possible restraint of trade practices."
Comment Re:Shipping Costs, Etc. (Score 1) 377
Obviously there are significanly more zip codes than states,there are also much more factors to eal with than that. To tac this properly there would have to be a registry of all potential addresses I the nation, special rules for PO boxes etc.
For example, I live in a small municipality that has an additional tax rate, surrounded by mostly unincorporated portions of the county. However, we are small enough to not have our own zip code. How would I be taxed? Tax everyone in a zip code at the highest rate? The lowest?
This situation is not unique, and oversimplification of the rules means it's still not "fair" for everyone.
For example, I live in a small municipality that has an additional tax rate, surrounded by mostly unincorporated portions of the county. However, we are small enough to not have our own zip code. How would I be taxed? Tax everyone in a zip code at the highest rate? The lowest?
This situation is not unique, and oversimplification of the rules means it's still not "fair" for everyone.
Comment Re:Shipping Costs, Etc. (Score 1) 377
<quote>... How hard would it be to add sales tax based on the zip code of the delivery address?...</quote>
Significantly harder then you make it sound. There are a lot of zip codes in the country, each with tax rates changing year to year and potentially more often. Who maintains this database? Where does the information come from originally?
What everyone seems to be missing on, is the fact that Amazon does not have to PAY sales tax. No retailer pays sales tax at the time of the consumer purchase. Retailers CHARGE sales tax to the consumer. It is the consumer's responsibility to pay this tax. Retailers collect sales taxes and it goes directly to the state, this is done because it is more efficient (and reliable) to force the retailers to keep track of the amount of taxes that should be paid (by consumers), then to rely on every individual consumer to track their purchases and pay their fair share.
Significantly harder then you make it sound. There are a lot of zip codes in the country, each with tax rates changing year to year and potentially more often. Who maintains this database? Where does the information come from originally?
What everyone seems to be missing on, is the fact that Amazon does not have to PAY sales tax. No retailer pays sales tax at the time of the consumer purchase. Retailers CHARGE sales tax to the consumer. It is the consumer's responsibility to pay this tax. Retailers collect sales taxes and it goes directly to the state, this is done because it is more efficient (and reliable) to force the retailers to keep track of the amount of taxes that should be paid (by consumers), then to rely on every individual consumer to track their purchases and pay their fair share.
Comment Re:Hmmm .... (Score 1) 858
Hank: Uh, Dad, this is Minh, he's.... Japanese
Cotton: No he aint.... He's Laotian.
One of the funniest lines ever.
Cotton: No he aint.... He's Laotian.
One of the funniest lines ever.
Comment Re:Try whatever you got in the house. (Score 1) 147
This was a localization issue. In this context (in the US at least), bullet == cartridge.
Comment Re:Induction Heating of Block Ice = Glowing Red Ho (Score 1) 147
Most BBs are made of lead -- wouldn't that be a bad idea, just in general?
Comment Re:Congrats! (Score 2, Informative) 559
The long term health effects of the backscatter are not known. This is effectively a low dose of radiation, applied over your entire body. For someone who frequently travels, this could be a legitimate concern. Also, the effects of radiation on bodies still in development is unknown. If it became necessary to travel with my kids, I would absolutely not allow them to go through the scanner. However, as it stands this means that I would have to subject my kids to a very thorough pat down by some screening personnel; someone with whom I am not familiar, and have no knowledge of their qualifications. Unacceptable.
Comment Re:Wasted opportunity (Score 5, Funny) 851
Or mail it to Pakistan via Fedex.
Comment Dont' call your lawyer? (Score 5, Insightful) 851
When the FBI tells you "Not to worry" and "Don't call your lawyer", do you want to guess who the very next person you should call is?
Hint: It's not your mom.
Hint: It's not your mom.
Comment Re:Phone home? (Score 1) 548
Welcome to the voter apathy party!
Submission + - Facebook page leads police to murder suspect (skunkpost.com)
crimeandpunishment writes: The suspect in nine murders in the Philippines is in custody thanks to his Facebook account. Mark Dizon was Facebook friends with the daughter of one of the victims. After hearing descriptions of the suspect in that murder, a friend looked up Dizon's page and showed his profile picture to witnesses. They said "that's him"...and the next thing you know, he was under arrest.
Comment Re:But this does actually cost them money (Score 1) 387
I'm trying, but Trainspotting and The English patient aren't showing up on any trackers
