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Comment Re:Alternatives... (Score 1) 191

Why do you doubt that the Windows scheduler is pretty good? I cannot talk about the linux kernel, but I have met some of the kernel developers for Windows back when I was still a Microsoft MVP, I have gotten explanations on how and why some things were done, and I must say that indeed, the solutions so some of the problems seemed elegant. I used to write a lot of multithreaded code to put large amounts of data through some math algorithms on as much cores as were available, and throughput on linux vs Windows was about even.

We can certainly argue about the Windows interface and userland, and the many things there are wrong with it. But the modern day kernel level is indeed pretty good, and developed by some pretty good people. Just because it isn't linux or closed source doesn't mean it is bad.

Comment Re:NO IT IS NOT GAINING ACCEPTANCE!!! (Score 1) 182

I have no problem admitting that if I had an easy means such as a stash of 1 million bitcoin, I would choose to be obscenely wealthy.
But I would choose the certainty of cashing out half and be happy with 5 Billion worth of luxury and influence while still enjoying the outside chance of becoming 10 times more rich.

Personally, I think whoever in in control of that wallet knows that if they make even a single transfer is made, a lot of powerfull people will start searching and following the trail and not quit until they know who you are. Much safer to let sleeping dogs lie.

Comment Re:NO IT IS NOT GAINING ACCEPTANCE!!! (Score 1) 182

The ledger is public so all addresses with large balances are well known.
Is it possible that Satoshi has little pockets left in individual wallets? Yes. But even then he'd have to have bought them back via means that couldn't be linked to his original wallet. It is even possible that he, she or they, bought bitcoin at a later date on an open exchange and are still holding next eggs.

There are several problems attached to Satoshi's wallet.
It is well known, so any transaction would probably immediately trigger alarm bells around the globe, because who knows what someone is going to do with a reserve of a million bitcoins. It could start a panic or a run on funds, causing the price to crash.
It would also end anonimity for Satoshi. You can bet that any transfer that finds its way to an exchange will be scrutinized by the NSA or other such agencies. Once they have a piece of thread to pull on, it is likely that they would find the real identity of Satoshi. That is probably not a good thing for Satoshi because a) governments and the IRS would be asking pointed questions, and b) it is never a good idea to be known as an obscenely wealthy person if you don't have professional protection.

Comment Re:"Mouse exists for a reason" (Score 1) 308

Agreed.

Back when I was developing in C on linux, I learned to use vim because the alternative was to continously dual boot between a command shell only real time kernel, and a regular redhat with graphics. After a day of cursing, I got comfortable enough with it, to the point where I defaulted to vim whenever possible, to do anything.

Still, for many random tasks, not using a mouse can be problematic.

Comment Re:Strange experiment but WHY? (Score 1) 205

She is free not to do business with Amazon.

If someone else, say the government, is renting cloud services in an Amazon datacenter, then using that government website is still 'not doing business with amazon'.

What she is doing is equivalent to boycotting any service or agency that gets their electricity from a given grid provider.

Comment Re: No they won't (Score 1) 368

If you dual boot, you need windows, the diskspace, and the license anyway.
A properly configured Windows system works just as well as a properly configured linux system.

An OS is just a platform for using the applications you need to get things done. Most people don't give a crap about OS wars. They just want to do the stuff they want to do. Dual booting is just annoying and pointless unless there is a real reason why you cannot use just 1 system.

I've developed software on linux, and on windows. Both systems have strong and weak points.
If you call Windows a toy, that just proves that you don't have the same skill level on windows as on linux.

Comment Re:No they won't (Score 1) 368

I manage several windows domains in a pharmaceutical plant. Each plant runs a SCADA system which requires its own AD. Windows 10 does not ignore group policy. I almost never walk to a machine.

But if you administer systems in a large system, you really should set it up properly so that you control what gets installed, and what gets through the firewall, and which updates are approved, and how all security is configured. MS doesn't just 'decide to remote install some crap'. If stuff makes it onto your machines without your consent, they are not set up properly.

Comment Re: Why not vasectomy instead? (Score 1) 193

I had the snip. It's been a while, but if I recall correctly, my wife needed to sign the paperwork as well.
I seem to remember it was not for permission, but for verification of her being aware it was going to be done.

And that is not unreasonable imo. This is a decision that is going to affect her as well.
Plus while you can present an argument about strong individualism and it being your body, having her sign only applies if you're married. And the underlying reasoning with marriage is that this a permanent situation and you and your partner do things together.

Comment Re: $12 billion farm bailout (Score 4, Insightful) 387

If the US would pull out of Europe, I'd take time off from work to help pack.
Why do you think the US is trying to insert itself everywhere? It's for influence.
Why do you think Trump was so angry with Macron calling for the creation of European armed forces? It's not because of NATO. Ironically, spending on European Armed forces from within members states would count as spending for NATO. Trump was angry because the very idea of not needing the US policeman is a threat to the influence of the US.

Trump doesn't want Europe to have their own independent forces. Trump wants us to just have NATO. Because NATO is purely mutual defense, whereas European forces could be deployed globally, and thereby decrease the importance of US forces. And in the current climate, many countries would be more likely to accept European forces than US forces.

Or did you think that the US was playing global policeman out of benevolence?
And if the US would pull out of NATO? They're welcome to. It would mean Europe would be forced to ramp up military spending, and make the US irrelevant in European decisions. Do you think the US government would enjoy losing all the influence they have?

Comment Re:80% of your new job is domain knowledge (Score 1) 227

The problem with bypassing procedures like that is that you also have a higher risk of your change causing an issue, a disruption, or an outright problem. And if you work in a safety critical environment (say a power plant) or an environment subject to severe regulatory requirements (like a pharma plant) that would be bad.

I've worked in the space industry on ground station equipment, I've worked for a nuclear fuel processing plant, and currently work in a pharma plant. Other places were much looser, as you say, and focused on performance. But the 3 examples I just listed don't really care about the most efficient way to do things, but the way that is least likely to end with disastrous fuck ups.

All processes are fallible, there are no guarantees, but freewheeling because it is more efficient is never going to be good from a safety or QA perspective.

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