Names are useful for the creative team who doesn't know which backend their creative materials (look and feel) are going with. When the creative starts, it might be Fedora 16.2, 17, 17.5, 18...

I have no problems working on features and fixes for future Linux kernel versions without needing to know what actual version name the release will be called. I don't see how the distro developers can't do the same thing.

A gun that is never touched will never hurt anyone.

Saying that something is not dangerous if you don't use it is meaningless. The "dangerousness" of an item is determined by what happens when it is used, not when it isn't.

Anyway, reading the rest of my point, do you realize that you're actually agreeing with me, not arguing against me?

Also, what is your suggestion for a proper analogy?

Banning guns because they're used in so many crimes.

So why spend 20 years and 1 trillion dollars building a ship to explore the solar system?

Because it's better than spending a trillion dollars to kill brown people with oil.

Yes.

I never understood the complaint that figuring out the actual tax value is too hard. Hello, we have computers! It can't be that hard to figure out the sales tax information for any address in the U.S. I'm sure many companies already provide that service, and Amazon can afford it.

I live in Texas, and I shop at Amazon a lot (I even have Prime membership). I'm glad that that Amazon will be charging sales tax now. I'm happy to pay it, because I know it will help my state. I know, I could have reported the sales tax myself, but it's not the same thing. It only has value if everyone pays the tax. Amazon's prices and free shipping are already cheaper than most local retailers, so I don't think Amazon will suffer any.

How exactly do customers benefit from not having push emails in iCloud and MobileMe? Or, for that matter, from not having a cool slide-to-unlock on Android? They aren't. Logical consequence: These companies are not acting to serve customers anymore (no, I'm not cynic enough to declare that a premise).

Sure they are. Motorola Mobility invented the technology, and is willing to let their customers use it. The problem is that Apple's customers are not paying Motorola Mobility for use of that technology. Apple wants to steal the technology from Motorola Mobility and sell it to Apple's customers.

Of course, you might say that the technology shouldn't be owned by Motorola Mobility, but that's a completely different topic. Either the patent is valid, or it isn't. Assuming it is valid (and the German courts apparently believe so), then Apple should just license the technology from Motorola Mobility. That would avoid a "patent war".

My nine-year-old is using "Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners" to learn Python. She's not really very motivated, though.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933988495

What special sort of sicko would do this for kicks?

Seriously? You have to ask?