... and that's why I have a TI-84 Silver, 10 years later? That I actually use?

For what it's worth, I managed to get everything done without being forced to use Office to do it. My teachers didn't necessarily love me for it (more work for them), but they supported it by not tossing my work in the trash...

We had Apple ][ computers in elementary school. When I became a consumer, we had whitebox PCs and iMacs.

There's a significant time lag in there that you don't seem to have accounted for. The Apple ][ didn't do the damage, the iMac and lockdown did.

I think you are confusing "not possible" for "not permitted."

I think you'll find the two are not equivalent out here in the Real World.

How exactly is that enforcable? You let the user run code, and they get to run code. How exactly can you prevent them from doing things when they aren't calling system APIs to do it? You can't exactly distinguish between computing the derivative of some engineering problem and compiling bytecode...

It would be interesting to see that done to an entire company (that happens to be fairly well known both domestically and internationally)

You must not be paying attention. They are practically required to these days.

Alright. Maybe I'll give it a try, because you're right - the expression of my viewpoint was certainly lacking and doesn't really deserve respect.

What I am expecting however, is more of the same shit I hear from people who mouth off or walk around practically broadcasting their drug habits that I'm hardly surprised they attract trouble.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but I've yet to meet someone who's had these sorts of problems who hasn't done something stupid to bring it on themselves, first. I'm not trying to say that it never happens. Getting struck by lightning also happens. Doesn't mean it will happen to you every time you go outside.

Interestingly, I would expect just dumping the data into a database and using algorithms to figure things out would make more sense.

The name doesn't help either.

In my case yes, I sacrificed chemistry to get a full dose of physics instead. I don't really regret it, though sometimes I do feel the lack. I would expect to see more use out of a database + algorithms rather than a convenient tabular arrangement.

I see a very large difference. I have a feeling is pretty damn unsubstantiated, but running red lights gets people killed.

No, I am not a cop. Which throws your entire comment out the window.

Sorry, but I'm not going to watch that and I'm not going to avoid talking to the police. I find that socially irresponsible.

I live in Georgia, btw. Have a look at my other post, so on top of that I'll mention I've never seen that kind of crap around here, or down in Florida either.

The people who get pulled over have shit cars that aren't taken care of, drive like dumbasses, don't have insurance, and on top of that disrespect the officer right out of the gate. Maybe you just got unlucky, but a lot of the time it's more than that. ... and yes, I know a lot of them don't have insurance, have titles that don't seem right etc - I have a scanner (legally) and I get to hear all the 28s (registration checks) and 29s (warrant checks), as well as some of the reporting prior to their being pulled over. It's not "I have a feeling about this guy" or "This one doesn't look right" but more of "ran a red light a mile back and is encroaching into other lanes" and the like.

I'm sure it happens, but not being a dickbag when you open your mouth would help a lot when it did.

Just because some cops are racist assholes does not mean all cops are racist assholes. I don't blame the profession, I blame the jackass himself. It's a shame you look down on them as a whole over that incident. I'm not going to change your mind about it, so I'll leave it there.

I, personally, have never had a problem with the police nor do I know anyone who has, except for one person who is a repeated drug offender (and I don't mean he got caught with an ounce of weed either) who frankly dove into that trouble head-first whilst knowing better.

I still believe that the police serve a vital function for society. But I'm also one of those people who calls in storm damage, calls in downed trees or lines so they can get taken care of. I've helped redirect traffic away from an accident so a medevac chopper could land and take a passenger in critical condition to the hospital. Hell, I even got a thank you for it from one of the officers.

Maybe I just have a different sense of social responsibility, even though I do see the problems. I just don't let them stop me doing my own part.