* Posts by Paul F

72 publicly visible posts • joined 10 May 2007

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Gibson plugs in self-tuning roboguitar

Paul F
Thumb Up

Re: Open Tuning

According to the instructional video, it most certainly does DADGAD, and more.

HTTP://www.gibson.com/robotguitar/robotguitarvideovoting.aspx?playvideo=training

Looks pretty sophisticated. I wonder if it'll actually help me play...

Amazon's $399 folly book reader

Paul F
Coat

You can't grep a dead tree

That said, unless I were to research project where I needed fast access to data in various tomes, I really don't see the appeal of e-books. I read the Unibomber's Manifesto on my Newton back in the day, mostly for the irony factor, but other than that nothing has interested me. Besides, aren't most people who want multiple portable books on electronic devices doing audible.com these days? If one's not inclined to read a real book, one's probably not inclined to read, I figure.

US Navy buys 'Metal Storm' grenade-gasm gun

Paul F
Joke

Why not launch a spear?

If the rounds are so close together, it seems stupid that there would be a gap at all. Just make a spear launcher and you get nearly the same wasteful effect.

Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard - Finder

Paul F
Jobs Horns

Searches work OK for me

I tried the com.apple filename search on mine, and it worked just fine. I did however, not do an Archive and Install and instead did an erase and install, and then migrated my data (including preferences) back by hand. Perhaps that's the difference?

All said though, I'm not a huge fan of this release. The Firewall issues alone are enough to make me regret my upgrade, as well as sharing being on by default. Add to that the fact that my Powerbook no longer can stay connected to an Apple Airport network for more than a few seconds and you have a disaster of a release from my point of view.

Normally I'm an Apple fan, but Leopard is not making me feel the love.

Trouserless car-breaker fingers leprechaun

Paul F

@ Stu

"Was it just me but does anyone else think the perp was just being sarcastic? I mean they dont understand irony or sarcasm over there.

And two guys from Cincinnati / Cincinatti above both vouch for the existence of leprechauns, right . . ."

Absolutely correct sir. We have no idea what sarcasm is, nor would we recognize it when hit with a stick. Indeed, my sarcastometer has been on the fritz since Thursday past. Additionally, there is no way that any of my posts could in any way be considered sarcastic. I understand that across the pond you have "wit" and "repartee," leaving us with only rank humor, alas.

As such, I wholly doubt that the "perp" (as you say) would have been able to have used such an expression sarcastically, especially given the veritable plague of leprechauns that torment our fair metropolis so.

Paul F
Coat

As a Cincinnati resident...

... I'm fairly certain that leprechauns were indeed egging him on. Lousy little buggers are everywhere around here. No pots of gold though, we got the cheap ones.

YouTube invades Google Earth

Paul F

Yay! Douche Cam!

Ummm.... bitters all 'round then?

Israel suspected of 'hacking' Syrian air defences

Paul F

Seems odd to connect your MilNet to the Internet

If it was "hacked" then it must be connected in some way to a broader external network. Some terminals plugged into both the Syrian military's internal network and the internet perhaps? If that's the case (as I'm sure it is in many militaries), it seems inexcusably stupid.

Other possibilities, are that their net was "hacked" by someone on the inside, or that a team of gropos snuck across the border to gain physical access to a trunk line somewhere.

Given that all three possibilities are plausible, especially given the industriousness of the Israeli military, I have to wonder what the true story is.

NASA inks deal for Shuttle replacements

Paul F

Not a Step Backwards

Morley states this appears to be a step backwards, but he is incorrect in several of his conclusions.

He is incorrect in stating that the entire launch vehicle will be discarded. The "archaic" SRBs will still be reusable, only the liquid fueled section is not. The Command module is also reusable, though not its service module.

So they want to throw away *half* the launch vehicle. Not necessarily an improvement over the current system I'll admit, but better than the Apollo systems.

Morely is correct in stating that the foam insulation is frequently a problem. However the fact that the crew will be perched atop the rocket, rather than strapped to the side of the fuel tank seems to me to be much safer. Foam doesn't fall up, and for the crew vehicle there is no tank to one side of a SRB for a blown o-ring to burn into.

Finally, I'm not sure how useful the idea of a space plane is. Adding wings to an interplanetary vehicle is useless. They're fine for low Earth orbit tourist runs, but a dumb waste of mass for Moon or Mars jaunts. Wings only get used during recovery, which accounts for less than 1% of mission time.

NASA does have its problems but I'm personally happy for a simpler interplanetary vehicle that draws on the best aspects of its predecessors.

US seeks mini-Imperial Walker mule-bots

Paul F

re: Paul F. says...

Military Channel then? Science Channel? I dunno, it was just on TV one day. I have roommates you know.

And I only want robot babies. Like these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaRAf1PLRjo

Paul F

Known about this for a year at least.

I guess the contract news is new, but the dog has been on other news sites and blogs for some time. Heck, I posted it on my blog in march of 2006, and I'm not so timely.

I think I even saw a thing on Discovery channel about this thing.

iPhone hack bypasses AT&T

Paul F

Function vs Interface again

Yes, I appear to contradicted myself up there, but then I do not need or want a multi-function device that includes a phone. Hence, my looking at phone features to see if they justify the purchase for me. The voce dial problem is an AT&T thing you have to pay extra to get.

The iPhone isn't a phone. It's a multi-function device that has fewer features than some other multi-function devices, but an interface that puts everyone else's multi-function device to shame. Find the same or similar features in another multi-function device that out does the iPhone interface in all areas, and you have an iPhone killer. Anyone? Beuller?

The touch screen keyboard is damn good. I've used my coworker's for a bit, just to try it out, and I have to say that the two thumb typing came to me quickly and reliably. And before anyone says "small fingers" no, at 6'3" and 250 lbs, I do not have small fingers. As for dialing, most of the time you will not be hitting numbers, but selecting a contact (which is true of most cells these days). Emergency calls are slide and press, not a keypad thing.

Will it be successful? Yes, because the interface is so easy to use anyone can figure out and use all of its features intuitively. INTUITIVELY. No arcane menus, no easily lost stylus, and absolutely the clearest screen I have ever seen on any portable device, ever.

How's it do as a phone? Meh, in my opinion, but then that's not why people will by it. They'll buy it because it's the first multi-function device that is easy to use, has a great interface, and has enough useful functions to overcome its shortcomings.

The interface is what will sell it, nothing else.

And yes, if you just want phone functions and couldn't care about anything else, it's not for you. Similarly, if you rely on a Blackberry's flexibility and third party apps, it's not for you. If you've never had a Blackberry, or like Treo, or whatever, then you could do a lot worse.

Sit down and play with one a bit if you get a chance, it's simple, easy, and really nicely put together. There are some inconsistencies, but I imagine those will be fixed in time. After all, the interface is really incredible.

Paul F

Pretty it may be, but also USEABLE

The iPhone may be hyped, and it may lack features that Blackberry users want, but it has a better interface than anything else out there, and that's the point, the whole point, and nothing but the point.

Geez people, get a clue. Interface matters. Sometimes it matters more than capability. If capability was all that mattered, Linux would be in homes.

I've played with one (extensively) and I won't be getting one simply because it does lack features that I use on far less expensive phones (voice dial for example) and because I would not be using most of its other functions enough to justify the price.

Remember though, the iPod was successful due to INTERFACE not hype or capabilities. The iPhone is the same.

'al-Qaeda' puts on big shoes, red nose, takes custard pie

Paul F

Sing it, Brother!

Now if only the mainstream, or even the blogosphere would take up notice.

Celebrating the iPhone's Newtonian past

Paul F

Newton! Really!

I'm old enough to have purchased two Newtons. A 120 and a 2100. And they both still work. Those were rock solid fantastic machines, very useful, just too darn big. I never had a problem with the handwriting recognition, but then I print everything (never managed a legible script, even to myself).

As to the iPhone, I'll wait for 3G, a swappable battery (or clearer battery service path than currently exists), and voice dial capability. The lack of any one of those makes it a no-go for me.

Dell calls to consumers with coloured Inspirons

Paul F

Colors do not a Mac make.

It still has a crummy hinge and over-all cheesy look to it. No smooth lines, display latches sticking out, shoddy plastic, tray load optical drive, all add up to a pretty cheap looking box.

UK Gov boots intelligent design back into 'religious' margins

Paul F

More than half of Americans are Creationists

So getting Bush out of office won't really help the US. I figure Science (and by extension, critical thinking) is something of a lost cause here in the States. *sigh*

Oh, and I nominate the following as Best Run-On Sentence Ever.

"And whether 'tis Scientfic or Religious or Technological or Scientological or whatever, the red lines are only being drawn by the old systems of thought because to admit to the possibility of another would be tantamount to an admission that what was believed before was a fraud ..... which may very well be deliberately perpetrated as a Global Conspiracy which could warrant it being thought of as a Masterful/Criminal Exercise, depending upon your own subjective reasoning either in support and acknowledgment of such a Scam as being probable and necessary or you could waste your time in pursuing and highlighting the greed and injustice such a See has condoned/manufactured."

Do I hear the motion seconded?

South Korean robot officiates at marriage

Paul F

Next up: Robot Bris!

Yes, it's the Mohel-tron 250 XT! It slices! It dices! And it can still cut a cherry like this....

US prof plans to send message back in time

Paul F

Time travel is easy.

I once discovered a device that allowed me to travel through space and time outside my house. Then someone told me it was a car.

Seriously, though. It would seem that the simplest way to get a time machine would be to bury a message in a mason jar or somesuch near a place of future archeological interest. The message should read "To whoever gets this jar, please send a time machine to [insert time / position here]." and then just stand around with the shovel at the ready. If you were successful, you should know within seconds, can dispatch the traveler BoFH style, and scamper off with your young female companion who will ask "But Doctor, where are we going now?"

Any time-machine that doesn't involve a paradox in its construction or acquisition is just a clock.

George Bush's watch clocked on eBay

Paul F

About the watch....

Since Albania was the only visit on this tour that wasn't a total disaster, if they did steal his watch then that kind of casts doubt on their enthusiastic greeting. Maybe they were only cheering him to get at it?

On the other hand, if he was afraid that it was going to get stolen, and took it off, then that implies that he thinks Albanians are untrustworthy, and casts a shadow over his visit. Way to be diplomatic, there Bushie!

Paul F

Hey Webster

What do you mean by "godless"? 'Cause I'm pretty sure you don't mean it in irony.

NASA releases movie-style trailer

Paul F

Ever read Rocketship Galileo?

It's an old Robert A. Heinlein book, written in the 50's I think, in which an intrepid bunch of American kids head to the moon in a homemade rocket only to find a Nazi missile base. Lots of the early NASA guys claimed they were influenced by that book.

So I figure better the Chinese than the Germans, more current-eventy and all. ;-)

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