Complete nonsense
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| notbob Jan 11, 2013 11:34 AM EDT |
This "linux powered gun" is jes plain horsecr@p and the reason I quit reading Ars Technica, which is now jes a second rate rehash of forget-the-facts Wired magazine. The gun is NOT powered by linux. Linux powers the targeting system and would work jes as well if mounted on a broom stick or a banjo or a naval artillery piece. That the targeting system interacts with the rifles trigger is irrelevant. The gun is still NOT powered by linux, which would be impossible as there is absolutely no digital component to a hunting rifle. Who are these morons that not only totally misrepresent the facts, but do linux a disservice by equating linux with firearms. Jes what linux needs, another black cloud hanging over it. Gawd, I despise journalists. They're no better than a flim-flam man selling snake oil off the back of a wagon. |
| penguinist Jan 11, 2013 11:57 AM EDT |
Lighten up man... |
| jdixon Jan 11, 2013 1:22 PM EDT |
> They're no better than a flim-flam man selling snake oil off the back of a wagon. They're far worse. The flim-flam man makes no pretensions to be either objective or serving some high calling the way journalists do. |
| tuxchick Jan 11, 2013 1:41 PM EDT |
You know what's worse? Insulting an entire profession because you're mad at one person. And being mad over a miniscule debatable nitpick. By your reasoning I could say "All readers are morons who go so far out of their way to be angry you'd need a sophisticated Linux-powered targeting system to find them." |
| notbob Jan 11, 2013 3:12 PM EDT |
tuxchick wrote:....miniscule debatable nitpick.... Oh, this should be entertaining. Please to explain precisely what is a "debatable nitpick" about "Linux-powered gun". Are you actually trying to claim a Winchester hunting rifle is really linux powered? |
| jdixon Jan 11, 2013 3:25 PM EDT |
> Insulting an entire profession because you're mad at one person. It's not one person, TC. It's professional journalists in general. Remember that for most people, their exposure to journalists begins and ends with the network news and possibly a newspaper. Those "journalists" have gone out of their way to destroy the reputation of the profession, especially with their blatant political favoritism over the past 13 years. There are always exceptions, but they're like malware free Windows machines, too rare influence the general trend. |
| tuxchick Jan 11, 2013 3:32 PM EDT |
Looks like I was literally correct. |
| caitlyn Jan 11, 2013 6:13 PM EDT |
I'm with tc on this one guys. There are still plenty of reputable journalists out there doing a good job. The far right and left, the folks with agendas, love attacking the media for not supporting those agendas. Usually if you're attacked from both the right and the left you're doing a pretty good job. |
| tracyanne Jan 11, 2013 8:29 PM EDT |
Wow did some one not named Bob get up on the wrong side of the bed |
| BernardSwiss Jan 11, 2013 8:48 PM EDT |
It's what the general public has come to expect of "journalism. In my area, both the regional papers are published and distributed by the same press. One is a fairly decent newspaper that lately compares favourably with the national news publications, the other is a smaller, lighter and presumably more readable "tabloid" format, that focuses more heavily on sports, entertainment, and a stable of columnists Every few months I get a call from a marketer who suggests that I might be interested in their latest introductory offer for an fantastic, introductory price of $That's_Amazing! to receive my choice of actual, printed newspaper on my doorstep every morning before I even get out of bed. I always object that this is hardly a real choice, as only one of these actually qualifies as a newspaper, because the other one doesn't actually inform me -- and rarely manages to even try to answer the full 5W +H (Who, What, When, Where, How and Why). The tabloid has some entertaining columnists, but reading any "news" article tends to leave me with more questions (basic ones) than answers. And here's my point: Perhaps one time in five, the sales person actually comprehends what I'm saying. |
| tuxchick Jan 11, 2013 11:08 PM EDT |
I'm still not understanding what justifies bashing the entire article and all journalists. It's a highly-integrated custom system, the tracking system controls the trigger, and Linux controls the tracking system. You can't remove or swap out the tracking system in the same way you can swap scopes on a traditional rifle. A human finger is required to pull the trigger far enough to fire-- but it won't fire if it's off-target. The only role the human plays is to select the target and choose the moment to shoot. So which facts are misrepresented? |
| jdixon Jan 12, 2013 9:32 AM EDT |
> I'm still not understanding what justifies bashing the entire article and all journalists. All journalists? The actions of professional journalists over the past several decades. I didn't bash the article, as I had no interest in it and didn't read it. |
| notbob Jan 12, 2013 11:28 AM EDT |
tuxchick wrote:You can't remove or swap out the tracking system in the same way you can swap scopes on a traditional rifle. You can't? Why not. What's to prevent it? Magic? Executive Order? Perhaps not the quick-change way, but it can certainly be done the usual way, with tools. That's how I swap scopes on my rifle. Since it seems to be the self perceived journalists in this little inbred group who are most outraged at my admitted overzealous attack on their fellow wordsmith, let's look at it. Yes, the term "power" can extend to include "control". So, why didn't the Ars author use the phrase "linux controlled gun"? It would have been infinitely more accurate and perfectly acceptable. You seem to have groked it. I suspect it's for the usual journalistic reason, simple unadulterated sensationalism. Accuracy vs sensationalism? Well, we know which will win that showdown. Always does. Isn't it a journalistic imperative, sensationalism over accuracy? Certainly seems so. What do you think the multitudes think when they read that headline, "Linux Powered Rifle"? Do you think they immediately think to themselves, "The author undoubtedly means "controlled", as a journalist would in no way misrepresent the facts!". Yeah! As if. No, I would guess the typical non-geek reaction is, "There's linux in guns!! Whacko crazy massacree nutbags are gonna be using linux to cut down our loved one's in the aisles!" I suspect you think I'm wrong. Well, I think you are hopelessly naive. By the way, if a targeting system, no matter how complex, can be attached to a gun, it can be removed from that gun and if a Winchester .300 magnum is not a traditional rifle, I'm sure thousands of traditional hunters would like to know how and why their Winchester .300 magnums seem to be working jes fine with nary a spec of linux within miles. ;) |
| jacog Jan 12, 2013 12:13 PM EDT |
"Controlled by" seems like a stronger phrase to me than "powered by", notbob. I think you are just needlessly nitpicking, perhaps just kneejerking at the whole Linux + rifle thing. Guess what ... there's Linux in nuclear submarines too. |
| notbob Jan 12, 2013 12:58 PM EDT |
Oh, I'm sure linux is part of more weapons systems than we realize. And I'm sure there will eventually be a "linux powered rifle". Electronic triggers and primers have been developed and even produced for limited applications. Rifles that have integral chips and sensors and make decisions to determine if a breech is clear or of the ammo count in a magazine are not science fiction. But, when someone says "powered", in today's vernacular, it typically means something like a gas powered lawn mower or electric powered knife. It means the motivating power, not the limiting or controlling power. What powers that rifle is human muscle and some springs and we are talking about that rifle in that article and it is jes plain misleading, whether you think so or not. I can see where a buncha geeks automatically equate "controlled" with "powered", but the fact is, that rifle can be disconnected from that sighting system and will work just as it works without that sighting system. I will not call that rifle "powered" by linux. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it is "limited" by linux, as it is still human muscle that is holding, operating, and ultimately providing the motivating force that fires that rifle. We can all get bogged down in semantics, but I think it's the unqualified headline of that press piece that bothers me and how the great unwashed will perceive it. This is all jes my opinion, so let's let it go at that and I'll refrain from any further comment after you all dog pile me. ;) |
| tuxchick Jan 12, 2013 1:31 PM EDT |
Quoting: All journalists? The actions of professional journalists over the past several decades. I didn't bash the article, as I had no interest in it and didn't read it. Are you trying to look foolish, or being so subtly satirical it's undetectable? notbob, all I think is 'why did I waste my time reading this excitable fool's ravings again.' Dinner at notbob's house: "Please pass the salt." "NOOOOOOO YOU ARE RUINING CIVILIZATION ITSELF WITH YOUR INSANE DEMANDS" + 500 more loud foamy words. The good news by employing your logic I can say that all men are irrational dunces. Sorry guys, but that's what jdixon and notbob say. |
| notbob Jan 12, 2013 2:30 PM EDT |
tuxchick wrote:"NOOOOOOO YOU ARE RUINING CIVILIZATION ITSELF WITH YOUR INSANE DEMANDS"....the above are not illogical foamy words? Must be a journalistic thing. ;) |
| jdixon Jan 12, 2013 3:40 PM EDT |
Hmm. Incorrect cut and paste. Corrected. > Are you trying to look foolish, or being so subtly satirical Neither. I am stating openly what the effect of the observable biases (and actions taken because of those biases) of professional journalists has done to my opinion of them over my lifetime. Of course there are exceptions. But most people never encounter them. |
| tracyanne Jan 12, 2013 7:14 PM EDT |
Wow this Is So incredibly geeky a huge Venomous argument over a single Word. Looks like situation normal |
| dinotrac Jan 13, 2013 1:12 AM EDT |
Personally, I want a linux-powered gun. My Windows gun is fine, most of the time, but the minute I really need it -- to down a charging moose or fend off rampaging zombies, the thing slows down to a crawl and tells me to update my anti-virus. Wouldn't be so bad if any of the free gunlets that came with it were worth a cr@p, but you've got to pay for the upgraded versions to spit out anything more potent than peas. |
| tuxchick Jan 14, 2013 11:23 PM EDT |
dino, it almost sounds like you may have the actual article. Weirdo. |
| dinotrac Jan 14, 2013 11:59 PM EDT |
Watch it, tc. You give me too much lip and I'll upgrade one of those gunlets! Might have to wait a few releases for the damned thing to shoot straight, though. |
| tuxchick Jan 15, 2013 12:19 AM EDT |
Good luck keeping up with the random UI overhauls. |
| BernardSwiss Jan 15, 2013 12:25 AM EDT |
Just don't ask him how much he paid for it (or what it takes to keep it operational). |
| dinotrac Jan 15, 2013 12:35 AM EDT |
@BS -- the joke's on you. I got it for free, pre-installed on my reactionary conservative politics. |
| BernardSwiss Jan 15, 2013 1:25 AM EDT |
I'm quaking in my boots. Please don't fire that thing while I'm within ten meters. What? Right... Please don't fire that thing while I'm within thirty feet -- No, I don't care which direction you're pointing the dang thing (just let me withdraw to a prudent distance before you pull that trigger. |
| dinotrac Jan 15, 2013 6:05 AM EDT |
@bs - Trigger? I should be so lucky. Damn thing is all Metro or Surface or whatever they call it. I tap a tile and hope for the best. Looks good, though. |
| jdixon Jan 15, 2013 9:09 AM EDT |
Enjoy it while you can, Dino. Rumor has it that it will be banned in by executive order soon. |
| dinotrac Jan 15, 2013 9:39 AM EDT |
@jd -- Ballmer's going to wise up? |
| jdixon Jan 15, 2013 10:46 AM EDT |
> Ballmer's going to wise up? Let's hope not. :) |
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