Topic: because math is hard
started by: Malcolm
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 24 2013,10:31
< And people obviously failed health class >.
Posted by TPRJones on Apr. 24 2013,10:59
Yeah, but then someone will do a study and find that the majority of consumers think they are being offered free travel miles with their order and are thus ordering more so they can get that trip to Hawaii.People will be stupid no matter what you do. The only proper response is to just let them be stupid.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 24 2013,11:48
Eh, I see the actual logic behind it. People are lazy and/or dumb, and while you can show them calories, they don't allow themselves to process the data. Even if they weren't lazy and/or stupid, there's that little bit of human nature where we lie to ourselves.
This helps people avoid that lie.
I don't know about "requiring" such things, I mean if you force McDonald's to do it, the 5 star restaurant down the street better be forced to do it too.
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 24 2013,12:06
QUOTE
The individuals given the amount of walking time needed to burn off their calories ordered and ate fewer calories than the other study participants – implying that putting calories in context may help individuals make healthier decisions.
I guess figuring out the fraction of the 2-3K kilocalorie count is a bit much for some. M4th 1s h4rd.
Posted by GORDON on Apr. 24 2013,12:10
I would rather see the figures as the number of times I need to jerk off.
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 24 2013,12:21
(GORDON @ Apr. 24 2013,14:10)
QUOTE
I would rather see the figures as the number of times I need to jerk off.
And since people have trouble with numbers, we'll stop using minutes, it's too confusing. We'll use TV shows instead.
"Eating this Big Mac means you have to jog for 5 episodes of 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.'"
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 24 2013,13:05
(Malcolm @ Apr. 24 2013,15:06)
QUOTE
QUOTE
The individuals given the amount of walking time needed to burn off their calories ordered and ate fewer calories than the other study participants – implying that putting calories in context may help individuals make healthier decisions.
I guess figuring out the fraction of the 2-3K kilocalorie count is a bit much for some. M4th 1s h4rd.
You're not following me.
It's not about math being hard. For some it is, but for most, it's about the lies we tell ourselves. That's why people ignore the numbers.
Kind of like how you stretch your doodle so it's just past two inches, and then round up to three.
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 24 2013,13:11
There should be an app for this somewhere. Punch in a calorie total and it lists off ways you can burn it off and for how long. If it could somehow do that intelligently (like putting a learning system in there), I think that might take off.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 24 2013,16:53
You might be joking, but I'll bet you make a mint if you design something like that.
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 24 2013,17:27
I was sort of serious when I wrote that. Problem is I'm not an app programmer, but that might be a gimmick worth checking out. Only going to get more "smart" and mobile devices as time goes on. Shit, I already look at desktops today the same way I looked at mainframes twenty years ago.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 24 2013,18:44
I think desktops will have more longevity than we think. Maybe not in their current form, but there will still be a home based something.Laptops, however, are dead.
Posted by TheCatt on Apr. 25 2013,04:14
Wut Wut?Laptops rule. They're so powerful now that I don't bother with desktops.
Posted by GORDON on Apr. 25 2013,04:40
I do wonder how many children under the age of 25 are buying laptops. They will all want the latest status device that they can put in their pocket and show off at the douchebag coffee shop.
Posted by TheCatt on Apr. 25 2013,06:06
Well, for me, my laptop = $ cuz I cannot do my job without it. But yeah, for those who just consume, phones sure do a lot these days.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 25 2013,06:13
Desktops are the most powerful PCs period. Laptops can be powerful, but not as powerful as the desktop. They're also more expensive, hard to upgrade, and degrade faster.
Desktops are the tool of choice for any serious gamer or people running software that needs balls.
Laptops have always been around because of their portability, however tablets have replaced that in a big way.
Anyway, the main reason I am declaring laptops to be dead is because of their cost, size, and weight when compared to the new breed of mobile computing like the Surface.
We've been running the W8 Pro version of the Surface here for months now, and I'm currently of the mindset that our company will never buy another laptop. I'm not kidding.
The Surface is a tablet that runs as a full PC, and when you add the snap on keyboard, it's a fully functioning laptop, just smaller and lighter.
We already have sales people who have turned in their laptops and have been using the Surface and love it.
We've got 8 in the field right now, and I have yet to hear a single negative thing about them. Hell, even W8 has avoided criticism (from my group) because of how it runs as a tablet OS. (It still doesn't belong on desktops or laptops.)
Posted by TPRJones on Apr. 25 2013,06:33
My company is just starting to consider looking into upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7.I think it'll be awhile before they change their "no tablets" policy.
Posted by TheCatt on Apr. 25 2013,07:23
(Leisher @ Apr. 25 2013,09:13)
QUOTE
Desktops are the most powerful PCs period.
Laptops can be powerful, but not as powerful as the desktop. They're also more expensive, hard to upgrade, and degrade faster.
Desktops are the tool of choice for any serious gamer or people running software that needs balls.
Laptops can be powerful, but not as powerful as the desktop. They're also more expensive, hard to upgrade, and degrade faster.
Desktops are the tool of choice for any serious gamer or people running software that needs balls.
I use a Dell M6700. 32GB of RAM, 2x500GB SSD + 750GB Sata drive.
Are desktops more powerful for the same amount of money? Sure.
But I can't take a desktop anywhere. I can't take it to meetings, or to clients, or on planes, or anywhere. It's stuck in one place. That makes it nearly worthless to me.
I develop really complex, hardcore software that powers large utilities' metering systems. Thousands of transactions per second, TB upon TB of data, and lots of analysis and reporting, etc. And the laptop is awesome for it.
Tablets are the new laptop.
Laptops are the new desktops.
Desktops are dinosaurs.
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 25 2013,07:30
Desktops are going to be used like servers back in the old days. Gamers and image-heavy processing will always want desktops, though. High-end vid card setups require more separate hardware, requires a bigger footprint. Something massive would have to change in hardware land. Likewise for the display. A quality external flatscreen monitor puts to shame any laptop screen I've seen.However, if you don't need graphics capabilities, then the laptop can be your number crunching machine of choice. I develop exclusively on a laptop at home. Works fine.
For most folk, they can get by with smartphones and tablets because 95% of what they do is browse the web.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 25 2013,07:54
QUOTE
I think it'll be awhile before they change their "no tablets" policy.
Tell them to get a Surface. It'll change immediately.
I really can't stress enough that this thing is a PC wearing a tablet coat.
It's a fully functional PC.
QUOTE
But I can't take a desktop anywhere. I can't take it to meetings, or to clients, or on planes, or anywhere. It's stuck in one place. That makes it nearly worthless to me.
Actually, that makes you the dinosaur
I feel like I work for Microsoft, but I'm telling you, this Surface, and all the copy cats it has inspired is the new mobile computer. Laptops are on the way out.
Who wants to carry around such a heavy, bulky machine when there's a fully functional PC that's smaller, lighter, and costs less?
Meanwhile, the desktop won't be going anywhere soon. Do NOT discount the power of gamers. They drive the market, and they aren't going to want to trade power for mobility. Most of them have rooms specifically for gaming.
Beyond gamers, you've got all the video processing software, imaging, CAD shit, etc. that will require desktops due to their power.
There is no replacement for desktops (yet). There is a replacement for heavy, bulky, expensive laptops...
Posted by TheCatt on Apr. 25 2013,08:43
Surface is BARELY functional for development.There is no replacement for a dev laptop workstation.
Posted by TPRJones on Apr. 25 2013,09:55
(Leisher @ Apr. 25 2013,09:54)
QUOTE
QUOTE
I think it'll be awhile before they change their "no tablets" policy.
Tell them to get a Surface. It'll change immediately.
I'm not holding my breath. The board that sets those rules are all in their 70s and I don't think a single one of them uses their own computer. They have secretaries to take their email memos for them.
Posted by TPRJones on Apr. 25 2013,09:58
QUOTE
There is no replacement for desktops (yet). There is a replacement for heavy, bulky, expensive laptops...
As long as the keyboard is still perceived as the primary method for efficient text input, there will be a market for laptops. Laptops are just tablets with a permanently affixed keyboard, after all.
Find that new killer user input method that wins over everyone, and then you'll kill the laptop.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 25 2013,11:28
QUOTE
As long as the keyboard is still perceived as the primary method for efficient text input, there will be a market for laptops. Laptops are just tablets with a permanently affixed keyboard, after all.
Find that new killer user input method that wins over everyone, and then you'll kill the laptop.
Find that new killer user input method that wins over everyone, and then you'll kill the laptop.
No, but seriously, have you people heard NOTHING about the Surface? Seen the non-stop commercials?
You realize it has this cool new thing called a keyboard right?
Posted by GORDON on Apr. 25 2013,11:29
I actually have thought it looked interesting in the commercials. It is a big pad device, then it folds itself over and turns into a laptop-shaped thing with a keyboard.
Posted by Malcolm on Apr. 25 2013,11:36
I'll give you that a docked Surface might be able to hold its own as a suitable laptop replacement.
Posted by TheCatt on Apr. 25 2013,11:42
If all you do is MS Office... sure.
Posted by Leisher on Apr. 25 2013,11:48
QUOTE
If all you do is MS Office... sure.
The only thing that choked it so far was Solidworks (CAD software).
I've seen people running games on it. I know one of the Penny Arcade guys plays League of Legends on it.
QUOTE
It is a big pad device, then it folds itself over and turns into a laptop-shaped thing with a keyboard.
You're thinking of another device, although the Surface does resemble a keyboard when the detachable keyboard is attached and the kickstand is out.
You're making a good point for me though. The tablet has become the laptop.
Bye bye laptop.
Posted by TPRJones on Apr. 25 2013,15:55
(Leisher @ Apr. 25 2013,13:28)
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You realize it has this cool new thing called a keyboard right?
I was under the impression it came with a typical flimsy bluetooth keyboard built into the default dust cover. Is it better than that?
QUOTE
Bye bye laptop.
Even if Surface is the killer device, it will take many years to shake down. Too many old people (in this case, 35+) like their laptops to take a tablet seriously until they see someone else using one for more than playing videos and simple games for a few years.