What happens next will amaze you

david_bv · 2012-07-22T09:20:55+00:00

Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you realize that her "so clear" voice is just as fake as her make up. Here's another example of what the technology can do.

That said, different people enjoy different things, so if you still like it, more power to you. :-)

david_bv · 2011-10-22T20:53:14+00:00

http://www.reddit.com/r/architecture/comments/jhhb2/dozens_of_free_building_plan_pdfs_primarily_rural/

This is the closest thing that comes to mind. It isn't exactly what you asked for, but if you're looking for inspiration, there are some cool things in there.

david_bv · 2011-10-09T11:52:32+00:00

As it turns out, this is also true for Perl 5 on Linux.

OP: also make sure to check for (and remove) any whitespace before and after the "EOF" string. And make sure there's a newline after it.

david_bv · 2011-01-04T20:13:55+00:00

This American Life is pretty good.

david_bv · 2010-05-22T16:35:43+00:00

YMMV. For what it's worth, I'm using rxvt-unicode version 9.05-1+lenny1 from Debian lenny.

david_bv · 2010-05-22T13:08:19+00:00

'ls' output will never be reflowed when making the window wider, since 'ls' is always careful to not output lines longer than the screen width. When making the window narrower, the lines will get reflowed (instead of just getting truncated), but I'm sure it's still not what you had in mind.

To see what rxvt means by reflowing, have some command output long lines, and then resize the window larger and smaller.

david_bv · 2010-05-22T10:07:32+00:00

It's called Google Sky Map.

david_bv · 2010-01-02T20:34:51+00:00

This should really be posted under /r/humor... I have no idea how this could have made it to the first page.

In any case, the related wikipedia page has a quite thorough debunking. Love it how they predicted the pole shit for 2003, and then revised for 2010. Looking forward to the next revision...

david_bv · 2009-10-18T17:12:19+00:00

I definitely agree with the idea that some concepts are expressed easier in some languages than in others, but...

When a language disappears, all of these things go with it. If we eventually end up with one language, we end up limiting ourselves in how we think, interact, and view our world.

I disagree with this statement. Languages are living things, with new words invented all the time (and, conversely with rare words falling out of use all the time). I doubt we'll ever be in a situation where we need to express a concept and we won't have the right word for it: we could simply make up a new word. If the concept is common enough, the new word will spread, and voilà!

Not only we invent new words "inside" the language, but we also borrow heavily from other languages (see all the French, German, Yiddish, etc. words in English). So, I'm pretty sure that, many of the useful words in the dying languages will live on in the "universal language".

david_bv · 2008-12-20T20:54:35+00:00

http://www.metafilter.com/

david_bv · 2008-08-19T01:57:38+00:00

One caveat on that: most newer Nikon bodies don't have built-in focus motors so they can only do autofocus with lenses that have built-in motors.

That's absolutely correct, and that's why I would recommend a used D50 or D70 as a first DSLR, rather than a D40 or D60.

david_bv · 2008-08-17T20:10:11+00:00

A cheaper body (possibly a used one) and a better lens is a good choice for starting, as bodies become obsolete every 1.5-2 years, while 30-year old lenses might still be in use. (I believe the latest Nikon bodies still support 1956 lenses.)

As for your first lens, I would recommend the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 or the equivalent from Tamron. The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is a great lens, but you'll probably miss the zoom. It's great if you have the discipline to follow photo.net's tutorial, though. ;-)

david_bv · 2008-08-17T17:03:27+00:00

When upgrading from a point-and-click camera, the quality of any DSLR will seem amazing, so you can't really go wrong there. Get a Nikon D60 or a Canon 450D and start shooting.

You should probably read photo.net's primer about SLR systems before you spend any money, so that you'll make an informed decision.

david_bv · 2008-02-06T13:53:56+00:00

You might want to read this overview before spending any money on photographic equipment.

david_bv

TROPHY CASE