Noah Sheppard

If you could have a super power, what would it be? Why?

I would control time. I would enjoy doing tricks like apparently running really fast, getting more sleep, and so on. However, problems such as me eventually aging faster than others would be difficult (i.e. impossible) to circumvent.

If you could either fly or become invisible at will which would you choose and why?

Invisibility, because with it I could sneak onto a plane, allowing me to fly. I like to be inconspicuous. Also, I could probably help people more with invisibility.

When you go to a restaurant and they serve you a beverage, do you use the straw or take it out?

I use the straw, but not before shooting the wrapper.

If you take it out, would you consider using it to throw spit wads at the table across the aisle?

No, shooting the wrapper exhibits more class.

What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

It depends on your reference point. Also, the phrase "air speed velocity" seems nonsensical to me, or at least redundant.

What is your opinion of the Dungeon Monkey?

I have never seen him. Perhaps he got that invisibility power before I did.

How many messages in your inbox?

35. I know, I'm getting lazy.

The following space has been left empty on purpose. Improve upon its emptiness. (blatantly stolen from the Google Aptitude Test)

I saw this quote on Slashdot recently, which manages to put into words a lot of my frustrations with computer use. The context of the comment is an article on the data binding vulnerability in IE7 which is being actively and widely exploited. This particular comment is in response to another user's comment which was pointing out that average computer users mostly don't care about things like what browser they use, and that generally only "geeks" actually have favorites with regards to computer programs to use for certain purposes.

Sometimes I think that the only real definition of "geekdom" is "a solid understanding of cause and effect".

That's why when they get a compromised system or otherwise suffer, I don't see them as victims even though I'd rather they not get compromised and I'd rather they not suffer.

They are making a trade-off and are taking a risk of experiencing security flaws for the sake of convenience as the browser is already installed and knowledge of its quality and security history is not needed to use it. They have set their priorities and made their choices and now they experience the results. Really, what rational person (technical or non-technical) expects to have good results when operating an extremely complex machine that they don't understand? Is there anywhere else in life where you can take the very first option to come along without ever looking at your other options and then consider yourself to have made a good choice? That the average person can routinely use a computer this way and have everything work out as well as it does is amazing, but rather than appreciate this we instead scratch our heads and wonder why certain problems (like botnets) just aren't going away.

Maybe this makes me unusual, but I am happy with both Linux and FireFox even if both of them never become anything like mainstream. They are actively developed and have enough of a userbase to ensure this for some time to come, they do what I need them to do, and they run the way I want them to run. I can't say with any certainty that I'd derive any direct benefit from the sort of ubiquity that Windows and IE currently enjoy and I see a certain risk of stagnation if that ever did happen.