Comments on: Episode 622: Do robots sweat like electric sheep?

Wait, do electric sheep sweat? This is kind of a recursive little conversation. In other news, no free Vista for you!

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by samdu December 12, 2007 6:15 PM PST

RE: Microsoft Points

Just as an FYI, the PlayStation Network (PS3 and PSP) uses - shock and amazement - ACTUAL currency instead of a random point system. In addition, you can leave your wallet empty and add the - again, shock and amazement - EXACT AMOUNT of your purchase when you go to check out. Buying something for $3.99? Add it to your cart, check out, add $3.99, and download. I know, it's hard to imagine, but it really is just that easy.

On a side note, it's time you guys check out the PS3 again. I know Molly's been WAY down on it for a while now, but it's at a reasonable price and has some truly great games now.

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by bunnyhero December 14, 2007 6:53 PM PST: yes! i sent them an email with the same information. you'd think that with all the time they've spent RANTING about points on online game stores, that they'd at least mention this one little fact.; Like this

by van_Zeller December 12, 2007 6:33 PM PST

I'd just like to point out that the whole putting the robots in sweat-shops it either very naive ou very stupid and not funny either way.

People who put children in sweat shops aren't exactly sorry to "have" to put children there, nor are they going "hmm, I sure hope some crazy Japanese company invents a 17-joint violin playing robot so I can replace all my exploited underage workforce!" Coz, you know, unlike slave labor, robots cost money.

I know maybe I shouldn't take all this so seriously, maybe it was just a (dumb, tasteless) joke, but the fact is the OLPC is a REAL project, and one I really believe in. It's a fantastic new technological approach to ending poverty and one with a real shot, especially in countries with *no* government (think Rwanda) and it made me really angry when I heard "he could sell them the robots and sell them the robots and he'd be laughing all the way to the bank".

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by StrikerF35 December 12, 2007 10:21 PM PST: I agree that it's an interesting and well-intentioned project, but in no way do I think it's holy and/or beyond reproach. Sending laptops to poor countries is a noble enough initiative, but the OLPC project are no saviors. It's a market, and they are supplying it, just as Intel and everybody else who makes a developing world-targeted laptop is doing. OLPC is apparently doing it for charity, Intel is doing it for profit. The results are the same.; Like this


by StrikerF35 December 12, 2007 10:05 PM PST: (This is Miles in Chadron, by the way.)

I felt like kind of a dick after I left that message. Listening to the message, I do regret calling without thinking about what I was going to say beforehand. Anyway, remorse aside, I feel very passionate about this problem that I overdramatize as "Whoa! Numbers!?" The issue has been called ilnumeracy by some, which speaks to the severity of the problem.

What really bothers me about is the tendency in our society to learn math, usually at least algebra, but not have a real-world understanding and use of it. And, really, the problem is not in the schools, it's societal. I've taken math courses all the way up to Calculus, but I don't integrate functions when I'm at the supermarket. So many people avoid the practice of doing simple math, for whatever reason. It's just not a factor in their reasonic or decision logic.

I have a perfect example of this from when I worked at Safeway. Occasionally the store-brand apple juice would go on sale for 99 cents. We would do pretty well, selling a few boxes worth. But when the items would go on a "10 FOR 10" sale (ten items for ten dollars), they would sell out like crazy. Safeway has really hit on something with their weird "n for $x" sales, it's become one of their most common club card discounts, and has even become part of regular pricing.

It seems ridiculous to me that a company can turn a price into simple formula, and improve sales. I suppose it's part of the perpetual trend to play to the consumer's psychology. Microsoft uses the 1.25 cents/1 point ratio to basically hide the real price from the consumer. The subconscious price evaluation is suddenly lower than that it would be if it was 1 to 1. It's sneaky, but it's not like everybody else out there is doing something similar so I can't get too angry about Microsoft's own, albeit more blatant, play for money.

Math is a tool, whether you it to your advantage or others use it to your disadvantage is up to you, people.; Like this Reply to this comment


by emzeee December 13, 2007 5:54 AM PST: was delighted to get an invitation for Hulu's closed beta and so I signed up, eager to watch some NBC shows only to find out that since I'm not from the U.S. (am from the Philippines), I can't watch ANY videos! None! Why the hell did they invite me in the first place?!?!?! AARRGH!

Also, I tried Open Hulu after hearing about it on episode 622 and again, no dice! I get the same "the video you requested is not available in our area" message.

BTW, all of their shows are already available in our area on the net via other means: Bittorrent!!!

Love the show!; Like this Reply to this comment


by Matt-Schlicht December 13, 2007 9:59 AM PST: You pronounced my name perfectly the first time.; Like this Reply to this comment

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