The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu..

J. J. Lodder <nospam RemoveThis @de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:

> Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig RemoveThis @flur.bltigibbet> wrote:
>
> > J. J. Lodder <nospam RemoveThis @de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
> >
> > > Howard Brazee <howard RemoveThis @brazee.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > There's an article in the June 2008 Scientific American entitled "What
> > > > is a Species", which discusses the problem of trying to define species
> > > > to satisfy everybody.
> > > >
> > > > http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-a-species
> > >
> > > Still the only correct definition:
> > > (which doesn't satisfy everybody of course)
> > > "A species is what a competent taxonomist
> > > wants to describe as a species."
> > >
> > > Taxonomists do get more competent all the time,
> >
> > But how could anyone assess that competence?
>
> Ask another competent taxonomist,

And we all run round in a circle chasing our tails.

Rowland.

--
Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell RemoveThis @dog.physics.org
Sorry - the spam got to me
http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk
UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig.RemoveThis@flur.bltigibbet> wrote:

> J. J. Lodder <nospam.RemoveThis@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
>
> > Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig.RemoveThis@flur.bltigibbet> wrote:
> >
> > > J. J. Lodder <nospam.RemoveThis@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Howard Brazee <howard.RemoveThis@brazee.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > There's an article in the June 2008 Scientific American entitled "What
> > > > > is a Species", which discusses the problem of trying to define species
> > > > > to satisfy everybody.
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-a-species
> > > >
> > > > Still the only correct definition:
> > > > (which doesn't satisfy everybody of course)
> > > > "A species is what a competent taxonomist
> > > > wants to describe as a species."
> > > >
> > > > Taxonomists do get more competent all the time,
> > >
> > > But how could anyone assess that competence?
> >
> > Ask another competent taxonomist,
>
> And we all run round in a circle chasing our tails.

If you got one you are no Homo sapies sapiens,
(I asked a competent taxonomist)

Jan
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

On Fri, 30 May 2008 13:19:08 +0100, Warren Oates wrote
> In article <tim.streater-4D3655.10364930052008 RemoveThis @news.individual.net>,
> Tim Streater <tim.streater RemoveThis @dante.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> He confusing Rowan Williams with Rowan Atkinson. Silly boy.
>
> ... and a fine troll it was and all. I threw in the bit about House to
> annoy purists. He played Bertie Wooster, of course, and I'd forgotten
> that he'd appeared in Blackadder.
>
> I watch about 14 hours of telly a night, plus a bunch of movies that I
> download. I eat chips (crisps) and drink red wine and boff the ol' Woman
> and don't give a hoot for no leftie prelates don't believe in their own
> miracles.
>
> Warren "rehab is for quitters" Oates.

....and can I say how good you were in Two Lane Blacktop?
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

In article <0001HW.C4671AE903536E00F0407648.RemoveThis@news.eclipse.co.uk>,
Stimpy <stimpy1997uk.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

> ...and can I say how good you were in Two Lane Blacktop?

Thank you! I favour The Wild Bunch myself, "looks like more of Texas to
me."
--
W. Oates
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

J. J. Lodder <nospam.RemoveThis@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:

> Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig.RemoveThis@flur.bltigibbet> wrote:
>
> > J. J. Lodder <nospam.RemoveThis@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
[snip]
> > > Ask another competent taxonomist,
> >
> > And we all run round in a circle chasing our tails.
>
> If you got one you are no Homo sapies sapiens,
> (I asked a competent taxonomist)

Which is why the idea of `competent taxonomist' isn't very valid: that
is indeed how the traditional sort looks at the world.

In this case, even a /doctor/ could do better: `Man with a tail? Fair
enough - the genes to grow tails exist in all mammals - must be some
kind of genetic hiccup.'

I'm looking forward to the day when traditional alpha taxonomical[1]
techniques have been superseded by genetic classication - by which time
the field might be some use.

Rowland.

[1] Seems that taxonomy has grown since I last looked. Alpha taxonomy
is `taxonomy on living stuff'.

--
Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell.RemoveThis@dog.physics.org
Sorry - the spam got to me
http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk
UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

On 2008-05-28 17:08:16 +0100, "whisky-dave" <whisky-dave DeleteThis @final.front.ear> said:

> ...perhaps they'll have to stop naming them after cats altogether,
> the latest leopard doesn't have the default desktop picture as the animals
> fur either.
> Perhaps they'll use star constilations in the future versions of OS X

Someone pointed out a while ago that all iterations so far have also
been the designations for tanks. German ones, to be precise:

<http://ormset.no/wordpress/?p=152>


Cheers,
Ian
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig RemoveThis @flur.bltigibbet> wrote:

> J. J. Lodder <nospam RemoveThis @de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
>
> > Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig RemoveThis @flur.bltigibbet> wrote:
> >
> > > J. J. Lodder <nospam RemoveThis @de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
> [snip]
> > > > Ask another competent taxonomist,
> > >
> > > And we all run round in a circle chasing our tails.
> >
> > If you got one you are no Homo sapies sapiens,
> > (I asked a competent taxonomist)
>
> Which is why the idea of `competent taxonomist' isn't very valid: that
> is indeed how the traditional sort looks at the world.
>
> In this case, even a /doctor/ could do better: `Man with a tail? Fair
> enough - the genes to grow tails exist in all mammals - must be some
> kind of genetic hiccup.'
>
> I'm looking forward to the day when traditional alpha taxonomical[1]
> techniques have been superseded by genetic classication - by which time
> the field might be some use.

You are way behind the times.
Classificaton is (also) DNA based these days.
And (surprise, surprise) the classification based on DNA
agrees largely (with some notable exceptions)
with the pre-existing phenomenological classification.

Best,

Jan
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

Ian McCall <ian.TakeThisOut@eruvia.org> wrote:

> On 2008-05-28 17:08:16 +0100, "whisky-dave" <whisky-dave.TakeThisOut@final.front.ear> said
:
>
> > ...perhaps they'll have to stop naming them after cats altogether,
> > the latest leopard doesn't have the default desktop picture as the animals
> > fur either.
> > Perhaps they'll use star constilations in the future versions of OS X
>
> Someone pointed out a while ago that all iterations so far have also
> been the designations for tanks. German ones, to be precise:
>
> <http://ormset.no/wordpress/?p=152>

Then it should be a King Tiger next,
(but I guess not)
However, they should switch to French,
and make it a 'Tigre de l'Amour'.

Jan
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

On Fri, 30 May 2008 00:32:33 +0100,
real-address-in-sig.TakeThisOut@flur.bltigibbet (Rowland McDonnell) wrote:

>> Chickens are worse - but no other species has the diversity of dogs.
>
>Where's your evidence?
>
>If you want promiscuity, look no further than bacteria: they reproduce
>asexually, but seem happy to swap DNA with any passing source, the
>slags.

I was too narrow. No other species of animal (or at least mammal)
has the diversity of dogs. I don't remember the exact quote, from a
National Geographic article on dogs.
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

J. J. Lodder <nospam RemoveThis @de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:

[snip]

> You are way behind the times.

You haven't a clue, so don't offer an opinion.

> Classificaton is (also) DNA based these days.

The required DNA analyses haven't been done in any signficant number of
species. Claiming otherwise indicates either dishonesty or ignorance on
your part - which is it?

> And (surprise, surprise) the classification based on DNA
> agrees largely (with some notable exceptions)
> with the pre-existing phenomenological classification.

Strange - I've been reading that lots of classifications especially of
plants have been shown to be ridiculous from the genetic point of view.

And I'm pretty damned sure that you've not done enough of a study of the
field to make definitive statements.

Rowland.

--
Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell RemoveThis @dog.physics.org
Sorry - the spam got to me
http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk
UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig.TakeThisOut@flur.bltigibbet> wrote:

> J. J. Lodder <nospam.TakeThisOut@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > You are way behind the times.
>
> You haven't a clue, so don't offer an opinion.
>
> > Classificaton is (also) DNA based these days.
>
> The required DNA analyses haven't been done in any signficant number of
> species. Claiming otherwise indicates either dishonesty or ignorance on
> your part - which is it?

You are way behind the times.

> > And (surprise, surprise) the classification based on DNA
> > agrees largely (with some notable exceptions)
> > with the pre-existing phenomenological classification.
>
> Strange - I've been reading that lots of classifications especially of
> plants have been shown to be ridiculous from the genetic point of view.

Your big cats grow in the fields, to be mowed like grain?

[back to subject]
The best known example is the American condor,
which by DNA isn't a vulture.
(related to the storks instead)
This had been suspected long before the DNA analysis cliched it though.

[snip ad hominem, please try to behave]

Jan
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

Howard Brazee <howard.RemoveThis@brazee.net> wrote:

> real-address-in-sig.RemoveThis@flur.bltigibbet (Rowland McDonnell) wrote:
>
> >> Chickens are worse - but no other species has the diversity of dogs.
> >
> >Where's your evidence?
> >
> >If you want promiscuity, look no further than bacteria: they reproduce
> >asexually, but seem happy to swap DNA with any passing source, the
> >slags.
>
> I was too narrow. No other species of animal (or at least mammal)
> has the diversity of dogs. I don't remember the exact quote, from a
> National Geographic article on dogs.

I'd want to see the figures.

Rowland.

--
Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell.RemoveThis@dog.physics.org
Sorry - the spam got to me
http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk
UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu.. 

J. J. Lodder <nospam.DeleteThis@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:

> Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig.DeleteThis@flur.bltigibbet> wrote:
>
> > J. J. Lodder <nospam.DeleteThis@de-ster.demon.nl> wrote:
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> > > You are way behind the times.
> >
> > You haven't a clue, so don't offer an opinion.
> >
> > > Classificaton is (also) DNA based these days.
> >
> > The required DNA analyses haven't been done in any signficant number of
> > species. Claiming otherwise indicates either dishonesty or ignorance on
> > your part - which is it?
>
> You are way behind the times.

It's very easy for you to repeat your bleating claims - but you are
being ignorantly insulting.

Go stick your head in a pig.

[snip]

Rowland.

--
Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell.DeleteThis@dog.physics.org
Sorry - the spam got to me
http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk
UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
 >> Stay informed about: The next iteration of Mac OS X to be announced at WWDC, bu..