644: Surgery
Surgery |
Title text: Damn. Not only did he not install it, he sutured a 'Vista-Ready' sticker onto my arm. |
Explanation
Linux is an open source kernel for an operating system. Linux is notorious for its less-than-perfect support for hardware, although support for most hardware is eventually patched into the official kernel release. Cueball is here under the impression that support for a USB port can be patched into his brain in a similar fashion to how hardware support can be added to the Linux kernel.
The "Vista-Ready" sticker in the title text is a humourus indication from the doctor that the patient is "advanced enough" to have Windows Vista installed. The irony is multilayered. There was a lawsuit against Microsoft about promoting not-so-capable computers as "Windows Vista Capable"; they couldn't run Vista neither fully nor smoothly. On top of that, the typical Linux user would not be very enthusiastic about Windows at all; someone who runs Linux has actively chosen an alternative operating system.
Transcript
- [A surgeon is standing over a patient on a gurney.]
- Patient: While you're doing the surgery, can you also implant this in my arm?
- Surgeon: A USB port?
- Patient: Just wire it up to some nerves.
- Surgeon: ...This won't let your brain control USB devices, you know.
- Patient: Sure -- I just want the hardware.
- Patient: The rest is software; I'm sure there will be a project to patch together support eventually.
- Surgeon: Ah -- you're a Linux user, I see.
- Patient: Yeah, how'd you know?
Discussion
Anyone who wants to see more about this kind of implant technology would be advised to have a look at the works of Kevin Warwick of Reading University in the UK (There must be others as well). 141.101.98.228 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)