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Businesses

Submission + - Career change into programming or IT?

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: How viable is a career change into software engineering or IT later in life? I've been something of a hobbyist most of my life and have started to wonder if I should jump in as a new career. I'm getting close to 40 and have a bachelors degree in physics. I only make about $50K a year, and in my industry now I will cap out at $55K to $60K.

What would be the best approach to making the switch? I only have a couple of CS classes as most of the stuff I have learned was on my own, so should I take some more classes? How about programming certs, do they help at all? What's the best way to get my foot in the door.
Privacy

Submission + - Is Your Printer Spying on You?

Submitted by
gnujoshua
gnujoshua writes: "In 2005, the EFF alerted the world to how laser printers are spying their users by providing tracking information in the form of a unique smattering of barely detectable yellow dots that appear on every printout. Revitalizing this issue, the Computing Counter Culture Group at the MIT Media Labs has launched Seeing Yellow. They provide instructions to see the tracking dots, as well as provide you with a list of clever questions, and appropriate contact information so that you can confront your laser printer manufacturer. Let's act before this issue slips through the cracks again and send the message that manufacturers' must respect our privacy and our right to anonymous free speech."
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Toilet paper trauma: Are 5 squares enough? (networkworld.com)

Submitted by
coondoggie
coondoggie writes: "Is the world ready for an automatic toilet paper dispenser? Kimberly-Clark Professional hopes so as today it rolled out the JRT Electronic Coreless touchless electronic toilet paper dispenser that will immediately ignite a toilet paper strategy battle: the device issues five sheets at a time and uses 20% less toilet paper than traditional hand dispensed paper. According to Kimberly Clark, Americans typically use twice as much toilet paper as Europeans — as much as an arm's length each pull. The company decided the ideal length is about 20 inches — or precisely five standard toilet paper squares, though the machine can also be adjusted to churn out 16 inches or 24 inches, depending on the demand. http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/1746 6"
The Internet

Submission + - Morality and Domain Ownership (holyjuan.com) 3

Submitted by
HolyJuan
HolyJuan writes: "I got laid off a few weeks ago. A year ago, when I still had a job, I mentioned to my boss that our company should buy its "actual" domain name. His current domain name was shortened version of the company name. He thought that was a great idea and would think about it. I sent him reminder e-mails. I talked to him again in person. Nothing came of it. So I bought it myself and politely forwarded the traffic to the company's webpage. Now they have laid me off and I'm wondering what I should do with the domain. http://www.holyjuan.com/2007/07/i-own-my-ex-compan ys-domain-name-what.html"
Privacy

Submission + - The intimate data search engines store about you (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: "Computerworld's Mary Brandel has written a story about everything search engines store about their users, which includes the type of search someone performs — image, Web, local — and things such as their e-mail addresses, social networks, calendars, etc. 'Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft Live Search all record and retain in their vast data banks any term that you query, in addition to the date and time your query was processed, the IP address of your computer and a cookie-based unique ID. Reporters at The New York Times didn't even need an IP address to track down the identity of an AOL user when AOL published anonymous search logs of 500,000 users over a three-month period.'"
Graphics

Submission + - Making the GIMP Suck Less (uwaterloo.ca) 1

Submitted by GIMPFan
GIMPFan writes: Most people who have ever tried the GIMP know that its UI leaves much to be desired. Thankfully, at least one person is doing something about it. Usability expert Michael Terry has created an instrumented version of the GIMP called ingimp. The key feature of ingimp is that it collects usability data in order to determine how people are using (or struggling to use) the GIMP. This data is made available on the ingimp site so that researchers can study usability in the GIMP, which can hopefully lead to improved usability of the GIMP.

Terry also recently gave a talk on his project. In his talk, he emphasizes that the user's privacy is a key consideration of the project. He notes that contrary to most usage-collecting applications, ingimp is open-source and that the collected data is available to anyone. He also notes that Inkscape is also very interested in creating an instrumented version.
Sci-Fi

Submission + - Taser builds a high-tech bullet

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Taser claims to have reinvented the traditional bullet. The XREP looks like a regular shotgun round (and can be shot through a regular shotgun at 300 ft/s), but basically is a self contained taser device complete with its own microprocessor and a battery. On impact, the device separates in two parts (which remain connected through a wire) and tries to attach itself to at least two body locations to deliver the electrical charge. Get this: If a criminal tries to remove the XREP, he is likely to either touch more electrodes or touch the booby-trapped wire, which will lock down the hand and prevent it from letting go. Wicked.
The Internet

Submission + - Are web-developer certifications worth it?

Submitted by
riyley
riyley writes: "I'm a fairly advanced web developer with some hard experience in HTML, CSS, Javascript, Coldfusion and PHP. Now the HR at my company wants me to prove it in a way they understand, certificate. My boss has asked me to select some solid certifications and i've come up with three providers: W3Schools, BrainBench and ExpertRating.

I would like to know if these companies hold any more weight than the frame around the cert, or if it's a waste of my departments money and time? Is there another company I should look at? I'd prefer that in 3-5 years when i'm ready to move on to another job, that these would still be worth padding my resume with. Is that a pipedream?"
AMD

Submission + - AMD Announces Release Date for Barcelona in Q3 (yahoo.com)

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Rumors said the release wouldn't be until late Q4 but an August ship date is now promised. They're only releasing up to 2.0 GHz processors at first, with the top speed devices coming out later in the year.
The Media

Submission + - Wikipedia notes death before bodies found (chicagotribune.com)

Submitted by
vigmeister
vigmeister writes: "WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in his house in Atlanta last weekend. Chris Benoit's wikipedia entry apparently declared his wife's death 13 hours before their bodies were found and the news was publicly released. This entry has an IP address from Connecticut where the WWE is headquartered. Conspiracy theory?"
The Internet

Submission + - Wikipedia's role in wrestler murder/suicide case

Submitted by
93,000
93,000 writes: "Relating to the apparent murder/suicide, CNN reports that the Wikipedia entry for WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was edited to mention the death of his wife — fourteen hours before the authorities found the bodies. Even more interesting, according to CNN: "A Wikipedia official, Cary Bass, said Thursday that the entry was made by someone using an Internet protocol address registered in Stamford, Connecticut, where World Wrestling Entertainment is based.""

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