Comment Surprised? (Score -1, Flamebait) 217
They don't even have case sensitivity on their passwords. Compromised accounts drive additional sales, including the fobs.
Submission + - Razer Mouse Crippled Without Online Activation
jones_supa writes: At Overclock.net forums, nickname channelx99 tells a story about a frustrating obstacle when he begun to use a Razer Naga mouse. A software is required to enable the full functionality of the mouse. The user was greeted by a login screen which couldn't be bypassed, and even worse, the account creation didn't work at the time. It turned out that the Razor activation server was down. As result, channelx99 was left out in the cold, and he wraps up 'Nowhere on the box does it say anything about needing an internet connection to "activate" a mouse. If the servers go down in the future, anyone who buys this mouse is out of luck.'
Submission + - GMO documentary released online for free (geneticroulettemovie.com)
Zibodiz writes: "Many here on Slashdot are actively in support of GMO studies, and hence probably don't want to support an anti-GMO documentary. If you want to see what 'the other side' has to say, without funding them by purchasing the DVD, the new documentary has been released online for free until Saturday, 9/22/12.
From the site:
When the US government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and allowed untested genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all living things and all future generations were put at risk by an infant technology.
After two decades, physicians and scientists have uncovered a grave trend. The same serious health problems found in lab animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed GM foods are now on the rise in the US population. And when people and animals stop eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.
This seminal documentary provides compelling evidence to help explain the deteriorating health of Americans, especially among children, and offers a recipe for protecting ourselves and our future."
From the site:
When the US government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and allowed untested genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all living things and all future generations were put at risk by an infant technology.
After two decades, physicians and scientists have uncovered a grave trend. The same serious health problems found in lab animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed GM foods are now on the rise in the US population. And when people and animals stop eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.
This seminal documentary provides compelling evidence to help explain the deteriorating health of Americans, especially among children, and offers a recipe for protecting ourselves and our future."
Submission + - Lack of copyright in the 19th century made Germany become the mightiest (spiegel.de)
alexandre_ganso writes: "While the British Empire was at the top of the world, Germany was a agrarian country. Then something changed. Its rapid industrial expansion in the 19th century, according to a German historian, is due to an absence of copyright law, as the massive proliferation of books, and thus knowledge, laid the foundation for the country's industrial might."
Submission + - Astronomers confirm a hot and steamy exoplanet (discovermagazine.com)
The Bad Astronomer writes: "The extrasolar planet GJ 1214b was discovered in 2009 orbiting a nearby (40 light year distant) red dwarf star. The planet was quickly found to have a thick atmosphere, but it wasn't known at the time if the composition was water vapor or a hazy shroud of particulates. New Hubble observations confirm the atmosphere of the exoplanet is rich in water, comprising up to 50% of the atmosphere's mass. At 230 degrees Celsius, this means the planet is shrouded in steam."
Submission + - The internet not helping the underdogs (buttonera.com)
An anonymous reader writes: I have been following three new business start-ups for over a year, all of which have chosen to enter the highly competitive jewellery and accessories market. Despite flashy websites and social campaigns (not to mention the dirty Adwords word), each business has generated little e-traffic that turned to sales. Instead each business has survived using the good old fashioned face-to-face word of month to generate sales. So not being a marketeer, I have been asking myself increasingly more is, is the internet naturally biased against the underdog start-up and therefore there is no need for them to do anything until they grow on main-street?
Submission + - Google 'Solve for X' Co-Opted From Project 10^100 (internetevolution.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Remember Google's Project 10^100 — the campaign Google launched for its 10th birthday through which it would spend $10 million on the best world-saving idea? It seems the company may be using the ideas it didn't select and passing them off as their own. One Project 10^100 submitter says his project idea for a Quantum League — which would "organize, host, and fund global-scale competitions focused on solving the largest, most complex problems facing the world today" — sounds eerily similar to Google's brand new "Solve for X" project.
Submission + - Why Corporate Cloud Storage Doesn't Add Up (infoworld.com)
snydeq writes: "Deep End's Paul Venezia sees few business IT situations that could make good use of full cloud storage services, outside of startups. 'As IT continues in a zigzag path of figuring out what to do with this "cloud" stuff, it seems that some companies are getting ahead of themselves. In particular, the concept of outsourcing storage to a cloud provider puzzles me. I can see some benefits in other cloud services (though I still find the trust aspect difficult to reconcile), but full-on cloud storage offerings don't make sense outside of some rare circumstances.'"
Submission + - Preserved 298-Million-Year-Old Forest Discovered (inhabitat.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Scientists just discovered an incredibly preserved 298-million-year-old forest buried deep beneath a coal mine in Wuda, China. The ancient forest in Inner Mongolia was preserved by volcanic ash, much like Pompeii. Both Chinese and American scientists are marveling at finds of 80-foot-tall trees from the Permian Era, which provide an incredible snapshot of plant life 298 million years ago.
Submission + - Pico Projector That Adapts to Surface, Can Use Random Objects as Input Devices (engadget.com)
jpwilliams writes: This tiny projector can use random surfaces to project an image. Using a webcam, it adapts to the surface, not just by adjusting keystone, but also following that surface and displaying different amounts of information (in certain cases). The guy in the video also uses a coffee mug as an app changer.
Submission + - New Alzheimer's Drugs May Do the Opposite, and Impair Memory
An anonymous reader writes: Scientists who have discovered a new class of Alzheimer's disease drugs are now saying that the drugs compound’s molecular target, which is currently being tested in clinical trials, may actually have the opposite effect that could impair memory, according to a new study in animals.
Submission + - Your cat (or its parasites) are controlling your brain. (theatlantic.com)
Sooner Boomer writes: "A Czech biologist, Jaroslav Flegr, is investigating how a common parasite found in cats (and their poop) may significantly alter human behavior. He found that women infected tended to dress nicer, be more outgoing, trusting, image-conscious, and rule-abiding than uninfected women. Infected men rended to be more introverted, suspicious, oblivious to other peopleâ(TM)s opinions of them, and inclined to disregard rules. My cat just tells me he needs more fresh fish. Off to the store!"
Submission + - WSJ Misrepresents Climate Science (wsj.com)
mdsolar writes: "As noted on slashdot, the WSJ wrote an opinion piece for which it found 16 scientist to sign on.
http://news.slashdot.org/story/12/01/28/2234257/dont-worry-about-global-warming-say-16-scientists-in-the-wsj
The contents of that opinion piece badly misrepresented climate science as pointed out in a letter that starts out: "Do you consult your dentist about your heart condition? In science, as in any area, reputations are based on knowledge and expertise in a field and on published, peer-reviewed work. If you need surgery, you want a highly experienced expert in the field who has done a large number of the proposed operations.
You published "No Need to Panic About Global Warming" (op-ed, Jan. 27) on climate change by the climate-science equivalent of dentists practicing cardiology."
The WSJ also seems to have misrepresented the economics of climate change as well. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/scientists-challenging-climate-science-appear-to-flunk-climate-economics/"
http://news.slashdot.org/story/12/01/28/2234257/dont-worry-about-global-warming-say-16-scientists-in-the-wsj
The contents of that opinion piece badly misrepresented climate science as pointed out in a letter that starts out: "Do you consult your dentist about your heart condition? In science, as in any area, reputations are based on knowledge and expertise in a field and on published, peer-reviewed work. If you need surgery, you want a highly experienced expert in the field who has done a large number of the proposed operations.
You published "No Need to Panic About Global Warming" (op-ed, Jan. 27) on climate change by the climate-science equivalent of dentists practicing cardiology."
The WSJ also seems to have misrepresented the economics of climate change as well. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/scientists-challenging-climate-science-appear-to-flunk-climate-economics/"
Submission + - Pirate Bay appeal refused by Swedish Supreme Court (computerworlduk.com)
concertina226 writes: The Swedish Supreme Court will not hear an appeal from the founders of The Pirate Bay against prison sentences and fines imposed by the Swedish Court of Appeals, the court said on Wednesday.
Over a year ago, the Court of Appeals sentenced Fredrik Neij, Peter Sunde, and Carl Lundström to 10 months, eight months and four months of jail time, respectively. The court also said they must collectively pay a 46 million kronor (£4.3 million) fine.
Over a year ago, the Court of Appeals sentenced Fredrik Neij, Peter Sunde, and Carl Lundström to 10 months, eight months and four months of jail time, respectively. The court also said they must collectively pay a 46 million kronor (£4.3 million) fine.
Submission + - Bloomberg API made public for C++, Java (computerworlduk.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Bloomberg has made public its valuable application programming interface (API) for market data, making it free for trading firms and software developers to access the code.
The API works with a number of programming languages and operating systems, including Java, C, C++, .Net, COM and Perl, and is designed to be "simple" as well as suitable for low latency applications, Bloomberg said. It is available here.
The move to make the interface public contrasts with Bloomberg's past practice — and that of arch rival Thomson Reuters — of making firms pay for using a particular set of systems to access the data. The move is part of Bloomberg's Open Market Data Initiative.
Thomson Reuters is currently embroiled in a dispute with EU antitrust officials over its own APIs. The officials allege the company is taking advantage of its dominant market position by restricting access to the codes.
Bloomberg's API is available to companies that are not customers, allowing them "an alternative" to proprietary technology, the data firm said. It intends for the initiative to "spur innovation" in the financial services industry. Around 100,000 financial services staff use the Bloomberg API daily.
"We intend to evolve BLPAPI into an open standard with the help of an independent committee charged with managing the future development and stability of a truly open market data interface," said Shawn Edwards, chief technology officer at Bloomberg.
Bloomberg also recently released its Open Symbology API, a system used to identify securities across all global asset classes.
The API works with a number of programming languages and operating systems, including Java, C, C++,
The move to make the interface public contrasts with Bloomberg's past practice — and that of arch rival Thomson Reuters — of making firms pay for using a particular set of systems to access the data. The move is part of Bloomberg's Open Market Data Initiative.
Thomson Reuters is currently embroiled in a dispute with EU antitrust officials over its own APIs. The officials allege the company is taking advantage of its dominant market position by restricting access to the codes.
Bloomberg's API is available to companies that are not customers, allowing them "an alternative" to proprietary technology, the data firm said. It intends for the initiative to "spur innovation" in the financial services industry. Around 100,000 financial services staff use the Bloomberg API daily.
"We intend to evolve BLPAPI into an open standard with the help of an independent committee charged with managing the future development and stability of a truly open market data interface," said Shawn Edwards, chief technology officer at Bloomberg.
Bloomberg also recently released its Open Symbology API, a system used to identify securities across all global asset classes.
