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Submission + - Syncing and backing-up files cross-platform?

Submitted by
Blakey Rat
Blakey Rat writes: "I have one of those problems that you'd think would be easy to solve until you actually start solving it. I have a folder of important files I want synced and backed-up in one step across three computers: my desktop G5 tower, my iBook laptop, and my generic Windows XP SP2. The theory is that every time I save a file on one of the computers, it is uploaded to online storage somewhere (serving as a backup), and the other two computers would detect that and update their local copy of the file. With the laptop, I'd like the files available offline, as it's frequently in locations with no Internet connection, or an Internet connection so flakey it might as well not exist.

So far I've tried Apple's .Mac service, which includes iDisk syncing software. While iDisk has an offline files mode it frequently fails when copying multiple files into it, claiming it needs to resolve conflicts for thousands of files where no actual conflicts exist. I've tried setting up a WebDAV folder on my web hosting account, but OS X fails when copying files to it with mysterious "insufficient permissions" errors that I can't figure out how to solve. In addition, OS X seems to have no offline files mode for WebDAV shares. I currently use rsync to do backups, but I don't know if it can be set it up to notify me when sync conflicts occur. A friend also recommended setting up something using MacFUSE, but it's version number is still 0.2 which doesn't help me trust important files to it, and the setup seems very complicated.

I'm looking for something that's easy-to-use, can mount as a disk in OS X and Windows XP, has an offline files mode, and can resolve conflicts when they occur. Bonus points if I can use my existing web hosting account as storage, and I'm not opposed to commercial software if it gets the job done. I'd also prefer something that encrypts data traveling over the network and is at least version 1.0. Can anybody offer any suggestions?"
Space

Submission + - Theoretical Physics to be Turned on its Ear?

Submitted by
Bad Labrador
Bad Labrador writes: "Slashdot readers may remember an article and a powerpoint presentation delivered by Alexander Franklin Mayer last year entitled "The Many Directions of Time". In it, he postulates a slight modification to General Relativity, actually correcting an error Einstein apparently made. According to Mayer, correcting this error accounts for a large number of "anomalies" in observations, including a small but persistent error in GPS locations, the apparent acceleration and deacceleration of the Voyager spacecraft and so on. The blockbusting part is when the change is applied to cosmology — according to Mayer, the expanding universe, the Hubble constant and the "big Bang" theory are no more. They are artefacts of his discovery — gravitational transverse red shift. The Universe is not expanding. The book is freely available for download at http://afmayer.net/index.html Happy Slashdotting."
The Internet

Submission + - Teens Protecting Their Online Profiles

Submitted by Thib
Thib writes: A study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals that the majority of teens pay attention to what they are exposing about themselves in their online profiles on social networking communities like Facebook. For instance, while many routinely use their first name or include a picture, 'fewer than a third of teens with profiles use their last names, and a similar number include their e-mail addresses. Only 2 percent list their cell phone numbers.' The study comes among growing think-of-the-children brouhaha in state legislatures about the dangers of online predators. From the article: 'According to Pew, 45 percent of online teens do not have profiles at all, a figure that contradicts widespread perceptions that the nation's youths are continually on MySpace.'
United States

Submission + - US Air Force to launch a new drone

Submitted by pestario
pestario writes: The US Air Force announces next version of the highly successful unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) — The Predator. The Predator is known to have played a major role in eliminating many terrorist targets in Yemen and Iraq.

The new version, called The Reaper, is 'about a third longer, and twice as heavy, than the Predator.' And while the Predator is designed to carry 2 hellfire missiles, the Reaper will carry 14 hellfire missiles. Wired has the coverage.

Attacking drones — as opposed to reconnaissance drones — have been controversial due to the disconnected nature of remote combat they provide.

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