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Comment Re:What is the point? (Score 3, Informative) 340

In the US, for example, the constitutional requirement of probable cause and protecting against unreasonable search and seizure and such don't apply to their kind.

Sorry, you're out-of-date. Federal Appeals Court last year ruled that border guards DO need probable cause to search such things as computers and phones under most circumstances. The only exceptions are circumstances which would also be exceptions away from the border.

Comment Re:Really? Come on now, you should know better. (Score 1) 362

What I wanted to show by bringing up this example is that in current airplane design, there are circumstances in which automation is known to fail (in this case, unreliable/defective sensors). In these circumstances, the systems are designed to give control back to the pilot. The rationale for this is quite clear.

Yes, like I said, it's to make the passengers feel good. Because as we have seen, the pilots depend on the same sensors that the autopilot does. Airliners aren't fighters, you don't fly by the seat of your pants. By the time your inner-ear-gyro tells you that there's a problem, you're already screwed. Which was precisely what happened.

How in the shit are pitot tubes still icing anyway? Why is heating the tube not a thing which works? Heating elements are not new technology. We should really be able to manage this by now.

Comment Re:I have said it before (Score 1) 384

you mean the basic engineering error where the project manager wouldn't sign off due to the mistake made in concrete formulation so he was fired and a more lenient approver installed in his place?

How about the basic engineering error of siting a reactor somewhere even ancient Japanese could have told you was a mistake? How about the basic engineering error of not protecting your on-site backup power, which is mandatory for maintenance? How about the basic engineering error of storing spent fuel rods on top of reactors? All of those are more significant than the formulation of the concrete.

Comment Re:I developed this crap when I hit 35 (Score 1) 55

My right eye does that when I'm tired, but my eyelid is actually notably different on that side, I've too much of it. My father had both of his eyelids trimmed back by the VA to try to treat his headaches, apparently only one side of my head has this congenital defect. Probably have it trimmed up next time I go out of the country.

Comment Re:Define 'desktop' ... (Score 1) 445

XP was supported for a very very long time.

Microsoft is not about to make that same mistake again.

MY PC is built from sabertooth Asus series with solid caps, capicators, vrm, etc. Same with gtx 770 video card. It will last 10 years :-)

Irrelevant. We're talking about the software. My motherboard also has solid caps. Whoop de doo.

Sure Intel will try to sabatoge atom with no SOC drivers so they can cut back on support costs and keep prices low

You mean like AMD did with the Mobile Athlon 64, and R690M chipset? It's disingenuous to call out Intel here.

Many of us will stick with 7 even more so than with XP during the last time.

No you won't, because Microsoft won't keep supporting it into eternity. They had to do that because they wrote long contracts. They won't have done that with Windows 7. XP was a stone around their necks.

Comment Re:Do pilots still need licenses? (Score 1) 362

The notion that it's more profitable for cars to automatically kill their users is kind of ridiculous.

It's more profitable to kill a percentage of them than to ensure a total lack of sales by making the fully safe car which would combine a pretty miserable driving experience with atrocious performance and efficiency.

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