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Power

NASA Power Beaming Challenge is On For November 2nd 81

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the scott-me-up-beamie dept.
carstene writes "The NASA Centennial Challenge Powered Beaming competition, to develop technology for uses such as a space elevator, or to power a rover in a shadowed crater on the moon, was delayed indefinitely due to trouble setting up the kilometer-high race track. It has now had the kinks worked out and is rescheduled for the week of November 2nd. The competition involves using a high-power laser to beam power to a robot that climbs a kilometer-high cable attached to a helicopter. The competition was previously covered on Slashdot."

Comment Re:There are other OS's (Score 5, Insightful) 342

by jayspec462 (#29849119) Attached to: Apple Seeks Patent On Operating System Advertising

I am an Apple fanboi, born and bred in the soft, comforting womb of the Reality Distortion Field. There is not a single computer or device in my house that was not Designed by Apple in California.

If Apple were to do this on my Mac, or my iPhone, or my iWhateverTheHellElse, I would jump ship like Neo leaving the Matrix*. Apple fanbois are Apple fanbois because we prize elegance and design. Implementing this in OS X would shit on it.

(* Just like in that ONE AND ONLY ONE movie, that had ABSOLUTELY NO sequels... See how good at distorting reality I am?)

Comment For the iPhone, Perhaps? (Score 1) 342

by jayspec462 (#29848753) Attached to: Apple Seeks Patent On Operating System Advertising

Given the proliferation of ad supported free apps on the iPhone, perhaps Apple is building an ad-display framework for developers to hook into, rather than have them continually re-invent the wheel for each app. And since it would technically be "part of the OS," perhaps this is a defensive mechanism to prevent patent trolls from pouncing once they implement it.

Comment How to Get This Job (Score 4, Funny) 171

by jayspec462 (#29825217) Attached to: Colorado Newspaper Looking for Marijuana Reviewer

The first person who both desires this job and a) has a resume, b) manages to find the motivation to print a copy of the resume, put it in an envelope, and send it to the HR department, and c) remembers to attend the interview gets the job automatically.

I suspect the position will go unfilled for some time...
Security

FBI Cracks "Largest Phishing Case Ever" 132

Posted by CmdrTaco from the inbox-still-full-of-spam dept.
nk497 writes "The FBI and Egyptian authorities have arrested 100 people in what they're calling 'the largest international phishing case ever conducted' as part of a wide-scale investigation called Operation Phish Phry. The criminals used phishing to get access to hundreds of bank accounts, stealing $1.5 million. 'This international phishing ring had a significant impact on two banks and caused huge headaches for hundreds, perhaps thousands of bank customers,' said Acting US Attorney George S. Cardona."
Microsoft

SFLC Says Microsoft Violated the GPL 237

Posted by kdawson from the only-haggling-over-the-price dept.
After Microsoft donated driver code to the Linux kernel under the GPLv2, stories surfaced that they had done so under duress of already being in violation of the GPL. Microsoft quickly denied that any GPL violation was a driver for their decision to donate the code; the company's senior director of platform strategy, Sam Ramji, said at the time: "Microsoft's decision was not based on any perceived obligations tied to the GPLv2 license." Now the Software Freedom Law Center confirms that Microsoft was indeed in violation of the GPLv2 when it distributed its Hyper-V Linux Integration Components without providing source code. Community members led by Greg Kroah-Hartman contacted the company and coached them through the process of getting compliant. Microsoft now says that they had already been on the path for several months toward releasing the software under GPLv2 before Kroah-Hartman got in touch.

Comment Re:"stupid, thoughtless and... (Score 1) 437

by jayspec462 (#28837963) Attached to: Jeff Bezos Offers Apology For Erasing <em>1984</em>

The original owner of the camcorder finds he has been burgled, he informs the relevant authority and finds that a warehouse company has sold it, in good faith, to a customer, not knowing that it was stolen goods. The warehouse attempts to retrieve the camcorder back.

How is that analogy for you?

Amazon may have been d!cks in how they did it without prior notice etc but I don't totally disagree with what they had to do

Then they can bloody well ask me for it back! Heck, I'll probably give it right back to them with a proper explanation.

But what they most emphatically can not do is break into my house in the middle of the night and steal it back, even if they are kind enough to leave an envelope containing a check for the purchase price on my living room table.

Comment Re:Responsibility to customers (Score 2, Insightful) 437

by jayspec462 (#28836779) Attached to: Jeff Bezos Offers Apology For Erasing <em>1984</em>

But there is one reason why they could have included this that's not evil - so they can give refunds if you click the wrong book. (Which they do.)

Fine, then. Update the Kindle firmware so that, when a deletion/refund is requested, pop up a message saying, "Amazon wants to delete the title "The Wrong Book" from your Kindle, and issue you a full refund. [Delete and Refund Money] [Do Not Delete]."

Until Amazon does this, and confirms that there is absolutely no back door to secretly delete purchased books, I will never buy one, and will actively discourage others from doing so. (Three Kindles un-sold so far, Amazon. This apology just doesn't cut it.)

Comment Re:Stay away from the Kindle! (Score 2, Insightful) 645

I'm with you. I have a good friend who loves his Kindle. He let me try it out, and it just felt awesome. But after this, I've gone from 90% certain that I'd purchase it when I had the money to spare, to 100% absolutely, positively certain that I will not purchase this, or any similar device, ever. Congratulations, Amazon!

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