MrTrick - Slashdot User

Submission + - Possession of the Anarchist's Cookbook==Terrorist

Submitted by Anonymous Terrorist on Sunday October 07, 2007 @04:14PM

Anonymous Terrorist writes: Back in the midsts of time, when I was a lad and gopher was the height of information retrieval I read The Anarchist's Cookbook in one huge text file. Now it appears the UK government considers possession of the book an offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 and is prosecuting a 17 year old boy, in part, for having a copy of the book.

Submission + - Do Content Provider Executives Read Online Forums? (networkhardware.com)

Submitted by

Dax

on Thursday October 04, 2007 @07:53PM

Dax writes: "I've been reading slashdot for nearly a decade now, and I've found it both useful and occasionally comical in many areas of life (especially when I implemented the Win2k ban on UCSB's ResNet...the /. comments made for hilarious reading that week). Throughout college and my career, I've relied on online forums such as these for feedback, and to get a vague sense of how it is for folks "in the trenches", so to speak.

Given the hundreds — if not thousands — of submissions to slashdot, digg, techdirt, et al regarding DRM and all of its catastrophic failures (let's use Blu-Ray and HD-DVD as the main example), do the decision makers and visionaries at these companies put any stock into the horribly negative feedback all over the web concerning these topics?

If so, why haven't we (consumers) seen shifts away from defective by design technologies? If not, why not? In my current position, I sell Cisco equipment...and my reputation can be made or slayed by what goes on in these forums, so I keep a serious eye open to constructive criticisms, or (hopefully more often), positive feedback. Why don't other executives?"

Submission + - Transparent Metal Walls from Star Trek are REAL (physorg.com)

Submitted by justanotheradmin on Thursday October 04, 2007 @06:20PM

justanotheradmin writes: In Star Trek IV, transparent aluminum was theorized. See the following link for background — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_aluminum — Now, apparently transparent steel is REAL...

Submission + - iPhone Security Hellhole? (eweek.com) 1

Submitted by

TheAncientHacker

on Tuesday October 02, 2007 @08:33PM

TheAncientHacker writes: "eWeek reports that not only is the iPhone's root password compromised, not only was the password a simple six character lower case word, but the entire freakin' system — all apps and utils and tools from the calculator to the kernel — run as root."

Submission + - Australian actresses are plagiarizing quantum mech (scottaaronson.com)

Submitted by Blue on Tuesday October 02, 2007 @04:59PM

Blue writes: A hilarious blog post from scottaaronson.com, the title says it all: Australian actresses are plagiarizing my quantum mechanics lecture to sell printers

Submission + - Preorders open for 230MPG car (treehugger.com) 4

Submitted by m4ximusprim3 on Thursday September 27, 2007 @07:03PM

m4ximusprim3 writes: Aptera Automotive, maker of the Aptera 230mpg diesel hybrid is now taking $500 "pre orders" for the car, which is scheduled to go into production in 12 months.

The Vehicle seats two people side by side, gets 230mpg at 55mph, has a trunk large enough for a surfboard, and goes from 0-60 in less than 10 seconds.

And, it looks like a fish!

Submission + - OpenSource Revenue Model Flawed 4

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 26, 2007 @09:55PM

An anonymous reader writes: If the standard revenue model for OpenSource software is to charge for the support of the software, what incentive is there to produce truly reliable products? Obviously if the software worked perfectly and easily there would be little need for product support.
Competition alone is clearly not enough to ensure companies pursue perfection. As the current closed source market shows, consumers are more than happy to use buggy, poorly designed wares as long as its familiar and common place.

Submission + - At 45 nm Node, ESD and Leakage Current Improved

Submitted by Mark of THE CITY on Tuesday September 25, 2007 @08:50PM

Mark of THE CITY writes: According to this article, NEC Electronics has developed a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) design for the 45nm node. By switching from N channel SCR-type ESD protection circuits to P channel, electrostatic discharge trigger voltage is reduced, while leakage current is only 1.0 nanoampres.

Submission + - Mozilla says Apple must fix Quicktime flaw

Submitted by

JavaJack

on Wednesday September 19, 2007 @02:27PM

JavaJack writes: "Infoworld.com is reporting that even though Mozilla fixed "a critical bug in the way the Firefox browser works with QuickTime media files" which "gives attackers a way to run unauthorized commands on a victim's PC", Mozilla claims that the bug can't be fully fixed until Apple fixes Quicktime. From the article...

A July 2007 patch was supposed to take care of this type of problem, but [hacker Petko] Petkov showed how attackers could still run commands on a victim's system by tricking a victim into opening a maliciously coded QuickTime media file.
In fact, until Apple addresses the underlying flaw in QuickTime, there still could be headaches for users, Mozilla said in its security advisory on the issue. "QuickTime Media-link files could still be used to annoy users with popup windows and dialogs until this issue is fixed in QuickTime," the advisory states.

Mozilla's fix is included in Firefox 2.0.0.7.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/09/18/Mozilla-fixes-QuickTime-flaw-in-Firefox_1.html?source=NLC-TB&cgd=2007-09-19"

Submission + - Which Lost/Stolen Laptop Trackers Do You Like? 2

Submitted by

saudadelinux

on Monday September 17, 2007 @08:43PM

saudadelinux writes: "I got held up at gunpoint in July, and my laptop was stolen. Fortunately, I was able to get a new one, and I'm typing this post on it.
There companies out which for a fee, install tracker software on your laptop. If it's stolen or lost, they track its whereabouts whenever it gets on the 'Net and work with local law enforcement and ISPs to find the machine. I'm wondering: does anyone use one of those services? Does anyone have a recommendation for which company to go with? I'm using a dual-boot Ubuntu/XP machine, and the couple of companies I've looked at do Windows-only. Are there Linux options? TIA, saudadelinux"

Submission + - Aging telecommunications network

Submitted by Jake Platt on Monday September 17, 2007 @04:26PM

Jake Platt writes: I am a network consultant working on Long Island, NY and help support about a dozen small to mid-size companies mainly located in a huge industrial park originally built in the 1950's. In the past 60 days, the Verizon data and voice networks have experienced huge spikes in failures, as many as, 2 — 3 local loop/central office equipment and line failures per week for each of my clients!!! Verizon has been taking 2-3 days to respond, effectively leaving these companies in the dark (no internet, no email, no voice). I've never seen anything like this. Privately, the Verizon tech support guys have told me that the copper lines in the ground are so old that they are letting the system go into decline and do not want to spend any $$$ to improve it until they have no choice. Are parts of the US telecommunications network reaching its age limit? Jake Platt Long Island, NY

Submission + - Surgery With a Warranty (nytimes.com)

Submitted by Anon Indian Techie on Monday September 17, 2007 @03:44PM

Anon Indian Techie writes: What if medical care came with a 90-day warranty? That is what a hospital group in central Pennsylvania is trying to learn in an experiment that some experts say is a radically new way to encourage hospitals and doctors to provide high-quality care that can avoid costly mistakes. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/business/17quality.html?ex=1337054400&en=3d8a549fa8ccb22c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Submission + - Finding Telecommuting Friendly Orgs

Submitted by Overworked and Under-employed on Friday September 14, 2007 @12:10AM

Overworked and Under-employed writes: I'm looking for a 100% remote (i.e. telecommuting) job in the Linux admin or FOSS development spheres. Contract work would be best, but direct hire is acceptable, too. I have 10 years IT and programming experience, 7 with Linux administration, but a lot of it is private consulting and small start-ups (No 100 server support jobs).

I have literally spent weeks scouring Google and come up with very few prospects. Most large job banks don't even let you search telecommute only jobs and are filled with "work at home" Spam, while the small ones have no jobs.

Does anyone have experience with telecommuting friendly companies or know where to find them? Help would be greatly appreciated.

Submission + - Broadband forum sued over user comments

Submitted by

weighn

on Wednesday September 12, 2007 @12:11AM

weighn writes: "PC World (Australia) and The SMH report that "A software firm is suing a community website over comments published on its forum. 2Clix is suing the owner of the popular broadband community site Whirlpool, Simon Wright, for "injurious falsehood", asking for $AUS150,000 in damages and an injunction requiring Whirlpool to remove forum threads highly critical of 2Clix's accounting software.
Dale Clapperton, chairman of the online users lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia, said 2Clix was using the law to silence its critics. Whirlpool users have begun donating money to the site to help Wright cover any legal costs."

Submission + - What to do about overly broad school board rules? (k12.va.us) 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04, 2007 @07:23PM

An anonymous reader writes: My child is starting school today I have been asked to sign a release that I agree to the School Board Rules. I actually read them unlike most parents and would like to ask Slashdot what can be done about rules like Stafford County VA Rule 12:

Computer violations including trespass, fraud, invasion of privacy, and theft of services;...; removal of computer data, programs, software; alteration/destruction/erasure of computer data, programs, software; ... (See http://www.pen.k12.va.us/Div/Stafford/Regulations/ Students/R7_32.pdf)

"Removal" includes copying ANY data to floppy or memory stick, even if a Kindergartner saved their drawing to floppy. "Erasure" includes formatting your own floppy disk. "Removal of programs" includes open source or even saving program that you wrote. When you boot any operating system, you alter the logs, so by turning on the computer you are in violation.... The penalty is suspension of 10 days or less.

A friend reported this to the school board several years ago but received a terse reply about the board using the same terms as other school boards. According to him, the wording has only gotten longer and more restrictive but still includes the same "removal" and "alteration" clauses.

Is there anything I can do other than posting this to slashdot?

Full text of the rule: "12. Computer violations including trespass, fraud, invasion of privacy, and theft of services; unauthorized use of school computer and/or computer network; removal of computer data, programs, software; alteration/destruction/erasure of computer data, programs, software; intentionally causing a computer and/or computer network to malfunction; use or duplication of software in violation of law or licensing requirements; unauthorized access to any portion of computer network, restricted programs and/or computer drives; unauthorized use of assigned computer passwords to gain access to computer and/or network; any unauthorized use of school computer code(s); failure to abide by acceptable use agreement; Minimum of short-term suspension of 10 days, or less, with the balance of any days to be served carrying over to the succeeding school year, and/or loss of computer and Internet privileges to maximum of expulsion. Additionally, the matter shall be reported to the Superintendent and shall also be reported to the Sheriff if the potential exists for criminal charges to be filed."

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