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Submission + - Scrum Points vs. Billable Hours

Submitted by
matt
matt writes: "We have been having a heated discussion at my company regarding a recent push by management to implement a time tracking system completely separate from Scrum. Management's intention is to be able to more accurately track billable hours, but some team members feel that by doing so, it will go against all things holy (Scrum-wise) and only hurt the development/creative process. Do any Scrum teams also use a time tracking system to track billable hours separately from Scrum points? If so, how well has it worked for you?"

Submission + - Microbin: Recommendation algorithm wants to show you somethi

Submitted by

When it comes to recommendation systems, everybody's looking to increase accuracy: the Netflix Prize was awarded last July for an algorithm that improved the accuracy of the service's recommendation algorithm by 10 percent. However, computer scientists are finding a new metric to improve upon: recommendation diversity. In a paper that will be released by PNAS, a group of scientists are pushing the limits of recommendation systems, creating new algorithms that will make more tangential recommendations to users, which can help expand their interests, which will increase the longevity and utility of the recommendation system itself.

Accuracy has long been the most prized measurement in recommending content, like movies, links, or music. However, computer scientists note that this type of system can narrow the field of interest for each user the more it is used. Improved accuracy can result in a strong filtering based on a user's interests, until the system can only recommend a small subset of all the content it has to offer.





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Security

Submission + - Pros And Cons Of Biometric Authentication (net-security.org)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: In theory, biometrics are a great way to authenticate a user: it's impossible to lose your fingerprint (barring the most gruesome of developments), you can't forget it like you could a password, and it's unique to you. In practice, though, there are so many things that, for now, limit a more widespread use of this technology. One of the problems has been pointed out by Guy Churchward, CEO of LogLogic: "Once you have your fingerprint scanned it will give a unique data sequence which if compromised is not exactly something you can change," he says. "Imagine having an option of only one password 'ever'. One loss and you are screwed." Do you use biometrics? Can this solve some of the problems associated with passwords? One of the biggest issues is users employing the same password all over and this wouldn't change since you have only so many fingers.

Submission + - Mobile Messaging: Convenience or Compulsion? (themxrecord.com)

Submitted by emailgirl
emailgirl writes: http://www.themxrecord.com/2010/02/26/mobile-messaging-convenience-or-compulsion/ At what point does checking your email become unhealthy? I’ve read several articles this week about a study conducted by Osterman Research stating that 95% of respondents check their business email outside of work. Is that a high percentage? Yes. Is it particularly alarming or disturbing? Not really. But what really intrigued me is where and when respondents are checking their email. Nights, weekends, vacations, weddings, funerals, intimate moments, and yes.even the toilet. No time or place is too sacred I guess.

So is it time for Inbox Detox when it comes to our mobile devices? Or are we just becoming incredibly effective at multi-tasking?
Ubuntu

Submission + - The (Involuntary) Unification of Linux (lunduke.com) 1

Submitted by jbChrisLAS
jbChrisLAS writes: A look back over the last few years of Desktop Linux usage shows stunning trends that would seem to indicate a process of natural selection for desktop Linux, one that's leading to a unified Linux Desktop.

Submission + - HTML5 vs Flash (silicon.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Here's an article that provides a lowdown on whether HTML5 is going to smackdown Flash when it comes to mobile apps or whether the standard will be obsolete by the time that its specifications are finally ratified.

Comment use statistical analysis (Score 1) 483

by anomalous cohort (#31076932) Attached to: How Do You Accurately Estimate Programming Time?
Estimating requirements is very important and software engineers should attempt to improve their estimating skills. Overly optimistic estimates is the second highest cause for runaway projects. Consider a statistical approach such as FPA whose accuracy improves over time. Having to double your estimate is just a symptom of poor change management and other process immaturities. If you get push back on FPA because of its complexity, then consider rolling your own more simplified approach.

Submission + - What's holding back encryption?

Submitted by
nine-times
nine-times writes: "After many years in IT, I've been surprised to notice how much of my traffic is still unencrypted. A lot of businesses that I interact with (both business and personal) are still using unencrypted FTP, and very few people use any kind of encryption for email. Most websites are still using unencrypted HTTP. DNSSEC seems to be picking up some steam, but still doesn't seem to be widely used. I would have thought there would be a concerted effort to move toward encryption for the sake of security, but it doesn't seem to be happening.

I wanted to ask the Slashdot community, what do you think the hold up is? Are the existing protocols somehow not good enough? Are the protocols fine, but not supported well enough in software? Is it too complicated to manage the various encryption protocols and keys? Is it ignorance or apathy on the part of the IT community, and that we've failed to demand it from our vendors?

What challenges have you faced in trying to increase your use of encryption, and what do you think we can do about it?"
Businesses

Submission + - Where Do Old Space Shuttles Go When They Die?

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens
Hugh Pickens writes: "Russia's Space Shuttle, Buran, ended it's days at a theme park in Moscow and was once offered for sale on the Internet for 3 million dollars. Now the NY Times reports that when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration put out the call in December, 2008 seeking buyers for US shuttles from museums, schools and elsewhere, the agency didn't get as much interest as expected, so now NASA has slashed the price of the 1970s-era spaceships, available for sale this fall once their flying days are over, from $42 million to just $28.8 million apiece. “We’re confident that we’ll get other takers,” says agency spokesman Mike Curie. The Discovery is already promised to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum but the Atlantis and the Endeavour are still up for grabs and it is possible that the Enterprise, a shuttle prototype that never made it to space, will also be available. The lower price is based on NASA’s estimate of the cost for transporting a shuttle from Kennedy Space Center to a major airport, and for displaying it indoors in a climate-controlled building. As for the space shuttle main engines, those are now free. NASA advertised them in December 2008 for $400,000 to $800,000 each, but no one expressed interest. So now the engines are available, along with other shuttle artifacts, for the cost of transportation and handling."

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