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Windows

Submission + - Windows Vista - 19 months of usage and counting

Submitted by MyStuff
MyStuff writes: ZDNet blog Hardware 2.0 looks at the effect of having been using Windows Vista for over 18 months. It Windows Vista the indispensable upgrade that Microsoft wants you to think it is? This quote says it all:

Having been using Vista for over 18 months I believe that it's a huge improvement over XP and even though I still use XP I find that I miss many of the features that Vista offers.

However, I wouldn't call any of the changes earth-shattering. When I'm using XP systems I miss some of the features but not so much that they push me to upgrade any faster. Microsoft wants users to put down a lot of money for Vista when XP still has plenty of life in it. If you like living on the edge and want the latest then Vista is a must, but if you're happy with XP or you are the kind of person that doesn't actually use the OS that much, then you're probably safe holding back and waiting until you buy a new PC before getting Vista.
Space

Submission + - We are all going to die! (but not until 2036)

Submitted by
TurdTapper
TurdTapper writes: "April 13th, 2036 to be precise.

An asteroid, named Apophis, has a 1 in 45,000 chance of striking the earth in 2036. And a group of astronauts, engineers and scientists said the U.N. should assume responsibility for saving us from asteroids.

With a name like Apophis, shouldn't we be looking to SG-1 instead of the U.N.?"
Role Playing (Games)

Submission + - Bethesda open to making Elder Scrolls MMO

Submitted by
jtorry
jtorry writes: "Pro-G recently had a chat with Pete Hines, Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing at Bethesda, and we took the opportunity to quiz him on the future of the Elder Scrolls series. Firstly, although the success of Oblivion makes it a cert, don't expect Elder Scrolls V any time soon. "Well, I can tell you that since Oblivion has been such a smashing success that I'm sure we will do it [Elder Scrolls V], but there are no immediate plans right now," said Hines. "We're finishing up Oblivion then shifting our focus to Fallout 3, which is our next big role-playing game."

Hines also revealed that Bethesda has discussed the idea of making an MMO but notes that it would have to be based on a fresh idea.

"Certainly, there's a chance, it's something we've talked about, but it's not anywhere in our immediate future. I don't think we could do an MMO unless it was with some fresh idea that no one has ever tried before," said Hines.

Turning his attention back to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Oblivion, Hines revealed that the game is really only scratching the surface of what is possible despite being able to offer visuals and AI that simply were not possible on previous generation hardware.

"Next generation allows you to do far better graphics and there's more horse-power so you can do things like AI routines for all the NPCs. That takes a lot of time and effort; it's like herding cats. We're only scratching the surface really," explained Hines.

http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/21-02-2007-4833.html"
Space

Submission + - Theory for Expansion of Universe

Submitted by
LethargicParasite
LethargicParasite writes: "In a recent astronomy class, my professor was talking about the expansion of the universe. He mentioned three key things:
1. The universe is likely expanding.
2. The velocity of the expansion of the universe is likely increasing.
3. Whatever causes the expansion of the universe is likely the cause of the bubble structure of the universe.
I came up with a theory that the professor could not refute outright: The expansion of the universe is the result of black holes converting matter (which takes up space) into a singularity (which does not take up space). This theory could explain the bubble-like structure of the universe, the expansion of the universe, and perhaps even the acceleration of the universe. So. Is this theory even falsifiable without looking for black holes at the centre of the voids?"
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Wireless Wii Hack for SNES and NES Controllers

Submitted by GooglyWoogly
GooglyWoogly writes: One of the nice features of the marvelous Wii is that you also can play all those retro NES/SNES/Genesis/other games. To be more retro, you could buy one of these, but who wants wires in a Wii world ?
Mark Feldman decided to take a step further by hacking the old NES & SNES controllers to work wirelessly with the Wii. Retro games can now be enjoyed how the makers intended — with the 'real' controllers but with the wireless convenience of Wii.
He has a YouTube video showing the gear, with an iPod replacement battery used to power the controllers.
Operating Systems

Submission + - Will Vista teach people about memory?

Submitted by adamdrayer
adamdrayer writes: Like all IT people, I am constantly bombarded with questions by the prospective computer buyer. There are always the normal annoyances like being thrust a Dell catalogue and being asked to spec out a machine for "email and internet". Or explaining that the computer I spec'ed out 2 weeks ago no longer exists or has changed price. Or telling the boss why the company can't give him a copy of Office.

By far, the most annoying thing to me is telling someone to make sure that they get at least 1GB of memory and having them tell me that memory isn't an issue because they are not going to load much in the way of pictures and music. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to shake people's idea that memory doesn't do what it sounds like. Even when they nod and say they understand... I know they don't.

Do you think since Vista will require most folks to upgrade, it will also force people to finally understand what the role of memory is in the computer?
Businesses

Submission + - How safe is your employment application data?

Submitted by
Carlos
Carlos writes: "I recently returned to the U.S. after working overseas for the past 16 years. As I visit job sites and corporate sites, I'm finding two issues with applying online I hope Slashdot readers could comment on. I understand security and background checks are important to most employers, however, it seems to me that far too many online applications are asking for sensitive data, such as my social security number and driver's license number. How long is my data stored in their database? Who has access to such data? It seems that every month we hear about a company that has customer/client data stolen or mishandled. I feel that such data shouldn't be required during "step one" (ie filling out the initial online account in the career section). I'll provide such data when I've been contacted by a staff for an interview. Do Slashdot readers simply bypass such employers, or do they just hand over their identity? The second point relates to the pages upon pages we have to endure with an online application. Some companies make the process smooth, for example using a form of OCR with an uploaded resume. There's nothing worse than getting to step 9 (out of 20 steps) and getting a timeout error in your browser! I hope HR people who are reading this, will take a closer look at their employment process. I'm sure some readers might say, "They make the process hard on purpose — weeding out the lazy applicants." I fully understand this point and I'm not looking for an easy way into a company, but filling out 20 step applications at 30 companies a day, everyday, can eat a lot of time when hunting for a position."
Biotech

Submission + - The worst sounds in the world: official

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Over 1.1 million votes have been counted and the results are in. But the worst sound is not fingernails on a blackboard (16th), or babies crying (3rd). The number one is truly sickening . . . vomiting.
Sci-Fi

Submission + - Why Chicks Don't Dig The Singularity

Submitted by
Raindance
Raindance writes: "10zenmonkeys.com looks at the intersection of sociobiology and Kurzweil's idea of The Singularity, and explains why chicks don't dig it. FTA: "I think male geeks in the futurist community assume that human nature is the same as the nature of male geeks in the futurist community. And it's kind of become a little religion; we have our own Rapture and our own eschatology and all that sort of stuff. But I think the idea of merging with machine intelligence is not appealing to lots of different kinds of people. And so when we talk about it, we talk as if this tiny sector of human experience — and the kinds of enhancements male geeks want — is all that there is. But when you describe these kinds of things to most people, they're not necessarily enthused. They're more often afraid. So I think we need a clearer idea of what is universal in human needs to be able to explain The Singularity.""
Robotics

Submission + - Street Fighting Robot Challenge

Submitted by ianchaos
ianchaos writes: There's no better way to assure the eventual destruction of mankind then by the event sponsored by Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency. Newscientist has a good writeup of the robot challenge, which is to build a robot that can operate autonomously in urban warfare conditions, moving in and out of buildings to search and destroy targets like a human soldier.
Enlightenment

Submission + - University Tuition Being Auctioned on Ebay

Submitted by scvff
scvff writes: Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma is auctioning off one years tuition on Ebay. Seriously. Starting February 4, 2007 OWU is opening an Auction on Ebay for tuition, room and board for an academic year at OWU. The winner receives tuition, room, board and applicable fees for next fall and spring at OWU. The winner may take up to 17 credit hours each semester. The person who will attend OWU must meet all admissions standards and apply for all available grants and scholarships. This auction is for tuition, room, and board in the traditional undergraduate program. University Webpage: http://www.okwu.edu/ More Information about the auction: http://community.gospelcom.net/Brix?pageID=20676
Communications

Submission + - Phones to buy while you're waiting for the iPhone

Submitted by Zanelo
Zanelo writes: If you got excited at the thought of owning an iPhone but then realised you couldn't get one until later this year, then CNET has come up with a few alternatives that might keep you temporarily happy. "They won't have that special Apple smugness, but they'll play your music, let you browse the Internet and even do a few tricks the iPhone can't manage."
Data Storage

Submission + - Nanodots may drastically increase data storage

Submitted by
WaltonNews
WaltonNews writes: "Scientists are developing tiny magnetic particles called nanodots that are only a few billionth of a meter in diameter. The nanodots are showing promise in decreasing the amount of data storage space by at least one-hundred times what is currently held with hard disk drives. Nanodots may hold the answer to handling increasingly large amounts of digital data. The rest of the story is at: http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/8835/1066/"
Businesses

Submission + - Amazon at Your Service?

Submitted by Anonymous
Anonymous writes: CIO Insight has a story about how Amazon.com is opening its technology platform to become a provider of storage, computing and other services. From the article: "If the strategy pays off, Amazon will have realized a dream cherished by many CIOs: taking its own internal technology to market as a commercial product. The direct financial return to Amazon in the near term is likely to be minimal, as CEO Jeff Bezos told BusinessWeek in November. But there is value in running the company's data centers and related businesses at levels closer to full capacity, and in positioning Amazon as a leading provider of Internet services to other companies."

An interesting move but, as the story points out, some customers may not be comfortable dealing with a retailer that lacks experience serving large business customers. "The larger story is what this means for the [hosting] industry, not what it means for Amazon," says Daniel Golding, a vice president with Tier 1 Research, a Minneapolis-based firm that covers technology, Internet and telecom companies. "Frankly, I'm not even sure they should be doing this from the point of view of their own business."

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