Comment Re:Big name = other people (Score 1) 451
But how do you find a new friend that's got similar connections?
Comment Re:Big name = other people (Score 2, Interesting) 451
This is/was the problem with instant messaging networks: Unless you were on the right network, along with your friends, you got nothing.
The solution that's quickly gaining ground is federated XMPP, where your identity is tied to a server, but the server can talk to other servers, so you're not stuck in one walled off garden.
Any outlook for good federated, multi-server, distributed and de-centralized social networking? I know there's status.net, where interesting stuff is happening...
The main feature of Facebook seems to be friend suggestions. How to manage the friend graph without the central server could be a challenge...
Comment Kernel tricks to take advantage of it? (Score 2, Interesting) 251
Just a thought, maybe Linux could be aware of what those cores look like, and what their sensitivities to temperature are.... and change the amount or type of work pushed to that core? Although I suppose heat from the other cores would most likely transmit very quick to the "zombie" core. Any CPUs have seperate temperature tracking per core?
Comment Re:No ads please (Score 1) 983
The ipod touch and iphone run darwin, a *nix with full shell/root access... but locked down.
Submission + - Revisiting the State of WLAN Support on Linux (slashdot.org) 1
gehrehmee writes: Just over 4 years ago, Slashdot hosted a discussion on the "State of WLAN Support on Linux", reaching over 600 comments, most on the dire state of linux wireless support at the time. What's changed since then? Various lists of network-manager related bugs grows constantly, to say nothing of bug reports against many kernel components. Most reports going unsolved, and debugging information is scarce. Inability to get onto the Internet is one of the first things that can scare away a potential Linux user, yet out-of-the-box support for wireless still seems like a dream. Is there something fundamentally wrong with the Linux wireless development model? Are the tools deficient? Are the drivers lacking? All of the above? What's going on, and what can be done better?
Comment Re:Mixed Feelings (Score 1) 145
As long as Microsoft had a decent standard, that could be implemented without patent/IP-rights, I don't even care that much. A workable standard people follow is better that a perfect standard that 70% of deployed browser instances promptly ignore.
Comment Slashdotted? (Score 1) 74
Slashdotted before a first-post. That's unfortunate.
Comment Re:That's great. (Score 1) 145
The flip-side of course is that if the company is submitting their code for security checking, they're paying at least some attention to security. The company that doesn't care may have many many more vulnerabilities.
Submission + - IOC claims Olympians' name as Intellectual Propert (uvexsports.com)
gehrehmee writes: As usual, the International Olympic Committee is coming down on hard on people mentioning things related to the Olympics without permission. This time it's UVEX sporting supplies, who is sponsering Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. Without explaination, their front page was today updated to include a tounge-in-cheek poem about UVEX's interaction with the IOC. Can the IOC really claim an Olypmian's name as their own intellectual property?
Comment Re:Monopoly (Score 1) 439
Our University is looking at switching, and a bunch of students have opted to move early, since Google's offering the services whether we switch entirely or not.
Our contract says they give us free service, and explicitly says they do *NOT* mine our emails for anything, ever.
Iran Suspends Google's Email Service 436
appl_iran writes "Iran's telecommunications agency announced that it would be suspending Google's email services permanently, saying it would roll out its own national email service." From the short WSJ article that is kernel of this Reuters story: "An Iranian official said the measure was meant to boost local development of Internet technology and to build trust between people and the government." Funny way to go about that. Updated 20100211 9:54GMT by timothy: Original link swapped for a more appropriate, updated one.
Comment Re:Because (Score 1) 303
Hah, well played. I saw these after I posted blindly without previewing, and groaned.
Comment Re:Because (Score 4, Interesting) 303
Specifically, they're designed for different interaction methods. A phone is meant to be used in one hand (zero, for handsfree), and held to the head (or in a pocket for handsfree). A gaming controller is meant to be held in two hands for maximum expressivness. A two-handed interface works best when the hands are relatively fare apart, meaning a set of controls on each end of a "stick" device, implying a horizontal interface. A one-handed device, or any device with a screen in general, is meant to be used vertically, so the screen is as far from the hands as possible, for maximum visibility.
Touch-screen interfaces are sub-optimal two, since you end up obscruring the display by using it.
Apple's "iPad" Out In the Open 1713
Reader oxide7 is one of the many to note that the heaviest speculation is mostly over (still waiting on the price, though) about Apple's anticipated new device (though there are surely plenty of questions about the device's hardware capabilities and the scope of its software and content marketplace): "At an event in San Francisco Apple released its anticipated iPad.'[It's] Way better than a laptop, way better then a phone. You can turn it any way you want. To see the whole page is phenomenal,' said Jobs." The (0.5") skinny: 1.5 lbs, multitouch, up to 64GB of flash, 9.7" screen, and a 1Ghz "Apple A4" chip (more about the A4 in Engadget's developing story). The iPad is closer in concept to an expanded iPhone (OS and all) than a miniaturized laptop, though it doesn't have quite as much connectivity as you might expect, with no 3G connection built in. (You'll have to make do with 802.11n, Bluetooth, and tethering.) Live coverage is ongoing at gdgt live, Engadget, and Gizmodo, as well as various others. Update by timothy, 19:58 GMT: Got the 3G part wrong; 3G is indeed an option. Prices run from $499 (16GB flash, WiFi but no 3G) to $829 (WiFi and 3G, 64GB flash). Should start shipping in 60 days (WiFi only), in 90 days for 3G. Surprsingly, no built-in camera.
Comment Concealing device id/type/abilities? (Score 2, Interesting) 238
Is there any practical way to conceal the details of the device from the carrier? To prevent the carrier from knowing the ID#, model #, or software details of the phone, beyond the identifying numbers on the SIM card?
As far as I'm concerned, if I own the hardware, I should be able to do what I want with it. All the service provider should care about is the SIM card to which they provide service.
