Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
×

Comment Re:Hulu does this and everybody doesn't mind that. (Score 4, Insightful) 244

Other 'free' services have been doing it for ages, most notably Hulu.com

I know this is the internet we're talking about, but Hulu went live ~1.5 years ago and has only been accessible to the general public for less than a year (March 12, 2008). They haven't been doing anything "for ages".

Comment Re:Good enough for a couple days at home. (Score 1) 603

Having a 700W PSU does not mean that your computer is using that much power or really anywhere even close to it, because it's a maximum power rating. Get a kill-a-watt or a multi-meter (be careful) and measure the actual power your computer consumes. Even the most pimped, power-hungry gaming PC will struggle to get much past 400W with everything blazing, and most of the time will be much much less (usually under 300W). Plus, when it's idle or near-idle (most of the time) it will use much less, probably not more than 150 watts for a gaming PC and possibly much less (normal desktops will usually use 100W @ idle). 50KWh should be enough to keep your PC running for like a week (maybe even two).

Comment Re:Sounds like the work of Ambien or some other dr (Score 1) 195

Tylenol PM is just regular Tylenol with diphenhydramine a.k.a. "Benadryl" (in the US and Canada) added to it. Using it regularly in normal doses isn't very harmful at all. However, there has been at least one study which seems to show that tolerance builds quickly towards the sedative effects of diphenhydramine builds quickly, becoming comparable to a placebo after only a few days of use. Link

YMMV.

Comment Re:Conservation of energy (Score 5, Funny) 618

This process will NOT "create" energy.

See, this is my problem with you people who put all your faith and belief behind "science", it just leads to pessimistic attitudes. I mean sure, I know it's unlikely that this system would be the exception to conservation of energy or any other principle of physics, but there's always a possibility that maybe, just maybe, plasma garbage vaporizing is where physics breaks down. So, if you want, I'll let you live in your miserable world where you're always right and nothing exciting ever happens. All I ask is that you just don't disturb me in my world, a world of imagination and possibilities, a world where anything can happen, a world where flying cars, jetpacks and sophisticated sex robots are just around the corner and yes, a world where garbage vaporizes can run amok, producing more energy than is put into them thereby destroying the universe. Screw your science, that's the world I want to live in.

Comment Re:Sunshine (Score 1) 618

You people always trot out "What could possibly go wrong" as a reason to not do something, well I say you're pussies. I want to know what can go wrong, in fact, the greater possibility for something to go wrong, the more interested I am in them doing it. If it works like they think it will, great, another new source for energy and waste disposal. If things go horribly wrong, like you naysayers think, that's almost as good -- a spectacular failure is a beautiful thing, especially when accompanied by a huge explosion. I say bring it on.
Television

Scientists Claim Breakthrough On Holographic Display 123

SpuriousLogic writes to tell us that University of Arizona researchers claim to have broken a barrier in holographic technology by creating an updatable, three-dimensional display with memory. While the existing model is only able to update once every couple of minutes, and isn't particularly suited for 3d images, it is certainly a step in the right direction. "Peyghambarian is also optimistic that the technology could reach the market within five to ten years. He said progress towards a final product should be made much more quickly now that a rewriting method had been found. However, it is fair to say not everyone is as positive about this prospect as Peyghambarian. Lecturer in Electronic Engineering at Bangor University in Wales, Dr Justin Lawrence, told CNN small steps were always being made on technology like 3D holograms, but, he couldn't see it being ready for the market in the next ten years."
The Media

Submission + - Boston Mistakes Blinking LEDs for a Bomb... Again.

iamdrscience writes: ""In a story bearing a striking similarity to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force "hoax device" story from a few months ago, Star Simpson, a 19 year old MIT student, was arrested this morning at Logan airport by Boston police for allegedly carrying a fake bomb. She has already been charged with "disturbing the peace and possessing a hoax device" to which she plead not guilty and was released on $750 bail. The device in question consisted of a black sweatshirt with prototyping breadboard attached to the front which had been wired up a few blinking LEDs. In a press conference, State Police Major Scott Pare, the commanding officer at the airport was quoted as "She was immediately told to stop, to raise her hands and not to make any movement, so we could observe all her movements to see if she was trying to trip any type of device, had she not followed the protocol, we might have used deadly force.""
Input Devices

Submission + - Man Has Thumb Surgery to Enable Better iPhone Use

iamdrscience writes: "ZDNet is reporting that 28 year old Thomas Martel has undergone "whittling" thumb surgery to enable better use of the iPhone. The procedure involved making a small incision into both thumbs and shaving down the bones, followed by careful muscular alteration and modification of the fingernails. Were turning plastic surgery from something that people use in service of vanity, to a real tool for improving workplace efficiency says Dr. Robert Fox Spars, who worked on developing the procedure."
Books

Deathly Hallows / OOTP Movie Discussion 1147

At midnight on Friday Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released, ending the ten year run of J.K. Rowling's extremely popular book series. I imagine that there are a few folks here who have already read the book and want to talk about it. Likewise, the movie version of Order of the Phoenix was recently released (a film I was kind of underwhelmed by). So ... what did you think of them? Be forewarned: I imagine the comments will be filled with spoilers.
Biotech

Humans Evolved From a Single Origin In Africa 461

Invisible Pink Unicorn writes "Researchers at the University of Cambridge have combined studies of global human genetic variations with skull measurements worldwide to show conclusively the validity of the single origin hypothesis. The alternative hypothesis contended that different populations independently evolved from Homo erectus to Home sapiens in different areas. The lead researcher explains, 'The origin of anatomically modern humans has been the focus of much heated debate. Our genetic research shows the further modern humans have migrated from Africa, the more genetic diversity has been lost within a population. However, some have used skull data to argue that modern humans originated in multiple spots around the world. We have combined our genetic data with new measurements of a large sample of skulls to show definitively that modern humans originated from a single area in Sub-saharan Africa.' The article abstract is available from Nature."
Mozilla

IE Dropping, Now Near 70% In Europe 184

Kevin Spiritus lets us know that XiTi Monitor, a French Web survey institute, has published its browser barometer for July, and Internet Explorer continues to lose ground. "The ascension of Firefox continues... Nearly 28% average use rate in Europe in the beginning of July 2007, with a progression in the totality of the 32 European countries studied. Firefox doesn't loose ground in any of the countries."
Software

Submission + - 50 Laws of Software Development (itsbeenconfirmed.com)

iamdrscience writes: There's no better way to pretend you're smart than quoting an idea thought up by some other smart guy who is now dead or old. This post from the Tucows Developer Blog catalogs 50 Laws of Software Development. In addition to the well-known ideas like Occam's Razor and Clark's Third Law the list includes many other lesser known laws such as Joy's Law ("No matter who you are, most of the smartest people work for someone else.").
Robotics

Robot Aims To Walk On Water 125

qeorqe writes "CMU researchers are developing a robot that runs across water (PDF). It is modeled after the basilisk lizard, which has that rare ability. The researchers have done both computer simulations and experiments with test models."

Slashdot Top Deals

"It says he made us all to be just like him. So if we're dumb, then god is dumb, and maybe even a little ugly on the side." -- Frank Zappa

Working...