Comment What?? (Score 1) 306
She ain't no Zefram Cochrane. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zefram_Cochrane
Comment Re:Well, is this a good thing? (Score 1) 169
I wasn't actually being serious.
Should have used <sarcasm> tags for those that need them.
Comment Re:Well, is this a good thing? (Score 1) 169
I wonder what this guy would have to say about it
http://playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/PS3-guy.JPG
Submission + - Unfinished vs new technology: 12 years later
VincenzoRomano writes: Back in September 1998 bug #915 got filed at the Netscape (good ol' days!) bug tracking system.
Nothing special, "just" the wrong rendering of table
column alignment. Something a lot of web developers has had to work around so far.
Interestingly, this bug affected and still affects almost all web browsers. All but Internet Explorer, though.
In August 2010, far from being fixed, the very same bug got marked as "INVALID" as "this feature is no longer present in HTML5, and has not been implemented in browsers other than IE". In other words "don't bother us as this is not even a bug any more: we are working on the next forthcoming standard, whenever will it come".
Or "none else but IE has it, so we don't mind, even if everyone else is just me"
A tsunami of angry comments flooded bug #915 entry until a couple of days later the bug got turned back to "NEW" (yes, 12 years new).
This seems to follow a trend in the technology development policies for a number of projects, not just open source software.
As soon as the development steering board decides something new (like HTML5 or the next Ubuntu release) requires the focus, suddenly unfinished or unfixed old stuff (HTML4 compliance or the current official) goes to the attic to be forgotten as outdated or uninteresting.
Apart of the humoristic implications for this very case, I'd like to ask slashdotters about their point of view and possible suggestions.
Interestingly, this bug affected and still affects almost all web browsers. All but Internet Explorer, though.
In August 2010, far from being fixed, the very same bug got marked as "INVALID" as "this feature is no longer present in HTML5, and has not been implemented in browsers other than IE". In other words "don't bother us as this is not even a bug any more: we are working on the next forthcoming standard, whenever will it come".
Or "none else but IE has it, so we don't mind, even if everyone else is just me"
A tsunami of angry comments flooded bug #915 entry until a couple of days later the bug got turned back to "NEW" (yes, 12 years new).
This seems to follow a trend in the technology development policies for a number of projects, not just open source software.
As soon as the development steering board decides something new (like HTML5 or the next Ubuntu release) requires the focus, suddenly unfinished or unfixed old stuff (HTML4 compliance or the current official) goes to the attic to be forgotten as outdated or uninteresting.
Apart of the humoristic implications for this very case, I'd like to ask slashdotters about their point of view and possible suggestions.
Submission + - NSF: $20M to jazz up university research networks (networkworld.com)
coondoggie writes: The National Science Foundation this week said it spread $20 million across 17 universities or state education groups to enhance broadband access and bolster Internet connectivity for academic research at schools.
Submission + - 25% of New Worms Designed to Spread by USB Devices (securityweek.com)
techinsider writes: n 2010, 25 percent of new worms have been specifically designed to spread through USB storage devices when connected to computers.
These types of threats can copy themselves to any device capable of storing information such as cell phones, external hard drives, DVDs, flash memories and MP3/4 players.
So far, these types of infections are still outnumbered by those that spread via email, but it is a growing trend. "There are now so many devices on the market that can be connected via USB to a computer: digital cameras, cell phones, MP3 or MP4 players," adds Corrons. "This is clearly very convenient for users, but since all these devices have memory cards or internal memory, it is feasible that your cell phone could be carrying a virus without your knowledge."
These types of threats can copy themselves to any device capable of storing information such as cell phones, external hard drives, DVDs, flash memories and MP3/4 players.
So far, these types of infections are still outnumbered by those that spread via email, but it is a growing trend. "There are now so many devices on the market that can be connected via USB to a computer: digital cameras, cell phones, MP3 or MP4 players," adds Corrons. "This is clearly very convenient for users, but since all these devices have memory cards or internal memory, it is feasible that your cell phone could be carrying a virus without your knowledge."
Submission + - Yahoo completes switch to Microsoft-powered search (cnet.com)
suraj.sun writes: A week after it began shifting to Bing for its search results, Yahoo says it has finished the transition--at least for its main search results in the U.S. and Canada. The move comes more than a year after Microsoft and Yahoo reached a deal to partner on search.
In a blog post, Yahoo noted that Bing is now powering Web, image, and video search for both desktop and mobile searches. "The speed in which this was completed is a testament to the great work and partnership between a number of Yahoo and Microsoft employees, the ranks of which are numerous," Yahoo senior vice president Shashi Seth said in a blog post.
CNET News: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20014546-56.html
In a blog post, Yahoo noted that Bing is now powering Web, image, and video search for both desktop and mobile searches. "The speed in which this was completed is a testament to the great work and partnership between a number of Yahoo and Microsoft employees, the ranks of which are numerous," Yahoo senior vice president Shashi Seth said in a blog post.
CNET News: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20014546-56.html
Submission + - Wikileaks releases CIA document (wikileaks.org)
Somewhat Delirious writes: Wikileaks has just released a document from the CIA which expresses worries that the perception of the United States as an exporter of terrorism may lead to barriers to extrajudicial judicial activities of the American intelligence services abroad: "If the US were seen as an exporter of terrorism, foreign partners may be less willing to cooperate with the United States on extrajudicial activities, including detention, transfer, and interrogation of suspects in third party countries."
It also shows how the US forces other countries into bilateral agreements to insure immunity for US citizens from International Criminal Court prosecutions: "Foreign perception of the US as an “exporter of terrorism” also raises difficult legal issues
for the US, its foreign allies, and international institutions. To date, the US is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and instead, has pursued Bilateral Immunity Agreements (BIAs) with other countries to ensure immunity for US nationals from ICC prosecution. The US has threatened to terminate economic aid and withdraw military assistance with countries that do not accede to BIAs."
It also shows how the US forces other countries into bilateral agreements to insure immunity for US citizens from International Criminal Court prosecutions: "Foreign perception of the US as an “exporter of terrorism” also raises difficult legal issues
for the US, its foreign allies, and international institutions. To date, the US is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and instead, has pursued Bilateral Immunity Agreements (BIAs) with other countries to ensure immunity for US nationals from ICC prosecution. The US has threatened to terminate economic aid and withdraw military assistance with countries that do not accede to BIAs."
Submission + - No Amount of Revolutionary Antivirus Will Save You (mikazo.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Traditional antivirus programs rely on blacklisting all the malware on the internet. Only in recent years have alternate ideas such as whitelisting, behaviour analysis and trust networks come into existence. When combined, these antivirus techniques can mitigate risk, but in the end, malware is and always will be a human problem. Unless anyone else has any ideas?
Comment Re:Scratches disc and improved dpads (Score 4, Funny) 176
My friend moved his 360 while Gears of War was running and it left a huge gash in the disc. He tried playing the game and could only play multiplayer, so he gave it the toothpaste treatment. After that, he could only play single player. Toothpaste again, only multiplayer. After that, he had to toothpaste it depending what he felt like playing.
Comment Re:Kanata, ON (Score 1) 560
Which company in Kanata? I was at Mitel and felt it quite a bit.
Comment Re:5.5? Feh! (Score 1) 560
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/earthquake+shakes+central+Ontario/3191688/story.html
“I lived in California for four years and this one made me go for the doorway
Thus, an earthquake of the same magnitude in southern British Columbia or California would cause more devastation because of the population density, but would be felt over a far smaller distance.
Comment Kanata, Ontario (just outside Ottawa) (Score 1) 560
I was on the 5th floor and felt quite a bit of shaking for about 15 seconds. Good thing I have an old CRT monitor, or I wouldn't have been able to use the computer! I heard the quake caused a tsunami on Stephen Harper's fake lake. Either that or the G20 protesters jumping up and down.
Comment Re:Oh Canada (Score 1) 359
calling his opposition a bunch of losers
I'll explain this one a little more fully. Not long ago, the Liberal, NDP and Bloc parties proposed forming a coalition against Harper's Conservative party (which currently had the most seats, ie. had won the last election). Harper stopped this from happening by suspending Parliament for a while.
As you might know, just recently in England the party that won the election formed a coalition with one of the other parties. During Harper's recent visit to England, he was asked what he thought of England's coalition situation compared to the one he faced in Canada. To this question he replied (don't quote me on this, I'm paraphrasing) something along the lines of "The difference is that your coalition was formed by winners, and that's why it works. In Canada, only losers try to make coalitions, and they fail."
How does this make Canada look in the eyes of the rest of the world? A country led by a presumably responsible and mature adult capable of solving problems by talking through them with the opposition, and compromising so that the highest percentage of the Canadian population is represented? No! By calling his opponents a bunch of losers, it makes him look like a 5-year-old kid on the playground whose argument is that he wins because the other kids are all thumb-and-index-to-the-forehead losers.
I'm glad that the world at least had the recent Olympics to judge Canada by, instead of this leader with the maturity of a spoiled brat.
Comment Re:Oh Canada (Score 1) 359
Canada's not without its right-wing bullshit. Check Google News for some of the things Stephen Harper's been up to lately. Proroguing Parliament twice, calling his opposition a bunch of losers, comparing other MPs to terrorist groups, no presence at the carbon emissions/pollution world summit not long ago, major cuts to arts programs, just to name a few.
