Comment Re:Yes, because debt IS money (Score 1) 633
A UK-based website has a very interesting alternative to fractional reserve banking.
http://www.positivemoney.org.uk/
Comment Re:Global Oligarchy? (Score 2) 572
We could start by reforming the monetary systems that most countries operate on. Banks essentially get to print money out of thin air and collect interest on it. For more info, see http://www.positivemoney.org.uk/
Comment Re:Debt is like a game of tag. (Score 1) 917
This is very true and the reasons behind it are pretty well explained in a video on this website: http://www.positivemoney.org.uk/ The same website proposes some interesting solutions to the world's debt-fuelled economies and the ideas merit some consideration.
Comment Wrong link? (Score 1) 403
The link to blaming video games is a link to the previous slashdot article..
Comment Not News (Score 2) 202
Polymorphic and metamorphic malware has been around for years. They're probably seeing a rise in detections simply because of the popularity of a certain malware generation tool or something. You can read about polymorphic and metamorphic malware in a book written by a guy from Symantec that was published in 2005:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Computer-Virus-Research-Defense/dp/0321304543
Comment Re:Open Source Engine (Score 1) 271
Also, I hope they have some knowledge of graph theory
Comment Open Source Engine (Score 1) 271
Why don't they use one of the many open source social network engines like Elgg or Anahita? Rolling your own engine would require a huge amount of time and support, not to mention security concerns that are hard to avoid and catch without a full support team that you can trust.
Comment I Like (Score 1) 2254
I actually kind of like the static menu bars on the top and side. Even on a 900 pixel high monitor in Firefox it doesn't eat up too much space.
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
