52188127
submission
einar.petersen writes:
In a reversal of the by many considered shameful and most un-international decision to ban Chinese scientists to participate in an international conference on "EXO PLANETS" i.e. planets lightyears upon lightyears away, due to national security concerns (get the pun?). NASA owns up their ban on Chinese nationals participating in the conference was possibly an over interpretation of US law regarding foreign Chinese nationals and the laws in place to safeguard America from lurking danger of nations spying upon it...
The ban saw strong reactions from Scientific Institutions and Scientific Leaders around the globe and NASA actually faced a real danger of Scientists from around the globe boycotting the conference due to their earlier decision as calls were going out into the global scientific community to do so.
Concerns or no concerns about national security and interpretation of laws thereabout, it is good to see science once again being treated as an international cooperation between peers to the benefit of mankind
52034461
submission
einar.petersen writes:
So Danish Entrepreneur Bjarke Myrthu has sent an email to his users that he feels he has to throw in the towel after a Web Drama including the Kidnapping of his site and service development dream.
Seemingly two freelance developers have held hostage and tried to extort control of the company or services from Bjarke Myrthu rendering it impossible for him to continue developing the site for his users.
Having had some experience with using freelancers hired over the web using quite strict terms in my job description I'd like to hear from the Slashdot community what they think should be done in a scenario like this, how could Bjarke Myrthu wrestle back control of his dream from what must be dubious cooperation partners according to the article and how do you protect yourselves from becoming embroiled in legalities when hiring freelancers for your projects via online freelancer services.
The Original Danish article
http://www.version2.dk/artikel/webtjeneste-smider-haandklaedet-i-ringen-efter-kidnapningsdrama-54502
Translated article courtesy google
50182213
submission
einar.petersen writes:
Microsoft is in these hours apparently working to secure a complete buyout of the Finnish Mobile Manufacturer that will result in 32000 additional employees being transferred Microsoft, albeit a large number it is less than it could have been as former Microsoft Executive Stephen Elop has already slashed 20.000 Nokia jobs during his tenure at Nokia.
49724697
submission
einar.petersen writes:
"The owner of Lavabit tells us that he's stopped using email and if we knew what he knew, we'd stop too.
There is no way to do Groklaw without email. Therein lies the conundrum.
What to do?"
So go the first lines in a lengthy and thought provoking goodbye to Groklaw readers...
39608891
submission
einar.petersen writes:
So I attended the Star Wars Weekend at Tåstrup Kulturhus and spent some quality time with David/Dave Prowse, Richard LeParmentier, Tim Dry, Alan Flyng, John Coppinger and the wonderful Pam Rose.
This being November and Mens Cancer Awareness month I managed to cajoule the MoBro's of Star Wars — the honorable Lady & Gentlemen above to participate in the concoction of a November charity special photo series, that goes on auction during the last 10 days of November 2012...
If you want to see the AWESOME STAR WARS MoBro's and find out about the auction read on at the url I have given
37800921
submission
einar.petersen writes:
One of the biggest wind mill producers in the world the Danish company Vestas (http://www.vestas.com/) has decided to donate their retired HP-supercomputer with 1344 kernels each 3,3 gigahertz, 2760 gigabyte RAM and 250 terabyte of harddiskspace to Aalborg University.
The computer from 2008 and already replaced by another monster at Vestas already came cheap — Price tag for the University... Pay for the transport and it is yours....
Now that's what I call corporate social responsibility — Imagine more companies donating supercomputers to Universities around the world in this way...
Here is a link to the article in English (google translate — gives a rough idea)
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=da&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.version2.dk%2Fartikel%2Fvestas-foraerer-aflagt-supercomputer-til-aalborg-universitet-47855
30060955
submission
einar.petersen writes:
Official governmental portal in Denmark currently only accepts the Firefox browser due to the way Firefox handles cookie control opposing all other major browsers and directs those wanting to create corporations or alter settings for their corporations to download firefox if they are not running it already.
Original piece (In Danish) here: http://www.version2.dk/artikel/firefox-er-eneste-browser-til-virkdks-webreg-paa-grund-af-cookies-44122
25148794
submission
einar.petersen writes:
Danish Professor Gert Froelund has sold patents to Samsung that could devastate Apple sales in a multitude of countries and hopefully bash Apple back in line and have them concentrate on innovation rather that litigation, the scourge that has engulfed IT the latter years.
The patents are different than Samsung has used in previous cases but may nevertheless be something to tip the balance in favor of open competition and away from the I have a patent you can't do anything about it nah nah nah nah nah culture that is so detrimental to IT and innovation as a whole.A
14370888
submission
einar.petersen writes:
Is NASA possibly keeping secret the news of an Earth twin that can be found in the constellation The Swan ?
This and the reasons for possibly keeping a lid on such news are discussed in the story below.
Original story in danish:
http://www.comon.dk/nyheder/Jordens-tvilling-holdes-hemmelig-1.362645.html
Same story translated via Google translate:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comon.dk%2Fnyheder%2FJordens-tvilling-holdes-hemmelig-1.362645.html&sl=da&tl=en
How do you feel about delayed data release ? Should such data be kept under wraps or should they be shared as soon as they are available ?
14370104
submission
einar.petersen writes:
Neelie Kroes
Former European Commissioner for Competition (2004–2010) and currently, since 2010 European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, has released a video in staunch support of FOSS and a plead for the public to get further involved.
She is citing the use of FOSS in the public sector as a success and encourages further use.
Her video can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok100U4Fo3Y&feature=player_embedded
Danish story on the subject:
http://www.comon.dk/nyheder/Open-source-er-ikke-laengere-et-beskidt-ord-1.365505.html
Same story Google translated to english:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comon.dk%2Fnyheder%2FOpen-source-er-ikke-laengere-et-beskidt-ord-1.365505.html&sl=da&tl=en
Does the slashdot crowd know of other public figures and success stories for FOSS / Open Source that should be publicized ?
661674
submission
einar.petersen writes:
So fellow /. 'ers.
In my country of residence, Denmark, an IT taskforce is publicly discussing and proposing FORCED PATCHING of peoples computer systems as a way to keep the masses safe on the internet.
As an IT professional I was in shock and disbelief when I first heard of the idea on the second of April, and thought some journalist had just been sucked in, but alas it was not a delayed Aprils fools, there are actually people here who believe 1) It is a good idea, 2) It is doable.
What makes this even worse is that having a patched system might become mandatory in order to access your government service pages (The Danish government is moving towards e-governance as a savings measure).
And the fear is that it might become mandatory to keep your system patched to be allowed to get onto the Internet as well.
In my head I'm thinking, which patches to which operation system and to which programs? Another thought screaming in my head is freedom of choice.
I would like to be able to access the collective regarding this matter and deliver a serious punch in the stomach of this initiative and thus ask you to explicitly explain to me in very laymans terms why forced patching is a bad idea.
I hope to be able to use your gold nuggets in order to do so, please mark your answers FREE TO USE.
The people who must understand the arguments are potentially politicians and laymen. I truly hope for an entertaining debate and good arguments regarding the matter in play.
The following PDF's contain the now published report on the issue:
http://www.tekno.dk/pdf/projekter/brugernes_it-sikkerhed/p08_brugernes_it-sikkerhed_eng.pdf — SUMMARY IN ENGLISH.
http://www.tekno.dk/pdf/projekter/p08_brugernes_it-sikkerhed.pdf — Full report IN DANISH ONLY
http://www.tekno.dk/pdf/projekter/brugernes_it-sikkerhed/p08_brugernes_it-sikkerhed_bilag.pdf — the questions and answers — DANISH ONLY
I hope for some good points that can be brought forward in the debate.
Rgds.
Einar Petersen
