Comment Re:Relevant ? (Score 1) 567
From the article: "We dragged 16 people", I'm no stats engineer but isn't that far too low ?
Actually that's a typo. The original article mentioned that "[they] drugged 16 people."
Vicariously Tour the National Ignition Facility 97
Dave Bullock writes "The National Ignition Facility (NIF) has been discussed several times over the years on Slashdot and just recently fired all of its 192 lasers. LLNL scientists predict NIF will attain ignition (controlled nuclear explosion) in 2010. For now, take a look at the photos I shot of NIF for Wired.com when I toured it earlier this year."
Submission + - T-Mobile phones ride your Wi-Fi router
jbrannon writes: Looks like T-Mobile is the first cellular provider in the US to let you use your cell phone through your wireless router. Here's the link to the full story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_hi_te/te ch_test_wi_fi_phone
Submission + - Monsanto's Monopoly patent to be challenged
jimsnail writes: In the last decade agbiotech giant Monsanto has risen to top dog position in agriculture by leveraging a very wide patent on soybeans (that it originally opposed!). After a 13 year battle Monsanto is back in court this week — challenged by Greenpeace and ETC Group to drop the patent as an unfair monopoly. This article at Gristmill by Hope Shand of ETC Group gives the background to the case and reveals new stats showing just how far Monsanto now dominates the seed industry.
Submission + - ID KEY system will deter virtually all fraud crime
Yogesh Raja writes: "Identity fraud will continue to grow because we rely on signatures despite of knowing that in the event of crime they would not even expose person's gender.
To make signature reliable we should apply ID sticker (small sticker with person's photo and name printed on it) to the document and countersign.
Fraudsters can misuse victim's personal details but not their unique appearance (true identity or visible biometric)
Current signature system is like passports without photos and that is why it is so difficult to deter and prosecute fraudsters.
Soon ID KEY system (described on website www.xwave.co.uk) will make fraud crimes a thing of past by making signature and PIN number systems reliable and foolproof."
Submission + - RFID Immune ID is an innovative protection system
ktija writes: " Immune ID is an innovative protection system for all electronic documents using technologies such as RFID, Rubee, Smart Dots, EAS, etc.: passports, credit cards, driving licenses, access cards, etc.
Immune ID eliminates the risk of having all your important and personal information broadcasted on public air, at the reach of anyone who may want to duplicate, steal, modify or use it in dangerous and harmful ways.
Immune ID is the best solution for those who want to ensure themselves a safer and protected life."
Journal Journal: The Yahoo! Flickr Fiasco: Listening to your customers 4
Today, I just received an email that Flickr has given a deadline for us "Old Skool" members to merge our accounts with a Yahoo! account.
Not only has the Yahoo!/Flickr crowd squarely ignored user and customer needs, they have gone ahead and done something that the users were explicitly against. Already, a lot of the users on the Flickr forum have asked if they could cancel their membership.
Submission + - Has Google Lost its Agility?
aralin writes: "We all heard the stories of entrepreneurs being denied funding from VC firms for fear that Google will come and eat their lunch. Google enjoys the public image of an agile giant. But does it still hold true? What does the Slashdot crowd think?
Google has been lately very unresponsive to user feedback. Even bugs reported by many different users are not even answered in weeks, much less fixed. New features in many products appear once in a blue moon and are well tested. Case in point being Blogger, just to single out one really rotten apple. So when existing products are neglected in this manner, what is the chance Google will be able to enter new markets and really take a bite of your lunch? Is anybody still afraid? Google will be 10 years old soon, so are they turning into yet another large and slow corporation?"
Google has been lately very unresponsive to user feedback. Even bugs reported by many different users are not even answered in weeks, much less fixed. New features in many products appear once in a blue moon and are well tested. Case in point being Blogger, just to single out one really rotten apple. So when existing products are neglected in this manner, what is the chance Google will be able to enter new markets and really take a bite of your lunch? Is anybody still afraid? Google will be 10 years old soon, so are they turning into yet another large and slow corporation?"
Submission + - Microsoft e-mails show Mac OS X Envy
MCSEBear writes: Information Week reports that Microsoft e-mails submitted as evidence in the state of Iowa's anti-trust case show definite OS X envy among Microsoft execs.
In 2004 after Apple demonstrated details of Mac OS X Tiger: "Lenn Pryor, former director of Microsoft's platform evangelism, said Spotlight, the new Mac OS X 10.4 search tool that Apple chief executive Steve Jobs highlighted at the conference, was "amazing. It is like I just got a free pass to Longhorn-land today." Pryor now works for Skype.
[Jim] Allchin agreed. "I don't believe we will have search this fast," he wrote in an e-mailed reply June 30, 2004."
In 2004 after Apple demonstrated details of Mac OS X Tiger: "Lenn Pryor, former director of Microsoft's platform evangelism, said Spotlight, the new Mac OS X 10.4 search tool that Apple chief executive Steve Jobs highlighted at the conference, was "amazing. It is like I just got a free pass to Longhorn-land today." Pryor now works for Skype.
[Jim] Allchin agreed. "I don't believe we will have search this fast," he wrote in an e-mailed reply June 30, 2004."
Submission + - Nokia gets a harsh reminder of their poor security
Master Runner writes: "The cell phone maker Nokia got a harsh reminder of the need for security last sunday when a story appeared on Digg (Link via Coral CDN) showing how a "Dr.Jr7" hacked their canadian website, replacing a product name with the text "Dr.Jr7 HEre,Get More Secure Next Time,h3llp@hotmail.com."
A Digg user later posted in the comments how to log in to the websites administrator account via SQL insertion. Digg users logged in to the administrative interface, and eventually a malicious user modified the database. Nokia.ca was still down as of Thursday the 30th of January."
Submission + - "Plan 9"ing computer architectures
Hucko writes: If we were to design a personal computer based on the knowledge and ideas of Dec 2006, what would the Plan 9 of hardware be like? What "mistakes" and standards would we drop completely? Compatibility with current systems not necessary.
Vendor AMD-ATI combo to shake up consumer electronics mkt
AMD is looking to change the rules
of the semiconductor chip maker game. It started with their acquisition of ATI, making them the second-largest maker of computing processors. They are now working to "create a new class of x86 processor that integrates the CPU and the GPU at the silicon level with a broad set of design i
Submission + - BitTorrent vs. Usenet Rivalry
An anonymous reader writes: There's a lot going on in the file-sharing world, and P2P news site Slyck.com has an interesting comparison of two methods of online distribution: Usenet (the newsgroups) and BitTorrent. Slyck concludes that because of its fast speed, large selection and relatively anonymity, Usenet beats out BitTorrent.
Submission + - Help plan humanity's next 50 years in space.
Anonymous Coward writes: "SGAC, in partnership with the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, the Boston University Center for Space Physics and the Secure World Foundation, invites input from young space enthusiasts 29 or under to contribute to planning the next 50 years in space.
The planning workshop will including prominent individuals such as Freeman Dyson, Elon Musk and Dr Harrison Schmitt, will be held in conjunction with a conference titled, "The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems?"
Travel expenses will be covered for two young people to attend the conference and participate in the Saturday planning workshop by representing the input gathered in this process. The processing of the input and preperation of its results will be opened to the youth community, and two individuals will be selected from the top contributors to this work.
The input sought at this time are key events and timing that are thought to be important for space activities over the next 50 years, with each event being as short as possible and no more than 100 words.
We hope to capture the input in a publication tentatively titled: "Looking Back, Looking Forward: The Next Generation's 50-Year Vision for Space". Questions to consider when completing the survey might include:
Complete the survey
Have your say in the next 50 years of space and complete the survey.
Become a participant
The Space Generation welcomes young people under 29 to assist in the process. The work will involve the promotion of the survey, the synthesis of the results, and the preparation of the final report and presentation. The top two contributors to this process will be selected as delegates to attend the symposium.
Register now to access the participants section and to become eligible for delegate selection."
The planning workshop will including prominent individuals such as Freeman Dyson, Elon Musk and Dr Harrison Schmitt, will be held in conjunction with a conference titled, "The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems?"
Travel expenses will be covered for two young people to attend the conference and participate in the Saturday planning workshop by representing the input gathered in this process. The processing of the input and preperation of its results will be opened to the youth community, and two individuals will be selected from the top contributors to this work.
The input sought at this time are key events and timing that are thought to be important for space activities over the next 50 years, with each event being as short as possible and no more than 100 words.
We hope to capture the input in a publication tentatively titled: "Looking Back, Looking Forward: The Next Generation's 50-Year Vision for Space". Questions to consider when completing the survey might include:
- What will space look like in the next 50 years?
- How can we learn from our history on earth as we move into this next frontier?
- How can we create opportunities for sustainable, beneficial and effective use of space?
- Who will decide these questions?
- How will conflict of interests be settled?
- What new systems, structures and paradigms do we need as we begin this new adventure?
Complete the survey
Have your say in the next 50 years of space and complete the survey.
Become a participant
The Space Generation welcomes young people under 29 to assist in the process. The work will involve the promotion of the survey, the synthesis of the results, and the preparation of the final report and presentation. The top two contributors to this process will be selected as delegates to attend the symposium.
Register now to access the participants section and to become eligible for delegate selection."
Submission + - Which rechargeable batteries?
kramer2718 writes: "I go through a lot of batteries in my digital camera, remote controls, etc. I'd like to go to the rechargeable route for the environment and for my pocketbook, but I don't know which rechargeable batteries are the best. Can the Slashdot readers out there give me some advice about which brand and types of batteries work well?"
