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Comment To paraphrase Tom Marcos' "Peopleware."... (Score 1) 334

Since the days of computers first came into common use there must have been tens of thousands of database programs written. There are probably thousands of database projects underway as you read these words. And somewhere today, at least one of them is failing. ... Databases are wheels that have been re-invented so often that many veteran developers could stumble through such projects with their eyes closed. Yet these efforts sometimes still manage to fail.
Spam

Submission + - Has anyone ever made a spam triggered purchase?

Submitted by arkenshade
arkenshade writes: and if the overwhelming answer is "No", how can spamming be worthwhile for the entities that do it? I know it is cheap to generate spam — but there has to be some return...
User Journal

Journal Journal: How Bell Labs blew the microchip

Journal by Frisky070802
The December 2006 issue of IEEE Spectrum carries an article about the life and tragic death of Jack A. Morton, of Bell Labs: How Bell Labs Missed the Microchip. It includes "On integrated circuits in particular, Morton exhibited serious blind spots that cost the parent phone company, AT&T, dearly--and may have contributed to its eventual dismemberment."
XBox (Games)

Gears of War Updated, New Maps Wednesday 45

Posted by Zonk from the new-ways-to-frag dept.
Microsoft's biggest seller for 2006 (2.7 million sold in eight weeks) is certain to be a series we'll see around for a long, long time. In the immediate future, though, the game is getting a much-needed update today, with new maps available this Wednesday. The new maps are multiplayer only, and are entitled 'Raven Down' and 'Old Bones'. From the update: "Fixed rare situation where players could get stuck after chainsawing in multiplayer. Reduced Grenade Tag melee distance (Z: thank you!). Enabled 'Strict' NAT check on host to prevent possible connection issues. Optimized server browser queries to return results more quickly and prevent scroll bars from hiding quality of service icons. Reduced number of possible revives in Execution to match Warzone. Removed host name from Ranked match server browser. Disabled security cameras in Ranked matches." It's great that the game is getting an update, but that innocuous looking 'removed host name from ranked match server browser' means it is now even more difficult to hook up with friends for a Ranked match. Boo, Epic. Boo.

AMD's All-in-One Media Machine 121

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the kitchen-sink-not-included dept.
Drakewolf writes to tell us that despite the many failed attempts to bridge the gap between the PC and home entertainment systems, AMD has released several new products at CES under their LIVE! brand. The centerpiece was the AMD LIVE! Home Cinema, an all-in-one device that combines a set-top cable box, stereo receiver, DVD player, digital video recorder, and a PC.
Programming

Submission + - Second Life Goes Open Source

Submitted by jon.wolf
jon.wolf writes: Linden Labs, the company behind the popular MMO Second Life has released the source code to the client application under the GNU GPL 2 licence. From the article:
Stepping up the development of the Second Life Grid to everyone interested, I am proud to announce the availability of the Second Life client source code for you to download, inspect, compile, modify, and use within the guidelines of the GNU GPL version 2.
Microsoft

Submission + - Bill Gates funds anti-net neutrality Congressman

Submitted by
amigoro
amigoro writes: "It has emerged that Bill Gates funded an anti-neutrality Congressman at the last election. He gave $2,000, the maximum possible, to Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), who voted against Markey's "Net Neutrality Act of 2006". He also meant to be working closely with another anti-net neutrality Congressman, Cliff Stearns.

This is hardly surprising, considering the fact that Microsoft stands to lose, not gain, from net neutrality."

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