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Comment Re: I tried the switch also (Score 1) 296

I had a class this semester where the professor distributed homework in .docx format. LibreOffice had the worst time displaying even the simpler circuit diagrams that were made using Smart Art. Even if I converted the document to PDF, the screwed up formatting would carry over. I ended up finding out that Dropbox would convert any docx to PDF when you would preview the document in your browser. The formatting Dropbox would display was identical to how the document was displayed in MS Office so I would just save that PDF and work off of that.

On Linux, the problem was even more of a pain. Any of the .pptx he used in lecture would have really weird fonts (font size was either too big or too small) when I would open them in Libre. I found out that I didn't have any of the MS ttf fonts installed but even after installing those, the slides still weren't exactly right. These were both slides that he had made himself and slides that were given out from the publisher of our textbook.

Comment Re:Reality - Support (Score 1) 296

Installation of enterprise versions of Office are incredibly easy. Pop in a disc or download the executable and run it. I believe its maybe just one prompt asking where you want to install it. After that, it just installs without any interaction.

But in reality, IT would just have an image to push to every machine that would include Office so install time is negligible.

Comment Re:Easy. (Score 1) 138

Assuming you are shooting the paintball at the average velocity of 91.44 m/s (300 ft/s is the maximum velocity that fields will allow you to use although the paintball could be fired faster but with less accuracy), the paintball's maximum height it could obtain would be 426 m (1397.64 ft) above the shooter. However at this height, the paintball has no more energy.

If the drone is flying at 1000 ft (304.8 m), you can expect the paintball to be moving at 48.86 m/s (160.30 ft/s). At this speed, the paintball probably won't even break on the target.

Conclusion, you might be able to hit the UAV and *possibly* break something but chances are you will miss anyway and the paintball won't even break.

Also, none of this accounts for drag or wind speed which would slow it down even more.

Comment IR LEDs and IR Filters (Score 1) 478

Install tons of super bright IR LEDs inside the bus. Most cameras will probably pickup the IR light and it will hopefully overexpose any shots they try to take [with their phone they smuggled in after you confiscated all devices before they got on]. In addition, install IR filters on your own cameras to try to filter out the IR light being blasted inside.

Comment Re:Security systems aren't home automation. (Score 2) 85

It was mostly things like remote controlled power strips, IP cameras, thermostats, and electronic door locks. I'm not surprised they stopped selling the service since most of those things either don't need a computer to control (IP cameras with a built-in server or a central reciever for multiple cameras) or could just be set to a timer (power outlets and thermostats). It was a neat service for people who didn't want to put in the effort to setup their own stuff and wanted a all-in-one deal to control all of those things but kind of useless in the end.

Comment Re:Snapchat, phone numbers?! (Score 1) 69

Considering the application runs on your phone, it pulls the number from the phone automatically. You also need to log into the application using a username and password so the phone number isn't used for anything really affecting your login. The phone number is used to help anyone that has your phone number in their contacts to find you on snapchat. Unless you make your snapchat username the same as your real name, there is nothing tying some random collection of letters to your phone number other than this DB.

Also, the previous exploit only worked if you knew a valid phone number that also happened to be a snapchat user.

Comment Re:Snicker Snort. (Score 1) 220

In some carburetors, the newer ethanol mixed gasoline will separate so that the ethanol gums up inside the carb and basically disables the engine until you break it down and clean it out. I've never had the issue with a car but I've had at least a couple of ATVs where the fuel separated after a long time in storage.

Comment Re:Oh really, briansjw? (Score 3, Insightful) 413

So when it gets released and pushed out over Windows Update, the average user's install won't break because some little driver has an issue with how Windows 8.1 does things. Having the RTM out early also allows OEMs to make sure they are picking hardware that will work best with Windows 8.1 and have 8.1 machines ready for to be sold when 8.1 drops. By not having an RTM, Microsoft is telling everyone to go screw themselves and that they'll have to figure out if stuff works on Release Day.

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