Comment Re:Use Handbrake (Score 1) 501
Handbrake is definitely the best free DVD ripping software under Linux
Comment Ubuntu Netbook Remix - Great on desktops too (Score 1) 180
I downloaded the alpha 6 netbook remix, put it on a USB stick, booted it on a Dell Optiplex 755, installed it, patched it, and am running it right now.
I think the "netboox remix" interface actually suits a lot of what people use computers for today... a glorified web browser... while not distracting the user with all the other windows, window decorations, virtual desktops, etc.
I'm a power user who loves those things, but I'm surprised how I feel somewhat freed up by not having to worry about them.
Comment Re:"Upgrade" to IE 7 (Score 1) 349
I guess you have never heard of a Microsoft-only shop
Even Microsoft isn't a Microsoft-only shop.
Comment Dell is a hypocrite - Cloud computing anyone? (Score 1) 167
How did Dell suddenly become the computing term trademark police? Just a few months ago, they were trying to trademark "cloud computing"!
http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2224228/dell-cloud-claim-struck
Puh-leeze!
Submission + - Magnetic Brain Stimulator
ardent99 writes: Transcranial magnetic stimulation, a technique for treating clinical depression, uses a device placed on a patient's head that delivers a pulse to the gray matter. Psychiatrists at the American Psychiatric Association meeting here are unabashedly optimistic about its potential for treating tough cases. It's in the final stages of FDA review, and could come to market as soon as the end of the year.
TMS works by creating an electromagnetic pulse that doesn't disturb the skull or scalp, but can reach two to three centimeters into the brain to stimulate the prefrontal cortex and paralimbic blood flow, increasing the serotonin output and the dopamine and norepinephrine functions.
TMS works by creating an electromagnetic pulse that doesn't disturb the skull or scalp, but can reach two to three centimeters into the brain to stimulate the prefrontal cortex and paralimbic blood flow, increasing the serotonin output and the dopamine and norepinephrine functions.
Submission + - Computer science PhD is turnoff
nbauman writes: The prospects for PhDs in computer science look even more dismal. According to research done by Professor Richard Wiseman at the Edinburgh International Science Festival http://www.generationscience.co.uk/html/news_relea se.html, one of the worst pick-up lines is, 'I have a PhD in computing.' 100 members of the public took part in 500 speed dates. During the event, participants rated the attractiveness of their dates and indicated whether they would like to meet that person again. To uncover the best type of chat-up lines, researchers compared the conversations of participants rated as very desirable by their dates with those seen as especially undesirable. Those highly skilled in seduction encouraged their dates to talk about themselves in an unusual, quirky, way. The most memorable lines from the top-rated man and woman in the study illustrate the point. The top-rated male's best line was: 'If you were on Stars In Their Eyes, who would you be?', whilst the top-rated female asked: 'What's your favourite pizza topping?'. In contrast, failed Casanovas tended to be far less creative, employing old chestnuts like 'Do you come here often?' or struggling to impress with comments such as 'I have a PhD in computing'. "Whenever our couples spoke about films they really increased their chance of disagreement", commented Wiseman. "In contrast, conversations about travel tend to revolve around great holidays and dream destinations, and that makes people feel good and so appear more attractive to one another".
Municipal Wi-Fi Networks In Trouble 294
imamac writes "According to an AP story, municipal Wi-Fi is going nowhere fast. A think tank research director quipped, 'They are the monorails of this decade: the wrong technology, totally overpromised and completely undelivered.' Subscriptions to the services are much lower than expected and lawmakers are concerned that millions of dollars will have gone to waste that could have been better spent on roads or crime-fighting. Satisfaction with the quality of service has also been low, which give some insight into the low adoption rate. Is municipal Wi-Fi just a bad idea, has it been poorly implemented, or is the technology just not there to support such an endeavor?"
Submission + - Case Study: How Your Domain Gets Stolen
mightybutton writes: "MyMarketer.net recently did a case study trying to discover how domain terms are stolen before being registered. Their hypothesis was "that shady whois search engines were being pinged whenever a domain search was being conducted." The final results on the case study was posted today on their website."
Submission + - CentOS 5 (Beta) for i386 and x86_64 is Released
Submission + - Hit & Run driver caught with internet help
Kumba writes: The collective power of the internets was demonstrated in this thread as one member of an auto enthusiast forum helped another member identify the driver of a hit and run incident against the latter's friend. Since then, it's spread like wildfire. The one photo depicting the driver's face may yet become the most photoshopped image on the planet.
Submission + - Use PHP Profiler to Find and Hasten Plodding Code
IdaAshley writes: If your PHP application is plodding, use a profiler to target and measure where time is being spent or memory is being used. You can target the statement, loop, function, class, or library that's most sluggish. Part 1 of this "Make PHP apps fast, faster, fastest" series demonstrates how you can accelerate your entire site by eliminating redundant work using XCache, a PHP opcode cache.
Submission + - Nanotechnology leading to molecular machines
dr_nomad_x writes: a number of enticing research papers on the use of catalysis and molecular motors to produce movement. One paper mentioned sounds particularly useful: an overview of progress on Synthetic Molecular Motors href="http://dottrans.blogspot.com/">Read More...
Journal Journal: Improving job market for coders? 6
Today one of the other programmers in the bullpen gave his notice - he's going to work at another company as of Monday. The rest of the week is going to be spent familiarizing myself with his code.
So what do I find in my email when I get home? A headhunter says she has "an urgent opportunity" that "I thought might interest you." And I wasn't even looking
Has anyone else noticed a higher-than-normal turnover as employers raid each others' talent?
EU Commissioner Slams Music Lock-In 293
Nonu writes "EU Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva has come out against DRM lock-ins like Apple's iPod-iTunes combo. Kuneva said she believes the tie-in that keeps music bought from the iTunes Store from playing on MP3 players other than the iPod was unreasonable. '"Do you find it reasonable that a CD will play in all CD players, but an iTunes song will only play on an iPod?" asked Kuneva. "It doesn't [seem reasonable] to me. Something must change."' The EU is in the midst of an effort to harmonize its consumer protection laws, and along with the question of DRM tie-ins it is also looking at mandating cooling-off periods during which customers could 'return' downloaded music."
Submission + - EFF Reveals Plot to Cripple European Televison
poopie writes: From BoingBoing:
Read the EFF DVB briefing paper Who controls your TelevisionEFF has just published a long-awaited, brilliant paper on Europe's proposed digital TV DRM system.... EFF is the only consumer group admitted to the DRM negotiations — closed door, secretive meetings that you had to pay EU10,000 a year to attend — and then only because it came as the representative of some open source manufacturers. Speaking of which, the DVB spec requires that devices be built to resist end-user modification, which means that open source and free software are right out.
