lurker4hire - Slashdot User

Submission + - New Evidence of Shrinking Arctic Ice Sheet 1

Submitted by unapersson on Sunday July 26, 2009 @02:48AM

unapersson writes: The Guardian reports new evidence that has come to light after the US Military has declassified some of its Satellite photographs:
Graphic images that reveal the devastating impact of global warming in the Arctic have been released by the US military. The photographs, taken by spy satellites over the past decade, confirm that in recent years vast areas in high latitudes have lost their ice cover in summer months.

Submission + - Google Latitude arrives for iPhone - as a web app (blogspot.com)

Submitted by on Sunday July 26, 2009 @02:45AM

An anonymous reader writes: After months of waiting, the Google Latitude social maps service finally arrived for the iPhone ... but thanks to an Apple rejection of the natively developed app, it's a web app. Says Google on their blog, "We worked closely with Apple to bring Latitude to the iPhone in a way Apple thought would be best for iPhone users. After we developed a Latitude application for the iPhone, Apple requested we release Latitude as a web application in order to avoid confusion with Maps on the iPhone". But it gets worse for iPhone users: "Unfortunately, since there is no mechanism for applications to run in the background on iPhone (which applies to browser-based web apps as well), we're not able to provide continuous background location updates in the same way that we can for Latitude users on Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile." Latitude has been sprouting new features lately and is an interesting take on social networking, but it looks like Apple is determined to ensure its users only get a seriously crippled implementation compared to the Android and WinMo versions. PC World put it less politely than Google did, saying "Google's new Latitude Web app for iPhone is so hamstrung that Apple customers may be wishing they had a BlackBerry or Android handset instead."

Submission + - The Next Big Programming Language

Submitted by

narramissic

on Wednesday February 14, 2007 @10:29AM

narramissic writes: "In a recent ITworld article, Sean McGrath muses on the future of software development, speculating that the next programming language may not be 'so much a language as a language for creating languages.' From the article:

... Outbreaks of this sort of thinking can be seen in the programming community, typically under the moniker of Domain Special Languages or DSLs. Programming languages are again starting to sprout DSL capabilities. Ruby and Fortress — of the two languages already mentioned — are examples.

I think the time is right for this sort of thinking to become mainstream. The industry is at the point where the irrational exuberance surrounding using XML as a DSL for programming languages has passed (thank goodness!). Something needs to take its place which is significantly — not just incrementally better. I think a DSL-enabling programming language will fit the bill.

"

Submission + - U.S. Lobby Groups Criticize the World on Copyright

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 14, 2007 @10:00AM

An anonymous reader writes: The International Intellectual Property Alliance — a group that brings together several U.S. lobby groups including the MPAA, RIAA, BSA, the ESA, and publisher groups, has just released its Section 301 recommendations, criticizing 60 countries for their copyright laws. While the report leads to dire media coverage, Michael Geist has just debunked the lobby campaign demonstrating how "the U.S. approach is quite clearly one of 'do what I say, not what I do' (fair use is good for the U.S., but no one else), criticizing country after country for not enacting a DMCA, and blasting national attempts to improve education or culture though exceptions or funding programs."

Submission + - Amazon asserts right to adjust prices after sale

Submitted by An anonymous reader on Wednesday February 14, 2007 @09:07AM

An anonymous reader writes: On December 23, Amazon advertised a "buy one get one free" sale on DVD boxsets, but did not test the promotion before going live. When anyone placed two boxsets in their cart, the website gave a double discount — so the "grand total" shown (before order submission) was $0.00 or something very small. Despite terms stating that Amazon checks order prices before shipping, Amazon shipped the vast majority of orders. Five days later (December 28), after orders had been received and presumably opened, Amazon emailed customers advising them to return the boxsets unopened or customers' credit cards would be charged an additional amount. (You can read more threads about this here and here.) Starting yesterday, Amazon has been (re)charging credit cards, often without authorization. On Amazon's side, they didn't advertise any double discount, and the free or nearly-free boxsets must have cost them a mint. But with Amazon continually giving unadvertised discounts that seem to be errors, is "return the merchandise or be charged" the new way that price glitches will be handled?

Submission + - EVE Devs Admit To Misconduct and More

Submitted by

RidinThoraxes

on Friday February 09, 2007 @04:56PM

RidinThoraxes writes: "The Escapist publishes a complete investigation of what they're calling Jumpgate, complete with a confession from the offending developer, emails from their community managers, and an interview with the enterprising player who uncovered it all. And who was banned for his trouble."

Submission + - Scientology Critic Reports to Usenet from Jail

Submitted by

Xenu

on Friday February 09, 2007 @04:07PM

Xenu writes: "Scientology critic and respected futurist Keith Henson, who was recently arrested on behalf of the Church of Scientology for comments made to usenet, has made his first post to the internet from jail."

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