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Comment Printers are another weak spot (Score 1) 321

There are a lot of things you can do with some printers that enable web servers without any authentication at all. Print things, ask to do a scan (people forget things on scanners), view and modify contact lists for FAX and scan to email tools, etc. Definitely potential for "denial of ink and paper" attacks on a printer.

IMO manufacturers should only allow local network access to these devices unless you explicitly set or modify the default login.

Comment We have assured the Administrator... (Score 2) 409

SCIENTIST 1
I'm afraid we'll be deviating a bit from standard analysis procedures today, Gordon.

SCIENTIST 2
Yes, but with good reason. This is a rare opportunity for us. This is the purest sample we've seen yet.

SCIENTIST 1
And potentially the most unstable!

SCIENTIST 2
Oh, if you follow standard insertion procedures, everything will be fine.

SCIENTIST 1
I don't know how you can say that. Although I will admit that the possibility of a resonance cascade scenario is extremely unlikely, I remain uncomfortable with the---

SCIENTIST 2
Gordon doesn't need to hear this. He's a highly trained professional. We have assured the Administrator that nothing will go wrong.

SCIENTIST 1
Ah yes, you're right. Gordon, we have complete confidence in you.

SCIENTIST 2
Well, go ahead. Let's let him in now.

Comment Road trip movie (Score 2) 321

Luke has been asked to help open a shopping mall but isn't allowed to fly anymore. So he goes to Han and Lea, asking if they'll fly him cross-galaxy in the Millennium Falcon, now a beat up old ship that's always getting passed on the Kessel run. Unexpectedly, Chewie shows up, having just gotten out of the hospital with a bad case of mange requiring him to shave off all his fur. Along the way there is joy and sadness tinged with melancholy over what was, and in the end they realize it's about their frienships and not mall openings or fur. Guest cameo by Chad Vader as manager of the grocery store in the mall.

Comment Hey Blueseed, ever gone out off CA in the winter? (Score 1) 332

For that matter, has your concept artist? That artwork is an absolute load of crap fantasy about what it's like out there. The weather can and will absolutely suck in the winter. And the summers may be nice(r), but you're not talking "lounging on the deck in your swimsuit". Seriously, what are you going to do if a storm blows up and it's 30's seas? Go into port while you close down all work? Watch your work force all call in sea sick?

Here's a summary of Dec/Jan conditions from a NOAA buoy close to the proposed location...

Average wind speed, 10 knots, with peak wind gusts up to 50 (and beyond) at times, which can create 25-30 foot seas. Trust me, 25-30 foot seas suck. You're not doing nothing but point the boat into the waves and riding it out. Average air temperature is about 53 degrees, with the water about the same, so forget swim calls. Maybe go out on deck for a big of an invigorating walk, but then it's back into the ship's interior. Even right now in Spring/Summer, it's blowing 15 knots and the air temperature is 51 degrees.

This is from http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46012

Comment If even strong passwords can get leaked... (Score 1) 141

...what's the point of having a strong one?

I'm wondering what's the biggest risk with passwords: having it hacked and either stored decrypted or decrypted later, or having someone guess it? I'm starting to think it's the former, which makes me think there's no point in super complex "try and guess THIS one!" passwords.

Comment GameMaker (Score 1) 237

As someone who's also been roped into the "teach game development" trap, my advice is to stay the heck away from programming and 3D and any other component that requires specialized skills. If you want the kids to actually finish something, then do what you can to make that happen. Not all of them will be programmers or artists, and you don't want to spend all your time teaching those skills. Plus, it's also pretty common for those that can't program (or model) very well to have really huge ideas that far outstrip their ability to actually deliver - which translates into never finishing.

And to that end, my recommendation is GameMaker, from http://yoyogames.com/ There's a free version, it runs on PC and Mac, it's friendly to non-programmers and programmers alike, and easy to use. Tons of free resources available as well (from good to bad).

If you DO want to move up to the higher production gaming style, consider modding. You can pick up a copy of FarCry for DIRT CHEAP, and it's a very modable game engine with lots of good documentation. Or consider modding Valve's Source (Half-Life 2) engine.

Comment OP needs to think this through a bit more... (Score 3, Insightful) 200

The OP asks, "Why carry out a very expensive launch into space to resupply the ISS..." and the answer is pretty simple...

It's expensive to boost mass up into orbit. 3D printers take raw materials to print with. It's either send up the raw materials for the 3D printer to use, or send up the finished product, and pay for that launch. One could I suppose harvest space junk and asteroids and use that material, but that's not going to come cheap either.

Note, this is the truth of the ISS. Something like a base on Mars or the Moon, that's another story. Then it's worth figuring out how to utilize the local resources to feed a 3D printer.

Comment Wonder if you actually get the $1.50? (Score 1) 140

I just got a check for some odd EBay related class action. Total reward to me was something like $1.60, but my total disbursement was a whopping $0.08 after I assume "processing and legal fees". Just to be irritating and get my money's worth, I thought I should call up the contact number and ask lots of questions so I get my money's worth from the lawyers.

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