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Comment Re:mobile platform (Score 1) 424

Isn't that pretty much like saying: "Actual Windows developers don't seem to share your concern. As I've said before, only Linux fanboys seem to care about Windows' supposed security issues."?

(replace with your favourite OS/kernel/whatnot)

Maybe the developers should care?

Censorship

Is Twitter Censoring Wikileaks Trends? 191

comforteagle writes "There are suspicions coming to the surface this morning that Twitter may be censoring WikiLeaks-related tweets from forming a trending topic. Why is still unclear at this point, as during Iranian protests a short while ago Twitter appeared to be in the fray of helping to spread the word. As of this morning it appears that Twitter may have some explaining to do. One of Twitter's engineers has chimed in over the weekend, but some aren't convinced."
Businesses

Submission + - Bing opens aerial imagery to OpenStreetMap (stevecoast.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Steve Coast, the founder of OpenStreetMap announced last week that he had accepted a position with Bing Mobile and that Bing was donating their aerial imagery for use in editing OpenStreetMap data. Yesterday the license details were released. As of this morning, the imagery is available for use in both the new version of the flash based editor (Potlatch 2) as well as the stand-alone java editor (JOSM).

This is a positive step after the previously covered story concerning Bing and OSM. Does Microsoft see the value in open data, is this just a PR stunt or are they just desperate to do something interesting with maps to try and catch up to Google as Mapquest seems to be doing with it's OSM based maps?

Space

X-37B Secret Space Plane To Land Soon 252

Phoghat writes "The highly classified X-37B Space Plane is scheduled to land soon. It was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on April 22 atop an Atlas 5 rocket, and the Air Force is still being very secretive on all aspects of the flight. We do know that it's set to touch down at Vandenberg Air Force Base's 15,000-foot runway, originally built for the Space Shuttle program. In many ways, the craft resembles a Shuttle with stubby wings, landing gear and a powerful engine that allows the craft to alter its orbit (much to the dismay of many observers on the ground). Its success has apparently given new life to its predecessor, the X-34, which had been mothballed."
Google

Google Maps Adds Drone Imagery 141

joshuadugie writes "Slashdot carried a story a while ago that Google had purchased drones for unknown purposes. Google Maps has now added new non-satellite imagery (at UT Austin, for example) when you zoom in close enough. Mystery solved!" I'd like to think that there really are (or were) drones over Austin, but would also like to see Google's explanation for the close-up images.

Comment Re:Freedom (Score 1) 304

dude, just because it's _legal_ doesn't mean it's _ethical_.

And the reverse is true as well. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it isn't ethical.

I have spent lots of time adding data to OpenStreetMap with almost 25.000 edits (including the import of millions of address points in my country). I did it because I would like a map that's available for pretty much any purpose, not excluding Microsoft's usage.

I'm pretty fine with the arrangement. My contributions are to be used and Microsoft does exactly that. However trying to use my contributions as arguments against Microsoft (or any other part that uses the data) is douchebaggery.

Creative Commons is not a cult. There shouldn't be any kind of hidden zealotry about using data - it's not okay to say "This data is free under a CC license and you are encouraged to use it" - and when that happens shouting "However you are a dick if you don't contribute! We want your money or work or other stuff!".

Comment iPod Touch experiences - and working offline usage (Score 1) 237

(user from Denmark, Europe)

Furthermore, the iPod Touch receives information about nearby wifi networks for local storage (offline usage).

When I'm walking around the area with my iPod Touch (without any internet access) it is still able to tell me where I am.

It seems like the local information received is in the range of about 2 kilometers (about 1.25 miles).

This is a GPX track from a bus ride a few weeks ago heading north, logged with my iPod Touch:
http://maps.google.dk/?q=http://stock.ter.dk/bustur_touch_2.gpx

At the northest point of the track the iPod Touch couldn't find the local position anymore. The iPod wasn't online at any time.

Unfortunately it seems like it flushes the local database whenever it gets online. If I travel away from my home I can see my position until I reach about two kilometers away. If I go online at my destination (e.g. a friend's house) and travel home I can only see my position for a few kilometers away from my earlier destination and nothing from that point before I reach my own home again. It really would be cool if it was possible to store more information locally.

I'm pretty sure the iPod use Google's database as well as the Google Street View vans have been around Denmark pretty thoroughly last year. All the positions seem to be snapped to roads as well where the cars were positioned when driving around.

On another node; several public means of transportation in the metropolitan area of Denmark is now fitted with some kind of Internet access - usually free access with commercials injected in the web pages. This helps being online in trains or the most frequent buses (however not that one I was on when I logged the above track).

But as the wifi geolocation service is based on the idea that an access point is stationary the results for positioning when riding a bus or train could usually put you at that station where the train (carrying the access point) just happened to be when the Google vans were driving around. I hope the self healing mechanisms in Google's (and Skyhook's) databases could "invalidate" these access points.

Comment Re:Implications on China (Score 1) 288

The most common way is to use a meta refresh "header". When redirected this way browsers don't include the referer header.

Some forum software use such a feature when making URLs clickable.

Other methods include javascript tricks.

The actual output from Google when searching for slashdot is this and clicking the link is the following, which is primary javascript with fallback to the html meta header:

<script>var a=parent,b=parent.google,c=location;
if(a!=window&&b){if(b.r){b.r=0;a.location.href="http://slashdot.org/";c.replace("about:blank");}}else{c.replace("http://slashdot.org/");};
</script><noscript><META http-equiv="refresh" content="0;URL='http://slashdot.org/'"></noscript>

Comment Re:Porn according to whom? (Score 1) 263

FTFA: ".. all images that are of little or no educational value .."

These images you mention seem to have educational value.

Yeah, there might be different opinions about how much is sufficient to be educational, but the comment is not "If this is porn/'inspiring', then it should be removed" but "little or no educational value but which appeal solely to prurient interests".

Earth

Open Source Alternative To Google Earth? 190

aws910 writes "Today, I fired up Google Earth to find that the 'points of interest' category had been removed, and a single checkbox is in its place. Certain layers are now entirely inaccessible. Google triggered a user revolt, but admitted fault, and promised to restore full functionality someday. In the meantime, I've found a lack of plausible alternatives. Bing seems nice, but Moonlight crashes the browser on any machine I use, and I'd rather use OSS anyway ... which made me realize there doesn't seem to be a good open-source alternative to Google Earth. Am I missing something?"

Comment Re:Is this good or bad? (Score 1) 214

It works, but it's not as accurate as one might think. Signals bounce, which (at least in the GPS world) is known as multipath. This both result in a longer distance (and delay) and a weakened signal. The recipient (the antenna tower) do not know how much the signal has bounced.

Actually the distortion and reflection in the GPS signal makes it possible to gather (crude) information about the location and shape surrounding buildings. I wish I could find the appropiate video :-/

Comment Re:Mixed Feelings (Score 1) 145

it will allow w3c to influence Microsoft more

Or do you mean allow Microsoft to influence W3C more?

The Sphinx: To learn my teachings, I must first teach you how to learn.

The Sphinx: He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions.

The Sphinx: When you care what is outside, what is inside cares for you.

Mr. Furious: Okay, am I the only one who finds these sayings just a little bit formulaic? "If you want to push something down, you have to pull it up. If you want to go left, you have to go right." It's...
The Sphinx: Your temper is very quick, my friend. But until you learn to master your rage...
Mr. Furious: ...your rage will become your master? That's what you were going to say. Right? Right?
The Sphinx: Not necessarily.

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