mcclure - Slashdot User

Submission + - What Bosses should know: software requirements

Submitted by

Esther Schindler

on Tuesday March 06, 2007 @08:19PM

Esther Schindler writes: "CIO.com asked developers to name the ONE thing that they wished the CIO understood about software requirements. The summary is several pages long, but it pulls no punches: from the role of requirements, to defining who creates the requirements (and in how much detail), to the need to shake the boss to get him to understand that requirements change, to paying attention to the process. It's all here, in Five Things CIOs Should Know About Software Requirements, with a few dozen developer's voices loud and clear. For instance, one developer comments, "The CIO has to realize that if there is no bad news, there is something very wrong. Smiling people nodding 'Yes' in meetings is not a sign of great intelligence at work.""

Submission + - UK: Blair Dismisses Online Anti ID-Card Petition

Submitted by

Anonymous Coward

on Monday February 19, 2007 @05:45PM

Anonymous Coward writes: "Elected Dictator / Prime Minister Tony Blair has responded personally via e-mail to 28,000 online petitioners opposing the UK's planned identity card scheme, and has closed the online petition. The e-mail reads: "We live in a world in which people, money and information are more mobile than ever before. Terrorists and international criminal gangs increasingly exploit this to move undetected across borders and to disappear within countries. Terrorists routinely use multiple identities — up to 50 at a time." ..."ID cards which contain biometric recognition details and which are linked to a National Identity Register will make this much more difficult.""

Submission + - SSH Security Primer: Client Security

Submitted by nitsudima on Monday February 19, 2007 @04:51PM

nitsudima writes: John Tränkenschuh provides a quick survey of SSH client security issues and suggested configurations for the reference SSH distribution, OpenSSH.

Submission + - Pre-Installed Linux tops Dell customer requests

Submitted by

dhart

on Monday February 19, 2007 @04:26PM

dhart writes: "Within only a few days of opening a new customer feedback website, Dell has discovered the feature most requested (by a wide margin!) as an option on all new Dell PCs: Pre-installed Linux. I believe they'll have a harder time now with the tired old mantra "there's no customer demand for Linux"."

Couple Who Catch Cop Speeding Could Face Charges 876

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday February 19, 2007 @04:13PM from the turnabout-isn't-fair-play dept.

a_nonamiss writes "A Georgia couple, apparently tired of people speeding past their house, installed a camera and radar gun on their property. After it was installed, they caught a police office going 17MPH over the posted limit. They brought this to the attention of the local police department, and are now being forced to appear in front of a judge to answer to charges of stalking."

Submission + - BBC launches Space Shuttle based on car

Submitted by

David Off

on Monday February 19, 2007 @04:10PM

David Off writes: "Last summer BBC Television decided to launch a space shuttle shaped motorcar, the Reliant Robin, into very very low earth orbit! Now this may not be the X-prize but it is a very very cool hack that harks back to era of MIT's Tech Model Railroad Club. Now a shuttle launch costs hundreds of millions of dollars. The Beeb built a very convincing shuttle from the Robin, a main fuel tank and two SRBs in an industrial unit in Manchester. There was very little money but all the tea the team could manage to dring. The rockets develop 8.5 tonnes of thrust and this was the most powerful private launch in Europe to date. The Robin had to be stripped from 750kg to 250kg and avionics fitted for the flight back to earth. All doesn't quite go to plan as you can see in the 20 minute film which was broadcast yesterday. It would be nice to know more about the tech behind the launch, the film is thin on details."

Submission + - Outsourced call centre jobs returning to UK

Submitted by fiannaFailMan on Monday February 19, 2007 @03:32PM

fiannaFailMan writes: The BBC is reporting that more UK companies are reversing the call-centre outsourcing trend.

"Hello, it's my car." ''Your cat, sir?." "No, my hatchback." "Your bad back, sir?" "No my car, it's a hatchback." "Your cat has a bad back, sir?" "Arghhhhhh!" ...Just 4% of people have had a good experience when dealing with a call centre, according to a recent survey by YouGov. Over half of those asked said their biggest gripe was having to contact call centres outside the UK and more than a third admitted to shouting and swearing at agents because they got so frustrated.

Submission + - Anti-DRM Petition Response From Downing Street

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 19, 2007 @03:15PM

An anonymous reader writes: Downing Street have released a statement in response to a petition on their website.
It states that all products with DRM should be labelled on how the product can be used or not used.

It is clear though that the needs and rights of consumers must also be carefully safeguarded. It is reasonable for consumers to be informed what is actually being offered for sale, for example, and how and where the purchaser will be able to use the product, and any restrictions applied.

It also references the Gowers Report [PDF warning] published December 2006 and the recommendations proposed in the report.

Recommendations include introducing a limited private copying exception by 2008 for format shifting for works published after the date that the law comes into effect. There should be no accompanying levies for consumers. Also making it easier for users to file notice of complaints procedures relating to Digital Rights Management tools by providing an accessible web interface on the Patent Office website by 2008 and that DTI should investigate the possibility of providing consumer guidance on DRM systems through a labelling convention without imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens

Submission + - Poll: Zero Gravity Football Charity Tournament

Submitted by

RockyPersaud

on Monday February 19, 2007 @03:14PM

RockyPersaud writes: "An international student organization is considering hosting a charity tournament to raise money for scholarships and student projects — millions can be raised by having IPX Entertainment host a Zero Gravity Football charity tournament, featuring a game in which athletes play a version of U.S. style football in weightlessness on board an airplane. Your response will help the charity decide whether to go ahead with this tournament. We are looking for at least 40,000 votes so please spread the world. Please visit http://spacechannel.tv to vote."

Cold Fusion Scientist Exonerated 171

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday February 19, 2007 @02:47PM from the cold-hearted dept.

Icarus1919 writes "New Scientist reports that the scientist who discovered a possible cold fusion reaction by bombarding a solvent with neutrons and sonic waves has recently been exonerated of accusations of scientific misconduct following the verification of his results by another scientist."

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