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Unix

Submission + - File descriptors and why we can't use them

Submitted by
insane_coder
insane_coder writes: "I wrote a short article explaining the virtues of file descriptors, and how file management security is now going to get much better and easier to program with soon to be standardized functions, yet why we can't make good use of it. I also propose what we may be able to do to fix it."
Movies

DSL Gateways to Fight Piracy by Marking Video 337

Posted by CowboyNeal from the movie-dna-testing dept.
Stony Stevenson wrote with an article about home gateway devices being set up to identify video pirates. The article reads: "Home gateway manufacturer Thomson SA plans to incorporate video watermarking technology into future set-top boxes and other video devices. The watermarks, unique to each device, will make it possible for investigators to identify the source of pirated videos. By letting consumers know the watermarks are there, even if they can't see them, Thomson hopes to discourage piracy without putting up obstacles to activities widely considered fair use, such as copying video for use on another device in the home or while traveling to work."
Digital

Submission + - DVD CCA Challenges DVD Ripping in Court Monday

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Kaleidescape will finally have its day in court Monday to fight the DVD CCA. The licensor of the CSS encryption scheme for DVDs is suing the manufacturer of video servers, claiming that its products enable the unauthorized copying of protected DVDs. In a twist, the DVD CCA — commonly known as the voice of Hollywood — wants the trial closed to the public, claiming that CSS, which was broken in 1999 by a 15-year-old and spread widely on the Internet, is still a trade secret.
Mars

Submission + - Enough Water to Cover Mars... Found on Mars.

Submitted by
AbsoluteXyro
AbsoluteXyro writes: "Using a penetrating radar instrument aboard the Mars Express orbiter, enough frozen water has been found at the Martian south pole to cover the planet in over 30 feet of pure liquid water should it ever be thawed out. From the SPACE.com article: "The reflected beams revealed that 90 percent or more of the frozen polar material is pure water ice, sprinkled with dust particles. The scientists calculated that the water would form a 36-foot-deep ocean of sorts if spread over the Martian globe." This has serious implications for thirsty humanoids."
NASA

NASA Optimistic About Fuel Tank Repairs 104

Posted by CowboyNeal from the good-to-go dept.
DarkNemesis618 writes "NASA is now optimistic Atlantis' fuel tank will be able to be repaired in Florida. Due to a freak hail storm February 26 that had golf-sized hail chunks raining down on the launchpad put several thousand dings in the foam covering the external fuel tank as well as damaging 28 tiles on Atlantis' wing. 20 of the 28 tiles have been repaired and workers have started sanding down the damaged area of the tank itself. After it was decided that Atlantis needed to return to the VAB, NASA was unsure as to whether or not the tank could be repaired. But after bringing it back and doing more extensive inspections, the tank appeared to be in good enough shape that repairs could be done on the spot and a replacement was not necessary. This will allow for Atlantis to be launched late April for its construction mission to the ISS as well as not interfering with the remaining 4 launches planned this year. If the tank needed to be replaced, Atlantis would not have launched until June at the earliest."
Microsoft

Submission + - Creative in Vista-driver apology storm

Submitted by Shemmie
Shemmie writes: Anyone following Creatives progress at creating sound drivers for Vista will have noted it's been a long and convoluted history. Their support forum is filled with angry and confused customers, some of whom have simply given up waiting for fully working driver release. A thread about contacting Customer Support got closed.

One of their moderators apparently apologized to the angry mob for Creatives SNAFU at dealing with this — and promptly had his message, and replies to his message taken down in an apparent "Over-ruled" decision by Creative.

What is going on at Creative?
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft launches imforacause initiative

Submitted by
Sklein382
Sklein382 writes: "Microsoft has just launched the i'm initiative. The program is set-up so a portion of ad-revenues from using the Microsoft Live Messenger will be given to one of nine charities. The program is being started on 35 university campuses. The link for the program is imforacause. Microsoft employees, on a per employee personal giving basis, donate the most money of any company. I think this is an interesting way to combine marketing and charity for a company that takes a lot of heat from slashdot."
Nintendo

Submission + - Wii in-game friend lists won't be universal

Submitted by
John
John writes: "As reported on Tuesday, GameSpy are assisting Nintendo in implementing Wi-Fi driven features into future Wii games. Rather than provide one friend list applicable for all Wii online games though, as is the case with many of the other formats, Nintendo has decided to stick with the current set up: users still have to make their friends list for every game played.http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id= 106333"
The Internet

Submission + - Watch TV channels online for free!

Submitted by
jasc1
jasc1 writes: "MyEasyTV.com offers more than 300 TV channels in your browser for free. You just choose a channel, click it and watch it. No sign up or installation! Categories include news, movies, cartoons, sports, business, education, adult and many more."
Wireless Networking

Submission + - Coolest Use Of Citywide Wireless Network Contest

Submitted by
Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward writes: "There is an interesting contest being run by Tropos Network for the "Coolest Use Of Citywide Wi-Fi". The contest is interestingly unique and the prizes are catchy!
The prizes are 1 17-inch Apple Mac Book Pro and 12 Sony Mylos!!
I don't know if slashdotters have been paying attention to citywide wireless networks but they are becoming common place (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, St Cloud, Corpus Christy, Anaheim, Philly, Portland, Tucson... the list goes on and on).
The contestants need to submit a picture that shows some cool way of using the Citywide wi-fi network. Details are on http://www.tropos.com/contest
[Couldn't find an appropriate section for this. Moderators, please correct if the post fits better to some other section.]"
Education

What Game Companies Want From Graduates 107

Posted by Zonk from the so-you-want-to-be-a-game-designer dept.
simoniker writes "Game education site Game Career Guide has a new feature talking to recruiters from notable game companies like EA, Insomniac Games, and THQ. They discuss the best university courses and qualifications for getting hired to be a game developer. EA's Colleen McCreary comments on the rise of some TV-advertised mass market game schools: 'Our concern with for-profit institutions is that students may not learn the fundamental tools for understanding and solving complex issues... We are most likely to hire someone who has a BFA or MFA from a traditional art college and a BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science for our entry level artist and software engineer positions.'"

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I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning. -- Plato

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