Apparently I can help beta test the new slashdot discussion interface which is largely javascript based and I assume uses AJAX and what not. I must say I am thoroughly impressed, it makes reading the discussions more worthwhile since firefox was having some serious problems rendering the discussions for me. (every time you go back or forth a page you have to wait ~2 secs for it to render which tends to add up)

Stuff that is still missing for me:
- a decent linux firefox render. Seriously, why do I have artifacts here when I don't have them in the windows one? And why is the ajax stuff so slow. Really annoying, especially when using GMail and, now, slashdot though less so.
- wholesale expanding and compacting of a subtree at a certain post. Right now you have to open the post alone (like I used to do in the old system) or open the replies one by one
- the small window that pops up in the top left corner should be bottom left imho and it doesn't seem particularly intuitive. I've also not found out yet how to make this thing re-appear after I close this but there might be a button I've looked over.

Is it just me or do you get more mod points when your karma goes slightly down? Up until recently I had near perfect karma as I've always been billed a "fair" moderator. Until I slipped up and got an unfair moderation from the metamod system, which after inspection might be right. But somehow I'm now getting mod points twice as often as before.

Not sure how that trust system is supposed to work.

I've decided to start using a bit more the community features in slashdot (friend/freak). Reading through all the trash in comments is getting a bit tiring and it can help _a lot_ to have the right people on your friends list to up friend and friend-of-friend postings. Of course, one must choose his friends wisely. :)

I deleted my posts becs they were really badly written. I'll try to shape it up a bit in the future. :-)

Oh, and if you were planning to see War of the Worlds and haven't yet: don't. It's lots of crazy action with great fx in the destruction sequences, but that's about it. The morale of the movie: if smart aliens ever were to attack us, we'd all be dead in a day.

The ending kind off reminded me of Independence Day (the plot was even thinner). As in 'how could they not have thought of this?'. I think the radio show must have included a lot of ad libbing there.