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Comment Re:Poor presentation, but some useful content (Score 1) 244

by dayid (#22193628) Attached to: In-Depth Review of the MacBook Air With Photos
I wondered how they/he had tested the battery life as well.

This is one reason I am still hanging onto my 13" iBook. The ~8 hours of battery time I have yet to see in any other "ultraportable" laptop. It's still not heavy to lug around, and for anything the 800MHz w/ 640MB of RAM can't hadnle, there's always VNC and SSH to get into a more powerful machine - which it seems the MacBook Air is still relying on you having another server/desktop anyways.
Sony

Submission + - PS3 DVD quality is on par with a $5000 processor (firingsquad.com) 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: FiringSquad just posted an article with 1080p .PNG screenshots comparing the PlayStation 3 against a $5000 Silicon Optix Realta HQV based video processor. Surprisingly, the PS3 is almost as good as the dedicated processor in terms of image quality and handily outperforms both ATI and NVIDIA HTPC solutions.
It's funny. Laugh.

Half of SCO's Accountants Quit 371

Posted by Zonk from the rats-know-when-to-leave-a-ship dept.
Groklaw Reader writes "Apparently, SCO's lawyers were working overtime last Sunday, because they wrote a quick plea to the bankruptcy court for permission to hire accounting temps. Why? Approximately half of SCO's finance department has resigned or been fired. Two who resigned had over ten years of experience each. One can only assume that they know what's about to happen to SCO."
PHP

Submission + - FTP Plugin for WP Database Backup Plugin (newspartner.net)

Submitted by
hitnews
hitnews writes: "This plugin adds a fourth way to save the database backup files of your WordPress weblog database. With the standard WP Database Backup plugin you can save these backup files to the server, sending to an email account or save (manually) to your local hardisk."
Communications

Submission + - Social sites reveal class divide - Or do they? (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by r_jensen11
r_jensen11 writes: According to a BBC article, PhD student Danah Boyd (Berkeley) claims that there is a social divide between Facebook and Myspace users. FTFA:


A six-month research project has revealed a sharp division along class lines among the American teenagers flocking to the social network sites. The research suggests those using Facebook come from wealthier homes and are more likely to attend college. By contrast, MySpace users tend to get a job after finishing high school rather than continue their education.
Now, the article doesn't mention that Facebook originated as a College-only network, but they might still have a point. This could also be interesting as many view Facebook as becoming more and more like Myspace.
Space

Submission + - Space Elevator followup: Michael J. Laine rebuttal (tropicalcoder.com)

Submitted by
TropicalCoder
TropicalCoder writes: "On June 3rd, I ran across an article about LiftPort, a group of companies dedicated to building the LiftPort Space Elevator, and shared it on Slashdot. This provoked over 200 comments, the vast majority of which were negative about the feasibility of such an undertaking. At one point during the discussion, LiftPort founder Michael J. Laine personally entered the discussion, but for the most part remained invisible since he hadn't logged in. I responded to his comment that if he would like a chance to rebut the criticisms, he should contact me and I would undertake to interview him and post the resulting story on Slashdot.

Michael called me long distance via cell phone that very day from his back yard near Seattle, and spoke with me for over an hour. It was a very interesting conversation. Michael came across as a rather sober, likeable fellow, not at all like the crackpot image one would conjure up from reading many of the Slashdot comments. He was clearly wounded by the stinging criticisms in the Slashdot discussion, and I couldn't help emphasizing with him. Here was man who had put his money where his mouth was, risking everything on his dream, perhaps suffering his darkest hour, and enduring ridicule on top of that.

At no point during the conversation did I get any impression of a huckster who would sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, something that I was on the lookout for. It was clear to me that he sincerely believes in what he is doing. Whether he succeeds in the end or not, I would prefer to call him a "visionary". After all, for every great visionary you can recall from history, there must have been a thousand others who tried and failed, but are no less visionary because of that. The jury is still out on LiftPort, and rumours of their death would be premature. They continue their research, and as I write are preparing for the "Tethered Towers" demo on Thursday, 28th of June.

At the end of the conversation it was agreed that I would summarize the Slashdot discussion for him and offer him an opportunity for point by point rebuttal. I completed this summary, (in which many Slashdot readers will recognize their own words), and sent it off to him the next day. He acknowledged receipt of this and promised an answer shortly. A few weeks passed, and I imagined that he must have decided in the end that the criticisms were so severe, perhaps it would be best just to try to forget it. It was such a surprise to me when a thoroughly detailed response arrived in my mail box today, demonstrating that the people at LiftPort at least are still convinced that building a space elevator is possible.

Space elevator themes have been celebrated in science fiction and many Slashdot readers have shared the dream, only to become disillusioned with the apparent pending demise of LiftPort. After reading LiftPort's rebuttal to Slashdot critics, do any of you now feel your pessimism somewhat dispelled?"
Displays

Apple Sued Over 'Lacking' Macbook Display 680

Posted by Zonk from the going-to-sue-mcdonalds-next-because-their-sauce-isn't-special dept.
qu1j0t3 writes "Business 2.0 reports that two MacBook owners have filed a class action lawsuit charging Apple with deceptive advertising, as well as misrepresentation and unfair competition over the use of the phrase 'millions of colors' to describe the capability of the LCD displays in MacBook and MacBook Pro computers. The article likens the complaint to an an angry forum thread, and is more than a little bit skeptical of the plaintiff's motives. Perhaps it's their uncanny attention to detail. From the filing: 'The reality is that notwithstanding Apple's misrepresentations and suggestions that its MacBook and MacBook Pro display millions of colors, the displays are only capable of displaying the illusion of millions of colors through the use of a software technique referred to as dithering, which causes nearby pixels on the display to use slightly varying shades of colors that trick the human eye into perceiving the desired color even though it is not truly that color.'
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Computer in a beaver?

Submitted by 6Yankee
6Yankee writes: Some Slashdotters are proud to own a computer full of 'beaver', but how about a beaver full of computer? "Ms McMahon said of her Compubeaver: 'I started thinking about the most ridiculous thing to put a computer into and decided it had to be a beaver.'" (That must've made her eyes water.) These case mods are getting dammed silly.
GNU is Not Unix

You Can't Oppose Copyright and Support Open Source 550

Posted by kdawson from the baby-with-the-bathwater dept.
Reader gbulmash sends us to his essay on the fallacy of those who would abolish copyright. The argument is that without copyright granting an author the right to set licensing terms for his/her work, the GPL could not be enforced. The essay concludes that if you support the GPL or any open source license (other than public domain), your fight should be not about how to abolish copyright, but how to reform copyright.
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Electric Motorcycle Plans?

Submitted by
David Greene
David Greene writes: "I've been searching around the net for an affordable all-electric commuting option. I've found that electric mopeds are a little too underpowered for my needs. There are some electric motorcycle plans available but either they're too underpowered (30MPH max) or much more than I need (60MPH, bells & whistles, etc.).

I'm thinking about using the opportunity to build my own custom bike and learn something along the way. This will definitely be a long-term project as I'm a novice who will have to take welding classes, etc. But it would be a fun project and worth doing simply for the enjoyment and learning experience.

So can anyone point me to resources to start a project like this? I'm looking at the Etek motor that powers the kits mentioned above. Are there readily-available plans for frames, etc.? Perhaps a good stock frame recommendation so I can pull something from a junkyard? Guides on materials to use (light weight, etc.)? Good books related to the subject? Any and all help welcome!"
Censorship

Submission + - Egyptian Government Jailing Bloggers

Submitted by
Chardish
Chardish writes: "The UK Telegraph is reporting that the Egyptian government has begun jailing bloggers critical of the regime. Shortly before his capture, one of the now-jailed bloggers posted that he had been suspicious that the police were spying on him. Another claims he was tortured. How long before bloggers start being forced offshore to free-speech-friendly countries?"
The Internet

Submission + - OpenSource Documentary on Copyright - $250 contest

Submitted by
etherworks
etherworks writes: "OpenSourceCinema.org is a website to make an Open Source documentary about Copyright in the digital age. All footage for the film is released under a creative commons license and made available on the site. The audience can then remix scenes of the film — including scenes with Lawrence Lessig, Girl Talk, Negativland, DJ Food, Jimmy Wales and more. The entire script of the film is also available as a wiki for the audience to edit. The documentary film created from the website, Basement Tapes, is a co-production with the National Film Board of Canada and will be broadcast on the documentary channel in 2008. Open Source Cinema is also announcing a remix contest, where the audience can remix scenes with mashup megaman Girl Talk. Winners will have their scenes included in the feature documentary and will also be up for $250 in cold cash!"
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Linux Indie 500 car marketing: abuse or good idea?

Submitted by cheros
cheros writes: At Tux 500 someone is trying to get enough money together to sponsor a Linux logo'd car in the Indie 500. It seems to be aiming for a lot of money (min $25k) for creating Linux awareness, and has so far apparently collected $11k .. $12k.

However, is this really a good use of community money or is this blatant opportunism to sponsor a hobby? A discussion at YouTube seems to throw a handful of nuts in the gearbox of this prospective event.

I don't think it's a scam, but the whole idea doesn't seem so bright after reading the YouTube comments.

What is your opinion? Good idea, nice try or contribution scam?
Enlightenment

Submission + - How does your company "recondition" gear?

Submitted by dpbsmith
dpbsmith writes: When the company you work for "reconditions" or "refurbishes" gear, what, exactly, do they actually do?

Actual stories, please, from people who actually know the process.

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