Submission + - Microsoft loses EU anti-trust appeal 1
showe1966 writes: "Microsoft's legal effort in the EU has been holed below the waterline by the EC commissions latest verdict:-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6998272.stm"
Submission + - Battlestar Galactica To Continue
turboflux writes: According to executive producer David Eick, Battlestar Galactica is still an open-ended adventure and it will not be ending after the 4th season as previously reported. Evidently Edward James Olmos jumped the gun on confirming the show would be ending while attending the Saturn Awards this month. Eick goes on to say that the fourth season would actually be 22 episodes (2 more than prior seasons) rather than the reported 13 episode order.
Submission + - World Wind Java SDK Released
AnswerIs42 writes: NASA World Wind Java which debut at JavaOne this week and was demoed in a lab yesterday is now officially released as a Early Access release 0.2.0 SDK, this is NOT a full blown application but an API that can be used in other applications. There are demos in the SDK zip file and there is a link for a WWJava demo that is launched from the web page. For more information you can check the World Wind Central wiki page for WWJava, and the forums. A video of the live presentation opening day of JavaOne can be found here and these two blogs have multiple posts on the WWJava release.
Submission + - Does Wikipedia Suck on Science Stories?
An anonymous reader writes: An editor from Wired writes on his blog that Wikipedia sucks for science stories — not because they are inaccurate, but because of what he calls the "tragedy of the uncommon": Too many experts writing about subjects in ways that no non-expert can understand. Would this be the dumbing-down of Wikipedia — or would it be a better resource for everyone?
Submission + - Optimizing Daily Habits
Anonymous Westley writes: Mike Elgan shows you how to Save 5 Hours a Day, the Geek Way. For example:
If you read news magazines and newspapers, and also exercise, you can combine them to gain at least an hour in your day. The secret is to replace current-events reading with podcasts, and listen while you're walking or jogging or lifting weights. Chances are, the publications you read have podcast versions. Also, try BBC programs, major TV and radio news channels offerings, as well as Slate and other online zines. By switching to podcasts, you'll save money, help the environment, and cut time spent reading (because you can listen while you're doing other things).
I've been listening to entire courses for more than a year now (thanks, Teaching Company!), plus all kinds of podcasts and even text-to-speech'ed emails. It makes even jogging almost bearable. How do you optimize your time?
If you read news magazines and newspapers, and also exercise, you can combine them to gain at least an hour in your day. The secret is to replace current-events reading with podcasts, and listen while you're walking or jogging or lifting weights. Chances are, the publications you read have podcast versions. Also, try BBC programs, major TV and radio news channels offerings, as well as Slate and other online zines. By switching to podcasts, you'll save money, help the environment, and cut time spent reading (because you can listen while you're doing other things).
I've been listening to entire courses for more than a year now (thanks, Teaching Company!), plus all kinds of podcasts and even text-to-speech'ed emails. It makes even jogging almost bearable. How do you optimize your time?
Submission + - Poor Man's Spectrum Analyzer
Bluedove writes: An old PC, Linux, Baudline, a function generator, speakers and a microphone make the Poor Man's Spectrum Analyser.
Submission + - Transportation Security Administration loses hard
w1z4rd writes: "The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), often regarded as the cornerstone of the United States' homeland security, has lost a hard drive containing information of over 100,000 people.
The hard drive contained data from personnel who were employed by TSA as far back as 2002. The administration has teamed up with the FBI to recover the data."
The hard drive contained data from personnel who were employed by TSA as far back as 2002. The administration has teamed up with the FBI to recover the data."
Submission + - Averting Data Center Disasters with the EPO Button
1sockchuck writes: "Most data centers have an Emergency Power Off (EPO) button that will shut off power to the entire data center floor. Designed for fire prevention, the EPO (often a red button) has also triggered many accidental outages when vendors or cleaning crews have pressed it by accident. On April 15, the EPO figured in an apparent act of sabotage that crashed the data center that controls California's electrical grid. A disgruntled sysadmin was later charged in the incident. At the recent Data Center World conference, a session focused on ways to configure and manage the EPO button to reduce the risk of an accident or sabotage. "People can get killed and lives ruined by data center failures today," said data center designer Richard Sawyer. "The EPO represents a single point of failure. Make it accessible, but don't make it easy.""
Submission + - A good mobile phone with no camera?
SuperG writes: It seems like every mobile phone out there has a camera on it these days. The only ones without cameras are low-end models with poor battery life, poor reception, and minimal features. And low-end means the cool factor is nonexistent as well. I often visit facilities where phones with cameras are not allowed, so I end up being incommunicado with my current camera phone.
Is there a good (in terms of battery life, call quality, build quality, and style points) phone without a camera out there in the US market?
Submission + - South Korea developing robot code of ethics
thefickler writes: A 12-member task force, consisting of top lawyers, doctors and scientists, has been set up by the South Korean Commerce Ministry to develop a code of ethics for robots by the end of the year, according to TECH.BLORGE.com.
"We expect the day will soon come when intellectual robots can act upon their own decisions. So we are presenting this as an ethical guideline on the role and ability of robots," said South Korea's Commerce Ministry.
"We expect the day will soon come when intellectual robots can act upon their own decisions. So we are presenting this as an ethical guideline on the role and ability of robots," said South Korea's Commerce Ministry.
Submission + - Last Day to STOP REAL ID
groschke writes: "I'm a lawyer at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. There are just about 24 hours left for the public to submit comments against REAL ID. A coalition is urging individuals to speak up. They have links to portals that accept comments online, and sample comments like:
"The plan will create a massive national identification system without adequate privacy and security safeguards. It will also make it more difficult for people to get driver's licenses. And it will make it too easy for identity thieves, stalkers, and corrupt government officials to get access to such personal information as a home address, age, and Social Security number."
Slashdotters should offer their perspective. REAL ID was approved without Congressional Hearings, and this is the last 24 hours for the public to comment on this proposal!"
"The plan will create a massive national identification system without adequate privacy and security safeguards. It will also make it more difficult for people to get driver's licenses. And it will make it too easy for identity thieves, stalkers, and corrupt government officials to get access to such personal information as a home address, age, and Social Security number."
Slashdotters should offer their perspective. REAL ID was approved without Congressional Hearings, and this is the last 24 hours for the public to comment on this proposal!"
