Sprotch - Slashdot User

Comment Bigger brain does not equal bigger IQ (Score 1) 568

by Sprotch on Thursday December 31, 2009 @12:16PM (#30606108) Attached to: Scientists Postulate Extinct Hominid With 150 IQ

The average human brain is 1.5 kg. The average Asian elephant brain is 7.5 kg. Are Asian elephants 5 times smarter than men?
More data here: http://www.highnorth.no/Library/Myths/br-si-bo.htm

Comment Re:Is StarCraft the right game to use for this? (Score 4, Informative) 200

by Sprotch on Thursday November 12, 2009 @03:14PM (#30077084) Attached to: <em>StarCraft</em> AI Competition Announced

A good player can defend against a rush in Starcraft. It's all about micro-managing peons until your first combat unit arrives. Then you go head straight for their economically challenged base.

Comment "BSA Less Reviled Than the RIAA"? (Score 1) 371

by Sprotch on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @04:29PM (#29110961) Attached to: Why the BSA Is Less Reviled Than the RIAA

You must be new to /. The BSA is one of the many forms of the antechrist, if you are to believe the people round these parts.

Submission + - RDFBeans project is opened (sourceforge.net)

Submitted by SF:alexeya on Tuesday August 04, 2009 @07:21AM

SF:alexeya writes: RDFBeans framework is released on SourceForge: http://rdfbeans.sourceforge.net/

Submission + - Windows 7 RTM reviewed in detail, benchmarked (cnet.co.uk) 2

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 04, 2009 @05:18AM

An anonymous reader writes: The code is final, and Cnet has reviewed the final version of Windows 7, with myriad benchmarks to support the case that it's not only the fastest version of Windows to shut down, but also looks like "the operating system that both Microsoft and its consumers have been waiting for." The review continues: "By fixing most of the perceived and real problems in Vista, Microsoft has laid the groundwork for the future of where Windows will go. Windows 7 presents a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X, while reassuring the world that Microsoft can still turn out a strong, useful operating system."

Submission + - Roiling Surface Plume of Betelgeuse Imaged (astronomynow.com)

Submitted by BJ_Covert_Action on Tuesday August 04, 2009 @02:13AM

BJ_Covert_Action writes: Astronomy Now is running a piece regarding some new, exquisitely detailed pictures taken of Betelgeuse, a star in the constellation Orion. Betelgeuse is classified as a supergiant star and is approximately 1000 times the size of the sun. Two teams of astronomers used ESO's "Very large Telescope," its NACO instruments, and as an imaging technique known as "Lucky Imaging" to take some of the most detailed pictures of Betelgeuse to date.

The new pictures reveal a gas plume on the surface of Betelgeuse which extends from the surface of the star a distance greater than that between our sun and Neptune. The images also showed several other 'boiling' spots on the surface of Betelgeuse, revealing the surface to be quite tumultuous. Currently, it is known that stars of Betelgeuse's size eject the equivalent mass of the Earth into space every year. However, the mechanisms for said ejections is currently unknown. This recent astronomy work will help researchers determine the mechanics behind such ejections.

Comment I don't have a SD card library (Score 1) 485

by Sprotch on Wednesday January 07, 2009 @06:25AM (#26355647) Attached to: How Do You Manage Your SD Card Library?

I just buy the highest capacity card available whenever I purchase a new camera, and I leave the SD card inside the camera. For instance, I recently bought a digital SLR with a 32gb compactflash card. That way I have enough storage for several thousand pictures, and never need to take the memory card out.

Comment Why target foreigners? (Score 1) 216

by Sprotch on Friday September 26, 2008 @06:37AM (#25163663) Attached to: UK Gov't To Require ID Cards For Some Foreign Residents

What is the logic behind targetting foreigners first? The obvious answer is that the population is less likely to protest. I suspect some not-so-thinly veiled xenophobia.

Why Are the Best and Brightest Not Flooding DARPA? 597

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday June 18, 2008 @08:11PM from the getting-paid-in-the-private-sector dept.

David W. White writes "Wired mag's Danger Room carried an article today that highlighted how desperate the US Military's DARPA has become in its attempts to bring in additional brain power. The tactics include filmed testimonials, folders and even playing cards all screaming join DARPA! Where are all the Einsteins who want to be on the cutting edge for the Government?"

The Impact of Low Salaries At Apple 782

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday June 17, 2008 @06:52PM from the baby-needs-a-new-pair-of-shoes dept.

orenh writes "Recent data indicate that Apple engineers have significantly lower salaries than their Silicon Valley peers: $89,000 at Apple, versus $105,000 at Yahoo and $112,000 at Google. Paying lower salaries had a major impact on Apple's bottom line when it was struggling in the market up until 2004. But now that Apple is highly profitable, these lower salaries are no longer a factor in Apple's success. Will Apple have to raise salaries to match the market rate, or face defections?"

Submission + - World's Most Powerful Single-kernel Linux System?

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26, 2007 @06:22PM

An anonymous reader writes: NASA has selected an SGI Altix supercomputer to help it meet future high-performance computing requirements. The new system will be the first supercomputer to operate 2,048 processor cores in SMP mode under control of one Linux kernel, creating the world's largest single-kernel Linux system. Driven by 1,024 Dual-Core Intel Itanium 2 processors, the new system will generate 13.1 TFLOPs of compute power. To accomplish this feat, SGI had to extend the Linux kernel's SMP support from 1,024 CPUs to 2,048 CPUs. Fancy that on your desktop!

Submission + - Backstabbing Your Boss: A How-To Guide

Submitted by

C.G. Lynch

on Thursday July 26, 2007 @05:39PM

C.G. Lynch writes: "Hate your toxic, out of touch boss? Of course you do. And you think you can do a much better job. If you're willing to risk your career and reputation, then this short guide to getting your boss ousted, How to Stab Your Boss in the Back, is your ticket to a bigger office. Learn from recruiters and career coaches how to determine if your boss is vulnerable, impress your colleagues (and your boss's boss) with your superior leadership skills, and all the while keep your nose clean. If you succeed, more power to you (literally). If you get a pink slip instead, well, that's business. One hint: don't put your plans in e-mail; see the related story, 10 Things You Should Never Put in an Email, and Other Communication Tips."

Submission + - New iMacs, iPods hinted at in financial meeting?

Submitted by thefickler on Thursday July 26, 2007 @05:21PM

thefickler writes: In an highly uncharacteristic move for Apple, hints were dropped at a financial Q&A of '"some product transitions". UBS's Benjamin Reitzes asked why Apple was to be believed when the numbers had been so off this previous quarter. Oppenheimer gave three reasons: their expensive back-to-school product promotions, some key parts are going up in price, and there will be a "product transition I can't get into."

Submission + - Poll - Chick-fight you would pay most money to see

Submitted by on Thursday July 26, 2007 @05:08PM

An anonymous reader writes: Agent Scully vs. Col. Carter
Padme Amidala vs. T'Pol
Sue Storm vs. Dark Angel
Xena vs. Barbwire
Britney vs. Lindsey
Cowboy Neal vs. his junk-tucked reflection

Submission + - Dell to offer more Linux PCs

Submitted by

head_dunce

on Thursday July 26, 2007 @05:07PM

head_dunce writes: "According to this article, Mark Shuttleworth from the Ubuntu camp says Dell is seeing a demand for the Linux based PC and, "There are additional offerings in the pipeline."

I'm starting to see flashbacks of the days when Microsoft partnered up with IBM to gain control of the desktop market. Will other Linux flavors find there way to the likes of Lenovo or HP, etc, or will Ubuntu claim the desktop market working with other PC manufacturers?"

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