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Submission + - Boltzmann equation solved, the new way

Submitted by xt
xt writes: The Boltzmann equation is old news. What's news is that the 140 year old equation has been solved, using mathematical techniques from the fields of partial differential equations and harmonic analysis, some as new as five years old. This solution provides a new understanding of the effects due to grazing collisions, when neighboring molecules just glance off one another rather than collide head on. We may not understand the theory, but we'll sure love the applications!

Submission + - Trademark attack on Open Source project

Submitted by jfbilodeau
jfbilodeau writes: I've been contributing and releasing open-source projects for a number of years now, and managed to stay (mostly) clear of conflict. One of my projects BSOD(roid) have been available on the Android Market for nearly a year. Last night, I've received a email asking me to rename my product because it infringes on the trademark ROID. This trademark has been filled nearly six month after my project was on the market. The two projects are completely unrelated and do not compete. Renaming the project is not the issue here. Responding to mindless corporate bullying is. I'm curious to know if this happened to other slashdotter and what suggestions you may have.

Submission + - First Anarchist's Cookbook Convictions (telegraph.co.uk)

Submitted by analysethis
analysethis writes: In the UK last month the author/compiler of the well-known-in-internet-circles 'terrorist handbook' pleaded guilty to seven counts of collecting information that could have been used to prepare or commit acts of terrorism, with a maximum jail term of 10 years. Today the first people caught with downloaded copies have been put behind bars — a white supremacist father and son pairing getting 10 & 2 years respectively, convicted of three counts of possessing material useful for acts of terror. How many will be emptying their recycle bins after this conviction?

As of writing, the book is still freely available on Amazon.com to buy.

Comment Re:Ubuntu (Score 3, Interesting) 279

by Runaway1956 (#32148586) Attached to: Critical Flaw Found In Virtually All AV Software

But, an earlier poster mentioned the fact that corporate and financial institutions have all this money to pay high powered administrators. If the administrators are working with a decent operating system, and if the administrators are competent, then Enterprise is safe, right? And, the military too, right?

How's that British thing working out now? Windows for Submarines? The last I heard, it was down. Who has more expertise in securing computers than the US or the UK departments of defense? If THEY can't secure Windows, then who can?

Comment Re:People will move to Apple. (Score 1) 695

by pshuke (#24405675) Attached to: Windows Is Dead – Long Live Midori?
My grandparents are dead, so I can't really speak for them (insert bad bsd joke here), but I know my mother has no problems clicking on the wifi icon in ubuntu. Really, while wifi can be nuisance in some distributions, ubuntu has come a long way. Even a generic acer laptop which one of my neighbors uses, complete with a (reputedly horrible) broadcom wnic, worked out of the box on. While I'm sure there are still some black spots on the linux wifi map, you have to be pretty unlucky to get something which doesn't work out of the box on said distribution. And if you want to eliminate luck as a factor, you can spend five minutes extra the next time you buy a computer, and make sure you get one with atheros or intel chipsets.

While Apple hardware may be excellent, their macbook line is still overpriced by $3-400 compared to a similarly spec-ed Lenovo. This I believe, is the biggest rationale for not choosing apple. If you can get a similar or better non-Apple computer for less price than an Apple, why would you go with the Apple? Especially if all you do is play solitaire and flash games, which you can do on ubuntu just as well as on osx (easier according to my mother, as the dock confused her).

On a side note, as I'm sure some will suggest installing OSX on non-Apple PC's. When I recently installed 10.5.* on my T60, the wifi (iwl3945) refused to work. I don't think the drivers were ready. On the other hand, ubuntu immediately recognized the card and configured it; so I can only assume that the whole OSX "just works" experience only applies to Apple produced PC's.
Education

Submission + - EPA: Cellular eCycling Campaign

Submitted by
Joe Martin
Joe Martin writes: "Greetings, My name is Joe Martin and I am contacting you on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I have a press release, but I am first sending the brief introduction. Most people don't realize that the old cell phone that's sitting in their drawer is actually contributing to climate change. Recycling, or what has become known as "eCycling" an old cell phone can be a quick and easy way for Americans to help protect the environment. By recycling or reusing old cell phones, consumers can help reduce climate change, save energy and conserve natural resources by reducing the amount of precious metals and copper that are mined for the manufactures of new phones. According to the U.S. EPA, if 100 million Americans recycled cell phones that are no longer in use, we could save enough energy to power 194,000 homes for a year. Currently Americans are replacing their cell phones every 18 months on average. Despite the large number of manufacturer and retailer-led collection programs across the country, many of these consumers still do not know where or how they can recycle their unwanted cell phones. With an estimated 250 million cell phones in use nationwide and less than 20 percent of unwanted cell phones being recycled each year, EPA realized the need to educate the public on the importance of eCycling their old or unwanted cell phones. To help consumers identify easy recycling and donating options, EPA is partnering with leading cell phone makers, service providers and retailers to launch the Plug-In To eCycling "Recycle Your Cell Phone" campaign on January 8th. Program partners include: AT&T, Best Buy, Dell, eBay's Rethink initiative, HP, Intel, JVC, Lexmark, LG Electronics, Motorola, NEC Display, Nokia, Office Depot, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples, Toshiba, and Wal-Mart. Through the national take back program, consumers can drop off their old cell phones or mail them into participating organizations. In 2007, through Plug-In To eCycling, retailers and electronics manufacturers voluntarily recycled more than 47 million pounds of electronics including computers and televisions. As part of the cell phone program, Sprint recycled 3 million phones and accessories through an in-store and online program. Samsung also collected used cell phones and portable rechargeable batteries to recycle 100,000 pounds of electronic equipment. These are just a few examples of how the program is making a difference. To help Slashdot readers discover cell phone recycling options that can make an impact on climate change, please contact me. I am happy to put you in touch with the EPA between now and January 8th. Additionally, we can coordinate interviews with program partners Staples, AT&T, and Nokia who can speak to their national cell phone recycling and reuse programs and accomplishments in conjunction with their partnership with EPA's Plug-In program. The EPA will also be at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV. If you will be present at this event, we can certainly set up a face to face interview. Thank you for your time. To learn more about the recycling campaign and to obtain a list of partners and their scheduled events and programs visit: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/plugin/partners.htm Click on partner logos to learn more on specific eCycling programs. Sincerely, Joe Martin on behalf of the EPA (Tel) (206) 623 0232 x231 (Cell) (206) 384-0852"
Amiga

Submission + - Open Source Amiga clone pricing announced

Submitted by
downix
downix writes: "For those who have not been following, Dennis VanWeeren created the first cloned Amiga hardware earlier in 2007. Up until now, the only way to have one of these MiniMigs was to build it yourself, not an easy task for all people. But, ACube systems, the guys developing the SAM440 PowerPC motherboard, have stepped up, making available a fully assembled Minimig for the cost of 138 euro. The idea of having your own, brand new, Amiga is exciting to some, but a full open-source hardware platform should be exciting to all of us."
Microsoft

Submission + - OOXML or ODF - BIS debates on its vote to ISO (indiatimes.com)

Submitted by Karthik
Karthik writes: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has formed a commitee to decide on its ISO vote for document standards between Microsoft's OOXML and IBM & Sun backed ODF. Various high profile Indian institues and companies have joined different sides of the debate as the September 2 deadline for submission to ISO nears.
Microsoft

Submission + - Linux Foundation Calls for 'Respect for Microsoft' (vnu.co.uk)

Submitted by
kripkenstein
kripkenstein writes: "Jim Zemlin (executive director for the Linux Foundation) has said at LinuxWorld that the open source community should stop poking fun at Microsoft:

Open source vendors have to recognise that Windows is here to stay and that together with Microsoft it will form a duopoly in the market for operating systems. This also requires that the Linux community respects Microsoft rather than ridicule it.

"There are some things that Windows does pretty well," Zemlin said. Microsoft for instance has excelled in marketing the operating system, and has a good track record in fending off competition.
An interesting perspective, but saying Microsoft has "a good track record in fending off competition" is like saying Muhammad Ali was "good at hitting his opponents in the ring"."
Nintendo

Submission + - Carmack's Rage, plus games for the Wii & DS

Submitted by ILikeRed
ILikeRed writes: In a Quakecon 2007 interview, John Carmack introduced his new high end game Rage, and then went on to call the Wii "a spark of newness". He talks about creating a Quake Arena themed game for the DS, and porting Orks & Elves to the Wii. He was less than happy with current cell phone hardware and Java however.
Communications

Submission + - Net radio battles royalty ruling with silence (theglobeandmail.com)

Submitted by
Raver32
Raver32 writes: "To paraphrase a well-used joke: if an Internet radio station falls in cyberspace, does anybody hear it? That's the question many online radio listeners around the world will try to answer after U.S. Internet radio stations will go offline Tuesday to protest an upcoming royalty rate hike threatening to wipe out Internet radio. So far, 45 radio stations representing thousands of channels have agreed to go silent or play a series of public service announcements to fight against a ruling made by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board last March that raises royalty payments by 300 to 1,200 per cent, retroactive to June 2006. The ruling, which will go into effect on July 15, is expected to cost large webcasters such as Yahoo and Real Networks millions of dollars, drive smaller websites like Pandora.com and Live365.com out of business and leave a large chunk of the 72 million Net radio listeners in the dark."
Movies

Submission + - Germany bans Tom Cruise

Submitted by psysjal
psysjal writes: The BBC reports that Germany has banned Tom Cruise from filming at military sites in the country. The reason for the ban is Tom's "religion"; Cruise has "publicly professed to being a member of the Scientology cult".

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