Comment Re:What about my own content (Score 5, Insightful) 674
Be that software, video or music -- why should I be prevented from sharing it with world ?
Because you aren't sharing profits with the people who make the laws.
Comment well, it's like this... (Score 2, Insightful) 238
So seriously, can anyone tell me what is so hard about automating a paper process that has ticks in boxes?
The problem is not that making an automatic voting machine is difficult. It is not. Making one that is accurate, reliable, and secure is a problem. Even that, however, is not the biggest problem. Getting the voting public to accept the machines as accurate, reliable and secure is the real issue. Take the
One solution to the perception problem would be for Diebold (or others) to open their engine to public scrutiny. Any weaknesses, short cuts or plain old fsck ups would be revealed and the systems could be modified and demonstrated to be secure. This would lead to warm, fuzzy feelings amongst the cognoscenti and they, in turn, would help spread the "these are trustworthy" word of faith among the great unwashed. Problem solved.
However, if you are Diebold and you open your engine for everyone to see, you have essentially given your competition an engraved invitation to eat your lunch. They point out all your flaws, provide an alternative that doesn't have them, everyone flocks to WeMakeVotingMachinesRight and now you, Mr. President and CEO of Diebold, are out of work because EBIT went down the tubes due to lack of confidence in your product. The BoD might say, "Yeah, that public comment about delivering the vote in Ohio for Bush? We can let that slide as long as you are delivering dividends and an ever increasing share price for us." Do something that causes earnings to slide, though, and you are toast.
So, in short, there is no technical reason the problem cannot be solved. There are, however, serious commercial interests preventing such a solution. By "serious commercial interests," of course, I really mean, "people interested primarily in protecting their positions and salaries." NTTAWWT.
Submission + - Motorola mobile with PicoP laser projection
alobar72 writes: Motorola and Microvision are planing to bring out a mobile phone with a laser projector included
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/25/motorola-signs- on-with-microvisions-picop-laser-projection/
( german article here: http://www.golem.de/showhigh2.php?file=/0707/53722 .html&wort%5B%5D=motorola )
I only hope this new mobile phones with projectors, GPS, large displays and so on all build in will not need a battery the size and weight simmilar to a common projector.
Submission + - Sun racks fall over, keep ticking (systemhelden.com)
RomulusNR writes: "German blog Systemhelden (System Heroes) reports a story of a raised floor tile giving way under two loaded Sun racks, which toppled over. The admins have no idea when it happened, because everything kept running. Sun techs came in and found only a single failed disk drive. (Via c0t0d0s0, which covers it in English.)"
Submission + - Most common non-CS/IT degree in best co-workers.
An anonymous reader writes: Most common non-CS/IT degree in best co-workers.
Math
Physical Science
Life Science
Engineering
Business
Liberal Arts
CowboyNeal's "Computer Learnin' Certificate"
Math
Physical Science
Life Science
Engineering
Business
Liberal Arts
CowboyNeal's "Computer Learnin' Certificate"
Submission + - Samba team showcases changes to version 4.0
Jane Walker writes: "The Samba Team released a Technology Preview for Samba 4.0 this week, and is encouraging IT managers and users to test the updates and offer feedback."
Submission + - Running Vista in Parallels will Cost You More
Anonymous Coward writes: "This press release details about the way MS will limit your ability to run Vista in a virtual machine. One cannot run run Vista virtually unless you pay for the more expensive versions of their new operating system (starting at $299.) On top of the loss of extra funds from your checking account, you will also lose your XP license with the upgrade. There are some definite DRM questions that come into play here.
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2007/01/31.7.sh tml"
Submission + - Legitimate question: Is anyone upgrading to Vista?
boxlight writes: "I don't want this to turn into an anti-Microsoft flame-fest; I'm seriously asking ... is anyone actually upgrading to Vista?
I ask because I'm a Mac user, but if I was still using XP I would have been at the store yesterday and upgrading last night. But at work today — a high tech office of Windows users — I'm very surprised that no one cares about Vista. Literally *no one* in my office is upgrading, some people laughed at the mere suggestion, and many didn't even seem to know Vista came out yesterday. One fellow said he may consider it after a service pack or two gets released.
So again: Have you upgraded to Vista? Are you planning to? Are you recommending yours friends & moms to do so? Do you know anyone who actually went out and bought it?"
I ask because I'm a Mac user, but if I was still using XP I would have been at the store yesterday and upgrading last night. But at work today — a high tech office of Windows users — I'm very surprised that no one cares about Vista. Literally *no one* in my office is upgrading, some people laughed at the mere suggestion, and many didn't even seem to know Vista came out yesterday. One fellow said he may consider it after a service pack or two gets released.
So again: Have you upgraded to Vista? Are you planning to? Are you recommending yours friends & moms to do so? Do you know anyone who actually went out and bought it?"
Journal Journal: Car SO2 Emissions vs Volcanoes - Al Gore vs Facts 7
EDIT: entire article content yanked due to some math flaws and CO2 vs SO2 number problems. I'm going to recalculate and repost when I can find the corrected data. Sorry for the confusion and stay tuned
Submission + - Record Companies accused of Collusion
JoeSchmoe999 writes: Robert Santangelo who is the 16 yr old son of Michelle Santangelo (who succesfully fought off a RIAA lawsuit) has filed counter charges against the MPAA and all of the associated recording companies claiming that they are in colusion to violate anti-trust laws.
Click here for more information.
Click here for more information.
Submission + - House Introduces National Service Bill
Slithe writes: On January 10, House Representative Charles Rangel introduced a bill, H.R. 393, that would require all persons in the U.S., between the ages of 18 & 42, to perform 'National Service' for a period of two years. The bill defines 'National Service' as military service or service in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense, including national or community service and service related to homeland security. The bill would also make women eligible for Selective Service.
Submission + - Dvorak compares Vista to a "Park Avenue hooker
guaigean writes: John C. Dvorak has recently written a piece regarding the failures of Vista, and the problems existing today regarding OS development and practices. Included in the article is the evolution of the OS from a "file loader" to a series of icons and animations, which Dvorak says have nothing to do with an Operating Systems purpose, eventually causing the whole system to become a constant problem, barely holding together. The article is available here
From the article: 'It became a clunker, in fact, with a pretty face and a high price tag like a Park Avenue hooker using too much makeup to hide the fact that she's old.'
From the article: 'It became a clunker, in fact, with a pretty face and a high price tag like a Park Avenue hooker using too much makeup to hide the fact that she's old.'
Journal Journal: Nobody dared answer the question 12
And so I'm reposting here, on the topic of supporting the troops but not the mission:
Ok. Now put on some camo, go to Iraq, and try to get to century old enemies to quit blowing the hell out of each other. Now have dozens of "important" senators and reps deride what you do while supposedly paying lip service to you. You cannot separate the person from the job when the job is soo closely linked to the very survival of the person. The job becomes the person, for better or worse.
Ok. Now put on some camo, go to Iraq, and try to get to century old enemies to quit blowing the hell out of each other. Now have dozens of "important" senators and reps deride what you do while supposedly paying lip service to you. You cannot separate the person from the job when the job is soo closely linked to the very survival of the person. The job becomes the person, for better or worse.
Journal Journal: House Introduces Conscription Bill 1
On January 10, House Representative Charles Rangel introduced a bill, H.R. 393, that would require all persons in the U.S., between the ages of 18 & 42, to perform 'National Service' for a period of two years. The bill defines 'National Service' as military service or service in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense, including national or community service and service related
Submission + - Jim Gray, Turing Award winner, goes missing
slimjim8094 writes: Jim Gray, a recipient of the A.M. Turing Award, has gone missing.
Gray, 63, of San Francisco, was last heard from on Sunday, the day he set out from San Francisco for the Farallon Islands, about 25 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge.... Coast Guard spokeswoman Lt. Amy Marrs called Gray's disappearance a mystery because the weather was good, he was in good health and the boat was equipped with radios and flares. There were no distress signals.
