Consider that a laptop can be brought for under a $1000 dollars or even a very powerful computer for $3000. Then consider the amount of electronics and materials that are contained in both. Then compare these items with a pair of hearing aids. This is not taking into account that hearing aids may have to be individually fitted and those associated costs with doing so. Starting to get the picture? Regardless of what medical system that is being used either social, or capitalism, the price of hearing aids is just not price gouging, it is not just an exorbitant price for them, but just plain EXTORTION.

Yes, destroy this over inflated bubble once and for all and of course tear it to shreds so that it never grows again.

Kind regards
Slashdotgirl

Windows Explorer Ribbon is reported to be the next best thing since sliced bread. Yeah right, show me the research that justifies that statement and of course I assume it was independently peer reviewed?. Until then, its what I want not what you want. I want my vertical space on my screens, I want my taskbar on the bottom and I decided what icons or panels reside on my desk space!

One classic example is the difference between the Qwerty and the Dvorak keyboards, yes the Dvorak keyboard is supposedly more efficient and can be implemented easily on modern computer systems. The Dvorak keyboard never over took the Qwerty keyboard which reigns supreme. However, what has evolved is that we have a choice of what type of keyboard we want to use. So if you do not like the Ribbon versions then get a replacement.
.
Alternatives to Windows Explorer.
.

• Free Commander
• Cubic Explorer
• Explorer++
• Xplorer2
• Explorer XP
• NexusFile
• Q-Dir
• QMMander
• Total Commander

At least one of the above is open source. As for replacements for Microsoft Office and its ribbon interface, Google is your friend if you want to find proprietary or free version and if you are really lazy then I will list two open source alternatives for Office suites.

• Open Office
• Libre Office

For the record I use Microsoft Office, because where I teach that is the default software, however, I install open office and now libre office on my family's and friends computers. You should see there eyes when I tell them its free.

For the record I use opens source software and operating systems and if something gets up my nose like the current Gnome 3 issue then I just change.

Kind regards
Slashdotgirl

Just one of Lucy's Diamonds in the sky.

Kind regards
Slashdotgirl
PS Apologies to Lennon and McCartney

10 Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters.

Kind regards
Slashdotgirl

This is not surprising because in mathematics there is a law called Benford’s law after one of its main founders, Frank Benford, who discovered it in 1935 as a physicist at General Electric. The law tells how often each number (from 1 to 9) appears as the first significant digit in a very diverse range of data sets.

So in other words there is nothing unusual about this because the four digit pin number is just a another data set. This law tends to be more accurate when values are distributed across multiple orders of magnitude. Because the 4 digit pin number spans several orders of magnitude, the 4 digit pin number is therefore following Benford's law.

Warm regards
Slashdotgirl

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old olde document
It's been a long time with me
Do you still want me?
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old olde document
I'll stay on the net
Forget about OO
Put the blame on MS
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the olde document

Regards
Slashdotgirl

The following are just some of the programs, which provide a level of both encryption and anonymous communication for Internet usage:

• Tor: Onion-based routing that acts as a proxy layer between the client computer and the Tor network. http://tor.eff.org/
• I2P: Also known as the Invisible Internet Project. The network is regarded as a message based system. http://www.i2p.net/
• FreeNet: is a distributed information and storage retrieval system designed to address the concerns of privacy. Freenet is designed to be anonymous and totally peer to peer. http://freenetproject.org/
• GNUnet: is a P2P network that can support many different forms of peer-to-peer applications. http://gnunet.org/
• Open VPN: is where one can use software that encrypts your traffic on a server created in another country instead of the one you are in. http://openvpn.net/

There are other programs and if you do not want others knowing what "traffic" you carry then you would be wise to use them.

Put up or Shutup. Ok I will bite. No they are NOT, in agreement, never have been and never will. The article you point to is a News Article.

Summary: The News Article you linked to, is Biased.

Problems with this News Article are, but not limited to:

1. The percentage total of the various groups (geophysics, geochemistry, etc) only adds to 50%. What happened to the other 50%?
2. The survey was only sent out to Mainly Earth Scientists, what about meteorologists, climate statisticians, physicists and mathematicians. This is first major bias of the News Article.
3. The analysis states that 90% of the survey respondents were Americans. What about other institutions around the world and was the questionnaire written in just English or did it have the option for other languages. This is the second major bias of the News Article.
4. The News Article places emphasis on two primary questions the first is, When compared with pre-1800s levels, do you think that mean global temperatures have generally risen, fallen, or remained relatively constant? This is a leading question (or unremarkable one) because relative to the Little Ice age (1700s and to the early 1800s) the Earth has been warming and the Scientists who were surveyed would know that the temperature has been rising to present day levels. I am surprised that it was not 99.99% instead of 90% as stated in the News Article. This is the third major bias of the News Article.
5. The second primary question, Do you think human activity is a significant contributing factor in changing mean global temperatures? The first critical part of this question is; what is meant by human activities? Is it deforestation, carbon emissions of all forms or some other type? How did the respondents interpret Human Activity and what was their understanding of human activities? The second critical part of the question is, what is meant by significant contributing factor? What is its metric and what guidance, instructions or information was supplied for the respondents to gauge how significant the various human activities are to the alleged global warming crisis as compared to the natural contributions to global climate. This is the fourth major bias of the News Article.

I want to see research papers that have been conducted using Double Blind Studies, why? Because of the constant, he said, she said, they said, we said. In addition to statements like, you are being paid by, an individual, corporation or even government body so you must be beholding to your masters, so therefore you must be corrupt or biased.

Until Double Blinded Studies are carried I will remain highly skeptical of any article or even peer reviewed articles. One last point, did I mention that this is just an outline of what can and probably will be done (rebuttal, critique or constructive criticism) of the real submitted paper when it does appear.

Regards Slashdotgirl

When will anybody learn on this forum that:

1. You do not need Itunes.
2. You do not need ' Music Stores ' per se.

and you can get rid of:

1. DRM
2. RIAA
3. MPAA
4. Watermarks

Simply by saying; "We made some music, would you like some? take it, it's free" Eben Moglen

Oh Brother, "When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?" (Song)

Regards Slasdotgirl

There's a hole in the Mag Field, dear Liza, dear Liza,

There's a hole in the Mag Field dear Liza, a hole.

So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, FIX IT,

With what should I fix it, dear Liza dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza with what?

With a Greenie, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With a Greenie, dear Henry, dear Henry, with Greenie's (sigh),

Regards
Slashdot Girl

The latest story according to "The Sydney Morning Herald an Australian newspaper situated in New South Wales, States that Ebay is continuing to enforce it's Crap System 'Paypal' sucks! on us. SMH

For instance it is reported from the article that "Sellers are reporting that eBay is systematically deleting auction listings from sellers who state in their item descriptions that they "prefer" to be paid with non-PayPal methods, such as bank deposit."

This sordid story is not over and us Aussies can be 'Real Right Bastards' when we are not given a fair go.