Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×

Comment Re:Was there ever doubt? (Score 2, Insightful) 393

by THE anonymus coward (#23874257) Attached to: Probable Water Ice Sighted On Mars

Just my two cents to add...

Exploration of the next horizon is part of being human. To stop exploring would be to deny something that is fundamental to who we are. The principle of utility is a horrible metric when the objective is poorly understood....

For a long time, art made no sense to me, seemed like a waste of time, but it is an expression of human creativity and a reaching for beauty. Unless you care about seeking beauty, art doesn't make sense. Unless you care about seeking the truth of the universe, space exploration doesn't make sense.

So, the question I would pose to the grandparent is what happened to make you lose interest in exploration? Have you never been curious about what is over the next hill that you haven't seen? Because really, that is what this is all about.
Windows

Survey Finds Few Intend to Upgrade to Vista 429

Posted by samzenpus from the if-it-aint-broke dept.
thefickler writes "A recent Harris Poll has found that while most online computers users are aware of Microsoft's Windows Vista, few are intending to switch over to the new operating system anytime soon. The Harris Poll of 2223 US online adults in early March found that 87% were aware of Vista. Unfortunately for Microsoft, only 12% of Vista-aware respondents were intending to upgrade to Vista in the next 12 months."
The Internet

Submission + - 5 online file format converters reviewed

Submitted by
Stan Schroeder
Stan Schroeder writes: "The idea to have an easy, always available way to convert any file to any other format — and this especially goes for video files — probably sounds appealing to many users who don't care about learning the intricacies of bitrates, aspect ratios and similar terms. Their prayers have been answered in the form of several online file format converters which have lately appeared on the web. But how well do these products actually work? Here's a thorough test of 5 file format converters, with the focus on video conversion."
Security

Submission + - Damn Vulnerable Linux

Submitted by
Scott Ainslie Sutton
Scott Ainslie Sutton writes: "Enterprise GNU/Linux Resource Linux.com have highlighted a newly created GNU/Linux distribution named Damn Vulnerable Linux, built upon Damn Small Linux. The distribution, headed by Thorsten Schneider, aims to deliver the Operating System in such a way that it allows Security Students first hand insight and hands on experience with Security issues within GNU/Linux in order to teach them protection and mitigation techniques The project's website describes the distribution as 'the most vulnerable, exploitable Operating System ever' and it's true, the developers have ensured that it contains outdated, ill-configured, flawed code and contains GNU/Linux 2.4 Kernel which is known to have many exploitable avenues in itself. Damn Vulnerable Linux's website can be viewed here."
Television

Submission + - Vacuum tube turns 100

Submitted by
wenko
wenko writes: "The device that heralded the beginning of the 20th century electronics industry first saw the light of day in late 1906, just over a century ago. This was the triode electron tube, or audion, as its inventor called it."

Macrovision Responds to Steve Jobs on DRM 221

Posted by Zonk from the thinking-out-loud dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Macrovision Corporation, best known for its long history of DRM implementations, (everything from VCRs to software copy protection), has responded to Steve Jobs open letter regarding DRM. With ample experience and despite the obvious vested interests, it's great to hear their point of view. In the letter they acknowledge the 'difficult challenges' of implementing DRM that is truly 'interoperable and open'. At the same time they also feel that DRM 'will increase electronic distribution', if implemented properly, because 'DRM increases not decreases consumer value', such as by enabling people to rent content at a lower price than ownership, and lowering risks for content producers. While I'm impressed they responded, I can't say I'm impressed by lofty goals that might not be reached for years. The reality is, current DRM implementations often leave users with the bad end of the deal. What do you think? Should people give DRM manufacturers more time to overcome the challenges and get it right?"
Upgrades

Submission + - Stained Glass Case Mod

Submitted by
inetsee
inetsee writes: "Have way too much time on your hands? How about building yourself a stained glass case for your computer. No construction details, just three photos of a beautiful way to wrap your computer."
Censorship

Submission + - YouTube bans Nick Gisburne again

Submitted by
Da_Weasel
Da_Weasel writes: "Following up on Two Ways Not To Handle Free Speech it appears that YouTube has yet again censored Nick Gisburne. After creating a new account and posting the video again, over 50 other YouTube users downloaded a copy from his website and uploaded it to their account.

A very large group of active and outspoken atheist on YouTube are concerned that their videos are now at risk of being flagged to death by the religious fundamentalist.

Has this set a new precedences for freedom of speech on YouTube when it comes to religion? What other books might it be a violation of YouTube's TOS to quote from?"
Mars

Mars Camera's Worsening Eye Problems 93

Posted by kdawson from the ringing-in-the-eyes dept.
Mr_Foo writes "According to a Nature article, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE imager is suffering from a loss of peripheral vision. The problem surfaced less than a month after the orbiter reached Mars. One the camera's four color detectors has completely stopped working, and it is feared that the problems are spreading. Currently seven of the fourteen HiRISE's detectors are sending back corrupted data and although the issue is only creating a 2% loss of signal at this time it is expected to worsen. The lead investigator for the mission is quoted as saying the problem is systemic: 'In the broken detectors, extra peaks and troughs are somehow being introduced, causing... a "ringing" in the signal. "We don't know where the ringing is coming from," [the investigator] says.' Warming the electronics before taking images seems to help the problem. This effect might be one reason why the detectors on the cold periphery of the array were the first to pack up."
Microsoft

Microsoft Slugs Mac Users With Vista Tax 661

Posted by samzenpus from the pay-up dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Mac users wanting to run Vista on their Macintosh, alongside Mac OS X programs, will have to buy an expensive version of Vista if they want to legally install it on their systems. The end-user license agreement for the cheaper versions of Vista (Home Basic and Home Premium) explicitly forbids the use of those versions on virtual machines (i.e., Macs pretending to be PCs)." Update: 02/08 17:50 GMT by KD : A number of readers have pointed out that the Vista EULA does not forbid installing it via Apple's Bootcamp; that is, the "tax" only applies to running Vista under virtualization.
United States

Does Income Inequality Matter? 1186

Posted by Cliff from the an-issue-worth-discussing dept.
theodp is concerned about the following: "Alarmed by Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein's record-setting $53M bonus, Charles Wheelan (aka The Naked Economist) argues that income inequality matters. Wheelan notes that the Gini Coefficient (a measure of income inequality) for the U.S. has been moving away from countries like Japan and Sweden and closer to that of Brazil, where the murder rate is 5X that of NYC and crime is materially impacting GDP."
Biotech

'Plentiful' Non-Embryonic Stem Cells Found 489

Posted by Zonk from the bumper-crop dept.
An anonymous reader writes "CNN reports that scientists at Harvard and Wake Forest have discovered a 'plentiful' non-embryonic source for stem cells, as well brain, liver, and bone cell types as well. The cells, found in amniotic fluid, can be harvested without harm to the donor or the donor's unborn child. While there's no proof that amniotic stem cells are as potent as embryonic stem cells, scientists are hopeful that this will be a huge step forward for the field of stem-cell research."

Slashdot Top Deals

"Money is the root of all money." -- the moving finger

Close