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Comment Re: quick notes? (Score 1) 523

You seem to be talking about handwriting in general, which neither TFA nor I have a problem with and won't go away anytime soon precisely for the reasons you mention. Cursive (glyphs drawn without lifting the pen, the opposite of block letters) is what Finland is dropping and is well on the way of the dodo, and most people can't do it legibly anyway.

Comment Re:Just cursive, or all writing? (Score 1) 523

Cursive. From TFA (more of a blog post):

So what about a world where cursive writing is forgotten?

What do you do when your computer is dead and you need to leave a note? The death of cursive script probably isn't the death of handwriting but the death of doing it quickly and with style. Some no doubt will want to master it just for the sake of it - like driving a stick shift.

And signatures? A poor authentication system at the best of times - good riddance.

Comment Re:quick notes? (Score 1) 523

They're not dropping handwriting altogether; that wouldn't be practical. Even TFS says it's cursive script that they're dropping. From TFA (more of a blog post):

So what about a world where cursive writing is forgotten?

What do you do when your computer is dead and you need to leave a note? The death of cursive script probably isn't the death of handwriting but the death of doing it quickly and with style. Some no doubt will want to master it just for the sake of it - like driving a stick shift.

And signatures? A poor authentication system at the best of times - good riddance.

What do we get in return for dropping the writing system that we have used for centuries?

(Emphasis mine)

Cursive is an art form, best left to those who have a reason to become competent at it (calligraphists). Rest of the world, please write clearly.

Medicine

Ebola Nose Spray Vaccine Protects Monkeys 198

First time accepted submitter GeekyKhan writes A new needle-free vaccine has proven to be 100% effective at stopping the transmission of Ebola in monkeys, and it could spell a breakthrough in the battle against the disease. The vaccine is administered through a nasal spray using a common cold virus genetically engineered to carry Ebola DNA. From NBC: "The vaccine uses a common cold virus genetically engineered to carry a tiny piece of Ebola DNA. Sprayed up the nose, it saved all nine monkeys tested for infection. But now the research is dead in the water without funding, Maria Croyle of the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Pharmacy said. 'Now we are at the crossroads, trying to figure out where to get the funding and resources to continue,' Croyle told NBC News."
News

Pope Francis Declares Evolution and Big Bang Theory Are Right 669

HughPickens.com writes: The Independent reports that Pope Francis, speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, has declared that the theories of evolution and the Big Bang are real. "When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so," said Francis. "He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment." Francis explained that both scientific theories were not incompatible with the existence of a creator – arguing instead that they "require it." "Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve." Experts say the Pope's comments put an end to the "pseudo theories" of creationism and intelligent design that some argue were encouraged by his predecessor, Benedict XVI who spoke out against taking Darwin too far.

Comment TL;DR (Score 1) 153

[Ello's] charter can be modified, or the PBC status nullified, or the company bought out by another entity not bound by the original charter, with the approval of a 2/3 supermajority of shareholders.

What if they had said, "To each user signing up, we promise that if we ever start running ads or selling user-specific data or otherwise violating this charter, we will pay $1,000 to each affected user." Now that's no longer merely a "charter" but is now an actual obligation to an outside party.

[...] another potential loophole is that the charter contains no formal definition of what constitutes "charging for advertising" [...] conceivably they could add paid features which essentially amount to the ability to advertise to other users.

(That was easy)

Comment Fanless PC (Score 1) 202

* A rugged box shouldn't be hard to find - look at weatherized enclosures for radio equipment or, failing that, an AC mains box made for outdoors.

* A modern CPU and a high end GPU in an airtight box won't be easy to cool. Since your only means of heat dissipation is the surface of said enclosure, it'd better be all-metal.

* Your next challenge is to convey heat from the CPU + GPU to the box - sounds like a job for watercooling, with regular blocks for the CPU and GPU and a third, possibly custom block attached to the enclosure wall instead of the usual radiator (which requires moving air). Overclocking forums may offer some ideas; also the "silent PC" forums since some are into fan-less designs.

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