AngstAndGuitar - Slashdot User

USAID server hacked to serve pornography 0

Submitted by Stony Stevenson on Sunday December 02 2007, @04:58PM

Stony Stevenson writes "The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provides economic, developmental and humanitarian assistance around the world in conjunction with the foreign policy goals of the United States. It also provides porn, or so it appeared as of 2:00 pm PST on Friday. The hacked server was associated with USAID's Tanzania subdomain: Tanzania.usaid.gov.

Those accessing the affected pages get presented with a fake error message indicating that updated video software is required. Interacting with the dialog menu, accepting it or canceling it, is likely result in the installation of the Zlob Trojan. Infected machines were then at risk of being conscripted to serve in some cyber criminal's bot army."

Using simple hand gestures to control your TV 0

Submitted by

Gary

on Monday July 16 2007, @07:21AM

Gary writes "Australian scientists have reportedly come up with a box that lets television viewers change channels, switch on the DVD player or switch off an irritating presenter with the wave of a hand. The controller has a built in camera which can recognize simple hand gestures and work with up to eight different gadgets around the home. A clenched fist means "start", an outstretched hand with closed fingers means "power on", a thumbs-up sign means "up" and a sideways victory sign means "channel"."

British Computer Society hangs up on Microsoft cal 0

Submitted by Rob on Monday July 16 2007, @06:58AM

Rob writes "The British Computer Society (BCS) is not going to heed Microsoft's call for another over-arching framework to certify technical architects, Computer Business Review has learned. There are currently several organizations offering certification of technical architects, including Microsoft, the BCS, and the Independent Association of Software Architects, IASA. But as we reported last Tuesday, Matt Deacon, chief architectural adviser of Microsoft UK, is calling on all of the groups to work together on a new internationally recognized certification for technology. But the BCS's chief executive David Clark told us that he does not agree that another certification scheme is needed. "I disagree [with Microsoft]," said Clark. "I think it should be the BCS, we offer a Chartered standard already.""

IT Professional Meets FBI Polygraph 0

Submitted by

George Maschke

on Monday July 16 2007, @06:58AM

George Maschke writes "A 2002 report by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that "[polygraph testing's] accuracy in distinguishing actual or potential security violators from innocent test takers is insufficient to justify reliance on its use in employee security screening in federal agencies." Nonetheless, every year thousands of Americans are made to roll up their sleeves for the ritual. An IT professional who recently applied to work with the FBI explains that telling the truth doesn't necessarily mean one will pass the mandatory pre-employment lie detector test."

... and the music keeps streaming 0

Submitted by muffen on Monday July 16 2007, @06:26AM

muffen writes "It's a moment of relief for internet radio streamers, the new bill that would mark the end for many internet radio stations has been put on hold, thanks to the pressure from artists, internet radio stations and listeners. You can read about it on SaveNetRadio and digitalyl imported's blog."

Comment: The Value of College (Score 1) 57

by AngstAndGuitar on Tuesday April 03 2007, @07:38PM (#18596931) Attached to: Miyamoto Gives Advice to Game Design Hopefuls

I spent the past 10 years programming, you can't say you can learn what I've learned by hanging out with your friends and going to college.

Most decent universities that I know of have a program called Computer Science, your mileage may vary. (Especially if you ignore lecture to /., as I am now.)

It's called experience.

In my experience, going to work in the "real world" the programmer with 15 years of "experience" wrote 100% pure www.thedailywtf.com worthy code, he quit shortly after I started submitting patches. Couldn't stand the egg on his face.
Lets not get started with the one with 20 years experience.

I'm not saying that experience is valueless, indeed, the best of the outgoing students are the ones who do their own programming projects, and gain experience that way. However academic study of computer science is very important to be a decent programmer, such academic study can be had from books, but it must be had somewhere.