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Comment "even Windows 7" - no need to be snarky about Win7 (Score 2, Informative) 133

Sorry, but I think your "even Windows 7" swipe is silly. As much as I love *nix and like to poke fun at Microsoft (I grew up on SunOS, HP-UX, IRIX, and Linux), I find Windows 7 to be a delight to work with (I run RC1 at home on two systems, an old P4 system and a newer Core 2 Duo). I would love to see a good desktop version of Linux, but Gnome, KDE etc. are just not polished enough (yeah, yeah, Ubuntu is pretty nice and all, but the desktop is still klunky). As a developer I miss the power of the command line tools in the Linux development environment, but as a casual user (and casual gamer) I am really liking Win7.

Comment NOT surprising, misleading title (Score 1) 567

There is absolutely nothing surprising about this study - it is right in line with the large AB studies done in the past comparing AAC, WMA, MP3 etc. (Since the poster didn't bother to read up on the topic before positing to slashdot, I cannot be bothered to look up a link either) . AAC+ is a vastly superior codec for low bit-rate streaming, for which it was developed. It uses a very powerful technique called spectral replication (who would have thought something that useful would come out of Sweden - just kidding). Please don't post articles about things you know nothing about. Thank you.

Comment Re:Stupid (Score 2, Funny) 317

"I can't believe this made it through a thought/mouth filter."

You must be new here:

1. PHB thinks he has a great idea.
2. Engineers hint to PHB that it is actually retarded, but have to implement it anyway.
3. Customers revolt.
4. Engineers get blamed for implementing such a ridiculous feature.
5. Goto 1.

Microsoft

Ballmer "Interested" In Open Source Browser Engine 410

Da Massive writes "'Why is IE still relevant and why is it worth spending money on rendering engines when there are open source ones available that can respond to changes in Web standards faster?,' asked a young developer to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in Sydney yesterday. 'That's cheeky, but a good question, but cheeky,' Ballmer said. Then came the startling revelation that Microsoft may also adopt an open source browser engine. 'Open source is interesting,' he said. 'Apple has embraced Webkit and we may look at that, but we will continue to build extensions for IE 8.'"
Power

Submission + - Switchgrass Has 540% More Energy than Corn Ethanol

statemachine writes: The USDA and farmers took part in a 5 year study of switchgrass, a native grass to North America. "Switchgrass ethanol delivers 540 percent of the energy used to produce it, compared with just roughly 25 percent more energy returned by corn-based ethanol according to the most optimistic studies." The U.S. government is also partially funding six cellulosic ethanol refineries, the first of which will be built in Soperton, GA.
The Courts

RIAA, Safenet Sued For Malicious Prosecution 337

DaveAtFraud writes "Tanya Anderson, the single mother from Oregon previously sued by the RIAA — which dropped the case just before losing a summary judgement — is now suing the RIAA and their hired snoop Safenet for malicious prosecution. (Safenet was formerly known as MediaSentry.) Anderson is asserting claims under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act. A reader at Groklaw has already picked up that she is seeking to have the RIAA forfeit the copyrights in question as part of the settlement (search the page for '18.6-7')."
Power

The British Steam Car Challenge 184

Van Cutter Romney sends us word of a British steam-powered car that will attempt to set a world record speed of 200 mph. The car, constructed on a tubular chassis, holds four boilers that deliver four megawatts of power, producing 300 bhp. The current record of 127.659 mph was established in 1906. More photos and specs at the Steam Car Club of Great Britain's site.
Music

Submission + - Is the CD Becoming Obsolete? (audioholics.com)

mrnomas writes: So, what's to blame for the declining CD sales? Is it that manufacturers are putting out more and more "safe" (read: crap) music while independent musicians are releasing online? Is it because iTunes is now the third larges music retailer in the country? Or is it just that CD's are becoming obsolete?

"Glancing at a report on Forbes.com this morning, there was an article showing that CD sales are expected to be down 20% 2008 (slightly higher than the 15% drop initially predicted). Why such a drop? What's truly happening is a gradual shift away from physical media to downloadable formats. What this indicates, so far, is that US sales of digital music will be growing at an estimated rate of 28% in 2008, however physical sales will drop even further, resulting in a net overall decline."

Communications

Presence Systems Number One On Federal Wish List 121

coondoggie writes to tell us that top among feature requests for any next-gen communications system among federal network managers is the ability to identify and notify employees in real time. "Federal interest in presence technologies 'may come from the fact that agencies want to know where their workforce is to be able to look at the effectiveness and the efficiency of what they're able to do,' says Aaron Heffron, vice president of Market Connections. 'They want to be in contact with them at all times.'"

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