If the current tools you have are getting the job done, I don't see a need to change.

If you want to force yourself into getting started with new technology, I'd start with a rootable Android smartphone, or a Nexus 7 if you don't want to spring for a phone plan. Then just jump right in to exploring it.

You'll learn a lot of the new interface tricks that are shared with tablets/phones, there's a lot of devices and web services they can integrate with, and you can still get your hack on and put SSH and all that other fun stuff on the device.

Was I the only person who spent the entire movie on pins and needles waiting for GERTY to do his heel turn? He even had a big smily face for crying out loud! There's no way he could be anything *but* evil, right? Right?

Rather showing of audience expectations nowadays, and part of the reason I so adored Moon.

I'm glad to see that they didn't fall prey too badly to the fallacy of sunk costs. Too many places wouldn't realize they've already lost the money they threw at the project, and no amount of extra spending in the hopes that it will eventually succeed will get that back.

Sounds like he was in Maniac Mansion, not a licensed nuclear facility. Dr. Fred's security seemed to consist of two disembodied tentacles and an ornery nurse.

Fred never did a good job of keeping people away from that pool.

It's an option. They cost a helluva lot more (The $S is currently $549, I presume the 5 would be $100 more), and I don't know if the carriers give much of a discount for no-contract BYOP plans. (T-Mobile does, but you're not going to get 3G, no less LTE with an iPhone on T-Mobile).

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone/iphone4s

Pick a color, then "Unlocked" is an option instead of carrier.

The science issues are not tied to public policy positions of the left.

The public policy positions of the left are tied to the science issues.

There's a considerable difference.

I haven't played the game in years, but it was the only MMORPG I ever played in which I actually made it to the endgame.

The combat seemed faster paced and generally less grindy than other MMORPGs at the time.

It helped that I played a Tanker, which was a horribly unbalanced class at the time. I remember forming a team, and single-handedly holding aggro on an entire instance worth of mobs, herding them into a corner, and letting the blasters let loose all at once. Good times.

That should be "assuming MS is not tracking individual"... Way to use the preview there, self.

There's no indication that Microsoft themselves keeps track of which individuals downloaded/installed which programs.

The issue this article seems to propose is that somebody could sniff the network traffic between yourself and Microsoft to grab the SmartScreen data and see what you'd installed when Windows contacts MS to see if the file is marked as safe/unsafe/unknown.

If they're in a position to do that, wouldn't they theoretically be in a position to have potentially snooped on the download of the software which is triggering the SmartScreen traffic? (Depending of course, on where in the network their sniffer is at.)

The only valid complaint seems to be that Microsoft is using a known-insecure version of SSL for the website all this data is sent to. If they fix that, I'm not sure what reasonable issue would be there.

I would argue that for the average user, SmartScreen is a useful feature and having it turned on by default (assuming MS is tracking individual user downloads of software for some nefarious purpose) is a good thing.

Forcing Metro on desktop users to keep the experience consistent between tablet and PC is like selling SUVs that you steer with handlebars to make driving consistent with your scooter.

Unfortunately, I suspect it comes down to "Can the next guy after you maintain that code you just wrote using calculus?"

My guess is it'll go back to a linear calculation as soon as the function needs tweaking, and you're no longer there.

Congratulations on your job with Microsoft.

Propaganda? The summary comes straight from the policy guideline document.

Knowledge-Based Education - We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

Exact same situation here. Maybe it works well on something that's not a no frills work PC, but definitely not on this one.