Slashdot

An anonymous reader writes "A recent report by University of Virginia researcher Adrienne Felt reveals that 9/10 Facebook applications are given access to far more private user data than they need to function. Moreover, while Facebook asks its developers to promise not to save a permanant copy of this data, the company has no way of enforcing this. Privacy experts have cited this study in claiming that Facebook recklessly puts users at risk of identity theft and stalking by rogue developers. In this lengthy CNET article, Facebook's Privacy Czar dismisses the report, but refuses to discuss the specific mechanisms that his company has in place to protect users. Is this another case of security through obscurity?"
http://www.cnet.com/8301-13739_1-9854409-46.html

Lucas123 writes "Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic unveiled the spaceship that it plans use to take paying passengers into space on a regular basis next year as its first venture into space tourism, according to a Reuters' story. SpaceShipTwo, which will begin test flights later this year, already has 200 people signed up for the first voyage. Those 200 have made $30 million in deposits for the rides, which cost about $200,000 per person."
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2253544920080123

oicu81 writes "Microsoft is working to boost the appeal of Windows Mobile among consumers by appointing a new head of marketing and by lending support to a new application for viewing Web content. Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it has hired Todd Peters, formerly an executive with Staples, to be corporate vice president of marketing for its mobile communications business. Peters is tasked with positioning Windows Mobile to appeal more to a consumer audience. He fills a position left vacant by Suzan DelBene, who recently left the company. Microsoft also said it will help market and distribute Zumobi, a software program that makes it easier for Windows Mobile users to access Web sites and widgets, or small applications that provide up-to-date information from the Web. Full Story Here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141687-c,pdacellphonehybrids/article.html"
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141687-c,pdacellphonehybrids/article.html

Two professors emeritus of computer science at New York University have penned an article titled Computer Science Education: Where Are the Software Engineers of Tomorrow? in which they berate their university and other for not teaching solid languages like C, C++, Lisp and ADA. From the article,

The resulting set of skills is insufficient for today's software industry (in particular for safety and security purposes) and, unfortunately, matches well what the outsourcing industry can offer. We are training easily replaceable professionals.

and further:

Java programming courses did not prepare our students for the first course in systems, much less for more advanced ones. Students found it hard to write programs that did not have a graphic interface, had no feeling for the relationship between the source program and what the hardware would actually do, and (most damaging) did not understand the semantics of pointers at all, which made the use of C in systems programming very challenging.

They go on to compare Java programming to "a plumber in a hardware store." Would any CS students or professors like to respond?
http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/CrossTalk/2008/01/0801DewarSchonberg.html

mm writes "Mitchell Baker announced that she is stepping down as Mozilla CEO and will turn over the position to John Lilly, who has previously served as the Mozilla Corporation's COO. Lilly responded and laid out his plans for the immediate future, which include getting Firefox 3 released and helping the new Mozilla Mail company become sustainable. Baker will continue to serve as Mozilla Chairman and intends to contribute to furthering Mozilla's goals by working on improving the standards process and looking for new ways to help Internet users control their own content and data."
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080107-john-lilly-to-take-over-as-mozilla-corporation-ceo.html

NullProg writes "The state of California is about to enhance Title 24 (http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/). One of the new mandates requires new homes to have a RF controlled thermostat. When you change your existing home central AC/Heating system, the installers are going to be required by law to install the new RF thermostats. http://cryptogon.com/?p=1834 The state of California is allowed to set your thermostat to whatever they desire in an emergency power crises (Which they don't define). Explain to me again why a nanny state is good and why we are not building more nuclear/coal power plants?"

Researchers have found that professional welders who work in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation may be at risk for loss of sense of smell. Although underappreciated, loss of smell function significantly alters quality of life, noted researchers.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071011180831.htm

Scientists have uncovered a protein that plays a key role in the recycling of iron from blood. Their work could lead to new therapies for certain inherited blood disorders such as beta-thalassemia, a condition that causes chronic anemia.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071011180841.htm

Just a few days after a class action lawsuit was filed in California against Apple for locking down the iPhone, the California Supreme Court ruled on a different case that may have an impact on the Apple case. It's given the go ahead on a separate lawsuit against T-Mobile for locking its phones and requiring an early termination fee. T-Mobile had argued that the terms of service required that any dispute go to binding arbitration, so that it didn't make sense to take it to the courts. Of course they want binding arbitration because companies almost always win in binding arbitration. The court found that it's perfectly reasonable to take this issue to court. How the courts will actually rule on the issue could make a big difference in the Apple/iPhone case -- as there is the possibility that the courts may find that (in California at least) locking a phone to a single network is not allowed. It may depend on the specific wording of state laws, as the specifics of such a case can get rather technical. To be honest, if a mobile phone operator wants to lock a phone to only their network, and people agree to it in the contract (or agree to an ETF), then that should be a contractual issue. It's a dumb business practice -- as many operators are starting to realize. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it should be illegal.
http://techdirt.com/articles/20071011/121445.shtml

OS24Ever writes "From the site (having server issues already): It is with great sadness that I tell you that the Dragon is gone. RJ left us today at 2:45 PM. He fought a valiant fight against this most horrid disease. In the end, he left peacefully and in no pain.

Robert Jordan had amyloidosis, a disease characterized by extracellular accumulation of amyloid in various organs and tissues of the body"
http://www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/?p=90

ncmathsadist writes "The electronics teacher of the kid who hacked the IPhone has been RIFfed at the Bergen Academies. They decided they no longer need an electronics/robotics research program. This decision was made by a superintendent who is really an accountant."

Rob Isn't Weird writes "Hot on the heels of Sweden's change of heart, Hungary is reconsidering its OOXML vote. Because of certain irregularities, namely invitations that were not sent to the parties on time and a last-minute rules change to allow OOXML through with only 50% approval instead of the usual 66% approval. They intend to hold a new vote on August 31st, although there is no word on what they intend to do about the sudden influx of Microsoft partners who have paid the 200 Euro membership fee just to be able to vote on this particular issue."

Lenovo has announced that they will begin selling T-series ThinkPads with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 preinstalled beginning sometime during the fourth quarter. In addition to supplying the hardware support, Lenovo will also handle OS support for ThinkPad customers, with Novell providing software updates. 'Unlike Dell, which has targeted its Linux offering primarily at the enthusiast community, Lenovo's SLED laptops are targeted at the enterprise. Whether they are running Ubuntu, SLED, or some other distribution, the availability of Linux preinstallation from mainstream vendors increases the visibility of the operating system and gives component makers an incentive to provide better Linux drivers and hardware support. If Lenovo is willing to collaborate with the Linux development community to improve the Linux laptop user experience, it will be a big win for all Linux users, not just the ones who buy laptops from Lenovo.'
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070806-lenovo-novell-partner-to-offer-linux-on-the-thinkpad.html

SoundExchange, which is a "non-profit" spinoff of the RIAA is supposed to be a neutral party, simply in charge of collecting certain royalties and distributing it to the artists. Of course, things aren't always the way they're supposed to be. After all, SoundExchange is famous for having trouble finding many of the musicians it's supposed to pay -- which isn't all that surprising since it gets to keep the money that goes unclaimed. However, part of the law that governs SoundExchange's existence makes very clear that the organization may only use its money for three things: administration of collecting and distributing royalties, settling disputes about the royalties and licensing and enforcement. One thing clearly not on that list is building a PR campaign and lobbying Congress to expand its ability to collect royalties from other sources. However, Eliot Van Buskirk over at Wired has discovered that's exactly what SoundExchange is doing, and it appears to be breaking the law.

You'll recall the recent stories about the music industry claiming that radio stations are getting a free ride in not having to pay musicians' royalties, despite the fact that, for years, the record labels felt they needed to pay the radio stations just to get airtime. This came out as a new lobbying group and PR campaign kicked off -- including the ridiculous assertion that radio makes people buy less music. It turns out that the group behind this lobbying effort, musicFIRST, happens to be funded in part by SoundExchange. It makes sense why SoundExchange would do this. After all, it would be in charge of collecting those royalties. However, the law seems pretty clear that SoundExchange can't use its money for lobbying (especially lobbying to expand its own power). Van Buskirk got the run around from SoundExchange on this, with the executive director ignoring the question and simply repeating the laughable statement that radio stations (who are promoting the music for the record labels) are somehow getting "a free ride." A lawyer for SoundExchange then tries to explain the situation away by saying that the royalty money being used for lobbying was authorized to be used this way by SoundExchange members. That's like saying it's okay that they broke the law, because they gave themselves permission to break the law. Very convincing.
http://techdirt.com/articles/20070806/013113.shtml