There are multiple definitions. You simply chose an inappropriate one. Try this one from the OED: "(n) a feeling aroused by something strange and surprising". As in having drones visit a car which then completes the drone's delivery [shrug]

My wonderment exactly, (i think "Cringley Predicts" has slipped a gear). Makes only slightly more sense to have the homeowner's drone meet the pizzeria's drone and pass the pizza like an aerial lateral pass, (Then an intercept! Then pass interference! uzw...)

How do you know I didn't read it prior to commenting? That's amazing! ...and yet I did read it before I commented. It was me saying it's hard. I didn't say they said it. At least you're not lacking for assumptions in your gratuitous reply.

Once again, this seems to be a case of "AI" research re-discovering some basic math: if the function has discontinuities or is otherwise non-differentiable ("behaviors that are necessary to advance within the game do not help increase the score until much later.") then its optimization is hard or dependent on fortunate starting conditions.

As an aside, have we even developed an accepted definition for what properly qualifies as "AI"? Recently I was being flogged some software who's selling point was an "AI engine" which turned out to be little more than a previous version with little bit of Bayesian statistics bolted on.

Does i9 cure, or even address, Spectre or Meltdown?

With a laser functioning as "optical tweezers" one can isolate single subatomic particles (electron, proton, well-characterized ions ref: https://journals.aps.org/rmp/a... ) set the standard kilogram to the appropriate number of one of those and bid all your metal alloys under bell-jars bye-bye. That is, define the kilogram to be something like 1e30 electron masses or 6e26 proton masses. whichever is more convenient.

After years of faithful map overlay on the local public University's weather map had to be replaced because of this shift by Google. https://atmos.washington.edu/w...

Would it be so difficult to place somewhere in an "Operating System" tagged posting which operating system was affected? Slashdot folks really might have more than one OS in their areas and it would be nice to know which is at risk right at the top.

"Meanwhile, the robot grinds hormone-free, pasture-raised brisket and chuck steak to order. But rather than mash them all up, the strands of meat hang vertically and are lightly pressed together...."

So you're saying that it's a boring obvious excuse for a gory murder mystery?

Seldom (if ever) is there the rather obvious suggestion to limit autonomous vehicles to simple point to point 'highway' trips; but that's exactly where and how it should be done for the foreseeable future, if it happens at all. That is, the (literally) lethal mistake is to introduce autonomous vehicles into the complex and chaotic world of city driving. The next time you drive in the city consider how many of your decisions are predicated on understanding subtleties (some might occasion "stupidities") of human nature: "Is that guy looking at the person as they're talking on the corner? If so, they aren't as likely to start across the street" "Is that a child's toy which just bumped a bit into the road (to be chased by a child) or just a blown leaf?" "OK ...four way stop: it's that guys turn, but, he's got a cell phone in his hand he's consulting" ...etc. So, start out with truck loads from freeway exit 113 to 114, then if that works, exit 117...

...babes! (the Russian Space Agency, not quite so much)

Just in terms of fiber i'll add: Seattle :: Comcast. They were given assurances that they wouldn't have to compete against any municipal fiber in return for maintaining a paltry "City Channel" (typically channel 21).

Thank you. If it's got to be distributed throughout the galaxy then that answers that nicely.

Dark matter is proposed because galaxies hold together despite having greater rotational speed than 'normal' matter would keep together, yes? There's is presumed to be a black hole at the center of all galaxies, yes? How is the (equivalent?) mass of a black hole estimated? For instance, if matter is dynamically spiraling into this black-hole (not in a stable orbit), might orbital assessments of the black hole's mass be wrong?

Can you, Anonymous Coward, do us all a service and point out the parts of the article which belies the replied_to Anonymous Coward's assertion? Because many of us tend to think their statements are more correct than incorrect and that the linked article supports that view.