Comment Re:So how many frames will this get in Crysis? (Score 2) 133
0 frames in Crysis, this is a math co-processor type deal initially. Just speeds up processing for a specific type of quantum algorithm initially. ( Quantum annealing , min/ max )
Submission + - Elder Scrolls MMO to be revealed soon by Bethesda (tech-stew.com)
techfun89 writes: Move over Knights of the Old Republic, we may have a new player in town. For some time its been rumored that an Elder Scrolls MMO will be coming, with news of it soon, possibly in May. Sources claim that Bethesda is working on the MMO project and this project will be a big feature of E3 this June.
The Elder Scrolls MMO will apparently take place hundreds of years, if not 1000 years, before Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls MMO will apparently take place hundreds of years, if not 1000 years, before Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim.
Submission + - Linux-Libre becomes an official GNU package; Linux-Libre-3.3-gnu released (gnu.org)
JucaBlues writes: "Linux, the kernel developed and distributed by Linus Torvalds et al, contains non-Free Software, i.e., software that does not respect your essential freedoms, and it induces you to install additional non-Free Software that it doesn't contain.
Linux-libre is a project to maintain and publish 100% Free distributions of Linux, suitable for use in Free System Distributions, removing software that is included without source code, with obfuscated or obscured source code, under non-Free Software licenses, that do not permit you to change the software so that it does what you wish, and that induces or requires you to install additional pieces of non-Free Software.
Recently Linux-Libre has been formally accepted as an official part of the GNU Project. The first release of Linux-libre since its dubbing as a GNU package is now available from the download links off of http://linux-libre.fsfla.org/"
Linux-libre is a project to maintain and publish 100% Free distributions of Linux, suitable for use in Free System Distributions, removing software that is included without source code, with obfuscated or obscured source code, under non-Free Software licenses, that do not permit you to change the software so that it does what you wish, and that induces or requires you to install additional pieces of non-Free Software.
Recently Linux-Libre has been formally accepted as an official part of the GNU Project. The first release of Linux-libre since its dubbing as a GNU package is now available from the download links off of http://linux-libre.fsfla.org/"
Submission + - MIME Co-Creator Discusses 'Defensive' Patents (adtmag.com)
msmoriarty writes: MIME Co-Creator Nathaniel Borenstein, who sent out the first MIME message on March 11, 1992, never patented the technology, and continues to believe that "patents are deeply evil." However, he also endorses a recent patent that the company he now works for filed. Why? He explains in this interview: "Unfortunately...it's also true that deeply evil people can hurt you, and you really have a responsibility to protect yourself."
Submission + - Secret Service takes out "astonishing" cyber theft ring (networkworld.com)
coondoggie writes: "The U.S. Secret Service, teamed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest 19 people the agencies said operated a cyber crime ring that specialized in identity theft and counterfeit credit card trafficking. According to the Secret Service the group operated on multiple cyber platforms and members bought and sold stolen personal and financial information through online forums, particularly Carder.su."
Submission + - Scientology powerful enough to squash a FBI raid? More likely than you think (villagevoice.com)
An anonymous reader writes: After talking with more than half a dozen of the people who gave information to the FBI, we gleaned these details of the FBI's plans about raiding the base to free the executives held against their will in the "The Hole" as the summer of 2010 began:
-- The FBI had gathered high resolution images of the base using drone aircraft that were so detailed, informants were able to identify individuals in the images for the agency.
-- Expecting David Miscavige to flee the base once he, in all probability, got tipped to the raid, his various avenues of escape were evaluated, including the possibility that he'd make for Tom Cruise's private hangar in Burbank. The tail numbers on Cruise's aircraft were even gathered, one informant says.
-- At least three informants were asked if they'd be willing to go along on a raid of the base in a black, unmarked van, from which they could relay instructions to agents as they apprehended people.
-- Another informant was asked if he'd be willing to pretend to recant his defection from the church, and then go back to work at the base as an undercover plant.
-- One informant says raids were planned not only for the International Base, but also for each of the Church of Spiritual Technology locations, the vaults where Hubbard's works are being archived that we wrote about last month.
Then, something happened. We've heard a few different stories from informants about incidents on the local level which may have motivated FBI officials in Washington to kill the investigation, but Rathbun and Rinder both tell me they believe those local incidents were merely excuses for what both of them had expected would happen.
Some time before October 6, 2010, word came from Washington that the the probe was finished.
Here's how we know that. [more @ link]
-- The FBI had gathered high resolution images of the base using drone aircraft that were so detailed, informants were able to identify individuals in the images for the agency.
-- Expecting David Miscavige to flee the base once he, in all probability, got tipped to the raid, his various avenues of escape were evaluated, including the possibility that he'd make for Tom Cruise's private hangar in Burbank. The tail numbers on Cruise's aircraft were even gathered, one informant says.
-- At least three informants were asked if they'd be willing to go along on a raid of the base in a black, unmarked van, from which they could relay instructions to agents as they apprehended people.
-- Another informant was asked if he'd be willing to pretend to recant his defection from the church, and then go back to work at the base as an undercover plant.
-- One informant says raids were planned not only for the International Base, but also for each of the Church of Spiritual Technology locations, the vaults where Hubbard's works are being archived that we wrote about last month.
Then, something happened. We've heard a few different stories from informants about incidents on the local level which may have motivated FBI officials in Washington to kill the investigation, but Rathbun and Rinder both tell me they believe those local incidents were merely excuses for what both of them had expected would happen.
Some time before October 6, 2010, word came from Washington that the the probe was finished.
Here's how we know that. [more @ link]
Submission + - Ask Slashdot: What are your top work-from-home tips? 2
ichard writes: "In a couple of months I'm going to start working from home full-time. I've been thinking about the obvious things like workspace ergonomics, but I'm sure there are more subtle considerations involved in a zero-minute commute. What are other Slashdot readers' experiences and recommendations for working from home?"
Submission + - Linux For The Real World (techcrunch.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The recent Linux Foundation report about the Linux jobs market highlighted a need for experienced professionals, but the traditional Linux training and certification programs don’t always impart the kind of skills actually required by employers. In an attempt to bridge this gap, veteran Linux trainer and Linux Journal associate editor Shawn Powers has teamed up with CBT Nuggets to develop a series of Linux training videos entitled “Linux for the Real World.” According to the description, this course “goes beyond the hypotheticals to walk viewers through real-world situations.”
Submission + - 8200+ Strong, Researchers Demand Journals To Open Access (singularityhub.com)
kkleiner writes: "Academic research is behind bars and an online boycott by 8,209 researchers (and counting) is seeking to set it freewell, more free than it has been. The boycott targets Elsevier, the publisher of popular journals like Cell and The Lancet, for its aggressive business practices, but opposition was electrified by Elsevier’s backing of a Congressional bill titled the Research Works Act (RWA). Though lesser known than the other high-profile, privacy-related bills SOPA and PIPA, the act was slated to reverse the Open Access Policy enacted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2008 that granted the public free access to any article derived from NIH-funded research."
Submission + - Free Apps Eat Your Smartphone Battery (techweekeurope.co.uk) 1
judgecorp writes: "Here's a reason to pay for smartphone apps. The free versions can spend three times as much energy finding and serving ads as they do on their actual job. Research from a Purdue university scientist found that as much as 75 percent of the energy used by free apps goes on accessing location services, finding suitable adverts and displaying them."
Submission + - Imminent "six strikes" Copyright Alert System needs antitrust scrutiny (arstechnica.com) 3
suraj.sun writes: Eight months ago, content owners and Internet service providers (ISPs) agreed to the Copyright Alert System, a "six-strike" plan to reduce copyright infringement by Internet users( http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/07/major-isps-agree-to-six-strikes-copyright-enforcement-plan.ars ). Under the system, ISPs will soon send educational alerts, hijack browsers, and perhaps even slow/temporarily block the Internet service of users accused of online infringement (as identified by content owners). At the time it was announced, some speculated( http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/07/what-the-1930s-fashion-industry-means-for-big-contents-six-strikes-plan.ars ) that the proposed system might not be legal under the antitrust laws.
Just what is antitrust law?( http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/03/op-ed-imminent-six-strikes-copyright-alert-system-needs-antitrust-scrutiny.ars ) If I had to explain antitrust in a single word, it would not be "competition"—it would be "power." The power to raise prices above a competitive level; the power to punish people who break your rules. Such power is something society usually vests in government. Antitrust law is in part concerned with private industry attempting to assert government-like power.
Just what is antitrust law?( http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/03/op-ed-imminent-six-strikes-copyright-alert-system-needs-antitrust-scrutiny.ars ) If I had to explain antitrust in a single word, it would not be "competition"—it would be "power." The power to raise prices above a competitive level; the power to punish people who break your rules. Such power is something society usually vests in government. Antitrust law is in part concerned with private industry attempting to assert government-like power.
Submission + - A Look at One of Activisions Retired World of Warcraft Servers (hothardware.com)
MojoKid writes: "At last count, Activision Blizzard pegged the number of subscribers at 10.2 million. WoW subscribers in all corners of the globe, and it takes a massive amount of gear to host all the different game worlds, or realms, as they're referred to. Each realm is hosted on its own server, and in late 2011, Activision Blizzard began auctioning off retired server blades from the days of yore to benefit the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This was a chance to own a piece of gaming history. Activision Blizzard sold around 2,000 retired Hewlett-Packard p-Class server blades on eBay and donated 100 percent of the proceeds (minus auction expenses) to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which seeks to advance the treatment and prevention of catastrophic diseases in children."
Submission + - Gaming PCs: Making Do vs. Buying New (itworld.com)
itwbennett writes: "Before plunking down the cash for an Alienware x51 gaming PC, Peter Smith set up (mostly) old hardware in the living room to give PC gaming on the TV a whirl. That experiment was satisfying enough that he did end up buying the X51. His one gripe: 'The X51 uses Nvidia's Optimus technology,' which makes sense for a laptop running on batteries but on the X51 'it just seemed...messy.'"
Submission + - Fracking Is Also Poisoning the Air (vice.com)
pigrabbitbear writes: "Quick refresher: hydraulic fracking is the practice of injecting water at extremely high pressure miles deep underground to release natural gas for harvesting and selling. To you, perhaps. It’s currently banned in many localities and even whole countries (France, Bulgaria), pending more information on its environmental and health effects. Well, here’s more new information: air emissions near fracking sites likely have impacts on both short-term and chronic health."
Submission + - Computer Competes in Crossword Tournament (i-programmer.info)
mikejuk writes: Can a computer program, Matt Ginsberg's Dr.Fill, beat the best human crossword puzzle solvers? Not yet according to the results of last weekend's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in which the computer was foiled by the ingenuity of the human puzzle setters.
But was it a stitch up?
Before the contest, last year's winner Dan Feyer (who went on to win again last weekend) said he expected that the contest would include "a puzzle or two that involved innovative twists or patterns to trip up Dr. Fill."
So were puzzles chosen deliberately to put the computer program at a disadvantage?
Tournament organizer Will Shortz shook his head and smiled when that question was put to him.
Perhaps the lesson is not to let the humans know you are coming..
But was it a stitch up?
Before the contest, last year's winner Dan Feyer (who went on to win again last weekend) said he expected that the contest would include "a puzzle or two that involved innovative twists or patterns to trip up Dr. Fill."
So were puzzles chosen deliberately to put the computer program at a disadvantage?
Tournament organizer Will Shortz shook his head and smiled when that question was put to him.
Perhaps the lesson is not to let the humans know you are coming..
