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Comment An Assumption of Competence (Score 2) 143

In their education, professionals, whether physicians or IT admins, are often inculcated with a professional swagger to the effect that they assume superiority in any situation. It is wise not to trust the judgement of those who exhibit this characteristic. They are commonly blind to their own failings and dismissive to others' concerns. Sadly, many are most impressed by this phenomenon, which they misapprehend as, "confidence".

Submission + - Electromagnetic Noise Found to Affect Bird Navigation 1

Rambo Tribble writes: A 7-year German study has come to a troubling conclusion: the EM noise from human activities is interfering with birds' magnetic 'compass', and potentially disrupting migratory behavior. While science is unclear how the birds' compasses work, it is theorized it employs the quantum phenomenon of electron spin. As the lead researcher, Prof Henrik Mouritsen, is quoted as saying, 'A very small perturbation of these electron spins would actually prevent the birds from using their magnetic compass.' The BBC has a nice summary article, as well.

Comment Re:It is a bit ironic ... (Score 2) 293

On the contrary, my clients and I have been using Linux for business and personal use in a variety of applications, for over ten years. Your impression is common, but ignorant. It is true that it takes some competence to set it up correctly, but that's actually true with Windows or OS X, as well. I've worked with each of them and Linux actually makes the most sense in how it's laid out and works. Linux, and the software which runs on it, will do the great majority of jobs as well or better than the other two, and, if it is properly configured for the use case, it is as easy to use as anything out there.

Comment A False Conflation (Score 1) 175

Inadequate resources is hardly the exclusive domain of Open Source projects. Nor is a failure to adequately vet code particularly reflective of an open development model. The insecure, buggy code in the devices used in the world's infrastructue display those facts, perfectly. Device manufacturers tend to focus on hardware, underfund and understaff their software development and demand unrealistic delivery times. These are, by and large, proprietary endeavors.

Submission + - SpaceX Wins Injunction Against Russian Rocket Purchases

Rambo Tribble writes: Reuters is reporting that Space Exploration Technologies, aka SpaceX, has won a Federal Claims Court temporary injunction against the purchase by United Launch Alliance of Russian-made rocket boosters, intended for use by the United States Air Force. In her ruling Judge Susan Braden prohibited ULA and the USAF, 'from making any purchases from or payment of money to [Russian firm] NPO Energomash.' United Launch Alliance is a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

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Top Ten Things Overheard At The ANSI C Draft Committee Meetings: (5) All right, who's the wiseguy who stuck this trigraph stuff in here?

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