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Math

Submission + - A new view of quantum mechanics

Falladir writes: "Physicist Anton Zeilinger has proposed a new way of looking at quantum mechanics, in which a system with one qubit of information is the fundamental unit.

"Zeilinger's single, simple principle leads to these three cornerstones of quantum mechanics: quantisation, uncertainty and entanglement. What, then, of the more formal elements of quantum mechanics such as wave functions and Schrödinger's equation — the bread and butter of atomic physicists?"

Zeilinger discards Hilbert space, in favor of what he calls "information space." The state of a system is a point in information space. The point moves, over time, as the system evolves. This movement is governed by the classical principles of motion, and under translation from information space to Hilbert space, these classical laws derive Schroedinger's equation."
Handhelds

Submission + - Man badly burnt after mobile phone catches fire

ztransform writes: "According to this article a man in California has suffered burns to 50% of his body after a mobile phone he was carrying in a pocket caught fire.

The article states that authorities declined to name the phone's manufacturer and model. Imagine the value of shares in any named company following the many recent reports of laptop battery recalls."
Security

Submission + - 56,000+ MySpace Usernames and Passwords Phished.

HT writes: "A MySpace phishing attempt (or success, depending on how you look at it) has made 56000 usernames and passwords available to the public. The list has been distributed via the popular security mailing list. You have to wonder when people will learn to check their address bar."
Software

Submission + - Scott Rosenberg: What Makes Software So Hard

Anonymous writes: CIOInsight.com has an interesting Q&A with Scott Rosenberg, founding editor of Salon.com and author of the book "Dreaming in Code." Rosenberg talks about the book and his thoughts on how to make create a more reliable process for software development.

Says Rosenberg: "The idea is that if we're going to turn the creation of software into a true science, we need to first have principles. We need to know the fundamentals and formulas by which software behaves. What are the laws and principles we can count on in creating it? The problem is that software is not a thing, not a preexisting phenomenon of the universe; it's a product of the human imagination...computer science today accepts the file system as if it were some law of nature, and it's not. Every aspect of software is a human construct. "
User Journal

Journal Journal: How Bell Labs blew the microchip

The December 2006 issue of IEEE Spectrum carries an article about the life and tragic death of Jack A. Morton, of Bell Labs: How Bell Labs Missed the Microchip. It includes "On integrated circuits in particular, Morton exhibited serious blind spots that cost the parent phone company, AT&T, dearly--and may have contributed to its eventual dismemberment."
The Internet

Submission + - Morse over IP

Boogie writes: "Morrisey could well have crooned "some nerds are sadder than others" and gained a whole new phalanx of devotees, and I'd have been one. Well, I am anyway, but amongst sad bastards I rank myself pretty high in the stakes.

You can get away with retro gaming and be as cool as the dude in the street wearing this years last decades fashion item, but try impressing the girls/boys with "I operate morse code over the internet" and you'll be going home lonelier than you usually are, if they don't kick bits off you first on sheer principle.

Well, I do, and so do some other people, though you don't bump into them at parties much. My own shrine to the original data over wire tech can be found at:

http://www.planetofnoise.com/midi/morse2mid.php

where you can send someone a morse email or create and download your own morse ringtone.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm working on getting an Oric-1 online....

Andy B"
Microsoft

Submission + - Bill Gates funds anti-net neutrality Congressman

amigoro writes: "It has emerged that Bill Gates funded an anti-neutrality Congressman at the last election. He gave $2,000, the maximum possible, to Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), who voted against Markey's "Net Neutrality Act of 2006". He also meant to be working closely with another anti-net neutrality Congressman, Cliff Stearns.

This is hardly surprising, considering the fact that Microsoft stands to lose, not gain, from net neutrality."
Wireless Networking

Submission + - Cell phones are good for you!

An anonymous reader writes: "Latest Danish cell phone study: Giving the industry what they paid for' " "Muscat blatantly changed his data after his studies were completed under pressure from the industry. Specifically, Muscat's work — peer reviewed and completed according to a specific protocol under the WTR — identified a near tripling in the risk neuroepithelial tumors and a correlation between the side of the head where the phones were used and the side of the head where the tumor was located that were both statistically significant." http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2006/12/18/m ore_cell_phone_not_dangerous_industry_spin.htm
Slashdot.org

Submission + - What is your favorite /.ism?

cdrdude writes: "What is your favorite slashdot running joke? 1) First post? 2) All slashdotters are male 3) Slashdotters don't get laid 4) Dupe! 5) Microsoft bashing 6) CowboyNeal"
The Almighty Buck

Journal Journal: Cheapskate tricks #1

Many times, I find myself on the run between work and gigs. Traffic around Boston can be insane, so inevitably I have to choke down some fast food. Not for price, but for speed.

If you do the obvious thing, it will cost you about $7 for one of those so-valued "value" meals. Surely, we can do better. If you're going to suffer the insult of eating crappy food, why overpay for it? You can get a dinner for about $2. Here's how:

Displays

Journal Journal: LCDs do get burn-in

You may think now that you upgraded to a nice LCD you won't get any burn-in like on your CRT.

I noticed the other day, after working a few hours on a score, than I had ghost images, dark spots. all over my Samsung 191T. I like a very dark and boring background (blue or purple).

At work, I have a Viewsonic VX2000 (an incredible monitor!) and a NEC MultiSync 1830, both of which are seemingly impervious to this.

Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Connector pinout site reborn as a wiki

An anonymous reader writes: Hardware Book has been around for more than 10 years. Full with 500+ pinouts and cable descriptions for the poor students or hardware enthusiasts. Now reborn as a Wiki and updated with new pinouts. You'll find everything for your old C64 and your new Nintendo Wii.

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