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Submission + - Google Releases WebP (google.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Google has released WebP, a lossy image format based on the image encoding used by VP8 (the video codec used in Google's WebM video format) to compress keyframes. According to the FAQ, WebP achieves an average 39% more compression than JPEG and JPEG 2000. A gallery on the WebP homepage has a selection of images which compare the original JPEG image with the WebP encoded image shown as a PNG. There's no information available yet on which browsers will support the WebP image format but I imagine it will be all the browsers which currently have native WebM support — Firefox, Chrome, and Opera.

Submission + - How do I start contributing to Numerical Library?

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: I am an Applied Math grad student who knows a bit of Mathematics and a bit of programming. C++ being my first programming language, I am decent at it. I wish to start contributing to a numerical library with two purposes — contribute to open source and develop my C++ skills at the same time. I looked at the Boost libraries and joined the developer list. However, I have no idea on how to start contributing. I'm not an expert in template programming, having written only toy programs to understand that concept. I've used some of the OOP constructs like inheritance, but that too only for very small projects.

Could slashdotters please give me tips on how to get started on the contribution? Are there any other emerging numerical libraries to which I can contribute? Are there any other avenues where I can contribute to open source and improve programming skills?
Games

Submission + - Blizzard tries Real ID again. (worldofwarcraft.com)

Submitted by tacarat
tacarat writes: The last time Blizzard mentioned their new Real ID system, a large backlash was created regarding privacy. After a period of time they backed down from the effort and little was heard about it since. Well, that just changed. Blizzard's spokescandle, Nethaera, broke the announcement today.

We'd like to make you aware of the new Real ID-related privacy options we've introduced to Battle.net. These options provide Real ID users with additional tools for customizing the service based on their preferences, enabling the ability to opt in or out of the Real ID "Friends of Friends" and "Add Facebook Friends" features or to turn off Real ID altogether. Real ID offers an optional, convenient way for keeping in touch with real-world friends you know and trust, whether they're playing World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, or one of our future games. The "Friends of Friends" and "Add Facebook Friends" features provide you with even more options to stay connected while you play by making it easier for real-life friends to locate each other on Battle.net. You can easily enable or disable these features through your Battle.net privacy settings by logging in to your Battle.net account at http://www.battle.net/.

Interfacing with Facebook seems to be the only probably issue, especially given the rise of social media exploits. Authenticators, anyone?

Submission + - Stuxnet Analysis Supports Iran-Israel Connections (threatpost.com)

Submitted by Paul-Threatpost
Paul-Threatpost writes: Speaking at the Virus Bulletin Conference in Vancouver, Liam O'Murchu of Symantec said that company's analysis of Stuxnet's code for manipulating PLCs on industrial control systems by Siemens backs up both the speculation that Iran was the intended target and that Israel was the possible source of the virus. As for Iran, O Murch merely pointed to Symantec data that show the country was the source of the most Stuxnet infections. Iran has since blocked communications to Stuxnet's command and control infrastructure. He said researchers also uncovered the reference to an obscure date in the worm's code, May 9, 1979: the date on which a prominent Iranian Jew, Habib Elghanian, who was executed by the new Islamic government shortly after the revolution.
Television

Submission + - Super Hi-Vision TV (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by Thorfinn.au
Thorfinn.au writes: BBC News and NHK demonstrate.
Super Hi-Vision TV, 16 times sharper than HDTV, has been developed by Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
The standard could be used on giant public viewing screens, some of which may be in place for the 2012 Olympics.
NHK hope to broadcast in Super Hi-Vision by 2020, although no television currently exists that can fully show off the 7680-by-4320 pixel signal.
The "full HD" currently available means a display of 1920 by 1080 pixels — a quarter the number of pixels both vertically and a quarter horizontally.

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