Submission + - Pirates crack Vista at last (apcmag.com) 5
El_Oscuro writes: A genuine crack for Windows Vista has just been released by pirate group Pantheon, which allows a pirated, non-activated installation of Vista (Home Basic/Premium and Ultimate) to be properly activated and made fully-operational. It seems that Microsoft has allowed large OEMs like ASUS to ship their products with a pre-installed version of Vista that doesn't require product activation — apparently because end users would find it too inconvenient. The question, how can I do this with XP?
Submission + - Getting Attention For Your Software? (paletteswap.com)
richtaur writes: "I'm certain a large portion of Slashdot's readers are themselves engineers. If they're anything like the engineers I've worked with, they undoubtedly code their own software in their spare time. Having the benefit of being employed by a large Internet company, it's easy for job-related releases to get loads of attention, but what about side projects? SourceForge and freshmeat are great for open source projects, but what about non-FOSS, websites and games? I've been struggling with trying to get eyes on my software and am curious how other Slashdot readers/engineers go about it."
Bookmark We need some Linux standardization! (raiden.net)
Submission + - Does Android Break GPL?
new_hook writes: "After laboring over a paper on protection of open source software through copyleft licensing, I've become pretty well read on the issue. However there still remains a questions regarding Google's Android. When they switched the licensing to the Apache License instead of leaving it with the Linux preferred GPL v2 didn't they break copyleft terms? With Apache being a permissive license, how can a linux based OS be closed source?"
Submission + - Top 10 Amazing Chemistry Videos (wired.com)
Timmy writes: Wired Science has picked ten of the best videos from YouTube and their own show on PBS. Only four of them involve fire or explosions. The rest range from music videos about the polymerase chain reaction to reactions that repeatedly change color. One shows how to pour sodium acetate stalagmites. Another shows Chris Hardwick giving instructions for building a glow stick while making absurd comments.
Feed Engadget: Microsoft speculates on ad-supported Sync (engadget.com)
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation
Apparently, Microsoft has plans for Sync that extend beyond the standard voice-activation scheme they've got going right now. The company wants to deliver a wider range of network connectivity for in-car use, and they're debating the possibility of moving away from subscription-based services to an ad-funded scenario. What exactly does that mean? We'll let Martin Thall, general manager of Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit explain: "We know where you are and we know where you're headed," he says, seemingly unaware of the Orwellian implications. "We could target that advertising directly to your car." You getting that? Targeted ads. In your car. While you're driving. Apparently, execs don't think you'll mind being bombarded inside your vehicle because you're, "used to advertising in the car. We hear ads on the radio and see billboards on the road." Of course, this is speculation on future technologies, so nothing is set in stone -- hopefully someone comes to their senses before our hovercar interiors glitter with holographic spam.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Submission + - Robots are as good as dogs in curing loneliness (wired.com)
hackingbear writes: "A study by Saint Louis University found that a lovable pooch named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at relieving the loneliness of nursing home residents and fostering attachments.
Most of the elderly used Sparky, a 9-year-old, reddish-brown mutt with a white muzzle and floppy ears, as a confidant, telling him "their life story," Marian Banks said.
Those who visited with AIBO took a little longer — about a week — to warm up to the metallic creature. Over time, they grew more comfortable with AIBO, and petted and talked to him. He responded by wagging his tail, vocalizing and blinking his lights.
Good news for many readers of the this site! Very soon, robots will beat Slashdot in curing geek's loneliness problem as well."Those who visited with AIBO took a little longer — about a week — to warm up to the metallic creature. Over time, they grew more comfortable with AIBO, and petted and talked to him. He responded by wagging his tail, vocalizing and blinking his lights.
Submission + - Microsoft Plans Massive Data Center Expansion (roughtype.com)
miller60 writes: "Microsoft is planning a massive expansion of its data center network, according to Nick Carr, who says the company will announce plans for two dozen 500,000 square foot data centers, each spanning 500,000 square feet. The huge network will power new online services Microsoft will soon announce as part of its cloud computing strategy. The expansion could also mark a transitional point in the evolution of the data center. Microsoft has confirmed that it plans to deploy container-based modular data centers in its new Chicago facility. Microsoft executives says the containers can manage power loads exceeding 1,000 watts per square foot."
Submission + - Scammers Move To Seize Shareaza GPL Trademark (torrentfreak.com)
An anonymous reader writes: After hijacking Shareaza.com, scammers trying pretending to be the Shareaza team have stepped up their action to destroy the GNU GPL licensed project. Lawyers representing the scammers company, Discordia Ltd, have filed an application to register the 'Shareaza' trademark at the US Patent Office. If successful, it would put the real Shareaza project in dire trouble.
Submission + - Bacteria Found to be Common Snowflake Seed (cbsnews.com) 1
tobiah writes: "CBS is reporting on a new study published in Science (subscription required) finding that a significant percentage of snowflake cores are bacteria. The most commonly found bacteria was Pseudomonas syringae, which causes disease in some crops and for which there is an active effort to eradicate it. The study's first author, Brent C. Christner, is quoted suggesting that decreased rain and snowfall might be a negative side effect of this effort. But what I'd really like to know is what do bacterial snowflake look like?"
Submission + - Social Media is Booming...Are You? (charlesheflin.com)
market-master writes: "Charles Heflin achieved a top 5000 alexa rank and made over 500k selling his e-book "The Master Plan". He accomplished this using nothing but social media. To generate interest in his e-book he first created a content rich, free e-book called "The Plan". Then he got involved in conversations, answering and asking questions on popular forums like The Warrior Forum, Digital Point Forum and V7n, always being sure to leave his link in the name box. In the course of these conversations, he would offer his free, relevant e-book, "The Plan", as a source of answers which aroused further interest and curiosity subsequently leading people to buy the "The Master Plan". The technique employed here used only forums(there's much more available) and could be applied to just about anything you wish to market over the internet."
Submission + - William F. Buckley Dies At 82 (postchronicle.com) 3
Joseph William Baker of Burlington Wisconsin writes: "Early leader of conservative thought William F. Buckley, Jr. on February 27th, 2008. His magazine National Review has several stories in response to his passing. He was credited with laying the intellectual groundwork underpinning Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan's economic libertarianism, traditional American conservatism and anti-communism. I was one year old in 1966 when his television show "Firing Line" started. His wit, candor and intellectual honesty to transform his position to one of favoring the legalizing of drugs will be sorely missed. I will always remember his signature eye brawl raising while he'd talk and his propensity for using power packed words. We need a new voice that unequivocally can make the case to obliterate socialism from all levels of government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._Buckley%2C_Jr.#_note-1
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212133015.shtml
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/019742.html
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/OPINION/803020335/1301/OPINION
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/rdreher/stories/030208dnedinudreher.15bbfae9.html
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/commentary/hc-curry0302.artmar02,0,2075605.column"
Submission + - How did you learn programming? 1
Xionn writes: There's been a lot of discussion lately on how programming should be taught. Most of it has centered around that many universities today teach introductory programming using Java and that Java is too much of an easy/safe/dumbed down language to serve this purpose well. Personally, I'm a member of the Java generation and my (academic) introduction to programming was a very Objects First approach, with encapsulation and patterns introduced early on. This is about 4 years ago and I recently picked up SICP on recommendation, it was a very enlightening read and a very different way of introducing programming than the "Java approach" i know. So the the question I would like to pose to slashdot is this: How did you get learn to program? And knowing what you know now, was it a good way?
Submission + - Cosmo: go to Apple Stores to pick up men (blorge.com)
thefickler writes: Apparently, if you're a desperate a single woman, you should be heading over to your local Apple Store to pick up a guy. Apple Stores have made Cosmo's list of "best places to meet a guy". Be scared, be very scared.
