Comment Waiting for Modernist Cuisine (Score 1) 312
I'll wait for Nathan Myhrvold's "Modernist Cuisine" - http://modernistcuisine.com/
Comment 2/129? (Score 1) 193
Interesting that we're not counting Columbia as a "launch" disaster. The foam that broke off and hit the orbiter wing happened on launch, so in my mind we're at 2/129, not 1/129. That particular failure mode is directly attributable to the questionable decision to mount the orbiter to the side of the stack, rather than on top: switching back to the "astronauts at the top of the stack" seems like a clear way to remove a bunch of that type of failure modes.
Submission + - DIY Data recovery. 1
jchillerup writes: "The other day my aunt came up to me, terrified because her hard drive was "not working". I inspected the drive and it was clearly a head crash, and to make matters worse it had been running for quite a while afterwards. I tried a commercial program for Windows, GetDataBack, but it wasn't able to recover anything.
I googled a bit to get tips and tricks on lo-fi data recovery methods and read that if you put the drive in the freezer, your chance of getting data out is hightened, so I did that. After all, nothing *bad* can happen to the drive in the freezer (right?).
I'm considering dd_rescue, but before taking the drive out of the freezer, I figured I'd better "Ask Slashdot". Professional data recovery is beyond the budget, unfortunately."
I googled a bit to get tips and tricks on lo-fi data recovery methods and read that if you put the drive in the freezer, your chance of getting data out is hightened, so I did that. After all, nothing *bad* can happen to the drive in the freezer (right?).
I'm considering dd_rescue, but before taking the drive out of the freezer, I figured I'd better "Ask Slashdot". Professional data recovery is beyond the budget, unfortunately."
Submission + - iPlayer is getting a "free ride" say UK I (last100.com)
mrspin writes: A story doing the rounds in a number of UK newspapers and blogs is that ISPs are increasingly worried about the BBC's iPlayer, which, were it to catch on, could place an "unacceptable" strain on their networks. The solution, says Tiscali chief executive, Mary Turner, is for the BBC to contribute to bandwidth costs. While other ISPs are talking about implementing 'packet shaping' as a way of penalizing iPlayer traffic so as to maintain speeds across the rest of the network. This result would be that, during peak times at least, the iPlayer could become painfully slow.
Submission + - Search engine for reviews?
Custard writes: Is there a good search engine that only indexes review sites? Searching by model number on most engines gives a bazillion places to buy. I'm still making up my mind and Google isn't helping.
Submission + - Australian crackdown on "internet predators (abc.net.au)
i-reek writes: The Australian ABC is carrying a story that the Prime Minister, John Howard , has announced his government will be extending its "internet safety scheme" with a view to "to detect, deter and investigate criminal behaviour, especially targeting online predators." The government has committed to provide internet filters to every Australian family through internet service providers who will have to provide a filtered service on request. The program also includes the setup of a family support hotline and internet safety officers to help schools and community groups.
An extra $40 million has been pledged to expand the Australian Federal Police team responsible for online crime targeting children, bringing the total amount promised to be spent on the scheme to $189 million.
The cynical might note that it is an election year, that no detail has been provided, or is scheduled to be provided, on how ISPs would filter services and that John Howard is noted for successful scaremongering before elections.
Shame on the cynical.
Submission + - Exploding-Metal Bombs Are 100% Destruction, 0% Fat (gizmodo.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The US military has developed a bomb that will blow up multiple times. First the warhead's explosive itself; then the shrapnel will detonate on contact with any surface. Each metal shard from the shell will blow up everything they touch instead of just ripping through metal or flesh, as you can see in this image of a recent Navy's test.
Submission + - A pollution indicator on our car dashboard?
Roland Piquepaille writes: "This might soon be possible according to researchers at the University of Manchester. They've designed a near-infrared diode laser sensor able to record levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane directly from your car's exhaust. Their device could be one day incorporated into onboard diagnostic systems and be permanently in use while you drive. So you could be warned that your pollution levels are too high. The system would include dashboard warnings telling you to modify the way you're driving. But read more for additional details and a picture of the test bed the researchers used to take their measurements."
Submission + - Tivo your day
ZeroMaker writes: Apparently Apple filed for a patent for "Presentation of audible media in accommodation with external sound". With this system you would be able to hear external sounds while wearing your iPod earbuds but it also offers this tidbit. "...stored external sound can be presented with a full range of media playback features (e.g., forward, backward, pause, replay)". All the parts already exist someone just needs to make it easy to tivo (verb) your day. humm...
Submission + - Novell wants Linux ISV standard (zdnet.com)
neapolitan writes: Novell CEO Ron Hovsepian calls for Linux to develop a standard for ISV (Independent Software Vendors) to follow, so that their applications may work cross-platform. A quote from the entry, 'In Unix, we fragmented the applications and the No. 1 thing we need is applications. We need customers and the ISVs to have their footprints on the Linux platform.'
Is this certification something that is needed? It seems that an application written for Linux currently can be ported to multiple distributions without excess difficulty. Is this going to supplement the POSIX standard, or is this just a business / certification decision?
Full story at http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1303
Is this certification something that is needed? It seems that an application written for Linux currently can be ported to multiple distributions without excess difficulty. Is this going to supplement the POSIX standard, or is this just a business / certification decision?
Full story at http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1303
Submission + - Bring ODF to Apple's Office Suite (petitiononline.com)
Pedahzur writes: "The recently released Apple iWork '08 contains does not contain support for ODF (Open Document Format), an ISO standard. There is support, however, for Microsoft's OOXML, which is not yet an ISO standard (and may never be). Hopefully with enough community and customer feedback, Apple could be nudged into including ODF in their next update of iWork. If you'd like to see this happen, add your name to the Apple ODF Petition."
Submission + - Corporate IT waste due to politics
jpolachak writes: Question:
How badly do companies waste money due to political reasons? When viable solutions are proposed only to be declined to due "Executives" that have nothing to do with a project.
I am new to the "Corporate" big business world. I have been a government contractor for 8 years. However, already I am appalled at the things that go on. The company I work for as a Unix System Administrator is always complaining about budgets. Day in and day out someone is complaining about not having money. I know that this is universal. However, when I had a chance to implement a proposal for saving abou $10,000 on a project that is budgeted for $50,000. I was shot down due to political issues. The project was to upgrade and buy new desktops for all the Unix administrators(since we are running on machines almost 10 years old. Ultra 5's). The inital proposal was to go with Sun workstations with 24" Sun monitors. Totaling about $4700 per system w/ monitors. However, I then proposed to buy another brand monitor. Since the cost of another monitor would save about $1000 per persons workstation. I was told that if we changed the order to a non Sun product it would get declined. Due to another "VP" saying that we couldn't have such nice equiptment. However, if we spend the extra $1000 per monitor. Since it said Sun on it that the "VP" would not fuss over it. I was told this happens all the time.
So how often does this happen in other "Corporate" businesses? I ask because if I can make such a difference in just one small area. That must mean it is going on in other areas in the company. How does one get a point across that what is being done is an absolute waste and is inexcusable?
How badly do companies waste money due to political reasons? When viable solutions are proposed only to be declined to due "Executives" that have nothing to do with a project.
I am new to the "Corporate" big business world. I have been a government contractor for 8 years. However, already I am appalled at the things that go on. The company I work for as a Unix System Administrator is always complaining about budgets. Day in and day out someone is complaining about not having money. I know that this is universal. However, when I had a chance to implement a proposal for saving abou $10,000 on a project that is budgeted for $50,000. I was shot down due to political issues. The project was to upgrade and buy new desktops for all the Unix administrators(since we are running on machines almost 10 years old. Ultra 5's). The inital proposal was to go with Sun workstations with 24" Sun monitors. Totaling about $4700 per system w/ monitors. However, I then proposed to buy another brand monitor. Since the cost of another monitor would save about $1000 per persons workstation. I was told that if we changed the order to a non Sun product it would get declined. Due to another "VP" saying that we couldn't have such nice equiptment. However, if we spend the extra $1000 per monitor. Since it said Sun on it that the "VP" would not fuss over it. I was told this happens all the time.
So how often does this happen in other "Corporate" businesses? I ask because if I can make such a difference in just one small area. That must mean it is going on in other areas in the company. How does one get a point across that what is being done is an absolute waste and is inexcusable?
Submission + - Fixed Wireless Phone
SkipF writes: I would like to move my land line to a cell phone. But I don't want a puny portable phone dangling off its charger cord on my phone stand.
I've seen a couple of hacks where people modded a hand held cell into a desk phone chassis, but I don't think I'm up to that.
I've read stories about companies making a "Fixed Wireless Phone" for Africa / India and other places that have problems with infrastructure.
Has anyone ever worked with one of these? Are they available in the US? Can I use one with a standard Cell provider?
Submission + - Google gives Linux its patent protection
Rob writes: Search giant Google has promised not to use its patent portfolio against the Linux
operating system and other open source projects by becoming the first end-user licensee of
the Open Invention Network. By joining the OIN Google has licensed over 100 patents from
the non-profit organization, which was formed in November 2005 by IBM, Novell, Red Hat,
Sony and Phillips to stockpile intellectual property for use as a defensive weapon.
"Linux plays a vital role at Google, and we're strongly committed to supporting the
Linux developer community," noted
the company's open source programs manager, Chris DiBona.
Submission + - How a Motherboard is Made (extremetech.com)
countach44 writes: Gigabyte Technology, one of the largest motherboard manufacturers in Taiwan, hosted a factory tour at its facility, inviting journalists out to give them a brief overview of the company and explain how their factory worked.
