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Comment Re:It's confirmed (Score 2) 911

Are you really that ignorant? This requirement will not add cost or weight to the car. From the car and driver article (Dec '09) linked above:

"Since the advent of electronic throttle control, many automakers have added software to program the throttle to close—and therefore cut power—when the brakes are applied. Cars from BMW, Chrysler, Nissan/Infiniti, Porsche, and Volkswagen/Audi have this feature, and that’s precisely why the G37 aced this test."

So, aready being done by a wide range of companies, it is only a small change to the software they already have, and it allows a very logical override: if you press the brakes then the throttle will close.

The whole excuse of "when I was little we didn't have all these regulations" is total BS. I especially love the "we didn't were seat belts or have car seats, and look I survived." No shit, if you were in a high speed accident, you would have dead or had serious injuries and likely would not be here to say that crap. Does everyone get into that type of accident? - No, but enough, and the injuries are so severe that prevention is the best option.

Comment Re:Bandwidth Calculations (Score 1) 211

Previously, AT&T slowed speeds for subscribers who reached the top 5% of data users for that billing cycle and geographic location. Customers were outraged, arguing that the percentage method meant they had no way to know what the limit was — until AT&T informed them via text message that they were in danger of exceeding it.' AT&T still maintains the position that less than 5% of its users exceed the 3GB threshold each month.

So if they limit the top 5% of data users for that billing cycle/location, but less than 5% exceed 3GB, then the point where they limit users has to be less than 3GB in most locations.

And how is it done for "that billing cycle". After the first day (hour, etc.) of the billing cycle, did they throttle the top 5%? Once you were throttle, did you stay throttled until the end, even if you were no longer in the top 5%?

I can't imagine anyone thought top 5% would be a good idea. I'm wondering if they did that to get everyone really upset about it, then fall back to this more "reasonable" solution, to look good. Instead of starting with the 5GB limit, and having a lot of people complain about it.

Submission + - Better Batteries through engineered carbon (cnet.com)

A Commentor writes: "A new plant opened in Albany, OR to make more effective batteries and ultra-capacitors, by using a specially engineered carbon. It can improve ultra-capacitors by 25%-30%. One use for them, would be in start-stop hybrid cars. It also promises lower prices for hybrid vehicles and grid storage."

Comment Re:Not searchable during a routine traffic stop (Score 1) 367

You must have missed the other story a few years ago, which made it all the way to the Supreme Court, that basically said the cops can arrest you for anything. It was about some lady and her kids who did not have their seat-belts on. SCOTUS ruled it was fine. See the full story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atwater_v._City_of_Lago_Vista

So your argument about 'just' getting a ticket does not hold.

Submission + - Photography rights in the U.S. (aclu.org)

A Commentor writes: "With law enforcement harassing photographers, the ACLU has provided information on photographer's rights in the U.S.: Taking photographs of things that are plainly visible from public spaces is a constitutional right – and that includes federal buildings, transportation facilities, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties. Unfortunately, there is a widespread, continuing pattern of law enforcement officers ordering people to stop taking photographs from public places, and harassing, detaining and arresting those who fail to comply."

Comment Re:I have mixed feelings about it. (Score 1) 325

The problem is the never ending copyrights. Had copyrights not been extended, retroactively, the original term of 14 years, plus one extension of 14 years. Which would mean if this was done in 1977, when he started selling them in 2002, it would have been fine. If you can't make you money back in 28 years, you are doing something wrong, and too bad.

Comment Re:Remember 1.2? I remember 0.12! (Score 1) 539

0.12 was about the time I became aware of it. But at the time I had a 286 and was in college. It took a while, but luckily I had enough saved up from my Co-Op job that I put together a 486DX/33 system with 4M, and 120M HD for about $1000. Don't remember the first version I used, but I definitely remember the SLS Linux (SLS stood for Soft Landing Software, if I remember correctly). I partition the harddrive 60M for DOS/Windows and 50M for Linux and 10M for /home. I would bring packs of floppies into the computer lab and use the Sun workstations to download the each new version of SLS Linux. I remember waiting for a LONG time before support for X was added to Linux.

Comment Re:more than 20 is too many? (Score 1) 559

I have 20 in just my collection of old Heathkit H89s. I have 10 of them, each has a Z80 for the computer portion, and a Z80 for the terminal portion. Then for my 2 Heathkit H8s, 1 - H11, and 4 H100s (each also have 2 processors an 8-bit and 16-bit). So that is 31, not counting spare boards and loose Z80s (probably at least another 10). Then there are the PCs, that I never turn on but still have a Dell Pentium 90, a Dual processor PentiumPro 180, a dual processor Pentium II - 333, athlon 2200+, 2 laptops. Finally, the current PCs, including a MacBook Pro, Asus Laptop, Sony laptop, HP laptop, Intel Pentium D 805 linux box, Intel Pentium 6950 linux box, 2 gaming desktops with Intel Core i5s. So just in computers, I'm estimating at about 50.
Microsoft

Submission + - Using copyright enforcement to suppress dissent. (nytimes.com)

A Commentor writes: Russian authorities, with the help of Microsoft, is confiscating computers, outspoken advocacy groups or opposition newspapers, under the pretext of searching for pirated Microsoft software. Yet they rarely if ever carry out raids against advocacy groups or news organizations that back the government.
Image

Girl Quits On Dry Erase Board a Hoax Screenshot-sm 147

suraj.sun writes "It's the same old story: young woman quits, uses dry erase board and series of pictures to let entire office know the boss is a sexist pig, exposes his love of playing FarmVille during work hours." Story seem too good to be true? It probably is, at least according to writer Peter Kafka. Even so, Jay Leno and Good Morning America have already reached out to "Jenny."
GNU is Not Unix

Software Freedom Conservancy Wins GPL Case Against Westinghouse 225

fishthegeek writes "The Software Freedom Conservancy has received a judgement against Westinghouse Digital Electronics for $90,000 in damages, $50,000 in costs plus a donation of all of the offending HDTV's that were using BusyBox in violation of the GPL. Given that WDE is nearly bankrupt it's likely that most if not all of the cash will disappear in a legal 'poof,' but it is a victory regardless."

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