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Displays

Submission + - New failsafe graphics mode for Ubuntu (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by ianare
ianare writes: Ubuntu Xorg maintainer Bryce Harrington recently demonstrated the BulletProof-X feature that is planned for inclusion in Ubuntu 7.10. It provides a failsafe mode which will ensure that users never have to manually configure their graphics hardware settings from the command line. If Xorg fails to start, the failsafe mode will initiate with minimalistic settings, low resolution, and a limited number of colors. The failsafe mode also automatically runs Ubuntu's new GTK-based display configuration utility so that users can easily test various display settings and choose a configuration that will work properly with their hardware. Features like BulletProof-X deliver tangible usability improvements that contribute to a more positive user experience.
Music

Submission + - Doom and Gloom for web radio (dailytech.com)

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: DailyTech posted interviews with the founder of Pandora and management from Proton Radio (and Proton Music) asking them what SoundExchange's latest rulings mean to them. A lot of net radio stations are dreading the upcoming changes in royalty rates, which are said to be around 400%... a number that would bankrupt most of the industry. An interesting read for anyone who uses online radio...
Education

Submission + - ASUS $199-$299 Notebook Announced

Submitted by
Plekto
Plekto writes: "http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/3951/asus_introd uces_new

I ran across this last night, but it evidently is slow to get out into the news.

Go to the ASUS site and select "global" as your area — there's an area on the left bottom side of the screen that you can click to bring up a nice bit of animation(the site's all JAVA, so I can't provide a direct link).

Prices will be $199-$299 — and it's not marketed as a OLPC, but a small basic laptop aimed at the younger crowds/college students/etc — who need more than a PDA but don't want it to be huge, either. It reminds me a lot of the Toshiba Libretto. Just under a pound."
Privacy

Submission + - Online shoppers will pay more for privacy (pressesc.com)

Submitted by
Caroline Matische
Caroline Matische writes: "People are willing to pay more to buy items from online retailers who make their privacy policies clear, a new Carnegie Mellon University study showed. People were more likely to buy from online merchants with good privacy policies and were also willing to pay about 60 cents extra on a $15 purchase when buying from a site with a privacy policy they liked."
Operating Systems

Submission + - Linux developers outline tech gaps (linuxworld.com)

Submitted by
dmarti
dmarti writes: "Linus Torvalds, Andrew Morton, and Jonathan Corbet talk about core kernel areas needing significant development work, including the filesystem, power management, and instrumentation. "Many people would like for the driver to also use power efficiently, and handle suspend/resume well, but it's definitely a secondary concern to 'working'," Linus says."
Censorship

Submission + - Censorship is changing the face of the Internet (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by
Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: "Amnesty International is warning that the Internet "could change beyond all recognition" because state-sponsored censorship has spread from a handful of countries to dozens of governments that apply mandated net filtering, and because companies such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have remained complicit, according to a BBC story. '"More and more governments are realising the utility of controlling what people see online and major internet companies, in an attempt to expand their markets, are colluding in these attempts,"' said Tim Hancock, Amnesty's campaign director."
The Internet

Submission + - Web 2.0 'distracts good design'

Submitted by
stevedcc
stevedcc writes: "The BBC is running a story about web 2.0 and usability, including comments from Jakob Nielsen stating "Hype about Web 2.0 is making web firms neglect the basics of good design".

From the article:

He warned that the rush to make webpages more dynamic often meant users were badly served.

He said sites peppered with personalisation tools were in danger of resembling the "glossy but useless" sites at the height of the dotcom boom.
"
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - US wants everyone else to destroy the climate too

Submitted by minuszero
minuszero writes: BBC news Is reporting on some of the changes the US wants to put in the new G8 climate texts.

Such changes include:
Striking out "climate change is speeding up and will seriously damage our common natural environment and severely weaken (the) global economy... resolute action is urgently needed in order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions".
and "we are deeply concerned about the latest findings confirmed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)".

Yet, a spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality claims "The US continues to lead the global effort on climate change."

Question is, did she mean stopping climate change, or encouraging it?
Businesses

Submission + - Handling Interviews after being a Fall Guy

Submitted by
bheer
bheer writes: "Salon's Since You Asked column is carrying an interesting question right now — what do you say in interviews after getting fired as a fall guy at your last job? Cary Tennis, who writes the column, admits he may not be the best person for this sort of question. So I thought I'd ask Slashdotters what they thought about this. Software developers are sometimes able to get away blaming the business requirements/analysis process, but anyone with any experience in this business probably has had nightmares about being the fall guy and may even have a strategy or two up their sleeve. How would deal with being in such a crummy position?"
Microsoft

Submission + - Windows Vista "Non" Downgrade Clause

Submitted by Pissed Off
Pissed Off writes: Alright, so I bought a brand new DELL computer and opted for Windows Vista Ultimate. Figuring that Vista Business and Ultimate both come with downgrade rights I figure that I should not have a problem. None the less, the computer arrived and it got unpacked. So I started doing some tweaking and tuning and then timed the start up only to discover that my old computer running Windows XP blew my Windows Vista rig out of the water!

The old computer specs: Pentium M 1.4GHz / 60GB 7200RPM / 1GB RAM
The new computer specs: Core 2 Duo 2GHz / 100GB 7200RPM / 2GB RAM

So I did what any sane person would do and turfed Windows Vista and started installing Windows XP. In order to attain my downgrade rights I called Dell and asked them about this and they told me to call a 1-800 number or the Microsoft Volume Licensing department where they pretty much told me that since I have an OEM copy of Vista that my reseller (Dell) should assist me. Since then I have been back and forth with Dell and Microsoft and have not reached a solution.

After digging around I found a couple web sites describing the whole downgrade process. Some going as far as suggesting that I call and explain to the Windows Activation team my issue and that they should take care of it and activate my computer. So, I just got off the phone and sure enough they told me that the CD Key that i used (legitimate) has already been activated on another computer and that it is licensed for only one system.

This issue is still pending a resolution and neither Dell nor Microsoft seem to be much help! Has any one else out there gone through this with success or lack there of??? I have not yet tried to downgrade my Windows Vista Ultimate retail box... I wonder what Microsoft's excuse will be then >:|

My beef is that no where in the End User License Agreement does it say that I have to:

a) provide my own media (Volume License, Retail, OEM System Builder)
b) provide my own cd key (and not an OEM key)

Had I known that I would not have bothered with Vista and gotten my notebook with Windows XP right out of the gate.

Now I'm faced with the costs of returning my laptop at my cost and then having to wait another 2-3 weeks in order to get the replacement.
Power

Submission + - SHPEGS: DIY Solar/Geothermal Electricity

Submitted by
rohar
rohar writes: "SHPEGS is an open design not-for-profit project to design and prototype a base load renewable electrical generation system suitable for moderate climates and built from common materials. The design centers around creating a local geothermal source with an efficient solar thermal water heater system and can be scaled from the single residence to the mega-project. The project was recently featured in an in-depth The Future of Things article. The heliostat system used in Europe's First Solar Thermal Plant could be used in a scaled down SHPEGS system with Practical Solar's small scale heliostats."

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