Forgot your password?
typodupeerror

Comment Re:Might be for fingerprinting (Score 2) 77

A user that logs into Windows with an organizational account does not have a Microsoft user account. The backup data itself is stored in the enterprise's domain, and the feature does not support cross-tenant migration. Cloud PCs are also not yet supported.

All this "backup" tool does is enumerate the installed programs that came from the Microsoft store so provisioning a new computer or creating a new profile on an existing computer offers the user the option of installing the previous set of listed programs from the Microsoft store. It does not backup program settings or program data. The same process could be accomplished in AD group settings, but not admins configure individual or group provisioning settings.

I see this as a tool for busy AD admins that haven't spent the time to pre-configure deployment settings. It also has absolutely no impact on home users.

Comment Re:Avoid student debt like the plague (Score 1) 149

Student loan interest rates are usually less than 10%, much much better than credit card debt.

Good point. I had seen some interest rates on private loans that were above 15% but I see now that is not common.

I've seen both opinions championed. Jump into a four-year degree using student loans and plan on getting a job capable of paying the debt in a reasonable time frame, or working and stretching a degree to six years with no debt. Both have advantages and the choice heavily depends on the demand for the job your degree supports.

Comment Avoid student debt like the plague (Score 4, Interesting) 149

The degree is barely worth the paper it is printed on these days.

That depends on what value you place on the degree. Nowadays, a degree is nothing more than an invitation to an interview. It suggests that you have been exposed to the bare minimum information that will be helpful for a particular job. No company views a degree as proof that a candidate can step into a job and be proficient on day one. Every company has particular procedures, policies, and protocols that every new hire will need time to assimilate. A degree suggests you are willing to learn.

As far as student loans, I view them as the newest version of crushing payday loans. Only the most desperate reach for them and get roped into a crushing interest rate trap. There are too many ways to finish a degree without accumulating soul-crushing debt.

1. Apply for grants. These include applying for academic scholarships. I received a half-semester scholarship at my first college simply because I was the only person that applied. If you don't qualify, move to the next step.
2. Begin your degree at a community college. A two-year degree at a community college is much cheaper and in some states tuition free for state residents. Get your associates degree then apply for a bachelors program.
3. Apply for a low-level position in a job in your field, then ask about tuition assistance. Many companies will help fund your education with tuition assistance.
4. Volunteer for the military in a related field, or even in a general occupation. A two-year military enlistment qualifies for the GI bill which will fund your 4-year degree with perhaps some left over for other education.
5. Once you start school, take every bypass testing route you can. Every CLEP test you pass is one less class you have to pay for. Every class you challenge is also one less to fund. You can sometimes test your way past enough beginning level courses to reduce your degree to three years.
6. Don't get locked into the four-year degree must be completed in four years trap. Find a paying job and enroll in night school instead. Do a year of school then work and save money for a year. Rest and repeat.

Student loans are like buying a house on a credit card. The interest so overwhelms the small amount that is applied to the principle that the payment schedule is designed to take 30 years to pay off. Taking six years with no student debt to complete a four-year degree is so much better financially that I would NEVER recommend anyone take a student loan. There are many options that still result in a degree without accumulating soul-crushing debt.

Comment Re:"unstated ability to get access to systems" (Score 1) 45

"unstated ability to get access to systems"

Difficult to guess what he was referring to from the lens of 27 years in the future. Access to data? Access to high performance computers? Access to technical expertise when the Playstation 1 and Gameboy Color were a incomprehensible marvels?

For context, in 1999 most computer users were running Win95/98 and AOL was still sending out free intro CDs. Windows 95 had just included the late-to-market "Internet Explorer 1.0" in the Plus! for Windows 95 pack and wouldn't be included in the main Windows until Win98. Dial-up modems had just standardized on the new 56K .90 protocol and US Robotics still dominated the market. Cell phones were a luxury for affluent professionals with many people still using pagers.

In this context it is hard to guess what "unstated ability to get access to systems" meant to Rep. Curt Weldon. It certainly didn't mean what "access" implies today.

Comment Re: 10.5 million (Score 2) 11

You could use Mark Rober's "Sat Gus" as an example. He built and launched a satellite that takes photos from space with kids selfie images which he emails back for free. He details the design and build in one video, then the launch in a second. While not a military grade communication satellite, he did get everything to space for $5 Million.

I Tried Building My Own Space Satellite
I Spent $5 M So You Can Go To Space For FREE
https://www.spaceselfie.com/

Comment Re:How will our encrypted USB devices be read? (Score 1) 50

That reminds me of the process at UC Berkeley, using lasers to read and preserve wax-cylinder phonograph recordings. Modern analysis tools can scan, image, and decode earlier technologies.

Project Irene

The FAA is also removing accident investigation reports that show spectrogram images of the Cockpit Voice Recordings. Someone has analyzed the images and recreated the voice recordings, accurately enough that survivor's families could recognize the voices. Newer technologies and computational resources will recover information we didn't know was available.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/22...

Comment Re:Volvo but not Polestar? (Score 1) 125

Anecdotally, I've actually noticed an uptick in people riding e-scooters. I guess that's what you get when the least expensive new car in the US starts at over $20k.

Let's see. Pick an average city in the middle of the country. Let's say Omaha, NE. The median income there is $70k, which about 55% of Americans all over the US earn or higher.

That means that a $20k vehicle takes about 3.5 months of income to purchase, for a vehicle that can be expected to last 10 or more years.

A $20k electric vehicle would be a great addition for many workers. I hear the Slate truck/SUV has a baseline of $25k. We'll see how popular they become.

Comment Re: taxing unrealized gains is problematic (Score 1) 295

I don't even really consider property taxes to be constitutional in general.

Good for you. But you're still missing the benefits tied to where that property is located. Most property taxes are used to pay for services provided by the municipality you're in. In most places your property taxes are used for public schools, fire protection, and city/county services.

The property tax system was based somewhat on the Land Ordinance of 1785, and updated by the Homestead Act of 1862, where section 16 of each township was set aside for the maintenance of schools. Landowners were always expected to support the services provided in their area.
Land Ordinance of 1785

In many places in Europe, the property tax was based on the width of the sidewalk at the front of the building, which is why so many buildings in Europe and skinny, deep, and tall. Minimal front profile. Requiring many people to pay a small amount to benefit the majority has been a function of communities for centuries.

Comment Re:Flywheel storage buffer (Score 1) 105

The reason I thought of flywheels was because I was thinking of something that could take over the more than 5,000 megawatts of load, then slowly decrease it. Batteries would normally be fully charged and unable to absorb the gigawatt load of the servers shutting down. Chemical batteries, pumped hydro, or thermal batteries might help during the re-startup but be unable to absorb the massive load of shutting down all the servers quickly.

Comment Flywheel storage buffer (Score 1) 105

Perhaps exceptionally large power users that can quickly drop their demand should be required to have a flywheel energy storage unit on-site to smooth their cut off and start up demand.

When they see the need to shut off their servers, they transition their power requirements to spinning up a flywheel storage system, then gradually reduce their power requirements. When they are ready to start up their servers again, they can tap into the flywheel's energy and slowly transition back to grid power.

Using a flywheel storage as a huge capacitor to smooth out the draw on the grid. Spreading the sharp decrease and increase over a 5 minute interval should help stabilize the grid.

Comment Re: Seriously? (Score 2) 74

She was 89 years old, confined to a wheelchair, living in an assisted living home, but in fine mental condition.

Just six months before her death, she attended a tribute for her work where she signed autographs, posed for photos and attended an early birthday celebration, where she briefly but joyfully kicked up her heels and danced. https://people.com/tv/nichelle...

Assuming because she was old and needed assistance she is fit to let die is just SO wrong.

Comment cull the weak (Score 1) 110

A five-fold increase in course failures, mostly attributed to cheating, would not be lessened by requiring a minimum ACT or SAT score before entering the program.

Filing a lawsuit that says "The school didn't check if I was smart enough to pass the two-digit entry-level classes so I felt justified in cheating" probably won't get far.

Comment Re:Out of control demand for power (Score 2, Interesting) 107

A lax regulatory environment and a technology that is outclassed by wind and solar in virtually every single metric except space usage in a country with nothing but space?

The output of a SMR is heat. That heat can be used to power a steam turbine or it could be used to generate heat directly where heat is needed like industrial or chemical plants. Imagine a SMR that could produce electricity, heat, and desalination in high latitude locations like Alaska. Or a small version could be used at McMurdo Station in the Antarctic during their 24-hour nights. If they could be built into the same form as a 40-foot shipping container, ten of these could be prepositioned around the country to generate power after natural disasters.

Slashdot Top Deals

The Tao doesn't take sides; it gives birth to both wins and losses. The Guru doesn't take sides; she welcomes both hackers and lusers.

Working...