Comment Re:Awesome job! (Score 1) 571
And I was so excited when I thought someone else named Gray(well, Grey in my case) was actually doing something slashdot-worthy!
Submission + - Low-Power home server for Linux 8
mpol writes: For years I've been using a home-server with Linux, but recently I've been getting doubts about the electric bill. I'm not touched by the recession yet, but I would like to cut costs, and going from a 100Watt system to a 30Watt system would save me 70 bucks a year. The system doesn't need to do much, just apache, imap, ssh and some nfs, but I do prefer to have a full-fledged system, where I can choose what to install on it. I also don't really care if it's a low-power Via or an ARM processor, I do prefer it to be cheap. A full system for max 300 bucks would be nice. That way I would have earned it back after 4 years on powersavings.
I've been reading about the Western Digital Mybook World Edition, which has an ARM processor, but isn't that easy to install Debian on. A Mac Mini draws about 85Watt, so that isn't an option either. I would accept something just a bit more than turn-key, but not a hack-job. I've done hack-jobs enough in the past, now it's time for smooth and easy. Adding a temporary cdrom or dvd-rom, or an usb disk with an iso to install from would have my preference.
Are there Slashdotters who run nice and cheap low-power Linux systems? What can you recommend?
I've been reading about the Western Digital Mybook World Edition, which has an ARM processor, but isn't that easy to install Debian on. A Mac Mini draws about 85Watt, so that isn't an option either. I would accept something just a bit more than turn-key, but not a hack-job. I've done hack-jobs enough in the past, now it's time for smooth and easy. Adding a temporary cdrom or dvd-rom, or an usb disk with an iso to install from would have my preference.
Are there Slashdotters who run nice and cheap low-power Linux systems? What can you recommend?
Comment It shouldn't really matter. (Score 1) 835
Speaking as an EE Undergrad at McGill(in Montreal), I don't think it will affect her at all. I've been using linux exclusively for nearly a decade and in my experience, everything that has worked for other students' (windows & mac) computers has worked for mine. This includes everything you mentioned except classroom applications.
For the most part, any program I've needed for class has run perfectly fine using WINE(well, technically crossover linux that I get when there was a free give-away) except for a program that I needed to program a Lego NXT robot (BricxCC), but even in that case there was a linux alternative that I could have used had I been so motivated.
Why Is Connectivity So Cheap In Stockholm? 443
lpress writes "Symmetric, 100 Mbps service in Stockholm, costs $11/month. Conditions in every city are different, but part of the explanation for the low cost is that the city owns a municipal fiber network reaching every block. They lease network access to anyone who would like to offer service. The ISPs, including incumbent telephone and cable companies, compete on an equal footing."
Submission + - Game Changing Augmented Human Reality Unveiled by (singularityhub.com)
Singularity Hub writes: "Imagine looking at a someone and instantly being fed a visual and auditory stream of information about them, such as their email address, education, marital status, interests, ethnicity, and so on. Imagine using hand gestures in a minority-report fashion to take photos, draw images, and sort information. These capabilities and more recently stunned the audience at the annual TED conference in Long Beach, CA where MIT researchers for the first time publicly unveiled a new technology, dubbed "Sixthsense".
Taking advantage of technological miniaturization, research student Pranav Mistry was fitted with several devices, including a wearable projector, cell phone, wireless internet access, and a tiny camera, opening new doors to a more data rich and enhanced human reality."
Hubble Repair Mission At Risk 224
MollyB writes "According to Wired, the recent collision of satellites may put the Atlantis shuttle mission to repair Hubble in the 'unacceptable risk' status:
'The spectacular collision between two satellites on Feb. 10 could make the shuttle mission to fix the Hubble Space Telescope too risky to attempt. Before the collision, space junk problems had already upped the Hubble mission's risk of a "catastrophic impact" beyond NASA's usual limits, Nature's Geoff Brumfiel reported today, and now the problem will be worse. Mark Matney, an orbital debris specialist at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas told the publication that even before the collision, the risk of an impact was 1 in 185, which was "uncomfortably close to unacceptable levels" and the satellite collision "is only going to add on to that."'"
Nintendo To Start Publishing Ebooks On the DS 216
Miracle Jones writes "Nintendo is going to start publishing ebooks for the DS in conjunction with HarperCollins. The first cartridge will go on sale December 26th in the UK, will cost around 30 dollars, and will feature 100 classic books — stuff like Charles Dickens and Jane Austen."
Qantas Blames Wireless For Aircraft Incidents 773
musther writes "An Australian airline Qantas Airbus A330-300, suffered 'a sudden change of altitude' on Tuesday. "The mid-air incident resulted in injuries to 74 people, with 51 of them treated by three hospitals in Perth for fractures, lacerations and suspected spinal injuries when the flight bound from Singapore to Perth had a dramatic drop in altitude that hurled passengers around the cabin." Now it seems Qantas is seeking to blame interference from passenger electronics, and it's not the first time; 'In July, a passenger clicking on a wireless mouse mid-flight was blamed for causing a Qantas jet to be thrown off course.' Is there any precedent for wireless electronics interfering with aircraft systems? Interfering with navigation instruments is one thing, but causing changes in the 'elevator control system' — I would be quite worried if I thought the aircraft could be flown with a bluetooth mouse."
Comment Re:Negligible problems. (Score 1) 1002
ringworld foundation material is called "scrith".
Although it is very strong, at one point(before Louis Wu's first expedition to the Ringworld) a comet forced it's way through the ringworld to create Fist-Of-God mountain.
The top of Fist-Of-God mountain is a hole well above the limits of the Ringworld atmostphere.
