Submission + - Orbital Express launches tonight
airshowfan writes: "When a geosynchronous satellite is launched into space, no human ever gets to touch it again. This means that, other than for minor software issues, there is no way to fix it if it breaks, so it has to work perfectly, almost autonomously, for 20 years non-stop. There is also no way to refuel it once it's out of thruster fuel, the reason why it can't last more than 20 years even if it gets to that mark working very well, with batteries and solar cells still going, which is often the case. If only there were a robotic spacecraft in geostationary orbit that could change broken satellite components and refuel those older satellites, then satellites would be a lot less risky and would last a lot longer. Does this robotic spacecraft mechanic sound like science fiction? It launches tonight."
The Beer Tossing Fridge 223
cmacdona101 writes "CNN is reporting on a recent Duke grad that's engineered a remote controlled Fridge that tosses him a beer at the touch of a button. The fridge can launch the beer up to 20 feet, far enough to get to his couch. The video shows the fridge using a "beer magazine clip" and a remote firing system that let you determine angles and ballistics to get the beer to your friends anywhere in the room."
Comment Re:Buying gold in a game... (Score 1) 543
Yep. Counterstrike was totally cheating, as was BF:Desert Combat. I hate those damned cheaters and everything they stand for!
Just because the company that makes the game doesn't provide you with it, doesn't make it cheating.
Just because the company that makes the game doesn't provide you with it, doesn't make it cheating.
Journal Journal: New journal location
Lurgen's Blog is where you will find new posts that would have ended up here.
Journal Journal: Blame the ISPs
Here's an extended version of a post I made today, regarding who gets charged for unpredictable usage....
Half the problem here is that we bill for bandwidth in the wrong way. By billing on traffic, we open ourselves to exactly this sort of problem - it would be like billing for water consumption based on pressure (rather than volume).
In the case of network access, it makes far more sense to bill based on access - the size of the pipe, and if necessary the level it can burst to.
Journal Journal: Gibson - Pattern Recognition
It seems strangely appropriate today to write a short entry about William Gibson, given his recent release of "Pattern Recognition".
Many comments in the discussion threads about his latest work criticise him, based on the fact that he isn't really a geek (and as such, why is he on Slashdot at all?). Or that he isn't a good enough writer to justify the attention (and besides, Snow Crash was much better).
Journal Journal: Contracting 2
Contract vs Permanent. Soldier vs Mercenary. GP vs Specialist. Tough decisions....
Not too long ago, I had to make a hasty decision of this kind - made redundant from a "permanent" position, I had to find a job, fast. Two options were available to me: permanent, salary-based employment, or contracted, hourly-rate employment.
Journal Journal: Unions? Regulation? Qualifications? Bah! 1
On Slashdot recently, there was a discussion about Fortune's list of the "Top 100 Companies to Work For". Yay. As you'd expect, some of the big-name computer companies made the list - SGI, Microsoft, Intel...
The discussion thread was interesting though - lots of good points about the small sample set that the top 100 came from (less than 300). Criticism of the process used to choose that sample set. And the inevitable smart-arse comments about Microsoft being in the list.
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C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas l'Informatique. -- Bosquet [on seeing the IBM 4341]
