Quent - Slashdot User

Linux 2.6.37 Released 135

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday January 05, 2011 @04:59PM from the new-and-improved dept.

diegocg writes "Version 2.6.37 of the Linux kernel has been released. This version includes SMP scalability improvements for Ext4 and XFS, the removal of the Big Kernel Lock, support for per-cgroup IO throttling, a networking block device based on top of the Ceph clustered filesystem, several Btrfs improvements, more efficient static probes, perf support to probe modules, LZO compression in the hibernation image, PPP over IPv4 support, several networking microoptimizations and many other small changes, improvements and new drivers for devices like the Brocade BNA 10GB ethernet, Topcliff PCH gigabit, Atheros CARL9170, Atheros AR6003 and RealTek RTL8712U. The fanotify API has also been enabled. See the full changelog for more details."

Genetically Engineered Silkworms Spin Spider Silk 188

Posted by timothy on Thursday October 14, 2010 @11:53PM from the waiting-for-the-spider-silk-boxers dept.

disco_tracy writes "Silkworms have been modified to produce spider silk, creating a fabric that could be used in everything from bulletproof clothing to artificial tendons." For some reason, this is far less revolting to me than the idea of spider silk being milked out of goats.

Comment Dangerous? no... (Score 1) 312

by Quent on Monday July 19, 2010 @10:43PM (#32959720) Attached to: Catching Satnav Errors On Google Street View

I've seen an occurrence of Google maps telling me to take a 90 degree turn and jump off a bridge, I found it rather disturbing :/ Another good argument to stick to your spatial/navigation intuition and common sense in order to get your way through and stay alive a little bit longer...

Some companies have been using a buzz button to report speed cameras, why not something that simple to just report any kind of problem (when you're driving and trying to find another route, you surely don't feel like writing a nice feedback form at the same time.)

India Hopes to Make $10 Laptops a Reality 311

Posted by CowboyNeal on Friday May 04, 2007 @02:55AM from the but-how-much-in-rupees dept.

sas-dot writes "We all know Nicholas Negroponte's $100 OLPC. India, which was a potential market, rejected it. India's Human Resources Development ministry's idea to make laptops at $10 is firmly taking shape with two designs already in and public sector undertaking Semiconductor Complex evincing interest to be a part of the project. So far, the cost of one laptop, after factoring in labor charges, is coming to $47 but the ministry feels the price will come down dramatically considering the fact that the demand would be for one million laptops."

DHS Passenger Scoring Almost Certainly Illegal 181

Posted by Zonk on Thursday December 07, 2006 @04:57PM from the i-feel-safter dept.

Vicissidude writes "At the National Targeting Center, the Automated Targeting System program harvests up to 50 fields of passenger data from international flights, including names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers, and uses watchlists, criminal databases and other government systems to assign risk scores to every passenger. When passengers deplane, Customs and Border Protection personnel then target the high scorers for extra screening. Data and the scores can be kept for 40 years, shared widely, and be used in hiring decisions. Travelers may neither see nor contest their scores. The ATS program appears to fly in the face of legal requirements Congress has placed in the Homeland Security appropriations bills for the last three years." From the article: "Marc Rotenberg, the director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said he was unaware of the language but that it clearly applies to the Automated Targeting System, not just Secure Flight, the delayed successor to CAPPS II. 'Bingo, that's it -- the program is unlawful,' Rotenberg said. 'I think 514(e) stands apart logically (from the other provisions) and 514 says the restrictions apply to any 'other follow-on or successor passenger prescreening program'. It would be very hard to argue that ATS as applied to travelers is not of the kind contemplated (by the lawmakers).'"

Bush Signs Bill Enabling Martial Law 1594

Posted by kdawson on Saturday October 28, 2006 @04:42PM from the maybe-sweden dept.

An anonymous reader writes to point us to an article on the meaning of a new law that President Bush signed on Oct. 17. It seems to allow the President to impose martial law on any state or territory, using federal troops and/or the state's own, or other states', National Guard troops. From the article: "In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law. It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that limits the President's ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions." Here is a link to the bill in question. The relevant part is Sec. 1076 about 3/4 of the way down the page.

Sensor Grid Predicts Imminent Flooding 51

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday October 24, 2006 @09:23PM from the lifting-all-boats dept.

An anonymous reader writes, "NewScientistTech has an interesting story about a river sensor network that not only measures water depth and flow, but also forms a wireless computing grid to calculate possible flooding scenarios." From the article: "If the river's behavior starts to change, the network uses the data collected to run models and predict what will happen next. If a flood seems likely — because it is rapidly rising and moving quickly — the network can send a wireless warning containing the details... [A researcher said:] 'One end goal would be that people living in areas that flood can install these themselves. They are simple and robust enough to make that possible.'"

IE7 Released and Available for Download 586

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday October 18, 2006 @10:03PM from the here-it-is dept.

Luis Escalante writes "After over a year and a half, IE7 has been released to the public as of Monday afternoon. Download it directly here. Word hit the streets after several mangers of the IE division posted on the IE blog."

Comment Something probably as cool as the Freebox (Score 3, Insightful) 245

by Quent on Monday September 25, 2006 @11:51PM (#16195199) Attached to: Free PC With French Broadband Connection

Yes this box looks like a big breakthrough for not so computer literate people looking for getting in touch with friends and relatives using today's technology.

However, this almost comes like shadow over the Free Telecom's new Freebox which comes with router, Wifi-MIMO connection, HD TV tuner and something like 50 free channels and a total of 200, including all the international ones like CNN, BBC and many others, a VoIP phone system with free calls to landlines all over Europe (free calls to Australia, the US and Canada for instance!)

I keep going: Possibility to watch TV on your computer using VLC or use it as a multimedia player to send video and audio stream to the box that then displays it on your TV and sends the sound to your HiFi system through the Optical connection. Ah yes also video on demand with films that you can replay and fast forward for 24hours just as a DVD.

Of course it can provide very fast Internet connection (28Mb/s), obviously runs Linux and all that comes for the ridiculous price of 30 per month (they just lend the box to you!!!)

All that to say, with such as competition on the ADSL market in France, no wonder why Neuf Cegetel is trying to catch with such an offer...

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