Comment Excuses (Score 1) 1
Next time my fiance asks me to organize my things, I'm telling her that I'm using a "chaotic storage" method used by Amazon. That should work...right?
Submission + - Inside An Amazon Warehouse (ibtimes.com) 1
redletterdave writes: "In each one of Amazon.com's 80 fulfillment centers around the globe, Amazon relies on barcodes and human hands rather than robots or automation to find and ship the proper items in a quick and efficient manner. Without robots, Amazon utilizes a system known as "chaotic storage," where products are essentially shelved at random but are tagged with barcodes to be scanned at every step of the ordering, selection and shipping process. The real advantage to chaotic storage is that it's significantly more flexible than conventional storage systems. If there are big changes in a product range, the company doesn't need to plan for more space, because the products or their sales volumes don't need to be known or planned in advance if they're simply being stored at random. Free space is also better utilized in a chaotic storage system, and it's also a major time saver to not organize products as they come in. This system is the true key to Amazon.com's success in online retail."
Comment Re:Sounds reasonable to me (Score 1) 331
It's a flipped switch, essentially, on the back end. The in house techs do it if you want to turn it on. I'm 95% sure it's just a check mark if you turn it on when ordering. It might have to go out to the caller id people as well, but that is likewise automated. *
*did verizon tech support
Comment Not Worth It (Score 1) 339
I can't see how it would be worth it. You'd have to carry a mouse and a keyboard, as well as the tiny PC and projector. That's a lot of things to have to take. Additionally, it would be underpowered and you'd have to find a place to project whenever you wanted to use it. Just get a small macbook air or similar windows ultrabook (netbooks are okay, but I've never liked on i've used). Even a kindle fire or iPad would get you online. Heck - you can even browse on a smartphone in a pinch. It'd go with a simpler solution and save yourself the headache.
Submission + - What is a patent troll? (itnews.com.au)
schliz writes: Australian tech publication iTnews is defining ”patent trolls" as those who claim rights to an invention without commercializing it, and notes that government research organization CSIRO could come under that definition.
The CSIRO in April reached a $220 million settlement over three US telcos’ usage of WLAN that it invented in the early 1990s. Critics have argued that the CSIRO had failed to contribute to the world’s first wifi 802.11 standard, failed to commercialize the wifi chip through its spin-off, Radiata, and chose to wage its campaign in the Eastern District courts of Texas, a location favored by more notorious patent trolls.
The CSIRO in April reached a $220 million settlement over three US telcos’ usage of WLAN that it invented in the early 1990s. Critics have argued that the CSIRO had failed to contribute to the world’s first wifi 802.11 standard, failed to commercialize the wifi chip through its spin-off, Radiata, and chose to wage its campaign in the Eastern District courts of Texas, a location favored by more notorious patent trolls.
Comment Requirements (Score 5, Funny) 886
Seeking qualified IT person. Requirements:
10 years C++
5-7 years Java
5-7 years HTML and CSS
2-3 years SQL
2-3 years Ruby
1 year JQuery
1 year COBOL
Familiarity with VHDL
Must be a Team Player
Must be willing to work 60 hours per week
Must know ballroom dancing
Must speak sloth
Salary 40,000 per year
I have no idea why they are having difficulties....
Comment They've done it in other areas before (Score 1) 1
I've noticed the same thing in posting links in messages and wall posts. They definitely censor certain sites - ESPECIALLY file-sharing sites. I am guessing that they don't want to become a hub for file-infringement. With the groups and similar features it would be a definite possibility.
Submission + - Billionaires and polymaths to unveil a plan to mine asteroids. (wsj.com)
dumuzi writes: A team including Larry Page, Ram Shriram and Eric Schmidt (Google), James Cameron (Director), Charles Simonyi (Microsoft executive and astronaut), Ross Perot Jr. (son of Ross Perot), Chris Lewicki (NASA Mars mission manager), and Peter Diamandis (X-Prize) from a new company called Planatary Resources are expected to announce plans on April 24th to mine asteroids. A study by NASA released April 2nd claims a robotic mission could capture a 500 ton asteroid and bring it to orbit the moon for $2.6 billion. The additional cost to mine the asteroid and return the ores to Earth would make profit unlikely even if the asteriod was 20% gold. But with many raw materials on Earth expected to run out in 50-60 years perhaps now is the right time to invest in this project.
Submission + - US Journalists Targeted by Pentagon Propaganda Contractors (usatoday.com)
Jeremiah Cornelius writes: While conducting investigative reporting on civilian contractors in the Pentagon's "InfoOps" Internet propaganda operations, two reporters found themselves the subject of a highly targeted, professional media manipulation effort. Reporter Tom Vanden Brook and Editor Ray Locker found that Twitter and Facebook accounts have been created in their names, along with a Wikipedia entry and dozens of message board postings and blog comments. Websites were registered in their names. Some postings merely copied Vanden Brook's and Locker's previous reporting. Others accused them of being sponsored by the Taliban. "I find it creepy and cowardly that somebody would hide behind my name and presumably make up other names in an attempt to undermine my credibility," Vanden Brook said. If these websites were created using federal funds, it could violate federal law prohibiting the production of propaganda for domestic consumption.
Submission + - The Physical Travelling Salesman Challenge 1
mikejuk writes: You probably know that the travelling salesman problem is one of the classics of computer science theory. Now we have a new challenge — the Physical Travelling Salesman Problem and anyone can join in. All you have to do is visit each city once using an optimal route. The new element is that you now have to drive between the cities using a "car" that has inertia and friction — see the video. You can submit an AI bot to solve the problem or drive the course yourself. Try it out at: PTSP
Comment Python (Score 1) 525
I would say go with Python. I read a lot of research literature on the subject and it really is a GREAT first language. Pygame ( http://www.pygame.org/ ), is a great resource for creating games in python which a wonderful way to learn. There are free ebooks on that site. The Finch robot from CMU is very cool also http://www.finchrobot.com/ - AND it works with python. It can move around the house and do things, which is great for keeping a kid interested.
Submission + - OLPC Australia pushes boundaries of education (techworld.com.au) 1
angry tapir writes: "Slashdot recently discussed some of the problems with the One Laptop Per Child program in Peru, where, in general, teachers did not make creative use of the technology by just regarding the laptops as an end in themselves. In Australia, the local OLPC organisation is attempting to address similar issues by creating an educational framework around the laptops that involves training students how to teach others about the technology and even conduct hardware repairs on the BOs. Some of the early results at XO-equipped schools, which in Australia are generally in remote and disadvantaged schools, have been impressive"
Submission + - Chrome OS introduces Aura window manager (geek.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Don’t look now, but Google has officially revealed their intentions to go after Windows and OS X. Chrome OS 19 has arrived for Samsung Series 5 and Acer AC700 Chromebooks running the developer channel, and the changes it brings may shock you. The new Aura window manager has landed, bringing with it a number of features that you’d expect from a traditional OS.
Submission + - TSA shuts down airport, detains 11 after 'science project' found (webpronews.com) 3
OverTheGeicoE writes: A group of students and a professor were detained by TSA at Dallas' Love Field. Several of them were led away in handcuffs. What did they do wrong? One of them left a robotic science experiment behind on an aircraft, which panicked a boarding flight crew. The experiment 'looked like a cell phone attached to a remote control car with some exposed wires protruding.' Of course, the false alarm inconvenienced more than the traveling academics. The airport was temporarily shut down and multiple gates were evacuated, causing flight delays and diversions.
Comment Re:The math is simple (Score 1) 270
In a lot of states, it's as a single parent - even if you are a lesbian and had the child together using an anonymous donor. You can set up directive in case you die, but they are not guaranteed to be followed. The second parent has to have all kind of documentation just to make medical decisions or pick the child up from school. In my state (Ohio), you can adopt jointly, but not if the kid is already biologically one of yours (step-parent adoption). It's messed up. Because the state bans adoption by a non-married couples and also bans gay marriage, it's highly unfair. Single parents are lower down on the adoption ladder also. It could be worse, but gays really can't adopt children like straight people can in many states.
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With all the fancy scientists in the world, why can't they just once build a nuclear balm?
