Catch up on stories from the past week (and beyond) at the Slashdot story archive

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
PlayStation (Games)

US Air Force To Suffer From PS3 Update 349

tlhIngan writes "The US Air Force, having purchased PS3s for supercomputing research, is now the latest victim of Sony's removal of the Install Other OS feature. It turns out that while their PS3s don't need the firmware update, it will be impossible to replace PS3s that fail. PS3s with the Other OS feature are no longer produced since the Slim was introduced, so replacements will have to come from the existing stock of used PS3s. However, as most gamers have probably updated their PS3s, that used stock is no longer suitable for the USAF's research. In addition, smaller educational clusters using PS3s will share the same fate — unable to replace machines that die in their clusters." In related news, Sony has been hit with two more lawsuits over this issue.

Comment Seperation (Score 1) 763

I have:
Car keys (2)
Motorcycle Keys (3)
Scooter Keys (2)
House Keys (9)
Work keys (11)
MISC other keys that I use sometimes (20)

And more that I use less frequently.

I have multiple key chains.

What I do, is I put the most often used keys on one ring (house keys). These are the keys, that regardless of what else changes, I am going to need on a daily, or semi-daily basis.

I have a series of "Valet" key chains. This is a key chain that has two rings on it, and will seperate with the push of a button. I have the female receiver mounted on my daily key ring, and the male side mounted on the keyrings I use less frequently.

Next to my front door, I have a series of the female valet key parts hanging from hooks, and I hang my vehicle key rings from them. As I leave in the morning, I grab the keyring that is associated with the vehicle I am taking for the day, and clip it to my daily key ring.

Work keys are held on a "key-bak"retractable key chain clipped to my belt.

A note regarding ignition keys.

If you have your ignition key on a ring with a bunch of other keys, you are running a risk of injury, and damage to your car.

The added weight of a ridiculously large key wad hanging from the ignition switch will wear out the ignition switch prematurely, resulting in the switch either breaking, or just getting so worn out that you can use a screwdriver to start your car. Also, if you are in an accident and any of your keys are between you knee and the dash, those keys will be IN your knee once you stop. It hurts, trust me.

As for the other keys that are rarely used, but still important (like safe deposit boxes, storage lockers, etc.) get a key box, tag the keys individually (so you remember what they are) and hang them up. Better yet, keep them in a safe that is bolted through your floor, or at least bolted to a very large piece of furniture. (If someone won't take kindly to bolt holes in their building)

Keys left on your person are inherently insecure, so no one should really carry more keys around than what they really need for the day.

Comment Re:There is hope (Score 2, Informative) 512

Until 6 months ago, I was managing the production floor at an electronics manufacturing company, so I know a bit about this. (I left for a better job.)
What to do:
1. Open the case of the electronic device, and asses the condition of the PCA's. If the traces are corroded, you are probably too late, but you can still give it a whirl.
2. Use a natural hair scrub brush (Hog hair works really well) and scrub the surface of the board while holding the board under a stream of warm water. Tap water is OK so long as you don't have hard water. If you do, then still use warm water, but finish with distilled water. Unplug any connections, either board to board, or wire to board, and scrub and rinse those as well.
3. If there is corrosion on the board, scrub it all off, and check the integrity of the circuit traces with a DMM set to ohms or continuity. Repair with appropriatly sized wire. (appx 24 awg for signal, 18 awg for power is a good starting point.)
4. Use compressed air (make sure it is dessicated, and oil free if it is from a compressor) to blow off as much of the water as you can.
5. Place the components underneath a heat lamp, or blow the output from a space heater over the device. Let it set for a few hours.
6. Shake the device out, to make sure all of the water is gone. You should then place a sheet of ESD plastic on top to see if you get any condensation. If you do, keep the heat on. DO NOT LET IT GET ABOVE 150F!!!!! Anything above that is very bad for the solder joints and components.
7. Put the device back together. Check any moving parts for proper movement (Fans for instance). Replace if bad. Check potentiometers for function: Measure the resistance between the two outer pins. This is the max range of the pot. Now measure from one of the outside pins to the center pin. Turn the knob from one side to the other. At the extreme positions, you will see zero ohms, and the reading you got from measuring the two outside pins. Measure from the center pin to the other outside pin, your results will be exactly opposite if the pot is working properly. Replace with a pot with the same specifications if you don't get the proper results.
8. Power on the device, and check for functionality. If done properly, and if the electronics weren't wet for too long, then you should have fairly good luck with this. I have cleanded literally tens of thousands of boards this way, and it works perfectly.

Intel

Submission + - Intel Core 2 "Penryn" and Linux (linuxhardware.org)

LHoAugustus writes: "Linux Hardware has posted a look at the new Intel "Penryn" processor and how the new processor will work with Linux. "Intel recently released the new "Penryn" Core 2 processor with many new features. So what are these features and how will they equate into benefits to Linux users? That's what Linux Hardware is here to unravel. In this review I'll cover all the high points of the new "Penryn" core and talk to a couple Linux projects about the impact on end-user performance.""

Submission + - Easter (Egg) Holiday

updog writes: "With Easter just around the corner, what better way for a Slashdotter to celebrate than finding his or her own Easter Egg?

While many people have seen the classic Excel Flight Simulator, there are over 10,000 other Easter Eggs found in DVD's, books, and music — for example, there are over 8 eggs on the Futurama DVD; and some hidden Emoticons in Skype.

What are some of the readers' favorite Easter Eggs?"
Microsoft

Microsoft Apologizes for Serving Malware 171

dark_15 writes "Microsoft has apologized for serving malware via its websites and Windows Live Messenger software. APC reader Jackie Murphy reported the problem: 'With Microsoft launching Vista along with their Defender software to protect users from viruses and spyware, it seems therefore to be an oxymoron that they have started to putting paid changing banner advertisements for malware, on the popular MSN groups servers.'"
Windows

Consumer Vista Upgrades Moving at Snail's Pace 269

Chester Freeze writes "During the holiday season, many shoppers bought PCs with the promise of quick, free Vista upgrades. The reality has been something else entirely: many Dell and HP customers are being told that they won't receive their copies of Vista before April. 'One source at a major OEM who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the real issue is that OEMs are still not sure which PCs are really ready to support Vista, and which PCs aren't... Customers who qualify for an Express Upgrade also qualify for OEM support for Windows Vista, even if their machines came with Windows XP. The last thing a Dell, Gateway, or HP wants to do is start sending out upgrades to customers who might have video cards that do not have particularly stable drivers yet (or sound cards, or RAID controllers, etc.). This could be a support disaster.'"

Slashdot Top Deals

"If it's not loud, it doesn't work!" -- Blank Reg, from "Max Headroom"

Working...