Comment Re:Ew, no (Score 1) 492
Ew is right indeed, i think i'm gonna puke ubuntu out of my computer...
Comment Paying for a cell phone (Score 1) 738
And now i have to pay to have a cell phone? I think i'm going to make a few long distance call while i still can.
Submission + - Free software wins court battle (google.com) 1
courteaudotbiz writes: In a court battle initiated more than 2 years ago, free software activists "Savoir Faire Linux" (Litterally "Linux know-how") won for the right to submit offers when the government of the province of Quebec, Canada (original french version), goes in public requests for submissions to replace its desktop operating systems and office suites, opening future replacement of MS Windows and MS Office in favor of Linux and Open Office, or any other operating system and office productivity suite. In his judgement, the magistrate said that the government acted illegally when it discarded the proposal of "Savoir Faire Linux" for replacing Windows XP with a Linux distribution.
Submission + - Jesus, the Desciples, and Portion Control (latimes.com)
gandhi_2 writes: Comparing 52 artist's renditions of "The Last Supper" spanning the last 1000 years, a pair of sibling scholars found that:
Entrees increased by 70%, bread by 23%, and plate size by 65.6%.
The results were published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Entrees increased by 70%, bread by 23%, and plate size by 65.6%.
The results were published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Submission + - $350 Test Screens for 100 Single Gene Disorders (technologyreview.com)
TechRev_AL writes: Prospective parents could soon be screened for around 100 genetic diseases that they might pass on to their children. Counsyl, a Stanford University startup based in Redwood City, CA, has developed the necessary genetic test--it costs $349 and is already covered by some major insurers. For most people, screening recommendations are currently limited to the chronic lung disease cystic fibrosis, with broader testing offered to some ethnic groups. The new technology could make this kind of screening far more common.
Submission + - Boot Camp Finally Supports Windows 7 On Macs (apple.com)
Dave Knott writes: "After some delay Apple have updated Boot Camp to support Windows 7 on Macintosh computers. They have also provided an upgrade utility that facilitates transition to Windows 7 for Mac owners who have existing Vista installations. The new version of Boot Camp requires OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)."
Submission + - DRM content drives availability on P2P networks (arstechnica.com)
jgreco writes: The music industry once feared that going DRM-free would drive a massive explosion of copyright-infringing music availability on P2P networks. Now, this study seems to suggest otherwise. The answer is obvious: if you can easily get inexpensive DRM-free content that works on your devices through legitimate channels, most people won't bother with the headache of P2P networks. It appears that users largely turn to P2P to acquire DRM-free versions of content that is distributed with DRM. The MPAA, of course, will not come away from this with the obvious conclusion.
Submission + - Astronomers Discover the Coolest Sub-Stellar Body
Hugh Pickens writes: "Science Daily Headlines reports that using the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) in Hawaii, astronomers have discovered what may be the coolest sub-stellar body ever found outside our own solar system. Too small to be stars and with insufficient mass to maintain hydrogen-burning nuclear fusion reactions in their cores, "brown dwarfs" have masses smaller than stars but larger than gas giant planets like Jupiter with an upper limit is between 75 and 80 Jupiter masses. "This looks like being the fourth time in three years that the UKIRT has made a record breaking discovery of the coolest known brown dwarf, with an estimated temperature not far above 200 degrees Celsius," says Dr. Philip Lucas at the University of Hertfordshire. Due to their low temperature these objects are very faint in visible light, and are detected by their glow at infrared wavelengths. The object known as SDSS1416+13B is in a wide orbit around a somewhat brighter and warmer brown dwarf, SDSS1416+13A and the pair is located between 15 and 50 light years from the solar system, which is quite close in astronomical terms. "The fact that it is a binary companion to a warmer brown dwarf that also has an unusual spectrum is helping us to fill in some gaps in our understanding," says Dr. Ben Burningham. "It seems likely that both brown dwarfs are somewhat poor in heavy elements. This can be explained if they are very old, which also fits with the very low temperature of the faint companion.""
Bookmark Slashdot | Geek Wins Copyright Lawsuit Against Corporation (slashdot.org)
Submission + - Linux is about to take over the low end of PCs (desktoplinux.com) 3
An anonymous reader writes: Desktop Linux has a recent commentary on the inevitable growth of Linux on the cheaper end of the desktop market. According to the article, the availability of under-$500 usable hardware, combined with free a operating system, free desktop office products, and free or cheap "Software as a service" online applications, opens a new market in which Microsoft cannot compete. "Microsoft will fight this trend tooth and nail. It will cut prices to the point where it'll be bleeding ink on some of its product lines. And Windows XP is going to stick around much longer than Microsoft ever wanted it to. Still, it won't be enough. By attacking from the bottom, where Microsoft can no longer successfully compete, Linux will finally cut itself a large slice of the desktop market pie."
Submission + - Torvalds on where Linux is headed in 2008
Stony Stevenson writes: In this new interview, Linus Torvalds is excited about solid-state drives, expects progress in graphics and wireless networking, and says the operating system is strong in virtualisation despite his personal lack of interest in the area.
From the article: "To get some perspective on what lies ahead in 2008, we caught up with Linus Torvalds via email. His responses touched on the Linux development process, upcoming features, and whether he's concerned about potential patent litigation."
Torvalds on Linux biggest strength: "When you buy an OS from Microsoft, not only you can't fix it, but it has had years of being skewed by one single entity's sense of the market. It doesn't matter how competent Microsoft — or any individual company — is, it's going to reflect that fact. In contrast, look at where Linux is used. Everything from cellphones and other small embedded computers that people wouldn't even think of as computers, to the bulk of the biggest machines on the supercomputer Top-500 list. That is flexibility. And it stems directly from the fact that anybody who is interested can participate in the development, and no single entity ends up being in control of where it all goes.
From the article: "To get some perspective on what lies ahead in 2008, we caught up with Linus Torvalds via email. His responses touched on the Linux development process, upcoming features, and whether he's concerned about potential patent litigation."
Torvalds on Linux biggest strength: "When you buy an OS from Microsoft, not only you can't fix it, but it has had years of being skewed by one single entity's sense of the market. It doesn't matter how competent Microsoft — or any individual company — is, it's going to reflect that fact. In contrast, look at where Linux is used. Everything from cellphones and other small embedded computers that people wouldn't even think of as computers, to the bulk of the biggest machines on the supercomputer Top-500 list. That is flexibility. And it stems directly from the fact that anybody who is interested can participate in the development, and no single entity ends up being in control of where it all goes.
Submission + - Microsoft Claims Patent On Embedded Linux? 1
Preedit writes: This InformationWeek story points out a recent deal between Microsoft and Japanese printer maker Kyocera Mita, under which Kyocera obtained from Microsoft a license to patents used in "certain Linux-based embedded technologies." The question everyone's asking is why Kyocera needs a patent license from Microsoft to develop its embedded Linux products.
Submission + - How Blender compares to the Major 3D applications
LetterRip writes: CGWorld and CGTalk recently asked whether OpenSource software set to become the dominant toolset in feature film production? Also TDT 3D did a comparison chart with the Major 3D Digital Content Creation applications such as Maya, 3DS Max, and XSI, and of course Blender in this 3D Application Comparison. Blender came out surprisingly well, although it definitely still has some weaknesses. So what do slashdotters think? Can Blender 'take over' the 3D industry or will it always be just for 'freelancers and hobbyists'?
Submission + - 802.11n May Never Happen Due to Patent Concerns
afabbro writes: The Register is reporting that the 802.11n standard is imperiled because the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organization has refused to submit a Letter of Assurance, promising not to sue those who implement the standard. "...the realisation that CSIRO holds essential patents, and has failed to provide a Letter of Assurance as required by the IEEE, could prevent the standard ever being finalised."
Submission + - Impassable Northwesth Passage is open (esa.int)
An anonymous reader writes: The area covered by sea ice in the Arctic has shrunk to its lowest level this week, opening up the Northwest Passage — a long-sought short cut between Europe and Asia that has been historically impassable. Leif Toudal Pedersen from the Danish National Space Centre said: "We have seen the ice-covered area drop to just around 3 million sq km which is about 1 million sq km less than the previous minima of 2005 and 2006. There has been a reduction of the ice cover over the last 10 years of about 100 000 sq km per year on average, so a drop of 1 million sq km in just one year is extreme.
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