Comment Re:Wait, they have the internet in Missouri? (Score 0) 415
We not only have internet, but we are soon to have the fastest readily available internet in the land with Google Fiber.
Comment Re:TL; DR (Score 0) 340
That article is way too long. Here's my observation: People pick passwords that are easy to remember, easy to type and or something they think is clever.
I make passwords I think are clever. While using a standard keyboard layout I type my password as if I'm using the Dvorak keyboard, the result is a seemingly random set of letters. I'm not sure how many people do this, but I would think it's not a process used by too many people.
Comment Multiple devices still possible? (Score 0) 4
I use the hell out of the streaming portion, I live in a household with 3 PS3s and 4 PCs. I bought the 2-DVD option so I could stream on 2 devices at the same time. I'm thinking w/ the separation that will no longer be an option. I can't find anything anywhere that addresses this. Does anyone have any insight?
Submission + - Netflix doubling the cost of your current plan (netflix.com)
micsaund writes: While Netflix has continued to drop fees and still maintain a good services, today, they take three steps in the other direction by doubling the cost of the plan you probably already have:
"So for instance, our current $9.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs will be split into 2 distinct plans:
Plan 1: Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month
Plan 2: Unlimited DVDs, 1 out at-a-time (no streaming), for $7.99 a month.
The price for getting both of these plans will be $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). For new members, these changes are effective immediately; for existing members, the new pricing will start for charges on or after September 1, 2011."
Now, if they could get everything available on streaming, this would be fine, but how many times have you needed to get a physical disc for that oddball movie, or had a movie in your instant queue that magically disappears due to some behind-the-scenes contract expiration or whatever? Discuss.
"So for instance, our current $9.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs will be split into 2 distinct plans:
Plan 1: Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month
Plan 2: Unlimited DVDs, 1 out at-a-time (no streaming), for $7.99 a month.
The price for getting both of these plans will be $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). For new members, these changes are effective immediately; for existing members, the new pricing will start for charges on or after September 1, 2011."
Now, if they could get everything available on streaming, this would be fine, but how many times have you needed to get a physical disc for that oddball movie, or had a movie in your instant queue that magically disappears due to some behind-the-scenes contract expiration or whatever? Discuss.
Comment Great Business Plan (Score -1, Flamebait) 216
Overcharge paying customers to make up for the scores of people that left after the free month. Assuming they only refund the people that are vocal, I'm sure they will have quite a nice profit from all the people that don't check their CC accounts. I'm sure there is a decent percentage of people that won't even notice a few extra charges.
Comment Re:Swype. (Score 1) 161
I just got it too. I have to say it is the best and most useful Android app I have used to date. It takes all of 5 mins to learn how to use it and once you do it is so simple and fast. The the first round of beta for Android is already over, if you go to their website you can sign up and get an invite when they start up again.
Comment Re:Will I be lost? (Score 1) 331
I just picked it up and haven't played the first one. I did download a lvl 60 save game so that I could start with all the perks of someone who did play the first one. I caught on right away, there were a few times I had to start a mission over because I was running in and trying to kill everything at once instead of ducking and shooting. Overall it is very easy to play and it is very enjoyable, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys action games with a good plot and gameplay.
Submission + - Researchers Claim "Effectively Perfect" Spam Block (newscientist.com)
ScuttleMonkey writes: "A team of computer scientists from the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, CA are claiming to have found an "effectively perfect" method for blocking spam. The new system deciphers the templates a botnet is using to create spam and then teachers filters what to look for. "The system [] works by exploiting a trick that spammers use to defeat email filters. As spam is churned out, subtle changes are typically incorporated into the messages to confound spam filters. Each message is generated from a template that specifies the message content and how it should be varied. The team reasoned that analysing such messages could reveal the template that created them. And since the spam template describes the entire range of the emails a bot will send, possessing it might provide a watertight method of blocking spam from that bot.""
Submission + - Half of Google News users just skim content (ibtimes.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Nearly half of the users of Google News skim the headlines at the news aggregator site without clicking through to the publisher, according to new research. Outsell analyst Ken Doctor said in a statement that "among the aggregators, Google's effect on the newspaper industry is particularly striking.
"Though Google is driving some traffic to newspapers, it's also taking a significant share away," Doctor said. "A full 44 percent of visitors to Google News scan headlines without accessing newspapers' individual sites."
With a number of US newspaper owners considering charging online, Outlook found that only 10 percent of those surveyed would be willing to pay for a print newspaper subscription to gain online access.
"Though Google is driving some traffic to newspapers, it's also taking a significant share away," Doctor said. "A full 44 percent of visitors to Google News scan headlines without accessing newspapers' individual sites."
With a number of US newspaper owners considering charging online, Outlook found that only 10 percent of those surveyed would be willing to pay for a print newspaper subscription to gain online access.
Submission + - Science gifts for kids 3
beernutmark writes: I have two science loving kids ages 7 and 9. My yougest knew Niel deGrass Tyson's name at age 4. With the holidays coming up (mine is Saturnalia you insensitive clod) I am looking to get them some quality science related tools. Two items on the list are a quality Microscope (National Optical) and/or a real rockhounding kit.
I am looking for any other gift suggestions for this year or future years (or even for younger kids for other readers) and hints on good sources.
A quirky thing about buying science gifts for kids is that most of the sources seem to be intelligent-design/biblical flood/anti-evolution home schooling sites. You can't really tell for some until you look through their "science" book lists.
I am looking for any other gift suggestions for this year or future years (or even for younger kids for other readers) and hints on good sources.
A quirky thing about buying science gifts for kids is that most of the sources seem to be intelligent-design/biblical flood/anti-evolution home schooling sites. You can't really tell for some until you look through their "science" book lists.
Submission + - Early adopters "bloodied" by Ubuntu's Karmic Koala 3
Norsefire writes: The Register reports that early adopters are having a tough time with Karmic Koala, Ubuntu's latest release. 'Ubuntu 9.10 is causing outrage and frustration, with early adopters wishing they'd stuck with previous versions of the Linux distro. Blank and flickering screens, failure to recognize hard drives, defaulting to the old 2.6.28 Linux kernel, and failure to get encryption running are taking their toll, as early adopters turn to the web for answers and log fresh bug reports in Ubuntu forums.'
Comment Re:Oh good, (Score 1) 385
Yay, the U.S. will now nuke people on purpose then sell them the cure for radiation poisoning.
This reminds me a one of my favorite quotes:
At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and
charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the
antidote.
-Emo Phillips
Best Mouse For Programming? 569
LosManos writes "Which is the best programming mouse? Mandatory musts are wireless, and that it doesn't clog up like old mechanical mice. Present personal preferences are for: lots of buttons, since if I have moved my hand away from the keyboard I can at least do something more than move the pointer; sturdy feeling; not too light, so it doesn't move around by me accidentally looking at it." What would you recommend?
Submission + - Sony's Tretton sounds off on E3 leaks (cnbc.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Sony is hinting that previously released games might be able to use its motion sensor controller. Jack Tretton said it would be "absolutely conceivable" that existing games could get a patch when the controller comes out next year — and implied that some of the games shown at E3 this year could ship with motion sensing built into them. The president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America is also not happy about the leaks that preceded the company's E3 press conference. Tretton says it has become impossible to keep a secret in the gaming industry because of third-party publishers — and he's worried about the ramifications that will have as the company develops the PS4.
Submission + - Bragg Asks 'Do We Want ISP's Penalizing Our Fans?' (guardian.co.uk)
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "Noted singer songwriter Billy Bragg has written an excellent column in The Guardian, coming out against the pro-RIAA '3-strikes' legislation the big 4 record labels are trying to push through. In the article, entitled 'Do we want ISP's penalizing our fans?', Bragg writes: 'Having failed miserably in previous attempts to stamp out illicit filesharing, the record industry has now joined forces with other entertainment lobby groups to demand that the government takes action to protect their business model.' He goes on: 'Fearful of the prospect of dragging their customers though the courts, with all the attendant costs and bad publicity, members of the record industry have come up with a simple, cost-free solution to their problem: get the ISPs to do their dirty work for them. They are asking the government to force the ISPs to cut off the broadband connection of customers who persistently download unauthorised material, without any recourse to appeal in the courts.'"
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In seeking the unattainable, simplicity only gets in the way. -- Epigrams in Programming, ACM SIGPLAN Sept. 1982
