Comment Re:Just a Thought... (Score 1) 168
Actually, all P problems (which are "easy to solve") are also NP ("easy to verify"). But NPC then (NP and "no easier" than any other NP problem)... unless P=NP :)
Comment They teach you to learn :) (Score 1) 569
I don't know how it generally is in other countries (than Denmark, where I am from), and I don't mean to sound arrogant or anything, but the CS education here aims to teach people to be able to use whatever language someone throws at them with a minimal effort.
The taught ML and Java when I got my degree, but these only served to exemplify functional and object oriented languages respectively. I code in C# in the job I have now, and knowing C, C++, a little Java and others, it was a no-brainer to adapt.
The taught ML and Java when I got my degree, but these only served to exemplify functional and object oriented languages respectively. I code in C# in the job I have now, and knowing C, C++, a little Java and others, it was a no-brainer to adapt.
Comment Hiding in RAM - not BIOS flashing (Score 4, Informative) 242
It seems there is a lot of confusion about what this actually does. We're talking about RAM, albeit an area not normally accessible outside the BIOS, so it's not more resilient than anything else hiding in RAM. The BIOS writes code into the SMRAM at reboot, so even if the RAM isn't cleared, it's overwritten.
This is unrelated to flashing the BIOS, unless there is some special protection that allows this only to happen in SMM, and normal exploits that manage to flash the BIOS would leave you pretty screwed, SMRAM-exploit or not.
Also, it needs to trigger a SMI to execute the code, so it would need to insert a vector somewhere at a lower level if the exploit code were ever to get executed. I don't see the big deal.
What does surprise me though is that Intel has made such an obvious mistake in their design. It compares to allowing a user mode app to poison the cache on some kernel memory address. The difference is, of course, that user mode is under MMU and access protection, while ring 0 (from where this attack would normally be launched) is not.
At any rate, at least root access (on Linux; more on Windows) is needed, at which point, as several people have pointed out, you're screwed to begin with. Only the ability to hide a bit better in memory (but not on disk) seems to be an advantage.
This is unrelated to flashing the BIOS, unless there is some special protection that allows this only to happen in SMM, and normal exploits that manage to flash the BIOS would leave you pretty screwed, SMRAM-exploit or not.
Also, it needs to trigger a SMI to execute the code, so it would need to insert a vector somewhere at a lower level if the exploit code were ever to get executed. I don't see the big deal.
What does surprise me though is that Intel has made such an obvious mistake in their design. It compares to allowing a user mode app to poison the cache on some kernel memory address. The difference is, of course, that user mode is under MMU and access protection, while ring 0 (from where this attack would normally be launched) is not.
At any rate, at least root access (on Linux; more on Windows) is needed, at which point, as several people have pointed out, you're screwed to begin with. Only the ability to hide a bit better in memory (but not on disk) seems to be an advantage.
Running Android On Netbooks 203
jjohn_h writes "Two guys at VentureBeat have managed to take the source code for Google's Linux-based operating system for mobile phones, Android, and compile it for an Asus netbook. Immediately, speculation began that Android will soon be running on PCs and laptops. '... we discovered that Android already has two product "policies" in its code. Product policies are operating system directions aimed at specific uses. The two policies are for 1) phones and 2) mobile internet devices.' Though some remain skeptical, I surely hope it is going to happen. Since Android does not rely on X11, but has its own framebuffer graphics, that would indeed be a cosmic shift."
Comment Re:only the super high desk tops have Quick Path a (Score 1) 146
only the super high desk tops have Quick Path and Triple channel DDR3 and the bigger joke is the that there will be 2 differnt 1 cpu desktop Socket.
also the mobile will not have Quick Path.
...but then, they won't have as much to use QuickPath for either.
Submission + - Blade Runner at 25: Why the F/X Still Matter (popularmechanics.com)
mattnyc99 writes: Today marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Blade Runner, Ridley Scott's dark vision of the future that changed the future of filmmaking and still stands up today, argues Adam Savage of The MythBusters (and the F/X crews of The Matrix and Star Wars). Between the "lived-in science fiction," pre-CGI master models, futuristic cityscapes and tricked-out cars, don't you agree? And after we got the first official glimpse of him from Indiana Jones 4 this weekend, isn't Harrison Ford still the man?
Submission + - UK Government rules Inteligent Design not Science (theregister.co.uk) 1
blane.bramble writes: The Register is reporting that there is no place in the science curriculum for Inteligent Design and that it can not be taught as science. The UK Government has stated that "The Government is aware that a number of concerns have been raised in the media and elsewhere as to whether creationism and intelligent design have a place in science lessons. The Government is clear that creationism and intelligent design are not part of the science National Curriculum programmes of study and should not be taught as science."
X-Prize to Award $10M for Fast Sequencing 48
Shipud writes "The X-Prize foundation has announced the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics — for the first privately financed group to sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days. The motivation is to create an incentive for faster, cheaper genome seqeunceing, heralding the era of preventative personalized medicine. The winner will also receive an extra $1,000,000 for sequencing the genomes of 100 additional people; among them Larry King and Stephen Hawking. Apparently this is the largest medical prize in history."
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"This is lemma 1.1. We start a new chapter so the numbers all go back to one." -- Prof. Seager, C&O 351
