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Submission + - Ask Slashdot: Learning Dart Development (dartlang.org)

Submitted by gmikeska07
gmikeska07 writes: Sisters and Brothers of Slashdot,
I have no computer science degree, but I took a Java class in college and greatly enjoyed it. I have some experience with Javascript and have done some perl programming as well. I would like to learn Google's forthcoming Dart language. My question is multipart:
        A) Is there any chance that if I self-teach Dart, I can get a job in development without a CS degree once companies begin using the language?
        B) Is it really worth installing Virtual Studio as per the dartlang docs, or should I wait for a dedicated IDE like the rumored "Brightly"? Alternatively, are there any solid open development environments that are adding support?
        C) Do you know of any books that are out or on the way that I could buy? What programming series do you guys recommend?

Hopefully I can learn in my spare time, and if I can't get a job in development I can at least have fun with it, and maybe make a few libraries for the Dart community! :-D

Thanks so much!

Submission + - A rethinking of files (microsoft.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Two recent papers, one from Microsoft Research (above link) and one from University of Wisconsin (http://sigops.org/sosp/sosp11/current/2011-Cascais/printable/06-harter.pdf) are providing a refreshing take on rethinking "what a file is". This could have major implications for the next-gen file system design, and will probably cause a stir among Slashdotters, given that it will affect the programmatic interface. The first paper has some hints as to what went wrong with the previous WinFS approach.

Citing the first paper: "For over 40 years the notion of the file, as devised by pioneers in the field of computing, has proved robust and has remained unchallenged. Yet this concept is not a given, but serves as a boundary object between users and engineers. In the current landscape, this boundary is showing signs of slippage, and we propose the boundary object be reconstituted. New abstractions of file are needed, which reflect what users seek to do with their digital data, and which allow engineers to solve the networking, storage and data management problems that ensue when files move from the PC on to the networked world of today. We suggest that one aspect of this adaptation is to encompass metadata within a file abstraction; another has to do what such a shift would mean for enduring user actions such as ‘copy’ and ‘delete’ applicable to the deriving file types. We finish by arguing that there is an especial need to support the notion of ‘ownership’ that adequately serves both users and engineers as they engage with the world of networked sociality. "
Idle

Submission + - Sixteen motor manned electric helicopter flies (suasnews.com)

Submitted by
garymortimer
garymortimer writes: "A German team have managed to fly their super sized hobby inspired platform with a man on-board!

This electrically driven system is quiet, clean and economically cost efficient. A one-hour flight would cost something near to 6 Euro for electricity. In addition, the device holds few parts, which could wear out, making maintenance intervals and cost low and far between.

The control firmware can be integrated with a sophisticated integrated GPS system or obstacle detection. As such, automated flight for predetermined points on a 3D map is possible. In addition to the relieving the pilot of strenuous navigational tasks, unmanned flight would be feasible similar to other devices (drones)."
Hardware Hacking

Wireless Presenters Attacked Using an Arduino 69

Posted by Soulskill from the watch-out-steve dept.
An anonymous reader writes "This week Dutch security researcher Niels Teusink described a method of attacking wireless presenter devices at an Amsterdam security conference. He had a demo showing how it is possible to use an Arduino and Metasploit to get remote code execution by sending arbitrary keystrokes to the presenter dongle. He has now released the code and made a blog post explaining how it all works. Better watch out the next time you're giving a presentation using one of these devices!"
Hardware

BIOS Will Be Dead In Three Years 532

Posted by kdawson from the legacy-notwithstanding dept.
Stoobalou writes with news that MSI is planning a big shift towards UEFI (universal extensible firmware interface) at the end of 2010, possibly spelling the beginning of the end of the BIOS as we know it. "It's the one major part of the computer that's still reminiscent of the PC's primordial, text-based beginnings, but the familiarly clunky BIOS could soon be on its deathbed, according to MSI. The motherboard maker says it's now making a big shift towards point-and-click UEFI systems, and it's all going to kick off at the end of this year. Speaking to Thinq, a spokesperson for the company in Taiwan who wished to remain anonymous said, 'MSI will start to phase in UEFI starting from the end of this year, and we expect it will be widely adopted after three years.'"

Submission + - Hints of life found on Saturn's moon (newscientist.com)

Submitted by Calopteryx
Calopteryx writes: It could lead to a Titantic discovery — two potential signatures of life on Saturn's moon Titan have been found by the Cassini spacecraft. New Scientist reports that in 2005, researchers predicted two potential signatures of life on Titan — now both have been seen, although non-biological chemical reactions could also be behind the observations.

Submission + - New Handheld Computer is 100% Open-Source (linux.com)

Submitted by metasonix
metasonix writes: While the rest of the industry has been blubbering about the iPad and imitations thereof, Qi Hardware is actually shipping a product that is completely open-source and copyleft. The Ben NanoNote is a handheld computer that apparently contains no proprietary technology. It uses a 366 MHz MIPS processor, 32MB RAM, 2 GB flash, a 320x240 pixel color display, and a Qwerty keyboard. No network built in, though it is claimed to accept SD-card WiFi or USB-Ethernet adapters. Included is a very simple Linux OS based on the OpenWrt distro installed in Linksys routers, with Busybox GUI. It's apparently intended primarily for hardware and software hackers, not as a general-audience handheld. The price is right, though: $99.

Submission + - Impact on Jupiter Observed by Amateur Astronomers (spaceweather.com)

Submitted by Omomyid
Omomyid writes: Space Weather has the story of a bright impact observed on Jupiter, they also have video (WMV file) from one of the amateur sky watchers — pay attention, it goes by quick! From the article:

The nature of the impactor is presently unknown. It might have been an asteroid or a comet. In either case, a dark and cindery debris field is expected to develop around the impact point; that's what has happened in the aftermath of previous Jupiter impacts. Professional and amateur astronomers are encouraged to monitor Jupiter in the hours ahead, and stay tuned for updates.

Submission + - World Cup forecasting challenge (kaggle.com)

Submitted by databuff
databuff writes: As a break from projecting the strength of subprime mortgages, credit default swaps and other obscure financial instruments, quantitative analysts at Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, UBS and Danske Bank have modeled the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Now Kaggle has set up a forecasting competition, allowing statisticians to go head-to-head with these corporate giants. The challenge is to predict how far each country will progress in the tournament. If the banks know as much about soccer as they do about subprime mortgages, the statisticians are in with a good chance.
Google

Submission + - Google relents, will hand over European Wi-Fi data (itworld.com)

Submitted by itwbennett
itwbennett writes: Having previously denied demands from Germany that the company turn over hard drives with data it secretly collected from open wireless networks over the past three years, Google has reversed course. A Google representative said that it will hand over the data to German, French and Spanish authorities within a matter of days, according to the Financial Times, which first reported this latest development on Wednesday. 'We screwed up. Let's be very clear about that,' Google CEO Eric Schmidt told the newspaper.
Power

Traffic-Flow Algorithm Can Reduce Fuel Consumption 328

Posted by timothy from the what-could-possibly-go-wrong dept.
thecarchik writes "New projects from German automakers Audi and BMW promise to ease congestion simply by looking at traffic signals and driving style, in an effort to smooth the flow of traffic. Through a test course in Munich, vehicles were able to post phenomenal fuel efficiency gains simply by adjusting the timing of traffic lights depending on traffic volume — to whatever speed provides a so-called 'green wave' of four or more synchronized signals."
Programming

12th Internet Problem Solving Contest, This Sunday 52

Posted by timothy from the how-about-that-durned-oil-spill dept.
misof writes "Roughly a thousand teams from all around the globe have already registered for IPSC 2010, which takes place on Sunday, June 6. $3,000 in prize money (courtesy of Facebook, Inc.) is waiting for the best few of them. Participation is free and the contest is open to everybody. IPSC is what you could call a programming contest with a twist. Over the years, the problems always push the boundary and go beyond the usual stuff you see in a programming contest. For example, in past few years the contestants have had to understand how arithmetic in computers differs from that in mathematics, produce a sequence of cache requests that generates many page faults, solve a logic puzzle given as a Flash game, and recognize images to evaluate a rock-paper-scissors game."
Firefox

Clashing Scores In the HTML5 Compatibility Test Wars 203

Posted by timothy from the jake-the-explainer-steps-in-early dept.
Andreas(R) writes "Microsoft has published a set of HTML5 tests comparing Internet Explorer 9 to other web browsers. In Microsoft's own tests, IE9 performs 100% on all tests. However, the Internet Explorer 9 HTML5 Canvas Campaign has published results that show that Internet Explorer gets 0% on all their tests." The results reported here are selected with tongue in cheek: "Therefore, we'll also present shameless results from tests which have been carefully selected to give the results that the PR department has demanded."
Programming

Submission + - 12th Internet Problem Solving Contest

Submitted by misof
misof writes: Roughly one thousand teams for all around the globe have already registered for IPSC 2010, which takes place on Sunday, June 6th. USD 3000 in prize money (courtesy of Facebook, Inc.) is waiting for the best few of them. Participation is free and the contest is open for everybody.

IPSC is what you could call "a programming contest with a twist". Over the years, the problems always push the boundary and go beyond the usual stuff you see in a programming contest.

For example, in past few years the contestants had to understand how arithmetics in computers differs from the one in mathematics, produce a sequence of cache requests that generates many page faults, solve a logic puzzle given as a flash game, or recognize images to evaluate a rock-paper-scissors game.

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