Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
Biotech

Submission + - India launches Open Source Drug Discovery

sas-dot writes: India today launched a unique collaborative programme to discover drugs for infectious diseases common to the developing countries. The 'Open Source Drug Discovery' (OSDD) programme, launched by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), aims to build a consortium of global researchers and bypass the patent regime, which makes drugs expensive.
Education

Indian Tech Universities Put Lectures Online For Free 40

sas-dot writes "The most sought-after Indian institutions like IIT and IISc have put their course lectures on YouTube. The site is up from last December and is slowly gaining momentum in terms of lectures available online. This is India's own program similar to MIT's OpenCourseWare. Good to see the competition, and that students have many sources of knowledge for free."
Education

Submission + - Indian Instituions youtube lectures

sas-dot writes: The most sought after Indian institutions like IIT and IISc have put their course lectures on youtube. The site is up from last December and is slowly gaining momentum in terms of lectures available online. This is India's own program similar to MIT opencourseware. Good to see the competition, students have many sources of knowledge for free.
Portables

Submission + - India hopes to make $10 laptops a reality

sas-dot writes: We all know Nicholas Negroponte's $100 OLPC, India which was a potential market rejected it. Having rejected Nicholas Negroponte's offer of $100 laptops for schoolchildren, India's Human Resources Development ministry's idea to make laptops at $10 is firmly taking shape with two designs already in and public sector undertaking Semiconductor Complex evincing interest to be a part of the project. So far, the cost of one laptop, after factoring in labour charges, is coming to $47 but the ministry feels the price will come down dramatically considering the fact that the demand would be for one million laptops. "The cost is encouraging and we are hopeful it would come down to $10. We would also look into the possibility of some Indian company manufacturing the parts," an official said.

Feed Analyzing Major Indonesian Earthquakes (sciencedaily.com)

Researchers plan to analyze the history of great earthquakes and tsunamis on the Sunda subduction zone, along the western margin of Sumatra and Java -- site of one of the most devastating tsunamis in modern history.
Graphics

3-D Virtual Maps For the Blind 50

Roland Piquepaille writes to let us know about research into producing palpable maps for the blind. Scientific American has the story of Greek researchers who produce 3D "haptic" maps that "use force fields to represent walls and roads so the visually impaired can better understand the layout of buildings and cities." Two separate systems produce haptic output from standard video and from 2D maps. The systems have been tested on a small number of users. Currently the devices that interpret the "force fields" for sight-impaired users are not portable, and so the systems are most appropriate for doing research before, e.g., visiting a new city.

Feed Ancient Greek Amphitheater: Why You Can Hear From Back Row (sciencedaily.com)

The theater at Epidaurus has been known for centuries as an acoustic marvel that allowed spectators to hear in the back row. Georgia Tech researchers have discovered that Epidaurus' limestone seats created a sophisticated acoustic filter that carried instruments and voices all the way to the back row.
Space

Submission + - NASA Confirms Solar Storm near 2012

An anonymous reader writes: `This week researchers announced that a storm is coming — the most intense solar maximum in fifty years. The prediction comes from a team led by Mausumi Dikpati of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). "The next sunspot cycle will be 30% to 50% stronger than the previous one," she says. If correct, the years ahead could produce a burst of solar activity second only to the historic Solar Max of 1958.`

`Dikpati's forecast puts Solar Max at 2012. Hathaway believes it will arrive sooner, in 2010 or 2011.`

Anyone familiar with the Mayan Calendar? December 21, 2012 (13.0.0.0.0 in the Mayan Calendar) Coincidence?
Java

Submission + - Interview - James Gosling, father of Java

Minaloush writes: Interesting Q&A with Sun's James Gosling on silicon.com. The father of Java field questions on the GPL, security, the role of Java in the enterprise — and even reveals his — albeit limited — views on Windows Vista ("I tend to stay away from Microsoft [software] because it tends to be so toxic").

From the article:
If you come up with a good software development tool, that makes life easier for the developers and they can get their job done quicker, then the first thing the manager says is 'oh you've got free time on your hands. Do this extra thing'.

Slashdot Top Deals

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because I'm beautiful, smart and rich." -- Calvin Keegan

Working...