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Comment Re:How about they just scrap it entirely? (Score 5, Interesting) 429

Not say that is a bad idea, however you may not be aware that it has some very negative consequences within itself. Once the outcomes of all procedures are made publicly available, health care providers (such as surgeons) will start to refuse to perform procedures on patients who do not have a very high probability of success. In addition the general public will look for simple "pass/fail" information on the outcomes, when that is a completely unrealistic way of looking at it. The cold hard truth is that surgical outcomes have too many factors for the general public to be able to make a well informed decision on.

Comment Re:Even rational models are unstable (Score 1) 676

No, the people who warned that jet airliners wouldn't be able to take off or fly, and that the modem for sale on the shelf at Best Buy would stop working, and that the gas pumps would stop pumping gas, *after* 1/1/2000, they were the scaremongers.

In the US we spent millions, possibly billions of dollars checking every computer that did or ever even thought pumping gas and they all worked fine after 1/1/2000. In Russia they spent nothing [citation required] on checking the computers that ran their nuclear reactors . . and they all worked fine after 1/1/2000.

Yes, there was A LOT of ignorant scaremongering going leading up to Y2K.

Comment Re:What a stupid us of statistics (Score 1) 770

No, the #1 problem here is people confusing an upgrade with a security patch. If I am running one major version behind of any software (including an OS) on any platform, I should NOT be required to upgrade to the latest and greatest simply to have all the latest security fixes. That is a mentality that really needs to stop in the software development community.

And don't start about version numbers etc. I don't care what they are called. If I'm running version C of something, and version D is the "latest and greatest", then any security holes in C should be fixed with a patch to C. Call it C.1, C+1 or C and an Icecreamsandwich, I don't care. Just don't force me to upgrade to D ( or D.1 or whatever) in order to get the security fix.

Oh yeah, and patches should be pushed out and installed without any user interaction required. Upgrades should require user confirmation.

Apple AND Microsoft fully understand this concept, I don't understand why others can't.

Comment Re:Hmmph. (Score 1) 511

And I think you're response is a perfect example of what this article is talking about. He did answer his mother's question. She didn't ask what a terabyte was, or how bit a song was, or how big a movie was, she just asked what a gigabyte was, and that's what he told her.

Comment Re:Why use an unknown AV program? (Score 1) 245

Its shocking though, nobody would trust someone in the real world telling you that you need something they are providing without some kind of double check.

If someone showed up at your house and told you that your water could kill because of some microbe you have never heard of that they claim is getting into your pipes and the only way to make yourself safe is to install this helpful filter that they are selling would you believe them?

Have you even heard of infomercials?

Comment Re:Onstar? (Score 2, Insightful) 471

How the heck is this similar to the Onstar system? This uses a directed EMP to disrupt electronic engine control, Onstar uses a built-in remote kill switch. That's like saying shooting a lightbulb is the same as turning off the switch.

And you would be correct if your intent is to make the room dark. This system is like onstar in that both stop a vehicle remotely.

Except that this is Slashdot, "news for nerds", not "news for people who only want the high level concepts". I agree with the gp.

Businesses

Apple Eyeing EA? 151

yerktoader writes "There are rumors that Apple might buy EA, but some interesting counterpoints abound. File this one firmly under 'unconfirmed,' but it's nevertheless a tantalizing rumor. According to Fast Money's Guy Adami, Apple is 'eyeing Electronic Arts as a takeover target.' EA is currently the second-largest games publisher in the world and owner of the smash hit NFL-licensed series of football games. Could we be facing the possibility of an iMadden? Well, probably not. Apple has indeed been bolstering its games know-how, hiring a major Xbox strategist away from Microsoft in recent weeks. And EA is no stranger to Apple platforms: in the last year it's brought several of its major franchises to the iPhone (with more on the way), including Sim City, Tiger Woods, and Spore, with considerable success. But it's a far cry from there to a takeover, and that's putting it mildly. Video games analyst Michael Pachter seems to agree. Speaking to Gamasutra, he pointed out that if Apple was looking to make some entertainment acquisitions, it could buy Warner Music — which controls 20% of the music industry — for roughly half of EA's estimated price."

Best Buy API Aims To Expand Store's Reach Online 99

surely_you_cant_be_serious writes "Best Buy has opened up proprietary product catalog data in its online store through an open API. Through the Remix API, Best Buy can track how many people are using its information, while users can check to see where a certain product is available without visiting Best Buy's site. Web developers and bloggers can also sign up to become an official Best Buy affiliate. If approved, they can get a small percentage of a sale if someone makes a Best Buy purchase through their site."
Image

Hippies Say WiFi Network Is Harming Their Chakras 432

Anti-Globalism writes "A group of hippies is complaining that a recently installed WiFi mesh network in the UK village of Glastonbury is causing health problems. To combat the signals from the Wi-Fi hotspots, the hippies have placed orgone generators around the antennae." Although there have been many studies that show no correlation between WiFi and health issues the hippies say, "Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man."
Sci-Fi

Simon Pegg to Play Scotty 233

In response to yesterday's casting news about Chris Pine possibly taking the captain's chair for the new Star Trek movie, apparently Simon Pegg will be playing the role of Scotty. Simon Pegg is known for his role as Shaun in Shaun of the Dead and more recently for his leading role in Hot Fuzz. "Pegg joins Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, John Cho as Sulu and Zachary Quinto as Spock in the film which reportedly, and logically, 'chronicles the early days of the Enterprise crew.' Leonard Nimoy will also put in an appearance, while Eric Bana signed up this week as the movie's villain, Nero."
Space

Submission + - NASA tackles ethics of deep space exploration

TheTony writes: With long-term projects like manned Mars exploration on the horizon, NASA has begun discussing previously taboo subjects. Ethical and practical questions involving illness, death, genetic profiling and astronaut relations and behavior in space need to be addressed, as NASA begins to consider new policies with these extended missions in mind. http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/05/01/death.in. space.ap/index.html

Feed Viacom Sued Over YouTube Demand (wired.com)

When the cable network asks the video site to remove a Colbert Report parody, activists claim the move violates "fair use" provisions of copyright law. By the Associated Press.


PC Games (Games)

Submission + - Most impressive game AI?

togelius writes: "I have the feeling that when developers make the effort to put really sophisticated AI into a game, gamers frequently just don't notice (see e.g. Forza). Conversely, games that are lauded for their fantastic AI are sometimes based on very simple algorithms (e.g. Halo 1). For someone who wants to apply AI to games, it is very interesting to know what AI is really appreciated. So, what is the most impressive game AI you have come across? Have you ever encountered a situation where it really felt like the computer-controlled opponents were really thinking, that there were "someone in there"?"

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