shrapnull - Slashdot User

Comment You are dead to them (Score 1) 290

by shrapnull on Wednesday February 29, 2012 @09:45AM (#39196469) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Best Practices For Leaving an IT Admin Position?

True story: I took over a 10,000 node network for an admin that had just killed himself, leaving no server or network documentation whatsoever. It took time to reflash all of the switches and find tricks to replace passwords on servers and figure out how everything was more or less organized. Leaving a few passwords for the next guy and a rough, top-down analysis of how things interact on paper will work wonders for the next guy. That being said, it's possible (not pleasant) to move forward with no prior knowledge; any explanation you can provide will go a long way. Doubly-so if you put it on paper. You have to realize that gaps will be filled with his way of doing things, not yours. In a few years the network as you knew it could be almost unrecognizable, but it's for the best, and the new guy will have complete control of what's there and how it interacts.

$1/Gallon "Green Gasoline" In Sight 740

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday April 22, 2008 @06:16PM from the happy-earth-day dept.

mattnyc99 writes "We've gotten excited here about the startup that claims it can make $1/gallon ethanol out of anything from trash to tires. But we've also seen how cellulosic ethanol is a better option, and how ethanol demand in general is only adding to the worldwide food crisis. So what about $1/gallon gasoline? NSF-funded researchers at UMass Amherst just completed the first direct conversion from cellulose using a new method of hydrocarbon refining, which they claim can be commercialized within 5-10 years and essentially make fuel out of anything that grows. Quoting: 'We already have the infrastructure in place to distribute liquid fuels. We're using them to power transportation vehicles today, and I think that's what we'll be using in 10 years and in 50 years,' Huber says. 'And if you want a sustainable liquid transportation fuel, biomass is the only way to go.'" The process is running at about 50% efficiency now; the $1/gallon figure is based on getting to 100%.

Comment Supporting Argument (Score 1) 545

by shrapnull on Friday January 11, 2008 @10:42AM (#21998716) Attached to: Legalize File Sharing, Say Swedish MPs

Not an identical argument, but good and relevant nonetheless is Lessig's TED Talk on creativity versus law http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/187

Sony Set to Market Blu-ray as Winner of Format War 353

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday February 12, 2007 @05:32PM from the self-serving-prophets dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Citing the recent sales numbers, Sony exec David Bishop is claiming that the high-def format war can officially be declared over. With a movie sale ratio of almost 2:1 Blu-ray discs are being declared the victor over rival HD-DVD by Blu-ray supporter Sony. 'And yet while all agree that it was a strong month for Blu-ray, opinion is split on whether the surge in sales is an indicator of stronger user adaption of Blu-ray compared to HD DVD, or simply a reflection of the larger number of new Blu-ray titles that hit the market over the month -- 25 new Blu-ray titles were released in January, compared to just 11 titles on HD DVD for the same period.'"

Warming a Tiny Piece of Mars For Terraforming 205

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Wednesday November 15, 2006 @03:37PM from the ants-under-the-magnifying-glass dept.

dptalia writes "It's been a dream of science fiction writers everywhere that we would eventually terraform Mars. Now an engineering student has proposed a way to terraform only a kilometer of Mars. By building an array of space based mirrors to focus the sun's light, a small area of Mars could be warmed to about 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) which would make it easier for explorers to work and live there. Since Mars' atmosphere is thin, the mirrors would have to be carefully designed to prevent them from reflecting harmful radiation as well as light and warmth."

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