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Comment Re:This is the cost incurred for outsourcing defen (Score 1) 337

by wjhoffman1983 (#49303093) Attached to: German Vice Chancellor: the US Threatened Us Over Snowden

You've entirely misinterpreted my point, AC. I didn't say there are threats. I didn't say there aren't threats.

My point has nothing to do with whether or not the defense is needed but rather that the defense exists and other first world nations make use of it. If there are no substantial threats, as you imply, then the US using threat intel as a bargaining chip is worthless. However, since other nations value US threat intel, they must see value in it regardless of whether or not the value is real or perceived.

Comment This is the cost incurred for outsourcing defense (Score 5, Interesting) 337

by wjhoffman1983 (#49300981) Attached to: German Vice Chancellor: the US Threatened Us Over Snowden

Without getting into the moral implications of such a threat by the US, this is the cost Germany et. al. pay when letting the US foot the defense bill. The US defense budget pays for a large portion of the defense of the first world. If they don't want to be beholden to the whims of the US, don't depend on the US for defense.

Comment Re:Happened to a friend of mine. (Score 2) 619

Hardly. Are you saying that if I walk into a police station, grab an officer, take him outside to a random car and tell him that my phone is in the trunk then that would be good enough to get him to crack it open? That essentially what I would be doing if I was using a tracking app. That tracking app evidence has the same weight as my words because for all the officer knows I could have written that app to track anything to any destination I want.
Slashdot.org

Slashdot Keybindings, Dynamic Stories 220

Posted by CmdrTaco from the we're-still-here dept.
We've been working hard on the new dynamic Slashdot project (logged in users can enable this by enabling the beta index in their user preferences). I just wanted to quickly mention that there are keybindings on the index. The WASD and VI movement keys do stuff that we like, and the faq has the complete list. Also, if you are using Firefox or have Index2 beta enabled, you can click 'More' in the footer at the end of the page to load the next block of stories in-line without a page refresh. We're experimenting now with page sizes to balance load times against the likelihood that you'll click. More features will be coming soon, but the main thing on our agenda now is optimization. The beta index2 is sloooow and that's gotta change. We're aiming for 2 major optimizations this week (CSS Sprites, and removing an old YUI library) that I'm hoping will put the beta page render time into the "Sane" time frame (which, in case you are wondering, is several seconds faster than that "Insane" time frame we're currently seeing).
Math

Can Fractals Make Sense of the Quantum World? 236

Posted by CmdrTaco from the cuz-i-sure-can't dept.
Keith found a New Scientist story about fractals and quantum theory. The article says "Take the mathematics of fractals into account, says Palmer, and the long-standing puzzles of quantum theory may be much easier to understand. They might even dissolve away."
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Your worst IT workshop?

Submitted by suntory
suntory writes: I am a lecturer at a Spanish university. This week had to attend a workshop on "Advanced HTML and CSS" for the university staff. Some of the ideas that the presenter (a fellow lecturer) shared with us:
  • IE is the only browser that follows standards. You can see it clearly because it works for all sites, whereas Firefox and other browsers have problems displaying some of them.
  • Frames and tables are the best way to organize your website.
  • You can view the source for most CSS, Javascript and HTML files, so you can freely copy and paste what you feel like — the Internet is so free, you know.
  • Same applies for images. If you can see them in Google Images Search, then you can use them for your projects.
Of course, the workshop turned out to be a complete disaster and a waste of time. So I was wondering what other similar experiences you have had, and what was your worst IT workshop...
Networking

Submission + - Australian Researcher Boosts ADSL Speeds (smh.com.au)

Submitted by
sea_stuart
sea_stuart writes: "Like your ADSL connection to go 100 times faster? Despite the grim state of Australian mathematics and science, there is still exciting original work being done Down Under. John Papandriopoulos, a Research Fellow with the ARC Special Research Centre for Ultra-Broadband Information Networks (CUBIN), in the EEE department at the University of Melbourne has developed a method to reduce crosstalk interference in 9Mbps (ADSL), 25Mbps (ADSL2+), and 250Mbps (VDSL2) to bring speeds up the theoretical maxima possible. With an Australian Federal election due in a few weeks, and both parties promising improved broadband speeds and access, (despite technical limitations in both parties offerings) this is a welcome development, hopefully enabling higher speeds without huge expenses."
The Courts

Submission + - U.of Oregon Says No to RIAA; ID no good

Submitted by
NewYorkCountryLawyer
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "The University of Oregon has filed a motion to quash the RIAA's subpoena for information on student identities, in what is believed to be the first such motion made by the university itself, rather than by the students, and the first instance of a State Attorney General bringing a motion to quash an RIAA subpoena. The motion (pdf) explains that it is impossible to identify the alleged infringers from the information the RIAA has presented: "Five of the seventeen John Does accessed the content in question from double occupancy dorm rooms at the University. With regard to these Does, the University is able to identify only the room where the content was accessed and whether or not the computer used was a Macintosh or a PC.... The University cannot determine whether the content in question accessed by one occupant as opposed to another, or whether it was accessed instead by a visitor. Two of the seventeen John Does accessed the content in question from single occupancy dorm rooms....No login or personally identifiable information, i.e. authentication, was used by the Does to access the university's network because none is required. The University cannot determine whether the content was accessed by the room occupant or visitor. Nine of the seventeen John Does accessed the content in question from the University's wireless network or a similar system called the "HDSL Circuit." These systems do record a user name associated with the access. For these John Does, the University can determine the identity of the individual who bas been assigned the user name, however, it is unable to determine whether the content was accessed by the individual assigned that user name or by someone else using the computer associated with the user name. In the case of sixteen of the seventeen John Does, .... it is not possible for the University to identify the alleged infringers without conducting interviews and a forensic investigation of the computers likely involved." The AG's motion further argues (pdf) that "Plaintiffs' subpoena is unduly burdensome and overbroad. It seeks information that the University does not readily possess. In order to attempt to comply with the subpoena, the University would be forced to undertake an investigation to create discovery for Plaintiffs — an obligation not imposed by Rule 45. As the University is unable to identify the alleged infringers with any accuracy, it cannot comply with its federal obligation to notify students potentially affected by the subpoena." One commentator has likened the AG's argument to saying, in effect, that the RIAA's evidence is "rubbish"."

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