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Slashback: Livermore, Privacy, Nixieness

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the stock-up-on-fireworks dept.

Slashback's amplifications and updates tonight include more on Best Buy's worst practices for data security, how the proposed Federal government restructuring will affect Lawrence Livermore labs,a long-overdue Maglev for those of us outside France or Japan, and even more on building Nixie-tube toys. Read on for the details.

Fancy titles attract bigger budgets. SeanAhern writes: "Following up on last week's Slashdot article about LLNL's role in the new Department of Homeland Security, it turns out that LLNL will not change its role or change hands. Instead, LLNL may become a 'center for excellence,' essentially taking on a research role for the new Department. More information can be found in a couple of articles around the press."

Why not just shout it cashier-to-cashier? jqcoffey writes: "A while ago it was discovered that Best Buy was using wireless LANs to transmit cash register data back to accounting servers. The problem was it was UN-encrypted data. They turned them off for a while and now, according to this Computerworld story, they are back on."

Maglev for the Maglevians! LighthouseJ writes: "The Hampton Roads Virginia paper, the Pilot recently reported that my current school, Old Dominion University, recently installed the very first maglev train in the United States on the elevated track already built the previous school year. This train won't go that fast (40 mph) compared to the bullet trains that travel at 300 mph, but at the same token, it won't be traveling that far. The service has been scheduled to start September 1st.

There is some information I have about the maglev that's not mentioned. First, the school is in a rectangle, with the maglev built in the center length-wise. It connects the main campus with the new construction happening across the major road, Hampton Rd and has 3 stations planned now with more to come as the track may extend in the future. They are building more housing, education and meeting places, and the maglev will facilitate safe transportation across that road for students and faculty."

Can this really be the first Mag-lev train in the U.S.? A nifty project regardless.

When a Rolex just isn't good enough. fixitsan2 writes: "I know this thread has been gone over before, when it appeared at the start of February, but ironically, about the same time as the thread ended a group was started on Yahoo!. Not only was it a fast-growing newsgroup, but the technical standard is extremely high. Covering all aspects of building nixie tube clocks as well as other nixie devices including safe power generation, and all display methods from direct drive to multiplexing, as well as lots of circuits and tube sources.

A quick look at the welcome page will give you a fuller idea of what gets discussed."

10 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. Nixie tubes at IEEE Spectrum Magazine by CanadaDave · · Score: 3, Informative
    There was a great article in the latest IEEE Spectrum magazine on Nixie tube clocks. Fortunately for you nixie-heads out there, it is also available online:

    http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature / un02/nixi.html

  2. Best Try is a joke by peterdaly · · Score: 2, Informative

    A few months ago I went to Best Try's site at 4 in the afternoon to be greeded by a "running maintainance" page. Ever since then I've had the feeling their tech support people we inept.

    This should not suprise me, as I have yet to have a good experience in their store. The salespeople are, and look, clueless. I have thown them for a loop too many times with questions like "how much does the item in the end isle display cost, there is no tag". I have never waited in line there less than 10 minutes, and the "anti-theft" thing goes off every 10 people or so; the guy with who looks like a thug (who's polo shirt doesn't fit) then has to check reciepts. It is all just a ploy to eliminate shoplifting, like the very visible camera monitor you have to walk around to get into the store. The place is run like the don't trust any of their customers. Not a place that makes you feel welcome.

    It short, it is auwful. If there was another major electronics store in the area (closest "equal" class competitor is an hour away) they would not get any of my business.

    I aviod them at every opportunity. Too bas they are the only place I can find certain items around here.

    -Pete

    --
    Soccer Goal Plans
    1. Re:Best Try is a joke by entrager · · Score: 5, Informative

      I worked for Best Buy for almost a year. I was a salesperson in the computers department for about 4 months and then I transfered to the service desk. Working there was a truely eye opening experience. I had no idea the retail business was such a sham! Some examples:

      1) The sales people don't know squat... everyone already knows this, so I won't spend any more time discussing it.

      2) In Best Buy land, Performance Service Plans (PSPs) are the most important aspect of a sale. For those that don't know, the PSP is the extended warranty. As a salesperson there, you are under EXTREME pressure to sell as many PSPs as possible. Raises, good treatment, etc. all go to the people that sell the most PSPs.

      3) Often times, managers will encourage employees to pretend that an item is out of stock in order to prevent a sale when the customer expressed their intention to NOT buy a PSP.

      4) Some salespeople will encourage customers to shop elsewhere if they aren't intending to buy a PSP. This includes both other Best Buy stores and competitors. Since stores are ranked based on PSP sales (as a percentage of total sales), it benefits one store to have a non-PSP buying customer buy from a different Best Buy.

      5) Some salespeople will flat out lie in order to sell a PSP. Telling customers that the PSP covers more than it actually does is very common.

      6) The sale of accesories along with a PC/TV/Stereo makes the company WAY more money than the sale of the actual product. Keep this in mind. The stores are also ranked on this number. Once a manager tried to convince me to buy 2 of our most expensive UPS systems at our store and then return them at a different store. This would have greatly boosted our numbers and lowered the other store's.

      7) Never bother getting a rain check at a Best Buy, you probably won't get a call back (unless you already have shown interest in a PSP).

      8) Never have anything repaired at Best Buy, their repair department is unorganized and over-priced. The people working on your equipment are also usually under-qualified.

      In summary... Best Buy is a great store, as long as you don't mind clueless salespeople and being harassed about service plans. Your best bet when buying something there is to tell them you want the service plan, and then change your mind at the register. Customers that want PSPs get good treatment, but once you'r at that register, there's nothing to keep you from not buying it.

      Also, be prepared to have a manager speak to you when you decline the service plan. Pleasantly refuse, and you should have no problem getting through.

      NOTE: All of the above comments applied to the store I worked at, and many others I've been to. There ARE exceptions though. I know of one "clean" Best Buy in Denver, the manager there is a straight shooter.

    2. Re:Best Try is a joke by dietz · · Score: 4, Informative

      the "anti-theft" thing goes off every 10 people or so; the guy with who looks like a thug (who's polo shirt doesn't fit) then has to check reciepts.

      Let the record show: you do NOT have to stop and let that thug check your receipt. You have paid for your merchandise, and you are free to leave. They do /not/ have a right to search you just because you are in their store and their obviously-flawed security gates went off. If you listen, you'll notice that's why they always ask YOUR permission to search you: "Can I have a look through your bag?" Say "no thank you" and keep walking.

      If they want to search you without losing a lawsuit, they need to see you pick up some merchandise and then not lose sight of you until you leave the store without paying for it. Anything less than that opens them up to a lawsuit, and THEY KNOW THIS. Just say "no thank you" and be on your way. If they put up a fight just tell them to call the cops if they think they have a case. I've only had that happen to me once at Walgreen's at 3am, and even those dipshits knew they had no right to hold me.

      This also goes at Fry's where they check everyone's reciept. I've found the exit-door employees are actually much, much nicer when you say "no thank you!" politely when they ask to see your receipt. They all know that there's nothing they can do to you and generally will say "okay, thanks for coming in, have a nice day!" or something similar, which is a lot more than I get normally.

  3. Re:Best Buy Electronic Signature pads... by jkusar · · Score: 4, Informative

    This second paragraph makes a very good point. In fact, at many of the retailers near me, you don't even have to hand them the credit card, you can just swipe it yourself.

    My boss often gives me his credit card to make purchases. The only time I've ever been asked was when I was trying to write his name on the slip. I usually just sign my own name and they hand the card right back. I've even used several ladies cards and never been asked. And I know I don't look like a Kimberly!!

    Oh well, at least most cards have a zero-liability guarantee for unauthorized charges.

    --Jason
    "If at first you don't succeed, erase all evidence that you tried!"

  4. Wireless Inventory by MikeD83 · · Score: 2, Informative

    "The company does, however, use wireless LANs for inventory and stocking operations. " I have worked at three different retail companies: Sears, Staples, and Target. Each one of those companies uses a wireless lan for inventory scanners. I'm sure my experience is not coincidence. What point is the author trying to make there?

  5. Re:Best Buy Electronic Signature pads... by soulsteal · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you really want to be safe, get rid of your credit cards. Use debit cards.

    Whoa there buddy. Back the truck up some.

    Credit cards have laws protecting holders against fraudulant charges up to $50 dollars (I think.) Debit cards just allow the thieves direct access to your personal savings without limit. Sure, you can contest the charges, but it's a hell of a time to get the money back.

    At least with credit cards, you can contest the charges BEFORE your money's missing.

  6. Re:Maglev side-effects? by istartedi · · Score: 3, Informative

    Most likely negligible. An efficient system wouldn't put magnetic fields into the passenger compartment--it would be a waste. I wager anything that leaks can be blocked by a fairly thin ferro-magnetic shield.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  7. Re:Best Buy Electronic Signature pads... by Yohahn · · Score: 4, Informative

    Almost right. If I remember correctly, debit cards make the owner liable for the first 500$ stolen. Credit cards make the owner liable for the first 50$ stolen.

    You have a lot more to risk with a debit card.

    Details here:
    http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news /cnsprg 98/crook.html

  8. I went to ODU as well... by Starcub · · Score: 2, Informative

    The maglev train is a good thing for ODU as the school is just to close to downtown Norfolk for comfort. Something like this might have kept me from getting my bike stolen and spared me the "enlightened comments" from the campus police as we drove around the more shady sections looking for it. On the plus side, my renter's insurance paid for a brand new bike, even better than the one that was stolen!