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User: pifactorial

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Comments · 17

  1. Actually not a bad idea on Microsoft Patent Deems Comic Books Shameful · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I get the humorous Microsoft-bashing potential of this, but... I think they're actually thinking along the right lines here. It's not news anymore that any sort of public profile on the internet can land you in trouble with an employer. Certain categories of online services (e.g. dating services) depend on a person being willing to divulge potentially embarrassing information about themselves. People will continue to want to take advantage of these services, but given the opportunity to avoid embarrassing yourself in front of potential employers / friends / etc., I think one would choose the option of having this sort of information kept secret.

    But haha, yes, comic books are taboo. Scott McCloud would have some choice words.

  2. If gaming addiction is a really a problem... on China Mandates Parental Controls For Online Games · · Score: 1

    ...this will do little to solve it.

    When I was living in China, I met several families with children and teenagers. Though almost all young people there have your run-of-the-mill Facebook-style "internet addiction", those who stood a serious chance of ruining their lives by spending too much time online were either spoiled senseless or totally ignored by their parents.

  3. Recursion on Gov't Proposes "National Climate Service" For the US · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Based on the mercurial history of climate science over the past few decades, we might also need a National Climate Service Service to help us track changes in the climate of climate science research...?

  4. Re:Oh no, not D-Wave. on Google Demonstrates Quantum Computer Image Search · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yeah, my first thought was basically, "Ah, Google got a hold of them. That explains why they've been quiet for so long." It's kind of funny that even Google admits they don't quite know what's going on ("various institutions are still in the process of characterizing the chip"), but the fact that it actually, you know, works, has to count for something.

  5. Survive and reproduce? on Bacteria Could Survive In Martian Soil · · Score: 5, Interesting

    To my knowledge many species of bacteria can survive indefinitely in practically any environment, but not while actively metabolizing. I am curious whether any of the species the article is talking about could actually survive and spread, if they would just stick around for a while and die out, or if they would only survive in a dormant state.

  6. Re:Blashphemy ! on 111 Years Ago, Indiana Almost Legislated Pi · · Score: 2, Informative

    When I was in elementary school, I came up with (44713649/1500)^(1/9), which I believe is accurate to 11 decimal places, and is useless for any purpose but proving that I don't get out much.

  7. ZAP on A Proposal For Unionizing Bloggers · · Score: 1

    I wasn't aware there was a problem of ionized bloggers...?

  8. Re:Obligatory Clippy reference on Microsoft Wants To Read Your Brain · · Score: 5, Funny

    "It looks like you're thinking about writing a letter. I know you want help."

  9. Missing the point on Ebert Reclassifies Games as Sports · · Score: 1

    One could certainly make "high art" in the form of a video game. If they weren't interested in making any money.

    Video games are made for a market. A market looking for action and entertainment, not a foray into the depths of the human experience. Games don't even try to be high art, and I don't think they should. Perhaps, like a soup can, they'd be better classified as pop art.

  10. Passable on New Dynamic Updating Discussions · · Score: 1

    Mod parent +1 On Topic.

  11. Dupe! on Lyrid Meteor Shower Arrives This Weekend · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is a dupe! The meteor shower happened last year.

  12. Not flat on A Symmetrical Cosmic Red Square · · Score: 0

    It appears as a square to us... what's its 3D structure? Is there a shape that would appear as a square regardless of what orientation it's viewed with?

  13. Excrement? Negative. on Groklaw No Front for IBM · · Score: 2, Funny

    And thus we have the wonderful "noshitsherlock" tag.

  14. Horray for scapegoats! on US Group Wants Canada Blacklisted Over Piracy · · Score: 1

    I'm from Canada and living in America, and I can't vouch scientifically on this issue, but I've seen absolutely no difference in the "copyright violation culture" between the two countries. The only difference I know is that copying music isn't actually illegal in Canada, so is maybe slightly more likely to happen, but again... I haven't seen a difference.

    The MAFIAA is just looking for more lives to ruin, to make it look like they're "winning the battle" on their home turf.

  15. And a butterfly could cause a hurricane on Bird Flu Pandemic Could Choke the Net · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously, I think we need a "speculation" tag...

  16. The media's take on Underground Water on Mars? · · Score: 1

    This just in! A commentator on the popular technology site "Slashdot" (who very well may be an expert) claims to have definitive proof that miniature giraffes dwell in subterranean Martian ice mines. One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the giraffes will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new long-necked overlords.

    More at 11.

  17. eBay sale on Video of Fedora On PS3 · · Score: 1