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User: havana9

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Comments · 350

  1. Re:Yu-Gi-Oh: Pirate Edition on NewsCorp/NDS Sets Up Operation To Expose Canadian Pirates; What Could Go Wrong? · · Score: 1
  2. Re:So what ? on China Blocks NYT Over Critical Article · · Score: 1

    Actually Press TV is perfectly visible on satellite television, not on BSkyB channels. http://en.kingofsat.net/find.php?question=press+tv&Submit=Zap There are a bunch of satellites that are transmitting now Press TV, including Hot Bird 13, so It's simply a matter to point a dish to the desired bird and enjoy some of their programs.

  3. Re:I'm not British on BBC Turns Off CEEFAX Service After 38 Years · · Score: 1

    Teletext services could be transmitted with digital television signals, both satellite and terrestrial, and are a standard MPEG feature. A set top box will automatically decode the data and send them over the analogue outputs, or superimposes the decoded page on the video output. Satellite broadcasting for Italy, Germany and France are still sending Teletext pages. I've experience with the MHP services on terrestrial television in Italy. Simply put MHP services are totally and utterly slow, even if MHP decoders are more costrly due the bigger CPU they have to run Java ME, instead of use only the computer power equivalent to a Z80. Worst of all the user interface between various broadcaster is different, even if they're sending teletext-like news and it's too easy to put animated adverts everywhere.

  4. Re:Unfortunately for Arduino on New Arduino Due Brings More Power To the Table · · Score: 1

    The Pi is not a microcontroller. It's a general purpose personal computer aimed to teach programming to schoolchildren. It has a GPIO connection, but doesn't have all the shields and software libraries that Arduino has. It has a full fledged operating system as default, you could also try to program the bare hardware but it's not the standard programming way. The Arduino has a simple control program and some libraries and most important the usage of the i/o is fully and clearly documented. By the way the official Gertboard I/O for the raspberry han an atmega 328 installed "arduino style".

  5. Freedom to install a terrestrial antenna array on FCC To Allow Cable Companies To Encrypt Over-the-Air Channels · · Score: 1

    I suppose that after this move, everybody is now entitled to put an aerial system to receive TV, even on condos or homeowner association controlled zones. Something like this: http://www.associazionemarconi.com/public/images/castel_debole_13_8_2012d.jpg I suppose that due the first amentement you've the right to receive OTA free channels, even in the USA.

  6. Re:Its a con on Nestle's GPS Tracking Candy Campaign · · Score: 3, Informative

    Did you say? Actually if you go to Wonka's site http://www.wonka.com/ Yuo'll see that actually they're Nestlè

  7. I already know the name of the winners. on Nestle's GPS Tracking Candy Campaign · · Score: 1

    Augustus Gloop Veruca Salt Violet Beauregarde Mike Teavee and Charlie Bucket.

  8. FIAT Totem on Microsoft Wants To Nix Data Center Backup Generators · · Score: 1

    If instead of diesel fuel one wants to use natural gas or LPG there was a solution developed in the '70. Take an engine from a Fiat 127 (or first model Fiat Panda or Uno), bolt it to a three phase geneator, modify the engine to run on methane, LPG, or biogas, put a governor to make the engine to run at constant speed. You get a nice system that makes electricity and heat. Unfortunately newer petrol engines with electonic fuel emission control are a lot more difficult to adapt to be used as engines for generators, and are a lot more complex to service.

  9. Re:It will have a certain cool factor at first on Cutting the Power Cable: How Advantageous Is Wireless Charging? · · Score: 1

    Older phones had more rugged connectors. I've a DECT cordless phone that has two metallic plates that make contact with two spring-mounted electrode, put in the cradle, the weight of the handset is sufficent to slide the phone in the contacts. The same method is used on two way radios, where it's a necessity due the higher charge current used. Unfortunately with current smartphones, the space required for a rugged connector is too big to blend in thei sllek design, so weak connectors are used, that could fail easily.

  10. Re:like other engineering fields on Should Developers Be Sued For Security Holes? · · Score: 1

    Another key difference is that only some projects in other engineering fields have to be signed by a PE, and are project that only one person could follow reasonably, and that have a set of rules by science or by law that have to be followed. A project for a car or an airplane doesn't require to be signed by a PE, even if requires a lot of engineers, simply because is too big to be followed by a single person and the regulations applicable are only on the whole product and nothing is said for the design phase.

  11. System requirements on Is Windows 8 Microsoft's Riskiest Bet? · · Score: 1

    Seems to me that Microsoft is trying to follow Apple moves because are quite successful. But Apple is mainly an hardware company and the operating system in an accessory revenue. More importantly the hardware ecosystem is reduced. Now I've tried to look at the new windows 8 beta image in a virtual machine, but even after playing with bios options and virtualbox configuration the operating system failed to install. If the final version remains so picky with the hardware refusing to run in a virtual machine or on a beige box PC, when 7 and Xp could run happily on the same hardware or virtual machine, it could me a graveyard stone in the adoption of the new operating system. If Windows 8 installation in older hardware or generic hardware is difficult, people will stay with older operating systems, or even try to downgrade the operating system on new machines, and this is naturally bad if not for sales, for the adoption.

  12. Re:No thanks Disney. on Disney Turns Plants Into Multi-Touch Sensors · · Score: 1

    Maybe because you're Roadrunner or Speedy Gonzales so you belong to a Warner Bros cartoon?

  13. Re:Slashdot has gone batsh*t crazy on SUSE Slowly Shows UEFI Secure Boot Plan · · Score: 1

    Security theatre. When was the last time you saw a piece of boot time malware? I remember viruses that would sometimes find their way onto floppy disks, so if you left the floppy in when switching on, your machine could be infected that way.... my, was a long time ago.

    Its trying to solve a problem that doesn't really exist. There are much more valuable and interesting attack vectors for malware writers these days.

    Actually the problem of boot time malware was solved in the DOS day with a BIOS setting that prevented to write the first sectors of the hard disc An MD5 checksum of the MBR and the boot sectors saved in a read only memory shoud suffice. I think a jumper to enable flashing the BIOS and this checksum area kill easily the unwanted tampering of the boot sectors.

  14. I prefer autonomous car racing thank you. on An Olympic Games For Enhanced Athletes? · · Score: 1

    Having to choose a sport based on a '70 sci-fi drama I like one not based on the six million dollar man and bionic woman, but one based on Knight Rider. It should be like DTM tournament but the circut must have a ramp and it's mandatory at least one ramp jumping during the race and a moving red light on the bonnet is mandatory. Winning cars should also be able to answer to interviews with witty comments.

  15. Do it HAM style on Ask Slashdot: How To Add New Tech To Old Van? · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You should look how amateur radio operators and/or people with RV are setting up thei systems. I think you should stay with a 12V power supply system, an inverter is a more complex system rather than a lead acid battery, and yu'll need a DC/DC inverter for the sound system amplifiers. A mini ITX pc with a 12 power supply it's not a big deal, so a satellite receiver. If you want to be sure to not fry your electronics, use a dual battery setup with a contactor that disconnects the secondary battery from the main circuit when the engine is not running, like RV pepole sometimes are doing, and remenber to flip on the switch when needed, or use an automatic system. If a dual battery system is too much take the supply from the electronics directly from the battery poles, with a suitable fuse on both poles. Put some L-C filters and a big diode in antiparallel to the supply.

  16. cmd.exe on Why Microsoft Killed the Windows Start Button · · Score: 1

    Yeah, let's auto open a cmd.exe shell at start up and work the unix way.

  17. Those fat clients... on The Long Death of Fat Clients · · Score: 1

    ... should make a diet and make some exercise and become thin clients or at least only a bit overweight.

  18. Satisfaction on Sexy Female Scientist Video Draws Fire · · Score: 1

    Presto! Someo calls Benny Benassi to make a suitable music for this video!

  19. I suppose... on Ask Slashdot: What To Do Before College? · · Score: 1

    ... drinking until passing out at parties.

  20. Misinterpreted on MIT Creates Superhydrophobic Condiment Bottles · · Score: 1

    Salad dressing with rabies? DO NOT WANT.

  21. Re:Think of the price tag on Heathkit Educational Systems Closes Shop For Good · · Score: 1

    Another problem is the technology used to solder on PCB and the type of part used. Soldering SMD is significantly harder than though hole components and the soldering irons for SMD have to be more precise and costly than regular irons. The more interesting components are now using soldering system like BGA that are easier to mount in a robotized line than hand made. Designing an interesting kit with through hole components is becoming harder and harder. Arduino and friends solve the problem selling premade boards, so the soldering part is limited to glue them toghether. Anyway in 1985 selling an Apple //e clone kit or a monophonic synth kit was a viable opportunity and the final product was in the same ballbark of the industrially made products. Now is pratically impossible to build in house an iMac or a digital sampler keyboard.

  22. Re:The earliest "digital" mass service on Millions of Brits Lose Ceefax News Service · · Score: 1

    Minitel and videotext systems were cheaps terminals that used the phone lines to send and transmit data. Ceefax and teletext systems are data transmission on television signals. Teletext is compatible with digital television and almost all DVB decoders could either process the data stream internally and display it or add the codified data on the PAL or SECAM video signal to be displayed on a standard definition TV set. Other european nations mantained the Teletext system on DBV broadcasting,for instance Italy: http://www.televideo.rai.it/televideo/pub/pagina.jsp?p=101&idmenumain=1

  23. TROLLey car on A Hybrid Car With Detachable Engine Proposed · · Score: 1

    Another idea for log distance tollway driving is to make a standard trolley system dedicated to trolleycars on tollways and motorways. Then build trolleycars with a trolley with a tamper proof meter, when entering the toll road the meter starts to read the power used via the trolley and the electricity cost is added to the standard toll price. Of curse trying to use bus wires on trolleycars should cause a failure in the system (550 V vs 400 V should suffice)

  24. From the misleading title Dept... on Boston Pays Out $170,000 To Man Arrested For Recording Police · · Score: 1

    I was wondering why someone was arrested for bootlegging a show made by Sting, Andy Summes and Stewart Copeland, and why Tom Scholz and Michael Sweet have to pay $170.000 to him.

  25. Re:Jamaica.... on SKA Telescope Site Debate Not Over Yet · · Score: 1

    They're now on Rocksteady and Reggae projects now.