Sharpness is a matter of area, applied forces and proportions.
A sheet of window-grade glass can be incredibly sharp, but you can't hold a piece larger than a few square feet by a single corner. It breaks under its own weight.
Similarly, take the glass slides that you would use under a microscope; just a few mm thick. If a piece was made the size of a 4" x 6" picture frame, it would suffer the same, fragile fate as the window.
So, thinking along those lines, how big of a shard of 30-atom-thick glass would it take to puncture/cut skin? Unless the forces involved were precisely applied (or you have incredibly bad luck) I'm thinking it would utterly shatter to dust.
I'm more fearful of the Siliconosis, personally... or a skin-suffocation scenario a'la Goldfinger. (The gold paint may not kill you, but who says a.001 micron-thick layer of glass wouldn't?)
Forget your windshield, think YOUR ENTIRE CAR! [...]
-Rick
You're on to something, but the other respondents have a point. It's just a few-dozen atoms thick, and I don't think it's going to stand-up to 50mph gravel being thrown at it.
Still, there's huge potential for the “invisible bra” and clear-coat treatments. With a bit more R&D, I bet they could make a more abrasion-resistant form of the stuff for undercarriage.
That's all nice and well, but it's over-simplifying the problem.
Laminated glass is actually two layers of tempered glass; one on the inside and another on the outside. The laminate (plastic sheet) is sandwiched between the glass layers. You can brush-up on it here.
A crack doesn't normally form on its own with such glass, except in extreme heat/cold situations. The most common cause of cracks in tempered-glass laminates is “punctures” from high-speed flying debris. The puncture occurs as the debris breaks the outer glass layer. Even if the laminate isn't punctured, the inner glass may crack from the impact.
A crack will form over a span of time—sometimes days, sometimes months—due to a combination of environmental extremes and torsion strain. These cracks form in both panes of glass simultaneously, since a crack in one half leads to a structural vulnerability in the other half. The crack will eventually “race” paths across the windshield until it finds an edge. Such cracks are not inherently dangerous, but the windshield is no longer as strong as it should be.
So, there's two problems with this proposed spray-on “fix”: (1) The fluid may not actually penetrate into the crack, and even if it does, the laminate prevents it from filling to the other side; and (2) the dust, particles and residues would become permanently trapped in the shallow layer, only to reflect more light and make the windshield worse than before. (like dust/smears you can't wipe off)
Best solution; just take your windshield to an on-the-spot crack repair. They use a pressurized applicator that injects fluid at the original “puncture”. It's cheap, it saves you from replacing the windshield in a year, and many comprehensive insurance policies actually cover it.
As for the “liquid glass”, the purposes listed in TFA sound utterly sensible; a surface treatment that's easy to disinfect, durable and practically germ-proof. I can't wait to have my counter-tops done!
So you're assuming that potential child molesters live in a heavily insulated world in which they've never heard of having sex with children, until they see child porn?
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.
Um... no. You're assuming that's what I meant.
If that's “the most ridiculous thing [you've] ever heard,” then I think the “heavily insulated world” really applies to someone other than the men in TFA.
There may be Freedom of Speech, but that doesn't mean we should pursue quantity over quality.
Of course, I should know better than to respond to someone that trolls with their own sig'.
Is a heroin addict less likely to violently pursue their next “hit” just because their last score was cut with ink? Is the pusher or dealer any less guilty than the consumer?
Mixed metaphors aside, there's a real danger to all this. Let's use the the TLC program, Toddlers & Tiaras, as a quick example. Does this show have any redeeming entertainment value? The only drop of virtue you could squeeze from that show is a plain and clear message, leave the children alone! Is anyone committing a crime on the show? Technically, no. Even so, do you suppose that message gets through to anyone with pedophilia? I highly doubt it.
What does this have to do with cartoon kiddie-porn? I'll tell you; it's like how cartoon violence prepares us for the real thing. It's like how watching episodes of Tom & Jerry gives us the idea to bring home that mouse from the pet store and drop it in front of the cat, just to see what happens. The fact that it's drawn makes no difference!
Even in America, consumption of representational media is tantamount to the real thing. That's why Heavy Metal earned an “R” rating in 1981, even though there wasn't even one naked woman or eviscerated human in the entire film.
The point has arisen, how cartoon children are not, in fact “real” children. I disagree. Maybe the illustrated form of a child isn't connected to any, one child. Consider, then, that the drawn form could be any child... every child... my child... your child. Does that make these men seem any less dangerous than a convicted sex offender? The only real difference is time, and TFA tells us that these men got exactly what they deserved.
That's mostly true, but I'm somehow doubting JavaScript, as implemented in most rendering engines, will be able to do any of the higher-level Flash stuff with any semblance of grace or speed.
Let's start with the obvious... TFA is a tech demo and not a product. That said, it's pretty ridiculous to think it's an all-out substitute for the Flash Player. It's not.
What's less obvious is the relationship with Flash. To me, it seems that this JS/SVG technique could easily supplant at least half the reasons why domos use Flash/SL/ML in the first place; animation and animated UI features. (slideshows, animated logos, *sigh* adverts too... the real basic stuff) This won't supplant Flash/ActionScript as a platform... not even close! What it will do is open-up webdev options to those who want splashy UI and pop-art without stuffing Adobe's (or M$'s) pockets.
Be excited already! This is a big step, not just for HTML5, but for open web tools as well. Even if it doesn't signal the end of Flash, at least it will make it much harder for SL/ML to justify their existence without addressing the AS/CF aspects of Flash head-on. While we're at it, maybe it will open some eyes at Adobe to not only design their products to be more accessible, but priced to match.
The most ground-breaking discovery for mobile enterprise has been the MiFi®. It's a portable device that connects to 3G/1X wirelessly and creates a small WiFi domain that you control. Kind of like a tiny router, but with just a power supply and a USB cable. IIRC, you can have up to 3 WiFi connections going at once and up to 10 unique devices using it.
In other news, Verizon has a shiny new line of Android phones (also by HTC, but their "biggie" is by Moto) and attractive plans. I'm still waiting for something competitive to the new $50 T-Mo "unlimited" plans to appear at VZW, but time will tell.
It's always a good time to be a newcomer into the US wireless carrier market; free- and discounted devices abound with rate plans that fit almost every lifestyle.
At some point, you will find yourself regretting your decision... no matter which one you choose.
There's a nice amount of irony. For those who can smell it, their failures makes for a satisfying zen-like feeling.
Allow me to elucidate:
Branding your cigarette-substitute product the "Krave" isn't exactly aligned with the "quit smoking" campaign. By making "crave" the central theme, and increasing the amount of harmful waste with each dose, it's actually making things worse. #quitfail
Let me get this straight; it's a baseball cap with a "bill" that's over 3x longer than regular caps, and all it does is hold your portable video device about a foot in front of you... with blinders. They call it the "As Seen On Television Cap" but I think an acronym is much more appropriate here: The ASOT cap. #hillbillychic
Vibrating ear-buds. I remember those in the 90's. They were cheap, they burnt-out after I turned my portable music to "7" or higher and they were painful. I understand the retro thing, but that really is going too far. #immersionfail
Ah yes, the iType. Let's take a perfectly portable platform, fasten it to a airline table-tray so that we can type like we do at our computer. Every major innovation truly needs something new to tether it to the past. #progressfail
Phubby®, brought to you by the people that invented the Snuggie®. (I bet!) Does that god-awful "robotic reading lamp" fit in there too so I can jog in the dark? #cultwarning
I got this great idea; let's make a device for expecting mothers... it sounds just like a mother's heartbeat! Why, it's proven science that a mother's heartbeat makes us more alert, responsive and aware while in the womb. So, since it has so many education-related benefits, we'll call it a Prenatal Education System! -- It would be brilliant, but only if the infant was developing while the mother is dead. #facepalm
The zen is right there in the video... try to break a phone, and it breaks. Impressive indeed. #fail2fail
I think the only tag for this is "too soon?" The Android platform is still in its infancy, so why should it be invading our kitchen like a rambunctious toddler? For that matter, why would you want to spend more time in front of your microwave? #toosoon
The bidet, hundreds of years old and works on a simple concept; a gentle spray of water will... ahem... clean you up. So now we add robotic probosces. Creepy! Also, I believe that the intensity of that jet may be just a bit uncomfortable for the average loo-goer. #hentaihorror
The parade of iPhone-junk just doesn't end, does it? It's not enough to air-guitar with an i-brick in one hand, now we should fasten it to a contraption that only makes it more cumbersome and louder... and still fails to look anything like a real guitar. #wegottacrapforthat
I don't know about you, but I find DIY aspects of technology maintenance to be a good thing. Cleaning keyboards can be an exercise in patience, diligence and attending to details. It also helps familiarize me with the placement of keys so I'm not searching the dimly-lit, off-color, 5-point type when I need to use the calculator. As for the goo... welcome to the 90's, and it's called "slime" not "keyboard cleaner." #toysRcheaper
For our latest achievement we give you... a video adapter. It can connect to your existing video device without the cumbersome convenience of owning yet another video device. #cablesnotincluded
At last! A way to bring the joy of music and (digitally managed and restricted) entertainment to your young children and give them nightmares of animatronic plushies... all at the same time! Personally, I'd love to watch as one of those things plays Metallica or Slayer... or MJ's PYT. #doyouknowwhatIamsaying
Second Life had little point beyond being a sex simulator and roleplaying simulator. You can't really play a real game in there. There isn't any real combat Physics built into Second Life. You walk around, you chat, if you can buy stuff and sell stuff that looks cool.
Seriously!? Are we making comparisons between MMORPGs like WoW and EQ to Second Life?
It's patently and categorically misplaced. In other words, you're comparing apples to kumquats.
SL is about a virtual-world experience, but without any necessary objectives other than interaction with other “players.”
No “combat Physics” [sic] -correct! It doesn't need it... whatever that is. If you feel SL really needs it, why not develop it yourself? That is what makes SL unique; users not only help to populate the world, but also develop features within that world. Can you invent (not saying "build" here, but "invent") new-and-different weapons in WoW, GW or EQ? No! You can only use the items that devs have made for you. But you can always invent in SL. In fact, you could even invent a non-combat dingus. (many have, and quite literally)
It doesn't need combat; it's not supposed to be a game.
While SL has earned a “seedy” reputation—let's be honest, most people that spend enough time online are bound to Go There—it remains unique in the experience it provides. No gold, no mobs, no bosses to fight... at least not necessarily. Second Life is whatever its denizens want it to be. If Linden Labs wanted Second Life to be a game, it would have become a game-world by now. IFO am glad it hasn't.
Those are "logical" sectors, which can be different from the physical sector size. [...]...logical sector size is a drive interface level concept distinct from the filesystem cluster or block size. Filesystem block sizes have generally been larger than the logical or physical sector size for quite some time.
Thank you, butlerm for some much needed sanity in this thread.
The notion of cylinder/head/sector in the literal sense has been completely deprecated, but the scheme was preserved as an ad-hoc standard... which has since run into five other "hard limits" in BIOS and Int0x13 addressing... but that's another story.
Around the time of the first BIOS addressable-space limitation of 528MB, most hard disks were already being mapped with ZBR and translated through firmware. (see Zoned Bit Recording) The standard of 512b/sector has simply been a case of tradition and best practice. It was "just they way they made them."
A new logical int0x13 hook driver is all that's needed to interpret C/H/S coordinates with a 4KB base instead of a 512B base, and M$/Apple/Linus (et al) can likely cook that up in their sleep. No applications—short of low-level virus scanning, low-level disk utilities and software RAID, to name a few—would be affected by a different "physical" sector size. Most apps are in "virtual mode" and treat files as objects, which is handled in turn by the core OS.
Most filesystems use 4K granularity as it is, all that needs to happen is to equate cluster with sector. (as a most simplified "patch") I'm sure they'll come up with a new scheme to keep it scaled up... such as 4 sectors per cluster. (becoming 16K cluster/block size)
The greatest headache will be the game of catch-up by the OS-dev and utilities arena, who now have to completely review their preconceptions about HDD storage. Think regression-testing-cubed.
While we're at it, let's correct TFP by saying that filesystems will always align partitions to the beginning of the next logical cylinder. (whether it's a multiple of 4KB or not) The most likely problem to arise would be with the utilities mis-reading the "Advanced Format" disks, (showing them at only 1/8 of their actual size) calculating capacity based on total-sectors*512b, instead of the correct formula of total-sectors*4096b.
If you think about it, it's really a practical step. Think of where HDD sizes were ten years ago; 40GB was gi-normous and 100GB was just a pipe-dream. Ten years before that? A 100MB disk was "spacious"...just a 1GB disk wouldn't be available for another five years. In all that time, the sector size hasn't changed at all... just half a kilobyte. It's a sign of the times, people.
Think of it this way... now instead of the nerdy term "sectors," you can introduce a newer term like "quads" or "kilo-quads" and see if it catches on.
It's rather well-accepted that critics know the least about making good TV, rather just how to point-out bad TV.
Now, I'll give them the basic gist; NASA-TV is a yawn-fest. The LCROSS press conferences have been an excellent example of this. Aside from live events, the produced segments also leave quite a bit to be desired. (TFA puts the point nicely with the Soyuz bit)
We don't need Simon Cowell or Ryan Seacrest to make it interesting. Here's an idea; take the producers from any of the "Most [insert hyperbolic and/or categorical adjective] Videos" shows and let them have at it. They have all the video-toaster effects down, they have an "extreme" narrator and they're well versed at making spilled milk into a world-shaking event. Ba-da boom, NASA-TV becomes as over-hyped as the rest of basic cable, blending in perfectly.
[...by drilling,] you may be able to adjust the timing of [an earthquake].
Perhaps this man's 3.4 quake actually saved the village from having a 4.0 quake a few years later! Did anyone think of that? Perhaps they should be giving him a medal.
So, by that logic, perhaps you recommend that he work in Yellowstone National Park to save the western United States from catastrophe? While he's at it, he'll be given presidential recognition for tapping perhaps the largest reserve of geothermic energy in the world. Only problem is, it will be at the expense of national preserved land.
I wonder, could we justify that kind of sacrifice, or is the National Parks Association so myopic as to prevent the progress of Energy Independence?
Making the state of Wyoming the center of renewable energy production would certainly “change the map.”
Off-hand, the ‘A.S.P.’ as you're putting it, could be any number. Through observation, it appears to happen within 30 seconds of a major traffic disturbance, no matter what percentage it is.
Just last year, a traffic study in Japan tried to explain it as “waves” that occur naturally. If traffic jams are naturally forming waves, then a-holes might be the rocks that break them up, causing chaos.
TFP appears to be neglecting a fundamental principle in human behavior, and that principle is, in fact: human behavior.
Firstly, humans are not robots. While we can be entreated to follow a certain set of rules, our emotional state and capacity for intelligence allow us to see when rules don't work.
Second, some humans will disobey rules for the sake of disobeying rules; a state known as “rebelliousness” for lack of a better term.
The premise of the article would lead to a conclusion that any-given traffic congestion scenario would be best served by a certain percentage of rule-breakers. Let me make my observation patently clear: “Bee Ess”
A driver that passes on the inappropriate side is generally caused by a sedentary driver in the passing lane; the rule-breaker is not the cure, but is in fact the cause. By breaking the rule, (e.g., “Keep Right Except to Pass”) the sedentary left-lane driver is not the solution, but part of the problem. Why is that rule-breaker not figured or represented in the study?
When a multi-lane road approaches a reduction, which rule-breaker is encouraging flow; the dogged you-won't-get-in-front-of-me bumper-hugger or the rush-ahead-to-the-pinch driver that rudely bumps their way in? Answer is C; none of the above. The pinch-rusher causes a setback for the continuous lane and the bumper-hugger causes a setback for both lanes as a pinch-rusher attempts to force their way in.
No matter what percentage of rule-breakers seem to “help” traffic flow, the simple truth is that there would be fewer accidents, less road-rage and general peace-of-mind if they weren't on the road in the first place. Q.E.D.
I agree that Steam is a starting point for this, but it’s not as simple as just adding-on to—what has become—such a revolutionary online platform. Steam is to Valve what “Download Manager” (was/is) to EA, or what Battle.net is to Blizzard. If Valve considers crowdsourcing the development process, it’s going to take a much larger infrastructure on their end than just a few mods on Steam.
What concerns me the most is not the notion that the public can make better games—that is the brilliant part—what concerns me is whether such a system will be resistant to tampering and fraud. I mean, get serious folks, is Valve going to convert Steam accounts into two-way fiscal vectors? Not bloody likely. I would also doubt that such a venture would be handled purely by browser-based content; web 2.0 or no web 2.0. If this is going to be handled by a client app, it’s going to have to re-invent Steam, not just add to it.
As for other concerns, there is whether it will take any suspense out of the up-and-coming content. When you expand your development force from 100 to 100 thousand, a leak is not just likely, it’s inevitable. How could a project be segmented, or encoded, to truly benefit from massive creative forces? Then, how could the individuals feel that they contributed when there’s no way of telling what they put into it? It’s not an answer, but it is a very interesting question.
Don't get me wrong, Valve has pulled some strange and wonderful rabbits from their collective hat and I hope they keep it up. I would just hate it if such a hopeful and aspiring dev-house crumbles under its own ambition.
TFP does have a point... it does seem a bit backwards to have a Linux-supportive firmware that requires Windows—which is far beyond firmware—in order to establish it.
As for violating the GPL... hrm... I can see how it seems wrong, but I'll side with parent in saying it doesn't appear that the software has violated its own freedom in any way. The choice of Winodws as the installation platform may be inconvenient and unfortunate as well as just plain silly, but it's not actually compromising itself. Besides, being GPL'ed, what's there to stop anybody from porting it?
There's still a slim chance, even if it is 1:10^12... that was good enough for the Millennium Falcon.
Spaceflight has never been a safe operation... never! It was never easy either, but back when it was new, people paid attention.
Ever since the years when a Shuttle was launching every few months, people just don't think of it as "new" or even say "wow" anymore. It just "what NASA's doing".
What's most appalling about this predicament is the thinking going into it; it's like 1972 all over again. We're so busy lighting-off explosives that we're discounting the (best and brightest) people that are on top of that sophisticated powder-keg. Maybe that's why we were so attentive and fascinated in 1972... life was on the line should any little thing go wrong. Those guys were truly national heroes.
It pains me to say it, but I'm doubtful that NASA's thinking will not change until we have another Challenger disaster.
Sage point... I don't believe that word applies to behavioral factors one bit.
The expression “laughter is contagious” is only a metaphor, which everyone seems to accept. To apply it in a clinical context is just ludicrous; is there an antibiotic that would eliminate laughter? Does laughter pass from one person to another through contagions or microbes? NO! It's behavioral, it’s a function of the mind and physiology, but it is not a pathogen.
None of that is to say that the phenomenon isn't worth study. Another cliché says, “boys will be boys,” a glib justification to allow young males to pursue their reckless endeavors. I believe the propensity for young males to mimic each others’ mis-adventures is an oft-neglected factor in juvenile discipline, parenting and in general society.
Spinning the phenomenon as "contagious" is like finding a cure for yawning. They're barking up the wrong tree, that isn't even a tree, because it's a signpost, and they didn't read the signpost because they're dogs... unless they're really just humans who happen to be barking mad.
Seriously, I have a Linksys router that would process circles around it; even before overclocking! I don't even think I could underclock my router to the speed of an i8088. (4.77Mhz) By Moore's Law, what you have there is an antique and little more... it's only good as a vehicle for driving down memory lane.
A number of option cards are available to expand the memory up to 640K, and a special Epson memory expansion card is available from your Epson dealer to expand memory to 512K without using an option slot.
Imagine all that you could do with a whole 640K!</sarcasm>
If you're running a Linux server from your home, then this would make a good serial terminal, but only if you can find the emulator software to do it. You might be able to retrofit a controller for a 3.5" floppy, but USB is going to be a stretch. Do they even make USB controllers for ISA bus? The manual didn't specify the type of “option card” it uses, which makes me think it's the original 8-bit ISA standard. ISA was practically dead in 1997, then USB only rose to dominance after 1998... I'm not even sure they intersect!
Abandon all hope, ye who enter a “system dick” [sic] to continue. <nods to ta bu shi da yu>
Recycle it or donate to a museum. Otherwise, best of luck!
He'll have an island in the middle of the ocean with a volcano that has a giant face on it that looks like him.
You forgot the part where he dons a blue helmet with chrome faceplate and starts talking in a hoarse, screechy voice.
Pumping water? That's go EPA... so Greenpeace. Even if it does work, the fallout from changing ocean temperatures at depth is even more mind-staggering than the potential damage of a hurricane. (nods to other posts)
And no, there is no way to tell if it works... no frickin' way! Where are the control variables? Has this been tested? What if the cold water sinks so quickly that it doesn't mix with the warm water to have an effect? What if it creates a maelstrom to accompany the hurricane, double jeopardy! Why waste billions on something that might work?
Then again... we are talking about the mastermind of Windows®. C'est la vie.
To be “granted Copyright” and “having Copyright protection” are indeed two different things.
As TFP says, the differences between registered and non-registered works comes down to the types of damage. In just about all cases, real damages (real money directly lost or illicitly gained) can be awarded, but only registered works can receive damages for statutory (pre-defined amount or range of amounts) and legal costs. (duh) I guess it depends on just what you mean by “protection.”
Shouldn't this fall less inside Copyright law and more inside Identity Theft?
While the Principal may have been acting in--what he feels is--her best interest, couldn't it otherwise be called malignant or at least mischievous acts?
Suspicious act "A": A former principal checks-up on an alumnus' MySpace page. That's creepy to begin with.
Suspicious act "B": Principal chooses to copy, submit and impersonate her to the local newspaper as if she had submitted it herself! I believe that fulfills the criteria of Identity Theft right there.
At its core, isn't this is about control? The Principal took away the control of her own pursuit, her opinion. When she “publishes” on MySpace, she retains full control over the content; it could be there today, gone tomorrow. It's her choice.
When you submit content to a prestigious publisher (and yes, I am including just about all newspapers under that title, deal with it) part of the submission clause is that you release control of that content to the publication entity. The girl didn't make that choice, the Principal took that choice from her.
That should be a crime, even if it isn't.
If there isn't legal precedent for this, then let hers be the landmark case that opens the door.
Slashdot Mirror
Sharpness is a matter of area, applied forces and proportions.
A sheet of window-grade glass can be incredibly sharp, but you can't hold a piece larger than a few square feet by a single corner. It breaks under its own weight.
Similarly, take the glass slides that you would use under a microscope; just a few mm thick. If a piece was made the size of a 4" x 6" picture frame, it would suffer the same, fragile fate as the window.
So, thinking along those lines, how big of a shard of 30-atom-thick glass would it take to puncture/cut skin? Unless the forces involved were precisely applied (or you have incredibly bad luck) I'm thinking it would utterly shatter to dust.
I'm more fearful of the Siliconosis, personally... or a skin-suffocation scenario a'la Goldfinger. (The gold paint may not kill you, but who says a .001 micron-thick layer of glass wouldn't?)
Forget your windshield, think YOUR ENTIRE CAR! [...]
-Rick
You're on to something, but the other respondents have a point. It's just a few-dozen atoms thick, and I don't think it's going to stand-up to 50mph gravel being thrown at it.
Still, there's huge potential for the “invisible bra” and clear-coat treatments. With a bit more R&D, I bet they could make a more abrasion-resistant form of the stuff for undercarriage.
Keep thinkin' big!
That's all nice and well, but it's over-simplifying the problem.
Laminated glass is actually two layers of tempered glass; one on the inside and another on the outside. The laminate (plastic sheet) is sandwiched between the glass layers. You can brush-up on it here.
A crack doesn't normally form on its own with such glass, except in extreme heat/cold situations. The most common cause of cracks in tempered-glass laminates is “punctures” from high-speed flying debris. The puncture occurs as the debris breaks the outer glass layer. Even if the laminate isn't punctured, the inner glass may crack from the impact.
A crack will form over a span of time—sometimes days, sometimes months—due to a combination of environmental extremes and torsion strain. These cracks form in both panes of glass simultaneously, since a crack in one half leads to a structural vulnerability in the other half. The crack will eventually “race” paths across the windshield until it finds an edge. Such cracks are not inherently dangerous, but the windshield is no longer as strong as it should be.
So, there's two problems with this proposed spray-on “fix”: (1) The fluid may not actually penetrate into the crack, and even if it does, the laminate prevents it from filling to the other side; and (2) the dust, particles and residues would become permanently trapped in the shallow layer, only to reflect more light and make the windshield worse than before. (like dust/smears you can't wipe off)
Best solution; just take your windshield to an on-the-spot crack repair. They use a pressurized applicator that injects fluid at the original “puncture”. It's cheap, it saves you from replacing the windshield in a year, and many comprehensive insurance policies actually cover it.
As for the “liquid glass”, the purposes listed in TFA sound utterly sensible; a surface treatment that's easy to disinfect, durable and practically germ-proof. I can't wait to have my counter-tops done!
Hey AC, does your wife read /. ?
Well, I know my wife doesn't, so I'll post this without the AC veil:
Well here’s the proof that women are evil...
Symbols: W is Women, T is Time, M is Money and E is Evil
1. We all know you need time and money to please a woman, expressed as:
W = T(M)
2. The world of business teaches us that time is money:
T = M
3. Based on that, we can substitute:
W = M(M) [OR]
W = M^2
4. We've all heard that money is the root of all evil:
M = sqrt(E)
5. Based on that, we can substitute:
W = (sqrt(E))^2
6. The square and square-root negate each other, leaving:
W = E [ergo]
Women = Evil
</offtopic> (hopefully)
So you're assuming that potential child molesters live in a heavily insulated world in which they've never heard of having sex with children, until they see child porn?
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.
Um... no. You're assuming that's what I meant.
If that's “the most ridiculous thing [you've] ever heard,” then I think the “heavily insulated world” really applies to someone other than the men in TFA.
There may be Freedom of Speech, but that doesn't mean we should pursue quantity over quality.
Of course, I should know better than to respond to someone that trolls with their own sig'.
Are you serious?
Is a heroin addict less likely to violently pursue their next “hit” just because their last score was cut with ink? Is the pusher or dealer any less guilty than the consumer?
Mixed metaphors aside, there's a real danger to all this. Let's use the the TLC program, Toddlers & Tiaras, as a quick example. Does this show have any redeeming entertainment value? The only drop of virtue you could squeeze from that show is a plain and clear message, leave the children alone! Is anyone committing a crime on the show? Technically, no. Even so, do you suppose that message gets through to anyone with pedophilia? I highly doubt it.
What does this have to do with cartoon kiddie-porn? I'll tell you; it's like how cartoon violence prepares us for the real thing. It's like how watching episodes of Tom & Jerry gives us the idea to bring home that mouse from the pet store and drop it in front of the cat, just to see what happens. The fact that it's drawn makes no difference!
Even in America, consumption of representational media is tantamount to the real thing. That's why Heavy Metal earned an “R” rating in 1981, even though there wasn't even one naked woman or eviscerated human in the entire film.
The point has arisen, how cartoon children are not, in fact “real” children. I disagree. Maybe the illustrated form of a child isn't connected to any, one child. Consider, then, that the drawn form could be any child... every child... my child... your child. Does that make these men seem any less dangerous than a convicted sex offender? The only real difference is time, and TFA tells us that these men got exactly what they deserved.
That's mostly true, but I'm somehow doubting JavaScript, as implemented in most rendering engines, will be able to do any of the higher-level Flash stuff with any semblance of grace or speed.
Let's start with the obvious... TFA is a tech demo and not a product. That said, it's pretty ridiculous to think it's an all-out substitute for the Flash Player. It's not.
What's less obvious is the relationship with Flash. To me, it seems that this JS/SVG technique could easily supplant at least half the reasons why domos use Flash/SL/ML in the first place; animation and animated UI features. (slideshows, animated logos, *sigh* adverts too... the real basic stuff) This won't supplant Flash/ActionScript as a platform... not even close! What it will do is open-up webdev options to those who want splashy UI and pop-art without stuffing Adobe's (or M$'s) pockets.
Be excited already! This is a big step, not just for HTML5, but for open web tools as well. Even if it doesn't signal the end of Flash, at least it will make it much harder for SL/ML to justify their existence without addressing the AS/CF aspects of Flash head-on. While we're at it, maybe it will open some eyes at Adobe to not only design their products to be more accessible, but priced to match.
The most ground-breaking discovery for mobile enterprise has been the MiFi®. It's a portable device that connects to 3G/1X wirelessly and creates a small WiFi domain that you control. Kind of like a tiny router, but with just a power supply and a USB cable. IIRC, you can have up to 3 WiFi connections going at once and up to 10 unique devices using it.
In other news, Verizon has a shiny new line of Android phones (also by HTC, but their "biggie" is by Moto) and attractive plans. I'm still waiting for something competitive to the new $50 T-Mo "unlimited" plans to appear at VZW, but time will tell.
It's always a good time to be a newcomer into the US wireless carrier market; free- and discounted devices abound with rate plans that fit almost every lifestyle.
At some point, you will find yourself regretting your decision... no matter which one you choose.
There's a nice amount of irony. For those who can smell it, their failures makes for a satisfying zen-like feeling.
Allow me to elucidate:
Branding your cigarette-substitute product the "Krave" isn't exactly aligned with the "quit smoking" campaign. By making "crave" the central theme, and increasing the amount of harmful waste with each dose, it's actually making things worse. #quitfail
Let me get this straight; it's a baseball cap with a "bill" that's over 3x longer than regular caps, and all it does is hold your portable video device about a foot in front of you... with blinders. They call it the "As Seen On Television Cap" but I think an acronym is much more appropriate here: The ASOT cap. #hillbillychic
Vibrating ear-buds. I remember those in the 90's. They were cheap, they burnt-out after I turned my portable music to "7" or higher and they were painful. I understand the retro thing, but that really is going too far. #immersionfail
Ah yes, the iType. Let's take a perfectly portable platform, fasten it to a airline table-tray so that we can type like we do at our computer. Every major innovation truly needs something new to tether it to the past. #progressfail
Phubby®, brought to you by the people that invented the Snuggie®. (I bet!) Does that god-awful "robotic reading lamp" fit in there too so I can jog in the dark? #cultwarning
I got this great idea; let's make a device for expecting mothers... it sounds just like a mother's heartbeat! Why, it's proven science that a mother's heartbeat makes us more alert, responsive and aware while in the womb. So, since it has so many education-related benefits, we'll call it a Prenatal Education System! -- It would be brilliant, but only if the infant was developing while the mother is dead. #facepalm
The zen is right there in the video... try to break a phone, and it breaks. Impressive indeed. #fail2fail
I think the only tag for this is "too soon?" The Android platform is still in its infancy, so why should it be invading our kitchen like a rambunctious toddler? For that matter, why would you want to spend more time in front of your microwave? #toosoon
The bidet, hundreds of years old and works on a simple concept; a gentle spray of water will... ahem... clean you up. So now we add robotic probosces. Creepy! Also, I believe that the intensity of that jet may be just a bit uncomfortable for the average loo-goer. #hentaihorror
The parade of iPhone-junk just doesn't end, does it? It's not enough to air-guitar with an i-brick in one hand, now we should fasten it to a contraption that only makes it more cumbersome and louder... and still fails to look anything like a real guitar. #wegottacrapforthat
I don't know about you, but I find DIY aspects of technology maintenance to be a good thing. Cleaning keyboards can be an exercise in patience, diligence and attending to details. It also helps familiarize me with the placement of keys so I'm not searching the dimly-lit, off-color, 5-point type when I need to use the calculator. As for the goo... welcome to the 90's, and it's called "slime" not "keyboard cleaner." #toysRcheaper
For our latest achievement we give you... a video adapter. It can connect to your existing video device without the cumbersome convenience of owning yet another video device. #cablesnotincluded
At last! A way to bring the joy of music and (digitally managed and restricted) entertainment to your young children and give them nightmares of animatronic plushies... all at the same time! Personally, I'd love to watch as one of those things plays Metallica or Slayer... or MJ's PYT. #doyouknowwhatIamsaying
Second Life had little point beyond being a sex simulator and roleplaying simulator. You can't really play a real game in there. There isn't any real combat Physics built into Second Life. You walk around, you chat, if you can buy stuff and sell stuff that looks cool.
Seriously!? Are we making comparisons between MMORPGs like WoW and EQ to Second Life?
It's patently and categorically misplaced. In other words, you're comparing apples to kumquats.
SL is about a virtual-world experience, but without any necessary objectives other than interaction with other “players.”
No “combat Physics” [sic] -correct! It doesn't need it... whatever that is. If you feel SL really needs it, why not develop it yourself? That is what makes SL unique; users not only help to populate the world, but also develop features within that world. Can you invent (not saying "build" here, but "invent") new-and-different weapons in WoW, GW or EQ? No! You can only use the items that devs have made for you. But you can always invent in SL. In fact, you could even invent a non-combat dingus. (many have, and quite literally)
It doesn't need combat; it's not supposed to be a game.
While SL has earned a “seedy” reputation—let's be honest, most people that spend enough time online are bound to Go There—it remains unique in the experience it provides. No gold, no mobs, no bosses to fight... at least not necessarily. Second Life is whatever its denizens want it to be. If Linden Labs wanted Second Life to be a game, it would have become a game-world by now. IFO am glad it hasn't.
Those are "logical" sectors, which can be different from the physical sector size. [...] ...logical sector size is a drive interface level concept distinct from the filesystem cluster or block size. Filesystem block sizes have generally been larger than the logical or physical sector size for quite some time.
Thank you, butlerm for some much needed sanity in this thread.
The notion of cylinder/head/sector in the literal sense has been completely deprecated, but the scheme was preserved as an ad-hoc standard... which has since run into five other "hard limits" in BIOS and Int0x13 addressing... but that's another story.
Around the time of the first BIOS addressable-space limitation of 528MB, most hard disks were already being mapped with ZBR and translated through firmware. (see Zoned Bit Recording) The standard of 512b/sector has simply been a case of tradition and best practice. It was "just they way they made them."
A new logical int0x13 hook driver is all that's needed to interpret C/H/S coordinates with a 4KB base instead of a 512B base, and M$/Apple/Linus (et al) can likely cook that up in their sleep. No applications—short of low-level virus scanning, low-level disk utilities and software RAID, to name a few—would be affected by a different "physical" sector size. Most apps are in "virtual mode" and treat files as objects, which is handled in turn by the core OS.
Most filesystems use 4K granularity as it is, all that needs to happen is to equate cluster with sector. (as a most simplified "patch") I'm sure they'll come up with a new scheme to keep it scaled up... such as 4 sectors per cluster. (becoming 16K cluster/block size)
The greatest headache will be the game of catch-up by the OS-dev and utilities arena, who now have to completely review their preconceptions about HDD storage. Think regression-testing-cubed.
While we're at it, let's correct TFP by saying that filesystems will always align partitions to the beginning of the next logical cylinder. (whether it's a multiple of 4KB or not) The most likely problem to arise would be with the utilities mis-reading the "Advanced Format" disks, (showing them at only 1/8 of their actual size) calculating capacity based on total-sectors*512b, instead of the correct formula of total-sectors*4096b.
If you think about it, it's really a practical step. Think of where HDD sizes were ten years ago; 40GB was gi-normous and 100GB was just a pipe-dream. Ten years before that? A 100MB disk was "spacious" ...just a 1GB disk wouldn't be available for another five years. In all that time, the sector size hasn't changed at all... just half a kilobyte. It's a sign of the times, people.
Think of it this way... now instead of the nerdy term "sectors," you can introduce a newer term like "quads" or "kilo-quads" and see if it catches on.
It's rather well-accepted that critics know the least about making good TV, rather just how to point-out bad TV.
Now, I'll give them the basic gist; NASA-TV is a yawn-fest. The LCROSS press conferences have been an excellent example of this. Aside from live events, the produced segments also leave quite a bit to be desired. (TFA puts the point nicely with the Soyuz bit)
We don't need Simon Cowell or Ryan Seacrest to make it interesting. Here's an idea; take the producers from any of the "Most [insert hyperbolic and/or categorical adjective] Videos" shows and let them have at it. They have all the video-toaster effects down, they have an "extreme" narrator and they're well versed at making spilled milk into a world-shaking event. Ba-da boom, NASA-TV becomes as over-hyped as the rest of basic cable, blending in perfectly.
It's not science, people. It's just good TV.
[...by drilling,] you may be able to adjust the timing of [an earthquake].
Perhaps this man's 3.4 quake actually saved the village from having a 4.0 quake a few years later! Did anyone think of that? Perhaps they should be giving him a medal.
So, by that logic, perhaps you recommend that he work in Yellowstone National Park to save the western United States from catastrophe? While he's at it, he'll be given presidential recognition for tapping perhaps the largest reserve of geothermic energy in the world. Only problem is, it will be at the expense of national preserved land.
I wonder, could we justify that kind of sacrifice, or is the National Parks Association so myopic as to prevent the progress of Energy Independence?
Making the state of Wyoming the center of renewable energy production would certainly “change the map.”
That is pretty deep [...]
So is Robert Smith.
Facebook User Arrested for Violating Court Order Using a “Poke”
Fixed.
Off-hand, the ‘A.S.P.’ as you're putting it, could be any number. Through observation, it appears to happen within 30 seconds of a major traffic disturbance, no matter what percentage it is.
Just last year, a traffic study in Japan tried to explain it as “waves” that occur naturally. If traffic jams are naturally forming waves, then a-holes might be the rocks that break them up, causing chaos.
TFP appears to be neglecting a fundamental principle in human behavior, and that principle is, in fact: human behavior.
Firstly, humans are not robots. While we can be entreated to follow a certain set of rules, our emotional state and capacity for intelligence allow us to see when rules don't work.
Second, some humans will disobey rules for the sake of disobeying rules; a state known as “rebelliousness” for lack of a better term.
The premise of the article would lead to a conclusion that any-given traffic congestion scenario would be best served by a certain percentage of rule-breakers. Let me make my observation patently clear: “Bee Ess”
A driver that passes on the inappropriate side is generally caused by a sedentary driver in the passing lane; the rule-breaker is not the cure, but is in fact the cause. By breaking the rule, (e.g., “Keep Right Except to Pass”) the sedentary left-lane driver is not the solution, but part of the problem. Why is that rule-breaker not figured or represented in the study?
When a multi-lane road approaches a reduction, which rule-breaker is encouraging flow; the dogged you-won't-get-in-front-of-me bumper-hugger or the rush-ahead-to-the-pinch driver that rudely bumps their way in? Answer is C; none of the above. The pinch-rusher causes a setback for the continuous lane and the bumper-hugger causes a setback for both lanes as a pinch-rusher attempts to force their way in.
No matter what percentage of rule-breakers seem to “help” traffic flow, the simple truth is that there would be fewer accidents, less road-rage and general peace-of-mind if they weren't on the road in the first place. Q.E.D.
As for Half-Life, the first installment is getting a makeover, albeit as a free mod.
In the works since around the release of HL2, they expect to finalize it this year.
Check them out here. Join the forums, or just have a look at all the newly modeled weps and beasties.
Personally, it's been the longest wait for the most-anticipated re-imagining of a classic.
Maybe... and maybe not.
I agree that Steam is a starting point for this, but it’s not as simple as just adding-on to—what has become—such a revolutionary online platform. Steam is to Valve what “Download Manager” (was/is) to EA, or what Battle.net is to Blizzard. If Valve considers crowdsourcing the development process, it’s going to take a much larger infrastructure on their end than just a few mods on Steam.
What concerns me the most is not the notion that the public can make better games—that is the brilliant part—what concerns me is whether such a system will be resistant to tampering and fraud. I mean, get serious folks, is Valve going to convert Steam accounts into two-way fiscal vectors? Not bloody likely. I would also doubt that such a venture would be handled purely by browser-based content; web 2.0 or no web 2.0. If this is going to be handled by a client app, it’s going to have to re-invent Steam, not just add to it.
As for other concerns, there is whether it will take any suspense out of the up-and-coming content. When you expand your development force from 100 to 100 thousand, a leak is not just likely, it’s inevitable. How could a project be segmented, or encoded, to truly benefit from massive creative forces? Then, how could the individuals feel that they contributed when there’s no way of telling what they put into it? It’s not an answer, but it is a very interesting question.
Don't get me wrong, Valve has pulled some strange and wonderful rabbits from their collective hat and I hope they keep it up. I would just hate it if such a hopeful and aspiring dev-house crumbles under its own ambition.
TFP does have a point... it does seem a bit backwards to have a Linux-supportive firmware that requires Windows—which is far beyond firmware—in order to establish it.
As for violating the GPL... hrm... I can see how it seems wrong, but I'll side with parent in saying it doesn't appear that the software has violated its own freedom in any way. The choice of Winodws as the installation platform may be inconvenient and unfortunate as well as just plain silly, but it's not actually compromising itself. Besides, being GPL'ed, what's there to stop anybody from porting it?
There's still a slim chance, even if it is 1:10^12... that was good enough for the Millennium Falcon.
Spaceflight has never been a safe operation... never! It was never easy either, but back when it was new, people paid attention.
Ever since the years when a Shuttle was launching every few months, people just don't think of it as "new" or even say "wow" anymore. It just "what NASA's doing".
What's most appalling about this predicament is the thinking going into it; it's like 1972 all over again. We're so busy lighting-off explosives that we're discounting the (best and brightest) people that are on top of that sophisticated powder-keg. Maybe that's why we were so attentive and fascinated in 1972... life was on the line should any little thing go wrong. Those guys were truly national heroes.
It pains me to say it, but I'm doubtful that NASA's thinking will not change until we have another Challenger disaster.
Sage point... I don't believe that word applies to behavioral factors one bit.
The expression “laughter is contagious” is only a metaphor, which everyone seems to accept. To apply it in a clinical context is just ludicrous; is there an antibiotic that would eliminate laughter? Does laughter pass from one person to another through contagions or microbes? NO! It's behavioral, it’s a function of the mind and physiology, but it is not a pathogen.
None of that is to say that the phenomenon isn't worth study. Another cliché says, “boys will be boys,” a glib justification to allow young males to pursue their reckless endeavors. I believe the propensity for young males to mimic each others’ mis-adventures is an oft-neglected factor in juvenile discipline, parenting and in general society.
Spinning the phenomenon as "contagious" is like finding a cure for yawning. They're barking up the wrong tree, that isn't even a tree, because it's a signpost, and they didn't read the signpost because they're dogs... unless they're really just humans who happen to be barking mad.
...a sub-par 2400 baud modem. (and that's pushing it)
Seriously, I have a Linksys router that would process circles around it; even before overclocking! I don't even think I could underclock my router to the speed of an i8088. (4.77Mhz) By Moore's Law, what you have there is an antique and little more... it's only good as a vehicle for driving down memory lane.
Excerpt from original user manual:
A number of option cards are available to expand the memory up to 640K, and a special Epson memory expansion card is available from your Epson dealer to expand memory to 512K without using an option slot.
Imagine all that you could do with a whole 640K!</sarcasm>
If you're running a Linux server from your home, then this would make a good serial terminal, but only if you can find the emulator software to do it. You might be able to retrofit a controller for a 3.5" floppy, but USB is going to be a stretch. Do they even make USB controllers for ISA bus? The manual didn't specify the type of “option card” it uses, which makes me think it's the original 8-bit ISA standard. ISA was practically dead in 1997, then USB only rose to dominance after 1998... I'm not even sure they intersect!
Abandon all hope, ye who enter a “system dick” [sic] to continue. <nods to ta bu shi da yu>
Recycle it or donate to a museum. Otherwise, best of luck!
He'll have an island in the middle of the ocean with a volcano that has a giant face on it that looks like him.
You forgot the part where he dons a blue helmet with chrome faceplate and starts talking in a hoarse, screechy voice.
Pumping water? That's go EPA... so Greenpeace. Even if it does work, the fallout from changing ocean temperatures at depth is even more mind-staggering than the potential damage of a hurricane. (nods to other posts)
And no, there is no way to tell if it works... no frickin' way! Where are the control variables? Has this been tested? What if the cold water sinks so quickly that it doesn't mix with the warm water to have an effect? What if it creates a maelstrom to accompany the hurricane, double jeopardy! Why waste billions on something that might work?
Then again... we are talking about the mastermind of Windows®. C'est la vie.
...so I guess now there's going to be “PTFG”.
The ‘P’ stands for “play”, and if you can't figure out the rest, what are you doing here?
To be “granted Copyright” and “having Copyright protection” are indeed two different things.
As TFP says, the differences between registered and non-registered works comes down to the types of damage. In just about all cases, real damages (real money directly lost or illicitly gained) can be awarded, but only registered works can receive damages for statutory (pre-defined amount or range of amounts) and legal costs. (duh) I guess it depends on just what you mean by “protection.”
Shouldn't this fall less inside Copyright law and more inside Identity Theft?
While the Principal may have been acting in--what he feels is--her best interest, couldn't it otherwise be called malignant or at least mischievous acts?
A former principal checks-up on an alumnus' MySpace page. That's creepy to begin with.
Principal chooses to copy, submit and impersonate her to the local newspaper as if she had submitted it herself! I believe that fulfills the criteria of Identity Theft right there.
At its core, isn't this is about control? The Principal took away the control of her own pursuit, her opinion. When she “publishes” on MySpace, she retains full control over the content; it could be there today, gone tomorrow. It's her choice.
When you submit content to a prestigious publisher (and yes, I am including just about all newspapers under that title, deal with it) part of the submission clause is that you release control of that content to the publication entity. The girl didn't make that choice, the Principal took that choice from her.
That should be a crime, even if it isn't.
If there isn't legal precedent for this, then let hers be the landmark case that opens the door.