The whole idea is utterly futile, except possibly if the code or the concepts can be reused with another system later on.
That is exactly the point of academic research. Toy systems that introduce new concepts are rarely used widely, but the concepts are borrowed for use in other systems later on.
But will they be ? For real ? Or will they really have to be completely reinvented because in practice they cannot be ported to the completely different logical structures of a very different OS ?
I guess only time can tell and hopefully research is never completely wasted because something is always learned. But I still wonder if starting with Minix was the right thing to do.
Minix did get an reputation of being unstable some 20 years ago, but of course - much have happened since then.
The one thing that hasn't changed though is that Minix is still just a toy system that's meant to be poked at in schools and that nobody actually uses (yes I know about the 3 rabid Minix users, they probably run AmigaOS too). Oh, wait, now it finally supports X11 (woohoo !). Wait, has it got a mouse driver too ?
However Minix3 *does* feature support for "Over 650 UNIX programs" (such as man, mkdir and ps). *650* ! It's like 130 × 5 ! Think about it !
Granted, starting from a small scale system such as Minix is certainly simpler than with a much more mainstream OS such as one of the BSDs or Linux but even if anything comes out of the project, it won't ever gain even "niche" status. More people must be running Plan9 or Inferno. The whole idea is utterly futile, except possibly if the code or the concepts can be reused with another system later on.
Since there are at least 2 (maybe 3) intl airports and numerous local ones in Madagascar, I don't see why train stations should be excluded if we go with the fantasy that it's a remote place that you can only swim or sail to (although AFAIK there's only one train line that more or less works).
Exactly. For example, I know for a fact that iwiw.hu (the largest such site in Hungary, with over 2M members in a 10M country) is used extensively by the National Security Office. They actually have a "shadow" version of it, where they connect your relevant contacts to you by hand. Of course, this being "national security", it does not officially exist, and there is absolutely no outside control over it. Pretty fucking scary.
I wouldn't be surprised for something like this to exist in other countries.
Maybe someone should tell them they're no longer part of the Eastern bloc now and there's no need to keep tabs on everybody any more.
But then every country snoops on its people in its own way (see the NSA fiasco), old habits die hard and it's so difficult to resist the shiny new toys...
At least the Hungarians found a new way. Does Brazil use a mirror of the Google thing then (can't remember what it's called now, haven't been on it for ages) ?
One would expect by now even the most incompetent biotechnologist with an eye towards weaponizing could at least match the 1918 strain.
However, why would they? Flu is impossible to contain, it will spread to your own population, including the very scientists who made it. Using it as a weapon would be insane, even stupider than nuclear weapons (where you have a theoretical chance that the other side won't launch theirs).
"Mr. President, I would not rule out the chance to preserve a nucleus of human specimens. It would be quite easy atthe bottom of some of our deeper mineshafts. The radioactivity would never penetrate a mine some thousands of feet deep. And in a matter of weeks, sufficient improvements in dwelling space could easily be provided." [... ] "It would not be difficult mein Fuhrer! Nuclear reactors could, heh... I'm sorry. Mr. President. Nuclear reactors could provide power almost indefinitely !"
"It is clear that this is widespread. And that is why we have let you know that we cannot contain the spread of this virus," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters on a conference call.
*Waves at the back of the room* "Dr Schuchat, are you saying we should nuke it from orbit ?"
Wrong. Parents and taxpayers sacrifice money, time and effort to pay for education; if students are too addicted to X to learn anything then it's money down the drain just like gambling.
People have a voluntary choice whether to gamble or not. Teenage students and school, not so much.
Quite so. Fight school addiction ! It's not too late !
I'd use it mainly for my fileserver that doesn't need any apps running on it besides ntbackup and any windows apps.
Actually most Windows machines don't need any apps running on them besides Windows apps (I think *any* Windows app might be a bit on the unsafe side though, you may want to restrict that a bit). I don't think you need special tweakings there. I don't think Windows can run ELF binaries or Mac OS app packages natively anyway.
However since I don't really use Windows, you might want to get some professional advice on that one.
That a brain was involved in the process of Tweeting.
At least with locked-in people it should make for more interesting reading than the rest :
- I'm in bed - In bed today - Will spend the rest of the day in bed - Still in bed - In bed - New nurse - In bed. Still - Today I'm in bed - Bed. Again.
From the summary, "Google's plugin is cross-platform compatible..."
On the Google site I see Windows and OS-X well represented, then a whisp of a suggestion about 32-bit Linux, then nothing for FreeBSD. This does not qualify as cross-platform, not anymore.
Not to mention OS/2 and BeOS ! (yes I run Linux too, and so does Google, and I understand they cater to the masses.)
Hopefully this time they wrote their code with a little portability in mind...
Also the test results, if true, the best windmill would power 75% of the electric needs of the building where im living (3 apartments)
Maybe you don't have the energy requirements of an "average American household". Try adding 4 televisions, three large fridges, two air conditioners per apartment and you'll be halfway there.
As an aside I met lots of people using those in Madagascar in places where grid power is spotty at best (like 2 hours/day) and they seemed to do fine for a moderate use (adapted to the local conditions). Their main problem was battery quality.
I'm posting this from Ubuntu because Microsoft made it impossible for me to copy files around between USB keys, dvds and hard disks with anything like the speed of XP for reasons they've never explained.
Before I'd completely removed the partition, I'd played a bit with Vista on a new laptop and it wouldn't let me access an SD card in the built-in reader. Each time it would ponder a bit and then declare I had insufficient rights. Even when I logged in as admin and poked at the permissions a bit. Presumably it helped make the machine more secure or something. Now I'm happily running an "usecure" KDE desktop and can recover my photos just fine.
I know this is slashdot, but for the sake of objectivity, give credit where credit is due.
Granted for IE8, mostly because I read about it here.:)
Though honestly I don't really care about what happens in the Windows world (or the Mac world for that matter). I don't use any and stay as far away from them as I can. It may be that Vista *finally* took some structural steps to secure the system. Which of course *is* a good thing since they are the prime target. It benefits not only their users but all others as well. I really didn't follow what's been going on on that front, only (and then from a distance) what UI decisions were made (and then, apparently, partially discarded in Win 7).
So I'll agree that MS has indeed been paying a bit more attention to security lately. Certainly not enough considering how exposed they are, being under the spotlight all the time (with their huge market share) and all, but it's *a lot* of progress from just a couple of years back. And something I actually wouldn't have expected from them back then.
And regarding Apple they *feel* like they are where Microsoft was five years ago (in their approach to security). As in "we can't be bothered with that, we're too busy doing cool stuff" (or wanking the marketing team, or whatever it is they're doing over there). After all they have built their system upon a fairly decent base (which they have thoroughly messed up, but still).
Slashdot Mirror
The whole idea is utterly futile, except possibly if the code or the concepts can be reused with another system later on.
That is exactly the point of academic research. Toy systems that introduce new concepts are rarely used widely, but the concepts are borrowed for use in other systems later on.
But will they be ? For real ? Or will they really have to be completely reinvented because in practice they cannot be ported to the completely different logical structures of a very different OS ?
I guess only time can tell and hopefully research is never completely wasted because something is always learned. But I still wonder if starting with Minix was the right thing to do.
Minix did get an reputation of being unstable some 20 years ago, but of course - much have happened since then.
The one thing that hasn't changed though is that Minix is still just a toy system that's meant to be poked at in schools and that nobody actually uses (yes I know about the 3 rabid Minix users, they probably run AmigaOS too).
Oh, wait, now it finally supports X11 (woohoo !). Wait, has it got a mouse driver too ?
However Minix3 *does* feature support for "Over 650 UNIX programs" (such as man, mkdir and ps). *650* ! It's like 130 × 5 ! Think about it !
Granted, starting from a small scale system such as Minix is certainly simpler than with a much more mainstream OS such as one of the BSDs or Linux but even if anything comes out of the project, it won't ever gain even "niche" status. More people must be running Plan9 or Inferno.
The whole idea is utterly futile, except possibly if the code or the concepts can be reused with another system later on.
Since there are at least 2 (maybe 3) intl airports and numerous local ones in Madagascar, I don't see why train stations should be excluded if we go with the fantasy that it's a remote place that you can only swim or sail to (although AFAIK there's only one train line that more or less works).
Nonsense, check out the google map. The flu hasn't made it to Madagascar and I doubt it will due to the lack of airports in the country.
Right. But then what of people coming by train ? huh ?
Somehow I doubt EMF harmonics has anything to do with the nice round values like 6 and 10 ft, that are commonly found at compusa, best buy, etc
As if all of a sudden 1.8288 or 3.04800 were round values...
Exactly. For example, I know for a fact that iwiw.hu (the largest such site in Hungary, with over 2M members in a 10M country) is used extensively by the National Security Office. They actually have a "shadow" version of it, where they connect your relevant contacts to you by hand. Of course, this being "national security", it does not officially exist, and there is absolutely no outside control over it. Pretty fucking scary.
I wouldn't be surprised for something like this to exist in other countries.
Maybe someone should tell them they're no longer part of the Eastern bloc now and there's no need to keep tabs on everybody any more.
But then every country snoops on its people in its own way (see the NSA fiasco), old habits die hard and it's so difficult to resist the shiny new toys...
At least the Hungarians found a new way. Does Brazil use a mirror of the Google thing then (can't remember what it's called now, haven't been on it for ages) ?
However, why would they? Flu is impossible to contain, it will spread to your own population, including the very scientists who made it. Using it as a weapon would be insane, even stupider than nuclear weapons (where you have a theoretical chance that the other side won't launch theirs).
"Mr. President, I would not rule out the chance to preserve a nucleus of human specimens. It would be quite easy atthe bottom of some of our deeper mineshafts. The radioactivity would never penetrate a mine some thousands of feet deep. And in a matter of weeks, sufficient improvements in dwelling space could easily be provided." ... ]
[
"It would not be difficult mein Fuhrer! Nuclear reactors could, heh... I'm sorry. Mr. President. Nuclear reactors could provide power almost indefinitely !"
"It is clear that this is widespread. And that is why we have let you know that we cannot contain the spread of this virus," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters on a conference call.
*Waves at the back of the room*
"Dr Schuchat, are you saying we should nuke it from orbit ?"
Especially if you need to keep the UV source on to keep the data stored...
"Morris code" implies Morse Dancing. Which added a little hilarity to my afternoon.
You still have to know the bells and whistles though. And they'll run you through the pace.
People have a voluntary choice whether to gamble or not. Teenage students and school, not so much.
Quite so.
Fight school addiction ! It's not too late !
If it's intended for developing countries, I suspect piracy (or Linux) will win out.
So obviously, all we need is a pirate version of Linux to win the desktop.
Those Ninjas with Guitars would truly be awesome if the artist took the misplaced apostrophe out of its title.
Or he should at least be coherent about it : "Ninja's with guitar's" would be more like it.
If you like apostrophes, you have to go all the way !
I'd use it mainly for my fileserver that doesn't need any apps running on it besides ntbackup and any windows apps.
Actually most Windows machines don't need any apps running on them besides Windows apps (I think *any* Windows app might be a bit on the unsafe side though, you may want to restrict that a bit). I don't think you need special tweakings there. I don't think Windows can run ELF binaries or Mac OS app packages natively anyway.
However since I don't really use Windows, you might want to get some professional advice on that one.
I don't know why they were bashing it so much.
I especially don't quite get the "While this device is going to be extremely cheap, it does have some redeeming qualities."
Because if there's one thing we apparently don't want (at least at Computer World) it's for our devices to be extremely cheap.
That a brain was involved in the process of Tweeting.
At least with locked-in people it should make for more interesting reading than the rest :
- I'm in bed
- In bed today
- Will spend the rest of the day in bed
- Still in bed
- In bed
- New nurse
- In bed. Still
- Today I'm in bed
- Bed. Again.
Better integration with Google's advertisement services.
I can't wait for 3D/VRML ads. Hitting that monkey is going to be a real challenge now !
From the summary, "Google's plugin is cross-platform compatible ..."
On the Google site I see Windows and OS-X well represented, then a whisp of a suggestion about 32-bit Linux, then nothing for FreeBSD. This does not qualify as cross-platform, not anymore.
Not to mention OS/2 and BeOS !
(yes I run Linux too, and so does Google, and I understand they cater to the masses.)
Hopefully this time they wrote their code with a little portability in mind...
It better taste good
Or at least ther pigs should fly.
Hey my computer is acting FUNNY since I checked that wiki site about CIPAV.
Zippy ? Is that you ?
Also the test results, if true, the best windmill would power 75% of the electric needs of the building where im living (3 apartments)
Maybe you don't have the energy requirements of an "average American household". Try adding 4 televisions, three large fridges, two air conditioners per apartment and you'll be halfway there.
As an aside I met lots of people using those in Madagascar in places where grid power is spotty at best (like 2 hours/day) and they seemed to do fine for a moderate use (adapted to the local conditions). Their main problem was battery quality.
I'm posting this from Ubuntu because Microsoft made it impossible for me to copy files around between USB keys, dvds and hard disks with anything like the speed of XP for reasons they've never explained.
Before I'd completely removed the partition, I'd played a bit with Vista on a new laptop and it wouldn't let me access an SD card in the built-in reader. Each time it would ponder a bit and then declare I had insufficient rights. Even when I logged in as admin and poked at the permissions a bit.
Presumably it helped make the machine more secure or something. Now I'm happily running an "usecure" KDE desktop and can recover my photos just fine.
So basically the solution is to remove all speed limits?
Or to remove the red lights.
I know this is slashdot, but for the sake of objectivity, give credit where credit is due.
Granted for IE8, mostly because I read about it here. :)
Though honestly I don't really care about what happens in the Windows world (or the Mac world for that matter). I don't use any and stay as far away from them as I can. It may be that Vista *finally* took some structural steps to secure the system. Which of course *is* a good thing since they are the prime target. It benefits not only their users but all others as well.
I really didn't follow what's been going on on that front, only (and then from a distance) what UI decisions were made (and then, apparently, partially discarded in Win 7).
So I'll agree that MS has indeed been paying a bit more attention to security lately. Certainly not enough considering how exposed they are, being under the spotlight all the time (with their huge market share) and all, but it's *a lot* of progress from just a couple of years back. And something I actually wouldn't have expected from them back then.
And regarding Apple they *feel* like they are where Microsoft was five years ago (in their approach to security). As in "we can't be bothered with that, we're too busy doing cool stuff" (or wanking the marketing team, or whatever it is they're doing over there). After all they have built their system upon a fairly decent base (which they have thoroughly messed up, but still).
If you don't have a FlexIt you should get one. It's shiny.