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User: limbostar

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  1. Re:Unusual characters in filenames on Linux/Mac/Windows File Name Friction · · Score: 1

    Lots of people have mentioned the double-dash that makes getopt (the argument processor that rm uses) stop processing flags. But there's a simpler solution:

    rm ./-

    Since the dash is no longer first, it's not confused with a command.

    (Typed with -v to evade the lameness filter.)

  2. Re:Why not everyone likes svn: on KDE Switches to Subversion · · Score: 1

    That's ridiculous. The entire point of Subversion is that it uses atomic operations. If you update against a corrupted database, and so much as ONE FILE has a sync error, your local copy gets unrolled to where it was before you ran `svn update`.

    So even if you could somehow connect to a corrupt BDB in such a way that the transaction could even start (instead of just returning an error before any files could be read at all), and you could download 99% of the changes before hitting a corruption, you'd STILL not be in any danger, because none of your files would have changed.

    But it's nice FUD.

  3. Re:Why not everyone likes svn: on KDE Switches to Subversion · · Score: 4, Informative

    But while using the Subversion client, you don't have to care what backend the project managers are using. If the project database crashes, it's not your fault as a user.

    If you're really super ultra paranoid, you could set up your own svn repository with your favorite backend, sync it up with KDE's project, and work from there, but then you're just making trouble for yourself.

    SVN in client mode uses .svn directories (similar to CVS directories) with XML files and such to manage your local copy. Those big bad BDBs never come near you unless you're managing the repository.

  4. Re:Question... on Google's Technology Explored · · Score: 5, Informative

    They're not obligated to share unless they are planning on redistributing the software. They are perfectly free to patch their own software and use the patched versions for their servers without sharing those modifications.

    The GPL does not force them to do anything unless they wish to redistribute the software.

  5. Re:FP on LiveJournal Buyout Rumor · · Score: 1
    If blogs are digital garbage, what does that make Java then?
    A virtual machine with a blog collector, obviously.
  6. Re:oh great [redundant post.... redundant comment] on Future Samsung Phone Plans Leaked · · Score: 1
    Why doesn't samsung introduce a cell phone that lasts for 6 months on a charge [standby not talk] or that can take a 5 story fall off a balcony or something. Or at least a fall from 6 ft without splitting in half... of the three cell phones I've had the cheapest POS motorola v120c was the toughest. My 300$ flip phone and my current c256 phone both will split open upon the slighest drop...
    If they did this, you would buy one, and then never buy another cell phone ever again. They have a vested interest in ensuring that you will eventually need to replace your cell phone. Compare to Microsoft Office, Gillette, and toilet paper.
  7. Re:32 items per second? Wow! on Amazon Sales Record · · Score: 1

    Except obidos is somewhere around 600 MB of compiled code. This is not a joke -- the machine code with all debugging information and symbols stripped is 600+ MB large.

    Compiling it takes upwards of five minutes just to wind through the recursive makefiles, and linking it takes upwards of half an hour on most developer machines. The development cycle was quite painful when I worked there, leading to all sorts of workarounds that introduced more issues than they solved.

  8. Re:comp house on The Promise Of Transparent Circuits · · Score: 1

    People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw hammers.

  9. Re:Same thing happened to me! on Macaque Monkey Goes Totally Bipedal · · Score: 1

    I'm still in bed. Some of us can't shake our hangovers that quickly.

  10. Re:I wonder when will we read something like this. on Google Tracking Frequent Users · · Score: 1

    In this climate? Please. He'd pin it on 'evil hackers', promise to spearhead a few bills further restricting the rights of American citizens, and see a minor uptick in the polls. He certainly wouldn't lose a moment's sleep over it.

  11. Re:There went the quick taste. on Principal Photography on Star Wars III Complete · · Score: 3, Funny

    Because, uh, the advertising revenue, mumble mumble, complexity of asking permission, cough, uh, hey look, shiny!

  12. Re:set your prefs to mod "Funny" down on Say Goodbye To Your CD-Rs In Two Years? · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have my filters set up to give a -5 to all posts, and I browse at 3+. I can read all the comments on a dozen articles in less than a minute now.

    What's really strange is that ever since I excluded all of the articles from the front page, slashdot doesn't seem to ever update anymore.

    Needless to say, my productivity has gone through the roof.

  13. Re:Probably a dumb question on Surviving Slashdotting with a Small Server · · Score: 3, Funny

    Slashdot doesn't serve much in the way of images -- most of the content is textual -- so the bandwidth doesn't fill up as easily as it would if they were serving movies.

    The server configuration is designed to handle the load, with multiple servers, load-balanced arrays, that sort of thing, whereas the people they link to are typically running on shared servers, or have only a single server.

    Slashdot uses cached pages to avoid hitting the DB on every page load (mostly for the front pages), whereas smaller sites can get away with making a direct connection and doing more processor-intensive queries. Until they get linked by a site like Slashdot, anyway.

    Slashdot's DB server is most likely of the 'fire-breathing god' variety, able to handle standard Slashdot traffic without too much difficulty. Smaller sites typically have the database server on the same machine as the webserver, and sometimes both are shared.

    In general, it's all a matter of configuration. When you run a moderately successful small site, you're generally prepared for the amount of traffic you have, plus or minus 50%. Traffic generally grows slowly, so you have time to make adjustments when things start to get tight.

    When Slashdot links your site, you get a huge influx of traffic to a site that is designed to handle a tiny fraction of that traffic. It leads to badness.

    It's like trying to put an elephant into your freezer. If you're prepared for it, you have a big walk-in freezer. But most sites only need a small half-height fridge to keep their beer cold.

  14. Critical software on In-Flight Reboot? · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Now, admittedly, it's critical software. This is the 'let's go kill people' software."

    Man, I need to get a new job.

  15. Re:Discover magazine had a good article on (Solar) Power to the Masses · · Score: 1

    In terms of pure energy costs (neverminding money) it takes a typical solar panel about three years to generate the amount of energy it took to produce. Some panels are made from recycled wafers (typically wafers which were rejected for chip manufacture) these take about 3 months to make the electricity that went into their production.

    My ignorance is showing. Why does it take vastly less time for a wafer rejected for chip manufacture to recoup the energy spent on its production, compared to the 'typical' solar panel? 3 months versus three years? Wouldn't the rejected panel take just as much energy to produce, and probably be less efficient?

    Honest questions.

  16. Re:Oh. My. GOD. on Color Printing Without the Inkjet Mess? · · Score: 3, Funny

    The ink is, uh, a copyrighted formula? And the printer access hatch is an access device. Yes, yes, and by opening up the printer to refill it and walking backwards, you are reverse engineering!

    Et voila!

  17. Re:After some thought on SCO Awarded UNIX Copyright Regs, McBride Interview · · Score: 1

    Read the whole clause again.

    "any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity."

    Any legal entity or associated group of people, even if they're not a legal entity.

  18. Re:Price of Windows on California Microsoft Settlement · · Score: 1

    No, because Windows has been 'improved' in the meantime. They'll probably raise prices to cover the loss from the settlement.

  19. Re:A fascinating book that enthralls as much as a on The Red Queen · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Somehow I doubt, rkz, that you are also Gilly Collinson from North Yorkshire who wrote this review on Amazon.co.uk over two years ago, and are just duplicating it here for the edification of us all.

    Mod the parent down. Moderators, please stop smoking the crack.

  20. Re:Way too easy to fake on eBay Provides No Privacy For Sellers · · Score: 1

    Yes, I'm sure criminals who are about to commit wire fraud and identity theft (punishable by 5 to 30 years in prison depending on circumstance) are very concerned that they may also be breaking another law at the same time.

    "Holy shit, when we took off after robbing that bank we ran through a red light! The cops are really going to be on us now!"

  21. The Last Bug on The Bug · · Score: 4, Funny
    I'm reminded of "The Last Bug" by Jim Owen:

    But you're out of your mind
    They said with a shrug
    The customer is happy
    What's one little bug?

    But he was determined
    The others went home
    He spread out the program
    Deserted, alone

    The cleaning men came
    The whole room was cluttered
    With memory dumps
    I'm close, he muttered.

    The mumbling got louder
    Simple deduction
    I've got it, it's right
    Just change one instruction.

    It still wasn't perfect
    As year followed year
    And strangers would comment
    Is that guy still here?

    He died at the console
    Of hunger and thirst
    Next day he was buried
    Face down, nine edge first.

    And the last bug in sight
    An ant passing by
    Saluted his tombstone
    And whispered - Nice try!
    Note that "face down, nine edge first" is a reference to an IBM puch card reader which had those words printed on it ("place cards face down, nine edge first"), the 'nine edge' typically being the lower edge of the card where the row of nines were.
  22. Re:Reminds me of the lottery... on Cheating Fruit (Slot) Machines · · Score: 1

    I would imagine that they're betting on the offical numbers. So, you give them your dollar and if your numbers come up in the offical drawing (run by the state), you go to Fat Tony and he gives you your cash.

    Of course, Fat Tony then probably shoots your kneecaps and takes the money back, but that's the other bet you're making. It's like placing two bets at once!

  23. Re:Damnit! on Cheating Fruit (Slot) Machines · · Score: 4, Funny

    That bug was fixed in 1.1; it now reads "lather, rinse, repeat as desired."

  24. Re:Download AND Pay? on The Law and P2P · · Score: 1

    It helps to facilitate intelectual discourse.

    I think you took a wrong turn on the internet somewhere, man.

  25. Re:Download AND Pay? on The Law and P2P · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Nice rant, but you're wrong. I wanted to be the chump that paid for the music while the IMC was all the rage. I've never used Napster, Kazaa, or any of their clones, and I never will. The only MP3s I own I ripped myself from discs I bought and still own. While everyone else was looting the town square, I was standing in line at the checkout with money in my hand.

    Am I in the minority? Probably. But I did this because it's just wrong to take something that you didn't pay for. If you want to justify your actions by saying the RIAA is fucking you over, fine. But there are lots of record companies that aren't in the RIAA, and oddly enough their CDs cost $18 too.

    As for the other crap, whatever. Look at the 21st century USA. Freedoms are being taken left and right and the populace is just taking it. Governments can't tighten the screws? Like hell they can't.