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User: Rog-Mahal

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Comments · 46

  1. Colbert Nation on Exoplanet Candidates Revealed · · Score: 1

    Anyone notice that Stephen Colbert has apparently already adopted an exoplanet-bearing star? Perhaps its the future site of the Colbert Nation. http://whitedwarf.org/palebluedot/planets.html

  2. Re:Performance on Thin Client, Or Fat Client? That Is the Question · · Score: 1

    Heard of Sintel? http://www.sintel.org/

  3. I see the appeal on ARM Exec Says 90% of PC Market Could Be Netbooks · · Score: 1

    90% seems a bit optimistic, but with the dropping prices and improving performance of SSD technology and more energy efficient batteries/hardware, I could see the netbook become a small, rugged moderately disposable form of computing. I will definitely get one once my current computer dies because I love the Linux-friendly hardware and low cost.

  4. Maybe I should stop showering on Robotic Mold · · Score: 1

    and see if this will happen: from TFA: "It might also be possible for thousands of tiny computers made of plasmodia to live on our skin and carry out routine tasks freeing up our brain for other things." Enter the reign of the moldborgs.

  5. Great on FTC Rules Outlawing Robocalls Go Into Effect Next Week · · Score: 1

    Next they can ban those annoying spam text messages.

  6. The MSG of CO2 reduction on DoE Considers Artificial Trees To Remove CO2 · · Score: 1

    The idea made a lot sense when it came to the part about these synthetic trees being more cost effective than retrofitting an old coal fire plant. It's ambitious, and sounds promising. However I do wonder what can be done with the liquid CO2 produced. Also, these aren't nearly as pretty as real trees.

  7. At the Lion's Den on Where Does a Geek Find a Social Life? · · Score: 1

    http://lionsdenadult.com/ Meat sauce optional.

  8. Re:Why is "art" always sex and violence? on Censored Video Game Content Stifles Artistry · · Score: 1

    Point taken. I guess it's hard to visualize how a videogame could provide insight into those areas without engaging in mindless glorification. (Man, that sounded prudish) Perhaps that's precisely what the article is talking about, the medium needs room to breathe and evolve into something more meaningful.

  9. Why is "art" always sex and violence? on Censored Video Game Content Stifles Artistry · · Score: 4, Insightful

    On some level I guess it's kind of sad that violence and sex seem to be the only two themes that will allow games to mature as an art form. That being said, why shouldn't videogames be protected as freedom of speech just like other forms of media? Ultimately it should be up to the consumer (or the consumer's parents) what they choose to purchase and use.

  10. Re:Wait... on Web Servers Getting Naked, For Weight Savings · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, I'm thinking skinless porn appeals to quite a different subset of the public than naked porn. And yes, this did degenerate to porn already.

  11. Enough of these rovers... on Spirit Stuck In Soft Soil On Mars · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Let's get some real people up there! Our unmanned rovers have given us a lot of valuable scientific data, but our space program needs some new life breathed into it. The days of the Shuttle are numbered, and technology such as ion rockets seems very promising.

  12. As a student of the Great Books Program... on Classic Books of Science? · · Score: 1

    I recommend quite a few. Ptolemy's Almagest is the first really unified mathematical theory of the motions of the heavens. Kepler's Epitome of Copernican Astronomy cleans up Copernicus' theory and gives us the first really usable heliocentric theory. If you're interested in biology I suggest Harvey's Motion of the Heart and Blood in Animals. Apollonius' Conics is a beautiful work of ancient geometry and works under the same rules as Euclid's Elements. Descartes' Geometry opens with the solution of problems that Apollonius could not solve. Vitruvius' Ten Books on Architecture give a great summary of classical architechture and applications of ancient mathematics. Most of these works are difficult. The Euclidean system has been left behind for the Cartesian one, so it seems very strange. Euclid takes some getting used to, but it's undeniably beautiful, and gives you the context for modern mathematics and science. But don't forget, it all starts with Euclid and Aristotle :)

  13. Why? on Music Copyright In EU Extended To 70 Years · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What artist is going to live long enough for this to even matter? Sounds like another way for companies to wring a few more euros from the public.

  14. Re:If you want to get the new release when it's ho on Use apt-p2p To Improve Ubuntu 9.04 Upgrade · · Score: 1

    I've tried upgrading with beta a few times, and it can be pretty dicey, especially if you have customised config files or packages from non-Ubuntu repos. Net upgrades have never gone off without some major hitches in my experience. Plus, it's kind of nice to wait for the official release and do some spring cleaning. Net upgrade may be a good idea if you have a box just for experimenting, but I wouldn't recommend it for your daily driver.

  15. Re:How can... on Scientist Forced To Remove Earthquake Prediction · · Score: 1

    Makes sense. Guess I should have thought that one through a bit more.

  16. How can... on Scientist Forced To Remove Earthquake Prediction · · Score: 1

    the government force you to take down posts on the internet? I know little of the Italian legal system, but even if he was pretending to be an expert, wouldn't that fall under some form of freedom of speech? We have pseudo-experts on /. all the time, wouldn't this fall under a similar "just ignore him" sentiment?

  17. Re:Article is WRONG... on California May Reduce Carbon Emissions By Banning Black Cars · · Score: 1

    That's good to know, it seems a bit more reasonable (if somewhat inane). I'd like to see some number estimates of the potential benefits of such a law. The pdf linked to in TFA is totally vague.

  18. Re:A Jury Of Our Peers on Internet-Caused Mistrials Are On the Rise · · Score: 1

    Hmm, so instead of peers we could have: Jury of our seeds, Jury of our leechers, Jury of our users, or worst of all, Jury of our superusers. Cue XKCD joke "sudo make me a sandwich".

  19. Re:Good Luck Boys on STS-119 Finally Launches Into Space · · Score: 1

    I dunno, I figure arguing about it here is pointless. I just thought that factors like fatigue would become more of a factor over time. I also think that a piece of technology becoming outdated also has something to do with, well, time. Of course human error has its place, but these machines are, in fact, old. Old in design, perhaps more than old in materials. It's still valid to call it old, and I think it's still a good idea to develop a new orbiter.

  20. Re:Good Luck Boys on STS-119 Finally Launches Into Space · · Score: 1

    I'm sorry, but the things have been going for 25+ years in some cases. You can't keep hauling the same hardware into space and expect something not to fail that wasn't anticipated. I get preventative maintenance on my car, that doesn't mean it's going to run for the next 60 years.

  21. Re:Good Luck Boys on STS-119 Finally Launches Into Space · · Score: 1

    Thanks.

  22. Good Luck Boys on STS-119 Finally Launches Into Space · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I hope there will be no footage of blown O-rings or damaged tiles. Shuttles are getting old. On another note, where could one get data on when the ISS will be overhead? I live in North-Eastern America and would love to catch a glimpse.

  23. Good for them on UK Government To Back Off Plans To Share Private Data · · Score: 5, Informative

    Glad to hear it. The bill sounds like government data mining, and the earlier /. article made it clear that the data could make it to the public sector. Nice to know that public outcry can still make a difference.

  24. Re:Ok then... on Researchers Hack Biometric Faces · · Score: 2, Informative

    "One special point we found out when studying those algorithms is that all of them work with images that have already been digitalized and gone through image processing. Consequently, we think that this is the weakest security spot in face recognition systems, generally, and access control system of the three vendors, particularly." (From the article) Doesn't sound like you need an amazing quality photo.

  25. Doesn't this sound like... on Hacking With Synthetic Biology · · Score: 5, Interesting

    A recipe for disaster? Sounds like a pretty easy way for people to start making some nasty superbugs. I know all scientific innovation has that kind of risk, but I don't think I want my neighbor hacking E. coli next door.