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User: Steffan

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Comments · 146

  1. Re:AKA: Google Destroys local business on Google's New Campus Will Open Its Restaurants To The Public (recode.net) · · Score: 1

    > Within a few months of Google opening with free food for their employees, the bottom of the building was vacant

    I'm a bit skeptical...The restaurants were doing fine *before* Google opened up, and then suddenly all of their existing customers went away?

  2. Re: more leeches in the middle on PayPal Has Been Talking With Amazon on Payments, CEO Says (bloomberg.com) · · Score: 0

    Arguably this means fewer leaches. Paypal is used to accept payments. If the vendors don't have to deposit payments into their bank before making purchases from Amazon, it's a win.

    How can you respond to a comment titled "more leeches in the middle" and still misspell it "leaches" in your own?

  3. Re:"lower their annual ... budget by just 0.1%" on What's Happening As The University of California Tries To Outsource IT Jobs To India (pressreader.com) · · Score: 4, Informative

    Until you realize that 0.1% on $5.83 billion is $58.3 million. That's not chump change.

    0.1% of $5.83 Billion is actually $5.83 Million. Closer to chump change in a nearly-$6 Billion budget.

  4. Easy workaround on RSA Conference Bans "Booth Babes" · · Score: 2

    The purpose of 'Booth Babes' is to attract customers, presumably men to the booth. Whether this is an effective strategy is a separate discussion.
    It's human nature, and attempts to circumvent it are trivially overcome.

    Exhibitors that are currently using this approach can hire the same models and dress them in 'Business-appropriate' attire. The end result is you will still have beautiful women (who may know nothing about the product) staffing a booth and bringing in men.

    If anything, this will provide more plausible deniability for more image-conscious men who don't wish to be seen chatting up some lyra- and latex- clad contractor at a booth.

    I suppose if that become too troublesome, they can always ban makeup or attractive staffers (of both sexes). Or require that contractors be able to talk knowledgeably about the product.

    I'm not criticizing their approach, per se, but I suspect even after these changes there will be continued outrage about the disproportionally attractive women staffing some booths and being paid to be chatty or even flirty.

  5. You can [only] get there from here on Ask Slashdot: What Smartwatch Apps Could You See Yourself Using? · · Score: 1

    This is a necessary step in the evolution of this device and form factor, just as the original iPhone, even with its many limitations and flaws served as the basis for essentially the entire smartphone ecosystem that we take for granted a mere seven years later.

    This is not a device for everyone. It has many flaws. It has an overly large form factor (relatively speaking compared to where it will go).

    But for some (many) this will fill specific needs. Whether motorcyclists or bicyclists to have navigation on their wrist, someone looking for a fashion accessory that can connect with their phone, those wanting the health-specific features, this device will have a solid niche fulfilling those criteria.

    The next Apple Watch will be thinner, have better battery life, etc., eventually, much of the functionality still relegated to the iPhone will make its way onto the watch.

    But the next watch wouldn't happen if there wasn't a market for the early adopters and developers who will make use of what we have *today*.

  6. Hopefully leads to a 6K display on Dell Demos 5K Display · · Score: 1

    I have a 39" Seiki 4K monitor (TV) that I mostly love. It's not the best color rendition, but it's hard to beat sheer screen real estate for dev work. My biggest complaint is that at that size, 4K is a similar resolution to existing 30" monitors @ 2560x1600.

    I'd love a 5K / 6K display in this size and thought it was probably a few years out. 8K would be nice, but I doubt that will be practical in a 35"-40" size for quite a while longer. I don't need 300+ dpi, but a solid 220 or so would be great.

  7. Re:misleading on Fiat Chrysler CEO: Please Don't Buy Our Electric Car · · Score: 1

    I think some of the other posters are probably correct in that a nontrivial portion of that 'subsidy' is accounting for R&D costs. I think every major manufacturer either has or is considering electric cars, so it makes sense to start building them to work out engineering issues. Perhaps it is helpful from an accounting standpoint to attribute this to the requirement to sell these in California. I think even if they weren't, there would be similar development expenses for the inevitable introduction of these cars in another country or state.

  8. Re:Raise the Price on Fiat Chrysler CEO: Please Don't Buy Our Electric Car · · Score: 1

    Currently in CA (the only state in which they're sold, until they start in Oregon later this year), there is a $2,500 rebate from the state in addition to a $7,500 tax credit from the Federal government.

  9. Re:Wouldn't be worth it anyways on Fiat Chrysler CEO: Please Don't Buy Our Electric Car · · Score: 1

    I have the 500e. I love it, although I'm inclined to agree about it not being competitive in the 30K+ range. It has a lot to gain from the lease / state / federal subsidies currently in effect. I can't really think of anything that annoys me in this car after nine months. I'll probably get another one in 2 or 3 years. (Or a Tesla if there is one in the $30-40K range or if I decide I want a larger car.)

  10. Re:Fixed costs & whining on Fiat Chrysler CEO: Please Don't Buy Our Electric Car · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It may not have a huge range (I get ~ 100 miles on full charge), but it is absolutely a serious attempt at an electric car. It appears to be well-engineered, and not an afterthought of tacked-on parts. It is based on the same chassis as the gas-powered Fiat. Doubtless it could be even more efficient if they were to optimize it more for the drivetrain it has.

    I think the engineers did a commendable job of creating a practical electric car within their budget / time / materials constraints. Pathetic it absolutely is not. In my opinion, until Tesla takes on this market segment, there is nothing that will touch it.

    I do find it curious that Marchionne is publicly trying to dissuade people from purchasing it. A weird reverse-psychology attempt?

  11. He'll have his work cut out for him on Fiat Chrysler CEO: Please Don't Buy Our Electric Car · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's a fantastic car. I've had mine for about nine months and after having owned an number of rather expensive (and inexpensive) cars, this is probably my favorite.

    I've never driven a gas-powered Fiat 500, but I imagine the build quality is similar. It's surprisingly comfortable and well built for a car in its price range. I'm pretty particular about the noise levels in my cars and the electric model is reported to have more sound dampening than the standard model; external noise is probably more obvious when there's no engine to mask it. Quiet, fantastic acceleration, and virtually no maintenance. There's a lot to like about this car.

    I hope they continue selling them. I've leased mine since the technology changes quickly enough that I expect better range / faster charging, or both within 3-4 years (plus competition from Tesla in that market segment), but if there were no other option I would definitely purchase mine at the end of the lease.

    This is my first electric car, but I can say unequivocally that I will never purchase another gas-powered car (unless it's an exotic / sports car). It really is that much of an improvement over internal combustion.*

    *For me. Obviously electric cars are not for _everyone_(yet). If you need to haul bales of hay up a mountainside four times a week, buy a truck.

  12. Legalization debate will probably be irrelevant on Nobel Prize Winning Economist: Legalize Sale of Human Organs · · Score: 1

    One thing missed in all of this is that we are close (relatively speaking)[1][2][3] to being able to grow a number of organs. It's entirely likely that this entire debate will a be a footnote in a future wikipedia article.

    By the time infrastructure to support organ sales, the associated legislation, and oversight could be put in place, we would probably be well on the way to therapeutic use of many these advances. In the meantime, it could detract from funding and research efforts if there were an inexpensive (in a strictly financial sense) alternative to synthetic organs, which will likely be expensive initially.

    1. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/07/04/198110553/scientists-grow-simple-human-liver-in-a-petri-dish
    2. http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060403/full/news060403-3.html
    3. http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-08/scientists-engineer-lab-grown-heart-tissue-beats-its-own

  13. Why you *should* buy a 4k Monitor this year on Why You Shouldn't Buy a UHD 4K TV This Year · · Score: 1, Interesting

    After a number of years in the desolate wasteland that is 1080P, we are finally at a convergence of the television and monitor markets with 4K televisions. Based on the ability of Seiki to sell a 4K 39" panel for less the $500, it's likely that 2014 will usher in a series of relatively-inexpensive monitors delivering this resolution. Similar 1080p panels are selling for $300, and since the manufacturing isn't significantly more difficult, it's likely that in 12-18 months that pricepoint will be reached for 4K monitors as well.

    Worth noting - the Seiki does all of this while including a remote, tuners, and multiple connectors unnecessary for strictly computer-use monitor. It's likely the costs (and prices) could drop even more in that sort of an implementation given enough volume. (Since the TV market is much bigger it may still make sense to make a one-size-fits-all model)

    I purchased the 4K 39" Seiki TV about two weeks ago for use as a monitor. The 30Hz refresh rate is lower than I would like, but for software dev, still images, and watching the tiny amount of 4K video content it is completely fine. 39" is a little bit larger than I would have normally considered, but it offers a nice amount of screen real estate (less than 2 30" monitors though) and slightly higher dot pitch than a standard 2560x1600 30" display.

    tl;dr It's completely worthwhile to get a 4K display now at this price.

  14. Re:Linux after Linus on Kernel Dev Tells Linus Torvalds To Stop Using Abusive Language · · Score: 1

    I haven't seen any evidence of "hundreds of thousands of great developers that would love to contribute if they were not being bullied down" The LKML may occasionally exchange civility for productivity and transparency. I'd prefer to have it this way and have a stable kernel than a wishy-washy maintainer using corporate-speak and making excuses for people who aren't delivering to the standards required by the project. There are literally thousands of Free / OSS projects in need of developers. Many of those projects have friendlier maintainers and environments. There is ample opportunity to be involved with Free Software in a place that matches a developer's temperament. The LKML is not for for the thin-skinned.

  15. Re:Scare tactics on Tennessee Official: Water Complaints Could be "Act of Terrorism" · · Score: 1

    The government's number one tool in the fight against terrorism.

    The government's number one tool in the fight against citizens
    FTFY

  16. Re:Well... on Diaspora Co-founder Dies At 22 · · Score: 1

    Hey, AC, even if your're not ready to go the full 'counseling' step, consider calling one of the hotlines for 'just a chat'. A five minute committment is worthwhile to just be able to talk to someone who doesn't know you and won't judge you.

  17. In Soviet Russia on Putin Orders Russian Move To GNU/Linux · · Score: 1

    Software frees you!

  18. Begun, the solid-object-copyright wars have on 3D Printing May Face Legal Challenges · · Score: 1

    Video / music copyright enforcement efforts will probably pale in comparison to those attempted for the duplication and sharing of physical objects / designs.

  19. Re:Oracle is Evil, C# Java on Apache Declares War On Oracle Over Java · · Score: 1

    Actually, I believe that 'Mono' comes from the word for 'Monkey'

    3/10

  20. Re:Why does linux get this? on Adobe Releases New 64-Bit Flash Plugin For Linux · · Score: 2, Informative

    You may wish to try Minefield, (4.0 beta) if you can stomach using a beta. I've actually been using the nightlies for months and they're generally stable. You may want to try a release beta, however. (4.0b6 is good). There are 64-bit linux, Mac, and Windows versions.

    Keep in mind that it's a beta, though and not intended for general consumption quite yet.

    http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html

    Because I hate Flash, I have a separate Firefox profile specifically for using the plugin. (Yes, there are other ways to block flash, but that isn't helpful if you're trying to find which of 200 tabs started autoplaying on startup)

  21. Airline analogy? on AT&T Says Net Rules Must Allow 'Paid Prioritization' · · Score: 1

    Another analogy would be airlines. "Some corporations are proposing to build a network of things called 'airplanes' that'll let people travel without the existing roads. And they'll get to decide what prices to charge and what routes to offer. No fair!"

    Perhaps a better analogy would be:

    An airline owns the airport in your city. They wish to charge a "Prioritization Fee" for airlines to get preferential treatment at the airport. Their aircraft will of course not have to pay this fee.

    Coincidentally, all of their competitors' aircraft fares just increased, and the flight times became longer.

    Of course, you are still free to choose any airline you wish (provided you don't mind paying more and having slower transit).

  22. Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. on MIT Researchers Harness Viruses To Split Water · · Score: 1

    when oxygen mixes with hydrogen, the hydrogen oxidizes (burns) instantly.

    That is incorrect. Hydrogen and oxygen can coexist without the hydrogen oxidizing instantly.

  23. Re:So when... on Extinct Ibex Resurrected By Cloning · · Score: 1

    EDIT
    do I get me a pet Mastadon?
    Typing fail

    It's Mastodon

    Add spelling fail to your list

  24. Re:Buzzwords on Open Source Not Welcome At Palm App Catalog · · Score: 2, Funny

    > by Red Flayer (890720) Alter Relationship on Thu October 01, 09:01 AM (#29606869) Journal
    >

    > > I'm a middle-aged, overweight fat computer bloke

    >You're posting on slashdot with a UID less than 890721 No need to restate an obvious truth.

    Nice! It took me a second to figure out what your benchmark was...

  25. Re:Sooner than that... on Earth's Period of Habitability Is Nearly Over · · Score: 1

    Luther, amongst many others, pointed to the PayPal system as the antichrist (literally meaning "in the stead of Christ").

    FTFY