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User: neile

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  1. The bill isn't going to go anywhere on The Legislative Fight Over Loot Boxes Expands To Washington State (arstechnica.com) · · Score: 1

    The bill only has three sponsors. It's scheduled for a public hearing on January 31st and isn't scheduled for an executive session. Bills have to be voted out of committee no later than February 2nd to survive the legislative session. This bill isn't going anywhere beyond the public hearing.

  2. Here's a link to the actual story on Subscriptions With Automated Recurring Billing Come To Windows 10 (betanews.com) · · Score: 1

    Since apparently the mods don't bother clicking on the submitted links before posting. https://betanews.com/2018/01/1...

  3. A few by Scott Berkun on Ask Slashdot: What Are Good Books On Inventing, Innovating and Doing R&D? · · Score: 1
  4. The cost comparison is off on Adobe's Creative Cloud Illustrates How the Cloud Costs You More · · Score: 4, Informative

    The comparison should be made to Adobe CS6 Master Collection which is going for $2,100 on Amazon right now, not the smaller package of CS6 goes for $403.99. Adobe also announced the monthly cost for a single app will be $10/mo. for the first year, not the current $19.99/mo. Similarly, if you are an existing CS3 or higher owner, you can get the first year of everything for $39.99/mo. for the first year. Now I'm not saying whether this is a good or bad change, just pointing out that the summary's numbers aren't accurate.

  5. Re:Same security for all on Experts Warn About Security Flaws In Airline Boarding Passes · · Score: 1

    It's not exactly "waved through security". If the airport has PreCheck (not all do) and you are at the PreCheck checkpoint (not all checkpoints are configured for it) then you'd be able to see it in action.

    If you qualify for PreCheck for that flight when you get to security you don't have to take your laptop or liquids out of your bag, don't have to take your shoes, belt, or jacket, off, and walk through a metal detector not the porno scanner.Last time I went through security (at Denver International Airport) it took me 30 seconds from the time my boarding card was scanned to the time I was walking out the other end of the checkpoint with my stuff.

    Neil

  6. Relevant story from two weeks ago on Ask Slashdot: Securing a Windows Laptop, For the Windows Newbie? · · Score: 4, Informative

    What free antivirus do you install on windows

    Install Windows Security Essentials and you'll be fine. Seriously, it's not like by putting Windows 7 on a computer your house is immediately going to be invaded by zombies dragging every virus or malware known to man. Install WSE (or one of the other recommendations from the above thread), run with standard (not admin) rights, and that's pretty much all you need to do.

    Neil

  7. I'm typing this on a Dell XPS 17" laptop that comes with a full keyboard, including a real numeric keypad. Is it Lenovo-quality? No. Does it work just fine? Yes.

    Do note that the Dell XPS 17" laptop is large enough that my colleagues nicknamed mine the "schleptop" because it's quite a lot of work to schlep it everywhere.

    Neil

  8. They're mostly Zinc on Canada To Stop Making Pennies · · Score: 4, Informative

    Wikipedia to the rescue. They're 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper, and have been that way since 1983.

  9. Re:Great! on Pay the TSA $100 and Bypass Airport Security · · Score: 1

    Your "[in Precheck]" addition is incorrect. Enrolling in Global Entry, a trusted traveler program run by USCIS, costs $100. Precheck costs nothing.

    Neil

  10. You only have to pay $50 on Pay the TSA $100 and Bypass Airport Security · · Score: 3, Informative
    And it's not to the TSA. Another spectacular Slashdot story title and summary.

    People who have already been screened and approved for the Global Entry ($100) or NEXUS ($50) program are automatically eligible for pre-check. The TSA isn't making (or receiving) any money on this. The money is to pay for the background check and screening done to get into the trusted traveler programs run by customs and immigration.

    The TSA is actually being *smart* here. If you've already been checked and interviewed for expedited entry into the country, why *wouldn't* you be trusted for expedited security screening at an airport?

    Neil

  11. Re:Ok with Apple on Should Microsoft Put Office On the iPad? · · Score: 1

    Would Apple allow the iDevice Office version access MS online services?

    Presuambly yes, since you can already get OneNote for iPad and iPhone, both of which sync to Skydrive.

    Neil

  12. Redmond recently ended their program on Denver Must Prove Red-Light Cameras Improve Safety · · Score: 2

    The city of Redmond, WA did a one year pilot study installing red light cameras at a few key intersections. The full study of how well they reduced traffic accidents is worth a read, but in a nutshell there was essentially no impact to the number of traffic collisions. 89% of the citations issued were for turning right on red without coming to a complete stop. The only place the cameras were useful was in the school zone.

    Based on the above study the city decided to cancel the contract for the cameras.

    Neil

  13. Other sources for good paper data on Tom's Hardware Benchmarks Inkjet Printer Paper · · Score: 1

    If you're doing fine art inkjet prints on the higher end printers, you likely aren't using the papers referenced in the article :) There are, however, several good sites that collect hard data on the various paper options out there:

    • Dane Creek Folios Inkjet Paper List: A good way to filter on the various inkjet papers by tone, texture, weight, OBA presence, etc. Helps to narrow choices down to a select few for testing. Full disclosure: I maintain this list.
    • Aardenburg Imaging and Archives: Longevity test results for various printer/inkset/paper combinations. Very useful if you care about knowing how long your print will last under assorted lighting conditions or the OBA content of your print media.
    • Spectrum Viz: Spectral plots for inkjet papers to help determine reflectance levels of the various options on the market.

    Neil
    Owner, Dane Creek Printing

  14. Just use Windows Live Messenger? on Persistent Home Videoconferencing Solution? · · Score: 1

    If all you need is a persistent video stream between two locations, isn't this just setting up a PC/laptop with a webcam in each kitchen, openening an IM video chat session, and leaving the session up and running?

    Neil

  15. Bill Hill talked about this on Channel 9 on Sentence Spacing — 1 Space or 2? · · Score: 1

    The one space/two space debate is really about fundamentals of good typhography when doing text layout. It has everything to do with the overall colour of the block of text you're setting. But I'm no expert. Bill Hill is. He knows more about fonts and typography than likely anyone posting in this quite silly thread, including me. He spoke at length about spaces after periods on Channel 9 back in 2004.

    Want to read more? Then pick up a copy of The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst. It's pretty much the bible of typography and goes into all sorts of wonderful detail on the colour of text, how to lay out pages, when to use em dash vs. en dash vs. hyphen, lowercase numbers, etc. And yes, Mr Bringhurst even talks about spacing after periods.

  16. Just go to Schucks/Checkers/O'Reilly on Any Open Source Solutions For DIY Auto Diagnostics? · · Score: 1

    Most local auto part supply stores will happily loan you an OBDII diagnostic tool for free. I've done this many times to read fault codes out of my car. It may not be as sexy as rolling your own, but it meets your price requirement.

    Neil

  17. Make: Electronics from O'Reilly on Where To Start In DIY Electronics? · · Score: 1

    If you want to get started with basic electronics I highly recommend the Make: Electronics book from O'Reilly. It's just the right blend of theory with hands-on (or tongue-on practice as in the intro chapters on electricity!) Plus you get to have all sorts of fun ordering random parts from Jameco and Digikey.

    If you go this route I highly recommend ordering the resistor intro pack and storage case from Jameco.

    Have fun!

    Neil

  18. So who gets to use... on Cold War Standoff Over ISS Toilet · · Score: 1

    The toilet named "Colbert"? The US astronauts? Or nobody but Stephen?

    Neil

  19. Similar tech's been in use for 12 years on Automation May Make Toll Roads More Common · · Score: 1

    The 407 Express Toll Route in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, hasn't had a toll booth since it opened to the public in 1997. They've used transponders and licence plate photographs instead.

    You can read more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/407_ETR, including all the issues around billing and such.

    Neil

  20. Figure out how they are getting in on How To Keep Rats From Eating My Cables? · · Score: 1

    When you called in the exterminator did they do a full survey of your facility to look for avenues of entry for the little guys? We had some mice in the wall between our garage and the inside of our house and the exterminator spent about two hours going around the entire perimiter and crawlspace looking for gaps they could get in. If you just keep catching and killing them you just get rid of the current ones but new ones will continually gain entry.

    Find out how they are getting in. Block those entries with proper stuff (not foam, they'll chew through it, but solid wire mesh or drywall). Get rid of potential food sources. Then kill off the ones inside.

    Neil

  21. Humans and feet on How To Track the Bug-Trackers? · · Score: 1

    Most bug tracking software can do dependent links or related bugs. But when it comes down to it you have to use your feet and go walk over to people and actually talk to them if your stuff needs fixing. By going around and chatting with people you're dependent on you'll always have a sense for what's going on and when management comes to ask you can stop staring at your gum-filled shoes and give 'em a straight answer. :)

    Neil

  22. Re:How about reducing the need for AC POWER as wel on Intel Shows Data Centers Can Get By (Mostly) With Little AC · · Score: 1

    The original article says humidity fluctuated between 4 and "more than 90%" over the course of the study. If you've never been to New Mexico you've missed out... they get some wicked thunderstorms.

    Neil

  23. Re:Three Mobile Phones? on What To Do With All of My Gadget Chargers? · · Score: 1

    I asked a cabbie in London once how many cellphones he had, and he replied "three". I asked the same question you did, and got the following explanation:

    1 for business
    1 for talking to his wife
    1 for "other stuff"

    Neil

  24. Make UFOs out of them on Alternative Uses For an Old Satellite Dish? · · Score: 1

    There's a house in Washington that's turned them into a UFO landing site in the front yard (you can see them in bird's eye view). Very fun to see in winter when they're lit up with blue Christmas lights.

    Neil

  25. Moon rock looks like powdered brownies on Moon Rocks Still In Demand After Almost 40 Years · · Score: 1

    I saw a piece of moon rock while on vacation this sprint, at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. It looked like a piece of brownie with some icing sugar sprinkled on top. That, coupled with how the website refers to it as "moon rock" (their quotes, not mine), is highly suspicious...