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User: DigitalSorceress

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  1. Re:So Proud of Gun Ownership on New York Paper Uses Public Records To Publish Gun-Owner Map · · Score: 1

    If you make it easy for criminals to know exactly who owns guns, you are setting up a situation where those who wish to steal guns can know which houses to watch (to make damn sure the occupants aren't home) and go gun shopping... brilliant!

    Or, criminals who want to avoid getting shot may be emboldened if going into a house where they know the owners aren't as likely to fight back.

    Either way, I think the objections are less about "oh noes, neighbors will shun me" and more about not laying your cards all out on the table.

  2. Yet another case of ... on School Shooting Prompts Legislation To Study Violent Video Games · · Score: 2

    This is yet another case of certain people using a given tragedy to push their agenda.

    The folks who already have an anti-gaming viewpoint are always going to use a given media event like this to push for bans on / studies on video games.

    Last time I checked, it wasn't a troubled teenager taking out their peers, it was a legal adult slaughtering defenseless children. You can study the effects of violent video games on children all you want, but it's not going to address a situation like this. Maybe someone might have legitimately wondered about the connection between the Columbine shooters and video games, but I believe the studies that came out then pretty much said that "batshite f-tards will be batshite f-tards with or without video games" (I may be paraphrasing a little)

    Ok, so I don't know either, but just really??? sick bastard ADULT shoots children and someone's proposing studies of video games effects on kids? Yeah, yeah, this guy was a kid once, but honestly - it's pretty obvious that this is yet another "We gotta do SUMTHIN'" knee-jerk response that politicians feel the need to whip out so they can seem like they're taking action... without actually threatening the interests of their donors.

    For the record, it's my opinion that anti-gun folks are pretty much doing the same thing - they're going to take every opportunity to push gun laws regardless of the actual situation - they do it because it's how you move an agenda forward - throw it up against the wall enough and something will stick sooner or later.

  3. Re:I have said it before but MMO's need to kill pl on Review: World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria (video) · · Score: 2

    I liken it to learning a dance... you start out clumsy, but through practice and repetition, you work out the kinks and finally you get through it correctly the first time. From there, you keep re-doing it, getting more and more nuanced until you get to where it has transitioned from "oh crap I hope I don't mess up" to a very zen, fluid expression of art.

    except it's got epic lewtz.

  4. This is why I haven't upgraded on Google Doubts Apple Will Approve Its New Maps Application · · Score: 1

    I have an iPhone 4s and I'm happily NOT "upgraded" to the new iOS. I heard about the maps kerfuffle and said "you know, the phone works well enough as it is, and I DO occasionally use the Google Maps app and I don't like where Apple's going with this one"

    So, until my phone refuses to work, I'll just keep on my current version of iOS.

    If Apple gets too much more douchy, I may well decide to go with a competing product next time around.

  5. Re:How Much on Riot Breaks Out At Foxconn · · Score: 1

    So-Called Rare Earths aren't all that rare - It's just that it's been so much cheaper for them to produce with near slave labor that all the US-based rare earths production shut down... it's only been since China got uppity about it that some in the US have realized that Rare Earths production capability is of strategic value - I'm guessing our industry will be subsidized to some degree to ensure that it gets back on its feet so that we're not beholden to China.

  6. Re:Never a good idea.. on Touch Interfaces In Cars Difficult To Use · · Score: 1

    I agree...

    I'd like to see decently tactile steering-wheel mounted buttons with up/down/left/right, ok, and cancel/back
    (sort of like my beloved MX-950 universal remote control) so I can keep my eyes off the controls, and ... well, perfectly, a HUD on the windscreen, but if not that, then a decenly readable screen which is close enough that I'm never ever fully removing my view from the road, and with a UI designed to show just what's needed at a glance and not get too complicated. I think modern mapping GPS a-la Garmin Nuvi / TomTom units are a good example here)

    I think it's a mistake to get too close to even iOS ... iOS id admittedly a lot more streamlined than say a PC desktop, but it's still a bit too busy and detailed to really make a great car interface. It's one of those trade-offs - you want simple and intuitive and minimalist for the driver.

    Most folks I know get to know their car's controls well enough to activate them mostly by feel... touchscreen interfaces are really not going to allow for this unless they come up with a way to make them haptic.

    I love my MINI, but I have to say that the iPod/Sirius interface is incredibly clumsy and doesn't make for easy use while driving.... Yes, one shouldn't be fiddling with stuff instead of paying attention to the road, but there's always a trade off between "the right thing" and "what people do" (admit it, no matter if you should or not, everyone tends to reach over to change the radio station/volume or adjust the heating/cooling while driving - since folks are GOING TO do stuff like that, making the interfaces as intuitive as possible and getting their focus BACK to the road as quickly as possible should be key concerns. /rant

  7. Re:Pandora's Box on F-Secure Report: Another SCADA Attack in Iran — This Time With AC/DC · · Score: 1

    Good thing we used Allen-Bradley controllers in our production lines at my previous job then. ;)

    I'm with you on the China thing: In order to implement a bunch of data collection, I had to bridge the air gap we had between our production lines and our internal network... with a certain 5 letter brand name of routers which doubtless were produced in a Chinese factory.

    On the plus side, the routers were not actually publicly exposed, so unless their backdoor "phoned home" and could work its way around the VLANs I set up, I think my former employer's production lines are relatively safe.

    (We made stuff used in the manufacture of solar panels... nothing to do with Nuclear energy or weapons and the like)

  8. Re:Viable alternatives on Finding Fault With Anti-Fracking Science Claims · · Score: 1

    I think the issue at hand is that hidden costs (long-term pollution effects long after the gas companies have made their money and have left) end up being subsidized by all of us... look at the whole superfund thing, and other cases of industrial revolution era manufacturing and mining practices where they were able to come in, extract the resources and walk away from the mess.

    IF they'd have had to pay the cleanup costs, they might have been a bit more careful, but instead the public ends up having to pay for it and the original polluters got a free ride on that part.

    Now, I understand that part of it was a case environmental awareness simply not being the norm back then. The oceans were thought of as this endless drain you could just dump crap (literally) into and there was enough land that they would just leave it be. Hell, they used to walk away from mines without sealing off the pits - now, there are contractors/companies out there going around sealing off the old mine entrances to keep people and wildlife from falling in the old shafts and killing themselves.

    OOps, I digress. The point is that if you can privatize the profits and socialize the risks (which is what I accuse a lot of the energy companies of doing), you essentially get to profit at the expense of the future generation who will have pay the cost (That you avoided) to clean up your mess.

  9. Re:Doesn't work. on Subcontractor Tells Fukushima Workers To Hide Radiation Exposure · · Score: 1

    Yes, but big corporations have effectively bought themselves personhood... and since these new citizens have oh so much money to throw around, they get whatever government they paid for and we, the little folk, get screwed.

  10. Re:verizon on If You Lived In Riga, You Wouldn't Bother To Cut the Cord · · Score: 1

    Yeah, but how long before they get to where they start doing what they do in the mobile market: start trying to lock you in to long-term contracts in order to stop you from switching.

    I'm sure that's coming

  11. You can, but should you? on Ask Slashdot: Stepping Down From an Office Server To NAS-Only? · · Score: 1

    I have a Buffalo TeraStation that I use just for a NAS to store backups on, but I did notice it has quite a few powerful features that made me think, "hey, I ~could~ use this along with a decent router to pretty much meet the needs of a SOHO"

    I certainly think you ~could~ go this route, but honestly, I don't think you should. Here's why: those NAS units are pretty chill and the good ones have some kind of self-healing/recovery option ... like my TeraStation's Raid5. I've had a drive fail and it was a fairly painless but also quite LONG process to repair. Drive died, bought replacement, slammed it in... the work was simple, but it was nearly 24 hours before it was all green and fully up to speed.

    Had that been my main server, I wouldn't have been too happy with that long of an outage.

    However, in my situation, the NAS was just a backup, my WIn2008 server was on-line and fully available and working the whole time.

    If this were an actual office, I'd have had a second win2008 server as a secondary domain controller and would have the important data set up on a DFS and that would handle file sharing. The NAS would be used as backup.

    How many days could your office reasonably go with your main shared drives off-line for repair/reconstruction - even if you eventually got all your data back, it seems like lost time in a law office would be a BAD THING.

  12. Not quite as bad as the Summary seems on Hackers Steal Keyless BMW In Under 3 Minutes · · Score: 5, Informative

    I own a MINI with a keyless entry system ... MINI is made by BMW these days, so I was a bit concerned.

    My first vision was "Yikes - someone either grabs my signal out of the air or else they have some 'rainbow box' that tries a bunch of freqs/combos really fast so they can essentially walk up to my car, get in, and go."

    Turns out they have to break your window and connect to your OBD port... This sucks, but to my mind, it's not a whole lot of difference between that and breaking the window then hot-wiring the car. ... If they could just walk up and get in and drive away as if they had the valid key, I'd be a lot more concerned. ... checks insurance policy ... at least I've got theft insurance.

  13. Re:If the classes are good... on School's In For Summer At Udacity · · Score: 1

    Good for you - I'm glad. I'm glad because at least in your case, you WON'T be that passionless money-seeking-with-no-passion-or-understanding-for-software Pointy Haired boss who is nothing more than a suit stuffed with an MBA.

    I applaud you and those like you (those with business degrees who actually have passion for something besides Power Point and quarterly reports)

    Still doesn't change my personal opinion... I've worked for those empty suit types. It's a soul-wrenching experience.

  14. Re:If the classes are good... on School's In For Summer At Udacity · · Score: 1

    Ok, that seems reasonable... though if the classes are good, isn't that really the credibility that matters?

     

  15. Re:Why do I have to "enroll"? on School's In For Summer At Udacity · · Score: 1

    My guess is that it's because the process is far more than just videos. It's also about the forums / discussing with other students, doing the homework and quizzes and projects and getting feedback.

    I'm not sayng there's no value to videos, but I think you're wrong to imply that there's no added value to the stuff that is "not videos".

    With regard to videos and such, (I know there are some learn by video sites for specific topics like laurashoe.com (really good Photoshop tutorials) and that some colleges and universities are providing lectures via iTunes.

    Additionally, some colleges allowed folks to "audit courses" where you went to the classes and lectures, but simply didn't get credit.

  16. If the classes are good... on School's In For Summer At Udacity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If the classes are good, who cares who's on top or not? The whole bit about other students doing better than an in person one doesn't matter a bit to me. Neither does the whole degree / not degree thing.

    What matters is whether there's something really interesting/useful to learn. If you're looking to just get your degree and get out of school and forget learning, well... I suggest you get an MBA. This kind of thing is really great for those of us with a thirst for knowledge and learning that merely got its START when we were in college.

  17. Re:I don't get steampunk. on Early Look at Steampunk Action-Adventure Game Dishonored · · Score: 1

    Steampunk is what happens when Goths discover the color brown.

    I don't mind some of the aesthetics, but over all, Steampunk holds no real attraction for me - Maybe I've just got too much of an investment in black clothing and spider-themed jewelry. ;)

  18. There's only one thing... on Ask Slashdot: Are Smart Meters Safe? · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There's only one thing in this article that seems like a legitimate concern:: the issue with possible incorrect bills and an issue I didn't really see raised: the possibility of unauthorized access/tinkering.

    The lady whose electric bill shot up 300% ... either she was somehow not being billed for the power she used all along, or else the new meter is faulty. THAT is a legitimate concern.

    However, I am sick to death of all these whiny whiners and their "I'm allergic to RF" .. NO. No, you're not. You're not special, you don't have some super power that lets you receive radio waves... you're not experiencing something that science or big business is covering up... you're being hypochondriacs or else you''ve got Munchhausen's syndrome. Either way, you sure as hell don't experience RF sensitivity - not unless you're talking about the power levels inside your microwave oven.

    rabble, rabble!

  19. The longer he's away from Microsoft... on Bill Gates Says Tablets Aren't Much Help In Education · · Score: 2

    The longer he's away from Microsoft, the more I like him.

    Bill Gates is following on in the tradition of the Robber Barons of the Industrial Revolution - win big in the capitalist game, then spend the rest of his life making an actual lasting legacy that does real, actual good for folks outside the boardroom and the stock exchanges.

    Of course, I'm referring to his charitable works, but I see that he's also gaining some perspective that isn't colored by the need to maximize profits.

  20. Re:Gimmick on Will Dolby's New Atmos 62.2 Format Redefine Surround Sound? · · Score: 1

    I think 3D was a gimmick for that... and failed because the market found a way to make 3D home equipment... but 62 speakers really may be too much physical stuff to make work outside the theater.

    Just like 3D though: if the movie is MADE WITH THE TECH IN MIND, then there's a chance that the added 'gimmick' will be worthwhile, but if they just "me too" it after the fact, then it'll be a major disappointment.

    There's more potential here than 3D (too many of us don't do well with the glasses and/or have headaches due to not focusing on what the camera is trying to make us focus on), but will it make ME say "I gotta see this in the theater"? Probably not.

  21. Re:Frigging ridiculous on EFF Announces New Patent Reform Project · · Score: 2

    You make a good point.. that they should be pressing the advantage here, but does it really hurt to also take this approach as a Plan B?

  22. Re:Too much time spent teaching tests on U.S. Students Struggle With Reasoning Skills · · Score: 1

    This, this, a thousand times THIS!

    The us education system (and many others) for K-12 seems almost entirely devoted to learning by rote and teaching to standardized tests. There are certainly schools and individual teachers that buck this trend, but it's not until college that you've got a reasonable chance at actually being challenged to THINK.

  23. A proper global solution: just CountryCode for TLD on How Would You Redesign the TLD Hierarchy? · · Score: 1

    As a US citizen, it's easy to say "what's wrong with leaving them as they were before all the info biz and other crap?" .com .net .org .gov .edu .mil .CountryCode

    but in reality, that is rather US-centric seeing as how .gov really means .gov.us

    So, why not make .com into .co.us and .org into .org.us and so-on and remove all non country code TLDs.

    If Tuvalu wants to be clever with ".tv" great! let them, but since so many countries want to exert local laws over interwebz, just say " this site is foo.us, so it's under US law, this one is foo.uk, so it's governed by UK law and so-on.

    It seems to me this would clear up some of the jurisdiction wars between "so and so is registered in country x, but has servers in country y but is a business entity/citizen of Z"

    It would really only work if IP addresses were allocated in blocks that matched the countries so geolocation would at least be accurate to that level.

    I know it would probably impractical to implement... you can't really tell someone who has had foo.com for ages that they are now foo.co.us. However, I bet you could stop anyone new from getting .com addresses and even stop allowing renewals and transfers, thus emptying out .com, et al. by attrition.

    Just speculating here.

  24. Re:They post on Slashdot on Depressed People Surf the Web Differently · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually, I've found that anymore, reading Slashdot tends to just piss me off.

    It's not that I have a gripe with Slashdot or the users - it's just that every time I turn around, there's a story about some idiot politicians trying to run/ruin the web or some douchy patent trolls making millions by making folks pay out for using some "invention that the average high school level programmer could figure out in an hour... or .. well, just so much of the tech news nowadays - because it seems that it's all just everyone out to grab as much of the pie as they can and screw anyone who gets in their way.

    Wow, maybe I am depressed... nawww.. I know me - when I'm good and angry, I'm not depressed.

    Wait? what was the question?

  25. Pretty much... on Study Aims To Read Dogs' Thoughts · · Score: 1

    Dogs are pretty easy to read:

    If you have food:
    DROP THE FOOD! Oh PHULLEEZZZ drop the foooooddd!

    If you have beer:
    SPILL THE BEER! Oh PHULLLEEZZZ drop the beeeer!

    If you're leaving:
    STAY WITH MEEEEE.. Oh PHULEEZZZZ stay with meeee!

    When you're returning:
    OH BOY! You're HEEERRRREE!

    Cats are even easier:
    Are you food yet?