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User: WillRobinson

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  1. Re:If you RTFA you would see on Lawmakers Debate Patent Immunity For Banks · · Score: 1

    Guess you did not read the article, and this has already made it through the courts and been proven to be a novel idea (read no prior art).

  2. If you RTFA you would see on Lawmakers Debate Patent Immunity For Banks · · Score: 5, Informative

    While I despise patent trolls, if you read the article this guy had a business with 150 people developing and selling this technology. SOME not all banks ripped him off, several of the large banks did license the technology. Others just ripped him off. To stay in business in 2001 he had to lay most of his people off, and sell most of the company.

    Now after a proper legal vetting the banks that just ripped him off are crying and asking the government to save them. Piss on them. They knew exactly what they were doing. This is not a submarine patent. What about the companies that did play the license fee?

    What will the guy who actually developed this get? 2% of the money, less all the legal fees. Just remember, it could have been yhou that developed this.

  3. Direction on Where Are Tomorrow's Embedded Developers? · · Score: 1

    I write embedded code for a wide range of robotics and dedicated hardware. My suggestion is to build something that you will use. This makes your quest much more interesting. Sorry, never went to college, had to teach myself, so cant say what they have for classes and direction from that point of view.

    Display controller, at least 5 fields, or as desired. This could easily be used to for displaying weather information etc. Say, Wind Speed, Direction, Temp. Time.

    Example: Display controller, rs232 controlled.

    Some suggestions, a display controller that would receive rs232 from your computer. Say using one of the microchip processors, they have ones that have a tcp stack, or rs232 on chip (need level converter) (costs 20$) these require only a resistor and cap for clocking but your will prefer a crystal to keep within drift spec's of the rs232.

    This will teach you low level work in assembler, and you can also talk to it using your pc and VB if you desire, to acquire information and send it to the controller.

    Then you have the options of using a display controller or controlling the displays directly. The total cost will be low, you will be programming in assembly, (assembler is free) and have something you can use. If your just interested in the programming and not interested in figuring out the hardware, drop me a line, and ill send you some schematics.

  4. The Prez Says on US Senate Votes Immunity For Telecoms · · Score: 1

    President Bush has promised to veto any new surveillance bill that does not protect the companies that helped the government in its warrantless wiretapping program, arguing that it is essential if the private sector is to give the government the help it needs. It is not what your "constituents" can do for the government, its what the government can do for its "constituents".

    This does not include anal probing, monitoring etc, thank you. BTW: Texas does not claim him as our own.
  5. Re:We are living through history, folks on The Next 25 Years in Tech · · Score: 1

    In your young life for sure, but look at the following from a bit err elder perspective:
    -Multiple, world-influencing major conflicts.

    To bad you missed several good wars, Viet Nam, WWII, WWI, I do not believe this one even compares in any facet to WWI or WWII as far as how much it reached every individual in the world.

    -The introduction, widespread distribution, and near-anywhere access of the Internet (which, in my opinion, is one of our greatest achievements as humans.)

    No indoor plumbing beats this hands down. (I do enjoy the net very much, was on back in 1988)


    -The rise of wireless mobile devices that have the potential to function anywhere in the world.
    -Computers moving from universities and government orgs, taking up entire rooms, to becoming nearly universal in our homes, cars, and pockets.
    -The rise of communication to the point where an actor can die in New York, and within ONE HOUR the entire world knowing of it (those parts of the world that has access to the net, radio, and/or TV of course)


    Ya neat play toys. Just remember, the internet and cheep communications also enabled your job to be off shored.


    -9/11 (one of the most world-changing events in modern history)


    Na, WWII

  6. Well just think about this on Hitachi Does Microsoft Surface Without the Table · · Score: 1

    How hard would it be to project from the bottom? Not hard at all. Then the shadows would be gone.

  7. Re:Error Will Robinson, Error! (First Warning) on EFF Takes On RIAA "Making Available" Theory · · Score: 1


    You seem to not have a grasp of using my name! I don't believe I authorized this blatant misuse.

    Pun for those moderators that do not have a grasp of sarcasm.

  8. Re:What about the AHRA? on RIAA's 'Misspeaking' May Have Affected Verdict · · Score: 1

    note the following passage in what you sited:
    "No action may be brought under this title alleging infringement of copyright based on the manufacture, importation, or distribution of a digital audio recording device, a digital audio recording medium, an analog recording device, or an analog recording medium, or based on the noncommercial use by a consumer of such a device or medium for making digital musical recordings or analog musical recordings."[17]

    Putting your files out for share under any program such as Kazza or another distribution program removes this protection from you.

  9. So How Many on Airport Profilers Learn to Read Facial Expressions · · Score: 1

    Terrorists have they caught? While you couldn't put a price on the value of catching one, really would be nice to know. Guessing I would say about what, 100 million per terrorist caught? Think just putting a price on their head would be cheaper. But really its probably all political smoke to dump money into some politician's buddy's back pocket.

  10. I see the US on Privacy International Releases 2007 Report · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    and Russia are leading the "protection of the people" and what, one sole country that actually protect their citizens privacy, well shame on them for not falling in line!

  11. Obvious patents on Apple Patents 'Buy Stuff Wirelessly, Skip Lines' Tech · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think this is an obvious patent. Wish I would have decided to be a lawyer instead of a technical person. My retirement would be much better.

  12. Dropping due to on SCO Receives Nasdaq's Delisting Notice · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Institutional investors don't keep stock that is desisted, so its just being dumped. Bet they wish they did that yesterday.

    Now, to pierce that corporate veil...

  13. Re:SCO's next step? Not a chance on Stay Lifted, Novell Vs. SCO Can Go Forward · · Score: 1

    You do not realize the puddle of stuff they have stepped in the BK court. They are now in a position that if its deemed their not acting in the best interest of their creditors, the management will be replace. They will then be replace with people who will determine the best path for a orderly shutdown into chapter 11 after the ruling in Utah. That you can be sure of.

  14. It may even be eaiser than you think on Feds Have Access To Cellphone Tracking On Request · · Score: 1

    I could think of this possibility.

    1. Cellphones can be tracked very accurately.
    2. Government can tap the records at will.
    3. Bank robbery happens at 4th and main.
    4. Police notify FBI.
    5. FBI calls the cell carriers and says "we need all active numbers in grid 34,53 at 12:03 pm when a robbery occurred" List please.
    6. FBI asks for the above mentioned numbers, "Which moved away from grid 34,53 at 12:05 at where are they now" List Please.
    7. FBI asks what was the duration of movement, and speed of numbers in list 2 please, and where are they RIGHT NOW.

  15. Re:First Post? on Cryptography Expert Sounds Alarm At Possible Math Hack · · Score: 1

    So, how expensive do you think it would be to create a terrorist group, so you can preform these atrocities on the very people you are supposed to protect?

  16. Interesting book to read on The Last DC Power Grid Shut Down in NYC · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Tesla Man out of Time Which is a excellent book on what was going on then.

  17. Window Tint on Stopping Cars With Microwave Radiation · · Score: 1


    Finally, a specially designed antenna beams the microwave energy toward an opposing vehicle through a part of the car, such as the windshield, window, grill, or spacing between the hood and main body, that is not made of metal. (Metal acts as a shield against microwave energy.)


    Guess I will have to go ahead and replace that window tint, and make sure its the metallic type.

    What would make a good reflector? Preferably parabolic.

  18. Almost Infiniate? on Researchers Achieve Amazing Memory Density · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Kozicki says the process is like condensing a crystal from a solution, except that the process is almost infinitely reversible. If the PMC is fed a positive charge, the copper atoms return to their previous free-floating state, and the nanowires disassemble."

    I would like to know the exact number of cycles this will take, plus or minus a few million times.

    The technology looks like it would eventual deplete the material used for the interconnect. But than again I am not a physicist.

  19. Link to the example on Senators Call For Hearing On Carrier Content Blocking · · Score: 1
  20. For instance you can on Senators Call For Hearing On Carrier Content Blocking · · Score: 1

    Do it either at the router, or if its a linux box, use the preroute rules. On my server to help my poor clients who insist on using AOL as their carrier. I use port 26.

  21. Unless on Senators Call For Hearing On Carrier Content Blocking · · Score: 1

    you just signed a multi year agreement to get that "great service"

  22. Being Thrifty on OLPC Experiments With Cow-Powered Laptops · · Score: 2, Interesting

    After looking at the generator setup, this is something that would work. Generator from taxi's ready available cheep, a couple of front wheels from motorcycles also ready available. Ditto for 12 volt regulator and batteries. Driving farm animals around in a circle to run mills or other equipment for food processing has been done for centuries.

    My question of this working is that I would expect the cow section to run probably 1 RPM. I would expect that the generator must turn somewhere above 400 rpm to put out a full 12 volts. (alternators usually above 700 rpm). So that is a pretty good gear ratio. Hence you see the double gear increase. Seems like it would be better to use a horse, which walks a bit faster, for several hours a day to charge the batteries instead of a cow.

  23. Sorry no change from me on Led Zeppelin Agrees To Digital Distribution · · Score: 0

    I absolutely will not purchase any music in any form. Until the bands start distributing via a company that is DRM less, and passes MAJORITY of the moneys back to the bands.

  24. Re:Summary Incorrect on New Sensor Finds Leaks in Spacecraft · · Score: 1

    Yes, their ultrasonic. And stay at the same frequency, unless the hole changes in size. The same technology is used to detect holes in environmental suites, and electric lines leaking.

  25. Re:Summary Incorrect on New Sensor Finds Leaks in Spacecraft · · Score: 1

    Sorry, but wrong, the ship will be vibrating at the source of the leak. Therefore if you have several sensors around you should be able to triangulate the position pretty accurately.