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User: Aging_Newbie

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  1. His worst fear has probably already happened on Is SETI a Security Risk? · · Score: 5, Insightful

    SETI data is pretty much indistinguishable from random numbers. In fact, the extremely rare patterned sequences of data are the holy grail of the pursuit.

    So .... most likely lots of virus code has already been processed because random noise will eventually produce every virus, just like monkeys and keyboards will produce Shakespeare. One could, I guess, hold the position that by processing random data we are putting ourselves at risk and that rings more true than some civilization producing intentional sequences with malicious intent.

  2. There is nothing new under the sun on Snooping Through Walls with Microwaves · · Score: 1

    In 1952 the Russians planted a small flexible microwave cavity inside the great seal hanging on an embassy wall and used passive microwave excitation to read the vibrations of the cavity and consequently the speech going on in the room. It worked for quite a while until people figured out that stuff discussed in the room was not very secret.

  3. Another opportunity for PCHDTV on 20 Lawmakers Want to Kill Your Television · · Score: 1

    PCHDTV is a PCI card with Linux support that handles HDTV and does not recognize the broadcast flag. At least it would work a while until DRM finds its way into every PC motherboard (again, by government decree).

    Support your public library.

  4. So ... Don't be Evil as a business model is Evil?? on Google's Turn To Be The Villain · · Score: 1

    Maybe trying not to do evil is a threat to all of those others who innovate progressive perfection of evil.

    Paying the best what they are worth to tackle interesting and important problems is evil?

    Let's just hope that we are saved from that evil scourge of Google by other companies who compete with them by emulating themn.

  5. Re:Quick Script + Gutenberg? on Amazon's 1,082-volume Classics Collection: $7,989 · · Score: 1

    MakeDocW will neatly convert ascii to .pdb format for Palm Pilot book readers. Then CSpotRun will let you read the document with a freeware low overhead reader. I use my Palm extensively as a reader because it is light, easy to carry, and has lots of books on it at any given time.

    I have found few defects in Gutenberg documents, so I am not sure what you are finding. Of course, since they are ascii, portable to all formats, and free to all, they can't be in a temporarily useful proprietary format with pictures, etc. But, IMHO the text is what most people want anyway.

  6. Re:The proper response... on New Bill Would Ban Public NOAA Weather Data · · Score: 2, Informative

    This Link has links to everything about the bill.
    Thanks, Google.

    The Bill's number is S.786
    Title: A bill to clarify the duties and responsibilities of the National Weather Service, and for other purposes.
    Sponsor: Sen Santorum, Rick [PA] (introduced 4/14/2005) Cosponsors (None)
    Latest Major Action: 4/14/2005 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

  7. It's easy to contact your Senator on New Bill Would Ban Public NOAA Weather Data · · Score: 1

    lastname.senate.gov is the URL for your senators' pages. Compose your own message and impress them with the seriousness of the issue. If you want to see what is at stake, go to nws.noaa.gov and enter your zip code. Maybe the outpouring of sentiment without any lobbyist backing will get the job done. I truly hope so.

  8. Let's see on Daylight Savings Change Proposed · · Score: 1

    Hmmmm 10,000 / 20,000,000 = .0005

    We would save 1/20 of 1% by this action.

    Sounds like a real solution -- why didn't we think of this sooner!!!!!

    We save roughly a penny in a $20!

  9. simulation and testing on NASA Proposes Warming Mars · · Score: 1

    "I wonder how much simulation and testing you need before we feel safe about affecting an entire planet."

    Exactly how much attention has been paid to affecting OUR ENTIRE PLANET!!!!! Simulation and testing indicate that we need to shape up now and we are effectively stonewalling the entire mess.

  10. I never expected to get through on Alek's Christmas Lights Webcam is Back · · Score: 1

    But I did - Thank you for a fun moment.

  11. Mine locked up just this past weekend. on Rio Karma User Review · · Score: 1

    I was going to try the paper clip (no, I didn't have one in the woods where I was goofing off) but now I know the next step (the slam) in case the first option doesn't work. It is most certainly scary.

  12. Sounds like a job for .... Hostfile!!! on Testing didtheyreadit.com's Mail-Tracking Claims · · Score: 1

    Just put didtheyreadit.com as 127.0.0.1 in your host file and no image loads regardless of whether you have html mail enabled.

  13. Palm IIIxe on Best PDA To Read e-Texts On? · · Score: 2

    The old palm will run lots of hours on a battery and about 16 with the backlite in darkness. NiCad AAA batteries are practical but don't last as long as alkalines.

    A handy free windows program produces .prc files from text or html files so the free CspotRun reader can read them. Only real drawback is that the backlight works in almost total darkness while the reflective display works only with reasonable light. In between the two conditions you are plain and simple out of luck. Light weight, low cost, long battery life, legible screen, lots of them on ebay and on clearance.

    I have used it as a reader for several years now at home, on planes, while waiting various places, and while passing rainy times in a tent in the wilderness. Thoroughly functional, cheap, and a good stopgap until somebody makes a good ebook reader for a reasonable price.

  14. If usability means all powerful scripting on When Does Usability Become a Liability? · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If usability means all powerful scripting then Linux will become as troublesome as Windows. If, on the other hand, it remains impossible to run full executables from HTML (and then not be able to exclude HTML email even as an option) then the major attack vector for Windows will never exist.

    If HTML email can still be turned off in Linux (like all the email programs in Linux do) then not only can't spammers run trojans but they don't know if I look at their creative efforts.

    Port exploits will remain a problem in both Windows and Linux. Patches are issued for both on a somewhat regular basis.

    Presumably Gator and other spyware would need to be rewritten for Linux and packaged as RPM's to be installed by Joe User based on his version of Linux. Somehow I suspect that it would be less frequent when installation is not a thoughtless act of clicking a box.

  15. Why is IT outsourcing so popular? on What Should a Documentary Filmmaker Ask About Offshoring? · · Score: 1

    Ask outsourcing customers to identify why they decided to oursource work:

    Lower cost
    Better Quality
    Better Schedule

    And, did any of those things actually happen when the project was done?

  16. We Need to Compete on Quality and Efficiency on How India is Saving Capitalism · · Score: 1

    Software engineering has the tools and methods to produce high quality software efficiently. Too many people ignore them. It is too easy to continue the shoddy ways of going from concept to code, doing quick hits in maintenance, and any of the numerous other "methods" of wasting effort in the name of speed. The Personal Software Process and Team Software Process are good examples of what we should be doing ... others also exist.

    If US programmers want to compete they will succeed only if they adopt the techniques that the US invented and that the Indians, Chinese, Russians, and others have taken to heart. Unfortunately, these techniques cost money (investment) to implement and it is now cheaper to buy from those who were wise enough to make the investment already.

    Gee, this mess sounds a lot like the Japanese adopting Demming (again US) 30 years ago and taking it to heart so they could beat the unholy crap out of our automotive and other industries.

    Those who refuse to learn from history can rest assured they will get a refresher course roughly a generation later.

  17. War in space on U.S. Air Force Plans for War In Space · · Score: 1

    War in space is the galaxy's way of making sure that aggressive beings don't cause trouble. After their first war using space weapons it becomes impossible to pass through the near earth high velocity junkyard for millenia. just a few explosions intended to destroy a few satellites would do the job.

  18. Palm IIIxe is an excellent book reader on Doctorow: Ebooks Neither E Nor Books · · Score: 1

    CspotRun is a very good reader program that word wraps and has a free document preparer so any text document can be converted to e-book format. The Palm is neatly backlit so you can read at night and it is small, portable, and very convenient on mass transit of all sorts. Batteries last a long time too which makes it an excellent light weight book to take along backpacking.

    I happen to really like ebooks because of their great convenience. I read Down and Out on my Palm Pilot as well as lots of other books. On the other hand, I don't buy a lot of e-books because the price is altogether too high. If I had the least bit of faith that the author got any significant percentage of the e-book price I would be more likely to buy. So far, only the dead tree version justifies the price for purchase.

  19. Be part of the solution on Sharing IT Problems with Executives? · · Score: 1

    If there is a real problem that's important to you AND that can be solved with reasonable money, etc. then you might identify it along with an explanation that the issue is complex and you would like to work with to make a really good business case for it. That way you don't dodge the question but you emphasize that you respect and value the chain of command.

  20. SIRCS on Wasting Time Fixing Computers · · Score: 2, Informative

    Mentioned at the end of the article is the question of what SIRCS was during startup. It would appear to be the Sony InfraRed control system USB driver.

    While perusing the Google results, another writer in another blog was pondering whether SIRCS was responsible for mysterious behavior in his PC. When nothing seems to make sense it is easy to blame what is visible.

  21. I have some isolated land and a laptop is great on Laptop vs. Small Desktop: Best Bang Per Watt? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I think overall you will like a laptop better. I have some isolated land wo power but use a 12 volt lead/acid battery for my electronic addictions. You can use a marine battery for lots of juice or a smaller battery (deep cycle) for less. A big marine battery will power your place for a day or two and charge up from your car if you just haul it along wherever you go. An inverter to produce 120 vac is convenient.

    Now ... if you have to hike a long way in then I think you will still want a laptop but will need solar power to recahrge it. I have found small 12 volt generators w/ 2 cycle engines you might be able to use there to keep a bigger battery charged.

    As far as laptop vs desktop I would definitely go with the laptop. I use a 1.2G Celeron laptop and it is very efficient. I kind of like the fact that when the charger is on the screen is brighter so I run it with the charger and eat up the power (still a lot less than a desktop)

    just my .02 worth

  22. Wait a second - Nigerian Scam run from Canada? on "Nigerian" Spammer Arrested · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now even Nigerians are outsourcing their functions? Will Wonders Never Cease!

  23. Re:Buffer Overflow? on Windows ATMs by 2005 · · Score: 1

    The nice thing about greater uniformity among ATMs is that lessons learned by a hack attempt on one machine can then be applied to many. I just hope that somebody is careful with the release - I don't think the banking industry needs a little minion gathering PINs and saving them for someone who brings in a special card. Odds are the Slot Machine Exploit that empties the machine would not happen too often before being fixed.

  24. Just a piece of paper - defense is the key on SCO Awarded UNIX Copyright Regs, McBride Interview · · Score: 1

    They just got the copyright office to issue them a copyright. IANAL but it says nothing about the legitimacy of their claims so they still have to defend their claims.

  25. '95, I think it was ... on Slackware Turns 10 · · Score: 1

    I got Slackware on a CD with a Linux book, proceeded to install it, which required compilation and filled an entertaining afternoon, and the darn thing worked!!!!

    I was amazed and pleased and realized even then that Linux would have a life of its own.