A peaceful, non-disruptive protester (or group or protesters) should be able to express their opinion on public property, regardless of the content.
I've seen lots of protesters doing their protesting. I've never seen any that were peaceful and/or non-disruptive.
I don't even believe it's possible to protest and be non-disruptive. Peaceful, sure, but when protesters are throwing things and trying to shout louder than those who disagree with them, then it really can't be called that.
I agree with the use of free-speech zones, mainly because I generally think these protesters at these events are idiots with too much free time. If they were indeed peaceful and non-disruptive, then sure, they could get closer. But they never are.
Why is this everyone's response to a shitty editor? Do you understand that people PAY to get the latest stories on Slashdot?
-Do you understand that what you think is just your opinion? -Do you understand that some people read Zonk's stories and don't have a problem with them? -Do you understand that not everybody agrees with you and that they're not necessarily wrong because of it?
Even better would be if Google added "-blog" as a search option.
Actually, using -blog is reasonably effective at removing blogspam from search results. Adding that term to your search will simply exclude any results that contain the word "blog" on them, which most blogs usually have on the page somewhere.
Okay, it's not 100%, but it's pretty good nonetheless.
Re:Zonk the game reviewer now?
on
Review: Nintendogs
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
I am so sick and tired of Zonk and his bullshit around here I seriously am thining of ditching Slashdot altogether. After many years of faithful readership, I'm pretty much done.
It can't have been all that faithful if you haven't figured out how to remove articles from your personal view of/. yet.
Don't think I haven't thought about snipping its link to the data bus.
As I understand it, doing that would prevent the airbag from deploying at all. All that data is used to figure out whether or not to pop it in a wreck situation.
The expense isn't in the cable, it's in the protocol converter. You need a chip and board which converts the car's protocol (CAN, one of the J1850's, etc) into a normal RS232 serial data stream. These can be found cheaply if you look around, and then it's just a matter of soldering a cable to the thing. But generally these chips only handle one protocol, maybe two. The really expensive cables have several of these protocols supported, which is why they're expensive.
The airbag test doesn't pop the airbag. I don't know what that particular test is testing, but I've sent that command (from the part 2 spec) to a car before (it was a rental car, actually), and got back a success code, and the airbag did not blow.
They do not have the ability to kill the engine, which would be even more dangerous anyway.
They most certainly do have the ability to kill the engine. Dude, they've *advertised* that ability in the past.
As for the possible danger, well, I don't expect they'd kill the engine while the car thief is doing 75 on the highway..
You know nothing of what you are talking about.
I work in the automotive industry. I've programmed systems designed specifically to talk to the modules on the cars. Half of US made cars in the last 6 years have gone through systems I wrote. I've also disassembled my own OnStar system and hacked in a serial port to access the GPS data directly. I most certainly do know what I'm talking about.
but the whole GPS system on the whole provides OnStar (or whoever) with information that they (usually) store in their database. So your driving history is saved.
Actually, no, it doesn't. The thing calls home via cell phone only when you press the OnStar button. They don't get information from the unit unless you contact them or they contact you. They're trying to make a buck here, maintaining contact to everybody via cell towers just isn't cost effective.
Nobody really cares where you've been. Not enough to spend money to find out.:)
However, they can kill the engine remotely. That's one of their features, the anti-theft system. When you call in and say it's been stolen, they can coordinate with cops to find the car (via GPS) and they can kill the engine remotely if the car is in a chase or something.
The OnStar system interfaces to the data bus of the various computer modules in the car. What this is actually doing is what's often called "reading the trouble codes".
It's the same thing you can do with a $50 tool from AutoZone. Any time a problem is detected by the computer, it throws up a code. Some of these codes cause the SES light to come on, some don't. An ODBII scanner plugs in behind the dash and reads these codes from the computer modules, then displays them. Usually in a nicer to read format.
That's all this is doing. They call the OnStar system in the car, tell it to read the codes, and send it back to them. While it's possible for them to send other commands, there's really not much in it for them to do so. You can do some unusual things via that interface (I could have endless fun sticking your car into diagnostic mode and triggering the windshield wipers to run a test cycle), but you can't get back a whole lot of information that they don't already have. VIN, info on the car components, maybe miles travelled and such, but nothing that I would consider crucial to "privacy".
You could figure out MPG and average speed, but hell, I speed all the time and my computer system says my average is only around 40-ish. Instantaneous speed couldn't be gotten from the car via this interface.
Of course, they don't need the car to get that info. OnStar systems have a GPS built in, and that will give them instantaneous speed. But that doesn't require them talking to the car to do it.
For the less informed, why is this a big deal, and when I download the new iTunes, should I enable it?
Variable Bit Rate allows the bitrate to flucuate as needed, so the less complex parts of the music use less bits, and the more complex parts use more bits. This lets the track get higher quality in the same space, or less space for the same quality (depending on your point of view).
Generally, you should always use VBR. Enabling it would be a good idea.
In this case, the iTunes VBR AAC doesn't appear to be particularly effective at reducing space considerations. No real tests on the quality improvement yet.
Volume adjustment already works in iTunes/iPod. Turn on Sound Check on both iTunes and the iPod. Wait for it to finish scanning your library (it'll say "Determining Song Volume"), then resync with the iPod.
I'm wondering if anyone could do this w/o the virus having to communicate with some sort of server.
Easy. Just have a counter in the virus that it changes when it replicates to a new host.
Each virus is limited to sending out X copies of itself. It continues spreading like that until it reaches X then stops. Every time it spreads, the new version gets a counter incremented. It's hardcoded so that when the counter reaches Y, it stops that version from spreading at all.
I would personally think that in the business world having someone who understood business as well as technology would be a boon. Perhaps though I've just been brainwashed.
They have those. They're called "tech guys with MBA's".
Lexmark should take a lesson from the auto parts industry. If I have the water pump on my car die and want to replace it myslef, my choices are:
* Pay "full" price
* Pay "full" price and get a "rebate" on return of the faulty part (which the shop rebuilds or sells whosale to remanufacturer)
* Pay "discounted" price and turn in faulty part at time of sale
There's also a 4th option, which is "Pay less than discounted price to have the existing one rebuilt". Now, in the auto parts industry, this is generally not recommended, mainly because handmade auto parts aren't generally considered trustworthy. Cars are considered important by most folks, who'd rather buck up the little extra for the discounted price.
But in the printer industry, the "rebuilding" is the equivalent of "refilling the existing cart", and yeah, it's less than the new/recycled cart even with the discount. More people would choose the cheapest option in this case, because the consequences are not nearly as dire as having a broken car.
Slashdot Mirror
A peaceful, non-disruptive protester (or group or protesters) should be able to express their opinion on public property, regardless of the content.
I've seen lots of protesters doing their protesting. I've never seen any that were peaceful and/or non-disruptive.
I don't even believe it's possible to protest and be non-disruptive. Peaceful, sure, but when protesters are throwing things and trying to shout louder than those who disagree with them, then it really can't be called that.
I agree with the use of free-speech zones, mainly because I generally think these protesters at these events are idiots with too much free time. If they were indeed peaceful and non-disruptive, then sure, they could get closer. But they never are.
Read the post again. He was thinking about snipping the link from the airbag module to the data bus. Nothing to do with Onstar.
Why is this everyone's response to a shitty editor? Do you understand that people PAY to get the latest stories on Slashdot?
-Do you understand that what you think is just your opinion?
-Do you understand that some people read Zonk's stories and don't have a problem with them?
-Do you understand that not everybody agrees with you and that they're not necessarily wrong because of it?
Didn't think so.
Even better would be if Google added "-blog" as a search option.
Actually, using -blog is reasonably effective at removing blogspam from search results. Adding that term to your search will simply exclude any results that contain the word "blog" on them, which most blogs usually have on the page somewhere.
Okay, it's not 100%, but it's pretty good nonetheless.
I am so sick and tired of Zonk and his bullshit around here I seriously am thining of ditching Slashdot altogether. After many years of faithful readership, I'm pretty much done.
/. yet.
It can't have been all that faithful if you haven't figured out how to remove articles from your personal view of
Go to http://slashdot.org/users.pl?op=edithome. Click the Homepage tab at the top. Turn off the checkmark next to "Zonk" or anybody else you don't want to see.
It's not that difficult, guy.
Don't think I haven't thought about snipping its link to the data bus.
As I understand it, doing that would prevent the airbag from deploying at all. All that data is used to figure out whether or not to pop it in a wreck situation.
The expense isn't in the cable, it's in the protocol converter. You need a chip and board which converts the car's protocol (CAN, one of the J1850's, etc) into a normal RS232 serial data stream. These can be found cheaply if you look around, and then it's just a matter of soldering a cable to the thing. But generally these chips only handle one protocol, maybe two. The really expensive cables have several of these protocols supported, which is why they're expensive.
>I know that instantaneous speed is on the bus, as is RPM, fuel pressure('07), indv. wheel speed, engine state, ABS-active, etc.
On GM cars, yeah, you're right. I'm not used to GM cars. I worked mostly with Ford's.
The airbag test doesn't pop the airbag. I don't know what that particular test is testing, but I've sent that command (from the part 2 spec) to a car before (it was a rental car, actually), and got back a success code, and the airbag did not blow.
They do not have the ability to kill the engine, which would be even more dangerous anyway.
They most certainly do have the ability to kill the engine. Dude, they've *advertised* that ability in the past.
As for the possible danger, well, I don't expect they'd kill the engine while the car thief is doing 75 on the highway..
You know nothing of what you are talking about.
I work in the automotive industry. I've programmed systems designed specifically to talk to the modules on the cars. Half of US made cars in the last 6 years have gone through systems I wrote. I've also disassembled my own OnStar system and hacked in a serial port to access the GPS data directly. I most certainly do know what I'm talking about.
but the whole GPS system on the whole provides OnStar (or whoever) with information that they (usually) store in their database. So your driving history is saved.
:)
Actually, no, it doesn't. The thing calls home via cell phone only when you press the OnStar button. They don't get information from the unit unless you contact them or they contact you. They're trying to make a buck here, maintaining contact to everybody via cell towers just isn't cost effective.
Nobody really cares where you've been. Not enough to spend money to find out.
there's a greater sense of security knowing no one's watching me than to know that someone I don't know's always watching me.
So, don't pay for it. OnStar is a subscription service, you know. If you don't pay, the system doesn't work.
>Yes, but can they remotely deploy the airbags?
Nope. Airbag systems don't work that way.
However, they can kill the engine remotely. That's one of their features, the anti-theft system. When you call in and say it's been stolen, they can coordinate with cops to find the car (via GPS) and they can kill the engine remotely if the car is in a chase or something.
All OnStar units have an antenna attached to the car for use with the cell phone. Unscrew it, and you're done. No connection home.
The OnStar system interfaces to the data bus of the various computer modules in the car. What this is actually doing is what's often called "reading the trouble codes".
It's the same thing you can do with a $50 tool from AutoZone. Any time a problem is detected by the computer, it throws up a code. Some of these codes cause the SES light to come on, some don't. An ODBII scanner plugs in behind the dash and reads these codes from the computer modules, then displays them. Usually in a nicer to read format.
That's all this is doing. They call the OnStar system in the car, tell it to read the codes, and send it back to them. While it's possible for them to send other commands, there's really not much in it for them to do so. You can do some unusual things via that interface (I could have endless fun sticking your car into diagnostic mode and triggering the windshield wipers to run a test cycle), but you can't get back a whole lot of information that they don't already have. VIN, info on the car components, maybe miles travelled and such, but nothing that I would consider crucial to "privacy".
You could figure out MPG and average speed, but hell, I speed all the time and my computer system says my average is only around 40-ish. Instantaneous speed couldn't be gotten from the car via this interface.
Of course, they don't need the car to get that info. OnStar systems have a GPS built in, and that will give them instantaneous speed. But that doesn't require them talking to the car to do it.
Or did nobody else think it was odd how the author compared it to a 20 year old design as if it were a car or a fine wine?
Dude, this is *slashdot*. Everybody here over 25 years old understands exactly what he's talking about with regard to the 1984 Model M's.
But your comparison is indeed apt. It's exactly like a car or a fine wine... only for nerds.
For people who sit in front of a computer 12+ hours a day, keyboards matter.
The label on the drive claims it has 976,733,168 blocks. At 512 bytes per block that's 500,087,382,016 bytes.
+ in+gigabytes
That's only 465 gigabytes.
But don't take my word for it.. ask Google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=500087382016+bytes
VBR? Variable bit rate? Very big rocks?
:)
No, you had it right the first time.
For the less informed, why is this a big deal, and when I download the new iTunes, should I enable it?
Variable Bit Rate allows the bitrate to flucuate as needed, so the less complex parts of the music use less bits, and the more complex parts use more bits. This lets the track get higher quality in the same space, or less space for the same quality (depending on your point of view).
Generally, you should always use VBR. Enabling it would be a good idea.
In this case, the iTunes VBR AAC doesn't appear to be particularly effective at reducing space considerations. No real tests on the quality improvement yet.
From what I've read over at Hydrogen Audio, it doesn't appear to be all that great anyway. More like ABR than VBR.
Along with everything else in QT 7, iTunes now allows you to encode AAC in VBR mode. FINALLY!
Volume adjustment already works in iTunes/iPod. Turn on Sound Check on both iTunes and the iPod. Wait for it to finish scanning your library (it'll say "Determining Song Volume"), then resync with the iPod.
Works great for me.
Stupid slashdot...
Total infections = X ^ Y. Power, not multiplication.
I'm wondering if anyone could do this w/o the virus having to communicate with some sort of server.
Easy. Just have a counter in the virus that it changes when it replicates to a new host.
Each virus is limited to sending out X copies of itself. It continues spreading like that until it reaches X then stops. Every time it spreads, the new version gets a counter incremented. It's hardcoded so that when the counter reaches Y, it stops that version from spreading at all.
Total infections = X * Y.
I would personally think that in the business world having someone who understood business as well as technology would be a boon. Perhaps though I've just been brainwashed.
They have those. They're called "tech guys with MBA's".
Lexmark should take a lesson from the auto parts industry. If I have the water pump on my car die and want to replace it myslef, my choices are:
* Pay "full" price
* Pay "full" price and get a "rebate" on return of the faulty part (which the shop rebuilds or sells whosale to remanufacturer)
* Pay "discounted" price and turn in faulty part at time of sale
There's also a 4th option, which is "Pay less than discounted price to have the existing one rebuilt". Now, in the auto parts industry, this is generally not recommended, mainly because handmade auto parts aren't generally considered trustworthy. Cars are considered important by most folks, who'd rather buck up the little extra for the discounted price.
But in the printer industry, the "rebuilding" is the equivalent of "refilling the existing cart", and yeah, it's less than the new/recycled cart even with the discount. More people would choose the cheapest option in this case, because the consequences are not nearly as dire as having a broken car.