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User: Algan

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Comments · 284

  1. Re:Splash? on SpaceX's Crew Dragon Capsule Returns To Earth After Historic Test Flight (nbcnews.com) · · Score: 3, Informative

    They were planning three modes of operation: parachute splashdown, parachutes plus thruster assist, and full thruster landings. They decided to focus on the first two, at NASA's request.

  2. Management employees. Meaning anyone not in a union.

  3. Re:The failed strategy that everyone else missed on Some Smartphone Salesmen Aren't Sold on the iPhone X (cnet.com) · · Score: 1

    Sapphire can still shatter. Sure, it's a lot more resistant to scratches and wear, but if your phone takes a fall face down on some rocky outcrop, it's shatter just like glass. That being said, i sure wish the X had sapphire screen/back.

  4. Re:Faster than what? on Microsoft Surface Book 2 Puts Desktop Brains in a Laptop Body (wired.com) · · Score: 1

    Where did you find that magical mac book pro with hex core? I'd buy one right now, but as far as I can tell a loaded up mbp still sports a 4 core processor.

  5. Re:How does it perform in older iPhones? on iOS 11 Released (theverge.com) · · Score: 1

    Seems to be good on my 6. No performance impact, at least nothing immediately obvious. Still early of course, we'll see...

  6. Re:Functional Programming Considered Harmful on Ask Slashdot: Do You Like Functional Programming? (slashdot.org) · · Score: 1

    Funny, I've been using functional languages for the past 10 years to put out successful commercial products and didn't even know it was supposed to be impossible. Now I am afraid I must be brain damaged.... or smoking some very good shit.

  7. Re:And a $39 adaptor to get magsafe back on Apple's New MacBook Pro Requires a $25 Dongle To Charge Your iOS Device (networkworld.com) · · Score: 1

    That adaptor is rated at 60W. 15" Macbook Pro charges at 85W.

  8. Re:AI -- FAR more hype than substance on Stephen Hawking: AI Will Be Either the Best or the Worst Thing To Humanity (betanews.com) · · Score: 1

    I'd argue that as far as I've seen, practically every single project or experiment labeled "AI" is really just fake intelligence.

    Fake it, till you make it

  9. Re:Accidental Overage? on Woman Faces $9,100 Verizon Bill For Data She Says She Didn't Use (dslreports.com) · · Score: 1

    They actually charge $5 per month extra for that "safety mode"..

    Not anymore

  10. Re:They haven't asked me, and I do use it on Apple Explores the Idea Of Killing Headphone Jack On the MacBook Pro (thenextweb.com) · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I got the survey request in the mail, but for my imac, not for my macbook pro. I guess they're exploring removing the jack on all their products.
    And the answer to that question was no, i never use that port. I use a usb headset.

  11. Re:The real question does it matter? on The Unsettling Relationship Between Russia and Wikileaks (dailymail.co.uk) · · Score: 1

    As far as the middle east goes they are a lot closer to it than we are. If they want to take on those problems, I'd argue for letting them. The bulk of the oil money has already been made, the minor loss of influence over there in exchange for giving up the cost of responsibility for it is worth it.

    Actually, a good swat of Eastern European countries are NATO members, to the infinite dismay of Russia.

  12. Re:Nice to see. . . on Verizon To Disconnect Unlimited Data Customers Who Use Over 100GB/Month · · Score: 1

    I am sure that if you're in the middle of a long term contract with unlimited data use, Verizon will let you walk away with no penalty when this change comes into effect. But I would guess most unlimited users are in month to month contracts, and both they, and the company can terminate at any time. What surprises me is that both Verizon and AT&T allowed unlimited plans to be grandfathered in for so long.

    Just to make it clear where I stand: I would love to have the option of a truly unlimited plan. I don't think the companies should be forced to offer it though. There really is a competitive market in US wireless, go to a different provider if you don't like your current one.

  13. Re:Average car? on New Cars Are Too Expensive For The Typical Family, Says Study (gulfnews.com) · · Score: 2

    I will never set foot in a dealership until I know exactly what car I am going to buy (down to VIN), and how much I am going to pay for it, including taxes and fees and how am I going to pay for it, i.e. cash or pre-arranged finance with a third party. Everything is negotiated and agreed upon in advance. If they try any bait and switch I leave. They might try to lure me with their low APR financing, and I might take it if it is significantly better than what I have - say 0%. They might try to sell me extended warranty, which I will refuse. That's it. Any snag in the process and I give them a warning. Things don't go smoothly after the warning, I leave.

    So yes, I never pay MSRP. I pay less.

  14. Re:Uh... let me think about it on Drivers Need To Forget Their GPS · · Score: 1

    Was crossing over from Austria into Germany, have to say that the first that I was in a different country was the No Speed Limit sign on the highway... then I noticed the border sign, because I specifically looked for it. Similarly, driving between Brussels and Amsterdam, the border sign between Belgium and Netherlands is positively tiny.

  15. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal on Windows 10 Now a 'Recommended Update' For Windows 7 and 8.1 Users (betanews.com) · · Score: 1

    Hmm, that's funny, I've been using right clicks on my macs for the past 10 years or so... what am I going to do now that I know this feature does not exist???

  16. Re:Let me guess... on What the Future Fiction of 2015 Revealed About Humans Today (vice.com) · · Score: 1

    Infrastructure projects are not sexy, they aren't politically appealing - and they don't attract donor money. What corporation is going to give you campaign finance because you "promised to patch the crumbling concrete of a bridge in your town" ?

    Umm, the construction company that stands to get the contract to rebuild the bridge?

  17. Re:The brief puff of black soot... on The Dirty Truth About 'Clean Diesel' (nytimes.com) · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Funny, I've never seen ANY kind of visible smoke coming out of my new diesel sedan, even under hard revving. Not a VW though. Modern diesels come with filters that capture soot particles and urea exhaust treatment systems to neutralize NOx emissions. Barring cheating, a well built modern diesel vehicle is as clean as its gasoline counterpart.

  18. Actually the Asus router comes with their own firmware called AsusWRT, which is licensed under GPL. There's at least one hobbyist derivative by the name AsusWRT Merlin. Asus has been known to cooperate with Merlin by providing them with beta versions and by pulling patches into their mainline firmware. Third party firmwares such as Tomato or DD-WRT can also be installed. The factory firmware isn't too bad as of now, but if you're the kind that likes to mod routers, Asus is a pretty good choice

  19. Re:Why no diesel hybrids? on Emissions Scandal Expands: Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda, and Mitsubishi (theguardian.com) · · Score: 1

    Cost. Diesel engines, plus the associated emission control equipment, are expensive. Batteries, electric motor, regenerative brakes and other hybrid equipment are also expensive. Both provide pretty good mileage improvements, but having both on will hit diminishing returns, so it's not worth it.

  20. Re:Another 40 years before we see popular diesel c on Volkswagen CEO Issues Apology Over Emission-Cheating Software · · Score: 1

    No, the 2.0L 4 banger 2008-2015 models don't have urea injection. The 2016 models supposedly have it, as well as all V6 diesels.

  21. My take on the article list on Many Drivers Never Use In-Vehicle Tech, Don't Want Apple Or Google In Next Car · · Score: 1

    I have one of those cars loaded with tech. Going through the top five list from TFA:
    - concierge: came bundled free for the first 3 years, never used it so far. Not worth it in itself, but I think the bundle includes some other things I like, such as controlling various things on the car using my smartphone. We'll see at the end of the free period.
    - mobile router: don't have, don't want, smartphone hotspot ftw
    - Automatic parking system: was available, did not get the package. I'd like to feel that I am driving the car, plus I can parallel park myself :) Saved about $2500 by not buying the nanny bundle.
    - HUD: gads yes please. Best tech toy in the car. Love it. Wish more info was available on it, right now it can do speed, nav directions, playlists/radio channels, phone notifications and general car warnings. I'd like to see at least the RPM along with the speed.
    - Built in apps: have them, don't use them, simply because they suck compared to their smartphone counterparts. Would love to use them if executed well.

  22. Re:Apple TRIM Whitelist? on TRIM and Linux: Tread Cautiously, and Keep Backups Handy · · Score: 1

    I will have to call BS on this one. Both my MBP and my old school MP run 3rd party drives, including SSDs (Crucial and OCZ - yeah, I know). No problems whatsoever so far, fans are spinning at their normal rpm.

  23. Re: Why isn't this illegal again? on Disney Making Laid-Off US Tech Workers Train Foreign H1-B Replacements · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sorry, but there is no way you can "apply like everyone else". If they scrap the H1B -> GC path, what's left either marry a US citizen, the GC lottery, invest $1M and create 10 jobs, or be a Noble prize laureate. US does not have a points based immigration system like Canada or Australia.

  24. Re:So this means..... on StarTalk TV Show With Neil DeGrasse Tyson Starts Monday · · Score: 2

    The catholic church, by itself, probably delayed the scientific progress of humanity by at least a couple hundred years. I think it deserves a little bashing now and then.

  25. Re:So turn off your phone on Moscow To Track Cell-phone Users In 2015 For Traffic Analysis · · Score: 1

    Uhm, in order to receive calls???

    Such an antiquated concept...