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User: masterofthumbs

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  1. Re:Da power on Military Data Center In a Suitcase To Get Commercial Release · · Score: 1

    It runs on a hot-swapable battery system. The specs say 8 hours at 100% usage and a week on standby for one battery which is pretty good since if you are carrying this into the field, you can afford to carry a few more fully charged batteries with you or just have a small generator.

    An Intel E3845 has a TDP of 10W so assuming peak power is 1.5 x TDP, then this would draw 15W as 100% power usage. There are 22 of these devices so there is a total of 330W dedicated to just the CPUs. There is no GPU, SSDs take up very little power as well as RAM so we can assume that the whole thing is taking up no more than 400W at 100% usage. A Li-ion battery has an energy density of 110-160 Wh/kg so lets assume its 110 Wh/kg. To run this thing for 8 hours at 100% usage with 400W of hardware power usage, you would need a 29 kg ~ 64 lb Li-ion battery. Energy density of 160 Wh/kg would need a 20 kg ~ 44 lb battery.

    Or get yourself a little 1000W generator and run the system for a week on 30 gallons of gasoline.

  2. Re:Interesting Concepts on Military Data Center In a Suitcase To Get Commercial Release · · Score: 1

    Keep one of those host machines at work and one at home setup as a thin client so you can carry your core back and forth to work. Slide it into a host machine, it starts up near instantly because of the SSD and then brings up your remote workspace or even use it as an actual workstation although not sure how quick an Atom is for that. At work, you wouldn't need your own computer so if your company does hotel desks, you have a lot less to carry around. The host machine could just be one of those monitors they show.

    Its not too different than those laptops that hook up to an Android phone via USB and HDMI. The real power goes into your pocket and the extra hardware can stay where it is.

  3. Re:But can it run Crysis? on Military Data Center In a Suitcase To Get Commercial Release · · Score: 1

    Each card has 2 PCIe x1 buses coming out so if you hade a host machine that had a PCIe slot, then you could run a modern GPU. Maybe even with SLI/Crossfire although I'm not sure if that's reliant on having more PCIe bandwidth. The only issue would be the degradation in bandwidth going to the card as you would be going from something like x16 (or x8 or or x4) down to x1.

  4. Re:Sure... on Tesla Model S Has Been Hacked · · Score: 2

    If an update goes out that inadvertently breaks every Tesla, a patch can be quickly distributed without having to wait. Assume they don't have OTA update capabilities. How does a user get a new update? If they have to go to the dealership, this can be difficult as states do not allow for Tesla dealerships to exist so you would have to drive a long distance just for software update. Any bugs in the latest update will now require you to go back to get version X.X.1 for that simple patch. Instead, lets let the customers do the update themselves. How do you install the update? Using a USB flashdrive would be ideal, plug it in with the *proper filesystem* (NTFS? Can't use OSX. FAT16/32? Outdated. ExFAT? Pay up to Microsoft.) and make sure the update is placed in the correct spot in the drive (probably the root). All of these are probably easy for slashdot users but not every Tesla owner is as tech savvy. The update process is even more important, removing the drive during the update could screw everything up, causing warranty issues (pay out of pocket because *you* screwed up).

    For the ease of install, an OTA is the easiest solution. A broken car can still update as long as it can get a signal, the dumbest users have to do nothing, and you don't require your users to have to swing by the dealership that may be in the next state. The system also facilitates getting use metric data from the cars, something that can be incredibly helpful when looking at ways to increase the efficiency of the motors/batteries.

  5. Re:No, just no. on Put Your Enterprise Financial Data In the Cloud? Sure, Why Not · · Score: 1

    You drive a car because flying everywhere is expensive and not possible in most cases. You can't fly to the grocery store, to work, to school, etc. This isn't a very good argument. A better analogy is that you trust yourself to do car work better than you trust a mechanic. They are the expert and cost more to do the work but you have to read up on how to fix things and spend your time doing the work yourself. The expert costs money, you cost time (which is also money). Now your engine needs fixing. Do you pay for someone to figure it out for you or do you try to do it yourself? Both choices might have disastrous results; you might fuck something up big time and have to spend way more time fixing your mistakes, the mechanic might not get things done on time or within the estimate he gave you. Hell, in both cases, you might have your car stereo stolen either right from your driveway (a targeted attack) or from the mechanic's parking lot (an attacker looking for the easiest thing to steal). You might have a motion light pointing at your driveway and yard but its just you at your house guarding your stereo, maybe you spot the guy because he just walks right up to the house and the light goes off. The mechanic might have a fenced-in parking lot with a rent-a-cop doing their nightly drive-bys at various businesses, maybe he spots the guy trying to get past the fence but failing.

    It's all a matter of money and time. What do you have the most of?

  6. Re:Boo hoo... on Google, Apple, and Others Remove Content Related To the Confederate Flag · · Score: 1

    No one is stopping you from making your own american flag boxers. The US Flag Code is rarely enforced and free speech greatly outweighs how we should treat a piece of fabric.

  7. Re:This is not news... on The Next Java Update Could Make Yahoo Your Default Search Provider · · Score: 1

    It's more like your mechanic doing an oil change and changing your radio station presets, asking you if you'd like to opt out of actions. Very annoying but not the end of the world.

  8. This was also a long time ago when youtube wasn't nearly as popular as it is now. I can't even imagine how much banks you'd have to rob to even get close to amount of money google would want for youtube.

  9. Re:More stupid reporting on SlashDot on The US Navy's Warfare Systems Command Just Paid Millions To Stay On Windows XP · · Score: 1

    Just because the government purchased something doesn't entitle you to its use. You don't get to borrow a navy fighter jet because your taxes helped pay for that. Besides, that $9.1mil is probably based on a certain number of licenses, it doesn't cover you.

  10. Re:A few years ago on "Invite-Only" Ubuntu Mobile-Powered Meizu UX4 Goes On Sale · · Score: 1

    Microsoft is probably better off just sticking to what they do well, the surface and its derivatives. Their phones have always been less desirable and they can never seem to come out with a product that people actually enjoy using. They do well with their tablets and should stick to keeping those up-to-date with the latest tech.

  11. Re:Makes sense on YouTube Algorithm Can Decide Your Channel URL Now Belongs To Someone Else · · Score: 5, Informative

    He's still accesible at youtube.com/user/lush just like every other channel is. youtube.com/lush just happened to be a shorter URL that apparently isn't always unique to you.

  12. Re:the 360 had HDDs in a custom candy with bans wh on Sony Releasing New 1TB PlayStation 4 In July · · Score: 1

    There were definitely no bans from swapping out HDDs in the 360, it just wouldn't allow you to format and set it up for use. The only issue was that it would only recognize a certain set of OEM firmwares. You would have to buy a comparable drive made by the same manufacturer (WD, I recall), flash it with the right firmware, and place it in the drive caddy. This would then match up with the Microsoft branded retail drives available for half the price. When they switched to the 360 Slim, you were able to use any SATA 2.5" drive you wanted. You didn't even have to use the plastic caddy that the retail ones were sold with. A folded up piece of paper worked nicely as a spacer to keep it from moving.

    The xbone has USB3.0 support so adding a new internal drive isn't even worth doing anymore. Just get a cheap 3.0 enclosure and whatever OEM drive you'd like.

  13. Re:Well to be fair, this really is taking too long on The US Navy's Warfare Systems Command Just Paid Millions To Stay On Windows XP · · Score: 1

    Jesus, you'd think someone would have had the foresight to make the code a bit more portable than that.

  14. Re:More stupid reporting on SlashDot on The US Navy's Warfare Systems Command Just Paid Millions To Stay On Windows XP · · Score: 1

    Because you aren't paying for it. Should Redhat give you free support when other companies are paying for the creation of documentation? Should a Amazon give out all their ebooks for free because someone already bought a copy of one of them? I mean, its already paid for so just give it out for free, right? It's not like these are businesses that rely on paying customers to run or anything stupid like that.

    Plus, MS wants to move away from XP. It takes away from their talent pool to work on a 15 year old operating system that very few people actually want to run. Software engineers are wasting not only their hours but their potential working on XP. MS would rather have them work on new things than work on old things and the engineers would rather be coming up with new ideas rather than just patching old mistakes. Anyone looking for stability for current hardware can install 7 no problem so your average business/consumer has no specific need for XP anymore. If they are going to keep patching it, they are going to want a bunch of money to compensate for the time and money sink that it is.

  15. Re:Both own half. on Who Owns Pre-Embryos? · · Score: 1

    Separate dorms.

  16. What can you do? on POS Vendor Uses Same Short, Numeric Password Non-Stop Since 1990 · · Score: 2

    What could someone possibly do if they gain admin access to a POS? Is this a Windows CE system where someone could run arbitrary code? Or is this a bespoke system where the admin password just gives you access to the settings of the system? The article mentions staff using a POS server to play games and download porn on but that is a server probably running Windows Server with some POS server software from the vendor. Rather than just making fun of the name, these guys should explain what exactly does the admin password get you.

    Getting access to the network is something different. You could update every POS terminal out there with your own code to steal CCs or crash every terminal on Black Friday.

  17. Re:Too early for criticism. on New York State Spent Millions On Program For Startups That Created 76 Jobs · · Score: 1

    Virginia Tech does have the Corporate Research Center, CRC, where a bunch of companies have set up remote offices where companies hire students for coops, internships, and actual jobs. I don't know off hand how many jobs that place has created but I do know of a lot of the companies that come to Virginia Tech during career fairs do have small offices there although a lot of other companies are strictly located mostly in Northern VA with a few in Roanoke.

  18. Re:No mention of getting data out on Chinese Hacker Group Targets Air-Gapped Networks · · Score: 5, Informative

    I think they are relying on people to accidentally forget to confiscate the devices when leaving secure areas or the malware is waiting for some other way to communicate out of the network. Recently, a researcher showed how he was able to move data (albeit, very slowly) between two air-gapped machines just using temperature changes of both infected machines. Something using built-in speakers and mics of two machines could also move data using ultrasonic audio. If this is a targeted attack looking for a specific piece of information, a private key perhaps, you wouldn't need to transfer the information very long before someone notices.

    All of these air-gapped exploits pretty much rely on people clicking things they shouldn't or plugging things in to other things they shouldn't but the hard part is getting back out of the air-gapped network.

  19. Re:Hand in your nerd card on Energy Company Trials Computer Servers To Heat Homes · · Score: 1

    They are computer programmers, not computer engineers.

  20. Lock the phone as in require a password to unlock. My phone is "locked" in my pocket but not with a password, its a slide to unlock kind of thing.

  21. Re:Eqaul Protection on $56,000 Speeding Ticket Issued Under Finland's System of Fines Based On Income · · Score: 1

    First offense for 20mph over the speed limit is $1050, second offense will probably net you a felony and a $3000 fine. I wouldn't exactly call that a weekend out for your average middle class person.

  22. Re:not to defend this but... on Jeb Bush Publishes Thousands of Citizens' Email Addresses · · Score: 1

    The email records extend to Dec 31, 2006. There are a couple days into Jan that you can click on but there are no emails on those days. If you bothered to actually click the link, you would have seen that he didn't publish anything that occured after the end of his term.

  23. Re:Get your own on Smartphone Attachment Can Test For HIV In 15 Minutes · · Score: 5, Informative

    The device has replacable cassettes that contain the reagents for the testing. To develop a device like this only to have it capable of spreading infection would be an incredibly stupid oversight.

  24. Re:Target audience? on Smartphone Attachment Can Test For HIV In 15 Minutes · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm guessing the target audience is medical workers in poorer countries with limited access to labratory equipment to test for these diseases. The local doctor can come to the village with their smartphone, this device, and a bunch of clean needles for it. The more mobile and cheaper medical equipment can be, the easier it is to care for people. This doesn't address the idea of safe sex though, its just a piece of test equipment.

  25. Re: I tried the switch also on Switching From Microsoft Office To LibreOffice Saves Toulouse 1 Million Euros · · Score: 1

    I had a class this semester where the professor distributed homework in .docx format. LibreOffice had the worst time displaying even the simpler circuit diagrams that were made using Smart Art. Even if I converted the document to PDF, the screwed up formatting would carry over. I ended up finding out that Dropbox would convert any docx to PDF when you would preview the document in your browser. The formatting Dropbox would display was identical to how the document was displayed in MS Office so I would just save that PDF and work off of that.

    On Linux, the problem was even more of a pain. Any of the .pptx he used in lecture would have really weird fonts (font size was either too big or too small) when I would open them in Libre. I found out that I didn't have any of the MS ttf fonts installed but even after installing those, the slides still weren't exactly right. These were both slides that he had made himself and slides that were given out from the publisher of our textbook.