Slashdot Mirror


User: maop

maop's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
178
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 178

  1. Think again on Can You Be Sued for Quitting? · · Score: 1

    Assuming that the employee will give substandard work is an insult. Both sides should expect that other will maintain professional behavior at all times. Doing the opposite would be worse for morale.

  2. Derivative or not on PostgreSQL vs. MySQL comparison · · Score: 1
    They could try it and IANAL but IMO they would easily win as long as the client software is not closely coupled with MySQL by using queries that do not rely on:
    • Communication of internal MySQL data (but only standard SQL compliant data formats).
    • Stored procedures that are not GPL.
  3. Re:Foreign Keys on PostgreSQL vs. MySQL comparison · · Score: 1

    Based on the GPL FAQ you could also use a socket interface and the software would still be considered "aggregate programs" and not linked modules unless "the semantics of the communication are intimate enough, exchanging complex internal data structures, that too could be a basis to consider the two parts as combined into a larger program." MySQL is probably claiming that making various queries constitutes exchange of complex internal structures. I would disagree with this and label it as communication between separate programs if the data exchange is that of formated data as expected from any other standard SQL RDBMS implementation.

  4. Re:Simulation? on Is the Universe a Hall of Mirrors? · · Score: 1

    Where does the Lord Jesus fit into this?

  5. Re:What's a "progressive Christian"? on Wal-Mart Asked to Drop Christian Video Game · · Score: 1

    There is hardly any "hatred" at Slashdot. This is one of the most tame discussion sites I have ever seen. Get off your high-horse.

  6. Re:Will I pay more for better quality? on Does Portable Music Have to be Compressed? · · Score: 1

    You notice the difference because Metal is not very big on using melody. The listener therefore concentrates on other elements of the Metal song which IMO doesn't have much to do with music by themselves.

  7. Re:16-bit/44kHz is already "lossy" on Does Portable Music Have to be Compressed? · · Score: 1

    I guess if you lived when only wax recordings were available you'd be one angry prick.

  8. Re:RA storage vs WORM type storage on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 1

    I wouldn't worry so much. We all make gaffes once in a while.

  9. Re:Whats all the fuss about? on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 1

    I'm skeptical. The perceived lack of problems could be just the lack of an extensive media to report the problems. Electronic voting without safeguards is inherently insecure.

  10. Re:RA storage vs WORM type storage on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 2, Informative
    What kind of computer scientist doesn't understand that with any random access storage there is a risk of accidental or intentional destruction or alteration, at any time, in a random fasion. That's why it's called uhh random access. Hello? This is like a CS 101 second week quiz question. They even still call it RAM!
    That is NOT why they call it random access. They call it random access because memory can be accessed just as easily (with smallish time variation) no matter the order of memory locations requested.
  11. Re:Paper trails vs. paper ballots on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 1

    The machines could be used to help the blind vote and detect over-voting and other selection mistakes.

  12. Re:Best solution I've seen on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 1

    Thanks for pointing out that potential hurdle. I hadn't thought of that myself.

  13. Re:Paper voting! on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 2, Informative

    Or you could use a pen and an optical scanner like the entire state of New Mexico did.

  14. Re:Legitimate copy of Windows XP on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thats why the voting machines should not keep track of any results. The voting machines should just print out a ballot with your choices you selected from the touchscreen. The tally should be done at the optical scanner that scans in the printed ballots. The optical scanner/tabulator software of course should be bulletproof and not easily modifiable. The physical security issue would be easier in this case and the real records are always the paper ballots with the tabulator output as the intermediate records.

  15. Re:Paper records on Feds to Recommend Paper Trail for Electronic Votes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    First of all the paper document in the HBO documentary that was fixed to show incorrect results was produced by a central tabulator computer that reads aggregate results from memory cards. If the individual voting machines print out a paper trail of each voter then the the individual voters can catch the erroneous paper trails. This is not true if only the central tabulator machines have paper trails. So this recommended solution is totally different than the situation in the HBO documentry.

    Secondly each electronic voting machine can be equipped to output paper records that can be scanned optically. The paper record outputted is checked by the voter and then it is summited to optical scanner where then and only then it is counted. Therefore you can have the benefits of electronic selection of votes and paper records that are transparent to the voter and can be recounted.

  16. Re:Many FF fans would say... on Firefox 2.0 Password Manager Bug Exposes Passwords · · Score: 1
    The password manager should only fill in the password on the actual page you have entered it on before. This is just common sense.

    Even if the password manager saved passwords specific to pages (rather than domain specific) the exploit can still work if the page that allows a login also allows user created content.

  17. And on California Supreme Court OKs Web Libel Immunity · · Score: 1

    5. Nobody gives a fuck because people are skeptical about anonymous postings to the internet.

  18. Re:Sore loser on Rumsfeld Stepping Down · · Score: 1

    OMG, we fucking won.

  19. Re:Trollish but valid point on Building a Better Voting Machine · · Score: 1

    Most people back then were iliterate. This is one of the reasons why we have a republic and not a democracy. Although all people did not have voting rights, electorate back then was White males only, but at least property ownership was not required. The Founding Fathers were not putocrats.

  20. Re:Surprise, surprise. on Boot Linux, BSD, and OS X from Vista · · Score: 1

    Yeah I do have each OS on a different HD. The nice thing is you can get a high quality 250GB HD for $90.

  21. Re:Surprise, surprise. on Boot Linux, BSD, and OS X from Vista · · Score: 1

    Windows does not overwrite any partition that you do not tell it to. It just overwrites the MBR and the partition you choose to put Windows on. Install Windows and then your old boot loader.

  22. Re:Including "innovation" is dangerous. on Comprehensive Projection of World Oil Exports · · Score: 1

    What law of economics says that the transition to an alterative fuel will be smooth, there will be no turmoil, and no one will die?

  23. Re:Yeah, I Phrased That Badly on Wii Will Have an Updatable Linux OS · · Score: 1

    You don't seem to understand software or operating systems. Oracle is a self-contained database management system. Why would it have to link to any GPLed software on the Linux Platform? An application program doesn't link to the Linux kernel: it would only use kernel's services through system calls which is not considered linking.

  24. Re:As soon as you have people willing to cheat.. on Will the Next Election Be Hacked? · · Score: 1

    The paper records are the master copy which are counted when necessary. The voter can look at the paper before casting. As someone else said you cannot just lump all "paper methods" together say they have the same error. The new electronic Diebold machines also have fundemental flaws in designed that allow a virus to spread.

  25. Re:1GB is more than enough ? ... not for me on The Troubles With the Yahool Mail Beta · · Score: 1

    Maybe OCD.