Slashdot Mirror


User: Pvt_Waldo

Pvt_Waldo's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
368
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 368

  1. Agreed. I also have "computer glasses" that are all about the focus. They have close up prescription on the bottom, far at the top, and most of the middle is about arms length (monitor distance) focus. They are fantastic. Before that, I was tipping my head up with my progressives to get the focus, and found I did most of my work on the bottom half of the monitor as it was hard to focus on the top without a lot of head tipping.

  2. Where is waldo anyway? on Is This the Death of the Easter Egg? · · Score: 1

    I used to hide little waldo images in old maps for Day of Defeat. It was a lot of fun to do. Kinda had to stop once it went all commercial and such.

  3. Printers are another weak spot on Website Peeps Into 73,000 Unsecured Security Cameras Via Default Passwords · · Score: 1

    There are a lot of things you can do with some printers that enable web servers without any authentication at all. Print things, ask to do a scan (people forget things on scanners), view and modify contact lists for FAX and scan to email tools, etc. Definitely potential for "denial of ink and paper" attacks on a printer.

    IMO manufacturers should only allow local network access to these devices unless you explicitly set or modify the default login.

  4. We have assured the Administrator... on US Army To Transport American Ebola Victim To Atlanta Hospital From Liberia · · Score: 2

    SCIENTIST 1
    I'm afraid we'll be deviating a bit from standard analysis procedures today, Gordon.

    SCIENTIST 2
    Yes, but with good reason. This is a rare opportunity for us. This is the purest sample we've seen yet.

    SCIENTIST 1
    And potentially the most unstable!

    SCIENTIST 2
    Oh, if you follow standard insertion procedures, everything will be fine.

    SCIENTIST 1
    I don't know how you can say that. Although I will admit that the possibility of a resonance cascade scenario is extremely unlikely, I remain uncomfortable with the---

    SCIENTIST 2
    Gordon doesn't need to hear this. He's a highly trained professional. We have assured the Administrator that nothing will go wrong.

    SCIENTIST 1
    Ah yes, you're right. Gordon, we have complete confidence in you.

    SCIENTIST 2
    Well, go ahead. Let's let him in now.

  5. Re:Not about leaks on No RIF'd Employees Need Apply For Microsoft External Staff Jobs For 6 Months · · Score: 1

    Exactly. HP does this with contractors (2 years work, 100 days you can't work).

  6. Road trip movie on Little Miss Sunshine Screenwriter Gets Nod For Star Wars: Episode VII · · Score: 2

    Luke has been asked to help open a shopping mall but isn't allowed to fly anymore. So he goes to Han and Lea, asking if they'll fly him cross-galaxy in the Millennium Falcon, now a beat up old ship that's always getting passed on the Kessel run. Unexpectedly, Chewie shows up, having just gotten out of the hospital with a bad case of mange requiring him to shave off all his fur. Along the way there is joy and sadness tinged with melancholy over what was, and in the end they realize it's about their frienships and not mall openings or fur. Guest cameo by Chad Vader as manager of the grocery store in the mall.

  7. Impact on Microsoft Lync? on Microsoft Retiring Messenger, Replacing It With Skype · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder what the impact is on Lync? I would guess it's based on Messenger to some extent.

  8. Authorities deny second packet, let truth prevail! on Lone Packet Crashes Telco Networks · · Score: 1

    Check the Zapruder trace man, there was clearly a second packet on the grassy knoll! If you trace the first one, it came in via the ethernet port, out the USB, then back in via an SD card - which I say is impossible. Had to be a second packet.

  9. Hey Blueseed, ever gone out off CA in the winter? on Nearly 150 Companies Show Interest in the Tech Love Boat · · Score: 1

    For that matter, has your concept artist? That artwork is an absolute load of crap fantasy about what it's like out there. The weather can and will absolutely suck in the winter. And the summers may be nice(r), but you're not talking "lounging on the deck in your swimsuit". Seriously, what are you going to do if a storm blows up and it's 30's seas? Go into port while you close down all work? Watch your work force all call in sea sick?

    Here's a summary of Dec/Jan conditions from a NOAA buoy close to the proposed location...

    Average wind speed, 10 knots, with peak wind gusts up to 50 (and beyond) at times, which can create 25-30 foot seas. Trust me, 25-30 foot seas suck. You're not doing nothing but point the boat into the waves and riding it out. Average air temperature is about 53 degrees, with the water about the same, so forget swim calls. Maybe go out on deck for a big of an invigorating walk, but then it's back into the ship's interior. Even right now in Spring/Summer, it's blowing 15 knots and the air temperature is 51 degrees.

    This is from http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46012

  10. Sadly, the perfect location of Jamaica rejected on South Africa Wins Science Panel's Backing To Host SKA Telescope · · Score: 1

    With deep roots going back to the late 50's, I am saddened that Jamaica was not selected.

  11. If even strong passwords can get leaked... on Data Exposed In Stratfor Compromise Analyzed · · Score: 1

    ...what's the point of having a strong one?

    I'm wondering what's the biggest risk with passwords: having it hacked and either stored decrypted or decrypted later, or having someone guess it? I'm starting to think it's the former, which makes me think there's no point in super complex "try and guess THIS one!" passwords.

  12. GameMaker on Ask Slashdot: Tools For Teaching High School Kids How To Make Games? · · Score: 1

    As someone who's also been roped into the "teach game development" trap, my advice is to stay the heck away from programming and 3D and any other component that requires specialized skills. If you want the kids to actually finish something, then do what you can to make that happen. Not all of them will be programmers or artists, and you don't want to spend all your time teaching those skills. Plus, it's also pretty common for those that can't program (or model) very well to have really huge ideas that far outstrip their ability to actually deliver - which translates into never finishing.

    And to that end, my recommendation is GameMaker, from http://yoyogames.com/ There's a free version, it runs on PC and Mac, it's friendly to non-programmers and programmers alike, and easy to use. Tons of free resources available as well (from good to bad).

    If you DO want to move up to the higher production gaming style, consider modding. You can pick up a copy of FarCry for DIRT CHEAP, and it's a very modable game engine with lots of good documentation. Or consider modding Valve's Source (Half-Life 2) engine.

  13. Re:Why... on US Sentinel Drone Fooled Into Landing With GPS Spoofing · · Score: 1

    P codes give you better accuracy, no more.

  14. OP needs to think this through a bit more... on How 3D Printing Could Help Keep the ISS In Orbit · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The OP asks, "Why carry out a very expensive launch into space to resupply the ISS..." and the answer is pretty simple...

    It's expensive to boost mass up into orbit. 3D printers take raw materials to print with. It's either send up the raw materials for the 3D printer to use, or send up the finished product, and pay for that launch. One could I suppose harvest space junk and asteroids and use that material, but that's not going to come cheap either.

    Note, this is the truth of the ISS. Something like a base on Mars or the Moon, that's another story. Then it's worth figuring out how to utilize the local resources to feed a 3D printer.

  15. Drywall industry rejoices! on NASA's Gypsum Find Clear Evidence There Was Water On Mars · · Score: 2

    Now I know who will be the first to industrialize Mars.

  16. Wonder if you actually get the $1.50? on Ticketmaster Customers, Get Ready For Your (Tiny) Class-Action Payout · · Score: 1

    I just got a check for some odd EBay related class action. Total reward to me was something like $1.60, but my total disbursement was a whopping $0.08 after I assume "processing and legal fees". Just to be irritating and get my money's worth, I thought I should call up the contact number and ask lots of questions so I get my money's worth from the lawyers.

  17. Assign homework and make it open book on Tough Tests Flunk Good Programming Job Candidates · · Score: 1

    The last job interview I had gave me homework to do. They pointed me to a public dataset, and had me write a web-app that could read and display it. Language, tools, platform, etc. didn't matter. Even getting it all done didn't matter. But I had to explain why I chose what I did, and how I would have implemented the parts I didn't finish.

    This is pretty much like the real world is - where it's an open book kind of world. Where you can Google, grab open source libs, etc. A job where you couldn't look things up would be a kind of odd one.

  18. Blomkamp's Tetra Vaal on Boston Dynamics' PETMAN Humanoid On Video · · Score: 2

    A comparison to make here is with Neill Blomkamp's pre District 9 work, the Tetra Vaal short.

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6645931304419661379

  19. Trust on Ask Slashdot: Low-Cost Tools To Track Employees' Web Use? · · Score: 1

    Some people say it's over rated, but give it a try. It's also open source! Careful though because it can make you think about things.

  20. Re:Posters on Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day · · Score: 1

    Don't put up the posters unless you've got the guts to call them cretins to their faces. And don't be surprised at the reaction you get.

  21. He should have used Redstone on Building a Telegraph Using Only Stone Age Materials · · Score: 1

    I know it's hard to find and there are often zombies and spiders near by, but he should just have mined some redstone and used it instead.

  22. This game wasn't developed by NASA on Why NASA's New Video Game Misses the Point · · Score: 1

    It's important to point out that this game was NOT funded by NASA nor was it designed or built by them. It was done by the same team that did America's Army. All NASA has done is give them permission to put NASA's "stamp of approval" on the game. It's up to the developer to figure out how they are going to make it into a profitable game and pay for it.

    Which of course is actually WORSE than the idea of NASA funding it. The developers are showing little understanding of how to create a game that has broader appeal let alone a feasible business model or revenue model that will fund it's continued development and growth.

    And it also is commentary on NASA that they've managed to allow a dog of a game concept to have their name on it.

    NASA would be far more successful to get the message out that "space is cool" and "science and math is important" if they'd encouraged development of "Farmville on Mars" or "Evony on Mars minus the combat"

  23. Re:Another fine example of government in action on Why NASA's New Video Game Misses the Point · · Score: 1

    This game was NOT funded by NASA nor was it designed or built by them. It was done by the same team that did America's Army.

    All NASA has done is give them permission to put NASA's "stamp of approval" on the game. It's up to the developer to figure out how they are going to make it into a profitable game and pay for it.

    Which of course is actually WORSE than the idea of NASA funding it. The developers are showing little understanding of how to create a game that has appeal let alone a feasible business model or revenue model that will fund it's continued development and growth.

  24. Always wondered about ARSC's bill on Using the Sea To Cool Your Data Center · · Score: 1

    During the winter, does the Arctic Regional Supercomputing Center spend money (energy) heating their offices while cooling off their computers at the same time?

  25. Re:Shuttle Derived Vehicles are much more interest on Alternative Orion Missions Proposed · · Score: 1

    Good point. The Orion itself is a nice little pod for sending up a group of people. The catch is getting that little pod up there! And as another poster points out, there's the Dragon module.