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User: csnydermvpsoft

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Comments · 405

  1. Re:Incompatibility on 60% of Americans Unaware of Looming Incandescent Bulb Phase Out · · Score: 1

    I installed similar switches in our previous house. We had no issues with CFLs. Perhaps some switches are better than others?

  2. Re:Get rid of those things on 60% of Americans Unaware of Looming Incandescent Bulb Phase Out · · Score: 1

    Heat Pumps don't work when it's below freezing.

    Incorrect. Heat pumps work at outdoor temperatures well below freezing. Their efficiency does get lower as the temperature drops, however - though there are advanced units that work at acceptable efficiencies at any temperature.

  3. At last on Startup Touts All-in-One Digital Credit Card · · Score: 1

    Finally - a "smart wallet" that would actually be more convenient to use (or at least no less convenient) than the credit cards I already have in my wallet.

  4. Re:Insurance on Atlanta Man Shatters Coast-to-Coast Driving Record, Averaging 98MPH · · Score: 1

    If you actually notified them of the modifications, I'm sure they would drop you in an instant.

  5. Re:No, bad on Car Hackers Mess With Speedometers, Odometers, Alarms and Locks · · Score: 1

    I'm quite certain that existing regulations regarding warranties, emissions, etc. already contain clauses that limit an automaker's liability in the event that the vehicle is tampered with. Otherwise, someone could cut out the catalytic converter from their car, sell it (for the precious metals), and have the automaker replace it under warranty. Computer-based modifications would fall under the same category.

  6. Re:It was already a dangerous site to visit ... on PHP.net Compromised · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's not that hard to be careful - just avoid the com.sun.* and sun.* namespaces. Eclipse even filters those out (of autocomplete and Organize Imports) in the default configuration.

  7. Re:Juno... email? on Juno Needs Radio Amateurs! · · Score: 1

    Given their history, that wouldn't be surprising. I remember having to disconnect my dial-up Internet connection so I could dial in to Juno's servers to retrieve my email...

  8. Re:vs gasoline cars on Tesla Model S Catches Fire: Is This Tesla's 'Toyota' Moment? · · Score: 1

    Not uncommon in older cities. My city (Grand Rapids, MI) is just getting close to finishing up a multi-decade, multi-hundred-million project to separate the two systems. It used to be that heavy rainfall would cause the sewage treatment plant to overflow. I know many other cities have faced similar challenges.

  9. Re:Because... on Why Are Some Hell-Bent On Teaching Intelligent Design? · · Score: 1

    I thing somewhere there's a calculation that indicates that, if Moore's Law continues, the probability that this universe is a simulation running on a computer is greater than the probability we're in "real life". But I can't help but instinctively think it's fanciful.

    That's a fascinating idea, but I don't understand how it could possibly work. How can you support the existence of such a computer using a characteristics of the "laws" inside of said computer? How would we know that the "real-world" laws of physics are anything like the supposed virtual ones that we experience?

  10. Re:Common arguments... on How Google, Tesla, and Uber Could Team Up For the Driverless Taxis of the Future · · Score: 1

    Self-driving cars don't rely on GPS alone. Sensors and image recognition could easily detect incorrect GPS readings and bad map data. The failure mode might not be optimal - perhaps the car would stop and signal an error (including sending a notification to the central office) - but it'd hardly be catastrophic.

  11. Re:Poor statistics on SSD Annual Failure Rates Around 1.5%, HDDs About 5% · · Score: 1

    Failing power supplies can do plenty of damage on their own, without triggering an obscure SSD failure mode. I had a power supply (a long time ago - I think it was an AT power supply [maybe even XT]) that took out a lot of other hardware as it failed; my guess is that it sent a voltage spike to the components.

    Though, it's been at least a decade since I've seen a power supply fail. I try to put all of my machines on good UPS's - a refurbished APC SmartUPS is not too pricey.

  12. Sad day on Disney Closes LucasArts · · Score: 2

    Sad day. Everyone be sure to raise a grog in their honor.

  13. Re:Yay, time for finger pointing on Japanese Probe Finds Miswiring of Boeing 787 Battery · · Score: 1

    Maybe in the future, they can just all use one bus, and get rid of the wiring.

    For power? How would that work?

  14. Re:Yay, time for finger pointing on Japanese Probe Finds Miswiring of Boeing 787 Battery · · Score: 1

    Not connecting most things would mean there can not be a fire.

    Unless the cooling fans, battery monitor system, etc. are among the things left disconnected...

  15. Re:Gamers are not idiots ... on The End Is Near for GameStop · · Score: 1

    Can you find me an activity in the real world that isn't like that, which is actually fun for adults? Just running around and pretending to shoot each other with sticks, climbing trees, etc. is not fun for adults.

    Depending on where you live, you likely have access to a variety of activities offered by your municipality and other local organizations. For instance, my city offers many classes and leagues covering a variety of activities and sports, and there are also activities offered at the local Kroc Center (run by the Salvation Army), YMCA, private clubs, etc.

    Or, you could go hiking. That's usually free and requires little equipment, at least for day-hikes. Or, ride a bike - a used one isn't very expensive. Or go running - a good pair of shoes (helpful to avoid injury) is around $100.

    All of these activities can be done for around the same price as one or two new games.

  16. Re:Can they change the way my Smart Phone GPS work on Group Kickstarting a High-Bandwidth Software Defined Radio (SDR) Peripheral · · Score: 1

    Many phone map apps don't do the route-finding on the device, even if they have the map data - they request the route from a remote server. The maps are for display only.

  17. Re:Why is this Sprint's problem? on Bug Sends Lost-Phone Seekers To Same Wrong Address · · Score: 1

    If I'm understanding it correctly, it's not an app on the phone - it's Sprint's network locating the phone (similar to how 911 geolocation works). The phone doesn't even have to be a smartphone.

  18. Not the first time on Bug Sends Lost-Phone Seekers To Same Wrong Address · · Score: 1

    This problem has also occurred in Grand Rapids, MI, also with Sprint. The most notable manifestation of this problem occurred while police were chasing a mass murderer a couple of years ago, and ended up at the wrong house:

    The homeowner, Jeff DeVries, married with two children, said neighbors called him at work, saying police were outside his home, guns drawn. He called police, who told him to come to the scene.

    Once he got there they went into the house and found only the dog, in its crate. His wife was at work and his kids were at daycare.

    The homeowner said there appears to be a network problem with Sprint. He said that for the last two months, people have been stopping by his home to say that they were told their phone was there. He had been trying to resolve it with the company, but to no avail.

  19. Re:Catan on World's Longest High-Speed Rail Line Opens In China · · Score: 2

    Don't worry, the U.S. will always make sure to spend all of our ore, sheep, and grain (working from memory here) to make sure that we maintain our hold on the Largest Army card.

  20. Re:doesn't work in most cases on Engineers Use Electrical Hum To Fight Crime · · Score: 2

    Decibels - not hertz.

  21. From a former poll worker on Ask Slashdot: How To Become Informed In Judicial Elections? · · Score: 1

    Please don't write-in a candidate unless you mean it - it can cause extra work for the already-stressed poll workers. For the optical scan machines that are in use in Michigan, any ballet with a write-in is sorted into a separate bin for manual processing; I'm guessing that many other such machines behave similarly (though I would guess that touchscreens don't require manual intervention). Any such "protest vote" will not go any further than your own feeling of accomplishment, the poll worker's annoyance, and perhaps a footnote on a precinct total. Find a different way to convey your dissatisfaction.

  22. Re:GM had a better design on Standard For Electric Car Charging Announced · · Score: 1

    I'll accept that you probably know more about it than I do. And, come to think of it, my Civic's battery was completely fine, so it doesn't really factor into the discussion anyways.

    I agree with your last paragraph, with one caveat: If your EV's battery is drained to the point that it can't power the computer, your battery bank is probably toast - those batteries don't like to be discharged that much. You can get the car going again, but your range will be significantly reduced.

  23. Re:GM had a better design on Standard For Electric Car Charging Announced · · Score: 1

    Yes, because one data point invalidates the statement that "most" can't. But we're all proud of your ability to push start the Civic.

    It doesn't invalidate your statement, but an anecdote does hold more weight than an assertion with no references given.

    I've push-started my Civic (2009 LX) as well, when I've been parked on a hill and wanted to do it for fun. When I realized that I might be damaging something, I stopped the practice, but it worked fine.

    That's two anecdotes now - doesn't that count as data? :-)

  24. Re:special request on Cancer-Detecting Bra Could One Day Surpass Mammograms In Accuracy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you stopped staring at her chest, maybe she'd eventually give you the chance to examine her bra more closely...

  25. Advice from my father on Ask Slashdot: Best Protection Plan For Your Phone? · · Score: 1

    My father gave me the following advice: "Insure against catastrophe, not inconvenience." If you can afford to replace a broken/stolen phone - even if it means buying a cheaper model/refurb, cutting back on a different luxury for a little while, or putting it on a 20% APR credit card - then the insurance isn't worth it. OTOH, if you truly can't afford to replace the phone (why did you buy a phone that far out of your budget in the first place?), then an insurance policy would be appropriate.

    As others have mentioned, insurance is, by design, a losing proposition for the customer. The only exceptions would be if the company has zero overhead (they don't) or if you can game the system (you can't). In cases where a potential loss would be life-altering, insurance is still worth it. If my house burned down, my life would be ruined without insurance. Likewise if I was sued by someone for ten million dollars after an auto accident - the lawyer fees alone would bankrupt me. Therefore, I have homeowners and auto coverage.