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User: Garridan

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Comments · 1,057

  1. Re:Dependencies on Ask Slashdot: Feature Requests For Epoch Init System 1.3.0? · · Score: 1

    Sounds like you don't know what a topological sort is. Look it up. True, it's designed for a single processor, but the parallel approach is essentially the same: if you have a thread free, take the first thing in the list whose deps are all satisfied. It'll finish faster than a priority system, it's more robust, and much easier to configure.

  2. Re:Funny, that spin... on What AI Experts Think About the Existential Risk of AI · · Score: 1

    Regulation would affect companies too

    Funniest thing I've read this week!

  3. Re:I guess that if a Mathematician... on A Beautiful Mind Mathematician John F. Nash Jr. Dies · · Score: 1

    So, you're related to some asshole who was one of a faceless hoard fighting against Obama, pushing to maintain the status quo on the ramp-up of nuclear armament? I'd want to stay anonymous, too.

  4. Re:Funny, that spin... on What AI Experts Think About the Existential Risk of AI · · Score: 2

    Spin, sure, but it's a waay bigger minority than I expected. I'd even say even shockingly large.

    Shockingly? I think it's good that we have experts in a field developing high-impact tools who are pessimistic about the uses of those tools. If 100% were like "yeah guys no sweat, we got this!" then I would be more concerned. The result of this poll, in my mind, is that we have a healthy subset who are going to be actively working towards making AI safe.

  5. Re:Funny, that spin... on What AI Experts Think About the Existential Risk of AI · · Score: 2

    Do you mean "noted AI experts Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk," or do you mean "noted celebrities Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk"? Because I think you just conflated the latter with the former, and only the former holds weight.

  6. Funny, that spin... on What AI Experts Think About the Existential Risk of AI · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The summary really emphasizes the minority opinion, "and only a slight majority said it would be a net positive." As if "only a slight majority" is not the majority opinion.

  7. Re:Only geeks can vote? on Researchers Devise Voting System That Seems Secure, But Is Hard To Use · · Score: 2

    Probably not. The authors made the newbie mistake of saddling their scheme with purpose-built crypto. They make a slight nod to the danger of this in the appendix, and sweep it under the rug (IND-CPA is nice and all, but it's not a proof of security). Experience says that they're overrating the security of their system, and there's a good chance it's broken. Thus, geeks will think they're voting, but The Man will actually be doing the voting for them.

  8. Re:Yeah, disappointing on Men's Rights Activists Call For Boycott of Mad Max: Fury Road · · Score: 5, Funny

    Itâ(TM)s whether men in America and around the world are going to be duped by explosions, fire tornadoes, and desert raiders into seeing what is guaranteed to be nothing more than feminist propaganda, while at the same time being insulted AND tricked into viewing a piece of American culture ruined and rewritten right in front of their very eyes.

    Is that message "Australia is a crucial part of the USA"? I'm a little confused.

  9. Re:hardly surprising on Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Gets Death Penalty In Boston Marathon Bombing · · Score: 1

    Right, cut out the expensive appeals process. Remove the sliver of legitimacy and watch the innocent death rate climb. My primary problem with the death penalty is the certainty that we kill innocent people. Second is a difference of opinion with our criminal justice system: I think we should optimize human wellbeing, not just focus on punishment. Third is a desire to keep our government out of the business of killing civilians or causing civilians to be killed.

    But people aren't persuaded by moral or ethical considerations. Big Government Wasting Money... now that makes people mad.

  10. Re:hardly surprising on Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Gets Death Penalty In Boston Marathon Bombing · · Score: 2

    Stupid fuckin capitol punishment is dumbass bullshit. Costs billiontards of dollars, kills innocents around 5% of the time. Lock 'em up and throw away the key for pennies on the dollar!

  11. Re:Two possible outcomes on Senators Demand CIA Director Admit He Lied About Spying On Senate Computers · · Score: 1

    Well, a 'Oh, shucks, a bad thing happened, that sucks.' press release isn't precisely 'nothing', but it's about what I expect.

  12. Re:Talk to us first if you wish to patent the chan on Imagination To Release Open MIPS Design To Academia · · Score: 1

    I don't think that your statement of a generality applies to the specific, Bruce. The modifier "if you want to patent the changes" must not be discounted. So if you write a research paper on how you can tweak their architecture to produce some feature, you can simply elect not to patent it. If somebody else tries to patent the same thing, even the company in question, your research is prior art that anybody can use to strike the patent down.

    As an academic who has done patentable research, I can tell you that universities are keenly interested in building their IP portfolios. And any informed patent holder knows that any violation must be prosecuted, or the validity of the patent evaporates. End result: taxpayers getting sued for violating patents generated 100% within universities with public funding. No company need get involved.

    I don't know what century you live in... but universities operate like large corporations these days. They mistreat and underpay their workers as much as the law allows, they build massive IP portfolios, they pay their executives millions of dollars... I could go on.

  13. Re:Wow on George Lucas Building Low-Income Housing Next Door To Millionaires · · Score: 1
    Altruism, what? This has "company town" written all over it.

    The housing complexes would be next door to Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. They will consist of two- and three-bedroom homes for low-income families.

    He's building low-income housing so his low-income code monkeys have a shorter commute. So they can spend more time at work.

  14. Re: Ask the former residents of East Germany on The Upsides of a Surveillance Society · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What? There are upsides to everything! "Excuse me, Office of the Panopticon! How does this outfit look?" "It's okay, but your shirt is untucked in the back. I'm not a big fan of the yellow, but historic data seems to show that your style works for you. Good luck on your third date tonight! You might want to pick up the tab tonight, though. Your intended has told her friends that you might be a cheapskate."

  15. Re:I suggest a million dollar fine on Amazon Requires Non-Compete Agreements.. For Warehouse Workers · · Score: 1
    Did you read that clause?

    (or intended to be sold, offered, or otherwise provided by Amazon in the future)

    No matter what job the employee tries to get, all Amazon would have to do is draw up some business plan to enter that field. With the increasing trend of privitization of government services, not even public sector jobs are safe. This is an 18-month unemployment clause, plain and simple.

  16. Re:lol Weinersmith on Interviews: Ask SMBC's Creator Zach Weiner a Question · · Score: 2

    Seriously, though. Weinersmith! How did it come to pass that yourwife opt to took this incredibly amazing name, mid-academic-career, and you didn't with your awesome career that could only benefit from having the name Weinersmith?

  17. Re:I know it is a bit late in life... on Number of Legal 18x18 Go Positions Computed; 19x19 On the Horizon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Damn, if only I had mod points. I'm so happy to be aware of your curiosity surrounding GP's chess skills, interest in Go, and metal capacity. I was wondering if anybody else had been wondering these things about GP, but had been afraid to ask if I was the only one. Your post has given me validation, and I now have a reason to live to see tomorrow. What a wonderful and supportive community we have here. Keep up the good work, anonymous champion!

  18. Re:rip off on Make Those Brown Eyes Blue · · Score: 1

    Nope. That's return on investment. The inventor invested time & money. The clinic that bought the device did so with money. The technician who operates the device invested time & money into their education. Everybody wants to make a profit.

    If this was an AIDS vaccine or something, I'd say "yeah man, but the greater good!" But this is a device invented to efficiently separate fools from their money. More power to 'em.

  19. Re:rip off on Make Those Brown Eyes Blue · · Score: 1

    Psssst! Buddy! I've got a laser. I'll shine it in your eyes and turn 'em blue for $5!

    Dumbass. The $5k is called Return on Investment.

  20. Re:WTF on Ultra-Low Power Radio Transceiver Enables Truly Wireless Earbuds · · Score: 1

    5. Can passively cancel ambient noise without looking like Princess Leia.

    Aaaand, that's where you lost my attention.

  21. Re:directory recursion simple example of WHY and h on AP Test's Recursion Examples: An Exercise In Awkwardness · · Score: 1

    Indeed, recursion is just looping with a stack. When you need a stack, recurse. Otherwise, loop. Contrary to TFS, there is clear reasoning behind a competent programmer's choice. The viewpoint of this being a capricious choice made at the "preference" of the programmer suggests that the submitter doesn't understand the vast differences in the internal impelementations of various languages.

  22. Re:They have nothing else more important to do? on NYPD Creates Fake Social Media Profiles To Track Loud Parties, Underage Drinking · · Score: 1

    Freedom to speak, yes. Freedom to shout at all hours of the night, impinging your neighbors' health and peace of mind, no.

    Just in the same way that you have the freedom to write what you want... but only on things you own. You can't just scratch "Obama is a Muslin Satinist" on your neighbor's car and claim "free speech".

  23. Re: There are really good options today. on Ask Slashdot: Automated Tool To OCR CCGs Like Magic: the Gathering? · · Score: 1

    The submitter is collecting magic cards, and cataloging them for resale. Sounds "for profit" to me... and not like that fact is hidden.

  24. Re:There are really good options today. on Ask Slashdot: Automated Tool To OCR CCGs Like Magic: the Gathering? · · Score: 1

    The submitter is actually handling meatspace items. RTFS: price checking, grading, sorting, etc.

  25. Re:Hmm... I thought it was *my* vehicle. on Automakers Move Toward OTA Software Upgrades · · Score: 1

    I'm tempted to agree with this. Automatic updates are largely a good thing. Assuming the patches are good. Assuming that you have control over when they're applied. Assuming they don't brick your car overnight, while charging, while driving. Assuming your car isn't bundled with spyware now that it's always-on. Assuming that your car will even move if it can't connect to the internet (I'm looking at you, Sony).