Lies. AACS hasn't been cracked at all, and the last freely available processing key was found many months ago (AnyDVD has the latest one). BD+ also hasn't been circumvented (except maybe by AnyDVD - not sure about that).
Bikes aren't stabilised by the gyroscopic effect of the wheels (although it does have some effect at high speed).
The way you actually stay upright is by feedback - when you start to fall towards the right you steer right, such that the bike rolls underneath your centre of gravity again. Or to put it another way, if you start falling right, you start turning in a right circle so that the centrifugal force pushes you upright again.
One of the mechanics professors at Cambridge (Hugh Hunt) made a bike that has wheels with no net angular momentum (they have counter-rotating weights) and you can still ride it.
True, and people also think more things are subjective than they are.
UI responsiveness, complexity and bugginess can all be measured quantitatively. And the project management is strictly worse than the normal way it is done.
Well if you can put up with a stupidly complicated and slow UI, annoying project organisation and a healthy sprinkling of null pointers, I guess you might like it.
I agree they are bad, but even worse are sites where *every* link just goes to a generic search of that site. Engadget and phoronix spring to mind; Engadget are particularly bad. For example, look at the recent article about unused radio space:
"_Just as we suspected_ earlier this month, the _Federal Communications Commission_ has voted unanimously (that's five yeas and zero nays, if you need a specific tally) in favor of using the unlicensed _whitespace_ airwaves for what it calls a "super WiFi" of sorts."
"Just as we suspected" links to a previous Engadget article; fair enough. But you might expect any reasonable website to link "Federal Communications Commission" to fcc.gov, and "whitespace" to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spaces_(radio)
Where does engadget link them to?
engadget.com/tag/fcc engadget.com/tag/whitespace
Totally useless. They blatantly use it to try to improve their pagerank. I would hope google is smarter than to fall for that though.
1. Fair enough. 2,3. True this is a 'sometimes'. 4. Standard price in the UK is 10p/text, 20-40p/minute, so it is the same as a 15-30 second phone call. How much are your calls? I'd guess more than 40c/minute (prepaid). Obviously included texts and minutes are way cheaper. 5. Often. "Free for a drink tonight?" Maybe if not if you don't have any friends though...:-P 6. Voicemail isn't even close being as good as texts. They are a massive hassle to access and listen to. Contacts->Voicemail->Dial->"You have.... one.... new message. To hear this message, press one. To del... ONE new message. *beep*. 'Uh hi... it's dave. Just calling to ask if you're free to go out for a drink tonight. Give me a call.' To delete this message press one. To lis.." ARGH! With a text you just press 'Read' and it's all there. 7. Often. Every time anyone gives you directions/an address/a phone number/etc.
You don't SEEM to understand that the $5/month buys you X number of texts to use (I guess around 300 for that money). Obviously you can still text if you don't pay that, it will just cost you 10p per text (or whatever it is in America, 25c I seem to recall?).
You're right, if you have a decently paying job, the savings are relatively negligible. Not everyone does though, and that was only one reason.
1. You don't have to talk to the person. 2. It allows them time to think and come up with a good response. 3. You don't have to listen to them thinking. 4. It's cheaper. 5. You can send the same text to more than one person. 6. They can reply at their leisure if they are busy. 7. You have a written record of their response. 8. You don't annoy other people by talking (e.g. on a train).
Need more?
Of course there are times when a call is more appropriate, e.g. if you need an instant answer, or want to negotiate something. And 200 texts a day is insane to the point that I don't believe it.
The summary is wrong. Blu-ray is about as un-cracked as it could be. No flaws in AACS have been found and basically the only way to decrypt the latest BDs is with AnyDVD, a commercial product that needs constant updating to keep up with the new keys and BD+ changes.
The funny thing is, it costs 20c to send and 20c to receive texts in the US with a US SIM, but with a UK SIM roaming in the US it is actually very slightly cheaper! 39c to send, free to receive.
The snag is that you can't - afaik - run a native application directly, it has to be done via Java/Dalvik and calling the native code via JNI. And also the NDK has no libraries to access the user interface.
True, although you can access OpenGL from native code now. Still, the java wrapper/JNI stuff is a massive pain in the arse.
With that said, to use one of the greatest applications ever, you must compromise your privacy and security
Must? It didn't used to be like this. Back in 2005ish before they added apps, Facebook Connect and so on, it was perfectly secure. In fact, that's why people used it.
Most people only put their photos and personal details on there because it was impossible for anyone other than your friends to see them. That's more or less still the case, but now any of your friends can fuck up and allow stupid apps access to your stuff.
I downloaded it. It still only has the old actions (Navigate To, Map Of, Call). None of the new ones work (Listen to, send text to, note to self, etc.), even if it recognises what you say correctly.:-(
Indeed. "Custom versions of Android can be easily created" gets reported as "Android vulnerable to rootkits!", but "Huge security flaw in mobile safari" gets reported as "Unlock your iPhone 4!"
Slashdot Mirror
"For example, in many states a rear-end collision is always the fault of the last car."
Wait, are you saying that it isn't?
"BluRay itself is (all but) cracked"
Lies. AACS hasn't been cracked at all, and the last freely available processing key was found many months ago (AnyDVD has the latest one). BD+ also hasn't been circumvented (except maybe by AnyDVD - not sure about that).
Bikes aren't stabilised by the gyroscopic effect of the wheels (although it does have some effect at high speed).
The way you actually stay upright is by feedback - when you start to fall towards the right you steer right, such that the bike rolls underneath your centre of gravity again. Or to put it another way, if you start falling right, you start turning in a right circle so that the centrifugal force pushes you upright again.
One of the mechanics professors at Cambridge (Hugh Hunt) made a bike that has wheels with no net angular momentum (they have counter-rotating weights) and you can still ride it.
I agree, although they could have omitted all the "you know"'s and so on...
True, and people also think more things are subjective than they are.
UI responsiveness, complexity and bugginess can all be measured quantitatively. And the project management is strictly worse than the normal way it is done.
Ah so they'll always hash your iris scan, just like how websites always hash your password. /s
Well if you can put up with a stupidly complicated and slow UI, annoying project organisation and a healthy sprinkling of null pointers, I guess you might like it.
I've never used Objective C. It may be rubbish too!
You're right though, my main objection is with Eclipse, which is one of the... no it *is* the worst IDE I've ever used.
Also you have to pay $100 *per year*. Android is $25 once.
On the other hand Java and Eclipse are shit.
The real problem though are the link shorteners
I agree they are bad, but even worse are sites where *every* link just goes to a generic search of that site. Engadget and phoronix spring to mind; Engadget are particularly bad. For example, look at the recent article about unused radio space:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/23/fcc-votes-unanimously-in-favor-of-using-whitespace-for-super-wi/
"_Just as we suspected_ earlier this month, the _Federal Communications Commission_ has voted unanimously (that's five yeas and zero nays, if you need a specific tally) in favor of using the unlicensed _whitespace_ airwaves for what it calls a "super WiFi" of sorts."
"Just as we suspected" links to a previous Engadget article; fair enough. But you might expect any reasonable website to link "Federal Communications Commission" to fcc.gov, and "whitespace" to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spaces_(radio)
Where does engadget link them to?
engadget.com/tag/fcc
engadget.com/tag/whitespace
Totally useless. They blatantly use it to try to improve their pagerank. I would hope google is smarter than to fall for that though.
1. Fair enough. :-P .... one .... new message. To hear this message, press one. To del... ONE new message. *beep*. 'Uh hi... it's dave. Just calling to ask if you're free to go out for a drink tonight. Give me a call.' To delete this message press one. To lis.." ARGH! With a text you just press 'Read' and it's all there.
2,3. True this is a 'sometimes'.
4. Standard price in the UK is 10p/text, 20-40p/minute, so it is the same as a 15-30 second phone call. How much are your calls? I'd guess more than 40c/minute (prepaid). Obviously included texts and minutes are way cheaper.
5. Often. "Free for a drink tonight?" Maybe if not if you don't have any friends though...
6. Voicemail isn't even close being as good as texts. They are a massive hassle to access and listen to. Contacts->Voicemail->Dial->"You have
7. Often. Every time anyone gives you directions/an address/a phone number/etc.
Really? If that's true it is totally crazy!
You don't SEEM to understand that the $5/month buys you X number of texts to use (I guess around 300 for that money). Obviously you can still text if you don't pay that, it will just cost you 10p per text (or whatever it is in America, 25c I seem to recall?).
You're right, if you have a decently paying job, the savings are relatively negligible. Not everyone does though, and that was only one reason.
1. You don't have to talk to the person.
2. It allows them time to think and come up with a good response.
3. You don't have to listen to them thinking.
4. It's cheaper.
5. You can send the same text to more than one person.
6. They can reply at their leisure if they are busy.
7. You have a written record of their response.
8. You don't annoy other people by talking (e.g. on a train).
Need more?
Of course there are times when a call is more appropriate, e.g. if you need an instant answer, or want to negotiate something. And 200 texts a day is insane to the point that I don't believe it.
The summary is wrong. Blu-ray is about as un-cracked as it could be. No flaws in AACS have been found and basically the only way to decrypt the latest BDs is with AnyDVD, a commercial product that needs constant updating to keep up with the new keys and BD+ changes.
Why? Their hardware is indisputably excellent. Find me a metal-bodied laptop with a nice large touch pad for £700 that isn't a Macbook Pro.
I do wish it didn't have that poncy apple cut-out though. Maybe I could cover it up with a sticker or something. :-P
Could?
The funny thing is, it costs 20c to send and 20c to receive texts in the US with a US SIM, but with a UK SIM roaming in the US it is actually very slightly cheaper! 39c to send, free to receive.
The snag is that you can't - afaik - run a native application directly, it has to be done via Java/Dalvik and calling the native code via JNI. And also the NDK has no libraries to access the user interface.
True, although you can access OpenGL from native code now. Still, the java wrapper/JNI stuff is a massive pain in the arse.
With that said, to use one of the greatest applications ever, you must compromise your privacy and security
Must? It didn't used to be like this. Back in 2005ish before they added apps, Facebook Connect and so on, it was perfectly secure. In fact, that's why people used it.
Most people only put their photos and personal details on there because it was impossible for anyone other than your friends to see them. That's more or less still the case, but now any of your friends can fuck up and allow stupid apps access to your stuff.
I downloaded it. It still only has the old actions (Navigate To, Map Of, Call). None of the new ones work (Listen to, send text to, note to self, etc.), even if it recognises what you say correctly. :-(
You only need to get one (specific) word right.
The problem of breaking reCAPTHCA is precisely the same problem as increasing computer OCR abilities
No it isn't. Well, not unless you read books with wavy crossed-out words and don't mind 30% accuracy.
Indeed. "Custom versions of Android can be easily created" gets reported as "Android vulnerable to rootkits!", but "Huge security flaw in mobile safari" gets reported as "Unlock your iPhone 4!"
Knowing the standard deviation would make statistics like this far more interesting and meaningful.
Only if it is normally distributed, which is very unlikely.