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  1. Exploring NFAs in parallel on The Double Life of Memory Exposed With Automata Processor · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, strictly speaking, you can already explore all paths of an NFA simultaneously. You simply convert it to a DFA, which each state representing a potential subset of states the NFA could be in. It requires exponentially more states, but the running time is equivalent.

  2. Re: Make it easy? on Tor Now Comes In a Box · · Score: 3, Informative

    One of the problems with that is that sometimes your real IP can leak out. For example, if you visit a page that installs the FBI's CIPAV malware, it will bypass Tor and report the real IP. If all traffic is routed through Tor by another device, this won't work.

  3. Re: Internet radio quality sucks. on Real-Time Radio Search Engine From Music Industry's Nemesis · · Score: 4, Informative

    High bitrate (128+ kbps) streams are almost always strictly better than FM. FM audio is band-limited to about 15 KHz so they have bandwidth for stereo (the 19 KHz pilot and 30 KHz of bandwidth around 38 KHz for the stereo signal).

    One other dirty little secret of the radio industry is that many studio-transmitter links are just 128 kbps ISDN links -- most of which are MP3, although newer equipment supports AAC as well. Additionally, while the exact codec of HD Radio is a trade secret, it's thought to be very similar to HE-AAC running at 96kbps. Even 64kbps HE-AAC sounds pretty good.

  4. Google announced this on Ask Slashdot: Has Gmail's SSL Certificate Changed, How Would We Know? · · Score: 5, Informative

    Back in May, Google announced that they would be making changes to their SSL/TLS certificates in the coming months: http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2013/05/changes-to-our-ssl-certificates.html

    If you use Chrome, Google's SSL certificates are pinned, so that gives you some additional assurance.

  5. Re:So why is it used in Windows? on Bill Gates Acknowledges Ctrl+Alt+Del Was a Mistake · · Score: 2

    Microsoft calls this the "secure attention sequence." I have heard that older PCs' keyboard interfaces would directly generate an interrupt on reception of ctrl+alt+del, but I can't find anything to back that up.

    Supposedly ctrl+alt+del was chosen to be the SAS in Windows NT because no existing app used it as a key combination.

  6. Re: Complete Failure on TSA Reminds You Not To Travel With Hand Grenades · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Deterrence is easy to measure if you're wiretapping everyone.

  7. Re: For those of you that don't RTFA... on TSA Reminds You Not To Travel With Hand Grenades · · Score: 1

    You're right -- liquids over 100ml are still not permitted through the checkpoint.

  8. Re:Some details on All Bitcoin Wallets On Android Vulnerable To Theft · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is exactly how the PS3 got thoroughly 0wned. I'm curious what the problem with SecureRandom is.

  9. The bigger issue... on All Bitcoin Wallets On Android Vulnerable To Theft · · Score: 5, Informative

    ... is that supposedly Android's "secure" random number generation... isn't. This could potentially affect much more than Bitcoin wallets.

    Does anyone know what the issue is? This article seems to suggest it's a vulnerability in the SecureRandom class, but no actual details.

  10. Re:They are in such demand on Microsoft Slashes Prices On Surface · · Score: 5, Informative

    The only content you can create on the Surface are Office docs. And only personal content -- use of the included Office software for any organization (including non-profits) requires a separate, full Office license.

  11. Re:Linux? on Microsoft Slashes Prices On Surface · · Score: 5, Informative

    No. The bootloader is locked down, and since there are code signing requirements for apps, you can't even run a VM.

  12. Yeah, those will last... on British Airways Set To Bring Luggage Tags Into the 21st Century · · Score: 1

    ... about 2 seconds.

  13. This sounds familiar... on 2 Men Accused of Trying To Make X-Ray Weapon · · Score: 2

    This sounds almost like what the government is already deploying. In one context, x-ray trucks are terrorism. In the other, they're part of the counter-terrorism effort.

    And yes, I know the doses would be different, but where do you draw the line?

  14. Re:Mass SMS? on AT&T Rolls Out iPhone Wireless Emergency Alerts · · Score: 1

    I believe these use Cell Broadcasts, which allows SMSes to be broadcast to all phones subscribed to them.

  15. Re:PRI? on Ask Slashdot: What Is the Future of Old Copper Pair Technology? · · Score: 1
  16. Re:Circuit switching is (almost) dead on Ask Slashdot: What Is the Future of Old Copper Pair Technology? · · Score: 1

    One interesting thing that episode mentioned is that Verizon is no longer selling ISDN BRI service.

  17. Circuit switching is (almost) dead on Ask Slashdot: What Is the Future of Old Copper Pair Technology? · · Score: 2

    It seems pretty clear to me that circuit switched networks will be phased out in the next 10 years. AT&T has petitioned the FCC to transition to an all-IP network by 2018. At that point, you might have virtual circuit-switched connections, but with none of the advantages of real circuit-switched networks or the cost savings of IP. Existing copper lines were never intended to carry much bandwidth, so while they're still used for last-mile access in many cases (e.g. DSL), going forward it seems like coax or fiber are going to be the only competitive technologies. I believe some telcos are already replacing twisted pair bundles damaged by Hurricane Sandy with fiber.

  18. Misinformation on Ex-Marine Detained Under Operation Vigilant Eagle For His Political Views Sues · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you read the linked article, it sounds like he was detained for making threats towards people in the federal government. Given his training, these threats have to be taken seriously.

  19. Re:Piracy on Adobe Creative Suite Going Subscription-Only · · Score: 1

    Why do you think they've left those CS2 download links up, despite tons of people believing Adobe is giving it away? If they cared, they could implement minimal serial number validation.

  20. What patents? on Rackspace Goes On Rampage Against Patent Trolls · · Score: 3, Interesting

    As I understand it, HDFS is just a clone of Google's GFS. What IP could Parallel Iron possibly own?

    Oh wait...

    "IP Nav told us that they could not divulge the details of their infringement claims -- not even the patent numbers or the patent owner -- unless we entered into a 'forbearance agreement' -- basically, an agreement that we would not sue them."

    So they probably have nothing. How is this legal?!

  21. It's not as crazy as you think... on We Didn't Need Google's Schmidt To Tell Us Android and Chrome Wouldn't Merge · · Score: 2

    Parts of Chrome and Android have always shared code (namely WebKit and some glue), but now Android is shipping Chrome as the default browser. The weird overlap is between Chrome OS and Android. Chrome OS is just Linux and Chrome... both of which are part of Android.

  22. Re:This is *Facebook* people, you're missing it on High Tech Vending Machines Transform IT Support At Facebook · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You might be joking, but they already implemented this years ago on the office keg: http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/27/facebook-buzz/

  23. Re:It's still smart to look clean... on Court: 4th Amendment Applies At Border, Password Protected Files Not Suspicious · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You can say a lot of bad things about the TSA, but the TSA does not give a crap about your data. That's Customs and Border Protection.

  24. Change your WPA keys on Ask Slashdot: Dealing With an Advanced Wi-Fi Leech? · · Score: 5, Informative

    WPS works by giving out your WPA keys, so if they've gotten in once through WPS, they will continue to have access.

  25. And Sony got into the console business... on Why Microsoft Got Into the Console Business · · Score: 2

    ... because Nintendo screwed them. Nintendo and Sony were jointly developing the CD add-on to the SNES (with Sony also building a combined SNES/CD machine named the Play Station). However, Nintendo dropped a bombshell on Sony at the '91 CES: they were severing their ties with Sony and instead partnering with Phillips to develop their CD technology.