Note that at the moment it's limited to users in North America and Europe, which limits us poor Aussies...
Also note that despite being available for Firefox (yay!) it's only available on Windows (booo...) - no support for Macs or Linux. That would have to be my only (minor) gripe with Google - they don't develop any applications for the minority. Of course, I understand why, but these are people that tend to be quite loyal, and since no-one else is really developing these things...
It should be pointed out that at the moment this technology is limited to sites linked by a fibre optic cable along which the entangled photons (which ultimately form the key) are sent. They claim that it can work over a 120km section.
For this to be really useful, you would need to be able to send the photons via satellite, something which is hard as the interaction with the environment along the way can destroy the entangled state. This would probably be interpreted the same as eavesdropping, further muddling the water. Physicists are indeed trying to get this to work, but it may take some time.
Not that I want to egg them on, but this is an eggstremely interesting eggsample of geneggic research. It eggstends the life of these species, so they can eggsist longer, before they eggsit this life. I hope they eggsplore the eggconomical option for less eggspensive procedures, and eggsceed their eggspectations.
Someone post the home address and phone number of the people who ran this survey so that we can take our revenge!
(Note I don't actually think that the survey people are at fault. But it's just a bit hard to get the phone numbers of every person who voted for cencorship...)
Although vandals are rare, it's not inconceivable that across their entire page set there would be at least one vandalised page. Kind of unfortunate if that gets included in the DVDs!
Anyone know if they have any way of stopping this?
Just so we're clear, the article says that the majority of the price is going towards production costs and paying amazon. But if you're cheap, and really want a DVD set, then you can just download the images off "various websites", presumably to burn at your leisure.
It's hard to get a more friendly distribution method than that!
One can't help but wonder whether there's a self fulfilling element to these sort of prophecies - do computer manafacturers feel pressure to adhere to Moore's law? Is it a challenge to keep up? Or is it really just chance?
Also, for the record as a physicist, quantum computers won't remove the need for conventional computers in most areas - a big thing is (as I understand it) that they're not programmable, and have to be built to a certain specification. Therefore, classical computers will always have their use.
Windows: Works really well, provided you're just getting shot in the chest. As soon as you try to do something more complicated like getting shot in the head or foot, the "Blue screen of death" takes on a whole new meaning...
Linux: No batteries for the shock are needed, as the frustration of trying to get the hardware to interface with linux everytime you're shot is far more painful.
SCO: The software comes with a variety of legal services built in so you can sue about that "unknown" heart condition.
Mac: Never has it been so easy to administer high voltage electric shocks to your hips.
The problem comes when they decide to make it wireless for maximum flexibility, but use an insecure network. Next thing you know, soldiers and hard-core gamers everywhere are dropping like flies...
But then again, that's completely unrealistic. No-one in this day and age would have an easily hacked network, right?
That's a good point - what would have happened if the teacher had recorded the grades on paper while marking (I do!), and she had broken in the teacher's office and changed the grades before they had been entered into the computer? Would she have been charged with breaking and entering? Or just "cheating", and been expelled?
Better yet, what if she had rung security saying she had locked her keys in "her" office. Security at my university rarely asks for ID (and they don't know whose office it is, anyway) and they just open the door, and in she goes. Changes the grades on paper, and away she goes. What then?
Many of the comments so far (somewhat ironically) raise an important point about scientists presenting this sort of research. With Michael Crichton writing rubbish about swarms of nanobots becoming conscious and the public's general mistrust of new science, I think we should be thinking about how to present this sort of research in a positive, non-threatening light. Even the word "swarm" inspires up images of killer bees and generally all-round badness.
Of course, I don't have the answer, and the press release was rather well written, but the problem is that editors (no offense, Slashdot overlords) need catchy = sensational titles to sell stories, and "swarm" really gets peoples attention. As does anything with the words nuclear, cloning, genetic engineering or any combination of the three.
Hmm! Never thought about "blackmailing" them like that! My card is no fees, but if it ever comes about that they want to charge them, then I might give that a go!
Banks here in Australia try and charge fees - I'm on a student account at the moment (grad student) so I'm exempt, but when the time comes I'd switch banks in a heartbeat if someone won't charge me $5 a month to make money off my money.
Good show! I've had similar experiences with credit card companies offering me so-many thousand frequent flyer points for getting a new credit card. The catch? An application free costing more than the frequent flyer points are worth. Bah!
Oops! You're right *grin* I should have included brackets: "That's some (seriously late) fees for Blockbuster". I won't hold my breath...At least they've settled, and won't be "appealing the decision" for the next 10 years until the refund is worthless (and no-one is there to claim it!) anyway.
I really hate companies that try and slip extra charges into the fine print. There was a phone card company in the UK that advertised "No connection fee!" but when you looked in the fine print there was a "Disconnection fee" of 25p - the same as everyone else's connection fee! What a crock!
And the problem is that when people get hit by this fee, they don't do anything about it - they just roll over and pay. So good to see some action being taken!
No, you're not really missing anything - it wasn't a particularly well phrased sentence. What I meant was that because (as you mentioned in optino (b)!) Australia is so sunny, we have a very high incidence of melanoma (the most deadly skin cancer, where melanin becomes malignant) and so studying and understanding melanin is of direct importance to us!
Of course, because we're so sunny, solar power is an excellent option - particularly outback (i.e., the bush!) Everywhere (I think) has electricity, but it's a pain to string wires out over those distances - it would be a lot simpler (cheaper too?) to have solar cells on every property.
And no, we don't think that you're all gun-toting maniacs. Not most of you, anyway. It's just the vocal minority that gives Americans a bad name!
And suddenly, Apple's choice of "Titanium Powerbooks" takes on a whole new meaning...
D'oh! Please ignore this post - I just received a cease and desist letter for spreading rumours. (Despite the fact, of course, I'm typing this on my lovely Powerbook...)
At University of Queensland (in Australia) where I study, we're developing solar cells out of "solid solids" - flexible polymers/plastics. The hope is that as well as being even more efficient, they'll be easy to use - they're flexible, and can be bent, twisted, shaped, etc.
One possibility is to use melanin - the skin pigment that gives our skins colour. Being in Australia, of course, researching melanin is of significant interest to us! It's yet another example of biology helping to make really cool physics - more details are available on UQ's physics blog.
Slashdot Mirror
Also note that despite being available for Firefox (yay!) it's only available on Windows (booo...) - no support for Macs or Linux. That would have to be my only (minor) gripe with Google - they don't develop any applications for the minority. Of course, I understand why, but these are people that tend to be quite loyal, and since no-one else is really developing these things...
For this to be really useful, you would need to be able to send the photons via satellite, something which is hard as the interaction with the environment along the way can destroy the entangled state. This would probably be interpreted the same as eavesdropping, further muddling the water. Physicists are indeed trying to get this to work, but it may take some time.
I think I've started an eggscrutiating trend...
Eggsit stage right!
Most eggcellent!
(Note I don't actually think that the survey people are at fault. But it's just a bit hard to get the phone numbers of every person who voted for cencorship...)
Hmmm. Time to revise the business model. No wait, just did that...
Anyone know if they have any way of stopping this?
It's hard to get a more friendly distribution method than that!
Now might be a good time to get out the old Playstation and start practising against the apparently immeninent take over bid...
Also, for the record as a physicist, quantum computers won't remove the need for conventional computers in most areas - a big thing is (as I understand it) that they're not programmable, and have to be built to a certain specification. Therefore, classical computers will always have their use.
Linux: No batteries for the shock are needed, as the frustration of trying to get the hardware to interface with linux everytime you're shot is far more painful.
SCO: The software comes with a variety of legal services built in so you can sue about that "unknown" heart condition.
Mac: Never has it been so easy to administer high voltage electric shocks to your hips.
But then again, that's completely unrealistic. No-one in this day and age would have an easily hacked network, right?
Right?
Better yet, what if she had rung security saying she had locked her keys in "her" office. Security at my university rarely asks for ID (and they don't know whose office it is, anyway) and they just open the door, and in she goes. Changes the grades on paper, and away she goes. What then?
Sorry - those terms are already reserved for telemarketers and Jehovah's Witnesses, respectively. :)
Of course, I don't have the answer, and the press release was rather well written, but the problem is that editors (no offense, Slashdot overlords) need catchy = sensational titles to sell stories, and "swarm" really gets peoples attention. As does anything with the words nuclear, cloning, genetic engineering or any combination of the three.
Microsoft Windows is preparing your computer for resale. Please insert your Red Hat Linux CD now.
Banks here in Australia try and charge fees - I'm on a student account at the moment (grad student) so I'm exempt, but when the time comes I'd switch banks in a heartbeat if someone won't charge me $5 a month to make money off my money.
I tip my hat to you, sir!
Oops! You're right *grin* I should have included brackets: "That's some (seriously late) fees for Blockbuster". I won't hold my breath...At least they've settled, and won't be "appealing the decision" for the next 10 years until the refund is worthless (and no-one is there to claim it!) anyway.
And the problem is that when people get hit by this fee, they don't do anything about it - they just roll over and pay. So good to see some action being taken!
Guess that's some serious late fees for Blockbuster!
Of course, because we're so sunny, solar power is an excellent option - particularly outback (i.e., the bush!) Everywhere (I think) has electricity, but it's a pain to string wires out over those distances - it would be a lot simpler (cheaper too?) to have solar cells on every property.
And no, we don't think that you're all gun-toting maniacs. Not most of you, anyway. It's just the vocal minority that gives Americans a bad name!
D'oh! Please ignore this post - I just received a cease and desist letter for spreading rumours. (Despite the fact, of course, I'm typing this on my lovely Powerbook...)
One possibility is to use melanin - the skin pigment that gives our skins colour. Being in Australia, of course, researching melanin is of significant interest to us! It's yet another example of biology helping to make really cool physics - more details are available on UQ's physics blog.