The way this summary is worded makes my head hurt...
No, I didn't read TFA, but I think it's funny that we have to discuss the "ethics" of stealing Wi-Fi. I've always thought that leaving your access point open, broadcast, and unencrypted was akin to leaving things you didn't care for at the end of your driveway. Leaving it in that state is like saying, "Come and take what you want!" Everyone can see it. Nothing is guarding it. And there is nothing saying that it isn't up for grabs.
At least if you turned off the broadcast, you would remove the "everyone could see it" condition, and that would provide some sense that you want it to stay private. Granted, that's like covering your items at the end of a driveway covered in a tarpaulin, and isn't going to prevent anyone that really wants it, but it removes the notion of the underlying contents being there for the taking.
But that doesn't mean they're good. Diet monitoring? Try this, or any other free web service that does it *without* needing your medical history. Fitness Monitoring? Doesn't Wii Fit do this? How about a simple spreadsheet? Travel? Is it that hard to look at The Weather Channel before you leave?
Honestly, this just sounds like candy-coating a terrible idea so that people will buy into it. None of the ideas on that page are lacking a non-Google implementation assuming you're not too lazy to do some footwork.
Then again, if you are too lazy, maybe whatever ill effects you receive from using Google's service are deserved...
I better not read/. while I'm on the plane, then. Wouldn't want them thinking that my facial expression due to some troll posting idiot comments was really me wanting to bring the whole show down!
Seriously... the last time I took a reasonably long flight (4 hours) I had a pretty lasting scowl on my face the entire flight. Why? I was trying to fix a bug in a piece of software I was working on and it had to be resolved before I met the client I was visiting. Sounds like terrorist motives to me!
I find it interesting that this laptop more or less falls right in between your standard fare laptop and an Eee PC in terms of portability and raw power, but is the most expensive of the crop.
Using the base Vostro 1500 for the "average laptop" and the Eee PC 8G we have:
I realize the comparison is odd since they all hit different intended markets, but it seems that something that is between the two in specs would be closer to either of the two in terms of price than it currently is.
I had this same thought. Imagine, though, if Apple agreed to run i[music player/phone name]s on the VIA Nano processor. I think the universe might implode!
You also have the "higher-class" business line in the Latitude and not the "lower-class" lines such as the Inspiron or the Vostro. My experience has shown that just this small difference in PC selection can make a huge difference in quality of service.
Hasn't Street Fighter 2 been released on Wii Virtual Console? Just play that, it's essentially the same sans graphics.:)
All joking aside, I'm still waiting for someone to use the Wii remote technology to its fullest in a fighter. I would think it only logical to map actual arm/foot movements (with various button presses) to achieve the various moves the characters can execute. This was a great opportunity lost, methinks.
100MB/sec? Assuming that the capital "B" is the intent, that means it would take close to 3 hours to write a full 1TB disk. Is that fast enough for most backup applications? I mean, obviously it would be fine for archival purposes, but it doesn't seem practical for daily backups.
Unless you're doing daily backups of Libraries of Congress, then it should function just fine.:)
He was arrested not for taking the money, but for using false names in order to get it.
Of course he wasn't arrested for taking the money. Said institutions willingly deposited that money into his account(s), yes? And these institutions did so under the pretense that this was to identify the customer? So the charge makes sense. The guy didn't steal money, it was given to him... a "him" with a fake identity.
I'm having trouble developing any sort of excitement about this at all. I loved the first three Dragon Quest/Warrior games, but the fourth just didn't have the same appeal to me. I think that was primarily due to the fact that it felt more like StarTropics than Dragon Quest.
Out of line? Maybe... it depends on your corporate culture. I would never make the suggestion at my current employer, but YMMV.
Generally, though, it doesn't make any sense to do so. Even if you're successful in getting your supervisor to mention you, his supervisor is more than likely going to response with "Who?" or "That's nice..." or something equivalent.
In my relatively short career, I've learned to appreciate recognition when it comes by, but to never expect it.
I'm quite torn here. On the one hand, having so much information readily available in one spot is rather exciting. This is especially true if Google doesn't just cave in to "Big Pharma" and allows you to see "alternative" or "herbal" remedies for prescriptions or OTC drugs you have entered.
OTHO, Google having all that information about my medical condition in one place is somewhat disturbing... Aside from rational or irrational fears about Google having this information, aren't there HIPPA issues to be concerned about here, too?
Apple iTunes - Using open source music program "Amarok". Result? Software does not annoy (and works much better than iTunes as well).
This one needs some clarification... Remember not to buy your music from the iTunes store or using Amarok doesn't help much. Buy from a vendor that does not use DRM-laden music downloads (such as Amazon), use Amarok, and annoyances are no more!
To me this looks like talking up a non existent problem - but I'm open to persuasion otherwise.
What if one were able to upload firmware from device type A, a certain DVD-Writer, to device type B, a CD-ROM? I realize it isn't the best example, but wouldn't having the wrong firmware type (not just a different hacked version of the same type of drive) completely brick that hardware? From that standpoint, I don't think the firmware would have to be "targeted" per se.
Since I am far from an expert on the subject... what are the chances this same technology could be applied to prosthetics? If that were doable, I think it'd be an excellent market for allowing people to use prosthetics and be able to do more rigorous physical work.
Might cut down on the profits of companies that make prosthetics, though, if the things just fix themselves instead of needing to be replaced.:)
It's not a perfect solution, but perhaps you could create a read-only view that is customized for each client that wants this capability? That would keep their grubby paws off of other clients' data and also abstract (and obscure) them from knowing the actual underlying data model.
I've been a Verizon customer now for about 5 years. The coverage is excellent here (Indianapolis) and the price is decent, so I've stuck around.
Really the only complaint I've had with them thus far is that basically every phone they sell is locked down and/or has it's interface completely changed when compared to the original phone, or the same phone sold to another carrier. Additionally, they are very choosy about how you can connect to their data network.
This "customers will be free to attach any device and any application to its network by the end of the year" seems like a complete 180 to that mindset. The only way I see them pulling that is if some huge charge is added to your data plan to allow it. They already nickel and dime you if you want to tether a phone instead of using their air card.
Realistically, even a 15kt bomb being exploded by terrorists in the middle of NY or Boston would do less harm to civilisation than natural causes do from time to time, and these ants are equally unlikely to do severe long term damage.
I disagree. Let's call it "fortunate" that these ants showed up in Houston suburbs and not elsewhere. What if they had managed to land in the datacenter of a major financial institution? What if it were a nuclear power plant supplying electricity to millions of homes? I realize the former wouldn't result in instant death and destruction like your bomb comparison, but it would grind business to a halt until it was sorted out. Additionally, the latter would be a major issue. Even more so because, due to the size of the ants, it could take forever to find and fix the source of the problem. That lack of power, over time, would result in water quality degrading, food supplies going bad, etc. Famine and disease are much more trying ways of perishing than death by big explosion.
I'm not saying "OMG HIT THE PANIC BUTTON NOW!!!" I think, though, that a lot of time needs to be spent removing and containing the threat of these ants before they (inevitably) do spread to your back yard.
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The way this summary is worded makes my head hurt...
No, I didn't read TFA, but I think it's funny that we have to discuss the "ethics" of stealing Wi-Fi. I've always thought that leaving your access point open, broadcast, and unencrypted was akin to leaving things you didn't care for at the end of your driveway. Leaving it in that state is like saying, "Come and take what you want!" Everyone can see it. Nothing is guarding it. And there is nothing saying that it isn't up for grabs.
At least if you turned off the broadcast, you would remove the "everyone could see it" condition, and that would provide some sense that you want it to stay private. Granted, that's like covering your items at the end of a driveway covered in a tarpaulin, and isn't going to prevent anyone that really wants it, but it removes the notion of the underlying contents being there for the taking.
I don't think this is quite right... it's usually about three years between Firefox releases, not two.
Ideally they would have been for good or for awesome.
But that doesn't mean they're good. Diet monitoring? Try this, or any other free web service that does it *without* needing your medical history. Fitness Monitoring? Doesn't Wii Fit do this? How about a simple spreadsheet? Travel? Is it that hard to look at The Weather Channel before you leave?
Honestly, this just sounds like candy-coating a terrible idea so that people will buy into it. None of the ideas on that page are lacking a non-Google implementation assuming you're not too lazy to do some footwork.
Then again, if you are too lazy, maybe whatever ill effects you receive from using Google's service are deserved...
There are Google products that aren't? :)
I better not read /. while I'm on the plane, then. Wouldn't want them thinking that my facial expression due to some troll posting idiot comments was really me wanting to bring the whole show down!
Seriously... the last time I took a reasonably long flight (4 hours) I had a pretty lasting scowl on my face the entire flight. Why? I was trying to fix a bug in a piece of software I was working on and it had to be resolved before I met the client I was visiting. Sounds like terrorist motives to me!
I find it interesting that this laptop more or less falls right in between your standard fare laptop and an Eee PC in terms of portability and raw power, but is the most expensive of the crop.
Using the base Vostro 1500 for the "average laptop" and the Eee PC 8G we have:
I realize the comparison is odd since they all hit different intended markets, but it seems that something that is between the two in specs would be closer to either of the two in terms of price than it currently is.
I had this same thought. Imagine, though, if Apple agreed to run i[music player/phone name]s on the VIA Nano processor. I think the universe might implode!
You also have the "higher-class" business line in the Latitude and not the "lower-class" lines such as the Inspiron or the Vostro. My experience has shown that just this small difference in PC selection can make a huge difference in quality of service.
Hasn't Street Fighter 2 been released on Wii Virtual Console? Just play that, it's essentially the same sans graphics. :)
All joking aside, I'm still waiting for someone to use the Wii remote technology to its fullest in a fighter. I would think it only logical to map actual arm/foot movements (with various button presses) to achieve the various moves the characters can execute. This was a great opportunity lost, methinks.
100MB/sec? Assuming that the capital "B" is the intent, that means it would take close to 3 hours to write a full 1TB disk. Is that fast enough for most backup applications? I mean, obviously it would be fine for archival purposes, but it doesn't seem practical for daily backups.
Unless you're doing daily backups of Libraries of Congress, then it should function just fine. :)
Of course he wasn't arrested for taking the money. Said institutions willingly deposited that money into his account(s), yes? And these institutions did so under the pretense that this was to identify the customer? So the charge makes sense. The guy didn't steal money, it was given to him... a "him" with a fake identity.
... I've waited long enough. Now, after years of silence, it's time to reveal that I own the patent:
"Use something to do something"
I think a trivial $.01/use is an acceptable royalty. Start paying up. :)
Does this mean I can now be one of those robot overlords that everyone is so eager to welcome?
I'm having trouble developing any sort of excitement about this at all. I loved the first three Dragon Quest/Warrior games, but the fourth just didn't have the same appeal to me. I think that was primarily due to the fact that it felt more like StarTropics than Dragon Quest.
Out of line? Maybe... it depends on your corporate culture. I would never make the suggestion at my current employer, but YMMV.
Generally, though, it doesn't make any sense to do so. Even if you're successful in getting your supervisor to mention you, his supervisor is more than likely going to response with "Who?" or "That's nice..." or something equivalent.
In my relatively short career, I've learned to appreciate recognition when it comes by, but to never expect it.
I'm quite torn here. On the one hand, having so much information readily available in one spot is rather exciting. This is especially true if Google doesn't just cave in to "Big Pharma" and allows you to see "alternative" or "herbal" remedies for prescriptions or OTC drugs you have entered.
OTHO, Google having all that information about my medical condition in one place is somewhat disturbing... Aside from rational or irrational fears about Google having this information, aren't there HIPPA issues to be concerned about here, too?
This one needs some clarification... Remember not to buy your music from the iTunes store or using Amarok doesn't help much. Buy from a vendor that does not use DRM-laden music downloads (such as Amazon), use Amarok, and annoyances are no more!
What if one were able to upload firmware from device type A, a certain DVD-Writer, to device type B, a CD-ROM? I realize it isn't the best example, but wouldn't having the wrong firmware type (not just a different hacked version of the same type of drive) completely brick that hardware? From that standpoint, I don't think the firmware would have to be "targeted" per se.
Since I am far from an expert on the subject... what are the chances this same technology could be applied to prosthetics? If that were doable, I think it'd be an excellent market for allowing people to use prosthetics and be able to do more rigorous physical work.
Might cut down on the profits of companies that make prosthetics, though, if the things just fix themselves instead of needing to be replaced. :)
It's not a perfect solution, but perhaps you could create a read-only view that is customized for each client that wants this capability? That would keep their grubby paws off of other clients' data and also abstract (and obscure) them from knowing the actual underlying data model.
Chris Hanson was last seen purchasing a DS with his NBC credit card. Can't wait for that episode of "To Catch a Predator." *sigh*
I've been a Verizon customer now for about 5 years. The coverage is excellent here (Indianapolis) and the price is decent, so I've stuck around.
Really the only complaint I've had with them thus far is that basically every phone they sell is locked down and/or has it's interface completely changed when compared to the original phone, or the same phone sold to another carrier. Additionally, they are very choosy about how you can connect to their data network.
This "customers will be free to attach any device and any application to its network by the end of the year" seems like a complete 180 to that mindset. The only way I see them pulling that is if some huge charge is added to your data plan to allow it. They already nickel and dime you if you want to tether a phone instead of using their air card.
It just seems fishy to me.
I disagree. Let's call it "fortunate" that these ants showed up in Houston suburbs and not elsewhere. What if they had managed to land in the datacenter of a major financial institution? What if it were a nuclear power plant supplying electricity to millions of homes? I realize the former wouldn't result in instant death and destruction like your bomb comparison, but it would grind business to a halt until it was sorted out. Additionally, the latter would be a major issue. Even more so because, due to the size of the ants, it could take forever to find and fix the source of the problem. That lack of power, over time, would result in water quality degrading, food supplies going bad, etc. Famine and disease are much more trying ways of perishing than death by big explosion.
I'm not saying "OMG HIT THE PANIC BUTTON NOW!!!" I think, though, that a lot of time needs to be spent removing and containing the threat of these ants before they (inevitably) do spread to your back yard.