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User: MichaelSmith

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Comments · 11,670

  1. Re:Structural engineering welcomes this. on Larrabee ISA Revealed · · Score: 1

    modeling composite materials such as reinforced concrete through the plastic limit

    I wonder if that software could also improve animation, by making solid objects which look as if they actually have weight. Too many avatars seem to be hovering just above the ground because you don't see the forces being transmitted through their bodies.

  2. Re:An architecture named after a Get Smart charact on Larrabee ISA Revealed · · Score: 1

    Bet they've got some serious CONTROL structures to keep things from getting too KAOTIC.... "Would you believe a GOTO statement and a couple of flags?"

    How about a while loop and a continue statement?

  3. Re:Yeah, but... on Large Ice Shelf Expected To Break From Antarctica · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Additionally ice has a high albedo so it tends to keep itself and the surrounding areas cool. Dark blue ocean absorbs more heat from the sun and stays warmer.

  4. Re:Yeah, but... on Large Ice Shelf Expected To Break From Antarctica · · Score: 1

    Not if it was already floating.

  5. Re:Come on y'all, speak American already on Quebec Says 'Non' To English-Only Video Games · · Score: 1

    Meanwhile Spanish continues to spread northward through North America, without any Government support at all. I wonder how long before English is battling Spanish in Quebec?

  6. Re:"commercial UNIX" on IBM About To Buy Sun For $7 Billion · · Score: 1

    IBM still sells AIX, and I would guess they plan to continue selling Solaris after purchasing Sun. HP still sells HPUX, but I think that they're trying not to. I get the impression that they'd rather use something off the shelf like Linux, but can't quite get all of their customers on board.

    I bought a server from HP a couple of years ago. I specified the hardware to run RHEL and they quoted it with RHEL installed. I didn't like the price so asked for a quote without RHEL. The price dropped 1500 AU dollars.

  7. Re:Glad to see.. on Angry Villagers Run Google Out of Town · · Score: 1

    Thats bouquet thank you very much.

  8. Re:Glad to see.. on Angry Villagers Run Google Out of Town · · Score: 1

    I doubt that the crap possessions they are protecting are worth stealing.

  9. Re:The iPod will be taken apart ... on Obamas Give Queen Elizabeth an iPod · · Score: 1

    The Queen of England (United Kingdom actually, there hasn't been a Queen of England since Queen Anne) has no power in Canada. The Queen of Canada does. Yes, they are the same person, but they don't have to be.

    Yes it has long been my thought that rather than rewriting the Australian constitution along presidential lines we should just tweak the rules for selecting the next monarch. The possibilities are (almost) endless.

  10. Re:Problem is lack of thoughtfulness on Obamas Give Queen Elizabeth an iPod · · Score: 1

    Brown has obviously watched National Treasure.

  11. Black holes have an infinite radius on What Would It Look Like To Fall Into a Black Hole? · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...and a finite circumference. An observer falling towards the singularity would feel the local gradient in the gravitational field increase as they fall, probably to the point where staying in one piece becomes a challenge. This would go on for a long time from their POV.

  12. Re:PS on Aussie Minister Backs Down on Internet Censorship · · Score: 1

    But Conroy played the part and he must be punished.

    He's a Victorian Senator so I will put him last on the senate ballot next time around.

  13. Re:Today, April 2nd on Aussie Minister Backs Down on Internet Censorship · · Score: 1

    Hello fellow slashdoters. I was offline yesterday (power outage).

    You live in Sydney?

  14. Re:I'd do it on Airline Worker Flies NY To Boston In Baggage Hold · · Score: 1

    Its the wheel bays which are not heated or pressurised. Makes sense when you think about it. Its easy enough to pressurise a cylinder. Much harder structurally to pressurise half a cylinder.

  15. Re:I am not an Aussie on Aussie Minister Backs Down on Internet Censorship · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Its not Conroy doing this. As the minister for communications it is his job to implement Government policy within his portfolio. If he fell under a bus the new minister would just carry on with the job.

    Looking up and down the page there are a few fairly valid sounding interpretations of what is actually going on.

    Many years ago during the last Labour Government we had the Australia Card. This was an ID card proposal which the Government pushed for a long time. Then one day they decided it wasn't worth the votes they were losing. They held a press conferece. Said that because senator X was opposing the idea they were dropping the idea. The build up took years. The wind down took an hour. The same could happen here.

  16. But on Aussie Minister Backs Down on Internet Censorship · · Score: 1

    KRuddy is happy because Conroy is showing loyalty instead of challenging him in the back rooms like Costello did with Howard

    Conroy is in the Senate so I don't think this is likely to happen. In any event I think Labour are pretty happy with Kevin07. I am sure he will ride it out for a couple of terms.

  17. Re:wait a minute here... on Microsoft Asks Fed For Bailout · · Score: 1

    A scooter

    Thats a good analogy because you know around the world scooters are everywhere.

  18. Re:wait a minute here... on Microsoft Asks Fed For Bailout · · Score: 1

    Well, continuing with my auto analogy, if Microsoft is the GM of the operating systems, that makes FOSS the VW microbus.

    And what is Android?

  19. Re:I use... on Interview With the Author of "Mastering Cat" · · Score: 1

    I don't recall observing one.

  20. Re:This April Fool thing is starting to piss me of on IPv6 Over Social Networks · · Score: 1

    I am still puzzled about this one. Particularly since we finished with April 1 eleven hours ahead of UTC.

  21. Re:Oh well on Warner Bros. Acquires The Pirate Bay · · Score: 1

    Here at +11 hours this article is dated April 2.

  22. Re:Maybe adult stress causes autism in children. on Hints of a Link Between Autism and Vinyl Flooring · · Score: 1

    "For a new house out in the suburbs plastic flooring of some description may be the most cost effective way to go."

    I wonder....is this maybe regional?

    Absolutely. I am in Australia. A good timber floor would be polished hardwood. You would be talking thousands of dollars per room. Typical new houses here are either on a concrete slab, or use MDF (fibreboard) flooring. You are going to need to cover that with something. My brother in laws house has carpet in areas where you tend to sit (living room, bedrooms). In areas with a lot of movement (dining room, hallway) and wet areas (kitchen, bathroom, toilets) they have some kind of vinyl flooring.

  23. Re:Maybe adult stress causes autism in children. on Hints of a Link Between Autism and Vinyl Flooring · · Score: 1

    If you are renovating in an established area you would go for polished floorboards. For a new house out in the suburbs plastic flooring of some description may be the most cost effective way to go.

  24. Re:Paper or it didn't happen on Hints of a Link Between Autism and Vinyl Flooring · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder if having a parental-reported autistic spectrum disorder is the same as actually having autism?

  25. Re:Make ER work simpler on Scientists Make Artificial Protein Mimic Blood · · Score: 1

    Or maybe ambulances could carry this as a "generic" substitute.

    Or your car? How about one where you pour in distilled water and get blood out the other end?