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User: tod_miller

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  1. Kinda makes sense how they describe it on The Car That Makes Its Own Fuel · · Score: 1

    ...and if it is true I think we just found out why the middle east countries will attack Isreal in the next 20 years.

    Basically, oxidation and combustion combined, oxidize metals, burn hydrogen....

    Now, isn't there a way to mix certain oxides to form a combustible (nay explosive) compound?

    I say, anyone who alreayd has a name like enginuity deserves lots of investor support!

    One question: if this is really as good, why isn't gov pushing cash down their throats... why are they looking for investors?

    please type the word in this image: tyranny
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  2. I can concurr on Tropical Storm Alpha Sets Naming Record · · Score: 1

    I have been reading posts on slashdot for the last 3 minutes, and I am seeing a striking convergence of an insightful post every 1 minute, so a one minute cycle can be assumed, and if we see an in crease in storms, we can see that in approximately the same time frame this has happened, so it must be a pattern.

    I find pattern very weak, since patterns are the norm in this world - it is possible that there is a natural wobble in the frequency of tropical storms? is the earths wobble part of this? Does the sea temparature correlate with this wobble?

    Are we seeing 4 or 5 disparate wobbles of temperature gaining a positive interference? Is the receding ice shelf a wobble? permafrost no longer perma? Maybe it was just taking a break...

    I do not think patterns of any kinda can be relied upon, considering even a thousand years of accurate data may not encompass a suitable sample duration for any kind of realistic results. Who knows.

  3. What I am saying is on Violating A Patent As Moral Choice · · Score: 1

    Noone should think twice is violating a patent will save lives, but appreciate (As they say they do) that if a patenting system wasnt in place, the private companies would not have brought about these drugs, etc etc.

    So you are violating the reason this drug was feasible to research in the first place. Sad but true.

    It could be a baseless argument though.

    please type the word in this image: baseless
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  4. As skeptical as I am... on Violating A Patent As Moral Choice · · Score: 1

    If all drugs that are protected by patents have their rights violated, and imagine their huge profits become negligible, where would be the incentive of private companies to pay 'scientists' to 'research' these drugs... and then where would the incentive be for 18 year olds to decide on a career wearing a white coat and mixing crazy chemicals all day long.

    Then in a hundred years when the next Bird Flu comes around, there won't be a patented drug around to fight it.

    Ideals are great, in an ideal world.

    please type the word in this image: ideals
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  5. Lets play spot the babel fish! on Magnetic Field Thruster Developed · · Score: 1

    "with satellites the fuel up to 50 per cent of the weight constitutes, because on it also the life span depends. Without drive cannot be maintained the accurate position finally"

    !?WTFdgzOMGsh!?

    Great one. Austrian to English = Austrish?

    Imagine the unopened possibilities.

    please type the word in this image: unopened
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  6. LnxAddct on Your Favorite Math/Logic Riddles? · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Allow me the ego to be freudian with you - LnxAddct.

    * You write you name in a terse, leet form, vowels being for the swaety prole masses no doubt ;-)
    * You grew up on bash scripting, weened onto perl, and now suck python out of the can while looking for chicks.
    * You post a python script for solving methematical puzzles
    * You post a python script for solving methematical puzzles, and worry about its bug freeness
    * You post a python script for solving methematical puzzles, and worry you might have not done it pythony enough.
    * You post a python script for solving methematical puzzles, encoded to get past lameness filter (instead of using code tags? ca you do that??)
    * You post a uuencoded, compressed file of a python script for solving methematical puzzles, and instructions on how to get it working
    * You post a uuencoded, compressed file of a python script for solving methematical puzzles, and instructions on how to get it working instead of posting the file to any hosting account, and posting a coral cache link to it. :-) Go linux! :-) :-) :-) ;-)

  7. Re:+6 insightful if you will on IBM Donates Parts of Rational to Open Source · · Score: 1

    I also used eclipse pre version 1, in around '98 until version 3.0. I migrated from visual age, to forte, then netbeans (yep) and then to eclipse (some time in JDeveloper, which was not too bad in latest version actually - great for oracle + J2EE development, now I hate EJB's though). I know all about the features you are talking about, and how the cvs integration changed in each version, and all sorts of great features.

    I still use it frequently outside my main project build. But the methodology I now use is, the decision to do something always comes first.

    I like typing main-ctrl-space-enter, and zz-ctrl-space-enter made a default constuctor for me, and zzx did something else, I think it did an equals method with the !=null and instance of filled out, then a new set of ifs ready for me to choose what fields to compare.

    It is not that I do not appreciate eclipse, and I was very much a cheerleader for eclipse when it first came out - but moving between different flavours of development, I find the idea of extreme programming, junit tests, fast commit cycles, testing unit test coverage, plugins for managing struts files (I now do not like struts, after initially champion the ideas - I prefer more compile time security, when you deal with large projects, for many customers, with many developers, this becomes important to alleviate headaches), plugins for managing all sorts of things.

    Now, I can type for (){} and move my cursor backwards in the same time it takes for me to type for-ctrl-space *wait a TINY bit* then edit the values if a best guess didn't work. Typing the code is less a part of my time than I was worried about.

    When you have to balance a string of customer requirements and design issues, and time and productivity issues, you find design, and more of a business sense for development takes over, and ensuring you have zero uncharted holes for bugs means that your program will look more human generated than computer generated.

    Although you may think this is a subtle difference, and in fact, tricks like moving a selection of code into a new method (and carrying over any required variables) seem good, adn they are, doing it manually means you mind map is that little bit sharper.

    Although eclipse lets you F3 into code, hover, ctrl hover, and all sorts to see code inside methods, I found that by placing more load into my own map, I needed to focus more, but this also meant I was closer to the application and was able to read it better, and therefore perhaps being slightly slower to knock out version 1.0, I only had to right upto version 1.3, whereas in eclipse, I might make version 1.0 in half the time, but end up with version 2.0alpha.

    Now, please, don't take this as a representation of my own skills, just an idea that there are two ways to develop, the eclipse way, which I love, and the way I do it now, which I am not in love with, and I think I use more brain power this way, which should not be seen as a less innovative method of programming, just different.

    If I started a new project today, I would definately use eclipse. If I am in an end phase, redevelopment, working with clients, or extending... I think I like to drive with a map in my mind, not rely on a talkative gps device (if that analogy works). Still, both great ways for developing. (My current flavour of devleopment doesn't have 200 .confs *config.xml's or associated config files, I mainly have everything in Java (1 or 2 .props that control somethings, everything else controllable is in db)

  8. PETA are all for animal cruelty... on Microchips for Dangerous Animals? · · Score: 1

    Walking my pet boa constictor:

    "Hello!"
    -"Eeek, thats a big snake!"
    "Its ok, he doesn't bite"
    -"he is wrapping himself around me"
    "he likes you!"
    -"he is crushing me!"
    "just a friendly hug!"

    Aaaah memories.

    PETA and animal cruelty - and scientific exploitation of animals. A tough one. I personally see much of todays 'science' [mainly drug companies] as a money making factories not akin to home acid factories. So I do not condone the use of animals in experiments. However, what if we needed to use 10,000 live healthy ducks to try and avert the now inevitable H5N1 breakout in humans?

    Hrm. That would be a good askslash - what to do in a H5N1 breakout tomorrow...

  9. Right-to-read? on ePaper To Be Used For Newspapers and Magazines · · Score: 1

    I don't see how he can talk about things like that, according to him we don't have right-to-live yet... and computers have more rights than us (by his reckoning!!).

    Strange world, no justices for the average guy.

    please type the word in this image: justices
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  10. Limited word on quality FTA on ePaper To Be Used For Newspapers and Magazines · · Score: 1

    "The images are in colour, and can broadcast anything that can be shown on a regular flat screen monitor or TV, although with a slightly lower quality.

    Funny how Seimens is making this stuff, as I think that is just what covered my keyboard.. eeew stttttiiiiiiiiiiiicccckk^H^H^H^y keys.

    Anyway, I can't wait until 'slightly lower quality' can be judged for ourselves.

  11. Where will they chat now? on Yahoo Closes Chat Rooms to Anyone Under 18 · · Score: 1

    Out in the park, in the fresh air, and don't worry about them running into 'hey kid, want some candy?' types, in a new agreement, the parks commission has closed all parks to anyone under 18, and to anyone not wearing a trenchcoat and hat.

    Gotta make sure they are safe! If you can't police, then just ban people from the streets.

    Seriously, I don't blame yahoo! I wouldn't want the cost and worry to ensure the < 18's can chat safe - who gives a shit about those twerp kids, let them play neopets, or something.

    The route of the word Pesky - is it from baseball? *thinks*

    hrm.

    please type the word in this image: nonlocal

    random letters - if you are visually impaired, please email us at pater@slashdot.org

    Slashdot - hosting the most remarkable random letter generator in the world, with its uncanny talent, monkeys could write the complete works of shakespeare in under a week!

  12. +6 insightful if you will on IBM Donates Parts of Rational to Open Source · · Score: 1

    It took me 20 minutes to save my first CASE tool work, I couldn't figure out how to save!

    The only 'practice what it preaches' tool I have used is DENIM from phys.cam.ac.uk - it is a joy to use and learn, a little complex but very expert, and improving. Also try DASHER a fun little alternative input device that I just love to use.

    A wise programmer once told me, on a subject of methodologies, extreme programming, UML and other design practices and work ideals:

    There is no substitute for writing good code, concentrating, thinking, reading code and testing the code thoroughly in your head, understanding it as fully as possible. And at the same time knowing that although this is far from infallible, there is no substitute for it.

    I dropped my fancy pants eclipse 'plugged to the nines' IDE, I dropped my newly adopted, CVS commit report friendly unit testing, over documented code, lengthy cvs commit notices and hyper-refactoring for:

    emacs editor (which sucks, but I like mouse independance). Clear thought out design (my approach, not emacs), well established pattern, talking to my co workers about WHICH problem to solve, not how best to implement THIS fix to THIS problem (an outlook that changes the structure of how you write). I write more like a novelist now, making sure all the characters behave, the story sticks, and I never have that stomach churning 'oh I have to patch this bit, or add this method here, or reuse that bit there' feeling.

    This is not an endorsement for emacs, which is the typist equivilent of tap dancing on a mine field after 10 shots of flaming absinthe. It does the job, and lets say it keeps you sharp (it also punishes any mistake, and whim to use copy paste, so in that respect it gives you pause for thought).

    This 'clear thought, focus, concentrate and follow simple tenants of patterns and expected code conventions scales well, and transcendes language, environment and platform. It is not a 'lightweight' methodology, short cut or streamlined approach though, not by far!

    So a sway from continuous evaluation, and hand holding unit tests to better planning, and more meticulous clear headed implementation (and writing in a way to maximize the chance of compiler time errors, and minimize the chance of runtime errors... compiler error good, runtime error bad)

    The only bugs I see are ones that were in my original design, that is, my original thought was bad, or I translated it bad, but in a way that is clear from my development, that self documents almost every important condition statement with calls to private methods that add a sort of meta data to the blocks of code, and make it read like a story, and quickly allows you to 'sign off' on smaller chunks of code that you can handle in your head and say 'yes this works for all conditions (that is, you know it checks all null type, ranges and possible error conditions in those short 10 lines).

  13. Re:Existential logic and this argument on Bloggers Not Eligible for Shield Law? · · Score: 1

    You are so misguided:

    -1, Threaded, Highest Scores First ...the only way to slashdot. ;-)

    (feeling vindictive? scroll half way down and let off a volley from your 5 shooter 'troll' gun ;-) - stress relief /. stylee, also comes with optional flamebait or overrated ammo )

  14. My Point In Case It Gets Lost on Bloggers Not Eligible for Shield Law? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And Other Title Case Woes. ;-)

    Why decry the protection being offered to journalists and lament 'blogging', and not see that blogging is nothing from normal speech, and opinion. The crux is:

    Why wasn't the argument that all people should have this protection but the argument given was all bloggers, especially those in my 'blogroll' *clique like snicker* shoudl have these protections, so we may add cute little self involved disclaimers lovingly to the bottom of a self involved blogs.

    I bet he has already drawn up some cool 18x45 web buttons saying 'my blog is protected and therefore my opinion pwns yours!' (would have to be a small font to fit in a 18x45, but blogs always use shitty small fonts don't they? hey, maybe that is why they should be protected!

    Back on topic: the very fact that he laments the use of the word journalism, and then uses the word blogging, as if this is some clearly defined, clearly eligible group (unlike journalism...) that deserves this credit...

    Isn't his argument tantamount to saying that all 'blogs' should come with an implied disclaimer: the following is my opinion and may not be accurate, and don't sue me, but if you do I don't mind because I will get my name in a published journal like a real journalist!!1OMG

    Isn't it? Do you trust the sanity of someone who makes such a statement, 'publishes' it, and revels (as he is now) that it is on slashdot.

    I think one strand of credibility in a journalist is, while they seek to work for bigger publications, the reason isn't to get more 'page hits' or 'traffic' to their opinion, than it is to push fact and great writing to further their reputation and give their plight a larger audience, a plight that has been validated by their ability to move up in the world of journalism.

    Such natural elements of selection are not present in the slashdotted world today, and any hyperventilating (like myself), premature-ejaculating (unlike myse.... oh oh oooh, damn...) dickwads can get their lame, easily ripped apart, mocked and spat on, published on slashdot just by including:

    1) a reference to a bill
    2) the snip 'tech' in the url
    3) the word blog
    4) quotation marks

    There is some semblance of balance to this commentary:

    The reason all of this matters, of course, is because it is essential that journalists receive special protections to ensure them freedom of the press. The case of ThinkSecret et alia comes to mind (although that problem largely looks solved now, as TS has managed to report several conflicting rumors relating to today's big Apple event in the span of a week--one could say that they give all insanity equal billing).

    Sayeth Dick Lugar:

    "I think, very frankly, you can make a case that this is a special boon for reporters, and certainly for their role in freedom of the press," he said. "At the end of the day what we will come out with says there is something privileged about being a reporter, and being able to report on something without being thrown into jail."

    In all of this talk of privilege, there is a mounting fear in some journalism circles that the federal government may want to leverage this "privilege" with a federal licensing program of sorts, which is enough to make some people twitch. How else will this dilemma be solved? And two demerits to the person who pops up and says, "false dilemma!"


    He has basically underscored the point, then contradicted himself. We establish that journalism needs protecting, and that libellous/false information needs to be punishable, yet he cannot see that these both point to a law that gives certain limited protections against recourse to certain reputable that is someone who is a journalist by reputation (wether they posts their articles online in reverse chronological order or not...pffffff) and does so under an organisation, rather than as opinion, or is carrying a truth, or rumour - but is still l

  15. Exactly why 'bloggers' shouldn't muddy the water on Bloggers Not Eligible for Shield Law? · · Score: 1

    ... and endanger the necessary protection for credible and reputable (dealing in the currency of reputation, anyone can get a damn 15 minutes (or shorter with slashdot-effect) of fame on slashdot - which is why I suggested a new source moderation guid)) journalists?

    Idiots like this may give ammunition to bush and his 'hey, let em bwoys have their fun and torchure dem inmates yall ok?' attitudes in society to silence and penalise outspoken reputable journalists.

    Senator Richard Lugar (R.-Ind.) recently revealed that so-called bloggers would "probably not" be considered journalists by the Free Flow of Information Act of 2005, which will include provisions detailing "shield law" protections for journalists. In effect, this could mean that it will be open season on those pesky bloggers once this bill passes.

    Clarification: he implies that a 'blogger' (oh ffs) will have less rights and less freedom of speech after this bill. Now, not having read it, I am assuming it is not removing freedom of speech from non protected people (unless this is typical bush administration naming, where green laws give more freedom to pollute, and pro education laws give less money to schools...) but giving special case to those who wish to report truth without fear of being silenced, yet, because they have a reputation, still be at risk for reporting falsehoods, or overstating their position.

    (and the hyperventilating premature-ejactulation crowd of bloggers never overstate their case... the word zOMG!!11 comes to mind...)

    So by stating it will be 'open season' is so lame, it needed to be brought out.

  16. Existential logic and this argument on Bloggers Not Eligible for Shield Law? · · Score: 1

    Journalists > Bloggers > Normal information on the web?

    How can this Ken idiot (caesar@arstechnica.com) suggest (through a very public and angsty display of 'boohoo why isn't bloging like, as cool as journalism, I am a journalists, I am, take me seriously please! oh go on!') that JOURNALISM cannot be defined, so BLOGGING should be netted in the same catch as journalism.

    WTF at least journalism describes the act of writing about news and events and stuff. I could blog about my navel lint and be safe in the warm glow of this 'shield law' which the article fails to coherently describe it, or its relation to blogging:

    Blogging Writing stuff and displaying it in reverse chronological order

    I also agree that displaying written stuff in reverse chronological order mean that said stuff should be given special case consideration for everything, including but not limited to a free hamburger with every meal at macdonalds.

    HOW can he blondly state all that crap in the article about journalism having no definition, and place blogging as a special case of content?

    it, wha... ju... ff... in.. in explicable!!!

    sigh.

  17. Not a troll/flame but *$&*$&* off drew on Bloggers Not Eligible for Shield Law? · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    (in case you think this is offensive, a flame or troll, make sure you read to the end)

    Whine whine 'no definition of journalism' whine whine. Damnit.

    Don't you see there is no definition of blogging you utter retard. You self righteous technologically stunted person you. Why, if you think 'paid and possibly respected journalists who have to content with something called reputation, hence the word reputable, in the phrase reputable source' shouldn't be placed over your wonderful simple life of write-what-I-want, or more accurately:

    hit 'blog this' button and write the first thing that comes to my head, with aid of wikipedia, and link shit to every other page that comes from the google top 100.

    Why if you think that, do you not think that NORMAL writing shouldn't be the same of writing that tries to be in the vein of a 'log' system.

    Do you think that writing content without navigation or context, categories, real accountability, ordered by time descending somehow gives you a legal waiver in what you write?

    Well here goes:

    00:35 13/10/2005 : Drew is a gay man who likes to have gay sex with animals
    13:56 12/10/2005 : Today I ate Ice Cream! Yippeee! read Penny Arcade.

    Now, if you want to somehow sue me, or get my source, or somehow circumvent protections designs to allow credible, reputable (i.e. with a reputation, a license if you will) journalists, you can't why? Because my comment above isn't an ordinary comment, it is a blog comment!

    That is the magic of blogs - entries, without navigation, in reverse chronological order.

    b>Why should entries, without navigation, in reverse chronological order, be treated special? Tell, me damn it, maybe if you cannot find a reason, I will not have to loose it every time I see such stupid stories.

    ok.

  18. This just in from sanityville on Bloggers Not Eligible for Shield Law? · · Score: 1

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Newspapers printed on recycled paper are going to be given 100% immunity from all legal implications of their actions, because a new buzz word was invented to describe newspapers printed on recycled paper, and thus it was granted a special case.

    Are all drivers formula one drivers, and are all cyclists bike couriers? Are all bloggers even news reporters? If you are a blogger, are you implying your opinion is more reliable and thus should be protected? The very fact that this is now an issue implies no protection for any non 'blogging' free speech. Can anyone else see how ludicrous this is.

    'Web Log' is a description of a TYPE of content on the web that forms a log. Today it is used to describe a TECHNOLOGY more than anything, and 'log' type website spring up where log type websites shouldn't (and break all kinds of usability).

    *IF* you want to say the 'shield law' covers everyone, then it would cover people writing for content that may be described as 'log' content.

    Somehow implying that the 'log' element of writing should garner the user 'protection' is not just stupid, but twatish.

    This is precisely the reason why I hate such words. Instead of people just writing, and doing what they do, this swallows it all up, puts a label on it, and then people confuse it with other words. Blogging isn't journalism - and 99.999% of bloggers are dumb shit morons (ok this bit is flame, and proudly so) who think what they are doing is somehow important - not because they are simply writing - but because they are 'blogging' that is writing in the form of a log.

    How bloody preposterous. This tries to steal all ownership of the brilliance of the web and place it into people who want to orgasm over buzz words - and think that blogging is so amazing, and this in turn forces the hand of the news channels who start 'talking about this amazing trend'.

    I am just so frustrated by this. It is pathetic, and the very nature of the twisted logic ('blogging gets you fired', 'blogging does this', 'blogging does that') threatens real world freedoms by clouding up issues.

    The question is, are people protected in their speech, and clouding the issue with the voice of dumb-shit squalid-filth-spewing elitist academic rejects who pose under the banner of buzz word # 8763 (blogging) is a threat to the reasoning that needs to be in place to balance between upholding accountability and protecting freedom of speech.

    A 'voice' in any medium can be attacked, be it me shouting drunken insults at the best man at someone's wedding, or publishing divorce rumors for a celeb couple in a pre-menopausal women's magazine. Society needs to agree how to balance this freedom of peoples speech, yet protect NEWS reporters, peoples who duty and role in society is should be to investigate, expose, clarify and enlighten everyone in their work, from being silenced through fear of financial loss and other harm.

    Saying what you want, and then blaming it on 'blogging' a word that any self described 'blogger' cannot even define (hint google 'define:blogging' will probably not get it 100% right in this sham of a world) , will damage real freedoms because for every perceived leak or grey area extra shoring needs to be added to ensure an accepted balance is in play.

    Break the law by breaking a non-disclosure contract? Don't sue me, it was a blog! a blog I tell you! You know, as opposed to any other form of digital storage, like a word document...

    If I ever see 'blogging' or any other crap being given special case attention in a law or movement of thinking being catered to bloggers, I will picture myself with a large gun killing the people who are grinning at this self glorification, possibly shooting them in the stomach, before I breath slowly, calm down, and go back to my work.

    Damn I hate bloggers because of this.

    please type the word in this image: catered

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  19. To be fair on Unreliable Linux Dumped from Crest Electronics · · Score: 1

    Someone could easily say 'I run SuSE 10' and that would be the same thing as saying I run FreeBSD (in your terms of knowing where things are). I totally see your point, and I believe that in the mid term so many distros is killing linux, and spreading so many developers so thinly mean so much work gets done so many more times.

    When people say 'choose the distro that works/suites you' I call bullshit. Most distros are the same in terms of packages available, and if they are not, this is merely a triviality of choice, all packages could be the same in all distros, so lets strike that off the list.

    Which desktop environment/windowing environment does it favour? Strike that off the list - all distros could support both, or any one.

    So a distro is a set of configuration and package management tools, some additional distro proprietary configuration of default settings and drivers and kernel patches - plus lots of other tweaks and stuff.

    How does this imply that any one distro is better at any type of task than another?

    Get one set of good package management tools, is apt-get better than emerge? rpm's better than Linspires on click installers? I say that any application that can be packaged as an RPM can be released in any other format, via any other distribution means with some small work. So, standardise on package management would be one good way to help alleviate this issue.

    Instead of having an install base for a certain configuration of kernal patches in the hundreds, why not have fewer CERTIFIED (by certified I mean they are named) kernel releases and configurations that are then tested on ALL linux user machines. Then each kernel convolution would have more testing and users would be less inclined to jump ship silently until they go through 4/5 live distros to find one that boots cleanly, nicely, and then install that one.

    FreeBSD is the name of the FreeBSD kernel and the FreeBSD operating system. Linux is the name of a kernel, and used to describe operating systems of all varieties built on that kernel, be they gnu/linux or ftoo/linux.

    I use Linux, is as you say, an stupid thing to say. What car do you drive? Oz Racing locking alloy wheel nuts. What? Yeah, thats my car. No thats you wheel nuts... Yeah, but you know, that is how I describe my car. How many doors does it have? 3. OK, what colours is it...

    In the longer term the opening up of so many distros has expanded the number of teams working in different ways on certain features, which will improve these areas, and perhaps this is why linux is seeing more public adoption that FreeBSD. Saying that I would never choose linux over FreeBSD for a webserver because of the simple fact that my last 3 web servers have been FreeBSD and I like to know where I stand, on what should be, a utility computing source. A webserver, which runs basic http protocol SHOULD JUST WORK in 2005. (and all the garbage vm's and libraries that power the sites).

    People don't generally say they run XNU or Mach, they call the operating system by another name in that case, or the hybrid kernal of the Mac. And people do so in linuxland - I run gentoo, I run yellowdog, slackware, debian... very important distros. And perhaps these distros ARE the 'certified' configurations that will get more testing, but I still see them as too numerous in the short term for linux health (think companies wanting to run SAP on their linux boxes, the certification and support hell).

    Thats all folks, any errors or emissions are intentional.

    please type the word in this image: bylines

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  20. Wait, CRt strains your eyes? on DIY Electronic Paper Display · · Score: 1

    With E-paper, you can get a much larger chunk - 8.5x11, and it's as easy on the eyes as actual paper. Did you ever notice how much reading for 8 hours from a CRT will strain your eyes?

    I've just been reading slashdot all night for 14 hours straight, you insensitive clod!

    Aaaaaaaaargh my eyes are crying blood!

  21. Would love to throw $3000 to get one of these kits on DIY Electronic Paper Display · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I would love to make a bluetooth screen detach for my PDA... I wonder what the pixel refresh is like, can it scroll text or page it?

    I am loving the idea of a simple light weight newspaper that can talk to my PC or PDA (or TV, via PC tv card, capture the captions, and place them on here... or something.. or show tv guide..)

    I wonder if it is a cold screen too, something compfortable about that...

    So many possibilities, so little time.

    bah

  22. Simple workable solution on Too Many Passwords · · Score: 1

    One way password generation based on a simple recognition factor.

    For instance, I take the url of a site and place a process on it (in this case I look at first letters of syllables) and then add the number of letters in the main url, if there is a hyphen I add each section as seperate numbers of letters. I then add a reveral of my dob (adds some security for brute forcers - which might as well take an eternity) then my initials reveresed in alternate caps, then tag the dns tld onto the end.

    So my password for slashdot can be easily deduce is you know I was born on July 9th 1973. I am hoping it is still hard enough that even knowing my middle name is Paul you still cannot work it out.

    I suggest everyone does this, you soon find it easy to manage site passwords in your head, and then every year you can change you algorith.

    I am starting to think I should change my algorithm, erm! :-) Please don't hack.

    please type the word in this image: eternity
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  23. Testing is to careful programming what glue is to: on Torvalds & Linux Dev Process · · Score: 1

    A watermelon after a romantic encounter with a loaded rail gun.

    Careful programming, thought, and writing programs like novels, with a flow, consideration for structure and areas you touch will ALWAYS beat out testing.

    There is a fundemantal flaw in relying on testing, or assuming testing 'better' will save something.

  24. As a long time fan of your work on Ask Sid Meier · · Score: 1

    Do you see a problem with the current gaming industry, if so what do you think it is. Your opinion on EA, and PA. (Electronic Arts, and Penny Arcade)

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    PC's or consoles?

  25. GPS or other tracking devices on Armed Dolphins Released Into Gulf of Mexico · · Score: 1

    Since this was announced now, I am guessing the scurry to find them using the safety methods (said with some sarcasm here) has come up with nothing.

    Now if someone gets hit, it won't be 'oh yes, were are sorry, we let us killer dolphins into the wild' but, you were swimming there, when we told you there were killer dolphins.

    I can also see the denied purchase request for 20 tracking beacons hurridly being found and burned.

    In other news, an elite squardron of fencing swordfish and navy seals (like, real seals) were also missing.

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