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User: keean

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  1. Re:Biggest issue, IME: GPU on Ask Slashdot: GNU/Linux Laptops? · · Score: 1

    Bumblebee fixes this: https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee

  2. Re:Call me skeptical on Horizontal Scaling of SQL Databases? · · Score: 1

    Basically "SQL" or relational algebra is a programming language. All the arguments are against weaknesses in the implementation, not problems with the language itself. NoSQL seems better, but does not implement the complete language only part of it. If I try and implement SQL or a relational programming language on top of "NoSQL" databases you will find there are features missing. Eventually NoSQL will need to implement the complete language and will become relationally complete, but the result will probably not be as elegant.

    As for the join example, you compare a table join against a single lookup... not the same thing. How many seeks would objectivity need to find the phone number for the employers of all aunts (on the fathers side) of every person in the database (which is what a join is for)? And as for the virtual addresses, Oracle (for example) can use raw disk access to optimise the layout of data on the disk to minimise head movements when executing common queries. It can do this because relational algebra hides all details of the implementation from the user, allowing the database code more freedom to choose how it stores and processes the data).

  3. Re:Call me skeptical on Horizontal Scaling of SQL Databases? · · Score: 1

    This is true, NoSQL must be better if you are doing the ORM thing. But that's not how you should use a relational database. Ralational Algebra (of which SQL is an implementation) is a programming language. You construct your data in relations (tables) then write the operations on them in relational-algebra (SQL).

    So you can either use object modelling and and ORM/NoSQL, or relational modelling and relational-algebra/SQL. Of the two relational modelling is more powerful (can model more situations), and relational-algebra is a higher level language (because you specify what you want done, not how to do it).

  4. TokuDB on Horizontal Scaling of SQL Databases? · · Score: 1

    Have you looked at TokuDB for MySQL (http://tokutek.com)

  5. Re:Cut the hardlines on Stuxnet Virus Now Biggest Threat To Industry · · Score: 1

    I agree about the difficulty of being truly secure against dedicated attackers. I think the idea that security is "done" and you are "secure" is part of the problem. I think its more like how hard do you want to make it. The more time and effort you spend on security, the greater the cost to the would-be attacker. But given enough time and money _any_ security system is vulnerable. In a way it comes down to risk management. How much is the cost of a compromise, and then how probable is it to happen.

  6. Re:Cut the hardlines on Stuxnet Virus Now Biggest Threat To Industry · · Score: 1

    I just realised the reply I replied to was replying to a hidden comment, and not my previous reply, so I replied in error, my apologies.

  7. Re:Cut the hardlines on Stuxnet Virus Now Biggest Threat To Industry · · Score: 1

    Virus detectors only detect known viruses... Even with virus protection, you are vulnerable to unknown viruses.

    To make this even more thought provoking, what if the virus detector is infected. What if the 'C' compiler is infected, such that all programs it generated automatically are infected, and cannot detect the infection. If the infection is not spotted soon enough, all virus detection products compiled with the compiler will be infected. What if this has already happened?

  8. Re:Cut the hardlines on Stuxnet Virus Now Biggest Threat To Industry · · Score: 2, Informative

    I said stuxnet does not _need_ the PLC (PLD) containing machines to be connected. In reality they may be connected, but disconnecting them will not stop Stuxnet infecting them as it gets in when the PLC programming is updated.

    http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/media/security_response/whitepapers/w32_stuxnet_dossier.pdf

    For reference a "Field PG" is a machine used to program the PLCs not the actual target of the infection.

    Quote:
    "Once Stuxnet had infected a computer within the organization it began to spread in search of Field PGs, which are typical Windows computers but used to program PLCs. Since most of these computers are non-networked, Stuxnet would first try to spread to other computers on the LAN through a zero-day vulnerability, a two year old vulnerability, infecting Step 7 projects, and through removable drives. Propagation through a LAN likely served as the first step and propagation through removable drives as a means to cover the last and final hop to a Field PG that is never connected to an untrusted network."

  9. Re:Cut the hardlines on Stuxnet Virus Now Biggest Threat To Industry · · Score: 1

    Burning a CDROM on one and using it on another is enough. Its almost as is nobody remembers floppy discs with file and bootsector viruses. With Stuxnet because it can infect the design files, moving the PLD designs from one computer to another by _any_ means (USB key / SDCARD / DVD etc...) will spread the infection.

  10. Re:Cut the hardlines on Stuxnet Virus Now Biggest Threat To Industry · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually Stuxnet does not require the machines to be connected to the Internet. In infests the machines used by the designers of these systems, and piggy backs on update PLDs (programmable logic devices) for the production machinery. It does not even rely on the PLD programming machines being connected, as it infests the PLD design files. It infests the PLD design engineers workstations when someone plugs an infected laptop into the private network that all the design computers are on.

  11. Re:legal for iPhone, illegal for DS? on UK Courts Rule Nintendo DS R4 Cards Illegal · · Score: 1

    Yes, and you _could_ argue that about the iPhone, you _could_ develop for Android or one of the totally open platforms... and yet the iPhone has been given an exemption from the DMCA. My point is for consistency they either have to allow the "running non approved software" argument to apply to all closed systems, or to none. To just apply it to the iPhone is like passing a law saying you can only do home-mechanics on a Ford.

  12. Re:legal for iPhone, illegal for DS? on UK Courts Rule Nintendo DS R4 Cards Illegal · · Score: 1

    Okay, but this R4 is needed for Homebrew, which is exactly like non-apple-approved apps on the iPhone. How can I install non-Nintendo approved apps onto my DS?

  13. Re:legal for iPhone, illegal for DS? on UK Courts Rule Nintendo DS R4 Cards Illegal · · Score: 1

    In the past the UK has always seemed more sensible on these issues. Now it seems that things are improving in the USA, and getting worse in the UK.

  14. legal for iPhone, illegal for DS? on UK Courts Rule Nintendo DS R4 Cards Illegal · · Score: 1

    How can it be legal to gaol break an iPhone (new DMCA exemption) but not a games-console? The rationale for the iPhone was that the manufacturer should not stop you installing unapproved software, however the locks on a game console serve exactly the same purpose (for example NDS Homebrew).

  15. Re:Waiting for JDK 7 on Java IO Faster Than NIO · · Score: 1

    epoll has already been tried see: "http://www.theserverside.com/discussions/thread.tss?thread_id=26700" The conclusion: "Results shows that the cost of NIO selectors coupled with OS polling mechanism (in this case efficient epoll VS selector/poll) has a significant overhead compared to the cost of context switching 1700 threads on an NPTL Linux kernel."

  16. Re:My wife works in fashion on The Fashion Industry As a Model For IP Reform · · Score: 1

    They probably do not, I cannot say for certain. But I know of designer labels who do - although this fact is not publicised. Really the quality is very good, and if you did not know, you would not guess... So what kind of fashion design do these designer friends of you wife do (If its not clothing)? It might be easier to understand why outsourcing production is not possible if more details were available.

  17. Re:My wife works in fashion on The Fashion Industry As a Model For IP Reform · · Score: 1

    And that's what you get for trying to be helpful... Some people seem to disagree about wedding dresses being designer fashion by the way, a few from Google: http://www.ianstuart-bride.com/ http://www.maggiesottero.com/ http://www.carolinecastigliano.co.uk/ Would you like to email them and tell them they are not fashion designers?

  18. Re:My wife works in fashion on The Fashion Industry As a Model For IP Reform · · Score: 1

    So you agree that it is logistically possible for small businesses, that is progress. So lets address the point about generic and simple: Since when have wedding dresses been generic and simple? The patterns are complicated, have many layers and different fabrics, and everyone wants theirs to be unique.

  19. Re:My wife works in fashion on The Fashion Industry As a Model For IP Reform · · Score: 1

    I know wedding dress designers in the UK that get the dresses made in china and shipped over. It is entirely possible for this to work for a small business. It is even economical to have one dress made and shipped over.

  20. Re:My wife works in fashion on The Fashion Industry As a Model For IP Reform · · Score: 1

    Cant your designer friends get their goods made cheaply in china too? A business is more about customers than supply really. If you have the loyal customers (who buy into the designers vision) they will pre-order unique items that can be cheaply made in china.

  21. Re:Sure, it could be on Is the 4th Yellow Pixel of Sharp Quattron Hype? · · Score: 1

    But who is to say that even the standard 8bit RGB colour space aligns with the monitors RGB colour space. Surely MPEG colour space will be based on CRTs which have a wider gamut than LCDs in the first place. The extra yellow pixel could be reclaiming some of the colour space lost when moving from CRT to LCD?

  22. Re:Its a Technical Decision on Adobe Evangelist Lashes Out Over Apple's "Original Language" Policy · · Score: 1

    Eh? That would mean native iPhone apps that make graphics API calls would also be slow? Sorry don't get your point. Flash (ActionScript) is basically the same thing as JavaScript (same type of language works in the same way, similar syntax). A particular implementation may be slow (badly coded) but that does not mean all implementations will be slow. If JavaScript can do it, then so can Flash. This is definitely a political decision. If Apple wanted flash they could help Adobe produce a good fast implementation on the iPhone, just like they did with JavaScript.

  23. Re:You Pretentious, Nieve Twit on Adobe Evangelist Lashes Out Over Apple's "Original Language" Policy · · Score: 1

    Choice is good, Vendor lock-in is bad. These are the lessons of history, ignore them at you peril. What Apple is doing is good for Apple, it is not good for the consumer nor the developer. The only one who is benefiting from Apples stance on this is Apple. To think that the consumer really benefits from these policies is just post-rationalisation of your purchase decision to buy an iPhone.

  24. Re:Apple Original language lockdown. on Adobe Evangelist Lashes Out Over Apple's "Original Language" Policy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is not possible on Android (Technically you would have to break the flash interpreter, then break the JavaVM, then break the Linux kernel to get one activity to alter another activities private data), as each program runs in its own VM, and each VM has its own "userid". One app cannot affect/infect another. Basically its like a linux system where every app you install gets a new user created to run it. When you start an app Android "logs-in" as that user and runs the app. So android is as secure as a linux system where you cannot su or sudo to root, and every app runs in a separate user account. Kind of like log in as firefox to run the web browser, then start a new x-server and log in as thunderbird on a different virtual console to read your email. For each application you would need to log-in separately and switch virtual consoles to switch between running applications.

  25. Re:Its a Technical Decision on Adobe Evangelist Lashes Out Over Apple's "Original Language" Policy · · Score: 1

    Admittedly Flash is not great, but is very much like JavaScript. If the iPhone can technically run JavaScript apps, then it can technically run Flash apps. Anything said to the contrary is political not technical.