I was fairly sure the OS running on the MONDEX smartcards was formally proven.
Can't be bothered to look it up in the MONDEX case, but usually only parts of the smart card operating systems are formally proven; it's too costly to cover the whole system. Often it can be (semi-)formally proven that certain security irrelevant parts do not affect the areas being evaluated. (There's a paper on the MONDEX certification for those interested.)
Also, from TFA:
Formal proofs for specific properties have been conducted for smaller kernels, but what we have done is a general, functional correctness proof, which has never before been achieved for real-world, high-performance software of this complexity or size.
Admittedly, smart card kernels can't be referred to as "smaller kernels" if what they have is 7500 lines.
The most logical thing, surely, is to have a script that grabs the latest source, build suitable binary RPMs and a binary DEB, and then move these files to the correct directory for a repository manager.
Those scripts sound a lot like Gentoo Portage to me.
ehm... you don't need to use FAT for USB mass storage devices or for any other kind of device, you could easily use anything else (actually all my pen drives have Ext3). The problem is that Windows (by default) only supports FAT and NTFS.
Another problem is that USB thumb drives present themselves as block devices, which flash is not. There's a flash translation layer, which on most devices optimizes flash usage for FAT. Due to limited erase/write cycles on flash, using file systems such as ext3 may severely limit the life time of the thumb drive, since the flash translation layer's wear leveling probably doesn't work well with non-FAT filesystems. The situation, I've let myself be told, is especially bad with journaling.
As long as the FTLs are optimized for FAT, I'd stick with it, wrinkles and all.
I haven't really followed up on the recent developments of Qt or STL, but I was under the impression that Qt containers implement copy-on-write while STL ones don't. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't think it's an exactly clever idea to be unnecessarily copying containers in the first place, but no matter what it makes Qt to STL migration hard if the Qt applications are filled with assumptions on copy-on-write.
Well, I appreciate it in the cool "I've got more money and free time than sense" aspect of pointlessly modifying hardware, I just don't have that much free time.
Yes, I totally agree with you here, regardless of my previous remark.
Personally I'm more interested in running Linux on the new Mac Mini. People seem to think that's pointless as well, turning a Mac into over-priced hardware. For me the form factor is appealing, something I haven't seen in any PC hardware with comparable specs, no matter how much time you're willing to invest in it. And there's the hack value there too.
In fact, Safari 4 executes JavaScript [...] up to 4 times faster than Firefox 3.1.
I did some Safari 4 vs. Firefox 3 testing using the definitive JavaScript test on PowerBook G4, and my test results indicate Firefox is slightly faster.
I'm amazed to find such a post among all the "more money!" posts. Positively amazed.
I've always thought that the best ideas come naturally, you just can't force it. In my experience, the money prizes have just led to a flood of mediocre ideas by the masses. And then there has to be some stupid committee sorting the ideas. It just doesn't work.
My advise is to give people time to explore and think of better ways to do their job, time to come up with ideas. And when they do, respect the ideas. Don't drop good ideas with excuses. Let people experiment with the ideas to see if they could fly.
Google let's their employees work on their own interesting side projects for 20% of their time. It's resulted in some of their best innovations. The employee is responsible for keeping the project up to date and Google owns it, obviously.
What motivates people is recognition.
I'm not even sure about that recognition part. I'd just love the opportunity to check out the ideas I come with instead of being told to focus on getting the job at hand done. I get the best ideas from the work I do, the regular software development projects, but there's always a deadline, always requirements to meet, not more, not less. For me, the best reward would be the opportunity to explore the things I do and the ideas I get a bit further than what's required in the scope of the project. I think that's also what the Google's 20% is all about. Freedom to explore.
When it comes to games, I just don't care that much if they're not FOSS.
Yeah, but I do mind if a game is advertised on./ with a phrase like "Lovers of both games and Free Open Source Software will be pleased..." when the game itself is not FOSS.
It would be news if some noteworthy game was released as FOSS, but it's definitely not news these days anymore if free software has been used in the development of a game, and a low budget indie game at that.
They just want proprietary companies to develop for their toolkit, presumably in great part because of their plans to leverage it on the Symbian platform as well.
First, the law covers not only companies but also entities such as libraries, schools, hospitals, universities - even the parliament itself!
Second, the law covers all electronic communication, not only email.
Third, why should the above mentioned entities be allowed to snoop all electronic communication with just notification to the authorities while the police needs a court order for the same information?
Fourth, it is usually okay in Finland to use company mail and phone for your private communication to a reasonable extent. If your employer gives you a mobile phone to use and pays your bills, in most cases you have to pay taxes for that because it is expected that you use it for private purposes.
Fifth, why shouldn't electronic communication enjoy the same privacy as is guaranteed to snail mail? If I receive mail at the company with my name first and company second, nobody will open it without my permission. It's another story if the company name is first and my name is second. Also, if I put my private (and self paid) mail into a company outgoing mail folder, it is unfathomable that the company would even try to scan all the from and to addresses of the mail.
The Finnish Red Cross blood service also has a cord blood bank. According to the quite informative web page, "[the cord blood] unit is released to international transplant search registries and is thus available for patients around the world".
The list makes me think that the *unchecked* "Please do not write to me again" and "Your letter was most welcome!..." answers also work as special reward and punishment, respectively.
Green is right in the middle of our visible spectrum which makes it the easiest for our eyes to pick up. Did you just make that up, or do you have some references to back your claim?
It's the _merchants_ that are liable for fraud, even though it's almost entirely the fault of the banks! Too busy with work to find a reference, so you'll just have to take my word for it: The merchants are liable for fraud if they are not using the chip for the payment. Upgrade to chip card readers or be liable. Try Googling for "emv migration liability shift".
Secondly, market the job — make sure people can find out about it. That's perhaps obvious, but I know a lot of companies that try to stick to the back alleys of old boy's clubs, and it's no wonder they can't find anyone. Put an ad, a BIG one, somewhere programmers go a lot. Like slashdot.:-) I'd change that to "market your company". The superstar programmer is more interested in the environment he'll be working in rather than the specific job. He'll want to work for a company that will give him tasks that best suit his skills and interests.
You would be much better off, hiring people of various skill levels, make sure that they know where they are, and match up really good developers with some that are not as good. Of course, to truly be a 'superstar', you have to be able to understand and appreciate the contributions that those with less coding skill often bring to a project. I would like to add that by mixing talented programmers with programmers with potential, you'll be able to cultivate your staff. I've been programming more than half of my life, and I've got a M.Sc. degree, but the best boost to my programming and software engineering skills came from working with some truly amazing coders.
Slashdot Mirror
I was fairly sure the OS running on the MONDEX smartcards was formally proven.
Can't be bothered to look it up in the MONDEX case, but usually only parts of the smart card operating systems are formally proven; it's too costly to cover the whole system. Often it can be (semi-)formally proven that certain security irrelevant parts do not affect the areas being evaluated. (There's a paper on the MONDEX certification for those interested.)
Also, from TFA:
Formal proofs for specific properties have been conducted for smaller kernels, but what we have done is a general, functional correctness proof, which has never before been achieved for real-world, high-performance software of this complexity or size.
Admittedly, smart card kernels can't be referred to as "smaller kernels" if what they have is 7500 lines.
What does Finland get? A bit of snow?
A bit of snow on a cell tower. A bit more snow on trees.
The most logical thing, surely, is to have a script that grabs the latest source, build suitable binary RPMs and a binary DEB, and then move these files to the correct directory for a repository manager.
Those scripts sound a lot like Gentoo Portage to me.
ehm... you don't need to use FAT for USB mass storage devices or for any other kind of device, you could easily use anything else (actually all my pen drives have Ext3). The problem is that Windows (by default) only supports FAT and NTFS.
Another problem is that USB thumb drives present themselves as block devices, which flash is not. There's a flash translation layer, which on most devices optimizes flash usage for FAT. Due to limited erase/write cycles on flash, using file systems such as ext3 may severely limit the life time of the thumb drive, since the flash translation layer's wear leveling probably doesn't work well with non-FAT filesystems. The situation, I've let myself be told, is especially bad with journaling.
As long as the FTLs are optimized for FAT, I'd stick with it, wrinkles and all.
I don't think it's an exactly clever idea to be unnecessarily copying containers in the first place, but no matter what it makes Qt to STL migration hard if the Qt applications are filled with assumptions on copy-on-write.
Well, I appreciate it in the cool "I've got more money and free time than sense" aspect of pointlessly modifying hardware, I just don't have that much free time.
Yes, I totally agree with you here, regardless of my previous remark.
Personally I'm more interested in running Linux on the new Mac Mini. People seem to think that's pointless as well, turning a Mac into over-priced hardware. For me the form factor is appealing, something I haven't seen in any PC hardware with comparable specs, no matter how much time you're willing to invest in it. And there's the hack value there too.
Why would you ever want to do this?
You must be new here. Did you buy that three-digit id or what? ;-)
In fact, Safari 4 executes JavaScript [...] up to 4 times faster than Firefox 3.1.
I did some Safari 4 vs. Firefox 3 testing using the definitive JavaScript test on PowerBook G4, and my test results indicate Firefox is slightly faster.
(Total tangent: Really glad you posted this. I was starting to think I was the only sane person here.)
Personally I don't mind disagreeing with the masses. You know how it is. "Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong." - Oscar Wilde
I've always thought that the best ideas come naturally, you just can't force it. In my experience, the money prizes have just led to a flood of mediocre ideas by the masses. And then there has to be some stupid committee sorting the ideas. It just doesn't work.
My advise is to give people time to explore and think of better ways to do their job, time to come up with ideas. And when they do, respect the ideas. Don't drop good ideas with excuses. Let people experiment with the ideas to see if they could fly.
Google let's their employees work on their own interesting side projects for 20% of their time. It's resulted in some of their best innovations. The employee is responsible for keeping the project up to date and Google owns it, obviously.
What motivates people is recognition.
I'm not even sure about that recognition part. I'd just love the opportunity to check out the ideas I come with instead of being told to focus on getting the job at hand done. I get the best ideas from the work I do, the regular software development projects, but there's always a deadline, always requirements to meet, not more, not less. For me, the best reward would be the opportunity to explore the things I do and the ideas I get a bit further than what's required in the scope of the project. I think that's also what the Google's 20% is all about. Freedom to explore.
When it comes to games, I just don't care that much if they're not FOSS.
Yeah, but I do mind if a game is advertised on ./ with a phrase like "Lovers of both games and Free Open Source Software will be pleased..." when the game itself is not FOSS.
It would be news if some noteworthy game was released as FOSS, but it's definitely not news these days anymore if free software has been used in the development of a game, and a low budget indie game at that.
They just want proprietary companies to develop for their toolkit, presumably in great part because of their plans to leverage it on the Symbian platform as well.
Nokia is open sourcing Symbian as well.
Second, the law covers all electronic communication, not only email.
Third, why should the above mentioned entities be allowed to snoop all electronic communication with just notification to the authorities while the police needs a court order for the same information?
Fourth, it is usually okay in Finland to use company mail and phone for your private communication to a reasonable extent. If your employer gives you a mobile phone to use and pays your bills, in most cases you have to pay taxes for that because it is expected that you use it for private purposes.
Fifth, why shouldn't electronic communication enjoy the same privacy as is guaranteed to snail mail? If I receive mail at the company with my name first and company second, nobody will open it without my permission. It's another story if the company name is first and my name is second. Also, if I put my private (and self paid) mail into a company outgoing mail folder, it is unfathomable that the company would even try to scan all the from and to addresses of the mail.
The Finnish Red Cross blood service also has a cord blood bank. According to the quite informative web page, "[the cord blood] unit is released to international transplant search registries and is thus available for patients around the world".
Some of the answers were amusing.
The list makes me think that the *unchecked* "Please do not write to me again" and "Your letter was most welcome! ..." answers also work as special reward and punishment, respectively.
Who the fuck has ever used the word "Heroinware?"
Relax. It's just misspelled heroineware, referring to Tomb Raider etc.