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User: bluGill

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  1. No, best bosses are not technical! on U.S. Agencies Earn "D" For Computer Security · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The best boss I ever had was not technical. He had only technical people working for him, and understood enough of the technology that his nods weren't trying to stay away. What he did though wasn't understand the technology, he translated the technical talk into managerese, and vise versa. He made sure we got the resources we needed, work to do, fair raises, and most of the time wasn't in our way.

    Technical managers are better than average, but they suffer from wanting to be engineers. So they try to fit in, not remembering that it takes a long time to really understand a problem and they don't have the time to focus on any one problem to help, much less the particular problem each of us is solving now. A few have made the transisition, most fail.

    Remember, everyone is hired to do a job. The worst manager I knew (bosses bosses boss) was an excellent manager, motivated and worked hard to get a lot of things that needed doing done. However in seeing and solving all the other problems that weren't her job, she ignored some things that were her job. Eventially she "resigned for personal reasons", but in the mean time those of us who needed her to get things done lost.

  2. Re:moon race? nah... on India Test-Fires Cryogenic Rocket Engine · · Score: 1

    IIRC, Inda's public statements are to the effect that they are more worried about China than Pakistan. Sure the war with Pakistan is hotter, but in the end they claim to see Pakistan as a threat they can deal with, without using nukes. China is a much harder threat to deal with. Pakistan has said essentially the same thing: China is a bigger threat than India.

    Having talked to a few people from each of the above I'd agree. The Chinese are used to being brainwashed and controled in some areas that makes in very easy for their government to attack suddenly, and their large population gives them a good chance of winning by attrition. (though India might stand up do that if their defense is good, it isn't likely it would be used)

  3. Re:Before on India Test-Fires Cryogenic Rocket Engine · · Score: 0

    Of course before that German rockets were based on American science. I'm to presume that American science was in turn based on the works of many others scattered all over the world. And I also presume that the Germans could not have built those rockets without other non-american science from all over the world.

  4. Re:why the shift? on India Test-Fires Cryogenic Rocket Engine · · Score: 1

    Compare the benifit of Apollo to the benifit from spending all those dollars in some other way. Of course this can only be done in fiction, but I maintain that those dollars would have been more productive spent elsewhere.

  5. They do on The Robots are Coming · · Score: 4, Informative

    Back when I worked at McDonalds (I quit in 1995) we already had a robot to fill the fry baskets, we just took a basket off the machine, and put it in the fryer. Nearly all McDonalds have this machine now.

    This machine is actualy a spinoff from the fully robotic fryer. McDonalds had a fryer delivered that you poured froozen frys in one end, and out the other came fully cooked frys. That machine was too expensive for most stores to justify purchasing, (at current wages anyway...) but the figgured they could make the basket filler a seperate machine for a reasonable price and save come labor there. Eventially all stores will have the full robot, but not until prices come down a little more.

    The fryer will come before the robotic grill, because while either can be done, the fryer is much more dangerious. More serious burns result from accidewnts involving the fryer than the grill. However McDonalds can't figgure out how to make money putting the robotic fryer in each resteraunt. (higher prices won't sell in thie buisness)

  6. Re:Why Linux? on The Robots are Coming · · Score: 1

    When working with robots the best would be a written from scratch machine language (not assembly! See the story of Mel for some of the things machine language gives you that assembly doesn't, even without drum memory the lessions apply) program that does everything. It would also take all the programers on earth 20 years to do what a small team using an easier language and a lot of third party tools can do in two. Sure it would take a lot more CPU, but it is cheaper.

    Linux means that you won't be obsoleted by your tools. Where I work we choose a compiler that is no longer made, back when it was a good compiler. Today it doesn't support some new extentions to the language that we really want, and it doesn't support some new calling conventions that are used often (with good reason, the new way is better). Come to think of it, we started with OS/2, which isn't going anywhere.

    Linux in an embedded enviorment means that you can fix your toolset if it doesn't do what you want in latter years. One robot company couldn't justify it, but if everyone but robotics companies droped linux, they can still get togather to add some feature that robotics needs.

  7. Re:Better solution. on We're Jammin', Hope You Like Jammin' Too · · Score: 1

    Sure, now can I shoot the people who don't listen? Last time I went to the theator (a real theator with live actors and I paid $40 for cheap seats) 3 different cell phones rang. In the printed program they asked everyone to turn off their cell phone, with a note that if you could get an emergency call to leave your phone with staff outside who will be glad to answer it for you, and find you. Then again before the play started they reminded everyone to turn theirs off.

    Despite all that effort, THREE people couldn't turn their phone off. I don't think jamming is the answer, jail should be. 1 week behind bars would be enough I would think. Explain to your boss why you can't come in, to your kids why you aren't home... (most of those there were with work, so vacation to an undisclosed location will be seen right through)

    My cell phone wasn't one of those that rang because the power was off. (Though it turns out it wouldn't have rang anyway because noone tried to call me)

  8. Can't work that way on We're Jammin', Hope You Like Jammin' Too · · Score: 1

    Doctors at the movie do not need to leave for emergencys. It sounds like an important reason, but in truth, in an emergency seconds count. Between the time the doctor gets the call in the movie and the time he gets to the emergency room the emergency is past becasause either some just died or the doctors at the hospital have taken care of it and don't have time to bring the new doctor up to date on the problem.

    To be a Level 1 tramma center a hosptial must have 1 heart specialist and 1 brain specialists= (and a bunch of other highly trained doctors) avaiable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That means in the hospital and able to get to the emergency room in moments. If there is brain surgery going on that means at least 2 brain surgens are in the hospital, one to do the surgery, and one standing by in case of need in the emergency room. Time is far too critical in an emergency room to wait for doctors to come in.

    Don't forget too that the movie theator doesn't even have to be in the same town as the hospital. It is extreemly common for people to live half an hour from work, and shop half an hour from either place.

    That isn't to say that doctors don't get called in all the time. However when they do there isn't a critical need yet. There is also a order, doctors on call need to be free, but that means they can't go to movies. They also can't go to bars and get drunk, like some peoplelike to do once in a while.

  9. Re:So now... on Yahoo! Develops Anti-Spam Architecture · · Score: 1

    AT least I know a company advertising with Yahoo is supporting something I care about. (a lot of mailing lists on groups.google.com...) So long as Yahoo doesn't get gready. In radio they only sell so many comercials, because they know eventially listeners change stations and when listenership goes down advertising dollars goes down. Maximizing profit is the goal, and they have figgured out how to do that. (though personally I think they all have way too many comercials)

    When I get a spam for enlargement I'm annoyed. I have no one to sue for sexual harrassment (which is what it is). No one I care about is getting some much needed money to support an otherwise free service. When I get a advertisement from Yahoo I at least know that Yahoo is getting money. There is a reasonable chance that the company is legitimate (unlike most of the scams I get). And if Yahoo sends too many I know what to do to stop them - quit using Yahoo.

    Not that I like advertisements. However they are a necessary evil.

  10. Forgot one on Open-Source Development 'Faster, Better, Cheaper' · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You forgot one reason to do open source.

    I'm a good programmer, I can write an OS, windowing system, Word Processer, etc all by my self. Well in theory, doing all that alone to even the quality of Windows 3.0 and WordPerfect for Windows (which sucked in those days) is close to byond the time I will live, and in the meantime I don't have programs to use.

    When I work in open source I can take advantage of other's work. So I write [part of] the VM for the kernel, while others write everything else to make the kernel work, more others right the libraries and utilties, and still others write my windowing system and word processer. Put it all togather and I have free programs to use, and the ability to change anything. So last year I re-wrote the VM that everyone is now using, this year I can direct my attention to nethack making it even better.

    In other words: don't overlook the value of working with others.

  11. Governments hire spies... on PC Pitstop Continues Anti-Spyware Campaign · · Score: 1

    Spies often work for the goverment they are apying AGAINST. That is the government they are stealing information from concented to their right to be and do some things that. The spy typically finds that the concented level of acess to secerets isn't enough and useing their position as an insider to gain additional access to secerets.

    Looks like Gator is spyware to me. Users concent, without knowing what they are concenting to.

  12. Re:Maybe no security at all on Real Security? · · Score: 1

    As my grandpa used to say "We never used to lock our doors. Of course back then there were a total of 4 different keys, and a thief had a skelleton key that would open a lock keyed to any of those 4 keys." Today skelliton keys cannot exist, and each different lock brand has at least 10,000 different combonations. Even still, Disney World has several cases a day where someone gets into the wrong car and drives to away, the key working. (Remember most people have a rental car, this would be somewhat less likely if you had your own car where you knew all the little scratches. I think the new electronic keys fix this)

  13. M.U.L.E on Games For Both Of Us? · · Score: 1

    Mule, Spy Vs Spy, and Floyd Of the Jungle are the games I really enjoy playing with others. Get Atari800 (the emulator, though a real atari, or in some cases a C64 or Apple// would work)and find a bootleg copy of those games.

    P.S. I'm not married, and like the sterotypical geek have no clue how I'd find a girl, so take my ideas with a grain of salt. Thats what I'd play iwth her if I knew her, but I don't...

  14. I think BSD is better written... on Kernel Exploit Cause Of Debian Compromise · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Having looking at both sources for linux and BSD, I think that BSD is better written in total. That isn't to say that there are no ugly parts in BSD, or no nicer parts in linux, just as a whole BSD is nicer.

    To save you some time I present the next 3 replys to this post.

    Is not
    Is too
    Is Not

  15. The TV was on a cart, not in each classroom on Technology In Primary Education, Boon Or Bane? · · Score: 1

    When I was in schools we had TVs and movie projectors (IIRC 16mm), but not in each classroom. We had a chalkboard in each classroom, and the teachers that used them had overhead projectors. Despite the usefullness of TVs and movie projectors for education, when a teach wanted one they had send someone to the library to bring it to the classroom, and return it afterwards. There isn't enough useful content for those machines to justify having one in each room.

    Many of todays classrooms have TVs, in part because TVs have come down in price significantly. However if you look closely you will notice that the good teachers rarely use them. Most topics are not well taught with TVs.

    Comptuers are useful in schools - in the comptuer lab. All students should be required to learn to type, and otherwise manipulate a computer. However that is not enough a part of the day to justify having one on every desk. Send the students to the comptuer lab. Perhaps with a dedicated teacher like music and gym? I'd like to think that teachers would know enough to not need external help, but they can't know everything.

  16. I tried, didn't work on Eating in Space · · Score: 1

    I tried to give the astronaughts a treat, I called my local Jimmy's pizza (better than any chain) delevery, but it turns out they only deliver within 10 miles, and ISS is always farther away than that, even when not on the other side of the earth.

    OTOH, 747s fly at less than that distance from the ground, next time I have to fly I'm going to order pizza with those inflight phones. I'm sure the captin will detour a little to hit the delivery area if I bri^h^h^hgive him a large pizza.

  17. Re:No freezers? on Eating in Space · · Score: 0

    That is all too complex. Plenty of freezer space right outside the station. Just make sure you pick a spot always in shadow and you should be just fine. A space walk now and then for food might be a nice change considering how little room there is up there.

  18. 72 pts to inch on Web 'Rules' Changing? · · Score: 1

    By definition there are 72 points in an inch. If you set a 10 point font it should be just more than 1/7th of an inch (5/36th if you care), no matter how many dpi your screen has Fix your local settings.

    I agree though that a font size (10 point or other) should never be specified. Old people need bigger fonts.

    P.S. Yes I'm aware that most computers do not allow you to set your screen dpi, so you can't in practice do this. Doesn't change the fact that things are broken on your end.

  19. Re:More outlets = good on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 1

    Wires are stapled because code requires it in new construction. Wires must be supported every 4 feet, and stapled within 8 inches of the box. There is an exception for remodeling, which clearly doesn't apply to new construction. Contractors would love to save the $.20 per staple. (after labor, figgure 300 in a house and ad it up)

  20. Re:Circuit breakers on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 1

    Not exactly. American code allows 120 volt outlets and fixtures to share a circuit of under 20 amps. Dedicated circuits can be 120 or 220 depending on manufacture, but in general 120 volt circuits go up to 20 amps and anything needing more power uses 220 because double the volts allows half the amps for the same power so wire sizes are smaller. (I have seen 30 amp 120 volt circuits, but that was a special case and I'm not sure it is legal anymore)

    American code (or standard?) defines outlets for up to 50 amps in 220, anything more than that is hardwired.

  21. Nit: all single phase on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 1

    All the power in a US house is single phase. It is incorrect to refer to 220 in the US as two phase. Two phase means that the two phases are 90 degrees apart. 220 is single phase, 120 is half of 220. (for historical reasons US power is refered to as 220 and 120 volts, one half the other, it doesn't ad up so don't try) Two phase power is extreemly rate, I'm told it exists but I don't know where or why. Three phase is common in industry, and a few home shops have it (to run cheap surplus industrial equipment).

  22. Re:Need power strip for surge protection on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 1

    He isn't going to have a spcial home theator, just a standard living room TV like everyone else has running on their 15 amp outlets in their livingroom. Everyone is saying go above the code, which is nice, but not as much a gain as they seem to think. It catches edge cases and that is about it. All this work is inspected, and passes code. Not that inspectors know nessicarly know anything. (at least half the ones I deal with make up codes and requrie things that serve no purpose, but that is a different story and relates more to non-electrical work)

  23. Re:Need power strip for surge protection on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 1

    He is up to code. Doing exactly what a professional would do if he hired it out. My friend builds houses for a living, and sees plenty of finished ones) No problem with the inspector.

  24. Re:Renovations - electrical and gray water on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 1

    Why bother with conduit when the house you just descibed will last at most 3 years before it is unlivable due to mold? Insulation sounds good, but modern hosues are so tight already that contractors consider themselves luck to have most survive, and there is much more effictive insultaition then the minimal they are putting in that will only make the problem worse.

  25. Need power strip for surge protection on Need... More... Power... · · Score: 0, Insightful

    I'm "advising" (It is illegal for an intelligent /.er to help with electrical work, but he can do it himself) a guy building his house. He suggested putting a bunch of outlets along the wall where the enertainment center obviously will go. I talked him out of it, because all that equipment should be on a surge protector anyway. Sure you can get the type that goes in the breaker box (a good idea in fact), but that doesn't stop the same level of surgers as the power strip will. At least until the power strip's protection frys. (generally one year)