Probably because the code is doing something involving a single off-by-one error, then subtracting that from the total votes cast.
If that's the case, that's amazingly poor coding. I can code better than that.
It'd be illuminating to test the machine with the order reversed, or with three candidates, and see what it does.
That it would. It would be even more illuminating to see the damned code. It's ridiculous that we're being told we have to trust our votes to a black box.
We know that paper ballots work, and are a LOT harder to fudge to the level of throwing an election.
While I agree with you, I just have to point out that it's not all that hard...after all, the recent presidential election in Mexico was stolen the old-fashioned way.
As Felten made clear in the article, it's not the size of the discrepancy that's the issue, but the fact that it's there at all. You'd expect this sort of minor error from humans, but the machine turning out this discrepancy is a dead giveaway that something is fundamentally wrong with its inner workings. If we could examine said inner workings, we could determine the cause of this bizzare behavior, but actually knowing what is going on inside their machines is something Sequoia is bound and determined to prevent. One can't help but wonder why, given what we've just seen...
If you're not yet completely convinced that the electronic voting currently being rolled out is a craptastic idea, here's a little story on how a simple malformed URL can get the online voting registration page in Pennsylvania to yield other voters' registration files on demand.
Further compounding matters, the Franklin County Board of Elections had disabled virtually all logging on the machines to speed setup of the balot [SIC].
Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to make the machines as unreliable and untrustworthy as possible. I know that the problem of properly implementing electronic voting machines is not a simple one by any means, but this is just plain ridiculous.
Although cleared by an investigation, Sir Arthur's unconventional lifestyle continued to cause some raised eyebrows.
And here's your statement:
It's clear that, while he wasn't a pedophile, he had some kind of sexually unconventional lifestyle.
Since you felt it necessary to qualify the phrase "unconventional lifestyle" with the adverb "sexually", and since, according to you, that the issue is "clear", the burden is on you to a)clarify this nebulous statement, and b) subsequently provide some sort of evidence to support your claim.
I encourage you to check here and here for what is 'hidden'.
Clarke was cleared of charges. The Daily Mirror issued a retraction. END. OF. STORY.
If you're not referring to Clarke's alleged pedophilia, however, but, rather, his "sexually unconventional lifestyle", you would need to first answer the question I put to you in my earlier post.
It's not clear from the letter Sequoia sent whether they intend to sue the professors or the state -- presumably that ambiguity was deliberate on Sequoia's part.
In other words, this is a scare tactic with nothing to back it up, pure and simple. If Sequoia thought the would have had actual grounds to sue, you can bet that they would have been chillingly specific in their letter.
When people resort to these sort of tactics to attempt to dissuade you, you can be assured you're doing something right.
It's one thing to know that IE7 is a resource hog, but another thing entirely to view the graph in the article and be confronted with hard evidence of just how abysmal it is.
I'm going to print out that graph and put it on my wall. Then, when my users come to me and ask why our enterprise isn't rolling out IE7 on our systems, I can just point to it.
Two stories - the war in Iraq and the 2008 presidential election campaign - represented more than a quarter of the stories in newspapers, on television and online last year, the project found.
You know, it might be possible that these topics dominate the news so because they are the most important issues we currently face. Making the claim that the Net is "narrowing" the news agenda based upon this is disingenuous.
Slashdot Mirror
Probably because the code is doing something involving a single off-by-one error, then subtracting that from the total votes cast.
If that's the case, that's amazingly poor coding. I can code better than that.
It'd be illuminating to test the machine with the order reversed, or with three candidates, and see what it does.
That it would. It would be even more illuminating to see the damned code. It's ridiculous that we're being told we have to trust our votes to a black box.
No. New jersey has a closed primary.
We know that paper ballots work, and are a LOT harder to fudge to the level of throwing an election.
While I agree with you, I just have to point out that it's not all that hard...after all, the recent presidential election in Mexico was stolen the old-fashioned way.
Both tallies are out by 1 count. Could it be the one is counting from zero and the other from one?
:)
Actually, the Republican tally was heavy one vote, while the Democratic tally was light one vote. Thus, your proposed explanation doesn't wash.
On the bright side at least the error will vanish as the number of votes approaches infinity
That's assuming that the error is due to the cause you postulated, which cannot be the case.
As Felten made clear in the article, it's not the size of the discrepancy that's the issue, but the fact that it's there at all. You'd expect this sort of minor error from humans, but the machine turning out this discrepancy is a dead giveaway that something is fundamentally wrong with its inner workings. If we could examine said inner workings, we could determine the cause of this bizzare behavior, but actually knowing what is going on inside their machines is something Sequoia is bound and determined to prevent. One can't help but wonder why, given what we've just seen...
It's "Felten".
</pedant>
Ahhh...that was priceless. Thank you. ^_^
If you're not yet completely convinced that the electronic voting currently being rolled out is a craptastic idea, here's a little story on how a simple malformed URL can get the online voting registration page in Pennsylvania to yield other voters' registration files on demand.
Further compounding matters, the Franklin County Board of Elections had disabled virtually all logging on the machines to speed setup of the balot [SIC].
Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to make the machines as unreliable and untrustworthy as possible. I know that the problem of properly implementing electronic voting machines is not a simple one by any means, but this is just plain ridiculous.
Larry Niven coined the term "organlegger" to describe individuals who obtained and resold body parts through less than scrupulous means.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/07/12
He was cleared of all charges. The Sunday Mirror issued a retraction of their accusation.
Looks pretty doubt-free to me.
Since you felt it necessary to qualify the phrase "unconventional lifestyle" with the adverb "sexually", and since, according to you, that the issue is "clear", the burden is on you to a)clarify this nebulous statement, and b) subsequently provide some sort of evidence to support your claim.
I encourage you to check here and here for what is 'hidden'.
Clarke was cleared of charges. The Daily Mirror issued a retraction. END. OF. STORY.
If you're not referring to Clarke's alleged pedophilia, however, but, rather, his "sexually unconventional lifestyle", you would need to first answer the question I put to you in my earlier post.
Goddamnit...
Actually yes, I do have some info on this...here and here.
Clarke was cleared of charges. The Daily Mirror issued a retraction. END. OF. STORY.
"Sexually unconventional lifestyle"?
First of all, please define what constitutes "conventional", and explain how Clarke deviated from this "norm".
Second, would a little respect for the deceased be too much to ask, Clarke's "sexually unconventional lifestyle" notwithstanding?
It was only a matter of time before some jackass puked forth this groundless accusation.
STFU. Try to have a little respect for a man whose shoelaces you are not fit to tie.
It's not clear from the letter Sequoia sent whether they intend to sue the professors or the state -- presumably that ambiguity was deliberate on Sequoia's part.
In other words, this is a scare tactic with nothing to back it up, pure and simple. If Sequoia thought the would have had actual grounds to sue, you can bet that they would have been chillingly specific in their letter.
When people resort to these sort of tactics to attempt to dissuade you, you can be assured you're doing something right.
"Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it." -- (Don't remember who said it).
That was George Santayana.
It's called propaganda, folks. "Tell a lie long and enough and loud enough and sooner or later people will believe you." -- P.T. Barnum, I think.
Actually, that was Joseph Goebbels.
I don't doubt it...after all, it's already happened here. ^_^
Can you fault the methodology employed in the tool?
Your link points to the twofo home page. You fail it.
Thanks for playing, though.
It's one thing to know that IE7 is a resource hog, but another thing entirely to view the graph in the article and be confronted with hard evidence of just how abysmal it is.
I'm going to print out that graph and put it on my wall. Then, when my users come to me and ask why our enterprise isn't rolling out IE7 on our systems, I can just point to it.
Two stories - the war in Iraq and the 2008 presidential election campaign - represented more than a quarter of the stories in newspapers, on television and online last year, the project found.
You know, it might be possible that these topics dominate the news so because they are the most important issues we currently face. Making the claim that the Net is "narrowing" the news agenda based upon this is disingenuous.
And my boss has been pushing to get these deployed at our company, for the sake of security. I'm sending him this article right now.
Thanks once again, Slashdot, for making it possible for me to project the impression that I'm doing my job. ^_^