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User: phorwich

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  1. git on Ask Slashdot: Temporary Backup Pouch? · · Score: 1

    I think git has got what you seek. http://git-scm.com/

  2. How do you deal with... on Super-Privacy-Protecting ISP In the Planning · · Score: 1

    A) The first web site that decides to block traffic from this site. I can almost see the msg, "You have tried to access this content from an anonymous internet address." Please resubmit your request from a trackable source." Or something. B) The fact that, being the first of its kind, this ISP is a pretty juicy target for those who oppose such activity. I suspect the only way to deal with A & B is that multiple such ISP would have to both form and sign-up subscribers en mass. Without such, both A & B seem like barriers to success.

  3. Slashdot 'em while they are down on Major Outage At the Amazon Web Services · · Score: 1

    Well... I am sure the additional server load from curious slashdotters like myself can only be helping.

  4. Lawnmower Man on Ask Slashdot: Worst Computer Scene In TV or Movies? · · Score: 1

    "Ahhh!!! A back door!" ... and then I left the theater.

  5. Netflix helps to quantify the issue on Clear Has Nationwide Outage · · Score: 1

    In what has to be an interesting twist on net neutrality and bandwidth throttling, Netflix has released their numbers for network throughput sorted by ISP. Clearwire comes in dead last out of 16 US ISPs: http://techblog.netflix.com/2011/01/netflix-performance-on-top-isp-networks.html

  6. Duke Nuke 'em... on Italian Scientists Demonstrate Cold Fusion? · · Score: 1

    ... forever. Is it more likely than cold fusion? I mean, both are theoretical, promise good things for mankind, and have a spotty past filled with false promises and dashed hopes. I am guessing we see a Duke sequel before we see a perpetual energy source, but that's me looking on the bright side.

  7. Re:4th on Whitehat Hacker Moxie Marlinspike's Laptop, Cellphones Seized · · Score: 1

    Slightly off topic, but it reminds of the person who once asked, "If I whistle a popular rock song where someone else can hear and then they start whistling it too, have I made an illegal copy?"

  8. The Store on Woz Says Android Will Dominate · · Score: 1

    Seems to me that the largest force driving iPhone/iPad/iPod success is the Apple Store. It's huge, draws developers, and provides good product at dirt cheap prices. OS considerations have become secondary.

  9. I knew you would read this on Do Firefox Users Pay More For Car Loans? · · Score: 1

    Correlation will make for defensible decisions. Ones where you can look to your peers and say something like, "Look, they were browsing with Chrome. How could I know they would default their loan?" And your loan granting colleagues will all nod their heads and sympathize. Correlation may even help one to make decisions with more predictable outcomes, even when the causative factor is unknown. While trying to anticipate the future correlates with well with being human, past performance does not guarantee future results. Either way, I'm switching to Chrome until the data indicates otherwise.

  10. Re:A bone to pick with the premise on Skeletal Identification · · Score: 1
  11. A bone to pick with the premise on Skeletal Identification · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Interesting, but... The scheme fails to account for the fact that human bones remodel and change shape over time. In fact, the premise appears to count on the fact that people's bones will remain unchanged. It's just not so. The skeleton is a changing organ. More info can be found in this wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_remodeling One could imagine a database of "bone information" that is cross-referenced to identity. While it's possible the data would initially be useful, over time the database would become increasingly inaccurate as peoples' bones changed. How often would the authors suggest that people be rescanned to maintain accuracy?

  12. Re:iAds on Apple Announces iPhone 4 · · Score: 1

    So, if you toggle a pixel and nobody can see it, is it on?

  13. Re:Read between the lines on Google.cn Has Already Lifted Censorship · · Score: 1
  14. Re:Google siding w/"human rights activists" or not on Google.cn Has Already Lifted Censorship · · Score: 1

    Yes. Seems to be the case.

  15. Re:Read between the lines on Google.cn Has Already Lifted Censorship · · Score: 1

    Agreed. "sponsored by the Chinese government itself" is the implication. Why doesn't google paint the picture a little clearer. No need to? Isn't there something to be gained?

  16. Google siding w/"human rights activists" or not? on Google.cn Has Already Lifted Censorship · · Score: 1

    Is it just me or is there a "spin disconnect" with this news stroy. I hear and read from multiple sources that "Google" is "pulling out of China" because of cyber attacks. My guess is most will read such stuff and concluded that google is either removing censorship or leaving .cn because it can't protect itself from hacking. Reading google's post on the topic here http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-approach-to-china.html seems to suggest that google is modifying its policies or leaving because "Chinese human rights activists" were primary targets. Google doesn't go so far as to say they are siding with "Chinese human rights activists," but it does seem to be implied. So which is it? Is google championing "Chinese human rights activists" If so, why doesn't google focus, or redirect, the media coverage accordingly?

  17. Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmatic & "Rerr Handing" on The US Economy Needs More "Cool" Nerds · · Score: 1

    As a physician who codes, I appreciate the tremendous advantage I have when using information technology. I also remember clearly enough writing thousands of lines of code in somebody's basement many years ago. FWIW, I think Reading, 'Riting, and 'Rithmatic should make room for a little ''Rerr handling" in a well rounded education. Ohh... and I do think that much of the development in science and medicine (and elsewhere )in the near future will involve handling large data sets.

  18. What's in a name? on Israeli Border Police Shoot US Student's Laptop · · Score: 1

    I wonder if she'll pay for this sort of thing in the future?: http://download.cnet.com/BulletProof-FTP-Client-2009/3000-2160_4-10009523.html

  19. Re:Targets! on What To Do With 78 USB Drives Next Christmas? · · Score: 1

    I used to hit 'em with my Timex Sinclair - 1K

  20. Re:Hey... maybe what we need is... on Obama Transition Team Examining Space Solar Power · · Score: 1

    or maybe... BaRingworld: BaRing the "O" with Obama.

  21. Hey... maybe what we need is... on Obama Transition Team Examining Space Solar Power · · Score: 1

    ... a big ring orbiting an artificial sun. BaRingworld bringing change to you.

  22. and... on Firefox 2.0.0.11 Released · · Score: 1

    Calendars indicate today is Saturday. week.day.07 to be released tomorrow.

  23. Re:What happens if... on LA Airport Uses Random Numbers To Catch Terrorists · · Score: 1

    Next thing you know, the terrorists will be using printf();

  24. Just like cards on LA Airport Uses Random Numbers To Catch Terrorists · · Score: 1

    Anyone who is successful at Texas Hold 'em intuits this.

  25. Kept losing data on 10 Computer Mishaps · · Score: 1

    I had a job in highschool working with a guy who sold Apple II's with Visicalc as business machines. We had a client with a 'high end' system that had an external floppy drive. They kept calling and complaining that they were losing the data on their floppy disks. We looked at the disks and, sure enough, they would contain nothing. We replaced the drive twice, but the problem recurred. As the calls continued, we decided to make a visit to try and figure out what was going on. When we arrived, we saw an antique type telephone sitting on top of the floppy drive. The phone had a bell ringer. We assumed that, when the phone would ring, the floppy in the drive would be erased. We moved the phone over to nearby counter and the problem never recurred.