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User: Wolfier

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  1. Nope, at least on Android on Ask Slashdot: Do You Miss Windows Phone? (theverge.com) · · Score: 1

    System-wide dark mode: numerous screen filter apps exist
    Tiles, etc: many custom launchers to try

  2. First thing that will appear on Beijing Wants AI To Be Made In China By 2030 (nytimes.com) · · Score: 1

    Is counterfeit AI. With its population...running fake AIs with Mechanical Turks seems totally doable.

  3. Measurement is skewed on Getting Rid of Carpool Lanes Could Double Travel Times (sciencemag.org) · · Score: 1

    Instead of minutes/kilometer (with an implied 'per vehecle'), how about minutes/kilometer/person?

  4. How many suicides will it create? on Apple's Top Assembler Foxconn Confirms Plans for US Investment, To Create 50,000 Jobs (bloomberg.com) · · Score: 0

    Given the company's uncanny ability to make their workers kill themselves, I wonder how many of these 50,000 jobs will get added to this Wikipedia article...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  5. Obligatory video on How To Anesthetize an Octopus · · Score: 0

    I've had something similar, definitely one of the best dishes I've ever had.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  6. How shocking is that? on The Flaw Lurking In Every Deep Neural Net · · Score: 2

    All neural nets try to predict, and predictions can be foiled.

    People can be fooled by optical illusions, too.

  7. We've just been mislabelling our brain region on Computer Program Allows the Blind To "See" With Sound · · Score: 1

    If the "vision" center had been named "geometry" center, its activation would be very natural and not a surprise at all.

  8. Re:No-plan phone purchases? on T-Mobile Exec Calls For End To Cell Phone Subsidies · · Score: 1

    Chatr is Roger's fighter brand designed to kill off the real alternatives. I care about competition, so I don't join any of the "discount" brand of major incumbents.

  9. Re:There needs to be a way to avoid the subsidy. on T-Mobile Exec Calls For End To Cell Phone Subsidies · · Score: 1

    > $137 per month

    That's the problem.

    Most people don't use unlimited text/minutes/data, yet, the carriers either force people to use the cheap, inadequate plans or the overkill, overpriced plans.

    i.e. they'll never offer a $25 plan that offers 1000 minutes, 500 text messages, and 3GB of data.

  10. Sure, but are they willing to let go of... on T-Mobile Exec Calls For End To Cell Phone Subsidies · · Score: 1

    contracts, SIM locks, and carrier crapware?

  11. Re:Google got slammed, but not CarrierIQ? on Carrier IQ Responds To FBI Drama, EFF Wants More Information · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Only in the form of OS logs for crash reports

    Neither CarrierIQ or the Carriers have business in knowing what apps I'm using, whether they crash or not (the PDF says it reports context switches between apps, this is an INSANE invasion of my privacy) - except the crapware written by the Carriers themselves, which I need or want none of.

    The whole "case" against CIQ is hugely overblown by media sources looking for ratings and people who desperately want something to be outraged over.

    They were largely responsible for the "case" against themselves - if they worked with the researcher instead of using lawyers to threaten him, there would be no case. They should have been sensitive enough to know that there's a very fine line between what they make and a real spyware - and be aware of the possibility that EFF might join the fray before their lawyer sent that threaten letter.

  12. Re:People are way too paranoid... on Carrier IQ Responds To FBI Drama, EFF Wants More Information · · Score: 2

    First off.. CIQ are not the bad guys here.

    They make software. It does various things, and it can be used for good or evil.

    The carriers are the ones who requested the software to be placed on the handsets. The handset makers are the ones who screwed up, specifically HTC who left debug mode enabled on a production handset. The Samsung handsets do not exhibit the same issues that were shown in the video that the HTC handsets show.

    The whole FBI link, no one really knows for sure, what the deal is, other then they refused a FOIA. That could mean they utilize the data, or they are in fact investigating CIQ itself.

    Honestly, for the purposes that CIQ claim the software is for, I have no real issue with it. However they built far more capability then was needed in the software, and that I do have a major issue with.

    Mostly agreed, except that CIQ made a fatal mistake of trying to silent the researcher with a SLAPP. If they worked WITH him in the first place, I bet none of their current PR disaster would have happened.

  13. Re:"A fix for the bug"? on Carrier IQ Responds To FBI Drama, EFF Wants More Information · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not spyware. Carriers want info on how people use their phones so that they can fix bugs and make better phones. It's no different from software that occasionally reports home with usage statistics. Everyone does it, and it's a good thing. The only problem is that a few OEMs and carriers disabled the user's ability to opt out.

    CarrierIQ makes a legal, useful, morally-sound product. Some companies go on to use that product in a legal, useful, but less moral manner. But some asshole of a security researcher figured out (correctly!) that he'd get way more hits on his webpage if he accused them of making a rootkit and keylogger. And now all the innocent, hardworking developers at this small business will be out on the streets, because the rage-a-holics want something to scream about, and the media is more than happy to manufacture controversy if it means good ratings.

    So congrats. You're going to destroy the lives of some innocent people over the tiniest of slights. I'm sure you're very proud.

    Not so fast. I suspect if CarrierIQ didn't attempt to SLAPP the researcher, none of its PR disaster would have happened.
    Don't act as if CarrierIQ is totally in the right, because it is not. The moment they decided to unleash a lawyer first, and then an honest disclosure when necessary, their fate was sealed.

  14. Re:Still readying the artical but... on New Study Concludes Math Gender Gap Is Cultural, Not Biological · · Score: 1

    The solution to this is to pay the surgeons by the hour, per operation, etc. Then the pay scale will be the same for every piece of work.

    As to motherhood and the importance of families in society, it'll need to be compensated in other ways - because if it's compensated with a "parity" salary of their occupation, it means the families and motherhood of a female surgeon is more valuable to that of a cubicle worker, which is obviously untrue.

    And, the joy of motherhood and family needs to be accounted for as well - otherwise it'll be unfair men who cannot enjoy the experience of bearing a baby and being able to breastfeed.

  15. Make it 100% accurate on MIT Algorithm Predicts Red Light Runners · · Score: 1

    By making the amber light last just slightly shorter, again!

  16. That's OK as long as on MIT Algorithm Predicts Red Light Runners · · Score: 1

    they fine people at 85%

  17. Re:Cannot find the binary download link? on Free Software Activists Take On Google Search · · Score: 1

    The platform-specific stuffs are there, but where's the .Jar?

  18. Cannot find the binary download link? on Free Software Activists Take On Google Search · · Score: 1

    What about people who want to join but don't run their own compilers? You know, those people exist.

  19. On the other hand on Siri Gives Apple Two Year Advantage Over Android · · Score: 1

    Widgets have given Android a 10 year advantage.

    Because it's such a prominent feature on Android, Apple doesn't want to copy it - that's why you'll never see non-jailbroken iOS devices running widgets on the home screen. You read it here first.

  20. Re:BES Anyone? on Is RIM's Centralized Network Model Broken? · · Score: 1

    On top of easily setting compliance policies, BES also controls enterprise resources other than those controlled by Exchange.

    Does ActiveSync devices still require setting up a VPN separately?

    (hint: if you or your company don't need those controls, it means you or your company don't need those controls - nothing more)

  21. Re:No, They Should Buy a Mainframe on Is RIM's Centralized Network Model Broken? · · Score: 1

    first, there's push policy update on BES vs poll-based policy updates. if you're in an environment that needs dynamic policies, push policies can't be beat.
    second, BES allows applications to set its own policies - while last I looked at ActiveSync, it's only for an MS application (Exchange).
    and then, ActiveSync policies are very device-specific - Windows Mobile phones implements a larger set of supported policies than Android, for example.

  22. Re:BES Anyone? on Is RIM's Centralized Network Model Broken? · · Score: 1

    FIPS compliance, maybe?

  23. Re:BES Anyone? on Is RIM's Centralized Network Model Broken? · · Score: 1

    > You can administer and control (to some extent), and wipe the phone using ActiveSync. If you're using BES, I assume you have an Exchange server? Well then, you're all set

    I assume you haven't used BES. It's understandable why you think ActiveSync might be an adequate replacement. (hint: the level of fine-grained control offered by BES is way more reaching than what an administrator can do with ActiveSync.)

  24. Re:No, They Should Buy a Mainframe on Is RIM's Centralized Network Model Broken? · · Score: 1

    > ActiveSync provides security policies too

    If you're comparing mere ActiveSync security policies with BES security policies, clearly ActiveSync is secure enough for you.

  25. Re:Worldwide death toll on Oxford University Tests Universal Flu Vaccine · · Score: 1

    The bottomline is, almost all road accidents are caused by jerks, or people who have no idea how to drive yet somehow got their licences. About the only ways to reduce fatality on the road is to

    1. make the road test about 5 times tougher. If you're in north america, 20 times tougher
    2. enforce road rules with heavy-hands on top of severe punishments

    Since many if not most politicians are either jerks or people who have no idea how to drive yet got their licences, I doubt they'll actually make any real effort to reduce road death.

    Therefore, road death cannot be meaningfully reduced. Thus, effort is better spent on preventing some other deaths, such as....flu.

    QED