The important thing that the Amiga OS lacked, when compared to a more "modern" operating system was memory protection. Simply because it lacked the necessary hardware to enforce it.
Sadly, there was no provision for implementing any separation even when the necessary hardware was available, which it was on some of the later/high-end models.
I'm not so sure about this. If an important userspace application, or actually any application, has been hacked, I consider the machine tainted for all future. I'm not going to patch the holes up and keep running, because any file could have been modified and finding out which ones is just much more work than to fire up a new clean machine. If you're running a webserver and it's broken, you have in fact a fully compromised system since the only thing running on that virtual machine is the webserver.
I can see many reasons not to run this OS, but the kernel/userspace separation is not necessarily the big deal.
Though in 1996 we didn't actually have tons of free operating systems. Linux added something that was missing.
Then again, this release is hopefully nothing serious, other than a way to say that he's abandoned the project and doesn't really care if people use it or not.
The problem right now is that the current political mantra thinks that jobs are the most important thing, and if you don't have a job you're worthless and a problem that must be taken care of. It will be a painful period for jobless and workers alike until this discrepancy between current reality and ancient politics is gone.
Execution speed is not necessarily the only metric used to judge a compiler. As a developer for embedded platforms I mostly look at code size, and you could also judge it on how well it handles various CPU architecture varieties.
Then again, your argument still stands. He could've written "better".;)
Are you suggesting that the kernel should kill of application in userspace using this instruction? Are there any other instructions you morally object to? Using XOR with a constant is also bad cryptography, perhaps it should be prevented by the kernel.
Did you read the fine article? No you didn't. This guy is not a programmer, he's not been programming since that calculator. He's an English teacher.
For those like me who did not become programmers, whose notebooks of code and illustrations sat untouched in a musty basement for the last decade, learning to program taught habits of mind that persist to this day in small yet vital ways.
His point is that iPad is a dumb device meant for passive intake of information, but many still assumes it's more advanced than the old calculators, thus a better tool for students.
Stupid Anonymous Coward - fits in the Apple Fanboy category. Users naturally see the iPad as a computer - that's what it is, right? And it's assumed that a computer can do everything than a calculator can, making the calculator obsolete. The Fine Article points out that this is not the case, and that teachers, parents and students should think about this when deciding what to promote in the classroom.
Fact is that the iPad is a gimped consumer toy compared to a computer or calculator, great for glossy illustrations in elementary school, but when it's time to do some heavy lifting, it falls short.
Remember that the NSA is a tax-founded government agency, thus it's much more likely to assume that indeed everyone in America (I take it that you mean the United States version of America?) support what they do. At least most people voted for it, considering both parties are equally eager to keep NSA running.
Frankly, I'm disappointed having read so many comments in this thread and not one talks about the most important for a geek site like slashdot: How do manage to get a bug like this?
Nothing is very special with HIJKL that makes them stick out or warrant exceptional handling.
The question is still relevant. Manufacturers talk about erase cycles, but are there any massive-scale studies done by a third part on SSD failure modes?
Not necessarily, because to get a decent quality unbiased random stream of bits from a simple thermal noise circuit you have to massage it quite a bit. And it may very well be sensitive to external stimuli. For example, a hacker without full access to the device could still run up the CPU and GPU to max load just before you're supposed to generate your secret key, to control the zener temperature.
Not saying it isn't better, but that "it's complicated".
Slashdot Mirror
And if it's not obvious (mainly for our SI-challenged readers), 10 micrometers equals 0.01 mm.
Not sure what you mean by this. OS9 and anything previous to that has nothing to do with BSD.
OSX was a completely new start. "Virtually all old devices and OS's ever" is most definitely not BSD.
The important thing that the Amiga OS lacked, when compared to a more "modern" operating system was memory protection. Simply because it lacked the necessary hardware to enforce it.
Sadly, there was no provision for implementing any separation even when the necessary hardware was available, which it was on some of the later/high-end models.
I'm not so sure about this. If an important userspace application, or actually any application, has been hacked, I consider the machine tainted for all future. I'm not going to patch the holes up and keep running, because any file could have been modified and finding out which ones is just much more work than to fire up a new clean machine. If you're running a webserver and it's broken, you have in fact a fully compromised system since the only thing running on that virtual machine is the webserver.
I can see many reasons not to run this OS, but the kernel/userspace separation is not necessarily the big deal.
Though in 1996 we didn't actually have tons of free operating systems. Linux added something that was missing.
Then again, this release is hopefully nothing serious, other than a way to say that he's abandoned the project and doesn't really care if people use it or not.
While on the topic about fragmentation... Android is another type of linux.
The problem right now is that the current political mantra thinks that jobs are the most important thing, and if you don't have a job you're worthless and a problem that must be taken care of. It will be a painful period for jobless and workers alike until this discrepancy between current reality and ancient politics is gone.
Execution speed is not necessarily the only metric used to judge a compiler. As a developer for embedded platforms I mostly look at code size, and you could also judge it on how well it handles various CPU architecture varieties.
Then again, your argument still stands. He could've written "better". ;)
How about reading the fucking SUMMARY, then you'd realize you're talking about two completely separate letters.
Are you suggesting that the kernel should kill of application in userspace using this instruction? Are there any other instructions you morally object to? Using XOR with a constant is also bad cryptography, perhaps it should be prevented by the kernel.
Getting such an account probably requires signing 30 pages of fineprint, making sure that anything you do can get your account banned.
A bigger question is why. What do PayPal gain by "randomly" freezing accounts like this?
So you mean they are not born with a map? Shocking news.
Did you read the fine article? No you didn't. This guy is not a programmer, he's not been programming since that calculator. He's an English teacher.
For those like me who did not become programmers, whose notebooks of code and illustrations sat untouched in a musty basement for the last decade, learning to program taught habits of mind that persist to this day in small yet vital ways.
His point is that iPad is a dumb device meant for passive intake of information, but many still assumes it's more advanced than the old calculators, thus a better tool for students.
Stupid Anonymous Coward - fits in the Apple Fanboy category. Users naturally see the iPad as a computer - that's what it is, right? And it's assumed that a computer can do everything than a calculator can, making the calculator obsolete. The Fine Article points out that this is not the case, and that teachers, parents and students should think about this when deciding what to promote in the classroom.
Fact is that the iPad is a gimped consumer toy compared to a computer or calculator, great for glossy illustrations in elementary school, but when it's time to do some heavy lifting, it falls short.
When the choice is between buying another gadget or install a free or cheap program on a gadget you already own, then yes, that's the rational answer.
When the average student owns several computers, maybe programming the calculator should be encouraged.
You mean because women don't get orgasms?
Remember that the NSA is a tax-founded government agency, thus it's much more likely to assume that indeed everyone in America (I take it that you mean the United States version of America?) support what they do. At least most people voted for it, considering both parties are equally eager to keep NSA running.
New way to develop products - merely pretend you're building some cool thing, hope that another company will steal the idea and do it first.
That way you don't actually have to get bored with the messy details, but can go out and buy the finished product later.
Frankly, I'm disappointed having read so many comments in this thread and not one talks about the most important for a geek site like slashdot: How do manage to get a bug like this?
Nothing is very special with HIJKL that makes them stick out or warrant exceptional handling.
Do you think that the product designers specified that trades beginning with the letter H to L should be buggy?
Perhaps the requirements for displaying a bright image 100 feet away outdoors is higher than your pocket alarm clock LED projector?
The question is still relevant. Manufacturers talk about erase cycles, but are there any massive-scale studies done by a third part on SSD failure modes?
Actually yes, I would like it to design an inexpensive jet pack for me, that would be awesome.
Not necessarily, because to get a decent quality unbiased random stream of bits from a simple thermal noise circuit you have to massage it quite a bit. And it may very well be sensitive to external stimuli. For example, a hacker without full access to the device could still run up the CPU and GPU to max load just before you're supposed to generate your secret key, to control the zener temperature.
Not saying it isn't better, but that "it's complicated".