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User: fractalVisionz

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Comments · 108

  1. Re:I played this at expo last year and it felt lik on Multimorphic Teases Open Source Multi-Game Pinball · · Score: 1

    I played this at the Pacific Pinball expo this last year. I 100% agree that the too much focus was put on the under-ball display. In fact, during one of the games, I couldn't even see the ball due to all the explosion animations happening around the ball that I lost a ball. It was much too distracting. The rest of the play-field was just boring as well, symmetric and didn't invoke any reason or story to even play the game.

  2. Re:How many peeps fell for it? on Fake Password Reset E-mail Hits 7,500 Black Hat Registrants · · Score: 0

    I don't know whether to mod you insightful or troll, so I will comment instead.

  3. Re:Unpatentable on Amazon Patents Deducing Religion From Gift Wrap · · Score: 1

    After reading yet another silly patent abstract, I cannot find anything worth patenting in it...

    Well, there's your problem. Abstracts are not the claims, and do not need to be novel or non-obvious by themselves. That is the job of the claims.

    From US Patent 8060463

    The first claim:

    1. A computer-implemented method of matching users to other users, the method comprising: storing, in computer storage, event data comprising order data reflective of items ordered from an electronic catalog by each of a plurality of users; programmatically generating a score that reflects a degree to which item preferences of a first user of said plurality of users are similar to item preferences of a second user of said plurality of users, said score taking into consideration a first plurality of items ordered by the first user and a second plurality of items ordered by the second user, wherein generating the score comprises weighting a first item and a second item identified in both the first and second plurality of items, wherein the first and second items are different, wherein the first and second items are weighted differently based at least in part on a first inherent characteristic of the first item and a second inherent characteristic of the second item, wherein the first and second inherent characteristics are different, and wherein generating the score further comprises taking into consideration at least one additional type of event data reflective of user affinities for items represented in the electronic catalog; and based at least in part on the score, programmatically determining whether to recommend the second user to the first user.

  4. Re:Android on Now You Can Use the Nook Touch ... As a Kindle · · Score: 1

    Kind of like a ThunderCougarFalconBird?

  5. hunter2 tag on Scientists Develop New Method To Improve Passwords · · Score: 2, Funny

    From http://www.bash.org/?244321:

    <Cthon98> hey, if you type in your pw, it will show as stars
    <Cthon98> ********* see!
    <AzureDiamond> hunter2
    <AzureDiamond> doesnt look like stars to me
    <Cthon98> *******
    <Cthon98> thats what I see
    <AzureDiamond> oh, really?
    <Cthon98> Absolutely
    <AzureDiamond> you can go hunter2 my hunter2-ing hunter2
    <AzureDiamond> haha, does that look funny to you?
    <Cthon98> lol, yes. See, when YOU type hunter2, it shows to us as *******
    <AzureDiamond> thats neat, I didnt know IRC did that
    <Cthon98> yep, no matter how many times you type hunter2, it will show to us as *******
    <AzureDiamond> awesome!
    <AzureDiamond> wait, how do you know my pw?
    <Cthon98> er, I just copy pasted YOUR ******'s and it appears to YOU as hunter2 cause its your pw
    <AzureDiamond> oh, ok.

  6. 2012 on Huge Amounts of Oil Found On Gulf of Mexico Floor · · Score: 1

    What lazy SOBs, giving a date of 2012 and all, since the world will end.

  7. Re:As far as I can tell, on Microsoft Seeks 1-Click(er) Patent · · Score: 2

    Check out http://www.einstruction.com/products/student-response-systems. They allow both mobile, computer, and clicker type devices for the same system. This seems to be prior art for what is claimed (not just the abstract).

  8. Re:It's failure on multiple levels on Car Hits Utility Pole, Takes Out EC2 Datacenter · · Score: 4, Informative

    It seems you didn't RTFM. Only one switch out of many failed, due to it being set up from the factory incorrectly. The rest of the system switched over properly. I would say that is pretty good considering the data center size and number of switches needed for redundancy.

  9. See "Atari Emulation of CRT Effects On LCDs" on Making Old Games Look Good On Modern LCDs? · · Score: 5, Informative

    "A group at Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a fun little open source program to emulate the CRT effects to make old Atari games look like they originally did when played on modern LCD's and digital displays. Things like color bleed, ghosting, noise, etc. are reproduced to give a more realistic appearance."

    From Slashdot story Atari Emulation of CRT Effects On LCDs.

  10. The Door into Summer on Become Your Own Heir After Being Frozen · · Score: 1

    Looks like Heinlein was right again.

    Time to buy some more Hired Girl stock!

  11. Re:international? on The Kindle Killer Arrives · · Score: 1
    From http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/support/:

    Q. Can I use my nook while traveling abroad?
    A. Yes, when you travel abroad, you can read any files that are already on your nook. You can connect to Wi-Fi hotspots that do not use proxy security settings, such those commonly used in hotels, and download eBooks and subscriptions already in your online digital library. You cannot, however, purchase additional eBooks and subscriptions.

    Q. Will new issues of eNewspapers and eMagazines be downloaded to my nook while I'm traveling?
    A. Yes, if you are traveling in the United States, or if you are abroad but connected to a supported Wi-Fi hotspot, new issues are delivered to your online digital library in both cases. When travelling abroad without Wi-Fi access, new issues are not downloaded to your nook (automatically or manually).

    So no, it isn't international.

  12. Re:lets wake up here on New Kind of Orbit Could Ease Mars Communications · · Score: 4, Funny

    and let either private enterprise (?) explore space

    I agree, even 6 year-olds are doing it.

  13. Re:How fast is this thing? on Kindle Finally Ready For Global Distribution · · Score: 1

    The flicker, which I don't consider unpleasant, is due to the physical properties of e-ink. It is a bi-stable screen, which means that little black pixels are electromagnetically moved up and down in white fluid to produce an image that stays without power, pretty much forever. This is why e-readers with e-ink screens have a battery life of over 2 weeks, no screen to actively power.

    As far as the kindle goes, K2 is pretty fast, on the order of 250 ms (screen limitation, not hardware/software). I haven't seen any faster, but I am sure that as the technology evolves, the refresh time will shrink considerably.

  14. Re:And? on Amazon Delaying Public Domain Submissions On Kindle · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, the PD books on Amazon are free. However, there have been an ever increasing amount of duplicates submitted by 3rd parties that have a price tag. They are just trying to remove the duplicates that have the price tag to provide a better user experience.

    Please see Pride and Prejudice kindle store search. The first PD copy that comes up is free, the rest charge. That is not a good user experience as the free one is just as good as the rest (or should be).

    I completely agree with this policy, as it makes it easier for me, a user, to determine what book I should get. I don't think they should limit the different editions of books, but seriously, how many public domain books have multiple editions, like super deluxe edition with forward by Abraham Lincoln himself. Not many.

  15. Re: Not quite correct on Does Your College Or University Support Linux? · · Score: 1

    Georgia Tech fully supports Linux, from ssh/scp, wan, san, and printing, to full desktops and software. Linux student software distribution. In addition, it even provides full linux OS's (just rhel). Everything you stated above is at Tech also.

    I never had a single issue running Linux (gentoo) my entire time there, and there was a pretty decent LUG there too. In fact, even my freshman English courses made us use Linux for some tasks.

  16. Re:Slashdot sucks... on WPA Encryption Cracked In 60 Seconds · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Silly mods, this was a joke stating that the researchers cracked my WPA to write the comments. Read the entire comment please.

  17. Slashdot sucks... on WPA Encryption Cracked In 60 Seconds · · Score: 1, Troll

    Slashdot sucks, eat my shorts.

    (Haha, we broke into your WPA v1, in less than a minute - Japanese Researchers)

  18. Danger... Hot Food on BrainPort Lets the Blind "See" With Their Tongues · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What happens when you burn your tongue? Does your "sight" degrade or get blurry while your taste buds are being repaired?

  19. More bad news from Quinn... Visitation Rights! on Illinois Bans Social Network Use By Sex Offenders · · Score: 1

    Another bill, signed on a busy day where Quinn dealt with dozens of bills, deals with child visitation rights. As of Jan. 1, the law will provide for visitation rights through electronic communication such as telephone, e-mail and instant messaging.

    First Quinn doesn't let sex offenders use social networking. Next, he allows visitation rights via phone, email, and IM. What's next, marriage or divorce via facebook, email, or IM?

    But seriously, visitation rights via telephone, email, and IM (and I'm guessing social networking sites too)? How does that actually constitute as one visiting another being, without physical presence. I'm all for visitation rights via phone, email, IM, etc, as long as they aren't restricting the physical visitation rights.

  20. IEEE Teachers In Service Program on Low-Budget Electronics Projects For High School? · · Score: 1

    I have recently put on a IEEE Teachers In Service Program (TISP), where engineering students, usually grad and undergrad, go to local elementary through high school class rooms to inform teachers about lesson plans, such as ones you are asking for.

    The best news for you is that it is almost fully subsidized!

    Here are the some of the lesson plans. I would greatly recommend you look into the program, as I really enjoyed being able to bring teachers new material that got their classes excited about engineering and science.

  21. Re:Upstate New York Isn't That Bad... on The Worst US Cities To Work In IT · · Score: 1

    We don't even use much salt, mainly just sand.

    2-3" of packed snow is nothing coming from Pittsburgh, and hey, I liked being able to sled to work, though uphill sucks.

  22. Re:10 millions downloads? on DOSBox Sees Continued Success · · Score: 1

    You can use the typoinsummary tag to alert the posters to fix the grammar issue.

    You can use the tyopintag tag to be humorous.

  23. I witnessed it too! on When Hacked PCs Self-Destruct · · Score: 4, Funny

    It looks like slashdot was taken down by the self destruct too!

  24. Price on Samsung Papyrus E-Book Reader, Coming Soon · · Score: 1

    Unfortunately this new device lacks wireless capabilities

    Does this mean it lacks wifi too?

    At this price, $299 US, it will only be $60 less than the Kindle2, without wireless capabilities. That seems like a pretty bad deal in my opinion. Sorry, not a kindle killer in my opinion.

  25. Somethings fishy here... on Chicago Tribune Reporters Don't Want Readers' Pre-Approval · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey, I didn't approve this story, why was it released?