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Comment Re:government or technology restriction? (Score 5, Informative) 112

by Extide (#55249233) Attached to: Super-Accurate GPS Chips Coming To Smartphones In 2018
So, there are multiple GPS signals. Originally there was a C/A code (on L1), and a P code (on L2). The C/A code is used by civilian receivers, and both codes are used by military receivers for increased precision. There used to be a pseudo random uncertainty added to these codes that required special keys to correct, which only military receivers had. This was called "Selective Availability" and was disabled May 1, 2000. The newer GPS satellites have even more codes which increase accuracy, including some available to civilian receivers.

So, the military does still have more accurate GPS than civilians, but there is no longer an INTENTIONAL error added to the civilian side. Newer GPS satellites and newer receivers include more and more technology to get more accuracy even on the civilian side, though. Most modern GPS chips support multiple systems, including GLONASS, GNSS, and others which can be combined to increase accuracy. I am not sure how this new Broadcom chip works but it is probably a combination of the newer signals and the combination of multiple systems. GPS on cell phones is typically integrated into the cellular modem itself and can make use of location data from the cellular network to help as well.

Check out https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F... and https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F...

Submission + - Even Einstein doubted his gravitational waves (astronomy.com)

Submitted by Flash Modin
Flash Modin writes: In 1936, twenty years after Albert Einstein introduced the concept, the great physicist took another look at his math and came to a surprising conclusion. “Together with a young collaborator, I arrived at the interesting result that gravitational waves do not exist, though they had been assumed a certainty to the first approximation,” he wrote in a letter to friend Max Born. Interestingly, his research denouncing gravitational waves was rejected by Physical Review Letters, the journal that just published proof of their existence. The story shows that even when Einstein's wrong, it's because he was already right the first time.

Submission + - FAA Eases Drone Restrictions in Washington, DC (roboticstrends.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: It’s been tough sledding for drone hobbyists in Washington, D.C., but the Federal Aviation Administration is easing its restrictions.

After doubling the radius of the “no-drone zone” from 15 miles to 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C. in 2015, the FAA announced drones can now fly in the “outer ring” of the Special Flight Rules Area. This means drones can operate between a 15- to 30-mile radius outside of the nation’s capitol.

Drones that fly between the 15- to 30-mile radius still have to operate under specific conditions: drones must weigh less than 55 pounds, be registered and marked, fly under 400 feet, stay in the operator’s line of sight, only fly in clear conditions, and avoid other aircraft.

Submission + - The Advanced Math Education Revolution in the U.S. (theatlantic.com)

Submitted by AthanasiusKircher
AthanasiusKircher writes: The Atlantic has an extended article on the recent surge in advanced math education at the primary and secondary levels in the U.S., arguing that last year's victory for the U.S. in the Math Olympiad was not a random anomaly. Participation in math camps, after-school or weekend math "academies," and math competitions has surged in recent years, with many programs having long wait lists. Inessa Rifkin, co-founder of one of these math academies, argues that the problems with math education begin in the 2nd and 3rd grades: "“The youngest ones, very naturally, their minds see math differently.... It is common that they can ask simple questions and then, in the next minute, a very complicated one. But if the teacher doesn’t know enough mathematics, she will answer the simple question and shut down the other, more difficult one." These alternative math programs put a greater focus on problem-solving: "Unlike most math classes, where teachers struggle to impart knowledge to students—who must passively absorb it and then regurgitate it on a test—problem-solving classes demand that the pupils execute the cognitive bench press: investigating, conjecturing, predicting, analyzing, and finally verifying their own mathematical strategy. The point is not to accurately execute algorithms, although there is, of course, a right answer... Truly thinking the problem through—creatively applying what you know about math and puzzling out possible solutions—is more important."

The article concludes by noting that programs like No Child Left Behind have focused on minimal standards, rather than enrichment activities for advanced students. The result is a disparity in economic backgrounds for students in pricey math activities; many middle-class Americans investigate summer camps or sports programs for younger kids, but they don't realize how important a math program could be for a curious child. As Daniel Zaharopol, founder of a related non-profit initiative, noted in his searches to recruit low-income students: "Actually doing math should bring them joy."

Submission + - NTP's Fate Hinges On 'Father Time'

Submitted by Esther Schindler
Esther Schindler writes: In April, one of the open source code movement's first and biggest success stories, the Network Time Protocol, will reach a decision point, writes Charlie Babcock. At 30 years old, will NTP continue as the preeminent time synchronization system for Macs, Windows, and Linux computers and most servers on networks?

Or will this protocol go into a decline marked by drastically slowed development, fewer bug fixes, and greater security risks for the computers that use it? The question hinges to a surprising degree on the personal finances of a 59-year-old technologist in Talent, Ore., named Harlan Stenn.

Comment Do something impossible (Score 1) 172

by Extide (#46936507) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Beginner To Intermediate Programming Projects?
When I am learning a new language, I usually try to think of something cool to do, that would be pretty difficult, and then challenge myself to actually do it. Using the many resources available on the web you should be able to figure out any problem you run across. I am personally more into utility type apps, so that's the sort of things I have done, but if you are more into games or whatever you can do that too.

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