Comment Re:About half are below average.... (Score 1) 809
Where did you see that programmer competence is a non-bellcurve distribution? I would really, sincerely appreciate a citation of that!
Microsoft Makes Chrome Play H.264 Video 535
nk497 writes "Chrome users will be able to play H.264 video — thanks to Microsoft. The software giant today unveiled the Windows Media Player HTML5 Extension for Chrome, which will let users of the Google browser play H.264 video after it was dropped from Chrome over licensing issues. 'At Microsoft we respect that Windows customers want the best experience of the web including the ability to enjoy the widest range of content available on the internet in H.264 format,' said Claudio Caldato, Microsoft interoperability program manager."
Record Labels To Pay For Copyright Infringement 235
innocent_white_lamb writes "Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., EMI Music Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada Inc. and Warner Music Canada Co. have agreed to pay songwriters and music publishers $47.5 million in damages for copyright infringement and overdue royalties to settle a class action lawsuit. 'The 2008 class action alleges that the record companies "exploited" music owners by reproducing and selling in excess of 300,000 song titles without securing licenses from the copyright owners and/or without paying the associated royalty payments. The record companies knowingly did so and kept a so-called "pending list" of unlicensed reproductions, setting aside $50 million for the issue, if it ever arose, court filings suggest.'"
Comment Re:The N900. (Score 1) 359
You can run full Debian on it. It is trivial to write a script that tunnels any kind of linux remote control app through SSH, like VNC or rdesktop...
New App Mixes New Drinks With What You Have 127
Pickens writes "The magic of a new app called 'Top Shelf' is that if you want to mix a new drink, the app thinks the way most of us do — instead of going out to buy the ingredients, it shows you how to build a new drink with the ingredients you have available. Feeling indecisive? Let Top Shelf pick a random recipe for you. You can get a random drink from the entire database, a specific category, your favorites, search results, or the liquor cabinet."
Real-Life Frogger Ends In Hospital Visit 314
BigSes writes "A 23-year old man has been hospitalized after police in South Carolina say he was hit by an SUV while playing a real-life version of the video game Frogger. Authorities said the 23-year-old man was taken to a hospital in Anderson after he was struck Monday evening. Before he was hit, police say the man had been discussing the game with his friends. Chief Jimmy Dixon says the man yelled 'go' and darted into oncoming traffic in the four-lane highway. Has it come time to ban some of the classics before someone else goes out and breaks a few bricks with their heads after eating a large mushroom?"
Comment Horrifying! (Score 1) 5
What a shame that such an exciting visit to Nokia had to go so horribly wrong! Get better quickly!
Maybe they can use this opportunity to add bionics to your hand. We can do it; we have the technology.
I saw that picture of your X-Ray. I thought it was something to do with this app:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32307961@N06/3459118367/
-- Qole
Arranging Electronic Access For Your Survivors? 335
smee2 writes "In the past, when a family member died, you could look through their files and address books to find all the people and businesses that should be notified that the person is deceased. Now the hard-copy address book is becoming a thing of the past. I keep some contact information in a spreadsheet, but I have many online friends that I only have contact with through web sites such as Flickr. My email accounts have many more people listed than my address book spreadsheet. I have no interest in collecting real world info from all my online contacts. The sites where I have social contact with people from around the world (obviously) require user names and passwords. Two questions: 1. How do you intend to let the executors of your estate or family members know which online sites/people you'd like them to notify of your demise? 2. How are you going to give access to the passwords, etc. needed to access those sites in a way that doesn't cause a security concern while you're still alive?"
Comment Re:X-forwarding (Score 1) 2362
Even cooler is when I forward Windows programs (running in Linux via Wine) over ssh onto unusual clients, such as handheld Linux devices. Suddenly, there's full Microsoft Word, on my handheld device!
"But how... how..."
Only a 'Moron' Would Buy YouTube 178
ColinPL writes to mention a News.com article about some harsh words from Mark Cuban, on the possible purchase of video-sharing site YouTube. According to Mr. Cuban only a 'moron' would buy the site, because of the obvious possibility of lawsuits over intellectual property. From the article: "Cuban, co-founder of HDNet and owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, also said YouTube would eventually be 'sued into oblivion' because of copyright violations. 'They are just breaking the law,' Cuban told a group of advertisers in New York. 'The only reason it hasn't been sued yet is because there is nobody with big money to sue ... There is a reason they haven't yet gone public, they haven't sold. It's because they are going to be toasted,'"
Comment For the "Not 2007 best awards"? (Score 1) 364
I totally agree -- it seems like it is too much screen scanning is required to determine the mod points -- and (oddly) I feel I have to move my pointer a lot more to find where I am.
I am a big fan of updating web sites and products to keep them refreshed, but my opinion is that these changes seem to have missed some important UI guidelines...
Oh well, I have faith that I'll evolve to accommodate the changes :)
I am a big fan of updating web sites and products to keep them refreshed, but my opinion is that these changes seem to have missed some important UI guidelines...
Oh well, I have faith that I'll evolve to accommodate the changes
Symantec Sues Microsoft, May Delay Vista 303
AuMatar writes "Symantec filed a lawsuit against Microsoft over patents on the volume management technology in Vista. They're seeking an injunction to stop Vista from being sold until the suit is completed. Given the recent Supreme Court ruling it should be interesting to see if the injunction is granted, since Symantec does produce software which uses the patent. If it is granted, expect MS to settle to prevent another Vista delay."
Ahead of IPO, Vonage Faces User Complaints 212
Carl Bialik from WSJ writes "Internet phone-service provider Vonage (whose planned IPO was mentioned on Slashdot last week) is confronting complaints of poor sound quality, dropped calls and other glitches, the Wall Street Journal reports. From the article: 'Customers who try to leave are complaining of bureaucratic hassles and snafus, particularly when they seek to switch services and take their numbers with them. Ironically, Vonage has long complained that local phone giants drag their feet in releasing the phone numbers of customers who want to leave.'"
Journal Journal: Signs of Intelligence
Stumbled across an article talking about the search for intelligent life in the universe just now. Must share this quote with you:
Journal Journal: Optimisim
I have been an avid science fiction reader for the last 28 years. Before that, I was more of an avid Dr Suess reader. As a child, I was so excited by the possibilities of space and space travel. I saw myself living in an asteroid, or going for a vacation to Mars.
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