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Comment Re:advice (Score 4, Informative) 185

As far as development tools, they're overwhelmingly Windows based.

The majority of Xilinx' tools are available in Linux versions. I actually really prefer the Linux versions as using them from command line is far easier under Linux than under Windows (provided you want to script your process instead of using the GUI, probably not as useful for someone just getting started). Also, AFAIK, the larger Xilinx FPGAs require the *nix tools for a guaranteed Map/PAR due to memory limits, etc. You can use the Win32 version, but once utilization gets high enough, the Win32 versions may not be able to completely PAR the design.

-gb

Government

Obama Wants Broadband, Computers Part of Stimulus 901

damn_registrars writes "President-elect Barack Obama announced in his radio address that his administration's economic stimulus package will include investing in computers and broadband for education. 'To help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.' He also said it is 'unacceptable' that the US ranks 15th in broadband adoption." No doubt with free spyware and internet filtering. You know... for the kids.

Censorship By Glut 391

Frequent Slashdot contributor Bennett Haselton writes "A 2006 paper by Matthew Salganik, Peter Dodds and Duncan Watts, about the patterns that users follow in choosing and recommending songs to each other on a music download site, may be the key to understanding the most effective form of "censorship" that still exists in mostly-free countries like the US It also explains why your great ideas haven't made you famous, while lower-wattage bulbs always seem to find a platform to spout off their ideas (and you can keep your smart remarks to yourself)." Read on for the rest of Bennett's take on why the effects of peer ratings on a music download site go a long way towards explaining how good ideas can effectively be "censored" even in a country with no formal political censorship.
Biotech

Frozen Mice Cloned 272

m0rphin3 writes "Japanese scientists have cloned mice whose bodies were frozen for as long as 16 years and said on Monday it may be possible to use the technique to resurrect mammoths and other extinct species. Could we finally see Jurassic Park become a reality, or perhaps use this for colonizing other galaxies?"
Space

Experimental Magnetic Shield Against Cosmic Rays 199

stiller writes "British scientists from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have developed an experimental set-up in which a $20 magnet is used to deflect solar-wind-like radiation." Reader Dersaidin points out a slightly more enthusiastic article at Universe Today which emphasizes the possibilities of systems based on this phenomenon to protect astronauts during solar storms, writing "It's a good start. Hopefully, later versions will be able to protect spaceships from energy weapons. A beam from the LHC can melt a 500kg block of copper. Shields, check. Energy weapons, check. Now we just need a viable interstellar drive, and an energy source to power it all."
The Courts

RIAA Wants Its $222,000 Verdict Back 203

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "The RIAA, unhappy with the Court's decision setting aside its $222,000 jury verdict over $23.76 worth of song files, and throwing out the legal theory on which it was based, has made a motion for permission to file an appeal from the Judge's order, in Capitol v. Thomas. Normally, only final judgments are appealable, and appeals are not permissible in federal court from 'interlocutory' orders of that nature."
Power

Submission + - 'super-steel' sought for fusion reactors

Smivs writes: "New research shows how steel will fail at high temperatures because of the magnetic properties of the metal. Scientists say an understanding of how the Twin Towers collapsed will help them develop the materials needed to build fusion reactors. The New York buildings fell when their steel backbones lost strength in the fires that followed the plane impacts. Dr Sergei Dudarev told the British Association Science Festival that improved steels were now being sought. The principal scientist at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) said one of the first applications for these better performing metals would be in the wall linings of fusion reactors.
UKAEA has helped pioneer fusion power — deriving energy by forcing together atomic nuclei — at Europe's JET lab in Oxfordshire; and is now assisting the development work on the world first large-scale experimental reactor known as Iter. The extended periods over which Iter will run means the reactor must have robust materials built into the vessel where the fusion reactions will occur."
Republicans

Has Ron Paul Quit? 878

Lally Singh sends us to the inside-the-Beltway blog Wonkette for a quick take on a letter Ron Paul sent to his supporters. In this analysis, Dr. Paul has basically called it quits. "Late Friday night, Dr. Congressman Ron Paul posted a letter to his fans basically saying it's over, but he will continue talking about his message, and plus it would be completely embarrassing for him if he also lost his congressional seat."
The Courts

Submission + - School District Threatens Suit Over Parent's Blog

penguin_dance writes: A Texas School District is threatening to sue a parent over what it terms, "libelous material" or other "legally offensive" postings on her web site and are demanding their removal. Web site owner, Sandra Tetley, says they're just opinions. The legal firm sending the demand cited 16 items, half posted by Tetley, the rest by anonymous commentators to her blog. The alleged, libelous postings, "accuse Superintendent Lynne Cleveland, trustees and administrators of lying, manipulation, falsifying budget numbers, using their positions for 'personal gain,' violating the Open Meetings Act and spying on employees, among other things."

The problem for the district is that previous courts have ruled that governments can't sue for libel. So now, in a follow up story, the lawyers say, "the firm would file a suit on behalf of administrators in their official capacities and individual board members. The suit, however, would be funded from the district's budget." Tetley, so far hasn't backed down although she said, "she'll consult with her attorneys before deciding what, if anything, to delete."

What was that about "personal gain"?
Google

Free IMAP On Gmail 440

A number of readers are writing in to tell us that Google is rolling out IMAP support for Gmail accounts. Several people say that some of their gmail accounts offer the IMAP option (in Settings, Forwarding and POP/IMAP) and others do not.
Security

Submission + - Skype worm infects Windows PCs (computerworld.com)

walterbays writes: "Skype Ltd. warned its users today that a worm targeting Windows PCs is spreading through the service's instant messenger... After hijacking contacts from an infected machine's Skype software, it sends messages to those people that include a live link. Recipients who blithely click on the URL — which poses as a JPG image but is actually a download to a file with the .scr extension — wind up infected."

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