Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror

Comment Not gain (Score 2) 10

Here we go again. "China is failing, no need to worry", then in a few years time "China stole our future tech and we need more export restrictions until we can invent it ourselves!"

If you look at the speed at which China has developed rocket technology and space tech in general, both privately and with government funded research, it's pretty clear that they are going to be a big deal very soon. They have some geographic disadvantages, but they have huge supply chain and rapid development advantages.

TFA also makes the classic mistake of assuming that the initial launch cadence is how things will remain, when of course it's going to ramp up as confidence in the already deployed satellites builds and the steady stream of work improves the turn-around time on the rockets.

We have got to stop doing this and instead be realistic. We have competition, and competition is usually a good thing if you respond well to it. We are going to have to adapt to a new world where there are vastly more satellites in orbit and where the reach of these private companies, likely backed by governments and with dual civilian and military applications, are greatly extended. Fingers in ears doesn't work, as we have found out time and time again.

Comment $1,000 a day? Sounds like a fee. (Score 1) 22

In many California cities, it costs almost that much just for a permit to have amplified sound at an outdoor concert for a few hours, on top of the venue fees. $1,000 a day for public advertising is priced like a fee, so of course they treat it like a fee. $100k per day would shut that down.

Comment Re:GDPR (Score 1) 86

How is the gender and age verification "critical" to retain? Once someones gender and age has been verified, it doesn't need to be re-verified. Or if it does for some reason, they would want new, current data, not data from years ago. Over the span of years it is possible to change your gender, for example.

Same with location data. While it may be necessary to verify that they are, say, in the US when signing up, or when logging in, there is no reasonable justification for retaining their precise GPS coordinates after that check is complete. Even for advertising, they could narrow it down to a general area, or some kind of token.

Even if they ask for opt-in, explicit permission, the use and retention still has to be reasonable. Effort has to be made to reduce the risk and the harm in the event of a breach.

Comment Re:Too much tech. (Score 1) 48

You need better consumer laws to stop companies getting away with this.

In the UK, when Sony removed features from the PS3, people got partial refunds from the shops they bought them from. I don't know if Amazon and the like chased Sony for the losses, and I don't really care. As long as someone in the chain pays, that will discourage the practice.

Comment Re:Tesla, get a real CEO (Score 1) 76

Tech Bro just invented the petrol station with attached shop/restaurant. Those things we have had for decades, and which (at least in Europe) many charger locations are modelled on already.

As for Tesla's robots, they are rubbish and the demos were rigged. Their solar and battery offerings are over-priced.

Comment Re:EV (Score 1) 173

I've never been to a US gas station (I assume it's use from the use of gallons) but in the UK you drive up, often have to queue, and then park by the pump. If they have pay at the pump you put your card in, enter the PIN, takes about a minute for some reason. Open your flap and remove the cap, pick up the nozzle and fill up for a few minutes, then reverse it all and drive off. Add another minute or two if you have to pay at the kiosk.

The petrol stations are sometimes at supermarkets so you don't have to go too far out of your way, but not always.

Plugging in at home is much nicer, especially if you have a garage. For public charging, Nio is the ultimate with battery swap. You don't even have to get out of the car.

Comment Re:The thing "progressives" always miss... (Score 1) 171

I'm sure you can find some idiot, probably a false flag, saying that. Or twist something someone said to imply it, the classic one being that beyond 1.5C is pretty bad and we had about 20 years to prevent it. But that's all it was, fringe stuff and lies.

There were plenty of credible sources, plenty of people on the political left accurately relaying the scientific consensus.

What does it matter though? Even if what you claim was true, that's no excuse for you to continue to ignore the science.

Comment Re:The thing "progressives" always miss... (Score 1) 171

You are saying that rather than trying to understand the science or listen to the scientists, the fact that people you disagree with politically have championed it is making you reject it.

It's just a milder form of this: https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffiles.libcom.org%2Ffiles...

Slashdot Top Deals

Is your job running? You'd better go catch it!

Working...