Building the Next-Generation Network-The Evolution of Legacy Network Infrastructure
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Slashdot Daily Newsletter
In this issue:
* US Threatens Spain For Not Implementing SOPA-Like Law
* Mathematics Says Romney and Santorum Tied In Iowa
* Windows 8 To Include Built-in Reset, Refresh
* Makers Keep Flogging 3D TV, Viewers Keep Shrugging
* Nginx Overtakes Microsoft As No. 2 Web Server
* Vint Cerf On Human Rights: Internet Access Isn't On the List
* EU Moves To Ban Iran Crude Oil
* China Cuts 'Excessive Entertainment' From TV
* Teachers Resist High-tech Push In Idaho Schools
* Ask Slashdot: Mirrorless, Interchangeable Lens Camera Advice?
* Why Freemium Doesn't Work
* Linux 3.2 Has Been Released
* Looking Back At the Commodore 64
* Microsoft To Offer <em>Flight</em> For Free This Spring
* Germans Increase Office Efficiency With "Cloud Ceiling"
* FDA Approves Self-Sanitizing Keyboard
* California State Senator Proposes Funding Open-Source Textbooks
* Ask Slashdot: Tech For Small Library Automation?
* UK Executive 'Forced Out of Job' For Posting CV Online
* Firefox 3.6 Support Ends April 2012
* Controlled Quantum Levitation Used To Build <em>Wipeout</em> Track
* Leap Second Coming In June, 2012
* Australian Deported From Bahrain Over Facebook Posts
* Linux Foundation Sites Restored
* Thumbdrive-Sized Streaming Media Players Coming Soon
* Mouse Sperm Cells Grown In Vitro
* Thick Dust Alters NASA Mars Rover Plans
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| US Threatens Spain For Not Implementing SOPA-Like Law
| from the inigo-montoya-on-high-alert dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @10:54 (Piracy)
| with 442 comments
| https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1539230/us-threatens-spain-for-not-implementing-sopa-like-law?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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SharkLaser writes "In a leaked letter sent to Spain's outgoing President,
the US ambassador warned that if Spain didn't pass SOPA-like file-sharing
site blocking law, [0]Spain would risk being put into United States trade
blocklist. United States government interference in Spain's intellectual
property laws have been suspected for a long time, and now the recent
leaks of diplomatic cables confirm this. Apart from the cables leaked
earlier, now another cable dated December 12th says U.S. expresses "deep
concern" over the failure to implement SOPA-style censorship law in the
country. 'The government has unfortunately failed to finish the job for
political reasons, to the detriment of the reputation and economy of
Spain,' read the letter. Racing against the clock in the final days of
the government, Solomont had one last push. 'I encourage the Government
of Spain to implement the Sinde Law immediately to safeguard the
reputation of Spain as an innovative country that does what it says it
will, and as a country that breeds confidence,' he wrote."
Discuss this story at:
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1539230/us-threatens-spain-for-not-implementing-sopa-like-law?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
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| Mathematics Says Romney and Santorum Tied In Iowa
| from the that-santorum-is-everywhere dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @09:31 (Math)
| with 427 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1326221/mathematics-says-romney-and-santorum-tied-in-iowa?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]Hugh Pickens writes writes "Presidential candidate Mitt Romney
received eight more votes than candidate Rick Santorum or 0.007 percent
of the total number of caucus votes in the Iowa caucus, 'eking out a
victory' on the path to winning the Republican nomination for president
but [1]experts in statistics say Romney and Santorum actually tied. 'From
a statistical point of view, you can't say Romney won any more than you
can say Santorum won,' says Charles Seife, a professor of journalism at
New York University who studies election error. That's because in the
Iowa caucus, where voters marked their choices with check marks or by
writing the candidates' names in by hand, the error rate in counting the
votes, which is also done by hand is orders of magnitude above the
victory margin ��� around 0.5 to 1 percent. There are several sources of
error that could easily render eight votes meaningless." (Read on for
more.)
This story continues at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1326221/mathematics-says-romney-and-santorum-tied-in-iowa?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1326221/mathematics-says-romney-and-santorum-tied-in-iowa?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://hughpickens.com/
1. http://www.livescience.com/17743-romney-santorum-tied-iowa-caucus-experts.html
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| Windows 8 To Include Built-in Reset, Refresh
| from the control-z dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @12:36 (Microsoft)
| with 372 comments
| https://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1736245/windows-8-to-include-built-in-reset-refresh?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]MrSeb writes "Microsoft, in its infinite wisdom, will provide
[1]push-button Reset and Refresh in Windows 8. Reset will restore a
Windows 8 PC to its stock, fresh-from-the-factory state; Refresh will
reinstall Windows 8, but keep your documents and installed Metro apps in
tact. For the power users, Windows 8 will include a new tool called
recimg.exe, which allows you to create a hard drive image that Refresh
will use (you can install all of your Desktop apps, tweak all your
settings, run recimg.exe... and then, when you Refresh, you'll be handed
a clean, ready-to-go computer). Reset and Refresh are obviously tablety
features that Windows 8 will need to compete against iOS and Android ���
but considering Windows' malware magnetism and the number of times I've
had to schlep over to my mother's house with a Windows CD... these
features should be very welcome on the desktop, too."
Discuss this story at:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1736245/windows-8-to-include-built-in-reset-refresh?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://mrsebatmrseb.com/
1. http://www.extremetech.com/computing/112029-windows-8-to-include-built-in-reset-refresh-and-hard-drive-imaging
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| Makers Keep Flogging 3D TV, Viewers Keep Shrugging
| from the but-it's-got-three-dee! dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @14:01 (Television)
| with 369 comments
| https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1856234/makers-keep-flogging-3d-tv-viewers-keep-shrugging?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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A Wired article (as carried by CNN) attempts to answer the question of
[0]why 3D television hasn't caught on. The reasons listed there (high
price, paltry content, the need for 3D glasses for typical sets,
headaches and strain) all seem to be on the money, in themselves, but I
think don't go far enough. 3D on a set small enough for home use outside
a high-end home-theater rig seems to me like a clever novelty that I
can't even enjoy unless I've given it my full attention. It's nothing
like the jump from black-and-white to color, or even the jump from my old
(circa 1993) 19" Trinitron to a flat-panel display. On the big screen,
it's another story ��� there, 3D can be arresting and involving, even when
it's exaggerated (and it is). On home sets, even quite large ones, to my
eye 3D usually looks phony and out of place. Never mind that the content
is limited and often expensive, or that there are competing standards for
expensive glasses to wear ��� I just don't like that the commitment is
greater than that required for casual, conventional TV; I can't readily
scan email, skim through a magazine, or keep watching out the corner of
my eye from another room. (I'm hoping to find some actually watchable
no-glasses 3D sets at CES next week, but I'm skeptical.)
Discuss this story at:
https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1856234/makers-keep-flogging-3d-tv-viewers-keep-shrugging?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/05/tech/gaming-gadgets/why-3d-tv-not-popular/
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| Nginx Overtakes Microsoft As No. 2 Web Server
| from the up-and-coming dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Wednesday January 04, @22:05 (Google)
| with 329 comments
| https://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0037233/nginx-overtakes-microsoft-as-no-2-web-server?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]tsamsoniw writes "With financial backing from the likes of Michael
Dell and other venture capitalists, open source upstart [1]Nginx has
edged out Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Server) to hold the title
of second-most widely used Web server among all active websites. What's
more, according to Netcraft's January 2012 Web Server Survey, Nginx over
the past month has gained market share among all websites, whereas
competitors Apache, Microsoft, and Google each lost share."
Discuss this story at:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0037233/nginx-overtakes-microsoft-as-no-2-web-server?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:ted_samson@infoworld.com
1. http://www.infoworld.com/t/application-servers/nginx-overtakes-microsoft-no-2-web-server-183079
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| Vint Cerf On Human Rights: Internet Access Isn't On the List
| from the coffee-ice-cream-narrowly-beat-it-out dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @14:42 (The Internet)
| with 328 comments
| https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1939201/vint-cerf-on-human-rights-internet-access-isnt-on-the-list?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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Gallenod writes "In an op-ed for the New York Times, Vint Cerf writes
that civil protests around the world, sparked by Internet communications,
'have raised questions about whether Internet access is or should be a
civil or human right.' Cerf argues that 'technology is an enabler of
rights, [0]not a right itself,' and contends that for something to be
considered a human right, it 'must be among the things we as humans need
in order to lead healthy, meaningful lives, like freedom from torture or
freedom of conscience. It is a mistake to place any particular technology
in this exalted category, since over time we will end up valuing the
wrong things.'"
Discuss this story at:
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1939201/vint-cerf-on-human-rights-internet-access-isnt-on-the-list?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/opinion/internet-access-is-not-a-human-right.html?pagewanted=all
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| EU Moves To Ban Iran Crude Oil
| from the crude-just-won't-do-in-the-parlor dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @09:08 (Businesses)
| with 327 comments
| https://news.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1346238/eu-moves-to-ban-iran-crude-oil?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]rtoz writes with this snippet from the BBC: "EU member states [1]have
agreed in principle to ban imports of Iranian crude oil to put pressure
on the country over its nuclear programme. ... The US, which recently
imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, welcomed the news. ... The Iranian state
gets more than half of its revenue through the export of crude oil, says
the BBC's James Reynolds. If Europe does stop buying, Iran will have to
turn to countries in Asia to replace its lost trade, who will demand a
discount, he adds."
Discuss this story at:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1346238/eu-moves-to-ban-iran-crude-oil?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://rtoz.org/
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16418589
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| China Cuts 'Excessive Entertainment' From TV
| from the not-too-much dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @02:11 (Television)
| with 318 comments
| https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0327252/china-cuts-excessive-entertainment-from-tv?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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An anonymous reader writes "Chinese broadcasters have [0]axed two-thirds
of popular TV shows in line with a government directive to curb
'excessive entertainment.' From the article: 'The rule, first announced
in October, is targeted at what Chinese regulators have called "excessive
entertainment and a trend toward low taste," to address the rise of
talent shows, dating shows and other such programming aired by China's
tightly regulated, but increasingly competitive, regional satellite
broadcasters. Authorities also encouraged broadcasters to air more news
and educational programming.' according to local media reports."
Discuss this story at:
https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0327252/china-cuts-excessive-entertainment-from-tv?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204368104577138561935340368.html
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| Teachers Resist High-tech Push In Idaho Schools
| from the hold-onto-your-slide-rules dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Wednesday January 04, @19:20 (Education)
| with 296 comments
| https://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01/04/2334232/teachers-resist-high-tech-push-in-idaho-schools?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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First time accepted submitter [0]Jack W writes "This morning's NY Times
highlights the issue of learning in our public schools and [1]the proper
role of technology. The Idaho governor and his state school
superintendent are advocating a legislative bill for a massive infusion
of computers and on-line technology in schools and is meeting resistance
from state teachers, particularly the part of the bill that requires high
school students to take online courses for two of their 47 graduation
credits. Superintendent Luna is quoted as saying, the computer 'becomes
the textbook for every class, the research device, the advanced math
calculator, the word processor and the portal to a world of information.'
The article notes that the governor had received campaign contributions
from technology companies and that Apple and Intel had played a part in
drafting the bill."
Discuss this story at:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01/04/2334232/teachers-resist-high-tech-push-in-idaho-schools?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:jack.willis@brookbesor.com
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/technology/idaho-teachers-fight-a-reliance-on-computers.html
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| Ask Slashdot: Mirrorless, Interchangeable Lens Camera Advice?
| from the but-what-about-light-field dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @15:24 (Input Devices)
| with 296 comments
| https://ask.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1956202/ask-slashdot-mirrorless-interchangeable-lens-camera-advice?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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jehan60188 writes "I want a camera that's better than my phone, but I
don't have the technical knowledge to fully appreciate a DSLR. I think
the [0]MILC style will be a happy compromise, but I'm concerned that it
might be all 'marketing' and no 'technology.' I don't have a lot of
demands, but I do like taking macro shots of things from time to time.
Also, my sister is going to China in a few months, so a telephoto lens
would probably be good for sight seeing (since I could employ optical
zoom instead of the imaginary 'digital zoom')."
Discuss this story at:
https://ask.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1956202/ask-slashdot-mirrorless-interchangeable-lens-camera-advice?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8986630048/mirrorless-roundup-2011
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| Why Freemium Doesn't Work
| from the you-get-what-you-pay-for dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @08:06 (Businesses)
| with 295 comments
| https://slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0333258/why-freemium-doesnt-work?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]itwbennett writes "[1]Tyler Nichols learned an obvious but important
lesson with his freemium [2]Letter from Santa site: 'most people who want
something for free will never, ever think of paying you, no matter how
valuable they find your service.' He also discovered that [3]non-paying
customers are more demanding than paying customers, which only stands to
reason: If someone likes your service enough to pay for it, they probably
have an affinity for your brand and will be kinder."
Discuss this story at:
https://slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0333258/why-freemium-doesnt-work?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.itworld.com/
1. http://www.tylernichols.com/web-development/i-am-done-with-the-freemium-business-model
2. http://www.letterfromsanta.org/
3. http://www.itworld.com/cloud-computing/237699/developer-declares-i-am-done-freemium-business-model
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| Linux 3.2 Has Been Released
| from the check-it-out dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Wednesday January 04, @21:06 (Open Source)
| with 267 comments
| https://linux.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0117242/linux-32-has-been-released?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]diegocg writes "[1]Linux 3.2 has been released. New features include
support for Ext4 block size bigger than 4KB and up to 1MB, btrfs has
added faster scrubbing, automatic backup of critical metadata and tools
for manual inspection; the process scheduler has added support to set
upper limits of CPU time; the desktop responsiveness in presence of heavy
writes has been improved, TCP has been updated to include an algorithm
which speeds up the recovery of connection after lost packets; the
profiling tool 'perf top' has added support for live inspection of tasks
and libraries. The Device Mapper has added support for 'thin
provisioning' of storage, and a support for a new architecture has been
added: Hexagon DSP processor from Qualcomm. New drivers and small
improvements and fixes are also available in this release. [2]Here's the
full list of changes."
Discuss this story at:
https://linux.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0117242/linux-32-has-been-released?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:diegocg@teleline.es
1. http://lkml.org/lkml/2012/1/4/395
2. http://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_3.2
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| Looking Back At the Commodore 64
| from the blast-from-the-past dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @08:47 (Hardware)
| with 244 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0337210/looking-back-at-the-commodore-64?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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An anonymous reader writes "It's the 30th anniversary of the Commodore 64
this week ��� news that has made more than a few gaming enthusiasts feel
their age. This story [0]looks back at some of the peculiarities that
made the machine so special ��� a true mass-market computer well into the
era where a computer in every home was a novelty idea, not a near
reality."
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0337210/looking-back-at-the-commodore-64?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/168019,vintage-tech-looking-back-at-the-commodore-64.aspx
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| Microsoft To Offer <em>Flight</em> For Free This Spring
| from the something-tells-me-wine-won't-suffice dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @10:12 (Microsoft)
| with 216 comments
| https://games.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1438205/microsoft-to-offer-flight-for-free-this-spring?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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hypnosec writes "Microsoft's Flight Simulator series, which was in
dormant state until now, will [0]see a re-launch this spring and that too
for free. The name of this series will be simply Flight, and players will
have free access to the digital sky with this simulator. In other words,
it will be available as a free download; however, the user would need to
buy additional content to enhance their experience. The content that can
be purchased includes aircraft as well as new environments. [1]Microsoft
states that the most amazing part of this game is the user can experience
some real life locations like Big Island of Hawaii along with
'region-specific weather patterns, foliage, terrain and landmarks.'" [[2]Video
demo here.] I'd like to know where the ESRB finds "crude humor" or "mild
violence" in there.
Discuss this story at:
https://games.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1438205/microsoft-to-offer-flight-for-free-this-spring?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.itproportal.com/2012/01/05/microsoft-offer-flight-free-spring/#ixzz1iaqvE26S
1. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2012/01/microsoft-unveils-flight-simulator-for-pc/1
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I43UOjdhIpg&feature=youtu.be
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| Germans Increase Office Efficiency With "Cloud Ceiling"
| from the little-fluffy-clouds dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @11:15 (Businesses)
| with 193 comments
| https://idle.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1517243/germans-increase-office-efficiency-with-cloud-ceiling?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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Griller_GT writes "According to the top researchers of the
Fraunhofer-Institut f��r Arbeitswirtschaft und Organization (IAO) in
Stuttgart, [0]the human mind is set up to work at its best under the open
sky, with changing illumination caused by clouds passing overhead. The
unvarying glare of office lighting is sub-optimal, therefore, and in
order to wring the last ounce of efficiency from German workers whose
productivity has already been pushed to unprecedented heights they have
decided to rectify this with a LED cloud ceiling."
Discuss this story at:
https://idle.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1517243/germans-increase-office-efficiency-with-cloud-ceiling?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/04/german_cloud_ceiling/
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| FDA Approves Self-Sanitizing Keyboard
| from the clean-zone dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @00:28 (Hardware)
| with 176 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0119221/fda-approves-self-sanitizing-keyboard?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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[0]jfruhlinger writes "Deep down, most people know that the germiest
thing they touch all day is the thing they're touching all day: their
keyboard. But what, if anything, can be done about it? A couple of former
MIcrosoft hardware guys have launched a [1]keyboard that sterilizes
itself via ultraviolet light. While the FDA has signed off on it, tests
show that the UV only kills about two-thirds of the germs living in it,
and that it still needs to be cleaned by hand."
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0119221/fda-approves-self-sanitizing-keyboard?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://jfruh.com/
1. http://www.itworld.com/hardware/237857/self-sanitizing-keyboard-approved-fda-ignored-bacterio-cognoscenti
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| California State Senator Proposes Funding Open-Source Textbooks
| from the benefit-the-commonwealth dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @11:35 (Education)
| with 175 comments
| https://politics.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1615210/california-state-senator-proposes-funding-open-source-textbooks?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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bcrowell writes "Although former Governor Schwarzenegger's [0]free
digital textbook initiative for K-12 education was a failure, state
senator Darrell Steinberg has a new idea for the [1]state-subsidized
publication of college textbooks (details in the PDF links at the
bottom). [2]Newspaper editorials [3]seem positive. It will be interesting
to see if this works any better at the college level than it did for
K-12, where textbook selection has traditionally been very bureaucratic.
This is also different from Schwarzenegger's FDTI because Steinberg
proposes spending state money to help create the books. The K-12 version
suffered from legal uncertainty about the [4]Williams case, which
requires equal access to books for all students ��� many of whom might not
have computers at home. At the [5]symposium where the results of the
FDTI's first round were announced, it became apparent that the only
businesses interested in participating actively were not the publishers
but computer manufacturers like Dell and Apple, who wanted to sell lots
of hardware to schools."
Discuss this story at:
https://politics.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1615210/california-state-senator-proposes-funding-open-source-textbooks?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8090450.stm
1. http://sd06.senate.ca.gov/news/2011-12-13-steinberg-proposal-slashes-textbook-costs-california-college-students
2. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/14/4121224/darrell-steinberg-pushes-open.html
3. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_19533735
4. http://www.decentschools.org/
5. http://cetpa-k12.org/pub/htdocs/symposiuminfo.html
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| Ask Slashdot: Tech For Small Library Automation?
| from the a-little-help-here-please dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @05:28 (Technology)
| with 174 comments
| https://ask.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0415249/ask-slashdot-tech-for-small-library-automation?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
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Kozz writes "I've recently been tapped as 'the tech guy' at my church
where a group familiar with library automation wants to get digital with
the relatively small catalog. Right now all the materials are simply on
shelves, and people take an item down, fill out the paper card and drop
it into a box, and we hope that people correctly calculate their own due
dates and return the materials. We had a card catalog, but it went
largely unused. We're looking for a complete solution for both
administration and self-checkout; label printing, checkout receipts, and
so on. Have any Slashdot readers found yourself in this position, and do
you have recommendations based on your experiences?"
Discuss this story at:
https://ask.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0415249/ask-slashdot-tech-for-small-library-automation?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| UK Executive 'Forced Out of Job' For Posting CV Online
| from the hr-dept-on-patrol dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @13:22 (Social Networks)
| with 159 comments
| https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1813233/uk-executive-forced-out-of-job-for-posting-cv-online?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First time accepted submitter sweetpea86 writes "An executive who
uploaded his CV to LinkedIn was forced to quit his job because he
[0]ticked a box stating he was interested in 'career opportunities'. John
Flexman is demanding hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation from
his former employer, gas exploration firm BG Group, where he earned
��68,000 pounds a year as a Graduate and Development Manager. He is
thought to be the first person in the UK to bring a case for constructive
dismissal. The case highlights a grey area around employees' use of
social networks such as LinkedIn. According to Kate Hodgkiss, Partner at
law firm DLA Piper, employers have every right to seek to protect
confidential company information by restricting LinkedIn and other
profiles, but cannot prevent employees from looking for a new job. The
news echoes a report in December that a Californian Twitter user was
being sued for $340,000 by his former employer for [1]taking his online
followers with him when he switched jobs. PhoneDog launched legal
proceedings against Noah Kravitz, seeking damages of $2.50 a month per
follower for eight months."
Discuss this story at:
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1813233/uk-executive-forced-out-of-job-for-posting-cv-online?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://news.techworld.com/personal-tech/3328090/executive-forced-out-of-job-after-posting-cv-on-linkedin/
1. http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/11/14/225205/tech-site-sues-ex-employee-claiming-rights-to-his-twitter-account
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Firefox 3.6 Support Ends April 2012
| from the slow-motion-shutdown dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @13:01 (Firefox)
| with 151 comments
| https://news.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1753202/firefox-36-support-ends-april-2012?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An anonymous reader writes "Mozilla for some time after switching to the
rapid release process talked about releasing [0]Extended Support Releases
that would give companies and organizations some breathing space in the
race to test and deploy new browser versions. With the first ESR release
(which will be Firefox 10), comes the [1]Firefox 3.6 end of life
announcement. Firefox 3.6 users will receive update notifications in
April to update the browser to the latest stable version by then."
Discuss this story at:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1753202/firefox-36-support-ends-april-2012?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. https://wiki.mozilla.org/Enterprise/Firefox/ExtendedSupport:Proposal
1. http://www.ghacks.net/2012/01/05/firefox-3-6-support-to-end-on-april-24-2012/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Controlled Quantum Levitation Used To Build <em>Wipeout</em> Track
| from the why-youtube-exists dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @16:08 (Japan)
| with 129 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/217250/controlled-quantum-levitation-used-to-build-wipeout-track?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First time accepted submitter [0]gentryx writes "Researchers at the Japan
Institute of Science and Technology have build a [1]miniature Wipeout
track (YouTube video) using high temperature superconductors and
[2]quantum levitation. Right now this is fundamental research, but in the
future large scale transportation systems could be build with technology
akin to this. I have a different vision: let Nintendo sell this as an
accessory for the Wii U. I'd buy several of these tracks, let the gliders
race through the whole house and track them on our TV!" Update: 01/05
22:08 GMT by [3]S : As many readers have pointed out, this is CGI.
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/217250/controlled-quantum-levitation-used-to-build-wipeout-track?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.libgeodecomp.org/
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zqmdv5iyIOY
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_levitation
3. mailto:soulskillatslashdotdotorg
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Leap Second Coming In June, 2012
| from the they're-calling-it-a-time-step dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @09:52 (Earth)
| with 124 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1453244/leap-second-coming-in-june-2012?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zoxed writes "[0]IERS have [1]just announced a [2]leap second due at
midnight, June 30th this year. Are your systems ready?" The last leap
second added was at the end of 2008.
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/1453244/leap-second-coming-in-june-2012?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.iers.org/sid_AC73BA4447E4CBC7EE27D3257222D169/IERS/EN/IERSHome/home.html?__nnn=true
1. ftp://hpiers.obspm.fr/iers/bul/bulc/bulletinc.dat
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_second
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Australian Deported From Bahrain Over Facebook Posts
| from the bah-humbug dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @16:52 (Australia)
| with 115 comments
| https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/2151226/australian-deported-from-bahrain-over-facebook-posts?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An anonymous reader writes "Australian English instructor Tony Mitchell
recently moved to Bahrain where he was offered a job at the state-run
Polytechnic University. He described himself as a witness of the various
horrifying events in the struggling country (see [0]The Atlantic's
four-part series). Mitchell [1]was eventually fired, evicted, and forced
to flee because of posts he made on Facebook."
Discuss this story at:
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/2151226/australian-deported-from-bahrain-over-facebook-posts?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/category/Bahrain
1. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/australian-deported-from-bahrain-over-facebook-posts/6861
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Linux Foundation Sites Restored
| from the welcome-back dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Wednesday January 04, @20:05 (Security)
| with 111 comments
| https://linux.slashdot.org/story/12/01/04/2343201/linux-foundation-sites-restored?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LinuxScribe writes "The Linux Foundation has [0]quietly restored all of
the websites it took down following the September 2011 breach that
[1]affected Linux.com and all other Foundation websites--an attack that
was linked to the [2]August 2011 breach of kernel.org. But one website
won't be coming back: the Linux Developer Network, launched in 2008.
Content from the site will now be hosted across all of the Linux
Foundation's web properties."
Discuss this story at:
https://linux.slashdot.org/story/12/01/04/2343201/linux-foundation-sites-restored?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/237829/linux-foundation-sites-almost-all-back-action
1. http://linux.slashdot.org/story/11/09/11/1325212/linux-foundation-linuxcom-sites-down-to-fix-security-breach
2. https://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/171-jonathan-corbet/491001-the-cracking-of-kernelorg
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Thumbdrive-Sized Streaming Media Players Coming Soon
| from the size-does-matter dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @03:06 (The Internet)
| with 107 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0319213/thumbdrive-sized-streaming-media-players-coming-soon?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DeviceGuru writes "Roku is building its streaming media player technology
into a [0]thumbdrive-style device that will plug directly into a TV's
HDMI port. The Roku Streaming Stick, to be priced in the $50-$100 range,
will convert ordinary TVs into smart TVs, according to CEO Anthony Wood.
One catch is that it will depend on the TV having at least one [1]Mobile
High-Definition Link (MHDL) compliant HDMI port. The new standard is not
widely supported yet, with only Nokia, Samsung, Silicon Image, Sony, and
Toshiba listed as members on the [2]MHDL Consortium's web page."
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0319213/thumbdrive-sized-streaming-media-players-coming-soon?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://deviceguru.com/roku-thumbdrive-sized-streaming-media-player/
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_High-definition_Link
2. http://www.mhlconsortium.org/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Mouse Sperm Cells Grown In Vitro
| from the keep-my-etchings-in-the-lab dept.
| posted by timothy on Thursday January 05, @17:40 (Biotech)
| with 87 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/2238211/mouse-sperm-cells-grown-in-vitro?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
smitty777 writes "In what is being hailed as a breakthrough in male
infertility, researchers from Muenster and Ben Gurion Universities were
able to [0]actually grow mouse sperm cells in a petri dish. Researchers
feel this is just a short step away from human in vitro sperm cell
production. The details of how this will be accomplished are still being
worked out. FTA: '[According to Professor Richard Sharpe], "What this
research shows is that it will be possible to make human sperm outside
the body. The germ cells just need the right environment. That's the
tricky part getting them to think they are in the testes." Professor
Sharpe believes that one novel way may make.it possible. He proposes
using a live mouse as a "host" to make human sperm. He said: "What you
would do is take some human testicular tissue with germ cells and place
that under the skin of the mouse and use it to incubate the cells. You
could then extract any sperm and use it in fertility treatment. But we
would have to demonstrate that there were no mouse cells present in the
extracted sperm if we were to use this technique and I believe that's
possible."'"
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/2238211/mouse-sperm-cells-grown-in-vitro?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8988011/Scientists-grow-sperm-in-laboratory-dish.html
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Thick Dust Alters NASA Mars Rover Plans
| from the mars-wants-clear-weather! dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 05, @18:27 (NASA)
| with 62 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/233254/thick-dust-alters-nasa-mars-rover-plans?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]coondoggie writes "NASA's long-running Mars rover Opportunity is
getting ready for the harsh Martian winter, but this year for the first
time in its nearly eight-year history [1]it needs a sunnier location to
continue its work. NASA said the rover, which depends on solar power for
energy, is sitting just south of Mars' equator and has worked through
four Martian southern hemisphere winters. Being closer to the equator
than its now defunct twin rover, Spirit, Opportunity has not needed to
stay on a Sun-facing slope during previous winters but now its solar
panels carry a thicker coating of Martian dust than before."
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/233254/thick-dust-alters-nasa-mars-rover-plans?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:mcooney@nww.com
1. http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/thick-martian-dust-makes-nasa-pick-sunnier-locale-mars-rover
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