Thursday Tech News

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A congressman is supporting Fair Use! This story is a perfect example of problems by stupid people. The story links to a congressman (Rick Boucher of Virginia) that supports the hacking of DRM and content protect because of fair use. He states the DMCA is garbage. We actually have someone that is on OUR side. The article I linked to is someone saying that this will STIFLE innovation... No, you stupid moron, DRM and Trusted Computing will stifle innovation. Let me grab a quote...

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But when the content is delivered purely as digital bits, there is no limit to the range of TPM that can be applied. Content producers can also quickly change their options to meet market demand. What is a publisher to do when it finds out that it can't get students to buy e-textbooks when they expire after a mere four months? By changing one line of code, those four months can be expanded to a full year.

Apparently the author of this story cannot wrap his head around the concept of BUYING a product. Why do I want to RENT a product when I should be able to BUY and OWN it. This is the problem with tech companies today.

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What does this infinite flexibility for digital TPM mean for media distributed online? It means consumers will have more choice. More legal music options are already available online, and at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's recent Aspen Summit, we heard Warner Music Group Chairman and CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. promise an e-label for up-and-coming artists.

No, it gives consumers LESS choice. Do you want to buy music that automatically destroys itself after a week or a month? Well, you don't OWN the things you buy, so it doesn't matter which you select. This is a perfect example of stupid people saying stupid things. Get off your soapbox and let FAIR USE reign. When I buy a computer game, I usually copy it and use the copied CDs to play. I effectively save the originals from scratches or other problems. I am forced to use hacks to be able to the play the game I BOUGHT because of 'content protection' or DRM. If this is where all of content and computing is heading, I'll be saying no to much more technology in the coming years.

Tiny organisms mean nano-circuitry.

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The researchers also outline two ways to alter the chemical structure of diatoms. The first is to modify the silica with a gaseous metal at temperatures up to 900°C – a method used to convert diatom shells into magnesium oxide and titanium dioxide structures. The second entails coating the micro-organisms with a solution and then dissolving the silica underneath. This has been used to create structures in zirconium. By combining the two techniques, the researchers were able to make nano-structures of barium titanate.

Intelligent Design gets hammered.

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"Devastating" early drafts of a controversial book recommended as reading at a US high school reveal how the word “creationism” had been later swapped for “intelligent design”, a landmark US trial scrutinising the teaching of ID heard on Wednesday. The early drafts of the book Of Pandas and People, was used as evidence to link the book to creationism, which it is illegal to teach in US schools.

Shuttle foam loss: Human error.

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The top 3 metres of the PAL ramp was removed to access another part as the tank was being prepared for launch. It was a lower part of the PAL ramp that fell off during launch. That was not removed, but could have been cut by plastic knives or crushed by someone leaning on it while the upper part was removed and replaced.