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Comment: Linux Mint (Score 1) 287

by zethreal (#46428915) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Linux For Grandma?
I'm a huge fan of Linux Mint. They release fairly regularly and have several "sub-flavors" as well. I'd try something like Maya(13). That's their Long-term support version. If you're concerned that she'll have issues, download it & run it as a LiveCD ( the default ). If she likes it, it is set up for easy installation right through the booted liveCD. It's very easy to use & my almost 10 year old laptop has no problems with it. It actually was a faster/easier install than any Windows version & updates are (mostly) seamless. http://www.linuxmint.com/relea...

Comment: My problem with this is... (Score 1) 457

by zethreal (#44382049) Attached to: After a User Dies, Apple Warns Against Counterfeit Chargers
I've had several iDevices and have to say that apple branded cables suck. I've had to replace every apple branded cable with a generic because the sheath is thin & there's no support near the connectors, so the sheath cracks and wires are exposed. ( I've had 2 iPods and currently have an iPad ) I had the apple branded cable for less than 6 months and wires were visible at the connector... I've had the same iPod and cheap chinese cable from a no-name chinese company for well over 3 years now. It gets the same abuse that it did before & isn't even starting to show age. The new "lightning" connector doesn't seem to be as bad, but only because of the design of the connector as a whole. I wouldn't be too surprised if it was an apple cable...

Comment: How is this news? (Score 4, Insightful) 42

by zethreal (#42165561) Attached to: The Foldable Readius Ereader Is Dead

Comment: Re:Sure - don't go (Score 2) 218

by zethreal (#41454319) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Ideas and Tools To Get Around the Great Firewall?
Exactly this. I have a relative that went there on vacation with 20 or so friends. They were walking around late in the evening & turned down a "wrong street" they were all arrested & held for no reason for several days. My relative & his friends think that the only reason they were released was because it was such a large group. When they were released, they were told to never travel without a guide again & make sure they didn't go down that road.

Comment: Re:Hey (Score 2) 134

by zethreal (#41440837) Attached to: Iran Blocks Google, Moves Forward With Domestic Network Plans
I'm not going to say that, but I could see it happening. All they'd have to do is tell people that it's to stop pedophiles & terrorists and far too many people would be perfectly OK with it. It's not that bad here, but give it a few years and it may get there... the only difference is that here we will vote for it.

Comment: Re:Trojan (Score 1) 381

by zethreal (#39797371) Attached to: Bitcoin Mining Startup Gets $500k In Venture Capital
"They intend to accomplish this by offering a configurable app that players download from the gaming site which would allow bitcoin mining jobs to run on these beefy GPU-outfitted client computers. Like DropBox, the CoinLab app will reside in the background so that the players are not even aware of the mining that occurs during the gaming session. To the gamer, certain virtual items or level upgrades would be obtained. " How is this putting a trojan on the computer? It seems that their business plan is to offer a separate download that will mine bitcoins automatically while they are playing. In return, the player will get bonus items for every X number of blocks processed/bitcoins mined.
Wireless Networking

+ - Solar Storms Could Bring Northern Lights South->

Submitted by RedEaredSlider
RedEaredSlider writes "Increased solar activity could give residents of the continental U.S., southern Europe and Japan the chance to see the northern lights for the first time in several years.


Link to Original Source

+ - What you lost in the FCC's net 'neutrality' ruling->

Submitted by jfruhlinger
jfruhlinger writes "The FCC was supposed to come up with a set of rules that would preserve net neutrality. Although the recommendations they released came out under the "net neutrality" moniker, in fact they ensure that the Internet's level playing field will be lost. Check out the low points of the regulations. Fortunately, it seems that opposition in Congress is brewing."
Link to Original Source

Comment: Re:No (Score 1) 564

by zethreal (#34617794) Attached to: Do High Schools Know What 'Computer Science' Is?
In my school (which graduated 75 when I graduated), they required some basic computing classes - how to use MS Office and typing (among other things). Back in 2000, that was a rarity... They also offered 2 "programming" classes. One was HTML and the other was VB6. I have to say that while HTML isn't a programming language, it is a lot better than most of the other schools in my area. While I didn't use VB6 in any of my classes in college, having a basic understanding of form and logic definitely helped. So I have to say that *some* high schools do know what Computer Science is.

Comment: Not as long as I'm around... (Score 1) 291

by zethreal (#33508274) Attached to: Can NetBooks &amp; Tablets Co-Exist?
I'll stick with my netbook because I prefer having a real keyboard (even a smaller one). I don't know if it's just me being a late adapter, but I like the feel of real keys over a touchscreen. I'd never buy an iPad because I'm not a huge fan of any Apple OS I've tried through the years. I'm still not really sure if I'd buy a tablet from any other manufacturer either.

All programmers are playwrights and all computers are lousy actors.