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Comment: Re:2-year CFLs (Score 1) 216

by khellendros1984 (#47410913) Attached to: My most recent energy-saving bulbs last ...
I've got four in a ceiling fixture that were there when I bought the place 4 years ago. They take time to "warm up", but never flicker or buzz, that I can tell. They took the same amount of time back then as they do now, so my guess is that they were just early-ish models that were designed to look like incadescents. I've got two in nightstand lamps, which get power-cycled perhaps a half-dozen times a day, and have been going for 3-4 years so far. I've got a couple more in standing lamps that I don't remember when I installed, and one being used as a porch light that's just been there about 8 months.

I've had fairly good experiences with CFL bulbs, it's interesting to see how many people have had much more negative ones. I guess I've been lucky.

Comment: Re:Visualize (Score 1) 50

by khellendros1984 (#47337813) Attached to: Visualizing Algorithms
I identify with your school experiences, although maybe not in as extreme a way; I could generally muddle through rote memorization to a certain degree, but my retention was terrible. The understanding was left behind when the specifics faded away...

Anyhow, for me, the "picture" exists, but it's more tactile than visual. There are visual aspects, but it's not how I process most of the information. Loops are spinning wheels when they don't have a clear exit condition, and feel like unrolled spirals when they're "for" loops going over specific ranges. Algorithms seem like they have a size/weight, which corresponds to my idea of how quickly they'll run on a given set of data (although it's not always accurate, yet).

If I don't remember how a section of code works internally, it feels hollow, and when I read the code, it's like looking inside the black-box. If I change something outside the box, I feel the domino effect, and when it hits the box, I need to look inside to see what'll fall over. I can also feel like threading some string through the eye of a needle, when I'm running some value up through a class hierarchy, or something.

I think that the important insight is that a lot of us become very skilled at constructing mental models of what we're working with, and gain some sort of sensory perception (often vision-related) of how the model functions. I think it's telling that (in my case) the world falls away from my perception when I'm working through a complex problem, and closing my eyes sometimes helps, as well.

Comment: Re:Let's see... (Score 1) 176

by khellendros1984 (#47328881) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Is It Feasible To Revive an Old Linux PC Setup?

Comment: Re:Shouldn't be a problem (Score 1) 176

by khellendros1984 (#47328699) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Is It Feasible To Revive an Old Linux PC Setup?
It sounds like the end goal is to run their older software, though. That should be possible, provided library dependencies can be worked out (and emulation of any direct hardware access).

If the goal is to run a complete older system on new hardware, emulation in some form is the best bet. Running the old OS directly on modern hardware isn't likely to be feasible (without extensive modification to the old OS).

Comment: Re:What The?!? (Score 1) 216

by khellendros1984 (#47250573) Attached to: US Agency Aims To Regulate Map Aids In Vehicles
Except that CreatureComfort wasn't arguing what the money *should* be spent on, they were arguing that in the case that the most desirable things don't get funded, that at least we aren't funding the *least* desirable things. Essentially "the new status quo isn't bad enough that I can be assed to fight it". You're putting words in their mouth that are strikingly different than what it sounds like they intended.

Comment: Do not want. (Score 2) 249

by khellendros1984 (#47215341) Attached to: New Permission System Could Make Android Much Less Secure
I routinely deny apps their updates because I don't like their modified list of permissions. This sounds like it'll make it harder for me to use my phone the way that I want to (which is the reason that I decided against an iOS phone in the first place). Google, you're whittling down my reasons to stay with your devices (or at least with the stock OS).

Comment: Re:Cash and checks (Score 2) 117

by khellendros1984 (#47207923) Attached to: Credit Card Breach At P.F. Chang's

You fail to mention the full, tedious process for reporting fraudulent card transactions, and getting them reversed. Whenever I've had to do it (recently, almost yearly), There are records to review, paperwork to fax, etc. to confirm what charges are legit and which aren't.

With my card, in most cases, I get a call where they verify a half-dozen or so purchases. There was once where they called me to say that my card was cancelled, with a new one in the mail. I've never had to fill out any paperwork from that particular bank/card, let alone had to fax anything. The policies vary company-by-company, so something that's onerous for you may be much easier for someone else.

Comment: Re:Monthly quota? (Score 1) 474

Well, that, or they'll track have the wifi access over a different VLAN, like similar schemes in other areas do. I can imagine someone that's about to go over their quota switching to the public hotspot's ssid to avoid charges, though. I'm not sure what comcast plans to do about that situation.
