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2801

Living Room / Re: when will we eventually be able to

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 21, 2014, 05:38 AM »

but 1 out of 700 people have the same fingerprint!

maybe dna check on spit or skin would be more reliable

-kalos (October 21, 2014, 02:58 AM)

Ah we finally get to Gattaca where only the elite families, like Gore Vidal's, can gas up.  If your blood ain't blue you're walkin;.

2802

Living Room / Re: when will we eventually be able to

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 04:35 PM »

The spark advance may have quite a range of adjustment in the computer.  Even back when I was working in the field the advance was quite radical at times.  I'm not sure how far they can retard the timing but they may have compensated for the problem by now.

Afa the police vehicles I favor a bicycle and night stick combination.  All these automatic weapons and everything high powered makes me feel we are attracting applicants who want to "play guns" like when 8 years old.  Turn on the siren and jump the stop light mentality.

Most life threatening situations call for an ambulance or EMT response rather than an armed one.  One thing I will say about the Miami cops, I've never seen them strike anyone.  They may yell some unpleasant things at a person who is acting belligerent verbally.  But I've never seen any physical abuse.  The ones I've talked to even if they want to help they can't do much.  Miami doesn't have overnight one night shelters like some cold towns.  I heard they may be starting that up though.  More people come to town every day it seems. 

But I digress. 

2803

General Software Discussion / Re: The most stupid Windows error?

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 03:15 PM »

If they keep skipping numbers we'll be back to Win95 in no time.  But it may be 128 bit. 

2804

Living Room / Re: Unlimited Energy Solution Found!

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 03:13 PM »

Spare parts are readily available.  Just consult the cat-a-log.

-MilesAhead (October 18, 2014, 07:52 AM)

So, to get things going, just give your cat a list.
 

-cranioscopical (October 18, 2014, 08:24 PM)

I just hope they don't start cat-er-waulling while I'm trying to get a cat nap. 

2805

Living Room / Re: when will we eventually be able to

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 03:04 PM »

ok ok

Thanks for asking.  It felt good to vent(yet another gas tank pun.) 

2806

Living Room / Re: when will we eventually be able to

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 02:59 PM »

MilesAhead what do you say now?  

-kalos (October 20, 2014, 12:15 PM)

On the gas ID thing it could be WiFi for that matter.  Same with info from the pump as to amount,price,octane rating etc..  The computer in the vehicle could calculate the net octane rating from all the mixes of gas.  Much simpler than actually analyzing it.  Of course things would have to be standardized to avoid being locked in to one gasoline company etc..

On the police cars when they are tuned up they are set to the spec in the book.  What's in the computer is done at the factory.  Most likely some pencil pusher cost accountant comes up with the brilliant idea of buying the cheap gas.  Thus the timing under load is way too advanced.  The guy doing the tune-up can see if the air filter is clogged pretty easily.  Getting gas with the octance available when the car was manufactured is another matter if the cop car has a big V8.

Before electronic ignition and after they started raising the gas prices if I knew the customer was burning regular in a high compression engine I used to performance time it via test drive.  It would at least not react like a bucking bronco.  But it's not worth the effort if you get some dick who wants the settings "by the book" as you can never get  him to admit the gasoline available when he bought the car is not for sale now.  Thus making the initial timing wrong.  Especially if the cheap bastard is buying regular on top of it. 

2807

Living Room / Re: when will we eventually be able to

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 11:21 AM »

Even better would be some type of data exchange when the nozzle is inserted.  I guess avoiding an electric current would be paramount with the proximity to the gasoline.  Perhaps some kind of magnetic field data doodad.  Your car would get a record how much gas at what price was added to the tank and the pump would get your ID for debit.

That way if someone snatched your plate you wouldn't be financing their joy rides as they stuck it on one car after another.

Also I was thinking there should be some way to detect the equivalent of octane in the fuel and adjust the spark advance settings in the ignition computer system.  I have been thinking about that because I see Miami cops tromp on the accelerator and their cruisers sound like crap.  The spark advance is not right.  It makes me wince every time I listen to the engine fighting itself.  No doubt they put low octane fuel in cars with high compression engines.

I don't know how difficult the octane detection would be.  But once known the spark advance intelligence should not be difficult to program.

2808

Living Room / Re: DRM in your coffee maker, to stop you from brewing unlicensed coffees

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 20, 2014, 05:57 AM »

I have half a thought of buying one just so I can return it because it doesn't work with the coffee 'pods' I have.  Companies shouldn't be  able to get away with this kind of crap, and that seems to be a concrete way to let them know.

-mwb1100 (October 20, 2014, 01:40 AM)

When I was an Auto Mechanic I remember having Phillips Head and slot screw drivers and a handle for hex socket both English and metric.  All set for stuff like removing a grille or door panel.  Then the automakers must have bought stock in the tool making companies because the grilles had new screws with weird depressions in them.  Sort of like those locking lug nuts where you need that stupid adapter to get the wheel off.  The SnapOn Guy(tm) is all smiles as he sells you the same crap over again.  Nothing like ripping off your customer base to endear your products.  Word of mouth advertizing NOT. 

2809

General Software Discussion / Re: The most stupid Windows error?

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 19, 2014, 06:25 PM »

What I hate is before I can read the screen and decide what I want to do, it does what it wants anyway.  It may as well put that television bullseye with the radar scan line that rotates 360 degrees to count down the seconds.  No message.  I'll just know to wait for it to shut down. 

2810

Living Room / Re: Who is your Favourite "Doctor"?

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 19, 2014, 05:08 PM »

P.S. Roger Delgado was the best Master

-4wd (October 19, 2014, 04:51 PM)

+1  He was a heavy with style.

2811

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 19, 2014, 05:54 AM »

I can remember hating the super dark tinted glass windshields because I couldn't see where the oncoming driver was looking at intersections.  Now I'll have to wonder if anyone is even in the vehicle.

If the car could go off by itself and come back with a cold 4 pack I know some guys who would figure out a way to buy it somehow. 

2812

Living Room / Re: Unlimited Energy Solution Found!

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 18, 2014, 07:52 AM »

I always thought that a better solution than the cat/toast rotor would be three cats strapped back-to-back in a star configuration.

I guess you could call it the three polecat configuration.

-4wd (October 18, 2014, 01:40 AM)

Spare parts are readily available.  Just consult the cat-a-log. 

2813

Living Room / Re: Who is your Favourite "Doctor"?

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 18, 2014, 07:43 AM »

Would have been interesting if David Niven had ever been given a crack at it. That role would have been right up his alley.

-40hz (October 18, 2014, 07:14 AM)

I remember seeing him on one of the talk/variety shows maybe in the 60s.  If not The Mike Douglas Show it was something similar. He told a charming story about being in a street gang at 5 years old.  His job was to drop his bag of marbles on a department store floor. and start crying.  While the employees helped the poor little kid retrieve his marbles his confederates ripped off the merchandise.  

I don't know if it was true but the audience loved it.

2814

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 18, 2014, 05:12 AM »

"Your car needs to reboot to install updates" WTF!

-Carol Haynes (October 17, 2014, 07:31 PM)

Or even worse, the automatic ripcord on your parachute.  We wouldn't want to be hacked at 15,000 feet now would we?  Must have those security updates!  

2815

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 17, 2014, 05:06 PM »

I think it is a done deal.  For one thing it's just too attractive to the authorities.  They can lock your doors, windows and passive restraint systems then steer you directly to jail whenever they want.  

2816

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 17, 2014, 10:02 AM »

Firefox 1.5 Final

-mackyy20 (October 17, 2014, 04:51 AM)

Wasn't that released somewhere in 2005? Looks like waaaay off the charts here... (iow: possible spam? )

-Ath (October 17, 2014, 05:53 AM)

I guess it wasn't that final after all?  Up to v 33 now. 

2817

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 17, 2014, 10:00 AM »

IIRC autopilot was added primarily as a convenience to mitigate the really boring parts. So outside of preventing the plane from wandering off course...(making them late)...it's not really a safety system.

-Stoic Joker (October 17, 2014, 06:59 AM)

http://en.wikipedia....Air_Lines_Flight_401

Not so much that the Auto Pilot failed as that everyone was so complacent relying on it.

---------

Captain Kirk just before setting off a nuclear charge on the planet surface "Beam me up Scotty!  Scot are you there?"  Scotty says "I cannot captain.  The Transporter is asking for my bloody PIN number and I forgot the damn thing!"

2818

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 17, 2014, 05:48 AM »

With the release of Firefox 1.5 Final, I find myself more willing to explore Firefox once again.  Only problem is, we all know it takes at least 10 extensions to achieve the features of an Opera or Maxthon

-mackyy20 (October 17, 2014, 04:51 AM)

It's a pity they butchered MaxThon user written extensions.  MT II had a vibrant community contributing their own features.  Now I don't even want to try III with the signature official extension crap.  The virus paranoia has ruined the web for sure.  

2819

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 17, 2014, 05:45 AM »

You might want to be able to take over when the computer says "Not my job man!"

-MilesAhead (October 16, 2014, 04:26 PM)

Is it OK if I image "The Dude" saying that?
 (see attachment in previous post)

-wraith808 (October 16, 2014, 05:48 PM)

Heh heh.  Freddie Prinze had the copyright.  But he's no longer with us.  So I guess The Dude can cop it. 

2820

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 16, 2014, 05:35 PM »

I just thought I'd mention I ride on driverless cars every day.  The MetroMover system in Miami is driven by computer.  It's a bit simpler since it doesn't have to react with steering changes.  There's a guide hooked to the hydraulic steering control.

A ride on this thing might quell some of the enthusiasm for the concept.  It works, but it's not what I'd call a smooth ride.  Every now and then it doesn't want to pull out of the station and a tech has to pop the cover to reboot it.  It's kind of a novelty for the tourists.

2821

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 16, 2014, 04:26 PM »

why would you need to have the skill to drive?
I am not opposite to it, but it would be an obsolete skill
and to be honest, driving will be so much automated, that you can learn driving within seconds

-kalos (October 16, 2014, 08:45 AM)

Ever see the whole system lock up due to a hardware fault?  Now imagine you are traveling in your hovercraft 6 inches above the roadway at just below the sound barrier in heavy traffic.  You might want to be able to take over when the computer says "Not my job man!"  When all those systems that keep things in trim are out of service it helps to have someone in control who has some touch.  It can't be developed instantly.  Muscle memory takes time to nurture.

Also the pilots would be hired for special circumstances such as piloting craft in areas where the computer is not reliable.  I'm not enough of a hardware geek to name a bunch of examples.. maybe background radiation as some spacecraft explores an asteroid with interesting attributes or whatnot.

It might be analogous to anarchists having a small cadre of lawyers just in case. 

2822

Living Room / Re: driveless cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 16, 2014, 05:40 AM »

Of course when it's commonplace most everyone will lose the skill of driving or never learn it.  There will be families named Pilot or something similar where skills are passed down.  When a human pilot is needed for a car,boat,aircraft or extra orbital vehicle, one of these people will get contacted via the cranial implant etc..

2823

Developer's Corner / Re: Service: Proof of Existence

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 15, 2014, 06:40 PM »

I still don't get the use for this service.

-Deozaan (October 15, 2014, 06:26 PM)

I think I get the idea.  By storing a hash of the file you do not risk the file being decrypted by someone getting a copy from the service.  But for it to be any use you have to produce the file, then generate a hash identical to the stored one to prove your claim the original contents was not altered in any way.  You still have the problem of a safe place to store the file.  But it seems better than stuff like making a copy and mailing it to a lawyer or other schemes where the information is stored somewhere not under your control.

2824

Living Room / Re: DRM in your coffee maker, to stop you from brewing unlicensed coffees

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 15, 2014, 12:38 PM »

I prefer to buy coffee in the bean, grind small quantities for use within a few days, and use Melitta type filters, either in standalone cones or a drip coffee maker.  For single cups, a #4 cone works just as well as the "single cup" #2 cone, just use the right amount of coffee and water for what you want.

When at home I typically only drank a couple of mugs a day.  I'd grind the beans right then and used a 4 cup Mr Coffee with paper filter and 12 ounces of water.  That would net me a good 10 oz. mug.  The drip process only took a few minutes.  I was the only one drinking coffee so a full sized pot would be overkill.

But with light cream harder to find in South Florida than free food I'm enthusiastic about the steamed milk technique. 

2825

Living Room / Re: DRM in your coffee maker, to stop you from brewing unlicensed coffees

« Last post by MilesAhead on October 15, 2014, 10:24 AM »

Yes, the wand is for steam

That explains why it is so loud.  For some reason I thought it siphoned the milk through some hot coils.  Probably because the milk doesn't seem to get watered down.  But that would also explain why they are not reluctant to stick the wand right into your coffee cup to make the coffee hotter.  Nothing is going inside the machine.  All the pressure is positive.  No sanitary issues other than the external surface of the wand itself.