Virgin announced the world’s fastest cable modem system this week: a 200Mbps trial it is conducting in the UK. But DSL and fiber providers are angry that cable uses these numbers, saying that they don’t reflect the shared reality of a cable network. Ars explains just what can go wrong on the way to 200Mbps.
zokier writes “Microsoft has released a new programming language called Axum, previously known as Maestro and based on the actor model. It’s meant to ease development of concurrent applications and thus making better use of multi-core processors. Axum does not have capabilities to define classes, but as it runs on the .NET platform, Axum can use classes made with C#. Microsoft has not committed to shipping Axum since it is still in an incubation phase of development so feedback from developers is certainly welcome.”
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nk497 writes “The release candidate for Microsoft Windows 7 will expire June 2010, and the software giant will let users know they need to pay to upgrade by shutting down the system every two hours for three months. According to Microsoft: “The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You’ll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use.””
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Barence writes “Baby monitors and wireless TV transmitters are responsible for slowing down Wi-Fi connections in built-up areas, according to a report commissioned by British telecoms regulator Ofcom. The research smashes the myth that overlapping Wi-Fi networks in heavily congested towns and cities are to blame for faltering connection speeds. Instead it claims that unlicensed devices operating in the 2.4GHz band are dragging down signals. “It only requires a single device, such as an analogue video sender, to severely affect Wi-Fi services within a short range, such that a single large building or cluster of houses can experience difficulties with using a single Wi-Fi channel,” the report claims.”
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KentuckyFC writes “People can be accurately classified according to their email habits, say scientists from Yahoo Research in NYC, who have been studying the way 125,000 people use email on university campuses in the US and Europe. The team found that people fall into two clearly distinct types of emailer. The first group, “day labororers”, tend to send emails throughout the normal working day between 0900 and 1800 but not at other times. On the other hand, “emailaholics” tend to send emails throughout the waking hours from 0900 to 0100. These groups are pretty stable: roughly 75% of users stay in the same group over a 2 year period. That gives a pretty good way of classifying individuals that could be used by demographers. Interestingly, the technique can also be used to spot spambots which do not fit into either group.”
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brumgrunt writes “At first glance, JJ Abrams’ Star Trek has won over audiences as well as critics as it stormed to a .5m US opening weekend. However, Den Of Geek sounds a note of caution. Can it hold an audience for a second week? How do its numbers stack up? And as Wolverine looks like its struggling to reach 0m off an m opening weekend, is Star Trek yet the huge hit blockbuster that some of the headlines are suggesting?”
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 Times Online |
Pope says will honour Holocaust dead in Israel
Reuters By Philip Pullella JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Pope Benedict used his first speech in Israel on Monday to remember the six million Jews killed by the Nazis and try to heal fresh wounds over his reinstatement of a bishop who denied the Holocaust. Video: Israel: pope Benedict calls for 2-state solution France 24 Pope Benedict XVI calls for two-state solution on visit to Israel Telegraph.co.uk The Associated Press – New York Times – Times Online – Globe and Mail all 3,644 news articles |
 USA Today |
Tamil protesters bring Westminster to a standstill
Times Online Central Westminster is in chaos this afternoon after hundreds of Tamil protestors blocked the roads around Parliament Square to call for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka. Toronto highway reopens after Tamil protest disperses CBC.ca UK Tamils resume protest outside parliament guardian.co.uk CNN International – CTV.ca – Aljazeera.net – The Canadian Press all 2,222 news articles |
 CTV.ca |
Dhalla a victim of campaign: lawyer
National Post A lawyer representing Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla, who is embroiled in controversy over her family's alleged mistreatment of several foreign workers, yesterday suggested his client is the target of a damaging political campaign. Dhalla abuse charges 'false' Edmonton Sun Domestic abuse Ottawa Citizen Globe and Mail – Toronto Star – Toronto Star – Toronto Star all 545 news articles |
Pirate Bay founder Gottfrid Svartholm recieved a bill for the 30 million SEK that he was fined in the verdict of the Pirate Bay trial just over three weeks ago. The bill inspired anakata to devise a plan involving sending money to them, not to pay the fine of course which they say will never be payed. Anakata’s clever plan is called internet-avgift
