Was reading about microchips that are designed to allow a few mistakes (known as '
Sloppy Chips'), and pondering equivalent kinds of 'coding' errors and entropy in biological systems. Can a fair comparison be made between the two?
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posted by 0bvious
on Jun 5, 2012 -
4 answers
If an alien located on a planet 100 light years from here was to switch on a big, multi-frequency radio receiver, and record all the noises coming from outer space for the
next hundred years, on all frequencies, how many soap operas, advertisements and new broadcasts would they pick up from Earth? Would a mass-market radio, similar to our Earthly equivalents, pick up anything? Over time, as the number of Earth transmissions increases exponentially, would the alien pick up a cacophony or a damp fizzle?
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posted by 0bvious
on Feb 23, 2012 -
10 answers
What jobs/businesses have been negatively affected by the rise of information technology and social networking?
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posted by gnossos
on Nov 22, 2011 -
33 answers
I moved into work in IT in my early 30's, and am now 35. I have had 2 Jr. DBA positions in that time period, although I do not have any database certifications.
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posted by ElisaOS
on Oct 8, 2011 -
9 answers
RSS-to-email: In which I lament the late, lamented RSSfwd, and look for a replacement service.
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posted by Alaska Jack
on Nov 22, 2010 -
2 answers
Lesser-know work-at-home positions for someone with a background in Web Development, Online Marketing and Network Engineering?
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posted by servix
on Nov 12, 2010 -
2 answers
Can you point me to any good writing (research-based, speculative, or heck, even fictional) about the potential historical permanence or impermanence of digital media? I'm interested in both professional (theatrical movies, book publishing, maps...) and personal (digital snapshots, Livejournal, email...) forms of digital information storage.
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posted by bubukaba
on Aug 31, 2010 -
8 answers
I feel like a career change. I need help brainstorming the possibilities. Which careers do you think may meet my skills and requirements?
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posted by speedoavenger
on Aug 23, 2009 -
8 answers
Give me your best I.T. related words, phrases, and aphorisms. I have worked in a variety of companies, all of which seem to have some interesting lingo and vernacular. I am not looking for stuff like 'cookie', and 'firewall'. More along the lines of: 'Going Dark' - when developers grab a requirements document and disappear for months, 'Snowflake' - a server that has been modified to the point of being unique, fragile, and unrepeatable. Phrases would include things like 'The problem is between the chair and the keyboard', 'XYZ consulting is just a body shop', or 'Those legacy systems are sunsetting'. Help me collect colorful I.T. lingo and proverbs.
posted by jasondigitized
on Jul 23, 2009 -
71 answers
paper filter: I'm doing a paper on information technology's effect on population growth/migration. Where do I start?!
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posted by dunderwood
on Mar 17, 2009 -
4 answers
Information Technolgies Program or some sort of simliar AA towards an actual career/'real' job?
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posted by Sprocket
on Sep 10, 2008 -
1 answer
I'm an entry-level computer technician looking for advice on what skills are most vital for me in today's market, and how to best achieve them. Specifically, I would like to know what hands-on classes I should look into in the Nashville, TN area.
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posted by joshrholloway
on Jul 9, 2008 -
16 answers
I'm an IT professional who is having a very hard time finding a job. What am I doing wrong?
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posted by PetiePal
on Oct 19, 2007 -
14 answers
How do great I.T. Managers run their departments? I am looking for a playbook on how to run a steamlined I.T. department for an organization of 500-1000 people. McDonalds has a handbook on running a restaurant from soup-to-nuts. I want the same for an I.T. Department. I have searched the Web and Amazon and cannot practical, tactical information on managing an I.T. department. I can easily find literature on high-level concepts like ITIL, SOA, and 'Runnng I.T. Like a Business', but nothing practical like 'How to run a helpdesk', 'How To Keep Track of Software Licenses' or even 'What does an I.T. Manager really do?'. What are the things that your I.T. department does that make them great? How do I get a blackbelt in I.T. Management?
posted by jasondigitized
on Feb 20, 2007 -
22 answers
What are some facts, rumors, and speculation about secretive/mysterious organizations or events?
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posted by foraneagle2
on Jan 11, 2006 -
20 answers
When I have a question, I ask it. Simple enough, right? Are there any psychological/educational repercussions to having endless access to information? Are we becoming less intelligent because we are not seeking answers for ourselves, and instead relying on the vast database of knowledge on the Internet to answer questions that could be better answered via actual physical reasoning? It seems that I remember there being a "term" for this phenomenon - if it actually exists. Any help?
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posted by nitsuj
on Apr 20, 2005 -
16 answers
