Microsoft: No security updates for YOU!

Seems Microsoft now says it won't allow people with pirated copies of its operating system to have security updates. On the one hand, they have a point. You should buy a copy to get support. I can understand that, to a degree.

But security is a special matter given the many attacks and denial of service attacks we see. Microsoft has a duty, an obligation, to keep computers safe and the Internet, in particular, as free from malicious software as it can. This idea of limited patches will only keep malicious code out there wreaking havoc. Given how little attention Microsoft has paid to security in general they should be giving away updates to ANYONE who wants them. What do you think?

Back from Hawaii

Sorry for the gap in postings. I was in Hawaii for a few days and didn't take my laptop with me. Airport security is such a pain now that it's just easier not to carry the computer. Of course, I can't post anything but that's the price of travel.

Billiards: Patterns of beauty

I'm busy researching for a book and I found the following article. I was, at first surprised to see it, but then seeing the Ivars Peterson wrote it, I shouldn't have been surprised. He's so prolific, it's just amazing.

The article show some beautiful patterns made by billiards, a theoretical ball bouncing around (as on a pool table) only here the ball never loses energy and the table can have different shapes.

Non-science videos: Funny

Here's a site with videos I really enjoyed watching. They are all very funny and worth a few minutes for entertainment.

hat tip: Ilachina

Even more books on the web

It's late, but I wanted to put one more link up for books on the web.

I hope you enjoy them as I do. Of course, you really need to like to read them on your computer because printing them is time consuming and expensive. Plus, once you print a book, what do you do about binding it? In any case, the books are great to have if only for reference. Enjoy.

American Mathematical Society: Books on the Web

As promised a second ago, here's the link for more books on the web.

Probability book: Download

Here's the link for a 500+ page book on probability. It's freely available and aftger a brief review, looks fabulous.

I wish all books could be made available like this, or at least some parts of them. Speaking of books on the web, I'll put another link up now that I think about it.

Surprise: Probability interests

Here are applets to show you have probabilities can cause surprising results. I found this via Ivars Peterson's article (cited below) and, as always, his writing is a joy. Plus, his links are inevitably worth the click.

Intro to probability

I'm posting this because it's on the page I really want to post next. The next post is about applets to simulate different probability scenarios you may see.

Read this first (the link, that is) and then go to the applets I'm posting next.

Do you follow the crowd?

Another easy and fun article by Ivars Peterson in Math Trek that discusses picking resturants. He tells how three resturants may have a disp ropotionate number of people not because of quality but simply because once one resturant starts to gather customers, future customers go to it as well. It's follow the crowd!

A few years ago, a friend of mine told me that one of the features in building shopping malls is to get a store that'll attract people. Once some people are there, others will follow not for the stores, but to be with the crowd. Simple psychology applied to economics.

Read this article and see some mathematics to explain the crowd.

Do you follow the crowd?

Another easy and fun article by Ivars Peterson in Math Trek that discusses picking resturants. He tells how three resturants may have a dispropotionate number of people not because of quality but simply because once one resturant starts to gather customers, future customers go to it as well. It's follow the crowd!

A few years ago, a friend of mine told me that one of the features in building shopping malls is to get a store that'll attract people. Once some people are there, others will follow not for the stores, but to be with the crowd. Simple psychology applied to economics.

Read this article and see some mathematics to explain the crowd.

What do you believe?

Here's an article that asks scientists and philosophers what they believe. It's worth reading when you have some time.

Hattip: "Ilachina," thanks very much.

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

More on sex.

Here's the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Despite the suggestive title, I thought it was along the lines of "sexual surrogates" where a woman has sex with a man to help him overcome any problems. Kind of like a hooker-therapist which may not really be a bad idea.

Have a peek.

Sex Societ

There's an International Society for Sexual and Impotence Research. I just found this link and haven't had time to review. At first I thought this rather strange, but after a little thinking, it seems like something society actually needs. I mean, if the society is actually medically related to helping people.

Of course, I have a feeling that there's an Ig Nobel award in there someplace.

Bytes of Power

Another great link from Sciencedaily.com Here we find that two scientist show (more below) that power lines can carry more digital data than DSL. If true, that's a great boon to everyone, especially people who live in rural areas where DSL or cable modems aren't available.

The tests, though, were models that the scientists ran. Now, models are fine as far as they go, but the real test is actually doing it and testing how much data can be transmitted. Any model is limited, but an operational, real, test will show what this technology can do. I'm looking forward to seeing that done!

International Journal of Unconventional Computing

This is a new journal on topics that we would not have seen only ten years ago. Very exciting to see the scientific fields growing and especially one that is composed of such a new field.