Mineral points to Martian water suitable for life

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Mineral evidence for a water environment capable of supporting life has been discovered on Mars, scientists said Thursday.

Deposits of carbonate, formed in neutral or alkaline water, were spotted by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the scientists told a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

"Obviously this is very exciting," said John Mustard of Brown University in Rhode Island. "It's white -- it's a bulbous, crusty material."

Carbonate is formed when water and carbon dioxide mix with calcium, iron or magnesium. It dissolves quickly in acid, so its discovery counters the theory that all water on Mars was at one time acidic.

"It would have been a pretty clement, benign environment for early Martian life," said Bethany Ehlmann, a graduate student at Brown University who led the study published in the journal Science.

"It preserves a record of a particular type of habitat, a neutral to alkaline water environment."

Carbonates on Earth like chalk or limestone sometimes preserve organic material, but scientists have found no such evidence on Mars.

The 3.6 billion-year-old carbonate was discovered in bedrock at the edge of a 930-mile-wide (1,490-km-wide) crater.

Carbonate previously had been found in minuscule amounts in soil samples provided by the Phoenix Mars Lander, Martian dust and Martian meteorites on Earth. But this is the first time scientists have found a site where carbonate formed.

The deposits are about the size of football fields and are visible in images taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The deposits appear to be limited, but the neutral or alkaline water environment may once have been more widespread, said Scott Murchie, a scientist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Phyllosilicates, which form under similar conditions to carbonate but do not dissolve in acidic environments, are abundant on Mars.

"There were these different water environments in early Mars history, (which) increases the possibilities that life started," said Richard Zurek of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

(Editing by Maggie Fox and Xavier Briand)

By Clare Baldwin: Reuters.

Congress warned: China winning cyber war

China is aggressively developing its power to wage cyber warfare and is now in a position to delay or disrupt the deployment of America's military forces around the world, potentially giving it the upper hand in any conflict, a panel of the US Congress has warned.

The panel's report discloses an alarming increase in incidents of Chinese computer attacks on the US government, defence companies and businesses. It notes that China now has both the intent and capability to launch cyber attacks "anywhere in the world at any time".

The conclusions reached in this year's US-China Economic and Security Review are far more dramatic than before. In 2007, it says, about 5m computers in the US were the targets of 43,880 incidents of malicious activity — a rise of almost a third on the previous year.

China's ability to wage cyber warfare is now "so sophisticated that the US may be unable to counteract or even detect the efforts", the report warns.
Given the dependence on the internet of key sectors of US public life, from the federal government and military to water treatment, social security and the electricity grid, "a successful attack on these internet-connected networks could paralyse the US".

The review's six Democrat and six Republican commissioners travelled to China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, and heard testimony from US intelligence agencies for their 393-page report.

There has been concern about Chinese computer espionage since 2002, when a large-scale series of cyber intrusions was launched on US military and government computer systems. In that attack, codenamed Titan Rain by the US, the Chinese downloaded up to 20 terabytes of data — twice the amount stored in the entire print collection of the Library of Congress.

Much of the activity is likely to emanate from groups of hackers, but the lines between private espionage and government-sponsored operations are blurred. Some 250 hacker groups are tolerated, and may even be encouraged, by Beijing to invade computer networks. Individual hackers are also being trained in cyber operations at Chinese military bases.

"China is stealing vast amounts of sensitive information from US computer networks, said Larry Wortzel, the commission's chairman.

According to the report, Beijing is investing huge resources in cyber and space missions because it sees America's computer networks and space assets as its "soft ribs and strategic weaknesses". The extent of its activities gives it the potential to beat the US in military conflict. Technologically, China has improved its range of satellites, so it can now accurately locate US aircraft carrier battle groups quickly, and from a great distance. Such information could be used to guide Chinese missiles to their targets.

The Chinese government has given no response to the accusations, but in the past has complained of cyber attacks coming in the opposite direction.

In addition to cyber warfare, the panel warns that Beijing is taking an increasingly aggressive stance in its rapidly developing space programme. The panel believes China has concluded that space will in future be an essential arena of warfare.

It notes that China tested an anti-satellite weapon last year, giving it the ability to destroy US satellites, in addition to its existing capability to "blind" them by using lasers. So far this year, 15 rockets and 17 satellites have been put into space.

China became the third country to explore space in 2003, after the Soviet Union and the US. Until 2002 Beijing opposed the militarisation of space, but it has quietly dropped its opposition since.

China's growing military power, running parallel to its increasing economic might, is likely to present challenges to the incoming administration of Barack Obama. The president-elect has said that "China is rising and it's not going away", although he prefers to characterise the US-Chinese relationship as one between "competitors" rather than enemies.

// http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/nov/20/china-us-military-hacking

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - TIME's Best Inventions of 2008

TIME publish Best Inventions of 2008: From a genetic testing service to an invisibility cloak to an ingenious public bike system to the world's first moving skyscraper — here are TIME's picks for the top innovations of 2008.

It may have been a long time since the U.S. built the world's best cars, but nobody can touch us when it comes to spacecraft. nasa is about to prove that again with the planned launch in February 2009 of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (lro). Our first unmanned moonship in 11 years, the lro will study the things lunar orbiters always study — gravity, temperature — but it will also look for signs of water ice, a vital resource for any future lunar base, and compile detailed 3-D lunar maps, including all six Apollo landing sites. Wingnuts, be warned: yes, we really went there.

Borland History: Why the name "Delphi?"

"Delphi" started out as a beta codename for a closely guarded skunkworks project at Borland: a next-generation visual development environment for Windows based on Borland's Object Pascal programming language. The codename hatched in mid 1993, after the development team had been through about 6 months of deep research, proof-of-concept exercises, and market analysis. Members of the then Pascal development team were hanging around R&D Manager Gary Whizin's office brainstorming clever codenames to use for the new product. It was not a large office, but it was not a large team either - about 10 people between R&D, QA, Pubs, and Marketing. It would have been odd not to see Anders Heilsberg, Chuck Jazdzewski, Allen Bauer, Zack Urlocker, Richard Nelson, myself, and several other regulars jawing away on some topic or another in Gary's office. For the codename jam sessions, there may have been some overflow into the hallway.

Borland has a long history of "unusual" codenames, some with catchy slogans or backgrounds that tie the odd name to the market or product focus. A codename should have no obvious connection to the product, so that if an eavesdropper overhears the name in conversation it won't be too obvious what product is being discussed. The difference between an everyday disposable codename a great codename is the pithy passphrase behind it. The most memorable for me was the codename for Quattro Pro 4.0: "Budda". Why? It was to assume the Lotus position!

So we were sitting in Gary's office, kicking around weird and wacky codename possibilities. The strategic decision to make database tools and connectivity a central part of the new Pascal product had been made only a few days before, so Gary was keen on having a codename that played up the new database focus of the proposed product, and of its development team. The database shift was no small matter - I remember having grave reservations about "polluting" the Pascal tools with database arcana that took me almost a year to shake off. It was a big gamble for Borland, but it was very carefully measured, planned, and implemented. In hindsight, making Delphi a database product was exactly what was needed to break Borland's Pascal tools out of the Visual Basic - C++ market squeeze play and set Delphi head and shoulders above traditional Windows development tools.

Gary kept coming back to the codename "Oracle", referring to SQL connectivity to Oracle servers. "Oracle" didn't fly with the group, though. Aside from the obvious confusion with the same-name company and server product, the name itself implied server stuff, whereas the product we were building was (at that time) a client building tool, a way to talk to Oracle and other servers.

How do you talk to an oracle? "The Oracle at Delphi" was the word association that popped into my head. So I offered up "Delphi": If you want to talk to [the] Oracle, go to Delphi.

The suggestion wasn't an instant hit. It's an old name, an old place, a pagan temple in the ruins of a dead civilization. Not exactly an inspiring association for a new product! As some press articles later noted, the Delphic Oracle was particularly infamous for giving out cryptic or double-edged answers - not a great association for a data management tool. Asking a question of the oracle was free to all, but having the oracle's answer interpreted and explained (compiled?) cost a pretty drachma. (The marketing guys liked that part)

Overall, though, the "Delphi" codename had a classier ring to it than the sea of spent puns that littered the room. Pascal is a classic programming language, so it just felt fitting somehow to associate a Pascal-based development tool with a classical Greek image. And as Greek mythologies go, the temple at Delphi is one of the least incestuous, murderous, or tragic ancient Greek icons you'll find.

We went through a lot of codenames during the development of that 1.0 product, coining a different codename for each press or corporate briefing of the beta product. This was an effort to limit rumors and allow us to track the source of leaks. The last thing we wanted was for you-know-who to get wind of what we were up to. Through all these disposable codenames, the Delphi codename stuck. Towards the end of the development cycle, marketing started using the Delphi codename across all prepress and corporate briefings, and as the codename for the final beta releases. That got the rumor mills talking to each other, and the tools industry was abuzz with talk about this secret project at Borland codenamed "Delphi". J.D. Hildebrand wrote a whole editorial in Windows Tech Journal about the "Delphi buzz" months before the product was launched. (paraphrased: "I can't tell you what it is, but I can tell you this: Delphi is going to change our lives.")

When it came time to pick a retail product name, the nominations were less than inspiring.. The "functional" name, a name that describes what the product actually does and is therefore much easier to market and sell, would have been AppBuilder. This name actually still appears in some IDE internal class names, such as the class name of the IDE main window. (R&D caved in to the functional name pressures and set about implementing it early) But AppBuilder didn't light up people's imagination. It didn't work well internationally - functional names are only functional in their language of origin.

Thankfully, a few months before Delphi was scheduled for release Novell shipped their own product called Visual AppBuilder. There was much rejoicing in the Borland halls, for at last the "AppBuilder" debate was laid to rest. With the functional name taken out of the running, suggestions started coming from all quarters to use the Delphi codename as the product name.

Delphi wasn't home-free yet. The lead marketing person had legitimate concerns about the extra effort that would be required to build name recognition in the marketplace for an "iconic" (opposite of functional) product name, so he requested a vote of the development team. There was only one vote against (guess who?). Much to our chagrin, someone came to the conclusion that the development team's views were not an accurate representation of the marketplace ("sample error" was the phrase I heard), and pressed for a survey of the beta testers. When that poll didn't produce the result he wanted, the survey was broadened again to include Borland's international subsidiaries, press, market analysts, stock analysts, corporate accounts, software retailers, and probably a few K-Mart shoppers. It became a bit of a comedy: the harder people tried to dismiss "Delphi" for the product name, the more it gained support.

"Delphi" has a classical ring to it. It has a consistent meaning/word association worldwide in all languages. It has no embarassing vulgar slang meanings in other languages (that I'm aware of). Most of all, the marketing guys had done a marvelous job of building up market anticipation and buzz around the "Delphi" name. The market was primed and ravenous for this thing called "Delphi".

And that, boys and girls, is how the Delphi product got its name.

Danny Thorpe Senior Engineer, Delphi R&D Inprise Corp

Copyright (c) 1999 by Danny Thorpe

http://dn.codegear.com/article/20396

Goce gravity flight slips to 2009

Europe's gravity mission has been bumped to next year because of ongoing technical problems with its launcher.

The arrow-shaped Goce satellite will map tiny variations in the pull of gravity experienced across the world. The information will give scientists a clearer insight into how the oceans move, and provide a universal reference to measure height anywhere on Earth.But concerns about the reliability of its Russian rocket mean a lift-off is now unlikely before February.

On picture: Goce has fins to keep it stable as it flies through whisps of air.

It is a frustrating delay for the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (Goce). The satellite was already two years behind schedule when it was sent to the launch pad because engineers had to work through immense technical difficulties in building it. The super-sleek spacecraft was due to go into orbit on a modified intercontinental ballistic missile, known at the Rockot, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in north-west Russia in the spring. It was held on the ground while an investigation was undertaken into the performance of a different, failed rocket system that shared key components.

By Jonathan Amos http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7592689.stm

Ural Electronics in DVD deal with Indian firm

Ural Electronic Factory based in Ekaterinburg (Russia) is negotiating terms of DVD-R disc distribution with India's Moser Bayer.
Currently Ural Electronic Factory is equipped with three disc production lines from Germany's Steag Hamatech AG and three lines using Holland's VDL. Production output is 4.5 million units a month.

Getting to grips with Linux

Gary Parkinson had a torrid time when he converted to Linux. Here he shares his experiences with one of the alternatives to Microsoft's ubiquitous operating system.

It's Saturday afternoon and I should be lying on the sofa sipping sweet tea and watching Football Focus.

Instead, I'm stamping loudly round the living room swearing like a sailor, looking for a cat to kick and cursing a Finnish computer programmer whose name meant nothing to me only days before.

The source of all this disquiet sits on the coffee table looking defiant yet lovely.

It's £370 worth of brand spanking new laptop, sleek glossy black, 10 inches wide, give or take, and weighs about the same as a chunky hardback novel.

Hippy ideals

It's not the machine itself that's driving me to violence, but the operating system that controls its programs and hardware: Linux.

Linux is an alternative to operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or Mac's OS X and has been around since the early 1990s.

It's creator Linus Torvalds - then a 21-year-old University of Helsinki student - made the heart of his operating system absolutely free and open source, which means anyone can still download the code and tweak it as they see fit.

This kind of hippy philosophy behind Linux - that free access to software inspires development driven by need, not the need for cash - was the main attraction to me of choosing a Linux-fuelled machine over the Windows or Mac OS.

It's a muscular system too. The likes of Amazon and Google, and plenty of other household-name companies, are increasingly turning to Linux to run important parts of their businesses.

Look and feel

My requirements are more modest. It needs to let me surf the web, word process and manage the music that I listen to on an iPod.

First impressions of Linux were positive. The new machine, an Asus Eee, came pre-installed with a distribution, or flavour, of Linux called Xandros.

Because Linux is open source, different programmers have taken its kernel, or core, and written variations on the theme. They may use the same base code, but the desktops look and feel very different.

Some will seem much more familiar to those used to Windows or OS X than others.

There's half a dozen or so popular "distros", including the likes of Fedora, Mandriva and the one I prefer, Ubuntu.

Xandros worked right out of the box. Like most distros it includes Open Office, an open source copycat of Microsoft Office. Word processing, spreadsheets and presentations are no problem.

Linux-based computers won't run the software that you may be used to on Windows or a Mac - but there are free, Linux-compatible versions of pretty much any program you may want that can be downloaded from the internet.

Xandros connected to the net through my home wireless network at the first time of asking. And surfing was fast and easy.

Freedom to fiddle

There were a couple of things about Xandros which I didn't like.

The music management program - its "iTunes", if you like - let me listen to music and podcasts on my new laptop but wouldn't sync anything I loaded on to my iPod. Big problem for a music and podcast junkie.

Plus the desktop - the way the screen looks, the icons it uses to open programs - looks like it's been designed by a four-year-old with a fat crayon. It's may be down to personal taste, but I just don't like the way Xandros looks.

One of the (many) great things about Linux is that if you don't like a particular distro you can just change it for one you do by downloading it from the internet and installing it on the machine.

If you don't like that one either, just keep trying distros until you find one to your taste.

A quick trip to the local newsagent yielded a Linux magazine that included instructions on how to change distros and free CD with Mandriva and Ubuntu on it.

CD into disk drive, hit the escape key right after power up, boot up from the disk not the hard drive as usual, follow the simple instructions to install and 10 minutes later my computer screen looks completely different and much more like what I'm used to. A doddle.

Except now the internet wireless connection doesn't work and the music management software still won't let me sync with my iPod. Mmmmmm......

Like most journalists, I've the attention span and patience of a gnat. The air turns blue and I inform my wife loudly that Linus Torvalds has much to answer for (I paraphrase slightly).

Another great thing about Linux is the plethora of internet forums that you can sign up to where users can share tips and experience. My new machine may not be connected but luckily my wife's computer is. Couple of quick registrations later and I'm picking through the discussion boards for answers.

Text-based

Trouble is, the people populating these forums seem much cleverer than I am. On another planet, in fact. I may not be a good bet to be one to discover the cure for cancer, but I pride myself that not a (complete) fool either.

But I'm completely stumped by the instructions posted on these sites. The level of assumed knowledge is way above my head. I follow a couple of suggestions, try to connect to my router using an ethernet cable, download code that promises to set things right. And fail.

Ubuntu's own website isn't much help either. It suggests that with this particular machine it can sometimes help to whip out the battery, give it a couple of minutes, whack it back in, plug in an ethernet cable and get on line first that way. Nada.

Perhaps I am a complete fool after all.

It's probably worth mentioning one other important point about Linux here. It's a text-based operating system, which means that a fair few of the things you may want to tell your computer to do - installing certain new software, for example - requires you to open up a "terminal window" and actually type text into the little window.

It's a bit like the way all hackers in Hollywood movies furiously crash out lines of incomprehensible text on their laptops when they're trying to bust into the Pentagon's defence network.

As someone used solely to double-clicking on pretty pictures to do most anything on a computer this is pretty hairy stuff.

Tech support

True to form when I'm too stupid to figure out how to do something in five minutes, I phone an expert.

Geek Squad, a tech support service partnered with the Carphone Warehouse, is more used to dealing with problems with broadband and e-mail but later that night, Agent Jamie Pedder walks me through it over the phone.

Download a couple of bits of code from one of the Linux help sites on to a memory stick. Whack the memory stick into the offending laptop.

Bang a couple of lines of code into the terminal window to tell the machine to install what we've downloaded. Bingo, we're cooking on gas.

Ubuntu's running my wireless network and I'm back on-line. Easy when you know how.

The fly in the ointment remains the music management software. I still can't sync an iPod and Agent Pedder reckons that I probably won't be able to - for now at least.

While Linux is founded on the philosophy of free and easy access to its code for anyone who's interested, Apple is not. That means no iTunes for Linux, and nor is Apple likely to release such a version.

The iPod out of action is a major irritation, but I've not given up hope. There's software out there - free for Linux users as always - that promises to do what I want. I just haven't got round to downloading and playing with it yet.

For the time being, it's back to the trusty CD player. All this talk of hippy ideals has put me right in the mood for a bit of Sgt Pepper's.
from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7594249.stm

Large Hadron Collider

Scientists have hailed a successful switch-on for an enormous experiment which will recreate the conditions a few moments after the Big Bang.

The most powerful physics experiment ever built, the Large Hadron Collider will re-create the conditions just after the Big Bang in an attempt to answer fundamental questions of science and the universe itself.

Find out more about the LHC with this BBC News guide, starting at the top of the page with an introduction from Science Correspondent David Shukman. You can then explore key elements of the experiment using the links above.

They have now fired two beams of particles called protons around the 27km-long tunnel which houses the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

The £5bn machine on the Swiss-French border is designed to smash protons together with cataclysmic force.

Scientists hope it will shed light on fundamental questions in physics.

The first - clockwise - beam completed its first circuit of the underground tunnel at just before 0930 BST. The second - anti-clockwise - beam successfully circled the ring after 1400 BST.

So far, all the beams have been stopped, or "dumped", after just a few circuits.

On Thursday, engineers hoped to inject clockwise and anti-clockwise protons again, but this time they plan to "close the orbit", letting the beams run continuously for a few seconds each.

The BBC understands that low-energy collisions could happen in the next few days. This will allow engineers to calibrate instruments, but will not produce data of scientific interest.

"There it is," project leader Lyn Evans said when the beam completed its lap. There were cheers in the control room when engineers heard of the successful test.

from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7604293.stm

Embarcadero Goes Global with Next-Generation Delphi® and C++Builder Development Tools for Windows®

New tools enable ISVs and business developers to build high-performance client/server and packaged software applications that support rich user experiences worldwide

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – August 25, 2008 – Embarcadero Technologies today unveiled the next generation of the popular CodeGear™ rapid application development (RAD) tools for Windows: Delphi 2009 and C++Builder® 2009, geared specifically for both Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and workgroup client/server development.

Developers can now easily expand the global reach of their applications with built-in support for Unicode™ throughout Delphi 2009 and C++Builder 2009. Built-in support for Unicode means that applications will look and operate properly on all language versions of Windows and seamlessly support both Unicode and ANSI data. In addition, new and enhanced localization tools make it easier to translate applications to take advantage of specific local opportunities.

“For us as a database vendor, Delphi 2009 is the most important new release since Delphi 3,” said Thorsten Engler, Principal Software Architect at Nexus Database Systems. “The full Unicode support and the numerous changes to the data access layers put Delphi 2009 at the top in terms of rapid application development. For anyone serious about internationally deployed database applications, Delphi 2009 is an absolute must.”

Delphi and C++Builder 2009 are the only tools tailor-made for organizations building packaged software for resale/redistribution, high-performance graphical workstation applications, and client/server workgroup database applications. Top industries using Delphi and C++Builder today to build next-generation solutions include ISVs, MicroISVs, Banking/Finance, Manufacturing, Government, Healthcare, Science/Engineering and Telecommunications.

This new release takes the Delphi and C++ languages forward with a host of powerful new programming language features such as Delphi generics and upcoming C++0x standard language features. A new multi-tier DataSnap™ architecture enables developers to use RAD to build high-performance, highly scalable database middleware applications. The middleware applications can be connected to via a lightweight, open communications protocol with thin, full-featured clients that can reside on virtually any native or Web client platform

In addition, Delphi 2009 and C++Builder 2009 represent the first Embarcadero solutions to bring together advanced CodeGear and DatabaseGear™ functionality in a single offering. The Delphi and C++Builder Architect editions include ER/Studio® Developer Edition to provide a complete solution for designing and building database applications. This integration results in enhanced productivity and time-to-market for developers.

Other new and enhanced features of the two products include:

• New Visual Component Library (VCL) components including Microsoft Office style ribbon controls, Portable Network Graphics (PNG) image support, dozens of new capabilities for existing controls, and the ability to seamlessly build powerful UIs for Windows XP and Vista desktop applications simultaneously.
• Major new language features including Delphi generics and anonymous methods, and the first commercial IDE support for C++0x and Technical Report 1 (TR1) in the C++ language.
• VCL for the Web for creating AJAX and Silverlight-enabled rich intranet and line of business web applications.
• Updated built-in dbExpress support for CodeGear InterBase® and Blackfish™ SQL, Oracle®, Microsoft SQL Server™ , Informix®, IBM® DB2®, SQL Anywhere®, Sybase® and MySQL® databases.

“Our goal with 2009 is to deliver the best Delphi and C++Builder ever, to enable ISVs and client/server developers to simultaneously and seamlessly expand their business footprint globally with more client platforms and databases, and richer UIs,” said Michael Swindell, Vice President of Products for Embarcadero Technologies.

“Our goal as a combined company is to eliminate the development barriers between applications and databases. This release combines award-winning database architecture and design features from ER/Studio with Delphi and C++Builder to create the ultimate database application design and development solution – the all new Delphi and C++Builder Architect Editions,” said Swindell.

Delphi and C++Builder 2009 support development and deployment on Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008.

Pricing and Availability

Delphi 2009 and C++Builder 2009 are immediately available worldwide for pre-orders. North American upgrade pricing begins at $399 per license for Professional editions, $1,299 for Enterprise editions and $2,299 for Architect editions. They can be purchased directly through Embarcadero or through one of its global partners. For more information, visit: www.codegear.com/products/delphi/win32 and www.codegear.com/products/cppbuilder.

Community Resources

• See Delphi and C++Builder 2009 in action at http://www.codegear.com/cg-videos/
• Learn more with these webinars: http://dn.codegear.com/article/38478
• For the latest on Delphi and C++Builder, visit: http://dn.codegear.com/delphi and

http://dn.codegear.com/cpp

• See the many popular Delphi-built applications and components being used by millions today: http://delphi.wikia.com/wiki/Delphi_Wiki
• To subscribe to Embarcadero’s CodeGear RSS newsfeed, visit http://dn.codegear.com/atom

About Embarcadero Technologies

Embarcadero Technologies Inc. empowers application developers and database professionals with tools to design, build and run software applications in the environment they choose. A community of more than three million worldwide and 90 of the Fortune 100 rely on Embarcadero’s CodeGear™ and DatabaseGear™ product lines to increase productivity, openly collaborate and be free to innovate. Founded in 1993, Embarcadero is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices located around the globe. Embarcadero is online at www.embarcadero.com.

###

Embarcadero, the Embarcadero Technologies logos and all other Embarcadero Technologies product or service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

About Great Ideas

There is nothing more powerful than an idea. Except for an idea put into action.

There's more than one way to nurture an idea until it bears fruit.

No one way is going to work best for all ideas, but here's a general scheme to frame your efforts:

1. Look at your idea. Observe it from different perspectives and angles.
2. Take your idea apart. Use different approaches. Try looking at each part as a separate idea.
3. Add to/remove from your idea. Your idea should be complete, but not overdone.
4. Modify/Substitute parts. Find out which works best.
5. Put the parts together. Use different designs and orderings.
6. Combine ideas together. In different ways.
7. Use your idea. Adapt it for a special purpose. Maybe some new ideas will occur to you.

Web Video and the Net's Creaking Backbone

By Jack M. Germain
TechNewsWorld
07/26/08 4:00 AM PT

Video has quickly found a welcome home on the Web. Sites like YouTube have achieved near ubiquity in short order. TV networks have taken to putting entire prime-time shows online, and outfits like Amazon and iTunes are selling whole movies in high-definition downloads. What's the burden on the Net's infrastructure? There's room for build-up, but it won't be cheap.

Two weeks ago, Apple and AT&T outlets opened their doors to massive lines of fans eager to buy the new iPhone 3G. The stores were stocked and ready to sell, but the network -- shouldered with the burden of activating so many new phones -- was quickly overwhelmed, and the process slowed to a crawl. Demand quickly outpaced the ability of the system to provide for it, and as a result, it failed. Most users were told to go home and activate their new phones from there.

Is this sort of pile-on some sort of preview of what hides around the corner with the surge of video downloads on the Internet at large? Is the Web's infrastructure Rackspace now offers green hosting solutions at the same cost without sacrificing performance. Make the eco-friendly choice. inching toward collapse?

Stories of users overwhelming individual Web servers is nothing new. In the above example, some iPhone buyers had to leave without having their phones activated because the servers were clogged. A few weeks ago, anxious downloaders toppled the Mozilla Latest News about Mozilla Foundation Web site 15 minutes ahead of its scheduled release of Firefox 3.0. A couple of months ago, Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) Latest News about Amazon.com experienced sporadic outages, perhaps costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost sales Double your sales close rates with SalesView. Click to learn how.. And woe unto any smallish Web site or blog that gets a hot pickup on a popular news aggregator like Fark.com.

Even more serious is the potential impact of video's popularity on the Internet. Video is developing a "friend or foe" relationship with online companies. Online collaboration tools -- such as video conferencing, Web training and webinar participation -- are fast becoming a happy alternative to expensive corporate travel.

"Recent data shows that while the Internet traffic is still growing, it's growing at a manageable rate of increase. Video makes up a significant component of overall traffic, but the backbone and peering interconnect systems can still be easily managed upwards in capacity," James Crow, vice president of technology for digital media distribution firm ON Networks, told TechNewsWorld.
Disaster Prognosis

Despite the Chicken Littles' assertions that the Internet sky is about to fall, those pushing for the increased use of video on the Web deny the end is near. Others warn that some retooling of the Web's infrastructure will soon be needed to prevent widespread traffic snarls.

Just as uses for the Internet are not static, product producers are not standing still with the technologies they use for their services. Still, increasing video use on the Web will not be free of charge or challenge.

"Video isn't a challenge on the Internet yet. It is not being overly used. But there are challenges with video ahead," Iain Molland, the North American CEO of the video streaming firm Vividas, told TechNewsWorld.
Content Delivery

Video players on the Internet are developing several technologies to mitigate the increasing consumer bandwidth needs and network responsiveness, Crow said. For instance, most video providers, of both streaming and downloading varieties, leverage edge-based content distribution networks (CDN).

These systems optimize traffic away from the backbone and isolate it to the distributed, last hop/last mile networks. These last-mile systems do represent a potential constriction point, but current technology projects like DOCSIS 3.0 and the FTTN/FTTC initiatives are directly targeting this problem, he explained.

"A company can deliver video very easily from a small server using CDN. This puts thousands of servers within the Internet infrastructure," Molland added.

CDN uses local servers as part of the process. It pushes video content to standard Web page servers while the content is stored at the edge, he explained.
Faster Networks

Internet users are being increasingly drawn to video in the form of full-length, prime-time TV shows posted online by the networks that produce them. ABC, Fox, ABC, CBS and the CW channel make some of their shows available for free on the Web through various outlets. Prime Time Rewind has a unique approach to preventing Internet overload. It links prime-time shows, but directs users back to the original network's site within a cube frame that viewers navigate to find their desired show.

This method allows Prime Time Rewind to serve as a video gateway without having to host its own online player and store all the video files locally. Instead, the content owner has to deal with bandwidth along with contributing to page views, ad revenue, etc.

Nortel, a provider of bandwidth-expanding technology, arms Internet video providers with more bandwidth to ensure that high-definition (HD) video and expanding Web services do not "break" the Web. Using its optical technology, Nortel can deliver both 40G and 100G network capacity, enabling four times the network throughput.

This new technology provides carriers with the capability to keep pace with dramatically increasing demand from heavy bandwidth applications like IPTV (Internet protocol TV), Internet video, HD programming and mobile video phones. Nortel's Adaptive Optical Engine uses enables both 40G and 100G transmission through fiber-optic cables.
Other Methods

Internet service providers often claim that a great deal of the excess traffic on their networks is due to peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing, with the implication that users illegally trading in copyrighted movies and videos are to blame. However, some P2P developers are bringing new technology to Web video distribution. Take, for instance, BitTorrent, a free, open source file-sharing protocol that effectively distributes very large software and media files. While applications using BitTorrent are popular tools among pirates, the technology is also being used to maximize the ability of the Web to handle all kinds of traffic.

"Our traffic is half of that on the Web. Web creators were sound in their architecture. Video is the latest scaling of that technology," Eric Klinker, CTO of BitTorrent, told TechNewsWorld.

From his view, people reporting that the Web is in danger of collapse are misinformed. Slow spots have always been and will continue to be a fact of life on the Internet, he believes.

"The Network is constantly being upgraded. Constant shifts occur with the backbone," he said. "We consume bandwidth in about the five to six megabyte range. This is about the bandwidth taken by a single audio track. We focus on transport only, not searching or cataloging," he explained, noting that BitTorrent is not a file-sharing operation but a transfer of files in what amounts to a separate network.
Movie Moving Alternatives

Vividas' technology streams video across HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol). This harnesses the power for existing bandwidth, according to Molland, who adds that this approach is much more scalable.

"Use of video requires additional Flash server capacity. Issues have been related to not having enough equipment. This is very expensive," he said.

Because the Internet is scaled for delivery of Web pages rather than video, as video use increases it will become a bandwidth problem, he warned. An alternative measure is for video suppliers to start with CDN and switch to P2P as usage increases.
Corrective Measures

Another factor to consider about the growing use of video on the Web is its impact on Web site performance. Officials at AlertSite, which offers a Web site performance and management service, said they do not really see a breaking point for the Internet as a whole.

"But major problems are happening now and in the future with page load times, broken rich Internet applications, and as a result unhappy customers of companies whose Web sites feel the pinch from video slowing Web sites and Internet performance down," Ken Godskind, Web performance evangelist for AlertSite, told TechNewsWorld.

To deal with the bandwidth concerns, enterprise Web users should measure their Web site's performance, he said. For instance, AlertSite's product sets a dynamic base line -- online commerce sites can then use this baseline to monitor overall Web site performance under different circumstances.

"Companies should step back and ask questions. Is their network's poor performance a network problem? Can the ISP help the customer share traffic better? You may find that the bandwidth is maxed out. This will help with capacity planning techniques," he suggested.

www.technewsworld.com

Google Bombs Are not So Scary

It sounds frightening. Google "Bombs" are now going off, where web sites are influencing Google's search results by controlling where they link to and what they say in their links, according to Corante's Microcontent News site.

Of course, Google has always worked this way. What people link to and what they say in their links is a major component in how Google organizes its search results. Links can even be the predominant factor, in some cases.

The classic Google Bomb, if we're going to use that word, was way back at the end of 1999, when it was discovered that a search for "more evil than satan himself" brought up the Microsoft web site. At the end of 2000, we had the "Liv Tyler nude" incident, along with the more notorious search for an insulting slur that brought up the official George W. Bush campaign web site.

In all these cases, what people linked to helped influence the results that came up in Google. Moreover, link analysis was probably more important than usual in determining these results because few pages in the results set probably had much link value to boost them, in addition to the more traditional measures such as the words on the pages themselves.

In other words, if you have 1,000 pages all relevant textually for "liv tyler nude," then the one page that's actually developed links to it will probably get the edge over the others. Following on this, it's no real surprise to read in the Microcontent article below about someone manipulating links to get their friend to come up tops for "Talentless Hack" in Google or for a journalist to get ranked tops for his name.

The story goes on to ponder whether Google will succumb to future bombs, especially "Money Bombs" where people are trying to manipulate Google to make money. Anyone in the search engine marketing industry will probably be having a good chuckle over this. Attempts to manipulate Google through links for money reasons have been going on for ages. People have created entire networks of interlinked web sites, in an attempt to influence Google.

Google combats these attempts by identifying what it considers to be "artificial" link structures and adjusting or eliminating their influence in the rankings. Google has also recently taken action against reciprocal link pages, link "farms" and guest books, downplaying their importance in its link analysis algorithms. And there's no doubt that Google will take action against weblogs, if those weblogs are seen as manipulating results in a way that doesn't correspond with user expectations.

Google Time Bomb Microcontent News, March 3, 2002 http://www.microcontentnews.com/articles/googlebombs.htm

There's a section in this that ponders whether Google gives "older" links less weight. Google doesn't care how "old" a link is. Instead, Google is likely to weight a link more heavily if it's on the home page of a web site, primarily because that home page is likely to have more links pointing at it -- thus upping its PageRank score. If a link moves from that page to an "inside" page, that inside page has less of a reputation and thus can transmit less to other pages. And by the way, the proposed "solution" of blogrolling isn't going to be that helpful. The more links that are on a page, the less reputation that gets passed to them from the parent page, under Google's system.

Google hit by link bombers BBC, March 13, 2002 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1868000/1868395.stm

Summarizes the Microcontent News article above. However, the Microcontent article did not say that the attempt to Google Bomb for "daniel pearl" was successful. Nevertheless, the BBC article turned this into a fact.

Google on guard for practical jokers Reuters, March 14, 2002 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-859805.html

Has comments from Google, explaining that for more popular terms, Google Bombs aren't likely to go off. Google Search Engine Unfazed by 'Googlewhackers' NewsFactor.com, March 14, 2002 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/16768.html

Google's been quite public in saying that it has to combat link spam, so it's extremely odd to then see the search engine quoted as saying Google Bombs have not been used for marketing or commercial purposes. But perhaps they were referring only to Google Bombs off of weblog pages.

Bush's Dubious Victory At Google

The Search Engine Report, Feb. 6, 2001 http://searchenginewatch.com/sereport/01/02-bush.html

Explains what happened with an unmentionable search and the George W. Bush campaign web site.

Lookin' For Liv In All The Wrong Places
The Search Engine Report, Nov. 3, 2000
http://searchenginewatch.com/sereport/00/11-liv.html

This Google blip wouldn't make Liv Tyler very happy, though it's still hard to see which page for this particular search she would have liked best.

More Evil Than Dr. Evil?The Search Engine Report, Nov. 1, 1999 http://searchenginewatch.com/sereport/99/11-google.html

The classic Google blip, that put Bill Gates on par with Satan. By the way, the answer to the riddle mentioned in the story is "nothing." See http://www.exodus-coach.co.uk/A_Riddle.htm.

More About Link Analysis
http://searchenginewatch.com/subscribers/more/linkanalysis.html

For Search Engine Watch members, explains how search engines make use of links from across the web to find pages and rank them in relation to searches. Includes many tips on how to locate "important" sites and request links that can help you with search engine positioning efforts.

By Danny Sullivan, Search Engine Watch

21 dumbest-ever tech predictions

Second-guessing the future is never a good idea, as pundits from Bill Gates to Sir Alan Sugar prove

"They couldn't hit an elephant from that distance." So said Major General John Sedgewick in 1864 just before being hit by the bullet from a Confederate sharpshooter.

He's not alone in making bad predictions, the history of the tech industry is littered with them. Here are 21 of the worst:

Phones

1. "Well informed people know it is impossible to transmit the voice over wires and that were it possible to do so, the thing would be of no practical value." -- The Boston Post, 1865

2. "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -- Western Union memo, 1876

3. "The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys." -- Sir William Preece, chief engineer at the Post Office, 1878

4. "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance. It's a $500 subsidised item. They may make a lot of money. But if you actually take a look at the 1.3 billion phones that get sold, I'd prefer to have our software in 60% or 70% or 80% of them, than I would to have 2% or 3%, which is what Apple might get." -- Steve Ballmer, USA Today, 2007

Audio and video

5. "Radio has no future." -- Lord Kelvin, inventor of the Kelvin scale, 1897

6. "The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. What audiences really want to see is flesh and blood on the stage." -- Charlie Chaplin, 1916

7. "While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially it is an impossibility, a development of which we need waste little time dreaming." -- Lee DeForest, inventor of the vacuum tube, 1926.

8. "Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" -- Harry Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

9. "[Television] won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night." -- Darryl Zanuck, movie producer at 20th Century Fox, 1946

10. "Television won't last. It's a flash in the pan." -- Mary Somerville, educational broadcast pioneer, speaking in 1948

Computing

11. "Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh only 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, March 1949

12. "I went to see Professor Douglas Hartree [in 1951], who had built the first differential analysers in England and had more experience in using these very specialised computers than anyone else. He told me that, in his opinion, all the calculations that would ever be needed in this country could be done on the three digital computers which were then being built - one in Cambridge, one in Teddington, and one in Manchester. No one else, he said, would ever need machines of their own, or would be able to afford to buy them." -- Lord Bowden, American Scientist, 1970

13. "I have travelled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." -- Business books editor, Prentice Hall, 1957

14. "The world potential market for copying machines is 5,000 at most." -- IBM to the founders of Xerox, 1959

15. "In the mid-70s, someone came to me with an idea for what was basically the PC. The idea was that we would outfit an 8080 processor with a keyboard and a monitor and sell it in the home market. I asked: 'What's it good for?' And the only answer was that a housewife could keep her recipes on it. I personally didn't see anything useful in it, so we never gave it another thought." -- Gordon Moore, Intel

16. "We will never make a 32-bit operating system." -- Bill Gates, speaking at the launch of MSX in 1983

17. "I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important operating system, and possibly program, of all time." -- Bill Gates, foreword to the OS/2 Programmer's Guide, 1987

18. "Two years from now, spam will be solved." -- Bill Gates, World Economic Forum 2004

The Internet

19. "Almost all of the many predictions now being made about 1996 hinge on the Internet's continuing exponential growth. But I predict the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse." -- Robert Metcalfe, 3Com founder and inventor of Ethernet, 1995

What the?

20. "Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality in 10 years." -- Sir Alex Lewyt, president and founder of vacuum cleaner maker Lewyt Corporation, 1955

21. "Next Christmas the iPod'll be dead, finished, gone, kaput." -- Sir Alan Sugar, CEO of Amstrad, Daily Telegraph, February 2005

What's your favourite stupid tech prediction? Write in with your comments below!

By Rob Mead

Ariane 5 - Two more telecommunications satellites launched

Yesterday evening, an Ariane 5 ECA launcher lifted off from Europe's Spaceport at Kourou, in French Guiana, on its mission to place two telecommunications satellites into geostationary transfer orbits.

Lift-off of flight V184 took place at 23:47 CEST/Paris on 7 July (21:47 UTC/GMT; 18:47 UTC-3/Kourou). The satellites were accurately injected into the correct transfer orbits about 30 minutes later.

The payload comprised ProtoStar I, which will provide K-band/C-band relay capacity over Asia, and Badr-6, which will provide video broadcasting services for the Middle East and North Africa. The payload mass was 8639 kg; the satellite masses totalled 7537 kg, with payload adapters and dispensers making up the additional 1102 kg.

This fourth launch of the year keeps Arianespace and Europe's Spaceport on target for the seven missions planned for 2008 - the busiest year ever for Ariane 5.

Flight timeline
The Ariane 5's cryogenic, liquid fuelled main engine was ignited first. Seven seconds later, the solid fuel rocket boosters were also fired, and a fraction of a second after that, the launch vehicle lifted off.

The solid boosters were jettisoned 2 min: 20 sec after main engine ignition, and the fairing protecting the payload during the climb through the Earth's atmosphere was discarded at 3 min: 15 sec. The launcher's main engine was shut down at 8 min: 57 sec; five seconds later the main cryogenic stage separated from the upper stage and its payload.

Five seconds after main stage separation, the engine of the launcher's cryogenic upper stage was ignited to continue the journey. The upper stage engine was shut down at 24 min: 48 sec into the flight, at which point the launch vehicle was travelling at 9370 metres per second (just over 33 700 km/h) at an altitude of 640 kilometres and the conditions for geostationary transfer orbit injection had been achieved.

At 27 min: 34 sec after main engine ignition, ProtoStar I separated from the launcher's upper stage, followed by Badr-6 at 35 min: 35 sec.

Next launch
The Ariane 5 ECA for flight V185 has been delivered to Kourou and is being prepared in the Launcher Integration Building. Flight V185 will launch SuperBird-7 and AMC 21 into geostationary transfer orbits at the beginning of August 2008.

Ariane 5 ECA
Ariane 5 ECA is the latest version of the Ariane 5 launcher. It is designed to place payloads weighing up to 9.6 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit. With its increased capacity, Ariane 5 ECA can handle dual launches of very large satellites.

From: http://www.esa.int

Uncovered: Evidence that Mac OS X could run Windows apps soon

Once Intel chips landed inside Macs and Boot Camp made its debut, it got a lot harder to blame rumor mongers for making a certain leap: Mac OS X could one day run Windows apps sans-Windows. Indeed, projects like the open source Wine have facilitated some of this functionality, albeit in a limited fashion, for some time now. But a new discussion on a Wine mailing list could refresh hope for those looking to get their Frankenstein on with Mac OS X and Windows computing.

The discussion begins with a mailing list message called Interesting Behavior of OS X, in which Steven Edwards describes the discovery that Leopard apparently contains an undocumented loader for Portable Executables, a type of file used in 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows. More poking around revealed that Leopard's own loader tries to find Windows DLL files when attempting to load a Windows binary.

Yes, that last bit is the juicy one. According to the fledgling investigation in this as-yet short message thread, folks are suspecting that Leopard contains at least the building blocks for Apple to one day add a compatibility layer to Mac OS X for running Windows apps right alongside Mac OS X apps. "Just add Windows" and Boot Camp itself could fall off the list of ingredients for bridging these two computing worlds.

Of course, this could also be nothing; perhaps leftover from some behind-the-scenes project, spare code from adopting EFI (though this reply notes that PE files are flat-out rejected in Tiger on Intel Macs), or who knows what else. Still, if your conspiracy theory wells have run dry during Macworld's pre-season, this should be more than enough to keep you busy for at least a week or so.

By David Chartier.

AMD Stream Processor First to Break 1 Teraflop Barrier

—Next-generation AMD FireStream™ 9250 processor accelerates scientific and engineering calculations, efficiently delivering supercomputer performance at up to eight gigaflops-per-watt —

DRESDEN, Germany -- June 16, 2008 --At the International Supercomputing Conference, AMD (NYSE:AMD) today introduced its next-generation stream processor, the AMD FireStream™ 9250, specifically designed to accelerate critical algorithms in high-performance computing (HPC), mainstream and consumer applications. Leveraging the GPU design expertise of AMD’s Graphics Product Group, AMD FireStream 9250 breaks the one teraflop barrier for single precision performance. It occupies a single PCI slot, for unmatched density and with power consumption of less than 150 watts, the AMD FireStream 9250 delivers an unprecedented rate of performance per watt efficiency with up to eight gigaflops per watt.

Customers can leverage AMD’s latest FireStream offering to run critical workloads such as financial analysis or seismic processing dramatically faster than with CPU alone, helping them to address more complex problems and achieve faster results. For example, developers are reporting up to a 55x performance increase on financial analysis codes as compared to processing on the CPU alone, which supports their efforts to make better and faster decisions. Additionally, the use of flexible GPU technology rather than custom accelerators assists those creating application-specific systems to enhance and maintain their solutions easily.

From: AMD News

Wireless Surveys About Wireless Devices?

I really enjoy reading survey results. I don't always believe them or, for that matter understand them, but I still like reading them. So from the CTIA, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, we have results from its Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey. Here are the highlights from where I sit.

• More than 84% of Americans have wireless devices of one kind or another.
• Six-month wireless service revenues were pegged at of $71 billion, with wireless data service revenues for 2007 at more than $23 billion.
• Text messaging continues to be enormously popular, with more than 48 billion messages reported for the month of December 2007 alone -- that's 1.6 billion messages per day. This is an increase of 157% over December 2006.
• Wireless subscribers are also sending more and more pictures and other multi-media messages, with nearly 4 billion MMS messages sent during the second half of 2007, compared with 2.7 billion sent over the course of the entire year in 2006.
• Wireless customers using more than 2 trillion minutes in 2007, up nearly 18% over 2006.

Alas, the CTIA survey doesn't deal with the really important issues of the day. Like how many car accidents involve yakking on cell phones while changing lanes on the freeway. Maybe in next year's survey.

Author: Jon Erickson

from: Dobbs Code Talk

Nokia as a Software Company

I'm probably the first to report that the news out of Barcelona is that cell phone giant Nokia is transitioning from being a mobile phone company to being a software company. I'd be wrong, of course. Well, mostly wrong.

When I asked Nokia Senior Vice President Lee Williams whether this was a fair assessment, he clarified things by saying that Nokia is actually in the process of becoming "more" of a software company, rightly suggesting that Nokia already sees itself as a software company, but with intentions of becoming more so.

So what would make me think that Nokia is moving in these directions? For starters, in his keynote presentation at the S60 Summit, Williams spent most of his time talking things like Java, C++, Python, open source, web services, and widgets. And don't forget about the recent acquisition of Trolltech, makers of the Qt Framework. I don't know about you, but that sure sounds like software to me. What he pointedly didn't talk about was stuff like directory assistance, the yellow pages, and 1-900 phone calls.

What would drive Nokia to focus on software? For one thing, the changing nature of the Internet and the role of mobile devices. In this ever-evolving Internet, for instance, Williams sees users as actively participating in the Internet experience, rather than being a passive audience simply browsing through web page after web page. "It's not enough to browse anymore," he explained, adding that "the audience is becoming the actors."

And what's the role of mobile devices in this emerging Internet? From where Williams sits, mobile devices are what will deliver the promise of truly personal computers by providing not only access, but new levels of user experiences. By the year 2010, one-half of the world's population will have mobile devices, he says, and they'll likely be doing more than just calling home. For most of these people, mobile devices will be their gateway to the Internet. Nokia is already seeing this to some extent, with studies that show that 81 percent of current S60 owners are using their mobile phone for web browsing, 50 percent using it for web mail, and 30 percent for instant messaging.

Williams closed his presentation where he started. "The power of the Internet is mobile," he reiterated, "because the Internet plus mobility solves people's real needs."

Author: Jon Erickson

from: Dobbs Code Talk

Innovation That Breaks the Performance Barrier

Intel® 45nm high-k metal gate silicon technology is the next-generation Intel® Core™ microarchitecture. With roughly twice the density of Intel® 65nm technology, Intel's 45nm packs about double the number of transistors into the same silicon space. That's more than 400 million transistors for dual-core processors and more than 800 million for quad-core. Intel's 45nm technology enables great performance leaps, up to 50-percent larger L2 cache, and new levels of breakthrough energy efficiency.

Smaller transistors pack the performance punch

Intel's had the world's first viable 45nm processors in-house since early January 2007—the first of fifteen 45nm processor products in development. With one of the biggest advancements in fundamental transistor design in 40 years, Intel 45nm high-k silicon technology can deliver more than a 20 percent improvement in transistor switching speed, and reduce transistor gate leakage by over 10 fold.

Taking great leaps forward in transistor design

Using a combination of new materials including hafnium-based high-k gate dielectrics and metal gates, Intel 45nm technology represents a major milestone as the industry as a whole races to reduce electrical current leakage in transistors—a growing problem for chip manufacturers as transistors get even smaller.

This new transistor breakthrough allows Intel to continue delivering record-breaking PC, laptop, and server processor speeds well into the future. It also ensures that Moore's Law—a high-tech industry axiom that transistor counts double about every two years to deliver more performance and functionality at decreasing cost—thrives well into the next decade.

Delivering the world's first 45nm processor to the world

The first processors based on the new Intel 45nm high-k silicon technology deliver many new architectural advancements impacting hardware and software performance. Intel has also moved to 100 percent lead-free materials in our 45nm technology and is making the additional move to halogen-free products in 2008 in order to meet our environmental performance goals. Included in the first 45nm launch are new members of the Intel® Core™2 processor and Intel® Xeon® processor families.

from: Intel Site

How to Get Digital NASA TV

Digital NASA TV

NASA TV's Public, Education and Media channels are available on an MPEG-2 digital C-band signal via satellite on AMC 6, Transponder 17C in continental North America. In Alaska and Hawaii, they're available on AMC 7, Transponder 18C. Analog NASA TV is no longer available.

What is Digital NASA TV?

Digital NASA TV has four digital channels:

1. NASA Public ("Free to Air"), featuring documentaries, archival programming, and coverage of NASA missions and events;
2. NASA Education ("Free to Air/Addressable"), dedicated to providing educational programming to schools, educational institutions and museums;
3. NASA Media ("Addressable"), for broadcast news organizations; and
4. NASA Mission Operations (Internal Only)

Note: Digital NASA TV channels may not always have programming on every channel simultaneously.

Why is NASA TV digital?

Digital NASA TV system provides higher quality images and better use of satellite bandwidth, meaning multiple channels from multiple NASA program sources at the same time.

Can I watch NASA TV on the Web?

Yes, NASA TV's Public, Education and Media channels are streamed here on the Web. All you need is access to a computer.

Can I get digital NASA TV from my local cable or satellite service provider?

The NASA TV Public and Educational channels are "free-to-air," meaning your cable or satellite service provider can carry them at no cost. Contact your local cable or satellite service provider about carrying NASA TV.

I have my own C-band-sized satellite dish. What else do I need to get the digital NASA TV Public Channel?

If your C-Band-sized satellite dish is capable of receiving digital television signals, you still need a Digital Video Broadcast (DVB)-compliant MPEG-2 Integrated Receiver Decoder, or IRD, to get Digital NASA's Public "Free to Air" Channel.

An IRD that receives "Free to Air" programming like the Digital NASA TV Public Channel can be purchased from many sources, including "off-the-shelf" at your local electronics store.

Digital NASA TV is on satellite AMC 6, Transponder 17. In Alaska and Hawaii, digital NASA TV is available on AMC7, Transponder 18C.

Digital NASA TV is on the same satellite (AMC 6) as the analog NASA TV was, but on a different transponder (17). In Alaska and Hawaii, digital NASA TV is available on AMC7, Transponder 18C.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

Here is additional satellite information you may find helpful:

Digital Satellite C-Band Downlink for continental North America:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 6
Transponder = 17C
72 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4040 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate r= 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

Digital C-Band Satellite Downlink for Alaska and Hawaii:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 7
Transponder = 18C
137 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4060 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate = 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0414, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

NOTES:
1. SOMD = Space Operations Mission Directorate
2. PCR (program clock reference) information is included within the Video PID by the Harmonic Encoders used by NASA TV
3. PMT (Transport Stream Program Map Table) settings are as follows:

Program = 101 (HQ1) = 0110 decimal = 0x006E
Program = 102 (HQ2) = 0120 decimal = 0x0078
Program = 103 (HQ3) = 1030 decimal = 0x0406
Program = 104 (HQ4) = 1040 decimal = 0x0410

A 'C Band' size satellite dish is needed to receive multi-channel NASA TV. It may also be necessary to modify some of your dish hardware, such as LNBs, to optimize performance. LNB's that are "phase locked" are recommended, though many models of "non-phase locked" LNB's should work. Check with your particular manufacturer for recommendations. NASA TV will not be making vendor specific recommendations and is not responsible for providing any downlink infrastructure.

LNB Recommended Minimum Specifications:
Frequency Stability: +/- 1.0 MHz
SSB Phase Noise:
Offset dBc/Hz

Offset	dBc/Hz
1 kHz	-60
10 kHz	-75
100 kHz	-85

Voltage: 15 to 24 VDC
Current: 100 to 250 ma.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

I'm an educator who works for a school, educational institution or museum. What equipment will my organization need to get the digital NASA TV Education Channel?

If you have a C-Band-size satellite dish capable of receiving digital television signals, you still need a Digital Video Broadcast (DVB)-compliant MPEG-2 Integrated Receiver Decoder, or IRD, to get the digital NASA TV Education Channel. Your IRD will provide access to the digital NASA TV Public Channel, as well, which also offers education materials.

An IRD that receives "Free to Air" programming like the new digital NASA TV Education Channel can be purchased from many sources, including "off-the-shelf" at your local electronics store.

Occasionally, the new digital NASA TV Education Channel may provide its programming in an "addressable" format. If your institution were to purchase an "addressable" IRD with "store-and-forward" capabilities, the digital NASA TV Education Channel could, from time to time, "address," or send specific programming to your IRD's hard drive for playback and use at your convenience. An "addressable" IRD has great potential for educational activities as NASA could offer programming designed specifically for a targeted educational audience. For technical specifications and pricing, visit http://www.nasadigitaltv.com.

Digital NASA TV is on satellite AMC 6, Transponder 17. In Alaska and Hawaii, digital NASA TV is available on AMC7, Transponder 18C.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

Here is additional satellite information you may find helpful:

Digital Satellite C-Band Downlink for continental North America:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 6
Transponder = 17C
72 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4040 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate r= 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

Digital C-Band Satellite Downlink for Alaska and Hawaii:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 7
Transponder = 18C
137 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4060 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate = 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

NOTES:
1. SOMD = Space Operations Mission Directorate
2. PCR (program clock reference) information is included within the Video PID by the Harmonic Encoders used by NASA TV
3. PMT (Transport Stream Program Map Table) settings are as follows:

Program = 101 (HQ1) = 0110 decimal = 0x006E
Program = 102 (HQ2) = 0120 decimal = 0x0078
Program = 103 (HQ3) = 1030 decimal = 0x0406
Program = 104 (HQ4) = 1040 decimal = 0x0410

A 'C Band' size satellite dish is needed to receive multi-channel NASA TV. It may also be necessary to modify some of your dish hardware, such as LNBs, to optimize performance. LNB's that are "phase locked" are recommended, though many models of "non-phase locked" LNB's should work. Check with your particular manufacturer for recommendations. NASA TV will not be making vendor specific recommendations and is not responsible for providing any downlink infrastructure.

LNB Recommended Minimum Specifications:
Frequency Stability: +/- 1.0 MHz
SSB Phase Noise:
Offset dBc/Hz

Offset	dBc/Hz
1 kHz	-60
10 kHz	-75
100 kHz	-85

Voltage: 15 to 24 VDC
Current: 100 to 250 ma.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

I'm a member of the media and want to participate in live shot interviews, receive Video File news feeds, press conferences and other media updates. What does my news organization need?

Media content, such as live shot interviews and Video File feeds, are offered on its own NASA TV Media Channel with an "addressable" IRD capability. With new "store-and-forward" capable IRDs, NASA content can be "pushed" to your IRD's hard drive for playback and use at your convenience. No need to monitor NASA TV at a specific time each day with your tapes rolling. For technical specifications and pricing, visit http://www.nasadigitaltv.com.

Digital NASA TV is on satellite AMC 6, Transponder 17. In Alaska and Hawaii, digital NASA TV is available on AMC7, Transponder 18C.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

Here is additional satellite information you may find helpful:

Digital Satellite C-Band Downlink for continental North America:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 6
Transponder = 17C
72 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4040 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate r= 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 0131 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 0141 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

Digital C-Band Satellite Downlink for Alaska and Hawaii:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 7
Transponder = 18C
137 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4060 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate = 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

NOTES:
1. SOMD = Space Operations Mission Directorate
2. PCR (program clock reference) information is included within the Video PID by the Harmonic Encoders used by NASA TV
3. PMT (Transport Stream Program Map Table) settings are as follows:

Program = 101 (HQ1) = 0110 decimal = 0x006E
Program = 102 (HQ2) = 0120 decimal = 0x0078
Program = 103 (HQ3) = 1030 decimal = 0x0406
Program = 104 (HQ4) = 1040 decimal = 0x0410

A 'C Band' size satellite dish is needed to receive multi-channel NASA TV. It may also be necessary to modify some of your dish hardware, such as LNBs, to optimize performance. LNB's that are "phase locked" are recommended, though many models of "non-phase locked" LNB's should work. Check with your particular manufacturer for recommendations. NASA TV will not be making vendor specific recommendations and is not responsible for providing any downlink infrastructure.

LNB Recommended Minimum Specifications:
Frequency Stability: +/- 1.0 MHz
SSB Phase Noise:
Offset dBc/Hz

Offset	dBc/Hz
1 kHz	-60
10 kHz	-75
100 kHz	-85

Voltage: 15 to 24 VDC
Current: 100 to 250 ma.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

I'm a local cable or satellite service provider. What do I need to carry the digital NASA Public Channel?

Assuming you already have the necessary hardware (C-Band-size receiver and IRD) here's satellite information you and/or your technical staff should find helpful:

Digital NASA TV is on satellite AMC 6, Transponder 17. In Alaska and Hawaii, digital NASA TV is available on AMC7, Transponder 18C.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

Here is additional satellite information you may find helpful:

Digital Satellite C-Band Downlink for continental North America:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 6
Transponder = 17C
72 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4040 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate r= 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

Digital C-Band Satellite Downlink for Alaska and Hawaii:
Uplink provider = Americom
Satellite = AMC 7
Transponder = 18C
137 Degrees West
Downlink Frequency: 4060 Mhz
Polarity: Vertical
FEC = 3/4
Data Rate = 36.860 MHz
Symbol = 26.665 Ms
Transmission = DVB
"Public" Programming:
Program = 101 (HQ1), Video PID = 0111 decimal = 0x006F, Audio PID = 0114 decimal =0x0072, AC-3 PID = 0115 decimal = 0x0073
"Education" Programming:
Program = 102 (HQ2), Video PID = 0121 decimal = 0x0079, Audio PID = 0124 decimal =0x007C, AC-3 PID = 0125 decimal = 0x007D
"Media" Programming:
Program = 103 (HQ3), Video PID = 1031 decimal = 0x0407, Audio PID = 1034 decimal =0x040A, AC-3 PID = 1035 decimal = 0x040B
"SOMD" Programming:
Program = 104 (HQ4), Video PID = 1041 decimal = 0x0411, Audio PID = 1044 decimal =0x0414, AC-3 PID = 1045 decimal = 0x0415

NOTES:
1. SOMD = Space Operations Mission Directorate
2. PCR (program clock reference) information is included within the Video PID by the Harmonic Encoders used by NASA TV
3. PMT (Transport Stream Program Map Table) settings are as follows:

Program = 101 (HQ1) = 0110 decimal = 0x006E
Program = 102 (HQ2) = 0120 decimal = 0x0078
Program = 103 (HQ3) = 1030 decimal = 0x0406
Program = 104 (HQ4) = 1040 decimal = 0x0410

A 'C Band' size satellite dish is needed to receive multi-channel NASA TV. It may also be necessary to modify some of your dish hardware, such as LNBs, to optimize performance. LNB's that are "phase locked" are recommended, though many models of "non-phase locked" LNB's should work. Check with your particular manufacturer for recommendations. NASA TV will not be making vendor specific recommendations and is not responsible for providing any downlink infrastructure.

LNB Recommended Minimum Specifications:
Frequency Stability: +/- 1.0 MHz
SSB Phase Noise:
Offset dBc/Hz

Offset	dBc/Hz
1 kHz	-60
10 kHz	-75
100 kHz	-85

Voltage: 15 to 24 VDC
Current: 100 to 250 ma.

NASA TV provides only C-band digital service (no Ku-band).

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

"Addressable" – A type of IRD (Integrated Receiver Decoder) that can not only receive "free to air" digital TV signals but can also receive and store specially encrypted programming for rebroadcast.

DVB – Digital video broadcast.

FEC – Forward Error Correction

"Free to Air" – A TV channel that local cable and satellite service providers are "free to air" at no cost. Your basic, commercial "off-the-shelf" IRD can tune a "free to air" digital TV channel, provided you have a C-Band-size satellite receiving dish.

IRD - Integrated Receiver Decoder, a piece of equipment used to tune a digital TV signal.

LNB – Low Noise Block/Converter.

NTSC – National Television System Committee. The group responsible for setting the television and video standard used in the United States. NTSC also refers to the standard itself. (In Europe and elsewhere, PAL and SECAM are the dominant standards.)

PID – Program Identifier

SOMD – Space Operations Mission Directorate

TBD – To Be Determined.

NASA will update this Web page as new information becomes available.

Questions? Concerns? E-mail public-inquiries@hq.nasa.gov.

from: Science and Technology