hung'sharin / distributed networking
大型强子对撞器重新启动 (30P)
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) says it expects to restart the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) by this weekend after more than a year of repairs. The 27 km (17 mi) particle accelerator was launched last year, but suffered a failure from a faulty electrical connection, damaging 53 of the smasher's 9,300 superconducting magnets. Repairs are now completed, and the plan is to begin injecting protons into the LHC this weekend, on the path to search for particles such as predicted-yet-unobserved Higgs Boson. Collected below are some photographs of the repairs, and of the LHC and some of its experiments in various stages of construction.
Google Rolls Out New Search Interface
A recent post over at Search Engine Land suggests that Google will be rolling out a new search interface – or more precisely search result page design – to selected users later today. The effort seems to have originated in the analysis of the current search results layout which is everything but coherent and has been a major point of criticism lately.
The new search results layout will use a cleaner design with an additional left sidebar. The left sidebar will always be visible and seems to have originated from the advanced search options which currently have to be expanded to make them visible. The sidebar will make use of colorful icons for permanent listings at the top and a dynamic lower part that display contents depending on the choices the user made. A selection of video for instance will display filters for playtime, date of publication or quality while the selection of images will display image related filters.
The default entry point for most searches is Everything which will display the standard mixed search engine results. The Google search engine will guess the most appropriate mode, a search for Mercedes videos will therefor display the video mode as the default entry point again with the option to switch to another mode.
It is likely that Google will roll out this new search interface to all users eventually. What’s your opinion on the matter? It will likely be another difficulty change for Google users who lately had to endure the new Google homepage design with the fading links
Final Fantasy XIII's Final Trailer 4 Days Away
It's been over three years since we saw the first Final Fantasy XIII trailer at E3 2006 and I bet most of you never thought you'd have to wait this long to see the last one. Square Enix has updated the official site with a countdown for the last Final Fantasy XIII trailer and we have 4 days to wait. We can only assume it's going to be the launch trailer for the Japanese release less than a month away now. The countdown finishes at 4am GMT this Wednesday (25th November).
Link: Final Fantasy XIII Official Site
Wolf's Lair (at Hoolywood)
这座位于 Las Angeles、Hollywood 山、面积为 5000 平方英尺的城堡建于 1927 年，有五间卧室和三个卫生间。城堡的主楼有 10 个房间，配有格子平顶、模绘横梁和雕花木嵌板。
这座城堡还有一个游泳池、一座池边房以及一套客房。客房中有一个隐蔽式楼梯间，通往一间私密的一居室公寓，这间公寓配有全套的 Tiki 家居饰品。城堡占地 3.3 英亩，从中可以饱览 Hollywood 湖水库的美景。在城堡里能够看到远处山上 Hollywood 字样的标志以及整个 Las Angeles 的天际线。View Larger Map
NSA Is Giving Microsoft Some Help On Windows 7 Security
The National Security Agency has been working with Microsoft Corp. to help improve security measures for its new Windows 7 operating system, a senior NSA official said on Tuesday.
The confirmation of the NSA's role, which began during the development of the software, is a sign of the agency's deepening involvement with the private sector when it comes to building defenses against cyberattacks.
"Working in partnership with Microsoft and (the Department of Defense), NSA leveraged our unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide without constraining the user's ability to perform their everyday tasks," Richard Schaeffer, the NSA's Information Assurance Director, told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a statement prepared for a hearing held this morning in Washington. "All this was done in coordination with the product release, not months or years later in the product cycle."
The partnership between the NSA and Microsoft is not new.
In 2007, NSA officials acknowledged working with Microsoft during the development of Windows Vista to help boost its defenses against computer viruses, worms and other attacks. In fact, the cooperation dates back to at least 2005, when the NSA and other government agencies worked with Microsoft on its Windows XP system and other programs.
The NSA, which is best known for its electronic eavesdropping operations, is charged with protecting the nation's national security computing infrastructure from online assaults.
As these systems become increasingly dependent on private-sector computing products, the NSA has reached out to a growing number of software companies.
"More and more, we find that protecting national security systems demands teaming with public and private institutions to raise the information assurance level of products and services more broadly," Schaeffer said.
Schaeffer said that the NSA is also working to engage other companies, including Apple, Sun, and RedHat, on security standards for their products. The agency also works with computer security firms such as Symantec, McAfee, and Intel.
A growing array of law enforcement authorities, intelligence officials, and private computer experts has been warning about the rising threat of cyberattacks.
"The FBI considers the cyber threat against our nation to be one of the greatest concerns of the 21st century," Steven Chabinksy, the deputy assistant director of the FBI's cyber division, told the same congressional committee.
The Obama administration has been under pressure to name a cybersecurity chief to reinvigorate the government's efforts to protect its most sensitive computer networks. Some press reports suggest that appointment could come as early as next week.
Update at 5:30 p.m. ET: The text of Schaeffer's testimony, as prepared for delivery, is now online here.
Update at 2 p.m. ET: The NSA and other cybersecurity experts say that simple precautions (such as installing system updates regularly and running anti-virus software and firewalls) should protect against about 80% of the attacks out there. This means that if users took these steps, the NSA and others could focus on the more dangerous 20%, or so the theory goes. Put another way, of course, that means about 20% of attacks are sophisticated enough to theoretically defeat standard security measures.
