jakeburtn

For UK readers: http://web.archive.org/web/20140413055133/http://www.bbc.com...

If you want to go straight to the tool: https://immersion.media.mit.edu

I guess the only thing to do would be to compare the GeoLocation API result with some other data like GeoIP[1] failing that you could look through the browser history - assuming that if you were in siberia you would have visited a siberian domain (by TLD) recently.

[1]http://briancray.com/posts/find-web-visitors-location-javasc...

The time to produce a rare molecule is the proof of work function[1] in bitcoin this is an enhanced version of Hashcash[2] (I believe). In effect you have to expend computing time (CPU cycles) to find a hash collision which can be varied in difficulty by the length of the collision.

The closest thing resembling a hash, or indeed a structure that can store data is nucleic acids, DNA, RNA and the like. Assuming you could engineer an organism to perform these tasks you can make some direct comparisons between Hashcash and a biological proof of work.

Instead of hash collisions you could match a DNA base sequence by chopping the DNA at random intervals (e.g. with restriction enzymes) - when you have the correct piece - say GATACCA you can make mRNA from this which codes for a polypeptide the cell can later secrete. Other cells could detect the presence of this polypeptide/protein and know that you had chopped your DNA up correctly. At this point they might take in the protein and combine it with another molecule creating a chain of polypeptides sort of like the bitcoin blockchain.

Somehow the protein needs to represent transaction data, perhaps encoded in the amino acid sequence but apart from that this could kinda work like bitcoin.

I hope I explained that well enough.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_of_work [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashcash

I knew about the exception also but I always think its a bit strange. Wikipedia refers to it as more of a tax on performances than perpetual copyright[1] because European copyrights for Peter Pan expired on December 31 2007.

The legislation is 301 Provisions for the benefit of the Hospital for Sick Children from the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988[2]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_copyright [2] http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48?view=plain

You mention that you've been reading about game design, any recommendations?

In case anyone goes looking for the follow up to this post - you can find it here: http://www.raptitude.com/2011/05/progress-is-the-only-protec...

Original post: http://www.raptitude.com/2011/05/procrastination-is-not-lazi...

Should probably add that, if your interested I ran adb backup -all first.

Although I'm not sure exactly how useful the produced backup will be. More info at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1420351