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F13 Issue 4 – November 13, 2013

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F13 Issue 4 – November 13, 2013 Note: This document is hosted here for archival purposes only. It does not necessarily represent the values of the Iron Warrior or Waterloo Engineering Society in the present day. 1 THE NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO ENGINEERING SOCIETY VOLUME 34 ISSUE 14 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013 Top Feelz Only People Addicted to Pros and Cons of Grad School The Rise of Indie Games Linkbaiting sites will Understand Page 3 Page 8 Page 13 facebook.com/TheIronWarrior twitter.com/TheIronWarrior iwarrior.uwaterloo.ca More Woes for Blackberry CEO Heins Ousted as part of $1 Billion Investment Deal VINCENT MAGAS 2A MANAGEMENT Hope, change, and the return to glory: these are just some of the things that many once believed Thorsten Heins was capable of. As time passed and the situation only got worse, the struggle finally ended. Thorsten Heins, the man thought to be capable of changing the fate of the Canadian smartphone maker once known as Research in Motion was recently ousted. Blackberry announced that Thorsten Heins has stepped down as CEO. This change in management has been part a $1 billion investment deal with Fairfax Financial Holdings, who initially wished to purchase the company back in September. Heins originally joined Blackberry (then Research in Motion) back in 2007. He assumed different roles throughout the company, notably first as senior vice president of the Blackberry Handheld Business Unit. He also acted as Chief Operating Officer of Product Engineering, and as a Chief Operating Officer of Product Sales from 2011 until he assumed his role as a CEO. It was in January 2012 when he was announced to succeed the BlackBerry company founders Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis stepped down from their roles as co- CEOs. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images In a final struggle to save BlackBerry, Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins has stepped down, making way for Interim CEO John Chen. Heins pushed the company in numerous ways in the 22 months he worked as The failure of both devices to grab hold Financials abandoned the proposal, cash or as restricted stock units (RSUs) CEO. BlackBerry undeniably saw of the consumer and enterprise market ultimately this caused BlackBerry stocks for Heins that vest immediately. These numerous painful job cuts, severing many was another major hit to BlackBerry’s to drop to $6.60 shortly afterwards. stock options and RSUs will continue employees from all over the country. One financial situation. Pressure built up very It has been announced that Heins may to vest for the next 24 months as well. recent closure saw the loss of 315 jobs quickly as the tides of the smartphone be receiving as much as $22 million It is highly possible that Heins can profit when BlackBerry’s office in Bedford, market continued to swallow up from his compensation package. It has if BlackBerry’s share prices recover Nova Scotia was shut down. Heins also BlackBerry under the Heins’ supervision. been reported that Heins may get his in the future. Overall, this originally oversaw the release of the new Blackberry Heins also oversaw the deal with Fairfax current base salary of $3 million for 24 stood to be nearly $56 million if he was 10 operating system and their respective Financial to buy out BlackBerry. This months, and benefits. There is also nearly flagship devices the Z10 and the Q10. deal however, was dropped when Fairfax $5 million which is payable in either Continued on BLACKBERRY on Page 8 What Went Down at the FEDS General Meeting NINA FENG the three open seats. They were given a non-profit organization dedicated to some of the statements, admitting that 2B ENVIRONMENTAL the opportunity to make 2-min. speeches involving students in environmental WPIRG’s importance to the student body (shortened from the original 10 min.), and social justice issues. Currently, was previously underestimated given the This year’s Feds annual general followed by a question period. Most every student pays a $4.75 fee to the turnout. However, he still maintained meeting (AGM) took place on October questions served to clarify their duties, group every academic term, and it was that a referendum should be held out 28, during which there were a number of plans, and the Board’s decision-making proposed that a referendum determined of responsibility to the students, stating interesting items on the agenda. Among process in general. The WPIRG motion by the Students’ Council would be held that any organization should, from time them was a potential Feds fee decrease was also brought up at this point, due to determine the necessity of such a to time, be called to justify their funding and the election of three new members to the apparently large interest in the fee. It was alleged that the group had even if only to validate them further. The to the Feds Board of Directors. Most subject of the majority of attendees. little on-campus student involvement ensuing debate explored various aspects notable of all, however, turned out to be Two of the candidates hailed from the and little transparency. Supporters of of the issue, such as the power of the the referendum motion for the Waterloo Faculty of Engineering, and one of them, WPIRG (and therefore protesters of Students’ Council over the organizations Public Interest Research Group’s Lisa Belbeck, scored a directorship. The the motion) turned up in large numbers fee allocation and referendum wording, (WPIRG) student fee, proposed by Sacha other two positions went to Maaz Yasin to in order to strike it down. Members and the legality of the referendum itself. Forstner. If you weren’t there, here’s a and Danielle Burt. of Engineers Without Borders, the Ultimately, the referendum motion was little recap of the discussions, decisions, Addressed secondly was the Muslim Students’ Association, Students defeated, to the joy of most attendees. and drama. controversial WPIRG referendum for Justice in Pakistan, Conrad Grebel The following items involved The first item on the list (after agenda motion. Originally next to last on the Peace Society, UW BASE, and other approving the Auditor’s Report, and minute approval) was the election agenda, it was motioned to an earlier groups affiliated to WPIRG were amidst reviewing the year’s financial statement, of the director seats. Eleven candidates spot to suit the WPIRG-supporter- them. Sacha Forstner began the talk by of various faculties and skill sets ran for dominated attending body. WPIRG is humbly backtracking and apologizing for Continued on FEDS on Page 8 THE IRON WARRIOR 2 Editorial WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013 Letter From the Editor in 2011, some mainstream organizations decide how much it takes to make the next The Newspaper of the University such as Wikileaks (if such could be ones. of Waterloo Engineering Society ALEXANDER LEE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF called a mainstream organization) began So, all things considered,, the bitcoin is to accept bitcoin donations. In 2011, the a rather fascinating currency with clever Editor-in-Chief bitcoin hit its first major spike, jumping planning. Solutions seem to have been Alexander Lee from 30 cents to about $32, but fell back found for the major problems that usually Hello again, readers! down to $2. plague digital currencies, like double- Assistant Editor The term passes by so quickly. We’re As knowledge of the bitcoin became spending, hyper-inflation and self- Farzi Yusufali already on the penultimate issue of The more prevalent, its uniqueness caused regulation. However, the real question Iron Warrior this term! Many thanks to some to consider the implications of a most people are asking is, is the bitcoin Layout Editors everyone who contributed articles to this new “cryptocurrency,” so named due its a viable currency? From all the things we Nancy Hui issue. I’d like to recommend in particular reliance on cryptography rather than trust have learned, it seems like, yes, it could be Kevin Liang Amer Abu-Khajil’s article on the pros and for value. Eventually, bitcoins became viable. However, there are still problems cons of graduate studies on page 3, and public knowledge in early 2013, and these with it, as there are problems with any Copy Editors Cameron Soltys’s article on the increasing days it is used mainly by speculators as currency. Nancy Hui irrelevance of graphics and return to a commodity rather than a true currency. First of all, the bitcoin is not widely Jessica Keung gameplay in indie games, on page 8. I However, it is accepted by several accepted yet. This is a problem inherent to Kyla Rodgers would especially like to thank Edward prominent vendors such as Reddit and all newfound currencies. It is hard to use Leah Kristufek Blake and Wade Wilson, who were feeling WordPress. something as money when the majority Jacob Terry adventurous in this issue’s TopZ (with a The bitcoin’s price has fluctuated wildly of places you’d want to buy things would Z), doing a rather rebellious article that since its introduction having reached not accept it. Traditional currencies that Photo Editor messes with our column spacing and lows of 30 cents, but at the same time has had the backing of countries avoided this Kyla Rodgers includes (gasp!) QR Codes. Our last issue experienced spikes of over $400 for short problem, as it would be automatically will be published on November 27, and periods of time. However, since 2013, the accepted in every business within the Advertising Manager includes the triannual Tin Soldier, the price of the bitcoin has risen steadily and nation. I cannot think of an instance where Alex Toth issue that everyone loves! today is worth around $325.
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