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Interesting articles:

http://www.packtpub.com/article/GoboLinux-An-Interview-with-Lucas-Villa
http://www.linux.com/articles/60133

Not entirely sure what you mean by co-opting other peoples' code. That's BS.

It's called dual-licensing, and in the case of Qt it's a two-way process. Open source projects get a hell of a lot out of Qt that would take them years to write themselves as well as significant resources, and using Qt gives Trolltech a lot of publicity and testing.

Well, in the examples I gave, there was ProjectMayo, which started off as a dual licensed open source effort to create MP4 compression for the people. Then it got closed before a release, and turned into DivX. People who worked on it were pissed. Thus Xvid was created, with a name that implied opposition to DivX, and the people who set up the scheme made a fortune putting DivX on devices like the DVD player behind me. There were also efforts to incorporate video support into the Ogg project through Theora and have distance from intellectual property difficulties with the MPEG group and Microsoft, but they never really made any ground because DivX got the corporate seal of approval and filled the gap.

Then there's MySQL, which was made a platform on the basis of open source good will, and is now making quiet efforts to cut off enterprise level tools from non-paying customers. Which is a real boon to those who those who all these years thought they were working towards the lofty goal of enterprise quality tools free for all.

That's what I mean by co-opting other peoples code.

How would the GPL deal with this? The GPL says you can not limit the use of the software from a specific group. So you wouldn't be able to say "The military can't use this software" because it limits who uses the software... is this an issue for anyone else?

Well the GPU folks didn't want the military using their software so they modified the GPL.
http://www.linux.com/articles/56426

There is also the SLUC license:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLUC

I'm sure there are probably others out there who would not wanting the military using their software either.

It seems to me that it would be worth the trouble to mechanize startup so that each step is isolated from all the others and knows which previous step it's dependent on and waits for only that step, while everything else cruises ahead in parallel.

There is work being done on this already. I can't remember specific links right now (googling turns up some interesting links), but I remember I first heard about it on Planet Debian, an RSS feed collector for Debian developer's blogs; I've found some very interesting things by browsing by there every once and a while. See also init-ng.

"If that quote is correct then I suggest Daniel Ravicher is better off acting like a responsable adult"

I see, acting to assure compliance with the GPL is acting 'childish'. As to your erroneous claim that no-one would notice - I don't think so.

' Simply coming into compliance now is not sufficient to settle the matter, because that would mean anyone can violate the license until caught, because the only punishment would be to come into compliance '

--

morning shift .. :)

was: Re:If that quote is correct

It seems that this would also apply to people who have had their warranties voided due to linux installation. like here . Let's hope so.

Linux alliance is a group of independed russian FOSS companies. It based on the third largest in the world by source code packages count community-supported deposiatary of GNU GPL Linux software. Linux alliance in favour of GNU GPL and support it.

Depositary name is Sisyphus. http://sisyphus.ru/ . Distributive name is ALT Linux ( http://www.linux.com/feature/119106 ). ALT Linux is a member of Linux alliance.

Most likely to win the tender Linux alliance. The main competitor, which is likely to lose is IBM, promotes distribution Ubuntu.

Sorry for my bad english, i am Russian.

Yes, of course, "everyone" knows it is true. I'd like, just once, even one example of this.

Yes and I would like, just once, an example of the common myth that water is wet.

Yet, I am loathe to let you wallow in your ignorance, so I've done a quick search for you. I follow gnome development only from a distance, so I'm sure I've missed a lot here.

The menu editor, removed somewhere in the 2.x cycle, not replaced until years later: http://www.linux.com/articles/57088
Sawfish replaced with Metacity, losing tons of features/configurability. http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2002-December/msg00069.html
Galeon 1.2 replaced with Galeon 1.3, losing features, and then later replaced with Epiphany, losing more features.
http://wouterverhelst.livejournal.com/46098.html
xscreensaver replaced with gnome screensaver, which has no options at all https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-screensaver/+bug/22007

And an example where important features are intentionally not implemented for usability reasons:
https://lists.linux-foundation.org/pipermail/desktop_architects/2005-December/001587.html

There are many more, this list was just the product of a quick google search

"In August 2005 Mambo, one of open source's poster child content management systems (CMS), was involved in a bitter duel with its core developers, who forked the project to give birth to Joomla. Could the developers survive without the management? Could Mambo do without its developers?"

No, you are trolling. The only source-based distro that even approaches the distinction of being "popular" is Gentoo, and ... well, it isn't that popular, certainly not when compared to Fedora, Mandrake and Ubuntu. You use those distros, and you don't even have to compile your own kernel.

As for drivers, I don't see why you'd have issues using the closed-source nvidia drivers, which work perfectly. And now, since ATI's drivers will also soon work, I don't see anything keeping you from using something polished.

There are some things that just don't work under linux (e.g., the shitty webcam on my laptop, which I never use anyway, but ... I can't even turn the stupid thing off in linux), but familiarity is something that depends on the user. I enjoy middle-click paste (no, you can't fake this in Windows, because highlighting doesn't automatically copy). I enjoy a command shell that doesn't suck. I enjoy a GUI that isn't in-kernel (Vista fixes this gripe, but creates entirely new ones at the same time). I enjoy being able to tweak keybindings in every one of the programs I use. I enjoy having a one-stop-shop for updating my software (emerge --sync; emerge -u world [gentoo], or apt-get update; apt-get upgrade [debian]).

I understand that linux isn't for everyone, and it probably isn't for you, but the only real reason you've given is "linux isn't as familiar to me", and that seems kind of weak, especially since you make a point of saying that you aren't trolling. You did read the post above where the guy says that the biggest reason Windows power-users don't switch is because they aren't familiar with it?

Look at the original Ximian. I mean, writing Evolution was the core USP of whatever Ximian became into. But somewhere on the way into building an open source email client/PIM/Outlook-killer, the Evolution codebase filled up with what I can only call "employee code" (i.e This fixes the bug now, we'll see what it breaks in QA).

I've tried hacking around there, but eventually ended up back in thunderbird land. But on that side of the fence, some of the problems are purely due to over-engineered modularity (yes ... yes, we all love XPCOM [*cough* bonobo], but not that much). And considering I've weaned most of my relatives off Outlook Express with thunderbird, migrating them to Kmail was kinda too hard to have a point.

In short, "do it well" with hackers and don't just hack it up with code written by employees to meet deadlines. Because I sure as hell would love a email client that I could sic my sister/cousins on (she runs linux now, without any clue beyond "clicky clicky") and hack on when I get a brilliant idea once in a while (for example, a pluggable addressbook api - ala kmail's hooks)

There's nothing to argue about: from http://www.linux.com/feature/53004:

> Theo de Raadt: I have been the project leader for OpenBSD now for more than 10 years, and along the way I have had some good adventures with the developers in the group. We've developed some side projects as well, which are heavily used by everyone in the Unix world, such as OpenSSH.

Ooops. Funny how he managed to file off that it's a fork from the ssh.com work, not an OpenBSD development. And he consistently does this. He even files off how much of the work that got it accepted worldwide is the porting process from OpenSSH verson X.Y to the more portably implemented OpenSSH X.Yp1, and *THAT* is what has helped make it more usable worldwide.

Theo consistently sidesteps development by other people that make his project's work more usable or accessible. It's a big problem with OpenBSD, because it ticks off the developers and discourages them from cooperation with OpenBSD's often technically cleaner approaches.

RMS isn't writing much lately because he blew out his fingers with RSI writing as much as he did. He still has pain and can't help it. I'm sure it is a source of continuing sadness to him that he can't code as he once did.

I would be happy to recommend a good voice-to-text program to RMS.

IMO, if Linus had not come along with a working kernel, someone else would have.

I am confused why people espouse this "RMS is special but Linus is not" nonsense. The key idea behind the GPL -- that I will show you my source code if you agree to show me any derivatives you make -- is relatively simple. So simple that it is completely ridiculous to claim that only one man in the history of computing could possibly have thought of it. I will agree wholeheartedly that RMS was ahead of his time and deserves lots of credit for the GPL -- but in that case, by your own argument (who had "come along" by the time Linux was released? not Hurd), so was Linus.

Well, look at what Linus has said about GPL3 on a number of occassions. RMS is not responding in kind. RMS response is much more even-tempered than that of Linus.

Your revisionist view of history is somewhere between baffling and appalling. Linus heavily criticized the GPLv3 during its draft stages. Ultimately said he was "pretty pleased" and "much happier" with the final version (source). His most recent comment is that he thinks GPLv3 is okay, but does not support its philosophical outlook (source). Perhaps Linus' language was undiplomatic in his criticism, but his most recent comments are rather conciliatory. He has also expressed his "love" for GPLv2 (source).

The invective is certainly not one-way from Linus to FSF, proof of which is found in your own posts in this thread (as well as, I would argue, RMS's own comments that prompted this article).

You seem to be suggesting that it is not permissible to criticize even a draft version of an FSF publication. You furthermore seem to be suggesting that everyone in the open source movement must completely agree with the goals and philosophy of the FSF.

You have said previously that your job is to convince companies of the benefits of open source. Has it occurred to you that the bizarre RMS cult-of-personality, into which you appear to have bought, is one reason why companies need so much convincing?

And, before you attempt to criticize me as a corporate shill (as you did that anonymous coward above), you should be aware that I work for a not-for-profit organization.

http://www.linux.com/articles/55285

The requirement to supply source code is covered by section 3 of the second version of the GPL. Under these sections, the distributor of GPL code is obligated to provide source code "on a medium customarily used for software interchange" for up to three years. In practice, this medium is usually a CD or DVD, or a server from which it can be downloaded. Under section 6 of the GPL, each distributor of the code comes under the obligations specified in section 3. This obligation is specified even more strongly in section 10 of the draft for the third version of the GPL, which specifically states that "downstream users" (those who, like Woodford, adopt the work of another project -- the "upstream distributor" -- for their own use) fall under these obligations. "We think it's pretty clear," says David Turner, GPL compliance engineer at the FSF. "One problem with allowing people to skip out on source code distribution is that there's nothing that requires the upstream distributor to continue to offer source code. If they stop doing so, the source could become totally unavailable. Or, more commonly, the upstream distributor will upgrade the version of the source code available, leaving downstream distributors totally out of sync. In order to fix bugs, users need to get source code exactly corresponding to the binaries they have available."

Suck it up and use Schedules Direct just like everyone else. It isn't free. The opening cost is $15/3 month (with a 7 day trial). However, compiling schedules is not free. SD purchases them Tribune Media Services. But SD is a nonprofit company & they are free/open source friendly, having been formed by people involved with MythTV, XMLTV, and MacProgramGuide. I can think of worse places to send my money.

Free/open source PVRs are more functional than most proprietary competitors & the software itself will always be not only gratis, but free as in speech. If you want the cheapest possible service, you'll do better to get something with a lifetime subscription to guide content. But I prefer my freedom to a full pocketbook.

It'd be nice if the guide data would eventually become free/open. But who's going to provide it?

If you don't like SD, I guess you can try their competitor (if they ever release something for Linux). Or screen scrape for no cost.

yes, there are command line utilities

"The article is ridiculously light on details and seems to be an attempt at self-serving cross-promotion. There is no discussion of how they saved money or what those servers are actually doing"

'part of this open source initiative, we also chose a virtual machine called Xen, which allows us to put multiple machines on one physical server, to consolidate .. We also use Hyperic to monitor the health and happiness of the servers'

"Personally, I have quite a bit of experience operating, maintaining, and supporting both Linux and Microsoft servers. I have found that both work well for the vast majority of applications"

Given the cost of support contracts and the per cpu restrictions of the MS EULA, why would you spend your companies money on licenses. For an average corporation that's one fifth of their annual revenue.

Some more quotes from the light on details article:

"It costs us significantly more to support a Windows box than a Linux box"

"You put out an email to a user mailing list, and you may get a response from the developer. Try doing that with most commercial vendors. It's hard to get access to those people. In the open source world, it's relatively easy"

I can validate this from personal experience, I once got a reply from the lead developers of mpeg4ip, similarly I once received a personal reply from Linus Torvalds. Bill Hilf or billg have yet to reply to my emails .. :)

was: This story has no credibility (Score:3, disengenous FUD)

They confirmed the rumors reported earlier on Slashdot, that everything necessary for community-driven and -maintained 2-D and 3-D drivers for ATI Radeon X1000 and HD 2000 graphics will be made available next week.

A formal press release regarding the open sourcing of the ATI drivers is expected from AMD after market close today.

There's an interesting article on doing the same Framemaker-like things in NeoOffice/Openoffice here. And of course Scribus on Linux is very important.

http://www.linux.com/articles/51448 "Creating a book with OpenOffice.org Writer
By Dmitri Popov on January 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/62231 "Desktop publishing with OpenOffice.org
By Bruce Byfield on June 06, 2007 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/52351 "Desktop publishing with Writer and Scribus
By Dmitri Popov on February 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/36822 "Open source cracks publishing wide open
By Mary E. Tyler on June 17, 2004 (8:00:00 AM) "

There's an interesting article on doing the same Framemaker-like things in NeoOffice/Openoffice here. And of course Scribus on Linux is very important.

http://www.linux.com/articles/51448 "Creating a book with OpenOffice.org Writer
By Dmitri Popov on January 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/62231 "Desktop publishing with OpenOffice.org
By Bruce Byfield on June 06, 2007 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/52351 "Desktop publishing with Writer and Scribus
By Dmitri Popov on February 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/36822 "Open source cracks publishing wide open
By Mary E. Tyler on June 17, 2004 (8:00:00 AM) "

There's an interesting article on doing the same Framemaker-like things in NeoOffice/Openoffice here. And of course Scribus on Linux is very important.

http://www.linux.com/articles/51448 "Creating a book with OpenOffice.org Writer
By Dmitri Popov on January 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/62231 "Desktop publishing with OpenOffice.org
By Bruce Byfield on June 06, 2007 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/52351 "Desktop publishing with Writer and Scribus
By Dmitri Popov on February 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/36822 "Open source cracks publishing wide open
By Mary E. Tyler on June 17, 2004 (8:00:00 AM) "

There's an interesting article on doing the same Framemaker-like things in NeoOffice/Openoffice here. And of course Scribus on Linux is very important.

http://www.linux.com/articles/51448 "Creating a book with OpenOffice.org Writer
By Dmitri Popov on January 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/62231 "Desktop publishing with OpenOffice.org
By Bruce Byfield on June 06, 2007 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/52351 "Desktop publishing with Writer and Scribus
By Dmitri Popov on February 27, 2006 (8:00:00 AM) "

http://www.linux.com/articles/36822 "Open source cracks publishing wide open
By Mary E. Tyler on June 17, 2004 (8:00:00 AM) "

For linking to imply derivation, you would have to show that your copyrighted, expressive elements of your work ended up in my application. This must go beyond mere functional elements, and merely copying into the same protected memory space (but different address ranges) wouldn't in my view count.

Granted. But that's the difference between linking in 20 libraries "just because" versus one's code actually making use of those 20 libraries. The former, though, seems like a great way to effectively violate someone else's copyright by turning one's program into an archive of libraries. Given that software is functional, and the point of libraries is a repository of functionality, trying to go back to the idea of a "creative" standard seems somewhat humorous. But, I guess that comes down to the idea of whether one chose a library "because it was there" vs "because function X is really good at doing what it does, signifying a good bit of creativity/effort in its design". The fact that, in general, optimization of an optimal algorithm is as much a creative as a brute-force approach and that optimizations are the main reason to choose one library over another (beyond one library simply lacking certain functions; with functionality questionably a basis to claim copyright) just makes the whole situation more murky.

If I hypotethetically created a library win assembly with identical function access points, but entirely different internals, and it could be with the program with no further alterations, then it would seem to me that this would allow the works to be separable from a derivation perspective.

Right, but the thing is that that's hypothetical. Given the very nature of software, it's possible to fundamental alter the underlying library of almost any program and maintain the same functionality (although you might violate some patents along the way). I think a more realistic standard is to recognize just how common the underlying library is in the real world, not to draw on hypotheticals. From that standard, dynamically linking against glibc, which provides a posix-like standard, would be very different to dynamically linking against cube 3d's rendering engine library. It's hard to set the same standard for everything. Or, the fact that there's WINE and Windows helps making the Win32 API a standard and hence Win32 programs not derivative of Windows.

I think the fundamental problem is that the legislative branch really hasn't chimed in to determine things, leaving various circuit courts to make their own determinations. The AFC Test, as mentioned, is apparently not held equally by all courts. So, regional jurisdiction has a large part to play in what counts as a derivative work. But, even if the AFC Test were standrd, the main arguing point is the difference between functional code vs expressive code, when generally "good" code hackers work to express an idea by making optimally functional code (usually in minimizing use of space, time, or code space; but sometimes, it is in the form of making one segment of code do many, very different things). Ie, the more functional the code is, the more expressive it is (and vice versa).

Relying on the courts to sort out the legality of copyrighted things just doesn't seem the best way to encourage business in copyrighted works.

1. i personally like i like backtrack 2, though i'm not sure if it will work with mac hardware.

2. you'd need the disc on hand already (i keep a copy of it in my laptop bag for such occasions)

3/4. yes. there was a guide somewhere on doing this (packet injection and IV collection on the same laptop using backtrack 2), but google is failing me at the moment.

live.linuX-gamers.net is a Linux live-dvd distribution: "boot 'n play" http://live.linux-gamers.net/

One of My Favorites, AdvanceCD is a bootable live CD, DVD and USB disk of a minimal Linux distribution containing the AdvanceMAME emulator.

You can boot it in any PC and play the contained games without any installation. The default distribution contains the arcade games Gridlee, Poly Play and Robby Roto and it uses only 20 Mbyte leaving the whole disk for your roms. http://advancemame.sourceforge.net/cd-readme.html

Games Knoppix
Review http://www.linux.com/articles/113906
Download http://www.games-knoppix.org/

http://gamer-linux.pappapc.com/

and on and on and on. You have heard of Google, yeah?

Some school boards are responsible and providing MUCH better services at the same time and saving tax money to be spent on other needs...read a few examples here:

http://www.linux.com/articles/62285

or education/linux in general:
http://cdneducation.blogspot.com/

I have an external USB hard drive and recently formatted the hard drive with two different partitions. The first partition is formatted as NTFS and the second is formatted as JFS. The NTFS partition is mainly for Windows, but can also be used for transferring files between Linux and Windows. The JFS partition is only for being used by Linux. When using Linux, I can now make backup copies of stuff from my main Linux partitions onto the exteral drive's JFS partition using the rsync command. Perhaps I am being too paranoid, but I did not want Windows spyware or viruses to be able mess with what is backed up on that partition, so I deliberately chose something that Windows could not read. I use Kubuntu Linux and JFS is one of the several journaling file systems that it supports. I could have just as easily used some other Linux supported journaling file system such as EXT3 or ReiserFS, but for no special reason, I chose JFS. For the partition that Windows would use, I debated between NTFS and FAT32. I also toyed with the idea of formatting that partition as EXT2 and installing of of the several available open source drivers that would allow Windows XP to read EXT2. Linux is what I use 99% of the time and because it is my main operating system, I decided to make the JFS partition much larger and gave it 220 GB.

I have two different computers and use a KVM switch so that they can be controlled by just one keyboard, monitor and mouse. The two computers are side by side and one runs Linux and the other runs Windows XP. Most of the time I just use the Linux computer, but once in a while I turn on the Windows computer too and with the KVM switch can jump back and fort between either in about a second or two. The Windows computer is a small book sized computer that only uses 23 Watts, so I can occasionally run both at once without using much more electricity. I play around with Windows XP now and then, so that I do not totally forget to use and maintain a Windows computer.

I have the 250 GB hard drive in a NexStar GX external hard drive enclosure and it is connected to a manual 4-to-1 USB switch box. I then press the appropriate button on the manual USB Switch box to choose which computer the external hard drive is hooked to. For the first partion, I let Windows create the NTFS partion. I then used GParted running under Linux to create the JFS partition. By the way, I already had both the Ubuntu desktop package and the Kubuntu desktop package installed, so I was able to install GParted and run it under KDE, even though it is designed for Gnome.

Another alternative to all this would have been to run Samba on the Linux computer and just share a few folders at home over a wired or wireless Ethernet connection.

• Back up like an expert with rsync
• JFS file system
• GParted

Maybe this could be used to crush Windows altogether.

From my understanding, most of issues that Linus brought up with GPL3 were on a early draft. He did warm slightly when he saw the final draft.

http://www.linux.com/articles/114336

Indeed, this has implications for European open source developers as well. The FSF Europe's mechanic for dealing with this problem is called the "Fiduciary License Agreement" (FLA) which works by giving $central_body a license that allows it to e.g. relicense code contributions made by the copyright owner. Press coverage on the FLA: http://www.linux.com/articles/60129

Your arguably insightful post was kinda flattend in advance by GKH at OLS:
http://www.linux.com/feature/115767

that's odd. the linux.com article covering the same event made it sound like the kernel team thought it was a good thing that there were more developers, and the work was more spread out.

Prior art won't solve the software patent problem
(by Richard Stallman)

The article has been written a year ago:
http://www.linux.com/articles/57167

In reality, Google has access to everything that crosses our minds, since
this is greatly correlated to what you search and write in your
emails. The truth is that if one bad guy manages to get access to
Google's data center, he can learn everything about us.

However, Google has absolutely no right to use this information
against us in any way. This is in all respects illegal. In addition,
if something like "My employer fired me, because an ex-google employee
told him that I search for animal porn online" happens, this would
be the end of Google's business model. It would
result in 10's of billions $ in losses.

I am 100% sure that Google does whatever it is in her power to keep
your information private. They have very little to gain by going
public with our insignificant lives, but everything to lose if
they breach their privacy contract.

And btw, having a bot going through your emails and discovering
patterns is not a privacy violation. As long as no human with
malicious intend is able to harvest information that is damning for
me, Google is welcome to automatically detect my preferences and send
me relevant advertisements.

If u don't like Google, you can always switch to msn, yahoo, ask or
whatever other crappy search engine. Still, they are as likely to mine
your private data as Google.

For the paranoid, here is one cool gmail encryption firefox plugin:
http://applications.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/05 /31/1643208&from=rss

With the HDHomeRun you can watch/record the unencrypted channels on digital cable:
http://www.silicondust.com/wiki/products/hdhomerun

Two tuners and plugs into your Ethernet network. You can watch content from any computer on your network.

Works with MCE 2005 and Vista MCE - both 32 and 64-bit versions.
Works with SageTV, BeyondTV, etc.
Works with MythTV under Linux.
Mac support is rumored to be coming soon.

Linux review:
http://servers.linux.com/servers/07/04/18/1531247. shtml?tid=117&tid=39

"Although we met several technical challenges along the way
(specifically, Linux's lack of Token Ring support and the fact that we
were unable to defrag its ext2 file system),"
First off: http://www.linux.com/howtos/Token-Ring/intro.shtml
And, for defraging an ext2 filesystem: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You're an idiot!

"So you can imagine our suprise when we were informed by a lawyer that
we would be required to publish our source code for others to use."
The only time you'd have to publish your code for others to use is if you:
      A: Have taken actual GPL code and modified it - this is not the same as creating code that works WITH GPL code
AND (&& != ||)
      B: You are distributing said code - in which case, you must give WHOEVER YOU DISTRIBUTE THE CODE TO the source for said code

"Unfortunately for us, this meant that the great deal of time and money
we spent "touching up" Linux to work for this investment firm would
now be available at no cost to our competitors."
No, read above

"Furthermore, after reviewing this GPL our lawyers advised us that any
products compiled with GPL'ed tools - such as gcc - would also have to
its source code released. This was simply unacceptable."
HAHAHAHAHAHA! You're REALLY an idiot!

"Although we had planned for no one outside of this company to ever
use, let alone see the source code, we were now put in a difficult
position. We could either give away our hard work, or come up with
another solution. Although it was tought to do, there really was no
option: We had to rewrite the code, from scratch, for Windows 2000."
Because you're an idiot that can't read. You need to fire that laywer, btw.

"Thank you for your time."
I wonder how much you got paid for yours to write this - I know Microsoft does pay well.

For watching unencrypted digital cable on a PC, take a look at the HDHomeRun:
http://www.silicondust.com/wiki/products/hdhomerun

Two tuners, works with MCE (2005, Vista, x86, x64), BeyondTV, SageTV, etc.
Linux - works with MythTV and VLC.
Mac support is rumored to be soon.

http://brentevans.blogspot.com/2007/03/silicondust -hdhomerun-qam-tuner-review.html
http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/04/18/15312 47

http://enterprise.linux.com/enterprise/07/06/05/20 31237.shtml?tid=7&tid=23 Dell spokesperson Jeremy Bolen says, "Due to an ordering system glitch during the weekend, we inadvertently removed extended warranty and CompleteCare options from our configurator. We're working to get the issue resolved as quickly as possible, and those options will be reinstated this afternoon. If customers ordered systems when extended warranties weren't available, they will have the option of upgrading at the original price. There will be more details on that program soon."

Maybe I'm being a cynical bastard again, but that article is REEEALLY light on content. Compared to the other featured articles from IBM, which are usually very rich and informative, this one is more like an "idiots guide to apache", the kind that belongs on Digg's mountain of filth. This is little more than a rehash of the Readme files for Apache and PHP combined. It's about as deep as telling a windows user how to make their PC faster by changing to the Windows NT theme. Of much greater value to web professionals is this article from a fellow OSDN site (!) Lighttpd can lighten Apache's load

...is Linus' answer to that.
  btw. I didn't see anything new about wich patents MS is talking about... and we will never know because allmost 90% of all MS patents are prior art and wouldn't survive a in a court.

Sarkozy's views on innovation and free software

He was the only candidate who doesn't support, or even have a clear stance on free software.

Not that that's the most important quality in a president, but it would have been nice.

Try Groovix. This was mentioned above, but it's been overwhelmed by do-it-yourself solutions, and if you're the one IT guy for a charter school, you probably need it simple and reliable. Check out their distro. It's based on Ubuntu, and you can download it from their web site.

For more info, check this page: http://groovix.com/slim.html which explains how they support up to 10 seats (monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers) per computer.

There's an article about Groovix being used in Maryland libraries here: http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=06/09/22/15422 54

I believe you're referring to using GCALDaemon. I followed the article at http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/02/14/15222 7 last night and things work pretty well.

There is something like that to balance ethernet traffic: http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/04/06/15162 52

You can do the same with iptables and route2, see the advanced routing howto on tldp.org.

Heh heh, watch all those Windows PC's becoming part of not just a botnet, but a *P2P* botnet! Wow....

Well, thanks to two things...

1.) OpenBSD's spamd
2.) GNU/Linux on my other boxes ...I'm immune!

And no, it's not because "Linux isn't used as much," as all the little MCSE's like to whine. Rather, it's because GNU/Linux and OpenBSD are simply fundamentally better platforms than any version of M$ Windows. FOSS is simply BETTER.

And here's how you can help stop spammers:

http://applications.linux.com/applications/07/03/2 8/1631206.shtml?tid=115

Yes, I'm the author, and yes, there is a spamtrap address hidden somewhere in this email. Humans won't see the fake address, but spambot email harvesters will. Here on Slashdot, it's easy for humans to see *where* I've done it, though. Think of it as my contribution to helping rid your mailboxes of spam from crap like this Storm Trojan. Please help join me; consider implementing the above in front of your mail servers, too, if you can possibly do so.

We can't put a total stop to spam, but we sure can misdirect the spammers, and thus hurt their pocketbooks.

--TP

Patents last 20 years in the U.S., IIRC.

This OCR is a refined version of HP's Tesseract, which HP handed over to UNLV some time ago. The original code was developed starting in 1985, so there is a good possibility patents are not valid.

"You might wonder why Google is interested in OCR? In a nutshell, we are all about making information available to users, and when this information is in a paper document, OCR is the process by which we can convert the pages of this document into text that can then be used for indexing."

  Charles

Informed

• BBC news
• Slashdot
• Distrowatch
• Linux.com
• Newsforge
• El Tiempo

Entertained

• SA
• Digg
• Degenerate Cesspool
• CTRL+ALT+DEL
• questionablecontent.net
• halturnershow.com

Contrary to current trends, the only site out of all of those in which I participate regularly is Slashdot. I don't even have accounts on any of the other forums. Some I only really visit because it's an old habit, notably the two webcomics and eltiempo.com. And yes, Digg is firmly in the 'entertainment' column, for its AWESOME PICTURES! and INCREDIBLY ADDICTIVE NEW FLASH GAMES OH EM GEE!