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Dear United States Navy. We're sorry about causing your ship to lose propulsion due to a buffer overrun in our OS. We have pre-emptively decided to reimburse your $5 for your troubles. *oops* Hey, you can always as the Swedish navy about their experiences. ;-)

Dear "victims of the Blackout of 2003". Sorry about our software trusting everything it saw back in 2003. Boy, have we learned our lesson since then. Unfortunately, the several millions of you can just suck it. :-D

(...) I thought I was making some pretty outrageous demands. I was stunned when you agreed to accept the General Public License mandating that everything you added at the level of the new operating system would remain open. But you've been true to your side of the bargain, and you've won my respect. You never made me alter my goal, which was world domination for Linux. I'll never forget your line: "Come on, Linus, infect the mothership." I still believe that was the best recruiting pitch ever uttered. We both took a lot of criticism from our partisans, but look what we've accomplished. The world is using software that doesn't suck!

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

Film: Brad Bird : Business: Shigeyuki Hori

Science: Steven Squyres : Medicine: Robert Lanza

Architecture: Rem Koolhaas : Music: Danger Mouse

Television: Blair Harrison : Blogs: Kevin Sites

Books: Jeff Hawkins : Industrial Design: Burt Rutan

Technology: Mark Fletcher : Art: Jennifer Kevin Mccoy

Games: Pete Parsons

It's not so simple:

In August 2001, President Bush said in a public address that because he believed the research was morally questionable, no federal funds could be used for embryonic stem-cell research. Researchers using government funds would have to use the stem-cell lines that already existed. Bush said at the time that there were more than 60 lines registered with the National Institutes of Health, but that number in reality was closer to 10.

Scientists have lamented the predicament, saying researchers in other countries like Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom are leaving U.S. scientists in the dust, and that American researchers are fleeing to those countries to do their work freely. Doug Melton, the Harvard biologist spearheading Harvard's effort, took matters into his own hands.

"I and others in the field have found it very difficult to obtain the cells on the NIH registry. Six to nine months would pass (before we got a response)," Melton said. "I sort of gave up on trying a couple years ago and focused my efforts on creating my own."

Researchers have encountered various problems when trying to access stem-cell lines from the NIH, Melton said. The lines they want may not be available; the NIH may send the cells with restrictions on what experiments the researchers are permitted to do; the researchers might have to report their progress to the NIH every other day; or the stem-cell line might be very expensive.

On Tuesday night, two Congress members wrote to Bush criticizing his policies on stem cells. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California) and Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-New York) said he and the NIH misled scientists and the public by saying more than 64 stem cell lines were available. The NIH denied the accusation, saying it's still unclear how many lines are available.

Apple didn't roll the iPod interface entirely on their own. The first iPods had, in the About section, a mention of a company called Pixo. Pixo was developing an OS for mobile phones or some such thing, and Apple came along and had them retool it for use on the iPod. Since then Apple has brought iPod OS development in-house, but it's important to remember where it started.

A contractor provided the OS, but Apple designed the interface in house

The closest i could find to a "link" - just so no one says i'm making stuff up...

How about the comments of someone who checked with Wired, or Nintendo's own response to the article?

Or you could, you know, go straight to the supposed source (Wired Magazine, Feb. 2005 issue), and see that it's not listed anywhere.

the SO ORDERED part. (Here's an example where Microsoft is--or seemingly should be--owned by the US.)

That aside, Daddy likes. I think we should^Wmust have this law and put the government back in par with us so we can be (at least feel) free again; otherwise we'll soon be in Soviet America where legislative malfeasance codifies us and the FBI spies y--oh wait...

France should just stick to what they are good at.....Surrender and accept the English language.

France has been trying to ban English words like E-Mail from entering into its language for years now. Maybe we can send them some tinfoil berets so that they won't be so paranoid.

The decision includes the phrase "If we were to adopt Lexmark's reading of the statute, manufacturers could potentially create monopolies for replacement parts simply by using similar, but more creative, lock-out codes.". This is interesting.

Just this past weekend, I had a check-engine light in my 2000 VW Golf diagnosed by a fellow VW club member via the use of a scanner made by ROSS-Tech Inc (which is also working on generic OBDII and BMW scanners) via the use of reverse engineering, similar to the way the BIOS of the original IBM PC was reverse-engineered.

As discussed in the article Wired News: Drivers Want Code to Their Cars, automakers don't release all of the diagnostic codes to vehicles, claiming that releasing the codes "would allow independent parts manufacturers to copy components that cost millions of dollars to develop".

However, the way I read the Lexmark article is that doing exactly that is legitimate -- by purchasing the car/printer, the consumer is granted access to the proprietary software inside the item that allows it to function, and can use third-party equipment to service it and keep it in a workable condition.

Perhaps a third-party manufacturer of automotive parts needs to sue an automaker to force release of the diagnostic codes. Or, maybe even the maker of the scanner that was used to reveal why my check-engine light triggered. But even if not, I don't think VW would, say, be able to bring a case against the scanner maker under the DMCA.

(The code was "fuel mixture too lean" and turned out to have been caused by a snapped vacuum hose; fixed in five minutes at no cost by pulling another hose off a soon-to-be-junked parts car.)
Oh... and the Ars Technica guy was right: the DMCA DOES need to go away.

I for one welcome the day when every job is replaced by a computer...

This article has a few interesting things to say about how and what kind of jobs get replaced by computers/automation.

Well said. Here is some supporting evidence for what you are saying: this wired article about the connection between Asperger's/autism and the tech world.

Deja.com, the first major web archive of usenet [news.google.com is built on their archive], has a similar "feature" where it would add advertising links to certain words in the archive. I don't know exactly when this was, but this article is mid-2000 and refers to another now defunct site, Remarq, doing it even earlier.

Interestingly enough, with both Deja and Remark, the users complained enough that the companies dropped the plans.

• Bram Cohen (author of BitTorrent) has Asperger's Syndrome (sometimes called High Functioning Autism)
• Steve Silberman wrote about the increase rate of incidence of Asperger's/Autism in Silicon Valley
• For family needing to deal with a member with Asperger's Syndrome or autism, try OASIS
• If you're curious enough, there are sites, such as this one, that are created by those dealing with autism.

• Bram Cohen (author of BitTorrent) has Asperger's Syndrome (sometimes called High Functioning Autism)
• Steve Silberman wrote about the increase rate of incidence of Asperger's/Autism in Silicon Valley
• For family needing to deal with a member with Asperger's Syndrome or autism, try OASIS
• If you're curious enough, there are sites, such as this one, that are created by those dealing with autism.

Bram Cohen is one...he seems to have integrated the "disease" into his life pretty well!

The "shyness about making eye contact" is a symptom of austim and is used as a dianostic criterion.

I've kept three movies for many months, just forgetting to send them back, or not having time to watch movies, whatever. Netflix is fantastic for the time and memory challenged. When I used to rent from BlockBuster or other stores, I would forget to return the movies for a few days, facing late charges when I finally did return it. I would get stressed (ok, so it was only mildly stressed, but stressed none the less) out when I'd be at work on Monday and remember I had forgotten to take the stupid movie back.

With Netflix, I've removed that stress from my life and every little bit counts. I suppose keeping a depost equal to the value of the movies is good for the rental company, but Netflix doesn't do that and they seem to be doing pretty well. I don't think the issue in the DVD rental business is theft of the product or replacement value of the DVD but just keeping up cash-flow and not having to maintain a rental staff and brick-and-mortar store.

I had thought that now BlockBuster was going to finally compete with NetFlix, but if this LIE is their solution to NetFlix, then I'm not worried at all. Even everyday morons will realize that Blockbuster's "No Late Fees" deal isn't really a deal at all once they pay thier first restocking fee. Seriously. A restocking fee for a movie rental? You've got to be kidding me. Next, Blockbuster will be charging an "environmental comfort fee" to everyone who stays in their store longer than average, using up climate control BTU's.

The really cool part about NetFlix is that they have a HUGE selection. In addition to the latest releases, I've been watching old movies as well and NetFlix has them all. Here's an interesting Wired article on The Long Tail Market that explains some of Netflix's market niche if you're curious.

Exerpt from a similar wired article http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65468, 00.html?tw=wn_story_related/

John Donoghue of Cyberkinetics has already extended this research to humans. He has implanted electrodes into the motor cortex of a quadriplegic, allowing the patient to move a computer cursor to access e-mail or use other applications. "The human phase of this has moved forward tremendously," said Donoghue. Cyberkinetics will continue its pilot study by expanding the trial to four more patients.

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65468, 00.html?tw=wn_story_related

What if I want Google to index my site (so that users can find my content) but not cache my site?

By putting something on the web, I do not grant a license for people to copy it at will. The web is not like Usenet: it is not designed for everyone to mirror everyone else's content. The definition of Fair Use in most countries (including the U.S.) doesn't extend to a complete copy of an original work. Google News, even in its advertising-less form, was the subject of lawsuits filed in Germany and Hong Kong.

Google has "meta tags to opt out, made only for their service." So does Microsoft. It doesn't make one more devious than the other. As many people read Google's EULA as read Microsoft's.

From the article:

I do not believe all online games are inherently bad or evil.

But I do know, however, that some of the game manufacturers do require their game developers to have degrees in psychology to make them even more addictive.

Um, no. No they do not. What game developers might do is hire a Psychologist who has studied Human Computer Interaction, a branch of Cognitive Psychology which is concerned with, among other things, the usability of computer software.

As games become more complex, it becomes necessary to design an interface which is easily used, but not restrictive. Anyone who's played an MMORPG knows the importance of a good HUD. That's what's at hand here; game developers are hiring more Cognitive Psychologists to aid in the design of their game's interface.

The area of Psychology she's referring to is Psychopathology (i.e., "mental illness"). Psychologists in this realm study addiction... very different from those who study HCI.

Maybe this is some FUD she picked up from her lawyer, Jack Thompson? (Refer to second article)

What a missed opportunity at a Simpson's reference. Mmmm.... low hanging juicy fruit.

Robotic or semi-robotic prosthesis are going to be more and more in demand because ironically of advances in battlefield armor. Current flak jackets (body armor) and helmets are protecting the vital bits of our soldiers, but often limbs (and necks) are sites of damage from explosions and firearms. Many of these soldiers are undergoing amputations either in Iraq or more commonly in Landstuhl, Germany and coming home with prosthetics of varying sophistication.

There are a couple of interesting recent additions to the Internet that cover these issues. One is an article by Steve Silberman in Wired and the other very interesting site is Stuart Hughes blog. Stuart is a world news producer with the BBC who unfortunately stepped on a landmine covering the Iraq war and now writes fairly frequently about "stumpy" and his prosthetic leg.

Robotic or semi-robotic prosthesis are going to be more and more in demand because ironically of advances in battlefield armor. Current flak jackets (body armor) and helmets are protecting the vital bits of our soldiers, but often limbs (and necks) are sites of damage from explosions and firearms. Many of these soldiers are undergoing amputations either in Iraq or more commonly in Landstuhl, Germany and coming home with prosthetics of varying sophistication.

There are a couple of interesting recent additions to the Internet that cover these issues. One is an article by Steve Silberman in Wired and the other very interesting site is Stuart Hughes blog. Stuart is a world news producer with the BBC who unfortunately stepped on a landmine covering the Iraq war and now writes fairly frequently about "stumpy" and his prosthetic leg.

" The record is long taken. Another bit of the space race the Russians did first! Source"

THANKS! I've always wanted some info about Sex in Space. However, it still begs the question as to anyone has claimed the hetero OR homosexual flag. The Russian man and woman in question were both married to other people, and would not confess the adultery, so no official record there. And no gay astronauts have leapt forward for the prize, either, so the Grand Prize of First Coupling in Space is still (publically and officially) open for all comers. Um.

"Also, you do not need a woman for sex."

I covered my ass thusly:
"The record for first man-woman sex in orbit is open for the taking!"

If you put this together with an article over on wired about how the brain takes several hours to get out of "video game mode" this article becomes a little scarier. article at wired news http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,66225,00.ht ml

The record is long taken. Another bit of the space race the Russians did first! Source

Also, you do not need a woman for sex.

SmartWater - a clear liquid containing microscopic particles encoded with a unique forensic signature that, when found coated on stolen property, provides a precise trace back to the owner and, when detected on a suspect, can conclusively implicate a felon. It's big with the UK police. Check out this article on Wired

Perhaps an abiogenic origin of hydrocarbons as suggested by the late Thomas Gold is also a possibility. Ie the methane is due to huge amounts of oil under the martian crust, and *not* due to dead animals.

That's a good point I haven't heard much talk about.

OTOH I keep reading news about the space elevator http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57536, 00.html

Carbon nanotubes may be the answer to ribbon strength and researchers keep coming up with ways to make them longer. Maybe by the time commercial space travel becomes viable we'll be spooling this stuff out like thread.

• The InClass RFID system was developed by two local high school teachers in Sutter, California, who helped found the company, InCom, that markets the system. Last year, the company approached the principal and superintendent of Brittan Elementary School District with the idea of testing InClass. The company offered the elementary school a donation of "a couple thousand dollars," according to the school's attorney, Paul Nicholas Boylan, as compensation for possible inconveniences caused by the test.

Wired's latest issue has an article on how the US should be switching to nuclear power. It's fairly lengthy, but very interesting. You can find it online: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/nuclear.h tml

From the wired article I originally mentioned (mod this post informative, not me),

Believe it or not, a coal-fired plant releases 100 times more radioactive material than an equivalent nuclear reactor - right into the air, too, not into some carefully guarded storage site.

Also, my (albiet very limited) understanding of history is that Carter banned reprocessing for military reasons (now invalid).

TF(W)A:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/nuclear.h tml

Good article on Wired about a safe way to do Nuclear power. Still need to get rid of the waste, but at least meltdowns wouldn't be a problem.

We've missed out on a lot by not developong nuclear plants over the last 25 years. As other posters have said, its here now, and its the cleanest we have.

It's still not as dumb as robots that eat meat! from the linked article " the robot is known for fun as Chew Chew" - FOR FUN! You may be laughing on the other sides of your cheeks when "Chew Chew"'s descendents are featsing on your guts in front of you. For fun! For shame! Both Bill Joy and The Register were right all along.

AutoID + ZeroConfig + IP6 + quantum computing + evolutionary computing + nanotech + biotech + runaway capitalism = things that are somehow NOT supposed to eat us. I say good luck.

Deep linking is perfectly legal.

Looks like Red Hat's plans are going straight down the toilet.