Slashback: Cheats, Entries, Loki

Slashback tonight brings you updates to previous stories on computer-class cheating, Smoothwall, AIBO hacking, the Open Source Directory, and the fate of Loki's CVS. Read on below for the details! Jon Masters was one of the many to write in after recent articles about automated cheat-detection employed in undergraduate CS classes to catch plagiarists. "Hi, cheat detection is hardly new. For example The University Of Nottingham have developed an automated marking/plagarism detection system as part of their CourseMaster software. Personally I don't agree with automated assessment in general, however plagarism detection can be useful."

From the email I've gotten on it, it seems like a whole passel of schools have at least a homegrown solution to CS cheats.

Perhaps the cute dog will end up changing Sony's stance? CodeMonkey555 writes "Here is a story that chronicles Sony's little foray into the DMCA with a hacker who added software for the Aibo robot."

It's nice to see that publications like SciAm are following the results and consequences of the DMCA.

Care to help edit an online software reference? SteveMallett writes "We at Open Source Directory (OSD) have opened the directory to volunteer editors now that we've given app authors and maintainer's a good chance to start and/or maintain their own listings.

Those interested may wish to visit our volunteer page which outlines what we're looking for. Don't worry. We're not that picky. The outline includes guidelines and tips for being a volunteer. Unlike dmoz, which has volunteer editors, we _will_ delete unupdated or neglected editor work in accordance to our Social Contract.

We hope that editors will help fill in the missing apps, take over those listings that they can do a better job of or have become neglected, and find those diamonds in the rough."

See our earlier post about the project if you're not sure what this is about.

Yes, someone has to read all those emails. kcurtis writes "Boston.com's tech site has this AP article about the large response to the Court's request for comment on the MS case's proposed settlement."

Now all they need is a trowel with an emblazoned smiley. enigma48 writes "Looks like the C'T article a little while ago about Smoothwall prompted some changes after all. Juergen Schmidt even gets a little credit. Shadow passwords are now in, but it looks like the ppp secrets file is still open (they describe it as being a "non-vulnerability"). A-patchin' I will go, a-patchin' I will go..."

So you don't have to stop playing your games ... Scott Draeker of Loki has some encouraging words for those who thought the announced (upcoming) closure of Loki would mean the loss of Loki's code and community. Draeker sent word of this a few days ago, but here are more details.

He writes:

"We have prepared tarballs of the public CVS, FAQs, mailing list archives, demos and Loki_Update which will be available for people to host. That's exactly what's going on with icculus.org.

The official repository will be hosted by the SEUL group at MIT. Once that site is set up we'll point the loki domains that direction. They'll also be adding some Loki projects to public CVS which were never completed."

Comments

Computer Class cheating

[commonchaos]

ahh... good, the last post on "CS anti-cheating" spawned way too many posts about Counter-Strike...

Re:My Experience With the Linux

[MADCOWbeserk]

I'm sorry but Linux should and does perform at equal or better than NT in "almost" every situation. My instinct tells me either you configured your systems extradinarily poorly, or you used Linux in an application it is poorly suited for.

All you are doing is starting a flame war. Does it occur to you that desprite your confidence in your programming skills, you might not have any idea what you are actually doing.

Morons like him, maintain monopolies...

A Reign of Error

[xah]

Slashback tonight brings you updates to previous stories on computer-class cheating, Smoothwall, AIBO hacking, the Open Source Directory, and the fate of Loki's CVS.

It's just "computer class cheating."

Read on below for the details! Jon Masters was one of the many to write in after recent articles about automated cheat-detection employed in undergraduate CS classes to catch plagiarists. "Hi, cheat detection is hardly new.

This isn't even consistent. It's either "cheat-detection" or "cheat detection." I would advise the latter.

For example The University Of Nottingham have developed an automated marking/plagarism detection system as part of their CourseMaster software.

Insert a comma after "example." It should be "the University of Nottingham has."

Personally I don't agree with automated assessment in general, however plagarism detection can be useful."

Insert commas after "Personally" and "however." Change "can" to "would."

From the email I've gotten on it, it seems like a whole passel of schools have at least a homegrown solution to CS cheats.

That's either "e-mail" or "Email."

[...] SteveMallett writes "We at Open Source Directory (OSD) have opened the directory to volunteer editors now that we've given app authors and maintainer's a good chance to start and/or maintain their own listings.

That should be "maintainers." Don't use the horrible formation "and/or." The word "or" is sufficiently ambiguous.

Unlike dmoz, which has volunteer editors, we _will_ delete unupdated or neglected editor work in accordance to our Social Contract.

Capitalize "DMOZ." The word "unupdated," is, IMNSHO, a monstrosity. How about "out of date?"

We hope that editors will help fill in the missing apps, take over those listings that they can do a better job of or have become neglected, and find those diamonds in the rough."

At this point, the language has become so bad that it is impossible to understand what is being said.

Yes, someone has to read all those emails.

It's a personal decision now on whether "e-mail" is in plural form without the suffix "s," but it simply cannot be written as "emails." If you add the "s," it's either "e-mails" or "Emails."

kcurtis writes "Boston.com's tech site has this AP article about the large response to the Court's request for comment on the MS case's proposed settlement."

As journalists, you need to be more careful in your use of the word "court." Either say "the court request," or "the United States District Court's request." (I'm not sure which court we are talking about here, so I guessed.) Regarding style, you should make it clearer who proposed the settlement.

[...]Shadow passwords are now in, but it looks like the ppp secrets file is still open (they describe it as being a "non-vulnerability").

Capitalize "PPP." Turn the words in parentheses into a different sentence.

[...] Once that site is set up we'll point the loki domains that direction. They'll also be adding some Loki projects to public CVS which were never completed."

Be consistent. Always capitalize "Loki."

Here's to a better Slashdot. The Slashdot editors would do well to purchase a copy of Garner's "Modern American Usage." It's a fine reference book.

BTW, my caustic comments are all addressed to Slashdot's editors, and not to submitters. It's Slashdot's responsibility to use good language.

Re:A Reign of Error

[belg4mit]

>"email" no longer *means* "electronic mail"
What?! Says who? Since when? Where?

>according to Google "email" is about ten times as common as "e-mail" on the Web
Could it be because
a) it's one keystroke less
b) most people don't know how to hyphenate in the first place? That and/or they generally don't give a flying rat's @$$ about grammar when on the internet.