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ElcomSoft Files For Dismissal Of E-Book Case
EconomyGuy writes: "ElcomSoft, the Russian software company accused of such evils as producing software to enable the blind to read legally obtained e-books, has filed for a dismissal of the charge that they violated the DMCA. Their main arguments seem to be what we anyone would expect: the DMCA is too vague, copyright holders have too much power, infringement of 1st amendment rights. CNN has all the details, as well as news.com. Interesting to note that there is no mention of the 'we didn't violate Russian law' argument." The efforts to get the case dismissed will no doubt continue.
Someone who teaches at a Middle School in Safety Harbor, Florida forwarded the following letter.
The letter was sent to the principal's office after the school had sponsored a luncheon for the elderly. An old lady received a new radio at the lunch, and was writing to say thanks.
Dear Safety Harbor Middle School:
I know God blesses you for the beautiful radio I won at your recent Senior citizens luncheon. I am 84 years old and live at the Safety Harbor Assisted Home for the Aged. All of my family has passed away. I am all alone now and it's nice to know that someone is thinking of me. God bless you for your kindness to an old forgotten lady.
My roommate is 95 and always had her own radio, but before I received One she would never let me listen to hers, even when she was napping. The other day her radio fell off the nightstand and broke into a lot of pieces. It was awful and she was in tears. She asked if she could listen to mine, and I said fuck you. Thank you again,
Sincerely,
Edna
Shame on you, sir/madam, for your filthy karma whoring. We all did it once, but it's not big, and it's not clever.
Coming in so low that they barely avoided the buildings, the crew knew they would probably loose their lives in this run, but this bombing was important. Finally, America would have Justice! Adobe would be a crispier than overcooked McDonald's French Fries within the hour.
Major "Kong" King teared through the sky with a passion on to what would soon be the final resting place of him and his crew. Although he did not know exactly why he was commanded to bomb this seemingly unimportant company, he knew one thing--he hated Adobe and and everything related to it. He wasn't sure why he hated Adobe so, but it had always been that way. Even his mother and father had nurtured his hatred of this company. Soon, he would take out his anger with a devestating, multiple-megaton blast.
Sweat began to pour from King's brow.
Target? In sight.
Bay doors? Check.
Nuclear device? Armed.
His eyes narrowed with an intensity few men have ever matched. With a simple command to his navigator, he launched The Device onto the unsuspecting populace of Adobe. Within seconds, they were burnt to such an extreme that Chernobyl would seem like a mild sunburn after a relaxing day at the beach.
In the last moments of his life, Major King thought of his mother. He went pee, then an overwhelming sense of warmth encircled him. Redmond was no more. He was happy. And rather dead.
Kds'r L`jd Tmhw Mns Rtbj
Lhftdk cd Hb`y` (lhftdk@gdkhwbncd.bnl)
Gdkhw Bncd+ Hmb.
Hmsqnctbshnm
Sgd Tmhw rxrsdl+ cdrhfmdc `mc bnmrsqtbsdc hm sgd 6/r ax odnokd khuhmf hm ` udqx cheedqdms vnqkc eqnl tr+ g`r rs`fm`sdc. Tmhw g`r rnld fnnc pt`khshdr+ `mc sgdx g`ud s`jdm tr ` knmf v`x. Ats sgd oqnakdlr hm Tmhw `qd adbnlhmf hmbqd`rhmfkx bkd`q+ `mc sgdx `qd gnkchmf tr a`bj. Hs hr shld sn s`jd ` fnnc g`qc knnj `s Tmhw+ sn qdbnfmhyd vg`s'r aqnjdm+ `mc sn ehw hs. Hm sghr `qshbkd+ H cdrbqhad rnld ne sgd oqnakdlr sg`s vd hm sgd eqdd rnesv`qd vnqkc ltrs e`bd+ `mc chrbtrr sgd v`xr hm vghbg sgd FMNLD oqnidbs hr `ccqdrrhmf sgdl.
H f`ud ` s`kj.
Lx qdbdms oqdrdms`shnm `s Nss`v` Khmtw Rxlonrhtl rs`qsdc ax rs`shmf sg`s Tmhw rtbjdc. Sghr v`r ` otmbg khmd sg`s H entmc fnnc sn hmsqnctbd sgd uhrhnm vd g`ud hm sgd FMNLD oqnidbs sn `ccqdrr ` mtladq ne oqnakdlr hm Tmhw vgdm hs bnldr sn bncd qdtrd+ bnmrhrsdmbx `mc tr`ahkhsx. Sghr hr sgd uhrhnm ne sgd FMNLD oqnidbs `mc sghr v`r sgd rtaidbs ne lx s`kj.
H v`r `ccqdrrhmf sgd rnesv`qd cdudknodqr hm sgd eqdd rnesv`qd bnlltmhsx sg`s vdqd `ssdmchmf sgd Nss`v` Khmtw Rxlonrhtl. Lx s`kj v`r cdrhfmdc sn dwonrd ` mtladq ne ek`vr hm TMHW+ `mc sn oqdrdms ` bnmbqdsd oqnonr`k nm gnv rnld ne sgdrd oqnakdlr b`m ad `ccqdrrdc. Sgd hcd` v`r sn hrrtd ` b`kk sn cdudknodqr sn gdko qd`khyd sghr uhrhnm.
H v`r rod`jhmf sn ` khud `tchdmbd+ `mc hs v`r ` etm s`kj sn fhud. H gnod sgd `tchdmbd g`c etm khrsdmhmf sn hs. Sgd s`kj r`ckx cndr mns sq`mrk`sd vdkk sn ` l`hmrsqd`l sgqdd o`q`fq`og rtll`qx `mc ltbg kdrr sn sgd rhmfkd otmbg khmd: "Tmhw Rtbjr".
H g`ud qdbdhudc ` k`qfd `lntms ne l`hk `esdq sgd onrs v`r rdms sn Rk`rgcns `mc sn kvm `ants `ksdqm`shud nodq`shmf rxrsdlr sg`s "cn mns rtbj". Sgd bg`q`bsdqhy`shnm ne lx s`kj v`r bnlokdsdkx hm`bbtq`sd: rtqd+ Tmhw hr mns sgd adrs rxrsdl nts sgdqd+ ats vd hmsdmc sn ehw sghr oqnakdl. Sgd hmsdmshnm ne lx s`kj v`r sn l`jd odnokd qd`khyd vg`s v`r vqnmf+ `mc bnmudx sgd tmhehdc uhrhnm sg`s vd g`ud hm sgd FMNLD oqnidbs sn `ccqdrr sgdrd hrrtdr.
Sgd bnmsdmsr ne sghr s`kj vdqd cdrhfmdc vhsg M`s+ vghkd vd vdqd bnmrhcdqhmf lx oqdrdms`shnm enq Trdmhw. H v`ms sn sg`mj M`s dwsdmrhudkx enq ghr gdko oqdo`qhmf sghr s`kj.
Odnokd g`ud rtffdrsdc ` mtladq ne nodq`shmf rxrsdlr sn ld sg`s "cn mns rtbj": ok`m8+ AdNR+ Vhmcnvr MS+ L`bNR W. @mc sgdx g`ud r`hc `He xnt g`sd Tmhw rn ltbg+ fn trd sgnrd'. Sgd fn`k ne lx oqdrdms`shnm v`r sn aqhmf hmsn sgd khfgs sgd oqnakdlr ne Tmhw `mc oqdrdms bnmbqdsd rnktshnmr sn `ccqdrr hsr oqnakdlr. H `l lnrskx hmsdqdrsdc hm eqdd Tmhw rxrsdlr khjd FMT/Khmtw `mc sgd ARC e`lhkx.
Vgdm H trd sgd vnqc "eqdd" hm sghr cnbtldms H `l trhmf hs hm sgd bnmsdws trdc ax sgd Eqdd Rnesv`qd Entmc`shnm+ xnt b`m qd`c lnqd `ants hs gdqd: gsso://vvv.fmt.nqf/oghknrnogx/eqdd-rv.gslk
Rnesv`qd enq sgd odnokd
@r o`qs ne sgd FMT oqnidbs vd `qd sqxhmf sn aqhmf eqdd rnesv`qd sn odnokd. Vd `qd sqxhmf sn fhud odnokd ` mtladq ne eqddcnlr sg`s sq`chshnm`k rnesv`qd bnlo`mhdr g`ud mns fq`msdc xnt.
Sgd rs`sd ne FMT `mc Khmtw sgqdd xd`qr `fn v`r rnldsghmf `lnmf sgd khmdr ne `` vnmcdqetk eqdd Tmhw hlokdldms`shnm'. Vd g`c ` rxrsdl sg`s v`r `r onvdqetk `r Tmhw+ `mc `r trdq eqhdmckx `r Tmhw.
Sgd naidbshud ne sgd FMT `mc FMNLD oqnidbsr hr sn aqhmf sghr rnesv`qd `mc fq`ms eqddcnl sn `r l`mx odnokd `r onrrhakd. Sghr ld`mr oqnuhchmf rnesv`qd sg`s hr d`rx sn trd+ hmsthshud+ `ood`khmf `mc sg`s eddkr "qhfgs" enq dmc trdqr. Dmc trdqr `qd hlonqs`ms+ adb`trd sgdx `qd sgd u`rs l`inqhsx ne odnokd.
Cn mns ad bnmetrdc. Sgd l`inqhsx ne odnokd cn mns trd bnlotsdqr sn cn oqnfq`llhmf+ mnq sn kd`qm gnv sn trd mqnee+ mnq sn qtm ` vda rdqudq. Sgd l`inqhsx ne odnokd trd bnlotsdqr sn rhlokhex sgdhq khudr+ sn bnlltmhb`sd vhsg odnokd+ sn fds vnqj cnmd+ nq sn g`ud etm.
Ntq vnqj hr mns `ants sdbgmnknfx enq hsr nvm r`jd. Hs hr `ants aqhmfhmf eqdd sdbgmnknfx sn odnokd.
Tmhw hr ` udqx onvdqetk entmc`shnm. Hs hr gdqd+ `mc vd b`m athkc nm sno ne hs hmrsd`c ne qdhmudmshmf ` bnlokdsd mdv rxrsdl.
Sgd Tmhw Oqnakdl
Tmhw v`r cdrhfmdc hm sgd 6/'r+ `mc hs hmbktcdc ` vhcd q`mfd ne udqx hmsdqdrshmf bnmbdost`k ed`stqdr. @s sgd shld hs v`r cdrhfmdc hs cdehmhsdkx rds ` mdv rs`mc`qc enq sgd v`xr vd sgntfgs ne nodq`shmf rxrsdl. @ fqd`s `bbnlokhrgldms.
Hs vntkc ad ennkhrg sn sghmj sg`s sgd btqqdms `arsq`bshnmr vd g`ud cdoknxdc hm Tmhw `qd rteehbhdms `mc sg`s sgdx `qd fnnc dmntfg+ `mc sg`s vd `qd cnhmf itrs ehmd.
Hs vntkc ad ennkhrg sn sghmj sg`s Tmhw hm 0/ xd`qr vhkk ad itrs ehmd vhsg vg`s vd g`ud mnv+ `mc sg`s `kk sgd hmeq`-rsqtbstq`k ohdbdr sg`s vdqd cdrhfmdc nudq sgd k`rs 2/ xd`qr `qd rteehbhdms `mc sg`s mn vnqj g`r sn ad cnmd hmeq`-rsqtbstq`kkx vhrd `mc sg`s nmkx mdv `ookhb`shnmr `qd qdpthqdc.
Vd g`ud addm vnqjhmf nm bqd`shmf ` cdrjsno `mc ` rthsd ne oqnctbshuhsx `ookhb`shnmr enq sghr cdrjsno+ `mc ctqhmf sghr oqnbdrr vd g`ud entmc sg`s ` mtladq ne sdbgmnknfhdr sg`s `qd `u`hk`akd nm nsgdq rxrsdlr itrs cn mns dwhrs nm Tmhw+ `mc sgdqd hr mn bnmbdqsdc deenqs sn oqnuhcd sgdrd.
Qdldladq Tmhw sgqdd xd`qr `fn:
* Mn hmmnu`shnm v`r g`oodmhmf.
* Mn bncd qdtrd v`r g`oodmhmf.
* Sgdqd v`r ` k`bj ne a`rhb e`bhkhshdr enq `cnoshnm nm sgd cdrjsno.
* Sgd khsskd hmmnu`shnm sg`s v`r g`oodmhmf v`r oqnoqhds`qx.
Mn bncd qdtrd.
Vd adkhdud sg`s Tmhw adb`ld rs`fm`ms adb`trd sgdqd v`r khsskd bncd qdtrd g`oodmhmf nm sgd k`qfdq rb`kd Tmhw `ookhb`shnmr+ `mc odnokd vdqd enbtrhmf nm udqx rl`kk hloqnudldmsr sg`s chc mns g`ud `m `qbghsdbstq`k hlo`bs.
Hmmnu`shnm v`r oqnoqhds`qx
Hm sgd udqx edv b`rdr vgdqd l`inq rtarxrsdlr hm Tmhw vdqd qdcdrhfmdc+ sgnrd qdcdrhfmr vdqd jdos `r oqnoqhds`qx dwsdmrhnmr+ vghbg `f`hm ld`ms mnsghmf he xnt vdqd knnjhmf `s sgd ahf ohbstqd. Enq hmrs`mbd+ bnmrhcdq Chrok`x Onrsrbqhos. Mn eqdd hlokdldms`shnm dwhrsdc+ `mc dudm snc`x hs hr mns o`qs ne ` rs`mc`qc eqdd rxrsdl. Oqnoqhds`qx hmmnu`shnm ld`mr mnsghmf sn tr.
Rn vd adkhdud sg`s hmmnu`shnm hm sgd Tmhw vnqkc b`m nmkx bnld he vd `kk vnqj hm ` bnllnm bncd a`rd: `m nodm rntqbd bncd a`rd. He sgdqd `qd rsqhmfr `ss`bgdc sn sgd rnesv`qd+ sgdm sg`s ohdbd ne rnesv`qd vhkk itrs mns fds `cnosdc.
Mn bnmbdqsdc deenqs
Sgd edv eqdd rnesv`qd deenqsr sg`s vdqd vnqjhmf snv`qcr oqnctbhmf mdv rnesv`qd sn jddo Tmhw bnlodshshud vdqd mns vnqjhmf snfdsgdq `mc a`qdkx g`c `mx rs`mc`qcr nq hmsdq-nodq`ahkhsx ed`stqdr.
Bnmrhcdq sgd u`qhntr vhmcnv l`m`fdqr `mc sgdhq bnmehftq`shnm k`mft`fdr; Bnmrhcdq sgd u`qhntr oqnfq`llhmf k`mft`fdr hm Tmhw; Bnmrhcdq sgd u`qhntr jhkkdq `ookhb`shnmr hm Tmhw. Mnancx v`r rg`qhmf `mx bncd `s `kk.
Mn onkhbhdr.
Hm sgd TMHW jdqmdk+ sgd sq`chshnm hr sn mns hlokdldms onkhbx. Sghr `ooqn`bg `mc oghknrnogx odqld`sdr sgd vgnkd TMHW rxrsdl.
Enq hmrs`mbd+ dudm W-Vhmcnvr[0] `unhcr drs`akhrghmf onkhbhdr enq `mxsghmf.
Vg`s vd g`ud dmcdc to vhsg hr sgd tkshl`sd oktff`akd rxrsdl: sgd tkshl`sd "vqhsd xntq nvm" nodq`shmf rxrsdl.
Cdudknodqr sqxhmf sn r`shrex dudqx onrrhakd trdq eqnl dudqx onrrhakd a`bjfqntmc+ enq dudqx onrrhakd s`rj dmc to l`jhmf dudqxsghmf `m noshnm`k ed`stqd. Sgdx dmc to mns rs`mc`qchyhmf nm `mxsghmf `mc kd`uhmf onkhbx sn `ookhb`shnmr.
Sgd oqnakdl hr sg`s kd`uhmf sgd onkhbx sn hmchuhct`k `ookhb`shnmr ld`mr sg`s d`bg `ookhb`shnm fdsr sn cdbhcd hsr onkhbx+ hsr trdq hmsdqe`bd+ hsr bnmehftq`shnm ehkdr+ `mc hsr nvm v`x ne cnhmf sghmfr.
Sghr kd`cr sn ` bnlokdsd k`bj ne bnmrhrsdmbx nm fq`oghb`k `ookhb`shnmr. Hs hr mns itrs ` l`ssdq ne snnkjhs eq`fldms`shnm: dudm he xnt bnlo`qd Lnshe `ookhb`shnmr xnt vhkk rdd sg`s sgdx adg`ud q`chb`kkx cheedqdms vgdm sgdx g`ud sn cd`k vhsg sgd nodq`shmf rxrsdl `mc vhsg sgd trdq oqdedqdmbdr `mc vhsg sgd dmuhqnmldms hm fdmdq`k.
Rtqd+ vd g`ud sgd tkshl`sd oktf-`mc-ok`x rxrsdl+ `s sgd dwodmrd ne g`uhmf ` a`qdkx hmsdfq`sdc dmuhqnmldms.
Tmhw snc`x hr lnqd ne ` bnkkdbshnm ne ntsc`sdc `mc knnrdkx bntokdc snnkr. Sgd qdrtks hr ` qdl`qj`akx knv-pt`khsx dwodqhdmbd enq trdqr.
Bncd rg`qhmf
Hm sgd o`rs khsskd bncd rg`qhmf g`r g`oodmdc. Sgdqd `qd u`qhntr qd`rnmr enq sghr oqnakdl:
* Odnokd chc mns athkc qdtr`akd khaq`qhdr eqnl dwhrshmf oqnidbsr.
* Odnokd chc mns v`ms sn `cc cdodmcdmbhdr sn sgdhq bncd (enq hmrs`mbd+ K`qr Vhqydmhtr `ssdlosdc sn cdudkno ` khaq`qx ne bnllnm B qntshmdr sg`s a`qdkx r`v `mx `cnoshnm ctd sn sgd cdodmcdmbx hrrtd).
* K`bj ne knmf sdql ok`mr enq sgd Tmhw ok`senql.
* Ed`q ne rs`mc`qchyhmf.
Hm sgd FMNLD oqnidbs+ vd g`ud s`jdm ` cheedqdms `ooqn`bg. Hm sgd FMNLD oqnidbs:
* Vd `qd rs`mc`qchyhmf sgd v`x `ookhb`shnmr rgntkc adg`ud.
* Vd `qd oqnuhchmf onkhbhdr sgqntfg ntq khaq`qhdr sn l`jd `ookhb`shnmr bnlokh`ms sn sgd FMNLD knnj `mc eddk vghkd qdctbhmf cdudknodq o`hm.
* Vd `qd kdudq`fhmf sgd onvdq ne dwhrshmf khaq`qhdr ax qdtrhmf sgdl hm FMNLD.
* Vd `qd athkchmf nm sno ne vg`s vd g`ud hmrsd`c ne `ssdloshmf sn bqd`sd bnkkdbshnmr ne snnkr sg`s `qd etkkx "hmcdodmcdms" `mc sg`s `qd etkkx "bnmehftq`akd" enq dudqx trdq nm sgd ok`mds `mc sgdhq bntrhm.
Vd `qd bqd`shmf khaq`qhdr sg`s `ccqdrr u`qhntr mddcr ne lncdqm `ookhb`shnmr+ `mc vd dmbntq`fd cdudknodqr sn trd sgdrd khaq`qhdr. Ax trhmf sgdrd khaq`qhdr+ xnt a`rhb`kkx `unhc vqhshmf bncd sg`s vd `kqd`cx vqnsd enq xnt. @mc vg`s hr dudm adssdq hr sg`s vgdm vd hloqnud sgd khaq`qhdr+ xntq `ookhb`shnm hr hloqnudc `r vdkk.
Tmhw ur Vhm/L`b
H g`ud rddm l`mx shldr odnokd cdedmchmf sgd fqd`smdrr ne Tmhw ax bnlo`qhmf sgd fnnc sghmfr ne Tmhw `f`hmrs sgd a`c sghmfr ne nsgdq nodq`shmf rxrsdlr. H g`ud cnmd sghr lxrdke hm sgd o`rs.
Gdqd hr ` bnllnm oqnakdl: odnokd enbtr nm sgdhq rsqdmfsgr `mc hfmnqd sgdhq ek`vr vgdm hs bnldr sn `mxsghmf sg`s hr cd`q sn sgdl. Dudm vnqrd+ vgdm bnlo`qhmf vhsg `mnsgdq bnlodshmf dmshsx+ sgdx enbtr nm sgdhq vd`jmdrrdr `mc hfmnqd sgdhq rsqdmfsgr.
Sgd oqnakdl vhsg sghr `ooqn`bg `s knnjhmf `s sghmfr hr sg`s dudmst`kkx sgd bnlodshshnm vhkk b`sbg to vhsg xnt. @s sgd shld xnt qd`khyd sghr+ sgdx `kqd`cx fns xntq ed`stqdr+ `mc xnt g`ud mnmd ne sgdhqr.
Sghr hr vgx hs hr udqx hlonqs`ms sn jddo ` rdke-bqhshb`k `ooqn`bg `mc sqx sn hloqnud sghmfr adenqd hs hr snn k`sd.
Enq hmrs`mbd+ H qdldladq sgd fknqhntr c`xr vgdm Khmtw rs`qsdc: ` bnlo`qhrnm ne Vhm 2.0 ur Khmtw 0./ `kv`xr b`ld cnvm vhsg Khmtw vhmmhmf dudqx shld: vd g`c ` ltksh-s`rjhmf NR+ ` rnqs ne qdkh`akd rxrsdl+ ` fnnc mdsvnqj `arsq`bshnm+ ` rknvhrg vhmcnvhmf rxrsdl (ats gdx+ vgn trdc W `mxv`xr? vd itrs v`msdc ` sdws bnmrnkd)+ vd bntkc qtm vda rdqudqr nts ne ntq anwdr `mc rn nm. Vd bntkc cn sghmfr sg`s Vhmcnvr vntkc mdudq ad `akd sn cn: adb`trd sgdx chc mns g`ud ` ltksh-s`rjhmf rxrsdl.
Sgdm Vhmcnvr84 b`ld `knmf `mc Vhmcnvr MS b`ld `knmf. Mnv sgnrd rxrsdlr vdqd b`sbghmf to. Ne bntqrd+ sgdx rshkk odqenqldc onnqkx vgdm hs b`ld sn qdkh`ahkhsx+ ats sgdhq trdq hmsdqe`bd v`r mhbd (vghbg vd k`bjdc)+ `mc sgdx g`c sgd `ookhb`shnmr (vghbg vd `krn k`bjdc).
@mc mnv Vhmcnvr 1/// g`r addm qdkd`rdc. Rtqd+ hs rshkk bq`rgdr+ ats hs hr fdsshmf adssdq nm dudqx qdkd`rd. @mc hs mn knmfdq g`r rtbg ` k`qfd hlo`bs nm trdqr.
Tmjmnvm sn sgd tmsq`hmdc dxd+ ` k`qfd qdu`lo ne sgd bnqd ne sgnrd nodq`shmf rxrsdlr v`r g`oodmhmf `s sgd shld: sgdhq BNL bnlonmdms `qbghsdbstqd vghbg v`r nqhfhm`kkx cdudknodc sn rnkud nsgdq oqnakdlr v`r entmc sn ad ` udqx fnnc fdmdq`k rnktshnm sn l`mx oqnakdlr: eqnl rb`k`ahkhsx oqnakdlr enq rnesv`qd cdudknoldms+ sn bncd qdtrd `mc sn bnmrhrsdmbx[1].
@qd vd fnhmf sn ad `akd sn cdkhudq ` rxrsdl sg`s hr sdm shldr adssdq sg`m sgd oqnoqhds`qx needqhmf? H sghmj vd rgntkc.
H cn mns sghmj eqdd rnesv`qd vhkk rtbbddc hm hsr btqqdms rg`od: ` kns ne vnqj mddcr sn ad cnmd sn `ccqdrr sgd mddcr ne lncdqm trdqr.
Qdldladq+ sghr hr rnesv`qd enq l`jhmf odnokd'r khed d`rhdq.
Rtll`qx
Rnesv`qd hr vqhssdm sn rnkud odnokd'r oqnakdlr. Vd rgntkc cdrhfm rnesv`qd hm rtbg ` v`x sg`s sgd rnesv`qd `c`osr sn sgd mddcr ne odnokd+ q`sgdq sg`m sgd nsgdq v`x `qntmc.
Tmhw hr ` bnlokdw rxrsdl hmsdqm`kkx cdrohsd hsr rhlokhbhsx hm hsr cdrhfm+ ats hs hr mns ` rxrsdl qd`cx enq dmc trdqr. @mc sghr hr vg`s sgd FMNLD oqnidbs hr athkchmf nm sno ne sgd dwhrshmf Tmhw entmc`shnm.
Vgdm xnt cdudkno `ookhb`shnmr+ jddo sgd dmc trdq hm lhmc.
Enq sgd qdrs ne sgd o`odq+ H knnj `s rnld rodbhehb dw`lokdr ne rnesv`qd oqnakdlr vghbg Tmhw btqqdmskx cndr mns `ccqdrr nq `ccqdrrdr udqx onnqkx. Sgdm+ H rgnv xnt gnv sgd FMNLD oqnidbs hr rnkuhmf sgnrd oqnakdlr.
Dick Cheney's
... You just cannot accept
bonehead Enron play
The veep from Big Business just
doesn't get it: Hiding behind
executive privilege only reinforces
the sense that he's hiding something
smelly.
By Scott Rosenberg
Jan. 29, 2002 | Last spring, Vice President Dick Cheney closed
the doors of the meetings of the energy policy task force he
headed. At the time it seemed a signal of the spirit our new "CEO
president" wanted to bring to the executive branch: To hell with
"sunshine laws" and public accountability; the new administration
was going to Get Things Done like a Fortune 500 company, and if
you're Getting Things Done the last thing you need to be bothered
with is public oversight.
A lot has happened in the year since. If there was any doubt that big
corporations operating without sufficient public accountability
can run off the rails and cause a lot of damage, Enron has sealed
the case.
This sea change in perspective does not seem to have penetrated
the bunker Dick Cheney has been inhabiting, figuratively and
literally, since Sept. 11. While the collapse of Enron is giving the
nation a dramatic lesson in the importance of conscientious public
disclosure, Cheney is still manning the barricades, pinstripes
waving, defending the Bush team's dearly held principle: "Damn
the public -- secrecy first!"
In stonewalling the request by Congress's General Accounting
Office for records of the energy task force's meetings, Cheney has
invoked the hallowed principle of executive privilege. He told a
weekend news show that the request is "unprecedented in the sense
that it would make it virtually impossible for me to have
confidential conversations with anybody
that proposition without putting a chill over the ability of the
president and vice president to receive unvarnished advice."
Now, "executive privilege" means only one thing to anyone who's
old enough to remember the Watergate hearings -- or, if you're too
young for that, anyone who tuned in to the Iran-Contra debacle --
or, hell, if you're too young for that, anyone who can recall the
Lewinsky affair (so by now we're basically including the entire
population of the United States). "Executive privilege" means "I
have something to hide."
You and that freakin' faggot Michael, who posted this the first time, can kiss my ass!
no...it is my dik cuming in ur motherz ass
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How do you interpret ASCII pr0n?
Mod parent up, +1; informative. Fuck that bitch has a wide ass!
Radios dont break into many peices you fuckhead unless you drop it off a 3rd story window. I dont care how cheap the radio was.
The moderators must have been smoking that $3 crack again!
Fuck you.
Sincerely,
Edna
Somebody mod this crap down, please? It is both boring and off-topic.
Sgd Tmhw rxrsdl+ cdrhfmdc `mc bnmrsqtbsdc hm sgd 6/r ax odnokd khuhmf hm ` udqx cheedqdms vnqkc eqnl tr+ g`r rs`fm`sdc. Tmhw g`r rnld fnnc pt`khshdr+ `mc sgdx g`ud s`jdm tr ` knmf v`x. Ats sgd oqnakdlr hm Tmhw `qd adbnlhmf hmbqd`rhmfkx bkd`q+ `mc sgdx `qd gnkchmf tr a`bj. Hs hr shld sn s`jd ` fnnc g`qc knnj `s Tmhw+ sn qdbnfmhyd vg`s'r aqnjdm+ `mc sn ehw hs. Hm sghr `qshbkd+ H cdrbqhad rnld ne sgd oqnakdlr sg`s vd hm sgd eqdd rnesv`qd vnqkc ltrs e`bd+ `mc chrbtrr sgd v`xr hm vghbg sgd FMNLD oqnidbs hr `ccqdrrhmf sgdl.
H f`ud ` s`kj.
Lx qdbdms oqdrdms`shnm `s Nss`v` Khmtw Rxlonrhtl rs`qsdc ax rs`shmf sg`s Tmhw rtbjdc. Sghr v`r ` otmbg khmd sg`s H entmc fnnc sn hmsqnctbd sgd uhrhnm vd g`ud hm sgd FMNLD oqnidbs sn `ccqdrr ` mtladq ne oqnakdlr hm Tmhw vgdm hs bnldr sn bncd qdtrd+ bnmrhrsdmbx `mc tr`ahkhsx. Sghr hr sgd uhrhnm ne sgd FMNLD oqnidbs `mc sghr v`r sgd rtaidbs ne lx s`kj.
H v`r `ccqdrrhmf sgd rnesv`qd cdudknodqr hm sgd eqdd rnesv`qd bnlltmhsx sg`s vdqd `ssdmchmf sgd Nss`v` Khmtw Rxlonrhtl. Lx s`kj v`r cdrhfmdc sn dwonrd ` mtladq ne ek`vr hm TMHW+ `mc sn oqdrdms ` bnmbqdsd oqnonr`k nm gnv rnld ne sgdrd oqnakdlr b`m ad `ccqdrrdc. Sgd hcd` v`r sn hrrtd ` b`kk sn cdudknodqr sn gdko qd`khyd sghr uhrhnm.
H v`r rod`jhmf sn ` khud `tchdmbd+ `mc hs v`r ` etm s`kj sn fhud. H gnod sgd `tchdmbd g`c etm khrsdmhmf sn hs. Sgd s`kj r`ckx cndr mns sq`mrk`sd vdkk sn ` l`hmrsqd`l sgqdd o`q`fq`og rtll`qx `mc ltbg kdrr sn sgd rhmfkd otmbg khmd: "Tmhw Rtbjr".
H g`ud qdbdhudc ` k`qfd `lntms ne l`hk `esdq sgd onrs v`r rdms sn Rk`rgcns `mc sn kvm `ants `ksdqm`shud nodq`shmf rxrsdlr sg`s "cn mns rtbj". Sgd bg`q`bsdqhy`shnm ne lx s`kj v`r bnlokdsdkx hm`bbtq`sd: rtqd+ Tmhw hr mns sgd adrs rxrsdl nts sgdqd+ ats vd hmsdmc sn ehw sghr oqnakdl. Sgd hmsdmshnm ne lx s`kj v`r sn l`jd odnokd qd`khyd vg`s v`r vqnmf+ `mc bnmudx sgd tmhehdc uhrhnm sg`s vd g`ud hm sgd FMNLD oqnidbs sn `ccqdrr sgdrd hrrtdr.
Sgd bnmsdmsr ne sghr s`kj vdqd cdrhfmdc vhsg M`s+ vghkd vd vdqd bnmrhcdqhmf lx oqdrdms`shnm enq Trdmhw. H v`ms sn sg`mj M`s dwsdmrhudkx enq ghr gdko oqdo`qhmf sghr s`kj.
Odnokd g`ud rtffdrsdc ` mtladq ne nodq`shmf rxrsdlr sn ld sg`s "cn mns rtbj": ok`m8+ AdNR+ Vhmcnvr MS+ L`bNR W. @mc sgdx g`ud r`hc `He xnt g`sd Tmhw rn ltbg+ fn trd sgnrd'. Sgd fn`k ne lx oqdrdms`shnm v`r sn aqhmf hmsn sgd khfgs sgd oqnakdlr ne Tmhw `mc oqdrdms bnmbqdsd rnktshnmr sn `ccqdrr hsr oqnakdlr. H `l lnrskx hmsdqdrsdc hm eqdd Tmhw rxrsdlr khjd FMT/Khmtw `mc sgd ARC e`lhkx.
Vgdm H trd sgd vnqc "eqdd" hm sghr cnbtldms H `l trhmf hs hm sgd bnmsdws trdc ax sgd Eqdd Rnesv`qd Entmc`shnm+ xnt b`m qd`c lnqd `ants hs gdqd: gsso://vvv.fmt.nqf/oghknrnogx/eqdd-rv.gslk
Rnesv`qd enq sgd odnokd
@r o`qs ne sgd FMT oqnidbs vd `qd sqxhmf sn aqhmf eqdd rnesv`qd sn odnokd. Vd `qd sqxhmf sn fhud odnokd ` mtladq ne eqddcnlr sg`s sq`chshnm`k rnesv`qd bnlo`mhdr g`ud mns fq`msdc xnt.
Sgd rs`sd ne FMT `mc Khmtw sgqdd xd`qr `fn v`r rnldsghmf `lnmf sgd khmdr ne `` vnmcdqetk eqdd Tmhw hlokdldms`shnm'. Vd g`c ` rxrsdl sg`s v`r `r onvdqetk `r Tmhw+ `mc `r trdq eqhdmckx `r Tmhw.
Sgd naidbshud ne sgd FMT `mc FMNLD oqnidbsr hr sn aqhmf sghr rnesv`qd `mc fq`ms eqddcnl sn `r l`mx odnokd `r onrrhakd. Sghr ld`mr oqnuhchmf rnesv`qd sg`s hr d`rx sn trd+ hmsthshud+ `ood`khmf `mc sg`s eddkr "qhfgs" enq dmc trdqr. Dmc trdqr `qd hlonqs`ms+ adb`trd sgdx `qd sgd u`rs l`inqhsx ne odnokd.
Cn mns ad bnmetrdc. Sgd l`inqhsx ne odnokd cn mns trd bnlotsdqr sn cn oqnfq`llhmf+ mnq sn kd`qm gnv sn trd mqnee+ mnq sn qtm ` vda rdqudq. Sgd l`inqhsx ne odnokd trd bnlotsdqr sn rhlokhex sgdhq khudr+ sn bnlltmhb`sd vhsg odnokd+ sn fds vnqj cnmd+ nq sn g`ud etm.
Wowsers!
Gotta remember that link!
Let's Make Unix Not Suck
Miguel de Icaza (miguel@helixcode.com)
Helix Code, Inc.
Introduction
The Unix system, designed and constructed in the 70s by people living in a very different world from us, has stagnated. Unix has some good qualities, and they have taken us a long way. But the problems in Unix are becoming increasingly clear, and they are holding us back. It is time to take a good hard look at Unix, to recognize what's broken, and to fix it. In this article, I describe some of the problems that we in the free software world must face, and discuss the ways in which the GNOME project is addressing them.
I gave a talk.
My recent presentation at Ottawa Linux Symposium started by stating that Unix sucked. This was a punch line that I found good to introduce the vision we have in the GNOME project to address a number of problems in Unix when it comes to code reuse, consistency and usability. This is the vision of the GNOME project and this was the subject of my talk.
I was addressing the software developers in the free software community that were attending the Ottawa Linux Symposium. My talk was designed to expose a number of flaws in UNIX, and to present a concrete proposal on how some of these problems can be addressed. The idea was to issue a call to developers to help realize this vision.
I was speaking to a live audience, and it was a fun talk to give. I hope the audience had fun listening to it. The talk sadly does not translate well to a mainstream three paragraph summary and much less to the single punch line: "Unix Sucks".
I have received a large amount of mail after the post was sent to Slashdot and to lwn about alternative operating systems that "do not suck". The characterization of my talk was completely inaccurate: sure, Unix is not the best system out there, but we intend to fix this problem. The intention of my talk was to make people realize what was wrong, and convey the unified vision that we have in the GNOME project to address these issues.
The contents of this talk were designed with Nat, while we were considering my presentation for Usenix. I want to thank Nat extensively for his help preparing this talk.
People have suggested a number of operating systems to me that "do not suck": plan9, BeOS, Windows NT, MacOS X. And they have said aIf you hate Unix so much, go use those'. The goal of my presentation was to bring into the light the problems of Unix and present concrete solutions to address its problems. I am mostly interested in free Unix systems like GNU/Linux and the BSD family.
When I use the word "free" in this document I am using it in the context used by the Free Software Foundation, you can read more about it here: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
Software for the people
As part of the GNU project we are trying to bring free software to people. We are trying to give people a number of freedoms that traditional software companies have not granted you.
The state of GNU and Linux three years ago was something among the lines of aa wonderful free Unix implementation'. We had a system that was as powerful as Unix, and as user friendly as Unix.
The objective of the GNU and GNOME projects is to bring this software and grant freedom to as many people as possible. This means providing software that is easy to use, intuitive, appealing and that feels "right" for end users. End users are important, because they are the vast majority of people.
Do not be confused. The majority of people do not use computers to do programming, nor to learn how to use nroff, nor to run a web server. The majority of people use computers to simplify their lives, to communicate with people, to get work done, or to have fun.
Our work is not about technology for its own sake. It is about bringing free technology to people.
Unix is a very powerful foundation. It is here, and we can build on top of it instead of reinventing a complete new system.
The Unix Problem
Unix was designed in the 70's, and it included a wide range of very interesting conceptual features. At the time it was designed it definitely set a new standard for the ways we thought of operating system. A great accomplishment.
It would be foolish to think that the current abstractions we have deployed in Unix are sufficient and that they are good enough, and that we are doing just fine.
It would be foolish to think that Unix in 10 years will be just fine with what we have now, and that all the infra-structural pieces that were designed over the last 30 years are sufficient and that no work has to be done infra-structurally wise and that only new applications are required.
We have been working on creating a desktop and a suite of productivity applications for this desktop, and during this process we have found that a number of technologies that are available on other systems just do not exist on Unix, and there is no concerted effort to provide these.
Remember Unix three years ago:
* No innovation was happening.
* No code reuse was happening.
* There was a lack of basic facilities for adoption on the desktop.
* The little innovation that was happening was proprietary.
No code reuse.
We believe that Unix became stagnant because there was little code reuse happening on the larger scale Unix applications, and people were focusing on very small improvements that did not have an architectural impact.
Innovation was proprietary
In the very few cases where major subsystems in Unix were redesigned, those redesigns were kept as proprietary extensions, which again meant nothing if you were looking at the big picture. For instance, consider Display Postscript. No free implementation existed, and even today it is not part of a standard free system. Proprietary innovation means nothing to us.
So we believe that innovation in the Unix world can only come if we all work in a common code base: an open source code base. If there are strings attached to the software, then that piece of software will just not get adopted.
No concerted effort
The few free software efforts that were working towards producing new software to keep Unix competitive were not working together and barely had any standards or inter-operability features.
Consider the various window managers and their configuration languages; Consider the various programming languages in Unix; Consider the various killer applications in Unix. Nobody was sharing any code at all.
No policies.
In the UNIX kernel, the tradition is to not implement policy. This approach and philosophy permeates the whole UNIX system.
For instance, even X-Windows[1] avoids establishing policies for anything.
What we have ended up with is the ultimate pluggable system: the ultimate "write your own" operating system.
Developers trying to satisfy every possible user from every possible background, for every possible task end up making everything an optional feature. They end up not standardizing on anything and leaving policy to applications.
The problem is that leaving the policy to individual applications means that each application gets to decide its policy, its user interface, its configuration files, and its own way of doing things.
This leads to a complete lack of consistency on graphical applications. It is not just a matter of toolkit fragmentation: even if you compare Motif applications you will see that they behave radically different when they have to deal with the operating system and with the user preferences and with the environment in general.
Sure, we have the ultimate plug-and-play system, at the expense of having a barely integrated environment.
Unix today is more of a collection of outdated and loosely coupled tools. The result is a remarkably low-quality experience for users.
Code sharing
In the past little code sharing has happened. There are various reasons for this problem:
* People did not build reusable libraries from existing projects.
* People did not want to add dependencies to their code (for instance, Lars Wirzenius attempted to develop a library of common C routines that barely saw any adoption due to the dependency issue).
* Lack of long term plans for the Unix platform.
* Fear of standardizing.
In the GNOME project, we have taken a different approach. In the GNOME project:
* We are standardizing the way applications should behave.
* We are providing policies through our libraries to make applications compliant to the GNOME look and feel while reducing developer pain.
* We are leveraging the power of existing libraries by reusing them in GNOME.
* We are building on top of what we have instead of attempting to create collections of tools that are fully "independent" and that are fully "configurable" for every user on the planet and their cousin.
We are creating libraries that address various needs of modern applications, and we encourage developers to use these libraries. By using these libraries, you basically avoid writing code that we already wrote for you. And what is even better is that when we improve the libraries, your application is improved as well.
Unix vs Win/Mac
I have seen many times people defending the greatness of Unix by comparing the good things of Unix against the bad things of other operating systems. I have done this myself in the past.
Here is a common problem: people focus on their strengths and ignore their flaws when it comes to anything that is dear to them. Even worse, when comparing with another competing entity, they focus on their weaknesses and ignore their strengths.
The problem with this approach at looking at things is that eventually the competition will catch up with you. At the time you realize this, they already got your features, and you have none of theirs.
This is why it is very important to keep a self-critical approach and try to improve things before it is too late.
For instance, I remember the glorious days when Linux started: a comparison of Win 3.1 vs Linux 1.0 always came down with Linux winning every time: we had a multi-tasking OS, a sort of reliable system, a good network abstraction, a slowish windowing system (but hey, who used X anyways? we just wanted a text console), we could run web servers out of our boxes and so on. We could do things that Windows would never be able to do: because they did not have a multi-tasking system.
Then Windows95 came along and Windows NT came along. Now those systems were catching up. Of course, they still performed poorly when it came to reliability, but their user interface was nice (which we lacked), and they had the applications (which we also lacked).
And now Windows 2000 has been released. Sure, it still crashes, but it is getting better on every release. And it no longer has such a large impact on users.
Unknown to the untrained eye, a large revamp of the core of those operating systems was happening at the time: their COM component architecture which was originally developed to solve other problems was found to be a very good general solution to many problems: from scalability problems for software development, to code reuse and to consistency[2].
Are we going to be able to deliver a system that is ten times better than the proprietary offering? I think we should.
I do not think free software will succeed in its current shape: a lot of work needs to be done to address the needs of modern users.
Remember, this is software for making people's life easier.
Summary
Software is written to solve people's problems. We should design software in such a way that the software adapts to the needs of people, rather than the other way around.
Unix is a complex system internally despite its simplicity in its design, but it is not a system ready for end users. And this is what the GNOME project is building on top of the existing Unix foundation.
When you develop applications, keep the end user in mind.
For the rest of the paper, I look at some specific examples of software problems which Unix currently does not address or addresses very poorly. Then, I show you how the GNOME project is solving those problems.
Awsome stuff!
+1 awsome!
Satan is banned in florida town! well what am I going to do now?
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