Slashback: Agenda, Reproduction, Aesthetics

Lots of updates, amplifications and followups in tonight's Slashback. Clones are on the way, the Agenda Linux-based PDA isn't quite dead, Gates' testimony is online, (surprize!) Hollings' so-called privacy bill could have a very different upshot, and much much more. Read on below for the details.

I can't be dead -- I still have batteries! Bill Kendrick writes: "Just when you thought the first Linux-based PDA was dead and gone, someone announces a compatible version, the STVR3 from Softfield Technologies (who actually did the hardware design for the original AgendaVR3). Only $105 for the 8MB, and $135 for a new 16MB version. Not bad if you want a bash prompt in your pocket, and can't afford the $500 for a Zaurus!"

De gustibus non est disputandum. An Anonymous Coward writes: "Mosfet has posted a reply to Bart Decrem's interview regarding Bart's comments on KDE and its looks. Mosfet explains how KDE has a very elegant system for users and developers using the flexibility of C++ and Qt, which creates a more consistent look and feel. He makes many good points that developers and users often disregard when considering desktop environments and their toolkits. Good read, expecially for those who participate in the 'Desktop Wars.'"

Borrowed at gunpoint, but spent much more freely. blankmange writes: "CNet is carrying a followup to a story that was posted here not too long ago. The State of California apparently ordered too many licenses for Oracle's database software: 'A top official in California Gov. Gray Davis' administration has resigned in a growing controversy over a $95 million software contract with Oracle. Barry Keene, director of the state's Department of General Services, quit after a highly critical state audit said the contract--awarded without competitive bids and for software that is little used--could cost taxpayers $41 million.' Sounds like there may be more resignations and a further investigation."

I wish Gary Trudeau would run a few strips skewering these presumptuous bureaucrat wastrels, prodigal even by the standards of the public trough.

Welcome to my secret underground lair. ceswiedler writes: "Salon is running a story that Sen. Hollings' new Online Personal Privacy Act 'would place a congressional stamp of approval on precisely the kinds of practices that purveyors of spyware are eager to engage in.' The writer is particularly concered with the 'nonsensitive' information clause, which is 'a huge gaping loophole' for companies like KaZaA and Brilliant Digital."

Science greatly ups my odds of reproducing. Transcendent writes: "I just recently read an article at SpaceDaily about how there are three women due to give birth to clones. Italian Professor, Severino Antinori, told reporters that two of the women were from the former Soviet Rebublic, and one from an Islamic country. They're keeping specific details from the public, but it's still a huge shake to an ever-changing legal, scientific, and moral society."

A bedtime story for very, very bad children. tulare writes: "Microsoft is hosting Bill Gates' written testimony online. At 42,000 words, it's not neccessarily light reading, but to their credit, it is nicely indexed. Probably a must-read." Also good for European insomniacs to start boring through.

Lobby your library. Lots of readers inquired where they could find copies of The Computer and the Skateboard . Filmmaker Paul David writes: "DVD copies of this movie will be ready to ship in mid-may. The Cinema Guild website will be e-commerce ready by June 1. If you would like to order a copy before June 1, The Cinema Guild will take your order over the phone: (800) 723-5522 or (212) 685-6242. dvds for home use are $59.95. vhs copies (for home use) are available for $79.95."

Comments

Re:Privacy

[fahrvergnugen]

**If you value your privacy, don't give it up for small discounts, or extra convenience, or anything!**

Or even better, just lie to them.

When my grocery store raised the prices 10% and then offered me a 5% discount if I'd get a membership card, I just lied on the application. According to my card, my 20something white male self is actually a 60-year-old black mother of 6 grown children named Frieda.

The best way to sabatoge that kind of invasive system is to simply feed it bad data. Enough bad data in the database, and it becomes useless for predicting the buying habits of my demographic.

Re:Something is rotten in Denmark, err, Ontario.

[JabberWokky]

...uhhh... and which company *makes* the VR3s for Agenda? Softfield. That's why they are also selling all the component parts for the unit as seperate items (you can email them and order just about any little fiddling bit, and they have prices listed for the screen, the case, etc.)

It looks like most wholesale/manufacturers who dabble in direct sales... if you order low run chipsets or oddball components, this is pretty standard. If you approach them with a $5 million order, they'll handle you differently... like Agenda. I'm not worried about the unit itself, but I don't expect much support. On the other hand, the niftiest thing is that the sync CD only supports Linux. Anybody else notice that?

--
Evan

Bill Gates is an asshole

[BroadbandBradley]

'nuff said

Re:Privacy

[rgmoore]

But they can still link the club card to you via the info on your credit/debit card.

So pay cash. It's not that hard, you know, and if you keep your receipt you can still have records of your spending habits. If you really value your privacy, cash is definitely the way to go.

VR3 as a network tester

[Kunta Kinte]

As soon as the VR3 gets ethernet ( the page says june ) I think I'll get one.

Good network testers run for well over $500+, and their not even that hot That's why I still carry a laptop around

A VR3, software like, tcpdump, slightly modified nic driver ( maybe, for an attempt at diagnosising hardware faults ), ping, traceroute, portmap, arp. Would be better than most of the testers I'm seeing right now. All for $150+price of NIC.

The only issue is text entry. I don't think it would be all that bad, if a menu is made available to the user. So the user can click on "broadcast discovery", to discovery host by an ethernet broadcast, arp, then dns ( maybe ), or the user can store a list of known host. For people with small networks, or particularly troublesome servers, that would work well.