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Slashback: Gnoogle, PlayStation, Assault

Grab a cuppa joe, or whatever you drink at this time of day, and read on for this edition of Slashback, with updates and additional information on the strange (but statistically iffy) dangers of microbiology, Google's contest winner, and Sony's Linux kit for the PS2.

Location, location, location. A lot of people were interested in the Google contest whose winner was announced last week; Dan Egnor creator of that entry, writes "FYI, I've released the code for the winning Google contest entry under the GPL."

You mean they weren't just saying Hi? Anonymous Goodfella writes: "In an update to the Dangers of Being a Microbiologist, the AP [news.com.au] is reporting an attack on a Tennessee state medical examiner who gave evidence to an inquiry into the death of infectious diseases researcher Don Wiley. Coroner O.C. Smith was left tied with barbed wire to an apparent explosive."

Jakob Nielsen says Flash No Longer Evil Allen Varney writes "Given that Flash MX now supports the back button, Unicode, and accessibility, and has introduced p$user interface components, usability guru Jakob Nielsen today updated his famous 'Flash: 99% Bad' rant from October 2000. (Scroll down to see the update, stirringly titled 'Flash Now Improved.') His Nielsen Norman Group has formed a strategic alliance with Macromedia to start educating one million Flash designers in the fundamentals of good design. You did know that Flash .SWF is now an open format, right?"

Step 47: remove blindfold, scream. For those anxiously awaiting (or judiciously pondering) the Linux upgrade kit for the PS2, some words to consider from reader silvaran, who writes: "I just received my Playstation 2 Linux kit in the mail. I was disappointed to find that none of the monitors (3) that I had function properly with it. So I took to following the instructions on a blind install. It's not the most elegant of solutions, but it works. You need a blank memory card to install, but everything else is included in the kit. I'm on my way to a full Linux installation, complete with 100mbit networking, 40-gig HD and a USB keyboard and mouse; also included are full documentation on taking advantage of the PS2 hardware under Linux."

That blind install looks not for the faint of heart -- still, it would be nice if every distro included a simple walk through like that for when a monitor just isn't handy :)

Reader microwerx adds some a few more words of advice and caution: "[T]he PS2 Linux Kit will not read CDRs, so you'll have to use the supplied 10/100 Ethernet Adapter to get stuff in and out of the machine. One very good thing about the PS2 Linux Kit was the documentation regarding the Emotion Engine chip, etc. There's at least 2000+ pages of information regarding how it all works in glorious PDF format. There is also a OpenGL-like library (ps2gl) that supports the hardware. I also understand that SDL also works. Another is the amount of equipment you receive. You get a USB mouse and keyboard, a 10/100MBPS Ethernet Adaptor, A VGA convertor, and a 40Gb Hard drive. And all of this stuff appears to have some future use (you may have to remove Linux to use them nonetheless). So, once again, unless you just want the novelty of having a PS2 Workstation, developing console games, or setting up a small home server, I don't believe that you'll gain too much additional functionality. An overall rating of 3 1/2 stars out of 5 is certainly in order (because after all, it is for game development)."

193 comments

  1. Re:Gnoogle by Nerftoe · · Score: 3, Informative

    Gnu + google = gnoogle.

  2. Re:Gnoogle by commonchaos · · Score: 2, Interesting

    sigh I jumped here with excitement, an "open source google clone!"

  3. Re:Gnoogle by jackal! · · Score: 4, Funny
    Its ok when they misspel something in the body, I can understand that, but in the headline? Somone should have previewed before they posted. Unless Gnoogle is a new gogle ripoff that i havent heard of.

    You expect to get knarma for that pnost?

    --

    Who moderates the meta-moderators?

  4. Good price for all this stuff? by rob-fu · · Score: 2, Funny

    IIRC, the PS2 linux kit was around $150 US? I didn't know you got the 40GB hard drive, Ethernet adapter, VGA connector, etc.

    Is there some kind of catch? The whole thing seems like a pretty good deal. Maybe Sony isn't a bunch of bastards after all?

    1. Re:Good price for all this stuff? by owlicks58 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Tis $199 plus shippin

      --
      -Alex
    2. Re:Good price for all this stuff? by fwitness · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yep it is. I got my kit last Wednesday. However, it is only available from the sony website for $200 plus shipping. To be official, what you get is

      2 PS2 Linux DVDs
      1 40GB Hard Drive
      1 10/100 Ethernet Adaptor
      1 Sony Black USB Keyboard with 1 USB Port
      1 Sony Black USB 3 Button Mouse
      1 VGA Cable only for use with SYNC-ON-GREEN capable monitors

      1400 pgs of manuals in PDF form. These are assembly language manuals for the EE (emotion engine) core of the playstation. You get no printed versions of these, only install documentation)

      Remember, you have to add $25 to the cost for an extra memory card, as it will be formatted to contain your linux kernel.

      And I used the 'Blind-Install' with absolutely no problems. You simply must be a little careful. Hope this helps.

      --
      -- I have fans? Wow.
    3. Re:Good price for all this stuff? by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 2

      Sync on green? No problem! All my SGI equipment does this - As well as Sun Monitors around here with the 'clasic' 13DW3 connectors.

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    4. Re:Good price for all this stuff? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yea sure.. I thought of that one too - until I realized the frequencies were WAY different than the ones my FF monitor needs. :(

    5. Re:Good price for all this stuff? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sony makes good hardware. That does not make them less a bunch of BASTARDS.

      Hell, microsoft makes good keyboards, joysticks and such...

    6. Re:Good price for all this stuff? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, it is a good price.

      To find out which monitors works, go to PS2 Linux Monitor DB
      But what I heard from a friend, he said pretty much almost all monitors manufactured after 1997 have sync to green ability.
      As for PS2 network game, I heard a rumor that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 support the Ethernet Port supplied with PS2 Linux kit.

  5. Haven't you heard of Gnoogle? by thelinuxking · · Score: 4, Funny

    Its a free search engine which follows the GNU Free Software guidelines. However, that's spelled GNUgle, so either way, it's a typo.

    1. Re:Haven't you heard of Gnoogle? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      /. is thick.
      this post (the first) 2points
      the next post (identical) 5points!

    2. Re:Haven't you heard of Gnoogle? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Haven't you learned your lesson? Don't post about the moderation. Because it will *never* stay the same.

  6. Typo by BreakWindows · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's GNU/gle, not gnoogle.

    Now you've done it...you've made the Debian team cry!

    1. Re:Typo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      heh thanks, I was trying to find a clever GNU reference, but I just couldn't phrase it correctly. :)

      *Found that rather amusing*

  7. Flash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yes, Flash supporting the back button is a GOOD thing. Yes, it supporting Unicode is a GOOD thing, too.

    But someone who spends a measurable amount of time evangelizing (sp) Flash's ability to use the Back button and loses sleep over people creating custom scrollbars needs to either a) go outside, b) get laid, or c) both.

    1. Re:Flash by thumperward · · Score: 1

      I was under the impression he was well-paid to do this sort of thing.

      Also, I tend to find that getting laid simply puts me more at ease with my geekiness, because, well, at least you know you're getting laid.

      - Chris

    2. Re:Flash by armb · · Score: 2

      > either a) go outside, b) get laid, or c) both.

      But be careful if you're doing both at once.

      --
      rant
  8. Re:Gnoogle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Gnu + google = lame

  9. Re:Gnoogle by hoggoth · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Yeah! You tell 'em!

    The correct spelling for Open Source Google modules is: Gnugle.

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  10. Re:Gnoogle by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 2

    Extremely bad pun or extremely bad spelling error? Perhaps we'll never know...

  11. critical pricks by Jacer · · Score: 1

    it's not misspelled, it's an anectdote

    --
    --fetch daddy's blue fright wig, i must be handsome when i release my rage
  12. Re:Gnoogle by tegwj · · Score: 2, Funny

    Google's contest winner has released his code under GPL. It's a leap, but you might notice that Gnoogle is a devilishly subtle pun of GNUgle. Of course, you could have used your gnoodle and figured that out on your own. twj

  13. Gnougle? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Google yeilds this for a search for gnoogle:

    http://betes.free.fr/gnougle-parodie-de-google.h tm

  14. Jakob Nielsen Humor by webword · · Score: 5, Funny
    1. Re:Jakob Nielsen Humor by sigwinch · · Score: 2
      The Jakob Nielsen Drinking Game
      If Nielsen admits he got his design skills from watching Jerry Pournelle work on his "web page", clutch heart and die.
      Bwahahahaha!
      --

      --
      Kuro5hin.org: where the good times never end. ;-)

  15. Hmmm... by Telecommando · · Score: 5, Funny

    That blind install still looks easier than the last time I installed Slackware.

    --
    Beta sux! Join the Slashcott! http://hardware.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=4760465&cid=46173047
    1. Re:Hmmm... by leiz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      actually slackware is quite easy to install, surely you can figure it out... I mean, I did as a 13 year old.

    2. Re:Hmmm... by adamjaskie · · Score: 1

      FINALLY someone who doesnt whine about how hard slack is to install. I found it quite simple. It looks scary at first cause its not all pretty and graphical, but its basically self explanatory.

      --
      /usr/games/fortune
  16. NAS appliance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My PS2 Linux machine is now a Network storage device, MP3 player, VCD player, WebTV, and soon enough it will be a PVR

    THat's at least 4 stars out of 5

    1. Re:NAS appliance by owlicks58 · · Score: 1

      VCD eh?? So you got an external CD drive to mount? Besides that video playback is no good at the moment until someone makes an MPEG player that uses the IPU instead of software acceleration, tis way choppy with software.

      --
      -Alex
    2. Re:NAS appliance by BLAG-blast · · Score: 1
      CD eh?? So you got an external CD drive to mount?

      Probably not, you can use readxa to copy the mpeg-1 files off the vcd and then ftp them where ever you want....

      --
      M0571y H@rml355.
  17. GNU/Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google uses Linux servers. When RMS found out a commercial operation was using his GNU/Linux, he hit the roof! He sent Google a cease-and-desist order until they agreed to renamed their company GNU/Google.

    1. Re:GNU/Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      I read on news.com.com that RMS quieted down after receiving his "fair share" of Google stock options.

    2. Re:GNU/Google by Brad3d · · Score: 1

      OK maybe I am a noob or goober (no pun intended)but who or what is RMS.

    3. Re:GNU/Google by Daytona955i · · Score: 1

      gee... you are a goober... RMS is Richard Stallman, Free Software promoter (to say the least) and a whole lot more. He's done a lot and google has a little section on him. Read more at: http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/History/ Pioneers/Stallman,_Richard/?tc=1
      -Chris

    4. Re:GNU/Google by mskfisher · · Score: 2

      Richard Marie^H^H^H^H. Stallman, major figure in the free software realm.
      Founder of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation.

      Everything2 is helpful for these types of questions.

      --
      0x0D 0x0A
    5. Re:GNU/Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      nope, he was shot, and replaced by a sane look-a-like.

    6. Re:GNU/Google by Anonymous+Cowrad · · Score: 3, Funny

      In short, RMS is one of the most prominent figures in the open source community. He founded the and now insists that everything that even sat next to GNU software in the refrigerator must now be called GNU/whatever it used to be called. The fact that this only complicates matters needlessly has been addressed, and I think he's decided to quit it.

      If you need to know more than that, see this for a fairly good idea who RMS is.

      RMS's homepage is at http://www.stallman.org/

      Please Do Not Feed the Trolls. Odds are you're going to get a resonse that purports RMS to be the goatse.cx guy or something. I can neither prove nor disprove these claims, so you'll have to draw your own conclusions.

      --

      --
      pants ahoy
    7. Re:GNU/Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fucking damnit, a brilliant post fucked because I didn't preview it. There you have it, folks.

    8. Re:GNU/Google by foobar104 · · Score: 2

      Fucking damnit, a brilliant post fucked because I didn't preview it. There you have it, folks.

      Don't be too hard on yourself. I thought the part about "insists that everything that even sat next to GNU software in the refrigerator must now be called GNU/whatever it used to be called" was pretty funny.

    9. Re:GNU/Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      damn.. I wish I hadn't posted that troll anonymously! I 0wnX0r those mod points!

    10. Re:GNU/Google by Brad3d · · Score: 1

      OK, Thank you, I will follow the links you guys gave to learn more about him and a 1000 lashes with a wet noodle for being a /. reader and not knowing about him. If it gives me any points I have installed both Mandrake and Red Hat on my computer and would still be using Red Hat if Unreal Tournament would run fast enough on it :)

    11. Re:GNU/Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Surely you mean `GNUgle', no?

    12. Re:GNU/Google by jdavidb · · Score: 2

      For a good introduction to what RMS is saying, try the philosophy section of GNU's website, particularly the "GNU manifesto."

  18. .swf is a small part by tps12 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Who cares about the .swf format? The key is in .fla files, which is still closed AFAIK.

    Anyway, I don't care. I don't have a flash plugin on any of my boxen, and I couldn't be happier. Have yet to see a site I want to read that requires flash. Until Pokey is published as .swf files, I'm cool.

    --

    Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
    1. Re:.swf is a small part by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
    2. Re:.swf is a small part by tps12 · · Score: 1

      Holy crap. That is awesome. Okay, where do I get flash?

      --

      Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
  19. PS2 Linux Project? by handsomepete · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'd like to know if the PS2 modchip alleviates the cd-r/dvd-r problem. If so, is there enough to this $350 system to make a decent little home system to play with? Is anyone working on something for the ps2 similar to the XBox Linux Project?

    Geez... 15 posts and they all have to do with 'gnoogle.' *sigh*

    1. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      I'd like to know if the PS2 modchip alleviates the cd-r/dvd-r problem

      No, it doesn't. So how "Interesting" is that post now?

    2. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by prestomation · · Score: 1

      ummmm. You obviously don't read /. everyday :). FYI, the PS2 costs $200, not $350.

    3. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by handsomepete · · Score: 2

      PS2 + Linux kit = $350

      I searched and found this article, so I guess that answers about 1/3 of my own question, although it seemed like a fair question after looking at the modchip webpage:

      Works Perfect with all PS2 CD-R and DVD-R Backups!

    4. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you tested it? My friend Jebus who is located in my PS2 lets me read anything. I havn't be able to get Audio CDs to play in Linux yet; however, I can read CD-R, DVD-R, VCDs, and DVDs (Havn't played a DVD yet).

    5. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by RadioheadKid · · Score: 2

      In most cases, DVD players and most likely the Playstation 2 can't read CD-R's because of the physical limitation of the laser optics, not a software thing. A standard DVD laser optic can read DVD's, CD-ROMs and usually CD-RW's but not CD-R's due to the wave length of the laser. Most newer DVD players can read CD-R's too, but many of Sony's older models could not and the Playstation 2 probably falls into this catagory for the same reasons.

      --
      "Karma can only be portioned out by the cosmos." -Homer Simpson
    6. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by packeteer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      if your really want a console to read cd-r buy a dreamcast... here is ow much one costs:

      dreamcast - $50
      ....
      wait is that it?... YES...
      you can buy a keyboard and mouse if you want but to get linux on you need no kit... just downlaod a dreamcast distro and burn it onto a rgular cd-r

      not only is it easy but its better than the ps2... the ps2 has 4 megabytes of video ram which have an insame amount of bandwidth... although it can equal the dreamcasts 8 meg opengl (w/full screen antialiasing of course :)) the ps2 is more difficult to prgram for because you must constanly squeez the video bandwidth with swapping textures and that is a bitch to code into your programs...

      so if you want a hackers toy get a dreamcast... you can get a 10/100 mb network card for it jsut like the ps2 and its FAR easier to program for

      --
      unzip; strip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; more; yes; unmount; sleep
    7. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by Dimensio · · Score: 2

      I'm pretty sure that it's a physical issue with the laser -- however it has been confirmed that several brands of CD-RW media will work with the console.

    8. Re:PS2 Linux Project? by billcopc · · Score: 1

      Well actually you can read CD-R discs just fine in the PS2, else there wouldn't be a modchip business. DVD-R's are cool but the hardware is still too expensive and no proper modchip exists to easily boot DVD-R backups, for now it's an annoying 30-second thumb-numbing hack everytime you boot a game.

      That said, I'm pretty confident someone will figure out how to read CD-R discs from PS2Linux, mostly likely with a kernel modification or something of the sort.

      --
      -Billco, Fnarg.com
  20. Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by BroadbandBradley · · Score: 3

    anybody know if it compiles/runs on the PS2?

    I think it's a good deal just to get a web appliance in the livingroom, but, I want my Mozilla. I thought about using it as an Xterminal to run my regular broswer but that leaves it depending on my pc.

    anyone here tried either approach?

    1. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by owlicks58 · · Score: 1

      You don't want to use it as a web browser... not trying to discourage buying the kit, I have it, but it's mostly a learning tool. X runs at like 620 x 215 on an NTSC display... which = way zoomed in. As for the Mozilla, I believe some people have been tryin to get it workin, isn't workin smoothly just yet

      --
      -Alex
    2. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by dsyu · · Score: 2, Informative

      There's a thread on this over on the PS2-Linux community forum, although it looks like it ain't working yet. If anyone can help out, please do! I've been using Dillo on my PS2Linux, and it works fine, but isn't really an industrial-strength browser.

    3. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by Sefirosu · · Score: 1

      X runs at low res on TVs but can run at higher resolutions if you have a supported monitor.

    4. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by prestomation · · Score: 1

      "although it looks like it ain't working yet." You need to brush up on your English, Mister!! Because as everyone knows, ain't ain't a word!! ;)

    5. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it is a contraction, it is in webster's dictionary.

      http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=ain%27t

    6. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by vik · · Score: 2

      Dillo just crashes for me.

      I've been using the kfm (aka Konqueror 1.1) that comes with the Sony distro and having better luck.

      Vik :v)

    7. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by dsyu · · Score: 1

      I use the binaries from an RPM someone posted on the Linux for Playstation2 home. Here's a link to the RPM.

    8. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, ain't is now in the dictionary - so it is a word :)

    9. Re:Does Mozilla Run on PS2? by billcopc · · Score: 1

      Living room ? I've got 4 boxen in the living room, one of em's a low profile P200 serving as a tv-enhancer (allows me to open up a FFX fanpage while playing the game, all overlaid on the tv screen).

      Web appliances were 'neat' 7 years ago when the web itself was novel. Nowadays it's just regurgitated crippled crap.

      --
      -Billco, Fnarg.com
  21. The attack on the medical examiner... by xenoweeno · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...happened in Memphis. Local news, including video (in which you can read the psychotic, rambling letters if you pause at the right point) is here.

    1. Re:The attack on the medical examiner... by mir@ge · · Score: 2, Insightful
  22. Completed the Blind install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Although the blind install looks tough its actually quite straight forward.
    I just took it very slowly (One keypress at a time)and ticked off the boxes, It worked first time (Only because I managed to keep the cats off the keyboard)

    I was dissappointed to find that the kit did not work with any of my monitors either (I'm waiting on a 2nd Hand 17" Sony to arrive as I can't hog the TV all night). Its a good sales ploy by Sony, apparently a lot of people are buying new and used Sony monitors for their kits as they are the most likely monitors to work.

    It didn't take long before I had X up and running and little while latter had KDE installed. Its not very usable through the TV (Even at 80cms) some of the fonts are quite hard to read, also getting a little frustrated with having to ALT and move windows all the time in X.

    1. Re:Completed the Blind install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is using your TV really that bad? This is the only way I want to do it if I were to get the kit. But if it really sucks than I and just going to spare myself the expense.

  23. Gnoogle? by CaptTrips · · Score: 0

    I just happened to find such a site here.

    --

    grep >= ! == $your
  24. Gnoogle? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  25. Dead researchers. by phriedom · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Did you notice at the end of the article about the medical examiner the writer offered up a couple of enemies that could be responsible. Pure speculation. Conspiracy theorists mad had him for ruling the suspicious death of a researcher to be natural medical causes? But its the backround story that is interesting to me. Allegedly, 12 to 20 of the top researchers in communicable diseases have died under suspicious circumstances over the past few months??? Has anyone heard anything about this before? Google found nothing for me.

    --
    Don't moderate flamebait as Troll. Know the difference or you will be Meta-moderated.
    1. Re:Dead researchers. by Angry+Toad · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's all pretty X-files, and while quite a few "microbiologists" (defined loosely, as some of the people have not really been true microbiologists) have died under mysterious circumstances lately I can't shake the feeling that the story is being "shaped" into this whole conspiracy dogma format.

      Anyway, here's a link to one of the nutball sites (this is Mike Vreeland's "The Government Made 9-11 Happen" site) which has some writeups on it.

      Proceed with caution. You're reading heavy spin here...

    2. Re:Dead researchers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thats the conspiracy, google is trying to hide it from you.

    3. Re:Dead researchers. by Angry+Toad · · Score: 5, Informative

      Sorry everyone, I don't normally reply to my own posts, but after thinking about it for a bit I realized it would be irresponsible to have included a link to a crazy site like Vreeland's without also including a link to a sane analysis of why he is in fact a nutter.

      Here is a careful, balanced, and thoughtful examination of The 9-11 X-Files

    4. Re:Dead researchers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Say, this is a really great technique for increasing one's karma. Split up your insightful post into nice little chunks, and get mod points for each one separately!

    5. Re:Dead researchers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is an update on a previously discussed story,

    6. Re:Dead researchers. by Iguanaphobic · · Score: 2, Troll

      Prepare for the terrorists to unleash a biological agent that will sweep the U.S. like a brushfire. All of the scientists who can stop it will soon be dead.

      --
      Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power.
    7. Re:Dead researchers. by Platinum+Dragon · · Score: 2, Informative

      A couple things:

      1) It's Mike Ruppert, not Vreeland. Delmart "Mike" Vreeland is either a former Navy officer with a thing for identify theft and credit card fraud, or a Navy intelligence officer with some scary info, depending who you ask on which day. Ruppert loved the guy at first, but some of his more erratic behaviour and dodging is making him a bit wary.

      Ruppert is a former LA cop who was supposedly fired in 1978 while trying to expose CIA involvement in LA drug dealing activities. Journalist Gary Webb saw his career torn to shreds for reporting similar happenings a few years ago in the San Jose Mercury.

      2) Corn and Ruppert have an ongoing, somewhat nasty rivalry. The article you link elicited this response from Ruppert.

      --

      Someday, you're going to die. Get over it.
    8. Re:Dead researchers. by Angry+Toad · · Score: 2

      Ruppert, right. I suppose many would argue that checking the names before I use blithely use them would be a good thing. My bad.

    9. Re:Dead researchers. by 8databits · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      In the wake of the September 11th attacks Mike was among the first to be publicly critical of a number of transparent flaws in the official story presented by the US government. In more than twenty stories since 9-11 he has followed his tested strategy of using only government documents, official statements or verifiable press reports as the basis for his work. As a result he has been openly received by several members of Congress and maintains open lines of communication with congressional and committee staffs.

      About Mike Ruppert

    10. Re:Dead researchers. by neocon · · Score: 1

      Actually, Gary Webb saw his career `torn to shreds' for writing a series of pieces claiming this without providing any credible evidence. See, newspapers have this thing against reporters who use their name and circulation to print conspiracy theories without backing up their claims with evidence...

  26. Blind installs... for real? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    On a completely serious note, has anyone given any thought to a "real" blind install procedure for Linux -- i.e., a tool/procedure targetted at visually-impaired users wishing to use Linux?

    In the same way that modern distros "do enough" to get X windows installing and running, and then switch to a graphical installer, I can imagine a "blind" installer doing what's required to install a sound driver and speech synthesizer, and then talking the user through the rest of the installation (questions about partitions, etc.).

    As someone else alluded too, this could also be useful for a sighted person doing an install on a headless machine.

    Does anything like this exist currently?

    1. Re:Blind installs... for real? by mlk · · Score: 1

      Does anything like this exist currently?
      Yeap, there are tools/setups for linux (& the BSDs) that will work with brail terminals, and text-to-speach terminals (actual boxes, not software).

      --
      Wow, I should not post when knackered.
    2. Re:Blind installs... for real? by rossz · · Score: 4, Informative

      The installer for SuSE detects the special hardware for the blind and uses it. As far as I know, it's the only distro that is blind friendly right from the start.

      --
      -- Will program for bandwidth
    3. Re:Blind installs... for real? by BusterB · · Score: 2

      Slackware comes with some installation kernels that support the Speakup screen reader for linux. It requires that you have a compatible speech synthesizer (no software yet) or a Brail-n-Speak. Just look at the SPEAKUP_DOCS.TXT file in the Slackware install disk.

    4. Re:Blind installs... for real? by Daimaou · · Score: 1

      I didn't see this mentioned, so I will mention it. There is a mini distro that caters to the blind called BRLSpeak. I'm not blind so I don't know how good it is, but it is available on linuxiso.org.

  27. Nielsen Norman Group web site UNUSABLE! by cpeterso · · Score: 5, Funny


    The Jakob Neilsen story was on ActionScript.com (a Flash news blog) yesterday. Here is a list of the HORRIBLE USABILITY BUGS on the Nielsen Norman Group's own web site. Fortunately (unfortunately for my karma? ;-) these problems were fixed last night.

    1) broken graphic at bottom of page
    2) click on People, you go to Services
    3) click on Services, you go to Publications
    4) click on Publications, you go to Events
    5) click on Events, you go to About
    6) click on Jakob Nielsen, you go to Don Norman's web site
    7) click on Donald A. Norman, you go to Ask Tog
    8) click on Nielsen Norman Group Members, you go to Events
    9) click on User Experience 2001/2002, you go to Services
    10) click on Usability Testing and Reviews, you go to Process and Strategy
    11) click on Process and Strategy, you go to Seminars
    12) click on Contacting, you go to the MM/JN press release on Yahoo

  28. step 48: by tps12 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    profit!!!!

    --

    Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
  29. Open-source cross-platform tools for swf by jensend · · Score: 4, Informative

    One very useful tool for generating .swf is the ming library, which can be used in conjunction with AutoTrace and ImageMagick to convert just about anything to .swf.

    1. Re:Open-source cross-platform tools for swf by autechre · · Score: 2


      You can also use the ming library with PHP to generate flash content on-the-fly:

      http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.ming.php

      --
      WMBC freeform/independent online radio.
  30. On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    [DISCLAIMER : I work for sony and anything I say here is just personal stuff for hobbiests and please be warned about any damage to your hardware etc...]

    The blind install given above would work, but this is not necessary, if you call us up we'd help you through the setup. The current PS2 installation should work on the majority of the monitors out there, I know the sync is fixed at 60mhz and that was probably the oversight one of us made. But this would work on 95% of all the monitors out there and if your monitor was purchased after 95, this would work perfectly.

    For the rest, instead of following the blind install, please e-mail our support or call us, we'd fedex our to those who need it. Please understand that following the directions given on the link on this story might cause damage to your monitor, since all monitors are not alike. (But I've rarely come across such things in recent times).

    Also, we have a simple 3d wrapper for Quake that you can download from Bryan's page. Please see his weblog for more details. This wrapper would allow you to patch the existing _SDL_ version of the quake source to make it run on PS2. Enjoy hacking Q1 and PS2.

    On the issue of mouse droppings, you need to edit the video configuration and set XV_BUG_PS2FIX on in the Xconfig file. This was an oversight too and is fixed in the lastest pack we have. If your installing a custom distribution you need to do this as well.

    On debian, we tried to get their installer to work, but the maintaniners have been very rude to our questions and that's the reason why we don't have an intro to debian installation. If there are any debian power users who installs base fine, please send us an e-mail with the steps taken.

    Appercate your patience and goodwill.

    Wil
    Linux for ever ;)

    1. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who is Brian and where is his page?!! Please post link thx. I tried the blind method got it up now. It's good. Got SDL quake but it runs ok without whatever patch Brian has. What does that patch do?

    2. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Oops forget the URL for SDL quake here it is. Thx

    3. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's a good DVD burning software for linux (phillips burner), I think Debian comes in DVD would it be possible to burn it and then boot from it or is there some problems what kind of hardware debian should i get? can someone help me with this. Also would mandrake or any other DVD distro's work? I'm getting my PS2 kit in 2 days ... Brown is bringing it.. anyway.

    4. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by dieman · · Score: 1

      If I had a kit I could probally get it going, but my Wife would kill me. *KILL ME*, so I cant go out and just buy a psx2 linux kit to figure out debian for it, sorry. :|

      --
      -- dieman - Scott Dier
    5. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      These posts about your wife domninating over you are getting a bit stale dieman, cant you think of something else? Like.. "My baby stole my wallet to avenge the mystery of the stinking diapers?" you know.. use some tact.

    6. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I believe the patch is for the PS2 hardware. Quake relies a lot on assembly, if you dont have it then it does everthing in software (c), which is a tard bit slow. Thus, their patch would only mean something written for EE, I'd like to see soem fps's out of that and if they included any new effects, AFAIK the SDL patch does not contain 3d (as in OpenGL) type stuff, maybe that was a good idea too. Nevertheless, I'd like to get my hands on one of these packs just to hack Quake.

    7. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Spooticus · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I understand where the patch is for Q1 to make it work under SDL, but... Where's this 3d wrapper? Dunno who Brian is!

      Regards,
      Spooticus

    8. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Please address further questions on our forum we'd be able to help faster. Thank you. Brian the EE guy who did a quick patch for sdlquake. Also please look in there to see if the current pack would work with your monitor or not, we have got a lot of comments from users and therse are updated live on our monitor DB page.

    9. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      We only guranttee patch work Sony monitors. Other monitor you see Monitor DB

      Mike Hirohito

    10. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by Guppy · · Score: 1

      "On the issue of mouse droppings, you need to edit the video configuration and set XV_BUG_PS2FIX on in the Xconfig file."

      Or you could just sweep 'em up, and set out a couple of baited traps. :)

    11. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by wmacgyver · · Score: 2, Informative

      uh. well, my Sony HMD-A400 19 inch monitor doesn't work with the kit. I understand why sync on green is necessary, and Sony has done a very good job making sure we know this. However, it's a bit more than "anything after 95 works fine"

    12. Re:On PS2 Blind Install by hangdog · · Score: 1

      You need to establish a slush fund underneath your wife's radar to fund your hobbies. This is one of the things that makes my marriage work! ;)

  31. Linux kit by zenyu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's wierd every monitor I've tried had sync-on-green. Once I installed x2x It's just become a seemless part of my desktop. I have two monitors for the workstation and one for the playstation, and I just move the mouse across to the playstation and I can type there. It's not quite fast enough to run KDE or Gnome, but it's been pretty painless so far, things just compile and run. I'm still poring over the docs, but I expect to be able to make some speedy ps2GL apps once I'm up on the peculiarities.

    It drives the monitor at 1280x1024 @ 75Hz which is better than I expected. The boot DVD lets you boot any kernel you like, there's already a BSD port. You need the disk to boot so unless you can press silver DVD's you can't distribute the games very far. As stated before they don't document the BIOS calls for accessing the DVD drive without a 'is this a Sony disk' check. But if you walked their drivers in a debugger you could probably figure it out, though all that would give you is a DVD/CD player, you still couldn't boot without their DVD or a harware modification.

    The biggest problem with it as a general purpose machine is probably the measly 32 Megs of RAM. I might look into this, but it probably requires more than just installing new chips. But it isn't a general purpose machine, one of the memory transfer rates is 38 GB/s... just try that on a PC....

    1. Re:Linux kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      But it isn't a general purpose machine, one of the memory transfer rates is 38 GB/s... just try that on a PC....

      huh? Almost all new computers (even at CompUSA) have 20-30 GB hard disks. These are full-featured PCs, not game machines.

    2. Re:Linux kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      But it isn't a general purpose machine, one of the memory transfer rates is 38 GB/s... just try that on a PC....

      Fortunately, since a PC has far more than 32MB of RAM, you don't need to transfer data in and out of memory as often as you do on a PS/2.

    3. Re:Linux kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you just an idiot, or did you not read what you were replying to and saw "38GB ... just try that on a PC..."? I'm assuming you're just an idiot.

      He was talking about _memory bandwidth_, not storage space. 38GB/s memory bandwidth is orders of magnitude faster than even the latest x86 systems. Top of the line Pentium 4 systems have a comparatively measely 4.2GB/s maximum bandwidth (some chipsets only support 3.2GB/s).

    4. Re:Linux kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh... 40MB... I think my original 386 can beat that ;)

    5. Re:Linux kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      GB/s memory bandwidth is orders of magnitude faster than even the latest x86 systems. Top of the line Pentium 4 systems have a comparatively measely 4.2GB/s maximum bandwidth (some chipsets only support 3.2GB/s).

      Since when is 38 GB/s orders of magnitude faster than 4.2 GB/s?

    6. Re:Linux kit by DdJ · · Score: 1
      You need the disk to boot so unless you can press silver DVD's you can't distribute the games very far.
      How's the USB and FireWire support in Linux for the PS2? Y'see, I've got an external CD-RW drive that has both USB and FireWire interfaces. It reads CDR media just fine. I'm wondering if I can attach this to my PS2 and use it with Linux as a method of archiving and distributing software.
    7. Re:Linux kit by zenyu · · Score: 2

      How's the USB and FireWire support in Linux for the PS2? Y'see, I've got an external CD-RW drive that has both USB and FireWire interfaces. It reads CDR media just fine. I'm wondering if I can attach this to my PS2 and use it with Linux as a method of archiving and distributing software.

      I haven't tried the firewire, but the USB works, though there aren't a lot of drivers. The kernel is 2.2.1 with patches. Someone has ported 2.2.40, but it can't use the couple binary drivers from Sony. You could probably get any device working, but some porting would be involved.

    8. Re:Linux kit by Alsee · · Score: 1

      Since when is 38 GB/s orders of magnitude faster than 4.2 GB/s?

      We are programmers, we work in binary.

      38 GB/s is 3.18 orders of magnitude more than 4.2 GB/s.

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  32. MOD_PARENT_UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    BTW, how do you put an X option in Xconfig file? I'm at loss. I see the doppings you mentioned. How is the config set? I tied OPTION="XV_BUG_PS2FIX" but it didnt do a thing?

  33. anyone want to help with a new ps2 linux site by elskanko · · Score: 2, Interesting

    come be and check out the site. http://ps2linuxkit.com
    if you would like to help leave a message on the board or drop me an email frank@ps2linuxkit.com

    thank you,
    frank

  34. Linux Cheat Codes? by crisco · · Score: 4, Funny

    The blind linux install looks no more complicated than some of the cheat codes for PS2 games.

    --

    Bleh!

  35. Re:gnoogle is a great search engine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It could've been intentional, a play on the fact that the winning Google contest entry was released under the GPL.

  36. Swf has always been an open format. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Flas, on the other hand, have not.

  37. Have you no SHAME? by SHEENmaster · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Debian/Linux team is probably in tears over the monstrously innapropriate spelling. How dare you. How dare you!?

    --
    You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
    1. Re:Have you no SHAME? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All your naming scheme are belong to us.

  38. Use a real OS! by SIGFPE · · Score: 5, Informative

    it would be nice if every distro included a simple walk through like that for when a monitor just isn't handy :)

    Actually, OpenBSD has one on the CD liner with a printout of what you would be able to see if you had a monitor attached!
    --
    -- SIGFPE
  39. excuse me? by tps12 · · Score: 2, Informative

    The above was not a troll. .swf files are generated from .fla files. One format may be open, but the other (which has a lot more info) is not.

    --

    Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
  40. Technically GNUgle is really correct by thelinuxking · · Score: 0, Redundant

    To quote the article "FYI, I've released the code for the winning Google contest entry under the GPL" So, GNUgle may be the correct spelling after all.

  41. PS2 blind install was great! by rodionpunk · · Score: 2, Informative

    I also found out that alas -- my monitors did not support sync on green, so I was stuck in the same boat as many other folk: I was desperate to get Linux set up, but unable to use my monitor. The blind install was a god send.

    If you happen to have to run through the blind install, make sure that you select the appropriate display setting near the end. Without thinking, I put in display=pal, which naturally didn't work for me in the states. (Fortunately, they've ammended the doc to tell you to choose pal or ntsc; when I ran through it, it only listed pal.)

    The 320x240 resolution you get with a standard TV isn't flattering, making me long for an HTDV. *sigh* One can always dream.

    Was I the only one who, upon checking the forums at the Playstation 2 Linux site, found that a lot of the wrong types of people are getting this kit? I'm talking about the ones wondering why this is better than installing Linux on a PC, or who have never used Linux before. If you're a complete Linux newbie, the PS2 kit will be...frustrating.

    1. Re:PS2 blind install was great! by Brackney · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Agreed. I'm amazed by the sheer number of people who bought the kit without understanding what they were getting. Not so amazed by the number of people who simply refuse to read the FAQ or peruse the forums - that's par for the course, right? Where would we be without dozens of newbies asking exactly the same question about X configuration for their NTSC sets? :)

      Still, it's been a kick compiling packages for the mipsel. So far it makes for a great MP3 client for my server, XMAME will be good for yuks once a bug is sorted out, and I still have all that graphics demo code to crack open. It's not for everyone, but I'm having fun.

    2. Re:PS2 blind install was great! by wmacgyver · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't know that I agree that the "wrong sort" of people are getting it. We are all newbies at one point or another. If the kit lets people who otherwise would've never touch Linux to learn/use, and maybe even enjoy Linux, then it's already worth it.

  42. One Simple solution: SVG. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Despite what Macromedia want you to believe, SWF is hidden with proprietary extensions, just like the good old M$ Office documents. See the comparison and decide for yourself. Besides, just because the file format is open doesn't mean the underlying technology is not based on patents that will hit you badly when you try to make a free Flash player. If you are using SWF, you will just be sucked into another animated GIF trap.

    1. Re:One Simple solution: SVG. by schepers · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yup. Doesn't get much more open than ASCII.

      How long has Flash been around? Like 6 years? And how many authoring tools are there? Something like 3? How many viewers? Uh... one, right?

      By contrast, SVG has been a W3C recommendation for all of 8 months, and I know of at least 4 aurhoring tools (not to mention the one I'm making right now, or numerous text editors) and 2 major viewers (along with a host of upcoming handheld viewers). Looks like open standards promote competition and innovation... who would have thought!?

      Not to knock Flash... it has its uses. But before you commit to a technology on which to build a serious data-driven website with interactive graphics, do yourself a favor and check out SVG. The SVG-Wiki is a good place to start.

  43. This Doesn't Change Things by guttentag · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Flash's major shortcoming/abuse still exists: it takes control away from the user and places it in the hands of a "designer" who may not have any experience in building user interfaces.

    So Nielsen's partnering with Macromedia to educate people on proper Flash design. It's a PR gesture on Macromedia's part to silence one of Flash's most vocal critics, but it's not going to accomplish much in the real world. The real Flash offenders are not going to attend a Macromedia seminar on usability or study Nielsen's guidelines. That would restrain their "creativity" -- most of them use Flash specifically because they want to be different, which is the antithesis of Nielsen's usability mantra.

    My browser filters out all swf files, so if you use Flash and you don't provide an HTML alternative (most sites don't), I'll never see your content. That's a good thing. I don't want to play "chase the links as they fly across the screen" or listen to your music blended with the mp3 I'm playing.

    Fireworks are exciting, pretty toys too, but each July 4 police scour the streets for people who set them off because they're dangerous in the hands of most people.

    1. Re:This Doesn't Change Things by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Flash's major shortcoming/abuse still exists: it takes control away from the user and places it in the hands of a "designer" who may not have any experience in building user interfaces.

      hate to troll you like this dude, but how is that any different from 97% of all GUI Linux apps? or perhaps even 97% of GUI'd apps in general?

      here, i'll save you some time: it isn't. in general, on most systems, the user has either too much or not enough control *for the user's skill*. I see you also miss the point about the prebuilt widgets that come with flash mx - this will keep people that should really stick to design from trying to code actionscript, and that will help.

      jakob nielsen i couldn't care less about - the man wouldn't know good design if he saw it. i can't believe people pay him. he's got a few good points, which he harps on to the detriment of 400 others.

      there is something - something important - to be said for using the right tool for the job. sometimes flash is the right tool. and sometimes a unique design is too.

    2. Re:This Doesn't Change Things by Watts+Martin · · Score: 4, Informative

      [Flash] takes control away from the user and places it in the hands of a "designer" who may not have any experience in building user interfaces.

      So does HTML. More abstractly, so does any user interface kit. The user isn't in charge of the way an application--or a web page--presents information to him; the designer is. It may indeed be better to put "designer" in quotes, but that doesn't change who has the power.

      Flash has lent itself to a lot of abuse, and Flash MX no doubt does, too. The difference is that Flash MX adds components for consistent user interface widgets if designers choose to use them, and it offers a lot more ability to pull data back from the server--in other words, to behave more like a real client application, as opposed to the broken model for HTML "applications" we currently have.

      Sure, if you give people multimedia design tools, a lot of people will design horrendous multimedia--for a while. Desktop publishing software enabled more people to quickly make absolutely horrendous typeset documents than ever before. Would you argue that it'd have been better if we'd stayed with lead type?

    3. Re:This Doesn't Change Things by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But then you're missing stuff like:

      http://www.8legged.com (cooking show cartoon)
      and
      http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbema il.html (damn funny stuff, it's got a duck pond simulator!)

      Flash is usually annoying, but for cartoons it seems to work really well.

    4. Re:This Doesn't Change Things by Permission+Denied · · Score: 2
      [Flash] takes control away from the user and places it in the hands of a "designer" who may not have any experience in building user interfaces.
      So does HTML. More abstractly, so does any user interface kit.

      Completely wrong. You're pretending not to understand the separation between presentation and content that HTML/SGML/CSS/etc tries to encourage.

      When I inserted a <P> between these two paragraphcs, I didn't say "insert a blank line" or "indent the next line one-half inch." I said "this is a logically new paragraph; please display it accordingly." The point is that some people might like paragraphs displayed as in books, with an indentation on the new paragraph, and some people like paragraphs displayed as is usual in web browsers and email - with a blank line between paragraphs. The point is, it's their choice.

      If I want to, I can write a style sheet which over-rides the crap set in web pages. I know that red on black is difficult to read, but angst-ridden teens don't know this. I see this trend among "web designers" (and those quote marks are intentional, BTW) that they like to make links look like regular text, eg, not underlined (text-decoration: none). I like to scan documents looking for links (eg, some guy's useless rant about some problem which finally links to the technical specification which prompted the rant) and I want my links underlined. CSS lets me do this; flash doesn't.

      The whole point behind CSS is to separate presentation and content. An important part of that is allowing alternate modes of presentation. If you use green and blue to separate two completely different parts of a page, colorblind people won't be able to tell the difference between the two. I want all my text to appear large, as I want to preserve my 20/14 vision and I can damned well scroll when I want to (but with 20/14 vision, I can discern extremely small features when I try). I seriously doubt most "web designers" have considered issues such as this.

      Your analogy with typesetters and web designers doesn't work. Typesetters have hundreds of years of experience behind them. Professional typesetters know that humans can maximize their reading speed when lines contain an average of sixty-five characters per line (open any decent book, and do the math if you don't believe me - and then compare that to Microsoft Word's default layout policies and you'll be enlighted as to the problem). Professional typesetters use serif fonts for body text because it aids reading speed and decreases eye fatigue, yet many "web designers" prefer sans-serif fonts for body text because it looks "cleaner" to them.

      The quality of desktop publishing improved when professional typesetters starting using the same electronic typesetting tools as the desktop publishers instead of using manual and photographic processes. The current generation of "web designers" don't know jack, and I don't see any improvement on the horizon as there is very little crossover between the true artistry of typesetting and the wiggling, squirming, float-over, abstract guess-what-this-does to hold your interest crap which is Flash.

    5. Re:This Doesn't Change Things by sorbits · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I generally agree with you, but had to comment on this one:
      Professional typesetters use serif fonts for body text because it aids reading speed and decreases eye fatigue, yet many "web designers" prefer sans-serif fonts for body text

      Professional typesetters do use sans serif fonts on-screen, because here the resolution is not good enough for the serifs, and so they act as noise rather than reading cues.

      Unfortunately I cannot find the article ATM, but somewhere on the web is an interview with the person who designed the free Microsoft fonts (who is a professional type-face designer), and he explains what he did to ensure optimal readability on-screen -- an interesting read...

    6. Re:This Doesn't Change Things by RFC959 · · Score: 1
      Ayup. The problem, like you say, seems to be that almost every Flash "designer" seems to be focussed on using it to make things fly around, bounce, change colors, etc..

      I suppose this isn't technically the fault of Flash and its creators - you can do useful stuff with it, like How Stuff Works has - but when there's already a perfectly good way to present static text and images (and even moving images, sort of) and you invent something like Flash, what the hell do you _think_ it's going to be used for? The old quip still applies: it's called "Flash" because it's the opposite of "substance".

  44. Dissappointments with the PS2 Linux Kit by CMiYC · · Score: 5, Informative

    So far I have to say I am probably on the disappointed side of the scale. First of all, there is a lack of quaility help with the kit. Why? Because, for example, www.playstation2-linux.com has been overrun by people who can't read. When purchasing the kit they failed to notice the pre-req's which said "SOG Monitor Required" and "a basic understanding of the Linux operating system." While this wouldn't be a large problem, it is making it hard to get support when you have a real issue. It seems everyday someone posts "I can't believe my montior doesn't work" or "Can I run Windows games on the PS2?" or someone posts "Why don't CDRs work?" Apparently none of these people know what a FAQ is.

    Right now I am sitting without a kit, but I'll get to that in a second.

    I pre-ordered my kit on March 7th. I received an email which I assumed to be the confirmation. In my email header it said: " Your PlayStation.com Order #711699 has been d." I even took a cursory look at the message and it looked just like a receipt from any other online store. What I failed to do was read the actual message. It was in fact telling me my credit card (for no apparent reason) was declined. I admit I should have read the message more closely, but it would have been nice if an actual confirmation didn't look exactly the same. I realized this error on May 25th.

    After finally receiving my kit I eagerly ripped everything open and got my PS2 hooked up. Having done my homework, I was very happy to see it talk nicely to my SOG compatible monitor. I even commented "wow, this is a really nice quality keyboard." So I threw in my Linux Disc 2 DVD since, again, I failed to read. This time it was pure excitement to blame. Disc 2 had placed in the disc holder on top, with Disc 1 below it. This was highly intitive.

    The install was going normally. After the RTE loads it looks just like a RedHat install. I got all the way up to the point of partitioning my hard drive. Being that I've been using Linux for longer than I can remember, I defaulted by selecting fdisk. After I was done I hit 'w' to write my table, and nothing happened. In fact the PS2 locked up. I couldn't believe it. So I rebooted. I very quickly found that the keyboard had failed, as it would no longer respond. Neither my Desktop (Mandrake) or my laptop (Win2k) would recognize it as a USB device. Of course this happened at 8:55pm. 5 minutes before all of the electronic stores in town closed.

    So the next morning I went to Fry's and bought a $20 USB keyboard. I came home and got Linux installed. Again this concept of reading got to me. The final dialog says something that reads like: "Press Enter, Put Disc 1 in, and reboot." So I did. I was greated to a hard drive FSCKing itself, a corrupted modules.conf, and an ethernet adapter that wouldn't init. So I re-installed. This time I read the screen more carefully. Apparently it is intiutively obvious that you are to wait 2-3 minutes while the system shuts down. It would have been nice if they let you see the shutdown progress (or told you to wait.) (I know I ragged people for not reading when they bought the kit, but I am willing to admit I should have read all of the above more carefully.)

    Finally my machine is up and running. I even have XMMS complied and installed. So I hook it up to my stereo, connect to it remotely, and mount a NFS share. I'm ready to listen to MP3s on my surround sound system for the first time ever. I launch XMMS and my PS2, again, freezes. After rebooting I am told I can't login because the system has lost power and is rebooting. Uh huh. So I login at the console and do a proper reboot. This time XMMS loaded without a hitch. It played exactly 1 mp3 and locked up again. This time I realized that it was not the PS2 locking up, but the network adapter. This is becoming a known problem at the aforementioned website.

    Finally, my last woe in this whole story. In order to replace my USB keyboard (BTW, all of the components come in their own retail boxes) I must return the entire kit. Yes, playstation.com is incapable of only replacing 1 component. They instead, insisit, I ship back the entire kit (at my cost) to get a keyboard replaced. How nice.

    If the network adapter issue isn't solved in the next 30 days, then I am going to sadly return the kit, as so far, it hasn't been worth $200.

  45. PS2 Linux uses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now let me see, a 40GB HD and Linux plugging into my TV with high-quality sound output (optical digital even) and readily available remote controls (with the DVD remote or cordless controllers). What could I do with that?

    Well, I turned it into an awesome MP3/Ogg player that I can control from my armchair with the household's learning remote. I've got as far as playing back MPEGs with audio, so I'm fairly sure I'll end up being able to play DivX too.

    Other projects include a custom news & weather channel, a MAME-based generic arcade machine, and some picture-in-picture stuff with the aid of a video grabber card in my PC-based server.

    A tip - monitors sprouting a collection of BNC connectors out the back seem to stand a better chance for working as a monitor on the PS2.

    Vik :v)

  46. But First! by xski · · Score: 1


    We must get Underpants!

    Then ??

    THEN profit!

    1. Re:But First! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought it was boots.

      1. Collect boots
      2. ?
      3. Profit

  47. proof? by cpeterso · · Score: 2


    btw, for those of you who might not believe me (because the site has since been fixed), here is the Google-cached Nielsen Norman Group , broken links and all!

    (thank you again, google)

  48. RE: "GNoogle" by ogre2112 · · Score: 1

    I really like the feature. Is Google planning on implementing the code at all?

  49. Use Netfront embedded by Mongoose · · Score: 2

    netfront is your best bet. The PS2 has 32MB of memory after all. Look at http://www.access.co.jp/product/develop/demo.html for the x86 linux demo if you don't have the kit.

    I installed netfront from the Japanese PS2 on the US kit. It runs just fine with SSL, JS, etc. =)

    Look on google and you can find a copy easy, but you might have to register your email/etc in Japanese to download. Also don't listen to those guys in #ps2linux on OPN, since most of them are Qt trolls. ;)

  50. RE: .SWF Open file Format - Contest by ogre2112 · · Score: 1

    If you visit the Link mentioned above to http://www.openswf.com, I noticed they have a contest going similar to HTML and Perl contests in the past.

    Design the best flash presentation within 25 lines of code. Looking forward to the results!

  51. Playstation disappoints by FooMasterZero · · Score: 1

    First off let me say that the Linux for playstation is very cool i do have one and i have had some pretty intresting fun using my ps2 as a web server, and as far as a first revision of trying something like this, I would give it a 3 out of 5 for the following reasons
    however good start i await the updates :)

    On the note of the header i was slightly disappointed that the linux kit lacked alot of modern software that i feel should have been included.

    For instance it includes KDE however it is version 1x now this seems odd that at least version 2 could have snuck in ?
    Same thing with gnome it does include gnome however the version of gnome is very old, i can't recall the actual version at the top of my head.

    Another small detail i found odd that it was missing was a mp3 player i had to install the SDL library to have plaympeg available to me i would think they could have at least included mp3blaster or mpg123 at the most ?

    And to top it off it lacked any kind of real web browser, and for some reason w3m wanted to be displayed in kanji all the time and i still haven't quite figured that out yet.

    Lastly i did happen to be fortunate enough to have a compliant montior so the install was fairly easy it is obivious that sony is in deals with red hat on this. However once installed configuring it to display on my television was a major pain and it wasn't even mentioned in the manual on how to do it, it only hinted that it could be done but not exactly how.

  52. GHB + Ketamine + 2C-B by GafTheHorseInTears · · Score: 0, Insightful

    At about 10:00, I took 25 mg of 2C-B orally and my wife took 10 mg. I had eaten a short while before, nonetheless, I began feeling the effects within 15 minutes. Everything seemed to come into focus and my sense of being took on a very warm aspect. During the buildup, I listened to a mixset of very loud, very powerful psychedelic trance, and was quite impressed by 2C-B's audio- enhancing effects. The trip continued gaining momentum for what I would approximate to be 2 hours. I also took some GHB during the buildup, which synergized very nicely. At this level, the visuals were reminiscent of LSD as I viewed the carpet, but there were also sparkling filaments of every color flying around of a sort that I had never encountered before. The trails or "tracers" were among the nicest and most pronounced of any I have ever seen, they seemed to light up with neon colors and float away. Tactile sensations were also, as promised in what I had read, greatly enhanced. My wife and I were abstaining from sex due to a recent addition to the family, otherwise I would have investigated the tactile-enhancing aspect of this substance further. Kind of like a brighter, hotter-burning version of its longer-lasting sibling, DOB.

    At about 3 or 4 hours into it a lightbulb came on over my head. I had read how 2C-B can make the Ketamine state easier to assimilate upon return to "normal" reality. I figured since this could be my once-in-a-lifetime shot at trying 2C-B, I may as well engage in some serious psychonautics while I had the opportunity. I dissolved 60mg of K in a ml or so of water, and administered with a rectal syringe. I could see within minutes that I was in for a Krazy ride.

    I was talking to my wife. None of the words that were escaping my mouth had been formulated in my mind before saying them, and I was only vaguely aware of what I might have been saying. I remember saying something along the lines of "I have no idea how I am able to stand here and communicate with you right now". My consciousness was a spinning vortex made up of swirling neon cloud-glaxies and random thoughts/phrases. The 2C-B was keeping my pieces together and providing an amazing lightshow as K space crept upon me more and more. At about 30 minutes after taking the Ketamine, I laid down on the couch and finally blasted off.

    My perceptual field was flooded with insectoid imagery. I experienced the form and unity of the Hive Mind. The Hive and the Anthilll as intelligent lifeforms. A giant mantis-looking thing holding the planet Earth in its grasp (literally!). Neon honeycomb- looking things. One Mind. Gaian Mind. Hive Mind. A lot of the same imagery and thoughts that I had received on high-dose psilocybin encounters were present. I saw myself as the ant, and was well aware of this strange alien power's ability to crush me as such. I was informed that as long as my intentions were good and I was acting on my True Will, I had nothing to fear from these obviously superior lifeforms. On the visual level, everything was flowing and electric. Neon tracers persisted for what seemed like over 10 seconds and floated off into obscureness. I saw the synchronicity in my life reaching a climactic point in the not-so-distant future, at the will of this anthill/hive-type Universal Mind. On an emotional level, the combination of K and 2C-B was extremely opening, and helped me to view my life in a new light- as a series of interacting mechanisms and external forces beyond my control which all culminate to make things happen and to make "me" behave in a certain manner. I looked forward to some events which I knew were coming up in my life with great disdain, knowing that I had fucked up greatly to cause things to be where they currently were. The harsh and verbally abusive way I had been raised as a child follows me to this day, fully interweaved with my being and the way I handle things. Looking at "me" from the outside, witnessing the various mechanisms which make up "me", I realized I have some serious issues I have yet to resolve. The overall message, as has been the message I have received on other psychedelics, is that if I wish to better myself and free myself of the demons that haunt me, I need to quiet my mind and seek clarity through meditation.

    The K wore off about an hour after taking it and I rode out the comedown chilling on the futon with my wife, taking bonghits of some rather tasty nug to smooth the landing. While the 2C-B helped to retain much of the K experience, I feel there was still a signifigant portion that I was unable to bring back (secrets humankind was not meant to know, I suppose!). It is unfortunate that these two casualties of the "War on Drugs" are not more widely available, for I feel if more people examined this particular combination, humanities collective unconscious would reap signifigant benefits. I am thankful for this new insight into my own life and the Universe as a whole, and I hope some day I am fortunate enough to experience this particular combo again.

    --
    "You're just scared like a little white pussy. I'll fuck you till you love me, you faggot!"
  53. Making TV text bigger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Have you turned on interlacing in the XGSconfig file? It makes the display a bit jittery but doubles the number of screen lines (on the PAL version anyway).

    Vik :v)

  54. PS2 Linux Kit by Iron+Chef+Japan · · Score: 1

    Wow I was so excited about mine... to bad I have'nt had a chance to try it out. You know why? Because not a single one of my SEVEN monitors work with it. Old ones, new ones, whatever dont worry... Head over here and you will see that almost all the Sony monitors work, and the other brands are hit and miss. Talk about lame. Only one good thing has come out of my purchase of the kit so far, and that is that I can play Tony Hawk 3 online, and I have a keyboard to chat with... and until I go out and have to buy a monitor, this is all I can do with my kit. Talk about a big disappointment. Good job Sony, keep up with your memory card shortages, empty promises (cough, cough PlayStation 3), and nice open development support, and you sure as hell will loose my business.

    1. Re:PS2 Linux Kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've been chatting online when I play Tony Hawk 3 since I got it. Oh wait, that's right, I own a MAC that comes with a keyboard that uses a MODERN interface. Not a PC that still uses an old throwback to IBM proprietary interfaces.

    2. Re:PS2 Linux Kit by KewlPC · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What part of "Sync-on-green monitor required" didn't you understand?

      Most PC monitors are designed to be as inexpensive to manufacture as possible. This means that "extra" features (that any decent monitor _SHOULD_ have) such as sync-on-green get left out.

      Don't expect to be able to be a cheapskate and buy the least expensive monitor you can find and still have it work as well as a much nicer (but more expensive) monitor.

    3. Re:PS2 Linux Kit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Couldn't you just blind install it and use your tv? I want to use my television because it makes my desk that much less cluttered. Noone seems to be going this route though. Is it really that bad???

  55. Flash, the answer to the Windows GUI by Animats · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Flash should be viewed as an alternative to writing code for Windows, not as an alternative to HTML. It's not a good way to express documents, but it's a halfway reasonable way to write some GUIs.

    A fair number of game GUIs (the 2D parts used for setup and such) are written in Flash and executed with a non-Macromedia Flash engine. This is done so that the Flash authoring tools can be used. This approach could be applied to other applications.

    It's probably more suitable for things like a music player than a system administration program, but it's an option. Most importantly, it lets you separate the GUI part from the programming part, which means the GUI designer can get some real work done.

  56. Re:Gnoogle? - ascii hotornot by superpeach · · Score: 1

    I never noticed this before. its almost amusing...

  57. Re:Gnoogle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who moderates the metamoderators?

    Me.

  58. Macromedia just trying to delay adoption of SVG by Eric+Savage · · Score: 1

    SVG already has most of the current Flash functionality, and is a truly open standard. One only has to look at the companies employing those writing the SVG spec to see that Macromedia is standing against the coming tide (yes they are on the list too). As soon as authoring tools mature the psuedo-programmers who make Flash movies now without the support of real programmers will migrate as the true developers push to the much more code-friendly SVG.

    --

    This is not the greatest sig in the world, this is just a tribute.
    1. Re:Macromedia just trying to delay adoption of SVG by IamTheRealMike · · Score: 2
      The problem with SVG is that virtually no browsers support it. Although you can get the Adobe plugin, it's very slow even compared to Flash. Also, you don't get one of the chief advantages of SVG being XML: that is, you can't embed it into your actual document.

      Mozilla is the only browser I know of (perhaps now Konqueror too?) that actually supports SVG natively - embedded SVG in mozilla is part of the standard document tree, can be styled, transformed, manipulated etc all using the standard tools. I've seen some pretty impressive demos, transforming ChemML into SVG etc to form chemical diagrams. Mozilla has nowhere near complete support for it though, SVG is a huge spec.

      Thing is, IE doesn't support the technology necessary to make it work. You can't write COM objects for instance that plug directly in to the Trident rendering engine, it's based on Mosaic which was already out of date even when MS screwed over its creators to get hold of it. Unless Microsoft does a Gecko-style rewrite so people can plug in support for new XML namespace renderers, the only support for SVG on Windows will be from the Adobe plugin, which doesn't really give you all the benefits.

      Mark my words, SVG has an uphill struggle against Flash. Flash is here, it works, millions are familiar with it, and it has a truckload of features. SVG embedded using a standard plugin doesn't offer any real advantages over Flash, which is a real shame.

  59. RTFM by achurch · · Score: 4, Informative

    I find it odd that someone who even admits they have reading problems still insists on dumping all of the blame on Sony. I had no trouble at all setting up Linux on my PS2 (though admittedly I have the Japanese version; maybe somebody screwed something up for the US release).

    As far as the network adapter goes, I've had zero problems, even while doing a raw disk dump over the network. I do, on the other hand, recall splay locking up on me once or twice. Try setting the playback rate to 48000 Hz, since the PS2 Linux driver can't handle anything else natively, and see if that helps. This is also mentioned in the manual, by the way (at least the Japanese one).

    Also, when I had a keyboard problem—which just turned out to be me typing too fast for the keyboard's specs—I was able to send just the keyboard back to Sony and use the PS2 via Ethernet in the meantime. Maybe you didn't communicate clearly that it was just the keyboard that was defective?

  60. GPL code former MS employee? by Kelerain · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "The winner is Daniel Egnor, a former Microsoft employee ."
    "My code is available to the public under the terms of the GNU Public License."

    No wonder he got fired!

  61. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's the point of installing Linux on the PS2? Seriously.

  62. PS2 - sync extractor - use any monitor by msillence · · Score: 1

    Why not build a sync extractor its only a few components:

    http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LM1881.html

  63. Re:Read The Fucking Message by CMiYC · · Score: 2

    Now slow down there professor. I did not say I placed all of the blame on Sony. My intention was to show how those issues were mounting to my dissatisfaction. The only thing I blame on Sony is the final installation dialog. It is extremely vauge and does not provide the user any feedback to what its doing. In fact the manual (which I did read) says 20) "The "Complete" messages appears. Select "OK" to quit the install program. That, in conjunction with a dialog that tells you to reset the machine now, is confusing.

    As for the network adapter. Now you are just trying to make it look like I'm whining for no reason. You are offering vauge suggestions to show me I'm being zealous. The issue has nothing to do with mp3s. It is not related to the sound system, it is not related to splay, and it has nothing to do with the playback rate. There is nothing in the paper manual about changing the playback rate. I say that only because I haven't had a chance to read the electronic versions. The issue with the network adapter is soley based on network traffic. It just so happened (as I found out) that streaming mp3s caused the issue to initially occur. Perhaps if you RTFM (message) then you would see that transfering large files caused the problem as well.

    Do you really think I did not express my concern about not sending the entire kit back? I asked the woman several times if she was sure about it. She came back and said "Yes, my manager says we can not accept the invdividual components. We must receive the entire kit so that we can send you an entirely new one. Please note on the return sheet that only the keyboard is defective." So, as you can see, she fully understood that only 1 component needed to be returned. Furthermore if you had, again, RTFM, you would see that using it remotely was causing problems. Therefore your suggestion, again, would not have done any good.

    The next time you want to disagree with someone and try to discredit them, please take the time to actually read their message. It would also be helpful to provide actual suggestions. (Not suggestions that show you thumbing your nose at the orginal poster.)

  64. Please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kill yourself

    1. Re:Please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Following advice. Will post results (with pictures) later.

  65. Re:Gnoogle by frooyo · · Score: 1

    Can we finally make it clear, YES - it IS GNUGLE and not Google. So, CAN THE POST STOP HERE!!!

  66. Re:Gnoogle? - ascii hotornot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It _IS_ amusing that it requires me to switch from Netscape 4.77 to IE in order to view it.

  67. Flash may no longer be 99% bad. by autechre · · Score: 2


    However, it still should not replace HTML.

    Flash will be better than HTML for writing online applications, because you can get immediate feedback, and also don't have to deal with the statelessness of HTML. One place where this has stuck out is the spell checker that is included with IMP. It can't really be interactive (as with a word processor), and so it's a lot less usable. Perhaps an optional Flash spell checker would be helpful.

    A big problem with Flash that still (AFAIK) hasn't been fixed is that when people use it to create entire sites (replacing HTML), their site is essentially invisible to search engines. Maybe Google will solve this problem, but for now, I think that the best course of action is to use HTML whenever possible, and to use Flash when it would provide better functionality (and not just because it will look cool). Or, you could provide a non-Flash alternative, and that will be indexed.

    There's also the problem that Flash isn't usable by everyone; people who browse non-visually, use a text-mode browser, or who simply haven't installed the plugin will not be able to use whatever portion of your site is in Flash. Just something to keep in mind.

    --
    WMBC freeform/independent online radio.
    1. Re:Flash may no longer be 99% bad. by Allen+Varney · · Score: 1

      Google does in fact now index Flash sites. Do a search that includes "Flash."

      Flash MX supports accessibility by screen readers, with integrated support for Microsoft Active Accessibility and US government accessibility standards.

      No one should argue that Flash is suitable for every possible Web function, but it has been improving. If everyone had to design every page so that it works in (say) Lynx, the Web would be a more widely accessible but less interesting place.

  68. Re:Read The Fucking Message by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Somebody call this guy the waambulance.