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DishPVR 721 Review
An anonymous submitter writes "TiVo's not the only Linux based PVR in the US market anymore. Echostar's Dish Network is now offering their own Linux based PVR, the dual tuner, 120 GB DP721. The first review can be found here at DBSTalk.com." Another anonymous person (how hard is it to give yourself a handle? sheesh) describes the gizmo and notes a possible problem: "Echostar is now shipping a Linux based set-top box called the DishPVR-721 that won best of show at CES. It has a 120GB drive, a pentium like processor and supports dual channel PVR. Also, from my call to their technical support this morning, they aren't planning on giving up any of the GPLed source code they have modified. I've got one in front of me right now, ugly silver box but nice specs. I'm going to open it up this morning and start taking it apart."
I'd say go for it.
I mean, I really don't want to see the GPL thrown out or anything, but it's got to go to court eventually. Then, somehow, the world will change.
I remember reading that the FSF encourages people to license with the specification that newer versions of the GPL will apply. I know lots of people purposefully exclude that out of distrust for the FSF's motives. It would be ironic, albeit sucky, if being able to update the GPL would save a lot of code from badness.
I mean, usually that "future changes apply" clause usually bites people in the butt. It seems about time that it got used for something beneficial.
Has anyone ever considered a sort of "future updates to the GPL apply if a) the author is dead or b) the author files an agreement to update form with the FSF"?
It seems that would protect against fears that the FSF may sell them out in the future. At least then users would be safe unless both the FSF *and* the author wanted to sell out. Seems much less likely.
Also, does the redistribution clause of the GPL apply when it's distributed embedded or just as a software package. If I build a USB widget and distribute the widget running the Linux kernel with scheduler changes to accomodate my widget's real-time foobazzle, does it need to be GPL? Even if it is only allowing my widget to simply run? I don't have a problem with that (I actually kind of like it), but a lot of the less committed to free software would.
I think Mauve has the most RAM. --PHB (Dilbert Comic)
Won't work....
You would have to buy one from them first, then you can demand the source from them.
Jeroen
Secure messaging: http://quickmsg.vreeken.net/
There's enough digital detritus floating around the hard drives of my various machines without adding more junk like slashdot user ids and nytimes registrations. It's just annoying crap.
Too many passwords, too many cookies.
Tip: The Linux kernel is licensed under the GPL.
Tip: You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Don't call their tech support and rag on them, you write them a nice letter on paper and request it, mentioning their 'oversight'.
Good point.
And you wonder why people hate Linux Supporters
You go through all the trouble to develop, design, construct, and market a box that does something damned useful, and then a snot-nosed 14-year old who can't program other than running a vbs worm starts calling your tech support demanding your "GPL" code.
If their product is based on Linux, they did not go to all the trouble to develop, design, and construct the product. If they don't want the benefits and obligations of the GPL, they can use BSD, sell their souls for a closed source alternative, or write their own code.
Wait. The guy is smart enough to make money playing cards, and I'm supposed to distrust him because he's an "outsider." He probably didn't even go to the same CEO Preparatory School that me and Kenneth Lay were at!
It's kinda funny how that article has absolutely no clue what "counting cards" at blackjack means. Despite what Rain Man may have led you to believe, counting cards requires nothing more than remembering which cards have been dealt and keeping a mental count of how likely you are to get a 10 when needed. If you do this correctly and spread your bets so you bet more when the odds are better, you gain a 1-2% player edge of your action - average return of ~1.5% of every dollar bet.
(Yes, it's a little more complicated than that, but I'm a poor student and I've never been to Vegas, so i'd appreciate no overly disparaging criticism. Think: if you understand counting cards so much better than me, why are you posting on Slashdot instead of counting your casino-won money? hehe)
beware the jabberwock, my son! the jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
I'm wondering how they implemented smartcard authentication: Wishful thinking says that they were dumb enough to build the smartcard driver into the kernel, thereby legally obligating them to release the source code, thereby declaring open season for smartcard hackers...
Honestly, they most likely did it as a kernel module (which doesn't need to be GPL'ed; see Nvidia). Oh well.
I'm sorry your post was moderated down. I agree completely with what you said. The GPL is a commercial-hostile license, and there are a significant number of GPL advocates who also happen to be anti-business advocates. This makes developing commercial products that are based on Linux or any other GPL'd software an absolute minefield.
My company is currently selecting the next platform for our software. (You've never heard of it, so don't bother trying to guess.) Some of my staff (I'm the CTO) are lobbying for a Linux port, mostly for business reasons but also to support Linux as an alternative to Windows on the Intel architectures.
I have vetoed that proposal summarily. My reason is mostly based on technology-- Linux doesn't have very good support for some advanced hardware that we depend on-- but the last nail in the coffin was politics. I don't want to even dip a toe in the GPL pool as long as there are vocal and influential people out there trying to make life hard for for-profit businesses.
We're porting from IRIX to Solaris. Linux is just more trouble than it's worth.
Is it just me or did alot of good posts seem to get slammed by the moderators on this topic? Some of the most important points I wanted to make but found instead in the threads were moderated down for no apparent reason. I don't think I've ever seen such a massacare.
include('moderation_abuse_rant.inc');
Perhaps i'm foolish to not AC this post... but I didn't think the point of slashdot was to live in fear of moderation while trying to make a valid point. I guess I'll get my answer.
Slashdot: rejecting tech news in favor of rubber band guns since 1997.