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Slashback: BBC, Crypto, Dummies [updated]

Slashback tonight with some rare bits of good news, at least for those who liked BBC Ogg Vorbis streams, or who use AES to protect data. Plus, a (final?) turn in the Greek gaming ban, and another visit to Dummies hell.

Let's get with it on those .ogg portables, OK? rassie writes "Checking back at what used to be one of my most visited sites, I noticed that I might start using it again very soon. The BBC is returning to streaming in ogg format. From the page:
Update (2002-09-24): Yay, the legal issues have been resolved. We now have rights to all the of the BBC's radio output. Hopefully we should start kicking off these streams soon."

Your email is still (probably) safe. BitterOak writes "A recent Slashdot story reported that AES might have been broken by the new XL attack of Courtois and Pieprzyk. However, it appears there aren't enough linearly independent equations for this attack to work against AES. Cryptographer T. Moh has a brief explanation here, and Don Coppersmith posted a comment on the NIST AES discussion forum (under General Cryptanalytic Attacks), which comes to the same conclusion. Coppersmith is one of the world's greatest cryptographers, so it seems safe to assume that AES has not been broken at this point."

Hey, now it's just like most of the U.S.! yoink! writes "The BBC is running the following story detailing the end of the short-lived electronic gaming ban in Greece. The Government realised that (hopefully) relatively little gambling was involved with those playing computer, and console games all over the country. The decision to clarify those games which are, in fact, electronic gambling facilities are the only forms of electronic gaming with which the revised legislation now concerns itself."

The lawyers sound like ... dummies. Blue Aardvark House writes "I am an author for the Slash site Slackers Guild. Recently Nastard, the owner of Slackers Guild received a threatening letter from Wiley Publishing concerning the site's Slacking for Dummies document. Nastard's reply is here."

Update: 09/27 03:31 GMT by T : Note: the Slacker's Guild website seems to have slacked, and the links no longer work. For the text of the letter sent by Wiley to Nastard, search below for comment #4340698 by SiMac; for the response, see comment #4340840 by decaying. Also, the "Slacking for Dummies" document link now points to Google's cache.

It's not the first time that Wiley has hunted down obvious parody works; they've even fired off similar mail because someone used "Dummies" in the subject line of an email.

14 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. fp! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Everyone knows that Ford Taurus should be the number 1 selling car in the world. Fucking toyotas. theyre Toys.

  2. Second Post~!!2 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Hahaha! I win!

  3. It's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    You obviously need to read "First Posts for Dummies."

  4. Female Orgasms: Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The female orgasm. That old chestnut. Women love discussing their orgasms- when they first had them, how often they had them, and especially those lovers they've had who were unable to supply the totally orgasmic experience.

    Women these days are wont to bemoan lovers who aren't able to "satisfy" them as if their satisfaction is even an issue. In actuality, the passing of genetic material and potential for fertilization is only dependent on the "satisfaction" of the male partner.

    In short, ladies, it's not that we can't do it for ya. It's just that we don't CARE.

  5. Re:New business plan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    1. Make Redundant post on Slashdot we've all seen before
    2. ???
    3. Profit!!!

  6. I got a business plan for you. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Shut the fuck up.

  7. Re:New business plan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Jesus Christ, stop with this joke already.

  8. Re:New business plan? by Bonker · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    The really sad thing is that this is probably true.

    The gaming ban allowed gaming only in government-sanctioned (read: politician-owned) casinos. If you wanted to play games, you could... you just had to pay the equivalent of a bribe to do so.

    --
    The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
  9. Re:Rape should be Legal! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    do you know where I can get teh book "rape for dummies"? I asked the librarian, but she just called the police.

  10. AES? I always used TwoFish Haha! by The_Dougster · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Shit I have cpu cycles to burn. I have used TwoFish ever since I studied the AES challenge. It it obviously superior, and under much less scrutiny as well.

    --
    Clickety Click ...
  11. Re:God help us.. since it seems no one else will by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    mod this up!! +5 Funny

  12. here's the reason... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    www.linuxisforbitches.com - suck it. funny how you care about a trademark you can not affect... and, what's this "we" shit? dumb cocksucker...

  13. Re:Give the hackers a break already willya? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Thanks for the link! Too bad I don't have mod points now. This deserves a +1, Funny.

  14. mod this up! #@ +5; Patriotic @# by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    God save our gracious Queen,
    Long live our noble Queen,
    God save the Queen!
    Send her victorious,
    Happy and glorious,
    Long to reign over us;
    God save the Queen!

    O Lord our God arise,
    Scatter her enemies
    And make them fall;
    Confound their politics,
    Frustrate their knavish tricks,
    On Thee our hopes we fix,
    God save us all!

    Thy choicest gifts in store
    On her be pleased to pour;
    Long may she reign;
    May she defend our laws,
    And ever give us cause
    To sing with heart and voice,
    God save the Queen!

    Not in this land alone,
    But be God's mercies known,
    From shore to shore!
    Lord make the nations see,
    That men should brothers be,
    And form one family,
    The wide world over.

    From every latent foe,
    From the assassins blow,
    God save the Queen!
    O'er her thine arm extend,
    For Britain's sake defend,
    Our mother, prince, and friend,
    God save the Queen!

    Lord grant that Marshal Wade
    May by thy mighty aid
    Victory bring.
    May he sedition hush,
    And like a torrent rush,
    Rebellious Scots to crush.
    God save the Queen!