Slashback: Revolutionism, Media, Oregon

Updates and clarifications in tonight's Slashback include word on the extra-theatrical availability of Revolution OS, consideration of Free software in Oregon. availability of HP's new streaming-audio toy (which does not play Ogg Vorbis), and more. Read on for the details. Bonus material is always, well ... bonus. Khyron writes "Revolution OS, the definitive documentary film on the evolution of Linux and the relationship between the Free Software and Open Source movements, is finally available for purchase on DVD! The 2-disc special edition set now available includes full-length commentary by the director, as well as an additional 70 minutes of interview footage, a still image gallery, biographies, a 113-page documents section, and even the 'Free Software Song' music video. Additionally, in the spirit of its subject matter, the DVDs are unencrypted and region-free. I have contacted the director, J.T.S. Moore, and he is eager to grant permission to LUGs to hold free screenings -- he asks that you contact him first to coordinate and he'll even list your screening on his website."

Sounds and pictures from the same box -- impossible! An anonymous reader writes "The HP Digital Media Receiver ( discussed here before) is available for sale at CompUSA and online. The wired version is $199, and the wireless one is $299.

I've been using it for a little while, and I really like it so far. It took a while for the PC software to start serving, but now its fine. It found all my playlists and digital photos on the first pass, and the network setup worked properly too. I'd like to see higher-resolution photos, but it's a pretty cool way to show the pictures to my less-techie friends.

Also, I installed the PC software on both of my home PCs, and the Receiver automatically finds the music on both! It did have a bunch of duplicates (which made it easy for me to go prune out all my dual mp3s), but it was pretty cool. You can't edit a playlist at the TV set, which is a bit of a bummer, but I use WinAmp on my PC anyway, and that worked fine. I like the interface on the TV a lot (although it's a little dull after a while), and it sorted most of my media properly. Some of my MP3s ended up in weird places, but I guess that's from the ID3 tags?

One other thing - I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the Receiver runs Linux. Did anyone else see this too? The only other thing about it I didn't really like was the lack of a reset button. There is a power button, but it didn't reset the device when I pushed it, so I had to unplug it once.

Anyhow, I'm sure there are going to be a ton more products like this one out there soon, but I definitely prefer this to the Prismiq and the Audiotron. It's a much more intuitive box, although a front-panel LCD would be a really nice add!"

Since the general welfare means you, too. Cooper Stevenson writes "Thanks to all of those who called, wrote, and emailed their Legislators in Oregon, House Bill 2892 will get a hearing as covered by the Oregonian:

'A new bill would make Oregon the first state to take a formal stance against the hefty fees and technological limitations of software produced by large corporations such as Microsoft.'

'A House committee is scheduled to consider a proposal that promotes "open-source" software, which doesn't charge recurring fees and enables customers to alter the software code, making it more compatible with other programs.'

Global neural links sought. Controlio writes "With the first truly televised war underway, for the first time we have media members armed with sat trucks chasing the folks with the automatic weapons around. Several fixed cameras are mounted around Baghdad, and members of the media from all around the world are sending reports from the field using sat uplinks and video phones. So the question is, those of you with access to a Big Dish, have you found any wild feeds yet? I live in Michigan (U.S.), and have only been able to pinpoint local media backhauls (like Fox's news backhaul to their local affiliates), but nothing from abroad. Anyone out there have any sat and channel information for either the Baghdad cams, foreign news agencies, or best of all, the news feeds from the front line?"

This question is a good followup to a recent question posted as an Ask Slashdot seeking unbiased news about the current war.

Comments

Re:paradox

[gregfortune]

It's not encrypted or region coded so it's perfectly legal to watch. The only contention arises when the DVD has been encrypted forcing us to break the encryption before we can watch the movie... Obviously, reading the entire post can be helpful sometimes...

Re:sound and video on a PC

[outZider]

No, it does explain it. Man has said for ages that we *will* have flying cars. Hence, the total void of flying cars.

OK then

[The Bungi]

'A new bill would make Oregon the first state to take a formal stance against the hefty fees and technological limitations of software produced by large corporations such as Microsoft.'

I would like more information about this. States have tons of custom and commercial software packages they use for everything from tracking DUI offenders to registering kids in school districts. And those products more likely than not use things like databases and middleware things that are mostly OS-specific.

Forget about Windows and Office for a sec and think about the costs related to moving all that to an "open" platform. Especially today, when most states are flat broke and pulling money away from programs like education and welfare.

Does anyone have any real, specific information as to how Oregon plans to deal with this, outside of the all too familiar "oh, another blow to m$" static I keep hearing?

It seems to me that these are mostly empty gestures. What they should be doing is introducing alternative operating systems and applications selectively, where it makes sense and they represent the best tool for the job at hand. In this scenario, the "you must use [insert software]" is nothing more than an imposition made by the very people who know absolutely nothing about these things (the legislators) to the detriment of the people who will actually burden this (the MIS staffs at the state agencies). And ultimately, to the detriment of the taxpayers as well.

It's a bad Dilbert cartoon - at a massive scale.

Re:OK then

[Otter]

What are you taking about? This bill only requires that open source alternatives be _considered_. It certainly doesn't require that all existing software be thrown out.

Look, I'm as game as anyone for ridiculing the kiddies who think because they get by with only Linux for their computer use (email, IM web browsing) it should be shoved down the throats of every highway department and armed forces branch, but that has nothing to do with this.

Re:OK then

[fucksl4shd0t]

Once again I have to ask why we need a law to have OSS considered. Is there something in the law saying only closed source software can be considered?

Before OSS became a serious thing (or rather, before it was mature enough to become a worthy alternative), people only used closed source software because that's all there was. However, even in those days, many people wouldn't consider all of the options when making a purchase. Realistically, many people still don't, on anything. However, there are laws in place in many state governments (although I don't know about Oregon specifically) that require them to do things like put the purchase up to a bid and let contractors and suppliers and so forth bid, and then they pick the lowest price. I don't know if it's the function or specific package that goes up for bid or not. Anyway, the assumption in a bidding system is that the suppliers will be commercial entities. Many good OS solutions are NOT commercial entities, but provide commercial level support and stuff (not services, though). For the states money and need, it is a good thing to consider OSS in the purchasing process.

That said, it is also quite normal for a PHB to hear someone say "We need software to do this" and then call up Microsoft to start the bidding process. This sort of thing happens frequently because the PHB isn't even aware that there's alternatives to Microsoft. He may likely wind up calling his guy back and saying "It's too much money."

Now, a bill that requires them to consider OSS solutions would change that. Now the PHB can't call Microsoft and decide it's too much money. Now he needs to find a company (say, uh, RedHat?) who provides competitive services/software that's also OSS and SHOP AROUND.

The reason there's no law mandating that closed source software be considered is because it's never been needed to ensure that all of the options are considered. It was previously the *only* option. Now there are alternatives. Making this law requires people to look at the alternatives. That's all. And it is a Good Thing.

As a former state worker

[eadint]

I worked at EDD in sacramento. and i think gnu would be great there. in california 90% of the real work is done by tn3270 this can easily be done in linux. the major needs are. email, word processor, spreadsheet and presentations for the managers. the main road block would be exchange most big corporations love that program and i don't think that there is a real alternative to it. but I'm sure that that could be worked out.
Star office
X3279 or something like that
Mozilla for a web browser.
although i would set the managers up with Apples. the less they have to thing the better off you are, as a former it person for them i should know.

Re:paradox

[embarcadero]

dude -- this guy made this movie with his own money and is selling it with no encryption or region encoding because the community is always bitching about how evil the movie industry is with all their countermeasures.

If you want the DVD, just buy it. Show some support for one of the few people who did exactly what we're always asking for.

Alternative media sources

[Big Nothing]

I find The Guardian to be one of the most unbiased, objective news sources in existance:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/

If you want to get another perspective on the news, Al-Jazeera is the thing for you. It's just as biased as CNN, but it provides a different angle on the news:
http://www.aljazeera.net/

Not mainstream:
http://dearraed.blogspot.com/