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Slashback: Taplight, Handheld, Samba

Slashback is packed tonight with updates and clarifications on several fronts: read on below for, among other things, BitTorrent download stats after the recent Red Hat 9 release, the BSA's questionable statistical methods when it comes to calculating incentives and losses in the source-secret software world, and (can you believe?) yet another way to assemble an eerie pulsing light fixture.

Click on through for some impressive graphs ... . bramcohen writes "Since RedHat 9 got /.'ed last week there have been over ten thousand complete downloads using BitTorrent. Initial traffic got very high, transferring over a gibibit a second. All throughout the BitTorrent servers, run by volunteers using stock tools, held up just fine. Meanwhile downloads from RedHat Network, only available to subscribers, transferred at a crawl. The third Animatrix also got quite a few downloads. Thanks to everyone who left their downloaders running, and David Stutz and Eike Frost for setting things up."

If you exaggerate enough the first time, subsequent revisions sound like concessions. Russell McOrmond writes "An article in ITBusiness.ca includes references to the methodology of the BSA studies, and how it confuses Free/Libre and Open Source Software with piracy. There are some related articles talking about CAAST/BSA on my work weblog from the past."

Tap, Tap, Tap. feagle814 writes "Recently, I saw a question on Ask Slashdot that intrigued me. The person was asking for ideas relating to building your own glowing and color-changing ball. Being the kind of person to take such a general request for comments and turn it into a personal reason for living, I quickly skimmed the description on ThinkGeek and came up with these requirements for my project:

  1. It must meet the generic description of the Ambient Orb,
  2. It must cost less than $50 to make,
  3. It must be wireless, with at least a 30-foot range, and
  4. It must be controllable by home computer.

After much deliberation, I came up with the following solution. I've included pictures and instructions, as well as a recounting of my experiences."

Not just a simulation. Olmy's Jart writes "This is a followup to yesterday's article on "Samba Exploit Discovered, Fixed". Digital Defense has posted an apology to the Samba Team for posting a complete live working exploit (not even a mere "proof of concept", but a zero day rooter) on their site for this vulnerability. The exploit has been taken down, for what that's worth now. This is being reported in an article on ZDNet AU. Digital Defense now claims that this was done without the approval of their management."

Funny, CompUSA is finally selling duplicators, too. Unominous Coward writes "According to this article, the man who planned to install CD copying machines around Australia has withdrawn from the idea. Not surprisingly, this was after a lawsuit by the music industry."

Anyone who would like to buy me one is free to do so. prostoalex writes "Sharp Zaurus deal is back at Home Shopping Network. Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 is $199, but a coupon code HSN4897 knocks the price down by 15%. With standard shipping the order comes to around $173."

We need both more Korean food and more Korean electronics. Jo "directhex" Shields writes "HEXUS.net has completed its extensive messing around with GamePark's GP32 Handheld, which recieved a mention a couple of days ago on Slashdot (and recieved the usual thrashing from members too busy to read the article but not too busy to post trashy ill-informed comments about it).

It should help to clear up a few myths about what the unit is, what it tries to do, and what it succeeds at doing. Read the review, and pass mighty Slashdot Judgement."

11 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. an eerie pulsing light fixture by Faust7 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I know of a very simple way that takes just a small amount of skin-safe glow-in-the-dark paint.

  2. Gibabit? by jerkychew · · Score: 5, Funny

    Initial traffic got very high, transferring over a gibibit a second.

    They using the Fat Albert network protocols over there?

    1. Re:Gibabit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny


      The gibibit is an SI unit derived from playing Quake. It measures the amount of gory body parts ("gibs") created per second. Since whole gibs are sometimes inconveniently large, a fraction (or "bit") of a gib is often used, hence the gibibit.

  3. Red Hat 9 - Keep away by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hello,

    Recently I've been introduced to an operating system known as Linux.

    Lured by its low cost, I replaced Windows 98 on my computer with Linux. Unfortunately the more I use it the more I fear that this "Linux" may be an insidious way for the Dark One to gain a stronger foothold here on Earth. I know this may be a shocking claim, but I have evidence to back it up!

    To begin with, Linux is based off of an older, obsolete OS called "BSD Unix". The child-indoctrinatingly-cute cartoon mascot of this OS is a devil holding a pitchfork. This OS -- and its Linux offspring -- extensively use what are unsettingly called "daemons" (which is how Pagans write "demon" -- they are notoriously poor spellers: magick, vampyre, etc.) which is a program that hides in the background, doing things without the user's notice. If you are using a computer running Linux then you probably have these "demons" on your computer, hardly something a good Christian would want! Furthermore in order to start or stop these "demons" a user must execute a command called "finger". By "fingering" a "demon" one excercises an unholy power, much the same way that the Lord of Flies controls his black minions.

    Linux contains another Satanic holdover from the "BSD Unix" OS mentioned above; to open up certain locked files one has to run a program much like the DOS prompt in Microsoft Windows and type in a secret code: "chmod 666". What other horrors lurk in this thing?

    Consider some of these other Linux commands: "sleep", "mount", "unzip", "strip" and "touch". All highly suggestive in a sexual nature. I know that our Lord cannot approve of these, and I urge them to be renamed to something appropriate to the Christian community. Interestingly "CONTROL-G" (the sixth key from the left of the keyboard) does an abort. To write files a "VI" editor is included. All these are to ensnare the unsuspecting christian who could get tempted by typing "VIVIVI" all day long.

    Fourth, Linux uses a flavor of DOS known as Bash. Bash is an acronym for "Bourne Again Shell". On the surface this would appear to be supportive of the Lord. However, remember that even Satan can quote the bible for his own purposes! While I believe Linux may be born-again, its obvious by the misspelling of "born" that its not born-again in an Christian church. Will the lies ever cease?

    Additionally, one of the main long-haired hippies involved with the GNU Free Software Foundation supports communism, contraception and abortion. He has consistently supported 60's counter-cultural "values", and his web site even advocates government support of contraception. He also wears fake halos, and has quips about his made-up church that relates to his free software. I find such blasphemy to be extremely unsettling.

    One must also remember that the creator of Linux, a college student named Linux Torvaldis, comes from Finland. I'm sure all the followers of Christ are aware of the heritical nature of the Finnish: from necrophilia to human sacrifice, Finnish culture is awash in sin. I find little reason to believe anything good and holy could arise from this evil land.

    Finally, let us remember that there is an alternative to using the Satan-powered Linux. I think history has shown us that Microsoft is quite holy. I'm told that its founder, William Gates is a strong supporter of our Lord and I encourage my fellow Christians to buy only his products to help keep the Devil at bay.

    I wish I had more time to expound upon my findings. Unfortunately a family of Jews has moved in across the street and I must go speak to them of Jesus Christ before they are condemned to eternal hellfire.

    Please investigate this as you see fit and I'm sure you'll reach the same conclusions that I have.

  4. More time! More time! by GlobalEcho · · Score: 2, Funny

    From the TapLight website:

    So you're either revved up about building one of these for yourself or you're just reading on because you've nothing better to do. I can understand that.

    It's not that I have nothing better to do. It's that I do have something better to do. Two kids, two jobs, a bunch of homework to grade, and a bicycle that isn't fixing itself.

    This allows me to fantasize about having the time to make one of those beauties!

  5. Under $50?? by Myriad · · Score: 4, Funny
    From the Make-an-Orb-Clone-For-Under-$50 site:

    TX433 module $6.02
    RX433 module $6.02
    Shipping (Qkits) $9.17
    2 Red LEDs $1.20
    2 Green LEDs $2.76
    2 Blue LEDs $2.60
    Shipping (SuperbrightLEDs) $5.00
    PIC16F84A $5.63
    Shipping (Digikey) $6.00
    Total $44.00
    Note: Things like the Taplight, the PIC programmer, the circuit board, and the miscellaneous electronic parts have been omitted because they would have brought the total above $50

    "Omitted because the would have brought the total above $50"?? Can I do that with my taxes? You know, I only made $nnnn this year... because any more would nock me into the next tax bracket! :)

    Blockwars: a multiplayer, head to head game similar to Tetris

    --
    "They do not preach that their god will rouse them, a little before the Nuts work loose." Kipling, 'The Sons of Martha'
    1. Re:Under $50?? by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Funny

      Taplight = 5 bucks or so

      PIC Programmer = hmm 30-50 bucks for a DIY kit

      Circuit board = home etched? protoboard? breadboard? lets say 10 bucks

      Miscellaneous electronic parts = all the resistors, capacitors, 555 timer IC, d-sub connectors that I saw used... Oh, lets say another 10 bucks (although if you dont buy that crap in bulk it'd easily cost more).

      Fudging the numbers to get on slashdot = priceless.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  6. Maybe its not as good of an item as it seems... by ScriptGuru · · Score: 5, Funny
    From The Site:
    The Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 is the first Personal Digital Ass...
    --
    Yet another signature that refers to itself. The irony and humor is dead.
    1. Re:Maybe its not as good of an item as it seems... by $rtbl_this · · Score: 3, Funny

      The Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 is the first Personal Digital Ass...

      I think our friend at goatse.cx may have prior art here.

      --
      "Are you being weird, or sarcastic?" said Emma. I said I didn't know because I get the two feelings mixed up.
  7. Oh, Slashback by bsharitt · · Score: 2, Funny

    At first I thought this was a story about some sort of handheld light that can run Samba, but it's just Slashback. Too bad.

  8. New by Dodger73 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Initial traffic got very high, transferring over a gibibit a second.

    Neat... and how much exactly is a gibibit?


    Who needs a sig anyway?