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Xbox Hacking Book Prepares to Fly Off Shelves
SecurityFocus posted an article today about a new book that covers hacking the Xbox. The book's author, Andrew "Bunnie" Huang, reports that it's selling well, even though the release date has not yet arrived. Presumably, this is because the book covers soldering techniques and adding features like blue LEDs and modchips to Xboxes, most of which violate the DMCA. If this stuff is interesting to you, you can order a copy from Huang's site. It amazes me that a book such as this could be banned, yet car service manuals can be sold in most bookstores.
I love playing with my box. It's so furry and warm, I just cannot resist the pure joy of it.
First post. I can't believe I got it.
I'd like to thank my mom. Couldn't have done it without her.
Since when are blue LCDs a feature?
They are an extra resister that does nothing but emit radient energy. It does no good at all. If blue lcds were a feature, then it would actually contribute instead of just eating up voltage.
Would YOU like to:
Trade segregation stories with Strom Thurmond ?
Share stalking tips with Marko?
Laugh at the preteen antics of Unterderbrucke?
Keep up to date with the latest Perl stylings of Sexual Asspussy?
Then come on down to Goatse Info. Where we're stretching the limits of crap flooding!
I've hacked SLaShDot and i figured out that the next story is about the XBox!!1!! I'm so 1337!!!1!
..nazis used to ban books also. They even burned them. If I only could remember which country it was... The USA perhaps?
you are full of shit.
[ed. note: in the following text, former FreeBSD developer Mike Smith gives his reasons for abandoning FreeBSD]
When I stood for election to the FreeBSD core team nearly two years ago, many of you will recall that it was after a long series of debates during which I maintained that too much organisation, too many rules and too much formality would be a bad thing for the project.
Today, as I read the latest discussions on the future of the FreeBSD project, I see the same problem; a few new faces and many of the old going over the same tired arguments and suggesting variations on the same worthless schemes. Frankly I'm sick of it.
FreeBSD used to be fun. It used to be about doing things the right way. It used to be something that you could sink your teeth into when the mundane chores of programming for a living got you down. It was something cool and exciting; a way to spend your spare time on an endeavour you loved that was at the same time wholesome and worthwhile.
It's not anymore. It's about bylaws and committees and reports and milestones, telling others what to do and doing what you're told. It's about who can rant the longest or shout the loudest or mislead the most people into a bloc in order to legitimise doing what they think is best. Individuals notwithstanding, the project as a whole has lost track of where it's going, and has instead become obsessed with process and mechanics.
So I'm leaving core. I don't want to feel like I should be "doing something" about a project that has lost interest in having something done for it. I don't have the energy to fight what has clearly become a losing battle; I have a life to live and a job to keep, and I won't achieve any of the goals I personally consider worthwhile if I remain obligated to care for the project.
Discussion
I'm sure that I've offended some people already; I'm sure that by the time I'm done here, I'll have offended more. If you feel a need to play to the crowd in your replies rather than make a sincere effort to address the problems I'm discussing here, please do us the courtesy of playing your politics openly.
From a technical perspective, the project faces a set of challenges that significantly outstrips our ability to deliver. Some of the resources that we need to address these challenges are tied up in the fruitless metadiscussions that have raged since we made the mistake of electing officers. Others have left in disgust, or been driven out by the culture of abuse and distraction that has grown up since then. More may well remain available to recruitment, but while the project is busy infighting our chances for successful outreach are sorely diminished.
There's no simple solution to this. For the project to move forward, one or the other of the warring philosophies must win out; either the project returns to its laid-back roots and gets on with the work, or it transforms into a super-organised engineering project and executes a brilliant plan to deliver what, ultimately, we all know we want.
Whatever path is chosen, whatever balance is struck, the choosing and the striking are the important parts. The current indecision and endless conflict are incompatible with any sort of progress.
Trying to dissect the above is far beyond the scope of any parting shot, no matter how distended. All I can really ask of you all is to let go of the minutiae for a moment and take a look at the big picture. What is the ultimate goal here? How can we get there with as little overhead as possible? How would you like to be treated by your fellow travellers?
Shouts
To the Slashdot "BSD is dying" crowd - big deal. Death is part of the cycle; take a look at your soft, pallid bodies and consider that right this very moment, parts of you are dying. See? It's not so bad.
To the bulk of the FreeBSD committerbase and the developer community at large - keep your eyes on the real goals. It
How To Commit Murder:
1. First, make sure you are not acting in self defense.
2. Insure you are in an area in which killing an innocent person is illegal.
3. Pre-mediate. Think about the murder for at least a day. You don't want someone to call you a manslaughterer!
4. Find something extremely blunt and dull, such as a rock, brick, or Hilary Rosen.
5. Club this object against the head of your victim repeatedly until they are confirmed dead.
Congratulations, you're a murderer! Now all you have to do is--
WARNING: THE REST OF THIS POST HAS BEEN REMOVED AND YOUR IP HAS BEEN RECORDED INTO THE TOTAL INFORMATION AWARENESS DATABASE. MOVE ALONG, THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE.
You just reminded me of that scene at the end of Schindler's list where the guy was shouting "Heil Hitler" right up to the instant they kicked the slats out from underneath his feet and hanged him.