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Slashback: Mars, Linksys, Torrent
Fork carefully or be forked preemptively. BSD Forums writes "The leader of the open-source JBoss Java application server environment said that if the group of developers that left his organization attempts to splitâ"or "fork" as it's called in the industryâ"the JBoss code base, he would sue them. Marc Fleury, president of JBoss Group LLC, Atlanta, said he is prepared to take legal action if the group of developers who left the JBoss Group to form a new company, known as Core Developers Network LLC, attempts to diverge from the JBoss code base."
They can learn in the classroom, or outside it. MVP writes "Fridrik "frisk" Skulason, of F-Prot fame (you know, that good old DOS free for personal use antivirus, up-to-date & usable for windows), has a very acid reaction against the decision of University of Calgary to start teaching virus-writing classes (see previous Slashdot thread)."
Just let me control the textbooks ... After a few stories like this one, it may please some people to see at least a partial turnaround from Microsoft on computers donated to schools without Windows licenses. Patrick Cable II writes "I got an interesting letter from Microsoft today at work. Microsoft has started a "Fresh Start" program for educational instutions that basically makes it so schools who have had computers donated to them without licenses or media can get media and a letter stating the computer is licensed to use a Windows operating system (98 or 2000). More information can be found here. Anyone think they're trying to figure out a way to deal with the whole Linux thing?"
Software in the Public Interest has yet to respond with a lower licensing fee for Debian.
More fun than "The Winds of War." For fans of Kim Stanley Robinson, space exploration and colonization, space elevators et cetera, reader Unbeliever writes with new that Hurd will soon meet Mars. "No, not GNU/Hurd, but Gale Ann Hurd. Hurd just signed a deal with Sci-Fi to produce Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars as a Sci-Fi 6-hour miniseries. Red Mars is the first of the Robinson's Red/Green/Blue Mars Trilogy, an 'almost plausible sci-fi' future-history approach about Colonizing and Terraforming Mars. The trilogy looks at the technological, sociological, personal, and political challenges of terraforming a different planet. Also of interest to Slashdotters in general is Robinson's ideas on the growth of multi-national corporations into Meta-Nations, and their effects on world politics."
But doesn't that make it radio their way? In the recent Radio Your Way review, our reviewer said of the device that it had "[n]o off button! As far as I can tell, once you turn the device on there is no way to manually turn it off other than to wait for it to enter sleep mode after several minutes. Very annoying."
Another reader writes with this workaround: "In any mode, hold down the stop button (a little square under the play button) for 2-3 seconds to turn off the unit. This is listed in the manual, which you are right, is a very poorly done Korean effort."
Calm down that jerking knee, then apply ice. In response a post which raised the question of whether Linksys was in violation of the GPL by not distributing, nor offering links to, the source code for the software controlling their 802.11g base stations. A representative from Linksys-PR sent in this note about the "missing" source code:
Linksys is a strong proponent of both Linux and the Open Source movement. The code within our routers is using User Space code without linking dynamically or statically to any GPL (GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE) code. Any code which does not have a static or dynamic link to anything covered by the General Public License is not GPL'ed, and can be considered closed source.
We regret it took some time to respond to this posting. To assure timely responses to inquiries like this in the future, please use the following procedure which complies with the requirements of the General Public License:
1. Please put your request in writing or in an email addressed to info@Linksys.com
2. You have to request the code for the specific modules you want. It is not valid to issue a request for any "code you may be using."
3. Technically, you are also supposed to provide us with a self-addressed stamped envelope, along with funds to cover the cost of providing the code to you. But Linksys will handle requests on a case-by-case basis. Thank you."
Straight from the Tiger's mouth. Tiger Direct Executive Vice President Richard Wallet wrote to contradict Michael Robertson's claims that Microsoft was targeting Tiger Direct customers who purchased Lindows systems to offer them steep discounts on Windows XP. Wallet writes:
"TigerDirect is not selling any version of Windows for $50. We are selling Microsoft Windows XP just like any other reseller and we are in compliance with all of Microsoft's licensing agreements, no better, no worse, and no different.TigerDirect does sell low-cost systems with the Lindows operating system. TigerDirect also sells low-cost systems with Microsoft Windows XP. TigerDirect even sells systems with NO operating systems. The only parties who can tell us which products are or aren't worth selling are our customers. Neither Microsoft nor Lindows has a significant influence on what we buy and sell. We aim to serve our customers with the products they want at the very best values available and world-class customer service.
TigerDirect did in fact perform a survey of its customers as it does on a regular basis. Contrary to the author's claim, this survey was not only sent to Lindows buyers. It was sent to everybody who bought systems from TigerDirect during a specific time period. The purpose of the survey was to help us better serve the needs of our customers by getting a better understanding of what they're using the systems for, what they're running on them, and why they purchased what they did. The result of the survey is going to be to help us better align our PC product mix to increase sales."
Many monkeys make slick visuals. IamTheRealMike writes "Hi all, there is a BitTorrent of the XD2 RPMs for Red Hat 9 available, please be gentle with it. It comes as a directory that contains a readme and an ISO - make sure you read the readme first as there is a bug in the installer you need to know about. When all is done and you've read the instructions, just mount the ISO using the loopback device and point the installer at it. For all those who have been trying and failing to get it using the mirror network, this might provide a useful alternative."
1. Please put your request in writing or in an email addressed to info@Linksys.com
I think that you forgot something, or the post office got way more efficient.
You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
What is XD2, or is this something that all the cool kids know about, and I don't, so you won't tell me, because I'm not one of the cool kids, and by the way here's my lunch money, please dont't hax0r my box, I didn't say nothing to you, please?
~ a low user id is no indication I have a clue what I'm talking about.
Speaking of which, Microsoft has decided it makes more sense to embrace schools
Kids beware, Microsoft now embraces schools. Learn to recognize Microsoft employees : they're the funny-looking people with long raincoats waiting for you outside the school.
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
I've tried on numerous occasions to contact TigerDirect regarding gaping security holes in their site, and I've never received a response. Perhaps the only reliable way to get a response from them is to post a story on Slashdot.
That makes sense, I always thought GNU/Hurd qualified as computer science-fiction
Send them a polite e-mail requesting every piece of GPL software you can think of. And please post it and the response on /.
"I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
So does this mean that, if they want to use the JBoss name for their independent work, Mark Fleury says to "fork off and die?"
Get off my launchpad!
On behalf of all users with low user id's I reserve the right to be lame anytime we wish. Besides even those of us that are godlike in our geekness can't be 100% perfect. We're like Linux - only 99.99997% perfection. ;)
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
Or you could follow linksys's lead and not mention it at all.
read my blog
musings on politics and technol
My TiVo box, a loyal pal,
A friend I Truly care for.
Because It guarantees I'll see,
The shows I wasn't there for.
Two thousand shows I've "taped" so far,
Each Night I "tape" a new one.
Who knows, perhaps there'll come a day,
I'll find the time to view one.
Now I have an opportunity to get behind on all that radio talk show stuff that was previously unimportant.
Good security is based upon reality and common sense. Common sense is a function of having common knowledge.
even better here is a link to one of his slashdot comments in that story. In that thread he flips out on the new york times guy and later explains how the language used wasn't complimentary. WTF? Anyway the slashdot post is even better it just screams insults all in one huge paragraph wort checking out O.o
I like my "fragile biological form", and if I want to live on Mars one day, how dare you suggest you're going to rip it up. As a future citizen of Mars, I regard that as a declaration of war.
In all seriousness, I have to say I think that is one of the most idiotic ideas I've ever heard. Most people like living in a biosphere. As much as I enjoy the works of Iain Banks, Ken MacLeod and Alastair Reynolds, and one day the universe probably will include many different cultures with body-changing, identity-shifting citizens, shouldn't there also be a place in that future universe for those of us who want to live on the planet of our choosing, in ways not too dissimilar from how humans have lived since the dawn of time?
If you must, use the asteroids, there's plenty to share. At worst, use a planet with much less chance of being terraformed. But stay away from Mars.
Frankly, I think you're deluding yourself if you really think technology is advancing so fast that we'll be ripping up Mars before terraforming it. Kurzweil is a prat, and most of what he says is nothing more than wishful thinking.