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Microsoft Celebrates Feynman 50-year Anniversary
Julie188 writes "A couple of years ago Microsoft acquired the rights to the famed filmed lecture series by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman and posted them online for all to see via its Project Tuva site. As part of the 50-year anniversary of the lectures, the Project Tuva site now includes commentary from MIT physics professor Robert Jaffe. Project Tuva still requires Silverlight (alas, not HTML5), but does offer some nifty features for the aspiring physics student, such as search and the ability to take notes."
It's a shame no one will get to see it...
Don't have it and never will. Just another failed MS-only tech. They still beating on that dead horse?
It's only in the Microsoft net. Due to the requirement to use Silverlight.
Silverlight only?
Actually I'm saying thanks to the submitter because I completely missed this part of the copyright problem.
If the only "authorized copy" of some Grade AA Must-Have item is buried it that cabinet with the Beware of Leopard sign, that could instantly flash us to IE6 2.0 problems for hundreds of proprietary blobs!
My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
Anyone have a torrent link?
Of course, torrents would be appreciated. :)
Charge a few bucks to cover costs.
While Silverlight loaded the above Tuva link in IE, I watched "Richard Feynman - The Relation of Mathematics & Physics. Part 1" on YouTube in Firefox. And uh yeah, it's still loading. Thanks Microsoft.
Please, tell us how Silverlight is awesome, blah blah blah.
Man, I cannot wait for HTML5 to end this bullshit. For the record, I also hate Flash, and download YouTube videos to desktop to view them.
Flamebait much?
"Project Tuva still requires Silverlight"
They'd be better sending it out on 5.25" floppies, more people would see it.
Flamebait much?
Is it flamebait because it's true?
I also have no loyalty to a framework. I use whatever is required to access my chosen content.
Which major site requires the use of a FOSS framework to access its content? What is the name of that framework?
How about HTML? Durp durp. HTML5 will have the almost all the same capabilities as Flash/Silverlight.
Your actions are selfish. It's ok - I'm selfish too. But that's what they are. You don't care about the long term effects, and how it impacts society, and only want your immediate needs satisfied. I hear you bro.
We used Feynman's intro physics book back when I was in college, and though I got an A in every physics course I ever took, I found that book completely baffling. Instead of being logical and straightforward, it was full of mathematical sleight-of-hand, bringing new variables from nowhere, because "we can call this anything we want!", and magically proceeding the final equation. Entertaining, maybe, but as far as understanding the material it was completely useless. He's just one more celeb I can do without.
What does FOSS have for a web framework that is a viable alternative to Silverlight or Flash?
What about HTML5 isn't viable?
More than that, how about not making it streaming-only? While I'd prefer a free codec, I can play pretty much anything in mplayer or VLC, if you give me a download URL (or a torrent). And these are things I'd want to keep around.
...that only works for Flash, and you all hate Flash too.
Well, it's tricky. In theory, I like Silverlight better than Flash, because Moonlight seems to be much more stable and complete than Gnash. But in practice, there actually is a native Flash player for Linux, and the nspluginwrapper crap isn't really worse than Flash in a 32-bit browser, which is all you get on Windows anyway -- whereas both Moonlight and Gnash only work on a ridiculously small subset of the Silverlight and Flash content out there.
Add to this the fact that the DRM in Silverlight does not work on Moonlight, so while this particular site might work, Netflix, for example, will not. So even if Moonlight was flawless, you'd still have content that requires the official Silverlight.
And if that wasn't enough, with the few videos I've watched, Moonlight didn't do anti-aliasing. I think Silverlight did, but I'm not sure. Flash does, and you better believe mplayer does.
having competing (albeit commercial) frameworks to choose from is a Good Thing[TM] IMHO.
Nope. Having multiple competing implementations is a Good Thing. Having multiple competing standards is a problem, especially when several of them are proprietary. I have no problem that IE exists, so long as we can develop to web standards and, with minimal hackery, have our websites work on all major browsers, including IE. I did have a problem when IE was the defacto standard.
Where's the FOSS alternative, and which major site's require me to use it for the best experience?
Erm, since when did we judge standards based on which ones we're forced to use? WTF makes you think that's a good criterion?
By that logic, the fact that so many apps force you to use Windows means Windows should be the standard, and people should stop bashing it, and nobody should complain if these Feynman lectures -- or, for that matter, our tax forms -- are Windows-only. (Right now, they're Flash-only, which is an improvement, but still retarded.)
Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
How about HTML? Durp durp. HTML5 will have the almost all the same capabilities as Flash/Silverlight.
How about today; right now? Durp durp. I don't care about what might be available at some point in the future.
What the hell are the long term effects of not having a viable alternative right now? Durp durp.
Sod off. There is no need for Silverlight in this case. The content should be on youtube for all to view.
Durp durp? Oh... Nevermind.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
Erm, since when did we judge standards based on which ones we're forced to use? WTF makes you think that's a good criterion?
I have no control over what/how Corporation X chooses to serve up its content. I wouldn't even use HTML if everyone still used Gopher. It's a good criteria because the cost of implementing many more than one framework is most likely prohibitive. I use HTML because it's too expensive to also maintain a Gopher version; just as I use Silverlight to access my Netflix account. Netflix chose Silverlight for me. I don't really care that they made this choice for me; just as I don't care other sites made me install Flash. It. Just. Works.
That's why. Right now there is competition between forcing me what to use. I have no real choice other than to choose to access the content or not. I'm sorry you don't, or didn't seem to understand that.
Framework market share. Whichever has the most is obviously the best at something.
Jesus Christ on stick, you people disgust me. Not a single comment about the content of these lectures, the life and theories of the man, it's all about how Microsoft pooped in your pool by putting this up in the same format Netflix uses. Seriously.
Poor means hoping the toothache goes away.
All the latest modern browsers support HTML5 capabilities. Today.
Most sites are migrating to HTML5 to get out from under proprietary technologies (mostly Flash). The only reason you don't see it today is because not everyone has the latest browsers, so web developers are waiting for people to upgrade their browsers. But it's coming soon*.
Like I said, it's cool that you're selfish, I get it. And FOSS is getting closer and closer to serving your selfish wants. And doing so in a way that looks out for you in ways you don't understand. Like being able to play a video on multiple devices. Good luck playing Silverlight on your Android/iOS phone.
* http://www.informationweek.com/articles/229401976?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All
...we will celebrate 50-year annivesary of Microsoft -- by removing Windows support from the last piece of still-maintained software.
Contrary to the popular belief, there indeed is no God.
More to the point Flash has been around for.... EVER. If not for Flash being adopted would HTML5 have even been started (then abandoned)? Fuck no. Seriously the F/OSSies are getting out of control. "WE ARE THE BEST AT INNOVATION! HURBLEGARGALA!" they chant with shit running out of their mouths as they have complained about Flash forever and still have nothing to offer. Tell me, none of you could sack up and fill the niche? Doesn't that really throw all of the open source "I can just do it myself" attitude right out the window? Its the most hated of all things on the internet and NOBODY came up with something. It seems by demonstration you can't do it yourself quite like commercial software can. The only thing that makes sense is the goal of F/OSS is to completely destroy proprietary software, make it so it can't be proprietary. This is clearly shown in the GPL license they love so much. In which case we never would have had any of the progress of the last 10 years on the internet.
F/OSS should just accept that their job is to go in after things are created and make the free version that everybody standardizes on 5 to 10 years down the road. And that has value, absolutely. But this warfare is ridiculous and they're losing while making themselves look like complete asswipes. I can't believe I'm not posting this anonymously.
If I can just reach out with my words and touch a butthole, just one, it will all be worth it.
using HTML5 would limit it to a smaller subset of viewers than Silverlight.
Besides, HTML5 is not anywhere near feature parity with Flash or Silverlight, and will not replace either of those (although Silverlight will probably slowly die off).
And I call it a piece of art because the man was a damn artist when it came to explaining physics.
The universe in a glass of wine.
Searching for it returns nothing.
I know you can look it up by the section of the class, but come on natural language search is the new pink.
I'll stick to the bad recordings passed around by CIT students for the past quarter century.
It's been years since Bill Gates did anything of value at MS, and it's been years since MS was anything like "the Borg". I wonder if slashdot will ever grow up enough to get rid of the idiotic icon they use to tag Microsoft stories. Google is the real "Borg" now yet they get away with a shiny green robot.
Please, slashdot - we are not the "radical" teenagers anymore (well, some of us) and it'd be great if you guys became a bit more adult. You are looking a bit ridiculous this way.
"50-year anniversary" is as redundant as ATM machine, PIN number, etc.
And while I'm off-topic, they're not celebrating 50 years (or "50 year-years", if you're the headline writer) of Feynman; they're celebrating 50 years of his Lectures.
[Off to mow the lawn with my lawn-lawnmower.]
Phase 1. Collect underpants.
Phase 2. ???^H^H^H Think real hard.
Phase 3. Profit.
'Surely your'e joking Mr Feneyman'
A darn good read.
I'd rather be riding my '63 Triumph T120.
Its a shame that these wonderful lectures are owned by such a pariah of a company. Oh, they offer anyone, anyone at all to cough up body and soul for the opportunity to see them. Its like having to wade through a chest-deep latrine in order to get some sani-wipes. If there were any 3rd party version of these lectures online, that would be the place to go for them.
I remember that I got a copy from a friend in high school on a collection of ripped CD's that I might just as easily have not gotten my hands on. It is the single-most inspiring series of lectures many people will ever hear in physics for the target audience of entry level university physics progressing towards graduate physics (save maybe the early lecture on how to take a derivative of displacement, which showed the time of the series). About damn time that it is freely available to the general public.
...browser.
So, since when has Microsoft ever had a problem with Silverlight running in Chrome? I've been to many Silverlight sites with no issues whatsoever. Why is this one in particular discriminating? The link it even tries to send me to points out that Silverlight is installed and working fine.
Using HTML5 would limit it to a smaller subset of viewers than Silverlight.
Bull. Practically every platform in existence has a browser for it that can play the <video> tag. Silverlight works on 2 platforms only and it is proprietary to boot.
The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
The issues around digital formats are preservation and accessibility. If I cannot guarantee that I can preserve my access to certain data [for example "proprietary software", "plays-for-sure", etc] then I am forced to memorize or transcribe the data so that I can have that guarantee.
Just like spoken word, written language and mathematics, computerized information systems are an extension of mind. For some combinations of people and data, an exchange of more convenience for less reliability is a bad trade.
as for the "content" your post
Moonlight is a joke. I don't know why microsoft thinks they can get anywhere promoting this.
Your opinion about the opinion of steve jobs... pretty poor editorial, basically worthless.
Guess what if it was available in an open format, you could in fact "watch them when you don't have net access" or actually "whenever and wherever you please".
Use this extension to change Chrome's UA string to something this Tuva site will accept. I changed it to IE8 and installed the latest version of Silverlight for good measure.
Nick
RTFA, they say. Here' the FA is wrong -- the lectures are not owned by Microsoft, but are the personal property of Bill Gates who has made them available to Microsoft.
You have to laugh at the way genius wannabees, like the ones who run Microsoft, are so desperate to associate themselves with a real one. Some things you simply cannot buy. One cannot help but think Feynman would scorn Microsoft's uninspired products.
an ill wind that blows no good
yes check tpb
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3636781/Feynman_NZ_lectures_and_Nova-Horizon-Misc-Videos
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3279186/The_Big_Richard_P_Feynman_Collection
It's about an extra $250 per seat on MS Windows to get a version of X-Windows running on it that is as good as what you get on linux. That adds up quickly enough and graphing on Excel sucks badly enough that linux or similar becomes the obvious solution in that situation to all but the hardest core fanboy that pirates his software anyway.
Microsoft to acquire full rights to all footage of the fucking moon landing?
No - it's not an attack on MS exclusively. The very fact that such milestones can be considered anything but the wealth of the commons shows a legal, political, and social disconnect to the benefits that pushed civilisation forward. Will a water utilities company retrospectively buy the rights and know-how to the aqueduct? Suppose Vinton Cerf and friends had convinced DARPA that packet switching was a failure, only to close ranks in a private enterprise? There comes a time when certain artifacts of human endeavour are simply the 'property' of all.
Well - I'm worn out after that rant. I'm off to claim all instances or agriculture and animal husbandry before some other bastard beats me too it.
42. That's how many zeros are in the ratio between gravitational attraction and electrical repulsion. We already knew the answer, now we know the question.
Being such an iconoclast, at best he'd probably think M$ ownership of his lectures to be ironic. More likely, incredulous and contemptuous.
Sig.: Tabula Rasa
The videos are hard to watch due to the cracking sounds. Microsoft support actually acknowledge this issue about a year ago, but it was never fixed. So it seems to be more about Bill Gates legacy and using Feynman for imortatily than anything.
I see some people have also discovered that there are many disjoint internets being produced by the venders trying to take over the world. You know who is doing this to people.
But take note that Google payed for the bandwidth that I used to view the set of you-tube meda using my open source software. I leave it to you to figure out Where the better Internet is. and why you might have to think hard about not voting with your dollars for the people that would fracture the Internet.
Thank-You!!
Why don't you all just quit whining like little school girls and search a bit? Seriously, the whole "X is evil cause it won't play on my Y" is tired. Feynman would be ashamed of your lack of flexibility you impish neckbeards.
http://www.cosmolearning.com/video-lectures/law-of-gravitation-an-example-of-physical-law-16-9939/
(which is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euGp9quNqLU)
Ask them, it is not X windows. it is not X.
/.
They did not a nice domain x.org.
And you missed the point I am not talking about the X Windowing System. I am talking about Apple Computers. Where the Apple, does not want Flash to run.
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Perhaps when you feel a wosh of wind over your head you should not post to
I know I have done just that.