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Build an Open-Source Electric Car In About One Hour

Posted by samzenpus on from the new-wheels dept.

First time accepted submitter joe5 writes "Like what Elon Musk has done and want to go all Etsy and build your own electric car? That's apparently now possible now thanks to the OSVehicle Tabby — dubbed the first "Open source vehicle" (memo: it may be cool, but it ain't the first). The OSV guys are taking pre-orders for the Tabby starter kit, with both the two-seater or four-seater configurations going for €500. Then you click to add options. (Note: seats is an "option" so that's the level of luxury you are dealing with here.) When the transaction's complete, OSV sends the parts to your home and you can download the plans and start building. Since the Tabby is open source, OSVehicle will also look to a community of owners and tinkerers for suggestions and recommendations."

188 comments

  1. I think by LookIntoTheFuture · · Score: 5, Insightful

    that the motto for Slashdot should be changed from the beloved "News for nerds, stuff that matters" to "FUCK YOU, THAT'S WHY"

    --
    Brave Sir Robin ran away. ("No!") Bravely ran away away. ("I didn't!")
    1. Re:I think by dale.furno · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Classic Slashdot or no slashdot

    2. Re:I think by dmbasso · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Let's start a sig campaign, prefix your's with [FUCK BETA]. This way you can stay on-topic and still protest.

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    3. Re:I think by dmbasso · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Gee, that apostrophe was terrible, sorry. s/your's/yours

      Btw, fuck beta.

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    4. Re:I think by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Screw staying on topic.

      The fact that every comment thread is being overrun with complaints about the beta site is going to drive a lot of people away. That costs /. money as the ad revenue disappears. And that's apparently all that those running the show understand.

      If there's anything that I've learned in the last 15 years about Slashdot, it's that they essentially ignore all complaints. Giving them "feedback" about the new site isn't going to do anything. Depriving them of their money -- that might get their attention.

      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    5. Re:I think by Anaerin · · Score: 5, Informative

      Got Stylish for FireFox or Chrome? Have a userstyle that does it's best to fix most of the problems with Slashdot beta. I haven't got everything the same, but I'm doing what I can. Making the web a better place, one stylesheet at a time...

    6. Re:I think by dysmal · · Score: 1

      Dice.com already tried this but FaceBook had already claimed this

    7. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Nice work. But if you pardon my analogy, that's like giving a condom to the guy who's trying to rape you.
      --
      [FUCK BETA] Now for Anonymous Cowards too.

    8. Re:I think by TubeSteak · · Score: 1

      You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

      I will still thank you for your effort, because it shows you care.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    9. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Do you think a week long boycott would help them reconsider? Anyone serious about leaving should boycott the site from 10th to 17th of Feb. That should give Dice a good indication of what will happen if they force this shit on us.

    10. Re:I think by LordFlower · · Score: 2

      to that my good sirs and madams, Fuck Beta. Fuck Beta twice.

    11. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      to that my good sirs and madams, Fuck Beta. Fuck Beta twice.

      Not even with your dick, sir! We have standards around here. Shockingly low standards, but standards nonetheless. And beta does not meet with those standards.

    12. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I approve of this message.

      --
      [FUCK BETA]

    13. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      mv /. /dev/null

      [FUCK BETA]

    14. Re:I think by dvh.tosomja · · Score: 1

      You forgot to "fuck beta"

    15. Re:I think by betterprimate · · Score: 2

      I have a better idea. Let no one comment or let all moderator points go to those who protest the beta site.

    16. Re:I think by dmbasso · · Score: 2

      You can't force people to not comment, or to moderate as you suggested. But you can easily set [FUCK BETA] as your own sig.

      The "let no one [do whatever he/she wants to do]" is the authoritarian approach, the one adopted by religious people (do not masturbate / have pre-marital sex / have gay sex / abort / have thoughts of your own).

      So I can't agree that your idea is better.

      TL;DR: 1 - you can't enforce it, 2 - if you could, it'd still be a dick thing to do (just like forcing this FUCKING BETA on us)

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    17. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For now I just use http://slashdot.org/?nobeta=1

      But if this shitty interface is forced on us, I'm out. I'm sure lots of people are going to leave. Also, tons of new users may come, but these are OTHER SORT OF USERS. I love Slashdot because of the way it shows me the information, but over that also because of the people commenting. If the shitty interface with big pictures is forced on us, this people is going to leave. They were here because they didn't need big fucking pictures. Can't read them, shitty interface, new users who love big pictures are here with stupid comments: I'm fucking out.

      [FUCK BETA]

    18. Re:I think by noelhenson · · Score: 2

      That's the best you kids can come up with these days? "Fuck Beta?" and the like? How about some constructive criticisms? I wonder how each of you would react if your own customers/clients/bosses criticized your work with some think along the lines of "Fuck that!" Or, "You're fired!" as opposed to something constructive that benefist both of you?

    19. Re:I think by BlazingATrail · · Score: 2, Funny

      Unfortunately the car comes with a GPL license so once you build it, you must give away your wife and kids. Richard Stallman then gets a key to your house and will sleep on your sofa, mess up your bathroom whenever he wants to.

    20. Re:I think by Joce640k · · Score: 1

      Anyone serious about leaving should boycott the site from 10th to 17th of Feb. That should give Dice a good indication of what will happen if they force this shit on us.

      OK, done! Starting next Monday.

      Post this in all stories until then.

      --
      No sig today...
    21. Re:I think by TWiTfan · · Score: 2

      In Dice's defense, they've simply realized that what the users here REALLY value is the incredibility elegant prose of the summaries and the wonderful ads. The comments are a mere afterthought. So they've adjusted the new UI accordingly.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    22. Re:I think by TWiTfan · · Score: 1

      Well, judging by the new design, Dice doesn't seem to think that the comments matter anyway. So why stay on topic?

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    23. Re:I think by TWiTfan · · Score: 2

      Sure, here you go:

      Use the classic design, slap a little paint on it to make it look better, and slowly add some features that could actually benefit users (that we've been calling for for some time). And ASK the users what those new features could be, and have them discuss them. Give the users a VOICE in changes instead of just forcing them on us.

      One of the features I would propose would be the ability to edit posts after your post them (for a short time, anyway). I can't tell you the number of times I've ruined a great post with an embarrassing typo or grammar fuck-up, only to have my entire argument ignored as a million grammar Nazi's jump in to inform me of the difference between your and you're (as if I DON'T FUCKING KNOW THAT ALREADY).

      So there you go. Your welcome.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    24. Re:I think by TWX · · Score: 2

      Indeed, depending on what we put in our signatures and posts, we could trigger automatic content filtration on corporate proxy servers. Given how the average Slashdot reader is very likely to read the site at work if it isn't already blocked as a discussion forum, that should break a lot of access altogether and significantly curtail advertising revenue for the "first shift" time of day...

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    25. Re:I think by Common+Joe · · Score: 2

      Classic Slashdot or no slashdot

      Someone else had a better idea. The Slashdot programmers should have APIs available for multiple front ends. (I mean, hey, this is nerdville filled with programmers, after all.) If they are really that gung ho about wasting space, there is no reason why classic and waste-space front ends can't co-exist.

      With that said, you and I know that won't happen hence my signature.

      -- Common Joe

      Slashdot Valentines Day Massacre: Boycott Slashdot because "Fuck Beta!": February 10 - 17

      And Support Okian Warrior's Alternate Slashdot Idea!

    26. Re:I think by Common+Joe · · Score: 1

      Screw staying on topic.

      The fact that every comment thread is being overrun with complaints about the beta site is going to drive a lot of people away. That costs /. money as the ad revenue disappears. And that's apparently all that those running the show understand.

      If there's anything that I've learned in the last 15 years about Slashdot, it's that they essentially ignore all complaints. Giving them "feedback" about the new site isn't going to do anything. Depriving them of their money -- that might get their attention.

      Yup. A few days of hurt will hopefully change their attitude. I don't want to leave. I want Slashdot to return to its former glory. I really do. Anything else is too much work. Even those bastards in management have got to realize how angry we are. Okian's idea about an alternative Slashdot won't materialize if they drop the beta stupidity... but I'm betting it will if they ignore us and our warnings for the next two weeks.

      -- Common Joe

      Slashdot Valentines Day Massacre: Boycott Slashdot because "Fuck Beta!": February 10 - 17

      And Support Okian Warrior's Alternate Slashdot Idea!

    27. Re:I think by chris200x9 · · Score: 1

      Oh man great idea, I'm going to submit this a slashdot article about the boycott for more coverage!

    28. Re:I think by twocows · · Score: 1

      I think I had a better idea.

    29. Re:I think by Enigma2175 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can't tell you the number of times I've ruined a great post with an embarrassing typo or grammar fuck-up, only to have my entire argument ignored as a million grammar Nazi's jump in to inform me of the difference between your and you're (as if I DON'T FUCKING KNOW THAT ALREADY).

      So there you go. Your welcome.

      Nazis.
      Your welcome ;-)

      --

      Enigma

    30. Re:I think by denzacar · · Score: 1

      I'd prefer to have it changed to "Fuck Beta".

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    31. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can't force people to not comment, or to moderate as you suggested.

      You can't force people to do that, but enough are commenting about beta and modding those up to make reading comments on Slashdot pointless now. Beta already sucked, but now classic Slashdot sucks too.

    32. Re:I think by Capt.DrumkenBum · · Score: 1

      To mis-quote the late great George Carlin: I wouldn't fuck Slashdot Beta with a stolen dick.

      --
      If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
    33. Re:I think by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 1

      Or, from a less sarcastic angle, they've realized that the ads and ad summaries aren't getting enough view time, so they've adjusted the UI to fix the ratio. Unfortunately, fixing the ratio won't likely fix the problem....

    34. Re:I think by pepty · · Score: 1

      Hmm. So if learned a bit of CSS could I globally:

      Block images from stock image servers? They're annoying on all news sources/blogs, not just slashdot beta.

      Replace each stock image with the top result from a google image search for "stick figure" and the ALT text? Might as well have fun with it.

      Replace "on hover" and "on mouseover" with "on click"? Just because I ran my pointer over a menu bar as opposed to navigating around it does not mean my desire was to spend the next 10 seconds trying to get the resulting popup menu to go away.

    35. Re:I think by Anaerin · · Score: 1

      Block images from stock image servers? They're annoying on all news sources/blogs, not just slashdot beta.

      If the stock images have a common server (or url start) then you could. Or you could use an ad blocker for this.

      Replace each stock image with the top result from a google image search for "stick figure" and the ALT text? Might as well have fun with it.

      No, I'm afraid not. But if you wanted to do such a thing, you could configure yourself a squid proxy to do that kind of thing.

      Replace "on hover" and "on mouseover" with "on click"? Just because I ran my pointer over a menu bar as opposed to navigating around it does not mean my desire was to spend the next 10 seconds trying to get the resulting popup menu to go away.

      No, those are Javascript events, and CSS can't touch them. However, if this (and the second request above) is the kind of thing you want to do, you can use GreaseMonkey to inject your own custom Javascript, which could do all those funky things you want.

    36. Re:I think by bakes · · Score: 1

      Nazis.
      Your welcome ;-)

      You're welcome.
      You're welcome.

      --
      Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!
    37. Re:I think by antdude · · Score: 1

      You, Engima2175 machine, need to be cracked. ;-)

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    38. Re:I think by Enigma2175 · · Score: 1

      Nazis.
      Your welcome ;-)

      You're welcome.
      You're welcome.

      Whoooosh

      --

      Enigma

    39. Re:I think by betterprimate · · Score: 1

      I was not suggesting an enforcement, but encouraging all to withhold posting comments of value and for the moderators to mod-up posts of protests.

    40. Re:I think by dmbasso · · Score: 1

      Oh, I see. You should have phrased as "let's not comment" instead of "let no one comment". I hope it was not a Freudian slip... ;)

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
  2. Down with Beta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously, it is terrible.

  3. Slashdot Beta --- Now optimized for Windows 8.1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    It still looks like ass though. It blends well with Metro UI at least............

    1. Re:Slashdot Beta --- Now optimized for Windows 8.1 by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It blends well with Metro UI at least

      I don't think that's a benefit.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:Slashdot Beta --- Now optimized for Windows 8.1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FUCK the Metro UI! :)

      I go command line, baby! lynx forevah!

  4. Fork Slashdot? by Any+Web+Loco · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why don't we make our own Slashdot (with blackjack & hookers)? What IP is there in the site that we couldn't take with us? Could we take the moderation system (it's the only thing I can think of on Slashdot that's good and that no other site does as well)? I can't code for toffee but I'd be happy to make coffee & buy pizza for those who did.

    1. Re:Fork Slashdot? by glavenoid · · Score: 2

      What IP is there in the site that we couldn't take with us?

      Unfortunately something like 15 years worth of usernames and comments, because although the comments are still owned by each respective user I doubt the database is.

      Oh, and CowboyNeal.

      --
      I, for one, am looking forward to the inevitable /. beta rollout fallout.
    2. Re:Fork Slashdot? by dotancohen · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Unfortunately something like 15 years worth of usernames and comments, because although the comments are still owned by each respective user I doubt the database is.

      User comments could probably be taken care of on a limited per-user basis by scraping the user's personal page:
      http://slashdot.org/~glavenoid

      If a user opens an account on slashdotan and then _logs_into_slashdot_ via slashdotan (i.e. gives slashdotan his /. username and password) then I believe that the content could be legally scraped.

      I'll go register the domain and see what I can code. Anybody who is interested can email me, my Gmail username is the same as my /. username.

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    3. Re:Fork Slashdot? by Spy+Handler · · Score: 5, Funny

      Is there even a need for any coding? I thought Slashcode was open source already.

    4. Re:Fork Slashdot? by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      The first thing to do would be to create some kind of governance system, so we don't end up with a bunch of retarded monkeys running the site after you get tired of it. Or worse, it could end up as some kind of virtual HOA.

      When things change, how are decisions to be made? That is the crucial question.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    5. Re:Fork Slashdot? by dotancohen · · Score: 2

      That sounds good. I don't want it to be _my_ project, even if I'm coding it. I come to /. for the discussion, and I'll go wherever that discussion goes, even if I have to code it.

      Can we get a list of things we want and don't want from the current and past slashdot incarnations? I'll draw up a plan and as people get interested I'll start assigning responsibilities and give access to the code. Everyone here knows how to work with Git, right?

      Preliminary Wants:
      1) Threaded commenting.
      2) Limited modding

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    6. Re:Fork Slashdot? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

      Just spider the current site, like archive.org does. Keep the archive for anyone who wants to browse it, and start fresh with the new site. Start a new user registration system, use the low-ID gold rush to encourage people to move.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    7. Re:Fork Slashdot? by Common+Joe · · Score: 1

      That just might happen. Let's find out if those idiots at Dice get the message in the next couple of weeks. If they don't, get that pizza and coffee ready.

      -- Common Joe

      Slashdot Valentines Day Massacre: Boycott Slashdot because "Fuck Beta!": February 10 - 17

      And Support Okian Warrior's Alternate Slashdot Idea!

    8. Re:Fork Slashdot? by JustinOpinion · · Score: 4, Insightful

      BTW, you should consider coordinating effort with others who are attempting roughly the same thing. E.g. user Okian Warrior has registered AltSlashdot.org and is planning to put a slashcode install there.

      In fact, there may be more parallel efforts out there. On the one hand, competition may be good (let the best replica win!); on the other hand, migrating a community the size of Slashdot is no small task, so we may only get one shot at this.

      Also, for legal/trademark reasons, you may want to consider a name that doesn't include "Slashdot" so overtly. E.g. tpaudio has suggested "Plusdot". Another idea (mine) is to call it "divergence" or "divergence operator"... the logo would be the mathematical form of divergence, i.e. nabla symbol followed by a dot (which looks like an augmented "slash dot").

    9. Re:Fork Slashdot? by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Slashcode, at least the last time I took a look at it, was ass-old and a complete pain to get installed on any modern Linux. It may well make for a good start point though.

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
    10. Re:Fork Slashdot? by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      The moderation system here is great, but I think there are not enough mod points. If more people are able to get modded up, it will encourage more people to join the discussion.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    11. Re:Fork Slashdot? by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 1

      What IP is there in the site that we couldn't take with us?

      Unfortunately something like 15 years worth of usernames and comments, because although the comments are still owned by each respective user I doubt the database is.

      Oh, and CowboyNeal.

      Slashdot is using OpenID, right? So we could have a javascript on the new site that lets you log in with your openID and transfer all the comments over from the old slashdot to the new forum. It'd be missing all the content not owned by people who switch, but you could always have links back to fill in the holes. Of course, this is the part that may be on legal shaky ground.

    12. Re:Fork Slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Dashslot. -|

    13. Re: Fork Slashdot? by altslash · · Score: 1

      I registered altslash.org for a five year term -- I'd gladly work with a group and have them take over the domain. I'm not looking to sell the domain, or make money off of it. I just think it'd be very cool to be a part of the project. I've used slashdot for years -- although I've been a lurker around here since I lost access to my account after graduating college. I'm assuming my registered email address is my old .edu account. Anyway. I think altslash.org is the best alternative, for two reasons: 1. It avoids trademark issues. The "dot" and "org" aren't a part of the trademark. "altslash," not "altslashdot." 2. It reads the exact same as now, but as the alternative. "altslash" + "dot" + "org" It rolls nicely off the tongue. Maybe three: 3. On a Mac, alt + slash = the division symbol. Kind of fitting, right?

    14. Re: Fork Slashdot? by altslash · · Score: 1

      I... can't explain the formatting above. Sorry, all!

  5. Beta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm glad I'm not on the beta yet. I have a bad feeling I won't be able to say that much longer.

  6. Save Slashdot Classic by Bob9113 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The meat of Slashdot, the substance that draws viewers here instead of the alternatives, is the comments. Lose those comments and you will lose the eyeballs. Lose the eyeballs and you will lose the ad revenue.

    Alternatively, you can accept that you made a mistake, keep Slashdot classic, and keep the steady flow of cash. Make the right business decision, here, Dice. Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

    --
    Stop-Prism.org: Opt Out of Surveillance
    1. Re:Save Slashdot Classic by grumpyman · · Score: 1

      Funny you said that because I'd suspect a lot of /. readers reads the summary on /. main page, then go directly to comments page without RTFA. I'm one of them probably 80% of the time, and there's a reason for extensive use of "RTFA" here :)

    2. Re:Save Slashdot Classic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe Beta is a hot nerd

    3. Re:Save Slashdot Classic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am one of the 'skimmers'. But the reason for that is a different issue with what has been wrong with SD for awhile. Stale stories. I can skim it and say 'oh read about that 3-4 days ago lets see what SD thinks'.

      If it basically turns into a story aggregator (which is what it looks like beta does to the comment section) I will just move onto one of the dozen other story aggregation systems out there. They are usually much quicker on the draw with the story.

      I do see the reason for the massive changes. Why not an incremental system? Was the old codebase that knarly?

  7. Slashdot Beata by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ1H8KBnnhM

    I just wanna jizz on you forever

  8. As cool as it is I fear that this'll be another... by Noishkel · · Score: 1

    ..project that'll go nowhere due to government intervention. Not that they'll directly ban this, but they'll probably never certify this for road use. Such a thing would be useful for running around a small community. But even then... as soon as it touches the main highroad way it'll come under jurisdiction of the state.

  9. NO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If you move me to the beta slashdot abortion i'll add this place to the block list and never visit again.

    Too many other news sites regurgitate the exact same storys i see here. And all of them don't look as shitty as the beta slashdot.

    Stop being stupid.

  10. Misleading pricing in the simmary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Misleading - €500 is just a deposit. From the site (4-seater): The full amount (€2090 + shipping & packaging) can be paid when your Tabby is completed.

    For the two-seater model, it's €1990 + shipping & packaging.

    1. Re:Misleading pricing in the simmary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      SIMMARY

      FUCK BETA

  11. Fork Slashdot by tpaudio · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Perhaps we should just fork slashdot and name it Plusdot. I have a sneaking suspicion that we could get a big company like Rackspace to sponsor the servers for the project.

    1. Re:Fork Slashdot by SunTzuWarmaster · · Score: 1

      Yes please.
      http://slashcode.com/

    2. Re:Fork Slashdot by lordofthechia · · Score: 1

      Perhaps we should just fork slashdot and name it **Plusdot**.

      Yes! As a convenience we could require users to login via google+ !

      --
      Georgia Tech, the leader in Chia(tm) technology.
    3. Re:Fork Slashdot by Common+Joe · · Score: 1

      There are ideas about creating a new community. I'm sure any (or lack of) responses from the Dice overlords about the protests over the next couple of weeks will tell us what the future of the Slashdot community will be.

      -- Common Joe

      Slashdot Valentines Day Massacre: Boycott Slashdot because "Fuck Beta!": February 10 - 17

      And Support Okian Warrior's Alternate Slashdot Idea!

    4. Re:Fork Slashdot by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      No! Please!

      A new site: that I can get behind. But to take that code? Are you MAD?

  12. I am seriously searching for alternatives... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am seriously searching for alternatives to slashdot. It looks like beta will be forced upon us and the classic mode will get killed after some months. The single fact that all stories are having the same height already is annoying enough. I do not want to click in order to read the last lines.

  13. Can anyone help me? I can't read the content here! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm having a lot of trouble with the new beta site. It makes it really, really difficult to read the Slashdot content and to participate in the discussion.

    The font coloring is really bad. There's too little contrast between the text and the background, so it's hard for people like me with poor eyesight to read what has been written.

    There's a lot of empty space too. I find it very distracting and it's very wasteful. I have to scroll so much now just to read a few comments!

    The story and comment text spacing is really weird too. It's like there are no paragraphs for some reason? Why's that?

    Can anyone help me get back to the normal Slashdot? I could read that fine. I have tried the Slashdot Classic link at the bottom and I've tried the nobeta thing but they aren't working. I'm still getting the new site and it's very frustrating. Maybe I should just go to reddit instead?

  14. Re: As cool as it is I fear that this'll be anothe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    At least in Washington state, it's relatively easy to license a kit car. It must pass some minimum safety checks, but it's nothing compared to federal standards imposed on car manufacturers.
    It's a big sacrifice of a lot of safety and comfort features, but then it's a sacrifice that motorcycle riders take as well.

  15. Time for a slashdotting. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Spread the word by mentioning this in every article's comments.

    Here is Dice's "Contact Us" page. Everybody be sure to call them tomorrow using whatever numbers from that page you can get to ring. Tell every darn receptionist in every darn one of Dice's holdings, along with anyone you can get them to connect you to, that the Slashdot beta is terrible and you won't shut up until it goes away. Fax them a well-illustrated complaint or two or three. Send them a choice letter via snail mail, along with whatever memorabilia you wish.

    They keep soliciting our feedback, they can get our feedback, right where it counts.

    The most obvious contact points are:

    Dice Holdings Inc.
    1040 Avenue of the Americas, 8th Floor
    New York, NY 10018
    T: 212-725-6550
    F: 212-725-6559

    Slashdot
    594 Howard St Suite 300
    San Francisco, CA 94105
    Tel: +1-877-433-5638
    www.slashdot.com

    1. Re:Time for a slashdotting. by maliqua · · Score: 2

      i'm all out of mod points...
      but this!! YES!

    2. Re:Time for a slashdotting. by luckymutt · · Score: 2

      I wish I had mod points. I will be on the phone tomorrow.

    3. Re:Time for a slashdotting. by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      Spread the word by mentioning this in every article's comments.

      Here is Dice's "Contact Us" page. Everybody be sure to call them tomorrow using whatever numbers from that page you can get to ring. Tell every darn receptionist in every darn one of Dice's holdings, along with anyone you can get them to connect you to, that the Slashdot beta is terrible and you won't shut up until it goes away. Fax them a well-illustrated complaint or two or three. Send them a choice letter via snail mail, along with whatever memorabilia you wish.

      They keep soliciting our feedback, they can get our feedback, right where it counts.

      The most obvious contact points are:

      Dice Holdings Inc. 1040 Avenue of the Americas, 8th Floor New York, NY 10018 T: 212-725-6550 F: 212-725-6559

      Slashdot 594 Howard St Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94105 Tel: +1-877-433-5638 www.slashdot.com

      Wow, they don't even have an online contact form. High tech to the core, they are ...

    4. Re:Time for a slashdotting. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Some extension numbers would be useful. Talk to the people directly, why bother the receptionist.

    5. Re:Time for a slashdotting. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is really reminding me of something....

      Is this slashdot's New/Classic Coca-cola moment? If so, what will the analogous "high fructose corn syrup" turn out to be? Facebook logins and no AC, probably.

  16. Fuck Slashdot Beta by NineNine · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I will quit reading Slashdot if that stupid Beta shit is implemented. It's horrible. It fixes nothing. It is not an improvement in any way.

    1. Re:Fuck Slashdot Beta by pitchpipe · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Agreed! I will not use beta. Ever.

      --
      Look where all this talking got us, baby.
  17. yoinker? by sgt+scrub · · Score: 2

    How did you go from "with blackjack & hookers" to the guy that makes coffee and buys pizza? I already hate your version unless you at least spring for the hookers.

    --
    Having to work for a living is the root of all evil.
    1. Re:yoinker? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      How did you go from "with blackjack & hookers" to the guy that makes coffee and buys pizza? I already hate your version unless you at least spring for the hookers.

      To be fair coffee and pizza is pretty much the nerd version of blackjack and hookers.

    2. Re:yoinker? by rjstanford · · Score: 1

      That's the difference between being an owner and being an employee.

      --
      You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
  18. Not road-safe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That vehicle would never get approval where I live, because it does not have suitable protection for driver and passenger. It would get bootstomped the moment an inattentive soccer mom in a big assed hummer H3 started yelling at her "adorable" group of kids, while trying to enter the roadway from the drive-through lane at the fast food gorge-and-puke she stopped at to get "food" for all her "little superstars."

    Just like Dice, while performing fellatio on its advertising partners is simply too distracted to pay any attention to the angry mob forming on slashdot until after they find themselves stranded with a poisoned asset after running over all the useful commenters with its big assed hunk of shit: "beta."

    The idea is good, but I think I would be better serviced by seeing high capacity battery and charger tech hitting the open maketplace rather than seeing kits like these. There are already very nice high-torque, and high-rpm (and some that are both!) Electric motors on the open marketplace in use in agricultural settings, as well as in other markets, such as elevator drive motors and the like.

    The major impediment to major DIY auto conversion is not the availability of body frames or motors, it is the lack of suitably dense power packs. Get the prices down on high capacity electrical storage and charging systems, and get them on the open market, and the conversion kit industry will boom.

    Take for instance, things like the greasecar kits, for converting diesel engine vehicles to run on amost pure refuse vegetable oil. Things are really inexpensive. Very popular with the DIY tinkerer demographic.

    A whole community could be formed around just providing links to suitable already on the market motors, coupled with the "killer app" of high volume sales of high capacity powerplants and chargers at consumer friendly prices. You'd see plans for engine mounts and drive line converters in mere days if you included a community forum.

    Unlike this kit, which is quite clever but little more than an electric golf-kart, selling and making open hardware conversion kits for existing autobodies, and providing sourcing services through the community to locate suitable frames for conversion would get the tinkerer high availability of aftermarket parts for brakes, shocks, struts, bearings, wheels and other accessories, and would get them bodies with well established crash test ratings. (Though performance in crashes would almost certainly change from moving the weight around in the vehicle from the conversion. Even with that caveat, the vehicle would still be designed to attempt to save the driver and passenger's life far more aggressively than this open hardware kit ever will.)

    But, wishing for a good, high capacity, and inexpensive powerplant for vehicles on the open market is like trying to collect unicorn sperm, or getting Dice to actually listen about the forced Beta (and Mobile) UI deployments.

    1. Re:Not road-safe by Firethorn · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That vehicle would never get approval where I live, because it does not have suitable protection for driver and passenger. It would get bootstomped the moment an inattentive soccer mom in a big assed hummer H3 started yelling at her "adorable" group of kids, while trying to enter the roadway from the drive-through lane at the fast food gorge-and-puke she stopped at to get "food" for all her "little superstars."

      In most locations 'kit-cars' assembled by the consumer are exempt from most safety requirements, only needing the very basics such as lights. Selling said vehicle might be difficult though, and if you're selling them you probably want to be able to show that you're not making a business of it. IE you pay $15k for the parts, spend dozens to hundreds of hours putting it together, drive it for 5 years, sell for $5k.

      Depending on the strength of the body kit, it might not be that bad in a collision, though it's still more of a beefed up gold cart than a car.

      --
      I don't read AC A human right
  19. BETA - Google+ by dysmal · · Score: 0

    Don't forget to share your feelings about whatever DICE posts on G+ or FB! Bonus points: Is BETA uglier than woot.com these days? 3

  20. Finally, A Possibly Useful Poll Suggestion by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Will you will actually leave if Beta is implemented?

    A) Yes.
    B) I'm already working on a Slashdot alternative/competitor.
    C) I'm not even here now. I left when it was clear user feedback would be ignored.
    D) Rage has limited my response to a constant and inarticulate, "Fuck Beta." Ask me nothing more.
    E) I'll say I will but force of habit will prevent it.
    F) No.
    G) Ever notice how there are no longer any Cowboy Neal options? Guess what made Cowboy Neal leave.

    1. Re:Finally, A Possibly Useful Poll Suggestion by LordFlower · · Score: 1

      F.B.

    2. Re:Finally, A Possibly Useful Poll Suggestion by Common+Joe · · Score: 1

      I love this. A, B, C, D, and G would be very popular options.

      -- Common Joe

      Slashdot Valentines Day Massacre: Boycott Slashdot because "Fuck Beta!": February 10 - 17

      And Support Okian Warrior's Alternate Slashdot Idea!

    3. Re:Finally, A Possibly Useful Poll Suggestion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Option (D).

      That is all.

  21. Looks like a death trap. by rebelwarlock · · Score: 1

    There's no way that thing's street legal. And if it is, you'll die the first time someone gingerly taps the driver's side. If you're lucky, you might ding their bumper in the process, but I wouldn't count on it.

    1. Re:Looks like a death trap. by Capt.DrumkenBum · · Score: 1

      There's no way that thing's street legal.

      I am unsure if you are referring to the Open-Source Electric Car, or Slashdot Beta. Oh well, it applies to both equally. :)

      --
      If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
  22. What do you expect from a beta? by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, it might not have all the features you want. As a matter of fact, it might be the opposite of what you want and what you actually like in a car. But, hey, it's a beta. Which means nothing will change and your input will be ignored.

  23. fuck beta by fuckbeta · · Score: 0

    I was a passive reader for years, but something just transformed me to tell you all: Fuck Beta! If this crap becomes the only option, i will transform further... into a non reader. sincerely fuckbeta!

  24. Buying Slashdot by Gregory+Arenius · · Score: 5, Informative

    So on an earlier thread I mentioned starting a kickstarter to buy Slashdot off of Dice. Many of us love the community here and would hate to see it killed off due the the incompetence of some Dice MBAs. I have no idea what a good number to start such a kickstarter at would be so I started by looking at the latest Dice quarterly report. I still haven't found numbers that are particularly helpful but I did come across a few interesting things that might help explain their seemingly inexplicable actions.

    From the Operating Segment Results section:
    "Corporate & Other segment revenues decreased 9% year-over-year to $4.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2013 from the comparable 2012 period, due primarily to the financial results at Slashdot Media."

    From the recent Recent Developments section:
    "Slashdot Media was acquired to provide content and services that are important to technology professionals in their everyday work lives and to leverage that reach into the global technology community benefiting user engagement on the Dice.com site. The expected benefits have started to be realized at Dice.com. However, advertising revenue has declined over the past year and there is no improvement expected in the future financial performance of Slashdot Media's underlying advertising business. Therefore, $7.2 million of intangible assets and $6.3 million of goodwill related to Slashdot Media were reduced to zero."

    It seems they valued the goodwill of us Slashdot users at $13.5 million USD! Unfortunately it looks like they've already written that off?

    Also, for Slashdotters who like to Slashdot things:
    Investor & Media Contact:
    Jennifer Bewley
    Vice-President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
    Dice Holdings, Inc.
    212-448-4181
    IR@dice.com

    Oh, and a couple of their bigwigs will be at a conference in San Francisco in a couple of days:
    On Monday, February 10, 2014, Mr. Durney and Mr. Roberts will participate at the Stifel Technology, Internet & Media Conference 2014 to be held in San Francisco. The fireside chat will be held at 2:45 PM Pacific time/5:45 PM Eastern time and will be webcast live from the Company's website.

    Maybe a few of us would like to participate in that fireside chat, eh?

    Cheers,
    Greg

    1. Re:Buying Slashdot by guises · · Score: 2

      If buying Slashdot is really on the table then the cheapest way to do it would seem to be to wait until the beta goes through and the value drops to nothing.

      Of course, the danger is that some other company would swoop in in the mean time...

    2. Re:Buying Slashdot by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

      I was going to suggest something similar. I'd definitely chip in to make Slashdot a community site. Without the need to turn a profit some minimal ads would pay for hosting. Volunteers could run it... It's not like the editors actually do anything, like say spell-check stories.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  25. The Environment!! by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 0

    These electric cars are bad for the environment. They cause emissions of a nasty toxic chemical known colloquially as 'Bee Tar'.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  26. Calling on Anonymous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    DDoS this BETA site.

    Inject a poll that we can all vote on that stays persistent on the site so the persons(s) responsible for this slashed bleeding period can be terminated and arrested.

    Thank You.

    zenlessyank was here

  27. Fuck Beta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck Beta

  28. Hey, it may be a deathtrap, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd rather be seen dead in one of these than on Slashdot Beta!

    Beta Fucking SUCKS!

  29. SLASHBETA SUCKS. FUCK BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is official; Netcraft now confirms: *BSD is dying

    One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered *BSD community when IDC confirmed that *BSD market share has dropped yet again, now down to less than a fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming close on the heels of a recent Netcraft survey which plainly states that *BSD has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. *BSD is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.

    You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict *BSD's future. The hand writing is on the wall: *BSD faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for *BSD because *BSD is dying. Things are looking very bad for *BSD. As many of us are already aware, *BSD continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.

    FreeBSD is the most endangered of them all, having lost 93% of its core developers. The sudden and unpleasant departures of long time FreeBSD developers Jordan Hubbard and Mike Smith only serve to underscore the point more clearly. There can no longer be any doubt: FreeBSD is dying.

    Let's keep to the facts and look at the numbers.

    OpenBSD leader Theo states that there are 7000 users of OpenBSD. How many users of NetBSD are there? Let's see. The number of OpenBSD versus NetBSD posts on Usenet is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 NetBSD users. BSD/OS posts on Usenet are about half of the volume of NetBSD posts. Therefore there are about 700 users of BSD/OS. A recent article put FreeBSD at about 80 percent of the *BSD market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 FreeBSD users. This is consistent with the number of FreeBSD Usenet posts.

    Due to the troubles of Walnut Creek, abysmal sales and so on, FreeBSD went out of business and was taken over by BSDI who sell another troubled OS. Now BSDI is also dead, its corpse turned over to yet another charnel house.

    All major surveys show that *BSD has steadily declined in market share. *BSD is very sick and its long term survival prospects are very dim. If *BSD is to survive at all it will be among OS dilettante dabblers. *BSD continues to decay. Nothing short of a cockeyed miracle could save *BSD from its fate at this point in time. For all practical purposes, *BSD is dead.

    Fact: *BSD is dying

  30. Hey, it may be a deathtrap, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd rather be seen dead riding around in one of those than using that fucking Slashdot BETA!

  31. How long have I been here? by PingXao · · Score: 1

    Is there a way to see in your acct info how long you've been registered here? I looked for a bit and didn't see anything obvious that would tell me. The only info I have locally is the dates and times I've changed my password. The earliest date I have is early 2008 but I'm sure I was here for at least a few years before that.

    1. Re:How long have I been here? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      According to your UID number you signed up way before 2008, probably 2001-2002 or before 2003 for sure. I have 3xx,xxx and I signed up before 2003.

      I'm pretty sure user pages on Slashdot used to show this info, then stopped.

      ALSO FUCK SLASHBETA AND FUCK YOU DICE FAGGOT FUCK HOLDINGS.

  32. (reply to self) Almost forgot... by PingXao · · Score: 4, Funny

    Tried posting, "Fuck Beta"

    Received error: "This exact comment has already been posted. Try to be more original..."

    Okey Dokey then..... Fuck Beta Sideways

    1. Re:(reply to self) Almost forgot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck Beta Jawbreakers

  33. The only topic is: REJECT THE BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey Dice! You guys got any brain cells?

    DITCH THE BETA. IT SUCKS ARSE!

  34. confirmed: beta is garbage by adndgamer · · Score: 5, Informative

    After reading all the up-roar about beta I had to check it out.

    Yup. It sucks.

    1. Re:confirmed: beta is garbage by Eg0r · · Score: 1

      The top comments on alterslash are all about the beta, so I had to check it out too...

      To be honest, I'm glad I jumped the ship 10-11 years ago.

      Quick alterslash fix in the morning while drinking my coffee and I'm done.

      --
      "Hasta la victoria siempre!" El Comandante
  35. Slashdot beta by darkz0r · · Score: 2

    Its.....amazing how bad it is....is it coded by Gitmo guards that want to torture us?

  36. Just waiting for Beta to go full-retard by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...and bombard us with vaping and weed advertisements as part of the "new focus" for their advertisements. How low can Dice sink?

    I actually tried out Beta for a while, and it's just fucking terrible all around. Like others have said, it looks like one of those fake news aggregator sites that spammers set up.

    1. Re:Just waiting for Beta to go full-retard by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      it looks like one of those fake news aggregator sites that spammers set up.

      At least it's not trying to mislead anybody, then.

      P.S. Beta sucks almost as much as Bennet Haselton

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  37. Beta discussion by mugnyte · · Score: 1

    http://beta.slashdot.org/submi...

  38. [FUCK BETA] by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Let's start a sig campaign, prefix your's with [FUCK BETA]. This way you can stay on-topic and still protest.

    [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta]

  39. Fuck Beta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta] [Fuck Beta]

  40. mod parent up!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    please mod parent up

  41. slashdot beta sucks donkey balls. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I feel bad for the person who thought Slashdot Beta was a good idea. That person is like the kid on South Park who shit his pants in the middle of class.

    However, unlike the kid on South Park who shit his pants in the middle of class, it's not too late for the Slashdot Beta designer. Sure, we have all seen Slashdot Beta, we have covered our eyes, held our noses, and screamed "WHAT IS THAT!?" But unlike a turd splattered into one's pants, Slashdot Beta can be undone. It can be returned to the place from which it came. And then it can be crafted into something that isn't a turd.

    Don't destroy a good pair of pants for nothing. You can stop this.

  42. Fuck beta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not again this fucking beta version.

  43. What Beta? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://slashdot.org/?nobeta=1

  44. Why I hate Open Source by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

    I'm interested in this as a garage project, but after quickly browsing the website I couldn't one one single picture of the car that wasn't a crappo CAD drawing. I know you guys hate MBAs and Microsoft and shit, but FFS at least those guys know that couple of pictures goes a long way when you're trying to sell stuff.

    1. Re:Why I hate Open Source by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

      PS. Fuck the Beta!

  45. Re:As cool as it is I fear that this'll be another by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Such a thing would be useful for running around a small community. But even then... as soon as it touches the main highroad way it'll come under jurisdiction of the state.

    OK, so this 'car' can change personal transportation within a community to electric. This means that emissions and engine noise will be reduced to those traveling to and from the community or those who needs to transport more than a small bag.
    The price and size makes it into a pretty good complement to a regular car even for the middle class.

  46. great by SuperDre · · Score: 1

    if you have you own compound to drive the car around, but in most countries it's illegal to drive a self build car without licenseplates (and that requires the car being tested, if that's even possible for a self-build car in some countries)..

  47. Fuck us? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If beta wants to fuck me so much, then maybe I should think about some protection? How about a little courtesy kiss before you fuck me, beta?

  48. Hookers? by JWSmythe · · Score: 3, Funny

    If we had hookers, why would we need blackjack or Slashdot?

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    1. Re:Hookers? by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      If we had hookers, why would we need blackjack or Slashdot?

      You need the slashdot to make the money to pay the hookers, the black jack is also for the hookers, but he isn't a card game.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    2. Re:Hookers? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

      If you're going to use that blackjack, you don't need money for the hookers anyways. But.. that will get you more prison time, if the pimp doesn't kill you first.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    3. Re:Hookers? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You use the blackjack on the pimp

  49. Other Slashdots? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

    There are plenty of other sites out there. So why don't you make your own Slashdot? You can get the code for the old (pre-beta) site from http://www.slashcode.com/ , which eventually leads to http://sourceforge.net/project...

    I don't know how well the code runs now, but a long time ago, it was real heavy on the server side. There are plenty of other options, you just have to get users in. I had one up for a while, but with only 4 users it didn't do so well.

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  50. slashcode by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

    Ya, people forget that http://slashcode.com/ exists. Or you can just roll your own and probably do better. :)

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  51. Why reinvent the sand rail? by JWSmythe · · Score: 4, Informative

    This looks like a reinvented sand rail, except not as safe, and not road legal.

    I've seen sand rails on the road in some states. Check with your DMV to see about registering "experimental", "homemade" or "homebuilt" vehicles.

    You can get a rolling sand rail chassis pretty cheap, and put in your choice of engine, transmission, seat(s), lights, etc. Just like the vehicle in the article, you could assemble one in a few hours.

    In my state, besides the obvious (engine/motor, steering wheel, etc), they require: headlights (2), turn signals (4), brakes (2), bumpers (2), fenders (all wheels), horn (1), seat, seat belt (if not a motorcycle), tires (2 or 3 for motorcycle, 4+ for cars). All lighting must be DOT approved, which is easy enough to get from auto parts stores. Lighting and bumpers have to be within a certain height from the ground. I think that was all the requirements. That's from memory.

    Pretty much, you just build it. You then go to the DMV and fill out a "Statement of Builder".

    http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/form...

    You can then drive it (or trailer it) to the DMV for a safety inspection.

    They get a lot of homebuilt motorcycles, since you can buy every part without a donor vehicle.

    Homebuilt cars are usually custom cars built on existing chassis. If you're building on a sandrail chassis (like this almost appears), you just can't provide the source chassis VIN. If you're proficient with welding, you can build your own chassis, but that takes some skill.

    I've put a few homebuilt trailers on the road legally. Pretty much those just required me to go in with a weight and length, and sign off on some papers. It was up to me to affirm that I complied with the safety (lighting, hitch, etc) requirements.

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    1. Re:Why reinvent the sand rail? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Kit cars" have indeed been around for years. There are also rebuilt vehicles, kit converted vehicles, radically altered vehicles, reconstructed (typically "classic") vehicles and a whole range of other classifications depending on the laws applicable to where you intend to use the vehicle and what you are using it for. To use public highways, as well as going to the relevant authorities you've also got insurance to deal with - which can be quite fun to get!

      Needless to say, having an open source one is great! More open source things please :)

    2. Re:Why reinvent the sand rail? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      At the NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, N.C., today, officials from the Energy Department, NASCAR, and Sprint Corp. announced the companies' participation in the Department's Workplace Charging Challenge—a collaborative effort to increase the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging by tenfold. The Challenge also supports the broader efforts of the Department's EV Everywhere Grand Challenge to make plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) as affordable and convenient for the American family as gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 10 years. Full Story on Energy.gov

    3. Re:Why reinvent the sand rail? by JWSmythe · · Score: 2

      Ya, insurance can get a little funny, but there are plenty of places that will cover you.

      I happen to own an retired city bus (transit bus with diesel pusher, not a school bus), that I'm making into a RV. It's in that registration and insurance weird spot. It's not a commercial vehicle any more. It's not a bus. It's not a professionally built RV.

      Some people who have done these kind of conversions strip the donor vehicle down to a rolling chassis with drivetrain. I'm keeping the outer body, because ... well ... that's a lot of material to re-engineer.

      It usually takes me an extra 10 minutes or so at the DMV, until they figure that they can put it in the homebuilt vehicle section with the original vehicle VIN. They usually have to get a supervisor override, so that commercial vehicle VIN can be used with a privately owned vehicle.

      Getting insurance was a bit rough a few years ago. Mine was stored for a while, but I had to drive it to a new storage lot. That meant renewing the plates, and getting new insurance on it. Insurance was a breeze. It took me about 5 minutes online, and cost $120 for the year. The only field that could be selected was the manufacturer. They didn't have the model in their select list, so they took exactly what I gave.

      The insurance carrier had blanks for everything. Like, I could have specified myself as the manufacturer, and they would have gone with it. As long as the insurance matches the registration and tag, I'm fine.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  52. No need for /code by shri · · Score: 1

    Could be done very easily with Wordpress and moderated submissions. Comment ratings plugins exist ...

    The problem is getting users to submit content. Trust me, the crowd that is so willing to go "Fuck Beta", is not the people submitting / moderating. Atleast thats what I think... .

  53. I seem... by unitron · · Score: 2

    ...to have stolen your 1 week boycott idea about an hour ago, without knowing at the time that you'd suggested it first.

     

    Actually, with the 14th in the middle of that time span, we can call it the Slashdot Valentine's Day Massacre if enough of us participate to kill beta off.

     

    (I notice that sigs don't show up in beta)

     

    (and that you have to put in manual paragraph breaks to get proper spacing--apparently the plan is to become more like HuffPo )

    --

    I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

  54. NO WORDPRESS! by unitron · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Trust me on this.

     

    It's the resemblance to WP sites and HuffPo that makes beta so objectionable in the first place.

     

    I get 15 mod points at a time on a regular basis, by the way, even though it's been a while since I submitted anything.

     

    --

    I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

    1. Re:NO WORDPRESS! by shri · · Score: 1

      WP should be fairly easy to modify to look like /..... I think. Not every WP site looks like "a WP site" or Huffpo.

    2. Re:NO WORDPRESS! by unitron · · Score: 1

      WP should be fairly easy to modify to look like /..... I think. Not every WP site looks like "a WP site" or Huffpo.

      But the comment handling part is horrid.

      Although at least WP is pretty uniformly horrid whereas HuffPo went out of their way a while back to make theirs even worse, which I hadn't realized would be possible.

      --

      I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

  55. YAOSV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They should have check the existing market and choose a more honest name.

  56. No. A week long boycott would NOT help. by MickLinux · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What would help is for some php coders to get together and come up with a website that has the look and feel of classic,and is scalable. Register a domain name, and have it waiting in the wings.

    Or better yet, approach the guy who runs xkcd with it, and take it from there. He's shown that he can do well enough with what he had.

    --
    Correct Horse Battery Staple: 72 bits of entropy. Enter "Correct H" into google. When it generates the phrase, that's
    1. Re:No. A week long boycott would NOT help. by TWiTfan · · Score: 1

      I've been wondering for a long time why no one has forked Slashdot. All you need is someone with some massive geek clout to front it.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    2. Re:No. A week long boycott would NOT help. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't see why we couldn't do both things. The boycott to attempt to keep slashdot the way it is.. and the new "classic" website to move to if it doesn't work.

    3. Re:No. A week long boycott would NOT help. by realityimpaired · · Score: 2

      Nah. What we need is a Social Fixer-like addon for Slashdot.... Call it News Fixer....

    4. Re:No. A week long boycott would NOT help. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=4757817&cid=46170797

      Not sure how much of the popular vote this has, but I found it in some earlier comments on a different article.

  57. [FUCK BETA] Re:I think by pla · · Score: 2

    Let's start a sig campaign, prefix your's with [FUCK BETA]. This way you can stay on-topic and still protest.

    As a first step, I suggest suffixing your normal link to Slashdot with "/?nobeta=1". At least until Slashdot decides to fully pull the plug and tell us all to go fuck ourselves, that will keep you from having to ever see the abomination they call the new beta site. And as a bonus, whether or not they care, they'll get the message loud and clear when 90% of their inbound traffic explicitly rejects their crappy beta.

    That said, thanks for the idea - Though to hell with sigs, make it the start of your SUBJECT for every post. I will use it until they listen or make it a moot point - Though from past experience, I fully expect the latter, because they just don't care in the least about what we think.

    1. Re:[FUCK BETA] Re:I think by dmbasso · · Score: 1

      That said, thanks for the idea - Though to hell with sigs, make it the start of your SUBJECT for every post.

      Well, you can do both! ;)
      The good thing with sigs is that you don't have to write them every time.

      I will use it until they listen or make it a moot point - Though from past experience, I fully expect the latter, because they just don't care in the least about what we think.

      Yep, unfortunately that seems to be the trend...

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
  58. Re:As cool as it is I fear that this'll be another by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 1

    Its a great idea, as there are tons of people who like to build/tinker with cars and this provides a great platform to do something different.

    But I agree that, at least in the US, safety codes will as obstacle to getting them road certified, which could essentially limit them to the 'commuter golf cart' realm. An off road version would be cool.

  59. [fuckbeta] by SunTzuWarmaster · · Score: 1

    Missing option: I'm jumping ship to the first replacement that comes up. Slashcode will likely do a good job.

  60. Website claims ZERO emissions. [FALSE!!!] by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am so tired of these startups that claim zero emissions on something like this. Every time you plug it into the charger you are using electricity that created emission in its generation. Unless the electricity came from wizards and unicorns....its just a different type of emission than combustion engines create. Enough with the green lies.....dangerous little bolt together piece of junk anyways.

  61. Not really open souce by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 1

    Tabby may be open source, but I'm pretty sure that all of the components going into it are propietary and patent encumbered.

    1. Re:Not really open souce by dbc · · Score: 2

      Wow, somebody that wants to discuss the car, instead of the beta.

      You raise an interesting point. The question is, when does that start to matter? Is it a problem if the electric motor is patent encumbered, but there are 7 other drop-in replacements you could use, and 27 adaptable replacements? After all, at some point we all post our Slashdot rants using computers built around a patent encumbered CPU built in a US$3Billion fab, not one built in our basements. (I've built CPU's from buckets of parts... it's a lot of work.)

      Personally, I'm more concerned about the CAD files. Are they in a proprietary format? Are there open source CAD tools that can edit them? If not, it really isn't open source. For me, the tool chain matters hugely more than the components designed into the end unit. With the CAD files, you can redesign around parts you like better. I am astounded at the number of nominally open-source hardware projects that used closed-source cripple-ware CAD tools (ie: Eagle). At least two good open source alternatives to Eagle exists for ECAD: gEDA and KiCad. 3D mechanical cad, not so much, although I have hopes for FreeCAD.

      I once had this debate on line with Lady Ada, calling Adafruit to task for not using open source ECAD tools. She said, and I quote directly and accurately: "Tools don't matter." Her myopia in this regard astounds me..

      The only thing that makes her position defensible is that hardware designs have a much shorter life span than software designs. You can be very successful doing hardware having a short attention span, since the technology moves so fast. In fact, a short attention span probably helps minimize distractions. With software, you must take the long view or die -- how old is errno.h?

    2. Re:Not really open souce by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 1

      I was approaching it from the same way that some linux distros look at proprietary drivers and won't ship them because they taint the purity of the project.

      So while the plans might be open source, the vehicle itself won't be because even if you swap part a for part b, that individual part is not open. I don't really have a problem with that, as I'm not a purist (I am quite comfortable, for instance using MP3s in Linux or the Nvidia drivers). I was merely pointing out that at this time, you can't build an open-source vehicle because the parts them self are not open.

      You bring up an interesting point about the drawings, too. If the drawings are encumbered, can the plans be considered open-source? I would tend to think that the format of the drawings, is just a medium and again using linux, the fact that I store it on a proprietary usb key doesn't change it's nature. But to tell the truth, I haven't ever really given it much thought until your post.

      As for the beta comments, well, I notice all the people who are posting are anonymous cowards, so if they follow through and quit, it will be better for all of us! :)

    3. Re:Not really open souce by dbc · · Score: 1

      For electronics projects, the schematics are the equivalent of source code. So... is software really open source if I tell you: "Here is a dead-tree print-out of the program in a proprieatry language that you can't compile on your hardware anyway. But you can feel free to read the code, translate it to your favorite language and punch it all in again." That is somewhat like giving me a .pdf of an Eagle schematic -- although I will grant you that a closed-source cripple-ware free-beer version of Eagle is available for small projects. It just seems silly to do that when two open source alternatives that are vastly more powerful than the free-beer closed source tool are available to anybody that can run a package manager without spilling their drink on the keyboard.

      3D mechanical CAD is the far worse problem. First off, giving me an .stl file is like giving me a screen-shot of your gui as a .png file -- it hardly helps me work with your design. The other reason it is worse is that parametric modelling is just hard. Maybe not NP-complete hard, but NP-poke-yourself-in-the-eye-with-a-stick hard. I believe there is an openly-specified interchange file format -- which is by necessity so complex it is a huge effort to implement. Also, simply the nature of 3D modelling along the lines of SolidWorks or Inventor leads to gigantic programs.

  62. Stop derailing posts with BETA whining by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    such little babies on here...shut the hell up

  63. Holy fuckolies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've been a slovenly AC on this site since the very early days, and it's no exaggeration to say that this is one of the very last sites I would expect to screw up an update this badly.

    Seriously, what the fuck did the PHBs at /. think would happen? Did they somehow convince themselves that THIS crowd would slavishly and silently go along with a brain warping, hideous reworking of one of their favorite site? Did it never occur to them that the (ir)regulars here would howl and generally throw a fit? If they didn't see this blindingly obvious outcome happening, they dumb as a sack of rocks. If they did see it and concluded that they could ride it out, then they're even dumber.

    Win 8.x, Netvibes, now this site. Where does the assholery end???

    I'm almost tempted to think that this is the /. PHBs' way of getting lots of free PR. Roll out a train wreck update, let everyone scream over it, get free pub, and then go back to the old interface or something that's just a minor update. I don't doubt they're that cynical, although I think it's a stretch to credit them with that much in the way of balls.

  64. Re:As cool as it is I fear that this'll be another by BasilBrush · · Score: 1

    Not that they'll directly ban this, but they'll probably never certify this for road use.

    If you check out the link, there's a version that's street legal in the UK, and presumably various other countries too. It's called the Urban Tabby.

    Personally I wouldn't all the version they build in an hour a car, as it isn't road legal. It's more like an electric go-cart.

  65. Build an Open-Source Electric... by redmid17 · · Score: 1

    Did anyone else do a double take on that headline? I thought it read Build an Open-Source Electric Chair In About One Hour.
    That would have been an interesting thread.

  66. Does it fix the comment threshold? by kbahey · · Score: 1

    Does it make the site remember your saved comment threshold preference and only send you the comments above the threshold you have in your profile?

    Does it avoid having to use the slider on every page to specify the slider?

    Does it avoid the need to have Javascript enabled for the domain?

    Does it use your computer resources to hide thresholds you are not interested in?

    This is my main beef with beta, the rest I can work around or live with.

    --
    2bits.com, Inc: Drupal, WordPress, and LAMP performance tuning.
    1. Re:Does it fix the comment threshold? by Anaerin · · Score: 1

      Does it make the site remember your saved comment threshold preference and only send you the comments above the threshold you have in your profile?

      No, because it's just CSS. However, I'm thinking this could be solved with a little greasemonkey tweaking.

      Does it avoid having to use the slider on every page to specify the slider?

      Again, no. It's just CSS.

      Does it avoid the need to have Javascript enabled for the domain?

      I believe it will work without Javascript enabled. Of course, you won't HAVE any comments then, as they're loaded with Javascript. But these days, a vast majority of the web requires Javascript to function.

      Does it use your computer resources to hide thresholds you are not interested in?

      Again, no. But I'm spotting a theme here...

      This is my main beef with beta, the rest I can work around or live with.

      So, your problem seems to be that the new site isn't using your saved preference for what comments to display. This is something that is (at the moment) beyond the capabilities of my little stylesheet tweaks.

    2. Re:Does it fix the comment threshold? by kbahey · · Score: 1

      That is what I thought, it is only CSS.

      Many hate beta because of whitespace and look and feel, but my main beef is that it requires javascript enabled so it can run jquery for the comment slider.

      This ruins the site for me, and there is no fix.

      Thanks for the userstyle and the reply though.

      --
      2bits.com, Inc: Drupal, WordPress, and LAMP performance tuning.
    3. Re:Does it fix the comment threshold? by Anaerin · · Score: 1

      Does it make the site remember your saved comment threshold preference and only send you the comments above the threshold you have in your profile?

      Does it avoid having to use the slider on every page to specify the slider?

      This is my main beef with beta, the rest I can work around or live with.

      Doing some supplemental testing, I'm not sure what your beef is. On my machine (Running current FireFox Nightly), When you set your preferred threshold (using the dropdown above the comments), the value you specify gets set in a cookie, which then gets re-loaded on each subsequent page view. So I'm not sure where these issues are coming from. The code is there (and working) to do it.

    4. Re:Does it fix the comment threshold? by kbahey · · Score: 1

      I am running Firefox 26.

      The issue is that to use the slider you have to have javascript enabled in the first place. Fine, I can enable it once so the cookie will be set and I always read comments at +5.

      But then, I often find a discussion interesting and I want to check comments at a lower level, sometimes +4, sometimes +2 as the case may be, how many total comments, ...etc.

      To do this, I need to enable javascript again to use the slider.

      Or am I missing something?

      --
      2bits.com, Inc: Drupal, WordPress, and LAMP performance tuning.
    5. Re:Does it fix the comment threshold? by Anaerin · · Score: 1

      No, you're not missing anything. What I can do (with CSS) is make it so that items that are "Removed" by the filter are instead collapsed down to their titles. I might be able to do even more than that, but that's all I've come up with so far. I'll let you know if I manage any more.

  67. Go-Kart by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    An electric Go-Kart for 2 people.

  68. Does this mean MPAA was... wrong..? by fintux · · Score: 1

    "You wouldn't download a car". Either this project is doomed to fail, or MPAA has been *wrong* all this time!

  69. Not Even Remotely Possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    First, this is NOTHING like any of the cars that Elon Musk has produced. This is BARELY on par with a gocart. T

    Second, this thing is in no way road legal.

    Third, €500? Hahahahahahhahahahahah

    "Optional" items:
    Electric Power Train fro Tabby €1,520.00
    Battery Pack €698
    Wheels! €398

    Total €3,116.00

    For a gocart! That you have to build yourself! You have to be world-class stupid to buy this thing!

    Slashdot beta sucks!. Boycott Slashdot 2/7/14

  70. Testing, testing... by CCarrot · · Score: 1

    Don't mind me, just test-posting, to see if I even can in beta using IE8. No way to actually log in on the new beta site, so not sure if this post will be anon or not (logged in via classic site first).

    italics
    bold

    This is a quote

    --
    "I love animals! Some are cute, others are tasty, what's not to like?" - Betsy Schroeder, Jeopardy contestant
  71. Remember New Coke? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    beta is the New Coke.

  72. Safety standards? by mattack2 · · Score: 1

    Tell me when it can meet U.S. safety standards... and I drive a car (smart electric) that most people call a 'death trap' based on the size.

  73. FUCK BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Useless shit interface. If Beta stays, I go. Low 200,000 user number.

    Fuck you, Dice.

  74. Nambla symbol? Fits for slashdot crowd. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nambla symbol? Fits for slashdot crowd.

  75. I'm new to Slashdot Beta by brad3378 · · Score: 1

    Is it normal for me to get this message?

    "Shazbot! We ran into some trouble getting the comments.
    Try again... na-nu, na-nu!"

    --
  76. LOVE BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FUCK BETA HATERS!!

  77. whiney by tangle001 · · Score: 1

    all off-topic time-wasting commenters do something useful

  78. Beta is like Social Media, it Sucks by bbsalem · · Score: 1

    The reason SlashDot Beta sucks is that it is more like Social Media, like Facebook, Like Google+ then Classic. In fact we need stronger features like Classic, not fewer. If any engineer working at SlashDot has a social media orientation, he should be fired! There needs to be for structure, not less. Mobile and Social Media and blogging do not have a place in quality discussion on the Internet. They are fine for one-off and shallow excahnges, but they cannot support a conversation with any complexity or nuance, and they are in opposition to democratic institutions that need complex discussions to support them. Social Media and blogging do a disservice to citizenship in a democracy.