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User: VValdo

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  1. Why GStreamer is cool... on GStreamer: Full-featured Multimedia for Linux · · Score: 4
    Providing access to cheap/free multimedia functionality, especially an open non-linear editor (a "word processor for video") is very important.

    As video has become a central way to entertain, inform and influence the public, "the people," not just government and big media companies, must be given the power to create decent video presentations..

    If you can't run one of the more popular commercial non-linear editors (Avid/Final Cut Pro/etc) I offer the following list of Linux alternatives.

    (And before you mod me offtopic, note that Trinity uses Gstreamer. So there.)

    NON-LINEAR SYSTEMS

    Broadcast 2000 -- One of the more developed linux editors. Works with a variety of hardware. I personally haven't used it, but there is at least one company out there selling pre-packaged versions of this.

    Trinity -- Another Linux solution - still very early in development. Uses Gstreamer though

    MainActor -- I think this is a commercial Linux product, about $100.

    And for fun...

    AUDIO EDITING SYSTEMS

    ProTools FREE - This is a commercial product, but this free, non demoware version, limited to 8-tracks, does not require dedicated hardware. It does require Mac or Windows, though I have no idea if it will run under WINE.

    ProTUX - Although the web site denies it, this is basically an open source ProTools.

    Audacity - A cross-platform open source audio editor.

    I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones I know about.

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  2. Question... on USA Gov. Brief in MPAA vs. 2600 case Online · · Score: 4
    I'm probably posting this too late in the day for anyone to see it, but in their argument, the government says:

    Computer programs are "essentially utilitarian" works. Computer Assocs. Int'l, Inc. v. Altai, Inc., 982 F.2d 693, 704 (2d Cir. 1992). Simply put, they are articles that accomplish tasks." Sega Enterprises, Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc., 977 F.2d 1510, 1524 (9th Cir. 1992). DeCSS -- the computer program "[a]t the bottom of this case" -- is no different. Brief for Defendants-Appellants ("Appellants' Br.") at 2. As the district court found, "DeCSS, like any other computer program, is a series of instructions that causes a computer to perform a particular sequence of tasks which, in the aggregate, decrypt CSS-protected files." Universal City Studios, 111 F. Supp. 2d at 328-29; see also Appellants' Br. at 2 ("DeCSS decrypts the data on a DVD and stores it."). This function is entirely nonexpressive, and thus does not warrant First Amendment protection.

    Fine-- computer programs are simply "articles that accomplish tasks." They are not speech, says the government.

    In order to be a candidate for copyright protection, however

    In no case does copyright protection of an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, ... design, and three-dimensional works, while not protected by copyright, may be protected by a patent.

    See http://www.acs.ttu.edu/documentation/laws/lpc5.htm l#205.

    If a program is not free speech, and it's not copyrightable, then it seems the government is saying that the DCMA does NOT cover any kind of software, and that any copyright notice on (non-content) with regards to software is misapplied.

    The DMCA doesn't cover patents (does it?) so I guess it's still legal to use DCSS-like programs for the purposes of copying/accessing any copy-protected software.

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  3. Doesn't anyone know how to use a search engine? on Beastie in Bronze · · Score: 1
    5 second search:

    oak
    pine (?)
    more wood
    legos
    more crazy ones

    I've seen more. There's that article about the gameboy in pine that was on /. not too long ago...
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  4. Wanna start a Napster-account sharing service? on Napster Offers $1B For Music-Swapping Rights · · Score: 3

    Seems the next logical step ;)

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  5. 50 million users? on Napster Offers $1B For Music-Swapping Rights · · Score: 5

    1. Is it likely that they're going to get 50 MILLION people to pay this? How many people are there in the US, like 400 million? Less? (yes, I know the Internet is global, just for perspective)

    2. What's going to stop people from sharing Napster accounts?

    3. Is subscribing to this new industry-sanctioned Napster going to mean that what was formerly called "pirated" mp3s are now legal to own? Ie, is this buying a license to own MP3s for CDs you didnt' buy because you bought a Napster subscription? Am I allowed to then trade those MP3s via a non-napster (freenet, gnutella, or something else) system?

    4. What kind of crazy license/agreement am I gonna have to sign to subscribe? I can't wait to read this agreement. I have a feeling, knowing the RIAA, it will not exactly be equitable, and birthright forfeiture may be included.

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  6. Re:Yer a dummy, troll. on Rootless XFree On Mac OS X · · Score: 2
    Not this Mac luser.

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  7. dude, it's a not-for-profit... on Rootless XFree On Mac OS X · · Score: 2

    So who cares what the userbase is? LinuxPPC isn't competing with OS X any more than FreeBSD for the Mac Centris was competing with OS 7.

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  8. Yer a dummy, troll. on Rootless XFree On Mac OS X · · Score: 2
    It's not just the graphics... that's just a nice touch. It's that we'll be seeing stuff like Gimp On Mac pretty soon now. AND it'll look great.

    Idiot.
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  9. Awesome! on Rootless XFree On Mac OS X · · Score: 1

    And the Mac OS X world just got a lot bigger... i love the fact that the X windows are shaded and everything (ie, have shadows) just like the aqua ones.

    Can't wait for March 24!

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  10. no, no, you're missing the point on A "Vow of Chastity" For Game Designers · · Score: 3
    of course those games would (and do) still exist. The point of the vow isn't to exclude or ban games that aren't "dogma 2000" games. Obviously that won't happen, and the writer acknowleges that. The point is to create artificial limitations on the craft of game design in order to foster or encourage or inspire new ideas in game play. To "shake things up." When companies are motivated by profit and commercial potential, a lot of times creativity goes out the window and you end up with derivitive products. By placing these set of "rules" (which are totally voluntary and are not intended to be a replacement or exclusionary to other types of gamemaking), the idea is to stimulate creativity.

    It's like those contests they have where you have to do a web page in 5k or I know there's a contest to do 3d in like 5k as well as size and other restrictions in the C obfuscation contest.

    By putting limitations and creating rules, you remove the option to make lazy compromises or simply copy previous artistic works. Again, it's totally voluntary for the sake of experimentation and personal development. So to say "well we wouldn't have quake" is kinda missing the point.

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  11. Are there good pre-made firewalls for 2.4? on Linux 2.4's Firewalling · · Score: 2
    I know there are a bunch of great firewall generating scripts and pre-made firewalls for 2.0x and 2.2x such as phpfwgen and PMFirewall but does such a thing exist for 2.4 that supports all the new stuff?

    I'd like to find, you know, a "normal" firewall for using maybe with IP masquerading at home. Something that will make my IP look more or less invisible.

    Anyone got any recommendations?

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  12. I heard DCS1000 stands for... on Bonsaikitten Eaten By Carnivore · · Score: 3

    Disguised Carnivore System

    Ie, I'm not going to let them get away with that name change.

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  13. Re:Personally, who cares? on Raskin On 'Raskin On OS X' · · Score: 2

    But can't you replace it? I mean, put in another shell or whatever.

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  14. Why i don't buy this on Are Computers Stealing Your Memory? · · Score: 2
    • First off, I know that my memory SUCKS when I haven't slept. I wonder whether the people studied were given proper sleep, and how our generation's sleeping habits compare with those of previous generations.
    • We're living in an "information age." The amount of information I need to process daily has got to be huge compared with the comparable "me" of a few decades ago. It's only natural that with so much more stuff coming in, the same memory capacity only seems to have diminished. I mean, I've got to store in memory all the different functions and variables I'm using in my C program. One type of memory replaces another.
    • For all our reliance on PDAs and such to hold information, we have to have additional information in our memory to retrieve that info-- how to USE the PDA for example.
    • I don't even use PDAs and my memory is crap.
    • In the days of old, were people actually responsible for MEMORIZING their entire schedules? Didn't they have other technology such as a paper calendar to keep this info?

    Then again, who can forget that freaky kid from Tom Sawyer who memorized the entire Bible...
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  15. But I wanna be a card carrying member ;) on DVD Case Follow-Up · · Score: 2

    Besides, it's not just about $. An organization that has more members has better standing, I would think.


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  16. I should have added this..it's opt-out on DVD Case Follow-Up · · Score: 3

    The official privacy policy is here:

    http://www.aclu.org/privacy.html

    it says,

    "However, the names and postal addresses of ACLU members, including those who join through the ACLU Freedom Network website, may be exchanged or rented to other organizations or publications under the procedures outlined below.

    Members who join through the ACLU Freedom Network website are provided with an opportunity to opt out of this exchange."

    but I couldn't find the opt-out button on their signup page (https://secure20.client-mail.com/aclulink/forms/j oin.shtml
    ), just a way to manually request that they opt you out via an email address, which sucks.

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  17. Joining the ACLU... on DVD Case Follow-Up · · Score: 3
    With all the crazy stuff going on in the world, from DeCSS to Bush's "faith-based" charity federal funding, I'm inclined more than ever to join the ACLU.

    But try as I might, I can't find anything on their site about privacy. I've joined the EFF only after making sure they weren't going to sell/release my info. It doesn't look like the ACLU has the same types of policies.

    Anyone know if it's possible to join organizations like the ACLU or Americans United for the Seperation of Church and State (www.au.org) in such away that privacy is assured? Also, is it generally better to join the national ACLU or a local chapter (both have web sites...)

    Believe it or not, I emailed the local ACLU branch and didn't get a decent answer. I'm guess they're pretty busy fighting evil. ;)

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  18. This reads like Camille Paglia on speed. on Gnutella: Alive, Well, And Changing Fast · · Score: 1

    Anyone remember that program for the Apple II called "Babble" that would just generate a ton of intellectual-sounding rubbish on any topic? I should do a search for Babble on Google.

    Man, that last sentence sounded weird.
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  19. See, this is why I love /. on Amicus Brief in DeCSS case · · Score: 2

    Ask a dumb question, get a great answer.

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  20. A few things. on France To Tax Blank Computer Media · · Score: 2

    1. How is this money being distributed? As a musician-- well, a guy who's about to go buy a microphone and casio for this very reason-- I'd like to know where I collect my check, as my alleged music is going to allegedly be pirated.

    2. I hope they start taxing oil-based paint too. Because I read somewhere that art thieves are pirating portraits as well. Not to mention that ink and paper needs to be taxed, seeing as how it's used not only for plagerism but for counterfeiting *AND* writing unAmerican articles.

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  21. Re:Texture based ads... on Playing an FPS for Money? · · Score: 2

    Hell it's been done for a long time. Check out some old car racing games for the Apple II where you'd drive by billboards for coke and stuff. I'm talking mid-80s.

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  22. Red Light District... on ICANN, new TLDs, and Congress? · · Score: 4

    The thing is, that's just begging people to pass laws saying x-rated material should be restricted to .xxx or .sex...

    Next thing you know...

    1. ISP routers will be legislated into blocking such addresses at the national and ISP levels

    2. at the same time, legislation could be passed that all kinds of "distasteful," "immoral", etc. (whether sexually, politically, etc.) material be religated to that TLD

    you'd end up making it real easy for a government to create a national black hole list.
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  23. Re:Wow on Helix Code Changes Name To Ximian · · Score: 2

    This is the kind of thing that happens when every damn domain name has been taken already.

    Ximian. Great. Not be confused with the similarly spelled but equally meaningless Ximean, Ximeon, and Ximien. (quick, go grab those TLDs before some other bastard does).

    We're really winning some "linux is easy" converts with that one.

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  24. Is this already approved for SCSI and Firewire? on Ask Andre Hedrick About Hard Drive Copy Protection · · Score: 5

    Last week we read that a copy-control scheme similar or identical to CPRM has been already approved for SCSI and Firewire (without objection...probably because no one knew about it.)

    First off, is it true? Secondly, why hadn't we heard about this before? Can we expect this technology to be built into all new SCSI and Firwire hardware, or is "optional" there too?

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  25. Re:It should not even be allowed in the standard. on 4C May Back Down On Hard-Disk Copy Protection · · Score: 2

    Yeah, but how many Regular Joes are going to install a special hd driver which spoofs CPRM just so they can get their software to work?

    Plus, would such a driver, even though it doesn't use any actual decryption, be "circumventing" an encryption method which the software company would argue is used to protect their copyrighted material (ie, whatever it is the software is using CPRM for, even if it's just to store its own terms of service, documentation, or something else it can claim copyright over). If so, it's arguably an illegal driver under the DMCA.

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