its a neat trick, but are there any commercial applications?
where does a robot that walks on water succeed over an autonomous boat?
I mean, at least when they developed the technological equivalent of the geckos foot they had very sound commercial applications in mind. As robot amphibious platforms go this has just got to be inefficient and unreliable.
Firstly, you need to be a UK citizin and enter a UK postcode to use the Goverment ePetition.
Secondly, let me quote the example of the Road Charging ePetition on the same site. It forced a response from the (then) Prime Minister Tony Blair and was widely reported in the news and debated in Parliament.
I can hear the 360 brigade and MS fan boys warming up on this thread. whooosh.
I have a PS3, I got it on day one, I love it, Resistance is a fabulous game.
Yes there are not as many games, yes it costs more - but for fucks sake it's a blu-ray player! not some piddly DVD player. At the time I got the PS3 I could not get a blu-ray player for that money. I like the machine, the geek in me admires the Cell technology. And I feel that strongly that Sony are getting a rough ride from a bunch a script kiddies and annoying teenagers. There I said it.
Sony are trying to run a business, not gain a foothold with massive loss making subsidies and oppressive leverage. I'm not saying that what MS is doing is wrong after all they are trying to run a business - but that does not mean I admire them for their business tactics.
-------
Having said that, in a few months I'll be getting a 360 for Halo 3, which looks to be a fabulous game!
when I was in China I frequently had market sellers attempting to sell me dodgy DVDs and CDs for 2 or 3 Yuan.
But I don't think they had windows on them...... yikes!
Seriously though, even in the large multinational Shenzhen office I was in the IT support guy installed windows of a shiny gold disc - it was just how things were done there. The serial number was written on the top in black pen. I guess product activation and WGA make it more difficult for this to work so they crawl back to the conference table and talk.
BTW. Many of the top executives from another multinational always impressed me by running Yellow Dog on a USB stick - I'm not even sure their laptops even had software on - but the USB sticks were on their key rings. I always thought that was a neat security idea. I have never seen that done anywhere else.
well I skimmed TFA and conclude we can now expect in these comments:-
(1) a lot of foaming at the mouth rants and statistics from Linux evangelists
(2) some distie bashing thrown in for good measure
(3) the inevitable vista comments and hints about massive marketing campaigns
(4) maybe some mention of PCs shipped with Linux pre-installed
(5) if we are really lucky maybe the odd referenced fact
.. and nobody being better informed at then end of it.
Will this prompt the big manufacturers to ship more Linux PCs?
The natural suspicion is that this will eventually lead to whole PCs elsewhere in the world and not for just academics/students. Long term Dell, Gateway and the crowd should be eyeing this carefully I should think.
The writers may doubt it, but even in the FA "..if Microsoft sees success in India, similar partnerships may be forged in other emerging markets".
I'm not arguing against innocent until proven guilty, thats just as important in the UK as it is in the US.
what I *am* saying is that there are a number of huge unknowns here and some damn compelling circumstantial evidence. Amongst others...
1. the missing car seat
2. the freshly washed car
3. the fact of the passport and wads of cash he had on him
4. the book on murder
5. the missing wife
6. the motive
7. thoroughly strange behavior (driving around, leaving the car)
..therefore the onus is on him to provide an explanation or some form of defense. if he does not then can you see any Jury acquitting him? I'm not saying that the police should have the power to presume guilt - of course not - I'm saying that in this case him staying silent is really not a sensible course of action.
... generally swing for the experts, in this case the police. The only exception for this rule is if there is powerful evidence to the contrary. Given the same evidence (blood spots, missing chair, washed car, motive) I would no doubt of come to the same conclusions. The onus is on Reiser to come up with evidence - where is the chair? explain the blood, why was the car washed?
I have no doubt that Reiser is a genius, I uses reiserfs at home for many years and loved it. But I also have no doubt that OJ was once a great sportsman and regardless of the verdict I watched the court case and thought he did it.
Even great men are only human and capable of doing evil things in the heat of the moment.
There were many options out there, why on earth did they go to M$? call me suspicious - but I think there is more to this announcement then meets the eye.
2, did the BBC have to pay for this tripe?
or, its bad enough that BBC is using a DRM system from M$, but please tell me that they are not paying for it out of our license money. whats the betting M$ if offering this free in order get a larger audience for their crummy codecs and 'orrible player.
3, why not stick with the embedded player they have been trialling recently?
been a few demonstration pages from the BBC with embedded movies recently (I'll see if I can hunt one down) that have worked very well, kinda of youtube style. infinitely better then the real player rubbish they had been using, totally worthless that was - but at least it worked (kind of) under Linux.
4, why DRM in the first place?
I PVR all my TV so I watch it when I want, its not like that as DRM on it. I always archive any footage I want to keep to DivX, I view it the same way as DVD-R and VHS recording of shows for personal use. My point is - if the information is sent out free of DRM then why an earth are they adding DRM for web broadcasts?
Voices in the Dark is the title of the first Lost Tales DVD to be published
Voices in the Dark will be set in 2272. It will feature two linked plotlines viewed separately one after the other but covering the same 72-hour timespan: the first follows ISA President John Sheridan on his way to B5 for a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the formation of the Interstellar Alliance. During the journey he unexpectedly picks up the Centauri Prince Regent Vintari (third in line to the Centauri Imperial throne) on the edge of Centauri space, and receives a warning from Galen the techno-mage about coming events. The second will feature Colonel (formerly Captain during the series' run) Lochley on B5 awaiting Sheridan's arrival, who summons a priest from Earth space to help deal with a mysterious, seemingly supernatural problem.[14]
Straczynski has stated that predicated on the success of Voices in the Dark a second installment could be released as soon as early 2008.[24] Peter Jurasik has stated that he was contacted by Straczynski to reprise his role as Londo Mollari for a set of alien centric stories after the initial batch centered around humans. He has stated that he said yes to him, "if you [Straczynski] wrote it, I'd do it".[25] The second installment is also set to include a story centered around the character Michael Garibaldi, initially planned for the first installment.[15]
In response to a question about Harlan Ellison writing for the Lost Tales, who acted as conceptual consultant and writer for the original series, Straczynski has stated that he is "sure that down the road I can get Harlan to do something for us". However, for now the studio is pushing for just himself to work on the Lost Tales according to Straczynski, stating they "want this to be you [Straczynski]" because the studio already knows him and likes him.[12]
One of the big events in the Babylon 5 universe that the Lost Tales is set to explore eventually is the Telepath War.[12] Straczynski reportedly stated at the New York Comic-Con in February 2007 that he already has a concept for a possible direct-to-dvd Telepath War story in mind.[24][26]
Straczynski has stated that David Sheridan (John Sheridan and Delenn's son) will both be mentioned in Voices in the Dark, and that he will be seen somewhere else, "in the next DVD"
Hmm. I see your point, and its a good one - but I disagree slightly.
I view it this way:
Ordinary DRM: You get the lock and the key, but in a black box
Open Source DRM: You get the lock and the key, and the blueprints ~ but the extract the information in any meaningful way would require so much effort and computation as to render it impractical.
This - of course - is *ONLY* valid is some portion of the control/key is performed elsewhere and returned, if it is all on the client then your point is totally valid and the system is as weak as an open book. But this is precisely the end format that the **AA's want, where all players have an online jack and request access. That way they enforce not the medium itself but the very way it is used and we promptly find ourself never actually owning our media content, but instead buying limited rights to watch it under terms and conditions that suit the copyright holders.
This is a problem for me, as when I buy a film I like to think I am buying the rights to watch in however, whenever and how often I like.
This is precisely why I am still contemplating and not buying third generation video players and HD - any player that wants to put itself online and check/revoke license keys is not welcome in my house.
Slashdot Mirror
its a neat trick, but are there any commercial applications?
where does a robot that walks on water succeed over an autonomous boat?
I mean, at least when they developed the technological equivalent of the geckos foot they had very sound commercial applications in mind. As robot amphibious platforms go this has just got to be inefficient and unreliable.
...does it run Linux?
and somewhere, a bear shits in the woods.
Don't be naive. if there is any SURE sign that BluRay is getting the upper hand then this is is.
Companies just do not give things away at cost for no reason, my guess is that this would be ploy to try and gain back market and advertising space.
....have my tin hat on and am hiding under the desk to avoid this flamefest.
Actually in this case they do.
/ 13/road_charge_petition_was_a_car_crash_waiting_to _happen.html
Firstly, you need to be a UK citizin and enter a UK postcode to use the Goverment ePetition.
Secondly, let me quote the example of the Road Charging ePetition on the same site. It forced a response from the (then) Prime Minister Tony Blair and was widely reported in the news and debated in Parliament.
See...
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2007/02
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6349027.stm
for more information, or Google it.
That was well over 1m votes in a country with a total population of 60m, or 1 in 60.
So, yes, I think they can work.
Please feel free to sign the petition on the Government website.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/bbcmicrosoft/
Always good to raise the profile of this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-exK-gV7yaE oh my. oh my.
.. And I thought Resistance looked good. Dribble.
I can hear the 360 brigade and MS fan boys warming up on this thread. whooosh.
I have a PS3, I got it on day one, I love it, Resistance is a fabulous game.
Yes there are not as many games, yes it costs more - but for fucks sake it's a blu-ray player! not some piddly DVD player. At the time I got the PS3 I could not get a blu-ray player for that money. I like the machine, the geek in me admires the Cell technology. And I feel that strongly that Sony are getting a rough ride from a bunch a script kiddies and annoying teenagers. There I said it.
Sony are trying to run a business, not gain a foothold with massive loss making subsidies and oppressive leverage. I'm not saying that what MS is doing is wrong after all they are trying to run a business - but that does not mean I admire them for their business tactics.
-------
Having said that, in a few months I'll be getting a 360 for Halo 3, which looks to be a fabulous game!
very good.
nuff said.
Course, I prefer Xubuntu...
when I was in China I frequently had market sellers attempting to sell me dodgy DVDs and CDs for 2 or 3 Yuan.
But I don't think they had windows on them...... yikes!
Seriously though, even in the large multinational Shenzhen office I was in the IT support guy installed windows of a shiny gold disc - it was just how things were done there. The serial number was written on the top in black pen. I guess product activation and WGA make it more difficult for this to work so they crawl back to the conference table and talk.
BTW. Many of the top executives from another multinational always impressed me by running Yellow Dog on a USB stick - I'm not even sure their laptops even had software on - but the USB sticks were on their key rings. I always thought that was a neat security idea. I have never seen that done anywhere else.
..and works as a lubricant too? :-)
my, thats handy.
well I skimmed TFA and conclude we can now expect in these comments:-
.. and nobody being better informed at then end of it.
(1) a lot of foaming at the mouth rants and statistics from Linux evangelists
(2) some distie bashing thrown in for good measure
(3) the inevitable vista comments and hints about massive marketing campaigns
(4) maybe some mention of PCs shipped with Linux pre-installed
(5) if we are really lucky maybe the odd referenced fact
ah, there we go, faith in /. back to normal.
:-)
....35 comments and not a single gaffa tape joke.
/. remains
phew, my faith in
Will this prompt the big manufacturers to ship more Linux PCs?
The natural suspicion is that this will eventually lead to whole PCs elsewhere in the world and not for just academics/students. Long term Dell, Gateway and the crowd should be eyeing this carefully I should think.
The writers may doubt it, but even in the FA "..if Microsoft sees success in India, similar partnerships may be forged in other emerging markets".
With Ethernet on one end, USB2 on the other and stacks of ARM9 power?
I bet that security researchers turn it into some kind of network analysis tool before I can say "whippit".
And then the hackers get their hands on it.....
I bet your there are waaay more uses for a sexy little gizmo like this then the manufacturers realize.
sigh.
...
..therefore the onus is on him to provide an explanation or some form of defense. if he does not then can you see any Jury acquitting him? I'm not saying that the police should have the power to presume guilt - of course not - I'm saying that in this case him staying silent is really not a sensible course of action.
:-(
I'm not arguing against innocent until proven guilty, thats just as important in the UK as it is in the US.
what I *am* saying is that there are a number of huge unknowns here and some damn compelling circumstantial evidence. Amongst others
1. the missing car seat
2. the freshly washed car
3. the fact of the passport and wads of cash he had on him
4. the book on murder
5. the missing wife
6. the motive
7. thoroughly strange behavior (driving around, leaving the car)
I'll admit I phrased badly though.
... generally swing for the experts, in this case the police. The only exception for this rule is if there is powerful evidence to the contrary. Given the same evidence (blood spots, missing chair, washed car, motive) I would no doubt of come to the same conclusions. The onus is on Reiser to come up with evidence - where is the chair? explain the blood, why was the car washed?
I have no doubt that Reiser is a genius, I uses reiserfs at home for many years and loved it. But I also have no doubt that OJ was once a great sportsman and regardless of the verdict I watched the court case and thought he did it.
Even great men are only human and capable of doing evil things in the heat of the moment.
first, more info http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6236612.stm.
1, how did M$ persuade them?
There were many options out there, why on earth did they go to M$? call me suspicious - but I think there is more to this announcement then meets the eye.
2, did the BBC have to pay for this tripe?
or, its bad enough that BBC is using a DRM system from M$, but please tell me that they are not paying for it out of our license money. whats the betting M$ if offering this free in order get a larger audience for their crummy codecs and 'orrible player.
3, why not stick with the embedded player they have been trialling recently?
been a few demonstration pages from the BBC with embedded movies recently (I'll see if I can hunt one down) that have worked very well, kinda of youtube style. infinitely better then the real player rubbish they had been using, totally worthless that was - but at least it worked (kind of) under Linux.
4, why DRM in the first place?
I PVR all my TV so I watch it when I want, its not like that as DRM on it. I always archive any footage I want to keep to DivX, I view it the same way as DVD-R and VHS recording of shows for personal use. My point is - if the information is sent out free of DRM then why an earth are they adding DRM for web broadcasts?
flipping fantastic. looking forward to this.
more information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_in_the_Dark for the lazy amongst us:
Voices in the Dark is the title of the first Lost Tales DVD to be published
Voices in the Dark will be set in 2272. It will feature two linked plotlines viewed separately one after the other but covering the same 72-hour timespan: the first follows ISA President John Sheridan on his way to B5 for a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the formation of the Interstellar Alliance. During the journey he unexpectedly picks up the Centauri Prince Regent Vintari (third in line to the Centauri Imperial throne) on the edge of Centauri space, and receives a warning from Galen the techno-mage about coming events. The second will feature Colonel (formerly Captain during the series' run) Lochley on B5 awaiting Sheridan's arrival, who summons a priest from Earth space to help deal with a mysterious, seemingly supernatural problem.[14]
Straczynski has stated that predicated on the success of Voices in the Dark a second installment could be released as soon as early 2008.[24] Peter Jurasik has stated that he was contacted by Straczynski to reprise his role as Londo Mollari for a set of alien centric stories after the initial batch centered around humans. He has stated that he said yes to him, "if you [Straczynski] wrote it, I'd do it".[25] The second installment is also set to include a story centered around the character Michael Garibaldi, initially planned for the first installment.[15]
In response to a question about Harlan Ellison writing for the Lost Tales, who acted as conceptual consultant and writer for the original series, Straczynski has stated that he is "sure that down the road I can get Harlan to do something for us". However, for now the studio is pushing for just himself to work on the Lost Tales according to Straczynski, stating they "want this to be you [Straczynski]" because the studio already knows him and likes him.[12]
One of the big events in the Babylon 5 universe that the Lost Tales is set to explore eventually is the Telepath War.[12] Straczynski reportedly stated at the New York Comic-Con in February 2007 that he already has a concept for a possible direct-to-dvd Telepath War story in mind.[24][26]
Straczynski has stated that David Sheridan (John Sheridan and Delenn's son) will both be mentioned in Voices in the Dark, and that he will be seen somewhere else, "in the next DVD"
I'm sure they'd like us to forget they once promised us this title.
has anybody told Michael Jackson?
..shudders.
I mean he's just got to be beating down their doors on this one....
lets face it, any new design of skin is probably better then what he has.
Sod this fuel cell, when can I get my Mr. Fusion and flying car?
:-)
Hmm. I see your point, and its a good one - but I disagree slightly.
:
I view it this way
Ordinary DRM: You get the lock and the key, but in a black box
Open Source DRM: You get the lock and the key, and the blueprints ~ but the extract the information in any meaningful way would require so much effort and computation as to render it impractical.
This - of course - is *ONLY* valid is some portion of the control/key is performed elsewhere and returned, if it is all on the client then your point is totally valid and the system is as weak as an open book. But this is precisely the end format that the **AA's want, where all players have an online jack and request access. That way they enforce not the medium itself but the very way it is used and we promptly find ourself never actually owning our media content, but instead buying limited rights to watch it under terms and conditions that suit the copyright holders.
This is a problem for me, as when I buy a film I like to think I am buying the rights to watch in however, whenever and how often I like.
This is precisely why I am still contemplating and not buying third generation video players and HD - any player that wants to put itself online and check/revoke license keys is not welcome in my house.