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  1. Re:Hire the unemployed on 2013 H-1B Visa Supply Nearly Exhausted · · Score: 1

    Also, Americans often have huge student loans to pay back. I don't know about Indians, who get the vast majority of H1-Bs, but at least Europeans often got free, or very cheap, education, so are able to work for less.

    So to simplify things only slightly, H1-B is a scheme for US companies to siphon out foreign tax money. Nice!

  2. Re:Or perhaps... on Linux Needs More Haters · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Wasn't there a story a few month back about a guy, a normal guy, some French medic IIRC, that wrote drivers for a few hundred, or thousand, who's counting, webcams? He just wanted to get his webcam to work but ended up writing a framework and churning out driver after after driver. Try doing this on OS X (all webcams come with Windows drivers, so no one has to write them of course).
    Oh, what is K3B but a front end to a bunch of commad line tools?

    Cheers

  3. Re:Uhhhh on Turned Off iPhone Gets $4800 Bill from AT&T · · Score: 2, Funny

    But the guy was on a cruise BOAT.

  4. Re:Oddest Terms of Service on Google Launches Web Traffic Analysis Service · · Score: 1

    This is covered by the sentence in the introduction: As used in this agreement, "Google Services" does not include the Adwords or Adsense programs. But note that Analytics is not (yet?) excluded.

  5. Oddest Terms of Service on Google Launches Web Traffic Analysis Service · · Score: 5, Interesting

    From the Terms of Service: The Google Services are made available for your personal, non-commercial use only.. Doesn't this reduce slightly the usefulness, or at least the potential audience, of the service?

    I am sure that's a mistake, but that prevents me from using the service for anything useful right now. Or even from testing it.

  6. Looks like this guy did not go to the Blue Hat eve on Microsoft Continues Anti-OSS Strategy · · Score: 2, Insightful
    For example, this new feature tool we have would allow me to tunnel directly using HTTP into my corporate Exchange server without having to go through the whole VPN (virtual private network) process, bypassing the need to use a smart card. It's such a huge time-saver, for me at least, compared to how long it takes me now. We will be extending that functionality to the next version of Windows.

    Indeed, who needs smart cards, VPN, or security in general. Just send everything over HTTP. This kinda puts in perspective the previous story about the changes in Microsoft's attitude towards security.

  7. Re:Domain names only? on Imminent Mandrake Name Change? · · Score: 1

    No, the article states that the court forbids the French [company] to use its name ("le tribunal interdit au Francais l'usage de son nom"), so it looks like they will have to change their name.

  8. Re:Pratchett is always good on Best and Worst Books of 2003? · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I liked Nightwatch, it revisits some recurring characters in a rather clever way.
    Monsterous Regiment was not as good. It feels like Terry Pratchett released an alpha version of the book: lots of ideas and characters that could have been developped further but weren't. Overall a very frustrating book, quite below the usual level of the series.

  9. Re:My only peeve about linux on laptops. on LinuxWorld Report, Day 2 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Funny, I am typing this answer on an Asus Laptop running Mandrake 9.0, that supports both the touchpad and a logitech cordless mouse..

    Here is the relevant part of my /etc/X11/XF86Config-4:

    Section "InputDevice"
    Driver "mouse"
    Identifier "mouse0"
    Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option "Protocol" "ps/2"
    Option "Emulate3Buttons" "on"
    Option "SendCoreEvents" "on"
    EndSection

    Section "InputDevice"
    Driver "mouse"
    Identifier "mouse1"
    Option "ButtonNumber" "5"
    Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option "Name" "AutoDetected"
    Option "Protocol" "imps/2"
    Option "Vendor" "AutoDetected"
    Option "Emulate3Buttons" "off"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option "SendCoreEvents" "on"
    EndSection

    # later...
    Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    Screen "screen1"
    inputDevice "mouse0" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice "mouse1" "SendCoreEvents"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
    EndSection
  10. Re:I like this guy, but... on JWZ Reviews Video on Linux · · Score: 1

    ..but why would you need a GUI for a video player.

    Whether I use XIne or MPlayer I just browse the files with any browser, double-click on the video I want to watch, click on the full-screen square at the top of the window... et voila! Oh, I forgot, in Xine I also have to hit the play button and hide the panel with a right click, which JMZ might describe as extremely complicated, although I would rate it as rather intuitive actually.

    What else would I need?

    Now I like a good rant as much as the next person, but this one strikes me as rather unfair and really not constructive. What is the point here?

  11. Re:One is derided, one is end-of-life'd on DTD vs. XML Schema · · Score: 4, Informative

    I think James Clarke's RELAX NG and W3C XML Schema is the best description (if slightly biased ;--) of the relative strength of the 2 technologies. Note that James Clarke also just released a new version of Trang , a tool that does conversions between Relax NG, Schemas and DTDs.

  12. The Perl Review on RIP: The Perl Journal · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Perl Review is exactly what you describe: a Perl journal, distributed only as PDF at the moment. The publishers hope to get it on paper one day, but they wanted to get it started., so the first 5 issues are already available.

  13. It was a really funny... and scary talk on A Contrarian View of Open Source · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I actually really loved this speech, as I think did the packed room, including larry Wall and half of his family.

    Of course it was over the top, of course it was sometimes cruel and mean to Open Source, of course it made fun of OSX, of course it compared Linux to a trailor park hippie, but it was also twice as mean to Microsoft, it raised some good points, and why couldn't we just appreciate a good rant? It was funny and hit home quite a few times.

    And frankly the end of the speech, which predicts that geeks will be the next dissidents, sounds like a distinct, and scary, possibility.

  14. Excellent introduction book on Perl & XML · · Score: 3, Informative

    I found this book an excellent introduction for Perl programers who want (or have) to start processing XML. It cuts through the long list of XML modules on CPAN (485 results!) and gives you the basic techniques and tools you can use.

    XML is really not that difficult to deal with but it can be a little intimidating. "Perl & XML" is written in a simple and direct style that gives the reader enough information to start writing code, and pointers to find more specific information once they have chosen the tools they need.

    Armed with this book, The Perl-XML FAQ and Kip Hampton's column on XML.com any Perl programer can start working confidently with XML.

  15. Don't they have anything better to do? on How Dangerous is Online Chat for Kids? · · Score: 2

    I am sure lawmakers find it real sexy (and electorally worthwhile) to make laws about protecting kids from the monsters you can find on that dark and dangerous internet. The fact is that in most cases kids are abused by people they know: "The majority of all children countable under the Harm Standard (78%) were maltreated by their birth parents, and this held true both for children who were abused (62% were maltreated by birth parents) and for those who were neglected (91% experienced neglect by birth parents)" (source Third National Incidence Study Of Child Abuse And Neglect. The NCCAN has a good number of reports on the subject of abused chikdren BTW.

    So before spending energy, money and public attention in a law that will impact a very small number of cases maybe it would be wise to focus on more important dangers, and find ways to better protect kids from dangerous parents, priests (I know, it's a cheap shot ;--), soccer coaches... while still allowing them to live a normal kid life and not succomb to Paranoia.

    There is no 100% safe society (nor is it desirable to have one), so we have to pick our fights and try to improve it where it really makes a difference, not just where it looks good in a press release.

  16. What I understand from this case on Q&A With Vivendi Rep About Bnetd · · Score: 2

    Am I right in thinking that there was no problem before Warcraft III? That Blizzard knew or should have known that Bnetd existed. That, through an incredible oversight, they released a beta version of the game that relied on it being played on their official server to expire?

    So in short someone at Blizzard made a huge mistake and gave away the farm, and now they are using the legal system to try to fix things?

  17. Main Page should count for 1 page per day on Slashdot Subscription Update · · Score: 2

    I know I am a maniac, but I tend to hit reload on the main page quite often, just to see if there's a new story I am interested in. I don't think I am alone in this. It looks like this actually counts for 1 page each time :--(

    Of course this is a purely commercial decision, but just for the record, this system will probably lead me to read /. less than I used too. I know I could leave the banner on on the main page, but in this case I would feel like I paid my subscription for no benefit.

    So what about counting the main page for 1 hit each day. Even a system where the main page would count for say 3 or 5 pages, and with a cap, for example 40 reloads per day would be better. I would feel that I get better value for my money as it would not require me to change my browsing habits to take advantage of the subscription.

  18. Re:Its somewhat depressing... on Mandrake Clarifies its Future · · Score: 2

    I do not think they have that option. In any case the rules are different in France, it is much harder for a non-profit to be able to receive before-tax donations. You really have to be out to cure cancer or something similar (as this is /. maybe I should specify that some-unnamed-monopolistic-company-from-redmont is not considered cancer here ;--). So it makes sense for them to be a corporation, at least companies can expense the club membership/donation.


  19. Re:No No No! on A Better Installer for Debian? · · Score: 2

    Mandrake lets you _change_ the default values for all of these, but by default it does a very good job of detecting the network card(s), video card and all . Accepting all default options gives you a working system. Of course it is a pain to decide the level of security you want for your system (this being /. I am sure we all know why Windows doesn't let you choose ;--) and to click through the long list of extra apps that come with the system to check which ones you want to install, much better go out and buy them and install them from CD's one by one ;--)


    BTW, I have tried several times to install a wireless card on Windows machines and never, ever succeeded. Mandrake figured it out flawlessly. Go figure!

  20. Uh? on Mandrake Policy Change Angers Users · · Score: 2

    Not it is not! Of course Mandrake is not shareware. It is available for free, source and all, no strings attached, permission to distribute, copy and mirror at will. This is _NOT_ the shareware model. If you register a shareware you still only have one license, not as many as you want.


    Simply in order to sustain the costs of putting up the distro Mandrake needs money, more money than they can raise, at least short-term, by selling it.


    It turns out I really like their distribution, and I use it to work and make my own money, and it would be a disturbance for me should they go out of business. So I gave them money, and hoped enough people like me would do the same so they can stay in business and I can keep happily using their stuff. Even though I don't _have_ to give them money.


    Easy hey?


    As a side note,I paid the club membership, but really, I would hope they spend as little as possible on members-only services. All I expect from them is to use that money to keep on building nice distributions (8.2 is _so_ easy to install compared to windows it's obscene). And no I don't mind free-loaders, I just hope enough people understand it is in their best interest to have companies like Mandrake, Suse, RedHat Connectiva... around

  21. Re:Fast and Easy... on Mandrake, SuSE Ready New Releases · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have tried all of Mandrake 8.2 beta and they look pretty good, and extremely easy to install. A couple of days after the ssh bug was found the patched version was included in RC1 and I expect a zlib-bug free version for the official 8.2. This itself makes it a good reason to upgrade (along with the fact that it detected my wireless card nearly-flawlessly on my laptop).

  22. What is the legal status of email? on Document Retention And E-mail · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Emails can be forged so easily, how is their authenticity established?
    I guess any decent sysadmin in the world could show the court a whole bunch of threatening emails from the CEO of his company, what would a court do in such a case?

  23. The French on Animate Your LILO · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey, I object to the comment "Be careful of the French".
    We are just regular people you know, we eat crème brulée every day just like the rest of you, drink expensive red wine while making silly faces as any normal person would, use our regular quota of "Oh la vache!" and "Sacrebleu", have run-o' the mill girl names and our poo smells like rose just like everybody else's
    So there!

  24. Re:A Symbol to mark Open Content on New Scientist Tries Out Copyleft · · Score: 1

    I like the symbol, but you should really publish it as PNG, not GIF, a patent-encumbered and generally frowned upon format.

  25. Doh! on Name The MySql Dolphin · · Score: 1

    What about Doh the Dolphin? Too bad doh.com is already used