A question I would throw out, that speaks to an executing program being comprised of data and code, would be is the program really just speech?
Speech would seem to me to align with the idea of data, which is protected.
The code side of the equation is the tricky part, IMO (BTW, IANAL:)). I could see executing code as an action. I'm pretty sure "Do whatever you want" is not a constitutionally protected right. There is of course the slippery slope of culpability where someone executing a program written by another person.
Couldn't one argue that since algorithms exist independently of implementations (and they used to be unpatentable until recently) that implementing an algorithm (or publishing/linking to said implementation) does not convey responsibility (which is attached to the algorithm). Just a random thought.
You don't have function pointers in your example so I'm not sure I understand your question. If you want to do compile-time checking on function pointers you can do something like:
"No conventionally moving parts"? How does the little fiber-optic-thingie-in-goo read the surface? Assuming you are talking about a single layer of storage here... 10 terabytes in something like 50 square cm? Is that something like 200 quadrillion bits per square meter? 1 bit of information requires only.00001 nanometers? Riiigghtt. Is that molecularly possible? Oh yes, sorry, I forgot, they're running it through WinZip first.
Sorry, why is money in charitable foundations less liquid than equity? The money is still in incorporated entities, either in the independent sector or the private sector. By bringing the money back into circulation, it would seem that this would increase the velocity, as opposed to "coagulating" in estates and large private corporations. That this generational turn-over has moral underpinnings is a nice twist, I think. Please explain your comments.
The interesting thing about keyboards underwater must be the same challenge as underwater cameras. I've taken the crappy underwater disposable cameras down to 80' before with no leakage of the housing. The reason they are rated for no deeper than 10' is because once you push the button to take a picture below 20' or so, it stays pushed! You have to return to the 10' ceiling for the spring to overcome the water pressure and push the button back out. The challenge would seem to be getting some kind of set-up that the spring was strong enough to overcome the water pressure while not so strong as to be un-pushable with the finger tip.
A couple of weeks back I played in the finals of the biggest rugby tourney in the Western Hemisphere (near Lake Placid, NY) and one of the major sponsors was Corel. It was pretty cool playing in front of three tv networks and 3-4,000 spectators with the pitch lined with Corel/Tux banners. After we won (beating a team from Ottowa, no less) we were all got copies of Office 2000 as part of the prize package. It was cool trying to explain to my team-mates in my semi-concussed state what they were supposed to do with it.
...but these carry a hefty pricetag, upwards of several thousand dollars. I would much rather go with an Open Source solution.
I think what you mean to say here is "I want someone to make me this thing for free." This is a great example of why RMS doesn't like the term Open Source. For 90% of the schmucks out there it translates to Free Beer, rather than the Free Speech he is speaking of. You want VPN software? Go write it and GPL it.
Try putting your whole hand on top top of the mouse and moving it around for a while. My arm gets pretty tired, with a more conventional mouse you rest your hand on the workspace surface and manipulate the mouse with your fingers. Are they really suggesting that people are going to have to move the mouse from their shoulder? In my 2 seconds of research, if I take finger manipulation out of moving the mouse I can get side-to-side action with my elbow but need my shoulder to go up and down. Am I missing something here?
> Another thing that would be nice is if you could > choose which sites are allowed to store cookies > and which not (and make the browser remember > what you choose). E.g. I want slashdot to > remember my settings but CNN.com has no business > setting cookies in my browser (I hate their > customized site so i don't use it anyway).
Check out mozilla.org -- this feature is included.
I thought it was a great article and you brush off his very valid points without addressing them. He is saying, "This hasn't been a problem so far... but think about a scenario where Corel suddenly hired the core KDE dev team or provided them with 'valuable considerations'"
This is a point that will come up -- given the rate that this is all happening, probably sooner rather than later!
What a fantastic interview! He must certainly be considered one of the most seminal thinkers of our time. I loved his refutation of ESR and the open source movement. It's about freedom -- not about better software or companies getting geeks to write their software for free or cyber psuedo-communities or anything else.
This man should be commended for somehow managing to stay above the bullshit and sticking to his principles, even when they aren't popular or grate on people's nerves. I hope ESR enjoys his million shares of LNUX because in a hundred years his initials will be long forgotten or remembered as a toadying dilution of the principles of RMS and GNU.
You have absolutely no idea of what you speak my friend. Had you been through the hell I and others like me have been through, you wouldn't be so flippant. What happened to PK happens every day to people all over the world, with no regard for demographics. I'm among the lucky few who has managed to put it down a day at a time. I would encourage others for whom this story struck close to home to seek help.
The fact of the matter is that most alcoholics destroy themselves and the lives of those around them. But people do manage to put it down and live wonderful lives.
Dude, you do a lot of typing for a person with carpal tunnel. We're sick of hearing about the Mattel thing -- its time for you to move on to a new project.
I know that Texas Instruments did some work with analog computers years ago. It always struck me as a much more interesting way to do computing than the old 0 and 1 thing. Imagine how easily complex knowlege representations could be implemented if instead of having a binary switch as the base unit of your computing model you had a voltage you could vary and combine infinitely.
Slashdot Mirror
http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/primall/mahir/mahir_ ring.jpg
Speech would seem to me to align with the idea of data, which is protected.
The code side of the equation is the tricky part, IMO (BTW, IANAL :)). I could see executing code as an action. I'm pretty sure "Do whatever you want" is not a constitutionally protected right. There is of course the slippery slope of culpability where someone executing a program written by another person.
Couldn't one argue that since algorithms exist independently of implementations (and they used to be unpatentable until recently) that implementing an algorithm (or publishing/linking to said implementation) does not convey responsibility (which is attached to the algorithm). Just a random thought.
typedef int (*MyLibFunctionProcType)(int param1);
#define FakeLibFunctionCall \ (*((MyLibFunctionProcType)(funcPtr)))
int retval = FakeLibFunctionCall(7);
This is a pretty standard way for building plug-in frameworks in C-based languages that has been around for awhile.
Its all part of the bullet-proof spam-proofing, my friend.
"English will [sic] not become the "default language" of the digital world".
I think what you mean to say here is "I want someone to make me this thing for free." This is a great example of why RMS doesn't like the term Open Source. For 90% of the schmucks out there it translates to Free Beer, rather than the Free Speech he is speaking of. You want VPN software? Go write it and GPL it.
> choose which sites are allowed to store cookies
> and which not (and make the browser remember
> what you choose). E.g. I want slashdot to
> remember my settings but CNN.com has no business
> setting cookies in my browser (I hate their
> customized site so i don't use it anyway).
Check out mozilla.org -- this feature is included.
The web-site is
This is a point that will come up -- given the rate that this is all happening, probably sooner rather than later!
Is anyone talking to you about setting up a currency system a la Stephenson?
I think they'd have more luck building a big telescope and looking into outer space rather than going walkabout...
This man should be commended for somehow managing to stay above the bullshit and sticking to his principles, even when they aren't popular or grate on people's nerves. I hope ESR enjoys his million shares of LNUX because in a hundred years his initials will be long forgotten or remembered as a toadying dilution of the principles of RMS and GNU.
The fact of the matter is that most alcoholics destroy themselves and the lives of those around them. But people do manage to put it down and live wonderful lives.
I know that Texas Instruments did some work with analog computers years ago. It always struck me as a much more interesting way to do computing than the old 0 and 1 thing. Imagine how easily complex knowlege representations could be implemented if instead of having a binary switch as the base unit of your computing model you had a voltage you could vary and combine infinitely.