It allows for undoing... and makes it clear
what's changed, so that any new untoward
behavior can be connected with installation
changes that preceded it.
Simple, eh?
PS Perhaps the operating system could write
that log (ie, so that an installation tool
couldn't "forget" to enter any changes..)
"I would be very wary of a company that
forced me to be an independent contractor
instead of a W2 employee, for a job that
up until now had been done by an employee."
On the other hand, as a contractor,
wouldn't you have the option of sell-
ing your software to -other- companies
as well as to the (current) employers?
If you design the software to be a bit general
you might do better as a contractor.;-)
Our governor general (who's in the doghouse
for suggesting something like: it's not child
abuse, since it didn't involve rape...) once
wrote/sent a -written- Letter of Recommendation
for an Anglican priest, who'd been accused in a
child sex matter, and LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF IT
(of course, the job was off-shore - in England?)
The news of this (latest) report of the GG's
earlier slowness to address child-sex abuse by
Anglican priests came on the day he met with
the Queen.
Well over 65% of Australians think he should
resign over his past (apparent) "looking the
other way" in when such reports arose...
FWIW I count among that number who agree that
he has no place in such a job as GG.
It's time for a new "values check" for anyone
in such a visible public office as Aussie GG.
An [Aussie] Anglican Priest's Job Interview
Excerpt from an interview for the position of Priest, for an [Aussie] Anglican Church near you:
Arch-Bishop: So, have you ever had unlawful sex with a child?
Candidate: Heavens, No! Err... is it still a requirement?
(Needless to say, we think
Australia's Governor Gen'l
should RESIGN at once!)
---
The above is a spin-off of a joke told by a
psychologist, from USA (overheard telling it
at an Israeli Folk Dance, outdoors in a park
in Stockholm, Sweden):
Australian Immigration Officer: So, have you ever been in jail?
Would-be Migrant to Australia: No, is it still a pre-requisite?
First, I'm -not- a lawyer; thus, this does -not-
comprise legal advice, just "my two cents"...
(I'm writing from Australia where one woman has
reportedly served time in jail for providing
"word processing" services that were interpretted
as comprising the provision of legal services.
[I understand that she shared the -expensive-
law-firm provided divorce forms/papers/court-
submissions, used in -her- divorce proceedings
with another person, for a fee, by way of trying
to recoup some of the legal fees she'd incurred.]
And I don't want to be in jail for this post.;-)
Now, there's clearly a -risk- involved to
the poster's company, et al. (eg its employees &
shareholders).
There is the hope & chance of reward.
Before signing on the dotted line, I'd be esti-
mating the value of each, as well as the value
of my IP to the bigger company...
and negotiating into the 45-day arrangement
a "Risk Fee" (by any name), i.e. payment of
a non-refundable amount that you feel justifies
your putting your IP at risk...
perhaps calculating a "rental" fee - sizable
due to the short term of the period of rental.
Of course, the payment would be applied to
the Source License fee, if they want to use
the IP after 45-days.
Moreover, the proposed arrangement does -not-
preclude others' suggestions that a -clear-
"for evaluation only; not for commercial use"
clause in you Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Of course, a non-refundable, advance payment
of [whatever you call] the "Risk Fee" -before-
they see your IP means you have more cash to
pay your 'legal eagles' in case of a breach
of the NDA.
What am I missing, here?
BTW, is the posting of such a question in
the hot-bed of the Open Source development
community provocative?;-)
Look, folks, I really don't understand
why a radio like Kenwood's TM-D700A/E
"FM 2m/70cm Dual-band Mobile Transceiver,
built-in 1200/9600bps TNC for data/visual
communication"
Picture at:
www.kenwood.com.au/comm2.asp?cid=6&gid=3
Spec's at:
www.kenwood.com.au/comm3.asp?gid=3&cid=6&pid=59
(drill down for complete [PDF] manuals, et al.)
I guess I don't see the need for audio-card/
Winmodem-like (i.e. software-based) PSK31 combo
...i.e. when gear like the above Kenwood radio
provides Packet Modems by default... -plus-
there's a -handheld- model that has the same
Packet Functionality
First, you'd need to sell me PSK31... why is
it any better than Packet?
Both seem to work with APRS-protocols - best
with the British UI-View, as seen in Feb QST
If you can't sell me on PSK31, I think you'll
just have to put up with one -less- box (i.e.
the TNC that Kenwood integrated into TM-D700)
and the extra -freedom- e.g. to add a GPS for
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) (aka APRS)
and UI-View's inherent digipeater functions.
Announcement: OpenAVL is an Open Source
project intended to provide services to
(among other telemetry applications) use
Amateur Radio (as well as other wireless
technologies) to connect users to such
Weather stations... this has applications
to emergency services...
The tasks include:
- Adapt an existing Open Source system
(in Linux/C) to the purpose
- Design & Develope a new one (Linux &
Windows)
Have a look:
groups.yahoo.com/group/OpenAVL
(There is also a SourceForge project area
(details at the above Yahoo site).
For those who know it, we envisage an Open
Source counterpart to the closed-source
UI-View - from the UK - (whose -extensions-
to the open APRS protocol seem -yet- to be
published), combining ideas from the Austrian
program with an extended feature-list.
New talent always welcome... both to [try to]
break it (i.e. test releases) and to fix it.
OT: Why Isn't this art. on my /. List?!?
on
Non-Profit Colocation?
·
· Score: 0, Offtopic
By its posting time [Feb 04, '02 08:36 AM]
it -should- have appeared between:
Bazaars in the Government Cathedral
[of] Feb 04, '02 09:26 AM
and:
Designing Multiplayer Game Engines?
[of] Feb 04, '02 08:00 AM
But... it only shows up when I use -this-
to list articles [titles only]:
After discovering - with disappointment - that
South Australia's gov't has signed an (apparently
LONG-TERM) "whole of enterprise" agreement to
use -only- Microsoft software... (e.g. ALL new
servers -must- use MS server software, etc.),
I am happy to note that UK has begun to show
some serious interest in OSS.
Now, Australia's shiny-bums (i.e. civil servants)
can seriously consider OSS...
A world-reknown medical specialist,
on holiday overseas, is asked to con-
sult on a very seriously ill patient,
in a nearby medical centre.
Needing some small, but important, details
from the CD-ROM-based medical reference
that he carries for such eventualities,
he takes it to a local player... but
-WHAMMO-...that player won't play
out-of-region media...
The deceased patient's sobbing relatives,
are seen at bedside, while a voice-over
decries the craziness of region-specific
technologies.
--- Too bizarre? OK, so try this one:
A family is shown in their game room...
Now, this particular family has (e.g.
adopted) kids from many part of the
world... i.e. different media regions
One player... lotsa media (from friends
& family around the world)... but only
the -local- region's media play...
A combination of heartfelt sadness and
expressed anger at whoever caused this
whimsical anti-climax, followed by one
of those "How would you like it if..."
voice overs...
--- Possibly real (someday):
An international aid agency send some
media to one of their innovative edu-
cational programs.
As the students crowd around the only
computer in the school, for a look at
the newly installed educational ter-
minal, it is realised that the media
won't play in the -local- region's
player...
I just wanted to relay a report, for the
benefit of any Australian repr's of EFF,
who may be in a position to assess, ad-
vise and/or assist:
---
A volunteer member of a South Australian
organisation - operated by the SA Gov't,
under an Act of Parliament - has recently
been BANNED from note-taking at the
organisation's regular monthly meetings;
such meetings are open to all members.
Background:
1. in the course of regular training (not
conducted on meeting nights) the member
was given a 2-page procedure document
2. the member produced a new procedure docu-
ment from the given one, intended to be
an improvement on the original, adding
additional information that he had come
by, from various other contacts with
the organisation
The format of the resulting document was
changed (e.g. by grouping its sequence of
steps, use of multiple columns, highlight-
ing & larger fonts)
Thus, the orginal 2-page document now fit
on one side of a single page and was easier
(to the member, for one) to understand and
carry out.
2. the member handed copies of the improved
version of the document to the organisa-
tion's admin officer & head, & asked each
for their feedback on its correctness;
no feedback was offered
3. the member uploaded the document to a
Yahoo eGroup, whose purpose is described
as follows:
"This email list is for members of the
[larger organisation's name]. It should
be thought of as an informal place to
meet, chat and throw ideas around.
The list can be used to discuss any-
thing to do with the [organisation's-
name-acronym] or the way it operates,
topics might include; Equipment,
Training, [callouts], Funding,
Communications, [vehicles], [facility]
designs, Standard Operating Procedures
etc, etc.
A file area has been set up at [URL]
to save any files."
4. the member uploaded an edited version
of his improved document (i.e. all tel.
numbers removed), and invited feedback
from the eGroup's members
5. the member moved on to other matters,
e.g. training, projects & other work
of the organisation
6. in December, months after the uploading
took place, the member was told to re-
move the uploaded file from the eGroup
7. the member took steps to have the
uploaded file removed
8. the file -was- removed; thus, the
instruction was carried out in both
letter & spirit (within 3-4 days of
the "remove" instruction being given
to the member)
9. before the start of the next regular
monthly meeting of the organisation,
the member was told not to take notes
during such meetings
10. the member asked that this apparently
undemocratic instruction be put to a
vote by those attending the meeting
11. in a flurry of activity (with the offi-
cer, who had given the inital instruc-
tions present, and his father presiding
over the meeting), a motion was moved,
seconded & carried by the meeting:
"[member's-name] to refrain from
taking notes during [organisation-
name] meetings and to not publish
information discussed"
12. a (preliminary, hand written) hard copy
of the above motion was received by the
member (at his request) from the admin
officer of the organisation
A formal minutes document is expected
shortly (i.e. with the motion to be
more clearly listed).
The member would welcome the advice of those
in the know, in Australia, who may be in a
position to suggest negotiating strategies
and/or (if required) legal recourse, by way
of removing this untenable restriction on
participation at meetings and/or sending a
clear message vis a vis what may be rightly
considered to be the rights of members to
participate in organisational life and, to
the extent that they may desire, meet with
other members - whether in a pub or online
- to discuss matters of interest to them,
without undue restraint.
Advice, in this matter - or leads to it -
may be sent to: jwf@sdf.lonestar.org
An airline that let its planes get old, very old... runs out of $$$'s... gets bought by New Zealand Air (which -also- runs out of money...)
etc.
So, now - in the midst of the federal elections - Australia's Labor Party promises to keep this turkey flying, no matter how much it may cost!
So, good businesses -don't- get gov't support (since, of course, they don't need it...), but lousey ones do!
Your tax dollars at work... (i.e. if you're Australia-based).
Recent calls from the administrator of the failed company (after a handful of Ansett planes were brought out of mothballs and sent up again) sounded like:
Fly Ansett, we need your custom!
Virgin Blue (a new kid on the Australian block) had earlier come on-line with NEW jets...
So, where would -you- buy your tickets... from an airline that hasn't bothered to keep its fleet up-to-date?
Or a new player (here) that brings new ones in?
As always, the choice is yours...
Oh, Qantas is still alive, & trying to compete with Virgin Blue...
Speaking of spies... ASIO is to get the power to compell those it chooses to interrogate to answer its questions... multi-year jail-terms for those who decline to answer the questions...
As soon as someone notices the defect (i.e.
that a CD can't be backed-up), they should have a single place to list the title, musicians, label, etc. to let the community know.
Who's going to offer to come up with such a site...?
I'd say that the first place to look is http://TechNetCast.org (run by the people of Dr Dobbs Journal).
Also, at least for those who peddle[d] SCO UNIX products (OSR 5 and/or UNIXWARE), look on one or your recent CD-ROMs for an intro to Linux (not so much promotional as informative for the newbie.
In fact, somebody actually got -banned- from LinuxSA mailing list once, after suggesting that:
to encourage people to use C64's to surf the 'net (at least, in wealthy Australia) was like "placing a stumbling-block before the blind"
The idea was that - in this modern world - (unless one is, perhaps, a museum curator) it is much more worthy to invest human time in getting a PC clone online...
Who says religious wars are only fought with guns, et al.?
Australians just saw (on a commercial TV network, no less!) a blurb on (gov't/corp funded) groups of volunteers who collect obsolete computer gear, install Linux or other free Op Sys's & App'n s/w on it and get it into the hand of some of our growing number of poor Australian.
Lots of other charities do similar work (albeit using Microsoft software), not necessarily bothering to worry about details of licensing, in all cases...
A program on Radio National told that Swedish law puts responsibility for properly recycling old computers onto the shoulders of their makers, importers and/or distributors (perhaps a Swedish reader can confirm & provide the details?).
There are lots of environmentally unfriendly substances in the plastics, chips, et al. that might - otherwise - go into landfills, water supplies, et al.
For anyone wanting to learn Linux from a fully configured platform (ready-to-go as a LAN-server & Internet gateway) based on a (albeit non-GUI) Linux (today: RedHat 7.0), I'd say: make it e-smith (today: ver 4.1.2)
Stand on the shoulders of a correct configuration and move on from there.
e-smith is also good if you want to help move MS out of the server-farm room, as well.
I've actually been waiting for someone to ask this question since Napster feel from grace (at least, in the eyes of the courts)
The fact is that LOTS of blind & visually-impaired students are out there who need various text books & reference materials transcribed into voice (e.g. MP3's or RealAudio).
All it would take to couple volunteer readers (who, after all, get to learn as they read for the student) to users of the services that they would provide is:
Lists of who needs what read for them
Access to the needed texts (e.g. in local university libraries or via post) for the volunteer readers
Some cost-free & efficient encoders for the spoken voice (to maximize audio quality in minimal bandwidth)
This is a particularly appropriate use of P2P because, if one student (somewhere) needs a textbook read, there's a good chance that (somewhere else in the world) another student needs the same book read.
P2P could help minimize the chance that the same book would need to be read -twice- in order for both students to get access to it.
You mission... if you choose to accept it... is... ibid.;-)
It would be good to be able to participate (even as a reader) in Boston's "Community Blackboard" project...
Now, which true-believer is willing to install / operate a web cam for our edification...?
Seriously, I've been campaigning for a SlashDot clone in a number of areas of political & organisational life...
In this connection, I heard a well-positioned UK unionist (speaking to an Adelaide audience of Adult educators & students at one of its TAFE campuses) say that:
He's familiar with SlashDot, but
Big Labor doesn't want its members' voices to be heard/available on such a forum
BTW, it's not like union members don't have access to computers and the Internet...
He also told the audience that British Telecom employees get one day off (in 5) for Internet-based training - from memory - in their own homes!
Can someone confirm this "rumor"...?
(Maybe DEC was right -not- to have unions... e.g. in Sweden)
History - DEC (in Sweden): "We have no unions"
on
IT Unions?
·
· Score: 1
I once interviewed with DEC in Stockholm, years ago...
In a place where the rights of workers had been looked after to a fairly high degree, I was surprised to hear that DEC had -NO- unions at all.
It turned out that DEC paid so well, and provided such good perks on top of that, that it would be counterproductive (for its employees) to have to bring their conditions into line with (local) market conditions.
So, like other issues, I'd say that there aren't any Yes / No answers that work for all situations...
Australia's data privacy legislation is still dim.
Companies can do pretty much what they like.
Having said that... it -really- bugs me whenever I try to lookup a Swedish friend's telephone number online... it's just not there!
(Where are the Asian companies who use their low cost of labor to produce cheap phone CD-ROM's - i.e. to key (or - hopefully - scan, these days) in all the data, e.g. from the Swedish [telefonkatalog] - when you need one -PLUS- a web site to host access to one of the resulting CD-ROM's;-)
It's apparently unlawful to publish any Swede's details online (read: on the Internet).
Now, if one happens to be -in- Sweden, there are lots of data available:
Name, address, number & names of any children (unless born out-of-wedlock), taxable incomes - for both State & Local tax jurisdictions, et al.
Just visit any Swedish Tax Office [lokalaskattekontor] and ask - even in English! - to use the Public Data Terminal... and all that data can be accessed, as well as a summary of the individuals' most recently processed tax records!
You'll be able to use the Tax Office's gear & network (protected from modifications by downgrading of access rights to "Public User")
costfree (unless you want a printout).
Thus, we have come the full spectrum from restrictive Sweden (which protects the rights of its residents)...
...to Australia (whose government seems to treat its people like the graziers treat their sheep) - fair game for any outsiders, who would exploit the data unduely.
Go figure!
Actually, this story is a bit dated... can anyone in Sweden (or recently returned from there) confirm that it is still as it once was (not so long ago)?
TIA
Suppose that one is up in a fire tower... looking for smoke or fire; when smoke is seen...
Put on the special siting-helmut... look through the siting device...
The image of an CD-ROM-based, edgeless map of the area near the siting location is mixed with the raw view (through the siting device)...
A control allows the smoke-spotter to fade between image sources, until the location is accurately determined, e.g. by comparing landmarks to symbols on the map.
HELP: If anyone has some ideas on how to improve the accuracy of such smoke-sitings, in a hilly area, these guys would be happy to hear from you:
smokey@wrs.cx
Practical, appropriate (rather than high-end, out-of-reach military-class) technological solutions are to be preferred.
Progress to date includes the brainstorming up of some -possible- ways to go:
Use the elevation & some trig to estimate distance from the tower
Use split-image mirrors (like those used, a while ago, in manual-focussing systems in SLR cameras) to estimate distance
Build-up & use a database of landmarks - for each bearing - each at a measurable declination from the horizon (each table row would hold bearing, declination, description & location of landmark)
Use an available database of nearby radio tower locations (in 3-space) as the starting-point for the database of previous item
Use remotely-controlled cameras to get a second bearing for triangularization.
Ideas, Practical Tips (e.g. limits of effectiveness for any of the above solutions), Links to Sources of Equipment would all be of interest & very much appreciated.
Slashdot Mirror
It allows for undoing... and makes it clear
what's changed, so that any new untoward
behavior can be connected with installation
changes that preceded it.
Simple, eh?
PS Perhaps the operating system could write
that log (ie, so that an installation tool
couldn't "forget" to enter any changes..)
"I would be very wary of a company that
;-)
forced me to be an independent contractor
instead of a W2 employee, for a job that
up until now had been done by an employee."
On the other hand, as a contractor,
wouldn't you have the option of sell-
ing your software to -other- companies
as well as to the (current) employers?
If you design the software to be a bit general
you might do better as a contractor.
Our governor general (who's in the doghouse
for suggesting something like: it's not child
abuse, since it didn't involve rape...) once
wrote/sent a -written- Letter of Recommendation
for an Anglican priest, who'd been accused in a
child sex matter, and LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF IT
(of course, the job was off-shore - in England?)
The news of this (latest) report of the GG's
earlier slowness to address child-sex abuse by
Anglican priests came on the day he met with
the Queen.
Well over 65% of Australians think he should
resign over his past (apparent) "looking the
other way" in when such reports arose...
FWIW I count among that number who agree that
he has no place in such a job as GG.
It's time for a new "values check" for anyone
in such a visible public office as Aussie GG.
An [Aussie] Anglican Priest's Job Interview
Excerpt from an interview for the position of Priest, for an [Aussie] Anglican Church near you:
Arch-Bishop: So, have you ever had unlawful sex with a child?
Candidate: Heavens, No! Err... is it still a requirement?
(Needless to say, we think
Australia's Governor Gen'l
should RESIGN at once!)
---
The above is a spin-off of a joke told by a
psychologist, from USA (overheard telling it
at an Israeli Folk Dance, outdoors in a park
in Stockholm, Sweden):
Australian Immigration Officer: So, have you ever been in jail?
Would-be Migrant to Australia: No, is it still a pre-requisite?
First, I'm -not- a lawyer; thus, this does -not-
comprise legal advice, just "my two cents"...
(I'm writing from Australia where one woman has
reportedly served time in jail for providing
"word processing" services that were interpretted
as comprising the provision of legal services.
[I understand that she shared the -expensive-
law-firm provided divorce forms/papers/court-
submissions, used in -her- divorce proceedings
with another person, for a fee, by way of trying
to recoup some of the legal fees she'd incurred.]
And I don't want to be in jail for this post.
Now, there's clearly a -risk- involved to
the poster's company, et al. (eg its employees &
shareholders).
There is the hope & chance of reward.
Before signing on the dotted line, I'd be esti-
mating the value of each, as well as the value
of my IP to the bigger company...
and negotiating into the 45-day arrangement
a "Risk Fee" (by any name), i.e. payment of
a non-refundable amount that you feel justifies
your putting your IP at risk...
perhaps calculating a "rental" fee - sizable
due to the short term of the period of rental.
Of course, the payment would be applied to
the Source License fee, if they want to use
the IP after 45-days.
Moreover, the proposed arrangement does -not-
preclude others' suggestions that a -clear-
"for evaluation only; not for commercial use"
clause in you Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Of course, a non-refundable, advance payment
of [whatever you call] the "Risk Fee" -before-
they see your IP means you have more cash to
pay your 'legal eagles' in case of a breach
of the NDA.
What am I missing, here?
BTW, is the posting of such a question in
the hot-bed of the Open Source development
community provocative?
Look, folks, I really don't understand
why a radio like Kenwood's TM-D700A/E
"FM 2m/70cm Dual-band Mobile Transceiver,
built-in 1200/9600bps TNC for data/visual
communication"
Picture at:
www.kenwood.com.au/comm2.asp?cid=6&gid=3
Spec's at:
www.kenwood.com.au/comm3.asp?gid=3&cid=6&pid=59
(drill down for complete [PDF] manuals, et al.)
I guess I don't see the need for audio-card
Winmodem-like (i.e. software-based) PSK31 combo
provides Packet Modems by default... -plus-
there's a -handheld- model that has the same
Packet Functionality
First, you'd need to sell me PSK31... why is
it any better than Packet?
Both seem to work with APRS-protocols - best
with the British UI-View, as seen in Feb QST
If you can't sell me on PSK31, I think you'll
just have to put up with one -less- box (i.e.
the TNC that Kenwood integrated into TM-D700)
and the extra -freedom- e.g. to add a GPS for
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) (aka APRS)
and UI-View's inherent digipeater functions.
What do you need, that you don't have here?
73
Announcement: OpenAVL is an Open Source
project intended to provide services to
(among other telemetry applications) use
Amateur Radio (as well as other wireless
technologies) to connect users to such
Weather stations... this has applications
to emergency services...
The tasks include:
- Adapt an existing Open Source system
(in Linux/C) to the purpose
- Design & Develope a new one (Linux &
Windows)
Have a look:
groups.yahoo.com/group/OpenAVL
(There is also a SourceForge project area
(details at the above Yahoo site).
For those who know it, we envisage an Open
Source counterpart to the closed-source
UI-View - from the UK - (whose -extensions-
to the open APRS protocol seem -yet- to be
published), combining ideas from the Austrian
program with an extended feature-list.
New talent always welcome... both to [try to]
break it (i.e. test releases) and to fix it.
By its posting time [Feb 04, '02 08:36 AM]
r t=1
it -should- have appeared between:
Bazaars in the Government Cathedral
[of] Feb 04, '02 09:26 AM
and:
Designing Multiplayer Game Engines?
[of] Feb 04, '02 08:00 AM
But... it only shows up when I use -this-
to list articles [titles only]:
slashdot.org/search.pl?threshold=0&op=stories&sta
(remove the embedded in "start"
in the URL...)
Which User-level preference/parameter
is 'hiding' [at least -this-] articles
from me?
TIA
After discovering - with disappointment - that
South Australia's gov't has signed an (apparently
LONG-TERM) "whole of enterprise" agreement to
use -only- Microsoft software... (e.g. ALL new
servers -must- use MS server software, etc.),
I am happy to note that UK has begun to show
some serious interest in OSS.
Now, Australia's shiny-bums (i.e. civil servants)
can seriously consider OSS...
Still a colony... one way or another...
A world-reknown medical specialist,
...that player won't play
;-)
on holiday overseas, is asked to con-
sult on a very seriously ill patient,
in a nearby medical centre.
Needing some small, but important, details
from the CD-ROM-based medical reference
that he carries for such eventualities,
he takes it to a local player... but
-WHAMMO-
out-of-region media...
The deceased patient's sobbing relatives,
are seen at bedside, while a voice-over
decries the craziness of region-specific
technologies.
--- Too bizarre? OK, so try this one:
A family is shown in their game room...
Now, this particular family has (e.g.
adopted) kids from many part of the
world... i.e. different media regions
One player... lotsa media (from friends
& family around the world)... but only
the -local- region's media play...
A combination of heartfelt sadness and
expressed anger at whoever caused this
whimsical anti-climax, followed by one
of those "How would you like it if..."
voice overs...
--- Possibly real (someday):
An international aid agency send some
media to one of their innovative edu-
cational programs.
As the students crowd around the only
computer in the school, for a look at
the newly installed educational ter-
minal, it is realised that the media
won't play in the -local- region's
player...
---
Take your pick!
I just wanted to relay a report, for the
benefit of any Australian repr's of EFF,
who may be in a position to assess, ad-
vise and/or assist:
---
A volunteer member of a South Australian
organisation - operated by the SA Gov't,
under an Act of Parliament - has recently
been BANNED from note-taking at the
organisation's regular monthly meetings;
such meetings are open to all members.
Background:
1. in the course of regular training (not
conducted on meeting nights) the member
was given a 2-page procedure document
2. the member produced a new procedure docu-
ment from the given one, intended to be
an improvement on the original, adding
additional information that he had come
by, from various other contacts with
the organisation
The format of the resulting document was
changed (e.g. by grouping its sequence of
steps, use of multiple columns, highlight-
ing & larger fonts)
Thus, the orginal 2-page document now fit
on one side of a single page and was easier
(to the member, for one) to understand and
carry out.
2. the member handed copies of the improved
version of the document to the organisa-
tion's admin officer & head, & asked each
for their feedback on its correctness;
no feedback was offered
3. the member uploaded the document to a
Yahoo eGroup, whose purpose is described
as follows:
"This email list is for members of the
[larger organisation's name]. It should
be thought of as an informal place to
meet, chat and throw ideas around.
The list can be used to discuss any-
thing to do with the [organisation's-
name-acronym] or the way it operates,
topics might include; Equipment,
Training, [callouts], Funding,
Communications, [vehicles], [facility]
designs, Standard Operating Procedures
etc, etc.
A file area has been set up at [URL]
to save any files."
4. the member uploaded an edited version
of his improved document (i.e. all tel.
numbers removed), and invited feedback
from the eGroup's members
5. the member moved on to other matters,
e.g. training, projects & other work
of the organisation
6. in December, months after the uploading
took place, the member was told to re-
move the uploaded file from the eGroup
7. the member took steps to have the
uploaded file removed
8. the file -was- removed; thus, the
instruction was carried out in both
letter & spirit (within 3-4 days of
the "remove" instruction being given
to the member)
9. before the start of the next regular
monthly meeting of the organisation,
the member was told not to take notes
during such meetings
10. the member asked that this apparently
undemocratic instruction be put to a
vote by those attending the meeting
11. in a flurry of activity (with the offi-
cer, who had given the inital instruc-
tions present, and his father presiding
over the meeting), a motion was moved,
seconded & carried by the meeting:
"[member's-name] to refrain from
taking notes during [organisation-
name] meetings and to not publish
information discussed"
12. a (preliminary, hand written) hard copy
of the above motion was received by the
member (at his request) from the admin
officer of the organisation
A formal minutes document is expected
shortly (i.e. with the motion to be
more clearly listed).
The member would welcome the advice of those
in the know, in Australia, who may be in a
position to suggest negotiating strategies
and/or (if required) legal recourse, by way
of removing this untenable restriction on
participation at meetings and/or sending a
clear message vis a vis what may be rightly
considered to be the rights of members to
participate in organisational life and, to
the extent that they may desire, meet with
other members - whether in a pub or online
- to discuss matters of interest to them,
without undue restraint.
Advice, in this matter - or leads to it -
may be sent to: jwf@sdf.lonestar.org
TIA
-jj
---
OK, folks, see if you can advise...
"Has any open source company ever turned an actual profit?"
/. article)
Perhaps SleepyCat:
C.f. http://www.winterspeak.com/columns/102901.html
(from a recent
"How soon we forget..."
An airline that let its planes get old, very old... runs out of $$$'s... gets bought by New Zealand Air (which -also- runs out of money...)
etc.
So, now - in the midst of the federal elections - Australia's Labor Party promises to keep this turkey flying, no matter how much it may cost!
So, good businesses -don't- get gov't support (since, of course, they don't need it...), but lousey ones do!
Your tax dollars at work... (i.e. if you're Australia-based).
Recent calls from the administrator of the failed company (after a handful of Ansett planes were brought out of mothballs and sent up again) sounded like:
Fly Ansett, we need your custom!
Virgin Blue (a new kid on the Australian block) had earlier come on-line with NEW jets...
So, where would -you- buy your tickets... from an airline that hasn't bothered to keep its fleet up-to-date?
Or a new player (here) that brings new ones in?
As always, the choice is yours...
Oh, Qantas is still alive, & trying to compete with Virgin Blue...
Speaking of spies... ASIO is to get the power to compell those it chooses to interrogate to answer its questions... multi-year jail-terms for those who decline to answer the questions...
As soon as someone notices the defect (i.e. that a CD can't be backed-up), they should have a single place to list the title, musicians, label, etc. to let the community know.
Who's going to offer to come up with such a site...?
Also, at least for those who peddle[d] SCO UNIX products (OSR 5 and/or UNIXWARE), look on one or your recent CD-ROMs for an intro to Linux (not so much promotional as informative for the newbie.
to encourage people to use C64's to surf the 'net (at least, in wealthy Australia) was like "placing a stumbling-block before the blind"
The idea was that - in this modern world - (unless one is, perhaps, a museum curator) it is much more worthy to invest human time in getting a PC clone online...
Who says religious wars are only fought with guns, et al.?
Lots of other charities do similar work (albeit using Microsoft software), not necessarily bothering to worry about details of licensing, in all cases...
A program on Radio National told that Swedish law puts responsibility for properly recycling old computers onto the shoulders of their makers, importers and/or distributors (perhaps a Swedish reader can confirm & provide the details?).
There are lots of environmentally unfriendly substances in the plastics, chips, et al. that might - otherwise - go into landfills, water supplies, et al.
Stand on the shoulders of a correct configuration and move on from there.
e-smith is also good if you want to help move MS out of the server-farm room, as well.
My 2 cents... ;-)
The fact is that LOTS of blind & visually-impaired students are out there who need various text books & reference materials transcribed into voice (e.g. MP3's or RealAudio).
All it would take to couple volunteer readers (who, after all, get to learn as they read for the student) to users of the services that they would provide is:
This is a particularly appropriate use of P2P because, if one student (somewhere) needs a textbook read, there's a good chance that (somewhere else in the world) another student needs the same book read.
P2P could help minimize the chance that the same book would need to be read -twice- in order for both students to get access to it.
You mission... if you choose to accept it... is... ibid. ;-)
Now, which true-believer is willing to install / operate a web cam for our edification...?
Seriously, I've been campaigning for a SlashDot clone in a number of areas of political & organisational life...
In this connection, I heard a well-positioned UK unionist (speaking to an Adelaide audience of Adult educators & students at one of its TAFE campuses) say that:
BTW, it's not like union members don't have access to computers and the Internet...
He also told the audience that British Telecom employees get one day off (in 5) for Internet-based training - from memory - in their own homes!
Can someone confirm this "rumor"...?
(Maybe DEC was right -not- to have unions... e.g. in Sweden)
In a place where the rights of workers had been looked after to a fairly high degree, I was surprised to hear that DEC had -NO- unions at all.
It turned out that DEC paid so well, and provided such good perks on top of that, that it would be counterproductive (for its employees) to have to bring their conditions into line with (local) market conditions.
So, like other issues, I'd say that there aren't any Yes / No answers that work for all situations...
Companies can do pretty much what they like.
Having said that... it -really- bugs me whenever I try to lookup a Swedish friend's telephone number online... it's just not there!
(Where are the Asian companies who use their low cost of labor to produce cheap phone CD-ROM's - i.e. to key (or - hopefully - scan, these days) in all the data, e.g. from the Swedish [telefonkatalog] - when you need one -PLUS- a web site to host access to one of the resulting CD-ROM's ;-)
It's apparently unlawful to publish any Swede's details online (read: on the Internet).
Now, if one happens to be -in- Sweden, there are lots of data available:
Name, address, number & names of any children (unless born out-of-wedlock), taxable incomes - for both State & Local tax jurisdictions, et al.
Just visit any Swedish Tax Office [lokalaskattekontor] and ask - even in English! - to use the Public Data Terminal... and all that data can be accessed, as well as a summary of the individuals' most recently processed tax records!
You'll be able to use the Tax Office's gear & network (protected from modifications by downgrading of access rights to "Public User") costfree (unless you want a printout).
Thus, we have come the full spectrum from restrictive Sweden (which protects the rights of its residents)...
...to Australia (whose government seems to treat its people like the graziers treat their sheep) - fair game for any outsiders, who would exploit the data unduely.
Go figure!
Actually, this story is a bit dated... can anyone in Sweden (or recently returned from there) confirm that it is still as it once was (not so long ago)? TIA
How much is in that?
Is anybody actually using it? How's it going?
Put on the special siting-helmut... look through the siting device...
The image of an CD-ROM-based, edgeless map of the area near the siting location is mixed with the raw view (through the siting device)...
A control allows the smoke-spotter to fade between image sources, until the location is accurately determined, e.g. by comparing landmarks to symbols on the map.
HELP: If anyone has some ideas on how to improve the accuracy of such smoke-sitings, in a hilly area, these guys would be happy to hear from you:
smokey@wrs.cx
Practical, appropriate (rather than high-end, out-of-reach military-class) technological solutions are to be preferred.
Progress to date includes the brainstorming up of some -possible- ways to go:
Ideas, Practical Tips (e.g. limits of effectiveness for any of the above solutions), Links to Sources of Equipment would all be of interest & very much appreciated.
PS How does your nearest Fire Tower do it?
TIA
Along the way, he compared American & Russian technologies...
From what he told us (as well as others' comments - above & elsewhere), I'd say that:
Russian technologies are to their American counterparts as Linux is to Windows...
the former is cheaper & more reliable, if not necessarily State of the Art.
Tell me - which would you want your Life to depend on? ;-)